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Affinity and Alliance Groups

Equity

Twality Affinity and Alliance Group Program

Al Menasa: Bayard Lyons, Advisor

Asian Student Affinity Group: Ying Knipe, Advisor

The Asian Student Affinity group is a safe space for students who identify as Asian to explore, process and celebrate their identity. We gather each week to build community, to consider the group in the context of school, community, and world at large.

Black Student Union: Mame Mensa Arthur, Advisor

The BSU’s mission is to create a safe and welcoming school environment for all black students. We work towards this mission by facilitating regular group discussions, creating projects, hosting school-wide events, inviting guest speakers and attending field trips that are all centered around supporting the black student experience. The BSU also invites allies to join us periodically for specific activities and events.

MEChA: Maria Diaz - Advisor

MEChA is an affinity group for Hispanic/Latinx students. Students have opportunities to build community with other students who share a similar identity. Students engage in community learning, activities, and planning festive celebrations and field trips. Students share ideas about culture, history, and current social issues.

LGBTQ+ Alliance: Heather Oesterreich & Margaux Wrenn - Advisors

The LGBTQ+ Alliance is for students who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community or who want to support members of the LGBTQ+ community. In this alliance, we work to build a safe and caring community where students can get support from other group members while building their own self-confidence. We work to bring awareness to LGBTQ+ issues and to educate all students at Twality to decrease bullying.

Pacific Islander Pride: Rachel Placencia-Burns, Advisor

The Pacific Islander Pride group has become a safe space for students to talk about their successes and challenges as middle schoolers. We spend a lot of time talking about how to advocate for ourselves and increase our self-confidence as learners. We also work with the Pacific Islander affinity group at Portland State, and they come to speak to our students at Twality.