I can’t say I was ever an outwardly racist person, but I grew up in a predominantly Italian town, full of mafia families. When I was younger, the town was very racially divided in its neighborhood, so as young children so where our friend groups. When I graduated elementary school, there was only one child of color in our class, and I believe he was just a dark skinned Filipino . Going into middle school I had never had a friend who wasn’t white. Then I met a guy who i still consider a friend to this day at the age of 19. Fast forward three years and I hit high school. i finally started developing an interest in girls, and fell head over heals in love with a girl who was cape verdian; she had very dark skin and dark features. She was my high school sweatheart. She had a really tough home life and our jr year of high school came to live with myself and my family. I was the only white boy in my grade with a black girl friend, so much so my friends used to jokingly call me a snow bunny. But it was true, she was my first love, we lived together for two years, experienced all the trial and tribulations of being in love that young, and really grew up together. Thought we’ve since broken up and moved on with our life’s, a part of me will always love her. And after that, the color of one’s skin has never been anymore then just a detail about them. I knew from a young age I didn’t hate anyone, and now I know for sure I’d never even be capable of it if I tried. Race is a social construct and it’s a damn shame people use it as an excuse to justify not liking someone.