Asian Pacific American Community at The Center

South Asian LGBTQ December Support Group Meeting

2016-11-21T18:02:48Z

The DC Center is proud to announce a new support group that provides a safe, confidential space for South Asian LGBTQ community members to come together and share stories, struggles, and resources about LGBTQ South Asian experiences and issues. This support will be held monthly, peer-facilitated by Sunu Chandy and Dawn Philip at The DC Center for the LGBT Community.

Meetings are every third Saturdays of the month. The next meeting is Saturday, December 17th, 1:30-3:00 PM at The DC Center for the LGBT Community (2000 14th Street NW, Suite 105, Washington, DC 20009).

Please contact board@khushdc.org if you have any questions. KhushDC will be facilitating the meeting. KhushDC is a South Asian LGBTQ Community group serving the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

KHUSH South Asian LGBTQ Support Group Meeting

2016-10-03T21:16:03Z

The DC Center is proud o present the KHUSH South Asian LGBTQ support group that provides a safe, confidential space for South Asian LGBTQ community members to come together and share stories, struggles, and resources about LGBTQ South Asian experiences and issues. This support will be held monthly, peer-facilitated by Sunu Chandy and Dawn Philip at The DC Center for the LGBT Community.

The next meeting is October 15th, 2016 1:30-3:00 PM at The DC Center for the LGBT Community (2000 14th Street NW, Suite 105, Washington, DC 20009).

Please contact board@khushdc.org if you have any questions. KhushDC will be facilitating the meeting. KhushDC is a South Asian LGBTQ Community group serving the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

What Does It Mean to be Undocuqueer

2016-09-28T19:56:59Z

A message from International Training and Education Program (ITEP) . Please join us for a brown bag lunch talk featuring Dr. Jesus Cisneros from the University of Central Arkansas. Dr. Cisneros will be talking about his research on the intersectional identities of undocuqueer people, negotiating ethnicity, sexuality, gender and citizenship status in the United States. He will also share strategies for serving the needs of undocuqueer students in higher education. This event will take place on October 19th, 12-1pm on American University's campus.

Please RSVP at https://goo.gl/forms/tcWlKEgzYzpX5bb33

Original Flyer link is below:
Cisneros Event Flyer.pdf

15 Years Later: Rally Against Post-9/11 Violence

2016-09-07T20:17:50Z

On the 15th anniversary of September 11th, organizers in DC will take part in a performative action. Our demands are to end the legalized profiling of LGBTQ South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Black communities, which has intensified in the 15 years since 9/11.

This is part of a series of events designed to bring us together to heal, fortify, unite, and continue the fight against injustice. They will culminate in a RALLY FOR JUSTICE on 9/11 on 14th and U St. Full list of events and details are below.

+ Mon 9/5 @ 7pm: Healing Circle +
gathering for survivors of post-9/11 violence, in all its forms. snacks and beverages will be served. RSVP to sasha@nqapia.org for address.

+ Sat 9/10 @ 6-8pm: Performance Activism Training +
those attending will receive training for the 9/11 action, including know your rights and de-escalation tactics segments. snacks and beverages will be served. RSVP to sasha@nqapia.org for address.

+ Sun 9/11 @ 10am-12:30pm: Performance Action +
must attend training on Saturday, 9/10 for details.

+ Sun 9/11 @ 1pm: Rally for Justice +
gather at 14th & U St to demand an end to the continued surveillance and profiling of south asian, arab, middle eastern, and black muslims and those perceived as muslims.

+ Sun 9/11 @ 4-7pm: Eid Rooftop Cookout +
the islamic calendar is based on a lunar calendar, unlike the calendar we use day to day which is based on a solar calendar. as such, each year an islamic date falls on a different solar calendar date. this year eid, one of the holiest islamic celebrations, falls on 9/11. we are hosting a cookout for all community members to gather to celebrate this occassion. RSVP to sasha@nqapia.org for address.

PLEASE RSVP FOR LOCATIONS AND REQUEST MORE INFO by emailing sasha@nqapia.org.

COSPONSORS:
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
KhushDC
Black Lives Matter DC
Muslim American Women's Policy Forum
Queer South Asian National Network (QSANN)
ONE DC, Organizing Neighborhood Equity
AQUA
Salga Nyc
SAALT- South Asian Americans Leading Together
NAKASEC
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
AAPCHO
Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement
Southerners On New Ground
GetEQUAL
Washington Peace Center

[email sasha@nqapia.org if you would like to co-sponsor as well!]

Queer Heartache Tour

2016-08-03T22:28:37Z

Join award winning queer Asian American poets, Kit Yan and Jess X. Chen on the Queer Heartache Summer Tour. Combining oceanic laughter, the violence of heartbreak, and the sorrow lost in translation between generations of diaspora, their collective shows inspires a capacity for both vulnerability and radical joy that is large enough for all of us. Their work shows us that if heartbreak can wound crevasses larger than the systems that create them, then we also have the infinite resilience to dream of their healing. Queer Heartache shows that queer survival is deserving of an evening length show filled with a rainbow of colors beyond the borders of imagination. Together, they turn the blank page, the empty stage, the queer body into a portal to the heaven this world never gave them.

When: Monday, August 22nd - 7PM
Where: The DC Center
2000 14th St NW, #105
Washington, D.C.

Kit Yan

Kit Yan is a transgender, queer, Asian American from Hawaii, and an award winning slam poet and performer. His work has been featured in Flicker and Spark and Troubling the Line, as well as Vetch, Original Plumbing, and elsewhere. His first full length solo slam poetry show, Queer Heartache, has toured around the country and was featured in last year's Chicago Fringe Festival, where it was awarded the spirit of fringe award, artists' pick award, and audience choice award at the 2015 Chicago Fringe Festival. This spring, Queer Heartache was published as a poetry collection through Trans Genre Press, and this summer, the show will come to the NYC Trans Poetry Festival and San Francisco Fringe.

Jess X. Chen

JESS X SNOW is a queer Asian American artist/activist, filmmaker and nationally-touring poet and performer. Her work exposes narratives of diasporic time travel, intimacy, and collective protest by connecting the traumas between the queer and colored body and the body of the Earth. Her artwork has appeared in the The LA Times, The Huffington Post, The UN Human Rights Council, and on indoor and outdoor walls throughout the US. She has performed her poetry on stages, TEDx conferences, backyards and rooftops nationwide. Through film, mural-making, youth education, she is working toward a future where migrant and indigenous youth of color see themselves whole and heroic, on the big screen and the city walls & then grow up to create their own.

South Asian LGBTQ Support Group Meeting

2016-08-01T19:58:53Z

The next meeting is Saturday, August 20th, 1:30-3:00 PM at The DC Center for the LGBT Community (2000 14th Street NW, Suite 105, Washington, DC 20009).

Please contact board@khushdc.org if you have any questions. KhushDC will be facilitating the meeting. KhushDC is a South Asian LGBTQ Community group serving the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

AQUA July Happy Hour and Tennis

2016-07-14T16:46:28Z

The AQUA Board hopes you are enjoying your summer! We've got some exciting plans for y'all to meet up and get to know each other so see below for details!

Upcoming Event: Happy Hour!

July 23rd, 4-7 PM at Baan Thai
1326 14th Street, NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20005 202-588-5889

Light refreshments will be provided. Cash bar.

Reminder: Allies are welcomed, but please keep in mind that AQUA events are intended for the LGBT Asian Pacific Islander community.

AQUA Tennis!

Interested in playing tennis? Join AQUA's tennis team! We are a social group that provides an opportunity for those in the Asian American community to get some exercise and socialize. We welcome all levels of play including complete beginners. This team is open and inclusive so please fill out our survey with your interest and opinions.

Happy Hour:

Korean American LGBTQ Seminar

2016-07-14T16:42:08Z

The Korean American and Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities in general have a difficult time accepting their LGBTQ children and family members. When they discover their child is LGBTQ, family members, particularly parents are thrown into a state of guilt, shame and fear for the future success of their child in a world that is not always kind, accepting or safe.

There will be a one day conference for Korean American parents and community to be held at the Holy Cross Korean Episcopal Church, Fairfax, Virginia on October 15 from 9 am to 5 pm. This conference will bring more knowledge, greater awareness and places to not only get support, but have questions answered in a safe environment by knowledgeable (and if appropriate credentialed) individuals. It is our hope that people will walk away with new information, deeper compassion and a stronger voice for themselves and others.

LGBTQ Community Dialogue on Pulse Nightclub Shooting: Uplifting Latinx and Muslim LGBTQ Voices

2016-06-14T17:29:23Z

Join us for a community dialogue on the Pulse Orlando Shooting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 15th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Foundry Methodist Church (1500 16th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20036).

We hope to create a space of solidarity (with Orlando, with Latinx and Muslim LGBTQ communities, with all LGBTQ people), support, and healing, and uplift the voices of Latinx and Muslim LGBTQ people in DC. After our community dialogue - for those who are able to - we will walk over to the Candlelight Vigil to Gather in Prayer for Orlando hosted by Dignity Washington at Dupont Circle at 8:00pm.

As you may know, the largest mass shooting in US history occurred Saturday night at club Pulse, a queer club in Orlando, on Latinx night during Pride celebrations.

The ramifications of this violent tragedy are being felt throughout the LGBTQ community. Given that the majority of victims were Latinxs, the queer Latinx family is especially in need of healing. We also want to recognize and hold close our Muslim LGBTQ family who, because of this tragedy, will face increased Islamophobia, transphobia and homophobia. We also recognize that the Latinxs family includes people of the Muslim faith. Our intersections highlight the need for collective liberation ~ the need to listen to each other, to support ourselves and one another as we heal and strengthen our community bonds.

* This event will have ASL interpreters and will be in an accessible physical space. We will also have English-Spanish translation headsets. Childcare will be available. If you need other accommodations, e-mail supportdesk@thedccenter.org. *

* Este evento es fisicamente accesible. Vamos a proveer cascos para traducir de ingles al español. Traductores de español y lenguaje de señas americano estarán disponibles. También vamos a proveer el cuidado de los niños. Se necesiten mas alguno alojamiento, mande un mensaje a supportdesk@thedccenter.org. *

We are looking for 10-15 volunteers to help with the event from 5:15pm to 8:00pm on Wednesday. If you are interested, please sign up here and meet us at 5:15 pm at Foundry United Methodist Church (1500 16th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20036). For questions regarding volunteering, please email Meredith Clark at meredith@thedccenter.org.

Sponsored by the DC Center for the LGBT Community, KhushDC, Latino LGBT History Project, HIPS, SMYAL, and Whitman Walker Health.

Reel Affirmations Presents: Front Cover

2016-06-02T20:45:22Z

FRONT COVER, Directed by Ray Yeung, premiering on August 19th, tells the story of Ryan Fu, a gay Chinese American who detests his Asian heritage and through talent and hard work, has attained his dream job as a celebrity fashion stylist.

One day Ryan's boss assigns him to style Ning, an actor who has just arrived from Beijing for a top magazine photo shoot. Ning dismisses Ryan's initial Western styling and demands Ryan creates an image for him which represents the power of the new China. Their egos and opinions clash resulting in a strained and difficult working relationship.

Over the following days, they slowly discover that they have a lot in common, and a mutual attraction begins to develop. As they become closer, Ryan reveals that he rejects his Chinese heritage because he is ashamed of his impoverished upbringing. Ning opens up and confesses that he is in the closet.

After a night out on the town together, a Chinese tabloid magazine exposes Ning as gay. Terrified of the impact it will have on his career, Ning implores Ryan to help him deny the story. Ryan must now decide to help Ning or stay true to himself.

Come to The Human Rights Campaign Building Reel Affirmations at 7:00p.m.To purchase tickets click here.

Watch the trailer here to see a preview of the movie.

7:00pm Screening:

9:00pm Screening:

Parents and Families of the API LGBTQ Community Gathering

2016-05-05T17:34:07Z

Family is Still Family, Love is Still Love

Join us for a special afternoon to hear Asian American and South Asian parents share their experiences of confusion, fear, love, acceptance, and celebration of their LGBTQ children. We welcome you to share your stories, questions, and thoughts.

We especially welcome parents of LGBTQ kids who would like to talk with other parents who understand the unique cultural issues in our communities, LGBTQ people who want to come out to their parents, or people who are struggling with family acceptance and want to understand different ways to bring them together. If you are already out to your parents, caregivers, or other family members, bring them along!

Speakers:
Laurin, mixed-race Japanese mother of a gay son.
Manjula & Balan, Indian parents of a transgender daughter.

When:
Saturday, May 14

Where:
The DC Center
2000 14th St NW #105
Washington, DC 20009

At: 1:00 p.m.

RSVP here
(Select "Washington, DC" in the drop-down menu)

Join the event on Facebook

This event is FREE, but you can donate to support this work.

This workshop is part of a series of ten (10) family acceptance workshops across the country, coordinated by parents of LGBTQ children and NQAPIA, during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May) and LGBTQ Pride Month (June). For a full calendar of workshops visit here.

Also, in the month of June, look out for public service announcement (PSA) videos of parents who love their LGBTQ kids on many Asian ethnic television stations and international channels.

Life as AAPI LGBT Youth

2016-04-20T17:59:41Z

Life as AAPI LGBT. Youth
June 23, 6 - 7 pm
The DC Center for the LGBT Community is proud to be a community partner for this event hosted by The Mayor's Office on AAPI Affairs and the Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs.

This panel discussion focuses its attention on the issues that directly impact LGBT Asian Pacific Islander youth, touching on themes here in the district and nationally. We encourage all of our community to attend this amazing event to learn and share.

The event will be held at 601 New Jersey Ave NW, 4th floor Conference Room. (2 blocks from Union Station metro)

Add this event to your calendar!

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance sends petition to DHS

2016-04-13T19:27:50Z

Today, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance delivered a petition with hundreds of signatures from LGBTQ APIs and our allies to Jeh Johnson, the head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), demanding that DHS create an enforceable guidance that bans legalized profiling.

The three main demands:

-DHS, ICE, and all immigration enforcement agencies must define and prohibit profiling based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity in border security, national security, and state and local law enforcement.

- A clear process must address allegations of inappropriate profiling. This process must include profiling by local law enforcement and procedures should be developed with immigrants' rights advocates.

- When inappropriate profiling is used in immigration enforcement, any resulting detention or deportation is improper and should be revoked, as is already done in criminal proceedings where wrongfully obtained evidence is suppressed.

In December 2015, NQAPIA staff hand-delivered a letter with over 40 national and local community organizations to DHS Deputy Secretary Mayorkas. NQAPIA has yet to receive a satisfactory response to the concerns.

Check out the petition. You can also add your name to the petition.

AQUA 2016 Town Hall Meeting

2016-03-24T19:12:07Z

AQUA DC is hosting a town hall meeting on how community members can become more involved with the organization this Saturday, March 26th from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the DC Center. This is an opportunity for community members to learn and apply for open board positions for the upcoming year, develop invaluable projects, and discuss the direction of AQUA DC.

Asian & Pacific Islander Queers United for Action (AQUA D.C.) is an organization for queer male-identified APIs, by queer male-identified APIs, focusing on queer male API issues and interests. We strive to project a positive image of queer API men in the community through advocacy, education, outreach, and social events. We are based in Washington, D.C.

Address:
DC Center
2000 14 St. NW #105
Washington, DC 20009

Question? Comments? Contact us or check out our website below.
www.aquadc.us or email us at aquadc@gmail.com

Also check out their Facebook and Instagram.

Reminder: Allies are welcomed, but please keep in mind that AQUA events are intended for the LGBT Asian Pacific Islander community of DC.

South Asian LGBTQ March Support Group Meeting

2016-03-15T19:21:15Z

The next meeting is Saturday, March 19th at 1:30 PM at The DC Center for the LGBT Community (2000 14th Street NW, Suite 105, Washington, DC 20009).

Please contact board@khushdc.org if you have any questions. KhushDC will be facilitating the meeting. KhushDC is a South Asian LGBTQ Community group serving the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.