Empowering educators of color to co-create safe, supportive, and transformative spaces
The Philadelphia Affinity Group Network, led by Teach Plus Pennsylvania, cultivates authentic, inclusive, intersectional spaces, shaped by and for educators of color. These identity-affirming and supportive spaces, rooted in an asset-based understanding of diversity, support educators in navigating and improving their school environments and are connected to a larger network to build alliances and address systemic issues.
The Philadelphia Affinity Group Network seeks to cultivate authentic, inclusive, intersectional spaces shaped by and for educators of color. These affirming and supportive spaces, rooted in an asset-based understanding of diversity, will support educators in navigating and improving their school environments. They will be connected to a larger network to build alliances and address systemic issues, and will be open to educators currently working in Philadelphia district and charter schools.
The network launched with 21 affinity groups across the city in 2023-24 and will expand to 30 groups in 2024-25. Each affinity group is facilitated by a teacher leader who receives ongoing development and support from a Teach Plus leadership coach. Teacher leaders receive training and are part of a community of practice of fellow facilitators to support them in conceptualizing and designing their affinity group, recruiting members, and leading their group in regular meetings.
The Philadelphia Affinity Group Network is open to all self-identified K-12 teachers of color (e.g., Black, Latino/x, Asian, Middle Eastern, North African, etc.) and educators in non-administrative roles in the School District of Philadelphia and Philadelphia-based charter schools.
Affinity spaces for educators of color have been identified by researchers as a promising practice for retaining educators of color, particularly Black male educators, by creating culturally affirming environments where teachers of color can share openly, feel solidarity, engage in collaborative problem-solving and support around the unique challenges teachers of color experience, and cultivate tools for self-advocacy and collective advocacy to meet both professional and personal goals. One such program, The Black Teacher Project, found that their affinity-based professional development decreased isolation and increased retention for Black teachers. Recommendations for affinity group spaces have also emerged out of both of Teach Plus’ national research projects involving focus groups of teachers of color.
Teach Plus recruits and selects Philadelphia Affinity Group Network Facilitators from across the city who will develop, launch, and facilitate affinity groups in their contexts. They will become part of a larger movement of racial equity and support for educators of color, with the goal of keeping more educators of color in Philadelphia’s classrooms.
Nominate a teacher who wants to achieve change in their schools and in the broader education system.
