Document 9B: "Results of 1987 Membership Survey," 1987. Woman's Building document, author's personal collection.



Introduction

   In 1987, the Woman's Building compiled information about the ethnicity of respondents to a membership survey. By the late 1980s, the Woman's Building had launched several concerted efforts to recruit more women of color. They had hired women of color in staff positions, created an anti-racism group and drafted affirmative action policies for employees of the Woman's Building, and had expanded exhibitions by and about women of color. However, despite these efforts, the study reprinted below reflects that there was no great change in the number of women of color participating in the Woman's Building. Interestingly, in the anecdotal comments there are many remarks about a desire to see work by and about women of color or from different ethnic groups.

RESULTS OF 1987 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY

Total number of survey respondents: 205

Number %
Part 1: Profile
1 . Age: 16-24 8 4%
25-34 55 27%
35-44 75 37%
45-54 35 17%
55-64 23 11%
over 65 4 2%


2. Sex: Male 5 2%
Female 200 98%


3. Annual Household income: under $10,000 21 11%
$10k - $19k 16 8%
$20k - $29k 39 21%
$30k - $39k 31 16%
$40K - $49k 18 10%
over $50,000 63 34%


4. Children: yes 86 44%
no 108 56%
(ages of children not tabulated in this count)


5. Ethnic/Cultural background Caucasian 169 84%
Afro-Amer 9 4%
Latina 8 4%
Native Amer 7 3%
Other 5 2%
Asian Amer 4 2%


6. Working artist? Yes 125 62%
No 77 38%


7. Art form: Painting 61 49%
Design 23 18%
Sculpture 21 17%
Literature 18 14%
Fiber art 16 13%
Media 14 11%


   



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