How to be an Ally
At Ingram Educational Consulting, LLC, we define allyship as an individual who is identifiable by their continued commitment to challenging interpersonal and organizational forms of mistreatment against a member of any minority group. We view allyship as an integral piece to advancing equity and cultivating inclusion. Current research has found the allies are considered less prejudiced and are “more likely to have other marginalized identities.”[1]
Allyship is essential to building an inclusive environment where everyone can feel safe, heard, and supported. By being present engaged, and committed, anyone can start on the path to becoming an ally. Ingram Educational Consulting, LLC, has developed a list of 10 practices to cultivate allyship across sectors.
Our 10 tips to become an ally today:
Educate Yourself - Too often, we can rely on asking others to give accounts of their experiences or our shared history. The problem with this approach is that” this puts the burden on the under-represented to educate others, which creates both emotional and cognitive labor for those doing the explaining.” Focus on deepening your understanding through books, podcasts, and other forms of media. [2]
Reflect on Your Prior Actions – To become an effective ally, reflect on your past decisions and determine how you can change for the better. Actively seek and be open to feedback from underrepresented and marginalized groups. [3]
Acknowledge Your Privilege – The foundation of allyship is honest reflection and recognition of the everyday privileges that one may take for granted but are not as accessible to others. Privilege refers to tangible traits (ex. wealth, titles) and subtle attributes (ex. race, gender). [4]
Embrace the Imperfect - Allyship is a choice we can all make. It may be a difficult task at times, which is why it's important to remember that allies aren't perfect, and some lessons will be learned along the way. We can receive feedback and make positive changes by approaching these moments with a learning mindset. [5]
Actively Listen to Others’ Experiences – While it is important to recognize that others might be skeptical of your intentions, you must also allow them to trust in your goals as an ally. You can best do this by listening to their perspectives, learning from their experiences, and building trust.
Approach Disclosures with Empathy and Understanding – Remember that empathy and sympathy are not the same things. Embrace moments of disclosure about identity or experience with confidentiality. Empathize with their lived experiences and validate the inequities they observe. [6]
Don’t Be a Bystander – Silence and inaction can intentionally and subconsciously cause harm. Interrupt the patterns of ostracism around you and actively change the norms that allow discrimination to continue. When you see or hear a questionable interaction, you should immediately "call out” such behavior to change attitudes and signal to other(s) [7] that this type of behavior will not be tolerated around you.
Foster an Inclusive Workplace and Create Belonging - An inclusive organizational climate can begin with you. Allyship is essential to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can feel safe, heard, and supported when they need it most. Leaders are positioned to foster allyship in the workplace, resulting in greater inclusion.
Openly Address Bias – The best ally steps up when needed, even if it's uncomfortable or hard. Racial microaggressions are “expressions of racial bias [that] may include covert slights, insults, and exclusionary behavior directed toward people of color.” [8] An ally clearly understands that they should perform micro-interventions to bring attention to the unjust nature of these moments. [9]
Advocate for Others - Use your power, privilege, and status. Advocate for policies that allow all your coworkers to perform their jobs adequately. For instance, you can encourage your workplace to integrate accommodations for coworkers with physical, mental, and invisible disabilities. [10]
Allyship is a lifelong commitment to the people around you. If you are ready to begin the journey toward Allyship, Ingram Educational Consulting, LLC, is here to guide you along the way. We are a minority-owned consulting firm motivated to build leaders for the 21st century capable of implementing effective strategies to help cultivate allyship across education, healthcare, private business, and the public sector.
References:
Monnica Williams, Noor Sharif, Racial allyship: Novel measurement and new insights, New Ideas in Psychology, Volume 62, 2021, 100865, ISSN 0732 118X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2021.100865. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X21000143)
Ayyala, R.S., Coley, B.D. Promoting gender equity and inclusion through allyship. Pediatr Radiol 52, 1202–1206 (2022). https://doi-org.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/10.1007/s00247-022-05345-3
Melaku TM, Beeman A, Smith DG, Johnson B (2020) Be a better ally. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/11/be-a-better-ally. Accessed 18 Feb 2022
Ayyala, R.S., Coley, B.D. Promoting gender equity and inclusion through allyship. Pediatr Radiol 52, 1202–1206 (2022). https://doi-org.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/10.1007/s00247-022-05345-3
Melaku TM, Beeman A, Smith DG, Johnson B (2020) Be a better ally. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/11/be-a-better-ally. Accessed 18 Feb 2022
Sabat, Lindsey, A. P., Membere, A., Anderson, A., Ahmad, A., King, E., & Bolunmez, B. (2014). Invisible Disabilities: Unique Strategies for Workplace Allies. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 7(2), 259–265. https://doi.org/10.1111/iops.12145
Schneider KT, Wesselmann ED and DeSouza ER (2017) Confronting Subtle Workplace Mistreatment: The Importance of Leaders as Allies. Front. Psychol. 8:1051. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01051
Monnica Williams, Noor Sharif, Racial allyship: Novel measurement and new insights, New Ideas in Psychology, Volume 62, 2021, 100865, ISSN 0732-118X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2021.100865. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X21000143)
D.W. Sue, S. Alsaidi, M.N. Awad, E. Glaeser, C.Z. Calle, N. Mendez Disarming racial microaggressions: Microintervention strategies for targets, White allies, and bystanders, American Psychologist, 74 (1) (2019), pp. 128-142
Sabat, Lindsey, A. P., Membere, A., Anderson, A., Ahmad, A., King, E., & Bolunmez, B. (2014). Invisible Disabilities: Unique Strategies for Workplace Allies. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 7(2), 259–265. https://doi.org/10.1111/iops.12145
