Is it true that Portland is not a good city for black people to live? (Union: hotel, houses)

[sportslover]

I have heard from a few people that the people in Portland are very racist and it is not as liberal as most people think. Is this true? I have always had an interest in visiting portland and maybe even living there. I currently live in a suburb of Atlanta and I know it may not be quite as diverse as Atlanta.

[EasyBeezy]

It's nowhere near as diverse as Atlanta. Portland does have a black population, but I think that the best word to describe it would be dispersed. That wasn't always the case, but it has been for over a decade now. As for it being a bad place for black people to live, I think that statement is misleading. I've been here for over 20 years, and I have had very few interactions that I would describe as racist, and those were mostly with people from different countries. Most of the locals are highly opposed to all things bigoted. I am really into the outdoors and often travel in very rural parts of Oregon, where people may go months without seeing a black person, and I've never had any problems. As long as you are OK with the fact that the ethnic mix is totally different from Georgia, then you'll be fine.

[Nell Plotts]

Race won't be an issue, politics may be. Portland metro is very liberal.

Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American... neighborhood matters. We are having a problem with gun violence which seems to be more frequent in neighborhoods on the far east side. These folks have cars so it isn't concentrated within a few blocks. The Black Lives Matter issue has impacted policing, the gun violence group in Portland Police was disbanded with predictable results. Then there are the groups who think vandalism of businesses accomplishes something, what escapes me. Most of that is downtown or aimed at the Police Union, courthouses, and immigration. Then there are the folks who pitch camp along the roads and leave mountains of trash. We have a weak and dysfunctional City Council.

Your choice of where to live will be impacted by your budget and what you are looking forward to as a lifestyle. It isn't difficult to avoid the issues listed in the paragraph above but it will take some research. I know the city west of the Willamette River, others who frequent the forum can help as well.

Come give us a try.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Race won't be an issue, politics may be. Portland metro is very liberal.

I would say that race is an issue in every single city in the country. Portland is no exception. But it is probably accurate to say that it is no worse in Portland than most other places.

Portland is probably the whitest major city in the country. So I expect that does affect the experience of people of color in this city to some extent. Mostly just in terms of having to deal with clueless white people.

But you will be fine.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Make the visit you have been considering. Visit several stores and businesses. View a few parks. Just acting like a tourist for a few days should be enough for you to judge the level of racism in the area.

I wouldn't expect you to run into any problems, but there a few jerks to be found no matter where you go.

[Nell Plotts]

I agree with TexasDiver and OregonWoodSmoke, there are jerks everywhere. IMHO avoid the areas I mentioned above.

I worked for DOL for many years, traveled sometimes with a male Black collogue. I recall having lunch with my collogue in Wilder Idaho once and they didn't want to serve us. I was oblivious and raised a fuss, we were served. I was a middle-aged white female who didn't tolerate rudeness. [I am now an elderly white female, attitude unchanged.] It may have helped that I started my career in Paterson, NJ where I was the only white gentile female in town. Being different didn't bother me.

The challenge for the OP may be dealing with the PNW culture. I mentioned that we are liberal but that is not the only difference from GA. We are largely unchurched. Roman Catholics and Jews attend services more frequently than the rest of the population. Black churches are strong in GA, we have a couple but because we no longer have Black neighborhoods the churches are not neighborhood churches. Now that I think about it few of our religious institutions are neighborhood-based.

The other barrier for the OP may be dating IF s/he wishes to date within their ethnic group. Because Blacks are such a small % of the population it will take effort to find a date. Reach out to the Urban League, attend a couple of meetings. Unlike many US communities, inter-racial marriages are not uncommon here.

I will make the same suggestion to the OP that I have for others: friendships are formed based on common interests. Get out of the house and participate in activities you enjoy.

[harrishawke]

It might not be a good fit if your use to a more a predominantly black city; such as Maryland, Detroit, DC or Atlanta. Seattle has a more significant urban vibe, and probably worth checking out both to see what you like better.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by sportslover

I know it may not be quite as diverse as Atlanta.

I've been to Atlanta a couple of times. I wouldn't call Atlanta "diverse." From what I saw, it was an overwhelmingly black city. (Not saying that's bad.)

The taxi drivers, retail clerks, hotel manager, desk clerks, hotel engineer (who fixed something in my room), all black. I saw some whites in Atlanta. I didn't see any Asians or Latinos.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

I've been to Atlanta a couple of times. I wouldn't call Atlanta "diverse." From what I saw, it was an overwhelmingly black city. (Not saying that's bad.)

The taxi drivers, retail clerks, hotel manager, desk clerks, hotel engineer (who fixed something in my room), all black. I saw some whites in Atlanta. I didn't see any Asians or Latinos.

Asians don't count for diversity in some minds.

How is the Asian community in Portland?

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Gaylord_Focker

Asians don't count for diversity in some minds.

How is the Asian community in Portland?

There isn't one Asian community in Portland. But there are lots and lots of Asian-Americans of every sort from old established Chinese and Japanese families that go back many generations to lots of more recent Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, and Chinese immigrants.

That is pretty much the case for every large city on the Pacific Coast frankly.