Have you adopted your #GoldenPiggy yet?

GOLDEN PIGGY CHALLENGE

ACAS has launched its first ever #GoldenPiggy Challenge fundraiser as a lead up to this year’s Pride event. The money raised from the challenge will help ensure our ability to provide the much needed HIV practical support services and LGBTQ programming to the East and Southeast Asian Canadian community in the GTA.

5 Steps to Take Part in the ACAS Piggy Challenge! It’s easy and fun! 

Step 1: Adopt Your Piggy

Come to ACAS and pick a piggy that you want to adopt. We have piggies in various colours you can choose from. Make sure you name the piggy and give it lots of TLC. Now you are ready to start the Piggy Challenge!


Step 2: Decorate Your Piggy

It’s spring time and your piggy likes to be fabulous. Why not be creative and decorate your piggy? Your fundraising effort is more likely to be successful if your piggy is strutting the styles that everybody loves. Having said that, we feel a naked piggy can also be very sexy.


Step 3: Feed Your Piggy

This is the most important part of your Piggy Challenge. Whether your piggy is at your home, your office, or some random party, they need to be fed. Ask your friends to feed them some coins. Toonies or bills are their favorite. Make sure you feed them enough so that they are full!


Step 4: Tweet Your Piggy

Your piggy is a bit of an exhibitionist and loves having its pictures taken. Whenever you take your piggy out for events or you are both relaxing at home, take some lovely photos and share them with as many people as you can! Tweet about it, Instagram it, Facebook it or send pictures to us. The hashtag is #GoldenPiggy


Step 5: Bring Your Piggy Back

Once your piggy is full, it’s time for you to bring the piggy back to ACAS even though they may weigh a ton. After you empty out your piggy, you can continue with the next round of the Piggy Challenge if you wish. When you have filled your piggy up enough times, you may request to keep your piggy after the last challenge. That way, you and your piggy can live happily ever after.

Be #SUPERQUEER with ACAS (Asian Community AIDS Services) at this year’s Pride Toronto 2013!!!

Show your Asian Pride by marching with us ACAS this year at Pride! 

Friday, June 28

Trans March: March with ACAS

Find ACAS at 7:30pm at George Hislop Park (Yonge St. & Isabella St.)

Contact Meza (youth@acas.org / 416-963-4300 ext. 229) for more info.



Saturday, June 29

Dyke March: March with ACAS

Meet us at 1:00pm at George Hislop Park (Yonge St. & Isabella St.)

Contact Heywon (women@acas.org / 416-963-4300 ext. 225) for more info.



Sunday, June 30

Pride Parade: March with ACAS

Meet us at 12:30pm at George Hislop Park (Yonge St. & Isabella St.)

Contact Daniel (mensexualhealth@acas.org / 416-963-4300 ext. 234) for more info.

SUMMER JOB FOR STUDENT POSTING: Women’s HIV Outreach Worker Application - Deadline: Sunday, June 23, 2013 (midnight)

SUMMER JOB FOR STUDENT POSTING 

Women’s HIV Outreach Worker

Application Deadline: Sunday, June 23, 2013 (midnight)

Type of Contract: Short term (8 weeks)

No. of Hours: 30 hours/week

Starting Date: July 2, 2013

Wage: $10.25/hour

Interview Date: Wednesday, June 26

Responsibilities:

• Work with the Women’s Program working group to organize 2 health promotion events for

East and Southeast Asian women in Toronto

• Assist the Women’s Outreach Program Coordinator to conduct outreach activities at 2 Asian

cultural and/or community events

• Participate in PRIDE events during the weekend of June 29-30

• Participate in staff meeting, training, network meetings related to women and HIV

• Maintain statistics, and prepare written reports as needed

Qualifications

• Is between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment

• Was registered as a full-time student in a post secondary, vocational or technical program

during the preceding academic year

• Intends to return to school on a full-time basis during the next academic year

• Is a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been

conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

• Working knowledge, lived experience, and/or familiarity with issues faced by East and

Southeast Asian immigrant and newcomer women in Toronto

• Basic knowledge of HIV/STIs, AIDS stigma and discrimination, healthy sexuality

• Some experience in planning a small group social event, health workshops, and outreach

• Demonstrated commitment to anti-homophobia, anti-oppression, and healthy sexuality

• Ability to work as part of a team and independently

• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with diverse types of people

• Ability to work flexible hours and/or weekends

• Speak, read, and write one of the East and Southeast Asian language is an asset

• Completed ACAS volunteers’ core training is a great asset

Please send a cover letter, resume with a reference by email to:

Subject: Summer Student Job

Hiring Committee - Asian Community AIDS Services

Email: officeadmin@acas.org

We regret that we will only contact candidates selected for interviews. The interviews will be held in

the afternoon of Wednesday, July 26.

ACAS supports employment equity. People from the East and Southeast Asian Canadian communities,

members of East and Southeast Asian LGBTTIQ, and people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply.

Internal Job Posting: MSM (Men Having Sex with Men) Outreach Worker - Deadline: Monday, June 23, 2013 (midnight)

INTERNAL JOB POSTING

MSM (Men Having Sex with Men) Outreach Worker

Internal Job Posting: For members, volunteers, service users, and current employees

Type of Contract: 1 Year (renewable), part-time (12 hours/week)

Starting Date: July 1, 2013

Application Deadline: Monday, June 23, 2013 (midnight)

Interview date: Wednesday, June 26 (evening)

Responsibilities

• Provide 24 online and smart phone apps outreach sessions on HIV/STIs and saver drugs

education

• Conduct HIV/AIDS/STIs outreach once a week at bathhouses

• Assist in recruiting 2 volunteers with outreach activities

• Assist the program coordinator to organize a monthly bathhouse night event

• Participate in training, network, meetings related to the MSM outreach program

• Maintain statistics, and prepare written reports

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal, and communication skills

• Demonstrated experience in HIV/STIs outreach with Asian MSM

• Self-directed, and willingness to work flexible hours

• Thorough understanding of ACAS mission, AIDS stigma and discrimination, LGBTTIQ

issues, healthy sexuality, and harm reduction principles and practices

• Familiarity with or lived experience in the East and Southeast Asian MSM communities

• Demonstrated commitment to anti-homophobia, anti-oppression, and healthy sexuality

principles

• Ability to work as part of a team and independently

• Basic skills in workshop facilitation, and training design would be an asset

• Fluent in one of the East and Southeast Asian languages is an asset

• Computer skills: MS Office, social media and web design (an asset)

Please send a cover letter, resume with 2 references by email to:

Subject: MSM Outreach Worker Job

Hiring Committee - Asian Community AIDS Services

Email: mensexualhealth@acas.org

We regret that we will only contact candidates selected for interviews, which will be held on

Wednesday 26 th.

ACAS supports employment equity. People from the East and Southeast Asian Canadian

communities, LGBTTIQ, and people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply.

Internal Job Posting: Women’s Outreach Program Coordinator (Temporary Position) - Deadline: Friday, June 28 (midnight)

INTERNAL JOB POSTING

Temporary Position

Women’s Outreach Program Coordinator 

Internal Job Posting:  For members, volunteers, service users, and current employees

Type of Contract:  Short-term, part-time (20 hours/week)

Contract Duration:   August 1, 2013-March 15, 2014

Training: July 18-19, 2013 (Mandatory)

Application Deadline: Friday, June 28 (midnight)

Responsibilities

1.          Plan, implement and evaluate the Asian Women-at-Risk Outreach and Education Project

2.          Recruit, train and support 8 peer educator volunteers to assist with HIV/AIDS education services for Asian women

3.          Provide 8 HIV/AIDS outreach sessions at various East and Southeast Asian ethno-cultural community events, ESL classes, church groups and settlement services

4.          Conduct 12 HIV/AIDS/STIs workshops for Asian women in the City of Toronto

5.          Organize “Pillow Talk” community learning forum

6.          Organize World AIDS Day activity in collaboration with other ACAS programs

7.          Collaborate with ACAS Men’s sexual health project to organize outreach and workshops targeting heterosexual men

8.          Attend network meetings and professional development training as required

9.          Maintain statistics, prepare reports and a funding proposal

10.      Other administrative tasks as needed

Qualifications:

·         College or university education or 2-3 year work experience in social work, adult education, or health promotion

·         Familiarity with the East and Southeast Asian communities in Toronto, especially with issues faced by newcomer women and their families

·         Knowledge, and/or lived experience, and sensitivity to issues concerning HIV/AIDS/STIs, healthy sexuality, and violence against women

·         Good communication and writing skills in English

·         Basic volunteer management skills

·         Experience in workshop planning, and group facilitation, especially with women

·         Experience in conducting health outreach activities, and community development

·         Fluent in one of the East or Southeast Asian languages and able to conduct a workshop in that language

·         Ability to prioritize, delegate, and handle multiple tasks

·         Able to interact with diverse populations and use active listening skills to determine appropriate response to callers, visitors, and others during daily activities. 

·         Ability to work under a trans-positive, queer-positive, sex-positive, and anti-oppressive work environment

·         Ability to work evenings and weekends occasionally

Please send a cover letter and resume by email to:

Hiring Committee – Women’s Outreach Program

Asian Community AIDS Services

Email:  officeadmin@acas.org

Subject: Application for Women’s Program Coordinator position 

We regret that we will only contact candidates selected for an interview.

ACAS (founded in 1994) is a charitable non-profit community based organization dedicated to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate education, health promotion and support services to people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in the East and Southeast Asian-Canadian communities in Toronto. ACAS supports employment equity. People from the East and Southeast Asian Canadian communities, LGBTTIQ, and people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply.

May in Review: Asian Heritage Month

May is Asian Heritage Month, and ACAS has had a busy month of events to celebrate our Asian roots.

To start off the month, ACAS attended the Asian Heritage Month Opening Ceremony in the east Chinatown. The event was organized by Toronto Police’s Chinese Consultative Committee of which ACAS is a member organization. We were  pleased to celebrate the event with our Board Chair, Andre Goh, and long-time ACAS supporter and award-winning writer Paul Yee.

In an effort to break the silence on HIV stigma, the Support Program hosted “My Story-Living with HIV.” The event featured two ACAS service users who spoke to ACAS and community members about their stories of challenges and personal resiliencies to ACAS members and the community. We would like to take the time to thank the courage of the two speakers and the inspiration they have instilled through their stories.

Aside from celebrating Asian Heritage Month with a Spring Fling edition of our popular Asian Bathhouse Night at Spa SX, the Men’s Program held a special Asian Men Social Night “Dating Then & Now” for our gay, bi, and MSM service users to discuss the many different forms of dating relationships such as open and polyamorous relationships that exist in our community, and an opportunity to offer each other useful strategies to stay healthy sexually.

Riding on the success of last year’s successful event, Queer Asian Youth (QAY), ACAS’ Youth Program, once again celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia with “What’s Up, Asia?!” featuring panel speakers to speak about the various LGBTQ activist movements in Asia. QAY also held a special edition of “Mmm, Movie Night” screening various shorts from Queer Asian web series to coincide with Asian Heritage Month.

Meanwhile, the Women’s Program have been busy learning how to make delicious food with their “Roll ‘em Up –Sushi & Cold Roll Making for Women” event as well as collaborating with ACAS’ Straight Men’s Outreach Program, the Locker Room Project, for a series of Muay Thai Boxing and Self-defence lessons.

ACAS was one of the Community Sponsors for the Inside Out International Film this year. Christian Hui, Community Engagement Worker, addressed a full house at the TIFF Lightbox Cinema about the importance of finding allies for the Asian LGBTQ and HIV community prior to the screening of the superbly delightful romantic comedy “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” by Arvin Chen.

Last but not least, ACAS launched its highly anticipated online zine, Qi Magazine, to coincide with Asian Heritage Month. Thanks to the hard work of our Social Media Coordianator Meza Daulet and a number of volunteers, graphic and web designers, writers, and editor, we have created a fresh and fun online magazine for the Asian Canadian LGBTQ and HIV community. Please spread the word about Qi Magazine by visiting http://qimagazine.ca/ and sharing it with your friends and network.

ACAS Monthly Update - April 2013

While everyone at ACAS is busy gearing up for Asian Heritage Month in May, we would like to give you a recap of the exciting events we had held in April.

Representing the Asian MSM Pathways to Resiliency (AMP2R) Community-based Research of the Men’s Program, Richard Utama, Men’s Sexual Health Coordinator, attended the 22^nd  Canadian Association for HIV/AIDS Research in Vancouver, B.C., along with Principal Investigator Dr. Alan Li, and Community Engagement Worker, Christian Hui, on April 11 to April 14, 2013.  Richard and Alan made a successful oral presentation on “Migration as a critical life transition and resiliency strategy among Asian MSM in Toronto,” while Christian had a poster presentation entitled “Negotiating safety, access, disclosure and self care: resiliency pathways of Asian MSM PHAs.” Our executive director, Noulmoook Sutdhibhasilp, also showcased the poster “What Asian Women in Canada think about HIV/AIDS prevention” as part of the Ontario Women’s Health Study.

ACAS would also like to give a heartfelt thanks to InSite, the supervised injection site in Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, for giving us a tour of the facility and enlighten us how their presence and practices in the Vancouver Eastside neighborhood have helped the catchment at achieving one of the rare public health successes—-HIV transmission rates in the neighborhood actually went down compared to other catchments. Supervised Injection Sites has been shown to work and drive HIV infection rates down, and more supervised injection sites should be built and implemented across the nation as part of a comprehensive HIV strategy.

On March 27, the Women’s Program facilitated a workshop at Nellie’s Women Shelter where most of its service users were Chinese women who have experienced domestic abuse. On April 16, the Women’s Program and the Straight Men’s Locker Room Project collaborated with S.O.S., a Korean student agency, on healthy dating and sexuality for newly arrived Korean and Vietnamese students. The Women’s Program will also be hosting a “Gentle Yoga & Meditation” Workshop led by Grace Ng Litskowski on April 26 at Six Degrees Community Acupuncture Studio.

QAY and the Youth Program definitely had its fair share of excitement in April: First, over 50 people attended the QAY / Raging Asian Women (RAW) Drumming Performance on March 24. The youths then tested their athletic skills at the annual Dodge Ball Tournament on March 30. Lastly, Meza, our beloved Youth Program Coordinator, facilitated a “Race & Dating” workshop at the University of Toronto.

The Support Program had hosted a few events aimed at improving the holistic health of those living with HIV. On April 5, about 30 service users attended the HIV, Aging and Mental Health Workshop with guest speaker Dr. Evan Collins. We would like to thank Janssen Pharmaceutical for their generous sponsorship to make this event possible. Starting April 13, the Support Program and Woodgreen Community Services co-hosted a Tai Chi Pilot Project over four Saturday mornings for service users to learn about this ancient Chinese martial arts practice known to improve one’s circulation and chi.

Romyen, our Asian Migrant Farm Worker Research Coordinator, had attended a community forum to address the health needs of migrant farm workers in Hamilton on March 25. It was a very encouraging event as Romyen was able to network with health service providers who are willing to provide health services to this marginalized population, including those who are undocumented workers. As for the Asian Migrant Farm Worker Research, the researchers and coordinator have moved onto the coding process and data analysis phase of the research study. 

For the Volunteer Program, ACAS held an Advanced Training on Language Interpretation on March 27 for volunteers who wish to become volunteer interpreters for our service users. As ACAS truly values the dedication of our volunteers, the Volunteer Program conducted two sets of focus groups to assist with the evaluation and continuous improvement of the program. Lastly, Trisha, our fabulous Volunteer Coordinator, will be hosting our new round of Core Skills Volunteer Training at the ACAS office on April 27.

Please vote for our ACAS (Asian Community AIDS Services) Board Chair Andre Goh for the RBC Royal Bank - Canada Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. The voting period for the RBC Royal Bank - Canada Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards is now open at http://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/vote until May 13, 2013. On another note, Andre was also recently awarded the the Malaysian Canadian Award by the Canadian Multicultural Council - Asians in Ontario for his outstanding work in diversity and LGBTQ issues. Congrats, Andre!             

Have you checked out our new HIV Treatment Information in Asian Languages Website yet? After a year of work, the site is up and running and contains HIV treatment fact sheets in Chinese (simplified and traditional), Vietnamese, and Tagalog. Come check us out at http://treatment.acas.org!

Please check out our exciting line-up of events for Asian Heritage Month in May as we celebrate our Asian roots and cultures!

Are you ready for Asian Heritage Month?

May is Asian Heritage Month, and ACAS has lined up some exciting events to celebrate our cultural roots!

Asian Heritage Month 2013

May 5 – 27

ACAS celebrates Asian Heritage Month 2013 and diverse Asian community in GTA by organizing variety of events to bring our community together and promoting other events organized by community partners. 

How would you celebrate Asian Heritage Month this year? 

————— events organized by ACAS —————

My story – Living with HIV

Date: Friday, May 10

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Location: ACAS (260 Spadina Avenue, unit 410)

How gender, race, sexuality, disability, HIV stigma and other factors intertwine in our society? Come join and learn from the personal life experiences of Asians living with HIV in Canada. 

RSVP required and space limited.

Please contact Andrew at 416-963-4300 x 222 or email support@acas.org

Asian Bathhouse Nite – Spring Fling

Date: Thursday, May 16

Time: 8:00 – 11:00 PM

Location: Spa Excess (105 Carlton st.)

3rd Thursday of every month, Asian Men Sexual Health program hosts the Asian Bathhouse Event for Asian gay, bi and MSM (men who have sex with men) filled with fun, educational workshops, anonymous HIV testing, and maybe something more.

Asian Men Social Nite – Dating Then & Now

Date: Wednesday, May 22

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Location: ACAS (260 Spadina Avenue, unit 410)

An evening of discussion on hook up, dating, and (open) relationships for gay, bi, and MSM (men who have sex with men) Asian men over food and refreshment.

What’s Up Asia?

Panel Discussion for Queer Asian Youth

Date: Friday, May 24

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Location: Glad Day Bookshop (598A Yonge Street, 3rd Floor)

Queer Asian Youth (QAY) invites LGBTQ community members from Asia to update us what’s happening overseas. Join us for an evening of inspirational stories, delicious food, and awesome people.

Roll ‘em up

Sushi & Cold Roll Making for Women

Date: Saturday, May 25

Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Location: Fife House (490 Sherbourne, 1st floor)

Learn to make simple and healthy Asian food with the Women’s Program!  We will be making sushi and salad rolls. Plus, we can share tips on how to prepare healthier food. RSVP required and space limited.

Mmm, Movie Night

Queer Asian Web Series Screening

Date: Monday, May 27

Time: 5:30 – 8:00 PM

Location: ACAS (260 Spadina Avenue, unit 410)

A movie night for Queer Asian Youth (QAY) to explore the Queer Asian Web Series created by community artists around the world. Comfy couch and popcorn provided.

Muay Thai 

Thai Boxing & Self-Defense Lesson

Date: Every Sunday, May 5, 12, 19, 26

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Location: TKMT@Davisville (1992 Yonge Street)

Muay Thai Event with Locker Room Project and ACAS Women’s Program! 4 Sundays of workout in May to learn about self-defense, stay fit and de-stress! Come socialize and get to know new faces. RSVP required and space limited.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/359300397509038

Please contact Niki for more information regarding events listed above.

Call: 416-963-4300

Email: officeadmin@acas.org

Please vote for our ACAS (Asian Community AIDS Services) Board Chair Andre Goh for the RBC Royal Bank - Canada Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards

The voting period for the RBC Royal Bank - Canada Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards is now open at http://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/vote until May 13, 2013. Please vote for our ACAS (Asian Community AIDS Services) Board Chair Andre Goh, who was also recently awarded the the Malaysian Canadian Award by the Canadian Multicultural Council - Asians in Ontario for his outstanding work in diversity and LGBTQ issues.              

André Goh is a gay Asian leader who has more than 20 years’ experience promoting and engaging the rights of East and Southeast Asian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual (LGBT) in Toronto. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Goh helped create safe spaces for Queer Asian Youth in Toronto, when discrimination, oppression and marginalization of people of colour were much higher and more significant in the LGBT communities. He was an active member of the Gay Asian Youth Toronto, an organization that promotes the rights of Asian gay men in Toronto. He helped form GAT’s Gay Asian AIDS Project (GAAP) to assist Asians living with HIV/AIDS, most of whom were gay men. The project was later amalgamated with two other projects to become Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS). 

CIDA Youth Internship Opportunity: Youth HIV Outreach Worker in Thailand, Bangkok. Application deadline is April 30, 2013.

Interested youths between 19 and 30 years of age are encouraged to apply.

Youth HIV Outreach Worker - Thailand

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/psij-iyip.nsf/Eng/SON-41011363-LB4

Intervenant auprès des jeunes – VIH - Thailande

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/psij-iyip.nsf/Fra/SON-41011363-LB4