What direction should the MIC take?

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with Ruth Ann Rugg, the new director of the Texas Association of Museums (TAM). Ruth Ann set up the meeting so that she could get a better grasp of the MIC's purpose and goals. She also wanted to find out how else TAM could support the MIC. We discussed the origins of the MIC, which go back to the 1990s, when a group of TAM members wrote the Action Plan. Then I told Ruth Ann that ten years later, TAM wanted to review if anything had changed in those ten years. After an unofficial survey and talking to other museum professionals, we came to the conclusion that sadly, museums still lacked diversity in their staff, boards, exhibits, interpretations and audience. Many of the issues remained relevant ten years later. That is why in 2005, the MIC became an official affinity group.

Ruth Ann asked some interesting questions that I want to share with you: What is our role within the museum community? How can we keep on being relevant in the ever changing role of museums? Is the name "multicultural" really what we are about, or do we really mean diversity?

Those of us who have worked in this committee know that we don't want to be viewed as a group of and for ethnic minorities alone. Our role is much, much larger than that. But how do we get that message across? And how do we get all museums involved? Because really, this topic impacts every single museum and staff person.

Please feel free to share your comments. This is a good time to reflect on where the MIC has been and where we need to go.

Expanding Informal Science for Latinos

Please excuse this cross-posting from Museum-Ed:

EXPANDING INFORMAL SCIENCE FOR LATINOS

NEW DATES: March 26-29, 2009

Acceso Hispano/Self-Reliance Foundation is organizing a conference that has the overarching goal of laying the groundwork for the development of strategic partnerships for involving Latino audiences in informal science learning, led by informal science institutions nationwide. The conference, originally scheduled for 2008, will be held in Albuquerque, NM, March 26-29, 2009. (Funding for the conference has been formally awarded by the National Science Foundation.)

The conference will bring 100+ representatives from informal science institutions and science research organizations together with Hispanic organizations, media, and educational projects to review current ISE resources, identify needs and gaps, learn about best practices in designing culturally effective programs and resources, and develop new strategies and resources to enrich the informal science learning environment for Latinos.

Conference sessions will include presentations by ISE researchers and program evaluators, experienced program developers, and Hispanic media and marketing experts, which will provide a solid foundation for planning workshops focused around strategic issues identified by conference participants. The conference will include: (1) an interactive blog preceding the conference that will begin discussions on conference issues; (2) Print resource materials distributed at the conference, which will include abstracts of research presented, descriptions of model programs, a directory and contact information for conference presenters and participants, and other useful resources; (3) a status report from the conference including conference proceedings, recommendations, and action plans; and (4) Web-based information and resources, presented in a wiki that will enable the resource base to grow. The conference builds on project partnerships Acceso Hispano has developed through its NSF-funded Celebra la Ciencia and ConCiencia/Hispanic Science Newswire projects, as well as the strong interest of additional organizations contacted about the conference.

Further information, including scholarship applications, can be found at:

celebralaciencia.org. Registration will be available soon.

My apologies for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduling. Please contact me directly if you need any additional information.

Robert L. Russell, Ph.D.
Science Advisor, Self-Reliance Foundation
Project Director, Celebra la Ciencia & ConCiencia/Hispanic Science Newswire
(202) 360-4117 (office) (202) 997-5539 (cell)
bob.russell@srfdc.org

www.celebralaciencia.org
www.selfreliancefoundation.org

1126 16th St. NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036

Please Support our Efforts

To become a member of the MIC, please fill out the membership form above and return it to our treasurer with your $10 dues. You can download the form by clicking on the Scribd button on the top, left. Your contribution will directly impact future workshops, sessions, and other programs and resources that the MIC provides. Our hope is to sponsor a workshop at the 2010 Texas Association of Museums annual meeting. In addition, your dues will enable the MIC to sponsor some dynamic speakers in the future. If you have other ideas of how you would like to see your dues spent for the good of the museum community and they public the serve, please feel free to leave your comments here.

Two Nations, Two Museums, One Goal...

This is a perfect example of how museums can bring about education, understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures. Way to go El Paso Museum of Art and Museo de Arte Ciudad Juarez!


Art Binational -2008- Binacional de Arte the first binational juried exhibition:

"The purpose of this juried exhibition is to bring together artists and their art from a defined circular region along the US – Mexico Border with El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua in the center, Tucson, Arizona in the west, Santa Fe, New Mexico in the north, Midland/Odessa, Texas in the east, and Chihuahua City in the south. The museums want to examine what ideas, styles, and themes are being shared, and to identify if there is, indeed, a unique style emerging from this area."

Texas Historical Commission to Address Gaps in State History

This is a great opportunity to bring long overdue attention to the largely untold history of some of the minority communities of our state.

Over the next several weeks, the Texas Historical Commission will accept nominations for qualified topics for the historic marker application fund. Through this fund, the THC can address under told or untold aspect of Texas history by

· Paying for a marker for an underrepresented topic which meets documentation requirements, when financial assistance is not available
· Sharing the cost of a marker with County Historical Commission or other interested party
· Conducting a site visit to research and document a qualified historic property or topic
· Hiring a professional historian to complete local research for one site or a thematic study

This program is meant to address gaps in the interpretation of Texas history!

If you have any suggestions for a place that deserves a state marker, please email Bob Brinkman with the information you have. The more documentation on the site that you can provide, the better. If you would like to discuss this program before you email the THC, please feel free to email me.

Museum Exhibit Explores Race

I encourage everybody to visit the Science Museum of Minnesota's exhibit entitled, "Race: Are We So Different." It is a bold exhibit that tackles the concept of race. As their site explains, the exhibit explores three themes: the everyday experience of race, the contemporary science that is challenging common ideas about race, and the history of this idea in the United States. The website contains information for educators and families. The University of Washington's Museology Program recently announced that this exhibit is the winner of its first Transforming Museums Award. After looking at the exhibit's website, it is easy to see why they deserve this award.

Multicultural Diversity 101: Train the Trainer Course

Here is a couse that may be of interest to some:

May 28-30, 2008
In 2.5 days, learn to lead and facilitate the 8-hour course, "Multicultural Diversity 101"
Attendees may qualify to be certified instructors of MCD 101.
Certified graduates are authorized to deliver MCD 101 in their organizations.

Multicultural Diversity 101 was designed by intercultural specialists.

Who should attend?

• Organizations needing internal diversity resource people.
• Organizations needing to update or upgrade diversity training.
• People who need to learn the foundations of diversity.
• People who want to improve their job skills and market opportunities.
• Customized for Diversity issues in North Texas.

Benefits:

• Cost-effective, internal diversity trainers and materials.


• Learn "how to" cultural competencies; move beyond awareness & political correctness.


• Course can be delivered in segments.


• MCD 101 has been used by leading companies.

Produced by Cross Culture Communications' highly qualified faculty, who have taught cross-cultural and diversity foundations since 1994.

To Register, call 214-827-8632 or email us. Location TBA. Some qualifications necessary.

Cost: $1,000 per person corporate; $500 for non-profits.

Group rates available subject to successful completion of the course, certification allows trainer to facilitate MCD 101 internally. Participant materials are licensed and cost $50 per person. Volume discounts available.