TCB Jan. 25, 2024 — Hidden in Plain Sight by Triad City Beat

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

Hidden in Plain Sight How illicit massage parlors thrived in Greensboro and what is being done about it BY SAYAKA MATSUOKA | PG. 5

WHAT DA PHO? PG. 13

MIXED DOUBLES PG. 15

IMPOSTER SYNDROME PG. 4

UP FRONT | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

CITY LIFE

JAN. 25 - FEB. 1

THURSDAY

Old School Fitness Party @ 690 Women’s Fitness (W-S) 6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

Join DJ Ty and eight fitness instructors for this throwback fitness party celebrating the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Stop by at 6 for pre-party games including hopscotch, double dutch and more. Purchase tickets from the Facebook event page.

SATURDAY

Mixed Doubles @ Forsyth County Central Library Auditorium (W-S) 6:00 p.m. After a three-year hiatus, DENT Creative Reuse Center and Art Laboratory is bringing back Mixed Doubles: “tandem lectures on unrelated topics.” This day, titled “Burke Singers (social justice choral group) and Intellectual Humility,” features lectures from Maestra D’Walla Simmons-Burke, director of choral and vocal studies at WSSU and Dr. Eranda Jayawickreme, Harold W. Tribble professor of psychology at WFU. Learn more at dentws.org/mixed-doubles.

Open Mic Poetry @ Demhaj Poetry Lounge (HP) 7 p.m. Artists, speakers and poets are invited to Demhaj Poetry Lounge every Thursday for open mic poetry. Food and wine will be available. Find more information on Eventbrite.

Musical Moods tickets available @ Temple Emanuel (GSO) Online Sanctuary House is excited to announce that tickets for the Musical Moods fundraising gala on March 2 are now available. The Motown-themed shindig will directly benefit Sanctuary House, an organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of adults living with mental illness. Purchase tickets at sanctuaryhousegso.com.

FRIDAY

The Brunch Club @ Deep River Recreation Center (HP) 11 a.m. The Brunch Club is your chance to mingle with other brunch lovers over a nice meal. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Sunday Artisan Food & Craft Market @ Hidden Gate Brewing (GSO) 12 p.m. Head to Hidden Gate Brewing every Sunday for delicious food and a variety of handmade items and crafts like jewelry, artwork and more. More information on the Facebook event page.

Second Annual Beat Chef Shane: Chili Good Impressions: Readings from Edition @ Foothills Brewing (W-S) 1 the Press Bed @ Sawtooth School for p.m. Put your judging skills to the test during this chili cookVisual Art (W-S) 5 p.m. Sawtooth is hosting a free monthly, interactive event surrounding poetry, letterpress printmaking and community. Head to the printmaking studio (near the entrance at 226 N. Marshall St.) where after a reading of Felix Salten’s Bambi, a Life in the Woods, participants get to make a handprinted, hand-signed broadside. Register at Sawtooth’s website.

Dog Day Saturdays @ Vance Chavis Branch (GSO) 2 p.m.

off. It’s too late to enter, but not too late to eat! Purchase a wristband and try different versions of traditional pub chili, Texas chili, white chili and vegetarian chili from amateur chefs. Visit foothillsbrewing.com for more information.

MONDAY

Join SPCA of the Triad on the last Saturday of every month to play with puppies and dogs, socialize with other dog owners and ask questions about behavioral issues and fostering. Due to the safety of the dog ambassadors, SPCA asks that only humans attend. More information on the Facebook event page.

Self-Defense @ Oak View Recreation 24 Frames Per Second: Part 2 Artist Center (HP) 6 p.m. Reception @ the Brewer’s Kettle (HP) 7 Triad Hapkido is hosting a self-defense martial arts class for ages 4 and up. Participants will focus on self-defense p.m. The Brewer Kettle’s January gallery, 24 Frames Per Second: Part 2 features short films by local filmmakers and a cinematic-themed art show. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

An Evening with Renée Elise Goldsberry @ Wait Chapel, WFU (W-S) 7:30 p.m.

Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events

Described as a “Broadway sensation,” Renée Elise Goldsberry is known for her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton and roles in Rent and The Color Purple. This concert includes Goldsberry’s renditions of Broadway hits backed by her 7-piece band and the Piedmont Wind Symphony. Purchase tickets at piedmontwindsymphony.com/reneeelisegoldsberry.

while building discipline, confidence, self-esteem, courage and personal fitness. Call 336.883.3508 for more information.

THURSDAY

For the Love of Art @ Creative Aging Network (GSO) 9 a.m.

Creative Aging Network is dedicated to enhancing the well-being and social connection among older adults through programs and education. For the Love of Art is an exhibition featuring the work of Creative Aging artists. An opening reception will be on Feb. 15 at 5. More information on the Facebook event page.

Happy Hill Neighborhood Association Art Anthology Exhibition @ Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (W-S) 5 p.m.

take a dance lesson from Liquid Gold dance team. Free to attend. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County are hosting the Happy Hill Association Art Anthology exhibition curated by local artist and resident of the Happy Hill community Kayyum Allah. Made up of works from nine artists, the exhibition is inspired by the history of Happy Hill, Winston-Salem’s oldest Black community and Black culture. Find more information at intothearts. org/post/hhna-art-anthology.

AJ Fletcher Opera Institute: Maria di Rohan @ High Point Theatre (HP) 7:30 p.m.

2024 UNCG Faculty Composer’s Concert @ Tew Recital Hall (GSO) 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

UNCSA’s AJ Fletcher Opera Institute invites you to “experience the enchantment of bel canto opera during this performance of Donizetti’s “Maria di Rohan.” Purchase tickets at uncsa.edu.

New Music Greensboro presents the UNCG Faculty Composer’s Concert featuring works composed by Luke Ellard, Mark Engebretson and other professors. Free admission. Visit New Music Greensboro’s Facebook page for more information.

First Friday @ Greensboro Cultural Center (GSO) 6 p.m. Greensboro Cultural Center is kicking off Black History Month with an HBCU celebration. Hear from members of the Divine Nine Greek letter organizations, view an art exhibition by NC A&T alumna Sharon Graeber or

SATURDAY

Hot Honey Ale Launch & Tasting @ Stock + Grain Assembly (HP) 4 p.m.

Stock + Grain’s newest pale ale, hot honey ale features flavors of jalapeño and honey to spice up your taps. The ale was made especially for Beverly and Cahoots bar by

Paddled South Brewing. Try it for free during this tasting. More information on the Facebook event page.

Gate City Gallery Presents: Line & Logic @ Gate City Growlers (GSO) 7 p.m.

Stop by Gate City Growlers to view Line & Logic by Ryan Kane, recognized for his handcrafted canvases and geometric designs. He will also paint a piece live! Visit the event page on Facebook for more information and see more of Kane’s art on Instagram @ryartan.

UP FRONT | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

FEB. 2 - 4

CITY LIFE

Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events

SUNDAY

Rhythmic Soul Power @ Soul Good Yoga (HP) 12 p.m. Soul Good Yoga invites you to a high-powered yoga class led by Auriel Vasquez. In addition to strengthening balance and flexibility with yoga, the class incorporates dance moves between poses, making for a fun, highenergy workout. Register at soulgoodyoga.net/schedule.

“

At the raid, one woman said to me, ‘I don’t even know what state I’m in.’

“

UP FRONT | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

OPINION

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

— Susan Chung, pg. 6

HOPE in Action

making Home Ownership Possible and Equitable TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024 afternoon workshops 1:00 pm in the NC A&T Deese Ballroom

Homebuyer Readiness Accessing Homeownership and Mortgages 101 Homeownership and Post-Purchase

evening discussion

6:30 pm in the NC A&T Harrison Auditorium

keynote Bakari Sellers lightening presentation Dr. Sung Jin Lee panel discussion

free community event presented by:

1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336.681.0704 BUSINESS PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KEY ACCOUNTS

SALES

Brian Clarey

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PUBLISHER EMERITUS

AD MANAGER

allen@triad-city-beat.com

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OF COUNSEL

TCBTIX

brian@triad-city-beat.com

Allen Broach

Jonathan Jones

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR

Sayaka Matsuoka

sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

CITYBEAT REPORTER Gale Melcher

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WEBMASTER Sam LeBlanc

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ART DIRECTOR

ART

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CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn de Berry, John Cole, Owens Daniels, James Douglas, Michelle Everette, Luis H. Garay, Destiniee Jaram, Kaitlynn Havens, Jordan Howse, Matt Jones, Autumn Karen, Michaela Ratliff, Jen Sorensen, Todd Turner

TCB IN A FLASH @ triad-city-beat.com

COVER: Design by Aiden Siobhan

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Yeah, I’ve got imposter syndrome

n the seconds, minutes, hours and days after I file a long-form investigative story, my emotions oscilby Sayaka Matsuoka late between two poles: Hey! Look what I accomplished! and, No one is going to give a shit. And of course, I’m not alone. There are varying statistics that try to pin a number on the rate of imposter syndrome — or the sneaky feeling that you’re actually not that good at what you do and that you’re going to be found out as a fraud sooner or later. One study noted that about a third of millennials (hey friends!) suffer from it, while about 70 percent of the general populace feels it at some point in time. And of course, like with many things, it’s worse for people of color and women. And as someone who exists at the cross-section of the two, yeah, I’ve got it. But this past week, I published not one, not two, but three pretty significant pieces of journalism, one of which was a comprehensive deep dive into the issue of illicit massage parlors in Greensboro. And in the aftermath, the support from

the community was so heartwarming and affirming. Journalists and readers alike reached out to me to tell me what a good job I did. And I started to believe it. As someone who doesn’t come from a traditional journalism background — I didn’t go to J-school and learned everything I know about journalism on the job — I’ve struggled with feeling like I’m playing make-believe. Like I’m playing the role of investigative journalist and editor but deep down, the clothes, the title, the props don’t quite fit. But the data doesn’t lie. Looking back on all of the work I’ve done for TCB — six years this year! — I can’t help but be proud of what I’ve accomplished here. I’ve written about abortion access, tackled issues at a flawed charter school, written about book banning, extensively covered police misconduct, filed dozens of pieces of political reporting and more. So yeah, imposter syndrome is likely something I’ll have to deal with for some time — one seasoned journalist told me it still happens to them — but I think I’m starting to believe the praise that’s coming my way. And it’s about time.

I can’t help but be proud of what I’ve accomplished here.

To suggest story ideas or send tips to TCB, email sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

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NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

NEWS

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1.888.373.7888 or text 233733. Learn more at polarisproject.org/ national-humantrafficking-hotline.

Hidden in Plain Sight

How illicit massage parlors thrived in Greensboro and what is being done about it by Sayaka Matsuoka | sayaka@triad-city-beat.com A police raid on an illicit massage parlor in Greensboro exposed inaction by the city, impropriety from the GPD, ignorance from landlords, pressure on local media. The experts weigh in, and a survivor speaks. Trigger warning: This article includes descriptions of sexual assault.

n a shopping center next to a financial advisor’s office. Tucked into a complex near the highway. In a strip mall across from a fast food chain. All of these locations in Greensboro have been listed on a website that advertises sex services within massage parlors. And it’s been an ongoing problem for decades. Recent investigations by TCB and others in the Greensboro community have unveiled a pattern of illicit massage parlors that have been operating within the city unchecked and in plain sight. According to the Network, an intelligence-driven counter-human trafficking organization, illicit massage parlors are establishments that put on the façade of a legitimate massage business in order to facilitate commercial sex services. While human-trafficking experts point to the broader issues that led to the abuse, locals point to the city and law enforcement’s lackluster and, at times, problematic response to the problem. On Nov. 6, 2023 community activist Ben Holder, who has been vocal about the issue for decades, confronted city council about an incident that took place a few months prior. On Sept. 21, an undercover Greensboro police officer went into a massage parlor in Greensboro and had his penis touched by an employee. The next day the parlor was raided by law enforcement, who arrested two women — including the one who had interacted with the officer — in a raid led by the Forsyth County Drug Task Force.

A few weeks after the raid, Holder spoke at the Nov. 6 Greensboro City Council meeting to demand answers. “[Y]ou don’t need to get naked and entrap these women anymore,” Holder said. Interviews with experts in the human-trafficking industry point out the flaws in the officer’s approach while offering different tactics for shutting down illicit parlors and ensuring the safety of the women entrapped inside. Reporting and community activism also revealed communications between members of the News & Record and city officials, including the police chief, in an apparent effort to control a story that a reporter was working on. Now, months later, pushback from community members and questions from the media have prompted the Greensboro Police Department to change their directives and pursue new tactics for tamping down on the problem.

What is an illicit massage parlor?

hile the popular idea of human or sex trafficking may look like something out of the 2008 film Taken, with young women being kidnapped to serve in shoddy dungeons, more often than not, modern sex trafficking hides in plain sight. According to the Polaris Project, a nonprofit that works to combat and prevent sex and labor trafficking in North America, illicit massage, health and beauty businesses 5

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

are one of the most common forms of sex trafficking in the United States. In fact, according to the organization’s 2017 report on the typology of modern slavery, this category ranked as the second most-common form of sex trafficking in the country, behind escort services. Outdoor solicitation, or what people may commonly think of when they think of prostitution, ranked third. Based on the 2017 report, these businesses “present a facade of legitimate spa services, concealing that their primary business is the sex and labor trafficking of women trapped in these businesses.” The report also notes that while the businesses may appear to be single storefronts, that many are “controlled as part of larger networks” with one to three people owning several businesses at the same time. The organization estimates that there are at least 7,000 storefronts in the US and possibly more. The industry as a whole, according to a 2017 study, could make as much as $3.8 billion a year with each parlor averaging about $465,000 in revenue yearly. According to data from the Polaris Project, 47 percent of victims of illicit massage parlors are foreign nationals. Polaris reports that most of the victims in the businesses range in age from their mid-thirties to late fifties and come from China and South Korea. Survivors are often controlled through coercion, threats of shame and debt bondage with some victims forced to live at the places where they work. Sabrina Thulander, the associate director for communications at Polaris, told TCB the organization’s hotline received more than 1,500 calls regarding incidents of trafficking in massage parlors from January 2020-August 2022. That’s likely around 2,400 victims, Thulander said. “Illicit massage parlors are one of the avenues that we see sex and labor trafficking,” she told TCB. “It’s definitely a common one.” According to Thulander, the number of calls regarding illicit parlors climbed steadily through 2019, then declined in 2020 and 2021, likely due to the pandemic. But she said she wouldn’t be surprised if they saw an increase for 2022 and 2023. “It seems to be one of the most persistent venues,” she said. The problem is multi-faceted. Not only do the women work in these parlors because they need money, oftentimes they are coerced into staying in these jobs because of immigration status and lack of English proficiency, according to Thulander. “There are a number of vulnerabilities,” Thulander explained. “One of the top ones is migration status. If you’re a recent immigrant, you’re more likely to be trafficked.” According to research by Chris Muller-Tabanera and Beisi Huang, who co-wrote a chapter titled, “Modern Day Comfort Stations: Human Trafficking in the US Illicit Massage Industry,” published in the book The Historical Roots of Human Trafficking in 2021, a majority of workers in the illicit massage industry come from mainland China. Others also come from Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Many of the women lack economic opportunities or need to pay off large debts, including property loans, family medical expenses, business debt or travel debt. The researchers note that many of the women “report feeling difficult personal situations like spouses with alcoholism, domestic violence or divorce.” The chapter notes that most of the women from China are recruited in one of two ways. The first is directly from China, via full-service travel agencies offering visa assistance, flights and airport pickup upon arrival, with some of the agencies promising work authorization and jobs at Chinese businesses. To pay their way to the states, the women often borrow money from loansharks or even the travel agency itself. The second way is when women already live in the US and find work via word-ofmouth or social media, sometimes being lured by fake recruitment ads on platforms like WeChat. A 2019 study of more than 100 Chinese and Korean illicit massage workers reported that some women felt deceived or coerced into jobs that involved sex work while other chose the profession after having bad experiences in other low-laying jobs like restaurants and nail salons. Susan Chung, the interim chair of the board of directors at the NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking, worked with survivors of illicit massage parlors for years. In 2021, she assisted in a raid that shut down locations in Sanford. According to Chung, the women she talked to came from New York — one of the biggest hubs for trafficking — to North Carolina to work. “At the raid, one woman said to me, ‘I don’t even know what state I’m in,’” Chung recalled. Chung said that the socioeconomic status of many of these women back in China forces them to seek drastic options.

“A lot of times in China, by the time you’re 50 years old, you’re forced to retire,” Chung said. “But if you’re in a village or in a lower socioeconomic status, you still need to make a living for your children or your family. That’s why they decided to come to America; they heard you can make money very quickly and that’s why the age is much older.” Chung said that many of the women she’s interacted with were single moms or survivors of domestic violence. Some of the women knew they were going to have to engage in sex work as part of their job, but others didn’t. Even when they found out, a number of them chose to stay. “Some of the women didn’t even know they were being trafficked,” Chung said. The issue, Muller-Tabanera and Huang write, stems from the history of large-scale sexual exploitation of East Asian women starting as early as the 1900s. Wartime efforts by the Japanese government led to widespread “comfort stations” which acted as military brothels where women and girls were forced into prostitution. The same thread continued on as the Japanese empire aggressively colonized more of East Asia and exploited women in Korea, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. By the time WWII broke out, the idea of “comfort women” was almost commonplace and synonymous with many East Asian countries with the US military playing an outsized role. The long history of the fetishization of Asian women came to a head in March 2021, when a mass shooter went on a killing spree in Atlanta, GA, targeting two spas and a massage parlor. Eight people were killed, six of them Asian women. According to police investigations, the perpetrator had been a customer at two of the massage parlors and saw them as sources of sexual temptation, the Associated Press reported. All three of the targeted businesses had appeared on online sex websites and had been the target of prostitution arrests according to the AP.

Where are the illicit massage parlors in Greensboro?

hile a majority of spa and massage businesses in the city are legitimate, it’s not that difficult to find ones that are operating illegally. Quick searches on sex sites show advertisements stating, “Asian New Hot Girl” or “Best massage,” with pictures of naked or barely clothed Asian women. Many of the ads allude to sexual services by using euphemisms like “something else you want” or “unique massage services,” while others explicitly advertise acts like manual stimulation and oral sex. Some go as far as advertising sexual positions. The woman who was arrested by Greensboro police in September worked at an illicit massage parlor called Amazing Spa that was formerly open at 620 Guilford College Road. Since the September raid, the ad for Amazing Spa has been taken down from websites, but others have taken its place. One such location continues to operate in plain sight as of the writing of this piece. Off of the busy stretch of Battleground Avenue past Trader Joe’s and Wal-Mart, headed towards Summerfield, is a small shopping center that has been there for decades. Inside, an Edward Jones financial office, a nail salon and a beauty supply store have signs that face out towards the street. But one shop hangs a single illuminated open sign but no business title. Outside, the shades are drawn to cover the windows while a single photo of some flowers and stones atop greenery cover the large panel window, a sign that the business relates to massage or spa services. Inside, a small front desk flanks the left side of the store while a few pieces of furniture fill the right. The location at 3920 Battleground Ave. has been listed on a sex service website for the past several weeks. The ad includes phrases like “New sexy masseuse” and “If you like Asian girls to massage you or something else you want..this may meet your requirements.” Pictures of Asian women accompany the advertisement along with a phone number that has been connected to other illicit massage parlors in the Triad. Upon entering the store, a single Asian woman in her fifties greeted TCB and said that they offered deep-tissue massages. But observations by TCB and a source show that the services they relayed to TCB may not be the extent of their business operations. On Jan. 8, TCB witnessed one white man, around 60 years old, enter the shop and exit after about 30 minutes. When approached to ask about his reason for visiting the location, the man told TCB, “It’s none of your business.” According to a source who has been monitoring the location, the open sign continues to stay on and a number of other male clients have gone in and out of the shop. A public records search shows that the entire shopping center at 3920 Battleground

told TCB. “We worked quickly with our attorneys to notify them that they were in breach of their lease and we were able to get them out fairly quickly; they hadn’t even opened yet.” This tactic is something that Holder has been calling his “landlord engagement campaign.” “If there was a statewide landlord engagement, we wouldn’t have [these businesses],” Holder said. Roach said that the illegal business was able to get past him initially because the location had legitimate massage businesses in the past. “I get calls from all different kinds of businesses,” Roach says. “[Human trafficking] wasn’t on my mind; it hadn’t crossed my mind that it could have been part of a bigger prostitution ring. That’s been a big learning experience for me. We have to look beyond our past experiences and open ourselves up to the possibility that these folks aren’t doing what they’re saying.” An easy way to combat that? A quick check to make sure businesses have their state licenses. “The biggest thing was that they were not licensed to do massage,” Roach said. “That was a breach of their lease and it made it real easy to get them out.” Conrad agrees. “If you have the proper credentials it is a legitimate business. But if you don’t, it’s not a legitimate business,” he said. Roach said that from now on, he’ll dig deeper into applications and make sure businesses are operating legally. “We have no tolerance for this sort of business and behavior and feel good about the fact that they were able to move so quickly,” Roach said. Now, after weeks of criticism from Holder, as well as questions from the broader community, including local media, the GPD is taking a page out of Holder’s book and changing its tactics.

How did the GPD handle illicit massage parlors and what are they doing in the future?

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

Ave. is owned by TND Investments LLC, which is operated by Anh and Thi Dao. The two also own Kathy Nails, which is located directly next to the massage parlor. On Jan. 8 when TCB asked employees at Kathy Nails about the shop next door, the women inside told TCB to “ask them.” As of Jan. 22, the massage parlor is still open and serving clients. This bothers Ben Holder, who has been telling the city of various ways to shut these kinds of businesses down. One option is to shut down businesses that don’t have the proper paperwork. According to NC law, all businesses that offer massages, as well as the masseuses themselves, are required to have a license to practice from the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. A quick search on board’s database shows that the 3920 Battleground Ave. location is not properly licensed. Additionally, the city’s code of ordinances has an entire section dedicated to massage businesses that outlines prohibition including the fact that employers can’t hire people who don’t have a state license and renters can’t lease out space to businesses that don’t have a state license. A public records request shows that 18 businesses are currently registered with the city as massage businesses. The 3920 Battleground Ave. location is not listed as having a city business permit. But one issue, which Holder has pointed out, is that the city has given business permits to businesses that don’t have the proper state licensing. One such example is Head 2 Feet Spa located at 1573 New Garden Road. While the city approved their business license, the location does not come up on the state’s massage license database. The owners listed on the business’s permit application do not come up in the database either. However, an order by the NC Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy from June 16, 2022 shows that as recently as November 2021, the business had been found to be “aiding and abetting illegal massage and bodywork.” The owner, PinHui Wang was formerly cited and fined in 2019 for running an illegal massage parlor in Winston-Salem called Relaxation Station. Head 2 Feet remains open at 1573 New Garden Road in Greensboro. One sex-services website currently lists about half a dozen massage parlors that claim to offer illicit services. However, at many of the locations listed, which TCB visited, it was unclear whether illegal sex trafficking was taking place. But that doesn’t matter, says Holder, who has been pushing for city officials to simply shut down businesses if they don’t have the proper licenses either at the state or city level. “You know, I would just follow state law, the one that was meant to combat this problem,” he said. Because law enforcement has been slow to act on this issue, Holder has taken it upon himself to reach out directly to leasing agents and landlords to inform them when it appears illegal massage parlors are operating out of their buildings. In December, he reached out to Justin Conrad, a former Guilford County commissioner and the owner of multiple properties in Greensboro, including 2109 New Garden Road. According to Conrad, they were notified by Holder that an illicit massage parlor was trying to open up in his shopping center, something he realized after seeing an advertisement noting the address on one of the online sex websites. Conrad quickly reached out to Will Roach, the property manager for Roach Realty, who handles leasing The massage parlor located at for the building and shut the process 3920 Battleground Ave. doesn’t down. have a sign and has appeared on sex websites. “It quickly became clear that massage wasn’t their business and PHOTO BY SAYAKA MATSUOKA it wasn’t operating legally,” Roach

n Sept. 21, 2023, an undercover officer with the Greensboro Police Department went into Amazing Spa and engaged in a sex act with an employee there. According to the arrest warrant, the employee grabbed the “detective’s penis with hand to promote stimulation” and rubbed her “crotch on the back of the detective’s head for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification and for money.” The woman, a 59-year-old Chinese woman, was charged with one felony count of promoting prostitution and one misdemeanor count for prostitution. And this wasn’t the first time police officers had gone undercover at a massage parlor. According to a search warrant from 2015, two different police officers went to an illicit massage parlor that was formerly located at 317 S. Westgate Drive and had massages performed on them. One officer set up a one-hour appointment in which the masseuse performed a “body to body, oiled massage, while only wearing a bikini bottom.” During the appointment, the masseuse solicited the officer for the purpose of 7

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

prostitution “by offering her body to perform sexual contact.” The next day, a different officer went to the same location and during the appointment was “solicited for the purpose of prostitution by the female offering her body to perform sexual contact…” In an interview with TCB, Police Chief John Thompson confirmed that it was common for police to go undercover at illicit massage parlors. But Thompson said that officers wouldn’t engage in full sex acts. Instead, they would go in and start a massage “in hopes of being able to solicit” something further. “What could happen is, if an officer is getting a massage, he might ask, ‘Do you offer special services?’” Thompson said. “But it also may not be a verbal solicitation. If the officer is on the table, and [the masseuse] reaches out and grabs the officer’s genitals, that’s an initiation of a sex act. The policy is for the officer to immediately disengage because that has met the criminal threshold.” And that’s the part that’s tricky, according to Thompson. Because police are trying to build a case to arrest someone for prostitution and they need a certain amount of evidence for the charges to stick in court, he said. “Initiation made the strongest case for an individual for prostitution because you didn’t have to deal with ambiguous language,” Thompson said. For example, an officer asking a masseuse if they offer “special massages” might not be enough because defendants could argue that a “special massage” was an extension of a regular, legitimate act. Thompson said that he didn’t have a “second by second breakdown” or “all of the specifics” of what happened in the September case, but that the officer was never disciplined because he followed protocol. He said that the officer did not complete a sex act. “If the officer allowed for an hour for additional initiation for the completion of an act, that would be an absolute violation of our policy and that officer would be investigated,” Thompson said. But community activists like Holder, as well as local journalists, wonder about the ethics surrounding the GPD’s tactics of using an undercover officer to make arrests in the first place. “That’s not best practice,” said Erin Albright, a human-trafficking expert who has done training for Department of Justice task forces. “That’s a tremendously outdated tactic. I would keep asking, ‘Why, why are they doing this? Why are we doing it this way?’” Many of the experts that TCB spoke to for this piece felt similarly to Albright. “I’m outraged to hear that local police are using these tactics to make arrests,”said Panida Rzonca, co-chair of the API Human Trafficking Task Force and the directing attorney for the Thai Community Development Center. “I’m flabbergasted that this is happening in this day and age; I’m appalled that police would expose themselves at all.” Now, due to pushback from the community, Thompson said that they have changed the department’s directives around investigating sex crimes so that “no officers conducting undercover operations will intentionally touch the genital area of a suspect, or allow for their genital area to be touched by a suspect.” “Should a suspect touch an investigator’s genital area, the investigator will immediately break physical contact and end the interaction,” the new protocol reads. Formerly, the directives noted that reports regarding sex-crime investigations would “include all pertinent information including whether a suspect touched the investigative officer and what area of the body was touched,” which implies that touching would not be stopped by the officers. One reason for the change, according to Thompson, is that the old directives put his detectives in a precarious position. “We were asking something unreasonable from our detectives,” Thompson said. “When they’re trying to make a determination of Is this someone willingly engaging in prostitution or being trafficked? Should I initiate or not? It’s unreasonable to put detectives in that situation.” Additionally, Thompson said that they don’t want to traumatize the women who may be victims of sex trafficking. And that’s something that advocates repeated to TCB time and time again in interviews. Both law enforcement and the greater community needs to understand that these women are victims of complicated situations, Rzonca said. Rzonca points to victim-centered and trauma-informed practices in which law enforcement works with organizations that have a deeper understanding of how sex trafficking works. 8 “They know that they don’t have trust from the community, including with the victims,”

Rzonca said. “They don’t understand the language and the culture.” That’s one of the reasons why Susan Chung with the NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking was tapped to be a part of the raids that took place in 2021 and 2022. She speaks Mandarin and could communicate with the women who were involved. But that doesn’t always mean that the women accept the help or cooperate with law enforcement to arrest the owners or higher-ups connected to the business. “The woman didn’t want to tell me [who the bad guys were],” Chung said. “They said it was too scary and that they didn’t want retaliation. One of the woman said, ‘I want to tell you but I’d rather go to jail.’” According to Thompson, the police department worked with the Bridge International, an advocacy organization, in 2023 during a police raid regarding human trafficking. And it’s something that he wants to do more of. “They worked with the individuals to get them out of that environment to get them back home to family,” Thompson said. But police shouldn’t be arresting the women in the first place, said Albright. “Jurisdictions that are naive to trafficking and ill-informed in trafficking are still doing this raid-and-rescue tactic,” Albright said. According to a public records request, the GPD has made 54 prostitution-related charges in the last five years from 2018-23. Multiple charges could be affiliated with a single person. The public records request that outlined the prostitution charges did not include the names of those charged despite TCB’s request for the names. In at least three of the incident reports, an officer wrote that “there was sufficient probable cause” to charge people with prostitution. The GPD did not respond to TCB’s requests asking what the probable cause was for each case. Instead, law enforcement should look at trafficking in general from a worker’s rights perspective, said Albright. “It means looking at it from the perspective of the alleged victims and how they can best support and extract them in a way that is the least traumatizing as possible,” Albright said. “You want to make people safe and begin building trust.” Sabrina Thulander with Polaris Project agreed on the need to shift the way everyone from law enforcement to community members to nonprofit organizations thinks about how to help survivors. “The top thing we’re working towards is creating a survivor-centered response to trafficking, which is something that has been long overlooked and neglected by the anti-trafficking movement and everyone else involved,” Thulander said. “It sounds so simple. Asking survivors, ‘What do you need?’ rather than, ‘This is the service that you get.’ Working with them as partners in their recovery process rather than dictating what is available for them.” In addition to changing the directives when it comes to how undercover police operate in sex crime investigations, Thompson said that they would be looking into formalizing a process that works to identify businesses that are operating in the city without proper licenses, much like Holder has been advocating for. Like Holder’s landlord-engagement campaign, police will soon have a process in which officers will reach out directly to property owners and landlords to alert them when a business without proper paperwork tries to rent space in their buildings. Thompson is also going to reach out to city officials to try and strengthen the city’s current ordinance — which is a civil one that punishes wrongdoers via fines — into a criminal ordinance. According to the Network, a “combination of strong pre-emptive processes and sustained, impactful enforcement has met with success in both large and small cities” when it comes to illegal massage parlors. Some of the practices include unannounced visits from city inspectors to businesses, city officials closing businesses “on the spot” for violations like unlicensed employees giving massages, sexual activity and evidence of women living on premises. City ordinances can require businesses to notify the city of personnel changes. The 2021 fact sheet by the Network also notes how strong preventative measures like having a rigorous application process that checks applicants’ backgrounds and certifies their license can prevent illegal businesses from opening in the first place. For example, in 2016, Johnston, Iowa implemented an ordinance requiring an application process that details the credentials and backgrounds of all employees who would be working at the location, including massage license numbers issued by the state. A follow-up in-person interview was then required. According to the fact sheet, “the Network could find no [illicit massage businesses] listed on sex buyer review sites for Johnston since 2016.”

Why did the city of Greensboro and the police department meet with the News & Record?

n Jan. 17, the N&R published a story covering the issue of illicit massage parlors in Greensboro. The story covered the September raid and asked questions about the police department’s handling of the situation. Omitted from the piece was the fact that, weeks prior to the publication of the story, the reporter, his editor and several members of the city, as well as the police chief, met to talk about it. Before TCB started reporting on this story, N&R reporter Connor McNeely was making public records requests, sending emails to city officials and visiting massage parlors locations for his story. But as McNeely sent more and more emails regarding the police department’s handling of the September 2023 raid, city officials started to talk amongst themselves. Public records requests by both McNeely and Holder show dozens of emails between McNeely’s supervisor, Executive Editor Dimon Kendrick-Holmes, and city officials like Police Chief Thompson, City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba, the city’s Communications and Marketing Director Carla Banks as well as communications managers for the Greensboro Police Department Patrick DeSota and Josie Cambareri. The pages of documents outlining the emails start in late October, prompted by McNeely’s requests to the city asking about the police department’s directives and tactics leading up to the raid on Amazing Spa. On Oct. 31, Carla Banks emails Dimon Kendrick-Holmes to tell him about the “persistent emails or phone calls” from McNeely to the city. Banks then asks Kendrick-Holmes to talk to McNeely “about the sensitivity of these types of cases and his misinterpretation of the law.” “Connor needs to understand how the outcome of months of undercover work can be jeopardized by premature reporting without proper context and complete facts,” Banks writes. Per the public records request, Banks appears to be referencing an email in which McNeely asks Josie Cambareri why the police officer performed the sexual act rather than stopping at an attempt. “I also welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how we can foster a positive working relationship moving forward,” Banks writes. In follow-up emails, KendrickHolmes responds that he would be happy to meet with Banks in person to “figure out how [they] can work together moving forward.” A meeting between KendrickHolmes, Assistant City Managers Chris Wilson and Trey Davis, Josie Cambareri and Patrick DeSota of the GPD, City Manager Trey Davis and Police Chief Thompson is proposed for Nov. 7 at the city offices building

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

Thompson said that he hopes these changes curb the problem, but he stays realistic about the issues surrounding the illicit massage industry as a whole. “I think it’s always there; it’s always occurring somewhere,” he said. “It changes through method and operation. Before massage parlors it was street-level prostitution. Some streets even now you can go and see individuals walking the streets. And it’s changed to other avenues. We try to adopt our methods to combat those criminal behaviors.”

downtown. On the evening of Nov. 8, Banks sends a follow-up email to KendrickHolmes with the other members copied. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with our team this week. It was a pleasure to meet you!” Banks writes. “I speak for the group when I say it was a productive conversation and we appreciate your genuine interest in our concerns. Additionally, I appreciate your commitment to speak with Connor about the tone of his emails and implications of sharing our responses with others. We are looking forward to turning the page in an effort to establish goodwill relations with Connor and your other reporters.” Banks also alludes to an “informal meet-and-greet” between the city and the N&R in the future. About half an hour later, Kendrick-Holmes responds. “Thanks to you all for taking the time to sit down together yesterday. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that you reached out to me immediately when you had concerns and were willing to get the group together to talk through it,” Kendrick-Holmes writes. “Our newsroom staff and I are eager to open the lines of communication between us and build a solid working relationship with the police department and the city.” In the weeks that followed, emails show that McNeely continued working on the story, sending emails to the police chief asking questions about the department’s tactics. Thompson reached back out to Kendrick-Holmes, telling him that “it hard for [him] to believe that Connor is making any good faith efforts.” To that, Kendrick-Holmes responds to Thompson by stating that he hadn’t told McNeely about the meeting and that “this will be dealt with.” Later emails sent in December show Kendrick-Holmes and Thompson planning a meeting between themselves and McNeely. According to Chief Thompson, members of the GPD reached out to McNeely and Kendrick-Holmes to talk about McNeely’s story because they felt like the reporter had “made some assumption that we send officers into massage parlors to have sex to make a case” and that the arrest warrant was “misleading.” After emails between the N&R and city officials were published online, community members became alarmed that the city was trying to kill McNeely’s story. That wasn’t the case, Thompson asserts. “We were trying to educate the News & Record on what we can Community activist Eric release,” Thompson said. “There’s Holder has been speaking what I cannot release legally, what I out about illicit massage have to release and then there’s this parlors for decades. huge middle ground that I can release that’s not in either of those buckets.” SCREENSHOT This isn’t the first time that Thompson has sat down with media outlets to clear up details of certain cases, he said. “We’ve met with FOX 8, we’ve done it with WFMY,” he said. “We want them to know that this can be a positive relationship…. We’re not telling you what to write.” Thompson, who has been police chief since December 2022, told TCB that he believes the police department has been extremely open with the media. “I don’t know that I’ve ever turned down an interview with the media,” Thompson said. And despite the media frenzy around the September raid, Thompson said he’s glad there was attention focused on it from the community because it brought about changes within the department. “I think we’re better for it,” he said. TCB did not receive a response from city officials including city 9

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

NCDOT TO HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE I-85/I-485 INTERCHANGE WEST OF CHARLOTTE IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY

councilmembers, the mayor and the city manager for this story. When TCB reached out to Kendrick-Holmes, he pointed to the N&R’s story in lieu of a comment. McNeely also declined to comment.

‘It’s like having a new life’

ne survivor whom TCB talked to on the condition of anonymity said that she came to the United States from Thailand around seven years ago. She heard about massage as a way to make money for her and her son from their neighbor and got in contact with employers — whom she didn’t realize were traffickers at the time — to bring her to the United States. Her first stop was Chicago. When she landed in the city, she was told that she would need to pay the traffickers back for the plane ticket and for her visa. Later, the traffickers added a $30,000 expense for housing and for finding her a job on top of the other payments. At first, she was told that the work involved massages, but she quickly realized after she arrived that the traffickers hadn’t been honest with her. They took her to an apartment where she lived with multiple other women who ranged in age from their twenties to their forties. They waited all day and stayed in the apartment where they would serve customers who would come at all hours during the day, the survivor said. While she was shocked and demeaned by the work, she couldn’t leave because the traffickers had her passport, she said. For every half hour she worked, she made $160 — $60 was taken by the traffickers for housing while $100 was taken to pay down her debt. She barely made any extra for herself. For food, the traffickers took the women to the grocery store every two weeks but they realized that the food costs were taken out of their pay, too. Their debts increased more and more each day. Still, she was able to send some money back to Thailand where her son remained. But she still owed more than $20,000. A few weeks later, she ran away with another woman who was working in the apartment. Over the next few months, the survivor hopped from one trafficking outlet to another with the help of other women that she knew. At one point, she worked at a row of massage parlors in Dallas where she lived with the other women working there. The parlors were open 24 hours a day with about 20-30 women inside. At times, customers were rough with the women, sometimes forcing themselves onto them, or even robbing them. “Sometimes there are rapes happening,” she said with Rzonca translating. Other times, she said police would come and try to solicit them for sex work. “It’s like every other day the police are customers,” she said. In 2016, she was arrested for the first time in Los Angeles at a hotel for sex work. She got a citation and had to appear in court and completed some community service. Later that year, she got arrested again by the FBI and sent to immigration detention for deportation. That’s when she got connected to Panida Rzonca with the Thai Community Development Center. “That’s when Thai CDC found her, interviewed her and identified her as a victim of human trafficking,” Rzonca explained. Now, years after the case and having gotten her green card, the survivor said that she’s been given a “second life.” She works at the Thai Community Development Center where she helps other women who were coerced to work in the illicit massage industry and tries to spread awareness about what’s going on. “My life has gotten better,” she told TCB. “I have more of a life; back then, I didn’t know anybody or have anybody to socialize with. It feels good that people don’t know about my past. It feels like I got a fresh start; it’s like having a new life.” Her son was brought to the US shortly after she connected with the organization. Still, the survivor can’t help but think about the women who are still caught in the industry, she said. She understands that, like her, many women have made the decision to stay because of their own circumstances. “I know a lot of friends who are still working in the sex industry,” she said. “And sometimes you have to give them that space because it’s their chosen job and allow them to make those choices.” As part of their work to become more survivor-centered, Sabrina Thulander with 10 the Polaris Project would like to see more opportunities for survivors to clear their

STIP Project No. I-6016 CHARLOTTE - The N.C. Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting to discuss the proposal to improve the interchange at I-85/I-485 west of Charlotte. The purpose of this project is congestion management and to improve safety. Project details and maps can be found on the NCDOT project web page: https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i85-i-485-improvements/Pages/default.aspx. The information will be presented at the meeting allowing for one-on-one discussions with engineers, but there will be no formal presentation. The meeting will be held Feb. 8 at Mount Carmel Baptist, 7237 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte. The public is invited to attend at any time between 4 - 7 p.m. People may also submit comments by phone at 984-205-6615 project code 6824, email l85-l485-westcharlotte@publicinput.com, or mail at the address shown below by Feb. 27, 2024. By Mail:

Radha Attaluri NCDOT Project Management Unit – Project Manager 1582 Mail Service Center Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1582

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Tony Gallagher, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598, 919-707-6069 or magallagher@ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made. Those who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior by calling 1-800-481-6494.

Aquellas personas no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

NCDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING PROPOSED RAILROAD CROSSING GRADE SEPARATION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD IN GUILFORD COUNTY STIP Project No. P-5713 GREENSBORO - The public is invited to a meeting with the N.C. Department of Transportation to discuss proposed Hilltop Rd. railroad crossing grade separation in Greensboro.

NEWS | JAN. 24 - FEB. 7, 2024

criminal records. “If you have a charge like prostitution, it makes life after trafficking inexplicably hard,” Thulander said. “If you think about what it’s like to have a criminal charge in general, it’s difficult to get a job, difficult to get housing, difficult to go back to school and get a degree. All of these things that we think of as fundamental to building a life become nearly impossible; it hinders [survivors’] ability to heal and recover.” According to the Polaris Project, NC gets a C for the ease in which survivors can clear their records. Thulander said that a C is “middle of the road,” especially when considering that only three states got an A: Georgia, New York and New Hampshire. In NC, the law allows trafficking survivors to clear their criminal record of non-prosecuted cases, arrests, adjudications, convictions as well as any information related to an arrest and incident reports. But there are several aspects that need to be improved, according to the report. Part of that includes which offenses are eligible for criminal record relief. Currently, relief only applies to non-violent offenses but the range of offenses “is much broader” Polaris writes. “If you are being trafficked and your trafficker makes you steal or sell drugs, there are some states that wouldn’t allow those to be cleared,” Thulander explained. “A broad scope of offenses covered would get you a higher mark.” Thulander told TCB about one survivor who had about 40 charges to her name. She had to clear each of the charges individually rather than in bulk; it took her seven years. The goal, according to many advocates, is about making sure survivors are empowered, treating them like people who need help, not criminals. “I’ll tell you why we have this problem,” Holder told TCB. “It’s because there’s this idea that old women who don’t speak English don’t count. If we were going to be serious about it, we would welcome these women to our community.” Thulander agrees. “We need to let them be the spokespeople for their own cause,” Thulander said. “There’s a trend in anti-trafficking organizations for us to want to speak on their behalf but they have their own voices and they can use them. That’s what we’re trying to promote. They’re the only ones that know what it’s like to be trafficked; they’re the experts.”

The project converts the at-grade crossing of the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR)/Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) at Hilltop Rd. in Greensboro to a grade separation. The meeting will be held Feb. 1 at Gate City Baptist Church, 5250 Hilltop Rd., Greensboro. The public is invited to attend at any time between 4-7 p.m. Project details, including maps can be found on the NCDOT project web page: https://publicinput.com/Hilltop-Road-Rail-Crossing The information will be presented at the meeting, allowing for one-on-one discussions with engineers. There will not be a formal presentation. People may also submit comments by phone at 984-205-6615 (project code 4649), email at Hilltop-Road-Rail-Crossing@publicinput.com, or mail at the address shown below by Feb. 23. By Mail: Greg Blakney NCDOT Rail Division Senior Rail Project Development Engineer 1 S. Wilmington St. Raleigh NC 27601 NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Alecia Hardy, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598, 919-7076072 or ext-arhardy@ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made. Those who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior by calling 1-800-4816494.

Aquellas personas no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

OPINION | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

OPINION

EDITORIAL

Date set for sports gambling in NC

hings m ove pretty quickly w h e n there’s money on the line. Gov. Roy Cooper signed HB 347 by Brian Clarey into law on June 14, making sports betting legal in North Carolina. For six months, online sports books made their cases for inclusion and on Wednesday, a date was set. Sports betting becomes legal in NC on March 11, the day before the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament begins in (sigh) Washington, DC. No, we won’t have the games in Greensboro this year, but we will be able to place bets on our phones! This form of gambling falls under the purview of the State Lottery Commission, which is holding up to 11 slots for online gaming purveyors; seven have already applied. And each must partner with a physical location in NC — a pro team or a facility that hosts professional sporting events. The only one in the Triad, so far, is at Sedgefield Country Club, which has yet to form a partnership with a gaming franchise. But they will, probably before the weekend. Because things move pretty quickly when there’s money on the line. If you’re wondering: We are not against the legalization of sports gambling. We believe in personal freedom and responsibility, and we know that millions of Americans bet on sports all the time, whether the bookie is legit or not. It generates perhaps $100 billion annually,

and it’s ridiculous for a sports-crazy state like NC not to get in on the action. But to be sure: This will bring pain to many North Carolinians. Gambling can be an addiction, just like tobacco, alcohol, shopping and video games — all of which, by the way, are legal. But gambling can be different. You can only drink so much Jack Daniels, but it’s possible to gamble away one’s entire life savings on a Sunday afternoon. The scourge of gambling addiction is addressed in the bill, requiring all ads for these services to include information about gambling hotlines, and earmarks $2 million to the Dept. of Health & Human Services to establish “gambling addiction e d u c a t i o n and treatment programs.” This is, of course, completely inadequate. The General Assembly estimates that sports betting will generate about $65 million in its first year, garnered from an 18.5 percent tax on the sportsbooks and could reach $1 billion within five years. That’s a lot of pie to spread around. If NC wants to reap the benefits of sports betting, it must address the aggravating factors. And it should devote the same percentage of their take — 18.5 percent — to the effort. That could be as much as $12 million, enough to establish a meaningful response to the coming crisis.

Sports betting becomes legal in NC on March 11, the day before the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament begins.

If you or someone you know is suffering from gambling addiction, visit ncpgambling.org or call 1.800. GAMBLER.

Jen Sorensen jensorensen.com

John Cole

Courtesy of NC Policy Watch

CULTURE | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

CULTURE

Xia Lieu, right with his family, bounced around the Triad’s Asian-restaurant scene before opening What Da Pho. PHOTO BY SUDARSHAN KRISHNAMURTHY

Visit What Da Pho at 102 W 3rd St STE 5 in Winston-Salem or learn more at whatdaphonc.net.

What Da Pho?

At this Winston-Salem family-owned shop, good-natured service pairs well with Vietnamese comfort staples

by Sudarshan Krishnamurthy he faint gleam of Vietnamese silk lanterns, a warm smile and the welcoming greeting of “Sit wherever you’d like!” welcomes guests as they walk through the doors. “I started waiting tables when I was 15 or 16,” says Xia Lieu, the owner of What Da Pho, who personally greets customers as they walk

in. What Da Pho is one of very few restaurants that serves pho in Winston-Salem, and is the only exclusively Vietnamese restaurant in town. With a really small Vietnamese community and little in terms of Vietnamese culture in the city, Lieu says that the restaurant is frequented by folks in Winston who are not Vietnamese or even Asian. Lieu grew up working in his parents’ restaurant in Pittsburgh and enjoyed it enough to continue in the restaurant business ever since. With his family, he has previously owned and operated several restaurants, including Xia Asian Fusion Cuisine and Thai Harmony in Winston-Salem, and a dedicated Pho restaurant in Greenville, NC, before he moved back to Winston-Salem to start ‘What Da Pho’ just after Christmas in 2022. Thai Harmony is now under different ownership. The past year that they’ve been open, their priority has been to keep the menu simple and do a few dishes really well, Lieu says.

“We sell a lot of pho, and that’s why it’s always fresh too,” he says. According to Lieu, “the broth and the meat are the key” to a good pho; you have to keep them fresh. Selling a lot of it means they make it fresh everyday. Their rare-steak pho is considered by many a classic, and regulars keep coming back for the hearty broth. Lieu says that some of the things on the menu can be an acquired taste, but that it’s surprised him how many people have tried and loved them. The ‘combination pho,’ that includes steak, tendons, tripe and other beef cuts, has been a pretty popular item despite the fact that many diners have never previously experienced eating tripe, the stomach of the cow. “A lot of people are open minded,” he says, appreciating how the restaurant has been welcomed by the Winston-Salem community. Another pleasant reminder that this restaurant is truly family-centered is the delightful presence of Xander. Xander is Lieu’s 10-year-old son. While he’s sometimes sitting at a table in the center of the restaurant painting on canvas or playing games on his iPad, he often clears tables and rings customers up, unprompted, after their meals. Xander says that he may want to continue in the family restaurant business, but his eyes really light up when he gets to talk about his newfound hobby of photography. 13 He’d like to take pictures of muscle cars someday.

CULTURE | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

Occasionally, customers will also be greeted by Anna, Lieu’s wife and the mastermind in the kitchen. She walks around the restaurant, asking customers what they think of the food with a comforting — yet captivating — smile. Despite working in the kitchen for a majority of the business hours, her vibrant personality lights up the dining room when she’s able to take time in the front of the house. When she is able to take a break from the kitchen, she often is seen making a beeline to tables of diners to chat with them about the food, and is quick to recommend new items like the bubble teas that they are adding within a few weeks, in anticipation of the summer. As the Lieu family starts their second year of What Da Pho together, they exude excitement in introducing new items to the menu. In addition to pho, vermicelli bowls, lo mein, and a variety of banh mi sandwiches, a bubble tea menu with eight different flavors will soon allow visitors to expand their palates. Xander recommends the mango boba, his favorite. And as prices of ingredients continue to climb, Lieu says they’re working to keep their menu affordable for their customers. “The prices went up over the holidays, but I’m not going to bump the prices on the menu,” he says.“I’m not going to do that to the customers.” It’s all part of making sure everyone feels welcome when they walk through their doors. “I’d rather see a customer eat [here] two times a week, than see them [eat here] once every two weeks,” Xia says.

RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER

SATURDAY, FEB 3 | 7:30 PM REYNOLDS AUDITORIUM

Be in the room when bluegrass icon and 15-time GRAMMY winner Ricky Skaggs returns with his band Kentucky Thunder for a night of boot-stompin’ barn burners, glorious gospel, and tender ballads, backed by your Winston-Salem Symphony. Michelle Merrill conducts this explosive night of bluegrass favorites. Experience Music in a New Way.

symp.ws/ricky (336) 464.0145 At What Da Pho, the beef pho is made fresh everyday. PHOTO BY SUDARSHAN KRISHNAMURTHY

Micheal Banner, urban gardener and Mary Jac Brennan, North Carolina Cooperative Extension agent lectured on Gardening and Pruning Secrets in season one COURTESY PHOTO

Mixed Doubles is free to attend, but organizers would recommend arriving early. Doors to each lecture open at 5:30. The presentations begin at 6:00 and will run for one hour. The season two topics will be The Burke Singers and Intellectual Humility (Jan. 25), Honey Bees and Burning Man (Feb. 1), Hot Sauce and Contemporary Dance (Feb. 8) and Spy Music and Solar Bikes (Feb. 15).

CULTURE | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

CULTURE

Colliding Ideas

Mixed Doubles tandem lecture series in Winston-Salem promises creative chaos

by Elise LeSage

ot sauce and contemporary dance, spy music and solar bikes: these topics may not seem to have much in common, but at Mixed Doubles, a tandem lecture series based in Winston-Salem, they’ll share the spotlight side-by-side. Each Thursday from Jan. 25 -Feb. 15, experts in two unrelated subjects will give consecutive lectures at the Forsyth County Public Library. The experts — who come from a variety of backgrounds, traditional and otherwise — have a strict 20-minute time limit to present. Then the real fun begins: The floor will open to questions from the audience, many of which “challenge the presenters to make connections that aren’t obvious,” says Mixed Doubles founder David Brown. Brown is director of the DENT Creative Reuse Center and Art Laboratory, a volunteerrun organization that first partnered with the public library to launch Mixed Doubles in 2020. Although the series was put on hold due to the pandemic, DENT is eager to reacquaint the community with these evenings of delightfully chaotic communitybuilding. “The Q&A can get pretty rowdy,” Brown says, recalling the first season. “It’s interesting because, as you can imagine, some of the audience is only there for one topic while some come in for the second topic. Others will just be there for the collision, so you

get all mixes.” Despite the audience’s wide range of interests, Brown describes the atmosphere of Mixed Doubles as “a celebration.” During presentations, attendees can expect to see everything from films to live demonstrations. During season one, there was even a spontaneous, whole-audience sing-along to “Farmer in the Dell.” Attendees are also encouraged to pitch ideas for future lecture topics. This season’s dual evening of hot sauce and contemporary dance was suggested by an audience member during season one. Brown discovers other topics by word of mouth and through his research into the work of local college professors. Even so, he wants to make it clear that his presenters need not have PhDs. “We really try to find lecturers that are reflective of our community,” he says. “We believe every person has some sort of specialty, some area of knowledge, expertise or skill set. We’ve found that, when asked, most folks are happy to share that with the community.” For example, Niki Farrington, Mixed Doubles’ hot-sauce expert, never attended culinary school. Instead, she studied social work, a field she remained in for nearly 20 years before switching to the food industry. Now the owner of Niki’s Pickles and chef at Winston-Salem’s Graylyn Estate, Farrington is a staple of the Triad culinary scene. 15

CULTURE | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

Other lecturers this season include Monstercade founder and owner Carlos Bocanegra, urban farmer Samantha ‘Foxx’ Winship; Christine Toole, a regular Burning Man participant; entrepreneurs; academics and, Brown teases, “several special surprise guests.” Mixed Double’s second season will kick off with a presentation from Maestra D’Walla Simmons Burke, director of Vocal and Choral Studies at Winston-Salem State University. She will present on the topic of social justice along with her students in the Burke Singers, an all-female a cappella group that performs songs honoring Black vocal traditions and raising political awareness. Joining Simmons Burke is Dr. Eranda Jayawickreme, a professor of psychology at Wake Forest University. His lecture will focus on intellectual humility, which involves, as the name suggests, recognizing and accepting gaps in one’s knowledge. Regardless of the evenings’ themes, attendees are encouraged to arrive with open minds. “There’s so much in the world right now that’s working really hard to separate us as individuals, and as groups,” Brown says. “Mixed Doubles tackles that by bringing various groups together in a playful, joyful way.”

Mark Dixon, artist, musician, inventor and season one presenter on Sculpture for Art and Musical Performance PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK DIXON

12 16

BY CAROLYN DE BERRY

North Cedar Street, Greensboro

SHOT IN THE TRIAD | JAN. 25 - FEB. 7, 2024

SHOT IN THE TRIAD

Scene from a Friday morning in January, downtown Greensboro.

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PUZZLES & GAMES CROSSWORD ‘How to Succeed’ —

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you know what they say. Across

SUDOKU

by Matt Jones

1. Card pack 5. Jazz legend Davis 10. Galaxy addition? 13. Supporter 14. Kind of army or band 16. 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champ Michelle 17. *Showroom sale item 19. Tax preparer’s charge 20. There’s no accounting for it 21. *”You’ll do great!” 23. Indefinitely long period 24. Actress Taylor-Joy of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” 25. Bar offerings 26. “Yes, ___” (improv principle) 28. Small child 30. Lay down the lawn 32. “Help wanted” listings 34. Capricious urge 37. Overinflate 41. *”All we need,” per a 1988 Guns N’ Roses ballad 44. “8 Seconds” venue 45. Make agitated 46. One of four on the New Zealand flag 47. Geese formation shape 49. ___ Soundsystem (“I Can Change” band) 51. He/___ pronouns 52. Not fully 55. Certain internet junk 58. Monopoly board abbr. 60. *Screen protector of sorts? 62. Amounts typically shown in red 65. Got away fast 66. Conclusion leading to perseverance, or a hint to the last words of the starred answers? 68. Enmity 69. Tribute 70. Lower range 71. Like much of PinkNews’s demographic 72. See 33-Down 73. Decelerate

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS:

Down

1. Nuts 2. Swingin’ Fitzgerald 3. Secretive kind of auction without knowing the price 4. City near Osaka 5. Rapper/actor ___ Def, a.k.a.Yasiin Bey 6. Worked up 7. “30 Rock” character Liz 8. Bad thing to see on your gas gauge 9. Mexican restaurant condiments 10. Horrible 11. Jigsaw unit 12. Looks up the answer, maybe 15. Org. for teachers or artists 18. “It’s living ___-free in my head” 22. Crockpot scoopers, maybe 26. Partway open 27. ___ contendere (no contest plea) 29. Nighttime hunter 31. Kimono sash 33. With 72-Across, portrayer of Brian Hackett on “Wings” 35. Corp. debut 36. Word processing function for automating letters 38. Attentive 39. “Superfood” berry 40. Political period 42. Shoe end 43. “Waterfalls” group 48. Conditional deposit 50. Marcel Duchamp’s movement 52. Parsley bit 53. Scarlett of “Gone With the Wind” 54. It doesn’t grow on trees 56. “Fork it over!” 57. Take ___ at (guess) 59. The Venetian’s site 61. Numerical suffix 63. One of the Jackson 5 64. Winter weather prediction 67. “Get ___ Ya-Ya’s Out!” (Rolling Stones album)

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Fri 2/02

None Of The Above (Americana): NOTA @ Foothills Brewery Tasting Room

Mediterranean Fish

Ravioli Makin Night

@ 6pm / $58 Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

@ 6pm Foothills Brewing Tasting Room, 3800 Kimwell Dr, Winston-Salem

Jukebox Revolver live at Breathe Cocktail Lounge

Jason Bunch Music: Uptown Charlie's

Thu 1/25

Featured

@ 7:30pm Uptown Charlie's Restaurant, 5828 N Church St, Greensboro

@ 7pm Breathe Cocktail Lounge, 221 N Main St, Kernersville

UNCG Spartans Women's Basketball vs. Chattanooga Mocs Women's Basketball

Possum Jenkins @ 8pm The Ramkat, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem

@ 7pm / $10 Fleming Gymnasium, 337 HHP Building 1500 Walker Ave, Greensboro

BROADWAY to GREENSBORO featuring Faith Prince @ 7:30pm / $16-$16 The Virginia Somerville Sutton Theatre at Well·Spring, 4100 Well Spring Drive, Greensboro

Justin Wells @ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

John Baumann @ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

Fri 1/26

The Coyotes @ 8pm The Ramkat & Gas Hill Drinking Room, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem

@ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

My Fair Lady (Touring)

Sat 1/27

@ 10am / $5 SouthEnd Brewing Co, 117b West Lewis Street, Greensboro

Bailey @ 2:30pm Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro

The Shepherds @ 6pm New Beginnings Church Archdale, Archdale

Emily Nenni @ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

Tue 2/06 Vietnamese @ 6pm / $58 Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

Ravioli Makin' Night

@ 2pm / $44-$151 Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, 300 North Elm Street, Greensboro

Wed 1/31

Tony Andrews: PRIVATE EVENT

@ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

@ 8pm The Idiot Box Comedy Club, 503 N Greene St, Greensboro

Sunday Yoga @ SouthEnd Brewing Co.

Tue 1/30 @ 6pm / $58 Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

The Idiot Box presents Lace Larrabee

Sun 2/04

@ 7pm / $25-$151 Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, 300 North Elm Street, Greensboro

My Fair Lady (Touring)

@ 7pm Elks Lodge, 2201 W Cornwallis Dr, Greensboro

@ 8pm Four Dollar Jack's, 6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct, Clemmons

Jason Crabb @ 6pm King Christian Center, 995 Brown Rd, King

@ 9pm / $10 Real World Ballroom, 690 Jonestown Rd, WinstonSalem. realworldballroom@gmail.com

RetroVinyl Band: RetroVinyl LIVE @ Four Dollar Jacks

@ 2pm Westbend Winery and Brewery, 5395 Williams Rd, Lewisville

Connor Kelly & The Time Warp

LATIN PLUS DANCE NIGHT!

@ 8pm Flat Iron, 221 Summit Ave, Greensboro

Sunday Yoga @ SouthEnd Brewing Co.

William Nesmith

Palmyra The Band

Thu 2/01 Ravioli Makin Night @ 6pm / $58 Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

@ 7pm The Ramkat, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem

Featured

Sun 1/28

@ 7pm H.P. Trousers, 142 Church Ave Suite 101, High Point

Jess Klein

Jacoozy w/ Dylan Innes & the Business @ Flat Iron GSO

@ 7:30pm / $40-$140 Wait Chapel, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston Salem

Bobby Frith: Solo at HP Trousers

@ 6pm Oden Brewing Company, 804 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro

Sat 2/03 A Night With Renée Elise Goldsberry

@ 10am / $5 SouthEnd Brewing Co, 117b West Lewis Street, Greensboro

Jason Bunch Music: Oden Brewing VENUE DEBUT

Galentine’s Day @ 3pm / $50 Drs. Charlene Green and Allison Mathews are excited to host our inaugural Galentine’s Day to celebrate friend‐ ship with lunch, yoga, �reside chat with Dr. Erikka Taylor, crafts & network‐ ing Greensboro Country Club, 410 Sunset Drive, Greensboro. goldricecomms@gmail.com, 214-9809696

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Wed 2/07 Vietnamese @ 6pm / $58 Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

Greensboro Swarm Vs Austin Spurs @ 7pm / $6.50-$97 Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coli‐ seum Complex, 1921 West Gate City Blvd, Greens‐ boro Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ ers. All events are subject to change or cancellation. This publication is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this calendar.