Received from a co-worker or friend? Subscribe here to have the Update delivered right to your inbox!

Dear Friends: 

As we approach the July 4 holiday and I reflect on our rights, responsibilities, and personal freedoms, the importance and impact of Mass Humanities’ Reading Frederick Douglass Together program resonates. This video shows communities across Massachusetts reading Douglass’ 1838 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” aloud with one another to explore the legacy of slavery and its corrosive effect on American democracy. I was delighted to see that National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) recently joined Mass Humanities executive director Brian Boyles and partners from Royall House in Medford and History Cambridge for a celebration of Black history and culture on Juneteenth.

Spring was a busy season for Chair Lowe. On May 16, she embarked on her first official trip as Chair of the NEH, traveling throughout New Mexico and Arizona, with stops at NEH grantee and partner sites. During her visit with the New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC), the Chair met with some of NMHC's partners and grantees to “learn more about the essential work they do in their communities with the support of NMHC grant funding.” Additionally, the team spoke with representatives from Littleglobe of Santa Fe; Keshet and AfroMundo based in Albuquerque; Isleta Pueblo's Tribal Historic Preservation Office; members of the press and NNHC partners from 516 Arts.

On June 8-9, I had the pleasure of traveling for my first official trip representing the Federation at University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Mellon Foundation-funded Summer Institute in the Public Humanities, presented by Professor Stephen Trzaskoma and his team at the Center for the Humanities at UNH. I spoke on a panel—“The Public Humanities: The Big Picture”—to a group of more than 50 public humanities scholars–students and faculty from area colleges and universities doing community-based projects. On the panel I joined New Hampshire Humanities’ executive director Michael Haley Goldman and Howard University Professor Emerita of Media, Journalism, and Film and former Maryland Humanities Board member Judi Moore Latta to discuss the past, present, and future of public humanities work. We learned about exciting new projects, from a new Digital Museum for Puerto Rican Comic Book Artists to the Pandemic Journaling Project.

Michael Haley Goldman talked about his work both in digital humanities and New Hampshire Humanities programming, and Just after the Institute, New Hampshire Humanities hosted a conversation on what it means to be an "informed citizen." A part of their Ideas on Tap event series, attendees considered “the practical strategies of journalists and Gen Z citizens as they confront the noxious doctrines in current American politics” and heard from Keene State students about “how to make space for bad faith ideas without losing faith in our democracy.”

As we look forward to this July, please keep an eye out in your inboxes for information about registering for the National Humanities Conference this summer. You can see a schedule at a glance—and many more details are coming soon about sessions. Join us! Also, a reminder that Schwartz Prize nominations are due on Thursday, August 18. Learn more and submit your council’s nomination today.

With gratitude,

Phoebe Stein, President

In April, California Humanities hosted “All Welcome! Best Practices for Increasing Accessibility,” a free, online learning session with humanities programmers from The Art of Disability Culture: Artists with Disabilities Dispelling Myths, Dissolving Barriers, and Disrupting Prejudice, an exhibit and public program series organized by the Palo Alto Arts Center (PAAC). 

A part of the council’s new series, Tools of the Trade: A Practical Series for Humanities Programmers, this conversation was facilitated by Dr. Kenya Davis-Hayes of California Baptist University History Department. During the discussion, panelists provided resources and “actionable information about how [humanities professionals] can make their programs and activities accessible, engaging, and inviting for people of all abilities.” Read more.

In June, the nation honored the 1969 Stonewall Riots and celebrated Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and more (LGBTQIA+) gender identities and lives during “Pride Month.” This year, councils are exploring queer experiences, identities, and intersections through storytelling and community building across generations and U.S. landscapes. Read more.

Have you visited the new Federation website yet? We are eager to share an array of new features designed to help councils bolster, expand, and deepen connections across the country. The site offers a secured Member Portal where council staff and board can create a profile, participate in discussion forums, and upload or explore shared resources.

We highly encourage Federation members, board, and staff to “join” us by setting up a unique user profile. Follow prompts to “Join/Login” at the upper-right hand corner of the website (or find it in the drop-down on your mobile or tablet) to create your account today. Fill in the required information and click submit. You will receive an automatically generated email (check your SPAM folder) to finish the process. Once approved, you’ll be able to log in and view the member forums, upload and search resources, as well as connect with others who have created a profile in the system.

If you have trouble accessing the website or have any specific questions, please be in touch with us by emailing websupport@statehumanities.org with any website questions. 

We hope that the new features of this site will reach far and wide across the humanities council community. Please enjoy and help us spread the word! 

This week, Carrie deGuzman (she/her) joined the Federation team as Director of Communications & Development. Carrie (she/her) has devoted her non-profit career to serving cause-oriented and membership-based non-profits in a variety of communications and marketing capacities. Causes she has supported include the celebration of women’s history, diversity and inclusion, arts and culture, social work education, domestic violence awareness and prevention, and health and wellness. Immediately prior to joining the Federation, Carrie was Director of Communications for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, a network of volunteer leadership clubs that work to improve their local communities. As a fundraiser, she has played key roles in various revenue-generating efforts for securing general operating support, as well as fundraising for capital campaigns and specific programs and initiatives. Carrie graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a B.A. in Foreign Language and Communication Media and an M.A. in Public Communication. Join us in welcoming Carrie!

Don’t want to wait until next month’s Update to receive important announcements about the 2022 National Humanities Conference (NHC) in LA. Subscribe to our NHC Tuesdays Newsletter, which launched this week, to receive the latest information about the conference!

The Federation's Compensation & Benefits Survey will officially be open from July 1-22, 2022.  This survey will help to expand awareness and deepen understanding of the trends, disparities, and opportunities for growth in the industry. We have retained AKRON Inc., a leading Washington DC HR survey and analytics firm to collect, process, analyze, and report the data that you submit. AKRON Inc. conducts numerous compensation and benefits surveys and regularly collects data from hundreds of organizations year-round. Executive Directors should look for an email with the data collection tool sent by Angelo Kostopoulos from AKRON, Inc.

AKRON will be leading a training webinar to answer questions and help councils complete the Compensation & Benefits Survey. Join us via Zoom on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 from 4:00-5:00 pm EST. This webinar will be recorded.

As a reminder, members are invited to join us for a convening of council staff and program participants in the Federation’s Why It Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation. This gathering will take place as a pre-conference session in LA at the National Humanities Conference on Wednesday, November 9th from 4:00-8:00pm. Dinner will be included for attendees.

The Federation has (limited) funds to pay for registration, flights, and lodging for Why It Matters program participants from your state. Please get in touch with Phoebe with questions at pstein@statehumanities.org.

The Federation's SHARP Survey will open July 5-29, 2022. A link will be provided  to a 5-10 minute survey that aims to collect data from every council about their SHARP activities to help illustrate the collective impact of this funding. We intentionally planned this survey for after the NEH Interim Report deadline, in hopes of a 100% response rate from councils. Please submit your response by Friday, July 29.

Many thanks to Tom Beasley and Humanities Washington for their continued leadership with this data collection effort.

Explore some of the Federation’s DEIA webinars here:

• January 25, 2022: "An Interactive Conversation About Inclusive Hiring Practices" Passcode:ST.8P*Hx
• December 13, 2021: “Native Peoples 101: Approaches to Working With and For Tribal Nations.” Passcode: !6StES3q
• July 14, 2021: “How Are We Doing with DEI? Belonging, Breathing, and Becoming in the Workplace.” Passcode: ?J^C5spI
• May 19, 2021: “Decolonization and Why it Matters for Humanities Organizations”
• January 27, 2021: “Operationalizing Racial Equity Work at Nonprofits.” Passcode: 6mzbx3@@

Last month, NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) testified in front of the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the Arts and Humanities. Lowe was joined by Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), on the panel. Read more and watch the full hearing.

Representatives from the NEH Federal/State Partnership Office will be available over Zoom to answer questions on Tuesday, July 26 from 4:00pm-5:30pm EST. Elizabeth Quaglieri and Sara Mohr will present both Activities & Outcomes and SHARP data during the meeting. Join us via Zoom!

Federation executive directors can stay up to date on scheduled Office Hours by subscribing to the Executive Director listserv. Email connect@statehumanities.org with your request to join. 

The House Appropriations Committee on June 29 reported the FY 2023 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, with a recommendation of $207 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), including $65 million for the Federal/State partnership (F/SP) that directly funds the state humanities councils by formula. The vote in Committee was 32-24. The full House is expected to consider the bill in July. The FY 2023 House Committee recommendation is $27 million above the FY 2022 appropriation of $180 million for NEH and $10.652 million above the $54.348 million for the F/SP. The National Endowment for the Arts was also funded at $207 million. In opening remarks, Interior Subcommittee Chair Chellie Pingree (ME) noted that the $414 million for NEA and NEH represented the highest funding level ever. Most observers do not expect a final bill until after the November elections. 

While the House will complete its markup of all 12 appropriations bills by June 30, the Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to begin its process. Senate Appropriations Committee chair Patrick Leahy (VT) said that he intended to start markups after the July 4th recess.

On June 6-7, Mass Humanities partnered with the Massachusetts History Alliance to bring the 17th Annual Mass History Conference. This year, the conference took place in person at Historic Beverly’s Hale Farm as well as online. Kyera Singleton, Executive Director of the Royall House and Slave Quarters, delivered the keynote address at the conference. Royall House has received recent support from Mass Humanities through the Expand Mass. Stories initiative and SHARP grants for COVID relief. Learn more about the Mass History Conference.

Administered by CT Humanities (CTH), Conservation ConneCTion has awarded Museum Makeover grants to 15 organizations, in partnership with the Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO). The projects range from outdoor exhibits, new interpretations of local history, to collection storage upgrades. CTH is also providing up to $3,000 to each participating institution to help cover the costs of upgrading exhibition and storage areas. Read more about the program and Museum Makeover grant recipients.

Last month, Nevada Humanities launched a new art exhibition as a part of their program initiative, A More Perfect Union. From June 2–July 27, 2022, the Nevada Humanities Program Gallery entitled “Unity: Community, Family, and the Future” will be open to the public for viewing. This exhibition of images and poetry was created by “innovative thinkers throughout Nevada to shine a light on the need to come together as a community made up of diverse people, cultures, and identities.” The concept of “unity” has shaped our national identity over the span of many decades and cultures. Nevada Humanities exhibit “examines unity as a concept that helps us build a shared future for our families, communities, and nation despite our many differences.” Learn more about the artists and view their work. 

On June 12, the Lakota Youth Development (LYD) hosted a one-day Lakota culture symposium titled, “Traditional Healing During and Recovering from the COVID Pandemic.” Supported by a grant from South Dakota Humanities Council, this learning opportunity centered traditional Indigenous lifestyles as key to good health. “By discussing how to practice Lakota spirituality, traditional health systems, and traditional medicines in relation to the COVID pandemic, the recovery, and the application in our modern lives,” presenters aimed to “create awareness and education surrounding the Lakota culture.” Read more about the LYD symposium.

Supported in part by Humanities Tennessee, The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at The University of Memphis will host two screenings of “Facing Down Storms: Memphis and the Making of Ida B. Wells,” a documentary on the life of civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. The feature-length documentary “explores how the unique cultural and social atmosphere of late 19th-century Memphis indelibly shaped Ida B. Wells as a journalist and activist.” Screenings will take place at 7:00 pm on Thursday, July 21, and Thursday, July 28 at the Malco Studio on the Square. Watch the film trailer, learn more, and get tickets today. 

In partnership with the Office of the Governor and the Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Humanities sponsors the annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts & Humanities each year to “recognize and honor individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the civic or cultural vitality of the state.” The council is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Governor’s Awards. To nominate an individual or organization, please review nomination guidelines and complete their online nomination form by Friday, July 22, 2022.

In celebration and reflection of Juneteenth, Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) hosted several community events. The Juneteenth Breakfast event with guest speaker Angela Tate, a curator of women's history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History highlighted “the role of women, and in particular Black sororities, in upholding Juneteenth traditions nationwide” and featured a musical performance by Jevetta Steele. Collaborating with Sweet Potato Comfort Pie and community, MHC also brought the significance of Juneteenth to life through a 90-minute fictitious, two-act play that “addresses a factual and traumatic time in our history – when news was deliberately withheld that Black people were no longer to be kept as slaves in this country.” The play, titled “Kumbayah: The Juneteenth Story” was written by Rose McGee, Humanities Officer at MHC and nationally recognized community advocate. In addition to the live performances, MHC is also underwriting the production of several video clips of the play along with classroom lesson plans for K-12 educator use. Learn more about the powerful production.

Last month, California Humanities debuted a new international exhibition series entitled “In the Banlieues/Centering the Margin: Oakland/Saint-Denis” to explore the “arts and humanities, urbanism and placemaking” in France and the United States. “Co-produced by Villa Albertine, California Humanities, Pavillon de l'Arsenal in Paris, and the urban planning non-profit organization SPUR in San Francisco, the exhibition examines cultural trends in the rapidly changing neighborhoods situated at the ‘outskirts’ of major urban centers.” Learn more about the partnership and exhibition works. 

With support from a Patrick F. Taylor Foundation grant, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) will soon establish the Institute for Louisiana Culture and History (ILCH), a statewide educational hub providing reliable, accessible Louisiana social studies resources to students and their teachers. In partnership with The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), LEH introduced new social studies standards going into full effect in the 2023–24 school year. Together, the organizations “will map these new social studies standards to the content on 64 parishes.org and create grade-level appropriate adaptations of key resources.” Learn more.

• Humanities DC seeks to fill several positions including Director of Grants and Programs and Director of Programs. To learn more about their openings, check out their website.

• Maryland Humanities is hiring for two positions: Director of Programs and Program Officer of Literature. View the job postings at their website.

As America's longest-running showcase for independent, non-fiction films, POV offers “a national audience unforgettable storytelling and person-centered explorations of relevant social issues” on PBS. These films and accompanying resources seek to inspire social change and spark dialogue in communities, in classrooms, and beyond.

If you are interested in utilizing POV films in your programming, please join the POV Community Network to gain free access to our digital film library for educators, nonprofits, PBS stations, librarians, and community organizers. After signing up, select films by topics to find ones that are relevant to your community and to check-out a digital copy of that film to host a screening event! Partners can host virtual or in-person screenings and use our educational resources including lesson plans, discussion guides, healing guides, and reading lists to facilitate conversations inspired by films. All events must be free of charge.

In partnership with the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A&M University, the National Humanities Center, NHC will host the first annual Teaching African American Studies Summer Institute: “Understanding the Long View of the African Diaspora” on July 5–9, 2022. The program is open to all K–12 educators and will provide “an immersive, hands-on learning experience to better understand the approaches and the historical perspective required to create and teach African American studies.” Learn more.

July 14

Federation Staff Retreat (out of office)

July 15-16

Federation Board Meeting, Indianapolis, IN

August 3

Communications & Development Happy Hour

August 18

Deadline for Schwartz Prize Nominations

November 9

Why It Matters 

Gathering

Los Angeles, California

November 10-13

National Humanities Conference

Los Angeles, California