Washington, DC – Diversity practitioners from across the United States and around the globe will participate in the National MultiCultural Institute’s 25^th anniversary National Diversity Leadership Development Institute Envisioning the Future: Cultural Identity in the Global Age. Sponsored by Sodexo, the Institute will take place May 28 – June 1, 2008 at the new Westin Alexandria. This unique event will feature presentations by nationally and internationally recognized diversity thought leaders, including:

Brian Gallagher, President & CEO, United Way of America

Jane Elliott, Creator of the groundbreaking discrimination exercise “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes”

Peggy McIntosh, Author of the seminal article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”

Stephen Young, Author of Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words and creator of the “MicroInequities: The Power of Small” leadership seminar

Howard Ross, Nationally recognized diversity expert and the 2007-08 Johnetta B. Cole Institute Visiting Professor of Diversity at Bennett College for Women

Widely recognized for their exceptional quality and experiential approach, NMCI’s Institutes offer intensive 2 and 4-day skill-building workshops on topics including:

·         Training of Diversity Trainers

·         Developing Strategic Diversity Initiatives

·         Transforming Cross-Cultural Conflict through Sustained Dialogue

·         Exploring our Cultural Assumptions

·         Designing Curricula for Effective Diversity Training

·         Human Trafficking: Identifying Victims and Assisting Survivors

·         …and many others

According to Annie Weatherby, a previous Institute attendee from Madison, WI, “(the NMCI Institute) is a wonderful opportunity to learn, network, reinforce and sharpen your skills and knowledge base.”

Jacqueline Thomas-Hall, Manager of the Office of Workplace Inclusion at Medtronic agrees by saying “In my many years as a diversity practitioner, I have never received more valuable resources, training and networking opportunities than I did at one NMCI institute.”

The 25^th Anniversary Institute will also feature:

·         A special Forum on the Meaning of Community in the context of a global society

·         Presentation of Leading Lights Awards to exemplary non-profit diversity leaders

·         12 short workshops exploring issues such as unconscious bias, managing generational differences, religion in the workplace, best practices in diversity leadership and school reform, among many others.

Founded in 1983 as a private, non-profit organization, the National MultiCultural Institute seeks to increase communication and respect among people of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. NMCI hosts annual diversity leadership institutes, conducts multicultural and diversity training and consulting, and fosters dialogues on a wide range of current multicultural themes and issues.

The institute program and registration information are available online at www.nmci.org/leadership_institutes