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We at ACAS hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season as well as a very happy new year! It’s hard to believe the month of January has already passed. We at ACAS would like to keep you updated on the many exciting activities we had as well as the work we have been doing to promote healthy sexuality and building a stronger community in the month of January 2015!   ACAS’ Open Letter On the Updated Ontario Sex Education and Health Curriculum In response to the recent spike in debates and news coverage on the updated sex education and health curriculum in Ontario schools to be introduced in September 2015, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) would like to share an open letter to the community and express our opinions and views about the curriculum. You can access also the open letter here: ACAS Open Letter on the Updated Sex Education and Health Curriculum in Ontario Schools Please feel free to share this letter with your networks.   Women’s Program and Women's Support Program Joint Program Self-Defence Social Event As the new Ontario Sex Education Curriculum will incorporate the topic of the issues of Safety and Consent, Online Safety and the Risks of Sexting, it is very apt and timely that our Women’s Program and the Women's Support Program held a very successful and well-attended joint-program  Self-Defence Social Event on January 8, 2015, to jumpstart the new year. We would like to especially thank our wonderful instructor, MaryCarl, a first-generation Pinay-Canadian womyn's self defence instructor for a fun and informative self-defence workshop that is taught through an anti-oppression, feminist, anti-racist and queer-positive framework.   Men’s Program Safety and Consent Workshop  Safety & Consent Workshop While Safety and Consent is an issue that is relevant to all, it is rarely a topic that is talked [...]

In response to the recent spike in debates and news coverage on the updated sex education and health curriculum in Ontario schools to be introduced in September 2015, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) would like to share an open letter to the community and express our opinions and views about the curriculum: ___________________ 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

Thank you for making 2014 such a great year for ACAS!!! On behalf of the board, staff, volunteers, service users and allies of ACAS, we would like to thank you for making 2014 such a wonderful year for ACAS. Asian Community AIDS Services (ACSAS) was formed twenty years ago on December 1, 1994, when Gay Asians Toronto’s Gay Asian AIDS Project, Southeast Asian Service Centre’s Vietnamese AIDS Project, and the Toronto Chinese Health Education Committee’s AIDS Alert Project amalgamated to support East and Southeast Asians living with and affected by HIV. Celebrating our 20th year in existence, ACAS continues to be a leader in providing innovative, community-driven, culturally and linguistically appropriate programming and services to the East and Southeast Asian HIV and LGBTQ communities in the Greater Toronto Area. This past year, we have continued to make history improving the lives of East and Southeast Asians, especially those from the HIV, LGBTQ, migrant workers communities. A few of our highlights include pioneering #PinkDotTO, the first ever Chinatown Pride March in Asian Heritage Month with our long-time community partner Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO); presenting at various panels at the World Pride Human Rights Conference and showing our fun and sexy Asian Pride at the World Pride 2014 Parade; celebrating our 20th Anniversary at the CelebrAsian Fundraising Gala and presenting the ACAS 20th Anniversary Patrick Truong Award and Community Builder Award to Derek Yee and Dr. Alan Li; and having raised over $24,800 at the 2014 ACAS ScotiaRun Charity Challenge. We thank you for all your support and for being part of our community! See you in 2015   ACAS Holiday Volunteer and ScotiaRun Fundraiser Appreciation Party Although it took place on the same day as the first snow storm of the year, our ACAS Holiday Volunteer Appreciation Party [...]

World AIDS Day 2014 : Commemorating Lives Lost to the HIV epidemic and Celebrating ACAS’ 20th Anniversary This year’s World AIDS Day marks a very special day for ACAS as marks the official start of our 20th anniversary:    On December 1, 1994, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACSAS) was formed when Gay Asians Toronto’s Gay Asian AIDS Project, Southeast Asian Service Centre’s Vietnamese AIDS Project, and the Toronto Chinese Health Education Committee’s AIDS Alert Project amalgamated as a coalition agency to support East and Southeast Asians living with and affected by HIV. Celebrating our 20th year in existence, ACAS continues to be a leader in providing innovative, community-driven, culturally and linguistically appropriate programming and services to the East and Southeast Asian HIV and LGBTQ communities in the Greater Toronto Area. As an effort to celecbrate ACAS’ 20 years of community activism, we have asked service users, allies and supporters to let us know what ACAS means to them. These feature will be posted bi-monthly throughout the year. As the first feature, we have a special piece by Derek Yee, Recipient of the ACAS 20th Anniversary Patrick Truong Award: I feel very privileged to have been honoured this year, 2014, with the Patrick Truong Award for making a significant contribution in the area of HIV / AIDS and social justice issues. As an Asian Canadian who has faced stigma and discrimination growing up with HIV/AIDS in Canada, I want to recognize that we as a community now have the opportunity to better support the changing faces of HIV/AIDS.  Through ACAS, I have grow a as an individual with my community, and have moved from an HIV/AIDS victim to become a community champion by learning resiliency. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my involvement with ACAS as a service user and volunteer. Through my [...]

Today is Dec 1, 2014 - World AIDS Day Let us take a moment to commemorate this special day, remember those whose lives have been lost to HIV/AIDS, and come together to close the gap on this epidemic. Together, we can end AIDS Twenty years ago today, on December 1, 1994, Asian Community AIDS Services (ACSAS) was formed when Gay Asians Toronto’s Gay Asian AIDS Project, Southeast Asian Service Centre’s Vietnamese AIDS Project, and the Toronto Chinese Health Education Committee’s AIDS Alert Project amalgamated as a coalition agency to support East and Southeast Asians living with and affected by HIV. Celebrating our 20th year in existence, ACAS continues to be a leader in providing innovative, community-driven, culturally and linguistically appropriate programming and services to the East and Southeast Asian HIV and LGBTQ communities in the Greater Toronto Area. In commemoration of World AIDS Day and the official start of ACAS' 20th Anniversary, we have asked service users, allies and supporters to let us know what ACAS means to them. These feature will be posted bi-monthly throughout the year. As the first feature, we have a special piece by Derek Yee, Recipient of the ACAS 20th Anniversary Patrick Truong Award :

Over $24,800 Raised for ACAS at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge 2014!!! On behalf of all the staff and board members, service users, volunteers and allies of ACAS, we want to thank everyone who participated at #STWM2014 on October 19 and help us surpass our fundraising goal with more than $24,811 raised!!! The money raised will help ensure our ability to continue providing quality programming for East and Southeast Asians living with HIV and LGBTQ community members in the Greater Toronto Area. Though it was a cold morning, our team of runners and walkers braved the weather and completed the race. You can view our lovely photos from the race day here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.723748821037449.1073741862.337056206373381 With a total of 5 teams and 27 runners and walkers, 2014 has proven to be our best year yet since we started participating in the charity challenge four years ago. A special thanks to our top fundraiser, Dr. Alan Li, with $4,430 and our top team, Team CelebrAsian, with $8820 raised! For a list of our complete fundraising result, you can visit the ACAS 2014 Scotiabank Charity Challenge Page at https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/LocationHome.aspx?eventid=140859. You can see a detailed breakdown of how the 5 teams and individual fundraisers have done this year: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/LocationHome.aspx?eventid=140859&langpref=en-CA&locationID=140953&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com%2fen%2fcharities.htm Thank you once again from everyone at ACAS!!!   Welcome Mina Heng, ACAS’s new Administrative Assistant!  We would like to introduce to you our new Administrative Assistant, Ms. Mina Heng! Some of you know Mina from the community or remember her fabulous and electrifying performance at our CelebrAsian 20th Anniversary Fundraising Gala earlier this year, and we are very happy that Mina has now joined our team at ACAS. Please say hi to Mina next time you are at the ACAS office. She will be happy to answer questions you may have about our programs or [...]

On Behalf of All the Staff and Board members, Service Users, Volunteers and Allies of ACAS, We want to thank everyone who participated at #STWM2014 yesterday and for helping us raise over $23,000!!! This is an amazing feat and we can assure you the money raised will help support our programming for East and Southeast Asians living with HIV and those from the LGBTQ communities. The donation deadline is this coming Sunday, October 26, 2014, so you can still donate to us or continue with fundraising efforts by letting your networks know how wonderful you did at the race! You can see a detailed breakdown of how the 5 teams and individual fundraisers have done this year: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/LocationHome.aspx?eventid=140859&langpref=en-CA&locationID=140953&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com%2fen%2fcharities.htm A message from Noulmook Sutdhibhasilp, our Executive Director, after the race:  "Thanks everyone for making our Scotia Run a successful one. We reached our fundraising goal and ran in the cold! Have a good rest." :) You can view our lovely photos from the race day here (Thanks Meza Daulet, Social Media Coordinator for taking such wonderful photos!) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.723748821037449.1073741862.337056206373381 Thank you once again from everyone at ACAS!!!  

On behalf of the board, staff members, service users, and volunteers of ACAS, we want to express our gratitude to all our runners, walkers, donors, sponsors, allies and supporters for helping us surpass our $20,000 fundraising goal at the 2014 Scotia Run Challenge before the race!  The Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5k Run will take place this Sunday, Oct 17, 2014. For this year’s charity challenge, ACAS has a total of 26 registered runners and walkers and 5 teams raising funds for the agency. From our participation at the charity challenge event the past four years, this year brings us our best record to date. As of today, we have raised a total of $21,886 from 337 donors and sponsors!!! Your donation will greatly benefit all the service users of ACAS from the East and Southeast Asian HIV and LGBTQ communities in the Greater Toronto Area. Your generosity has allowed us to continue with our goal to support our community and care for our future. To see a list of the results from the team and top individual fundraisers, you can visit the ACAS 2014 Scotia Run Charity Challenge Fundraising Page. Please note that you can still sponsor and support ACAS at the Scotia Run 2014 Charity Challenge until Sunday, October 26, by clicking on the team name or the individual fundraiser you would like to sponsor: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/LocationHome.aspx?eventid=140859&langpref=en-CA&locationID=140953&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com%2fen%2fcharities.htm All donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt. Once again, we want to thank YOU!!! Information for Runners and Walkers: For the runners and walkers who requested that we pick up the race kits on your behalf, you will need to meet us on the race day, Sunday October 19, 2014 at 6:40 am sharp at the Tim Horton's at 148 Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5H 3G4 (major intersection University Ave and Richmond Street W. Simcoe Street [...]

Psychotherapy is the art and science of counselling people on their life journey.  What makes for a holistic psychotherapy?  How can this ‘holistic’ approach to psychotherapy benefit people looking for a more humanistic, relational and multi-dimensional experience?  Can psychotherapy go beyond a mere ‘fix it’ method, to one interested in nurturing and growing our fullest potential?     Watch this presentation on "Holistic Psychotherapy" by Avi Zer-Aviv as part of the ACAS Support Program Health Promotion Workshop Series sponsored by ViiV, Janssen, Gilead, Merck. Visit the ACAS HIV Treatment Information in Asian Languages Website for more videos from our Health Promotion Video Series.  

The ladies of ACAS has a special treat for you! Meet the Team Herricane! They are a group of powerful women who makes a huge positive impact in our community! You should definitely support them at Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon on October 19 here: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?EventID=140859&LangPref=en-CA&TeamID=570650