AQUA was founded in 1997 in Washington, DC. A need to better serve the queer API community arose, especially by a group whose agenda extended beyond just a social scope. Also, an organization run by queer APIs, for queer APIs was a need expressed by many who were frustrated with the limited number of gay organizations a person could turn to (there was only one local gay organization serving queer API men).
Five friends: Chen, Denys, Lin, David, and Edwin got together to do something about it. They started with a series of small events consisting mostly of potlucks, trips to films, and mah-jong games. The word began to spread among queer Asians about a small group whose members felt safe with each other, and more importantly, where one can relate to what it is like to be gay and Asian. Thus AQUA was formed.
AQUA became a presence at the next Capital Pride Festival. Many gay Asians stopped by the booth and became excited about upcoming events. Two major events occurred that year. The first was the Jade Lounge (later calledZen Lounge), which was held at the former Cobalt nightclub, on 17th and R Streets. It was a collaborative event with other gay Asian groups in the area and was orchestrated by the Asian and Pacific Islander Partnership Health (APIPH). The Lounge was an educational and entertaining event emphasizing the need towards safe sex. It also demonstrated the rather unique situations gay Asians face, and its impact on the community was extraordinary.
The second event was a group film outing to “Mulan,” which was showing at Pentagon City. Many new faces graced the event, and the following potlucks that summer were well attended. AQUA felt it was time to actually organize and form a charter.
Initial efforts to form a charter began in 1997. In 1999, discussions still continued. One such meeting took place at Irwin’s place on Scott Circle. It was a rather heated and intense experience for those who attended. Work commenced on defining AQUA’s identity, its mission, and its constituency. Debate centered on wheather AQUA should take an all-inclusive stance, or have a limited membership focusing primarily on queer API men. It was agreed that an all-inclusive membership (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning persons) would form the basis of AQUA’s mission statement.
Somewhat charged with a new set of by-laws, AQUA was able to set its sights on more events. There were co-sponsored events like: readings by Asian American authors (i.e. Helen Zia), the Reel Affirmations Film Festival, and a queer Asian “alternative” event for the Millenium March on Washington (MMOW). AQUA was also to able lend its support and endorsement on several key events that affected the queer Asian community (i.e. APIPH’s focus groups which took place at NMAC-National Minority AIDS Council). And of course, the popular potlucks still took place.
However, the first set of by-laws presented some problems. The first is that it was never actually ratified by the membership — the guidelines were only known by an elite few. It was a loosely formed group of members, with no clear leaders. Another was no membership dues were actually collected. Not only did this hinder AQUA’s finances, but it also marked a sense of complacency — since no expectations can actually be demanded by the member.
The most important problem involved AQUA members. There is already an organization serving lesbian Asians (APIQS), and another serving queer South Asians (KHUSH-DC). It was somewhat understood that AQUA served primarily queer Asian men, but this was never actually stated in it mission statement. That year 2000, these three groups marched together in the Capital Pride Parade as one group: A.K.A (AQUA, KHUSH-DC, and APIQS). Indeed, these three groups demonstrated the solidarity of the queer Asian community. But what purpose did AQUA actually serve?
In a sense, AQUA cannot be all things to all people. That was not its original intention. The distinctness of each group that marched in that parade caused AQUA to re-examine its identity, its expectations, and its abilities. In November 2000, a retreat took place with the active members from AQUA, APIQS and KHUSH, and was graciously moderated by Vince C. from the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance in San Francisco. The process would take six months, and would be realized with a ratified set of by-laws on April 2001 and the first elected officers.
With an actual charter, a renewed sense of purpose, AQUA can continue its service to the queer API male community… and still host those wonderful potlucks!
– Allan Pacheco, AQUA Secretary, 2001
