Black Lives Matter: Navigating Allyship, Active Reflection, and Action

In writing this post, I want to express my utmost support for the Black Lives Matter movement, by sorting through my own thoughts to figure out what might be most helpful for readers. I will mainly be discussing the discomfort around speaking up and vocalizing that some people may be experiencing and how to address this, examining performative vs non-performative actions, and how white and non-black POC can be most helpful and impactful in supporting Black communities. If any of this resonates with you, if you have been seeking prompts for reflection and action during this difficult and overwhelming time, please do read on. This post is largely based on my own personal experiences along with some of the reading I’ve been doing, so feel free to reach out and share your own opinions and experiences. One last note, I’ve listed resources (articles, donation links, petitions) at the end of this post. 

Let’s Talk About the Discomfort Around Speaking Up

It is critical to address the potential discomfort and awkwardness that some of us might feel around vocalizing support for this movement more publicly, ie. posting on social media, starting conversations with family and friends, etc. For people like myself who haven’t used social media in the past to publicly support activist causes, it probably feels like new territory. Perhaps you fear that people will judge you and think you’re only posting to perform as an ally. Maybe you’re worried that you’re not educated enough and you’ll say something wrong. You may be feeling guilty, for not speaking out before, for not knowing more, for not knowing exactly what to do. 

These feelings are real, and I believe it is essential we listen closely to them. We must dig deep and ask ourselves where these feelings of discomfort come from, and how we can channel them productively to make meaningful change. Uncomfortable feelings can be paralyzing if we choose to ignore and push them away, not to mention pushing them away means denying there is a problem. On the contrary, these feelings can be productive and motivating when we choose to address them and face them head on. So I urge you to examine and reexamine any uncomfortable feelings you may be experiencing in these times. It is okay to be feeling these feelings, but it is not okay to remain passive and complacent.

How Do We Address and Learn From This Discomfort?

Once you have identified the source of your discomfort, one way you might address and counter such feelings is with perspective. Think about the fear and injustices that Black people experience due to their skin color every single day and the gravity of this problem, and prioritize it. Asking you to prioritize this issue is not meant to invalidate any feelings of anxiety about speaking up. Instead, it is meant to emphasize the seriousness of the situation and how critical it is to take action. Personally, this mindset has helped me to confront worries about judgment or making mistakes, allowing me to break out of my comfort zone, and hopefully it can give courage to those who have been hesitant about being more vocal and active. And if this particular mindset isn’t helpful in this moment, there are countless ways to contribute offline if that is what you choose.

And while guilt and discomfort are unpleasant feelings, they are often important indicators that something is wrong, that the systemic oppression and police brutality against Black people is not okay. That we care about rectifying these wrongs. Again, listen to these feelings. Support Black lives with the intention and thought that these lives deserve, by unlearning beliefs imposed by white supremacy and learning or relearning beliefs in support of Black communities and justice for Black lives. Cleo Wade puts it aptly, “When something happens in the world that is wrong, don’t try to move on with your life like it is right. The voice within you that says, ‘This is not okay’ is a direct call from the basic goodness of your spirit. Pick it up. Every time. Pick it up. And stay on the line until you figure out how to help.” Every day, rather than turning away from the discomfort, we must confront it, grapple with it, and channel it into action, because it is a message from within ourselves.

Allyship and Self-Assessment

I make these points about discomfort not to make people feel comfortable with inaction, but to hopefully empower people who feel stuck because of such feelings. In a related vein, there has been a lot of discussion about “performative allyship” or “optical allyship”, which is “allyship that only serves at the surface level to platform the ‘ally’, it makes a statement but doesn’t go beneath the surface and is not aimed at breaking away from the systems of power that oppress” (Latham Thomas). If you’re feeling conflicted about your own actions of support and whether they are empty or impactful, self-assess. Ask questions and answer honestly to yourself. An easy example to think about is, again, posting on platforms such as social media. Even if your intentions are in the right place, these questions can help guide you: Did I post to join in with the trend of speaking out, or was I thinking more about how my post would be helpful to others? Why am I posting the particular content I chose to post? How will my post be helpful? Who am I centering the narrative around?

Of course using social media is not the only way to support the movement, and optical vs non-optical allyship also extends beyond the realm of social media. The work does not end offline. So apply these introspective questions to all aspects of your practice of activism and allyship when you are deciding how to act. By getting at the root of our intentions, we can ensure that we are speaking up and acting with the most impact. 

Additionally, even as it is necessary to put thought into the actions we take to support the Black community, we should also remember that allyship is not self-defined. “The communities we seek to be in solidarity with must recognize our actions as an act of allyship. Only they get to decide which actions qualify as ‘allyship’” (Michelle Kim, full article here). You may be thinking, how can I be an ally if I can’t define it myself? This is why we must learn from others and have open conversations about what support looks like. Both learning from multiple sources and doing the work to inspect our own motivations come together in synergy -- you cannot have one without the other in the practice of non-optical allyship. 

Next Steps

Now when thinking about next steps and what to do, it is helpful to consider how your actions can carry the most weight. Aside from self-assessing as mentioned above, another way to do so is considering your own skill sets and areas of expertise. By using the specific skills and knowledge that you already have, you can educate people who have different skill sets from you, and vice versa. I have seen many people write informative guides, compile lists of resources, create artwork and graphics etc., all based on their areas of study or the skills they have. So if you’re feeling lost or wondering how you can do more, effectively and efficiently use the resources at your disposal, of course while also continually educating yourself on the issues at hand.

I’m not going to tell you exactly what to do, because that looks a little different for everyone and it’s up to each individual. And I don’t have a last summarized call to action neatly packaged and ready to go. Because this whole piece is a call to action. Every word I’ve written is me urging you to reflect deeply and act quickly at the same time. Systemic racism and the unjust oppression of Black people have gone on for far too long, and precious lives are at stake. No matter how knowledgeable you are, how experienced you are, your contribution matters and is necessary during this critical time. Let us all fight together. 

Use the resources linked below!