So I’m standing in my department at work with a fellow employee. He is of Mexican-American descent. A white female customer approaches him with some questions about a product we carry and he gladly answers, then proceeding to hold a few minutes long conversation with her.
Towards the end of the conversation, my employee friend is asked by this woman whether he can translate some Spanish that is written on a product for her. He says “No”, since he does not speak Spanish.
Blown away at the fact that this brown-skinned, Mexican-American descended young man , she replies in a more than surprised tone, “You DON’T?! Are you serious? Why not?” This is asked due to the interruption of her preconceived notion that all brown folks with Hispanic heritage ought to be able to spout off Spanish to meet her requests.
She then goes on to brag about how she is learning Spanish and how he “really ought to start”, appropriating his cultural priorities for him because she deems it necessary for all brown skinned Hispanics to know Spanish, since that's the preconception she has formed in her mind. I then step forward, translate the product phrase for her (as I am a fluent speaker myself, perhaps the person she was seeking instead) and watch her wish us "Good day" with a somewhat smug smile of self-satisfaction on her face.
This is White Privilege. She makes a sweeping generalization, a stereotype, and when it is proven wrong, it is the fault of the generalized person and it is on them to change. Non-whites must be given critiques to fit into the mold of how Whites see society and the world at large. This is a situation that even wealthy, well-to-do dark-skinned Hispanics do not often escape.
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