How White People Can Hold Each Other Accountable to Stop Institutional Racism

Teen Vogue

ELLY BELLE
Illustration by Lydia Ortiz
AUGUST 2, 2019

You can — and should — help.

Trust black people and people of color.

It isn’t up to white people to decide what is and is not racist. It’s our job as white people to listen to black people and people of color when they say that something is inherently racist, instead of making excuses and upholding the systems, words, and actions harming them.

“White allies should actively use their power and influence to include people of color in any conversation in which decisions ... being made, or the issues that are being talked about, directly impact people of color,” says Hernán Carvente Martinez, youth partnership strategist at Youth First. “Too often, decisions are being made by white people who have no direct connection or personal experience to the issues that they are talking about. True white allies should always take time to read the rooms that they are in and ensure that the right people are represented. And if it means that a white ally should give up their seat at the table for a person of color to be included then that is what they need to do.”