5 Reciprocity and Critical Allyship
What does it mean to think about reciprocity, allyship, and working with equity-deserving communities?
Engaging in equity-based co-creation requires a critical lens on power, privilege, access, and allyship.
Accessibility: The Ontario Human Rights Commission defines accessibility as “a general term for the degree of ease that something (e.g., device, service, physical environment and information) can be accessed, used and enjoyed by persons with disabilities. The term implies conscious planning, design and/or effort to make sure something is barrier-free to persons with disabilities. Accessibility also benefits the general population, by making things more usable and practical for everyone, including older people and families with small children.”
Allyship: The Anti-Oppression Network defines allyship as “an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalized group.” Furthermore, allyship is a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability. We cannot identify ourselves as an ally to a community; our efforts must be recognized by the people we seek to ally ourselves with.
Power: The Ontario Human Rights Commission defines power as “access to privileges such as information/knowledge, connections, experience and expertise, resources and decision-making that enhance a person’s chances of getting what they need to live a comfortable, safe, productive and profitable life.”
Privilege: The Ontario Human Rights Commission defines privilege as “unearned power, benefits, advantages, access and/or opportunities that exist for members of the dominant group(s) in society. Can also refer to the relative privilege of one group compared to another.”
Reciprocity: this term is used to convey meaning across multiple orientations or types of interactions. Dostilio et al. (2012) describe these three perspectives as: Exhange, Influence, and Generativity.
Exchange: “Participants give and receive something from the others that they would not otherwise have. In this orientation, reciprocity is the interchange of benefits, resources, or actions.” (pg. 19)
Influence: “The processes and/or outcomes of the collaboration are iteratively changed as a result of being influenced by the participants and their contributed ways of knowing and doing. In this orientation, reciprocity is expressed as a relational connection that is informed by personal, social, and environmental contexts.” (pg. 19-20)
Generativity: “As a function of the collaborative relationship, participants (who have or develop identities as co-creators) become and/or produce something new together that would not otherwise exist. This orientation may involve transformation of individual ways of knowing and being or of the systems of which the relationship is a part. The collaboration may extend beyond the initial focus as outcomes, as ways of knowing, and as systems of belonging evolve.” (pg. 20)
For more information on how to engage in allyship in a Global Health context and beyond, we recommend this article on Disrupting Global Health: From Allyship to Collective Liberation.
Five Tips for Being an Ally
“Ally is a verb. Saying you’re an ally is not enough; you’ve got to do the work!”
– Francesca Ramsey
What’s the difference between being an Ally vs. an Advocate?
Allyship
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Advocacy
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For example, here is a video on 3 ways you can help promote gender equity as an ally.
A Case Study: Mental Health Services in the UK
In the video below, Malik Gul talks about the “the snowy white peaks” at the top of our health institutions. While you’re watching this video, think about how and by whom decisions are made in different contexts? How does consultation take place?
One of Malik’s key recommendations to improve the decision making processes on our institutions is to “go where the people are”. Regardless of what social issues you are focused on or who your target populations might be, these questions can help you better connect with those who are affected and who carry crucial knowledge and lived experience:
- Who are the community leaders in your context?
- Where do people gather?
- Are there people missing from the conversations you’re having?
- What barriers might be preventing interested or affected folks from getting involved in solutions? How might we mitigate these barriers?
- How can we foster a long-lasting, reciprocal, trusting relationship with our communities?
For more reading on ways to approach work with vulnerable populations, check out A COMPASS for Navigating Relationships in Co Production Processes Involving Vulnerable Populations
