Dismantling racism & oppression: Be an Accomplice: Make Change

From Guide to Allyship: An Open Source Starter Guide to Help You Become a More Thoughtful and Effective Ally

To be an ally is to...

1. Take on the struggle as your own.
2. Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it.
3. Amplify voices of the oppressed before your own.
4. Acknowledge that even though you feel pain, the conversation is not about you.
5. Stand up, even when you feel scared.
6. Own your mistakes and de-center yourself.
7. Understand that your education is up to you and no one else.

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 use your privilege to amplify (digitally and in-person) historically suppressed voices
• 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