I wanted to move to the OC, Laguna Beach, but people keep telling me its too racist-Im a woman of color w/son 11 yrs..?? (Pasadena: real estate, crimes)
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Thanks everyone. Forgive the late reply, I was doing a lot over the holidays. Yes, Im not worried about myself so much, just was more concerned about the perception of my little boy, in school, in social life, daily activities with peers and teachers, possibility of racial profiling as he ages and someone brought up a unique point about he and possible black friends over or even our family, his cousins that may visit and making neighbors nervous---certainly the Travon Martin case raised eyebrows. I am not trying to start a debate about that case, but frankly just want my son to be left alone, our family and his friends if there would be any possibility of profiling or him being looked down upon in school by teachers, treating him differently in anyway. Where I grew up it was 8% minority with blacks or people of color on the lower end of the 8%. Where I grew up was in the top ten wealthiest counties in the Northeast and some of the black people there were like Julius Irving and other ball players and business moguls or you found other blacks in a low-middle income burrow on the outskirts with other minorities. So for me, it probably wouldnt feel much different and because I grew up in a similar area in terms of income bracket, that is what was appealing to me about the area-it simply reminds me of home (I do not live in the Northeast any longer, I went to Atlanta for awhile and currently in Virginia Beach). It is not so much being around the wealth for me, because I realize that there are many other wealthier areas in California like Bel-Air, Malibu, etc. But Laguna Beach is quite reminiscent to me of where I grew up, only warmer which was the appeal. I am comfortable with the income bracket in the surroundings because that's what I grew up around. It may have been the reason why moving to Atlanta was never a comfortable one, never felt like home for me in 11 years of living there, not only culturally but just the overall feel of it. Also I did not want to go back to Pennsylvania in my home town because my son doesnt need to be oppressed with institutional racism that hasnt changed since my mother attended school there. We had a small shopping area, very upscale, there were quite a few artists and great eats that appealed to me and a mentality of success and drive. Friends have told me it is similar to the Main Line where I grew up in PA just on the west coast. Most of my life was spent there-most of my classmates families were millionaires, and the ones who werent faked it for the most part. There were plenty of middle class families who were honest, good people and great people on all ends of the spectrum, wealthy or not. While I do not agree with looking down on other economic classes, I have an appreciation for the drive toward building and growing financially in whatever field you are in. I enjoy clean areas, lovely eateries and had been debating on the outskirts of LA (Los Feliz, Miracle Mile, West Hollywood) as well because of my field. However, it is being in the midst of the hustle and bustle in LA that I am not sure I want to deal with anymore. There is a bit more of a quietness we'd have living in Laguna Beach, but the trade off is the distance and travel time to L.A. when I need to go. My best friend lived in LA for a while and would visit Laguna often and told me it is very much like where we grew up, beautiful but again, we are both minority females. I want my son to go to school and just feel like everyone else. The reality is he is going to be different and in that 1% in the school system, his hair is different, shirley temple curly hair, dark skin and those things make him uniquely different and special we all know that. I just want him to be welcomed there especially in school-Im sure his friends would be accepting of him-it is the school staff, police and neighbors as mentioned. He has already experienced a glaze of institutional racism living here in Virginia amidst some teachers and staff and maybe once or twice when we were traveling through those areas of Georgia you just dont want to be in if youre anything other than white at a gas station and farm we visited once. See, because he is transitioning into middle school, adolescence and such I just want to be mindful and sensitive to that period for him, that he will have a positive experience. In Atlanta, obviously the majority of his student body was minority-pre-k through 2nd. In Virginia 2nd-5th, it has been fairly mixed but the majority white-with both experiences he has learned to see beyond color and that friendships and relationships are about supporting each other, being kind and universally accepting. So hopefully those things will continue full circle if we move to Laguna.
To the person who asked what I do-I am an artist in entertainment but licensed in Psychology and Counseling though I am not practicing in counseling at present (just focusing on my continuing in the entertainment field, though going back into counseling is always a fall back though). Thank you to the person who said, my children will appreciate being there in Laguna Beach later on, can you elaborate?
Laguna Beach by the way is not that wealthy. There are some wealthy people but not all of them. OP, you have to realize that most people like to tow the status quo line. They will act all uppity around you because they really are not truely wealthy an are insecure of it. Low income hispanic people also call Laguna Beach home. The uppity types will try to downplay that because it goes against their status quo. I grew up there and remember the discounted lunches for the poor at LBHS. Laguna is probably the last somewhat liberal part of OC. You will be fine and your children will thank you for it later in life.
Discount lunches for the poor at LBHS-wow-did they really stand out like that? Not sure thats a good thing-is it very cliquish in terms of classes hanging out together or do you remember student body being pretty embracing either way? Where I grew up, asians sat at one table, blacks at another, jews at another (which comprised the majority of the student body), artists at another table, goths at another table, rich at one table, poor at yet another. I mean you could just define segregation walking into our cafeteria in high school. My group was a mix of gals, egyptian, jewish-american, one from Israel, greek, korean-we were like the United Colors or something and all from different economic backgrounds. I am so thankful for that experience. I had very filthy rich friends who were really nice girls with great families too. But most of the others didnt mix a lot with others beyond their local neighborhood bunch.
I was asking if you could elaborate on why my children would thank me later on in life for living there.
Hi Cat, I will elaborate the best I can. Your son will develop DEPTH and CHARACTER.
Laguna has historically welcomed groups of people that are considered undesirable elsewhere, The ***** community, The Homeless, Day laborers. Though the culture of laguna is not as relaxed and liberal as it used to be it is still welcoming to all people and I am sure your son will make plenty of friends. The 2013 census it not out yet but I am sure when it is it will show a rise in blacks in Laguna. I have several black friends in town and I see many more when visiting club Laguna apartments.
You'll be a minority there for sure but people are pretty laid back and open as stated by others. However, Laguna has changed a lot and the younger generation smells a bit of the The OC and Laguna Beach TV shows... Nowhere near as pretentious as Newport Beach or Corona del Mar and I feel sorry for the kids that have to go to CDM high as the peer pressure is tremendous.
Summer traffic is brutal with the city being overrun by tourists. Thus, North Laguna may be a preferential place to live if you need to get out of town to the freeways (via Newport Coast) as it keeps you off Laguna Canyon Rd. which gets really jammed up along with PCH.
Rampant white guilt in Laguna means you will be treated well, but the traffic there gets nasty. Traffic does not discriminate.
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can you elaborate?
