On Being a Better Ally

According to a report in the Marin IJ, Marin is rated as among the state’s most racially unequal counties. Based on a study by The Los Angeles-based Advancement Project California, this prominent civil rights group used 7 metrics: economic opportunity, access to healthcare, education, housing, democracy and justice and healthy built environments. It is an uncomfortable, embarrassing truth which many want to deny and dismiss.

Yet it is also an opportunity to become better.

One of my mother’s best friends was a Black community leader. He always impressed upon us children, the importance of listening to, learning about, and doing what we could for minorities. This is a moral imperative. It is what we can do, what we must do.

We need to learn be good allies.

So what does it mean, to be a good ally? It means a number of things. It means admitting you want to help, although you may not know exactly what that looks like. It also means being honest about your flaws and shortcomings. Most importantly, it means to listen, understand and respect the truths of others.

As such, I want to encourage people to come to the exhibit at the Fairfax Library, Portraits of Protest, by Stephanie Mohan. This artist has captured the messages and faces from the recent protests for social and racial equity. These poignant and important images truly speak a thousand words, and we can all “listen” to and learn from them. There is a reception with speakers, refreshments and engaging conversation this Saturday, November 20th, from 2-4, parking at Saint Rita’s Church. The exhibit runs through the end of December.

This is a way to become better allies; we must keep moving forward. The work has just begun.