{"id":51790,"date":"2023-06-01T10:24:27","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T14:24:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starr1.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=51790"},"modified":"2023-06-01T10:24:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T14:24:27","slug":"allyship-and-dei-b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starr.org\/2023\/allyship-and-dei-b\/","title":{"rendered":"Allyship and DEI-B"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the moment, our society, institutions, democracy, personal lives and organizations like Starr Commonwealth are experiencing turbulent times.\u00a0 Times that stem from long developed problems grounded in systems of oppression that have gone unaddressed, or simply ignored since the founding of our nation.\u00a0 As a result, many people have taken steps to make their voices heard through protests, rethinking oppressive societal structures, acknowledging history, and undertaking efforts such as diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging with the ultimate goal of bringing about change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether it is racism, ableism, sexism, classism, sexuality and gender issues, health disparities, wealth disparities, educational disparities, or DEI-B, <\/span>allyship<\/span><\/i><\/b>, or becoming an <\/span>ally<\/span><\/i><\/b>, is a great tool to help bring about change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is <\/span>allyship<\/span><\/i><\/b>?\u00a0 Perhaps we should begin by defining what it means to be an <\/span>ally<\/span><\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 Being an <\/span>ally <\/span><\/i><\/b>does not mean sitting on the sidelines waiting for your number to be called (sorry about the sport\u2019s analogy).\u00a0 It means choosing to use your privilege, life experiences and knowledge to advocate for others.\u00a0 \u201cAn ally is any person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole.\u201d\u00a0 (<\/span>Allyship \u2013 The Key to Unlocking the Power of Diversity<\/span><\/i><\/b>, by Sheree Atcheson, Forbes, March 7, 2023)\u00a0 Anyone can be an <\/span>ally <\/span><\/i><\/b>\u2013 White people can be actionable allies to BIPOC; men can be allies to women; cis people can be allies to members of the LGBTQIA+ community; able-bodied people can be allies to those who are not, etc. Heck, even Albionities can be allies to Marshallites! One should note that when the concept of \u201cintersectionality\u201d comes into play, another way I would say this is, \u201cwhen you bring your whole self into the situation\u201d \u2013 the power dynamics above can shift, for example, women can be allies to men.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A true <\/span>ally <\/span><\/i><\/b>is a person who backs up their words with action!\u00a0 Martin Luther King, Jr once said that it was not the violence of the few that scared him, it was the silence of the many. An <\/span>ally\u2019s <\/span><\/i><\/b>words and action must be in sync, because words without action do not bring about change, in fact, they can be detrimental, or cause harm.\u00a0 Once again, Dr. King stated that a person dies when they refuse to stand up for that which is right.\u00a0 A person dies when they refuse to stand up for justice.\u00a0 A person dies when they refuse to take a stand for that which is true.\u00a0 (Selma, AL, March 8, 1965)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Starr\u2019s Glasswing training, becoming an <\/span>ally <\/span><\/i><\/b>is viewed as a way to bring about healing.\u00a0 It is a commitment to:<\/span><\/p>\n