Affinity Spaces
As we continue to intentionally listen, center, and uplift the voices of our members, GAIN has elected to continue the practice of offering closed affinity space during the conference. Our affinity spaces this year include one for LGBTQIA+ individuals, BIPOC folks, Young Professionals, and Parents. This year, we are offering two sessions of each affinity group, to allow for individuals to honor their intersecting identities. Our goal in connecting at the conference is to support each other in exploring our professional aspirations while also navigating various aspects of our identities and career experiences. These groups will be informally led by one community member and one member of the GAIN Board of Directors.
Affinity space has been defined by NCORE as "a place where participants retreat to a more private setting to process information...confer and/or simply gain "breathing room" after the often emotionally-difficult interactions that can occur in the common area where all parties are present."
* For more information on caucus spaces please visit the Racial Equity Tools website.
Young Professionals
The Young Professionals Affinity Group provides a space for young professionals and early career professionals in higher education to share resources and connect. Young professionals, whether in age or young in the profession, can bring great value, perspective, and innovation to this work especially when academia can, at times, get stuck in upholding the status quo and resist change. This group aims to provide networking opportunities for participants, promote the sharing of resources, and hold space for sharing experiences with navigating growth, learning, advocacy, and building leadership confidence!
BIPOC
The BIPOC Affinity Group is an inclusive and intersectional group that aims to foster the success of Black, Indigenous, and communities of color with the purpose of promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within higher education. We recognize that these individuals and communities may experience racial trauma and disproportionate impact as educators in white-dominant environments. Our goal is to hold space to pause and debrief in community, discuss challenges and successes, and share words of recognition, affirmation, and encouragement through lived experiences. We hope that this space serves as an opportunity to cultivate new connections and strengthen existing networks that folks can draw upon.
Parents
We invite parents, guardians, and caregivers to participate in this affinity group! This group offers caregivers the opportunity to discuss their individual experiences among a peer group that shares a common identity. We acknowledge that parents, guardians and caregivers face unique expectations as they balance their careers, familial responsibilities, and caring for oneself. Navigating professional careers in spaces that do not often account for these experiences can pose challenges. Our goal is to provide a safe space to build community, share challenges and success, and promote inclusive practices to support caregivers within higher education.
LGBTQIA+
This affinity group aims to foster a welcoming and respectful space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, intersex, and asexual individuals. As we come together in conversations where we bring our sexual and gender identities, we aim to hold space to reflect on what we have experienced, to verbalize the thoughts we may not always feel comfortable expressing, and to share our concerns and hopes for the LGBTQIA+ community within higher education.