Allyship 101

Ally

“A white ally acknowledges the limits of her/his/their knowledge about other people’s experiences but doesn't use that as a reason not to think and/or act. A white ally does not remain silent but confronts racism as it comes up daily, but also seeks to deconstruct it institutionally and live in a way that challenges systemic oppression, at the risk of experiencing some of that oppression. Being a white ally entails building relationships with both people of color, and also with white people in order to challenge them in their thinking about race. White allies don’t have it all figured out, but are committed to non-complacency.”

-TriCollege Libraries

Racism

As defined (updated 06/2020) by Merriam-Webster:

1: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

2a: a doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and designed to execute its principles

b: a political or social system founded on racism

3: racial prejudice or discrimination

Bigotry

“A bigoted person is one who holds the beliefs of intolerance against others, most commonly due to race or religion. Bigoted people can be prevalent in all aspects of life.

Example: A woman decides to not let her child play with their new neighbors because they are African American. This woman has allowed a difference in race affect her view of others and has created a prejudice toward her neighbors.”

-Fairy God Boss

Prejudice

“What is at the core of prejudice?

Differences, of any kind. But from there you can layer on social dynamics like competition, threat, and fear, and these lead prejudices to become more intense, entrenched, and oppressive. “

-Psychology Today

“For example, A coach who holds the prejudiced belief that black people can't/don't swim, might not recruit African American children because he assumes they wouldn't want to compete.

Because prejudice usually turns to action, it is imperative that we identify the source and work to get rid of it when at all possible.”

-Better Help

White Privilege

“White privilege is—perhaps most notably in this era of uncivil discourse—a concept that has fallen victim to its own connotations. The two-word term packs a double whammy that inspires pushback. 1) The word white creates discomfort among those who are not used to being defined or described by their race. And 2) the word privilege, especially for poor and rural white people, sounds like a word that doesn’t belong to them—like a word that suggests they have never struggled.”

-Tolerance.org

Black Lives Matter

“Black Lives Matter is an activist movement which began as a hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) when George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African-American teenager killed in Florida in July 2013.”

-Anti-Defamation League

Instead of using the phrase “White Privilege,” try saying,

“I understand that your life may have been hard, and at times you may have been oppressed, but as a white person, the color of your skin didn’t make it harder.”

Instead of saying “Black Lives Matter,” try replacing it with,

“By no means am I saying that only Black Lives Matter. The point I am making is that Black lives are in danger right now, and we need to focus on their safety before we can focus on any other group.”