In this episode, we dive deeper into the fallacies of ancestry DNA tests with evolutionary biologist Dr. Shay-Akil McLean. Dr. McLean helps us explore how our understandings of biology, DNA, and genes are deeply intertwined with the history of slavery and colonialism. Also, he helps us see how science is ultimately used as a distraction to race/racism.

Bio

Dr. Shay-Akil McLean, Ph.D. (@Hood_Biologist & @DATTShayAkil) is a Queer Trans masculine & gender queer man racialized as Black, on stolen Indigenous land, an educator, organizer, writer, public intellectual, human biologist, anthropologist & sociologist. Shay-Akil earned his Ph.D. from the UIUC School of Integrative Biology’s Ecology, Evolution, & Conservation (PEEC). Shay-Akil studies Du Boisian sociology, STS/HASTS, race/ism, human health demography, evolutionary genetics, & theoretical population genetics. He holds degrees in biological anthropology (BA & MA) & sociology (BA & MA) which he uses to study bioethics, medical ethics, philosophy of biology, population genetics, evolutionary theory, health inequities, & knowledge

LINKS:

1. Shay-Akil McLean Academia https://illinois.academia.edu/ShayAkilMcLean

2: Political Education Readings - https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgkR2_KRa91ZoldRk0jiSmWg_O7w?e=7ZdABQ

3: DATT Freedom School Readings (Summer 2015) - https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgkR2_KRa91ZhMUFqfOuI1XfC1fdGA?e=bZX76G

3.1: DATT Freedom School Syllabus (Summer 2015) - https://decolonizeallthethings.com/2015/06/22/d-a-t-t-freedom-school-summer-2015-syllabus/