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Affirming Identity, Building Community, and Cultivating Leadership

In this episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum—renowned psychologist, author, and president emerita of Spelman College—to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing higher education in today’s polarized climate.

Dr. Tatum shares insights from her groundbreaking work on race and identity development, her bestselling book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, and her newest release Peril and Promise: Higher Education Leadership in Turbulent Times. Together, we explore:

✅ Why affirming identity matters for students and communities
✅ The role of courageous conversations in bridging divides
✅ Misperceptions around DEI and how leaders can reframe the conversation
✅ Preserving free speech on campus amidst political and cultural conflict
✅ How colleges can strengthen democracy through dialogue and leadership

Learn more about Dr. Tatum’s work in the full show notes for this episode at DerateTheHate.com.

The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

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*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.