Open Forum

Hello Community,
   I am among the many that have been laid off from my aquarium/museum due to COVID. I know that a lot of institutions are putting on DEAI trainings for their staff. I am wondering how I can get more DEAI training at home while unemployed. Are there virtual trainings/courses I can sign up for? Are there books I should read? I would like to continue my professional development on this while unemployed. I am anxious to get back into a museum and keep doing this work!
Thanks for the help!
-Rachel

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Rachel Schwartzman
Former Supervisor at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, CA
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Hi Rachel,

Thanks for asking an important question like this. Self-education is he most important step. First off, Museums & Race compiled a reading list about five years ago that is still relevant today. Mass Action has a bunch of resources including blogs, chats, and other projects to follow. Speaking of chats, there is a Museums & Race twitter chat planned for this Tuesday at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00pm ET under #OnQuestioningSedition moderated by Jackie Peterson (@jp_exhibitsvcs) with guests from Museum Workers Speak (@MuseumWorkers). You might try keeping an eye on here and some of the professional networks - they will broadcast them on occasion and they are often free. Just be aware of who is presenting when you show up. Oh, if webinars are more your style, there was a whole week of sessions that was posted online from the Museums & Race cypher/virtual conference last year [imagine a radical future]. 

That's probably a good start and it should give you some decent info on where/how to look for other resources. Follow links, check around and do some searches yourself. There's plenty outside the world of museums that is relevant as well.

​

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Timothy Rhue II
Senior Informal Education Specialist
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore MD
He/Him/His
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So helpful, thank you! I will check all that out.

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Rachel Schwartzman
Supervisor, GE Sleepover Program
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Eugene OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-26-2021 08:42 AM
From: Timothy Rhue II
Subject: Home DEAI Instruction

Hi Rachel,

Thanks for asking an important question like this. Self-education is he most important step. First off, Museums & Race compiled a reading list about five years ago that is still relevant today. Mass Action has a bunch of resources including blogs, chats, and other projects to follow. Speaking of chats, there is a Museums & Race twitter chat planned for this Tuesday at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00pm ET under #OnQuestioningSedition moderated by Jackie Peterson (@jp_exhibitsvcs) with guests from Museum Workers Speak (@MuseumWorkers). You might try keeping an eye on here and some of the professional networks - they will broadcast them on occasion and they are often free. Just be aware of who is presenting when you show up. Oh, if webinars are more your style, there was a whole week of sessions that was posted online from the Museums & Race cypher/virtual conference last year [imagine a radical future]. 

That's probably a good start and it should give you some decent info on where/how to look for other resources. Follow links, check around and do some searches yourself. There's plenty outside the world of museums that is relevant as well.

​

------------------------------
Timothy Rhue II
Senior Informal Education Specialist
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore MD
He/Him/His
------------------------------

Hi Rachel, 

I am sorry to read about your current layoff situation, thank you, for sharing that with the community. It has been difficult and I hope the sector will make changes for the future so these layoffs could be avoided. 

In regards to online IDEA-themed courses or conversations, it looks like Timothy gave some excellent suggestions to check out. I would also suggest looking in your own backyard at local nonprofits sharing their work with the community and see if you can connect with one of them. Here in SW Michigan, we have a nonprofit capacity-building organization that hosts a plethora of different IDEA-based workshops; trauma-informed community, racial healing events, accessibility & ablism, etc... These opportunities are free for community members in the region, but I am aware similar organizations charge a fee for participating. 

I'd also check out additional professional organizations. I know our state museum association has hosted a number of different chats and colleague circles for free or low discounted rates during the pandemic. Along with NAI (National Association for Interpretation) has hosted a lot of free opportunities on their social media pages. 

Lastly, another suggestion for books or articles would be start with one aspect of IDEA you are passionate about and then go from there. There is so much variety in the work being published and if you try to tackle it all at once could be overwhelming. An article was shared with me a few months ago I found to be helpful, Activating Diversity and Inclusion: A Blueprint for Museum Educators as Allies and Change Makers by Wendy Ng, Syrus Marcus Ware, & Alyssa Greenberg in the Journal of Museum Education. 

Good luck on your journey! I am happy to provide additional thoughts related to my own journey of allyship. Just reach out!

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Megan Osetek
Pronouns: She/Her
Interpretation Manager
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Kalamazoo MI
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Thank you for that info, such great ideas! Yes, my specialty is museum access, but you can always learn more! I will for use your suggestions. Thanks!

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Rachel Schwartzman
Supervisor, GE Sleepover Program
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Eugene OR
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-26-2021 06:05 PM
From: Megan Osetek
Subject: Home DEAI Instruction

Hi Rachel,

I am sorry to read about your current layoff situation, thank you, for sharing that with the community. It has been difficult and I hope the sector will make changes for the future so these layoffs could be avoided.

In regards to online IDEA-themed courses or conversations, it looks like Timothy gave some excellent suggestions to check out. I would also suggest looking in your own backyard at local nonprofits sharing their work with the community and see if you can connect with one of them. Here in SW Michigan, we have a nonprofit capacity-building organization that hosts a plethora of different IDEA-based workshops; trauma-informed community, racial healing events, accessibility & ablism, etc... These opportunities are free for community members in the region, but I am aware similar organizations charge a fee for participating.

I'd also check out additional professional organizations. I know our state museum association has hosted a number of different chats and colleague circles for free or low discounted rates during the pandemic. Along with NAI (National Association for Interpretation) has hosted a lot of free opportunities on their social media pages.

Lastly, another suggestion for books or articles would be start with one aspect of IDEA you are passionate about and then go from there. There is so much variety in the work being published and if you try to tackle it all at once could be overwhelming. An article was shared with me a few months ago I found to be helpful, Activating Diversity and Inclusion: A Blueprint for Museum Educators as Allies and Change Makers by Wendy Ng, Syrus Marcus Ware, & Alyssa Greenberg in the Journal of Museum Education.

Good luck on your journey! I am happy to provide additional thoughts related to my own journey of allyship. Just reach out!

------------------------------
Megan Osetek
Pronouns: She/Her
Interpretation Manager
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Kalamazoo MI
------------------------------

Hello Rachel,

Sorry about you layoff, it has happened to too many of our museum workers. 

Here are some accessibility resources for you to review:

• National Arts and Disability Center
• Accessibility Resources for Museums and Libraries
• Museum, Arts and Culture Access Consortium (MAC)
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums
• Ki Culture (Social Sustainability Ki Book) 

For a book rec, I would recommend "Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century" edited by Alice Wong. It doesn't talk about museums, but it is one of the only books out there that is about the disability experience and written by people with disabilities. 

Wishing you all the luck,
Nicole

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Nicole Smith
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Accessibility Consultant
nicole.m.smith.1985@gmail.com
(314) 971-6343
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Hi Rachel-

Independent Museum Professionals will be hosting a webinar next week reflecting on DEAI. It's open for anyone, and you are more than welcome to join us!

Taking a Moment: Reflecting on Our DEAI Responsibilities
Tuesday, March 9, 2-3:30p EST/ 1-2:30p CST

The last year has brought so much change. As independent museum professionals, we have not only been on our own journeys; we have chosen to help others as well. Join IMP as we reprise our November program and welcome back Dina Bailey of Mountain Top Vision. In this webinar, Dina will discuss how the last year has affected diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion efforts in the museum field and where our responsibilities, as independent professionals, lie. Register for the event here: https://tinyurl.com/IMPProgram-Taking-a-Moment

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Julie Govert
Exhibit Development Consultant
Milwaukee, WI
juliegovert@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/juliegovert
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Hi Rachel,

Lots of great suggestions in this thread. One more that might not be on your radar yet: I joined a virtual program last year called the Cultural Equity Learning Community, which I found valuable. It's designed for folks in the arts and culture sector writ large, and it included weekly lectures, assignments for reading/watching on your own, a small peer learning group, and several panel discussions throughout the program. I believe they will be enrolling a second cohort sometime soon, but the structure might change in the second cohort. It was pay-what-you-can. More info here: https://www.culturalequitylc.org/

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Tamara Schwarz
Principal / Exhibition Planning & Development
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco CA
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