A former staff member has made accusations against The San Diego Museum of Art regarding safe working conditions at special events and the treatment of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) on staff. This individual has started a petition to boycott SDMA.
We were very saddened to learn that a staff member experienced harm in any way. The safety of all staff members is of paramount importance; quarterly training and protocol for the events team are in place and enforced at all levels. We take all allegations of harassment very seriously and are hiring a third-party group to fully investigate these claims further.
The Museum is persistent in its focus on inclusive stories and experiences that add global dimension and provoke thoughtful dialogue. We believe in a continuing process of improvement and are committed to implementing the latest program developments on the area of diversity, equity and inclusion practices that uplift staff members and amplify voices in our community. The Museum is in the process of hiring outside consultants to ensure our commitment to upholding the tenets of equality and the standards of ethical consciousness. We have also been working with staff to develop institutional commitments to diversity and engage in IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility) training.
We are here to listen to our staff and our community. Please contact us at news@sdmart.org.
– Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director
Identifying Harassment
Safety Reminders for Special Events
Related: From the President of the Board
