The New York Metropolitan is working to become more anti-racist. Here's how

The Metropolitan Museum in New York, following continued pressure from within to demand institution-wide changes regarding racist discrimination, has decided to share thirteen pledges for a more inclusive museum. Among the resolutions is to establish a fund with an endowment of three to five million dollars to support initiatives, exhibitions and acquisitions to tell the “stories” of art. The idea is to initiate programs that can be as inclusive as possible and tell different points of view. Not only that: the museum’s commitment also concerns staff (diversity will be taken into account in hiring policies, and there will be targeted courses on anti-racism) and a ten-million-dollar acquisition plan to enrich the museum with works by black or Native artists. And again, a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) will also be hired in the next four months who will be responsible for interacting with the CEO on diversity issues (his or her office will have the staff, budget, and resources necessary for its activities).

That’s not all: the museum will ensure respect for the contextualization of narratives around works in the permanent collection, research on artists of color will be supported, there will be partnerships with artists and scholars as well as collaborations with cultural leaders, curators, and scholars to redefine the way the Met presents African art, oceanic art, and art from the Americas. Other activities, however, will be conducted on digital, and plans also include the goal of increasing the representation of Black and Native communities on the Board of Trustees. Finally, the Met will take stock annually to see how far it is progressing down the road of anti-racism.

“The past few weeks,” said Met President Daniel Weiss and Director Max Hollein in a post on the museum’s blog detailing the plan, “have raised attention to the long-standing issues of racism in the United States and around the world. Our governments, our policies, our systems and our institutions have helped perpetuate racism and injustice, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art must reflect on its past and aspire to be an agent of change. We have learned so much in these weeks and had many important discussions. We all recognize that progress on these difficult issues is lagging far behind, and we now have an opportunity to accelerate our work to achieve genuine and lasting change. Today, we share a set of commitments as next steps to create a more open, welcoming and equitable institution. We recognize, however, that substantive change will require understanding our past and accepting the importance of seeking truth as a necessary part of the learning and reconciliation process.”

“As leaders of the Met,” Weiss and Hollein conclude, “we are responsible for the well-being of our community, and for the fulfillment of these commitments. Our efforts, and this list, will not change the museum overnight, but will ensure that the Met moves forward along the road to greater fairness, greater opportunity, and service to the public and to all.”

The New York Metropolitan is working to become more anti-racist. Here's how

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.