My name is Allie and I’m white. I’ve never experienced racism or xenophobia. I’ve never been targeted by the police,
followed around in clothing stores or been looked down upon because of my
religious affiliation. So why should I
be so hell-bent on diminishing these issues? They don’t directly affect me.
Donald Trump isn’t threatening to kick me out of the country. I don’t have to
worry about police brutality. My name is Allie and I’m white. But
I’m also an ally. I acknowledge my privilege and I know it’s nothing to feel
guilty about. I know passive racism is just as damaging as active racism and to
do nothing is to side with the aggressors. My name is Allie and I’m white. And
I know it is not enough to “have a Black friend” or “have a Muslim friend”.
It’s not enough to say racism is bad and that’s it, I’ve done my part. I know I
will never feel what it is like to constantly be thought of as a ‘token’ and
expected to be okay with friends calling me a racial slur because it’s “not
meant to be offensive”. I will never know what it is like to be stared at for
wearing a hijab or speaking with an accent. But I also refuse to ever know what
it is like to be complacent. I refuse to let bigots like Donald Trump and other
racists win when diversity is what makes our country so amazing. My
name is Allie and I’m white, but I refuse to be silent.
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