The Révolutionnaire Allyship Pledge, is a dedicated pledge that includes committing to the important steps of educating yourself as an ally, speaking up in situations of injustice, educating the perpetrators of their wrongdoing and the historical impact of discrimination, and offering support to those victimized by these incidents.
Educate: Change starts with being informed. Take the time to educate yourself on the historical plight and barriers of marginalized groups and the present day impact. As an ally to historically excluded groups, focus on educating yourself through the myriad of resources available on Révolutionnaire and beyond. Do not make it the responsibility of those who are oppressed to educate you. If you have specific questions or are looking for support on a specific cause, use the Révolutionnaire lounge as a resource to start a dialogue and build community with changemakers from across the world. Educating yourself will also equip you to be able to educate perpetrators of discrimination on their wrongdoings.
Take Action: Education is the first step, but implementing your education to take action is integral to being an ally. Take action by supporting the efforts of those who have been historically oppressed, calling on leaders to implement systemic changes, supporting people when they come to you with their challenges and stepping in when you see something wrong. In both interpersonal settings and online, amplify the voices of those who are historically silenced so that they can share their experiences and others can listen to them. You can also amplify resources, such as those on Révolutionnaire so others can educate themselves and take action.
Listen: When people who are facing oppression share their stories or experiences, take the time to listen to them. Do not play devil's advocate, instead create a safe space for dialogue so you can learn more and offer support.
If you witness discrimination, speak up: if you are an observer, you are a participant. Recognize your power to impact a situation and mitigate harm. If you observe a situation of injustice, you should say something. Consider condemning the actions of the perpetrator(s) in real-time and educate them on the harm their actions have caused and relevant historical context. If it is safe to do so, work to de-escalate the situation (The Center for Anti-Violence Education has compiled a guide on verbal de-escalation strategies) and call on others to assist. Check in with the person who has been victimized and ask how you can support them.
As a true ally, I pledge to…
- Lead with kindness and respect for all people - celebrate identities, learn from differences and uplift each other
- Educate myself and others on historic and ongoing discrimination, and the present day implications
- Challenge my own biases by being empathetic towards the situations of others
- Listen and believe the experiences of others
- Amplify the voices of those who have been historically excluded or silenced
- Speak up to call out discrimination, prejudice and intolerance when I witness it, or collaborate with others in positions of power if I don’t feel able to do so
To commit to the Révolutionnaire Allyship Pledge comment "I Pledge To Be An Authentic Ally" below this post.
