Is there racism in Denver? What's it really like? Please read if you live/lived in Denver Co. (Aurora: high schools, living)

[sportsfangal]

I agree, I am black and date interracially, I haven't encountered any problems. There will of course be the idiots that have a comment or two, but that's EVERYWHERE you go. For the most part, I find Denver to be very progressive, tolerant, and accepting. Especially in the money parts of town, people seem to care less about your color and focus on your personality, drive, and communication skills!

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Denver is a progressive city and they should be fine. It is a city that is around 12-13% Black, but had a Black mayor for 12 years from 1991 to 2003. He grew up in Denver too. It's next mayor was or is Hispanic. Most of the Black community is in Denver and Aurora, with some sprinkling of Black folks across the metro. It is a city and area known for being good for interracial couple too. So, I think they will be fine.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I'm going to try and look at the OP's post in a simple sense.

Mom and Dad are white and their three sons are black. The OP is wondering if the boys will feel out of place in Denver.

Should they feel out of place in a place where there aren't tons of black people around? Do they need black people around to feel comfortable? Or, would they feel comfortable anywhere? Those are questions that only the boys, or possibly the parents can answer.

Is there a substantial black population in Denver? Yes and no. It depends on where in Denver metro you are. I would expect to see some families that look just like theirs' mostly east of I-25/south of the Adams County line (within Denver), or anywhere with an Aurora address.

As some of you know, my father is Hispanic and my mother was white non-Hispanic. So I am white non-Hispanic and Hispanic. Should I feel more comfortable in places with substantial white non-Hispanic and Hispanic populations, somewhere like Denver? Would I feel comfortable in New Hampshire, or South Texas?

I don't think it's the racial/ethnic make-up of a population that matters. I think an unknown set of factors determine whether a place is racist, same goes for whether somebody would feel comfortable in said place. I didn't feel more comfortable in Denver or Southern CA where I could see more people that looked like me. I feel extraordinarily comfortable where I am now, where I never see people like me.

So I don't think there is a barometer, yardstick or ruler that can tell the OP whether the boys will feel comfortable, or whether or not they will be victims of racism. Unfortunately we rely on hearsay and/or the media to tell us if a place is welcoming, passive, or racist.

I would challenge this family to simply live their life wherever they choose to live, now or in the future, regardless of what everybody else looks like. I honestly don't think this family has anything to worry about in Denver, as far as "feeling comfortable" goes, I've always said anybody can make it/get along just fine in Denver.

Heck of a post David.

My father is white and mother is Mexican, so I know exactly what you mean.

My wife is 100% Mexican descent and we vacation in Denver quite often. I have to say, that I rarely see any kind of racial consciousnesses there in Denver and it seems black people are very accepted as well in the Metro. To David's point, we lived in Southern California around nothing but Mexicans that looked like us, but that was the place we saw the MOST racial consciousness.

I think Denver and the SF BayArea (where I live now) are pretty close in racial tolerance, and I would say both are very accepting, so there is little to be worried about.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Denver is a progressive city and they should be fine. It is a city that is around 12-13% Black, but had a Black mayor for 12 years from 1991 to 2003. He grew up in Denver too. It's next mayor was or is Hispanic. Most of the Black community is in Denver and Aurora, with some sprinkling of Black folks across the metro. It is a city and area known for being good for interracial couple too. So, I think they will be fine.

Sounds like rave reviews. Denver was rated among the top 10 cities for interracial couples.

Denver had a Hispanic mayor in the 1980's, Frederico Pena. After him was Denver's first Black mayor, Wellington Webb. After that is John Hickenlooper, who is white.
Another notable mayor who is from Denver is Norman Rice, Seattle's first Black mayor.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Sounds like rave reviews. Denver was rated among the top 10 cities for interracial couples.

Denver had a Hispanic mayor in the 1980's, Frederico Pena. After him was Denver's first Black mayor, Wellington Webb. After that is John Hickenlooper, who is white.
Another notable mayor who is from Denver is Norman Rice, Seattle's first Black mayor.

I forgot about Norm Rice and when Wellington Webb was running for mayor his opponent was Black as well. So, that tells a lot about the area and it's Black community.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Mach50

Heck of a post David.

My father is white and mother is Mexican, so I know exactly what you mean.

My wife is 100% Mexican descent and we vacation in Denver quite often. I have to say, that I rarely see any kind of racial consciousnesses there in Denver and it seems black people are very accepted as well in the Metro. To David's point, we lived in Southern California around nothing but Mexicans that looked like us, but that was the place we saw the MOST racial consciousness.

I think Denver and the SF BayArea (where I live now) are pretty close in racial tolerance, and I would say both are very accepting, so there is little to be worried about.

I don't think conscoiusness is a bad thing, but how you use it is the key. You can use it to educate others or to use it as a tool to manipulate. I think i'm aware of things culturally, but that doesn't mean I can't bring people of other cultures into the fold either by using my culture as a way to educate. So, it depends on how you use your consciousness.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I forgot about Norm Rice and when Wellington Webb was running for mayor his opponent was Black as well. So, that tells a lot about the area and it's Black community.

I read a National Geographic article about Denver and its African-American community. It was from March 1979. From what I read, the Black community in Denver had a relatively high educational attainment.

[DenverLawGal]

Are you talking about Pena? He was before Wellington. After Wellington is Hickenlooper, our current mayor.

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

...It's next mayor was or is Hispanic...

[DenverLawGal]

pirate: You beat me to it!! Also of note, running against Hickenlooper was a Hispanic. Forgot his name. Also, re: education. From what I've read and seen, Denver is very saturated with high educated people in general.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

I thought so.... maybe that was a different David! LOL

oh wait, so you are from somewhere smaller than Denver? Well, it's all in perception. I've lived here a very long time, and to me Denver seems really smallish. Kinda sprawly.

No, it was probably me you were thinking of.

I lived in Denver (Aurora, actually) from June 2007 to May 2009. I had been pretty active here on the forum (including Denver's) during that time. I moved to Spokane, WA (much smaller than Denver) in May.

I know your position on Denver being small, and know that you long for Miami (i.e. the big city). We've conversed before on Denver forum threads.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I don't think consciousness is a bad thing, but how you use it is the key. You can use it to educate others or to use it as a tool to manipulate. I think i'm aware of things culturally, but that doesn't mean I can't bring people of other cultures into the fold either by using my culture as a way to educate. So, it depends on how you use your consciousness.

That's cool, the kind of consciousness I am speaking of is bad: glares, stares, snarks, racial epithets...