Any family friendly places for multi-racial family? (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: low crime, house)

[Settlers]

We had been planning to move to Neveda when my husband retired and now that has finally occured we're doing some research.

As an inter-racial couple with children we're concern about moving to the "right" area if that even exist. We're relocating from NY from upstate so we're accustomed to living in the city as well as the country of upstate NY. Since we love the outdoors and would love to be able to have enjoy an adult night out (though we have not had a babysitter in 2 years), ideally a mixture of both would be great. We would like to leave the snow. As with any family a low crime rate is ideal, I've been reading a few postings and wondered if anyone had any recommendations. My husband retired from law enforcement and will be starting a 2 year pgm in the fall for nursing. I, myself, am in Human Resources.

So I guess my question, can anyone provide me feedback on their beliefe of the acceptance of multi-racial families in New Mexico and/or recommend where I can find a list of the top places for multiracial families to live?

[greatdanes]

I have not heard of any multi-racial issues or problems. The problem here is if you have school age kids. I'll put this as direct as possible, if you can afford the "Academy" especially if you are moving to northern NM, then come on over, or even some of the Catholic schools are good (and you don't have to be a true believer - they will need decent academics to get in though).
Otherwise, IF you have school age kids and IF you are planning on the public school system and IF you truely love your kids, either rethink NM or investigate the school system carefully. Yes, our govenor has declared "The Year of the Child", his version of "No Child Left Behind" and it works about as well. Keep in mind, he is running in 2008, and will say whatever it takes to get votes, but the truth is public education in NM is fighting Mississippi for worst in the nation.

[_yb]

I don't think many New Mexicans care if you are multi-racial. It's just not that big of a deal here.

The public school issue is a big deal. The king of NM raided the nine billion dollar state land trust fund a few years ago for the schools. He found the votes he needed in the back corner of a warehouse in the wee hours of the morning. That money circulates to his friends of the north. A good portion of it ends up back in Santa Fe to "grease the wheels". The schools continue to fail.

New Mexico is rated as a very corrupt state.

[greatdanes]

Yes, we are a corrupt state, and yes, our schools are awful, along with the nation's top drop out rate, but we are proud to be #1, even if it's for negatives. Nice we stand for something here!

[LLD]

I was thinking that if I had read some of the really angry or bitter comments here before moving here I might not have moved here. :-)

Goodness.... every state has its positives and negatives. It just depends on your own priorities where you wind up moving to.

I read about the crime and DWIs and didn't like it but I decided affordable housing and beautiful scenery, some family and a great job were worth the move. I don't regret it one bit even though I've decided to most likely move back East for some different reasons.

And yeah politics here has its issues, again like every state. Hell after all the corrupt and dirty politics of Texas while I was growing up, not much else compares...LOL. And I moved to back to Texas and lived in Austin for almost 5 years too.

It seems to me reading these various city-data forums that people that have had really negative experiences or really dislike something about a particular place are a bit more vocal than the people that really like the same place. Just my own personal observation.

I try to remember that there is good and bad everywhere and that what we read here are individual opinions informed by each person's own experiences and background. And the various experiences are valid.

From my experience living in Albuquerque for the last 2 years I haven't seen anything to indicate that a multi-racial couple would cause anyone to bat an eye. I work with a guy who is black and his wife is white. She's from Santa Fe and he's from back East. They used to live in the DC area and they haven't experienced any negatives as a bi-racial couple.

[Towanda]

"I was thinking that if I had read some of the really angry or bitter comments here before moving here I might not have moved here. :-)

Goodness.... every state has its positives and negatives. It just depends on your own priorities where you wind up moving to."

LLD:

Boy can I relate to that! I am moving to NM next year, and I have to remind myself not to get scared by the posts I see here.

I looked in the Kansas forum to see what people say about the city I live in .... and I hardly recognized the place that has been my home for 26 years. It was described like many of the comments I see here .....drunks all over, not safe for children, drug addicts roaming the streets, terrible schools, high prices.....etc. etc. etc. ALL UNTRUE.

I am undaunted. I am going to live like I always have be it Kansas or New Mexico .... being careful but not paranoid. Enjoying all the good things, and realizing there are problems every where. So call me naive ... it's okay.

[LLD]

That's the attitude you have to have Towanda and it's a good one. The best thing is to take eveything in, do you own research, visit the places you like etc. and then make your own informed decision.

And I had the same reaciton... I started reading the Atlanta forums and thinking uh oh.... do I really want to consider this? Then I decided to look at the Albuquerque and New Mexico forums since I live here and I saw so much negative too that it frankly really surprised me.

When I was first thinking of Albuquerque about 10 years ago, I came here and HATED Rio Rancho north of Albuquerque -- it was nothing but sand even though it was cheap and Intel was out here. I was determined to live in the East Mountains, buy a lot and build because I had done that before in Texas.

Well guess what... I live in Rio Rancho in a suburb....LOL... boy have things changed. The East Mountains area is still beautiful but the commute and being so far from town and being single -- I just didn't want to be that isolated even if in beautiful surroundings.

I remember talking to my realtor here and him saying that so many people think they want the East Mountains and wind up in Rio Rancho -- and it's very true -- because you get the view of the Sandias and it's very affordable and fairly decent access to the freeway and the West side is growing by leaps and bounds now.

Albuquerque prices have pushed a littler higher house because so many Californians were moving here and they think $300K is cheap! LOL..... that drove the prices up here but even then the housing here is still more affordable than many places in the country.

p.s. If I were to move to Kansas it would probably have to be Lawrence -- a lonely liberal outpost in the state. :-)

[Towanda]

LLD ~

I graduated from the University of Kansas and I LOVE Lawrence...but I am a big time conservative!! LOL!

[LLD]

LOL!!! Too funny Towanda!

Well NM is a purple state to my mind -- lots more liberal in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe and more conservative in the rural areas -- typical actually. But that is a big generalization too -- plenty of conservatives in Albuquerque as evidenced by the bumpter stickers! LOL

Where are you moving to in NM?

[_yb]

I don't mean to be so negative. I love NM. I don't care for the ruling social party to much. My home is multi-racial. I have to send my daughter to private school because of the quality of the public school system.