Conversation on Authentic v. Performative Allyship with UofL Athletics

On Tuesday August 11^th, Ashleigh Hazley (Assistant Director, Muhammad Ali Institute) joined Taylor U’Sellis (Assistant Director, UofL Admissions) for a conversation on the dangers of Performative Allyship for administration within the University of Louisville Athletics Department. The panel was moderated by Kristia Worthy (Director of Talent Development, UofL Athletics) and focused on different ways to for leaders to activate their allyship with suggestions about the need to move from the idea of being an ally to being an accomplice in the current racial justice movement. Ashleigh suggested that allies need to be ready to give up something to ensure that someone else can thrive. She also noted the different ways in which people can participate in racial and social justice movements, noting that allies stand next to people who are directly affected by injustice, and accomplices move ahead to  dismantle the system before others have to be exposed to its treachery. Both panelists discussed how  colonialism led to white supremacy and the critical importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. Ashleigh urged participants to think about how and where they want to show up and made suggestions for readings with Taylor U’Sellis. A few suggested readings are listed below: 

• How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi
• The Social Science, Epistemic Violence, and the Problem with the Invention of the Other by Santiago Castro-Gomez
• When The Call You a Terrorist by Patrice Cullors