SAT, 17 MAY
Join QTAPI for Trans Pride Washington DC

9AM-5PM | MLK Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001 

Trans Pride Washington, DC is a community-driven organization founded nearly two decades ago by SaVanna Wanzer. Led by former AQUA Co-Chair, Bianca Rey Sprague, Trans Pride is organized by trans individuals dedicated to empowering and uplifting Trans, Non-binary, and gender-diverse communities in the Washington, DC area. Through advocacy, education, and celebration, we create inclusive spaces where individuals can connect, share experiences, and thrive.

29 MAY - 02 JUNE (Various Dates)
Cherry Blossom District (Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, API Ensemble)

Various Times | Various Locations

An iconic homegrown institution Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) promotes equality and inclusion through public performance and education. GMCW will be the anchor of the arts and culture calendar of WorldPride 2025, presenting an International Choral Festival, featuring 50 concerts, 25 venues and 30 choruses. The festival will bring the DC metro area to life with daily hour-long pop-up performances showcasing the power, pride, and diversity of queer choral music. Below are events that highlight API talent within the International Choral Festival:

Thursday, 29 May, 7PM, St Augustine Episcopal Church
Cherry Blossom District & Baltimore Men's Chorus

*Saturday, 31 May, 2PM, American History Museum
Asian Rainbow Chorus

*Sunday, June 1, 12PM National Gallery of Art
Asian Rainbow Chorus

Monday, June 2, 7:30PM St Thomas Parish
Cherry Blossom District & Congressional Chorus

*do not need passes

SAT, 31 MAY
API Drag Brunch Fundraiser

12PM-3PM| Purple Patch, 3155 Mt Pleasant St NW, Washington, DC 20010

Brunch, a time-honored queer AND DC tradition. Join us for our API Drag Brunch with QTAPI Coalition – where the flavors are as bold as the queens! Sink your teeth into mouthwatering Filipino-American food that'll make your tastebuds sing. Think savory, sweet, and everything in between – the food that is!

Take in our dazzling API drag performances from queens who are ready to slay your Sunday afternoon. Expect a room buzzing with laughter, killer tunes, and enough vibrant energy to power a small city. This is a celebration of API-Filipinx culture and LGBTQ+ pride, all rolled into one unforgettable experience. This event will celebrate DC brunch and API drag queen icons, significantly boosting our API queer community’s visibility in our broader queer and API non-queer community, highlighting our values of creativity, innovation, and community impact.

SAT, 31 MAY
Reading is FUNdamental Book Club | Gaysia by Benjamin Law

1PM-3PM| 16th St, NW, Washington DC, 20009

Please join us on May 31st to read Gaysia by Benjamin Law, a humorous travelogue wherein the author travels across Asia interviewing local gays while reflecting on the status of gay life in Asia. This revealing and often humorous journey through Asia explores the diverse realities of LGBTQ+ life, from Balinese sex resorts to Chinese sham marriages. Join our book club to discuss this eye-opening adventure into the "Queer East" and the complex cultural landscapes shaping identity.

AQUA's Reading Is FUNdamental program is a bimonthly gathering to inspire passion for reading and to highlight the amazing work of queer, API authors. 

SAT, 31 MAY
Queer Asian American Representation in Film & Media

3PM-4PM | Smithsonian Asian Art Museum, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20004 

In celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month and WorldPride DC 2025, we present a special panel discussion with the acclaimed director of Saving Face, Alice Wu, in conversation with special guests Andrew Ahn and James Tom on queer and Asian American representation in film and media.

SUN, 01 JUNE
“Saving Face” 20th Anniversary Screening and Director Talk

2PM-4PM | Smithsonian Asian Art Museum, 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20004 

In celebration of WorldPride DC 2025, we present a special screening of Alice Wu’s debut feature. Originally released in 2004, Saving Face is now regarded as an ahead-of-its-time landmark in queer and Asian American cinema.

Drawing from the Director's personal coming-out experience, Saving Face explores generational tension, cultural clashes and sexual identity within a Chinese American family in the early 2000s. The film beautifully portrays the struggle to balance personal authenticity and societal expectations, all within the framework of a light-hearted romantic comedy. 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the film, which to this day is one of very few featuring female LGBTQ main characters and a predominantly Asian American cast. As part of API Pride and AANHPI Heritage Month, AQUA DC are partnering with the Smithsonian Asian Art Museum to screen the film on followed by a post-show talkback with Director Alice Wu. 

An emotional rollercoaster, Saving Face hits all its marks as a delightful rom-com and has influenced countless movies since its release. After the film, Wu will be in conversation with Shari Frilot, who originally selected the film for the Sundance Film Festival.

WED, 04 JUNE
API Pride Community Welcome Reception

6PM-8PM | National Union Building, 918 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

The API Pride Community Welcome Reception invites LGBTQ+ Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian (AANHPI) advocates, activists, and allies to gather and connect as we embark on the final few days of WorldPride leading into the WorldPride Human Rights Conference. Held at the vibrant National Union Building, located in Chinatown DC, this public reception is an opportunity to cultivate connections, celebrate the diversity of our experience, and empower dialogue that will resonate throughout the WorldPride Human Rights Conference. 

Organized in collaboration with NQAPIA, the event is a light-bites communal gathering designed to strengthen bonds and spark discussions on advocacy, representation, and solidarity. API Pride Community Welcome Reception strives to empower participants to advocate for their identities with pride and purpose.

FRI, 06 JUNE
Korean Queer & Trans WorldPride Workshop

5PM-9PM | Falls Church, VA (Register for Address)

Back to Our Roots: Reclaiming Identity & Celebrating Community. for Korean-identifying queer and trans (KQT) folks, Korean parents, and Korean allies to connect, share, and celebrate in a safe and empowering space in Falls Church, VA

Calling all queer and trans Korean-identifying folks (KQTs) — this is your safe space. To be part of this event, please apply now!✨ Connect. Reflect. Celebrate your story with KQTs and Korean American Rainbow Parent community. Applications reviewed within 4 days. All info is kept confidential.

6월 6일, 버지니아 폴스처치에서 열리는 KQT 월드프라이드 워크숍에 여러분을 초대합니다.

한국인 퀴어와 트랜스젠더(KQT) 분들, 성소수자 자녀를 둔 부모님들, 그리고 앨라이들이 함께 모여 서로를 축복하고 응원하며 마음을 나누고 연대하려 합니다.  이어지는 6월 7일과 8일, 월드 프라이드 퍼레이드와 축제에도 함께 해주세요! 

참여를 원하시는 분은 신청서를 작성해 주세요. 신청 결과는 접수 후 4일 이내 이메일로 안내드립니다.

SAT, 07 JUNE
Eid al-Adha for All: An Inclusive Celebration for Queer Muslims & Allies

9:30AM-12:30PM | Foundry UMC, 1500 16th St NW Washington, DC 20036

Join Hidayah US and DC Queer Muslims, in partnership with AQUA DC and API Pride, for an inclusive Eid al-Adha prayer service in celebration of World Pride 2025. Taking place on Saturday, June 7 at Foundry United Methodist Church, this gathering will include a khutbah (sermon), congregational Eid salah (prayer), and a reception with light refreshments and community tabling. This event aims to create a safe space for queer Muslims to celebrate this important holiday together.

The prayer will follow an open arrangement where attendees may stand wherever they feel most comfortable, regardless of gender or sexual identity. This event is free and open to LGBTQ+ Muslims and allies, ages 18 and older (or younger if accompanied by a guardian).

All attendees must agree to the event’s safeguarding policies, which include a commitment to respect the Muslim and LGBTQ+ communities and a prohibition on audio or video recording during the event. Let's come together to honor traditions, build connections, and share in the spirit of love and acceptance. We look forward to seeing you there! Then join us to march in the Parade afterwards!

SAT, 14 JUNE
Cheer on QTAPI Out2Paddle Team at DC Dragon Boat Festival

9AM-5PM | Thompsons Boat Center, 2900 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007

(Originally scheduled Saturday, 17 May) DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO JUNE 

Join us at the DC Dragon Boat Festival, an annual cultural and athletic event held along the Potomac River during Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month in May.  Celebrating a 2,000 year Chinese tradition, the festival features dragon boat races, cultural exhibitions, performances like lion dances, and traditional foods. The DC Dragon Boat Festival fosters multicultural exchanges by bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds, including local schools, businesses, and national & international teams.

For the queer, API community, this DC tradition presents an opportunity to proudly display our queerness on a regional, national, and international stage. Our QTAPI team will be among 1,200 expected racers, in front of an audience of roughly 10,000 attendees. AQUA DC’s Out2Paddle program has a legacy of multiple 1st Place wins in the DC Dragon Boat Festival!

SAT, 21 JUNE
Reading is FUNdamental Book Club | AQUA + Khush Collab

1PM-3PM| 16th St, NW, Washington DC, 20009

Unpack Intersections. Ignite Dialogue. Join our queer, API book club as we delve into C. Riley Snorton's groundbreaking Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity. Let's explore the powerful connections between Blackness and transness, and foster a vibrant space for queer, API voices. RSVP now – your insights matter!

AQUA's Reading Is FUNdamental program is a bimonthly gathering to inspire passion for reading and to highlight the amazing work of queer, API authors.