Annual Women of Color at Penn Day 

African-American Resource Center

Dr. Helen O. Dickens

Helen O. Dickens (February 21, 1909 - December 2, 2001) was one of the first African-American women to graduate medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Dickens headed the OB/GYN department at Mercy Douglas Hospital and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where she pioneered the development of teen pregnancy and medical minority affairs programs.

Dr. Dickens continued to teach, recruit students and worked tirelessly to increase the presence and permanence of women of color at Penn. Her contributions towards the enhancement of the Philadelphia community spanned a period of over 50 years.

Helen O. Dickens in white coat conferring with another female doctor in an office

Herstory. How It All Began...

In mid-February of 1988, Ms. Suzanne Brooks, then Director of Affirmative Action at Penn State University and a member of The National Institute for Women of Color (NIWC) (no longer in existence) Board of Directors, wrote several women at Penn to urge that we join a national day of celebration, commemoration and affirmation of women of color. NIWC proclaimed March 1, 1988, the first National Women of Color Day.

In the ensuing two weeks, a small group of women organized Penn's first annual celebration at Penn Tower Hotel (defunct) on March 1, 1988. The sixty-five women in attendance were treated to a spiritual and intellectual feast so profound, enlightening, and empowering that they decided to institutionalize the celebration and to invite students, faculty, and staff members of the community to attend.

Women of Color at Penn Annual Awards Luncheon

Join us for the Women of Color at Penn Annual Awards Luncheon.

Visit our photo gallery from previous WOCAP Days.

AARC Undergrad Award recipient holds award next to two attendees

A chronology of Women of Color at Penn highlights include:

1988

  • Marcia Rafig, former General Manager of the Penn Tower Hotel, first Woman of Color award recipient

1990

  • Special category established for student honorees.

1991

  • First Certificates of Merit for students, faculty, and staff were awarded.
  • Dr. Helen O. Dickens Lifetime Achievement Award was established and presented to its namesake for her lifetime of achievement. Subsequently, only exemplary candidates with a long (20 years or more) history of service to women of color in the Penn and Delaware Valley communities merit such an honor as the Dr. Helen O. Dickens Lifetime Achievement Award.
  • Awards Luncheon attendance reaches 350.

1993

  • Attendance grows to 500 people (the maximum capacity for the Penn Tower Ballroom.)

2001

  • $1000 awards presented to undergraduate, graduate, and non-traditional evening school student scholars to encourage highly motivated and achieving students to continue pursuit of their degree.

2002

  • New name given to celebration - Women of Color at Penn.

2003

  • A year-long seminar series was established, and a grant was awarded from the Provost Diversity Fund. The closing of Penn Tower Hotel necessitates relocation to Houston Hall and simulcast between two spaces to accommodate growing numbers.

2004

  • Lecture series and simulcast continued.
  • Second and final grant from the Provost Diversity Fund secured. Intensified efforts to identify funding sources for Women Of Color At Penn celebration.

2005

  • Expanded annual winter vendor fair includes Silent Auction and net significant revenue.

2007

  • The 20th anniversary Women of Color celebration is chaired by past chairs in the Penn community. 

2008

  • The Women of Color Planning Committee adds first Annual Women of Color Conference featuring Penn scholars and Philadelphia leaders. The conference focused on violence and its impact.

2009

  • The Second annual conference focused on health disparities. The title of this conference was "Disparities in Health: What Can Colleges, Universities, and Health Care Providers Do To Navigate Towards Solutions?".
  • Committee participates in the National Shadow Day by hosting fifteen students from an area school. The program included mentoring, a career panel, and a campus tour.
a black speaker wearing african-style attire and three women of color

2010

  • Strategic Planning Committee added. Responsibilities included identifying new funding sources.
  • Community Recognition Award added.

2011

  • Long time supporters of Women of Color at Penn receive special recognition. Recipients include Noted author, the late Leslie Esdaile Banks, former Philadelphia City Councilwomen Jannie Blackwell, former Christian Association Director Reverend Beverly Dale, and former WOCAP financial officer Constance Gordon.

2012

  • 25th Women of Color at Penn Anniversary celebration included recognition of past chairs. The conference for this special celebration was "Women of Color: Then and Now."

2013

  • The 26th awards conference was chaired by past Executive Committee chairs

2015

  • The Women of Color hosted a campus/community-wide reception.

2017

  • The 30th anniversary Women of Color celebration was chaired by past chairs. 

2018

  • The Mistress of Ceremony was Fox 29 Good Day Philadelphia Co-Host Alex Holley.
  • Tiffany Anderson-Purvey (former Administrative Coordinator, Greenfield Intercultural Center), was posthumously honored with the Joann Mitchell Outstanding Legacy Award.

2019

  • The Women of Color Leadership Academy was incorporated to provide the Penn community access to brilliant minds, vital resources and the realization of the talents we all hold within.

2020

  • Globally, we dealt with a pandemic, and in order to keep our community safe, we made the Women of Color Awards virtual for 2020 through 2022. 

2023

  • We returned to in-person celebrations and focused on self-care and healing through a series of wellness events. 

 

 

 

Annual Women of Color Day program participants.