Asian Avenue magazine - January 2014

asian avenue magazine

Connecting Cultures Linking Lives

January 2014 Volume 9 Issue 1

2014

lunar new year

Year of the Horse

Fran

Campbell gives a voice to Colorado’s Asian community

Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Gala raises money for children’s education around the world

restaurant peek Hiro Japanese Buffet

2930 S. Colorado Blvd.

Denver, CO 80222 with drive-thru

5535 Wadsworth Blvd.

Arvada, CO 80002 with drive-thru

www.kokororestaurants.com

Colorado Heights University Harry Budisidharta

Think Smart.

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Offering BA and MBA international business degrees and a bridge English program, Colorado Heights University specializes in providing individualized attention and care to each student. Multiculturalism is 100% with students and faculty originating from roughly sixty countries and speaking over forty languages. Help through the visa application process is provided.

3001 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80126 www.chu.edu admissions@chu.edu 303-937-4225

Commercial Business Banking

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Criminal Cases | Domestic Violence | DUI

(303) 377-3474 2012 Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Recipient Awarded by the Arapahoe County Bar Association & Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Dear Asian Avenue readers,

Happy new year! Thank you for coming to our Red Carpet Affair New Year’s Eve Party at Jing Restaurant. The new year celebrations have just begun, as lunar new year is right around the corner! 2014, the year of the horse, will begin on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014.

On Friday, Jan. 24, Asian Avenue magazine will be hosting our annual lunar new year banquet. Come enjoy a delicious Chinese dinner and a lion dance performance by Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center. Machinez Remainz and Denver Buddhist Cultural Society will also perform a hip hop dance and kung fu demonstration, respectively. This is one of our largest events of the year and allows the Chinese and Vietnamese community in Denver to celebrate their culture and traditions with new friends. See page 20 for more information. In this issue, read about lunar new year traditions. Why wear red? What foods should be at the new year table?

There are many superstitions in Asian cultures that make this a fun time of year.

Congratulations to Fran Campbell, who we highlight in our spotlight feature. This month, she will receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Business Social Responsibility Award to add to her many accolades. Fran has been an active member of Colorado’s Asian and Filipino community for decades. In addition to working at the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Fran has served on the Denver Asian Pacific American Commission for six years - giving a voice to our Asian-American community. We are so lucky to have Fran in Denver!

Another congrats is in order for Sanakee Xiong, 2013-2014 Miss Hmong Colorado. A senior at Horizon High School, Sanakee is already in the process of becoming a community leader. She is involved with numerous school organizations and also a part of the Colorado Asian Pacific Youth Association. As Miss Hmong Colorado, she will have the opportunity to organize programs next year to further strengthen Colorado’s Hmong community as well as spread education about Hmong culture.

Thank you to Stephanie Tanny with Colorado HealthOP for providing information about health insurance options in this issue. Enrolling for a plan and using the health insurance exchange can be a daunting task. Read Stephanie’s article that shares a new model for health insurance that might be what you’re looking for!

Lastly, kudos to Suey Park, a 23-year-old writer and organizer that started the hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick on Twitter to jumpstart a conversation on Asian American feminism. Read Gil Asakawa’s perspective on Suey’s powerful work, using social media to ignite the fire in so many around the world who are ready to speak up.

Happy Year of the Horse!

asian avenue magazine

staff & support

Publisher & Founder: Christina Yutai Guo President: Annie Guo Production Manager: Peter Bui Senior Designer: C.G. Yao Designer: Jonathan Nguyen Staff Writer: Patricia Kaowthumrong Staff Writer: Mary Jeneverre Schultz Staff Writer: Brenda Velasquez Photographer: Trang Luong Intern: Akemi Tsutsui

advisors group

Patty Coutts, Donna LaVigne, Nestor J. Mercado, Sum C. Nguyen, Alok Sarwal, Peter Warren, John Yee, Nai-Li Yee, George N. Yoshida

contributing writers

Gil Asakawa, Son Huynh, Jamie Jennings, Nathan Yip Foundation, Stephanie Tanny, Harrison Tu, Padade M. Vue, M.D., Kong Xee Xiong

contributing photographers

Jim Brecht, Franciz Photography: Peejay Lumba and Laine Lumba, Daniel Huynh

on the cover

Lily Auyeung, Thao Ma, Linda Pham, Tina Li, Chia Shie Lor, and Lana Tran perform a traditional Vietnamese fan dance at the Tet Show at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Photo by: Daniel Huynh

subscriptions

Annie Guo, President Asian Avenue magazine

To subscribe, e-mail marketing@asianavenuemag azine.com. 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 and handling included.

advertising

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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@asianavenuemagazine. com for our media kit and ad rates.

editorial

To submit story ideas, letters to the editor, or listings for the Events Calendar, e-mail to editor@ asianavenuemagazine.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 Fax: 303.750.8488 www.asianavenuemagazine.com

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January 2014 | President’s Note

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

REGISTER ONLINE: www.NathanYipFoundation.org/events Ticket Price: $195 For more information: 303.817.8400 or info@nathanyipfoundation.org

Features 16 Illuminating Hmong culture is the goal of 2014

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On the Cover

Happy Lunar New Year! Enjoy the food and traditional festivities of this time of year.

Contents

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Miss Hmong Colorado Sanakee Xiong

16

Colorado HealthOP provides a new nonprofit health insurance option for Coloradans

Restaurant Peek 21 All-you-can-eat, just can’t be beat! Visit the new sushi

restaurant Hiro Japanese Buffet to eat for yourself

January 2014

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Upcoming Events

21

Spotlight 8 No question, Fran Campbell was born to be a

community leader and activist

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Rising Star 9 Ben Nguyen enjoys his three loves in life: dance,

music and brotherhood at CU Boulder

Inside Stories 10 Aim High Chiropractic provides efficient care for

those injured in car accidents and much more!

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The annual Nathan Yip Foundation Gala presents fascinating performances including a contortionist and multicultural dance team

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Chinese Zodiac Horoscopes

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January 2014 | Table of Contents

On Scene Mile-high area events 22 Fundraiser Saklolo raises money for typhoon victims 23 Korean Government Energy Forum builds bridges

between Korea and Colorado

Student leaders on Auraria Campus recognized at CASL Apprecation Dinner

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Japanese Cultural Bazaar in Colorado Springs is full of culture

Hmong community celebrates Hmong New Year

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Colorado Asian Basketball League finishes season

National News

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#NotYourAsianSidekick hashtag kicks off worldwide conversations about racist and sexist Asian stereotypes

Chinese Idiom

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Leaving Three Sides of the Net Open

LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW HIRING! Apply online by January 12, 2014 www.lakewood.org

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upcoming events Asian Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours

the Philippines as an important contributor to the diversity of Colorado! The FACC has had many friends along the way these past 60 years who have supported our efforts, lent a helping hand and encouraged us as we grew. We recognize that without this mutual cooperation and spirit of “Bayanihan” that the FACC would not have endured. Therefore, we cordially invite to celebrate our Diamond Jubilee - 60 years as one of the oldest Asian American organizations in Colorado!

salad and further entertained by the magnificent Shaolin Hung Mei Traditional Chinese Lion Dancers. Silent and live auctions will round out the evening’s events. Anne Trujillo with KMGH 7News will be the emcee.

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6PM to 7:30PM

Volcano Asian Cuisine 10440 E. Arapahoe Rd. | Centennial Cost: Free RSVP at www.asianchambercommerce.org.

In partnership with the South Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, come enjoy sushi and other delicious snacks with the Asian Chamber of Commerce and fellow business owners. Network and meet new colleagues and Chamber leadership.

Mochitsuki - Rice Cake Pounding Saturday, Jan. 18, 10AM to 12PM

Colorado College Worner Student Center Cascade & Cache La Poudre | Colorado Springs Cost: Free and open to public For more info, visit www.japanamerica.org.

To RSVP, e-mail: pmaruyama@earthlink.net.

Hosted by the Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado, this annual Japanese cultural event celebrates the new year by pounding Japanese mochi. Attendees can also taste the mochi for longevity and prosperity in the New Year. Children are welcome to help pound.

Asian Pacific Development Center Asian New Year Banquet Asian Avenue Lunar New Year Banquet Celebration Friday, Jan. 24, 6PM to 9PM

Kings Land Chinese Seafood 2200 W. Alameda Ave. #44 | Denver Cost: $35 General | $25 Student/Senior For more info or tickets, visit www.asianavenue magazine.com/horse.

You are invited to celebrate the lunar new year with Asian Avenue magazine! Enjoy a 10-course Chinese dinner; dragon and lion dance by Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center; hip hop dance

by Machinez Remainz Crew; kung fu performance

by Denver Buddhist Cultural Society, and much more! There will also be a silent auction and raffle with many goodies to take home for the new year.

Saturday, Feb. 8, 5PM to 9PM

Arvada Center for Arts & Humanities 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. | Arvada Cost: $70 For more info or tickets, call Jinny Kim at 303-923-2923 or visit www.apdc.org.

Join Asian Pacific Development Center in celebrating the year of the wood horse! This is APDC’s 17th annual Asian new year banquet. This year there will be Asian hor d’oeuvres, dinner and dessert. The evening will be emceed by news reporter Chris Jose, KDVR.

OCA Lunar New Year Dinner Saturday, Feb. 8, 5PM to 9PM

Empress Chinese Restaurant 2825 W. Alameda Ave. | Denver Cost: $40 | Corporate Table $800 For more info or tickets, call Benny Cheng at 303-888-0777 or Tom Ging at 303-278-0304.

Filipino-American Community of Colorado 60th Diamond Anniversary Gala Saturday, Jan. 18, 6PM to 12AM

Holiday Inn/ Denver - Cherry Creek 455 S. Colorado Blvd. | Denver Cost: Adult $60 | Children (12 & under) $25 Corporate Table Sponsorship $700 For more info or to buy tickets, visit www.coloradofilipinos.org.

Today, the Filipino-American Community of Colorado has been acknowledged by the Asian Pacific American community, local and state officials, national affiliations and by the government of

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January 2014 | Upcoming Events

Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Gala

Saturday, Feb. 1, 5PM to 10PM

Denver Marriott Tech Center 4900 S. Syracuse St. | Denver Cost: $195 For more info or tickets, call 303-817-8400 or visit www.nathanyipfoundation.org/events.

The Nathan Yip Foundation will celebrate its 12th annual Chinese New Year Gala with performances by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and a mind-bending 10-year-old contortionist, young Mongolian This, once-a-year gala, held to raise money for the work of the Nathan Yip Foundation, will provide guests a Chinese New Year fare, including the “good luck” salmon

OCA Colorado will be celebrating the lunar new year with a 10-course Chinese dinner and a night of entertainment! The menu includes peking duck, steamed whole bass, sauteed lobster, walnut shrimp, fillet mignon and much more! Join OCA Colorado for a fun evening!

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Fran Campbell spends three decades serving

Colorado’s communities: Asian, Filipino-American, refugees and adoptive families and more!

Patricia Kaowthumrong Asian Avenue magazine

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Fran Campbell didn’t decide to join the Filipino-American community, she was born into it. The Denver native has been a volunteer, advisor and leader in the Denver APIA community for nearly 30 years.

“My parents have been members of the Filipino-American Colorado Community (FACC) since before I was born, so it’s always been part of my life,” Campbell says. “The FACC is my home—and my school. The skills that I use in all my volunteer positions I learned at the FACC: leadership, public speaking and volunteerism.

Campbell is senior clinical support at Jefferson Center for Mental Health and serves on the Cultural Competency Task force as APIA Community Liaison. She has served as commissioner on the Denver Asian Pacific American Commission for the past six years.

“I am ecstatically proud and privileged to serve on this commission,” said Campbell, who was appointed to the position by former Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver City Council. “It has been such a great opportunity to work with my fellow commissioners in building the APIA ‘voice’ in Denver – to really be a bridge connecting city services with the APIA community and to advocate for the issues that affect us all.”

Although Campbell’s term on the Denver Asian Pacific American Commission has expired, she was recently appointed to the Denver Immigrant & Refugee Commission by Mayor Hancock and the Denver City Council.

“My fellow commissioners are from Asia, Africa and Latin America and they all are so dedicated to enriching the immigrant and refugee experience,” Campbell says. “I can’t express

how invigorating it is to be at the table with them!”

Campbell also has volunteered for the Filipino Heritage Camp for 15 years and serves on the Cultural Advisory Board of Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families (HCAF). Campbell and her daughter Taryn facilitate a program at 10 Heritage Camps called “This is Me,” which brings together middle school and high school adoptees with members of the cultural community in a lively discussion of ethnic pride and challenges.

“My experience with HCAF was a natural progression for me and has been completely rewarding,” she says. “I have two adopted brothers and this is a way to honor their experience. Plus, I’m able to help others explore their ethnic identity, and my whole family is with me, and we’re in the mountains!”

It’s definitely not difficult to pick up on Campbell’s passion for Colorado’s Asian-American community.

“Every time I drive home from a Commission meeting I’m smiling, and every time I pack my car in the summer to get ready for Heritage Camp I’m smiling, or every time I share a joke or a meal with my FACC family, of course I’m smiling… That’s what inspires me,” she says.

“All these amazing people who have touched my life and make it fun, stimulating and meaningful! I’m also inspired by all these wonderful APIA youth and young adults!”

Other roles Campbell has served in the community include member of the Governor’s Asian Advisory Council, member of the Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations Advisory Board, ex-offico for FACC, and men-

tor for the CDBF Emerging Leaders Program.

She was also recently elected FACC first vice president, a position she will serve for the next two years.

In 2011, Campbell was awarded the Denver Foundation Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award. This month, she will receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Business Social Responsibility Award.

Youth Partnership for Health Presentation by Fran Campbell and Taryn Campbell

Denver Asian Pacific American Commission and Mayor Hancock

Heritage Camp for Adoptive Families Cultural Advisory Board

January 2014 | Spotlight

It has been such a great opportunity to work with my fellow commissioners in building the APIA ‘voice’ in Denver – to really be a bridge connecting city services with the APIA community and to advocate for the issues that affect us all.

Her accomplishments may seem endless, but Campbell says her greatest pride is without a doubt her daughter Taryn and her son Griffin.

“I invest everything I do and am in being their mother, and it’s their accomplishments as young adults that I’m most proud of,” Campbell says.

In her free time, Campbell enjoys hiking with her dog, Gus, and having delicious dinners with friends. She also likes playing Xbox (a little too much), and going to the Colorado Symphony Orchestra—all activities (besides Xbox) she pursues with her best friend and husband, Greg.

Aim High Chiropractic provides the best in health care for auto injuries and more!

Ever since Dr. Conrad C. Bui opened Aim High Chiropractic in 1995, the office has helped thousands feel better and improve their quality of life. The staff loves the feeling of helping someone regain their health.

For the staff, that is the best part of working at Aim High Chiropractic.

Dr. Bui saw the tremendous benefits of chiropractic when his mom was involved in a car accident back in the 80′s. She soon developed headaches and dizziness. It eventually became so severe that she had to quit her job. She went to many doctors to seek relief. The only thing that helped her was chiropractic care.

At that time, Dr. Bui was in the pre-med program at the University of Colorado and quickly switched over to become a chiropractor after seeing his mom’s great results. Dr. Bui claims this is the “best decision I ever made!”

Dr. Bui believes in treating patients like family, and that’s why Aim High Chiropractic wants you to feel at home from the moment you walk through the doors. Their doctors and staff are polite, respectful and caring.

From Aim High Chiropractic: “We are the best in delivering effective and efficient care. We love to see auto injury patients because of Dr. Bui’s experience with his mom. So often patients just do prescription drugs that cannot fix the problem.

Chiropractic works on realigning the spine and therefore gets to root of the problem when it comes to car accident injuries. Of course, we also help with a myriad of conditions below.”

Services at Aim High Chiropractic Chiropractic Care, Nutrition, Acupuncture, Medical Massage, Rehab and Physical Therapy which includes Exercise, Electrotherapy and Ultrasound. Although we specialize in treating Car Accident Injuries, we can help with a wide variety of conditions like Ankle Sprains, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Back Pain, Failed Back Surgery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chest Pain, Degenerative Arthritis, Disc Herniation, Fibromyalgia, Foot Pain, Fractures, Frozen Shoulders, Headaches, Hip Pain, Knee Pain, Leg Pain, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Numbness, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Pinched Nerves, Pregnancy pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rotator Cuff Tears, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Shin Splits, Stress Related Problems, Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow, TMJ Pain, Vertigo/Dizziness and Whiplash

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Reasons to Choose Aim High Chiropractic Why make an appointment with us now versus going to another chiropractor?

We have 11 reasons to be exact: 1) Appointments offered six days a week (morning, noon, afternoon and evenings).

2) Do you work? Do you have a family or hobbies? We understand your life does not (and should not) revolve around a doctor’s appointment. This is why we are open six days a week to make it easy for you. We offer appoint-

January 2014 | Inside Story

ments in the morning, noon, afternoons and evenings to fit into your busy life!

3) Who enjoys waiting? We certainly do not. That’s why we pride ourselves in having little to no wait times. Most patients are taken care of within five minutes. Try to get that at any other doctor’s office!

4) We handle insurance paperwork. Car insurance? Group insurance? We eat this stuff for lunch. Don’t let the maze of insurance paperwork scare you. Come in, hand the information over, take a sigh of relief and let us take care of it all.

5) Very Affordable Payment Plans. No insurance? No problem. Our office has affordable payment plans that will work into any budget.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to live a happy, pain free life regardless of insurance.

6) Complimentary Spinal Checks for your family and friends. Does someone else in your life want to feel great? All our patients receive certificates to allow their family to be checked at no charge. We love to get you well and we love to help your love ones as well.

7) Massage roller table usage - Come in anytime between adjustments and use our massage tables.This free service is available to all our patients. Pamper yourself with a roller-table massage and watch your stress melt away... ahhh. Where else can you get a massage for free anytime you need it?

8) No cost translation for Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese patients. We love to help our community and provide caring translators to non English speaking patients FREE of charge.

9) Health workshops offered bi-monthly. Some patients want more than pain relief. They want to receive the latest cutting edge information on natural health. Topics include weight loss, stress management, wellness, exercise and natural pain reduction. We do this because we care and we want our patients to be healthy.

10) Rehab, Massage, Nutrition and Acupuncture available. This is your virtual buffet for natural health care. Not only do we offer quality and effective chiropractic care, our office specializes in all natural modalities. Want a massage? Feeling the need for Eastern healing? Want to clean up your diet and shed pounds? We are here to help you with the latest in natural healing.

11) On site radiology lab. Some patients may need x-rays to further diagnose their conditions. If you are one of them, you are in luck!

No more waiting around the ER or radiology office to get your x-rays.

We do it in house quickly so you don’t have to make an extra trip.

Hear From a Patient “For many years, I have had trouble with my back and had to reduce my activities. I started care at this office about 2 years ago and my backs the best it has been in over 20 years! In fact, it has felt so good that I started riding and racing motorcycles at the age of 52.

Last year, I rode 10-15 hours a week and I take my share of falls.

However, with chiropractic care at 3-4 times a month, I have been able to ride and race nearly pain-free. Because I felt so good, I have been able to practice a lot resulting in a 3rd place last week against 28 other competitors!”

- Richard D. Denver, CO

Get Seen Today!

Call our office at 303-922-2977. If we have an open slot, we will see you today! No more waiting weeks to see a specialist. Office locations: • 50 S. Federal Blvd. Denver, CO 80219 • 1350 Chambers Rd. #104 Aurora, CO 80011 • 2532 Sheridan Blvd. Lakewood, CO 80214 Our offices thrive on referrals. We must satisfy our patients to become a referral-based practice. Come in and try us out, you will be happy you did. Visit www.DenversChiropractic.com for more information.

NATHAN YIP FOUNDATION 12th ANNUAL CHINESE NEW YEAR GALA will be a mind-bending experience

Entertainment includes: Cleo Parker Dance Ensemble and 10-Year-Old Mongolian Contortionist Prodigy NOT TO BE MISSED

12th Annual Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Gala - YEAR OF THE HORSE

Saturday, February 1, 2014, 5 p.m.

Denver Marriott Tech Center 4900 S. Syracuse Street Denver, CO 80237

Lion Dancers, Silent and Live Auctions, Dinner Emcee: Anne Trujillo, KMGH 7News Entertainment: “Celebration of Children,” featuring: • Mind-bending ten-year-old contortionist Sandy Battulga accompanied by her sister Uyanga, playing violin • Cleo Parker Robinson’s talented multicultural Dance Ensemble Tickets: $195 More info: 303-817-8400 www.nathanyipfoundation.org/events

On Saturday, February 1, The Nathan Yip Foundation will celebrate its 12th annual Chinese New Year Gala with performances by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and a mind-bending 10-year-old contortionist, young Mongolian protegy, Undraa Battulga.

This, once-a-year gala, held to raise money for the work of the Nathan Yip Foundation, will be held at the Marriott Denver Tech Center, 4900 South Syracuse Street. Beginning at 5 p.m., guests will be treated to Chinese New Year fare, including the “good luck” salmon salad and further entertained by the magnificent Shaolin Hung Mei Traditional Chinese Lion Dancers. Silent and live auctions will round out the evening’s events.

Honorary chairs for the 2014 gala are Denver community leaders, Diana and Paul Dockor. Event chairs are Paul Mesard and Margaret Berzins. Anne Trujillo, anchor for Denver 7News, will be master of ceremonies. It will be Trujillo’s 12th year as the M.C. of this event.

This year’s “Red Envelope” raffle will benefit Denver Tech For All, a local Denver organization founded by an extra-ordinary woman, Rose Keating, that works to give every family the means to become skilled and competent in computer use.

About the Nathan Yip Foundation Denver residents Jimmy and Linda Yip founded the Nathan Yip Foundation in 2002, after they tragically lost their only child, Nathan, in an automobile accident. Nathan, 19 years old, was a freshman at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.

Since Nathan’s death, the Yips have built a Foundation in his name to provide educational access, empowerment and ongoing support to vulnerable youth throughout the world, giving them the tools to become productive, contributing citizens within their communities. Today, Nathan’s legacy lives on through the many projects funded by the Foundation in his name.

Since inception, the Nathan Yip Foundation has provided support for children in Colorado and around the world. From the mountainous villages of China, to rural Mexico and Africa, to its home state of Colorado, the Nathan Yip Foundation has been making a difference in the lives of children. In China, the Foundation built, funds, and continuously supports seven schools, two orphanages and recently built a dormitory and cafeteria. The Foundation also built a dormitory in Loreto, Baja Mexico, and supports an orphanage in Juarez, Mexico, as well as other educational projects throughout Africa including a Nathan Yip classroom at the Kibera School for Girls, the first free school for girls in Africa’s largest slum. The Foundation is committed to donating 100% of the funds raised to their projects.

In Colorado, the foundation has provided support for Project Pave, Denver Center for International Studies, Colorado Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families,Asian Pacific Development Center, Summer Scholars, Escuela de Guadalupe,Colorado Uplift’s My Book Foundation and Colorado Book Trust.

Inside Story | asian avenue magazine

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Ready to celebrate the Lunar New Year with cultural traditions The year of the horse, 2014, will begin on January 31, 2014. This day is lunar new year, which marks the start of the new lunar cycle and is called the Spring Festival in China. The lunar new year is not only celebrated in China, but many countries across the world, as well as Chinatowns throughout the United States. In Denver, many cultural shows, lion dances and banquet dinners invite the public to join in on the celebration.

How is Lunar New Year celebrated?

Chinese New Year is the most important and longest of all Chinese festivals. Traditional activities include: • Making offerings to household deities.

• Wearing new clothes, particularly in red.

• Hosting a large banquet for family and friends. Often, the evening preceding New Year’s Day is an occasion for families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.

• Taking part in lion and dragon dances, as well as festive parades featuring acrobatic demonstrations, beating gongs, and clashing cymbals.

• Giving “lucky money” to children in red envelopes.

• Opening household doors to let good luck enter on Chinese New Year.

• Cleaning the house before New Year’s Day. All cleaning supplies are put away on New Year’s Eve because cleaning on New Year’s Day could sweep away all good fortunes.

• Chinese New Year may also include a lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade.

Celebrated around the world Chinese New Year is a public holiday in China, which lasts for 15 days. The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year, also known as the Lantern Festival day.

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January 2014 | Cover Story

It is also a public holiday in countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. In Vietnamese culture, Lunar New Year (Tết) also marks the arrival of spring. Tết can be divided into three periods, representing the preparation before Tết, the eve of Tết, and the days of and following Tết with customs performed for each period.

Seol-nal, also known as Korean New Year, lasts three days.

Losar, the Tibetan New Year, lasts for two weeks, and the main celebration is three days, celebrated in both Nepal and India.

Lunar new year is not a public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States. However, some businesses may close early and some streets may be closed for a short while to allow for festival parades to take place.

The Story of the Chinese Zodiac Chinese New Year, which is the first day of the first month, in the Chinese calendar is assigned to an animal. According to one belief, Buddha promised gifts to all animals that would pay him homage. Only 12 animals came to honor Buddha so, to favor these 12 animals, each one was given one of the 12 years of the Chinese zodiac. People born during one of the animal’s years are said to inherit distinctive characteristics of that animal. The signs repeat every 12 years. See what animal you are and read your 2014 zodiac horoscope on the following page.

Symbols Chinese New Year has various symbols and traditions. For example, flowers are an important part of New Year decorations. Two flowers that are often associated with Chinese New Year are the plum blossom (courage and hope) and the water narcissus (good luck and fortune).

Writings that refer to good luck are often seen in homes and business environments. They are usually written by brush on a diamond-

Photos by Daniel Huynh

shaped piece of red paper. Windows and doors are also decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “good fortune” or “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity.”

Red envelopes with money symbolize happiness, good luck, success and good fortune. The color red is also used on these envelopes to ward off evil spirits. These envelopes are mainly given as presents to children.

Red is a big color for the Lunar New Year; it represents joy and happiness, while black and white represent mourning and sadness.

What about orange? Well, the fruit. While everyone knows oranges are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, they can also be the key to good fortune. Exchanging and eating oranges during the Lunar New Year is a common custom, as they symbolize wealth, health and prosperity.

Eating food that looks like money during New Year’s celebrations is considered good luck, such as dumplings (jiaozi). During New Year celebrations, jiaozi are called yuanbao, a reference to the ancient, ingot-shaped Chinese currency. Eating them is said to bring prosperity. While making them, families sometimes tuck good-luck foods like peanuts (to bring long life) into some of them.

Another representation of long life are noodles. Eating long noodles during the new year represent longevity.

Dishes are often paired with pork because pigs are considered forward-moving animals. Eating pork can help you move forward.

Eating whole fish may also bring abundance in the new year, since the Chinese word for fish sounds like abundance. But it is important that the fish is served with the head and tail intact, to ensure a good start and finish, and to avoid bad luck throughout the year.

Pay respects A big aspect of the Lunar New Year is to honor ancestors, who are essentially the foundation of one’s existence. Families tend to gather at the home of elders. Offerings are made and incense are burned for ancestors who have passed away.

During Tết, Vietnamese families visit their passed relatives at cemeteries and temples. They clean the tombs to provide a deceased family member with continuous happiness and well-being in the afterlife. It is a way of continuing to show respect toward them, and it reinforces the unity of family and lineage.

In the Korean culture, children perform a traditional bow to their elders, wishing them great prosperity in the upcoming year.

Ward away evil and bad luck Dragon and lion dancing was traditionally used to chase away bad spirits and bring good luck to communities. Dragon and lion dancing are believed to bring peace, good prosperity, good luck, health and happiness to all. The dragon, lion, turtle, phoenix, and carp are the five lucky animals in Asian culture.

The Thai New Year or “Songkran” is celebrated April 13-15; people throw water on one another to wash away bad luck and cleanse Buddha statues and images. The celebration is much like a threeday water fight, where the cleansing customs are considered fun and games in many areas. Cleansing rituals are actually performed all over the world; masses of people gather to plunge into bodies of water to wash away the bad luck of the previous year.

Firecrackers, which were first developed by the Chinese, are rumored to have first been lit to ward off evil spirits, who despise loud noises. Plastic firecrackers are sold for the Lunar New Year to hang around the home for the same purpose.

Whether you choose to sweep away your bad luck or change your wardrobe to only red attire, remember that most importantly, the new year is an opportunity to start anew.

How to Maximize the Lunar New Year in Denver 1. Chinese restaurants, especially those located on Federal Blvd., will not accept reservations. It will be first come, first served during the lunar new year weekend. Be prepared to wait a long time for customer and food service. It is not a time to eat and run, but to enjoy the special 2. Community centers, Chinese organizations, and Chinese language schools will provide day-long and weekend celebrations throughout the metro area. There will be lion dance performances free for the general public.

3. Check out student organizations on college campuses. Asian/ Asian-American organizations will showcase dances and cultural events for Lunar New Year. CU Boulder and CU Denver have announced their annual Tết show will be on February 15.

Asian Avenue magazine wishes you a happy new year with good luck, great health and wonderful prosperity! We invite you to join us to celebrate on Friday, Jan. 24 at Kings Land Chinese Seafood in Denver for our annual banquet dinner. See page 20 for more information or visit www.asianavenuemagazine.com/horse.

Lunar New Year | asian avenue magazine

13

2014 Chinese Zodiac - T

What’s your Chinese zodiac animal? There are 12 animals that represent the rotating 12-

Horse

1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

This is your year, 2014, and lots of good is hidden in this year.

Keep your stamina up if you’re going after a long-desired goal.

Career: Learn how to hone in on what you really want, and then draw up a practical plan about the steps it will take to get there. While you should definitely follow your passion, you need to have a path and a plan already in mind.

Money: Take daily action toward increasing your wealth, knowing that you can trust your intuition.

Love: It’s a good idea to stay put in your love life this year. One day you might feel like you’re wildly in love, and the next you’re ready to jump ship. Don’t act until you’re sure.

Health: You’ll have energy to spare this year if you follow all the sensible protocols: eat your vegetables, take your vitamins and sleep in more often. This way, you can sidestep colds, flus and respiratory problems. Even tough Horses need to go to the doctor now and then.

Goat/Sheep

1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003

The Year of the Horse creates great luck in all sectors of your life. Here’s the trick to making the most out of this time: let your hair down. Be more adventurous than normal.

Career: You’re creative, you’re innovative and you’re a leader (really). So ramp things up at work! Go after a promotion. Demand that raise. Even better, get out there and start your own company.

Money: You’re rolling in the dough this year. Even if you don’t win the lottery, just being financially stable does wonders for your self-esteem and sense of security. You should finally have enough disposable income to upgrade your wardrobe, buy a new car or move into a nicer place.

Love: Let things happen naturally. The more flexible and open your attitude is, the better.

Health: As always, listen to your intuition. You already know when it’s time to rest, play or move. tables, take your vitamins and sleep in more often.

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Us and

Ca hav the ach Mo be and Lo is a He spi

Snake

1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013

There’ll be opportunities. There’ll be challenges. Learn how to tell one from the other. You’re good at reading people and situations, and this year is when you want to put those skills to work.

Career: You’re the type that tends to take the safe route. But now is the time to learn the true meaning of ‘going after what you want’. Know this: you’re capable, you’re worthy and you can do it. Don’t over-analyze. Trust your instincts.

Money: I’s more about making practical advances and being smart with your cash, not going big or risking your life savings in some wild investment.

Love: In your romantic life, there have probably been people who didn’t quite understand how to truly connect with you. This year, it’s good to lighten up just a tad. Focus on friendship, fun and the practical matters of love rather than trying to forge a soul-shaking connection.

Health: Be sensible and smart. Do what you can to stay in tip-top shape.

Dragon

1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012

You and the Year of the Horse make beautiful music together. Get out there and make your dreams happen. Yes, it’s okay to take some risks.

Keep your eyes and ears open. Opportunities could come in bunches.

Career: At work, buckle down in order to prove to the bosses that you’re ready to make a big move. You might feel pulled in several different directions, but the best course of action is the one that will allow you to follow your bliss.

Money: Look for opportunities to partner up in business ventures with people who are just as passionate as you are. But be careful not to get swept away. A wrong move could cost a lot.

Love: Passion may be your middle name, but you may not have met your match, until now.

But there might be a few bumps along the way. Get ready to commit or quit.

Health: Slowing down can be a good thing, but you may not be willing to heed that advice. In fact, you might just thrive in this fast-paced atmosphere.

Rabbit

1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011

Overall, you come out ahead this year, especially if you learn how to operate outside of your comfort zone. The trick is to know yourself and stick to your own pace.

Career: Sometimes it’s good to bite off more than you can chew. Yes, this means lots of things will be out of your control, but you might want to take that risk, if only to see what could happen.

Money: Step up and lead the team. Break tradition. And try not to care so much about cash flow. If you follow your passion, the money will be there. If you run low, you’ll make more. Making money is all about harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit this year.

Love: Loosen up those rigid and strict rules about love and you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more Remember that romance is great, but a true, lasting partnership is always built on friendship.

Health: Be careful in the first few months of the year to avoid burnout. This year requires stamina. Be proactive about making sure you’re eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep.

14

January 2014 | Cover Story

The Year of 2014 is the Year of the Horse, which begins on January 31, 2014 Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs. In Chinese culture, the H the Horse 2014 promises a lot of new things, not least of all adventure, exci to energize all the positive attributes of the Horse Year is to display beautifu strongly and those which evoke positive energies and emotions

Tiger

1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

After two years filled with obstacles, your time to shine has come! This is the perfect time to implement changes for the better. This year is all about adventure and evolution.

Career: Your career is on fire this year. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re nearly unstoppable. You can tackle lots of projects and not lose focus. The sky is the limit, and so is your imagination.

Money: Money comes rushing into your life this year . The source of this flow is most likely coming from a simple but potent talent you possess: the ability to make things happen. Spend a little, save a lot and use the rest to fund your next big idea.

Love: If you’re itching to take the next step in your life as a couple, all signs point to yes.

This year, love is filled with excitement. So don’t shy away from your inner pizzazz. Own it.

Health: Staying fit is at the top of your priority list. Tackle health goals with a new gusto this year.

Finding ways to integrate exercise into your daily routine keeps you mentally and physically sharp.

con Mo Ran Lo able He star

- The Year of the Horse

ting 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. The 2014 new year will begin on January 31.

have ce. r. ove.

Monkey

Rooster/Chicken

Use this year to learn more about yourself and your behavior and how you can help create change for the better.

A positive, yet realistic outlook is the key to making the most of this year. You’ll have some good opportunities and some challenging situations.

1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004

Career: Keep and improve upon the momentum you already have by learning to deal with setbacks. In fact, don’t view them as setbacks, see them as lessons that prepare you for achieving even bigger goals.

Money: You have a knack for making money, and your hands will be full this year. Horse energy supports your entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving ability, but you may need help making financial decisions.

Love: Be upfront about expectations, both yours and the other person’s. And while self-reliance is a good trait, if you really want love, try letting someone into your life. It’s the only way.

Health: Your health is a priority this year. Avoid burnout and exhaustion at all costs. In the true spirit of the Year of the Horse, stay active.

say ot

his he dea. s. it. year. harp.

Career: It’s true that work may not be wildly fulfilling this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make significant progress. Take some risks, when the timing is right.

Money: Keep a closer watch on your finances, especially since this year’s energy tends to encourage careless spending and lowered inhibitions.

Love: While things can be easygoing when it comes to love, they can also get rocky if you aren’t careful about your perfectionist tendencies. Lighten up a little and your partner will see just how wonderful your stable and safe presence can be.

Health: This is not the year to take unnecessary chances with your health. Stick with the basics.

Dog

1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

You’ve hit the jackpot with 12 out of 12 favorable months! There’ll be opportunities every month. Expect good stuff to happen. Above all, be open to possibilities.

Career: The sky’s the limit, and nowhere is this more true than in your career. Whatever you set your mind to you can achieve.

Money: Luck is on your side when it comes to big financial goals. It really is time to trust your intuition when it comes to property, business ventures, career moves and loaning or borrowing money.

Love: You’ll probably find that the loyalty and love you’ve been looking for in a partner has been right under your nose all along.

Health: Test your physical boundaries by picking up a new sport or hobby. But make sure that you’re taking good care of yourself, dealing with stressappropriately and getting enough sleep.

Pig

1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

This year is definitely an improvement over last. So let yourself have fun and enjoy any excitement that comes your way.

ry 31, 2014, and ends on February 18, 2015. The Horse is the seventh sign of the lture, the Horse is a symbol of nobility, class, speed and perseverance. The Year of nture, excitement and romance for those who are looking. One of the best ways ay beautiful horse images in the home. Pick those which resonate with you most d emotions in you, and invite the excellent energies into your home.

his all

1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005

Career: You’re down-to-earth, agreeable and hard-working. This year, you can reach unexpected pinnacles of fortune and success, so start having bigger dreams.

Money: The Year of the Horse invites you to push beyond the boundaries of what you thought was possible, so think better and act bigger. And along the way, be smart about your money. You’re already good at that.

Love: It’s time to breathe a big sigh of relief and lower your dukes. Any conflict you experienced in your love life should be at an end. While things may not be perfect, you’re in a much better place.

Being a little more outgoing and spending more time playing helps you feel relaxed and approachable.

Health: Pick yourself up and dust yourself off from last year. Right now is a time of cleansing, recalibrating your energy and refining your health habits until they’re squeaky-clean.

Ox/Cow

Rat

This year is a great time to think ‘slow and steady.’ In general, sidestep risks in favor of strategic decisionmaking. Move ahead when good opportunities present themselves, but cautiously.

Rats are independent and like to do things their way. Usually, that gets you what you want. The Year of the Horse asks you to be more flexible and adapt your style to changing circumstances.

1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Career: Embrace the opportunity to merge your true passions with your work. Developing a sense of poise and confidence is also key to your success this year. If you want something, speak up and ask for it.

Money: Financially, you can shine, especially if you make smart, well-calculated moves.

Random, unexpected expenses could require you to shell out some cash.

Love: One thing about this year: romance won’t be boring! A little turbulence can be fun if you’re able to let go and realize that being flexible in love might actually make you a happier person.

Health: Don’t take your well-being for granted! Think about adopting better eating habits at the start of the year. There’s never been a better time.

1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

Career: This is the year to take a few well-calculated risks rather than acting on impulse. Stay in the planning phase and think about long-term strategy. The good news is that your ideas will almost certainly be brilliant.

Money: Let go of the money-ego thing and learn to live in the moment. Money can’t buy happiness, so be sure to take that lesson to heart.

Love: This year emphasizes change and the thrill of the chase, but you tend to do better in solid partnerships. That means there may be moments when you really aren’t sure what you want.

Health: Drink more water. Eat clean, healthy foods. It sounds simple, but small tweaks to your daily behavior will go a long way. You’ll have to find the balance between work, play and rest.

Chinese Zodiac | asian avenue magazine

15

Sanakee Xiong crowned Miss Hmong Colorado

By Annie Guo | Asian Avenue magazine

Being Miss Hmong Colorado means much more than holding a title, it represents an opportunity to spread education about the Hmong culture.

That is what Sanakee Xiong, the 2013-2014 Miss Hmong Colorado believes.

“To me, it is a way to help those who really need it. Being Miss Hmong Colorado, is another way of making sure our culture continues to thrive and never gets left behind.”

Xiong, a senior at Horizon High School, was crowned on December 1 at the annual Colorado Hmong New Year Celebration at the Adams County Fairground in Brighton, Colo. The youngest participant in this year’s Miss Hmong Colorado Pageant, she competed against five other Hmong women as each shared a talent, answered questions on-stage in both the Hmong and English language, and dressed in formal attire and traditional Hmong attire.

The women were judged on their ability to represent the Hmong community and organize activities that would spread education about Hmong culture.

For her talent, Xiong played the hulusi also known as the gourd flute. She first heard the instrument at the age of 12 when her aunt played it for her uncle when they were getting married. “I fell in love with it instantly,” she said. “I’ve been playing the hulusi at the Hmong New Year and other events since I was 12.”

Her talent, poise on stage, and leadership stood out to the judges as she scored the highest all around. This was a great accomplishment for Xiong, since she grew up being very shy.

“In elementary school I was the shyest and quietest child you would ever meet. I never answered questions in class and when it came to recess I played hopscotch with one or two friends.”

But this changed in middle school, when Xiong began participating in leadership camps and student council which boosted her confidence.

She said, “I never thought I could speak in front of large crowds comfortably but now there’s no where else I’d rather be.”

In high school, she joined clubs such as Choir, Community Service Club, LINK Crew, Leadership, and Colorado Asian Pacific Youth Association.

“I feel like with all of this, I’ve developed into a strong leader, though of

course I will always need improvement. I hope to gather everything I’ve learned from my experiences in order to help as many people as I can as Miss Hmong Colorado.”

Xiong comes from a large family with so many cousins that some she has yet to meet. Both of her parents are from small villages in Laos and came to America when they were very young.

“After having me, my parents had my sister and two brothers so I learned to take responsibility at an early age,” she said. “Learning this skill helped me a lot in school when I took on many after school clubs, academics, and even created Horizon High School’s Green and Clean Environmental Club. I love to help out in my community, and I tend to go to extremes to meet my goals.”

She feels her family is an intangible value that is so close to her heart.

While the Hmong people have a small community in Colorado, Xiong believes the Hmong people provide each other so much support.

“What I really love about my culture is that even when times are rough, we all pull together to make sure no one gets left behind. It’s a great feeling to see this in my very own culture.”

To Xiong, the best part of participating in the Hmong Colorado Pageant was the sisterhood formed between all of the candidates. “Lucy Lee, Bethany Xiong, Pahoua Thao, Ashley Vue, and Amanda Cha were so wonderful to be with.”

Being the youngest, the other contestants were like big sisters Xiong has never had. “From our late night dance practices to getting our nails done, these ladies have taught me what true friendship is. Even after this competition, we still talk and hang out on a regular basis. They honestly are some of the best friends I could have ever asked for.”

As Xiong prepares to organize programs for next year, she looks forward to meeting new people and listening to recommendations from the community. “I’m very friendly and open to conversation, so I’d love to make new friends and hear suggestions! There is a lot of work ahead of me so I hope others will join me on my journey.”

What I really love about my culture is that even when times are rough, we all pull together to make sure no one gets left behind.

16

January 2014 | Feature

2011-2013

Miss Hmong Colorado bids farewell

Mai Choua Lee took the stage at the Colorado Hmong New Year Celebration on December 1 to reflect on her two years as Miss Hmong Colorado and give her farewell.

She shares, “What was most rewarding about being the first Miss Hmong Colorado was that I was able to help the Hmong community in ways I never thought I could.”

“When I was first crowned in 2011, the only thing I could think of to help the Hmong community was to host a fundraising event, but in the end, I ended doing so much more such as putting together a Hmong Idol competition, putting together a Hmong classroom to teach the Hmong youth how to read and write in Hmong, along with learning about the Hmong culture as well.”

Lee also assisted the 2013-2014 New Year Committee in organizing the Singing and Dance Competition for this year’s New Year Celebration.

While the Miss Hmong Colorado title is for one year, Lee served two years since a pageant was not hosted in 2012. From her two-year experience, she has learned that being Miss Hmong Colorado

is not an easy task. She said there were days that she wanted to give up, but then she would remember all of the people who supported and believed in her.

“The feeling of wanting to do your best overcomes that feeling of giving up.”

She shares, in the words of Harvey Mackay, “No one said it’d be easy, they just promised it’d be worth it.” And for Lee, in the end, all of the hard work was worth it.

With the crowning of Sanakee Xiong, the new Miss Hmong Colorado, Lee looks forward to seeing how Xiong will bring together the Hmong community.

Lee will serve as a guide and mentor for Xiong in the new year. “Because the Miss Hmong Colorado Pageant is still so new to the Colorado Hmong community, I plan to still be a part of the committee and help out in any way that I am needed.”

She hopes that Xiong will not only grow the Hmong community, but also grow herself.

“For me, my Hmong language was not great at the time I was crowned, but throughout the years volunteering and assisting the Hmong community, my Hmong language has gotten better.”

Lee hopes to help Xiong with this area because “communication is key, especially with the elders.” She also plans to encourage more members of the Hmong community to get involved and participate in more events.

Lee is a Business and Communications student at the University of Colorado Denver and anticipates to graduate Spring 2015.

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 Miss Hmong Colorado Pageant | asian avenue magazine

17

Colorado HealthOP: New Nonprofit Health Insurance Option for Coloradans Stephanie Tanny Community Outreach, Colorado HealthOP

Most Americans will be required by law to have health insurance in 2014. In Colorado, health insurance shoppers have a new option for their health insurance coverage: Colorado HealthOP, Colorado’s first statewide nonprofit health insurance cooperative (CO-OP).

A New Model for Health Insurance With a board of directors and executive team that have more than 330 years of combined healthcare experience, Colorado HealthOP knows what it takes to build a new alternative to traditional health insurance— one that is focused on people, not profits.

As a CO-OP, Colorado HealthOP is a health insurance company that gives its members a stronger voice in their healthcare. Members sit on and vote for the board of directors — influencing everything from what benefits are covered to how profits are reinvested.

The organization also strives to decrease healthcare costs for its members by paying for quality medical care as efficiently as possible and rewarding members for healthy behaviors — because healthier members mean lower healthcare costs for everyone.

The CO-OP model has been successfully used in other industries — including food, grain and electricity — and has the potential to improve the delivery of health care and provide more affordable coverage options for certain hard to reach populations such

as independent workers, sole proprietorships, individuals living in rural or migrant communities, undocumented immigrants and others.*

Educating Coloradans About Healthcare Since the Asian American community has the highest proportion of foreign-born individuals among all racial groups, many in our community have “mixed status” households where one or more members have an immigration status that differs from other members of the family. This can complicate the enrollment process.* Colorado HealthOP is educating the community on these issues at events and presentations across the state to ensure members have the coverage that works for them. To get involved or request a Colorado HealthOP speaker at your event, contact Outreach@ COHealthOP.org.

Colorado HealthOP also aims to improve the health of all Coloradans by offering a free pharmacy discount card (on right) that can be used at pharmacies nationwide.

Learn More Coloradans can purchase a Colorado HealthOP plan through Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance marketplace (www.connectforhealthco.org), at 855-697-1652, or through a statewide network of insurance brokers.

To learn more about Colorado HealthOP’s coverage options, call 855-697-1652 or visit www.COHealthOP.org.

Health Care Coverage by Ethnicity

18

January 2014 | Feature

Pharmacy discount cards are available for download at: www.cohealthop.org/our-plans-prescription-card

Stephanie Tanny (pictured below) is a Community Outreach Organizer for Colorado HealthOP. Contact Stephanie at Outreach@ COHealthOP.org.

[

]

Most Americans will be required by law to have health insurance in 2014

How the Affordable Care Act Helps Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) • •

• •

By 2016, 2.0 million AAPIs who would otherwise be uninsured will gain or be eligible for coverage.* Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance marketplace (www.connectforhealthco.com), allows you to more easily compare and shop and for health insurance, which is required for most people starting in 2014. (Note: Connect for Health Colorado is independent from Healthcare.gov, the national health insurance marketplace used by other states.)

Tax credits are available to help pay for health insurance. About 10% of AAPIs are likely to benefit from these tax credits*, which are only available in Colorado when you purchase a plan on Connect for Health Colorado.

Assistance sites (such as the Asian Pacific Development Center, Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice, and Denver Human Services) are available in various languages to help navigate the insurance options. Colorado HealthOP also has language assistance available for those interested in our plans.

• • • • •

•

The small business marketplace and new small business tax credits will provide relief for more than 1.5 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander-owned businesses in the U.S.* Visit www.connectforhealthco.com to learn more.

Medicaid has been expanded to 133% of the poverty level, which will help nearly 1 in 10 Asian American adults (1 in 5 Bangladeshis; 1 in 6 Hmong).* Young adults are now eligible to remain covered under their parents’ health plan until age 26, which helps 97,000 young AAPI adults who were previously uninsured.* Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, including asthma, diabetes or hypertension, which affect 3 in 10 Asian Americans.* Free preventative care has been expanded, which helps 2.7 million AAPIs with private insurance.* 867,000 AAPI beneficiaries in Medicare have access to a stronger Medicare program.*

*Condensed and reprinted with permission from the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). Additional written permission is required for any other reproduction or future use of this material. Please contact: Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, 450 Sutter Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94618 or atitong@apiahf.org.

Colorado HealthOP | asian avenue magazine

19

LUNAR NEW YEAR DINNER

Peter Bui Asian Avenue magazine

Hiro Japanese Buffet

2797 South Parker Road | Aurora, CO 80014 Tel: 303-873-9999 Mon - Fri: 11:00am - 3:00pm | 4:30pm - 9:30pm Sat - Sun: 11:30am - 9:30pm

For many Americans, childhood memories of eating out usually include all-you-can-eat buffets.

When you think about it, it’s a no brainer. Why not enjoy large selections of dishes for all different kinds of palates? The prices are also relatively inexpensive, especially for kids, which offers the best bang for your buck. Plus, if you have a good buffet, like Hiro Japanese Buffet, that also offers a large variety of fresh sushi, what a steal.

Opened in early December of 2013, Hiro has been drawing in families and the hungry alike with their reasonable all-you-can-eat prices and their great food. With more than 13 years of restaurant experience, the owner has put together a kitchen of 12 chefs that cook around the clock to keep up with the appetites and the constantly changing menu.

The Aurora restaurant offers a large selection of Asian dishes that vary in cuisines and origins.

Some of the more notable options are the flavorful Salt and Pepper Shrimp and the tender Chinese Barbecue Spare Ribs.

Hiro provides patrons with many seafood options like oysters on the half shell and chilled crab legs. For hot served seafood, they offer cajun-style crawfish, fried calamari and baked muscles, to name a few.

The real star of the buffet is the sushi, of course.

During dinner service, four sushi chefs are on hand to keep up with hungry patrons. The chefs provide a constant flow of nigiri such as salmon, tuna, and octopus. They are also busy making Caterpillar Rolls, Philadelphia Rolls, Spider Rolls and other well-known rolls. The Special House Roll is made with salmon, cream cheese, avocado, crabmeat and topped with mayo.

Hiro can hold up to 200 patrons and can accommodate private parties. Not only are there more than a hundred dishes to choose from, the sushi buffet makes the restaurant even more appealing. But perhaps the most appealing of all, is Hiro’s prices: only $13.99 for dinners and $8.99 for lunches. And of course, even better deals for children.

all-you-can-eat buffet Dine In and Take Out

Lunch Buffet $8.99

Mon - Fri: 11:00am - 3:00pm Kids 3-10 70¢ per year | Children under 3 Free

www.hirojapanesebuffet.com

Dinner Buffet $13.99

Mon - Thur: 4:30pm - 9:30pm Kids 3-10 95¢ per year | Children under 3 Free

Friday & Saturday Dinner $14.99 3:30pm - 9:30pm

Sunday & Holidays All Day $14.99 11:30am - 9:30pm

Carry Out Buffet

Regular $4.99/lb | Seafood $7.99/lb Sushi 50¢/each | Seafood $1.00/each Restaurant Peek | asian avenue magazine

21

The Filipino communities in Colorado band together in Saklolo

Mary Jeneverre Schultz Asian Avenue magazine

Saklolo, a collaboration of several Colorado-based organizations, raised about $20,000 in ticket sales last Dec. 15 to assist survivors and their families from the recent typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, in Tacloban, Philippines and the surrounding areas.

The fundraiser was organized a month after Typhoon Haiyan struck the island nation with the strength of a Category 5 hurricane.

To date, the storm has killed 5,240 people, injured 25,615 others and displaced about 752,279 families across 44 provinces.

“The event would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of the entire Denver Community, Asian Pacific American Community Leaders and awesome work of the Disaster Relief Committees, led by chair organizers: Donna LaVigne, Edith Pasion and Dennis Apuan,” said Aurelia Jinstead, one of the main committee leaders and organizers of this fundraiser.

Attendees paid $25 a ticket that included food and entertainment throughout the evening. Food was

prepared by several food carts and Filipino chefs, who include Kathy Gietl, owner of A Taste of the Philippines food cart, Orange Crush food cart, private chefs and caterers Leah Eveleigh and wife and husband team of Michael and Judy Waxelman.

In addition to ticket sales, a silent auction raised about $4,000. Items from the silent auction included donations from ski resorts, facials, massages, theater and dinner tickets. Two rounds of silent auction were organized throughout the evening event.

Interested in helping the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, the American Red Cross has set up special fundraising page on their website.

If you could not join the December event, the organizers are hosting another on Jan. 31, 2014 at the Wings of the Rockies at the event called Breweries & Foodies. Visit the website: sites/google.com/site/naffaa5 for more information.

For more updates on the aftermath, follow Mary Jeneverre Schultz on her twitter feed @Jeneverre. All her family and friends are safe.

“Foodies and Breweries”

Photos by Franciz Photography, Peejay Lumba and Laine Lumba

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January 2014 | On Scene

A Colorado gathering of Beer and Food Enthusiasts Friday, January 31, 2014 Wings Over the Rockies, 7711 E. Academy Blvd. #1, Denver, CO 80230.

Ticket: $45 (early bird or online), $50 at the door Donations will go directly to the victims of the Haiyan/Yolanda typhoon through the nonprofit, non-governmental organization (NGO): Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) - www.pdrf.org

Korean Government Energy Forum builds bridges between Korea and Colorado

Consul General Han (right) at the reception following the forum, with organizer Eun Moredock (left).

Colorado entrepreneurs, scientists and government officials working in clean energy had the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and network with each other and with counterparts from the Republic of Korea in the first-ever Korean Government Clean Energy Forum held on Dec. 5 at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver.

The event, which drew almost 100 participants, was sponsored by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea at San Francisco. Consul General Dongman Han and staff members attended from San Francisco, and Han gave the keynote address to kick off the event.

The forum, which featured a series of panels and speakers, was organized by an organizing committee headed by committee chair Eun Moredock and co-chair Gwangho Lee of the Consulate at San Francisco, as well as James McGibney, the Honorary Con-

sul of the Republic of Korea in Denver.

The range of panelists and presenters included Colorado State Senator Gail Schwartz; Dr. Fort Felker, Director of Wind Program, NREL, U.S. Department of Energy; Christopher Votoupal, Deputy Director, Colorado Cleantech Industries Assoc.; Jaeyong Lee, Sr. Discipline Program Manger, Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation/ Planning; David Hiller, Executive Director of Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory; Stephen Davis, Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada and Jerry Tinianow, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Denver.

Attendees agreed the event was a successful first step to building bridges for business and research cooperation between Colorado and Korea, and participants are already looking forward to next year’s Korean Government Clean Energy Forum.

Studies Club, Hawaii Club of Auraria, Indian Student Association, Intercultural Club of Beijing, Korea Club of Auraria (newly formed this year), South Asian Student Association, and Vietnamese Student Association.

“There is a need for CASL because CU Denver has large populations of Asian American students and has one of the largest number of Asian cultural organizations campus,” said Bueno.

Next semester, the student clubs will be planning cultural, educational and social events in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month. However, at CU Denver students will celebrate Asian American Heritage month throughout the whole semester. Here is a sneak peek at the upcoming events for CASL members and the Asian American Student Services Office sponsored events.

CASL meetings will be every second Thursday of the month starting in February.

• March 6 and 7 - Corky Lee, the renown

Asian-American photographer will give a presentation, gallery showing and reception of at the Anschutz Medical Campus Library.

• April 1, 2014 - Diversity Professional Development Networking Event is a collaboration among CU Denver, MSU and business and professional organizations in Denver.

• April 19, 2014 - Hawaii Club of Auraria Luau will prseent their annual luau.

• April 19, 2014 - Hmong Culture Night will be hosted by the Hmong Student Association of Colorado.

• April 25, 2014 - Lee Mun Wah, the renown Chinese-American film director and master diversity trainer, will facilitate a discussion called “An Unfinished Conversation” and show his film, “If These Walls Could Talk”.

Bueno concludes that “the Asian American Student Services Office is pleased at the momentum of our student club organizations in showcasing the diversity of the Asian culture on campus.”

Council for Asian Student Leaders recognizes student involvement At the University of Colorado Denver, the Council for Asian Student Leaders (CASL) was established as as an organization to help the Asian-American cultural club leaders get together and develop a sense community.

“We are striving to make CASL a leadership development program to help our Asian American students gain professional development skills, as well as connect with community and campus leaders and role models,” said Soyon Bueno, Program Director of Asian American Student Services at University of Colorado Denver.

On Dec. 12, CASL gave 25 students awards for their active participation in the past semester. CASL serves as vehicle for student leaders to get together once a month to connect with each other, share successes and challenges of being a leader or a student and also gain professional development skills. Currently, eight Asian/Asian American cultural clubs are involved in CASL: Asian Student Alliance, Ethnic

Mile-High Area Events | asian avenue magazine

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Colorado Hmong New Year brings together community in food, music and dance

Nyob zoo xyoo tshiab! Happy New Year!

The Hmong Colorado community celebrated their New Year (noj peb caug) November 29-December 1, 2013 at the Adams County Fairgrounds. This is an annual tradition dating back to the 1980’s in Colorado and an even older tradition in Laos.

Historically, Hmong New Year is based on the lunar calendar and is a time to welcome the New Year, celebrate the fall harvest, and encourage courtship through ball tossing for the younger generation who wear their finest clothes and jewelry.

Though ball tossing has become less common as a form of courtship, many people still dress up in Hmong clothes and jewelry. The

celebration does last several days allowing people to attend the event to see the new fashion in Hmong American clothes, entertainment (movies, karaoke DVDs, music), and of course, see friends and family members.

This year, the Hmong New Year Committee headed by chairman Mr. Kou Chang, introduced a sports tournament featuring kato, top spin, and volleyball as well as the 2nd Annual Miss Hmong Colorado Pageant and singing and dance contest in addition to the performances by traditional Hmong dancers, singers and skit by the Hmong Student Association of Colorado.

The keynote speaker was Professor Cher Teng Yang, who along with Dr. WatPhat Lee,

Japanese Cultural Festival and Bazaar in Colorado Springs is full of culture Jamie Jennings Japan America Society of Southern Colorado

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The Japan America Society of Southern Colorado’s annual Japanese cultural festival and bazaar was a great success. It was held on Oct. 26, 2013 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. This year’s bazaar featured Japanese food, entertainment, and items.

One of the popular new foods at the bazaar was shave ice, featuring special toppings, including blue Hawaii, strawberry, and azuki (sweet red beans).

The azuki was especially popular because it is a traditional Japanese flavor. The entertainment at the bazaar was an excellent opportunity for people to understand Japanese culture and music.

At first there was beautiful music from January 2014 | On Scene

the shakuhachi, koto, and the shamisen.

Then there was a demonstration from a professional sushi expert Carl Rosa, who came all the way from Texas in order to give a presentation on Japanese culture and how to make excellent sushi.

Finally, were the two outstanding demonstrations from the Kashiwa Bujinkan Ninjutsu Dojo and the Denver Taiko. Many items were sold at the Japanese cultural festival this year.

The bonsai trees attracted a lot of attention because they are very rare in the United States.

The Kimono were also popular. A woman even bought one for her wedding dress.

The members of JASSC were very proud to bring traditional Japanese culture to Colorado Springs and hope to continue doing so for many years to come.

Photos by Jim Brecht

By Padade M. Vue, M.D. and Kong Xee Xiong, Hmong American Association of Colorado President

also honored Colorado Hmong students that attained graduate degrees. In attendance were city officials from Westminster (Mayor Herb Atchison, Bob Briggs, Emma Pinter, and Faith Winter). Other participants included: dancers from the Polynesian, Filipino, and Thai communities.

This event usually draws out most of the Hmong community in Colorado and is one that is anticipated each year. As with each New Year, we wish everyone good health, happiness, and wealth until we can celebrate again next year around Thanksgiving. The event is open to the public, and tickets are available at the door. We invite you to join us next year.

Various items, such as jewelry, could be found on the bazaar sales floor.

Paul Maruyama, President of JASSC, with Bea Brecht playing koto in the background

Colorado Asian Basketball League finishes fall season Son Huynh Colorado Asian Basketball

1st Place: A-Unit

2nd Place: Swat Team

And another season is in the books! The Colorado Asian Basketball 2013 Fall League was the beginning of a new era, return of familiar faces, and a repeat champion. Under the new leadership of Commissioner Sang Huynh, the league kicked off on Oct. 26. With new management in place, the league brought back familiar competition making for a star-studded league and restoring the league to the level of competition in previous years. The league was a 7-game regular season.

A-Unit and Swat Team set the tone for the league getting off to 4-0 starts, leading to a showdown in week five for first place overall.

In an absolute classic battle we had a seesaw affair that went to Triple Overtime with AUnit pulling out a 43-41 victory.

The season concluded on Dec. 21 with the final four teams battling for the title on one day.

In game #1, A-Unit against Team Dime, there was a back and forth battle with A-Unit pulling it out 39-35. In game #2, Swat Team vs. MoneyMakers, Swat Team pulled away in the second half lead by a 14-4 run to begin the second half and never looked back winning 57-40.

This set up a rematch of the 2013 Spring League finals. The first half was tightly contested with A-Unit leading 29-25 at the half.

The second half began with both teams trading bucket for bucket in the first five minutes. Then A-Unit pulled away putting together a 42 point second half to take home their second consecutive CAB championship, winning 71-46.

The Spring 2014 season will kick-off Saturday, Feb. 15. Teams that register prior to Feb. 1 will receive the early bird discount. Please contact coloradoasianbasketball@gmail.com for more information.

Miracle Touch

Aurora Partnership hosts holiday gathering Aurora Asian/Pacific Community Partnership’s annual Holiday Tea & Dinner was held on Dec. 10 at Jai Ho Indian Kitchen in Aurora.

Maria Cheng, a founder of Theatre Esprit Asia, performed a scene from “Spirit & Sworded Treks” and Khadijah, an international artist of Middle-Eastern dance, performed belly dancing. In addition, attendees enjoyed an Indian buffet dinner and exchanged gifts of tea and cookies.

Warm winter items were also collected to be donated to refugees living in Aurora. The Partnership serves as a bridge between the city and its Asian population.

Maria Cheng performs a one-woman piece, “Spirit and Sworded Treks,” at the Partnership dinner.

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GOP Honoring the Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act

I

n a video House Republicans released, six lawmakers—Reps. Lynn Jenkins, Jeff Denham, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Renee Ellmers, Cynthia Lummis and Frank Wolf—honored the 70th anniversary of the repeal of the nation’s first immigration law to single out for exclusion a single ethnic or racial group.

“Today we honor and recognize the hard work and perseverance of the ChineseAmerican community across the nation…as we continue to build on our shared goal of an America that is rich in opportunity and freedom,” lawmakers say in the video.

To Republicans, Asian Americans are an especially attractive but elusive voting bloc.

They’re not only the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, some segments are comparatively wealthier than other racial groups in the U.S. and are seen as fiscally and socially conservative. But it hasn’t translated into votes. In the 2012 election, 77 percent of Asian-American voters voted for Barack Obama, and support for the Democratic president swung upwards of 95 percent for some segments of the population.

The video GOP released can be counted as the most recent in a line of Republicans’ overtures to Asian-American voters.

Relief from deportation more important than path to citizenship for many immigrants

W

ith immigration legislation stalled in Congress, Hispanics and AsianAmericans say getting relief from deportations is more important for many of the 11 million immigrants here illegally than creating a pathway to U.S. citizenship, a new study finds.

Two polls released by the Pew Research Center expose a potential conflict for two minority groups that voted overwhelmingly last year for President Barack Obama, a Democrat. Obama is under pressure from immigration supporters to use his executive power to stop deportations.

Strong majorities of both Hispanics and Asian-Americans continue to back a pathway

Nielsen study says Asian American households spend 19% more than U.S.

to citizenship, 89 percent and 72 percent, respectively. Still, by 55 percent to 35 percent, Hispanics said being able to live and work in the U.S. legally without the threat of deportation was more important. Among AsianAmericans, the ratio was 49 to 44 percent.

Wong Fu Productions Financial Literacy Video Surpasses One Million Views

Chinese ExclusionEra laws still on the books in Florida

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0 years ago this month President Franklin Roosevelt ended sixty years of codified racial oppression when he signed a bill repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act. Now, Asian-Americans in Florida are asking state lawmakers to do the same by nixing a constitutional provision banning Asians from owning property in the Sunshine State.

More than thirty states, including Florida, followed the federal government’s lead in 1882 by passing laws and amendments that excluded Asian-Americans from the full rights of citizenship. Every state repealed those unconstitutional provisions except for Florida, whose statute barring Asian citizens from owning property remains on the books.

Soma Sundaram, Chairman of the Asian Coalition of Tallahassee, called the law a racist relic that should be reversed.

The provision bans ‘aliens’ from owning property. At the time the term was a code word for Asian-American. Groups like Sundaram’s tried to get the law repealed by voter referendum in 2000 and again in 2008 but the effort was defeated both times because voters interpreted the term “alien” to mean “illegal immigrant”.

January 2014 | National News

youtu.be/XGkdUEHa7sI

A study conducted by Nielsen on the consumption habits showed that Asian American households outspend US households by about 19%. The study involved those who come from various ethnic backgrounds, including Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Indian.

The study also revealed that they are the top demographic as far as online shopping goes. According to the study, 77% of AsianAmericans bought something online in the past year while only 61% of Americans made online purchases. At least $2,500 was spent by12% of Asian Americans each year on Internet shopping, an amount which is nearly twice that was spent by the general population in the US. By 2017, Asian Americans are expected to surpass $1 trillion in consumer buying power, “showing their influence and reach and the need for marketers to continue to offer culturally relevant materials,” said Betty Lo, vice president of public affairs for Nielsen, which conducted the survey.

T

he video, titled “Save the Date”, was developed as a tool to raise awareness of financial literacy for Asian American college students. It is sponsored by Wells Fargo the social media video for Asian American and Pacific Islander students to reaches an important milestone.

Fact Sheet: The State of Asian American Women in the U.S.

Asian American women are a growing and influential constituency in the United States. Their share of the female population will grow from 5.14 percent in 2012 to 7.8 percent in 2050. Asian American women are making strides in education, participation, health, and other areas, but there is a long way to go to fully close racial and ethnic disparities. See the fact sheet at: www.americanprogress.org.

#NotYourAsianSidekick kicks off worldwide

conversations about racist & sexist Asian stereotypes Gil Asakawa See full article at www.nikkeiview.com

Suey Park (@suey_park) is the 23-year-old freelance writer behind the hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick, which became a trending topic on Twitter with thousands of Asian American women and others from around the world joining the conversation on Asian American feminism.

I’ve watched in awe and appreciation for the past month as a Twitter hashtag created by writer and activist Suey Park, “#NotYourAsianSidekick, has achieved the impressive feat of trending on the social network, sparking a global discussion about Asian stereotypes, Asian American identity and especially, the challenges faced by Asian American women.

Park first used the hashtag on Sunday, December 15 to promote a Twitter conversation the next day about how feminism had minimized and marginalized Asian American women. “Be warned,” the tweet announced.

“Tomorrow morning we will be have a convo about Asian American Feminism with hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick. Spread the word!!!!!!!”

The conversation couldn’t wait ’til the next morning. It began right away, and led to a torrent of posts from Asian American women who aired their frustration and anger, inspiring others to add their voices to the chorus.

Writer Kai Ma summed up on Time.com, “#NotYourAsianSidekick Is Great. Now Can We Get Some Real Social Change?” how the hashtag caught the cultural zeitgeist: Led by Park, who tweeted, “#NotYourAsianSidekick because I’d rather base build with fellow Asian Americans than rely on allies, who have a history of being absent,” thousands of feminists similarly gave an online middle finger to those that reject them, namely patriarchal Asian-American spaces and white feminists. What pierced through the tweets was a broad slam around the silence from non-Asian feminists around our causes.

These discussions are the latest evolution of the search for identity that sparked the call for Asian American studies in universities in the 1960s and ‘70s, that launched the first wave of Asian American publications in the 1980s, and

Suey Park - Follow her Twitter at @suey_park

then a wave of blogs in the last decade. Now social media is the way the current generation of young Asian Americans communicates and builds communities, albeit virtual ones.

In a thoughtful analysis on his Wall Street Journal blog, Jeff Yang gives props to Park and notes that the conversations that the hashtag has sparked aren’t new; the issues have been around since the concept of an “Asian America” was identified. He cites a crabby tweet from pioneering Asian American attorney and activist Mari Matsuda: We theorized #NotYourAsianSidekick ideas since the 70s but kids gotta learn it from a damn hashtag. Still no Asian Am Studies at most U’s.

Park responded to Matsuda in a tweet, “@ mari_matsuda Only because you and so many have taught us” and then followed up with “PS, I’m a big fan and hope we don’t disappoint you,” to which Matsuda replied: @suey_park you won’t disappoint. It’s good work. Same struggle, same fight. Glad to see young sisters claim cyberspace with wit and courage.

It’s a nice sharing of the torch from one generation to another.

In his WSJ blog, Yang hopes the hashtag will lead to a revival of interest in establishing Asian American studies in academia. I think that would be great, but I also hope that Park’s offline efforts will lead to Asian Americans (women and men) who aren’t going to college to be able to articulate their experiences and feelings and rage too.

Park is smart and savvy and has consciously gone about creating this particular community, though she probably didn’t think it would catch on this quickly and deeply. I don’t think she’s just interested in preserving this stuff in universities. She seems to be loving how the conversation is drawing in everyone, including teenagers, and Asians around the world.

Park hit the jackpot after carefully choosing the words and tone — even the number of syllables and whether the final consonant should be hard or soft — of #NotYourAsianSidekick.

The hashtag is a very conscious construction.

The phrase is broad enough to cover a lot of topics, and isn’t obvious agitprop. She explained in an interview for the Washington Post: Well, I think the hashtag is interesting because it doesn’t say Asian American feminism in it. I had the intention of building a base and what feminism is without putting a label on it. I think for a lot of women who don’t feel like they can really come out as feminist, #NotYourAsianSidekick is a way to come into that conversation.

I also wanted it to be accessible to young girls. I didn’t want a generation of high school girls to go through what I went through. You’re

allowed to fight back. And you are allowed to play the violin or not to play the violin. There is no model for what an Asian American is.

Park is an unexpected super-hero for Asian American women — and for Asian American men, because frankly, the hashtag is broad enough to also stir discussion and self-empowerment among both sexes.

She’s in the middle of an extended and intense 15 minutes of fame. She knows the mainstream media are callow and will move on to the next bright shiny distraction, but she’s making the most of the maelstrom she’s unleashed, and she’s manipulating the media to great effect, building her brand so that she can use the afterglow of all the attention to build her base of followers and continue the convo.

To help build that base, Park and her team of like-minded provocateurs, now have a partner, 18 Million Rising, an Asian American Pacific Islander activist organization. 18MR now manages Park’s massive email load, and has launched a website that’s building a database of community members who sign up to support #NotYourAsianSidekick (everyone who registers gets a sticker). The organization’s a great fit for Park and her mission.

Although Park still lives in Colorado, she’s moving on to Chicago to build on the momentum of her hashtag to convert the online trend and the virtual community into a real-world social movement with 18MR’s help. In fact, she wants to turn the movement into a revolution.

Turn the talk into action. The late jazz musician Gil Scott Heron once recorded a wonderful track, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”

Little did he know, that he was right.

This revolution won’t be televised. It’s gonna be tweeted. And it’ll be cool.

National News | asian avenue magazine

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Leaving Three Sides of the Net Open

網開三面

Meaning allowing a way out

In bygone times, Shang Tang, ruler of the state of Shang, went to the open country one day and saw a man trying to catch birds with a four-sided net. The bird-catcher was praying, “May birds that are flying down from the sky and flying up from the ground all come into my net.”

When Shang Tang saw it, he said to the bird-catcher, “Your method is too cruel. You’ll kill all the birds.” He ordered the man to remove three sides of the net.

He prayed, “Birds! If you want to fly to the left, fly to the left.

If you want to fly to the right, fly the right, if you really don’t want to live, come into my net.”

When the tribe leaders heard about this, they all said that Shang Tang was a benevolent king. More than forty of them came over and pledged allegiance. Leading the tribes, Shang Tang eventually overthrew the Xia Dynasty and became the first king of the Shang Dynasty.

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