© 2026 Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com.
At the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM) Annual Conference, Monica had the honor of joining Meme Omogbai for the keynote conversation. Together we looked at the challenges and possibilities shaping the museum field today.
Drawing on our experiences as leaders, advocates and change makers, we talked about how museums can engage more meaningfully with their communities, preserve and interpret history, move through moments of uncertainty and imagine what comes next. Many of our questions came from MAAM attendees, so the conversation reflected the experiences and aspirations of the museum community in the room.
Listen to a few messages that stood out.
Together, these ideas are a reminder that optimism in museums is not only about imagining a better future. It is about doing the work to build one, through collaboration, inclusive spaces and meaningful relationships with the communities museums serve.
Thank you to MAAM for the invitation, for a generous and challenging conversation, and to everyone who joined us in thinking boldly about what museums are today and what they can become.