Monthly Archives: March 2014

Dear Community Members, Partners, Volunteers, Donors and Allies: The Board and Staff members at Asian Community AIDS Services would like to invite you to join  us to celebrate the agency's 20th Anniversary at the CelebrAsian Gala Dinner on Friday, May 30, 2014 at the Old Mill ( 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto ON M8X 1G5 ). Please join us for an elegant evening of  fun and celebratory evening of great food, entertainment, auctions and dancing. Reception for CelebrAsian starts at 6:00 p.m. For tickets: please contact Heywon at officeadmin@acas.org or 416-963-4300. You can become find out ways to become our sponsor here: 2014 ACAS 20th anniversary sponsor form. We would also welcome donations to help support our fundraising efforts for our evening’s auction. For further information about this event or our organization, please contact Noulmook Sutdhibhasilp, ACAS Executive Director, at 416-963-4300 ext. 227. Call for Nominations for the ACAS 20th Anniversary Community Builder Award and 2014 Patrick Truong Award: In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS), ACAS has created two special awards to mark this special occasion to honor the contributions of individuals who espouse the core values and visions of ACAS. For more information, please click here: ACAS award CFN 2014. The Patrick Truong Award is named after our late Support Program staff, AIDS activist, and a community member. The Award honors a person living with HIV/AIDS of East & Southeast Asian cultural heritage who has made significant contributions in the areas of HIV/AIDS, human rights and/or related social justice issues in Canada or internationally. To nominate a person for the Patrick Truong Award, please click here: ACAS 2014Patrick Truong Award Nom form The 20th Anniversary Community Building Award honors an individual of East & Southeast Asian cultural heritage who has demonstrated long-term commitment, dedication, and accomplishments in community [...]

S.L.A.M! (Sex. Love. Asian Men!) is an interactive learning forum on sex, health, lifestyle and everything in between for and by gay/bi Asian men. Did you miss our Sex, Love, Asian, Men! (S.L.A.M.1) 2014 event? You can watch what some Asian men had to say about the event: BIG thanks to Hassle Free Clinic for providing HIV testing demonstration and on-site testing for HIV. http://www.hasslefreeclinic.org/ BIG thanks to Holiday Inn Toronto Bloor-Yorkville for providing us with a beautiful space. Last but not least, thanks to all the planning committee members, facilitators, and everybody who came out to be part of this forum. For more information, please contact: Richard Utama, Men's Sexual Health Coordinator (416) 963-4300 ext. 235 ∙ men@acas.org ________________________________________­_______ Visit: www.acas.org ACAS (Asian Community AIDS Services) provides HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and support services to the East and Southeast Asian Canadian communities. Our programs are based on a pro-active and holistic approach to HIV/AIDS and are provided in a collaborative, empowering, and non-discriminatory manner. Follow us! www.twitter.com/ACAStoronto Like us! www.facebook.com/AsianCommunityAIDSServi­ces

ACAS February 2014 Review As the winter subzero weather continues its stay Toronto, we at ACAS would like to let you know about some of the news and updates that has kept us busy in the month of February. Queer Asian Youth celebrates its 14th Anniversary: Did you know that Queer Asian Youth (QAY) started in 2000 as a bubble tea night? From it humble conception, it has grown into the vibrant program it is today. For the past14 years, QAY has created a great impact in the LGBTQ Asian youth community in the Greater Toronto Area. To celebrate its 14th year Annivesary, QAY, in collaboration with Kapisanan Philippine Centre, held It's Just a Normal Friday for former and current QAY members to reflect on the years of community building and successes the program, and to look forward to continuing peer empowerment and the development of future Asian leaders in the future. Attendees were treated to fun and food, including entertainment by Jolin Starr, Myan, David Tang, Annie Sun, Ryan Tran, Rai, as well as open-mic, party games, and a slow dance. We would like to thank all the former and present QAY members and our Youth Program Coordinator Mezart Daulet for the amazing work they have done to create a safe space for queer Asian youths in Toronto. Goodbye Chie, and welcome back Heywon! We at ACAS would like to say thank you and bid our farewell to Chie Takano-Reeves, our interim Women’s Outreach and Education Coordinator and extend a warm welcome back to Heywon Kim to resume her role with the Women’s Program after her six months CIDA international internship in Thailand at our sister agency Thai National AIDS Foundation. The women’s program had its monthly Movie Popcorn Night on February 20; What a nice way to spend [...]

Transgender Rights Are Human Rights. On #ZeroDiscrimination Day, APTN and UNAIDS Asia Pacific are proud to launch this new video featuring 21 transgender men and women from across #Asia and the #Pacific as they speak about the #stigma and #discrimination they face, healthcare and their hopes for #transgender rights in the future. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y62Wr5rvsg If you like it, please share it with your friends. © APTN/UNAIDS