Students, alumni discuss the state of "Black Penn" then and now

Members of Penn’s Black Student League discussed their satisfaction — or lack thereof — with what they termed “Black Penn” at an event by that name on Wednesday night.

The vast majority of students agreed that they had mixed feelings about the state of the black community at Penn. They explained that those who took advantage of places like Makuu, the University’s black cultural center, are often able to find an atmosphere of support and acceptance. They also acknowledged, however, that there are far too many students of all races who do not hear much of anything about what goes on in the black community and never really feel its presence.

Three guest panelists and Penn alumni who were part of the organization as undergraduates answered what “Black Penn” meant when they were students.

Daina Troy, who graduated from Wharton in 1998, talked about the growing involvement of black students in Penn life. She was one of only 10 black women in her Wharton graduating class. Yaadira Brown, a 2013 College graduate, discussed her initial lack of support and trouble connecting with other black students at Penn with different backgrounds. She later realized that it is important to seek out these connections anyway and ask for support.

Jerome Allen, head coach of the men’s basketball team, recalled his unlimited access to frat parties and other social gatherings due to his status as a star of the men’s basketball team in the early 1990s. A black friend of his, on the other hand, had experienced frequent rejection and isolation at these same events. It made him realize that while some black students, like him, would have had glowing reviews of “Black Penn” upon graduating, others likely harbored entirely different views.

After the panelists shared their memories of “Black Penn” from the past, students were asked to describe the culture today. Answers included the words “small,” “exclusive” and “misunderstood.” In addition to providing these words, however, participants also expressed a strong desire to replace them with more positive ones.

One participant proposed events to join together BSL with other clubs and organizations on campus in order to raise awareness and promote schoolwide discussion about the black community.

Attendees agreed on the importance of thinking about not only the issues of the moment, but also those of the future. The speakers’ stories revealed how much can change in just a few decades.

“It’s interesting to see how the black experience has changed over time.” College freshman and BSL member Krisna Maddy said. “It opened my eyes to issues I wasn’t aware of.”

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