I liked Johnny, the boy who sat next to me in a 5th-grade class. He had a unique and beautiful penmanship. I loved how he squared off his P’s and Q’s with bottom triangles. Always a brilliant, handsome smile for me when I arrived to sit next to him. Johnny was funny and never rude; he would shake his hair, and I loved it. You can say Johnny was my first crush.
One day, I invited Johnny to my Aunt Mary’s house for a study date. I asked her if it was okay, and she agreed. She even prepared lunch for us. Nothing prepared me for her reaction to Johnny at the door. Johnny was black, and I had no idea it was a thing. No family member had said anything to indicate that it was a thing. I remember feeling so confused and embarrassed by her reaction to Johnny. She insisted we stay in the dining room and study at the table. Johnny and I both felt weird and uncomfortable, and he soon left.
This was the first time I liked a boy and the first time I encountered the ugly head of racism. I had no idea it was even a thing! Much less was I expecting it to come from my loving Aunt Mary.
Things were never the same between Johnny and me. Very soon, my Aunt Mary pulled me from public school. She sent me to Catholic school. There, I was in an all-girls classroom. But I will never forget Johnny and how he made me happy every day at school. And I am still color blind and thankful for that.
I’m most inspired by kindness, love, and compassion. Johnny was a positive person, and I admired him for it. He is not famous, but he was brave.
GrowingOlderHopeWiser 
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