Show Up, Speak Up, Shut Up: How to Be a Good Ally STC is striving to be a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. But what can members do to be better allies of people in underserved groups? In this presentation you will learn eight ways you can become a better ally: • Educate yourself • Share what you know • Amplify diverse voices & perspectives • Support the livelihood of diverse people • Remember that a diverse person is an individual • Support diverse people that you know • Celebrate accomplishments • Know that allyship is a growing process

1. Show up, speak up,
shut up
How to be a good ally
Viqui Dill (she/her)
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

2. Takeaways:
•Understanding privilege
•Who can be an ally?
•What does allyship look like?
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

3. #MeToo:
•1978
•First woman engineer
at a chemical plant
•https://viquidill.wordpre
ss.com/2016/11/12/197
8-my-personal-
harassment-story/
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

4. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

5. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
Biological Model
• “Cure” autism
• Sound educated
• Be less emotional
Social Model
• How is society exclusive?
• How can we increase services and
accommodations?
• How can we reduce oppression by
letting go of questionable norms?
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

6. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
Social Model
• How is society exclusive?
• How can we increase
understanding, services and
accommodations?
• How can we reduce oppression by
letting go of questionable norms?
Acceptance of differences
• Neurodiversity
• Appreciation rather than color
blindness
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

7. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
Discrimination or negative bias
against individuals with
differences
• Obvious/Systemic
• Healthcare
• Employment
• Subtle/person-to-person
• Lack of empathy, meet our norms
• Erasure of sexuality, childlike view
• Being seen as an “inspiration”
• Google “unconscious bias test”
• Self awareness is hard
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

8. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
Who can be an ally?
• Anyone with privilege on a
particular axis who makes a choice
What does allyship look like?
• Personal
• Take action
• Not performative
• Check in about the intent and
impact of an action
Self awareness is hard
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

9. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

10. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
• Look for content by community members
• See “What is Ableism, and Why Does It
Matter?” by Abi Bettle-Shaffer
• Listen FOR stories
• Before going to a diverse person with a
question, learn on your own
• Do your own intellectual and emotional work
• Learn about privilege language
• See “You don't say! - A discussion on
Inclusive Language in TechComm” WDCB
Chapter June 24
• Check out advocacy organizations
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

11. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
Have conversations
• Family and friends
• At work
• Public venues
• exchange Mennonite Council
• Social media
Make real changes
• Style guides
• Song lyrics and other content
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

12. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
Look for opportunities where you can
create space for diverse people to
directly express their thoughts
• Ask yourself where you can step back so
the voice can be heard
• Black History Month 2020
• Be wary of positioning yourself as a leader
of the conversation
• VMC strategy
• Ask for more representation in
mainstream media
• Credit diverse people for their thoughts
and compensate them
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

13. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of
diverse people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
• Buy from diversity-owned
businesses, artists and share
your favorites with others
• Compensate for their work,
including intellectual work
• Hire diverse people
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

14. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse
person is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
• Vulnerability of sharing a
diagnosis
• Treat with respect
• All individuals are different
• Ask what can increase
their comfort
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

15. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that
you know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
• Draw attention when they’re not
getting attention
• As soon as parties are listening,
pass the mic
• Add your pronouns to your profile
• Be a #TechComm mentor
• Read “Inclusive Language: The
Right Thing to Do” by Larry Kunz in
Intercom
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

16. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a growing
process
• Be wary of framing diversity
through a negative lens
• Be sincere
• Seeing the person as an
“inspiration” can be a display of
your own privilege
• Compliment behavior and
accomplishments, not
appearance
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

17. What does allyship look
like?
1. Educate yourself
2. Share what you know
3. Amplify diverse voices &
perspectives
4. Support the livelihood of diverse
people
5. Remember that a diverse person
is an individual
6. Support diverse people that you
know
7. Celebrate accomplishments
8. Know that allyship is a
growing process
• We’re going to blow it.
• We’re going to over function.
• We’re going to under function.
• Hold yourself accountable.
• Once you know better, do better.
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

18. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
• Inclusion Starts With I
https://youtu.be/2g88Ju6nkcg
• Intercom
https://www.stc.org/intercom/2021/
05/inclusive-language-the-right-
thing-to-do/
• University of Virginia’s Supporting
Transformative Autism Research
https://curry.virginia.edu/faculty-
research/centers-labs-
projects/supporting-transformative-
autism-research-star
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

19. Today:
• Models of diversity
• Understanding privilege
• Who can be an ally?
• What does allyship look like?
• Resources
• Q&A
• STC Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion Advisory Panel
https://www.stc.org/committees/dei
ap/
• DEI-STC channel in Slack
https://stc-
communities.slack.com/archives/C
017TPP38KH
• WDCB Chapter webinar
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/you-
dont-say-a-discussion-on-
inclusive-language-in-techcomm-
tickets-154159584467
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

20. Takeaways:
•Understanding privilege
•Who can be an ally?
•What does allyship look like?
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

21. Q&A
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y

22. Connect with me
Viqui Dill (She/Her)
STC Associate Fellow
Technical Editor/Writer at HII
Social Media manager STC WDCB
Programs manager for IDL CoP
viqui.dill@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/viquidill/
https://viquidill.wordpress.com/
@viqui_dill #STC21 #Conduit21 #STC_Spectrum_2021 #TechComm #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #a11y