Remembering Pennhurst’s forgotten | Morning Newsletter

Congrats on making it to Friday. We should have beautiful weather with a high of 85. Take advantage of the sun’s rays and take an extra long walk today.

By the time Pennhurst State School and Hospital closed in 1987, it became synonymous with abuse, overcrowding, and filth. Lawsuits and investigations ultimately shut down the Chester state facility that housed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The shame helped usher in some reform.

Our lead story shares a new installation from Temple University to honor the lives lost at Pennhurst.

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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University has pieced together the past for a new multimedia installation, File/Life: We Remember Stories of Pennhurst.

They’ve partnered with community archivists, all of whom are people with disabilities or have family members who are disabled, and a range of artists to honor those that died at Pennhurst.

What it includes: It features seven Pennhurst stories and the collaborative artwork inspired by them. It connects archives and artifacts. It also includes personal narratives from two former Pennhurst residents who examine their own history, and tell their own stories.

The goal of the project is to more fully imagine the people lost.

Where to watch: It’ll run April 20-23 at the Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia.

Keep reading for more information on the event and to learn the story of a patient named William.

Rutgers University’s faculty and grad student unions going on strike this week became one of the latest examples of several local universities tied up in contentious labor disputes.

Melissa Atkins, a labor and employment lawyer in Philadelphia, spoke with The Inquirer to discuss the employer’s perspective.

What should universities be thinking about as they go into bargaining, given the national climate around higher-education working conditions?

You have to be prepared to concede some things for the better of your university. These negotiations are long, long processes, especially when there’s no current contract [in the case of a new union]. When you’re creating a contract from basically nothing, these negotiations can take years. You just have to be able to try to try to work it out.

What might be different in the current climate?

It just goes with the trend that people want livable wages. I think COVID really accelerated that. You would expect your employer to recognize that a dollar is not what it was in 2019. If you’re an employer and you’re not giving your employees the benefits that they think that they’re entitled to, this is what you see — you see organizing.

Click here to read the rest of the conversation.

Who is the Philly music legend that will get the 1500 block of Wharton Street named after him?

A) James Mtume

B) Miles Davis

C) Patti LaBelle

D) None of the above

Feeling confident? Find out if you know the answer.

👀 Watching: The Kenney administration is working to shorten wait times for project approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

🏀 Remembering: Hoops, the Sixers’ forgotten mascot. 🔑

🥬 Sharing: The 21 Philly-area farmers markets that are opening for the season.

Hint: beer and soft pretzels

ALFORDFLA NKHR

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Gail Coplein, who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Joel Embiid. Email us if you know the answer.

The weekend is so close. Make the day count and treat yourself to a drink on a rooftop when you get off work. Ashley will be in your inbox Sunday with the latest news. 📧