An ally is an individual who actively and continuously strives towards promoting justice and ending marginalization.
According to the Guide to Allyship, to be an ally is to:
The Anti-Oppression Network defines allyship by what it is not:
"allyship is not an identity—it is a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people; allyship is not self-defined—our work and our efforts must be recognized by the people we seek to ally ourselves with."
From Teaching Tolerance, "Anatomy of an Ally":
Even experienced allies aren’t always sure what to say or do. These reminders can keep you on the path to being a source of support and empowerment.
College of DuPage currently offers the following ally training opportunities to all COD employees. Find upcoming offerings online in Cornerstone (via https://inside.cod.edu)
Safe Zone Training
Safe Zone training is an opportunity to learn about LGBTQ identities, gender, and sexuality, and examine ways to make your classroom or office a more inclusive space. It is a two-part training where upon completion participants receive a Safe Zone placard which they can display on their door or wall. These placards help communicate that a person is open to talking about being supportive of LGBTQ students.
See also: LGBTQIA+ at College of DuPage - resources from the Faculty Advisor to Pride Alliance
UndocuAlly Training
Undocumented students and their families face unique challenges. UndocuAlly training will help eliminate barriers, build trust, and enable participants to more fully support this population on campus. Trainers will utilize a version of United We Dream’s Educator Toolkit and UndocuPeers curriculum, modified with statistics specific to DuPage County.
See also: Undocumented Student Information - resources from the Latino Outreach Center
Patel, Viraj S. "Moving Toward an Inclusive Model of Allyship for Racial Justice." The Vermont Connection 32, no. 1 (2011): 9. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/tvc/vol32/iss1/9/
Rockquemore, Kerry Ann. "How to Be an Ally to Someone Experiencing Microaggressions." Inside Higher Ed (2016, April 13). https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2016/04/13/how-be-ally-someone-experiencing-microaggressions-essay
Solomon, Udeni. "How to Be an Intersectional Ally in Higher Education." Left of Brown (2018, April 5). https://www.leftofbrown.com/single-post/2018/04/05/How-to-be-an-Intersectional-Ally-in-Higher-Education
Sue, Derald Wing, Sarah Alsaidi, Michael N. Awad, Elizabeth Glaeser, Cassandra Z. Calle, and Narolyn Mendez. "Disarming Racial Microaggressions: Microintervention Strategies for Targets, White Allies, and Bystanders." American Psychologist 74, no. 1 (2019): 128. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000296