How to Be an Active Ally to Black Women

I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and high spirits. As always, I'm excited to share the latest news on some Equity initiatives, success stories, and developments from the DEIB community. To all our team members and community partners out there, your unwavering support and commitment to the cause continue to inspire us every day. Today we want to talk about Allyship for Black Women.

“Ally ” is a popular word in the community and workplace these days as people seek to put action behind the pledges of racial and social justice and equality that many communities and organizations have made. Often, people use the term allyship to refer to a general sense of support for marginalized groups. Yet the experience of marginalized groups in the community and workplace is not monolithic.

Many of us have spent years helping communities and workplaces become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. With the thousands of global co-workers I have worked with, there is one constant: People often want to change their environment for the better but stop short of really wanting to do the hard, painful, intentional work it takes. Part of this hard work is acknowledging that the experience of all marginalized groups is not the same— so we shouldn’t approach allyship as a one-size-fits-all endeavor. For example, the history and experiences of a transgender man in the community and or workplace is not the same as those of someone with a disability, and thus showing up as an ally for each of these people, in either of those spaces should look totally different.

There is overwhelming evidence that one group in particular has it harder in the community: Black women. Malcolm X famously said: “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” He wasn’t speaking about the workplace specifically, but his words apply to the community in general, nevertheless. Between the pandemic and the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and now, Sonya Massey, the mental health of black people, especially Black women is floundering. What can we do to address these issues head-on.

“Violence towards Black girls and women has always received far too little coverage, leaving the loved ones of countless victims of state-sanctioned murder without justice,” said Arisha Hatch, the Vice President and Chief of Campaigns at Color of Change, a nonprofit civil-rights group.?

Showing up as an ally for Black women requires an approach that takes into account the reality of their unique experiences—which, as the lawyer and scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw highlighted in her research on intersectionality , is different from that of Black men and white women. Acts of systemic racism and violence continue to deeply affect Black Women disproportionately, and many of us may be wondering how we can help. Here are some tips for how you can be an ally to people of color, particularly the Black Women, right now.

Be An Effective Bystander

Having the skills and courage to call out racism and or violence against people of color, especially Black Women, when we see or hear it is a critical way to contribute to necessary cultural change.?

There are many?effective bystander strategies for helping, and even small actions can have a big impact.

Calling out racism and or microaggressions against Black women, and people of color, may lead to some tough conversations with close friends,?family members, strangers, and colleagues.?

Yet it is important that we have these conversations and share why racist language and violent actions, especially against Black women, is not okay. Review these tips to help you?navigate through tough conversations .

Learn and Listen

If we want things to change, we need those who don’t have a lived experience as a Black woman or person of color to begin with education:

• Seek out books, articles, documentaries or podcasts to learn about the systemic oppression and racialized history of our country towards Black women.
• Expand your media intake (entertainment, news sources, social media, etc.) to include Black female voices.
• Learn about the experiences and struggles that Black women and other people of color face that are different from your own.
• Stay informed with what’s happening in your community.

As you learn more, reflect on and acknowledge the privileges and biases you may have, in particular, towards Balck women. Confronting our own biases and racism is uncomfortable and it isn’t easy, but it’s necessary to help create lasting change.

Take Action

• Make an effort to be inclusive and sensitive towards Black women in your daily life. Be mindful of the language you use and the content you share about Black women on social media.?
• Challenge family and friends who may use racist language, tell racist jokes or have racist actions toward Black women. Have the tough—but important—conversations about the importance of valuing Black women and people of color.?

• Volunteer and get involved with organizations fighting against racism and violence against Black women or make donations if you can.
• Support Black women owned businesses and projects.
• Participate at peaceful protests to support Black women and people of color in your community.
• Register to and vote in local, state and national elections. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Help Black Women feel Seen and Safe.

“From the position of allyship, this can be achieved by acknowledging what I state and how I state it, while not wanting me to mince my words or use semantics that another person is more comfortable with; by not skipping over me during team meetings or allowing another person to repeat my words and giving them credit as if it's the first time the statements have been said; by allowing my lived experience to be held with the same reverence as textbook research; and by respecting my chronological time and work boundaries,” says Dr. LaNail R. Plummer, founder and CEO of Onyx Therapy Group.?

“It is through these simple behaviors—ones that do not allow additional research, changes in understanding, or workforce efforts—that I will feel that I am valued in the workplace. In other words, many of the changes that are necessary can be rooted in behavioral and character shifts, not just systemic change and response. Allyship allows me to be me—not a version of me you want me to be or wish I would be.”

Center Black Women

“Racism is a system that incentivizes and rewards,” says Bynum Mc Laughlin.?

“This system is so ingrained into our culture that we don’t even realize how often we are perpetuating the harm that we think we are actively trying to undo. It is unintentional, which is why white people who are working to be allies have to constantly be learning, listening, and decentering their own whiteness. If white people are the ones deciding what the most important allyship steps are instead of listening and acting on the feedback provided by women of color, the system is already set up to fail.”

Let Black Women be Themselves!

“Don't police her hair, communication style, expression of self, boundaries on self-care or time management, etc.,” says Dr. Plummer.?

“The latter is important because there are usually other factors at play that proceed a Black woman's daily entrance into the workplace or existence in the community. Aside from family responsibilities or gender roles, she may have to ‘get her mind right’ to deal with the daily microaggression's, discrimination, subtle and unnecessary corrections, random acts of violence, and more. Thus, when she states that she needs to be heard about and or protected from violence, needs time off for work/life balance, it may not be that she needs a break from the workload, but rather all the other factors that are present when leading in the workplace as a Black woman. So, her time is more sacred and necessary in order for her to be safe in her own skin and or to meet her optimal responsibilities in the community. We must remember that her ancestors did not have the opportunity to protect themselves from violence or take time off or set time-based boundaries, so when she takes the time for herself, it also allows for the healing from generational trauma and constraints.”

Keep doing the work.?

“I think that for some white people and other people of color, this may be new, eye-opening and hard for them”. “So, we have to expect that there are going to be microaggressions, mishaps and full-on mistakes, because there is some unlearning and relearning that must happen. That means that the next few years are going to be hard, and it breaks my heart that Black women have to grapple with this process because so many of them are tired and just want people to get it."?

Listen to and Believe Black Women

“When a Black woman is providing you feedback, or sharing their own experience, especially around trauma, the response should absolutely not be shock, awe, disbelief, and definitely no tears,” says Bynum Mc Laughlin. “To be an ally means to decenter yourself, your feelings. It is instead about persistently interrogating our own bias, beliefs, and our (un)willingness to speak up in rooms where we are not the minority. By listening, really practicing the intention to understand—not to respond—and showing that feedback was implemented by following through, advocating, and speaking up in places where Black women are not represented, heard, or safe progress is possible.”

What is Allyship?

When we talk about the meaning of allyship in the workplace, we’re referring to the actions, behaviors, and practices that people take to support, amplify, and advocate with others, most especially with individuals who don’t belong to the same social identities as themselves.?

As a DEIB leader, my approach to this work has been less about answering the question “What is allyship?” and more about reframing that question into “How can we act as allies?”

But we choose to use the terms “ally” and “allyship” for now as a more familiar point-of-entry to conversations about race and other issues of inequity, with an awareness and acknowledgement that allyship is an imperfect term.

How to Support Black Women in the Workplace

Here are some practical ways you can be an effective ally to anyone, including Black Women:

• Listen and Learn: Start by actively listening to the experiences of your Black women colleagues. Understand their unique challenges, perspectives, and aspirations. Remember that allyship isn’t about assuming you know what’s best for them; it’s about learning from their lived experiences.
• Engage Authentically: Allyship goes beyond formal meetings. Seek out casual interactions with your Black women colleagues. Grab coffee together, join them for lunch, or participate in team-building activities. Building genuine relationships fosters trust and understanding.
• Ask About Their Work and Goals: Show genuine interest in their professional lives. Ask about their projects, career aspirations, and what motivates them. Acknowledge their achievements and celebrate their successes.
• Provide Opportunities and Encouragement: Actively advocate for Black women. Recommend them for stretch assignments, promotions, or leadership roles. Encourage them to take on challenging projects and provide constructive feedback. Be their champion.
• Be Mindful of Intersectionality: Recognize that Black women face a unique intersection of biases related to both race and gender. Understand that their experiences may differ from those of Black men or white women. Acknowledge and address these complexities.
• Educate Yourself: Continuously educate yourself on issues related to race, gender, and intersectionality. Read books, attend workshops, and engage in conversations that broaden your understanding. Being an informed ally is essential.

Remember, allyship is an ongoing commitment. It’s not a one-time action but a consistent effort to create an inclusive and supportive workplace for everyone, including and or especially Black women.

Until Next Time

Thank you for being an integral part of the overall community. Together, we can continue to bring hope, joy, purpose, and opportunity to those who need it most. If you have any questions, suggestions, or want help with a current project, please don't hesitate to reach out to me on LinkedIn.