This article is a critique of what the author calls the “ally industrial complex,” where nonprofits, activists, and individuals benefit from claiming allyship in struggles such as Indigenous and migrant rights. It argues that allyship has become commodified and hollow, often motivated by guilt, saviorism, or careerism, and that it can create dependency and reproduce hierarchies. The text identifies patterns like parachuting into movements, gatekeeping, co-optation, and self-proclaimed allies who treat solidarity as a badge or career path.
Instead of allies, the piece calls for accomplices, people who share risks, build trust through action, and act alongside oppressed communities in anti-colonial and liberation struggles. Accomplices are accountable, explicit about their motives, and focus on dismantling oppressive systems rather than seeking personal validation.