Six Clear Indicators of Performative Allyship
The Summer of 2020 has gone down in history as the summer that fully woke our collective racial consciousness. The issues of race and violence, prejudice and bias have been historically present with us; we live in a world where white supremacy is imbedded in our most cherished institutions. The captured scenes of powerlessness before brutality, as George Floyd begged for breath and life, seared into our conscience converging into a unifying tipping point. People of color all over the world wept, once again, at the sight of yet another impunity murder of a black body. White people were forced to reckon with the demons of supremacy in a way they never had before.
This awakening created a phenomenon that moved white people, who driven by either guilt, shame, genuine anger, or all three, not only joined the ranks of protesters in droves but also began to make room for conversations about race. Numbers of woke white people who signed up as allies and bolstered by good intentions, initiated exhanges about race in places where this had been lacking. Some were authentic enough to progress into meaningful opportunities for understanding and for healing to begin to take place. Yet, too many people of color (POC) experienced frustration and exhaustion at highly performative individual, corporate, and institutional attempts to deal with issues of race and inequity. These performative attempts were followed by inaction that refused to acknowledge systemic problems or passive actions that ultimately downplayed the gravity of racism. In both cases, instances of performative allyship only served as band aids that inadequately continue to coverup gaping wounds of inequity and injustice.
It further became increasingly clear, that many white folks honestly felt that their good intentions were enough to undo systemic racism. They believed that having a one-time dialogue would be enough to assuage institutional and corporate micro and macro aggressions. They believed that creating a diversity position without a strong portfolio, staffing, or budget would help to equalize the imbalance of overwhelming white power at the top. Few were ready to contend with the fact that systemic racism is deeply embedded in our culture and thus our institutions.
Without an institutional or corporate justice agenda that intentionally dismantles old frameworks and establishes work that is centered in opportunity and equity for all, even in well-intentioned institutions the results will always be continued emotional, mental and spiritual harm to persons of color. We need to acknowledge that only when authentic, intentional, long term, targeted work that involves leadership that centers of people of color working with white accomplices, will transformative work for the undoing of racism take place. But, how can one identify transformative work from performative actions that will not produce significant change? The following six signs are indicators of performative allyships:
Allyship that has no tangible reinforcement plan to support promises of inclusion. Saying that your intent is to support students of color means nothing if you do not put tangible plans in place to make this happen. Offering that you will look into tenure and promotions for people of color is not enough without naming a commission that will begin equity audits at all levels, and will have the power to make recommendations that will lead to equitable adjustments. Promises that are unsupported by action plans are usually steeped in guilt but will not bring about transformation.
Allyship that does not center people of color. If the voices and faces of the ones impacted by the issue are not at the table to give testimony and assist in the recommendation of solutions then there is no commitment to real change. When POC that have been doing the work of justice and equity or have been sidelined unjustly because of race are excluded, and instead one or two token POC are selected for their known willingness to not disrupt or discomfort, it sends a message of hypocrisy and betrayal. Centering the voices and narratives of the people who experience institutional and corporate injustice is the first step towards justice. They are also the best persons to provide ideas that can help to shift the culture towards justice.
Allyship that finds the need to ask POC what to do. You need to be intentional about the commitment to read, research, observe, listen, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Their entire lives POC’s, Black people particularly, have had to figure out how to navigate supremacy while being powerless and still learn to survive and thrive. If they can do this, then certainly in reverse order you can try to understand how powerlessness manifests itself and feels.
Allyship that is protective of the actions of the institution, white people, or even the individual. Take responsibility for your actions. You messed up, said, wrote, or did the wrong thing, acknowledge it. Acknowledge that institutions and corporations have been functioning in supremacy, that you have upheld in, perhaps even unconsciously. Acknowledge the biased standards by which you’ve held everything and everyone up against. The first step in confronting a problem is acknowledging that it exists.
Allyship that is unaware of privilege and power dynamics. Don’t compare your childhood of poverty to being black. Due to systemic racism Blackness can certainly place a person in positions of financial vulnerability but not all Black people are poor. It is however guaranteed that almost all Black people have experienced anti-blackness or exclusion in some form because of their race. As a white person your race, whether rich or poor, grants you the power of privilege and inclusions that Black people do not readily have available to them.
Allyship that is not willing to move to the level of accomplice. Don’t just join the protest but enter the room and be willing to give something up for racial equity. As an accomplice you are the one to ask the tough questions of the institution or corporation that upholds racism, challenge prejudice and bias at the board room, in the zoom chat, wherever. Advocate by forwarding the name of a person of color that you believe can get the job done, deserves a promotion, needs to be given an opportunity. Accomplices are willing to put their names on the line for people of color to be treated justly.
In a recent interview hosted by the Culture Shift Lab, Emmanuel Acho, host of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, stated “proximity breeds care, distance breeds fear”. We can only produce transformative changes when we care enough to make them. Too often allyship positions itself safely away from those deserving racial equity, with talk and actions that are performative and produce no significant change. Accomplices, on the other hand, care enough to position themselves in close proximity to issues of equity and are intentional about centering those who deserve it. Accomplices care enough to lead transformative change.
