Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/936360
11 Understand your role It is not your job to save us. We need accomplices to support our resistance and healing, but what role you play in this needs to be directed by us. Going beyond the role that you are suited to fill can be harmful. Respect boundaries Not every space or conversation is appropriate for you to be in. Follow our lead on when and how you should be involved. Do not use us for personal gain or profit Be honest about your motivations for working with us and do not take credit for our knowledge and work. Do not look at us as a quota We are more than just a check mark. Think carefully about why you are engaging with us and ensure that we are not being tokenized. Recognize community capacity Reaching out to learn and gain representation from our communities is important, however, we often have a lot of responsibilities and requests for involvement. Be understanding about our limitations and find ways to draw from our voices without requiring us to do all of the heavy lifting. Do the uncomfortable work Confronting colonialism and racism is not easy. Advancing change requires us to feel uncomfortable and for accomplices to support us in ways that are challenging and involve risks. Do not just show up for the celebrations and photo ops. Trust the community to know what they need You are not the expert. While you may have suggestions for solutions, do not impose these ideas. Step back and listen to identify ways that you can support our vision and/or when appropriate share your suggestions in non-forceful ways. For those people who engage in accomplice work with our communities in respectful and meaningful ways we acknowledge that there are ways we need to support you as well. This includes: directing you to resources and opportunities for learning; welcoming you into spaces where you can build relationships; checking in with you to see if you need support; acknowledging and expressing gratitude when your efforts were helpful; and demonstrating compassion and patience for the areas that you still need to grow. We hope that this report will encourage you to keep learning and thinking critically about your role in supporting our young people. Respect our pace for building trust and getting things done Relationship building takes time and some things take longer than others to ensure they are done properly. R E C O M M E N D A T I O N 1