Why Allyship Matters to Me: “I Cannot Just Stand By”

By Rick Kitchens, Director, Global Security & Safety at Hitachi

I think allyship, in perspective, comes down to seeing everyone as an individual with their own uniqueness and embracing it with mindfulness and acceptance, irrespective of what you personally believe.

I’ve had the good fortune to have lived across diverse areas – military bases, foreign countries, and just about every corner of the US at one time or another. And I have found something to be true in every single case - I am sharing these spaces with other people.

I’m not sure if it was watching bad things happen to people who were just trying to be their authentic selves or if it was just the values I was raised to believe in, but I learned at an early age that I cannot just stand by.

"My journey toward becoming or being an ally is ongoing and will likely never conclude."

It's not about the explicit allyship label but more about viewing each person on an individual basis, refraining from categorization or labelling a person any one thing or another – I simply lean into learning about them.  

Each person is blessed with traits they are both born with and those that are cultivated over a lifetime of unique experiences. That is the story I want to hear if they are willing to share it.

Rick Kitchens opens up about allyship.

As a species, I believe humans often perceive “differences” as negative, whether that is a difference of opinion or differences in lifestyle. This may have ensured our survival during the early days of human civilization, but in my opinion, these no longer serve our species. Exclusionary like-mindedness and being fearful of others not of your group may indeed have been ways to ensure the safety and longevity of a person’s tribe in more primitive times, but not anymore.

My journey toward becoming or being an ally is ongoing and will likely never conclude. Like endeavor you want to cultivate, being an ally requires an open heart, intentional thought, and personal dedication and commitment every day.

I am an ally not solely for the well-being of others but also for my own because I find being an ally to all individuals nourishing to my soul.

And who couldn’t use some more of that today?