EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 41 MIN
Who Really Owns This Art? A Smithsonian Insider Gets Honest
from Immigrantly · host Immigrantly Media
Your favorite museum might be built on stolen goods. Nicole Dowd works inside the Smithsonian, and she's not here to defend it. Saadia Khan sits down with Nicole to break it all down. As Head of Public Programs at the National Museum of Asian Art, she's sitting with the uncomfortable truth: Western museums have a colonial problem, and a fresh coat of "inclusivity" paint won't fix it. We get into repatriation, who really has access to art, the model minority myth, and what it means to be Korean, adopted, and suddenly surrounded by Korean treasures every day at work.This is the museum conversation nobody wants to have and exactly why we're having it.Link to NMAA website: https://asia.si.edu/Link to IlluminAsia 2026 programming: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/event-series/illuminasia-arts-and-culture-festival/NMAA IG: @natasianart| post about IlluminAsiaNMAA FB: https://www.facebook.com/NatAsianArt | post about IlluminAsiaJoin us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! You can connect with Saadia on IG @itssaadiakHelena is on IG hereEmail:[email protected] Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic SoundImmigrantly Podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, contact us at [email protected]BOYOT (Belong On Your Own Terms) is the next step. It’s our new app, designed to help you think through identity, culture, ambition, relationships, and the stories we carry — with guided reflections, prompts, and frameworks developed over years of conversations on this show.It’s thoughtful. It’s challenging. And honestly, it’s the kind of space many of us wish existed earlier in our lives.If you’re ready to go deeper than the podcast, subscribe to BOYOT and start the journey.Don't forget to subscribe to Immigrantly Uninterrupted for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
Your favorite museum might be built on stolen goods. Nicole Dowd works inside the Smithsonian, and she's not here to defend it. Saadia Khan sits down with Nicole to break it all down. As Head of Public Programs at the National Museum of Asian Art, she's sitting with the uncomfortable truth: Western museums have a colonial problem, and a fresh coat of "inclusivity" paint won't fix it. We get into repatriation, who really has access to art, the model minority myth, and what it means to be Korean, adopted, and suddenly surrounded by Korean treasures every day at work. This is the museum conversation nobody wants to have and exactly why we're having it. Link to NMAA website: https://asia.si.edu/ Link to IlluminAsia 2026 programming: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/events/event-series/illuminasia-arts-and-culture-festival/ NMAA IG: @natasianart| post about IlluminAsia NMAA FB: https://www.facebook.com/NatAsianArt | post about IlluminAsia Join us in creating new intellectual engage...
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Who Really Owns This Art? A Smithsonian Insider Gets Honest
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