Gay API Group Welcomes Patent Attorney as New Leader

A local patent attorney is the new chair of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, a social club for gay and bisexual Asian and Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area that also wades into local political races with endorsements and support for candidates.

Michael Nguyen, 35, who works for the San Jose-based intellectual law firm Wong and Rees, took over the leadership position in January. He is also the reigning Miss GAPA, having been crowned in August under his drag persona Juicy Liu, and serves as the official spokesperson for the GAPA Foundation.

"I thought I should do more work with this organization when I won Miss GAPA," said Nguyen during a recent phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter. "I am excited as I step into this role to work on how we can build community coalitions and movement here in San Francisco."

The result of November's election, when Republican Donald Trump won the presidential race, prodded Nguyen to become more politically active.

"On Election Night I said, 'Well, this sucks,'" recalled Nguyen, adding, "I know the opposition starts here in San Francisco."

In late January the organization issued a statement condemning Trump's executive order that banned immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - from entering the U.S. for 90 days and suspended all Syrian refugee admissions indefinitely. (Federal courts later suspended implementation of the ban after several state attorneys general filed a challenge to it, and the White House has said it plans to soon issue a revised travel ban.)

"These actions by the Trump administration do not align with the values of GAPA and are based solely on fear and ignorance. Immigrant communities, their families, and our families contribute greatly to our nation, regardless of origin or status," read the group's statement.

With immigration issues hitting close to home for many Asians in the U.S., Nguyen said GAPA is watching what the president proposes very closely.

"We need to be an organization that at least says calm down and how do we fight this," he said. "We are gearing up for that and understanding where our role is."

Another focus for the group going forward will be helping to elect more LGBT API community members to elected office in the Bay Area, particularly in San Francisco. Since 2014, when former community college board trustee Lawrence Wong opted not to seek re-election and stepped down, the city has been without an LGBT API elected official.

"As a community we should be building a pipeline for the future to encourage and support LGBT Asian and Pacific Islander electeds," Benjamin Leong, a former GAPA co-chair, recently wrote in a guest opinion for the B.A.R.

It is a goal that Nguyen said he shares. Looking forward to the races for local office in 2018, he said GAPA's political action committee is ready to assist any out API candidates who file to run.

"We hear whispers of people wanting to run. People are excited about it, but I don't know if people are willing to throw their names in right now," said Nguyen. "We definitely want to encourage that and foster that. We are looking at doing forums and workshops on how to run for office."

Midwest Transplant

Nguyen spent his early years growing up in Chicago, and later moved to the Dallas area, where he attended high school and college. In 2006 he relocated to the Bay Area to attend UC Hastings College of the Law.

He lived in Mountain View for a time but moved to San Francisco in 2009, often telecommuting for work. He plays in the Big Gay Frisbee league, participates in the AIDS/LifeCycle fundraiser, and is a member of the Quest gay softball team, on which he plays first base and catcher.

He will at times play in drag and joked, "It is true I am a very competent catcher."

It was his softball teammates who bestowed his drag name on him.

"It is a play off Lucy Liu but juicier," said Nguyen, referring to the actress who starred in the "Charlie's Angels" movie and currently is in the crime drama "Elementary" on CBS. "Juicy is my alter ego; Michael is more quiet."

As Miss GAPA, he choose as his platform theme "Mind the GAPA," with the intent of ensuring the group is at the forefront of people's minds.

"We want to be a resource for folks," said Nguyen. "For many people the reality is there are so many activities in the Bay Area and so many causes. I feel like I am a perfect example of being pulled in all these different directions. But you can always find a home in GAPA."

Having joined GAPA's board in the fall, and brimming with ideas, Nguyen was approached by other members of the group about taking on the chairmanship. As such, he is assessing the needs of GAPA with fresh eyes.

"It is kind of nice I am a little bit of an outsider candidate," said Nguyen.

For years two co-chairs had led GAPA, but the group amended its bylaws last year to allow for just one chair. After leading the club for the last two years, Danny Tai Pham opted to step down as chair and become an emeritus member of GAPA's board.

As he told the B.A.R. in December, "The needs and wants of the community have certainly shifted over time, and GAPA continues to adapt to serve the larger queer A&PI community."

One recent change for the group has been to broaden its purpose to advocating for anyone within the Bay Area's LGBTQ API community. In the past GAPA was solely focused on serving the interests of gay and bi API men.

"As long as you are interested in advancing the interests of LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islanders, you are welcome to join GAPA," said Nguyen. "I think the focus is on creating spaces where APIs feel comfortable. I personally don't think there needs to be this division."

While GAPA is an "open and welcoming" group, Nguyen stressed that it will "always be an organization that provides a safe space for mostly API men."

Membership in GAPA costs $20, said Nguyen, but the group welcomes non-members to attend its events.

GAPA's board will be meeting at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 11 and hosting a social afterwards at 5:30 p.m. Both will take place at the Bravado Cafe Lounge at 170 King Street in San Francisco, and anyone interested in joining the group is invited to attend.

To learn more about GAPA, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GAPASF