Trikone Northwest is a vibrant, diverse group of individuals creating a social, supportive, educational, and political space for differently oriented South Asians and their family, friends and community.

By differently oriented we mean those individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and those who choose not to accept a label or prefer other identities such as hijra, kothi, meti, men who have sex with men (MSM) or women who have sex with women (WSW).

Board Bios

Prashant - Trikone Northwest has provided me with a community, one in which I can truly express myself as a South Asian gay male immigrant living in the Pacific Northwest. Growing up in a conservative family and society, I never imagined a life where I could truly choose to be who I really was.

Coming to know of Trikone Northwest and other similar organizations was a life changing event for me - one that in some ways saved my life. There is a different story behind every person's journey before they decide to join the Trikone Northwest community. For some, it's a realization of being in the wrong marriage, for others it's a yearning of wanting to know that there are other queer South Asians like themselves out there. Whatever the reasons, Trikone Northwest provides a bond for all of us, like a glue that holds a family together.

It is precisely for these reasons that I volunteer and serve as Chair on the board for Trikone Northwest. Prior to Trikone Northwest, I served as President of KhushDC and several years before that, volunteered for Trikone (Bay Area). I am excited about bringing what I learned about running non-profit community-based organizations to Trikone Northwest and look forward to a great year.

If you have any thoughts about the organization or just need a lending ear, please contact me at chair [at] trikonenw [dot] org - I would love to hear from you!

Soumik - It's my pleasure to be one of the board members of Trikone Northwest.

Growing up in India, it was tough accepting my sexuality. The struggle, the loneliness, the foreboding of the future made their rounds. Thanks to wonderful organizations like Trikone Northwest, I have found a close-knit community of South Asians from the entire spectrum of sexuality and gender identity.

Trikone Northwest is a space "where the mind is without fear and the head is held high," and we are committed to preserve it that way.

Sunil - I was raised in India and was late to the coming out party! But better late than never.

Trikone Northwest has helped me meld the known (mingling with people of my culture) with what was then an unknown (interacting with people of my orientation). At the end of the day, it's helped me realize that the two are not mutually exclusive and overlap quite comfortably!

It's my first time as a board member of a GLBT organization - but I hope to bring my passion and experiences from other non-profit work and volunteering to this forum! As a board member, I would like to make Trikone Northwest's membership feel more ownership of this wonderful organization and to expand that sense of community to reach out to other supportive community-based non-profits in the region.

Ideas are welcome. I can be reached at secretary [at] trikonenw [dot] org.

Vega Subramaniam - I was born in Madras, India, raised in Wisconsin, and spent a few years in Pennsylvania. I still identify strongly with my midwestern roots, but when I moved to Washington State in 1994, I was finally home.

I came out in 1983, and I thought I would never be whole. In 1996, I came to know of Trikone and Trikone magazine, and they saved my life. That was the same year that I met Mala. Mala and I got married in a Hindu ceremony in June of 2002. I helped co-found Trikone-Northwest in 1997. In this community, all of my worlds come together and I am whole.