Practicing Allyship

You can create positive change by advocating for others. This starts with acknowledging the inequities that exist and consistently working to become a better ally. How will you amplify the voices of others who need to be heard? How will you stand with, and not for, others?

Practicing Allyship

Skill
Advocacy
Time
30 min
Materials
None
Bookmarked
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STEPS
1

We cannot talk about advocacy without talking about inequities in the world. There are deeply rooted injustices embedded in our societies and social systems which create an imbalance of power and privilege. Watch this video to learn more about what it means to practice allyship and stand with people to create change.

2

Identity is intersectional— this means that we each hold a combination of identities, such as our gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, religion, and socioeconomic status, that all intersect and inform how people see us. Take a moment to list out all the different identities you hold— you may hold certain identities that make you part of a marginalized group and you may also hold certain privileges.

3

Think about the people in your life. Who supports you as an ally? Reflect on the ways they show up for you and help amplify your voice.

MY TEAM

My ally

Who supports you as an ally?

4

If you are part of a certain group, you might be an advocate for them. If you are not part of a certain group, you can be an ally or accomplice— someone who actively supports efforts to end oppression of this group, by standing with, not for, others. Consider how you’re already practicing allyship and how you could be a better ally.

REFLECT

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COMPLETED
Take a look at our habits below!
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HABITS

Stand with, not for

When you stand up to support others who have an identity that you don’t share, it’s important to acknowledge that you are standing with them, not for them. Focus instead on elevating the voices of people who can speak to the issue through their lived experiences— share their words and help them spread their message.

Learn about power & privilege

We all have a responsibility to educate ourselves on how inequity shows up in the world and where it comes from. Create a plan to learn more about an issue or cause that you want to be a better ally for— maybe you stay updated on current news, follow thought leaders of these movements, and brush up on the historical context.

Own your allyship journey

Becoming an ally is a continuous learning process. It’s ok to change your mind about something you said or did when you realize the impact wasn’t what you intended. Be intentional about admitting that you made a mistake and correcting yourself in the moment— if you need to, ask questions to get more clarity.