There were several videos on this module that meant something to me. I really appreciated the ally continuum and coming to terms with the fact that I'm a social worker--a called professional to stand the gaps where many marginalized people come for support--and yet I'm nowhere near where I need to be on this continuum. I think I'm still back in the awareness category and I haven't moved outside of that yet. I want to now start doing that and I feel like I'm sitting on the edge of that plane scared to jump out. This training has provided me an opportunity to take a look at myself more deeply and begin to put together a life of anti-racism and ally ship.
I'm also in the awareness stage. I completely relate to your metaphor of being scared to jump out of a plane - I also feel like progressing to become an active ally is a big, scary leap. I don't think I've demonstrated allyship before, as hard as that is to admit. I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone in this journey of anti-racism and becoming an ally. I'm currently in grad school to become an occupational therapist, which somewhat similarly to social work strives to help people and provide occupational justice. I know I won't be able to best serve in the role of my future profession until I integrate anti-racist work into my personal and professional life.
I'm still in the awareness stage myself and feel unsure about how to move forward because I still feel like there is so much more that I need to learn and because jumping out of the airplane is really scary to think about. I do try to speak out to some degree, though I'm not sure that it's terribly effective or well-received. I'm trained as a teacher and as a pastor, though I'm not serving in either position at the moment. Anti-racist work will be necessary in whatever position I find myself in next.
"Jumping out of the airplane" is more like climbing down some stairs of an airplane that is on the ground. It's uncomfortable to open the door but then you see you're on the ground (surrounded by others who will support you!). And like the facilitator said-you will make mistakes but you'll get up off the ground and continue.
@Rachel Gillespie , @Sarah P , @Aimee Goldmeyer Just a few thoughts...I think I'm at "active" on the continuum, but moving into advocate. What I realized a few weeks ago (after George Floyd's murder) was that I needed to do more, and yes I was going to feel uncomfortable, and that was ok--really HAD to be ok so I wouldn't be frozen in place. If you think of it more like "baby steps" rather than jumping out of a plane, that might help. Meaning reflect on what actions can you take, and where in your sphere can you have influence?
For example, I made a Black Lives Matter sign and put it in my front window; I looked to see which marches/demonstrations I could attend (as a slightly older, risk-averse person in the time of COVID) and showed up with my sign; I didn't go to all the marches, I didn't go to the first few days of marches...but I did get myself out of the door to demonstrate against police brutality, and supported the Black community. Also, I had a look at the Facebook posts of white friends who I see are stronger anti-racist allies than me, and saw how they used their posts to amplify and support Black people. I can emulate their behavior and learn from it. It's great that we are doing this work, taking this training, and reflecting on where we are and where we want to...need to be for a more just and equitable society.
My local Black Lives Matter chapter website has a good ally-actions list. Many of them are along the lines of "write your mayor and express XYZ regarding our police force". There are many activities like that in which all of us can participate. All my best to you!
I would say I'm at the active stage. I'm learning, and continuing to learn, but very much in the transition from non-racist to anti-racist because it disturbs the peace, which I now have reframed as interrupting systemic racism, which is worth it. I think the hardest part of being an ally is ensuring it's not your voice being heard in the end. I run a nonprofit that predominantly engages with POC so this training has really helped frame our work in a new light! Hearing them is enough, I don't need to "do" anything aka white savior.
I think I’m still in the awareness stage, edging into the active stage. It is very scary to take that leap, made scarier by a fear of failure, a fear of saying or doing the wrong thing, and concern for ensuring that my engagement is coming from a place of sincere allyship rather than from my own guilt.