Allies

Find out how you can be an ally by participating in the Allies Series with ROOTed and by joining the CU SpeakOUT program.

Characteristics of an Ally

1. Feels good about own social group membership; is comfortable and proud of own identity
2. Takes responsibility for learning about own and other groups’ heritage, culture, experience, and how discrimination may affect their everyday life
3. Listens to and respects perspectives and experiences of others
4. Acknowledges unearned privileges received as a result of privileged identities and works toward equal access to resources by all communities
5. Recognizes that unlearning biases and un/conscious oppressive beliefs or actions is a lifelong process, not a single event, and welcomes each learning opportunity
6. Is willing to take risks, try new behaviors, act in spite of own fear and resistance from others in your identified community
7. Takes care of self to avoid burn out
8. Acts against social injustices out of a belief that it is in his/ her own self-interest to do so
9. Is willing to make mistakes, learn from them, and try again
10. Is willing to be confronted about own behavior and attitudes and consider change
11. Is committed to taking action against social injustice in own sphere of influence
12. Understands own growth and response patterns and when she/ he in on a learning edge
13. Understands the connects among all forms of social injustice
14. Believes she/ he can make a difference by acting and speaking out against social injustice
15. Knows how to cultivate support from other allies