Diversity and Equity Work Group

The Diversity and Equity Work Group was created to address systemic inequity within operations of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. As a 161-year-old collecting institution, we are working to acknowledge the colonialism and objectification that are undeniable parts of our deep history, and to renew our commitment to respecting and celebrating the cultures we display. This group was formed as part of a commitment to ensuring that equity and inclusion pervade all that we do, and to create a welcoming and safe environment for all to ask questions, explore and work. This work is intersectional and includes race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, class, physical appearance, education, neurotype, and language.

The actions of the work group include:

• Research of issues presenting barriers to racial equity in the Museum and Tifft, including business operations, staff, and workplace culture.
• Identification of challenges to accessibility that present barriers to engagement with the Museum and Tifft, both on-site and off.
• Development of suggestions for increasing meaningful inclusion of marginalized groups in Society operations, visitor experiences, and employment opportunities and promotion.
• Development of action plans for addressing issues and sharing them with Leadership for implementation.
• Recommendations for areas to engage in dialogue with our staff, guests, and community partners.
• Advocating for our offerings as BSNS to be clearly communicated on every level: community, members, walk-ins, staff.
• Providing an avenue for staff to freely bring concerns to be addressed without judgement or retaliation.

We recognize that we cannot do this work without the support of our community and we ask that anyone who feels comfortable sharing their perspectives reach out to us at [email protected]