4/22
City of Philadelphia
Projects for Progress, two years in
An Oct. 17 event celebrated six teams of Penn students, faculty, and staff working to promote equity and inclusion in Philadelphia by addressing health care, education, and systemic racism as part of the Projects for Progress.
Penn Medicine to become official health care partner of the Philadelphia 76ers
The multiyear partnership brings together two iconic brands with the shared goal of making an impact on health care in the Philadelphia community.
President Magill’s Phillies debut
Penn’s ninth president threw a ceremonial first pitch at Saturday’s baseball game.
Weitzman’s Michael Fichman on nighttime economies and a Philly milestone
Weitzman’s Michael Fichman discusses how the Night Time Economy Office benefits all aspects of city life, creating a safe, thriving, and creative community 24 hours a day.
Who, What, Why: Max Johnson Dugan’s research on halal food
A doctoral candidate in religious studies, Dugan focuses on halal consumption: “What we make, what we wear, what sort of things that we eat, what we do with our bodies.”
With school out, construction crews work in earnest
Campus may have depopulated for the summer, but construction workers have moved in to begin or accelerate work on projects both big and small. Here, an overview of what’s in progress on Penn’s campus—and beyond.
2022 Projects for Progress awardees continue working with community
The second cohort of awardees, a combination of faculty, staff, and students, continue the tradition of commitment to social justice and engagement in the community.
America as it actually was
“Teaching Independence: Bridging the Communications Gap,” took an in-depth look at the challenges of teaching the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the nation’s founding in the current political climate.
Lead toxicity risk factors in Philadelphia
Two studies identify factors that correlate with high blood-lead levels in children, pointing to ongoing environmental justice issues that disproportionately fall on children of color and poorer communities in the city.
Christopher Woods on his first year as director of the Penn Museum
Penn Museum Director Christopher Woods leads the massive transformation of the 135-year-old institution’s building while reevaluating the collection, expanding the staff and community engagement, and addressing sensitive issues through new policies.
In the News
Comcast’s Sports Complex plan for South Philly would make our city less livable
In an Op-Ed, Vukan R. Vuchic of the School of Engineering and Applied Science says that Philadelphia should make transit more accessible rather than striving to accommodate more cars.
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How did a white woman come to write the newest definitive text on Philadelphia’s Black history?
Penn alum Amy Jane Cohen is profiled for her new book “Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape,” which examines Black history through the lens of events, institutions, and individuals across the city. The book includes a reflection from Penn chaplain Charles Howard.
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Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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Philadelphia’s Market Street East searches for growth and renewal — with or without a new Sixers arena
Akira Drake Rodriguez, Rashida Ng, and Dominic Vitiello of the Weitzman School of Design say there should be a more robust and inclusive conversation about the future of Philadelphia’s Market Street East.
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Act 135 nonprofits bust blight. Vulnerable owners pay the price
A Penn Carey Law analysis found that Act 135 petitions in Philadelphia have disproportionately been filed against Black and Asian property owners.
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A burial for 19 Black Philadelphians, 200 years in the making
Penn Museum Director Christopher Woods says that the interment of 19 Black Philadelphians at Eden Cemetery represents a reckoning with the Museum’s colonial past and an act of reconciliation with the local community.
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