@murksiderock
If you were moving to SoCal this year, what city would you recommend for a person in their 30’s who has a 4 year old? You think the IE is better elementary school and work wise or living directly in LA?
I’d like to be near black people if possible. I know it’ll take a minute but I plan on going for a fire department once I get all my stuff California approved. Coming from Detroit btw.
Until then I might go back to the trades (HVAC or maintenance)
The only place I'm really familiar with in SoCal is LA city; I'm much more familiar with NorCal overall.
Personally, I wouldn't live anywhere in SoCal that isn't Los Angeles. I've heard Moreno Valley is nice. I've got people I was friends with who live in Victorville and Rialto, that's the "High Desert", they like it there.
I have a brother and sister, who have the same mother; they were raised partially in San Diego, and their mother and younger sister from their mom, still lives there. I mean, everybody from everywhere speaks glowingly about SD but I don't think its my kinda city. My brother and sister love it though, my brother is back in Sac and my sister is in Arizona now.
All my family in SoCal lives in Los Angeles proper (North Inglewood, Venice Beach, Chesterfield Square, Exposition Park, Panorama City, Van Nuys). I 100% stand on LA being the greatest city in the country. If you can afford it, I'd go to The City, and specifically to the Westside South Central neighborhoods that are still heavily black, or adjacent areas to LA proper that are heavily black like Inglewood, Gardena, Hawthorne, Carson, or Compton (Compton is still 25% black).
For what it's worth, you have a child in elementary school, I went to elementary school in LA (Lenicia Weemes Elementary) and I have fantastic memories. Maybe if I'd spent my entire upbringing in LA I'd think differently, but my childhood there and subsequent adventures there as an adult, I fukking love LA and I wouldn't even think about living outside the city if I was in Southern California.
I don't think there's anything wrong with starting in the IE. But from a cultural and well-rounded, experiential level, nowhere is gonna really give you the LA experience unless you actually live in LOS ANGELES. If you guys can afford LA city, do LA city, the blacker neighborhoods!