WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Your Salary (Washington: cheap apartment, health insurance, neighborhoods)

[Crown Vic...]

^ Um there is a good reason why even affluent blacks tend to stay away from Potomac and Bethesda.

[RozCat]

I don't live in Prince George's County but know a lot of professional blacks who do. I'd guess most don't see themselves as being "regulated" to living in PG-- and in fact they seem take pride in PG being the most affluent majority Black county in the country (I hate using the term "affluent" - for what does that mean to the kids living in the war zones around Cap Heights or Marlowe Heights - but that is the way that stat is always touted).

Among those who truly have the dollars to live anywhere in the region, they choose PG for a number of familiar reasons:

Cultural/Social - They want to be and they want their kids to be near and around like-minded "middle class" black folks. Their social networks (alumni groups, fraternities/sororities, professional associations) already have a large presence in PG.

Economic - 500K -600K can get you a brand spanking new starter McMansion in PG county. A white guy in my office dropped 900K for a tiny bungalow in Chevy Chase; house is almost 100 years old and needs lots of work. That's just mind boggling to those of who don't see the allure of a Chevy Chase address.



The tradeoff is the school system. The approach most of my friends take is to do everything they can do to get their kids into some of the fairly decent magnet programs in the county, send them to Catholic school, get scholarships to prep schools or hold their noses and let their kids go through the system, trusting that they will succeed grade-wise which will put them on course for college.

[King_of_DC]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

Everyone has the right to live where they want, but this is just sad. No matter how much money a black person makes, they're relegated to living in PG County, or limited places outside of it like Columbia or Silver Spring; both are better than anywhere in PG, but still only relegated to Maryland. Really shows you the attitude of "staying in your place" is so pervasive in this area. And from experience, it's my own race (blacks) who enforce this, giving anyone major crap if they wanted to move to Bethesda, Rockville, and ANYWHERE in Northern VA. Add this to the covert racist yuppies in DC that might decide, when they have kids, to move to and force their ways on an otherwise racially integrated Northern VA (despite what many of you may think) and this is one of the main reasons why I'm planning to not stay here when I increase my salary and position level despite being raised in this area my whole life.

Sorry, but your post made very little sense...

If anything, blacks will move over to PG due to family ties... not because of some arbitratry comments people might make. And there are plenty of black people in Gaithersburg, Rockville, etc... one black guy in my new office lives in Potomac.

Your type of thinking is sad... but I guess that is the "someone" is holding me back mentality.

Again, sorry for my comments... truth as I see it.

[Plokivos]

when did Jr Professionals start making $100,000 a year?

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by Crown Vic...

^ Um there is a good reason why even affluent blacks tend to stay away from Potomac and Bethesda.

I can guess but why not tell the class?

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

Everyone has the right to live where they want, but this is just sad. No matter how much money a black person makes, they're relegated to living in PG County, or limited places outside of it like Columbia or Silver Spring; both are better than anywhere in PG, but still only relegated to Maryland. Really shows you the attitude of "staying in your place" is so pervasive in this area. And from experience, it's my own race (blacks) who enforce this, giving anyone major crap if they wanted to move to Bethesda, Rockville, and ANYWHERE in Northern VA.

I agree that most folks don't feel "relegated" to PG county. All of PG county isn't bad. As mentioned some want to be surrounded by like minded black middle and upper class folks. I can certainly understand that especially if one has kids. I like VA better but I can understand someone wanting their offspring, particularly their boys, to be around those who look like them that are doing things.

However, yes you are right some black folks have given me the business about living in Northern Virginia versus Maryland. I remember I was talking to this guy when I was looking for a room to rent. They couldn't understand why I was living in VA and first suggested that my locale was too far out. So they started suggesting places like Largo, Upper Marlboro, Bowie, and even Anne Arundell county. I was newer to the DC area but even then I knew that those locations were just as far out as Fairfax county if not further out. I'd be insane to live in Bowie or anywhere else MD or VA just because it satisfies the wishes of others.

So I see what you're saying. There's this idea that if you're black you're "supposed" to live in MD or the District. I say who cares? Live in the place that's more appropriate for your lifestyle and budget.

Originally Posted by RozCat

I don't live in Prince George's County but know a lot of professional blacks who do. I'd guess most don't see themselves as being "regulated" to living in PG-- and in fact they seem take pride in PG being the most affluent majority Black county in the country (I hate using the term "affluent" - for what does that mean to the kids living in the war zones around Cap Heights or Marlowe Heights - but that is the way that stat is always touted).

Cultural/Social - They want to be and they want their kids to be near and around like-minded "middle class" black folks. Their social networks (alumni groups, fraternities/sororities, professional associations) already have a large presence in PG.

The tradeoff is the school system. The approach most of my friends take is to do everything they can do to get their kids into some of the fairly decent magnet programs in the county, send them to Catholic school, get scholarships to prep schools or hold their noses and let their kids go through the system, trusting that they will succeed grade-wise which will put them on course for college.

Funny thing about the schools. I used to be a substitute teacher down in GA and occasionally went to high schools in a black solidly middle and upper class area of town. It was always funny seeing kids whose parents dropped them off at school in Mercedes and Beamers acting all hardcore and hood. I don't know random thought.

But yeah agree with your statement.

Originally Posted by King_of_DC

Sorry, but your post made very little sense...

If anything, blacks will move over to PG due to family ties... not because of some arbitratry comments people might make. And there are plenty of black people in Gaithersburg, Rockville, etc... one black guy in my new office lives in Potomac.

Your type of thinking is sad... but I guess that is the "someone" is holding me back mentality.

Again, sorry for my comments... truth as I see it.

I can see both sides of the argument. At the end of day no one is "relegated" to live anywhere. I'm not from here so can't really see your family ties argument. If anything my ties (which would be other things like friendships, work, etc) keep me in Virginia. Even if my job was in say the District I'd still rather live in VA because I have no ties to Maryland. I know 3 people over in Upper Marlboro that I hardly see because its such a drive.

Originally Posted by Plokivos

when did Jr Professionals start making $100,000 a year?

Ha! Good question. I guess I'm in that category and I'm not making anywhere near. I'm in the wrong line of work!

[RozCat]

Originally Posted by Plokivos

when did Jr Professionals start making $100,000 a year?

....financial services industry (yes, it does exist in the DC metro area). Starting salaries for "analysts" with a B.A. are around 60K. Within about 4 years, those that stick around are hovering around 100k.

[Do a Barrel Roll]

Originally Posted by King_of_DC

Sorry, but your post made very little sense...

If anything, blacks will move over to PG due to family ties... not because of some arbitratry comments people might make. And there are plenty of black people in Gaithersburg, Rockville, etc... one black guy in my new office lives in Potomac.

Your type of thinking is sad... but I guess that is the "someone" is holding me back mentality.

Again, sorry for my comments... truth as I see it.

I'm sorry I had to say this. Honestly, the reason why I wanted to state this (as the honest reason why I post a lot of comments particularly in the DC forums) was to prove me wrong, because God knows I'm being proven right nearly every day by just walking on the street. Guess this is what happens when you're raised around those who stress "racial relegation," including family members and hundreds more that give you crap for years for not holding to the "community's standards." And if you want to look at "the community's standards," just look nearly anywhere east of the Anacostia and see what I'm talking about.

But I digress. The point I wanted to see is as my income rises, I would have the de-facto freedom to live where I want. Having experience throughout the area, I know that I will be fine in most suburban places given that I have the money. However, I am not too optimistic about DC's future with the current demographics of young silver-spooned yuppie Asians and whites, self-separating Latinos and middle/upper class blacks, and uneducated poor and working class blacks, and seeing that many of these individuals aren't moving anywhere anytime soon.

Funny you mention family and cultural connections, because for me personally, my experience with the same "culture," upbringing, and some family members have caused me to go away from that subarea.

[Plokivos]

Originally Posted by RozCat

....financial services industry (yes, it does exist in the DC metro area). Starting salaries for "analysts" with a B.A. are around 60K. Within about 4 years, those that stick around are hovering around 100k.

4 years... So I guess Jr. in that industry would be sorta like mid level professional.

I'm thinking Jr. level would be still sorta stuck between entry and mid level, until you make senior level before you go into Jr. executive, Sr. executive... so on.

[RozCat]

Originally Posted by Plokivos

4 years... So I guess Jr. in that industry would be sorta like mid level professional.

I'm thinking Jr. level would be still sorta stuck between entry and mid level, until you make senior level before you go into Jr. executive, Sr. executive... so on.

"Professional" in financial services like banking, investment firms, asset management cover a broad strata with lots of impressive sounding titles. Assistant Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Sr. Manager, Director, "Head of..." , Managing Director, Sr. VP, EVP-- all that and you haven't even TOUCHED the "c-suite" positions.

Folks become "vice president" by 30, but can still be viewed as "junior" in that they don't actually manage departments, people or even a measly budget. There is literally someone in my organization who does nothing but design power point presentations and is a "vice president." In any other industry they'd be a "communications assistant" or something like that.