How can one survive racial hardship?

In the book Indian Horse, written by Richard Wagamese, Saul Indian Horse, at a young age was put in a residential school filled with racism, hatred against First Nations. Not only that but he was abused by the nun and the priest for not following the rules of the school. After fighting all the hardships he went through, Saul discovered the sport hockey which he was introduced by one of the priests in the school, Father Leboutillier. He quickly became fond of the sport and it brought him joy; he was a natural. The sport helped Saul get through the hardship he was experiencing in the residential school. It was a type of coping mechanism to help him survive the horrors of the residential school. Furthermore, Saul was able to make good friends because of hockey, these friends were the same as Saul (First Nations) and was always there for him to depend and lean on. Hockey was the key for Saul to survive racial hardship he was suffering through his whole life. Humans can be cruel; just because a person doesn’t have the same skin colour as you, it doesn’t give you the right to act superior and racist towards them. This novel portrays how one can survive racial hardship and discrimination by doing what makes you happy and by surrounding yourself with people who has your back no matter what such as Saul’s friends.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11994903-indian-horse