Embracing Your Allies

The BET Awards 2016 premiered a couple of months ago (apparently, on four channels including Nickelodeon??) Still researching that one but anyway, many artists and icons paid tribute to the legend, Prince. There were many who were excited about the huge surprise opening of Beyonce & Kendrick Lamar. This was the first time in a long time that she appeared and performed live in the flesh on a water-filled stage at the awards show. No one or thing beats Jesse Williams' speech about improving black culture, branding, freedom, bystanders, white supremacy, black women, education, and standing up for equal rights for black people. Although it was not as popular, Usher made his message loud and clear by wearing a "Don't Trump America" shirt during his performance.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding all of these things but no aftermath was as great *sarcasm* as the Justin Timberlake backlash. A little history of Justin Timberlake's involvement in black culture... let's just say to sum it up, he was always "invited to the cookout" and often "traded before Stacey Dash". However, his comment to a Twitter troll caused some serious discussions about cultural appropriation and if Justin was a supporter of or anti-Black Lives Matter movement, etc.

**If you have not heard or been up to speed on this, please click here**

Because of this backlash, Justin Timberlake, who was only moved by Jesse Williams' speech, ended up apologizing. He even stated in his Teen Choice Awards speech months later that his parents taught him "to not be filled with prejudice and hate but with compassion and love... people from every walk of life. People who help each other and find a common ground." I applaud you, Justin!

However, although I am a fan of Justin Timberlake and do not feel he appropriates (present tense) our culture, it angered me that people of color are very exclusive of people who are NOT of color as well as create backlash towards our allies. In other words, the African American community must do better to embrace our allies and ensure that we are working together to create change instead of causing a greater divide and losing our white/other allies.

What an Ally looks like
An ally as a verb is to combine or unite a resource or commodity with another for a mutual benefit. We have then altered this definition to a person who combines or unites for a common cause/benefit of change. For example, in this case for the Black Lives Matter movement, an ally would be someone who is not Black such as White, Hispanic, Asian, etc. Another example of an ally for the women's movement would be men, transgender, or transsexual individuals who are for the progression of women. They help in any way they can, speak out and educate others, as well as brainstorm solutions in conjunction to a movement or cause.

Who Can be an Ally
Any and everyone can be an ally!

How to Be an Ally
There's plenty of places on Google you can research to find out ways on becoming an ally. I recommend reading "12 Ways to be a White Ally" as well as following the men below on their social media accounts and websites.

The problem is not the fact that we do not have enough allies, it is the fact that we do not embrace or utilize the allies we have or even value their opinion because they are NOT apart of the group. However, allies are needed! More people who bring change and continue educating others who simply do not get it, understand, or just do not know how to be involved is crucial to moving forward. Everyone wants to bring up or refer to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. He was one of the necessary leaders of the movement and worked with other organizers and leaders to move an agenda forward for change. But in order for their/civil rights agenda to move forward they had to utilize their allyships and work with people who were not like them and had power especially white men because they are the majority and in power. "The oppressors and the oppressed must work together to dismantle the system of oppression"! It is important to note that a good bit of White individuals were killed during the civil rights movement and seen as martyrs of the movement (please click here). In result, these unfortunate deaths caused more media coverage, more allies, and in the end, more solutions.

This is why it is important to embrace our allies and give them voices in these movements. Do they need to take it over, NO! Not at all and neither are they trying to. Allies should know their limits and boundaries when it comes to helping those who they are in allyship with. However, those who need allies should not place their ideas on the waste side but instead acknowledge known differences and put it aside in order to work together. Those allies are continuing to speak out and educate those who perhaps need to hear their perspectives and hop on board with the movement. Specifically for Black Lives Matter, we need more white people on board and speaking out against racism because they are the ones with power and influence on other whites who are prejudice and racist.

I understand that we all have our own prejudices and discriminatory thoughts that we must dismantle ourselves. However, they should not tear others down and keep them from joining the movement. Does one bad apple make the whole tree rotten? Depending on your answer to this question, realize how society has brought us up to believe in things and how we perceive them. This movement has to move forward but it will not until we start embracing our allies more and all come to the table to join in conversations. You can learn a lot! Remember to have an open mind and spread love.

Click on each individual's picture to access their websites and see how they have become allies as well as contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement.

       

(I personally follow Matt McGorry {left} on Twitter, Sam White {middle} on Twitter, and Tim Wise {right} on Facebook; these are the areas I find them very active and social on)