Diversity and Its Discontents: Ambivalence in Neighborhood Policy and Racial Attitudes in the Obama Era

INTRODUCTIONUversity in the United States is increasing. While whites are currently about 75% of the U.S. population, estimates show not only that the nation will have no racial majority by the middle of this century, but also that racial diversity is developing much more rapidly than previously thought (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). This estimate will likely mean that more and more Americans will be erasing the color line in their schools, communities, and daily interactions. While there is a long history of segregation in the United States, scholars estimate that as many as 20% of communities are already racially integrated (Ellen, 2000). Further, there are a small number of communities around the nation whose racial integration has been relatively stable, either by design or by circumstance. There has been a call in recent years to better understand communities like these (Krysan, 2002; Maly, 2006; Charles, 2003; Nyden, et. al. 1998). Many believe that the dynamics of these places will reveal much about our nation's future as we become more diverse.These communities take on added significance in the Obama era. The election of Barack Obama represented many things to many people. For some, it was the advent of a new era, a post-racial United States where the color line had been eliminated in the highest public office. For others, it was a sure sign of regression, liberal hegemony, and a break from all that has been considered American, as evidenced by the "birthers" movement (those who insist that Obama is disqualified from holding the presidency by virtue of not being born in the United States), fears and alarms about his religious identity, and growing concerns about an expanding federal government.Reality, as is often the case, sides with neither party. Obama's early approval ratings are thought to be the result of moderate and bipartisan coalitions, and the bulk of his early policy decisions have shown little drastic altering of the status quo. His base remains cautiously optimistic, but major disruptions like the inherited economic crisis and the organized attack on his health care agenda continue to threaten his presidency. While Obama has made a significant shift in his office's approach to urban policies by creating the White House Office of Urban Affairs, critics charge that this has meant little actual change (Adler, 2009). Conversations are only beginning about dramatic changes to the Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment (HUD) and where funds will actually land for the community-based urban development programs promised in his campaign.This leaves racially diverse urban communities in a bind, as it does the residents who occupy them. Straddling economic fault lines and a desire to see their communities improved, these communities face a unique challenge in policy formation and planning. This study examines three racially diverse communities, which adjoin one another on Chicago's northeast side. Based on interviews with these communities' most active members, I examine both the forms of community involvement as well as the racial discourse found in these communities. The pairing of an examination of community action with the discussion of matters surrounding race and diversity in these communities is necessary for understanding the dynamics and likely fumre of racial integration in the United States. In particular, these communities share much with Obama's enthusiastic base, and are comprised of members who actively campaigned on his behalf. Many supporters outside his adopted home state of Illinois connect their work in their communities in support and celebration of Obama. They continued to wear pins and display signs months after the election had been won, and actively claim both racial diversity and liberal politics as a core element of their community's identity. As such, they offer a unique vantage point from which to establish correlations between appreciation for Obama and diversity in relation to concrete policy and community decisions. …