How It Went Down Systemic Racism

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Systemic racism has been embedded within society for years, destroying the promise of equality for all. The lack of access to resources is an example of systemic racism, where laws and policies put certain racial groups at a disadvantage. The novel, How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon and the article “Systemic racism in Yukon’s education system under review” by Dana Hatherly, both address racism through government systems. Since racism continues to affect marginalized racial groups by creating barriers, it is crucial to provide access to resources through government systems, such as education and policing. Police are a service that is appointed to serve and protect the community. They are meant to be trusted with any truth you come to them with. …show more content…

Rocky is described as a man who does not want any trouble, so he does not have to answer anyone's questions later. This also suggests that Rocky fears the police and the trouble he can get into because of his skin colour. Fearing the police is very useless for a community as it takes away from their purpose, which is part of why crimes are so regular in Underhill. It is crucial to get rid of racially biased perspectives from policing systems, since racism can not only defeat the purpose of a service, but also further hurt a community. Secondly, everyone has a right to an educational space where everyone feels included and respected, though in Yukon, Canada, this may not be the case. This is proven in an article that showcases systemic racism towards the First Nations peoples in Yukon through education. Melanie Bennet, the executive director of the First Nation Directorate, explains how “a review of systemic racism in education in the Yukon is crucial for examining and pinpointing the ways a system can “unknowingly discriminate” against some of its students (Harthley

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