Rooted in the term “alliance”, and ally is an individual in a position of privilege or power who makes consistent efforts to understand, uplift, empower, and support equity deserving groups. An ally is not a member of the group, but seeks to stand in solidarity with an equity deserving group to end oppression, discrimination and/or prejudice.
An Agent of Oppression is someone who perpetrates discrimination or oppression.
Power refers to the unequal distributed access to privileges such as information, opportunity, and resources, and the ability to influence decisions, rules, standards, and policies to benefit oneself or one’s social group. Power, and the level of power possessed by any individual or group, affects their ability to live comfortable, safe lives. Power is relational and it works between individuals, cultures, institutions, and social groups.
Privilege refers to unearned access, benefits, and opportunities possessed by members of a social group with a high level of power (e.g., white privilege, male privilege, cisgender privilege). Privilege occurs when structures and institutions have been historically designed for the benefit of or to be accessed by a particular group.
Oppression, on the other hand, is the unfair treatment or control of marginalized groups to maintain status, privilege, or power.
Discrimination is the intentional or unintentional denial of equal treatment, civil liberties and opportunity to individuals or groups with respect to education, accommodation, health care, employment and access to services, goods and facilities. It can occur based on ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, record of offences, race, colour, nationality, sex, age, religion, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, marital or family status, and sexual orientation, physical, developmental, or mental disability.
Discrimination can be broadly classified into: