How many times have you heard about an organization championing LGBTQIA+ inclusion and thought,
“How did they make this happen?”
How many times have you heard about an organization championing LGBTQIA+ inclusion and thought, “How did they make this happen?”
We often celebrate the final product – the public exhibit, the new policy, the award or certification – but don’t learn about what went on behind the scenes to get there.
As a nonprofit fundraiser and champion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, I find myself asking about the “how” frequently.
That is why I spent 2024 working on three case studies about three unique museums who have made strides for interpreting and collecting LGBTQIA+ history, uncovering the details of how the resulting initiatives came to be.
With the support of Sam Dinnie, I interviewed current and former staff at the Washington State History Museum, The Buffalo History Museum, and Historic New England to learn more about their work. These institutions were specifically selected to represent diversity of geography, organization size, and historic era uncovered. It was a privilege to learn from my museum colleagues who have been advocating for LGBTQIA+ inclusion for decades at their institutions and learn how they made that change a reality.
These are just the first three case studies in a series that I will continue to work on to capture the experience of all types of museums across the country. In an effort to reduce barriers to knowledge, “Valued & Visible” case studies are available “pay what you can” on Gumroad.
Looking for more museum inclusion goodness? Join the mailing list! Or book a discovery call to put theory into action!
