Help Wanted: Allies
Being an ally is more than being sympathetic towards those who experience injustice. It is more than simply believing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Being an ally means being willing to act with and for others in pursuit of eliminating oppression, prejudice, and discrimination in our society. Women and people of color cannot change this 400-year-old power construct without the people in power. If engaged correctly, allies hold the power and the key to end injustice. To see any real progress, we must all understand the part we play in the solution.
During the social upheaval that began in the summer of 2020 with the murder of George Floyd, I found myself in a variety of situations — town halls, news interviews, radio shows, virtual conferences, etc. — speaking and teaching about the impact of injustice on people of color and the widening disparities exacerbated by the pandemic in health, housing, education, and employment. Most of my audiences had been eager to listen and learn — an educator’s dream. But one particular presentation to a group of elected officials wasn’t so welcoming, and it changed my focus — forever. All but one of the elected officials were white and most appeared to be disengaged from the presentation altogether.
When it was my turn to speak, I addressed the elephant in the room by acknowledging how uncomfortable this must be for them. My goal was to let them know that the purpose of this presentation isn’t to attack individuals (hence, their reticence), but to dismantle the systems and structures that hold women and people of color back. I thought to myself: how are we ever going to make any real progress if we can’t even talk about it? One by one, they began to look up at me. I was nearly frozen by their stares, but I knew that if I wanted to keep their attention, I had to be clear about what I really wanted from them. I was crystal clear. I wanted them to see this as an opportunity to become allies — to create an alliance with people who are suffering under the weight of oppression and injustice. Ultimately, these elected officials had the power to enact policy that could help us all tremendously.
When people form an alliance to speak out against injustice, people who are the target of that prejudice are not the only ones who benefit. In an alliance, both parties stand to benefit from our collective efforts to create a better educated and more understanding world that treats each of us with dignity and respect.
Allyship is everyone. White women can be actionable allies to people of color, men can be allies to women, cis people can be allies to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, able-bodied people can be allies to those with different abilities, light-skinned people of color can be allies to dark-skinned people of color, economically privileged people can be allies to those who are not and so on.
What actions can allies take?
Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, said,
“It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”
An ally is someone whose personal commitment to fighting oppression and injustice is reflected in their willingness to:
1. Educate oneself about different identities and experiences
2. Challenge one’s own discomfort and prejudices
3. Learn and practice the skills of being an ally
4. Take action to create interpersonal, societal and institutional change
Please consider becoming an ally and leveraging your personal influence to accelerate diversity, equity, and inclusion wherever you live, work, and play.