Will you support the future of our arts leaders of color?

In early 2018, I found myself visiting the Arts Administrators of Color Network’s (AAC) website to learn more about their work after being approached by its founder and my prior classmate, Quanice Floyd, to become a founding board member. I was managing the National Endowment for the Arts’ Literature Fellowships grant program then. Quanice explained that the organization sought to create a one-of-its-kind, safe, affirming, healing space for arts administrators of color. I instantly felt seen in my work for the first time and was excited to become part of realizing this necessary vision. I soon discovered that the effort needed was tremendous. Still, the underserved community was plenty and in desperate need of being acknowledged and celebrated for our unique contribution to the arts ecosystem. 

AAC has genuinely succeeded in creating a space for us, by us with its annual convening, impactful mentorship program, and affinity group gatherings. However, there is more that can be done. AAC has the potential to be a powerhouse of service for folks of color who are passionate about the arts and its impact on lives. It has the opportunity to be a resounding voice in spaces where we are often muted. I want to see it grow because I believe in the individual and collective transformative experience that occurs from simply finding a home in a remarkably exclusionary world for people of color. This organization will always have my support, and I hope it will have yours as well.

To help AAC continue its work and capitalize on the momentum we’ve built over the past several years, please consider making a gift and becoming a recurring donor to invest in the future of the Arts Administrators of Color Network. 

Will you support the future of our arts leaders of color?

Mohamed Sheriff
Division Coordinator, National Endowment for the Arts
Former Founding Board Member, AAC