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Come join us at ACAS for a video shoot to address HIV stigma in our community!   It's simple. Come as you are, stand in front of a camera, and share your anti-stigma message! Date: Thursday, Feb 18, 2016 Time: 2pm to 5pm Location: ACAS (260 Spadina Avenue, Unit 410)  See you @ ACAS!

ACAS would like to wish everyone a very Safe, Prosperous, and Sexually Healthy Lunar New Year!   恭賀新禧! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới"!  새해 복 많이 받으세요! Shine Jiliin Bayariin Mend Hurgeye! 迎春! Losar-la Tashi Delek!   Welcome Volunteers!   ACAS wanted to give our new volunteers a very warm welcome! We thank you for your time and commitment to making ACAS an warm and welcoming home for East/Southeast Asians from the HIV and LGBTQ communities.   Welcome New Staff and Placement Student, Michael and Heidi!   If you have not already met our lovely new Men’s Outreach Worker, Michael Adia, and Master of Social Work placement student from York University, Heidi Cho, please come and say hi to them next time you are at the office! Our Youth Are Our Future!   Have you seen our new series of QAY Poster Campaign?   Listen to the 3 unique stories of queer Asian youth; stories about struggles with bullying, coming out, transitioning, mental health, racism… and how they overcame them.   QAY Discussion Series: Mental Health and Stigma   On Friday, February 5, 2016, Heidi facilitated a QAY Discussion Series on Mental Health and Stigma. The art-based discussion focused on the unique experiences of South East/East Asians, newcomers, young people and members of the LGBTTQIA* community on mental health; how mental health stigma plays out in our families, communities, schools and workplaces; and whether mainstream responses to mental health such as the Bell Talk Campaign and 'positive thinking ' mentality meet the needs of queer Asian youths. Participants were able to leave the workshop with coping strategies they have shared with one another on ways how they may deal with mental health concerns. HUMPDAY: January   Wednesdays can be the hardest day to get through during the week. Now you can [...]

ACAS would like to wish that everyone had a warm and cozy winter holiday and fantastic 2016! As our office re-opens for the new year, we would like to have a quick re-cap of what took place during the month of December, and a few important updates to we would like you to know. Last month, we brought you the update about our successful ACAS Red Ribbon on the Rocket #RR0R15 campaign to raise awareness of World AIDS Day amongst TTC riders. But there is more!   ACAS University of Toronto Mississauga HIV Awareness Campaign! Have you watched the ACAS/University of Toronto Mississauga HIV Awareness Campaign? The video was produced in collaboration with students from University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) campus. Watch and share the video https://youtu.be/xh9UnZCUi_0, or share the poster from our album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.932484360163893.1073741881.337056206373381&type=1&l=ba6161939d)   Community Collaboration: Getting to Zero HIV/AIDS Forum Following another year of a successful Red Ribbon on the Rocket #RROR15 Campaign on November 30, 2015 in preparation of World AIDS Day, ACAS also took part in the Getting to Zero HIV/AIDS Forum with St. Stephen's Community House, ACT, Toronto Chinese Health Education Committee and Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Network) to raises awareness on the issue of HIV/AIDS that affects people within our community and around the world.  Thanks to Nossa TV Canada, you can see Nancy Sun of St. Stephen’s Community House interviewed at this meaningful event (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2TCyMDZAp4)   Getting ready for the Holidays through Gift-wrapping To prepare for the holiday season, ACAS' Women's Program held an amazingly fun yet practical free Art of Gift Wrapping 101 Social on Wednesday December 16th, 2015. Were you one of the lucky persons who received one or more of the lovely wrapped gifts by our talented group of women program participants? Hope so!   Holiday Parties: [...]

The end of the year is fast approaching! Before we take a break for the Winter holidays, ACAS would like to let you know what has kept us busy the month of November, as well as give you a recap of this year’s World AIDS Day! World AIDS Day 2015   ACAS calls on all Torontonians to Fast-Track to End AIDS with #RROR15 Red Ribbon on the Rocket Campaign Fast-Track to End AIDS is UNAIDS’ theme for World AIDS Day 2015, a strategic approach which calls for countries across the globe to commit to front-load investments to address this worldwide epidemic; pay specific focus on the locations, populations and programs that deliver the greatest impact; standing firm on the protection of human rights; engages local leadership for targeted, sustained and accountable responses; and ensuring that leave no one behind. To raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, ACAS for its second year launched its #RROR15Red Ribbon on the Rocket Campaign. Teams of dedicated volunteers, board members and staff outreached to Torontonians at a number of TTC stations and handed out information pamphlets & red ribbons to on World AIDS Day eve to encourage everyone to wear a red ribbon to help commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1st. (Above photo courtesy of Mingpao). Not only did we give away 2,000 red ribbons, condoms and safer sex informational packages to TTC riders at this year’s outreach, the event was also covered by a number of media outlets including OMNI News Cantonese & Mandarin, DailyXtra, MingPao, and CCVoice. We would also like to thank OMNI News for taping two special interview segments in Cantonese and Mandarin to help promote a greater understanding of HIV within the Asian community. November 2015 in Review   Celebrating the Life and Work of Dr. Kirby Hsu On Sunday, November 1, 2015, [...]

Asian Community AIDS Services calls for Public Support to  Fast-Track to End AIDS with Red Ribbon on the Rocket on World AIDS Day    Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) calls on all Torontonians to show their support to Fast-Track to End AIDS (UNAIDS, 2015) with our Red Ribbon on the Rocket campaign on Monday, November 30, 2015, the day before World AIDS Day at various TTC stations. We encourage all to join us this year to show support and commitment to end AIDS and HIV stigma. To raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, ACAS staff and volunteers will be handing out information pamphlets & red ribbons to TTC riders at at Wellesley, Osgoode, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick stations on World AIDS Day eve, Monday, November 30 2015, between 4:00 pm – 6:30pm. Fast-Track to End AIDS is UNAIDS’ theme for World AIDS Day this year, an approach which calls for a focus on the locations, populations and programs that deliver the greatest impact; standing firm on the protection of human rights; and ensuring that leave no one behind. Although working toward an end to HIV/AIDS within the Asian community often continues to be a struggle, ACAS continues to organize concerted community efforts in addressing these on-going challenges. Many community members often do not access information and services for their protection or survival as many still see HIV/AIDS as a taboo subject or feel HIV is an illness that warrants fear or shame. In addition, HIV-stigma continues to negatively impact people of colour; immigrants and refugees; gays, lesbians and trans persons; youth; women; people who use substances; and sex workers---community members whom we serve on a daily basis. On December 1, 1994, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACSAS) was formed when Gay Asians Toronto’s Gay Asian AIDS Project, SEAS Centre’s Vietnamese AIDS [...]

As ACAS wraps up the last month of our 20th Anniversary, we would like to share with you our final #ACASturns20 write-up: A special our tribute by ACAS co-founder and Founding President, Dr. Alan Li, to fellow ACAS co-founder and trailblazer for Asians living with HIV in Toronto, Dr. Kirby Hsu.    

October 2015 has proven to be an especially important and busy month for ACAS. Read on to find out why…   ACAS 2015 Annual General Meeting The ACAS 2015 Annual General Meeting took place on Friday, October 23, 2015. We would like to especially thank our outgoing board members Giovanni Temansja, Joel Tran Bansil, Agnes Tong, Emily Hao, and Gerson Mobo for their time and commitment to our organization this past year. Highlights of the evening included a tribute to ACAS co-founder, the late Dr. Kirby Hsu, by fellow ACAS co-founder Dr. Alan Li. The evening also saw the recognition of our most dedicated volunteers and Team CelebrAsian who helped us raised over $10,000 this past year. We would also like to welcome our new vibrant team of Board of Directors.   ACAS raises $24,172 at the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half Marathon and 5k Charity Challenge! Thanks to our team of 32 runners and walkers and our generous donors, ACAS has surpassed our $20,000 fundraising goal and raised a total of $24,172!!! With seven teams competing to raise the highest amount of funds this year, Team CelebrAsian once again raised the most amount of money two years in a row, with a total of $10.400! Our fastest runners at this year’s 5k race are Henry Luyombya with a time of 22’46”, and Anthony Ku Ong with a time of 23’14”. Our fastest staff runner is Christian Hui with a time of 25’17”. On behalf of the ACAS board and staff team, we would like to thank you for supporting ACAS.  Your contributions ensure that we can continue to provide quality services for East and Southeast Asians living with HIV as well as LGBTQ youths in the Greater Toronto Area.    Dine for ACAS at Fabulous Feast – Thai [...]

FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) would like to invite you to our 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) https://www.facebook.com/events/425582124298957/ DATE: Friday, October 23, 2015 TIME: 6:15 to 8:00 p.m. LOCATION: 490 Sherbourne Street, 1st floor Meeting Room, Ph. 416-205-9888. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. A light dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP by email at officeadmin@acas.org or by phone at 416-963-4300 by Wednesday, October 21. We look forward to seeing you! 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