A Conference Oasis: The Museums & Race Lounge

American Alliance of Museums Annual Conference
Phoenix, AZ

As part of the Museums and Race Steering Committee, oversaw the creation of the Museums and Race Transformation and Justice Lounge for the American Alliance of Museums' Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ.  Envisioned as a purposefully-designed space to support dialog around issues of inclusion and representation in the industry, encourage reflection on personal museum practice, and create space for weary conference attendees to recharge and reconnect with one another.  The lounge included a large welcome sign reminding visitors of the native lands on which the lounge stood, two participatory art projects hosted by local indigenous artists, dialog tables hosted by museum colleagues doing this work in their institutions, and a set of relaxation pods for attendees to grab a few minutes to recharge.