Wayne County Executive Commends Resigning DIA Board Members

Detroit MI

30 March, 2021

10:26 AM

Description

DETROIT — Wayne County Executive Warren Evans on Monday commended six members of the Detroit Institute of Arts Board of Directors who reportedly resigned from their positions due to a toxic work environment stemming from issues between board members and the DIA museum's leader. "These board members sent a strong message that grievances aired by women employees of the DIA must be taken seriously by the museum's executive leadership and its governing board," Evans said in a prepared statement. "I am proud that these board members have stood behind the women who have brought forward credible allegations of retaliation, sexism, cultural insensitivity, and a leadership culture that is misaligned with the mission and goals of the DIA. "These board resignations raise serious questions of confidence in the current executive leadership." DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons has drawn criticism regarding his management style, according to The Detroit News. Workplace issues were first alleged last summer in a change.org petition created by staff, The Detroit Free Press reported. Those allegations were investigated by an independent law firm. The results of that investigation were revealed in a meeting that was recorded and leaked earlier this month. Current and former employees from the museum described the museum leader's communication as lacking and said he was "erratic, autocratic, condescending, intolerant of dissent," The Detroit News reported. Employees reported fearing retaliation, reported concerns with race-related issues during the course of the investigation that female employees at the museum felt the director treated them "less favorably than their male peers on the compensation front," according to the Free Press. "I have long said that the DIA and its leadership must do more to be connected to and representative of the region it serves and the city it calls home; especially through increased and direct outreach to African Americans and other communities of color," Evans said. "The museum's disregard of this call for openness and inclusion, along with similar calls from many other leaders in our community, points to an insular culture that is more focused on protecting individual turfs and maintaining privilege. This needs to end."