Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community
{{primary sources|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community
| abbreviation = APIQWTC
| formation = {{start date and age|1999}}
| predecessor = API Lunar New Year Banquet
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| website = {{url|http://www.apiqwtc.org/}}
}}
Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women Transgender Community (APIQWTC) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides opportunities for Asian & Pacific Islander queer women and transgender people to socialize, network, build community, engage in inter-generational organizing, and increase community visibility.
APIQWTC grew out of the API Lunar New Year Banquet, founded in 1987 by a small group of queer and transgender Asian women. APIQWTC was officially founded in 1999 by Crystal Jang, Koko Lin, and Trinity Ordona, as a new hub for established and new community groups to exchange news and coordinate projects in the San Francisco Bay Area.{{Cite news|title = APIQWTC December 1999|date = 1999|work = Brochure}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/books/2018/4/26/15-lesbians-you-should-know-about|title=15 Lesbians You Should Know About|date=2018-04-26|website=www.advocate.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-07}} Over time, it evolved from a network to a community organization.
In 2012, the co-founders reported that APIQWTC provides the space for an estimated 1,000 queer women and transgender individuals of Asian descent to gather and celebrate who they are.{{Cite web|url = http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=67625|title = Queer Asian group celebrates silver anniversary|publisher = Bay Area Reporter |date = April 19, 2012|access-date = November 3, 2014 |last = Cassell|first = Heather}} APIQWTC is a space for "many queer women and transgender Asians [who] live in the closet in fear of losing their family and community." Today, its membership boasts 800 members, possibly the largest Asian lesbian/transgender organization on the West Coast.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebar.com/news/news//274685|title=News Briefs: SF State dean to receive Phoenix Award|website=The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.|language=en|access-date=2019-10-07}}
APIQWTC hosts the following events and activities annually: Lunar New Year Banquet; Summer Barbeque; Phoenix Award;{{Cite news|url=http://www.asianweek.com/2014/03/27/koko-lin-to-receive-phoenix-award-from-local-api-group/ |title=Koko Lin to Receive Phoenix Award from Local API Group |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722191711/http://www.asianweek.com/2014/03/27/koko-lin-to-receive-phoenix-award-from-local-api-group/ |archive-date=2014-07-22 }} Community Artist award; Trips; Support for community LGBT organizations; Monthly Meet-ups. Every year, APIQWTC provides two scholarship to deserving API LGBT students pursuing higher education.{{Cite web|url = http://www.apiqwtc.org/2015-scholarship-applications/|title = 2015 Scholarship Applications|website = APIQWTC| date=9 October 2014 }} During the yearly banquet, an API LGBT organization is designated to receive a percentage of the annual banquet receipts to further its mission.