“I think we are doing ourselves a disservice when we say, "Everyone should be an ally!" because by giving the impression that it's so easy that everyone can do it, we diminish the role and the power allyship has. I'd rather have fewer people declare their intention to be an ally if those who did actually did the work required and did it right.”
Source: What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success
“What do you need?" is always a more productive question than "How can I help?". It helps you learn about a person or a group, and it doesn't put the burden on them to instruct you on how to be an ally.”
Source: What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success
“I know an invitation might seem like a minor act, but sometimes the little things seem so little that they get overlooked entirely.”
Source: What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success
“If you are a part of a conversation in which your colleagues of color are being othered, it's incumbent upon you to speak up. Be the person to say, "This is not right" or "It's time that you learn her name", or "She actually doesn't look anything like the other woman you are confusing with her, except for the fact that they are both Asian".”
Source: What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success
“In its simplest terms, allyship is about mentorship or sponsorship across race lines. It's about creating opportunities for colleagues of color that can help them advance in their careers. Think promotions, attendance at conferences, nominations for awards or speaker-positions, inclusion on high profile committees, teaching your young colleagues of color the soft skills and rules of the game that they might not have learned otherwise. Ask what they need, share what you can offer, and see what makes the most sense. Don't assume you know what they need, and don't ask for kudos for your behaviour. Contribute to the change and know that the benefits of your efforts will come back to you.”
Source: What Do You Need?: How Women of Color Can Take Ownership of Their Careers to Accelerate Their Path to Success
“This, with the kid gloves of gentility white libs always use when they want to make your annoyance feel unreasonable. The flop-sweating jargon invoked to signal their literacy on the subject of your existence. That fart holding wince when they sense their good intentions going unrewarded.”
Source: Rejection
“Judged by the normal standards of human affairs, the lives of men and women of God may look overburdened with suffering, and even inconclusive.”
Source: Nonviolent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan: A Man to Match His Mountains
“Now mainstream feminism has to step up, has to give itself to a place where it spends more time offering resources and less time demanding validation. Being an accomplice means that white feminism will devote its platform and resources to supporting those in marginalized communities doing feminist work.”
Source: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
“And if we are lucky enough to be in a position of power, if our voice and our actions can mobilize change, don't we have a special obligation? Being an ally can't just be about nodding when someone says something we agree with - important as that is. It must also be about action. It's our job to stand up for those who are not at the table when life-altering decisions are made. Not just those people who look like us. Not just those who need what we need. Not just those who have gained an audience with us. Our duty is to improve the human condition - in every way we can, for everyone who needs it.”
Source: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey
“We don't need white allies to help people of color to eradicate racism. Instead white people need people of color to be their allies in this fight.”