Affinity and Empowerment Spaces - Our Journey

Presenters: Isis Buchanan, Landen Parkin, Tommie Gaston, Chris Bellmont

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Table of Contents

1. History
2. How DIBC Supports ISD 191 Core Values
3. Vision Statement for Affinity Groups
4. Core Values
5. DIBC Structure
6. Individual Group Mission Statements
7. Goals and Focuses for 23-24
8. Specific Plans/Ideas for 23-24
9. Major Events for 23-24
10. BHS Circle of Cultural Support and Community Excellence

Diversity Inclusion and Belonging Collaborative at BHS

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ISD 191 Core Values supported through this work

Caring Community: Our culture will actively encourage and embrace each member of the community, creating a sense of support that fosters their individual growth and pursuit of learning.

Student Agency: Our students will make choices that personalize their learning journey, proactively building a day-to-day experience that leads them toward their passion and purpose.

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Vision Statement for Affinity Groups

Create a safe and culturally sustaining space for students to connect, build community, develop leadership skills, grow as students and people, and give back to the greater ISD 191 community.

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Core Values

• Engagement and Access to Resources
• Meeting students needs: Educational and SEL
• Equity and Cultural Proficiency
• Training for students, advisors, and teachers
• Creating formative and structural change
• Identifying and addressing ways to make ISD 191 better for its marginalized students
• Relationship/Solidarity building
• Intentional Bonding Activities 🤝 Community Circle Building

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• Most importantly: Building Relationships, Empowerment,

& Student Voice

Foundation of the Student Lead Facilitated Circles/Groups

• Students will have the opportunity to participate in affinity community building circles with a focus on understanding how marginalized students show up and participate within the school community.
• Social-Emotional Learning goals are established.
• Academic learning goals are established.
• Research around implementation (Baltimore County Schools)

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Sample Lesson plan(s):

BHS Circle Template 2022-23.docx - Google Docs

Sample Resource for Advisor(s):

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Eb58VUDa0ugbxQURGtZBXYrhZxgfke-T8aBGjeyZMfk/edit?usp=sharing

Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging Collaborative

Example of Mission Statement & Objective(s)

• To build & provide an equitable, and safe/inclusive space for our students of color. While also providing them with the resources they need in order to be successful academically, but also the tools they need to be successful in life. We believe by creating a safe/inclusive space, and instilling SELF-DETERMINATION principles & values within our students this will help the student in believing, transforming, and evolving throughout their educational career into adulthood as an active member of their perspective communities.

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• This will provide our students/school with the necessary ingredient to facilitate dialogue amongst their peers along with the power to build meaningful & effective relationships in order change the narrative for our students of color, and truly affect change in our community/society.

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Cont. Mission Statement & Objective(s)

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• The objective for BSU, BTE, & BGM is simple, and that is to help bridge the gap in relationships between students of color & educators.

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• We are starting with creating a strong awareness of SELF-DETERMINATION & IDENTITY with our students of color which in turn will start to build a strong base of leadership skills, and self-confidence.

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• We want to provide these students with the skills they will need to work with their peers, educators, and teach them life lessons that they can call for guidance after they leave BHS.

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• We want to provide opportunities to elevate the voices of black students and highlight their leadership skills within the great community

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Leadership and Student Participant Contracts

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Goals and Focuses for 2024

• Emphasis on building and empowering student leaders.

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• Collecting and effectively using data from students for targeted interventions and tracking progress from other goals.

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• Affinity Group participants gaining increased academic and social-emotional success.

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• Empowering students to continue to showcase their heritage/identity in culturally sustainable ways that also bring in the larger 191 community.

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• Address systemic barriers and partner with students, staff, administration, and families to address and combat these issues.

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• Make sure each group has consistent meetings, leadership structure, and mission statement.

One91 Affinity Leadership Academy

• For the first 6 weeks of the school year, student leadership from all Affinity Groups participated in workshops to strengthen their leadership skills and build solidarity between groups.

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• Each workshop featured a guest speaker from the local community, and focused on a different aspect of leadership.

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• Emphasis on representation in guest speakers and a multi-faceted curriculum approach to what leadership and service mean as well as the different forms that those concepts can take within different individuals and communities.

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Major Events for 2024

1. Advisors Dinner (Summer)
1. Advisors and Admin Supports get together and share testimonies and the vision for the work.
2. DIBC Kickoff (6 Weeks in)
• Food, Games, Celebration for DIBC students
3. Latin American Heritage Month Celebration
• TBD
4. ASA Diwali Celebration
• Traditional Indian Food, Dancing, information about the Desi Holiday Diwali
5. BSU Showcase (February)
• BSU students showcasing their talents for students during the school day.
6. ASA Lunar New Year Celebration (February)
• An event to celebrate and inform the community about the Lunar New Year Holiday celebrated by our East and Southeast Asian students.
7. Iftar Dinner
• MSA and Community Ed. present an Iftar dinner and celebration of Ramadan.
8. Culture Week (May)
• All of the Affinity Groups Collaborate to create a week of cultural celebration during and after school.
9. AAPI Culture Show (May)
• The Annual AAPI culture show where ASA students showcase their various talents and culture
10. DIBC Closing Celebration (May or June)
• Similar to the DIBC Kickoff, food and games to celebrate the students accomplishments this year, as well as the Seniors who are going off to college.

BHS Circle of Cultural Support & Community Excellence

ISD 191-Staff Affinity Group-Amplify One91

Purpose:

AmplifyOne91 is an organization for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) staff, focused on addressing the local and national barriers in education regarding BIPOC staff.

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Goal:

We work tirelessly to address barriers and provide recommendations to district leadership as a means to correct our local needs.

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ISD 191-Staff Affinity Group-Amplify One91

• History started in 2019, A Classroom Teacher and Administrator were co-leaders and started the work
• All BIPOC staff across our district are invited to attend
• As a group we work to amplify the voice BIPOC staff in our district
• Some projects we have advocated for:
• MOU to support the retention of BIPOC teachers
• Sharing our voice/perspectives with the Superintendent’s Race Advisory Council
• Supporting BIPOC staff in having a space to reflect and support each other
• Sharing information with site administrators to add to professional learning opportunities in the district

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BHS Affinity Group Students Share Their Perspectives

https://youtu.be/3sD0dnY2ckY

Appreciation and Resources

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Link to Resources:

• Contract example
• CPSS placemat
• Lesson examples

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Chris Bellmont, Assistant Superintendent

cbellmont@isd191.org

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Isis Buchanan, Director of Educational Equity

ibuchanan@isd191.org

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Tommie Gaston, Cultural Liaison

tgaston@isd191.org

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Landen Parkin, Teacher

lparkin@isd191.org

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