“ALLY”—IT’S A DOING WORD

What It Really Means to Support the Black Community by
Opeyemi Sofoluke

“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long possessed that he is set free—he has set himself free—for higher dreams, for greater privileges.”
–James Baldwin¹

A few years ago, I was traveling with a colleague and we got into a conversation about race. This led us to other topics, including the Civil Rights Movement, and eventually we landed on slavery. As a passing comment, I said, “There are some eras I am so thankful I was not born into. I really don’t know how I would survive that kind of life.” After I made this remark, my colleague paused, then he sighed. With a look of remorse, he said, “Wow, that thought has never crossed my mind.” As a white male in his forties, he had never wondered what life would have been like if he had been born in the 17th century and sold as a slave. In that moment, I realized that even the most well-meaning allies do not and cannot truly understand our struggle. Many white and non-Black people cannot comprehend what it is like to live in our world. They have not had to put themselves in our shoes. Our history is not their history, our pain is not their pain, our struggles are certainly not their struggles, but their privilege is often at our expense. White people have been born with an exterior layer of protection, which grants them societal advantages that safeguard them against the negative effects of systemic and institutional racism. That conversation with my colleague not only highlighted to me that we really are from different worlds, it reinforced that his world is a world laced with white privilege.

What is privilege? I am sure you could spot it in its most obvious forms, like male privilege over women who did not have the same voting rights as men in the United Kingdom until 1928, or able-bodied privilege, where you do not have to constantly consider disability access as you plan your journey around busy cities like London or New York. By definition, privilege is described as a special advantage, immunity, permission, right, or benefit granted to or enjoyed by an individual, class, or caste. Such an advantage, immunity, or right is exercised to the exclusion of others.² The James Baldwin quote at the beginning of this chapter addresses the outcome and impact of change, but not just any kind of change—the type of change that results in the surrendering of unearned privilege and power. It’s a type of change that can be uncomfortable for those who have been enjoying the benefits of marginalization, because ultimately if a group of people are being marginalized, then surely another group somewhere is reaping the benefits and it’s those people, the beneficiaries, that can make a change.

Introducing allyship. At its core, allyship is about recognizing that you experience privilege of some kind and making a conscious decision to use your privilege as a strategic mechanism to create opportunities, challenge injustice, and encourage equality. To be an effective ally, it is absolutely necessary to understand and unpack what your privilege offers you and how you can use this to be an agent of change. Before we consider ways in which people can be better allies, it is important to establish that while the focus of our particular discussion is based on race, allyship as a concept is by no means limited to conversations around race. As Angeliki Fanouria Giannaki asserts in her article, “The Role of ‘Privileged’ Allies in the Struggle for Social Justice,” there are multiple factors that can make a person an ally: “Allyship cannot be defined merely on the basis of binaries such as Black and White, oppressed and oppressor, less and more privileged. For privilege itself cannot be determined only through the variables of race and class. Rather, it is multidimensional, shaped by intersectionalities, that is, by the combination of each individual’s multiple identities and lived experiences.” An ally, therefore, is a person who by virtue of their privilege (whatever that privilege is) refuses to accept the “that’s just the way it is” narrative of society and is willing to stand up against systemic issues such as we saw take place in 2020.

The year 2020 was one like no other. For many, it was a heavy year that brought about a drastic shift in the way we now “do” life. The abrupt and devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic threw us a curveball we never expected. Not only were we all forced to accept a restricted version of life, with limits placed on how and when we moved around and socialized, we were told that this way of life would be the “new normal.” In the midst of this chaos, news reports on the impact of the pandemic began to highlight and exacerbate existing disparities in the socioeconomic conditions between Black and white communities, Black and minority ethnic people were at greater risk of catching and dying from the virus.³ Sadly, this reality was consistent across the United States and UK. COVID-19 impacted Black communities in a disproportionate way. As the racial implications of the pandemic were being uncovered, tensions heightened as footage of police brutality was broadcast across our social media feeds. I specifically recall sitting in my living room a few days after the murder of George Floyd, scrolling through my Twitter feed and just crying. It was tiring and traumatic. Post after post was a story of some kind of violence against Black people rooted in racism. Old events resurfaced, and more recent incidents were reshared.

It became apparent that not only were we in the middle of fighting the pandemic, there was another virus we needed to deal with—racism. A virus that institutions have perpetuated for centuries in order to uphold and maintain the interests of the majority. In the posts I saw, white civilians and police alike exercised a blatant and unapologetic disregard for Black lives. I felt triggered. How could all of this still be happening in the 21st century? How was it okay for a white man to shoot a Black man on his morning run because he “looked suspicious”? How was it okay for police to barge into a couple’s home unannounced in the middle of the night and kill an innocent woman by firing eight shots toward her room as she lay in her bed? How was it okay for a white woman to be so bold as to use her whiteness as a weapon by calling the police on an innocent Black man and mentioning his race, knowing full well the implications of her actions? How was it okay to read news reports with the headline: “Police have killed at least one Black man or woman every week in 2020 in the United States”?⁴ How was any of this okay?

As I sat down watching horrific videos of Black people suffering at the hands of mainly white people, I cried. I cried because I felt helpless. I cried because I was angry. And I cried because despite the fight for equality that had been ongoing for decades, despite the passing of legislation to address explicit forms of systemic racism and discrimination, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964—and in the UK, the Race Relations Act of 1965—I could see no change. I was not alone in my observation. Ciara LeRoy, a professional artist and founder of Pretty Strange Design, agrees:

“In 2020, we saw a lot of virtue signaling. People wanted to be a part of the conversation and didn’t want to appear like they weren’t woke or didn’t care. So they were putting something out there, even though it may not have been super well thought out. After the moment had passed on social media, they moved on and didn’t do anything in their daily lives as privileged people to break down and dismantle oppression. And this is the work that needs to be done. It is the hard work that remains after the vast share of people have moved on. That’s why these systems persist.”

For Herman Bulls, allyship is important and should not be confused with performative allyship: “What I’ve been talking about in my speeches is the concept of ‘optical allyship.’ Such people, in their mind, probably truly, truly think that they are an ally, but as a result of their unconscious bias and their tendency to enact microaggressions, they aren’t,” he says.

The proliferation of social media as a news source has contributed to the rise of such allies—people who believe that just “resharing a post” is enough. While it is good to have an active online presence, if that does not translate offline into measurable action or tangible results, then does it matter?

Herman shares how he approaches topics on race when giving speeches: “In my speeches, what I’ll do is, I’ll say, ‘Hey, who here feels that they have unconscious bias?’” Herman notes that the response of his audience is usually along the lines of, “Yeah, yeah, I’ve got it.” People are open to acknowledging bias when it is considered to be unconscious. Herman usually follows up this question with a direct and challenging response: “Okay, who in here is racist?” This question is often answered with an awkward silence. Herman then explains that at this point, he continues his speech in such a way that will cause his audience to reflect on their bias. Herman’s response is typically along the lines of, “Here’s the question: is it possible that your unconscious bias could be perceived by the recipient of it as racist?” Herman continues, “And I’ve had people come to me saying, ‘I just never thought of that.’ In their mind, they are thinking, ‘I am the least racist person I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t see color. I don’t see color; I just see ability.’ You know, and that’s when my antennae go up.” Herman explains that it’s that sense of self-adulation and self-promotion, of constantly wanting to be perceived as a “good person,” that can get in the way of being a true ally.

Acknowledging the challenge and struggles that the Black community experience requires you to see color—it requires you to be attentive to the differences in experiences people face because of their color, and so to not see color is to be dismissive of the challenges Black people face because of their appearance.

There are so many people that are experts in “talking the talk,” or, in some cases “posting the post,” but not as many people are genuinely making the effort to walk the talk. Some of you may have gone on marches and, don’t get me wrong, such demonstrations are important. But after the march, after holding up posters, after all the hashtags—what’s next? Well, it’s the actions you take in your day-to-day lives that can have a real impact on Black lives. No matter how small or big, it is action that creates results.

So where do we go from here? There are a number of ways to become an active ally, and I will share my recommendations along with the valuable insights from some of our contributors. Again, while this list is not exhaustive, it provides a starting point. My hope is that, as you read this, you will be able to reflect and consider how you can take action to make a difference.

To not see color is to be dismissive of the challenges Black people face because of their appearance.

Understand Your Privilege

For anyone with the desire to be an ally, it is incumbent that you, as a white or non-Black person, are able to recognize and understand how your race can afford you certain types of privilege. This is not to say that you do not face challenges or have not encountered struggles; rather, it is about recognizing how in some circumstances, your race has not been the reason for those challenges. In taking the time to reflect on this, you may be able to spot scenarios in your life where you have been at an advantage because of your race. We spoke to ally Oliver Holmes, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Browne Jacobson LLP, who shared how and when he began to recognize his privilege as a white man:

“I grew up with a very diverse set of friends. Where I was living at the time as a child, we had a big Ghanaian and Nigerian community. And so I grew up surrounded by diversity, thinking that was the norm. That was my life. My friends were all very different to each other, so it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I thought not only about white privilege, but privilege in general. When I got into my twenties and entered the working world, I realized that these environments did not reflect the community I grew up in. It makes you think, ‘Something is not right here.’ I just thought, ‘Wow, how lucky am I to have so many friends from very different places with different experiences who have just enriched my life for the better.’”

Oliver’s experience of realizing that the working world did not reflect the community he grew up in may be familiar to the experiences of many Black people.

Oliver continues, “There had been times where my Black friends and I would go out to the shop, and they would get followed around by security guards, and I wouldn’t. We were the same age, we were from the same place, we spoke the same language, we would dress very similarly—there was absolutely no difference to us, except the color of our skin,” he says. “This was when we were like 16 or 17, and it was only when we talked about it that I realized it was just the reality for them when they went shopping. I remember, I was just astounded that that could happen for no reason. So that’s when I really became aware of race and ethnicity and the biases that people have.”

Comparing this to the way racial bias exhibits itself in the workplace, Oliver shares, “Going into the corporate world, you then start to really unpick the more subtle behaviors. It could be anything from not inviting people to lunch, or giving some people certain types of work and other people other kinds of work, or not putting people on a platform,” he says.

“That’s when I really became aware of it at a more corporate and more sinister level because it wasn’t outward exclusion—it’s very subtle, but it was very, very obvious to me. So I can only imagine what it was like for my Black friends and colleagues at the time. That’s when I really started finding my voice in speaking up for other people. The burden of that shouldn’t fall on them. It should be for anyone in the room who witnesses anything like that to say, ‘This is not right.’ In terms of finding your voice and realizing your privilege, I think I knew mine quite early on. But there’s no point in realizing it if you’re not going to do anything about it.”

As you recognize your privilege, begin to identify ways to use it for good. Giving up your privilege may feel like “the breakup of the world as one has always known it” or “the end of safety,” but as research shows, time and time again, a more diverse and inclusive world opens us all up to greater benefits.

Do Your Homework

You cannot expect to become an ally by taking no ownership when it comes to learning about the Black community. Self-educate; be ready and willing to take the time to learn and familiarize yourself with the challenges faced by the Black community. As Arlan Hamilton puts it, “It’s up to you to be educated. It’s up to you to learn what you need to learn and not put it on us to teach you everything, and then applaud you for everything.”

If you want to develop a new skill, you have to make a conscious effort to research, study, and learn about whatever skill it is you are trying to build. Similarly, if you are really passionate about being an ally, be ready to do the work. When I started my career, I remember a good piece of advice from my first manager. He said, “If you don’t understand something, don’t just come and ask me for the answer. Be proactive and try to figure it out yourself first. If you try a number of things and still feel like you have not found the answer you’re looking for, then come and find me, and when I ask you what you have already tried, you will be able to demonstrate that you have made an effort to figure it out.”

The key word here is “effort.” Effort cannot be achieved without action. Effort requires that you do something. That is the essence of allyship—doing something, taking actions to make a positive difference, and that can start by simply doing your research. Take time to develop an understanding of how our experiences differ to the “AME” in BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic). Look into why the term BAME can be problematic when exploring the challenges of the Black community. Whether you prefer to read books and articles, listen to podcasts, or watch films and documentaries, there are a plethora of resources available that can provide a great starting point in your journey of understanding race and racism as it pertains to the Black community.

Rondette Amoy-Smith provides a great analogy on this:

“The way I look at being an ally is this: imagine you visit a country like Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, China, Thailand, Italy, wherever. And you love the cuisine that you’re getting there. When you get back, you’re not gonna run up on a Mexican person and say, ‘Hey! Teach me how to make tacos; in fact, make it for me.’ You’re not going to do that. After you get back from your vacation, you’ll look for a recipe or a cookbook, and figure out how to do it. You’re going to go to the supermarket, pick up your ingredients, and you’re going to do the work.”

Rondette explains that after buying all the ingredients, the next step would be to go to your kitchen and attempt to make the dish. Of course, as a rookie chef, you may make some errors along the way, but the important thing is you are trying.

She continues, “After you’ve tried it and you realize you’ve made a complete blunder, and it’s not perfect because it’s not native to you, you’re going to call your Mexican co-worker or friend and say, ‘Can you help me understand where I might have gone wrong? Did I miss an ingredient out?’ That’s when they’ll be able to say, ‘Well, actually, you probably put too much oregano, or you should have probably put a bit more tomato, and here’s how you do it.’”

For Rondette, this kind of approach allows for a greater dialogue, as an individual demonstrates genuine interest and passion. “You’ve got to demonstrate that you have tried, you’ve attempted to do it, you looked up all the ingredients, you bought the ingredients, you used the ingredients,” Rondette says. “So now we can have a dialogue. I can stand there side-by-side with you in the kitchen and we can do it together. That’s how I view allyship.”

Rondette’s analogy is spot on. While it is easier to simply ask a Black person to tell you how to better support the Black community or how to be a better ally, you will learn more by taking the proactive step of educating yourself before asking those questions. Once you have taken this step, you can further enhance your knowledge and understanding by listening to the experiences of those who are willing to share.

Listen with Understanding

While it should not be the responsibility of Black people to constantly play the role of an educator, we recognize the power of telling our stories. When asked whether it should be the role of Black employees to teach their colleagues about racism, India Gary-Martin emphasizes that, “It is not the role of Black employees by any stretch of the imagination. We cannot solve something we did not create. However, as painful as it may be, we have to participate—if we can.”

Our participation, particularly in a work or business environment, provides a level of insight that only we can bring. As an ally, it is important that when you have those very important conversations, you listen with a teachable mindset.

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, many organizations began to engage in conversations on racism.⁵ Glenda McNeal shares her experience of breaking down to a white colleague how it feels to be a Black working mother in this climate. “As a Black woman who is performing at a high level, who has achieved success, who seemingly has a life that’s ‘similar’ to that of a high-achieving white person, you think of me in that way, but you don’t think of me as a Black mother. A Black mother who had to sit my preschool age child down to have ‘that conversation,’” Glenda says.

“Now, we all have the conversation about the ‘birds and the bees,’ but there are two other conversations we have to have. One when our kids are young, to talk about how someone may call you a name, someone may not let you play with them, someone might judge you because of the color of your skin or the kind of hair you have. These kinds of conversations take away from the magic of that child’s childhood at a very, very young age. And you, as a white person, you don’t have to have that conversation.

The other conversation is when it’s time for my Black son to drive a car or to be out at night. And I have to say, ‘If you’re stopped by police, this is what you’re supposed to do, and this is how you’re supposed to act.’ Real conversations like this give allies an idea of the kind of world we live in.

Allyship is about having those uncomfortable conversations to understand my experience so that you can share in it and then you can empathize and be a voice for me. It is less about just saying ‘I’m an ally’; it’s really about the action that goes behind those words. As an ally, allowing yourself to be uncomfortable in the conversation so you learn more is so important, because when you have understanding, you can shut down bad conversations and you are able to speak from a more informed position. It’s really hard for you to empathize with me if you don’t understand my situation.”

For some people, however, talking about their personal experiences of racism can be extremely difficult and upsetting. I remember watching a Sky News interview where journalist Mark Austin interviewed former West Indies cricketer Michael Holding on racism in the UK. It was moving to see the emotion Michael was overcome with as he shared with the viewers his experiences and his hope for change. As pain-filled tears left his eyes, Michael expressed that he recognized change would be a slow process but urged us all to keep going, “Even if it’s a baby step at a time, even if its snail’s pace, I am hoping it will continue in the right direction.”⁶

In your conversations with Black people, be aware of how topics around race and racism can open up old and, in some cases, fresh wounds. Be conscious of this and avoid telling people how to feel. Though well-intentioned, comments like, “Try not to let it bother you” or “Just ignore their ignorance” can invalidate how a Black person feels. So listen and be thoughtful in your response. Many Black people have experienced racial gaslighting when sharing their experiences; we’ve been told that we’re overthinking, overreacting, or “playing the race card.” Such remarks undermine our very real and lived experiences.

Omar Wasow explains,

“One of the simplest things you can do is just listen. I think a lot of times having privilege means that you feel like you know the answer or you understand somebody’s problem. To really sit and listen with empathy takes a certain kind of intention and work, a quieting of your own ego. It’s not just listening, but listening with empathy and really trying to hear what it is somebody is feeling. Sometimes something can seem quite trivial to you as somebody who might have privilege or power, but for that person who has experienced something 50 times before, it is a raw spot where they are mistreated in a particular way again, and again, and again. Let’s take something simple, like a mispronunciation of a name. It may be easy to say ‘That’s not a big deal, right?’ But if it’s part of a way in which people repeatedly disregard your humanity, or maybe it’s done intentionally, it’s going to sting a little more. I think being able to hear with empathy is important; it’s not just about the specific facts, but about the history that somebody might bring to a moment.”

Recognize that the stories you hear are coming from people who have had to find ways to deal with the emotions related to those situations. So listen with the willingness to learn.

For any Black person reading or listening to this that has been asked to tell your story, India has some advice: “If it’s too traumatic, it’s okay to say, ‘I’m not in a space to do/discuss that.’ That’s okay. There are plenty of Black people who are prepared to have those conversations. I’m one of them for sure.” India jokes, “I’m like, ‘Listen, what y’all need to do is this …’ And so, I think that there are enough of us who are prepared to have the conversation and we can be the barrier for those that aren’t, and there’s no shame in that. Because, frankly, the trauma and grief that people have experienced and are continuing to experience because of being Black in Western societies means that, for some of us, having this conversation is all too draining.”

Pamela Hutchinson shares her recommendations for Black people who are tired of talking. “I was having a conversation the other day with somebody who said, ‘You know what, Pamela? I’m tired of talking about race to white people … Why do I have to educate them? I’ve learned to navigate in their world. Why can’t they just learn to navigate in mine?’ And I said, ‘Look, you know what, it’s frustrating and it’s tiring, and I hate doing it, too. But the reality is, they didn’t wake up in our world, and they have not walked in our shoes, and they do not know our experiences, and the only way they’ll know is through us sharing in order to raise people’s level of awareness and engagement.’”

So as you listen to our experiences, show an appreciation of what it has taken for us to share our stories. Be thoughtful; be kind.

Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

As an ally, you may find yourself in conversations that are awkward or uncomfortable—in fact, that should be expected. To tackle workplace racism, it is necessary that you create spaces for honest conversations to take place, regardless of how these discussions make you feel. It is important to be able to get past the awkwardness of difficult dialogue. If Black people sharing their experiences makes you uncomfortable to the point that you choose not to read, watch, or hear our stories, then you are not ready to be an ally. Such behavior demonstrates that you are either unable to come to terms with the reality of your privilege, or you want to hold onto your privilege. Either way, it says to a Black person, “Your pain makes me feel uneasy, so I’d rather not hear about it. I’d rather remain in my bubble of ignorance.” This is not the attitude to have. It is not about you and how you feel, it’s about taking the steps to change the spheres you find yourself in.

If you really want to support the cause and develop as a true ally, you must learn to stop focusing on your feelings and start focusing on the bigger picture. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; the fear of getting it wrong or causing offense often causes many to shy away from being allies, but understand that this will be part of the process. Remember Rondette’s analogy about making a particular cuisine? Again, you might make a mistake, but the fact that you have made an effort is what matters. Take time to learn, be patient, and exercise a level of grace as you develop on this journey. Keep the goal in mind, build resilience, and continue to push for change. If you really want to be committed for the long haul, stop focusing on your feelings and take action.

Use Your Voice

I don’t know what it is about the phrase “use your voice,” but whenever I hear it, a particular scene from Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit comes to my mind. Sister Mary Clarence, who is played by Whoopi Goldberg, has been training her class of mischievous yet musically talented high school students to sing as a choir. After much practice, the group of students prepare for their first performance in front of the school. As they start singing, “Oh Happy Day,” the nerves and timidity of the newly formed choir would have you thinking that they were singing a more somber chorus. But with some encouragement from Sister Mary Clarence, the lead singer Ahmal, played by Ryan Toby, steps out and gradually grows in confidence. As his voice increases in volume, the power of his melody ushers his nerves away. As he becomes more comfortable on stage, so does the rest of the choir, and eventually, with arms outstretched, he belts out the impressive and legendary high note we all remember him for.

Having the confidence to use your voice may not come naturally, but it starts by simply speaking up. The more you do it, the bolder you will be about standing up for what is right. Like Ahmal, you may require a gentle nudge, but ultimately, it’s down to you to use your voice. You must realize that the power of your privilege can spark change. Whether you realize it or not, being part of the majority group means the power of balance is often in your favor, so the more you call out injustice, challenge microaggressions, and speak up for those who are being unfairly treated, the more of an impact you can have as an ally. Ciara LeRoy adds to this, explaining that when it comes to allyship, sometimes:

“The sentiment is, ‘I’m only one person. What can I do? I don’t have a lot of resources,’ but you have your time, you have your influence. You don’t have to be some kind of social media influencer or blogger. You have your family, your friends, you have your professional circle; look around and think about how you can influence them. That’s how you can use your privilege every day. It’s about actively thinking about how you can make the world more equitable. Because it’s frustrating that it’s left to the oppressed group to commonly break down the oppressive systems. That’s so not fair. I wish that more people in privileged positions would take that moment to break down the systems that they have benefited from.”

Additionally, speaking up requires you to be attentive to your work environment and surroundings. Be observant; take the time to understand the office culture; and, if you see behavior that excludes or discriminates against anyone, be prepared to correct such behavior. When it comes to intervening and shutting down racist behavior, Omar Wasow shares his advice on how to identify and approach this. “So there are often situations where this weird analogy applies.” He begins by explaining how he and his wife used to raise chickens: “One of the things that was amazing about raising chickens was that they engage in these contests. You know, I didn’t realize that ‘the pecking order’ isn’t just some phrase in the English language; these chickens would literally peck each other in order to establish rank. And, as we were raising these chickens, I would watch the games they would play to establish a pecking order.”

Omar explains how, through watching the chickens, he noticed similar “pecking order” traits that could be observed among humans. “It began to be something I started to see in social dynamics with people, where it’s like, oh, that person isn’t just making a joke at somebody’s expense, they’re pulling rank on that person. They’re saying, ‘I am higher rank than you.’ And there are all of these small kinds of ways we engage with one another in asserting rank, asserting status, and denying other people rank and status.”

Omar advises that when you become aware of such dynamics, you should find ways to intervene. “If you become attuned to that, you might observe that somebody is cutting somebody else down. And you as a third party can intervene in a way that might say, ‘That’s out of bounds,’ or ‘I’m uncomfortable with how you are not hearing that person,’ or ‘You are being disrespectful.’ Be a person who can make the dynamics visible or, if that’s too confrontational, at least intervene on behalf of the person who is being undercut in a way that tries to equalize things,” he says. “I think that’s a really important part of it being dynamic. It’s not just watching from the sidelines, but figuring out how you can intervene in a way that helps.”

Omar highlights the importance of being self-aware when it comes to your approach. As you speak up, think about your delivery and how what you’re saying is being received. Of course, if someone is ignorant, they will most likely find fault in how you provide feedback, but always be conscious of your delivery.

In regard to the workplace, Omar emphasizes, “Within an organization, there are lots of ways to support. Ask yourself, ‘Is this person being given opportunities?’ But also, ‘Does this person have an area they need to improve in?’ And, you know, ‘Can I help them?’ It is about giving constructive feedback, right? And so, I think that’s another important part of allyship—figuring out, ‘How can I help someone be the best version of themselves to thrive in this organization?’”

Speaking up can come in the form of mentorship and sponsorship—it is about using your expertise to support the advancement of Black talent.

Using your voice as an ally also means doing so with the right intentions, and not because it makes you look good or because it forms part of your yearly review. Allyship should be genuine, Oliver Holmes expresses:

“A lot of it comes down to integrity. The way I’ve always thought about it is, if I get excluded, or if I don’t get something because I’m speaking up for others, they can keep it. I don’t need it. Speaking up doesn’t always have to be a big thing. It can be really subtle. It can literally be giving somebody some feedback after a session, such as taking a manager aside and just saying, ‘Did you realize you mispronounced their name three times, or you mentioned everybody else’s name in the team except theirs?’ I think that as long as your intentions are clear, and there’s integrity behind what you’re doing, everyone should feel empowered.”

Look Out for Opportunities to Support Black Talent

As you use your voice, follow it up with action. In an environment where white people, specifically white men, make up the majority of boards, are in decision-making positions, and have the opportunity to drive significant change, having allies at the most senior levels who can influence organizational shifts is important. Saying this, it is equally as important to recognize that impact can be made through an individual regardless of their level.

Organizations should actively look for ways to recruit diverse talent. We often hear excuses like, “We can’t find Black talent,” which is simply a lazy response. The talent is out there. So, whether it’s hiring from Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Howard University; sponsoring and recruiting from Black events organized to spotlight and celebrate Black talent, such as the UK Black Business Show or Black Women Talk Tech; or by encouraging and promoting referral programs, there are so many ways to hire Black talent. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Do I care enough to put in the effort to find Black talent?”

We spoke to Scarlett Allen-Horton, 2019 BBC Apprentice Finalist and Director of Harper Fox Search Partners, a recruitment company that specializes in placing leadership and executive-level talent across engineering and manufacturing industries with a focus on senior ethnic minority and female talent. As an ally, Scarlett shared how growing up in a diverse community meant that she became aware of race and racism at a relatively early age. “I was brought up in the inner city of Birmingham, so it was very, very diverse. I’m half Pakistani and white, so at a very young age, probably 6 or 7, I realized that people could treat you differently because of your race,” she says. “I would hear racist slurs around me all the time, and most of the time, people didn’t realize that I was half Pakistani, but we’ve got quite a lot of ethnic diversity in my family.”

Scarlett explains that when it comes to recruiting talent, hiring managers are often influenced by affinity bias—which she regularly challenges. For Scarlett, managers need to acknowledge and address their bias and be held accountable.

“Sometimes when you’re working with a client, and they’ve employed ‘Dave’ for the last 30 years, they naturally will look to reemploy and replace ‘Dave’ with another ‘Dave.’ And it’s the same cycle. A lot of the work that we do is to question, ‘Could we consider someone else apart from “Dave”? And for what reason, are we considering him or her?’ I often encourage my clients to focus on the skill set they are after.

Such behaviors are not always internally challenged, especially in smaller businesses. A lot of the bigger corporate businesses have an agenda for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) which, as a first step, is really positive to see. But we need to ensure that EDI is something that is not just talked about.”

Action from allies is essential, as Charlene White asserts: “Nothing changes without allies … And unless they really make a point of changing things, of shaking things up, making things a lot more even, a lot more representative, giving everybody an equal chance to sit at the table—without those people wanting to do it—nothing changes. So we can all fight ’til the cows come home to try to instigate change, but if the gatekeepers who really affect that change aren’t on board, then nothing happens.” Radio DJ, presenter, and producer Jenny Francis further supports this and explains, “There’s no point in having a conversation as Black people if we’re not going to include white people in the conversation. On our own, we can’t be the solution, because we’re not oppressing ourselves.”

A report released by Korn Ferry and the Korn Ferry Institute found that Black executives and talent at lower-level organizations have to contend with unconscious bias and unfair treatment that create undue barriers to career progress.⁷ Jenny shares an experience she witnessed, one that I am sure many of us have seen in our own industries. “At a radio station I worked at, an opportunity came up for a program controller and, while there were capable candidates who were Black, the position was offered to a white tech op, someone who was essentially the runner,” Jenny says. “He knew nothing about the music, nothing about R&B, but he was given that role.”

Jenny explains that because the role was offered to someone who lacked the knowledge and skill set to execute in the position, it became the responsibility of those who had the knowledge to teach him.

“So in that role, Black people who were now considered junior to him, as well as the presenters, were actually teaching him how to do his role. Now, if he was a Black man or woman, do you think they would send somebody in to teach them to do the role they should already know how to do? And that’s what needs to change. There needs to be more opportunities open to talented and capable Black people who have the ability but aren’t being given the chances.”

In organizations where managers and decision-makers display bias, many capable Black people miss out on opportunities. If such behaviors go unchecked, no one will be held accountable. Therefore, as an ally, do your part to address and call out bias. Recommend books and resources to colleagues who display bias. If your organization offers any kind of inclusion training or anti-racism training, push for your team to take the course.

As the director of a recruitment company that focuses on an industry that is known for its lack of diversity, Scarlett Allen-Horton shares that when she is working with clients, understanding how they approach diversity and inclusion is a key component in her discussions with them. At organizational level, it is important to assess whether the culture of your company makes it difficult for people to bring their best selves to work: “If we were to bring a Black professional into this environment, would that professional feel comfortable? Would they feel safe? Would they be able to thrive in the environment that you’ve got at the moment? If so, amazing. If not, then what do you need to do as an organization to address those points straight away and make changes?”

It is necessary for leaders to look at ways to reduce bias in their organizations. Action needs to be intentional and measurable. Companies and organizations should be able to effectively track and report on initiatives and programs that have been set up to support the Black community. Having the data to work with is key—you need to be able to know your current status and use that to guide where you want to go. Data powers progress, and without it you cannot measure how impactful a program is. Data enables you to tell a story, and as emphasized by Oliver Holmes, “It’s that storytelling that is valuable, we’ve got to make sure that this is a movement and not a moment.” Organizations ought to set out strategic action plans to improve representation of Black employees. Oliver adds,

“I think for organizations, especially at scale, it’s good to have an ambition in place that you can measure against; having a framework that uses data is a really good starting point for organizations wanting to make change. You can then branch that out into lots of other organizational functions to really promote diversity and inclusion. So, for example, let’s take procurement. You can review how many Black-owned businesses your organization is working with. Who are your suppliers? Or for recruiting, how many African Caribbean societies at universities are you really engaging with? It shouldn’t just be during Black History Month, then that’s it. We should be looking at absolutely everything, and using the data helps. It gives you a good starting point and somewhere to head toward.”

As you consider measurable steps you can take to be an active ally at work, be sure to continue sharing your progress. People are interested in the difference you are making, and keeping a record of it can prove to be beneficial in attracting more diverse talent because where inclusion leads, diversity follows.

Support Black Businesses

Following the protests against racial injustice that took place in the summer of 2020, many people were looking for ways to better support Black-owned businesses. According to Google Trends data, searches for “How to find Black-owned businesses in your area” saw a 300 percent spike from June 1 to June 2 in the United States,⁸ while searches for “Black-owned restaurants near me” tripled.⁹ In the UK, the first Black Pound Day took place on June 27, and consumers were encouraged to spend money with local and online UK Black-owned businesses.¹⁰ Since its launch, Black people and allies are encouraged to spend with a Black-owned business every first Saturday of the month. A similar initiative was launched in the United States on July 7—Blackout Day, an economic protest encouraging Black Americans to cease spending for the day or to only spend with a Black-owned business, if necessary.¹¹ Both campaigns received popular support, and allies were beginning to demonstrate a recognition of the way they could also use their financial resources to advance and support Black-owned business.

As consumers, we have a lot more control, influence, and power than we give ourselves credit for. Therefore, being more thoughtful about how and with whom you shop with can have a lasting and positive impact on the Black economy.

Continue to push for the change you want to see, and never forget that “ally” is a doing word.

Next Steps and Reflection

• What privileges and biases do you have?
• What parts of Black experiences, cultures, and communities do you need to educate yourself on?
• List three actions you will take to learn more.
• What steps will you take from learning to action?