I remember the first time I realized I was treated differently because of my skin color.

Before I share this story, let me contextualize my experience. I am a Black male, adopted into a single-parent white family. My mother later adopted two other Black children who became my brother and sister. The family next door to us was a white couple with one biological child and two adopted Black children. So, conversations about race were commonplace in my household for as long as I can remember.