Affinity Groups in school settings have long provided opportunities to experience safety and comfort, affirmation, resilience, and empowerment to historically marginalized communities. Learn about their importance in building equitable and inclusive communities, what groups exist and are in formation at Poly, and how to launch or sustain new groups for families, faculty/staff, alums, and more.

1. Polytechnic School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Affinity Groups: What, Why, and How
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. About Seattle Girls’ School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

3. Agenda
 Basic Definitions
 Identifying the Value of Affinity Groups
 Launching Affinity Groups
 Overcoming the Resistance
 Strengthening Communities
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. 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)

5. 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)

6. 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.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

7. 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
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

8. Stage 1: The Need
 Demographics
 Recurrent Challenges
 Focused Support
 Community Desire
 Mission Alignment
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

9. Stage 2: Format and Definitions
 Affinity, Alliance, or Interest?
 Identities/Identifiers
 Timing
 Space
 Facilitators
 Group Goals or Mission
Statements
 Curriculum
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

10. Stage 3: Communication
 Leadership Driven
 Need, the What, the How,
and the Who
 Definitions, Goals, and
Missions
 FAQs
 Faculty/Staff,
Parents/Guardians, Students
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

11. Stage 4: Facilitation
 Identity Pride
 History
 Positive Change and
Activism
 Opportunities and
Challenges
 Strategies for Success
 Supporting Each Other
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

12. Stage 5: Reiteration
 Assessment
 Improvements
 Re-Launch
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

13. Possible Affinity Group Curriculum
 Culture Share
 Celebrations of
Holidays/Events
 Identity Exercises
 Current Events
 Movies
 Field Trips
 “What Do I Do If…”
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

14. Factors Leading to More Success
 Pride > Struggle
 Deflection of Blame
 Inclusive of Full Spectrum
 Who’s in the Room
 Participant Driven Curricula
 Opportunities to Share
 Collective Action
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

15. Factors Leading to Less Success
 Lack of Consistency
 Lack of Budget
 Lack of Curricula
 Reinforcement of
Stereotypes
 Chauvinism
 Leader Agenda
 Visitors and Gawkers
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

16. Why Affinity Groups
Meet Resistance
 Unacknowledged Fear
of Assembly
 Unacknowledged
Resistance to
Empowerment
 Desire to Stay Ignorant
of Issues
 Privilege
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

17. Forms of Resistance
• False Parallels
• Inverting the Injustice
• Outright Dismissal
• Minimization
• Righteousness
• Colorblindness
• Jealousy
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

18. Talking Points for Affinity Groups
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

19. “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
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

20. 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”?
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

21. Conflation of Individual/Institutional
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

22. 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.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

23. 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.
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

24. Resources
Full resources, web links,
downloadable documents,
considerations, and more:
tiny.cc/affinitygroups
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

25. Our Responsibility To Children
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

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)