Allyship is the lifelong process in which people with privilege and power work to develop empathy towards another marginalized group's challenges or issues.
The goal of allyship is to create a culture in which the marginalized group feels valued, supported, and heard.
Being an ally is not a label: it is a verb.
To be an ally is to…
Take on the struggle as your own
Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it
Amplify voices of the oppressed before your own
Acknowledge that even though you feel pain, the conversation is not about you
Stand up, even when you feel scared
Understand your education is up to you and no one else
Why allies are necessary
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.
Because an ally might have more privilege and recognizes their privilege, they are powerful voices alongside oppressed ones.
The dos…
Do be open to listening
Do be aware of your implicit biases
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
Do the outer work and figure out how to change the oppressive systems
Do learn how to listen and accept criticism with grace, even if it’s uncomfortable
Do the work every day to learn how to be a better ally
The don’ts…
Do not expect to be taught or shown. Take it upon yourself to use the tools around you to learn and answer your questions
Do not participate for the gold medal in the “Oppression Olympics” (you don’t need to compare how your struggle is “just as bad as” a marginalized person’s)
Do not behave as though you know best
Do not take credit for the labor of those who are marginalized and did the work before you stepped into the picture
Do not assume that every member of an underinvested community feels oppressed
