“Our membership is thrilled at the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” said API Equality-LA Executive Director, the Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong. “The ability to serve our country openly as gays and lesbians is a major victory for equality in America. We shouldn’t have to hide.”

API Equality-LA supporter and military veteran Julianne H. Sohn, said, “For 17 years, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has codified discrimination against gay men and women willing to put their lives on the line for our country. Today is the first step in ensuring that we the people of the United States live up to our Constitution where all are truly afforded equal protection under the law.”

However, the moment is bittersweet as the DREAM Acts stalls. “As we celebrate this fine occasion, we are also disappointed by the standstill of the DREAM Act, which would create a path to citizenship for eligible undocumented individuals,” said API Equality-LA Steering Committee Co-chair Marshall Wong. “Criminalizing these people does nothing but rob this country of their potential talents and contributions.”

“This is only more reason for us to continue our work,” Kwong said resolutely. “One hurdle down, more to go.”

KUE is proud and excited to invite you to the first KUE Appreciation Banquet.  Together with their members, friends, and supporters, they will reflect and celebrate the last two years that KUE has been in existence.  Please join them as they recognize important individuals who helped organize and support KUE along the way.  The event is also a fundraiser with special speakers, musical guests, and a short play.
When: 6 PM – Dinner is served | 6:30 PM – Program begins | Saturday, December 11, 2010
Where: Immanuel Presbyterian Church | 3300 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90005 [Map]
Tickets: $25 each
To purchase tickets/questions: info@kue-la.org

API Equality-LA, along with many in the Los Angeles Asian American community, mourns the sudden and unexpected loss of our dear friend and colleague, Peter Corpus. He died on Monday, November 22. Peter Corpus had been active for many years, dedicating countless hours to local and national efforts to organize the API queer community. He served as treasurer for the Gay Asian Pacific Support Network, was a founding member of the gay Filipino organization Barangay, and was the Development Director for Search to Involve Pilipino Americans. He had literally raised millions of dollars for Asian American communities, and we are truly saddened by his untimely death.

Peter contributed his talents to API Equality-LA by serving on the Faith Committee. His robust laughter and colorful language livened up a room. We mourn the loss of such a valued and committed leader of our community. He will be sorely missed.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Friendship Auditorium in Griffith Park [Google Map] on Friday, December 10 at 11 a.m.  Please join us in honoring peter.  You can also contribute photos by emailing them to: jbugproductions@aol.com.

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 | Thursday, December 9, 2010
Where: Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) | 3200 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA [Map]
Questions/RSVP: Alex H. Fukui & Ezra Evangelista |contact@apiequalityla.org

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 | Thursday, December 9, 2010
Where: Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) | 3200 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA [Map]
Questions/RSVP: Alex H. Fukui & Ezra Evangelista |contact@apiequalityla.org

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 – 8:30 PM | Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Where: Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) | 1145 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017 [Map]
Questions/RSVP: Yvonne Teruya & Steven Truong |contact@apiequalityla.org

San Francisco — On December 6, 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments regarding the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8. Prop 8 was the 2008 ballot measure overturning the right of same sex couples to marry. In August 4, 2010, U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker invalidated Proposition 8. The state is refusing to appeal the trial court’s decision and instead, Prop 8 supporters and Imperial County are attempting to stand in for the state to defend the proposition. One of the key issues to be argued on December 6th is whether these two groups have “standing” to appeal Judge Walker’s decision.

“The district court judge made the right decision in ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional in depriving gays and lesbians of the right to marry, and the Governor and Attorney General are doing the right thing by refusing to appeal that decision,” said Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Director of Asian Pacific Islander Equality-Los Angeles (API Equality-LA).

Tawal Panyacosit, Director of API Equality-Northern California said, “Today’s hearings are part of a larger conversation in which our communities are engaging. We know deeply and truly the hurt and harm experienced by gay and lesbian families. And, because of this, we urge the Ninth Circuit to uphold Judge Walker’s decision and to deny the appeal.”

According to the Williams Institute, a LGBT think tank based at UCLA, there are approximately 66,000 LGBT Asian and Pacific Islanders living in California–the largest in the nation. The outcome of this trial will have a significant impact on the Asian and Pacific Islander community in California.

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. PLEASE RSVP!

What:  Conference Call Meeting
Call-in Information: Please email contact@apiequalityla.org for call-in number
Questions/RSVP: Greg Matsunami & Deanna Kitamura |contact@apiequalityla.org

On December 6, 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments regarding the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 — the 2008 ballot measure overturning the right of same sex couples to marry. In August 4, 2010, U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker invalidated Proposition 8. The state is refusing to appeal the trial court’s decision and instead, Prop 8 supporters and Imperial County are attempting to stand in for the state to defend the proposition. One of the key issues to be argued on December 6, 10 AM PDT at the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco  is whether these two groups have “standing” to appeal Judge Walker’s decision.

Please click here to read the rest of API Equality-LA’s and API Equality-Northern California’s response to the court case.

We’re proud to present Lori Kido Lopez as our December Activist of the Month!

What committee are you involved with in API Equality-LA?
Public Education.

How and when did you get involved?
I started volunteering with APIELA in February as part of a research project at USC. Marriage equality is something I’m super passionate about, so I wanted to see if I could help out by offering my research skills. Then I randomly went to a Public Education committee meeting, and got hooked by Greg! Everyone was so welcoming, I instantly knew that this was an organization I wanted to dedicate my time to.

Why is it important to continue this fight for marriage equality?
When my husband and I got married, we made a promise that we would remain dedicated to the fight for marriage equality until everyone was able to marry the person they love. It was really important to us to be able to publicly build our family together, and we want everyone to have the same opportunities that we do.

Where are you right now?
At home. I should probably be studying for my qualifying exams right now, but I am so excited to be Activist of the Month that I am just going to sit here and fill this out!

Occupation?
Doctoral student. I study communication/media studies at USC and hope to be a professor someday.

What is one sound that characterizes you?
The jingle of my dog’s tags. We have the cutest little dog ever (his name is Boba!), and we try to take him everywhere with us!

What is one thing about you that surprises people?
How obsessed I am with food! I love cooking, eating, dreaming about food.

Hometown?
Portland, Oregon.

Heritage?
My mom is Japanese (sansei) and my dad is white.

Facebook or Twitter?
Definitely Facebook! I am one of those people who spends 90% of their day on Facebook. Terrible addiction.

Coffee or tea?
Genmaicha!