Overpolicing of Black youth in streets

Douglas College student research essay submitted as partial requirement for Geography 2213 course as part of the STEP UP (Student Teams Exploring Pervasive Urban Problems) program. Faculty sponsor to submit this research essay to DOOR: Dr. Sarah Paynter. Society is based on material and discursive geographies that shape individuals’ experiences and perceptions. From a social geography perspective, society and geography are mutually constituted and simultaneously (re)produced: they are fluid and filled with meanings. Here, intersecting social categories (e.g., race, class, age, gender, ability) and personal expectations create inequalities and systems of oppression that are reinforced/undermined by institutions, media, geographies, discourses, and interactions. Unfortunately, places are constantly being (re)written in ways that exclude/privilege certain individuals, which reinforce/devalue dichotomies and racialized meanings of society. It is clear racism and other systems of oppression disproportionately affect some groups; the paper will highlight the specific challenges black youth face due to their identities. The present research aims to analyze the over policing of Black youth in streets to highlight institutionalized racism in Canada.