QUEENS OF THE PENSTROKE

Queens of the Penstroke is a collective of women and non-binary people who use writing to express and share their experiences with the carceral system. In November of 2023, the Kelly Writers House at the University of Pennsylvania, hosted the group to share excerpts from their collection of work, including themes of struggle, oppression, stigmatization, and a reclaiming of power, with a guest feature from Madusa Carter aka Blak Rapp Madusa, an international Hip Hop activist.

YOUR MONEY. YOUR GOALS

Lisa regularly teaches financial education courses to people who have been impacted by the criminal legal system. She has taught Your Money Your Goals at the Riverside Industrial Correctional Center in Philadelphia, and at Why Not Prosper, a reentry organization for women.

TEACHING

Professor Lisa Servon with University of Pennsylvania’s City and Regional Planning Housing, Community, and Economic Development Practicum 2023 course at Down North Pizza in Philadelphia.

In her courses, Lisa often partners with community-based organizations and Philadelphia city agencies. She and her students have worked with the Kensington Corridor Trust to create a plan for a more vibrant commercial corridor. They’ve created an affordable housing model for Centennial Parkside Community Development Corporation. For former deputy mayor and director of the Department of Planning and Development Anne Fadullon, they’ve researched the potential of community benefits agreements to help alleviate poverty.