Be an ally

Guide to Allyship

Online open source guide to allyship covering the concept of allyship, dos and don'ts, and how to handle mistakes.

'In the summer of 2016, someone I considered an ally stood by and watched as I, a Black person, was berated by a racist. To make matters worse, I had a conversation with this person earlier in the day about the power allies can wield in situations of discrimination. But when the time came for them to take action, they were more interested in protecting their comfort.'

How to be a good Indigenous ally

Checklist of seven actions that non-Indigenous people can take to support Australian First Nations communities, including 'preference our voices' and 'be ok with not always being part of the conversation'.

'We need good allies. We are only three per cent of the Australian population. We can’t raise the profile of issues affecting us without our allies. But what does a good ally look like?'

Decolonising the written word

The ways in which the publishing industry is grappling with the project of decolonisation.

'As an editor, a relatively new part of my brief is to be on the alert for colonial exceptionalism. What has surprised me is the amount of material I would have waved through a few years ago.'

White people say they want to be an ally to Black people. But are they ready for sacrifice?

Article exploring the cost to well-meaning white people of true racial equity, and whether they would are willing to pay it.

'Neither the sudden compulsion toward acts of kindness, nor a genuine concern for the experiences of people of color, constitute true allyship...Real allyship enacted by White Americans, with a clear objective to make equitable the lived experiences of individuals across racial lines, means a willingness to lose things.'

We shouldn’t generalise about ‘racism’. This movement is about fighting anti-black racism

Examines the danger of decentring black experience in the Black Lives Matter movement to a more general 'anti-racist' movement.

'Anti-black racism is historically one of the most lethal racism there is. No one has to inherit the combined traumatic history of colonialism, slavery and racial exclusion the way black people do. The mere weight of this history has a racialising and chattering effect on those who carry it that is hard for any of us, including other racialised people, to comprehend.'

I've been tempted by righteous anger against racists. It's not much help in changing society

A call to move the focus of the racial equity debate away from individual racism and towards structural racism.

'Blaming people may feel good but it won’t lead to structural change. There has to be a middle ground: of asking people to take responsibility and to step up as allies without alienating them by telling them how terrible they are first.'

30+ Ways Asians Perpetuate Anti-Black Racism Everyday

Article listing actions specifically for the Asian community.

'In doing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) work, I’ve found it useful to actually name the detailed and insidious ways we all participate in oppressing each other.

Jenny Slate Apologized For Voicing A Black Character On Netflix And Resigned From The Show

Coverage of the decision by actor and comedian Jenny Slate to stop voicing the character of Missy, a black girl on Netflix's Big Mouth animated series.

'Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people.'

Simpsons actor Hank Azaria says he will no longer voice Apu

The white actor who voices the Simpsons' Indian convenience store owner is stepping down from the role, after comedian Hari Kondabolu highlighted cultural stereotypes in his documentary The Problem with Apu.

How 'white fragility' reinforces racism

Robin DiAngelo unpacks her book White Fragility with clips and examples from movies and TV.

'I am not going to get to where I need to go from a place of white comfort. I'm going to have to get mighty uncomfortable in order to challenge that.'

Malaysia's Gerimis

Gerimis works with Malaysia’s indigenous Orang Asli communities to showcase their histories and traditions through the lens of arts and culture. As a collective of primarily non–Orang Asli members, Gerimis uses five principles as guideposts:
* Building allyship
* Free, prior and informed consent
* Credit
* Compensation
* Accuracy and respect

An open letter to reviewers, critics and editors

'Hello, lovely to meet you. I’m Cessalee: a Black woman, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) consultant, director and performer, arts audience member, and advocate for a better industry – can we talk?'

'Comparing ... a play about a specific Asian community to another play ... from an entirely other Asian country tells me you’re not talking about the quality, talent or skill level ... you’re talking about the category you’ve created called ‘plays about Asian things I don’t understand'.'

Why Malaysians Need a New Term to Define Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation

Analysis of cultural appropriation in Malaysia, even after centuries of intercultural exchange in Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous communities.

Five creative project scenarios are presented that raise questions of appropriation, and potential alternative ways of moving forward more ethically.

'Cultural power acknowledges that imbalances exist. It’s not just about sharing, but recognising that dominant cultures dictate what’s acceptable while minority cultures face erasure or stereotypes.'