Evolution, Identity, and the Spaces We Create

(00:00:00) First, we visit the Center for Post Natural History, a one‑of‑a‑kind museum dedicated to documenting the living organisms that have been intentionally altered by humans, from early agricultural domestication to cutting‑edge genetic engineering. Since 2008, the Center has sparked public dialogue about our growing role as evolutionary agents, using exhibitions, workshops, and multimedia storytelling to illuminate the profound entanglement between human culture and the natural world. Featured by outlets like WESA, WHYY, BBC World Service, National Geographic, and Science Friday, the Center challenges us to rethink what “nature” even means in the 21st century. (00:22:39) Then, we shift from biological evolution to social identity with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, renowned psychologist, bestselling author, and former president of Spelman College. Ahead of her Black History Month appearance at Dickinson College, Tatum joins us to discuss belonging, identity formation, and the institutional work required to create inclusive, psychologically safe learning environments. Drawing from her landmark book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and her newest work, Peril and Promise, she reflects on the pressures facing higher‑education leaders and the urgent need for communities that support all students. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.