For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015
Contact: Rachel Harrison
212.998.6797
[email protected]
N-105, 2015-16
NYU METRO CENTER TO OFFER ANTI-BIAS TRAINING BEYOND SCHOOLS
The Metro Center at NYU is building on its expertise guiding schools on issues of educational
equity to address equity in the workplace through anti-bias training for nonprofits, community
organizations, and for-profit organizations.
The Metro Center’s Center for Strategic Solutions currently works with schools and districts to
provide educators with technical assistance and professional development on the impact of
race, power, and privilege in teaching and learning. These sessions use research-based
strategies and solutions to help participants become comfortable speaking, understanding, and
leading with a language of equity, including talking about race and difference and
acknowledging stereotypes and implicit biases.
In 2014-2015 alone, the Center for Strategic Solutions worked with 2,100 educators across the
country, including in schools in New York City, upstate New York, Long Island, Colorado,
Delaware, and Michigan.
Now, the Center for Strategic Solutions will offer anti-bias training on the impact of race,
power, and privilege in the workplace to assess and improve organizational cultures and
climates using research-based solutions.
“When we’re in schools, we see the impact that other organizations and individuals have on
students. It led us to understand that people outside of schools should be having these
conversations as well, so this is a natural expansion for us,” said Natalie Zwerger, director of the
Metro Center’s Center for Strategic Solutions.
Decades of research have shown that our biases affect our decisions at work, the consequences
of which can be damaging to organizations and the people they employ. The Center for
Strategic Solutions aims to address these issues by offering training promoting inclusive
workplace environments and celebrating and honoring difference among employees. These
activities, which go beyond the typical workplace diversity workshop, include discussing race in
the workplace and exploring power dynamics between a boss and employee.
“At the Metro Center, we look at people from a profit perspective, instead of a deficit
perspective. We want individuals or organizations to leverage the assets they bring to the table
in order to be their best selves, whether they be teachers, students, managers, or companies,”
said David E. Kirkland, director of the Metro Center.
—more—
NYU Metro Center to Offer Anti-Bias Training Beyond Schools/p. 2
“This is such a moment in our country for having conversations about race relations – to get
beyond the generic idea of colorblindness and treating everyone the same,” Zwerger added.
“We have a conversation after each tragic event happens, but then the conversation fizzles. Our
hope is to push the conversation to a level of depth that prompts action.”
About the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools
(@metronyu)
The Metro Center focuses on educational research, policy, and practice. As part of NYU’s Steinhardt
School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, the Metro Center acts as a partner and resource
at the local and national levels in strengthening and improving access, opportunity, and the quality of
education in our schools. Its mission is to target issues related to educational equity by providing
leadership and support to students, teachers, parents, administrators, and policymakers. To learn more,
visit steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter.
About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)
Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human
Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since
its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public
service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt,
visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.
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