Dubois searches 'Souls' over U. ties to city

Students and West Philadelphia residents took a closer look at the University's relationship with the community at the annual "Souls of DuBois" conference in DuBois College House Saturday. The theme of this year's conference focused on: "Penn and Philadelphia's Community: Friends or Foes?" Students, faculty, community members and alumni engaged in a dialogue about Penn's concern for the community and methods to improve that relationship. "This was a place where discourse could begin," College sophomore Karen Chance said. "People could look beyond the surface and look deeper into the issue." And College sophomore Rasool Berry characterized the event as a "vibrant" dialogue that enabled University students to discuss community relations with area residents themselves. "As far as I can see, it's the only real open forum where anybody in the community can come in and discuss how they feel Penn has affected them," Berry said. Walter Palmer, a West Philadelphia resident who teaches an American Racism course at the University, served as the conference's keynote speaker. Palmer addressed the conference's topic in light of his own experiences growing up in Philadelphia, explaining that the University's expansion has "encroached" on the community. Palmer emphasized that Penn's relationship with the community should stress "interdependence and not dependence." "There needs to be a partnership, between the community and Penn," he said, adding that "Penn has the ability to be a friend, but it's been more of a foe than a friend." Wharton sophomore Keli Frazier, a DuBois resident, read an essay which claimed first place in the college house's essay contest. "Our underlying fears are only positioning us as enemies to our neighbors," she read. "How are we to improve the community when we are afraid to live in it?" Berry added that a common mentality at the University is to "see the community as the enemy." DuBois residents invited students from West Philadelphia's Jubilee Elementary School to share essays they had written about the issue. Chance explained that students living in DuBois have "adopted" these elementary school students, joining them for programs at their school. Participants in the conference said the elementary school students offered fresh views on the topic. "It's striking to see how perceptive they can be," Berry said. The conference examined the role of community service as a bridge between the University and the community. Chance -- who moderated a student panel discussion -- said the panelists have committed themselves to active involvement in West Philadelphia, to act as models for all University students. "This was a panel of people who do things in the community not because they have to, but because they want to," she said. But she added that "there's always more that we can do -- we need to let the dialogue continue and get more people involved."