Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community

Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women Transgender Community (APIQWTC) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides opportunities for Asian & Pacific Islander queer women and transgender people to socialize, network, build community, engage in inter-generational organizing, and increase community visibility.

Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community
AbbreviationAPIQWTC
PredecessorAPI Lunar New Year Banquet
Formation1999 (1999)
Websitewww.apiqwtc.org

APIQWTC grew out of the API Lunar New Year Banquet, founded in 1987 by a small group of queer and transgender Asian women. APIQWTC was officially founded in 1999 by Crystal Jang, Koko Lin, and Trinity Ordona, as a new hub for established and new community groups to exchange news and coordinate projects in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1][2] Over time, it evolved from a network to a community organization.

In 2012, the co-founders reported that APIQWTC provides the space for an estimated 1,000 queer women and transgender individuals of Asian descent to gather and celebrate who they are.[3] APIQWTC is a space for "many queer women and transgender Asians [who] live in the closet in fear of losing their family and community."[3] Today, its membership boasts 800 members, possibly the largest Asian lesbian/transgender organization on the West Coast.[4]

APIQWTC hosts the following events and activities annually: Lunar New Year Banquet;[3] Summer Barbeque; Phoenix Award;[5] Community Artist award; Trips; Support for community LGBT organizations; Monthly Meet-ups. Every year, APIQWTC provides two scholarship to deserving API LGBT students pursuing higher education.[6] During the yearly banquet, an API LGBT organization is designated to receive a percentage of the annual banquet receipts to further its mission.

References
  1. "APIQWTC December 1999". Brochure. 1999.
  2. "15 Lesbians You Should Know About". www.advocate.com. 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  3. Cassell, Heather (April 19, 2012). "Queer Asian group celebrates silver anniversary". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  4. "News Briefs: SF State dean to receive Phoenix Award". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  5. "Koko Lin to Receive Phoenix Award from Local API Group". Archived from the original on 2014-07-22.
  6. "2015 Scholarship Applications". APIQWTC.
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