The fact that Washington, D.C., was segregated was likely shocking to Carlotta because she had grown up in a different part of the country where segregation was not as common or visible. Carlotta was from New Orleans, Louisiana, which was also a segregated city, but the segregation there was more entrenched and accepted as a way of life. In contrast, Washington, D.C., was the nation's capital and was supposed to represent the ideals of democracy and equality. The fact that segregation was so evident in such an important and symbolic place may have been surprising and disappointing to Carlotta. Additionally, Carlotta was a teenager at the time, and teenagers are often more idealistic and less jaded than adults. She may have been more shocked and outraged by the injustice of segregation than an older person who had become more accustomed to it.