Invitation: Join Khush at Capital Pride

KhushDC would like to invite the Washington D.C. metropolitan area's South Asian LGBTQ community and our straight allies to join us at the 2012 Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9th in the Dupont Circle area.  Visit http://www.facebook.com/events/354405877950325/ or email board@khushdc.org or learn more.  Please help us spread the word to all of you networks!

DC's Pride Parade - Bollywood Style

KhushDC would like to invite DC's South Asian LGBTQ community and our straight allies to the 37th annual Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 9th.

We'll have more information about where to meet exactly, what to bring, etc. as get closer for the event. For now, please save the date and help us spread the word.

Let's make this a Bollytastic pride parade!

Please RSVP to march with us on Facebook by clicking here or emailing secretary@khushdc.org.

KhushDC Pride Volunteer Sign-up

Pride Parade volunteer sign-up

KhushDC joins other groups in denouncing Marion Barry's statements

Organizations Condemn Councilmember Marion Barry’s Statements

Regarding Asian Businesses

April 5, 2011

As members of local and national organizations committed to advancing and protecting the rights of individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States, the undersigned organizations condemn District of Columbia Councilmember Marion Barry’s recent remarks regarding Asian-owned businesses at a campaign event in Washington, DC. On April 3, at his Ward 8 primary election victory party, Councilmember Barry made the following statement, “We got to do something about these Asians coming in and opening up businesses and dirty shops … They ought to go. I’m going to say that right now.” Given Councilmember Barry’s previous commitment to civil rights, we are particularly disappointed by these comments. While Councilmember Barry has recently indicated that he was “sorry for offending the Asian community,” we call upon him to provide a sincere apology and ensure meaningful engagement with our communities to improve the well-being of all individuals in the District.

Councilmember Barry’s statement is of serious concern because it undermines the notion that developing the District of Columbia’s economy and neighborhoods is in the interest of all communities, regardless of national origin or ethnic background. Numerous institutions, from small businesses to non-profit organizations, as well as individuals, provide vital services and job opportunities, contribute their tax dollars, and engage in civic and political life within the city. Within the District of Columbia, according to 2007 data, Asians own 5.9% of businesses, joining other communities in strengthening the economy. Rather than acknowledging and appreciating the contributions that Asian businesses, alongside other racial and ethnic communities, have made to the city, Councilmember Barry’s remarks appear to fan the flames of racial divisions and imply that Asian Americans are not invested in developing a robust economy that benefits all residents.

Our organizations are also extremely concerned that remarks such as these can perpetuate stereotypes of Asians taking jobs away from other Americans, which can fuel racism and animosity towards community members. In fact, individuals of Asian descent are frequently blamed for the economic woes that this country has faced when perceptions are fostered that our community is thriving in this economy at the expense of other minority communities with whom we work and live alongside.

In light of these concerns, we call upon Councilmember Barry to provide a meaningful apology and officially retract his statement; refrain from engaging in harmful rhetoric regarding Asian and other immigrant communities; and develop meaningful relationships with our communities in the District of Columbia to understand the contributions and challenges of community members. Our organizations also view this as a prime opportunity to work with Mayor Vincent Gray and Councilmembers on the “One City, One Future” initiative. We look forward to proactively identifying next steps that we can take together to continue to create more diverse and growing economy for all residents.

Local Endorsing Organizations

Asian American LEAD (AALEAD)

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of the Greater Washington DC Area

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – DC Chapter (APALA-DC)

Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC)

Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co

DC Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Caucus

KhushDC

Korean American Drycleaners Association

Korean American Grocers Association of Greater Washington DC (KAGRO-DC)

Many Languages One Voice

National Organization of Vietnamese American Leaders of Greater Washington DC

Network of South Asian Professionals (NetSAP DC)

South Asian American Bar Association – DC (SABA-DC)

Washington Area Liquor Retailers Association (WALRA)

National Endorsing Organizations

APIAVote

Asian American Action Fund

Asian American Justice Center, Member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)

Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)

Council of Korean Americans

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC)

National Asian Pacific American Center on Aging (NAPCA)

National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA)

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)

OCA

Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)

Southeast Asia Action Resource Center (SEARAC)

For further information or inquiries, contact Sapna Pandya, Executive Director of Many Languages One Voice at sapna.pandya@dclanguageaccess.org or 202-621-0001.

April Book Club - The Two Krishnas

KhushDC is gathering once again to discuss a fascinating novel!

Our selection for April is The Two Krishnas, by Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla. This novel was just published in November and has a fascinating take on relationships, sexuality, and religion. A brief description and author bio, both from Amazon, are below. The book is available in hard copy, kindle, and nook formats. Please contact secretary@khushdc.org if you are having difficulty obtaining the book!

We will gather in Logan Circle. The exact address will be sent to all RSVP'd guests. Let us know if you're coming -- RSVP on Facebook or just email secretary@khushdc.org!

Book Club Meeting
Saturday, April 28
3pm
Logan Circle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the tradition of A Fine Balance and The Namesake, The Two Krishnas is a sensual and searing look at infidelity and the nature of desire and faith. At the center of the novel is Pooja Kapoor, a betrayed wife and mother who is forced to question her faith and marriage when she discovers her banker husband, Rahul, has fallen in love with a young, male Muslim illegal immigrant who happens to be their son's age. Faced with the potential of losing faith in Rahul, divine intervention, and family, she is forced to confront painful truths about the past and the duality in God and husband.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Los Angeles-based writer-director-producer, Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla was born in Mombasa, Kenya. Dhalla's critically-acclaimed debut novel, "Ode to Lata," was hailed by The Los Angeles Times as “an achievement” and by the Library Journal as “brilliant.” In 2008, "Ode to Lata" was turned into the major motion picture "The Ode," which was written, produced and co-directed by Dhalla. A passionate activist, Dhalla also co-founded the South Asian program at the Asian Pacific Aids Intervention Team and is one of the founding members of Satrang, a support group for LGBT and questioning South Asians in Los Angeles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We're on Twitter!

Follow us on twitter -- @khushdc -- and help us continue our conquest of social media sites! :)

"Like" us on Facebook

Well, we've finally done it...we're officially "like"-able on Facebook!  This is probably easiest way to get updates about events, share events, hear the latest chatter in the South Asian LGBTQ community, and support us whether you're part of the community or just allies.  Follow this link to start "liking" us: http://www.facebook.com/khushdc.

God Loves Pavement: Two Brown Authors Hit the Road

Farzana Doctor and Vivek Shraya first bonded while on a five hour drive to a joint book reading. They had such a great time that they decided to keep driving, into the US, only to do more readings and to pick up snacks along the way.

Khush DC, Muslims for Progressive Values and OutWrite present "God Loves Pavement: Two Brown Authors Hit the Road" to the DC Center on Thursday March 29th at 7:00 PM. The DC Center is located at 1318 U Street NW.

Imam Daayiee will open the event, with a reading from the new Muslims for Progressive Values anthology.

FARZANA DOCTOR is a Toronto-based author and the recipient of the Writers' Trust of Canada's Dayne Ogilvie Grant for an emerging gay Canadian author (2011). Her first novel, Stealing Nasreen, received critical acclaim and earned a devoted readership upon its release in 2007. She is currently touring Six Metres of Pavement, which Publishers Weekly has praised as "..a paean to second chances."

She also provides private practice psychotherapy services, delivers workshops on writing, queer and trans issues, and other diversity-related topics. She is a co-curator of the Brockton Writers Series.

SIX METRES OF PAVEMENT is a novel about Ismail Boxwala, a man who made the worst mistake of his life one summer morning twenty years ago. After his daughter's tragic death, he struggles to continue living. A divorce, years of heavy drinking, and sex with strangers only leave him more alone.

Ismail's story begins to change after he reluctantly befriends two women: Fatima, a queer activist kicked out of her parents' home; and Celia, his grieving Portuguese-Canadian neighbour who lives six metres away. A slow-simmering romance develops between Ismail and Celia. Meanwhile, dangers lead Fatima to his doorstep. Each makes complicated demands of him, ones he is uncertain he can meet.

VIVEK SHRAYA is a Toronto-based artist and arts educator. Winner of the We Are Listening International Singer/Songwriter Award, Vivek has released multiple albums including his sixth record, 1:1, to be released this fall.

GOD LOVES HAIR, his first collection of short stories, was a 2011 Lambda Literary Award finalist, won the Applied Arts Award for Illustration in 2010, and is being used as a textbook at several post-secondary institutions. Vivek delivers workshops and lectures on writing, art, gender, sexuality and homophobia.

Vivek has performed internationally, sharing the stage with Tegan and Sara, Dragonette, and Melissa Ferrick, and appearing at NXNE, CMW, and Word on the Street. His music has also been featured on the TV show Degrassi.

Seeking Single White Male, his first short film, is being screened at festivals throughout 2011. A second short, Ache in My Name, is available to watch online.

GOD LOVES HAIR is a collection of 20 short stories following a tender, intellectual, and curious child as he navigates complex realms of sexuality, gender, racial politics, religion, and belonging.

Told with the poignant insight and honesty that only the voice of a young mind can convey, the stories are accompanied by the award-winning illustrations of Toronto artist Juliana Neufeld.


IMAM DAAYIEE is a scholar, a former public interest lawyer and a specialist in Shari'ah Sciences/Quranic Interpretation. He frequently lectures internationally on progressive Muslim concepts, intra-faith and interfaith networking and the development of inclusive revisions of Islamic theological thought and interpretations of shari'ah and fiqh (Islamic law). He has long been involved in actively promoting understanding and awareness of issues of racial, gender and sexual equality both within and beyond Muslim communities.

Daayiee is the Director of LGBT Outreach for Muslims for Progressive Values, Organizer of MPV-DC, and Imam and Education Director at Masjid el-Tawhid An-Nur Al-Isslaah (Mosque for Enlightenment and Reformation). His new book Questions and Answers for Queer Muslims will hit the marketplace in fall of 2012.

Women's History Month: Sita Sings the Blues

Join KhushDC to celebrate Women's History Month with wine, cheese, and a "tale of truth, justice and a woman’s cry for equal treatment" in Sita Sings the Blues. This movie explores the epic legend Ramanaya from the perspective of Sita. It's a quirky, funny, yet reverential treatment of the story set against Big Band/Jazz standards.

We're also excited to support Umang, a center for Lesbians, Bi-sexual Women and Trans Persons in Bombay, as part of our celebration for Women's History Month! Umang runs a community center with a number of needs and we hope to raise enough at our Sita Sings the Blues Women's History Month event to help where we can. KhushDC will match all donations given at the door! Suggested donation: $5

Even if you're unable to give, we still would love to have you there to celebrate Women's History Month.

Event name: Sita Sings the Blues, Khush enjoys wine and cheese
Date: Sunday, March 25th
Time: 5-8pm
Location: please RSVP for address

5:00 - 6:00 - Wine, cheese, and assorted snacks
6:00 - 7:30 - Watch movie, drink more wine, eat more cheese
7:30 - 8:00 - Discuss movie, drink more wine, eat more cheese

Note:  You must RSVP to attend this event (we have to let the venue know who all we're expecting) - secretary@khushdc.org or let us know using Facebook.  Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/events/287743417962537/.

Contact: board@khushdc.org

QPOC Happy Hour Celebrating Black History Month (2/27)

Queer People of Color (QPOC) Happy Hour
to Celebrate Black History Month

When: Monday, February 27, 2012, 6-8pm
Where: Number Nine (1435 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005)

Join DC Black Pride, DC Latino Pride and KhushDC for a social mixer to celebrate Black History Month and foster unity, leadership and collaboration. Join the leaders and supporters of DC's largest People of Color Pride celebrations as we celebrate our identity, diversity and history. This is an excellent networking opportunity with LGBTQ People of Color community advocates.

Join us at Number Nine (2nd floor) for 2-4-1 happy hour specials--- order any drink and get a second drink free.

Hosted by: DC Black Pride, DC Latino Pride Committee, KhushDC, International Federation of Black Prides, Latino GLBT History Project

Jalwa - DC's LGBTQ Bollywood Dance Party (March 2nd)

KhushDC is bringing back Jalwa parties – DC’s LGBTQ Bollywood dance party!

Date: Friday, March 2, 2012
Time: Doors open at 10pm
Location: Green Lantern (1335 Green Court NW, Washington, DC 20005)
Tickets: $12 before 11pm and $15 after
Doors open at 10pm!

DJ Sue from NYC will be spinning Bollywood beats all night long!  Everyone is welcome to attend (gay or straight).

Please help us spread the word to all of your East coast friends.

Special shout-out to our good friend, Macy Jablonski, for creating this awesome poster for us!

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/events/241536829255450/
 
Send us your you song suggestions using the Facebook link above or visiting the KhushDC Yahoo! Groups page.

Website: http://www.KhushDC.org/
Contact: board@khushdc.org

Book club - Ninny's Natter (2/12)

KhushDC is excited to announce our first book club meeting of the year! This month's book will be Ninny's Natter by Ninad Jog. The book club meeting will take place on Sunday, February 12th, 2012 @ 2PM at The DC Center (1318 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009). Immediately following our discussion, KhushDC is pleased to host a special Q&A session with the author, Ninad Jog.

Please see below a description of the book:

"From being mistaken for a faith healer to being mistaken for a woman, the two dozen stories and vignettes in this collection describe some of the interesting incidents in Ninad Jog's life.

"When a woman approaches him and asks for money, he has to decide in an instant whether to accede to her demand. He wonders what he should tell an Israeli tourist who asks which country he considers to be his home. As a child, Ninad has no qualms about demanding a bottle of orange soda from his uncle. But as an adult, he agonizes over buying his father a small container of whole milk.

"Written in a plain, straightforward manner and infused with wry humor, the stories switch effortlessly between lighthearted and somber tones.

"Set mainly in the U.S. and India, they cover a period of forty years. From the antics of toddlers to the deaths of loved ones, the stories touch upon topics such as race, religion, names, vegetarianism, stamp collecting, homosexuality, and the pressure to conform to societal norms. The book is rounded off by one poem and dozens of one-liners."

To purchase a paperback copy of Ninny's Natter, please visit: http://amzn.to/xEgIIZ

To purchase the Kindle Version of Ninny's Natter, please visit: http://amzn.to/zypaeH

If you require assistance in obtaining a copy of the book, please feel free to contact Jeff at: vp@khushdc.org.

Valentines Day Happy Hour

Valentines Day Happy Hour
When: 6:30pm, February 11th
Where:  Larry's Lounge (1836 18th Street NW, 20009)

Description

Join us for a KhushDC Valentines Happy Hour on February 11, 2012 at Larry's Lounge (1836 18th Street NW) at 6:30pm.

Entrance is free, but please bring a few extra bucks to contribute towards the Jalwa party!

Here are the drink specials for the night:

* Premier beer (tbd) - $3
* Stoli vodka - $5
* Special for Khush - Masti Mai Tais - $4

Contact us if you have any questions board@khushdc.org.



*****************************************************************
This is a safe space for the South Asian queer community and friends to celebrate each others cultures, backgrounds, and genders. Let's respect each other and have a good time.
*****************************************************************

Please RSVP by using the Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/events/291873590870134/

Best wishes for 2012

Dear Khush members,

As we countdown the descent of the 2012 New Year’s ball (45,900 seconds to go!), I'd like to take a second to reflect on what Khush has accomplished this past year and where I see opportunity for us in the new year.

For me, it’s been a year that started with meeting the many great Khush members at my first event last January to where I sit today as the president of this thriving and vital organization. People regularly ask me why I joined the board and the answer is that I wanted to share my stories and hear yours -- stories about happiness, fear, sadness, hope, and empowerment.

As a board, we've discussed some of those stories and they've motivated us to organize social events like the Hadippa Happy Hour and winter potluck, advocacy events such as "Why the Violence?" and the legal struggles for South Asian LGBTQ people forums, and intimate events like our Chai 'N' Chat meet-ups. For a year-end review video of some of what we have accomplished towards the latter part of 2011 check out a little video we put together: http://youtu.be/5Z9btq0e_Eo.

While I'm proud of our successes as a new board, we did have our fair share of struggles. Foremost among them, we lost a member of our community, Gaurav Gopalan, to hate and ignorance. As a board that was only one-month old, we unfortunately didn't have all of the answers. However, we did have an amazing support network of other South Asian LGBTQ leaders, who were willing to give us a hand. One such person was Shiva Subbaraman, who helped us write a press release, contact the police, media, and much more. Also, we had others like Sapna Pandya, who led the charge towards discussing "Why the Violence" in the larger queer people of color communities. We also saw DC's South Asian queer community come together at the vigil to stand-up against hate and violence; this was a powerful moment for me as a reminder of our support network as a community.

And now, I'd like to share our hopes for the new year. We want to continue to push the police and others to investigate Gaurav's death, we want to work towards building a stronger, active, and more inclusive Khush, and we want to continue sharing stories so that others can know what it means to be khush (happy). Here are some of the events we have lined up for 2012 that we hope to see you at:

Sunday, January 8 - Potluck for anyone who does not identify as male (RSVP to secretary@khushdc.org)

January – Inaugural book club meeting – we’ll send you the name of the book very soon!

February - Chai 'N' Chat, possible happy hour

Early March - Jalwa party (date/time being finalized) - we'll need your help for this.

June – D.C. Pride March - design the float (yes, we're going to have a float in 2012!) and panel discussion (topic TBD). We'll be soliciting folks for the Pride committee, so please sign-up.

Fall - Political discussion about 2012 candidates

If you have any other ideas for events you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and safe 2012,
Puesh

[Originally sent to KhushDC members on December 31, 2011 at 11:15am ET]

KhushDC's year-in-review video

Check out this montage of what KhushDC did during the second half of 2011!  Hope to see you at future events.  Remember to get on our list server and Facebook page by hopping on over to the "Get Involved" tab.  (Psst...we have our Winter Potluck tonight!)

Chai 'N' Chat: Religion & Homosexuality on Dec. 4

KhushDC's December Chai 'N' Chat: Religion & Homosexuality

Hindus, Buddhists, Bahá'ís, Jains, Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Atheists, Agnostics and Wiccans are ALL WELCOME

December’s Chai & Chat Series promises to be vibrantly controversial as we take on the forbidden: The Clash between Religion and Homosexuality.

If you practice your faith and have wrestled with being LGBTQ and religious, this evening’s discussion is for you. If you don’t subscribe to a religion, come and be the “devil’s advocate” and debate fairness and equality for ALL irrespective of religion.

Whatever your stance bring your sacred texts, your philosophies and your convictions and let’s engage the taboo.

Date: Sunday, December 4, 5:30pm

***RSVP to dwayneeric@yahoo.com or jaggarwal@gmail.com for further details and location.***

Chai 'N' Chat is a SAFE and CONFIDENTIAL place for the South Asian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community to join a group atmosphere to discuss a variety of topics.

Winter Potluck - 12/10/11

KhushDC would like to invite the DC area South Asian LGBTQ community to our Winter Potluck. We'll bring music, fun, and cheer if you bring a dish or drink according to the first letter of your LAST name:

• A to I: Dessert
• J to R: Entrée
• T to Z: Appetizer
• (or bring $7 for emergency pizza!)

By the way, leave a comment below with a song you'd like to hear played during the potluck and we'll try adding it to our playlist! (PS: The DJ is a bolly-holic, so you've been warned!)

Feel free to forward this event to other members of the South Asian LGBTQ community that we may have missed.

 
When: Saturday, December 10th at 6:00pm
Location: Mt. Pleasant area - RSVP for address

***Please RSVP to secretary@khushdc.org by Thursday, December 8th so that we can plan properly.***

Winter Potlucks!

KhushDC Potlucks are coming back! Mark your calendars now!

Saturday, December 10 -- All-Khush Potluck
Mount Pleasant, in the evening
all individuals are welcome!

Sunday, January 8 -- Women's Potluck
Logan Circle, in the evening
all individuals who identify as women/female/non-male are welcome!

Type of dish to bring will vary based on the letter your last name begins with. That list and RSVP information coming soon!

Chai 'n' Chat

The November Chai 'n' Chat was great! About 10 community members gathered for an evening of good conversation and good company. This month's topic was Coming Out, and everyone shared their own experiences, struggles, and successes.

Next month the topic will be the intersection of your sexuality and your religion, and how the two impact each other. More information will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars - it'll be on Sunday, December 4 in Logan Circle!

2011 Civil & Human Rights Symposium

The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C., the South Asian Law Students Association at Georgetown University Law Center, KhushDC, and GAYLAW present:

2011 Civil & Human Rights Symposium: Surveying the Landscape of Social and Legal Issues Affecting the South Asian LGBTQ Community in the U.S. and in South Asia.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Georgetown University Law Center
Hart Auditorium
600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
FREE-to-attend

The landscape of social and legal issues faced by the South Asian LGBTQ community is changing. Great strides have been made to promote and advance the interests of the LGBTQ community in the United States and in South Asia, but many challenges still remain. The panelists will provide insight and share their perspective of the social and legal issues currently faced by the South Asian LGBTQ community in the United States and South Asia, as well as on the role of the U.S. Department of State in international LGBTQ issues.

The panelists will include:

Sapna Pandya – Sapna Pandya is Co-Founder of Humsafar International, a collective of trainers on health access and cultural competence, with a particular interest in sexual health and sexual identity issues among LGBTQ communities. One of her current projects includes consulting for the Muslim Youth Project, a sexual & reproductive health empowerment and capacity building project housed at Advocates for Youth. Sapna has experience working with priority populations (queer communities, PLWHA) in India and Pakistan, but also draws from her advocacy work with South Asian queer folks in New York City and the DC area, and health education programs when she directed the South Asian Health Initiative (SAHI) in New York City. These experiences have deepened the passion that Sapna has for being involved in coordinated social justice movements (that bridge methods such as advocacy & organizing, and incorporate a leftist ideology) - a realization which motivated a move “back” to the Nation’s capital just over a year ago. Sapna is the Executive Director of Many Languages One Voice, a DC-based organization that administers the DC Language Access Coalition, and builds community power to ensure that all individuals with limited or no-English proficiency (LEP/NEP) have equitable access to public services, programs, and activities. Sapna lives with her wife in the District and speaks Spanish in addition to her native languages of Hindi/Urdu, Gujarati and Marathi.

Mira D. Patel – Mira Patel joined the Policy Planning staff for the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of State in April 2009. She is responsible for international women’s issues, refugee policy, and LGBT issues. Most recently, she served as Secretary Clinton’s Senate aide for foreign affairs, defense, and finance. She previously worked for the Center for American Progress and for Lehman Brothers in New York analyzing foreign exchange in emerging markets. She holds a B.A. from Wellesley College.

Gautam Raghavan (Moderator) – Gautam Raghavan is an Associate Director of Public Engagement at the White House, where he functions as the White House liaison to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Prior to joining the White House, Gautam served as the Deputy White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) and as the Outreach Lead for DoD’s “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Working Group. Gautam has previously worked for the Obama campaign, Democratic National Committee, and Progressive Majority, and is a graduate of Stanford University. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his husband Andy and beagle Penny.

Jeff Schimelfenig, Esq. – Jeff Schimelfenig is currently the President-Elect of the National LGBT Bar Association and a member of GAYLAW (the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Attorneys of Washington DC). Jeff works as National Director of Legal Project Management for Kelly Services, providing consulting services to law firms and corporate general counsels on e-discovery project management, staffing alternatives and legal talent resources. Previously, Jeff was a general practice sole practitioner in Northeastern Pennsylvania focusing on small business issues. He is a graduate of the American University Washington College of Law and of the University of Scranton. He is an active member of the Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia Bars.

Vega Subramaniam – Vega Subramaniam has been involved in South Asian LGBT activism since the late 1990s. With her wife, Mala Nagarajan, she co-founded Trikone-NW in 1997, an organization for queer South Asians in the Pacific Northwest. In 2004, she and Mala were one of 8 couples to participate in a marriage equality lawsuit against King County and Washington. She also helped organize the DesiQ conference in San Francisco in 2006 and the NQAPIA national conference in Seattle in 2009. Professionally, her work has revolved around education equity for low-income, first-generation college students and students of color. She has taught sociology and worked in student services at Penn State University, Western Washington University, and the University of Washington. She currently works at ACCT, a national community college association.

This event is free and the entire DC community is encouraged to attend.   For more information about this event or SABA-DC, please contact Habib Ilahi at president @ sabadc.org (without spaces).  KhushDC contact is Puesh Kumar at president @ khushdc.org (without spaces).