Allyship and Finding your Radical Self

In the wake of International Women’s Day, a day which invites invaluable reflections and facilitates priceless conversations, I feel somewhat overwhelmed. There are so many different fronts that we have to give continuity to in order to ensure we are advancing, not only in the right direction, but at an acceptable pace.

And, many of us, after seeing all the content shared on social media or having joined online events and webinars, will probably be asking ourselves “where should I start?”

In this post, I want to detail two important actions we can start taking now. First, around women’s allyship. And, second, about going above and beyond by participating in personal causes which can contribute to solutions to leave this world better off than we found it. Finally, I want to share some tips on where and how to start.

Be an active and proactive ally.

I believe, at this point, the women’s movement needs allies more than ever. It’s controversial, because there are those who say we don’t need men’s help in this fight. But, these aren’t merely women’s issues; these are societal issues, and we’ve seen the dire economic impacts they produce. During the past year, according to statistics from the Lean In Organization, women in the US were laid off at twice the rate as men. And, in just the month of December alone, women accounted for all 140,000 job losses in the US. This is problematic because it is demonstrated that women tend to generally invest in their children, health and community at a significantly higher rate than men.

We need allies because, the way things are looking right now, women likely won’t be in the table when decisions are being made around hiring or promoting women with equal or superior qualifications than men, and we’re going to need allies to step up. Chances have it that women won’t be in the room when men are engaging in “locker room talk”, and we’re going to need allies to step up. And chances have it that an all male social impact board won’t choose women’s issues as their next investment project, and we’re going to need allies to step up.

So, today, being an ally isn’t a decision. Being an ally is a social and economic obligation. In line with Melinda Gates’ thesis in the Moment of Life, if we want society as a whole to rise, women are whom we need to lift. So we need to invest in women and we need to do this now.

So, first message: be an active and proactive ally. But this is no longer enough.

Find your radical self, and start today.

I find that being an ally in the workplace is no longer enough. It’s long overdue and, in relative terms, it’s coming from a place of privilege when you consider all the other issues on the table. It’s unequivocally pressing and important. But how do we ensure that we are going one step further, getting involved in global issues, building solutions and not staying within our minimum obligations?

On March 8th, UN Women organised the UN’s IWD Event. During this webinar, topics around women’s issues, environment, and more were addressed. I realised we need to start thinking about going a little further to leave this world better off than how we found it. During one of the panels, Aya Chebi, a Tunisian activist and feminist, shared the following:

“Your power is your radical self. Find it. And occupy that seat at the table that you deserve.”

We all have a fire within us which tends to surface when discussing two or three specific causes- education, politics, environment, women’s issues, you name it. And you can probably quickly identify which issue generates this feeling of fire within you. Which local or global issue inspires you to raise your voice a little higher or to debate and discuss with torrid passion? Now, this is your radical self, and this is the cause you need get actively involved in to bring your power and, hence, maximum value to the table.

There are many fronts where help is needed, but start small and start today. Don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of negative news in the media- from the statistics of the pandemic crisis to the unnerving clock on global warming- and gravitate to the polar extreme- inaction. Inaction is precisely what we can’t afford to do because NGOs and government agencies need an active civil society to drive change forward; it is time we all play a proactive role in building solutions.

If we all choose one cause and dedicate our time and passion to that one cause we’re extra passionate about, we will solve all of society’s most pressing issues together.

Second takeaway: find your radical self, and start today. Start small. But start now. So, how and where do you start?

Brainstorm and, remember, no cause is foreign.

Start by brainstorming. Ask yourself: which causes am I passionate about, and, more importantly, how will my time towards this cause contribute to society as a whole? Brainstorm around those issues you feel an extra flame towards.

One of the benefits produced by covid is the ease of access to foreign leaders and originally perceived “foreign” causes, and, if covid has shown us anything, it’s that we’re all interconnected and essentially one human race. So even if your potential contributions will fall in a region far from your day to day, you are helping humanity as a whole rise. No cause is foreign.

Research and reach out.

Research organisations that you’re excited about. Are there pro-bono or volunteering programs you can sign up for? Is there a possibility to help a leader in the organisation on an “on the side” basis?

Sign up for volunteering programs and leverage tools like LinkedIn or your personal network to reach out to leaders in organisations to see how you can start now.

This year’s IWD has been a pivotal moment which has encouraged me to ask “where do I want to contribute my time?” and reflect. And I invite you to do the same. Once you find your radical self, you’ll see it’s a game changer- for yourself and for the world. Find it and get a seat at the table now.