Asian Avenue magazine - February 2018

asian avenue magazine

Connecting Cultures Linking Lives

February 2018 Volume 13 Issue 2

HOW VALENTINE’S DAY IS CELEBRATED IN ASIA DENVER POLICE OFFERS FREE SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE COMMEMORATES THE JAPANESE-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

FREE ADMISSION FOR: Cultural Fair, Taste of China & Market Place

SATURDAY

February 17 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Citypoint Church 200 South University Blvd.

Denver, CO 80209

FREE PARKING SHOW TICKET PRICE: General Admissions: $25; Golden Circle: $50 TICKET INFO: 720-270-7032 • Denverchineseschool.org (Limited discount tickets may still be available)

Activities:

Journey to the Far East Cultural Fair, Taste of China & Market Place: 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Celebration Show: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Acrobats, magic, lion dance, opera and folk songs, folk and modern dances, music, martial arts, children’s choir

Denver International Electronic Music Festival Announcing the first annual Denver International Electronic Music Festival at DU: two major performances featuring work by the creator of Terracotta Warriors 3D and Ode to Nature will be presented alongside a variety of workshops, competitions, and more.

Don’t miss War & Peace and Kung Fu Organ. Featuring immersive sound and emotional impact, these performances weave together Eastern and Western music for for an unprecedented soundscape. February 15-18, 2018.

Tickets on sale now

Newman Center box office•du.edu/liat•303-871-7720

Dear Asian Avenue readers,

magazine

Our January issue focused on the Lunar New Year—don’t forget that the Year of the Dog will fall on February 16, 2018! There are many celebrations and activities across the city for you to join in the cultural fun! We invite you to Kings Land Chinese Seafood Restaurant on Friday, Feb. 9 for our annual Lunar New Year Dinner featuring a lion dance performance by Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center Dragon and ten-course Chinese banquet feast.

This month, we shift our cover story feature to Valentine’s Day; what began as a Christian tradition has spread to countries around the world. Now, many countries celebrate the day of romance by giving gifts and chocolates to their loved ones. In the Philippines, Valentine’s Day has even become a time to get married or renew vows en masse at public spaces with hundreds of other couples! Learn more about how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Asian countries and also see our date ideas for couples and fun solo activities to try on February 14.

We want to applaud the Denver Police Department and Sergeant Noel Ikeda for the great work they are doing to provide free self-defense classes to women. In light of the #MeToo movement, the concern and interest for basic self-defense knowledge has risen. These classes are crucial and can provide life-saving information.

Lastly, we are proud to highlight CU-Denver medical student Scott Cao in our Rising Star section this month. He shares his experience being raised in a Chinese-American home and motivations to become a doctor due to his parents’ perseverance, as well as his passion for improving others’ health and his belief in universal health care.

Christina Yutai Guo, Publisher Asian Avenue magazine | www.asianavemag.com

asian avenue www.asianavemag.com SUBSCRIPTION

magazine

Get each issue sent to your home or business

MORE THAN 60% OFF EACH ISSUE! 1 YEAR 12 Issues for $25 2 YEAR 24 Issues for $40

Bill Me

Name Address City/State/Zip Cell E-mail Comments Please send a check payable to Asian Avenue magazine.

Mail to P.O. Box 221748, Denver, CO 80222.

Visit www.asianavemag.com/subscribe to pay with Paypal or credit card.

P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222 Tel: 303.937.6888 Email: info@asianavemag.com Follow Us! @AsianAveMag

4

Payment Enclosed

February 2018 | Publisher’s Note

asian avenue staff & support Publisher & Founder: Christina Yutai Guo President: Annie Guo VanDan Senior Designer: C.G. Yao Copy Editor: Jaime Marston Cook Editorial Director: Samantha Quee Marketing Manager: Joie Ha Staff Writer: Patricia Kaowthumrong Staff Writer: Mary Jeneverre Schultz Photographer: Trang Luong

contributing writers Gil Asakawa, Stacey Shigaya, Sandie Bichvan Truong, Tricia Wu

contributing photographers Scott Cao, Denver Police Department

on the cover With 145 million cards sold each year, Valentine’s Day cards are just behind Christmas cards, which are the most popular seasonal cards sold in the U.S. Read this cover story to see how this day of romance is celebrated in Asian countries.

subscriptions To subscribe, e-mail info@asianavemag.com or visit asianavemag.com/subscribe. A one-year subscription is $25 for 12 issues, a two-year subscription is 40 for 24 issues. Please make checks or money orders payable to Asian Avenue magazine. For details about special corporate or group rates, please call during business hours: Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm. Shipping/handling included.

advertising Asian Avenue magazine offers businesses the most cost-effective way to reach consumers in the Denver/Boulder metro areas and beyond.

For more information, call during business hours or e-mail us at marketing@asianavemag.com for our media kit and ad rates.

editorial To submit story ideas, letters to the editor or calendar events, e-mail info@asianavemag.com.

Asian Avenue magazine (ISSN 1932-1449) reserves all copyrights to this issue. No parts of this edition can be reproduced in any manner without written permission. The views expressed in articles are the authors’ and not necessarily those of Asian Avenue magazine. Authors may have consulting or other business relationships with the companies they discuss.

Published by Asian Avenue Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748 Tel: 303.937.6888 | info@asianavemag.com

www.asianavemag.com

Asian Avenue magazine is in association with the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network.

2018 ASIAN AVENUE MAGAZINE

LUNAR NEW YEAR DINNER

2018 FEB 9 FRIDAY

YEAR OF THE DOG Kings Land Chinese Seafood 2200 W. Alameda Ave. Denver

6 PM Cash Bar 6:30 PM Dinner

Emcee: Kim N. Nguyen, Colorado Public Radio Peking Duck Seafood with Tofu Soup Shrimp with Walnut and Mayo Sauce Diced Beef Steak with Black Pepper Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce Eggplant with Spicy Sauce Deep Fried Crispy Quail Scallops and Squid with XO Special Sauce Rock Cod Fillet with Black Bean Sauce Oranges (symbolizes wealth/prosperity)

TICKETS:

$40 General | $30 Students Available at:

asianavemag.ticketleap.com/dog Celebrate the new year and support Asian Avenue magazine!

CONTENTS

february 2018

EVENTS

8

Event calendar

10

Mile High JACL chapter to host annual Day of Remembrance on Feb. 18 at History Colorado Center

16

FEATURE

12

Heart Mountain gives visitors a perspective of life during World War II as a Japanese American

Valentine’s Day is around the corner! See how the holiday is celebrated in countries across Asia and who traditionally does the gift giving!

RISING STAR

14

CU-Denver medical student Scott Cao

brings compassion and leadership to healthcare

COVER STORY

16

How Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Asian countries: What traditions are the same? What are unique?

14

INSIDE STORY

22

Protect yourself, protect your community: Denver Police Department teaches free self-defense classes for women

BOOK REVIEWS

24

26

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore and Q&A session with author Kim Fu

28

Santo Nino Celebration brings Filipino community together at Queen of Peace in Aurora

HEALTH

30

A new year to take care of our health with exercise

My Rice Bowl, a Korean-fusion cookbook by Rachel Yang

ON SCENE

27

“On Ensemble” hits the right beat of the taiko drum

Children of Color Summit impacts diverse youth communities in Colorado

ASIAN AVENUE MAGAZINE, INC. P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748 | Tel: 303.937.6888 E-mail: info@asianavemag.com | www.asianavemag.com 6

February 2018 | Table of Contents

22 Find us @AsianAveMag

#AsianAveMag

Sake Tasting presented by

PAC I F I C R I M C U LT U R A L E X C H A N G E

Saturday, MARCH 3 2–5 PM $5 O

Asian Pacific Development Center Spring Banquet Saturday, March 10, 2018 6:00 pm at King’s Land Restaurant 2200 W. Alameda, Denver, CO 80223

O N L I N E / $ 6 O AT D O O R

To purchase tickets go to PACIFIC RIM Facebook page PROCEEDS GO TO THE ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Taste 30 Varieties of Sake 3 Local Sakes Hong Kong style Hors D’oeuvres Barrel Breaking Ceremony Performance by Mirai Daiko Free Sake Tasting Cup

Tickets $65 individuals Corporate Sponsorships Available: $5000, $3000, $1000

Purchase Tickets at www.apdc.org

720.330.8487 | UNCLEJOESHKBISTRO.COM | 891 14TH ST #100 DENVER, CO 80202

1147 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 Tel: 303.993.7444 www.drinkbambu.com HOURS: Sun - Thur: 10am to 10pm Fri - Sat: 10am to 11pm

Denver’s Best Table Tennis Club Denver Table Tennis Alliance is the Colorado champion club!

Daily open play with great playing conditions Monthly tournaments and lessons Unmatched Chè, Incredible Tea Selection, Bold Coffee Drinks and Exotic Fruit Smoothies & Juice

Pandan Waffle

Taiyaki Fish Cake Coming Soon!

Hours: Sunday - Friday, 6 PM – 10 PM | Saturday, 12 PM – 5 PM Closed on Tuesday

Contact Angelo Gandullia, Director and Coach angelo@denverttalliance.com 720.383.0794 2940 Curtis Street Denver, CO 80205

www.denverttalliance.com

upcoming events

I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story. Exhibit Now thru April 8

University of Northern Colorado’s James A. Michener Library 14th Avenue and 20th Street, Greeley, CO 80639 For more info, e-mail Alethea.Stovall@unco.edu or visit libguides.unco.edu/Wide-American-Earth

In this first exhibition of its kind, the Smithsonian celebrates Asian Pacific American history across a multitude of diverse cultures and explores how Asian Pacific Americans have shaped and been shaped by the course of the nation’s history.

“I Want the Wide American Earth” tells the rich and complex stories of the very first Asian immigrants, including their participation in key moments in American history: Asian immigrants panned in the Gold Rush and hammered ties in the Transcontinental Railroad. The university will also be featuring local AAPI artists and scholars to highlight the contributions of the AAPI community to Colorado’s history.

Colorado Springs Chinese New Year Festival

Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration

City Auditorium 221 E Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Cost: Adults $6 | Children under 5 Free | Children 5-9 $5 | Active duty military/CSCCI member $5 For more info, call CSCCI at 719-287-7624 or visit at www.cscci.org/cnyf

Citypoint Church 200 South University Blvd. Denver, CO 80209 Cost: General Admission $25 | Golden Circle $50 For more info or tickets, call 720-270-7032 or visit DenverChineseSchool.org

Saturday, Feb. 10, 10am to 4pm

The Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute will ring in their 17th annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Feb. 10! This year’s event will feature the traditional lion dance, taiko drums, kung fu demonstrations, traditional Chinese dances, Chinese yo-yo demonstrations and Chinese musical performances. “Chinatown” offers an assortment of Asian-themed merchants and a “Taste of China” to whet your appetite from various food vendors. Cultural performances will take place on the Main Stage; in the “Teahouse” you can drink a cup of hot tea, relax and eat snacks while enjoying Chinese instrument performances, Tai Chi and other traditional demonstrations.

Saturday, March 3, 2pm to 5pm

“Living In Hope: A Mother and Her Transgender Son’s Journey”

Kings Land Chinese Seafood Restaurant 2200 W. Alameda Ave #44, Denver, CO 80223 Cost: $40 General | $30 Student For more info and tickets, asianavemag.ticketleap.com/dog

Quebec Place at Fairmount 430 S Quebec St, Denver, CO 80247 Cost: Free and open to the public RSVP required at www.eventbrite.com – search “Sakura Foundation”

8

February 2018 | Event Calendar

Uncle Joe’s Hong Kong Bistro 891 14th St. #100, Denver, CO 80202 Cost: Online $50 | At the door $60 | Space limited For more info or tickets, email info@pacificrimcultural.com or visit pacificrimcultural.com/upcoming-event.html

Sunday, Feb. 11, 1pm to 3pm

Sakura Foundation welcomes Marsha Aizumi and her son, Aiden, to share their journey of unconditional love and acceptance and the ongoing challenges for the transgender community. Bringing a perspective filled with honesty, gratitude and warmth, they will talk about fears they have overcome, as they continue to focus on hope for their family and the LGBTQ community.

The discussion will conclude with a book signing

by Marsha and Aiden of Two Spirits, One Heart.

Celebrate the lunar new year, Year of the Dog, with a 10-course Chinese banquet dinner with dishes like Peking Duck, Beef Steak with Black Peppe and Chinese Broccoli. A lion dance performance will be performed by Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center Dragon and Lion Dance and a kung fu presentation will be presented by the Denver Buddhist Cultural Society. Enjoy the silent auction and fun Olympics trivia game!

Take a journey to the Far East here in Denver.

Experience the most exciting Chinese cultural event, the Chinese New Year Celebration. Enjoy first-class cultural performances by internationally renowned and authentic Chinese food, cultural displays, entertainment, music, artworks and crafts, calligraphy, traditional costumes and more.

Thirsty Samurai Sake Tasting

2018 Asian Avenue magazine Lunar New Year Dinner Friday, Feb. 9, 6pm to 8:30pm

Saturday, Feb. 17, 10:30am - 4:30pm

As part of an ongoing series of authentic and exceptional events in the greater Denver area, we are proud to announce our third sake tasting event! Whether you are looking for a fun and unique way to spend your evening, you are a proponent of Japanese culture or you are a self-proclaimed foodie, this is an event that you cannot afford to miss. Come for an evening of merriment as we learn about and sample over 30 varieties of traditional and modern Japanese sake while also indulging in unique and authentic Hong Kong style cuisine, all in the heart of Downtown Denver.

Uncle Joe’s Hong Kong Bistro will provide an amazing assortment of Hong Kong style hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds benefit the Asian Chamber of Commerce scholarship program (www.ACCColorado.org).

g

CHINESE HISTORY AND AMERICAN BASKETBALL COLLIDE IN LAUREN YEE’S NEW PLAY

THE

GREAT LEAP Illustration by Kyle Malone

MAR

FEB

2 – 11

The Great Leap

By Lauren Yee Directed by Eric Ting The Great Leap is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award SEASON SPONSORS

TICKETS START AT $30

DENVERCENTER.ORG

Mile High JACL chapter to host annual Day of Remembrance The Feb. 18, 2018 event will commemorate the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and celebrate and life and legacy of Minoru Yasui, Denver’s social justice icon.

Day of Remembrance WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 18, 1-4 pm WHERE: History Colorado Center 1200 N. Broadway, Denver, 80203 COST: FREE with free admission after program to the rest of the museum

By Gil Asakawa

Emcee Adele Arakawa speaks to the crowd of over 300 at the Day of Remembrance event last year at History Colorado.

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which allowed the US military to designate “exclusion zones” to ban anyone of Japanese ancestry.

These exclusion zones were along the West Coast, and reflected the fear that anyone who was even part-Japanese -- including children who were born in the US and therefore American citizens – could be spies or saboteurs. As a result of EO 9066, 120,000 people of Japanese descent were incarcerated during World War II in 10 concentration camps hastily built inland, from remote parts of California to the swamps of Arkansas. One concentration camp, Amache, was built in southeast Colorado and housed almost 10,000 people during the war.

The Mile High Chapter of the JACL, the oldest Asian American civil rights organization, every year sponsors a Day of Remembrance event so that we won’t forget the injustice that happened 75 years ago.

This year’s Day of Remembrance will be held Sunday, Feb. 18 from 1-3 pm at History Colorado Center, 12th and Broadway, and admission to the museum will be free for those attending the event.

Keynote speaker Peggy Nagae is the Portland-based lawyer who was the lead attorney for the Supreme Court appeal of Minoru Yasui, one of three men who fought the wartime incarceration in the 1940s, and who was a leader in the movement through the 1970s and 1980s for redress and reparations for Japanese Americans. An attorney in Portland at the start of the war, Yasui saw that the coming incarceration was unconstitutional, and broke the curfew on Japanese Americans, walking around downtown Portland insisting he be arrested so he could challenge the roundup.

Yasui settled in Denver after WWII, and became an icon of

10

February 2018 | Upcoming Event

social justice, opening a law practice and building strong relationships with communities of color. He was a founder of the Urban League in Denver in 1946, supporting the African American community. In 1963, he helped found the Latin American Research and Service Agency (LARASA –now called CLLARO – Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy and Research Organization), and later helped organize what is now the Denver Indian Center. He was appointed to Denver’s Commission on Community Relations, and in 1967 he was named Executive Director of the Commission, and was credited with helping avoid racial riots in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Nagae will speak about Minoru Yasui’s history and his legacy for Denver and the United States.

This year’s Day of Remembrance also commemorates the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was the culmination of Yasui’s efforts for the Japanese American community. President Ronald Reagan signed the bipartisan bill after years of Congressional panels on the wartime incarceration, and testimony from Nisei, or second-generation Japanese Americans about their experiences.

Many Nisei had not spoken about the war years out of shame for having been imprisoned. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 acknowledged that government’s actions were based on “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership”, not legitimate security reasons. During the war there was not a single instance of espionage or sabotage committed by Japanese Americans.

Denver University’s Archaeology Department under the leadership of Mile High JACL boardmember professor Bonnie

Clark will display artifacts from Colorado’s concentration camp Amache, and share information about students’ ongoing historical dig at the remote site in southeast Colorado (https:// portfolio.du.edu/amache).

Also on display at History Colorado for Day of Remembrance will be work by Denver artist Sarah Fukami (www.sarahfukami. com), who uses mixed-media techniques to capture the essence of memories of family members who were incarcerated.

And copies of two short, three-page comic books produced

by Pop Culture Classroom (http://popcultureclassroom.org) will be distributed free, one about Minoru Yasui and one about the Japanese American incarceration. Pop Culture Classroom is a non-profit that creates comic books about Colorado history to educate young people with engaging, accurate content.

Last year’s keynote speaker, historian and professor Lane Hirabayashi discusses the Japanese American resettlement after the war.

Donors can earn up to $7500 for their time and commitment

For more information call 844-494-0003 or visit our website today at: www.CCRMEggDonor.com • William Schoolcraft, MD • Robert Gustofson, MD • Lauren Ehrhart, MD

• Eric Surrey, MD • Laxmi Kondapalli, MD

Day of Remembrance 2018 | asian avenue magazine

11

Heart Mountain gives visitors a perspective of LIFE during World War II as a Japanese American

By Mary Jeneverre Schultz Heading to Yellowstone in Wyoming? Take a little side trip before or after Yellowstone and visit Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, just east of the Yellowstone entrance and a nine-hour drive from downtown Denver.

It will take your breath away.

The center opened August 2011 as a world-class museum dedicated to passing on the Heart Mountain story to future generations.

“It’s like a huge history book from World War II,” said 12-year-old Joseph Owen Schultz, a Filipino-American middle school student and visitor from Aurora, Colorado. “Why is this not in my history books?”

Forget history books. Just visit this center for its culture and its commemoration of those who suffered through this time in history.

This center is designed to memorialize and educate the public about the significance of the historical events surrounding the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center near Powell, Wyoming, according to the mission statement of Heart Mountain Interpretive Center.

During the summer months, the center sees a rise of visitors. While there are no hard figures on the number of tourists to the center, the Wyoming Tourist Board reported more than 8.5 million visitors to the state in 2016.

12

February 2018 | Feature

Introduction to the center Visitors start their tour by sitting through a short video clip of the center’s history. The film, titled “All We Could Carry” directed by Academy Awardwinning filmmaker Steven Okazaki is a short clip to give information to visitors not familiar with this part of World War II history. The film recounts narratives from 12 former internees at Heart Mountain sharing their stories of what life was like there, and surprisingly how bad life was after they left camp to resume their lives somewhere in the United States.

Interior and Gallery Dioramas, exhibits and collection of memorabilia collected from the time the center was a relocation site are visible throughout the museum.

For personal experiences, some of the rooms try to give visitors a sense of space by checking out the climates during the harsh winters, hearing voices and lack of privacy within a family sleeping quarters and the tiny size of the areas. Most of the exhibits are from vintage photos gathered by the center’s historians and educators.

Because of tragedy associated with the center during war times, there is a room near the gift shop that allows visitors to collect themselves and perhaps cry or give remembrance for those who were part of the center either personally or through relations.

Vintage newspaper clippings scream out war events.

Memorial bricks Exiting the center will bring visitors to a memorial from contributors, who donated their funds. The memorial, just outside the entrance, shows names of those involved with building the center. Any visitor can view Asian American surnames, mostly Japanese descent.

Outside the center After walking through the center’s interior, visitors can check out the grounds of original camp structures. A memorial site is a prominent marker, with the American flag in the foreground. Most visitors drive through the property to gauge a sense of proportion. For instance, a guard station stands close to the one of the row-house type building still standing from the mid-1940s.

Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is only 15 minutes north of Cody. It is about 60 miles away from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

Mary Jeneverre Schultz discovers Asian history through her travels all over the United States. Follow her on Twitter @Jeneverre.

This brick memorial allows visitors to contribute to the center in keeping up with maintenance and operating costs.

This poster-size diorama shows a sense of the Japanese American community at Heart Mountain relocation center.

Planning Your Visit Heart Mountain Interpretive Center 1539 Road 19 | Powell, WY 82435 Located between Powell and Cody at the intersection of Hwy 14A and Road 19.

Admission: Adults $7 | Senior/Students $5 Free Under 12, Group Rates Available Phone: 307-754-8000 Website: www.heartmountain.org

HOURS: May 15 to Oct. 1: Open Daily 10am to 5pm Oct. 2 to May 14: Open Wed - Sat: 10am to 5pm Other visitation by appointment

Take Action: 1. Plan a road trip to Heart Mountain 2. Follow their social feeds: www.facebook.com/heartmountainwy www.twitter.com/HeartMountainWY 3. Watch videos on Heart Mountain on YouTube 4. Support the Center: www.heartmountain.org/support.html 5. Volunteer your time: www.heartmountain.org/volunteer.html

This exhibit attempts to help visitors visualize living quarters of large families.

Heart Mountain Interpretive Center | asian avenue magazine

13

Scott Cao brings compassion and leadership to healthcare School: University of Colorado School of Medicine Hometown: Dallas, Texas Current Involvements: Leadership Curriculum Reform Task

By Annie Guo VanDan Pursuing a degree in medicine, Scott Songbo Cao, 23, believes in universal health care for all. All roads have led him to becoming a medical student at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Prior to medical school, Cao worked as a hotspotter and patient navigator in a pilot program at the University of Colorado Health’s Emergency Department. His job was to identify patients, particularly those with Medicaid, who needed help “navigating” the healthcare system. He provided these patients with resources for primary care providers, food insecurity, housing, employment, legal aid, and more.

A particular case stood out to him of a young male exposed to HIV, but whom did not have insurance or the means to afford Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) medication, which can cost thousand dollars.

“Without PEP, he would contract HIV. The emergency department could not provide him with more than two days worth of medicine. I called several different clinics and programs before reaching an emergency Medicaid enrollment specialist at Denver Health,” Cao recalls.

“Luckily, I was able to get him scheduled for an appointment the next day on the specialist’s lunch break so he was able to get his medicine. He didn’t get HIV. It’s my claim to saving a life before med school.”

Just last year in 2017, Cao graduated magna cum laude from CU Denver with a B.S. in Integrative Biology and a minor in Leadership Studies. He studied in the University Honors and Leadership program, which allowed him to learn and apply leadership theory. Meanwhile, he was taking on leadership roles in multiple student organizations including Asian

14

February 2018 | Rising Star

force (student representative); CU Denver Ultimate Frisbee (for 5 years!); Student Anesthesia Interest Group Past Involvements: Student Government Association (student body president); Asian American Student Services (various roles); University Honors and Leadership (leadership scholar); Council of Asian Student Leaders, National Association of Asian American Professionals Quote he lives by: “Leave this world a little better than you found it.”

Describes himself as: A Leader, Dependable, Thoughtful Interests: Ultimate frisbee, stock trading, outdoor adventures, traveling the world

American Student Services and Council of Asian Student Leaders. He was also served on the Student Government Association as student body president.

When he reflects on his undergraduate career, he feels that making lifelong friendships with people from various walks of life at CU Denver was the best experience.

“I have friends who will be doctors like me. I have other friends who love music both production and business who are going to kill in the music industry. I believe that I have friends who will shake up Wall Street in business and in law. Pretty neat.”

For Cao, he grew up in a Chinese-American home with his parents and brothers. His older brother is a pharmacist, and his younger brother is a high school student in Boulder.

He says, “I was fortunate enough to be raised biculturally, as my parents held strong Chinese values at home, but they also gave me the opportunities to immerse in American culture through sports and clubs.”

“I am an American Born Chinese (ABC) as they say. I’m inspired by my parents who came to America with $76 and an English dictionary, who immigrated to the U.S. for school in the late 80’s.”

He is also inspired by hardworking individuals no matter what field they are in.

“I’m inspired by the late-night custodian I befriended who works two jobs to put his daughter through college. I model my work ethic after Muhammad Ali. He relentlessly trained before becoming a champion. His quote sums it up the best, ‘I hated every minute of training, but I said ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’’ This is very applicable to medicine.”

Cao considers his greatest achievement to be his senior leadership capstone, where he developed two plots of land in Thornton to provide fresh produce to Native American families in north Denver. With his team, they gained permission from tribal council to use the land, cultivated the soil, obtained true wild Native American seeds, and donated the food. The project was aimed at reducing food insecurity through sustainable practices.

“I never really thought of myself as the leader of the group, but my university program awarded me the Outstanding Graduate in Leadership Award for the project. That moment was both surprising and emotional for me,” he says.

Now as he looks forward to four years of medical school and a career in medicine, he says, “I love medical school. Sure, it

Scott with his campers at Korean Heritage Camp

Cooking healthy food in Culinary Medicine class

has its ups and downs, but I don’t complain. I’m so lucky to be here studying something I love.”

He believe there’s a great need for compassionate leaders in the healthcare world.

“I study medicine because I want to heal people and to serve people who aren’t having their best days. I plan to do a lot of advocacy work and write health legislation. I’m currently eyeing anesthesiology as a career.”

Lastly, he shares this note to our readers and his family: “I am delighted and honored to be featured as a Rising Star. My accomplishments thus far are a product of love and support that I received from my parents, mentors and friends. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. All the credit goes to them and very little to me.”

Groundbreaking of CU Denver Student Wellness Center

CU Denver Ultimate Frisbee Team

LUCKY CHINA

CHINESE RESTAURANT 2000 S. Havana St. Aurora, CO 80014 Tel: 303.745.1373

Open Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9:30pm Closed Tuesdays

Northeastern Steamed Bun Pickled Cabbage with Pork Pot Seaweed Shrimp Dumpling Soup Taiwanese Style Braised Beef Noodle Pan Fried Pork Dumpling Pan Fried Buns with Beef H Hot and Spicy Beef Pot Steamed Twisted Roll Fried Leek Dumplings

HANDMADE DUMPLINGS WITH A VARIETY OF FILLINGS

ORIGINAL TASTE OF NORTHEASTERN CHINA

UNIQUE, DELICIOUS, UNFORGETTABLE! Scott Cao | asian avenue magazine

15

Valentine’s Day in Japan dates back to the 1950s, and reflects the changes that have occurred in Japanese cultural norms. Back then (and sometimes even now) female ‘kokuhaku’, or the act of confessing feelings, was considered radical and taboo. By establishing a day when it was acceptable for women to take a risk and confess their feelings in Japan, it helped change the way men and women interacted.

Unlike Western traditions, it’s common for women to give gifts to men. It’s not until the 14th of March that men are expected to return the favor. Usually, this gift for men comes in the form of chocolate or cookies, though they aren’t just given to romantic partners, but also to friends and bosses. Falling exactly one month after Valentine’s Day, White Day is a Japanese romantic holiday where men return the favor... times three!

Japan

How Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Asia

How did this day of romance begin? Valentine’s Day is an old tradition thought to have originated from a Roman Festival known as Lupercalia. During the celebration, boys would draw names of girls from a box and the pair would be partners during the festival. These matches often led to marriage. Now, a tradition that began in the 1800s, has led to the U.S. spending $30 billion on Valentine’s Day. The Western influences have also spread to Asia.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor throughout Thailand. Teenagers and young crowd are seen indulging in a number of activities to woo their loved ones. Common practices include exchanging gifts and planning a romantic dinner date with your partner. Usually, men present beautifully decorated flower bouquets, chocolates and candies to their significant others.

A lot of time and money is spent behind the Valentine’s Day celebration in Thailand. Not only are the young Thai people excited for the occasion but so are the adults. The shopping malls are decked up in a festive look that reflects the ambiance and setting of love.

Large and small stalls selling flower bouquets, chocolates, soft toys, and heart shaped balloons are set up in every shopping mall on the eve of Valentine’s Day in Thailand.

Thailand

16

February 2018 | Cover Story

The equivalent to Valentine’s Day in China is Qixi, or the Seventh Night Festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month each year (this year on August 17, 2018).

During Qixi, women prepare offerings of melon and other fruits to Zhinu (a heavenly king’s daughter according to Chinese folklore) in hopes of finding a good husband. Couples also head to temples to pray for happiness and prosperity. At night, they look to the heavens to watch as stars Vega and Altair (representing star-crossed lovers Zhinu and Niulang) come close during the pair’s annual reunion.

Korea Va l e n t i n e’ s Day is a popular holiday for young couples in Korea, and variations of the holiday are celebrated monthly from February through April. Similar to Japan, the gift-giving starts on February 14, when it is up to women to woo their men with chocolates, candies and flowers.

The tables turn on March 14, a holiday known as White Day, when men not only shower their sweethearts with chocolates and flowers, but up the ante with a gift. And for those who don’t receive gifts on either Valentine’s Day or White Day, there is a third holiday: Black Day. On April 14, singles dress in black —black nail polish, black accessories, black shoes—and gather to mourn their solitary status by eating dark bowls of jajangmyeon, or black bean-paste noodles.

China

Philippines While Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Philippines are similar to celebrations in Western countries, one tradition has swept the country and led to thousands of couples sharing a wedding day on February 14. Mass wedding ceremonies have gained popularity in the Philippines in recent years, leading hundreds of couples to gather at malls or other public areas around the country to get married or renew their vows en masse.

Countries that have banned Valentine’s Day:

In majority-Muslim countries like Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia celebrating Valentine’s Day with flowers, chocolates or displays of affection could result in severe punishment.

Valentine’s Day | asian avenue magazine

17

35

Things For Couples To Do this Valentine’s Day

1. Take a lunch break from work and meet each other out.

2. Build a fire and enjoy a glass of wine together.

3. Write “I Love You” in rose petals on your bed.

4. Take a romantic walk around the neighborhood together holding hands.

5. Find a cooking class to attend together on Valentine’s Day. 6. Enjoy a yoga class together.

7. Do a chore around the house that you’ve been putting off!

8. Find old love notes you sent each other and re-read them.

9. Create a romantic breakfast buffet.

10. Give each other a foot or back massage.

11. Make a video montage of photos of the two of you.

12. Cook a romantic dinner at home.

13. Play a game together, like Scrabble!

14. Take out an ad in the local newspaper declaring your love.

15. Play “50 Questions” with each other and see how many answers you can get right!

16. Buy his/her favorite drink and stock the fridge.

17. Record his/her favorite TV show leading up to Valentine’s Day and then surprise him/her with a marathon of their favorite show.

18. Enjoy an evening of looking at the stars.

19. Have romantic music playing and his/her fave snacks on the counter when they get home from work.

20. Go to your local gym and enjoy a night of working out together.

21. Build a puzzle you’ve had boxed away forever.

22. Invite your closest friends over for a fun evening. A fun night with other couple friends and lots of laughter can be the perfect gift!

23. Watch old videos together of you both and the family you’ve created.

24. Create a time capsule together.

25. Take the day off work and spend it together.

26. Bake something together. Make it fun and complicated.

27. If you have children, have them put paint on their handprints and create a heart with them.

28. Go to bed early and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

29. Create a coupon book of special things he or she can redeem.

30. Enjoy a weekend away at a beautiful hotel.

31. Ice skating somewhere (and hold hands).

32. Head to a comedy show.

33. Reenact your first date.

34. Head out to a local bakery and feast on yummy desserts!

35. PROPOSE (If you haven’t already!).

18

February 2018 | Cover Story

7

And Singles

Fun Things For to Do Too!

1. Have a Singles Party.

Get together with your single friends and have a good time! Invite some new friends over who are also members of Club Single. Ask them to bring a snack (or a bottle of wine) and laugh the night away.

2. Treat yourself!

A massage, a make-over, or just a scoop of ice cream! Pamper yourself and relieve any stress from work or home. A fresh, new look will increase your confidence! Enjoying your favorite foods will bring happiness!

3. Play Tinder roulette.

Gather your friends. Connect your phone to a TV and broadcast your Tinder page to the room. Take turns swiping on each of your profiles and maybe you’ll find a date for the weekend (or next year’s Valentine’s Day).

4. Host a Secret Santa-like Valentine exchange with your other single friends.

Put everyone’s name into a hat and have flowers delivered, chocolates bought, or a dinner planned for your pick.

5. Sign up for a single’s subscription box.

Singles everywhere have been raving about this Singles Swag box made for single women (www.singlesswag.com) that deliver books, beauty products, and snacks to your doorstep. “We believe a woman’s happiness is determined by her outlook and attitude, not by her relationship status.

We love to make single women look and feel beautiful, while empowering and inspiring them.”

6. Watch a movie marathon of your celebrity crush.

Who is your celebrity fave? John Cho? Or Mindy Kaling? Collect all of your favorite actor’s movies and spend Valentine’s Day with your true (onscreen) love.

7. Spend time with your mom.

This is a day to show your love, not just for a significant other, but for the people most important to you! Take your mom out for coffee, lunch or dinner. What a special day to bond together!

Valentine’s Day | asian avenue magazine

19

Bringing the ramen culture to Denver!

RAMEN YAKITORI SUSHI OPEN

Mon-Thu & Sat: 5pm - 1am Fri: 5pm - 1am | Sun: 4pm - 9pm

48 parking spots available behind the building!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

2907 Huron St. Unit 103 | Denver, CO 80202 | Tel: 720.639.2911

www.mytokio.com

Golden Shanghai Asian Restaurant

● The Best Chinese Restaurant by 710 AM Restaurant Show ● The Best Chinese Restaurant by the 1430 KEZW Restaurant Show ● Voted 2007 Top 100 Chinese Restaurant in the US

1412 S. Parker Rd. A-134 Denver, CO 80231 (303) 743-7666 (303)743-9079 (303)743-8210

Protect yourself, protect your community The Denver Police Department’s free self-defense classes gain elevated interest in response to #MeToo movement.

By Tricia Wu

The Denver Police Department hosts a self-defense class at Rude Recreation Center on Dec. 16, 2017, where women learned about safety, crime prevention and how to avoid dangerous situations.

Sergeant Noel Ikeda has worked with the Denver Police Department (DPD) for nearly two decades. After years working assault cases ranging from threats to homicides and speaking with victims of abuse, he found himself saying, ‘Maybe this victim did not have to be a victim if she had some concept of self-defense.’ He now leads the Denver Police Department’s movement to strengthen the safety of the general public through free self-defense courses.

A native of Colorado and the son of immigrants from Japan, Ikeda values the importance of his family and giving back to the community. “Asian culture is very quiet,” he says. “We don’t want to get people in trouble and we don’t want to get involved... and while there are cultural boundaries, you are in the States now and you have to protect your family by saying something.” The understanding that silence can lead to victimization drives his quest to protect and empower those around him today.

Ikeda and his colleagues, officers Robert Gibbs and

22

February 2018 | Inside Story

Bob Anderson, run monthly courses along with a handful of volunteer officers. The message of “Protect yourself, protect your community” is simple but powerful. Akin to herd immunity—which means when a high percentage of people are vaccinated for a virus, it becomes difficult for the disease to spread—the more individuals can protect themselves, the better the community is protected as a whole.

Increased abuse awareness and the need to feel safe, incited by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, has led to an increase in participation in these courses. However, the officers who run them contemplate #NeverAgain as the takeaway message.

“When we—the community of officers—talk about it, it’s never again. If we can empower more women to not be afraid, that’s our movement. Let’s go in that direction,” Ikeda says.

The now comprehensive five-hour class teaches maintaining calm and focus during an assault while building muscle memory through the Krav Maga

From left to right: Sergeant Noel Ikeda, Officer Bob Anderson and Officer Robert Gibbs help teach women what to do and how to react if ever attacked.

self-defense and fighting system. Equally important in today’s litigious society, women learn the legalities around self-defense should an assault case be brought to court.

The irony that a 6-foot tall professional claiming anyone can defend themselves is not lost on Ikeda, which is why his 17-year-old daughter, Tristan, assists with classes. Petite with a second-degree black belt, she is fierce as she leads the women in the room. With each defensive move, the women yell not “Help!” but “Get back!”, “I don’t want to fight you!” and most importantly, “I am not a victim!” These empowering mantras build confidence in the women as they progress through the course.

A complementary benefit of these courses is the increased interaction between members of the police force and the general

“

Sergeant Noel Ikeda, is the lead instructor teaching the Denver Police Department’s self-defense classes.

If we can empower more women to not be afraid, that’s our movement. - Sergeant Noel Ikeda

public. Officer Anderson admits this is intentional, saying, “We want them to be comfortable and have that trust of the police.”

The DPD’s mission through these courses encompass not only crime prevention and transparency but accessibility. The team hopes as the courses grow, they can invite open dialogue to help build positive relationships with their communities, especially those underserved such as Denver’s extensive refugee populations. Officer Gibbs adds, “We want to teach things you can do at home... We want to interact with you.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Denver Police Department is currently running a waitlist for these classes due to popular demand. For women’s courses, contact: robert.gibbs@denvergov.org. For children’s courses, contact: noel.ikeda@denvergov.org.

Denver Police Department teaches self-defense | asian avenue magazine

23

bookreview THE LOST GIRLS OF CAMP FOREVERMORE Author: Kim Fu

ISBN: 0544098269 Pages: 256 | Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Price: $23 Website: https://kim-fu.com/the-lost-girls-of-campforevermore Connect with Kim: Email: Skim.Fu@gmail.com Twitter: @Skimfu | Instagram: @Skim.fu Reviewed by Mary Jeneverre Schultz Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @Jeneverre

24

February 2018 | Book Review

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore is a haunting insight into what it takes for the five girls: Nita, Kayla, Isabel, Dina, and Siobhan --- to survive, not only while stranded on the island but throughout the rest of their lives. We seem through successes and failures, loving relationships and heartbreaks; we see what it means to find and define oneself, and the ways in which the same experience is refracted through different people. The author gives the readers a portrait of friendship and of the families we build for ourselves – and the past we can’t escape.

Author Kim Fu wrote a poetry collection entitled, How Festive the Ambulance and the novel, For Today I am a Boy, which won the Edmund White Award and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Lambda Literary Award and New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice.

She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Fu’s writing has appeared in Granta, the Atlantic, the New York Times, Hazlitt, and the Times Literary Supplement.

She has received residency fellowships from the Ucross Foundation, Berton House, Wildacres, and the Wallace Stegner Grant for the Arts.

KIM

FU

Memories of summer camp, high school friendships and 20-something escapades makes this book, The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore, come alive for anyone who wants to reminisce about those days.

How do those “formative” days become turning points in your life? Do high school and college friendships because life-long relationships? Maybe, the memories define your life and YOU. “The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore is a sensitive, evocative exploration of how the past threads itself through our lives, reemerging in unexpected ways,” says Celeste Ng, best-selling author of Little Fires Everywhere. “Kim Fu skillfully measures how long and loudly one formative moment can reverberate.”

Each of the five characters recounts the memories of how they know each other and the paths they’ve journeyed through life after the pivotal event during summer camp. The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore is peopled by the kind of in-depth characters the author writes best, women with equal doses of flaws and strength. Fu’s diamond-sharp prose follows a group of young girls through a summer at Camp Forevermore that will impact their lives forever.

At the camp, filled with excitement and nervous energy, they set off on an overnight kayaking trip to a nearby island.

But before the night is over, they find themselves stranded, with no adults to help them survive or guide them.

How would the millennial generation of today survive in this situation? Is it realistic? Maybe, the youth of today wouldn’t know how to begin or would their survival instinct kick in?

The book starts out at an outdoor adventure summer camp. Did you go to camp as a kid?

I never went to the kind of all-girls, sleepaway camp featured in the book, but where I grew up, near Vancouver, in Canada, my public elementary and school included something called “outdoor school.” It was several days, including overnights, and involved outdoor rock climbing, ocean kayaking, hiking, and even a zipline — it’s surprising to me, looking back, how physically demanding and dangerous some of it was. I remember, specifically, my group was doing a problem-solving activity on a small peninsula, and when we finished, the sun was setting and the tide had come in, cutting off our access to the mainland. We overheard our chaperones talking about what we’d do if we were actually stuck there until the tide went out, and one girl started screaming in, I guess, fear or excitement. We ended up wading back in the dark.

Is that memory what inspired the novel?

Only partially. In 2015, I’d had these adult characters in mind for a long time, but their connection to each other was still unclear to me. It wasn’t enough that they simply knew each other, or that they lived on the same street or went to the same school. I tried writing about them that way, but I knew there was something both more intimate and more alienating between them. Something happened to these women, together, when they were young.

From October to December of that year, I did a writing residency in Dawson City, Yukon, a relatively small, subarctic town. Winter there is transformative. It hit -40 degrees Celsius, and the snow and ice was like nothing I’ve ever seen.

I met a lot of people who live at least part-time in off-grid cabins or in the bush, who hunt to feed their and their neighbors’ families, who chop their own wood and haul their own water and propane. And the climate and geographic isolation meant that everyone ---- even an elderly, disabled artist who mostly stays in town with their diesel heat and highspeed Internet, say --- had survival skills and supplies in their car and on their person.

Living there, I found I was thinking a lot about outdoor survival, and the ways in which we rise to challenges and are tougher than we think. Especially young women and girls.

Because the residency was supporting me materially, I had a lot of time to think and write, and the near absence of sunlight meant the days blurred together. Over the course of three days and nights, I wrote 20,000 words --- a first pass at what became the framing narrative of Los Girls. Not a lot of that text would make it into the final book, but now I knew what the characters had been through.

The structure of the novel is unusual. The main narrative, from the perspective of Siobhan, when they’re young campers, is spread out over several sections, broken up by long sections where we get to see the other four girls grow up. How did you decided on this format?

q&a with Kim Fu

I’m interested in how the same experience ripples out and affects different people in different ways. A friend of mine, who read an early draft, helped me realize this was a major theme.

She pointed out how, for one character, getting stranded at Camp Forevermore was the biggest, most important and singular event in her life, and for another, it was part of a pattern, a series of misfortunes that only defines her cumulatively. A central story that opens out in separate legs, like the body of a spider, seemed like the best way to approach that. The five main characters, too, are difficult people, not necessarily likeable people, and I wanted the reader to sit with each one for a sustained period of time, enough time to get accustomed to their way of thinking.

Dina, the youngest of the girls, later tries to be a model-actress-singer, the “generalized famous.” What drew you to writing about this world?

I once heard a speaker refer offhandedly to how easy modeling is, just looking pretty and strutting around, and the onstage conversation moved on as though that was common knowledge. It stuck with me, because any article about or account of working or aspiring models (or even reality TV!) will tell you how brutal and exploitative the industry can be. From the time Dina is very young, people treat her differently because she’s extraordinarily beautiful, leading to specific kinds of mistreatment and disillusionment.

Something similar happens to another character, Nita, whose early intellectual gifts and hyper-ration mind result in her feeling constantly stymied and disappointed by the world around her, especially as a woman. Even positive childhood expectations can weigh heavily on girls as they grow up.

How was the experience of writing this book different from writing your first novel?

Before my first novel came out, I was, in a way, writing just to please myself, writing into the void. On some level, I never really believed anyone would read it. When I first started thinking about writing a second novel, I had all these other voices in my head –-- would it sell, what would critics say, what would people think, what would my mother think, what if I just couldn’t do it again? It was paralyzing.

It took a long time for me to return to writing what spoke to me, to find the joy in the process again, which I think is the only way one can write a first draft. You can worry about other people’s reactions while editing!

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore | asian avenue magazine

25

bookreview

MY RICE BOWL:

Korean Cooking Outside the Lines

Author: Rachel Yang and Jess Thomson

ISBN: 978-1-63217-078-1 Pages: 320 | Publisher: Sasquatch Books Price: $35

From James Beard Best Chef finalist Rachel Yang, My Rice Bowl is a cookbook with 75 recipes based on her deeply comforting Korean fusion cuisine, inspired by culture from around the world.

As co-owner of the popular Seattle restaurants: Joule, Trove, and Revel as well as Portland’s Revelry, chef Rachel Yang delights with her unique Korean fusion --- think noodles, dumplings, pickles, pancakes, and barbecue. In many ways, the book, like Yang’s restaurants is analogous to a rice bowl; underpinning everything is Yang’s childhood in Korea and the food memories it ingrained in her, topped with a mosaic of flavors from across the globe, plus a dash of her culinary alma maters, Per Se and Alain Ducasse.

“I’ve been cooking for ten years,” Yang said during a phone interview, adding it was a culmination of all her recipes.

Yang started her culinary career in a New York, French-cuisine restaurant. She moved to Seattle ten years ago with her husband and owns a total of four restaurants in the Pacific Northwest regions of the U.S. She dabbed into television eight years ago, participating in the Iron Chef competition with her husband, Seif Chirchi (www.foodnetwork.com/videos/garces-vs-yang-chirchi-0136780). But she vowed she doesn’t want to pursue those celebrity shows on Food Network or the Cooking Channel. So, don’t expect an appearance on Beat Bobby Flay or Chopped.

Korean food has skyrocketed in popularity in Colorado, especially neighborhoods in the city of Aurora with a number of Korean restaurants, grocery markets and spas. Denver isn’t the only city in the U.S. Seattle and Portland are seeing changes in their restaurants as more ethnic communities settle in these upcoming metropolitan cities.

Yang confessed she wasn’t ready to sit down and write all her

26

G

R

AC HEL YAN

February 2018 | Book Review

Rachel Yang’s restaurants on social media: @joulerestaurant @troveseattle @revelseattle @revelrypdx

Reviewed by Mary Jeneverre Schultz

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @Jeneverre

recipes but a local publisher approached her with the project.

The process took six months of testing recipes, writing it out and photo shoots. She admitted she fussed with flavors. She did not want to have a “be all” formula for recipes.

“Dishes are always evolving,” Yang said. “And recipes means different things to different people.”

Even with Asian cuisines, she added fusion brings an added layer to innovation.

As confident as she was about creating the dishes, Yang was a little uncertain about hard copy book sales. “I wasn’t sure if consumers would buy the book because so many recipes exist online,” said Yang, who found it surprising that book sales have jumped up.

Not only is Yang making inroads with Korean fusion cuisine, the foodie culture continues to grow, and, with it, opportunities for women chefs to make their mark in a historically, male-dominated industry, according to NPR in 2015.

Recipes include: Spicy Napa Kimchi, Seaweed Noodles with Dungeness Crab and Crème Fraiche, Mrs. Yang’s Spicy Fried Chicken with Peanut Brittle and Upside-Down Fig Mochi Cake.

Yang sums it up in this statement, “It’s food without boundaries, made with ingredients from all over the globe … built from our understandings of how flavor works.”

It’s more than just a cookbook. It’s the chef’s personal statement of her philosophy of cooking, her family setting and her achievements in the culinary world. She writes a lot of herself and it feels like hearing stories from a beloved friend.

Asked about her hobbies, she dismisses it in a nice way and shares all her waking moments outside of running and managing a restaurant is spent with her two boys that are 5 and 7 years old.

She also confides she wouldn’t trade it for anything. While she cautioned fledging cooks and chefs the difficulties of restaurant management. “It’s not easy. The hours are long and it’s going to be hard,” Yang admits. “I’m lucky to do this with my husband and capable partners.”

While she enjoys managing the restaurants, she shared horror stories of building losing power, unhappy, vocal customers and staff walking out of the busiest time of service. Despite those setbacks, she admits satisfaction with her career goals. “I’m happy taking care of day-to-day business. It’s my main priority.”

ADVERTISE WITH US

IN ASIAN AVENUE MAGAZINE

WITH VARIOUS AD SIZES AND FLEXIBLE FREQUENCY

WE CAN WORK WITH YOUR BUDGET. ASK US ABOUT OUR DISCOUNTS FOR NONPROFITS AND FIRST TIME ADVERTISERS! WE ALSO OFFER SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEB BANNER ADS. CONTACT US TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN GROW YOUR BUSINESS!

MARKETING@ASIANAVEMAG.COM | TEL: 303.937.6888

WWW.ASIANAVEMAG.COM

“On Ensemble” Hits the Right Beat

O

Left to right: Gary Yamashita, Executive Director, Sakura Foundation; Eien Hunter-Ishikawa and Abe Lagrimas, Jr., On Ensemble; Courtney Ozaki-Moch, Mirai Generations Leadership Program Alumna; Maz Baba and Shoji Kameda, On Ensemble; and Stacey Shigaya, Program Director, Sakura Foundation.

By Stacey Shigaya

n Ensemble bounded into metro Denver on Jan. 20!

The robust sounds of the Japanese taiko drum blended with influences from jazz, rock and Central Asian overtone singing left the enthusiastic audience mesmerized and energized.

On Ensemble is led by boyhood friends Shoji Kameda and Maz Baba, along with the talents of Eien Hunter-Ishikawa and Abe Lagrimas, Jr. In addition to the amazing beats and unique compositions, the group shared their regional connection via Colorado relatives who settled here after World War II with the welcoming support of then-Gov. Ralph Carr.

Sakura Foundation was pleased to present this critically acclaimed group of musicians who shared their fearless interpretation of taiko music. Many thanks to Shoji, Maz, Eien and Abe for bringing their inspiring musical talents to us! In case you missed the concert, treat yourself by visiting www.onensemble.org and viewing their videos – we dare you to sit still!

Children of Color Summit impacts diverse youth communities in Colorado

M

ore than 600 young people attended the Children of Color Summit in Colorado Springs at Colorado College on Jan. 13. Since 2008, the summit has grown from just a handful of attendees to its large numbers today. The organization, Educating Children of Color, focuses on its mission “to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline for children of color and children in poverty through education.”

“Students expand their horizon by exploring leadership skills, career opportunities, self-empowerment tools, life skills and higher education,” said Regina Walter, one of the main summit organizers.

To illustrate the impact the summit has had on attendees, Ms. Walters explained her personal connection to Brianna Apodaca.

This student attended the summit several years ago. Before the summit, the high school student did not think college was a possibility. After she attended the summit, she applied to Colorado College and is currently a junior this year.

In addition to the sessions, the Summit has awarded more than $156,000 in scholarships and educational gifts. Also, the Summit awarded 160 laptops to youth, who attended this year’s summit.

In 2007, the Minority Over-representation Committee of the Best Practices Court adopted a new approach to address the issue of minority over-representation across the systems. According to the summit’s research, they discovered: • Children and youth of color are more likely to be poor than their white peers • More likely to be involved in the child welfare system • More likely to age out of the foster care system without permanence • Less likely to graduate on time

28

February 2018 | On Scene

By Mary Jeneverre Schultz

Honorable Arthur Burnett, a legend in civil rights history, shared stories of Kennedy, Watergate and Martin Luther King. He was one of the keynote speakers for students.

• More likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system • More likely to be involved in the system of justice The organization’s primary goals are to: encourage all youth to pursue higher education; support teachers to be successful educators; and educate parents on what it takes to be college ready and to hold your child and your child’s school accountable.

Visit www.educatingchildrenofcolor.org to learn more information about this summit, take action, donate or volunteer to this organization.

Mary Jeneverre Schultz was honored to be one of the session presenters to parents and educators about money skills. Follow Mary on Twitter @Jeneverre.

Santo Nino Celebration brings filipino community together at Queen of Peace

L

ast Jan. 17, the Filipino American community of Queen of Peace in Aurora gathered together to celebrate the Santo Nino celebration.

Filipino-American Gloria Williams, community leader, conducted a calling tree to invite others to the gathering. She encouraged everyone to attend the Catholic mass at 4 pm with a buffet of potluck food after the service.

About 250 people from the Catholic community attended this annual event. This weekend coincides with the feast day for Santo NiĂąo de Cebu in the Philippines on Jan. 10. The succeeding Santo NiĂąo de Cebu Fiesta Masses have since been celebrated on the Saturday or Sunday closest to Jan. 10.

Article and photos by Mary Jeneverre Schultz

Cebu, located south of the Philippines, credits the beginnings of Christianity to the discovery of the Santo Nino in a wooden box. Because of its discovery, the pagan island-country converted to this religion. It is estimated 90 percent of the Philippines can claim its Christian beliefs.

This southern Filipino city honors the Infant Jesus with a huge basiilica and monastery, demonstrating the birth of Christianity with this landmark.

A colorful pictorial tells the story of evangelization to visitors, guests and curious historians. Photos below taken in Cebu, Philippines.

Follow Mary Jeneverre Schultz on Instagram @ Jeneverre.

Statues of Santo Nino are displayed in the halls of Queen of Peace.

Murals on top of Magellan Cross tells the story of conversion from Paganism to Christianity.

Community leader Gloria Williams celebrates with the dancers at Queen of Peace in Aurora.

The Magellan Cross stands majestically in Cebu, Philippines.

Mile High Happenings | asian avenue magazine

29

A New year to take care of our health with

exercise

As a pharmacist, I am the drug expert in that I have the knowledge to select drugs that would be best to treat a certain type of illness. Although medications are the answer to treat many diseases, I can tell you that the answer to prevention is in what you eat and how well you take care of yourself.

Many of us have loved ones who suddenly suffer from a heart attack or who have been hospitalized due to sudden onset of an illness. However, many of these cases do not just “suddenly” happen. In fact, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are all examples of illnesses that gradually build up over the years.

And in most cases, there are also components of hereditary links to these illnesses.

The sad news is that these illnesses could have been prevented and we just have not done the work ourselves to prevent them. But the good news is that these illnesses can be prevented or reduced significantly and we CAN do something about it.

Are you ready to do the work? With the new year underway, let’s make it our resolution for the year 2018!

What can you do to take care of your body?

EXERCISE! This method is cheap and anyone can do it. In fact, it can also be fun to gather some friends to speed walk with you or go bike riding with you. It will be good bonding time.

Doctors prescribe exercise to all of their patients because it does help! Medical experts recommend a weekly amount of 150 minutes of moderate exercise to prevent diabetes and to lower cholesterol and blood

30

February 2018 | Health

pressure. Exercise five days a week if possible. For those with a heart condition, it is important to consult with your doctor to ensure an appropriate exercise routine for your heart.

How can you make this happen? One way to do it is just 30 minutes on the treadmill in the morning or in the evening (not too close to bedtime as this can cause you to stay awake.) It all depends on when you have the energy to exercise. For some people at night is not feasible because they are worn out from the day’s work.

Be gentle on your muscles by stretching before and after. Do some light walking for about five minutes before and five minutes after your exercise routine; this is called the warm up and the cool down for your muscles.

The exercise routine should be designed to make your body sweat in order to burn calories.

Trust me, you will feel better emotionally and look younger. Here’s to a healthier and younger you!

If you love your kids, your grandkids or your significant other, please take care of yourself by exercising. I know it can be hard to fit it into your schedule but it is all worth it!

In a future article, I will discuss healthy foods for your body!

Written by: Sandie Bichvan Truong PharmD Email: itisgoodpharmacy@gmail.com

Miracle Touch 30 min Foot Massage $20 30 min Back Massage $20 60 min Foot & Back Massage $30 60 min Combo Massage $35

Our massages soothe aches and relax your body. Restore balance and rejuvenate your energy at an affordable price!

Massage & Reflexology

Open 9am to 9pm

HYL Health-Youth-Life Foot and Body Massage

720.929.2222 www.HYL-MASSAGE.com

3945-B East 120th Ave. • Thornton, CO 80233 • Mission Trace Shopping Center

Tel: 303-359-2622

12203 E. Mississippi Ave. #137 Aurora, CO 80012

$ 5.00 Off

for Deep Tissue Massage with this coupon Expires: 2/28/2018

Open 7 days a week • Appointments/Walk-Ins Welcome