December 20, 2017 by International Examiner

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018 — 1

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CAPAA, state lawmakers discuss how the Legislature affects Asian Pacific Islanders By Leilani Leach IE Contributor

The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) and Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) hosted a Legislative Report Back with state legislators and community leaders on December 7, to discuss bills in the 2017 legislative session that are important for Asian Pacific Islander communities. Around 60 people attended, rotating through five small discussion circles with Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-37th), Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-33rd), Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D-11th), Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) director Deborah Jacobs and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project directing attorney Tim Warden-Hertz. The legislators and organization leaders answered questions from participants, presented their priorities for the upcoming year, and discussed the status of bills introduced last year. “What goes on in your backyard is just as important as what goes on in Washington D.C.,” said Michael Itti, executive director of CAPAA, introducing the event. Itti highlighted issues and bills of interest to the Asian Pacific Islander community, including the Voting Rights Act, McCleary decision on education funding, and health equity for Marshall Islanders. Sen. Hasegawa, vice chair of both the Labor & Commerce and Financial Institutions & Insurance committees, said that with both houses of the Legislature now controlled by Democrats, they will be “able to get some good stuff done.” However, Hasegawa also cautioned that it will be important to finish the next legislative session on time. This 2017 Legislature went into three special sessions over disagreements about the budget. One of Hasegawa’s main goals for the 2018 session is to create a publicly owned bank. Currently only one state, North Dakota, has its own bank. Washington state banks with U.S. Bank, and Wall Street gets to reinvest the state’s money and charge fees on it, Hasegawa said. “We lose control of our own tax revenue.” Rep. Gregerson said it’s important that more Asian Pacific Islanders run for political office. Voter turnout would be higher if there were more diverse candidates, she

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos of the 37th District (third from right); to her left, Michael Itti, Executive Director of the Washington state Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) • Photo by Sam Le

said. “People identify with those who look like them.” Gregerson sponsored the House version of the Voting Rights Act, which would make it easier for disenfranchised communities to take local governments to court, and for cities to switch from electing mostly at-large politicians to voting districts. The hope is that electing representatives by district—as Seattle does for seven of its nine City Council seats—will allow for more minority representation. Similar bills have been considered since the ACLU won a lawsuit against the city of Yakima for voter suppression in 2014. While the city is around 40 percent Hispanic, it had never elected a single Latino to the City Council in the 37 years its electoral system had existed. The ruling stipulated that City Council candidates would only need to win a majority of their geographically-based district, instead of an at-large majority. The Washington state voting rights bill stalled in the Senate after passing the House this year, but could be reintroduced. Warden-Hertz of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project said there was room to make a difference locally despite the negative rhetoric nationally surrounding immigration issues. “There’s reason to be gloomy but there’s also a lot of energy for organizing,” he said. Warden-Hertz listed priorities for the organization including the Keep Washington Working Act, which would limit how much

data law enforcement could collect regarding immigration status, and prevent federal agencies from using state resources to arrest undocumented immigrants. Another priority for the organization is to procure state funding for legal defense, so that people facing deportation who can’t afford a lawyer can still receive legal representation. The organization is also focused on responding to a potential increase in deportations of Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants, as the Trump administration pressures other countries to accept more deportees, Warden-Hertz said. “They’re looking for all these little things they can do to deport more people.”

OLEO director Deborah Jacobs discussed the shooting of Tommy Le in explaining the role of the police oversight committee of King County. Le, 20, was killed by King County deputies who shot him twice in the back. While the King County Sheriff’s office originally reported that Le was holding what they believed was a knife, a spokesperson later said that Le was holding a pen when he was killed. An inquest into Le’s death is scheduled for May, but Jacobs said it’s an insufficient process that needs improvement. “Even though you have a public airing, it doesn’t get you what you want,” she said. The OLEO also tracks data on use of force, gives feedback to the sheriff on policy, and certifies investigations on their thoroughness and fairness. “We go through [finished investigations] with a fine-tooth comb,” she said. Rep. Tomiko Santos, who chairs the House Education Committee, said the McCleary decision—the 2012 State Supreme Court finding that Washington was failing its constitutional duty to fully fund basic education–would be a high priority for 2018. The Legislature approved a plan allocating additional funding to K-12 education, but the court said it will still be short roughly $1 billion before the 2018 deadline. Tomiko Santos said the state should stop funding education based on how long a student spends in class, calling this a system created for an 18th century agrarian society. Instead the state should focus on competency and mastery, she said. LEGISLATURE: Continued on page 2 . . .

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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Young POC workers: Not the millennial stereotype

. . . LEGISLATURE: Continued from page 1

Lawmakers discussed the importance of greater civic engagement and representation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in leadership. Hasegawa said he feels burdened as one of the only people of color in the state Senate. The Voting Rights Act will help address the issue of representation, he said. Tomiko Santos said it’s important for people to cultivate an “ethos of service,” and that running for office should not be the end goal. “People whose objective is to run for office, it’s all about them,” she said. They tend to use the office as a stepping stone and move on, instead of serving the needs of their constituents. But many Asian-Americans, particularly women, have a cultural inhibition to activism and politics, Tomiko Santos said, quoting the Japanese saying: “The nail that sticks up gets hammered.”

By Marissa Vichayapai 21 Progress Can you remember a time a boss, coworker, or customer treated you in a way that made you angry, ashamed, scared, or feeling like something wasn’t right or fair? Over 100 young workers (ages 16-28) across Seattle have been asked this question in an attempt to find out what it’s really like to be a millennial worker in today’s economy. The stereotype of the lazy, narcissist, still living with their parents, millennial was first introduced to us by Time Magazine in 2013 and is still strong in popular media. Today if you Google “Millenials are,” you’ll immediately find it followed by words like “lazy,” “the worst,” “stupid,” “screwed,” “lazy entitled narcissist,” and more. For millennial people of color, our lived experiences don’t fit this stereotype. The Bold Leaders of 21 Progress’ economic justice team set out on a mission to uncover the real narratives of those who identify as young POC workers in the millennial age range. Many conversations later, a collection of stories has emerged, documenting the complexity of being a worker in today’s economy. Stories of harassment, disrespect, and humiliation were commonly told by immigrants, black and brown, LGBTQ+, Muslim, differently-abled, and low-wage workers. Women of color frequently reported experiencing of harassment and danger in their workplace. Lovely, 22, said: “During my time working at the airport, I had experienced harassment from my former assistant manager: He would always tell me that he is attracted to Filipina women, and he would drop hints about asking me out. He also purposely would extend my time so I would miss the last light rail back to UW so that he could give me a ride home. While those experiences were hard at the time, I am fortunate enough to have had the chance to get out of that place.” Young workers are subjected to blatant and overt forms of racial discrimination with little means for justice. S.A., 18, recalled: “I was called a terrorist by a customer twice while working at Target.

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OPINION “We have a community responsibility to create the understanding that running for public office is a step for public service…not ego,” said Tomiko Santos. Knocking on doors and asking for money is harder to do for yourself than on someone else’s behalf, said Rep. Gregerson. Young people can get their start in public service by first identifying an issue or organization they’re passionate about. The legislature will convene on January 8 for the 60-day 2018 session. While this is a shorter session for a non-budget year, the legislature last year did not pass a capital budget, which funds new construction and improvement projects, including schools. You can read CAPAA’s 2017 list of bills to track, many of which may be reintroduced in the next legislative session at capaa.wa.gov/ bill-tracking-list.

Bold leader and organizer, Maria Jimenez, talking to a young worker of color about their experience working in today’s economy. • Photo courtesy of 21 Progress

I was also screamed at multiple times by customers. I felt unsafe in my work space, which forced me to leave.” College student Nancy, 21, recalled: “My boss would ask about my citizenship status at least on three different occasions. Even though I am privileged to be a U.S.-born citizen, it still made me question my safety because I felt targeted.” Today’s young workers are far from the millennial stereotype. Young millennial workers are persistent in the face of adversity, and they deeply value safe and welcoming spaces. What they want is pretty simple: To be treated as human beings with respect and fairness. As Lovely put it: “All I hope for in the future is for young workers to have a safe space for us to work in. A place where young workers’ voices and ideas are heard. We want to feel that we are a part of something bigger than just our position in a company or organization.” The collection will come together in a Young Worker Report to be released in February 2018. To learn more about the Young Worker Rise Up Storytelling Campaign, contact Marissa@21progress.org.

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December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018 — 3

Wing Luke beverages exhibit is a pleasure to be sipped slowly By Vince Schleitwiler IE Contributor A museum exhibit about beverages? Admit it: the topic sounds a bit, well, dry. A story you might be tempted to flip past, in line at the coffee shop, or scroll by, waiting for your drink at the bar. But slow down, have a seat, and take a sip: The folks at the Wing Luke Museum want to help you understand how place and community are shaped by the sharing of drinks. What’s In Your Cup? Community-Brewed Culture, on view at the Wing through September 2018, is an unexpected pleasure—understated, thought-provoking, and somehow cozy. By focusing on the beverages we consume and the places we share them, the displays tell stories about Asian American and Pacific Islander community life that we can recognize as our own. The exhibit begins with educational elements that have the feel of a school field trip, or an old kids’ show on public television. You can watch tea being harvested and processed, learn how sake is made, and meet “The Yeast Master”—Elysian Brewing Company’s Chris Murakami, a Pacific Northwest native of Japanese and German heritage. (A nice blend, if I do say so myself.) Tea, coffee, beer, and sake form the primary focus, along with the Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino American communities that originally defined the International District. Even so, there are references to the broader diversity of AA/PI Seattle, such as a Korean chestnut used for herbal medicine, a bowl for making Polynesian kava-kava, and presentations on Hawaiian Kona coffee and Burmese teashop culture.

Kee family and friends at the hopyard, 1928. The Kee family left their Portland hand laundry business as racial tensions percolated to a fevered pitch in the early 1900s and headed to the Aurora, OR, in the Willamette Valley. The family leased land and began farming hops. In doing so, they became one of dozens of Chinese immigrant families across Oregon whose labor in the hop yards helped fix the state on the map as the biggest hop producer in the nation in the early 1900s. Photo by Bue Kee. Courtesy of Daniel Kee.

Tea, RJ Dulay’s Pine Drop Coffee, and Shirafuji Sake, a 300-year-old familyrun brewery from Japan that relocated to Puget Sound after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.

opening room’s smaller, informative displays, and the immersive environments that follow, including a coffee shop, teahouses, and—this being the 21st century—a bubble tea joint.

Kalsada, a local coffee company, was inspired by cofounder Carmel Laurino’s discovery, as an undergraduate researcher at UW, that Philippine coffee was featured at Pike Place Market half a century before Starbucks. At the Wing, Kalsada is highlighted not just for its artisanal quality or entrepreneurial success, but for the critical awareness of capitalism that it provides. “Inequities in global coffee markets and their impacts on producers” are “difficult topics easily erased by the time a drink makes it to our cup,” committee advisory member Marites Mendoza explained.

I’ll confess, it was only here that I finally understood what the exhibit was all about. We’re used to associating food with culture and identity— what’s on the family table, what came out of your grandmother’s kitchen. But community is larger than these private spaces and the ties of blood and marriage that define them. It’s also something we make in public, while chatting and flirting and studying, or in the ritual consumption of caffeine that gets us through the day. In the places we drink, strangers become friends.

A simple display with cans of Café du Monde coffee and condensed milk brings the underlying significance of the theme home. Without these items, writes Jintana Lityouvong in the accompanying text, “a Laotian American home isn’t complete.” Call it #RefugeeMagic: Flavors appropriated from French colonialism and Louisiana chicory coffee form a recipe for authentic nostalgia, the taste of homelands lost and found. As if there was nothing so bitter we couldn’t make it The exhibit doesn’t shy away from sweet, or let brew till what once made controversial issues, like colonialism, us choke has been reduced to a source or “Asian flush.” A video and digital of pleasure. family photo album recovers the lost The museum approached the topic history of Chinese American agriculby gathering local experts into a com- tural workers in the early Oregon hop munity advisory committee. “These industry. Fighting mob violence, forced beverage business owners, workers deportation, and racist laws, they laid and connoisseurs helped us brain- the foundation of today’s thriving PNW storm different approaches on the craft beer scene. subject,” said Wing Luke exhibit diMore than just educational, the inrector Michelle Kumata. Thus, an em- stallations are engaging and somephasis on commerce celebrates local times beautiful. Yuri Kinoshita’s gorsmall businesses: Jillu Zaveri’s Jaipur geous woven teahouse, Shinpu (Fresh Avenue Chai, Lydia Lin’s Seattle Best Breeze), marks a transition between the

Nowhere is this clearer than in the final room: the bar. Decked out with artifacts from legendary local haunts, like the Sampan Room at Sam Yee’s Hong Kong Restaurant and Perry Ko’s South China Restaurant on Beacon Hill, this is Seattle AA/PI history with its hair down. There’s a jukebox from Cathay Post, and a carved wood panel from the beloved Bush Garden. Is there a karaoke machine? Of course there is a karaoke machine.

to sing karaoke with Uncle Bob Santos down the street, I can remember Jimmy Woo’s Jade Pagoda on Broadway, which my wife and a few old friends closed down on the night we got married. The funk wafting from their deep fryer would’ve put X’s in the eyes of those passive-aggressive new King County Food Safety emojis. Strangely enough, on both of my visits to the Wing, a case from an adjoining exhibition had been wheeled into the bar in preparation for a private event. The case contained artifacts from Roger Shimomura’s collection of anti-Japanese World War II memorabilia. Nothing to do with beverages, yet it somehow felt right—like something your favorite uncle might show you, on the day you finally get to see that mysterious place where he spends time with his friends. The noise and the music, and the smell of liquor and smoke, lend an easy glamour that drains away any power those racist objects once had. And he laughs and goes quiet, as if to say, look what we survived. Look what we did with all that hate. We kept on distilling it till there was nothing left but our own nostalgia.

Leaving the bar, I thought I caught a whiff of the Jade Pagoda’s old fryer Whether you’re a lifelong Seattleite oil. I think that place is a pilates studio or a relative newcomer like me, lingering in this room will evoke pow- now. erful memories. Although I never got

4 — December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

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Racial disparities, poverty the focus of state budget and policy summit By Kelsey Hamlin IE Contributor At a $70-per-ticket summit on December 7, attendees discussed Washington state’s budget and how to change it to benefit marginalized people and close wealth gaps. “When progressives get together we usually agree with one another and vent about Trump and whatever,” said Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib, a featured speaker at the Washington State Budget & Policy Center’s (WSBPC) Budget Matters Policy Summit. “A lot of times we talk about survival and we don’t take the next step to talk about prosperity. As long as we only focus on survival and we only focus on justice, the gap between the haves and the have-nots is going to get bigger.” In Washington state, the wealthiest one percent of the population has an average income 22 times higher than the average income of the entire bottom 99 percent, according to research from the WSBPC. “Increased economic inequality is not random,” according to WSBPC’s report, “but rather it is the result of many state and federal policy and budget decisions that have negatively impacted certain Washington state residents.” One of many policies that produces inequality in Washington, according to WSBPC, is the state’s tax system, which forces working class and low-income families to pay a greater share of their incomes in state and local taxes — as much as seven times more — than the wealthiest. “[Policy-makers] must take steps to ensure that the tax code no longer over-relies on those least able to pay while offering tax giveaways to corporations and the ultra-wealthy,” according to the report. Research shows severe economic disparities throughout Washington counties when it comes to race. Washington’s unemployment rate of 4.5 percent is the lowest in re-

Panelist Sheila Capestany, King County strategic advisor for children and youth • Photo by Kelsey Hamlin

corded history, but unemployment rates for communities of color remain at or near 10 percent, the peak unemployment rate for Washington during 2008’s Great Recession. Unemployment also remains high in rural counties. Ferry County in northeastern Washington has the highest unemployment rate of all, at 9 percent. Another indicator of inequality, according to the WSBPC, is working poverty levels. Working poverty means people work full time but live below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($40,180 for a family of three ). Working poverty has risen in Washington. The people most likely to live in working poverty in Washington state are Latinos, Pacific Islanders, Black immigrants, and American-Pacific Islanders, respectively. When it comes to solving these inequities, Habib said, “It’s our duty to not check our privilege at the door but to use our privilege.” Another speaker that evening was Glenn Harris. He published Colorlines, a news site focusing on race. Harris is also the president of Race Forward, an organization that conducts research focusing on systemic analysis and race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity.

“There’s a whole history, a daily institutional structure that drives us to all the same outcomes,” Harris said. “That is devastating when it comes to race, gender, and ability. When the system’s out of balance it’s not that it’s not working but that some of us are paying a higher cost for it.” Having a job doesn’t always translate into stability. Despite Washington’s low unemployment rate, most workers don’t have stable and consistent incomes. One in five households reports their incomes vary significantly from month to month. Thirty percent of Washington households do not have enough to cover basic expenses for three months if they experience a sudden job loss, a medical emergency or another financial crisis leading to a loss of stable income. But the rate for people of color is 50 percent, and for households headed by single women it’s 40 percent. The WSBPC’s research did differentiate between those with disabilities and those without. Some feel, however, giving people of color and other less privileged groups a leg-up to level the playing field translates to unequal treatment and an inevitable loss to those who don’t get the leg-up. An audience member asked how to approach such viewpoints. Harris argued giving power to one group does mean rescinding some power from the other but it benefits all involved rather than simply makes one party lose. He provided an example: escalators and elevators. They weren’t made for able-bodied people, but can we imagine a world without escalators and elevators? People don’t need to see an acquiescence of some power that is then given to others as a threat. One in seven, or 14 percent of Washingtonian youth ages 16 to 24 aren’t working or in school—but the rate is much higher for youth who are American Indian (30 percent), Pacific Islander (21 percent), Black (19 percent) and Latino (17 percent). In 2014, Washington 10th graders most likel to reduce or completely skip out on

meals were from Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native backgrounds. Black, Pacific Islander, and American Indian students have homeless rates two to three times above the state average. The rate of deep poverty is twice as high for American Indians and Black people (13 and 12 percent, respectively) than in the overall state population (6 percent). “This idea of building an inclusive economy is very much at the core,” Harris said. When it comes to policies and budget decisions he advised people to ask who benefits, who it burdens, and what is the point of the system in the first place. During public questions, however, former state Rep. Velma Veloria said the Summit didn’t do enough to involve the community. “This is $70,” Veloria said. “How many people are going to get up in the morning to be here? So when you’re talking about change in the system, this organization has to change, too. The nonprofit industrial complex is a part of the problem … it’s designed for very limited access. This is work for all of us.” Panelist Sheila Capestany, King County strategic advisor for children and youth, also said people need to “uncenter whiteness as a policy direction.” The room was mostly white. “The history of inequity and exclusion is built into the policies and practices of the institutions that serve and represent us,” Harris said. “We must work to make sure that policy is accessible to all communities. We must make sure those most impacted by inequitable policy practice have the ability to center their ideas and solutions. That is building power.” The WSBPC will publish its Progress in Washington research and policy briefs in the coming months, digging deeper into data and offering recommendations for policy solutions.

A Korean American teen story–with science fiction By Valerie Ooka Pang IE Contributor Chloe Cho is a Korean American seventh grader. She is thoughtful and funny and a loyal friend, but Chloe is also sensitive about being Korean American. Understandably she gets irritated when teachers assume all Asian students are either Chinese American or Japanese American. What about Korean Americans? Don’t people know that Asians are not all the same? Mike Jung has written an extremely entertaining story about a middleschool student who grapples with her ethnic background as well as how her peers and adults thrust upon her a model minority myth stereotype. Her parents add to her frustration about race and identity because they are both from Korea and do not seem to want to talk about their ethnic heritage and

experiences in Korea at all. In fact, this dynamic with her parents inspires Chloe to write an essay called “A Day in the Life of a Pseudo-Korean.” when she gets a B-, and Chloe never gets lower than an A on her school work—the white American teacher tells Chloe she hasn’t worked hard on the essay, showing insensitivity to an adolescent Chloe learning about what it means to be a second generation Korean American.. Not working hard enough is far from the truth, and the incident energizes Chloe to want to know more about and connect with her background. Chloe starts with food and decides to make mandu, a Korean dumpling, with her best friend Shelley. Chloe had read about mandu in a blog called The K-Chow Goddess. The recipe doesn’t turn out, but Chloe and Shelley are proud that only one side of the

dumplings is burnt. Chloe’s dad even eats a bite, too. The seventh grade brings an exciting change: Chloe’s new studies teacher, Ms. Lee, is Korean American. She becomes Chloe’s favorite teacher. But, as growing up is hard, Chloe and Ms. Lee ultimately have a clash with one another. Mike Jung is excellent at creating dialogue and giving life to his character, Chloe Cho. It is almost as if the reader can see and hear her argue with her dad and mom. In addition, Jung creates funny conversations that arise among an adolescent age group that are true to life. The novel also has some science fiction added to this coming-of-age novel. How could a novel about being Korean American include science fiction? Read it and find out.

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December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018 — 5

What happens when ICE comes to call? Information session offers advice for API immigrants and refugees By Grace Madigan IE Contributor The Seattle Office of Immigrants and Refugees teamed up with the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) for an informational session on the increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of immigrants nationwide. The gym of the ACRS was filled with around 100 concerned community members and refugees seeking guidance on the increased arrests. To provide advice and background on the issue, the session included a panel moderated by Emily Headings – the Immigration Law and Policy Advisor for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), an organization that works to advance the interests of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Americans, released a press release four hours prior to the event. The press release noted that, according to Cambodia’s immigration department, more than 70 Cambodians from the U.S. will be deported in the month of December. A total of 200 Cambodians are expected to be deported in 2018, the greatest number in U.S. and Cambodian history to be deported in one year, according to SEARAC. Jay Stansell, a visiting professor with the Evergreen State College, explained that anyone with a final order for deportation is at high risk. Those with final orders in the Southeast Asian communities, specifically, Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese, are especially in danger. Many of the immigrants from these countries came to the U.S. as refugees. Attempts in the past to deport them back to their home country if they committed a crime in the U.S. usually faltered because those countries did not accept deportees, Stansell explained. Many of the governments in power in Southeast Asia now are the same as those the refu-

gees fled from, so they weren’t interested in accepting the refugees back. Cambodia signed a repatriation agreement with the U.S. government in 2002, allowing deportees back into the country. Vietnam signed one in 2008, accepting deportees who entered the U.S. on or after July, 1995. No agreements have been made with Laos. On October 30, SEARAC released a joint community alert noting that the U.S. had submitted 95 cases to the Vietnamese government for processing. Of the 95 cases, several cases included people who came to the United States before 1995. This runs contrary to the repatriation agreement, in which Vietnam agreed not to accept deportees who came to the U.S. before 1995. Stansell fears that the Trump administration will continue to expand deportation efforts. A common concern among the panelists was that the deportations seem to be unpredictable. “I can have one case where I can see why they detained that guy because he had some serious injury DUI case so they didn’t want to give him a break,” said Bob Gibbs, an attorney with Gibbs Houston Pauw. Gibbs described another case in which a student received a final order of removal because he missed his court hearing due to sending in the wrong form. The student Gibbs spoke of had a wife and two kids and no criminal history but was detained simply because he filled out the wrong paperwork. This is just one of the reasons why the recent ICE raids have been so hard for communities and the attorneys and organizations attempting to help, Gibbs said. There is no obvious pattern that they can find for those who are detained. There are 1.7 million Asian Americans in the U.S. who are undocumented immigrants,

according to a 2015 study from the Center for Migration Studies. Additionally, the undocumented population from Asia has grown 3.5 times faster than other undocumented groups between 2000 and 2015. Seattle is among the top 20 U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest populations of undocumented immigrants, according to the Pew Research Center. It’s estimated that 150,000 undocumented immigrants live in the Seattle metro area. The American Immigration Council estimates that Washington state could lose $14.5 billion in economic activity, $6.4 million in gross state product, and around 71,197 jobs if all undocumented immigrants were removed. Despite the imminent fear surrounding the heavy topic of detention and deportation, the panelists emphasized the importance of events that bring communities together. “If you look around here today, this response is what we need right now,” said panelist Henry Hwang, an attorney with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Hwang went through legal actions one can take if they are afraid they may be at risk for being detained and also what to do if you are detained. “You need to think about this now, this is something you can tell your communities,” Hwang said. “There are two things I’m always fighting against which is not enough time and not enough information.” Hwang advised that a simple step you can take is filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for your immigration file. It’s free, and those who need help can come to Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. This information can help attorneys figure out how to best help you. Those in removal proceedings should first look back and see if they might have citizen-

ship, a simple solution that shouldn’t be overlooked according to Hwang. Sandy Restrepo, the Executive Director of Colectiva Legal del Pueblo, focused on the non-legal side of what can be done. One of the most important things is for people to know their rights. Restrepo emphasized that you do not have to speak to an ICE agent or other immigrant official. A tactic ICE agents use is intimidation – if they ask if you can answer a few questions tell them no and that you want to speak to a lawyer, Restrepo said. Additionally, the FBI and ICE cannot come into your home without a warrant granted by a judge. The Washington Immigration Solidarity Network has a hotline to report immigration activity. Volunteers monitor the lines, and if needed can send out a rapid response team consisting of lawyers and social workers who can go to where you are. A tactic that has been successful, according to Restrepo, is making a case go public so that it gains public support. If someone fears they may be detained, prior cases have had success by having a group of people accompany them to their ICE check-ins. The crowd of people, Restrepo says usually takes ICE by surprise and can delay the process. Restrepo also offered some ways to support someone you know who is detained. One thing Restrepo suggested was fundraising to pay the bond and release them from the ICE facility. Unlike other bonds, immigration bonds must be paid in full and they often run from $25,000 to $50,000. Another important thing you can do is help show someone has good moral character by writing letters and then showing up to court hearings to show they have ties to community. “What we are doing at a local and national level is building our machine of resistance,” said Restrepo. “The only way we are going to keep resisting…is if we are all unified together.”

Two children’s books with young Indian women heroines By Nalini Iyer IE Contributor Victoria-BC-based writer, Uma Krishnaswami has been writing for children for many years and has over twenty books to her name. Her most recent books, two novels for 8 to 12-year-olds, feature plucky young girls who take on social justice issues. First published in India and winner of a Crossword Book Award and a Scholastic Asia award, Book Uncle and Me features Yasmin, a young Muslim girl growing up in Chennai. She’s an avid reader and her favorite activity is to visit Book Uncle, a retired teacher, who runs a free lending library on the sidewalk in her neighborhood. When the mayor decides to shut down the library to garner votes in an upcoming election, Yasmin is devastated and feels helpless. With the help of her two best friends, Reeni and Anil, she develops a plan to save the bookstore. They work hard and bring in the adults in their lives who are eligible to vote and take on the mayor’s arbitrary policy. Krishnaswami’s characters are well-drawn and the story’s

strong female protagonist will be an inspiration to young readers. Krishnaswami’s setting of the story in contemporary Chennai captures the culture and rhythms of the city without resorting to nostalgia or exoticism, which makes this an attractive novel for those seeking a global perspective in their children’s books. Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh is an excellent historical novel set in Yuba City, CA, in 1945. Featuring a biracial girl, Maria Singh, the daughter of a Sikh immigrant and a Mexican American woman, the novel captures the lives of early South Asian immigrants. These mostly male Punjabi immigrants were denied citizenship opportunities and were not allowed to bring their spouses. Many of them married Mexican women and raised their children as Catholic. Krishnaswami melds historical material about the Punjabi community, anti-Asian immigrant laws, the resistance by the immigrants, the xenophobia of the war years, and the emergence of women’s softball leagues in a well-paced narrative. The story both educates the readers about a lesser-known

chapter of Asian American history and interracial relationships, and engages the reader in the family life of a fifth grader. In an era of rationing and tightened resources, Maria’s family, and that of others in the community come together to support one another. Not only does the novel speak of the hardships people endured at the time, it also captures the spirit of community, the emergence of a hybrid culture where rotis-tortillas and murgh-pollo curries mark the “adha-adha” (half and half) culture of the Punjabi Mexicans. Amidst

the difficulties is the pure joy that the girls on the local soft ball team organized by the fifth -grade teacher experience in the sport. The narrative also features how the young girls step up to petition the city for a softball field and learn the meaning of democracy and standing up for one’s rights. Krishnaswami has definitely hit this one out of the park. I highly recommend this book not just for its historical value but also for its relevance in today’s xenophobic climate.

YOUR OPINION COUNTS Please share your concerns, your solutions, and your voices. Send a letter to the editor to editor@iexaminer.org with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.”

6 — December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

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nouncements

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8 — December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

ARTS/NEWS

Redmond poet laureate wields her verses for civic engagement By Tim Gruver IE Contributor For artist Shin Yu Pai, places carry a tangible relationship to people that words are insufficient to describe. “I’m very interested in place-making, our relationship to place, our relationship to belonging, to land,” Shin Yu said. “And the way in which I approach that is directly dealing with the history of the land, which expresses itself through some kind of materiality.” The city of Redmond’s fourth poet laureate, and the first person of color to receive the honor, Shin Yu said her two-year term was a great opportunity to serve her community. In some ways, the role was about “looking at poetry as a tool for civic dialogue and engagement,” she said. “For me, this honor has been one that has largely taught me about working with the community in terms of looking at poetry as a form of public art and the sort of approaches that are necessary in order to create that kind of work. So it’s been a very powerful opportunity in terms of letting me test ideas that I had and doing some bigger projects than I would be able to do on my own.” Shin Yu received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an M.A. in Museology from the University of Washington, where she specialized in oral history. She has served as a poet-in-residence for the Seattle Art Museum and was a Stranger Genius Award nominee for literature in 2014. Her visual art has been exhibited all over the country, including the American Jazz Museum, The International Printer Center, and

Artist Shin Yu Pai stands outside Redmond City Hall as her poem, “heyday” is projected onto the building. The presentation was shown on December 2 • Photo by James McDaniel

the Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College Chicago. Now she can add Redmond City Hall to that list. Shin Yu’s final work as Redmond’s poet laureate was displayed as part of the Redmond Lights holiday festival on December 2. The piece, titled “heyday” and created with designer Michael Barakat, celebrates the history of the city’s woodland stewardship, is a video projection that was projected onto the outside of Redmond City Hall. Shin Yu also has a show of chlorophyll prints on display at the Redmond Senior Center through December 20. After working with so many mediums, from embroidery to balloons, Shin Yu said it was time to end her poet laureate position with a bang. “I thought at the end of my laureateship, I would like to go big, I would like to distribute

poetry in a way that lots and lots of people could see and access in a way that’s different than spoken or read poetry,” Pai said. Shin Yu’s list of artistic inspirations include painters Joseph Cornell and Jackson Pollock, singer and performance artist Yoko Ono, and poet Leslie Marmon Silko. Inclusion and tolerance are important themes in her work, and they often address current local events. Last year, the black owner of a Redmond consignment shop, Leona Coakley-Spring, discovered a Klu-Klux Klan robe and hood left behind by a man dropped off a bag of dresses at her store. In response, Shin Yu hosted a booth at Redmond’s So Bazaar earlier this summer where she taught visitors how to embroider poetry by Langston Hughes, Stacey-Ann Chin, and textual fragments curated from the city’s Cultural Inclusion Resolution. For Shin Yu, the event was an opportunity to organize a community response to the incident. “It was a really heavy event that I felt compelled to respond to in some way,” Pai said. “The whole experience really spoke to me. I felt that it was very important to actually embroider that text in fabric to invoke the texture of that actual event and experience.” Medium matters a great deal in Shin Yu’s work, as illustrated in one of her most recent collaborations, “Animating Archives: Contemporary Chlorophyll Prints.” Created with artist and photographer Megan Bent, the exhibit explores the natural history of Redmond through a series of chlo-

rophyll prints, each made from native leaves overlaid with black and white photographs of the city’s 19th-century community. The idea for the project, Shin Yu said, came to her while she was digging through Redmond’s historical archives wanting to better understand the city’s legacy. She came across black and white images of Redmond loggers and mill workers. “I got this idea that, wow, it would be really cool to reproduce these archival images that most people don’t have the opportunity to see or come into contact with,” Shin Yu said. “By overlaying them on plant matter that were sourced or gathered from or around the city of Redmond, so that this history that is invoked through the image could also connect in a concrete way the history of the land and place through the materiality of the plant matter.” For Shin Yu, photographer Bent’s collaboration worked well because she is a kindred spirit who shared Shin Yu’s passion for visual storytelling. “We were just really intrigued by each other’s work just in terms of the photographic processes that we were both exploring,” Shin Yu said. “We were very much the kind of individuals to share what those processes are because you can learn them on your own. There was this camaraderie, knowledge sharing, and collegiality.” Looking ahead into next year, Shin Yu will be working on a manuscript chronicling her many public art and book art projects, including her work for Redmond. The book is slated for fall of 2018.

Local Muslim civil rights advocate takes national role in D.C. By Shawn Porter IE Contributor The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) works to establish a positive image of Islam and American Muslims. The organization aims to empower the American Muslim community and encourage its participation in political and social activism. In November, Arsalan Bukhari, executive director of CAIR’s Washington state chapter (CAIR-WA), took on a new role in national media relations at CAIR’s national office in Washington, D.C. Bukhari started volunteering with CAIR in 2006. Almost 12 years later, Bukhari will now find himself working with national media editors to do a better job covering American Muslims accurately and appropriately. In a statement on CAIR’s website, Bukhari said the news job would be an opportunity “to take lessons-learned from research, case studies of success and pilot projects, and scale these at the national level.” In a recent interview, looking back on his days as director of CAIR-WA, Bukhari’s said two common issues reported by Muslims in Washington were employment and federal agency-related incidents. This could mean hate incidents, race or ethnicity-based harassment, and more. Bukhari explained: “It could be denial of religious accommodations, for instance requesting days off for religious holidays, or the ability to wear head scarves based on religious freedoms or receiving break time for daily prayers and things like that.”

Another common type of case in Washington is when federal agencies like the FBI increasingly harass innocent American Muslims while at home, traveling to or from the country outside of airports, or even while they are at work, Bukhari said. Another federal agency that tends to come up in local cases is the TSA. There were many stories from Washington of American Muslims being held for up to several hours with little or no justification. To combat these local issues, one of Bukhari’s proudest moments with CAIR-WA was taking part in Washington State Muslim Lobby Day, an annual day of education and organization put on by CAIR-WA. The event was held once a year on Martin Luther King Day from 2010 through 2015. “We had about 500 people or more on average attending from 35 or more districts out of the 49 districts that are in our state legislative system. They go there in the morning, they have breakfast here at the center, and they’ll have training and roleplay practice in small groups on how to speak effectively to media,” Bukhari said. The full day’s activities were finished off by a short march to the capitol building, followed by a rally at the capitol steps where participants could get one last show of inspiration. On the national level, Bukhari sees the impact of inflammatory and false views against Muslim Americans found in news, commentary, and entertainment media to be the biggest issues facing CAIR as an organization, and American Muslims as a whole. “It’s becoming more and more clear we need to change the portrayal of Muslim Americans

On November 28, CAIR-Washington director Arsalan Bukhari, with interfaith leaders, speaks about an attack on a Muslim student at UW • Photo Courtesy of CAIR-Washington

to the public,” Bukhari said. “When we [look at] research about American Muslims, the portrayals being seen in media in the last 10, 15 years is not only inflammatory but false.” President Trump’s rhetoric, including the ban on immigrants and travelers from predominantly Muslim countries, has also played a role in American Muslim issues across the country. Bukhari thinks Trump tapped into people’s fears and concerns about the future and what they see happening to them and around the world. The rhetoric on Muslims on 24/7 cable news, the internet, social media and talk shows contributes to the problem, Bukhari said. Speaking on the proposed Muslim ban, Bukhari points out that it found bipartisan

support with about half of all likely voters supporting the it. “Over 35 percent of likely Democratic voters supported it, and support means more than just agreeance,” Bukhari said. Contrary to what many Americans believe as a result of movies, music and video games, negative stereotypes that Muslims hate the U.S. or don’t believe in American values are not backed up research, Bukhari said. He points to a 2011 Harvard University study, the largest study of American Muslims at the time, which shows that the more involved a Muslim person is in mosque-related activities, the more likely they are to believe that Islam is compatible with political participation in the United States. The study also showed that greater religiosity among Muslims in the United States was correlated with a higher likelihood of political participation. “What this tells us is that [Trump] simply tapped into sincere concerns people have, and our job is to help people understand the lives of our American Muslim neighbors and the contributions and hopes and dreams of American Muslims,” Bukhari said. Bukhari hopes his new role in D.C. will allow him to help CAIR put to rest many of the disparaging stereotypes found throughout the national zeitgeist, while continuing to create stories about what average American Muslims are doing every day. His goal? “I want to help American Muslims and their families be accepted and understood by their friends, coworkers and fellow citizens.”

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

ARTS

December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018 — 9

Flight Before Xmas play captures the blessing and curse of holiday travel By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor The first day of winter approaches, and Christmas shows are in rehearsal for the holiday season. This year, Seattle Public Theater is refreshing its holiday offering with a new play by local playwright Maggie Lee. Lee considers this opportunity an honor. “Last fall, Seattle Public Theater approached me about writing a new family holiday show to take the place of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” she said. “It was a much beloved play that had been done annually for many years and was a longstanding tradition in the SPT community, so it was pretty daunting for me to think of writing something else to replace it.”

airport to fly home—my family lives in thinks otherwise. “All kinds of things can California—so of course I ended up writ- happen at the airport that would never ing about that.” happen in your normal life,” she said. The planes, trains and automobile ritual “Maybe you might talk to a stranger beis not what most would consider a poignant cause you know you’ll never see them piece of the American holiday experience. again. Everyone’s a stranger at the airBut, says, Lee, “There’s something about port, which in an odd way actually makes the mixed blessing and curse of holiday for a weird kind of intimacy between the travel that really appealed to me, and I felt people waiting there.” that it was a situation that a lot of modern families could easily relate to,” Lee said. “Stranding a bunch of strangers in an airport together on Christmas Eve was weirdly the best way to explore what the holidays mean to each of us, what makes us cling to tradition, and also what it really means to be a family.”

While many Americans consciously avoid or dislike airports, Lee finds them fascinating. “By their very nature, they are transitory spaces,” she said. “It gives you a kind of freedom from yourself because you know that you’re just passing through to somewhere else.”

In response, Lee developed a new play entitled Flight Before Xmas. “I knew right away that I didn’t want to do an adaptation or spin-off of any of the usual holiday tales, like A Christmas Carol, or The Nutcracker, but instead wanted to come With the increased scrutiny of airport up with a brand new original story,” Lee security, it seems counter-intuitive to said. “One of the things that I hate the imagine freedom at an airport—but Lee most about the holidays is braving the

Lee was willing to share a tidbit of one of these stories. “One of my favorites was about the Yule Cat from Iceland. It’s a fearsome beast that comes out every Christmas Eve, and it devours anyone who has not received new clothes as a present,” she said. “I have one character who is a young boy traveling with his cat in a carrier, so I felt that I just had to work Intentionality is another aspect of air- that story into the play somehow.” port life that Lee finds compelling. “EvBut Lee hasn’t felt the typical isolation ery single person is there for a reason, be of the “lone writer” while working on this it travelling for fun, business, family or project. “Seattle Public Theater has been whatever,” she said. “But each passenger very supportive in the creation of this new is getting on a plane for a distinct purpose, work,” she said. “We have been working and all those unspoken stories brushing up hard on developing the play for the past against each other while stuck in lines or year, and I am really looking forward to crowded shoulder-to-shoulder in waiting starting rehearsals this week.” areas is really fascinating to think about.” What kinds of surprises should the auSo did Lee spend hours in airports in order to develop this play? “I did a lot of research about different holiday traditions all over the world to get some inspiration for the play,” she said. “There are some really fun and wacky stories from different countries, and some of them are a little dark and scary.”

dience expect, according to Lee? “We’ll see if everyone makes it out of the airport in one piece!”

‘Flight Before Xmas’ runs from December 1 to 24, at Seattle Public Theater, 7312 West Green Lake Drive North, Seattle. For more information, visit www. seattlepublictheater.org/the-flight-beforexmas.

Book-It Theatre adapts Howl’s Moving Castle for the stage By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor

ing to be a thing that was separate from that aesthetic.”

This new project has been a process of discovery for everyone involved. “I’ve never adapted a book into a musical before,” Huertas said, “so I’m loving the process of getting inside Diana Wynne Jones’s head, getting inside her characters’ heads, and finding how best I can A tale of witches, wizards and demons, support their wants and needs through Howl’s Moving Castle has been adapted song.” and directed by Book-It’s co-artistic diThis process has also allowed Huertas rector, Myra Platt, with original music to become more familiar with the unique and lyrics by Justin Huertas. Book-It presentational style of dramatizHuertas was thrilled at the opportunity. ing storytelling. “It has been surprisingly “I had only worked with Book-It on small- easy and fun to write lyrics in the Booker projects until this year, but I’ve always It Style,” he said. “I’m finding there’s an loved everyone here,” he said. “Myra ap- odd power that the characters hold when proached me with the possibility of writ- not just narrating but singing their naring music and lyrics for Howl’s Moving ratives. That’s been a fun conceit to play Castle, and I said, ‘obviously yes,’ not with.” knowing whether or not Book-It would This particular work has also broadobtain the rights to adapt the book.” ened Porkalob’s perspective on the BookThen the good news arrived. “The sec- It style. “I sometimes think that the ond Myra said ‘we got the rights,’ I liter- ‘Book-It style’ can encumber the forward ally fell on the floor,” Huertas said. “I was momentum of a theatrical narrative, as so excited.” people want to see and interpret what’s So, too, was actor Sara Porkalob, who happening rather than being told by charplays the lead role of Sophie, a girl who acters in the third person what is happenencounters the otherworldly realm of the ing,” she explained. “But, in this instance castle of the Wizard Howl. “I love new where we have a magical world without work,” Porkalob said. “While this is an a clear set of ‘rules’ and a narrative that adaptation, a musical theatre incarnation jumps and skips through time and space, of the novel is completely new, and that’s the Book-It style helps establish a clarity what intrigued me the most about this that the play would otherwise not have had.” project.” Seattle’s own Book-It Repertory Theatre specializes in bringing good books to the stage while preserving their narrative flavor, and this month the spotlight shines on Diana Wynne Jones’s book, Howl’s Moving Castle.

Since this project follows both the book and a movie adaptation, the team had its work cut out. “I am a huge fan of the Miyazaki adaptation, so that had its draw,” Porkalob said. “But it quickly became clear that what we were making was go-

Beyond concerns of presentational style, developing this new musical adaptation hasn’t been without challenges. “I think the biggest challenge with this piece so far has also been the most fun, figuring out what the show looks like!” Huertas said. “We’re having a blast finding the

Sara Porkalob (Sophie Hatter) • Photo by Alabastro Photography

balance in clarity of storytelling—book, lyrics and I bounce ideas off of her that music and lyrics—with engaging imagi- pertain to the book.” nation in this awesome and complicated Porkalob likewise feels free to take a magical story.” comprehensive view of the project. “I Porkalob concurs that clarity has been do what Myra says and sing what Justin at the forefront of the team’s minds. writes and can be super candid regarding “Like any new work, keeping track of how I feel about both of their choices,” the story arc while incorporating con- she said. “I also trust them a lot, which stant edits has been challenging,” she means that I can challenge them and they said. “Of course, we’ve been looking can challenge me and we all know that at the story for months and many of its it’s done in the service of making the play mysteries are crystal clear to us, but to stronger.” a first-time audience, we have to be sure How would she describe the overall we communicate the narrative in ways process of creating this new musical verthat are accessible to all.” sion of Howl’s Moving Castle? “It’s very

Porkalob and Huertas also agree that collaboration has been the key to bringing the project to fruition. “Over the past year, Myra and I have developed an incredible, I would call it, shorthand-slashtelepathy,” Huertas said. “We’re not dealing exclusively in our fields—she gives me incredible input on the music and

liberating.”

‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ runs from November 29 to December 30, at Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle. For more information, visit book-it.org/20172018-mainstage-season/howls-movingcastle-a-new-musical.

10 — December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018

Arts & Culture Asia Pacific Cultural Center 4851 So. Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA 98409 Ph: 253-383-3900 Fx: 253-292-1551 faalua@comcast.net www.asiapacificculturalcenter.org Bridging communities and generations through arts, culture, education and business.

Friends of Asian Art Association (FA3) P.O. Box 15404 Seattle, WA 98115 206-522-5438 friendsofasianart2@gmail.com www.friendsofasianart.org To advance understanding, appreciation and support for Asian arts and cultures, the Friends of Asian Art Association provides and supports programs, activities and materials that reflect the arts and cultures of countries that make up the broad and diverse spectrum of Asia.

Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington 1414 S Weller Street Seattle, WA 98144 Ph: 206-568-7114 admin@jcccw.org www.jcccw.org JCCCW is committed to preserving, promoting, and sharing Japanese and Japanese American culture and heritage. Programs: Japanese Language School | Cultural Events | Library | Resale Store | Internship & Volunteer Opportunities | Historical Exhibitions | Rental Space RAJANA Society Seattle, WA 206-979-3206 sameth@rajanasociety.org

RAJANA Society is an Arts & Civics project focusing on civic engagement and bridging cultural divides with the Cambodian Diaspora.

Civil Rights & Advocacy Organization of Chinese Americans Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Seattle Chapter P.O. Box 14141 Seattle, WA 98114

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Homelessness Services

Professional & Leadership Development

YouthCare 2500 NE 54th Street Seattle, WA 98105 206-694-4500 info@youthcare.org www.youthcare.org

Working to prevent and end youth homelessness with services including meals, shelter, housing, job training, education, and more.

Homeownership Services HomeSight 5117 Rainier Ave S Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-723-4355 fx: 206-760-4210 www.homesightwa.org NMLS#49289 HomeSight creates homeownership opportunities through first mortgage lending, down payment assistance, real estate development, homebuyer education, and counseling.

Housing Services

Executive Development Institute 310 – 120th Ave NE. Suite A102 Bellevue, WA Ph: 425-467-9365 edi@ediorg.org • www.ediorg.org EDI offers culturally relevant leadership development programs.

WE MAKE LEADERS Fostering future leaders through education, networking and community NAAAP Seattle services for Asian American Queen Anne Station professionals and entreP.O. Box 19888 preneurs. Seattle, WA 98109 Facebook: NAAAP-Seattle info@naaapseattle.org Twitter: twitter.com/naaapwww.naaapseattle.org seattle

Senior Services The Kin On Team is ready to serve YOU! www.kinon.org

InterIm Community Development Association 310 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 Ph: 206-624-1802 Services: 601 S King St, Ph: 206-623-5132 Interimicda.org Multilingual community building: affordable housing, housing counseling, homelessness prevention, advocacy, teen leadership, and the Danny Woo Community Garden. Kawabe Memorial House 221 18th Ave S Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 connie.devaney@gmail.com We provide affordable, safe, culturally sensitive housing and support services to people aged 62 and older.

Immigration Services

Denise Louie Education Center 206-767-8223 info@deniselouie.org www.deniselouie.org

Offering home visiting services for children birth to 3 and full & part-day multicultural preschool education for ages 3 to 5 in the International District, Beacon Hill and Rainier Beach.

Washington New Americans Program OneAmerica 1225 S. Weller St., Suite 430 Seattle, WA 98144 Are you a lawful permanent resident? The Washington New Americans program can help you complete your application for U.S. citizenship. Low-cost and free services available – please call our hotline or visit www.wanewamericans.org. Text or call: 206-926-3924 Email: wna@weareoneamerica.org Website: www.wanewamericans.org

Social & Health Services Asian Counseling & Referral Service 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-695-7600 fx: 206-695-7606 events@acrs.org www.acrs.org ACRS offers multilingual, behavioral health and social services to Asian Pacific Americans and other low-income people in King County.

APICAT 601 S King St. Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-682-1668 www.apicat.org Addressing tobacco, marijuana prevention and control and other health disparities in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

Cathay Post #186 of The American Legion Supporting veterans for over 70 years Accepting new members—contact us today to learn more! (206) 355-4422 P.O. Box 3281 Seattle, WA 98144-3281 cathaypost@hotmail.com

www.ocaseattle.org

Education

Southeast Seattle Senior Center 4655 S. Holly St., Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-722-0317 fax: 206-722-2768 kateh@seniorservices.org www.sessc.org Daytime activities center providing activities social services, trips, and community for seniors and South Seattle neighbors. We have weaving, Tai Chi, indoor beach-ball, yoga, dance, senior-oriented computer classes, trips to the casino, and serve scratch cooked lunch. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30-4. Our thrift store next door is open Mon-Fri 10-2, Sat 10-4. This sweet center has services and fun for the health and well-being of boomers and beyond. Check us out on Facebook or our website.

Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs GA Bldg., 210 11th Ave SW, Suite 301A Olympia, WA 98504 ph: (360) 725-5667 www.facebook.com/wacapaa capaa@capaa.wa.gov www.capaa.wa.gov Statewide liaison between government and APA communities. Monitors and informs the public about legislative issues.

Seattle Chinatown/International District Preservation and Development Authority ph: 206-624-8929 fx: 206-467-6376 info@scidpda.org Housing, property management and community development.

OCA—Greater Seattle Chapter was formed in 1995 and since that time it has been serving the Greater Seattle Chinese and Asian Pacific American community as well as other communities in the Pacific Northwest. It is recognized in the local community for its advocacy of civil and voting rights as well as its sponsorship of community activities and events.

Senior Services

Legacy House

803 South Lane Street Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-292-5184 fx: 206-838-3057 info@legacyhouse.org www.scidpda.org/programs/legacyhouse. aspx Services offered: Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, meal programs for lowincome seniors.

Chinese Information & Service Center 611 S Lane St, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-624-5633 fax: 206-624-5634 info@cisc-seattle.org www.cisc-seattle.org Creating opportunities for Asian immigrants and their families to succeed by helping them make the transition to a new life while keeping later generations in touch with their rich heritage.

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Since 1935

Tai Tung Restaurant International District Medical & Dental Clinic 720 8th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-788-3700 email: info@ichs.com website: www.ichs.com

Banquet Facilities - Catering - Delivery

Bellevue Medical & Dental Clinic 1050 140th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005 ph: 425-373-3000 Shoreline Medical & Dental Clinic 16549 Aurora Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133 ph: 206-533-2600 Holly Park Medical & Dental Clinic 3815 S Othello St, Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-788-3500 The largest Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community health center in Washington state, ICHS provides medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy care with multilingual doctors, nurses and staff experienced in meeting the needs of King County’s diverse and multicultural communities. All are welcome and sliding fee scales are available for uninsured patients.

7301 Beacon Ave S Seattle, WA 98108 ph: 206-587-3735 fax: 206-748-0282 www.idicseniorcenter.org info@idicseniorcenter.org

Come Enjoy the Oldest Chinese Restaurant in Town!

IDIC is a nonprofit human services organization that offers wellness and social service programs to Filipinos and API communities.

655 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 622-7372

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Films: Thousand Faces is fast-paced, She Remembers longs for the past By Yayoi Winfrey IE Contributor In long-ago China, Dao Yichang (Aarif Lee) is a newly appointed constable who’s eager to please. Finding himself among members of the secret Wuyin Clan, he’s awestruck by their superhuman martial arts skills. But even more daunting are their battles against evil creatures also possessing superhuman martial arts skills. Of course, the evil creatures want to dominate the world so Dao attempts to reinforce his position as an officer of the law, with laughable results. In this feature narrative, The Thousand Faces of Dunjia, the fighting is non-stop. Starring heavy doses of CGI, the film shows off fantastical beasts like a gigantic three-eyed fish, a shapely red figure with hundreds of snake-like tentacles pulsing from its center, a formidable watery form that drowns everyone around it, and another that hurls hundreds of lethal golden rings. In fact, some of the demons are so outlandish, it’s hard to feel threatened by their wrath. Directed by Yuen Wo Ping, and written and produced by celebrated Hong Kong director Tsui Hark (Once Upon a Time in China), the movie combines action, comedy, drama, fantasy, romance, and wuxia; thus, adding to its ambiguous message. There’s a complicated storyline about the dunjia and its opposing chi, the

qimen that together creates a sort of yinyang balance over the planet. Whichever side possesses both can obviously change the world. Despite CGI being at centerstage, the clan’s characters are engaging and, at times, heart tugging. There’s the tenderly innocent Xiao Yuan (Dongyu Zhou), later called Circle, who has special healing powers and, unbelievably, is destined to become the new clan leader. Dr. Zhuge Fengyun (Da Peng) is the man who discovered Circle and who often finds her arms wrapped around him, incurring the jealousy of Dragonfly (Ni Ni) who then has to slap him and be slapped herself for exhibiting romantic feelings—which is against clan rules. As for the constable Dao, he finds himself drawn to the fiery Dragonfly to the chagrin of Dr. Zhuge, inviting more face-slapping. Meanwhile their leader (real-life Taiwanese rock star Bai Wu) seems to have a diabolical identical twin.

Gigi Yu (Miriam Yeung), who works for a travel agency but hasn’t been able to take a vacation in five years because “he,” her husband Pang Shing Wah (Jan Lam Hoi Fong), is always busy working. He’s also fooling around with another woman he met while doing business in Shanghai.

teachers and administrators, and to current students about their goals. Gigi even begins searching for So Bak Man on the internet.

Spending time alone while Shing Wah works overtime as a designer and engages in texts with his mistress, Gigi reminisces about their past growing up in the so-called Golden Age of Hong Kong. Remembering how they met as fellow students, she relives her high school days when there were three of them. The missing So Bak Man (Siu Hin Ng), who shyly befriended her along with Shing Wah, had his dreams of romancing her interrupted in 1997.

According to scriptwriter/producer Saville Chan, “Hong Kong people disapprove their past” because longing for it is considered “colonial nostalgia.” Unfortunately, there is no future without the past, and Gigi demonstrates that perfectly.

That’s the year Hong Kong was handed back to China by the British, and while the kids were in school in 1992, they all faced adult-sized decisions based on the Overall fast-paced and funny, this film upcoming handover. Would their families ends on a questionable note, hinting at a remain to see what would happen to their home or would they immigrate to sequel to come. ‘The Thousand Faces of Dunjia’ another? As the adult Shing Wah’s infidelity Mandarin with English subtitles, opens grows, a suspicious Gigi becomes even 12/15, Regal Meridien 16, Seattle. more nostalgic for the past. Recalling *** how So Bak Man loved airplanes and She Remembers He Forgets is a yearned to be a pilot, she obsesses over modern-day tale of a Hong Kong couple finding him—even returning to her experiencing marital discord. “She” is high school campus to talk with former

The utterly charming music by Day Tai especially enhances scenes featuring the trio as high schoolers played by Cecilia So (Gigi) and Neo Yau (Shing Wah).

‘She Remembers He Forgets,’ Cantonese with English and Mandarin subtitles, opens 12/15, AMC Pacific Place 11, Seattle, VOD available 12/22.

12 — December 20, 2017 – January 2, 2018

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