Cambio
About Us 
Authentic. Systemic. Relevant. Change.

Cambio means change.

Right now, museums have a timely and critical opportunity to build capacity for authentic and sustained collaborations with their communities. By evolving organizational practices, museums can open their doors wider to authentic Latinx engagement.

Enter Cambio.
It’s Spanish for “change.”
How?

Cambio is a National Science Foundation-funded professional development project for informal learning institutions—zoos, children’s museums, science centers, and other similar organizations—across the United States. It’s built on the premise that by developing cultural competence specific to Latinx communities and STEM—the fields known collectively as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—coupled with intentional changes in practice, museums can improve their ability to be inclusive of their Latinx communities, cultures, and audiences.

In practice, Cambio offers a yearlong professional development program, along with resources and tools for museum professionals. We help museums shift internal practices to better create STEM experiences that are culturally relevant, responsive, and sustaining to Latinx audiences.

After joining our annual Cohort Program, participating museums:

  • Meet in person to kick off the experience to build community and jumpstart learning.
  • Participate in monthly virtual meetings where coaches and faculty facilitate knowledge-building, experiential learning, and community-building.
  • Work to develop and implement a locally relevant Strategic Initiative focused on Latinx communities and STEM.
  • Convene with other Cambio Alums for a Culminating Summit at the end of the grant period.
Bridging diverse expertise.

Building on Experience

Cambio leverages CCLI* (Cultural Competence Learning Institute), a professional development initiative for diversity and inclusion, and the actionable insights from the Exploratorium’s National Science Foundation-funded GENIAL Summit for engaging Latinx in informal science institutions. Our faculty of seasoned facilitators, museum educators, CEOs, researchers, and scientists draw from experience, active work in their fields, advice from cross-industry advisors, and a commitment to co-learning.

*CCLI (Cultural Competence Learning Institute) is a partnership among Children’s Discovery Museum, Association of Science and Technology Centers, Association of Children’s Museums, and Garibay Group.
A collaborative approach.
Thank you to our partners.

Cambio is a multi-year professional development initiative. Cambio is made possible through the generous support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is a collaboration between the Exploratorium and CCLI (Cultural Competence Learning Institute). This material is based upon work supported by NSF under grant 1906595. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.

So, ready to Cambio?
Advisors
Our Cambio Advisors are science industry leaders, Latinx scholars, and museum and business professionals dedicated to diversity and inclusion practices. They serve as our thinking partners and allies in building meaningful and sustainable relationships with Latinx communities as well as a sound professional development model for our field.
Emeritus Team
The Cambio project benefited from the expertise and experience of former team members who contributed to the visioning, planning, and implementation of the project in its early phases. We acknowledge and appreciate their foundational input and dedication to the Cambio effort, and appreciate their continued contribution as trusted advisors.
Anne Holmes
As the Director of Grants at the Exploratorium, Anne Holmes synthesized multiple streams of work and perspectives to help form the structure and framing for Cambio. Her insights on program integrity, theoretical grounding, and equity practices supported our development process.
Laura Huerta Migus
As former Executive Director of the Association of Children's Museums, founding member of CCLI, and Advisor to GENIAL, Laura Huerta Migus contributed to Cambio’s development phase and pilot cohort as faculty and a coach. Laura provided key insights on organizational change practices and diversity and inclusion in the museum field.
Vance Yoshida
Vance grew up in his family’s flower business that produced potted plants in the San Francisco Bay Area.  His father was frequently asked if he would serve on the boards of organizations in their community.

Cambio