Our Anti-Racism Journey

Lori Fogarty, Director and CEO, introduces the Museum's ongoing journey to becoming a more equitable, anti-racist institution -- the history of this work, current efforts underway, and OMCA's vision for a more equitable future. Additional pages trace specific initiatives that support OMCA's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access, including a statement from the Museum's Board of Trustees and links to relevant articles, presentations, and resources related to OMCA's ongoing efforts in equity and anti-racism. We invite our community to stay in touch as this journey continues.

A Message From OMCA

OMCA stands against all forms of hate and racism and joins in solidarity with all BIPOC communities impacted by racial injustice and violence. Our country and our local community have seen a tragic increase in violence based on racism, xenophobia, and Sinophobia. At OMCA we affirm that our cultural and civic spaces are for fostering safety and belonging within our museum, garden, and gathering place.

We do not tolerate racist behavior in any forms. If you witness or experience any harmful behaviors while on our campus, please call Security at (510) 318-8560 for assistance. Let us hold each other accountable and speak up when we see discrimination.

Commitment From Our Board

We continue to aspire to serve as “the Museum of the People,” and our vision will require us to confront and counter the structural racism in our communities starting within our four walls.

The Board is greatly inspired by, and stands in deep appreciation of, the organization-wide efforts to formulate Anti-Racism Design Teams (ADT) led by OMCA employees in the summer and fall of 2020, who have collaboratively defined many opportunities for transformation within our organization.

The Board holds social impact as a core pillar of our long-term goals supported through our role to ensure the financial sustainability of the Museum. We envision a museum where all employees can continue to thrive and grow – to better serve our Bay Area communities for generations to come.

We are deeply committed to advancing the following:

● Defining what an anti-racist organization looks like and what outcomes will measure our progress
● Develop as individual trustees and as a collective Board in learning how to recognize and eradicate structural racism
● Ensure more inclusive and diverse representation in our Board composition
● Driving more inclusive and accessible processes in the operations of our Board committees for our broader employee and community stakeholder groups
● Support the strategic and transformational work of becoming an anti-racist museum

By driving this transformation of OMCA into an anti-racist organization, we can better serve our stakeholders – our communities, our supporters, and our employees. We can in turn serve as a model for other cultural institutions on how to overcome structural racism and further advance our collective journey towards a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible world.