Since 1988, Arts and Culture have been an integral component of GAPA’s advocacy.

Our story

GAPA (then known as the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, now GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance since 2019) was founded in San Francisco, California in 1988 as one of the first organizations serving the needs of LGBTQ Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States. Its founders, many of whom faced racism, homophobia, and discrimination within the gay and straight communities at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, sought to create a safe space for themselves, providing a social and support network to come together and heal, build community, and advocate for their rights.

In its 35 years of existence, GAPA built or spun out programs and resources like the GAPA Community HIV Project (1992) that merged with others to become the Asian Pacific Wellness Center, now the San Francisco Community Health Center, providing multicultural health services, education, research, and policy initiatives; GAPA Foundation (2009), now Prism Foundation, providing scholarships and grants to LGBTQ AAPI students and nonprofit organizations; Runway, an annual celebration of drag and performance culture; GAPA PAC, a political action committee that was active in local and state endorsements; and other social welfare programs to engage the communities we serve.

GAPA FUND

In 1989, a year after GAPA’s founding GAPA Men’s Chorus was established. The chorus turned out to be GAPA’s most enduring program. It continues to thrive and flourish even now, having delivered nearly 200 performances and graced both grand stages and intimate settings.

In addition, theater and dance troupes were established in the 1990s and actively engaged in promoting captivating shows to the mid-2000s, until their eventual disbandment. However, in 2017, GAPA Theatre experienced a revival and has been steadily growing ever since.

To provide dedicated support and nurturing space for these autonomous flagship arts programs within GAPA, GAPA Fund was established in 2019 as a 501(c)(3) charitable institution. At GAPA Fund, our unwavering dedication lies in delivering arts programs that empower and explore the intersections of our identities and sharing our unique experiences and the diversity of our cultures, histories, and languages with the world.

Join us in our mission to celebrate the beauty and resilience of our communities. Whether you're interested in supporting our programs or getting involved as a volunteer, we welcome you to be a part of the GAPA Fund family.