Middle class African American DCUMers, where are you living?

[Anonymous]

Did you look into Columbia, Md? Very culturally diverse and since you don't mind living out in the burbs and commuting in, it might be a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where in the world is it a law you must be friendly. You are only required to be civil. even in an all XXXX neighborhood, friendly is not required. this is a civil society

There's no law. Heck there isn't even an unwritten rule that you have to be even civil to your neighbors. But my post was explaining why some people don't want to move into a neighborhood where they are the distinct minority in the neighborhood. This is why people want to have at least a significant minority of people of their race before they consider living in such neighborhoods. I'm Asian. I don't want to be the only Asian family or one of two Asian families in a neighborhood of 50-300 homes. I can certainly understand black families who don't want to do the same. As difficult as it is being Asian in a white society, it's far harder to be black in a white society. I suspect that most of you who are criticizing OP for wanting diversity in any neighborhood she considers have never lived in an area where you are the minority. Your white privilege and majority attitude are shining bright.

You'd be wrong in that I'm AA. I live where I want and how I want to live. I don't let anyone dictate that. You all keep on with the feeling a sense of community must mean everyone looks the same. Way to be progressive.

NP. I don't think that wanting to feel comfortable in the community is the same thing as wanting everyone to look alike. I don't think it even has to mean that a person is not in the minority. Just that they're not in the EXTREME minority, like their kid being the only one or two AAs in the class.

Also, speaking for myself as an AA, it's easier being the only 1 or 2 AA in the class if the rest of the class is not homogeneous. In other words, if there are only two AAs and the rest of the class is white, it's a different feeling than if the class is made up of 2 AAs, 3 Latinos, 3 Chinese, 2 Indian, 1 African, 4 white, 2 Muslims, 2 Jews, 2 Korean, etc. Personally, a nice balance of everyone is what I search for when I look for diversity.

[Anonymous]

Shepherd Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park.

Not very many legitimately middle-class folks moving in these days. I think it's been a mix of middle and upper-middle class in the past, but these days unfortunately it's becoming a mix of upper-middle class and straight up affluent (particularly if you include Colonial Village).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where in the world is it a law you must be friendly. You are only required to be civil. even in an all XXXX neighborhood, friendly is not required. this is a civil society

There's no law. Heck there isn't even an unwritten rule that you have to be even civil to your neighbors. But my post was explaining why some people don't want to move into a neighborhood where they are the distinct minority in the neighborhood. This is why people want to have at least a significant minority of people of their race before they consider living in such neighborhoods. I'm Asian. I don't want to be the only Asian family or one of two Asian families in a neighborhood of 50-300 homes. I can certainly understand black families who don't want to do the same. As difficult as it is being Asian in a white society, it's far harder to be black in a white society. I suspect that most of you who are criticizing OP for wanting diversity in any neighborhood she considers have never lived in an area where you are the minority. Your white privilege and majority attitude are shining bright.

You'd be wrong in that I'm AA. I live where I want and how I want to live. I don't let anyone dictate that. You all keep on with the feeling a sense of community must mean everyone looks the same. Way to be progressive.

NP. I don't think that wanting to feel comfortable in the community is the same thing as wanting everyone to look alike. I don't think it even has to mean that a person is not in the minority. Just that they're not in the EXTREME minority, like their kid being the only one or two AAs in the class.

Also, speaking for myself as an AA, it's easier being the only 1 or 2 AA in the class if the rest of the class is not homogeneous. In other words, if there are only two AAs and the rest of the class is white, it's a different feeling than if the class is made up of 2 AAs, 3 Latinos, 3 Chinese, 2 Indian, 1 African, 4 white, 2 Muslims, 2 Jews, 2 Korean, etc. Personally, a nice balance of everyone is what I search for when I look for diversity.

I'm white, and a nice balance is the ideal community for me because no one is the "minority" and no one is the "majority," so I personally think it makes for a friendlier environment. I also think that it allows for more individuality as well. I grew up in an area that was predominantly white. And I (yes, I'm white) never felt like I belonged because it was very cliquish. I also think that people find ways to separate and alienate other people. So in my childhood neighborhood, they used class. My parents were working/blue collar. My father worked hard to afford the neighborhood we lived in, but the reality was we were never fully accepted, and there was a strong sense that we didn't belong there because my father didn't work a white collar job.

When there is real diversity (balance), it makes it harder for people to kind of gang up on the odd man out. By necessity, people become more accepting of difference. I actually think it is freeing on an individual level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where in the world is it a law you must be friendly. You are only required to be civil. even in an all XXXX neighborhood, friendly is not required. this is a civil society

There's no law. Heck there isn't even an unwritten rule that you have to be even civil to your neighbors. But my post was explaining why some people don't want to move into a neighborhood where they are the distinct minority in the neighborhood. This is why people want to have at least a significant minority of people of their race before they consider living in such neighborhoods. I'm Asian. I don't want to be the only Asian family or one of two Asian families in a neighborhood of 50-300 homes. I can certainly understand black families who don't want to do the same. As difficult as it is being Asian in a white society, it's far harder to be black in a white society. I suspect that most of you who are criticizing OP for wanting diversity in any neighborhood she considers have never lived in an area where you are the minority. Your white privilege and majority attitude are shining bright.

You'd be wrong in that I'm AA. I live where I want and how I want to live. I don't let anyone dictate that. You all keep on with the feeling a sense of community must mean everyone looks the same. Way to be progressive.

Your response only makes me question why anyone would judge someone else's preferences.

And why you don't like living around other AAs. Way to be progressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park.

Not very many legitimately middle-class folks moving in these days. I think it's been a mix of middle and upper-middle class in the past, but these days unfortunately it's becoming a mix of upper-middle class and straight up affluent (particularly if you include Colonial Village).

Yeah Shepherd Park is right at the $1M price now (Colonial Village $1.4ish), def not middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park.

Not very many legitimately middle-class folks moving in these days. I think it's been a mix of middle and upper-middle class in the past, but these days unfortunately it's becoming a mix of upper-middle class and straight up affluent (particularly if you include Colonial Village).

Yeah Shepherd Park is right at the $1M price now (Colonial Village $1.4ish), def not middle class.

But is it Black enough?

[Anonymous]

Single AA woman here. When I look for housing the racial makeup of the community is not tiptop of my list. I am usually looking for a specific type of housing stock (I love 19th/early 20th century homes), proximity to places I frequent and public transportation, and, of course, affordability. THEN I might look around and see who else is living there but being "the only" wouldn't automatically send me running in the other direction.

If I had children my calculus might be different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park.

Not very many legitimately middle-class folks moving in these days. I think it's been a mix of middle and upper-middle class in the past, but these days unfortunately it's becoming a mix of upper-middle class and straight up affluent (particularly if you include Colonial Village).

Yeah Shepherd Park is right at the $1M price now (Colonial Village $1.4ish), def not middle class.

But is it Black enough?

I get that this is not a serious question, but I'll still address it. I think the 2010 census indicated that the neighborhood is something like 75% AA.

I live here, and I'd guess that SP is still at least 2/3 AA (Colonial Village, maybe a little less so). The houses don't turn over quickly. Even when they do, some of the folks moving in are also PoC, including AAs.

[Anonymous]

I think 75% is black enough so long as the 15% are not white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Single AA woman here. When I look for housing the racial makeup of the community is not tiptop of my list. I am usually looking for a specific type of housing stock (I love 19th/early 20th century homes), proximity to places I frequent and public transportation, and, of course, affordability. THEN I might look around and see who else is living there but being "the only" wouldn't automatically send me running in the other direction.

If I had children my calculus might be different

Yes, I was like you too when I was single and no kids (until my 30s). Wanting to protect your kids from any undue harm or negative experiences definitely figured into our decision-making when we purchased our first home recently. We were not quite as choosy re: architectural style and walkability, and paid a lot more attention to schools and neighborhood demographics--we just wanted a reasonably diverse neighborhood with the best schools possible (although in an ideal world with an unlimited budget, we could have it all!).