Queer Asian Pacific Legacy

這個週末將有一場盛大的亞太裔同志聚會在紐約市舉行，目前已知從全美各地前來參加的同志將超過三百五十人。這個為期三天的大會，除了讓各組織與個人有機會相互認識與交換經驗之外， 更重要的一個目標是希望建立一個全國性的亞裔同志網絡，進而形成一個政治壓力實體，在政策面作為亞裔同志發聲的一個管道。

三百五十人，光想就讓人覺得興奮！

晚上我參加了會前的義工訓練，開場的熱身動作是將一疊疊大會為參加者準備的資料放進袋裡，大家一起工作的感覺真好，看著一個個我們親手裝好的袋子躺在房間的角落，彷彿裡頭也裝滿了我們歡迎的心意。

這是一個免費報名的活動，大會自行吸收所有花費，由所有參與的團體認領工作項目，出錢出力，這些團體集結起來的力量，給我深刻的印象。其次，我感受最深的就是大會對於safe space的高度自我要求，同志社群對於安全議題特別敏感，「安全」包括了生理與心理、肢體與情緒，大會手冊一開始，就寫明了大會對所有參加者的提醒：

Principles of Community (adapted from NGLTF Creating Change "Principles of Community")

As we gather this weekend to build the foundation of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Asian Pacific American movement, it is important that all voices, perspectives, and ideas are heard.

• No one can know everything of importance about everyone else. Let's take the tme to explain ourselves, our points of view, the place we come from.


• No one can be known unless we are listened to and heard. Let's give to others the same quality of attention that we'd like.


• We are all unique individuals and cannot be expected to "represent" everyone in our communities. Let's avoid statements about "all" of any and speak directly and in the first person with each other. We will make mistakes, but correcting those mistkes can build a stronger, more united and more welcoming social justice movement.


• Inevitably disagreements will arise. Some disagreements occur because of differences of experience, understanding, or analysis of a situation. Some disagreements occur because we are speaking of different things altogether without realizing it. Some disagreements arise out of closely held beliefs or principles that are not shared by others. We can and do strggle to work towards common goals even with those with whom we disagree.


• Discussions about difficult subjects are crucial to our community's survival and our movement's growth. Even among friends and colleagues, it requires extra effort on our part to speak clearly, to listen attentively, and to be more generous. It is simple to stop conversation that has no apparent resolution and no obvious common ground. Nontheless, we must try.


• In any temporary community, there are bound to be misunderstandings, miscommunications, and misquotes. Let's check it out with each other before we conclude that others are acting in bad faith or with false consciousness or with bad intentions.


• We value and respect separate spaces for importand discussions by specific groups of attendees (i.e. youth only, women only, South Asian only, etc.) and we ask you do the same by refraining from attending sessions not intended for you.

這是這一群人眼中的「社群」。