Q-Wave, an all-volunteer organization serving the queer Asian and Pacific Islander community since 2004, celebrated its 20th anniversary at the People’s Forum in Manhattan on April 19.
The event began with a panel discussion of the history and future of Q-Wave, which is a grassroots organization of lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer women, trans men, and gender non-conforming/non-binary/trans folks of East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, West Asian, and Pacific Islander descent. The event featured food and drinks, a raffle, a panel decision, live DJs, drag performances, a showcase highlighting 20 years of Q-Wave, and more.
The inspiration behind Q-Wave first emerged when the Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY) held a “Gender and the Queer A/PI Experience” workshop at the 2004 Queer Asian Pacific Legacy Conference, according to the organization’s website. After attendees formed working groups, members of the women’s group determined they would march together in the NYC Dyke March that same month. From there, folks spread the word about the new organization, leading to Q-Wave’s first meeting at New York University in July of 2004, which drew nearly 30 women.
The organization, according to Q-Wave’s website, is organized around four key pillars: social, educational, political, and visibility/empowerment. The organization’s activities include dinners, hikes, dance parties, workshops on gender/relationships/sex, phone banking to fight anti-LGBTQ ballot measures, and even translating and recording multi-language materials to educate and support Asian parents of LGBTQ children.
Learn more at q-wave.org.
