People lump people together all the time. It's a function of the human mind to categorize. White people, and USA-ians in general, prize individuality in principle. In practice, though, we see each other categorically, that's just the way the human mind works.

In our anti-racism work we can challenge this tendancy in how we see others. But the only person a person can change is themself, so it's not for us to challenge how others see us.