Allyship

Allyship is an active, consistent, and ongoing practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a targeted group. Practicing allyship is not linear or constant and requires ongoing self-reflection and learning.

(Source: The Anti-Oppression Network)

The Allyship continuum (Griffin & Harro, 2006) represents a range of behaviors or expressions that one can take on in the demonstration of allyship (or not). Allyship is not static (a noun), rather it is ongoing action (verb).

  • Actively Participating in Harm/Oppression
  • Denying / Ignoring
  • Recognizing, No Action
  • Recognizing, Action
  • Educating Self
  • Educating Others
  • Supporting / Encouraging
  • Initiating / Preventing

Individual Actions for Allyship

  • Educate Yourself: Read books that address social justice and equity (White Fragility and How to be an Anti-Racist); Attend online trainings and webinars; engage in critical self reflection about your own biases (take the Harvard Implicit Associations Test)
  • Educate Others: Be courageous and address bias and microaggressions; Share insights and invite others to participate in trainings/webinars;
  • Support & Encourage: Explore ways to support your colleagues/peers from underrepresented backgrounds; Support businesses and artists engaged in equity work
  • Initiative & Preventing: Take action and organize in partnership with communities of resilient identities; remember to center the voices and needs of those who you are in solidarity with

If you are in a leadership role: Reflect on your commitments to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

General Allyship Resources