After starting his career as the opinions editor for Bagpipe, Michael Dewberry is now the manager for adult programs at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and founder of the PRIDE Museum. As part of HP’s graduating class of 2007, Michael reminisces on his Bagpipe journey, sharing his experiences.
“We’re taught the role of a journalist, you’re the fourth estate,” Dewberry said. “You’re a really important pillar of a functioning democracy, because the public needs to be informed to make informed decisions that affect their lives.”
Before joining Bagpipe, it was then required that one complete a year of journalism I to understand journalism ethics. This taught the basics of the profession.
“Our goal and our mission are first and foremost to educate the public, so we remain as neutral and objective as possible,” Dewberry said.
Verifying sources, fact-checking, interviewing, and utilizing InDesign were all aspects that led to the success of Bagpipe. These accumulated soft skills have helped Dewberry expand beyond high school. Additionally, the friends made in high school were part of the growth period.
“We were both in Italy studying abroad at the same time, and so that was kind of the foundation, our love of art and of Europe,” Kelly McKenzie, a former HP Lassie and TAG student said, “we had a ‘meet me in Taormina’. It was a bunch of insane adventures together, exploring the world, and learning about ourselves.”
After high school, Dewberry went to Trinity College in Connecticut and studied abroad in Rome, Italy. From there, Dewberry went to Bard Graduate Center, where he received his degree in decorative arts, design history and material culture.
“The art world was always my home, and I worked in museums around the world, and I had a gallery at one point,” Dewberry said.
Part of his journey, he moved to Puebla, Mexico to curate a space before settling into working at Sotheby’s, and now at the DMA. Today, Dewberry focuses on his passion project, a nonprofit.
“Three years ago, I came up with this idea to create the PRIDE Museum, and found the nonprofit,” Dewberry said, “I’m committed to and have support to build this nonprofit into, hopefully, the largest museum of queer art history and history and visual culture in the country.”
The PRIDE museum began as an idea for an inclusive art space, but when Dewberry dove deeper into creating connections within the Dallas queer community, he came to the realization that history was an overlooked aspect.
“I realized that what we need is a history museum, that is what’s most at risk, because there are people writing our history, and there are people writing it right here in Dallas,” Dewberry said, “If we don’t continue to write it in a larger and more inclusive way it won’t be written, and that’s a large part of our history, is that it really hasn’t been written.”
However, the museum wouldn’t be complete without one component, art. Dewberry created a combination of both a history museum, one that keeps artifacts, and art exhibitions, which has space available for a rotation of artists.
“Art for me was really important, and adding the art component to the institution is what, for me, is going to keep the institution alive, keep it changing, keep it reactive to culture,” Dewberry said, “It’s going to be all sorts of visual culture, whether that’s performance, music, design, fashion, plastic arts.”
Support for the museum expands beyond Dewberry himself. Kristina Kirkneraer-Hart, the director of cultural tourism and the Dallas Music Office at Visit Dallas, is a prominent member of the advisory board. A part of the vision from the beginning, Kirkneraer-Hart provides a vast network.
“It’s a multi-use space. It should have exhibits of queer artists, but there should also be space for programming and activities, rotating exhibitions, but also a space where people feel safe and have access to a space that gives them a history of pride in Texas.” Kirkneraer-Hart said, “If we have a museum that is exposing narratives and stories and people’s truths, then we can grow empathy statewide.”
Dewberry has grown from being an opinions editor for the Bagpipe at HP to being the founder of PRIDE Museum. Although the museum lacks a physical location, the organization has been a part of many local Dallas events. Dewberry’s work is inspiring, his passion leading to a potentially new Dallas.
“He is such a champion and such a dedicated hard worker,” McKenzie said, “he hustles harder than almost anyone I know, and he will grind out everything and anything that he can to make it happen.”
