The Bystander is actually not an Ally at all.  Although they may not directly commit acts of personal racism, Bystanders are highly complicit in the perpetuation of racism because they are negligently silent in the face of injustice and inhumanity. Bystanders are not actually in denial of racism, but they may express ideas that make it seem as if they are. This is because they desperately want to avoid the issue all together so as not to feel complicit for taking no action. Often described as the people who put their heads in the sand, there are several factors, including fear of losing their unearned racial privileges, behind why Bystanders are unwilling to be a part of ending racism.

Bystanders are not only part of the problem of systemic racism, they are very much an accelerant of racism because their refusal to do the very least and speak out against racism actually gives validation and credibility to the wrongdoing.

Observerism involves bearing witness.

Observers are not quite Allies.  They have noticed systemic racism, and even feel bothered enough by what they have witnessed that they have expressed their thoughts to others, but yet they have not taken any action against racism.  Observers may even be so self-aware as to have noticed their own unconscious racial biases.

Perhaps the Observer doesn’t know what action to take, or maybe he/she/they have not yet worked up the courage to do what it takes to be an Ally. Whatever the reason for their lack of action, the Observer is one who is plagued by inertia but who also can not seem to turn a blind eye to the racial injustices and human rights violations that they are witnessing.   The Observer often begins to feel quite badly about his/her stagnation and begins to connect the dots that their stagnation correlates to their complicity. With each injustice the Observer witnesses, he/she/they will experience a growing discomfort.

An Observer may be read a lot of literature and consume a lot of media about race dynamics to inform themselves, but they stop short of committing their efforts to affect change. They feel stuck in limbo, paralyzed almost, between the feeling that they must do something and the feeling that there is nothing that they can do.  To them the task of ending racism may seem too daunting.  The reality is that ending racism is actually quite simple. Read here for more info.

Our systems and institutions are comprised mostly of Observers. Due to the sheer volume of their ranks, they hold the key to eradicating systemic racism. But until they realize their unique opportunity to be the change we all wish to see, they actually create an impediment to the mission.

Black Vanguard Alliance is calling all Observers into action. Learn more, about how you can be the change.

Allyship requires a lot of listening.

Allies are those who have acknowledged the limits of their knowledge about the experiences of Black people but who don’t use that as a reason not to think and act.  They are highly aware of their own unconcious racial biases and actively resist them.

Allies relinquish their unearned racial privilege, also known as White Privilege, whenever they possibly can. Whenever it is impossible to relinquish it, Allies use their White Privilege to protect Black lives, improve Black livelihoods, and advance the mission of anti-racism. 

An Ally does not remain silent but confronts racism as it comes up daily.  He/She/They will also seek to deconstruct it institutionally and live in a way that challenges systemic oppression, at the risk of experiencing some of that oppression.

Being an ally entails building relationships, beyond transactional encounters, with Black people. To be an Ally, one must also be candid and observant in their relationships with other non-Black people in order to challenge them in their thinking about race. Allies don’t have it all figured out, but they are committed to non-complacency and always open to learning.

Allies give their commitment to being the engine of a vehicle that they are not allowed to drive.

Activism requires a lot of action.

Activists are Allies who are committed to identifying and confronting racist ideologies that manifest overtly and covertly in institutions, conversations, curriculum, and organizational structures. 

Activists are those who unashamedly and courageously stand on the front line and are relentless in the battle against racism.

An Activist understands that he/she/they will always have much to learn about racism and the Black experience, is dedicated to that continued education, and allows it to inform his/her/their perspectives.

Being an Activist entails seeking a deepened relationship with the Black community, not to lead Black people in their fight for equality, but to stand beside them in solidarity, and follow them when necessary.  The Activist is persistently engaging other non-Blacks to do the same because he/she/they know that in order to eliminate racism, the mission requires Observers to move into allyship and Allies to move into activism.

Change Agency requires a lifetime.

Change Agents are the highly self-aware Allies who have come to discover that in order to solve the problem of systemic racism, we pretty much have to change everything about how our society operates because our entire society, as it currently stands, was founded on racism.  A Change Agent is one who has come into his/her/their awareness that true change begins internally and will require a lifelong, and even a generational, commitment to disrupting the status quo.

The work of a Change Agent can be described going beyond “walking the walk,” they are actually “living the life” of being an obstinate force against racial inequity. A Change Agent will take every opportunity he/she/they can to use his/her/their own racially-granted privileges to create a world where they no longer have special privileges just because of their race.        

Change Agents have dedicated themselves to a lifelong education in allyship. Most likely they have read all trending books and media about racism and perhaps even taken courses.  However, the true Agent of Change is now at the point along his/her/their journey where it becomes clear that anti-racism isn’t something that happens in one’s head, it is something that happens in one’s whole spirit.

This inspirer of Activists, recruiter of Allies, converter of Observers, and refomer of Bystanders is apex predator to all systems of racism. 

And still…they listen… they learn… and they commit themselves every day to being the change.