The Equity and Inclusion Action Team of SEMC was founded to promote diversity and equity in museums and in our profession. To be true to our mission, we cannot be silent. We see and feel the sorrow and rage of our communities as a result of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and far too many others. As mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, brothers, sisters, spouses, friends—African Americans and co-conspirators with the African American community, we mourn with you.
Museums are centers for learning. We believe that we must confront our difficult histories and challenge how those histories continue to manifest in the present. As museum professionals, we are listening. We will strive to share knowledge and create space for dialogue as part of salve for healing. We will continue to work alongside our communities to seek justice. The ongoing trauma and systemic racism faced by Black members of our society must end.
We are grateful for the eloquence and work of our colleagues at the Museum Educators Roundtable. We appreciate their leadership.
As reference, we want to share the Social Justice & Museum Resource List, developed by Tanya S. Autry in 2015 and gathered from the greater community, as a way to start, continue, or restart the necessary self-education we need.
Also, here is a gathered list of statements from museums about the most recent protests.
We also want to co-develop and share a list of Mental Health Resources, so we can collectively find support as all of us contend with the impact of trauma and have a need for healing.
Image courtesy of Black Lives Matter.