What is with the diversity myth? (Seattle, Spokane: live, ranked, metro)

[orzo]

Seattle is less diverse than SLC? By what metric? Because there are more Latinos? Your perception of diversity is skewed.

SLC:
75.1% White
2.7% Black
1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
4.4% Asian
2.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
22.3% of the total population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Seattle:
White: 69.5%
Asian: 13.8%
Black or African American: 7.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 6.6%

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by jjinla

^ My town is 93% white and has a median HHI over $165k (over 200k for familes). Want to make a bet?

Diversity in affluent parts of the northeast means having a Mexican gardener and a Jamaican nanny. I'd much rather have a few successful minority families in my town than a ton of marginalized ones so I can pat myself on the back and make myself feel more evolved somehow.

That's where things are different from the East Coast, and why I'm saying you're in for a surprise. Coming back from NY/DC area, it really stands out that the gardeners and nanny's here are largely white as well. Seattle does not have the large immigrant service class that you find in those metros.

I don't think people that have lived here for a long time really grasp how different it is in other metro areas, nor do people that haven't lived here.

[jjinla]

We previously lived in SoCal and while that was plenty diverse, it is not an environment that I would ever again want to replicate for my family. The racial tension, crime and class warfare...it really diminished our quality of life, and you don't realize how bad it was until you leave.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by jjinla

We previously lived in SoCal and while that was plenty diverse, it is not an environment that I would ever again want to replicate for my family. The racial tension, crime and class warfare...it really diminished our quality of life, and you don't realize how bad it was until you leave.

Yep, Socal is diverse but very segregated.

[RotseCherut]

This is my observation and many will not understand it.. Seattle, despite being mostly white with some Asian people, is ethnically integrated, but culturally segregated. That is, people of every race will live among others, but people of different cultures will feel left out of the mainstream of Seattle and will be looked down upon. For example, even though there is Indian people living all over Seattle, the Sikhs, who do not practice mainstream Seattle/American culture, generally live among themselves in their own neighborhoods and don't associated with outsiders. That is because they still adhere to a culture that differs from the mainstream Seattle culture. The same can be said about myself, who practices a traditional form of Middle Eastern Judaism. I actually felt ostracized from my Jewish community, because they, themselves, adopted Seattle culture, which made me feel like an outsider to my own people. It amazed me how conformed are the various groups of people here. When I was in Africa, for example, the Indian people would wear traditional clothing and have their Temples nearby. They lived in another culturally-rich country, which had a culture totally different from their own, but was more accepting of people of a different culture and way of life living among them. Africans, themselves, have so many different cultures. Very few Indians in Seattle even attend a Hindu Temple and there is only a few in the area to accommodate a very large population.

The only other group of people who appear to follow their culture more strictly are the Somalians who live in Rainier Beach. They will still dress in their clothing , speak their language, etc. And, this is a prime example of cultural segregation, as they only stay in their own neighborhood and associate with themselves. They are a group of people who have not much contact with people on the outside.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

This is my observation and many will not understand it.. Seattle, despite being mostly white with some Asian people, is ethnically integrated, but culturally segregated. That is, people of every race will live among others, but people of different cultures will feel left out of the mainstream of Seattle and will be looked down upon. For example, even though there is Indian people living all over Seattle, the Sikhs, who do not practice mainstream Seattle/American culture, generally live among themselves in their own neighborhoods and don't associated with outsiders. That is because they still adhere to a culture that differs from the mainstream Seattle culture. The same can be said about myself, who practices a traditional form of Middle Eastern Judaism. I actually felt ostracized from my Jewish community, because they, themselves, adopted Seattle culture, which made me feel like an outsider to my own people. It amazed me how conformed are the various groups of people here. When I was in Africa, for example, the Indian people would wear traditional clothing and have their Temples nearby. They lived in another culturally-rich country, which had a culture totally different from their own, but was more accepting of people of a different culture and way of life living among them. Africans, themselves, have so many different cultures. Very few Indians in Seattle even attend a Hindu Temple and there is only a few in the area to accommodate a very large population.

The only other group of people who appear to follow their culture more strictly are the Somalians who live in Rainier Beach. They will still dress in their clothing , speak their language, etc. And, this is a prime example of cultural segregation, as they only stay in their own neighborhood and associate with themselves. They are a group of people who have not much contact with people on the outside.

You sort of touched on something here. People in general tend to culturally segregate in America. It's not just a Seattle thing. As a black American, I do not listen to hop-hop or R&B and have interest which are often completely at odds with many of my race. Add to that, I don't speak AAVE and that makes me truly one of a kind so to speak. The majority of my friends are not black as a result.

Good thing we live in a free society in the 21st century where we can choose the lifestyle we feel best represents us as individuals. Just accept those whom are willing to accept you for you.

[Hemlock140]

There is a large Indian population in Sammamish, and they have established a Vedic Cultural Center that is open to all, with many events all year.

VedicCulturalCenter

[RotseCherut]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

You sort of touched on something here. People in general tend to culturally segregate in America. It's not just a Seattle thing. As a black American, I do not listen to hop-hop or R&B and have interest which are often completely at odds with many of my race. Add to that, I don't speak AAVE and that makes me truly one of a kind so to speak. The majority of my friends are not black as a result.

Good thing we live in a free society in the 21st century where we can choose the lifestyle we feel best represents us as individuals. Just accept those whom are willing to accept you for you.

I understand what you are saying totally. It sucks feeling like an alien to your own people, but that is how I felt in Seattle among the Jewish people here. The fact that I am an Ashkenazi Jew practicing more traditional Mizrachi culture, makes me a double outcast.

I, like you, am trying to find people who can just accept me and co-exist. The sad thing is, is that so many people are judgmental and cannot get outside the thick walls inside their head, which houses their massive egos.

Even though I know it will be impossible to find people in Seattle who are like me, I hope to meet people in this place who can accept me and not seek to try to convert me into them or look down on me, because I don't abide by all their dogma.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Yep, Socal is diverse but very segregated.

Not the IE.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Not the IE.

What not very diverse? It's certainly segregated. At least compared to Norcal.