John Guess Jr., CEO, Houston Museum of African American Culture

1. Promoting Social Change
In Houston
Transformative Change In One of the Most
Economically Segregated Cities In The Country

3. WelcomeA B O U T J O H N G U E S S
John Guess, Jr. is a business consultant specializing in
message and strategy. He is former board member
of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the
Museum of Fine Arts Houston Glassell School of Art,
and former Board Chairman of Artlies Magazine. He
is also a McKinsey Executive Panel member. He is
the unrelenting voice and architect behind the
resurgence of the now nationally recognized
Houston Museum of African American Culture, which
he was brought in to turn around and make tangible
in late 2009, and where he serves as Chief Executive
Officer.
A B O U T H M A A C
The mission of HMAAC is to collect, conserve, explore, interpret, and exhibit the material
and intellectual culture of Africans and African Americans in Houston, the state of Texas,
the southwest and the African Diaspora for current and future generations. In fulfilling its
mission, HMAAC seeks to invite and engage visitors of every race and background and to
inspire children of all ages through discovery-driven learning. HMAAC is to be a museum
for all people. While our focus is the African American experience, our story informs and
includes not only people of color, but people of all colors. As a result, the stories and
exhibitions that HMAAC will bring to Texas are about the indisputable fact that while
our experience is a unique one, it has been impacted by and has impacted numerous
races, genders and ethnicities.
OUR VISION
HMAAC seeks to be a cultural portal through which people share and converge histories
and contemporary experiences that acknowledge and expand the African
American experience, and from such interactions come together to build a common
future
T h e A l l i a n c e o f A m e r i c a n M u s e u m s

4. Since 2012, HMAAC consistently recognized as a
stellar performer
One of the Top Six African American museums in the country by Centric TV
One of the top three Small Museums by the Houston Press
One of the Best Museums in Houston by PaperCity
Case Study in Relevance by the Alliance of American Museums for its recent
national meeting in St. Louis
Beneficiary of rapid, dynamic visitor growth in five years, rising to over 34,000
local, state, national and international visitors since opening its doors on a
daily basis in February of 2012
HMAAC has become the most visited African American cultural asset in the city

5. Our popularity results from our neighborhood
impact to empower
Many African American neighborhoods throughout the United
States, including Houston, are stuck in intergenerational
poverty and economic disadvantage.
We know however the power of cultural capital to empower
individuals and neighborhoods.
We know additionally that cultural assets, through which
cultural capital can be obtained, affect high opportunity.

6. Houston’s arts and culture funding fails miserably
in its support of African American cultural assets.
A Foundation Arts and Culture
$25 million plus awarded, $55,000 for organizations of color (.0022%)
B Foundation Culture
$3 million plus awarded, $0 for organizations of color
C Foundation
$4 million plus awarded, $20,000 for organizations of color (.005%)
D Foundation
$56 million plus awarded, $2.5 million for African American organizations ($2.1 million to TSU and PVAMU or 3.75%),
leaving $400,000 for all others (.007%)
E. Foundation
$16 million plus awarded, $250,000 for organizations of color (.0156%)
F Foundation
$11 million awarded, $10,000 for organizations of color (.0009%)
One of the above foundations indicated in writing to HMAAC that it need not apply again for funds.

7. Public funding can differ from private philanthropy in
its objective to support what are deemed public goods.
The Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC), is
the ONLY such museum in a major or mid-sized city that does
not have its building and annual operating budget funded
publicly as a public good.

8. The Rubber Hits the Road
This past year (2016) foundation and public funding for
Houston’s African American cultural assets decreased while
demand from the underserved African American community
increased.

9. HMAAC Decided to Take a Stand
Despite its own funding void, HMAAC took it upon itself in 2016
to become a funder as well as partner, investing over $60,000 of
its already meager funds and resources in other African American
cultural organizations to jointly present programs for our
underserved community.
HMAAC Redefined itself as A Museum in a Building and in the
Community

10. Tackled social problems in museum exhibitions
Gentrification,

11. Abolitionists/Black Lives Matter

12. Convened community meetings for issuance of
White Papers
On A Cultural Plan for Houston’s African American Communities
and
Upcoming A Call for Equity in Houston Cultural Funding

13. Sponsor influential public art murals in low
income areas
Murals inside two high schools that say:
The World Needs What You Have to Give
Murals outside African American owned buildings in low income areas: These
Lives Matter and Be At Your Best

14. Brought Entertainment to Neighborhood and
earned income

15. Sponsored symposia on topics for university
curriculums

16. Invest in Next Generation
• Sponsored HMAAC Urban Fellow,
its second support of a doctoral
candidate’s exploration of the
contemporary urban and business
environment
• Support of an artist’s global photography
project inspires people of all ages to learn
foreign languages and participate in global
awareness through foreign travel.
• Not That But This Webzine

17. Invest in Next Generation
• Roundtable Convo
• Sponsor I Am Me Foundation College Tour

18. Taking A Stand: The current Initiative
• Providing space for African American
assets hit by funding inequities
• Advocating for Racial Equity in Cultural
Funding and Calling on Leaders to
Stand With Us

19. The Last Word