About
Background: API Equality – Northern California (www.apiequality.org) was founded in 2004 in response to a 6,000-person rally against marriage equality organized by Chinese Christian leaders in the San Francisco Bay Area. Formerly a national ad hoc coalition of Asian & Pacific Islander (API) individuals and organizations committed to marriage equality, API Equality – Northern California is now a full-fledged regional coalition to actively promote equality and justice in Northern California and, in partnership with our sister coalition API Equality – LA, the state’s API and LGBTQI communities.
In January 2007, API Equality – Northern California merged and became a project of Chinese for Affirmative Action (www.caasf.org), a prominent API civil rights organization based in Northern California with nearly 40 years of history in advancing social justice for the Chinese and API communities.
Mission Statement
Working from the intersection of the Asian & Pacific Islander (API) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) communities, API Equality – Northern California employs diverse strategies, including public education, organizing, research, and advocacy, to achieve the following objectives:
- Reduce and eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on gender, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation in Asian and Pacific Islander American Communities
- Reduce and eliminate racism, xenophobia, and other race or ethnic-based discrimination, behavior, and/or attitudes in LGBTQ Communities
As a grassroots and movement-building organization, API Equality – Northern California is committed to empowering community members, advancing civil rights protections, and promoting respect and understanding for cultural and community diversity.
Vision Statement
API Equality – Northern California envisions a society and a world where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Asian & Pacific Islander children, families, and individuals are affirmed, welcomed, and embraced by all communities to which they belong.
Acknowledgements
We wish to thank the following individuals for playing a vital role in launching and supporting API Equality since its founding: Daniel Bao, Brian Cheu, David Chiu, Alain Dang, Stuart Gaffney, Victor Hwang, Jane Kim, Clay Kwong, Kai-yan Lee, John Lewis, Andy Marra, Molly McKay, Stephanie Ong, Vincent Pan, Maya Scott-Chung, Tawal Panyacosit, Rebecca Sawyer, Karin Wang, Evan Wolfson, Clarence Wong, Luna Yasui, Diana Ming Yin, Kristy Young, and Thalia Zepatos.