What does allyship look like in the workplace? Join us for a Slack AMA with DEI experts

At Technical.ly, we’re dedicating extra reporting this month on the results (or lack thereof) of the many corporate DEI pledges, funding commitments and public conversations about racial equity we saw come out of June 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests.

“Allyship” has emerged as a theme from those conversations as a way for non-Black people to advocate for the rights of their Black peers. But allyship can take many forms, and serve many different communities. One definition: “Allyship relates to pushing for a fair outcome that may not be personally beneficial to you or that does not directly impact you.”

But what does that look like in the workplace? How can people in positions of power be better allies? How about those in non-leadership positions? What are the barriers that interfere with the ability to change personal behavior and organizational culture in order to make intentional change? And what can the tech sector as a whole do to be a better ally to marginalized groups?

Technical.ly and sister site Generocity will be hosting a live conversation to answer those questions with two DEI experts on the Technical.ly Slack:

• Who — John Foster (he/him), COO of Baltimore dev agency Fearless, and Sam Chenkin (she/her and they/them), a Philadelphia-based community organizer and founder of the nonprofit consultancy Reclaim the Sector
• When — Friday, June 25, from 12 to 1 p.m.
• Where — Technical.ly’s public Slack in the #ama channel

Think of it like a live, community-driven interview. We’ll have some questions to kick it off, but will encourage anyone in the Slack to tune in and ask their own Qs, or contribute their own thoughts.

Foster and fellow Fearless leader Delali Dzirasa have long taken the lead on shaping an inclusive tech community, along with their own workplace’s culture. Meanwhile, Chenkin is a Generocity columnist who has written about how leaders can share power with the people they serve.

In addition to members of the Technical.ly and Generocity communities from Philly, D.C., Delaware, Baltimore and Pittsburgh who attend these conversations, reporters and editors from both news sites will be there to guide the conversation.

Have an idea for a topic within the theme we should plan to explore, or a specific question you want answered? Share them ahead of time by emailing julie@technical.ly. You can also ask your Qs live during the Slack AMA.