Hannah K. ‘25 looks around at her Women’s Affinity Group meeting and sees the community she has built. Girls from across grades have come together to make care packages for women who have experienced domestic violence. Not only has her affinity group helped women across Los Angeles, but it has also created a sense of belonging and support for female-identifying people at Campbell Hall.
Campbell Hall has several Affinity groups, such as the Asian American Pacific Islanders Affinity group and the Women’s Affinity group. Unlike clubs, which anyone can join, Affinity groups are exclusive in order to create a close-knit community and safe environment.
Hannah leads the Women’s Affinity group alongside Ava B. ‘26, Shae D. ‘27, and advisor, Catie Langston. When she started the Affinity group in 2022, Hannah aimed to foster friendships and support across grade levels. Hannah saw the need for the group after COVID, when Campbell Hall no longer had single-gendered advisories. Not only does the group focus on creating a safe space for female-identifying individuals but the club also partakes in activities like assembling hygiene kits for domestic violence shelters in Los Angeles or holding bake sales.
“ Our mission is to provide a safe space for female-identifying people on our campus,” Hannah said. “Especially with the [recent] election, a lot of girls I’ve seen are looking for a space where they can feel seen, heard, protected, stood up for and understood. This encapsulates [our goal] for the group.”
Claire K. ‘25 joined the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Affinity group when she was a freshman and is now a leader for the senior class. She acknowledges how crucial it is that AAPI is an Affinity group instead of a club in order to maximize the sense of community and unity. She has bonded with her peers and has made close friends because of the group.
“It’s really important to feel a sense of belonging, especially in a school setting,” Claire said. “I think the point of [the AAPI Affinity group] is tied around the fact that we have a common factor which is being Asian. And once people without Asian descent come in, it ruins that personal connection between each other.”
The Jewish Affinity group used to be a club but due to the rise in anti-semitism, it became an affinity group in 2024. Zeke B. ‘25 is co-leader of the Jewish Affinity group, along with Oren P. ‘25 and faculty advisor Benjamin Enright.
“I think the biggest difference within the last year is that there’s been a bigger need to have identity-based discussions rather than just celebrating our culture,” Zeke said. “We need to have a safe place to discuss what is happening in the world regarding Jews. With the rise of antisemitism, It’s absolutely crucial that we meet. We need to have a place where we can lean on each other for support.”
Hannah believes the number of topics her affinity group can cover regarding women makes her group different from a club. Kuklin’s group covers topics like mental health, relationships, period equity and the impact of the recent election results. This year, Hannah has been especially focusing on bringing girls together through activities rather than slideshows. These activities include vision boards, holiday cookie decorating and making Valentine’s Day cards to each other.
“I know that clubs in the past have been very specialized to one topic, like girls in STEM or women’s rights,” Hannah said. “I like how the Women’s Affinity group is very broad. It allows the members to have a role and do stuff they’re interested in instead of just focusing on the agenda of the club. We can cover a whole range of topics and still have it be related to women.”
