We Don't Settle: Decolonizing the Heritage Sector by Empowering Young People of Color

Decolonizing the heritage sector has taken center stage since the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. There have been efforts for decades to make the sector address institutional racism and be more inclusive to racialized minorities. In 2017 a 5‐year project called Don't Settle brought together young people of color to partner with heritage organizations in the West Midlands, UK to transform their output. The project involved co‐creating exhibitions; organizing debates; creating youth advisory boards and training the young people for future work in the heritage sector. In this case study research three staff members on the project and four staff working in partner organizations were interviewed, along with 16 young people who took part. The lessons learned include thinking through the use of terminology including decolonization; considering the audience for the heritage; strategies for genuine inclusion of young people and how to effectively support their engagement with the sector.