Biography

"Incredible! I've been listening to you guys and I never heard anything like it. I'm certain that you'll have a strong impact on how Americans get along in the future...." Ralph Nadar talking to the authors at the 2007 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

"I believe this book written by David Merritt and Dr. Salma Rashid gives the most innovative and fresh look in a century to the issues which harm healthy inter-group relations of all kinds.... This fresh, unique and very insightful treatise ... is needed and is critical to address the core issues with sensitivity, honesty and boldness." Promise Keepers Founder Coach Bill McCartney

Authors On Bettering Intergroup Relations

Just weeks ago 20th Century American Struggle, 21st Century Hope-- Not Just Another Discussion, But The Solution, came off of the printer's presses. It is a Self-Help/Group-Help book which had taken 9 years for David Merritt and Dr Salma Rashid to complete. Click here. Now Barnes & Noble are featuring them at the 2007 NAACP Authors Pavilion at Detroits COBO Center July 7 to 12.

There have been few Speakers with such a powerful published work on which to base their engagements. They have spoken to thousands of Americans, researched thousands of books in history, human psychology and more before tackling America's most pressing issues--Gender and Race Relations. What started out to be a journey to understand why there was on-going gender and race discord, evolved into discoveries of what plagues all human relations, both intergroup as well as intragroup, the natural outgrowth showing how to lead people out of such ills.                                                      

The couple were invited one week after the book came off of the presses to attend and sign books at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, one of the largest book fair on the planet at UCLA. There they signed at the same table as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Ralph Nadar, Amy Goodmen from Democracy Now, T. Christian Miller the author of Blood Money, among other notible authors and celebs. Kareem, after hearing the Team Duo illustrate to Festival attendees about their work shops commented, "You guys are incredible. America could really use what you two are doing... I will read your book, thanks for the copy...."

During June 2007 they were summoned to the 2007 National Conference On Race And Ethnicity (NCORE), where nearly 2,000 Deans, Presidents, Directors and top-line Professors and staff from most of America's Universities and Colleges came to identify and take-in the most recent, cutting edge advancements for bettering diversity programs in the highest education institutions. Dr Rashid and Mr Merritt were able to demonstrate to innumerable Educators the working principles on how they assist others from diverse backgrounds to get overcome misperceptions, preconceived notions and biases about others--to get along as if they were family. Movie Actor/Social Activist Danny Glover took a copy of their book after discussing its subject and aim with Dr Rashid and Mr Merritt, in order to gain understanding on what steps he could actively take to better intergroup relations. There books sold out over the two day event and within days were hired to perform workshops at 11 Universities and Colleges throughout the US.

They exude a heart and soul for bettering social, religious, ethnic, race, workplace, gender and all other human relationships throughout America. In June 2007, they were contacted with the news that they were selected along with 39 other authors throughout the country to be part of this years NAACP Convention where they shall be from July 7 to 12 exhibiting their book and workshop.

Building Healthy Human Relation Leadership Skills

When companies, synogogues, churches, community centers, schools and the like are passive regarding intergroup relations, we end up with EEOC filings, intolerance, gang and domestic violence, school shootings and more. Consciously acting proactively dramatically reduce, if not altogether eliminate, such detrimental consequences. Dr Rashid and Mr Merritt establishes during their talks that healthy relations with others: 1) Gives people a real connection to their environment; 2) Affords internal peace within them; 3) Produces harmony in their immediate and surrounding world; 4) Promotes team versus selfish spirit; 5) Brings true friendship; 6) Advances personal growth; and, 7) Allows one to sleep much better at night.

 Building Healthy Intergroup Interactions

Through groupulse.com they are dedicated to dramatically changing how Americans interact with each other. Dr Rashid is often quoted as saying: "Diversity has often lead to adversity. We must be vigilant if we wish to evolve beyond Caveman-like interactions with others. Becoming mentally blind, as a child is before they are infected by the adults in their world, is a state of peace and tranquility not only for the perceiver, but for the perceived as well." Building profound trust among participants is the cornerstone of their work.

Understanding What Triggers Preconceived Notions

Dr Rashid and Mr Merritt have found through their Seminar/Work Shops that over 99% of Americans truly wish to have healthy and harmonious relations with their co-workers, spouses, congregants and those from others groups; however, they lack the tools or know-how on how to achieve this. Virtually 100% of them come away understanding what prevents them from having good relations not simply in words, but through an experience that they have never had before. By showing participants what triggers preconceived notions in them and others lays the groudwork for solutions on stopping it.

 Getting Along In the Work, Social, Religious Space

Studies done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Justice Department, NAACP and many others have found that issues arising out of intergroup discord, tension or indifference cost American Businesses more than 4% of the GNP. Dr Rashid and Merritt are able to customize their Insight Beyond Sight  workshops to all sorts human dynamics.

ISeminar/Work Shops

Some of us hear "becoming mentally blind" and we feel uncomfortable. Most primitive cultures viewed blindness as a curse from the gods which made people less valuable than others. The truth be told, blindness allows humans to see things clearer in many ways. Mr Merritt had first spent 3, then later 7 days living with blindfolds tightly covering his eyes. Within days his hearing increased by more than 50% and he was able to "see people internally and understand their nature...." Insight Beyond Sight is to override our visual perception with a high level mental perception thato interact with others without letting the things which poisons harmonious relations to interfer.

Dr Rashid states: "Insight Beyond Sight is the only way that Americans will survive in the 21st Century as a nation which leads the world. Relationship development shall be the most critical issue of this century and the nation or nations who have healthy and harmonious intergroup relations shall be the leaders." Becoming Mentally Blind Seminars are conducted normally with mixed audiences--i.e. Whites, Blacks Latinos, Asians and others. Each participant is then shown what triggers preconceived notions about others then taught how to override these triggers. See youtube.com/groupulse and click on the pulseteaser

To book us or for more information please provide your contact information in the fom below.