Northern Essex Community College will celebrate Unconscious Bias Week, Monday, December 2 through Wednesday, December 4 with three events that will help create a better understanding of equity on campus and help bridge gaps in our community.   The events are being organized by Daniel Keating of Groveland, a business transfer major at Northern Essex, as part of an honors project, and sponsored by Northern Essex’s Counseling and Psychological Services.    All events are free and open to the public.

“Everyone has biases,” says Keating.   We want to provide a safe space to talk about something we all have in common.”

Here’s what’s planned:

Identity in the Workplace Panel Discussion

Monday, December 2, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Spurk Building, Room 209, Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St.

Dr. Jennifer Mezquita, NECC’s assistant vice president of student affairs, will moderate a panel featuring Clynton Caines, startup advisor and full stack engineer; Detective John Moses, Haverhill Police Department; Deborah Crafts, NECC chief of police/director of public safety and risk management; and Kristi Arford, NECC professor of anthropology.  The discussion will focus on identity and inequality in the workplace.

Confirmation Bias and Goal Setting Workshop

Tuesday, December 3, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Spurk Building, Room 201, Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St.

We all have biases, and, in this presentation, you’ll learn to use them to create positive outcomes.   Entrepreneur mentor Adriana Acosta will share how we can change our tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of existing beliefs or theories.  Bring a notepad.

In Group Bias Yoga

Wednesday, December 4, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Behrakis Student Center Lobby, 2nd Floor, Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St.

Through the use of movement, you will learn to better understand your biases.   NECC’s Gabriel Garcia and Carian Diaz will give an introduction on group bias and Melissa Alexis will facilitate the workshop.

For more information, Daniel Keating at 00253522@student.necc.edu.