How to find belonging (w/ Hanif Abdurraqib)

How to find belonging (w/ Hanif Abdurraqib)

Author: TED November 17, 2025 Duration: 32:52

Where do you belong and what does community mean to you? These are the central questions Chris asks poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib while visiting Hanif’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Hanif is a poet and essayist of many notable works such as They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Fortune for Your Disaster, and A Little Devil in America, among others. Hanif joins Chris to share his love for the city Columbus, what it means to be cared for by community members, and how spending time with others can show you how to love them better. 


This episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel.


Watch

Hanif shows Chris and Sarah his hometown: https://youtu.be/xGJe_eRw2Ao

Extended interview with Chris: https://youtu.be/hl-5PGuwEBg


Follow

Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | https://chrisduffycomedy.com/)

Guest: 

Hanif Abdurraqib (Instagram: @nifmuhammad | https://www.abdurraqib.com/)

Sarah Kay (Instagram: @kaysarahsera | https://kaysarahsera.com/)


Links

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (https://t.ted.com/ZGuYfcL)


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For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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You might find yourself wondering how small shifts in thinking or action could ripple out into your daily life, and that's precisely the space this How to Be a Better Human podcast occupies. Hosted by Chris Duffy, each episode is built from conversations with a range of insightful guests, including past speakers, who share practical wisdom that goes beyond typical advice. The discussions are grounded in real-world application, focusing on how we can all improve in tangible ways-not through grand gestures, but in the nuances of our interactions at work, within our families, and in our own internal dialogues. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about hearing specific stories and strategies that offer clear takeaways you can actually use. The How to Be a Better Human podcast, from TED, digs into those unexpected corners of life where genuine growth happens, exploring how we show up for others and ourselves with more intention. Listeners will find a thoughtful mix of humor, vulnerability, and sharp insights that challenge conventional self-improvement tropes, making the journey toward being better feel accessible and deeply human.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How to Be a Better Human
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