The incident in Strawberry; Escape From Jackson How does the author’s description of the desolate town of Strawberry account of the incident that occurs there?

The narrator describes the town of her youth.... a place that was always desolate, with gloomy storefronts, and sagging verandas. Nothing had changed in Strawberry.... not the town, and definitely not the people who lived there. As a result, the racial conflicts remain high, the white men continue to harass Stacey, as well as his friends, and as usual, Jeremy is still there to help out.