Being an Ally Program

The following are the notes I took from an awesome Avodah program two weeks ago:

- Know yourself, know your values, act ethnically.
- Being an *ally* doesn't necessarily mean being an *advocate.* Don't try to be a hero all the time.
- You have to actively ask yourself: what are my motivations here? What are my assumptions? Who am I learning from? What knowledge am I gaining? What am I bringing to the table?
- Step one: learn about the people you're supposed to be an ally to. You will never know/understand everything. Make the effort anyway.
- Remember to take care of yourself and practice self-care.
- Listen. Support. Empower. Motivate. Evaluate interpersonal behavior, use that. Dream. Be relevant. There is always a capacity for change and growth.
- Find material that comes from within the community you're working with.
- What groups are looking to suppress? Revolt? Resist? Lead? Organize?
- Is it really possible to be involved in someone else's self-empowerment? Or is there a time for you to get out of the way?
- Culture of dependency- does it really exist? Or is it just that lower classes are dependent on social workers in the same way the middle class is dependent on tax cuts, etc? Think structurally as well as historically. Don't forget the big picture.
- Anytime you can make a personal struggle into a collective struggle, that's a victory. Struggle with them, as an ally.
- People can be their own protagonists.
- Learn about other resistance movements.
- Engage people around what victory could look like. Then go do that.
- Take risks emotionally.
- Get involved! Locally, try Empower DC, One DC, Walmart Free DC.
- You don't always get to see the impact that you're having. And that's ok.

Are you inspired yet? Because I am!