Iāve always struggled to find a way to meaningfully mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Singing circles, lectures, volunteer service, rallies, none of it felt true to how I wanted to honor his work. It all felt performative and Iād rather do nothing at all. I revisit Kingās Letter from a Birmingham Jail, but what kind of action is that? And thatās the dilemma: I really wanted to take some kind of action.Ā
A recent post from Anti-Racism Daily (January 11) about allyship reinforced for me why anything Iād looked to do seemed not enough: allyship is a false promise. Itās a hay penny in the tithe, the least admission to heaven.Ā
When the late civil rights leader John Lewis urged us to get into āgood trouble,ā he meant it as a call to action. To get up from the pew and get down with the downtrodden. ARD (and the sites it cites) calls for accomplices over allies. I think this is what he meant by it.Ā
An accomplice is someone who understands and is willing to use their place in society for the betterment of others. Most of the time itās not that hard. More than once recently, I tasked a white cishet male accomplice to lean into his Y chromosome and āmanā his way through a situation so we could accomplish what we set out to do. He agreed and I wasnāt burdened with trying to make myself ālikableā in order to have a man deem working with me worth his time.
Itās no fun to submit to systems of oppression (in this case, stroking fragile male egos), but liberation is not a solitary act and we pick our battles.Ā
Accomplices among us
Many of us likely see the ally badgeholders in our midst. They show themselves. Accomplices meanwhile act in the aid of others. Here are a few examples of how this shows up in our community:
De-gendered contradances
Just before the pandemic hit home, the Montpelier Contra Dance Umbrella, the organizing group that runs the dances at the Capital City Grange, followed a move made by many dance organizers nationally, which is to stop using the gendered terms of lady and gent.Ā
Rather than just replacing these terms, they removed the idea of gendering the roles in a dance couple and used a mnemonic to indicate the dancerās position in the pair. If the starting position is left, you are a Lark and if you start right, you are now a Raven.Ā
This frees everyone up to dance as themselves, in whatever role they like best. It also acknowledges what has long been the case, that weāve already been dancing this way for decades. The times are just catching up. ARD recently wrote about this too.Ā
Equitable payment opportunitiesĀ
My team that is organizing the Green Mountain Film Festival was recently made aware that some artists participating in our opening night party were getting paid and some werenāt (an arrangement with an independent funder) and brought it up for discussion.Ā
This led to us requesting a cost-share with one of our partners so that all participants are equally compensated. We ended up committing to compensation for all filmmakers (cash, housing, free ticketsāsomething). We continue to talk about how our work can disrupt white supremacy, even if we ourselves cannot dismantle it.Ā
We are now also offering sponsored tickets that will allow folks to attend a screening for free. We believe the arts should not be just for those with means. One of my dreams is to make this festival free for everyone. For now, it can be free for some.Ā
Free collegeĀ
The best thing that I am really glad to know about these days is that college access is opening up for those who could not previously afford it. Tuition-free programs at UVM, Vermont State University and Community College of Vermont all provide access to knowledge, which we know is key not only in professional prospects but in self awareness and personal development.Ā
The reason I never went to college is because the financial burden was too great. In my senior year in high school both my parents had to stop working and I saw first hand how crippling financial hardship can be on families. I didnāt want to refinance the house. We were living off my parentsā Social Security checks and had no generational wealth to speak of. So I learned where I could. One thing I know is that once my schedule clears up, Iām pursuing free college.Ā
Knowledge is dangerous for those in power. I recently found a social media account by a grown man who is teaching himself how to read. His recent video about how reading has changed his supermarket experience is very moving.Ā
Ask: who benefits here?
Allyship prioritizes the personalĀ
When someone identifies as an āally,ā they are basically declaring that they ācareā about whatever they are aligning with. Whether itās trans rights, Black Lives Matter, or the local living wage, the act of caring is the allyship act. Itās all good to want to ease the struggle of others. To whatever extent possible, we all contribute our time, funds, and social equity towards these issues we care about.Ā
The detrimental part of allyship is the stasis it permits. For many people, the work stops there. Or maybe they join a reading group or wear slogan tee shirts. Maybe even, they get into arguments online regarding the thing they are passionate about.Ā š
Before I hurt anyoneās feelings, let me assure you that your alignment with certain causes, people, and ideals is good. It means youāve sorted yourself out, who you are and what you believe in. Everyone should have an opportunity to achieve this level of self actualization.Ā
Being an ally is about caring for other peopleāin essenceābeing a good person. Go ahead and do that. For real societal change, though, become an accomplice.
Accomplices prioritize collective liberation
Accomplices recognize the advantages they hold and use their power, network, influence, and resources to remake the systems to which we are bound.
Adopting a policy to remove gendered practices, economic compensation for creative work, and free access to knowledgeāthese are acts of liberation. They empower, dignify, and honor the people for whom these acts are meaningful.Ā
An ally might speak against unfair employment practices. An accomplice, however, would consult with the wronged, and with their trust and consent, do something to advance the wronged personās goals. The accomplice is in it for the other person.Ā
Trust and consent are key to productive complicity. As accomplices, we must be able to trust each other with our secrets. We must be open to being denied the right to participate. We must be okay with earning trust from impacted persons. Ally is not an earned position. Accomplice is. Whatever the means.Ā
Get on the ballot
One last thing: for most of Vermont, the deadline for submitting candidate petitions for Town Meeting Day votes is Monday January 29th. If youāve been considering how you can make a difference in your community, public service in elected office is a great way to do this. Run for town clerk, school board, city council, or any of the available seats in your area.Ā
If you donāt, someone else will. While systems can change for the better, they can also change for the worse. It really depends on who is moving the pieces.Ā Dr. Kingās legacy includes passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Participation in the democratic process seems like one of the best ways to honor his work.
āIn this juncture of our nationās history, there is an urgent need for dedicated and courageous leadership.ā ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1957)
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