A Call to White Women: A Time for Unity, Allyship, and Inner Work
By Nora F. Murphy Johnson, PhD
NOTE: If you’re an accidental evaluator and a heterosexual, cisgender white woman feeling a strong urgency to do something and deepen your commitment to justice and allyship, jump to the final section titled, “A Call to White Women: A Time for Unity, Allyship, and Inner Work.” This section is for you.
As someone committed to a world that is whole, beautiful, and liberated, my vision is anchored in compassion, justice, and equity. I do not hold a neutral stance, nor am I ashamed of this. My principles are clear: be & become, remember & create, learn & unlearn, and disrupt & liberate. These guide my belief in a society where dignity, respect, and opportunity are inherent rights, not privileges. They are values that aligned with the Harris-Walz campaign — a vision that sees our need to move forward together, grounded in humanity and solidarity.
Defining the Crisis We’re In
We are facing not one, but a polycrisis — a complex convergence of interwoven crises that amplify and intensify one another. Economic inequality, racial injustice, climate change, threats to democracy, and eroding social safety nets are not separate challenges but intertwined ones, each affecting our collective well-being and stability.
This is not theoretical; it’s a reality that impacts our communities, health, and future every day. Now, with Trump’s proposed policies, this polycrisis threatens to grow. His agenda — scaling back environmental protections, dismantling civil rights safeguards, ramping up immigration enforcement, and weakening public health and education systems — could deepen every crisis we face.
I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say that lives are at risk.
Who I’m Worried For
My heart aches for those whose rights and safety are now more vulnerable than ever. Immigrants, who may face the trauma of separation from loved ones or detention, now live with heightened uncertainty. Women stand to lose ground on hard-won rights over their bodies and choices. People who are transgender and gender-nonconforming, already subject to disproportionate violence and discrimination, may see further legislative and social threats to their dignity and access to essential services.
I think, too, of BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, those with disabilities, and others whose basic rights and freedoms remain precarious. These communities are part of us — our friends, neighbors, family members. Any attack on their dignity and rights diminishes us all. This moment calls on each of us to assess how we can stand with them and amplify their voices.
Moving Forward: Leaning into Flow and Positive Energy
In moments like these, despair can feel overwhelming. But as activist Kumi Naidoo reminds us, “Pessimism is a luxury we can’t afford.” The path forward is not in despair; it’s in leaning into the flow of positive energy, possibility, and collective action. Change has always come from those who choose hope, even against daunting odds. This belief — this flow — is where our power lies. It’s how we build movements, support each other, and create the world we want to live in.
I don’t say this lightly. Resilience in these times isn’t easy, but it is necessary.
A Call to White Women: A Time for Unity, Allyship, and Inner Work
Now, I want to speak directly to my fellow heterosexual, cisgender white women. We have a unique role to play here, one that requires us to dig deeper — not only to stand with those most at risk but also to examine and address our own racial reactivity. We have a reservoir of resilience and compassion to draw from, and we need to tap into it fully so we can be allies in ways that uplift, support, and don’t inadvertently harm.
This work begins by recognizing where our own reactivity lies, where defensiveness or fear of “getting it wrong” might hold us back. By quieting these reflexes, we can become better listeners, better allies, and ultimately more effective in helping to shape a just and liberated society.
Let’s come together — grounded in hope, aligned in purpose, and ready to do the work. This is not the time to step back. It’s the time to step up, to lean into our collective power, and to stay committed to a world that is whole, beautiful, and liberated. We owe it to ourselves, our communities, and each other.
Yesterday, I wrote about accidental evaluators: people driven by a commitment to make a difference, not by a fascination with metrics or methods. Their primary motivation is the people they serve. If you’re both an accidental evaluator and a heterosexual, cisgender white woman, let’s come together. This is our time to channel compassion, purpose, and action toward meaningful change.
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