Affinity Groups & Clubs

Catlin Gabel offers affinity groups and clubs to students who are in our Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, as well as parents and guardians, as a means to strengthen our community and to provide opportunities for personal growth and experience.

Staff from the diversity and inclusion office also run a monthly discussion group, IONS (In Our Neighbors’ Shoes), that is designed for adults in our community (parents, guardians, and employees) to share stories, learn from one another, and forge new connections. IONS discussions can also include current affairs and social justice issues.

Parent/Guardian Affinity Groups

Parent/Guardian affinity groups were introduced with the goal of creating safe spaces for parents/guardians to speak from the I-perspective about a particular identity and/or who have children who can speak from the I-perspective. Participants can speak openly and share feedback that might improve a family’s experience in the Catlin Gabel community. Any parent can create an affinity group to build connections within our community. Current parent groups are listed below, but may change as interests or needs change:

Asian American Affinity Group
Black and Biracial Affinity Group
FCLC (Families with Children with Learning Challenges) Affinity Group
Jewish Affinity Group
Latinx Affinity Group
Multicultural & Multiracial Affinity Group (M&M)

Upper School Student Affinity Groups

Affinity groups have shown to be a positive vehicle for creating authentic connections. Any Upper School student may start a group. Groups stop and start as student interests or needs change. Groups that have been active on campus recently include:

TRIBE (The Real Indescribable Black Experience—Black Affinity)
Multi Culti (Multiracial Affinity)
Interfaith Affinity Group
Conservative Affinity
Desi Affinity
Secular Humanist Affinity Group
Middle Eastern Affinity (MEA)
Asian American Affinity Group
All Queer Environment (AQE)—LGBTQ+ Affinity
Latinx Affinity
Jewish Affinity

Middle School Student Affinity Groups

Affinity groups have shown to be a positive vehicle for creating authentic connections. Affinity groups may be started by any Middle School student. Groups may change to accommodate new interests or needs. Groups that have been active recently include:

Students of Color Affinity Group
Female Affinity Group
LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
Middle Eastern Affinity Group

Lower School Affinity Groups

Affinity groups have shown to be a positive vehicle for creating authentic connections. Affinity groups may be started by any Lower School student. Groups may change to accommodate new interests or needs. Groups that have been active recently include: in the 2018-19 school year included:

African American
Asian American Affinity
Identity Burrito (LGBTQIA+)
Jewish Affinity
Students with Learning Challenges

Clubs

Clubs provide a structure for students to share ideas, practice independence, bond with peers, engage in activities, and have fun. The below list focuses on clubs and groups where DEI is a primary focus:

ARC (Anti-Racism Collective): A collective devoted to solid action in normalizing anti-racism work and changing Catlin Gabel culture to serve under-represented members of our community.

Black Student Union: A group open to all students to explore and discuss issues that are centered around the Black community.

Jewish Student Union: A group open to all students who are interested in supporting the Jewish community and learning about the Jewish experience.