Reflections on Progress as NAAC Boston Turns Three
Dear Fellow NAAC Boston Members,
I can hardly believe it’s almost here! The approach of NAAC Boston’s 3rd Birthday allows me to reflect on about what it means to facilitate this incredible Network on behalf of ArtsBoston and Greater Boston’s arts and culture sector. When she first conceived the Network, our fearless founder Victoria George envisioned a Boston where arts administrators of color felt less isolated and more valued in their chosen industry. I believe that we have begun to build that Boston together.
Starting with a gathering of 30 individuals in a bar, we have grown to an active network of over 300 members. From our well-known Google Group listserv and popular online directory to our new Mentorship & Sponsorship Pilot Program, we have a lot to celebrate!
Over the last three years, NAAC Boston has become an essential component of ArtsBoston’s growing commitment to diversity and equity in participation, most recently emerging as a key element of ArtsBoston’s new strategic plan. Bank of America, Mass Cultural Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts have come on-board to sponsor NAAC Boston’s on-going work in the community to support and elevate the work of arts administrators of color in the local and national arts sector. Our Steering Committee, the backbone of the program, now includes seven volunteer members, as well as the Network’s first dedicated staff person, NAAC Coordinator Marissa Molinar.
NAAC Boston is stronger than ever, supported in our continued growth, and poised to make real change in our industry. But we need your help!
Early next month you’ll receive our 3rd annual survey, designed to capture the wants and needs our membership as we plan for the future. We ask you to please complete it as soon as possible and let us know your thoughts! What is working for you? What can we do better? We need answers to these and other questions from as wide a swath of the community as possible, so thank you in advance for participating.
Until then, we have some real partying to do! You can now RSVP for NAAC Boston’s 3rd Birthday Party on Wednesday, July 24 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen. I hope you can join us!
We’ll also be closing out the summer with one more session of Conversations with Leaders of Color in the Arts this August, which will feature members of the dance community talking about the specific challenges working as a person of color in their genre.
Each of you has helped NAAC Boston reach this milestone, so I hope you will continue to reap the benefits of the community we have built together. Leading this Network is my greatest personal honor and responsibility, so on behalf of the whole team at ArtsBoston: thank you for your continued support. I look forward to seeing you at a NAAC Boston event soon!
Sincerely,
Audrey Seraphin
Membership & Capacity Building Manager, ArtsBoston
Proud NAAC Boston Member since July 2016
@audreyseraphin
Congratulations on your hard work and great outcome! Keep on keeping on!