Empower you ERG's through Allyship

Brief Summary

Allyship is a term that is becoming increasingly more popular. Being an ally not an identity. It’s a practice. An ally is someone who takes responsibility for fighting against inequality and injustice as if the struggle were their own. To translate this definition to allyship within an ERG, allies are people who advocate for a fair and just experience for the employees that share a common identity with the group.

If an ERG is to be effective, it must recognize and address the reality that each member is more than just one thing. Allyship is an active thing that must be done over and over again, in the largest and smallest ways, every day.”?if your intention is to join a group as an ally, you should learn what it means to really be one.

Challenge

Recommendation

Proposed Actions

Be a great ally to an ERG by doing the following:

• recognize that true allyship is a continuous process of education and self-reflection
• use your power and influence to speak to an audience that other members of the group may lack access to (this is especially important for managers!)
• educate yourself by listening and doing your own research
• open up spaces without taking them over
• reflect honestly on your own participation in oppressive systems, even (or especially) when it’s unintentional
• recognize, but do not apologize for, your privilege, and use that privilege to support marginalized or underrepresented co-workers, regardless of whether those co-workers choose to participate in that ERG
• contribute useful thoughts and opinions but defer decisions to the group
• believe and respect the lived experiences of others
• advocate for the needs of the group and for those who lack the safety to voice their needs, but do not presume to speak on behalf of a community you don’t belong to
• hold your peers accountable for words and actions that are biased and offensive, and that may affect members of the ERG
• publicly give credit and praise for the work of their marginalized or underrepresented colleagues (doing so with intention can signal to other team members that it’s safe for them to participate too!)

Valued Guidance

Read:

Lead Like an Ally: A Journey Through Corporate America with Proven Strategies to Facilitate Inclusion by Julie Kratz

How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace by Melinda Briana Epler

Advancing Inclusion: A Guide to Effective Diversity Council and Employee Resource Group Membership by Deborah L. Plummer

Watch/Listen:

https://youtu.be/Yk4WkOoehEI

https://youtu.be/EJW3wjy9gSI

Learn/Study:

https://www.jillwetzler.com/blog/2018/10/9/how-to-be-an-ally-to-an-erg

https://inclusiveleadersgroup.com/how-to-kickstart-allyship-at-your-company/

Please join us on a free webinar the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 12:00-1:00 EDT on ERG related topics led by industry experts. For more information, https://ergfocus.ueniweb.com???

If you would like a complimentary copy of our e-booklet, The EnERGize ERG Success Guide, please send your request to [email protected].