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2021 Grants Challenge

Boys Love Drama Festival

Explore Asian culture through food, music, dance, and informative discussions. Thai Fan Meet will host an inaugural Boy's Love Drama Festival with members from the community to celebrate all things drama. This event will spotlight and celebrate the Asian boy's love series. Tv series that features same-sex relationships for ages 18+ to bring fans together around issues of genderless love in media, foster future allies for the Asian American and Black communities.

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In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?

County of Los Angeles

What is the problem that you are seeking to address?

LGBTQ inclusive and diverse entertainment promotes acceptance within the community. However, for LGBTQ characters in the entertainment industry, opportunities continue to be limited. GLAAD 2020-21 “We Are On Tv” report found that there’s a lack of diversity, people of color, and a complete absence of trans characters in the film industry highlights the real need for representation on screen. Thai Fan Meet USA strives to make LA the best place to CONNECT by increasing visibility for people of color in the entertainment industry. Through events, education, and advocacy, TFMU works to ensure characters with diverse stories are shared and different cultures are celebrated. . With support from LA2050, Thai Fan Meet will host an inaugural BL Drama festival, celebrating people of color in entertainment. BL programming offers more than 150 dramas available on popular streaming platforms. Attendees can explore culture through food, music, dance, and informative discussions.

Describe the project, program, or initiative that this grant will support to address the problem identified.

The Thai Fan Meet USA (TFMU) presents programming that showcases the many talented and diverse stories being told in the Asian community. TFMU is a newly established intersectional company that focuses on people of color in the entertainment industry. Sharing stories around food and entertainment allows people from all races to gather in a common goal of having a good time and learning about our similarities rather than focusing on our differences. The drama festival will host a free to low-cost event at an L.A. theater space, providing interactive experiences, and educational panels that discuss the current entertainment issues facing the Asian and LGBTQ+ communities. Providing a safe space for attendees to create new works of art crafting paper origami, cook Thai desserts, and participate in dance challenges, and games. The panel discussions will focus on boys love programming, and will have a thoughtful dialogue about race, sexual orientation, and discrimination in media, and plans for future actionable steps. TFMU is applying to LA2050 to garner initial funds to help host an event and bring artists from various countries in Asia to Los Angeles. This $100,000 would serve to fund TFMU’s drama festival permits, licenses, and marketing for any necessary programming activities. We would work collaboratively with other non-profits in the LGBTQ+ and Asian-American communities who would also showcase entertainment, culinary and cultural activities.

In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative

Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?

Direct Impact: 250

Indirect Impact: 2,500

Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.

TFMU primarily serves the LGBTQ+ and the Asian American communities who are minority groups, fees for the event will be offered as low as possible. Many of the activities will be offered free of charge; meet and greets activities will charge a modest fee for one-on-one hi-touch events. As a result, individual donations and foundation grants are necessary to bridge the gap between the costs of providing quality programming. Raising funds from individuals and foundations ensures Thai Fan Meet USA is poised to continue to provide quality cultural events and services to the county’s underrepresented residents while addressing the pressing need to develop and implement programs that serve the LGBTQ+, and people of color communities.

What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?

TFMU aims to: 1) Host cultural programming for people of color and the LGBTQ+ community to attend its one-day event 2) Educate and empower the attendees, community around issues of genderless love in media 3) Promote people of color in the entertainment industry and to promote their creative endeavors, businesses, and artistic accomplishments. TFMU will measure the success of the program based on: * LGBTQ+ promotional and educational material distribution * Attendance at the BL Drama Festival * Number of public transit riders * Participation in virtual and online events * Percentage of Angelenos that volunteer informally * Community responsiveness to problems identified * Total number of local social media friends and connections * Cultural and global entertainment awareness TFMU will survey attendees in-person and virtually during the festival and will conduct a follow-up survey after the festival concludes.

Which of the CONNECT metrics will you impact?​

Social and emotional support

Public arts and cultural events

LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion

Indicate any additional LA2050 goals your project will impact.

LA is the best place to CREATE

LA is the best place to PLAY