Open Forum

Hello Janice, 

Thanks for utilizing Museum Junction. Yes, this is such a difficult time. I hope you all are well, both mentally and physically.

You may not have seen Laura Lott's opening remarks from yesterday's general session. In this speech, Laura says, "In recent weeks, the United States suffered multiple racist acts, resulting in the senseless killing of Black people and unfathomable violence across our country. These atrocious murders are a jarring reminder that we in the museum field are either living with, or have colleagues who live with the possibility of something violent or hateful happening to them on any given day…simply because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, nationality, or religion." You can read the full remarks on our website here: https://www.aam-us.org/2020/06/01/we-have-a-unique-duty-to-listen/. 

Our meetings team has also been working diligently to be responsive to the current situation and we have recently updated the AAM Virtual Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo programming to include a new general session speaking specifically to Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field with Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Lori Fogarty which will be presented tomorrow, June 3, at 2 pm CT. The recording of this session will be made available to the public after the conference has ended. Click here to read more about other changes to the conference content: https://mailchi.mp/b8ab591ad97b/aamvirtual-programming-update.

Thank you for your leadership during this time.

------------------------------
Cecelia Walls
Content and Editorial Strategist
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2020 01:38 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: Where is AAM?

Where is the AAM's statement about George Floyd's killing, protests and the role of museums?   The American Association for State and Local History has published a very thoughtful piece, as have a number of other museum associations and individual museums.   Even Rubio's, a fast food restaurant, has posted a statement.    You cannot claim to champion diversity and stay silent.

--

Janice Klein

EightSixSix Consulting

SMAC-AAM Board Member

jkhm116@gmail.com 

Original Message:
Sent: 6/2/2020 2:13:00 PM
From: Cecelia Walls
Subject: RE: Where is AAM?

Hello Janice, 

Thanks for utilizing Museum Junction. Yes, this is such a difficult time. I hope you all are well, both mentally and physically.

You may not have seen Laura Lott's opening remarks from yesterday's general session. In this speech, Laura says, "In recent weeks, the United States suffered multiple racist acts, resulting in the senseless killing of Black people and unfathomable violence across our country. These atrocious murders are a jarring reminder that we in the museum field are either living with, or have colleagues who live with the possibility of something violent or hateful happening to them on any given day…simply because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, nationality, or religion." You can read the full remarks on our website here: https://www.aam-us.org/2020/06/01/we-have-a-unique-duty-to-listen/. 

Our meetings team has also been working diligently to be responsive to the current situation and we have recently updated the AAM Virtual Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo programming to include a new general session speaking specifically to Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field with Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Lori Fogarty which will be presented tomorrow, June 3, at 2 pm CT. The recording of this session will be made available to the public after the conference has ended. Click here to read more about other changes to the conference content: https://mailchi.mp/b8ab591ad97b/aamvirtual-programming-update.

Thank you for your leadership during this time.

------------------------------
Cecelia Walls
Content and Editorial Strategist
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2020 01:38 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: Where is AAM?

Where is the AAM's statement about George Floyd's killing, protests and the role of museums?   The American Association for State and Local History has published a very thoughtful piece, as have a number of other museum associations and individual museums.   Even Rubio's, a fast food restaurant, has posted a statement.    You cannot claim to champion diversity and stay silent.

--

Janice Klein

EightSixSix Consulting

SMAC-AAM Board Member

jkhm116@gmail.com 

Thanks, Janice.

We shared this statement with the public on social media yesterday and with all members in Aviso today. We will also be sharing the recording with our members as part of the release to the public.

We're glad you are enjoying the conference so far and we look forward to having you in the general session tomorrow.

Best,

------------------------------
Cecelia Walls
Content and Editorial Strategist
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2020 02:42 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: Where is AAM?

Thanks, Cecelia, for sharing that information.   I did eventually find Laura's remarks on the AAM website (but not the home page) and I did just receive the update on the new General Session scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. CT as part of the Virtual Meeting.   I am glad to see that the recording of the session will be made available to everyone.

So let me re-phrase my question: Where is AAM's statement to all its members and the public?

(And I hope that AAM will be sending information about the new General Session recording to the full membership)

Thank you and stay safe,

janice

--

Janice Klein

EightSixSix Consulting

jkhm116@gmail.com 

Original Message:
Sent: 6/2/2020 2:13:00 PM
From: Cecelia Walls
Subject: RE: Where is AAM?

Hello Janice,

Thanks for utilizing Museum Junction. Yes, this is such a difficult time. I hope you all are well, both mentally and physically.

You may not have seen Laura Lott's opening remarks from yesterday's general session. In this speech, Laura says, "In recent weeks, the United States suffered multiple racist acts, resulting in the senseless killing of Black people and unfathomable violence across our country. These atrocious murders are a jarring reminder that we in the museum field are either living with, or have colleagues who live with the possibility of something violent or hateful happening to them on any given day…simply because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, nationality, or religion." You can read the full remarks on our website here: https://www.aam-us.org/2020/06/01/we-have-a-unique-duty-to-listen/.

Our meetings team has also been working diligently to be responsive to the current situation and we have recently updated the AAM Virtual Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo programming to include a new general session speaking specifically to Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field with Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Lori Fogarty which will be presented tomorrow, June 3, at 2 pm CT. The recording of this session will be made available to the public after the conference has ended. Click here to read more about other changes to the conference content: https://mailchi.mp/b8ab591ad97b/aamvirtual-programming-update.

Thank you for your leadership during this time.

------------------------------
Cecelia Walls
Content and Editorial Strategist
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA

Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2020 01:38 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: Where is AAM?

Where is the AAM's statement about George Floyd's killing, protests and the role of museums?   The American Association for State and Local History has published a very thoughtful piece, as have a number of other museum associations and individual museums.   Even Rubio's, a fast food restaurant, has posted a statement.    You cannot claim to champion diversity and stay silent.

--

Janice Klein

EightSixSix Consulting

SMAC-AAM Board Member

jkhm116@gmail.com 

Dear Cecelia, 

Thank you for addressing Janice's question on AAM's statement to all its members and the public on the horrific death of George Floyd and ongoing racial disparity in the United States.

My first career out of high school before I entered the museum field was in radiologic technology. As a first year student I was required to take call and was working alone at a Trenton inner city hospital the night the riots broke out and yes, even then outside agitators brought mayhem. As a member of the arts community, our arts consortium worked to heal the community over the past decades, heal a beloved city and get people to come back and not be afraid. I served as director of the Trenton City Museum in its outreach to the city's children to instill a sense of pride in the city's historic industrial past as well as their heritage of the art, design and ideas of the pottery artisans. And here we are… 

I have one question for the panel: why is it that the most of the African-Americans or people of color that we see working at the museums in the Smithsonian museum system are "contract" workers and not fulltime employees? As the two federal government shutdowns over the budget showed although furloughed employees could count on back pay once they returned to work, the "contractors" could count on no such compensation. They are our essential workers: the security guards, food service and the maintenance workers and they lack all the benefits that furloughed workers could rely on: vacation and sick pay and healthcare coverage. Think of the stress that puts on folks and if they yearned to go to school to have a museum career their hands are tied economically from doing so because of working two or more jobs. What policies will AAM put into place to address this disparity right at home? And would it be included in its legislative days when museums present the benefits of museums for its communities to lawmakers?

Thank you.

Terri McNichol
Original Message:
Sent: 06-02-2020 01:38 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: Where is AAM?

Where is the AAM's statement about George Floyd's killing, protests and the role of museums?   The American Association for State and Local History has published a very thoughtful piece, as have a number of other museum associations and individual museums.   Even Rubio's, a fast food restaurant, has posted a statement.    You cannot claim to champion diversity and stay silent.

--

Janice Klein

EightSixSix Consulting

SMAC-AAM Board Member

jkhm116@gmail.com