Each year, AAM invites a group of passionate museum professionals who are active and skilled on social media to attend the Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo as Social Media Journalists. Like any other attendees, they follow their curiosity into sessions and excursions around the host city, but all the while they put their typing fingers to work, sharing what they discover online. If you missed #AAM2019 in New Orleans (and maybe you’re considering joining us in San Francisco for #AAM2020…) have a look at the experience as seen through their eyes.
Welcome to New Orleans, @AAMers! #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/1MMoqO05wW
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 18, 2019
Skip over related stories to continue reading articleSuper enjoying spending time at the @SouthernFood museum to learn the history & social context of all the foods I’m going to eat this week ? #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ @AAMers
— Carissa Pfeiffer (@carissapffffft) May 18, 2019
The most popular advice I’ve had for New Orleans, eat beignets. Mais oui! #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/ZhCQhF3Hz5
— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 19, 2019
A lamp, a necklace, a booklet and a catalogue. These are some of the objects from around the world that are being shared this morning at the Getty fellows meeting #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/BD2dPwmHyO
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 19, 2019
Object story from Argentina by Gabriella: an inverted map, where the South is the North and viceversa. Because it’s important to look at things differently #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/SCUBoi3r6t
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 19, 2019
Just about to get started with the Speed Networking Event! #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/3wz59pSiCD
— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 19, 2019
Favorite story during speed networking, Museum staff member is the only architect in the building, but there’s a fellow architect in a painting that I feel like she’s my colleague too that I relate to. . . #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 19, 2019
Speed-networking was a blast. Met folks from Mongolia to NOLA in the space of 30min. @AAMers you could do your own version by drinking 2 cups of Coffee on Monday and running around making it rain business cards. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/nUzravPwrn
— J Bryant (@1Facilitateher) May 19, 2019
Pamela Nanét is a museum studies grad student in Chicago & Art director of Itotia Mexica Xi, a dance company that does indigenous Mexica dance. She’s developed a workshop to bring the history/meaning, performance, & instruction of the dance to youth. (insta: pamnanet) #AAM2019 pic.twitter.com/ms2Kiy4mOx
— Hannah Hethmon is @ #WAM19 (@hannah_rfh) May 20, 2019
This panel is offering insights into how we can decolonize our professional practices.
Step 1: Must do the personal work FIRST. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/DzmIv89K7o
— ravon (@afroxmericana) May 20, 2019
If #AAM2019 were a tune?? Happening right now: AAM Opening Session & Awards at La Nouvelle Ballroom #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/5yduyQwytg
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 20, 2019
Two takeaways from President & Chief Executive Officer @AAMers @LottLaura: 1) Healthy balance sheets for museums are necessary to do our work – no money, no mission; 2) Long-term financial sustainability is everyone’s responsibility #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 20, 2019
“The make up of museums core audiences are stuck in the 1970s.”
We need to change that. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ #RealTalk pic.twitter.com/eHpJDcq4A8
— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 20, 2019
Standing ovation for the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, recipient of the Chair’s Leadership Award, in recognition of their heroic efforts to save Puerto Rican cultural heritage and serve the community following Hurricane Maria. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/FuxJkWvYQD
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 20, 2019
America is struggling with a simple notion: that diversity is a strength, and not a weakness. Mitch Landrieu #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/a5WrdHtclf
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 20, 2019
From diversity comes richness. Museums can help unpack hierarchy and complete and correct narratives. Carol Bebelle #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/f5fuZn4Hx2
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 20, 2019
Some crowd-sourced ideas to make museums more inclusive. The board is at #aam2019 and available all throughout the conference outside room 337. This is just the first day. What are your ideas? What’s worked? #aamsmj pic.twitter.com/BrMYRknB3u
— Helen Yuen (@BaltoChick) May 20, 2019
When it comes to inclusion of transgender communities, the more explicit you can be, the better. Trans communities have traditionally been excluded, even from LGBTQ groups #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 20, 2019
Little techniques/wording that you can use and practice in private before going in public #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/nRAqtq1ol3
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 20, 2019
A dinosaur on the loose at #AAM2019 by @DinosaurZoo #learningalive #interactive #aamsmj pic.twitter.com/cJyiNM2esL
— Helen Yuen (@BaltoChick) May 20, 2019
A performance by Mardi Gras Indians “Guardians of the Flame Maroon Society” at #AAM2019. They wish to pay homage to the mutual struggles of African Americans & ppl of Indian ancestry who strive for freedom in the US: of movement, spiritual practice, foodways & more. #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/EZvOv43SzF
— Helen Yuen (@BaltoChick) May 20, 2019
Your job as a historian is to help people remember not just what they want to remember but also what they need to remember.” Lonnie Bunch, director @NMAAHC and @SitesConscience Ambassador Circle member at the @icomus lunch #AAM2019 #memorytoaction
— Linda Norris (@lindabnorris) May 20, 2019
It’s a beautiful evening for Light up the Night #AAM2019 Opening Party at @NOMA1910, @LouisianaKids, & The New Orleans Botanical Garden. #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/wJh4jRcjMu
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 21, 2019
The opening party of #AAM2019 kicks off @cityparknola @noma1910 in New Orleans style—with a flourish. #AAMSMJ #sparkleshine pic.twitter.com/GOloQ2nEob
— Helen Yuen (@BaltoChick) May 21, 2019
Sensory limitations…
37.8M adults w/hearing trouble (15.4% of adults, but only 0.23% are culturally deaf)
25.5M adults w/ vision trouble “no one closes their eyes to experience your museum, so must design with low-vision in mind” pic.twitter.com/rTIGHg9keE— Saleem ‘werkin @AAM2019’ Hue Penny (@huedotart) May 20, 2019
must engage PRIMARY user/experts. you can’t fully imagine the experience & challenges of the env experienced by physical, sensory, or brain-based functional limitations. Have your experts go through all stages of visitor experience. You get mixture of objective/subjective context pic.twitter.com/KLHzgwqIQY
— Saleem ‘werkin @AAM2019’ Hue Penny (@huedotart) May 20, 2019
I found my people. Thankful for the @MuseumsandRace lounge! #AAM2019 pic.twitter.com/JIVrz5ljnS
— legacy (@_BlackMuses) May 20, 2019
I’d like to wake up with this every day. Excited to start the next day of #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/8izGes4AbY
— Hannah Hethmon is @ #WAM19 (@hannah_rfh) May 21, 2019
Kippen de Alba Chu warns against thinking that we are already enlightened and it is other people who must change. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 21, 2019
…The Citizenship Project is a program which provides free classes to green card holders preparing them for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization exam. It utilizes the diverse collection of @NYHistory to help facilitate learning civics. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— ?? #ITweetMuseums (@ITweetMuseums) May 21, 2019
The beginning of the Black Contemporary Art blog, back when @museummammy says she was only aware of “like ten” black artists #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ @AAMers pic.twitter.com/wh1yKXgc66
— Carissa Pfeiffer (@carissapffffft) May 21, 2019
Talking about diversity without pay equity is not helpful. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/H5IZbtRmNs
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 21, 2019
#AAM2019 keynote @museummammy Shouts out this important speech by @MichelleObama at Dedication of the Whitney Museum of American Art, https://t.co/E80PGJ6E1i via as important influence —if you haven’t, watch!
— Linda Norris (@lindabnorris) May 21, 2019
It is fascinating the way @museummammy has used social media to welcome into physical places IRL – to say, yes, you can go there. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 21, 2019
The most courageous thing any of us can do is to go into spaces where we think we don’t know enough. We have to educated others and let ourselves be educated. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Hannah Hethmon is @ #WAM19 (@hannah_rfh) May 21, 2019
Don’t forget to stop by the poster section of the expo! Great work from by folks like Amber Coleman, pushing forward critical theory and dialogue in museums.
I wish it were a panel ? #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/d3pTCCBRRO
— ravon (@afroxmericana) May 21, 2019
At GWU, they are newly offering more evening classes, reducing internship requirements from 2 to 1, and requiring all MA students to take a new course: Museum Ethics & Values. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— ?? #ITweetMuseums (@ITweetMuseums) May 21, 2019
At UF, 10-15 MA students a year in a large public research university. Now focusing less on an academic specific field (history, anthropology, etc.) and more on “career pathways”: ed, fundraising, comms, admin, collections management, etc. + concrete job skills. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— ?? #ITweetMuseums (@ITweetMuseums) May 21, 2019
Museums tend to rate themselves high on the question of whether they are welcoming to all communities—and low on whether their audience matches the diversity of their community, explains @ninaksimon #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ @AAMers https://t.co/R6uAqXEdOb
— Carissa Pfeiffer (@carissapffffft) May 21, 2019
Change is possible when led by teams that are *ready* to change (and committed to it). – @ninaksimon #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/7aaVEt2jCN
— Hannah Hethmon is @ #WAM19 (@hannah_rfh) May 21, 2019
Questions: Are our programs reflective of our communities? Are we centering our communities? Are the exhibitions relevant to our communities? #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 21, 2019
Takeaways from implementing more equity every day (Brooklyn Museum): active listening, share power, share resources, take risks, prioritize and compensate POC artists, invite the next generation to the table #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— angela gala? (they/them) (@imamusaller) May 21, 2019
It’s the Closing Party: Parade of Museums @WWIImuseum, @OgdenMuseum, & the Contemporary Arts Center and there is food & music & art (& hanging airplanes) everywhere! #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/GcPjp1t4rK
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 22, 2019
What did a Getty International Fellow learn today? “I need to be telling stories in my country that have not been told yet” #AAM2019 pic.twitter.com/43mFAJdumL
— Linda Norris (@lindabnorris) May 21, 2019
sometimes you can have some “ouch moments” when receiving feedback about lack of representation w/your institution pic.twitter.com/1l4WwqoLzK
— Saleem ‘werkin @AAM2019’ Hue Penny (@huedotart) May 21, 2019
non-museum goers showed that museums are highly-coded, enigmatic places, lots of uncertainty about if you’re allowed to come, and when there, how to operate pic.twitter.com/ph6Q4wt0ih
— Saleem ‘werkin @AAM2019’ Hue Penny (@huedotart) May 21, 2019
One final keynote means one final musical performance! This morning we have drums?? #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/VbihVFCAT9
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 22, 2019
Most Americans are trapped in a history that they do not understand. @joseiswriting #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 22, 2019
Final questions for @AAMers from @joseiswriting: How are you creating a culture of welcome? In what ways are you helping to tell the full story of America? How are you defining American by redefining the “master narrative.” How are you caring for the soul. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ
— Carla Galfano (@UmbertoBoccioni) May 22, 2019
I seriously think creating sacred and healing spaces in and of museums is the frontier of our work. Thank you #MuseumTransformers pic.twitter.com/0FINmeRRol
— J Bryant (@1Facilitateher) May 22, 2019
So long Louisiana.#aam2019 #aamsmj pic.twitter.com/HLBXi4YRYJ
— Hannah Hethmon is @ #WAM19 (@hannah_rfh) May 22, 2019
Leaving New Orleans on this good note. Thanks #AAM2019, it’s been a trill one. #AAMSMJ #StudioBe pic.twitter.com/blztUxAvCI
— ravon (@afroxmericana) May 22, 2019
Loved New Orleans. Have to come back soon because there was so much to see and couldn’t fit it all in. I love the @AAMers conferences because they show me a city with a unique experience where I get make friends along the way. #AAM2019 #AAMSMJ pic.twitter.com/HEJCkN0ywS
— Matthew Tyler Ramírez (@MattAndCheese) May 23, 2019
A sincere thank you to our #AAMSMJs for their hard work in capturing the whirlwind of activity! If you’re interested in joining their ranks next year in San Francisco, look out for the application in early 2020.
Thanks for the incredible opportunity to be an #AAMSMJ at #AAM2019.
Let’s keep the conversations going!
-Saleem Hue Penny @huedotart