Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The DMA celebrates diversity, fosters equity, and supports inclusion. The diverse voices of our visitors, volunteers, trustees, staff, and communities make us stronger, and we are focused on key EDI goals throughout the organization.

Society’s historical legacies and systemic barriers have created disparities in the communities we serve. Knowing this, we strive to expand and enhance arts opportunities for all.

Many factors—including but not limited to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetics, economic backgrounds, and experiences—make individuals and groups unique. Our goal is to ensure visitors, volunteers, trustees, staff, and collections reflect this diversity.

We commit to listening to and learning from diverse voices and perspectives. We create a vibrant and accessible social space that encourages dialogue and the exchange of ideas through arts and culture.

The DMA has worked to produce a strategic plan that will shape the organization and its activities through 2025. We will be guided by the following ideas:

We pursue art at the center, equity at the core; these dual ideas are supported by a strong, flexible, and fluid institutional backbone and manifested in a constellation of physical and digital spaces.

We focus locally, building relationships with an ever-growing group of constituents who increasingly reflect the multiplicity of communities in the DFW Metroplex, and we believe our approach will resonate globally.

Until the final plan is complete, the DMA is committed to reviewing these goals annually and updating them as necessary or desired. 

We commit to the following goals for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion:

1. Hire 10% more black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals in professional and leadership roles by 2025.
2. Support a staff-led EDI Committee to provide equitable and inclusive change recommendations to policies, processes, and procedures.
3. Facilitate an annual EDI training series for staff, including at least two sessions per year. 
4. Commit to BIPOC Board diversity of more than 30% by 2025. 
5. Implement annual Board training around EDI practices.
6. Build a Board of Trustees that is increasingly representative of the geographies, group identities, skills, and perspectives of the communities we serve.

Below are self-reported staff and Board demographics collected since 2016. This data allows the DMA to review our progress year-over-year, in line with the Museum’s five-year strategic plan. We are encouraged by the progress that has been made in diversifying our Board and staff but recognize the need for ongoing improvement. The Museum is committed to increasing BIPOC staff diversity in professional and leadership roles by 10% by 2025.

Since 2020, the Museum has implemented several internal processes to further our efforts in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. These include mandatory diversity and inclusion training, racial equity training, pay transparency, diversification of job posting sites, a robust onboarding program paired with a tenured onboarding partner, and professional development opportunities for all employees, among other initiatives. A selection of these milestones is highlighted below and will continue to be updated as more progress is made.

We acknowledge this is an ongoing effort and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where a diverse group of voices are represented and heard.