There is a difference between saying “person of color” and “colored person”; the term “colored” has a triggering and negative history. As to your competition with your friend, you cannot assume it is favoritism. It could be a difference as small as being in one different club, or one different hobby. Let’s say you are a ball player, and they have already accepted X amount of ball players, but your friend plays the violin and they have no violinists, they would pick the violinist (sometimes). Like I said, there are many variables that go into it.