Mural Speaks: Dinner and Conversation with President Emerita Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum(2 Points)-Jordan Benjamin

 On September 23, I attended the Mural Speaks: Dinner and Conversation with President Emerita Beverly Daniel Tatum. This event, which was hosted by the Social Justice Program in Laura Spelman, was incredibly insightful. Over dinner, we had the opportunity to engage with Dr. Tatum and listen to not only her life story but also hear about what she is currently doing. She shared with us her journey during her time at Spelman and also discussed her writing. Dr. Daniel-Tatum's famous book "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" gives a detailed look into racial identity and the effect of racism on the development of the self. The book also highlights the tendency of people to gravitate towards those who have had similar experiences. Being given the opportunity to talk to her about these concepts allowed me to better refine my knowledge of these views. An essay from this work titled "The Complexity of Identity:'Who Am I?'" is included in the African Diaspora in the World course that I am currently enrolled in, directly connecting it to my studies. 

During our time, we also discussed Dr. Daniel-Tatum's newest book, "Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times." This book discusses the current attacks on higher education and the need for leaders to step up and provide innovative solutions to issues. With the current state of the government and the challenges that we see happening to educators every day, I believe that works like this will be especially important for those who are curious about how higher education will move forward. The most important insight from the night, in my opinion, was during the discussion about the current changes to progress in equity. Dr. Daniel-Tatum discussed how, in history, whenever there is progress, there has always been pushback, and that we are currently living in the pushback. Her explanation of this showed me that the fight for progress is truly a cycle.

Overall, I believe this activity was incredibly insightful to be able to discuss the current state of higher education, the fight for progress, and racial identity. It was nice to be able to meet Dr. Tatum, along with hearing her insight as an experienced professional in the fields of psychology and education.