Reflect and Act

 1.)    Educate my parents. My parents are racist and believe that being gay is wrong. I think that educating them with information about being open, and how the rights are still taken away from people with concrete data might help them to just open their mind a bit. Talking to them about how in certain states you can be fired for being gay or trans. Talking with them about how minorities are still continuing to struggle. 2.)    Support my students and their beliefs. I think by showing up in their community and showing them that I am their ally. I can work with them in their communities, show up to their plays and practices and more importantly just listen to them. 3.)     Share information with my peers. Social media is a powerful thing, and I think I can use it as a outlet to get people thinking about how minorities continue to struggle, and what it means to be an ally. I first shared the video I watched for the stretch your thinking, and I’m curious the conversations it is going to spark. 4.)    Apologize when I make mistakes. I’m going to make mistakes as I become an ally to all injustices, and I will apologize. My motto from now on will be “it is not about the intent but the impact”. No longer is it “the thought that counts”. Now it will be the impact that counts.

1. Make my voice louder when things get hard. 

2. Do not look to friends and colleagues of color to be the voice against injustice and inequity 

3. Never make it about myself. 

4. Listen. 

I thought “do your own work” was very good advice.  Sometimes moms in Facebook groups pose questions to the group that have such simple, straight-forward answers that make it clear they haven’t even remotely tried to find the answer for themselves before asking the group. Its irritating, and even if I know the answer, I’m not inclined to reply. Similarly, asking the victims of racism for resources every time an issue arises can be exhausting for them. The simplest of google searches can lead you to great information, so take ownership over your own learning. 

Privilege: there are some things in life you never experience or must think about just because of who you are. ·         Before I can help others, I must understand what rights I have, and others don’t  know that to learn, you must know when you to listen, and. Use the power of social media to speak up and you your voice to educate others. Get caught up on the issues that are important to the communities you are trying to help.  An ally’s job is to support. Use your voice to speak up, educate others, but STAY IN YOUR LANE, don’t do it in a way that you speak over the community members you are trying to support, or take credit for the work they are already doing, things they are already saying.    It’s not about your intent, its about your impact. When you make mistakes, unlearning problematic things takes time and work. When you get called out, listen, apologize, commit to changing your behavior, and move forward.      You’ve got to do the work. Its not enough to say you are an ally. You’ve got to the work!

I need to speak up in my own social circles. As a person of privilege, I have access to social circles that others do not. If I  hear racist or derogatory language used by family members or friends… I’ll take some time at the next family reunion to challenge peoples’ beliefs and speak up for those who are not there.  

Since it requires deep education about the communities that you’re interested in demonstrating allyship towards…I will continue to educate myself. I’m in the middle of a book study on White Fragility. This book analyzes why white people are sensationally, histrionically bad at discussing racism.    

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. If your life has been one of comfort, it is difficult to voluntarily give up that comfort. However, to work towards being a good ally, you need to forfeit it, as your comfort comes at the expense of others. By remaining in the status quo, you are directly benefitting from social structures that harm marginalized communities. Now is the time to own up to my own complicities in discriminatory systems. So yeah, I need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.   For example, The United Way of Central New York in partnership with multiple Syracuse organizations ran a Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge that pushes you to get outside your comfort zone with daily challenges. This is an accessible, convenient way to get used to the level of personal discomfort needed to grow as a person and become a better ally. The challenge is based on the work of  Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, historian and author of #1 New York Times bestseller, “HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST.”  

 Learn from my mistakes. Being an ally is an ongoing process, and I am bound to say or do the wrong thing at certain points. Sometimes, the best way to learn is through trial and error. The important thing is to acknowledge when you’re wrong, and to not make those same mistakes again. Essentially: welcome failure but learn from it.  


Amplify the voices and messages of the marginalized There are so many amazing speakers and writers from marginalized communities with important stories and messages that need to be shared. I need to promote others’ voices and not center myself in the conversation. It’s okay to feel bad about your role in an unjust and racist society, but as an ally it is necessary to realize that my role is one of support.

1. Continue to educate myself-- I just finished "This Book is Anti-Racist" by Tiffany Jewell and I will research and choose my next book to further my own education.

2. I am putting a blank piece of paper by my classroom library for students to record what books they would like me to add to the library, so all students feel represented by instructional materials.

3. Continue to speak up during meeting when I hear something that is harmful in our school's anti-racism work.

4. Know when to rest--as a Person of Color, this work can be draining and exhausting, so knowing when it's time for self care is important.