The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) has denied targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) staff after laying off 33 employees, including its only Muslim, Native American, and Black curators. The layoffs, effective January 30, 2026, prompted a petition with nearly 2,000 signatures and a demand from 130 staff at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for the curators' reinstatement. MFA Director Pierre Terjanian attributed the cuts to financial deficits from the COVID-19 pandemic, stating the proportion of staff of color remained unchanged.
Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang has resigned as president of Paris's Institut du Monde Arabe following his appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files and the launch of a preliminary inquiry into alleged tax fraud and money laundering. Lang maintains his innocence. Separately, current French Culture Minister Rachida Dati is leaving the government to run for mayor of Paris. The MFA layoffs have sparked accusations of racism and are seen by many as aligning with broader anti-DEI political trends, highlighting ongoing tensions between institutional financial pressures and commitments to diversity.