Weingarten counselor and Penn grad reflects on race, religion in an upcoming book of poetry
After grappling with the impact of COVID-19, the Trump administration, and numerous shootings of Black men, Weingarten Learning Resources Center counselor Gabriel Angrand is publishing his second book of poetry on Feb. 26.
In his book, titled “Love, God,” Angrand reflects on love, race, gender, religion, and social issues. Angrand said many of his poems come from thoughts he has had following the shooting deaths of many Black men, including Ahmaud Arbery and Walter Wallace Jr. in Philadelphia. As a 2017 College graduate and a 2018 Graduate School of Education graduate, Angrand also reflects on his role in educating youth at Weingarten at age 25.
New La Casa Latina Director – Krista L. Cortes
Penn alumna Krista L. Cortes has been appointed director of La Casa Latina, the main hub for Latinx students, with the goal to make space for Afro-Latinx students within the greater Latinx community.
Since her appointment in late January, Cortes said her chief objectives as director are to implement programming that connects Penn’s Latinx community with the greater Philadelphia Latinx community, and also to turn the cultural center into a Black-affirming space so Afro-Latinx students feel welcomed as well.
Success Story: Aisha Oshilaja
Aisha Oshilaja (C’20) pursued a pre-dental track at Penn, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. Her relationship with the Weingarten Center began during the fall semester of freshmen year, spurred by struggling to acclimate to her STEM courses. General Chemistry became one of her most challenging courses because she did not feel that the large amount of work she was investing daily translated to a functional understanding of the material. Aisha met with Dr. Rashmi Kumar, learning time management. She also worked with the Tutoring Services, beginning a tradition of seeking a tutor for every Chemistry course for the next four years. With the skills she honed, Aisha graduated a semester early, balancing six courses and two major extra-curriculars.
“Weingarten can help you with different academic problems, but you must be willing to implement the recommendations in your life. Academic habits will not change overnight, so be prepared to struggle with these problems even after receiving help. It will take time to change.”