Module 5: Responses to Race
Part 7: White Allies
Becoming an ally can indicate a show of support for racial justice and equity. However, being an ally is not the final outcome in fighting against racism. This part explores what it means to be an ally and the need to progress past allyship.
Suggested Goals:
1. To understand what it means to be an ally.
2. To consider how allyship can impact educational systems, beginning at the classroom level.
3. To begin to understand the difference between being an ally and being a co-conspirator.
Suggested Goals:
1. To understand what it means to be an ally.
2. To consider how allyship can impact educational systems, beginning at the classroom level.
3. To begin to understand the difference between being an ally and being a co-conspirator.
&1: White ALlies
Moving through the levels of development in responses to race, individuals may reach the point of being an ally. This can be positive as it represents understanding about race and the injustice and attempts to support equity and equality.
Read:
Being a White Ally of African-Americans Means More Than Just Protesting
https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Being-a-white-ally-of-African-Americans-means-15321365.php
Becoming Trustworthy White Allies
https://reflections.yale.edu/article/future-race/becoming-trustworthy-white-allies
In the Fight for Racial Justice, Here’s What White Allyship Looks Like
https://www.cnet.com/news/in-the-fight-for-racial-justice-heres-what-white-allyship-looks-like/
Watch:
Travis Jones: How Can White People Be Better Allies to People of Color
https://www.npr.org/2019/03/29/707193758/travis-jones-how-can-white-people-be-better-allies-to-people-of-color
Read:
Being a White Ally of African-Americans Means More Than Just Protesting
https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Being-a-white-ally-of-African-Americans-means-15321365.php
Becoming Trustworthy White Allies
https://reflections.yale.edu/article/future-race/becoming-trustworthy-white-allies
In the Fight for Racial Justice, Here’s What White Allyship Looks Like
https://www.cnet.com/news/in-the-fight-for-racial-justice-heres-what-white-allyship-looks-like/
Watch:
Travis Jones: How Can White People Be Better Allies to People of Color
https://www.npr.org/2019/03/29/707193758/travis-jones-how-can-white-people-be-better-allies-to-people-of-color
Listen:
Confronting Racism: TED Radio Hour
https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/707189471/confronting-racism
Reflect:
- What does it mean to you to be an ally for racial justice?
- How do you think the responses to race in the previous parts could impact development as an ally?
Being an ally can be impacted by white privilege, guilt, rage, fragility, and fatigue. The following resource from Teaching Tolerance highlights how to progress toward becoming an ally.
Read:
White Anti-Racism: Living the Legacy
https://www.learningforjustice.org/professional-development/white-antiracism-living-the-legacy
Furthermore, as allies, White people should not be the center of attention or assume they know how Black people feel.
Read:
Dear White Allies: Don’t Appropriate Our Anger
https://medium.com/@jorjorian/dear-white-allies-our-anger-isnt-yours-ea482e702569
To promote the work of becoming allies and developing into antiracists, the following resources provide guidelines and checklists to consider.
Read:
Guidelines for Being Strong White Allies
https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/kivel3.pdf
| guidelines-for-being-strong-white-allies_kivel.pdf |
Checklist for White Allies Against Racism
https://www.powershift.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/checklist-for-white-allies.pdf
https://www.powershift.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/checklist-for-white-allies.pdf
| checklist-for-white-allies.pdf |
Reflect:
Being an ally is an important first step, but it is a first step as outlined in the following resources.
Read:
I’m an Ally, Not a Co-conspirator
https://slowchatpe.com/2019/11/17/im-an-ally-not-a-co-conspirator/
We Need Co-conspirators, Not Allies: How White Americans Can Fight Racism
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/26/how-white-americans-can-fight-racism
Bettina Love further delineates white allies and co-conspirators. The next part will focus more on the need to become co-conspirators to enact larger-scale changes that address systemic racism.
Watch:
Ally vs. Co-conspirator: What It Means to be an Abolitionist Teacher
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4844082/user-clip-ally-vs-conspirator-means-abolitionist-teacher
Reflect:
The next part will explore moving beyond allyship to the roles of co-conspirators, abolitionists, and antiracists.
- Why is it important for White allies to avoid being the center of attention? What will this feel like for White people?
- How could the guidelines or checklists help develop allies? What could you use to become a better ally?
- How could being a White ally impact the classroom?
Being an ally is an important first step, but it is a first step as outlined in the following resources.
Read:
I’m an Ally, Not a Co-conspirator
https://slowchatpe.com/2019/11/17/im-an-ally-not-a-co-conspirator/
We Need Co-conspirators, Not Allies: How White Americans Can Fight Racism
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/26/how-white-americans-can-fight-racism
Bettina Love further delineates white allies and co-conspirators. The next part will focus more on the need to become co-conspirators to enact larger-scale changes that address systemic racism.
Watch:
Ally vs. Co-conspirator: What It Means to be an Abolitionist Teacher
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4844082/user-clip-ally-vs-conspirator-means-abolitionist-teacher
Reflect:
- What is the difference between being an ally and a co-conspirator?
- Would you consider yourself either an ally or a co-conspirator?
- What else do you need to know or what steps could you take to become a co-conspirator?
The next part will explore moving beyond allyship to the roles of co-conspirators, abolitionists, and antiracists.
