3 minute read
Margaret Brownlee: MECA’S NEW
MARGARET BROWNLEE
Margaret Brownlee (she, her, hers) is MECA’s first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer and also serves as the College’s Learning Support Coordinator. Her goal is to use design thinking and principles of transformative change to create new initiatives to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion on-campus. Margaret works closely with the Students of Color Coalition, Students of Faith Club, and students of the LGBTQAI+ community.
Margaret is currently working on her doctorate (Ed.D) in Educational Leadership at the University of New England and holds a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in performing arts. She is passionate about helping college students establish a sense of belonging in higher education by facilitating conversation about intersectionality, intercultural competence, and global fluency. Margaret also serves on the Human Rights Commission of the City of South Portland, Maine.
How did you come to work in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion? Growing up in a predominantly white state, I knew that I was going to stand out from the crowd. This gave me the motivation to work harder and smarter at everything that I do—I went to college and got my bachelor’s, master’s, and am now enrolled in a doctorate program. I loved learning new things and quickly became interested in critical race theory, which encapsulates everything from implicit bias to microaggressions, intersectionality, and more. In addition to my interest in the research and inquiry side, I have lived experience as a queer woman of color, which is opening my eyes to so many systemic inequalities within society.
What does diversity mean to you, and why do you think it’s important in the world of the arts and arts education?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) come together like peanut butter and jelly. With that said, DEI means people, power, and policy. These are the three pillars by which I approach my work at MECA. It means that I build strong relationships with everyone that I meet, constantly think about power dynamics and how they influence my work, and how I can change policies within the institution. It is important to the world of art and arts education because there are so many aspects that it touches: curriculum and instruction, hiring faculty, critiques, clubs and activities, programming, training, workshops, and so much more. The possibilities are endless. What does your role at MECA entail and what are some of your goals? My role at MECA is to build a culture of mutual trust and respect among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees. I do this by facilitating campus-wide training and advising, supporting the Strategic Plan (2020-2027), serving on the Diversity Committee, and working closely with Indigo Arts Alliance, the MECA Students of Color Coalition, and the Gender Sexuality Alliance. My goals for the 2020-2021 academic year are to facilitate conversations around the First-Year Experience Common Read, which is The Marrow Thieves; serve on the BFA Racial Justice Scholarship Committee and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies Diversity Fellowship Committee; and conduct monthly trainings in coordination with Tanya Guay, MECA’s Director of Human Resources. MECA’s new brand initiative encourages students to “Be Seen.” How does this idea fit in with your vision for inclusion and visibility for students from underrepresented backgrounds? Students at MECA can’t hide—the College is small and they are seen. We expect to hear from them and want them to speak to us. If there are things that students want us to know, they should call us, email us, and/or schedule a meeting with us; we are here to help. My vision for the first year is to build a culture of mutual trust and respect. I hope to do this through daily interactions in the halls and online. I encourage students to participate in the Students of Color Coalition, Genders & Sexualities Alliance, and come to our Student Life office to meet me. Here’s to a great year!
