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Health
B.U.I.L.D.-ing Empathy: A Framework for Reinvigorating Your Workplace
One of the throughlines of my career in social services has been witnessing the power of empathy. I first discovered this power as an undergraduate criminal justice major, when I completed …
3 Trauma-Informed Practices for Museums to Follow
Earlier this year, I presented at MuseumNext’s Museums, Health, and Wellbeing Summit about what we risk by not integrating trauma-informed practices and values into our work. In my talk, I …
Let’s Talk About It at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Working with community partners, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery has started a mental health conversation that has led to ongoing p…
Supporting the Mental Health of Museum Staff
I’ve been in close communication with some of the museum directors using CFM resources—including TrendsWatch reports and the AAM Strategic Foresight Toolkit—to inform their planning and …
An Afrofuturist School Program Empowers Children to Envision the Future
Futurism is a powerful tool to share with kids—equipping them to think about the world they want to live in when they grow up, challenging them to make it better. Today on the blog, …
Building Community and Connection: Guidelines for Museum Educators Teaching Memory Care Programs
In the words of renowned museum educator and empathy expert Elif Gokcigdem, “Museums are safe, informal learning spaces, uniquely equipped to help audiences explore and imagine our human …
Designing a Collaborative, Distributed National Museum of Mental Health
While I’m compiling my fantasy guest blog list to build out the themes of CFM’s newest report, TrendsWatch: Building the Post-pandemic World, generous people from inside and …
Elevating Sustainability Efforts in Museum Dining Operations
As museums encourage visitors to learn and think about what is possible, sustainability is no longer a behind-the-scenes activity. Beyond LEED-certified buildings and facilities operations, …
Art, Wellness, and Mental Health
I met Ashley Witherspoon while researching CFM’s current TrendsWatch report—one of the topics we examine is how museums can help foster mental health for all. Ashley is the founder and CEO …
The Messenger Matters: How a Novel Partnership Is Enhancing Public Health in Philadelphia
Bandaging skinned knees. Conducting health screenings. Managing care for chronic needs. Providing therapy and counseling. School nurses do all of this and more every day as they work with …
How a South Carolina Library Became a Model of Social Impact Innovation
“Bad libraries build collections. Good libraries build services. Great libraries build communities.” —R. David Lankes – Professor and Director of the School of …
Blues on the Block: Connecting Communities through Live Music, Rhythm, and Public Health
The National Blues Museum was one of ninety-one museums, libraries, and cultural or tribal organizations that leveraged their position as trusted community partners to help bolster …