Cultural Equity Statement

MESC Cultural Equity Statement 1

Sub-section: Definition 

Cultural Equity – MESC defines cultural equity as embodying the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people—including but not limited to those who have been historically, and continue to be, marginalized based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented, centered, and supported in the following areas:

  • Programming and new initiatives 

  • The pathways of professional development of current and future museum educators

  • MESC’s governance and its affiliates (membership) 

  • The fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources. 

We acknowledge that racial inequity is central to most societal issues, particularly when it comes to the distribution of resources. 


Sub-section: Acknowledgements 

We acknowledge that as an organization, founded in 1977, we have not made a clear and intentional effort to address cultural equity in our practices, programming, and operations and have not devised a plan to sustain those efforts. This document is the beginning of the organization's commitment to address cultural equity in our practices and this details some of the theoretical framework that we used to contextualize our thinking. 

1 Adapted from Americans for the Arts Statement on Equity

mw1.png


As outlined in the MASS Action Toolkit, museums “are typically places of white privilege.” It continues, “Museums have their origins generally in Western culture, and specifically in Western colonialism. The spoils of colonialism are the basis of collections in art, history, and natural science museums that are on display to this day. Generally, we do not refer to the origins of our collections when we display them, concentrating instead on the exhibition story that we want to tell through objects. However, as many have affirmed, the characteristics of colonial acquisition are part of the history of our collections, and these characteristics persist in the minds of many of our visitors, especially those whose current lives, or those of their ancestors, were affected by colonialism. These colonial legacies include acquisition by violence, conquest, and occupation; cultural, economic, and political domination; cultural oppression and appropriation. (Clifford, 1988; trivedi, 2015).”3

2 Mariët Westermann, Roger Schonfeld. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey. 28 June 2015,

mellon.org/media/filer_public/ba/99/ba99e53a-48d5-4038-80e1-66f9ba1c020e/awmf_museum_diversity_r eport_aamd_7-28-15.pdf.

3 Bryant , Janeen, et al. Moving Toward Internal Transformation: Awareness, Acceptance, Action. MASS Action,

static1.squarespace.com/static/58fa685dff7c50f78be5f2b2/t/59dcdd27e5dd5b5a1b51d9d8/15076467806 50/TOOLKIT_10_2017.pdf.

“All aspects of museum organizational culture—from the mission statement through board, administration and staff to collections, exhibition themes, educational programs, advertising and social media—must be evaluated in terms of their reinforcement of white supremacy.”4

[According to Excellence and Equity] “If museums are to be welcoming places for people of different racial, ethnic, social, economic, and educational backgrounds, and if they are to use their collections to present a variety of perspectives, they must recruit, hire or select, and foster the professional growth of trustees, staff, and volunteers who reflect diverse audiences and multiple perspectives.”5

Sub-section: Modeling through Action & Accountability

To create change in the museum education landscape of Southern California (Santa Barbara to San Diego to Palm Springs), we will...

  • Set aside at least 25% of the entire budget to support current and future museum educators. We recommend using these funds for paid intern positions, programming, honoraria, as well as the training of current and future board members as leaders in Cultural Equity within their institutions and throughout the region.

  • Continually and actively recruit MESC membership and leadership that reflects those who have historically been marginalized/disenfranchised as a means to redress the ongoing harm done to the aforementioned groups.

  • Community Engagement and Membership board members will seek and recruit membership ranging from entry level to executive roles.

  • Seek to center the concerns of front-facing staff in museums that fall within the reach of MESC.

  • Each board member will commit to creating MESC programs each year around topics such as diversity and inclusion in partnership with artists, educators, administrators, curators, and other cultural organizations who hold and/or value intersectional identities.

  • Generate and aggregate qualitative and quantitative research to ensure that MESC is abiding by this statement of equity and share out this information to the membership. May include, but not limited to: surveying membership, research of current trends and practices.

  • Commit to diversifying the field by promoting internships provided by the LA County Arts Commission, Marrow Undergraduate Internships, and any others who serve those communities. Additionally, consider creating a paid internship position for MESC, meant for professionals from historically marginalized/disenfranchised communities.

4 Bryant , Janeen, et al. Moving Toward Internal Transformation: Awareness, Acceptance, Action. MASS Action,

static1.squarespace.com/static/58fa685dff7c50f78be5f2b2/t/59dcdd27e5dd5b5a1b51d9d8/15076467806 50/TOOLKIT_10_2017.pdf.

5“Excellence and Equity: Education and the Public Dimension of Museums.” Americans for the Arts, 31 Dec.1991,www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/reports-and-data/legislation-policy/naappd/excellenc e-and-equity-education-and-the-public-dimension-of-museums-0.

  • This statement should be a living document--revisited and revised at least every two years to remain consistent with current field definitions and practices.