When I was a senior in high school, my mom pointed out an ad in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution announcing that Maya Angelou would be speaking at Morehouse College for “A King Celebration.” We decided to go, and my mom drove us in our minivan through Atlanta traffic from Gwinnett to Morehouse.

When we reached the box office, we were told the event was sold out. Dejected, my mom and I began to walk away until a man stopped us. He asked, “Did they say no more tickets?” My mom confirmed, and then he said, “I have two extras,” and handed them to us. To this day, my mom calls that man an angel. I wish I knew who he was, so I could tell him about the impact that evening had on me.

The moment that stayed with me most was hearing Ms. Angelou read in her distinctive voice, “A Pledge to Rescue Our Youth.” She said: “We pledge ourselves and our resources to seek for you clean and well-furnished schools, safe and non-threatening streets, employment which makes use of your talents, but does not degrade your dignity.”

Those words and the kindness of the man who gave us the tickets showed me the power of generosity and the way we can feel connected to someone so different from ourselves.  When Ms. Angelou passed away in 2014, I felt like I had lost a friend.