Retirements Don't Negate Racism or Two Things Can Be True @ the Same Time

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I don't usually comment negatively on other writing, but Lee Rosenbaum's column about the Metropolitan Museum's 96 retirees was, in my opinion, a little too glib. Mostly, it blithely overlooks the idea that two things can be true at the same time. Collectively, the employees she names have been at the Met a total of almost 300 years. Leaving aside their considerable contributions, they are unusual for their long stays at the museum, an average of 36.5 years each.

But none of that makes Rosenbaum's comment that "they go down as a soothing palate cleanser after the vitriol from current and former staffers who (perhaps with some hyperbole) have accused the Met and other NYC cultural institutions of “consistent exploitation and unfair treatment of Black/Brown people” and “blatant disrespect and egregious acts of white violence toward Black/Brown employees.” The fact that both these ideas--that the retirees can praise the Metropolitan while current or recently furloughed staff accuse the Met of racism-- are true, pretty much sums up the museum world's current state of mind. In brief, not everyone's experience is the same, there is no "right" career path in the museum world, and it's wrong and disrespectful to assume otherwise. The Metropolitan offered this group of privileged white men and women a career home. They worked long and hard and made massive contributions in the world of art history, but their experience isn't everyone's, and it is disingenuous to the succeeding generations of employees to suggest it is. To be BIPOC in any storied, patriarchal, gilt-edged culture is a challenge. It's exhausting, frequently frustrating, and requires a level of daily vigilance, probably unknown to Rosenbaum's group of retirees.

There are so many things that go into being happy at work. The top four might include: Loving what you do; having a talent for it; being mentored and challenged; and receiving a fair and equitable salary and professional development opportunities. But then there are the hidden qualities: Is your workplace a value-driven culture? Is it a place where equity is a hallmark of work life whether you clean restrooms, arrange flowers or write scholarly catalogues about the world's most famous paintings? Is it a place that's kind and supportive regardless of who you are? And last, there are the personal issues. Some of us are optimistic and more resilient than others. And life today--even leaving aside the monster of COVID--is perhaps a teensy more complex than in the early 1980's when many of the Metropolitan's retirees started working there. Overlay all of that with an age so uncertain and fractured, and is it any wonder young, BIPOC employees are weary? How can they be sure why they were hired? Was it talent, ambition and creativity or some chemistry of guilt, DEI necessity, and brand development on the part of museums who believe they're doing the right thing, but truly haven't a clue, leaving new BIPOC staff to navigate their way through a world of -- we want you -- but now you're here, figure it out on your own? Perhaps that's more complicated than any of us older white folks know?

One last parenthetical note: The Metropolitan won't be the the first or the last to have waves of Boomers retire as part of COVID retrenchment. Leave aside what they know about content, those retirees carry with them huge institutional history. So if you are a Generation Xer or a Millennial, who's waited for this moment for what seems a lifetime, remember two things: Some day, in the not too far-off future you will be the ones a younger generation is waiting to move off stage. So help it happen with some grace. Listen for the knowledge and context they've accumulated, and work to understand the mistakes they made. It will make your organization a better place. And second, if the older generation wasn't as kind, equitable or supportive as you needed, it's your turn now. Be the leaders you wanted.

Joan Baldwin