MOHAI Workers United Rally Recap
Learn what MWU and community members had to say about the launch of MOHAI Workers United!
9/2/20261 min read
To celebrate and build momentum for the beginning of our union campaign, we, members of MOHAI Workers United, gathered in SLU park after work on Tuesday, September 1st. In attendance were a collection of workers and organizers from other arts & cultural institutions, as well as former MOHAI colleagues and educators!
A number of our members spoke from personal experience to express why we’ve chosen to unionize and how we feel the union difference will improve MOHAI for everyone who works there or visits the museum. Sora Nance, Public Programs Specialist at MOHAI, expressed a message of hope saying, “If we really want a sustainable museum, working together on a united vision from staff is a gift to this place.”
Libbie Barnes, MOHAI’s Associate Curator of Exhibits and Engagement, addressed the crowd to reiterate MWU’s vision for the institution:
We as MOHAI Workers United want:
to be valued and heard as staff.
to feel confident that we are all working towards the same mission.
a job that provides a living wage and benefits.
a relationship with management that allows us to flourish, celebrates experimentation, and fosters meaningful connection between the museum and its community.
We want MOHAI to be…
a place that the public can trust.
a place where people want to work.
a place of meaningful justice-oriented change in our local community.
a workplace where people feel safe to share ideas, seek and accept feedback, and through that create high quality work.
Beyond MWU members, CWA Local 7800 president Art Clemens and a representative from National Nordic Museum Workers United spoke in support of our campaign and of our connection as CWA Local 7800 affiliates.
Closing the rally was Hannah Shoultz, K-12 and Youth Programs Educator, who shared ways to support MWU in the short term. That includes following @mohaiworkersunited on instagram, signing our letter of community support, and supporting our work at the museum as well. So if there are upcoming programs and exhibits you’re interested in, come say hello!
Members of MOHAI Workers United pictured at their rally, held on September 1, 2026 at South Lake Union Park.