CMA Affinity Spaces

An affinity group is a community of peers that offers support, guidance, resources, and mentorship to its members, who identify as like-minded with the group. Affinity groups are valuable because they provide a sense of belonging, community, and collective empowerment to members whose experiences and voices may not always be centered or widely represented. An affinity space serves as a place to convene, share challenges, validate experiences, collaboratively identify needs, and celebrate successes. It can also be a space for sharing food, cultural celebrations, or ceremonies. Affinity groups bring together people who share relatable feelings and experiences, providing a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive environment where true feelings, expressions, thoughts, and opinions can be shared and recognized.

For many, these groups are important spaces where they feel truly understood and seen for who they are. By design, members of diverse communities sometimes have fewer peers with similar backgrounds to turn to; however, an affinity space allows for connection across geographical barriers, levels of involvement, and other differentiating factors.

Affinity groups can take various forms, including physical spaces (such as an office or building) and/or online spaces (like a message board, website, hashtag, etc.). They can exist at different scales, ranging from local to international, and can be grassroots or institutionally organized.