Friendliness to People of Color (Portland, Detroit: lease, home, employment)

[Salmanal]

I currently live in Rochester, NY; and I can't wait for my lease to finish this year - I'm out. Portland's rainy weather only makes me a bit apprehensive; how rainy is it? The snow here is beautiful, and everything seems to function in spite of all the snow, they're used to it. I don't like this city. It is ugly, has many institutions of higher learning, but most Rochester natives don't attend, and the current drop-out rate is high. To top things off, Rochester is not a friendly city; oh yes, friendly enough to beg for money needed for their next high. It is also very segregated. I feel I must switch languages just to go food shopping, at times. I already know Portland has a meth problem and homeless youngsters wandering about. Problem? I lived in San Francisco, I'm used to it.

My question is about how a Person of Color (POC) will be treated in Portland. I am neither white nor black. I don't need a population of people of my own culture in which to "hide." One learns by exploring different cultures; trust me, I am a part of World culture. I've lived in Mexico, Greece, and Egypt. That said, I am pretty well educated and multilingual. I want to ride a bike again regularly, but the weather here does not permit bike riding much of the year. I know the temperature in Portland permits cycling all year, but does it rain too hard to ride a bike?

[Golem1979]

My question is about how a Person of Color (POC) will be treated in Portland.

They are treated alot better than a White person living in Detroit that's for damn sure.

[Bluesmama]

Yes, I think Portland is a good choice for "People of Color". And, yes, it rains a lot here, but there are some hearty bikers who do it faithfully practically all year (except in ice storms). It can rain hard but it's usually a lighter rain. You can ride the Light-Rail ("Max") but it can be tough to crowd in at some major stops during Rush Hour. Most busses, you can hoist them on the racks in front of the bus. One thing about Portland: It is s-p-r-e-a-d out ~ definitely not compact like New York City of San Francisco. Downtown is only a small part of Portland.

But I'm not a biker and hope that you get information here from posters who do commute on two-wheelers.

Only one thing disturbs me, something you haven't mentioned: Work. If you planning to seek employment then I highly suggest that you try to "visit" this area before making decisions. While you're likely to enjoy Portland, it isn't for everyone. Then get serious about seeking a supportive job BEFORE you relocate here.

Perhaps I'm being overly-helpful?

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by Salmanal

..... Portland's rainy weather only makes me a bit apprehensive; how rainy is it? The snow here is beautiful, and everything seems to function in spite of all the snow, they're used to it.

Be aware that NOAA has statistics that show over a 40+ year average, Buffalo NY
and Cleveland OH, (Lake Eire S and SE shore line) that for Jan-Mar they have almost as many Overcast and Partially Cloudy days as Portland OR. And Portland doesn't have the cold. The rain is mostly a heavy misting most of the time, it is very damp weather. IMHO, you will want to use a DE-humidifier in Portland more often in winter than a humidifier. Many days in winter, the rain accumulation is less than 0.10 inches of rain, and it only rains maybe 1 hour out of 3 hours. On and Off, light drizzle. More water torture than rain squall.

....To top things off, Rochester is not a friendly city; oh yes, friendly enough to beg for money needed for their next high. It is also very segregated. I feel I must switch languages just to go food shopping, at times. I already know Portland has a meth problem and homeless youngsters wandering about. Problem? I lived in San Francisco, I'm used to it.

Homeless in Portland are of all ages, there are lots of them. Youth and meth addicts are only very visible compared to so many of the others.

Portland is 'friendly', but some have noted that it takes a lot of time and effort to make a close friend in Portland, unless you choose another new person.

..... I know the temperature in Portland permits cycling all year, but does it rain too hard to ride a bike?

Others can comment, but I think it is more of a safety issue with riding a bike home from work in the dark gray, wet roads. Dry roads, enough sunlight for the car drivers to see you, you will be OK. Portland is making, or trying to make an effort, to separate cars from bicycles for safety reasons. Not there yet for commuter biking home during Jan or Feb for most of Portland area. Now that it is Mid-March, I see a few more hardy souls with more bravery out there.

Phil

[Minervah]

Your question makes sense and your reasons for wanting to move are understandable but be sure that wherever you relocate you are not trading one headache for another. You didn't mention jobs. Hopefully you have a marketable skill. The reason I am bringing this up is because just last week my company advertised both internally and externally a job for an assistant underwriter. Within the first two days they recieved 160 resumes and had to pull the ads. Who would have thought there were that many people who would qualify for a rather obscure job like that?

This is a small example of the employment situation here. Regarding your other wants; you won't find an abundance of representation of different cultures here but if you don't mind the rain, you will find many kindred souls on bicycles. And people are resasonably friendly. Have you checked anything out yet besides City Data? My best advice in which I will echo Bluesbabe is to come on down and see for yourself what this town is like.

[Salmanal]

I am retired; I won't be looking for work. I do a lot of volunteer work to feel more productive. I don't plan to buy a home; at first, I'd like to get a feel for the place first. If push comes to shove, I can always return to Mexico.

Per several online quizzes; mostly Sperling's, Portland keeps popping up for me as a future place to live. I love different cultures, exercise, parks, animals, and books. I am a Vegan vegetarian. I also love to take daily walks. I currently live in Rochester, on the border of Greece, NY; if I walk south a few blocks, it is deeper Rochester, a lot more dangerous. There is one decent cafe within walking distance from me, decent because the other regular patrons read books and the newspaper, I can have intelligent conversations there. People here seem amazed that I can switch from English to Spanish, or Mandarin without skipping a beat. When I lived in SF, I don't want to return, my friends were from all over the world; this, made me multilingual. Just a decent locale with a good library system will suffice for a start. The Daily Beast rated Portland as #9 among America's Smartest cities, I think the survey was done late last year; Rochester was ranked #36, but I'm curious how. Universities are here, but the graduates leave, and I've only seen one bookstore outside of a shopping mall. The Daily Beast survey is here: America's Smartest Cities—From First to Worst - The Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-04/americas-smartest-cities---from-first-to-worst/ - broken link)

Intelligence aside, Portland is a lot safer than Rochester. Beggars don't bug me; if you want to see beggars, go to Cairo; meth addicts, downtown SF. I know I see more in Portland.

Originally Posted by Minervah

Your question makes sense and your reasons for wanting to move are understandable but be sure that wherever you relocate you are not trading one headache for another. You didn't mention jobs. Hopefully you have a marketable skill. The reason I am bringing this up is because just last week my company advertised both internally and externally a job for an assistant underwriter. Within the first two days they recieved 160 resumes and had to pull the ads. Who would have thought there were that many people who would qualify for a rather obscure job like that?

This is a small example of the employment situation here. Regarding your other wants; you won't find an abundance of representation of different cultures here but if you don't mind the rain, you will find many kindred souls on bicycles. And people are resasonably friendly. Have you checked anything out yet besides City Data? My best advice in which I will echo Bluesbabe is to come on down and see for yourself what this town is like.

[Nell Plotts]

I think you will find what you like in Portland but for heaven's sake visit for a couple weeks first. If you like books your hang-outs as a resident will be the Multnomah County Library and Powell's Bookstore.

I understand Google now maps cycling routes, public transportation and has a terrain feature. With those tools you can explore neighborhoods that may work for you.

Assuming you decide to move to Portland: Personally I would avoid renting in Old Town simply because of the concentration of social service agencies, their clientele tends to stick around after hours.

My approach is different than many: rent in a more expensive neighborhood but make only a 6 month commitment. During those 6 months get to know the city so that you can find a place that has a balance of amenities and living cost based on your needs.

[Salmanal]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I think you will find what you like in Portland but for heaven's sake visit for a couple weeks first. If you like books your hang-outs as a resident will be the Multnomah County Library and Powell's Bookstore.

I understand Google now maps cycling routes, public transportation and has a terrain feature. With those tools you can explore neighborhoods that may work for you.

Assuming you decide to move to Portland: Personally I would avoid renting in Old Town simply because of the concentration of social service agencies, their clientele tends to stick around after hours.

My approach is different than many: rent in a more expensive neighborhood but make only a 6 month commitment. During those 6 months get to know the city so that you can find a place that has a balance of amenities and living cost based on your needs.

Oh no, not the Social Service People. My last position in SF was teaching in a Low-Income Housing Project. In spite of being a Geek, I was hired due to the manager feeling that I was a compassionate person, wrapped in Ethernet cables. I do know when to inform them when they have reached their limit. I still teach; online, in Spanish, to some students in Chihuahua. This is voluntary. As compassionate as I may be, low-income people can be a royal pain. Old Town visits are for the day only. Thanks.

[Sprightly]

Salmanal, sounds like you might like it here. One of the best things about this city is that people seem to respect books. I was so thrilled when I first visited Powell's to see not only such a magnificent bookstore but such a popular one. After having lived in cities in the past where it wasn't uncommon to hear people brag about not liking to read, it was wonderfully refreshing. The only caution that comes to me reading your post is that you may find it a bit homogenous and too white here. I don't think you'll get bad reaction to you personally, but that you might find it a bit bland after the multicultural atmosphere of some of the places you've already been. As others have already suggested, definitely visit and do ordinary non-touristy things to get a feel for life here.

[Minervah]

Since a job isn't an issue, you won't be facing a major problem in that area. Come for a visit and explore. Have fun while you're doing it.