DE&I Webinar | Fireside Chat with Dr. Tameka Ellington on Museum Inclusivity & Accessibility

Tameka Ellington Ph.D., author of the book Textures and a curator of the exhibit (dis)ABLED BEAUTY

In this ISPI SoCal Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion presentation, you will spend time with Dr. Tameka Ellington on connecting diversity, equity, and inclusion to a museums' performance improvement. 

Session Description:

Join us as we talk with Dr. Ellington, a celebrated podcaster, museum curator, professor, and International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD) award winner. She will explain what the art and beauty world can do to expand its peripheral vision toward inclusivity—museum patrons want to feel welcomed. They want to feel seen.

Dr. Ellington will discuss how stigma arose from legislation on physical appearance. Over time, art has become a means by which to express the stigmatized body. Her call to action is to be a disruptor. She leads this call to action with exhibits like (dis)ABLED BEAUTY and TEXTURES (see the exhibit's companion book above). 

Her curation of the 2016-18 Kent State University Museum exhibit (dis)ABLED BEAUTY: the evolution of beauty, ability, and disability explored the intersectionality of beauty and disability. This exhibit challenged the existing visitor demographic by attracting people with a broad range of abilities. Dr. Ellington and her co-curator Dr. Stacey Lim championed the inclusive event giving visitors a chance to experience themselves represented in the works.

Dr. Ellington's next disruptor opens in the Fall of 2021. The much-anticipated exhibit, TEXTURES: the history and art of Black hair, is a melding of archival and contemporary works focused on educating about and the celebration of Black hair. In the same vein as (dis)ABLED BEAUTY, TEXTURES promises to disrupt the status quo by reaching out to a frequently overlooked audience of museum-goers.

Take-aways:

• Learn how the "Ugly Law" forced people with disabilities to remain confined to their residences.
• Learn how art outside of the dominant narrative becomes labeled less relevant and "othered."
• Ask questions about TEXTURES: the history and art of Black hair opening Fall 2021
• Ask questions about the 2016-18 exhibit (dis)ABLED BEAUTY: the evolution of beauty, ability, and disability.

The Audience for this Presentation:

This fireside chat is for leaders working in fashion, art, entertainment, museums, and libraries. It is for changemakers, executive leadership, and Chief Diversity Officers. *The talk is not diversity, equity, and inclusion for beginners.

About the Author:

Dr. Tameka Ellington, Associate Professor of Design at the Kent State University (KSU) Fashion School and Interim Assistant Dean for the College of the Arts. Her creative scholarship is inspired by African art and folklore. Her work has been shown internationally including two exhibitions in Beijing, China.  She publishes research in the discipline of social-psychological aspects of dress for African Americans and other minorities, such as people with disabilities. Her publications on hair have reached national and international recognition via peer-reviewed journals as well as dress and culture encyclopedias.   She has two upcoming projects which include an exhibition entitled, “TEXTURES: The History and Art of Black Hair,” opening at the KSU museum Fall 2021, and Dr. Ellington is also writing an anthology entitled, “Navigating the Black Hair Phenomenon in a White World,” being released Spring 2021. Dr. Ellington has 30+ scholarly presentations and 25+ non-academic keynote presentations. 

Dr. Ellington has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work including her most recent: 2019 First Generation Advocate Award, 2018 Ohio Board of Trustees banquet awarded hosted by KSU’s Provost Diacon, 2017 Alumni Legacy Award, The Alumni Legacy Award is given annually to recognize an alumnus for their distinguished contributions and extraordinary service in the areas of diversity and social justice, 2017 International Textile and Apparel Association Rising Star Award, the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Service Award for her dedication to the advancement of her students and colleagues, and the 2015 Award for Outstanding Leadership in Student Access, Recruitment Retention and Success. She was also honored to have KSU President Warren congratulate her on her contributions during the state of the university address. 

Dr. Ellington is also the CEO and Founder of the 1st Generation Revolutionaries movement. Not only is she an international acclaimed and awarded Educator and Scholar, Dr. Ellington is a Motivational Speaker, Professional Development Strategist, and 1st Generation Advocate. Dr. Ellington is the author of Make Fear Your Superpower, a witty and real memoir that speaks to the inner courage that we all possess. She is dedicated to helping others face their fears so that they can have the power to challenge their way of being. Her mantra is, “Revolutionize Your Thinking!”

#diversity, #inclusion, #equity, #improvement, #learning, #performance, #ISPI #ISPISoCal #TheCROWNAct #hairdiscrimination #museums #abilities #abilitynotdisability