Consider the context in which you want to apologize and how that might affect not only you but also the person receiving your apology. For ages 5 to 8, the World Book Day Dave Pigeon Draw-along was led by author/illustrator duo Swapna Haddow and Sheena Dempsey, creators of the World Book Day title: Dave Pigeon: Bookshop Mayhem. During the event they shared details of how they get their ideas, top tips for creating stories, and led a classroom draw-along. Stop the pattern: be careful where you step in the future. When it comes to oppression, we want to actually change the “footwear” to get rid of privilege and oppression (sneakers for all!), but metaphors can only stretch so far! asking someone to share their expertise at a corporate event or at an event that makes a profit, make sure they are paid equitably for their expertise. So, what makes a good ally? There are lots of guides and advice out there and one of the best I’ve seen is the Business in the Community’s anti-racism and allyship in the workplace guide. It contains simple tips like recognising the advantages of privilege, being an active bystander and being ready to be vulnerable. Being an active bystander

we vote with our wallets and our time way more often than we ever get to vote in elections" (pg. 16) In one study, nearly two-thirds of women and people of color in engineering reported having to prove their expertise repeatedly, compared to 35 percent of white men — their expertise was questioned, their successes were discounted, and they were often pressured to let white men take the lead, while at the same time they were asked to do office housework. Because we can think more clearly about stepping on someone’s literal toes than we usually do when it comes to oppression, the problems with many common responses are obvious: I think personally I would have found the book even more interesting if there had been a story or two from someone closer to my own age. Not that I can’t learn from someone younger than me, but the views of someone in their 40s or older would provide an even broader perspective and reach a wider audience. Full disclosure: I contributed an essay to this anthology. My review is based off a physical ARC of the US version that I received as a result of my participation.Denial that others’ experiences are different from your own: “I don’t mind when people step on my toes.” Learning about the experiences and history of LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t stop after June, which is why we wanted to share an updated list of resources to help us all learn how to be the best allies we can be! First, a brief history of Pride Think of pain as a gradient—it doesn’t have to be extreme to have a significant impact. Accidentally misgendering someone can cause them pain. Stepping on someone’ toes can cause them pain. Attributes of a good apology

For me, being an ally is one the best parts of my job, not because I’m the head of diversity and inclusion, but because I believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work. Apologies are social contracts that hold you accountable. They tell others that you are taking responsibility, are open to the consequences of your actions, and plan to do better in the future. Did You Know Gandhi was Racist?" by Sharah Dhaliwal- Another great essay about racism and the way the world is today. Allies is an incredible collection of essays focusing on allyship, written by YA authors. The stories these authors share are personal and varied, just like their experiences: some essays are about the allyship they extended towards other people, some were about how they received help and support from other people and what it meant for them. Some, and I personally think those were the most important, were about failing as an ally. There is a big emphasis on the fact that everyone will make mistakes even if they mean well and I believe it’s a crucial fact that needs to be talked about, because the fear of failing often stops people from doing the right thing. The essays show the ways some authors failed, but then improved, how they managed to learn and move on from missteps.

7. The Confidant

As a white, cis, heterosexual disabled woman at first I wasn’t sure how much I’d relate to some of the experiences described in this book. And to be fair, I can’t say that I 100% do relate to every experience because that would be disingenuous. But, i did notice a feeling of “yeah, I can relate” with almost every piece at one point or another. To me, that shows how well the authors throughout the book did when explaining their experiences. I think this empathy is the first step towards being a good ally.

I remember being impressed by Lisa, a white software engineer who stepped outside of her comfort zone to be an ally. When asked to name her “spirit animal” as part of a team-building exercise, Lisa spoke up. She wasn’t comfortable taking part in an exercise that appropriated Native American spiritual traditions. Although Pride might seem like a month of parades and glitter these days, its origins are far from celebratory. The first Pride rally occurred a month after the Stonewall riots in 1969.Apologizing means letting go of your ego to show that you care about someone and want to make things right. Good apologies center the person being apologized to. They also take direct ownership of the actions that caused pain by naming them clearly. To recap: Being an ally doesn’t necessarily mean you fully understand what it feels like to be oppressed. It means you’re taking on the struggle as your own. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is learning how to create closure within rather than expecting other people to give it to us.