Chicago Living for Young Professional African Americans (Lincoln, Atlanta: crime, neighborhood)

[knitgirl]

Originally Posted by marothisu

.....drove to work...at the AON Center? Yeah, that's not going to be free in 98% of cases.

You must be thinking of somebody else - OP said job was in Rogers Park!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

You must be thinking of somebody else - OP said job was in Rogers Park!

hahaha, don't know how I mixed this up with another one. Dur. Yeah it's doable, though Lake Shore Drive sometimes around Gold Coast is iffy...Not a close drive or anything but doable.

[mdt313]

This is a very enlightening response as I would probably give you a similar one if you were to ask me about the Detroit area and its professional scene. I know some of my colleagues have also suggested Wicker Park as an up and coming area, and also another area that escapes my mind at the moment. But when I think of Chicago, I often think of it as a "hustla" city meaning people do what they can to get to the top and leave once their resources are dried up. Is that assessment true? Or am I making a generalization?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mdt313

This is a very enlightening response as I would probably give you a similar one if you were to ask me about the Detroit area and its professional scene. I know some of my colleagues have also suggested Wicker Park as an up and coming area, and also another area that escapes my mind at the moment. But when I think of Chicago, I often think of it as a "hustla" city meaning people do what they can to get to the top and leave once their resources are dried up. Is that assessment true? Or am I making a generalization?

I don't know how many LIVE there (or how many are moving there year after year), but whenever I go out in Wicker Park, I see a number of African Americans there for what it's worth. I have also experienced that in South Loop as some others have mentioned.

As far as the "hustla" thing, there are definitely people with that mindset, but in my opinion there is a lot of "non-hustla" going on too. Let's get the facts straight - the Chicago area has the 3rd most fortune 500 HQ of any metro area in the country and barely behind #2 (NYC is ahead by a bit). There is a huge financial sector here and a lot of other things. It's not like some other cities (say Cleveland, Charlotte, etc) where you climb to the top and then you say "**** this town..." Some people do it, but there's a lot who don't. You can be a VP of a huge and/or powerful (possibly multi national) company in Chicago or some rich big shot trader/financial guy. I work for a large multi national and have a few friends who are VPs (and a few of them are African American). I'm not making this into a racial thing right here - just straight information. I can't speak for the climate for "professional" African American in Chicago, but I have definitely heard from my friends that Atlanta, DC, etc is better.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by mdt313

I know some of my colleagues have also suggested Wicker Park as an up and coming area, and also another area that escapes my mind at the moment.

You might hang out in Wicker Park (Funky Buddah lounge), but not too many Black people live there.

Originally Posted by mdt313

But when I think of Chicago, I often think of it as a "hustla" city meaning people do what they can to get to the top and leave once their resources are dried up. Is that assessment true? Or am I making a generalization?

Chicago is the largest city for a thousand miles in every direction. So it attracts people from all over the midwest, who want to experience the "big city." But the vast majority of these people will end up either moving back to where they came from, or the Chicago suburbs, or transfering to some other city due to their job.

Outside of the same 5 neighborhoods that everyone on City-Data recommends, Chicago is full of people from Chicago, whose parents are from Chicago, and who will stay in Chicago for life.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Hyde Park is the only part of Chicago that is mostly Black, has a large professional class, and looks really good.

If you consider 30% to be "mostly."

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

You might hang out in Wicker Park (Funky Buddah lounge), but not too many Black people live there.

Funky Buddha Lounge is in River West, not Wicker Park. I see African Americans in actual Wicker Park all the time at other places (i.e. Crocodile or Ohm).

Chicago is the largest city for a thousand miles in every direction. So it attracts people from all over the midwest, who want to experience the "big city." But the vast majority of these people will end up either moving back to where they came from, or the Chicago suburbs, or transfering to some other city due to their job.

I disagree here. There are certainly a lot of midwestern "I want a big city" people here, but there's a lot of people from all around the world. I am friends with people from tons of countries and also both coasts who relocated here. I think you need to get out and experience more if you think that everyone is like this. Your statement is only partially true but it's far from the true that Chicago is just full of midwestern small town people who wanted to go to a big city.

I am friends with people originally from Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City area, Boston, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Morocco, Lebanon, France, Germany, UK (England), Columbia, Portugal, Brazil, Iraq, Iran, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia, Poland, Egypt, India, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sudan, etc etc the list goes on and on. Just on my floor alone in my apartment complex, I have neighbors who are Indian, Pakistani, Palestinian, Hispanic, and African American....yet it's in the Gold Coast. I can't believe people think that almost everyone in town who's a transplant is only from the midwest. That is only part of it and yes, a large percentage, but there's a large percentage of people from far outside of the immediate area.

[mangomadness]

Originally Posted by mdt313

Greetings all,

Recently visited the Chicago area after nearly a five-year absence for a job interview in Rogers Park area (not far from Loyola University from what I noticed). In any event, I was curious to know where all of the young professionals, especially African Americans reside as I want to further explore the opportunities in the city specifically if I had to relocate. Being from Detroit, I understand the bad rap a city may get so I can definitely identify with the issues Chicago has faced in the media.

So, I was curious what others assessments were of the city for young professional life, cost of living, upward mobility, etc. And whether or not you would you recommend suburban living (Evanston and some of the other Northern cities) vs living in the actual city (Chicago) itself?

Natives of the city and those recently relocated feel free to reply as your input is valued and desired!

Thanks!

Unfortunately, there isn't a specific concentration of young African-American professionals in any particular neighborhood as a majority. They will live in any number of neighborhoods around the city, based mostly on what they can afford, what they are looking for, and proximity needs to work and/or family. Many do not live and hang out in the same neighborhoods. From my group of friends who are all professional (no longer in their 20's though), they live either downtown in hi-rise condos, South Loop, Hyde Park, Bronzeville/Kenwood, Edgewater, and Beverly. However, we hang out just about anywhere. Outside of places in the mentioned neighborhoods, we will go to Ravinia, Oak St beach, Lincoln Park, shopping in various suburbs, restaurants/bars anywhere we feel like it, fairs/fests, farmer's markets, etc. We are not stuck to being in one area.

There are those who live in neighborhoods that would never be recommended here on this site. However, being from Detroit, you probably understand that not every black face in a particular neighborhood is linked to criminal/thug/rough living activities. Many of us are not scared of our own people and many don't find living in the "best" neighborhoods all that best for us.

As you get to know other African-American professionals, you will find out where we congregate the most. You will also find yourself gravitating to places that your own circle of professional friends (not exclusive to African-American) will take you. Nothing wrong with any of it. You will find your way. Just letting you know now that Chicago isn't like the DC area or ATL where there are neighborhoods full of professional African-Americans. We just never had that concentration like that here. The closest we had were maybe certain neighborhoods like Chatham and South Shore back in the day, both which have declined some over the years.

If you are young, and I assume single, I wouldn't look for living in the suburbs. I would go for neighborhoods that offer some nightlife and the opportunity to meet others with the same interest and mainly where you feel comfortable.

Hope the job interview goes well!

[mjtinmemphis]

I find the transplant demographic for Black professionals to come from all over the nation. Now there is a small segment of Whites who move from rural/suburban Midwest but Chicago isn't the same Mecca for us. (very rare you will go to a HBCU and hear graduates mention Chicago on their list of places to start a career as you would a White big 10 graduate) Most Black friends who I went to school with in St. Louis have relocated to other cities like mentioned in other post. Atlanta, DC, Dallas, NYC and LA.

I personally enjoy socializing with south siders but don't limit myself to one particular neighborhood. This is a great city. Not just a great Lincoln Park or Hyde Park. most Blacks who are able to enjoy all the dynamics of living here will make a way to enjoy all of Chicago instead of getting stuck on one side of town.

Yes IMO this is a hussla town. You come here make your money and leave when its time. Very few Black transplants want to raise a family here. Most of "the professional Black family demographic" is very localized in most cases suburban. I don't think Chicago has been that good to the localized black family demographic and it scares black transplants off.

[nj21]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Yes IMO this is a hussla town. You come here make your money and leave when its time. Very few Black transplants want to raise a family here. Most of "the professional Black family demographic" is very localized in most cases suburban. I don't think Chicago has been that good to the localized black family demographic and it scares black transplants off.

Yes...I'm moving back to NYC/NJ after I pass my analyst exams...where are all the young black professionals here? Maybe they just aren't being hired.