Centering Black Artists and Arts Leaders at CAAM

Cameron Shaw, new executive director at the California African American Museum (CAAM) shares her perspective and strategy as the museum's new leader, "she is committed to creating 'a workplace that is safe and supportive where I show up with integrity, empathy, generosity, and clarity. And I’m a person in progress working toward those things.'”

The New York Times published a story on CAAM and Shaw's bold vision for its future recently, noting the strong culture of ambition and experimentation amongst the growing team. "CAAM, with a broad purview in both Black art and African American history, was created in 1977 by the state of California and remains primarily state-funded and free to the public." Taylor Renee Aldridge and Susan D. Anderson, CAAM's visual arts curator and history curator, respectively, are both hires that Shaw made to rebuild the curatorial team as she takes the helm of the museum, according to the New York Times. "She also named Isabelle Lutterodt as deputy director, Essence Harden as a visual arts curator, and Alexsandra M. Mitchell as manager of education and programs, making for an all-Black, all-female leadership team."

“Historically White-centered museums are asking themselves what it means to center Black artists, BIPOC artists,” Shaw told the Times. “CAAM has been doing that work for more than 40 years.”

Read the full story here.