TO BE SEEN IS TO BE KNOWN
The queer and trans APISWAD (Asian/Pacific Islander/Southwest Asian/Desi) community exists but is not often visible. We are slowly becoming more visible in Western Media and some other ordinary spaces; however, there is a long way to go, and in my experience as a Queer South Asian woman, it has made it difficult to find a sense of belonging or community. When we are not seen, we are not known. That sense of loneliness is overpowering. Rarely are all Asian ethnicities recognized. And just as rarely are all identities of queerness celebrated, especially within Asian representation.
Queer Asian Social Club was born out of a panel on queer representation at a small queer convention in 2018. We are rooted in a conversation about Queer Asian Representation in the media, and fostering community through a celebration of representation. However, we also recognize that representation is only the first, and vital, step towards true liberation, which is why we are an arts activism community organization. A space where we celebrate queer Asian art and artists, and use that art to further conversations about our community, to encourage policy change, mutual aid, and local activism. Art is one of the purest mediums in which we can fully express the breadth of our community. Art also brings us together. A communal experience that unites and inspires our community for more.
It is that sense of community that art inspires that Queer Asian Social Club is dedicated to fostering and protecting. We create that space of community through events, such as our annual GET WARMED holiday party; ITS READING RAINBOW, an all-ages Pride event with drag story time and performances at the Los Angeles Chinatown Public Library; our EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE Oscars watch-party and more!
Through art, we have had the great joy and honor to work with production companies like Bleecker Street and A24; film festivals like Alula Film Festival, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival, Newfest, and Tribeca Film Festival—theatres like Vidiots, where we hosted, alongside CAPE, a celebration of Saving Face. We have also worked with several queer Asian movies, including co-producing premiere events and hosting panels for A Nice Indian Boy, The Wedding Banquet (2025), Fire Island, Extremely Unique Dynamic, Egghead and Twinkie, and Queen of My Dreams. Through our Queer Asian Book Club, we have also been able to celebrate authors and poets.
Our advocacy combines all of this work to create accessible opportunities to explore mental health through the Queer Asian Mental Health Club. We also frequently host virtual panels with other organizations to discuss policies that impact our communities, such as bans on gender-affirming care and immigration policies, and how individuals can get involved.
At our core, QASC is all about joy. It’s a space by us and for us, where we can be seen and heard. A space that looks like anything we want it to be, that’s silly, that is serious, that is everything in between.
We are so excited you’re here! And we can't wait to celebrate more art, create more community, and empower us all to create the world we want to see.
with love,
Maya Satya Reddy
MEET THE TEAM
MAYA SATYA REDDY
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
To quote a recent review of our podcast, “to the ears, she’s just a girl from Southern California” Maya is the founder of the Queer Asian Social Club, a queer Desi, former professional golfer, LGBTQ+ sports law and policy expert, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and most importantly Genovia’s Secretary of State.
Maya founded the Queer Asian Social Club in 2018 out of a somewhat selfish desire to find community and a sense of belonging as a Queer Asian. QASC was born as a way to feel seen and known, to find family, and to celebrate all the nuances and beauty of being queer and Asian—a space where she has finally found belonging. Maya is definitely the team member posting on Instagram about kombucha being Asian culture.
JEMARC AXINTO
CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER
THEY/SHE/HE
Jemarc is a Filipinx, Nonbinary, Trauma Recovery Coach and Wellness Consultant, and QASC's Chief Wellness Officer who supports others in their journeys at the intersection of science and spirituality. They have dedicated over ten years of their life to the actualization of a mind, body, and spirit no longer withheld by trauma, labels, and roles. They’ve turned this deep study into an alchemical process to empower everyone they meet into actualizing their most authentic selves and radically rewiring their brains to heal trauma at its root in the nervous system. They have taken these years of development and supported people globally as a coach, as well as numerous institutions as a consultant and facilitator like Harvard, Rowan Medical School, Medidata, The Asian Mental Health Project, and more. Jemarc’s unique approach to healing is one that does not reject anyone so long as they keep their hearts open to the innate qualities of love, kindness, and compassion within themselves. They believe that healing isn’t about restricting oneself to one path, but rather about finding your own path on the path.
@JEMARCAXINTO
TANSU PHILIP
COMMUNITY DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
IVAN LEUNG
SCREEN & STAGE OUTREACH DIRECTOR
HE/HIM
Ivan is an accomplished actor, filmmaker and is passionate about growing and supporting queer Asian film and television story tellers and projects. His debut feature film, Extremely Unique Dynamic—distributed by Strand Releasing—was nominated for a Queerty Award for Best Comedy Film, played the first-ever weeklong Vidiots premiere, and won the prestigious Future/Now Filmmaker Award at the Montclair Film Festival.
Ivan is best known for his standout performances in both television and film, boasting an impressive résumé that includes acclaimed shows such as The Sex Lives of College Girls, Grey’s Anatomy, The Goldbergs, Superstore, and Good Girls. He also appeared in the SAG Award–nominated film The Tender Bar (directed by George Clooney), co-starring alongside Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan. He will next be seen starring in the highly anticipated film SKILLHOUSE, from Josh Stolberg (the writer of Saw X).
Beyond acting and filmmaking, Ivan is celebrated for his comedic rap skills, notably showcased in the viral hit Taco Loving Asian Guy.
ERIK SHAM
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
THEY/THEM
Erik is a queer, non-binary & neurodivergent Chinese community activist, nanoinfluencer & social media manager from Los Angeles, CA. In the midst of the anti-Asian attacks in 2021, they were featured in a photojournalist’s viral photo that took place at Love Our Communities rally in Little Tokyo, which gained attention in mainstream media. That same year, they joined QASC as a volunteer to assist with Jamie Issuh’s creative events & contributed to her efforts in building a Queer Asian community, both online & in-person. In February 2023, they were appointed as a social media manager to develop & implement social media strategies based on trends to build engagement & have revamped QASC’s profile into a radical queer liberatory platform to create a better inclusive Queer Asian community.
In abolition spaces, they believe that their work uplifts the liberatory practices of queer liberation, disability justice & racial solidarity in the pursuit of dismantling all forms of repressive systems & bring path to a non-Western world
RICHELLE BANAS
CONTENT PRODUCER
SHE/HER