EDITORIAL FEATURE
Houston – One of the Most Misunderstood
and Underappreciated Cities in the U.S.
By Ludmila (Mila) Rusakova Golovine
W
hen someone thinks
of Houston and is
from someplace other than Texas, a myriad of misinformation might
come to mind such as cowboys talking with thick Texas
drawls riding on horseback
down Main Street of an old
west town with tumbleweeds
rolling around and they all
work in the oil industry. The
fact is that only once a year is it
likely that one would see people dressing like cowboys and
riding down Main Street and
that’s for Go Texan Day and
the annual rodeo and parade.
There are no tumbleweeds
here as Houston is very warm,
humid, and tropical due to
its close proximity to the Gulf
of Mexico. We are the fourth
largest city in the U.S. and very
cosmopolitan. We are the energy capital of the world but
we also have the second largest port in the country and one
of the largest medical complexes. We have fortune 500
companies from technology,
manufacturing, professional
services, and a range of other
industries. According to the
2010 U.S. Census, Houston is
the most ethnically diverse
metropolitan area in the United States, having surpassed
both New York City and Los
Angeles. With more than 92
different consulates here, you
very well may hear someone
speaking with an accent but
it’s because they are originally
14 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ MAY 2015 ]
also had a relevant impact. For
decades, land around Houston has been inexpensive in
comparison with other metropolitan areas. Comparatively, homes are very affordable,
From 1990 to 2010, the city thus augmenting the city’s
experienced an unprecedented attractiveness to potential resgrowth of 2.2 million people, an idents. And above all, Housincrease of nearly one third of ton is a great place to live with
the population and 93 percent wonderful, friendly people and
of this growth was nonwhite. tremendous opportunities.
Yet, despite its enormous deHouston’s welcoming charmographic growth, Houston’s
diversity is fairly well-balanced. acter itself has also contribThere is no dominant ethnic uted to its diversity. Houston
group. Only 40 percent of the has welcomed more than
population is Caucasian. Lati- 70,000 refugees since the late
nos make up 35 percent, while 1970s. In several waves, refuAfrican-Americans comprise gees came to the city, settled in,
around 18 percent. Finally, and established support netAsians occupy fourth place works. These networks have
with 7 percent; however, this made it easier to accept new
group is the fastest growing refugees and connect them
and has doubled in the past de- with family members who can
help. In the 1970s, the refugees
cade.
arrived primarily from VietThe cause of this phenom- nam and Cambodia fleeing the
enon is evident for it is linked war. In the 1990s, they were
to the city itself; Houston is a primarily Bosnians, Croats,
colossal jobs creator. The cre- and Serbs fleeing the civil war
ation of jobs has been driven in the former Yugoslavia while
by the oil and gas industry, the Congolese and Rwandans
largest in the U.S. but the Texas who came here were escaping
Medical Center is constantly ethnic strife in their respecdrawing in talent not only from tive countries. Currently, the
the U.S. but from the rest of the Houston is experiencing a large
world as well. Houston’s port is influx of ethnic groups from
a commercial powerhouse for Burma fleeing the civil unrest
trade. In the last decade, Hous- there. Additionally, there has
ton’s job base has grown by an been a marked increase in refastounding 7 percent. In addi- ugees from Iraq, Syria, and Aftion to these driving economic ghanistan due to U.S. involvefactors, residential factors have ment in those countries.
from another country but native born Houstonian’s have
rather non-regional accents
making it hard to discern
where they are from.