Being an anti-racist ally is personal, intentional work. You’re in the right place if you are ready to do that work but don’t know where to start.

In the latest episode of Work Mom Says, Ayana King offered her top 3 ways to do the work of anti-racist allyship actively. Here, we dive into each recommendation and offer a few ways to implement each one into your life. 

1. Project Implicit

King’s first recommendation is to visit Project Implicit to help you recognize your hidden biases. Project Implicit offers free modules on various social attitudes and identities that help uncover your blind spots. The module topics include gender, race, religion, and the LGBTQ community. 

“It might not feel good to recognize some of these things about yourself,” said Ayana King. “But I always say it is much easier for you to swallow that than for somebody to point it out to you.”

These modules may force you to reckon with your implicit biases toward people with marginalized identities. That can be an uncomfortable experience, but it’s essential to do it anyway if you want to be a better ally. Project Implicit is a great place to start on your anti-racist allyship journey because it’s essential to look inward first. 

2. Consider your friend groups.

Next, King recommends considering the diversity of your friend groups and the people you surround yourself with. She suggests asking yourself the following questions:

Are your friend groups diverse? Do your friend groups include Black and brown folks? Are you conversing with them about racism and their experiences?

If you say yes to those first two questions but no to the last, consider whether or not you are a safe person for these folks. If you get uncomfortable when race is discussed in conversation, or you try to change the subject, you may not be a safe person for those folks to talk to about racism. 

Asking yourself these questions and examining your relationships with others can be difficult and uncomfortable. However, it’s up to white people to do the work and unpack our privilege and biases, so we can help create real change.

3. Immerse Yourself in the Black Experience

Last, King recommends immersing yourself in the Black experience in any way possible. If you don’t have any Black family members or friends, you may not be able to do this on a personal level, but there are many other ways to immerse yourself in the Black experience. 

You can (and should) support Black businesses. Physically going to these businesses is a great way to get to know the community, immerse yourself in the culture, and financially support Black businesses. If you are not able to do that physically, technology is outstanding. So, for example, you can order takeout from Black-owned restaurants and shop online from Black-owned shops. 

You can also immerse yourself in the Black experience through media. Read books, watch movies, sitcoms, and documentaries, and listen to podcasts and music that center Black stories and Black voices. It’s essential to immerse yourself not only in educational and historical content but also in fictional stories about and by Black people. 

Here are a few media compilations to get started: Ebony Magazine’s Required Reading: 11 Black Authors To Get Into February 2023, Essence’s 16 Black Podcasts We’re Listening to Right Now, and Refinery 29’s The Black TV Shows You Should Be Watching This Spring.

For more ways to become a better anti-racist ally, check out the latest episode of Work Mom Says.