White women are wrapped up in so much self-consciousness it’s counterproductive, inhibiting our ability to be effective allies—or even allies at all. Rather than quietly doing the work—educating ourselves, changing our hiring practices, writing to Congress, speaking out when we witness microaggressions, showing up at rallies and protests, taking on Uncle Joe at Thanksgiving, getting behind community organizers, registering people to vote and driving them to the polls—we spend our energy on defensive moves, securing safety from criticism through virtue signaling on Instagram and car bumpers.
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