What is AAAM Advocacy? The Association of African American Museums (AAAM) is a non- partisan organization dedicated to fostering and promoting the celebration of African American heritage through supporting the needs of museums, cultural institutions, and museum professionals who share an interest in the preservation of African, African American, and African Diasporic cultures. AAAM is committed to strengthening its membership across all partnerships through its implementation of the AAAM Advocacy Committee.
Our Mission & Purpose
The goal of the Advocacy Committee is to promote, defend, and advance AAAM’s mission through education, institutional collaboration, and thought leadership. The Advocacy committee aims to:
- Fortify the visibility, viability, and voice of Black museums and cultural institutions.
- Support members in developing a political agenda to ensure their continued success.
- Collaborate with aligned institutions and coalitions on campaigns that protect cultural heritage and promote racial equity.
- Guide AAAM’s public positioning and responses to issues impacting the field.
- Disseminate information and knowledge related to political education, equipping members with the knowledge needed to navigate emerging challenges.
What We Do:
- Monitor Policy &Advocacy Obstacles:
Identifying local, state, and federal policy issues that impact Black museums and cultural organizations. - Develop Member Resources:
Creating toolkits, explainers, training materials, and best-practice guides for advocacy and institutional advocacy. - Coordinate Collective Action:
Providing mechanisms for unified field responses while remaining strictly non-partisan and compliant with nonprofit requirements. - Build Coalitions:
Collaborating with cultural partners, policy organizations, and peer networks to strengthen national impact.
Members can engage by attending training sessions, participating in Advocacy Day, using AAAM tools and resources, sharing institutional needs, and lending their voice to collective efforts.
What Our Members Told Us:
During the Opening Plenary of AAAM’s forty-seventh annual conference, participants contributed 470 poll responses to our engagement report.
A Clear Story Emerged:
- Institutions are navigating funding setbacks and rising political pressure while recalibrating internally
- Many are leaning into empowerment strategies that build voice and credibility through stronger data, sharper mission alignment, and deeper community listening
- Joy and well-being practices are present but uneven
The path ahead tilts toward public action through education, coalition, and voting
What Participants Want:
- More ways to connect beyond the annual conference, including face-to-face convenings, regular communication, and panels that surface practical, solution-oriented guidance for smaller Black museums
- Stronger collective legislative voice and visible advocacy
- Deeper ties with Africa and museums across the diaspora
Your perspective shapes our advocacy. To ensure our work reflects the real needs of our field, help guide our next steps by completing the updated AAAM Member Survey.
Get Involved
If you would like to join the advocacy committee, please click the button below.