The best cities for the african americans in the west

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by pwright1

As an AA from back east and since moving out west, I've lived in Seattle and now Los Angeles. Love them BOTH! Its not all about the east or the south. From what I read so far on here, black people from the east coast wake up! You can live wherever you want. Don't limit yourselves.

I'm sure black people, (People in general) know they can live where they want, thats not the question. It's merely a situation where one has to dispute with their selves what "Living situation" is better. As far as being afraid to live in the west, that remains, but it would not dare stop me if the opportunity comes, if you were referring to my post as another user aggressively suggested.

Also nice post. Seattle, L.A. and Phoenix would be the only Metro Areas I'd consider based on comfort level ! Outside of that everywhere else is up in the air.

See for me it's a bit further, that I didnt explain. Weather, natural disasters, things to do, all of that is included too. But my perception of west coast cities receiving blacks is just the way it is and would definitely play part in my decision and I feel we all do that. If we didnt race wouldn't be included in as many conversations as it is today.

For Instance. I said Seattle, L.A., Phoenix.

Seattle - Love this city but it does not get Hot enough for me and not enough beaches and variety of coastline,lakes, rivers, ponds, bays, springs, for me as Florida. No thunderstorms, too much of a variation in weather.

L.A. - Dry, not enough rain, Pacific Coast beaches are rocky, hilly and typically cooler waters. Same with lakes and outside leisure activity. Along with the smog issue, I need good air quality. I have asthma so thats important.

Phoenix - Asthma and dry air does not work for me. Phoenix is dry. Thats my main issue. NO Beaches, lack of lakes and any type of water play around the metro, no theme parks or water parks (Not that little thing they do call a water park lol), and just not close enough to other major metros. But see thats what I mean. All of that matters as well as my race. Hell it's the same thing here in Florida. Orlando is the least likely city of Miami Tampa and Jacksonville where you feel as though you dont fit in. Miami is heavily Spanish influenced, even blacks stay to theirselves and so do whites. It's racially diverse and separated just as Tampa. Tampa stillf eels as though , I dont belong (Tampa Metro) that is. It's also racially separated. What I mean by that is the fact you can be on sides of town where people will say "White Neighborhoods" or "Black Neighborhoods". Jacksonville is the same way, just very tame with it.


So its no different in Florida but my point was as a black person, no matter where it always crosses my mind.

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I don't think it is about limiting yourself. It could be a matter of geography, family, preference, a good situation where they are or location. There are areas on the East Coast and other regions that get slept on too.

Exactly. Main reason being family. Im all for leaps and bounds and opportunities. Hell all around Florida thats main reason people come here, the opportunity, then the main reason they go back, family. Of course money, living situation is important but those are the main reasons.

[morcellement]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Probably due to the segregation in terms of the entertainment industry at one time there and Nevada does seem to have a country vibe to it.

It was actually once a fairly segregated city period. Up until the 60's, blacks could only live on the west side of the railroad tracks Downtown. That neighborhood in particular is pretty much the central area of AA culture in Vegas and yet it also remains very impoverished. One thing I find really enraging is how much effort has been put into rejuvenating Downtown (which is a good thing as Downtown was once pretty terrible) and instead of helping that neighborhood, they decide to build walls and close off streets to make it harder for the people living there to go Downtown and easier for the yuppies, hipsters, suburbanites and tourists to not even notice it altogether.

Also, something I find particularly disturbing is how in terms of social segregation, Vegas appears to be going backwards. As a child, I remember pretty much every neighborhood and school being filled with people of all races, with lots of inter-mingling. Nowadays, it seems that more people have the "birds of a feather" mentality. While more central neighborhoods are still rather diverse, the further out you venture from the center of the city things tend to get more homogenous, with whites gravitating to the west, latinos gravitating to the east, blacks gravitating to the north and asians/pacific islanders either sticking around Spring Mountain Rd or the southern portions of the city. You probably wouldn't have to worry about being the only black face anywhere, but as for whether or not you'll feel welcome? Different story. I live in a predominantly white neighborhood, and I'm constantly started at with looks of suspicion or paranoia and/or asked if I even live here when entering my apartment complex or taking out the trash at night (by the same people too), as if I'm not wanted here.

I also find it really bothersome how Asians are choosing to segregate themselves (see: Chinatown/Spring Mountain Rd., an area which had no history of legal/social segregation of anyone prior to the beginning of it's development in the 90s), and there has been quite a bit of neo-nazi/skinhead activity as of late. D:

I'm sorry, but the belief that Las Vegas is a bastion of racial harmony is so far from the truth. In fact, the idea of Las Vegas being an incredibly liberal place is a giant myth in of itself. Having been to San Francisco and New York City, there are so many things you'll see or hear about in those two cities that I assure you would never fly here.

[jamalc]

Time and demographics change. A city that may have been good for black's years ago could be bad today and vice versa. Look at Los Angeles, at one time it was rated the best city for black's in the early 1960's. Then the Watts riot came in 1965 and Los Angeles changed. The South was the worse place for black's, now blacks are rapidly moving south to places that had a history of brutal racism.

Case point is Atlanta,Ga. where one of the most brutal attacks on African-Americans took place in 1906. But now Atlanta has drew more blacks to it's metro area than any city/metro area in the last 30 years. The same could be said of Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, etc. In the West, demographics has changed. Far more blacks live in areas that few lived in 30-40 years ago. California urban areas have always been considered the best urban areas in the west for blacks/African-Americans.

The 2010 census show more blacks are moving west. California has lost a lot of appeal to many blacks so more are moving to Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Seattle metro areas which were among the top areas in the country for African-American population growth. Demographics are not necessary limited to the inner city. Most inner city areas are congested with traffic, older poorer housing and crime. Today many African-American no longer live in the inner city but are spread out in suburban areas often times in racially mixed neighborhood where the best housing and schools are centered.

So the conclusion is to determine the metro area as oppose to just the city to judge what is the best area for blacks to live. Vegas could be the Mississippi of the west but when one go out to the many Suburban areas where African-american s have homes it could be the " paradise" of the West.
Every urban area big and small has good areas and bad areas including Oakland.

[ckhthankgod]

Here's an interesting article about an old radio station in Denver:
KDKO - Denvers' SOUL Radio!!!

It is interesting what the owner said back then about Denver's Black community and it can still be said today.