racial justice – Page 2 – Penn Disorientation Guide

A Brief and Violent History of Campus Policing

Protesters gather outside of the Penn Police headquarters. A Black woman holds a microphone in front of a white banner with black text that reads: Pay PILOTs Now #PoliceFreeCampus.

Universities in the U.S., like the police, have deep historical connections with two pillars of this country’s founding, stolen African labor and stolen indigenous land. Campus policing, while a newer development, aligns with and leads Penn’s legacy of violence.

A Recent History of Organizing at Penn

The Penn community rallies in response to injustice on- and off-campus. Among some of the most notable events that occurred in the past year were pushes for unionization from multiple groups, organizing against Penn’s role in gentrification, large protests regarding climate justice, and student protestors facing disciplinary actions and arrests from the University.

The Harsh Reality of Discrimination at Penn

Underneath Penn’s progressive facade is an old-fashioned administration that upholds the bigoted values of many students and faculty.

Penn’s Deliberate Neglect of Cultural and Ethnic Studies

When you’re at an institution with immense money and power, one would expect that every program and department would be given ample support. However, the reality is much more disappointing, with many programs going underfunded. In particular, Penn has a history of leaving its cultural and ethnic studies departments and programs behind and only giving them more support in moments when it can serve as a boost to its own image.

How Frats Get Away with Shit

Walk down Locust and you’re just as likely to see a fraternity house as an academic or cultural building. In fact, 25% of Penn students belong to Greek life. Greek life’s ubiquity continues to be a point of contention even after its tumultuous and problematic history.

Penn and the Gestapo: The Case of Thomas “I don’t create the laws, I just enforce them” Homan

When Thomas Homan is on his deathbed, we all ought to remember him by his infamous quote, “If you’re in this country illegally and you committed a crime by entering this country, you should be uncomfortable. You should look over your shoulder, and you need to be worried,” and then we should dance on his grave.

A Brief History of Penn-trification

This article will explain the history of this so-called “Penn-trification,” and how the university’s relentless accumulation of property and wealth has damaged the surrounding Philadelphia community.

Exploitation “for Science”: Unethical Research at Penn

Albert Kligman, a white man with dark hair, experiments on a rabbit. Kligman infamously experimented on incarcertated individuals at Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia.

From Big Pharma corrupting the medical school to carbon capture research funded by the fossil fuel industry, nefarious interests are rampant throughout research here at Penn, and it is important that incoming first-years are aware of these influences before they delve deeply into research.

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

Members of Fossil Free Penn set up tents on College Green in front of College Hall to protest Penn's hefty contributions to the climate crisis.

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.