Square State Colorado

Should Black People Move to Denver

Whenever I travel outside of Colorado I prepare myself for the moment that always comes up. That moment is when people ask me where I’m from. I always pause and then say “Colorado” The person who has asked me where I’m from will begin blinking furiously and then say “I didn’t know that Black people lived there.” At this point I think it’s hilarious but I did want to share my thoughts on should Black people move to Denver and what they should consider before making a final decision.

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• Planning a Visit to Black Owned Denver in 2023: Here’s What You Need to Know

Rent a Car

I love using the light rail, car or ride shares and local transit services. But, you might not have enough time to use them the way that I do. Or, you might be traveling with kids or several people. In that case, you’re going to need a car. To go to the mountains, to explore around town, or to check out Red Rocks. I’m a proud affiliate partner of Discover Cars, a cool tool that helps travelers find and compare car rental services and the cost of picking up your next rental.

Fly into Denver International Airport and have your car picked out and ready to pick up without having to worry if there was a different car in a better price range. I love any tool that helps people stay true to their vacation budget. If you’re planning a trip to Denver and know you’ll need a car, check out Discover Cars today. Go to: squarestateco.com/car-rental

Should Black People Move to Denver

It pains me to admit this but, I’m technically also a Californian. My parents were in California when I made my arrival. Eventually we landed in Colorado and I was raised in the state. I grew up in Boulder and Denver and have lived in both towns as a young person and an adult. I know both towns really well. I’ve also visited 45 states, lived overseas and attended college out East. I share this because I want to make it clear that I have a broader lived experience than Colorado life.

What I’ve noticed recently is that there is a lot of interest from African-Americans across the US in the state Colorado but they have questions. Rightfully so. Colorado is also in the news a lot more because of some notable folks such as Russell Wilson and Ciara and Coach Prime. And there is the disturbing case of Courtney Mallory, a Black rancher living in El Paso county who has been dealing with alleged racist abuse from his neighbor. I hope the FBI and other organizations are brought in to help this man and his family.

Colorado is in America

Square State Colorado is focused on sharing life in Denver and the rest of Colorado. When people ask me about living in Colorado as a Black person, what they forget is that it’s my normal. The experience isn’t unusual for me. If you’re looking to move to Denver in the hopes of never experiencing racism again or some shangri-la situation, I would caution you because Colorado is in America. There is still racism here. It may come up in different ways and I would look at some of the data collected that highlights the experiences of people of Color in the state and the specific town you’re looking at.

What to Consider

• Your Children’s Identity-If you have children, you will have to really pay attention to your child’s socialization and how they feel about being Black. I’m going to share my first experience with racism that happened in 7th grade. Weirdly, the kid (Chris) who made the comment was half Black and said that at least he was just “Half monkey” So a couple of things, my mom was my primary caregiver and she’s African-American. At that time there were very few resources to help children of color feel good about themselves here as they made their way through White spaces. In fact, I had a frenemy childhood nemesis whose name was also Michelle, she was biracial and she had a really difficult time with identify that echoed throughout her adulthood. The last time I saw her was about 10 ish years ago and she still was having a tough time and I think she moved to another state. By the way, I have Korean friends who attended Korean school on Saturdays for the same reason.

• Getting Your Hair Done-One of the biggest issues is getting your hair done. Barber shops and hair salons are few and far between. It’s highly likely that you’ll end up going to Aurora to get your hair done regularly. Or learn how to do it yourself. This is a huge gap in services available and focused on African-American needs.

• Socialization-You will find that socializing in Colorado typically includes some type of activity. Hiking, biking, walking, snowboarding, skiing, you get the picture. If you’re not about that life it will be challenging to meet people in general. I do love the many different groups and communities online that are helping to connect Black and Brown residents with these experiences. In fact, I just hung out with the National Brotherhood of Skiers in Vail as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary. This community is an African-American ski group with chapters around the world.

• Dating-It’s my view that it’s easier to move to Denver if you are already dating someone. However, it’s not uncommon that people end up breaking up upon arrival. It’s a thing across races. Dating in Denver is challenging. I’ve talked to White friends who’ve talked about how difficult it can be. Imagine being Black and dating here. You just have to be more intentional. What’s weird is that there are A LOT of men here. They call it Menver for a reason. But, that doesn’t mean that they’re ready to get booed up. Basically, if you want a significant other you’re going to have to be a lot more focused and intentional about it while here.

Denver’s Weather

I actually recorded a short podcast episode talking about Denver’s weather. I recommend that you listen to it. I think it’s about 15 minutes. What I can say is if you’re from the Midwest or North East-you will absolutely LOVE Denver’s weather. I’m actually working from a patio as I work on this post. If you’re from the South or a warmer state-It gets cold here. If you have issues with snow then rethink a move here. It’s a cold weather state that is warmer than people realize but it’s still a cold weather state.

Opportunities

It’s my view that there are A LOT of personal and professional opportunities here. In fact, the following may surprise you.

• Denver’s current mayor, Michael Hancock, is Black. He was reelected 3 terms in a row but this is his final term due to term limits.

• The current richest African-American, Robert Smith, grew up in Denver.

• India Arie is from here.

• The Chief Executive Officer of Denver International Airport is Phillip A. Washington (he’s African-American)

• The current head of the ACLU is African-American and I met her and her husband the month that they moved here. A lovely couple.

• The Regional Transit District is run by an African-American woman and I feel for her because that’s a tough job post COVID.

People are pretty open and excited about whatever cool things you dream up and typically will support them. So, if you have a cool idea Denver is a great place to nurture and launch projects.

Denver’s Cost of Living

It’s now expensive to live in Denver. While I do think that housing prices will dip a little bit, eventually they will continue to go up. I would strongly recommend looking at cost of living calculators that give some additional insight into what you should expect to pay for.

Culture Shock

One of the most interesting things for me to watch is Coach Prime’s adjustment to Colorado. I’m pretty sure that he’s living in Boulder and I’ve begun to notice some things.

He’s going through some culture shock. You’ll find that those of us on Twitter following his profile have recommended that for some things he’s going to have to look elsewhere.

I often tell people that you should approach living in Denver like a foreign country. It will help you manage your expectations better.

If you’re used to living in primarily Black communities-it will be an adjustment.

Tips for Living in Denver

Here are some tips to make adjusting here easier. These communities do not necessarily have to be African-American facing. But, spaces where you feel at ease.

• Focus on finding community as soon as you arrive-I’m a member of several communities including the Colorado Association of Black Journalists.

• Join groups online-I’m amazed at all of the awesome communities online. Here are an example and what they focus on:
  • Black in Denver-This is the largest group and it shares events, resources and anything else that people are missing from other states or are looking for. The community is a mix of long-time residents, new arrivals and the occasional long-term visitor.
  • Black Girls Hike-Hike with other Black women
  • GirlTrek-Walk around the City and beyond with this community of women focused on maintaining health and community.
  • Outdoor Afro-Hands down, one of my favorite groups and I’ve been a member for years. If you’re looking to go hiking, camping, ice skating or more-join this group on Meetup (dot) com
  • Want to ski-BIPOC Mountain Collective/SkiNoir5280/Slippers and Sliders are the groups to check out
  • Denver Soul Steppers-The classes are actually held in Aurora
  • Fit-N-Nu-This studio is in Aurora

Manage Your Expectations

Just like with any move somewhere new, you’ll find that in some ways Denver will exceed your expectations and other ways it won’t. You may find that you hate it or love it. I’ve actually met a surprising number of Black people who have visited or have moved here and are really enjoying it. I’ve met people who just could never be at ease here. That said, do your research. Know what you are wanting and schedule a week to visit.

• Explore the state-I love going on road trips and checking out all the state has to offer. I also enjoy going to adjacent states to check them out too. For road trips my favorite is New Mexico.

• Know what you want-If you’re looking for a foodie town. That’s not Denver. These people exercise too much and that impacts the amount of salt, sugar and gluten in our food. The food has gotten MUCH better and you can eat well. But, we’re not New Orleans.

If you’re looking for a relaxed place with plenty to do, professional opportunities and a pretty nice quality of life where you work to live instead of living to work-Denver may be the city for you. I hope this was helpful.