INSPIRATION: AFFINITY SPACE FACULTY SPONSORS

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 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.

HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?

My role varies from year to year and issue to issue. Sometimes I provide a moderating adult voice in a room if a difficult discussion’s happening. Sometimes I encourage and facilitate cross-space dialogues (e.g., with Men’s Club, SWEAR, Interfaith Club). Usually I’m just there to provide quiet faculty/adult support for students in an area [where] they don’t always get shown outright allyship.

HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?

Coming from a university teaching background, I already had a bit of a learning curve to navigate around student emotional support and development (which is obviously not a focus of college teaching). Helping support Spectra has given me a much more transparent and nuanced window into students’ emotional lives, in my own teaching but also in how my students or mentees are receiving messaging and support from the school community as a whole.

WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?

I’d strongly recommend Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. It’s not only a wonderful collection of essays and oratory in its own right, but also a great example of intersectionality in literature. Lorde draws on a variety of identities in the writings (Black, lesbian, woman, cancer survivor, etc.) in a holistic, clear way that demonstrates that queerness, while fundamental, isn’t defining.

Adam Ahmed, English Department SPONSOR OF MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA)

MENA stands for Middle Eastern North African and is an affinity space for all people who identify with the term. This group mainly has closed meetings available only to those who identify as MENA to discuss topics that relate to our community.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?

Five years.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?

I wanted to help the MENA students feel more connected to each other and visible at the school. As an Arab-American kid growing up in a predominantly White suburb, I never had a place to reflect on and celebrate my own identity, so I strive to build a space like that for MENA students at UHS.

HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?

In my conversations with student affinity group leaders, we talk about long-term goals for the group and future meeting topics. I let the students lead whenever possible; I’m there to support them as they direct the group.

HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?

I’m constantly reminded of the fact that our students have so many aspects of their identity that aren’t visible in the space of a classroom. This pushes me to create spaces for students to share that identity in class— whether it’s through writing or community-building activities.

WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?

This is a difficult question! I’m not sure I have an introductory text for learning about equity. Maybe Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon; that was a foundational text for me in developing my own racial consciousness. Fanon was a Martiniquan French psychiatrist who analyzed the psychological effects of racialization on a racialized subject. His exploration of the psychology of race blew my mind when I first read it, and it helped give me language for feelings I couldn’t articulate.

Nate Lundy, Director of Admissions SPONSOR OF MULTIRACIAL CLUB AND MEN OF COLOR GROUP

Multiracial Club is an affinity group for UHS students and faculty where they can discuss topics pertaining to self-identity, public perception, and common experiences that arise when identifying with multiple racial identities.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?

Four years.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?

A lot of what I do in these spaces goes back to my experience in school, when I didn’t have an adult there who reflected my appearance or life experience. I don’t want any student to feel like they are alone or not seen in our community.

HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?

I am there mostly as a thought partner. They have great ideas and often need guidance around logistics and understanding who to ask for what. I think they also feel empowered to know an adult in the community is in it with them.

HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?

This work is about the students. Choosing a career in education is about supporting young people through the good and challenging times. I also believe I have worked out a lot of my challenges with my independent-school experience by supporting students through their challenges. It is definitely a symbiotic relationship.

WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. She does such a good job at getting to the heart of inequities in our society and supporting her work with data and historical references.

Alexandra Simmons, Dean of Student Life SPONSOR OF BLACK STUDENT UNION (BSU)

BSU is a closed affinity space for the black population of UHS. It allows for open conversations with people who can relate to your experience, and it is also a place to just chill with people.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?

I am in my third year at UHS.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?

I’ve always been drawn to affinity spaces. I’m a people person and an experience person. Connecting

with others through their personal experiences provides richness and texture in our understanding of one another. I’ve seen growth from and connections between students that cannot be simulated in cluster or a classroom. There is no homework, there are no pre-planned learning outcomes, and there is the ability to opt in; this equation allows students to engage wholeheartedly and with full agency. When I joined UHS, it was crucial for me to get involved with RIOT (our girls-of-color affinity space) and the Black Student Union (BSU) because these are important parts of my own identity. I always want to do everything I can to create space and enhance support for students who share these identities.

HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?

The shining moment for me was in my first year of working with the BSU. The students were processing an incident that caused friction in the community, and rather than silently moping, taking to social media, or handing the issue to others, they came to me to think about next steps. The students coordinated with BSU leaders from peer schools across San Francisco and staged a walkout during all-school meeting and a sit-in in the Upper Courtyard that lasted the entire school day. They shared stories, ate, laughed, and took up space. It was beautiful. Students who participated continue to talk about how this day built their self-esteem as UHS students and reminded them that they matter. Much of my work in supporting them was making space—letting their teachers know they wouldn’t be in class, coordinating with my peer colleagues at their schools to make sure everyone was safe and aware, and letting my fellow senior administrators know that this was necessary.

HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?

Because I am no longer in the classroom, connecting with students requires a bit of strategy, but, fortunately, it energizes me. My work in affinity spaces has made my work as an educator more meaningful and helped me keep a keen eye on how our students show up and what they need. This year, a senior lovingly nicknamed me “the People’s Dean,” and I believe that is because of my proximity to students in spaces like these. This enhanced connection with students allows me to show up more joyfully, creatively, and energetically.

WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?

I shall cheat! I express myself best through music; I love making playlists and sharing them with others. It’s my love language. What I would recommend is a playlist curated by the Oakland Museum for their 2021 exhibit Mothership: Voyage into Afrofuturism. The exhibit itself is beautiful: a visually stirring journey through the connections between Black/African American history, storytelling, art, music, and sociopolitical movements. The playlist can be found on Spotify and is called A Parallax View: Afrofuturism in Sound, and it is an eclectic sonic adventure curated by Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky. Hearing history in this way is fascinating and enriching.

Pierre Carmona, English Department SPONSOR OF ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER (AAPI)

AAPI is an affinity group for UHS students and faculty who identify as Asian American and/or Pacific Islander to come together as a community and bond over our heritage and experiences.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT UHS?

This will be my sixth year at UHS.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN AFFINITY SPACES?

These past five years, I’ve seen the affinity space student leaders and members get into, in the words of Congressman John Lewis, “good trouble, necessary trouble.” I’m inspired to help students push UHS to do better and to be better. The AAPI affinity space, at least for me, is also one of the few spaces that feels like home. I feel free to be myself. And I hope to create a space for students where they feel safe and seen, but also proud, curious, and empowered. To my chagrin, I didn’t embrace being Mexican and Chinese American in high school. It’s not something I actively hid or resisted, but it’s also something I didn’t try to nurture or pursue. I want to create spaces and structures where racial identity formation can happen at an earlier age.

HOW HAVE YOU COLLABORATED WITH STUDENTS AS A FACULTY SPONSOR?

When I collaborate with student leaders, my feedback is always in the service of their vision and goals. I’m generally in awe of the student leaders, and collaboration usually means stepping back and being an encouraging presence. However, collaboration took on an added and heavier meaning last year. Last school year was the hardest and most exhausting and isolating teaching year of my career, due to the pandemic coupled with the impact of antiAsian racism, especially the hate crime in Atlanta. The AAPI student leaders shouldered so much, and, in order to protect them and themselves, we all had to slow down, to rest, and to say “no.” Collaboration meant checking in with each other, taking care of each other, and prioritizing our mental and emotional health.

HOW HAS YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AN AFFINITY SPACE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK AS AN EDUCATOR?

Personally, I felt connected to Joanne Sugiyama, former registrar and AAPI co-adult sponsor, and the AAPI student leaders from the past three years. There’s tremendous trust and camaraderie and joy. Being an adult sponsor of AAPI reminds me to translate and nurture a similar ethos in my English classes. I value risk-taking, dialogue, honesty, and discomfort. Ideally, I want my students to bring their full selves and personal identities to my classes and into their writing. However, I don’t want my classes to become a confessional space. Nonetheless, I strive for a balance, because the head and the heart can work together.

WHAT ONE BOOK/SHOW/ MOVIE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR FOLKS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EQUITY, AND WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND IT?

I keep returning to Jeff Chang’s We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation. I can’t say enough good things about Chang’s essay collection: expansive, thought provoking, an example of Black–Asian solidarity, etc. During hard times, the last two paragraphs give me solace:

Each of us is left with the question: Can we, given all the pain that we have had inflicted upon us and that we have inflicted upon others, ever learn to see each other as lovers do, to find our way toward freedom for all?

The horizon toward which we move always recedes before us. The revolution is never complete. What we see now as solid and eternal may be disintegrating inward from our blind spots. All that signifies progress may in time be turned against us. But redemption is out there for us if we are always in the process of finding love and grace. n