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Eugene School District 4J

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Affinity Groups Home

Affinity Groups

Información en español

The primary purpose of Eugene School District 4J’s affinity groups is to provide time and space for students of shared affinities from our school communities to come together in an environment where they make up the majority. In addition, affinity groups help students develop healthy self-identity and build networks both within and beyond the group through sharing experiences and belonging strategies.

A staff member at each school facilitates each affinity group while district program coordinators support each school-based program. If you have questions regarding an affinity group, please contact the program coordinator at the email linked below or call 541-790-5900.

APISU: Asian, Pacific Islander Student Union Affinity Group is for students of Asian, Pacific Islander or biracial and multiracial heritage.
Program Coordinator: Mia Lu

BSU: Black Student Union Affinity Group is for African American or biracial and multiracial students and their allies.
Program Coordinator: Stefan Williams

GSA: Gender Sexuality Alliance Affinity Group is for students interested in advancing inclusivity in the LGBTQ school community. It is an alliance group, meaning people of all identities are welcome to attend.
Program Coordinator: Lisa Kinser-Wehr

LSU: Latinx Student Union Affinity Group is for Latinx/Hispanic or biracial and multiracial heritage students.
Program Coordinator: Josue Honorato

NASU: Native American Student Union Affinity Group is for Native American or biracial and multiracial students.
Program Coordinator: Contact the NATIVES Program for more details

MBDA: Mind, Body, Divergence Alliance (MBDA) brings together students with all types of disabilities, mental health issues, and neurodivergence as well as allies committed to supporting and improving inclusion and accessibility.
Program Coordinator: Grace Ogden-Parker

JSU: Jewish Student Union is for students who identify as Jewish to come together in a safe and supportive space. Jewish people from all backgrounds, affiliations, and walks of life are encouraged to join. 
Program Coordinator: Emma Burstein 

The community liaison is focused on supporting historically underserved groups of students.
Coordinator: Leon Lincoln

Resources for Affinity Groups & Students

Presentation to School Board (Oct. 18, 2023) Video | Slides

2025 Disability & Diversity Calendar

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

Autistic Women and Non-binary Network (AWN)

CommunicationFIRST

Disability Belongs

National Council on Independent Living

LILA

The ARC of Lane County

Lane County Developmental Disabilities Services

Health Care for All Oregon

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

National Association for Councils on Developmental Disabilities

Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities

National Disability Rights Network

Disability Rights Oregon

U of O AccessABILITY Student Union

U of O Neurodiversity Alliance

U of O Accessible Education Center

U of O Center on Human Development (CHD) Community Advocacy Council (CAC)

Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon

OregonHealthCare Website

Oregon State Independent Living Council

NW ADA Center

ADA National Network

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Oregon

Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon

Best Buddies in Oregon

Olmstead Rights

S.933 - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

AUCD

OHSU UCEDD

ACL

National Center for Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)

Planning Accessible Events (UO AEC)

Scholarships and Tax Deductible Savings Plans:

National Center for Learning Disabilities Scholarships

UofO Accessible Education Center Scholarships Page

OSU Disability Access Services Scholarships Page

OIT Scholarships Page

Oregon Student Aid Resources for persons with disabilities

INCIGHT Scholarship

LDA Scholarships page

AAPD Education and Scholarships Resources

Oregon College Savings Plan

Oregon ABLE Savings Plan

The Washington Center — Provides a total of 50 competitive scholarship awards for students with disabilities interested in working in the executive, judicial, or legislative branches of the federal government.

 

Recommended Books, Articles and Videos:

Disability Visibility by Alice Wong

Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma

Listen, a film created by CommunicationFIRST

Crip Camp Website, a documentary about the Disability Rights Movement, more information at Crip Camp.

Being Heumann by Judith Heumann

Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman

Unmasking Autism by Devon Price

We’re Not Broken by Eric Garcia

The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide by Siena Castellon

All the Weight of Our Dreams: On Living Racialized Autism Edited by Lydia X. Z. Brown, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, E. Ashkenazy

The disability experience : working toward belonging by Leavitt, Hannalora

Autisme Handicap Et Pont (Autism, Disability, and the Bridge) 

 

Career Resources

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) — Free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the employability of people with disabilities

Incight — Headquartered in Portland this organization provides information on scholarships, internships, jobs, and eMentoring as well as other information relevant to people with disabilities.

Federal Jobs Net — Information and employment opportunities within the federal government for people with disabilities. 

Disability Equity Index: 2022 Best Places to Work — Most comprehensive benchmarking tool for disability inclusion at top companies

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Summer Internship program — geared toward developing innovative leaders that will further the causes of the disability community.

What Can You Do? The Campaign for Disability Employment — Resources for Job Seekers

Employer Assistance and Resource Network for Disability Inclusion (EARN) — Neurodiversity Hiring Initiatives and Partnerships

Oregon Department of Human Services: Vocational Rehabilitation Services — VR helps people with disabilities find and keep a job, and helps businesses with inclusive hiring support.

Workforce Recruitment Program — A federal recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private-sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.