@futurebird I used to think the same thing before I moved to St. Louis. The tornados are terrifying, but I pay $725/m for an enormous 1 br apt. The neighborhood is gorgeous, I love my neighbors, and my job is stable. The public transportation system is the worst I've ever seen tho. That's the one thing I really miss from NYC. You'll find a lot of the same diversity here, which I love.
Here's the thing: The sense of belonging has nothing to do with other people; they're the same everywhere. That's a reflection of our own energy. I know people don't like to hear this, but it's true. We can "fit in" anywhere we get used to. There are more nazis in NYC than people know.
I want better for my hometown, but it isn't affordable, and it isn't safe right now. I'm currently working with my nibbling to build a bug out bag and get them here by train because ICE has a 2,000 capture per day quota, and if they can traffic a 5 year old US citizen with cancer, they'll traffic any brown body they see.