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GEN: Anti-Racism and Allyship

How to become an Ally

Allyship is ...a learning process.

Being an "ally" is not an identity but rather an ongoing and lifelong process and commitment to action that involves a lot of work.

An ally

  • acknowledges the limits of their knowledge about oppressed people’s experiences but doesn't use that as a reason not to think and/or act.
  • does not remain silent but confronts oppression as it comes up daily and also seeks to deconstruct it institutionally and live in a way that challenges systemic oppression, even at the risk of experiencing some of that oppression. 
  • builds relationships with both people oppressed by their identities but also with people privileged by their identities in order to challenge them in their thinking.


(adapted from Allyship & Anti-Oppression)

 

Allies don’t have it all figured out but are committed to non-complacency.

Guide to Allyship