January 2014 Update
Happy Lunar New Year!!!
ACAS wishes all our friends, volunteers, donors, and community allies a very joyous, prosperous and successful new year with good heath!
January Review:
It has been an extremely cold winter, yet the subzero weather did not stop ACAS from providing warmth, support and care to our community members and service users.
Support Program:
To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Support Program held a very celebratory hot pot gathering on Jan 23 for the support program service users. Though the weather was harsh and wintry that evening, those who attended enjoyed the lovely food, laughter and providing a safe and supportive community for one another in anticipation of the Year of the Wood Horse!
Locker Room Project:
ACAS would like to bid farewell to Sumit Joe Thongaple and welcome Chris An as our new Locker Room Straight Men Outreach Coordinator. The Locker Room Project held its first meeting on January 26 with members from the project. The Locker Room Project is currently in the process of accepting applications for the Spartan Race in June. Please contact Chris An at lockerroom@acas.org for more information.
Community Engagement:
Our Community Engagement Worker, Christian Hui, gave a talk on Crystal Meth to service providers at the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program Conference on Jan 27, 2014. The conference brings together service providers and community members across the province to learn about ways to address substance use issues impacting the community through the harm reduction approach.
Social Media:
Many of you have seen the great work of the community-oriented Rice Roll Productions, formed by our youth and social media coordinator, Mezart Daulet, with director Vince Ha. They have released their new short, Empty Nest, which speaks about the often unspoken issues of being gay in the Asian community, HIV and Hepatitis C, substance use, and finding love and acceptance featuring our very own Christian Hui and Richard Utama! You can watch the film here: http://youtu.be/nXiUwnMInwo (Disclaimer: The film contains mature subject and content, and viewer discretion is advised)
You can also read the articles which have inspired the film here written by Christian:
- “Our Agenda: My Substance Use” on Qi Magazine: http://qimagazine.ca/2013/09/our-agenda-my-substance-use/
- PositiveLite.com posted article on “Breaking Free on Emptiness” http://positivelite.com/component/zoo/item/breaking-free-from-emptiness
- “Our Agenda: My Substance Use” repost on Gay Men Sexual Health Alliance’s OurAgenda.ca site: http://www.ouragenda.ca/blog/Home/TabId/245/PostId/165/OurAgendaMySubstanceUse.aspx
