My family and I will be moving to Fort Collins in summer of 2008. My daughter will be three then. My husband, my step-son and I are mostly Caucasian, but we look 100% white :) My daughter is 1/2 Mexican, but looks 100% Mexican. In the area we live now (rural southern community) there is a great deal of bad sentiment towards Hispanics, specifically Mexicans. Many times we have gone places, my daughter has recieved dirty looks and/or comments. Not saying everyone here feels badly towards Hispanics, but there are quite a few. I am hoping since Hispanics have a long history in Colorado that sentiment towards them there would be better than here. Which leads me to my questions.
How are Hispanics (specifically Mexicans) thought of in the Fort Collins/Denver Area?
Is it very usual to see a white mother with a Hispanic looking child in the Fort Collins/Denver Area?
Do you think my child will be looked at as "different" there as she is here?
2007-02-21 03:39:10 · 9 answers · asked by cstoa10 5 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Denver
I am fluent in English and semi-fluent in Spanish and my daughter understands and speaks both if that makes a difference in the answers.
2007-02-21 03:40:08 · update #1
Bill - Thanks for the encouragment. I appreciate it!
2007-02-21 03:55:56 · update #2
CO blonde - sounds good. thank you.
2007-02-21 05:13:34 · update #3
Well I am Mexican American, born and raised in Denver (3rd generation) and have never really had an issue with being BROWN. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are the 'rich' areas that I tend to stay away from, because of the looks I get or being followed (although I am almost 30 and am a very successful woman). I think racism still exists everywhere, although I don't think that you should have a problem with people not accepting your daughter/family into our society. Fort Collins is pretty diverse, but is very different than Denver is. Good luck and if you ever need suggestions once you are here, don't hesitate to ask...we welcome questions!
2007-02-21 08:20:47 · answer #1 · answered by **Lil QT** 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thank goodness you're moving! You'll have a much better life in Denver, and hopefully you won't have to think about racial issues every day of your life.
The Southwest USA, in general, is a good place to live with a multi-racial family. Denver's Hispanic community is growing quickly; you'll be able to get any ethnic foods or goods you might want there. The Denver Hispanic community is large enough that a Spanish language edition of the phone book is available. Ft. Collins isn't far & has the same relaxed attitudes.
My daughter (who lives in Aurora, CO) was married to a Mexican guy for a number of years and never had any problems with racial issues. My grandkids are 1/2 Hispanic, and they don't have any trouble with their classmates at school.
2007-02-22 08:24:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ft. Collins is growing, also a college town so expectedly diverse but there are some nearby rural areas that may have a different, old school perspective. But for the most part, people like myself, don't even give it a second thought. I don't personally live in that area, in fact across town, but still think most people anymore are accepting as long as you are good people which I'm sure you are. Don't worry about it & others won't either.
2007-02-21 12:53:41 · answer #3 · answered by COblonde 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Colorado has a high percentage of Hispanic's and they are generally thought well of and fit in fine. Where any racial issues usually come up is on the subject of "illegal" immigration and especially those who live in the state for a long period of time yet will not learn to speak English. This is a hot button issue in CO for sure. Other than that I can foresee no problems. Best of luck!
2007-02-25 17:46:26 · answer #4 · answered by Roaddogg 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We are also planning to move to the Fort Collins area and my children are half hispanic too. I am worried about the culture shock since we are coming from the San Francisco Bay Area (which is VERY tolerant to multi-races). I am caucasian myself and my husband is from El Salvador. I have the same concerns!! What part are you planning to move to? We are looking in Windsor.
2007-02-28 11:21:02 · answer #5 · answered by jasmineandbella 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its been my experience that the people here who have a problem have a problem with income status, and not race. I grew up in one of the richest neighborhoods in the Denver metro area, white as snow, and one of the poorest kids in the school, and I got a lot of flack for that. There were people of all colors at my school, all of whom had richer parents than I did, who did not get those problems. Of course, my boyfriend, who grew up in another part of Denver says the exact opposite about where he grew up, and I wonder if it was because it was less of an upper class neighborhood and they did not have the kind of income variations we had to judge each other with.
I would still argue that Colorado has a much bigger problem with stuck up yuppies than with ignorant racists though, especially in parts like Littleton (where I grew up), Highlands Ranch, Boulder and Cherry Creek.
2007-02-22 16:56:11 · answer #6 · answered by kittiesandsparklelythings 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think most of the negative attitude runs both ways - if you have one, you'll get one in return. The chicanos around here cause and get a lot of grief and aren't well thought of. On the other hand, there are a lot of hispanics in my town, because we're an agricultural area, and many of them are very nice and as good of people as you can ask for. It just mostly boils down to getting back what you put out.
2007-02-21 14:58:35 · answer #7 · answered by Spud55 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
ft. Collins is a diverse university town...you and your family will be many of thousands in the area...so don't worry about it
2007-02-21 11:54:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most Hispanics are treated nicely, all the resentment towards Mexicans is the illegal issue.
2007-02-22 20:14:23 · answer #9 · answered by xjoizey 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋