Two women talking in a garden with green trees and a white garden structure in the background on a sunny day.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) Task Force

Strawbery Banke Museum tells the stories of the diverse neighborhood called Puddle Dock and Indigenous peoples of the Seacoast area. We endeavor to: 

  • Foster a culture that is equitable, inclusive, and accessible for a diverse workforce;

  • Offer inclusive, decolonized*, and accessible historical interpretation, providing the necessary tools to allow everyone to enjoy the museum's daily program; and

  • Accurately and holistically reflect this rich history through a team that is composed of a diverse and inclusive group of community members.

DEIAB Definitions

    • The presence of people who are different from the majority culture in our workforce and historical interpretation;

    • Commitment to representation of people of various ethnicities, races, genders, abilities, classes, education levels, nationalities, languages, and other facets of identity.


    • Giving people access to what they need, not necessarily giving everyone the same amount; different than equality as it factors in systemic advantages to the dominant people/culture*;

    • An active effort to eliminate barriers to success and eliminating a system of oppression; a redistribution of power that can lead to meaningful change;

    • The willingness of people in power to sacrifice something of meaning for the sake of equity.

    • The active involvement of all people in the workplace, community, and historical interpretation in a way that allows for diverse perspectives to be considered and foster a feeling of belonging.

    • Ensuring the necessary tools, systems, and infrastructures are in place to support all of the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives;

    • Maintaining and working towards creating a site that includes people with physical and sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, and socioeconomic diversity following universal principles of design.

    • The feeling of being welcomed, respected, empowered, and supported in the environment for diverse cultures and individuals.

Glossary

*Decolonized History: Critically examining and re-evaluating historical narratives and making use of the latest research in order to challenge biases present in commonly-accepted historical narratives. The aim of decolonized history is to present a more complete and truthful version of the past by telling the story of marginalized people rather than focusing solely on the dominant culture.

*Dominant People/Culture:  The group of cultural beliefs, values, and practices that hold the most power and influence within a society.

Universal Principles of Design

Personal Pronouns

Museum visitors may notice staff wearing pins alongside their name tags, indicating whether they use she/her, he/him, or they/them pronouns. The effort toward ensuring that a person’s chosen name and desired pronouns are being used is a basic courtesy and aligns with the mission of the Museum’s DEIAB Task Force. We invite you to learn along with us about the importance of personal pronouns and to help us create an environment where everyone’s identities are valued.

Hiring Practices

Strawbery Banke Museum seeks out individuals from diverse backgrounds and encourages all to share their experiences and perspectives. Without diverse perspectives, we believe that we cannot be innovative or effective in the work that we do. In these efforts, we regularly review our work on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and belonging for all of our constituents. Museum leadership is always open to suggestions on how we can improve.