DEAI at the Phillips
The Phillips Collection is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
The Phillips Collections has been a pioneer in addressing Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion in museum spaces.
In the 1930s and 40s, in a segregated Washington, Duncan Phillips forged critical relationships with the Howard University Gallery of Art and the Barnett Aden Gallery to advance the contributions of living artists and acceptance of diverse ideas. This mindset of working within the community and advancing DEAI principles has progressed exponentially over the past decade as evidenced by the timeline below.
Diversity Intergroup Dialogue Series (DIDS)
DIDS (Diversity Intergroup Dialogue Series) was created in 2022 building on the work of The Phillips Collection’s 10-week anti-racism series in 2021. The series has evolved to create an immersive experience in diverse and cultural perspectives that lead to inclusive practices, create a shared language among all staff, offer an opportunity to have open and honest dialogues in a facilitated way that will both support and challenge, and establish a diversity education program for other museums to replicate.
Unpacking Power, Privilege, and Difference
Objectives
- Understand privilege and systems of power in the workplace
- The different types of oppression
LGBTQIA+: Education & Awareness
It is important that co-workers become aware of conditions in the workplace that may negatively affect colleagues that identify as LGBTQI+. We will explore allyship and what LGBTQI+ safe spaces look like.
Objectives
- Understand stages of the coming out process
- Learn to identify proactive language to dissuade potential harmful/hurtful comments
- Develop tools to empower colleagues with allyship
From Baby Boomers to Gen Z: Creating an Intergenerational Environment at the Phillips
Objectives
- Learn how the generations are defined
- Gain insight into work ethics commonly associated per generation
- Explore best practices in working across generations
Best Practices for Working Intergenerationally at the Phillips
As a follow up to the last DIDS session, we will delve further into establishing best practices when working across generations. More specifically, participants well engage in active roleplaying and discuss important issues regarding personal beliefs, generational expectations, and work ethics.
By the Numbers: Board of Trustee Demographics
Survey taken September 2023
