Visual Resources Association Annual Conference March 24-27, 2020, Baltimore* Session: Incorporating Diversity in our Workplace: All are Welcome, but How Do We Get There? Moderator: Andrew Wang Presenters: Heidi Raatz, Cindy Frank, and Meghan Rubenstein *Baltimore conference canceled. Presented as a webinar June 2, 2020

1. Incorporating Diversity
in our Workplace:
All are Welcome, but How Do We Get There?
Visual Resources Association 2020
Tuesday, March 24
Moderator: Andrew Wang

2. Presentations
Heidi S. Raatz
Collections Information Specialist, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Cindy Frank
Subject Librarian, School of Architecture, Planning and
Preservation; University of Maryland
Meghan Rubenstein
Visual Resources Curator, Colorado College

3. Documenting Artist Identity: Finding room for
diversity in a world of standards
Heidi S. Raatz, MLIS
Collections Information Specialist, Minneapolis Institute of Art
hraatz@artsmia.org
3

4. “We shall overcome because the arc
of the moral universe is long but it
bends toward justice.”
—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Remaining Awake Through a Great
Revolution.” Speech given at the National Cathedral, March 31,
1968.
Source: Smithsonian Institution https://www.si.edu/spotlight/mlk?page=4&iframe=true
4

5. “Museums have the potential to be
relevant, socially-engaged spaces in
our communities, acting as agents of
positive change.”
—Mike Murawski, Museums Are Not Neutral, August 31, 2017
5

6. Focus on IDEA: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and
Accessibility
6
Audiences seek to
• Connect with art and artists
on the level of identity
• Understand art as reflective
of lived experience
• See themselves represented
within museum collections
Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists, June 2, 2019 - August 18, 2019, Target Galleries, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art

7. Changing Museum Practice @ Mia
7
Embedding IDEA in museum policy

8. Changing Museum Practice @ Mia
8
Centering IDEA in curation, labeling, and programming
practices
Mia Curatorial Advisory Committee, “Mapping Black Identities” exhibition, gallery 373, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo: Dan Dennehy / Minneapolis Institute of Art, © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art

9. Changing Museum Practice @ Mia
9
Evaluating and altering our approach to collecting and
conveying artist identity data
Third Thursday: Afrofuturism; 21 February 2019, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo: Bruce Silcox for Minneapolis Institute of Art, © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art

10. Collection Data: artist identity data
10
Developing ethical and respectful methods of collecting,
standardizing, and expressing artist identity data
Third Thursday: Afrofuturism; 21 February 2019, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo: Bruce Silcox for Minneapolis Institute of Art, © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art

11. Collecting identity data
11
Issues and Challenges
Alyssa Baguss: You Were Never Here, November 21, 2019 - March 1, 2020,
US Bank Gallery, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art
▪ Methods of gathering data: authority control
(labeling) vs. self-identity
▪ Survey instruments: self-identification vs.
“census style” checkboxes
▪ Acknowledgement that identities are multi-
dimensional
▪ Recording identity data: public availability,
data privacy, data control
▪ Prioritizing empathy, ethics, and
relationships

12. Expressing identity data
▪ Sourcing and selecting terminology
▪ Developing a vocabulary while
acknowledging evolving, community-
defined, living language
▪ Defining gender and ethnicity, as social
vs. biological constructs
▪ Managing expectations—internal and
external
12
Issues and Challenges
Artist Talk, Jonathan Herrera Soto: In Between / Underneath (Entremedio / Por Debajo),
September 19, 2019, US Bank Gallery, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo: Bruce Silcox for Minneapolis Institute of Art, © 2019 Minneapolis Institute of Art

13. Collection Data: artist identity data
Defining and stating our institutional approach
to collecting and sharing artist identity data.
Refining and testing our artist identity survey.
Exploring the capacities of our collections
management database and related systems for
recording, managing, and conveying artist
identity data.
Embracing the process. Doing the work.
Continuing our journey.
13
Where we’re at now
Norma Minkowitz, American, born 1937
Journey's End, 2017
Crocheted cotton, poly wrap, human hair
Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Lotus Stack Textiles Endowment, 2018.59.2
© Norma Minkowitz

14. References & Resources:
Mike Murawski, Museums Are Not Neutral, Art Museum Teaching,
https://artmuseumteaching.com/2017/08/31/museums-are-not-neutral/
Topaz CM, Klingenberg B, Turek D, Heggeseth B, Harris PE, Blackwood JC, et al.
(2019) Diversity of artists in major U.S. museums. PLoS ONE 14(3): e0212852,
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212852
Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Documenting Diversity, Medium.com, Minneapolis Institute of
Art https://medium.com/minneapolis-institute-of-art/documenting-diversity-
17f55a4118da
Homosaurus, an International Thesaurus of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Index Terms, http://homosaurus.org/
AAM LGBTQ Welcoming Guidelines, https://www.aam-us.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/05/2019-Welcoming-Guidelines.pdf

15. Thank you
With thanks and gratitude to current and former colleagues on
Mia’s Artist Identity Data Working Group: Frances Lloyd-Baynes,
Esther Callahan, Heather Everhart, Amanda Bialon, Alex
Bortolot and Rachel Wolff, for their collaboration, perspectives,
dedication, and work on supporting diversity at Mia.
Heidi S. Raatz, MLIS
Collections Information Specialist, Minneapolis Institute of Art
hraatz@artsmia.org
www.artsmia.org

16. Mai
Making an Impact in the
Workplace
IDEA Work at the University of
Maryland Libraries
Cindy Frank, Architecture Librarian
cfrank@umd.edu

17. Campus level Diversity Officer Within the Library
Responsibilities
● Provide Diversity Education and Training
● Climate assessments
● Support Diversity-related
recruitment/retention/promotion
● programming
Campus level Diversity Officer
Within the Library

18. ● IDEA Committee, chaired by Diversity Officer
● Values in the Libraries Strategic Plan
○Bravery
○Democratization
○Transformation
Library Support

19. IDEA Committee Goals
Inclusion Diversity Equity
Accessibility
Within the Big Ideals of Bravery, Democratization,
Transformation
● Increase Outreach and Awareness
● Build Education and Training
● Do Better at Recruitment, Retention, Promotion
● Build Institutional Knowledge
● Maintain Awards to recognize Diversity

20. What are we
doing right
now?
Outreach and
engagement.
Bravery
Read-a-thon for Black History
Month, Brave Space
● Success
○ 62 people signed in;
○ Shared quotes, books, plays
○ built a shopping list of Books for libraries
● Challenge
○ 36,000 students. More participants.

21. Sociology doctoral student Tuesday Barnes reads “Changing Bodies in the Fiction of Octavia Butler”
by Gregory Jerome Hampton yesterday at the Black History Month Read-athon in McKeldin Library.
(Photo by Stephanie S. Cordle)

22. What do we want to do?
Outreach and Engagement
Partner with other groups on campus
● Office of Diversity and Inclusion for discussions of anti-
black racism
● iSchool on Diversity Conference
● Office of Student Services for accessibility conference

23. What are we
doing right
now?
Education and
training.
Bravery
Transformation
WORKSHOP
Role Play to combat inherent biases
● Success - People spoke up about
inequities
○ Power between Faculty and Staff
○ Respect during meetings, people on
phones
○ Gender issues
● Challenge - same people who always
come to Diversity Activities, not reaching
anyone new

24. What do we want to do?
Require Diversity Training for current
employees.
Include Diversity Training for new employees.
● New Head of HR wants to work with IDEA
● Education and Training; Equity, inclusion

25. What do we want to
do?
Get Used to Speaking Up!
Ask for more clarification: “Could you say more about what you mean by that?” “How have
you come to think that?”
Separate intent from impact: “I know you didn’t realize this, but when you __________
(comment/behavior), it was hurtful/offensive because___________. Instead you
could___________ (different language or behavior.)”
Share your own process: “I noticed that you ___________ (comment/behavior). I used to
do/say that too, but then I learned____________.” NYT How to Respond

26. What are we
doing right
now?
Education and
awareness.
Democratization
Accessibility

27. What do we want to
do?
Gender Inclusive bathrooms
● Current bathroom locations: https://maps.umd.edu/map/
● Main library on campus: survey as the most requested location for
inclusive bathrooms.
● We have one. For 7 Floors.

28. Gender inclusive bathrooms

29. What
are we
doing
right
now?
Building and Sharing Resources
http://lib.guides.umd.edu/IDEA/read_and_learn
● Research resources
● Read and Learn resources
○ Brown bag discussion groups
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, Accessibility

30. What do we want to do?
Enhanced Outreach, Employee relations, Training, Library
Usability, Collections work
● Exhibits using Libraries Special Collections
● Nonbiased catalog language
● Discussion groups around selected readings
● Promote accessible meeting protocols

31. How do
we make
policies
work on
the
personal
level?
● Admit our privilege.
○ Use your privilege for good.
● Be Actively Anti-Racist.
● Treat everyone with
kindness.
○ Acknowledge people’s existence

32. Thank you. Thank you to Kelly Bouma and Sasha Kahn,
who did so much research on college and
university library diversity statements.
Thank you to my IDEA co-chair Tahirah
Akbar-Williams who shares with me so I can
sit with her experiences.
Thank you for sharing your time.

33. Resources
Websites
University of Maryland Office of Diversity and Inclusion Diversity Officers
University of Maryland Advance Office ADVANCE |
Piscataway Conoy Tribe Website Welcome to the Piscataway Conoy Tribe Website
Article about the Black History Month Read-a-thon Reading and Righting
Social Justice and Museum Resource List SOCIAL JUSTICE & MUSEUMS RESOURCE LIST
Cornell University Libraries Diversity Libguide https://guides.library.cornell.edu/diversity_resources
How to create accessible content https://accessibility.princeton.edu/how/create-accessible-content

34. Resources
Articles
When you walk into the valley - John Metta Doing the Work
Maintaining Professionalism in the age of black death Black Professionals Are Going Through A Lot
How to Respond to Microaggressions https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/smarter-living/how-to-respond-to-
microaggressions.html#click=https://t.co/Kph9U3lKRn
The Dance We Do, by Natisha Harper https://arlisdivcom.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/the-dance-we-do/
Maya Angelou reads “A brave and Startling Truth” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjEfq7wLm7M
“The Brown Menace” by Audre Lorde https://verse.press/poem/the-brown-menace-or-poem-to-the-survival-of-
5424364597480360256

35. Promoting Diversity through
Student-Driven Projects
Meghan Rubenstein
Curator of Visual Resources
Colorado College
VRA Webinar
June 12, 2020
Incorporating diversity in our workplace:
All are welcome, but how do we get there?

36. BLACK
LIVES
MATTER

37. Visual Resources Center, Colorado College
VRC History
● Collection, patrons,
employees
Hiring Practices
● Recruitment and retention
Student Projects
● Collaborative curation of
the digital collection
Overview

38. Native American Modern and Contemporary Art
● Actively increase presence of 20th and 21st century Native artists in the
digital collection.
Protecting Traditional Knowledge
● Create policies that allow us to restrict access to cultural property in our
digital and slide collections.
Decolonizing the Archive
● Actively increase presence of artists who identify as women, black,
indigenous, and people of color in the digital collection.
Queering the Archive
● Actively increase presence of artists who identify as queer in the digital
collection.
Student-Driven Collection Development

39. VRC History
Visual Resources Center (under renovation)
Colorado College, Summer 2018

40. VRC History
VRC renovation
Summer 2018

41. ● Post open positions on a campus-wide jobs board and encourage
referrals.
● Give preference to students on financial aid and do not hire lower need
students until Block 2.
● During the interview process, ask potential hires to identify what
professional skills they need or want. Encourage them to brainstorm
how they can contribute to our mission.
● Leverage VRC renovation to attract more diverse user base, which
raises the visibility of our center and our work.
Hiring Practices

42. Alyssa and Andrej
Summer 2017
Student Colleagues

43. George Littlechild
Too Ethnic Looking #1
2001
Jeffrey Gibson
Birds of a Feather
2017
Native American Modern and Contemporary Art
T.C. Cannon
On Drinkin’ Beer in
Vietnam in 1967
1971

44. ● What should we do with slides in our collection that contain tangible
and intangible cultural property?
● How do we control what we accession into our digital collection?
● What rights are protected for surrogates?
● How do we learn about other intellectual property concerns outside
the Native American community?
Protecting Traditional Knowledge

45. Decolonizing the Archive
Jabu Ndlovu
Mildred Howard
I’ve Been a Witness
to this Game IX
2016
Lorna Simpson
Waterbearer
1986
Mickalene Thomas
Can’t We Just Sit
Down and Talk it
Over?
2006

46. Queering the Archive
Mae Eskenazi
Ren Hang
Untitled
2013-14
Amos Mac and
Juliana Huxtable
Rest
2013
Kike Arnal
Emmanuel Valentino
2016

47. Summary
● The VRC still supports academic
classes but most of our collection
development is student-driven and
forward thinking.
● Student investment in our mission
has led to productive collaborations
and greater diversity represented in
our workforce and our workplace.
● We recognize the power of the
archive and our own roles and
responsibilities.
Colorado College VRC

48. Final Questions
Mariel Belanger
Illegal: Let Us Live
performance stills from 2018
● How should we move forward?
● It is possible to initiate projects like
these if you are unsupported by your
institution?

49. Meghan Rubenstein
mrubenstein@coloradocollege.edu
A huge thank you to all the students who have worked
with me in the VRC and my colleagues at Colorado College
who support us.
Alyssa, Mae, Jabu, Tyrien, Sam, Chris, Andrej, Heidi, Kat,
Robin, Cate, Wayan, Olivia, Sabrina, Willa, Hannah, Abby,
Anna, Walker, Amelia, & Marta.

50. Q&A
Heidi Raatz — hraatz@artsmia.org
Cindy Frank — cfrank@umd.edu
Meghan Rubenstein —
mrubenstein@coloradocollege.edu