Resource Kit

Allyship: How to Be an Agent of Change at Work, at Home, and in Your Community

BU Logo
BetterUp Studios
Read

8 min

Holding hands
This resource kit was hand-selected by researchers at BetterUp in order to help our members live their lives with clarity, purpose, and passion during challenging times.

The circumstances gripping our country today are all too familiar, bringing to the surface of our collective consciousness many disturbing aspects of our society and our relationships with each other. Whether we realize it or not, we are all impacted by the events going on around us. But the tragic events of the last few weeks can serve as a catalyst for healing, growth, and positive change. 

In this resource kit, we have compiled resources and tools to help you understand how you can engage in the work towards social justice, including actions you can take and guides for having conversations with the people around you. Learn how to:

  • Understand privilege and how you can use it to be an agent of positive change
  • Become an ally in anti-racism work
  • Make meaningful change in your workplace
  • Offer support to your black colleagues and friends
  • Navigate conversations about race with your children and loved ones

Please check out our other resource kit on “Healing and Learning” to help you make sense of the collective trauma and grief that the world is experiencing. The work of a change agent begins within oneself.

Martin Luther King, Jr. at a college rally in 1967.

The role you can play to fight racial injustice

The issues of race coming to the forefront of our public discourse highlight systemic societal problems. People who are most affected by injustice will continue to suffer if those with privilege remain paralyzed or unsure about what to do. No matter who or where you are, you can take steps to create positive change. Here are some steps we can take to move forward:

I'M READY

How to support people of color, and black people especially, in the workplace

In the face of racial injustice, there are actions that white colleagues can take that are more or less helpful to their black friends and colleagues. Here are resources on constructive actions and appropriate approaches you can take to support your colleagues and create a more inclusive company culture:

I'M READY

How to have sensitive conversations about race with your family and friends

The work we do to understand ourselves and build more inclusive workplaces is only the beginning. The conversations we have with loved ones, including our children, are also a part of the work required to bring about change in the world. 

I'M READY

quote image
If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
BetterUp Studios
BetterUp Studios creates and curates research-backed content, activities, and tools to help people everywhere pursue their lives with greater clarity, purpose, and passion.

Recommended Resources

Card image cap

What Went Well?

This article outlines an activity called “What Went Well?,” designed by Dr. Martin Seligman, a pioneer of positive psychology. Cultivate positivity by tracking, journaling, and reflecting on things that go well throughout your day.

10 min

Card image cap

The Role of Self-Compassion in Romantic Relationships

In this BetterUp article, learn how self-compassion can enrich your relationships with those around you. You will become more forgiving, considerate, and open to compromise.

5 min