1. “Are You an Ally?”: Ways to Advocate for a More Inclusive Workplace
April Dialogue Session:
“Are You an Ally?”:
Ways to Advocate for a More Inclusive Workplace
Thursday, April 25, 2019
12:00 – 1:00pm
Mudd Hall, Room 203

2. “Working to change an [organization’s] diversity culture is not something that is achieved by a single individual or by proclaiming certain goals on a mission statement; it is a collective, moral responsibility for which we are all, ultimately, accountable.”
-- (C. Stanley, 2016)

3. Agenda Welcome and Overview – Kimberly, Terese, Toni, and Disha
Ground Rules
Define Allyship
Four Corners Exercise
Debrief
Watch TED Talk on Allyship
Adjourn (12:50 pm)
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4. Ground Rules Participatory Use “I” Statements Respect
One voice, all ears
Suspend judgment
Seek to Understand
Confidentiality
Introduce ground rules Ask for feedback Refer back to ground rules as needed
This is a participatory workshop that is intended to help guide all participants to better understanding and to address difficult issues.
Use of “I” Statements When a member of the community speaks of personal experience or feelings, it is of utmost importance that he/she uses the “I” statement. Facilitators should encourage the participant to take responsibility for his/her own experience
Respect. Though this term is used widely, “respect” means different things to different people. Facilitators should ask their team what respect means to them.
One voice, all ears. When one person speaks, everyone else listens.
Suspend judgment
Seek to understand
Confidentiality. Each participant within the community needs to feel that he/she can trust that what is shared with peers will not be shared outside of the group. Though participants are encouraged to discuss what they have learned and share reflections on conversations, it is important to keep names and individual experiences private.

5. What is Allyship? TO BE AN ALLY IS TO...
A - Always center on the impacted
L - Listen and learn from the oppressed
L - Leverage your privilege 
Y - Yield the floor
Spark4Community.com
TO BE AN ALLY IS TO...
Take on the struggle as your own.
Stand up, even when you feel scared.
Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it.
Acknowledge that while you, too, feel pain, the conversation is not about you.
Guide to Allyship
Racial Microaggressions: • A White man or woman clutches their purse or checks their wallet as a Black or Latino man approaches or passes them. (Hidden message: You and your group are criminals.). • An Asian American, born and raised in the United States, is complimented for speaking "good English." (Hidden message: You are not a true American. You are a perpetual foreigner in your own country.) • A Black couple is seated at a table in the restaurant next to the kitchen despite there being other empty and more desirable tables located at the front. (Hidden message: You are a second-class citizen and undeserving of first-class treatment.)
Gender Microaggressions: • An assertive female manager is labeled as a "bitch," while her male counterpart is described as "a forceful leader." (Hidden message: Women should be passive and allow men to be the decision makers.) • A female physician wearing a stethoscope is mistaken as a nurse. (Hidden message: Women should occupy nurturing and not decision-making roles. Women are less capable than men). • Whistles or catcalls are heard from men as a woman walks down the street. (Hidden message: Your body/appearance is for the enjoyment of men. You are a sex object.)
Sexual Orientation Microaggressions: • A Young person uses the term "gay" to describe a movie that she didn't like. (Hidden message: Being gay is associated with negative and undesirable characteristics.) • A lesbian client in therapy reluctantly discloses her sexual orientation to a straight therapist by stating she is "into women." The therapist indicates he is not shocked by the disclosure because he once had a client who was "into dogs." (Hidden message: Same-sex attraction is abnormal and deviant.) • Two gay men hold hands in public and are told not to flaunt their sexuality. (Hidden message: Same-sex displays of affection are abnormal and offensive. Keep it private and to yourselves.)
Microaggressions can be based upon any group that is marginalized in this society. Religion, disability, and social class may also reflect the manifestation of microaggressions. Some of these examples include the following.
• When bargaining over the price of an item, a store owner says to a customer, "Don't try to Jew me down." (Hidden message: Jews are stingy and money-grubbing.)  • A blind man reports that people often raise their voices when speaking to him. He responds by saying, "Please don't raise your voice; I can hear you perfectly well." (Hidden message: A person with a disability is defined as lesser in all aspects of physical and mental functioning).  • The outfit worn by a TV reality-show mom is described as "classless and trashy." (Hidden message: Lower-class people are tasteless and unsophisticated.)

6. Four Corners Exercise
10 minutes max

7. Allyship Gone Awry

9. Three Ways to Be a Better Ally In The Workplace
TED Talk:
Three Ways to Be a Better Ally In The Workplace

10. Summary Start by doing no harm
Change someone’s life significantly
Mentor and sponsor
Volunteer
Transform your team and company
Advocate for underrepresented groups in small ways
Intervene
Invite to speak
Refer & encourage
Normalize allyship
Start by doing no harm
Know what microaggressions are
Listen
Learn, unlearn, relearn
Give me your full attention
Don’t interrupt
Learn the language

11. Campus Resources https://dornsife.usc.edu/diversity/

12. External Resources http://www.guidetoallyship.com

13. Closing Remarks Next sessions: Please give us your feedback
Thursday, May 23rd 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Please give us your feedback

14. Thank You!