Latin School of Chicago

32 L AT I N M A G A Z I N E WHAT THE HECK IS AN With the many efforts surrounding diversity and inclusion going on at Latin, 2013-14 also challenged the school community with some concepts that adults and students were unfamiliar with – and sometimes uncomfortable with. Among these was the discussion about affinity groups. During the winter, a panel of students representing the Asian Student Alliance, Black Student Union, Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and the Gender and Sexual Minorities group presented at an all-faculty meeting about what it means to be part of an affinity group. Every adult in the room could not help but be impressed and moved by the students' thoughtful and articulate answers to some difficult questions. Here Latin Magazine invites the same panel of students, including Daniel Berkson '14, Patrick Elliot '15, Erich Finch '14, Jenna Green '14 and Alexis Lopez '15, to re-create their presentation for the faculty. PATRICK – An affinity group is like a community within a community. Most people at Latin have a group they can connect with based on family connections, friends, their backgrounds or who they grew up with. Affinity groups help people who identify with a minority group to find their connection. It helps you to realize that you are not the only person going through x, y and z. It is an opportunity to talk to others who are having the same experiences and to feel supported. ERICH – ere are many different types of affinity groups. Here at Latin, they are mainly based on race and sexual orientation. Affinity groups are about discovering what your place is at Latin, how the community responds to you and how we can help each other to make our experience here better. ALEXIS – In LASO we focus a lot on culture. Many of us come from second-, third- or fourth-generation immigrant families, so a lot of us aren't that connected to our cultural background. It gives us a chance to learn about ourselves. Alexis Q A How do you define "affinity group?"

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