Are there any established middle class black communities in the Bay Area? (Los Angeles: 2013, school)

[jade408]

I'm black, grew up middle class (in white suburbia), I went to a predominately whire college, and I currently work in tech. I picked living in Oakland on purpose. Besides all of the obvious Oakland benefits like food, weather, amenities, walkability, transit, location.....

There are some other keys for me:

1. I see other black people out and about
2. I see other middle class black people out and about
3. No one looks at you like you are crazy if you are in a mixed group (i.e. people of different ethnic groups or sexual orientations or whatever)
4. No one looks at you like you are crazy if you have "interesting" hobbies (whether interesting means yoga, hiking, beer tasting, juggling, biking, basket weaving, knitting, whatever other non-stereotypical "black" interests
5. You can claim to be from any neighborhood in Oakland, affluent or poor and no one gives you the side eye
6. Diverse/mixed groups are a common site everywhere

For me, being black in Oakland doesn't feel stifling like being black in other metros does. I don't need to have only black neighbors to feel comfortable. Most black people say "Hi" when they walk by. My neighborhood is something like 25% black, 40% white, 20% asian, 15% latino.

And one thing that hasn't really come up in this thread, a lot of the black middle class here in the bay is a 1st gen/2nd gen immigrant. We have a lot of Africans. Primarily Nigerians and Ethiopians. And a few people from Ghana. They represent a good portion of the black middle class, and obviously have a very different perspective than someone "african-american." These groups also tend to "stick to their own." Particularly the Nigerians and Ethiopians.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by Lena2345

Again, I'm not asking if middle class blacks want to reside in areas with low income blacks, I'm asking where are the middle class black communities where black middle class residents reside?

All neighborhoods.

The Bay Area isn't as racist as the south, so middle class blacks generally don't feel as much of a need to form ethnic enclaves, that's especially true the last 20 years. Alameda County used to be where middle-class blacks lived, but there has been a huge black exodus from there over the last 30 years, middle-class and otherwise. So most blacks are now choosing to live in areas like Dublin, Napa and Sonoma Counties, middle-class non-black neighborhoods of Oakland etc, etc. There are a few black middle-class neighborhoods in Oakland still though. Chabot Park or Sequoyah are majority black and middle-class, upper middle-class. Caballo Hills is at least black plurality if not majority.

But most middle-class blacks don't reside in black communities, so that's really it.

[Lena2345]

Originally Posted by Malloric

All neighborhoods.

The Bay Area isn't as racist as the south, so middle class blacks generally don't feel as much of a need to form ethnic enclaves, that's especially true the last 20 years. Alameda County used to be where middle-class blacks lived, but there has been a huge black exodus from there over the last 30 years, middle-class and otherwise. So most blacks are now choosing to live in areas like Dublin, Napa and Sonoma Counties, middle-class non-black neighborhoods of Oakland etc, etc. There are a few black middle-class neighborhoods in Oakland still though. Chabot Park or Sequoyah are majority black and middle-class, upper middle-class. Caballo Hills is at least black plurality if not majority.

But most middle-class blacks don't reside in black communities, so that's really it.

In the South, blacks own businesses and many are professionals residing in middle and upper income areas. Why is it that blacks own virtually nothing in the Bay area? mod cut

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by Lena2345

Most people of all races prefer to live around others that have the same racial and income classifications. This is no different for black middle class individuals. I find it very telling that the Bay area has a plethora of poor blacks and a few wealthy blacks residing in predominately white areas, but NO black middle class communities.

Why?

The Bay Area doesn't have much of a black population at all. There is no plethora of poor black areas. There's Oakland and Richmond. Middle-class blacks generally feel no compunction about clustering together in the Bay Area because they have more in common with middle-class whites, Asians, and Hispanics than they do with the people who live in most black neighborhoods. For those that feel strongly about it, there are black middle-class neighborhoods. You have to deal with living in Oakland, however, which is why most middle-class blacks leave. It's tough to afford private schools and live in a middle-class neighborhood in Oakland.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by Lena2345

In the South, blacks own businesses and many are professionals residing in middle and upper income areas. Why is it that blacks own virtually nothing in the Bay area? mod cut

Because they don't. You live in a fantasy world and are delusional. In the south, blacks make up a much larger population so they naturally own more businesses. There are many black-owned businesses here (check out Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce), lots of black professionals. They just don't work in "black" businesses here anymore than whites work in "white" businesses. That level of overt racism doesn't fly too well here.

[NorCal Dude]

Jade you have a very sad baycentric point of view.

It is so bay provincial that you even start spouting hipster talking points.

I mean really, ' if you don't like it, leave'?

Hello, that's exactly what blacks are doing in oakland. Leaving.

And the black middle class is not an exclusive club. The majority of black house holds ARE middle class.

And lol at malloric talking about more class mobility out west. Uhhhh are you stuck in a 40's time warp ? Atlanta and dc blow sf out of the water for black class mobility.

As most of us blacks already know, most of you have no clue about the black community. You guys watch too much tv.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by john3232

"...A lower cost of living, the lure of jobs, frustration with schools and the search for safer communities all played key roles."
25% drop in African American population in Oakland - SFGate

So, basically, middle class blacks are leaving / have left Oakland/Bay Area for all the same reasons other middle class folks leave. They already have or want kids but their incomes are too high for government assistance (and they probably don't want that life, anyway), but too low to afford a house, esp. one in a decent area with decent schools.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Jade you have a very sad baycentric point of view.

It is so bay provincial that you even start spouting hipster talking points.

I mean really, ' if you don't like it, leave'?

Hello, that's exactly what blacks are doing in oakland. Leaving.

And the black middle class is not an exclusive club. The majority of black house holds ARE middle class.

I do have a bay centric view. Because after living in the south I realized I have way more options here. The bay isn't perfect but I'd rather be here than most other places. There is more opportunities here, and things aren't at limited as they are elsewhere. The black middle class is mostly made up of people who grew up like me: middle class. There isn't enough social mobility for black people. The difference in my eyes is that people here (black people) are working in that end of the problem.

The Bay Area sucks for middle class families, no matter what their ethnicity is. But to act shocked and amazed there aren't black middle class communities around here, knowing the history of black migration to california is just nonsensical. Especially looking at the broader context of the black middle class in general. Reality is, black middle class people have less assets and live in crappier neighborhoods than white peers.

If you are the sort of person who finds comfort in being surrounded by peers in your ethnic group and at your church, the Bay Area isn't your place. You won't be happy here. That's the heart of the matter. California has always been the "frontier" and if you don't want to be the trailblazer, then the Bay Area isn't your place. When people move to a place expecting it to be like the one they left, it is a recipe for disaster. I am saving the OP the heartache. She won't find what she is looking for here.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

So, basically, middle class blacks are leaving / have left Oakland/Bay Area for all the same reasons other middle class folks leave. They already have or want kids but their incomes are too high for government assistance (and they probably don't want that life, anyway), but too low to afford a house, esp. one in a decent area with decent schools.

My experience is many have left because they were able to cash out... just like others that have left.

My Oakland neighborhood may or may not be typical...

People that leave are not leaving Oakland... they are moving out of the Bay Area or to the fringes where new homes are cheaper...

One of my good friends and all of his relatives moved back to Alabama and others to Louisiana... the simple reason is they sold their homes for 400 to 600k and bought homes with land in the States where they were born... I've seen some of the homes... brick homes with land for 200k... which leaves 400k in the bank... plus social security and/or pensions go farther too.

These are NUMMI Union Auto workers, teachers, letter carriers, company managers, pilots, civil service, etc...

So... yes, the has been a huge shift over the last 10 to 15 years...

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Jade you have a very sad baycentric point of view.

It is so bay provincial that you even start spouting hipster talking points.

I mean really, ' if you don't like it, leave'?

Hello, that's exactly what blacks are doing in oakland. Leaving.

And the black middle class is not an exclusive club. The majority of black house holds ARE middle class.

And lol at malloric talking about more class mobility out west. Uhhhh are you stuck in a 40's time warp ? Atlanta and dc blow sf out of the water for black class mobility.

As most of us blacks already know, most of you have no clue about the black community. You guys watch too much tv.

You might find that interesting as opposed to whatever TV you watch.
http://obs.rc.fas.harvard.edu/chetty/mobility_geo.pdf