F E AT U R E S
Inspiration:
Affinity Space Faculty Sponsors The UHS mission states, “We are a school where adults believe in the promise of every student, and together we work to build and sustain a community of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and talents.” Every year, UHS faculty and staff support students as sponsors for a wide range of affinity spaces and clubs on campus. Read on to explore perspectives from six of these spaces. With 58 student-led organizations on campus, this is just a small sample of the profound work of these spaces, and we are proud to celebrate their openness, honesty, curiosity, and engagement, which are consistent with who we are as a school.
Jessica Osorio ’10, English Department
SPONSOR OF LATINE (FORMERLY LATINX) Latine is an affinity space and club that offers a safe and welcoming space for those who identify as Latine.This club celebrates Latine culture, community, and all aspects of our identity. This club offers resources for Latine students to collaborate, learn more from our cultures, and have fun. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?
This is my sixth year working at UHS. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?
As an educator, I always strive to be the kind of teacher and mentor I needed, but did not have, as a student. I was very well supported in high school, but I didn’t have many mirrors. Because I grew up attending independent schools, I didn’t have many friends or teachers who identified as Latine. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to understand and blend into the (White) culture around me. I know I would have really benefited from having a community of Latine peers and mentors
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with whom I could explore and embrace that part of my identity. It is an honor to support our Latine students in creating a space where they can be their whole selves and celebrate the many gifts their cultures have to offer. When students feel like they belong, they thrive and lead. I love watching our Latine students support one another, make this school their own, and push UHS to become a more equitable community. HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?
In so many ways! Mostly, I help the students realize their vision for the affinity group. Each year, we work together to set a few goals, but the priority is always building community, joy, and a stronger sense of belonging for Latine folks at UHS. In our regular affinity group meetings, we often talk about issues facing Latine people (both at UHS and beyond) and what we can do to help. During Latine Heritage Month (September 15–October 15), I support students in organizing a series of events that have ranged from guest speakers, to cooking classes, to lunchtime fundraisers, and an amazing Latin dance lesson on Zoom last year. HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?
Being a part of an affinity group has showed me just how much more rich and nuanced conversations among our students are
when they all feel safe to bring their whole selves into the room. In a class of 16 students, every single person is having a different experience of the course.We may be reading the same novel, but because each of us has a different identity and cultural lens, we are each going to have a different relationship with the story and its characters.This multiplicity of perspectives is what makes being a part of an English class a beautiful and transformative experience. But it also means that, as a teacher, I need to be intentional about building community and trust in my classroom, to make sure that all of those perspectives are heard. In my classes, I spend the first week of the course focusing on community building and co-creating group agreements. Learning cannot happen if students don’t feel a sense of belonging and connection. Before we start reading the book, everyone needs to feel like their authentic voice matters and will be heard. WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?
I would recommend Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks, especially if you’re interested in thinking more about equity in education. She asks how we can create classrooms that do not reinforce existing systems of domination, but instead make education a practice of freedom. Her ideas have been a guiding light for me since I started teaching.
Andrew Galatas, Science Department
SPONSOR OF SPECTRA Spectra is the LGBTQ+ affinity group at UHS. Spectra strives to provide a safe space for queer/questioning members of our community to celebrate their identities and express their authentic selves.They host open and closed meetings to discuss current events and queer issues and set aside time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Spectra hopes to increase LGBTQ+ awareness in our community and ensure that queer students feel supported and loved. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?
This is my fifth year, all as a science teacher. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?
As a queer student who spent most of his lower education at a conservative religious school, I thought it was important to provide as much access to safe, celebratory discourse around LGBT, queer, and questioning issues to our own students as possible. Just having a space to build community and offer mutual support does wonders.
