“I understand why the world might make you feel that way. I can only imagine what it’s like for someone like you to go through life. But it is my job—my privilege, actually—to tell you that what you’re thinking isn’t true, Javier. The truth is that you can go to college wherever you’d like, even to the best schools our nation has to offer. And you know what else is true? Those schools would be lucky to have a student like you on their campus, Javier. In fact, those schools need students like you. Desperately.” Mr. Martin waited, as if he expected me to clap my hands or something.
