SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION National Museum of African American History and Culture - office of STrategic PArtnerships presents: 

*2022 Ethical Interpretation Workshop 

*March 28, 2022: The application period for the 2022 Ethical Interpretation Workshop is now closed. Please check back in Fall 2022 for the 2023 Workshop dates.

Workshop Dates

Virtual Meet & Greet: May 22, 2022
Online Sessions: May 23-27, 2022
In-person Experience: June 8-11, 2022

The workshop will be held over the course of a three-week period, beginning with the Virtual Meet & Greet on Sunday, May 22, 2022 and culminating with the final day of the In-person Experience on Saturday, June 11, 2022 in Washington, DC.

Program Overview
The NMAAHC Office of Strategic Partnerships is pleased to announce the relaunch of its signature Ethical Interpretation Workshop. Continuing into its sixth year, the Ethical Interpretation Workshop provides technical training for museum professionals on interpretive theory and ethical practice. The program addresses histories of oppressed people whose experiences have been historically ignored and misrepresented and does so by recognizing their individuality, achievements, and challenges. Ethical Interpretation centers the critical importance of collaboration with the communities whose histories are being interpreted, and connects past, present, and future conditions for learners. Participants are equipped with tools and techniques to develop culturally responsive interpretation, and how to prepare themselves to engage in challenging discussions in a safe and sustainable way. Appropriate use of language and cultural frameworks, awareness of identity and self, and addressing audience responses are just some of the topics covered throughout the course. 

About the Workshop
Over the last year, the Ethical Interpretation Workshop has undergone a yearlong evaluation and redesign process to transition from a place-based training into a hybrid model that will now be offered partially online. Over the course of the workshop, participants will engage in 30 hours of virtual learning sessions, peer-to-peer coaching, and community-building activities delivered through the Smithsonian edX and Zoom platforms. In addition to the virtual learning environment, participants will also engage in approximately 18 hours of site visits to analyze the interpretation of African American history and culture utilized at a variety of cultural and historical sites in Washington, DC and Old Town Alexandria, including Gadsby's Tavern, Woodlawn Plantation, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, among others. 

SEMC is a proud partner of this program and provides a scholarship for an SEMC member to attend!

Please visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum Opportunities page to learn more and apply for the 2022 Ethical Interpretation Workshop: https://nmaahc.si.edu/connect/osp/opportunities