How to speak up as an ally
In this week’s email
“Britain has no ‘white history’. British history is the multiracial, interracial story of a nation interdependent on trade, cultural influence and immigration from Africa, India, Central and East Asia, and other regions and continents populated by people who are not white, and before that, invasion by successive waves of European tribes most of whom, had the concept of whiteness existed at the time, would not have fitted into it either.”
― Afua Hirsch, Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging
It’s Black History Month here in the UK and lots of us are wondering why employers aren’t doing more to be anti-racist at this time, especially given the racist violence that swept the streets of the UK earlier this year.
We understand that calling out racism and other prejudiced behaviour can be daunting, especially if raising your voice doesn’t come naturally to you. But speaking up as an ally is one of the best ways to show your solidarity for those in marginalised groups.
In the workplace, allies are crucial in moving the dial toward equality and inclusion for all. Forbes claims that a huge obstacle to progression is that ‘individual employees are underestimating their own power when it comes to creating real culture change.’ It’s time to stop excusing ourselves and become a part of the conversation.
How to be effective as an ally
Speaking up as an ally is powerful, but taking up airtime for the wrong reasons is not. The Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020 created an opportunity for many folks from dominant groups to display “performative allyship” and lean into white saviour mode.
Activist, writer and TED speaker Nova Reid told The Guardian that ‘there was a distinct and clear difference between the intention behind these kinds of interactions and the usual inquiries: these were self-serving. This was a stage performance, a way to manage their perception, so their ego could feel better about all that’s wrong in the world.’
HBR adds to this, stating that the viral BLM social media “blackout” not only came across as tone deaf, but it actually ‘made it harder for activists to use the hashtag to amplify messages, boost organizations accepting donations, or share resources for those in need without drowning in a sea of black squares.’ A good lesson for all of us not to follow the crowd blindly but instead confront our own privileges and role in perpetuating systems of oppression.
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The UK-wide counter-protests following the racist riots are an example of very necessary, very impactful allyship. The Guardian’s article entitled, ‘United against hate’ reported that ‘the scale of the anti-racism protests was surely sending a message: an effort to change the narrative after a week dominated by rampant far-right, anti-immigrant violence.’?
So, how can you speak up as an ally??
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