LGBTQ+ Community
Learn more about AJSOCAL’s QTAPI initiative, addressing the needs and uplifting the stories of the community while advocating for policy change that will help the LGBTQ+ community thrive.
AAPI Queer Joy
AAPI Queer Joy is AJSOCAL’s initiative to become more inclusive and representative of the AAPI community by recognizing the intersectionality of the AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities. In partnership with a coalition of Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander (QTAPI)-serving organizations across California, we identify and highlight the specific needs of the QTAPI community. Based on the coalition’s guidance, AJSOCAL advocates for inclusive policies that empower the QTAPI community and allow all to thrive.
Click here to learn more about the AAPI Queer Joy Coalition.
2026 Bills For the Queer, Trans Asian Pacific Islander (QTAPI) Community
As we uplift the Queer Trans AAPI (QTAPI) community, we’re proud to share our 2026 bill priorities, championed by the AAPI Queer Joy Coalition, a partnership between AJSOCAL, Hmong Innovating Politics, Viet Rainbow of Orange County, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, and Lavender Phoenix.
🟨 AB 1876 (Addis) – Protect Transgender Patients from Discrimination
🟨 AB 1540 (Gonzalez)– Restore LGBTQ & 988 Crisis Support
🟨 AB 908 (Solache) – Enforce LGBTQ & Inclusive Curriculum
Current work
Celebrating AJSOCAL’s Annual 2026 Jade Jubilee
Coming off Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, AJSOCAL carried our energy straight into Pride Month. On June 10, 2026, the AAPI Queer Joy Coalition hosted its third annual Jade Jubilee at Cafeteria 15L, bringing together community leaders, advocates, and legislators to celebrate queer and trans Asian & Pacific Islander (QTAPI) excellence and to rally behind the coalition’s 2026 legislative priorities.
Resource for K-12 Educators For LGBTQ+ Youth
This guide is a resource intended for K-12 educators looking for guidance on how to support trans, non-binary, gender-non-conforming, and intersex students. As recent Supreme Court rulings and other national policy decisions continue to challenge their safety and well-being, respect and understanding from educators in the classroom setting is more important than ever. This resource offers simple suggestions for how LGBTQ+ students can be supported at school. Teachers and school staff are welcome to download this guide and have it on hand in the classroom for reference in multiple languages. Safety should be accessible, and we want to make it as easy as possible for our teachers to take simple steps towards creating a healthy environment for all students.
Download the guide here.
Charging into the year of the Fire Horse with Ferocity, Boldness, & Joy
We capped our exciting week of Lunar New Year celebrations by marching in the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown this past Saturday!
It was an incredible fun community event, led by our partner API Rainbow Coalition and PFlag! Together with over 70 folks, we marched in the LGBTQ+ contingent with partners like APAIT, Okaeri, and SIPA and many more.
We welcomed in the year of the Fire Horse with ferocity, boldness, and joy as we waved our pride flags, walked with our trans-flag dragon and dance in the streets of Chinatown. In the current times of relentless attacks on our QTAPI community, a celebration of our diversity and joy was empowering and freeing.
SOCAL Asian Pacific American Leaders Denounce Federal Attacks on Transgender Rights
Asian Pacific American elected officials and community groups unite to oppose White House Executive Orders on gender-affirming healthcare for minors, bans on transgender people serving in the military and other efforts to undermine civil rights protections for transgender and gender non-conforming people.
The API Rainbow Coalition (ARC) released a public letter signed by Asian Pacific American elected officials and organizations that begins, “We, the undersigned Asian Pacific American (APA) community leaders and elected officials, call for the full inclusion and celebration of trans and nonbinary people. Although they are not discussed often enough in the Asian media and our broader community, we must acknowledge and lift up the stories of Asian Pacific American trans people. They are our children, siblings, neighbors, co-workers and friends.”
Find LGBTQ+ Education & Community Resources Below↓
PAST WORK
2025 LGBTQ+ Advocacy Work
- A blog by Jeffrey DeGuia, AJSOCAL’s LA Regional Policy Advocate, about how showing up in the community is how we build power.
- 2 of our AAPI Queer Joy bill priorities have been signed into law by Governor Newsom. The passage of AB 678 (Lee) will create more culturally competent and inclusive housing services. The passage of AB 1487 (Addis) will financially support community partners to create and continue programs that will support mental health services, workforce development, and other programs that will support the lives and futures of the LGBTQ+ community. Although SB 418 was not signed into law, AJSOCAL will continue to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. SB 418 (Menjivar) focused on healthcare nondiscrimination, strengthening protections so no one is denied care based on gender identity, intersex traits, or sexual orientation. Read more about our bill package here.
2024 LGBTQ+ Advocacy Work
Together with the data from our QTAPI partners, API Equality – LA, Lavender Phoenix and Viet Rainbow of Orange County, authored a joint letter to members of the California Asian American Pacific Islander caucus and LGBTQ+ Caucus highlighting the specific needs of the QTAPI community.
Read more through our fact sheet here and the joint letter here.
