October 2020 Update: Institutional Commitments
Earlier this year, SFMOMA committed to several actions as part of our DEI journey, and to sharing our progress regularly. Here is the first of what will be many updates as we move forward to address longstanding inequities, examine our biases, and challenge how we’ve been operating. We welcome your thoughts and helpful feedback at news@sfmoma.org.
The following action items were proposed by SFMOMA leadership in July 2020.
Action Item
Status
Progress and Notes
Kenyatta Parker, director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging started Sept 9, 2020.
Annie Jizmagian, director of Employee Experience and Internal Communication started Sept 14, 2020.
Over the summer we worked with an external employee relations legal team to review past employee complaints. We are pleased to report that we have closed all pending matters and are implementing several corrective measures to help prevent and promptly resolve staff concerns.
These measures include a workplace conduct investigations policy and resolution process, as well as expanded confidential reporting options, and in-depth training for supervisors and staff. We will continue to take all steps necessary to ensure a safe, compliant, and inclusive workplace for our staff.
SFMOMA will provide tools and training to prevent and resolve issues, while providing safe avenues for employees to report concerns. Rodimiro Coronado, recently hired as director of HR and People Operations, brings 12 years of labor and employee relations expertise to lead these efforts.
All staff completed five sessions facilitated by Dr. Darlene Hall:
- Power and Privilege 101
- The Psychology of Privilege
- Conflict and Communication
- Sociocultural and Privilege Dynamics in Communication
- Closing out the Diversity Action Framework
Unconscious Bias Training launched for all staff on September 25, 2020 and will be completed by November 20, 2020.
Additional training is likely to be developed with SFMOMA’s internal DEI Project Team.
A revised Exhibition Development Process was first proposed in May 2019. After incorporating feedback and improvements, the new Exhibition Development Process was rolled out October 5, 2020, with the goal of increasing collaboration, transparency, and staff input, and reducing embedded biases.
Our two summer interns in the Department of Painting and Sculpture concluded their remote internships August 27, 2020.
The team hopes to continue this partnership in Summer 2021.
All staff restrooms (multi and single occupancy) on levels LL, 8, 9, and 10 are now all-gender restrooms and have new signage.
In the public spaces in the museum, the single and family restrooms on the main floor and Floors 2, 3, and 4 are now all-gender, and have new signage.
Additional restrooms modifications are being scoped for a possible phase three.
The following items, also proposed in July 2020, require more discussion and staff conversation before effective measurable strategies can be created.
Action Item
Status
Progress and Notes
Data for the FY20 dashboard which includes staff, trustee, and artist racial and gender breakdown is being collected, with a goal of sharing the dashboard with staff by year-end. We are exploring how this information will be shown on SFMOMA.org, and how frequently it can be updated.
The Curatorial staff is continuing the work of expanding narratives within our collection displays, with a particular emphasis on amplifying Black voices. Newly installed works include historic examples by Black American artists from the Joyner/Giuffrida gift to SFMOMA, as well as other recent acquisitions.
The museum will launch a search for new curatorial staff this fall.