Centering Belonging: LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Museum Youth Programs

Want to create an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ youth at your institution, but don’t know where to start? Join us for a joint meeting of three NYCMER Peer Groups — K-12 & Family Programmers, Teen Programmers, and Queer Peers — for an engaging workshop! Learn how museums can better support, include, and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth. Participants will explore strategies for developing more inclusive programming and fostering safe, welcoming environments in cultural institutions.

Participants will explore strategies for developing more inclusive programming and fostering safe, welcoming environments in cultural institutions.

This event is recommended for emerging museum professionals, newer managers, and longtime advocates and allies. Capacity is limited to 50 attendees.

6:15-6:35 PM: Resource Tables and Reception with Light Food and Beverages 

6:35-7:40 PM: Presentations and Workshop

7:40-7:45 PM: Q&A and Wrap-up

Participants are welcomed to continue socializing at e’s BAR (511 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024). There will be a limited number of drink tickets for attendees.

Your NYCMER Peer Group Leaders and Guest Speakers

Julia Butterfield (she/her) serves as the K-12 Program Coordinator at Historic Hudson Valley, planning and leading educational initiatives at the Philipsburg Manor and Sunnyside historic sites that support students and their teachers. She has worked on inquiry-based programs for all ages at The Allen Memorial Art Museum, The Gilder Lehrman Institute, The Museum of the City of New York, The Morris-Jumel Mansion, and the Frick Collection. Julia serves as the NYCMER Peer Group Leader for K-12 and Family Programmers.

Luke Blankenship (he/they) is a seasoned professional specializing in strategic event management, development, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. As the Sr. Manager of Events & Experiences at GLSEN, Luke has been instrumental in curating impactful experiences that go beyond traditional gala formats, opting instead for innovative approaches that engage and inspire. Known for their skill in building infrastructure, Luke fosters a robust foundation for lasting growth.

Luke brings a lighthearted, authentic approach to their work and communications. With a strong commitment to creating supportive, inclusive environments, Luke is passionate about championing LGBTQ+ issues in education and beyond, making them a compelling voice and advocate in the nonprofit sector.

Rachel Coons (she/her) is the Coordinator of Teen Programs at The New York Historical. In this role, she develops and facilitates digital humanities programming for teens in which participants cultivate tech skills and put them into practice through the creation of digital history projects. Prior to The New York Historical, Rachel worked in public schools, teaching social studies and supporting students with disabilities. Rachel serves as the NYCMER Peer Group Leader for Teen Programmers. 

Roberto Chavez (he/him) is a museum educator and LGBTQ advocate. He is an educator for Children and Family Learning at the American Museum of Natural History. Roberto has previously worked at the Intrepid Museum, King Manor Museum, The New York Historical, New York Transit Museum, and the Tenement Museum. He is a 2024 recipient of the Nancy Hanks Award for Rising Stars by the American Alliance of Museums. Roberto serves as the NYCMER Peer Group Leader for Queer Peers.

Suhaly Bautista-Carolina (she/they/we/us) joined the American LGBTQ+ Museum in February 2023. Prior to our museum, Suhaly acted as the Senior Managing Educator of Audience Development and Engagement in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s education department. Additionally, Suhaly has held roles at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), Creative Time, and Brooklyn Museum and has worked in various capacities with organizations including The Laundromat Project, ArtBuilt, and ArtChangeUS. She has curated exhibitions and public programs in collaboration with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, Art Connects New York (ACNY), FOKUS, and NYC Salt and is one of 50 field leaders profiled in Jasmin Hernandez’ 2021 book, “We Are Here: Visionaries of Color Transforming the Art World.”

Her herbalism practice, as Moon Mother Apothecary, has been featured in The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and People en Español among others. Suhaly has presented her work as an arts educator and community organizer at conferences around the world including MuseumNext, ArtPrize, Open Engagement, Culture Push, The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable, and POW Arts (Professional Organization of Women in the Arts). She is an executive board member of Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn, NY, a national executive board member at ArtTable, and Catalyst Co-Chair of The Laundromat Project. She is also a founding member of the arts collective, present futures, a member of Black Women Artists for Black Lives Matter, and founder of BlackMagic Afrofuturism Book Club.

Suhaly was recently named a 2021 Women inPower Fellow with the 92Y Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact and is a member of the inaugural class of NYFA’s Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color. She earned her BA and MPA from New York University and lives in her native city of New York with her wife and their daughter, Luna.

Accessibility:

The New York Historical’s facilities, galleries, and auditorium are wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair accessible entrance is located at 2 West 77th Street. Wheelchairs are available to visitors free of charge. It is advisable to reserve in advance by calling (212) 485-9200 or (212) 873-7489 (TTY). Please ask security for assistance when you arrive.

If you need more information about accessibility, please either email your questions to access@nyhistory.org, or call (212) 485-9232 or (212) 873-7489 (TTY).

There are restrooms on each floor of the museum. There are three gender-neutral restrooms on the first floor. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Baby-changing facilities are available in the men’s and women’s restrooms on the lower level, first floor, and fourth floor.

By Subway: Take the B (weekdays only) or C to 81st Street. The New York Historical is also a 12-minute walk from the 72nd Street station for the 1, 2, and 3 trains at Broadway at 72nd Street. For a complete subway map, visit the MTA website.

Please note: The 81st Street subway station is not wheelchair accessible. The closest accessible subway station is the 72nd Street station.

By Bus: The M79 bus travels east/west on West 79th Street across Central Park, with a nearby stop on West 81st Street. Other buses also stop at or nearby, including the M7, M10, M11, M86, and M104 buses. For complete bus information, visit the MTA website.

NYCMER is committed to providing opportunities for all of our members to participate in our programs and engage with one another. Should you require additional accessibility services, please contact info@nycmer.org as soon as possible.

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