Experts at QF’s Doha Debates encourage people to join the global fight against racism
According to experts featured in the latest #DearWorldLive, those who wish to help in the global fight for racial equality are generally required to incorporate a meaningful and problem-focused approach, while avoiding gestures that could lack incentive for the cause.
With this in mind, many examples of impactful people with the right intentions were showcased by advocates for racial justice, questioning if their actions had any meaningful purpose.
The co-founder of Uganda-based No White Saviors, Kesley Nielson, described herself as a “white savior in recovery” and explained that allyship with Black people is an “ongoing process of confrontation and accountability,” stressing that any solution “should be completely Black-led.”
Simamkele Dlakavu, a professor and lecturer on gender studies at the University of Cape Town, said that the first step to good allyship in the fight for racial justice is to “reach out to the community and ask how you can be of help. They will let you know the ways you can help.”
Nielsen also pointed out cases where white people abuse their power in the name of doing good, showcasing a case where failed allyship can do more harm instead of implementing positive change.
Nielsen added that allyship is not about what privilege someone is willing to use in the fight but rather what privilege they’re willing to give up.
Dlakavu underscored that historically white allies have played a role in both dismantling and preserving systems of oppression. She cited this is as a reason why, despite the ostensible end of apartheid, the fight against racism continues, and that racism is not limited to just interpersonal effects, but it has tangible effects, too – from lower life expectancy to resource ownership and healthcare access.
Dlakavu stressed that people must “refrain from assuming that the community isn’t doing the work already.” On the topic of cancel culture, Hedayat asked whether we “should cancel people who get it wrong.” Dlakavu stated that “we are not all born activists...even the most inspiring political and cultural activists had a past,” which is why “we must keep learning.”
Nielsen said that people “should not be canceled...it is about practicing humility in that process.” The intention should be to “seek and desire liberation, justice, and equity,” not just using the buzzwords of “diversity and inclusion, but actually doing the work to transfer power and disrupt these systems.”
More than half a million people around the world watched the live online show, the fourth in a series of #DearWorldLive programs focused on how to achieve racial justice around the world. The live program’s top viewing nations were the US, Brazil, Turkey, India, and Spain.
For more information on QF’s Doha Debates, please check out their YouTube or website.
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