Last semester was challenging, but also a very successful one for Allies at MIIS. We engaged in deep reflections during this period, while also taking time to consolidate the initiative. Three years after the start of Allies at MIIS, it was time to look back and take stock.

I did some of the stock-taking alone as none of the student members were involved for the full duration of the initiative. Here are some thoughts that emerged over the summer:

1. Allies at MIIS is very much a values-driven initiative that painfully makes it evident on who can and cannot be a part of the group. Recognizing that your values may not always align with the group, but understanding that you cannot be a part of the group is two very different things. We encountered some painful situations, but it also felt good to stay true to our shared values.
2. The initiative is self-managed and self-regulated with no hierarchies, but I am still an integral part of the sustainability of the initiative. Could this initiative be sustained without my active presence every week?
3. Allies at MIIS has received much recognition around the campus and beyond, but we still had a difficult time encouraging community members to come to our events. We organized three public events last semester alone; however, our attendance at each of the events was low. How do we sustain this initiative if we did not have community participation?

There are more reflections, and I will present a detailed report of the initiative in the near future, but for now, I would say that our most significant success has been some of the student members over the years, who have shown incredible growth, courage, and commitment to our goals and values. 

The reflections partly led to the idea that we needed two student groups: (a) the study group (which engages in reading and reflections) who we gently initiate into the Allies at MIIS motto, and values; and (b) the working group that would be a part of the study group but will also work on being advocates and activists for the campus. This semester, we have two new students in the study group and two continuing students who are part of the working group. To increase faculty and staff participation in the Allies, we have opened three study group sessions to them. The first of these three sessions was held in September on Environmental Elitism, and one faculty and one staff person participated in the conversation. The next two sessions will happen in October and November on the topics of Freedom of Speech, Hate Speech, and Censorship, and Language and Decolonization. At present, participation for faculty and staff is through invitation only. We hope to bring in different faculty and staff each semester. 

We held one OPEN:disMIISsing prejudice session where we discussed Cancel Culture. Over the course of the conversation, we determined that participating in Cancel Culture is performative and that the anonymity of the internet emboldens individuals to behave more viciously than they may in person. We also came to the conclusion that we can set our own boundaries for what type of behavior we find unacceptable, but we shouldn’t push these on others. 

In our reading club, we picked The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives edited Viet Thanh Nguyen. The book discussion is scheduled for December 3 from 6:00-8:00 PM in the DLC. The book is available for checkout in the MIIS library. Join us even if you have not finished reading the book.