2013 EVENTS

​"Creating Change" Conference
Jan. 23 - 27, 2013  Atlanta, GA
The 25th Annual "Creating Change" National Conference on LGBT Equality was held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Hilton Atlanta from Jan. 23 - Jan. 27, 2013.  The event was organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.  This is one of the largest skills-building and networking event that drew more than 3,500 people nationally.  The week-long program featured more than 350 workshops and training sessions, plus for plenary sessions.  Of particular note was the January 24th daylong institute, "AAPI Focus:  Building a Queer AAPI Movement".  The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and API Equality- Los Angeles (APIELA) led a coalition of organizations and individuals to present this program.  Marsha Aizumi and her son, Aiden, also presented.  Our new "sister" organization, API Project of PFLAG NYC, founded by Clara Yoon, was also one of the attendees.

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Sharing Ideas with PFLAG China
February 10, 2013 Monterey Park, CA

SGV API PFLAG Leadership Team met with PFLAG China's Executive Director, Ah Qiang, and one of his interns.  We learned so much from one another about what works, strategies for increasing and sustaining volunteers, and extended our family!

Golden Dragon/ Lunar New Year Parade
February 16, 2013 Chinatown, L.A., CA

API Equality LA (APIELA) has been the only LGBT contingent to march at the annual Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, Los Angeles.  Local API LGBT organizations marched with APIELA on a warm, sunny day on February 16th.  SGV API PFLAG debuted their banner.

Chinese "Afternoon Tea with Asian Parents"
March 10, 2013 Monterey Park, CA

We met in Monterey Park, CA from 3:00 pm t0 5:00 pm with our Chinese parents with LGBTQ children and for Chinese-American LGBTQ individuals.  This was a smaller group gathering of individuals with Cantonese language background.  The meeting was organized and facilitated by Andre Ting and Carol Mannion; attended by three moms, one dad, and four young adults.

Korean "Afternoon Tea with Asian Parents"
March 2, 2013  Los Angeles, CA

Facilitated by Korean-American parents, John and Minsook Brady, and in collaboration with Koreans United for Equality (KUE), the third ATAP for Korean families had a well-attended gathering at the APAIT Health Center in Los Angeles, CA, on March 2, 2013.  Guest speakers from PFLAG-Long Beach's Speakers' Bureau, Angie and Jo Hendrix, and VP, Karen, were present.  Carol Mannion also supported. 

Meeting with API Pride Council
March 21, 2013 Los Angeles, CA

API Pride Council comprise of representatives from the following organizations:  KUE, CRA, SGV API PFLAG, Barangay LA, Satrang, APIELA, Imperial Court, APAIT, GAPSN

"Light the Way to Justice" Rally
March 26, 2013 Santa Ana, CA

On March 26-27, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) listened to oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 (Prop 8).  DOMA states that marriage is between one man and one woman and allows states NOT to recognize same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions where it is legal.  Prop 8 reversed the ability for same-sex couples in California to legally marry.  "Light the Way to Justice's" goal was to empower communities to plan, organize, and take action during this historic moment and bear witness to the LGBT community's right to the pursuit of happiness, and continue to educate and advocate with those who are not supportive of the fundamental right for EVERYONE to marry the person they love.  PFLAG Speaker's Bureau of Long Beach/South Orange County (led by Angie Hendrix) invited SGV API PFLAG parents, Carol Mannion and Minsook Brady, to speak as PFLAG Asian moms on March 26.  The rally was held in Santa Ana at the Ronald Reagan Courthouse/ Federal Building from 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm.

Storytelling Workshop:  Sharing Our Coming Out Experiences Through Writing
April 14, 2013  Los Angeles, CA

SGV API PFLAGers, Harold and Ellen Kameya, Valerie Kameya, and Carol Mannion, participated in this free workshop provided by Noel Alumit, award-winning Filipino-American writer and novelist. This workshops was held at APIELA's headquarters at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Downtown Los Angeles, on April 14, 2013.  The project's purpose is to gather as many coming out stories and eventually launch a website dedicated to API coming out stories of LGBTQ, as well as parent stories.

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Transitioning from Satellite to Chapter-hood
April 28, 2013 Montebello, CA

April 2013 marked the first year anniversary since SGV API PFLAG had been a satellite program of PFLAG Pasadena.  We first began our support group meetings in April of 2012.  Our first year anniversary event is yet to come.  We are in the process of transitioning to a different meeting venue; from Monterey Park (April 2012 - March 2013 at the Ting Building); then to Montebello (April and May 2013 at the Aizumi's commercial complex).  The April 28, 2013 meeting comprise of 26 attendees; parents, allies, and individuals.  We hung up our SGV AP PFLAG banner proudly and very visible outside!  The blinds to the suite were wide open; bright sunlight shining upon us.  We were visible Asians and Asian-Americans!

Dari Project West Coast Book Launch
May 10, 2013 Los Angeles, CA

On May 10, 2013, the Dari Project West Coast book launch was held at APAIT Health Center in Downtown, Los Angeles in the evening.  Hosted by one of its project coordinators from NYC, Mark Ro Beyersdorf, and assisted by Koreans United for Equality (KUE).  The Dari Project is an all-volunteer grassroots effort that aims to increase awareness and acceptance of Korean and Korean-American LGBTQ individuals.  The book is a collection of personal testimonials (short essays) on the experiences of LGBTQ people of Korean descent.  SGV API PFLAGers present:  Carol Mannion, Marsha Aizumi, Bill Mannion, Minsook Brady, Tommy Tseng, Aidan Aizumi, Mary Manzo.

Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church
May 24, 2013 Alhambra, CA

Our Board had been searching for a new meeting venue since April 2013.  The Aizumi's graciously accommodated us from April through July 2013.  In the meantime, we negotiated with Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church, upon the encouragement of Rev. Sunyoung Park, and the church's Trustees approved our request.  On May 24th, we took a look at Yokoi Chapel, our new meeting venue.  Thank you, Sage Granada Park UMC and Rev. Sunny!

PFLAG Southern Pacific Regional Conference
March 16, 2013 West L.A., CA

PFLAG Chapter leaders or their representatives attended this day-long annual regional conference at the National Council of Jewish Women's Auditorium in West Los Angeles.  PFLAG Southern Pacific's Regional Director, Steve Krantz hosted while presentations on topics such as:  Southern CA Safe Schools Coalition (Marsha Aizumi, Brenda Thompsen, GLSEN, ACLU), Fundraising, Membership Services, Board Building (by PFLAG Western Field and Policy Manager, Cesar Hernandez).  The keynote speaker was PFLAG National Executive Director, Jody Huckaby.  We were also surprised by Bety DeGeneres (Ellen DeGeneres' mom).  SGV API PFLAGers attending this event were:  Carol and Bill Mannion, Harold and Ellen Kameya, Marsha Aizumi.

Networking after Support Group Meeting
March 24, 2013 Monterey Park, CA

Our March 24, 2013 support group meeting was well-attended by new and familiar faces.  PFLAG Mid-Pacific Regional Director, Lori Hawkins, flew in from San Francisco to participate. Parents and young adults enjoyed refreshments and networking after the meeting.

Our First Year Anniversary
April 2013

In April of 2012, PFLAG- San Gabriel Valley Asian Pacific Islander (aka SGV API PFLAG) began meetingn in Monterey Park at the Ting Building owned by Andre Ting.  It began as a "satellite program" of PFLAG-Pasadena.  We have seen and hard many stories of courage, love, and resilience.  Our contact and participant list has grown to over 150+ caring and compassionate individuals; from parents, family members, friends, spouses or partners, allies; all of whom are individuals from diverse backgrounds.  They come, return month after month, or after a few months.  We invite each other for "Afternoon Teas", email each other regularly, call to say hello, or ask feedback from, and invite each other to other organizations we volunteer at.  The milestone of our first year anniversary is a celebration of solidarity.  In PFLAG fashion, we have certainly become a community united to bring about understanding, support, education, and advocacy.  For one year, we operated as a satellite program; from April 2012 to April 2013.  As we approached our first year anniversary (by March 2013), submission of our application to become an independent chartered chapter was accomplished.  On May 2, 2013, we became an official chapter; a 501(c)(3), and the first independent API PFLAG chapter in the nation!  We continue to strive to seek more volunteers, leaders, search for new ways to serve our API LGBTQ communities and their families, gaining more straight allies.  We welcome your input as to how to best serve you and also ideas to reach more and more families.

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Queer People of Color Conference
April 6, 2013 Fullerton, CA

The 2013 "Queer People of Color Conference" (QPOCC) was held on April 6, at California State University, Fullerton campus.  The them for QPOCC was: "To Exist is to Resist: Empowering our Roots through Activism, Community, and Intersectionality".  For more info about QPOCC see:  About the Movement.
SGV API PFLAGers:  Harold & Ellen Kameya, Carol & Bill Mannion, John & Minsook Brady, and Alan Chan presented a workshop in panel format titled:  "Honoring our Children: From Asian Invisibility to Inter-generational Invincibility".  The purpose of our workshop was to provide inter-generational and multi-ethnic perspectives from the Asian parents' perspectives and personal journey when their child comes out.

Kapwa Awards:  A Barangay LA Benefit
May 5, 2013 Los Angeles, CA

The annual Barangay LA Kapwa Awards luncheon was held at Busby's East in Los Angeles on May 5, 2013.  This benefit/ event honors everyday LGBTQ heroes in the Filipino and Asian Pacific Islander community.  Its honorees included:  Gil Mangaoang, Jannelle So, Ryth Mendez, Denny Tauzon, Richie Selva, and API Equality LA.  Barangay LA also celebrated 23 years of advocacy and representation of Filipino and API LGBTQs.  SGV API PFLAG Filipina-American mom, Carol Mannion ("Tita Carol") and her husband, "Tito Bill" attended in support of her "kababayans". 

OC Accepts:  Our Voices LGBTQ Conference
May 7, 2013 Santa Ana, CA

OC Accept provides community-based mental health and supportive services to individuals struggling with and/or identifying as LGBTIQ and to the people important in their lives.  The program also raises awareness and reduce stigma by providing education about the LGBTIQ population to the community-at-large.  The conference held on May 7, 2013 at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana, was organized by Hieu Nguyen, MSW.  This was the first-ever LGBTQ conference in Orange County Health Care Agency's Behavioral Health Services.  SGV API PFLAG mom, Carol Mannion, participated in a panel themed:  "LGBTQ Families Speak:  On Bullying and Coming Out.  Two other PFLAG moms from So. Orange County were also part of the panel.  Many attendees were behavioral health professionals, some education administrators, fulfilling their continuing professional education credits.

Impacting Families is Our Passion
May 26, 2013 Montebello, CA

Our May 2013 support group was very well-attended by sets of parents, allies, and our API LGBTQ friends.  So many moms and dads, couples, spiritual folks, , we posed happily together and also bid goodbye to one of our sons, Tony, wh who was going to relocate.  A cake was dedicated to Tony and also to thank Marsha and Tad for lending us their office space for the summer, as we await our new meeting venue.

Vietnamese- Rainbow of Orange County
June 2, 2013 Westminster, CA

Our friends from the Vietnamese Rainbow of Orange County, whose community is located primarily in Westminster, CA, held a fundraising event that had humongous participation and support by the Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American community--- allies, civic leaders, parents, and LGBTQ persons.  SGV API PFLAG chapter president and Fil-Am mom, Carol Mannion, attended this event; excited to meet the wonderful moms and dads!

Talent Abounds
June 20, 2013 Claremont, CA

PFLAGer parents, Bill and Carol, attended a roaring comedy act by Rachel at Flapper's Comedy Club in Claremont, CA.  Rachel is a woman of many talents! 

L. A. Pride 2013
June 9, 2013 West Hollywood, CA

SGV API PFLAG marched with the API Pride Council, (API LGBTQ contingent) at the 2013 L.A. Pride in West Hollywood, also known as the Christopher West Pride Parade.  A pre-parade breakfast was held at one of the homes, where so many API LGBTQ organizations in SoCal gathered and prepared their banners and Pride signs.  

Expanding our Outreach
June 23, 2013 Montebello, CA

Our bright yellow banner showed proudly outside of the Aizumi's building, informing patrons and the surrounding community that SGV API PFLAG is a very welcoming and safe space for families and friends.  

"Eat with Me: The Dumpling Movie"
June 25, 2013 Eagle Rock, CA

The plot of this movie goes like this:
A Chinese-American mom, Emma, has had enough of her subdued life.  She packs a bag, runs away from home and her husband, only to crash on her gay son's couch. Through her unexpected friendship with her son's wacky neighbor, Maureen, she comes to discover that life is about more than a plate of scrambled egg whites. Through cooking and eating--especially the classic Chinese dumpling--she finds a new way to communicate with her son while fueling her own appetite for life.

There was a call for movie "extras" to appear in a Zumba dance class that the main character, Emma, decides to attend.  SGV API PFLAGer, Carol, volunteered to be an "extra".  

Immigration Storytelling
July 12, 2013 Chino Hills, CA

with Thanh, LEAP/Fil-Am Arts

The mission of Fil-Am Arts/ Saysay Project intern (Thanh) was to collect stories from Filipino immigrants of various backgrounds.  SGV API PFLAG mom, Carol, a "first generation and a half-er" agreed to do a videotaped interview to tell her story as an immigrant woman and later a parent.  Embedded in her story is about her involvement and work with the API LGBT community and as a PFLAG mom.

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Getting to Know Each Other's Work
July 12, 2013 Chino Hills, CA

Daniel magazine president and founder, Christopher Villanueva, visited with Carol at her home in Chino Hills.  The two talked about their work with the Filipino-American LGBTQ community and families.

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NQAPIA Leadership Summit
July 25 - 27, 2013 Univ. of Manoa- Hawaii

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) organized a weekend long training and issue briefing of API LGBTQ and parent leaders (of SGV API PFLAG, PFLAG Regional, PFLAG National, and API Project of PFLAG NYC) at the University of Hawai'i in Manoa, from July 25 - July 27, 2013.  SGV API PFLAG parent leaders:  Marsha Aizumi, Carol Mannion, Harold and Ellen Kameya attended this summit.  Local leaders from around the country gathered to network, learn about current issues (i.e. comprehensive immigration reform, marriage equality), shared strategies, and built the infrastructure of their organizations.  The Community Catalyst Award recipient was former NFL football player and LGBT activist, Esera Tuaolo.

Core (Board) Group Meeting
Aug. 8, 2013 Arcadia, CA

We attribute our sustainability to a cohesive and intrinsically dedicated core group of members.  As a group, we constantly assess, acknowledge, and reach out.  As individuals, we have our own areas of interest and passion.  Our "Core Group" (which comprise of SGV API PFLAG Founders, Leadership Team, Executive Board, Officers) have been working together for over a year and a half now.  Having quarterly meetings provide us the opportunity to evolve our chapter towards fulfilling or expanding our vision and to strategize our mission.

The set, the director, casts, and extras....

OutFest:  Mama Rainbow Screening
July 20, 2013 Los Angeles' RedCat Theater

Our chapter was a community collaborator for OutFest festival this year.  We tabled, as well as, supported the L.A. screening of a documentary film, "Mama Rainbow", directed by Fan Popo of China.  PFLAG-China created this heartwarming and empowering documentary film, following a day in the lives of Chinese parents with their LGBTQ children in China.  SGV API PFLAG parents who came to volunteer were:  Carol and Bill Mannion, John Brady, and Marsha Aizumi. Our friends of Vietnamese-Rainbow of Orange County also attended to support. 

It's always a family affair
August 8, 2013 Rowland Heights, CA

With the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and also California's Proposition 8, we celebrated a special wedding by one of our SGV API PFLAG sons.  PFLAG parents & Carol couldn't miss this for the world!

PFLAG-Pasadena Moms' Brunch
August 10, 2013 Altadena, CA

We began in April 2012 as a satellite program of PFLAG- Pasadena. Throughout our support group's year, PFLAG-Pasadena has had our back, and to this day, continues to be our loving supporters!  Their annual "PFLAG-Pasadena Mom's Brunch" also included Carol, chapter president of SGV API PFLAG.  This "sisterhood" is, indeed, powerful!

L to R: Carol, Alan, Harold, Eric, Ellen, John, and Marsha

"Always Our Children" Catholic Support Group
Aug. 29, 2013 Diamond Bar, CA

"Always Our Children" is a Catholic support group for parents of LGBTQ children and individuals.  Through the Catholic Ministry for Lesbians and Gays in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the group has been meeting since 2008. Members belong to various parish churches in L.A. county.  Primarily comprised of Latinos, Carol reaches out as a Filipino-American mom of Catholic upbringing and shares the ways API PFLAG provides support.  

Niccolo Cosme Exhibit
Sept. 18, 2013 Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA

"Daniel" magazine sponsored an exhibit by Philippine conceptual photographer, Niccolo Cosme.  The theme was:  "Monologues, Soliloquies, and Tributes".  The event was held at the Ed Freeman Gallery in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.  SGV API PFLAG mom, Carol Mannion, attended the event to support her Filipino-American friends, whom she considers as her sons and daughters.  We thank president and founder of Daniel magazine, Christopher Villanueva, for inviting us to the event.

Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture
Sept. 7- Sept. 8 San Pedro, CA

SGV API PFLAG Filipina-American mom, Carol, participated in the annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture held at Point Fermin Park in San Pedro, CA, on Sept. 7th, at the Barangay LA Pavillion.  Carol dialogued with a couple of Filipina moms.  Some of the fun and informative cultural events at Barangay LA Pavillion was the Malaya Project panel, Couples panel, and a workshop on "How We Identify" (conducted by the Kabalikat Kore from UCLA).

San Gabriel Valley Pride Festival
Sept. 28, 2013 Pasadena, CA

SGV API PFLAG and PFLAG-Pasadena tabled together at the San Gabriel Valley Pride Festival on Sept. 28th, held at the Pasadena Memorial Park, CA.  PFLAG chapter presidents, Carol Mannion and Patti Loitz, provided resource brochures at the resource fair area.  Volunteers also included parents, John and Minsook, SGV API PFLAG secretary, Eric, Clara K., Robert (Barangay LA), PFLAG-Pasadena parents, Evelyn and Domingo, Joee and Tim of Vietnamese-Rainbow of Orange County.  Thank you to our enthusiastic volunteers!  The festival also featured a classic car show, fun drag queen bingo hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, art exhibit, and a plethora of community organizations all round the San Gabriel Valley area.