April 4, 2018

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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

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April 4 – 17, 2018 — 1

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King County creates Immigrant and Refugee Commission

By Cliff Cawthon IE Contributor The political climate right now is scary, to say the least, for refugee and immigrant communities. This past February, King County Executive Dow Constantine signed a bill into law creating the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission.

The commission’s focus is to bring the county government, community organizations and service providers together to “achieve greater impacts in areas of biggest concern for immigrants and refugees, such as jobs and economic development, housing, transportation and health,” according to the commission’s website.

The formation of the commission started with a resolution in 2016 co-sponsored

by King County Councilmember Gossett and Councilmember Dembowski to create a taskforce for immigrant and refugee issues. This taskforce received 500 responses from community members and did 25 community listening sessions, across the county, on problems and solutions to their issues. The top recommendation was to create a commission as a nexus point to lift up immigrant and refugee voices.

The formation of this commission is timely as anti-immigrant and refugee sentiment has been on the rise nationally and locally in King County – overtly and subtly. According to the county, this commission is intended to help support King County in it’s interactions with and within immigrant and refugee communities through advising the county government, the sheriff’s office, the county prosecutor and other county government departments and agencies on the impact of policies, programs and laws on immigrant and refugee communities.

Photo credit: King County

The IE spoke to Bookda Gheisar from the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice for more information on how the commission will serve the community’s interests: International Examiner: Let’s just get right to it. How are the interests of everyday community members going to be reflected by the work and composition of this commission?

Bookda Gheisar: The commission will have access to the county leadership and they will have access to the services [providers] that community members need.

They will continuously have contact and communication with those leaders, for example, transit, the MLK County Communities of Opportunity program, and other programs and people who will have a major impact and effect on communities.

They will have communication, connect and they can act as representatives [for the community].

The commission’s other purpose is outreach. Communication between government and many immigrant and refugee communities is often strained, and with this commission, the county hopes it will As far as the community, in selecting bridge that communication gap; as well as people, many people have already reached be a voice for the community in how the out and said that they are interested in becounty implements new laws and projects.

ing on the commission. Though, we need people who are actually reflective of the community and serving large constituencies.

selection committee. There’s a member of the Japanese-American community on the committee. Remember, we interviewed 500 people and did 25 community We don’t just want people who are larg- conversations so it’s been a long and delier than life, brilliant and smart, we want cate process. We have very specific critepeople who have the ear of the commu- ria for the commission members. nity, understand their issues, and really IE: Will the commission have a budcares about the fate of their communities. get or additional resources, given the IE: How does this selection process political climate and working-class folks facing barriers to participating in work? civic activities like this?

BG: A committee has come together BG: I’m not sure that the political cliand they are quickly working on an apmate will impact the budget for the complication and a strategy to have the kind mission, but we were unable to pass legof geographic representation, reach, and islation to provide commissioners with other things we want to have around the table. The application will be open for 60 an honorarium. No other commission days and then they will interview the can- provides honorariums for commissioners; didates and submit the nominees to coun- however, there’s a budget for community meetings, participation and food, yes. cil for approval.

For information on how to apply for the IE: On the search committee, is there commission, go to their webpage here. any representation from the CID or the The application is open until April 27th.

API community?

After the 27th, the application process will BG: Yes, there’s a member from the be closed.

Cambodian community who is on the

2 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

APACE and recent legislative victories: You can make a difference by participating

By Derek Lum Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment Votes

multiple testimonies in favor of the AVR bills and advocated for privacy protections.

This past legislative session was historic for our community. APACEvotes (Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment Votes) helped push multiple bills through the legislature that expanded access to democracy for all communities.

Our main focus was Automatic Voter Registration (AVR), which improves our AAPI voter registration rates. We were advocating from the belief that policymakers should push to maximize citizen participation in democracy.

This is particularly important for our community, who has been historically including among others, One America, disenfranchised from voting access. the Japanese American Citizens League, We are one of the few AAPI the Washington Student Association, the organizations doing advocacy in Washington State Labor Council and the Olympia, and the only one specifically Latino Community Fund. advocating for voter access. It benefits Joining this coalition provided us with our democracy to have more AAPIs the ability to educate and advocate for involved in the democratic process. our AAPI community and it also coordiI hope this article will inspire you to nated a comprehensive advocacy effort advocate for what you believe. The for Same Day Voter Registration, preprocess is not as daunting as it seems. registration for 16 and 17-year olds, AVR First, decide what issues set you on fire. and the WA Voting Rights Act. There are many issues that impact you WVJC helped develop the AVR bill and your family. New laws are proposed with specific language with legislators. every day that you may strongly agree We supported an AVR bill that helped or disagree with. You can also contact as many people as possible to register your legislators and propose a new law to vote, while assuring that non-citizens yourself! If they agree, they can sponsor would not accidentally be registered to or support your new law. vote.

New laws that address issues you care It is important that you talk to the about can only be passed if you and correct legislators. If you are supporting other citizens actively participate. This a bill, you must know who is writing is democracy in action. the bill and which committees will hold Doing this on your own is possible, or hearings on it so that you can testify for you can ally with others to accomplish it. your goals. APACEvotes joined the Our coalition focused on talking with Washington Voting Justice Coalition Rep. Zach Hudgins (D-11) and Sen. Sam (WVJC), a group of other organiza- Hunt (D-22) to be prime sponsors of the tions that supports laws to increase AVR bills. As the AVR bills moved to the voter access. This was a broad coalition, committee process, APACEvotes gave

IE STAFF

Established in 1974, the International Examiner is the only non-profit pan-Asian and Pacific Islander American media organization in the country. Named after the International District in Seattle, the “IE” strives to create awareness within and for our APA communities. 409 Maynard Ave. S. #203, Seattle, WA 98104. (206) 624-3925. iexaminer@iexaminer.org.

IE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron Chew, President Gary Iwamoto, Secretary Peggy Lynch, Treasurer Arlene Oki, At-Large Sokha Danh At-Large Nam Le, At-Large COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER Lexi Potter lexi@iexaminer.org

BUSINESS MANAGER Ellen Suzuki finance@iexaminer.org FELLOWSHIP STAFF Bif Brigman Mitsue Cook

Also, you do not have to go to Olympia in person to give testimony.

On the day of the committee hearing, you can sign in online and you can testify by phone, email or a letter to support a new law, and that feedback will still be considered. Usually elected officials only consider input that comes from within their district, but when there are issues of importance to the whole state, they will listen to all Washington citizens.

APACEvotes sent mailers educating AAPIs about AVR in three languages and organized phone banks to reach out the AAPI community to encourage them to support AVR with a call to their legislators. We placed advertisements in AAPI newspapers and radio stations, and we targeted AAPI voters in social media to educate our community about AVR. Our ads were in multiple languages and in multiple media forms, allowing for diverse segments of the AAPI population to learn about voting access and how to participate in advocacy for AVR. Following your bill during session is essential, even after you give your original opinion. Things can easily sidetrack your bill with the pace and volume of activity in Olympia. A quick follow-up email or phone call to your legislators will keep your voice active in our democracy.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Jill Wasberg editor@iexaminer.org MANAGING EDITOR Chetanya Robinson chetanya@iexaminer.org ARTS EDITOR Alan Chong Lau arts@iexaminer.org CONTENT MANAGER Pinky Gupta CONTRIBUTORS Cliff Cawthon Derek Lum Ron Chew Vince Schleitwiler Candace Kwan Molica Chau

Chris Juergens Roxanne Ray FELLOWS Annie Kuo Bunthay Cheam John Phoenix Leapai Nick Turner DISTRIBUTORS Kristen Navaluna Joshua Kelso Makayla Dorn Maryross Olanday Antonia Dorn Kristen Navaluna Kat Punzalan Eli Savitt Stephany Hernandez Vincent Trey Raleigh Haavig

You may not have the time to do this all yourself, but convincing your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to make a call or send an email in support of your issue can result in positive action from a legislator. The power of one citizen who takes action is multiplied. The power of each of your friends, family and networks can change the world!

Influencing democracy is possible – and necessary. I hope you will stay active and that you will contact your legislators year-round whenever an issue moves you. Now, more than ever, AAPI’s need to participate in our democracy. It only works with you, the citizens.

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Visit www.wscc.com for further info or to download an app.

Apps are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Jobline: (206) 694-5039.

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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 3

Phnom Penh Noodle House prepares to close after 30 years

By Ron Chew IE Contributor

Like all the regulars, Maiko had a favorite dish.

“For me, it was the Number 13 – the sweet-andsour soup,” she said. “It was mind-blowingly good.

The heavy herbs, the garlic, tomatoes, lotus roots and greens. I’ve never had cooked pineapples that I’ve liked. I don’t know where else I can get this now.”

The Phnom Penh Noodle House, a beloved International District business which just celebrated its 30th anniversary, will close its doors in May, Dawn Ung, one of the co-owners, announced last week.

Dawn and her sister Darlene Le have run the family-owned Cambodian restaurant on South King Street since the retirement of their parents in 2007. A personal tragedy – the lingering impact of a traffic accident involving Dawn’s 18-year old son Devin – precipitated the recent decision to close.

Their father, Sam Ung, started the restaurant in a small storefront on Maynard Avenue after he arrived in Seattle as a refugee in 1980. Both Dawn and Darlene grew up helping in the restaurant from the time they were young kids. In 2012, Sam wrote a moving autobiography, I Survived the Killing Fields: The True Life Story of a Cambodian Refugee, with the assistance of his friend Thomas McElroy. Sam launched the book at a crowded book signing ceremony at the restaurant and has spoken eloquently and tearfully at many programs over the years. Sam now resides in Cambodia, returning to Seattle for only 10 months out of the year.

Since Devin’s accident – he was hit by a car last September while on his way home from a frisbee game – he has been in a coma, unable to speak or eat on his own. He has been in a skilled care facility and in the hospital several times for

treatment. “After work, I go to the hospital every day for 45 minutes to one hour,” Dawn said. “Devin has special oral care needs which I’m able to help with. We don’t know what the long-term prognosis is. After six months, he hasn’t shown much recovery.”

Dawn, a single parent, said the accident has had a staggering impact on her finances. It prompted her to find another job with medical benefits and the “heartbreaking” decision to close the popular eatery. She has sold her house and is looking at the prospect of a challenging financial future. She has two other children – a 15-year old and a six-year old

Michelle Kumata, exhibit director at the Wing Luke Museum, echoed Maiko’s feeling of grief.

“It’s more than a business.

They were so supportive of the Museum. It feels like we’re losing a part of the family.” Michelle’s favorite was a dish called Battambang’s Favorite Noodle: “That’s my go-to – I order it every time. I loved the – in addition to Devin. Meanwhile, the different textures and flavors.” daily grind of keeping the popular resDawn said a Szechuan restaurant will taurant has taken a toll on her sister Darbe taking over the Phnom Penh’s space lene and other members of the extended at 660 South King Street on May 31. The family who work there.

Phnom Penh Noodle House will close Maiko Winkler-Chin, executive direc- several weeks before the opening of the tor of the Seattle Chinatown-Internation- new restaurant. A final closing date has al District Preservation and Development not yet been set.

Authority, greeted news of the iconic resDawn said she and Darlene may retaurant’s looming closure with a tearful response: “I’m really sad. I’m sad about open the Phnom Penh Noodle House in a Devin. I’m sad because I love their food. smaller space in the future. For now, they It was the epitome of a family-owned have their hands full coping with Devin’s business that gave back unselfishly to struggle to recover and saying emotional goodbyes to customers they’ve served support our community.” over the past three decades.

Funding for Japanese American incarceration sites preserved in 2018 budget

By Chetanya Robinson IE Managing Editor A federal grant that funds the preservation of WWII Japanese American incarceration history will be funded in 2018, NBC News reports — but Trump’s budget omits funding for the program

beyond that year. The future of $17 support. Since appropriations began in million dollars originally appropriated for 2009, the grant has provided $21 million the lifetime of the grant is uncertain. in funding for 185 projects preserving, The federal budget passed on March interpreting and educating people about 22 includes funding for the Japanese WWII Japanese American incarceration American Confinement Sites (JACS) history in 20 states and Washington, Grants Program for 2018. The JACS grant D.C. Locally, it’s helped fund projects was established in 2006 with bipartisan from Densho, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, and the Wing Luke Museum.

Earlier in March, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke was criticized by members of Congress as flippant and “Young girl near guard tower.” Photo taken by Yoshio Okumoto at the Heart Mountain camp in Wyoming. • racially insensitive when he responded Photo courtesy of Yoshio Okumoto to a question about the grant from Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii with “konnichiwa” before answering her documentary filmmaker who was born in 1944 at Tule Lake camp and whose work question. explores the effects of incarceration on As the International Examiner reported the mental health of Japanese American earlier in March, advocates fear losing the families, told the International Examiner grant money would jeopardize efforts to earlier in March. “If the story of the preserve Japanese American incarceration Japanese Americans could be taught history. in the schools and public places where “This happened to us, and the language people could come and visit and see for that’s being used today is very similar to themselves, it will educate people to keep what ultimately led to our incarceration,” it from happening again, to realize that Satsuki Ina, a psychotherapist and we’re edging towards another dangerous violation of civil rights.”

4 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Dale Hom’s graphic novels sketch a changing Beacon Hill

By Vince Schleitwiler IE Contributor

“Japanese Americans sold insurance. You could get a haircut there from an old Filipino barber once upon a time. Now there’s a Chinese supermarket, a Mexican restaurant that took over from a Filipino restaurant. Although I’m hearing there’s a proposal for a six-story apartment.”

Dale Hom spent three and a half decades working for the government, protecting the priceless forests whose beauty and diversity makes the Northwest special. Now, in his second career as a graphic novelist, You don’t want to know.

Hom has turned his interest to another threatened PNW treasure – his old neigh“Some of the new restaurants on Beacon borhood, Beacon Hill.

Avenue are nice hangouts,” he acknowlIn Walk Tall Y’All: Feeling Grumpy in edges. He still visits friends in the area, Transmogrified Seattle, Wallace, a Beacon but he hears their complaints. “Sometimes Hill-bred Chinese American in his six- folks will say that the gentrification alties, returns home for the funeral of his old most creates sameness,” he says. “Wallace friend, Ricky Takemoto. Readers familiar makes a comment about being able to buy with Wallace from Hom’s previous effort, pizza in the ID. That’s a sore spot.”

Walk Don’t Run: Growing Up Asian in SeHom’s first book might sound like an exattle, set in 1961, might be taken aback to ercise in nostalgia, but he was trying to pass find their fifth-grade hero so changed in along knowledge there, too – stories of imwhat seems like no time at all. migrants from old Mexican Chinatowns, Suffice it to say, that’s how Wallace Haida-Asian intermarriages in canneries feels about his hometown. There’s traffic up in B.C., Ray Charles and Quincy Jones and techies, bike lanes and light rail, and on Jackson Street. When Wallace catches all the landmarks of his youth replaced a Rainiers game at the old Sick’s Stadium by new buildings. But underlying his cur- (now a Lowe’s), his friend Ricky tells him mudgeonly feelings is a problem: gentrifi- about Minidoka concentration camp and cation, and the loss of that south Seattle’s the all-Japanese American 442nd. multiethnic, working-class collective spirit (There’s also a surreal episode involving which the words “cultural identity” never mental telepathy and Bobo, the late, laquite do justice. mented celebrity gorilla of Woodland Park “I take it for granted a lot of the time,” Zoo, which reads like a send-up of LukeHom admits, when I asked him what made and-Yoda-style Hollywood Orientalism – the neighborhood so special. “Up on Bea- but maybe I’m reading too much into it.) con Hill, by the Junction – do you know And how was the response? “Pretty hithat term? – where 15th and Beacon Av- larious, actually,” he says. “People thought enue come together.” that I was writing their story!” It wasn’t I’m a newcomer, so I’m keeping quiet just the icons, like Sick’s, that resonated, but also smaller details: “Going to the loand taking notes. cal drugstore to look at comics, and hang“There’s always been this ethnic flavor ing out around the old Beacon Hill School, happening on that intersection,” he says. what’s now El Centro.”

My daughter goes to Kimball, where they have some great Asian American artists and writers on their alumni wall – Lynda Barry, Lenore Look, Ken Mochizuki.

Hom’s voice brightens. “Ken’s novel Beacon Hill Boys was an inspiration, for sure.

Spending a lot of time with Ken growing up was an influence on my interest to write and illustrate something about the neighborhood.” He mentions Ron Chew, Dean Wong – “all inspirations to me.”

The look of his graphic novels is simple, free, and unpretentious, with hints of old newspaper comics and improvised doodles carrying you through moments of unexpected and intricate observation. “I tried a lot to make it as simple as I could – easy to read, easy on the eyes,” said Hom. His style is versatile, but for these books, he “didn’t want the artwork to overshadow the story” – though he adds, “I almost regard each page as a work of art.”

Drawing has been a lifelong passion for Hom, who has done work for various magazines, and maintains a weekly comic, starring his dog Rufus, on his Facebook page. While working in Alaska, he won awards for his editorial cartoons for local newspapers, and also had a weekly radio show – “the only time you heard jazz on AM radio!”

The struggle continues. In Walk Tall Y’All, Wallace shares lessons on local history with his grandnephew Dexter, a highschool musician, who repays him with the dedication of a jazz tune that contemplates the future. Maybe the culture isn’t lost – like those gorgeous old jazz-club murals So how did a city kid become a forest- they just discovered in the basement of the er? Simple: a Northwest kid has access to Wah Mee building. so much public land – national and state And it’s not just culture – people are orparks, national forests, even wooded city ganizing. Across the José Rizal Bridge, the parks like Seward and Discovery. “And CID Coalition – a.k.a. Humbows Not Hofrom Beacon Hill you can see the Cas- tels, a nod to the late Bob Santos – is makcades, the Olympics, and drive and see Mt. ing noise in the anti-gentrification moveRainier on any clear day looking south,” ment. Back in Beacon Hill, there’s always he said. something brewing at The Station, everyOf course. I grew up in Chicago, so I’m one’s favorite POC-owned coffeeshop, just still surprised a city can look like this. But steps from the Roberto Maestas statue. It’s I knew enough about Beacon Hill history the perfect spot to find support, strategize a campaign, or just bang out a newspaper to be thrilled when I moved here. article.

Not that I didn’t know it was changing.

Hey, Dale. Some of us are still hanging The day we arrived, as I was unloading a on. few bags from my car, a lady in a minivan pulled up and asked if I was the house Dale Hom’s “Walk Tall Y’All” will be cleaner – she wanted to hire a house clean- released this spring from Third Place er. A house cleaner is a respectable job, so Books. You can find him on Facebook at I didn’t really mind being mistaken for one DALE HOM, Graphic Novels. CID Coaliuntil the third or fourth time she ignored tion will be holding a series of orientations me and repeated her question. this April and May. For more information, find them on Facebook at Humbows Not Hotels.

Life as an Asian American forester had its challenges. “Oftentimes you might have been the only minority in a ranger district,” he said. “Kind of like being a fly in buttermilk.” But in those tiny communities, eventually everyone had to find a way to work together.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 5

Catching up with rapper Dumbfoundead: “Show them an Asian person that they’ve never seen”

By Candace Kwan IE Contributor Whether you know Korean American rapper Dumbfoundead (nee Jonathan Park) from hip-hop, rap battles or his antics on social media, you know that he is not to be overlooked. While Dumbfoundead has been one of the main Asian American fixtures in the hip-hop scene since the late 2000s, it was not until mid-2016 that he garnered national attention with the music video “Safe,” which highlighted the lack of Asian representation in Hollywood. “[‘Safe’] was definitely the most political social commentary song that I’ve ever made. I definitely saw a community show support on that song, I did not expect it to get that many views or listens. I started getting invited to panels and stuff that I wasn’t even ready for. Really, I’d go there, and I’d be on this panel with all these professors and people who studied these things. I was like ‘uh, I was mad and made a song,’ but it was cool,” said the 32-year old rapper.

While being on panels does not phase him, he did admit that it was not the format he is most comfortable with. “My commentary comes in the form of a song. I made it when I made the song. I’ve been in enough panels to know they invite people with all backgrounds and different perspectives on these things, so it made sense, but for me, I’m not really articulate with things I want to explain. When it comes to rap, there’s not much of a format, I can speak in code, or there’s no format to how I should explain myself. It’s hard to be in a panel and talk.

I’m good at doing it in rhyme form,” said Dumbfoundead.

Photo courtesy of Dumbfounded

He emphasized that he likes to let his work speak for itself. “I don’t like explaining my art, especially when I explain my art, I sound way more stupid, but when people listen to the song, they’re like ‘this guy is smart.’ I like to leave it up for interpretation. I think it’s enough of a statement. When I followed with an explanation, it kind of took away from people’s interpretations.”

Dumbfoundead does not shy away from politics, but he prefers to “mix in humor and current events into something, but not be so preachy about it.”

“I like to be playful, [my music] is more about me just making a regular turnt-up ratchet hip-hop song using references that I can identify with my culture and origins.

You’ll see all these Asian references but the song is not about Asians or anything. It’s

just the references I use,” said Dumbfoundead.

He acknowledges that Asian Americans have come a long way since he started rapping. “We’re starting to pop up everywhere, whether it’s TV, film music, it’s just not really rare anymore, even in the rap industry. When I started, I was one of the few. When I played cities, the one Asian kid who lives in the small town in the midwest would come out to the show and be like, ‘Thank God, I’m the only Asian here’.

The experience of being Asian American is not rare, but we’ve been an invisible race for a long time. What my vision has been is to go on stage, say the most fucking wildest shit, and show them an Asian person that they’ve never seen. I think that’s kind of what I’ve noticed about the Asian voices that are coming out right now. They turn it up like extra loud, and you kind have to, really.”

This multi-hyphenate is adding yet another notch to his belt by working on a TV show loosely based on his own life. “The show is about becoming a rapper who’s kind of old, aged, and washing up at the early age of 30. It’s a funny dynamic when you’re in a youth-driven industry, and people look at you like an OG, at even that age,” said Dumbfoundead.

He’s currently pitching the show. If nothing else, Dumbfoundead is a national treasure, and to quote a song off his latest EP Rocket Man, he should be “protected at all cost.”

To keep up with Dumbfoundead follow him on Twitter @dumbfoundead and Instagram @dumbfoundead.

Dumbfounded packs the house at Neumos on Yikes tour

By Candace Kwan IE Contributor

a lot on his latest release “Rocket Man,” but the sound crew for an extra microphone he was sure to throw in a few classics like as he’d have a special guest during the set.

“New Chick” for his older fans.

Sure, I knew that Jay Park was featured on Seattle was Dumbfoundead’s second When I was waiting around during the Dumbfoundead’s latest EP, Rocket Man, stop out of 31 during his Yikes tour with and that he hailed from Seattle, but I did not fellow artists and close friends DJ Zo and sound check, I heard Dumbfoundead ask put two and two together until I saw Park G Yamazawa. His show at Neumos on Wednesday, March 21, was packed.

DJ Zo was the first to hit the stage and warmed up the crowd by playing weaving pop culture hits together – “Tearin’ Up My Heart”, “Nuthin’ But A G Thang”, the opening theme to Star Wars, and plenty of other songs you’d be able to sing along to.

Apart from performing his own work, DJ Zo remained on stage through G Yamazawa’s and Dumbfoundead’s sets.

G Yamazawa, best known for being the youngest-ever poet to win a National Poetry Slam Championship, is relatively new to the hip-hop scene compared to the other two, but he held his own. His heartfelt rhymes on identity and finding a community resonated with many in the crowd.

It goes without saying that Dumbfoundead knows how to throw down. His set focused

jump on stage to perform “The Defiant Wons”. The crowd went WILD. During Dumbfoundead’s set, he spoke about respecting women and knowing your worth. This is, of course, appreciated in the light of the current political climate and the #metoo movement, but also strongly appreciated in spaces like concerts. It’s important to have an ally, wherever it may be.

What made the show truly stand apart was that all three performers truly cared whether the crowd had a good time – you could see their dedication by how much time they dedicated to interacting with fans, be it before, during, and after the show.

Even though the venue was packed, Dumbfoundead was able to have a few conversations with folks in the crowd – about their age, upbringing, background, what they were studying in college. For a hip-hop show, everything was surprisingly tender.

If you missed Dumbfoundead this time around, don’t fret. Seattle is always going to be on the list of cities he plays on his tours.

6 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

White Center bakery becomes community center for local Cambodian Americans

By Bunthay Cheam IE Fellow It’s a Saturday morning at Golden House Bakery in White Center, and it’s bustling with conversations over coffee, donuts, papaya salad and Khmer BBQ lemongrass skewers.

In one corner, the Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington is holding a planning session for their Annual White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival.

They’re discussing the theme of the event which is going into its 16th year.

“We want to get people to wear their Khmer clothes, so we can show the community there are Cambodians here,” says Pharin Kong. She floats an idea, “’Welcome to My Village’… that will get people to dress up because they will represent their village [from Cambodia].”

The street festival draws hundreds, not only from the Seattle area but from other Cambodian American communities such as Tacoma, Olympia and Everett. In past years, it has featured cooking competitions, eating contests, live music and dance, and martial arts demonstrations.

In an opposite corner of the bakery is another group of Cambodian Americans, mostly adults who came to the United States as part of the 1980’s wave of refugees escaping the Cambodian Genocide. They are talking current events in Cambodia, and it’s especially rowdy. It’s election season in Cambodia, and this period of time has historically been accompanied by political turmoil.

White Center is one of the largest enclaves of refugees of Cambodian descent in Washington state, with a majority arriving during the 1980’s after escaping from the fallout of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. Many found their way to White Center and settled in housing projects administered by King County. This development was named Park Lake Homes. In the early 2000s, they were torn down and rebuilt into a mixed income development and renamed Greenbridge.

Some in the community managed to open businesses in the nearby retail core, with

Golden House Bakery being one of the later opening in 2005.

Oeuy Mak arrived in the United States as an adult in 1984. He’s a regular at the bakery and is part of the planning committee of the event. “I don’t remember...?” He says when asked how long he has been going to Golden House Bakery.

In lieu of a community center for and

by Cambodian Americans, Golden House has become a social space for the community. “It’s a place to meet and congregate, for Khmer people. There’s no other place like it [for the community],” says Mak. Golden House’s identity as a community space is not by accident. Bunthy Thoeun and Pharin Kong are the owners of Golden House Bakery, having bought out another Cambodian American community member, with a vision to help build community.

“My husband is the one who wants it for community. He wanted a place where he can gather his group, have meetings,” says Thoeun.

Pharin Kong has been a long-time resident of White Center, but his wife, Bunthy Thoeun, is a more recent immigrant from Cambodia’s Kandal province, which is 30 minutes outside of the capital Phnom Penh.

She came to the U.S. in 2001. Her first job was an assembly line job which is how many Cambodian Americans are employed.

“When I got here, no English at all, I got lucky that they hired me,” she says.

In 2005, the pair purchased the business from another Khmer community member.

“It was named Garden Donuts… before it was just donuts and coffee, we added Cambodian Rice Soup, sandwiches, Khmer BBQ skewers, bubble tea,” says Thoeun.

Throughout the day, many customers come in and are welcomed by their first name, highlighting the relationship Thoeun and Kong have built with the residents of White Center. They even admit that they on occasion help those that need help. Thoeun says about giving food away, “It’s hard for me to say no, it’s really tough, because where I come from is really tough, too.”

Photo by Bunthay Cheam

“I come here because a lot of younger generation people need our experience to know the right [Khmer] way when doing things,” said Mak, who is from an older generation, about why he attends CCAW planning meetings.

Each year, he writes poetry based on what new year zodiac sign it is for the street festival which is then read by a community member. “I’m not sure how long I’ve been doing it. I have enough for a book. I never read it though, maybe once. Someone else does.”

The 16th Annual White Center Cambodian Street Fair takes place on Saturday April 28, 2018, and starts at 10:00 AM. The event is located on SW 98th St. between 15th and 16th Avenue. The event is free and open to the public of all ages. For more information, visit their Facebook page at: https://www. facebook.com/events/153146972030894/ April is Khmer New Year Month, for more information on other events, visit https://bit. ly/2Gu6tAI.

EVENT MANAGER

Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) is accepting applications for the position of EVENT MANAGER 2 . This position is responsible for the successful coordination of assigned events within the facility. Working directly with WSCC clients and Service Partners, the Event Manager communicates the needs of the client to other WSCC departments and ensures compliance with the event contract.

Required QualiÞcations: BA/BS degree and three (3) years experience within the hospitality/convention meetings industry. Prefer at least two (2) years experience coordinating major, complex events.

Visit www.wscc.com for further info or to download an application. Applications are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WSCC application must be completed for consideration.

Jobline: (206) 694-5039. EOE.

CCAW Planning Committee photo shoot. • Photo by Bunthay Cheam

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 7

8 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Nuclear weapons tests, climate change, and the future of the Marshall Islands

By Chetanya Robinson IE Managing Editor In the 1940s and 50s, the U.S. military dropped 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands — the equivalent of dropping 1.6 Hiroshima bombs every day for 12 years, according to a three-part multimedia series the online publication Mashable published in February. The nuclear tests forever changed the remote nation, which is spread across 29 coral atolls between Hawaiʻi and Australia.

Now, the effects of climate change — higher tides, extreme weather, droughts — threaten the very existence of the Marshall Islands.

Mashable’s multimedia series tells the stories of Marshallese people struggling to survive and live meaningful lives against the backdrop of these tragedies. The first part of the series covers the legacy of U.S. nuclear testing. The second part of the series looks at the effects of rising sea levels, which are eating away at land, homes and graveyards and causing Marshallese climate refugees to leave their homeland, usually in search of more reliable work in the U.S. The U.S. is now home to about a third of all Marshallese. As part three of the series explores, between 10,000 to 15,000 of them work in Arkansas, many working for minimum wage slaughtering chickens. Despite higher wages, life in the U.S. can be difficult.

The series shows us a Marshallese family that likes to spend time by the lake in Arkansas, because it reminds them of the ocean and the

homeland they miss. They often see Americans there who likely couldn’t find their homeland on a map, let alone know what the U.S. did to it.

The series is told through writing by Kim Wall, photojournalism by Coleen Jose, and videos by Jan Hendrik Hinzel. The three reported from the Marshall Islands and Arkansas in 2014 and 2015. Wall was working on the series until her death in 2017.

Mashable science editor Andrew Freedman first met Wall when they were both at the Paris Climate Summit. Freedman took the lead in coordinating the series for Mashable, working with editors Brittany Levine Beckman and Kate Sommers-Dawes and photo editor Haley Hamblin to shape the reporting into the three-part multimedia series.

The International Examiner spoke with Mashable science editor Andrew Freedman and photojournalist Coleen Jose about the future of the Marshall Islands, the legacy of U.S. nuclear tests, and the effects of climate change. The following conversations are shortened and edited for clarity.

Andrew Freedman, Mashable science editor International Examiner: Two huge themes in the series are the effects of U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands that happened during the 40s and 50s, and the effects of climate change. How are these two issues as connected?

Andrew Freedman: The connections really are that we destroyed a whole bunch of those islands. We made it impossible for people to live in certain places. And now through climate change, we are potentially making it impossible for people to live in certain other places of those islands. The notion of displacement and the notion of the concept of what is home and what does home mean — are we getting closer and closer to the point where your only connection to home is a passport from there?

In the Marshall Islands, people have been refugees internally for quite some time, and they’re already having to leave Majuro, the capital, due to more frequent flooding and lack of economic opportunities as well. But I think some of those themes really run through both things and the tie-in that’s sad and unfortunate, makes me feel guilty, is that the U.S. was responsible for both of these things.

IE: Why is this story important to tell now?

AF: The countries that are being most affected by climate change are countries like a small island nation. And out of sight, out of mind of most Americans, yet what we’re doing to the atmosphere is the reality that they’re living with. And what we did to the atmosphere and the ground in the Marshall Islands through nuclear testing is also something that’s still unresolved. And it’s also relevant to today when you consider how many of the residents of the Marshall Islands are trying to come to the United States to live.

It’s even more relevant now as climate change continues pretty much unabated and sea levels continue to rise at an accelerated rate, and there’s still no real resolution to some of these incredibly contaminated sites in the Marshall Islands.

IE: When most Americans think about nuclear weapons being detonated, they probably think of Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

Mona Tatak, carrying her son, stands on the lagoon side of her home in the Marshall Islands. “We’ll see when we get there,” she said of their upcoming migration from the low-lying atolls to Arkansas. Severe droughts and floods from high tides linked to climate change are making Pacific nations like the Marshall Islands increasingly uninhabitable. Though Tatak says she is not migrating because of climate change, many Marshallese in the remote atolls are emigrating because of severe drought and lack of natural resources. • Photo by Coleen Jose

Why do you think what the U.S. did in the Marshall Islands or the Pacific is not wellknown among the general public?

AF: Well, I think the government didn’t mind us forgetting. It was always portrayed in these newsreels and segments as if nobody lived there, and if they did live there, they were compensated handsomely. It’s not tremendously well-known what we did out there, and the fact that we detonated 67 different nuclear weapons in that one country, it’s just mind-boggling. But most young people today grew up in a time when, maybe we were still testing underground, or just after the point where we stopped testing at all. So nuclear testing to them is only North Korea or Pakistan, not the United States.

One of the things that surprised me in the story was just how proud the U.S. military-industrial complex really was and what the culture was like. The fact that there was a beauty pageant associated with nuclear weapons, and the picture of the General cutting into a mushroom bomb cake. Mushroom cloud cake was pretty shocking! But all that stuff did happen.

I think it’s also just so distant. There’s not a connection for most people.

IE: The piece is also about the future of the Marshall Islands. It seems like an existential story for the entire nation, since the Marshall Islands might cease to exist someday because of climate change. What does the future of the Marshall Islands look like?

AF: The future of the Marshall Islands is unfortunately not up to the Marshall Islands, which is what is so frustrating. The future of the Marshall Islands is up to China and the United States, Europe, Brazil, India, any country that has a large carbon footprint and decisions to make about energy infrastructure that’ll have implications for the next 40 years.

There are existential questions being asked about the future of the Marshall Islands, and the series doesn’t really answer those questions. Those questions are going to be answered, I think, in the next several decades.

But right now in terms of the path that we’re on, it’s not a particularly encouraging one.

Coleen Jose, photojournalist IE: The piece focuses on the themes of U.S. nuclear testing and the effects of climate change. When you were reporting, were these sensitive subjects for people?

CJ: For nuclear testing, most of the people we thought to speak to were the ones who experienced that era in the Marshall Islands first-hand, so they were very open to speaking about the bombs lighting up the sky, making it seem as if there were two suns that day — and the sky looking like someone poured blood in a glass bowl, is one image that the Foreign Minister Tony DeBrun related when we interviewed him.

For the younger generation that was there, I think they were still learning about what happened, and from our observations, the schools there were trying to make sure that people didn’t forget what happened, because the effects now are invisible, such as with plutonium in Enewetak atoll. And so I think the challenge now is for the new generation to continue that fight.

IE: The effects of nuclear weapons tests and climate change are both kind of intangible or invisible things in themselves. As a photojournalist, what was your approach to capturing them visually?

CJ: I think for a climate type of story, I always want to show what the place is like and what daily life is like. You don’t want to just capture a storm happening, you want to capture a woman who is living with her family in one home, and they plan for migration outside of the Marshall Islands to escape those types of weather instances that are increasing in frequency and intensity. And so my approach was to tell character-driven stories and human stories of people who are experiencing it and reacting to those changes.

One example of that was a neighborhood called Jenrock. It was created as an airstrip during the U.S. military occupation there first in World War II and into the Cold War. It’s reclaimed land, and there are no natural barriers for storms. But now that seasonal tides are stronger, it floods people’s homes, and so I made a point to profile a lot of the people that live there and not just show destroyed facades

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER of homes, but people quietly experiencing it as well. Just showing the vulnerability of the place to the ocean at sea level — there’s nowhere to go, you’re surrounded by ocean at all times.

IE: It seems like a lot of Americans don’t know about the U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands and the Pacific. Why do you think this is, and what would you want people to take away from what you learned about it while reporting?

CJ: That’s a really great point and just made me think of what I learned in public high school and middle school, which is that this was a very minor footnote. And whenever we talk about nuclear nonproliferation now and nuclear testing in testing in North Korea for example, there’s never the genesis of the story, which is hydrogen bombs and these nuclear bombs that were dropped in the Marshall Islands to show who had the biggest weapons, and to win that war in some way.

I think the takeaway that we thought was for people to know that there is still contamination that the general population and a lot of the people who experienced the testing era are dealing with, in terms of illnesses and lack of healthcare support from the U.S. government, one of those groups being the military servicemen, both civilian and contracted military who disposed of the waste in Enewetak and across the Marshall Islands.

Their medical history has often been ignored and unanswered from the VA as well as the government itself.

Secondly, the idea of nuclear weapons as a form of power I think is what many Marshallese now are fighting for — not just nuclear justice, but the proliferation of the weapons.

And if there were anything, it would be nice to have a few chapters on this in our U.S. history books in school.

IE: The piece doesn’t shy away from showing devastating and even these issues are, and it doesn’t necessarily end on an optimistic note. As a reporting team, how did you think about the balance of positivity versus capturing the bleak nature of some of the issues the story raises?

CJ: I think for each character and for the series as a whole, our goal was to have it represent the people that we report on and the topics that we report on in the ways that they would see themselves. And for the people who we encountered, there were so many empowered women leaders, like Abbacca Anjain Madison or Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner. Kathy herself stood in front of the U.N. general assembly in 2014 to talk about her island sinking, and the poem itself was addressed to her baby who she said may outlive her nation. We collaborated with Kathy to express both the dire situation and the hope again of migrating with dignity and also fighting to stay. For her and some of the Marshallese women and leaders we spoke to — and men — it’s about fighting to stay and refusing to leave because of nations who wouldn’t want it otherwise because of their own benefit. So we tried to strike that hope.

To read the full-length interviews, visit https://bit.ly/2ulmROS on the International Examiner’s website, http://www.iexaminer. org.

Read Mashable’s three-part series online: Chapter 1: The poison and the tomb (https://on.mash.to/2pZzdYF) Chapter 2: On Standby (https://on.mash. to/2q1bsPC) Chapter 3: A new home, somewhere else (https://on.mash.to/2IplMHV)

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April 4 – 17, 2018 — 9

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10 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Lions Ambition showcases at South by Southwest

By Annie Kuo IE Fellow A week after returning from their first official South by Southwest (SxSW) Music showcase in Austin, the voices of Lions Ambition – vocalist Richard Austria and emcees Frankie Starr and Marlon Turner – sat down with the International Examiner to give an update on the direction their band of seven has taken since the IE profiled them in 2011.

Over dinner in a quiet Chinese restaurant, just blocks from the recording studio where they prepare songs for a promotional tour in Japan, I realized that to know them is to love them. The members of Lions Ambition are passionate about connecting with their fans, continually growing as musicians, and nurturing their homegrown brotherhood, with some friendships starting from childhood around a Bremerton military base.

I saw Lions Ambition for the first time when they headlined for the Seattle Asian American Film Festival in late February, 2018. Their dynamic performance, ability to connect with the audience, and, of course, the music itself blew me away. I was instantly curious. What was the story behind the band with a minority majority , frontlined by two Filipino Americans, one providing the soulful backdrop and the other an emcee alternating rhymes with an African American born in Okinawa, Japan?

Minji Chang is the global executive director of Kollaboration (kollaboration.org),

which since 2006 has emerged as the premier Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) talent showcase in North America.

“Blown away” is also how she describes her first time seeing Lions Ambition.

Now with 14 city chapters, “Kollaboration had our first shows in Houston, DC, Seattle, and San Francisco the same year,” Chang said. “There was a real surge, a real growth period, of confident, amazing AAPI artists around 2010, when YouTube was taking off. The Kollaboration team from San Francisco took a group trip up to Seattle and the boys [Lions Ambition] blew me away.”

Officially formed in 2009 when vocalist Austria merged with Starr and Turner’s band, Lions Ambition won the grand prize at Kollaboration Seattle’s annual talent showcase in 2011 . Later that year, they competed at its flagship show at the worldfamous Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, now the Microsoft Theater.

During the past seven years, Chang has gotten to know the band as family. “They don’t have an ego, and they hustle very hard.

This reflects in their performance,” Chang said. “They care about their craft and love their fans. They have an authentic message in an industry when things can sometimes be manufactured. They’re full of soul and very real.”

Kollaboration Presents: Asian American Spotlight was held for the second time at SxSW on March 15, 2018. Over the course of attending SxSW several times, Chang

Photo courtesy of Lions Ambition

observed that its music convention, which offers networking and talent showcases on multiple stages, had a Hong Kong Night and K-Pop Night for Asian entertainers – but nothing for AAPI artists.

“Asian Americans have a specific identity and specific style,” Chang said. “So I wondered, how come the identity of Asian America is not represented?” After the proper introductions, Chang got down to business in setting up Kollaboration’s Asian American showcase, which launched at SxSW in 2017.

This year, SxSW officially accepted Lions Ambition to perform, and Kollaboration offered them a stage at the intimate Tap Room at the Market. “Lions Ambition was the perfect act to kick off the night because of their great energy,” Chang said. “They have a very distinct sound – funk/jazz/ hip hop – and an electric, captivating stage presence.”

Since Kollaboration aims to break stereotypes and change culture, it is significant when its audience moves beyond a majority of AAPI representation. Chang said that only half of the SxSW Spotlight’s audience was of AAPI descent. This was ideal because it allows space for discovery of the next generation of artists in their move toward mainstream media prominence.

Coupling with the demographic variety in the audience, Kollaboration’s 2018 showcase was a true display of AAPI talent in all its culture-changing forms. Performers included Tim Atlas, indie acoustic artist from the Bay Area; Clara C, electro-pop artist from Los Angeles; and hip hop artists Uzuhan, G Yamazawa, and Ruby Ibarra, who hail from Atlanta, Durham, and the Bay Area, respectively.

“Some artists don’t want to be pigeonholed,” said Chang. “They just want to be ‘rapper’, not the ‘Asian American rapper.’

But Lions Ambition embraces this identity. They do it well, and it actually works in their favor…This attitude shows in their songs and what they say in their music. It just adds an extra layer of awesome. They stand for what Kollaboration is – ‘empowerment through entertainment.’”

Though recognized for their sheer talent and distinctive sound – the band has competed in New York City for television’s “America’s Got Talent” – Lions Ambition fully embraces the opportunities that have opened through Asian connections. “Now that we’re a bit older and smarter, we’re putting together projects that are more con-

gruent with each other,” Starr said. “The last year of stuff we’ve worked on has been pretty consistent of who we are. Honestly, Japan kind of guided us there, too.” He was speaking of their current EP, Portrait of a Muse, which Lions Ambition created with Tokyo-based producer Marcus D, who hails from Seattle.

The band licensed their first song Brighter Days with Marcus D in 2014. This placement led to additional single placements and collaborations over four years with the same label, which distributes in both Korea and Japan.

Lions Ambition’s signature versatility extends to their attitude about fame. After “getting spoiled when we were younger” by opportunities like “America’s Got Talent,” “I don’t think the dream now is about becoming rich and famous,” Starr said. “Now it’s about doing something you care about, with the people you care about, living a normal life and being okay with it.”

“This journey humbled us,” Austria agreed. “We look at it [success] differently.

You … ask yourself if this is what you really want to do. We understand that we need people. We need connections. Not only with the band, but with the people that we’re trying to connect with.”

When asked who those people are, Starr said, “The people that listen to our music are probably the people we’d want to hang out with in person.” Austria added that people resonate with the songs they put out because they tell stories about true life events, often about overcoming struggles.

For Lions Ambition, making music is a means to connection – spending time with old friends now that the boys have grown up, and giving audiences something multidimensional to respond to. They hope to return again to SxSW and play progressively larger stages.

Kollaboration’s Chang remains hopeful for her band family-friends. “SxSW showcases up-and-coming artists and can be a real affirmation to them. It’s a breeding ground for talent and opportunity for discovery. You never know who’s in the audience.”

Lions Ambition will play local summer festivals and be featured June 15, 2018, on the TV show “Band in Seattle.” They will headline two back-to-back shows at Barboza on August 23-24, 2018. Their music is available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and iTunes. www.lionsambition.net.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 11

Dr. Emad Rahim connects with Tacoma’s local Cambodian American community through film screening of Against the Odds

By Molica Chau IE Contributor On Thursday, March 22, Silong Chhun of Red Scarf Revolution hosted a screening for the short film, Against The Odds, by Dr. Emad Rahim at the 958 Gallery in downtown Tacoma.

Dr. Rahim is a professor, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, award-winning author and Fulbright Scholar. He received the Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research on entrepreneurship and business education in Indonesia at the Universitas Ciputra.

The film tells the journey of Dr. Rahim’s struggles and resiliency as a refugee escaping the Cambodian Genocide and growing up in the U.S. In addition to escaping the genocide, he went through an abusive stepfather, was diagnosed with dyslexia, and is a Muslim Cambodian. Instead of viewing these complexities in his life as roadblocks, Dr. Rahim turned them into stepping stones, using them to lead him to his highest potential.

During his talk, he stated that the story of the genocide was lost when people stopped talking about it. But today he is resolving that issue by creating conversation that is impactful to the Cambodian community.

After the screening, Dr. Rahim gave a more in depth talk about his experience which was followed up with a Q&A with local community members. The audience was a spectrum of people across a range in age and generations. Questions that arose were mainly about the younger generations and their ties to the history of Cambodia and how to handle hardship in life.

“People like him really inspire me to become my own person, and make sure my community and everyone that I know is proud of me, so I can be proud of myself,” said, Karin Loor, a younger audience member.

Another patron, Erin Guinip, said “He’s clearly someone who has overcome challenges... bettered himself and he’s taking the hands that he was given and now helping everyone else.” She decided to attend the screening because, “...it’s important to talk about the struggles, but the success stories as well, and he’s a success story.” She was also compelled to attend because her best friend from college was a Cambodian Genocide survivor.

The IE interviewed Dr. Rahim to talk about his purpose in telling his own story through the film.

Molica Chau: Can you explain to me why you decided to make a short film on your experience?

Dr. Emad Rahim: I was actually pressured; I didn’t want to do it originally. So when Syracuse University approached me to do this – and it was actually a graduate student that was working on his final thesis – he was like, “I want you to be a part of this, I need to graduate.”

MC: You were his thesis?

ER: I was his thesis. So he felt pressured and I felt pressured to be a part of it. And when it came out, I was wondering how people were going to take it and what is it going to mean? I was used to sharing my story, but I never saw it in picture. It was incredible to see it out there. And then all of a sudden, after I put it on Facebook, every Cambodian was sharing it. It became viral in three months with over 100,000shares.

And people were approaching me and asking me questions. It’s been an amazing journey.

MC: Do you think it’s important that the new generation should understand or have knowledge about Cambodia’s past?

ER: They do, they definitely do. It’s difficult to think that the genocide is something we have in common, but it’s also a

Dr. Emad Rahim. Photo by Bunthay Cheam.

story of survival and overcoming something great. And it’s those types of stories that bring people together, so even though we go through life struggles and fighting, we can go back and say that our parents and grandparents came from this. We need to do better and we need to go beyond these little differences that we have. And I think the Jewish community has done that, and I want to not use the model that they used, but use it as an example to say even though we have differences, we want to make sure the history is saved, that this history is told, and this history is sacred and people will never forget this. A part of this is also about changing the perception of the younger generation.

MC: How has it been as a Muslim man in America? Do you resonate more with Muslims or Cambodians?

ER: I try to connect with both. But it’s kind of a struggle because, you know, Islam has some conservative viewpoints. Some-

The crowd at 958 Gallery gathers aruond Dr. Emad Rahim. Photo courtesy of Bunthay Cheam

times when I’m invited to go to a Buddhist temple for example, and I have to show my respect, and there’s Muslims that say, “well that’s not our traditions, you’re going against the faith.” I try to explain that no, this is my culture. So I’m respecting people of my culture by showing this activity and action that I’m giving. So I have to explain myself over and over again. And sometimes there are Cambodians that don’t want to have this conversation because I’m Muslim. They think that I gave up my culture or that I somehow betrayed my race. It can be difficult in some circles, but I think it’s also difficult being a Muslim in America right now. That’s another level of anxiety, stress and discrimination that I have to deal with.

MC: Knowing that majority of Cambodian Americans is of the Buddhist Faith, how has faith influenced your interactions with other Cambodians?

ER: It actually opened up a new dialogue.

I think a lot of people were not aware that there were a lot of Cambodian Muslims before the Khmer Rouge. At one point, it was at three percent. Cambodian Muslims are a part of the history. here was a huge revolt that happened…when the Khmer Rouge took over the city. A large group of Cambodian Muslims actually fought back during Ramadan, and they were massacred, but it brought a new level of respect of Cambodia to the Muslim and Cham community. And now there’s a museum that is dedicated to the story, so it opened up this wonderful dialogue session, to talk about this story that most Cambodians aren’t aware of.

MC: If you can sum up your film in one word, what would it be?

ER: Resilience.

MC: Any last questions or comments?

ER: Thank you, thank you. We need programs for our younger generation, not just by talking to them, but including them [in the conversation]. That’s the important piece. Because we can’t change the mindset of the younger generation, they have to change it for themselves. So, they have to be a part of the conversation.

12 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Myanmar: A country frozen in time yet on the verge of great change

By Chris Juergens IE Contributor Geoffrey Hiller’s 2014 photo book Daybreak in Myanmar skillfully displays the rich light and colors of the country nicknamed “Golden Land.” The seven sections are devoted to displaying photos from a specific time of day and include interviews with prominent Burmese intellectuals and activists. Hiller chose from tens of thousands of photos taken from eight trips to Myanmar, starting in 1987 until 2013. “Photography is all about light and the light is very special in Myanmar. Organizing the book around the different times of day was a way to best display the amazing light of Myanmar,” stated Hiller.

The light of the photos complements Hiller’s ability to capture Myanmar’s cultural diversity. Hiller’s photos show how Buddhists and Muslims live side by side in Myanmar’s major cities. This peaceful co-existence contrasts with the well-documented genocide occurring in Myanmar’s northwest. Muslim Rohingya (one of Myanmar’s many ethnic minority groups) have been targeted by Myanmar’s mostly Buddhist military. Hiller, however, never visited the northwest of Myanmar and focused his photography mostly on Myanmar’s larger cities. Hiller expressed some frustration in the way the Western press fails to point out the ways that Muslims and Buddhists do get along in Myanmar. “In the cities different groups exist side by side [...] the cities are truly multicultural, multi-religious,” said Hiller.

He stressed that while both Myanmar and

the United States are diverse, the degree of mixing between different religious and ethnic or racial groups is far greater in Myanmar. In Hiller’s estimation, “in the United States, it is a lot less common that people from different racial or ethnic groups to live side by side and have daily interactions like they do in in Myanmar.”

hundred dollars to a few dollars currently.

This is in large part due to Myanmar developing a more open and democratic society during that time period. More recent photos also show advertisements for soft drinks and beauty products which is also a reflection of the opening up process. According the Hiller, for much of Despite the level of mixing between the time after the end of British colonial Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar’s rule in the 1948, Western goods like cities, Hiller did state that he could sense Coca-Cola were unavailable. cultural prejudice on the part of some Hiller’s book more than anything Buddhists during his visits to Myanmar. provides a picture of a country frozen in He noted that some Buddhists would time yet simultaneously on the verge of make comments about how Muslims were great change. The juxtaposition of photos troublemakers or other types of off-color side by side from the late 1980s, early comments.

2000s, and early 2010s allows the viewer Hiller noted that these comments were to see a country where most people – often made within the privacy of people’s regardless of the year – dress similarly, homes. As such, a casual and less- walk the same streets, live in the same experienced visitor to Myanmar would buildings, and use the same buses and possibly not pick up on these tensions. scooters to get around.

Hiller noted that it was obvious that the government was very pro-Buddhist as shown by its funding of Buddhist pagodas and other Buddhist religious organizations. This openly pro-Buddhist slant he witnessed clearly fits within the narrative of the government’s genocide directed against the Muslim Rohingya.

Hiller’s photos also show the changes in access to consumer goods and telecommunications that have taken place over time. His more recent pictures show people using cell phones which only within the last four to eight years have become cheap enough for most people.

Since 2010, Hiller noted that SIM cards went from a few thousand dollars to a few

In more recent photos the changes are cosmetic and more in the background like the presence of phones and billboards appearing (with notable exceptions like well-dressed expecting mothers in a modern maternity clinic).

It remains to be seen how much the images of Myanmar will change as it continues to open up. Thant Myint U, a Burmese-American scholar of Myanmar’s history interviewed in the book, argues that Myanmar’s largest city Yangon “is at a turning point. It can either become an ungovernable urban sprawl with huge income inequalities and social tensions or one of the most beautiful and livable cities

in Asia [...] It’s impossible to say right now which way things will go.” He says he wants to avoid “Yangon waking up one day and realizing it has lost a beautiful city.” Hiller noted that in some of the country’s major cities there is a significant amount of modern construction. Because this is a more recent boom, his photos do not document these changes to Myanmar’s cities. In ten years, will Hiller’s book serve as a reminder of a Myanmar that was or one that maintains its traditional character in spite of changes in access to information, goods, and the country’s aesthetics.

Monthly Health Tip from Amerigroup Tip: Buckle up!

Your health matters! The International Examiner and Amerigroup are partnering to bring you monthly health tips. You can also read Dr Akavan’s Health Tips in the International Examiner.

Motor Vehicle Crashes • Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 5-34.

• 1 in 7 adults do not wear a seat belt on every trip.

• Every day, about 6,400 adults are injured in a crash.

• Using seat belts reduces serious injuries and deaths in crashes by about 50 percent.

• Adult seat belt use is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes.

Tips: • Use a seat belt on every trip, no matter how short. This sets a good example.

• Make sure children are properly buckled up in a seat belt, booster seat, or car seat, whichever is appropriate.

• Have all children age 12 and younger sit in the back seat.

• Never seat a child in front of an air bag.

• Place children in the middle of the back seat when possible, because it is the safest spot in the vehicle.

• Encourage all passengers in the car to buckle up, including those in the back seat.

Thank you for being an Amerigroup Washington, Inc. member.

Shawn Akavan, MD, MBA, CPE Medical Director Amerigroup Washington

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 13

Christopher Togawa Insurance Agency provides a crucial element of financial service: Education

By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor Both the stock market and the job market have been running strong in the past few years, but many people have memories of challenging times in the past decade. Even in strong years, Americans who want to protect their families and their futures can plan ahead by managing their budgets carefully, stockpiling emergency funds for those unplanned crises that occur in everyone’s lives, and maintaining insurance suitable to their individual situations.

That last area has long been the province of the Christopher Togawa Insurance Agency, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018. “In many cases, a detailed review results in saving money, while identifying key risk tolerance levels,” said agency owner Christopher Togawa.

Togawa’s colleague Erwin Eykel agrees, saying that the expansion of the use of lossdata and credit information has helped refine insurance prices. “In plain-speak, people who have better credit and fewer losses receive better insurance rates,” Eykel said.

“The ability of the insurance companies to mine this data efficiently has led to rate changes being made more quickly and deliberately.”

Togawa also reports that the Puget Sound area’s changing growth patterns have influenced insurance coverage. “With the immense growth in King County these last few years, statistical risk has increased quite a bit and rates are climbing rather fast because of it,” he said. “The increased traffic has a lot to do with frequency of auto accidents and glass related claims.”

Other considerations relate to whether emergency funds are available in case the worst happens. “Often times people strip their coverage when their car gets old, yet we always recommended that they keep comprehensive, for fire, vandalism, theft, and glass coverage,” Togawa said. “We’ve had a number of clients have their car stolen and thankfully comprehensive coverage was there to support them.”

Eykel also recalls other instances in which insurance aided individuals who were unprepared to fully pay for the cost of emergencies they encountered. “We’ve had three clients in the past year who have suffered major house fires,” he said. “These are catastrophic from the human perspective.”

Even smaller emergencies can be traumatic and challenging from a financial perspective. “There are numerous other losses in the past, which include dog-bite liability

claims,” Eykel said. “Most clients who experience losses are very grateful that they had proper coverage.”

Beyond basic coverage for various types of situations, Togawa works to provide a crucial element of financial service: education. “It’s very common that people don’t understand what is and isn’t covered on the variety of coverage types we offer,” he said.

“Having an agency like ours who advocates for a higher level of understanding of what coverage does sets us apart from the typical online or 800-number experience.”

Eykel concurs that information and sensitivity are key to assisting clients in securing the best and most cost-effective protection for their families and assets. “We advocate having higher limits of liability to better protect assets while having higher deductibles to be more intentional about what types of claims are being filed,” he said. “The most common auto claims are glass and towing claims. These claims can do all sorts of damage to a client’s rate moving forward.”

Taking the time to explain the trade-offs within the vast array of insurance options has been crucial to providing well-rounded insurance service. “In many cases we have prospects who have lower liability limits and lower deductibles with their current

Photo courtesy of Christopher Togawa

carriers,” Eykel said. “Moving them off the lower deductibles and into higher liability limits takes patience and time.”

And Togawa believes that this extra effort is worth the service to the agency’s clients.

“I believe that some companies perform at a higher level than others,” he said, “and that’s very important to me.”

Lauren Yee’s Great Leap explores Chinese cultural heritage on the basketball court

By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor It’s March Madness time, and basketball fans are in thrall watching how the college playoff games turn out. That makes the Seattle Repertory Theatre’s presentation of The Great Leap by playwright Lauren Yee particularly timely. Two players from very different cultures navigate both the basketball court and their different experiences of Chinese heritage.

Yee explores this sport as a way to delve into both her father’s history, as well as the complex relationship between China and the United States. “I got to apprentice myself to this whole new world,” Yee said.

Photo from The Great Leap courtesy of Seattle Rep

While writing this play, Yee found that basketball had deeper roots in China than most Americans realize. “China has had basketball almost as long as America has had it,” she said. “It’s the most popular sport in China, the only western sport never previously banned by the Chinese government.”

Directed by Eric Ting and produced in association with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, this show is now coming to the Pacific Northwest. “Most of the work got done in Denver, so I’m just happy to come and see the fruits of our work!” Yee said. “And enjoy my time in Seattle.”

But she’s not just coming to town to have fun. “I have never seen a city hungrier for new work than Seattle,” she said. “The joy that Seattle audiences harbor for new work is incredibly motivating. They will show up for readings with an inquisitiveness that you don’t always see in other cities.”

Yee also finds Seattle an inspiring place for developing new material. “It’s also an inspiring place to think about story,” she said. “There’s so much unexpected and unexplored history in Seattle. And every time I come to Seattle, I’m floored by the layers I continue to unearth.”

That gradual exploration works well with Yee’s creative process. “I start writing even before I know what I’m writing about. I can sketch out the pieces of the plays, such as the setting, the characters, the language, fairly quickly,” she said. “Most of the writing process, or rewriting process, is me figuring out how these pieces best fit together.”

Yee reports that she generally trusts her process. “My intuitions are rarely wrong, but it usually takes me a very long time to figure out why these particular characters are in these particular situations,” she said.

“In fact, in The Great Leap, I didn’t figure out one of the key plot points until very late in the writing.”

She finds that the stereotypical lifestyle of the solitary writer doesn’t suit her well. “I’m also incredibly motivated by collaboration with others,” she said. “One of my favorite things to do is enter a weeklong workshop with the goal of mapping out a brand new play or pushing a half-finished piece of writing forward.”

The key is the creative input of other theatre artists. “I have a great respect for actors and directors,” she said, “and so the thought of having them waiting for me to complete a scene makes me churn out work so much faster than I could by myself.”

This same collaborative spirit is infusing Yee’s next project, called Cambodian Rock Band, which she says is about the survival of Cambodia’s musical past. “I’ve been more or less obsessed with the Cambodian music scene and the history around the Khmer Rouge years since the first time I heard Dengue Fever play and have been gradually absorbing information on the history since then,” she said. “Shortly after seeing the band play for the first time, I visited Cambodia, which is still recovering from the scars of the Khmer Rouge genocide.”

Yee is following her usual process of discovery in developing this new work. “I didn’t know it would be a play with music and a live band. That discovery came organically,” she said. “I first thought the play would be about music and so maybe we’d play a couple Dengue Fever songs over the sound system during transitions or intermission.”

But other artists pointed toward another direction. “While work-shopping the play at Berkeley Repertory’s Ground Floor, I happened to cast actors who were already incredible musicians,” she said. “They brought in instruments and the whole play opened up, and I realized how much the act of playing music live was crucial to the play.”

This interweaving of multiple artistic disciplines led to discoveries about the essential human spirit. “It’s about radical acts of defiance and it’s why music and art is critical to sustaining us as human beings,” Yee said. “And having that live music makes that message so much clearer.”

Whether it’s Cambodian history or Chinese-American cultural relations, or other topics yet to be explored, Yee plans to keep exploring. “How do you do the same thing over and over in new and surprising ways?” she asks. “I’m still always searching for the answer.”

The Great Leap runs from March 23 to April 22 at Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer Street, Seattle.

14 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

April 4 – 17, 2018 — 15

Employment Start A Career With A Purpose & Honor A unique opportunity for you to make a difference and serve your community.

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ICHS: The Juice on Teen Boozing

By International Community Health Services (ICHS)

Binge drinking among teens is common and leads to absences from school, poor grades, depression, unwanted sexual activity and teen pregnancy, as well as physical problems and experimentation with other drugs.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimates of the more than 16 million people who have Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), or alcoholism, over 623,000 are aged 12 to 17 years.

Problems with unhealthy drinking habits carry over into adulthood and can lead to liver disease, digestive problems, heart problems and complications from diabetes. NIAAA estimates less than 10% of people diagnosed with AUD receive treatment.

“I worry for my teenage son,” said Dara, a 35-year-old woman who asked her name be changed. “A lot of kids are drinking in high school and I know my son drinks. It may be illegal but they can get a hold of it.”

Dara’s concerns are valid. Nearly 80% of teens will experiment with alcohol by the time they finish high school.

Those who start drinking before the age of 15 are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later vs. those who start later, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“We need to talk about this like we would talk about any other disease,” said Blanca Lujan Westrich, community advocate coordinator at International Community Health Services (ICHS) in Bellevue. “We need to get rid of stigma and get people the help they need.”

Blanca Lujan Westrich, Community Advocate Coordinator, International Community Health Services.

“He just started driving,” said Dara.

“When he takes my car, I don’t sleep till “The school and the drivers’ ed peohe comes home. It really scares me!” ple talk to the kids,” she said. “But kids Motor vehicle crashes are the lead- don’t use their heads and make stupid ing cause of death among youth 15 to 20 decisions when they are with friends.” years and drinking under the influence CDC sStudies suggest that 20% of teens will knowingly get into a car with someis a problem. one who has been drinking and 8% will drive after drinking.

Westrich explains the effects of AUD impact the whole family.

“It takes a lot of support and it’s a big ask to get help,” she confirms. Westrich, who is Hispanic, feels people from her community don’t always know how or where to get help. “I want people to know that this a conversation they can have with their medical provider in full confidentiality. Don’t fight this alone.

Professional help is the best way forward.”

If you feel that you or a loved one is in need of help with alcohol and substance abuse, please call ICHS to learn more about getting help from experienced behavioral health providers at 206-7883700.

About ICHS International Community Health Services (ICHS) provides culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to improve the wellness of King County’s diverse people and communities. ICHS serves as part of the health safety net supporting the area’s neediest and most vulnerable, including immigrants, refugees, elderly and the young.

ICHS’ commitment to health equity includes supporting safer neighborhoods, nutritious foods, green spaces, jobs, housing and economic opportunity.

Since its founding in 1973, ICHS has grown from a single store-front clinic in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District with deep roots in the Asian Pacific Islander community, to employ more than 500 people and serve nearly 31,000 patients at eight clinic locations in 2017. For more information, please visit: www.ichs.com.

16 — April 4 – 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

How can The Seattle Public Library meet the needs of people in Seattle?

Complete a ten minute survey online at SPLSurveyCommunity.org, or pick up a copy at your neighborhood Library.

Please respond by May 18.

We want to hear from you.

MAY 4

SAL PRESENTS

An Evening with

Jenny Han & Nicola Yoon

TWO NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING YOUNG ADULT AUTHORS IN CONVERSATION WITH MARTHA BROCKENBROUGH

206.621.2230 x10

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