Are you yearning to put your values into action at work? Do you want to effect change at your museum? Many museum professionals want to create meaningful change at their institutions, but wonder where to begin. Adapted from a presentation at NEMA’s 2017 Annual Conference, here we describe the pathway we took from intention to action in our own work, and encourage you to use these steps to create a plan to advocate for social justice within your museum.

• The work begins with you. Before you ask for change from others, you must start with honest self-reflection. Take stock of your own values and acknowledge your assumptions. Seek resources that broaden your perspective. Identify what causes matter most to you.  Gather data. Read from a diverse range of authors. Talk to real people with diverse worldviews. Go to workshops. Practice empathy. Identify your blind spots and where you need better tools. The extent to which you commit to your own growth will determine the success of your actions. This work continues through the next steps, and never really stops.
• Picture success. Articulate clear goals for the change you will effect at your museum, but know that these may evolve over time. Determine what indicators will mark progress along the way. Be patient, as deep change takes time and happens in small moments rather than all at once. Celebrate those mini victories.
• Identify your sphere of influence. You are a leader, no matter what position you happen to have at your museum. Where do you have the ability to create change? This could be a system-wide audience like a whole museum or department, or a smaller scale intervention. You might start by thinking of one or two colleagues as your “audience” for this work. Plan for when and where you can gather on common ground.
• Build institutional support...or not. Determine how your action relates (or doesn’t) to institutional stances and priorities. Can you connect to a mission or vision statement? Will your plan be sanctioned by the museum, or will you take stealth missions? Consider how your museum’s leadership will respond. At this point, build your network of accomplices. If there are people already doing social justice work, whether at your museum or other institutions, connect with them and promote their work. Crucially, you also need to find people who can help you see your blind spots, keep you honest, and hold you accountable for carrying your plan through.
• Identify activities that align with your goals. Creativity flourishes when confronted with limitations. Difficult conversations are more productive when structured and facilitated carefully. Learn best practices and methodologies. Plan how you will set clear expectations with your audience. Prepare to meet people where they are, and how you will respond if they express discomfort.
• Put your collection to work. Museum staff often don’t get to spend enough time on the floor, so create opportunities to engage with your collection. Objects can be catalysts for difficult conversations, when it is easier to talk about the object than about oneself. Use your professional skills in this new context -- how can your work as an educator/registrar/curator/designer/accountant be put into action?

 While your responses to all of these steps will result in a plan that is unique to your position within your institution, there are many individuals and organizations in the museum field and beyond who are doing provocative, impactful work for social justice. We encourage you to learn from (and add to) a list of resources compiled at https://tinyurl.com/museumsocialjustice. You can also use the prompts below to map out your plan of action.

(These prompts can also be found here.)

Each one of us has the power to enact change. No matter where you sit at your museum, you have the opportunity to build and support an inclusive and responsive community. Whether you can change the tone of internal conversations, the language on a label, or what exhibitions are mounted at your institution, there are ways for all of us to lead. 

(Photo: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston. Photo by Sara Egan)