I don’t have evidence in the form of research or empirical data but I’m happy to talk from my own experiences. Genuine empathy comes from a place of understanding and is almost impossible without seeing one’s struggles. I also think students who aren’t exposed to racially diverse populations struggle to emphasize on racial issues. If you don’t have exposure it’s something novel and foreign. Our first intuitions are often incorrect. These aren’t things that one magically gets correct from principles but rather that one slowly accumulates by interacting with diverse populations.