March 2021
Volume 16 Issue 3
Engaging in Difficult Conversations about Race
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Young Asian Americans Make Their Mark
Community Partnerships Support Equitable Vaccine Distribution
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PRESIDENT’S NOTE Happy Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8)! Our all-women staff loved putting together this edition, highlighting the achievements and aspirations of young Asian American women in the Denver area. Read about their involvement in Girl Scouts, learning their family’s language, playing multiple instruments, competing in debate, passion for helping animals, and of course, volunteering and giving back to the community. Their stories serve as an inspiration to my even younger daughters (3 years old and 1 year old), who I hope will see the importance of compassion towards others and taking action! It also stood out to me that several of the young women mentioned racism being an issue they were concerned about. Check out the framework provided by the newly formed organization CORE about how to have difficult conversations with loved ones about race. This includes identifying an appropriate venue for the conversation, establishing the intent of the discussion, and considering how receptive the person may be to new and/or opposing perspectives. CORE is also a company run by women; they specialize in providing organizations diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings. We are happy to introduce them and their work this month! March 2021 also marks one year since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Colorado. This past year has been undeniably challenging, especially for small business owners. John and Ivy Pham have been successful in introducing their tasty chicken to the Lakewood community, despite opening Kickin’ Chicken in June 2020 as restaurants were ordered to shut down. Master Tea in Broomfield, now with two locations, continues to add new drinks to their menu, while following safety guidelines. Our local businesses are doing their best to keep going! In support, we are announcing our next Asian Eats To Go event for March 31! We hope you can help support the Aurora area restaurants and we look forward to organizing more events across town in future months! Annie Guo VanDan, President | Asian Avenue magazine | www.asianavemag.com
President’s Note | Asian Avenue Magazine
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FEATURE: How to engage in difficult conversations with loved ones about race
FEATURE: Defunding the police remains the message and goal for racial justice advocates
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INSIDE STORY: Global Trade Activator helps entrepreneurs with import/export business
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COVER STORY: March is a time to celebrate women, especially our young ones, who have bright futures ahead
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INSIDE STORY: Simpson United Methodist Church adapts to the virtual world RESTAURANT PEEK: Kickin’ Chicken serves up an innovative fusion menu highlighting its tasty chicken RESTAURANT PEEK: Master Tea’s two locations bring brown sugar to its tea drinks HEALTH: Community partnerships address racial inequity in COVID-19 vaccine distribution
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March 2021 | Table of Contents
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on the cover Asian Avenue shares the stories of Asian American girls and young women in celebration of Women’s History Month. 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.
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Make a VERDICT:
Engaging in Anti-Racist Conversations With Your Loved Ones “If you are a white ally, you listen to the messaging and you go back to your people, your company, your institution, your father and you share what you learned and heard. I don’t need you to feel my pain I need you to have influence with those who are responsible for my pain to help address the issues.” -Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, Professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University
Venue Emotion Receptivity Difficulty Intent Closeness Time 6
March 2021 | Feature
I need you to have influence with those who are responsible for my pain. People, processes, and technology are the foundation of successful organizations. However, for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), encounters with pain originate from people, processes, and technology. BIPOC are often subject to microaggressions and overt racism that occur while visiting doctors, attending school, walking, driving, scrolling on social media, and more. The burden of education and action cannot solely fall on the shoulders of the traumatized, who already carry a great weight. As allies, we can learn, we can unlearn, we can teach, and we can challenge in solidarity with other communities of color. After building confidence with self-education and conversation skills, the next step is to determine who to engage with and in what way. A successful conversation depends on a number of factors, including those detailed below using the acronym VERDICT. The framework below can help you determine your approach to engaging an individual in a conversation about racism. Venue | Is this the right location for a productive conversation? Are you in a private space, or surrounded by others? Are the surroundings more conducive to a shorter or longer conversation? Location can help set the tone for the conversation. A conversation in a public local coffee shop may be better suited for a shorter conversation compared to a conversation in a private living room. Emotion | Do both parties have the mental/emotional capacity to engage? If either conversation partner has reached their mental or emotional limit, it is more difficult to evoke empathy and active listening from one another. Furthermore, it is vital to evaluate your emotions with intersectionality. As an Asian-American woman with a post-secondary education, I recognize I have privileges that others do not. However, I also have been harmed by misogyny and racism. Intersectional emotional awareness can help me determine how I sustainably execute on these conversations without burning out. Receptivity | How open is the person to discussion? Will they immediately push back, or are they open to new ideas? Will they respond better to a discussion filled with data or personal anecdotes? Set realistic expectations and have a contingency plan if they’re more closed off than anticipated. Difficulty | Where is the person in their journey of understanding? Consider meeting people where they are at. Speaking the same language, literally and figuratively, will enable success in the conversation. Letters for Black Lives is a collective resource with translations of a letter directed towards non-English speakers. Defining terminology such as Model Minority, systemic racism, institutional racism, liberation, and more may need to be incorporated into your approach. Intent | What is your goal? Is the purpose to win or to educate? Identifying the intent can help determine whether it’s best to call in vs. call out the individual for a particular conversation. Unless you are reacting to a racist remark by shutting it down, your intent should not be to win, but to understand, empathize, and educate. Furthermore, knowing your specific goal can help you determine length and tone for the conversation. Closeness | What is your relationship to the person? What values does this person have, and how does it differ from yours? If you have a closer relationship with a person, you may have the opportunity to delve into an in-depth, serious conversation. In contrast, a conversation with a family member could be more prickly than a conversation with a friend. Use what you know about the person to your advantage to find common ground and breakthrough moments.
Time | Is the need immediate? Are there opportunities in the future? Urgency is the consideration here. If you have a relative who makes racist comments regularly, is it better to initiate the conversation immediately after their comment or schedule time to correct them in the future? How long will the conversation be? Finally, are you approaching these conversations with a sense of urgency? Holding off on a conversation to maximize effectiveness is one thing; holding off on a conversation because of discomfort or fear is another.
No matter how, when, or where you decided to engage; the most important thing is TO engage. We believe in spotlighting community experts. Below are resources to better prepare in having this conversation with family and friends. 1) Courageous Conversations About Race by Glenn E. Singleton 2) Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters By Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen, Roger Fisher 3) So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo 4) Want to Have Better Conversations About Racism With Your Parents? Here’s How 5) Letters for Black Lives See links for the resources on the original post for this article at: coredei.com/2021/02/22/make-a-verdict-engagingin-anti-racist-conversations-with-your-loved-ones
CORE created the VERDICT framework to help you analyze and strategize in preparation for having conversations about race with family and friends. Their training called Courageous Conversations helps participants feel confident in preparing, strategizing, and executing these conversations. Share your success with CORE on Instagram @core.dei or Facebook.
Communities in Solidarity The past year, there has been a continuous uptick in Anti-Asian hate crimes across the United States. Not only has this kept Asian communities on edge, but when the crime is committed by other People of Color, it worsens tensions between different minority groups. It’s an unfortunate fact that people of color can and have harmed one another. However, we must also keep perspective, that the actions of a few do not speak for an entire group. We must remain diligent to not fall into this dispiriting viewpoint as we collectively mourn, heal, and advocate for our Asian communities. Speaking more plainly, we cannot denigrate the continuous work that Asian and Black folx have done in solidarity with one another for the advocacy of both of our collective communities. Looking back historically, the Black community heavily opposed American intervention during the 1899 Philippine-American War, which eventually led to the dissolution of the First Philippine Republic. As a matter of fact, a number of Black newspapers and community leaders felt it was wrong for the United States to undermine Filipino independence. We see this solidarity occurring again in the mid-twentieth century when Black-led anti-war movements opposed the Vietnam War. In both instances, the Black community opposed these wars for the unfair and barbaric damage it cast upon both Black and Asian communities. And while this is only a drop in the bucket, there is a rich
history of Asian and Black community solidarity that has occurred, and will continue to occur. Historically, while the traumas both communities faced in the United States have been unique, they are inextricably intertwined. For example, when we think of the phrase “Yellow Peril Supports Black Power”, we have to look back to the 1800s when this term was first coined when Chinese migrants were brought to the United States to replace Black slaves as a cheap source of labor. In fact, a number of Asian migrations to North America stemmed from the fact that white slave-owners could no longer use Black slave labor. And while Asian people were exploited and ill-treated from this pernicious system change, we have to look at the root cause of both of these ills—white supremacy and systemic racism. For many of our communities, especially the Asian communities on the West Coast, we may remember the 1992 LA Riots and the interracial tensions that arose as Asian communities and businesses were caught in the cross-hairs of anti-police riots. While this was a dark and traumatic moment in history for both communities, we have to once again, keep perspective that the actions of a few, do not represent an entire group. Instead, now more, than ever, we need to come together and reflect on our shared community goals of healing and liberation from white supremacy, tyranny, and systemic racism that aims to torment the communities of color at large.
Community Organizing for Radical Empathy (CORE) offers inclusive, accessible, and engaging services including workshops, community outreach and marketing, healing circles, organization analysis and strategic planning. The organization, founded by all women of color, works collaboratively with a community-oriented framework to educate and equip individuals and organizations with accessible tools and techniques to strive for and sustain an equitable lifestyle/workplace environment. Learn more about CORE and connect with them fo customize a workshop for your organization at: coredei.com. CORE | Asian Avenue Magazine
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For racial justice advocates, ‘Defund Police’ remains central rallying cry People protest in Brooklyn, New York on June 7, 2020. Photo by Fiora Watts.
When a mob of pro-Trump insurgents accountability when such violence occurs, carrying Confederate flags and neo-Nazi have increased calls by Black Lives Matter insignia violently stormed the U.S. Capi- activists in recent years to defund police. tol on January 6, video footage of a CapThe idea: if police aren’t making comitol police officer taking a selfie with a munities safer, then why not shrink rioter went viral. their budgets and reallocate funding As the day wore on, many were quick toward things that do? to contrast the underwhelming response Advocates argue incremental reforms, by law enforcement toward predomi- like restrictive use of force policies, don’t Denver’s Support Team Assistance nantly white terrorists, with the tear gas, go far enough and should take a back- Response (STAR) program sends a rubber bullets, pepper spray and vio- seat to the more transformative solution medic and mental health clinician to lence mostly Black and Brown activists of slashing law enforcement budgets, to respond to emergency calls. Photo by: Mental Health Center of Denver were met with last summer while peace- free up funding for quality healthcare, fully protesting police brutality following housing and other programs that centu- by police officers and firefighters. In the George Floyd’s murder. ries of racist policymaking have denied first six months of the program, the STAR For racial justice advocates, the treat- Black people and communities adequate team responded to 748 emergency calls, ment by law enforcement none of which led to arrests. was predictable. Multiple Austin is diverting monBlack people are 3 times more likely than ey from its police budget to studies have demonstrated Black Americans’ distrust of fund supportive housing. white people to be killed by police and police—distrust rooted in Seattle is using participatory 1.3 times more likely to be unarmed when budgeting to give residents Southern “slave patrols” and a long history of discriminakillings occur. In 98.3% of killings, police a say in where to redirect tory policing. funding cut from its police officers are not charged with a crime. According to Mapping Pobudget. lice Violence, Black people Almost a year after last are 3 times more likely than white people access to. summer’s protests for racial justice, adto be killed by police and 1.3 times more Some cities are putting this theory to vocates remain committed to building likely to be unarmed when killings occur. the test. Denver’s Support Team Assis- public and political will for reimagining In 98.3% of killings, police officers are not tance Response (STAR) pilot program, community investment and rethinking charged with a crime. which launched last June, allowed a the power and scope of policing. The police violence experienced by medic and mental health clinician to take Written by Aditi Ramaswami. Follow Black Americans, coupled with the lack of emergency calls traditionally answered her on Twitter @aditiramaswami.
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March 2021 | Feature
See sources cited at: asianavemag.com/post/defund-police
Looking to start a successful import/export business or make improvements?
Q&A WITH BONI JIANG Global Trade Activator participant What brought you to Colorado? I was born and raised in China, and went to graduate school in Massachusetts in 2001. Afterwards, I went back to China and my wife, who is American, and I helped build two schools. My family and I came to visit family in Colorado in January 2020 and couldn’t return to China in February due to the pandemic. Once March hit, I realized I must find a new job in the U.S. How did you find out about the WTC Denver’s Global Trade Activator Program? Sometime ago I came up with a business idea and in the spring of 2020, decided to pursue it. Not knowing where to start, I reached out to the World Trade Center Denver where a few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet people and network. I signed up for their Certificate of International Trade training to help me learn and network with people in Colorado and came across the Global Trade Activator program. How has the Global Trade Activator (GTA) helped you reach your business goals? The GTA program has provided me with importing and exporting training to help me better understand selling American products to China. I began to learn the basics such as Incoterms, going through strategic thinking and planning for importing and exporting business. Understanding the market, the WTC Denver also provided me with the industry expertise that I needed to know about this business. As an immigrant in the program, I received financial support for classes. The Global Trade Activator program is the perfect opportunity for immigrants with that entrepreneurial spirit who want to develop their businesses in their market. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs in the Asian community? Don’t worry, just jump in! If you are an immigrant you are in a host country. If you visit a host, you follow the rules and cultural norms in the host’s house. You must learn the laws and rules of your host’s country to protect your business and self which is where WTC Denver can help. Reach out to different groups of people to understand their needs and way of doing business. Go beyond your comfort zone to expand your business scope. Let’s pursue peace between China and the U.S. through trade and prosperity.
The World Trade Center Denver can help you with training, support, and the connections you need to build a successful global business. Learn more at wtcdenver.org. Inside Story | Asian Avenue Magazine
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International Women’s Day March celebrates Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, a time to commemorate the contributions of women throughout history.
Asian Avenue highlights Asian American young women who are making a difference in their schools and communities!
Alexandra Yao Age: 9 | Denver
Alexandra, who is in 3rd grade, loves classical music and has played the piano since she was 4 and the violin since she was 7. She loves performing and has done so at many senior and nursing homes. She received her black belt in tae kwon do when she turned 7. Alexandra is learning Chinese through Colorado Chinese Language School in Washington Park and loves learning the language as well as more about her Chinese heritage. She loves participating in community service projects and last year, ran a water bottle donation drive benefiting individuals experiencing homelessness at the St. Francis Center in Denver. She
was able to get 600 bottles donated! After having encountered racism as a result of COVID, Alexandra is working with her mom to create a nonprofit organization and podcast helping educate and empower kids to work together as one community to stand up against racism, hate, and bullying. They hope to launch the nonprofit by the end of this year. Alexandra hopes to finish reading at least 50 Newberry books by the end of 3rd grade. She would like to be a lawyer and maybe even a judge someday. She admires Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she advocated for equal rights for women, immigrants, and people of color.
Sophie Liu Sophie is in 8th grade. She was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Centennial, Colo. She loves visual and performing arts, and has been playing the piano and going to art classes since she was 6. She has performed in many different dance techniques for the majority of her life, including ballet, tap, Chinese folk
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March 2021 | Cover Story
Age: 13 | Centennial dance, rhythmic gymnastics, and jazz. With a love for performing, she enjoys providing performances for senior and nursing homes and participating in regional competitions. Sophie would like to be a dance instructor or an interior designer in the future. She also loves to write her own stories, each time improving her skills even more than before. Sophie is a part of a nonprofit organization, ACUVA, that raises funds and promotes initiatives to serve the people who need them most. ACUVA has donated over $21,000 and will continue to assist for many years to come. She helps create flyers and posters for events.
She admires Laura Zeng because of her creativity, determination, and dedication to her sport (rhythmic gymnastics). Sophie is very grateful for the freedom and rights that all women deserve and worked hard to earn.
Emma Chou Age: 6 | Highlands Ranch
learned what it means to have compassion at an early age as she participates with her brother and father in a group called Highlands Ranch Serves, which provides hygiene kits for the homeless and snack packs for underprivileged students at Crawford Elementary School. Emma cares deeply about all the communities of color and strongly believes Black Lives Matter. Emma plans to be a chef when she is older and hopes to open a cafe that would serve snacks and sweets along with beverages like boba tea and coffee. She loves to cook and bake and can often be found in the kitchen helping mom making goodies. She is very caring and hopes to be part of programs that would feed and nourish underserved and underprivileged parts of our community. Emma loves women superheroes and thinks she can be one! She knows that girls can make a great impact just as much as boys.
First grader Emma loves modern popular music and dancing. She has been taking piano lessons since right before she turned 5. Emma has been learning Mandarin Chinese at the Great Wall Academy since she was 4 and doing her best to keep the language in her family for future generations. She also takes tennis and golf classes and is learning to ski from her father. She has
Khloey Luistro Age: 10 | Centennial Khloey is a fifth grader and Colorado native. She lives in Centennial and loves all things anime, video games, and coding. She is a Kumon student and is an active Brainly member where she helps high school students with their math homework. Prior to COVID-19, Khloey played volleyball
at Momentum and trained at High Altitude Martial Arts for Muay Thai. She’s excited to get back to her sports once the pandemic is over. In the meantime, she’s kept busy building games through Scratch, starting a new blog where she reviews books she’s recently read, and learning Japanese online. As a natural adventurer, she developed a deep fascination with ancient civilization after several visits to the Denver Science Museum and exploring the Egyptian Mummies exhibition. As such, she aspires to become an archeologist where she plans to travel the world uncovering ancient artifacts and helping preserve its history. In conjunction with uncovering lost civilizations and its cultures, one of Khloey’s philanthropic goals is to help preserve marine life. Hoping to use her talents in mathematics and love for building things, she wants to create artificial coral reefs using nanotechnology to withstand the effects of pollution and
ocean acidification to create a safe habitat for various marine life. One of her favorite things about being a girl is being a big sister to her little brother.
Colorado’s Young Women | Asian Avenue Magazine
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Alli & Adri Saignaphone Age: 10 | Aurora 10-year-olds Alli and Adri are identical twins, born only a minute apart. They love writing and reading stories together. They write as a way to express their voice and imagination, and their writing is usually about family, friendship and hope. In 2018, Alli and Adri entered the Story Bakers and won with their story about two twin bunnies, along with Alli’s own story, which was about three bears going to the end of the rainbow. Their stories were selected to be read and performed at the Children’s Festival of Stories. The twins enjoy playing classical music on
the piano, and improvising music. They are currently writing music and composing a song as a gift for their parents’ wedding anniversary. With a love of animals, they want to be veterinarians one day and to rescue and care for animals in danger. They love riding horses and hope to own a stable with a lot of horses and puppies living with them. With everything that has been going on in the world, Alli and Adri have gained a new perspective on life. They want the world to become a better place, where people support and respect each other and everyone lives in peace and happiness. They think everyone needs to work together as a community, no matter what their skin color is. That’s why they have helped their parents put baskets of essential items together to give to people in
need in their community. They both donated their hair to Locks of Love to help children who are suffering from long term or permanent medical hair loss. They hope that one day people will realize that everyone should be treated equally. For now, they do what they can to speak out for their classmates who are more shy and quiet. They continue to write stories in hopes of standing up against bullying, as they deliver an uplifting, positive message about family, friendship and equality in their writing.
Sissel Wu Age: 15 | Denver
Sissel, a freshman in high school, loves to play musical instruments and has been playing Guzheng (a Chinese traditional instrument), since she was five
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March 2021 | Cover Story
years old. In the fourth grade, she started learning the flute. She now plays the flute in her high school’s marching band and symphonic band. At the age of 12, she began playing the Chinese flute. Music is very important in her life, and she turns to music to relieve her stress and to relax. She also enjoys teaching children Chinese on weekends and volunteers to teach students about four hours on weekends. “I am very proud because I can hear the students begin speaking fluently in Chinese,” she said. In the few years she has been in the U.S. she has often participated in performances to share about Chinese culture. She joined the Denver Kunming Sister Cities Chinese New Year Committee to share a cultural exchange between the US and China. She
also volunteers for the Red Cross and helps with homeless groups. In the future, she hopes to be a doctor or anesthetist, so she can help people who are ill to get rid of their pain and recover quickly. She also feels it is a way for her to contribute to society. “When I help people, I feel very proud and happy. Helping people is very important to me,” she said.
LiAn Song Age: 16 | Highlands Ranch LiAn is in the class of 2023 at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch. She has loved to draw since she was 5 years old. She has played cello for six years and plays in the Denver Young Artists Orchestra’s Conservatory. At school, she participates in Technology Student Association (TSA), Colorado TSA Community Outreach Committee, DECA (for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs), and Coding Club. She is involved with Great Wall Chinese Academy, both as a volunteer beginner’s art teacher and as a student. She is also in the art Sai is a sophomore in high school, and she is currently involved in swimming, orchestra, speech and debate, and she does a lot of volunteering. Sai is on the swim team at her high school, and although the season has been cut short, she has been making the
department on Youth Creates Team, primarily focusing on designing graphics. In the future, she wants to find a job in which she can both help others and herself in various ways. An issue that is important to LiAn is the deeply integrated racism and xenophobia against people of all races. “There are too many instances of people casually throwing around racial slurs or making hateful and xenophobic jokes that go unnoticed,” she said. She hopes to stand up with others against racism to put an end to the hate among different groups of people. Although she is unsure which career path she will go down in the future, she knows she wants to educate people and bring more love into the world. Something LiAn loves about being a wommost out of the time she has. She also partakes in the highest level orchestra (Chamber Orchestra) at her school and has been playing the violin separately for 6 and a half years. Her favorite extracurricular is speech and debate, where she is a part of the Lincoln-Douglas debate circuit. Sai, along with some of her friends additionally started a nonprofit organization, called Money for a Miracle, where they have raised hundreds of dollars so far to support impoverished schools, and they also held a donation drive to make COVID-19 support baskets for the homeless in Denver. They were inspired by seeing those who are not as fortunate as they are, and they want to try to help make a change in the public education system in
Lux Aimi Umetani Age: 7 | Denver
Lux is a first grader at Academia Sandoval, which is a dual language Montessori in Denver Public Schools. She is becoming bilingual in English and Spanish. Before the pandemic, Lux was taking hula dance lessons and learning how to play taiko, which are Japanese drums.
She started karate six months ago and is currently an orange belt. This school year she started participating in Girl Scouts. She is now a Daisy and is learning all about entrepreneurship with the cookie sale program. Her troop is also planning a take action project to help at an animal shelter. She lives in Denver with her parents and two “crazy little brothers.” Lux also goes to the Denver Buddhist Temple and participates in the Dharma school. She enjoys skiing, ice skating and swimming. In the future, she would
an is the community. “It’s really reassuring to know that the community of women in society will always have each other’s backs. It’s truly something to be cherished,” she said.
Sai Allareddy Age: 15 | aurora Colorado, and hopefully, some other places as well. She has also volunteered over a hundred hours since the beginning of high school, at the Ronald McDonald House, Children’s Hospital, the library, and more. After high school, Sai hopes to major in biology, with a minor in clinical psychology, and go to medical school. Her career goals are to partake in the field of medicine, whether it be as a doctor or a surgeon or a scientist. She really wants to make a change in the world, especially through healthcare and education, and help those who are not as fortunate as she is.
like to be a veterinarian because of her love for animals and medicine. “I would like to do something that helps people or animals,” she says. “I want to make it is easier to find vaccines so we don’t have to go through another pandemic like the coronavirus again.” Lastly, she loves being a girl because she gets to wear dresses and make-up.
Colorado’s Young Women | Asian Avenue Magazine
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Simpson United Methodist Church Adapts to the Virtual World
Kyle Snyder sings in the choir.
Simpson United Methodist Church 6001 Wolff St. Arvada, CO 80003 (303) 428-7963 Visit simpsonumc.com for details Follow and Like Simpson on Facebook @simpsonumcarvada 14
March 2021 | Inside Story
Our lives have been transformed in a variety of ways as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Few knew that a year after the virus made its way to the US, we would still be huddling in our homes, binging more and more TV (and food!), and relying so heavily on virtual gatherings to meet our community and spiritual needs. Early in 2020, the leadership and congregants of Simpson United Methodist Church (Simpson) quickly became familiar with virtual gatherings, as did most churches, temples, offices, schools, etc. Simpson, which is deeply rooted in the Japanese American culture and experience, is located in Arvada, CO and was established 113 years ago. At Simpson, “We strive to reach out to all people in the belief that diversity is a strength. As such, today, our membership is a rainbow of ages, genders, cultures, and experiences.” At the onset of the pandemic Pastor Leah Coleman recalls,“Simpson demonstrated resiliency as we developed and implemented plans to keep our members and community safe. Seemingly overnight, the church shifted to worshiping virtually and socially-distanced in our parking lot when weather permitted, requiring flexibility as we learned
new technologies.” A positive outcome of moving online has been the participation of people from other states who have joined the Sunday servicesheld at 10am on Zoom. Simpson had to cancel many of its events for the safety of others: the Asian Food Bazaar, Arts and Craft Fair, Peach Sale, etc. This significantly reduced the income to the church. On the bright side, Simpson connected with its community and neighbors by inviting them to see the light of love on Christmas Eve through luminaries which volunteers placed around the church lawn. A caravan of congregants drove to the homes of four young members this summer to celebrate their graduation from high school. Other Simpson volunteers crocheted hats for those receiving chemotherapy and offered food for those without permanent shelter. A “Blessing Box” holding nonperishable food items and toiletries was installed at the front of the church a few years ago. It continues to be stocked for anyone needing support during these trying times. Charlotte Namba is a dedicated, longtime member of Simpson: “Our Outreach, Nurture, and Evangelism Committee has reached out to our congregation and community to find out
A caravan of congregants celebrate the graduation of high school seniors.
what is needed during this time of social isolation. We have a team of telephone callers who check in a few times a month with members and friends to make sure they are doing well, ask if they need anything, or just chat. We also have a card ministry for those who are homebound, have health issues, experienced the passing of a loved one, or are celebrating a special occasion. We have received many notes and telephone calls with expressions of appreciation for the personal contacts they have received. Charlotte adds: “I have been a member of Simpson for over 50 years and can remember feeling safe and welcomed back in the early 60’s when I first attended worship services. This feeling is still felt. Simpson is an important part of our community and I hope that we can be around for many more years. We have much to offer and much to share.”
2018 Award Recipients
2019 Award Recipients
In January 2020, Simpson leadership interviewed Kyle Snyder, the choir teacher at Everitt Middle School in Wheat Ridge, to replace Debbie Willeford who had retired as Simpson’s Choir Director. Kyle had the opportunity to meet with the choir before the pandemic changed life as we knew it. Said Kyle, “I had been raised in a Methodist church so this seemed like a perfect fit. Thankfully the choir and church body decided to welcome me to their family. I was very happy for our few outdoor worship services this summer as they allowed me to come face-toface, socially distanced and masked of course, with more of the congregation. Even with few opportunities to meet, the congregation has done an amazing job of making me feel at home.”
Kyle and the Simpson choir prepared a song called “Peace, Peace” for the Christmas Eve service. They are now working on a song for Easter Sunday. In addition, Kyle sings in videos which beautifully enhance the Sunday services. “No matter what happens and how far apart we are we will always find a way to come together in music. It shows the faith and resilience of the choir and congregation as they work with me to discover new ways to worship. I wait with baited breath for the first time that the choir will be able to perform in front of the congregation in the Simpson Sanctuary,” says Kyle. Simpson United Methodist Church invites you to join them in worship and community. Sunday services are held via Zoom at 10am.
2014 Award Recipients
Unfortunately, we are unable to gather this year to celebrate, but will continue the tradition of recognizing outstanding individuals in our community by sharing their stories in Asian Avenue Magazine. See past stories of heroes at asianavemag.com. Simpson United Methodist Church | Asian Avenue Magazine
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Kickin’ Chicken Located between Alameda Parkway and Union Boulevard, Kickin‘ Chicken is a newly opened fast-casual eatery, focusing on fried chicken sandwiches and tenders with fresh and high-quality ingredients. The owners, brother and sister duo, John and Ivy Pham have been in the restaurant industry for nearly 15 years. After years working in corporate restaurants, Ivy decided it was time to open up her own business. The motivation for opening a fried chicken restaurant came from the idea of simplicity and focus. “My parents used to own a pho restaurant, and it took a lot of preparation and side work to make pho. Which is why we wanted to create something simple, so that we could focus on doing that simple thing well.” John Pham said. However, opening a restaurant during the pandemic wasn’t an easy process. The restaurant was supposed to be opened in March 2020, right as the COVID-19 first reached Colorado. “It was a difficult decision to make. A lot of our friends and family were telling us to pull back, but we were just too committed. We just had to try it and hope for the best.” Eventually, Ivy and John opened Kickin Chicken in July 2020. Despite the shutdowns and overall effects of the pandemic, Kickin’ Chicken has been doing pretty well with social media playing a big part in the success of the business. Ivy and John feel lucky to have received incredible support from the community; to the point where, Kickin’ Chicken would sell out of chicken over the weekend due to its popularity. Ivy and John are still waiting for things to get better, but they feel grateful for what they have been able to accomplish so far. Now let’s talk about the food! The dishes at Kickin’ Chicken are globally inspired with a touch of different cultures. “We believe good food is good food, no matter where it is from which is why we have Mexican street corn, Vietnamese slaw, and Thai iced drinks. Because of our mixed menu, customers that come to Kickin’ Chicken are also very diverse,” said John. Before they opened the restaurant, Ivy and John played around with a lot of fried chicken recipes in order to discover the most unique taste. The secret behind the crunch for Kickin’ Chicken’s sandwiches is its gluten-free rice flour, which gives it the ultimate crunchiness and standout flavors. The crunch of the fried breading is met with a juicy slab of chicken. Adding on additional sauces and toppings, makes it the best chicken sandwich in the Denver area. If it is your first visit, definitely try the Chicken Sandwich, which includes chicken thighs on buttered Texas toast topped off with Kickin’ sauce, slaw, pickles, and a side for $9.50. The Chicken Katsu is John’s personal favorite, which includes chicken thighs over fried rice, mac salad, katsu sauce, and a side for $11.95. Don’t forget to add on the Vietnamese slaw to get the best of multiple cuisines in one meal! 275 S Union Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80228 Tel: 303.989.0197 kickinchickenrestaurant.com
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March 2021 | Restaurant Peek
Connect with Kickin’ Chicken on social: Instagram: @kickin.chicken Facebook: @Kickin’ Chicken Lakewood
By Lina Zhu | Photos by Lijin Zhao
MASTER TEA Since its opening in 2016, Master Tea has stayed authentic to the Taiwanese style of bubble, and they continue to source their tea leaves directly from Taiwan. As more bubble tea shops have popped up around Denver, their two Broomfield locations have stayed competitive by providing quality drinks, offering great service and refreshing their menu with new drinks. Recently, owner David Chi added a new drink that has been popular in Taiwan called the Brown Sugar Boba Milk. Made with milk (can substitute with almond/ soy/oat milk), brown sugar, and boba, the drink was originally added as an experiment, but since customers have responded enthusiastically, it is here to stay. The scent of the brown sugar and the purity of milk combined together, along with the chewy boba has quickly become one of their top drinks. A unique offering by Master, Tea, many new customers have come in to try it! Customers also began requesting the
addition of brown sugar in their other drinks, which gave David the idea to develop a series of Brown Sugar Boba Milk drinks. Currently, there are seven flavors: Vanilla, Caramel, Hazelnut, Taro, Matcha, Coconut, and Strawberry. These new flavors have all been loved by customers. In addition, Sparkling Fruit Soda was also added to their menu, which was the most popular summertime drink. It is also a favorite amongst their student customers, who often like to add popping boba to the drink. For those who prefer the classic milk tea series, Master Tea has created two new drinks—Honey Green Milk Tea and Okinawa Milk Tea—for tea lovers. Since the pandemic began, Master Tea has followed guidelines to ensure the health and safety of their employees and customers. Master Tea appreciates all of their customers that have continued to support their business during this difficult time and welcomes new visitors daily!
Connect with Master Tea on Facebook & Instagram: @mastertea.usa
Two Locations
6600 W. 120th Ave. Unit I Broomfield, CO 80020 (720) 583-1538 2205 W. 136th Ave. Suite 100 Broomfield, CO 80023 (720) 535-4493
Restaurant Peek | Asian Avenue Magazine
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Colorado community comes together to spread cheer in celebration of Lunar New Year
Elena (8) and Raegan (4) Martin donated baskets to four families with 11 kids with ages ranging from 2 to 17.
The Martins dropped off their baskets to APDC full of toys and clothes for the kids and red envelopes for the parents.
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March 2021 | On Scene
More than 200 refugee and immigrant families received donations of gift baskets and goodies during the Lunar New Year. The donations were provided by other Colorado families and local organizations to the participants of the Asian Pacific Development Center’s (APDC) Adult Education Program that assists Limited English Proficiency (LEP) adult learners. Organizations that donated included: • Asian Chamber of Commerce • Asian Pacific Bar Association of Colorado • Asian Real Estate Association of America Greater Denver • Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network • Colorado Dragon Boat Festival • National Association of Asian American Professionals • Sakura Foundation • Wild & Precious Optimal Living Learn more about the program and ways to support the learners at www.apdc.org/adult-education.
Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Celebration By Tarika Cefkin
Guests at the University Club watch the 2021 Event Chair Diana Backstrom’s opening remarks
It’s the Year of the Ox, and the Nathan Yip Foundation celebrated with its first-ever virtual party. The organization was founded in 2002 by Denver residents Linda and Jimmy Yip after losing their son, Nathan, in a car accident in 2001. Guests watched the virtual event from the comfort of their homes as the show kicked off with a lion dance performance by Nguyen Thieu Buddhist Youth Association. Denver 7’s Anne Trujillo led the group in the traditional good luck salad toss - typically served family-style at the banquet, with guests using chopsticks to toss all the lucky ingredients together. Viewers were greeted by 2021 Chair, Diana Backstrom, and Honorary Chairs Ding-Wen and Tai-Dan Hsu before former Denver Bronco, Reggie Rivers, emceed the rest of the event from a live studio.
NYF Executive Director Tarika Cefkin and Emcee of the chinese new year celebration Reggie Rivers
To enhance the free viewing experience, supporters were able to purchase a party box or 5-course take-out meal, provided by Jing Restaurant. Party boxes included fun props and prizes, sponsorship of a rural teacher appreciation gift, and access to a virtual after party. President-elect Jon Olafson led the after party from the University Club, where he also hosted a small, socially distanced viewing party. Earlier in the week, party boxes were delivered by NYF Executive Director Tarika Cefkin and NYF supporter Mieko Nakamura in Mieko’s “Cow Bug” and cow costumes. Funds raised will support K-12 rural schools throughout Colorado, with a focus on new needs arising from COVID-related challenges. For more information, visit nathanyipfoundation.org.
Denver 7’s Anne Trujillo presented the Good Luck Salad Toss
Jimmy Yip distributes meals and party boxes to Julia Porterfield at Jing RESTAURANT
NYF Executive Director Tarika Cefkin and Mieko Nakamura
Kunming Chinese New Year Celebration
Si Wu plays the Guzheng
Crossing the Bridge Noodles
Denver Sister Cities’ Kunming Committee moved its annual Chinese Lunar New Year celebration online this year, providing a free, hour-long program on February 20th. The Committee enjoyed creating its first virtual event and was pleased so many attended. The celebration featured several videos from the Sister City office in Kunming, including one on how to prepare Crossing the Bridge Noodles, a celebrated, regional specialty of Yunnan Province. Master Calligrapher Harber Chang demonstrated how to make a Chinese couplet, the talented Si Wu delighted everyone with her guzheng performance of a 2,500+ year old classic music piece, Chinese language instructor Peggy Liu explained how the Chinese Zodiac works and characteristics of those born in the year of the Ox, and Howie Solow’s Shaolin Heng Mei Kung Fu students demonstrated martial arts. Many thanks to everyone who participated!
Looking forward, the Kunming Committee is eager to support student trips to Kunming again and to see everyone at the Empress Seafood in 2022 for a 10-course banquet celebrating the Year of the Tiger!
Calligrapher Harber Chang shares Chinese Couplets On Scene | Asian Avenue Magazine
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Community based partnerships address racial inequity in COVID-19 vaccine distribution By Alok Sarwal, PhD, MBA | CEO, Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice (5250 Leetsdale Dr. #110, Denver, CO 80246) & Family Medicine Clinic for Health Equity (12201 E. Mississippi Ave. #103, Aurora, CO 80012)
Equity vaccine clinic administered COVID-19 vaccines on Feb. 27 at The Stampede in Aurora
Volunteers provided snacks and refreshments at the clinic
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (center) meets with the team
The United States reached a once-unfathomable milestone on Feb. 22, 2021, surpassing 500,000 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths—more than any other country and higher than even the worst case scenario predictions. US life expectancy saw its biggest drop since World War II, with widening racial disparities. The COVID-19 crisis is hurting all our communities, but not equally. The data that would allow us to document the pandemic’s uneven toll has been incomplete. But it is apparent that communities of color continue to be the most vulnerable. The US has historically struggled to vaccinate adults. In the past decade, the rate of seasonal influenza vaccination among U.S. adults has never exceeded 50%. Coverage rates for seasonal influenza have been even lower for Black, Asian and Latinx Americans and high-risk adults between the ages of 18 and 49 years. During the last pandemic for which there was a vaccine—the 2009 H1N1 pandemic—only 22.7% of American adults were vaccinated per CDC records. After months of wariness, recent polls show that interest in receiving COVID-19 vaccines is finally rising among Americans, including people of color, in part because clinical trials showed the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to be highly effective. About 72.8 million Americans have already been vaccinated and about 1.3 million doses are being administered across the country each day. President Biden has pledged to administer 100 million vaccines in his first 100 days in office. There has been some confusion about the multi-tiered system of vaccine access, and unabated concerns that certain marginalized groups and people of color will likely receive substandard care. However, it is essential to state some facts based on good science, such as: a) The COVID-19 vaccine will not affect fertility; b) People who have gotten sick with COVID-19 may still benefit from getting vaccinated; c) Individuals who get the COVID-19
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March 2021 | Health
Chance Horiuchi receives her first vaccine dose
vaccination still need to practice infection prevention precautions; d) The vaccine cannot and will not give you COVID-19; e) The COVID-19 vaccine can have side effects, but the vast majority are very short term and typically not dangerous; and, f ) The mRNA technology behind the new coronavirus vaccines has been in development for almost two decades. After vaccination, the most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea and vomiting, and fever. Some confusion has existed regarding the phased roll out of the vaccinations. Colorado recently announced that Phase 1B.3 would be split and will begin on March 5. Those in this phase now include people over age 60, people with two or more health factors and workers in frontline grocery and agriculture positions. This is expected to be about 1 million people. The new Phase 1B.4 is expected to begin around March 21. As currently structured, it will include people over age 50, people with high risk conditions and frontline workers in the following fields: higher education, restaurants and food service, essential manufacturing, the United States Postal Service, faith leaders, public health workers, human service workers, and essential journalists. So far, nearly 70% of people over the age of 70 have been vaccinated, based on data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and additional details in the diagram dated Feb. 26 (next page). Despite a strong desire of public health institutions to implement an equitable delivery system for these vaccines, the data shows that disparities are present. For example, 1.76% of those vaccinated in Colorado are Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs); APIs comprise 3.2% of the state population. 2.1% of all vaccinated Coloradans are African Americans, a group that represents
3.95% of the state population; and 4.99% are Hispanic representing the largest gap with the Hispanic population making up 21.8% of Colorado’s population.
1.76% of those vaccinated in Colorado are Asian Pacific Islanders (APIs) while APIs compose 3.2% of the state’s population. Building trust and getting vaccines to accessible community-run locations are key to addressing these disparities. Community based clinics such as Family Medicine Clinic for Health Equity and the Colorado Primary Care Clinic have stepped up to host a large equity vaccine clinic event. On Feb. 27 at The Stampede in Aurora, in partnership with: Colorado Primary Care Clinic, Havana Business Improvement District, City of Aurora, NAACP, and Aurora Sister Cities International, 400 vaccines were administered with the support of CDPHE and medical providers/doctors and observers, who were present to provide guidance, monitoring, first aid services, and data collection support. This event was remarkable in that it had a strong community footprint. Over ten multi-ethnic communities were represent-
Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) from February 21, 2021.
ed. Language and cultural barriers were addressed with the help of multilingual interpreters from the Korean Committee of Aurora Sister Cities, NAACP, Western Centers, the Ethiopian Community, Colorado Event Traffic, Arc Document Solutions, Falck Rocky Mountain Ambulance, City of Aurora, City of Aurora’s Business Advisory Board, Aurora Asian Pacific Community Partnership, Lee, Myers and O’Connell, LLP, H-Mart, Second Chance Center, CMe Catering & Events, and the Havana Business Improvement District – On Havana Street. More than 65 volunteers dedicated their time and their efforts. Chris Swank with The Stampede donated the space. The event served as a model for future equity clinics and will go a long way in addressing disparities for vaccine delivery.
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COVID-19 Vaccines | Asian Avenue Magazine
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National Survey Shows More Businesses Face Closures and Employee Layoffs AAPI business owners and their employees need immediate and long-term help from the Biden Administration and State Governments The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE) and Reimagine Main Street, an initiative of Public Private Strategies (PPS), released new survey data on the experience of AAPI business owners during the Covid-19 pandemic. Among its key findings, 84% of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) businesses have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and 44% have decreased the number of people they employ. This survey reflects the immense challenges that AAPI businesses face in recovering from a once in a lifetime pandemic. Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) and Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) joined the briefing to provide comments on the importance of AAPI business owners to the country’s economic recovery. “For small businesses to make it to the other side of this pandemic, Congress needs to ensure there is a robust, longterm response to the Covid-19 crisis,” said Chiling Tong, President and CEO of National ACE. “In addition to our findings, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Asian American women who are jobless have been hit harder than any other group, with 44% having been out of work six months or more. This dilemma cannot be solved with a short-term perspective. In fact, we need Congress and States to commit to ensuring that small businesses survive and thrive in the months and years ahead.” The survey, conducted online from Sept. 28 to Nov. 30, collected data on nearly 900 AAPI business owners – and also Black and Hispanic business owners. The survey resulted in 8,328 respondents, making it the largest survey of AAPI, Black, and Hispanic business owners fielded on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. An overwhelming majority of surveyed AAPIs said that their businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic to date, causing lower revenues and job cuts. Many AAPI business owners have stated that their situation will worsen without
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March 2021 | National News
financial assistance. Among the findings: “Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) owned businesses have suffered greatly from this crisis, particularly AAPI women. Congress must ensure that this important community receives the assistance it needs to survive and come out of
the other side of the pandemic stronger” said Jimmy Ferguson, Chair of the Asian McDonald’s Operators Association and current Policy Committee Chairman for National ACE. “It is wrongly assumed that AAPI’s are struggling less through the pandemic, which is simply not true.”
“I applaud National ACE for their work on a national survey to underscore the challenges AAPI small business owners face,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06). “The survey data paints a bleak picture and underscores why additional support will be needed. These businesses were hit doubly because of the pandemic’s economic impact and the vicious anti-Asian hate and discrimination. Even before the first cases hit my home state of New York, our AAPI small businesses were victims of racism; they were the canary in the coal mine as the pandemic ravaged communities across the nation. Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community, and they need all the help during the Covid-19 relief and recovery. I will continue to fight for relief for AAPI small business owners.” “Every small business owner should know that Congress has their back as we work to recover from the pandemic. That should be especially true of our AAPI brothers and sisters, and other communities of color, who have been disproportionately hard hit by this crisis and often lack ready access to the resources necessary to rebuild. This survey shows us the depth of the crisis; it’s now up to us in Congress to act with the level of urgency and scale needed,” said Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03).
National ACE’s mission is to serve as a strong advocate of AAPI business interests and effect positive change on all issues that enhance and advance the goals and aspirations of AAPI business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders. National ACE strives to do this through supporting and promoting issues that impact the AAPI business community, improving the economic development and economic impact of the AAPI community, advancing coalitions and enhancing community building, and fostering the next generation of AAPI entrepreneurs and executives. National ACE provides a unified voice for the business interests of AAPIs nationally. Learn more at: www.nationalace.org.
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