There are a lot of allies living in the Pioneer Valley — we’re a woke bunch.
The Valley is home to many people who are allies of the LGBTQ community, Black Lives Matter, feminists, workers’ rights and social justice causes, people with disabilities or mental illness, and the homeless — there’s even an ally group for feral cats.
People’s concern for the well-being of their neighbors is one of the sweetest aspects of living in the Pioneer Valley.
For a long time, being an ally has meant declaring support and being seen declaring that support. Think of the allies marching in Pride parades and charity walks, or the plastic bracelets dedicated to various nonprofit causes, or the Facebook profile photo filters offered today. Because there is strength in numbers, visibility is an important part of being an ally.
But I believe allies can be doing more. And, ironically, the key to being an even better ally is being less visible.
The spotlight should never shine on the ally — which, I know, is a 180-degree departure from the good-ally handbook. Allies, should instead, use their positions to help bring the people, places, and ideas they are supporting to new levels of success.
What does that look like? The only way to find out is to ask the people we want to support.
Members of Black Lives Matter 413 have asked allies to do things like help transport black protesters to rallies.
Western Mass Jobs With Justice has asked allies of equitable pay to boycott Black Friday shopping.
In the “Ally Packet” Stonewall Center at UMass Amherst has prepared, members ask that an ally: “Donate money or volunteer time to LGBT organizations, such as the Stonewall Center. Write letters to your political representatives asking them to support legislation that positively affects LGBT people. Support local LGBT-owned businesses and LGBT-friendly national chain stores.”
As noted by the people above, the way to be a good ally is to promote, share, and financially support the work of people who have been derided and abused by the mainstream. Allies should not be leaders, but followers. They should be sympathizers, but never empathizers — because that is impossible.
And, always, allies should be guided by the words of Indigenous Australian activist Lilla Watson: “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
It’s not easy being a good ally. It can be embarrassing to adjust naive assumptions and risk insulting people while breaking down institutionalized biases, which are so ingrained that they’re hard to notice. Mass Slavery Apology knows this first hand.
In January, Mass Slavery Apology, a Franklin County group of social justice allies with a strong focus on stamping out racism of all kinds and procuring reparations for black and Native American slavery, took a five-month hiatus to analyze its operations after members were accused of silencing black voices. In May, the group relaunched under the name Racial Justice Rising with a promise from allies, most of whom are white, to be more in contact with the group’s advisors of color.
Allies, it’s time for us to put our money where our mouths are, because no one is asking us to grab the mic right now. Let’s be supportive in a way that shows we believe the people, places, and ideas we love have all the merit they need to make it in this world if they’re only given the chance.•
Kristin Palpini can be contacted at editor@valleyadvocate.com.
