How can Miami keep it's Latin/International culture vibe while growing? (Fort Lauderdale: gated, living in)

[Pincho-toot]

Originally Posted by urbancuriosity

"Latin vibe" has both good connotations and bad connotations. Although not Miami proper, the Hialeah Taco Bell matter is concerning.

And that incident could have easily happened WITHIN Miami proper. A lot of Miami is fundamentally the same as Hialeah in demographics and cultural attitudes.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Pincho-toot

but it is a pain in the ass that in a lot of the city people don't speak any English because they don't want to... Simple as that. And I'm saying that as a Cuban dude, not some Anglo redneck. It's not politically correct to say these days but it is what it is. As a result, the city is segregated due to the language barrier.

Very frank and honest coming from a Cuban guy. Many Latinos I meet in NYC feel the same way: speak Spanish at home, try to speak English when away from home -- unless you happen to run into your grandmother or brother, of course.

[sinatras]

Many of the New Yorkers don't last because they complain there's "no good food" in Miami or Florida for that matter; and many of the Californians don't last because they can't tolerate the humidity or the bugs. Matter of fact, my neighbor is a Californian who moved to Tampa last year to escape the "homeless, wildfires, taxes and closed schools" of California (that's exactly what he told me when he moved in).

A few months later he was coming to me with complaints about the mosquitoes ("my kids can't even play outside" "how does one eat outside in this weather?") and the heat/humidity.

Predictably he put his house on the market last week. He's hightailing it back to Cali and the "no humidity 75-degree days".

Sayonara!

As for whether Miami can keep its "Latinidad," I think it will. Majority of Hispanics who live in Miami can't stand living anywhere else, and they are raising generations that feel the same way. They love the omnipresent Latin culture of Miami too much to leave, thus ensuring that the culture will not only endure but proliferate.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by sinatras

Many of the New Yorkers don't last because they complain there's "no good food" in Miami or Florida for that matter.

I live in NY, and you do get spoiled here (not just restaurants, but groceries, produce, and specialties). I really like Latin American food, so I'd never complain about Miami. But in this country, it's hard to beat New York City for choice, quality, and variety of food.

[thinkertinker]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

I live in NY, and you do get spoiled here (not just restaurants, but groceries, produce, and specialties). I really like Latin American food, so I'd never complain about Miami. But in this country, it's hard to beat New York City for choice, quality, and variety of food.

Only a few cities comes close to NYC: Chicago, LA and San Francisco. Coming from Chicago I will say, I do miss the variety and quality of Asian food you get in Chicago, that you don't in Miami. And same with the Mexican food. Mexican food in Miami isn't bad, I just don't find it to be very authentic. So when I visit Chicago, man do I pig out on Mexican and Asian food!

NYC, is on it's own tier, followed with Chicago/LA/SF in the second tier, and I would then put Miami in a third tier with cities like Seattle/DC/Atlanta/Houston/New Orleans, meaning top notch food but just not the best in the country.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by thinkertinker

NYC, is on it's own tier, followed with Chicago/LA/SF in the second tier, and I would then put Miami in a third tier with cities like Seattle/DC/Atlanta/Houston/New Orleans, meaning top notch food but just not the best in the country.

Agree with that. Chicago is a good food city, but I've always heard that New Orleans is often placed in the 2nd tier, well above Atlanta.

[Pincho-toot]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

Very frank and honest coming from a Cuban guy. Many Latinos I meet in NYC feel the same way: speak Spanish at home, try to speak English when away from home -- unless you happen to run into your grandmother or brother, of course.

Listen to Joey Diaz talk about growing up as a Cuban immigrant in Jersey in the '70s. Totally different from the Miami mentality.

[goat314]

Originally Posted by Pincho-toot

I am a Cuban-American raised in Miami and I on the same page as you... why does it matter this much?

Miami is an American city where Latinos were once the minority. I'm sure "gringos" at the time were like "Is Miami gonna remain a white American Southern city? I don't want it to change!"

Well change is inevitable.

Personally, I would like for Miami to become a more ASSIMILATED city. There's nothing wrong with it having a large Latino demographic, I'm Latino myself, it definitely has brought a lot of flavour to the city for the past 60 years... but it is a pain in the ass that in a lot of the city people don't speak any English because they don't want to... Simple as that. And I'm saying that as a Cuban dude, not some Anglo redneck. It's not politically correct to say these days but it is what it is. As a result, the city is segregated due to the language barrier.

I've know many White and Black Americans who left Miami for this reason, they claimed career opportunities were limited for people that are not bilingual. Having been there a few times, I could definitely see that being true. That's why I'm also skeptical of Miami becoming a major tech capital. Everyone who learns a coding language is not necessarily as eager to become bilingual.

[thinkertinker]

Originally Posted by goat314

I've know many White and Black Americans who left Miami for this reason, they claimed career opportunities were limited for people that are not bilingual. Having been there a few times, I could definitely see that being true. That's why I'm also skeptical of Miami becoming a major tech capital. Everyone who learns a coding language is not necessarily as eager to become bilingual.

I do see potential for it possibly becoming a tech hub for Latin America. I think that would be the smartest route. Apple, Microsoft, HBO, Facebook, etc. have their LATAM hub here in Miami already. There is no other city in Latin America that so many Latin Americans from different countries flood into. Not Sao Paulo, not Buenos Aires, not Mexico City.

IMO that's the smartest route. Focus on expanding new markets within the city like tech, finance, etc., but serving as LATAM headquarters that way they are still good paying jobs, but also taking advantage of the local population.

This might super biased, bit I am totally okay with Miami focusing on positions that are mostly bilingual. In the US you have SO MANY cities that you can get a job just speaking English. It would be nice that Miami doesn't lose its local culture while being able to provide good jobs to said population.

As a Latino, I love living in a city where my ethnicity is celebrated, appreciated, and understood, where I don't feel like a minority.

[themyzer]

Originally Posted by Pincho-toot

I am a Cuban-American raised in Miami and I on the same page as you... why does it matter this much?

Miami is an American city where Latinos were once the minority. I'm sure "gringos" at the time were like "Is Miami gonna remain a white American Southern city? I don't want it to change!"

Well change is inevitable.

Personally, I would like for Miami to become a more ASSIMILATED city. There's nothing wrong with it having a large Latino demographic, I'm Latino myself, it definitely has brought a lot of flavour to the city for the past 60 years... but it is a pain in the ass that in a lot of the city people don't speak any English because they don't want to... Simple as that. And I'm saying that as a Cuban dude, not some Anglo redneck. It's not politically correct to say these days but it is what it is. As a result, the city is segregated due to the language barrier.

Why is it a PITA if Miami people prefer Spanish over English? How does this affect you?