am I the only 'woman of color' in the Slope who's not...

Subject: Woman of color/Slope...

"if you want a real commentary on why only West Indian women take nanny jobs and not African American women, sit down with my wife and she'll explain the nature of dealing with the baggage of slavery from both perspectives. "

Actually, I'd love to hear that commentary; it would add a lot to the conversation. Seriously.

(I'm morbidly interested in this conversation since I'm a Caucasian ex-Park Sloper who bought into mostly black Flatbush 20 years ago...after spouse and I discovered that we were, economically, middle-class/working class blacks...and so now we have very amused/confused racial identity complexes , having been priced out of a white nabe and welcomed into a thoroughly integrated one... )

My own contribution to this thread: One day, walking near my daughter's school in Windsor Terrace, I saw a West Indian nanny pushing a little Chinese toddler girl in a stroller and thought, "Geez, this sure is a white neighborhood." Now, even for a paleoconservative who hates "race cards" with a passion, and who wouldn't say the words "cultural imperialism" except to save my life at gunpoint, I admit that thought gave me pause...

Interesting topic. I am a black man, who has lived in PS for over a decade. My wife (who is white) and who works from home has definately noticed the Carribean nanny trend. In fact, a couple who used to rent from us (yes, I actually own a big-ass brownstone, and yes it is in prime Slope thank you very much), had a Carribean nanny and the nanny would have some major nanny/stroller parties in the apt during the day. OMG, am I selling out by renting to white people who employ black nannies?. :shock: Should I only rent to blacks, or blacks who only employ white nannies, or whatever. I am so confused! Anyhow, it was fascinating to see what a huge social connection there is among these caregivers.

But, getting back to the topic at hand, my wife and I have frequently joked about Park Slope's so-called diversity, which we think is just a residual self-image from a by-gone era (the same way some people still think there is a sizable gay community actually residing within PS). Sometimes I think I sense a wave of relief when we walk into certain restaurants and bars, because we provide some (limited) reinforcement that diversity still lives in PS. Hey, at least an interracial couple is better than nothin.

We still like it here - after all it is still relatively diverse considering its current socio-economic status. I prefer PS to say the UWS/UES or many wealthy suburban communities. But I strongly suspect that most of the blacks we see in PS either work here, go to school here, or are local "tourists" from nearby nabes like PH, CH, Bed-Stuy, etc. I have met very few blacks, and even fewer black women that actually live here. So, its not hard to imagine that a black women, esp one of Carribean roots would get a lot of inappropriate comments from folks in PS.

BTW, whenever we get a potential tenant who is black, or interracial couple, or gay, we get all excited about the prospect of adding a little more diversity to our block. But, alas, I just don't think they're into Park Slope any more.

friendlypitbull wrote: Not sure what you expect or want but it virtually mirrors the US Population at large in a 120sq Blocks
and I'd welcome you to find a more diverse neighborhood in this city -

http://gis.nyc.gov/dcp/pa/address.jsp

(please post statistics and census tracts so we can follow along)

What it doesn't show are the micro communities. For example, I would hazard a guess that most black and hispanic residents occupy the fringes of the area. It doesn't show how diverse the corridor above 7th Ave is for exampe. It doesn't show how many black families own bstones or co-op/condos in the area. It doesn't show how many go to public vs. private schools.

I am not trying to imply some Park Slope conspiracy, these issues characterize many nabes. I'd just like to dispel this romantic notion that PS is "diverse". It may be diverse on a relative basis, but that is of limited comfort.

Subject: What an interesting topic

Hello folks,

I grew up in Park Slope. Went to PS 282 on 6th Ave. Wen to JHS 51 on 5th Ave. I am a Latina and now live in Buffalo. Went to school up here and just stayed.

When I grew up the minorities in the neighborhood were white. As a much younger girl, the neighborhood predominantly was Italians. Puerto Ricans began moving in and they moved out. I left before it changed for the worse and became better. Most of my family had to move out of the area due to the high rents and "co-ops". Most white's lived in the burbs. Long Island, Staten Island etc. I guess living closer to work became more appealling. I am so mixed about this. Glad the neighborhood didn't get lost...but... :roll:

I have a beautiful brick house which also has a carriage house. Lots of space, lots of grass and clean air. My mortgage in nyc would probably triple from what I pay here if I were in NYC. Honestly, why would someone pay those rents, when they can own?

I love my NYC. But Buffalo is easier to live in. (If you have a good job that is.)

Your post makes it sound like when one watches and old movie and see the nannys taking care of the kids.

Wow!

friendlypitbull wrote: I personally am laughing b/c it seems clear to me that many of the people here are simply hostile to people who (generally) make or have more wealth than them;

how to explain these posts attempting to characterize Park Slope as a virtual Birimingham Al circa 1950.

I mean not only is Park Slope not diverse, but apparently people are so insulated and protected in their racism that many of them feel comfortable making the most obnoxious and racist conclusions right to the face of minorities who are complete strangers are so "super-rich" as to be practically shocked by inter-racial couples and are so engrossed in "wall street" and making $ that they wont even feed hungry birds with a bird feeder.

Sorry but I think many people here ought to look at reality the statistics bear out.

Yes bsloper NY as a whole is more diverse than PS but I kept the definition of PS pretty narrow (9th St) - considering there isnt a SINGLE fully integrated (matching the NYC statistics as a whole) neighborhood anywhere in the city your benchmark is not realistic.

Also remember the other demographics of Park Slope (as defined) - Median Household income is $62,000 w/ a 65% having college degrees and 33% havinh post-college degrees.

Again I challange you to find a neighborhood (ignoring income and educational stats) in NYC more diverse on racial lines and I DEFY you to find one including the income and educational diversity.

PHeights Girl - yes the data is 6yrs old and it may change a few % here or there but PS was expensive and gentrified in 2000 -

FPBl, I checked out the link you provided and when I query most of the tracts above 7th Ave, including my own I am getting % blacks ranging from 5% to 7%, certainly well below 10%. This bears out my personal observations as a black resident of PS. There ain't many blacks living in prime PS, period, end of story.

So, don't go changing the issue. I did not say there were more diverse communities in NYC. I actually said PS is diverse on a relative scale, esp when considering income-wealth-factors but that doesn't say much now does it. That does not make PS some sort of diversity utopia. So, get over it.

Like other blacks have expressed, I do actually enjoy living in PS for all the reasons white folks do. And I do not hate people more wealthy than myself, as I haven't exactly done too badly myself. I'm not PS-bashing, I'm just calling it the way I see it.

xueling wrote: I've often noticed my own uneasiness with all the black nannies and white kids, especially when my toddler became verbal.

As I mentioned earlier, we hired a babysitter/caretaker (nanny whatever, I hate that word)who is Caribbean and I thought I would have some white guilt. And as I mentioned I see this as a stepping stone job for her and her family into the middle class. Her daughter will be goign to college. In fact, I have gotten to know a lot of sitters through the person who works for me, and all of their children will be going to college. It is a much better job than many new immigrants get working in restaurants or day laborers. I am not justifying anything, we pay a good wage and we are sorry not to be wealthy enough to pay health insurance. So I am not sure about the uneasiness except when the ONLY people of color we see is in a service job. But over here in Kensington, that is not the case. I thinnk you can tell your toddler that the person is either the child's mother or caregiver. A caregiver is not a job to be ashamed of. It is a hard job and many of these women are extremely professional and take a lot of pride in the work they do.