Rosalynd Harris was just doing her job, serving lunch at Busboys and Poets—a café in Washington, D.C. known for its social justice themes—when something unexpected happened. She greeted a group of men visiting from West Texas, including Jason White, a 37-year-old dentist in town for President Trump’s inauguration.
The men noticed the restaurant’s atmosphere—filled with artwork of Black leaders and customers wearing Women’s March pins—and weren’t sure how they’d be received. White even asked his friend to remove his red “Make America Great Again” hat to avoid drawing attention. But the moment Harris approached with a big smile, the mood shifted.
