How does a diverse community thrive in spaces that were designed to be exclusionary? Museums--with histories tied to colonial violence and racist practices and whose survival is largely reliant on the generosity of wealthy donors--were not built to be inclusive. Yet many museums' missions and the people who bring these missions to life have egalitarian aims. In recent years museum practitioners across the country have been proactively confronting our histories of colonization and exclusion and advancing equity and inclusion. Museums of all types have formed cross-departmental teams to critique their internal practices, review hiring processes, and ultimately foster a more diverse and inclusive environment for both visitors and staff alike. But how do such initiatives get off the ground? How do individuals build support among all stakeholders and successfully advocate for new positions, programs, and cross-departmental working groups? How can colleagues work together across departments to foster more inclusive museum practices? This book from the American Alliance of Museums brings together a collection of tools, solutions, and models from DEAI practitioners who have actively worked together towards institutional change. With 60% BIPOC authorship, this book will provide hope and inspiration, as well as concrete strategies for museum workers all over the country who are achieving small wins and fostering sweeping change in the predominantly white cultural sector through innovation, collaboration, and courage. This is the first book to focus specifically on collaborative and inclusive practices in equity and anti-racism work in different types of museums. Its case studies demonstrate the importance of relationship building, authentic connections, and developing foundations together over time, providing a much-needed resource for museum professionals at every level who are grappling with inequities that are pervasive in museums.
About the Author: Theresa Sotto is a museum educator, arts advocate, and writer who is passionate about arts education initiatives grounded in social justice, equity, and inclusive practices. She has worked at the crossroads of education and the arts since 2001. As Associate Director of Academic Programs at the Hammer Museum, Theresa oversees educational programming for university, family, and K-12 school audiences. She also is a founding member and co-leader of the first cross-departmental internal Diversity and Inclusion Group at the Hammer, which initiates strategies for embedding inclusive practices in the museum's work. Prior to joining the Hammer, she worked at the Getty Museum, the University of Arizona Poetry Center, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Theresa is an award-winning practitioner whose work has received peer-reviewed awards from the American Alliance of Museums and the California Association of Museums. In 2015, she was the recipient of the National Art Education Association's Pacific Region Museum Education Art Educator award. Theresa frequently leads staff and docent trainings on implicit bias, privilege awareness, and inclusive teaching for colleagues at the Hammer and other institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and the Norton Simon Museum of Art. She has presented across the U.S. on topics related to DEAI in museums, including addressing bias, activism through the arts, visitor-centered teaching pedagogies, and creating inclusive spaces through multilingual programs. Theresa received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona and is also a published poet. Priya Frank is the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Seattle Art Museum where her focus is on organizational development, program curation, and racial equity related initiatives across the institution. Previous work at LUCID Lounge, UW Bothell, UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity and the Meany Hall for the Performing Arts influenced her passion and heart for this work. Priya served on the Seattle Arts Commission for 6 years and is a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow's class of 2015. She was named one of 2018's Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine, and made the Puget Sound Business Journal's top 40 under 40 list in 2019. Priya holds a B.A. in Communications and American Ethnic Studies from University of Washington Seattle and an M.A. in Cultural Studies from University of Washington Bothell, where she was named 2020 Alumnae of the Year.