Title: 5 ways to be an ally to marginalized groups | YALI
Headings: Five ways to be an ally to marginalized groups
Five ways to be an ally to marginalized groups
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Content: 5 ways to be an ally to marginalized groups | YALI
Five ways to be an ally to marginalized groups
Who lives on the periphery of your community and why? Marginalized groups exist nearly everywhere. They are people who, for whatever reason, are denied involvement in mainstream economic, political, cultural and social activities. Targeting or ignoring one group can ultimately affect the whole society. Leslie Lefkow, deputy director for Africa at the organization Human Rights Watch, said: “ The problem of discriminating against or marginalizing minorities is one where you’re setting the precedent for the state to use discrimination. And in its most simple form, nobody should rest comfortably with that because you don’t know when that will be turned against you for whatever reason.” The well-known “coexist” image in chalk (Courtesy of The Wandering Owl)
Stress, anxiety, anger or depression are normal byproducts of being marginalized. Lefkow said grievances that remain unaddressed can also stoke fires of civil unrest and violence that could devastate the entire community. “When you also marry that discrimination with a crackdown on freedom of expression so that marginalized groups have no ability to peacefully voice their grievances, what space do you leave for citizens to protest or raise their concerns?”