Watch the Video.
"Once you step just a layer below the skin, what you end up with is a nervous system. Black people have nervous systems. So do White people.
It's amazing how similar we are on that level!" - O, community leader
One of the Poorest Ghettos in Philadelphia.
Positive Language as Intentional.

O spoke with us about the techniques she uses to bring a sense of tranquility and serenity into the space. She embraces using “feminine” language which she describes as softer and less violent than “masculine” language. Describing feminine language as language which brings “sensuality” and a sense of peace, O also discussed how she admonished the use of labels. Such labels, O says, do more to separate us than unite us. Under our skin, we are all the same, she says.
Finding 'Soul' in Solar Energy.
About the Authors.
Sophia Zaia is a Sophomore from Austin, Texas. She is studying Sociology/Anthropology and Spanish literature and film at Swarthmore. She plays women’s rugby.
Tinuke Akintayo is a Nigerian sophomore at Swarthmore college. Her focus during her four years at Swarthmore is on the Sociology/Anthropology of Marketing and Advertising. She lives in New York.
Serenity Soular is funded in part by a Project Pericles Grant from the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. We are grateful to the Serenity House community for welcoming us into their space and for the wisdom they have shared with us in their interviews. Find out more about Serenity House here.