Ally
(al·ly) | noun
A person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole
1. Do your homework
Rather than asking BIPOCs to explain concepts like racism and microaggressions to you, leverage the resources out there (like Undertones!) to help you learn. This will also help you to fully understand your privilege.
2. Listen when BIPOCs are speaking
If they do choose to share about their experiences, be sure to listen fully and believe them. This is not the time to compare their experiences to yours or suggest what someone might have meant (that's gaslighting).
3. Leverage your privilege
When you witness racism, address it in the moment, BIPOCs often aren't in a position to do this without risk of backlash. Stop the incident while it's happening, call it out for being racist, and let the person causing the issue know what they're doing is wrong and that it's offensive to you - not just the person their actions impact directly. Silently standing by while it happens makes you complicit.
4. Invest in BIPOC communities
Put your time, money, skills, etc, towards supporting BIPOCs however you can - this can be through supporting minority businesses first, volunteering in communities of color, or plugging BIPOCs in with your connections to help them achieve their goals.
5. Talk to your peers
It is your responsibility to advocate for BIPOCs when they aren't in the room. Challenge the thought processes you that are problematic, and share the resources you've found to help your friends and family learn - regardless of whether or not BIPOCs are around to see it.