Diversity & Inclusion Resources

WMA approaches Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) as a process that must be committed to and regularly reaffirmed. Rather than diversity being a box to be checked, we view D&I as the constant examining and questioning of the makeup of our group to ensure that multiple perspectives are represented, and that there is a sense of inclusion amongst members, staff, and board.

Diversity & Inclusion Statement – Western Museums Association (WMA)

Here, we offer support through the sharing of trusted, valuable, and educational resources to help museums address and reaffirm their commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI), and to develop concrete action plans for moving forward.

PAGE INDEX

DEAI + The Role of Museums • Activate + Maintain DEAI Within Your Institution

How to Talk About Race + Racial Identity • Sample Diversity + Inclusion Statements

Readiness Assessments • How to Measure Your Museum's Social Impact

DEAI Reading Material • Actionable Resources 

DEAI + THE ROLE OF MUSEUMS

Facing Change: Insights from AAM’s DEAI Working Group – American Alliance of Museums
National Landscape Study: DEAI Practices in Museums – CCLI
What Is DEAI, and How Can Evaluation Be Used to Promote this Work? – American Alliance of Museums
Doing the Work: A Discussion on Visioning and Realizing Racial Equity in Museum – Journal of Museum Education
Museums, White Privilege, and Diversity: A Systemic Perspective – Museum Commons
Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field – AAM Virtual Conference Special Session (Webinar Recording)
The Arc of Accessibility Work in Museum Education – Museum Education Roundtable
Hammer Curator Erin Christovale on How Museums Can Support Social Justice – Hammer Museum, KCET article

ACTIVATE + MAINTAIN DEAI WITHIN YOUR INSTITUTION

Now, more than ever, we – museum professionals, leaders, and educators – must move beyond simple statements and words, and commit to REAL, progressive, actionable change within our own institutions and the greater museum field.

Audiences and Inclusion: A Primer for Cultivating More Inclusive Attitudes Among the Public – American Alliance of Museums
A Museum Manifesto for a More Equitable Future – American Alliance of Museums
Reopening with Equity in Mind: Opportunities for Culturally Relevant Practice in Museums – Association of Children's Museum
Next Practices in Diversity and Inclusion – Association of Art Museum Directors
Social Justice & Museums Resource List – Initiated and edited by Tanya S. Autry, @artstuffmatters
5 Inclusive Workplace Practices For Your Remote Team – We Work Remotely
Diversity And Inclusion: A Complete Guide For HR Professionals – Ideal
LGBTQ Alliance Welcome Guidelines for Museums – American Alliance of Museums
Diversity and Inclusion – The Inclusive Historian's Handbook
How Translations Can Promote Diversity and Inclusion at Museums – Eriksen Translations
A Guidebook For Community Organizations, Researchers, & Funders to Help Us Get From Insufficient Understanding to More Authentic Truth – Chicago Beyond
Racial Equity Tools – RacialEquityTools.org
How to Start an Accessibility Movement at Your Museum – American Alliance of Museums
Accessibility Resources for Museums & Museum Professionals – Access Smithsonian
Accessibility Resources – Museum, Arts and Culture Access Consortium
Accessibility Resources – Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium
Accessible & Inclusive Museums—How Small Measures Add Up – Eriksen Translations
Inclusive Digital Interactives: Best Practices & Research – Access Smithsonian, Institute for Human Centered Design, + MuseWeb
Virtual Event Accessibility Resources – National Endowment for the Arts
Web Accessibility Standards – World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) + Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
10 Best Practices of Accessible Museum Websites – American Alliance of Museums
How Translation Helps Museums Promote Intergenerational Learning – Eriksen Translations
How Can We Make Volunteer Programs More Inclusive and Accessible? – American Alliance of Museums

HOW TO TALK ABOUT RACE + RACIAL IDENTITY

Museum leaders, directors, and managers – these resources can help you create and sustain productive dialogue about race within your workplace.

For Museum Leaders Who Want to Do Better – American Alliance of Museums
Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege – MSW@USC
How Organizations Can Support the Mental Health of Black Employees – Harvard Business Review
Talking About Race Web Portal – National Museum of African American History and Culture
Talking About Race – National Museum of African American History and Culture
How To Have Conversations About Race At Work – Forbes
How Should You Be Talking With Employees About Racism? – Entrepreneur

SAMPLE DIVERSITY + INCLUSION STATEMENTS

Diversity and Inclusion Statements provide the theoretical grounding for change. Here, you'll find resources on how to write the perfect statement, along with a few examples from within and outside the museum industry.

Writing a Diversity and Inclusion Statement: How to Get It Right – U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Craft the Perfect Diversity Statement for Your Organization – Learning Hub
Examples of Values Statements with Commitments to Diversity/Inclusiveness – The Denver Foundation
Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion – American Alliance of Museums
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Museum – American Museum of Natural History
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion – Earthjustice
Welcoming Statement – Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
Policy on Diversity – University of California Regents
Diversity and Inclusion – Kaiser Permanente
Diversity & Inclusion Statement – IBM
Inclusion & Collaboration Statement – CISCO

READINESS ASSESSMENTS

The following assessments are designed to help you, your staff, and board determine where your institution stands now with respect to your journey towards a more just future.

Museum As Site for Social Action Readiness Assessment – MASS Action
Racial Equity Readiness Assessment For Workforce Development – Race Forward
Tool for Organizational Self-Assessment Related to Racial Equity – Coalition of Communities of Color + All Hands Raised

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR MUSEUM'S SOCIAL IMPACT

What is our museum’s social impact? – Article by Medium on the Oakland Museum of California
How can you measure the social impact of museums and celebrate the successes of programs and initiatives? – MuseumNext
Methods for Measuring Social Impact: Measuring Socially Engaged Practice – Museums Association
What is our museum’s social impact? – American Alliance of Museums
Museum As Site for Social Action Toolkit – MASS ACTION

DEAI Reading Material

"Museums, White Privilege, and Diversity: A Systemic Perspective" by Gretchen Jennings and Joanne Jones-Rizzi
“Activating Diversity and Inclusion: A Blueprint for Museum Educators as Allies and Change Makers” by Wendy Ng, Syrus Marcus Ware, and Alyssa Greenberg
"Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice" by Geneva Gay

ACTIONABLE RESOURCES

Many organizations are fighting systemic racism in the United States and elevating the important work being done by POC. We encourage you to learn about these organizations and support their missions in any way that you can.