July 29, 2010
Join AQWA for their FIRST ever Asian & Pacific Islander Queer Women & Trans Chat Night! This safe and supportive discussion group is where you can meet other API queer women and transgender individuals in a setting OTHER than the bar scene. AQWA promotes the visibility and empowerment of the Asian & Pacific Islander queer women and transgender community. For more information, please visit www.aqwa.org.
When: 7:30 PM – 9:00PM | Thursday, July 29, 2010
Where: The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038 | [Map]
Questions/Comments: info@aqwa.org
July 28, 2010
Join us! This committee educates Asian journalists; plants stories, op-ed pieces, and letters to the editor in ethnic media; maintains our web site and produces educational pieces for you-tube and other web-based media. A light meal will be provided so PLEASE RSVP!
When: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Where: Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT) | 605 W. Olympic Blvd, Ste 610, Los Angeles, CA [Map]
Questions/Comments: Noel Alumit & Michelle Soliman | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
July 28, 2010
Join us! We will discuss our work to engage API Christian and Buddhist congregations and to collaborate with the statewide coalition, California Faith for Equality. A light dinner will be provided, so PLEASE RSVP!
When: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Where: Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) | 3200 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA [Map]
Questions/Comments: Jonipher Kwong & Alex H. Fukui | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
July 26, 2010
A recent Field Poll indicated that certain Asian American ethnic groups are more opposed to marriage equality than African Americans or Latino/a Americans. A closer examination of the methodology reveals that while this research oversampled the Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese communities, Filipino/a, Japanese, and other ethnicities were mostly left out, leaving a partial image of the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. This skewed analysis could send a potentially divisive and polarizing message to the general public similar to the aftermath of Proposition 8, when African Americans were used as scapegoats for its passage. Furthermore, the title of the San Francisco Weekly article, “Koreans Americans Hate Gay Marriage” demonizes an entire ethnic group and is counterproductive to the diligent work that pro-equality activists in the Korean American community have been engaging in post Prop. 8.
The data provided by The Asian Pacific American Legal Center and Binder/Simon in 2009 indicate age, language proficiency, and religiosity as key factors when it comes to API perspectives on marriage equality. The Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Director of API Equality-LA says, “While it is true that most frequent church attendees tend to disapprove of marriage equality, more and more denominations and communities of faith are coming to the realization that the gospel is about inclusion and love, not divisiveness and waging culture wars. Proponents of justice and equality, both religious and secular, need to be vigilant in reaching out across all artificial boundaries and to continue building bridges instead of walls. We desperately need to allocate more resources to educating people of faith and in-language to reach the older immigrant population.”
Like other Californians, there has been a tremendous shift from Prop 22 to Prop 8 over the years. Tawal Panyacosit, Director of API Equality Northern California says, “Though it is a far cry from where we’d like it to be, APIs are inching closer to marriage equality as an ideal and a reality in a just world. Our research indicates that the API community represents the highest percentage of moveable voters. We have a tremendous opportunity to change hearts and minds.”
July 13, 2010
Join us for our general coalition meeting! We will be discussing our recent participation in the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Festival as well as our two Harvey Milk Day events, Harvey Milk Day Canvass and the Saving Face Film Screening. A light dinner will be provided, so PLEASE RSVP!
When: 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM | Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Where: The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038 | [View on Google Maps]
Questions/Comments: Brian Nguyen | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
July 12, 2010
Join us! This committee conducts speaker trainings (sometimes in multiple languages) to enable our volunteers to address the media, API organizations, conferences, classes, and churches. The committee also plans educational events to empower our supporters with information to build support for marriage equality among their friends, families, and constituents. A light meal will be provided so PLEASE RSVP!
When: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Monday, July 12, 2010
Where: The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038 [Map]
Questions/Comments: Sanjay Chhugani & Greg Matsunami | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
July 11, 2010
In July, members of API Equality-LA will be doing outreach at the Lotus Festival in Echo Park (for directions, click here!). We will speak with festival go-ers about marriage equality and we need your help! Join us at the Lotus Festival and help us recruit supporters to educate voters about marriage equality and win back the right to marry!
Volunteers needed for the following shifts:
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Shift 1: noon to 4 pm
Shift 2: 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm
We are looking for multiple volunteers to help staff each shift. Training will be provided at the beginning of each shift, and first-time volunteers will be paired with another experienced volunteer and a free t-shirt! To volunteer, please contact Brian at contact@apiequalityla.org.
Lotus Festival is a pan-Asian celebration of food, entertainment, and crafts that draws both API and latin@ folks from all over Los Angeles. As such, we will be collaborating with LEA, Latino Equality Alliance, in our work to do outreach to all festival attendees! For more information about the Lotus Festival, you can visit LAparks.org.
Plenty of street parking is available around Echo Park Lake – but please read parking restriction signs carefully (even on Sunday), so you don’t get a parking ticket.
July 10, 2010
This year, API Equality-LA is a community collaborator for the film, “International Male,” described as “Some say that the best thing about travel is making new friends, but the budding relationships in this program might just change your mind. As new faces in town meet hosts with hidden agendas, hospitality gets very complicated. Meanwhile, youngsters are branching out and standing up for themselves. Hit the road Jack.” Please join API Equality-LA and support LGBT artists at this film screening!
When: 11 AM, Saturday, July 10, 2010
Where: San Vicente Blvd. between Santa Monica Blvd. and Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA [Map]
Questions/Comments: Brian Nguyen | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
July 8, 2010
Join us! We write grants to obtain funding for API Equality-LA’s work. We also organize fundraising events (e.g. house parties, Bingo nights, restaurant mixers, etc). A light dinner will be provided, so PLEASE RSVP!
When: 6:30 PM | Thursday, July 8, 2010
Where: Asian Pacific American Legal Center (The Community Room) | 1145 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | ROOF parking accessible on Lucas Ave.) | [Map]
Questions/Comments: Jury Candelario & Marc Loresto | contact@apiequalityla.org | (323) 860-7348
