Smithsonian 

Diversity and Inclusion 

Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview 3

Executive Summary 4

Regents 11

Office of the Inspector General 11

Secretary 11

Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 11

Assistant Secretary for Education and Access 18

Smithsonian Traveling Exhibitions 18

Smithsonian Science Education Center 25

The Smithsonian Associates 32

Under Secretary for Finance and Administration 42

Accessibility Program 42

Office of Human Resources 45

Under Secretary for History, Art and Culture 47

Freer/Sackler Galleries of Art 47

National Museum of African American History and Culture 54

National Museum of American History 55

Smithsonian American Art Museum 58

Smithsonian Latino Center 70

Under Secretary for Science 93

Museum Conservation Institute 93

National Air and Space Museum 94

National Zoological Park 97

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 106

Deputy Under Secretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support 106

Office of Fellowships and Internships 106

Smithsonian Institution Libraries 115

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 2
As diversity and inclusion are integral to all aspects of the Smithsonian Institution's operations and key components of the Smithsonian 

Strategic Plan, OEEMA developed and published the Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report (DIIR) in an effort to capture and report on the 

multiplicity of diversity and inclusion related activities around the Institution. The data for this report is drawn from a SharePoint website 

that allows units to submit any and all efforts they feel meet the criteria of a diversity and inclusion initiative. To this end, units submitted 

initiatives in the following areas:

• Programs

• Activities

• Recruitment Efforts

• Outreach

The Report demonstrates the Smithsonian’s ongoing commitment to reflect the nation’s pluralism in its workforce, programming and

business relationships. For quick access to your unit’s information, please reference the table of contents.

OVERVIEW

Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 3
22%

17%

22%

8%

8%

6%

7%

10%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (211)

Asian Americans (163)

Hispanics (217)

Individuals w/Disabilities (78)

Native Americans (79)

Native Hawaiians/Pacific

Islanders (57)

Others*(70)

Residents of Under-Resourced

Communities**(97)

Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ALL SMITHSONIAN

Over 390 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 18 Smithsonian units. All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion initiatives, with African 

Americans and Hispanics having the highest percentage (22%) of initiatives aimed at underrepresented groups. The aim of these diversity and inclusion initiatives was to increase the Smithsonian 

brand in these communities resulting in greater representation of these groups in the Smithsonian’s workforce, supplier base and public programming. While all three diversity and inclusion 

initiative categories were represented, program diversity had the highest percentage of initiatives (74%). The percentage of diversity initiatives aimed at historically underrepresented groups 

greatly exceeded these groups representation in the Civilian Labor Force. This report also includes residents of under-resourced communities, and while this group and others have no recognized 

percentage of reference, these communities are an important focus in the Smithsonian’s efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge across the United States and around the world.

*Includes: LGBTQ Community, African Students, South Americans, African Educators, South African 

Librarians, Kenyans, Youth, Families, Local Educators of All Backgrounds, Yemenis Americans, Pan-Asian 

Americans, Iranian Americans, Iranians, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, Women, International 

Students, Women in STEM, Disabled Military Veterans, Special Needs, School Children, Children of 

Multiple Diversities, International Veterinary Preceptors, and International Greek Citizens

**Communities with limited and/or under-funded access to educational resources and technology.

Reg Sec ASEA DUSCIS USFA USHAC USS

# of Initiatves 1 27 85 55 10 169 51

# Units 1 1 3 2 2 5 4

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Initiatives by Direct Report

74%

5%

21%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (215)

Supplier Diversity (20)

Workforce Diversity***(90)

***While only 5% of the initiatives reported fell in the supplier 

diversity category, the Smithsonian achieved 5 of its 6 established 

supplier diversity Organizational Goals.

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 4
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Over 25 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by OEEMA. All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion initiatives at a rate that either met or

exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. Hispanics were the underrepresented group that had the highest percentage (18%) of initiatives aimed at increasing their participation at 

the Smithsonian. All three diversity and inclusion categories were represented, with supplier diversity being the largest (55%). 

OFFICE OF THE REGENTS

The Office of the Inspector General submitted one diversity and inclusion initiative that targeted underrepresented groups with a focus towards the African American community. 

17%

17%

18% 16%

15%

15%

2%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (18)

Asian Americans (19)

Hispanics (19)

Individuals w/Disabilities (17)

Native Americans (16)

Native Hawaiians (16)

Others (2)*

7%

55%

38%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (2)

Supplier Diversity (16)

Workforce Diversity (11)

*Includes: LGBTQ Community

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 5
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION & ACCESS

Over 50 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 3ASEA units (SITES, SSEC and TSA). All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion 

initiatives at a rate that either met or exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. African Americans and Hispanics were the underrepresented groups that had the highest percentages 

(27% and 24%, respectively) of initiatives aimed at increasing their participation at the Smithsonian. Categories of initiatives were program and workforce diversity, with program diversity the 

largest (95%).

* Includes: Women

**Communities with limited and/or underfunded access to educational resources and 

technology.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

SITES SSEC TSA

# of Initiatives 28 22 35

Initiatives by Unit

27%

11%

24%

4%

8%

6%

3% 17%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (63)

Asian Americans (24)

Hispanics (56)

Individuals w/Disabilities (8)

Native Americans (18)

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (14)

Others* (7)

Residents of Under-Resourced

Communities (40)**

95%

5%

Initiatives by Category 

Program Diversity (56)

Workforce Diversity (4)

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 6
23%

18%

18%

18%

7%

8%

8%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (9)

Asian Americans (7)

Hispanics (7)

Individuals w/Disabilities (7)

Native Americans (3)

Native Hawaiians (3)

Residents of UnderResourced Communties (3)**

Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UNDER SECRETARY FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

10 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 2 USFA units (Accessibility Program, OHR). All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion 

initiatives at a rate that either met or exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. African Americans were the underrepresented group that had the highest percentage (23%) of 

initiatives aimed at increasing their participation at the Smithsonian. Categories of initiatives were program and workforce diversity, with program diversity the largest (67%). 

** Communities with limited and/or 

under-funded access to educational 

resources and technology.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

AP OHR

# of Initiatives 4 6

Initiatives by Unit

67%

33%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (8)

Workforce Diversity (4)

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 7
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UNDER SECRETARY FOR HISTORY, ART & CULTURE

Over 150 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 5 USHAC units (FSG, NMAAHC, NMAH, SAAM and SLC). All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity 

and inclusion initiatives at a rate that either met or exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. Hispanics were the underrepresented group that had the highest percentage (27%) of 

initiatives aimed at increasing their participation at the Smithsonian. All three diversity and inclusion categories were represented, with program diversity being the largest (80%). 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

FSG NMAAHC NMAH SAAM SLC

# of Initiatives 35 8 11 51 64

Initiatives by Unit

20%

23%

27%

6%

6%

1%

6%

11%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (62)

Asian Americans (72)

Hispanics (84)

Individuals w/Disabilities (20)

Native Americans (18)

Native Hawaiians (2)

Others (17)*

Residents of Under-Resourced

Communties (34)**

* Includes: Youth, Families, Local Educators of All Backgrounds, Yemenis Americans, PanAsian Americans, Iranian Americans, Iranians, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, 

Women, International Students

** Communities with limited and/or under-funded access to educational resources and 

technology.

80%

2%

18%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (162)

Supplier Diversity (4)

Workforce Diversity (37)

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 8
22%

19%

23%

7%

8%

8%

11%

2%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (27)

Asian Americans (24)

Hispanics (29)

Individuals w/Disabilities (9)

Native Americans (10)

Native Hawaiians (10)

Others (14)*

Residents of Under-Resourced

Communties (2)**

Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UNDER SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE

Over 50 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 4 USS units (MCI, NASM, NZP, and SERC). All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion 

initiatives at a rate that either met or exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. Hispanics were the underrepresented group had the highest percentage (23%) of initiatives aimed at 

increasing their participation at the Smithsonian. Categories of initiatives were program and workforce diversity, with program diversity the largest (85%). 

*Includes: Women in STEM, Disabled Military Veterans, Special Needs, School Children, 

Children of Multiple Diversities, International Veterinary Preceptors, International 

Greek Citizens, LGBTQ Community

** Communities with limited and/or under-funded access to educational resources and 

technology.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

MCI NASM NZP SERC

# of Initiatives 3 12 35 1

Initiatives by Unit

85%

15%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (46)

Workforce Diversity (8)

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 9
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report

Fiscal Year 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR COLLECTIONS & INTERDISCIPLINARY SUPPORT

Over 50 diversity and inclusion initiatives were submitted by 2 DUSCIS units (OFI and SIL). All historically underrepresented groups were represented in the diversity and inclusion initiatives at a 

rate that either met or exceeded their percentage in the Civilian Labor Force. African Americans were the underrepresented group that had the highest percentage (22%) of initiatives aimed at 

increasing their participation at the Smithsonian. Categories of initiatives were program and workforce diversity, with program diversity the largest (62%). 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

OFI SIL

# of Initiatives 33 22

Initiatives by Unit

22%

11%

13% 17%

11%

9%

4%

13%

Percent Served by Race and Ethnicity

African Americans (31)

Asian Americans (16)

Hispanics (23)

Individuals w/Disabilities (18)

Native Americans (15)

Native Hawaiians (12)

Others (6)*

Residents of Under-Resourced

Communties (18)**

* Includes: African Students, South Americans, African Educators, South African 

Librarians, Kenyans and LGBTQ Community

** Communities with limited and/or under-funded access to educational resources 

and technology.

62% 38%

Initiatives by Category

Program Diversity (41)

Workforce Diversity (25)

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 10
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Regents OIG Recruiting Outreach Recruited through a network of organizations that targets 

under-represented groups.

01/30/2015 - 

03/02/2015 Completed African Americans

Digital Promotion 

of Academic 

Appointments

Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA HACU Conference

Participated, along with staff from OFI, SLC, NMAH and 

OHR; in 2014 Hispanic Association of Colleges and 

Universities Conference. Connected with hundreds of 

students and facilitated a workshop that provided career 

direction and networking advice to 75 Latino students. 

Participation resulted in a pan-institutional effort in 

providing career and academic appointment information 

to underrepresented groups and sharing the message that 

the Smithsonian is dedicated to equal opportunity, 

diversity and inclusion. 

October 2014 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA Alliance Baltimore

OEEMA-SDP participated in the Alliance Baltimore 

conference, which provides opportunities for the 

Smithsonian to provide advice and assistance to local small 

businesses on how to do business with the Institution.

10/30/2014 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

CAREERS & the 

disABLED Career 

Expo

Participated, along with staff from OHR and OFI, in the 

CAREERS & the disABLED Career Expo. This paninstitutional outreach effort reached over 100 individuals 

with a disability. The Institution shared information 

regarding Schedule A hiring and Reasonable 

Accommodation practices. This resulted in numerous 

individuals with disabilities learning the Smithsonian is a 

place where they too can succeed and find careers or 

academic appointments.

November 2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 11
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA Annual FDIP 

Training Program

Attended the Annual Federal Diversity Interagency 

Partnership's (FDIP) Training Program. OEEMA was able to 

network with federal colleagues and share best practices 

on diversity and inclusion initiatives.

11/12/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Training Program Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

EEOC LGBTQ 

Cultural 

Competency 

Training

Participated in LGBTQ cultural competency training 

provided by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission. The training cited new laws, guidance and 

procedures regarding Title VII and the legal interpretation 

of gender identity and gender stereotyping discrimination 

in the workplace. 

01/28/2015 Completed Others LGBTQ Community Training Program

Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

University of 

Maryland, College 

Park Spring Career 

Fair

Representatives from OEEMA, OHR, OFI and NMAH 

staffed a booth at the University of Maryland, College Park 

Spring Career Fair. This event drew a diversity of students 

and alums that showed great interest in the potential 

opportunities for academic appointments and careers at 

the Institution. Smithsonian representatives distributed 

outreach materials and answered inquiries during this 

engaging event. 

02/16/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

Women As Veteran 

Entrepreneurs 

Business Seminar

Participated in the Women As Veteran Entrepreneurs 

(WAVE) Business Seminar. This outreach event provided 

the opportunity to network with veteran-owned, womenowned small businesses and provide advice and assistance 

on how to do business with the Smithsonian. Firms were 

encouraged to register in the Smithsonian's Small Business 

database.

03/19/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 12
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA

American University 

Outreach and 

Diversity Career Fair

Representatives from OEEMA and OHR attended the 2015 

American University Outreach and Diversity Career Fair. 

The event drew over 1,000 prospective interns, fellows and 

employees. Representatives from SI participated in a 

breakout session where AU students and alumni asked 

questions regarding job and academic appointment 

opportunities at the Institution. 

03/25/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

Matchmaker Event 

for the United 

States Hispanic 

Chamber of 

Commerce

Participated in the United States Hispanic Chamber of 

Commerce (USHCC) hosted a federal agency procurement 

matchmaking program held in partnership with the annual 

USHCC Legislative Summit. This outreach event provided 

the opportunity engage with the Hispanic business 

community through one-on-one matchmaking sessions. 

Firms were encouraged to register with the Smithsonian's 

Small Business Database. 

03/25/2015 Completed Hispanics SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

United States 

Women's Chamber 

of Commerce

Participated in the United States Women's Chamber of 

Commerce Business Matchmaking event that provided 

opportunities to engage the women-owned small business 

community in one-on-one matchmaking sessions. Firms 

were encouraged to register with the Smithsonian's Small 

Business Database.

03/26/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 13
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA

National Small 

Business 

Procurement 

Conference

Representatives from OEEMA-SDP, NMAI, OCON&PPM, 

and OFEO participated at the National Small Business 

Procurement Conference. This conference is hosted by the 

Federal Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization Directors Interagency Council (OSDBU Council) 

on which OEEMA represents the Smithsonian. This 

outreach event provided the opportunity to engage with 

both the national and local small business communities 

and provide and advice and assistance on how to do 

business with the Smithsonian. All firms were encouraged 

to register with the Smithsonian's Small Business 

Database.

04/15/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA Youth Pride DC

In collaboration with SI GLOBE, OEEMA attended Youth 

Pride DC. The Institution provided information on 

academic appointments and careers to hundreds of LGBTQ 

youths interested in visiting, volunteering and working at 

the Smithsonian. 

05/02/2015 Completed Others LGBTQ Community Outreach Event Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA USAID Small 

Business Event

Participated in a business matchmaking session at USAID's 

business event and encouraged all firms to register the 

Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

05/21/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA Capital Region 

MSDC Conference

Participated in the Capital Region Minority Supplier 

Development Council's Annual Conference, which provided 

opportunities to engage the local small business 

community; all firms were encouraged to register in the 

Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

06/10/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 14
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA ProBiz 2015

Participated in the National Business League's ProBiz 2015 

conference. This outreach event provided the opportunity 

to engage the Black business community and provide 

advice and assistance on how to do business with the 

Smithsonian. All firms were encouraged to register in the 

Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

07/16/2015 African Americans SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA Access to Capital 

Small Business Fair

Participated in Eleanor Holmes Norton's Access to Capital 

Small Business Fair, which provided the opportunity to 

conduct matchmaking sessions with local DC small 

businesses. All firms were encouraged to register in the 

Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

07/29/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA FEDQ & FEDs 2015 

NTP

Participated at the FEDQ and FEDs New Perspectives 

National Training Program in Washington, DC. This 

conference provided valuable opportunities to benchmark 

with federal colleagues on best practices regarding policies 

surrounding LGBTQ employment rights, gender transition 

plans and challenges individuals with disabilities face in the 

federal government.

04/27/2015 - 

04/29/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Others

LGBTQ Community Conference

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA National Small 

Business Week

Participated in the U.S. Small Business Administration's 

matchmaking sessions, which provided opportunities to 

engage the national small business community by 

providing advice and assistance on how to do business with 

the Smithsonian. All firms were encouraged to register in 

the Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

05/04/2015 - 

05/05/2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 15
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA

Federal Asian Pacific 

American 

Conference (FAPAC)

Participated at the Federal Asian Pacific American Annual 

Conference. The conference provided a great venue to 

network with other colleagues, share best practices as it 

related to the recruitment and retention of Asian American 

employees. The conference also held numerous panel 

discussions focusing on the importance of diversity and 

inclusion as it relates to the Asian Pacific American 

Community. 

05/04/2015 - 

05/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Workforce 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA ProcureCon 2015

Participated in the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce's 

ProcureCon 2015, which provided the opportunity to 

engage the Asian American small business community by 

providing advice and assistance on how to do business with 

the Smithsonian. All firms were encouraged to register in 

the Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

05/06/2015 - 

05/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans SDP Outreach Supplier Diversity

Secretary OEEMA CelebrAsian

Participated in the U.S. Pan-Asian American Chamber of 

Commerce CelebrAsian Procurement Conference, which is 

the largest procurement conference for Asian American 

businesses, connecting Fortune corporations and 

governments with Asian American and minority businesses 

to pursue contracting relationships. 

06/03/2015 - 

06/05/2015 Completed Asian Americans SDP Outreach Supplier Diversity

Secretary OEEMA 2015 EEOC EXCEL 

Conference

Participated in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission's 2015 EXCEL (Examining Conflict and 

Employment Law) Conference. Agenda items for this 

conference included presentations and workshops led by 

top Federal EEO practitioners on topics such as reasonable 

accommodations in the workplace, diversity and inclusion, 

and EEO law reviews. This outreach opportunity ensures 

that OEEMA stays abreast of best practices in the EEO area 

and information gathered from the conference will be used 

to update Smithsonian EEO training documents, policies 

and practices. 

08/10/2015 - 

08/12/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Workforce 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 16
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA

Congressional Black 

Caucus 

Foundation's Annual 

Legislative 

Conference

Representatives from OEEMA, NMAAHC, OFEO, OFI, 

OGR, OHR, OPS, NMAI, NASM, and OCON&PPM 

participated at the Congressional Black Caucus 

Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. This outreach 

event provided the opportunity to engage the African 

American small business community by providing advice 

and assistance on how to do business with the 

Smithsonian. All firms were encouraged to register with 

the Smithsonian's Small Business Database. 

09/16/2015 - 

09/20/2015 Completed African Americans SDP Outreach Supplier Diversity

Secretary OEEMA

National Minority 

Supplier 

Development 

Council National 

Conference

Participated in the National Minority Supplier 

Development Council's National Conference, the nation’s 

premier forum on minority supplier development. This 

outreach event provided the opportunity to engage with 

the Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American small 

business communities by providing advice and assistance 

on how to do business with the Smithsonian. All firms were 

encouraged to register with the Smithsonian's Small 

Business Community.

11/01/2014 - 

11/06/2014 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA National Veterans 

Engagement

Participated at the National Veterans Engagement 

Conference, which provided the opportunity to engage the 

veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small 

business communities by providing advice and assistance 

on how to do business with the Smithsonian. All firms were 

encouraged to register in the Smithsonian's Small Business 

Database.

12/08/2014 - 

12/12/2014 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Secretary OEEMA GovConectx Small 

Business Fairs

Participated in three GovConectx Small Business Fairs 

throughout FY 2015. These outreach events provided the 

opportunity to have one-on-one matchmaking sessions 

with businesses in the technology, services and supply 

fields. All firms were encouraged to register in the 

Smithsonian's Small Business Database.

October 2014 - 

September 2015 Completed

African American

Asian American

Hispanic

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

SDP Outreach Supplier 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 17
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

Secretary OEEMA

National Counsel of 

Hispanic 

Employment 

Program Managers

Represents the Smithsonian on the National Counsel of 

Hispanic Employment Program Managers committee, 

which is comprised of diversity and inclusion practitioners 

across the Federal Government. This network provides the 

Smithsonian with information on Hispanic Heritage Month 

outreach initiatives, best practices for the recruitment and 

retention of Latinos in the workforce and an opportunity to 

share resources such as academic institutions or 

professional organizations that will foster greater diversity 

throughout the federal workforce. 

Quarterly In-progress Hispanics Committee Workforce 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Museum on Main 

Street capacitybuilding training 

workshops

The Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program is SITES' key 

initiative that directly engages small town audiences and 

brings revitalized attention to underserved rural 

communities through their own Main Street museums, 

historical societies, and other cultural venues. Professional 

development workshops for host venues were held in 16 

states in FY14, providing program and installation tools 

and training for hosting a traveling exhibition and 

developing community-based displays and programs.

Throughout FY15 Completed Residents of Under-resourced Communities Professional 

training

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

I Want the Wide 

American Earth: An 

Asian Pacific 

American Story

An award-winning educational poster set provides teachers 

with fresh resources for celebrating Asian Pacific American 

history across this multitude of incredibly diverse cultures, 

and ways to explore how Asian Pacific Americans have 

shaped and been shaped by the course of our nation’s 

history. Produced by SITES, distributed at no cost to 

schools, museums, and small libraries.

Spring 2013 - 

Present In-Progress

Asian Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Poster Exhibit Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 18
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES The Way We 

Worked

A fresh approach to how and why Americans work -- 

whether in offices, factories, farms, schools, homes, on the 

road, rails, or sky, in the military -- through photographs 

and first-hand stories. A Museum on Main Street project 

that provides rural communities with tools and training to 

utilize local resources for complementary programming 

and outreach.

September 2011 - 

November 2018 In-Progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Individuals with Disabilities

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Water/Ways

A humanities-based examination of water and what it 

means to communities across the nation. Conceived as the 

next Museum on Main Street project, with resources and 

tools for rural and under-resourced communities to collect 

and share stories and to create their unique 

complementary exhibits.

Opens Spring 2016 In-Progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES

Bilingual exhibit 

scripts and 

resources

SITES produces bilingual (English/Spanish) educational or 

instructional content for many of its traveling exhibitions 

that can be downloaded at no cost directly from 

www.sites.si.edu. These include: History & Cultural 

Exhibitions: American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music - 

Family Guide; Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto 

Clemente - Exhibition Script; Between Fences - Exhibition 

Script; Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-

1964 - Exhibition Script; The Dancer Within - Exhibition 

Guide; Freedom's Sisters - Exhibition Guide; IndiVisible: 

African-Native American Lives in the Americas - Exhibition 

Script; Jim Henson's Fantastic World - Exhibition Guide; 

Key Ingredients: America by Food - Exhibition Script; Latin 

Jazz: The Perfect Combination - Exhibition Script; New 

Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music - 

Exhibition Script; Our Journeys/Our Stories: Portraits of 

Latino Achievement - Exhibition Script; Science & Natural 

History Exhibitions: Earth from Space Poster Set - 

Exhibition Posters and Exhibition Script; and A Magic Web: 

The Tropical Forest of Barro Colorado Island - Exhibition 

Script.

Ongoing In-Progress Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Educational 

Resources

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Recruiting

SITES works with OHR’s Diversity & Inclusion Outreach 

Specialist to announce vacancies far beyond USAJOBS to 

ensure we reach diverse communities. SITES also notifies 

professional organizations related to museums and specific 

professional specializations as they apply to open 

positions. We also announce job openings through many 

common social media outlets and listserves

Ongoing In-Progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women

Digital Promotion 

of Job 

Opportunities

Workforce 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 20
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES

Beyond Baseball: 

The Life of Roberto 

Clemente

Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente is an online 

exhibition based on one originally on view at San Juan's 

Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and crafted in close concert 

with the Clemente family. The website, a collaboration 

among the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition 

Service, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, and CARIMAR, 

captures the original's uniquely Puerto Rican perspective 

for an American audience.

Ongoing In-Progress Hispanics

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Journey Stories

Americans on the move, whether for work or pleasure, 

illustrate a key chapter in the nation's story. A Museum on 

Main Street exhibition, Journey Stories encourages host 

communities to collect and share stories, including those 

from immigrants new and old.

May 2009 - 

October 2015 In-Progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Key Ingredients: 

America by Food

A look at the history and culture that shape our dining 

habits and taste preferences--from immigrant experiences 

to innovations of food preparation technology to 

availability of key ingredients. A Museum on Main Street 

project that provides host communities tools, training, and 

guidelines for local programming and outreach.

May 2003 - 

October 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Hometown Teams: 

How Sports Shape 

America

Sports are an indelible part of our culture and community. 

Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America shows how 

sports reflect the trials and triumphs of the American 

experience and help mold our national character. Host 

communities utilize SITES' tools, resources, and 

professional training to develop complementary exhibits 

that highlight their own local histories and stories.

March 2014 - 

April 2020 In-Progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 21
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES

Bittersweet Harvest: 

The Bracero 

Program 1942 - 

1964

Award-winning bi-lingual posters from SITES convey the 

little-known story of the Bracero Program, the largest 

guest worker program in U.S. history. Between 1942 and 

1964, millions of Mexican men came to the U.S. on shortterm labor contracts. Distributed at no cost to schools, 

migrant education centers, museums, and small libraries.

Fall 2012 - Present In-Progress Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities Poster Exhibit Program Diversity

ASEA SITES Romare Bearden: 

Remix Collages

With this lively, colorful, and highly engaging iPad app, you 

can remix COLLAGES from Bearden's original series to 

create your own unique works of art, and express your 

personal journey. Choose from a variety of Bearden’s 

backdrops and layer in shapes and forms from other 

collages. Or cut your own shapes, add personal photos, 

change the colors of various elements and resize them. You 

can also add written words and descriptions.

Fall 2012 - 

Ongoing In-Progress African AmericansResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Romare Bearden 

Remix

A downloadable, conversational audio tour with 20 stops 

that gives listeners new intellectual routes into the works of 

Romare Bearden and into the bewitching heart of 

Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Voices on the tour include Dr. 

Robert O’Meally, exhibition curator and Zora Neale 

Hurston Professor of English and Comparative Literature at 

Columbia University. He is joined by Diedra Harris-Kelley, 

Bearden’s niece and the co-director of the Romare Bearden 

Foundation. Artist, writer and musician, Paul Miller, aka DJ 

Spooky, provides additional perspective, contributing his 

own thoughts about Bearden’s genius.

Fall 2012 - 

Ongoing In-Progress

African Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 22
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES Stories from Main 

Street

A digital initiative to collect and share stories from smalltown and rural America. Developed by the Museum on 

Main Street program to encourage capacity-building at the 

local level and to provide resources for community 

outreach.

Fall 2011 - 

Ongoing In-Progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities Virtual Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Choosing to 

Participate

Graphically compelling, award-winning poster exhibit, 

created primarily for middle and high schools, is designed 

to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect, and 

participation in our communities. Many schools use it for 

anti-bullying programs. Distributed at no cost to schools, 

Boys & Girls Clubs, libraries, community centers.

Fall 2010 - 

Ongoing In-Progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

Women Poster Exhibit Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Roots of Wisdom: 

Native Knowledge, 

Shared Science

A new exhibition developed with the Oregon Museum of 

Science & Industry designed to engage families and 

students in the concept that western science and Native 

American traditional knowledge about the environment 

are both valuable and complementary for understanding 

the natural world.

Begins Summer 

2016 In-Progress

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

IndiVisible: AfricanNative American 

Lives in the 

Americas

Traveling exhibition developed with NMAI explores 

historical and contemporary stories of peoples and 

communities whose shared histories are woven into the 

fabric of American identity but whose presence has long 

been invisible to many in the U.S.

11/10/2009 - 

03/27/2016 In-Progress

African Americans

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Romare Bearden: A 

Black Odyssey

For the first time outside New York, SITES presents 

Bearden's fresh interpretation of Homer's Odyssey. 50 of 

his original collages, watercolors, and drawings are touring 

to 7 cities.

10/13/2012 - 

03/14/2015 Completed African Americans Traveling Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 23
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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES

Women, Art, and 

Social Change: The 

Newcomb Pottery 

Enterprise

One of the most significant American art potteries of the 

twentieth century, Newcomb works are a graceful union of 

form and decoration inspired by the flora and fauna of the 

Gulf South. The Pottery was established to teach Southern 

women self-reliance by way of an education and gain 

financial independence through the sale of their wares. The 

exhibition will visit 9 museums across the U.S. and in 

Canada.

10/03/2013 - 

10/23/2016 In-Progress Others Women Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Black Wings: 

American Dreams of 

Flight

A steady stream of African American pioneers—daredevils 

and visionaries—surpassed racial barriers to claim a 

legitimate place in the realm of aviation. Their 

achievements—together with the necessities of war and 

the dawning of civil rights in America—opened up new 

possibilities for succeeding generations of pilots and 

astronauts. SITES exhibit will visit 15 venues across the 

U.S.

07/02/2011 - 

01/17/2016 In-Progress African Americans Traveling Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

American Sabor: 

Latinos in U.S. 

Popular Music

Salsa, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha are distinctive musical 

styles that continue to resonate across America's cultural 

scene are explored in a bi-lingual traveling exhibition 

visiting 11 cities across the U.S.

05/26/2011 - 

07/15/2015 Completed Hispanics Traveling Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

American Sabor: 

Latinos in U.S. 

Popular Music

Distinctive musical styles that continue to resonate across 

America's cultural scene are explored in complementary 

curriculum materials also widely promoted by Teaching 

Tolerance. 

05/26/2011 - 

07/15/2015 Completed Hispanics

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Beyond Bollywood: 

Indian Americans 

Shape the Nation

Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian's Asian 

Pacific American Center, a new exhibition explores the 

Indian American experience and the community's vital 

political, professional, and cultural contributions to 

American life and history.

05/02/2015 - 

01/06/2019 In-Progress Asian Americans Traveling Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 24
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SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SITES

I Want the Wide 

American Earth: An 

Asian Pacific 

American Story

A celebration of Asian Pacific American history across this 

multitude of incredibly diverse cultures, and exploration of 

how Asian Pacific Americans have shaped and been shaped 

by the course of our nation’s history. Two copies of the 

exhibition will visit 26 cities.

05/01/2013 - 

08/27/2017 In-Progress

Asian Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Ramp It Up! 

Skateboard Culture 

in Native America

Boards, designs, videos, and cultural history trace skate 

boarding's strong and fascinating ties to Native American 

life through a SITES exhibition organized with NMAI, 

traveling to 12 cities.

04/26/2012 - 

05/25/2015 Completed Native Hawaiians/Pacific IslandersNative Americans

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Beginning and 

Advanced Exhibition 

Development

SITES project director led two full-day seminars for the 

Tribal Archives Libraries and Museums Project run by the 

Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison School of Library and 

Information Studies - Continuing Education Services. This 

is part of the Great Lakes Convening Culture Keepers 

conference geared to networking and professional 

development opportunities for American Indian 

communities of the Upper Great Lakes.

04/23/2015-

04/29/2015

Please choose one: Native Americans

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES

Bittersweet Harvest: 

The Bracero 

Program 1942 - 

1964

The little-known story of the Bracero Program, the largest 

guest worker program in U.S. history. Between 1942 and 

1964, millions of Mexican men came to the U.S. on shortterm labor contracts. Bi-lingual traveling exhibit to 37 

venues through 2015.

02/20/2010 - 

11/13/2016 In-Progress Hispanics Traveling Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SITES Congressional Black 

Caucus

SITES staff networked and shared information about 

SITES' extensive offerings in African American art, history, 

and culture.

09/18/2015 Completed African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Workforce 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Condensed Kit 

Training Houston 

The LASER i3 Condensed Kit Training (CKT) is an 

abbreviated training that gives teachers an introduction to 

the Science and Technology Concepts (STC) curriculum. 

Teachers who attend CKTs were unable to attend full 

training in the summer, or changed grade levels. Attending 

the CKT gives teachers the basic information required to 

teach the unit.

01/24/2015 Completed African Americans

Hispanics Training Program Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 25
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Professional 

Learning 

Communities 

Webinar Series 

The PLC Leader webinar series is a six part series aimed 

at providing PLC leaders the tools, support, and best 

practices in leading professional learning communities.

04/23/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Condensed Kit 

Training, Maron, NC 

The LASER i3 Condensed Kit Training (CKT) is an 

abbreviated training that gives teachers an introduction to 

the Science and Technology Concepts (STC) curriculum. 

Teachers who attend CKTs were unable to attend full 

training in the summer, or changed grade levels. Attending 

the CKT gives teachers the basic information required to 

teach the unit. 

June 12, 2015 Completed African Americans

Hispanics

Teacher 

Professional 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 Principals' 

Meeting, Marion, 

NC

The purpose of this Principals'' Meeting was to extend 

education on the LASER i3 project and its future to district 

and school administrators, who with more knowledge of it, 

will have increased buy-in, which in turn will increase 

sustainability of the LASER i3 project. The extended impact 

of this is difficult to quantify at this point, but our hope is 

that this will impact generations of students in the 

area—hundreds, if not thousands of children.

June 12, 2015 Completed African Americans Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Condensed Kit 

Training Smithfield, 

NC 

The LASER i3 Condensed Kit Training (CKT) is an 

abbreviated training that gives teachers an introduction to 

the Science and Technology Concepts (STC) curriculum. 

Teachers who attend CKTs were unable to attend full 

training in the summer, or changed grade levels. Attending 

the CKT gives teachers the basic information required to 

teach the unit. 

July 17, 2015 Completed African Americans

Teacher 

Professional 

Development

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 26
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SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

2015 Houston 

LASER i3 

Sustainability 

Planning Institute: 

Literacy and Inquiry 

Science

Teachers representing the Houston Independent School 

District attended one or both days of the institute aimed at 

connecting inquiry science with the high priority in 

Houston of improving literacy among ELL students. 

Participants took advantage of presentations and activities 

designed to grow their toolkit of literacy teaching 

techniques in the science classroom.

02/27/2015 - 

02/28/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

2015 New Mexico 

LASER i3 

Implementation 

Institute

Teachers, administrators, community and business 

partners representing 8 school districts came together 

from March 20-21, 2015 for an intensive 2-day 

implementation institute for science education reform. 

This institute was a follow-up to the Strategic Planning 

Institute held June 17-20 in Albuquerque, NM. Participants 

had an opportunity to revisit their strategic plans, and 

focus on three elements of the LASER Model: Community 

and Administrative Support, Materials Support, and 

Professional Development. All of these topics were 

presented with a focus toward sustainability at the end of 

LASER i3.

03/20/2015 - 

03/21/2015 Completed HispanicsNative Americans

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC LASER i3 Webinar 

Series for Teachers 

The LASER i3 Teacher Webinar series features science 

education experts for LASER i3 teachers addressing 

relevant and timely topics. Webinars in the second quarter 

covered teaching science ELL students, student 

science note-booking, and promoting student questioning.

04/14/2015

06/04/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

2015 LASER i3 

Regional Leaders 

Meeting 

The 2015 LASER i3 Regional Leaders’ Meeting convened 

SSEC staff, regional partners, and other champions of 

science education reform from the i3 regions and past 

LASER regions to share their successes and challenges and 

network around the idea of sustainability and new 

opportunities for collaboration.

05/14/2015 - 

05/14/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 27
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SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

Colorado LASER 

Initiative Summer 

PD

Sixty-two K thru 8th grade science teachers gathered for 

the week-long Summer Professional Development 

program in Denver, Colorado. The teachers spent the first 

half of the week participating in Intermediate Level 

training that revisited the content of the previous year’s 

new STC Unit; they then spent the second half of the week 

participating in Introductory Level training for a new STC 

Unit that they will implement this coming school year. 

06/07/2015 – 

06/12/2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Teacher 

Professional 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Condensed Kit 

Training, Houston, 

TX

The LASER i3 Condensed Kit Training (CKT) is an 

abbreviated training that gives teachers an introduction to 

the Science and Technology Concepts (STC) curriculum. 

Teachers who attend CKTs were unable to attend full 

training in the summer, or changed grade levels. Attending 

the CKT gives teachers the basic information required to 

teach the unit. 

06/09/2015 - 

06/11/2015 Completed African AmericansHispanics

Professional 

Development for 

Teachers

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

2015 Biodiversity 

Smithsonian 

Science Education 

Academy for 

Teachers

Fifteen teachers traveled to the nation’s capital to 

participate in a week of presentations and hands-on 

activities hosted by SSEC and designed to enrich each 

educator’s content knowledge on the concept of 

biodiversity. Activities took place primarily at the NMNH 

and SERC. Along with content knowledge, teachers were 

provided with resources to enable them to implement new 

activities in their classrooms, address student 

misconceptions, and connect with other educators and the 

materials they have created.

06/14/2015 - 

06/19/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Professional 

Development for 

Teachers

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 28
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

Colorado LASER 

Initiative Strategic 

Planning Institute

Teachers, administrators, community and business 

partners representing 11 schools came together from June 

22-26, 2015 for an intensive 5-day institute on strategic 

planning for science education reform. Participants took 

advantage of a range of presentations focusing on 

curriculum, professional development, materials support, 

assessment, and administrative and community support. 

The information they gleaned from these sessions they 

then used to inform their own five-year strategic plans.

06/22/2015 – 

06/26/2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

2015 Energy’s 

Innovations and 

Implications 

Smithsonian 

Science Education 

Academy for 

Teachers

Thirteen teachers traveled to the nation’s capital to 

participate in a week of presentations and hands-on 

activities hosted by SSEC and designed to enrich each 

educator’s content knowledge on the concept of energy. 

Activities took place primarily at NMAH with additional 

trips to NASM, National Institute on Standards and 

Technology (NIST), and Dominion Resources’ Possum 

Point Power Station. Along with content knowledge, 

teachers were provided with resources to enable them to 

implement new activities in their classrooms, address 

student misconceptions, and connect with other educators 

and the materials they have created. 

07/12/2015 - 

07/17/2015 Completed HispanicsResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Professional 

Development for 

Teachers, Museum 

Educators, and 

Administrators

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC LASER i3 Webinar 

Series for Teachers 

The LASER i3 Teacher Webinar series features science 

education experts for LASER i3 teachers addressing 

relevant and timely topics.Webinars in the second quarter 

covered teaching science ELL students, student 

science note-booking, and promoting student questioning.

1/13/2015

2/10/2015

3/24/2015

Ongoing

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Professional 

Learning 

Communities 

Webinar Series 

The PLC Leader webinar series is a six part series aimed 

at providing PLC leaders the tools, support, and best 

practices in leading professional learning communities.

1/15/2015

3/05/2015 Ongoing

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

i3 Sustainability 

Planning Institute in 

Greensboro, NC

Teachers, administrators, community and business 

partners representing 7 school districts came together for 

an intensive 4-day institute to modify their strategic 

planning for sustaining science education reform. 

Participants took advantage of a range of presentations 

focusing on next steps in professional development, 

materials support, program assessment, and 

administrative and community support. The information 

they gleaned from these sessions they then used to inform 

their own five-year strategic plans.

10/06/2014 - 

10/09/2014 Completed African AmericansHispanics

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

Taller Nacional para 

el Desarrollo de 

Liderazgo y 

Planificación 

Estratégica para la 

Educación en 

Ciencias or 2014 

National Workshop 

for Leadership 

Development and 

Strategic Planning 

in Science Education

Teachers, administrators, and government officials 

representing 7 Mexican states came together from 

December 8-12, 2014 for an intensive 5-day institute on 

strategic planning for science education reform. 

Participants took advantage of a range of presentations 

focusing on curriculum, professional development, 

materials support, assessment, and administrative and 

community support. The information they gleaned from 

these sessions they then used to inform their own five-year 

strategic plans.

12/08/2014 – 

12/12/2014 Completed Hispanics Educational Leadership

Workforce 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

2015 Earth’s History 

and Global Change 

Smithsonian 

Science Education 

Academy for 

Teachers

Fifteen teachers traveled to the nation’s capital to 

participate in a week of presentations and hands-on 

activities hosted by SSEC and designed to enrich each 

educator’s content knowledge on Earth’s history and global 

change. Activities took place primarily at NMNH with 

additional trips to NASM, the Carnegie Institute of 

Washington, and National Oceanographic and 

Atmospheric Association. Along with content knowledge, 

teachers were provided with resources to enable them to 

implement new activities in their classrooms, address 

student misconceptions, and connect with other educators 

and the materials they have created.

July 12-17, 2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Teacher 

Professional 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

2015 International K12 Science 

Education Institute 

for Leadership 

Development and 

Strategic Planning

Teachers, administrators, community and business 

partners representing 3 school districts came together from 

July 26-31, 2015 for an intensive 6-day institute on strategic 

planning for science education reform. Participants took 

advantage of a range of presentations focusing on 

curriculum, professional development, materials support, 

assessment, and administrative and community support. 

The information they gleaned from these sessions they 

then used to inform their own five-year strategic plans.

July 26– 31, 2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

ASEA SSEC

Developing a 

Leadership Pipeline 

for Teachers of 

Color in Science 

Education

SSEC in partnership with Shell Oil Company convened a 

group of experts on minority participation in teaching 

careers for a two-day workshop on improving recruitment, 

retention, and engagement of minority teachers. 

September 15-16, 

2015 In-progress

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

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Type of

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Diversity

Category

ASEA SSEC

LASER i3 

Condensed Kit 

Training, Santa Fe, 

NM 

The LASER i3 Condensed Kit Training (CKT) is an 

abbreviated training that gives teachers an introduction to 

the Science and Technology Concepts (STC) curriculum. 

Teachers who attend CKTs were unable to attend full 

training in the summer, or changed grade levels. Attending 

the CKT gives teachers the basic information required to 

teach the unit. 

Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Professional 

Development for 

Teachers

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Fiesta! Los 

Quetzales

The Discovery Theater showcased the Los Quetzales 

Mexican Dance Ensemble, which was founded in 1997 by 

Laura Ortiz. Her love and desire to preserve Mexico’s 

culturally rich traditions brought forth the founding of this 

premiere folkloric performing dance company. They are 

based out of Arlington, VA and perform regularly 

throughout the metro area. For more information, please 

visitwww.quetzales.org

10/08/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Keep on Keepin' On

Presented an exclusive screening of the documentary Keep 

On Keepin’ On, followed by a Q&A with Quincy Jones, a 

seven-time Academy Award nominee, and John Edward 

Hasse, Curator of American Music at NMAH. This 

documentary explores the unlikely bond that formed 

between Justin Kauflin, a 23-year-old, blind piano prodigy 

suffering from terrible stage fright, and his mentor, jazz 

legend Clark Terry, 89. At a pivotal point in the film, we 

witness the two friends tackle the toughest challenges of 

their now-interwoven lives: Justin is invited to compete in 

an elite international competition as Clark’s health takes a 

turn for the worse. Terry, now 93, was Quincy Jones’ first 

teacher and a mentor to Miles Davis. He is among the few 

performers ever to have played in both the Count Basie and 

Duke Ellington orchestras. Keep On Keepin’ On was 

directed by Alan Hicks and produced by Quincy Jones and 

Paula DuPre’ Pesmen (The Cove and Chasing Ice ).

10/23/2014 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 32
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA

Tot Rock: Jammin' 

at the Smithsonian 

presents Alastair 

Moock

Showcased Alastair Moock, one of Boston’s premier folk 

artists, a 2014 Grammy nominee for best children’s album 

and a Parents’ Choice Gold Medal winner. Time Out New 

York calls Alastair Moock ”a musical descendant of Woody 

Guthrie with a zany sense of humor.” His shows are 

described as “half Appalachian hootenanny, half honkytonk jam session” are rowdy, rootsy, singin’ and dancin’ 

fun!

11/21/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Tot Rock: Jammin' 

at the Smithsonian 

presents Karen K & 

the Jitterbugs

Featured Karen K & the Jitterbugs, who are known for their 

upbeat, catchy, genre-swirling tunes that parents enjoy as 

much as their kids. Dubbed “The Kiddie Queen” by the 

Brooklyn Paper, Karen K and her Jitterbugs have been 

featured on CBS-NY and in New York Times, New York 

Magazine and Boston.com. They have also won national 

awards including a Parent’s Choice Award and Best Kid 

Video 2014 (Zooglobble) for their smash hit “(I Woke Up in 

a) Fire Truck”. Their blend of imagination, music, humor 

and fun makes Karen K & the Jitterbugs a family music 

favorite. 

01/23/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Baba-C, An 

American Griot: 

Folktales from 

Africa to the 

Americas

Master storyteller Baba-C shares West African, AfroBrazilian, and Gullah tales with his unique blend of 

interactive storytelling and song which are packed with 

remarkable animals and life lessons and feature Anansi the 

Spider, Bossy Elephant, and other memorable characters.

01/28/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

KanKouran West 

African Dance 

Company

Featured the KanKouran West African Dance Company, an 

acclaimed Washington cultural treasure that infuses the 

passion of drums and dance with African history. The 

Washington Post praises the troupe’s “high-octane 

movement” and dancers who can “effortlessly...shift their 

style from smooth and silvery to sharp and swift.” Visit the 

African Voices exhibition afterward for more about the 

continent and its cultures. 

02/04/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA The Uncle Devin 

Show

Featured the Uncle Devin Show, which invites young 

audiences to hear and play a world of percussion 

instruments. Described as a dynamic cross between Fat 

Albert and Schoolhouse Rock this show is bang-up 

interactive fun for kids, who also learn why percussion is 

the easiest, oldest, and most diverse form of musical 

creativity.

02/20/2015 Completed African Americans

Hispanics Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA

African American 

Lives in the 

American 

Revolution

Featured Richard Bell, Associate Professor of History at the University of 

Maryland, College Park who provided a series of lectures that examined the 

American Revolution from the perspective of the era’s enslaved peoples and 

free persons of color: Whitewashing the Revolution - Our veneration of the 

Founding Fathers has long obscured the existence and experience of African 

Americans in the American Revolution. Crispus Attucks is the rare exception. 

A mixed-race sailor fatally caught in the midst of the imperial crisis. Why he 

stands out—and why he was purposefully written out of contemporary news 

coverage of the Boston Massacre—illuminates larger questions about race 

and revolution. The Forgotten Fifth: What was at stake in the American 

Revolution for the one in five colonial Americans who were black? For some, 

including Thomas Jeremiah, a free black harbor pilot executed by South 

Carolina patriots on suspicion of spying for the British, the war brought 

renewed threats to life and liberty. For others, it brought new opportunities 

for independence as the British Army promised postwar freedom to black 

slaves willing to desert their rebel masters and join the king’s regiments. 

Harry Washington: On October 5, 1800, a free black man named Harry 

Washington, the former slave of George Washington, was found guilty of 

rebellion against the British government of the West African colony of Sierra 

Leone. General Washington made his name trying to free the American 

colonies from British control. Ironically, his slave pursued independence by 

running away from his master, searching for freedom in what remained of 

the British Empire. The Limits of Liberty: How revolutionary was the 

American Revolution for African Americans? In the South, the patriot victory 

allowed slave owners to entrench racial slavery deeper than ever before. Yet 

in the North, white radicals and black anti-slavery activists, including 

Philadelphia minister Richard Allen, engineered a series of legislative and 

judicial decisions that together attacked the institution of slavery at its roots.

02/21/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program 

Diversity

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Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

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Report

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Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA Billie Holiday: Lady 

Sings the Blues

In honor of this year that marks the 100th anniversary of 

Billie Holiday, featured a lecture by leading jazz expert 

John Edward Hasse. Drawing on film and video clips, rare 

photographs, and original recordings Hasse provides 

insight into Holiday’s extraordinary journey from abused 

Baltimore girl to troubled but brilliant world-famous singer. 

As he traces the musical evolution and triumph of one of 

America’s greatest singers, Hasse also shares stories about 

Holiday’s harrowing childhood, her struggles with drug 

addiction (she served time in a penitentiary), and her 

famously uneven public performances. He shows a 

document from the American History Museum’s Apollo 

Theater Collection that is a heartbreaking testament to her 

demons. Hasse is the longtime curator of American music 

at the Museum of American History and chair of 

Smithsonian Music.

02/25/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Tot Rock: Jammin' 

at the Smithsonian 

presents Bari Koral

Showcased Bari Koral who with a creative blend of music 

and movement gets kids on their feet for plenty of fun. 

Dubbed by the New York Post as "the Sheryl Crow for kids" 

Koral performs pop-friendly tunes about disappearing 

cupcakes, a runaway gingerbread man, and a soaring 

rocket ship.

03/13/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Hispanics Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA

Flying Feet & Fiddle 

Bows: An Irish 

Celebration

Featured acclaimed Irish dancer Shannon Dunne along 

with Pete Moss and the Bog Band. Through their authentic 

Irish ceili party the audience learned about Irish musical 

traditions and experienced the floor-pounding beat of seannós and set dancing.

03/17/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Wacky Science with 

Ken Scott

Featured Ken Scott who makes science cool with a focus on 

amazing science experiments that use everyday objects. 

Scott makes the scientific method easy to understand in a 

high-energy, hands-on experience.

04/07/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA

Summer Rock with 

the School of Rock 

DC All-stars

Featured the world famous School of Rock DC All-stars. 

School of Rock was first a movie, and then a movement, 

which launched a cutting edge national organization that 

teaches kids the transformative power of creativity, music 

and hard work. 

06/24/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Professor Wingnut 

Wants to Fly

Featured master arts educator and nutty guy Oran Sandel 

and puppeteer Dan Mori in a lively interactive musical show 

about how things zoom, soar and fly at NASM. 

01/15/2015 - 

01/16/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Smithsonian 

Scholars in the 

Schools

As part of the Dept. of Ed GEAR UP (Gaining Early 

Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) 

grant, ten Smithsonian presenters visited Lafayette, LA 

middle schools to conduct in-class presentation and handson activities, reaching a total of 2,000 6th and 7th graders. 

Sixth grade students learned about Forces and Motion, 

while seventh graders focused on Ecology topics.

01/28/2015 - 

02/04/2015 Completed African AmericansResidents of Under-resourced Communities

In-person 

Educational 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Lions of Industry, 

Motors of Invention

Presented Discovery Theater's original interactive play that 

honors the creativity and genius of African American 

entrepreneurs and inventors; including Beauty magnate 

Madame C.J. Walker, agricultural chemist and “peanut 

man” George Washington Carver, education giant Booker 

T. Washington, and even cranky chef George Crum, who 

accidentally created the potato chip.

02/05/2015 - 

02/06/2015

02/10/2015 - 

02/12/2015

Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Bessie & Bill: Black 

Wings in Flight

Showcased last season’s hit production by the Smithsonian 

Areo-Club that features Bessie Coleman the first licensed 

African American female pilot and Bill Powell who was 

inspired by her grit and perseverance and promoted flying 

as a new frontier for African Americans. 

02/18/2015 - 

02/19/2015

02/25/2015 -

02/26/2015

Completed African Americans

Hispanics Public Programs Program Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 36
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA

Who Poisoned 

Rocky Rockfish? An 

Eco-Whodunnit

Presented Who Poisoned Rocky Rockfish? An EcoWhodunnit , that teaches children about marine ecology 

and water conservation of the Chesapeake Bay.

03/24/2015 - 

03/27/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Tot Rock: Jammin' 

at the Smithsonian 

presents Nature 

Jams: We Dig Earth

Presented Nature Jams: We Dig Earth, which teaches kids 

about wiggly worms to weather patterns, mud pies to 

meandering rivers. Singer-songwriters Rob and Zach 

celebrate the wonders of the earth featuring call-andresponse songs, energetic dance numbers, and an HD 

video backdrop.

04/09/2015 - 

04/10/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA

Garbage to 

Gardens: An Earth 

Week Exploration

Presented Garbage to Gardens: An Earth Week Exploration 

featuring Smithsonian naturalists from the Green Team. 

This even explored the beautiful Haupt Garden of the 

Castle then participants learned how compost becomes 

dirt and how throwing a “seed bomb” can make a bare 

patch of ground bloom. 

04/21/2015 - 

04/23/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Tigers, Dragons and 

Other Wise 'Tails'

Showcased Tigers, Dragons and Other Wise 'Tails' , a 

Discovery Theater original production that reimagines folk 

tales from Asia with a fun and modern touch. Audiences 

learn a little about each story's culture, try out Asian 

languages and enjoy Asian tales both ancient and new.

The Tiger, the Thief, and the Dried Persimmon (Korea), 

puts a new spin on mistaken identity with a very silly tiger, 

a babysitting grandma, and dried fruit. The Boy and the 

Fly (Vietnam) is a sweetly silly slapstick romp with a little 

lesson thrown in. The Wise Mole (Japan), updates an 

ancient story of young love – complete with cell phones 

and iPods. The mythic Four Dragon Rivers of China 

features beautiful flying dragon puppets.

05/05/2015 - 

05/08/2015

05/12/2015 - 

05/15/2015

Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 37
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA

Dreamtime: An 

Australian 

Adventure with 

Barefoot Puppets

Presented Dreamtime: An Australian Adventure with 

Barefoot Puppets that shares three stores inspired by 

Aboriginal folktales. Participants learn how the emu 

became a flightless bird, why the platypus looks so strange, 

and meet a giant, bloated, ocean-swallowing frog. 

06/04/2015 - 

06/05/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Teacher Workshop: 

Teaching Culturally 

and Linguistically 

Diverse Children 

Organized a professional development workshop at United 

Tribes Technical College (UTTC) in Bismarck, ND. 

Presentations and activities focused on effective teaching 

for culturally and linguistically diverse children. It was the 

final workshop organized by the Associates over the past 

three years for UTTC's Elementary Education department 

part of a US Department of Education grant awarded to 

UTTC for "Professional Development for Indian Educators". 

Presentations were given by educators from NMAI, the 

President of the International Games Society, and Native 

storytellers on integrating Native games and stories across 

the curriculum. Third grade students from UTTC's campus 

elementary school attended part of the workshop, creating 

a "learning lab" on using games in the classroom. 

Additionally, there were printmaking and "reading-art" 

activities led by a Freer/Sackler educator and an art 

educator on the cultures and games of India and Japan. 

UTTC's tribal arts professor and nutrition educators from 

UTTC's Extension Program also presented.

06/22/2015 - 

06/26/2015 Completed Native Americans

In-person 

Educational 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Tot Rock: Jammin' 

at the Smithsonian 

presents Karen K

Presented Karen K, known for her upbeat, catchy, genreswirling tunes, she keeps hands clapping and feet jumping 

at her crowd-engaging shows performed across the 

country.

06/25/2015 - 

06/25/2015 Completed African AmericansHispanics Public Programs Program Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 38
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

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Unit

Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA SOLE Defined

Presented SOLE Defined, which was created by Ryan K. 

Johnson (Cirque Du Soleil and STOMP) and Quynn Johnson 

(Author and Award Winning Choreographer), SOLE 

Defined excites the senses in a rhythmic performance that 

has been called "truly amazing!" This award winning 

production takes an exciting twist on theater and 

percussive dance by creating a free flowing conversation 

through music and movement.

07/07/2015 - 

07/10/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA Junk Music with the 

Junk Man

Presented Donald Knaack, The Junkman, who plays on 

100% on recycled materials. Junk Music has gained 

audiences from rock and jazz to classical and world-fusion. 

In addition to live performances, Donald Knaack released 

three studio albums, one of which was nominated for a 

Grammy and the other was used in television commercials 

for ESPN and Electronic Arts. 

07/14/2015 - 

07/17/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA Robert Strong: the 

Comedy Magician

Featured Robert Strong: The Comedy Magician who blends 

comedy, magic and juggling for an entertaining fun result. 

The Las Vegas Sun says, "Is he a magician who does 

comedy or a comedian who does magic? You be the judge! 

Either way, Robert Strong's a riot."

07/21/2015 - 

07/24/2015 Completed African Americans Public Programs Program Diversity

ASEA TSA ¡Uno, Dos, Tres con 

Andrés!

Featured Local kids’ music star Andrés Salguero, who 

offers sing-alongs to songs familiar and new, including 

great music from his debut CD, ¡Uno, Dos, Tres con Andrés!, 

creating plenty of bilingual fun. Get set to bailar y aprender 

(dance and learn) with Andrés! 

10/01/2014 - 

10/03/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Fabulas Fairytales 

Showcased Fabulas Fairytales, a Discovery Theater original 

that is the perfect introduction to Spanish words for kids. It 

features a new take on a trio of familiar stories that feature 

three bears, three pigs, and three billy goats gruff.

10/15/2014 - 

10/16/2014

10:15 a.m. and 11:30 

a.m.

Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 39
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

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Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA Starry, Starry Night

Presented Starry, Starry Night, which features wacky 

Professor Van Gogo. This imaginative introduction to 

stargazing includes star stories brought to life by StoneLion 

Puppet Theatre's hand and rod puppets. After the show, 

we invite you to visit the Explore the Universe Gallery. This 

production is generously underwritten by the Hilton Early 

Childhood Initiative and is presented in partnership with 

the National Air and Space Museum. 

10/23/2014 - 

10/24/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Coyote Mischief 

Tales

Coyote Mischief Tales, a play written in 2005 by Philip Owl 

Hooser and created for American Indian Heritage Month. It 

introduces the culture and legends of Native Americans in 

a show featuring the famous trickster Coyote, his friend 

Hastali, and his loving wife Mole, in a trio of tribal stories 

that will entertain, inspire and teach. Walk the Medicine 

Wheel in four directions, each with a different 

lesson—alternately funny, warm and wise. “Coyote Gets 

his Name” teaches us that the most important lesson is to 

be true to ourselves; “Coyote and his Pups” reminds us not 

to take ourselves too seriously and to always value others; 

“Coyote’s Big Giveaway” is a story about friendship and 

true giving; and the message in “Coyote Visits the Land of 

the Spirits” is that true love is the strongest medicine of all. 

11/05/2014 - 

11/06/2014

11/12/2014 - 

11/14/2014

 11/17/2014 - 

11/20/2014

Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA

Larry Yazzie and the 

Native Pride 

Dancers

Features world-champion fancy dancer Larry Yazzie and 

the Native Pride Dancers who draw from many Indian 

nations, share the excitement of a Native American 

powwow with full tribal regalia in their Smithsonian return 

engagement. These vibrant dances celebrate nature, 

ancestors, and the tribal community with pulsating drum, 

intricate footwork, and evocative flute and voice.

11/06/2014 - 

11/07/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 40
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

ASEA TSA

Little Bread Hen 

with Barefoot 

Puppets

Featured Little Bread Hen with Barefoot Puppets, which 

was inspired by the classic tale of the Little Red Hen. The 

Barefoot Puppets’ holiday hit uncovers what really 

happened that fateful day when Millie the chicken decided 

to bake a loaf of bread. 

11/24/2014

11/25/2014

11/28/2014

Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Seasons of Light 

Presented Season of Light, a signature Discovery Theater 

in its 15th season, celebrates the history and customs of 

Ramadan, Devali, Sankta Lucia, Chanukah, Los Posados, 

Kwanzaa, Christmas, and the First Nations’ tradition of the 

Winter Solstice in an interactive event that bridges 

communities and cultures.

12/01/2014 - 

12/19/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

ASEA TSA Baby Rex's Holiday 

Surprise

Featured Baby Rex's Holiday Surprise, which is about pals 

Massimo Maxicalisaurus and Shao Shao the Microraptor 

leading Baby Rex on a globetrotting musical journey to 

show that midwinter celebrations are all about family, 

food, and sharing the fun.

12/10/2014 - 

12/12/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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USFA AP Festival ADA

Festival ADA: 25 Years of Disability Rights was a historic 

celebration that took place at NMAH from July 24-26, 

2015. It was a part of nationwide efforts to commemorate 

the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with 

Disabilities Act (ADA). The Smithsonian partnered a 

Consortium that included the John F. Kennedy Center for 

the Performing Arts, the ADA Legacy project and 

Gallaudet University. The Festival goals were to: Increase 

public awareness of the ADA and its historic civil rights 

legacy; honor the Smithsonian’s commitment to the 

principles of cultural democracy and social equality by 

focusing attention on people’s social and cultural 

contributions and experiences; provide multiple 

opportunities to engage and interact with participants 

whose lives have been impacted by the ADA, and to allow 

them to share their stories with each other and the general 

public; and promote self-advocacy and artistic/cultural 

creativity as critical to human well-being and community 

health. The Festival included a series of panel discussions, 

interviews, and conversations about pre-ADA history, 

history of the ADA’s passage, grassroots and professional 

advocacy, storytelling and humor, universal design, 

assistive technology, sports events, human enhancement 

and technology, and more. Other tents showcased 

ingenuity and adaptation through the arts, design and 

architecture, sports, and hands-on activities.

07/24/2015 - 

07/26/2015 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Institutional Event

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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USFA AP Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is an international program model that focuses on 

internships leading to employment for interns and has grown the 

original program site at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to over 200 sites 

across, 40 states and 4 countries. Project SEARCH Smithsonian is a 

one-year transition program designed for young adults with 

intellectual and developmental disabilities who are either in their last 

year of high school or are recent graduates. The program targets 

individuals whose main goal is employment, and who will benefit from 

full time career exploration in a business setting. The Project SEARCH 

model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, 

innovative adaptations, long-term job coaching, and continuous 

feedback from teachers, job coaches and internship supervisors. As a 

result, at the completion of the training program, students with 

significant intellectual disabilities are employed in nontraditional, 

complex and rewarding jobs. The Smithsonian partners with the 

Ivymount School and SEEC, an adult rehabilitation services provider; 

who provide consistent on-site staff including a special education 

teacher and job coaches. This team identifies and develops internship 

sites, supports supervisors and interns, and assists with the hiring 

process. Individual job development and placement occurs based on 

the participant’s experiences, strengths, and skills. Participants are 

given support with accommodations, adaptations and on-the-job 

coaching. Students are on site at the Smithsonian each school day for 

10 months. They participate in three 10-week internships during the 

school year. The students have one hour of classroom instruction 

daily and 4.5 to 5 hours at their internship site. Benefits to the 

Participants include: Participation in a variety of internships; acquire 

competitive, transferable and marketable job skills; gain increased 

independence, confidence, and self-esteem; obtain work-based 

individualized coaching, instruction and feedback; and develop links 

with Vocational Rehabilitation and other adult service agencies. 

Benefits to the Business: Access to a new, diverse, talent stream with 

skills that match labor needs; gain intern/ employees with disabilities 

who serve as a role model for customers; access to a demographic of 

the economy with intense buying power because people with 

disabilities represent one of the fastest growing market segments in 

the US; experience increased regional and national recognition 

through marketing of this unique program; and performance and 

retention in some high-turnover, entry-level positions increase 

dramatically.

August 2015 - June 

2016 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Internship to 

employment 

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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USFA AP

Access to 

Opportunities 

Internship Program

The Smithsonian, in partnership with The HSC Foundation, has 

established an internship program specifically designed for people 

with disabilities that has set high expectations for those who have 

participated, and provided them with an equivalent experience to 

those who do not have disabilities. The program has empowered 

participants’ sense of independence and created a population of 

young people with disabilities who can be competitive in the work 

environment. Exposure to the real world of work, research, and 

academics within the supportive and engaging environment that is the 

Smithsonian will provide them with the ability and confidence to 

transfer the skills they developed in the classroom to the world of 

work. This internship program is vital, as according to the 2012 

Cornell University Disability Status Report, a significant employment 

gap exists between those who are employed and have a disability and 

those who are employed and do not. 76.3 percent of the working 

population without a disability is employed. This is in stark contrast to 

the 33.5 percent of the population with a disability that is working. 

This disquieting statistic demonstrates a grim reality: oftentimes 

young people with disabilities are given a minimal amount of 

opportunity in relation to their talents, abilities, and capacity. For 

many young people, the transition from school to work can be fraught 

with challenges. A young person leaves the supportive environment of 

an educational institution and enters the world of advanced education 

or work. To navigate this transitional period successfully one must 

possess a definitive skill-set, relevant professional experience, and a 

relatively high level of independence. One acquires these qualities 

over time, through professional and personal experiences. Given 

today’s job market, it is critical that young people pursue challenging 

opportunities which will provide each of them with professional 

contacts, qualifications, and a competitive edge. The challenges 

described above are even more pressing for people with disabilities.

On-going In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Internship Program Program 

Diversity

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USFA AP Morning at the 

Museum

Morning at the Museum is a pan-institutional program that 

addresses the needs expressed by families of children on 

the autism spectrum or who have other types of cognitive 

disabilities. The program offers early opening hours at 

various SI museums every other month along with 

extensive on-line visit preparation materials and a “Take a 

Break” space staffed by a therapist for children who need 

to remove themselves from the activities for a short period 

of time.

On-going, every 

other month In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Museum program Program 

Diversity

USFA OHR

George Mason 

University: Arts in 

the Real World 

Internship and 

Career Fair

 Participated in George Mason University’s Arts in the Real 

World Internship and Career Fair. At this expo-style 28 

organizations were represented and 220 students/alumni 

attended. It was a big draw for students in the College of 

Visual and Performing Arts, as well as those from other 

departments including Public Administration and Art 

History. The event also included a series of presentations 

and Q&A sessions on special topics related to professional 

development in the visual and performing arts.

02/12/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Career Fairs Program 

Diversity

USFA OHR

Georgetown 

University 

Government and 

Nonprofit Career 

EXPO

Participated at the Georgetown University Government 

and Non-Profit Career Expo, which catered to over 1000 

students and was used to direct several to the 

Smithsonian’s current Pathways openings (Editorial 

Assistant and Archives Technician). This fair was hosted by 

Georgetown in conjunction with the University of Virginia, 

the University of Richmond, New York University's 

Wasserman Center for Career Development and the Robert 

F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, the College 

of William and Mary, and Swarthmore College and was 

only open to students and alumni of these schools.

02/13/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Career Fairs Program 

Diversity

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USFA OHR

University of 

Maryland Spring 

2015 Career & 

Internship Fair 

Participated at the University of Maryland Spring 2015 

Career & Internship Fair. The University of Maryland is a 

nationally ranked Division I research university and the 

flagship institution of the University System of Maryland. 

The 2015 Spring Career & Internship Fair is a 3-day campuswide event for employers from all industries. The fair kicks 

off spring recruiting season and offers the opportunity to 

interact with thousands of talented students from all 

majors, seeking full-time and internships positions.

02/19/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Career Fairs Program 

Diversity

USFA OHR

American University 

Spring 2015 Job & 

Internship Fair

Participated at the American University Spring 2015 Job & 

Internship Fair held on March 25. This high-impact fair was 

open to AU students and alumni seeking full-time, parttime, and internship positions; and connected them to 

representatives from 140 nonprofit organizations, 

companies, and government agencies. The 2015 fair saw 

an increased level of participation with 1174 registered 

attendees, as compared to 924 in 2014. Smithsonian 

representatives also participated in a break-out session 

pilot initiative that provided the opportunity to sit with a 

large group of attendees for 30 minutes and answer atlarge questions employment and internship opportunities 

at the Smithsonian.

03/25/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Career Counseling Program 

Diversity

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Category

USFA OHR Anacostia Museum 

Career Day

Participated in ACM’s annual Career Day program on May 

21. OHR’s Recruitment Branch donated 40 pairs of pencils 

and bookmarks to be included in students gift bags. 

Recruitment specialists Shontel Ruiz and Edith Tudae also 

volunteered to give a 5-10 minute presentation about their 

roles. They spoke in length about work and volunteer 

positions for students at the Institution and how they can 

prepare for and obtain various opportunities. About 35 

students were in attendance from the SEED School of 

Washington, DC. SEED DC is the nation’s first public 

boarding school whose primary mission is to provide an 

intensive, college preparatory educational program that 

prepares diverse students, both academically and socially, 

for success in college and life beyond.

05/21/2015 Completed African Americans Career Counseling Workforce 

Diversity

USFA OHR

NAACP National 

Convention 

Diversity Career Fair

Edith Tudae from OHR, Anita Nahal from NMAAHC, Omar 

Eaton-Martinez from NMAH, and Karen Carter from OFI 

represented the Smithsonian at the NAACP National 

Convention Diversity Career Fair, which is one of the 

nation’s premier diversity branding and recruiting events. 

The Smithsonian joined several of the nation’s top 

companies and government agencies to conduct outreach 

to candidates seeking job and internship opportunities 

from the immediate Philadelphia area as well as those from 

across the nation. The Professional Diversity Career Fair 

was free and open to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, 

sexual orientation, gender. Speaking guests included 

former President Bill Clinton and current President Barrack 

Obama.

07/14/2015 Completed African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Bamboo Brilliance: 

A Mujuan 

Shakuhachi 

Celebration

Japanese and Japanese-American musicians performed 

traditional and contemporary music for bamboo flute 

(shakuhachi).

10/25/2014 Completed Asian Americans Japanese Americans Performances Program 

Diversity

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Category

USHAC FSG Material Science in 

the Museum

FSG's Senior Scientist Blythe McCarthy presented a lecture 

to University of Maryland students about material science 

activities in museums in preparation for up-coming 

recruitment.

11/21/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Lecture Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Music From China 

Ensemble: 30th 

Anniversary Concert

Chinese-American musicians performed music by several 

Chinese American composers. 11/22/2014 Completed Asian Americans Chinese Americans Performances Program Diversity

USHAC FSG

A Jazz Take on Arab 

Songs: The Tarek 

Yamani Trio

Lebanese American pianist performed his own jazz 

versions of songs by famous Arab composers of the 1950s. 12/06/2014 Completed Asian Americans Arab Americans Performances Program Diversity

USHAC FSG

Music From Japan: 

40th Anniversary 

Concert

Chinese-American and Korean-American soloists 

performed music with visiting Japanese virtuoso. 02/10/2015 Completed Asian Americans Pan-Asian Americans Performances Program Diversity

USHAC FSG Lunar New Year 

Family Day

Celebrated Lunar New Year with a day of family activities 

and festivities. 02/21/2015 Completed Asian AmericansOthers

Chinese Americans

Youth

Youth & Family 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Teacher Workshop: 

"Global Look: 

Exploring Point of 

View"

Presented a teacher’s workshop, Global Look: Exploring 

Point of View,” which examined the diverse perspectives 

on travel in the traveler’s eye and engaged in creative and 

reflective strategies that can be employed in the class room 

to help students understand different points of view. 

03/04/2015 Completed Others Local educators and 

teachers of all backgrounds

Professional 

Development/Train

ing

Supplier 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Classic Persian Pop: 

Mitra Sumara Band

Iranian pop music from the 1960s and 70s drew two fullhouse audiences of mostly Iranian Americans from the DC 

area.

03/07/2015 Completed Asian Americans Iranian Americans Performances Program 

Diversity

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Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC FSG Docent Training Training on working with visitors with disabilities . 03/10/2015 Completed Individuals with Disabilities

Professional 

Development/Train

ing

Supplier 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Ghazal: Indian and 

Persian 

Improvisations

Two Grammy-nominated Asian American artists 

performed of fusion of Indian and Persian classical music 

traditions for an audience of Iranian- and Indian-American 

music lovers.

03/19/2015 Completed Asian Americans Pan-Asian Americans Performances Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG ArtJamz: Cherry 

Blossoms

Hosted a painting party by DC’s popular ArtJamz, which 

provided participants the opportunity to discover their 

inner artist and the beauty of cherry blossoms in Japanese 

art.

03/28/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Others Youth, Families Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

National Math 

Festival: Design a 

Kolam Workshop

Presented a Design a Kolam Workshop during the first 

annual National Math Festival. Participants discovered the 

curved loops and geometric symmetry of kolam, a South 

Indian style of painting that uses rice flour to make intricate 

designs. They also had the opportunity to watch a 

professional artist create a kolam and learn about its 

historical and mathematical importance before experiment 

making your own using popular motifs, such as flowers and 

animals.

04/18/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Others Youth, Families Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Shanghai Quartet Chinese American string quartet performed music by 

Chinese American composer Lei Liang. 04/30/2015 Completed Asian Americans Chinese Americans Performances Program Diversity

USHAC FSG Korea Day: A Family 

Festival

The Korean Film Festival kicks off with a full day of Korean 

cultural activities for the whole family. Explore the richness 

of Korean culture through hands-on activities, an animated 

film, gallery conversations, cooking demonstrations, and 

dance performances. Generous support for the Korean 

Film Festival and Korea Day: A Family Festival is provided 

by the Korea Foundation and by Professor Klaus Nehring 

and Dr. Yang-Ro Yoon.

05/03/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Others

Korean Americans

Youth, Families

Youth & Family 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC FSG

Garden Fest: Sumi-e 

Japanese Brush 

Painting Workshop

During the Smithsonian Garden Fest, learn and practice the 

Japanese brush painting technique known as sumi-e . 

Experiment with ink gradation and color to create four 

flowers that symbolize empowering qualities.

05/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Others Youth, Families Youth & Family 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Vijay Iyer, piano; 

Rudresh 

Mahanthappa, alto 

saxophone

Two prominent Indian-American jazz artists performed in 

this program co-presented with the Smithsonian Asian 

Pacific American Center.

07/23/2015 Completed Asian Americans Indian Americans Performances Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

ImaginAsia 

Archaeological 

Adventures 

Workshop

Presented the ImaginAsia Archeological Adventures 

Workshop which allowed participants to take a self-guided 

tour of Unearthing Arabia: The Archaeological Adventures 

of Wendell Phillips. Then, dig into a mini “excavation site” 

that includes shards found in Yemen and create clay 

models inspired by works in the exhibition.

01/17/2015 - 

01/18/2015 Please choose one: Asian AmericansOthers Yeminis Americans, Youths Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

In Your Words 

Workshop: 

Imagined Journeys

Presented the In Your Words Workshop: Imagined 

Journeys, as a part of The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia 

exhibition. This workshop supported students' creative 

and expository writing skills by inspiring the through 

artworks in the galleries, encouraging them to explore the 

past through the lens of other cultures, and using memoir 

and journalistic techniques to compose short pieces based 

on their experience. 

01/31/2015 - 

04/25/2015 Completed Asian AmericansOthers

Pan-Asian Americans, 

Youths

Youth & Family 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Love in Every 

Language

Featured Love in Every Language , a digital slideshow of 

images of love in Asian art from the FSG collections. 

Participants used prints that say “love” in more than a 

dozen Asian languages to create a Valentine’s Day card to 

take home, and learn how to fold heart-shaped origami.

02/14/2015 - 

02/15/2015 Completed Asian Americans Pan-Asian Americans Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

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Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

USHAC FSG ImaginAsia Great 

Adventures

Presented ImaginAsia Great Adventures, a workshop that 

offered participants a self-guided tour of discoveries across 

China, Japan, Indian and the Middle East and hands on 

activities related to The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia 

exhibition. 

03/14/2015 - 

03/15/2015 Completed Asian AmericansOthers Youth, Families Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Tweeting in Korean Promoted FSG's Korean Film Festival, through tweets 

about the screenings in both English and Korean.

05/03/2015 - 

06/25/2015 Completed Asian Americans Social media Program Diversity

USHAC FSG

 The World of the 

Japanese Illustrated 

Book: The Gerhard 

Pulverer Collection

Created a virtual portal The World of the Japanese 

Illustrated Book: The Gerhard Pulverer Collection which 

allows researchers to search for book titles can be searched 

in English and transliterated Japanese, with plans to 

include kanji. Titles in entries appear in English and kanji. 

Plans are underway to provide commentaries and essays in 

English and kanji, with Japanese authors writing text in 

kanji.

05/20/2015 - 

Present In-progress Asian Americans Japanese scholars Virtual Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

My Travel 

Storybook 

Workshop

Presented the My Travel Storybook Workshop in 

celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. 

This workshop featured Sushmita Mazumdar, lead artist of 

Studio Pause, for a bookmaking workshop. Participants 

started with a guided tour of The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of 

Asia exhibition, and then shared their stories of travel and 

heritage to create a handmade book. 

05/23/2015 - 

05/24/2015

05/30/2015 - 

05/31/2015

Completed Asian Americans

Others Youth Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Peacock 

Printmaking Project

Created the Peacock Printmaking Project, a 3-week teen 

artist residency with ArtREACH @ THEARC. The purpose 

of this program was to serve underserved youth from 

southeast DC and Prince George County in Maryland.

07/13/2015 - 

07/31/2015 Completed Residents of Under-resourced CommunitiesOthers Youth Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC FSG

Adventures in 

Anime and Manga 

Summer Camp

Hosted the Adventures in Anime and Manga Summer 

Camp, which traced the origins of manga drawing and 

anime films through FSG’s collections of Japanese art. 

Participants learned to draw and develop their own 

characters and discovered the tricks to creating the illusion 

of three-dimensionality.

07/27/2015 - 

07/31/2015 Completed Asian AmericansOthers Youth Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Desert 

Naturescapes

Presented the program Desert Naturescapes that allowed 

participants to explore the deserts of Egypt in the largescale photographic collage in Perspectives: Lara Baladi. 

They considered the ways one experiences and represents 

familiar places in one’s life and then created a mixed-media 

piece to communicate their personal vision of the world.

09/19/2015 - 

09/20/2015 Completed Asian AmericansOthers Youth, Families Youth & Family Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Hosted a Project 

Search intern

Participated in the Smithsonian's Project Search by hosting 

an intern who provided assistance within the Office of 

Finance and Administration for reception area relief and 

general office work. 

09/29/2014 - 

12/19/2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Project Search Workforce Diversity

USHAC FSG

Performing 

Indonesia: Music, 

Dance, and Theater 

from West Java

Featured Performing Indonesia: Music, Dance and Theater 

from West Java, which was a weekend-long series of family 

workshops, symposium, concerts, puppet-play, dance and 

performances that drew heavily from the Indonesian 

community in the DC area. 

10/04/2014 - 

10/05/2014 Completed Asian Americans Indonesian Americans Performances Program Diversity

USHAC FSG Promotional 

Language

Hosted a workshop that celebrated Diwali, the Hindu 

festival of light. In this drop-in workshop, participants 

viewed works of art to learn about the history of the 

holiday through a guided tour and then had the 

opportunity to color a print of Lakshmi Puja, the goddess 

of good fortune who brings blessings during this festival, 

and design their own rangoli.

11/01/2014

11/02/2014 Completed Asian Americans Workshop Program Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

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Category

USHAC FSG Celebrate Diwali! 

Workshop

Presented the Celebrate Diwali! Workshop, a part of 

ImaginAsia Programs and a special Open Studio Saturday, 

to celebrate the Hindu festival of light. Visitors of all ages 

discovered FSG’s collection of South Asian and Himalayan 

art through family-friendly tours and hands-on activities. 

11/07/2014

11/11/2014 - 

11/12/2014

Planned Asian Americans Indian Americans, youths Youth & Family 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Hunt! Guess! 

Explore Workshop - 

Arts of the Islamic 

World permanent 

collection

Hosted the Hunt! Guess! Explore Workshop in conjunction 

with the Arts of the Islamic World permanent collection. 

This drop-in workshop offered a self-guided tour and handson activities related to the Islamic Art collection, leading to 

the opportunity to create an art version of "paradise."

11/15/2014 - 

11/16/2014 Completed Asian AmericansOthers Youth Workshop Program Diversity

USHAC FSG Iran in Photographs 

website

Created an Iran in Photographs website, which features a 

list of selected readings has pertinent titles in Persian, 

English, and French. Site visitors are encouraged to email 

in English or Persian if they recognize a place or face 

among the photographs online.

April 2015 - Present In-progress Others Iranian Americans, Iranians

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG

Ancient Chinese 

Jades Online 

Catalogue

In the process of creating an ancient Chinese Jades online 

catalogue that will have object IDs in English and Chinese, 

with plans to include entries and essays in Chinese and 

English. 

April 2015 - Spring 

2016 In-progress Asian Americans Chinese scholars Virtual Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC FSG Sotatsu exhibition 

catalogue

Published the Sotatsu exhibition catalogue, which 

celebrates Tawaraya Sotatsu, a 17th-century master 

Japanese craftsman, never before celebrated in a solo 

show in the West. Many of the authors were from Japan 

and writing in Japanese. The book incorporates Japanese 

perspective, not just a Western one, throughout, making 

for a much richer and resonant publication.

October 2014 - 

September 2015 Completed Asian Americans Publication Program Diversity

USHAC FSG PSE department 

contractor

Worked the SI Supplier Diversity Program to identify the 

contractor Help Unlimited in order to obtain a temporary 

office administrator.

September 2014 - 

November 2015 In-progress African Americans Workforce

Supplier 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC NMAAHC

Interpretive 

Workshop at 

Charleston County 

Parks and 

Recreation

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituent Services 

is sponsoring a week-long workshop certified by the 

National Association of Interpretation, to be held in 

Charleston SC, for members of the Association of African 

American Museums.

01/17/16 - 01/23/16 In-progress African Americans

Hispanics

Partnership 

Agreement

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC Goree Island 3D 

Scanning

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituent Services 

is facilitating the training of archaeology students at the 

University of Dakar in 3-D scanning technology, with which 

they have scanned artifacts from Goree Island. These scans 

will eventually be used in NMAAHC exhibitions.

02/03/2015-TBD In-progress African Americans International 

Partnerships

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC Blakey Symposium

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituents Services 

is sponsoring a week-long symposium in Dakar, Senegal, 

featuring Dr. Michael Blakey. Students and researchers 

from the University of Dakar and the entire West African 

region will come together to share ideas and learn from 

each other.

02/8/2016-

02/12/2016 In-progress African Americans International Conferences

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC HBCU Pilot 

Internships

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituent Services 

is sponsoring a series of satellite "pilot" internships at 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities in advance of 

developing an on-site internship opportunity for students 

from HBCUs once the museum opens. Five pilots have 

been completed and 3-5 more are in process.

05/01/2014 - 

07/30/2016 In-progress African AmericansHispanics Internships

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC NMAAHC Audience 

Research

Conducting a research project intended to illuminate the 

perceptions of diverse African diasporic audiences in order 

to meaningfully engage and offer them a fulfilling visitor 

experience at NMAAHC. The Office of Community and 

Constituent Services is partnering with an external research 

consultant to complete a broad audience research analysis.

09/01/2015 - 

11/01/2016 In-progress

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Research Project Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Category

USHAC NMAAHC AAM-TyPA 

Conference

Conference of the Americas being co-created by the 

American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and Fundación 

TyPA. The primary audience for this conference were midlevel, on-the-ground staff who serve as the future leaders 

and “change-makers” within the institution. NMAAHC's 

Office of Community and Constituent Services specifically 

supported fellowships for underserved participants with a 

focus on African diaspora community and accessibility of 

conference events and materials (translation into three 

languages and access on Internet for those unable to 

attend as well as distribution and translation of white 

paper). NMAAHC also participated on a panel focused on 

the representation of the African diaspora.

09/02/2015 - 

09/04/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC

University of Dakar 

Underwater Dive 

Training

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituent Services 

is facilitating the training of archaeology students at the 

University of Dakar in SCUBA diving as well as underwater 

archaeology, in anticipation of their eventual participation 

in NMAAHC's Slave Wrecks Project.

11/22/2014-TBD In-progress African Americans International 

Partnerships

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAAHC SEMC John Kinard 

Scholarship

NMAAHC's Office of Community and Constituent Services 

is sponsoring an annual scholarship for members from the 

Association of African American Museums to attend 

SEMC's Jekyll Island Management Institute.

Annually In-progress African Americans

Hispanics Partnership

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

NMAH Blog post for 

African American 

History Month

In honor of African American History Month, NMAH 

curator Helena Wright published the blog post titled 

Intriguing Images of Dr. George Washington Carver , which 

provided information on the striking Pyscho Beautigraph 

etching by artist Felix B. Gaines of Dr. Carver. This blog 

post increased visibility of the diversity of NMAH's 

collections.

02/13/2015 Completed African Americans Blog Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

USHAC NMAH

NMAH Blog post for 

Women’s History 

Month

In honor of Women's History Month, NMAH curator Helena 

Wright published a blog post titled Ethel Reed and the 

Poster Craze , which described the life and work of Ethel 

Reed (1874-1912), a popular poster artist of the 1890s. This 

post increased visibility of the diversity of NMAH's 

collections.

03/23/2015 Completed Others Women Blog Program 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

Smithsonian Video 

Informational 

Session University 

of Illinois- Chicago 

Museum Studies

NMAH's Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez, presented an Informational session on 

internships and fellowships to a diverse cohort of students 

from the University of Ill-Chicago's Social Justice centered 

Museum Studies program.

04/09/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Informational 

Session

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

University of 

Maryland, College 

Park Intern for a Day 

NMAH's Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez, hosted an African American UMCP student for a 

one day job shadowing program to introduce the 

student to life of a museum professional at the 

Smithsonian.

04/22/2015 Completed African Americans Job shadowing

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH Raise It Up! Go-go 

Concert

Presented Raise it Up!, a Go-go concert that featured the 

band Team Familiar on the Mall Terrace. Organized by 

NMAH's William Reynolds, Lemelson Center and James 

Zimmerman, Office of Programs and Strategic Initiatives

this program also featured a discussion facilitated by 

William Reynolds with Charles Stephenson, Kip Lornell, 

and Donnell Floyd of Familiar Faces on DC as a "Place of 

Invention" for Go-go music. 

June 11, 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Public Program Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

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Category

USHAC NMAH

University of Puerto 

Rico, Rio Piedras 

Outreach

NMAH's Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez, gave three presentations to students and faculty 

from three different departments (Humanities, Social 

Science and General Studies. Met with the Provost to 

discuss potential MOU that could lead to helping them 

create a Museum Studies program. This increased the 

visibility of the intern and fellows program at NMAH.

03/01/2015 - 

03/14/2015 Completed Hispanics

Series of 

presentations and 

meetings with the 

purpose of 

formalizing a 

partnership

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

Youth Advisory 

Council Application 

Process Outreach

NMAH's Youth Programs Coordinator, Sage MorganHubbard, promoted and reached out to hundreds of local 

area History/ Social Science teachers, Principals and 

administrators including all of the local private and public 

area MD, VA & DC high schools. NMAH received over 80 

applications and selected a diverse group of 20 students 

aged 15-17 years old for our summer youth advisory council 

from July 13-24th, 2015 and will then have an additional 

group of 30 students in the year-long program starting in 

October. NMAH will continue to work hard to attract and 

maintain a diverse group of teenagers, majority of who are 

under resourced and could especially benefit from our free 

programing.

05/01/2015 - 

05/22/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Youth Programs

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

NMAH intern hired 

through Minority 

Awards Program, 

OFI

NMAH Intern, Alexis McDonald, an African American 

student from Bryn Mawr College, is learning the accession 

process for prints that are being added to the NMAH 

permanent collection. She will gain first-hand experience 

with a variety of European and American historical prints 

and learn to identify different printmaking methods, 

standard cataloguing procedures, and the use of our Mimsy 

XG database.

06/01/2015 - 

08/07/2015 Completed African Americans Paid Internships

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC NMAH Latino Baseball 

History

NMAH Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez and NMAH Curator, Margie Salazar-Porzio, met 

with George Santiago, International Baseball Federation 

Commissioner and co-founder of Los Magnificos, regarding 

an initiative to commemorate the 12 Latino Baseball Hall of 

Famers.

May 2015 - TBD In-progress

African Americans

Hispanics Outreach

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

Indiana University 

School of Public & 

Environmental 

Affairs (IU/SPEA) 

MOU

NMAH Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez, in conjunction with NMAH's Office of 

Management and Museum Services hosted this spring our 

first cohort of IU/SPEA students as part of our 5 year 

memorandum of understanding for internships in museum 

management.

Spring 2015 - Spring 

2019 In-progress

Asian Americans

Others Two International Students

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Formal

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC NMAH

Asian Pacific 

Islander American 

Scholarship 

Fund/Asian 

American Native 

American Pacific 

Islander Serving 

Institution Capacity 

Building Workshop

NMAH Interns and Fellows Manager, Omar EatonMartínez, presented to higher education institutions with 

high enrollment of Asian American Pacific Islander 

students on internships and fellowships.

Completed Asian Americans

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Afro-Latino Forum SAAM Curator, E. Carmen Ramos, participated on the AfroLatino Form Pan-Institutional panel. 10/1/2014 Completed Hispanics Program Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Exploring Castle 

Panel Discussion

Hosted a panel discussion moderated by SAAM Exhibition 

Curator, Nicholas Bell on James Castle's remarkable artistic 

vision. 

10/2/2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Program Program 

Diversity

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

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Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM

Lunch-bag lecture: 

Going 'Native' in an 

American 

Borderland: Frank S. 

Matsura's 

Photographic 

Miscegenation

Hosted a lunch-bag lecture by ShiPu Wang, Terra 

Foundation Senior Fellow in American Art and Associate 

Professor at the University of California, on Seattle-based 

Asian American photographer Frank S. Matsura.

10/8/2014 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLunch-bag Lecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Backstory: 

Smithsonian 

Curator E. Carmen 

Ramos on Our 

America

Hosted a lecture by SAAM Curator, E. Carmen Ramos, at 

the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California. 11/6/2014 Completed Hispanics Program Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM

James Dicke 

Contemporary 

Artist Prize

Awarded the James Dicke Contemporary Artist Prize to 

Nigerian born Njideka Akunyili Crosby. The winning artist 

was selected by independent panel of jurors and the 

$25,000 award recognizes an artist younger than 50 who 

has produced a significant body of work and continuously 

displays exceptional creativity.

11/25/2014 Completed African Americans Program Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM James Castle: 

Portrait of an artist

Featured the documentary of James Castle, a look at the 

artist's life and creative process, as seen through the eyes 

of family members, art historians, curators, artists, 

collectors and members of the deaf community. The film 

screening was followed by a Q&A with Director Jeffrey 

Wolf, and SAAM curators Nicholas Bell and Leslie 

Umberger. 

12/1/2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Program Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Conservation of our 

Collection: Untitled 

the Art of James 

Castle

Provided two tours of Conservation of our Collection: 

Untitled the Art of James Castle, led by SAAM's Paper 

Conservator, Catherine Maynor. This tour provided an 

inside look at treatment techniques. 

12/10/2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Program Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 59
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Report

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM Chinese New Year 

Family Festival Hosted a family day in celebration of Chinese New Years. 02/6/2015 Completed Asian Americans Program Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Curating a 

Meaningless 

Category: The 

Critical Reception of 

"Our America"

Presented a lecture by SAAM Curator, E. Carmen 

Ramos, at the College Art Association conference session 

Imagining a US Latina/o Art History. 

02/12/2015 Completed Hispanics Lecture Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Round Table Remix

Presented a webcast panel discussion with artist Mingering 

Mike; SAAM Exhibition Curator, Leslie Umberger; author 

Dori Hadar, writer and art curator Tom Patterson, an local 

radio personality Carroll Hynson, Jr.

02/27/2015 Completed African Americans Lecture Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Gallery Talk: 

Mingering Mike's 

Supersonic Greatest 

Hits

Gallery tour led by SAAM Exhibition Curator Leslie 

Umberger 03/10/2015 Completed African Americans Lecture Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Lunch-bag lecture: 

"Sculpting the New 

Negress: May 

Howard Jackson and 

the Politics of Black 

Female 

Respectability, 1900-

1930"

Hosted the lunch-bag lecture by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, 

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Chair at the 

University of Pennsylvania 

03/30/2015 Completed African Americans Lecture Program 

Diversity

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM

Dicke 

Contemporary 

Artist Lecture

Presented a lecture by Mark Bradford, one of today's most 

recognized contemporary artists, as part of the Dicke 

Contemporary Artist Lecture series. Bradford discussed his 

Amendment painting series that explores the themes of 

democracy, power, and freedom represented in the U.S. 

Bill of Rights. 

04/20/2015 Completed African Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Distinguished 

Artists Talk

Hosted the Distinguished Artists Talk that featured 

brothers Einar and Jamex de la Toree, well-known in the 

glass art world, who described their process and work, past 

and present.

05/3/2015 Completed Hispanics Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Chinese New Year 

Family Festival 

Hosted a Cherry Blossom Family Celebration in honor of 

Chinese New Years, which featured traditional Japanese 

music and dance performances and craft.

05/4/2015 Completed Asian Americans Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Curator led Gallery 

Talk

Curator Joann Moser led a gallery tour/talk on the 

Kuniyoshi exhibition. 05/07/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Conference Paper

SAAM Curator, E. Carmen Ramos presented conference 

paper at New York University titled Josè Antonio Aponte 

and His World: Writing, Painting and Making Freedom in the 

African Diaspora , which discussed images of slaves/slavery 

in nineteenth-century Cuban art at the conference. 

05/08/2015 Completed African Americans

Hispanics

Lecture

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Fellows Lecture 

Series

As part of the museum's annual fellows lecture series, 

Hayan Kim, Pre-doctoral Fellow, University of Illinois at 

Urbana-Champaign gave a presentation titled "Changing 

Interface: Nam June Paik's TV and Video, 1963-1995."

05/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Gallery Talk

Hosted a gallery talk that featured new media artist Kota 

Ezwa, who discussed his work in the museum's Watch This! 

exhibition.

05/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM Curator led talk SAAM Curator Tom Wolf presented talk on the artistic 

journey of Yasuo Kuniyoshi. 05/10/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Yasuo Kuniyoshi in 

the American Art 

World

Hosted a lecture featuring art historian and writer Avis 

Berman, who spoke on Yasuo Kuniyoshi and establishes 

Kuniyoshi as a twentieth-century modernist and places him 

among his contemporaries, including artists Edward 

Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Stuart Davis. 

06/04/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Curator led Gallery 

Talk

Hosted a gallery talk by SAAM Curator, Leslie Umberger, 

who discussed Mingering Mike's Supersonic Greatest Hits. 06/16/2015 Completed African Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Conference Paper

SAAM Curator, Leslie Umberger, presented a lecture at the 

"Heterotopias" Conference, hosted by the Osservatorio 

Outsider Art Palermo, The University of Palermo and the 

International European Outsider Arts Association.

06/27/2015 Completed African Americans

Lecture

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Cultivating Fruit and 

Equality: The Still 

Life Paintings of 

Robert Duncanson

Featured the article titled "Cultivating Fruit and Equality: 

The Still Life Paintings of Robert Duncanson" by Shana 

Klein in the summer edition of SAAM's journal American 

Art, vol. 29, no. 2, pg. 64-85. This article examines the 

many ways that fruit served Duncanson and connected him 

to local networks invested in art, horticulture, and 

abolition.

07/01/2015 Completed African Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

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Direct

Report

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Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM

Olga Albizu and the 

Borders of 

Abstraction

Featured the article titled "Olga Albizu and the Borders of 

Abstraction" by Abigail McEwen in the summer edition of 

SAAM's journal American Art, vol. 29, no. 2, pg. 86-111. 

Born in San Juan, Olga Albizu (1924–2005) ranks among 

the important women of American abstract expressionism 

and may be considered the movement’s outstanding 

representative from Puerto Rico. A student of Esteban 

Vicente and Hans Hofmann, she developed her practice of 

painting betwixt and between the gendered, generational, 

and nationalist discourses of abstract expressionism and 

Latin American art over the 1950s and 1960s. Working 

within the conceptual borderlands of Puerto Rican New 

York and the New York School, Albizu turned the 

vocabularies of gestural painting into a post-national 

medium of self-expression, articulated here as a critical 

border practice. Albizu’s border practice challenged 

cultural tropes of American exceptionalism and Puerto 

Rican independence, and her mature paintings—most 

tellingly, her self-portraits—disclose a richly intrasubjective 

and multiplex American identity.

07/01/2015 Completed Hispanics Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Conservation of Our 

CollectionsMingering Mike's 

Supersonic Greatest 

Hits

Hosted a gallery talk by SAAM's Paper Conservator, 

Catherine Maynor, about the techniques used to treat and 

preserve the artist's self-fabricated LP albums with original 

album art and liner notes, 44-rpm singles, and more.

07/07/2015 Completed African Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Watch This! How 

Nam June Paik and 

Video Art Led a 

Good Abstract Artist 

Astray

Artist, writer and television personality Russell Connor 

celebrates Nam June Paik's birthday with the screening of 

excerpts from Global Groove, a film narrated by Connor, 

who chats about his collaborations with Paik and other 

video artists.

07/08/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

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Unit

Initiative

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM Gallery Talk

Hosted a gallery talk by SAAM's exhibition co-curator 

Joann Moser, which highlighted Kuniyoshi's inventive and 

humorous early works as well as his later more sensuous 

and worldly ones, painted after his two extended visits to 

Paris.

07/16/2015 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Gallery Talk

Hosted a gallery talk with video artist Rico Gatson SAAM's 

Watch This!, which discussed Gun Play, his socially 

conscious work in the exhibition.

08/15/2015 Completed African Americans Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Wikipedia Asian 

Pacific American Art

Hosted a Wikipedia edit-a-thon and meet-up event in 

collaboration with APAC and Wikimedia DC to improve 

articles in Wikipedia about Asian Pacific American art and 

artists. 

09/04/2015 Completed Asian Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM An American Diary

Presented a lecture by artist Roger Shimomura, who 

discussed his work that juxtaposes everyday images with 

racially charged imagery, confronting Asian-American 

political and ethnic issues. He also discussed his paintings, 

prints and experimental theatre pieces that span his fortyyear career.

08/20/2105 Completed Asian Americans Public ProgramLecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Mingering Mike's 

Supersonic Greatest 

Hits

SAAM Curator of Folk and Self-Taught Art, Leslie 

Umberger, organized the exhibition "Mingering Mike's 

Supersonic Greatest Hits. This exhibition features more 

than 100 artworks made by self-taught African American 

Washington, DC artist known as Mingering Mike. The 

works powerfully evoke the black entertainers of the late 

1960s and '70s and are a window onto an historical 

moment when black radio was new and Washington-based 

performers like Marvin Gaye were gaining national 

attention and transforming American music.

02/27/2015 - 

08/02/2015 Completed African Americans Exhibition Program Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM Loan Program

SAAM lent 3 artworks to the Museum of Modern Art for 

their show: "One Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence's Migration 

Series and Other Visions of the Great Movement North"

[paintings lent, 1967.59.610, 1967.59.618 and 2010.52, two 

William H. Johnson works and one Jacob Lawrence work] 

04/03/2015-

09/07/2015 Completed African Americans Exhibition Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM Gallery Highlights

All walk-in tours featured the work of an Asian American 

artists during the entire month of May as part of the Asian 

Pacific Heritage month celebrations.

05/01/2015-

05/30/2015 Completed Asian Americans Gallery Talk Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM The Artistic Journey 

of Yasuo Kuniyoshi

First comprehensive overview of Yasuo Kuniyoshi's works 

by a U.S. museum in more than 65-years. Organized by 

guest curator Tom Wolf and co-curated with Joann Moser, 

deputy chief curator at SAAM. Traces the artist's career 

through 66 of his finest paintings and drawings.

05/04/2015 - 

08/30/2015 Completed Asian Americans Exhibition, publication

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Internship, Summer 

Program 

SAAM actively recruited for a diverse summer internship 

program, which had a 15% diversity rate, with 100% female 

and 15% Hispanic.

06/08/2015 - 

08/10/2015 Completed Hispanics Internship Program Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

The Modern Pueblo 

Painting of Awa 

Tsireh

Featured the exhibition The Modern Pueblo Painting of Awa 

Tsireh. The paintings of Awa Tsireh, also known by his 

Spanish name, Alfonso Roybal, represent an encounter 

between the art traditions of native Pueblo peoples in the 

Southwestern United States and the American modernist 

at style begun in New York, which quickly spread across the 

country.

09/04/2015 - 

01/31/2016 In-progress Native Americans Exhibition Program Diversity

USHAC SAAM Fellowship Program 

Diversity Stats

Gender: 73% female; 27% male; Race: 16.6 % Asian 

American. 

10/1/2014-

8/26/2015 In-progress

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Fellowship 

Program

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USHAC SAAM

Our America: The 

Latino Presence in 

American Art

SAAM's Curator of Latino Art, E. Carmen Ramos organized 

the exhibition titled "Our America: The Latino Presence in 

American Art." It presents more than ninety works of art 

across all media by significant Latino artists active from the 

1950s to present day, and gives voice to their broad 

American experience. Drawn entirely from SAAM 

permanent collection, the exhibition explores how Latino 

artist shaped the artistic movements of their day and 

recalibrated key themes in American art and culture. The 

show will travels to 7 additional venues: The Patricia and 

Phillip Frost Art Museum (Miami, FL), Crocker Art Museum 

(Sacramento, CA), Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake 

City, UT), Arkansas Art Center (Little Rock, AR), Delaware 

Art Museum (Wilmington, DE), Hunter Museum of 

American Art (Chattanooga, TN), and Sioux City Art Center 

(Sioux City, IA). The exhibition is accompanied by 

exhibition catalog of same title, a bilingual mobile website 

and audio podcast featuring commentaries by curators and 

artists. 

10/25/2013-3/2/2014 

, with travelling 

shows at 7 

additional venues 

from 2013 through 

October 15, 2017. 

Currently on view 

at: Crocker Art 

Museum 

(Sacramento, CA), 

Sept. 21, 2014-Jan. 

11, 2015. 

In-progress Hispanics Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Internship Advanced 

Level Program 

Diversity Stats

SAAM actively recruits for a diverse internship program.

The Fall Internship Advanced Level Program, achieved 

diversity rate of 12.5%: Including 6.25% Hispanic, 6.25% 

African-American and gender diversity of 75% female and 

25% male.

9/1/2014-5/1/2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Internship Program Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM Art Signs Provided an ongoing series of gallery talks, held twice a 

month, for Deaf Visitors in American Sign Language (ASL). 9/2/2013 - Ongoing In-progress Individuals with Disabilities Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

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USHAC SAAM Untitled: The Art of 

James Castle

Curated an exhibition by Nicholas Bell, the Fleur and 

Charles Bresler Senior Curator of American Craft and 

Decorative Art. The exhibition highlights SAAM's recent 

acquisitions of Castle's works. Castle was born profoundly 

deaf, remained illiterate, and never acquired a 

conventional mode of communicating with others. He is 

often assumed to have lived a form of extreme isolation. 

This exhibition seeks to move beyond such biography, to 

appreciate the remarkable quality of Castle’s vision, and to 

question how the works themselves can elucidate the 

world of one of the most enigmatic American artists of the 

twentieth century. The exhibition is accompanied by 

catalog of same title.

9/26/2014-2/1/2015 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Exhibition, 

Publication

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

Confronting Taboo: 

Photography and 

the Art of Jacob 

Lawrence

Featured the article titled Confronting Taboo: Photography 

and the Art of Jacob Lawrence by Tanya Sheehan in 

American Art, the scholarly journal co-published by SAAM 

and the University of Chicago (Fall 2014, vol. 28, no. 3).

The article explores African American artist Jacob 

Lawrence's references to vernacular photographic 

practices. 

Fall 2014 Completed African Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

To Reap the Harvest 

Wonderful: On 

Sustainability at the 

National Museum of 

African American 

History and Culture

Included commentary by Kinshasha Holman Conwill, 

Deputy Director of NMAAHC on the article To Reap the 

Harvest Wonderful: On Sustainability at the National 

Museum of African American History and Culture, was 

published in American Art, the scholarly journal copublished by SAAM and the University of Chicago (Fall 

2014, vol. 28, no. 3).

Fall 2014 Completed African Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM American InSight Docent led gallery tours designed for visitors who are blind 

or who have low vision. July 2015 - On going In-progress Individuals with Disabilities Public ProgramGallery Talk

Program 

Diversity

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Category

USHAC SAAM Direct Carving

Exhibition curated by Karen Lemmey, SAAM's Curator of 

Sculpture titled Direct Carving , which features 24 

sculptures from across the twentieth century that 

showcase the direct carving method by artists of diverse 

backgrounds, including African American and Native 

American.

March 2015 - 

Ongoing In-progress African AmericansNative Americans

Exhibition Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM

A Cloudburst in 

Venice: Fred 

Kabotie and the U.S. 

Pavilion of 1932

Featured the article titled A Cloudburst in Venice: Fred 

Kabotie and the U.S. Pavilion of 1932 by Jessica L. Horton in 

American Art, the scholarly journal co-published by SAAM 

and the University of Chicago Press (Spring 2015, vol. 29, 

no. 1). The article discusses the early paintings of Hopi 

artist Fred Kabotie in light of their rediscovered inclusion in 

the U.S. Pavilion at the 1932 Venice Biennale.

Spring 2015 Completed Native Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM The Afterimages of 

Emmett Till

Featured the article titled The Afterimages of Emmitt Till by 

Shawn Michelle Smith in American Art, the scholarly 

journal co-published by SAAM and the University of 

Chicago Press (Spring 2015, vol. 29, no. 1). This article 

considers Jason Lazarus’s photograph Standing at the 

Grave of Emmett Till, Day of Exhumation, June 1st, 2005 

(Alsip, Illinois) as a meditation on photography, history, 

national memory, and mourning. It suggests that Lazarus’s 

enigmatic image provides a striking metaphor for the 

spectacle and absence that defined the postmortem 

photographs of Emmett Till that circulated in 1955. Those 

images communicated the horror of Till’s murder to a 

segregated viewing audience, even as they also failed to 

capture the trauma of the events. Lazarus’s image 

represents the national mourning of Till’s murder, which 

continues over fifty years later, and is marked by the 

perpetual repetition and return of Till’s photographs. 

Spring 2015 Completed African Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SAAM

The Sartorial and 

the Skin: Portraits of 

Pocahontas and the 

Allegories of English 

Empire

Featured the article The Sartorial and the Skin: Portraits of 

Pocahontas and the Allegories of English Empire by 

Charlotte Ickes in American Art, the scholarly journal copublished by the museum and the University of Chicago 

Press (Spring 2015, vol. 29, no. 1). This article examines 

how the particulars of portraiture and the abstraction of 

allegory met on the ground of the sartorial and then the 

skin to both reflect and resist English imperialism. 

Spring 2015 Completed African Americans Publication Program 

Diversity

USHAC SAAM George Catlin's 

American Buffalo

The touring exhibition titled George Catlin's American 

Buffalo and the related book by Adam Duncan Harris 

explore Catlin's representation of buffalo and their 

integration into the lives of Native Americans through forty 

original paintings by the artist. George Catlin was among 

the earliest artists of European descent to travel beyond 

the Mississippi River to record what he called "the manners 

and customs" of American Indians, painting scenes and 

portraits from life. His intention was to document these 

native cultures before, as he feared, they were irrevocably 

altered by settlement of the frontier and the mass 

migrations forced by the Indian Removal Act of 1830. In 

chronicling the lifeways of Plains Indian cultures, he 

captured the central importance of the buffalo in the daily 

lives of American Indian tribes, from food and shelter to 

ceremony and naming. This show which debuted at the 

National Museum of Wildlife Art (Jackson Hole, WY), 

travelled to 6 additional venues: Palm Springs Art Museum 

(Palm Springs, CA), Wichita Art Museum (Wichita, KS), 

C.M. Russell Museum (Great Falls, MT), Mennello Museum 

of American Art (Orlando, FL), Reynolda House Museum of 

Art (Winston-Salem, NC) and Panhandle-Plains Historical 

Museum (Canyon, TX).

Travelling show, 7 

venues, 5/10/2013-

8/30/2015

Currently on view 

at: Mennello 

Museum of 

American Art 

(Orlando, FL) - 

10/04/2014 - 

01/01/2015.

In-progress Native Americans Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SAAM Assisted Listening 

Audio Loop System

Installed a new state-of-the-art audio loop system for 

assisted listening SAAM's McEvoy Auditorium Winter 2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Program Program Diversity

USHAC SLC

Encuentro de 

Poetas 

Salvadoreñas: An 

Evening of Spoken 

Word and 

Performance

SLC presented Encuentro de Poetas Salvadoreñas: An 

Evening of Spoken Word and Performance at NMAI on 

October 2. The evening featured four Salvadoran poets 

from the west and east coasts, as well as a live webcast.

This event was held in conjunction with the exhibition 

Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed , 

which explores the ancestral past of Central America. 

ATTENDANCE: 50

10/02/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Public Program 

with Webcast

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Screening: Harvest 

of Empire

SLC, in partnership with NMAH, screened the awardwinning, 2012 feature-length documentary Harvest of 

Empire on October 8. Based on the book by journalist Juan 

González of Democracy Now!, the film featured real-life 

stories and rare archival footage and examined the political 

events, social conditions, and U.S. government actions that 

led millions of Latino families to leave their homelands in 

an unprecedented wave of migration from Mexico, the 

Caribbean and Central America. The program also featured 

a panel discussion with the film’s co-director Eduardo 

López, political science professor María de los Angeles 

Torres (University of Illinois, Chicago) and curator Margaret 

Salazar-Porzio (NMAH). ATTENDANCE: 100

10/08/2014 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities Public Program Program 

Diversity

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Category

USHAC SLC

¡Descubra! Meet the 

Science Expert 

Program at Hispanic 

Innovators in Air 

and Space Family 

Day

SLC's ¡Descubra! Meet the Science Expert Program was 

offered as part of the Hispanic Innovators in Air and Space 

Family Day at NASM on October 11. Science experts from 

the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, the U.S. 

Patent and Trademark Office and the First Robotics 

Competition participated in the program. The day included 

Latino space-age themed music and dance performances, 

key presenter Candy Torres, engineer for NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center and activities highlighting early Latino 

aviators from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, and other Latin 

American countries. ATTENDANCE: 28,359.

10/11/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Family Day 

Program

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Panel: What's 

Trending in Latino 

Art

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, moderated the panel What's 

Trending in Latino Art with panelists E. Carmen Ramos, 

SAAM’s Curator of Latino Art, and Taína Caragol, NPG’s 

Curator of Latino Art and History as part of the 

Smithsonian Campaign Weekend Programming. The 

panel highlighted both curators' work in expanding Latino 

representation at the Smithsonian vis-à-vis collections and 

their inaugural exhibitions, Our America: The Latino 

Presence in American Art and Portraiture Now: Staging the 

Self . Both exhibitions were supported by the Latino 

Initiatives Pool and by SLC.

10/18/2014 Completed Hispanics Public Program Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC Celebración de la 

Dominicanidad

SLC participated in an onstage conversation at the 

Organization of American States (D.C.) reflecting on the 

complex legacies and the layered histories of Hispaniola, 

the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti on 

October 20. The program featured literary critic and writer 

Diógenes Céspedes, historian and essayist Daniel Balcácer 

and journalist Adriano Miguel Tejada. The conversation 

was moderated by Ranald Woodaman, SLC’s Director of 

Exhibitions and Public Programs. The program was 

conducted in Spanish and was organized by the Permanent 

Mission of the Dominican Republic to the Organization of 

American States, the Embassy of the Dominican Republic 

in the U.S. and the Latino Center. ATTENDANCE: 30

10/20/2014 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public Program Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Lecture: University 

of California 

Washington Center

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, gave a guest lecture to 

students of University of California Washington Center on 

cultural representations in museums.

10/27/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Guest Lecture Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC CHCI Intern Talk and 

Tour

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, hosted a talk with 

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Interns on the 

work of the Smithsonian Latino Center in promoting Latino 

contributions across the Institution. Latino Curator of Art 

and History of NPG, Taína Caragol, then gave interns a tour 

of NPG exhibition, Portraiture Now: Staging the Self.

10/31/2014 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Guest Lecture: 

University of 

Maryland, College 

Park

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, gave a guest lecture at the 

University of Maryland, College Park on the topic of Latino 

Identity Formation.

11/5/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

Inter-University 

Program for Latino 

Research: CoDirectors Meeting

SLC hosted IUPLR's co-director's meeting in Washington, 

D.C. Leaders of Latino Studies Programs nationwide 

convened at the Latino Center to discuss the advancement 

of Latino intellectual presence in the United States. IUPLR 

is headquartered at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

11/13/2014 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Young Ambassadors 

Program: PostCollegiate Seminar

In order to keep Young Ambassador Program alumni 

engaged throughout the year, SLC conducted a Young 

Ambassadors Post Collegiate Seminar Webinar on 

November 22nd. The webinar consisted of three sessions 

and explored topics such as networking, interviewing, 

resume building and graduate school preparation. The 

webinar was offered through VYDIO and also utilized 

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. PARTICIPANTS: 63

11/22/2014 Completed Hispanics

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Staging the Self 

Mirror Masks

SLC held a teen program titled “Staging the Self Mirror 

Masks” on November 23. This 90-minute workshop at NPG 

was offered to teens and college students and focused on 

new ways of thinking about identity and culture by working 

with artist Pedro Lasch. Participants used the artists mirror 

masks to connect the collections of NPG on topics and 

themes such as abstraction and social justice. This program 

was held in conjunction with the exhibition Portraiture 

Now: Staging the Self, currently on view at NPG through 

April 12, 2015.

11/23/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Teen Program Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

Young Ambassadors 

Program: Alumni 

Conexiones

SLC's Young Ambassadors Alumni Network Conexiones 

initiative provides opportunities for regional and inter-year 

connections. In December SLC hosted three Conexiones 

events in Washington, D.C., New York and Miami. The 

event in Miami connected program alumni with experts in 

the arts: Aida Levitan, President of ArtesMiami and Ramiro 

Ortiz, President of History Miami.

December 2014 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities Career Counseling

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Sharing Stories: The 

Deaf Latino 

Experience

SLC and NPG presented an onstage conversation in 

American Sign Language (ASL) between former Gallaudet 

University president Dr. Robert Davila and master 

storyteller Manny Hernandez. The program was 

moderated by Gabriel Arellano, the incoming President of 

the Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the 

Metropolitan Washington, DC. The program addressed the 

lived experiences of deaf Latinos and the explored the 

unique culture and challenges shared by this community. 

The presentation was followed by Q&A and included a live 

webcast. ATTENDANCE: 50

12/02/2014 Completed

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public Program Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Groundbreaking 

Institution Award

SLC, along with the NMAH and CFCH, received the 

Groundbreaking Institution Award at the Dominican 

Intellectual Legacy Gala presented by the Dominican 

Studies Institute (CUNY). The award recognizes institutions 

that were committed to documenting the collective 

cultural experience of the Dominican people as they have 

inserted themselves into the fabric of U.S. society.

12/06/2014 Completed Hispanics Groundbreaking 

Institution Award

Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

University of 

Maryland Museum 

Studies Lecture

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, and APAC's Director, Konrad 

Ng, gave lecture regarding the Smithsonian's Asian-Latino 

Project to a University of Maryland Museum Studies 

Course taught by NMAH's Margaret Salazar-Porzio and 

APAC's Masum Momaya 

02/02/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Career Counseling

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Outreach at Cox 

School of Business 

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, gave a presentation on arts 

and non-profit administration to participants of the 

Corporate Executive Development Program at Southern 

Methodist University's Cox School of Business and 

MA/MBA students of SMU's Cox and Meadows School for 

the Arts Joint Degree Program. 

02/05/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Opening Remarks at 

El Movimiento 

Exhibition Opening 

in Denver

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, gave opening remarks with 

Colorado Lieutenant Governor, Joe Garcia, at opening of 

History Colorado's exhibition El Movimiento: The Chicano 

Movement in Colorado at History Colorado , a Smithsonian 

Affiliate. Attendance: 500.

02/06/2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities Presentation Program Diversity

USHAC SLC SLC Website 

Refresh

This spring SLC unveiled its new refreshed website 

showcasing its online offerings. This includes a mobile 

friendly experience to SI Latino collections and research 

presented via SLC's collaborative work on exhibitions, 

public programs, educational materials and signature 

leadership training programs.

March 2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Panel Discussion at 

Iberian Suite: Global 

Arts Remix

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, participated in panel on Latin 

American cultural presence and influence in America as 

part of the Kennedy Center's Iberian Suite: Global Arts 

Remix. The Director served on a panel with James Early, 

formerly of the CFCH.

03/06/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Category

USHAC SLC

SI/Montgomery 

College Seminar 

Hosting

SLC hosted a panel discussion as part of the Smithsonian 

Institution/Montgomery College Partnership Annual 

Seminar 2015: I Too, Am America: Understanding the 

American Immigrant Experience on April 2. The panel 

discussion was titled We, Too, Are America: Immigration, 

Identity, Representation at the Nations Museum and it 

featured Ranald Woodaman, SLC Exhibitions and Public 

Programs Director, Ariana Curtis, ACM Curator, and Cedric 

Yeh, NMAH Curator.

04/02/2015 Completed African Americans

Asian Americans

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC American Sabor 

Docent Training

SLC Project Director, Evelyn Figueroa, attended the press 

preview and VIP opening event for SITES’ exhibition 

American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music at the 

Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC) in Phoenix, 

AZ on April 7. She also led two docent training sessions for 

ALAC staff and volunteers.

04/07/2015 Completed Hispanics Docent Training Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Cultural Expressions 

with Los Padres 

Foundation

SLC hosted a Cultural Expressions arts education and 

leadership workshop for 35 high school students as part of 

the Los Padres Foundation College Tuition Assistance 

Scholarship Program on April 7. This program is geared 

towards underrepresented students from the New 

York/New Jersey metro area.

04/07/2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Cerámica de los 

Ancestros New York 

Press Preview

SLC and NMAI presented the exhibition Cerámica de los 

Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed at a bilingual 

press preview at the George Gustav Heye Center to major 

news networks including CNN en Español, AP, New York 

TV 1, Univision, and Epoch Times, among others on April 

15. Smithsonian staff in attendance were SLC Director and 

Education Programs Manager and NMAI Curator Ann 

McMullen with Public Affairs Specialist Joshua Stevens.

04/15/2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Exhibition 

Promotion

Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

Cerámica de los 

Ancestros Opening 

Reception New York

SLC, NMAI-GGHC and the Office of Advancement hosted 

an opening reception for the exhibition Cerámica de los 

Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed at NMAI’s 

George Gustav Heye Center in New York City on April 15. 

Remarks at the reception were presented by SLC and 

NMAI’s Directors as well as Roel Campos, Chair, 

Smithsonian National Latino Board; Antonio Pérez, 

National Museum of the American Indian New York Board 

of Directors; and Jorge Puente, Smithsonian National 

Board. Over 140 guests were in attendance.

04/15/2015 Completed Hispanics Reception Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Association of Asian 

American Studies 

Conference

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, met with members of the 

Smithsonian Asian-Pacific American Center Staff 

presented on a panel at the Association for Asian-American 

Studies Conference in Evanston, IL on the Smithsonian 

Asian-Latino Project.

04/24/2015 Completed

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

National 

Association of 

Latino Arts and 

Culture Institute 

Hosting

SLC hosted the National Association of Latino Arts and 

Culture (NALAC) National Advocacy Leadership Institute 

(ALI) in our offices on April 28. SLC’s Staff Assistant, 

Adrian Aldaba, gave welcoming remarks and a brief 

overview of the Latino Center’s 18-year history.

04/28/2015 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Black Pride Film 

Festival

SLC and NMAAHC supported the Black Pride Film Festival 

in Washington, D.C. with a screening of the documentary 

film Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the 

Emergence of a People on May 23. Through a Lens Darkly 

is the first documentary to explore the role of photography 

in shaping the identity, aspirations, and social emergence 

of African Americans from slavery to the present, the film 

probes the recesses of American history through images 

that have been suppressed, forgotten, and lost.

05/23/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Community 

Outreach Program

Program 

Diversity

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Category

USHAC SLC Designing for Maya 

Heritage: Artist Talk

SLC hosted an Artist Talk for Designing Maya Heritage at 

the Latino Center. 05/28/2015 Completed Hispanics Public Program Program Diversity

USHAC SLC

NALAC Regional 

Conference 

Presentation

SLC’s Senior Advancement Officer presented on 

Development, Fundraising, and Grant Writing at the 

National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) 

Regional Conference in Detroit, MI.

06/05/2015 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Capital Pride March

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, and staff marched with 

Smithsonian employees, including other Directors and the 

Acting Secretary, in the Capital Pride Parade on June 13. 

This was the first time the Smithsonian officially 

participated in this event. 

06/13/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Community 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

¡Descubra! Meet the 

Science Expert at 

the Miami 

Underwater Festival

SLC collaborated with the Patricia and Philip Frost from the 

Museum of Science, an SI Affiliate, on the official launch of 

the national presence of Descubra! Meet the Science 

Expert at the Miami Underwater Festival. This is the first 

time this family science series traveled outside of 

Washington, D.C. thanks to the support of NBCUniversal 

Telemundo. SLC also collaborated with USPTO, the 

Smithsonian Marine Station at Ft. Pierce. The event 

featured speaker Sonia Ortega of the National Science 

Foundation. This family day science series will be traveling 

to the Chabot Space and Science Center and the Houston 

Children's Museum of Science in August.

06/14/2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Regional STEM 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Inti Raymi Festival

SLC collaborated with NMAI on the Inti Raymi Festival, 

which took place at NMAI on June 20. Latino Center staff 

facilitated hands-on activities and presentation of festival 

music and dance groups.

06/20/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

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Family Day Program 

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Paris Is Burning 25th 

Anniversary 

Screening and Panel 

In celebration of LGBT Heritage Month, SLC and NMAAHC 

hosted a special screening and panel of Paris Is Burning to 

commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the legendary film. 

The screening and panel discussion took place in NMNH’s 

Baird Auditorium. The panel discussion after the film 

featured Dr. Sol Williams Pendavis, original cast member; 

Rayceen Pendarvis, local LGBT activist; Ruby Corado, local 

Trans-Latina activist; and Dr. Katherine Ott, Curator at the 

NMAH. The film was shown with closed captions and an 

ASL interpreter was present to serve deaf and hard of 

hearing audiences. The program was at capacity with 535 

guests.

06/25/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

LGBT Public 

Programs

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC We Share STEM

SLC presented We Share STEM with NASM’s Stephen F. 

Udvar-Hazy Center. This event featured SLC’s family 

science series ¡Descubra! Meet the Science Expert, which 

highlights Latinos in aerospace. Attendance: 17,625

08/03/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Family Day 

Program

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Conexiones: Young 

Ambassadors 

Program Regional 

Reunions

SLC coordinated a Dallas-based Conexiones, a Young 

Ambassadors Program Alumni gathering, with Board 

member Marcos Ronquillo at the Dallas Latino Cultural 

Center on August 8. Attendance: 13 

08/08/2015 Completed Hispanics Alumni Regional 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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New Perspectives 

on Puerto Rican 

Migration

SLC, CUNY’s Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) and 

the Washington D.C. Chapter of the National Conference 

of Puerto Rican Women presented a public program on 

Puerto Rican migration to the mainland. Centro Director 

Edwin Meléndez shared his findings from the new 

publication Puerto Ricans at the Dawn of the New 

Millennium . Dr. Emma Amador (Goucher College) 

presented on the experiences of women in historic and 

contemporary Puerto Rican migrations. This event was 

followed by a book signing. ASL Interpretation was 

provided. 

09/03/2015 Completed Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Programs with 

Colleges and 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Assoc. Fundraising 

Professionals 

Presentation

SLC Senior Advancement Officer presented on a panel 

about how to approach the, "Who Are You Again" question 

with greater awareness, sharing the advantages of "being 

different" and teaching how to turn reluctant prospects 

into investing donors. This panel was presented at the 

National Council of La Raza by the Association of 

Fundraising Professionals, DC Metro Chapter. Attendance: 

30 

09/09/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Celebrating The 

Great Inka Road 

Family Day

SLC presented in collaboration with NMAI and SCLDA the 

Great Inka Road Family Day in collaboration with the 

USPTO and SITES. This event highlighted Andean culture 

including weaving, pottery, and traditional music and 

dance as well as STEM contributions. This included SLC’s 

¡Descubra! Meet the Science Expert series with an 

interactive bridge making activity; an Inka Skies portable 

planetarium show, in collaboration with the Udvar-Hazy 

Center; and hands-on activities regarding bridge structures 

and patents. Attendance: approx. 4,000 visitors with 

additional online visitors through performance webcasts.

09/13/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Family Day Program 

Diversity

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Young Ambassadors 

Program Brightspot 

White House Award

The Young Ambassadors Program has been recognized 

and named a HispanicEd Bright Spot by the White House 

Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, 

celebrating Latino progress in education in the category of 

K-12 College Access. As a Bright Spot, the Young 

Ambassadors Program will be part of a national online 

catalog that includes over 230 programs that invest in key 

education priorities for Hispanics nationwide. SLC 

attended the press conference announcement made by 

Alejandra Ceja, Executive Director of the Initiative at the 

launch of Hispanic Heritage Month and in honor of the 

Initiative’s 25th anniversary in Washington, D.C on 

September 15, 2015. 

09/15/2015 Completed Hispanics Program Award Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC SLC ¡Descubra! at 

ZooFiesta

SLC collaborated with NZP to bring ¡Descubra! Meet the 

Science Expert to ZooFiesta. The family science series 

featured collaborators were Latino scientists from 

Latinos@NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration) and activities about water conservation 

and ecology. The ¡Descubra! Create-It activity focused on 

marine mammal behavior.

09/20/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Family Day 

Programs

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Conversation with 

an Old School D.C. 

Latina

SLC, in collaboration with the Washington D.C. Historical 

Society, presented A Conversation with an Old School D.C. 

Latina. Ranald Woodaman, SLC Director of Exhibitions 

and Public Programs, interviewed artist Carmen Torruella 

Quander. An artist and Washingtonian, Carmen grew up 

during the civil rights era as the daughter of Dominicans in 

D.C.’s small but tight-knit Latino community. She has 

witnessed dramatic changes in the city, from 

desegregation and the 1968 riots to growth of the Central 

American community and the intensified gentrification of 

the new millennium.

09/27/2015 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Public Programs Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC Omaha Talks About 

Latinos and Art

SLC’s Director, Edurado Díaz, gave a lecture at University 

of Nebraska at Omaha, "Latinos in the Midlands: 

Reflections on Historical Presence and Contemporary Art 

Production" to Office of Latino and Latin American Studies 

(OLLAS) students and artists.

09/27/2015 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Programs with 

Colleges/Universiti

es

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Museum Practice 

Seminar, Museo del 

Canal Interoceánico 

de Panamá

SLC Exhibitions and Public Programs Director Ranald 

Woodaman give three talks on issues of relevance, 

community engagement, and exhibition and public 

program design in Panama City from March 10 - 12. This 

free seminar was organized by the SI Affiliate Museo del 

Canal Interoceánico de Panamá and served the 

Panamanian museum community. Attendees included 

museum staff from the Smithsonian Affiliate Bio-Museo, 

the Afro-Antillean Museum, the Museum of Contemporary 

Art, and the Colonial Art Museum, in addition to 

representatives from National Institute of Culture, small 

regional museums, and independent cultural centers. 

Attendance: 50. 

03/10/2015 - 

03/12/2015 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Cerámica de los 

Ancestros: Central 

America’s Past 

Revealed

SLC curated the bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibition 

Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed , 

which illuminates Central America’s diverse and dynamic 

ancestral heritage with a selection of more than 160 objects. 

For thousands of years, Central America has been home to 

vibrant civilizations, each with unique, sophisticated ways of 

life, value systems, and arts. The ceramics these peoples left 

behind, combined with recent archaeological discoveries, help 

tell the stories of these dynamic cultures and their 

achievements. Cerámica de los Ancestros examines seven 

regions representing distinct Central American cultural areas 

that are today part of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El 

Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. This marked 

the last full quarter that this exhibit be on display at NMAI-DC 

before it travels New York City to NMAI’s George Gustav Heye 

Center for its opening on April 18, 2015. This exhibition 

represents a fruitful collaboration with NMAI, which has 

included several years of extensive planning and research, a 

successful exhibition run and several public, family and 

educational programs. We are excited for the next phase of 

this project/exhibit and look forward to working with our 

museum family in New York City. 

03/14/2015 - 

03/16/2015 In-progress

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Siglo XXI: InterUniversity Programs 

for Latino Research 

Conference

SLC Director, Edurado Díaz, and SLC Director of New 

Media and Technology, Melissa Carrillo, attended the Siglo 

XXI Conference hosted by the Inter-University Program for 

Latino Research (IUPLR) at the University of Notre Dame. 

They participated on conference panels "Painting” Borders: 

Latino Visual Cartographies and Memory and Space in 

Contemporary Culture. The SLC team also attended 

planning meetings for the 2016 Latino Art Now! 

Conference hosted by the SLC and the IUPLR 

headquartered at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

SLC’s Director also attended IUPLR Co-Director’s Meeting. 

04/23/2015 - 

04/25/2015 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

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American Alliance 

of Museums 

Conference

SLC Director, Edurado Díaz moderated a panel discussion 

“Latino New South: New Approaches for Community 

Engagement,” at the American Alliance of Museums 

Conference in Atlanta, GA. The panel featured the 

President of the Levine Museum of the New South; Interim 

President and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights 

Institute; Vice President of Programs of the Atlanta History 

Center; and the Latino New South Coordinator of the 

Levine Museum of the New South. On April 28, SLC Project 

Director was a panelist at the Latino Network Luncheon of 

the American Alliance of Museums, which was moderated 

by SLC Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs. The 

Smithsonian Latino Center provided funding and technical 

support for the Latino Network reception, luncheon, and 

roundtable that were part of the AAM Conference.

04/26/2015 - 

04/29/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC The Strangest Fruit 

Opening

SLC Director, Edurado Díaz met with artist Vincent Valdez 

and representatives of Washington and Lee University’s Art 

Department regarding the opening of Valdez’s one-person 

exhibition “The Strangest Fruit,” at Washington and Lee’s 

Staniar Gallery on April 29. SLC Director, Edurado Díaz 

with NPG Curator of Latino Art and History gave a talk to 

Washington and Lee Arts Students on arts and culture at 

Smithsonian on April 30.

04/29/2015 - 

04/30/2015 Completed Hispanics

Official 

Representation and 

College Lecture

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Native American 

and Indigenous 

Studies Association 

Conference

SLC was present at the Native American and Indigenous 

Studies Association Conference, delivering a paper on the 

objectives and theoretical framework from the 

Smithsonian's Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project.

06/04/2015 - 

06/06/2015 Completed HispanicsNative Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Wise Latinas 

International 

Summit

SLC Director of New Media and Technology, Melissa 

Carrillo, spoke at the 2015 Wise Latinas International 

Summit hosted at the El Paso Museum of Art on June 12 

and 13. Her panel keynote and workshop session 

highlighted the Latino Virtual Museum and the Latino 

Center’s use of technology to shape the image of Latinos. 

The two day summit, drew local community artists, 

educators, policy makers, Latino serving Media 

organizations and others to share and discuss solutions for 

improving the quality of life for Latinas on the border and 

increasing access to bilingual educational resources and 

professional development opportunities. 

06/12/2015 - 

06/13/2015 Completed HispanicsResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Young Ambassadors 

Program Celebrated 

10 Years on June 21

SLC hosted several events as part of its Young Ambassadors 

Program from June 21 thru July 31, 2015. The Young Ambassadors 

Program Washington Week included informal conversations with 

Latino leaders such as Jose Aristimuño, CEO of Latino Giant; Dr. 

Jose Alejandro Caballero Beltran, Inka expert; and STEM experts 

Javier Fadul, Diego Mayer Cantu, and Yajaira Sierra Sastre. The 

event also included a private screening of the documentary 

Underwater Dreams; as well as, conversations with Cristian 

Arcega, and Lorenzo Santillan. There were hands-on workshops 

on exhibition design, social media engagement and video 

production with Alberto Ferreras and Sebastian Rea, YAP 2007 

alumni; as well as hands-on planetary habitat simulations and AfroCaribbean drumming. After the Washington experience, the 2015 

Young Ambassadors return to their local communities across the 

USA and Puerto Rico to complete a four-week internship at arts or 

science museums and facilitate story time at local libraries to 

promote childhood literacy using the skills obtained during 

Washington Week. 

The Young Ambassadors Program Anniversary Alumni Weekend 

Programming included leadership and management strategy 

roundtables and panels with Latino leaders including Adriana 

Gallego, Deputy Director of NALAC and Ron Estrada of Univision, 

as well as members of the Smithsonian National Latino Board Joe 

Avila, Dr. Thomas Chavez, Roel Campos, Dr. Aida Levitan, and 

Raquel "Rocky" Egusquiza. The keynote speech given by branding 

expert Claudia "Havi" Goffan highlighted the importance of 

developing your personal brand. SLC also hosted an evening 

celebration the Smithsonian Castle with major program 

sponsorship by the Ford Motor Company Fund and the premiere 

of the YAP impact video. The press release is available on news 

desk and the two hashtags used were #SLCYAP2015 and 

#YAPturns10.

06/21/2015 - 

07/31/2015 Completed HispanicsResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Leadership 

Development 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC Latino Museum 

Studies Program

The Latino Museum Studies Program (LMSP) was created 

in 1994 to increase the representation, documentation, 

research, knowledge and interpretation of Latino art, 

culture and history. The program focuses on developing 

museum practice within a framework of Latino cultural 

studies and is offered in two components. The first 

weeklong component is designed to enhance leadership, 

research and creative skills through a series of lectures, 

workshops, interactive discussions and behind-the-scenes 

tours of Smithsonian museums and collections. 

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and 

exchange ideas with Smithsonian and non-Smithsonian 

professionals. Curators, researchers, historians, archivists 

and professors will lead interactive and lively tours and 

discussions providing participants a unique opportunity to 

see and hear first-hand the best practices in museums and 

cultural centers. Additionally, the program will provide an 

ideal platform to promote the diverse perspectives, fields 

of study, ethnic backgrounds and experiences of the 

participants and the faculty. The second four-week 

component consists of a practicum project with a selected 

Smithsonian museum. Applicants are asked to list their top 

three choices for a project in their application essay. 

Smithsonian units offering practicums in 2015 include: SLC, 

SAAM, CFCH, NMAH, NPG, SITES, and ACM. The National 

Trust for Historic Preservation, based in D.C., also offers 

one practicum.

06/29/2015 - 

07/31/2015 Completed Hispanics

Graduate Student 

Professional 

Development

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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¡Descubra! Meet the 

Science Expert 

Regional 

Programming

SLC’s family science series ¡Descubra!, traveled to the 

Children’s Museum of Houston (Houston, TX) and the 

Chabot Space and Science Center (Oakland, CA) 

respectively. This event featured Dr. Contreras-Vidal of the 

University of Houston in Houston and Orlando Figueroa, 

formerly of NASA, in Oakland. ¡Descubra! Meet the 

Science Expert Series was created by the Smithsonian 

Latino Center as a fun way to build science skills in youth 

and includes interactive science activities that highlight 

informal conversations with Latino speakers, collaborating 

organizations, and hands-on activities. The United States 

Patent and Trademark Office and the Society for Hispanic 

Professional Engineers collaborated in regional 

programming. 

08/07/2015 and 

08/22/2015 Completed HispanicsResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Regional 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Caribbean 

Indigenous Legacies 

Project Research

The SLC Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project research 

team traveled to the New York Metro Area, Puerto Rico, 

and Jamaica in August and September of 2015 to consult 

with community members and to conduct interviews 

around issues of indigenous heritage with diverse leaders 

and organizers within the Taíno and Garifuna communities.

08/15-09/15 Completed

African Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Exhibition Research Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC Portraiture Now: 

Staging the Self

SLC supported the NPG exhibit Portraiture Now: Staging 

the Self by directing Latino Initiatives Pool funding for a 

curatorial position and exhibit related costs. This exhibition 

will remain on view in D.C. at NPG through April 12, 2015. 

This bilingual exhibit is the first effort of the Portrait Gallery 

to raise awareness of the Latino population’s long presence 

and contributions to U.S. history and contemporary 

culture. It investigates identity construction in portraits, 

presenting the work of artists of Latino background. 

Recently, NPG received additional funding from the Latino 

Initiatives Pool to support a tour of the exhibit to the 

America’s Society in New York and the National Hispanic 

Cultural Center in New Mexico later this year.

08/2014 - Ongoing In-progress Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Traveling 

Exhibitions

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Cultural Expressions

SLC continued its Cultural Expressions school tours 

program in October and November. This is a sustained 

outreach effort geared to 1st-12th grade audiences which 

includes tours and hands-on activities focused on current 

Smithsonian Latino-themed exhibitions and programs. 

This quarter’s program included In the Field: Investigate 

and Learn, which highlighted the exhibition Cerámica de 

los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed . 

ATTENDANCE: 170 students. 

09/2014 - 12/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

School Program Program 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

Latino Virtual 

Museum: Teacher 

Training Tool Kit

SLC launched in September the Teacher Training Tool Kit 

and a series of six animated short films as part of ¡Chequea 

Esto!, SLC’s educational series. The Teacher Toolkit 

supports educators with integrating Smithsonian Latino 

collections of transmedia and virtual exhibits into their 

existing STEM +Arts programs, made possible with 

generous funding from Target. The toolkit and activities 

are aligned with Common Core standards, incorporate 

instructional approaches that cultivate 21st century skills, 

and teach career pathways in STEAM.

09/2014 - Ongoing In-progress Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC ¡Descubra! at the 

Innovation Festival

SLC’s ¡Descubra! Meet the Science Expert was featured at 

the Smithsonian's Innovation Festival on September 26 

and 27. It featured Dr. Contreras-Vidal's scientific team 

from the University of Houston, who demonstrated their 

brain-wave powered exoskeleton technology and the 

Create-It activity focused on making your own musical 

instrument. 

09/26/15 - 09/27/15 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Programs with 

University 

Collaborators

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Latino Virtual 

Museum: Online 

Day of the Dead 

Festival

SLC presented the sixth annual Day of the Dead Online 

Festival took place in the Latino Virtual Museum October 1 

– November 3. In addition to utilizing our Center’s website, 

we also expanded technologies to offer activities to iPhone 

and Android users. Activities were also shared via 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and UStream. A featured 

event included a series of live broadcasts of artist Sandra 

Cisneros installing her Day of the Dead altar at the NMAH. 

On visits during this time totaled over 300,000 compared 

to 200,000 the year before. The Center also worked again 

with the University of Texas El Paso and the Rodadora 

Museum in Juárez, Mexico. 

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11/03/2014 Completed HispanicsResidents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

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Hispanic Association 

of Colleges and 

Universities 

Conference

SLC collaborated with OEEMA, OFI, OHR, and NMAH to 

present at this year’s Hispanic Association of Colleges and 

Universities Annual Conference in Denver, CO. The Center 

distributed materials and engaged with prospective 

program participants and interns at the Smithsonian 

exhibitor booth. With Smithsonian colleagues, the Latino 

Center also presented in a panel on Diversity at the 

Smithsonian. A Young Ambassador alumna presented on 

her experience with YAP and internships experiences 

throughout her undergraduate career.

10/03/2014 - 

10/05/2014 Completed Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Day of the Dead 

Festival

SLC, in collaboration with the NMAI, hosted the annual 

Day of the Dead Festival that featured a series of 

performances, artist talks, artist-created ofrendas (altars) 

and inter-generational activities to promote this Mexican 

cultural tradition. Acclaimed author and artist Sandra 

Cisneros participated in a lecture and book signing in 

conjunction with her altar installation titled A Room of Her 

Own: An Altar for my Mother, currently on view at NMAH 

through September 7, 2015. The festival was supported in 

large part through a generous first-time donation from 

AARP. ATTENDANCE: 12,800 visits to NMAI and NMAH, 

250,000 visits to Cisneros altar at NMAH through 12/15/14.

11/01/2014 - 

11/02/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Individuals with Disabilities

Family Festival Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC Career Center 

Conference

SLC staff Adrián Aldaba, Emily Key, and Danny López 

participated in various panels of the Smithsonian Career 

Center Conference hosted by the NMAH and the OFI.

12/04/2014 - 

12/05/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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USHAC SLC

Collections Tour 

with NPG Latino 

Curator

SLC Director, Edurado Díaz participated on a week-long 

tour of the Southwest with NPG Latino Curator, Taína 

Caragol to visit with artists and museum leadership in 

Albuquerque, El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio. The SLC 

Director hosted various receptions and coordinated 

meetings with artists and NPG’s curator to make 

connections and expand NPG's U.S. Latino collection.

12/07/2014 - 

12/14/2014 Completed Hispanics Expanding Latino 

Collections

Program 

Diversity

Supplier 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Latino Virtual 

Museum Digital 

Expansion

As part of SLC’s online makeover and digital expansion 

effort, the Latino Virtual Museum (LVM) unveiled its new 

Transmedia hub, which is composed of cross platform 

accessible experiences. The LVM site provides visitors with 

innovative approaches to exploring and experiencing 

Latino digital collections and resources through the lens of 

immersion. The online hub features an interactive home 

portal that encourages participatory user engagement 

leveraging social media, avatar driven 3D experiences and 

3D virtual world immersion. LVM FY15 1st quarter visits 

were 491,355 (includes LVG directories, Day of the Dead, 

iTunes, Second Life and LVM.org metrics) and LVM FY15 

2nd quarter visits were 106,215. 

Ongoing In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Virtual 

Programming

Program 

Diversity

USHAC SLC

Young Ambassadors 

Program: 

Alcanzemos Mentor 

Days

SLC's Young Ambassadors Alumni Network continues to 

reach out into local communities to promote education for 

future leaders. In December, YAP 2013 and 2014 

alumni conducted two high school outreach events in 

Miami, FL and San Marcos, TX respectively.

Ongoing In-progress Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities Career Counseling

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Category

USS MCI

The Centre for 

Doctoral Training in 

Science and 

Engineering in Art 

Heritage and 

Archaeology 

(SEAHA) program.

Over the next 8 years MCI’s Centre for Doctoral Training in 

Science and Engineering in Art Heritage and Archeology 

will train a minimum of 60 doctoral students in heritage 

science and engineering. A unique feature of their training 

will be the tripartite supervision MCI will be developing with 

students benefiting from the support of experts in 

universities, industry and cultural institutions to advance 

the knowledge and skills base of the cultural heritage 

sector.

11/22/2014 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

International Program

Professional 

Training 

Memorandum of 

Understanding

Program 

Diversity

USS MCI MCI Fellowships and 

MCI Internships

MCI Fellowships and Internships are announced thru 

various sources that target diverse audiences, such as 

through the Conservation Distribution List, which reaches 

over 10,000 peoples in 92 countries. As well as through 

other distribution lists such as the Museum-L that reaches 

over 4000 people and gets picked up and redistributed; the 

American Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic 

Works (AIC) reaches over 3500 people in 20 countries. MCI 

also announces through other sources such as the National 

Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black 

Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the American Indian 

Science and Engineering Society, American Society for 

Engineering Education; Society of Women Engineers; 

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; Society for 

Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in 

Science; and the Arab American/Association of Engineers 

and Architects.

10/01/2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Professional Training Professional 

Training

Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Category

USS MCI

REU Site Research 

Experiences for 

Undergraduates in 

Archaeological and 

Museum 

Conservation 

Science at the 

Smithsonian 

Museum 

Conservation

This was a three-year NSF Research Experience for 

Undergraduates (REU) project awarded to MCI Research 

Scientist Christine France and six MCI senior personnel in 

2012. The grant supported short-term opportunities for 

undergraduates to work on research projects with MCI's 

scientific staff. Over the three years, the program hosted 

30 science interns who worked on projects in areas such as 

museum studies, art history, archaeology, paleontology, 

chemistry, biochemistry, biology, ecology, earth science, 

chemical engineering and materials science engineering 

with a focus on museum and research collections. The 

program included a weekly training seminar that provided 

additional educational opportunities to the interns.

March 2012 - March 

2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Professional Training Professional 

Training

Program 

Diversity

USS NASM Kites of Asia

NASM hosted a family day as part of its Northrup 

Grumman Heritage Family Days Series, which featured a 

pan-Asian static display of kites and indoor kite flying. In 

addition to the kites, NASM also chose an Asian country or 

region to highlight through music and dance.

03/21/2015 Completed Asian Americans Family Day Program 

Diversity

USS NASM

Explore the Universe 

Day: Everyone 

Looks Up 

NASM hosted a family day as part of its Northrup 

Grumman Heritage Family Days Series focused on how 

people across cultures look at the sky. Through hands-on 

activities visitors learned about astronomy from historic 

and recent cultures across the globe.

04/11/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Family Day 

Program

Program 

Diversity

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Category

USS NASM

We Share STEM! 

Connecting Across 

Cultures

NASM presented "We Share STEM! Connecting Across 

Cultures," which highlighted the contributions of scientist 

and engineers in STEM professions from across cultures, 

including bilingual activities and story times. 

08/01/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Family Day Program 

Diversity

USS NASM Morning at the 

Museum

NASM participated in the Accessibility Program's Morning 

at the Museum project. Guided by a Community Advisory 

Committee comprised of museum educators, exhibit 

designers, professionals who work with children with 

cognitive or sensory processing disabilities, parents, and 

self-advocates, the Smithsonian has developed a series of 

pre-visit materials designed to help children with cognitive 

and sensory processing disabilities and their families enjoy 

a visit to the Smithsonian Museums. During the program 

the selected museum opens its doors to ASD families one 

hour before opening to the general public.

October 2015 In-progress Individuals with Disabilities Family program Program 

Diversity

USS NASM African American 

Pioneers in Aviation

NASM hosted a family day as a part of its Northrop 

Grumman Heritage Family Day Series, which focused on 

African American pioneers in aviation, such as the 

Tuskegee Airmen and NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson 

at the Museum in DC and Jeanette Epps at the Hazy 

Center. 

02/21/2015 (NMB)

02/28/2015 (UHC) Completed African Americans Family Day Program

Program 

Diversity

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USS NASM

Women in 

Aerospace Women 

in Aviation and 

Space

NASM hosted a family day as part of its Northrup 

Grumman Heritage Family Days Series, which focused on 

the accomplishments of women in aviation and 

space—from the days of early flight to the present. NASM 

worked with local universities and other organizations to 

ensure that there were plenty of career role models for our 

younger visitors. They also welcomed back the Science 

Cheerleaders, current and former NFL and NBA 

cheerleaders who are either pursuing advanced degrees or 

who have careers in engineering or science.

03/14/2015 (UHC)

09/12/2015 (NMB) Completed Others Women in STEM Family Day Program

Program 

Diversity

USS NASM Internship Program

NASM intentionally recruits for an increased diversity in its 

internship program. In 2015 the program included 3 Asian 

Americans; 3 African Americans; 2 Hispanic, 1 Hawaiian or 

other Pacific Islander; 38 Caucasian; 30 Females; 22 Males; 

2 individuals with disabilities.

06/01/2015 - 

08/07/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Internship program

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NASM

Hispanic Heritage 

Month: Innovators 

in Air and Space

NASM hosted a family day as part of its Northrup 

Grumman Heritage Family Days Series and in partnership 

with SLC which focused on Hispanic innovators in air and 

space. 

10/11/2014 (NMB)

08/01/2015 (UHC)

10/03/2015 (NBM)

Completed Hispanics Family Day 

Program

Program 

Diversity

USS NASM Science in Pre-K

NASM's Science in Pre-K is a program that provides 

professional development for preschool and kindergarten 

teachers and field trips for students in Title I schools in the 

District of Columbia Public Schools and Public Charter 

Schools. This program provides access to low income 

families that do not regularly take advantage of our 

programs. The program serves between 10 and 20 schools 

each year and over 3,000 students.

2008 – 2016 

additional 

programming 

pending funding

In-progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Professional 

development and 

school programs

Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

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Category

USS NASM Heritage Family 

Days Series

NASM's Heritage Family Day Series takes place over eight 

Saturdays and celebrates the diverse ethnic and cultural 

communities that have contributed to aviation and space 

exploration. These events commemorate these historic 

and current contributions through presentations and 

activities for the entire family.

Hispanic Heritage 

Month-October 11, 

2014 (NMB). Seven 

more programs 

planned for FY2015.

In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics Women Family Day Program Diversity

USS NASM 6th Grade 

Astronomy Program

NASM's 6th Grade Astronomy Program prioritizes DCPS, 

which has a student population that is 68% African 

American and 16% Hispanic. During field trip visits to the 

NASM, students explore the intersection of astronomy and 

technology through their own telescopic observations, 

recent data, and historical examples. During teacher 

professional development, teachers gain experience with 

integrating NGSS science and engineering practices (SEPs) 

into Earth Science classroom activities and using 

Smithsonian/Museum resources to teach Earth Science.

October 2014 - 

Onward In-progress

African Americans

Hispanics

On-site School 

Programs, 

Professional 

Development for 

Teachers

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NASM The Explainers 

Program

NASM's Explainers Program employs high school and 

college students as intermittent employees and is funded 

with grants to support programming throughout the 

National Mall Building and the Udvar-Hazy Center, 

including the How Things Fly gallery, the Haas Public 

Observatory, TechQuest, Discovery Stations, and 

interactives. The Explainer program employs a highly 

diverse staff in gender and ethnicity. 

Ongoing In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Native Americans

Women Workforce 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NZP

Association of Zoos 

and Aquariums 

Diversity 

Committee

NZP employee Tangara Cross is a member of the 

Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Diversity 

Committee and attended the 2015 Annual conference in 

which she collaborated with her colleagues from other 

Institutions on the prioritization on this year’s projects for 

the committee.

2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Committee 

membership & 

collaboration

Program 

Diversity

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Underrepresented 

Groups Served

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Diversity

Category

USS NZP

Internship 

Opportunity for 

Disabled Military 

Veteran

NZP Senior Curator Ed Bronikowski, in partnership with 

the Veterans Administration and as part of the Disabled 

Veterans Program, hosted Nick Schroth for an internship. 

The primary benefit to Mr. Schroth was in resume’ building 

through on-the-job experience at the Smithsonian. This 

position was located in the Animal Care Sciences (ACS) 

directorate of NZP and worked specifically with Life 

Support Systems (LSS). Mr. Schroth worked in a team-like 

environment with area Biologists, Animal Keepers, LSS 

Operators, Water Quality Lab staff, LSS consulting 

engineers and the area Curator to gain an understanding of 

the individual animal environments and the daily 

operations in animal care overall. This was accomplished 

by shadowing LSS Operators and Animal Keepers.

2015 Completed Others Disabled Military Veterans

Outreach to 

disabled military 

veterans

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Internships & 

Fellowships

NZP hosted over 100 interns and fellows of multiple 

ethnicities and backgrounds during 2015. 2015 In-progress Others All ranges of diversities and 

backgrounds

Internships and 

Fellowships 

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP NZP Diversity 

Committee

NZP’s Diversity Committee’s mission is to foster an 

environment that is inclusive at all levels of the institution, 

to promote diversity of race, ethnicity, national origin, 

socioeconomic status, age, sex, gender identity/expression, 

sexual orientation, and other differences in culture, 

background and identity. The Committee will also inspire 

learning and discovery about diverse cultures and nature; 

develop respectful student-centered programs in various 

departments in the zoo; and identify and recruit 

appropriate and diverse student interns to enhance their 

understanding of, and abilities in, conservation biology, 

zoo management, and supporting sciences and disciplines.

2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Others

LGBTQ Community Diversity 

Committee

Program 

Diversity

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Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USS NZP Project Search Animal Keeper Melba Brown remains active in Project 

SEARCH. 2015 In-progress Individuals with Disabilities Internships Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Volunteer 

Opportunities

In conjunction with Friends of the National Zoo, NZP 

hosted dozens of volunteers of multiple ethnicities and 

backgrounds (including special needs) during 2015.

2015 In Progress Others

All ranges of diversities and 

backgrounds (including 

special needs)

Volunteer 

Programs

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Women's History 

Month Celebration

NZP hosted a women in science panel discussion in honor 

of Women's History Month in March. March 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Women's History 

Month

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Career Fair

NZP Administration & Operations Department; Dan 

Weinwurm, Athena Mylonas and Sidiki Gassama, 

participated in the University of the District of Columbia’s 

annual career fair.

03/26/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Career Fairs Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Morning at the 

Museum at the 

Museum

NZP participated in the Accessibility Program's Morning at 

the Museum project at the Great Ape House. Guided by a 

Community Advisory Committee comprised of museum 

educators, exhibit designers, professionals who work with 

children with cognitive or sensory processing disabilities, 

parents, and self-advocates, the Smithsonian has 

developed a series of pre-visit materials designed to help 

children with cognitive and sensory processing disabilities 

and their families enjoy a visit to the Smithsonian 

Museums. During the program the selected museum opens 

its doors to ASD families one hour before opening to the 

general public.

April 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Intern Event Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

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Category

USS NZP

Easter Monday 

Community Day 

Event

NZP hosted the annual historic Easter Monday Community 

Day event, in which staff from throughout NZP and Friends 

of the National Zoo participated. Contributions included 

program participation, such as the hosting of booths 

including one entitled Center for Species Survival: Frozen 

for the Future , and logistical support.

04/06/2015 Completed African Americans

Others

Multiple other local 

underrepresented groups

Community 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Career Day

NZP Veterinary Technician, Veronica Acosta, participated 

in a career day event held at Baldwin Elementary school in 

Manassas, VA on April 22. Through presentation, posters, 

and demos Ms. Acosta was able to give a quick overview of 

the role of a Zoo Veterinary Technician.

04/22/2015 Completed Others School children of multiple 

diversities

Outreach to 

schools

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Bring Your Child to 

Work Day

 NZP hosted “Bring Your Child to Work Day on April 23. 

Multiple departments participated including Wildlife 

Health Sciences staff; specifically NZP Veterinary 

Technician, Sherri Divband, organized educational games 

for the children to showcase jobs of Vets and Vet Techs.

04/23/2015 Completed Others Children of multiple 

diversities

Outreach to 

children

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Advocates for 

Biodiversity 

Conservation (ABC 

Club) Blair High 

School

NZP hosted the Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation 

(ABC Club) Blair High School, which is in its third year of 

this partnership. The event included a Frog Watch training 

session with NZP Animal Keeper Matt Neff.

May 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Outreach to High 

School students

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Science Fair

NZP Veterinary Technician Veronica Acosta participated as 

a guest judge at the Annual Science Fair for the DC 

Bilingual Public Charter School on June 5. She judged the 

students projects, write-up of the project in Spanish, and 

presentation of the project in Spanish.

06/05/2015 Completed Asian Americans

Hispanics

Outreach to 

schools

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USS NZP Preceptorship

Ms. Angela Lawrence, a Veterinary Student studying at the 

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, participated 

in a 6 week veterinary preceptorship with NZP’s Wildlife 

Health Sciences Unit.

07/20/2015 Completed African Americans Outreach to 

schools

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Career Fair

NZP’s Administration and Operations Department, Sidiki 

Gassama and Emily Murphy, represented the National Zoo 

at Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Annual 

District of Columbia Job Fair.

08/21/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Others

Multiple other 

underrepresented groups Career Fairs Program Diversity

USS NZP

International 

Preceptorship

Ms. Tanja Himmel, a veterinary student from Austria, 

participated in a 6 week veterinary preceptorship with 

NZP’s Wildlife Health Services Unit.

08/31/2015 In-progress Others International Veterinary 

Preceptors

International 

Preceptorship

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP STEAM Initiative STEAM Initiative: Dr. Tameka Phillips September 2015 September 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Other Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

White House Panda 

Naming Event

NZP Supervisory Biologist Tangara Cross and NZP 

Veterinarian Tracy Clippinger participated in a White House 

event at NZP with First Lady Michelle Obama and First Lady of 

China Peng Liyuan unveiling the name of the new Panda cub 

on September 25. Ms. Cross and Ms. Clippinger set up an 

educational table that included several areas of Veterinary 

medicine such as “Examine a Panda” where kids could 

participate in completing a physical exam on a Giant Panda 

plush toy. 

09/25/2015 Completed Others Children of multiple 

diversities

Outreach to 

children

Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USS NZP Andean Bear Cub 

Naming Campaign

NZP partnered with Univision’s morning show, ¡Despierta América!, to 

launch a public naming campaign for NZP’s two male Andean bear 

cubs on March 16. The two names with the most votes were revealed 

at a press conference on March 26, where the Ambassador of Peru, 

Luis Miguel Castilla, spoke at the press conference along with 

¡Despierta América! Correspondent Damaris Diaz and NZP’s Associate 

Director of Animal Care Dr. Brandie Smith. 

This strategic opportunity engaged Latino audiences and promoted 

onsite and online visitation. By collaborating with Univision in an 

interactive and fun outreach campaign, NZP increased awareness of 

the Andean bears, the need for habitat conservation and the Zoo’s 

animal care expertise. Special attention was given to developing 

bilingual materials so that the campaign was accessible and engaging 

for both the English and Spanish-speaking communities. At the 

conclusion of the voting, a total of 8668 votes (4334 per bear) had 

been cast and a total of 1116 emails were submitted and collected. 

After a vote was cast, a voter was given access to predesigned content 

that they could directly share with friends via social media channels. 

The content, which was shared 658 times, consisted of an image 

stating that the person had voted and a link to the voting site. 

--Total media hits: 198105 print and online | 93 television and radio 

hits in the U.S. and Latin America $113,576.10 earned media value of 

national and local television and radio hits 

--Local viewership: 2,033,312

--National viewership for D.A. hits: 1,076,292

--Potential viewership: 1,595,022,819 (print/online)$7,314,458.88 value 

of print and online media hits 

--Unique visitors: 790,752,311 (print/online)

--Total earned media value: $7,428,034.98 (includes all local and 

national television, radio, online and print media with known media 

values. Between the online, print and television stories the Andean 

bear’s naming was picked up in 32 states.)

03/16/2015 - 

03/26/2015 Completed Hispanics

Andean Bear 

Naming Campaign 

and ZooFiesta 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

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Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

USS NZP UCSB Smithsonian 

Scholars Week

NZP’s SCBI as a partner hosted an experiential STEM 

enrichment program for 20 students selected for 

participation by UC Santa Barbara from the Central Coast 

Regional Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions in 

California. The customized program, built around a 

relevant STEM themes, provided students with the 

opportunity to explore conservation themes first-hand and 

through a multi-disciplinary lens.

07/25/2015 to 

08/01/2015 Completed Hispanics STEM enrichment program

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Spanish 

Interpretation

Bilingual interpretation for Flamingo Demonstration 

(interpreted in Spanish by Bird House Animal Keeper).

April 2015 - 

September 2015 Completed Hispanics Bilingual Programming

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Collaboration/partn

ership with Asian 

Pacific American 

Committee

Establishment of a Collaboration/partnership with Asian 

Pacific American Heritage Committee, an Smithsonian 

Affinity group. Fall 2014

Fall 2014 Completed Asian Americans Outreach to 

committee

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Community 

Organization Meet 

and Greet

NZP convened a meeting at the Zoo bringing together 

multiple community organizations in the D.C Area. These 

groups included the National Urban League, Alliance for 

Concerned Men, Pep Rally for Peace in the Streets (PRPIS), 

and Beat the Streets. Fall 2014

Fall 2014 Completed African Americans Community 

Meeting

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Hellenic Initiative 

Internship

NZPs’ Administration & Operations Department hosted 

Aspasia Chrysanthi as part of an international internship 

opportunity for up and coming Greek citizens to come to 

the United States, work with American organizations and 

then bring the knowledge and experience they gained back 

to Greece.

January 2015 - July 

2015 Completed Others International Greek Citizens Internship Program Diversity

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Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

USS NZP

Smithsonian Latino 

Center Young 

Ambassadors 

Program (YAP)

NZP’s Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute hosted 

an event on science that was sponsored by Smithsonian 

Latino Center, the Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) and 

its Alumni Network to provide Latino high school seniors 

with interdisciplinary, leadership experiences. This flagship 

program supports their progress through college and into 

their early professional careers. SCBI offers these students, 

many them first generation college attendants, with handson and minds-on experiences about conservation science 

around the world, providing opportunities for the students 

to expand their horizons and see themselves as 

conservation professionals.

One visit every 

other year In-progress Hispanics

Providing students 

with 

interdisciplinary, 

leadership 

experiences

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP Science Fair

NZP Veterinary Technician Veronica Acosta participated as 

a judge for the CentroNia DC Bilingual Public Charter 

School science fair.

Spring 2015 Completed Asian Americans

Hispanics

Outreach to 

schools

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

– National Zoo 

Women in Science 

and Leadership

NZP Research Specialist Dr. Tameka Phillips participated 

as a panelist for the National Zoo Women in Science and 

Leadership program.

Summer 2015 Completed Others Women Leadership 

Program

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NZP Job Shadow Day

NZP staff Tameka Phillips, LaVerne Gist, Tim Walsh, Craig 

Saffoe, Betty Ackerman, Erin Latimer and Sherry Divband 

participated in Job Shadow Day with a Thurgood Marshall 

Academy African American high school freshman.

Summer 2015 Completed African Americans Career Shadowing/

Counseling

Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

Outreach to Cooper 

Land Elementary 

School

NZP's Bird House Animal Keeper coordinated event for 

Cooper Lane Elementary School which consisted of 70 

children coming to the Zoo, receiving tours and meeting 

Animal Keepers. The majority of the children were 

Hispanic, Asian and African Americans.

Summer 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Outreach to 

schools

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

USS NZP

Recruitment 

Outreach

NZP Primate Curator Meredith Bastian informally 

discussed the recruitment of LGBT persons within the 

Smithsonian and other Federal agencies at an event after 

approached by a representative from the HRC.

Summer 2015 Completed Others LGBTQ Community Community 

Outreach

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NZP Recruitment 

Outreach

NZP Curator Meredith Bastian used the Diversity Sources 

Database to help reach several groups traditionally underrepresented by Smithsonian groups when posting her 

Primate Animal Keeper announcement in the hopes of 

attracting qualified Hispanic, Asian and African American 

candidates.

Summer 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Multiple other 

underrepresented groups 

that viewed this 

employment opportunity.

Recruitment 

Outreach

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NZP

Recruitment 

Outreach

NZP Curator Sara Hallager recruited fora Bird House 

Biologist position by posting about this employment 

opportunity on four university websites including 

University of the District of Columbia, Cal Poly Pomona, 

Tuskegee University and Howard University.

Summer 2015 Completed African Americans

Multiple other 

underrepresented groups 

that viewed this 

employment opportunity.

Recruitment 

Outreach

Workforce 

Diversity

USS NZP

Smithsonian Latino 

Center’s Young 

Ambassador’s 

Program

NZP Research Specialist Dr.Tameka Phillips gave a 

presentation to the SLC’s Young Ambassador’s Program 

which included 21 students and 5 chaperones.

Summer 2015 Completed Hispanics Internship outreach Program 

Diversity

USS NZP

YES Summer 

Internship Program

NZP participated in NMNH’s “YES! 2015 Internship” for 

high school students who a part of underrepresented 

communities. During their 6 week internship in the 

summer with NZP, they received hands on experience 

working in the Animal Care Sciences profession. This is the 

fifth year that NZP has collaborated with the NMNH in this 

program. 

Summer 2015 (6 

weeks) Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Internship program Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

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Category

USS SERC

Training the Next 

Generation of 

Scientists 

SERC recruits Postdoctoral Fellows and Undergraduate 

Interns for a rigorous program of Professional Training in 

Environmental Science and Education. Although the 

program does not specifically target underrepresented 

groups, we do make an effort to assure that we are 

recruiting from a broad array of minority-serving 

institutions, including HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, etc.

January 2015 - 

December 2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Professional 

Training in 

Scientific Research 

and/or Education 

fields.

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

MOU w/the 

University of 

Houston

OFI completed a Memorandum of Understanding with the 

University of Houston to bring students to the Smithsonian 

for internships.

10/15/2014 Completed Hispanics

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Formal

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

George Mason 

University Council 

on Undergraduate 

Research

OFI spoke to a group of over 100 students at George Mason 

University about internships and fellowships at SI. 10/17/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

LGBTQ Community One time 

presentation

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI Banner Signs OFI Procured Two Banner Signs for SI Participation at 

Conferences. 11/01/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

Historically Black 

Colleges and 

Universities (HBCU) 

Career 

Development 

Marketplace

OFI participated in the second annual Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities Career Development Marketplace 

for students and faculty from HBCUs on the East Coast. 

This event provided opportunity for students to meet with 

representatives from government agencies and private 

corporations through out the Washington, DC area. 

11/07/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Career Fairs

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI Careers & disABLED 

Career Expo

Member of the Smithsonian Academic Appointment 

Diversity and Publicity Taskforce (AADAPT), which include 

representatives from SA, NZP, NMAAHC, NMAH, SLC, 

NPG, NMAI, OHR, OEEMA, and AP; promoted 

Smithsonian internships, fellowships, and employment 

opportunities at the 2015 Careers and the disABLED Career 

Expo at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. 

Edith Tudah-Torboh, Office of Human Resources; Shahin 

Nemazee, Office of Equal Opportunity and Minority 

Affairs; Ashley-Terrell-Rea, Accessibility Program; and 

Karen Carter, Office of Fellowships and Internships met 

with hundreds of individuals interested in academic 

appointments and jobs at the Smithsonian. Project 

SEARCH interns placed at SI were also in attendance, 

including OFI intern, Adrian Forsythe, who noted, “Being at 

the Career Fair opened my eyes to all [the career 

opportunities] in the D.C. area.” Smithsonian and AADAPT 

are proudly committed to increasing diversity at SI in all 

forms and it was great to work alongside so many terrific 

organizations equally dedicated to this important mission.

11/21/2014 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Career Fairs

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

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DUSCIS OFI

University of 

Rochester DC 

Career and 

Internship 

Connections 

Conference

OFI participated in the University of Rochester DC Career 

and Internship Connections conference, and provided 

information about internship and fellowship opportunities 

at the Smithsonian.

01/07/2015 Completed Residents of Under-resourced Communities Career Fairs

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

University of 

Pennsylvania Career 

Fair

OFI supported Smithsonian staff in attendance at the 

University of Pennsylvania's Career fair. 02/14/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Presentation to 

Students from 

Bowling Green 

University

OFI held information session about internship and 

fellowship opportunities at the Smithsonian for visiting 

students from Bowling Green University. 

03/11/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Career Counseling Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI University of DC 

Career Fair

OFI supported Smithsonian staff in attendance at the 

University of DC Career Fair. 03/26/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

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Groups Served

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Category

DUSCIS OFI Gallaudet University 

Career Fair

OFI supported Smithsonian staff in attendance at the 

Gallaudet University Career Fair. 03/27/2015 Completed Individuals with Disabilities Career Fairs Workforce Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Native American 

and Indigenous 

Studies Conference

OFI attended the Native American and Indigenous Studies 

Conference, which provided the opportunity to learn about 

best practices for engaging Native American communities.

06/04/2015 Completed Native Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Meeting with 

University of DC re: 

Internship 

Opportunities

OFI met with representatives from the University of DC to 

discuss possible Smithsonian and University of DC 

partnerships. 

06/09/2015 In-progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Informal

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI NAACP National 

Conference

OFI promoted academic appointment opportunities at the 

NAACP National Conference. 07/14/2015 Completed African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Meeting 

w/Pathways to 

Careers Reps

OFI is meeting with Pathway to Career Reps, these 

meetings are aimed at discussing opportunities for 

Americans with cognitive disabilities.

09/03/2015 In-progress Individuals with Disabilities

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Informal

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Participation in the 

NMAfA Diversity 

and Inclusion 

Conference

OFI participated in the NMAfA Diversity and Inclusion 

Conference and shared best practices regarding increasing 

diversity through academic appointments.

09/30/2015 Planned African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

University of 

Maryland College 

Park Career 

Conference

OFI supported Smithsonian staff in attendance at the 

University of Maryland's (College Park) Career Conference. 

02/11/2015 - 

02/19/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Career Fairs Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

National 

Association of 

African American 

Museums 

Conference

OFI promoted SI academic appointment opportunities at 

the National Association of African American Museums 

Conference in Memphis, TN.

08/05/2015 - 

08/06/2015 Completed African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

International 

Council of Museums 

(ICOM) CECA 2015

The International Council of Museums (ICOM)‘s Committee for 

Education and Cultural Action (CECA) convened at the 

Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American 

Indian for its 2015 Annual Conference from September 17-21, 

2015. This year’s theme was “Museum Education & 

Accessibility: Bridging the Gaps” and featured speakers from 

all over the world, presenting on topics such as plural 

accessibility, using technology to increase access, museum 

outreach and social change, and storytelling and accessibility. 

Over 240 museum professionals from Africa, Asia, Central and 

South America, Europe, and the United States were in 

attendance. It was the first time CECA has held its annual 

conference in the U.S. since 1982. Dr. Pino Monaco, one of 

CECA’s board members, and Associate Director of Program 

Evaluation at the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital 

Access hosted this year’s event and took the responsibility of 

the organization and engaged many local institutions to 

provide diverse and comprehensive experiences to the 

conference participants. OFI‘s Karen Carter, chair of the 

Smithsonian’s Academic Appointment Diversity and Publicity 

Taskforce (AADAPT) staffed a table on internships and 

fellowships at the Smithsonian and was able to network with 

many attendees about increasing diversity in all forms in 

academic appointments at the Smithsonian.

09/17/2015 - 

09/18/2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI White House 

Initiative HBCU

OFI is planning to participate in the White House Initiative 

on HBCUs conference, which is an initiative that provides a 

forum to exchange information and share innovations 

among and between institutions. Stakeholders include: 

federal agencies, private sector companies and 

philanthropic organizations) provide an overview of 

successful engagements that if replicated could improve 

instruction, degree completion and the understanding of 

federal policies that shape and support higher education.

09/21/2015 - 

09/22/2015

Planned African Americans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Hispanic Association 

of Colleges and 

Universities Annual 

Conference

For the third consecutive year, the pan-institutional SI 

Academic Appointment Diversity and Publicity Taskforce 

(AADAPT)’s Outreach Team had a strong and successful 

presence at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and 

Universities (HACU) 29th Annual Conference. The theme of 

the 2015 conference, held in sunny Miami, was “Championing 

Hispanic Higher Education Success: Empowering Students, 

Enhancing Collaboration.” Karen Carter (OFI), Omar EatonMartinez (NMAH), Emily Key (SLC), Shahin Nemazee 

(OEEMA), and Edith Tudae-Torboh (OHR) led a highly 

interactive, collaborative workshop to a packed audience 

entitled, “How to Develop Your Professional Networks While 

Still in School.” After the presenters introduced themselves, 

the students self-selected into four discussion groups 

including, “Making Internships and Fellowships Work For You,” 

“Your Digital Calling Card,” “Building Your Network,” and 

“Resumes, Interviews, and Follow-Ups.” Eric Woodard, OFI’s 

Director, presented at the professional track on “Smithsonian 

in Your Community: Internship and Fellowship Partnerships.” 

In addition, the Smithsonian had a double-booth presence in 

the HACU Exhibit Hall and SI staff made hundreds of 

connections with college and university students, staff and 

faculty as well as business professionals from around the 

United States.

10/0/3/2014 - 

10/06/2014 Completed Hispanics

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

Ongoing Support 

for Project Search at 

SI

OFI provides program support for Project Search, a 

program that brings students with cognitive disabilities to 

SI to do internships. 

10/01/2014 - 

09/30/2015 In-progress Individuals with Disabilities Internship Program

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Promoted the SI 

Fellowship Program 

Through Hispanic 

Association 

Channels

OFI worked with SLC to promote the Smithsonian 

Fellowship Program to Hispanic communities.

10/01/2014 - 

12/01/2014 Completed Hispanics

Digital Promotion 

of Academic 

Appointments

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Smithsonian 

Institution Career 

Center Conference

OFI participated in the 3rd annual Smithsonian Career 

Center Conference, which is aimed at promoting internship 

and fellowship opportunities at professionals at higher 

learning institutions.

12/04/2014 - 

12/05/2014 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Conferences 

w/Colleges or 

Universities

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Representation on 

the NSF Hosted 

Federal Interagency 

"Broadening 

Participation" 

Working Group

OFI represented the Smithsonian at the National Science 

Foundation hosted Federal Interagency Broadening 

Participation interagency working group, which is focused 

on expanding stem opportunities at undergraduate and 

graduate levels.

FY2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Interagency 

Working Group

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

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Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

Chair of 

Smithsonian 

AADAPT

OFI serves as the Chair of the Smithsonian Academic 

Appointment Diversity and Publicity Taskforce (AADAPT), 

which is dedicated to increasing diversity in all forms 

including but not limited to gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, ability, and sexual orientation in 

Smithsonian Institution’s internships and fellowships. 

AADAPT’s pan-institutional team meets monthly. 

Members regularly participate in outreach events such as 

affinity-group conferences and internship/career fairs in 

Washington, DC and around the country to promote SI 

academic programs to diverse audiences. To see our 

calendar of upcoming events, scroll down.

Team members include representatives from OFI, SA, 

NMAAHC, NZP, NMAH, SLC, NPG, NMAI, OHR, OEEMA 

and AP.

Ongoing In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

LGBTQ Community Standing In-house 

Group

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Member of the 

Smithsonian 

Chapter of the 

Federal GLOBE 

group

OFI regularly attends meetings of the Smithsonian chapter 

of the Federal GLOBE (Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, 

Transgender).

Ongoing In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Others

LGBTQ Community In-house Working 

Group

Program 

Diversity

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Young African 

Leadership Initiative 

(YALI) at 

Smithsonian

This is the second year that the Smithsonian will 

participate in hosting student interns as part of the U.S. 

Department of State's Young African Leadership Initiative 

(YALI).

September - 

October 2015 In-progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Informal

Workforce 

Diversity

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Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

Smithsonian Native 

American Internship 

and Fellowship 

Awards

The Smithsonian Native American Internship and 

Fellowship Awards provide a range of programs aimed at 

offering opportunities specifically to would-be interns and 

fellows from Native American communities. 

Spring 2015 - Fall 

2015 In-progress Native Americans

Internship and 

Fellowship 

Program

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

The Smithsonian 

Minority Internship 

Awards

OFI administers the Smithsonian's Minority Internship 

Program, which provides undergraduate and graduate 

students the opportunity to experience the Smithsonian as 

a universal lens for learning. Under the guidance of 

Smithsonian staff who are experts in their fields, 

Smithsonian Interns are inspired to learn, examine and 

collaborate in their specific academic fields that relate to 

current research at the Smithsonian.

Spring 2015 - Fall 

2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Internship Program Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Support for 

Internship Program 

with the Arlington 

Alexandria Coalition 

for the Homeless

OFI is currently working on a program that would provide 

Smithsonian internship opportunities to economically 

underserved youth from Arlington and Alexandria.

Spring and 

Summer, 2015 In-progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Memorandums of 

Understanding 

Informal

Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Participation in 

Museum Day for 

Women and Girls of 

Color Planning

OFI is planning its participation in the Smithsonian's 

Museum Day for Women and Girls of Color.

Summer and Fall 

2015 In-progress

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Native Americans

Museum Day Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS OFI

Support for the 

Youth Engagement 

in Science (YES) 

Internship Program

OFI provides administrative and logistical support for the 

Pan-SI Youth Engagement in Science (YES) program, 

which provides opportunities to low income DC high school 

students.

Summer and Fall 

2015 In-progress Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Digital Promotion 

of Academic 

Appointments

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS OFI

Richard Louie 

Memorial Internship 

Revision

OFI worked with FSGA to revise the Louie Memorial 

Internship to ensure that it was fully inclusive. Winter 2015 Completed

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Native Americans

Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

Residents of Under-resourced Communities

Internship Program Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

WALRC Grant to 

Catalog Latino 

Books

Anacostia Librarian helped w/ Anacostia youth poetry 

contest January 2015 Completed African Americans Community Event Program Diversity

DUSCIS SIL Mentoring Anacostia Librarian mentored CUA LIS student Whitney 

Jerome March 2015 Completed African Americans Career Counseling Workforce Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

African Digital 

Libraries and 

Archives Conference

SIL's Martin Kalfatovic participated in the 4th International 

Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives in 

Accra, Ghana. Kalfatovic is a member of the ICADLA 

Advisory group. While in Accra, Kalfatovic also presented 

on SI educational outreach activities to a group of 35 

Ghanaian educators at the invitation of the US Embassy.

May 2015 Completed Others African Educators

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL BHL in Brazil

SIL Director, Nancy Gwinn, attended the 6th Global 

Biodiversity Heritage Library meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

As Secretary of the Global BHL Steering Committee, 

Gwinn participated in the executive sessions of the 

meeting as well as presenting on the activities of the BHL. 

May 2015 Completed Others South Americans International 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL ACM Career Day ACM Career Day - presentations and counseling to 30 7th 

graders from SEED Public Charter School in DC 05/21/2015 Completed African Americans Career Counseling Workforce Diversity

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Initiative

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Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS SIL Press ConferenceFreedmen's Bureau

SIL's NMAAHC Librarian and Genealogy 

Specialist attended a press conference in Los Angeles, 

California on June 19, 2015 to launch a promotion to index 

1.5 million images from Reconstruction-era records of the 

Freedmen’s Bureau, a federal agency created on March 3, 

1865 to assist former slaves and destitute whites in 

restoring order to war-torn communities within former 

Confederate states. 

06/19/2015 Completed African Americans Outreach Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

Workshop on 

African American 

Lineage

Workshop, "Constructing a Family Tree," in conjunction 

with Hands of Freedom Exhibit on the Plummer Family, at 

the Anacostia Community Museum; SIL’s Genealogy 

Specialist lead a two-hour beginning workshop on 

constructing an African American lineage. The Genealogy 

Specialist also distributed preservation kits, provided by 

NMAAHC’s Save Our African American Treasures 

program to encourage best practices in the personal 

preservation of African American artifacts.

07/18/2015 Completed African Americans Genealogy 

Workshop

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL IFLA South Africa

Nancy Gwinn and Mary Augusta Thomas participated in 

the annual International Federation of Library Associations 

(IFLA) meetings held in Cape Town, South Africa in August. 

There was significant attendance from African nations. 

Both Gwinn and Thomas hold leadership positions in IFLA 

and participated in organization and execution of programs 

at the conference.

August 2015 Completed Others South African Librarians

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL BHL in Kenya

Martin Kalfatovic, Carolyn Sheffield, and Jacqueline 

Chapman participated in the TDWG meetings held in 

Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2015. The group participated 

in a symposium on the Biodiversity Heritage Library as well 

as presenting a poster on collections analysis.

September 2015 Completed Others Kenyans

Conferences 

w/Professional 

Organizations

Program 

Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS SIL

SIL Participation in 

Anacostia 

Neighborhood Fair

SIL Librarian, Baasil Wilder, volunteered to work at a booth 

at the Anacostia Museum's Neighborhood Fair 09/12/2015 Completed African Americans Community Outreach

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

Freedmen's Bureau 

Digitization Project 

Night

SIL's Genealogy Specialist participated in a training 

workshop sponsored by NMAAHC's Education Department 

to index digital images of the Freedmen's Bureau records 

as part of NMAAHC's initiative to increase research access 

to 19th century African American federal records. 

09/16/2015 Completed African Americans Workshop Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

Hosting Students 

from University of 

Pretoria

SIL staff hosted 20 students from the University of Pretoria 

Information Science program. The students, who came 

from four African nations (Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, 

and Ghana), received an overview of Smithsonian Libraries, 

the Biodiversity Heritage Library, a visit to the "Once there 

were Billions" exhibition, and a tour of the Cullman Library. 

Staff participating included Martin Kalfatovic, Grace 

Costantino, Leslie Overstreet, Jackie Chapman, and Erin 

Rushing (coordinator)

09/17/2015 Completed Others African Students

Outreach to 

international 

students

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL Revealing Hirshhorn 

Vertical Files Latina intern to work on Hirshhorn Library project. 06/01/2015 - 

08/07/2015 Completed Hispanics SIL Internship Workforce 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL Catalog Latin 

American Books

$5000 Grant received from WALRC to catalog Latin 

American Books 

06/22/2015 - 

09/30/2015 In-progress Hispanics Collection Diversity Program Diversity

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Initiative

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Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS SIL

SIL Exhibition: 

Artists' Books and 

Africa

NMAfA and SIL opened a new exhibition, "Artists’ Books 

and Africa, " at the National Museum of African Art on 

September 16, 2015. "Artists’ Books and Africa " will be on 

display through Sept. 11, 2016. An artist’s book is a work of 

art that can be held and touched—one with pages to turn, 

flaps to unfold and enclosures to explore. As 3-D artworks, 

artists’ books build on the traditional codex—sequential 

bound pages, but they expand and push those boundaries 

in limitless creative ways. The books are intended as visual 

artworks, because structure and format supersede content.

09/16/2015 - 

09/11/2016 In-progress African Americans Exhibition Program Diversity

DUSCIS SIL Save Our African 

American Treasures

SIL Preservation Dept. participated in a NMAAHC event 

workshop: Save Our African American Treasures workshop 

to assist African Americans in preserving items of historical 

and cultural significance.At each event, members of the 

public learn how to preserve their family photographs and 

papers, military uniforms, quilts and the other ephemera 

that document African American life. 

11/08/2014 - 

11/09/2014 Completed African Americans Workshop Program Diversity

DUSCIS SIL BHL Mexico

BHL expanded internationally when SIL staff met with the 

staff of Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de 

la Biodiversidad (National Commission for the Knowledge 

and Use of Biodiversity), or CONABIO, December 14-18, 

2014, in Mexico City, to sign an MOU that makes CONABIO 

a dues-paying member of BHL and a new global 

node. Attending for the Smithsonian were Nancy Gwinn, 

Martin Kalfatovic, and Carolyn Sheffield.

12/14/2014 - 

12/18/2014 Completed Hispanics International 

Outreach

Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 118
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS SIL ARL Diversity 

Scholar

SIL's Monique Libby has been selected as a 2015-2017ARL 

Diversity Scholar. This year the selection committee, 

composed of members of the Association of Research 

Libraries' Committee on Diversity and Leadership, 

received the largest number of applications in the 

program's history.

2015 - 2017 In-progress Asian Americans Scholarship Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

WALRC Grant to 

Catalog Latino 

Books

Washington Art Libraries Resources Committee grant will 

help further SIL's effort to catalog Latino book collection. FY 2015 In Progress Hispanics Expanding Access to SIL Collections

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

African Art Library 

Welcomes 1st 

Neville-Pribram 

Award Recipient

This summer, the first recipient of the Neville-Pribram 

Award, Joseph Murphy, a middle school teacher from 

Seattle, WA, began to develop an educational video game 

using our collections at the Warren M. Robbins Library at 

the National Museum of African Art. Joseph is using the 

mediums of film, literature, music, and art to tell stories 

about Africa. His video game, designed for 7th and 8th 

graders, will be a fun, interactive way for students to learn 

about African history and culture. The award is open to 

educators of all levels, including middle and high school 

teachers, college professors, and museum specialists 

working on curriculum development.

July 2015 - July 2016 In-progress African Americans Library Mid-Career 

Educator Award

Program 

Diversity

DUSCIS SIL

Increase Access to 

19th Century 

African American 

Federal Resources

SIL's Genealogy Specialist conducts ongoing conversations 

with FamilySearch.org, a non-profit family history 

organization dedicated to connecting global families across 

generations. Conversations held related to recruiting 

volunteer participants for the freedmen's Bureau 

Digitization Project. 

July 2015 -

September 2015 

Bi-weekly

In-progress African Americans Outreach Program 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 119
Smithsonian Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Report - FY 2015 

Direct

Report

SI

Unit

Initiative

Title Description of Initiative Date 

Range

Initiative

Status

Historically Underrepresented

Groups Served

Other 

Underrepresented 

Groups Served

Type of

Initiative

Diversity

Category

DUSCIS SIL

SIL Project for 

Katzenberger 

Foundation Art 

History Internship 

Program 

SIL Project: Institutional Art and Artist Files Research 

through Katzenberger Foundation Art History program, a 

need-based program supporting internships for 

undergraduates in research and collections projects at SI.

Summer 2015 Planned

African Americans

Asian Americans

Hispanics

Individuals with Disabilities

Undergraduate Students in 

need of financial aid

Career Experience 

Opportunity

Workforce 

Diversity

Prepared by the Office of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs 120