En comunidad: understanding barriers faced by Latino/a/x museum professionals as they navigate their careers

Authors:

• Melayna Cabrera, Master of Arts in Museology
• Chair: Jessica Luke
• Pamela Maldonado
• Sara Gonzalez

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Abstract:

The purpose of this research study was to understand the experiences and barriers faced by Latino/a/x Museum professionals. The study was framed by two research questions: How have Latino/a/x in museum careers navigated barriers in their career paths? How has lack of representation of Latino/a/x in museums impacted Latino/a/x professionals in their career paths? This study used a phenomenological design to identify similarities in personal experiences faced by 10 Latino/a/x museum professionals in their careers through semi-structured interviews. All participants identified financial hardships or stressors as one of their core barriers to a career in the museum field. Their explanations for how they navigated financial barriers revealed themes including, making tough choices about where to go to college, and accepting limited options for professional development. Additionally, the ability to find community in unfamiliar settings, especially those that are so deeply colonial, proved to be a hardship faced by marginalized groups in professional work settings. This feeling was shared by each of the research participants, in both the context of staff connections or experiences and how institutions interact with their visitors who might be part of marginalized communities as well. This article contributes to research on Latino/a/x in the museum field and specifically their experiences in how this historically colonial institution has impacted Latino/a/x that have chosen to pursue this career.