9 Chapter 9 – WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES FOR ENGAGING IN WORK AS AN ALLY OR ACCOMPLICE?
This chapter supports Module 9 in which you will:
- Inventory skills, talents, experiences, and perspectives that make a good ally or accomplice.
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We talk about how to ally with others to work toward social justice. But what does it mean to be an accomplice? To join in and follow work started by the people most affected by an issue and add our time, energy, information, networks, skills, money, reputation, and other resources? It requires first understanding what actors, allies, and accomplices do. Osler provides information and examples for us to learn, connect with, and be inspired by — they’ll also make us question what we do and might be ready to do. That’s uncomfortable. Suyemoto, et al lean into that, normalizing how being in authentic relationship can be uncomfortable — and how that discomfort, or where we do the growing — can help us be true allies and accomplices as we work toward justice.
We continue the workshop with the Nebraska League of Women Voters in which the candidates share their experience, and we continue to get to know them as just regular people who ran for office. They tell us their motivations, share their experiences, and offer us a lot to think about.
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Read and Explore
- Osler, J. (nd). Opportunities for white people in the fight for racial justice: Moving from actor → ally → accomplice https://www.whiteaccomplices.org/_files/ugd/3c837a_842afcbefaae4d0baced6b1c1f23f1a2.pdf
- Suyemoto, K., Hochman, A., Donovan, R., Roemer, L. (2021). Becoming and fostering allies and accomplices through authentic relationships: Choosing justice over comfort. Research in Human Development, 18:1-2, 1-28, DOI: 1080/15427609.2020.1825905
Watch
- Represent! Running for Political Office in Nebraska Virtual Campaign Training Program pt.1 – How to File/Run for Office & Campaign Messaging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0NNFWRKB3o 1:00-1:30
