Advocating for a New Position
Two years ago the RISD Museum published its Anti-Racist Action Plan. Seeing a need for a full-time role focused on anti-racist work, I advocated for changes to my job description and was ultimately promoted to a newly created position: Social Equity and inclusion (SEI) Program Specialist. How did I do it?
The process was not simple. These 3 factors had to be in alignment to make this new position possible:
Identifying a need I already proved I could fulfill.
I was doing equity and inclusion work voluntarily and naturally in my previous role. Focusing on SEI was a natural next step.I had the support of my supervisor.
Support. That’s it. Unwavering full support for me to grow and contribute meaningfully to my institution.Being brave enough to reach out to folks doing work I wanted to do.
Shout out to my colleagues at The Incluseum for putting me in touch with Priya Frank who so graciously shared her journey to a new position at her institution. Priya is also the co-editor of From Small Wins!
Below is an excerpt elaborating on the steps I took from the recently published book, From Small Wins to Sweeping Change: Working Together to Foster Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism in Museums. See chapter 11, “Holding Ourselves Accountable to Anti-Racist Work at the RISD Museum” co-authored with my colleagues Lily Benedict and MJ Robinson.
“In June of 2020, I was thinking about my future at the museum and what I wanted to contribute. With all the uproar in museums and calls for accountability in their responses to the Black Lives Matter protests, I asked myself: what could my career trajectory look like as a Black woman in a predominately white institution? I knew I wanted a path to a position that involved shaping our organization and being a part of decision making. I attended all the meetings where we solidified our Anti-Racist Action Plan. As questions and concerns were posed about who would shoulder some of these new responsibilities, I began to see a need that I could fulfill.
That summer, I also represented the museum on several panels, sharing our All-Staff Dialogues program as a model for other institutions to begin the internal work of confronting systemic racism and shifting work culture. I quickly realized that my previous role no longer aligned with the work I was doing and wanted to continue developing. Subsequently, I met with a colleague in Human Resources at RISD. I discussed my aspirations and they guided me on what to do next. I then explored other museum SEI position descriptions and spoke to colleagues at other museums with similar roles. When I brought a proposal for a role I could see myself in to my supervisor, interim director Sarah Ganz Blythe, she was excited and supportive. Sarah recognized that this was a “stretching moment, a moment of
growth.” As a leader, she took responsibility for removing procedural and financial obstacles “to let that growth happen.”
I could imagine my future at the museum just like our anti-racist work imagines the future of the museum. That was poignant for me. A few drafts of my current job description took shape, the new role made its way through the Position Review Committee (to solidify a title and equitable compensation), and after three months my promotion to museum social equity and inclusion (SEI) program specialist was finalized and announced to staff.”
If you’re ready for a new position, feel free to comment below or send me a message with questions. I’m here to help!
