Children may be naive, and at times sheltered by their parents, but they are not immune or unaware about the issue of race in America.

In a video that is part of a series by WNYC Radio called "Being 12," a variety boys and girls from middle schools in Manhattan discuss their experiences with race and how they have been treated by peers and adults based on their background.

The children answer the question "Who am I?" Many of them go on to name various backgrounds, including Puerto Rican, Dominican, Venezuelan, Nigerian, Irish, Haitian and Indian.

A young Venezuelan shared how she was made fun of in school for bringing a traditional Venezuelan dish.

"I was sharing one of the foods that we eat and then i got made fun of -- they were like 'what is that?'" she explained. "And like I cried because I felt like there was something wrong where I'm from and maybe its bad. Like I'm different."

This same student goes on to explain how just because she is Latina people expect her not to have money.

A biracial boy, whose mother is of Irish background and dad is African-American, explains how he has to prove himself to be either white or black and feels like there is an anxiety that comes with being biracial.

A young African American girl explained how, because of her background, people expect her not to be educated. She also recalled an experience where her family was asked to pay up front before getting their food at a restaurant because they feared her family wouldn't pay.

With all the recent deaths of members of the black community at the hands of police officers, a boy of Puerto Rican, Dominican and African-American background explained how his racial identity keeps him on edge when walking outside.

"I feel scared if I walk down the street, you know, cops might just think I'm doing something bad and if I try to explain to them they won't listen and just start beating me up," he said.

Check out more stories from the series on the project's Tumblr page and watch the video below.