Inaugural Alumnae Affinity Group Workshop
“You have to start, even if it’s not at the beginning,” said Maia Monteagudo ’06. During Alumnae Weekend, Winsor hosted the first-ever inaugural affinity group workshop and invited alums to bring stories, photos, papers, poems, and memories to share with current students.
Now a full-time counselor at Winsor, “Ms. M,” as the students call her, is also an advisor to SOMOS, an Upper School affinity group for Latinx students. During the 2022–2023 school year, SOMOS was planning an all-school assembly on the Latinx legacy at Winsor, but when the group went to the archives, it couldn’t find what it was looking for.
The students were upset to discover no BIPOC catalog and no specific file of Latinx articles and photos. With Ms. M’s help, students organized a panel of Latinx Winsor alumnae to speak to the whole school in April. Then they worked with school administration and made a plan to address the incomplete archives, starting at Alumnae Weekend in May.
Small painted canvases and papel picado (a colorful Mexican decoration made of tissue paper) decorated the tables in the Valerie Knapp Trustees Room on May 13. With students Veronica Agudelo ’24, Veronica Romero-Rivera ’24, and Mia Gonzalez ’26 leading, participants decorated fabric squares with markers and puffy paint with the goal of creating a quilt to tell the story of BIPOC Winsor alums—a tangible beginning to the archive the students want to see.
Students developed conversation starters, which were printed on table tents and scattered throughout the room, asking questions such as How did you feel connected to the Winsor community? and What were some highlights from your Winsor experience? While they worked, students and alums shared stories about their time at Winsor—the unique challenges of organizing a group of sophomores to sew a banner, the best senior homeroom themes, the joys of off-campus privileges.
“When I was at Winsor, we used to meet weekly in our individual affinity groups and then monthly as an affinity group community with everyone,” shared Erina Li ’13, who returned for her 10-year reunion. Helping students brainstorm what they want to accomplish in their affinity groups next year, students identified allyship and connection as goals. “If you like food, try a potluck with everyone!” said Li.
The Technology Department arranged a scanner to capture and digitize personal documents during the workshop.
“This was my welcome folder when I got into Class II,” shared Ms. M. “I cannot believe my mom held on to it all these years.”
