Friends, not Allies
Would you rather have an ally or a friend?
I’ve been taken by this paradigm shift of a question from the moment I heard Rinku talking about it.
She says that an “ally” is too low of a bar, like taking something off the shelf and putting it back if you don’t like it.
So what happens when we talk about friendship instead?
What happens when we are in authentic relationships with the people we are building movements with?
In my mind, EVERYTHING changes. We are playing an entirely different game. And it includes being more human, together.
I am blessed to call Rinku a friend. I know you will appreciate this episode. I feel it is very much aligned with the work Tuesday and I have been doing to re-imagine the racial justice conversation.
She is an Indian-American author, activist and political strategist. She was born in Kolkata and moved to New York when she was 5 years old.
I met her 20 years ago when we both served on the Board of the Schott Foundation for Public Education. Today she serves as the executive director of Narrative Initiative. She is also the co-president of the Women’s March Board of Directors, former president, and executive director of Race Forward as well as publisher of ColorLines.com and Mother Jones magazine.
Enjoy, and…
Make FRIENDS!
Gibrán
Bio
Rinku Sen is an Indian-American author, activist, political strategist and the executive director of Narrative Initiative. She is also the co-president of the Women’s March Board of Directors. Sen is the former president and executive director of the racial justice organization Race Forward and publisher of ColorLines.com and Mother Jones magazine.