DiasporaDNA Press Releases

February 2025: DiasporaDNA Announces a Collaboration with The Luster Company

March 2025: New Local Nonprofit, DiasporaDNA Story Center, Partners to Launch First-ever Philly Festivals Mixer!

DiasporaDNA & Monica in the press! Click through the following articles, podcasts, and presentations to learn more about our journey, our story, and our founder.

Philly Festivals Fueling the Future

Our Community Spotlight series uplifts the voices, stories, and expertise of artists and arts administrators of color from across our national network. Each post highlights a unique perspective and experience, offering insight, inspiration, and connection — rooted in our shared commitment to equity, advocacy, and community-building in the arts. We are proud to celebrate the contributions of our community members and thank them for sharing their journeys with us.

Blog post by Monica for AAC.

Critical Futures: The Future of the Un-Museum

“On today's episode, we are joined by the Executive Director of the DiasporaDNA Story Center, Monica O. Montgomery, to talk about “The Future of the Un-Museum” -- or what it means to rethink and reshape museums to be spaces where visitors actively participate in the creation of our art, our stories, and our histories.

This episode is part of an ongoing series titled THE FUTURE OF…, where we chat with experts in various sectors to learn about what they are doing to shift the critical now for a radical new future.” Hosted by Dr. Amber Johnson.

Click here for the episode transcript.

Museums x Change: DiasporaDNA Story Center: The Journey to Launch a Modern Mindful Un-Museum

Presented by American Alliance of Museums’ Museums x Change series. Moderated and convened by Avi Decter.

A Germantown museum is honoring the art and activism of formerly incarcerated people

By Nate File for The Philadelphia Inquirer

(Monica Senior Curator Consultant)

Job Hop or Career Climb: Let’s stop demonizing non-linear career paths

By Monica O. Montgomery for Museum Next Op Ed

(Monica a Thought Leader in Museum Labor)

The Smithsonian social justice museum curator, returns to neighborhood as Director of Community Engagement and Programs of Historic Germantown

By Rasheed Ajamu for Resolve Philly

(Monica Community Engagement Consultant)

The Mütter’s Museum held a town hall to discuss their use of human remains. Things got tense.

By y Rosa Cartagena & Rita Giordano for The Philadelphia Inquirer

(Monica Senior Curator Consultant)

Social Justice curator Monica Montgomery has big dreams

Smithsonian Torch

(Monica Curatorial Consultant)

Testimonials

“Such amazing insights in Museums & Change about the cultural diaspora from Monica O. Montgomery, Founder and President of the DiasporaDNA Story Center. A new way to conceive the collective role of a Storytelling Center because we are the stories we tell ourselves and others. Don't miss the conversation!”

- Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell, Founder & CEO of Cultural Inquiry

You're getting this message through your affiliation with Monica O. Montgomery MA who is a curator, community engager and consultant & Founding Executive Director of DiasporaDNA Story Center.