[peluche912]

We live in California, and the company that my husband works for is offering him a relocation to Jonesboro Arkansas, we are latin, not mexican, we don't have dark skin but latin, lots of people has told us that they are very racist down there and what worries us the most is our daughter, she's 3 and starting school pretty soon and we are worried that she's going to get teased because skin color she's whitter than we are, and of course now she's just 3 but later on kids can be cruel sometimes..... i've been reading and what i can find is that they are racist about african-americans but couldn't find much about latinos.....

[NSANY]

[North Pulaski Player]

Ok, I'll try to answer the question without sounding like a smart(hole). It's 2009 now and Arkansas(especially a college town like Jonesboro) does not have any more race-relations issues than anywhere else in this country, including California. Granted, the state does not have as many latinos as California but in the South, African-Americans are the largest minority group (Arkansas is 17% African-American), so the state is fairly diverse. As I mentioned above, Jonesboro is home of Arkansas State University which is the second largest university SYSTEM in the state and approximately 1/5 of Jonesboro residents are students of the main campus of Arkansas State University and as you may know, the younger generations tend to be much more open-minded. Memphis will be about 45 minutes to your southeast and Little Rock will be about 2 hours to your southwest, which are both very diverse cities in their own right. What I'm trying to say is that you'll be fine - it's not the 1960's anymore and all the hypocrites from that era are severely outnumbered these days. And I'm African-American if that helps you out any......

[PurpleLove08]

There is racism EVERYWHERE. It's not just unique to the south.
Every kid gets teased and it just so happens your little girl MIGHT be teased because of her skin color or her ethnicity.
Get her some books that talk about Latina girls or whatever and try to reinforce her self-esteem at home.

I think you'll be just fine in Jonesboro. It's not like you're moving to Harrison or Cabot.

[grmasterb]

As someone who went to high school and college in Jonesboro before there was any influx of Hispanics there, I don't think you'll have a problem. Are there some ignoramuses there? Sure. But, those are everywhere.

Quite frankly, these threads inquiring about racism and attitudes toward interracial marriage get old.

[jenni-b]

NSANY had killed me dead.

[ridicter]

You'll be fine.

[joetownmom]

Racism was never featured on "The Beverly Hillbillies" - who were not depicted as being from Arkansas anyway - but rest assured that racism and other prejudices are indeed alive and well in Arkansas. I've lived within spitting distance of Arkansas for three decades and yes, racism exists. Is it any more or less than in other regions of the country? That would depend on what part of the country. I have seen more racism in some urban areas but if you're coming from California, you most likely would find racism in Arkansas.

That's the reality; sad but true. Anyone different whether it is in color, religion, or behavior, is going to find prejudices.

[spitfire.girl]

Yes, racism is alive and well in Arkansas. I lived in the country halfway between Pine Bluff and Little Rock and as a liberal thinking educated east coast woman of color, I was surprised. Despite buying land we left after 2 years. The big thing about AR is that you get what you pay for- the COL is cheap, taxes are cheap, but it translate in the culture.

[adysmom]

Originally Posted by spitfire.girl

Yes, racism is alive and well in Arkansas. I lived in the country halfway between Pine Bluff and Little Rock and as a liberal thinking educated east coast woman of color, I was surprised. Despite buying land we left after 2 years. The big thing about AR is that you get what you pay for- the COL is cheap, taxes are cheap, but it translate in the culture.

For the reasons that you moved out of Arkansas Is the same reasons why many move into Arkansas, And would have it no other way.

I don't seem to understand if some people are so worried about racism in Arkansas why do you want to move here in the first place? Stay where you can be with your own people and be happy.