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I also like to call Northern Virginia "the United Nations" as it is as diverse as any US metro that I'm aware of. DC and the MD 'burbs would be closer to that too if not for the cost of living and relative lack of jobs, respectively.
In fact, I would hazard to guess that all of the top ten major metros are attracting a more international base of residents, especially in their "hotter" outlying job centers. In that vein, NOVA may not necessarily be the "model" American metro but it may be the typical one.
You wrote "most are ethnic minorities from around the world." You're wrong. 55% of Northern Virginia is white, which by definition means they can't be an "ethnic minority," regardless of where in the world they are born.
I also like to call Northern Virginia "the United Nations" as it is as diverse as any US metro that I'm aware of. DC and the MD 'burbs would be closer to that too if not for the cost of living and relative lack of jobs, respectively.
In fact, I would hazard to guess that all of the top ten major metros are attracting a more international base of residents, especially in their "hotter" outlying job centers. In that vein, NOVA may not necessarily be the "model" American metro but it may be the typical one.
I don't think that the typical resident of the DC area has any idea how much more ethnic diversity there is in the area than the so called typical Metro area. Yes NYC, LA and San Francisco have a wide range of immigrants but no place else even comes close. Many so called diverse areas are mostly Hispanic like Miami. There is just a larger number of people here in NOVA from all over the world, many from countries other cities don't see much immigration from.
Last edited by Old Tired Man; 01-24-2013 at 10:30 AM..
I get what Old Tired Man is trying to say, but some of the raw data claims are debatable and need backup analysis. I agree that NoVA's mixture of race and culture is more homogeneous and less concentrated than other minority-rich locations like NY and CA. It's worldly without the typical cultural divide and attitude.
Another benefit is that due to the presence of the federal government, a lot of the really bad crime, especially gang related, avoid the area. Baltimore takes up the slack in that regard.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Posted by Old Tired Man:
"Also, we have almost a majority of people who are either "people of color," or come from a recent immigrant background. It is a true United Nations here with kids and adults from pretty much every country in the world completely overwhelming the ever decreasing number of white American Born residents. "
Overwhelming the white American born residents in what way? Are they overwhelming the black American born residents? How about the Asian American born residents or the Hispanic born residents? Who is doing the "overwhelming" - the non-white American born residents or the recent immigrants? If non-white Americans, how do they overwhelm the white Americans? If recent immigrants, are immigrants from England, Australia, Germany, Austria, Canada, and France included in this group doing the overwhelming or is only those from a selct group of countries? Please clarify what you mean.
"It seems like about half the people I interact with here in Northern VA has an accent and are from countries I have never heard of."
You never heard of half of the countries that people you interact with are from? If you don't mind me asking, what kind of education do you have? Do you watch the Olympics? Read a newspaper? Learning the names of the world's countries is pretty basic. Sure, there are new ones now and again, but the majority of countries should be known by most American-born citizens with a basic education. If you are representative of US citizens as a whole, then I am concerned too - concerned about the lack of knowledge of the world's countries - not the fact that there are so many of them represented in Washington, DC.
By the way, did you know that EVERYONE in the world has an accent? It's true. No one speaks without one. Even you have an accent.
"Yes, the demographics of America is changing, but a long cross country drive across America showed that OUTSIDE of the DC and NY areas most of America is still white dominated. Outside of maybe a few big cities like New York and LA, the level of ethnic diversity of the DC area is unique, even in a changing America."
DC has always been a unique area. As the capital of the country it is home to most of the world's embassies. With the embassies come workers from all over the world. Also, some say DC is the capital of the free world. That invites politicians from all over. It is also a major US city. Immigrants from other countires often land in major cities because that is where most of the jobs are. Are you new to the DC area that you are not aware of these basic points?
I LOVE cross-country drives across America. It shows the richness and diversity of our great nation and I learn a great deal about its history.
-I love to visit New Orleans and taste the foods and hear the music of the Creole and Cajun influence.
-I enjoy driving to Florida and eating Cuban food and learning about the Spanish and Seminole history in that state.
-I enjoy the German influence in Philadelphia, my hometown. Oh and I cannot forget the Polish and Italian influence, too. Yum!
-NYC has so many cultures represented, it's hard to pick one that stands out. But I imagine NYC would not be one of the world's greatest destinations without artists on Broadway, restaurants from most every nation on the planet and music, clothing, and nightlife dominated by people born around the world.
-In Texas and New Mexico, I love seeing the Mexican influence in architecture, and I especially enjoy tasting it in their food.
-Northern California is one-of-a-kind. I love visiting Chinatown and learning about the Chinese who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad across this great country of ours.
-Southern California is great, too. Without the Mexicans who emigrated there since early in the last century and worked the agricultural fields, we'd have far fewer fruits and veggies on our tables.
-The Plains States are fascinating. It's like being in a history book crossing them and remembering all of the natives who used to live on the land before the early Americans came through.
-Let's not forget the south, the land where I currently live where Africans were brought here, against their will, hundreds of years ago to work the fields and run the homes of wealthy and middle-class landowners. Many of these families have been here longer than some white American families. Huh.
It is great taking a drive across America. I enjoy seeing all Americans living in their diverse surroundings, learning about how they uniquely contributed to the history of America, and how each place is constantly changing and growing. It sure makes for an interesting drive.
But, of course there is no place like Washington, DC where our newly inaugurated (for the second time) African-American President lives just down the street from where the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, written by all white men, are housed declaring that, "All men are created equal." Isn't the diversity of Washington, DC and the United States great?
Overwhelming the white American born residents in what way? Are they overwhelming the black American born residents? ?
The black american born residents are overwhelmed in certain parts of DC. The folks complaining about that, like a certain WaPo columnist, generally prefer not to mention particular groups that are doing the overwhelming, although it seems to be people who like bike lanes, dog parks, and frozen yogurt
I don't think that the typical resident of the DC area has any idea how much more ethnic diversity there is in the area than the so called typical Metro area.
YOU might have been stunned to drive across the country and find that many smaller metro areas and towns are actually majority-white, but since many residents of the DC area -- typical or otherwise -- were either born or spent considerable time elsewhere, I don't think they are quite as clueless as you suggest.
Having said that, I should note that one of DH's former grad students, a South American diplomat's son born and raised in Bethesda, took a job in Rochester NY, and was stunned to discover the presence of poor WHITE people, a demographic null set in Bethesda.
Interesting point. Where are all the white working class people who used to do the physical/blue collar jobs? Up to 20 years ago there were lots of white working class types in NOVA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by claremarie
YOU might have been stunned to drive across the country and find that many smaller metro areas and towns are actually majority-white, but since many residents of the DC area -- typical or otherwise -- were either born or spent considerable time elsewhere, I don't think they are quite as clueless as you suggest.
Having said that, I should note that one of DH's former grad students, a South American diplomat's son born and raised in Bethesda, took a job in Rochester NY, and was stunned to discover the presence of poor WHITE people, a demographic null set in Bethesda.
Interesting point. Where are all the white working class people who used to do the physical/blue collar jobs? Up to 20 years ago there were lots of white working class types in NOVA.
Just because they are white in the census does not mean they did not come from an immigrant background from places like Russia, The Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe. People in Northern VA are not the typical White American Born 6th Generation folks you will see in Omaha.
I lived pretty close to Omaha at one point (Nebraska Furniture Mart and Borsheim's anyone?). Omaha is about 70% white, the rest split between blacks and Hispanics. It's more diverse than you apparently think because your image of Obama seems to be "lily white."
Maybe you were thinking small town Iowa -- where I lived for some time too -- where the population can be close to 100% white. And not just white, but almost entirely Western (or Germanic) European (German, English, Scandinavian or Dutch). Outside of the very rural Midwest, however, places like that which are completely devoid of those of Eastern European, Mediterranean, black or Hispanic ancestry have been very rare for some time now.
In any case, my assessment of this area is it IS fairly unique. Most areas that have both high levels of education and ethnic diversity tend to be politically very leftist with all that entails (high urbanization, low marriage rate, low fertility, low church attendance, high Gini coefficient, etc.).
This area, in contrast, is relatively suburban-exurban, has high marriage rates, high fertility, high church attendance, low Gini coefficient and so on. When you have all that AND good Vietnamese, Korean, Indian or [insert ethnic cuisine of choice] food, that's a pretty good deal on top of the excellent economy.
Quote:
Yes, the demographics of America is changing, but a long cross country drive across America showed that OUTSIDE of the DC and NY areas most of America is still white dominated. Outside of maybe a few big cities like New York and LA, the level of ethnic diversity of the DC area is unique, even in a changing America.
There are plenty of areas in this country where there are sizable populations of non-WASPs of varying flavors. I'd say what's somewhat unusual about NoVA is the relatively high percentage of Asian population, which is rarely seen outside the West Coast and Hawaii. And what Asian population there is in this area tends to be pretty affluent, regardless of their origin status. This area isn't a traditional fresh-off-the-boat feeder like NY or LA.
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There is just a larger number of people here in NOVA from all over the world, many from countries other cities don't see much immigration from.
This might be true, although again, unlike NY or LA, this area doesn't really have ethnic ghettos that absorb lower class immigrants. But you are right that you see some unusual immigrants here such as Mongolians.
Quote:
Originally Posted by claremarie
YOU might have been stunned to drive across the country and find that many smaller metro areas and towns are actually majority-white, but since many residents of the DC area -- typical or otherwise -- were either born or spent considerable time elsewhere, I don't think they are quite as clueless as you suggest.
Hear, hear. I've lived and worked on three continents and many states in this country, everything from tiny town Iowa in the middle, to NYC/LA on the coasts, from New England village North to small town South.
Quote:
Having said that, I should note that one of DH's former grad students, a South American diplomat's son born and raised in Bethesda, took a job in Rochester NY, and was stunned to discover the presence of poor WHITE people, a demographic null set in Bethesda.
Bethesdans need to visit Appalachia right at their (and our) backdoor once in a while. After that, terms like "white privilege" will be hard to swallow with a straight face.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Tired Man
Interesting point. Where are all the white working class people who used to do the physical/blue collar jobs? Up to 20 years ago there were lots of white working class types in NOVA.
Take a short trip to the outer edges of NoVA. Or a nice ride to Hampton Roads. There you will find work crews doing manual labor comprised of half whites and half blacks (Hispanic population is much lower there than here and Asian population virtually nonexistent).
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