Could I live in Valpo? (Gary, Michigan City: credit, home, public school) - City-Data Forum

lifeisbutadream · 09-12-2008, 11:25 PM

I'm a 23 year old black woman. I am not ghetto, loud, or violent. I am a nurse. I would love to live in Valpo and am considering moving there. Is Valpo a good place for people of color to live? Would I be accepted there? Would my (future) kids be able to go to school there and be treated fairly? I'm an honest law abiding citizen, am quiet, and don't bother people. Is Valpo a good choice for me to live? What about Crown Point? I've also considered moving there.

domergurl · 09-13-2008, 12:47 PM

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be accepted in Valpo. Have you visited?? The schools are really good and Porter Memorial may be a place for you to work.

artemis · 09-13-2008, 07:20 PM

There's no doubt that you would be accepted in Valpo. Porter Memorial is in Valpo, and there's a hospital in Hobart which isn't that far away.

Crown Point is a nice town, with St Anthony's hospital there. Broadway Methodist is a short distance away in the Southern part of Merrillville.

lifeisbutadream · 09-13-2008, 11:01 PM

Thank you both for the replies. I read the article “Driven From Paradise” and I must admit I was disheartened. Some of the comments on the page were horrible. Both of you say I will be accepted, and I hope so. I may go ahead and move to Valparaiso.

lifeisbutadream · 09-13-2008, 11:13 PM

<mod cut for copyright purposes>

here' the link to the story and the comments by readers:

http://www.nwi.com/articles/2007/09/09/opinion/forum/doc0bd9386dba0dfda68625734e0060605e.txt (broken link)

lifeisbutadream · 09-13-2008, 11:24 PM

The original article is from:
www.nwitimes.com

I couldn’t get the link to work properly so I posted here:

I always thought that as a black person I could move anywhere as long as I was a law abiding citizen that was polite and respectful towards everyone. Now I see that perhaps I’m wrong. Many people will only see my skin color.

domergurl · 09-14-2008, 05:45 AM

I didn't realize that St. Paul was so diverse, but again, that area of the country doesn't have a Gary Indiana in their back yard either (no excuse, of course, but the region has a history of racial tension ... wonder if she realized that, or if VU Law glossed it over WHEN she asked) ... she asked right?). Too bad Ms. Jensen didn't realize that. Not to thumb my nose at what happened to her family, which is absolutely devastating, but still. I do give her credit for sticking it out for 3 years. I hope her kids are doing better after 3 years of such lunacy. I don't know, if I were you, that article would make my stomach turn at the thought of putting my children is such a place ... you may want to rethink.

Wow.

But it looks like she landed back on her feet very quickly:

http://www.rkmc.com/Valerie-Jensen-N...n-Practice.htm

I'm kind of wondering why you would post the article after your original post .. you knew this information about Ms. Jensen prior to posting and waiting for responses. ???????

lifeisbutadream · 09-14-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domergurl

I didn't realize that St. Paul was so diverse, but again, that area of the country doesn't have a Gary Indiana in their back yard either (no excuse, of course, but the region has a history of racial tension ... wonder if she realized that, or if VU Law glossed it over WHEN she asked) ... she asked right?). Too bad Ms. Jensen didn't realize that. Not to thumb my nose at what happened to her family, which is absolutely devastating, but still. I do give her credit for sticking it out for 3 years. I hope her kids are doing better after 3 years of such lunacy. I don't know, if I were you, that article would make my stomach turn at the thought of putting my children is such a place ... you may want to rethink.

Wow.

But it looks like she landed back on her feet very quickly:

Valerie Jensen Named Executive Director Twin Cities Diversity in Practice

I'm kind of wondering why you would post the article after your original post .. you knew this information about Ms. Jensen prior to posting and waiting for responses. ???????

I read the article yesterday and was surprised. I've had people tell me that I could never live in Valpo and I hoped it wasn't true. That's why I asked this question here.

So the people in Gary have caused racial tension in this area? I must admit that I am often embarrassed by the why some people in Gary behave also. I try to separate myself from people that act ignorant and ghetto. I am not like that and the woman in the article wasn't like that either, but we must suffer for the actions of others. Why are people like that?

I’ve had the pleasure of having clinicals at Porter Memorial hospital and most of the people were so nice. So I began wondering if I could actually live there and experience the same treatment. I mean I have the money and it’s one on the nicer areas in NWI. Is it just certain parts of Valpo or are all parts like that?

I’d like to be able to go and live wherever I want in this country but my skin color stops me. I know a lot of blacks act ghetto and ignorant and I wish I could make them stop but I can’t. Sometimes I hate being black.
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domergurl · 09-14-2008, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeisbutadream

I read the article yesterday and was surprised. I've had people tell me that I could never live in Valpo and I hoped it wasn't true. That's why I asked this question here.

So the people in Gary have caused racial tension in this area? I must admit that I am often embarrassed by the why some people in Gary behave also. I try to separate myself from people that act ignorant and ghetto. I am not like that and the woman in the article wasn't like that either, but we must suffer for the actions of others. Why are people like that?

I’ve had the pleasure of having clinicals at Porter Memorial hospital and most of the people were so nice. So I began wondering if I could actually live there and experience the same treatment. I mean I have the money and it’s one on the nicer areas in NWI. Is it just certain parts of Valpo or are all parts like that?

I’d like to be able to go and live wherever I want in this country but my skin color stops me. I know a lot of blacks act ghetto and ignorant and I wish I could make them stop but I can’t. Sometimes I hate being black.
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

Sorry to be ignorant, but I don't know what "acting ghetto" is. If you read the comments at the end of the article, you'll see many people defending Valpo. I lived there and I thought it was a very nice place. I don't think that Gary causes racial tension per se, and since you've had experience with Porter Memorial, and you felt comfortable, well, it's up to you. Did you make any contacts at the hospital that you could inquire to? I don't think that Ms. Jensen's experience is typical. It looks to me like she's been a Minnesota gal from the get go. I'm not disrespecting her experience in Valpo, because if it's true what he kids went through, shame on Valpo, but she could have pulled her kids out of the public school if it was that bad ... or maybe she just felt it would be better to go back home ... in any event, what happened was awful and it's nice that she was able to go back to her home base.

sonshine0924 · 10-03-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeisbutadream

The original article is from:
www.nwitimes.com

I couldn’t get the link to work properly so I posted here:

I always thought that as a black person I could move anywhere as long as I was a law abiding citizen that was polite and respectful towards everyone. Now I see that perhaps I’m wrong. Many people will only see my skin color.

And that's why they are ignorant. I live in Michigan City, which is about 20-30 mins from Valpo. You shouldn't have any problems there. There school system is one of the best in the area too.