Here are some important do’s and don’ts to consider as you learn, grow, and step into the role of an ally. Do your research to learn more about the history of the struggle in which you are participating Do the inner work to figure out a way to acknowledge how you participate in oppressive systems
Being an effective ally requires significant self-reflection and a strong sense of self-identity. Any educator can become an ally, but the journey might look different depending on one’s identity, experience and familiarity with issues of power and privilege. To start, create your own identity map.
Educate others on the importance of allyship by modelling allyship strategies and encouraging others to do the same. 7 Listen. Trust in people’s lived experiences and listen.
practised well. This is important because if not done well, allies or want-to-be allies can do more harm than good or even act as a barrier for marginalized groups. For this reason, we need to be well-versed in strategies on how to be an effective ally.
An individual acting as an Ally for Social Justice works with those who experience oppression in collaboration and partnership to end the system of oppression. By working toward social justice, the allies are seeking not only to free the oppressed but also to be liberated and reconnected to their own full humanity and authenticity.
The Aspiring Ally for Altruism seeks to empower members of the oppressed group, which maintains credit and some control in the person doing the empowering, rather than encouraging and supporting members of the oppressed group to empower themselves. An individual acting as an Ally for Social Justice works with those who experience oppression in ...
Speaker and educator Keith E. Edwards, Ph.D, developed a conceptual model of ally identity development. Key to this model is thinking critically about our motivations. Why do we speak up? What makes us want to be an ally? Edwards distinguishes among three ally types:
Any educator can become an ally, but the journey might look different depending on one’s identity, experience and familiarity with issues of power and privilege.
Ally ( noun) someone who stands with or advocates for individuals and groups other than their own. Privilege ( noun) a special benefit or advantage that may be earned or unearned. Note: A person may or may not be aware that they are benefiting from privilege!
Social Justice Allies ( noun ) “Members of dominant social groups* who are working to end systems of oppression that give them greater privilege and power based on social group membership.”
Try looking for ways to highlight and elevate diverse perspectives in the curriculum you are required to teach. Teach about a minor character, discuss the absence of certain voices in the text or bring in an analysis of the text from a different point of view. You might also give students opportunities to analyze texts from the perspectives of their own identity group memberships.
Rather, use these activities as complementary materials to your core programming and encourage students to reflect on the work that they do as they progress through the workshops.
This toolkit has been designed with user-friendliness in mind. The facilitator manual outlines step-by-step instructions on how to facilitate each activity. Each activity outlines the objective, duration and corresponding PowerPoint slides. We also use this icon to flag activities that may generate a sensitive or controversial discussion amongst your students: We invite teachers to be extra mindful and attentive during these activities, as a skilled facilitator will be needed to maintain a safe space and generate critical discussion. Finally, the following colour-coded prompts are intended to express various components of the activity:
We highly recommend that teachers review the preliminary resources of each toolkit before delivering the workshop. A knowledgeable facilitator is needed to guide rich discussions with students.
The Be the Ally campaign is an internal campaign you can use to educate people about D&I-related terminology and spread knowledge about diversity, equity and inclusion across your company. It’s also a chance for you to promote your existing resources such as social resource groups, D&I training, cultural events and more.
We make Workplace Core available for free to eligible non-profit charitable organizations
As an ally, you need to own your mistakes and be proactive in your education, every day.
In fact, I personally no longer use the word. However, I do think it’s a good starting place for those learning to be better allies. I also believe there’s an opportunity to explore a better definition of the word. The best definition of “ally” (that I’ve found) comes from author Roxane Gay in her article for Marie Claire, “On Making Black Lives Matter.” In it, she notes:
Because an ally might have more privilege and recognizes said privilege, they are powerful voices alongside oppressed ones.
Before you can apologize, you need to know what an apology is. Apologies are social contracts that hold you accountable. They tell others that you are taking responsiblity, are open to the consequences of your actions, and plan to do better in the future. Bad apologies are performances meant to protect pride and ego.
In the summer of 2016, someone I considered an ally stood by and watched as I, a Black person, was berated by a racist. To make matters worse, I had a conversation with this person earlier in the day about the power allies can wield in situations of discrimination. But when the time came for them to take action, they were more interested in protecting their comfort.
Anyone has the potential to be an ally. Allies recognize that though they’re not a member of the underinvested and oppressed communities they support, they make a concerted effort to better understand the struggle, every single day.
Saying you’re an ally is much easier than actually being an ally. Saying you’re an ally looks good on paper, especially if you’re never questioned about your inaction. Many self-defined “allies” wear the phrase and ideology like an article of clothing, easily discarded when it’s no longer fashionable to wear.
Practicing gratitude is a valuable recovery skill, and it promotes serenity and contentment.
For confidential assistance with concerns affecting your personal or professional life, please contact the Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program at 1-800-688-7859. This article originally appeared on The Missouri Bar website.