The Power of Authenticity in Allyship and Activism

We can’t help but behave authentically when our “backs are against the wall”—when there’s nothing else to do and nowhere else to go. There’s no room for false pretense when we’re in a fight or flight situation. We act as strong as we are. We punch as hard as we can. We run as fast as we’re able. Between the adrenaline coursing through our veins and the lack of anything else to attend to, either mentally or physically, we can apply 100% of our energy to the situation at hand. We are never stronger than in such situations.

It's in so-called everyday life that our authenticity is more variable. We might hide our hobbies, religion, or politics when we’re with the work crew. We might conceal our flaws and foibles when trying to impress a new love interest. We might be more polite than we really want to be when we’re around those acquaintances who’ve proven less than trustworthy. Being inauthentic is draining, though. It saps us of our mental energy and inhibits our physical performance.

Checking that the medal really is gold.

At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, cultural events were interrupted and roadways shut down in authentic expressions of anger, outrage, and frustration. In response, we’d frequently hear White people lament that “that’s not the right way to go about it.” Such criticism always struck me as inauthentic. Were we to really believe that these critics would otherwise be inclined to agree with the protestors, perhaps join them, perhaps even work towards the systemic change the protestors were advocating, if only they went about it the “right” way? At times Martin Luther King Jr.’s own words would be used against the protestors as if he would have ended up on the side of the social justice footdraggers if he’d only lived long enough to express his views on the matter.

One of my graduate professors, the late Stephen Houldsworth—social justice organizer, activist, ally, educator, and one of the most authentic people I’ve ever met—used to say that he would never judge the means by which an oppressed individual attempts to liberate themselves. My understanding of this is that, without really walking in the shoes of the oppressed individual, we have no frame of reference for deciding what is an appropriate response to their oppression.

I struggled at times with authenticity when I first began joining the Black Lives Matter protests. I felt a bit like a fraud for joining in with the “Hands up, don’t shoot!” chants that so often arose. I was a White guy, after all, living in a much more affluent suburban area. I was in almost no danger of ever being shot by a cop. Walking alongside those carrying “All Cops Are Bastards” placards, likewise, brought up in me a sense of inauthenticity. That was not what I believed, and it’s still not. Which is not to say that I can’t understand why that is indeed the lived reality for some people.

Thus, to be an ally within the Black Lives Matter movement, I needed to reorient my thinking and behavior in order to respond more authentically. If a chant arose that was not my lived experience, I simply remained silent. If a placard conveyed a sentiment that was not my own, then so be it. I felt that my overall mission was to support a movement, not judge every sign that I might see along the way. In this way, continuing to be with and walk beside those who were conveying authentic expressions of anger, outrage, and frustration that were not my lived experience became my authentic response to the oppression of those with whom I marched.

I sense that others struggle with this innate need to behave authentically. People speak of “feeling called” to do something or “not feeling called” to do something else. When we truly feel called to do something, we behave authentically, and we act with greater power. The problem is, though, our ego often clouds our thinking about what we “feel called” to do. Is our call to do this thing actually just an egoic desire to be a hero—a White savior? Is our not feeling called to do that thing actually a manifestation of our fear or laziness? Self-awareness is key to discerning what we are truly called to do. Self-awareness is key to our behaving authentically.

Our current political climate will likely result in a renewed season of protest. I suspect that some will find themselves contemplating for the very first time whether or not to join a protest. It can be a scary prospect, putting ourselves out there like that. And we won’t necessarily agree with each and every person we stand with. But, when we put aside our personal differences and act authentically together for the sake of a greater good, a more just world, a more humane government, then an immense amount of power will be unleashed.

 

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This post is in the Power, Practice, and Peace series.

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Images

Gray Bites Gold. U.S. Army photo by Tim Hipps via:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GrayBitesGold.jpg

 

Copyright 2025 by Mark Robert Frank