How to be an ally | University Housing & Conference Services

I want to start off this blog post by saying that I am White and could never begin to understand the struggles that Black people face everyday. It is my responsibility not just as a White person, but as a human being who believes people should not have to live in fear because of the color of their skin, to educate myself on the struggles of black people and learn what I can do to help. I may not be able to share the experiences of Black people, but I can learn about their suffering, stand with them, grieve with them, and fight for change. Being an ally means struggling with others, acknowledging the issue and drawing attention to it. I want the Millersville University community to come together and support our Black brothers and sisters by being allies. By recognizing their suffering and suffering with them. One of Millersville’s EPPIIC core values is compassion. Now more than ever members of the Millersville University community must show compassion and demonstrate leadership to bring about positive change. Here’s how you, no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, can educate yourself and become an ally in the fight against racism:

Visit this link to check out anti-racism resources including articles and books to read, videos, TV shows, and movies to watch, organizations to follow, and more: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/preview?pru=AAABcp7Zjak*JaTmVVS2r9dqi2IRgtTFHg
Learn about how to show support by reading this article: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/preview?pru=AAABcp7Zjak*JaTmVVS2r9dqi2IRgtTFHg
List of books you can read to learn more about racial justice: https://manifold.umn.edu/projects/project-collection/racial-justice
Click the link to learn how you can support Black-owned businesses: https://refinery29.com/en-us/2020/06/9849096/find-black-owned-businesses-online-apps
Here is a resource with links for places and organizations you can donate to, petitions you can sign, and representatives you can contact: https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/where-to-donate-support-black-lives-matter/
List of bail funds: https://bailfunds.github.io/
Donate to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund to support his family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
Another good resource showing different ways you can help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
Text “JUSTICE” to 55156 to join Color Of Change, a nonprofit organization, in their efforts to demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot on February 23rd, 2020.
Text “ENOUGH” to 55156 to join Color of Change in their efforts to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in her home on March 13th, 2020.

Millersville University is proud of its students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are using their voices to promote positive change in society and are doing what they can to educate themselves about systemic racism. We must remain compassionate and be allies. We must support the Black community and those who are suffering. We must fight for freedom. We must do better. Remember to stay aware and active, but also be sure to stay safe. If you are going to protest, protest peacefully. Continue to follow CDC guidelines to protect yourselves and others from COVID-19. Head over to https://linktr.ee/thevillecounselingcenter to visit Millersville University’s virtual calming room to deal with any stress, anxiety, anger, and so on that you may be feeling. Remember that you are not alone. Millersville University is here to help all members of our community in any way we can. Together, we can educate ourselves and support each other, and hopefully make this world a better place for everyone.

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What does it mean to be an ally? What does it take to become an ally? Does the word ally mean just wearing a pin to show solidarity? Does an ally mean being a good citizen as well?

What would it take to think an ally is more than that—to think it is more active work and not passive work? An ally can be as simple as calling someone out on their oppressive behavior, stopping someone from making hasty generalizations about someone who is trans, disabled, racially different, affected by stereotypes, or being a victim of any form of abuse and mistreatment. An ally can simply just mean being able to not be a bystander—to be engaging and informed about what’s going on.

“If we tell ourselves that the only problem here is hate, we avoid facing the reality that it is mostly nice non-hating people who perpetuate racial inequality.” —Ellis Cose, 1997

“As racism has become less visibly obvious since the 1960s, it has become easier for those not directly victimized by it to ignore it.” —Clarence Page, 1996

“To those who believe the battle against discrimination has been won, I say, look at the realities of paychecks and power.” —Linda Chavez-Thompson, 1997

How can we come to the conclusion of what an ally is? Maybe we can start a conversation about what is really going on in the world. We can start listening to others and their perspectives—we can remain open-hearted and open-minded. If we see how useful working together is, we can find a way to accomplish more goals. The goal itself is to be active; to make sure that we call out injustice, unfair treatment, and the barriers we seem to think are invisible. Once we realize the bridging the gap will not work—we fill the gap. If we are conscientious and committed to the work we do as a society, as individuals, on the local level, on the regional level, on the institutional level, and beyond, we can define and even reify the essence of what an ally is, can be, or should be.

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