I remember the exact moment I realized I was darker than 2AM. I was in the 6th grade and we were doing a presentation on various political parties in Canada. (We had to choose one and try to convince the class to vote for us) I don't really remember what I chose but do remember I got the class laughing really hard. Anyways after our presentation, some boys were googling random pictures on the computers (This took place in the computer lab). Suddenly there was a bunch of laughter and a couple kids motioned me to come their way. Wanting to know the commotion I walked up and peered over their shoulders to get a better look at the screen. It was a picture of some black dude with a huge afro.
"Hey this dude looks just like you!" I remember staring at that picture and wondering wtf they were talking about. At the time I was rocking a huge afro so I thought that was what they were talking about, however in other aspects he looked nothing like me.
Or so I thought.
After arguing with them for a couple minutes, swearing up and down that it was just the hair, they kinda just dropped it and googled other pictures. I remember being really confused. Not sad or angry or whatever other emotion some might feel when being compared to some random dude on the internet but more...bewildered.
Later as I got home I remember going up to the mirror and jumping back in surprise. I always knew I was darker than the rest of the kids, but damn....I was dark. I compared skin tones with my family and parents and although one of my siblings were more or less the same skin tone as me, although the rest were lighter.
The next day was even weirder. As the day went by I noticed that not only was I different but so was everybody else. I'm not talking about the obvious differences, like that one Asain girl having slanted eyes or that one super pale girl having lots of freckles, but the more subtle ones. I noticed the rougher hair of that one Sudanese chick, the hairy arms of one of my Arab friends (dude was in grade 6 and was sprouting a beard tf) the stringy red hair of that one quiet ginger kid and even the fact that my homeroom teacher was missing a finger (he announced to the class that he lost it due to some industrial accident after I inquired about it)
I'm not saying these differences are relative to all races, just that I was oblivious to them. I never judged anyone for their physical appearance and always chatted with everybody as an equal. Too be honest I thought that shit was dope. (Almost as dope as the time I discovered masturbation although that's another story) Too be so different yet quite the same. Too be able to interact with all the worlds peoples from the corners of the earth in one classroom. Shit was beautiful now that I think about it.
I wish I could end this account of my past with some inspiring quote but I don't have any lol.
TL:DR Realized I was black when the street lights would turn on every time I walk outside