Race - First Experience

My first experience in which I was conscious of race was in elementary school. In fifth grade, I would stay after school and play in the yard. My play buddies where Anthony, who is black, Erica and Mirella, who are Latina, and Michael and Chris, who are white. I would walk to school with Chris and Michael, since they lived in the neighborhood just adjacent to the school and on the way.

Well, there came a time when I had a crush on Erica. Kid crushes are pretty simple, so I'm guessing I liked her because she was pretty good at playing tag, a pretty fast runner, and good at climbing the monkey bars. However, as time went by, I noticed that she took preference to Anthony, and they eventually became a "couple." (I say that in quotes, because I don't know how much of a couple kids can really be at that age, but then again my first kiss was in preschool).

It didn't really hurt me to know that she would prefer Anthony, because at that time I told myself that they would probably be better together because of their similarly darker (than mine) skin color. I figured she preferred him for that very reason.

But even that I'm not sure is the first official time of recognizing race. Is that really recognizing race if I thought that they were better together by belonging to the same "People of Color" group? To me, it doesn't represent the understanding of race, as not only one of separation based on color, but also of privilege. In my example, there is no privilege that was recognized, just skin color. It would almost be like saying that one pair of socks go better with those shoes.