Asian Avenue magazine - June 2014 by Asian Avenue magazine

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Dear Asian Avenue readers, As we end Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we look forward to an exciting summer of events, including the Cherry Blossom Festival and Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, two of our community’s largest weekend events. Congratulations again to the 2014 Asian American Heroes of Colorado who were recognized for their leadership and service on May 24 at the annual awards ceremony. Last month, I had the opportunity to meet with the candidates for Colorado’s Congressional District 6, Mike Coffman and Andrew Romanoff, to interview them in this issue. Both candidates shared how they would provide support and resources to the Asian community. In this election year, now is the time to register to vote and have your voice heard! Please read more in our cover story about how Asian American Pacific Islanders can influence the election results. Our legal column also explains how redestricting occurs, as it did for Congressional District 6 in 2012, and how the term gerrymandering was created. Read this month’s spotlight section on three chefs with varying backgrounds that have made their way to Denver. We welcome them as they grow in the mile-high food scene. Our rising star, Jeff Mariano, shares his experiences as a active Filipino-American student at the University of Denver. We have many event recaps in our On Scene section, including the annual pilgrimage to Amache in Southern Colorado and the 20th anniversary of the Yamagata-Boulder Friendship Exchange. We congratulate Erin Yoshimura for being awarded the prestigious Livingston Fellowship. Erin is the Executive Director of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival and is the first Asian Pacific American chosen for this advanced leadership program. Our restaurant peeks feature two Asian fusion locales, John Holly’s Asian Bistro and Zume Asian Cuisine. Both have previous locations and are veterans in Colorado’s Asian food industry. We provide recommendations on the best dishes to try at either restaurant! Thank you for your continued support of the Asian Avenue magazine over the years. Our next issue will celebrate the eighth anniversary of our publication, that began in July 2006. We would not be here without you and we are eternally grateful! Have a great start to summer! Happy reading, Annie Guo, President Asian Avenue magazine

asian avenue magazine

staff & support

Publisher & Founder: Christina Yutai Guo President: Annie Guo 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: Monica Lin Intern: Akemi Tsutsui Intern: Mai Choua Lee

advisors group

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

contributing writers

Frankie Anderson, Harry Budisidharta, Aurelia Grinstead, Sang Huynh, Paula McClain, Jessica Moy, Suegie Park, Marge Taniwaki, Harrison Tu, Adam You, Peggy Yujiri

contributing photographers Gil Asakawa, Bernard Grant

on the cover

In the 2014 election year, Asian Americans can swing the results in Colorado. Register to vote! See the cover story for interviews with congressional candidates. Photo of Danny Nguyen

subscriptions

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.

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editorial

To submit story ideas, letters to the editor or event calendar listings, e-mail 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 Asian Avenue magazine is in association with the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network.

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June 2014 | President’s Note

Harry Budisidharta

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Find Inside >> Table of Contents

6 7

Event Calendar

Rising Star Jeffrey Mariano breaks the silence of racial injustice

Spotlight Three chefs: three different paths

Inside Story Mending Faces return from mission to the Philippines

Denver Chinese Source supports local Chinese community

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Book Review Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan shows his literary greatness through his recent book, Sandalwood Death

June 2014 | Table of Contents

18 20

Cover Story: Election Year Asian American vote can swing 2014 election results

On Scene

Colorado Dragon Boat Festival’s Erin Yoshimura awarded Livingston Fellowship

NAAAP event: Leveraging Yourself and Building Others

Asian Roundtable annual celebration

Feature: Asian American Heroes of Colorado Awards Sixth annual celebration at Empress

Beyond the Bamboo Ceiling

Travel Home sweet home in the Philippines

Rocky Mountain Korean Lions Club 25th Anniversary Scholarship Awards Ceremony

Restaurant Peek: John Holly’s Asian Bistro

USTA Colorado Celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month at DIA

Legal Column: Redestricting Colorado’s 6th Congressional District redistricted in 2012

Restaurant Peek: Zume Asian Cuisine

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USTA Colorado Celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month at DIA

National News Chinese Idiom

For more information call 720-873-6243 or visit our website today at: www.ColoEggDonor.com William Schoolcraft, MD • Eric Surrey, MD • Debra Minjarez, MD Robert Gustofson, MD • Jennifer Brown, MD

upcoming events Snowmass Mammoth Fest Weekend of June 13-15

Snowmass Town Park Snowmass Village, CO 81654 For festival info or to purchase tickets, call 877-987-6487 or visit www.snowmassmammothfest.com. The Colorado summer festival season kicks off in Snowmass Village at this year’s Snowmass Mammoth Fest. Snowmass Mammoth Fest is proud to announce that Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and Leftover Salmon, will headline the event this summer. Additional musical artists include Xavier Rudd, Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang, The Motet, Nathaniel Rateliff, Bonerama, Houndmouth, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Wheeler Brothers, The London Souls, Miner, and local DJs Berkel Beats, and Echo Da Funk.

An Evening with NYT Bestselling Author Lisa See

and children’s activites. All proceeds support the Tibetan education fund.

Friday, June 27, 7pm - 8:30pm

James H. LaRue Library 9292 Ridgeline Blvd | Highlands Ranch Register at www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org or call 303-791-7323. Award-winning author Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of On Gold Mountain, Dreams of Joy, Shanghai Girls, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. Appearance made possible by Random House Publishing Group. She will talk about her new novel China Dolls. Set in San Francisco’s Chop Suey Circuit before WWII, three very different women meet by chance and become friends.

The Bodhi Festival

Saturday, June 28, 11am - 3pm Orgyen Khamdroling Dharma Center 3300 Josephine Street | Denver Cost: $5

Come and celebrate Buddhist traditions from around the world. Enjoy the Japanese folk dances, taiko drumming, kyudo demonstration

Cherry Blossom Festival

Saturday, June 28 - Sunday, June 29

Lawrence Street between 19th and 20th streets Downtown Denver Cost: Free admission For complete schedule and other details, visit www.cherryblossomdenver.org. Join this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival of Denver. Experience the Japanese taiko drumming, food, dancing and other Asian marketplace with art and crafts. The main stage located at the Lawrence and 20th Street side of the Festival. Events also take place inside of the Tri State Denver Buddhist Temple (DBT) building.

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June 2014 | Event Calendar

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Rising Star Jeffrey Mariano

breaks the silence of racial injustice

Brenda Velasquez Asian Avenue magazine

midst its vibrant diversity, American culture presents racial minorities with a stressful dilemma concerning identity. Caught between their heritage and their American environment, minorities learn to walk a tight rope balancing each identity expression. Arriving in the U.S. at the age of four, 21-year old Jeffrey Mariano shares some of the sobering ways this dilemma has influenced his personal life, experiences that have propelled him to explore his cultural identity and spark conversations for others to share their own stories. “As a first-generation Filipino-American, I was under a lot of pressure to ‘reach the American dream’ or ‘become more American’ because it would help me ‘succeed in life.’ Because of that pressure, my decision to attend a predominantly white institution was instantaneous. It seemed like the right decision.” Mariano soon followed his school selection with the decision to join a traditional as opposed to multicultural fraternity, hoping to give his social status a boost and facilitate his integration into white culture. Although he’s since forged profound relationships with his brothers, Mariano recalls his bumpy beginnings in the predominantly white fraternity. “There were jokes made about me being from Hawaii, my shortness, the color of my skin, etc. I definitely had to find different ways to relate to them and make a name for myself in the fraternity. I was once called the token Hawaiian and that I represented diversity. Since that comment, I’ve made a conscious effort to expose my brothers to diverse groups of people in order to expand their worldview.” These seemingly innocent jokes otherwise termed ‘microaggressions’ contribute to the covert institution of racism that Mariano and other U.S. minorities struggle against every

day. Mariano describes his initial survival strategy for cushioning the frequent blows to his Asian heritage. “I began pushing away my cultural identity and laughing at the jokes. My Otherness became a punchline I had to deal with constantly. I hid behind laughter and perceived my silence as a form of strength; ‘I will not let them break me’, I thought.” During a memorable study abroad trip in Australia where he worked as an intern for Action Aid, an organization fighting poverty and social injustice, Mariano took time to sit back and contemplate his experiences. “Everything changed. Self-reflection became part of my daily routine. It made me question what was I doing with my life and why was I so unhappy. These questions came easily; the answer, on the other hand, did not.” It wasn’t until his senior year that Mariano came upon an alternative to conformity: speaking out against microaggressions and reaching inward to recover what was previously shunned in the path towards success. “I realized that my silence was a prison. I have decided to speak up against the norm and am beginning to take part in more conversations about social justice, diversity, and cultural differences.” These encounters with racial injustice have inspired Mariano to pursue a career in Higher Education as a Student Affairs professional focusing on multiculturalism and access for underrepresented groups. Mariano has sought preparation at the NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Summer Leadership Institute program last year and is currently looking forward to becoming a Graduate Resident Director at the University of Denver as part of their Master in Higher

Education graduate program. “Higher education has provided me with a context to examine and work toward disrupting forms of oppression, specifically racism, sexism, and classism.” Mariano finds hope in the changes that are already occurring for instance in his fraternity, as his brothers become more aware of oppressive statements and inquire about cultural appropriation following enlightening conversations with each other. “I’ve learned that education works both ways. There’s progress there, but as I always say, the journey continues.”

Mariano’s family is from Hawaii

2013 Summer Leadership Institute at Iowa State University

Asian Student Alliance celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at eXpressions

about jeff mariano Hometown Honolulu, Hawaii School University of Denver Intercultural Communications and Public Policy major, Marketing minor Involvements

Theta Chi Fraternity VP of Public Relations; Asian Student Alliance Vice President; USG On Campus Senator; Hawaii Club President; NASPA Undergraduate Fellow

Hobbies/Interests

hiking, camping, bowling, travelling, blogging

Quote brian Lives By

“The greatest crime in the world is not developing your potential.When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world.”– Roger Williams

JEFF in Three Words

intentional, resolute, enthusiastic

Dream Job A Chief Operating Officer

Rising Star | asian avenue magazine

Three Chefs: By Mary Jeneverre Schultz |

Asian Avenue magazine

ransplants from metropolitan cities of St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco, these chefs bring their culinary skills to Denver and its surrounding suburbs.

They love cooking and can’t imagine a world without this passion. But they all focused on different pathways in becoming a seasoned chef.

wenty-seven-year-old Alan Berger took a chance with Denver and found a job with the Canadian-based chain restaurant, Earl’s Kitchen+ Bar. He works at the Cherry Creek location as a sous chef for the swing shift. “I loved Denver,” said the GermanKorean native from Chicago. “It’s the best decision I’ve made.” He shares enthusiasm for working at Earl’s for all its exciting opportunities in expansion in metropolitan cities such as Boston, Miami and Chicago. “There’s great promise for movement and they grow their people,” Berger said. Berger credits his path into the restaurant business to his dad, who worked as a corporate chef. While Earl’s Kitchen+Bar focuses on American cuisine, he enjoys cooking Asian food, particularly Korean. He

hopes to introduce Asian-inspired dishes to the menu, with a Canadian twist. His favorite Korean dish is called Kalbi, BBQ short ribs. “It’s a crowd pleaser and easy to make,” he said. He hopes to create Korean and Mexican fusion of food, sharing his second favorite food is tacos, especially with pork belly meat. His cooking experience started with a catering company outside of Chicago. Before he started to work in the restaurant business, he taught figure skating for 10 years. But the competitive community stressed him and he changed his career to the culinary industry. He aims to step into a teaching role as part of his long-term goals in the restaurant business. “It’s a natural step for me.”

r e g r e B n a

Al 8

June 2014 | Spotlight

t 40, Filipino-American Michael Waxelman, known as Wax to his friends, is the sous chef of Whole Foods in Lakewood at the Belmar shopping center. He stills provides on-call assistance to St. Julien Hotel, where he had one of his first internships. His previous job included lead line cook for the University of Denver in Nelson Hall. His path started as an intern at St. Julien Hotel in Boulder and the Westin Hotel in Westminster. After his internship, he worked as the cook and kitchen supervisor in the food and nutrition department at the Colorado Acute Long-Term Hospital. He admits he began developing his culinary skills in college. “I missed my mom’s cooking, so I just started it in my dorm,” said Waxelman, who grew up in St. Louis. He admires chefs who can master consistency, adding he enjoys the culinary talents of Frank Bonanno and Mario Botello. His passion led him to becoming one of the chefs at last year’s Saklolo fundraising event on Dec. 15. Saklolo was a collaboration of several Coloradobased organizations coming together to raise about $20,000 in ticket sales to assist survivors and their families of typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, in Tacloban, Philippines and the surrounding areas.

Interested in contacting any of these chefs? Tweet Mary Jeneverre on Twitter @ Jeneverre. Alan Berger, Earls Denver Cherry Creek, www.earls.ca/locations/details/72/denver/ restaurant/earls-denver-cherry-creek (303) 320-3275

s: Three Different Paths “I wanted to help because it was a personal experience,” Waxelman said. “My cousins were swimming in the disaster zone and four other cousins lost their homes.” While Waxelman does not operate his own business, he frequently caters private dinners and hopes to continue enhancing his culinary skills.

nstead of restaurants, San Franciscotransplant Jacqueline Joves Lombardi focuses her culinary skills on the corporate world. At 53, she built a corporate catering company called Larimer Catering. She landed her first culinary job through her chef instructor, Chef Steve Kleinman. “Chef gave me the phone number in class. I put it away in my pocket but he said ‘call now,’” confessed Lombardi, who realized the importance of networking within the small culinary community of Denver. Her taste of corporate catering started with the Metropolitan Club in Greenwood Village, hired as the only woman for the private dining club. She climbed the ladder to the level of sous chef. Then, she moved to the Denver Athletic Club in downtown Denver to create healthy options for the training athletes, who are members of this 24-hour fitness center. When the 9/11 attacks occurred in New York, she had to step down from this position because members were not renewing their membership and holding on to their disposable income. She took a break and worked in temporary jobs as a bartender. But her creative juices were calling her back to the kitchen to experiment and create entrees designed for vegan diners. This

opened the doors for her to buy a catering company in 2007. Her catering enterprise allows her to create breakfasts, lunches and boxed lunches for companies, organizations and legal firms. She prides on staying on a schedule to meet the clients’ needs. Some of her orders include: • Breakfast buffets for open houses • Business after hours receptions for incoming entry-level law students • Wedding receptions She traced her love for cooking to her Filipino grandma, watching her make lumpia (Filipino egg rolls) from scratch. On the first day, her grandma would create about 1,000 lumpia wrappers with flour and water. “I would watch her scoop the flour with the right hand, then flip it over with the left hand, all while watching her daytime soap operas.” The second day was filled with shredding poached chicken. On the third day, she would observe her grandma razor cut green beans. These early memories make her nostalgic for those days. When she is not in the kitchen, she is snowshoeing in Copper Mountain or climbing the stadium of Red Rocks on Saturday mornings.

Michael Waxelman Michael Waxelman can be found at University of Denver in Nelson Hall. E-mail him at mbcwax@gmail.com. Jacqueline Joves Lombardi, Larimer Catering, www.Larimercatering.com (303) 295-7799

Jacqueline i d r a b m o L s e Jov Denver Chefs | asian avenue magazine

Mending Faces return from mission By Mary Jeneverre Schultz | to the Philippines Asian Avenue magazine

enver-based Mending Faces aims to provide free surgical correction for impoverished children in “developing world” countries inflicted with cleft lip and cleft palates, who otherwise would not have a chance for surgery. The nonprofit organization recently returned from its annual trip, an estimated 14-hour flight from Denver to the Philippines, one way. “Mending Faces is unique in delivering surgical care to the needy children in the Philippines,” said Dr. David M. Charles in a fundraising brochure about Mending Faces. Each trip includes a team of 50 medical professionals, comprised of nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, speech therapists and outreach specialists. “The missioners typically spend around $2,000 to participate in the mission,” said Jay LaVigne, Esq, one of the main organizers of Mending Faces annual missionary trips. “With very limited exceptions, each missioner is responsible for their own fare and expenses.” Planning for 2014 missionary activities started a year before the scheduled trip. Back in February 2014, the missionary team headed to the provincial hospital in Calibo, located on the island of Panay and estimated to be one hour south of Manila by air. The team included 49 volunteer members: • Six surgeons • Five anesthesiologist • One pediatrician • One dentist • Two speech therapists • Seventeen nurses and surgical assistants • One bio medical technical

Mending Faces Secretary Donna LaVigne discusses missionary activities with Chairman Dr. David Charles and Aklan’s governor.

• Fifteen administrative and outreach volunteer • One county liaison The organization estimated the value of services rendered to be about $750,000. As a combined effort, all missioners donated about $90,000 in travel and living expenses, while direct mission expenses were about $50,000. Throughout the year, Mending Faces organizes fundraisers to defray the steep costs of these missionary efforts. On August 2, the fifth annual Rib-Rub-Off will showcase a silent auction, classic car expo, kids water slide and yard games at 9329 Gunbarrel Ridge Road in Boulder. All proceeds go to the children of the Philippines in desperate need of facial reconstructive surgeries. Visit their website for more information at www.mendingfaces.org. Follow Mary Jeneverre on Twitter @Jeneverre.

Above:The surgical team photographs two-year-old Kyra before /after the facial surgery reconstruction. Left: Patients wait for screening and receive a toy donated by Denver-based organization,Toys for God’s Kids.

June 2014 | Inside Story

Denver Chinese Source supports local Chinese community By Adam You | Denver Chinese Source was created in May of last year with the goal to provide the Colorado Chinese community an online platform to receive information, share experiences and get to know each other better. During the past year, the community embraced this burgeoning website warmly. Today, Denver Chinese Source has more than 450 likes on Facebook and generates about 2000 page views per day. As the Facebook page and the website are primarily in Chinese, it is reasonable to assume Denver Chinese Source has reached a segment of the Denver Chinese community, which is younger, more socially savvy, and typically not reachable by traditional forms of media. Since its inception, it has transformed from an online Denver Chinese business directory into a platform where local Chinese can know more about this beautiful state, get up-to-date information on local employment and internship opportunities, participate in community service activities and share information on the candidates and policies that impact our everyday life, and much more.

Book Review

Denver Chinese Source

Denver Chinese Source is a web service created by Colorado Chinese, for Colorado Chinese and is constantly branching out with new services. It has organized volunteering at the Food Bank of the Rockies, Market Meals food delivery program of Volunteers of America, and serving meals at the Denver Rescue Mission. It has partnered with Chinese American Council of Colorado to offer Chinese painting and Chinese calligraphy classes and is currently recruiting students for the upcoming basic English conversation class, taught by local Chinese, in July. In the month of June, voter registration drives will be held at the Pacific Ocean Market locations and H-Mart, to help voters register for the 2014 primary election in June and the general mid-term election in November, as well as to answer election-related questions and promote people to vote. On a weekly basis, Denver Chinese Source will post translated ballot information about candidates and issues to prepare the Colorado Chinese community to make informed decisions in the election. For more information, visit www.denverchinesesource.com.

Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan shows his literary greatness through his recent book, Sandalwood Death By Mary Jeneverre Schultz

This book is a great way to learn more about Chinese history during the Qing Dynasty, a time of uprising against foreigners attempting to take over parts of this Asian country. Through the eyes of several characters, the story takes one incident from several perspectives to unfold the conflict. The prose and descriptions capture the reader’s imagination but the content isn’t for the faint of heart. In one particular chapter, the gross description of a delicate execution of slicing piece by piece of a man’s flesh is filled with adjectives designed for those with wild imaginings. Even with translation, the story weaves back and forth from the past to current time frames in stages of a Chinese opera. The rhythmic words are constant throughout the book. The strengths of the book highlight Chinese superstitions and folklore. However, the huge book is daunting to read. With more than 400 pages, readers are swept away with flashbacks, prose and a theatrical manner to keep the attention through the eyes of the heroine, who shares the story through the primary four males in her life. The goriness and alarming details of a sandalwood death is similar to being crucified to a cross in excruciating pain and torture. Those with weak stomachs and unaccustomed to violence may need to think twice before reading this book in its entirety. This historical novel is beyond words. It’s hard to imagine a story set in a peasant village could impact so much during the Boxer Rebellion. It’s no wonder the book is written by a Nobel Prize winner. Despite all

Mo Yan of the violence, it is a love story of how the heroine deals with the four males in her life. Mo Yan, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in 2012, is a staunch defender of censorship. However, critics point out that the 58-year-old author refuses to stand up for individuals imprisoned for writing against the Chinese government. Born as Guan Moye, he has written 11 novels, including The Garlic Ballads, Red Sorghum Clan, The Republic of Wine, Big Breasts and Wide Hips; Life and Death are Wearing Me Out. In addition, he has produced more than 30 long stories, including Shifu, You’ll Do Anything for a Laugh and written more than 80 short stories. Howard Goldblatt is an award-winning translator of numerous works of contemporary Chinese literature, including six other novels by Mo Yan. Inside Story + Book Review | asian avenue magazine

Get out the vot Asian American Voters Continue Decade-Long Trend, Add 500,000 New Voters

Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), and National Asian American Survey (NAAS) issued the following census analysis on the voting participation rates in Election 2012: The latest Census analysis confirms that the Asian American electorate is on the rise. The Census Bureau shows that more than 3.9 million Asian Americans voted in the 2012 elections, accounting for nearly 3% of all voters. This was an increase of more than 500,000 voters from 2008. Below, we highlight three important aspects about the Asian American electorate: continued rates of rapid growth at the national level; growing electoral relevance of the population in many states; and the ongoing need for survey data with Asian language support. Key findings include: • The growth of the Asian American electorate was relatively steady between 2004-8 and 2008-12 (an increase of about 589,000 and 547,000 in each period). By contrast, the number of white voters rose by about 475,000

between 2004-8, and declined by about 2 million between 2008-12. • The biggest growth in the Asian American electorate was between 2000 and 2004, with 723,000 new voters. However, 2004 was also a year that saw an increase of 10 million white voters, thereby muting the electoral affect of Asian American’s growth. • The Asian American share of the voting population has been steadily increasing, from 1.8 percent of all voters in 2000 and 2.2 percent in 2004, to 2.6 percent in 2008, and 2.9 percent in 2012. • Voter registration remains a significant hurdle for Asian Americans, with only 56 percent of adult citizens registered to vote in 2012. This compares to registration rates of 72 percent and 73 percent among whites and blacks, respectively, and 59 percent among Latinos. • Once registered, however, Asian Americans turn out in rates comparable to other groups: 84 percent for Asian Americans, 82 percent for Latinos, 87 percent for whites, and 91 percent for blacks. • Asian American voters in California and

New York, states with the two largest Asian American communities, turned out at or above the national rate. 84% of registered Asian American voters in California and more than 86 percent in voters in New York voted in 2012 election. • In the 15 states that APIAVote, AAJC, and other partners supported organizations to increase civic participation, Asian American voters turned out at or above 84% in almost all 15 states. Asian Americans in Georgia and Washington turned out at about 95%, nearly 93% in Ohio, above 89% in Minnesota and Florida, and above 86% in Illinois, Michigan, and Virginia. The steady increase in new voters and the high rates of turnout among growing Asian Americans communities across the country indicate that as more Asian Americans become naturalized citizens and as their U.S.-born children enter adulthood, Asian Americans will continue to grow as an important voting bloc for future elections. See the “Behind the Numbers” report at www.apiavote.org.

STEPHANIE SAYS TO VOTE! Stephanie Tanny

is the chapter founder and co-chair of NAPAWF*Colorado (National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum of Colorado), a fierce community working to advance social justice and human rights for AAPI women and girls in the US. “I am drawn to organizations like NAPAWF because I have found that the AAPI community is often overlooked on issues that directly affect us. Even though many of us have had important roles with everything from the civil rights movement to worker rights to immigrant rights, our identities as AAPI men and women are forgotten and thus our communities get left out. Involvement with organizations like NAPAWF*Colorado help remind people that we are here and these issues affect us just as much as anyone else... so pay attention!” Do you vote? YES! Regardless of income or influence, your vote counts just as much as anyone else’s. Why is it important for AAPIs to get involved in elections? As the fastest growing community in the US, it is key for us to make our voice heard. If we don’t vote and don’t participate, then elected officials will make decisions about us and for us without seeking our input or recognizing the full impact their decisions have on our communities. Many times, ballots also include voting on key issues that have huge effects on our communities such as funding schools, immigration issues, and election reform. Since over 50% of AAPIs are immigrants, we are also responsible for voicing the needs of our ineligible immigrant fathers, mothers, and family members through our vote. What are issues you care about? It’s hard to narrow this down. Some of the issues I am most passionate about are ending sexual and domestic violence, a just and humane immigration reform, reproductive justice, and LGBT rights; all issues that can be affected with our vote.

June 2014 | Cover Story

ote! NEck-and-neck IN COLORADO U.S. Senate Race – Mark Udall vs. Cory Gardner

asian american candidate running in boulder county

George Leing for Congress

George is running for U.S. Congress to represent the people of the 2nd Congressional District of Colorado. Mark Udall (D)

Cory Gardner (R)

Few states swing the partisan makeup of their Senate delegations as wildly as Colorado does. Republican Congressman Cory Gardner is running for the senate seat that is currently being held by Democratic Senator Mark Udall. This race is being closely watched by everybody. According to the Quinnipiac University poll released on April 24, 2014, Senator Udall has 45% of the votes, while Congressman Gardner has 44% of the votes. Interestingly enough, the poll also showed that Senator Udall leads 52-35 percent among women while Congressman Gardner leads 53-38 percent among men. Right now, the Republicans hold 30 seats in the Senate that are not up for election in 2014. Out of the 36 seats up for election this year, the Republicans need to win 21 seats in order to get control of U.S. Senate. Colorado is one of the swing states that could potentially be won by the Republicans. Senator Udall is the son of former US representative Morris “Mo” Udall and has been a US senator since 2009. In the US Senate, he serves on the Armed Services Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Previously, he was a member of the US House of Representative from 1999 until 2009. His campaign website is located at www.MarkUdall.com. Prior to running for the U.S. Senate, Congressman Gardner was the representative for the 4th District of Colorado. He also served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over national energy policy. His campaign website is located at www. CoryGardnerForSenate.com.

57% identified as Democrats. 27% were not registered with a party 14% were Republicans

Asian American Pacific Islanders Political Leanings

37% of Vietnamese-Americans were registered Republicans,

the largest percentage for any ethnic group.

Based on 2012 election

George has over 30 years of experience as a lawyer in the finance and energy fields. Most recently, George has worked as Senior Counsel to a renewable power development and construction company and is currently in private practice. Up until his announcement to run for Congress to represent Colorado’s Second Congressional District, George had been serving as Chairman of the Republican Party in Boulder County and was elected by a group of other Republican Chairs to serve on the Executive Committee of the State Party. George was also appointed by Secretary of State Scott Gessler to serve on the Advisory Committee on a Uniform Voting System. During a successful career in business and as a corporate attorney, George learned the importance of finding and implementing common sense solutions to promote the goals of the people and companies he represented. George has also long been engaged in the political world, beginning as a Congressional Intern for Senator Jacob Javits of New York. A strong proponent of governmental fiscal responsibility and individual rights, George stands firmly against the out of control spending of the federal government and the intrusiveness of the nanny state. George is the youngest of four children of Chinese immigrants who came to America in 1947. Born and raised in New York City, George is a graduate of New York University, and holds a law degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in religion from Yale University. George lives in Niwot with his wife of 23 years, Sarah of Billings, Montana, and their son Thomas, a high school sophomore. asian avenue magazine

The Race for Con Colorado’s 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in central Colorado, the district encompasses much of the southern part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area, including the suburbs of Littleton, Centennial and portions of Aurora. Michael “Mike” Coffman is the U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 6th congressional district, serving since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the Secretary of State of Colorado and the Colorado State Treasurer. Asian Avenue (AA): Share with us more about your background. C: My background is that I grew up in Colorado. My father was a career soldier then went into small business. My mother was born and raised in Shanghai, China. My parents met in the aftermath of World War II. My father went to China to help disarm the Chinese at the close of the war; my parents were married in 1948, then came to the U.S. I enlisted in the Army, then the Army Reserve. I attended the University of Colorado, and then when I graduated, I went to the Marine Corps. After I came back home in the early 1980s, I continued in the Marine Corps Reserve and founded a small business. Got involved in my community, then politics and ran for state legislature, later on for statewide office. Then for Congress in 2008 and started in 2009. AA: What you have done for the Asian community in your district as Congressman? C: I’ve always had an Asian Advisory Committee from the day I started in Congress that was a broad cross section of the Asian community, now I still have that as an umbrella group but I

also have more specific advisory committees to reflect some of the communities that are big in the newer part of the district such as a Korean committee and Chinese/Taiwanese committee. I’m continuing to expand those. I have been active in the Asian community even before I was elected into Congress in going to events and hearing the community’s concerns. A lot of the issues that affect the Asian community to some extent affect the rest of the community like issues impacting small businesses, education, immigration. We are writing legislation right now to reflect some of the immigration concerns, two versions – one is with the path to permanent residency and the other is a provision that would allow the children to remain in the country after they reach the age of 21. Under the current law, it’s a huge problem where they often come in on a EB-2 visa, where there is no path to permanent residency. The visa can be renewed but when their children turn 21, they have to return to their country. AA: What do you plan to do in the Asian community if re-elected? C: What I find is that most people in Washington do not understand small businesses, how hard people work, how fragile they are. As a former small business owner, a priority is to improve the climate for business. There are a lot of Asian business owners who are affected by the Affordable Care Act. You hear from small business owners that if they have more than 50 employees working 30 hours a week or more

that they’re going to bring that number down or not go over that threshold, which is bad for the economy, when we are trying to build jobs. For second generation Asian Americans, I want to support keeping the identities of respective cultures, working with Aurora Public Schools and understanding generational differences. It is important to maintain cultures and I will visit language and cultural schools. I will continue to meet with my advisory groups that I meet with on a regular basis that has been extremely helpful in reaching the Asian community. AA: Can you speak to the disparities across the communities in the diverse area of the district? C: The immigrant community, in my mind, plays a critical role in moving the economy in some of the most troubled areas forward. What I find in the district is that the immigrant communities come in to some of the most economically depressed areas of the district and revitalize them. I reach out to all of the immigrant communities, I think Asians are a significant part of that, but what is fairly large too, are the African immigrant and Hispanic communities. AA: What is one good thing you can say about Andrew Romanoff? C: He is relentlessly hard-working. To learn more about Michael Coffman’s campaign, visit www.coffmanforcongress.com.

Asian Avenue magazine General Counsel Michael Song and Congressman Michael Coffman

June 2014 | Cover Story

ongressional District 6 Interviews with Asian Avenue magazine

Andrew Romanoff is the Democratic candidate in 2014 for U.S. Representative of Colorado’s 6th Congressional District. He won election to four terms in the Colorado House of Representatives, including two terms as Speaker of the House. He earned national acclaim as one of the most effective legislative leaders in America. Asian Avenue (AA): Share with us more about your background. Romanoff (R): I come from an immigrant family; I have Polish parents. My grandparents came to America from Poland and Russia. They believed in the importance of education and so do I. That’s why I want to provide scholarships for students to help them further their education. It is important to hold down the cost of college.

AA: What are issues that pertain to Colorado’s Asian community and what do you plan to do to address them? R: Education, immigration system and respect to elders. When it comes to higher education, I led the effort in the legislature to rescue higher education from what could have been the brink of financial extinction. I worked with former Republican Governor Bill Owens, across the aisle, on a ballot measure called Referendum C, which Congressman Coffman opposes, that was responsible for helping with funding for schools and colleges. I also support the Dream Act and comprehensive immigration reform including a path to citizenship like the kind outlined in the Senate bill. On most of the issues of public policy, I am trying to strengthen the middle class.

All my opportunities are owed to my parents and to this country for opening its doors to them. I believe every American should have opportunities to succeed. I want to leave our kids with a higher standard of living.

I believe we need to support our seniors which is very important in Asian families. I believe no one should have to live with fear of poverty. I will pursue solutions to strengthen Medicare and help family members care for elderly relatives.

AA: Being Colorado’s second youngest Speaker of the House, do you have any advice for young people interested in politics?

AA: Can you speak to the diversity of the 6th Congressional District?

R: First, I loved my job as Speaker of the House. I encourage young people to find a career they are passionate about. Accomplishment is rewarding so find work that you are proud of and that you feel you are making a contribution.

R: Aurora’s diversity, of more than 130 different nations, should be celebrated. I’d like to do outreach to all of the different folks across the district. I want every resident to have a voice and work together to make the community a better place to live.

AA: Can you share more about your interest and experience in working with civil rights? R: 27 years ago, I began working with Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. At the time, there was still the Ku Klux Klan. I worked on intelligence reports for lawenforcement officials and had a chance to protect the victims of hate groups. I also served on the board of the Center for Women’s Employment and Education and support equal pay for women. I now teach classes on American government and political science at community colleges. I often work with students who are the first to attend college in their families. It is rewarding to encourage young people to find their passion. AA: What are your plans to grow our economy? R: Growing our economy is a top priority. To do so, we need to help entrepreneurs gain access to credit and capital. We also need to raise the minimum wage and ensure equal pay for equal work. We need to better train our workforce to compete around the world. I am also recommending job training for dislocated workers. AA: What is one good thing you can say about Mike Coffman? R: I thank him for his service to our country. To learn more about Andrew Romanoff’s campaign, visit www.andrewromanoff.com.

Andrew Romanoff, former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and Asian Avenue magazine President Annie Guo

asian avenue magazine

Redistricting Colorado’s 6th Congressional District

Last month, I talked about how the Asian vote could determine the outcome of the race in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District. This is because the district was recently redrawn into a competitive district and we have a large concentration of Asian voters in this district. This month, I will talk about the process of redistricting and how both parties used it to swing the election in their favor. What is redistricting? Redistricting is the process of redrawing the boundaries of US Congressional districts and state legislative districts to reflect population changes. Article I, Section II of the United States Constitution requires the government to conduct a nationwide census every ten years. At the federal level, the result of the census is used to reallocate the 435 seats in the US House of Representatives. The seats are allocated to each state based on that state’s population number. Based on the 2010 Census results, Colorado has seven Congressional seats in the US House of Representatives. At the state level, the result of the census is used to redraw the boundaries of Colorado’s 35 State Senate and 65 State House of Representative districts. How is redistricting accomplished in Colorado? There are two separate processes for redistricting in Colorado. The Colorado General Assembly is responsible for redistricting Colorado’s Congressional districts, while the Colorado Reapportionment Commission is responsible for redistricting Colorado’s state legislative districts. At the federal level, the US constitution requires that each congressional district have about the same population. This means that Colorado must make a good-faith effort to draw congressional districts with the same number of people in each district. Furthermore, the federal “Voting Rights Act” also requires that the districts be drawn to give minority groups an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. The Governor has the power to veto the plan drawn by the Colorado General Assembly, and the losing party will often challenge the legality of the plan in court. At the state level, the Colorado Constitution also requires that each state legislative district have about the same population, with only a maximum of 5% deviation between the largest and smallest districts. Furthermore, the districts have to be drawn in such a way to preserve contiguity, compactness, political boundaries, and communities of interest. Every state legislative plan passed by the Commission is automatically sent to the Colorado Supreme Court for review. What is Gerrymandering? “Gerrymandering” refers to a situation where a political party manipulates district boundaries to create districts that are advantageous

June 2014 | Legal Column

to them. They would accomplish this by intentionally drawing the boundaries to exclude people that belong to certain ethnic, racial, religious, or class group. The term “gerrymandering” was first used by the Boston Gazette in 1812 to refer to redrawing of Massachusetts’ state senate districts. Then Governor Elbridge Gerry drew the districts to benefit his political party and one of the districts was so contorted that it looked like a salamander. The newspaper came up with the term by combining the governor’s last name - Gerry - with the word salamander. In addition to gerrymandering, politicians have used the tactic of “cracking” and “packing” to dilute the power of minority voters. The term “cracking” refers to breaking up minority voters into small pieces across several districts so that they have very little chance of impacting the election. The term “packing” refers to pushing as many minority voters as possible into a few districts and draining their voting power from other districts. How can I get involved? Under Colorado’s Open Meetings Law, all meeting to consider redistricting plans are open to the public. The location, time, and agenda for each meeting are available at www.colorado.gov/redistricting. Members of the public can attend the meeting to provide testimony or submit written testimony. I strongly encourage all of you to attend at least one of these meetings and watch democracy in action. We must remain vigilant to prevent those in power from excluding minority groups from the electoral process.

About HARRY BUDISIDHARTA

Harry received his law degree from the University of Colorado Law School. He has his own law firm and is the current president of the Mile High chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States. In 2012, Harry was awarded the Outstanding Lawyer of the Year Award by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado and the Arapahoe County Bar Association. He also received the 2012 Mayor’s Diversity Award for his advocacy work on behalf of the refugee community. In 2014, he was selected to be on the Colorado Rising Stars list by the Colorado Super Lawyers magazine. For questions or comments, contact Harry at harry@denverfirm.com.

Sixth Annual Asian American Heroes of Colorado Awards Ceremony

Chris Jose, 2014 award recipient Harry Budisidharta and Jinny Kim

Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN) recognized the 2014 Asian American Heroes of Colorado on Saturday, May 24 at Empress Seafood Restaurant. Hosting the awards ceremony was Fox 31’s Chris Jose. He welcomed Executive Director of CACEN, Annie Guo, to share a few words about the history of the awards. Celebrating its sixth year, the recipients were nominated by members of the community then selected by a committee of representatives from a dozen Asian-American organizations. Senator Mark Udall’s Office wrote a personal letter to congratulate each of this year’s heroes. Following the dim sum brunch, the

Left to Right: Emcee Chris Jose, 2014 award recipient Peter Lee, Pam Sweetser and Annie Guo

Supporters of 2014 award recipient Ivy Hontz

2013 Miss Asian American Colorado, Thuy Trang, performed “Hero”, a song that proclaims there is a hero within each person. Meanwhile, a photo slideshow played showing the volunteerism and leadership of the award recipients. First, Jinny Kim introduced the Young Hero Award recipient Harry Budisidharta, who is the president of Mile High Japanese American Citizens League. Pam Sweetser, who nominated 2014 Asian American Hero Peter Lee, introduced him to the stage, sharing stories from Heritage Camps of Adoptive Families. Then Dr. Khushnur Dadabhoy and Soyon

Soyon Bueno, 2014 award recipient Peggy Lore, Dr. Khushnur Dadabhoy

Bueno from the University of Colorado Denver welcomed their colleague Peggy Lore to receive her award. Paul Cheng introduced Nai Li Yee, an active member of the Chinese community. Yee is one of the founders of Colorado Chinese Language School in 1974 and a former principal. Lastly, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Frank Sakamoto by fellow recipient Harry Budisidharta. Dr. Sakamoto, a retired optometrist has been active with the Japanese American Citizens League for more than 50 years. Dr. Sakamoto is known for advocating on behalf of youth involvement in leadership and decision-making.

Christina Yutai Guo and 2014 award recipient Nai Li Yee

Chris Jose, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Frank Sakamoto and Harry Budisidharta

Top: 2014 recipients - Frank Sakamoto, Harry Budisidharta, Nai Li Yee, Ivy Hontz, Peggy Lore and Peter Lee

asian avenue magazine

Philip Home Sweet Home in the Phili By Aurelia Grinstead

acation is probably one of the world’s most favorite and comforting words. When I think of vacation, I dream about laying in the pure white sand of Boracay islands while gazing on the magnificent golden sunset in the west; watching the beautiful formation of birds as they fly along the horizon of the clear blue pacific sky. For some it would be reaching the peak of the Cordillera mountains, exploring the underground river of Puerto Prinsesa, snorkeling and island hopping in Puerto Gallera, enjoying the nice weather of Baguio and for some just simply walking in the waterfront of Mall of Asia, but, not for this light pocket traveler. Pampanga is my first destination.

Embracing Pure Happiness Our town is not a tourist destination and does not have very much to offer but waking up to the familiar sound of the early rooster; the sticky

June 2014 | Travel

and humid atmosphere; the loud sound of the karaoke machine from the neighbor 7 houses down the street; the loud pounding at the sari-sari store next door, “Pasaliwana pong toyo!” (Can I buy some soy sauce please?); the joyful voices of the neighbor’s kids running on the streets without sleepers, to me was priceless. There is nothing like waking up to the sound of the bell from the peddling “Pandesal” vendor whom I and my childhood friends have known for 15 years and getting a warm hug warmer than the bread he was selling. To us his name is “Uncle.” Getting a free cup of “Taho” (Filipino yogurt that’s made from soybeans) after talking the vendor into giving me a free sample and smelling the scent of hay from the rice field that touches my face, listening to the familiar conversation of my family around the house, was heavenly. Growing up in the province where almost everything was raw and manually operated was a lot of fun especially if you were raised by a grandmother whose most favorite hobby in the world was to sweep the yard. If you are not up after the 3rd call of the rooster watch out for

granny’s stick. She will come poking you and hitting you till you jump out of bed while she yell’s “Tikdo nakayu, matas ne ing aldo.” (Get up now the sun is already high.) All of this warms my heart as childhood memories flashes back while laying down beside my grandma who is celebrating her 90th birthday. When we can do our usual “Arung-arung” (nose to nose) truly, there is no place like home.

Frugal Traveler On my first weekend there, I visited my second home; Makati, the industrial capital of the Philippines, housing hundreds of call center agencies. I took advantage of a friend’s offer to use their condo for two nights which saved me about $150. I attended church and visited old friends and some of my children’ Ninongs and Ninangs (Godparents.), scheduled lunch in Jollibee at the Mall of Asia, the 10th largest mall in the world. My brother’s midnight treat at The Fort was a night to remember. The next day, I avoided the taxi as much as possible so I rode the jeepney; braved the train to the bus station and took the bus from Balintawak to Malolos where I spent about $2 for a

lippines li one way trip. My high school best friend took us to this ethnic restaurant called “Kabisera”. The setting appeared traditional, similar to the houses during the Spanish rule. We got to eat with our hands while sitting on the wooden floor. We ate five dishes including Chopsuey (stir-fry veggies with quail eggs), Bulalo (beef shank soup), Calamares, Leche Plan for dessert, bottomless iced tea, with two electric fans. Our bill was less than $30 paid by the host so I was generous enough to give the waiters P100 tip.

Night Life I am not a bar hopper, nor a high end shopper but for me GREENBELT is a place to be. If you love to eat and drink, there is a vast selection of fine dining restaurants, bars, movie theater, tea houses and of course karaoke bars stretching from Greenbelt 2 to Greenbelt 3. You can chose from Asian cuisine to high- end European and American style restaurant for a reasonable price. This is why we chose to celebrate my mom’s retirement party at Contis. The restaurant offer American style meals and Filipino breakfast combos.

Mc Donald’s is also right around the corner if you are stingy. You can get a combo meal with cheese burger, large fries and a large drink for a hundred pesos. That’s where I took my siblings before the color of my money turned green. There are also coffee shops like Starbucks, Seattle’s Best and Coffee Bean for people who enjoy American chains. Greenbelt 1 offers old local shops where you can find great bargains, Greenbelt 4 and 5 is mostly a shopping mall that carries average signature to high end brands like Hermes, Lous Vuitton, Rolex, and La Coste, just to name a few. Greenbelt showcases a park with dancing water fountains and tall palm trees, illuminated

with bright lights that makes a sparkling night. Greenbelt holds a special spot in my heart. It reminds me of the big difference that took place in my life. I was once a farm girl who loved jumping in the hays and climbing the guava and mango trees. I still love to do those things, except now, I am climbing business and community ladders and jumping from one Filipino party to another. It’s like coming out from the impoverished world where I grew up into a world full of wonders and complicated challenges. Aurelia Grinstead is Realtor/Broker Associate for Keller Williams Reality in Westminster. She is a member of Pinoy Pals. Find the group at www.meetup.com/PinoyPals

The Philippines | asian avenue magazine

Monica Lin Asian Avenue magazine

1028 S. Gaylord St. Denver, CO 80209 Tel: 303-942-0158 Fax: 303-942-0836 Open Hours: Mon - Thur: 11am to 10pm Friday: 11am to 11pm Saturday: 11:30am to 11pm Sunday: 11:30am to 10pm Appetizers & Dim Sum Oyster Boister $5.95 Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly $7.95 Steamed Shanghai Style $6.95 “Pork Bun” Seafood Dynamite $7.95 Chef ’s Specials Sanpei Fish Clay Pot Steamed Snapper

$18.95 $18.95

Fried Rice & Noodles Filet Fried Rice with $13.95 Black Truffle Singapore Rice Vermicelli $10.95 Korean Noodle Bowl $10.95

June 2014 | Restaurant Peek

We all know and love John Holly’s Asian Bistro. Adding to their two restaurants in Park Meadows and Denver, the bistro has opened a new location in Wash Park! In addition to retaining its familiar delicious dishes, John Holly’s has also added a new exclusive menu, only available at this location. Nestled in the shops of Old South Gaylord Street, the neighborhood touts a laidback and relaxed feel as one of Denver’s oldest shopping and dining districts. Old South Gaylord Street, founded in 1924, was a cable car turn-around for the Denver City Tramway Company until the 1950’s when the street cars were replaced with buses. Now the awning-covered storefronts and restaurants have become a popular area just four blocks east of Washington Park. Through the glass doors of John Holly’s, you can see the restaurant’s bar, which serves red and white wines using a machine that preserves the wines’ taste to last longer and taste better. Passed the host’s counter, there is a large aquarium attached to the wall that glows with bright water and is flowing with air bubbles. The charming atmosphere makes for a perfect date night for sushi. The head sushi chef here has more than 18 years of experience. He is technically skilled, where each slice of raw fish is consistent and does not appear uneven in size or weight. The generous portions of sushi and sashimi make John Holly’s worth the bang for your buck with thick, mouth-watering pieces. The restaurant offers a combination of Japanese cuisine, Cantonese dim sum, Chinese specialties and Thai curries. The wide selection means no one goes home hungry.

The affordable lunch special, available from Monday to Sunday, includes a soup, starter and entree— most options for less than ten dollars. On the new Chef’s Specials menu is the highly recommended black pepper rib-eye stir fry. This dish contains chunks of premium Angus rib-eye with vegetables in a soy sherry wine sauce and a dash of black pepper. The Sanpei Fish Clay Pot is sauteed and lightly coated slices of sole with sweet basil ginger, roasted garlic in a soy Szechuan wine sauce. This dish has an authentic hometown flavor. One last recommendation on this menu is the braised abalone, which is so unique, it must be ordered 24 hours in advance. The abalone comes in a special broth and is finished with a delicate soy sherry reduction served with Asian seasonal greens. You don’t want to miss out on this special menu only at John Holly’s new Wash Park location!

15470 Andrews Dr. #22B Denver, CO 80239 Tel: 303-307-8798 303-307-8796 www.ZumeCuisine.com

Monica Lin Asian Avenue magazine

Hours: Mon - Sat: 11am to 9:30pm Sunday: 5pm to 9:30pm

Zume Asian Cuisine welcomes new and old friends alike! The restaurant, featuring east and southeast Asian cuisine, is one-of-its-kind in the Denver area. While most are familiar with common Chinese dishes, Zume Asian Cuisine adds new flavors to the tastebuds from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Now, our southeast Asian friends have another restaurant to try—to test its authenticity! I often think that southeast Asian cuisine is sour and spicy, but it also features coconut milk flavored foods. Zume Asian Cuisine provides a wide selection of dishes. Previously, the owners operated the popular Jaya Asian Grill on Colorado Blvd. Zume Asian Cuisine retains the familiar taste and the same personal touch. The restaurant has modern decor, bright lights and is reminiscent of southeast Asia’s summer nights. Why Zume? In fact, the meaning of “zume” is “delicious,” according to the owner, who wants to bring delicious dishes to this new location. Let’s first share a dish with the sour flavor. The Indonesian Curry Beef (Beef Rendang) is one of Zume’s flagship dishes, served in a spicy and sour sauce with tasty and tender beef. Even in the hot weather, patrons cannot get enough of this appetizing dish for its addictive taste. Due to southeast Asia’s Chinese influence, some of their most familiar dishes are Chinese, such as the Char Kway Teow. This dish is a traditional snack with rice noodles, onions, bean sprouts, eggs and chicken. Although the ingredients are simple, the

taste is a complex combination that gets better with each bite. Char Kway Teow is feared for being greasy; however, Zume Asian Cuisine keeps the ingredients fresh and light, and the noodles crispy. The Singapore Curry Noodles is also recommended, as it is not a dish you will readily find elsewhere. The Salt and Pepper Prawns is believed to be everyone’s favorite dish. The fresh prawns are wrapped in a thin coated breading. The salt and pepper seasoning duo is just right, not too salty and not too spicy. There is nothing else to say about the dish, except that it is exceptional. Located at I-70 and Chambers Road, Zume Asian Cuisine invites you to enjoy authentic southeast Asian flavors in the mile-high.

SAMPLE MENU Starters: Satay Chicken Roti Canai Lettuce Wraps

$4.95 $4.25 $6.95

Signature Dishes: Coconut Chili Prawns $11.95 Chili Ayam Malacca $10.95 Beef Rendang $10.95 Ayam Goreng Kalasan (Indonesia) $10.95 Noodles & Fried Rice: Pineapple Fried Rice $8.95 Salty Fish Fried Rice $8.95 Singapore Curry Noodles $9.95

Restaurant Peek | asian avenue magazine

Erin Yoshimura awarded prestigious Livingston Fellowship

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation announces 2014 Fellows; Yoshimura is the first Asian Pacific American chosen for this advanced leadership program. On May 8, the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation named Erin Yoshimura, Executive Director of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival as one of five 2014 Livingston Fellows. This program, created by the Foundation in 2005, intends to strengthen the state’s nonprofit sector by investing in the advanced learning and development of promising nonprofit leaders. As a Livingston Fellow, Yoshimura will be awarded up to $25,000 to undertake training and activities that will enhance her leadership abilities and enable her to explore new ways to increase her impact in the organization and broader community. Yoshimura is the first person of Asian descent, out of 50 recipients, to receive this nonprofit executive fellowship from the BonfilsStanton Foundation. Previous Fellows have traveled nationally and internationally, attended elite academic programs, met with prominent leaders in their fields, and championed causes including homelessness, aging, mental health and the arts. Foundation President Gary Steuer announced the awards at the Foundation’s 29th Annual Awards Luncheon. “The Foundation recognizes the significant impact nonprofit

organizations make on our community and our state,” noted Steuer. “Our investment in high-potential leaders through the Livingston Fellowship Program is building a network of people finding fresh solutions and proving themselves as innovators and change agents.” “Besides being a powerful force for community engagement and an inspired advocate when it comes to celebrating the culture and contributions of the Asian American Pacific Islander communities, Erin is an exceptional bridge builder and has demonstrated the capacity for building relationships and collaborations across cultural, ethnic, and neighborhood divides,” Steuer added. “Under her leadership the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival has become an essential celebration of Asian culture and heritage that both brings this community together, and helps promote understanding of Asian culture by the broader public.” Some initial ideas Yoshimura has are to travel across the U.S. and Asia to experience Asian Arts and Advocacy, study with a vocal coach in LA, and possibly enroll in a brainbased leadership training program through the Fellowship. Each Fellow will undergo several planning meetings, including meeting with an

organizational psychologist, to assist in planning their activities. This year’s fellows were nominated by a wide array of Colorado community leaders, narrowed down to a group of finalists by an advisory panel, interviewed by an independent consultant, and reviewed and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. They were selected on the basis of exceptional leadership qualities, potential for significant contribution to the nonprofit sector, and the ability to be a role model for other Colorado nonprofit leaders. For more information about the Livingston Fellowship, visit www.bonfils-stantonfoundation.org/leadership-development/livingstonfellowship-program, or about Colorado Dragon Boat Festival visit www.cdbf.org.

Leveraging Yourself and Building Others Mary Jeneverre Schultz Asian Avenue magazine

With college graduation around the corner, those entering the workforce are wondering how they can success in one’s chosen profession. In a recent workshop, organized by the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP Colorado), leadership, motivation and communication are key ingredients for a successful career. Moderated by Jessica Moy, who serves as the leadership development chair for NAAAP Colorado, the organization assembled a leadership workshop last May 17 called “Leveraging Yourself & Building Others.” The first workshop, led by Tim Donnally, senior account manager of Forrester Research, started with a one-hour general session. Then, groups chose between a learning session about WIN (Women in NAAAP) and NAAAP Lead Toastmasters. In an environment that promotes ‘sistership’ relationships, WIN! is about the participant honing her leadership skills to qualify her for leadership roles. Led by Lillie Ben, managing partners of Essentrig Financial Experience, LLC, WIN! reinforces confidence and competence in abilities by applying the knowledge that candidates gains from the education and mentoring programs.

June 2014 | On Scene

NAAAP Colorado recognizes a need to develop the communication and public speaking skills of our community. The organization has formed a unique Toastmasters Club for Asian American Professionals that is the first of its kind in Colorado. Its mission is to provide a friendly and supportive environment for Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to improve critical professional skills. During the session by WIN, attendees learned key concept in a successful career, then heard testimonies from previous WIN graduates. In the Toastmaster session, Xiao Liang presented a smaller version of a typical Toastmaster meeting, then challenged first-timers on how to create an impromptu selling a silly gadget to a team of investors. The workshop ended with a panel of leaders sharing their experiences and how recent college graduates can make a difference in their lives and careers. Panel members included: • Karen Nakandakare, diversity & community investment program maanager for CH2M Hill • Bob Nagueria, seniore HR director for Kaiser Permanente • Krystal Than, Walmart regional HR manager • Khanh Vu, executive director of Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers Interested in joining NAAAP Colorado? Visit www.naaapcolorado.org for more information.

Asian Roundtable annual celebration Peggy Yujiri Asian Roundtable of Colorado

The Asian Roundtable of Colorado celebrated Asian Pacific Heritage month on May 10th at the Wells Fargo building downtown. The celebration was well attended with more than 250 community members taking part. A delicious Asian buffet was served courtesy of local Asian restaurants. Special recognition plaques were presented to Lily Shen—9 years’ service as president, Wendy Chao—7 years’ service as Vice President and Paul Koto—20 years’ service as treasurer. Fran Campbell of FACC and the Denver Immigrant and Refugee Commission, served as emcee and Aurora Ogg and Peggy Yujiri as co-chairs. Congressman Mike Coffman of the 6th Congressional district and his wife Cynthia Coff-

man, Deputy Attorney General offered congratulations to the Asian American communities of Colorado on the occasion of the Heritage Month celebration. Congressman Ed Perlmutter and Secretary of State Scott Gessler also sent representatives. Participants received a special treat through the elegant performances by Christina Yeh Dance studios, Thai Dance from Wat Buddhawararam, “The Moon Light Shadow Girls” Lao-Hmong Dance troupe, PASCO Folk Arts Dance Repertoire and The Chinese Pipa performance of Xiaoyue Liu.

Photo by Aurora Ogg Congressman Mike Coffman, Dr. Erlinda Santos and “The Moon Light Shadow Girls” Lao-Hmong Dance troupe: Mai, Nina, Michelle, Alisa

Beyond the Bamboo Ceiling

anelists from a large range of experiences within the corporate world shared their experiences about careers and balancing family last May 15 as way to commemorate Asian Heritage Month. The main themes of the panel discussion included balancing family, passion about their career, cultural upbringing and focusing positive aspect of the job. “I want to be the different guy in the room,” said Ivo Yueh, who shares insights about his father urging him not to be a follower but a leader, one of the four panelists of the group discussion. The featured panelists included: • Kelly Zhang, director of client service and support at Charles Schwab, • Priya Jain, enterprise strategic account director for CH2M Hill, • Ivo Yueh, director of IT Software development for EMCare and NAAAP board member • Murugan Palani, manager of supplier diversity for Xcel Energy. Recent college graduates, entry-level career workers and mid managers attended the session at the offices of Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. located at Den 3, Panorama Bistro in Englewood. Before the panel discussion began, networking started 4:30 with Chinese appetizers of eggrolls and fried won tons. Then, a 20-minute segment of a television interview between Chinese hosts and Jane Hyun, Korean author of Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling, was broadcasted to the group as a way to begin the discussion of cultural differences within corporate America.

Mary Jeneverre Schultz Asian Avenue magazine

Vietnamese, English and recently Cantonese, a language she learned when she married her Chinese husband. Passion evolves into helping others Because of her career goals, Zhang aims to help others focus on the positive side of their work environments. “By helping others, your success will follow because you help to bring others along in their career goals,” she said. While Palani enjoys watching small businesses grow. “I made a difference in someone’s world,” he said. Mentorship guides recent college graduates Jain suggests in finding mentors who can challenge and those who can support your career goals. While Palani advises against having your boss as a mentor, he has received great challenges to him as he built his career at Xcel. Zhang shares to seek mentors in an informal manner, networking with coffee and lunches. She also encouraged those in the audience to take up her invitation to meet with her personally. “I love to hear your stores,” she said. “Share them with me.” Interested in finding more discussions with the Asian American space, visit the website of the National Association of Asian American Professionals at www.naaapcolorado.org/AboutNAAAP/NAAAPColorado.aspx.

Caught between two worlds Palani shared his background of coming from India and conducting business in the corporate world. “I enjoy being the odd person because it provides great visibility and I’m much more memorable,” he said. While Yueh compares his upbringing of a Chinese mother and an African American father as a the best of two worlds. Jain describes her upbringing and raising her children in both the American and Indian culture as an interesting journey. “It’s a great way of respecting and understanding both cultures,” she said. Zhang tells her humble story of being the youngest of nine children leaving Vietnam during the 1970s. Her cultural mix allows her to know On Scene | asian avenue magazine

USTA Colorado Celebrates Asian Pacific Heritage Month at DIA By Paula

McClain, US Tennis Association Colorado

STA Colorado debuted their Breaking the Barriers 2.0 – The Asian Connection Portrait Series during a VIP reception at the Denver International Airport on May 15th. In celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage month, more the 200 guests including business and community leaders and members of the tennis community were treated to a traditional lion dance performance by the Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu Association from Boulder. The dance is an Asian tradition for good luck and good fortune. Derek Okubo, Executive Director for the Agency of Human Rights and Community Relations, read Mayor Hancock’s proclamation, declaring May 15, 2014 as Breaking the Barriers 2.0 – The Asian Connection Day. The Portrait Series features Colorado Asian tennis pioneers, contributors and rising stars. Pulitzer prize-winning local photographer, Barry Gutierrez’s collection of portraits were inspired by the elements including: fire, water, air and earth. In partnership with DIA Art & Culture Program the Breaking the Barriers 2.0 – The Asian ConnectionPortrait Series will be on display through June 15 at the DIA Gallery in Jeppesen Terminal, Level 5, west. For more information, contact Paula McClain, USTA Colorado Marketing & Diversity Director at paula@coloradotennis.com or visit www.colorado.usta.com. Photos by Bernard Grant

EVO led the 2014 Colorado Asian Basketball Spring Season

he 2014 Colorado Asian Basketball spring season saw brand new teams and fresh faces. With nine teams, the league saw one of its most competitive seasons in a long time. EVO led the way with a 7-0 regular season and securing the 1st seed in the playoffs. The final four teams featured EVO versus Team Dime and WCM Shake N Bake taking on the defending champs A-Unit. EVO and Team Dime engaged in a back and forth battle. As the game went on EVO’s experience and composure helped them pull away to a 60-55 win. With EVO waiting in the wings, WCM Shake N Bake took on A-Unit.

June 2014 | On Scene

By Sang

Huynh, Colorado Asian Basketball

In a seesaw affair, A-Unit escaped with a 1pt victory. Then, EVO & A-Unit competed in a game that will go down in the books as an instant classic. EVO dominated the first half action, leading by as much as 12 points. However, A-Unit did not give up though as they mounted a furious comeback to tie the game late with .9 seconds left 52-52. Then in overtime, A-Unit completed the comeback to triumph to their 3rd championship in a row. CAB 2014 Fall Season will begin on Saturday, September 20. Please e-mail coloradoasianbasketball@gmail.com for more information.

Rocky Mountain Korean Lions Club 25th Anniversary Suegie Park Scholarship Awards Ceremony By

he Rocky Mountain Koreans Lion Club scholarship awards ceremony was held on Sunday, May 18, at Denver Disciple Church, 8390 E. Hampden Ave. Denver, CO 80231 by president, Lion Nobok Park. President Park, the founder of Rocky Mountain Korean Lions Club, established the scholarship fund in 1990. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the awards, the fund provides an education scholarship to at least ten senior high school students every year. Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization and a nonprofit organization. Lions Clubs International was founded by Melvin Jones in 1917. As of May 2013, it had over 46,000 local clubs and more than 1.35 million members in over 207 countries around the world. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and global scale. The Lion’s motto is “we serve.” Local Lions Club programs include sight conservation, hearing and speech conservation, diabetes awareness, youth outreach, international relations, environmental issues, and other programs.

Gamelan Tunas Mekar performed the music and dance of Bali

By Frankie Anderson, Gamelan Tunas Mekar

amelan Tunas Mekar, an allvolunteer community ensemble, performed the music and dance of Bali, Indonesia at The Oriental Theater in Denver on May 15th. The concert highlighted seven pieces on the gamelan semaradana, a set of instruments created in 1987 by beloved Balinese composer I Wayan Berata, who recently passed away in Bali. The concert was dedicated to him, teacher and friend of the group’s Artistin-Residence I Made Lasmawan. Pak Lasmawan’s wife, Balinese dancer Ni Ketut Marni, and her students danced to Pak Berata’s composition “Gabor” (flower basket), a welcome dance. Ten members of the Denver-based gamelan will be traveling this summer to Bali, several of them for the first time, to study with Pak Lasmawan in the village of Bangah, region of Tabanan. Modeled after typical village groups found throughout Bali, and learning by traditional methods, Gamelan Tunas Mekar is now in its 26th year and provides American audiences with an authentic glimpse of Bali’s fascinating Left to right: Aaron Burris-Debosky, Ni Ketut Marni (dancer), Jill Fredericksen, Dinda Widyati (dancer) and Artist-In-Residence I Made Lasmawan (drummer). Photo by Gil Asakawa culture. On Scene | asian avenue magazine

20th anniversary of the YamagataBoulder Friendship Exchange Jessica Moy

Boulder-Yamagata Friendship City Alliance

n May 8, a delegation of 24 Yamagata citizens, including Yamagata Mayor Ichikawa, arrived at Denver International Airport on the Dreamliner flight from Narita, Japan. They were in town for three days of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the sister city between Yamagata in Tohoku, Japan and Colorado’s very own Boulder. The itinerary for the delegation included a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, a courtesy call to the Boulder Mayor and City Council members, and sakura (cherry blossom) tree planting in Boulder’s Harlow Platts Park. The group was treated to a welcome party in Chautauqua with several Boulder families in attendance. Many of the families from Boulder had traveled to Yamagata on previous delegation visits and were excited to reunite with their Japanese friends. Former Boulder Mayor, Leslie Durgin, was present to reminisce about the signing of the sister city relations 20 years ago, and attendees shared their experiences of various exchanges throughout the two decades. The trip was successful because of the collaboration of the BoulderYamagata Friendship Committee and the City of Boulder. “People to people relations and friendships for 20 years made this wonderful commemoration possible, and gave the provision for a more flourishing relationship in the future,” said Eiko Kato, former employee of Yamagata City Hall and current member of the Boulder-Yamagata Friendship Committee. When asked why Boulder was picked for the sister city of Yamagata, Yoko Brandt, one of the founders of the sister city exchange, explains, “After the State of Colorado and Yamagata Prefecture established a sister states relationship, Yamagata city came to ask Boulder to form a sister

city alliance. We have enjoyed numerous cultural, educational, people to people exchanges for the past 20 years.” It snowed the day the Yamagata delegation left Boulder to head to Los Angeles before heading back to Japan. It was as though Boulder did not want them to leave. However, there will be plenty more exchanges in the future, since 20 years is only the beginning. For more information on the sister city exchange, visit www. bouldercolorado.gov/sister-cities/yamagata-japan. For those interested in joining the Boulder-Yamagata Friendship City Alliance, contact Yoko Tamaki Brandt at tamakibrandt@earthlink.net.

Annual Pilgrimage to Amache in Southern Colorado

By Marge Taniwaki

he largest annual Pilgrimage to Amache in southern Colorado took place on Saturday, May 17th, 2014. The charter bus filled to capacity from the Denver metro area was joined by another from Colorado Springs, boosting the attendance to more than double the usual number. With the addition of four dozen private vehicles converging at the Amache cemetery, an estimated 200 people took part in the commemoration ceremony honoring those who died while imprisoned in the US concentration camp for Japanese Americans during WWII as well those killed while serving in the US military. Reverend Doei Fujii from the Tri-State Buddhist Temple led the service. After the ceremony, a caravan of vehicles toured the former camp site,

Rev. Fuji giving the invocation at the beginningof the event Photo by Gil Asakawa

June 2014 | On Scene

passing by the foundations of barracks and the cement slabs that still mark the remains of laundry and mess halls from the early 1940’s prison camp. During the past year, two significant restoration projects were completed at Amache. The first was the reconstruction of one of the unique octagonal shaped guard towers that encircled the mile square prison. They were manned by US military police who carried rifles with fixed bayonets while standing guard. The second major restoration was that of the iconic water tank which served both the camp and the nearby town of Granada after which the “relocation” center was named. The remains of the original water tank were found on land belonging to a local farmer and brought back to Amache for refurbishment and restoration. New fill-in wood planks were milled in Canada because no US company had the physical capacity to create the replacement parts. The checker-board red and white painted water tank is visible from miles away as one approaches Amache heading east on Colorado Highway 50 very near the state border with Kansas. A special ceremony was held in the auditorium of nearby Granada High School to honor long time social studies teacher John M. Hopper with the 2014 Commendation of the Consul General of Japan. The award is an official citation presented to Hopper by Vice-Consul Shunsuke Ono, “to recognize and honor respected citizens or organizations that have made exceptional efforts to contribute in areas such as the development of mutual understanding and friendly ties between nations through promoting cooperation in economic relations, cultural exchange and other activities that enhance relations between Japan and the United States.” For more information, visit the Amache website at www.amache.org.

Biden to Asian Americans:

Immigration reform not dead

ice President Joe Biden sounded an optimistic tone about the prospects for immigration reform during the opening ceremonies for Asian American Pacific Islander American Heritage Month. Biden told the couple hundred people in attendance “Please, please, do not buy into the cynicism that there’s an inevitability we will not get immigration reform. Please reject that notion.” Biden is hopeful that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and the majority of his party want to get this done and will be more willing after the primary season ends–when they aren’t facing challenges from the Tea Party. Biden also gave a shout out to the community for the contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to this country.

Fresh Off the Boat Picked up by ABC

elevision network ABC has ordered “Fresh Off the Boat”, a new comedy series, for its 2014-2015 lineup. The announcement was made over the weekend, making the series the first to feature an Asian American family on a network television sitcom in around 20 years. The show is based on the memoir of Eddie Huang, a chef and restaurateur, and is set in Orlando in the 1990s. The half-hour, single-camera comedy follows the misadventures of Eddie as a 12-year-old kid with his Taiwanese immigrant family experiencing culture shock as they move to Florida from Washington D.C. in pursuit of the American Dream. Actor Hudson Yang will be playing the role of a young hip-hop loving Eddie Huang in the television comedy series.

Veteran groups call for resignation of General Shinseki

The second highest executive in the NBA is Asian American

wo veteran groups are calling for the resignation of General Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veteran Affairs. The demand follows reports of long wait times for care and veterans dying as they wait. “It’s not something we do lightly. But we do so today because it is our responsibility as advocate for the men and women who have worn this nation’s uniform,” said Daniel M. Dellinger of the American Legion. Also joining the call for the General to step down was the Concerned Veterans of America. The White House is rejecting the demands saying “The President remains confident in Secretary Shinseki’s ability to lead the department.”

asketball fans who watch the NBA draft this year may have noticed new NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum in action. NBA.com reports the Vietnamese American and African American is the highest ranking executive of color in sports league. Tatum also serves as the NBA’s Chief Operating Officer. Currently he is the No. 2 man at the NBA office, right behind Commissioner Adam Silve. During the week of draft he presided over the NBA lottery and announced who would get this year’s number 1 pick. He has worked in the league office for 15 years and last served as Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships, He has also worked for Major League Baseball, Clorox and Pepsi Cola.

First ever #WikiAPA brings Asian America to the masses

New York renames street for Private Danny Chen

n May 10, over 100 people across seven cities spent their day adding Asian American and Pacific Islander-related content to Wikipedia. As part of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s schedule of events for APA Heritage Month, #wikiAPA brought together students, scholars, activists and seasoned Wikipedians to enrich one of the most widely-used resources for general information with APA history and culture.

he city of New York officially renamed part of a street in honor of a Chinese American soldier who was a victim of racial hazing. Private Danny Chen committed suicide in 2011 after he became a victim of military hazing while in Afghanistan. His family hopes the designation of Private Danny Chen Way will educate the public about racism.

National News | asian avenue magazine

前倨後恭

Arrogant at First and Humble Later Keeping two faces under one hood

This describes the snobbishness of people who treat a man according to his wealth and position

At the time of the Warring States, there was a prevailing practice for men to learn how to sell their ideas to the rulers of the states. One such man was named Su Qin. He went to the state of Qin to offer his advice to the King. The King refused to take him on, and Su had to leave and return to his home in Luoyang. The money he carried with him was gone, and his clothes were in tatters. Seeing the sorry plight he was in, his family gave him the cold shoulder. His parents refused to speak to him. His wife busied herself at the loom and ignored him. He asked his sister-in-law to cook some food for him, but she refused with a snicker. Su Qin felt very sad and was determined to study harder. A year later, he went out on another idea-selling trip to the various states. He changed his stance and advised the various states to unite against Qin. He persuaded Yan, Zhao and four other

states into forming an alliance, and he himself became the prime minister of all these six states. His fame resounded throughout the states. Once when he passed his hometown Luoyang on an official journey, his parents waited for him by the roadside. When he was home, his wife stood at his side and did not dare look at him in the eye. His sister-in-law was prostrate on the floor and kowtowed without stopping. Su Qin smiled and asked her, “sister-in-law, why were you so arrogant before and are so humble now?” Trembling, she answered, “You’ve become a high official and a very rich man.” - Anecdotes of the Warring States

Calligraphy by Harrison X. Tu Confucius Classroom in Denver

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