--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way you start to break down systemic…" description: "\"The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people who are not like you.\" — Killer Mike" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png" --- # The way you start to break down systemic racism is to… ![“The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people who are not like you.” quote by Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png) > “The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people who are not like you.” [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates personal connections across racial lines as a foundation for dismantling systemic racism. **In simple terms:** Build friendships with different people to fight racism. Key Takeaway Connect personally across differences. Themes racial justice relationships community activism Mood motivational reflective Type social activist When to use this quote - Neighborhood events - workplace mentorship - school exchange programs Key Concepts personal empathy social cohesion bridge building Questions to Reflect On - What steps can follow personal bonds to create systemic change? - How do we sustain relationships beyond initial contact? A Different Perspective Personal ties alone may not change institutional policies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break Systemic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-systemic-2289637/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Individual Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-relationships-2289638/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-start-2289636/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Relationships People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships-people/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Systemic Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systemic-racism-305289/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [No matter what you call it, modern day racism comes to you in the guise of anti-racism and we have to start addressing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/no-matter-what-you-call-it-modern-day-racism-comes-to-you-in-the/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [It's a totally different spiel when I talk at Morehouse. But when I'm talking at MIT? At the University of Cincinnati? I'm telling white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/it-s-a-totally-different-spiel-when-i-talk-at-morehouse-but-when-i-m/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [By swallowing the false narrative of systemic racism, we have demonized and criminalized police while turning criminals into civil-rights martyrs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/by-swallowing-the-false-narrative-of-systemic-racism-we-have/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [The reality is we have allowed systemic racism to continue through all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gideon/the-reality-is-we-have-allowed-systemic-racism-to-continue-through/) [Sara Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gideon/) > [I do not think that we have a systemic racism problem with law enforcement officers across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-wolf/i-do-not-think-that-we-have-a-systemic-racism-problem-with-law/) [Chad Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-wolf/) > [It's just a fact that if you're a young African-American man and you do the same thing as a young white man, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-just-a-fact-that-if-you-re-a-young-african-american-man-and-you/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If Asian America exists, it is because of systemic racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-mahajan/if-asian-america-exists-it-is-because-of-systemic-racism/) [Karan Mahajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-mahajan/) > [No, I don't think there's systemic racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-o-brien/no-i-don-t-think-there-s-systemic-racism/) [Robert C. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-o-brien/) > [We have gaps that are rooted in systemic racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-have-gaps-that-are-rooted-in-systemic-racism/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [There's so much that I learned about systemic racism, the history of racial injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/there-s-so-much-that-i-learned-about-systemic-racism-the-history-of/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [Systemic racism always takes a toll, whether it be by bullet or by blood clot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/systemic-racism-always-takes-a-toll-whether-it-be-by-bullet-or-by/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [Far from ending, systemic racism reinvents itself to conform to what is publically acceptable, leaving the quality of black life diminished and more permanently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/far-from-ending-systemic-racism-reinvents-itself-to-conform-to-what/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [It is imperative that we address the barriers to access and the systemic racism that we know is contributing to our astronomically high maternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/it-is-imperative-that-we-address-the-barriers-to-access-and-the/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [The lies of systemic racism and the race hustlers dominate the ideologies of universities and even churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-lies-of-systemic-racism-and-the-race-hustlers-dominate-the/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [While progress has been made, there is still more work to do to root out systemic racism and inequity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ray-lujan/while-progress-has-been-made-there-is-still-more-work-to-do-to-root/) [Ben Ray Lujan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-ray-lujan/) ## More by Killer Mike > [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [My rap comes from a sociological standpoint rather than picking a particular side or dogma or ideology. I just want people to be free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-rap-comes-from-a-sociological-standpoint-rather-than-picking-a/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [I don't understand how any black person can tell me that they're not pro-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-don-t-understand-how-any-black-person-can-tell-me-that-they-re-not/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [I believe in smart people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-believe-in-smart-people/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Have you seen Bernie Sanders rallies? I haven't seen that many white voters since the Oscars. You know - oh, we have some Hollywood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/have-you-seen-bernie-sanders-rallies-i-haven-t-seen-that-many-white/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Rap, to me, is communal. It's something you do with your friends. So becoming a member of a group was the dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/rap-to-me-is-communal-it-s-something-you-do-with-your-friends-so/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Being an adult, you've already suffered enough from your own mistakes, and the world, to come to this as a humble human being. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/being-an-adult-you-ve-already-suffered-enough-from-your-own-mistakes/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [I don't accept the term 'political rapper' because I don't give a damn about either political party. I give a damn about the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-don-t-accept-the-term-political-rapper-because-i-don-t-give-a-damn/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [My rights are precious, and I value those provided to me through the United States Constitution so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-rights-are-precious-and-i-value-those-provided-to-me-through-the/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [I've been in the newspapers since I was about 15 - not for rapping, but for real substantive stuff I was doing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-ve-been-in-the-newspapers-since-i-was-about-15-not-for-rapping-but/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [51 years ago, when Hillary Clinton was working on the Goldwater campaign, Bernie Sanders was getting locked up for my rights. 50 years later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/51-years-ago-when-hillary-clinton-was-working-on-the-goldwater/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [Bernie Sanders is the only politician who, consistently for 50 years, has taken that social justice platform into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/bernie-sanders-is-the-only-politician-who-consistently-for-50-years/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [America has done a great job making brutally fast, stripped-down cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/america-has-done-a-great-job-making-brutally-fast-stripped-down-cars/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [My hair is dry. A lot of shampoos and greasers don't work with me, and so I started playing around with a chemist on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/my-hair-is-dry-a-lot-of-shampoos-and-greasers-don-t-work-with-me-and/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [I have searched all night and day for new and better words that could express my feelings and fear for the people of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-have-searched-all-night-and-day-for-new-and-better-words-that-could/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) [Explore all 163 Killer Mike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. 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We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. 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I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people who are not like you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Killer Mike" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic-racism-is-to-start-building/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic-racism-is-to-start-building/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/killer-mike-2503_building_the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic_1022788.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people…” — Killer Mike", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Killer Mike", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The way you start to break...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic-racism-is-to-start-building/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/the-way-you-start-to-break-down-systemic-racism-is-to-start-building/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```