Affinity Groups
Everett Community College Affinity Groups
Affinity Groups are voluntary associations of Everett Community College employees who gather together around a common interest. Affinity Groups play a vital role in developing and improving employee morale and the campus climate. At Everett Community College, Affinity Groups support the shared mission, vision and values of the College, as described in the Strategic Plan and the Campus Civility Statement. Affinity Groups break down barriers of rank and work group around shared interests, to encourage collaboration and understanding.
Current Affinity Groups at EvCC:
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA&PI) Affinity Group
In light of current events, it has become critical to ensure there are safe spaces on campus for those who identify as AAPI to discuss ways we can empower ourselves in an environment that often overlooks, generalizes, and misrepresents our diverse and multi-faceted identities.By developing and sharing awareness of issues that the AAPI community faces, as well as celebrating and affirming our diverse cultures, we hope to create a culture of advocacy, engagement, and inclusion through networking, (virtual) social activities, as well as professional development opportunities. We also plan on hosting an annual healing retreat with local community activists.
I want more information about the AAPI Affinity Group
African/ Black Affinity Group
The African/Black Affinity Group serves as a strategic organization between African and Black faculty and staff at Everett Community College with the intent to foster community and growth here on campus. Our purpose is to encourage African and Black faculty and staff to connect with one another and create new opportunities for networking, mentorship, and leadership. In doing so we build strong relationships that allow us to better advocate and organize for one another and our students on campus and within the broader community. As a diverse population made up of multiple ethnicities filled with layers of intersectionality, we are a space that creates an opportunity to build cultural competency and develop an understanding of our identity and its many complex facets. Our hope is to create a safe space where we can engage in intentional community dialogue, exchanging our diverse set of opinions, and challenging ourselves in order to promote a culture of understanding and empowerment.
I want more information about the African/ Black Affinity Group
Latinx Affinity Group
The Latinx Affinity Group serves as a strategic organization between Latinx staff to foster community and growth here on campus. Our purpose is to encourage Latinx staff to connect with one another and create new opportunities for networking, mentorship, and leadership. In doing so we create, new partnerships that help us better understand and develop changes for our greater community’s needs. As a diverse population made up of multiple ethnicities filled with layers of intersectionality, we provide cultural competency opportunities to develop an understanding of our identity and its many complex facets. Our hope is to create a safe space where we can engage in internal community dialogue, exchanging our diverse set of opinions, challenging ourselves in order to promote a culture of understanding and empowerment.
I want more information about the Latinx Affinity Group
Queer Affinity Group
We seek to educate, equip and inspire members of EvCC’s faculty and staff that identify among the LGBTQIA+ communities to be their best, most authentic selves at work, and in the world.
I want more information about the LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group
Decentering Whiteness Affinity Group
We will seek to educate, equip, and inspire EvCC’s employees who identify as white and are committed to antiracist work. The goals of the group are to:
- Exercise, model and improve anti-racist practices
- Analyze racism and white privilege
- Build consciousness of privilege and oppression
- Build community with other white people engaging in anti-racism work
- Understand how power has been used both historically and currently by white dominant culture to maintain inequities and work intentionally to prepare white people to dismantle and eliminate this practice
- Understand white privilege so as to avoid creating or perpetuating racial injustice
I want more information about the Decentering Whiteness Affinity Group
Cancer Assistance Resources of EvCC (CARE) Group
Many employees at Everett Community College either have had cancer or are family members or friends of cancer patients and support is vital to those impacted by this disease. Employees with access to in house support groups feel less isolated and alone, gain a sense of empowerment and control, have improved coping skills, are better adjusted, and have reduced stress, depression, anxiety and fatigue.
The CARE EvCC Employee Affinity group can help employees begin to reach out to one another for sharing of resources, information and emotional support so needed while battling the disease. Group members receive support based on individual preference and personal need.
The group is open to anyone with any type of cancer and those who are friends, family members and supporters of such employees.
I want more information about the CARE Affinity Group
Nordic Studies Affinity Group
The Nordic Studies Affinity Group's purposes are to learn more about the diverse Nordic peoples and cultures, build educational, cultural, and business opportunities between Everett Community College and the Nordic lands, sponsor events to celebrate Nordic culture, promote intercultural understanding, and encourage community partnerships and engagement.
To learn more about this group, please check out our blog.
I want more information about the Nordic Studies Affinity Group.
I want more information about starting a new Affinity Group.
Affinity Group Process:
- Identify the leader or co-leaders of the group, along with the contact information for those who may want to join the affinity group.
- Define the mission and purpose of the group, based on the College’s mission, vision and values as described in the Strategic Plan and the Campus Civility Statement.
- Write the responses to #1 & #2 above, and send that information to HR.
- HR will review the information, ask for clarification as needed, and then submit it to the President.
- The President will review and approve all affinity groups.
- Once your group has approval of the College, the group begins.