Dr. Bryant T. Marks Heightens Awareness of Implicit Bias that Fuels Racial Discrimination
Morehouse alum Bryant T. Marks, Ph.D., one of the nation’s leading implicit bias trainers, will host an hour-long special airing this week on E.W. Scripps Company TV stations in 41 markets across the country. The show, “Hidden Bias of Good People,” is an extraordinary effort to raise awareness of the unconscious impulses of people who are unaware of the role their inherent biases play in their actions and decisions.
Dr. Marks, founder and chief equity officer of the National Training Institute on Race and Equity (NTIRE), provides training for institutions and organizations, including police officers, educators, healthcare providers, corporations and public officials. The TV show is essentially an anti-bias training session, a presentation that E.W. Scripps determined is so important to American society, that they are broadcasting it commercial-free to 80 million viewers.
“As America undergoes a reckoning on race, E.W. Scripps is providing a tremendous platform to spur thinking and conversations about the bias occurring unconsciously every single day across this country,” Dr. Marks said. “It is an example of genuine corporate responsibility. We hope the show can enhance sensitivities towards implicit bias, making people more aware of their unconscious actions and create more environments where everyone is treated equally.”
Brian Lawlor, E.W. Scripps President of Local Media, noted that each American has experiences and backgrounds that shape their world views, as well as their daily interactions.
“As a steward of the public airwaves with a station footprint that reaches into nearly a quarter of U.S. TV households, Scripps has a powerful platform from which we can help facilitate critical conversations about the implicit biases we all carry and what they mean for how we connect with one another,” Lawlor said. “We’re proud to bring this special with Dr. Marks to our viewers in every market in order to provide a safe space for these discussions – neighbor to neighbor – about identity and bias.”
Founded in 2016, NTIRE is affiliated with Morehouse College, where Dr. Marks is an alum and an associated professor of psychology. NTIRE’s training principles comprise a unique combination of social and cognitive science and the tenets of Martin Luther King Jr.’s version of the Beloved Community, while engaging the participants in an interactive process. Dr. Marks uses non-judgmental, yet evidence-based approaches to discuss difficult and sensitive topics, penetrating conversations that can enhance interpersonal and intergroup relations.
“Our approach to addressing racial bias is through empathy and humanity, not guilt, blame and shame,” explained Dr. Marks. “We believe when compelling information and practical strategies are presented the right way, it can change hearts, minds, and behavior. If people can talk and understand each other, and empathize with each other, then the result can be one of respect and inclusion, even if there is not full agreement on issues and perspectives.”
“Hidden Bias of Good People” will air on Scripps-owned television stations in 41 markets this week, including Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Denver, Grand Rapids, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Detroit, Lansing, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, Salt Lake City, San Diego and Richmond. View the trailer and check local listings for specific air times in your market.
Further, NTIRE is launching an interactive social media campaign #ImplicitBias #SeeME
on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and other channels next week. The campaign #Implicit Bias #SeeME will make people more aware of their biases in hopes of changing them. On Monday, 3/8/21, NTIRE’s social media pages will compel people of all races to acknowledge #ImplicitBias and combat it by asking others to #SeeME.
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