Affinity Group Work at PoCC


PoCC hosts affinity group sessions to provide an opportunity for sharing and exploring your life and experiences within safe and supportive spaces defined by membership in a specific racial or ethnic identity group. Led by a team of trained facilitators, affinity group participants celebrate identities, share successes and challenges, and engage freely. The overarching vision for PoCC affinity group work includes:
  • facilitating opportunities for affirming, nurturing, and celebrating lived experience;
  • discussing issues related to racial/ ethnic identity development in a safe environment where people who share that racial or ethnic identity can generate community, fellowship, and empowerment; and
  • envisioning and sharing strategies for greater racial and ethnic diversity, equity, and inclusion in NAIS-member schools and communities.
Download the NAIS Equity and Justice Principles for Conversational Leadership and Shared Work. 
Download the handout, Affinity Groups as Self-managed Conversations.
 

WHICH AFFINITY GROUP DO I ATTEND?

Affinity groups are designed specifically to encourage interaction among members of the same racial or ethnic background. Although each of us may lay claim to multiple identities, affinity group sessions call participants into community based on their individual racial and ethnic identity. You know you are in the right affinity group if you can say unequivocally, “I am __________” and speak to that group’s collective racial or ethnic identity and experience from the “I” and “we” perspective.

To preserve the safety and integrity of each affinity group space, you should attend only those sessions that correspond with the racial and ethnic identity to which you belong. This is not a space to learn about the racial or ethnic identity of others, including that of a child, spouse, or partner.
 
Anita Sanchez will serve as the lead facilitator for the affinity group work. She is an organization development consultant, trainer, author, and speaker focused on diversity and inclusion, large system change, team building, and coaching.
 
Title Description Time Location Activity Type Price Registration
Affinity Group Session 1 PoCC hosts affinity group sessions to provide an opportunity for sharing and exploring your life and experiences within safe and supportive spaces defined by membership in a specific racial or ethnic identity group. Led by a team of trained facilitators, affinity group participants celebrate identities, share successes and challenges, and engage freely.

Affinity groups are held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 

Locations
Asian, Asian Pacific-Islander Heritage: Room 103 A-B
Black, African Heritage: Room 104
First Nations Heritage: Room 203 A
Greater Middle Eastern Heritage: Room 203 B
International: Room 206 B
Latinx Heritage: Room 106
Multiracial Heritage: Room 102
South Asian Heritage: Room 103 C
Transracially Adopted: Room 206 A
White European Heritage: Room 101		 Thursday, November 29,
1:30 PM-3:15 PM		 Various Affinity Group Free Not required
Affinity Group Session 2 PoCC hosts affinity group sessions to provide an opportunity for sharing and exploring your life and experiences within safe and supportive spaces defined by membership in a specific racial or ethnic identity group. Led by a team of trained facilitators, affinity group participants celebrate identities, share successes and challenges, and engage freely.

Affinity groups are held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 

Locations
Asian, Asian Pacific-Islander Heritage: Room 103 A-B
Black, African Heritage: Room 104
First Nations Heritage: Room 203 A
Greater Middle Eastern Heritage: Room 203 B
International: Room 206 B
Latinx Heritage: Room 106
Multiracial Heritage: Room 102
South Asian Heritage: Room 103 C
Transracially Adopted: Room 206 A
White European Heritage: Room 101		 Friday, November 30,
2:00 PM-3:30 PM		 Various Affinity Group Free Not required
Affinity Group Session 3 PoCC hosts affinity group sessions to provide an opportunity for sharing and exploring your life and experiences within safe and supportive spaces defined by membership in a specific racial or ethnic identity group. Led by a team of trained facilitators, affinity group participants celebrate identities, share successes and challenges, and engage freely.

Affinity groups are held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 

Note: While in the past students have joined adults for Saturday Affinity Group meetings, students will have separate programming on Saturday morning this year. There will be an opportunity to meet with students at the State/Regional meetings on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.

Locations
Asian, Asian Pacific-Islander Heritage: Room 103 A-B
Black, African Heritage: Room 104
First Nations Heritage: Room 203 A
Greater Middle Eastern Heritage: Room 203 B
International: Room 206 B
Latinx Heritage: Room 106
Multiracial Heritage: Room 102
South Asian Heritage: Room 103 C
Transracially Adopted: Room 206 A
White European Heritage: Room 101		 Saturday, December 1,
8:30 AM-9:45 AM		 Various Affinity Group Free Not required