The next meeting of the Center for Child and Family Policy’s Equity in Research Learning Collaborative will be held on January 20th. Dr. Felix Morton from Northwestern University will lead us in a conversation that explores Marvel’s Black Panther narrative as a culturally affirming framework for understanding the mental health of Black men and boys, illustrating how authentic representation in popular culture can illuminate identity, emotional expression, and pathways to healing beyond deficit-based models.
The Equity in Research Learning Collaborative series serves as an opportunity for our staff to learn how to make CCFP research more equitable with respect to race, ethnicity, and other forms of diversity at all stages from conceptualization to recruitment to data collection to analysis and reporting of findings.
Dr. Felix Morton IV is a Core Faculty member in the Counseling@Northwestern program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. He is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (NC), National Certified Counselor, and Qualified Clinical Supervisor, with a PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education from North Carolina State University and an MA in Counseling from Wake Forest University.
Dr. Morton brings extensive experience in clinical practice, teaching, and mentorship across K–12, higher education, and community mental health settings. He is deeply committed to expanding access to culturally affirming wellness support and has developed a nationally recognized network of nearly 460 Black male counselors to promote mentorship, belonging, and access to care.
His scholarly and professional interests include Black men’s mental health, college student wellbeing, multicultural supervision and teaching, workplace inclusion, and trauma-informed practices in higher education. Dr. Morton has received fellowships from NBCC and APA, the 2022 Mental Health Advocate of the Year award, and the 2023 Jane E. Myers Wellness Counseling Award, and continues to advocate for equity and wellness for marginalized communities.