Cool Culture, Inc.

Cool Culture is a nonprofit BIPOC-led social justice organization that harnesses arts and culture to strengthen family and community wellbeing, to create systemic change, and a more just and equitable society. Since its inception 25 years ago, Cool Culture has worked to increase access to resources that: celebrate our cultures while engaging in creative practice; support families’ connections with arts and culture and one another across race, class and culture; and harness arts and culture as a pathway to the human capacity for empathy. We are building a social change movement driven by families working in partnership with artists, educators, museum staff, and other committed New Yorkers invested in a shared goal of creating equity and supporting family wellbeing in community anchors – schools, early childhood programs, museums, cultural centers and more.

Our community consists of: 50,000 families annually, 83% of our families are BIPOC. 47% speak a primary language other than English, the majority face economic injustices. More than a thousand educators from over 450 early learning programs and schools - who speak families’ languages, and reflect their demographics. Hundreds of museum educators and cultural workers from 90 of NYC’s museums, historical societies, botanical gardens, wildlife and science centers. Cool Culture’s small team of 6 reflects the diversity of our families. We are Latinx, Black, Asian American, and LBGTQ+. We are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles, educators, policy makers, artists and authors with a deep commitment to social change.

ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS

Cool Culture programs operate at the citywide and neighborhood level.

• Across NYC, Cool Culture connects a community network of over 50,000 families, educators from 450 early childhood centers and schools, and 90+ cultural institutions annually. We offer families free access to our partner cultural institutions, multilingual programs, and resources. We support educators to create more equitable learning environments and build family engagement; and support museum staff to build relationships with historically marginalized communities and to reach their civic potential.
• In our Neighborhood-based Initiatives, families tour cultural centers, critique exhibits, create art, share stories, build community, develop leadership skills and design cultural experiences in their homes, and preschools. They also curate exhibits and co-design Family Festivals in cultural venues for the larger community of 50,000 families––all in collaboration with educators, museum staff, and local artists.

Cool Culture has a mission-driven commitment to principles of equity and diversity, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender/ gender identity/ gender expression, age, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, HIV status, disability, or marital status. BIPOC folk, womxn, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, and members of other historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information about Cool Culture, please visit www.coolculture.org