Burlington, MA for a mixed race family (Boston, Cambridge: 2014, home)

[vw2005]

Hi there, we are a mixed race minority family who will be soon moving into the Fox Hill Elementary school district in Burlington, MA. We work in Burlington and Cambridge, so one of us will be close to Jr in case of any emergencies. We are moving from a very ethnically diverse area to what seems like a typical, suburban town. We had cased a few neighborhoods and we picked the school district where we will be settling soon, having a bought a home off Skelton Rd.



We are both outgoing and Jr is friendly.



As a minority and part-foreign family in a very white neighborhood, would we face problems due to our race? That's a basic buyer's remorse type question that's been nagging us lately. Will our neighbors be receptive to us? Or we will get cold shoulders or worse? Will other kids be open to playing with ours?

Some of our friends have warned us that Boston is quite racist, so we are nervous. We love to say Hello and invite people over, and we are hoping we won't get shut out.



Please share your candid experiences and/or advice.

Thanks for your help!!

[bostongymjunkie]

You will get a variety of opinions on whether the Boston area is racist. Sometimes I'm not really sure what that word means anymore, tbh, as it seems to be tossed around quite frivolously. I can tell you that while it is predominantly White, Burlington has been home to people from many backgrounds for a long time. Being on the 128 tech corridor, the town has attracted engineers, scientists and other professionals for years including folks from many racial and ethnic backgrounds with children in their very solid school system. Asians, particularly Indians, now make up more than 15 percent of the population. Burlington is a very docile town best known locally I think for its large shopping mall and that is really the only area that has any significant crime. And that's pretty much limited to theft and property crime. I've never known it to have racial issues of any kind either outwardly or subtly.

[newenglandgal123]

I would love to have neighbors like you. Instead I have neighbors who stare blankly when I wave and have never bothered to introduce themselves. I've lived in multiple states and towns across New England and by far the most anti social neighbors I've had. I've honestly never had a situation where I've been 20 or so feet away and waved to a neighbor to have them not wave or say hi back. I was actually busy doing yard work/raking near the property line where their driveway was one day and I saw them getting out of their car and they looked over so I gave a friendly wave and would have engaged in a convo if they came over. However, I didn't even get so much as a nod or wave back, just a blank stare. One is Asian ,other is not. I honestly don't care what race or ethnicity they are, only wished they were more friendly/neighborly. However, I guess the saying goes you can pick your friends but you can't pick your neighbors. If I ever see them when I'm out in the yard again, I'll keep waving and trying to get a wave or hello back. Maybe someday! As an aside, I don't think these particular folks know what a rake or lawnmower are so maybe they were just in awe to see me out in the yard again doing work (new concept for them?)lol All that being said, I think it just depends on whoever it is that lives next door to you. You may luck out and get neighbors that end up being friends, others that are courteous and say hi but prefer to keep to themselves, anti social ones like mine, or other. If you make an effort and at least wave, I think most people in Massachusetts will wave or say hi back if you're their neighbor and are standing within feet of them.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Where are you from and what race are you? That matters

[vw2005]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Where are you from and what race are you? That matters

Mixed race and one of us is foreign born.

We are hoping Burlington MA is not Coppell TX
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/commen...tm_name=iossmf

[vw2005]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I would love to have neighbors like you. Instead I have neighbors who stare blankly when I wave and have never bothered to introduce themselves. I've lived in multiple states and towns across New England and by far the most anti social neighbors I've had. I've honestly never had a situation where I've been 20 or so feet away and waved to a neighbor to have them not wave or say hi back. I was actually busy doing yard work/raking near the property line where their driveway was one day and I saw them getting out of their car and they looked over so I gave a friendly wave and would have engaged in a convo if they came over. However, I didn't even get so much as a nod or wave back, just a blank stare. One is Asian ,other is not. I honestly don't care what race or ethnicity they are, only wished they were more friendly/neighborly. However, I guess the saying goes you can pick your friends but you can't pick your neighbors. If I ever see them when I'm out in the yard again, I'll keep waving and trying to get a wave or hello back. Maybe someday! As an aside, I don't think these particular folks know what a rake or lawnmower are so maybe they were just in awe to see me out in the yard again doing work (new concept for them?)lol All that being said, I think it just depends on whoever it is that lives next door to you. You may luck out and get neighbors that end up being friends, others that are courteous and say hi but prefer to keep to themselves, anti social ones like mine, or other. If you make an effort and at least wave, I think most people in Massachusetts will wave or say hi back if you're their neighbor and are standing within feet of them.

Thank you! We would love to wave back and chit chat as well. It’s hard due to COVID isolation and when everyone’s so busy. But there’s nothing like getting to know someone, being kind and courteous regardless of political beliefs, color and ethnicity.

[vw2005]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

You will get a variety of opinions on whether the Boston area is racist. Sometimes I'm not really sure what that word means anymore, tbh, as it seems to be tossed around quite frivolously. I can tell you that while it is predominantly White, Burlington has been home to people from many backgrounds for a long time. Being on the 128 tech corridor, the town has attracted engineers, scientists and other professionals for years including folks from many racial and ethnic backgrounds with children in their very solid school system. Asians, particularly Indians, now make up more than 15 percent of the population. Burlington is a very docile town best known locally I think for its large shopping mall and that is really the only area that has any significant crime. And that's pretty much limited to theft and property crime. I've never known it to have racial issues of any kind either outwardly or subtly.

Thank you. We have found it all depends. In some instances, the “working class” white person is more helpful than the yuppie Asian, white or black family next door. We are also aware of how we may be perceived in a predominately white neighborhood and that’s our big concern. We don’t want to be in Texas or the south. We are hoping Mass and Burlington are different and more welcoming.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by vw2005

Mixed race and one of us is foreign born.

We are hoping Burlington MA is not Coppell TX
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/commen...tm_name=iossmf

This didn’t answer either question.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by vw2005

Thank you. We have found it all depends. In some instances, the “working class” white person is more helpful than the yuppie Asian, white or black family next door. We are also aware of how we may be perceived in a predominately white neighborhood and that’s our big concern. We don’t want to be in Texas or the south. We are hoping Mass and Burlington are different and more welcoming.

Burlington is a local center for south Asians. Almost every place in Massachusetts is majority white. Burlington is no exception. The breakdown in Burlington is roughly 75% white, 15% Asian, 5% black, 5% mixed. Your family will likely be in the minority, but it won't be a "stare at the strange person" level of minority.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

This didn’t answer either question.

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