I could tell that her niece was the young woman sitting next to her. I could see it in her eyes. I looked at the niece directly and I said, “It shouldn’t be this way. You deserve to be seen by those you love and those who love you, just like your white friends and family members are. You deserve to be believed by your community. You should hear them say, ‘this matters to me because you matter to me. What hurts you hurts me, and I’m here for you.’ And that hasn’t happened for you, just as it hasn’t happened for so many people of color in this country. And it’s not okay. And if you are feeling hurt by that, it is a valid way to feel. Because it should be different, and you have the right to expect more.” Tears streamed down her face as I said this.