Author Archives: ilovefleece
QAPA Pride March
This is much long over due but we wanted to still give a great big shout out to everyone who joined us in marching in Pride this year! THANK YOU!
The weather was terrible, we were all wet from the rain (one of our marchers decided to go barefoot), but we marched on and showed everyone our Asian Pride!
This year QAPA marched as an independent organization, we fundraised and hit our target of paying for our pride registration and making other purchase to help make our presence fabulous and memorable. We did it, on our own, and thanks to YOU, our members - whether you came and helped us build our signs, marched with us in the rain, or stood by us in the audience. This coming year QAPA is working hard to bring you a new line up of events, and we have, and will continue to build our community.
And that means we need you to join us! Not that you don’t already…but just a little more this year…so we know that our efforts are paying off and we see more old and new faces at our events.
Great job everyone, and thank you!!!
QAPA Steering Committee
New Banner and Logo
For more pics - join our facebook page!
Thousand year old eggs
This is long over due…but we wanted to express our BIG thanks for Tao Kai, who has been a staunch QAPA supporter throughout the years, for hosting our March QAPA Connect event, Porridge Potluck!
We had about 15 people attend, and our selection ranged from thousand year old eggs, to pickled cabbages, to eclairs, and much more! As folks know, we’re a volunteer driven organization so finding space for events is always a challenge. The event could not have happened without Tao Kai’s generosity and to all of our members who came out, supported QAPA, and had a feast while we’re at it!
Donation to Japan
Hi Folks -
Please consider donating to relief efforts in Japan in light of the recent earthquake and Tsunami. QAPA is donating $150 to American Red Cross. If you’ve already made your donation, please consider leaving a comment on the blog post, and the organization that you contributed. It would be great to see a community wide effort in providing assistance to the tragedy.
Click the link to see QAPA’s donation letter to the American Red Cross.
Transgender Day of Remembrance - November 20 6pm
Hi QAPA-ers,
We wanted to pass on a special message from one of our members who is active in the transgender community, inviting everyone to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.
Location: Cathedral of St Paul, 138 Tremont St (at Park St T stop), Boston.
TDOR organizers have reached out to the asian community and we should represent!
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Thanksgiving isn’t the only T-Day in November. November is also the time for the annual Trans Day of Remembrance.
From the MTPC website (http://www.masstpc.org/dor/):
The annual Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) memorializes individuals who have been killed throughout the world in the previous year because of anti-transgender hatred. Between 2008 and 2009, at least 163 people were murdered because of their gender identity or gender expression. Boston’s community observes with inspirational speakers, community SpeakOut, candlelight vigil, and hot apple cider with snacks and camaraderie afterward.
QAPA Launches New Programs!
Greetings Queer Asian Community Boston and Beyond!
Queer Asian Pacific Alliance (QAPA) is launching QAPA Connect, QAPA Speaks Out, and QAPA Partners as our latest initiatives to build the foundation for an inclusive, educational, and welcoming space for queer Asians in Boston and beyond.
QAPA Connect - Growing our community through diverse social events, new member meet and greets, and other groovy activities
QAPA Speaks Out - Developing a safe space to discuss topics relevant to our community, bring guest speakers or panels, and stimulate our brains with thought-provoking questions and ideas.
QAPA Partners - Creating a virtual space that highlights local partnerships, and queer asian organizations nationally, ramping up our blog with member spotlights and more community news.
We want this to be a member driven initiative so if you have any ideas or would like to join our cause, please write to us at writeqapa@gmail.com! We’re always looking for new volunteers and will definitely need everyone’s support to keep this moving forward!
For more information, check out our website at www.qapa.org.
Join our facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=7470436127
Sign up for twitter updates – search for QAPA_Online
Steering Changes
Thank you Sarav!
Our dear steering committee member Sarav Chidambaram recently stepped down from the steering committee. After more than four years of service, he will be sorely missed. Sarav is a fierce community activist involved in MassEquality, the Cambridge GLBT commission, and many more initiatives. We know he will continue to be a part of the QAPA community and we wish him the best!
Welcome Hung and Kathy!
QAPA welcomes two new steering committee member and community coordinators, Kathy and Hung Dinh! Kathy will be leading “QAPA Connect” - plugging you in to all the fun activities in Boston.
Hung is going to be our group facilitator extraodinaire, and will be leading the charge on “QAPA Speaks Out,” our latest discussion and safe space initiative.
Thanks guys for signing on for a year of craziness and lending us your time and passion. Welcome!
API LGBT Health-Informal Community Survey
As a prelude to the upcoming Fenway event for queer women of color (4/30, Thursday, 1340 Boylston, Boston, 7-9pm), we want to hear your ideas and thoughts on health needs, challenges, or ideas, for the API LGBT community. This is a very informal survey, we’re hoping to use the blog to generate some dialogue with the community and get a sense of main issues and needs.
Please add your comments to the blog! Here are some general questions for discussion, feel free to address them or add your own. We welcome all opinions and ideas!
- As a queer API, what kind of questions do you have regarding your health as LGBT person?
- Have you personally faced certain health obstacles stemming from the fact that you’re queer and/or API?
- What kind of resources, and information would you like to see?
- What do you think are some of the challenges we face as API LGBT patients?
- Any advice/strategies on empowering our community on the issue of health?
- Any interesting health research or data that you know of that you can share?
Thank you!
API LGBT Health Needs and Challenges
Hello QAPA!
As some of you know, QAPA is working with Fenway Community Health on organizing an event for health issues for queer women of color. Somos Latinos, and QWOC are community organizations that will also be participating. I’ve been working behind the scenes with all the groups, and I can tell you it’s going to be awesome. First, it’s going to be strictly devoted to LGBT women minorities, and that’s special in itself. Also, it’s been inspirational working with women from different cultures and backgrounds, and learning about the similar and sometimes very different issues that affect us on both the health and social level. At QAPA, we want to create a respectful and social space for our API community, but we also recognize the importance of stepping out of our boundaries, and work together with other groups. How else are we going challenge discrimination, or racism, or stereotypes?
If you can come to the event, that would be fantastic (and you don’t HAVE to be a woman). We need all the API visibility we can get, and we know you’re out there…. Here’s the quick and dirty low down on the event:
Thursday, April 30th, 2008
6:30 PM - Early Bird Tour
7PM – DINNER
7:30-9:00 PM – Discussion, Resource Fair
At Fenway Community Health
1340 Boylston St, Boston
More info under our event tab.
We’re also going to do an informal community survey on your thoughts on API LGBT health, our needs and challenges. If we’re able to generate some responses, we’ll definitely compile your ideas and thoughts at the event. So, add your two cents, we want to hear from you!
Thanks!
Diana
