One of the actions that came out of the hotpot! retreat was the revamping of our mission statement. After much thought, revisiting of our values, conversing and listening, checking our lgbtq-api-hotpot!-selves in the mirror of reflection, writing and scratching and writing again, we present– a newly revised hotpot! mission statement. Two, of them, actually– a full, unabridged version, and the 30-second elevator speech version. And we very much want to hear from you all. We are center piecing this on the blog so that everyone has a chance to take it in and tell us your likes, dislikes, ideas, etc.
We want the mission to reflect the myriad visions and hopes each us of has for our little, flourishing family, so let us hear from you. We’ll also present it at the potluck today.
Looking forward to your comments.
Kristin + Mag
full version
Hotpot! is an organization of Asian and Pacific Islander queer, lesbian, bisexual, gay women and trans*, gender variant, genderqueer, gender non-conforming identified folks working to build community that values differences, shared power, activism towards social justice, and friendship. We are East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, Central Asian, West Asian, hapa, and multi-racial. Through social gatherings, political action, and good food, we highlight our multiplicities and celebrate the intersections of identities within us. We came together in Philadelphia in 2009, and as we experience continual self-examination and transformation, we are gratefully challenged by the diversity of our experiences. We seek to be sensitive, intentional, and inclusive in our mission, especially around the myriad of gendered, ethnic, and national cultures within our community. This tension is an ongoing conversation that we honor.
hotpot! Philly 
I like what y’all came up with! I think including the line – “We are East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, Central Asian, West Asian, hapa, and multi-racial.” is great. I also like the use of the word multiplicities..hehe. =)