conclusion – Penn Disorientation Guide

Tying it All Together

Antiwar demonstrators following the Penn marching band during Hey Day in 1972. Students rallied to protest the U.S.'s involvement in the Vietnam War and Penn's role in funding the war effort. In a black and white photo, students with signs and a megaphone confront band members playing their instruments. Photo courtesy of Penn Archives.

We hope that, rather than being demoralized by Penn’s lengthy list of faults recorded in these articles, the DG inspires you to partake in collective action, and that the resources you can find at the end of this guide help you with your efforts. In the wise words of activist Mariame Kaba…“let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.”

Tying it All Together

Hopefully, now at the end of this guide, you have a clearer understanding of Penn as an institution. You’ve seen how Penn’s foundation was dependent upon displacing indigenous peoples and using enslaved labor, how it exploits its workers today, how it fails to meet the needs of its students, how it intensifies racial inequalities, and how it deprives us all of an environmentally sound future.