The DEIA Committee dove into the project with Mindfulness practices and intermittent introduction of DEIA terms provided by a national course of study, exposure to experts in the expanding field, and individual research shared at weekly intense planning sessions. From this format DEIA Docent practice sessions titled Docent Dialogues were instigated offering informative presentations on various timely topics that focused on the Museum’s themed art exhibits. 

Docent Dialogues occur four times a year with Break-Out sessions following presentations by experts on various DEIA topics. A trained Docent moderator guides groups of five or six Docent colleagues in conversation providing a safe space for discussion about personal discovery, growth, and engagement with Museum guests.

The impact of this work for Docents has encouraged personal reflection, created new perspectives about cultural awareness, developed tangible sensitivity, re-imaged conversations for public art presentations, and increased a willingness to broaden deep discussions. DEIA exposure has become embedded into Docent training, recruiting, land acknowledgment introductions, Docent Times articles and through highlighted cultural celebration resources on the Docent website. Through these practices Docent Training classes have become more diverse-a long pursued goal now coming to fruition. 

This never-ending quest to inform will continue as cultural shifts demand. And the DEIA logo will trumpet that path of discovery through curiosity, knowledge, and empathy as art connects us all.