Find ways to connect with Brown and engage with fellow Brunonians around shared identities.
Find ways to connect with Brown and engage with fellow Brunonians around shared identities.
One alumni body, many voices.
Brunonians share more than just their ties to Brown. Through affinity groups, alumni can connect with one another and the University around cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and disability identities that cut across generations, regions, and professions.
Brown affinity groups engage, celebrate, and empower alumni and student communities. Through community building, advocacy, and visibility, they honor the diversity of lived experiences and perspectives represented at Brown. Together, they are working to enrich the Brown experience for the entire community.
Brown’s first alumni affinity group community was founded in the 1980s with the establishment of the Brown Gay and Lesbian Alumni group, now known as the Brown Alumni Pride Association (BAPA).
In the early 2000s, affinity groups for alumni of color were established, beginning with the creation of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC) which originated with the efforts of several undergraduates working on an independent study project about Black alumni organizations in the Ivy League. The Brown University Latino Alumni Council (BULAC), the Asian/Asian American Alumni Alliance (A4), and the Native American Brown Alumni (NABA) were later founded to build connections and support within their respective Brown communities. The Brown Women’s Network was established in 2019 following up on the success of the 125 Years of Women at Brown celebration in 2017.
Affinity groups have hosted a wide range of events focused on celebrating community (Mercedes Domenech Retirement Celebration, hosted by BULAC), honoring generations past (Honoring Black Excellence of the 1950s, hosted by IPC) and addressing today’s complex challenges (Anti-Asian Violence and Racism Panel, hosted by A4).
Brown alumni continue to lead the way in identifying and developing new affinity group communities in partnership with Office of Alumni Relations staff. In 2022, Eli Wolff ’00 and Jonathan Mooney ’00 proposed the creation of a disability/neurodiversity affinity group. This affinity group is in the early stages of development and more information will be shared about how alumni can get involved with this community in the future.
A4 was created in 2003 to build connections between and among Brown University and its Asian and Asian American alumni, to encourage and facilitate positive experiences and engagement with the University, to act as a conduit and facilitator to adequately address the needs of the Brown Asian and Asian American community, and to build partnerships with members of the greater Brown community.
The Brown Alumni Pride Association (BAPA), formerly TBGALA, celebrates and amplifies LGBTQIA+ alumni of all schools of Brown University through advocacy, visibility, and community building. BAPA supports its members and strengthens its connection to the University by utilizing networking opportunities, social media, social action, outreach, and online and in-person events. BAPA is committed to honoring and promoting the diversity and intersectionality of its members, current students, faculty, administration, and other alumni affinity groups.
BULAC seeks to maximize the Brown experience for Latinos, to serve as a representative voice for Latino alumni and to assist in the unification of alumni efforts to further and support the interests of Brown University. These goals shall be accomplished through networking, advocacy, and engaging (educationally and socially) Latino members of the Brown community and others.
This initiative is bringing together a vibrant community of Brunonian women who are interested in tapping into their shared Brown roots for their lifelong social, professional, and intellectual development.
Learn more about the Brown Women's Network
IPC aims to strengthen Brown by directly addressing the needs and concerns of its Black alumni and establishing a productive interaction among Black alumni, students, faculty, and staff. Members of IPC endeavor to channel their energies toward broadening opportunities for the Black community of Brown and maximizing Black alumni participation in the life of the University.
NABA seeks to improve connections among Native American Brown students and alumni; to better the learning and living experience of students through the support of campus groups; to increase Native American matriculation, retention, and graduation; to foster community between local Native American Tribes and the University; and to raise awareness of Native American issues.
To join an affinity group, be sure to update your myBrown alumni profile with your race/ethnicity/LGBTQIA+ information. For more information, contact us.