A DEISAA Committee Initiative
Affinity Groups
A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism (DEISAA) Committee Initiative
We all benefit from interactions with people who share common identities or experiences. An affinity group is a designated "safe space" where people with a shared identity or experience - based on race, gender, sexual orientation, language, nationality, physical/mental ability, socio-economic class, family structure, religion, etc. - voluntarily come together. Affinity groups can increase connectedness, reduce isolation, and help create a diverse and socially just world.
Faculty and Staff Affinity Groups
Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Employee Association
Leader: Stephanie Bridges
Contact: Helen Ward
Goals:
- Create a space for APIA employees to support one another.
- Promote celebrations such as Lunar New Year and API Heritage Month.
- Increase awareness of APIA issues and concerns.
Meetings: 3rd Wednesdays of the Month (12pm-1pm) - Join via Zoom | 8976943875
Aspiro Affinity Group (INACTIVE)
Contact: Marilyn Brock | Javier Alcala
Goals:
- To create a space for Hispanic/LatinX employees to share experience/resources and encourage LatinX students' success.
Meetings: 4th Thursdays of the Month (11am-12pm) - Join via Zoom | 88115852305 (passcode: 333358)
Black Faculty and Staff Association
Contact: Leighia Fleming | Araba Mensah
Goals:
- To create a space for Black/African- American staff and faculty to connect with one another.
- In this space staff and faculty can share experiences, and resources, and encourage one another.
- Open to Coast District Staff and Faculty.
Meetings: 2nd Fridays of the Month for Spring 2024 (12pm-1pm) - Join via Zoom | 97271640264
CCCD LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
Contact: Carlos Amescua
Goals:
- The Coast Community College District would like to invite you to join the districtwide LGBTQ+ Affinity group.
- The purpose of this group is to create a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, managers, and our strong allies, so that we may better support each other and our students.
Meetings: There are no set meeting times. Please email the affinity group to be added to a shared MS Teams channel to stay informed about upcoming meetings and events.
How to Set Up an Affinity Group
- Set a Clear Goal
Any successful organization is centered on a clear goal that unites its members. Maybe your goal is to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ employees to talk freely about their experiences. Perhaps you want to start a group for employees with children who can share experiences with hectic school schedules. A clear and defined goal will help you build your group's structure, decide who should join, and determine your function within the workplace. Example: To create a space for Latinx employees to share experience/resources and encourage Latinx students' success.
- Identify Members
Who might be interested in joining your group? Are there people you already know that are on board with helping and taking part? You will want to identify at least one other staff/faculty. Potential members from Orange Coast College and Golden West College will be accepted.
- Structure meetings
- When will you be meeting? Monthly? Biweekly? Other time frames?
- Will they be roundtable discussions, or will you follow a more formal meeting structure?
- What roles will members play? Are there leadership roles? If yes, what are the initial thoughts for these roles?
- Outline what participation in the affinity group may look like for participants.
- Create and Register Your Group
Once you have identified members, set goals, meeting schedules, and roles, submit them to the DEISAA committee through our registration form. The DEISAA committee will provide this information on the Coastline DEISAA webpage for other staff/faculty to join these affinity groups.
While these are the recommended steps for creating an affinity group, we encourage that these groups be as organic and dynamic as needed by the members. Like any activity, participation should not affect performing job functions or responsibilities. For examples of affinity groups, here are a few from UC Irvine.
DEISAA Committee Commitment
Ultimately, the DEISAA committee will encourage the creation, outreach, and development of these groups.
DEISAA will:
- Post on our webpage the established affinity groups, contact information, and meeting times.
- Host collaborative efforts and events for different affinity groups.
- Host Dialogues that affect multiple affinity groups.
- Provide potential student equity funding throughout the year for different affinity groups to work together.
If you have any questions, please email Carlos Amescua or Luis Morales.