May and June are special months for GAPA as we celebrate core facets of our identities. May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) month, recognizing the historical and cultural achievements of AAHNPI individuals and groups, while June, Pride month, pays tribute to those courageous and defiant Stonewall rioters who fought for queer and trans rights so that we can live our best lives.
Just for GAPA alone, the coming weeks will be packed. Here are some of the events we have planned:
QTAPI Week: GAPA proudly partners with the wider QTAPI Coalition to showcase a week of virtual and in-person events centering the QTAPI community, featuring a broad range of performances, convos, community building, networking, and more. For the full Calendar of Events, click here.
Hearts & Minds, June 4: A joint production from GAPA Theatre and GAPA Men's Chorus, this special program will feature original works that speak to the lived experience of LGBTQ APIs, written and performed by some of GAPA Theatre's intergenerational collective of storytellers. Read more.
GAPA Open Mike, June 8: Bringing together LGBTQ+ Asian & Pacific Islander performers, poets, vocalists, drag entertainers, storytellers, musicians, dancers, spoken word artists, and more, to share their talents to connect, to hold space, to build community, and to celebrate the power and pride in the diversity of our QTAPI communities. Read more.
Frameline Film Festival: In appreciation of GAPA’s work in the community as a respected organization, Frameline is bringing GAPA on as a community partner. Join GAPA at the Roxie Theatre for Coming to You, a years-long parallel look at two supportive Korean mothers alongside their queer youths, and Emergence: Out of the Shadows, a documentary that compassionately unpacks the cultural nuances of coming out in a South Asian household. Read more.
People’s March, June 27: GAPA will be at the People’s March, marching in solidarity to stand in protest of transgender and racial injustice, police violence and killings, unjust healthcare, the fight for gun control, reparations to Black People, and the right for people of color to have the right to vote without laws of intimidations.
Whatever you have planned in the weeks and months ahead, remember to celebrate the amazing and whole individual that you are. Recognize the progress we have made. Prepare for the work that is yet ahead of us.
Make Pride Month, and Every Month, GAPA Month!
GAPA has always been an organization driven by its members and has changed over time to meet the demands of the moment. Especially now, we are looking to build upon our strong foundation to discover what a post-pandemic GAPA looks like.
GAPA is always looking for new ideas. We would love to have more member-led events; if you want to do something, let us know and we can help fund or plan it. We want our existing members to be active and tell us what they want, as well as attract new members looking for a community.
If you haven’t joined already, one action to take is join and get a paid membership. Membership is only $25 per year (~2/month). GAPA membership supports us in providing programming events that brings the community together, but it also pays for itself, including:
Exclusive access to free and discounted GAPA-sponsored events.
Membership t-shirt (~$12)
Steep discounts to events like Runway (~$10) and our GAPA Banquet.
Lastly, we don’t want money to be a barrier to joining GAPA. If members can’t pay, we hope they join by being volunteers at our events and we are also happy to subsidize the membership cost.
To join GAPA as a member, click here.