Dear Fellow Members:

Our Chinese New Year Banquet on February 23, 2002 was a great success due to your support and the overwhelming response. This was the first event by the new board, and I’d like to thank all of you for helping to get the year off to a rousing start. Regretfully, we also had to turn away some last minutes responses. Next time we will have to find a larger venue. Again, thanks to all the CRA members who attended, as well as the guests you invited.

With Andre as Co-Chair of GAPSN, I am sure we will have a lot more collaborations between the two organizations, and hopefully more variety of activities to look forward to. Also, IMRU radio, a weekly radio show focusing on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual (GLBT) community in Southern California has expressed interest in doing a story on CRA. IMRU has featured other organizations in the past but very few Asian groups. They are aware of larger organizations such as GAPSN and APGF but would like to reach out to smaller, less well-known groups. We will be arranging for the IMRU staff to attend some of our functions in the coming months. I believe this is a good opportunity to expose CRA to the media but we do want to make sure that the story portrays a positive image of the Chinese gay community.

We are always looking out for new hosts for our social potlucks. If you would like be one or know of someone who would like to host one of our functions, please let us know. We are not looking for a big or fancy place. Good location, easy parking and a "warm" host are more important.

I will be out of the country in the month of March, but please do attend our March function and I'll see you all in April's potluck.

Respectfully,

Richard K.

Notes from GAPSN Co-Chair - Andre

My dear fellow tongzhis:

Our Chinese new year banquet was a success! It was wonderful to see you all and wish you happy new year of the horse. WE enjoyed the delicious northern Chinese cuisine including the famous Beijing duck, and the after-dinner games. Besides seeing our faithful CRA members, there were also community guests present, some came as far as the Bay Area and Seattle. This year, we had to turn the late reservations away (due to limited seating), so we hope to have more tables and a large banquet room so we can accommodate all the guests next year.

For this year, if you pay your membership due on time, you will receive a handsome polo shirt with the CRA logo . This is one way we thank you for your loyalty and support.

The March 23 book-signing reception will be really fun and meaningful. I mean, how often do you get to meet and socialize with gay Asian pioneers? They will be there to meet with you and share their stories of past activism and experiences. Come and see the remodeled "Stone Club," which is formerly called the Ming Dynasty. It is also the same historical place where Mugi's was, the first gay 'Asian bar in the Southland. You can buy a copy of the historical book "The Making of A Gay Asian Community" at a discount price too!

Also, don't forget to come my talk on "How Knowledgeable Is the Chinese Mainstream Community in the Southland on the Topic of Homosexuality" at the Village on Sunday April 14. There will be Q and A's and discussion too after the talk. When you arrive at the Village, look for the "API PFLAG" signs for room # and directions.

See you all at the events of March 23, April 14 and April 27.

Andre'

COMMUNITY EVENT

ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS

presents:

HOW KNOWLEDGEABLE IS THE MAINSTREAM CHINESE COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTHLAND ON THE ISSUE OF HOMOSEXUALITY?

Featured Speakers and Open Discussion

When: Sunday April 14, 2 pm to 4:30 pm

Where: Gay and Lesbian Center's Village

1125 N. McCadden Pl, Hollywood