Bri Becerra
Editor-in-Chief
As Donald Trump enters the Oval Office for his second term, I have noticed an increase in discussions about allyship and support networks. This is all well and good — but what does it actually mean to be an ally?
Allyship has a connotation of support and solidarity. These are absolutely essential as diversity, equity and inclusion programs are rolled back, the threat of deportation looms and other essential human rights are in danger of being taken away. But this is not enough. Allyship suggests complacency rather than action. An ally can put “BLM” in their social media bio and repost activist’s ideas on their Instagram story, but this isn’t real action.
Instead of being an ally, we should be co-conspirators. Being a co-conspirator is especially essential for white people, as our white privilege can be used to demand justice for others. Without this step, we are complicit in a system that was built to oppress Black and brown folks.
In this current political climate, it is impossible to be a perfect co-conspirator to every cause. This does not mean that we cannot practice empathy and offer support to all, but we should focus on the steps we can realistically take right now.
As horrific as it is to think about, I could easily blend in to a crowd of white supremacists because of the color of my skin. Though my visible queerness creates some complexity, I could hide this side of myself to fit the rigid gender norms that are supported by the Trump administration. Black and brown folks do not have the option to hide — they are visibly outside of the expectations of whiteness. Why should I exercise the privilege of blending in when I could act alongside people of color to fight these unfair norms?
It is not the job of Black and brown folks to constantly articulate how white people can be good co-conspirators. They are faced with the unfair burden of holding us accountable, and we have to begin sharing in this work. Accountability needs to be a network of ongoing processes towards equitable change.
Acting as a co-conspirator can take many different forms. It can be attending protests, sit-ins and signing petitions. But it can also be through informed consumerism such as buying from Black-, immigrant-, women- and queer-owned businesses, engaging with Black content creators and sharing the work of artists of color. Co-conspirators also educate themselves by reading Black and immigrant histories, studying Black feminist theory and informing themselves about anti-racist action by learning from activists of color.
Finally, being a co-conspirator requires intersectionality. White feminism has no place in the 21st century. I do not need to comment here on why white feminism is so problematic; women of color such as Rafia Zakaria, Mikki Kendall and Audre Lorde articulate it in their work much better than I can.
We cannot wait for the College’s administrators to protect us and our friends. I will not simply sit around and count the minutes until there are moves made to ensure the safety of our international, trans and students of color. I am angry, and you should be too.