API Equality-LA to Moonbow: Our Arc of Transformation
In April 2025, our organization (formerly API Equality-LA) announced its new direction as a queer and trans Asian, disability-led, mental health organization named Moonbow. As we embark on this new chapter, we feel it is important to share the journey of how this decision was made and why.
This transition began in 2022 with the recognition of shifting needs in our community and the desire for organizational clarity and stability. As one of the few API LGBTQ+ organizations in California, API Equality-LA was being asked to engage with many different issues which contributed to burnout and turnover. In the wake of COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the rise in anti-Asian violence, we also reflected on how this organization has not always centered the most marginalized voices. It became evermore clear that our liberation is tied to the liberation of all oppressed people, namely Black, Indigenous, People of Color, our trans and gender non-conforming siblings, disabled people, and colonized people, including the people of Palestine.
Though we recognize these shortcomings of our past, we also honor those before us and the strides they made to organize the API LGBTQ+ community, to fight for our visibility and acceptance, and paved the way for a new generation of leaders. We carry that legacy while acknowledging the need for different tools to dismantle the oppressive systems that harm us. This means moving towards a more intersectional approach and leaning on the wisdom of abolition, transformative justice, disability justice, and healing justice in our work.
Over the course of two years, our organization engaged in a values realignment that was supported by two consultants, generous donors and funders, and participants that included current and former staff, Board and steering committee members, and volunteers. Our goal was to evaluate API Equality-LA’s mission, strategy, and programs and create a framework that allowed the organization to carry out and articulate its work in a compelling and cohesive way.
The values realignment consisted of three phases with each phase informing the next. Image description provided below.
Though we hoped this process would be completed in a year, this endeavor required much more capacity and time than expected. We learned that tension and conflict is an inevitable part of organizational transformation and that navigating conflict in a generative way required intense resourcing and support, which was not always available. One thing we could create was spaciousness in the process to ensure that we were guided by our values. We experienced several transitions with Board, staff, and community members throughout this time which had an immense impact on the process. We hope to dedicate another blog to the lessons learned and continuing to learn around conflict that is inherent in movement work.
After completing the values realignment, we were lucky to work with some wonderful folks who supported us in forming Moonbow’s brand and website to bring in this new chapter (to learn more about our name and its meaning, visit our FAQs). After a 2-year pause in external programs, events, and collaborations, we are so excited to reconnect with our community with renewed energy and clarity. We’ve missed you and invite you to connect with us via our newsletter and Instagram and learn more about Moonbow.
We are deeply grateful to the follow folks who helped bring Moonbow to life:
Monforte Studio for our website and visual brand
Oxford Comma Collective for our name and brand identity
Rabbit Rabbit Studio for copywriting, copyediting, and website revision support
Sonya Tianang for leading API Equality-LA's transformation into Moonbow and for the website's final touches.
Image Description:
Infographic of a timeline. The background is a dark navy color. A yellow gold horizontal line is centered on the image. The following dates are labeled on the timeline in yellow gold text, ordered chronologically from left to right, with tick marks labeled: April 2022, September 2022, May 2023, October 2023. The line also includes additional, smaller tick marks to represent the number of months between each date.
Three pale green rounded squares are on the upper left, lower center, and upper right parts of the infographic. Text on the upper left square reads: Phase 1: Organizational Assessment. The following sentences are bullet points: Goal #1 Overview of API Equality-LA’s history, formation, challenges, and strengths. Goal #2: Understanding how our community navigated the pandemic, uprisings, and other major issues. 4 focus groups. 16 organizational surveys. Text on the lower center square reads:Phase 2: Organizational Focus. Goal #1: Assess and refine organizational mission, vision, values, and goals. Goal #2: Explore past, current, and future areas of work. 4 retreats with 12 participants. Text on the upper right square reads: Phase 3: Transition Team. Goal #1: Identify key themes for future work to inform relaunch and strategic planning. 4 retreats with 10 participants.