Will everyone please stop saying Austin is diverse! (Houston, Dallas: middle school, university)

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Still it is only the 4th largest city in Texas! I laugh a little at any one who came to the 4th largest city in a state and expected to find a world class city.

On the other hand, size isn't everything. Austin IS the state capital, and that relationship drives an outsized cultural sophistication. Austin's prominence in the high-tech industries is well known. UT's popularity with foreign students is a given. SXSW and ACL Fest are world reknowned. The largest Hindu temple in America is just south of Austin, where you can see it on the way to get you some BBQ at Salt Lick.

And in what should definitely settle the matter, Maker's Mark Bourbon just announced a series of special tastings which will take place only at the distillery in Kentucky, in NYC, in San Francisco, and tuhhh-dahhhhhh... in Austin!

[Severdali]

LMAO you guys are ridiculous! Austin is one of the most diverse, coolest cities to hang out or live in period in countless ways. Keep dreaming that the grass is greener on the other side and move away or dont move to Austin if you feel that way, suckers! I don't even live in Austin anymore but I know that it can't be messed with culture wise food wise entertainment wise etc. What you will find in a lot of those other cities you folks are mentioning is hype and not much more, no WAY would I Rather live in any other city in Texas but Austin, how crazy can we get here.?!?!?!?!?

[sajae90]

Originally Posted by man.hold.up.

Really y'all, it's not.

I mean seriously, Austin is by far the least diverse big city in Texas(fact). It just has great P.R., but can we please be real about this.

I lived in Austin for over a year(I loved it!) but it is very far from being diverse unless you compare it to Midland, Amarillo, Salt Lake, Portland, or Seattle.

It is very layed back yes, racially and culturally diverse NO!

I know some people will take offense to this but its the HONEST truth.

It is Austin's PR that are making these false statements lol. Just because you see one African-American or one Asian downtown doesn't mean the whole city is diverse. I was just having a debate about this in another forum (but it was a different topic). I think Austin is trying to make itself more diverse by saying it is diverse to attract different races/cultures to the city; which Austin has been seeing an increase of affluent Africans and blacks from the Northern part of the U.S......but Austin has a LONG way to go before they could be considered culturally diverse.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by camelian

I think its interesting people are saying that Dallas is ethnically diverse..are we only talking about downtown? In my experience, the burbs of Dallas are very white while the burbs of Houston are a little more mixed, albeit more in the Asian/Indian population. Just going to any random grocery store or mall in Sugar Land I regularly run into many different races. Not the case in Richardson or Plano where I grew up.

It must have been a while since youve been to Richardson or Plano.

I would invite you to visit Russell Creek Park in Plano on a weekend. I have been very few places that are more diverse. South Asians, East Asians, Muslim, Orthodox Jews, African-Americans, etc. can be found in very large numbers. There are also areas of Richardson that are like that.

Dallas and the DFW area is not as diverse as Houston, but it is moreso than Austin.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Kave64

You don't have anything to worry about. Austin has a relatively low percentage of Black people, but they are dispersed throughout the city. There is also growing diversity in the northern suburbs. I'm African American and have lived here for nearly 30 years (moved from Dallas). I've never experienced anything like the things you mentioned. I'm sure there are a few jerks everywhere, but you are highly unlikely to run into people who will look at you strangely or treat you like trash just because you're black. You have to realize that some of the people who post here have an ax to grind and may not be providing you with the truth. You can identify some of these by checking a few more of their responses.

And here is another one. You lived in Dallas 30 years ago and I can tell you its definitely changed a lot. So has Austin and Houston. You cant really compare them back then to how they are now.

[MtnLion512]

Originally Posted by sajae90

It is Austin's PR that are making these false statements lol. Just because you see one African-American or one Asian downtown doesn't mean the whole city is diverse. I was just having a debate about this in another forum (but it was a different topic). I think Austin is trying to make itself more diverse by saying it is diverse to attract different races/cultures to the city; which Austin has been seeing an increase of affluent Africans and blacks from the Northern part of the U.S......but Austin has a LONG way to go before they could be considered culturally diverse.

Do you have any credible evidence of this?

Because the demographic numbers are there for all to see....that's evidence. Can you provide a compelling reason I should believe you over statistics, AKA reality?

[ImOnFiya]

Originally Posted by wag more bark less

Do you have any credible evidence of this?

Because the demographic numbers are there for all to see....that's evidence. Can you provide a compelling reason I should believe you over statistics, AKA reality?

Yes.

The racial demography subject is related to another thread (Gentification of East Austin) that appeared last month. Here is a repost:

To borrow a line from former President Clinton, "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

In my previous comment, I note that the city of Austin's demographer does not count other categories of white, simply "White, Alone" [whatever that means]. However, the US Census classifies "White, Alone", "White Hispanic", and numerous other categories all under the category "White Population". When added together in 2010, Austin became the 10th largest white population in the country*. US Census' The White Population 2010, 2010 Census Briefs publication even takes time to highlight Austin's achievement. (Out of everyone, US Census would be the official experts in population counting.) But, we do know that city demographers are also the experts in PR population massaging (Austin and Portland do it to "roll down" its Anglo populous, even as "chocolate cities" like Detroit, Atlanta, and Philadelphia do it to dramatize its white in-migration).

Then, why doesn't the city of Austin recognize the figures? Well they do, and they don't (and it gets complicated). The city does recognize the 562,451 total white pop. number (Austin has to, as its the US Census' official number), BUT, Austin is at liberty officially 'interpret' that count as they will. And in this scenario, in terms of Austin white population proportional percentage, the city has chosen to use the "white, alone" subset population as "white" within that larger number (562,451).

So, why the kabuki dance on white population? You know why!

A growing, diverse city 'meme' sells (Austin, Charlotte). A growing, [insert ethnicity] city may still sell, but marketing it may be problematic (Atlanta, San Antonio). One of the basic duties of a city demographer is to count population and business trends within the city. However, above all, the most important job that he or she has is to market the data. And apparently, the fact of Austin becoming a whiter city has been deemed by the city administration to be not 'marketable'.

These population numbers and Austin's new distinction by the US Census are not a big secret. City officials, affordable housing advocates have seen the census documents, which is why they have been so militant in their advoca[cy] within the City of Austin's Boards and Commissions.

*Reference: The White Population 2010, 2010 Census Briefs - http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/b...c2010br-05.pdf (broken link)

[60sfemi]

I was just talking with my Californian granddaughter. She would be considered very "odd" here, rocker dressed, tattoos, piercings etc. Not unusual there. She would be considered a culturally diverse white woman. I'm a former native now living around Austin. We were discussing how I saw my first black couple at a resturant after 4 years of living here. (25 mi. west of Austin to be exact), I did have 2 different service people who were black during this same period of time....and how funny and odd it seemed to me that now when I see black people it actually catches my attention. Calif has been so racially and culturally diverse and completely integrated for decades... that I simply accepted it as life everywhere. I am astounded that, I am so astounded!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by 60sfemi

Calif has been so racially and culturally diverse and completely integrated for decades... that I simply accepted it as life everywhere. I am astounded that, I am so astounded!

I think you (and others) are confusing demographics with acceptance. There may not be as many __________ (fill in the blank) here, but the ones that do live here have less hassle from others, and enjoy more personal freedom.

[MtnLion512]

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

Yes.

The racial demography subject is related to another thread (Gentification of East Austin) that appeared last month. Here is a repost:

Excellent post, ImOnFiya. Well articulated...however I'm not as hot on your jump from the hard evidence (re: different categories of white, demographers' liberty to 'fudge' the numbers) to your conclusion that demographers are really just marketers trying to 'sell' a city via 'memes', and even less hot on your ultimate conclusion that this demonstrates a lack of diversity in Austin. However it's not an unreasonable conclusion, I was primarily responding to the sarcastic insinuation that we say Austin is diverse based on seeing occasional minorities around town, which is absurd. The existing statistical info, massaged or not, and my experience @ St. David's which has a richly diverse workforce, lead me to a different conclusion.