Len Pierre of LPC Consulting reminds us that “you can only be an ally in a moment—and that moment is rooted in action.”

As you read the stories below, shared by students with lived experience, we invite you to reflect deeply on what real allyship looks like. What does it mean to truly listen to marginalized voices—and then act?

Sometimes, allyship means speaking up when a harmful comment is made. Other times, it’s checking in afterward, stepping in so the burden doesn’t always fall on the person most impacted. It’s about pausing, reflecting, and doing better.

Assume good intent—but take real steps. Let these stories move you from awareness to action.

What does allyship mean to you? What will your next step be?

Learning is a Journey, Not a Destination

I honestly believe that both in the world of classrooms and workplace, it is desirable to comprehend that it is as valuable to grow and be authentic, as it is to perform flawlessly. The learning process is a journey to be appreciated not a destination to reach. In other words, the mistakes or the missteps are not a failure, but just an opportunity to learn and to grow and to get better in the next go around. I want my colleagues and my classmates to see that while sharing an idea or a solution, I’m not sharing it with them as a perfect final product, rather, I’m sharing with them an in progress work as a reflection of my commitment to learning and getting better.

I firmly believe that the most important element in achieving success is a team collaboration and a genuine interest in having an open and honest dialogue. I aim to speak up with my own perspective in discussions and always appreciate receiving feedback pointing out my wrongs and tilting me toward the right solutions. I must be accepted without the ‘I know it all’ but along with the realization and courage to ask: ask for explanation and plunge into the unknown with the confidence that I may not get a positive outcome. Such an approach creates a culture of creativity and learning is made everyone’s responsibility. I greatly respect an empathic and supportive atmosphere. However, I do believe that understanding and encouragement are probably the key ingredients required to overcome any hurdles when we hit challenges.

By Karanveer, Student

Inclusion is not about big gestures

Reflecting on my experiences, I recall a moment when language differences caused a misunderstanding during a group activity at KPU. In one of my courses, our professor tasked us with identifying and ranking 10 essential items for survival if confined to a classroom. During the discussion, a teammate suggested “chairs” as one of the items. However, another teammate misinterpreted this suggestion as “tools” due to their different English accents.

At first, the misunderstanding seemed minor, but I noticed the frustration on the face of the classmate who was misunderstood. It was clear that she felt unheard, but she hesitated to correct the other person. I tried to help by subtly hinting to the other team member that the suggestion might actually be chairs. Unfortunately, they insisted it was tools without asking for clarification.

To address the situation, I stepped in politely and asked, “Could you clarify what you mean? I think we might be talking about different things.” This simple question gave the misunderstood teammate the opportunity to confirm that she meant chairs, not tools. The issue was resolved quickly, and our group was able to move forward.

Looking back, this incident taught me the importance of active listening and the need to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up. In the future, I would encourage the group to repeat or rephrase ideas to ensure everyone is on the same page. Miscommunication can happen easily, especially in diverse teams, but creating space for clarification and showing patience can go a long way in promoting understanding and inclusion.

This experience reinforced for me that inclusivity is not just about big gestures – it is also about small, everyday actions that make people feel heard and valued.

By Ivy, Student

Thank you for standing up for me

I still remember the day in senior year of high school when I truly felt disrespected by my marketing teacher, and I lost my head. It was near the end of first semester in grade 12, and this particular teacher hadn’t really ever gotten along with me and my friends. He always seemed to have something to prove or pick on us in front of the whole class every day when we would be doing nothing just talking with our group. I still remember this morning like it was yesterday, me and my buddy are sitting in the back of the class talking with one another instead of working on an assignment and we hear the teacher yelling from the front telling us to drop the class, we are not going to do anything in life, we are just going to take over our parents businesses or we will become truck drivers and we got told to start taking truck lessons. We were completely shocked, we thought we misheard him until the whole class comes to us and asks us how we are letting him say this to us. That day went by we did nothing just walked out quietly, but then the next morning we had the same class. My friend and I were walking to class but we had gotten 3 minutes late, so the teacher closes the door on our faces, which we were fine with because we thought it is because we are late but then we see other students coming after us and the teacher opens the door for all of them except me and my friend. He locks us outside. After 10 minutes of us just banging on the door he gets frustrated and comes outside yelling at us to not show our faces to him! and don’t come to his class again go drop out! and go learn how to drive a truck, but then me and my friend were not afraid to speak out because we had enough, and that class was just an elective. When we spoke back and told him that he is being an ass he sent us to the office for the whole week and called our parents and tried telling them how we were rude to him, and he didn’t mention what he did at all.

This is one moment that will always stand with me because I know how I felt after this and it is just unforgettable coming at two of us Canadian born Punjabi students just because we had not done our assignment on the day. I want to thank my English teacher and my fellow peers for standing up for us and making the situation known, which honestly felt much better. Once everything had cooled off the teacher pulled us out and wanted to apologize and said he deserved what we said to him and blamed his words on that he’s fighting cancer, and he wants to retire from teaching so he can have mood swings. Therefore, this was one time my background was disrespected, and I remember the details like this is very fresh.

By Gurnoor, Student

Education and support while looking for work

I definitely believe that there should be more resources or support services to help international students during the job search. The best place to provide this service is the university or college they are attending because that is the only community they are a part of when they first come to a new country. These resources can be like how to make a good resume, how to search for jobs, tips on submitting a job application, tips on giving an interview etc. Most importantly, I believe that international students should be well-informed regarding the rules and laws in the employment sector. I have heard stories of so many international students who were exploited by employers who took advantage of the students who were unemployed and desperately needed a job. Some international students were paid less than the minimum wage or did not even get paid for their shifts or trainings because the employer refused to hire them and just wanted to get free work done for a short period of time. It is very important to educate students about their rights as employees so that they take action against injustice.

By Gurman, Alumna

Small actions Matter

If I could address university administrators, instructors, and employers, I would ask them to recognize that small actions can make a big difference in helping marginalized students feel included. One personal experience that stands out was when I felt the tension of being both seen and unseen in the classroom. As an international student navigating academic spaces in Canada, I often found myself hesitant to speak up because I felt my accent or perspective might be dismissed.

There was a moment in one of my classes when an instructor asked me to share a cultural perspective on a topic we were discussing. Although I initially felt nervous, the instructor took the time to listen, ask follow-up questions, and connect my input to the broader conversation. This acknowledgment made me feel valued and gave me the confidence to contribute more freely in the future.

However, not all experiences have been positive. In group settings, I have sometimes felt overlooked, with my ideas ignored until they were echoed by someone else. It felt frustrating to have to prove my worth or adjust my communication style constantly to be taken seriously.

If I could share one message, it would be this: demonstrate care through consistent actions. Normalize conversations around inclusion by making diverse experiences part of the curriculum and day-to-day interactions. Offer cultural sensitivity training for faculty and create anonymous feedback mechanisms to understand the real struggles of students. Simple acts, like pronouncing names correctly, using inclusive language, and showing curiosity about different cultural perspectives, can help create a sense of belonging. When students feel they are heard and valued, they thrive – not just academically, but personally.

By Isha, Student

Inclusion must be more than simply a term

If I got the opportunity to address employers, instructors, or university leaders personally, I would advise them that inclusion must be more than simply a term. It can only be shown by our daily activities. Posting about diversity or claiming that a place is friendly is insufficient. People need to feel a genuine sense of connection.

Checking that rules and procedures are truly benefiting people who need them the most is one important adjustment. Additional support for students with disabilities, more cultural sensitivity training for staff and more open debate about what inclusion actually means are a few examples of this. Everyone should be invited to the table, not just a few voices.

Representation is important as well. Students feel more secure and welcomed when they witness teachers, leaders or coworkers who have similar experiences or backgrounds. It shows that everyone can achieve success.

If you want to show that you care and really listen when students or employees share their experiences then never ignore or dismiss what they are saying. Request feedback and act upon it. Establish safe areas where people can tell their stories without worrying about being judged.

Little actions, such as speaking inclusively, ensuring that areas are physically accessible or reaching out to someone who might be having difficulties can ultimately result in major improvements. Being flawless is not the goal of inclusion. It is about learning, experimenting and letting others know they are important.

By Rajat, Student