AUSTIN, Texas — Protests across the country over the death of George Floyd have sparked a call to action for reforms, but it’s also triggered a conversation about how white and non-black people can be better allies in the fight for racial justice.
“I think a good ally listens, really listens to those at the forefront of the struggle,” said Ya’Ke Smith, a filmmaker and the first Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. “And they don’t try to get out front and dictate to those who have been most impacted by injustice and racism and white supremacy.” Smith recently completed a short film called “Dear Bruh” and describes it as a eulogy, a baptism and a call to action.