Approximately 1 out of 8 Mecklenburg County residents was born in another country, based on the latest Census figures.
More than 120 different languages are spoken in Charlotte. The city is represented by residents from 150 countries.
Immigrants have driven much of the recent growth in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region. Since 1990, more than 320,000 people have moved to the area, according to census data. Many were laborers and professionals attracted by affordable homes and open jobs in construction, high-technology, and banking.
The changes have been so great that The Levine Museum of the New South decided to dedicate a year-long exhibit to how Charlotte has become a magnet for newcomers from around the globe.
Exhibit organizers say future historians may look to Charlotte as an example of how the United States addresses issues of growth and community in the early 21st century.
While the majority of immigrants come from Latin America and Asia, a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future noted that many of the newcomers made stops in the Northeast before landing in Charlotte.
Most immigrants came from these five countries.
* Mexico 23,203
* India 6,049
* El Salvador 5,388
* Vietnam 4,888
* China 3,110
HOW MANY ARE LEGAL?????
ReplyDeleteShhhhhhh... you're going to upset the xenophobes.
ReplyDeleteLEGALITY matters more than DIVERSITY. Deport all illegals.
ReplyDeleteAmnesty is a better solution than deportation.
ReplyDeletecharlotte needs diversity by the looks of most of these comments... can we bring in some intelligence?
ReplyDeleteHow many are legal? THE MAJORITY! This country was built by immigrants. Attempting to tar all present-day immigrants with the stigma of illegality is the most un-American attitude I can imagine. Perhaps that's why so many of the previous comments are anonymous.
ReplyDeleteYou don't understand diversity in NY or LA until you've lived there. Your piece is just an another example of made up news that isn't news. And now sadly I'm a part of it.
ReplyDeleteNice comment "Anonymous1", you just summoned it all up about the Charlotte of TODAY unfortunately. Charlotte is nowhere close to a real city like NYC for crying out loud. I hope all of you enjoy your Nascar and other "diverse" events around; and your isolation from the rest of the world for that matter. Your ignorance is well deserved, cheers to all you bigots!
ReplyDeleteStarmount Neighborhood Resident:
ReplyDeleteI have hispanics on my right, a mixed race couple across the street, and a white couple who chose to adopt a black orphan on my left.
I absolutely love the growing diversity of Charlotte. As a person who grew up here, it didn't used to be that way.
Best quote I've heard regarding diversity was a sterotype of aka "white people" after a accidental situation with my hispanic neighbors "...we are so sorry and thought you were going to be like most white people and sue us..."
If you have ever gone fast on the way to work because you are late...YOU ARE ILLEGAL...get over yourself and move to Union or some other suburb that pretends to be 1950's countyside community. You may not know this but YOU LIVE IN A CITY GROW UP AND ENJOY THE GREAT FOOD DIVERSITY BRINGS...otherwise, eat grits, bacon, and other fried foods on you 40 acres with no neighbors to whine about for no reason.
Judge not, before you judge yourself.
Sorry, I escaped the LA area and it's gang terrorism. I will escape Charlotte soon, hopefully, as it transform into "Little Detroit". Can't speak for NY, but I see they are going bankrupt(both financially and morally)also.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Salty Dog,
ReplyDeletethe only thing liberals can ever come up as a positive to diversity is "You have all these awesome ethnic restaurants to go to!"
btw- read the numbers. there is no diversity. 90 percent of the "diversity" is illegal mexicans. That doesn't sound like diversity to me- that sounds like an invasion.
Good piece. I'm part of that diversity. I'm originally from Venezuela and so is my wife; And yes! We are legal, permanent residents of the U.S. on the way to becoming U.S. citizens.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great city and its diversity is just one of its many attractions. It's wonderful to be able to have grits for breakfast, Lebanese tabouleh for lunch and sushi for dinner --or to choose from the many other options available.
It is equally wonderful to invite to our home friends from India, Jamaica, Italy or good, old Charlotte and to be able to share with them a wide horizon of topics of conversation.
Be it European soccer; Formula One racing; the writings of Maupassant, Dos Pasos or Tagore; or the current fishing conditions off the Adriatic, it is wonderful to have a whole world to explore and share.
Silly Rabbit, we don't call them "illegals" here. They're simply "undocumented."
ReplyDeleteAh yes, my bleeding heart didn't want to make things too complex and scary for you. I know you like things simple. Maybe I should have added they are good neighbors since if I sterotype you as some of these post'rs sterotype...your magic book of answers tells you love thy neighbor on some of the key pages the creator really wanted you to pay attention to...not a one liner on pg 2213 like the many it seems are used to justify so much of the "agenda"
ReplyDeleteDiversity is such a liberal idiot pc word like multiculturalism.
ReplyDeleteAs far as people diversity we have plenty but we need to unload all mooching illegals back to below the border.
Who gives a ratz azz about NYC? What a total 3rd world diseased dump.
America was founded and built by European Americans for whom it was created. African slaves picked a little cotten and cleaned house for a while but didnt build anything. Whites planned it and built it all.
Unfortunately it has become a 3rd world wasteland. Nuke all the big dirty smogy slummy cities. Clean up America.
Instead of fighting all over the world pull the military into the cities and clean up the crime illegal activity.
Diversity and multiculturalism pc crapola is laughable at best.
Cherryville is only 40 miles away if you want bland white Southern bigotry. Meanwhile, Charlotte will join the rest of the global village in sharing new cultures and ideals.
ReplyDeleteWhy you let this idiot "anonymous" post so many negative thoughs I bet that he don't even have any education because someone who is educated will know about diversity and multiculturism but I guess this person may have no education whatsoever...
ReplyDeleteAn interesting article would be: a break down of the subscription to the Observer by IQ
ReplyDeleteCharlotte is a pretty diverse city, I agree. What we DON'T have here is the sort of cross-pollination of cultures that you see in cities like LA or New York ... Charlotte remains a largely segregated town, and the rash of closed minded, ugly comments here prove it.
ReplyDeleteThat is shameful for such anti-southern bigotry to exist here in a deep south city like Charlotte and for that crude bigot to denounce a nice little innocent town as Cherryville in such a hostile racist way is so disrespectful. Like they say the smeller is the feller. Check the mirror for the real bigot. You probably hate Rush Limbaugh and America too.
ReplyDeleteMADE UP NEWS!!! You are right. There is way too much made up news. It's like faction. They do it all the time. It's so funny.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we're more diverse. I grew up here and I can remember when diversity meant Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists sitting down together. Maybe I exaggerate a little, but only a little.:)
ReplyDeleteI love Charlotte but I also have lived in NY/NJ, SF, LA, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona. It's nice to have a mix of people and I believe healthy in the long run. Face it, bigots: you cannot close yourselves off from the growth and change of the rest of the world. Learn how to manage it, benefit from it, grow from it. Or be hateful rednecks with spittle-flecked monitors and keyboards. You decide.