First Annual QTAPI Week Kicks Off in San Francisco
Several Asian and Queer community organizations kicked off the first-ever QTAPI Week in the United States over the weekend
Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, several Asian and Queer community organizations kicked off the first-ever QTAPI Week in the United States. Organizers are presenting a week of events dedicated to queer, trans Asians and Pacific Islanders.
The day began with a press conference in Jane Warner Plaza, in keeping with the spirit of the late Supervisor Harvey Milk, whose 91st birthday — which was on the same day — seemed the perfect day for a rally.
Like a human tide, every 12 minutes or so saw the crowd move on and off the tracks as the F-Train, bound for Fisherman’s Wharf, rolled directly through the event. Across Castro Street, a steady stream of people poured into San Francisco’s historic gayborhood, from the newly reopened Muni Metro station in Harvey Milk Plaza. “Welcome back Castro!” and “Happy Birthday Harvey Milk!” were painted on canvas banners blowing in the breeze near Market Street, revelers in cars decked out in rainbows drove through the Castro honking their horns and blasting Lady Gaga.
Between the pedestrians, the streetcars, and the busses; the corner of Castro and Market was as alive and kinetic as I’ve seen it since “the before times.”
Michael Nguyen says the idea for QTAPI Week was “all actually started with a drag show, to be honest.” Nguyen is the chairperson of the GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) and adds that celebrating QTAPI folks on this particular week makes sense: “It’s at the intersection of our identities, Asian Pacific Heritage Month and Pride month!” Nguyen says organizers thought, “wouldn’t it be cool to have one week of QTAPI visibility so that we can see that our family, and our community, are seen, heard, and celebrated?”
“This resolution will make ours the first city in the country to honor the queer and trans API community with a designated week of celebration and recognition,” said Rafael Mandelman —the openly gay Supervisor of San Francisco’s 8th District, which also represents The Castro — on his resolution was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors making May 22–29 QTAPI Week in the city and county of San Francisco.
One of the speakers in the Castro, a 75-year-old self-identified “Queer Asian Lesbian” named Crystal Jang said, “As a third-generation San Franciscan and fourth-generation Chinese American I am full of emotions to see this day.” Jang added, “this point in time came from generations and decades of work and struggle, loss, heartache, hope, survival, and ultimately victory.”
QTAPI Week will host events like a Black, API, and Trans Solidarity Roundtable presented by The Commonwealth Club and The Transgender District at 5 p.m. on May 25th, and QTAPI Pride In Conversation with Drag Activist Juicy Liu (the alter-ego of GAPA’s Michael Nguyen) talking to Harvard Professor and LGBTQ+ Scholar Alexander Chen on the 26th. If video games are your thing, you can join Gaysian Gaymer Night online on the 27th, and the week culminates with an in-person closing party 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday, May 29th at 18th and Collingwood in the Castro, plus an online finale hosted by the Rice Rockettes.
“We have humble beginnings,” adds Nguyen but he says he hopes that in 20 years, “this will be sort of like a big grand stage and everything” and that QTAPI Week will be celebrated as a pre-cursor to Pride, and the perfect big gay finale to Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
Happy Birthday Harvey Milk, and happy QTAPI Week!
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