Understanding Allyship
It’s important for us all to acknowledge that racism affects everyone, including white people. While the material consequences of racism disproportionately impact people of colour, the spiritual and psychological toll is universal. The state of the world we live in is a testament to this truth.
It is my sincere hope that within this context, every white school leader across the country understands what is meant when we talk of allyship. To clarify, allyship is a lifelong commitment to promoting social justice, particularly in combating racism. It involves recognizing one’s privilege and using it to support and amplify the voices of marginalized groups.
Confronting Vulnerability in Allyship
In my work with white school leaders, I have found that one of the primary reasons white people shy away from soul work and allyship is the vulnerability it brings. Feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety surface and it hurts. It hurts to recognise these shadow parts of oneself and go through the process of integration. Yet, this process is necessary. One cannot stand firm in the face of racism as fault lines and cracks run through one’s inner core. These cracks need to see the light of day. Just as in the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken bowls are repaired with golden lacquer, the cracks within individuals need to be witnessed and repaired for individuals to experience their full agency and power as allies.
Parker J. Palmer captures perfectly the inner bartering that happens when white folk intellectually commit to becoming anti-racist, only to discover it is a journey that goes beyond intellect and reason. “Choosing wholeness makes us vulnerable in ways we’d much rather avoid.”
It is clear from his words—and for those of us on this journey who have lived the truth behind his words—that the journey towards wholeness requires confronting uncomfortable truths about oneself and society. It means acknowledging one’s role in perpetuating systems of oppression and committing to lifelong learning and unlearning.
Deepening the Work
For these reasons, I believe that allyship necessitates a profound, introspective journey where biases, assumptions, and complicity in systemic racism are confronted and addressed. This is soul work. This process is not just about external actions but about internal transformation that cannot be achieved by writing a strategy or an action plan.
The transformation I am talking about involves forming a new relational capacity with oneself, others, and wider society, less hindered by the fragmentations, silences, and splits within the individual. As Mark A. Hicks eloquently puts it, “We must recover and integrate lost parts of ourselves, to find the silences, suppressed and fragmented aspects of our being and to create internal hospitality to the fullness of our lives.”
The Benefits of Engaging in Soul Work
Despite the challenges, the benefits of engaging in soul work as part of the journey towards becoming an ally are profound. For white school leaders, this journey can lead to authentic leadership and transformative change. Parker J. Palmer says that if we commit to this work, “We may discover that if you are on an inner journey, you are on the threshold of real power. The power of personal authenticity, manifested in social movements, has driven real change in our time.”
The late feminist and social activist bell hooks shared a similar sentiment when she said, “I was certain that the fact for those of us who chose this vocation was to be holistically questing for self-actualization.”
Both Palmer and hooks guide us to see that allyship is about developing an etiquette of social responsibility combined with a quest to become more of oneself so that, as citizens of the world, our presence might help create a world in which we all can thrive.
What is yours to do?
As white school leaders, our young people need your moral compass to always be pointing due north towards race equity and social justice. The path of allyship and soul work is not easy, but it is necessary. The fight against racism requires all of us to show up fully, with our hearts open and our souls committed to the creation of a more just, beautiful and equitable world.
An Invitation
On 1st October, 4.00pm – 5.00pm, Viv Grant, Director of Integrity Coaching, will host a Race, Identity & School Leadership Webinar specifically for white school leaders who want to lead race work with greater confidence and self-assurance. Viv is passionate about race work in schools, and her PhD research focuses on ways to enable white school leaders to claim their agency as anti-racist educators. Viv will create a safe space for individuals to explore related themes and discuss collaborative opportunities for building on race work that some schools may have already started. To book your place register your interest here.
