Asian Pride Talk

Asian Pride is excited to be a part of the celebration of WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 with the popular Asian Pride Talk. Inspired by the theme of Unity, Asian Pride Talk celebrates diversity and connection within and beyond the Asian LGBTQIA+ community.

This vibrant space brings together voices across the Asian LGBTQIA+ spectrum to share stories of identity, courage, and pride. Think TED Talk, but for Pride - honest, heartfelt, and inspiring.

Join us in person on Friday 24-Jul-2026 from 6:30pm to 10pm at The Social Hub Amsterdam City (Wibautstraat 129), where various speakers from the Asian LGBTQIA+ community will share powerful personal stories. Doors will open at 6:30pm, and talks will start at 7pm sharp.

Agenda for the evening:

18:30 Doors open

19:00 Pride Talk begins

20:00 Break

20:30 Pride Talk resumes

21:30 Networking

22:00 End

This event is free and open to all, everyone is welcome!

Speakers

CK Chiu

CK Chiu is a creative entrepreneur, artist and the founder of NUKI, a brand built around positivity, creativity and embracing life. Born and raised in the Netherlands to Hong Kong parents, CK's journey has taken him from a small village in the north of the country to cities including Shanghai and London. Through art, travel and personal growth, he has learned the importance of embracing every part of who you are. In his Pride Talk, CK shares his personal journey of identity, belonging and self-acceptance, and how learning to fully embrace himself transformed his life. His message is simple: when we stop hiding parts of ourselves and start embracing who we truly are, life begins to open up in unexpected ways.

Lily Baas

Lily is a Chinese queer adoptee, social worker, writer and spoken word artist who has performed on stages across the Netherlands. Her work centers around identity, mental health, resilience and queerness – and after a decade-long search, finding her Chinese family now echoes through her recent pieces on what family can mean.

Afif Shafit/Licka Lolly

Afif Shafit, better known as Licka Lolly, is a Malaysian-born drag artist, makeup and hair artist based in the Netherlands. After moving from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ten years ago for love, Afif found the freedom and safety to fully embrace their queer identity and transform it into a creative career. Through drag, they use storytelling, poetry and expressive performances to celebrate authenticity, community, and self-expression. Licka Lolly has performed at major events including the European Gay Ski Week in Switzerland, Lowlands Festival, and Milkshake Festival. They were a make up artist for the Miss Continental Pageantry in Chicago, collaborated with Introdans, and appeared in the NPO3 documentary Mama with their drag family, the House of Holographic Hoes. Today, Afif continues to use drag as a vibrant form of creative expression, blending personal experiences, queer joy, and cultural influences into performances that resonate with audiences across communities.

Ryan Song

Ryan Song is an artist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and co-producer originally from China, now based in Amsterdam. His music is a mix of electronic, groovy pop, dance, and soulful R&B. Ryan continually pushes the boundaries of his sound, bridging the gaps between communities, and speaks up for minorities and equality through his music. In recent years, Ryan has achieved significant milestones in the Dutch music scene. He has appeared on national television programs on SBS6, recently completed a successful tour in the Netherlands for his latest EP, ABUSIVE, and has reached almost one million streams for this EP on Spotify. In 2026, he made it to the Semi-Final of the San Marino Song Contest 2026 with his new single, BREAK THE CAGE.

Faustína Valéria Nguyễn

Faustína Valéria Nguyễn is a third culture kid based in the Netherlands: a jack‑of‑all‑trades, language educator and content creator exploring identity, culture and queerness across borders.

Tama

Tama (they/he) is an intern at a peacebuilding organisation, navigating post‑graduate life in the Netherlands through research and a little bit of art. Based in Groningen, they’re curious about how migranticised Asian/Indonesian queer folks make and claim space in the city, shaped by their own upbringing in a conservative Indonesian family – you can find them at @tama_anugerah if you’re a queerbling with similar interests.

Ayas

Ayas is a queer asylum seeker from Indonesia who built a new life after running away, now turning his story into a unique live performance. On stage, he will share how he tried to find himself through others, blending a powerful personal narrative with his own cinematic video editing to explore identity, escape, and becoming.

Valentin

Valentin was born in Tuva, an ethnic minority region in Russia, and is now an LGBTIQ+ refugee in the Netherlands. At Asian Pride Talk, he will share what it means to be queer, Asian, and from Russia, drawing on his experiences of ethnicity, heritage, and culture, alongside his work as a Young Mentorship Programme graduate with Workplace Pride and volunteer at HIV Vereniging.

Ryan Aquino Graaff

Ryan Aquino Graaff is a British-born Dutch-Filipino community leader, advocate, and professional coach. Driven by a passion for empowerment and visibility, Ryan serves as the President of the Filipino LGBT+ Europe foundation and has been an integral part of the Asian Pride team since year one. Alongside his impactful advocacy within the LGBTQ+ and Asian-European communities, Ryan is an established Life and Mindset Coach with five years of experience helping individuals unlock their potential, navigate major transitions, and cultivate empowering mindsets. On stage, he will share his journey into activism and his mission to empower others to become the absolute best version of themselves.

Intermission by: Thai Esaan Entertainment

Thai Esaan Entertainment is a Thai cultural and entertainment group based in the Netherlands, dedicated to preserving and promoting Thai culture, music, and traditions throughout Europe. The group showcases a unique blend of traditional Thai and Isaan (Northeastern Thai) music, dance, and cultural performances to international audiences. For more than a decade, Thai Esaan Entertainment has participated in Thai festivals, cultural celebrations, and international events across the Netherlands and Europe. Through live music, traditional dance performances, and cultural presentations, the group brings people of different backgrounds together and shares the beauty and richness of Thai culture. Thai Esaan Entertainment remains committed to strengthening cultural connections between Thailand and Europe while inspiring future generations to appreciate and preserve Thai heritage.