Ally is a Verb
By Allysen Marks
It’s not uncommon to read a Facebook post or Twitter biography stating- “I’m a white ally for racial justice” or “I am an ally to police forces” or emptier yet, “I’m an ally.” So what does it mean to be an “ally”? Webster Dictionary defines ally as “a person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity.” Implied in the definition is action, not that it should be just used as an identity. But the reality is that words (like ally) need to translate into action.
However, before going further it is paramount that you as a white ally reflect on why you want to be an ally. This critical consciousness is imperative to your ability to actually help, and not harm, those around you. If you’re using this term because you fear being labeled a racist, you might in some ways harbor racist sentiments. Allyship is not an article of clothing you can discard if it becomes uncomfortable or feels too worn. If that is how you view this identity, you are contributing to the oppression that continuously seeks to marginalize people that are “not like you”. But if you want to be an ally because you recognize the grave injustices of our society, and know that our human experience is interconnected, then please educate yourself further on how you can serve others in this space.
So you may find yourself ideologically opposed to racism. So what? Will calling yourself a white ally challenge or change the institutionalized systems of oppression? Probably not. Maybe you supported Colin Kaepernick's protest of police brutality. But what action came with this decision? Did you organize yourself and other white allies to support his work, while engaging others in meaningful conversation that would lead to change? Probably not. This would have required time, thoughtful action, and to place yourself in an uncomfortable situation among your white peers. As a white ally I, too, am guilty of this inaction in times when it mattered. It is easy to say you’re an ally because it erases some of the white guilt you feel for the fact you are privileged by a system designed by people like you, to benefit people like you.
If you’re curious as to how you might begin this journey, look to the white allies Showing up For Racial Justice (SURJ). SURJ operates from a place of critical awareness of how race and racism function in America. They demonstrate this awareness through specific and targeted action, not just by using a hip label that makes them seem progressive. An example of their work is their call for allies in Charlottesville, VA to contact the Districts Commonwealth Attorney Joseph Platania, requesting they drop charges against three anti-racist protesters that were present at the Unite the Right event. These three allies also happen to have been targets of physical violence from those “fine people” that were at the event. SURJ identified a problem, developed easy actionable steps, and called on allies to apply pressure to hopefully incite change.
They do not position themselves to take up or transform the activist spaces of people of color, but instead seek to use their privilege to push for change. You can use your privilege in a way that elevates others, not you, especially in spaces where your privilege affords you entry. And while you may be marginalized in some aspects, oppression can occur across multiple dimensions of identity, and depending on what group you aligning yourself with, this conversation might not be about you. One of the most critical things to remember is that this identity you’re taking on is not one you should discard when you become scared, or feel challenged. To be an ally implies an action, you are not just a noun. It’s a skill you have to actively practice and check yourself on- you are not here to save people of color.
“We are showing up to take our responsibility as white people to act collectively and publicly to challenge the manipulation of racist fear by the ruling class and corporate elite.”
Their website includes organizing tool kits, as well as information about how to begin dismantling systems of racism. They provide guides on a variety of subjects from how to have a cross-class capacity building session, to police accountability and criminalization. The crux of this whole allyship thing is that in order to do it successfully and without causing harm, you have to seek out these types of networks that help you grow and identify how you can help (if you can help).
A highly publicized example of racial profiling in a Starbucks in Philadelphia, in which police were called within 3 minutes of two young black men entering the store, has caused a proliferation of articles on how white people’s irrational fear of people of color is a systemic problem—as if it was not before. This is an opportunity for you as an ally to get out there and discuss that this problem is not a Starbucks problem, but one deeply rooted in America.
It’s our job as white people to take responsibility for the ways in which we benefit from racism. As Brandon Tensley appropriately said in an article about why BLM activists are telling white allies to get to work, “a white person who doesn't put in the same degree of work [as black activists] to grapple with racism, of all kinds, reinforces it” (2017).
So white friends, there you have it- it is time to step up, or step out of the way.
Here are some beginning steps you can take to become an ally:
Reflect on why you want to become an ally.
Research ally-groups in your community (and then actually join)! Groups like SURJ have chapters across the country, and if they don’t have one in your city they give you the tools to start a chapter yourself.
Become educated on the issues impacting those you wish you be an ally with. For example, if you want to be an ally to people of color in Philadelphia you need to understand the historical and contemporary context in which they are facing oppression.
Works Cited
Tensley, B. (2017, November 3). Time for white allies to move past perfunctory activism. TIME. Retrieved from https://psmag.com/social-justice/time-for-white-allies-to-move-past-perfunctory-activism
Showing Up for Racial Justice (2018). Resources. Retrieved from http://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/resources