For several decades the museum community has recognized the need to increase diversity among its audiences, boards, and staff. Museums have implemented multicultural outreach programs in marketing, board development, and hiring. NEMA and other museum organizations have sponsored task forces, training programs, and scholarships to encourage diversity. Granters and government agencies have contributed significant funding toward innovative outreach initiatives.

Yet, despite these efforts, some would argue that the museum community falls woefully short of truly reflecting society at large. Minority visitors are still minorities in our museums, and a recent survey of NEMA's membership revealed that the museum profession in our region is persistently and overwhelmingly homogeneous. Left unaddressed, these trends point to a future museum community that is perilously irrelevant, unless we find ways to align ourselves with an increasingly diverse society.

Sometimes it seems the deck is stacked against multiculturalism in museums. School field trips, which have been shown to foster lifelong museum attendance by diverse audiences, are being substantially reduced. New technologies and entertainment options compete with museums for shrinking leisure time. There is increased pressure for museum leaders to focus on the bottom line in tough economic times. How then do we find the time and resources to make diversity a core value? Do we strive to diversify in all areas at once or identify one from the list—gender, race, disability, sexuality, socio-economic status? Can we incorporate diversity into the core of what we do-what we collect, exhibit, and interpret?

The theme of the 2011 NEMA Conference in Hartford – "Museums in the Mirror" – invites us to examine how we reflect the diversity of our communities, and challenges the NEMA family to develop effective ways to increase multicultural participation in our ranks. Share your success stories and the challenges you've encountered. Brainstorm strategies for expanding audiences. Help NEMA build a diversity initiative that opens doors to all types of visitors and opens our future to a vibrant, inclusive community of professionals.