The Brooklyn Museum has recently found itself at the center of a misinformation storm, with false narratives circulating widely about its operations and intentions. This article aims to set the record straight and delve into the truth behind the misinformation.
The Brooklyn Museum has long been committed to fostering diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Their goal is to create equitable experiences for all communities and contribute to systemic change. In recent years, the museum has intensified its efforts to counter structural inequities and the legacies of oppression that affect society. They are building an anti-oppressive culture that integrates equity and inclusion into every aspect of their work, from collecting practices to exhibitions, public programs, visitor engagement, community partnerships, employee opportunities, Board governance, and budgeting.
The museum’s journey toward achieving these Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) goals is ongoing and requires a variety of perspectives. They recognize the harm caused by exclusionary practices and misinformation in the museum sector and are committed to learning from the past and present. Despite their best intentions, they acknowledge that mistakes may occur along the way, but they aim to build accountability, leading to more empathetic and just decision-making.
In 2019, the Brooklyn Museum developed a five-year plan to advance their commitment to DEIA. This plan addresses structural issues that undermine their values and refines their operations through an equity lens. The museum hopes that achieving the six goals outlined in the plan will result in a more accessible, inclusive environment that allows all staff and visitors to flourish.
The work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access is never complete, and it is an ongoing, evolving process at the Brooklyn Museum. As they continue to reflect on the ways that systemic oppression has affected their communities and collections, they are exploring ways to create an anti-oppressive environment. Their DEIA Plan challenges them to look inward, focusing on internal operations and workplace culture.
To move from discussion to action, the museum emphasizes the importance of having a shared understanding of key concepts. They define diversity as the range of human differences, including but not limited to ability, age, cultural practices, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Equity is an approach that ensures everyone has the support necessary to access the same opportunities. Inclusion means making people with a variety of identities part of the museum through active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity. Access is the opportunity for people of all bodies, abilities, cultural identities, socioeconomic statuses, and backgrounds to enter and interact with the museum with dignity. Oppression is the intentional or unintentional use of power to subjugate, disempower, or marginalize a group, resulting in the privilege or dominance of another group. Anti-oppression is the active interrogation, mitigation, or dismantlement of oppressive systems and practices.
Despite these efforts, misinformation has spread about the Brooklyn Museum, leading to confusion and misunderstanding. One such instance involved a false narrative about a secret underground tunnel connected to a historic Brooklyn synagogue. This story quickly gained traction on social media, with posts spreading baseless claims about the passage, many laced with antisemitism. The conflict at the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York City began when a cement truck arrived to seal the tunnel’s opening. Proponents of the tunnel staged a protest, leading to a brawl with police and the arrest of nine people.
Supporters of the tunnel claimed they were carrying out an “expansion” plan envisioned by the former head of the movement, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. However, this did not stop the proliferation of social media posts falsely suggesting the passage was proof of illicit activities such as child sex trafficking. Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesperson for Chabad, noted that sensationalism and errors in the media have provided fodder to individuals trolling online.
The New York City Department of Buildings investigation found a tunnel located beneath the headquarters that was 60 feet long and 8 feet wide. It extended under several buildings in the vicinity, connecting between openings cut into basement walls. The exact purpose and provenance of the tunnel remain the subject of some debate, but there is no credible evidence it was used for nefarious purposes.
Officials and locals said young men in the Chabad community recently built the passage to the sanctuary in secret. Seligson characterized the construction as a rogue act of vandalism committed by a group of misguided young men, calling them “extremists” who were attempting to “preserve their unauthorized access” to the synagogue. Those who supported the tunnel said they were carrying out an “expansion” plan long envisioned by Schneerson.
The Brooklyn Museum’s commitment to DEIA and their efforts to counter misinformation highlight the importance of accurate information and the harm that false narratives can cause. As the museum continues to work towards creating an equitable and inclusive environment, it is crucial to recognize and address the impact of misinformation on their mission and the communities they serve.
