Supporting Equity, Supporting Workers: Organizational Support for Museum Equity Workers

Authors:

• Elizabeth Meister, Museology Graduate Program
• Chair: Meena Selvakumar
• Ines Jurcevic
• Jennelyn Tumalad

Abstract:

The work to create a more equitable future requires many forms of labor, including emotional labor. In museums, the emotional labor associated with racial equity work compounds on the emotional labor for other work tasks. Marginalized communities, often Black and/or Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) experience added dimensions of emotional labor while doing racial equity work. While there is an increased effort within museums towards racial equity, little is known about the individual coping strategies and organizational supports to mitigate this labor. The purpose of this phenomenological research study is to understand the nature of organizational support offered by museums for staff who coordinate racial equity initiatives within the organization. Qualitative data was collected from five interviewees from three art museums who led racial equity work. The initial results indicate workers have their own coping tools to address emotional labor. Though there are institutional policies addressing this work, institutional practices, such as meaningful positive relationships with coworkers and supervisors are more efficacious. Participants indicated other relational opportunities, such as professional networks and mentorship create intra-field support. Participants indicated the relationships between white supremacy culture and capitalism within the museum field that was designed to inhibit healthy emotional labor practice. These findings have implications in the museum field through better understanding and supporting professional networks that focus on equity workers. In research, these findings relate emotional labor to the intersections of identity and purpose driven labor. Additionally, the research touches on the intersections of combating white supremacy culture, capitalism, and emotional labor in museums.