The Incluseum’s mission is to advance “new ways of being a museum through dialogue, community building and collaborative practice related to inclusion in museums.” But how have we been doing this over the last 8 years?

One key way we have fostered this dialogue is by offering a forum for emerging voices and thought leaders to speak on the change they want to see take root across the museum field to attain a more inclusive museum system. 

This week, as readers and partners of the Incluseum grieve for loved ones and communities, for inaction to address systemic racism, anti-blackness, white supremacy and police brutality, we have been listening. Like many others we are looking at what we have to offer at this moment. 

One thing we have is a place to center voices of BIPOC thought leaders who continue to point out injustice in society and how this manifests in our museums uniquely. We have gathered together 10 pieces from the last 8 years of The Incluseum to direct you to some of the ongoing work of those who have been speaking on racism to you through this blog. They are listed below in no particular order.

We (Aletheia and Rose) hope you take time to read one or all of these pieces, share with friends and colleagues and always cite and give credit to the pieces’ authors and contributors to lift their voices and work at this time. 

1. We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest by Aleia Brown and Adrianne Russell (click here)
2. Uncovering White Supremacy Culture in Museum Work by nikhil trivedi, Hannah Heller and Joanne Jones Rizzi (click here)
3. The Danger of the “D“ Word by Porchia Moore (click here)
4. Letter to Young Museum Professionals of Color or What Transpires on a Long-Haul Career When Confronted with Racism in the Museum by Radiah Harper (click here)
5. Oppression: A Museum Primer by nikhil trivedi (click here) and for the update on the Primer (click here)
6. The Why of D+I by Porchia Moore (click here)
7. R–E-S-P-E-C-T! Church Ladies, Magical Negroes and Model Minorities: Understanding Inclusion from Community to Communities by Porchia Moore (click here)
8. The Dreamspace Project by Alyssa Machida Part 1 (link here) Part 2 (link here), and Part 3 (link here)
9. What Happens When Monumental Sculptures By Black Artists Are Placed in White Dominant Public Spaces click here by Radiah Harper (click here)
10. I am the Person Sitting Next to You by Anonymous (click here)

To conclude this post, we leave you with a video interview with Secretary of the Smithsonian, Lonnie Bunch, who addresses ongoing protests in historic, contemporary and personal terms (link here).