I’m a white man who wants to signal allyship with people of colour. What should I do?

‘I would strongly advise against making eye contact or nodding your head at random strangers,’ Sisonke Msimang writes. Composite: ediebloom/Guardian Design

Hi Ms Understanding,

I’m a 60-year-old white American male and have done some work and had training around acknowledging my racist background and lingering internalised superiority. In multicultural environments, is there a way to indicate my allyship with other people, letting them know I’m safe, or at least not hostile, without coming across as trying too hard? My approach has been “act naturally” but I kind of want to let people around me know they can relax a little. Perhaps it’s just a moment of eye contact and a head nod. And maybe this question reveals I’m not even ready to be that person. I’m wrestling ...