Please enjoy our fifth and final episode released Friday, January 17, entitled “What is the Black Penn Bubble?” featuring host Arielle Winfield, C’17, Tolulope (Tolu) Adebayo, W’20 and Mansara (Sara) Hassan Nu’14 .

On this episode Arielle, Tolu and Sara discuss the challenges of finding their community as young black women attending a PWI (Predominantly White Institution)—and an Ivy League one at that.

Many black freshmen are eager to find community amongst other black students when they arrive on campus, but that is not everyone’s experience. Through heartfelt stories, Arielle, Tolu and Sara reflect on what drew them to the black community, what it was like to be on the outside looking in, the different sub-cultures within the community (greek life, black arts), and the racial tensions black students faced that brought them even closer together.

Please enjoy our fourth episode released Friday, November 29, entitled “On Intersectionality” featuring host Arielle Winfield, C’17, and Kimberly Mutcherson, Co-Dean and Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School and C’94 alumna.

Intersectionality is a theory coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, professor, civil rights activist, and legal scholar, that describe how “overlapping or intersecting social identities, particularly minority identities, relate to systems and structures of oppression, domination, or discrimination.” During this conversation, Arielle talks with Kim Mutcherson about her experiences as a black gay woman leading up to, during, and following her time as an undergraduate at Penn that shaped and molded how she views the world and how she views herself.

Please enjoy our third episode released Friday, November 8, entitled “A Special Conversation with Luam,” featuring host Arielle Winfield, C’17, and special guest artistic director and choreographer Luam Keflezgy C’99.

Luam takes us through her journey from her first formal dance class at Penn(her senior year!) to her work with some of the world's most renowned entertainers including Travis Scott, Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé.

Please enjoy our second episode released Friday, October 18, entitled “Being Black and Abroad,” featuring host Arielle Winfield, C’17, Raquel Laguerre, C’19 and Daniella Jones, C’10. This time around we’re taking on travel with a twist — both of our guests used non-traditional methods to study abroad while undergraduates at Penn which brought them all over the world.

Not only do they have funny, at times shocking, but also informative stories from their trips, but they have amassed a number of great tips & tools for students interested in studying abroad while in college, no matter the financial background.

Please enjoy our first episode on Friday, October 4, entitled “Managing Mental Health as a Woman of Color at Penn,” featuring host Arielle Winfield, C’17, Climbing Vines founder Janay Sylvester, C’12, Amanda Parks C’13, and Elisa Foster, Associate Director, Penn Women’s Center.

The Climbing Vines Podcast is coming soon.

The Climbing Vines Podcast explores the real experiences of black women on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus.

Please check out this teaser for the series that will launch October 4, 2019!