Chinese New Year Parade – Come March with Us!
Come march with API Equality at the 2009 Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade!
This will be the fifth year that the API LGBT Community and our allies are marching in the Chinese New Year Parade. Let’s continue to show the world that there are LGBT API people in our community and that we all support marriage equality.
Some of the participating organizations include API Family Pride, API Legal Outreach, Asian Law Caucus, API Queer Women & Transgender Coalition, API Wellness Center, Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, Network for Religion and Justice for API LGBT People, Our Family Coalition, PANA Institute and UC Berkeley Queer and Asian.
When: 7th February, 2009, Saturday
Meeting Time: 4.45pm
Meeting Location: Market Street – Section V (cross street is Second Street) Please meet on the south side of Market Street.
Contingent Number: Vanguard Contingent 39
Attire: We are asking everybody to wear RED or YELLOW top and dark pants. Please wear layers as it will be cold. We will be providing ponchos too to the marchers. The weather forecast as of today shows that it will be rainy.
RSVP: Please RSVP through Facebook (http://www.tinyurl.com/2009cny) or sent an email to Amos Lim at alim@caasf.org. We need a firm count to make sure we have enough ponchos for everyone.
Additional Notes:
Please arrive at 4.45pm so that you can be briefed on what the marchers will be doing as they march along the Parade Route. Look out for a white banner that says “Asian Pacific Islander for Marriage Equality”. If you are lost or cannot find our contingent, please contact Choon Kiat at 408.421.2481, Jen-Mei at 415.601.7972 on day of parade.
Our contingent will feature a Convertible decorated with flowers and garlands. We will have a lesbian couple who have been together for 23 years wearing their traditional Hawaiian wedding dresses that was made by their moms and sisters. They have worn the dress when they were married about 10 years ago, then in 2004 when San Francisco allowed gay marriage and one more time last year in 2008 when the state of California allowed gay marriage. They will put on that dress again this year especially for the Chinese New Year Parade.
The parade is a lot of fun! You will be walking about 15 city blocks, and the entire route will take about 2 hours once we start moving. Since we are at the front of the parade and the parade will start moving at 5:15, we hope to be done marching by 7pm. There will be TV cameras at Union Square (in front of MACY’s) for the live telecast, Food and restrooms may not be readily available.
WHAT NOT TO BRING: please note that we do not have storage space to store your stuff. You will have to carry what you bring. So, do not bring purses, wallets valuables, or flashy jewelry. Be careful of your cell phones and cameras as well.
RULES & REGULATIONS: No materials may be distributed or handed out during the parade, no alcoholic beverages allowed anywhere near the float, and ABSOLUTELY no flags or political signs allowed.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Finally, if you have never marched in the Chinese New Year Parade, you are in for a real treat–and a very memorable night of fun, empowerment, and friendship. It’s an evening that you will always remember fondly.
Please e-mail Amos Lim, alim@caasf.org if you have any questions or on the day of the parade call Choon Kiat at 408.421.2481 or Jen-Mei at 415.601.7972.
Regards,
Amos Lim, 林明利, Community Organizer