July 27, 2020
To the New Orleans Museum of Art Board of Trustees:
On June 24, #DismantleNOMA published an open letter synthesizing and documenting the toxic work environment and rampant racism and homophobia perpetuated by museum leadership. We decided to do so because of the despicable and insulting way in which the museum chose to communicate its solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter in the wake of sanctioned police terrorism and murder in Black communities across the United States. Rather than addressing racism and violence as problems “out there,” as ex-employees of NOMA, we wanted to draw attention to the many ways in which racism and violence are present and (un)accounted for inside the museum's own curated spaces.
As stewards of the institution’s mission and collections, and as the highest governing body of NOMA, you have the power to make systemic change that will affect the lives of both museum staff and visitors; you have the power to transform the culture of the institution from one of exclusion and exploitation to one of inclusion and innovation. We write to you today because we envision a museum that is a cultural convener for communities in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf South; we envision a museum that uplifts and supports local artists and entrepreneurs, scholars and learners, groups and collectives by sharing resources, power and time. We envision a museum where all feel welcome and are treated as valued members of the community. We know that as leaders in the arts and culture space, you too have extraordinary vision for the future of the New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as for the creative communities thriving in and around the city (and region). We are writing in the hopes that we can join together to do the much-needed work of bringing questions of justice and equity to the forefront as we move towards a more beautiful future for us all.
It is critical now that you acknowledge the need for and participate in an examination of the museum’s operations, management, hiring practices, exhibitions and collections acquisition strategies. The Board was presented with a clear strategic roadmap back in 2016. What systems and structures have been either removed or put in place to make room for concrete change since that time? Are the Board members who were excited by that presentation still excited to do the necessary hard work of earning the trust of potential staff and visitors of color? Are the Board members who were excited by that presentation even still on the Board?
One clear sign of toxicity and dysfunction is the high turnover rate for Board members as well as staff. For more than a decade NOMA workers have been condemning and documenting discrimination towards staff on the basis of race, gender presentation and sexuality. The only consequence for these crimes has been retaliatory aggression and stigmatization. These collective voices have never been given the opportunity to address the Board of Trustees, who we believe are denied access to the realities of the museum’s daily operations by the leadership team who perpetrates and enables this harm. Museum staff who have attempted to offer guidance to the museum’s leadership on issues of racism and discrimination are rebuffed, threatened or forced to leave. This pattern reinforces NOMA leadership’s abusive power dynamic maintaining a toxic and dysfunctional working environment. But high turnover doesn’t just negatively influence the internal operations of the museum. It also negatively influences the museum’s reputation externally as word travels throughout countless personal and professional networks. NOMA can say that it wants to hire more racially diverse staff, but until the environment is one where professionals of color, gender nonconforming professionals and others can thrive and do their best work, the museum will continue to be plagued with negative public perception and high turnover.
We don’t have to tell you that diversity enhances creativity. It encourages the search for novel information and perspectives, leading to better decision making and problem solving. Diversity can improve the bottom line of companies and lead to unfettered discoveries and breakthrough innovations. Imagine all of that talent, leadership and expertise put to the service of carrying out NOMA’s mission!
Towards that end, we invite you to sit down with us to discuss the path forward. Enclosed you will find our original open letter (link & PDF), which includes our list of demands. Please read the letter and familiarize yourself with our demands -- actionable steps that the museum must take in order to earn the public trust it so desperately needs to fulfill its mission and strategic goals. #DismantleNOMA will put together an agenda to make sure that expectations are clear and everyone’s time is honored and respected. We will propose an agenda and a professional facilitator prior to the meeting so that you will have adequate time to prepare for what will be a fruitful and action-oriented conversation.
We ask the Board to recognize the urgency of this letter, and we request a response within one week from receipt by Tuesday, August 4.
DismantleNOMA Team
July 31, 2020
Dear DismantleNOMA,
NOMA is hard at work developing initiatives that will allow our Agenda for Change to be supported for many years to come. The Board of Trustees of the New Orleans Museum of Art fully supports NOMA’s leadership and staff as they continue the joint work on advancing social justice and racial equity at NOMA, some of which began last winter just before the COVID outbreak. We join them in recognizing the issues facing us as a cultural organization and we embrace the responsibility to do our part to address them. We are united in the commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion throughout this institution, and we are partners in an ongoing process, facilitated by independent experts, that will help NOMA grow and flourish in our beloved city.
While your concern is appreciated, we must have the time to develop and implement our meaningful plans. Therefore, in response to your recent email, we respectfully decline your invitation to meet. Our progress will be posted periodically on our web site. I, along with our entire board, have every confidence in NOMA leadership and staff for the work they are doing.
Sincerely yours,
Janice Parmelee
NOMA Board President