I want to preface this reflection with a bit of context and explanation. Those who followed me on the #AAMvirtual or #AAMsmj hashtags throughout the conference undoubtedly noticed my near-exclusive involvement in sessions dealing with race equity, along with the hashtag #MuseumsAreNotNeutral founded by LaTanya Autry and Mike Murawski. I have mostly worked at culturally specific museums throughout my career and have purposefully engaged in race equity work therein. So, you may expect a post-conference reflection from me that continues the conversations around race and museums, especially now in this crucial time. However, that is not the reflection I have written. For many reasons, but namely that I am exhausted.

As many BIPOC museum peers can likely attest from their own experiences, I have spent the past several weeks putting in countless hours of emotional labor explaining racial injustices to mostly white peers, to the effect of draining the remaining dregs of energy left from just existing as a Black mixed-race woman in America. So, while it is extremely unusual for me to pass on the opportunity to push antiracist practice forward in our field, nonetheless I am deferring to another time when I am well-rested and mentally recharged. But if you are looking for further guidance on these issues I urge you to put in the work with: MASS Action, Incluseum, Empathetic Museum, and Museums and Race (and many more.) If you enjoy following me, please also follow Dr. Melanie Adams, LaTanya Autry, Dina Bailey, Janeen Bryant, Joanne Jones-Rizzi, Dr. Porchia Moore, Jackie Peterson, Adrianne Russell, and Dr. Noelle Trent (and many more!)

I was somewhere between scrubbing my younger toddler’s latest crayon masterpiece off my living room wall, scooping up my older toddler out of the pile of laundry I just folded, reading the latest news headline advising, “These 6 Steps for Reopening Your Business,” flagging my staff’s newest email proposing ten new digital program ideas to re-read “later” (as if time has any meaning anymore), reviewing the latest edits to our internal Reopening Planning document, and half-listening to a very interesting online session on audience engagement at #AAMvirtual, that I realized this “new normal” isn’t really working.

Let’s just call it, 2020 sucks. As I struggled to devote time to being present in the #AAMvirtual offerings, as a dedicated social media journalist for the digital conference, I realized some aspects of what makes the AAM conference a worthwhile annual pilgrimage cannot be replicated in a digital format—to no fault of AAM (whose staff I commend) or the inventors of the internet. While there were certainly many highlights to the virtual conference, including a keynote by Christy Coleman reminding us to “breathe” following the police murder of George Floyd, who cried out “I can’t breathe,” I do not feel overall that digital conferencing quite compares to the in-person experience.

Without ignoring the many social and environmental concerns of in-person conferences, I do think the benefits are worth noting, namely: the rare and enlightening opportunity to congregate with peers with whom you share a passion. Arguably, this opportunity is also presented in a virtual conference. However, the kicker is the simple fact that digital conferences, including the AAM Virtual Annual Meeting, are not natively digital experiences and thus aspects are compressed, minimized, or lost completely in the process. Those of us who have attended the Annual Meeting in person for years can attest that something is lost in translation. It is to this missed opportunity that I direct this reflection.

At the onset of coronavirus cancellations in museums across the US, I became overwhelmed with anxiety that the section of this field that I committed a career to—public programs—would become irrelevant and that in turn I would end up displaced like so many laid-off and furloughed museum peers. But in my brief moment of panic I turned to some guidance from outside the field and began re-reading Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering. If you aren’t familiar, Parker is a biracial and multicultural facilitator in conflict resolution, a peace dialoguer, corporate meetings designer, and master facilitator. Her book focuses primarily on gathering theory and its application in personal, professional, and other settings. Discussing the undeniable power dynamic of gatherings, Parker argues, “hosting is inevitably an exercise of power.”

Parker would tell us that to build a better conference, we must first reconsider our purpose. In fact, she says, “Conferences…tend to be full of vertical connections between the stage and the guests but are short on horizontal linkages binding guests to one another.” Consequently, the problem in most conference settings (and in museums generally) is that they don’t exercise our power for the best administration of the gathering or its attendees. This is where, I believe, our annual pilgrimage could use some work.

While we have valued professional growth that accrues in traditional classroom settings like in traditional conference sessions, we haven’t historically valued professional growth that occurs in informal settings. In this regard, we shouldn’t overlook the learning opportunities and career enrichment that occur in the face-to-face AAM annual meeting outside conference sessions. Here are just a handful of professional expertise and learning opportunities that happen outside of the sessions:

1. Visiting other museums independently or on arranged tours

a. A real-time lesson presenting different perspectives on interpretive, curatorial, and marketing materials and resources.
b. Enlightening and informative observations of different visitors, audience behaviors, designed visitor flow.
c. In short, endless possibilities.

2. Networking activities

a. Opportunities to polish your professional style

i. Staff are often told it’s their own responsibility to develop their own interpersonal skills. Supervisors are often told to “develop” their staff. This resolves both quandaries.

b. Necessary time to broaden your world view

i. Many of us work in silos; this is a necessary elixir against that framework.

ii. If museums are truly to become more inclusive, the people who work at them must be immersed in inclusivity.

c. Humanizing our field

i. As museums move towards more audience-focused and human-centered design models, we need to work on humanizing our field.

d. Ideation

i. Ideas happen in the energy of newness found in networking and meeting new people.

3. Social activities:

a. Dinner. Drinks. Dialogue.

i. Let’s not pretend that some of the most pressing issues of the world aren’t resolved over dinner and drinks. Parker’s book frequently references examples of dinners of dignitaries and community leaders that resulted in new peace and prosperity.

b. Emotional intelligence

i. Social activity is an important aspect of professional growth. Emotional intelligence isn’t taught in any of the graduate programs; it’s learned in social environments like the annual meeting.

4. Hallway meetings

a. Planned or spontaneous, hallway gatherings are sacred, and though their impact is likely immeasurable, they nevertheless leave an impression. Inspiration flows, tribes reunite, new ideas are tested; and despite its many flaws the museum field is affirmed once again.

5. The inevitable “unconference”

a. Sometimes grown out of the hallway meetings, or sometimes planned from the start, the inevitable unconference (often occurring amongst the communal spaces in MuseumExpo) provides an unique opportunity to join in dialogue with peers on tough issues within the field—race, equity, representation, authority, decolonization, democracy, and beyond.

It is here in these “unofficial” spaces where we learn to incorporate new ideas into our practice. It is here where a digital conference cannot compete.

As for sessions, in Parker’s theory only those with a “disputable” purpose would actually be gatherings, with topics that can be discussed, debated, and dialogued over. A conference centered solely on a disputable purpose or debate might consider the role of race work in museum work, restructuring boards for greater inclusion of Indigenous thought leaders, closing the pay gap between directors and lowest-paid staff, or the inherent misogyny in the growing “pink collar” phenomenon in museums. Presentations of XYZ interpretative technique, curated exhibit, or researched entity cannot spark meaningful exchange in the same way because they are less disputable.

My hope is that during this time of discomfort we will utilize digital connections as needed and useful, but when the time comes that we can gather in person again that we do so with new purpose and greater appreciation for our togetherness and its meaning.

About the author:

Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell is a cultural planner with over ten years of museum and gallery experience at the intersections of social justice practice. As Head of Public Programs with Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery, she is responsible for an extensive calendar of programs across two museums, leading new outreach and inclusion initiatives towards developing new audiences and cultivating public engagement.

We must fulfill our role as a trusted resource.

During a special session in response to the protests, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III suggested that museums “cannot be community centers…but they sure could be at the center of their community.” This is especially important as we try to meet the needs surrounding COVID-19 for our community, which we must do through open, clear communication. As Drs. Sharfstein and Watson from Johns Hopkins University presented in a briefing during the meeting, it is incumbent upon museums to use our platforms and presence to amplify voices of expertise and ensure correct information on public health practices is being received by the community.

Educators have the opportunity to facilitate learning from experts to our community. Our ability to share content and reach the diverse levels of learners will help clear misconceptions surrounding the virus and promote ways to stay healthy and safe during this time. Hosting virtual discussions featuring local public health experts or leaders to promote health and wellness in the home will provide access to people who might not be able to receive these messages otherwise through traditional mass media outlets. Museums that have hosted such experiences have not only helped get the message out, but also allowed for the community to have their questions and needs addressed in real time. These messages aren’t just important for science institutions to share out; museum education in all disciplines can and should adapt to the moment by pairing relevant collections, artwork, and stories with the messages of local experts.

As we prepare to reopen, museums also need to create a safe, welcoming environment for guests and staff to return to the museum floor. Where can education on safe handwashing and distancing be included in your museum experience? Using digital presentations and discussions in the days and weeks leading to reopening, we can prepare people for what their new visiting experience will look and feel like, educate them and ourselves on what is most important for on-site experiences, and emphasize how we will keep each other safe.

We need to balance quick responses with long-term planning.

While museums’ tendency toward long-term planning can offer much-needed clarity in times of crisis, the pandemic and recent civil upheavals have proved that communities’ needs often change much more rapidly than a museum’s strategic plan allows. In her general session address at the beginning of the conference, Christy Coleman of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation called for responsive museum programming, and many of the case studies offered throughout the week reiterated its importance. AAM embodied this mindset with the addition of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Lori Fogarty’s panel to the program, which was added as a way to “help process the weight of the current moment.” Whether it’s creating a digital “care package” to serve a community who is newly in crisis, as done by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, or entering a community partnership without any kind of preset agenda, museums have begun to model a responsive approach to serving their community and must continue to do so.

To shorten your planning process for programs, perhaps you could start explicitly “workshopping” the structure with participants as a way to gather feedback for continuing or adjusting the program. To borrow from the tech world, these programs could be seen as “beta” initiatives that are designed to listen to community feedback. For this process to be meaningful, however, the feedback must be intentionally integrated into programming or operations in visible and concrete ways.

In other cases, shortening timelines means handing over authority to community partners who already have the “know-how” to execute certain parts of the project. These kinds of partnerships can expedite the process. The museum, in turn, must learn to relinquish control and be comfortable simply offering the assets of space, time, or money. A concrete example of this during COVID-19 can be seen in the institutions and individuals that are creating art kits but then partnering with organizations like homeless shelters and food banks to distribute them. There is a letting go in that process which leaves room for other organizations and communities to contribute in meaningful ways, while greatly increasing the impact and speed of a project.

Now is the time for all museums to reorient with a community focus.

In the field and outside of it, many are collectively pausing to reflect on museums’ roles in society and their exclusionary histories. As we reflect on what role we want museums to serve in society, the time is now urgent for all museums to truly reorient to respond to community needs and prove their worth. As Devon Akmon, former director of the National Arab American Museum and current director of Science Gallery Detroit, put it during the Annual Meeting, it is simply not possible to have rapid programming that is responsive to real-time community needs without having a well-established relationship with the community to serve as partners in meeting the moment.

What changes need to be made at an institutional, departmental, and staff level for your museum to live at the center of your community? For example, you might reserve space at your institution to be always “open” for rapid response programming that may arise. Alternatively, you might put long-standing projects on hold and instead highlight the work of peer institutions in your community that better serve the needs of the moment. One recent rapid response example from the field comes from the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, which has pivoted to collect stories of resilience from members of the Anacostia community in the face of nationwide protests against systemic racism.

Let go of the sole creator role—help those outside the staff be authors.

While this idea is not new, the role of the sole creator and the so-called “professional” voice still dominates in museums, creating an atmosphere of authority. Opening our doors and sharing authority not only makes us more relevant, but it creates a truly engaging and participatory experience. However, we need to be sincere and mindful when we invite external creation and participation. If we are not genuine and do not listen, we run the risk of alienating our audiences and exhibiting tokenism.

As educators, we have many opportunities to involve the public to participate, collaborate and co-create content at our museums. Science museums are having a lot of success with citizen science projects; for example, the Museum of Life Science in Durham, North Carolina, runs a series of “Experimonths,” where visitors help collect scientific data. At the AGO Art Gallery in Ontario, the exhibition In Your Face featured a “People’s Portrait Project,” where portraits were collected from the general public to show the individuality and diversity in Canada. Only when audiences feel involved in the museum’s mission can they become invaluable community assets.

Lead by example: invest money to create change.

Recent months and weeks have highlighted the need for change, perhaps more than ever before. It is therefore time to reassess our mission and offerings, so that we can not only put our money where our mouth is, but be a real agent for change. It is important that museums look internally at operations and purchasing as well as at external programming and outreach.

Museum educators have a great opportunity to effect change in examining their own budgets for community investment, from where supplies come from to where contracts are going. Are you ordering supplies from Amazon, or from local sources? Do the individuals your institution is initiating contracts with (for educators or media producers, for example) reflect the demographics of the community you wish to serve? Another example for change can come from your internship structure—eliminating unpaid internships as a measure to establish a more level playing field for potential candidates. Finally, not only do we need to focus on where to invest our resources, but we also need to look very carefully at our funding sources to make sure that they align ethically and morally with our institutions’ missions and values.

Being future-minded and hopeful may be the key to making museums essential in the eyes of the public.

With many museums closed to the public or significantly altered in their programming and visitor experiences, all are wondering and reassessing: What is the true value of museums, and what is their future? While most museums, either by virtue of mission or collection, have historically given focus to the past, a radical next step might instead be to become places where better futures are imagined, as Marina Gorbis posed in her address.

Setting goals for programming that center on hope could revitalize visitors’ perceptions of museums and change our expectations for what core competencies educators bring to the table. For example, for an exhibit focusing on the civil rights era, one might develop a goal that prioritizes visitors feeling more empowered to organize as a community and to communicate with elected officials the changes they wish to see in their communities. In this future-oriented model, attitudes would become more important assessments of impact than knowledge and understanding.

Below, we asked the students to tell us what stood out to them from the programming, to get a sense of what they’re finding important as they prepare for a museum career.

Shelby Amspacher

“During the AAM virtual conference I have been really intrigued by the issue of DEAI. This is an issue that we have discussed in the Museum Education Program at George Washington. I have loved the opportunities to understand what museums are doing as well as what things museums can change to be proponents of change. One statement that stood out to me was by Secretary Lonnie Bunch, who said during ‘Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field,’ ‘Museums cannot be community centers…but they sure can be at the centers of their communities.’ I truly believe that museums have a place in their communities to define reality and give hope.”

In today’s museum world, engagement in public programs have changed bc of our online dialogue. Yet this doesn’t mean that audience members aren’t egaging we just need to change our beachmarks and metric #AAMvirtual

— Shelby Amspacher (@ShelbyAmspacher) June 4, 2020

Emily Crowe

“The AAM conference has been such a wonderful opportunity to engage with and learn from museum people all across the world. The variety of backgrounds, expertise, and viewpoints has led to many rich and meaningful discussions on some of the most important issues facing the field.”

.@NoelleTrentPhD just said that museums need to treat community members and activists the same way we treat wealthy donors because what they have to offer is just as valuable. That is EXACTLY the kind of radical reimagining that our field needs. #aamvirtual @AAMers

— Emily Crowe (@ecrowe37) June 1, 2020

Shantelle Jones-Williams

“While I’d rather that this pandemic had never occurred, the conference turning to a virtual platform and becoming more accessible to more people is at least a bit of a silver lining. The panels I have tuned into have covered some much needed dialogue about the changes that need to occur within the museum field, such as equity, and furthering digital efforts to reach wider audiences. I am also very appreciative of the adjustment to the schedule to allow for a much needed discussion between Secretary Lonnie Bunch, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, and Lori Fogarty about George Floyd’s murder and race relations/accountability within museum organizations.”

Museums are not neutral, and they cannot continue to choose neutrality. To choose neutrality is to silence marginalized staff and visitors. There is no future for neutrality. #AAMvirtual

— Shantelle Jonée (@shantellejonee) June 3, 2020

Anney Matlock

“This is my first AAM conference and I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend virtually. I have been particularly impressed by the sessions created in response to George Floyd’s murder and the protests that have followed across the country. As Johnnetta Cole shared, ‘You don’t just go by the program, you sense what is needed.’ Museums have a key role to play in creating space, starting conversations, and standing up against systemic racism. It’s very uplifting to see so many passionate professionals ready to fight for their communities.”

The precondition of master’s degrees and low compensation for entry salaries in museums are huge barriers to diversity in the field. #isthathungwhite #AAMvirtual

— Anney Matlock (@AnneyMatlock) June 2, 2020

Liz Mueller

“As someone graduating from a museum education graduate program, attending AAM’s virtual meeting this week has been particularly impactful and inspiring. It has been wonderful hearing from and interacting with so many major players in the museum field, and the conversations regarding diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in museums have been so crucial during this time.”

Thank you @HistoryGonWrong for addressing the issue of pay and the wild fact that while women make up 65% of the field, men hold 80% of leadership roles and that 90% of those men are white. #AAMvirtual

— MArY (@theLizMueller) May 18, 2020

Faith Ordonio

“I really enjoyed engaging with people through social media during the virtual AAM conference, especially through Twitter. Using Twitter to see everyone’s thoughts throughout the conference made me realize just how many people there are scattered throughout the US that are dedicated to making museums more inclusive and diverse. In addition, it was cool to see people post about sessions that they attended that I was also at and respond to their thoughts online. In a way, this simulated the ‘in-between’ time that typically follows sessions in conferences.”

Museums contribute to climate change… but can help reduce our carbon footprint too! Thank you #AAMvirtual for a very informative session about Sustainability and Resilience in our field. pic.twitter.com/eKr2hfJxGI

— Faith Ordonio (@faith_ordonio) June 4, 2020

Jonathan Rodriguez

“I truly enjoyed the panel/roundtable of Lonnie Bunch, Lori Fogarty, and Dr. Johnnetta Cole. Their candid and unfiltered discussion on race/diversity in America and in the museum field was an eye-opening conversation about society and the state of the museum field at this current time. I also enjoyed meetings such as “Museum-goers and the Pandemic.” Learning more about what people value during these strange times and how museums fit into their needs and plans is paramount for any institution (especially museums) to move forward. It was great hearing from all of the speakers involved as a museum education student and a young museum professional.”

Enjoying the “Pivoting your Programming” using social media is great way to engage visitors at home during these uncertain times.#AAM #RadicalReimagining

— Jonathan Rodriguez (@jonrod21) June 2, 2020

Madison Scott

“#AAMvirtual has thus far provided a unique and engaging digital experience. I have found that many of the sessions are not only relevant and useful for the topic of COVID-19, but also for the current situation in our country surrounding George Floyd. I am eager to participate in the session with Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Secretary Lonnie Bunch, and Lori Fogarty to process the current events sweeping our nation. I want to thank AAM for changing the schedule to include such relevant and important conversations that need to happen within the museum community.”

Important takeaways so far from The Future of Museum Evaluation after Covid-19:
1. Museums need to reopen in an equitable way.
2. Museum evaluators need to take on an advocate role.#AAMvirtual

— Madison Scott (@MPScott95) June 3, 2020

Ariel Waldman

“Participating in my first AAM conference has showcased how many museum professionals are dedicated to finding equitable creative solutions to problems in the field and the world at large. I am inspired by the variety of projects and programs taking place at institutions big and small across the United States. I cannot wait to further my involvement and one day present solutions with colleagues in the field.”

During an Impactful Diversity Initiatives panel @AAMers #AAMvirtual Julia Latańe brings up the distinction that confidence does not equal competence. Museums are historically white, privileged, and male, so who feels confident and qualified in these spaces?

— Ariel (@arielkwaldman) June 3, 2020

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Speakers:

Arthur Affleck, Vice President of Development at American Alliance of Museums

Lonnie G. Bunch III, 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

Moments of Joy from:

Antonio Martorell

Don Wildman

Elizabeth Alexander

Generously supported by:

Disclaimer: This video is being made available for free public viewing but cannot be reproduced in any way without the explicit permission of AAM. Contact media@aam-us.org with inquiries.

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field:
The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. In these challenging times, we ask that if you can, consider supporting our advocacy work and making extensive COVID-19 resources freely available for our field, by making a donation or becoming a member of AAM. Thank you for your much-needed support.

Access a transcript here.

Speakers:

Laura Lott, President & CEO at the American Alliance of Museums

Chevy Humphrey, The Hazel A. Hare President and CEO at the Arizona Science Center and AAM Board Chair

Kelly McKinley, CEO of the Bay Area Discovery Center

Jay Xu, Director and CEO of the Asian Art Museum

Christy Coleman, Executive Director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Marina Gorbis, Executive Director of the Institute for the Future

Moments of joy from:

Rita Moreno

Bryan Stevenson

Kaywin Feldman

SUE the T. rex

Generously supported by:

Disclaimer: This video is being made available for free public viewing but cannot be reproduced in any way without the explicit permission of AAM. Contact media@aam-us.org with inquiries.

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field:
The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. In these challenging times, we ask that if you can, consider supporting our advocacy work and making extensive COVID-19 resources freely available for our field, by making a donation or becoming a member of AAM. Thank you for your much-needed support.

Access a transcript here.

Speakers:

Laura Lott, President & CEO at American Alliance of Museums

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, President & National Chair of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. and Special Counsel on Strategic Initiatives at the Baltimore Museum of Art

Catherine Devine, Business Strategy Leader for Libraries & Museums at Microsoft

Anthony Salcito; Vice President, Worldwide Education; Microsoft

Moment of Joy from:

Tamar Greene

Generously supported by:

Disclaimer: This video is being made available for free public viewing but cannot be reproduced in any way without the explicit permission of AAM. Contact media@aam-us.org with inquiries.

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field:
The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. In these challenging times, we ask that if you can, consider supporting our advocacy work and making extensive COVID-19 resources freely available for our field, by making a donation or becoming a member of AAM. Thank you for your much-needed support.

Access a transcript here.

We are now making this conversation available to all, in recognition of its urgent value to museum institutions and professionals. Watch the full video or read a transcript below.

Generously supported by:

Disclaimer: This video is being made available for free public viewing but cannot be reproduced in any way without the explicit permission of AAM. Contact media@aam-us.org with inquiries.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: My AAM sisters, brothers, siblings all, good afternoon. There’s an African proverb that says, “It does no harm to be grateful.” It’s in that spirit that I want to express my gratitude to Secretary Lonnie Bunch. I want to express my secretary—secretary, that won’t do—express my gratitude to Director sister Lori Fogarty for being in a conversation with me this afternoon, a difficult conversation. It’s in that same spirit of gratitude that I want to reach out to our sister President Laura Lott, and to her amazing colleagues at AAM for knowing that you don’t just go by the program; you have to sense what is needed. And so they’ve arranged for us to have this conversation in a general session, that of course was not on the original program.

So why are we doing this? Well, in my view—and I bet you I can get an amen from the Secretary, and an awomen too, from sister Lori—we’re doing this first of all so that as museum professionals we can collectively grieve, mourn, the recent murders of David McAtee, and George Floyd, of Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor.

We’ve come together this afternoon so that we can own that these deaths and countless others continue a horrific practice that began during the enslavement of Black women, men, and children. And we’ve come together to own that so many Black women, men, and even children were brutally murdered in racial terror lynchings. The last of these, the last report, took place in Mobile, Alabama, on March 21, 1981, when the Klu Klux Klan beat and killed 19-year-old Michael Donald, and then hung his body from a tree.

Across our country and our world, defying social distancing that is called for by the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have taken to the streets to protest the police brutality that took the life, in such a merciless way, took the life of George Floyd. In shouts of “Black lives matter,” demonstrators connect that murder with a long-standing pattern of Black men being slain by police.

Now, as you know, the worst pandemic of this century, with the associated economic consequences, did not decide to take a time out while these racially charged incidents were taking place. And so let us also acknowledge that all of this disproportionately affects Black people and other people of color. I mean the pandemic and the economic consequences.

So the questions we are here to discuss are, as museum directors: How should we respond to these crises that are haunting our country, and indeed our world, and what could and should be our role as museum professionals in the struggle against systemic racism?

So now let me turn in conversation with my colleagues. Brother Secretary, please look through your eyes as a historian to help us put this moment that we are in, in some context. That is this moment in time of racism, of civil rights protest, of protestors clashing with the police, all going on while we are in a pandemic and a financial crisis.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Thank you. I’m so honored to be with Lori and Johnnetta to talk with you about these issues that are at the heart of all of our careers and all of our lives. I wish I could say to you this was a unique moment. On the one hand, it is because we have a dual pandemic: we’ve got illness and we’ve got racism. But on the other hand, the notion of the kinds of deaths that we’re seeing and the protest we’re seeing is not new. I am struck by the words of Ella Baker, who was crucially important in creating the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the civil rights movement, and when she said, “Until this country views the death of a Black mother’s son as important as the death of a white mother’s son, we who believe in freedom shall not rest.”

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Not rest.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: For me, that is really what this is about. It’s recognizing that this is about a long story that, as Johnnetta said, starts with slavery, but looks at lynching, the hundreds of people that were lynched from 1880 to 1919, but it looks at the people who were destroyed when they destroyed Tulsa almost one hundred years ago. It really says that, in some ways, the history of racial violence is the history of the United States. And that you can’t understand this country without understanding that this has been something that has happened with—God, I hate to say it this way—with monotonous regularity.

In essence, the challenge is not just to say their names, because it’s important to remember Amadou Diallo and remember Freddie Gray, and remember Breonna Taylor, remember George Floyd. Crucially important to remember and say their names. But that’s not enough. It seems to me that what we’re really struggling with is to recognize that at some point a country needs to confront itself. Not a people, but a country, and that in essence, what I think this tells us more than anything else is that this is a national dilemma and I want to see all Americans realize that they are only going to be made better when we grapple effectively with issues of race and racial violence.

I guess the way I’d end thinking about this is that I wonder candidly, how long? How long do we continue to do this? And as a Black man, I’ve said it, I’ve said that I’m lucky I’m still breathing, but being Black in America, I don’t know for how long.

Lori Fogarty: Thank you.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Over these last couple of weeks, I have noticed that more people are using the language of white power and privilege. And in fact, I’m struck by two very different expressions of that. In each case, by a white woman. I’m remembering Amy Cooper, who took full advantage of her white skin privilege to call the police on a Black man. A bird watcher, who asked her to put her dog on a leash to follow the law in Central Park. Full use of her power. Can you imagine if a Black woman did that? If a woman of color of another community?

But I’m also lifting up before I come to you, Lori, because I want you to weigh in on this, I’m also thinking about somebody I’m willing to call a shero. A woman who at that moment, when that policeman had his knee in George Floyd’s neck for, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, almost nine minutes, she used her power and privilege to say, “Take his pulse! Stop it!” Look at these two examples.

Lori Fogarty: That’s right.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Lori, come in on this.

Lori Fogarty: Well, first of all, I’m so honored to be with the two of you today and part of this conversation. And yeah, I think that it is a national conversation and this is absolutely disproportionately, this moment in every way, impacting people of color and Black people in a way that white people cannot even begin to understand.

And I think it begins with our internal work. It begins with our personal work to truly understand what the Secretary said, which is that the entire system and structure of this country has been built on racism. And that is what systemic racism is. It is the laws, the structures, the roles, the government, property ownership, every facet of our life. Museums have been built on that power of white people over people of color and particularly Black people.

And I think we just begin with that deep understanding that’s very difficult for white people to absorb. And I think our role, as I will say, as a middle-aged white woman, but running a museum, is that balance between, one, listening and listening and listening, and not necessarily being either the bullhorn or the bully pulpit at this moment. And also recognizing that we do have power as museums and as museum leaders. And we have to think in very deep and thoughtful and strategic ways, how to utilize that platform for public good. And that’s what I think I’m here to learn from you all today and participate in that conversation.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: If I may jump in.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Please, it’s a conversation.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Lori, I really appreciate what you say, because in some ways I’ve lived my whole career banging on the door of museums, asking museums to do better. And by that I mean helping museums understand that we need to be excellent in the traditional ways—wonderful exhibitions, build those collections, make sure we think creatively about what education really means—but we also have to be excellent in ways that matter, that changes a mindset to say, it’s not enough to be a good museum. What’s key is that you have to be an institution who recognizes in everything you do that the goal is, yes, I want to do good exhibitions. Yes, I want to do good scientific research. Yes, I want the kids to come to the zoo. But the reality is what you really want is you want to change and make your community, make your region, make your country better.

In other words, what I want to hear from museums in their vision statements is about the greater good and that greater good is more than serving audiences, it’s about helping a country find truth, find insight, find nuance, and in many ways, what I hope that cultural institutions like this can do is that they’re better suited than most to define reality and to give hope.

Lori Fogarty: That’s right.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: That’s what I’d like to think.

Lori Fogarty: Yup. We need to think of our jobs in very different ways right now.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: The brother Secretary’s comment moves me to read something that our sister Stephanie Johnson-Cunningham has written, and we all know her, of course, from Museum Hue, listen to this: “Culturally specific museums are literally a part of the community. They provide an incredible model that centers people, and they are able to be more culturally responsive because community care,” as opposed to collections, had to add that, “is at the center of their practice.”

Now Lonnie Bunch, Lonnie G. Bunch III, you with your amazing and grace-filled colleagues brought into our lives a culturally specific institution that, as you say, tells the story of America through the experiences of African Americans. I’d like to hear each of you talk about this, what can all museums learn from so-called culturally specific museums and what can all of our museums learn perhaps from institutions that are not museums? By the way, before I let you in, our brother Andrew says, “Careful how you use the term culturally specific, because over centuries museums have been culturally specific for white folks.”

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Mm-hmm, yep. Lori?

Lori Fogarty: Sure, I’ll take a crack at that. Well, I think at the Oakland Museum of California some of our great models for the way we engage with community have been museums that are culturally specific to cultures other than the white culture. I think of the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, I think of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, and of course I think of the great Smithsonian Institutions. And I think what we learned from them is, as you say, Johnnetta, there is a mission that is based in service to the community. They’re based in stories, and objects, and heritage, and history, but first and foremost for being places for people, and as you said, Lonnie, places whose missions are about imagining a better future. And I think that’s what we learn from these kinds of institutions.

And then I think they’ve developed very specific practices around bringing community in for dialogue and conversation and having community members, Lonnie, the great work that you did assembling a collection from scratch basically and reaching out to that broad community, where the treasures that came to the museum were the treasures that people had in their attics and their basements and in their grandmother’s closets. So I think there is both purpose and practice that museums that are rooted in much more of the white culture can learn from our sister and brother and sibling institutions.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: I think that Lori’s got it exactly right and I would sort of… The way I frame it is just a little different and that is, we know that museums cannot be community centers, they’re just not built to be community centers, but they sure could be at the center of their community, and that is really the way to think about this. And I also think that part of this I’ve learned from the Wing Luke, the Japanese American, the African American Museum in Detroit and Chicago, and what I’ve learned is that, first and foremost, they put community, they put education, and they put conversation and collaboration at the center.

So it’s not the sense of we’re up here and, “Oh, we’re inviting you in.” It’s at an essence, “We only exist because we’re part of this community and this collaboration.” But I’m also struck candidly by some of the sort of smart museum directors of the early 20th century, [such as John Cotton Dana], right? I mean, I think his notion of being very explicit saying, “What a good museum does is understand what the community needs and fits the museum to the community needs.” So in some ways we’ve got a lot of models, but I think the key to this is to not forget that we are of the community, of the people, and that our job is service first and foremost. And if we do that, then all things are possible.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. I was sharing a little earlier, before we came online, that I had quite a treat, quite an honor last night of being with colleagues at the Smithsonian, women directors. And Lonnie, there was such open and honest concern that these sister directors expressed about their colleagues and I’m hearing it all over the country. If you are not in the majority group, and that won’t be the case by numbers much longer, but if you are a person of color and we can acknowledge other marginalized groups, if you’re in the LGBTQ community, if you happen to have a disability, if you are not of a Christian faith, it’s not easy working in our museums. And so I’m looking to you and to Lori to say, “What do you say now to colleagues who are really, really hurting?” They are putting up the exhibitions, at least before they had to close down. They are doing the community outreach, but the recent events, they just created such anguish. What do you say to our colleagues?

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Well, I think, first and foremost, it’s a realization that our job as leaders is to protect our colleagues, is to work closely with our colleagues to keep our colleagues safe. But also it really means that we need to take seriously the opportunities to make sure that people who feel marginalized in our institutions, that we recognize that and take concerted efforts to change that. I think that, for me, it is—I mean, I hate to say it—it’s second nature, because I’ve always been on the outside.

And so the real challenge is to say, “What are the ways…” I would argue, the real challenge for museums writ large is, if you want to respond to this moment, there are many ways to respond, but one way is to get your own house in order…is to make sure that your house reflects the world that we think we serve. To make sure your house listens carefully to the needs of those who you may not even see as marginalized, but who think they’re marginalized. Get your house in order so that you are modeling the America you expect. Don’t model the America that looks like every other museum, model the America that you care about and respect. And I think that’s one of the first steps to take.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Mm-hmm, come in Lori.

Lori Fogarty: Yeah, no, what I have been trying to do during this time is actually just watch with admiration and humility, the conversation that is happening within our staff. And what I have seen is amazing support and generosity and resources being shared and ways for folks to come together and take action. And just one, giving people space to have this moment of absolute grief and exhaustion. I think as museum professionals, we…well, I can speak for myself, we often expect ourselves and our staff to be professional at this point and I think there’s a moment here for just to let people be angry and exhausted and not try to rush too quickly into our next to-do list, and, “How is this all going to move to a new strategy and a new initiative?” So I would say, and I’m learning this as well because it’s my natural inclination to say, “What are we going to do? What are we going to do?”

So some of it is, to let people breathe for the people who haven’t been able to breathe, right? And then I think it’s listening, I think it’s exactly what Lonnie said. We look inward and we look outward at the same time. And again, so much of what we’re trying to do now is to hold the both and it’s not one or the other. I mean, it’s kind of what you were saying where you… I get asked sometimes, “Are we a museum or a community center?” And I say, “Yes.” We have to be both, and we have to think about equity and inclusion in all dimensions. So for us, it’s looking inward and trusting the conversations within our own staff. And then what we are working on is, how do we listen to our community and respond to community needs in ways that we may never have imagined a museum would need to respond to community needs right now.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: And then I think building on that is, as leaders, we have to give our colleagues, our staff, the opportunity and the encouragement to share their emotions.

Lori Fogarty: That’s right.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: We have to be able to cry together. When Johnnetta started by talking about, we mourn. Mourning together is really about sharing one’s emotions and creating opportunities to do that, and to do it in a personal way, right? To share your own story, to make those connections. I have been moved like you of people coming up with ways to share and talk about it. And can I say something that’s personal that happened this morning?

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Please.

Lori Fogarty: Sure.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Two things happened that just made me cry all day. First at eight o’clock this morning, a white bicyclist peddled up to the National Museum of African American History and Culture with a bouquet of flowers and just sat down and then he kneeled because he wanted to say, “I want this museum to help me find myself in this difficult time.” I’m already crying. Then I get an email from somebody I went to high school with that I haven’t seen in I don’t know how many years, who remembered a moment when in my little town—there were very few African Americans—he talked about how at our graduation, he and I went to a party. And when the mother came home, the white mother came home, she threw me out. I had forgotten about that and he talked about that as an example of how he learned and how he changed. And so in a way, part of what this is, is allowing us to be human. Allowing us to cry, allowing us to learn, allowing us to be angry, but recognizing that it’s all about ultimately the greater good of a nation.

Lori Fogarty: That’s right, that’s right.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Oh Lonnie, thank you. Many of us are having such moments. They’re difficult, but they also bring a certain degree of relief because to get through this, we have got to believe that it, as hard as it is, it is possible for change to come. Now I know Lonnie, because I read everything you write, in that great book. I know that you like to quote James Baldwin, here’s my most favorite James Baldwin quote: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed that is not faced.” And so I’m reaching out to the two of you to ask you, do I dare think that this particular period of such horrific expressions of systemic racism has us on the edge of making some changes we haven’t seen before?

I barely open my contraption before I see another statement by another corporation, by another museum, by another individual. I mean, it’s like, “Did these folks just find their voice? Have they never had anything to say before this?” But they’re speaking now. I am hearing language that I used to only hear in the Black community. We had no trouble with “racist” and “anti-racism” blowing off of our tongues. Stop me because you both know me well and you know my tendency to be hopeful, is this a different time? And if it is, what’s the role of our museums in hastening this different time?

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Well, I mean, I think that you know me well enough to know that I’m always optimistic. I’m not sure I’m optimistic, but I’m hopeful. And I’m hopeful because I see several things. First of all, I see a multiracial group of people in cities around the world saying, “Enough’s enough.” Having that kind of groundswell of support, crucially important. I see this as a moment like 1954, ’55, you’ve got Brown vs. Board, you’ve got the murder of Emmett Till. That reinvigorates the civil rights movement. So I see this as the potential of that moment. I’m really made hopeful by some of the things I’ve heard police chiefs say and police officers do, that I’ve never seen before that, give me hope that change is possible.

But I also think that what we’ve got to realize is two things. Marching in the streets is an expression of pain and an expression of need, but it’s not necessarily a strategic vision to move a country forward. So one of the challenges is how does that happen? In the ’60s it was SNCC. But I think one of the other things that keeps me grounded is that yesterday, primary day in the District of Columbia, the lines of people voting for an off-seat primary, I’ve never seen. If this inspires people to use their vote, if this inspires people to say, “We have to change on a street level, we have to change on an educational level. We have to change on a political level.” And if that happens, then I can believe that, not that we’ll get to the promised land, but that we’ll make a good step towards that. Because this is, as you’ve said to me, many times, we think it’s a sprint, but it’s a long marathon.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Sister Lori.

Lori Fogarty: Well, I heard Senator Cory Booker last evening say that this moment is like the Spanish flu, the Great Depression, and the 60s, and 1968, all wrapped up into one moment. And I thought, “Wow.” I also have an 18-year-old daughter who is graduating at this time. And I said to her last night, “This will be the defining moment of our time, of our lives.” And I think this will be the defining moment for museums. I really do. I am hopeful too, because we have to be, we have to be. And the only way we’re going to get through this is to move, as you say, Johnnetta, beyond the statements of solidarity, which are important. And I’m glad to see them too, from places that I would have not ever imagined could put out a statement like that, like they’re doing, even a few months ago or weeks ago. But it is now moving to, Lonnie, what you said, to strategy, to real action, to real substantive change. And I do think if there’s ever a moment where that reimagination needs to happen, it is now.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: And I think that’s the right word. I’ve been arguing that this is the time for the museums to reimagine their role. This is the time for political leadership to reimagine their role. This is a time for us as museums to realize we are integral and integrated to this moment. We’re not on the hill looking down, we’re in the middle of this. And the future is really, are you going to take advantage and recognize that you want people to look back and say, “Your museum in Dubuque–” or, “Your museum in Newark matters.” That you helped the public find tools to live their lives, find tools to understand this. I really do believe more than anything else that good museums really do define reality and give hope. And I think what we want to do is figure out how do we make sure this is something done throughout the organizations, throughout all our museums?

Because I have to be honest. I’m optimistic, but I’m cynical about museums in a way, because I have begged, I have fought, I have written, I have pleaded, I have challenged.

Lori Fogarty: You have, you both have.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: And there’s no doubt the museums have changed. We all have. But the question becomes, how do you believe that that change is in your soul? That that change is something that won’t disappear with a change in leadership or change in a curator? But that in essence, that this is the chorus we’re all hearing, that we recognize that we’ve got different voices and different priorities and different ways to get at it, but we should be singing in a museum context, “We shall overcome.”

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: We’re going to open up and hear from our colleagues shortly. But before we do, I’m actually going to switch a wee bit of the tone, not totally, that we’re all using. I want to talk with the two of you for just a moment about financial matters. Lori, how in the world do you think that museums can center equity in their practice as they make very tough decisions during this pandemic and coming out of it? The good is one thing, but when times ain’t so good, that’s where we see our values.

Lori Fogarty: Well, I appreciate it. It is of course, one of the most challenging things we’re going to be faced with right now. And I do appreciate Lonnie’s keynote yesterday about one, and both of you, I mean, your remarks convey this as well Johnnetta, is this is not the time to back away from equity and inclusion. In fact, this is the moment to lean in with more commitment than ever. And I also appreciated, Lonnie your comments about actually rethinking structure.

And we at the Oakland Museum of California had a plan and an approach when this all came down in April, before we received a loan and were able to keep our staff on for eight weeks. We had an approach that was around shared sacrifice and collective response. And rather than furloughing anyone fully, and rather than disproportionately impacting our lower-paid staff, who tend to be in the frontline positions, we kept all of our temporary staff on the payroll and had all full-time staff reduce hours. And that was the approach we felt we could take.

That was an approach that was one for that two-or-three-month period that we all had in mind at that point. And now we actually have to rethink our structure from the ground up and reimagine the structure of our institution and our staff in response. Not to what’s going to be a few weeks until we reopen, but what is going to be at least the next couple of years. And the way I see it is that our commitment to equity and building our mission, as we’ve talked about, about being in service to community, responding to community need, that is how we’re going to structure our staff. And it may inevitably mean further furloughs and some layoffs and a great deal of pain for some folks. But I also believe we’re going to be bringing in new skill sets where the commitment to equity and the capacity around intercultural understanding and community activism will actually be skillsets we’ll be looking for.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: And I also think that as I reach out and talk to the corporate community, the foundation community, this is the moment where they’ll step up to support these kinds of initiatives. Because what they’re asking is, “Show me that this matters. Show me that this is transformative. Show me that this is helping us move as a nation.” So I think this is a horrible time financially. We’re all struggling. We’re all trying to find right models. But I do believe that as we reimagine and restate our commitment to fairness, there’s resources out there that will support us.

Lori Fogarty: I think so too. And we’ve seen that too already. So I think you’re right.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Last question. Before we open up to our colleagues.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: I’ll get a haircut eventually.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Don’t go there, because if you go there, I’m going to have to tell you that this [points to hair] is JD’s work. All right?

[Laughs]

Could we actually even begin to imagine that our museums could be of special importance coming out of this pandemic, we hope, soon, and at this moment when our nation is so torn apart? I’ve heard each of you speak of this sort of as an ongoing theme throughout this conversation. And I’m really begging for it. I’m asking, is this a time? And Lonnie, you talked about this yesterday in your keynote, but I want you to talk about it some more. Is this really an unusual time for museums? What are we not just called to do, but really capable of doing, right now?

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Well, one of the things I’m proudest of is what the museum field is capable of. When I think about how education became a vision for museums, we changed. When we talked about the centrality of scholarship, we changed. When we talked about [portals for] Nazi-looted art, we changed. So part of it is the will to change. And so what I want to see is, is there the will to change. I do think because we’re at this kind of perfect storm of financial issues and racial issues that I think institutions are going to have to change. The question becomes, is it like a substitute teacher, and you’re going to be gone in a few days? Or is it really something that is permanent; that really shapes the way we expect, not just ourselves, but future generations of museum people to live and to lead?

Some days I’m pleased because I know what this profession can do. But other days I worry that we are so slow that sometimes, by the time we solve a problem it’s no longer a problem. And so for me, this is this, I believe though, this is a moment of choice and a moment of necessity because of the financial issues we’re going to have to think differently. And because of a country crying out in pain in a way that we haven’t heard in a long time, these are going to force us, or let me say, encourage us, to be better, to be changed.

Lori Fogarty: I think that will be true of individual museums. And I think it absolutely has to be true for the field. Although museums are in a wide spectrum of where they are on this journey, I think many of them at least are on their way and some of them a little farther. And it has been described about the protests happening and them being much more multicultural than they were in past moments. I am hearing it from my colleagues in conversation, that they are personally understanding this and the need for change in a much deeper and more profound way than they ever have.

And I also am seeing, in this moment, the creation or amplification of networks. Whether that’s our local cultural institutions, whether it’s different kinds of community partners within a city, whether it’s regional or national. People are reaching out to their colleagues and connecting with other institutions in a way I’ve never seen before. So I think if I share some of the skepticism and certainly the slowness for all of us who have been in the museum field for so long, it’s kind of amazing we’re still having some of these conversations that began thirty-plus years ago. But I also believe that collective action, as well as individual action, may be more possible than we have ever hoped to imagine.

Lonnie G. Bunch III:  I think that you’re right to be optimistic in that regard, because I think what’s key is that we, as a profession, are recognizing that we don’t have broad enough shoulders to do everything. And that key is a kind of network collaborative way of a vision of doing things. And I think that should be really one of the models. Because I think the question really is, what is the new model for us? What are the new models? And so I think that this is a time to ask those questions and to come up with some of those and to see. We don’t expect all museums to fit through one mold. But I do think that we can really, by being more collaborative, we can make some of the changes that I’d love us to see, even a little quicker.

Lori Fogarty: That’s right. And be part of an ecology and landscape with others, other organizations that are sort of an ecology and landscape with others, other organizations that are looking to do the same collective action.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Well, my colleagues, you have listened and I’m speaking now to my AAM sisters and brothers, my siblings, all you listen, but now if I can use the small amount of Spanish I command, ustedes tienen la palabra?

Lonnie G. Bunch III:  [Laughs] I’m sorry. Está bien.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Ta bién? So I am going to ask if my brother Andrew is ready, fired up to go.

Andrew Plumley: I’m here. Fired up. Thank you, you three, for what has really turned out to be, as expected, a very powerful conversation this afternoon. We’ve had some really good questions come in; we’re not going to be able to get to all of them, but we’ll do our best to get to the spectrum of questions.

A lot of the questions that we’ve been getting are around museums putting out statements in support of Black Lives Matter, and many are wondering if these statements are empty messages when we know that many museums have 100 percent white executive teams and boards, and are keeping working-class staff at poverty wages.

How do we become better museums? How do we continue the work necessary when the teams who are poised to drive the conversation are the very people that are being furloughed and laid-off at this moment?

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Well, let me answer that. First of all, I really do believe that the profession’s got to model the America it believes in, and that really means making hard choices, driving folks. It’s not enough to be good, it’s crucial to be smart. And by being smart, I mean it’s important to really practice what you preach. And so the challenge for us is to make sure we hear those voices.

And they don’t all have to be directors, but they all have to be heard, and they all have to feel that they’ve got a way to influence the work that we do. So I agree that it’s a real challenge when you look at the profession, but I think that again, as part of my notion of reimagining, these issues are at the heart of reimagining how you can be the institution that can best serve.

Lori Fogarty: I would say, I think that these organizations of working people, staff, people within our organizations, and entities and collectives like Museum Hue, and the Incluseum, and some of the organizations that are galvanizing unions within museums, their voices there are powerful and they are being heard. And I can say among my colleagues who are directors, I think that these voices are being heard. And yes, the statements may feel a little too late and a dollar short, literally, but I do think that this is a first step, and we are going to see change within museums that comes from the grassroots, just as we see it in society at large.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: I think it’s important to realize that words do matter. And that in a way, at the very least, it allows you to hold places accountable for what they’ve said. I really believe strongly… When I was a kid, my father used to say this all the time and I hated it, but he was absolutely right. He said, “Only a fool thinks they have a monopoly on wisdom.”

And I think that the goal is for us to recognize wisdom flows from every corner of our organizations, from the security to the maintenance, to the educator, to the curator. It’s not just academics, it’s not just degrees, and I think this moment of re-imagining will allow us to dip into the full reservoir of who we are, rather than just segments of that reservoir.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Andrew.

Andrew Plumley: Thank you. Secretary Bunch, you just mentioned accountability, and a lot of questions that are coming up are around how we hold museums, administrations, directors accountable to do the actual work needed to get our own houses in order. Language is one way that you mentioned, but are there other ways that all three of you have seen and would like to see the field be more accountable to the work around DEAI, racial equity, racial justice?

Lonnie G. Bunch III: I’ll defer to Lori and Johnnetta.

Lori Fogarty: Johnnetta, you can take the question first.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: That one of our colleagues asked the question tells me we already have the proper response. You had the voice to ask that question. Now I know you asked it through Andrew, but if you’ve got that voice to ask that question of Secretary Bunch, of my sister Director, Lori, and to ask it of me, then you’ve got to have the courage to ask that question in your own museum.

But we all know that being that single voice is not only sometimes very scary; it can get you in trouble. That’s why we lean on that African proverb that is circulating now so much on the internet: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” And so when you are moved to ask that question in your museum, surely you can find others who are prepared to ask that same question.

Lori Fogarty: I will just absolutely, echoing Johnnetta’s comments, I saw a very interesting article yesterday about these empty… The appearance or the performance of solidarity and what actual action looks like, and it named some categories of what action looks like. It’s strategic, it’s focused, and it’s goal-oriented.

And I think what we need to do now with our museums is to actually articulate action plans and say, this is what we’re going to do, this is what success looks like, this is what the outcomes look like. And I appreciated, Lonnie, your comment yesterday around the importance of listening to audience and evaluation, and having real mechanisms to do that. And we can only be accountable if we actually say what we’re going to do and have a strategy and outcomes around it.

And I know now I sound like the old-fashioned museum director, but I think that we need to see real action plans with real goals and real strategies, and that’s when our boards, and our staffs, and the community can hold us really accountable.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole:  I think we’ve got time to at least respond to another, brother Andrew.

Andrew: Absolutely. This is from museum professionals that are in non-leadership roles. And oftentimes we see a lot of conversation around DEAI and racial justice, really in non-leadership roles within museums. And so, for people in those roles, they’re usually talking to leadership about why this is important and educating them on how to have conversations. Do you have any advice for those museum professionals who are really struggling to have that conversation and keep it on the table with their leadership teams? Strategies–

Lori Fogarty: Can I start that one? Because I really want to give a shout out to my colleagues at the Oakland Museum of California. The statement that I made on Friday came completely out of a conversation that was happening at the staff level. And we have an email thread and chain that is not the official OMCA all-staff email; it’s called OMCA Together.

And I was just blown away by the expressions of support and resources and calls for action on that, and I was just observing this as somebody who was on that email thread. And that is, my watchword right now is it is not about me again, there are such voices of wisdom and commitment and action in our staff, and if we can find ways to make sure not only that they’re lifting up their voices to leadership, but also to each other.

Some of the collective action we will take will not be under the banner of the Oakland Museum of California; it will be individuals in our community who are taking action with their fellow colleagues as human beings.

So, it is so important to note that this is not just an effort that is led by the giants of this field, who are on my Zoom screen on either side of me, but it will be led by this next generation of museum professionals, and by every level of staff and volunteers within our organizations.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: I think it’s just important to realize that most of us were low-level staff at some point-

Lori Fogarty:  Yes, indeed.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Had to figure out how to work a system. Had to figure out how to build allies. And so part of what I also say is, yes, you challenge your leadership, but you also figure out within your organization, what are the best steps that’ll allow us to move forward? What are the allies I need to put together? What are the funding sources that I haven’t thought about that can allow me to do things differently? So I really do believe that you learn the work a system, work it well, and then you can have my job so I can sit in the rocking chair.

Lori Fogarty:  Amen. Amen on that.

Not you, me. Don’t go to the rocking chair, either of you.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: We unfortunately really do have no more time, but there’s time enough for each of you just to say ever, ever so crisply, whatever is in your heart at this moment. Lori.

Lori Fogarty: I said it before, I think this is the defining time, the defining moment of our lives as a country, as individuals and as museum professionals, let us not miss this moment. Let us not miss this moment.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: This is the profession I love. This is the profession that has given me everything, and it’s a profession that taught me about giving. So what I hope is that we will realize that this is our moment to be that place that matters, to be that place of value, and to recognize that it’s not easy, there’s not one simple path, but if we are all committed to using our resources, our colleagues, our collections for the greater good, then this country is going to be in better shape than it is now.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: And as the senior among you—unfortunately, I’m in that position no matter what the group is—I am going to, from my heart, remember the ’60s, when we so repeatedly said, “Let us keep the faith.” But now more than ever, we’ve got to add another phrase: “Let us keep the faith as museum professionals, but while we do the work.”

Lori Fogarty: Do the work. Shed the tears, and then let’s do the work.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: Let’s do the work. A virtual hug for each of you.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: You guys are great.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: And for all of our colleagues.

Lonnie G. Bunch III: Thank you.

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole: All right.

General Session of the 2020 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo

June 1, 2020

Good morning and welcome to the continuation of the first American Alliance of Museums Virtual Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. I’m Laura Lott, President and CEO of AAM.

Thank you to the thousands of museum professionals who joined us two weeks ago for our kick-off—welcome back! And welcome to those of you joining us for the first time today. We have a fantastic program this week that addresses many important issues facing our field.

In my opening remarks a few weeks ago, I called on all of us to support each other, be kind to each other, check in on our colleagues, and practice empathy during this difficult time. I’m joining you live this morning to share a somber message about recent events that make that call to action even more crucial.

Today, I’m not just talking about the global pandemic that has led to more than 365,000 deaths worldwide, shuttered our museums, and forced near-record unemployment.

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.

A colleague recently commented that these racist acts are a reminder that while we may be less exposed to a virus by staying away from each other, we are increasingly exposed to the anxiety, pain, and anger that can come from dealing with traumatizing events alone. In this time of forced isolation, we must be especially vigilant in looking out for each other. So, I ask you again to seek each other out, ask caring questions, and listen closely to what you hear.

The museum field not only has a responsibility to ask the hard questions and learn from each other; we have a unique duty to listen, to chronicle the lessons and histories of our communities, and to educate future generations so that we might stop this senseless violence.

These are difficult times, but they are not insurmountable. While we cannot change or control everything that’s going on in the world, we do each have the power to bring light and empathy to our fellow human beings.

None of you are alone. You are each part of an Alliance of colleagues who are here to listen…and who need to be heard.

Before I pass along the proverbial mic, I want to note that, in an effort to be engaged with you in real time, our general session speakers pre-recorded their remarks prior to these recent tragedies.

Thank you again for being online with us this week. Now, I’d like to welcome Chevy Humphrey, the Hazel A. Hare President and CEO of the Arizona Science Center and Chair of the AAM Board.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I know a virtual gathering isn’t what we hoped for. Just two months ago, we were putting the finishing touches on fantastic plans for our in-person meeting in San Francisco. But museum people are resilient! The Alliance community came together to hear from leaders within and outside our field, engage in tough conversations, and enjoy some joyful moments together.

The morning started with a warm and rousing welcome from one of my sheros, the always-inspiring Dr. Johnnetta Cole. Dr. Cole urged us to “build bridges across the range of differences that we have allowed to divide us” and, in encouraging us to “let go of certainty and grab hold of creativity” as we reimagine museums, she dropped perhaps my favorite line of the day: “Impossible is not a declaration…it’s a dare!”

“Let go of certainty and grab hold of creativity”. The always inspiring @ColeJohnnetta speaking on the resilient power of the arts. #AAMvirtual #InternationalMuseumDay pic.twitter.com/fDlL8R5tpR

— CAMDO-ODMAC (@CAMDO_ODMAC) May 18, 2020

The keynote by Microsoft’s Anthony Salcito was equally engaging on topics of people-centered digital transformation and new ways to engage new audiences in an era in which “things that connect us and make us feel human will be even more important.” I am inspired to think about how the current transformation in what Salcito called “the digital language of learning” and schools’ rapid shifts to at-home learning will forever change the learning landscape and offer opportunities for museums to play a greater role in students’ formal education.

Keynote speaker Anthony Salcito from @Microsoft discussing digital transformation. @AAMers #AAMvirtual pic.twitter.com/xWuXth4dUw

— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 18, 2020

AAM’s own founding director of the Center for the Future of Museums, Elizabeth Merritt, took participants on a virtual “walk-and-talk” to share insights from the recently released TrendsWatch: The Future of Financial Sustainability and four scenarios for the post-pandemic future of museums (Growth, Collapse, Constraint, and Transformation).

#AAMvirtual looks a lot different this year but comes at a critical time for the industry. As @futureofmuseums notes: “This crisis is an opportunity for museums to reinvent themselves.”@AAMers pic.twitter.com/INwnaoyGbP

— Amanda Yates (@yatesamanda) May 18, 2020

The “Complex Challenges, Unconventional Solutions” panel of museum leaders Micah Parzen, Christy Coleman, Norman Burns, and Sarah Pharaon delved into critical, uncomfortable issues holding museums back: inequity, colonialism, leadership, and the scarcity mentality that inhibits our ability to think creatively and long-term.

Incredible #AAMvirtual session from Micah Parzen, @HistoryGonWrong, @NormanOBurns, and @SBPharaon on the current dysfunctions of the cultural heritage field and our future opportunities. “Nothing could be worse than a return to normality.” pic.twitter.com/m14R2Qe0xp

— Shannon Nortz (@MuseumsAndChill) May 18, 2020

We were also fortunate to have an exclusive presentation from public health experts at Johns Hopkins University, who offered sobering but important information as museums think about reopening. I am so grateful for all the information and resources JHU is providing to the world in this global health crisis, and it was great to have their museum-focused insights.

Strategies for returning to museum work from @JohnsHopkins Dr. Crystal Watson #AAMvirtual pic.twitter.com/wXdMN0cE8y

— Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko (@CLegutko) May 18, 2020

The day was punctuated by ”moments of joy”—messages of love and gratitude to museum workers from Hamilton’s Tamar Greene, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, and Smithsonian Secretary & ICOM-US co-chair Lonnie Bunch. And AAM’s own Grace Stewart hosted a fun happy hour to close out the day. I loved seeing all the photos of AAMers participating in the virtual conference, making us feel just that much closer to one another. Stay tuned for more of these joyful moments and special guest appearances to come!

As a history graduate and current museum education grad student, it was such a cool way to see the #AAMvirtual conference kick of with Hamilton’s Tamar Greene sing some words of encouragement for the museum field! Thank you! @HamiltonMusical @AAMers pic.twitter.com/KyQDF7t7y5

— Faith Ordonio (@faith_ordonio) May 18, 2020

Thank you to all of our attendees and presenters in our kick-off day—and all those who will participate and whom we will hear from in two weeks when #AAMvirtual continues, June 1-4.

To our MuseumExpo exhibitors and sponsors, and especially our kick-off day signature sponsor, Microsoft, thank you! The field will remember that you stood by museums, unflinchingly, during this challenging time for all of us, and we will all succeed together in the years to come.

I’m grateful to all our donors who made it possible for us to welcome everyone who submitted their information for deeply discounted $25 registrations ahead of this morning’s conference start! We will continue to fundraise to make the conference available to those who are unable to afford the full registration fee during these challenging times. Please sign up here to be notified as spots become available. And if you are able to contribute, please do so here.

Thank you again to everyone who joined the first day of our virtual meeting. And if you missed the first day, please register; $235 for members gets you exclusive content and networking opportunities—including session recordings. And your registration fee supports AAM’s year-round work to provide free resources for the museum field and advocacy for the cause of museums and museum relief funding!

I look forward to seeing everyone online again June 1!