Texas Museums Multicultural Initiatives

Smithsonian Latino Center: 2010 Latino Museum Studies Program

2010-04-01T09:27:00.003-05:00

**DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2010**

Organized by the Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC), the Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) is dedicated to fostering the professional development of emerging leaders in the fields of Latino history, art, and culture. The four-week program includes panel sessions, lectures, workshops, and behind the scenes access to Smithsonian collections. Additionally, fellows work with Smithsonian staff on designated projects and contribute to current exhibitions, programs, and research initiatives in progress at the Institution.

Each year up to fifteen fellows are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants. Participation is free and includes accommodations for the duration of the program, as well as the cost of round-trip travel to Washington, D.C. Fellows are responsible for all other expenses during the four-weeks, including transportation within the city and meals. A stipend is not provided.

For more information visit: http://latino.si.edu/programs/programs_LMSP.htm
or please contact Andrew Rebatta at lmsp@si.edu.

Deadline is April 30, 2010 (all applications must be completed online by the closing date).

Scholarship Applications Due January 29

2010-01-28T14:54:00.003-06:00

Reminder: The MIC scholarship applications to attend the 2010 Texas Association of Museums Annual Meeting are due January 29th.

Lecture Webcast: Towards a New Mainstream?

2010-01-15T16:08:00.002-06:00

Check out this FREE Webinar!

"Towards a New Mainstream?"
Jan. 27 - 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST

http://futureofmuseums.org/events/lecture/rodriguez.cfm

A scintillating lecture by Gregory Rodriguez exploring demographic change in the Americas, cultural transformation and the future of museums.

In addition to the video presentation of the lecture (recorded before a live audience on Dec. 9th at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C.) the webcast will include an overview of the demographic trends sweeping the nation in the coming decades; a live online question and answer session with Gregory; a panel discussion; and moderated chat rooms. It's like attending a whole conference without ever leaving your office!

Registration is open to all individuals. You will be asked to log in to the AAM website, and to create a user name and password if you don't already have one. If you need assistance with registration, contact us at futureofmuseums@aam-us.org.

A discussion guide and resource list for the lecture will be posted to this website soon.

Rodriguez is founder and executive director of Zócalo Public Square (a nonprofit lecture series and Web publication) and Irvine Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation. He has written on issues of national identity, social cohesion, assimilation, race relations, religion, immigration, ethnicity and demographics for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times, where he is an op-ed columnist. He is the author of Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans, and Vagabonds: Mexican Immigration and the Future of Race in America, which the Washington Post listed among the

In brief: Artifacts are sought for Chicano exhibit

2009-12-17T11:22:00.002-06:00

El Paso Times Staff

Posted: 12/16/2009 12:00:00 AM MST
Artifacts are sought for Chicano exhibit EL PASO -- Museo Mayachen is looking for fliers, posters, banners, photographs, tickets and other artifacts for a 2010 exhibit of the Chicano Movement in El Paso. The exhibition, scheduled to open Feb. 3, will display personalities, events and issues associated with Chicanos in El Paso. Information: (915)533-9710, (915)532-6205.

Scholarships Available for the TAM Annual Meeting

2009-12-02T15:17:00.004-06:00

Multicultural Initiatives Scholarship (MIC):
TAM is offering a limited number of full scholarships for the Annual Meeting to be awarded to minority professionals currently working in Texas museums. Applicants must be early-career and/or new to the Texas museum profession. These scholarships will include meeting registration, one workshop, one luncheon, one breakfast, and an evening event. The scholarship recipient(s) will be responsible for his or her travel, lodging, and incidental costs. Following the meeting the recipient(s) will be asked to write an article for the MIC blog, offering observations on the state of diversity in the museum profession and/or their observations on diversity based on the annual meeting. To apply, send a resume, references, and a one-page letter stating reasons for applying for the scholarship to admin@texasmuseums.org. Deadline for applying is January 29, 2010.

NEW!!!! Multicultural Initiatives Committee GLBT scholarship:
The MIC is offering a $250 scholarship for a GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual) museum professional to attend the 2010 TAM Annual Meeting. Applicants must be early-career and/or have never attended a TAM annual meeting before. Following the meeting, the recipient will be asked to write an article for the MIC blog offering observations about state of GLBT issues within the museum community and/or field. To apply, send a resume, references, and a one page letter stating reasons for applying to Ivette Ray, MIC Chair, to Ivette.ray@fortworthgov.org. Deadline for applying is January 29, 2010.
**Funds for this scholarship have been generously provided by Wallace Saage.

Diversity Sessions Featured at 2010 TAM Annual Meeting

2009-11-04T14:28:00.004-06:00

One of the roles of the MIC is to ensure that adequate attention and time are give to diversity issues at the Texas Association of Museums Annual Meetings. This summer, the MIC submitted four session proposals for the 2010 meeting. I am pleased to announce that two of them have been accepted in their entirety. These are titled "Opening Doors to Inclusiveness" and "Out of the Closet: A Community History Comes to Light." Unfortunately, the other two sessions did not make the cut. Considering that the program committee has the tough task of narrowing the proposals submitted to about half, we are fortunate that half of our submitted sessions were selected.

If you are planning to attend the 2010 TAM Annual Meeting in College Station, be on the lookout for these and other great sessions!

As more details are released about the annual meeting and the sessions, we will update the blog.

Museums take on immigration debate with exhibits

2009-10-01T14:06:00.004-05:00

This very intersting article about the role of museums in the immigration debate is from the Chicago Tribune
By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO - With little progress on Immigration reform among lawmakers, the nationwide debate has entered a new space: museums. A network of U.S. museums launched a program Wednesday in Chicago that aims to grapple with tough questions on Immigration, including who should have access to health care, how borders should be controlled, and issues of citizenship and identity. The idea is to get leaders and activists talking to each other in locations connected to history to figure out how to achieve reform, said Liz Sevcenko, director of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. "Part of the reason that there hasn't been a reform bill is that everybody is afraid of opening the debate," she said. "They're afraid of igniting their constituents, so nothing gets done." But the program, which involves 13 museums, isn't dedicated to crafting specific policies or proposals. Organizers say they'll let the public figure out how they want to talk about issues and museums will tailor events to their local communities in the coming months. The museums chose Immigration as a focus because it intersects with other topics and historically has been an issue the U.S. struggles with, Sevcenko said. For instance, the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Mich., which has one of the nation's largest Arab populations, will have classes for college students and an exhibit called "Connecting Communities" in which recent immigrants tell their stories. The Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle has an exhibit called "Deporting Cambodians: How Immigration Policy Shapes Our Communities." The discussions and displays will not be focused solely on Immigration. For instance, in Chicago, a city with a rich labor history, events at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum will involve labor leaders. "It's impossible to talk about Immigration without talking about labor or health care," said Lisa Lee, director of the museum dedicated to the writer, social worker and first American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize. "Before legislation, citizens have to be informed." Organizers of the program, called "Face to Face: Immigration Then and Now," say it's also important to let the public decide how they want to talk about the issue. On Wednesday in Chicago, about a dozen activists toured the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum and then talked about how to make social change, drawing largely on personal experience. Among those invited were hip hop advocates, gay activists and Bill Ayers, a University of Illinois at Chicago professor and 1960s radical whose past association with President Barack Obama created headlines during the campaign. "Immigration is one of these central issues in American life," Ayers told The Associated Press. "I think the way it is being framed is profoundly dishonest." While there is no reform bill currently before legislators, Obama has vowed to take up the issue this year. But many Immigration reform activists have been skeptical because details have been scant and other pressing issue, like health care, have been polarizing. Organizers of the museum program say when it comes to Immigration, they want to circumvent legislators' town hall meetings on health care, which often erupted into shouting matches. "We hope that we'll be able to prevent what happened with health care to happening with Immigration so people can grapple with the tough questions we're facing," Sevcenko said. "Reform will happen because people are able to look at this issue in a much more informed and measured way." Other participating museums include the Field Museum and Cambodian American Heritage Museum, both in Chicago; the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, N.C., the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Ellis Island in New York; the Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles; the New Americans Museum in San Diego; Angel Island in San Francisco; the Tsongas Industrial History Center in Lowell, Mass.; and the University of Texas El Paso's Paso al Norte Immigration History Museum in El Paso, Texas. The museums are part of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, a network which has more than 200 members worldwide. ------ On the Web: International Coalition of Sites of Conscience: www.sitesofconscience.org/en Jane Addams Hull-House Museum: www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull

Museums, Diversity, and (Insert Culture Here): Appropriating Cultural Sensitivity Policy of the National Museum of the American Indian

2009-07-14T15:57:00.005-05:00

This essay, by Christina Hardman, is the last in a series of essays written by the Texas Associaton of Museums scholarship recipients:

A well-designed collections management policy is important to the administration of a museum as a public trust on many different levels. Such policy creates a clear standard toward which the museum’s administration can look when dealing with everything from defining which collections are pertinent to the museum’s mission, to how to deal with acquisition, disposal, care, and display. However, a new appreciation for the meaning and significance of cultural patrimony has created a need for concern beyond the more traditional requirements of a collections management policy. Initially, these new concerns raised many questions for museums with collections of Native American origin. What responsibilities does the museum have toward the individual or group for which the object is an exceptional cultural resource? What additional responsibilities does the collections staff have toward the care and management of an object with respect to its cultural context? The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) has attempted to address such issues with regard to access and care of the collections, and the practice of cultural sensitivity policy within the museum as a whole. Yet such policy can also be viewed as a standard by which any museum can encourage diversity through cultural sensitivity as it relates to those represented within the museum, as well as the surrounding community.
That which differentiates NMAI’s policy is as much a reflection of the issues surrounding the state of Native American cultural patrimony as it is of the culturally sensitive items in the collection itself. Initially, one must consider the incidents leading up to the need for and creation of such policy, first and foremost being the systematic removal and collection of said objects from their cultural context. Many objects hold both a spiritual and mnemonic significance in terms of serving as both something to be revered and a way in which to remember significant events. The removal of the vast majority of those objects to private collections and museums has not only created historical interruption and cultural gaps in the conveyance of tradition, but it has forced indigenous cultures to look toward museums as the last bastion of their own cultural resources.[1] To a greater or lesser extent, depending upon geographical location, the same can be said of cultural resources collected as a result of both Jewish and African Diasporas, not to mention scores of cultural, religious, and minority groups. Although objects themselves may have different usage and meaning, historical and cultural interruption can affect any culture group in much the same way.
Consideration of the objects themselves in their original cultural context must also be addressed. According to W. Richard West, Jr., founding director of NMAI, the “object, if anything, was a secondary consideration to the primacy of the ceremonial ritual or process that led to its creation.”[2] Therefore, any object taken out of its cultural context and categorized in Anglo-American and Western European terms must be once again examined with regard to indigenous meaning. By its own mission, NMAI attempts to do exactly that by encouraging the “understanding of Native cultures…through partnership with Native people and others.” (The mission statement in its entirety can be found here: http://www.nmai.si.edu/subpage.cfm?subpage=about) Once a museum has recognized the need for diversity within its exhibitions, programming, and collections, the same considerations may be made for those specific groups within the surrounding community or those represented within the museum. Within this framework, almost any community or culture may be substituted for the term “Native” and the same concepts applied in terms of consultation, collaboration, and cooperation with the specified group.
As is also evident by their mission statement, the foundation of thought behind NMAI as an institution is based on the idea that while it is a “museum” with objects and is a producer of exhibitions, collaboration must occur between the museum and Native peoples. This collaboration requires the incorporation of methods that integrate Native understandings of history and culture.[3] This includes consideration for Native religious and cultural beliefs with restrictions on access to culturally sensitive objects.[4] Native traditional care is based on the object’s spiritual meaning and its use within the community, rather than the object itself. As a middle ground, standard museum and Native practices regarding care integrate and change the relationship between the two. [5] In this same manner, collaboration can and must be a priority for museums at large. In much the same way that Native people have felt alienated from their own culture as it has been represented by museums in the past (and in some cases continues to be so, even today), many other groups, whether based on ethnicity, culture, or religious belief, are removed from the process of interpreting their own past. It is not enough to rely on history books for second-hand interpretation by an individual many times removed from the group or individual represented. It is the responsibility of the museum to reach out to the community at large and involve various groups in the interpretation of their own history and culture.
Many larger institutions with significant collections of Native American objects, such as the Denver Art Museum and the Arizona State Museum have had such policy in place for years (some even before the creations of NAGPRA, as in the case of the Peabody Museum at Harvard University). While such policies were originally created to address the challenges faced by Native American people and their representation and historic interpretation in museums, they may also be applied in a broader scope to address such issues related to many different culture groups. Although the policy is no longer completely unique to NMAI in its recognition of the cultures that created the objects and their vested interest in the care and use of the collections, it has been both accepted and rejected by the professional museum community at large and has fueled a public debate that continues even now. The future creation of such policy in the larger professional museum community, and its acceptance by those who view museums from the perspective of public trustee, must develop out of knowledge of the various cultural groups, their beliefs, and an understanding of the need for cultural sensitivity in museums.

[1] Berlo, Janet Catherine, Ruth B. Phillips and Carol Duncan. “The Problematics of Collecting and Display, Part 1.” The Art Bulletin, Vol. 77, No. 1. (March 1995), pp. 9.
[2] West, W. Richard Jr., “The National Museum of the American Indian: Steward of the Sacred.” Stewards of the Sacred. Eds. Lawrence E. Sullivan and Alison Edwards, eds. Washington, D.C.; The American Association of Museums: 2004, pp. 8.
[3] Cobb, Amanda J. “The National Museum of the American Indian as Cultural Sovereignty.” American Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 2. (June 2005), pp. 493
[4] National Museum of the American Indian. Collections Management Policy. Smithsonian Institution, revised 28 April 1995, Item IV, Section E, Subsection 1, Paragraph (d).
[5] Cobb, pp. 493.

Reflections on Diversity by an Emerging Museum Professional

2009-06-30T11:02:00.006-05:00

Below is the reflective essay written by Aminatta Kamara, one of the scholarship recipients for the 2009 Texas Association of Museums Annual meeting.

Too often when the average person thinks of a museum professional, images of old men, as dusty as the objects they care for are conjured. However, as an emerging museum professional, I know that face is slowly changing. What began as an influx of women into an arguably male-dominated profession a couple of decades ago has evolved to include a number of other minorities. As a recipient of the Multicultural Initiatives Scholarship this year, I was asked to pen an essay discussing the topic of diversity in museum professions. I struggled with the topic as I feel that perhaps, just entering the museum world professionally, I do not have the right to critique. So instead, I have chosen to chronicle my feelings as they now stand.
As a minority, I would be remiss if I did not mention how disheartened I felt the first day I walked into graduate school orientation only to realize that I was one of two minorities enrolled in the Art History program. For the first time in my life, I wondered if my acceptance was based on my grades and accomplishments as I so hoped it was, or if it was steeped in the university’s needs to diversify their program. Early on, my cohort and I forged a relationship as comrades – it was “us” against “them.” I do not believe that either of us ever felt completely accepted - a fact we discussed ad nauseum along with the feelings of isolation and disassociation we felt as part of the system. Half-heartedly we joked about being “token” minorities and, viewing ourselves somewhat as mavericks bucking stereotypes and paving the way for other minorities, encouraged each other to change the face of art historians—all in the incredibly vintage year 2006.
The stereotypes persisted after college as I applied at and visited museums across the state. Thankfully, my first TAM meeting dispelled a number of myths that my graduate school friend and I formulated in the lesser used libraries of our hilly campus. In El Paso, I was excited to meet the new face of the museum professional. A face much more representative of a cross-section of cultures and decidedly more diverse than in the past; the new professional is increasingly a more cohesive blend of the multi-cultural society in which we all reside. Perhaps an awakening of sorts was required; one in which a younger generation realized that not only can one embrace their history, but that history may be studied and in time channeled into a profession. In my case, enlightenment occurred on the day I learned the different careers available at a museum – curator, director, conservator – they all sounded so exotic and interesting. I still remember the heady feeling I got when I came to the realization that I did not have to choose between my love for art and history and a professional career. I for one did not have to settle for a boring, everyday job, attempting to satiate my desire for culture and learning on clandestine lunch breaks from my cubicle or whirlwind weekend museum trips. I could work at a museum and do what I loved daily. Thankfully, no one told me otherwise.
I encourage those involved in museums to open your doors and bring in those who may never have otherwise stepped over the threshold. I challenge you to introduce yourself and your job at the next school field trip and answer the questions of that third grader—don’t just leave it to the docents. Perhaps among them will be born the next advocate for museums and preservation; ensuring that the doors of your institution will remain open for generations to come. And that is something we can all be proud of.

Juneteenth

2009-06-19T14:17:00.004-05:00

General Order No. 3, Texas Emancipation Proclamation, June 19, 1865

Today is June 19th, or Juneteenth. This is a day that commemorates and celebrates the freedom from oppression of an entire people - African American Slaves. It is a date that must not ever be forgotten so that the mistakes and injustices of the past are not repeated in the history of the United States.

It is especially important for Texas museums to acknowledge this historic day because it originated in Texas in 1865. It is now celebrated around the nation.

Here is a list of Juneteenth Celebrations around the country. If your museum has a Juneteenth event, it may be added to the list.

Happy Juneteenth everyone. Let's celebrate freedom and the great legacy that African American slaves and their descendants have given us.

Immigration Files to Become Part of National Archives

2009-06-05T15:46:00.003-05:00

Hopefully, these files can help museums put a face on the many immigrants that have shaped our history!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-archives4-2009jun04,0,2566475.story

Grant Opportunity for Educators!

2009-05-20T12:11:00.010-05:00

This is from the American Immigration Law Foundation :

Educators' Grant Program
APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 5, 2009

Do you have a creative educational project that needs funding? The American Immigration Law Foundation's Curriculum Center is here to help! In an effort to support teachers in engaging their students and communities in thoughtful dialogues centered on the issue of immigration and multiculturalism, the Center awards bi-annual grants for immigration-themed projects. While this school year is coming to a close, it's never too early to plan ahead for next year.
The next deadline for AILF's educators' grant is June 5, 2009 - only two weeks away!

ABOUT OUR GRANT PROGRAM

The American Immigration Law Foundation will award grants nationwide for the 2009-2010 school year, of $100 to $500, to fund a limited number of projects that provide education about immigrants and immigration. The Foundation seeks to fund activities that are innovative and supportive of AILF's mission of promoting the benefits of immigration to our nation.
This year, the Foundation is extending the grant program to fund more "service-learning" oriented projects and invites extension educators as wells a community leaders who want to make an impact in their community to apply. Take a look at past grant winners from 2005 to present to get an idea of the kinds of projects we fund.

WHAT WE FUND
The Foundation is always looking for innovative and creative classroom ideas. Applications for immigration-themed projects will be considered for all subject areas, although special consideration will be given for proposals that relate to the following categories:

Innovative use of technology
Underrepresented minorities
Community outreach and partnerships with community-based organizations
Math and science

Applications are limited to educators, extension educators and community leaders. Proposals that are classroom-based will receive strong consideration and the Foundation encourages projects that can be replicated in other classrooms across the nation. Funds for field trips will NOT be granted and grants are non-renewable.

HOW TO APPLY

Grant applications are available on the Curriculum Center's Teachers' Grant Program web page. Don't forget to include the following application components:
1. A completed application form.
2. An essay detailing the objectives of the proposed project, a timeline for the activity, a list of resources to be used and/or created, and an explanation of how the proposed project might be used by others. Also, please include at least one paragraph of autobiographical information, and tell us about any previous immigration-related curriculum activities you have conducted. 3. Proposed budget with estimated expenses. 4. Recommendation letter from principal on school letterhead.Send completed application packet to teachers@ailf.org.

DEADLINES

Grants will be awarded bi-annually with submissions deadlines of June 5, 2009 and November 20, 2009.
Recipients will be selected by AILF's Curriculum Advisory Board and announced and disbursed in July and December 2009. Grants will be paid to the teacher submitting the proposal and teachers will have one year to complete their projects. A summary lesson plan and sample materials must be submitted in hard copy and electronically to AILF by that time, and become the property of AILF for use on the Foundation website and in print materials.

Session Proposals Needed; Great Ideas Wanted!

2009-05-18T15:27:00.002-05:00

Do you have an idea for a session for the TAM 2010 Annual Meeting? If it deals with diversity or multiculturalism, The MIC can help!

TAM has extended our deadline to Friday, May 22 to submit session proposals for the 2010 Annual Meeting.

Please contact me by Thursday, May 21 if you have a session idea or topic, or if you need help developing a session.

The TAM Multicultural Initiatives Action Plan

2009-04-24T09:49:00.003-05:00

In 1995, the Texas Association of Museums published the Multicultural Initiatives Action Plan. The MIC is in the process of updating and revising the plan. However, the original document is still a valuable tool for museums who would like to do a self assessment or who would like some guidelines and/or measures for diversity in museums. While part of the plan is available from the TAM website, here is the printable version in its entirety. I hope some of you find it useful. Please send us your comments of what you would like to see updated, revised or added to this plan. You may click on the link to view it, or click on the small square on the top right corner of the screen to enlarge it. If you download it, the bluriness will be gone, although the the print is still quite light. Enjoy:
MIC Action Plan

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-to-Guides & Manu Museums Multiculturalism

The Sor Juana Festival

2009-04-22T14:48:00.006-05:00

The National Museum of Mexican Art, in collaboration with many museums and organizations, is in the midst of its Sor Juana Festival . Please take a moment to click on the link and look through the many events that have taken place in various museums throughout Texas.

"The Sor Juana Festival, a tribute to Mexican women,has become the largest Latino performing arts festival in the country. Currently, the festival is divided into two seasons: Marchthrough May in Texas and April through June in Chicago/Milwaukee with plans of further expansion into other cities.

The Sor Juana Festival is a multidisciplinary festival that honors one of Mexico’s greatest writers, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th-century Mexican nun who valued the education of women. Sor Juana was a celebrated playwright, mathematician and poet in her own time and considered to be the first feminist of the Americas. Through this unique festival, we celebrate the legacy of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and pay tribute to the rich artistic accomplishments of Mexican women from Mexico and the United States. The festival includes: culinary arts, dance, film, literature, music, theater and visual arts and takes place at different venues throughout the Texas cities of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio."

Embracing Diversity within Museums: Texas Museums Take a Stand

2009-04-07T10:45:00.007-05:00

Below is a wonderful essay written by one of the TAM scholarship recipients, Kendra A. Jones. Enjoy:

I would define “diversity” as the celebration of the uniqueness and distinctiveness of various types of people and their cultures. As the United States has entered into 2009 with the ushering in of the nation’s first African-American president, a man whose own background consists of a multi-ethnic cultural heritage, the importance of promoting diversity within American institutions has become evident. Throughout the history of the nation, the population of the United States has increasingly grown to include various cultures from around the world. In particular, boarder states such as the state of Texas, experience an influx of immigrants from neighboring countries such as Mexico; thus resulting in a large Hispanic population residing within the state of Texas. In response to this situation, the museums of the state of Texas have decided to make a conscientious effort to address the issue of diversity within their institutions.
In 1995, the Texas Association of Museums made a significant attempt at addressing the issue of diversity within museums in the state of Texas with the development of the Action Plan for Multicultural Initiatives in Texas Museums. This twenty-page publication emphasized the need for Texas museums to acknowledge, accept and further support the state’s ever-increasing diverse, multicultural population in order to remain culturally-relevant to the communities they serve. The Action Plan was designed to function as a guide for museums to follow in order to effectively increase the diversity present within their programs, staffs, board members, volunteers, audiences and other supporters. The guide presents a step-by-step approach for self-evaluating the performance of an institution and also assists with the development of a feasible plan of action based on the assessment of the results of such evaluation. Providing supplementary resources such as model case studies, a diversity glossary, an extensive bibliography, and additional resource lists, the publication serves as a vital asset to any institution desiring to promote and embrace diversity.
The 2009 Texas Association of Museums Annual Meeting in El Paso, Texas offered sessions highlighting the issues surrounding diversity and multiculturalism to the hundreds of museum studies students and museum professionals who attended this year’s annual meeting. Such sessions included “Cultural Foreign Affairs: Mexico's Commitment to International Cultural Exchange with the United States,” “Diálogo: Becoming Bilingual Museums,” and “Does Your Board Reflect Your Community?” These sessions covered such topics as the politics of the collaborative efforts and cultural affairs between the United States and Mexico in regards to the international exchange of art and culture, the philosophy of museums as catalysts for building community by creating inclusive environments through the use of bilingual programming and exhibitions and the conscription and development of a multicultural and diverse board that reflects the community it serves. The inclusion of such sessions into the programming for the Annual Meeting reinforces TAM’s commitment to increasing the awareness for the need to address issues of diversity and multiculturalism within the museum field.
During the 2009 Texas Association of Museums Annual Meeting in El Paso, Texas, I had the opportunity to attend the “Diálogo: Becoming Bilingual Museums” session and walked away with a greater understanding of what it means to be a “bilingual museum.” I initially went into the session thinking that the only requirement of a “bilingual museum” was to have someone (preferably an in-house staff member; to keep costs low) translate all of the exhibit labels into another language and offer audio tours in a secondary language. However, as the presenters in the session explored the topic of being a “bilingual museum,” I was pleasantly surprised with the various other factors that must also be considered. The session provided me with such insights as the essentialness of collaboration between museums and the audiences that they desire to reach in order to effectively create inclusive environments in which diversity thrives. Another insight I gained was that museums should seek to design and create exhibitions based on topics that are relevant and significant for the communities they serve, allowing for audience involvement with the development of the museums’ public programs and exhibitions. Museums are relevant to the communities they serve because, through successful public programming and exhibitions, these institutions establish connections between themselves and the lives of the people living within these communities. The input of a diverse group of people from within the community should result in museums having a better understanding of the various and particular needs and desires of their audiences. Equipped with this knowledge, the museums should be able to develop a strategic plan for their public programming efforts that addresses the need for creating inclusive environments within their institutions that embrace and promote diversity and multiculturalism.
As a staff member of a museum who recently underwent a name change, adding the word “multicultural” into the institutional name, in order to construct fashion a more inclusive image of the institution, I benefited greatly from attending this year’s annual meeting. I returned to my home institution with a notebook full of ideas that my museum team can begin to implement within our museum in order to compliment our new name as we move forward with a goal of highlighting the value and relevancy of diversity and multiculturalism within our museum, in the hopes of helping to shape a nation that is ready to embrace its diverse population.

A Nation of Many Cultures

2009-03-27T16:11:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to share this interactive immigration map. It is a great illustration of all of the different immigrants that have come into the United States since 1880. You can select a decade, a particular state, and/or a region of where the immigrants came from. It is a powerful visual tool that asserts that our nation's history is indeed complex and multicultural.

TAM Annual Meeting Offers Great Sessions

2009-03-16T10:55:00.005-05:00

The Texas Association of Musuems Annual Meeting is this week. With such a powerful theme like Building Bridges, Breaking Down Barriers, this meeting presents the perfect opportunity to discuss some of the diversity issues important to this committee. The program is full of international speakers as well as some very interesting and thought-provoking sessions.

If you are going to the meeting, make sure you check out the following sessions:

Wednesday, March 18

8:45 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

And the Myth Goes On…More “Lies My Docent Told Me…”
Back by popular demand, this session will be a continuation of the 2008 “Lies My Docent Told Me” panel discussion. Join our now famous myth busting team of Susan Smyer and Jonathan Plant as they are joined by Hal Simon and Henry Crawford in redirecting the free license that docents often take with history. Our panelists will introduce the topic, bring a few new myths they’ve dispelled, and then engage session attendees in a conversation about myths, why we love them, and how we can help make them go away. If you are looking to retrain staff, conduct research, or just a have a great time this discussion is for you!

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

Cultural Foreign Affairs: Mexico's Commitment to International Cultural Exchange with the United States
Off-site/El Paso Museum of Art
Museums throughout Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico, are increasingly interested in bringing art and culture from Mexico to their communities. No other part of the world shares so much of the same history, politics, linguistics, and socioeconomic concerns. Yet many museums are uncertain about the complications of international transit, crossing borders, and the longstanding bridges to success in collaboration that are already in place. Understanding may begin with knowing there is a strong commitment from the Mexican government to export its culture. This session will present information about the politics of binational and international foreign cultural affairs in Mexico and between the US and Mexico. One example to be presented is collaborative programming opportunities around the 2010 centennial of the Mexican Revolution and the Bicentennial of Independence of Mexico from Spain.

Feature Speaker: Alberto Fierro, Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Dirección General de Asuntos Culturales de Mexico

12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.

Opening Luncheon

Special Guests:
Alberto Fierro, Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Dirección General de Asuntos Culturales de Mexico

Kathy Dwyer Southern, President and CEO, National Children’s Museum, Washington, DC, and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Museums, Washington, D.C.

Opening Keynote: Introducing All of the U.S. to All of the World: The Role of Museums in International Cultural Understanding By Adair Margo, El Paso
Adair Margo has chaired the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities since 2001, appointed by President George W. Bush. During her chairmanship, there has been a renewed focus on international cultural understanding and a flourishing of international activity among the cultural agencies. Adair was recognized by two Presidents for her recent work: by President Felipe Calderon of Mexico with the Aguila Azteca, the highest recognition given by the Mexican government to a non-Mexican citizen, and by President George W. Bush with the Presidential Citizens Medal.
Founded in 1985, the Adair Margo Gallery in El Paso has exhibited over 400 individual artists from a dozen countries. The Gallery hosted over 200 exhibitions and placed the work of regional artists in world class collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, U.S. Embassies worldwide, and the Oval Office of the White House.
Margo is the author of two books and has taught art history at New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso. Margo has served on many boards, including the Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges Executive Committee; Mid-America Arts Alliance; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum National Council.
Pre-registration is required. Cost is $28. Tickets must be presented for this event. No tickets will be sold in El Paso.

1:45 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

La pasada prohibida de…”: Organizing Exhibitions Borrowed from Museums and Collections in Mexico
Amazing examples of art and artifacts are held in collections on both sides of the border, but borrowing objects across borders and sharing exhibitions between countries can be a complicated and challenging process. This session will propose a checklist of considerations that must be made in formulating binational exhibitions and will offer advice to registrars, curators, preparators and other museum personnel involved in handling such exhibitions. It will also shed light on some of the most puzzling questions such as: Do I need to hire a custom’s broker? Who can transport these objects to/from and in Mexico? Will I need additional insurance in Mexico? At the end of this session attendees will have important legal and customs information about binational exhibitions. They will also learn of resources and contacts that simplify and clarify borrowing objects from Mexico.

Thursday, March 19

12:00 p.m.–1:15 p.m.

Networking Luncheon
Finally, here’s a chance for an informal lunch with friends and colleagues. Pick up your box lunch and join a conversation! TAM Affinity Groups meet during the Networking Lunch, so find a group that follows your interests and get acquainted with your counterparts
Pre-registration is required. Cost is $20.00. Tickets must be presented for this event. No tickets will be sold in El Paso.
MIC will be holding its annual meeting at this luncheon. Hope to see you there!

1:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

Dialogo: Becoming Bilingual Museums

There are more than 28 million Spanish speakers in the United States today and more than 8 million live in Texas. This session lays out the challenges and benefits of creating inclusive environments for Spanish-speaking visitors. Based on a philosophy of museums as catalysts for building community, panelists will discuss both theory and practice of the bilingual museum, including providing accurate translation of museum didactics, partnering with community organizations to bring non-traditional visitors into the museum, and creating programming that allows for an exchange of ideas between immigrant populations and the larger community. Panelists will share from a rich history of past projects that have engaged a diverse cross-section of bilingual participants, building stronger museum audiences and stronger communities.

3:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Does Your Board Reflect Your Community?
If you held a mirror up to your board members, would your local community be reflected? Institutions, councils, and friends groups across Texas are struggling to ensure that all voices are represented in their governing and supporting institutions. As the state grows more diverse, the challenge becomes more and more daunting. How can you achieve a truly representative board? Where do you find local leaders? And why is board diversity so important anyway? This session will focus on the recruitment and development of multicultural and diverse board members.

Friday, March 20

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Closing Luncheon
Special Guest:
Sean McGlynn, Director, City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, El Paso

Closing Keynote: A Tale of Two Republics: Why the U.S. and Mexico are so Different By Donald S. Frazier, Ph.D., Professor of History, McMurry University, AbileneThe project was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

A native of Big Spring, Donald S. Frazier, Ph.D., is professor of history at McMurry University in Abilene. He has authored several books, including the award-winning Blood and Treasure: Confederate Empire in the Southwest, is coauthor of Frontier Texas: History of a Borderland to 1880, and editor of The United States and Mexico at War: Nineteenth-Century Expansionism and Conflict. Frazier also founded and manages the Grady McWhiney Research Foundation, an Abilene-based nonprofit for the advancement of history education that includes State House Press, the McWhiney Foundation Press, and the museum and educational programs of the Texas Frontier Heritage and Cultural Center. He has consulted on several national projects for PBS, the History Channel, the National Park Service, and Preserve America.

TAM Announces Multicultural Scholarship Recipients

2009-02-18T13:10:00.009-06:00

The Association of Museums has awarded three multicultural scholarships to attend the Texas Association of Museums Annual Meeting:

Christina Hardman received a graduate degree in Museum Studies from The George Washington University in Washington, DC in May 2008. While there, she completed a directed internship at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Cultural Resource Center, where she gained valuable knowledge about culturally sensitive collections care and community curated exhibition. She also worked for the Exhibits Department of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and for the Presidential Gifts branch of the Presidential Materials Staff at NARA. She currently works at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Christina is a native Texan and happy to be back home in Texas!

Kendra Jones has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Anthropology and a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. She is working towards earning a Master of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Texas at Arlington. She works at the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum in Fort Worth, Texas as the Museum Coordinator and has recently been promoted to Director of Collections and Exhibits. Within her professional museum career, her intent is to successfully start and continue to enhance the capacity of her museum.

Aminatta Kamara has recently completed her Master of Arts in Art History at the University of Texas at Austin. Her thesis was titled, "Civil Rights in Black and White: The Life Magazine photographs of Flip Schulke and Charles Moore." She is currently the curator at the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur and is thrilled to be able to attend her first TAM annual meeting.

Congratulations to these very worthy individuals!

An Opportunity for Future Latino Museum Professionals!

2009-02-17T15:14:00.005-06:00

This is from the Smithsonian Latino Center:

The Smithsonian Latino Center's Young Ambassadors Program consists of an in-depth seminar designed to encourage Latino youth to examine and embrace their cultural identity and an internship opportunity that increases the participants exposure to the arts and culture field. The goal of the program is to foster knowledge and pride in Latino cultural identity, as well as provide the participants with financial support with which to seek higher education. Through the program, we empower Latino youth to develop leadership and academic skills. This program is made possible through the generous support of Ford Motor Company Fund.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Young Ambassadors is a national leadership development program for high school seniors with the aim to cultivate the next generation of Latino leaders in the arts and culture fields through one-on-one interaction with artists, curators, historians, and other museum and arts professionals.
Students with an interest and commitment to the arts (e.g. film, dance, design, music, visual, performing, and/or literary arts) are selected to travel to Washington, D.C. for a week-long arts enrichment and leadership seminar at the Smithsonian Institution. Conducted by world-renowned experts in their respective fields, the seminar encourages youth to examine Latino identity and embrace their own cultural heritage through first-hand observation of the Smithsonian’s Latino collections, lectures, and other activities. Following the seminar, students return to museums and other cultural institutions in their local communities, including Smithsonian affiliated organizations, to participate in a four-week summer internship. This program is made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund.

For more information, go to the Program's site

Please spread the word!

Getty Institute Offers Multicultural Undergraduate Internships

2009-01-29T12:18:00.002-06:00

The following announcement comes from the Philanthropy News Digest at the Foundation Center:

In order to increase diversity in professions related to museums and the visual arts, the Getty Institute is offering summer internships at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa to undergraduates from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Internships provide training and work experience in areas such as conservation, library collections, publications, museum education, curatorship, grants administration, public programs, site operations, and information technology.

The Multicultural Undergraduate Internships at the Getty are intended specifically for outstanding students who are members of groups currently underrepresented in museum professions and fields related to the visual arts: African Americans, Asians, Latinos/Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders.

Applicants must be currently enrolled undergraduates who either reside or attend college in Los Angeles County and who will have completed at least one semester of college by June 2009. Students who complete their undergraduate degree by September 1, 2009, are also eligible to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Candidates are sought from all areas of undergraduate study and are not required to have demonstrated a previous commitment to the visual arts.

Internships provide stipends of $3,500 for ten-week summer internships at the Getty Center in Los Angeles or at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California. The internships are full-time, begin June 15, 2009, and end August 20, 2009. Housing and transportation are not provided.

Visit the Getty web site for complete application guidelines.

Diversity Fellowships Available

2009-01-20T15:22:00.005-06:00

American Association of Museums Offers Diversity Fellowship Program:

"The Diversity Fellowship Program is designed to assist full time students, in a museum-related course of study by providing support to attend AAM’s Annual Meetings. Diversity is a great strength of our society, there is significant disparity between the diversity of our communities, and the people who visit, work in, and lead our cultural institutions. AAM encourages museums to strive for greater inclusiveness of individuals and communities that are diverse with regard to their national origin, gender, race, culture, economic status, religion, sexual orientation, physical or cognitive ability, age, and/or family structure." For more information, or to apply, please visit the Diversity Fellowship Program site.

Multiculutral Scholarships Available to attend TAM Conference!

2009-01-02T08:56:00.007-06:00

The Texas Association of Museums is offering a limited number of full scholarships for the Annual Meeting to be awarded to minority professionals currently working in Texas museums. Applicants must be early-career and/or new to the Texas museum profession. These scholarships will include meeting registration, one workshop, one luncheon, one breakfast, and an evening event. The scholarship recipient(s) will be responsible for his or her travel, lodging, and incidental costs.

For more information on the Annual Meeting, to be held in El Paso, please visit the TAM website.

Following the meeting the recipient (s) will be asked to write an article for the TAM quarterly e-newsletter, The TAMALE, offering observations on the state of diversity in the museum profession and/or their observations on diversity based on the annual meeting.

To apply, send a resume, references, and a one-page letter stating reasons for applying for the scholarship to the TAM office. This information is to be received no later than January 30, 2009. Representatives of the MIC will assist in evaluating applications and selecting winners. Notification of the award(s) will be made by February 6, 2009

Become a Member of the MIC

2008-12-18T12:26:00.004-06:00

MIC is the place to exchange ideas, news and thoughts about diversity in museums. Because it is an issue that impacts all of us, everyone is welcome in our committee!

In order to achive our purpose, we need your support. Please Join the Multicultural Initiatves Commitee. By becoming a member, you are supporting our efforts to promote all aspects of diversity in museums!

Job Opportunity in South Texas

2008-12-03T15:09:00.003-06:00

Do you have heritage tourism-related experience? Are you interested in a challenging, yet extremely rewarding job in South Texas helping tell the real stories of the Texas Tropical Trail Region? If so then consider applying for the Tropical Trail Regional Coordinator position.

Salary is $30,000-$33,000 annually depending upon experience and the coordinator is an employee of the Texas Tropical Trail Region Board of Directors. Application deadline is January 5, 2009 or until filled.

For additional information, including how and where to apply, go here.

And please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested.

Diversity Internships in Historic Preservation

2008-11-18T09:23:00.003-06:00

2009 THC PRESERVATION FELLOWS PROGRAM
Diversity Internships in Historic Preservation

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) seeks to increase the diversity of professionals working in historic preservation, acknowledge the variety of cultures that enrich Texas’ heritage and engage a wider range of organizations and communities in supporting efforts to protect and preserve the history of our state. The THC Preservation Fellows Program was created to build interest in and awareness of historic preservation, specifically among students from underrepresented ethnic groups. This initiative targets undergraduate and graduate students to encourage their interest in pursuing fields of study in history, preservation, architecture, landscape architecture, archeology, downtown revitalization and heritage tourism. Preservation Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend for eight weeks of employment (40-hour week) under the supervision of the THC, either at its headquarters in Austin or “in the field” with an associated preservation organization such as a Main Street program, a heritage tourism program, a history museum or a historical association.

Eligibility
· U.S. citizens of African, Hispanic/Latino, Asian or Native American/Hawaiian/Alaskan heritage
· Sophomore level or above
· Attending a college, university, junior college or community college in Texas, or a Texas resident attending school out-of-state
· Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 system (or comparable GPA)
· Prior recipients are ineligible

This year we especially welcome applications from:

o Students of landscape architecture
o Students from the following counties in East Texas: Angelina, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Cherokee, Trinity or Tyler;
o Students who attend Stephen F. Austin State University or Angelina College.

Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2008.

To download application, please go to the Texas Historical Commission site.

What direction should the MIC take?

2008-08-04T11:18:00.005-05:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with Ruth Ann Rugg, the new director of the Texas Association of Museums (TAM). Ruth Ann set up the meeting so that she could get a better grasp of the MIC's purpose and goals. She also wanted to find out how else TAM could support the MIC. We discussed the origins of the MIC, which go back to the 1990s, when a group of TAM members wrote the Action Plan. Then I told Ruth Ann that ten years later, TAM wanted to review if anything had changed in those ten years. After an unofficial survey and talking to other museum professionals, we came to the conclusion that sadly, museums still lacked diversity in their staff, boards, exhibits, interpretations and audience. Many of the issues remained relevant ten years later. That is why in 2005, the MIC became an official affinity group.

Ruth Ann asked some interesting questions that I want to share with you: What is our role within the museum community? How can we keep on being relevant in the ever changing role of museums? Is the name "multicultural" really what we are about, or do we really mean diversity?

Those of us who have worked in this committee know that we don't want to be viewed as a group of and for ethnic minorities alone. Our role is much, much larger than that. But how do we get that message across? And how do we get all museums involved? Because really, this topic impacts every single museum and staff person.

Please feel free to share your comments. This is a good time to reflect on where the MIC has been and where we need to go.

Expanding Informal Science for Latinos

2008-07-22T11:30:00.002-05:00

Please excuse this cross-posting from Museum-Ed:

EXPANDING INFORMAL SCIENCE FOR LATINOS

NEW DATES: March 26-29, 2009

Acceso Hispano/Self-Reliance Foundation is organizing a conference that has the overarching goal of laying the groundwork for the development of strategic partnerships for involving Latino audiences in informal science learning, led by informal science institutions nationwide. The conference, originally scheduled for 2008, will be held in Albuquerque, NM, March 26-29, 2009. (Funding for the conference has been formally awarded by the National Science Foundation.)

The conference will bring 100+ representatives from informal science institutions and science research organizations together with Hispanic organizations, media, and educational projects to review current ISE resources, identify needs and gaps, learn about best practices in designing culturally effective programs and resources, and develop new strategies and resources to enrich the informal science learning environment for Latinos.

Conference sessions will include presentations by ISE researchers and program evaluators, experienced program developers, and Hispanic media and marketing experts, which will provide a solid foundation for planning workshops focused around strategic issues identified by conference participants. The conference will include: (1) an interactive blog preceding the conference that will begin discussions on conference issues; (2) Print resource materials distributed at the conference, which will include abstracts of research presented, descriptions of model programs, a directory and contact information for conference presenters and participants, and other useful resources; (3) a status report from the conference including conference proceedings, recommendations, and action plans; and (4) Web-based information and resources, presented in a wiki that will enable the resource base to grow. The conference builds on project partnerships Acceso Hispano has developed through its NSF-funded Celebra la Ciencia and ConCiencia/Hispanic Science Newswire projects, as well as the strong interest of additional organizations contacted about the conference.

Further information, including scholarship applications, can be found at:

celebralaciencia.org. Registration will be available soon.

My apologies for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduling. Please contact me directly if you need any additional information.

Robert L. Russell, Ph.D.
Science Advisor, Self-Reliance Foundation
Project Director, Celebra la Ciencia & ConCiencia/Hispanic Science Newswire
(202) 360-4117 (office) (202) 997-5539 (cell)
bob.russell@srfdc.org

www.celebralaciencia.org
www.selfreliancefoundation.org

1126 16th St. NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036

Please Support our Efforts

2008-06-19T09:54:00.009-05:00

To become a member of the MIC, please fill out the membership form above and return it to our treasurer with your $10 dues. You can download the form by clicking on the Scribd button on the top, left. Your contribution will directly impact future workshops, sessions, and other programs and resources that the MIC provides. Our hope is to sponsor a workshop at the 2010 Texas Association of Museums annual meeting. In addition, your dues will enable the MIC to sponsor some dynamic speakers in the future. If you have other ideas of how you would like to see your dues spent for the good of the museum community and they public the serve, please feel free to leave your comments here.

Two Nations, Two Museums, One Goal...

2008-06-10T13:19:00.006-05:00

This is a perfect example of how museums can bring about education, understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures. Way to go El Paso Museum of Art and Museo de Arte Ciudad Juarez!

Art Binational -2008- Binacional de Arte the first binational juried exhibition:

"The purpose of this juried exhibition is to bring together artists and their art from a defined circular region along the US – Mexico Border with El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua in the center, Tucson, Arizona in the west, Santa Fe, New Mexico in the north, Midland/Odessa, Texas in the east, and Chihuahua City in the south. The museums want to examine what ideas, styles, and themes are being shared, and to identify if there is, indeed, a unique style emerging from this area."

Texas Historical Commission to Address Gaps in State History

2008-06-02T10:02:00.007-05:00

This is a great opportunity to bring long overdue attention to the largely untold history of some of the minority communities of our state.

Over the next several weeks, the Texas Historical Commission will accept nominations for qualified topics for the historic marker application fund. Through this fund, the THC can address under told or untold aspect of Texas history by

· Paying for a marker for an underrepresented topic which meets documentation requirements, when financial assistance is not available
· Sharing the cost of a marker with County Historical Commission or other interested party
· Conducting a site visit to research and document a qualified historic property or topic
· Hiring a professional historian to complete local research for one site or a thematic study

This program is meant to address gaps in the interpretation of Texas history!

If you have any suggestions for a place that deserves a state marker, please email Bob Brinkman with the information you have. The more documentation on the site that you can provide, the better. If you would like to discuss this program before you email the THC, please feel free to email me.

Museum Exhibit Explores Race

2008-05-13T09:48:00.006-05:00

I encourage everybody to visit the Science Museum of Minnesota's exhibit entitled, "Race: Are We So Different." It is a bold exhibit that tackles the concept of race. As their site explains, the exhibit explores three themes: the everyday experience of race, the contemporary science that is challenging common ideas about race, and the history of this idea in the United States. The website contains information for educators and families. The University of Washington's Museology Program recently announced that this exhibit is the winner of its first Transforming Museums Award. After looking at the exhibit's website, it is easy to see why they deserve this award.

Multicultural Diversity 101: Train the Trainer Course

2008-05-06T10:33:00.006-05:00

Here is a couse that may be of interest to some:

May 28-30, 2008
In 2.5 days, learn to lead and facilitate the 8-hour course, "Multicultural Diversity 101"
Attendees may qualify to be certified instructors of MCD 101.
Certified graduates are authorized to deliver MCD 101 in their organizations.

Multicultural Diversity 101 was designed by intercultural specialists.

Who should attend?

Organizations needing internal diversity resource people.
Organizations needing to update or upgrade diversity training.
People who need to learn the foundations of diversity.
People who want to improve their job skills and market opportunities.
Customized for Diversity issues in North Texas.

Benefits:

Cost-effective, internal diversity trainers and materials.

Learn "how to" cultural competencies; move beyond awareness & political correctness.

Course can be delivered in segments.

MCD 101 has been used by leading companies.

Produced by Cross Culture Communications' highly qualified faculty, who have taught cross-cultural and diversity foundations since 1994.

To Register, call 214-827-8632 or email us. Location TBA. Some qualifications necessary.

Cost: $1,000 per person corporate; $500 for non-profits.

Group rates available subject to successful completion of the course, certification allows trainer to facilitate MCD 101 internally. Participant materials are licensed and cost $50 per person. Volume discounts available.

Achieving Diversity Is Not Just a New American Trend!

2008-04-25T10:12:00.005-05:00

Some people believe that this whole talk of diverisitymay be a new buzz in the American business and public sectors. Most of us have heard enough about affirmative action and diversity initiatives in our organizations, and we may even roll our eyes at the idea of "cultural competency" training and the like.

However, this is not just an American issue. It is not just a political issue. And most certainly is not just a "trendy" issue. It is a global issue that has been around for a very long time. To illustrate, the International Committee of Museums (ICOM) initiative that had its roots back to 1972 show how museums play a role in the international community in achieving equality, inclusion and democracy. I am quoting just a few of the statements from thier website. To read the entire document, follow the link above:

Increasing recognition that Cultural diversity is a historical and social reality at the local, regional, national and global levels and that museums should reflect the cultural diversity of the clientele constituencies. The cultural diversity of different nations is a rich inheritance of humanity that will endure as the central pillar for peace, harmony and cultural sustainability of the world. The promotion of this global inheritance through the processes of cultural pluralism is the responsibility of all societies. There is a fundamental need to acknowledge that all cultures and their manifestations are equally valid in a culturally democratic world.

Within this context museums in different parts of the world are exploring ways of relating to community cultural and economic development, the sense of place, identity and self-esteem of different people. Exploration of inclusive museology which has the capacity to address different contextual frameworks of cultural diversity including a multiplicity of interactions and cultural borders. These borders include race, ethnicity, colour, gender, class, age, physical ability, regions, location, language, faith, creed, economic status, sexual preference and so on.

Increasing awareness about the cultural needs of minorities, indigenous populations and 'societies in transition' who have experienced disempowerment through displacement, dispossession and the ravages of war. The particular concerns of minorities whose cultural self-esteem and hence well-being is at risk through a process of overt or covert marginalisation in mainstream societies are being addressed by museums in different parts of the world. There is an increasing demand to address the post-colonial position of transplanted populations, such as the descendants of slave trades and indentured labour practices, and their disadvantaged inheritance due to the practices of colonialism and imperialism through the promotion of cultural exchanges between root and diasporic cultures. The international museum community is also playing an active role in the reconstruction and development of institutions ravaged by recent developments in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world.

What is your definition of diversity?

2008-04-18T15:51:00.002-05:00

I was fortunate enough to take part in a fascinating conference call yesterday outlining an incredible survey of people who visit outdoor museums completed by Reach Advisors (follow their blog here for more information). I was struck not only by the depth and breadth of responses, but also by the insight they were able to gather.

Although there were many interesting conclusions from the research, a couple really "hit home" with the issue of diversity/multiculturalism: 1) 97% of the survey respondents were white/caucasian, and 2) young mothers voiced entirely different "needs" from the museum than older males.

So what is YOUR definition of diversity? Do we sometimes get stuck thinking about multiculturalism as merely being about race and ethnicity? Can we recognize that diversity actually encompasses the whole microcosm of differences that make us each unique?

Clearly the issue of diversity extends beyond color lines. The white moms mentioned above would not benefit from the same educational approach that the white men would, even though they are both white. Why? Because they are different "cultures." When we factor in life circumstances (sexual orientation, geography, age, socioeconomic status, religion), all of a sudden multiculturalism takes on many new facets! Not only are we black, white, hispanic, native american, etc....all of a sudden we are also young, old, gay, straight, citified, country bumpkins, Protestants, Jews, Catholics, ice cream lovers...well...you get the picture.

So how are we to serve each and every one of these "segments" of society? Does this mean that we shouldn't take steps to reach individual audiences?

I don't entirely have the answer to this question. I know that I want EVERYONE'S history to be represented. I also know that I want the gay hispanic mother to be just as comfortable here as the white older man. I know that having bilingual (english/spanish) labels are important...but I also know that some concepts transcend language barriers.

And I know recognizing that each patron is an individual with his/her own set of values, interests, and motivation is a start.

"What Was Once a Dream Is Now a Reality"

2008-04-15T10:02:00.004-05:00

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2008

Contact: Steve Haro, 202.225.6235, 202.225.8355 (mobile) or Steve.Haro@mail.house.gov
& Greg Buss, 213.483.1425 or Greg.Buss@mail.house.gov

REP. BECERRA'S MUSEUM COMMISSION LEGISLATION PASSES IN THE SENATE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate today took up and passed S. 2739, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008. Contained within that bill was the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of American Latino Act (H.R. 512/S.500), legislation which passed in the House of Representatives February 6, 2007. The bill now come back to the House for a procedural vote and then will head to the White House for President Bush's signature.

"The last few months have witnessed an incredible level of momentum and support for this endeavor," Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), H.R. 512's author, said. "What was once a dream is now a reality. It is my hope that we can get this to the president in short order so that we can immediately form the commission and subsequently move forward to complete our American cultural mosaic."

"I believe we must celebrate the diversity of our nation, and Latinos have been a significant part of American history. They have contributed to the arts, business, and served in our nation's military with distinction," Senator Salazar, S. 500's author, said. "This bill would take the first step in commemorating the rich contributions of the Latino community to American life. The end result will be a more enhanced experience for the 20 million visitors that come to our nation's capital to learn the full history of America."

H.R. 512 sets up a 23 member commission charged with producing three things: one, a national conference to bring stakeholders, experts, policymakers and other interested parties together to discuss the museum's viability; two, a fundraising plan to create an extensive public-private partnership; and three, a report to Congress detailing a recommended plan of action on how to move forward with taking the museum from concept to reality. All of this will happen within 24 months of H.R. 512 being signed into law.

"Today's vote would never have occurred were it not for a bipartisan group of champions who all agreed that this was a worthwhile effort," Rep. Becerra said. "To the 24 bipartisan cosponsors of S.500, the Senate version of H.R. 512: thank you for support and your fortitude. To Senators Harry Reid, Jeff Bingaman, Mel Martinez and Pete Dominici: thank you for the 11th hour advocacy that ensured this bill's passage.

"Leaders, corporations, and several great non-profit groups have done tremendous work to educate our congressional leaders and the public about this effort and deserve both recognition and thanks. Some of these groups include the Museum of the American Latino Advisory Board Committee, the Central American Resource Center, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the Hispanic Education Coalition, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund, the Mexican Heritage Corporation, the National Council of La Raza, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, the Southwest Voter Registration & Education Project, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the William C. Velasquez Institute, and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

"And most importantly, to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Senators Ken Salazar of Colorado and Bob Menendez of New Jersey: this effort would be nowhere if not for your passion and your dogged drive to see to it that this bill became law in this congress."

Click here to learn more about H.R. 512.
URL: http://becerra.house.gov/HoR/CA31/Latino+Museum.htm

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About The Commission
Commission to Study the Feasibility of a

National Latino Museum (H.R. 2134)

The Commission would be comprised of 23 members appointed as follows:
· 7 members appointed by the President;
· 3 voting and 1 non-voting members appointed by the Speaker;
· 3 voting and 1 non-voting members appointed by the House Minority Leader;
· 3 voting and 1 non-voting appointed by the Senate Majority Leader; and
· 3 voting and 1 non-voting appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

The Commission will have 18 months to produce:
· A national conference within 9 months of being formed;
· A fundraising plan
· A report that will determine the following issues:

The availability and cost of collections to be acquired and housed in the Museum.
The impact of the Museum on regional Hispanic-and Latino-related museums.
Possible Locations for Museum in Washington, D.C. and its environs, to be considered in consultation with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission on Fine Arts
Whether the Museum should be located within the Smithsonian Institution.
The governance and organizational structure from which the Museum should operate.

Latino Museum Studies Program

2008-04-04T10:22:00.002-05:00

This is a great opportunity for up and coming Latino museum professionals!

The Latino Museum Studies Program is organized by the Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC). It was established in 1994 to increase the representation, documentation, knowledge and interpretation of Latino art, culture, and history. The program includes a two-week seminar designed to provide participants with the tools to enhance their leadership, research, and creative skills through a series of lectures, workshops and practical experiences at the Smithsonian Institution, as well as other research facilities within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Each year fifteen mid-career museum professionals and graduate students are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants. Participation is free and includes the cost of round-trip travel to Washington, D.C. and housing accommodations for the duration of the four-week program.

Crossing Borders; Telling Lives: Fresh Ways to Create Dialog about Immigration in a Museum Context

2008-04-04T09:46:00.002-05:00

The title of this blog entry comes from a session I attended last week at the TAM Annual Meeting in Galveston. I went both because I was interested in the topic, and because I had heard Linda Ho Peche speak at the Texas Association of Museum Educator's workshop in January. Just as when I had heard her before, she was fantastic.

I was really struck, however, by Kristine Navarro's passionate commentary on her research with survivors from the Bracero Program. Navarro is the Director of the Institute of Oral History at the University of Texas--El Paso. In conjunction with George Mason University’s Center for History and New Media, the National Museum of American History, the University of Texas at El Paso, and Brown University, the Institute of Oral History has launched the Bracero Oral History Project to conduct interviews with former braceros. To date they have collected hundreds of interviews as well as photographs and historical material documenting the history of the Bracero Program.

I was speechless, not only because I had never heard of braceros, but also because of the sad stories surrounding this program. Like so many historical happenings, the truth has been buried. Fortunately, historians like Ms. Navarro work tirelessly to make sure that these stories see the light of day--and that these people's histories are not forgotten.

I know that I won't soon forget the braceros.

Other links of interest:
Public Law 45 of 1943
Farmworkers.org
Case Study from American University
Handbook of Texas Online
Photos from California
Bracero Timeline

Forgotten History

2008-04-02T10:35:00.010-05:00

Recently, there has been news about the lack of diversity in the Texas public school curriculum. To me, this implies that many of our Texas children may never get the chance to learn about their own identity and culture. They will never swell with pride when they read the literature of their ancestors, or hear about the historical figures that looked just like them and played a role in building this great state.

We can view this as a golden opportunity for museums. Museums now have the responsibility of enlightening these children where formal education doesn't. We can show them that their ancestors and themselves are indeed part of the American experience.

Recently IMLS launched and effort to preserve America's diverse heritage.

This project highlights the fact that museums preserve more than priceless works of art or artifacts related to well-known historical figures. While these are indeed important, America's heritage consists of collections stored in hundreds and hundreds of local museums. Our children and communities will be much for the better if these artifacts - whether they be family photographs, scrapbooks, quilts, letters, furniture- are preserved, and perhaps more importantly, exhibited and interpreted. Please look through the link above and see how your museum may benefit from this initiative.

Another Conference Opportunity You Shouldn't Miss!

2008-03-20T10:01:00.005-05:00

Here is a conference that focuses on everything that we are concerned with. It touts itself as the nation's leading conference on business initiatives in Diversity and Multiculturalism. Best of all, it is at Walt Disney World! http://www.diversitybusiness.com/Events/DivEvent/2008/

Wanna Hear What We are All About? Join Us for Breakfast!

2008-03-17T12:33:00.006-05:00

The MIC meets formally once a year. This year's meeting will be held on Thursday, March 27th during the TAM annual meeting in Galveston. This is a rather informal group, and everyone has a chance to contribute their ideas. If you are the quiet type, you can just come and listen! Best of all, it is all done over a delicious breakfast. You do not need to be a member of the MIC, nor do you have to purchase the breakfast. However, if you would like to sign up for the food, you can do it when you register for the conference. Here is a link to more info, http://www.io.com/~tam/ContEd/anmtgd3.html.

History through the Eyes of All

2008-03-14T09:58:00.005-05:00

As a Mexican woman, working in a living history museum that interprets nineteenth century Texas life, I am very conscious of interpreting history as accurately and inclusively as possible. Because we are all of one ethnicity and culture or another, we all tend to focus on OUR ancestors and their experiences. This makes it daunting- if not impossible- to interpret history without bias. Yet it is a museum's responsibility, as repositories of the public memory and trust, to do this as best as we can.

The solution? Have input from diverse staff, board and community members. Simple, right? Absolutely not. This continues to be very challenging because by and large, minority museum staff and board members are extremely underrepresented. Some informal surveys have confirmed this, and the MIC hopes to do another museums demographics survey this year.

As a result of this under representation in museum staff and board members, some people will not find their history in museums - or worse they may find a stereotype of their culture! But I believe that as more museums strive to be as inclusive as possible and make themselves available as a safe place for dialogue and debate, new audiences will visit museums. From these audiences, many future museum professionals can emerge. And thus, the cycle can finally be broken!

Be Sure to Attend the Following Sessions while at the TAM meeting in Galveston!

2008-03-13T11:19:00.004-05:00

Wednesday 8:45 – 10:00 am
Marketing to Spanish Speaking Audiences
This is a topic that will affect every museum in Texas. In less than ten years the Texas Commerce Department predicts more than 50% of Texans will speak Spanish as their primary language. At the same time Texas is blessed with increasing tourism from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. This program will address cultural misconceptions and stereotypes, as well as the issues, challenges and opportunities for Texas museums and what they can do to attract and provide meaningful exhibitions and programs for these expanding audiences.

Wednesday 10:30 – 11:45 am
Making Your Message Clear: Multilingual Signage
In our culturally diverse world, it is important to reach every person who comes through our museums' doors. This person may be a tourist from the other side of the world, or a local resident who speaks another language. In order to reach this audience, museum signage and interpretation may need to be in a language other than English. When is it necessary to translate signage? What should be translated? How do you create attractive and effective multilingual signage? How do you ensure that the translation is correct? This session will address these questions and any others you may have about making your museum truly multicultural!

Wednesday 3:45 – 5:00
Inventive Programs to Reach At-Risk Youth
Is your museum interested in using its resources to help at-risk youth make positive lifestyle choices and develop into productive citizens? Join us as we share methods and strategies that enable youth to communicate feelings, share life stories, explore creativity, express imagination, and discover latent talent within, using art, photography, writing, history and drama. Walk away with fresh new ideas to help you develop programs to reach out to this underserved yet critically important population of youth.

Wednesday 3:45 – 5:00
The National Scene: A Conversation with the Directors of IMLS and AAM
Following their general session talks, the heads of IMLS and AMM will sit down and discuss the major issues and challenges facing the U.S. museum field. Moderated by AAM Board member Howard Taylor, this informal discussion will give insight into the national initiatives and trends that affect our museums. It is also your opportunity to let our national leaders know what is happening in your community and the issues that are important to you. Come prepared to engage in this unique conversation with two important museum leaders who are both attending the TAM meeting for the first time.

Thursday 8:45 – 10:00
Does Your Board Reflect the Community You Serve? – Sadly, cancelled.

Thursday 3:00 – 4:15
Crossing Borders; Telling Lives: Fresh Ways to Create Dialog about Immigration in a Museum Context
In the 19th century, Galveston was known as "The Ellis Island of the West." Today, Texas cities still rank in the top ten for immigrant gateways into our nation. Throughout the state, museums and cultural institutions are searching for creative ways to engage their audiences around important issues of immigration--both in the past and present day—by providing a safe place for dialog, discussion, debate and sharing stories. Panelists will describe innovative projects at the Institute of Oral History in El Paso, the Galveston Historical Foundation, and the Texas State History Museum, then ask audience members to share concerns and approaches from their own museums.

Learn More About Us at our TAM booth!

2008-03-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

At the TAM meeting, the MIC will have a booth in the exhibit hall. You can pick up information about what we are, what we offer, and what we want to accomplish. Please take a few minutes of your time to drop by our table during your breaks! If you want to volunteer to staff the booth, please email me at ivette.ray@fortworthgov.org

Congratulations to Scholarship Recipients!

2008-03-05T13:01:00.005-06:00

The following people have received Multicultural Initiatives Scholarships to attend the TAM annual meeting in Galveston:

Angelia Hill, Museum Assistant, Red River Historical Museum, Sherman
Sharron Wilkins Conrad, Curator of Education, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Dallas
Deborah F. Cowman, Director, Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History,
Bryan Veronica Martinez, Education Coordinator, Victoria Regional Museum Association, Victoria

I want to commend the TAM staff and council for their commitment to this scholarship program that has been around for over a decade. Thanks to it, many young, minority professionals (me included) have been able to attend the TAM annual meeting at no or little cost to their respective museums. This is definitely a step in the right direction to diversifying museum staff across the state.

So make sure to look for these up and coming professionals at the annual meeting and make them feel welcome!

What is our purpose?

2008-02-27T10:24:00.005-06:00

The purpose of the MIC was adopted when they bylaws were approved:

"To encourage and promote multiculturalism and diversity in museums’ audiences, staff, volunteers, collaborators, boards, and other persons with an interest in museums. The MIC will provide a forum for the education, information exchange and development, and training of member museums, their staff, trustees, and volunteers, and it will serve as a liaison with the Texas Association of Museums."

I believe that this statement says it all. We are here to promote diversity in ALL aspects of the museum world. And I believe it is all related. Once our boards and staff are more diverse, exhibits and interpretation will reflect this, which will lead to more diverse audiences which will in turn develop into future staff members!

Ivette Ray
MIC Chair

Welcome to the Texas Association of Museums Multicultural Initiatives Blog!

2008-02-26T09:42:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone! This space has been created as a place where we can share our thoughts and ideas on the state of diversity in Texas museums. During the last three years that the MIC has been an official affinity group of the Texas Association of Museums, we have made great strides!

This last year we set out to accomplish the following:

1)Review the Action Plan - This has been done by the Action Plan Subcommittee (special thanks to those who worked on it). Now comes the hard part, which is to put the Plan to Action. For those of you who have not seen it, here is a link. http://www.io.com/~tam/multicultural/actionplan.html. If any of you have additional comments, please share them with us!

2)Propose sessions for the Texas Association of Museums annual meeting - There will be some great sessions this year on everything from board diversity to multilingual signage! If you have not registered, it is not too late. Here is a link to the annual meeting program http://www.io.com/~tam/ContEd/annual_program.html

3)Get a website and improve communications - We hope that this blog serves that purpose. Please share it with others, and don't be afraid to leave your comments!

4)Create and conduct a survey of Texas museums - While we have not done this yet, it is a project that is certainly in the front burner and will hopefully happen this year.

Some of our other goals include bringing in speakers and sponsoring workshops. We are one step closer to accomplishing this! Of course, our ultimate goal is to bring more diversity to Texas museums.

Please feel free to add your own comments and ideas on how we can make this space better. If you would like to become a blog author on this page, let me know.

And don't forget to subsrcibe to this blog so that you know when there is a new entry!

Hope to hear from many of you soon.

Sincerely,
Ivette Ray
MIC Chair