Blacks in PDX (Portland: live, racism, metro)

[Discovery1]

For some reasons...White and Asian in Portland seems to get along very well, and happy then the rest. Perhaps, it has to do the income, wealth as you all know Silicon forest means. Hispanic seems to wondering where would i be in this environment.Black seems to be a real victims of of what called urban boundary and they either out to the far eastside or out of state because all of these.
It's funny on how most of them not realized is that urban boundary is slowly killing most of us

[UberDuper]

Greenlite - I appreciate the perspective and feedback. Again, I have been T.O.B.P. lots of times, I just care if people are genuinely friendly or not. And yes, starting another thread might be necessary. I'll probably do that, since this one is slightly off topic for me.

Hamellr - Luckily, I tend to do well entertaining myself, so I don't see this as a regular issue. This is also why I want to live close enough to Portland to do things in the city, which would happen on weekends anyway.

Nell - I will be careful driving for sure, since I tend to be heavy-footed and wanting to get home after a long day at work might increase my odds of driving 5 to 10 over the limit...

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

Don't get me wrong but question like this will not make you happy in Portland.......If anyone have question about colors than Portland should not be for them PERIOD.

Greenlite is a white guy who grew up in the Portland suburbs. He is just very interested in this topic since they asked the same question on the Seattle forum.

[Nell Plotts]

Originally Posted by UberDuper

Nell - I will be careful driving for sure, since I tend to be heavy-footed and wanting to get home after a long day at work might increase my odds of driving 5 to 10 over the limit...

I just don't want you to be pulled over and suffer the 'driving while Black' treatment.

A few years ago the Controller at a major plant in Wenatchee was a Black. I ran into her at another facility in the mid-west. I asked about her experience and the reason for her move. She said that she and her husband were the only Blacks in the area, everyone noticed them. Her example was that one day she had a flat tire on the way to work, as soon as she pulled off the road others came to her aid and she was on her way in no time. For the next week even strangers expressed concern about the flat tire. The other factor is that her husband had no guys to hang out with. He had golf partners but none shared his life experiences.

Were I you I would stop at the Oregon State Police office(s) that serve the area you will be driving, introduce yourself and tell them where you work, maybe what you do. Point out that you will stick out like a sore thumb and that you want them to know who you are. Maybe ask a few questions about road conditions that you should know about (sometimes there are areas prone to icing). Reassure them that you are not only a good guy but a great guy. Sometimes the office staff acts distracted but only because they have to stay alert for service calls, they are really stretched, it won't be because of you. If they are busy just tell them you will stop by later when hopefully it is quieter.

[oldtintype]

[quote=UberDuper;34519493]Greenlite - I appreciate the perspective and feedback. Again, I have been T.O.B.P. lots of times, I just care if people are genuinely friendly or not. And yes, starting another thread might be necessary. I'll probably do that, since this one is slightly off topic for me.

/QUOTE]

Just as a FYI, Greenlight doesn't even live here!!!

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

For some reasons...White and Asian in Portland seems to get along very well, and happy then the rest. Perhaps, it has to do the income, wealth as you all know Silicon forest means. Hispanic seems to wondering where would i be in this environment.Black seems to be a real victims of of what called urban boundary and they either out to the far eastside or out of state because all of these.
It's funny on how most of them not realized is that urban boundary is slowly killing most of us

Pretty much everyone looking for affordable living is moving east because of how expensive rents have gotten--it's the only true affordable area left. The black community has been hit harder because of the changes in N/NE Portland but they're not the only ones pretty much pushed east...anyone not making a lot of money is (and for some black families gentrification has helped them financially with home prices, though I don't think anyone would agree that loss of community is worth being able to sell your house for more). It's not a new thing anyway--Legacy pushed huge groups of black families out of the inner NE/N area when they built the hospital decades ago and they recently publicly apologized for how they handled it. The area that was traditionally black is some of the hottest land in Portland--it's close in, cute old homes, etc. No matter who lived in the area it was bound to become a highly desired and expensive area as the city grew. I'm not making light of the fact that a community has been lost, just that realistically it was a ticking time bomb as the population grew and the housing became more expensive.

I would like to see the data of how black residents are moving out of state in larger numbers than other populations though--I haven't seen that to be true at all, just that many families have relocated out of NE or N to outer east Portland.

Gentrification happens everywhere, not just Portland BTW, just about every city has this issue. Not saying that's good, it's just not a personal attack against minorities in Portland like some seem to make it out to be. Cost of living has grown so anything close in becomes desirable and lower income people get pushed out. Fair? No, but that's another story.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Were I you I would stop at the Oregon State Police office(s) that serve the area you will be driving, introduce yourself and tell them where you work, maybe what you do. Point out that you will stick out like a sore thumb and that you want them to know who you are. Maybe ask a few questions about road conditions that you should know about (sometimes there are areas prone to icing). Reassure them that you are not only a good guy but a great guy. Sometimes the office staff acts distracted but only because they have to stay alert for service calls, they are really stretched, it won't be because of you. If they are busy just tell them you will stop by later when hopefully it is quieter.

Sorry, but I would never do this. Why should anyone have to? That's ridiculous. Not trying to be rude but this isn't 1960s Alabama.

[travelin'bones]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Were I you I would stop at the Oregon State Police office(s) that serve the area you will be driving, introduce yourself and tell them where you work, maybe what you do. Point out that you will stick out like a sore thumb and that you want them to know who you are. Maybe ask a few questions about road conditions that you should know about (sometimes there are areas prone to icing). Reassure them that you are not only a good guy but a great guy. Sometimes the office staff acts distracted but only because they have to stay alert for service calls, they are really stretched, it won't be because of you. If they are busy just tell them you will stop by later when hopefully it is quieter.

I cannot believe my eyes. No one should go out of their way to do this kind of stupid ****, all because of someone else's ignorance.

[greenlite]

Originally Posted by UberDuper

Greenlite - I appreciate the perspective and feedback. Again, I have been T.O.B.P. lots of times, I just care if people are genuinely friendly or not. And yes, starting another thread might be necessary. I'll probably do that, since this one is slightly off topic for me.

Hamellr - Luckily, I tend to do well entertaining myself, so I don't see this as a regular issue. This is also why I want to live close enough to Portland to do things in the city, which would happen on weekends anyway.

Nell - I will be careful driving for sure, since I tend to be heavy-footed and wanting to get home after a long day at work might increase my odds of driving 5 to 10 over the limit...

by tobp, i assume u mean the only black person?
The thing is, and not tryin to **** on yo parade, they might be friendly, but to the point, to be fair i havent lived in dalles or tri cities or hood river or none of em, BUT even in portland i saw some strong racism in the suburbs from time to time so an area that completely lacks exposure to other groups of people will be even worse when it comes to that, jus bein real. Some of it will be innocent cuz they jus don know how to deal with minorities cuz havent been exposed, some will be malicious. Again, if u ready fo that and can handle it then ur set. The second part that I personally would find those places boring, but that mite be different for u. Is the job u got that good? If I wanted to live in the NW, Id stick to Portland or Seattle metros, esp if I was a minority, and like i said, thats jus real. Don't listen to the white people who tell u its all good and the same everywhere and ull be fine anywhere racially, they dont kno what its like.

[greenlite]

Originally Posted by travelin'bones

I cannot believe my eyes. No one should go out of their way to do this kind of stupid ****, all because of someone else's ignorance.

he best be joking, if hes not then thats jus crazy to do