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I think the other factor is that this forum has a lot of African Americans who say the words "diverse" and "not diverse" when they mean "more black than average" and "less black than average".... Austin has a very large hispanic population and an above average asian population. It is diverse, but not especially black.
Right, many people use "diverse" as a codeword for black .
If a city was 50% white, 50% black, it would be considered diverse on here. Hence, nobody calling Atlanta "extremely white".
Right, many people use "diverse" as a codeword for black .
If a city was 50% white, 50% black, it would be considered diverse on here. Hence, nobody calling Atlanta "extremely white".
No, it isn’t, but I get what you are saying.
I think the difference may be that the image or portrayal of Austin’s “culture” is one that isn’t really inclusive of other groups, even if it is demographically/culturally diverse statistically.
Right, many people use "diverse" as a codeword for black .
If a city was 50% white, 50% black, it would be considered diverse on here. Hence, nobody calling Atlanta "extremely white".
I can confirm that is by no means what I meant by diversity on this thread. I don’t really care what other people typically mean by it, it’s not what I meant by it.
I've found that people from the Northeast or West Coast have a hard time believing that Houston (and Texas in general) is as diverse as it is. Diversity is not part of the Texas stereotype.
However, Houston being exceptionally diverse does not make Austin "extremely white". Austin is quite diverse itself. Not at the level of Houston, NYC, DC, etc, but compared to peer cities, Austin is on the more diverse side. In fact, at the metro level, Austin demographics look almost identical to "black mecca" Atlanta (with the Hispanic and Black percentages swapped.) So Foamposite is 100% correct that calling Austin "extremely white" is not accurate, even if it is notably less diverse than Houston.
I never said Austin is extremely white, either culturally or demographically. My words were that for a white majority metro, I find Austin more integrated than average, and I would definitely agree with you that it is diverse in its own right. There's no doubt about that.
But Houston is on an entirely different level, particularly socially. And no, this has nothing to do with Houston having more black people (not sure who started that myth). It's that the entire metro is actually DIVERSE not only in terms of demographics, but in terms of how people interact on the ground as well as the effect that its had on the city's culture over the long term. Houston's culture is and has been influenced by whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians in different ways that you definitely don't see in Austin. It shows in how political power is shared, it shows in the city's culinary scene, it shows up in a lot of different places.
None of this is to denigrate Austin in any way, it's a fine city. But definitely apples and oranges compared to Houston when we're talking about social influence and integration across different ethnic and cultural groups.
Right, many people use "diverse" as a codeword for black .
If a city was 50% white, 50% black, it would be considered diverse on here. Hence, nobody calling Atlanta "extremely white".
Atlanta is not 50% White or 50% Black so what are you talking about?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foamposite
And out of curiosity, how socially integrated is Houston anyway? I've really only heard of it being integrated between black and Hispanic.
How many of the public schools have virtually zero white kids?
Yet again spoken like someone who's never been to Houston but going off what you hear. How silly, so let me get this straight Austin is the integrated city while Houston is only integrated between Black and Hispanic people? LOL
Houston has school districts such as Fort Bend/Pearland/Cy-Fair/Alvin/Klein that are highly diverse and integrated in the classrooms. Not to mention Houston has a good amount of Charter schools that are truly diverse in staff and students.
Atlanta is not 50% White or 50% Black so what are you talking about?
Yet again spoken like someone who's never been to Houston but going off what you hear. How silly, so let me get this straight Austin is the integrated city while Houston is only integrated between Black and Hispanic people? LOL
Houston has school districts such as Fort Bend/Pearland/Cy-Fair/Alvin/Klein that are highly diverse and integrated in the classrooms. Not to mention Houston has a good amount of Charter schools that are truly diverse in staff and students.
Atlanta proper is ~90% black and white. But Atlanta is the type of sprawling sunbelt suburban city where city limits don't matter andthe metro is just as diverse if not more diverse (it's more diverse) than the city itself sort of like DC.
But for the record its 4% asian 4% latino and 2% mixed race. From a northern standpoint-that's unbelievable.
What makes Houston unique in my eyes is how vast and consistent the diversity is and the high quality of neighborhoods/homes for all races and most income brackets.. Every major metro has diverse charters, even in the further out suburbs-so that not the impressive part really.
Very interesting considering Austin has been presented in a very positive light in this thread. I love Austin for the 1000th time.
He does this. He feels people, especially, other Texans hate on Austin when in reality, most Texans do not hate Austin as much as he thinks. Austin is a great city but it has its flaws. I don't particularly think Austin would fit your criteria. But something like a Sacramento would or a DC area though. Especially Montgomery County and NOVA.
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