Volunteer Training: Anti-Oppression
Want to be a volunteer at ACAS? We have 3 training workshops to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to volunteer with us. These skills can also apply to your professional and/or personal life. Looking forward to you joining our ACAS family! This second workshop will cover Anti-oppression basics. We will also specifically look at what anti-oppression looks like as it relates to the Asian LGBTQ+ community. To register, email the Volunteer Coordinator: Trisha at volunteer@acas.org Please try to attend all 3 workshops in order to receive the full training, but you can still join if you can only attend 1 or 2. 3 workshops, every Tuesday, 7pm-9pm EST Dec 1: Intro to ACAS & HIV 101 Dec 8: Anti-Oppression within Asian LGBTQ+ Spaces Dec 15: Intro to CHAMPS Program and Mindfulness
acas lofi qtay call – space to study/relax in
Need a space to relax or a space where you can study to some chill beats? Join us for another drop-in session! Wednesday, December 9, 6pm – 8pm Zoom link will be sent closer to the event date. Description: If you’re feeling isolated and lonely trying to get work done or just want a place to hang out with people, this is the place to do it! We’ll have a space where we can listen to a playlist curated by LGBTQIAP+ Asians and work together quietly, while also being able to chat with each other and whatnot. If you need a space to talk or want to vent a bit, Dany (our coordinator) will be around to go to a breakout room with you and listen to you. Please keep in mind that Dany is not a professional, but is there to empathize, offer advice and resources, and moderate the space. This’ll be a two-hour session of working, chilling, and chatting together. Even if you don’t stay the whole time or arrive late, that’s okay! We’d be happy to have you for whenever you’re able to stop by, even if you just want to say hi. This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.
Men’s Games Night: Wavelength
Your Friday nights at home just got a little better! Looking to meet new friends during the pandemic? This is a monthly online games night for Asian gay, bi, queer, cis and trans guys. We'll start with introductions and then play a fun game. This month's game is called Wavelength and can be played at heretothere.app on teams or cooperatively. Feel free to drop in and out between 8pm - 9:30pm EDT To receive the Zoom link, register by clicking here How to play: Wavelength Wavelength is a social guessing game in which two teams compete to read each other’s minds. Teams take turns rotating a dial to where they think a hidden bullseye is located on a spectrum. One of the players on your team — the Psychic — knows exactly where the bullseye is, and draws a card with a pair of binaries on it (such as: Job – Career, Rough – Smooth, Fantasy – Sci-Fi, Sad Song – Happy Song, etc). The Psychic must then provide a clue that is conceptually where the bullseye is located between those two binaries. For example, if the card this round is HOT-COLD and the bullseye is slightly to the “cold” side of the centre, the Psychic needs to give a clue somewhere in that region. Perhaps “salad”? After the Psychic gives their clue, their team discusses where they think the bullseye is located and turns the dial to that location on that spectrum. The closer to the center of the bullseye the team guess, the more points they score!
Celebrate the Holigays!: Letters of Gratitude & DIY Holiday Card Workshop
***PLEASE sign up at https://forms.gle/2AUayq6ZVNGXLUFHA to ensure you get a spot at this event!*** Description: Don’t let the ice-solation get to you this Holiday Season! Join ACAS and fellow LGBTQIAP+ Asians to Celebrate the Holigays!: A Letters of gratitude + DIY holiday card workshop. Come learn about Gratitude as a mindfulness practice and some Cool tips and tricks on how to make your own hallmark-worthy cards! There will be a card creating session/creative hangout time at the end so we highly encourage you to bring some crafting supplies (our recommended items are starred in the list below). sNOw worries if you do not have all of those items, this workshop is all about being resourceful and using what you have at home. Hope to see all you Thaw-some folks there! CWs: There may be mentions of academia. Facilitator: Eva is a Queer Taiwanese Canadian who is intrigued with the question of identity. Through lots of self-reflection, she found that identity is never self-contained and will always be intersectional. It is informed and linked to communities, experiences, locations and it is ever-evolving. Eva has worked with ACAS previously leading workshops and co-hosting events and is excited to be working with ACAS again to engage the community. Supplies: Paper to write on* Pen/Marker* Pencil* Ruler* Coloured paper/blank printer paper* Scissors* Tape/glue* Compass Old magazines/old calendars/internet images you want to print Stickers Anything else you’d like to craft with! This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.
Rainbow GPS Project
Register at https://forms.gle/3cekSdxxFwZy1tY59 Rainbow GPS Project is an orientation project for East/Southeast Asian LGBTQ Newcomers and International Students who are transitioning to live in Toronto and in Canada. Through weekly drop-in sessions, the Rainbow GPS project will be a learning space for people to explore themes around sexuality, gender identity, coming out, consent, dating and relationships, and body image. The objectives are to LEARN different concepts and themes, APPLY key learning outcomes, and SHARE personal or lived experiences. Through these objectives (learning, applying, and sharing), the Rainbow GPS Project aims to explore various LGBTQ+ identities that are specific to East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures and how those LGBTQ+ identities are being translated to Western society. The Rainbow GPS Project is open to East and Southeast Asian LGBTQ+ International Students and Newcomers. The Rainbow GPS Project focuses on LGBTQ+ resources in the Greater Toronto Area, but people can register from across Canada and can participate in the workshops.* The program will have a total of four (4) workshops on TUESDAYS starting November 17, 2020. All workshops are held through Zoom. The 4 sessions are: November 24, 6pm EST: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) 101 December 1, 6pm EST: Coming Out (to Myself) December 8, 6pm EST: Sup? Looking?: Navigating queer dating in an online world December 15, 6pm EST: I am My Body: Consent, body image, and desire Contact Bryan Quinones (acasrainbowgps@gmail.com) for more information. *(Due to the unprecedented events that was caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the sessions will be happening online via zoom. This allows the program to be available for other LGBTQ+ newcomers and international students who may not be physically living in Toronto.) The Rainbow GPS Project is funded by Community ONE Foundation
Volunteer Training: CHAMPS & Mindfulness
Want to be a volunteer at ACAS? We have 3 training workshops to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to volunteer with us. These skills can also apply to your professional and/or personal life. Looking forward to you joining our ACAS family! The last workshop will give you an introduction to our CHAMPS in Action program. We will also introduce mindfulness techniques that are helpful to ground you and maintain your mental health in your daily life. To register, email the Volunteer Coordinator: Trisha at volunteer@acas.org Please try to attend all 3 workshops in order to receive the full training, but you can still join if you can only attend 1 or 2. 3 workshops, every Tuesday, 7pm-9pm EST Dec 1: Intro to ACAS & HIV 101 Dec 8: Anti-Oppression within Asian LGBTQ+ Spaces Dec 15: Intro to CHAMPS Program and Mindfulness
acas lofi qtay call – space to study/relax in
Need a space to relax or a space where you can study to some chill beats? Join us for another drop-in session! Wednesday, December 16, 6pm – 8pm Zoom link will be sent closer to the event date. Description: If you’re feeling isolated and lonely trying to get work done or just want a place to hang out with people, this is the place to do it! We’ll have a space where we can listen to a playlist curated by LGBTQIAP+ Asians and work together quietly, while also being able to chat with each other and whatnot. If you need a space to talk or want to vent a bit, Dany (our coordinator) will be around to go to a breakout room with you and listen to you. Please keep in mind that Dany is not a professional, but is there to empathize, offer advice and resources, and moderate the space. This’ll be a two-hour session of working, chilling, and chatting together. Even if you don’t stay the whole time or arrive late, that’s okay! We’d be happy to have you for whenever you’re able to stop by, even if you just want to say hi. This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.
QTAY Poetry Workshop
Does it feel hectic during the holiday/end-of-year hustle and bustle? Need some time for some creative outlet and expression? Well QTAY's got you covered! Join us for a relaxing afternoon poetry workshop led by one of our QTAY Peer Leaders, Vale, on Saturday, December 19th, from 2-4:30pm! This event is open to all LGBTQ+ Asian youth, no experience needed, and will be held all online via Zoom! Spaces will be limited, so please reach out via Facebook, Instagram or email the Youth Program Coordinator, Kai, at youth@acas.org soon to reserve a spot!
Hot Pot Huddle
**Register at https://forms.gle/EnNniAXpX3sdKn1L7 to join us!** It's cold outside, but that doesn't mean we can't find warmth in friends and good food! Join us for Hot Pot Huddle, our Winter / End-Of-Year Social! Saturday, December 26, 6pm - 9pm Zoom link will be sent closer to the event date. Description: Grab some good food and join us for a wintry celebration! This is a space that Queer Asian folks can enter and leave at any time to relax, eat, play, and be themselves with other Queer Asian folks during the holiday season. We'll have games, discussions, and even a little "crafting corner" (list of potential activities below). It'll be a good, warm time all around with some amazing people. Can't wait to see you there! POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES Games: -> Jackbox Games (custom ACAS Quiplash?) -> Kahoot Quizzes (themed around things like anime, zodiac signs, etc.) -> Wintry D&D Game Crafting Corner: -> Random Writing Prompts / Improv Storytelling Circle -> Paint Night (dependent on available leaders) -> Craft & Chat / Craft Showcase Discussions / Other: -> Quiz-taking (you know, those silly random quizzes online) -> Tarot Card Reading (dependent on available readers) -> Discussion "Circles" (themed around things like anime, zodiac signs, etc.) This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.
ACAS Movie Night: Your Name Engraved Herein
This event is open to all Asian LGBTQ+ identified folks. Wednesday, Dec 30 7:45pm EST - Room open for arrivals 8:00pm EST - Movie start time Please register to receive the invitation link: https://forms.gle/EagLx5nL8JocRzE36 Your Name Engraved Herein (刻在你心裡的名字) (Taiwan, 2020, 1 hour 58 minutes) directed by Kuang-Hui Liu Mandarin with English subtitles Trailer: https://youtu.be/mzfVBg54BGw Synopsis: Your Name Engraved Herein is about two high school boys in an all-male boarding school exploring their friendship and genuine love for each other against the backdrop of the 1980s when Taiwan recently lifted its strict martial law, amid a transition from conservative society to become the most LGBTQ-friendly country in Asia. When the boarding school begins admitting females, their relationship faces an ultimate test with the emergence of a school girl. Your Name Engraved Herein is Taiwan’s all-time highest-grossing LGBTQ film, receiving 5 Golden Horse Award nominations in 2020. The film is produced by Arthur Chu, directed by Kuang-Hui "Patrick" Liu, starring Jing-Hua Tseng and Edward Chen. How to join our movie night: We’ll be hosting the movie on a free platform called Kast. A free Kast account is required. Sign up at (w.kastapp.live). With the invite link, you can watch directly through Google Chrome or download the desktop app (kast.gg/download.html). Kast will not work in other internet browsers (like Firefox or Safari). You do not need a Netflix account to watch. To receive the private Kast room link, please register at: https://forms.gle/EagLx5nL8JocRzE36