Interracial Couple moving to Arizona (Phoenix, Mesa: fit in, neighborhoods, best school)

[Interracial Couple]

Hi,
My husband (white) and I (AA) are contemplating moving to the Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, or Gilbert area at the end of the year. I am completing a Ph.D. and my husband is a Flooring Contractor. We have two children, a boy (4) and a girl (1), we are from Lexington, KY. I an curious as to the racial climate, meaning are any of the communities I mentioned above, racially diverse, friendly, accepting, etc... This will be a major move for our family and I just wanted to get an idea from those of you living or who have lived in any of these areas. Also of particular interests are schools, in which of these communities will we find the best school system and are the schools welcoming of mixed children?

Thanks.

[saffordpastor]

Most places in AZ couldn't care less what race you are, or if your marriage is interracial.

Come here, be good citizens, work hard and be friendly and you shouldn't have any problems.

The few idiots and bigots who will make an issue about it are few and far between and are inconsequential.

Don't let a few racists dictate how you live your live or where you decide to live.

If you do then they have won.

Expect some of the posters on here to come on and tell you that because of the large Mormon influence in the areas you mentioned that you will run into racism....I am not LDS but I find that most of the LDS ...especially the current generation don't care about race either....

They just want to convert you.....

[observer53]

There are several many threads on this issue already, if you do a search on "interracial" you will find them. Communities/neighborhoods in this area are built on economics, not race. Generally speaking, Tempe and Chandler are more ethnically diverse, and more liberal socially/politically than Mesa or Gilbert, although neither could be classified as such overall. You'll be fine.

[Captain Bill]

As the others have said, you should have no problems at all. Be friendly with your neighbors and they will be friendly with you.

[stephen431]

Having lived around Lexington, and my father and stepmother being an interracial couple, I'd say the climate for interracial couples here is much better than in Lexington.

One issue we have is the large retiree community. I've seen older folks out here stop and quizzically stare at my parents as if they were riding around on buffalos, but people who look to be under the age of 60 don't even give a second glance. You shouldn't have any issues if you pick any "young" neighborhood.

Do a lot of research on schools before you pick a location. Good schools are at a premium out here.

[goolsbyjazz]

Welcome to Arizona! You will fit in fine!

[kytoaz]

Originally Posted by Interracial Couple

Hi,
My husband (white) and I (AA) are contemplating moving to the Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, or Gilbert area at the end of the year. I am completing a Ph.D. and my husband is a Flooring Contractor. We have two children, a boy (4) and a girl (1), we are from Lexington, KY. I an curious as to the racial climate, meaning are any of the communities I mentioned above, racially diverse, friendly, accepting, etc... This will be a major move for our family and I just wanted to get an idea from those of you living or who have lived in any of these areas. Also of particular interests are schools, in which of these communities will we find the best school system and are the schools welcoming of mixed children?

Thanks.

i live in louisville and compared to kentucky peoples attitudes in phoenix regarding race are utopian.

[jmferris]

Simply put, ignorance is not missing from any state in this country. There will always be someone, somewhere who is just plain ignorant and intolerant. I think that there are a lot less of those people in this country today than at any other time, as well.

You are much more likely to run into someone of that ilk in the south than in the southwest, in my opinion, though. Live your life how it makes you happy, and nothing else matters.

Welcome, by the way. Should you choose to head out here, you will be just fine.

[azriverfan.]

As I've stated in previous threads. Arizona was not a Confederate state. It did not have an economy that relied upon slavery. We don't have a prominent history of slavery that is found in the deep south. This isn't the Bible Belt in which protestant churches in the South were often used as vehicles to perpetuate racism and segregation. In short, this isn't the South. People don't care who you date or marry. Interracial relationships are pretty common here.

[stephen431]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

As I've stated in previous threads. Arizona was not a Confederate state. It did not have an economy that relied upon slavery. We don't have a prominent history of slavery that is found in the deep south. This isn't the Bible Belt in which protestant churches in the South were often used as vehicles to perpetuate racism and segregation. In short, this isn't the South. People don't care who you date or marry. Interracial relationships are pretty common here.

Racism isn't a strictly southern or confederate phenomenon though.

Arizona Territory (Confederate States of America) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arizona did pass a lot of Jim Crow laws, which is why Arizona is still included in the Voter Rights Act.

Back in the 1920's Phoenix had a very strong KKK presence. The Phoenix mayor and commissioners were mostly Klan members. Papago Park was once used for large KKK rallies.

However, that was 90 years ago, and while we've had some stupidity with politicians like Evan Mecham, I still agree that interracial relationships are common here, and that kind of overt racism is no longer prevalent.