Queer Asian Youth

ACAS is marching at the Pride Parade.  Details to come!

ACAS is marching at the Dyke March.  Details to come!

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This is a FREE event.

Date and Time: Saturday, July 3, 2010, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: Free Zone, Paul Kane Parkette (north side of Wellesley between Yonge and Church)

Contact Wilson at youth@acas.org.

[Facebook event page]

ACAS is marching at the Trans March.  Details to come!

QAY BBQ

Join us at QAY's first BBQ of the summer up on the third floor patio!  You are welcome to bring other food stuff and contribute too, like a potluck.

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Q is for Questioning - Let's talk!

The Toronto Teen Survey (2009) by Planned Parenthood Toronto reached 1,200 youth across the City of Toronto to gather information on assets, gaps and barriers that currently exist in sexual health education.  The sample was by far one of the most diverse ever for a community-based youth survey.

According to the Toronto Teen Survey (Planned Parenthood Toronto, 2009), "50% of youth who identified as 'questioning' their sexual orientation are newcomers or immigrants to Canada."  How does this information relate to the East and Southeast Asian communities in Toronto, you ask?

From the survey, 14.9% of the respondents identified as being of East and/or Southeast Asian background.  There are two points of note:

1)  The survey reached (a) slightly more newcomer Asian youth (3 years and less) than those born in Canada, and (b) more Asian youth born outside of Canada than those born in Canada.

2)  East and Southeast Asian youth were twice as likely to identify as questioning than as LGBTQ.

Therefore, those who were younger, male and/or East or Southeast Asian were more likely to identify as questioning.

Why is this?  Do you agree or disagree with the findings?  Can you relate from your own experience?  How did you "figure out" your sexuality?  Let's talk and share in a safe and supportive environment.

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Location:  ACAS, 17 Isabella Street, 1st Floor (map)
Contact:  Wilson Ho  |  youth@acas.org  |  (416) 963-4300 ext. 229

Queer Asian Youth (QAY) is proud to be a community partner for the film screening of Off World by Mateo Guez at Inside Out 2010.

Date and Time: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 5:00pm
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park

Off World

"Two million tonnes of waste inhabit the landfill known as Smokey Mountain in Manila, Philippines. A squatter community of more than 30,000 people live in the slums around the landfill, and make their living by picking through the decomposing mountain of trash, looking for rare valuables. This is the setting for director Mateo Guez's raw, ethereal first feature film.

Off World follows a young Toronto man, Lucky, as he returns to Smokey Mountain for the first time since his adoption by Canadian parents when he was just a year old. Aided by NGO worker, Julia, Lucky tracks down his surviving brother, who lives and works as a transsexual hustler. Confronted for the first time with the realities of Smokey Mountain, Lucky struggles to reconcile his desire to reclaim his past with the truth about where he came from.

Wrought with rich photography and lyrical narration, Off World is a stunning and complex portrait of the rare beauty that exists in even the most squalid corners of the world. As Lucky uncovers the truth about his family, this powerful feature unveils the majesty and strength of the human spirit." (Inside Out 2010)

DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

BEST CANADIAN FEATURE, REELWORLD FILM FESTIVAL

Facebook event - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115486021826251

Date and Time: Saturday, July 3, 2010
Location: Free Zone at the Community Cafe stage, Paul Kane Parkette, north side of Wellesley Street between Yonge and Church Streets (map)

Date and Time: Friday, June 26, 2010, 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: The 519 Church Street Community Centre, 519 Church Street, Auditorium - 2nd Floor (map)

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QAY at ACAS and the Newcomer Youth Centre at CultureLink, with support from EXPRESS at SOY (Supporting Our Youth), are planning an evening of entertainment, music, performances, and information for LGBTQ+ newcomer youth and their friends. New Queers on the Block will feature a number of queer filmmakers, spoken word performances and music as well as games, information tables and food.

This is a FREE event.  Finger foods and drinks will be provided.

Date and Time: Friday, June 18, 2010, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: The 519 Church Street Community Centre, 519 Church Street, Auditorium - 2nd Floor (map)

If you are interested in becoming a member of the planning committee or a performer at the event or simply wish to find out more, contact Wilson at youth@acas.org or Rebecca at rbutler@culturelink.net.

[Facebook event page]

Also, check out "Beyond Belonging: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Newcomers" - an Among Friends conference.

Date and Time: Friday, June 11, 2010
Location: The 519 Church Street Community Centre, 519 Church Street (map)

Third Pride planning meeting.

Date and Time: Friday, May 7, 2010, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: ACAS, 17 Isabella Street, 1st Floor (map)

Refreshments will be provided.  Tokens are available upon request.  For further information, contact Wilson via email at youth@acas.org