Join us as we bring together a panel of activists and community leaders for a discussion on the intersection of queer and Asian identities.
Friday, May 15 @ 4-6pm @ Gonzaga University, Hemmingson Center Auditorium. RSVP required.
PANELISTS:
Aleksa Manila (she/they) is a celebrated and respected drag personality. Originally from Manila, Philippines, she now calls Seattle, Washington home. Aleksa is a favorite emcee/host, speaker/panelist, performer/model at many events in the region because of her smart and sassy presence onstage and her ease of engaging her audience. Over the years, she has been recognized for her community efforts in advocacy and social justice, including the President’s Award with QLaw – Washington State’s LGBTQ Bar Association, Filipino Community of Seattle’s Bayanihan Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Leadership, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s Pride Award for Outstanding Leader,. She was also honored with the prestigious Dr. Bob Wood Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention, and was Grand Marshal at the 40th Seattle Pride Parade in 2014 alongside her hero, Mr. George Takei. Aleksa founded Pride ASIA whose mission is to celebrate, empower and nurture the multi-cultural diversity of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities through the Asian Pacific Islander lens.
Michael Byun (he/him), is a 1.5 generation Korean immigrant, son of grocery store owners and gay/queer person who works together with Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander A&NH/PI, immigrant, refugee, and American-born people in the Pacific Northwest. Michael is the executive director of Evergreen Social Impact (ESI), a fiscal sponsorship organization that helps nonprofits. Prior to ESI, he was the executive director of Asian Counseling and Referral Service, a comprehensive health and social services rooted in its social justice history and values. Michael strives to deepen his knowledge in understanding of how oppression, white supremacy and anti-Black racism within and throughout our community persist but more importantly, how we can dismantle them. He is also thinking deeply about intersectionality and ways to advocate for and support individuals to show up as they are.
Sam Lee (they/them) was born and raised in Spokane by Korean immigrant parents. They are excited to be in community with other Asian folks that want to build a world that centers social justice. An alum of EWU Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies program, Sam formerly served as a Board Member for Asians for Collective Liberation in Spokane and Board President for its sibling 501-c4 organization, Asians for Collective Action. They are inspired by storytelling in all its various forms. Singing, writing, drawing, and makeup are mediums for their creative expression. Sam loves sparkles, clouds, and bright colors.
Fen Hopp (they/them) is the Youth Organizer for the Asian Youth for Collective Liberation (AYCL) Fellowship, a program that builds civic leadership skills for an annual cohort of twelve Asian and Asian American youth in Spokane County. Galvanized by prior student leadership and organizing experiences, Fen is excited to continue working with youth in community organizing spaces where they can bring their vision of the future to life. Fen is fueled by the conviction that everyone, no matter their background, has immeasurable potential to create change in their community and beyond. Having witnessed the power of students to make incredible change at a university level, Fen knows that when young people take up leadership roles, the most important thing to remember is not to underestimate them. In their free time, Fen enjoys a wide variety of activities, whether reading or creative writing, appreciating nature through outdoor exploration and photography, cooking with friends, picking up a new craft, or being indecisive about which of their many interests to pursue at the moment.
MODERATOR:
Trevor Iwata (he/him) is a program and operations professional based in Spokane. He currently serves as a Leadership Portfolio Manager for the Inatai Foundation and a Board Member at Asians for Collective Action. Through leadership development programs, peer learning networks, and technical assistance, his work focuses on strengthening the long-term leadership, capacity, and sustainability of community-based organizations across Washington state, particularly those from historically underinvested communities, to build power and advance systematic change. Outside of work Trevor is an avid baker and enjoys cooking home meals with his husband. If they aren’t at home, Trevor is most likely in a body of water, frolicking in the woods, or spending the whole day in history and art museums. He is constantly having too many people over for dinner and loves when every dish is used in the house for a meal.
Thank you to our partners for making this event possible: Asians for Collective Action, Waters Meet Foundation, GU Office of Inclusive Excellence, GU Division of Student Affairs, GU Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Lunarium, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, Spokane Community Against Racism, and Spectrum Center.