Queer Asian Pacific Legacy Conference

[kitty]

apologies if this has already been posted




>***********************************************
>QUEER ASIAN PACIFIC LEGACY
>a regional conference of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
pan-Asian Pacific Americans
>to network, organize, agitate, educate, and build capacity
>-------------
>New York University, NYC
>March 5 to 7, 2004
>************************************************
>
>www.QueerAsianPacificLegacy.org
>
An unprecedented coalition of groups are planning an ambitious and
first-ever multigender and pan-Asian conference that will bring
together South Asians, East Asians, Southeast Asians and other APAs; as well as women, transgender, and young people - groups who have been
traditionally underrepresented. 250 conference participants are envisioned. The last conference on the East Coast was held ten years ago.
>
>There will be workshops, panels, speakers, social activities and
caucuses. We hope the conference will be a catalyst for LGBT APAs to
collaborate, build a political agenda, and ultimately advance social
change. We also hope to develop the infrastructure of LGBT APA
organizations and increase awareness on current issues confronting our
unique and often overlooked community. The conference is fee of
charge.
>
>Goto: www.QueerAsianPacificLegacy.org
>
>FOR MORE INFORMATION or to request a BROCHURE and paper registration
form, email gapimny@gapimny.org or call 212-802-7423.
>
>SPONSORS:
>* NYU Office of LGBT Student Services, OASIS, and Asian American
Women’s
Alliance
>* South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association (SALGA)
>* Asian Pacific Lesbian, Bisexual Women, and Transgender Network
(APLBTN)
* Gay Asian and Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY)
>* National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) Policy Institute
>* Asian Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA)
>* NYU Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute
>* Amnesty International OUTfront Program
>* Asian American Writers’ Workshop
>* Asian Queers United in Action (AQUA-DC)
>* Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
>
>************************************************** *

[etcj]

Did you steal from that from my xanga?? :biggrin:

I'm going to that conference, so any YW folks wanna join me?

[kitty]

Did you steal from that from my xanga?? :biggrin:

I'm going to that conference, so any YW folks wanna join me?

bwahahaha...

not unless you've been emailing copies of your blog :)

i might go.. i'm not queer tho'. will they mock me?? O.o

[etcj]

I guess it's open to allies. I'll be sure to post a sign saying, "Don't tease the straight people." In any case, come on down!

[etcj]

I just wanted to update folks about the conference that's coming up next week. It's at NYU and there is no registration fee for attending the conference. There are also travel scholarships available for folks who might need some "financial aid" in getting to NYC. As for housing, the conference planners has several arrangment for semi-affordable prices at local NYU-affiliated lodges.

If you haven't noticed on my Xanga, there is a good level of expected participation from the Asian and Pacific Islander youth and student community, so it's definitely a great opportunity for those who are part of this community. I'm partially coordinating any type of housing issues that folks may have...so come to me if you are looking to room with someone to reduce your housing costs.

Other than that, I'll see you there!

[hooligan]

wow, i hope you didn't mind i put it into the calender section. :D too bad i'm on the east caost, but i think you should drag tao out there.

[kitty]

etcj, thanks for dropping me the line -- I don't think I'll be able to make it unfortunately, unless a pile of money materializes in my lap by next week. I don't think I can afford to go down, but I'll let you know when I reexamine the situation next week :)

[etcj]

Just remind folks about the conference. It's on Friday of this week and folks from Xanga and myself will be there. Unfortunately, the conference is currently full and sold-out, so folks that have not registered yet will have to be put on a waiting list.

For those looking to get a spot, make sure to put yourself on the waiting list and then show up at NYU on Friday afternoon. This event will have strictly high security with admittance only granted to participants with official conference tags. I'll give a report back about the conference when I return home.

[jjangAPSAchick]

queer asians are a minority within a minority. I believe we should educate ourselves about them

[Tao]

i just realized that this is happening at nyu.....a couple of my friends today had chemistry lab in the morning and were waiting in the lobby for the professor to arrive. One of the QAPLC people came up to them and asked them if they were there for the conference.

After my friend told me this, he said "umm..i don't know if being mistaken like that is a good thing or bad thing?"

too bad i didn't know ahead of time that it was today, i would actually be interested in seeing what they have to say. Instead I'll be attending a friends 24th birthday party. :D

[kitty]

etcj, please give me an update. I'm really sorry I couldn't be there. Rent was due :(

[etcj]

So, the conference happened and I am so tired!!

Here's a top 3 list of what happened:

1) Celebrities: Notable API celebrities, B.D. Wong and Urvashi Vaid spoke at the keynote plenary session. Urvashi, the long time activist, discussed the importance of support gay marriage as an API issue and the lack of compassion that the Bush Administration has for the growth and expansion of civil rights for all people. B.D. "performed" a monologue about his coming out process and the experience of being an actor, a father, and an out gay Asian man. He liked saying "Fuck you" a lot.

2) Tons of Queers: The conference accomplished their goal of gather nearly three hundred gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender API's from all over the country. While it was only intended to be a regional Northeast conference, it turned into a stomping ground for folks coming as far as Seattle and Toronto. In terms of youth and student participation, I think that they got a good showing of folks of different ages and education level.

3) Underwear Party: Yes, you heard me right. Apparently a group of the workshop facilitators decided to host a sex party on Saturday night and they circulated flyers during their session. I personally don't have anything against them throwing a private party, but they broke ethical lines by indiscriminantly giving the flyers to minors (as in youth under 18yo). It's pretty unsettling that older API gay men feel that it's okay to invite teens to a sex party when there is an obvious power dynamics issue.

Ask any questions you have and I'll answer them. Certainly a lot more has happened than what I have said here.