Three weeks ago, I attended a diversity, equity, and inclusion conference, the Inaugural Kenniebriew Conference at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where I had the pleasure of being one of the keynote speakers. To close this conference, my wonderful colleague and fellow keynote speaker Dr. Ann-Gel Palermo gave a riveting and inspiring talk on moving from allyship to co-liberation.

What I took away from this very insightful inquiry is that while it’s easy to say you are an ally, some very important distinctions between these terms are often so loosely tossed around: solidarity, allyship, and co-conspirator. Furthermore, while all of these are important steps, what they should ultimately lead to in the journey toward ending oppression is co-liberation.

Solidarity is what one does from a distance. It’s like saying, “I see what happened to you over there, and I’m sorry for you. I, too, agree that it was wrong.” That is all. It is simply a statement of acknowledgment and agreement. There may be statements like “our thoughts and prayers are with you.” There is no impact there. Imagine you are walking down the street, and someone steals your wallet. Solidarity might be someone across the street saying, “I saw that, and I stand with you that it was wrong. You’ve got my thoughts and prayers.” An absurd example, I know, but the bottom line remains. Thoughts and prayers, while a nice gesture, don’t solve the problem.

Allyship, is the next step up from solidarity. One is saying, “I support your cause, and I’m willing to do the work I need to do not to be part of the problem.” People who move from solidarity into allyship will often take it upon themselves to learn more about the inequities and injustices happening. They start to self-examine and understand their part in upholding oppressive systems. This stage is self-examination, where people are actively questioning their actions and unlearning harmful behaviors to end up being part of the problem and moving toward being part of the solution. They start naming harmful, racist, and sexist behavior when they see them. They begin calling out the people in their immediate circles and having meaningful dialogues within their circles of influence.

The accomplice or co-conspirator is the next stage in the journey towards making meaningful change and is marked by the active work to dismantle systems of oppression. The accomplice has reached the point of understanding where they have a role in upholding oppressive norms and takes that knowledge to utilize whatever privileges they have to help correct the systems of inequity and injustice. They join alongside the communities they support and work with them to create meaningful relationships. Co-conspirators leverage their privilege to break down the barriers that may otherwise be obstacles for those who don’t inherently have that privilege to bring about the changes desired. This group is willing to give their time, talent, and resources actively and at all times to move the needle in dismantling systems of oppression for all people, and they have skin in the game.

Then there is co-liberation. Co-liberation stands on the principle that “no one is free until we are all free.” It hinges on recognizing that our freedom is intertwined and that we all benefit from working together toward mutual liberation. The co-liberator understands that we must acknowledge the generational consequences that white supremacism, settler colonialism, and anti-Black racism has had on us all, and work toward the redistribution of power to repair and move forward in an equitable and just way.

Why becoming trauma-informed is an integral part of this journey

Inbred inside the oppressive experience is trauma. The trauma of those on the lived experience end racism and oppression, those in close contact who experience trauma by association, and the trauma of bystanders. To truly have meaningful growth moving from allyship toward co-liberation, one must deal with the activation and discomfort that comes with learning about the harm done by oppressors with whom one may directly or indirectly be related. It’s important to acknowledge that learning that one’s ancestors (and possibly a direct bloodline member) are associated with such a horrid history can be traumatic.

The work of equity, inclusion and anti-oppression is a journey, and we are all somewhere on the path of understanding. There is not one right answer, and this journey is a mountain with no top.

Understanding the nature of trauma and how it shows up individually and collectively creates a container that allows you, as the ally, accomplice, or co-conspirator, to not only hold space for those who have and have had ongoing traumatic lived experiences but also helps you to then re-evaluate your responses in a way that mitigates and prevents further harm. Additionally, moving through the journey toward being in co-liberation means that you also deal with your traumas associated with having oppressor ancestry. Ultimately, if we cannot heal within ourselves, we cannot hold the space for healing for each other. We are just a bunch of traumas colliding and calling it communication. I’ll leave you with a Lilla Watson quote shared by Dr. Palermo in her closing keynote.

“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

This information in this article includes referenced information from Dr. Tiffany Jana (article from An Injustice! magazine, “The Differences Between Allies, Accomplices, and Co-Conspirators), the keynote presentation by Dr. Ann-Gel Palermo, “The Power of Counternarrative,” and SolidarityIs.org on “Co-Liberation.”

Maiysha Clairborne is an integrative family physician and is the co-author of Conscious Anti-Racism: Tools for Self-Discovery, Accountability and Meaningful Change.