Thoughts by O: "White Allyship - Is it an Act?"

I think the thing that is bugging me the most is that I was labelled as the ‘angry Black man’, or as ‘overdoing it’ every time I spoke about my Black experience to White people: by the same individuals who are now engaging in ‘allyship’, which is most definitely performative. I’ve DM’ed white individuals to remove the #blacklivesmatter from their Black Square posts whilst explaining the reasoning - and have been swiftly left on seen. 

I’ve been on social media platforms from Piczo days (yes, that young) and I remember watching police brutalizing and killing Black people from when I was as young as 10. And yes, I shared them. So my white pre-pubescent friends definitely have viewed these videos (along with the Star Wars The Clone Wars content I posted). 

Approaching 12 years later, having suffered the effects of institutional racism (which will haunt me forever), being racially profiled and mistreated within the fashion industry (both as a model and within PR), and developing an ever-growing understanding of both the - and my - Black identity, in different political contexts, I have to ask: what has changed from then to now? Not only within the past decade but within the past year? 

Why is it that now that everyone cares? Is it because you’re all bored and at home? When ALL of the hashtags were circulating, where were your voices? Granted, a decade is quite a long time. Especially given I’ve only been alive for two but in the past year? In 2019, when every Becky, Tom and their dog claimed to be ‘woke’ - co-opted language - you were silent. I don’t buy it.

When COVID goes away and the cost of living undoubtedly skyrockets, how many of you will remain this engaged? How many of you will dedicate yourself to the systemic dismantling of racism? How many of you will defend your Black colleagues, friends and loved ones in their daily oppression? Arts & Entertainment industries, how many of you will adopt real inclusive strategies and actually honour the culture you so blatantly abuse.

I already know. I’m hoping I’m proved wrong. Let’s wait and see.

O

@osmanjalloh_