During times of tragedy, there are many opportunities for allyship. Each of us can use our voice, ... [+]
Earlier this week, a video of the tragic killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery sparked outrage. Although the shooting occurred in February, until yesterday, the two men who were involved in Arbery’s murder had not been arrested. On social media, many pointed out that if the video had not surfaced, these two men would likely still be free. The inequities of the United States justice system are again made glaringly apparent. Understandably, many people are grappling with how to cope with this situation, which provides more evidence that racial equity continues to elude us. During times of tragedy, there are many opportunities for allyship. Each of us can use our voice, our influence, our platform and our power to make a difference. Below is a list of four ways to be an ally during times of darkness and tragedy.
1. Speak out. One of the most important aspects of effective allyship is speaking out when you witness injustice taking place. Rihanna articulated this in a recent speech she gave at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards. When people with great power and influence speak out against injustice, it can be a powerful catalyst to create change. Each of us can speak out, regardless of who we are and what the size of our following is. There are so many ways we can use our voice today. Posting a video on Facebook, tweeting or retweeting a call to action, crafting an article on Medium—the options are endless. It’s also important to reach out to your local representatives and allow your voice to be heard. We can no longer afford to be complicit.
2. Talk to your inner circle. Our inner circles are the people we are most likely to influence. Whether that is our friends, relatives, immediate family or coworkers, we must speak out when we witness those closest to us engaging in problematic and discriminatory behavior. Calling out those who love and care about will be challenging. Don’t expect it to be a walk in the park. It’s going to be uncomfortable and you may experience pushback and resistance. But not calling out those closest to us will allow their bad behaviors to continue. Talking to your aunt about why her behavior is discriminatory won’t be easy. Telling your grandfather why his statement was derogatory will be challenging. But if we are going to make changes and address discrimination, prejudice and racism, we must be vigilant.
3. Check in. If you have the capacity to, remember that you can always provide an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. Allyship can be texting your coworker, “how are you feeling?” following a tragic event. Sometimes people shy away from these conversations because of fears of ‘saying the wrong thing.’ It’s comforting to know that through dark moments in our country’s history there are people who care about and are invested in your wellbeing, so make sure you check up on your circle, particularly those who may be overwhelmed and impacted by recent events. Also, respect a person’s privacy if they don’t have the capacity or the mental bandwidth to speak about a recent event.
4. Self-education. Lastly, being able to take an honest self-assessment and recognize our own blind spots is pivotal for effective allyship. No matter how many unconscious bias trainings we attend, we will never be completely free of bias, and that’s not the objective. The goal is to recognize our biases and prevent these biases from manifesting into discrimination. Think about all the ways in your life that you have opportunities that others may not have. Once you recognize your privileges, you can make space for those who aren’t afforded these same opportunities and privileges as you. Make it a point to read more books and articles, watch more shows and follow more people who provide unique perspectives outside of your own. Until we realize that we are all interconnected and the struggle of one is the struggle of all, little progress and change will be made. In the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we must remember that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
