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I think you need to temper your expectations for an anonymous internet forum. The one you complained about most (the person who posted 11 times in this thread) is a troll and has since been banned. The "local realtor" created an account 10 days ago and posted in this thread only (maybe a troll too, who knows).
Would you take the advice of any anonymous stranger? It makes sense to quickly check the posting histories of commenters before putting too much stock in what they say.
True.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom_of_one
Duly noted, Henna. You're right - I was a bit taken aback, but that's the nature of an anonymous online forum. And I did check a few of the histories, which shed light on the comments posted above.
I guess by focusing on trolls and people with agendas, you missed my posts on the subject
Riverdale resident here... Riverdale has become more diverse in the last few years, but you still have some people here who are not thrilled about that, so the op should keep that in mind. Why not just go for a walk in the area and decide for yourself? There seems to be two agendas here, and I would say there is some truth to both. Some won't want you here, and some won't care either way. The only way to know if you and your son will be fine is to walk around and see how you and him like the area.
Riverdale resident here... Riverdale has become more diverse in the last few years, but you still have some people here who are not thrilled about that, so the op should keep that in mind. Why not just go for a walk in the area and decide for yourself? There seems to be two agendas here, and I would say there is some truth to both. Some won't want you here, and some won't care either way. The only way to know if you and your son will be fine is to walk around and see how you and him like the area.
It's my belief that the OP shouldn't give a whit about what "some people" think. Obviously since the area has become more diverse each year, people aren't scared off from moving into the area. Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil's diversity isn't something that has happened in the last few years. There have been minorities living in Riverdale for quite some time (at least 10+ years), though never a majority. I always remembered seeing a variety of faces in my aunt's building when we visited and they weren't domestic help either. As Norwood Boy stated, one of the Tuskegee Airmen resided in Riverdale. Herman Badillo I believe was a Riverdale resident. My aunt's friends held management positions at McGraw Hill.
I do agree that the best way to get a feel for the area is to visit.
While I appreciate ethnicly diverse environments, my primary motivators for choosing a place to live as a mother are safety and schools. that's what the OP wanted. Diversity was just bonus for her.
Yes, Riverdale has always had diversity, but the ethnic minority groups were smaller than they are today. They're still quite small in comparison to other neighborhoods, which is why some previous posters have argued that Riverdale isn't diverse enough to be welcoming for the op and her son.
I don't know how old the op's son is, but I'm sure as you know, people can be cruel, so if she can protect her son from the ignorant-minded individuals, I would imagine she would like to do so without exposing him to some of the most recent racist incidents in the neighborhood. Some people like a little diversity and some people fear lots of diversity, which could explain those events, but who knows? I would say now would be a good time to do a walking tour before it becomes cold.
I don't know how old the op's son is, but I'm sure as you know, people can be cruel, so if she can protect her son from the ignorant-minded individuals, I would imagine she would like to do so without exposing him to some of the most recent racist incidents in the neighborhood. Some people like a little diversity and some people fear lots of diversity, which could explain those events, but who knows? I would say now would be a good time to do a walking tour before it becomes cold.
The same can be said for many neighborhoods, though, not just Riverdale. The UES/UWS/SoHo/parts of Brooklyn/Queens/SI/etc. can be a tad cliquish with respect to the dominant group in the neighborhood, but that does not mean that people who do not typify the ethnic norm in the neighborhood will face discrimination. Incidents in Riverdale have been isolated, as it is not a common fact of life.
Some posts upthread that were telling the OP to spare the community and to look to an area with worse schools were not made with any intention to save the OP's son from any sort of racism; rather, they were designed to make the OP uncomfortable in her choice, adding in qualifications for diversity, replicating Brooklyn, or looking for a more affordable area when those were not her concerns -- anything to make her think twice because of a particular post's agenda, which was pretty obvious.
I would not avoid people because a small minority of a group may not like me because for the one bigot, there are many others who are welcoming. Those of us who have posted in this thread who know people in Riverdale who are not white or Jewish have not heard of any incidents of racism such that it would make them uncomfortable to reside in the neighborhood, especially not a dense area like Spuyten Duyvil. I know people with whom I went to school who are biracial Riverdale residents who had no problems, even in private school. There are also families with whom I am acquainted who have adopted children from Africa and China, where both parents are Caucasian, and they do not feel ostracized in Riverdale.
Many Riverdale residents tend to be well educated and well traveled, both of which run against the grain of discrimination, especially based upon ancestry. Lifestyle factors, i.e., distaste for loud parties, derelict properties, etc. tend to account for more of the discriminatory patterns with respect to co-op boards, but that's very similar to the UES/UWS/SoHo/etc.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Yes, Riverdale has always had diversity, but the ethnic minority groups were smaller than they are today. They're still quite small in comparison to other neighborhoods, which is why some previous posters have argued that Riverdale isn't diverse enough to be welcoming for the op and her son.
I don't know how old the op's son is, but I'm sure as you know, people can be cruel, so if she can protect her son from the ignorant-minded individuals, I would imagine she would like to do so without exposing him to some of the most recent racist incidents in the neighborhood. Some people like a little diversity and some people fear lots of diversity, which could explain those events, but who knows? I would say now would be a good time to do a walking tour before it becomes cold.
Ah yes, the brand new poster with the new account name weighing in on all matters Rivderdale. Where have I seen this before.
The same can be said for many neighborhoods, though, not just Riverdale. The UES/UWS/SoHo/parts of Brooklyn/Queens/SI/etc. can be a tad cliquish with respect to the dominant group in the neighborhood, but that does not mean that people who do not typify the ethnic norm in the neighborhood will face discrimination. Incidents in Riverdale have been isolated, as it is not a common fact of life.
Some posts upthread that were telling the OP to spare the community and to look to an area with worse schools were not made with any intention to save the OP's son from any sort of racism; rather, they were designed to make the OP uncomfortable in her choice, adding in qualifications for diversity, replicating Brooklyn, or looking for a more affordable area when those were not her concerns -- anything to make her think twice because of a particular post's agenda, which was pretty obvious.
...
Many Riverdale residents tend to be well educated and well traveled, both of which run against the grain of discrimination, especially based upon ancestry. Lifestyle factors, i.e., distaste for loud parties, derelict properties, etc. tend to account for more of the discriminatory patterns with respect to co-op boards, but that's very similar to the UES/UWS/SoHo/etc.
Totally agree, and I'm glad to have spoken with other posters privately about their positive experiences in Riverdale and why I shouldn't be concerned about racial discrimination. As bmwguydc mentions, so far Riverdale does meet all of the criteria my family needs - affordable, well-educated and well-traveled residents (like my family,) and a quiet, safe, family-oriented area. I did not think it would have been neccesary to quality, above, that I could afford Riverdale, that I *do* have a high-paying executive job, or that my family's primary priority is securing a good, quality education for my son in a nice area - period. I am glad that several posters (some of whom I spoke to privately,) seem to understand this, and I'm just blocking out the trolls. Plan to tour the area before it's too cold!
I haven't had time to read any of the posts in this thread except the original, but we lived in Riverdale for 5 years and I will say that it is a great place for mixed race families of all sorts. My children went to two different elementary schools (PS 81 and Ampark) and in both schools there were lots of children from all backgrounds... seemed to be about half Hispanic/Latino, but a good percentage of white, black, and Asian kids. And from all countries too... barely more than 2-3 children in each class would have the same ethnicity. I.e., there might be six Caucasian kids but two would be Italian-American, one Jewish, one Russian, and one Irish... or out of nine Hispanic children three might be from Dominican Republic, two from Mexico, one from Guatemala, etc.
I would guess that at least a third of the kids in every class were mixed. No teasing about strange names! Truly the most diverse (ethnically and economically) classrooms I have ever seen.
If you end up moving there, enjoy! Great community (also Kingsbridge and Van Cortlandt Park) and we still go back to see all the friends we made.
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