This story was originally published on March 25, 2026 in The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Writer: Moukthikadevi Kanakala

The week is comprised of nine events, many of which will be co-hosted by student groups and Penn organizations. Ahead of the programming, The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke to members of the PAGE team about their goals.

“Our goal is to get as many people energized as possible,” College junior and PAGE Chair Ashley Kim told the DP. “Gender Equity Week is really open to everybody and all lived experiences.” 

Programming began on Monday with a zine-making dinner hosted in collaboration with the LGBT Center, followed by a Safe Sex Trivia Night co-hosted by PennFems and Penn Women’s Center. College first-year and PAGE Programming Chair Fernanda Portales said “it was really nice to see” people “willing to collaborate, start talking, and share about their lives” during the dinner. 

Tuesday’s events included a Sustainable Period Workshop hosted with Penn Reproductive Justice — aimed at providing education on and distributing menstrual products — and a free Plan B distribution in partnership with the Women’s Center.

“Gender Equity Week is a great way of familiarizing yourself with the resources and the overall events that we try to have for the Penn community,” Portales said. “These events can bring you so much learning, whether or not you identify with the student body that we usually represent.”

Kim added that collaboration was a central focus in planning this year’s programming. PAGE partnered with multiple campus groups, including the Cultural Resource Centers and Penn’s minority coalition groups — commonly known as the 7B — to highlight various aspects of gender equity.

This story was originally published on March 16, 2026 in Penn Arts & Sciences.

Godsey, who grew up in the foothills of Appalachia, has gained new ways of connecting with their roots as a linguistics major at Penn.

“I do come from a place that is more cows than people, and Philadelphia is chock full of people,” says Luke Godsey, C’26, a linguistics major from Science Hill, Kentucky. After arriving at Penn as a Spanish and Biology double major, Godsey was drawn to linguistics; the work, especially research they did on Appalachian dialects to combat harmful stigmatizations, helped them feel more seen. In a particularly notable moment, Marlyse Baptista, President’s Distinguished Professor of Linguistics, reached out to them to join her research team. It was so influential that Godsey is now working toward a doctoral program in linguistics.

Outside of their studies, Godsey enjoys crocheting, quilting, and working at Penn’s Women’s Center, where they collaborated with a coworker, Tryphena (Vena) Zarief, C’25, to establish an art program called “What’s your Story?” that awards grants for students on campus.  As their future unfolds, Godsey hopes to continue connecting with people and learning their stories: “I’ve just really learned the beauty of people.”