When we launched Stand Up Speak Up, we knew that we wanted it to be more than an online store. We wanted it to be a place where people could join together in learning, exploring and giving back. This is what inspired us to create the Allyship & Advocacy Series. This was born out of the research that we were already doing as we learned…

In Part One, we looked at the ways that you can stay engaged and focused throughout your advocacy work to make the most of your time and energy. But there are a lot of emotions and ups and downs that go along with this work and planning and focusing are sometimes not going to save you from difficult times. Creating Community When we’re talking about…

While certain topics move in and out of the public eye with current events, being an advocate is a lifelong pursuit. Real change, especially on the governmental level, happens slowly and even when a large breakthrough is made, it takes dedicated advocates across multiple communities to ensure that the changes that were achieved are upheld by society as a whole. Take the suffragette movement for…

In these modules, we have said again and again (and will continue to say) that the best sources of information on any topic and those you should look to for guidance on how to best be an effective advocate are those with lived experience. While we try to live with empathy and understanding for others, the reality of life is that we will never know…

Research and learning is one of the best things that you can do as an advocate. Not only do you want to make sure you understand all sides of an issue for yourself, but you will also want to be able to talk about that issue with those around you.  There are millions of resources online from a wide variety of reputable sources. You might…

As we highlighted in our Allyship 101 Workshop, finding your role as an advocate is as much about your own position, resources, values, and personality as it is about the cause you’re advocating for. Taking the time to assess all of these areas and the tools you have at your disposal will help you become a better and stronger advocate. Your Access to Information The…

“We need people to stand up and take on the problems borne of oppression as their own, without remove or distance. We need people to do this even if they cannot fully understand what it’s like to be oppressed for their race or ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, class, religion, or other marker of identity. We need people to use common sense to figure out how to participate…

We all hold biases and if we are not careful will make decisions based on them. While we might fundamentally believe in equality, our brains train us to separate people, things and situations into categories and groups. So, how do we recognize where we hold bias and start to rewire those instinctual responses? There three approaches, which when used in unison, can help us to…

To test whether you have any implicit biases, consider the following scenarios. How would you feel if: You observe a little boy playing with a Barbie. You see someone who does not have a visible disability park in an accessible parking spot. You see a video of a fat person’s “What I Eat in a Day” video and it is all healthy and well-balanced food.…

The concept of equality – of everyone being afforded the same rights and freedoms and treating everyone with the same level of respect – seems like a simple one. Of course we shouldn’t separate ourselves into hierarchies or groups that divide us. Of course everyone should have the same opportunities. And many of us, in our daily lives, approach individuals or situations with equality and…

When I started my company, my first goal was that I wanted to build something that was designed to give back, to help people and would put good into the world. And I admit that the first thing I thought of was how I could do that with donations or how I might be able to influence others to be more kind or inclusive or…

Being an ally for universal equality and representation and a conscious citizen is something that takes work and attention every day. It is something we look at closely in our Allyship 101 Workshop. You need to keep your eyes and ears open to what is happening around you and have a willingness to use all of the tools you have to help even the playing…

Becoming and maintaining yourself as an effective and engaged ally for any group, person or organization is something that takes time, diligence and energy throughout your life. “Ally” is not a label you can earn one day and maintain for a lifetime without additional work, learning and action. Here are some suggestions on how to continue being an effective ally and some that would steer…

Our Allyship 101 Workshop was designed to explore what effective allyship looks like today. Learn more about barriers to allyship and the danger of performative allyship. Explore the Allyship 101 Workshop Being an ally is about building community, spreading kindness and getting out of our own comfort zone and this piece encourages all that.  Shop > The Ally Journal has a custom design by artist…

Our Allyship 101 Workshop was designed to explore what effective allyship looks like today. Learn more about privilege, intersectionality and how you can support marginalized communities. Explore the Allyship 101 Workshop Being an ally is about building community, spreading kindness and getting out of our own comfort zone and this piece encourages all that.  Shop > The Ally Journal has a custom design by artist…

Our Allyship 101 Workshop was designed to explore what effective allyship looks like today. Learn more about what defines an ally and ways to show support to marginalized communities in an active and positive way. Explore the Allyship 101 Workshop Being an ally is about building community, spreading kindness and getting out of our own comfort zone and this piece encourages all that.  Shop >…

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Next Steps Welcome from Karla & Zach https://vimeo.com/597516724 Throughout the different iterations of this company (and yes, there have been a few) the core message and purpose has always been the same: To create a site that allows us and our customers more opportunities to speak up about and…

When we were preparing to launch StandUpSpeakUp.ca, I knew that I wanted to add some new products that would really speak to the vision that we had for this site. We were switching our focus quite a bit, focusing more on our customers and what small things we could do to support them and our community rather than tackling large issues and advocacy. I knew…