Asian Avenue Magazine - July 2020

July 2020

downtown denver’s

Volume 15 Issue 7

Pacific mercantile celebrates 75th anniversary

Asians4blacklives explained

make your own sushi with sushi man kits

FEATURING: TWIN DRAGON MISAKI SUSHI SEOUL KOREAN BBQ & HOT POT MAMA's NOODLE CAFE COMRADE BREWING PHILNOR LIQUOR

The Asian Chamber of Commerce Presents

Friday July 17th • 4:30 - 6pm Pick-Up at Twin Dragon This year's annual gala will be a carry-out dinner box combined with some livestreamed content creating an evening to engage with food we love, support our community all while safely distancing ourselves. Please purchase tickets by July 10th.

Options to donate meals to frontline workers, bid on auction items or add an adult beverage also available.

$50 INDIVIDUAL TICKETS • SILENT AUCTION OPEN 7/1 TO 7/12

Tickets and more information about AUCTION ITEMS and the Gala To-Go LIVESTREAM at: WWW.ACCCOLORADO.ORG.

To make sure lead stays out of your water, we’re starting with your pipes.

Denver Water is committed to delivering safe water to our community.

So, we’re replacing customers’ lead pipes, one impacted property at a time. To find out if you’re one of them, visit our website.

Learn more at DenverWater.org/Lead

PRESIDENT’S NOTE To our readers, It is difficult to put into words how I’m truly feeling at this moment witnessing our country face a multitude of crises—a pandemic, an economic downturn, and racial injustices that continue to plague us as Americans. As I consider things I can personally do to make any difference, one thing is for sure. We want Asian Avenue to be a platform for good. And not only for good, but for social change. In the coming months, we will keep the conversations going about structural racism and provide resources for our readers on what we can do to better educate ourselves and to push for change. This month, Lena Chhay gives a look at how Asian Americans can support the Black Lives Matter movement and why it is important to do so. We will also continue to share stories of how our community is being impacted by COVID-19, adapting to the cirumstances and coming together to support each other. Dr. Alok Sarwal addresses how historically outbreaks have led to racism and xenophobia towards immigrants and people of color.

I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Chu Paing and I was intrigued by her journey to the U.S. from Myanmar. I insisted on featuring her in Asian Avenue. Read more about how she went from working a janitorial position for $4 per hour in New York City to studying cultural anthropology as a PhD candidate at CU Boulder.

Lastly, congratulations to our friends at Pacific Mercantile Company, who are celebrating their 75th anniversary!

Thank you to the Japanese grocery store for making such an invaluable imprint on Denver’s downtown community! Pacific was one of the very first locations that allowed us to place/distribute magazines back in 2006. Kyle and Jolie have supported the magazine and our events throughout the years. We appreciate our continued partnership in order to lift up our Asian American and Japanese American communities! Wishing you all the best (as possible) physical and emotional health as we embarck on this next month!

Annie Guo VanDan, President | Asian Avenue magazine | www.asianavemag.com

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W W W. C O M R A D E B R E W I N G . C O M 4

July 2020 | President’s Note

JULY 2020 6

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COMMUNITY: Lunar New Year Sculpture on Federal Boulevard

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TRIBUTE: In memory of Masaaki Kawafune

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FEATURE: Asians4BlackLives explained

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SPOTLIGHT: Chu Paing wins lottery to come to the U.S. and buys a one-way ticket

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COVER STORY: Pacific Mercantile Company celebrates 75 years

Graphic Designer/Videographer LIJIN ZHAO Web Designer JASON ZHANG

FOOD: Most Popular To-Go Items

Marketing Manager JOIE HA

COVID-19: The virus is striking up xenophobia towards immigrants

Staff Writer PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG Staff Writer JESSALYN HERRERIA LANGEVIN

COVID-19: Dog-sitting takes a paws

on the cover

COVID-19: Taipei donates masks to Colorado Congress

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COVID-19: Feed Your Hospital Denver

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P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222 Tel: 303.937.6888 E-mail: info@asianavemag.com www.asianavemag.com

Find us @AsianAveMag

Pacific Mercantile Company in downtown Denver celebrates its 75th anniversary as four generations of family members have operated the Japanese grocery store.

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.

Looking to promote your business? Asian Avenue magazine offers businesses a costeffective way to reach consumers in the Denver/Boulder metro areas and beyond. For more information, call 303.937.6888 or e-mail us at marketing@asianavemag.com for our media kit and ad rates. Send story ideas to info@asianavemag.com.

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

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FOOD: The Sushi Man pivots to new business model

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Table of Contents | asian avenue magazine

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DENVER ARTS & VENUES AWARDS MUSIC AND ART SCHOOL GRANT TO CREATE LUNAR NEW YEAR SCULPTURE

By Mar y Jenever re Schultz

In the heart of the Little Saigon Business District, located on Federal Blvd, three lifesize rats stand prominently in front of a tree adorned with gold coins and red envelopes.

Called the “Uplifting Trio,” the rats play the instruments: keyboard, guitar and saxophone.

The public art installation, funded partly by the Denver Arts & Venues P.S. You Are Here grant, is titled “Community Tree of Renewed Health, Prosperity, and Spirit.”

“It’s for the community,” said Victor Ngo-Smith of New Cottage Arts. The installation is meant to uplift community spirits in this tumultuous Year of the Rat. The project was conceived by New Cottage Arts, a new music and art school in southwest Denver built with the mission to bring music and art to everyone.

Construction of the rat sculptures

Denver artist Mari Munet designed, planned and collaborated with Ngo-Smith on the installation beautifully and intricately painted with traditional Asian iconogra-

phy mixed with modern symbols and colors of cultural connectedness.

Because of the pandemic, the project was launched May 12, a rescheduled date.

“Now as the city and our communities slowly start to reopen, we want to recognize the fortitude and resiliency of our local and entire community by honoring the immense efforts of every single Denver citizen working together towards a ‘renewed’ vision of life, health and prosperity for everyone,” said Ngo-Smith.

The group is proud to showcase the immense efforts of the diverse community of volunteers, artists and youth from Westwood, Montbello, Boy & Girls Club, and the Little Saigon Business District.

“We want our public art project to advocate for all

“We want our public art project to advocate for all communities ‘banding’ together, working together, and moving forward together towards a just and equitable future for all.”

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July 2020 | Community

communities ‘banding’ together, working together, and moving forward together towards a just and equitable future for all,” said Ngo-Smith.

Learn more about New Cottage Arts at newcottagearts. org.

“The gold coin and red envelope ornaments represent light and energy shining on every community member and citizen.” - Denver Artist Mari Munet

In Loving Memory MASAAKI KAWAFUNE February 10, 1988 - May 21, 2020

“And then the day I got married...

How he hugged me so tight after my first dance with our dad and told me he loved me. These are the small moments I will miss the most because my memories of him will forever leave me wishing for just one more...”

- Mayumi Kawafune Beckelheimer (sister) Masaaki Kawafune, 32, unexpectedly passed away on May 21, 2020 at his home in Glendale, Colorado.

He is survived by his parents, his older sister, Mayumi Kawafune Beckelheimer, multiple cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grandmother. All of whom love him dearly and miss him every day.

Masaaki was born in Denver to Makoto Kawafune and Cathy Bendet. He grew up in Aurora, Colorado and most people would call him the “life of the party.” He brought people together and knew how to make anyone laugh.

His educational path started as a gifted learner in elementary school. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and then received his nursing degree from the Denver School of Nursing. He loved learning new things and thrived in the educational environment.

Mayumi and Masaaki Kawafune Sibling photo from 1992

While on his educational journey he had a strong passion for photography, basketball, and movies/TV shows.

His photography included beautiful portrait shots, stunning scenery, and photographing gatherings for family/ friends. He also photographed events in the Asian community for Asian Pacific Development Center, Asian Avenue magazine and NAAAP Colorado. Masaaki was a natural at capturing memorable moments through his lens.

His favorite basketball player was Lebron James. He was a huge fan and loved watching his games. He had an eclectic interest in movies and shows that ranged from animated, scary, dramatic to his all-time favorite... comedy.

Though his life here with us was shorter than planned, he had hopes of starting his own company and was a great entrepreneur.

Masaaki with his father Makoto and sister Mayumi

In honor of Masaaki’s memory, his family will donate on behalf of him to Children’s Hospital Colorado. He was in the healthcare field and loved children as much as they loved him. He was the funniest and sweetest soul they have ever known and hope this donation will make a strong contribution towards something he deeply cared about. In lieu of sending flowers or gifts, please pay tribute to his memory by donating to this wonderful organization. To donate, visit tinyurl.com/honor-masaaki.

Tribute | asian avenue magazine

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Asians

Where do Asians fit in the movement for Black lives?

Rallies, vigils, and marches have ignited across the country as Americans of all colors demand justice for the Black families who have lost their parents, children, or friends at the hands of police. The list of victims has been growing for years: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Atatiana Jefferson, and countless others.

Asians are not immune to racial injustice in this country. From the internment of Japanese citizens, to Vincent Chin’s murderers serving no jail time, to the 1,900 reports of Asian-American discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic— Asian racism is alive and well in the US. Asians can both experience racism and perpetuate racism at the same time. Despite sharing a history of racism with Black Americans, anti-Blackness is unequivocally prevalent in our community.

The model minority myth, the

Black Lives explained

By Lena Chhay

idea that if minorities work hard enough they can be successful, has caused some Asians to believe that struggling communities of color “deserve” their unequal place in society. These tensions have been exploited to decrease assistance to Southeast Asian, Black, and Latinx communities such as in the cases against affirmative action.

How does “Black Lives Matter” and defunding the police relate to Asian lives?

Asians are not immune to police brutality nor racial profiling. In the 1970s, police attempted to detain undocumented Chinese-Americans by stopping any Asian person and asking for their immigration paperwork. In January 2020, Mona Wang was having a mental health crisis when a policewoman came to perform a wellness check. Rather than showing empathy and de-escalation, Mona was assaulted, dragged out of her apartment, and stepped on.

People gathered at Aurora’s municipal center in support of justice for Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old who died after an encounter with officers last August. Photo Credit: Lena Chhay

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July 2020 | Feature

Stopping police brutality ends the violence against all people, including Asians.

Police accountability means when police attack any person unjustly, they will be fired, charged, and jailed every time.

Defunding the police means re-allocating budget from local police to social workers and mental health counselors— people professionally trained in helping, not attacking, those having a mental health crisis. Asian-Americans are less likely to seek professional mental health services than other races; this re-allocation only stands to help Asians.

What can you do to help the movement for Black lives?

1. LISTEN. Although this movement will benefit all lives, Black lives have been disproportionately lost due to police brutality. The Black community lives with inequity in health, education, housing, income, and more. Empathize with their hurt, listen to their stories, and give them a platform to speak. Amplify their voices.

2. BE TEACHABLE. Educate yourself on Black history and activism. Understand that we must be actively anti-racist. This starts with you. If someone asks you to stop saying the N-word or repeating Black stereotypes, instead of getting defensive, ask yourself why you feel the need to say those things. Would it drastically change your life to stop? Some great resources include Asian Americans Advancing Justice, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, and Letters for Black Lives.

3. PUSH FOR CHANGE. Donate to organizations supporting Black lives. Attend a protest.

Call or email your legislators, governors, senators, school boards, and district attorneys. Vote for people who will end systemic racism, locally and nationally.

We should support Black lives because it’s the right thing to do. Doing good is not transactional. But to be clear, supporting Black lives will benefit us Asians, too.

Follow @APIDA4BLACKLIVESMATTER on Instagram for workshops about allyship and anti-Blackness in the Asian community.

Follow @APISRISING5280 on Instagram a local Asian American group committed to the collective liberation of people of color and dismantling structures of oppression.

COLORADO’S AAPI COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY STATEMENT We are Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations and community members in Colorado stating our unequivocal support for Black lives and the Black Lives Matter movement. We condemn the violence against Black lives and call on AAPIs to fight for Black communities.

Our history is replete with examples of racism in our systems, institutions and societal structures, resulting in the oppression of communities of color. These structures have created a racial wedge between Black and Asian communities as an intentional tactic to pit us against each other rather than working together to fight the systems of white supremacy. We call on our AAPI community members to build cross-racial solidarity and to take active steps to dismantle the institutional racism that spans across all aspects of American life.

Messages and posts of solidarity must include a deeper understanding of the issues and root causes of why we are in this terrible moment. This requires listening to the experiences of Black people, educating ourselves about the historical injustices in this country, and doing the work it takes to not only say we are allies, but actively live and breathe as one.

We commit to consciously listen to members of the Black community, while supporting their pain and frustration. We commit to acknowledging our own privilege and using them to tear down the institutions that have perpetrated racial inequities. We stand united in solidarity with the Black community.

Signed by more than 150 Asian American Pacific Islander organizations and community members in Colorado

To sign, go to tinyurl.com/coaapi4blacklives.

Mural of Elijah McClain at Epic Brewing in Denver

Lena Chhay holds a sign at a march for Elijah McClain on June 27 in Aurora.

For weeks, thousands of people protested at the Colorado State Capitol outraged over the death of George Floyd. Photo Credit: Alina Taniuchi Asians for Black Lives | asian avenue magazine

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A ONE-WAY TICKET FROM MYANMAR TO THE U.S. Now, Chu Paing is a PhD student at CU Boulder Growing up in Myanmar, Chu Paing remembers looking forward to school everyday because she enjoyed socializing with friends.

Paing, who is now a doctoral student in anthropology at CU Boulder, says: “No wonder now I am pursuing a career that is related to school. I just want to be in school forever!”

Paing grew up in a single-mother household with a large age gap from her elder two sisters, who were 14 years and 11 years older than her. After her sisters married and moved away from Yangon, the city they were from in Myanmar, it was just Paing and her mother.

Unexpectedly, on the evening of September 7, 2012, seven days after celebrating her 20th birthday, Paing left Yangon.

Not for a nearby town, but to move to the U.S. With a one-way ticket, she did not know when she would be back.

She recalls: “I brought two suitcases and one carry-on filled with stuff my mom made sure I wouldn’t need to buy for almost a year—from needles and threads and an iron all the way to shampoo bottles and almost a year-worth of sanitary pads—all of which I later found I could buy in the US!” “But there I was, all prepared to make this life-changing journey across the world.”

The Big Decision to Move to NYC What led up to this big move? On a whim, Paing had applied for the Diversity Visa lottery in Myanmar, one night at an internet cafe. She told her mother and both of them did not think anything of it.

When they found out, Paing had been selected, there were mixed feelings at first. After making the decision that Paing should go to the US, her mom dug up an old phone book and found a number for an old friend owho had left for the US and was now living in New York City.

Paing says: “So, she decided that I should go to NYC, just in case I needed help with finding a job or anything else.”

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July 2020 | Spotlight

“As a young teenager, all I knew about the US was big, tall buildings and fancy business people. We had no idea there were suburbs or other places outside of NYC or LA.” It turned out that her mom’s friend was running a hostel in NYC and promised to secure a room for Paing and pick her up at the airport when she arrived.

“When I landed at the JFK airport and came through the immigration, I didn’t see my mom’s friend. I attempted to call her at one of the public phones, but kept getting error messages that this number did not exist. Finally, a janitorial staff helped me call the number. And that was when I found out that I had to put +1 before US numbers!”

Life in NYC Initially, the transition to NYC was not too much of a culture shock. Paing recalls the weather being familiar and similar to Yangon’s in September. She acquired different jobs before going to college.

“One of my first job interviews was for a cashier position at a Vietnamese takeout place near Times Square. My then-boss, who herself was an immigrant from Vietnam, offered me a floor-cleaning position instead.”

“She claimed that I had ‘a very strong accent’ and that customers would not understand me as a cashier. What was worse was that I later found out that she took advantage of my naivety by only offering $4 per hour, half of a legal minimum wage in NYC. She told me not to discuss this with other employees.”

Paing only ended up working there for

a week but it is an experience that has stayed with her.

“That encounter with linguistic discrimination—from a fellow immigrant— was the driven force behind my decision to pursue a degree in language teaching and later linguistics when I had the chance to go to college.”

Paing enrolled at LaGuardia Community College in Queens with an interest in sociocultural linguistics.

She came to understand how language

Paing became a U.S. citizen on January 30, 2020, a day before the Trump administration announced the travel ban, which now includes Myanmar.

By Annie Guo VanDan

During the quarantine, Paing enjoys readin was important not only as a communicative tool but also how certain languages influenced perceptions about people in society.

“Why do we find the French language and British accents romantic but let’s say not Spanish, a language highly associated with Mexico in the context of the US? And why is a group of ethnic minority populations like Rohingya in my home country Myanmar being persecuted for not

In 2017, Paing reunites with her mother in NYC for her graduation.

Paing graduated summa cum laude from Queens College with a BA in General Linguistics and double minors with Honors in Social Sciences and French.

family in the US. Paing helped Professor Kaufman’s work to document immigrant languages in NYC by interviewing speakers of ethnic languages from Myanmar such as Chin and Rakhine.

With Professor Makihara, she started her own research project working with two Chinese immigrants from Myanmar in Queens to understand their perspectives about teaching their mother languages (both Mandarin and Burmese) to their American-born children. She spent a year observing the two families and spending time with them on a daily basis.

She says: “And before I knew it, I was hooked on doing ethnographic research.”

In her last year of undergrad, Makihara encouraged Paing to apply for graduate school, informing her about the City University of New York Pipeline Program that helps underrepresented students of color who are interested in academia. It is a rigorous year-long program that provides financial assistance and other academic preparation for the grad school environment.

“I got accepted into the program, which was the main reason why I was able to apply for PhD programs,” Paing says.

“After being accepted into four programs, I chose CU Boulder because of the Linguistics program’s interdisciplinary compatibilities with other departments such as Anthropology, Geography, Religious Studies, and the Tibet-Himalaya Initiative program.”

Paing’s move to Boulder from NYC was a drastic social change with much more of a cultural shock.

“There are very few people who resemble me. Aside from weekly chats with my mom, now I have to travel almost two hours to Aurora to speak my mother tongue.”

Luckily, she found an oasis with a group of like-minded people at the Graduate Students of Color Collective (GSCC) at CU Boulder. She is now also a part of the group Radical Black, Interracial, and People of Color Womxn with other brave women and femme-identified folx.

“I cherish these two spaces in Boulder for which they replenish my soul when the academia dries it out.”

Through GSCC, Paing also met her now-fiance, Juan Garcia Oyervides, a fellow graduate student (now a PhD graduate) in Spanish and Portuguese.

Paing became a naturalized citizen in January of this year. Now as the global pandemic hits all parts of the world, travel restrictions prohibit Paing from visiting Myanmar. She reflects on missing the rain and looks forward to returning to Yangon next summer to begin her doctoral fieldwork on urban visual culture.

“I was born in the middle of a monsoon season in August, so I have a certain kind of affinity towards the rain. Rain always brought a sense of calmness and coziness to the otherwise hot, humid, and bustling Yangon,” she recalls of her hometown.

ng at Wonderland Lake Park in north Boulder. speaking the ‘official language’ of Myanmar? Linguistics help me reflect on those questions,” she says.

The Path to a PhD It is at LaGuardia Community College that Paing was able to work with two professors, Daniel Kaufman and Miki Makihara, on various research projects on language documentation and language ideology. Both Kaufman and Makihara changed her life and remain a part of her

At LaGuardia Community College, Paing shared about Myanmar and its culture as the social events organizers for the Myanmar Student Club.

Chu Paing | asian avenue magazine

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75 Years of His C ongratul atio n s Pac i f

Fresh Produce at Pacific Mercantile Company

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July 2020 | Cover Story

Kumamoto Food Tasting

story in Denver: f ic M e r c anti l e C o m pan y !

By Stacey Shigaya

PACIFIC MERCANTILE COMPANY 1925 Lawrence Street in Sakura Square Store hours: Mon-Sat 9am – 6pm | Sun 9am – 2pm Online orders taken at pacificeastwest.com Curbside orders taken at 303.295.0293

D

espite the current COVID-19 restrictions and distractions, there is one place in downtown Denver that is bustling with customers and keeping its owners and staff as busy as ever. It’s Pacific Mercantile Company and the reason is clear. The Denver community has relied on this Japanese market located in Sakura Square for 75 years to supply them with rice, fresh fish, produce, Japanese and Asian food, staples, gift items and more.

The store is filled with local and imported products from locations such as California and Japan. But the market’s most important offering is the customer service and care of its family owners and dedicated staff. Pacific, as it is affectionately called, is more than a store – it is an integral part of Denver and the Japanese American (JA) community and has often been referred to as Denver’s premiere Asian grocery store. It has been awarded accolades from Westword Magazine, 303 Magazine, the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Japanese American National Museum.

Pacific is currently owned and operated by siblings Kyle Nagai, Jolie Noguchi and Keith Nagai, sanseis (third generation) who are carrying on the family legacy.

“It was our grandfather’s hard work

and dedication, which was instilled in us at a very young age, that keeps us thriving. He is never forgotten - he is always with us,” states Jolie.

The history of Pacific Mercantile Company begins with George Inai, who was born in Tokushima Japan in 1893. He arrived in the U.S. at age 18, married Takako Takeuschi and had four children: Naomi, Susie, Sam and Robert. He ran a small grocery store in Sacramento, CA until the onset of WWII. Due to the signing of Executive Order 9066, which ordered 120,000 people on the west coast of Japanese descent into concentration camps, George was imprisoned at the Tule Lake War Relocation Center and later transferred to the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah.

George had a vision to open another store once the war ended and chose Colorado as the new home for his family. “It was because of Governor Ralph Carr that our grandparents were able to move their family to Colorado after the war. He was the only governor that welcomed Japanese Americans into his state,” said Jolie.

Inai wanted to name his new store Nippon Market, but Governor Carr deterred him from using that name because of the lingering animosity between Americans and those with Japanese ancestry. After

Pacific Mercantile’s 75th Anniversary | asian avenue magazine

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Left: George Inai

Right: George Inai with daughters Suzie and Naomi

much thought, Inai come up with the name Pacific Mercantile Company because of his connection with California and the Pacific Coast. The store was originally located on Larimer Street and moved to its current location at 1925 Lawrence Street in 1972 when Sakura Square was formed by Japanese American community members as a result of the Denver Urban Renewal Authority initiative.

Reminisces Jolie: “The memories we have of the old store on Larimer Street are the wooden floors, which our dad helped build, and the umeboshi and rakkyo were stored in wooden barrels. My grandma was always cooking in the small kitchen in the back of the store and the smells of her cooking lingered to the front of the store, inviting customers to come in. A lot of our customers entered through the entrance in the back for they did not know we had a front door.

This happened especially on Sundays because the Denver Buddhist Temple families shopped after service and walked down the alley to the back door.”

Pacific grew by building a sense of community among its customers, including making grocery deliveries those who could not reach the store. As a result, a great deal of loyalty exists from the generations of families of those original patrons. In fact, many people still refer to the store simply as “Inai’s.” Pacific has also contributed to many Japanese, Japanese American and Asian community organizations over the years as a sponsor, donor and patron. They have been a festival partner in the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival with their popular shaved ice booth for many years, offering a cool treat to attendees each June.

Last year, Japan America Society of Co-

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July 2020 | Cover Story

Photo Credit: Pacific Mercantile Company

lorado chose Pacific as one of its Meet and Greet stops for Kumamon, the adorable bear mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan. In addition to seeing Kumamon dance and taking photos with the lively bear, shoppers were treated to a tasting of foods from Kumamoto.

Both Jolie and her daughter, Alyssa No-

“

mittee member contributes to the structure and content of its programming. Community members also see the Pacific team at JA community events presented by organizations such as Nikkei-jin Kai of Colorado, the Japanese American Resource Center of Colorado, Sakura Foundation and the Asian Chamber of Commerce.

For me, Pacific Mercantile is the one of the few places in Metro Denver I can reliably find ingredients for Japanese home cooking. My partner grew up in Japan and I lived in Ishikawa and Kanagawa prefectures for three years. For both of us, foods like takenoko gohan, natto and tsukemono are comfort foods and we’ve been expanding our Japanese cooking repertoire in quarantine together. I also love that Pacific Mercantile is a local small business and that in shopping there I can contribute to the Sakura Square community.

- KARIN THOMPKINS Pacific Mercantile Company Customer

guchi, are part of the Japanese American Community Graduation Program Committee which has been providing scholarships to graduating high school seniors in the JA community for more than 60 years. Alyssa is also an alumni of the Mirai Generations Leadership Program (MGLP), presented by Sakura Foundation, and as an MGLP com-

In addition to supporting organizations, Pacific supports local companies such as Infinite Harvest of Lakewood, a local hydroponic vertical farm growing non-GMO, clean and sustainable grower of micro-green and lettuce. Says Sherry Cree, Vice President, Sales & Marketing “Our produce used to be sold to high-end restaurant exclusively through

food/produce distributors. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down restaurants, we changed our focus to directly serving consumers through grocery stores and online sales. When I reached out to Jolie at Pacific Mercantile, she was all about offering the highest quality produce to her customers and supporting local and sustainable businesses like Infinite Harvest! She is not only welcoming and caring as a person but also a very sharp, forward-thinking business owner who believes in offering quality to her community and understands the importance of supporting a local and sustainable business like us.”

Although downtown Denver has experienced many changes over the years, Pacific remains a stalwart tenant for Sakura Square LLC: “Pacific Mercantile has been the anchor for Sakura Square for several generations. Through the years, they have not only been a place to shop for our Japanese food and goods, but an important community gathering place to meet our friends and family as well. Pacific has been the glue to bind our community together. We are grateful for the close relationship that Sakura Square and Pacific Mercantile has developed by working together since we originally opened. I wish them continued success in the future as another generation of the family looks to continue the Pacific Mercantile legacy.”

“

My family immigrated from Japan to Lima, Peru and during WWII they were forcibly taken and incarcerated in a concentration camp in Crystal City, Texas.

After the war ended, we moved to Denver and found an inclusive and supportive Japanese American community on the Sakura Square block anchored by the Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple and served

by Pacific Mercantile. The Inai family, the founders of Pacific Mercantile, through their friendly and caring manner, created a community gathering and connecting point that has been sustained to today. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to my future wife Teri, who had worked at Pacific, by Mr. George Inai, head of the Inai family and a great friend to many in the community.

- CHARLES OZAKI Board member of Sakura Foundation & Board Chairman of Sakura Square LLC

- GARY M. YAMASHITA CEO of Sakura Square LLC and Executive Director of Sakura Foundation The Pacific team has maintained its operating hours throughout the pandemic and has experienced an increase in online and shipping orders. All employees wear masks and cleaning throughout the store has increased for the care and safety of the customers. In-demand items have included rice, tofu, canned fish and canned inari (deep fried tofu pockets used to make sushi).

Pacific Mercantile Company was originally located on Larimer Street

Photo Credit: Pacific Mercantile Company

Pacific Mercantile’s 75th Anniversary | asian avenue magazine

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Pacific is now a fourth-generation business with Alyssa, who is currently learning the different aspects of the business, as well as Kelli and Kristi Nagai (Keith’s daughters) in the near future.

States Alyssa: “For me, the store is more than just a place to buy groceries. It’s home. I’ve grown up in Pacific and the people that work here aren’t just employees, they’re family. People don’t come here just to shop, they come for a sense of community.”

“Growing up in the community, I never thought of what it meant to me but now that I’m growing older, I realize that it’s a place where I feel a sense of belonging, people understand who I am.

It’s pretty unbelievable to me that the store has been open for 75 years; that my great-grandpa came to America not knowing any English and had this goal to open a store.”

“My family persevered in camp and still managed to keep the store alive and well in an entirely new state. I never thought that this would be where I ended up, but I feel a sense of duty to my family and I honestly can’t imagine a life without Pacific. I want to keep this going as long as possible.”

Jolie adds, “With the legacy of what my grandparents, mother and father, and uncles taught me Pacific Mercantile Company will hopefully be around for another 75 years! We would not be here without the caring families, organizations and partnerships supporting us for all these years. We thank you ALL from the bottom of our hearts.”

Jolie Noguchi with Infinite Harvest produce

Varieties of

Congratulations to

mochi, a popular Japanese

Pacific Mercantile

dessert

Company for the

Photo Credit: Stacey Shigaya

impact you have made in Denver and the community-building that you have achieved over the last 75 years.

Japanese ceramics including tea kettles and cups

Photo Credit: Stacey Shigaya

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July 2020 | Cover Story

Colorado scenery inspires Korean-American father to paint as a way to forget his pain

By Annie Guo VanDan

Follow @rockypaintings on Instagram Since Seok Chan Hong was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, he has made countless visits to the doctors and undergone numerous procedures and surgeries.

What has gotten him through his darkest days has been a newfound talent and peaceful pasttime—painting.

Now at the age of 59, Hong says: “The intent was never to paint the perfect canvas; I just wanted to achieve something to make my current situation a bit more bearable. I additionally would like for my eyes to be distracted by paintings rather than a blank wall to avoid the reminder of my pain.”

He acknowledges when he was first diagnosed, he fell in to a state of depressiong. “People don’t really feel the presence of death when they are healthy.

When I was diagnosed, I truly felt as though I was dying.”

The turning point for Hong came when he was in the hospital and saw a painting of cotton on the wall. He was immediately inspired to paint similar artwork, but at the time was in constant pain.

“One day, I suddenly decided to make something of this inspiration and slowly began to paint,” he says.

Hong, who goes by Rocky, had previously worked as a painter’s assistance in South Korea where he helped create movie posters, but he mainly observed the artist at work.

Now, spending time painting helps

&

Rocky

Sunny

take his mind off of the pain.

Hong and his wife Sunny reside in Denver, but have not explored all of Colorado.

Their children started a GoFundMe asking for support of their travels.

They explain: “We would like for them to travel the world so Rocky can gain more inspiration to paint by visiting other beautiful places on Earth. We believe, the more he paints, he can be emotionally, mentally and physically more capable of facing this unfair foe. “ Hong asserts that Colorado

For more information or to donate to Rocky’s travels, visit gf.me/u/ybachm.

is beautiful and there are many places he would still like to visit.

He believes that certain aspects of nature that can only be discovered through physically presence. Only then would I truly feel as though I am viewing mother nature through the eyes of my brush.”

He is also thankful for his very supportive wife, who has been by his side.

“One would believe she to be suffering more than I am. It’s tedious caring for a patient like myself, but she was strong the entire way,” he says.

“Enduring daily pain is heartbreaking, but I want to live as long as possible despite the conditions, as I get to spend time with the family, my granddaughter, and be able to continue painting.”

Art | asian avenue magazine

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GET 15% OFF YOUR TAKEOUT ORDER AT THE SUSHI MAN! USE PROMO CODE: “ASIANAVE”

Call 303.808.6818 or order at thesushiman.com.

Take-out orders only.

Valid till 8/31/2020.

THE SUSHI MAN ENCOURAGES SUSHI LOVERS TO CREATE THEIR FAVORITE ROLLS Corporate events, company luncheons and fundraising activities have come to a halt due to COVID-19. Catering companies such as The Sushi Man have quickly adapted to these event cancellations by reimagining their business’ sustainability.

CHEF AND FOUNDER JUN NAKAJIMA

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July 2020 | Food

Since 2011, The Sushi Man started as a catering company led by Chef Jun Nakajima, who has traveled around the globe trying different styles of sushi. After living in Japan for two years, his love of the culture, people and food deepened, which became the inspiration for The Sushi Man. As quarantining began, the company actively engaged with its customers through social media and pushed delivery/take-out services on the platforms Doordash, UberEats and Grubhub. But there was another twist to add to their morphing business model—sushi kits.

“We had to change our business model overnight,” said husband and wife team Jun and Steph Nakajima.

The Sushi Man devised a box to include all the ingredients needed to create an intimate Japanese dinner for two. The inhome sushi making kit features 15 items plus four proteins. For families and couples, it’s a great way to bond and learn more about creating food in the kitchen.

Following an online demo, chef Jun guides you through the sushi roll making process with simple instructions—don’t forget you can use the pause button!

“It’s a fun date night activity for those who love sushi,” said Steph, adding that she and Jun love making sushi at home.

FIND THE SUSHI MAN at these breweries:

7/15, 4pm-8pm - Lone Tree Brewery 7/18, 2pm-9pm - Halfpenny Brewery 7/28, 4pm-8pm - Two22 Brew 8/15, 2pm-9pm - Halfpenny Brewery 8/19, 4pm-8pm - Two22 Brew 8/31, 4pm-8pm - Two22 Brew For up to date information, go to fb.com/thesushimancolorado.

The Sushi Man is offering an exclusive 15% discount to Asian Avenue readers for take-out orders only. Place your order at www.thesushiman.com or call 303.808.6818. Use code “ASIANAVE” valid till 8/31/2020.

By Mar y Jeneverre Schultz

SUSHI ZAMAI Item: Z#9 roll

<<

Shrimp tempura, salmon, avocado and eel sauce Popular because it’s a little sweet, a little salty, a little spicy and rich and crunchy all wrapped up in yumminess $13

IZAKAYA AMU Item: Black Cod Bento Box

PHO 95 CENTENNIAL Item: Red Curry Lamb Shank

Miso marinated black cod, marinated chicken tempura, ebi shumai, sweet broiled Japanese eggplant, edamame and kinpira with side of rice and miso soup Popular because it’s a well-balanced meal for one with plenty of umaminess $22

Slow cooked red curry with organic coconut milk, lemon grass, ginger, lemon leave, galangal root, served with rice Popular because it’s healthy, a little bit spicy with an earthy flavor, great for everyone weather $25.95

>> SEOUL KOREAN BBQ Item: Soon Tofu

Spicy tofu soup with choice of seafood, beef, kimchi, combination, or veggies Popular because it’s one of the best-selling items and also comes with a bowl of rice and variety of sides $12.99

<<

>> MENYA RAMEN & POKE Item: Menya Special Poke Bowl

FILIPINO FOOD TRUCK (CO Springs) Item: Lumpia Similar to an egg roll packed with meat and veggies with sweet and sour sauce Popular because it’s always fresh and cooked to order $8.50 to $10, depending on quantity

<<

<< THE SUSHI MAN Item: Sushi Man Roll

Tuna, salmon, avocado, tempura crisp on top plus two sauces made from scratch – house mayo sauce and house unagi Popular because it’s a personal creation of The Sushi Man $13

Tuna, salmon, crab mix, edamame, seaweed salad, avocado, masago, topped with a shoyu dressing on a bed of sushi rice Popular because it’s light yet filling and very refreshing $14

WANT TO ORDER TAKEOUT OR DELIVERY? While some restaurants are opening for dine-in, others are still closed taking to-go and delivery orders only. Local Asian restaurants share their most popular to-go items during the past months of quarantining.

MOST POPULAR takeout ITEMS

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Food | asian avenue magazine

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COVID-19 brings out xenophobia and discrimination against migrants and people of color The word xenophobia is made up of the Greek words ‘xenos’, which means stranger or foreigner, and ‘phobos’, which means fear. Incoming immigrants are considered a danger to the culture, traditions, and customs of the ‘locals’. History has shown us that pandemics and global disease outbreaks bring out xenophobia against specific ethnic groups.

A typhus and cholera outbreak in the 1880s led to discrimination against Russian Jewish immigrants, and a bubonic plague outbreak in the early 1900s led to discrimination against the Chinatown community in San Francisco. Chinese communities were also stigmatized during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Every group that has immigrated to America has battled hatred and discrimination from those who were already settled. German and Irish Catholics in the mid-1800s were shunned or killed. During the Great Depression, 20 percent of the Mexican and Mexican-American population was deported.

Japanese Americans were interned during World War II, while Muslim Americans continue to battle xenophobia today.

Japanese American citizens line up at Manzanar Relocation Center in California during World War II. Credit: Ansel Adams/Library of Congress

As the coronavirus spreads, the xenophobia it foments interconnects with the political conditions of countries. For example, right-wing parties in Europe, have latched onto the outbreak to reiterate their calls for tougher immigration restrictions. Italy’s far-right leaders exploited the virus for their own pandemic populism, erroneously linking the outbreak to African asylum seekers and urging border closures.

Similar calls to suspend Europe’s open-border system, known as the Schengen Area, have been made by far-right politicians in Germany, France, and Spain. Thus, immigrants and refugees are a convenient scapegoat at times of global crisis.

The American Medical Association has called on public officials and the media to utilize the World Health Organization’s globally identified nomenclature for the pandemic—coronavirus or COVID-19—and to abstain from using racially-charged and xenophobic language such as:

20

July 2020 | COVID-19

Wuhan virus, the Chinese coronavirus, Kung-Flu and similar variations. These terms have led to discrimination and hate towards Asian-Americans, as seen in the following chart which shows a distribution of the recent incidents of harassment.

Discrimination towards Asian-Americans can also lead to significant health care problems and uncharacterized socialdeterminants. According to a 2019 study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that interviewed 500 Asians, 13% had experienced discrimination in healthcare encounters with providers. At least one in four adults experienced discrimination in employment (27% job applications, 25% equal pay/promotions); discrimination in housing (25%); microaggressions (35%); and racial slurs (32%). People from East and South-Asia regions were the worst affected.

We are the in the midst of a crisis of epic proportions with no end in sight. Our communities of color will suffer greatly due to loss of jobs and lack of access to basic necessities. We will experience business closures and also have significant health problems due to the coronavirus. However, we cannot lose hope. As Asian-Americans and immigrants we can overcome discrimination by being united and standing together.

Andrew Yang, Democratic presidential candidate and founder of Humanity Forward said, “We have to demonstrate that we are part of the solution. We are not the virus, but we can be part of the cure.”

Let us make our voices heard, embrace and celebrate our identities, and highlight our exceptionalism.

Written by: Alok Sarwal, PhD, MBA Executive Director of Family Medicine Clinic for Health Equity and Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice (5250 Leetsdale Dr. Suite 110, Denver, CO 80246)

Dog sitting and pet boarding takes apause paws

By Mar y Jenever re Schultz

In 2020, vacations have been cancelled or postponed to later dates. But travel isn’t the only affected industry. The outliers of travel are feeling the pinch too.

Dog sitting and pet boarding services shut their doors as cancellation began in late March.

“My business stopped since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States,” said Mengling Feng, an independent contractor for Rover.com, an online booking tool for pet sitting, boarding and other related services. “Since most of my clients have been sheltering at home, they have little need for pet sitting or boarding.”

The summer months show some promise. Feng, a resident of Aurora, indicated she received

bookings in June with the expectation that cancellations may occur at any time due to ongoing travel restrictions or changes in her clients’ travel plans.

Before coronavirus, her business was booming since she started operating in 2016. Nationally, statistics show pet care in the US grew 6 percent, reaching $9 billion in 2019, according to an IBISWorld report.

The report stated that the industry of pet sitting, boarding and grooming employed about 218,000 workers.

Changes in pet sitting Her business is now limiting to a maximum of two dogs in her care at any given time. Feng reasoned that this because her

private residence is managed as an “open house,” allowing the dogs to roam around the entire house, relax on the furniture and sit anywhere.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely disrupted the pet boarding and pet sitting business with the mandatory quarantines.

Feng quickly learned that this business is very closely tied to the travel industry. If people are staying at home and avoiding travel, then they really have little need for pet boarding.

When the number of cases of coronavirus decreases, people may feel comfortable to start traveling again. Feng anticipates bookings will begin to return to normal at that time.

“I have greatly missed my dog clients and the companionship, love, and laughter that they bring to my home and my family,” she said.

“Through this pandemic, I know that families have grown more attached and more involved with their pets than ever before and I look forward to providing their beloved pets with the same level of safety, comfort, love, and care that they have grown accustomed to over the past few months.”

Interested in pet boarding with Mengling? Visit rover.com/sit/ mengling. Enter the promo code LOVETHEMONKEY20 to receive $20 off your dog or pet’s first booking.

COVID-19 | asian avenue magazine

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Taiwan donates masks to Colorado Congress Director General Jerry Chang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Denver presented 5,000 surgi-

On behalf of Taiwan, Chang provided surgical masks to Colorado House of Representatives and State Patrol.

cal masks on behalf of Taiwan on June 4 to Colorado Senate President Leory Garcia, President Pro Tem Nancy Todd, and Congressman Joe Neguse, who thanked Taiwan’s support for Colorado to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We wish to convey a message that Taiwan is together with Coloradans in this global pandemic,” Chang says. “As a friend of the U.S. and the great state of Colorado, Taiwan is more than willing to share these critical supplies for protection from the coronavirus. At the same time, we are showing a deep appreciation for all those who have been working very hard to safeguard our community wellness.”

Wearing a hand-made Taiwan flag

TECO Director General Jerry Chang (right) presents surgical masks to Colorado Senate President Leory Garcia, President Pro Tem Nancy Todd, and Congressman Joe Neguse. mask, Chang later presented an extra 10,000 surgical masks on June 11 to Colorado House of Representatives and State Patrol. They were very grateful for Taiwan’s generosity and reaffirmed the state’s friendship. House Majority Leader Alec Garnett and Minority Leader Patrick Neville, as well as many other Representatives were in attendance.

Feed Your Hospital starts Denver chapter With a dual purpose to provide hot ating without websites or app delivery. meals to healthcare workers and at the “There is nothing more core to Asian same time support local Asian restaurants, American identity than the Asian restauFeed Your Hospital Denver was formed. rant. For many of our families, this is how According to Denver Community Lead we first came to America,” says Tang.

Tracy Tang, “We felt fortunate that we “Feeding people is central to Asian culcould work at home, but felt anxious and ture, and feeding healthcare workers alpowerless. We wanted to be able to sup- lows us to take care of them.” port frontline healthcare workers, who Founded by local Asian Americans and put their own lives at risk every day to other young professionals, Feed Your Hosserve others.” pital Denver’s goal is to fundraise $10,000 It is projected that 1 in 5 healthcare to deliver meals from Asian restaurants to workers will eventually contract COVID-19. frontline workers supporting the Denver Hospitals, overwhelmed by the unprec- metro community. edented demand, are understaffed with Feed Your Hospital is a 100% volunworkers having to work overtime. teer-run philanthropic initiative, fiscally Meanwhile, the Colorado Restaurant sponsored through the Ascend Foundation, Association surveyed 220 restaurants and a 501(c)(3) Pan-Asian organization primarreported that 56% of those restaurants ily engaged in research with a mission to are considering closing within the next advocate, enable and assist Pan-Asians in three months.

North America to become the leaders of toRestaurants are already experiencing day and tomorrow. a difficult time, but Asian restaurants in Learn more and donate at: particular are also disproportionately affeedyourhospital.org/ fected by xenophobia and racism. Many denver of which are mom-and-pop shops, oper-

22

July 2020 | COVID-19

Feed Your Hospital Denver made its first delivery on June 27 to The Medical Center of Aurora.

Volunteer Kalvin Deng helps deliver 105 meals from 1.25 a Scoop to The Medical Center of Aurora.

Common Types of Slip and Fall Injuries

A slip and fall accident can cause injuries that are severe. At the very least, bruising and swelling of soft tissue can create significant pain after a slip and fall. It’s always best to get checked out by a doctor after this type of incident occurs.

Some of the most common injuries in a slip and fall accident can be: • Ankle or wrist sprain • Broken bones • Soft tissue injury • Damage to the knee • Shoulder dislocation • Nerve or spinal damage • Traumatic brain injury

Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, at any time. It is common to experience a slip and fall accident at a business, but you may be surprised to learn many take place at home as well. Slip and falls can hap-

pen indoors and outdoors, depending on the conditions present. Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents are because of: • Damaged driveways, walkways, sidewalks, stairwells • Inadequate lighting, security, and maintenance • Environmental conditions such as water, ice, or snow • Improperly maintained staircases • Unsafe surface conditions such as uneven surfaces, loose floorboards, or spilled liquids • Unmarked hazardous areas or objects, like faulty ladders or steps

How Aim High Chiropractic Can Help

better tomorrow. With complete chiropractic care, on site x-ray, state-of-the-art soft tissue therapies, and physical therapy, we get our patients healthy as quickly as possible.

Aim High Chiropractic is offering FREE fabric masks for COVID-19 protection.

DENVER - 50 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 - Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 6pm AURORA - 1350 Chambers Rd, Aurora, CO 80011 - Tues to Fri, 9am to 6pm WHEAT RIDGE - 7200 W 44th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 - Tues and Thur, 8:30am to 6pm DTC - 7800 East Orchard Road #350A, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 - Mon, Wed, Fri, 7am to 5pm

Were you or a loved one injured in a slip and fall accident? It’s in the best interest of that person’s health to seek medical attention right away. Aim High doctors are personal injury specialists and can diagnose, treat and help heal common types of injuries so you or your loved one return to pain free activity as quickly as possible. Call us today, feel

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Advertorial | asian avenue magazine

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