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
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)
National Council on Independent Living
Lane County Developmental Disabilities Services
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
National Association for Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities
National Disability Rights Network
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
Oregon State Independent Living Council
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Oregon
Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon
S.933 - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
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
Oregon Student Aid Resources for persons with disabilities
AAPD Education and Scholarships Resources
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)
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.