¡Hola Cohort 3!

Welcome to: Butterfly Pavilion (Westminster, CO), Museum of Science (Boston MA), KidZone (Truckee, CA), Space Center Houston (TX), and The Discovery (Reno, NV).

Representing locations from all over the country, these multifaceted museums are joining us to examine: how can we shift our organizations to center equity inside and outside our walls? and how can we engage Latinx communities in culturally expansive approaches to STEM? Participants will spend the next year deepening their understanding of who they serve and how,  and doing this in the context of space exploration, lepidoptery, science centers, and hands-on children’s learning.

RAMPING UP

Kickoff.

In March and April, teams gathered to meet the Cambio planning team and one another. In true Cambio style, there was music, food, post-it’s and mapping, and some real talk!

During our in-person meeting in San Diego, we deepened our relationship with the dynamic local organization World Beat Center, whose founder and Executive Director Makeda Cheatom underscored to us the importance of experiencing interconnectedness with local communities. Participants were also encouraged to explore the range of museums in Balboa Park.

Participants represent departments including:

• Museum executives
• Community advocates
• Camps and Youth outreach
• Education
• Human resources
• Public programs
• Science + Research

Also for the first time in Cambio, this year’s teams also include long-term key volunteers integral to their museums’ work and culture. These teams will be asked not only to move forward a Strategic Initiative, but to bring along their whole organizations including board members within this work to truly make a cambio.

Now the 5 museums of Cambio’s Cohort 3 begin their year-long journey. They’re pursuing new learnings, relationship-building with their local Latinx communities, examining assumptions in their approaches to STEM, and strengthening their organizations’ ability to take risks and change. Each has identified a Strategic Initiative unique to their community that they will work on throughout their Cambio year. their major project within Cambio: their Strategic Initiative. 

Find out more about Cohort 3 below.

Butterfly Pavilion wants to create accessible pathways into science. We seek (a) a diversified Butterfly Pavilion team to reflect the community, from our volunteers to our guests to our staff, and (b) to redesign our Butterfly Pavilion’s community science programs that invite our community into our mission and cultivate their inner scientist and conservationist.

Build understanding, trust, and relationships with the Spanish-speaking community in our region to increase interest and participation. The 5-year vision for The Discovery is to launch a bilingual regional outreach program, achieve annual attendance of 300K visitors, and become THE recognized leader in STEAM learning in the region.

Develop our organizational ‘STEAM identity’ by understanding STEAM skills and how our exhibits and programs support their development.

Leverage partnerships to connect with Hispanic community members and understand their STEAM knowledge and perspectives.

Use what we learn to more effectively communicate the relevance of STEAM skills, their practical applications and associated career opportunities.

A push for Culturally Responsive Learning Experiences as an institution across our in-person, in-community, and digital offerings:

• Create and/or revise 5 to 10 demonstrations, activities, or programs aimed at Latinx audiences
• Prototype and obtain feedback during National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Partner with 1 to 3 local community-based organizations to co-create and deepen relationships

Our organization is asking 5 big questions about how we can learn more about our community, create impact for our Latino/a/x neighbors, and make more equitable shifts. We have a 5 phase plan to pursue answers, broadly:

• Phase 1: To listen
• Phase 2: To align
• Phase 3: To try stuff out
• Phase 4: To identify shifts
• Phase 5: co-create

After reflection and rigorous integration of feedback from our Pilot year, we’re happy to announce the launch of Cambio Cohort 2!

We launched this cohort year with a two-part Kickoff:

· a virtual onboarding session to introduce team members to basic elements of our program

· a follow-up in-person retreat in San Diego focused on community building and hands-on activities

We’re excited to share with you some highlights from this Kickoff, with all five museums onsite and plus time together at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park, multi-cultural arts organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving the African Diaspora and Indigenous cultures of the world.

Sending our congratulations to the three museums and eleven participants who joined us in our Pilot year:

The museums joined Cambio during an unprecedented year of change and challenges for our field and the world at large. As museums pivoted, the Pilot cohort worked with us on evolving our pilot content and adapting our syllabus to meet the emerging needs museums in the 2020-2021 year. Join us in reflecting on a major year, and celebrating these three organizations pursuing shifts to move their organizations toward more inclusive practice.