San Francisco v. New York (or other options) for African-American female (San Diego: crime, neighborhood)

[jade408]

Originally Posted by trueblueshea

I basically posted this question to prove a point.

You're right. I came into the thread knowing the Bay Area is the epitome of hypocrisy. At least in Conservative areas there still is a relatively decent population of minorities.

To be frank, I don't know why anyone, more specifically minorities (who aren't Asian) would willingly choose to live in the Bay Area over Portland or Seattle. San Francisco is nice but Willie Mays isn't mayor anymore. It's also never warm enough to go without a few layers. No place is perfect. Southern California is extremely beautiful but the people leave much to be desired, New York is the other way around.

The weather in the Bay Area is far nicer than in Portland and Seattle. And there are even fewer people of color and more segregation there. Instead being black is a novelty. And either you are an alien or walking stereotype. No thanks.

SoCal is more segregated than the Bay.

[calicoastal]

Originally Posted by jade408

The weather in the Bay Area is far nicer than in Portland and Seattle. And there are even fewer people of color and more segregation there. Instead being black is a novelty. And either you are an alien or walking stereotype.

The black population is higher in Seattle than San Francisco percentage-wise, about the same in absolute numbers. I definitely agree with you on the weather, though.

[04kL4nD]

Seattle is white and Asian. That's it. I mean it's a great city and mostly progressive, but not on the same level as the Bay Area AS A WHOLE. I think it's funny the OP refuses to acknowledge that Oakland is a great place to be black, or any color/religion/sexual orientation for that matter. She's writing off the entire East Bay and assuming what a few ignorant racists say on a message board is proof positive that she was 'right' about SF all along. She's definitely correct in that she won't fit in the Bay Area though, but it has to more with her self-righteous, presumptive attitudes than the color of her skin. It's crowded enough in Oakland as it is, so I can speak for most people by saying nobody will miss her and she should stay in NYC with the rest of the obnoxious, know-it-alls who live there.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by trueblueshea

I basically posted this question to prove a point.

You're right. I came into the thread knowing the Bay Area is the epitome of hypocrisy. At least in Conservative areas there still is a relatively decent population of minorities.

To be frank, I don't know why anyone, more specifically minorities (who aren't Asian) would willingly choose to live in the Bay Area over Portland or Seattle. San Francisco is nice but Willie Mays isn't mayor anymore. It's also never warm enough to go without a few layers. No place is perfect. Southern California is extremely beautiful but the people leave much to be desired, New York is the other way around.

"Willie Mays"! That's hilarious! OP, Willie Mays was a popular baseball player for the local team. Willie Brown's the one who was mayor. As for never being warm enough, that's only true of SF. As some of us keep telling you, the East Bay is a whole different place. And just fyi, there are Black techies on these forums who tried Seattle, and ended up in the Bay Area, where they're happy. But if your friends are telling you the Bay Area wouldn't work out for you, and if they're from the East Bay , maybe you should go with that. They not only know the Bay Area, they know you, and where you might fit in best.

But you said in your OP, you were concerned about dating options. There would be plenty of those for you, which there wouldn't be in Seattle, and much less so--in Portland. You might be happiest in NYC, or as someone suggested, check out Atlanta.

[MauiPartTimer]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

She's definitely correct in that she won't fit in the Bay Area though, but it has to more with her self-righteous, presumptive attitudes than the color of her skin. It's crowded enough in Oakland as it is, so I can speak for most people by saying nobody will miss her and she should stay in NYC with the rest of the obnoxious, know-it-alls who live there.

Took the words right out of my mouth. What a miserable, snotty person she must be to be around.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by calicoastal

The black population is higher in Seattle than San Francisco percentage-wise, about the same in absolute numbers. I definitely agree with you on the weather, though.

Seattle "burbs" are much less diverse than the Bay Area though! You don't have to go too far to find "more black people." Washington means you have to leave the state!

[trueblueshea]

I am responding to multiple comments

This self-righteous attitude. How is this different from the white nerdy "brogrammers" residing in San Francisco? Who make false assumptions about certain groups of people and run with it.

Also the Willie Mays == Willie Brown mixup was ridiculous on my part. lmao.
There was a time when San Francisco was 13-15% African-American. The crime was lower because people weren't pigeon-holed into a district because of mass gentrification. I do not know how dangerous Tenderloin actually is. It could be as dangerous as Harlem--which to naive and wide-eyed Californians seems overly dangerous--but really is not that dangerous at all. And this is coming from someone who grew up in an extremely sheltered neighborhood.

Also for the people who keep advocating for Oakland (O4kl4nd). Please stop! I have been to the Bay Area far more than once (probably more than you guys have been other places) and I have been to Oakland plenty of times. One of my parent's jobs requires they fly up to San Francisco once every month and has friends who own restaurants and buildings. The living costs in the surrounding areas are lower yes, but they are not nearly as beautiful as San Francisco. I wouldn't live in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, etc, either because I find it extremely boring. I can make compromises but if the place is not absolutely gorgeous I need a lot of activities around. The Bay Area lacks activity, whereas San Francisco doesn't. I have friends who complain they are bored and they switch jobs in the hopes it will solve their boredom. There are gorgeous places in Bay Area but they are not "that" close to Silicon Valley. And yes I'm spoiled because I am saying this as I sit in a loft in La Jolla.

The weather in the Bay Area is better the Northwest? Okay. But it's far from great. (Like I have right now in SD). I had lived in Seattle for 3 whole years, that's why I am an advocate for Seattle. Seattle is an extremely diverse city. I couldn't go downtown or to Pike's without seeing a multitude of races. In terms of dating in Seattle, I never had a problem, every time I went out just to get groceries or clothing men would approach me, it was the same in New York. These were men of different races. East Asian included.

Also, you guys are obviously mistaken, I think San Francisco (as a city, not as the individuals like yourself comprising it) would like to have a competent, highly-educated, attractive, young black woman in an actual tech position--which is probably why they are paying me so much when I mentioned I had offers other places. I was even contemplating Kansas City. According to my friends who live and work there currently, there is a shortage of black people, women, and attractive people.

[DCBayer]

Bonez765 i will point out that u said its 2015 not 55, thats 60 years man. There are people whoare still alive (not even old) that were living when Jim crow was fine...u think the chains and shackles that have been placed on the people are gone after only 50 year? since civil rightswasnt til i believe 65-66...thatin my opinion is ignorant. Its one thing to be physically enslaved, but that only happens when you have already been mentaly broken and enslaved through a system that isnt designed for you to succeed, and to think over the last 50 years that has disappeared is the problem alot of the majority doesnt understand. A system wascreated for a certain kind of people, most minorities werent designed to benefit from America, hence why allminorities are fighting their way to success now. Lucky for some they dont have 3-400 years worth of experience in a country that holds them back (indians, hispanics, asian have about 100 years).

I understand some people the racial thing tofar, but dont minimize the effects at all. Its all circumstancial, i came from a middle class home so i see things differentthan my poorcousins. Their reality makes itmuch more difficult to think you have the possibility to achieve the american dream when you dont have food to eat, lights, housing, basically needs asdetermined by Maslows Heirachy.

Now the excuse that the world isagaisnt us is dwindling and wemust take more personal/community responsibility forourlives and culture. I understand the OP and her views, cause as stated ive been in the sameboat,from elementary school through college there are rarely more than 3 black ppl in a class, maybe 1 african, but i dont fully consider black andafrican the same culturally, and they dont tend to see us the sameeither (tends to be someanimosity between us) but we usually respect the struggle. OP if your used to what you claim your used to I dont think youll have a problem in SF, but Oakland islikely more what your used to and may want to experience to in this new stage of life. I dont live in in SF or the bay yet, but im on this forumn multiple times a day with the same questions as you, and fromwhat ive pickedup from posters is that Oakland is more diverse. I will be working in the Valley so I ammaking a similar decision as you.

Interesting that you mentioned predujdice amongst Indians/Asains,I can kinda agree. when I studied abroad the same was the case, itslike weve earned a bad rap and have to go around changing it, but we get to serve as the trailblazers that will change the world perception from here on our, as stated by Bonez, those days areover WE are the generation to do it!

[DCBayer]

do you note think that itisaprivledge that your father wasa real man and not a deadbeat? that is a privledge, espcially since so many % off families today have fathers out the household and there are studies that show children in 2 parent households on average have moreprivledge/better results than those without. and society in itself is a generalization, we dont know all 7billion people in the worth, therefor there are generalizations on society

[DCBayer]

privilege
[ ˈpriv(ə)lij ]
NOUN
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people:
"education is a right, not a privilege"
synonyms: advantage · benefit · prerogative · entitlement · right · More
VERB formal
grant a privilege or privileges to:
"English inheritance law privileged the eldest son"


cant really debate definition bruh