From the preface, explain what lopez meant by “strategic individuals adapt race.” ]

In Ian Haney Lopez "Dog whistle politics", the author intends to rpove that normal, common, good people are the majority of the racist. Although there are sadistic racists driven by hatred, the reason of racism still largely exists is because good people can also be racist. "Even the farmer who killed another human being for the  petty act of poaching, I came to understand, was not a homicidal lunatic but a  complex person capable of both brutal violence and real generosity".  

By "strategic individuals adapt race" he means this, that common people perform everyday acts of racism that are not overlook by law because it adapts itself away from what the law has established.

explanation:

dear evan hansen is a stage musical with music and lyrics by benj pasek and justin paul, and book by steven levenson.

the musical opened on broadway at the music box theatre in december 2016, after its world premiere at the arena stage in washington, d.c., in july 2015 and an off-broadway production at second stage theatre from march to may 2016.

at the 71st tony awards, it was nominated for nine awards, winning six, including best musical, best score, best actor in a musical for ben platt, and best featured actress in a musical for rachel bay jones.