Season three of the Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant podcast is underway, and the new season will explore humans’ place in the wild, while inviting listeners to reconsider their relationship with nature.
In an exclusive interview with Outdoors.com, “Going Wild” host Dr. Rae Wynn Grant shares what inspired the podcast, one of her favorite episodes of season three, and what she hopes listeners gain from the time they spend with her this season.
Outdoors.com: Tell me about Going Wild. What inspired this podcast?
Dr. Grant: Going Wild’s tagline is “the human drama of saving wildlife.” We tell true stories about adventures in wildlife conservation, with intersectional personal journeys woven in. This podcast was inspired by my career as a wildlife ecologist. I have endless stories of my crazy experiences studying lions and bears, and it was about time they made it to the public!
At the same time, as a millennial Black woman, people like me are underrepresented in wildlife conservation, so imbedding my identity and the impacts of my identity into the stories made them richer. Our guests are invited to do the same, and it makes for incredibly unique nature storytelling.
Outdoors.com: What are some big-picture questions you hope to answer this season?
Dr. Grant: We hope to spark thoughtfulness and curiosity in our listeners and allow people to ponder a lot of questions regarding the ethics surrounding conservation and academia. We’re hoping to also instill a drive within people to answer the question themselves regarding how they can work towards blending social justice into the causes they care about.
Outdoors.com: Can you give us a preview into your favorite episode? Why is it your favorite?
Dr. Grant: I absolutely don’t have a favorite, but I really love the episode with Dr. Samuel Ramsey because it is about a game-changing scientific discovery and an incredible family-centered story detailing how he made this discovery. Dr. Ramsey’s storytelling includes a lot of vulnerable, brave moments. It’s quite moving and also thrilling.
Outdoors.com: What do you hope listeners walk away with from season three of Going Wild?
Dr. Grant: I truly hope long-time listeners will appreciate how much the podcast has evolved and expanded since our first episode in season one. I also hope listeners walk away with inspiration. All of our stories are about two journeys in one – external and internal – and I hope our listeners will find inspiration for their own journeys. You can listen to Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find podcasts.
