MFA Boston Faces Criticism Over Layoffs Impacting Curators of Color
The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston is under scrutiny following layoffs that affected 33 employees, including the institution's only Black, Muslim, and Indigenous curators. The layoffs, which represent about 6.3% of the museum's staff, have sparked petitions and public outcry, with critics alleging that the cuts disproportionately targeted employees of color. The museum, however, has denied these allegations, stating that the layoffs were necessary to address a $13 million structural deficit and were not based on race or identity. MFA Director Pierre Terjanian emphasized that the museum's diversity numbers remain unchanged post-layoffs, with one-third of the staff identifying as people of color. Despite these assurances, the decision has been met with backlash from various quarters, including an open letter from faculty at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a Change.org petition with nearly 2,000 signatures calling for the reinstatement of the affected curators. 
