As Black History Month progresses, meet the staff of the African American Resource Center at Penn — an organization aimed at providing support for faculty, staff, and students alike.
In April 1987, Black community members at Penn advocated for a Black Resource Center after reporting racial discrimination on campus. Former Penn President Sheldon Hackney initially rejected this proposal, but following community protests and continued pressure, he reversed his decision in September 1987, leading to the establishment of the AARC two years later. It now continues advocacy efforts dating back to the 1970s and is currently led by Director Valerie Dorsey Allen, Associate Director Darin Toliver, and staff assistant Colleen Winn.
Before joining the AARC, Allen served as the director of a community center and as a regional operations director for a company running Job Corps centers nationwide. Her mother Orneice Leslie previously served as the assistant dean of Penn’s School of Social Work — now known as the School of Social Policy & Practice — during which she and other colleagues formed an organization called “Triple A, the African American Association.”
“One of the things that they did in 1987 was to petition the president, who was Sheldon Hackney at the time, to open a resource center for Black faculty and staff,” Allen said to The Daily Pennsylvanian. ”My mother didn’t know in 1987 that she was creating a job for her child.”
As a 2002 School of Social Work graduate, Toliver worked as a therapist before transitioning to a social work position in a pediatric hospital. He also spent time as a community activist, serving on the Mayor's Commission on African American Males under former Philadelphia Mayors Michael Nutter and Jim Kenney.
Toliver recalled to the DP that he first decided to join the center because of the potential to be a “difference maker” in his community.
Winn graduated with degrees in criminology and public administration from Sam Houston State University and went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration from DeVry University as well as a certificate of writing from Penn. After earning her degrees, she spent nearly two decades at the Philadelphia Job Corps Center, working her way up from counselor to counseling supervisor.
When Winn first joined the AARC, it was in a temporary position — but she quickly realized she wanted to stay.
”I loved being here,” she said. ”I got a chance to put my hands in developing programs, and I just felt like this is me. This is my calling.”
In their day-to-day roles, the three staff members serve different, but complementary, responsibilities. Allen oversees the programs offered by the center and consults with Toliver on cases involving student conduct and relations between staff. Toliver provides confidential counseling services to faculty, staff, and students while helping coordinate major events. Winn has spearheaded several initiatives including the Women of Color Noontime Networking Series and the annual Queen’s Tea.
Toliver and Winn also serve as co-chairs for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium, which requires months of planning each year.
Winn emphasized her passion for a separate series hosted by the center on women of color.
“I love it because I get a chance to ask people, ‘What are some of the things you want to know about?’ and then I find facilitators to talk about those things,” she said.
The monthly gatherings are hosted at the Penn Women’s Center from September through May.
Another responsibility carried by all three staffers is providing counseling and short-term therapy to students and the greater community.
“You [are] more likely to seek [therapy] from someone who look[s] like you,” Allen said. “Our clientele now are diverse. We not only see Black clients, we have Asian, white, Latina [clients]. Everybody comes to us, and one of the things that they say is that they feel very comfortable and safe when they come to the AARC.”
The center’s programming has also expanded significantly throughout the years. The Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium, which was initially a one-day event, now spans nearly three weeks of programs, speakers, and awards ceremonies. The day of service alone attracts over 300 volunteers, according to Allen. These programs reach beyond campus, connecting with the surrounding community and helping local residents access Penn’s resources.
The center has also responded to recent political moments such as the Black Lives Matter protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot of things that we’re facing, other people are facing. ‘Let's create a program around that’ is the center’s mindset,” Winn said.
Toliver highlighted that the most rewarding aspect of his role is committing himself fully to being an advocate for community members, “fully engag[ing] each and every person.”
For Allen, helping staff members navigate challenges is equally as gratifying as leading the team to success.
“When I talk to a staff member who may be struggling, or who may just need some direction, I’m able to give them information that they need and then they can run with it,” Allen said. “That’s very satisfying.”
All three staff members highlighted the community that the center has created on campus.
“People trust us. We’ve been here a long time, and people keep coming back because people trust this center and the people that work here,” Winn said.
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