On March 27, 2018, Arizona State University’s Annual Distinguished Lecturer program hosted Alondra Nelson, a prominent humanities scholar whose work highlights the importance of humanities research. Alondra is an award-winning author, Professor of Sociology, and Dean of Social Science at Columbia University, where she has served as Director of the Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality. Nelson is celebrated for her work exploring the intersections of science, technology, medicine, and inequality. Her most recent book, The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation after the Genome (Beacon Press, 2016), traces how claims about ancestry are marshaled together with genetic analysis in a range of social ventures. Professor Nelson was greeted by members the Black Family Genealogy and History Society of Phoenix that were in attendance.