Late 20s, single female: move to Twin Cities from Atlanta (Minneapolis: fit in, transplants)

[LeTraveler]

Hello all,

I'm a woman considering a move to Minneapolis/St. Paul from Atlanta before the end of the year. If all works out I will visit the area this summer but would like views on how well I might fit into the culture as well as the opportunities there. As far as demographics, as mentioned I am single, not far from 30, black (second generation), college educated and applying for a doctoral program this summer.

I've read many threads on this sub-forum and have found them very helpful so far but would like to dig more deeply into a few areas.

1. Job opportunities - How is the job market for a woman with a BS in social science/physical science?

I have found Atlanta to be amazingly lacking in this area or perhaps overly competitive. I am underemployed and wholly unsatisfied with my job.

2. Dating - What are the opportunities for a woman with my background?

I'm single but would like to settle down soon. I like men of all types and I'm more interested in attributes like commitment, kindness, openness. I have dated interracially and interculturally (mostly Swedish) so I would like to know what the scene is like for women similar to me.

3. Social scene - How difficult would it be to find a solid social network?

After five years in Atlanta I have only a few friends, all fellow transplants. Despite being touted as one of the places to be for a black person, I've experienced it as fairly closed and even hostile to people who don't fit into one of their few ideas of what a black person should be like. I have been called "weird" on several occasions, in a dismissive way, and I'd never been thought this where I'm from.

Things I'm okay with that others may find difficult with re: the Twin Cities are weather (I'm originally from New England and prefer cold to heat), homogeneity (Again, I'm from New England, and an area where most people are white. If anything the amount of black people in Atlanta shocked me), a smaller, reserved city (I'm fairly introverted so I am beginning to find the amount of people + visitors in Atlanta to be exhausting. I'm also still not fond of the overly fake friendly/social behavior that pervades Atlanta).

4. Surrounding areas - I'm particularly interested in how well cities like Chaska, Edina, might fit.

Anyway, all responses welcome. I think the Minneapolis/St. Paul areas sound lovely but I'm trying to get a better feel for it.

[treemoni]

They don't know what to do with black professionals who don't fit their stereotypical view of what a black person should be. Here's an article that gives more info:

Twin Cities businesses ask why professionals of color leave | Star Tribune

I'd advise you to target cities with well-established African-American communities. Moving to the Twin Cities as a professional black person is taking on the role of a pioneer. If that's something you're okay with...have at it!

[MsBall]

OP, there are no posters with your demographics that particate in this subforum. My advice, as someone who has moved here from out of state, is to do your research regarding jobs in your field. Indeed is an excellent start to see if there are jobs available. We moved here for my husbands job but I didn’t look for employment until we moved here. Unfortunately I was unemployed for nine months and I found that positions only became available from retirements.

[Glenfield]

I can’t address your career field but I will say that I think you will fit in socially quite well. Minnesota’s culture has much in common with that of Scandinavia, and can be somewhat isolating to those who are used to a more outgoing and brassy environment. I have found relationships more difficult to establish, but those I have are more deeply rooted than what I experienced in my native state.

The area as a whole is quite open to interracial relationships and families so I do not think you will encounter difficulty on that front.

I hope you find favorable information on your career area and are able to make the move here. Good luck!

[mingna]

Originally Posted by LeTraveler

Hello all,

I'm a woman considering a move to Minneapolis/St. Paul from Atlanta before the end of the year. If all works out I will visit the area this summer but would like views on how well I might fit into the culture as well as the opportunities there. As far as demographics, as mentioned I am single, not far from 30, black (second generation), college educated and applying for a doctoral program this summer.

I've read many threads on this sub-forum and have found them very helpful so far but would like to dig more deeply into a few areas.

1. Job opportunities - How is the job market for a woman with a BS in social science/physical science?

I have found Atlanta to be amazingly lacking in this area or perhaps overly competitive. I am underemployed and wholly unsatisfied with my job.

2. Dating - What are the opportunities for a woman with my background?

I'm single but would like to settle down soon. I like men of all types and I'm more interested in attributes like commitment, kindness, openness. I have dated interracially and interculturally (mostly Swedish) so I would like to know what the scene is like for women similar to me.

3. Social scene - How difficult would it be to find a solid social network?

After five years in Atlanta I have only a few friends, all fellow transplants. Despite being touted as one of the places to be for a black person, I've experienced it as fairly closed and even hostile to people who don't fit into one of their few ideas of what a black person should be like. I have been called "weird" on several occasions, in a dismissive way, and I'd never been thought this where I'm from.

Things I'm okay with that others may find difficult with re: the Twin Cities are weather (I'm originally from New England and prefer cold to heat), homogeneity (Again, I'm from New England, and an area where most people are white. If anything the amount of black people in Atlanta shocked me), a smaller, reserved city (I'm fairly introverted so I am beginning to find the amount of people + visitors in Atlanta to be exhausting. I'm also still not fond of the overly fake friendly/social behavior that pervades Atlanta).

4. Surrounding areas - I'm particularly interested in how well cities like Chaska, Edina, might fit.

Anyway, all responses welcome. I think the Minneapolis/St. Paul areas sound lovely but I'm trying to get a better feel for it.

1. The Twin Cities have a large variety of industries and many colleges, including the main campus of the U of M, so I imagine there will be job opportunities available, depending on what you would like to do with your degree. You can try large job search engines, or social-job network sites to get a better idea.

2. Based on your descriptions, interracial dating should not be an issue, if interests and values are shared.

3. Probably similar to other areas where one enters as an adult transplant. Having children will facilitate it better, but there are many opportunities to meet similarly-minded folks: in interest-focused groups, while pursuing hobbies, volunteering, etc.

4.Unless things have changed drastically, Chaska and Edina are more family suburbs. Perhaps look into living in the actual city of Mpls. or St. Paul for a better opportunities to match your interests.

[LeTraveler]

Originally Posted by treemoni

Here's an article that gives more info:

Twin Cities businesses ask why professionals of color leave | Star Tribune

Interesting article. Thank you for sharing. I am particularly intrigued by this idea of a career "ceiling"; I'm going to look more into that.

Originally Posted by treemoni

I'd advise you to target cities with well-established African-American communities. Moving to the Twin Cities as a professional black person is taking on the role of a pioneer. If that's something you're okay with...have at it!

I've spent brief periods in a few cities with established black communities (including the one I live in now). Washington DC, the boroughs of NYC, lived in Columbia, SC for a couple of years. Besides NYC, I didn't find that these were my sort of cities.

It might be because they were also very segregated and I don't like to be limited to what is perceived as my group. It might also be because I wasn't really raised with a "black identity" so some things that maybe other blacks find solace in, I'm neutral towards.

I don't mind being a pioneer but I suppose what I'd like to figure out is if the exclusion mentioned in the article is particular to black people (or heightened with black people) or a result of Minnesotans' reserve and maybe clique-y behavior? The latter I could deal with, the former not so much.

[LeTraveler]

@MsBall,

Thank you for sharing that. Yes, I've been looking at jobs in the area and I've seen many I qualify for. However, are these jobs accessible? I don't know if it's similar to here where employers post jobs with little to no intention of hiring anyone from the outside, or they are so bombarded by applications that any one gets lost in the shuffle.

[LeTraveler]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

I can’t address your career field but I will say that I think you will fit in socially quite well. Minnesota’s culture has much in common with that of Scandinavia, and can be somewhat isolating to those who are used to a more outgoing and brassy environment. I have found relationships more difficult to establish, but those I have are more deeply rooted than what I experienced in my native state.

Thank you, Glenfield. It makes me happy to think that I'd probably fit in socially. I do like less outgoing atmospheres and I'm pretty well acquainted with Scandinavian culture, as I made it a goal of mine when I was with my ex, who is an expat from a small town in Sweden. I did find initially that the Swedes were a bit more formal and "polite" than I was used to but it was wasn't hard to adjust.

[LeTraveler]

@mingna

Thank you for the detailed reply! I was hoping the suburbs weren't drastically different in case I found a job, partner, etc there.

[treemoni]

If you are a black person not particularly steeped in black culture, then you probably wouldn't mind being here. Living here requires a level of conformity and from my experience, black people who grew up in places or went to schools where they did not interact regularly with black people are more likely to do what's necessary to fit in. That you are working toward a PhD means you've managed to skip the "black experience" even in college, which is were most black people who grew up in majority white environments get in tune with their cultural identity. It doesn't sound like you'll have too many problems here. I can imagine the natives will find you non-threatening.