It’s been one month since the Lunar New Year parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown and we are finally wrapping up all the details.  We want to take the time to thank you for helping us field one of the largest contingents in our history and continuing the tradition of building visibility of LGBTQ API folks in API communities in NYC.

We both remember watching the Lunar New Year parade in NYC when we were growing up.  Coming from families and communities that were silent on LGBTQ issues, we felt that we had to put on masks to prevent our true, queer selves from slipping out, especially during holidays like Lunar New Year when our families gathered to celebrate.  It was a stifling and frustrating time for both of us.  Fast forward several years, and here we are coordinating the LGBTQ contingent in the 2013 Lunar New Year parade.

How did we get to this point?  A visible, supportive community.

What if there was just one person in the Lunar New Year parade audience who is in the same position as we once were?  What would it have meant for this person to see people that look like them who are out and proud, marching side-by-side with supportive family members and allies?  What would it mean for a mother or father to see another mother or father proudly marching with their queer child?  What change would we have helped to catalyze?

We don’t have all of the answers to these questions.  We do hope though, at the very least, that a few hearts and minds were nudged just a bit.  And we hope this nudge leads to greater change in our communities in the long run.

Next year, we will be celebrating our 5th year anniversary of marching in the Lunar New Year parade.  We hope you will help us plan and participate in that parade so that we can change more hearts and minds.

Please “like” Lunar New Year for All on Facebook and please check out the work of our respective organizations:

Q-WAVE:  http://www.q-wave.org (email – info@q-wave.org)
GAPIMNY:  http://www.gapimny.org (email – gapimny@gapimny.org)

Both are jointly continuing LGBTQ API visibility work beyond the Lunar New Year and could use your support.  Please contact either organization if you are interested in supporting.  Upcoming events include API Heritage Month in May and LGBTQ Pride Month in June.

Sincerely,

Ryan Shen and Dennis Chin
Co-coordinators, Lunar New Year for All 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
媒體聯繫人： 廖孟薇
Lunar New Year for All
電話：917-583-3731
電子郵件：aries.liao@gmail.com

亞裔美國人和太平洋島民組成的同志聯盟將在華埠慶祝第四年的農曆新年遊行

紐約訊 – Lunar New Year for All 是結合所有的女同志、男同志、雙性戀、跨性別、酷兒（LGBTQ）亞洲及太平洋島民（API）、家庭成員和同志盟友的團體。我們將在2月17日星期日慶祝第四年在華埠農曆新年的遊行。

在亞裔社區，恐同和歧視亞裔同志仍然是一個問題。從2010年開始，Lunar New Year for All 雖然獲得在曼哈頓的唐人街遊行的權利，但是許多在大紐約地區的亞裔同志仍然遭遇到自己的家庭和社區的沉默與隔離。

在蛇年，Lunar New Year for All 繼續其集結亞裔同志、家庭成員和同志盟友的傳統，去榮耀來自不同種族的亞裔和太平洋島民社區中的家庭。

Lunar New Year for All 隊伍將由韓國鼓樂藝術團(Poongmul Movement Builders)去集合來至亞裔和太平洋島民的同志團體以及紐約大學的NYURI和的MinKwon中心的擊鼓組的同志盟友在農曆新年遊行，紐約市的同 志驕傲日和其他活動中演出。

想獲知更多的遊行信息，包括如何加入我們今年的隊伍，請拜訪www.lunarnewyearfoall.org。中文媒體聯絡人： 廖孟薇   aries.liao@gmail.com或 917-583-3731。

Lunar New Year for All 是一個在紐約市以社區為基礎的亞洲和太平洋島民組織的同志聯盟。從2010年開始，Lunar New Year for All 為亞裔同志在農曆新年建立知名度。Lunar New Year for All 是由 Q-WAVE（www.q-wave.org）和GAPIMNY（www.gapimny.org）的會員所組成的。

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[English Version]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Dennis Chin
Lunar New Year for All
Phone: 609-954-2111
E-mail: dennis.c.chin@gmail.com

Coalition of LGBTQ Asian American and Pacific Islander Groups Celebrates Fourth Year Marching in Chinatown’s Lunar New Year Parade

New York, NY — February 11, 2013:  Lunar New Year for All, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Asian and Pacific Islanders (API), family members and allies, celebrates its fourth year marching in Chinatown’s Lunar New Year Parade.  The Parade is scheduled on February 17, 2013.

As evidenced recently by the exclusion of LGBTQ Vietnamese group in Los Angeles’ Pret Parade, homophobia and discrimination of LGBTQ API folks in the API community continue to be an issue.  Although Lunar New Year for All won the right to be included in Chinatown’s Lunar New Year Parade since 2010, many LGBTQ API folks in the tri-state area still experience silence and isolation from their families and communities.

In the Year of the Snake, Lunar New Year for All continues its tradition of bringing together LGBTQ APIs, family members and allies during the Lunar New Year Parade to challenge homophobia and honor all the different kinds of families in the API community.

Ryan Shen, an organizer for this year’s Lunar New Year for All contingent and member of Q-WAVE, says:

“Our participation in the Lunar New Year parade is so important.  It’s a reminder to our families and communities of origin that we are someone’s brother, sister, son or daughter.    We’re here to show our community that we are here and proud and to show other LGBTQ people and their family members who may be in the crowd that they’re not alone and that there is a community of support for them. ”

Clara Yoon, an organizer with API PFLAG and ally of Lunar New Year for All, says:

“It hurts me to think that LGBTQ individuals dread going to family gatherings during holidays such as Lunar New Year because their family do not accept their LGBTQ identity.  They feel lonely and isolated.  I hope every family would open their heart this year to love and accept their LGBTQ children and have a wonderful new year’s celebration as a true family who support each other.”

The contingent will be accompanied by the Poongmul Movement Builders, a Korean drumming troupe which has brought together members of the LGBTQ API community with allies from NYU’s NYURI and the MinKwon Center’s drumming groups.

Visit www.lunarnewyearfoall.org for more information about the parade, including how to join this year’s contingent.  For media inquiries, please contact Dennis Chin at dennis.c.chin@gmail.com or 609-954-2111.

Lunar New Year for All is a a coalition of community-based LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander organizations in NYC.  Started in 2010, Lunar New Year for All continues to build visibility for LGBTQ API folks during the Lunar New Year.  Lunar New Year for All is organized by members of Q-WAVE and GAPIMNY.

Q-Wave is a community organization dedicated to strengthening the voices of lesbian/bisexual/queer women and transgender/gender variant people of Asian descent. We strive to build a supportive, progressive community by promoting visibility and empowerment through social, political, and educational organizing. Additionally, Q-Wave provides a safe space for you to share your thoughts & ideas, foster new friendships and unite for support. www.q-wave.org

The Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY) is an all-volunteer, membership-based community organization for and by gay, bisexual, queer and questioning men and trans folk of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.  For over 20 years, GAPIMNY has empowered the community through a range of social, educational, peer-support, cultural, and political activities. GAPIMNY works in coalition with other community organizations to help educate the API ethnic and LGBTQ communities on issues of race, sexuality, gender, and health. www.gapimny.org

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2013 will mark our 4th year marching in the Lunar New Year parade.

Four years ago, Lunar New Year for All, led by members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, successfully petitioned to be a part of the historic Lunar New Year parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown.  It was the first time that a LGBTQ contingent joined the Lunar New Year parade in New York City.

Help us continue the tradition by joining Lunar New Year for All on Sunday, Feb. 17th to celebrate the Year of the Snake, and be part of a fabulous rainbow snake and Korean drumming entourage.

WHY WE MARCH —

We march because homophobia, transphobia and discrimination still exist in Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities.  We march for the grandmas, grandpas, aunties, uncles, mothers, fathers, siblings, cousins and all other family members in our community who love and accept us for who we are.  And we march to honor all of the different kinds of families that exist in our community.

JOIN US —

When?  Sunday, February 17th.
Where?  We will meet at Project Reach on 39 Eldridge Street before the parade and walk over to our designated area. (Project Reach is wheel-chair accessible)
What time?  TBD

After the march, we will have an after-party at Project Reach.

Lunar New Year for All is open to all, particularly LGBTQ APIs and family members

HELP US —

1. Come to our Info. Session/Prep Party on Tuesday, Feb 12 from 7-9 PM at Project Reach – This will include a presentation on API Equality’s research on how to talk about LGBT issues to Chinese people of different generations.   Food will be available.
2. RSVP on Facebook, “Like us” and share the event with friends –  Here’s the link.
3. Volunteer – We need people to help organize the after-party; hold banners, signs and a giant stuffed snake; outreach and publicity; translate materials.  E-mail us at lunarnewyearforall@gmail.com to volunteer.

And lastly, invite your family members to participate!  And let us know that they are coming by emailing us at lunarnewyearforall@gmail.com.

有彩虹的新年，也有家人的關懷
盼新年的彩虹，也盼幸福的未來

“Why We are Marching”

Homophobia & discrimination continue to divide Asian American families & communities. Lunar New Year is a time when families come together to strengthen ties to our communities. This year, we are joining the Lunar New Year Parade to challenge homophobia and to honor all of the different kinds of families in our community.

我們為何要參加此次的遊行呢？

對同性戀者的岐視和恐懼造成了許多亞洲人家庭的分裂和疏離。
中國新年是親人團聚，也是社區聚合團結的時刻。
這次我們加入農曆新年大遊行是為了提高人們對同性戀者的了解和反岐視意識；更是為了要慶祝亞洲人們各式各樣的家庭團圓。

Chinatown Planning Council Metropolitan Community Church of New York Chinatown Youth Initiatives Q-Wave GAPIMNY Barangay - LGBTQ Filipin@s Asian Women Giving Circle SALGA Org. of Chinese Americans New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy Project Reach - CPC Nodutdol for Korean Development Queer Asian Spirit: LGBTQ Asians of Faith Museum of Chinese in America Asian American Arts Alliance National Asian Pacific American Women St. Pat

John Liu - NYC Comptroller Christine Quinn - City Council Speaker Joan Chen - Actor Helen Zia - Author & Human Rights Activist National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance APICHA Asian Cinevision