"The White City" - implications for Detroit

[English]

I just read a great article on an urban studies blog. I shared it on Facebook, and was hoping to get some good discussion going here:

The White City
http://www.newgeography.com/content/...the-white-city

"Among the media, academia and within planning circles, there’s a generally standing answer to the question of what cities are the best, the most progressive and best role models for small and mid-sized cities. The standard list includes Portland, Seattle, Austin, Minneapolis, and Denver. In particular, Portland is held up as a paradigm, with its urban growth boundary, extensive transit system, excellent cycling culture, and a pro-density policy. These cities are frequently contrasted with those of the Rust Belt and South, which are found wanting, often even by locals, as “cool” urban places.

"But look closely at these exemplars and a curious fact emerges. If you take away the dominant Tier One cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles you will find that the “progressive” cities aren’t red or blue, but another color entirely: white.

"In fact, not one of these “progressive” cities even reaches the national average for African American percentage population in its core county. Perhaps not progressiveness but whiteness is the defining characteristic of the group..."

As we think about the challenges Detroit faces, this is definitely food for thought. The entire article is worth reading. I particularly liked the points made about Atlanta and Houston, cities that a lot of educated African Americans from Detroit flock to in droves. Unless those of us who are people of color in SE Michigan disappear, we will never be a Seattle, Portland or Denver.

Like I've shared in my other thread, I am applying to jobs here in the Detroit area, but because nothing's guaranteed, I'm also applying for work in these hipster "new urban" places too [[where most of the jobs this year seem to be located in my field). Those cities might be nice, but I've heard that POC feel pretty isolated there. But I have to admit... if I weren't African American, but White with the same level of education and skill set, I wouldn't have ambivalence about moving to the Pacific NW. I'd likely jump at the chance. And that thoughts makes me feel weird.

Thoughts?