Check the job listings on Craigslist, Idealist, Monster.com and Linkedin, and you will find postings that indicate: "Spanish Speaker Needed," "Spanish Fluency Preferred" or "Native speaker of fully fluent in Spanish requested." There's no doubt that the language is in great demand, however, the people who natively speak it, simply are not.

Thirty-seven million Spanish speakers live in the United States, the language ranking at number two - the second-most language spoken in the United States today. Ballooning since 1980, when there were 11 million Spanish speakers, the number of speakers has increased 233 percent. In 2020, it's estimated that about 40 million are projected to be Spanish-speakers. This is greatly due to Hispanic immigration and population growth, also the growing need/desire for non-Hispanics to speak Spanish at home or in the workplace. 

Spanish for Anglos is a passport; it's a well-garnered skill, and evidence of an attentive and well-rounded student. It is access to even more jobs than their privilege already grants. However, to be Latino and to speak Spanish at work, even when talking with a client, carries a negative connotation. Spanish-speaking Latinos tend not to speak Spanish in the workplace, particularly those who have high-paying jobs, because it conflicts with demands to assimilate and appear "American."

"As the number of non-Latino Spanish speakers rises, I can't help but think it is the stereotype of what an American looks like that is causing the decline in Latino Spanish speakers. While we are busy trying to "look American" enough, non-Latinos are learning how to benefit from their privilege, as usual. They are joining Teach for America and accepting positions in non-profits focused on empowering "low-income" people of color," said Policy Mic writer, Maribel Hermosillo.

The fact is, there's a great deal of money to be made profiting off of Latinos, which is why the demand for Spanish speakers is so high. However, simply because big businesses have recognized how powerful the Latino market is, and they've made efforts to communicate with Latinos so that they can continue to rake in profits, it, in no way, indicates that they desire the success of the minority group that helps to keep their business thriving. Afterall, keeping Latinos in low-wage, labor-entensive jobs is more beneficial for them.