Allyship 101
Sep 30, 2023
Allyship 101
By guest blogger Annissa La Touche
As a young Black female student navigating spaces where I am often a minority and therefore vulnerable I am deeply aware of how crucial allyship is. Allyship empowers those who have the right words but may not feel able to communicate them to the people who need to hear them most. It explains why marginalised individuals often feel more comfortable discussing experiences of unfair treatment or microaggressions within their own communities, but may hesitate to do so with non-marginalised peers for fear of upsetting them or damaging important relationships.
When anyone experiences ill-treatment, including racism at the workplace, it means a great deal when others stand up for them. Having someone advocate for you in moments of vulnerability reassures you that you are not facing injustice alone. Even nation states recognise this: in geopolitics, allies can determine whether justice is served or wrongdoing goes unchecked. Allies hold power or resources that can help when those directly impacted have had their own power compromised a dynamic mirrored in everyday relationships and in workplace inclusion diversity initiatives.
As a student, I particularly value the allyship of those senior to me who can use their positions of authority to enact meaningful change that I could not achieve alone. Safe spaces and activist groups created by students are inspiring, but lasting change comes when senior educational staff fully advocate for marginalised students’ wellbeing and safety. In the context of an inclusive workplace or in diversity and inclusion at work initiatives, this type of allyship is critical.
Allyship is a foundational element of compassionate cultures. It requires a type of empathy that acknowledges: I may not fully understand your experience, but I will do everything I can to reduce your pain. This reflects raw compassion. I am grateful for friends who have shown up without prompt—those who intercept the metaphorical arrows before they even reach me.
The beauty of allyship is that it is unifying and mutually beneficial, creating environments that are fairer for everyone. However, it is important to remember that marginalised individuals do not owe their allies anything for choosing to act. Here, new terms enter the conversation: the co-signer or the co-conspirator.
Being a co-conspirator goes beyond traditional allyship. It means actively working alongside marginalised people, amplifying their voices, and tackling systemic barriers. In workplace inclusion diversity efforts, this might look like acting as a “Trojan Horse” in spaces where marginalised groups are absent speaking on their behalf when they are disempowered or fearful of speaking due to power dynamics or risk of repercussion. It may also involve behind-the-scenes support or using your platform to elevate existing voices, rather than centering your own.
Co-signing ensures that if a marginalised person’s influence or voice is compromised in a non-compassionate environment, the co-signer provides resources or support to fill the gap. This principle applies broadly from inclusive leadership in organisations to everyday interactions in schools or workplaces striving for diversity and inclusion.
Yet barriers remain for those in privileged positions particularly due to skin colour who wish to be effective allies. One major barrier is internalised white supremacy. Jen Willsea identifies ways it can manifest: entitlement, silence, intellectualisation, paternalism, prioritising comfort, assuming one’s worldview is universal, cognitive dissonance, colour blindness, and tokenism. Overcoming these barriers is essential for authentic allyship and inclusion in the workplace.
Importantly, anyone can practice allyship at any time. It does not require waiting for a grand activist moment. Every day, small, consistent acts contribute meaningfully to creating compassionate, anti-racist, and discrimination-free environments. This aligns closely with the principles of cultural humility, unconscious bias training, and anti racism training that organisations can integrate to strengthen diversity and inclusion at work.
At Strawberry Words, we are here to support your anti-racist education journey. Our CPD-accredited courses, including DEI training and unconscious bias training, help organisations build inclusive workplaces, promote workplace inclusion diversity, and foster inclusive leadership. Explore our online course offerings here: https://www.strawberrywordscourses.co.uk/courses. For questions regarding your organisation’s needs, please email us at [email protected].
Talking about racism can seem difficult and uncomfortable. This CPD accredited course provides a foundational education on racism to help to increase racial literacy which includes building confidence to speak about and deal with issues concerning race. It provides a language through which meaningful conversation can take place (particularly in the workplace).
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