It’s not always easy for those dedicated to social justice and public service to pick and choose which causes to fight for and what populations to serve. There are issues area that we feel personally drawn to because of personal experiences or expertise areas. To believe we can extinguish every corner of the world that is aflame with injustice is a recipe for burn out. As the cliché goes, we have to pick our battles. But what we can expect from communities that dedicate their lives to social justice is compassion and empathy for all. While we’re picking what causes we go to war for, we shouldn’t be choosing when to be a compassionate and empathetic ally. This should become hardwired in our systems. There is no set rule book on how this works and my learning on this is still evolving, but I will speak from the efforts I’ve made to learn how to be a better ally and my experiences of supporting from the sidelines.

Let’s recognize our privileges and the advantages they serve us. Maybe we have the platform or network to reach wider audiences, to educate others and highlight the work being done on an issue. Perhaps you are the only person in your community who has been exposed to said marginalized group. It’s a difficult and sensitive task to help amplify others voices, but if we have the means to do so, we should try.

Let’s educate ourselves on the issues. We may not feel well-versed enough to be vocal and express an opinion on the matter but we can always make the effort to listen, read and learn a little more. It’s okay to not know much about a topic but we can ask for resources of good information. There may be some enlightening blogs, articles, or documentaries on the topic. Follow thought leaders online that write, tweet or post about particular social issues. Find out about talks or discussions events and attend them. While it seems instinctive to develop insights and perspectives from those in marginalized or oppressed groups, be mindful that as individuals they are not obligated to teach. We’re better off learning from those who write and speak on these issues professionally. In educating ourselves we can find many parallels between all of the issues we care about.

Let’s speak up. Ask questions, engage in discussion, express conviction. Polite silence is deafening. Going beyond passive likes on social media shows people this is actually worth talking about and not just an issue for the oppressed community. On and offline, research and ask questions if you have them. Maybe someone else is wondering about the same issues and the answer will be used to educate others. Defend friends from whatever oppressed group even when they aren’t around. Think of how much they would appreciate it if they knew you did that for them.

What responsibility do we have and what can be expected of us when we can’t fight every cause, or don’t feel particularly drawn to a cause because of lack of expertise? We can be allies while others are putting out those flames. There is one group the world expects to stand in solidarity with a range of social justice issues and it’s those who’ve made it part of their identity to fight for equity. We have to pick our battles but we shouldn’t be choosing empathy or compassion only when it’s convenient for us. It’s time we internalize the role of ally.

Leave a Reply