Despite the increase in yearly visitors to the DIA, there is criticism that Salort-Pons is straying away from the “visitor-centered” philosophy pioneered by predecessor Graham Beal. Under this philosophy, the museum would make the art and interpretations of art more accessible to the general public to help them learn and connect with the pieces on display. Salort-Pons’ Spanish origin has made many believe he is unable to understand and tackle the complexity of issues surrounding race, inclusivity, and representation in the United States. The New York Times reported that Salort-Pons was taking steps to improve diversity despite his limited understanding of the Black struggle in America. In an interview with Artnet News, Salort-Pons said the commitment to improve diversity in the DIA included “implementing diversity and community engagement initiatives as well as hiring qualified POC candidates. However, several POC candidates who were hired by Salort-Pons, such as Lucy Mensah, assistant curator of contemporary art in 2017, resigned due to a “toxic work environment” and believed they were “token hires” because the DIA “premise some of their hires as a way of diversifying the voices of the institution, but at the same time they don’t actually appreciate those voices.”