Admittedly, life has been extremely different lately. Between the Corona virus and the Black Lives Matter protests, many of the routines and ways of life we were used to, have drastically shifted, and understandably this may have caused a great deal of angst and struggle for some individuals. However, we are living through a time that will undoubtedly be remembered in history books and taught in schools, so to give up and decide you do not know how to participate in the change that is sweeping our nation is an opportunity lost to be apart of something bigger than yourself and to help people other than yourself.

Being an ally is not as difficult and overwhelming as you might think, and you should certainly not claim to be an ally while actively doing nothing to participate in the Black Lives Matter movement. One of the most simple things you can do is educate yourself. With education comes awareness of systemic issues that might have gone unnoticed in the past by you. The more aware you are of the disparities in education, the workforce, the levels of poverty, the levels of health issues and how they are addressed by doctors, and the general treatment of people of color versus white people, the more you can do your part to equalize the playing field when a situation arises in which you have power to enact change.

There are tons of organizations to donate to, but even if you do not have the money to spare, there are petitions to sign, congresspeople to call, and protests to march in. There is no excuse for not taking action and reposting Instagram trends on your Instagram stories is not the action I am referring to. Over all, being an ally means listening and amplifying the voices of your black friends and strangers, and being extremely careful not to talk over them or insert opinions that do not come from a true understanding of what it is like to be black in America.