Allyship
A lifelong process of building meaningful relationships based on trust and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people.
I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.
— Malala Yousafzai
Activities & Events
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10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 4:00 PMThe Office of Human Resources and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are pleased to present Frequently Asked Questions webinars in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health’s celebration of Black History Month. If you have ever wondered how to navigate the federal application or interview processes, this might be for you! Our HR experts will be offering a crash course in everything you ever wanted to know about the federal application process.
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Each month, educators from the National Portrait Gallery will partner with colleagues from across the Smithsonian to discuss how historical objects from their respective collections speak to today’s social justice issues. For this program, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Public Programs Department Academic and Social Justice Lead, Leslie P. Walker, will have a discussion with NPG colleague, Beth Evans, about race and medicine as represented by related objects. Join the Museum to celebrate Black History Month with a host of new programs, initiatives and experiences. Visit: https://nmaahc.si.edu/events/upcoming for more information.
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10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 4:00 PMThe Office of Human Resources and the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are pleased to present Frequently Asked Questions webinars in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health’s celebration of Black History Month. If you have ever wondered how to navigate the federal application or interview processes, this might be for you! Our experts will tell you how to put your best foot forward during a federal interview and answer common questions about the process.
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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Through this speaker series, NIEHS provides educational and cultural/sensitivity awareness opportunities for NIEHS and surrounding communities. This month focuses on NIH’s Special Emphasis Portfolio for Black Employees in observance of Black History Month.
Change Agents
/CHānj/ /‘ājənt/
noun
One who acts as a catalyst for change.
Change Agents are everyday people who do small things that have significant impact. They are cultivators who plant seeds in our lives (knowingly or unknowingly). Their presence nurtures and molds us every day, giving shape to the environment in which we work. They are fueled by their own passion to contribute, and thus, incite passion in others. They are the risk takers; the visionaries who see possibilities when others see obstacles. They are catalysts that make the Game Changing moments of an organization possible.
Alexis Braxton, MSN, RN, CEN
"Being an ally means being someone who “shows up” for a person of another community who is traditionally defined as underrepresented or marginalized..."
Ericka Reid, PhD, MEd
"Allyship is an opportunity for those who do not know the experience of coming from underrepresented or historically marginalized groups..."
Michelle Hamlet, PhD
"...when one of privilege, typically white, collaborates, advocates, and sponsors marginalized groups, typically groups underrepresented in STEM..."
Mia Rochelle Lowden, PhD
"An ally is a member of an in-group who uses their privilege to take action to support an out-group."
Arlene Jackson
"Allyship references those with power who are focused on finding and cultivating a diverse set of people to unite for a common goal..."
Della B. White, PhD
"Allyship to me means ‘supportive action’..."
Game Changers
/gām/ /‘CHānjər/
noun
An individual, group, or organization that effects a significant shift in the current manner of doing or thinking about something.
Game Changers are institution builders. They forge partnerships to revolutionize organizational culture, policy, and procedure. They encourage decision makers to go beyond the "tactical" towards the "strategic." They cultivate and harness the creative ideas that inspire new paradigms throughout the Agency, fueling innovation and advancing its mission. They uphold equity, diversity, and inclusion, and they are true business imperatives that make up our organizational fabric and operationalize these concepts as part of their overall leadership strategy.
Carla L. Easter, PhD
"Allies inform and support our efforts through their commitment and eagerness to advocate for their communities, recommend topics that need to be addressed, and through their honest critiques of resources and programming."
Gabriel B. Fosu, PhD
"Allyship means using my position to advocate for my colleagues to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace..."
Marie A. Bernard, MD
"As the African proverb states –if you want to move fast, you do it alone; if you want to move far, you do it together..."
Be mindful of which voices are missing from the table. Seek out and amplify those voices.
— Kalani Tonga