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So we’re back back official! Makuu’s Open house yesterday brought a new a living room. The Arch living room version. Full of friends, students, partners—what we call family. Students made it official with the Blacktivities fair showcasing all things possible within Black Penn. And of course when fam comes through—we laugh, there’s good music, great conversations, and we eat. We ate good! Thank you to our student interns, and campus partners + DuBois College House Director Kay & Wellness educator Prince, & Makuu Fellow McKayla for showing love to the Makuu team while serving food. We so appreciate you! And thank you to all who came out in community and showed love. And to the Philadelphia area artists who’s talents will adorn Makuu’s new remixed living room @princeericnichols - along with the commissioned work of Anna Julia Cooper by artist @justkeebs -we showcased the art created at our open house, for us-by us-and folks were blown away by your talents! We’re excited to display art that reflects our people—because representation matters—for the culture. Because you know how we do. So family—Welcome back and welcome home. 🏠✊🏿♥️ #upenn #openhouse #BlackPenn #fortheculture #princeericnichols #justkeebs #representationmatters #whenwegather #makuu -
It's that time again! Stop by Makuu's Open House This Thursday, 9/14 from 4-6! Let’s eat good, meet some folks, be in community, get tapped into UMOJA orgs through the Blacktivities fair, check out the changes in the Makuu living room + the new Black Art we’re installing--because representation matters! ✊🏿♥️ Come Through! We Gotchu! #upenn #openhouse #blackpenn #blacktivitiesfair #umoja #pennbsl #wegotchu #weseeyou #makuu -
About last night ❤️ It was definitely a Black Penn family affair sponsored by @africanaupenn @web_dubois_ch @pennaarc and @makuupenn to welcome our class of 2027, transfer students, and professional and graduate students to the UPenn family. Thank you to all of our administrators and staff who came to provide words of wisdom, and embody the spirit of it takes a village. Good food, good people and an even greater time was had. Fall semester 2023 is here and we’re wishing our students an amazing start to their UPenn journey. #umoja #africanaupenn #aarc #webduboiscollegehouse #makuu #blackpenn #familyaffair -
Black Convocation: A love note from Makuu: Last night was a powerful welcoming into the Black Penn family for our class of 2027. ❤️ To UMOJA - Thank you for your vision and your commitment to Penn's Black community and spearheading this 2nd annual event. We are fortunate to have your leadership. ❤️ To Provost Jackson - Thanks for making the time for us during this busy start of the year, and for reminding our students that Penn is theirs, and that we all want the best for them. ❤️ To Will - Thank you for encouraging the Class of 2027 to reflect on what got them here, and to continue expanding their circles and creating joy in the journey. ❤️ To Elisa - We so loved your story, and love even more that our students have a Black girl next door at PWC. ❤️ To Chaz - We are forever grateful for your continued blessings. You always remind the students that our resource centers exist because of their activism. ❤️ To Karu - Thank you for creating a job for yourself last night and insisting that we put you to work. Your presence and check-ins leading up to the event meant so much. ❤️ And shout out in love to The Inspiration, WAVE, and Mila for their performances, and the many students who stepped up to help in various ways! This is about fam and last night showed our class of 2027 what being part of fam means at UPenn. And as always, we gotchu. ❤️ Brian, Michelle, Craig #upenn #blackconvocation #umoja #blackpenn #welcometopenn #welcometothefamily #classof2027 #makuu -
Scenes from a Makuu Senior Celebration. 💐This is what joy feels like. When you send the ones you’ve nurtured and only want the best for out into the world in the ceremonial Makuu way. 💐What more can we say but just do your best in your chosen paths. Reach higher and always remember to lift those up who desire to be where you are. 💐And then after a time, when you’ve been out there in the world, doing all the great things, come back home, to Penn—to Makuu—to tell us how you’ve been doing. Because you know how we do. We always got you. This will always be home. And that Makuu porch light always stays on. We love you. Sincerely. Brian Michelle Craig #seniorcelebration #graduation #blackpenn #blackjoy #upenn #fam #home #makuu -
The Makuu award winners 2023! These students have left a lasting impact on the Penn community in scholarship, the arts, athleticism, community impact, leadership and the ability to keep thriving in the face of barriers. We are so proud to announce~ And the winners are! #upenn #seniorawards #congratulations #graduationseason #keepthriving #makuu
Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home” for many Black students and alumni. One of the six cultural resources centers in University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather, plan, study, laugh, rest, and just be. Makuu’s staff team provides academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities. Follow Makuu on social media to get the latest program updates!
Founded in 2000 to center the experience, concerns, and possibilities of students of the African Diaspora, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center is affectionately regarded as “home”. Housed within the Division of the Vice Provost of University Life and located in the ARCH building in the heart of campus, Makuu provides a comfortable and convenient space for students to gather. Makuu’s staff work daily to provide academic, cultural, and social support to students and groups, connecting them to additional resources and opportunities. Follow our social media accounts to get updates on our programming!
Makuu Instagram
Our Blog
Student Spotlight: Tarah Paul
March 30, 2023
I recently spoke with Tarah Paul, C’24 about a range of topics such as Black History Month, Penn Athletics, and Makuu: The Black Cultural Center.
A mural in the ARCH celebrates Black history
February 28, 2023
Ornate stone panels decorate the exterior of the late-Gothic Revival building known as The Arts, Research, and Culture House (ARCH) on Locust Walk. Inside, students
Penn’s Kwanzaa celebrates ‘regrounding our purpose’
December 13, 2021
Normally, you get gifts at the end of Kwanzaa,” said Brian Peterson, director of Makuu: The Black Cultural Center. But as with most things, this year
The 2020 Summer Reading List
June 18, 2020
Though time spent reading by the beach may be limited this summer, lounging outdoors with the smell of a book and the feeling of the
Strive to Thrive
Oftentimes the word “survive” is tossed around on college campuses, hoping students make it through tough exams and the transition to living on their own. At Makuu we help students develop the capacity to be exceptional in multiple areas. We collectively set high expectations, and we foster a supportive environment to meet them.
This space on our website will describe some of the stories and ways that we strive to thrive. We begin with a few of our recent graduates sharing their Penn and Makuu experiences.