D.C.'s Queer Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) History

Some highlights from the history of our communities:

Our thanks to Daniel Bao, Vince Crisostomo, Gem Daus, Ben de Guzman, Theron
Gilliland, Jr., Allan Pacheco, Grace Poore, Ann Surapruik and Doreena Wong
for their assistance in pulling this together!

2006
The tradition of Pride and Heritage continues in its seventh year. As part of our annual commemoration in May celebrating our multiple identities as proud Asian/Pacific Islander and proud LGBT people, we honor Gita Deane and APA Film. Deane, one of the lead plaintiffs in Maryland's marriage equality case, Deane and Polyak v. Conaway, is being awarded for raising the visibility of A/PIs in the struggle for LGBT rights. APA Film, a D.C.-based organization, is being lauded for their proactive integration and representation of LGBT A/PIs in their programming, especially the annual D.C. Asian Pacific American Film Festival.

2005
Pride and Heritage 2005 hands out the inaugural Pride and Heritage Visibility Awards, given to Asian and Pacific Islander individuals and groups for their extraordinary contributions to our community. Our first awardees are John Tinpe (a successful businessman, political activist, and
the chair of the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs) and the National APA Women's Forum (a progressive national organization of APA women that has a long-established record of supporting LGBT civil rights).

In May, KhushDC organizes the Jalwa Dance Party at Club AQUA which features famous NYC Desi DJ Ashu Rai. Funds from Jalwa help support KhushDC's first independent marching contingent in the Capital Pride Parade.

KhushDC ratifies by-laws and starts building formal membership base. In July, the first democratic elections for KhushDC Board are held.

November sees the formation of KhushDC-Girls, a support and political group within KhushDC for self-identified South Asian lesbian, queer, bisexual, transgendered and same gender loving women.

2004
The guests of honor at 2004's Pride and Heritage Celebration are Hector Vargas of Lambda Legal, and Mala Nagarajan & Vega Subramaniam, two brave South Asian women fighting for marriage equality in Washington State.

Washington, D.C. sends a significant delegation to the Queer Asian Pacific Legacy Conference in New York City in March, a historic regional conference of nearly 400 LGBT pan-Asian Pacific American activists.

AQUA and KhushDC jointly co-organize a hugely successful "Monsoon Night" at Titan Bar in May.

DC-MAPS helps to organize KhushDC's first ever Board Retreat, where formal structure for the organization is laid, including KhushDC By-Laws and a formal Membership base.

KhushDC celebrates its ten-year anniversary at "Utsav" in September at Mt. Everest Restaurant.

2003
Community groups decide to celebrate APA Heritage Month with an events series under the banner Pride and Heritage. The first Pride and Heritage celebration consists of arts performances at Chaos, a film tribute and talk on Leslie Cheung (the openly gay Hong Kong film star from Happy Together who committed suicide that year), an A/PI LGBT Health Day, an immigration rights legal session and a community potluck.

2002
An A/PI Showcase, highlighting the talents of spoken word artists, dance performers and others, takes place at the Josephine Butler Parks Center.

2001
Community organizations collaborate to pull together a Queer A/PI Activism Panel at the SEARAC Ballroom, featuring four groundbreaking nationally-renowned Asian and South Asian activists: Ignatius Bau (then Deputy Director, Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum), TC Duong (then Eastern Field Manager, National PFLAG), Paul Kawata (Executive Director, National Minority AIDS Council), and Shamina Singh (first Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders).

2000
Area groups work together to hold a queer Asian alternative event organized for the Millennium March on Washington (MMOW).

Three A/PI groups march together in the Capital Pride Parade as one group: A.K.A (AQUA, KhushDC, and APIQS).

The area LGBT groups meet around a special Washington, D.C., reading by award-winning journalist, author and activist Helen Zia in honor of APA Heritage Month, becoming the inaugural celebration of LGBT contributions to the month.

1998
DCALS (D.C. Asian Lesbians) is reorganized under the name APIQS (A/PI Queer Sisters).

AQUA begins participating in the Capital Pride Festival.

The first Jaded Lounge (later called Zen Lounge) is held at the former Cobalt nightclub, on 17th and R Streets in northwest D.C. It is a collaborative event with other gay Asian groups in the area and is organized by the Asian and Pacific Islander Partnership Health (APIPH). The Lounge is
an educational and entertaining event emphasizing safer sex.

1997
AQUA is founded as an organization run by queer Asians for queer Asians.

1994
KhushDC founders Atul and Yassir meet on the streets of New York City in June during Stonewall 25th Anniversary celebration. They speak at the "Utsav" in New York City, surprised to learn that they are both from D.C., and they decide to start a group similar to NYC's SALGA (South Asian Lambda Gay Association) when they return to D.C. Flyers posted around the city and an ad the in the Washington Blade bring people to the first meeting at Luna Books.

GAPIN (Gay Asian Pacific Information Network) hosts a standing room only screening of the film Out In Silence at Luna Books in July.

APIPH (A/PI Partnership for Health) hosts Asian AIDS Project's Love Like This Theater of San Francisco for two sold-out performances of About Face at the Cherry Theater in Dupont
Circle.

1993
APIPH is founded to address HIV/AIDS in the gay Asian community in the District of Columbia.

GAPIN participates in the March on Washington, and hosts a national A/PI LGBT gathering for attendees of the March on Washington.

1992
DCALS (D.C. Asian Lesbians) remains active and featured in WOMO (Women's Monthly).

Antonio Pisig of GAPIN (Gay Asian Pacific Information Network) represents D.C. at the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) Political Awareness Conference in San Francisco. This conference brought together A/PI LGBT activists from across the U.S. and Japan.

Don Crisostomo takes over GAPIN's leadership in summer 1992.

1990
Asians and Friends of Washington hosts the first official International Friendship Weekend, with 120 people registered from five organizations represented: AFW, AFNY, Asians and Friends of Chicago (AFC), Asians and Friends of Pittsburgh (AFPgh) and Gay Asians of Ottawa and their Friends.

1989
DCALS is part of the planning group for the First National APLN Retreat in July at Santa Cruz, CA. DCALS produced the brochure, and handled publicity and outreach for the Retreat. They also hosted the Retreat planning meeting at Sharon Eng's and then met at Vivean Ng's for marathon meetings to hash out details.

1988
Asians and Friends of Washington invites friends from Asian and Friends of New York (AFNY) to visit D.C. AFW goes to visit AFNY the following year.

1987
DCALS (D.C. Asian Lesbians) is formed. DCALS members participate in the 1987 March on Washington and other events during that time. Doreena Wong remembers over 25 Asian lesbians, bisexual women and transgender folks crashing at her house for the march. Soon after, APLBTN (A/PI Lesbian, Bi, and Transgender Network) is formed.

1984
Asians and Friends of Washington is formed. It is believed to be one of the first Asians and Friends chapters formed in the U.S.