Vistamar Experience
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Student Affinity & Interest Groups
Student Affinity and Interest Groups
What is SAIG?
Over the last decade, Vistamar students have spearheaded efforts to found numerous student affinity and interest groups (SAIG). Through bi-weekly meetings, all students have the opportunity to explore different aspects of their identity and find community among like-minded peers.
Over the last decade, Vistamar students have spearheaded efforts to found numerous student affinity and interest groups (SAIG). Through bi-weekly meetings, all students have the opportunity to explore different aspects of their identity and find community among like-minded peers.
SAIG Mission/Purpose
In Fall 2019, SAIG Student Leaders defined their common mission: “We strive to create BOTH safe and brave spaces where students can develop community and participate in something bigger than themselves.”
In Fall 2019, SAIG Student Leaders defined their common mission: “We strive to create BOTH safe and brave spaces where students can develop community and participate in something bigger than themselves.”
Identity and Culture Clubs come in two forms:
Affinity Groups
...where students come together because they have a shared social identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation or religion, for example, and can speak to the experience of being a member of the group. These are safe spaces because they are only for individuals who identify with the rest of the group.
Examples include:
...where students come together because they want to learn about, teach or engage in a topic of shared interest. These are brave spaces because club members frequently engage the larger community through teaching and education about members of their individual community.
Examples include:
Some clubs alternate between affinity and interest groups:
United Asian Association
Chinese Culture Club
Mixed Kidz Club
Jewish Culture Club
...where students come together because they have a shared social identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation or religion, for example, and can speak to the experience of being a member of the group. These are safe spaces because they are only for individuals who identify with the rest of the group.
Examples include:
- African American Mentoring Program (AAMP)
- La Familia
- P10
...where students come together because they want to learn about, teach or engage in a topic of shared interest. These are brave spaces because club members frequently engage the larger community through teaching and education about members of their individual community.
Examples include:
- African American Association (AAA)
- Latino Students Association
- Femnist Club
- Gender and Sexual Alliance
Some clubs alternate between affinity and interest groups:
United Asian Association
Chinese Culture Club
Mixed Kidz Club
Jewish Culture Club
As a sophomore who transitioned into a leader of Mixed Kidz Affinity, DAC supported me in many ways. I realized that this strong group of student and adult leaders ensured that we would be able to share our stories in a safe/brave space and become grounded in our identities.
Community Education Outreach Events
In keeping with their broader mission to educate the Vistamar community, each student interest group hosts a community-wide education outreach event or activity. Here are some of the events for the 2019-2020 academic year:
-
Jewish Culture Club: Yiddish Word of the Week
-
Chinese Culture Club: Lunar New Year celebration
-
LSA: Latinx Open Mic Night
-
GSA: Queer Art Show
-
Feminist Club: TedX-style talk on body image and gender
-
UAA: Slam Poetry Morning Meeting
-
AAA: Soulful Celebration
Vistamar School is a private independent high school in the South Bay region of Los Angeles.
