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ACM Diversity In Action Initiative
Click on any of the links below to learn more about the Committee's activities. Want more information? Contact ACM. The Need for Diversity Statements The mission for all children's museum comes down to being the "town square for children and families, where play inspires creativity and lifelong learning." As a town square, a children's museum is a place open to all community members. That implies that the children's museum is a welcoming institution for people of all backgrounds. So why is it important for a children's museum to have a diversity statement? Quite simply, because implications and good intentions are not enough. A diversity statement tells the community at large that the institution will take action and assume accountability. Is there a one-size fits all diversity statement? No. There are approximately 350 open children's museums around the world, however, each is distinct in its setting, its exhibits and the ways in which each museum reaches out, listens and includes its community. To help museums create a diversity statement that fits their museum, ACM and the Diversity in Action Commitee has been working with members at InterActivity conferences on draft pledges, polling members on diversity priorities and creating diversity templates. This work has been and continues to an on-going, open process. Anyone wishing to send ACM its museum diversity pledge or constructive feedback about creating a pledge may email ACM.
On April 27, 2005, the ACM Board approved the ACM Diversity Statement, provided below. We encourage member institutions to download the entire statement for dissemination to museum staff and as a guide in developing individual diversity statements. The Association of Children’s Museums is an international professional organization representing children’s museums and institutions dedicated to serving children. Our mission is to build the capacity of children’s museums to serve as town squares where play inspires creativity and lifelong learning. The Association and its members are committed to honoring, practicing and promoting diversity, and believe that children’s museums have unique opportunities to do so by:
Goal: Have a diverse, cross-section of individuals in communities across the United States understand that their children's museum seeks to be inclusive and welcoming to all children and families. Strategy: Provide ACM children's museums resources, recommendations and tools to access, improve and communicate their commitment to diversity. Tactic: Provide a Diversity Pledge Template, which is written in plain language that individual museums can customize and promote at their museum. Diversity Pledge Template Diversity is at the heart of the work that children's museums do to create new town squares where play inspires lifelong learning. To insure that our town square accurately reflects the communities that surround and support our museum, are run by a staff and are governed by a Board representative of these communities, we, insert museum name here, pledge:
Enacted Museum Diversity Statement Creative Discovery Museum (Chattanooga, TN) The Board of Directors approved the following Diversity Statement October 22, 2007. The Creative Discovery Museum's vision is to be a community museum in the truest sense of the word: A place where children and families from all backgrounds come together to play and learn, a place that truly stimulates the curiosity and creativity of every child. As a community museum, we believe that embracing diversity at all levels is important and we pledge: To put diversity into action in all aspects of our museum, in our operations, in our exhibits, in our communications and marketing efforts, in our programs and educational offerings; To foster inclusion on our boards and staffs and actively support increased leadership roles for our staff with diverse backgrounds; To focus externally, engage, listen and
respond to all members of our community. The Diversity in Action Showcase was created to give ACM colleagues a venue to share their current efforts and work in promoting diversity. ACM is currently accepting applications from members interested to participate in the 2008 Diversity in Action Showcase. Read the below summaries from 2007 Showcase participants to learn how museums are addressing diversity through partnerships, programs, exhibits, events and employee development.
InterActivity Diversity Scholarship Program This program encourages the professional development of ethnically diverse professionals in the children's museum field by providing complimentary registration and lodging for InterActivity. Click here for Information about applying for a 2008 InterActivity scholarship. top Museums and Diversity Initiative In 2005, ACM joined a national consortium of associations and museums, led by the American Association of Museums (AAM), to establish the national Museums and Diversity Initiative. For more information on the initiative, visit AAM's Web site. top
While not a comprehensive list of readings, the following books and articles for children, parents, educators and museum professionals are provided for consideration. If you have a suggestion for this list, please email ACM. The
Skin You Live In What began as a whimsical way for author Michael Tyler to convey to his young son that skin color does not define a person's value is now a lyrical tool for caregivers to share with children. The rhyming picture book The Skin You Live In (published by Chicago Children's Museum), by Michael Tyler with illustrations by David Lee Csicsko, can help parents and teachers tackle tough topics-differences, friendship, acceptance, self-esteem and diversity-in a fun, accessible way. This publication is available on Amazon.com Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High A how-to book for handling "life's most difficult and important conversations." Topics include preparation, transformation of anger into dialogue, cultivation of a "safe" conversation culture, and the art of persuasion. Written by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler and Stephen Covey. This publication is available on Amazon.com Translation Nation: Defining a New American Identity in the Spanish-Speaking United States Pulitzer Prize-winning Guatemalan-American journalist Hector Tobar finds a "parallel nation" in his cross-country trips from "futbol" leagues in Alabama to a rapidly growing Spanish-language newspaper in Kansas. A quick, interesting look at what one reviewer calls "redefining the experience of the American immigrant." This publication is available through Penguin Publishing. Volunteer Recruitment (& Membership Development) Book, The 3rd edition This book is filled with recruitment ideas on where to look for volunteers, why people do or do not volunteer, how to select the right recruitment technique, what diversity means to your organization, and an appendix on how to recruit via the Internet. Written by Susan J. Ellis. This publication is available through the Energize, Inc. bookstore. Leisure Decisions Influencing African American Use of Museums Based on two recent research studies, this report explores variables that could account for current patterns of museum use by African Americans: socio-economic, institutional, cultural/ethnic, and regional factors. This characterization of leisure patterns attempts to capture the range of African-American museum-going attitudes and behaviors. Survey instruments and tables included. Written by John H. Falk, the publication is available through the American Association of Museums bookstore. Museum News “Flies in the Buttermilk: Museums, Diversity & the Will to Change” Lonnie G. Bunch wrote this article in the July/August 2000 issue of Museum News. The Smithsonian Institution has named Bunch as the first director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, effective July 2005. AAM's award-winning magazine has been covering trends in the field and issues facing the museum community for the past 85 years. The publication is available through the American Association of Museums bookstore.
Museum News (July/August 2005) “In Search of the American Museum” Tuliza Fleming wrote this article in the July/August 2005 issue of Museum News. She is the Curator for American Art at The Dayton Art Institute. Fleming has served in numerous professional research and curatorial positions including that of guest curator for Breaking Racial Barriers: African Americans in the Harmon Foundation Collection at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The publication is available through the American Association of Museums bookstore. Tempered Radicals How People Use Difference to Inspire Change at Work Author Debra E. Meyerson calls them "tempered radicals": people who want to become valued and successful members of their organizations without compromising who they are and what they believe. Meyerson further argues that these "everyday leaders" act as crucial sources of new ideas, alternative perspectives, and organizational learning and change. Drawing from 15 years of research and the compelling stories of tempered radicals in a variety of organizations, Meyerson illustrates a spectrum of innovative ways - from cautious to increasingly bold - that individuals "rock the boat" from inside the corporate ship and steer a course for powerful, positive change. This publication is available through Harvard Business School Publishing. Museums in the Life of a City Strategies for Community Partnerships This final report describes the goals, pilot partnerships, and results of the Museums in the Life of a City Initiative. This project was established to enhance the appreciation of cultural diversity by building partnerships between museums and communities. Portia Hamilton-Sperr, Project Director American Association of Museums. The publication is available through the American Association of Museums bookstore.
Cultivating Diversity in Fundraising Raising money in today's diverse communities is a growing challenge for fund raisers and philanthropists, requiring thoughtful strategies, successful collaborations, and a respectful understanding of people's differences. This book examines the ways in which fund raisers can use an understanding of ethnic differences to create a vibrant and balanced nonprofit center through individual and collaborative efforts, taking into account location, population served, and community demographics. Written by Janice Gow Pettey. This publication is available through John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Building Museum & School Partnerships Museum educators and school teachers met
for three workshops on establishing closer working relations between
schools and museums. Each partner's expectations of the other, learning
theories in museums, field trips, outreach projects, community as
classroom, and cultural diversity constitute the core contents of
the book. An appendix includes an array of successful program materials
used by museums in Pennsylvania. Edited by Beverly Sheppard. American
Association of Museums / Pennsylvania Federation of Museums &
Historical Organizations. The publication is available through the
American
Association of Museums bookstore. Race, Ethnicity and Self: Identity in Multicultural Perspective This collection of articles examines the impact
of race and ethnicity on individual identity development in the
United States. Theory and research is presented about African Americans,
Asian Americans, Native American Indians, Whites, Puerto Ricans,
and Vietnamese Americans. Articles by a multicultural group of authors
provide a theoretical framework through which to discuss the concept
of self across cultures, and address such issues as the relationship
of power and dominance to attitudes of race, and the challenge of
a biracial heritage. Giraffe & Elephant: A Diversity Fable This book captures with stunning simplicity the complex issues that we face daily throughout the course of the 21st Century. It goes straight to the core of the matter — difference — and provides a jumping-off place for true conversation to finally take place. Written by R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. This publication is available through Diversity Inc. bookstore. Positive Trends in Learning: Meeting the Needs of a Rapidly Changing World The report avoids discussion of fads or
trends that many would consider negative. It is set in the context
of lifelong learning in order
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