Morehouse College is partnering with The National Training Institute on Race and Equity (NTIRE) to help address issues of implicit bias in business, criminal justice, education, healthcare, and governmental agencies.
NTIRE offers diversity and anti-bias training sessions to organizations that want to improve community relations and employee interactions, as well as provide opportunities for professional growth to help minorities progress throughout the ranks of management. Individuals and organizations will be able to participate in a multi-day immersion experience on Morehouse’s historic campus, where they will observe first-hand, the narrative of Morehouse students and be trained by NTIRE, civil rights leaders, and Atlanta University Center faculty.
Founded in 1867, Morehouse is the nation’s only historically black college focused on educating men. The liberal arts college has a nationally acclaimed business program and is the top feeder school for black men entering Harvard Business School. Morehouse is also the top producer of Rhodes Scholars among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with five Morehouse Men receiving the honor.
The college educates some 2,200 students each year. And as the national epicenter for thought leadership on civil rights, Morehouse is committed to helping the nation address the inequities caused by institutional racism—inequities that have created disparities in income, employment, health, housing, and educational opportunities for people of African descent.
“Morehouse College has been a national leader in the effort to provide training for corporate executives, nonprofits, and professional sports organizations interested in launching impactful campaigns to promote diversity and address human rights issues,” said Morehouse President David A. Thomas. “This partnership with The National Training Institute on Race and Equity will enhance the offerings available at Morehouse for students and our public partners.
“Experts at NTIRE have experience in helping clients to identify implicit bias that is negatively impacting hiring, employee morale, and community relations,” Thomas added. “When organizations are committed to ending implicit bias, it improves interactions with communities of color and opens doors for minorities to advance in their careers.”
NTIRE was founded in 2016 by Morehouse alumnus and former President Barack Obama appointee, Bryant T. Marks, Ph.D. Described by some as one of the best implicit bias trainers in America, Marks is a nationally recognized diversity and inclusion expert with more than 22 years of training experience.
NTIRE has trained and/or presented to thousands of individuals in the criminal justice, healthcare, education, non-profit, philanthropic, and corporate sectors. Current and past partners include: the Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, and King County (WA) Police Departments; various state of California agencies; Los Angeles County; New York City and Atlanta Public Schools; American Express, Proctor & Gamble, Cigna, and CEO Action; and several My Brother’s Keeper communities. The institute currently provides in-person and virtual anti-bias training; a suite of self-paced online trainings, for example, will be released late summer.
NTIRE’s model is built on a unique combination of social science, the tenets of Martin Luther King Jr.’s version of the Beloved Community, and the values of Morehouse College. “Our approach to addressing bias—racial bias in particular—is through empathy and humanity, not guilt and shame,” explained Marks, NTIRE founder as well as an associate professor of psychology at Morehouse. “We believe that compelling information and practical strategies, when presented the right way, can change hearts, minds, and behavior.”
As part of the NTIRE experience at Morehouse, individuals and organizations who train onsite will have an opportunity to see some of King’s writings housed in the Atlanta University Center, and tour Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods to learn more about the struggle for civil rights. Participants will also visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta.
“NTIRE and Morehouse believe there is a need to change the perspectives and biases of adults and institutions that impact the lives of young black men,” Marks added. “Morehouse students will play a key role in the research, content creation, and delivery of the trainings and immersive experiences. Further, a portion of all proceeds will assist Morehouse students with completing their education.”
