"I AM AN ALLY." We often hear this phrase in social justice conversations, but do we truly understand what it means and how to be an effective ally? Let's explore that in a quick read.
Understanding Allyship:
Allyship is an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating. It involves a person in a position of privilege and power operating in solidarity with an equity-deserving group. The key terms here are power and privilege.
Three Things to Know About Privilege:
Your privilege and power change based on your social/geographic context.
Privilege changes with dimensions of diversity.
Having privilege doesn't make you bad; it's about using it for positive change.
Acting in Allyship: Practical Steps
Check your biases: Building equitable cultures requires checking both privileges and biases.
Listen Actively: Practice the art of listening to understand the root cause of challenges.
Don't be a saviour: Create space for equity-deserving voices rather than offering help.
Recognize diversity: Equity-deserving communities are not a monolith; embrace individual experiences.
Educate yourself: Resources abound online; it's not the responsibility of equity-deserving communities to educate.
In the Workplace:
Repeat and acknowledge good ideas.
Ensure inclusivity in meetings and conversations.
Believe others' experiences.
Address inappropriate behaviour in the moment.
Sponsor someone with potential.
A Note on Mistakes:
Striving for perfection is exhausting. Acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and keep trying. The key to acting in allyship is not to stop.
Remember, every effort counts toward positive change. 💙