At the end of January, members of the California Humanities Board gathered at The Huntington, a Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena, for a working meeting and shared cultural experience. The gathering offered time and space to reflect on the role of cultural institutions in preserving history, fostering curiosity, and serving the public.
As part of the convening, board members and staff experienced Radical Histories: Chicano Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an exhibition that uses bold visual language and historical context to ask essential questions: whose stories are told, whose stories are preserved, and how narratives shape — and reshape — society.
“This important exhibition is key in this moment — the works are both timeless and timely and give us a sense of place in history for the Chicanx community,” said Angélica Becerra, Bradford and Christine Mishler Associate Curator of American Art.
The convening also offered insight into how The Huntington approaches stewardship, interpretation, and public engagement. Through a collaboration with the Los Angeles–based arts organization Self-Help Graphics and artist Melissa Govea, a mural was created to speak directly to this moment in time (featured image). The partnership — and the conversations it inspired — resonated deeply with board and staff as they reflected on California Humanities’ ongoing commitment to supporting humanities work across the state.
By engaging directly with institutions, artists, and curators, the board and staff were reminded that the future of the humanities is rooted in care, collaboration, and a shared responsibility to tell fuller, more inclusive stories of who we are.
These behind-the-scenes moments help ground California Humanities’ work in shared learning, partnership, and care for California’s cultural future.
