I genuinely feel that there is no way to exist in this country without, in some way, perpetuating oppression. I am not saying it is malicious or even conscious, but the most mundane of everyday actions are, more often than not, linked to systemic oppression. Shopping, eating, work, school- they all have impacts. Did I turn on the lights today? Well, that is part of supporting the petroleum industry. Did I get an Amazon delivery? That undermines worker rights and has a harmful carbon footprint. Am I typing this on a Mac? That makes me complicit in child exploitation. Am I a white person taking up a spot in seminary (that is committed to their 50in5 initiative)? It weighs on me. It can be overwhelming. For me, being in solidarity starts with thinking about every decision and action. “...to succeed in our work as allies, we must look for ways simultaneously to use and to undermine our privilege.” (Kraemer, p. 34) While I am not immediately able to live off grid, eat only a local vegan diet, end my consumerism, and shed every privilege and harmful action, I feel compelled to remain aware and aim to do a bit better all the time. This is in alignment with Evans and Washington’s Steps Towards Becoming an Ally, including Awareness, Knowledge/Education/ Skills, and Action. (Evans & Washington, p. 418) As Kraemer points out “I may renounce my privilege, but that does not necessarily mean that it will renounce me.” (p. 31) That is an important reason that being an ally is not a designation we can assign ourselves, rather one that can only be earned by doing the work. (Kraemer) It also needs to be addressed that these privileges and responsibilities cannot disproportionately fall on individuals, when real change requires that the larger systems including corporations, religious denominations, and governments do the same work to dismantle white supremacy culture.
I am also interested in how Kraemer’s definitions of core activist, ally, or privileged ally impacts ministry. (Kraemer, p.20) Ministry is one position of power that could do substantial harm if approached as a privileged ally since that includes bringing “that dominance with them.” In Unitarian Universalist churches, it is not uncommon to have large LGBTIQ+ banners outside, actively include LGBTIQ+ voices in services, perform weddings, go through the denominational process to be designated a “Welcoming Congregation,” and still have church leadership that misuses pronouns, deadname congregants, or unconsciously discourages LGBTIQ+ in taking leadership positions. Hetero people in leadership can forget that “[t]hey may share experiences working together in the movement, but stand in different relationship to their common cause.” (Kraemer, p. 22) While this can be discouraging, I yearn to continue to call myself and my communities back into covenant and remember that, as Alicia Garza says, “to challenge myself to be part of something that isn’t perfect, that doesn’t articulate my values the way I do and still show up, clear in my commitment, open and vulnerable to people who are new to their activism.” (Alicia Garza, Our Cynicism Will Not Build a Movement, Collaboration Will)
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