Events for November 14, 2024 - November 14, 2024

Dear Fellow Gay Asians 40+ members: Please join our virtual Party on Zoom! We would like to invite all of you and your partners to join us on a virtual reunion social networking session on Friday November 6, from 6-7:30 p.m. Let us connect, catch up with each other, and share about the movies and books that give us pleasure during this pandemic. Please contact Ryan at men@acas.org for the Zoom link or if you have any questions. Looking forward to meeting you all! >> Put your name onto the zoom log-in box to ensure speedy admission into the meeting. ***** Midnight Lotus (formerly know as Gay Asians 40+) is organized by former members of Gay Asians Toronto (GAT) and sponsored by Asians Community AIDS Services (ACAS). Through regular social events and educational activities, our group aims to provide a forum and community support to gay Asians who are 40 plus.

QTAY Presents: When You're Ready CYCLE 1 Peer Leaders: Angela, Min and Vale! DATES: Nov 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 5, 10, 17 TIME: 6-8:30 PM for all sessions, EXCEPT December 5th (1pm-3:30pm). LOCATION: Zoom WHAT IS THE WYR PROGRAM? When You're Ready (WYR) is an 8-week program where East and Southeast Asian youth (ages 18-29) come together to discuss topics relating to their identity, with an emphasis on the whole idea of coming into your identity. What does it mean to be a queer and/or trans Asian youth? Did you recognize your queer-ness or Asian-ness first? What does it mean to be bi-cultural, biracial? Do you ever feel NOT Asian or queer enough? Is coming out part of the gay white agenda? These are just some of the questions we will be exploring as a group. Also, some topics we will touch upon are: anti-oppression, intersectionality, chosen family, shadeism, mindfulness and SO much more! STRUCTURE OF WYR We will be capping CYCLE 1 at 10 participants to facilitate an intimate environment where youth can explore and discuss these topics more in-depth. So please RSVP as soon as you can! We will be meeting once a week, every Thursday evening starting November 12 to December 17th, 2020 (Nov 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 5, 10, 17) from 6-8:30PM online, except December 5th (Saturday, from 1pm-2:30pm). We encourage participants to attend all 8 sessions, but alas, the gig economy is real, school stress is very real and life in general is too real! So, please try to make at least 6/8 sessions! If you already know this is going to be tough to do, please refrain from signing up so that we can prioritize folks who can attend as many sessions as possible. If drop-in casual events are more your thing, [...]

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 called Codenames. Working in teams, Codenames is a co-operative game where teammates must decide together to choose the correct code words with the help of a 1-word clue given by the team leader (a.k.a. "Spymaster"). Feel free to drop in and out between 8pm - 9:30pm EDT Email Ryan at men@acas.org for the Zoom link. How to play (https://gamerules.com/rules/codenames/) The objective of codenames is to correctly guess all of your teams’ code words on the board before the other team does and without guessing the "assassin" card (or "bomb" card). This is possible because your Spymaster will give you a one-word clue and a number. Using this information and similar clues throughout the game your team will try to interpret the spymaster’s clue and guess each code word.

**To join, you MUST register at https://forms.gle/HxXXEL4T1AdtC4zw5!** Workshop: Have you ever felt not “bi”/ “pan”/ “queer” enough? Ever wondered what the difference between “bi” and “pan” is? Maybe you’re questioning and would like to explore some identities? Or maybe you just want to come on bi to meet other folks during this pandemic while we all queer-antine at home! If you’re interested in any of the above, please join us as we learn the differences (and similarities!) between bisexuality, pansexuality, and queerness, and how these identities have come to change over the years. We will explore what it means to be bisexual, why it’s okay to sometimes question our identities, and share affirmations on why bi (and pan and queer!) is beautiful. This workshop is intended for Bi+/Pan/Queer-identifying Asians, though any LGBTQIAP+ Asians are allowed to join. Please register at: https://forms.gle/HxXXEL4T1AdtC4zw5 (A Zoom link will be sent out to all registered participants closer to the event date.) A little bit about our facilitator: Angela is an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, studying Human Biology and Psychology, with the hopes of pursuing research for LGBTQ+ health and women’s health. She has recently joined the ACAS team as a Peer Educator for the When You’re Ready Program, and is excited to explore the experiences of queer-trans Asian youth in our new virtual space. This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.

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

**You MUST register here: https://forms.gle/ZJbgbcFnPPiA77nw6 Only those who identify as LGBTQIAP+ Asians may join.** Need a space to relax or a space where you can study to some chill beats? Join us for our first drop-in session! Wednesday, November 18, 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 is the first out of several drop in sessions we'll be hosting, so let us know what you'd like to see and when! This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.

#RisingYouth Community Service Grants empowers young people, ages 15-30 to imagine ideas that can support their local community and helps put those ideas into action through grants of $250, $750, or $1500. If you have an idea to support your community, #RisingYouth can help you bring it to life. This workshop is for East and Southeast Asian queer & trans youth under 30. It doesn't matter if you dream big or dream small, if you have an idea that would help your community, this workshop will help you develop that idea further into life. Anyone can be a community organizer as long as you have an idea! Date: Tuesday November 24 Time: 6:00PM - 7:30PM EST Click here to Register and reserve your spot! Email Ryan at men@acas.org if you have more questions. Food vouchers will be available for youth who attend both workshops on Nov 24 and Dec 2 This workshop will focus on project ideas that can support the queer & trans Asian community in Canada. What that looks like is up to you! Is there an issue you want to address? Do you have a need that hasn't been met? What do we need more of for our community? You don't need to have a complete idea to join this workshop. Come with an open mind because you may end up leaving with a few new ideas. Apply at acas.risingyouth.ca This is a lead-up workshop to a grant writing workshop. A 2nd workshop will walk you through the application process and grant-writing basics.

This event is for Asian gay, bi, queer, cis and trans men. Wednesdays can be the hardest day to get through during the week. The Humpday workshop occurs on the last Wednesday of every month. Humpday is an evening for gay Asian guys to get together over a topic or theme related to our queer identities. Topics range from dating, body image, sexual racism, sexuality, safer sex, etc. Wednesday, November 25 7pm - 8:30pm It's been extra hard to make new friends during the pandemic and some are feeling the need to connect socially with others. This month we will be Speed Friending! Let's take the time to get to know each other more deeply. Like a speed-dating format, attendees will be separated into breakrooms in pairs to chat with each other one-on-one. You will get 10 minutes to talk and get to know each other before getting randomly switched to a new partner. Don't worry, we will prepare a list of conversational questions if you get stuck!

**To join, you MUST register here: https://forms.gle/pFGBaT3c3ChCqJBbA Only 12 spots are available BUT there will be a waitlist.** Attention space-farers! Are you tired of this dull material plane? How about you live out your dreams in Virtual Reality?! Buy the latest in VR technology, the Penni LIV, and be send to a whole new world of dreams and fun!! If you can dream it, you can have it! Order on Black Friday, experience Penni LIV the next day! Come join us on Saturday, November 28, 6-9pm, for this Black Friday-themed adventure (where we take down capitalism and--I mean, what?). It'll be a combination workshop/game night, and we'll be playing Lancer, the tabletop RPG (think D&D but sci-fi). If you'd like to sign up, please do so ASAP--we only have about 12 spots available for this, though we'll have a waitlist ready in case people drop out. Anyone who identifies as an LGBTQIAP+ Asian is welcome to join. Please register at: https://forms.gle/pFGBaT3c3ChCqJBbA A zoom link will be sent out closer to the day of the event. A little bit about our facilitator: Liam is a student at OCAD University studying Creative Writing. They hope to use the medium of storytelling to speak out and explore truths and paradoxes in the world. They've recently started getting involved with ACAS and can't wait to lead his first workshop. This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.