Allysen Marks is completing her Master’s in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. A native of the south, she is passionate about youth activism as a source of societal change. In the past she has worked as an advocate for urban and rural youth living in under-resourced and highly disadvantaged education-deprived environments. She hopes to continue this work as an outspoken activist in situations where education policy decisions are made.
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.