Dear friends,
Each June, we’re bombarded by marketing campaigns reminding us of Pride Month and Juneteenth. These celebrations of freedom provide opportunities for organizations to signal to their employees and audience that they’re aware of the endless combination of identities and perspectives that make up the human experience, and committed to allyship for all marginalized employees.
It’s easy to embrace the celebration aspect, but in order to take transformative action (DAIP’s programming theme for the year), recognition must not solely be performative, and these conversations must continue year-round.
Here is a call to action for each of you–it’s on each of us as individuals, and on the organizations that we influence, to be better allies. Allyship involves constant listening, learning, growth, and advocacy.
Taking a position on a controversial topic requires bravery. By speaking out in support of a cause or holiday, brands are signaling their values and positioning themselves as an ally. For example, this thought-provoking analysis of the question of whether corporations are displaying Genuine Pride or Corporate Rainbow Washing brings up points to consider as you determine how to meaningfully celebrate different DEIJ holidays, and how to spend your dollars as a consumer.
So how does one become a better ally? Although it was catchy, you’ll want to extend your understanding past the viral video of Valentia as an ally for the LGBTQ+ community (click here to watch).
Dictionary.com defines an ally as a person who advocates and actively works for the inclusion of a marginalized or politicized group in all areas of society, not as a member of that group but in solidarity with its struggle and point of view and under its leadership. To be an ally we must listen, learn, and use our voice and whatever privilege we have to support and stand up for those around us. It is an active practice that we must recommit to regularly.
This brings up a question I’ve been considering lately–can you truly be an ally to some marginalized groups if you’re not an ally to all? I believe you cannot.
Many folx consider themselves an ally of only one marginalized group. A pastor I met years ago proclaimed himself to be a strong ally for women and immigrants, and in the next breath condemned anyone in the LGBTQ+ community. That is not allyship.
While my employer, Amos House, is incredibly conscious of the nuances of personal identity and makes every effort to create a safe workplace for me and all employees to fully be themselves, that hasn’t always been my professional experience. I had one work environment in the past where although the employer said they were committed to equity and justice, their actions did not live up to their words. I was underpaid, my expertise was overlooked, required to share my vulnerable experiences to gain favor, and various aspects of my personal identity were regularly used to create learning moments for others. This is NOT allyship, it is a form of modern day oppression.
While these are obvious examples of creating unsafe spaces, many workplaces inadvertently create this type of hostile work environment in smaller, more subtle ways.
I invite you to ask yourself these two questions to gain a better understanding of your current level of awareness and areas for improvement:
- Do my personal practices and beliefs allow me to be an ally to all marginalized communities?
I have come to better understand my own layers of personal identity and privilege over the years. Although I often speak on stages in front of thousands of people, and although I seem privileged due to my vocabulary, my professional status, my gender, and my skin color–my core identity sits at a deeply rooted intersection where self-advocacy hasn’t always come naturally. It took me a while to learn to stand up for myself. Today, I have moved past that discomfort, and I continue to speak up for others, leveraging my privilege to challenge systems, and making sure NOT to require others to be completely vulnerable if they’re not comfortable doing so. This is a small way that allyship and active anti-racism can come together.
I encourage you to check out the resources listed below in this newsletter, and continue to work on yourself–do your own research, educate yourself on gaps in your knowledge, and continue to tap into the courage it takes to be an ally. As humans, we are all worthy of the support of those who have more privilege than us.
Keep being courageous! DAIP is here for you as you work to find a path to allyship and active anti-racism for yourself, and within your role at your place of work.
Yours in Equity,
