DAY 18:
ALLYSHIP

"Many would-be allies fear making mistakes that could have them labeled as “-ist” or “-ic” (racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic, etc). But as an ally, you’re also affected by a system of oppression. This means that as an ally, there is much to unlearn and learn—mistakes are expected. You need to own this as fact and should be willing to embrace the daily work of doing better."

Amélie Lamont

What does it mean to be an ally?

An ally seeks to understand what it feels like for another person or group to be oppressed, and despite knowing you will never fully understand how it feels, is committed to valuing and supporting people who are marginalized. This video does a good job clarifying what an ally is.

“We all have a responsibility to make the world we live in a little better, and you kind of have to start where you are. What allyship is, is listening, compassion, to immerse yourself in content, in experiences, in stories, from groups that aren’t of your own. Anybody who sees something that isn’t quite right can become an ally and help their colleagues. When you’ve been through a struggle that hurt you for such a long time, I think you have this endless energy to give to others. Anyone can be an ally and everyone can use an ally, and you can use your privilege in the moment to extend that privilege to someone else. I think this is what makes us human, to help others and to be empathetic.”

Being an ally is not an identity, it is a continual process - something that you must work at, be intentional about, and commit to - day in and day out.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: Do one or more of the following…

DAY 18 JOURNAL PAGE

Capture what you learned by journaling your thoughts and feelings about today's content. Click below to download a free journal page for today.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

If you are participating in the Challenge as part of a group, download this free discussion guide to help facilitate discussion.

NEXT TOPIC: BUILDING WORKPLACE CULTURE AROUND EQUITY

CONVERSATION PIECE: Art Addressing Equity

Artist: Shabana Gupta

Title: Solidarity

Date of piece: June 2020

Description: Gender non-conforming people presented in the colors of pride flags

“This is a depiction of Intersectionality. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (and one white person) in the LGBTQ+ community.”

Shabana Gupta
CultureALL

Thank you to the members of BRAVO Greater Des Moines for curating the Equity Challenge Gallery, a collection of art in various media that speaks to the issues of equity in our society.