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As he correctly noted, SD has a much lower Black population (6.5%) than Miami (17.5%). Not sure he would be more accepted there, nor OC. LA would probably be a better fit.
What I also do not understand is if he claims he is not wealthy, how will he manage higher COL that includes higher home prices (for less square footage), higher taxes, higher DMV fees, higher gas prices and higher utilities. SD (as well as all of CA) and Miami are cities where you really need to earn above the median income level, not at or below.
Now if I were financially challenged, I suppose I would choose SD knowing the nanny state will look after me better.
I'm just stating due to my experiences, SD felt less hostile. Matter fact it was pretty much laid back and relax. Not saying that there isn't any racism in SD but even in a city with not as many Black people I didn't feel uncomfortable or reminded of my ethnicity walking around visiting the city.
I don't know if it was a bad weekend or what but Miami it was completely different. Even though the city has a higher percentage of Black people, areas that we stayed in (Biscayne Bay/Downtown) had little to no Black people. So it was very similar to being in touristy areas of SD. The only difference is I actually encountered some racist incidents from White Cubans in those spaces while SD I did not.
As far as finances go, I'm speaking hypothetically. I don't make enough to live in neither but i'm just stating if I had to choose I would choose San Diego over Miami that's all. And that's based entirely on my experiences visiting both. Maybe I have to give Miami another chance.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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SD is more chill and the predominantly Mexican culture (as well as others) is definitely more welcoming than some Cubans here in Miami (some of whom are quite full of themselves and judgmental—I agree).
Maybe check out The Wharf (River District) , Design District, Midtown, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove on your next visit. Hollywood, Aventura and Hallandale (Gulfstream) can be fun areas as well. Haitian American friend of mine met his beautiful Russian wife in Hollywood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redlionjr
I'm just stating due to my experiences, SD felt less hostile. Matter fact it was pretty much laid back and relax. Not saying that there isn't any racism in SD but even in a city with not as many Black people I didn't feel uncomfortable or reminded of my ethnicity walking around visiting the city.
I don't know if it was a bad weekend or what but Miami it was completely different. Even though the city has a higher percentage of Black people, areas that we stayed in (Biscayne Bay/Downtown) had little to no Black people. So it was very similar to being in touristy areas of SD. The only difference is I actually encountered some racist incidents from White Cubans in those spaces while SD I did not.
As far as finances go, I'm speaking hypothetically. I don't make enough to live in neither but i'm just stating if I had to choose I would choose San Diego over Miami that's all. And that's based entirely on my experiences visiting both. Maybe I have to give Miami another chance.
Last edited by elchevere; 02-21-2020 at 11:30 AM..
This!! Came in to say the exact same thing. The only pros I’d give Miami over SD is the Women and the nightlife. And I’m married now with a little one so none of those are priorities for me anymore. SD for living wins in every other category.
As a Black Man who is not wealthy I honestly don’t get the appeal about Miami. Miami Beach I understand. That’s specifically tourist friendly. But outside of Wynwood and Brickell, it’s meh. Trust me I enjoyed parts of Little Haiti/Little Havana but the segregation between class,race and ethnicity is so thick it’s just hard to adjust coming from a city much more integrated in culture. I don’t see how a Black person can co-exist in the city when you have no ties whatsoever to the city. I get Broward county to an extent. SD has less of a Black population but feels less segregated.
SD Easy win for me!
Sooo, we're gonna act like there's no Black and Brown conflict in Southern California now? Lol. I agree black upward mobility is limited in Miami. But there's only a handful of cities that are attracting black professionals in droves. Miami may not be one of those cities, but I'd find it hard that SD doesn't have the same problem, no? Is there any black visibility in SD outside of super wealthy black ppl? I know of Southeast SD, The Skyline neighborhood, etc. But most of those areas are only portrayed through a "gang, crime" lense. Black Miami at least has some nation wide visibility. SD seems like a lovely town, but as a Black man myself, I wouldn't choose SD over Miami if black visibility, black interaction, black representation, and being surrounded by black life was my ultimate goal. I'd just choose SD over Miami because it's a nice town and SoCal is beautiful. I don't see how a Black man can see one as better than the other for black ppl. SD and Miami even each other out, I'd like to think. What's black integration when black ppl make up only 6% of the population? Is it black integration via gentrification? Because last I remembered, Southeast SD seemed to be the area of the city with historically black neighborhoods, and that's a tiny part of a large city.
Sooo, we're gonna act like there's no Black and Brown conflict in Southern California now? Lol. I agree black upward mobility is limited in Miami. But there's only a handful of cities that are attracting black professionals in droves. Miami may not be one of those cities, but I'd find it hard that SD doesn't have the same problem, no? Is there any black visibility in SD outside of super wealthy black ppl? I know of Southeast SD, The Skyline neighborhood, etc. But most of those areas are only portrayed through a "gang, crime" lense. Black Miami at least has some nation wide visibility. SD seems like a lovely town, but as a Black man myself, I wouldn't choose SD over Miami if black visibility, black interaction, black representation, and being surrounded by black life was my ultimate goal. I'd just choose SD over Miami because it's a nice town and SoCal is beautiful. I don't see how a Black man can see one as better than the other for black ppl. SD and Miami even each other out, I'd like to think. What's black integration when black ppl make up only 6% of the population? Is it black integration via gentrification? Because last I remembered, Southeast SD seemed to be the area of the city with historically black neighborhoods, and that's a tiny part of a large city.
Nobody’s denying that there isn’t any tension between Black and Brown people in San Diego. I’m pretty sure it is. LA is the SoCal city with the more intense Black and Brown relationship though and that’s primarily in low income areas with heavy gang populations. SD definitely has a lack of Black visibility but not once did that become an issue or made interactions awkward or tense in SD because of my complexion. It literally was a thing on my first full day in Miami. And it wasn’t just one incident, it was a back to back incidents. I didn’t know what it was. Was it my locs or the Miami Marlins shirt I decided to wear. At first I chalked it up to me being in a affluent area so maybe it’s a class thing. Yet, you don’t know me so you wouldn’t know what I do for a living. But than we walked to a park and local shopping center near the high rise we were staying in off Biscayne Bay and than it were other subtle incidents that made me say ok what’s really going on.
And it’s wasn’t a language barrier issue because generally Afro-Latinos in Miami were cool as hell. Went to a restaurant where nobody spoke a lick of English and it was generally Afro Latinos and darker shade Hispanics and when me and my friends popped up they showed love. They thought we were Hispanics cause tourist usually don’t go to these spots. That’s when I realized even in those communities it’s segregation between Black and White Hispanics(mostly Cubans).
All this is hypothetical since I really have no desire to move to either. But I’m only speaking for myself when I say I’d choose SD over Miami. It’ll suck having a lack of Black representation but atleast I can feel more comfortable going into places dominated by others more so in SD than what I experienced in Miami’s core. But like I said, next time I’ll venture off into some other areas of the metro.
Nobody’s denying that there isn’t any tension between Black and Brown people in San Diego. I’m pretty sure it is. LA is the SoCal city with the more intense Black and Brown relationship though and that’s primarily in low income areas with heavy gang populations. SD definitely has a lack of Black visibility but not once did that become an issue or made interactions awkward or tense in SD because of my complexion. It literally was a thing on my first full day in Miami. And it wasn’t just one incident, it was a back to back incidents. I didn’t know what it was. Was it my locs or the Miami Marlins shirt I decided to wear. At first I chalked it up to me being in a affluent area so maybe it’s a class thing. Yet, you don’t know me so you wouldn’t know what I do for a living. But than we walked to a park and local shopping center near the high rise we were staying in off Biscayne Bay and than it were other subtle incidents that made me say ok what’s really going on.
And it’s wasn’t a language barrier issue because generally Afro-Latinos in Miami were cool as hell. Went to a restaurant where nobody spoke a lick of English and it was generally Afro Latinos and darker shade Hispanics and when me and my friends popped up they showed love. They thought we were Hispanics cause tourist usually don’t go to these spots. That’s when I realized even in those communities it’s segregation between Black and White Hispanics(mostly Cubans).
All this is hypothetical since I really have no desire to move to either. But I’m only speaking for myself when I say I’d choose SD over Miami. It’ll suck having a lack of Black representation but atleast I can feel more comfortable going into places dominated by others more so in SD than what I experienced in Miami’s core. But like I said, next time I’ll venture off into some other areas of the metro.
Yep. White Cubans in Miami can be very racist or at least passive aggressive towards black ppl. I've experienced it myself.
I lived near Miami, and visited it occasionally, in the 1980s. I traveled to San Diego occasionally, usually for business but also for pleasure, in the 1990s. I don't recall the last time I was in Miami; last time in San Diego was 2015.
I hated Miami. I've never experienced a city that was so racially polarized as that one. Venturing into the wrong neighborhood could cost you your life. San Diego, on the other hand, I loved. It was beautiful, and the people seemed vastly friendlier there.
I've heard that Miami has gotten better. And I've heard that San Diego has gotten worse. So maybe I'd feel differently if I visited them both now. But based on my (admittedly outdated) experiences, I'd pick San Diego. This is despite the fact that I'd much rather be governed by Florida than by California.
I lived near Miami, and visited it occasionally, in the 1980s. I traveled to San Diego occasionally, usually for business but also for pleasure, in the 1990s. I don't recall the last time I was in Miami; last time in San Diego was 2015.
I hated Miami. I've never experienced a city that was so racially polarized as that one. Venturing into the wrong neighborhood could cost you your life. San Diego, on the other hand, I loved. It was beautiful, and the people seemed vastly friendlier there.
I've heard that Miami has gotten better. And I've heard that San Diego has gotten worse. So maybe I'd feel differently if I visited them both now. But based on my (admittedly outdated) experiences, I'd pick San Diego. This is despite the fact that I'd much rather be governed by Florida than by California.
If you only remember Miami of the 1980's (the Miami Vice and Scarface days) it's a completely different place from then. I'm not sure about San Diego getting worse, at least crime wise as it's still one of the safest if not the safest city in the United States especially for the pandemic era. Cost of living has gotten worse though.
It’s not just white and light skinned Cubans who seemed pretty racist in Miami. Wealthy South Americans from Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina are also that way.
San Diego isn’t exactly perfect for black Americans, but on the surface it is less passive aggressive towards them.
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