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DC in a landslide. You'd have to offer me minimum 5x the pay to get me to pick Atlanta over DC...
Atlanta is easily one if the most overrated major cities (right behind San Francisco in my opinion), and while it has a full and robust ecosystem for Black Americans, I find the experience for us to be overrated and frankly, disappointing. I'll pass...
Washington in a landslide, not even close for me...
Correction: your experience was overrated and disappointing. From what I recall based on a few past posts, you were in a much different place in life when you lived there, right? I know that you'd never move back but I'm pretty sure if you did, your experience would be a lot different. Not saying you'd love it, but overall your impression would most likely be somewhat more positive.
But obviously DC would suit him better given his career goals post-graduation and residential preferences.
Correction: your experience was overrated and disappointing. From what I recall based on a few past posts, you were in a much different place in life when you lived there, right? I know that you'd never move back but I'm pretty sure if you did, your experience would be a lot different. Not saying you'd love it, but your experience would most likely be more positive.
But obviously DC would suit him better given his career goals post-graduation and residential preferences.
You didn't have to offer the correction, I clearly said "for me" and "in my opinion"...
When I was down there I was in a space that draws people of similar interests to Atlanta. I was drug trafficking and single, dating alot and very casually. Atlanta just didn't do it for me. I had fun, hung out a little though I was never a big partier. But sure, where I currently am or in another alternate emotional and spiritual space, maybe I'd enjoy it more...
Actually Charlotte is becoming a serious contender on the black awareness. It's starting to develop a lot of the amenities that people are used to finding in Atlanta. It's got a stable/growing 35% black population and has overall more black people than the city of Atlanta. It's also seen as a lot cooler than Dallas, another city where blacks seem to be flocking to. It's also pretty close to Atlanta so it benefits from that.
Atlanta's black population (in the city) going down, or at least the percentage is, and it's about to become less than 50% black. I think Washingtons even faster changing in that regard.
Charlotte does have the benefit of very expansive city limits (it has the same square mileage in land as NYC) with a good bit of land upon which to build and is increasing density at its light rail stations, which are positives for sure and help explain its overall population increase. That said, Charlotte would not be the best place for him considering his career goals. But Raleigh would work seeing as though it's the state capital with more federal government jobs and the region is a center of higher education.
You didn't have to offer the correction, I clearly said "for me" and "in my opinion"...
When I was down there I was in a space that draws people of similar interests to Atlanta. I was drug trafficking and single, dating alot and very casually. Atlanta just didn't do it for me. I had fun, hung out a little though I was never a big partier. But sure, where I currently am or in another alternate emotional and spiritual space, maybe I'd enjoy it more...
I'd never enjoy it over DC though...
Yeah I'm pretty sure you would. It's a major metro with a huge visible Black middle class and although I don't totally agree with the common description of Atlanta as a "bigger Charlotte," there's definitely some truth to it. And although it's a Piedmont city, it doesn't really have that "sameness" quality to it that you describe NC's Piedmont cities as having.
When it comes to issues like this, I have learned two things by living in a few major metros at this point in life and having returned to Charlotte and Atlanta for temporary stints, as well as now being back in DC and I wouldn't be surprised if you've come to similar conclusions. Firstly, big cities are VERY multidimensional and there are literally all kinds of sides of the city that people who live there don't even know exist. A city like Atlanta is big enough to find the scene you want and to largely be insulated from the scenes you don't want to be a part of. Secondly, you don't experience any city the same exact way the next time around, especially if you are in a different place in life. You've grown and the city has too.
I know those things sound intuitive and aren't exactly mind-blowing revelations, but it's different when you actually come to these realizations on your own based on personal experience and realize that you're experiencing a city you're already familiar with in an entirely new way. In a way, it can be like you're in a different city altogether.
Yeah I'm pretty sure you would. It's a major metro with a huge visible Black middle class and although I don't totally agree with the common description of Atlanta as a "bigger Charlotte," there's definitely some truth to it. And although it's a Piedmont city, it doesn't really have that "sameness" quality to it that you describe NC's Piedmont cities as having.
When it comes to issues like this, I have learned two things by living in a few major metros at this point in life and having returned to Charlotte and Atlanta for temporary stints, as well as now being back in DC and I wouldn't be surprised if you've come to similar conclusions. Firstly, big cities are VERY multidimensional and there are literally all kinds of sides of the city that people who live there don't even know exist. A city like Atlanta is big enough to find the scene you want and to largely be insulated from the scenes you don't want to be a part of. Secondly, you don't experience any city the same exact way the next time around, especially if you are in a different place in life. You've grown and the city has too.
I know those things sound intuitive and aren't exactly mind-blowing revelations, but it's different when you actually come to these realizations on your own based on personal experience and realize that you're experiencing a city you're already familiar with in an entirely new way. In a way, it can be like you're in a different city altogether.
I agree with this, but to draw me back to Atlanta something would have to jump out as an advantage over other cities. Perhaps Atlanta and I would fit together better now, but I can't even imagine what the selling point would be to draw me to Atlanta over a host of other cities...
I agree with this, but to draw me back to Atlanta something would have to jump out as an advantage over other cities. Perhaps Atlanta and I would fit together better now, but I can't even imagine what the selling point would be to draw me to Atlanta over a host of other cities...
I get it. The opportunity would have to be really good, the kind that usually doesn't come around twice.
Perhaps if you ever get back that way to visit in the near future, you could do some local stuff like explore West Midtown, visit Ponce City Market, stroll the Beltline, etc.--some of which probably didn't even exist when you lived there.
I will never understand seeing ATL as overrated while liking Charlotte when CLT reminds people of ATL from two decades ago. That's like loving Portland and seeing Seattle as overrated when they're the same type but higer/lower weightclass.
Anyway, OP should go to DC (Seem like a sizable number of Atlantans like DC...). As an Atlantan, taking the METRO will give you deja vu due to MARTA. The weather, is similar, give or take (some days a city will be colder than the other or warmer) but DC will run colder on average but won't be anything drastic (I lived in the area and Up North so, it's a non issue). Enjoy man.
Last edited by Chevalier de Saint-George; 05-08-2020 at 08:29 AM..
For your career path and what your looking for in a urban setting I’d choose D.C. But hopefully you can afford it. While the core of Atlanta is pretty expensive in its own right it’s still cheaper than D.C.
I will never understand seeing ATL as overrated while liking Charlotte when CLT reminds people of ATL from two decades ago. That's like loving Portland and seeing Seattle as overrated when they're the same type but higer/lower weightclass.
You probably missed it when I explained it before, but here was what my experience was...
Charlotte in many ways is a mini-Atlanta, but what it has an advantage in is it's less pretentious, which I saw at every turn. There isn't the level of keeping up appearances, too many people in Atlanta are focused on looking a certain way to impress other people who are doing the same thing to impress them. This dynamic exists everywhere to some degree, but it's at a disgusting level in The A, never seen anything like it...
It's easier to avoid the minstrel show in Charlotte. In Atlanta if you go damn near anywhere it's like a gotdamn Love & Hip-Hop show, I have no desire to see my people feeding stereotypes or be a part of it myself, completely flagrant and open with it. I hated that...
The other thing is because I lived in Charlotte first, then went to Atlanta, as well as having also seen and lived/spent time in DC and LA, and connected to people in all of those places, going to Atlanta and seeing widespread black achievement and success wasn't as big a deal as if I'd never seen it before. I have no clue if that's a selling point today, but ~7 years plus ago when I went there, that was one of the major selling points in popular conversation about Atlanta..."we eating down there in a major way, it's a chocolate city, etc"...
The imagery of Atlanta was that it was blackness paved with gold, and because I regarded these other cities highly, I had high expectations of Atlanta. Literally did not see anything greater except there are MORE of us there than most places, but the quality of life didn't seem discernible greater. When you add in the things that are drawbacks for me, the minstrelsy factor as well as the pretentiousness, widespread suburbia, horrible weather, difficult interracial politics, etc, Charlotte is beating Atlanta in a landslide in comparison...
It has the similar widespread suburbia but without the negatives of Atlanta and a realer salt-of-the-earth vibe. Note, for people such as my good friend Dr Literal (Mutiny LOL), I'm just shedding light on why Charlotte appeals more to Atlanta to me, and possibly some reasons why others do as well. Shouldn't have to be stated that I'm not saying everyone experiences Atlanta the same or has the same takeaways, but for people like the good Doctor I'll add this anyway hahaha...
I can't speak about Atlanta, but I know a lot about DC. Here are some DC neighborhoods to check out.
Historically, DC's African American culture was centered in the neighborhoods of Shaw, Ledroit Park, and U Street ("Black Broadway"). Howard University is an anchor of that area. This area of the city has heavily gentrified in recent years but still retains a sizable African American population. It is very urbanized by DC standards, with many amenities, restaurants, etc. It's considered a cool or trendy neighborhood. It is served by multiple Metro stations. Here is a link to Google Streetview showing U Street: https://goo.gl/maps/eCXXi8FQnb3HjctG9
H Street NE is another historically strong African American neighborhood. It is also gentrifying. It is served by the DC Streetcar, which connects to nearby Metro stations, as do some of the city's busiest bus routes. Here's H Street: https://goo.gl/maps/6nvUn9uBxWLg64vF8
Anacostia is probably the strongest African American neighborhood in DC currently. It is in the process of gentrifying but is nowhere near as far along as the neighborhoods already mentioned. It has a reputation for crime. It is served directly by the Metro. Here's a view of Anacostia: https://goo.gl/maps/L5KmoyqhUXraSsho8
There are many other African American neighborhoods in DC. The city is majority African American. But some of the other neighborhoods are a little further from Metro or are less dense and urbanized. They all have high African American populations, but I feel that Shaw/U Street, H Street, and Anacostia have more African American culture and history.
It really depends on what you'll be able to afford and what you're looking for. Shaw and H Street will be expensive. Anacostia will be cheaper but is considered less desirable. But all three are a good starting point for your research.
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