As the Last Chance for Change nears their 40 days of protesting goal, the message doesn’t end on city streets.

For some white allies, they voice it at home and in their neighborhoods to continue the momentum from the marches. 

“To me, you can’t be silent,” said Emma Gibson, a white protester. “If you’re silent, that is oppressive.”

Gibson and Alexis Wynn have been making their voices heard since the protests began.

“As a white ally, I think my biggest role is going back into, whether it’s my family, my community, my friends, my old high school, and talking to those people and educating them on systematic racism and oppression,” said Gibson.

“It’s really important to use your voice, the voice that we have, that we’re so privileged to have, to talk to people that may not listen to someone else,” said Wynn.

But it’s a conversation that can unite some and divide others.

When leaders asked the group if they were criticized for joining the movement, some white allies said it’s creating barriers on social media and between families and friends.

“Some of my more distant friends, like Facebook friends, I’ve been getting criticism from, just commenting on some of my actions,” said Wynn.

“I have received some backlash from my extended family, however we’re able to have the conversations, agree to disagree,” said Gibson.

Although they do have support from their close circles, these protesters realized it’s important to extend their knowledge to those who may not understand instead of shutting them out.

“In the beginning, it was super frustrating and I didn’t want to deal with them,” said Wynn. “I’ve realized that it’s my responsibility as a white person to have those conversations and to try to understand them and make them try to understand where I’m coming from.”

They hope people can start having dialogues with open ears and open minds.

“I want them to be present and listen to the testimony, the facts, the stories of what it’s like to be Black in America,” said Gibson. “They will never understand; I will never understand, but the least I could do is come out and support my brothers and sisters in my community.”

They say the discussions may end in disagreements at first, but it could start changing perspectives.