Thursday, October 27, 2011

Dwight Okita's Book Signing

New author Dwight Okita talks about his self-published work "The Prospect of My Arrival," about allowing a person to examine the world before being born. Does the main character named, "Prospect," choose to live?

Monday, August 22, 2011

i2i Readings

Invisible to Invincible ( i2i ) : Asian Pacific Islander Pride of Chicago hosted an interactive discussion, "Story of My Pride," Aug. 13 at Asian Human Services in Uptown, where guests shared their coming-out stories.
From family reactions to first-hand accounts and experiences, speakers shared intimate details of how they navigated through their sexuality. Volunteer Dwight Okita believed that the event was a hands-on way of connecting people and their stories.

"Some people think being queer and Asian is a double minority. I look at it as a double happiness," he said.

According to the organization's website, Invisible to Invincible ( i2i ) : Asian & Pacific Islander Pride of Chicago is a community-based organization that celebrates and affirms Asian/Pacific Islanders who identify as LGBTQQ ( lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or queer ) in the Chicago area. Photos and text by Terrence Chappell

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Yellow Face

Silk Road Theater company in Chicago has produced "Yellow Face" by David Henry Huang, the author of "M. Butterfly." It runs for two more weeks.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Asians and Friends Networking--Calif. & Hawaii

Asians and Friends Chicago Pres. Angel Abcede reached out to A & F and Long Yang members while on a trip through California and Hawaii. He went to a couple of pool parties in Santa Ana, Calif.; spent nights at Hula's and Angle's in Honolulu; and spent time with Long Yang members at The Loft in San Diego. Here's a photo account:





Thursday, June 30, 2011

Community Engagement of Filipinos in Chicago

Civic and Community Engagement of Filipinos in Chicago Project

Eligibility: Filipinos 18 years or older who live in the Chicagoland Area

Description: This research takes place in Chicago and participation will involve attending only one 2 to 2.5 hour workshop with 10 other participants. This interactive and creative workshop will focus on the topic of "Immigration." The goal of this workshop is to learn from one another and to identify commonalities and differences in your experiences as Filipinos.

The workshop will be videorecorded. The workshop is confidential and will take place at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois Office. This is just a one-time participation and once you have participated in this workshop, you will not be obligated to participate in other workshops.

Your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw from participating at any time without penalty. Food and refreshments will be provided. You will also receive a token gift as well as a nominal stipend to cover your time and travel/parking expenses.

If you are interested in participating in this research and/or need more information, please contact Dr. Anna Guevarra at guevarra@uic.edu. Please also refer to the attached flyer.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Pride 2011: Asians and Friends Chicago

Asians and Friends Chicago members celebrated the city's Pride Day with a float entitled: "I'm not a Transformer; I'm a Transvestite!" Great times had by all.







Friday, June 17, 2011

Asians and Friends Chicago Pres. Wins Award

Asians and Friends Chicago's board president Angel Abcede won a community service award from Harris Bank this morning. At the bank's LGBT affinity group's Pride breakfast, Angel was recognized for the AIDS-awareness work and work with Asians and Friends that he has done over the years.





Wednesday, June 8, 2011

How to Date Positively Event

The Banyan Tree Project at Asian Human Services, presents How to Date Positively, a discussion on the physical, emotional, and spiritual components of dating someone who is HIV positive. Furthermore, we will discuss sexual health and confidentiality. The event will be facilitated by William Tutol and friend of the agency, Michael Jones on June 29th, 2011 from 6:30PM-8PM in the 1st Floor conference room. The event is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the topic. We will also offer free and confidential HIV testing for those who are interested. It would be great if you could attend and/or pass along the information to friends, family, clients and colleagues. Thank you so much for the support!



Best,

Amanda



Amanda Lengsouthiphong

Community Health Outreach Worker

Asian Human Services

4753 N. Broadway Suite 700

Chicago, IL 60640

Phone: (773)293-8481

Email: alengsouthiphong@ahschicago.org

A Well-regarded Counter Tenor

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Japanese Elect First Openly Gay Politician

Taiga Ishikawa, 36, won a seat in a Tokyo ward assembly in the Japanese capital’s local elections on Sunday. He is the first openly gay person to hold office in Japan.

Mr Ishikawa told AFP: “I hope my election victory will help our fellows nationwide to have hope for tomorrow, as many of them cannot accept themselves, feel lonely and isolated and even commit suicide.”

He also said: “As a ward assembly member, I would like to reinforce support for LGBT children in schools.”

Mr Ishikawa revealed his sexuality in his 2002 book Where Is My Boyfriend?. He said: “Many of my readers told me they were isolated and that my situation in the book was so similar to theirs.”

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

More Images

More and more Asian faces are appearing on advertising. Here's one on a Chicago bus.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Chicago Civil Unions Event--June 2

On June 1 civil unions will become legal in Illinois. On that day, the state will begin issuing civil union licenses, and any same-sex couple that is legally married or civilly united in another state or country will be recognized as civilly united in Illinois. Starting June 2, civil unions can be performed here as well.

To celebrate the first day of civil union ceremonies in Illinois, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 2, the City of Chicago will host up to 30 civil unions at Wrigley Square in Millennium Park.

The civil unions will be performed by Cook County Clerk David Orr and volunteer judges. The ceremony for each couple will take place individually. Part of the purpose of the event is to make a public statement, so media will be present.

Concurrent with the ceremonies, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon, there will be a private reception for the newly united couples and up to eight (8) guests per couple in the Chicago Cultural Center. The reception is sponsored by Equality Illinois and Lambda Legal.

Lambda Legal will select the couples for the event to make sure their diversity reflects that of the city — including male couples, female couples, and different sex couples — so it is reaching out to organizations like Asians and Friends Chicago to seek participation.

If you are interested in participating, please call Jim Bennett or Erik Roldan at (312) 663-4413.

In summary:

If you are interested in participating, please call Lambda Legal as soon as possible. Those chosen must obtain their civil union licenses on June 1. On June 2, beginning at 10 a.m., civil union ceremonies for individual couples will be held in Millennium Park, with judges officiating. Equality Illinois and Lambda Legal will host a reception for the newly united couples and up to eight (8) guests per couple in the Chicago Cultural Center, which is across the street from Millennium Park. In the case of rain, the entire event — ceremonies and reception — will be held in the Cultural Center.

One caveat: Because of the way the law is written, couples who are already legally married or entered into a legal civil union cannot participate. They will be automatically entered into an Illinois civil union on June 1.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

GAM-TV Debut in Chicago


Sat. March 26, 2011: GAM-TV Permiere Tea Party, 3 p.m. at @mosphere Bar, 5355 N. Clark in Chicago. Free admission. Cash bar. GAM-TV, a fledgling, new, grass-roots web channel based here in Chicago, is debuting its first “season” of three different series–-a musical documentary; a news-profile series on Chicago-area gay, Asian men (GAM); and a comedy drama about a gay, Chinese-American 20-something making his first real, social and romantic contacts.

Asians and Friends Chicago (AFC) is co-sponsoring the event. Afterwards, a group will go to a neighborhood (Andersonville area) restaurant for dinner at about 4:30 p.m., please call the AFC hotline to RSVP, (312) 409-1573.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

AFC Makes March Plans

Asians and Friends Chicago has announced their March 2011 series of social events. Included are two interesting gatherings:

The start of AFC’s new Dining Club and a GAM-TV Premiere Tea Party!

Wed. March 16, 2011: AFC’s first Dining Club gathering at 7 p.m. at Sun Wah Bar-B-Que at 5039 N. Broadway in Chicago. Part of a new, periodic gathering of those interested in trying new dining establishments, AFC members will experience new restaurants, critique them amongst each other and then nominate and decide on the next gathering place. The bill will be split evenly and thoughts from the group will be posted on the AFC Web site. Come join in this exciting new adventure. RSVP by noon on Mon., March 14 to secure a spot via AFC’s hotline: (312) 409-1573.

Sat. March 26, 2011: GAM-TV Permiere Tea Party, 3 p.m. at @mosphere Bar, 5355 N. Clark in Chicago. Free admission. Cash bar. GAM-TV, a fledgling, new, grass-roots web channel based here in Chicago, is debuting its first “season” of three different series–a musical documentary; a news-profile series on Chicago-area gay, Asian men (GAM); and a comedy drama about a gay, Chinese-American 20-something making his first real, social and romantic contacts. Then later, if you’d like to be part of a group intending to go to a neighborhood (Andersonville area) restaurant for dinner at about 5:30 p.m., please call our hotline to RSVP, (312) 409-1573.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

i2i Hosts Literary Sharing Evening

The GLBT Asian and Pacific Islander group in Chicago called i2i held an evening of poetry, narrative and story sharing this past week at a cafe in the Andersonville neighborhood of the city.



Here's a few words recapping the event from one of the organizers, Dwight O.:

I just wanted to thank folks for their delicious participation in STORY OF MY HEART on Sunday! And thanks to my co-presenter Ryan who also helped to bring some new folks out. There was an amazingly diverse group of stories. Some common themes arose including the pervasive influence of the internet on queer dating, and the great diversity of desires that we humans have.

Below are just a few of the highlights from a dozen fascinating stories told. Some people had written out their comments, some talked off the cuff. But the stories were all filled with humor and tenderness and unexpected twists. This made for an entertaining event which shined a bright light on queer asian love and sex in the new millennium. If you weren't there, you missed a good one. Sorry I can't mention each story, but this will give you a taste:

-- Gurl-gurl flirtations on a bus between an Asian woman and an Iraqui woman. Lots of ambiguity and humor came from each woman being clueless about each other's cultures.

-- Real-life confessions of a gogo dancer boy who worked the Gaysian nights at Wilde Pug. Can a relationship based on mere sexual titillation grow into something more?

-- One guy (not the pining romantic type) stumbles onto true love on Match.com. He is puzzled when his boyfriend asks him to move in with him. "Why? I have my own apartment."

-- A woman is unsettled when she awakens to her first attraction to another woman during an otherwise uneventful academic conference.

-- An HIV negative man embarks on his first relationship with an man who is HIV positive. He's surprised to discover that the barriers to their love have nothing to do with HIV status.

-- In the fluid sexuality of the gay male community, the notion of "having an affair" seems almost quaint, borrowed from straight culture. But for one man, that's what it was.

-- "No string attached (NSA)" means sex without expectations, without reciprocation. But sometimes you still get more than you bargained for.

We had 15 attendees in the cozy back room at Winston's which filled us to capacity. People loved the room with its purple walls and inviting atmosphere. Half of the attendees were brand-new or pretty new to i2i, which is great. Some folks who were just coming out commented how inspiring it was to hear so many different experiences. Afterwards people recommended that STORY OF MY HEART be presented on a more regular and frequent basis. So maybe we could do this again in 2011. Watch the listserv. And we'll be posting photos from the event on the website shortly.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

SE Asian LGBTQ Census

Organizers of a special survey are in the final countdown to completing the first ever national census of queer Southeast Asians in the US!! If you haven't yet taken this and identify as LGBTQ and Southeast Asian (meaning from a country impacted directly by the Vietnam War: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia), please take this survey and spread the word!!!


Thank you!!


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QSEAnetworkcensus