Events for November 1, 2024 - November 1, 2024

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, teach you how to play, and then play the game. Do you miss the casual chats of playing cards at the table with your friends? For this month we'll be playing easy-to-learn card games like Big Two or Texas Hold'em Poker. Date: Friday February 12 Feel free to drop in and out between 8pm – 9:30pm EST To receive the Zoom link, register by clicking here How to play: Big Two Big Two (Choh Dai Di) is an Asian card game in which the central goal is being the first player to get rid of all your cards in hand. A hand has 13 cards. As the name suggests, twos are the highest ranking card in Big Two. Cards may be played in the following ways: Single cards Pairs Three of a Kind Poker Hands (five card hands like a Straight, Flush, or Full House) For more detailed rules check out: gamerules.com/rules/big-two-card-game/  Or check out this Youtube video for the basics: https://youtu.be/LvzHxg8PZV8

Register now at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0dwsRtPZX1jhNKq70zgj6GxnS1OOLeStitH69wyq6teXBYA/viewform The 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 project focuses on LGBTQ+ resources in the Greater Toronto Area, but people can register from across Canada. Starts at 1:00pm to 3:00pm every Saturday starting January 23rd to February 20, 2021. All five (5) workshops are held through Zoom: January 23: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) 101 January 30: Coming Out to Myself February 6: Sup? Looking?: Navigating the online world of queer dating February 13: I am My Body: Consent, body image, and desire February 20: I got it! Attitudes and Behaviours to STIs and Testing Contact Bryan Quinones (acasrainbowgps@gmail.com) to register. *(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

Join QTAY (Queer & Trans Asian Youth) Wednesday February 17 at 7pm A free screening of The Way We Are by Amanda Am-Min Wong! This documentary uses interviews, home video footage, and photos to tell the queer stories of four Asian women. Register to attend at forms.gle/Vfx8Q3BV162UMAce8 "The Way We Are" shares excerpts of stories from audio interviews with 4 queer Asian women: Katherine Chun, Wenda Li, Tamai Kobayashi, and Nancy Seto. Told in the present-tense, these stories are arranged in a way that explores the past as the present, and in doing so, immersing viewers into the real-lived experiences from a different generation. This film was inspired by the intimacy of looking through a photo album with loved ones; there is something nostalgic about the materiality of handling photographs, especially in this digital era where images are so increasingly ubiquitous. The act of sharing photos around a living room is a such physical and emotional reflection on the importance of community and family history.

This is a Lunar New Year event for East & Southeast Asian transmasculine and non-binary people. This includes all transmasculine-identifying folks or folks who may be questioning. We welcome people at any point of their transition. This event will be facilitated by an Asian trans man. This event is a casual meeting for our group members to join. We have several $25 food gift cards that we can provide for this event We welcome you to join us and share your tradition of lunar new year's day. Date: Wednesday, February 17 Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm EST To join, please register through this form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeEEi9o8mqHX5A6USs-N9N1sbGjuuu6rPDdtyy8H8oDbDeKFQ/viewform) and the facilitator will email you with the Zoom link. If you are part of the Asian transmasc Facebook group or email newsletter, you will automatically receive the Zoom link there. Who can join? ACAS primarily serves those who identify as East and/or Southeast Asian living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. However, we know spaces for East & Southeast Asian transmasc folks are very few and we are happy to open this event to those living outside of Toronto. Please note that resources will be focused on Toronto due to our knowledge of local services and resources. East & Southeast Asian includes those from multiple generations of immigrants (1st generation, 2nd generation, and so on..) and members of the diaspora from East & Southeast countries like China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, etc. This can also include people with mixed backgrounds from at least one of those countries. This may also include those who might not identify ethnically by blood, but have a substantial heritage or up-bringing living in those countries.

This is a workshop series focused on gay Asian relationships for gay, bi, queer Asian men who have sex with men. In this game show style workshop we invite gay Asian men with their partners to partake in a mini game show (think Match game or Newlyweds game show from the 70s) and then followed by a Q&A (question and answer) on their relationship. How do they make it work? What challenges have they overcome? How does culture come into play? Today's workshop will be focused on gay Asian men in relationships with other Asian men or POC (People of Colour). Hosted by Dan, we invited social activists Michael and Robert, and long distance couple Will & Maurice. To be part of the audience and Q&A, please register to receive the Zoom link at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvfuGoqjsuHtaN6EMVT3BMqtTrl_0_J-Af Feb 18, 7pm EST: Asian + POC (People of Colour) relationships

Register now at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0dwsRtPZX1jhNKq70zgj6GxnS1OOLeStitH69wyq6teXBYA/viewform The 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 project focuses on LGBTQ+ resources in the Greater Toronto Area, but people can register from across Canada. Starts at 1:00pm to 3:00pm every Saturday starting January 23rd to February 20, 2021. All five (5) workshops are held through Zoom: January 23: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) 101 January 30: Coming Out to Myself February 6: Sup? Looking?: Navigating the online world of queer dating February 13: I am My Body: Consent, body image, and desire February 20: I got it! Attitudes and Behaviours to STIs and Testing Contact Bryan Quinones (acasrainbowgps@gmail.com) to register. *(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

The pandemic has been pretty hard on all of us. Even with vaccines rolling out, we need to prioritize staying safe and healthy at all times. Join us for this mask-making workshop where we will go over how to craft them by hand and the resources you can use to do so. Saturday, February 20, 6pm-7:30pm EST Zoom link will be sent closer to the event date. Description: This quick workshop will teach Queer Asians how to hand-sew their own face masks and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the workshop is only an hour and a half, we likely won't be able to finish everything on time, but we hope to equip people with the basics to help them start on their journey to safer, creative quarantine habits. People from Ontario who sign up before February 6th will get sent a care package with a mask-making kit (while supplies last), which will hopefully arrive before the 20th. Anyone who signs up after February 6th is welcome to attend, but will likely receive a mask-making kit after the workshop. Regardless, we can't guarantee anyone will get their kit in time, but we'll do our best! Even if you don't have the supplies below, that's fine; you still might learn a thing or two from watching us! SUPPLIES (necessary marked with *): -Computer / Phone (for Zoom)* -Scissors THE BELOW WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU IF YOU SIGN UP BEFORE FEBRUARY 6TH: -Two different types of fabrics cut into rectangles -Printed pattern in paper of mask -1 or 2 sewing needles -A small spool of thread -Elastic cords for securing to ears This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.

Please join us for a warm and wholesome time! No experience with embroidery required. The first 10 people in Ontario to request an embroidery kit before February 13th will get it in the mail, hopefully before the event! Saturday, February 27, 5:00pm-6:30pm EST Zoom link will be sent the morning of the event. CW: Mental health Description: Stuck in quarantine limbo? Feeling a bit lost? Come practice self-care by learning to identify what grounds and affirms you! Learn how to embroider, and make something that reminds yourself of who you are and what you care about! This workshop will be part introduction to self-affirmations, part embroidery tutorial, and part embroidering/hangout session with others in the Asian LGBTQA+ community. Limited quantity of embroidery kits are available to be mailed out, so please sign up to ensure you receive one and on time! Kits include embroidery hoop, needles, threads, and fabric. About Julie: Julie (She/Her) is a self-taught Chinese-Canadian artist who uses art as a way of reflection and appreciation. She works mainly with pen and ink, mixed paint, digital illustration, and embroidery. Julie is very grateful for the queer Asian community here in Tkaronto. This is her first workshop with ACAS and she is very excited! Supplies: (Kits available upon request) Embroidery hoop, needles, threads, and fabric. Pen and Paper for drafting. This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.

PLEASE sign up at https://forms.gle/1aYGgAE2feX4EF7y7 to ensure you get a spot at this event! This event is open to all LGBTQIAP+ Asian folks. You will get a Zoom link closer to the date. Description: Join us for a series of fun, laugh-out-loud games at our ACAS Jackbox Games Night! We will be playing Jackbox 7, featuring games such as Quiplash 3, Blather around, and The Devils and the Details -- just to name a few. So long as you have a device with an internet browser, you can connect to the game using a code that will be generated on game night. This platform also allows audience members, so even if you don't play, you can listen to us chill and add your own audience votes! If we surpass 8 people, we can switch out players or even go into breakout rooms to have two separate games. We hope to see you there! This event is made possible thanks to the support of United Way GTA #LocalLove Funded by the Government of Canada.

QTAY Presents: Peer Leader Manual Launch! 💖 ⭐️ REGISTRATION LINK: https://forms.gle/LHkriPcUMtXmLWae7 ⭐️ Sunday, February 28, 2021 1:00 - 3:00 PM Zoom (virtual) QTAY is releasing its very first Peer Leader Manual to accompany present and future QTAY Peer Educators on their journey of becoming a community leader! A lot of the skills, experiences, and resources shared in this manual can also speak to LGBTQ+ youth who are navigating community work and are looking for ways to create safer spaces and mobilize. This booklet touches upon boundaries, group facilitation, navigating emotional triggers, peer support, HIV/AIDS awareness, and other important topics that many of the past and present QTAY peer educators, coordinators and volunteers have found helpful in their community work. This booklet is a labour of love from Gabriel Bacani, Joy Wong, and Psalm Tesalona. It has been informed by 4 years worth of experiences and feedback from many other QTAY youth! Please join us on February 28 to listen to, engage with, and celebrate the stories of our QTAY Peer Educators and find some “gems” in our very first manual!