News from

2025-12-28

Kwanzaa Celebration: Free Community Day

Penn Museum exterior
The 3rd annual Kwanzaa Celebration, hosted by the Penn Museum and co-sponsored by the Center for Africana Studies, invites all to a joyful Kwanzaa celebration that honors African heritage and community. Participants will learn about Kwanzaa principles like unity, self-determination, and creativity through hands-on workshops. The event will also feature performances from percussionist Karen Smith and violinist Owen Valentine, a marketplace with local artisans, and storytelling, music, and dance. Free and open to the public. Secure tickets in advance.

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Penn Museum, 3260 South St.

2026-03-26

Shifting Preservation’s Power Dynamics

main story alt tag
Sarah Marsom, a heritage resource consultant and advocate for positive change in the cultural resource field, will explore what moving past fear-based decision making can look like for the historic preservation movement. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Fisher Fine Arts Library, 220 S. 34th St.

2026-01-29

The Black Space Project

aerial of penn design meyerson building
This presentation will outline the mission and activities of The Black Space Project, an interdisciplinary research initiative starting at the University of Texas at Austin. These activities include collaboration with the National Trust, an exhibit on communal uses of the Black home, and a digital archive on non-licensed Black contributions to the built environment. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Meyerson Hall, 210 S. 34th St.

2026-02-19

Faculty/Staff i care Training

Houston Hall.
This interactive training for Penn students, faculty, and staff, equips participants with the skills and resources to intervene with student stress, distress, and crisis. Register to attend.

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St.

2025-12-11

Understanding US Action in Venezuela

Venezuelan flag flying
Free and open to the public, this Perry World House panel will examine the U.S. government policy and actions toward Venezuela, including strikes on Venezuelan boats and the people on board. Speakers will explore why the U.S. has chosen to act now, what strategic objectives are shaping current policy, and how these decisions are being interpreted across Latin America and beyond. Register to attend.

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk

2026-01-16

Pollutants and Policy in the Built Environment

A person crosses the Schuylkill River on a blue bike. The city skyline behind him is obscured with smoke haze.
Organized by the Environmental Law Project and the Weitzman School of Design, this symposium will focus on environmental justice in Philadelphia. Attendees will explore how environmental law, landscape architecture, and city and regional planning can address issues of environmental justice in Philadelphia’s urban landscapes. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Golkin Hall, 3501 Sansom St.

2026-01-27

Journeys in Afro-Diasporic Women’s Modernisms

Rosie Poku, a joint Ph.D. candidate in Africana Studies and comparative literature & literary theory at Penn, will present “The Performance of Translation: Journeys in Afro-Diasporic Women’s Modernisms,” exploring her research into Black women’s diasporic writings and performances of the early 20th century. Free and open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Max Cade Center, 3401 Walnut St.

Subscribe to