Ariana Faye
Allensworth

International Center of Photography

ROLE

Senior Manager, Youth Programs & Neighborhood Engagement

YEAR2017-2020

Deepening racial equity in the arts and culture sector 

As the International Center of Photography (ICP) prepared to relocate its school and museum to Essex Crossing, a major development in New York City’s Lower East Side, the organization faced the critical challenge of navigating its role within a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The move placed ICP at the heart of a community teeming with historic richness and cultural vibrancy, yet also experiencing significant socio-economic shifts stemming from real estate speculation and luxury development.

THE
CHALLENGE

This relocation offered ICP an opportunity to transform from within—to not only question but interrupt the entrenched structures of privilege and exclusion that have historically dominated the fields of photography, art, and museum practices.¹ The move provided a call to action for ICP to adopt and embody practices that make the museum a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and abilities.

¹IN NEW YORK CITY, WHERE 67% OF THE POPULATION IDENTIFIES AT PEOPLE OF COLOR AND JUST 33% AS WHITE, THE STAFF DEMOGRAPHIC OF NON-PROFIT CULTURAL INSTITIONS DOES NOT REFLECT THIS DIVERSITY—62% OF STAFF, 74% OF LEADERSHIP, AND 78% OF BOARD MEMBERS IN THESE INSTITIONS ARE WHITE (THE PEOPLE’S CULTURAL PLAN).
THE
SOLUTION

Leveraging the relocation as a catalyst for organizational change, I spearheaded the formation of the Equity Working Group at ICP in 2018. 


This cross-departmental, employee-led initiative was dedicated to embedding principles of racial equity and inclusion throughout the organization, particularly focusing on how these principles could be integrated into the fabric of our new location at Essex Crossing.
KEY
CONTRIBUTIONS

Reshaped Museum Policies to Expand Access


Revamped museum policies and programming to enhance accessibility and engagement among visitors with disabilities, non-English speakers, educators, and residents of nearby public housing.

Contributed to City-Wide Racial Equity in the Arts


Selected for Race Forward’s Racial Equity in the Arts Innovation Lab, a yearlong training program designed to increase racial equity in New York City's arts and culture sector.

Deepened Staff Capacity for Equity and Anti-Racism


Implemented targeted training sessions to deepen staff commitments to racial equity and inclusion, ensuring conversations around colonialism, racism, and power were normalized, constructive, and productive.

Bridged the Museum and Community


Built strategic partnerships with neighborhood stakeholders and launched community initiatives that bridged the museum with underrepresented audiences.


Embedded Equity into Organizational Culture


Cultivated a more equitable workplace culture by establishing shared norms, accountability structures, and spaces for reflection on power and privilege within the institution.

Enabled Youth-Led Visioning and Strategy


Facilitated a participatory action research project with local youth and Teen Academy alumni to inform ICP’s program strategy at its new Lower East Side location.

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