Nomination written by: Alex Fukui

This nomination is submitted posthumously on behalf of Peter J. Corpus who passed away tragically and unexpectedly on November 22, 2010.  Up to the end, Peter was a devoted champion and advocate of equality, fair treatment, and support for members of the Pilipino American, Asian Pacific Islander (API), and API Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) communities.  Throughout 2010, Peter continued to be active in groups like Gay Asian Pacific Support Network (GAPSN), Search of Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), API Equality-LA, Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD), and National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), as discussed in greater detail below.

Among his more recent accomplishments, Peter was active in 2010 in the Faith Committee of API Equality-LA, the API marriage equality coalition.  As a core member of this Faith Committee, Peter hosted meetings at his office and served as lead for the Pilipino American subcommittee that was convened to discuss strategies for developing closer working relationships with Catholic churches with large Pilipino American congregations.  He conceived the committee’s plans to participate in the annual Simbang Gabi ceremony at The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.  Although Peter passed away before these plans could be realized, the other members of the committee will attend the ceremony next week with a view to carrying out his vision of working with Pilipino American parishes to participate in Simbang Gabi and, in the process, developing greater mutual understanding.

As the Director of Development and Communications of SIPA and as treasurer of GAPSN, Peter continued to raise thousands of dollars in critically needed funds for both organizations, especially during the current prolonged recessionary period when corporate sponsorships, grants, and other forms of philanthropic giving have not been easy to come by.

As a board member of GAPSN, Peter continued to plan various programs and activities designed to provide support for members of the gay API community, including GAPSN’s annual Yosemite camping trip, numerous restaurant outings, movie nights, GAPSN’s booth at LA Pride, and numerous other events throughout the year."
Peter was a veteran of community organizing for over 21 years and worked or volunteered tirelessly for a wide range of agencies and community-based organizations serving different segments of the API community, including Search of Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), East West Players, Project Angel Food, AltaMed, Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD), FilAm ARTS, and MEZCLAO.

Undoubtedly, though, Peter made his most significant contributions in the area of providing support and advocacy on behalf of members of the API LGBT community.  He was one of the founders of Gay Asian Pacific Support Network (GAPSN), a grass-roots volunteer community based organization in Los Angeles dedicated to providing safe and supportive environments for members of the gay and bisexual API community, and served in various leadership positions, including co-chair and treasurer, over his 21 years of service to GAPSN.  Peter conceived of so many programs and activities that GAPSN has become known for, including the annual White Ball holiday party and toy drive which collects hundreds of toys for underprivileged API youth, the Thanksgiving dinner for GAPSN members who are away from family for the holiday, and GAPSN’s immensely popular annual Yosemite camping trip.

In addition to his service to GAPSN, Peter was a co-founder of Barangay, the gay Pilipino association of Los Angeles, and Asian Pacific Islander Pride Council, the Los Angeles-based consortium of community organizations serving the broad spectrum of API LGBT interests.  He was active in various efforts over the years to organize members of the API LGBT community nationally, including the most recent coalition known as National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA).

At a time when gay API men were rarely known to socialize or associate with other gay API men, Peter’s early involvement in GAPSN helped to shape its identity as an organization dedicated to providing a safe space for gay API men to offer mutual support and develop leadership skills without the involvement or influence of members of the majority LGBT community and thereby promote self-empowerment and self-esteem.

Even today, where social interaction among younger members of the gay API community relies largely on the internet, social media, and the popularity of Asian-themed clubs, Peter recognized that real support can only be found in genuine face-to-face human interaction that groups like GAPSN can still provide.  Until the end, he continued to organize programs and activities that offered opportunities for members of the gay API community to engage in this type of interaction, such as the Yosemite trip, restaurant and theater outings, hiking trips, board game nights, and movie outings, which collectively create community.

As illustrated by the number of attendees at Peter’s memorial service last week and the diverse organizations that were represented, Peter’s contributions and service was not limited to any one segment of the community but reached a broad range of individuals and organizations in the Pilipino American, API, and API LGBT communities.  Through his development and fundraising work, he literally raised millions of dollars for the social services agencies that he worked for and community organizations that he volunteered for.  As an LGBT community advocate, he was responsible for developing so many different support programs that improved the lives of countless members of the API LGBT community.