Five people, all different in various ways, are connected together by linking arms. Journalism One student Maya Clement believes that allies should be willing to move beyond their computer screen for the change they want to see. “When I think of an ally, I think of someone who is willing to put in the time and effort to show their support and express their opinions whenever they have the opportunity to do so,” Clement said. by Frances Thrasher
I’ve always been the kind of person who reads the news and is interested in what is happening in the world. I’ve always been the person who cares about other people, even if I am nothing like them.
Almost every day, I can find a new story about a person or a specific race of people who are being attacked or discriminated against.I can’t always relate to these people or their struggles, but I still want to support them.
I want to be an ally for those people.
Currently, Asian Americans are being targeted due to the COVID-19 virus originating in Wuhan, China. Even though I am not Asian American, there are still numerous ways I can help them.
To be an ally, I can make sure I am spreading accurate information on social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I can post, repost and share other people’s stories so that their needs, fights and issues are known.
A small group of people can only create a small change, but a big group of people can create a big change.
“Spreading accurate information online and being a support system are both equally as important, but it takes many people working together to do either effectively and on a wide scale.”
Being an ally also means acting if you see harassment or discrimination happening right in front of you. You have to be willing to act in that moment.
I can also be an ally by offering my support to the targeted group. Even though it can be hard to accept, sometimes the best way to be an ally is to just listen when that group is speaking. Offering my emotional or physical support can change a person’s life and encourage other people to do the same thing.
Spreading accurate information online and being a support system are both equally as important, but it takes many people working together to do either effectively and on a wide scale.
It’s impossible for one person to help an entire community of people, which is why I encourage everyone to join me in becoming an ally in order to make a positive difference in our world.
