Souls of DuBois Conference urges 'progress'

Speakers encourage group to embrace heritage African Americans were encouraged to celebrate their culture while not separating themselves from the community at large during the Souls of DuBois Conference Saturday. The annual conference is intended to bring together alumni, students and members of the West Philadelphia community to "facilitate progress" in the African American community. The theme of this year's conference was "Dead or Alive: Are We The Talented Tenth?" The question was continually addressed by the many events that ran throughout the day. "Never be afraid to embrace your heritage and use it to your advantage," Barbara Grant, managing news editor of Inquirer News Tonight told the 50 audience members. As the keynote speaker, Grant, who graduated from the University in 1971, projected a message of commitment to helping the African American community. As a student, Grant was a member of one of the first classes to advocate a place like the W.E.B. DuBois College House. "There were only 35 black students in my freshman class," Grant said. "We knew that the world had to change." Grant also recalled that Penn, at the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death, could be a cold place for African Americans. But her heritage enabled her to remain strong. Since those days, Grant has managed to combine her abilities and her radicalism to make changes happen. "Don't be afraid to use your talent to help people," Grant said. "Service is a fundamental basis of leadership." At an alumni town meeting held earlier in the day, other Penn alumni had a chance to voice their feelings and get feedback from students about alumni-student relations. The panel of alumni praised the students for the increasing number of African American students being drawn to Penn. But they encouraged those in attendance not to isolate themselves from the surrounding University community. Sheryl George-MacAlpine, a 1980 University graduate, explained that she is not willing to accept the notion that only one-tenth of African Americans are truly talented. "We need to give children the base for them to become individuals," she said. "Giving them character will allow them to develop their talents." Glenn Bryan, director of the Office of Community Relations, emphasized action as opposed to excessive discussion. "Communication is key," Bryan said. "Penn has its share of just talking when action is what gets things done." Bryan proposed an exchange program between alumni and students as a way of increasing communication between the generations. Many students responded positively to Bryan's suggestion, which they said will probably be implemented by next fall. Other events throughout the day included a cultural foods luncheon, the announcement of student essay contest winners and a panel discussion. College freshman Rania Hago expressed her excitement about participating in the conference. "It's a great opportunity for African Americans to discuss mutual concerns such as DuBois House and West Philly life," Hago said. She explained that she hopes the conference will have a continuing effect on her life throughout her years at the University.