This document discusses identity development, affinity groups, and allyship. It begins with an overview of identity development models and the different stages people may progress through in developing marginalized or privileged identities. It then defines affinity groups as spaces for people who share an identity to gather for support and community, and alliance groups as spaces for people committed to supporting a particular identity group. The document provides examples of how schools already have informal affinity groups and discusses how people can support identity development and affinity groups. It concludes with presenting more resources on identity development and related topics.

1. Lakeside School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Identity, Affinity, Allyship
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2. About Seattle Girls’ School
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3. Agenda
 Identity Development
 Affinity and Allyship
 How You Can Help
 Questions and Answers
 Resources
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4. Disclaimers and
Other Food for Thought
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5. Dimensions of Identity and Culture
This model of identifiers and culture was created by Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman for NAIS Summer Diversity Institute,
adapted from Loden and Rosener’s Workforce America! (1991) and from Diverse Teams at Work, Gardenswartz & Rowe (SHRM 2003).
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6.  Identity Frames
 Intractability
 Positive and Negative Encounters
 Identity Socialization
 Co-Authorship of Identity
Identity and Cultural Inclusion
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7.  Innocence and Self Esteem
 Encounter and Self Doubt
 Assimilation to the Majority
 Immersion into Identity
 Emersion
 Integration
Identity Development:
Marginalized Identities
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8.  Innocence and Self Esteem
 Encounter and Confusion
 Attempt to Reintegrate
 Re-Encounter and Guilt
 Acceptance and Action
 Immersion and Emersion
 Integration
Identity Development:
Privileged Identities
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9. Your Own Identity Journey
How have you come to
understand some of your
marginalized identities? How
about the privileged ones?
What experiences moved you
into new ways of thinking
about who you are?
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10. What are Affinity and Alliance Groups?
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11. Basic Definitions
The term affinity group is used as a
bringing together of people who have an
identifier in common, e.g. race, gender,
religion, family status, etc. Affinity groups
are for individuals who identify as members
of the group and can speak to the
experience of being a member of the group
from the “I” perspective.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

12. Basic Definitions
The term alliance group is used as a
bringing together of people who have a
common commitment to an identifier group,
e.g. race, gender, religion, family status,
etc. Alliance groups are for individuals who
identify as members of the group and/or as
people who support and stand in solidarity
with that group.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. Basic Definitions
The term interest group is used as a
bringing together of people who want to
learn about, share, and engage in a special
interest, e.g. hobby, skill, topic, etc.
Interest groups are for individuals who want
to gather to teach, learn, and share.
Membership can be fluid and changing.
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14. Why Affinity Groups Are Great
 Safety and Comfort to be
Authentic
 Affirmation
 Critical Mass
 Identity Socialization
 Building Resilience
 Preparing to Engage
Deeply with Other Groups
 Empowerment Toward
Action
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15. What Affinity Groups Do
 Identity Pride
 History
 Positive Change and
Activism
 Opportunities and
Challenges
 Strategies for Success
 Supporting Each Other
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16. Possible Affinity Group Curriculum
 Culture Share
 Celebrations of
Holidays/Events
 Identity Exercises
 Current Events
 Movies
 Field Trips
 “What Do I Do If…”
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17. How You Can Help
 Encourage them to check
out affinity/alliance groups
 Encourage them to respect
another’s affinity space
 Encourage them to support
their friends in checking out
affinity/alliance groups
 Empathy reflex and
authoritative coaching
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18. “Affinity Groups” We Already Have
• Gendered Bathrooms
• Faculty Meetings
• Tracked Classes
• Financial Aid Allocation Meetings
• Sports Teams
• Divisions and Grades
• Casts of School Plays
• Faculty/Staff Rooms
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19. Equality versus Equity
Everybody gets a shirt versus everybody
gets a shirt that fits.
Giving everybody some insulin in
equality. Giving only people who are
diabetic some insulin is equity.
What is “fair”?
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20. Conflation of Individual/Institutional
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21. Privilege
“Privilege exists when one group has
something of value that is denied to others
simply because of the groups they belong
to, rather than because of anything they’ve
done or failed to do.”
[as described by Peggy McIntosh and quoted by Allan Johnson]
Privilege is SYSTEMIC. It drives the
systems that dominate our societies.
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22. Situational Advantage
There are prime parking spots and seats
reserved for people with disabilities. People
with disabilities are often first to board
planes and other transportation vehicles.
These advantages are situational and do not
balance out systemic oppression.
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23. Safety versus Comfort
Safety: I feel that, in this space, I can ask questions without
fear of judgment. I can voice my perspective and know that
I will be validated for the fact that that is my truth. Others
may challenge my ideas, but that challenge is in the spirit of
greater shared understanding and growth.
Comfort: I feel that, in this space, my reality will be agreed
with, validated, and unchallenged. I don’t have to explain
myself to be understood, and I don’t have to justify my
perspective, as everyone shares it.
As educators, we are constantly setting up an environment
where students are safe but not always comfortable...
SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN AND GROW.
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24. Our Responsibility To Children
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25. Questions and Comments
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26. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

27. Identity Resources
• Carlos H. Arce, “A Reconsideration of Chicano Culture
and Identity”
• Atkinson, Morten, & Sue, “Racial/Cultural Identity
Development Model (R/CID)”
• Mindy Bingham and Sandy Stryker, “Socioemotional
Development for Girls”
• Vivienne Cass, “Homosexual identity formation: Testing
a theoretical model”
• William Cross, Shades of Black: Diversity in African
American Identity”
• Anthony D’Augelli, “ Identity development and sexual
orientation: Toward a model of lesbian, gay, and
bisexual development”
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

28. Identity Resources
• Erik Erikson, “Eight Stages of Man”
• J. E. Helms, Various Publications on Racial and Ethnic
Identity Development
• Jean Kim, “Processes of Asian American Identity
Development”
• James Maricia, “Four Ego and Identity Statuses”
• Suzanne Kobasa Ouellette, “The Three C’s of
Hardiness”
• Jean S. Phinney, “Ethnic Identity in Adolescents and
Adults: Review of the Research”
• Ponterotto & Pederso, Preventing Prejudice
• Maria P. P. Root, Various Works on Multiracial Identity
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29. Identity Resources
• Patricia Romney, Karlene Ferron, and Jennifer Hill,
“Measuring the Success of Diversity Directors in
Independent Schools”
• Pedro Ruiz, “Latino/a Identity Development Model”
• Chalmer E. Thompson and Robert T. Carter, Racial
Identity Theory
• Alex Wilson, “How We Find Ourselves: Identity
Development and Two Spirit People”
• Christine J. Yeh, “The Collectivistic Nature of Identity
Development Among Asian-American College
Students”
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30. Miscellaneous Resources
• Karen Bradberry and Johnnie Foreman, “Privilege and
Power,” Summer Diversity Institute, National Association
of Independent Schools, 2009
• Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Nurture Shock
• Kevin Jennings, GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight Education
Network) www.glsen.org
• Allan G. Johnson, Privilege, Power, and Difference
• John Medina, Brain Rules, Brain Rules for Babies
• Johnnie McKinley, “Leveling the Playing Field and Raising
African American Students’ Achievement in Twenty-nine
Urban Classrooms,” New Horizons for Learning,
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/differentiated/
mckinley.htm
• Michael J Nakkula and Eric Toshalis, Understanding Youth.
• Claude Steele, Whistling Vivaldi.
• Shankar Vandatham, The Hidden Brain.
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