Impact on Philadelphia and the World – 2023

How Penn is Cheating Philly’s Public Schools

Protesters march on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania demanding the school and Drexel University pay PILOTS to support Philadelphia schools on March 30, 2021. A black student in a blue coat holds up a sign that says, "Pay your fair share PILOTs now!!" Another protestor in the background holds a sign that reads, "Fund our schools not police."

In Philadelphia, the poorest large city in the U.S., Penn is both the largest employer and largest private landowner. However, due to its federal status as a nonprofit institution, it does not pay property taxes.

Why Can’t Penn Talk About Palestine?

We believe that it is time to start talking about Penn’s complicity in the colonization of Palestine. Here’s what you should know about divestment from Israel, a popular movement in the fight for decolonization.

Save the People’s Townhomes: A Fight for Affordable Housing in Philadelphia

Students and community members gather in front of the Ben Franklin statue at College Hall to demand that Penn take action to stop the sale of the UC Townhomes. At the center of the image, two organizers hold a white banner with black text that reads: "SAVE THE UC TOWNHOMES!"

A couple blocks from campus, at 40th and Market, the Coalition to Save the University City (UC) Townhomes has been leading a fight for affordable housing and Black autonomy for the past two years. The goal: prevent 70 families from losing their homes and preserving low-income housing on the site.

Remembering the MOVE Bombing

The MOVE bombing killed 11 people, including 5 children, and leveled two blocks containing over 60 homes. This image shows the massive destruction in the following days.

In 1985, in what should be considered one of the greatest national tragedies in recent history, the Philadelphia government used military explosives over MOVE’s headquarters in the neighborhood of Cobbs Creek in West Philadelphia. Understanding both Philadelphia’s and Penn’s role in terrorizing the Black activists who were impacted by the bombing is crucial for any student who attends the University.

Penn’s Treatment of Indigenous Peoples

In Pennsylvania, there are no federally recognized Native American tribes, even though more than 18,000 Native Americans live within the state. This context helps us understand Penn’s relationship with local Native communities and with Native students, which is a relationship characterized by exploitation and a lack of representation.

Penn and the Climate Crisis: A System of Destruction for Profit

Penn is a business first, and an educational institution distantly second. That means, however, that as a researcher, an investor, a pipeline of money and talent, and a power player in Philadelphia politics, Penn’s environmental impact is massive, and is more than just the carbon it burns.

Nurses as Cops: Penn Nursing Teaches Complicity, Not Care

We need the number one nursing program in the country to teach the truth about mandated reporting. Nurses and providers must resist demands to ensnare our patients in the criminal legal system for seeking healthcare. We cannot wash our hands of state violence when we hold the power to report.

Keeping Cops Out of Mental Health

Students and community members who are most impacted by policing know that care means more resources, not more cops. It is a deliberate choice by the administration to fund policing over initiatives that actually promote safety. We don’t want Penn’s co-responders. Our communities need housing, just compensation, and accessible, police-free mental healthcare.

Say NO to the arena in Chinatown!

Chinatown faces an existential threat from the proposed development for the 76ers stadium. While the billionaire developers, all with strong ties to Penn, still try to charge full steam ahead, residents, business owners, and visitors alike are organizing fervently against the development.

A Case of Institutional Failure: Penn’s Response to COVID-19

A white girl in a mask and a winter jacket stands at a table in one of the COVID testing tents on Penn's campus.

For many, the pandemic was a breaking point: watching those with power and wealth profit while everyday people lost their jobs and their lives spurred many into radical action. Had the people leading our institutions taken the right steps to save lives instead of protecting their reputations and profits, thousands of lives could have been saved. Penn is no exception, and activists and community members have had to fight fiercely to hold the University accountable.