Anchorage public schools lead nation in diversity

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/article/20150523/anchorage-public-schools-lead-nation-diversity

<snip>

University of Alaska Anchorage sociology professor Chad Farrell has spent several years studying Anchorage’s diversity by using mathematical formulas to show just how diverse parts of the city are. His work made headlines after the 2010 U.S. Census showed Mountain View, on the city’s east side, to be the most diverse neighborhood in the country.

But how exactly is diversity defined? Simply put, an area has to have many different groups of people in relatively similar proportions to score highly on the “diversity index,” which Farrell and his colleagues at Penn State University use to quantify an area’s ethnic diversity.

“The more groups there are and the more equally sized they are, the more demographic diversity you have in an area,” he said.

Anchorage’s neighborhoods are unique because they include members of all seven demographic categories recognized by the government -- white, black, Hispanic/Latino, Alaska Native/American Indian, mixed race, Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander -- in large numbers.

“There are few areas in the United States that have the mix of groups and the presence of groups in significant sizes like we do,” Farrell said.

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More here:

http://www.adn.com/article/20150523/games-common-language-anchorage-prep-soccer-teams-reflect-citys-diversity


I love Anchorage's diversity. It makes our city so much more interesting, and I think it's so good for the kids to be exposed to all these cultures.

[bravenak]

1. It is a very diverse city.

I love it here, I'm here to stay forever.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Me, too, Brave.

After 40 years, they'd have to pry me out of here with a crowbar.

[bravenak]

4. I keep telling people to hurry and get here while the gettin is good.

The smart one come to visit and never leave.

[Scootaloo]

3. Sounds better than Cordova was

But then, Cordova was dying with the fishing industry, so that didn't help

[bravenak]

5. But I think Cordova has A beach, and we have mudflats.

You shoulda came to stay at my house. Everybody else did. Woulda had fun.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Anchorage's diversity bloom

has mostly happened in the past 30 years. It was probably 75-80% Caucasian when I first came up here in 1975. I like that everyone is mixed together throughout the city and not "ghettoized."