Upcoming Events

Unconscious Bias Training That Actually Makes a Difference   Unconscious bias training is rapidly finding a place in training menus across the country and beyond.  The reasoning behind this trend is perfectly sound, grounded in a commitment to foster workplace environments that succeed in efforts to embrace the advantages of workforce diversity, including fostering increased creativity, improving decision-making, enhancing teamwork, achieving exemplary customer service and community relations, with improved financial performance.  However, as we shall see, this training all too often falls far short of its potential as an organizational intervention. Why Unconscious Bias Training? What is the purpose of unconscious bias training? We’ve come to understand that humans are enormously subject to unconscious bias in our thinking, attitudes, and resulting behaviors.  With the human brain encountering as much as 11 million bits of data per second, we reflexively rely on enormous data reduction and simplification tricks to simply function, moment to moment.  Sounds good, except, it turns out the non-conscious mental shortcuts we end up using in problem-solving and decision-making (often called heuristics) are greatly subject to bias, influenced by the worldview we are exposed to in our environment.  The attitudes, beliefs and storylines transmitted to us by family, schools, [...]

The NAIS People of Color Conference is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools' commitment to equity and justice in teaching and learning. The mission of the conference is to provide a safe space for leadership and professional development and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. PoCC equips educators at every level, from teachers to trustees, with knowledge, skills, and experiences to improve and enhance the interracial, interethnic, and intercultural climate in their schools, as well as the attending academic, social-emotional, and workplace performance outcomes for students and adults alike.

  Anita  received a long, standing ovation after sharing The Four Sacred Gifts and treasures of indigenous wisdom for 6000 adminstrators, faculty and students at the 30th Annual People of Color Conference at the Anaheim Convention Center. In addition, 80 schools around the world live-streamed her keynote address.  Afterwards, several hundred of the audience lined up for Anita’s signature on their copy of The Four Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times, with many heartfelt thanks for “a life-changing experience”.