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Old 10-16-2008, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Brooklyn
821 posts, read 1,031,829 times
Reputation: 154

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Quote:
Originally Posted by esemo View Post
Thanks for all of your great and honest responses. I think I'm definitely due another visit or two before I actually buckle down and make that final decision to move. JoeBama, you and your GF are from the NYC area? I currently live in NY as well. I'm actually wondering how your planning to relocate to the SF area is going (job, apt. search). Also what is prompting your move there?
We live in brooklyn. we wanna move to SF because of the weather, the beautiful nature of Northern California. I also feel that the city is more progressive than New York. The social programs seem to be far more efficient and College is way more affordable.
I'd like to persue my career in social work in Oakland or SF. My friend has a job for me at an after school program and I'll probably work at a gourmet food store part time since I have like 7 years of experience in that line of work. I'd also like to complete my Masters' degree in SF because of its affordability and quality.
I've been looking at apartments in the Merit Lake area of Oakland and in the Sunset District of SF. Both areas seem to be affordable but the money seems to go alot further in Oakland.
I'm tired of NY, its becoming DisneyLand and if I'm gonna live in DisneyLand I want nice weather .
I need to leave NY, maybe not for good, but I need to experience a different place in my life time and SF is the place I'd like to do that in.

Last edited by Joe Bama!; 10-16-2008 at 02:03 PM..

 
Old 10-17-2008, 07:31 PM
 
Location: Bay Area, CA.
105 posts, read 468,870 times
Reputation: 88
As a 31 year old AA man myself, I have grown up in and around S.F. Never once have I felt rejected or cast out. S.F. has had a declining AA population due to cost of living but the majority of them are just moving to other parts of the bay area. We still all flock to S.F. from time to time. Come on now, this is a city that has a marathon where people run naked, hold erotic fetish parties and gay pride.........and you are worried about being black in the city?


Quote:
Originally Posted by esemo View Post
This may be a way off-the-wall question, but I'll put it out there anyway. I'm currently researching various cities in which to live and SFO is on my list. I LOVE the city, it's vibe, the weather, the culture and the food (yum!)

Upon visiting San Fran several times in years past (about 7 ago was the last time), and as a professional African American guy, I didn't notice many others while there. The few that I did see were seemingly homeless, which is very unfortunate.

I love diversity and the benefits that diversity brings to my life. I definitely don't have to have a bunch of AA's surrounding me, but I wonder if I would stick out like a sore thumb or have a hard time making friends (of any race). Or would I be rejected and casted out as simply a minority that's trying to survive in the City.

What are your thoughts?
 
Old 10-17-2008, 08:52 PM
 
Location: Modesto, CA
1,197 posts, read 4,766,610 times
Reputation: 622
Quote:
The social programs seem to be far more efficient and College is way more affordable.
Really? I am from California and looking at colleges in New York. The CUNY and SUNY systems seem really cheap. Do they have bad repuations?
 
Old 10-17-2008, 10:06 PM
 
Location: San Diego
110 posts, read 376,071 times
Reputation: 67
Quote:
Originally Posted by esemo View Post
This may be a way off-the-wall question, but I'll put it out there anyway. I'm currently researching various cities in which to live and SFO is on my list. I LOVE the city, it's vibe, the weather, the culture and the food (yum!)

Upon visiting San Fran several times in years past (about 7 ago was the last time), and as a professional African American guy, I didn't notice many others while there. The few that I did see were seemingly homeless, which is very unfortunate.

I love diversity and the benefits that diversity brings to my life. I definitely don't have to have a bunch of AA's surrounding me, but I wonder if I would stick out like a sore thumb or have a hard time making friends (of any race). Or would I be rejected and casted out as simply a minority that's trying to survive in the City.

What are your thoughts?
I would take the responses you get to this question with a grain of salt. That is because you are asking a bunch of white people who do not have an answer to your question but they will give one anyway. Most of them don't even live in SF and some of them have never even been here. They will give you their BS regardless.
 
Old 10-17-2008, 10:14 PM
 
141 posts, read 644,608 times
Reputation: 84
Oakland.. across the bay from San Francisco has a much higher percentage of African Americans, you might want to look into that as well.. however I am quite sure you wouldn't experience racism in SF, in California's urban areas people are judged more on their own merit than race.
 
Old 10-17-2008, 10:48 PM
 
Location: San Jose, CA
7,688 posts, read 29,052,085 times
Reputation: 3629
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palmer Eldritch View Post
I would take the responses you get to this question with a grain of salt. That is because you are asking a bunch of white people who do not have an answer to your question but they will give one anyway. Most of them don't even live in SF and some of them have never even been here. They will give you their BS regardless.
Not sure who you're referring to. I don't live in SF proper, it's true - I live about 10 miles south. There are two other black people in my apartment complex that I know of, and I love 'em. They're the friendliest people in the building and will always take the time to chat you up. There is no tension whatsoever. That's my two cents.
 
Old 10-17-2008, 11:49 PM
 
Location: Northern California
358 posts, read 1,034,676 times
Reputation: 146
I am an AA living in the North Bay and moved here from the NYC area (grew up in DC area). I have found that while there aren't many professional young black people in SF, it isn't because we feel like we aren't wanted. SF is a fun, laid back city ("no worries" is a popular phrase here) and if you are comfortable being in surroundings where you are one of a few, then you'll be fine. You will be accepted, almost to a point where your skin color isn't even noticed and therefore is generally a non-issue (particularly with other young professionals). After a while, you'll even begin to wonder if someone not noticing your skin color is a good thing (i.e. no racial prejudices) or a bad thing (i.e. they may be insensitive to experiences you might have as a young AA male in America). Also, the Bay area is like living in a bubble. Strangers will say hello to you on the street; people you would never think would say hello to you in any other city.

And if you begin to feel that SF is just too white for you and you need a dose of "soul" just to keep you grounded in your roots, lol, then there are plenty of us in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc). So if you are in need of a scene with heavy AA influence, you can always head out that way (just across the bridge) and get involved in stuff over there.

All that said, I do know some young black professionals who feel uncomfortable in social settings where they are one of a few. For that type of person, SF probably won't work (but Oakland might). But that is more of a function of their issues, not those of the people around them. The Bay area has a totally different vibe than anyplace else in the country and it can be quite pleasantly surprising. But again, you have to be open to experiencing it.

Try it, you'll like it! The worst thing that happens is you decide its not for you and move on to someplace else.
 
Old 10-18-2008, 11:41 AM
 
Location: Brooklyn
821 posts, read 1,031,829 times
Reputation: 154
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdave01 View Post
Really? I am from California and looking at colleges in New York. The CUNY and SUNY systems seem really cheap. Do they have bad repuations?
This is going off topic a bit,
The CUNY and SUNY programs in NY are really good. I'm a proud graduate of the CUNY system. i even tried a private college and thought that the CUNY schools were better.
The price of the education in SF is half the price of NY.
Over all the quality of life seems to be better in California. The service workers get far more benefits than those of NY. I've been in the retail/service industry for over 7 years and I've never had health insurance. And if I don't get that when I'm there at least I'll get the beautiful landscape of Northern California.
back to the issue of race and being an African American in SF. Even as a white male and my GF a black female, I'd feel more comfortable in a more diverse part of town. So me and my GF are gearing towards Oakland.
 
Old 10-18-2008, 02:44 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
14,317 posts, read 22,290,211 times
Reputation: 18436
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeixeGato View Post
I am an AA living in the North Bay and moved here from the NYC area (grew up in DC area). I have found that while there aren't many professional young black people in SF, it isn't because we feel like we aren't wanted. SF is a fun, laid back city ("no worries" is a popular phrase here) and if you are comfortable being in surroundings where you are one of a few, then you'll be fine. You will be accepted, almost to a point where your skin color isn't even noticed and therefore is generally a non-issue (particularly with other young professionals). After a while, you'll even begin to wonder if someone not noticing your skin color is a good thing (i.e. no racial prejudices) or a bad thing (i.e. they may be insensitive to experiences you might have as a young AA male in America). Also, the Bay area is like living in a bubble. Strangers will say hello to you on the street; people you would never think would say hello to you in any other city.

And if you begin to feel that SF is just too white for you and you need a dose of "soul" just to keep you grounded in your roots, lol, then there are plenty of us in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc). So if you are in need of a scene with heavy AA influence, you can always head out that way (just across the bridge) and get involved in stuff over there.

All that said, I do know some young black professionals who feel uncomfortable in social settings where they are one of a few. For that type of person, SF probably won't work (but Oakland might). But that is more of a function of their issues, not those of the people around them. The Bay area has a totally different vibe than anyplace else in the country and it can be quite pleasantly surprising. But again, you have to be open to experiencing it.

Try it, you'll like it! The worst thing that happens is you decide its not for you and move on to someplace else.
This is an excellent post and I could not have said it better myself.
 
Old 10-19-2008, 09:05 PM
 
Location: New York, NY
13 posts, read 86,687 times
Reputation: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeixeGato View Post
I am an AA living in the North Bay and moved here from the NYC area (grew up in DC area). I have found that while there aren't many professional young black people in SF, it isn't because we feel like we aren't wanted. SF is a fun, laid back city ("no worries" is a popular phrase here) and if you are comfortable being in surroundings where you are one of a few, then you'll be fine. You will be accepted, almost to a point where your skin color isn't even noticed and therefore is generally a non-issue (particularly with other young professionals). After a while, you'll even begin to wonder if someone not noticing your skin color is a good thing (i.e. no racial prejudices) or a bad thing (i.e. they may be insensitive to experiences you might have as a young AA male in America). Also, the Bay area is like living in a bubble. Strangers will say hello to you on the street; people you would never think would say hello to you in any other city.

And if you begin to feel that SF is just too white for you and you need a dose of "soul" just to keep you grounded in your roots, lol, then there are plenty of us in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc). So if you are in need of a scene with heavy AA influence, you can always head out that way (just across the bridge) and get involved in stuff over there.

All that said, I do know some young black professionals who feel uncomfortable in social settings where they are one of a few. For that type of person, SF probably won't work (but Oakland might). But that is more of a function of their issues, not those of the people around them. The Bay area has a totally different vibe than anyplace else in the country and it can be quite pleasantly surprising. But again, you have to be open to experiencing it.

Try it, you'll like it! The worst thing that happens is you decide its not for you and move on to someplace else.

PeixeGato, thank you very much for your well-thought out, objective response. I may PM you in the near future to ask you a few more questions about the SF area if that's okay with you. Peace and blessings to you!
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