“Ally” in recent years refers specifically to a person supporting a marginalized group. For this blog series, we capitalize the “Y” in “AllY” to emphasize the connection between YWCA Northeast Indiana’s dedication to eliminating racism and the allyship focus of the blog.
“If we, as a collection of individuals, are able to self-reflect, adjust, and model inclusivity and engaged citizenship, what a great cultural legacy we can provide for future generations of Hoosiers. Each month we will be given the opportunity to ask ourselves “Am I being an AllY?” My hope is to hear increasingly more in our community “Yes! I AM an AllY!“
-Heather Guy (Racial Justice Coordinator, YWCA Northeast Indiana)
YWCA Northeast Indiana is on a mission to be an AllY. We hope that you will join us!
Dear AllY, As someone who grew up in the faith tradition of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I have never had a sentimental attachment to most holidays. However, the start of a new year is my favorite celebratory time. Admittedly, my birthday is in January but that’s not why I love to celebrate the New Year. I love … Read More
Dear AllY, Growing up, I wanted to be a gypsy. Young Heather romanticized the idea of picking up and moving about, meeting new people, and learning new things. What can I say, I am an observer of the human experience! And while I have had my fair share of adventures, there came a time to … Read More
Dear AllY, My late grandmother, Betty, lived with us for a time. I vividly remember her smoking cigarettes and ironing towels while watching soap operas. Grandma Betty was ambidextrous, but she was born left-handed. She shared stories of getting her left hand slapped by teachers until she was retrained to be ambidextrous. Her left-hand preference … Read More
Gentrification has been defined as “a process in which a poor area (as of a city) experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses and which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents.” Today’s patterns of gentrification have deep, … Read More
Dear AllY, While we are currently coming out of a fevered interest in addressing sociocultural inequalities, the need to address the attitudes and conditions which persist around the topic of race remain. Ever since I have been both conscience and conscious, some of my experiences have been shaped by the stigmas surrounding race and social … Read More