The Complexity of Working With White Racial Allies: Challenges for Diversity Educators of Color in Higher Education

White racial allyship is essential in realizing an institution that focuses on the welfare, success, and health of students of color and employees of color. The role of White racial allies has been discussed and studied in higher education literature. However, many studies that have critically reviewed the role of White allies have typically centered the voices of White allies. This study builds on previous critical White allyship scholarship, but rather than centering White voices, we center diversity educators of color at various institutions. Diversity educators of color provide a crucial voice in understanding the effectiveness of racial allyship and seek to partner with multiple stakeholders to realize diversity efforts. We analyzed data from interviews with diversity educators and asked them about their experiences collaborating with White racial allies. The findings from the study illuminated the challenges and complexities of working with White racial allies, in particular the realities of taxation, an unwillingness to make sacrifices, and the words and action paradox. Taxation describes exhaustion and weariness that comes from working directly with White allies who can be unhelpful in dismantling racist systems. Participants also noted that White allies do not demonstrate the willingness to make tangible sacrifices to actively pursue racial justice. Finally, diversity educators of color articulated a word and action paradox in which White racial allies appropriated racial justice language without actively working to dismantle oppressive systems.