As we kick into high gear in the 2024-2025 school year at Kingswood Oxford, it is important to note students’ commitment not only to academic classes but to extracurricular activities as well.
KO has a slew of different clubs and organizations for students to get involved with on campus. Some of these extracurricular clubs and organizations include affinity groups, defined as “a group of faculty and staff linked by a common purpose, ideology, or interest.” At KO, each affinity group shares a common goal in generating inclusivity, identity, and further education.
Affinity groups are key to encouraging civil discourse and cultivating community. At KO, we are fortunate to have various affinity groups. These include the Black Student Union, Hispanic Organization of Latin American Students, the Jewish Affinity Group, Girls Group of Color, and the Asian American Pacific Islander Affinity Group. These affinity groups are vital to diversifying our community, fostering conversation, and ultimately, making sure each minority student feels seen and knows they have a place where they can be comfortable.
Sophomore Danica De Dios, founder and leader of the AAPI Affinity Group, noticed that there had not been a group on campus for people who identify as Asian American or Pacific Islanders and took it upon herself to make it a reality. “I feel like it would help new students feel more welcomed and have a place to go to if they don’t feel welcomed,” she said. One of the main goals of having affinity groups is inclusivity and this was certainly noted.
Another pillar of affinity groups is identity. Senior Joella Asapokhai, co-leader of the Black Student Union and Girls Group of Color, spoke to the importance of identity. “Being a part of an affinity group is a celebration of identity, and it’s a way to bring people of similar backgrounds together,” she said. “It’s just different when you interact with people who you share a common identity with.”
Aside from developing conversational skills and making connections, KO affinity groups also place a bold emphasis on education. Junior Samaria Gonzalez, co-leader of the Hispanic Organization of Latin American Students, explained how affinity groups help to further students’ general knowledge about global cultures. “Being a minority group on campus means we have to not only be there for each other in an environment in which we lack representation but also educate our peers,” she said. “One of the main goals for our group this year is to bring awareness to the different holidays, cultures, and events that Hispanic and Latin American people celebrate all around the world through events on campus.” The HOLAS Affinity Group had a successful Festival del Guiverno this past September and looks to expand upon it in the future.
At KO, we are lucky beyond measure to be in an environment of many diverse cultures, and we are even luckier to be given the opportunity to learn from those cultures, which primarily happens through programming such as affinity groups. These organizations are off to a great start and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!
