Phoenix and African-Americans. (Tucson, Maricopa: transplants, buy, gated)
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I must say as a potential relocator to the Phoenix, AZ area...quite surprised and shocked.. about the good and bad that I have read and heard about Phoenix......I would think a city that has only 65,000 African-Americans would embrace newcomers for diversity to the area and have an "uplifting" attitude. I still look forward to relocating to Arizona, ..It's up to us citizens with trend-setting goals with the "think outside the box mentalities" to make Phoenix,AZ the fabulous city that it's known for. Even as an outsider, I see so much potential in Phoenix. Yes it may not be that many minorities, but you have to make lemonade with the lemons that are handed to you..Phoenix has 300+ days of sun/palmtrees/short driving distance to major hubs like LA/Vegas/Diego/Great Shopping/Scenic....Shall i go on....No I dont work for the Chamber of Commerce, but just wise enough to know when a great city like Phoenix, Arizona has so many limitless opportunities. Take Advantage people!!
I think you are putting too much stock in the overly negative things you are reading on an anonymous internet forum. Posts at the ends of the spectrum (overly negative, overly positive) should always be taken with a large grain of salt.
Newcomers (whether they bring diversity or not) who actually move here generally ARE "embraced" by the people they come in actual contact with through work and other activities -- that's what counts, not the "stay where you are, you won't like it here and we don't particularly want you here [for a variety of reasons]" attitude you will read from some posters on this and other forums.
I must say as a potential relocator to the Phoenix, AZ area...quite surprised and shocked.. about the good and bad that I have read and heard about Phoenix......I would think a city that has only 65,000 African-Americans would embrace newcomers for diversity to the area and have an "uplifting" attitude. I still look forward to relocating to Arizona, ..It's up to us citizens with trend-setting goals with the "think outside the box mentalities" to make Phoenix,AZ the fabulous city that it's known for. Even as an outsider, I see so much potential in Phoenix. Yes it may not be that many minorities, but you have to make lemonade with the lemons that are handed to you..Phoenix has 300+ days of sun/palmtrees/short driving distance to major hubs like LA/Vegas/Diego/Great Shopping/Scenic....Shall i go on....No I dont work for the Chamber of Commerce, but just wise enough to know when a great city like Phoenix, Arizona has so many limitless opportunities. Take Advantage people!!
Nice comments and you certainly paint the picture of how it should be in a perfect world. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world. Bigots are ever-present, even in Phoenix with its sunny days. Black people have internal problems as well that contribute not only disrespect and distrust of each other, but the perpetuation of ignorance through vulgar hip-hop and rap music, underachievement in academics, failure to embrace high academic achievement, thug mentality, and so forth. Plenty of blacks who don't fall into this category but not enough to positively make an impact on the whole.
I think your attitude is commendable, but reality illustrates that problems persist because of some of the problems I mentioned above. Doesn't stop YOU from staying positive and doing what you can to be part of the solution however, which you are doing. Good for you. Maybe you will positively impact others.
I'd like to know where you live now, why you are considering Phoenix versus other places? What are your observations about race relations in the places you are familiar with that makes you so open to Phoenix?
I am African American and was born and raised in Phoenix although I lived in the SF Bay Area for some years, and travel 1/2 the year ot of state to work, Phoenix is my home.
The metro area of Phoenix has about 200,000 blacks, 1.5 million hispanics, and approx 150,000 Asians Native Americans and other races out of about 4.3 million people. The white population is about 57%, about 43% non white.
The negative media attention is the same friction being caused by the Republican party nationwide. Arizona is the only border state which is not majority minority,and was slated to go blue in the next election or two and turn majority non-white.
When President Obama chose our former governor Janet Napolitano to work for his administration, it left the ultra right wingers free reign to take over the state. We have always had a good ole boy political system in Maricopa County, and the huge amounts of transplants from the rural conservative midwest along with a large retirement population and LDS community (all of whom vote regularly and conservatively) has allowed these crooked politicians to use corrupt measures to make sure the state stays in Republican hands. I work in these rural cold states that are virtually all white, and along with having been in places that are hugely ethnic as well, I have an understanding of what is going on here.
There is no illegal immigration problem in Arizona any more than in other border states. There are only 500,000 illegals in the state out of 6.5 million residents. Google "southern strategy" and you will see what is going on here and around the country. This scam was a way to get Jan Brewer elected governor, to drain the government and give the money to crony private businesses. Many of the people here don't buy into that crap, but of course only 1/2 the people vote. So all you hear on tv doesn't represent all of the people.
We have always had a large amount of mixed race dating here going back to the 70's. The average citizens here are used to different races. But a lot of white fear has been stirring about areas that were traditionally white now becoming all non-white and largely hispanic.
All of this political corruption was designed to get heavy white voter turnout for republicans.
You will be fine here as a mixed couple. Just ignore the politics, and you will meet lots of like minded people in time. The old coots running things here have always been afraid that Phoenix would be another LA. The diversity cannot be stopped, and the pace is much faster now than when I grew up here.
Phoenix has always had an established black community going back to World War II and all the black fraternities and sororities have been here for years and years. Much like all the western states including CA, the hispanic population has exploded and lowered the % of the population that blacks make up. But with the increased diversity, the good ole boys will eventually lose power, and the political structure here will be more integrated, more people oriented, and more liberal in the not too distant future.
If you go to most company websites, there is a feedback function. What percentage of feedback do you think is positive versus negative. I think most of us would agree the overwhelming majority of feedback is negative. After all, what would motivate one to provide feedback unless they were angered and wanted to vent.
This forum is no different. It's an anonymous forum. People who seek out this forum are those who are seeking an outlet to vent their frustrations because they are unable to do so in real life since harsh criticism is typically not well accepted publicly. If someone openly stood up at work and said "Phoenix sucks and there is nothing to do here and the weather is terrible" they would generally not be well received. Thus people come here to do what they can't in public.
Therefore, this forum is not representative of the majority of people living in Phoenix. The majority of people love Phoenix and there is a reason 90,000 people moved to Maricopa county in 2009 despite the economy. You have to simply ignore certain people and realize they have an agenda are not truly representative of people in the Valley. Therefore, those with the agenda to put down Phoenix will provide a negative slant to every issue. Even though they know nothing about race relations here, they will simply make up information to discourage you.
About half of what Goober13 is correct the other half touting the liberal line is not correct and is rather divisive. I'm a native Arizonan from Tucson, living in Phoenix with family here since the turn of the century. We are all over the state. My extended family is very integrated-Mostly original Arizonan White/Hispanic, but with Black and Asians too. Most of my family is very well educated and most consider themselves conservative but not this bible thumping good ole boy stereotypes that some people try to push. Gabriel Gifford is probably the Ideal Arizona politician to represent what Arizona is all about; A centrist Democrat.
Average Arizonans are Conservative from the standpoint of wanting less government. Not interfering with peoples rights. We don't want " Mass illegal immigration from any country" and we don't want to turn in Los Angeles with all of their problems and segregated slums. We want good neighbors of every race. We are a live and let live city. My closest friends I hang with are as diverse as my family and date between all groups with no issues. The Phoenix I live in is the most Ideal environment I can think of.
I am African American and was born and raised in Phoenix although I lived in the SF Bay Area for some years, and travel 1/2 the year ot of state to work, Phoenix is my home.
The metro area of Phoenix has about 200,000 blacks, 1.5 million hispanics, and approx 150,000 Asians Native Americans and other races out of about 4.3 million people. The white population is about 57%, about 43% non white.
The negative media attention is the same friction being caused by the Republican party nationwide. Arizona is the only border state which is not majority minority,and was slated to go blue in the next election or two and turn majority non-white.
When President Obama chose our former governor Janet Napolitano to work for his administration, it left the ultra right wingers free reign to take over the state. We have always had a good ole boy political system in Maricopa County, and the huge amounts of transplants from the rural conservative midwest along with a large retirement population and LDS community (all of whom vote regularly and conservatively) has allowed these crooked politicians to use corrupt measures to make sure the state stays in Republican hands. I work in these rural cold states that are virtually all white, and along with having been in places that are hugely ethnic as well, I have an understanding of what is going on here.
There is no illegal immigration problem in Arizona any more than in other border states. There are only 500,000 illegals in the state out of 6.5 million residents. Google "southern strategy" and you will see what is going on here and around the country. This scam was a way to get Jan Brewer elected governor, to drain the government and give the money to crony private businesses. Many of the people here don't buy into that crap, but of course only 1/2 the people vote. So all you hear on tv doesn't represent all of the people.
We have always had a large amount of mixed race dating here going back to the 70's. The average citizens here are used to different races. But a lot of white fear has been stirring about areas that were traditionally white now becoming all non-white and largely hispanic.
All of this political corruption was designed to get heavy white voter turnout for republicans.
You will be fine here as a mixed couple. Just ignore the politics, and you will meet lots of like minded people in time. The old coots running things here have always been afraid that Phoenix would be another LA. The diversity cannot be stopped, and the pace is much faster now than when I grew up here.
Phoenix has always had an established black community going back to World War II and all the black fraternities and sororities have been here for years and years. Much like all the western states including CA, the hispanic population has exploded and lowered the % of the population that blacks make up. But with the increased diversity, the good ole boys will eventually lose power, and the political structure here will be more integrated, more people oriented, and more liberal in the not too distant future.
The truth is Arizona is a moderate state whether it comes in the flavor of a conservative Democrat like Gabby Giffords or a moderate Republican like McCain. Fiscally we are conservative. Socially we are left leaning. Giffords will probably win the U.S. Senate seat and someone like Jeff Flake will ultimately win the seat vacated by McCain within the next 10 years. Both are moderates.
When people discuss Liberal vs Conservative, they are mostly referring to social politics not fiscal ones. I think socially, Arizona is left-center. I think some social issues we are conservative about such as our stance toward immigration and guns. But with regard to other issues (medical marijuana, religion and interracial dating), we are pretty liberal.
Unfortunately, John McCain ran for President otherwise had it been any other Republican candidate, the polls showed Arizona would have likely voted for Obama. An ASU study showed McCain only had a 4% lead over Obama at one point.
About half of what Goober13 is correct the other half touting the liberal line is not correct and is rather divisive. I'm a native Arizonan from Tucson, living in Phoenix with family here since the turn of the century. We are all over the state. My extended family is very integrated-Mostly original Arizonan White/Hispanic, but with Black and Asians too. Most of my family is very well educated and most consider themselves conservative but not this bible thumping good ole boy stereotypes that some people try to push. Gabriel Gifford is probably the Ideal Arizona politician to represent what Arizona is all about; A centrist Democrat.
Average Arizonans are Conservative from the standpoint of wanting less government. Not interfering with peoples rights. We don't want " Mass illegal immigration from any country" and we don't want to turn in Los Angeles with all of their problems and segregated slums. We want good neighbors of every race. We are a live and let live city. My closest friends I hang with are as diverse as my family and date between all groups with no issues. The Phoenix I live in is the most Ideal environment I can think of.
Which is a Libertarian principle not a Conservative Republican principle. The problem is libertarians vote Republican (like me) because Republicans espouse our views more than Democrats so we vote Republican but we don't identify with Southern Republicans.
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