Clement Chan, Communications Chair 2015
I was first introduced to GAPIMNY in late 2014 when I was invited to participate in a fall retreat in the Catskills. I was new to the country at the time, having moved to New York just a few months prior. While I was happily married, I didn’t know many people and had few friends. But joining that retreat is still one of the best experiences I’ve ever had to date—the camaraderie of like-minded queer API men bonding over hiking, campfire, and board games was infectious. For the first time in a few months then, I felt at home—even though my original home is about 10,000 miles away.
Soon after, I was invited to join the Steering Committee. The camaraderie from the fall retreat never ended. Helping to keep this community closer and build upon the work of past SC members in the past 25 years has been a valuable learning experience. To continue learning and contributing in strengthening this community of QAPI men—that’s why I’m on GAPIMNY’S SC.