What does it mean to be a good ally?

This month has been marked by protests demanding racial justice, following police shootings in St. Paul and Baton Rouge. At some of the protests in Minnesota, white allies outnumbered blacks. Historically, allies have played an important role in pushing movements forward.

But what does it mean to be an ally? And what makes a good ally? Whether in the fight for racial justice, gender equity or other social change, what are the best practices to make sure you're helping — and not hurting — a cause?

MPR News guest host Marianne Combs talked with three community members about these questions:

• Keith Mayes is a professor of African-American & African Studies at the University of Minnesota

• shayden gonzalez is the executive director of RECLAIM

• Ashley Fairbanks is an Anishinaabe artist and activist

"I look for an ally that is willing to know that they don't know, is willing to ask when they don't know, and is also willing to talk to folks of their own communities about what they don't know and also how to grow," said shayden gonzalez, to kick off the conversation.

For the full discussion of what it means to be an ally, use the audio player above.