INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
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February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 1
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FREE EST. 1974—SEATTLE VOLUME 45, NUMBER 3 — February 7 – 20, 2018 THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT & ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTHWEST
2 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
NEWS
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
Little Saigon incorporated into Western police precinct By Timothy Kenney IE intern Little Saigon has long been considered a part of the Chinatown International District (CID), but until recently, crime and public safety in the neighborhood were the responsibility of a different police precinct than the rest of the CID. In 1964, 20 years before the Vietnamese American cultural hub earned its nickname, Interstate 5 became the official boundary between the East and West police precincts, isolating what would become Little Saigon from the rest of the neighborhood. In response to public safety concerns and decades of community activism, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) recently announced they would incorporate Little Saigon into the Western Precinct, creating a single police beat encompassing the entire CID. As of January 24, Little Saigon and the CID are part of the same police beat, now about 50 percent larger. “I think for a long time the city relied on Donnie Chin to do the city’s job of protecting the neighborhood,” said CID public safety coordinator Sonny Nguyen. For decades, Chin was a keeper of public safety in the CID, responding to thousands of emergencies and founding the International District Emergency Center (IDEC). Chin’s longtime friend Dean Wong described him as the neighborhood’s Batman.
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Chin was shot to death in the summer of 2015 after responding to what police say was a gang-related gun fight. “When Donnie was killed, people got together and worked to tell the city, ‘this is your fault. You shouldn’t have been letting a 50-something, 60-year old man be fighting crime, you should be serving the neighborhood better.’” Nguyen said, “The city kind of realized that they should have put him out of work; they should have been doing so well that he didn’t have to do what he was doing. So from that moment, the city took a very meaningful interest in public safety in the neighborhood.” To invigorate police strategies in the CID, the SPD collaborated with local community members to form the CID Public Safety Task Force, whose June 2016 report recommended incorporating Little Saigon to better track crimes, address safety concerns and reunite the neighborhood. “We don’t like breaking up neighborhoods,” said SPD detective Patrick Michaud. “Seattle is a neighborhood-centric city. There are a few examples where it is broken through the middle of a neighborhood, but again that’s more because of physical boundaries and the inability of officers to get from one side of that boundary to the other in a responsible amount of time.” Natural barriers like I-5 and Lake Union can prevent officers from responding
IE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron Chew, President Gary Iwamoto, Secretary Peggy Lynch, Treasurer Arlene Oki, At-Large Jordan Wong, 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 EDITOR IN CHIEF Jill Wasberg editor@iexaminer.org
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best (second from left) and Mayor Jenny Durkan (right) meet with Tam Nguyen (center), owner of the Tamarind Tree restaurant in Little Saigon. Best and Durkan toured the CID and Little Saigon neighborhoods to talk with business owners about the new police precinct boundary that will incporporate both neighborhoods under the Western Precinct. • Photo by Henry Liu, InterIm CDA
quickly to an emergency, so the SPD tries to draw precinct and beat lines along these boundaries. I-5 will cut directly through the new CID beat, leaving police with only three underpasses – Yesler St., S. Jackson St. and S. Dearborn St. – to access Little Saigon. Some residents are concerned these bottlenecks could increase response times throughout the CID, but the SPD is confident response times will remain stable. “There’s a lot going on, it’s not as simple as changing where the line goes,” Michaud said. “The reason why it took so long to go through this whole process – we started this survey way back in 2016 looking at this – we had to be absolutely sure it wasn’t going to negatively affect the neighborhood.” The new beat is larger than the old one, so the SPD plans to assign three to five additional officers to patrol the neighborhood, according to Vicky Li, SPD outreach specialist for the CID. Only one officer has been added to the beat so far and Li said more will be added as police cadets enter the force. It has not yet been determined if these rookie officers will be placed directly in the CID beat or if they’ll transfer more experienced officers. Some community members hoped the East Precinct officers who previously patrolled Little Saigon and built familiarity with the community would be transferred to this new, expanded CID beat. Li said at a recent meeting hosted by InterIm Commu-
MANAGING EDITOR Chetanya Robinson chetanya@iexaminer.org
Timothy Kenney Elizabeth Alvarado Yukino Kumada
ARTS EDITOR Alan Chong Lau arts@iexaminer.org
DISTRIBUTORS Joshua Kelso Makayla Dorn Maryross Olanday Antonia Dorn Kristen Navaluna Kat Punzalan Eli Savitt Stephany Hernandez Vincent Trey Raleigh Haavig
CONTRIBUTORS Emily Huynh Roxanne Ray Misa Shikuma Jackie Vaughn Brian Park Cliff Cawthon Ari Laurel Yaoyao Liu Adrian Alarilla Min Gao LeiLani Nishime INTERNS
FELLOWS Annie Kuo Bunthay Cheam John Phoenix Leapai Nick Turner
nity Development Association that they did not plan to move these officers because the only way for officers to move precincts is if they volunteer to do so. No officers have volunteered to move into the new West precinct beat yet, according to Li. The SPD is not yet sure if any officers patrolling Little Saigon will speak Vietnamese or other languages commonly spoken in the neighborhood. Officers do have access to a translating phone service for CID citizens that would prefer to speak in their native tongue. According to the 2016 CID Public Safety Survey, CID residents do not have high confidence in the SPD’s ability to ensure public safety, with 72 percent of young people and 58 percent of elderly people disagreeing on some level with the statement “police keep the CID safe.” “I think that’s something we have to work at to bridge that gap by going back and having our community outreach people get out there and figure out why there is that belief in our services,” Michaud said. Local SPD officers will be hosting their recurring “Coffee with A Cop” on February 13 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Eastern Cafe, where they’ll be discussing the new beat and meeting community members. “They’re spending just as much time in the neighborhood as a lot of the business owners and folks here so it’s important we establish that relationship,” Nguyen said.
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NEWS
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 3
International Examiner explores immigrant communities underrepresented in media with three-year fellowship By The International Examiner In July, 2017, the Seattle Foundation awarded the IE and the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation (ACLF) a three-year grant for the Advocacy Journalism Fellowship Program. Currently in its inaugural year, this program engages four aspiring community organizers and media leaders per year from API communities and backgrounds who spend a year doing a deep dive into specific immigrant communities in the Seattle area. The program trains fellows in how to engage and advocate for the communities on which they’re reporting. They are immersing themselves in the communities’ histories, relationships and evolving struggles with the purpose of empowering those communities and providing them with an appropriate platform to make their voices heard. The IE looks forward to sharing their work with our readers. Introducing Annie Kuo, interviewed by Bunthay Cheam Annie is a Thai American social activist and marketing communications manager. Her Instagram bio describes her as “Marketing/PR hustler. Servant leader. Health and policy advocate. Lucky mom of 1. Loyal friend to many.” Born and raised in Texas, Annie relocated in high school to her ancestral homeland of Thailand where she attended an international school in Bangkok.
After relocating back to the U.S., she attended a women’s college in Atlanta, GA, where she founded a cultural awareness club called Asian Women. Annie credits her college years in Atlanta and the Bay Area, where she studied Comparative Ethnic Studies on a semester exchange, as formative ones for her social justice and civil rights work, often involving the arts. She is covering the Thai community. Bunthay Cheam: Tell us about yourself. Annie Kuo: I was born and raised in Texas as a Thai American. I went to high school in Bangkok when my Dad moved there and made many friends at international school who now live around the world! I speak Spanish better than Thai. Sometimes, when I’m in Thailand, my first instinct when addressed in Thai is to respond in Spanish. It’s pretty hilarious and sad at the same time. I studied Spanish formally for eight years, but the Thai I speak is pretty basic and I do not read or write Thai. My understanding from listening is decent, though. Ironically, I was still placed in ESL (English as a Second Language) in second grade, until the teacher pulled me aside and said, “Let’s not kid ourselves. You speak English fluently, just with your mother’s accent.” I don’t have her accent anymore, but I’m a Texan. I still say “y’all.”
IE Fellow Annie Kuo. Coutesy of Annie Kuo
Asia gave me the opportunity to learn and ap- coverage will encourage these communities preciate cultural diversity in the world. about their relevance and importance in the BC: What does being able to cover and fabric of larger Asian American society here get to know the Thai community mean to in Seattle and will empower them to grow stronger connections with each other. you?
AK: Everything. When I saw that the Thai community was one of the inaugural focus communities for this fellowship, my heart leapt out of my chest. I’ve been looking for an opportunity like this for a very long time. Attending an international high school in Over a decade ago, when I was the operations manager at Portland Taiko, an intern from Japan asked me what I did to promote my own Thai heritage since Taiko is strongly rooted in the Japanese American community… I didn’t have a real answer for her. This fellowship assignment fulfills the yearning I’ve harbored since then to build a bridge to the local Thai people, and both expand and deepen my understanding of the Thai community. I’m excited to discover their stories and share them with the broader public though the IE platform. It is an honor to be their advocate and give them a voice in local media.
IE fellow Bunthay Cheam. Courtesy of Bunthay Cheam.
Introducing Bunthay Cheam, interviewed by Annie Kuo
Bunthay is a Cambodian American who was born in the Khao I Dang holding center in Thailand and immigrated to the U.S. as a refugee from the Cambodian Genocide. A graduate of the University of Washington, Bunthay grew up in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle. He continues to explore different ways of illuminating the community’s struggle through different means, including the arts. Along with several local Cambodian Americans, he recently acted in a UW play about incarceration and deportation in the Khmer community. His trips to Cambodia and Thailand have also inspired him to reconnect refugees to their homeland, especially those whose early days may be a hazy memory. This past fall, Bunthay entered the Sangha (monkhood) as a samanera (novice) BC: How can community journalism for two weeks at Watt Dammacakkaram, the help marginalized communities? oldest Khmer Buddhist temple in WashingAK: Community journalism can help un- ton state. He is covering the Cambodian comderrepresented communities by highlighting munity. voices, concerns, and people’s stories that AK: What are some things you have in would otherwise go unacknowledged. I see common with the other fellows? this as a way to build cultural pride and understanding and to send a message that these FELLOWS: Continued on page 27 . . . communities matter. I hope the forthcoming
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4 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
OPINION
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
The tweet heard round the world: Children of immigrants clap back against HR manager’s racist email By Emily Huynh IE Contributor I usually check my dad’s emails to proof read them. One day he emailed a job he was interested in by himself. My dad isn’t f luent in English but understands and speaks limited English. My dad’s email [to this job prospect] was grammatically incorrect and his punctuation was weird, I guess. That led the human resources manager of the company at that time to email him, “Let me tell you now. If you no speak English then I’ll send you home.” Coincidentally, I was home, and my dad asked me to read the email from the HR manager. The first time I read it, I knew he was making fun of my dad’s lack of English.
tions from Twitter wondering what was eral, were raised in the United States, going on. which has a long history of racism toAfter that, the tweet just blew up. I wards multiple ethnicities. We all learn was so overwhelmed with the amount of about it in school so most of us would support people had for my dad, so many understand how those words that were people offered lawyers and other job op- said in this situation could hurt another person. portunities to help out. Twitter “did its thing”, and so many people made complaints and emailed and called the company without us even asking. The next night after I posted, I got an email from the manager of the company giving my dad and me a sincere apology. I realized through this experience that when I was explaining to my dad, he didn’t fully understand the depth of the situation, which also sparked a very important factor in lives of immigrants.
In my opinion, most immigrants that I took a picture of it and posted it have children in America would have on Twitter thinking it would just warn to settle for a low-wage job to bring people from the surrounding area, but the next morning, I got a lot of notifica- food to the table. We, as Asian Americans or children of immigrants in gen-
But if I put myself in my father’s shoes, I wouldn’t have a problem with it and would just brush it off since I do not understand how it is targeting me and my race.
That is why many children of immigrants united with me on Twitter to serve justice. I have been flooded with Photo courtesy of Emily Huynh replies and private messages on Twitter about how their parents, grandparents ist things happen to others in this day or even aunties and uncles have expe- and age. rienced this type of prejudice and disNinety percent of the time, if you crimination. ask an immigrant why they are here in Microaggression towards non-fluent America, they will probably tell you that English speakers occur every day. It they are here for a better life and oppordoesn’t really surprise me because I tunities. It makes me mad that people have seen so many other vile and rac- still do not understand that concept.
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ARTS
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 5
Musical Director R.J. Tancioco finds his bliss with “Mamma Mia!” By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor
The music of ABBA comes to The 5th Avenue Theatre in a new version of the musical Mamma Mia!, and musical director R.J. Tancioco will be at the helm of this new production about the search of one young woman for her real father. On the Greek isle of Kalokairi, fatherless Sophie prepares for her wedding and yearns for a father to walk her down the aisle – but first, she must discover who that man is.
today, who were into theatre as much as sponsibilities that go into creating a show. I was.” And a deeper appreciation for the art form And then came a pivotal moment. “The can be achieved by exposing yourself to following year, the same KIDSTAGE pro- everything in theatre. You will learn far gram was looking for a student music di- more than you expect and actually make rector to work on a show,” Tancioco said. you to be more valuable as an artist for yourself.” “I applied and got it.”
Throughout his youth, he continued to work as an accompanist and arranger. “As I went on to college, I kept playing for rehearsals and orchestra pits, as a keyboardist,” he said, “which led to meeting Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director, who Tancioco reports that he is excited about selected me as Music Director for one many things in this new remake. “This of their Mainstage shows, Little Shop of cast is exciting, thrilling to hear, and deli- Horrors, while I was still a senior in college.” cious to watch,” he said. That was the beginning of an ongoing This pleasure is something that has career in music direction at the Village been with Tancioco since an early age. “I Theatre and elsewhere around town. “Afwas always surrounded by music throughter another show or two under my belt, I out all my childhood,” he said. “My mom was hired on as the Resident Music Diplays the piano and sings, my dad played rector, which provided me a season of guitar and sang.” work there,” he said. “That got the attenBut it was Tancioco’s grandmother, tion of the 5th Avenue Theatre and they Mama Onding, who provided his most selected me to music direct for them for solid foundation, with training on the pi- one of their inaugural local productions, ano. “I started taking lessons when I was Hair. Today, I still work a lot for Village eight years old,” he said. Theatre as Music Director, KIDSTAGE Next, Tancioco started exploring the Instructor, and in general as a musician.” world of theatre, through a program at the As an instructor, Tancioco has specific Village Theatre. “I auditioned to be in a advice for younger musicians who want to show, as an actor, when I was a junior in work in musical theatre. “My best advice high school,” he said. “I got in and met a is to try everything in theatre,” he said. lot of kids, some I still keep in touch with “It’s good to know all the jobs and re-
vide a lot of ‘artistic soul food,’ some provide a healthy paycheck, some give both at equal levels.”
Tancioco has decided to focus on the positive in every situation. “Since each show is unique, I’ve approached this challenge by remembering to be grateful for Teaching has been a big part of Tan- what I ‘get to’ do for a living,” he said. cioco’s work for the mainstage as well. “I “When I remember that, the rest is ‘icing was the Music Director for The Odyssey on the cake.’ I have found my bliss.” at Seattle Repertory Theatre for their inBut Tancioco still has some unfulfilled augural Public Works program,” he said. dreams. “I would love to music direct a “The design of the program is to create production of Miss Saigon someday,” he a show that integrates equity actors with said. “It recently closed on Broadway and the community at large to present a pro- will tour, so it may be some time before a fessionally designed show.” regional production will be able to do it. This difficult assignment expanded Tancioco’s perspective. “What I found rewarding about it was that I had to renew and restart the way I approached teaching music to people who were just learning how to sing, let alone perform it,” he said. “Through patience and grace, the show was a success and to experience their growth has inspired me to believe that anything can be possible.”
And, for a guilty pleasure, a regional and brand new production of Wicked.”
For now, Tancioco’s focus is on Mamma Mia!. “Every show that I work on is unique, and in some way, my favorite when I am working on it,” he said. The revisions required for this new version have made the rehearsal process more compelling. “I also have enjoyed working with the production team for the show, from creating original designs for the lights, sets, and costumes, to the fresh choreography and depth in storytelling direction in the rehearsal room,” he said. “And how can one not be excited about ABBA music?”
The Seattle Rep production was only one of the many challenges that Tancioco has encountered in the pursuit of music direction. “I think the biggest challenge for me building a career in musical theatre is finding the discipline to feel inspired to work on different types of shows in difMamma Mia! runs from February 2 to ferent positions: music director, associate music director, rehearsal accompanist, 25 at the 5th Avenue Theatre. musician, etc,” he said. “Some shows pro-
As we welcome the Year of the Dog, we hope your year is Þlled with hope, growth, and friendship!
Happy Lunar New Year from UNITEHERE Local 8, the hospitality workers labor union.
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6 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
ARTS
Sundance Film Festival movies showcase Asian women artists Yayoi Kusama, M.I.A. and Sandi Tan By Misa Shikuma IE Contributor
Kusama: Infinity
over time, has never wavered in its refusal to conform to convention or trends; in that sense her popularity is more a barometer of what the critics and the public want to see.
Under Lenz’s guidance Kusama: Infinity refrains from being a dry biography, instead forming a dynamic portrait of a woman who has always unapologetically been herself even when her family and her industry would have preferred a more muted version. By all means a ‘nasty woman’ by today’s standards, Kusama’s unwavering confidence in her own work and skill provide inspiration for all women plagued by Born in 1929 to a philandering father self-doubt and adversity in the workplace. and a mother staunchly unsupportive of her artistic aspirations, Kusama’s drive and Matangi/Maya/M.I.A stubbornness emerged at an early age. Her mother routinely tore from her hands draw- Directed by Stephen Loveridge ings and paintings Kusama was working Born Matangi Arulpragasam but better on; she persisted. Her parents tried to set known by her stage name M.I.A., the Engup meetings with suitors; she rejected them. lish-born rapper and activist of Sri Lankan Finding herself consistently shut out Tamil heritage has been at the epicenter of of the Japanese art community, Kusama critical acclaim, public adoration and media moved to New York in the late 1950s only to ridicule ever since bursting onto the music face even more uphill battles. As a woman scene in the early 2000s. Directed by firstof color in a white man’s world, she had to time feature filmmaker Stephen Loveridge, be at least twice as good to get even the tini- Matangi/Maya/MIA’s debut at Sundance est bit of recognition. Through sheer force marks the culmination of years of work. of will she started getting her work into gal- A teaser trailer leaked online back in 2013 leries and exhibitions, finally gaining some but was almost immediately pulled, leaving fans to speculate whether a final cut would traction with the public and critics. ever see the light of day. In many ways Kusama was ahead of her M.I.A.’s childhood was marked by the time, playing with soft sculpture, wallpachaos of the Sri Lankan Civil War. Her pering repetitive imagery, and creating infather founded the Tamil resistance movefinity mirror rooms before any of her white ment, resulting in the family’s move to Inmale contemporaries, yet the latter were the dia, and eventually back to England when ones showered with praise for their ‘innovashe was ten. Living with her mother and tion.’ siblings amongst other Tamils on a council When the Vietnam War began, Kusama estate, while her father remained behind enstaged public ‘happenings’ against Ameri- gaged in the war effort, music became the can involvement. The protests often in- bridge that pulled M.I.A. into the western volved nudity, which the press in the U.S. world and culture. and Japan immediately seized upon as fodShe attended Central St. Martins College der to discredit her. Coupled with the lack of with a focus on film and visual art. From an due recognition for her artistic accomplishments, her mental health deteriorated, and early age M.I.A. fancied herself a documenshe returned to Japan in the early 1970s and tarian, hence a significant portion of the voluntarily took up residence at a mental film comprises footage from her personal archive. In 2001 she returned to Sri Lanka health hospital where she still lives today. for a documentary project of sorts, which The 1980s signaled a revival of her ca- she found difficulty completing for perreer thanks to retrospectives held in New sonal and practical reasons. But what she York and a push from well-placed individu- witnessed there and the conversations had als in the Japanese art world to show her with friends and family would bear a strong work, particularly in the 1993 Venice Bien- influence over the music M.I.A. would benale. Kusama’s work, though it has evolved gin to make upon returning to London. Directed by Heather Lenz For her first full-length documentary feature, director Heather Lenz takes on octogenarian Yayoi Kusama, charting the highs and lows of a remarkable career from its humble beginning in a sleepy mountain town to becoming the most successful living female artist.
Photo courtesy of Sundance Film Festival
Since her debut album dropped in 2005, M.I.A. has been a critical success. Journalists respond to her raw energy, the personal nature of her lyrics, and her genre-bending beats. Other sects of the media as well as the public, however, have not been as welcoming on account of the artist’s outspokenness when it comes to politics – particularly regarding Sri Lanka. As the documentary shows, Lynn Hirschberg responds positively to the controversial music video “Born Free,” only to write a scathing New York Times Magazine cover story. Travis Smiley has M.I.A. on his show, but edits out her most politicized statements. The public backlash is swift and harsh; internet trolls criticize her for becoming mainstream and dating a wealthy heir; protestors carry signs calling her a terrorist. The irony, of course, is that all the privileged youth who frequent her shows at Coachella and other exclusive events are undoubtedly fist pumping and swaying to the beat without any understanding of the content and context of her lyrics. Nevertheless, M.I.A. remains uncompromising in her art and her beliefs. Though the film never mentions this, it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to note that high-profile male artists who speak their minds on politics and current events are not vilified in the same way. As intimate as the documentary is as biography and comingof-age story, it also inherently poses the question of what the role and duty of an artist are in today’s internet and celebritydriven culture, where every move can be replayed, magnified and scrutinized. Regardless of whether or not one agrees with M.I.A.’s politics, it is undeniable that she has changed the game, making her a much more suitable role model for today’s young women than the cookie cutter pop stars who take their millions and keep their mouths shut.
Shirkers Directed by Sandi Tan Curious and expressive since childhood, director Sandi Tan grew up feeling oppressed by Singaporean society and frustrated by how difficult the government made it to access the music and films that spoke to her as an adolescent. In high school, Tan and likeminded peers Jasmine and Sophie became proteges of enigmatic expat film instructor Geroges Cardona. With his support and blessing, the trio began production on Shirkers, a Singapore-set road movie, in the summer of 1992. Photo courtesy of Sundance Film Festival
Tan performed double-duty as screenwriter and lead actress; Cardona directed; Jasmine and Sophie produced, securing everything from camera equipment to funding. It was a hodgepodge effort cobbled together by passionate individuals with only the vaguest notion of what they were doing. Yet just as production was reaching its climax - seventy reels shot, an original soundtrack recorded by a friend, ten thousand dollars needed to finish off the project - Cardona disappeared, taking with him all physical traces of what they’d accomplished. For years the specter of the film that almost was haunted the trio, particularly Tan, for whom the script was highly personal, and because she once considered Cardona to be a great friend and mentor. Over two decades after that fateful summer, Tan receives a letter from Cardona’s ex-wife notifying her of his death. She asks Tan if she wants all the Shirkers paraphernalia. Why had he kept it all that time? And why had he taken it in the first place? The resulting film, combining original Shirkers footage with Tan revisiting those involved in the production, often feels precious and self-indulgent, but the mystery of who Cardona actually was and how he came to wield such influence over aspiring filmmakers is seductive and engrossing. The scenes from the 1992 shoot are hypnotic in all their saturated graininess, particularly for those who only know Singapore as the sleek metropolis of today. No doubt the movie as Tan envisioned it as a teenager would have found a place in the canon of Singaporean and Asian film history, but the iteration of Shirkers that she has crafted as an adult stands as testament to the necessity of the arts for the youth, and what happens in places where access to them and self-expression are not free.
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 7
Reducing Asian Americans’ risk of heart disease By International Community Health Services (ICHS) Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in four deaths is caused by heart disease. Despite this, Asian Americans are less likely to be aware of high blood pressure, have their cholesterol levels checked or to be treated for these and other conditions that contribute to heart disease, such as diabetes. Although risk factors like age and family history cannot be changed, lifestyle fixes and regular health screenings can make a big difference. “Ronnie,” a 48-year-old Chinese American restaurant worker who asked his name be changed for privacy, was at work when he got a bad feeling of indigestion. “I usually eat at the restaurant and thought I had eaten too much” he said. “At first, I thought if I drank a little Coke it might settle my stomach, but the feelings of indigestion didn’t go away like they usually do.” Feeling unwell, Ronnie decided to catch a bus and go home. As he waited, he began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. He had a hard time breathing and felt pressure in his chest. Bystanders acted quickly, calling for an ambulance. “They did me a big favor” he said. “If I had managed to make it home I would have been alone in the apartment till midnight.” Ronnie was taken to the ER, where he was hooked up to monitors and machines. Staff gave him medications for pain. His doctors told him he had been lucky. He had experienced angina. They said if he made immediate lifestyle changes he could improve his heart health and reduce the chance of a heart attack in the future. Ronnie didn’t have insurance. He had avoided going to the doctor for check-ups and screenings.
“I’m sure they would have found out I had high blood pressure and cholesterol before I started to have heart problems,” he said. “I wish I had gone to a doctor earlier.” Miran Hothi, community advocate at International Community Health Center (ICHS), points out that people should not avoid the doctor because they are uninsured or fear high medical bills. Hothi and her colleagues at ICHS help people throughout King County, many of them recent immigrants new to the U.S. health care system, connect with affordable health care and doctors who speak their language. “ICHS turns no one away, regardless of ability to pay,”
she said. “Waiting until you have a problem to see the doctor will cost you more. Don’t risk your health. We can help you.” Ronnie’s angina attack was his wake-up call, he said, “I’ve worked and eaten in restaurants for the last two decades that I’ve lived in the United States. I’m overweight, I smoke and I don’t exercise.” These are all high risk factors for heart disease. “A well-balanced diet consisting of plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetable and less fat, cholesterol and salt is the best way to stay heart healthy,” said Chona Lorico,
dietician at ICHS’ Clinics in Bellevue and Holly Park neighborhood of Seattle. “Keeping a healthy diet is not easy. You will find yourself falling short, but it is not the end to being healthy. You can get up, start a new day and take baby steps toward healthy eating again.” Ronnie now takes his health seriously. “I walk to work and make healthy choices on what I eat at work,” he said. “I’m too young to have health issues. I want to be healthy and feel bad that I am on these medications. I got really scared and I want to do everything I can to make sure I don’t have a heart attack.” For more information about screenings for cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, and to make an appointment to learn about heart disease risk, call ICHS at: 206788-3700. ICHS accepts most insurance plans, including Medicaid, and has a sliding fee scale for those who are uninsured. 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 29,000 patients at eight clinic locations in 2016. For more information, please visit: www.ichs.com. Source: http://www.your-heart-health. com/content/dam/close-the-gap/en/documents/Asian_IC-279718-AA_NOV-2014.pd
Monthly Health Tip from Amerigroup Tip: Preparing for pregnancy Even before becoming pregnant, make sure you’re up-to-date on all your vaccines. This will help protect you and your child from serious diseases. For example, rubella is a contagious disease that can be very dangerous if you get it while you’re pregnant. In fact, it can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects. The best protection against rubella is an MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. If you aren’t up-to-date, you’ll need it before you get pregnant. Make sure you have a pre-pregnancy blood test to see if you are immune to the
disease. Most women were vaccinated as children with the MMR vaccine, but you should confirm this with your doctor. If you need to get vaccinated for rubella, try not to get pregnant until one month after receiving the MMR vaccine. It would be best to wait until your immunity is confirmed by a blood test. Did you know that your baby gets disease immunity (protection) from you during pregnancy? This immunity will protect your baby from some diseases during the first few months of life, but immunity decreases over time. You vaccination history It’s important for you to keep a good record of your vaccinations. Sharing this information
with your pre-conception and prenatal health care professional will help determine which vaccines you’ll need during pregnancy. If you and your doctor don’t have a current record of your vaccinations, you can: Ask your parents or other caregivers if they still have your school immunization records. Ask them which childhood illnesses you’ve already had, because illnesses in childhood can sometimes provide immunity in adulthood. Contact your previous health care providers or other locations where you may have received vaccinations (e.g., the health department, your workplace or local pharmacies). Amerigroup recommends you write down all of your pregnancy questions. Be sure to ask your doctor for the best advice for your pregnancy. Thank you for being an Amerigroup Washington, Inc. member. Shawn Akavan, MD, MBA, CPE Medical Director Amerigroup Washington
8 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
OPINION
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
Opinion: Trump’s “sh**hole countries” comments are harmful. But so are U.S. military intervention and our racist immigration system By Jackie Vaughn, Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees and Communities of Color (CIRCC) Like many people around the country, members of the Coalition of Immigrants Refugees and Communities of Color (CIRCC) were shocked and angered that President Trump reportedly singled out Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries,” whose people were not the kind of immigrants the United States wanted. This reckless and harmful use of words was the most recent act of shame that President Trump has brought to the citizens of this nation. As an organization that values community and diversity, and believes in collective strength and collective work, the words used by Mr. Trump are disturbing. We are deeply upset, because our coalition was created to build informed, engaged, and equitable communities with many who come from countries that Mr. Trump undermined. It is encouraging to see so many take a stance to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his racist remarks, but the real work that needs to be done is to address the racist and xenophobic history of our immigration laws. While it was disturbing to hear the President describe other developing nations as sh**hole countries, his remarks reinforce a system that has always been used as a filter to determine who is deemed worthy to come to the U.S. The Chinese Exclusion act of 1882 set precedent for the U.S. immigration system to
institutionalize racist restrictive policies that prohibited those who the U.S. did not want to come here. In 1921 and 1924, the U.S. enacted a quota system, which mirrors our modern policies. Although they do not explicitly exclude by race, they are intended to disproportionately impact refugees and immigrants of Color. What Mr. Trump pronounced was racist. However, his words only verbalized a long legacy of how the U.S. has always restricted immigration by race and class. What makes the current President’s comments even more harmful is the lack of accountability of U.S. military and policy intrusion in foreign affairs that has destabilized the countries that he referred to. U.S. intrusion in foreign affairs has left the infrastructure of these countries vulnerable, has aided in the development of organized crime and corruption, has supported widespread violence and human rights violations, and has destroyed natural resources. Mr. Trump’s remarks were a blatant display of racism that is the foundation of his administration. CIRCC, our coalition, actively works to address the concerns and issues of immigrants and refugees from different parts of the world. We believe in dialogue to address the institutional racism that is inherent in our immigration system. Trump’s remarks are counterproductive to our organization’s efforts. In King County, 20 percent of the population is immigrants. Washington receives the 8th largest number of refugees of any state in
Photo courtesy of the Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees, and Communities of Color(CIRCC)
the U.S. President Trump’s comments were a blatant disrespect to our neighbors, friends and families. If we are going to stand with those in our communities to whom these comments were directed, we need to address the racism in our immigration policies and the U.S. foreign policy implications in their home countries. Here in Washington we can begin to address the racist practices of our immigration system by supporting Maru Mora who is being targeted for deportation because of her organizing and activism against the racist practices of ICE and this administration. Maru is being singled out because of her activism, and our broken immigration system is being used in attempt to silence her organizing work. Stand with Maru and all of those who this country seeks to silence, exclude, and erase.
NEWS
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 9
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal headlines an alternative to Trump’s State of the Union address By Cliff Cawthon IE Contributor
attacks them in demeaning and mean ways. He does it over and over again. If he doesn’t like the court, he says the judges aren’t unqualified. If he doesn’t like the press, he calls it fake news. If he doesn’t like his own colleagues, he threatens to use his base and the power of his office to take them out.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Jayapal (Seattle, Burien and Shoreline) joined the National Domestic Workers Alliance and other activists to boycott the State of The Union (SOTU) address. Rep. Jayapal joined a You’re not supposed to be scared of bulfew other members of Congress in refusing to attend the constitutionally mandated lies on the playground, and you shouldn’t event in protest of Trump’s and the White be scared of bullies in the White House. CC: What’s happening with your ReHouse’s racist rhetoric. publican colleagues from Washington Despite the Washington Post, Fox News such as Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and a few other news outlets characterizing (Spokane, Pullman), Rep. Dave Reichert the SOTU address that Trump delivered as (Kent, Enumclaw) and Rep. Jamie Her“a call for bi-partisanship”, Rep. Jayapal rera-Butler (Vancouver)? Have they exminced no words about the president in an pressed those concerns? interview with us after the SOTU address.
Secondly, the left has had a number of This interview has been edited for length. Read the full version online at www.iexam- small victories and there’s a long way to go. In such a climate of silence in Washiner.org. ington, how have you been able to accomCliff Cawthon: Over Twitter, you pro- plish anything with the GOP’s permisvided your reasoning for skipping the siveness? SOTU address, and you’ve been in D.C. PJ: Cathy McMorris Rodgers is a part a lot these days. Can you share how the of leadership so she absolutely stands beracism coming from the White House afhind him. Jamie Herrera-Butler and Dave fected your daily work in Congress? Reichert voted against Trumpcare, so I’m Pramila Jayapal: I think the daily hurt- glad they did that. They won’t necessarful and racist statements from the White ily speak up but, they do think his comHouse – whether it’s equating people pro- ments are inappropriate but again, they testing white supremacists in Charlot- won’t take him on. A couple of them have tesville, VA, to the white supremacists voted against him. Dan Newhouse actually themselves last year, or rather, if he calls led Republicans in Congress calling for a Haiti and African nations a vulgarity that DREAM act to come to the floor. I’m not even allowed to use on the House They’re not taking him on around the floor – fires up the base around resistance Russian investigations, collusion with Rusto any kind of solutions to any of the issues sia, obstruction of justice. While they may at hand. Including the fate of DREAMers! He uses those racist statements to throw red criticize him, they don’t criticize him or his meat at 30 percent of his base. I believe it’s behavior or what he’s done in off. I think a shrinking minority base. He fires them up that’s troubling. As for victories, I would say that we’ve against policies which are in the best interest of the country. Policies which have bi- had some pretty huge victories actually, especially at a time when Republicans conpartisan support. Whether that’s DREAMers, comprehen- trol both chambers of Congress, the White sive immigration reform, whether that’s a House and the courts. We’ve been able to healthcare policy that works for everybody. defeat Trumpcare three times! Those were They tried to repeal the Affordable Care huge victories. Defeating the Muslim Ban, Act, and we fought back three times, and the challenges around the Muslim Ban then they started to undermine the law, and and the organizing that went on around it he uses the divisive rhetoric, very divisive was huge stuff and the court declaring it rhetoric to advance his policies. It’s hurt- unconstitutional was a huge victory. Even ful to people around the country, whether though they passed the GOP tax-scam, in that’s immigrants, Muslims who are tired the end, the American people understand. of being called terrorists. Immigrants, It was one of the most unpopular bills to API’s (Asian and Pacific Islanders) who’ve ever come to Congress and it was a viccome to this country through family-based tory that we were able to communicate to immigration. It’s demeaning, it’s beneath the American people – what was in this tax us, it degrades the office and it’s destruc- scam and how outrageous it is that 81 percent of the $1.3 trillion in tax cuts will go to tive. the wealthiest. CC: You mentioned looking for biI think that we’ve been successful bepartisan support. Are any of your Recause people have been organizing on the publican colleagues sitting this SOTU outside and in districts across the country out? that no one ever thought were competiPJ: No. Many of my Republican col- tive are suddenly competitive. Moderate leagues, though, agree with me that he Republicans like Dave Reichert, there’s shouldn’t have said certain things and that a whole slew – about two dozen of them he’s obstructing justice. They are not will- – their districts won’t tolerate them going to stand up and say so and that’s trou- ing along with the President, and yet they bling. don’t want to run and have challengers that They say to me, “We agree with you but, would most likely win in this environment. I can’t go against him, he’s the leader of our There are a lot of wins in this dark time, party. That’s the environment around here. a time I would characterize as a constituHe’s a bully, he used his bully pulpit to ha- tional crisis. rass people. He does it on Twitter, and if someone says something he doesn’t like, he
Rep. Pramila Jayapal speaks at alternative SOTU. • Photo courtesy of the office of Rep. Jayapal
CC: On immigration, the crackdown has been widespread and has hit home here in Seattle, even targeting workers at their jobs and notable undocumented activists. How are you working to fight against this, and how have your constituents been affected?
one family for another by supporting protecting DREAMers and family-based immigration. We can’t let them take away family-based immigration or hold DREAMers hostage.
CC: I know you’re running out of time, but what’s the scenario that you imagine PJ: I’m on the Judiciary Committee and will play out in D.C.? the Immigration Subcommittee and I’ve PJ: We certainly appreciate letters to been working tirelessly to keep the [budget bill] from passing and hold Attorney Gen- our offices, and every member of Congress eral Jeff Sessions and Presidential Chief of gets them. We also have to turn out in the Staff John Kelly accountable. Many con- streets. Right now, we’re going around the stituents have reached out to me and we’ve country and making sure everyone underbeen successful in some cases and not in stands that this is what the Republicans beothers. We’ve attempted to draw attention ing in control of every part of government to the abuses and excesses of ICE and other looks like. law enforcement agencies and spotlight unAlso there’s a lot of amazing communiconstitutional behavior. ty-based efforts in expanding the base of We will use our office to draw light to people who may not be with us on every these things, get as much attention and lift issue but are with us on understanding that up these things to the relevant departments this is the right direction to go. Organizing is ultimately the way to win anything, oras possible. ganizing inside Congress and organizing I would like to just highlight with refer- outside Congress is about building a moveence to the Asian Pacific Islander communi- ment to demand better. For me as an elected ty that obviously we’re seeing deportations official, I work every day to try to use my of immigrants and prominent activists. The platform to vote on a piece of legislation to currently proposal from the White House believe government matters. would upend the current immigration sysAs to what we can advocate for: we need tem. Republicans and the White House have been trying to frame family-based a DREAM act. What we need to do is immigration as “chain migration”, they love mediately pass a DREAM Act and if you saying this instead of saying that they want look at the bill introduced by Rep. [Pete] Aguilar (D-CA) it has some of that but, to end family reunification. it has a lot of border security improveRep. Judy Chu (D-CA), the Chair of the ments. Not a wall but many technological Congressional Asian – Pacific American improvements and solutions, and that’s Caucus (CAPAC), and I, the chair of CA- the direction we need to follow. I think it’s PAC’s Immigration Taskforce, we’ve been over thirty Republicans on that bill and if relentless in trying to understand how basic that bill were to come to the floor, it would the family-based immigration system is to pass. House Speaker Paul Ryan needs to let our country and our values and of course, that bill come to the floor for a vote, and the API community. Of course, in the API Trump is making it sound like he’s given community 80 percent of us got our status us so much when he’s the one who made through family-based immigration histori- the DREAMers deportable by rescinding cally and that’s very important to the U.S., DACA. He’s holding these people up for and we want to lift it up. We urge your ransom in order to get what they want, and readers to call their congressional reprewe’re not going to let that happen. sentatives and urge them not to substitute
10 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
Animation takes center stage at this year’s SAAFF By Brian Park SAAFF
designing a character, creating the beats of a storyboard, and in the animation of the character itself. It takes a skilled artist to In my animation studies, I’ve come translate a character’s essence into a visual across a particularly intriguing aspect of form, particularly one that reads well to the field that is often taken for granted. everybody. Among animators, storyboard artists, But what happens when a character’s and character designers, you’ll often hear people solicit feedback about how well only “personality trait” is their race? Or their gender? their work “reads”. Throughout the history of animation, In a complex medium like animation, we’ve seen this issue resurface again and it’s crucial to know whether or not the again. When you combine the need for audience understands the basic idea of clarity with the desire to exaggerate, but what an artist is trying to convey. When you don’t have a well-developed character, something “reads”, it means that a member problems begin to arise. You will often end of the audience can instantly understand up with a one-dimensional design. Worse, what’s going on with minimal time to without spending the time to develop a absorb the information. They may not unique character, artists tend to fall back understand why something is happening on lazy stereotypes. right away – that’s usually something that the story will answer at a later point. But Stereotypes, of course, are very easy they need to be able to understand what’s to read. It’s in their very nature to rely happening on the screen. on generalizations, to caricaturize of Imagine a scene in which a brave hero entire groups of people. What starts as is facing off against an all-powerful villain an undeveloped character can end up as in their final confrontation. What goes into a hurtful misrepresentation of real human creating a scene like this? From a character beings. design perspective, you would need to make sure the villain looks terrifying. Perhaps the villain would be an enormous monstrosity. Or perhaps the villain would be a cold, calculating human, seated on a throne high above our hero. Whatever character comes out of it, the villain would need to read as a powerful being, who has the power to utterly destroy our hero. From a storyboard artist’s perspective, the camera angle should be at a low angle, emphasizing the scale of the villain in comparison to our hero. The animator would then need to refine the poses of the hero – not a straight, rigid line, but a defiant, curved spine that challenges the villain’s authority.
The list can go on and on, with environment art, color and lighting, visual effects, soundtracks and dialogue. But this just goes to show how intensive it is to communicate a single, simple idea. It all boils down to single question: Does it read? If any one of these elements is visually misleading, distracting or confusing, the director will ask for different iterations. Scenes need to be re-storyboarded, sets need to be re-colored, characters need to change their outfits or be re-animated altogether. A character that reads well clearly conveys their personality from their body language, clothing, facial features, and colors. Even from a still pose, the silhouette of the character should convey key characteristics that tell you what the character is like. A character designer might spend hours iterating on the character, trying to get the details right. It naturally follows that the animators and artists tend to embrace the idea of exaggeration. If you exaggerate certain features of a character, the character will become more distinct and memorable – and they will read more clearly. Often times, these features can be used for comical effect, as well. Exaggeration is considered to be one of the most important principles to master in the art of animation. It’s a vital part of
To call any one animator behind these types of films a racist or misogynist would be missing the larger point. The truth is, most of these projects are created over an extensive period of time, with teams of hundreds of animators and artists. These misrepresentations are not driven by some sinister force. No, these designs tell us something infinitely more banal, almost disappointing. It tells us that the storytellers are boring. It tells us that the storytellers are lazy, or scared, or simply disinterested in taking the time to develop something new. It tells us that the storytellers are looking to preestablished cliches for inspiration rather than challenging themselves to explore new spaces. It tells us that they were more concerned about how they wanted to say something rather than what they wanted to say. Now, this isn’t to say that all artists involved in the story are this way, or that any movie with a single stereotypical character should be absolutely dismissed as worthless. After all, it’s possible to love one element of a film, like the special effects, and yet roll your eyes through the entirety of the story. But oftentimes this is a telling symptom that the director did not utilize the full talents of their team, or challenge their designers to create the very best film they could. Perhaps disappointing would be an apt word. I find a special charm in animated films that defy these norms, films that are clearly a testament to the personal growth a storyteller experienced while making it. I admire storytellers who challenge themselves to tell the best story they can, to be bold and experiment with new styles and fresh subject matters. One production style I’m particularly fond of is animated student films.
An image from “Leave with Me,” courtesy of Seattle Asian American Film Festival
that are not often seen or talked about in major studio releases. One could say that they are somewhat less concerned with “readability” as they are with selfexpression, although skilled students will do both at the same time. As a member of the Seattle Asian American Film Festival, I’m proud to have played a part in choosing which animated short films will screen during our programs. I believe that each of them are special in their aesthetic exploration and their bold self-expression. Below are descriptions of the short films I had the pleasure of curating:
ODE Camille Chao
of an ostracized child. Despite the film’s experimental nature, it manages to capture a tender learning experience that will feel familiar with many viewers. It’s hard not to admire Wong’s mastery of aesthetics; her seamless blending of claymation-style 3d animation and traditional 2d underscores the uncomfortable experiences of the protagonist. LEAVE WITH ME will be part of the Blood, Guts and Ghosts, Oh My! Program, screening on Saturday, Feb. 24th at 8 PM in the Northwest Film Forum Screen 2.
OURO Pierre-Jean Le Moël & Eva Jiahui Gao
ODE is a short film that is elegant in its brevity; In a short, beautiful, three minutes, the film captures the feelings of loneliness and tells a story of the fierce love that can make it go away. Chao’s tight keyframing, in conjunction with her exceptional cinematography and environment design, help bring the story to life. ODE will be part of the Let’s Talk About It program, screening on Sunday, Feb. 25th at 11AM in the Northwest Film Forum Screen 2.
This short, set to a pulsing beat, inspires an exhilarating rush of power and determination. The story revolves around a revived woman seeking vengeance for her murder. The aesthetic quality of the film is impressive; its sharp, sleek design and disciplined use of color match perfectly with the tone of story and soundtrack. OURO will be part of the #GoodTimes program, screening on Saturday, Feb. 24th at 11:30 AM in the Northwest Film Forum Screen 2.
TOUGH Jennifer Zheng
SEWING CIRCLE Jackie Lee
This touching short is an animation over the recording of an interview Zheng conducted with her mother. The film examines the diasporic experience of an immigrant and the culture that is lost over generations. Zheng’s bold colors and handdrawn style add a raw, almost childlike honesty to her work. TOUGH will be part of the Her Resilience program, screening on Saturday, Feb. 24th at 5 PM in the Student animation, at most major Northwest Film Forum Screen 2. art schools, is a very personal project. At CalArts, for example, students are LEAVE WITH ME Mel Wong expected to make a solo film each year This film pushes the boundaries as a project. Oftentimes, these films will experiment with boundaries and themes of reality and imagination through the lens
This short is easily the most adorable one of these selections. The story is about a wandering child and her pet llama as they assist strangers with their sewing and crafting skills. Lee combines a storybook aesthetic with arts and crafts textures in order to create a delightful backdrop for the film. This, combined with the playful sound design and appealing characters, result in a wholesome experience that will leave you smiling. SEWING CIRCLE will also be a part of our #GoodTimes program, screening on Saturday, Feb. 24th at 11:30 AM in the Northwest Film Forum Screen 2.
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SAAFF
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 11
Award-winning “Signature Move” Exploring diasporic is SAAFF opening night movie Asian femininity in short films By Ari Laurel SAAFF Zaynab doesn’t tell her mother much about herself. Her mother doesn’t know she’s gay or even that she spends evenings after work learning to wrestle. While it’s implied that her mother used to be a very different, bolder, less conservative woman, the death of Zaynab’s father following their migration to the States has made her world small. While Zaynab spends her evenings at the wrestling gym screaming and learning single-leg takedowns, her mother sits at home watching Pakistani dramas and looking out the window through a pair of binoculars for any “potentials” that might lead her daughter toward a happy life of straight marriage. In one touching scene, she goes into the bedroom alone, puts on a red lipstick, slips her late husband’s watch over her wrist and quietly models it in the mirror. Zaynab is extremely protective of her “private life,” which is threatened when she meets Alma -- hot femme, an open book and daughter of the famous lunchadora “Luna Peligrosa.” Alma is everything that Zaynab is not. She has a close, warm relationship with her own mother, and when she’s interested in Zaynab, she makes it known. But most of all, she doesn’t keep secrets, and she doesn’t appreciate being kept a secret. Slowly, Zaynab’s two lives come into close orbit, until it becomes difficult to tell which is private and which is public, an issue we get to see her grapple with inside and outside the ring.
have a private life, and who is unwilling to come out to their parents. “I am my mother’s person,” Zaynab explains. As her daughter, caretaker and only friend and relative in the States, she is under extreme pressure to live the life she wants, without destroying her mother’s fragile image of her. To Zaynab, having a private life is a key component to walking this line. “It’s not wrong,” she says. “It’s just different!” It’s a unique and nuanced argument made in a time where queer folks are told that our ultimate goal is to come completely out of the closet, and that we cannot truly be ourselves until we do. The narrative of being queer in conflict with the expectations of an immigrant family is common, but it’s not often a movie puts it in parallel with the narrative of the commonly-led public and private lives led by immigrants who must already navigate two worlds. In one scene, Zaynab is about to leave the house to see Alma. Her mother’s face lights up, as she believes her daughter is about to meet a man. “Does he have potential?” she asks. At this, Zaynab stands up straight and says, “What about me, Mom? Do I have potential?”
This movie absolutely has potential. The music is playlist worthy, and while the humor doesn’t always land, the women and the relationships feel complex and authentic. If I were to put Signature Move in genre, I’d easily put it with the likes of Saving Face or Bend It Like Beckham. It’s sweet and encouraging, and it expands the pitifully short list of One thing that stands out is this movies so beloved by Asian queers for movie’s empathy for ambiguity. Alma being both Asian and queer. has contempt for anyone who could
By Yaoyao Liu IE Contributor This year’s Seattle Asian American Film Festival (SAAFF) will showcase a number of feature-length and short format films in late February that delve into the nuances of Asian American and Pacific Islander identity in North America and beyond. One of SAAFF 2018’s most compelling and multifaceted programs examines the intersections of race, family and gender in the lives of immigrant women. Running about an hour and a half long, this collection of short films presents narratives that focus on femininity and the ordinary experiences of women in the Asian diaspora. As a Chinese-American woman who grew up in the United States, I found so many similarities between the characters I saw on the screen and my own life. From questions of intergenerational memory to feelings of cultural belonging and alienation, these short films visualize the unique realities of Asian girlhood and womanhood. Across the varying cultural backgrounds of all the protagonists, those themes resonate powerfully.
From “Akashi. • Courtesy of the Seattle Asian American Film Festival
complicated by her arranged marriage. The film does not make a definitive statement on whether the practice is right or wrong, but rather meditates upon how it shapes people’s ideas on forming relationships. The protagonists of these narratives often have their family on their minds, but in many instances, they live far away from where they grew up. In Distance, beauty store owner Vandana has all her material needs covered in Palo Alto. But she nonetheless finds that the feeling of separation from her family in India persists, especially in light of her father’s passing. The short film overlays a poignant and understated conversation she has with her mother as Vandana carries out her ordinary routines, illustrating how the weight of memory survives across vast distances. Vandana’s story presents moments of alienation, longing, and wistfulness as they flow through her, passing with the hours of the day.
Many of the short films ruminate on how one’s family history plays out in everyday life, affecting perspectives on love, tradition and identity. In AKASHI, the protagonist is a Japanese woman named Kana living in North America. She reflects upon a conversation with her late grandmother, whose discussion of her own marriage changed Kana’s conception of love and commitment. Immediately following in the program, It is a troubling but empirically justified The Seven Steps tells the story of truth that women of color face higher rates a budding romance between two of violence and sexual assault than the characters, Rohan and Anika, that is general population. Taking on these issues in a manner both impactful and sensitive, The Bridge articulates how victims of violence must contend with its aftermath. The narrative introduces the viewer to Nima, whose attacker attempts to forcibly remove her hijab. As she recovers from this incident, an operatic score heightens the viewer’s sense of crisis even as the scenes on the screen appear ordinary. The Bridge presents a different kind of weight that diasporic Asian women must carry with them to varying degrees. As women of color, we know ourselves to be fully human and worthy of dignity and respect. But we also know too well that many people see us as far less than that.
From “Signature Move” • Courtesty of Seattle Asian American Film Festival
While there are many moments in this collection of short films that depict the forces that interrupt the lives of diasporic Asian women, there are also ones that emphasize intimacy and connection. My personal favorites in this program, Tough and Every Grain of Rice, both focus on motherhood, memory, and the love for women who came before us. In both pieces, the mothers at their center come from a different world than their children. They speak different languages and grew up believing things that might be unimaginable to their daughters. But the bonds between them in these works is an undeniable force. Despite all of the differences and shifts that come with diaspora, this connection remains.
12 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
Island Soldier documentary demands outrage as it shows Micronesia as a “recruiter paradise” for the U.S. military By Ari Laurel SAAFF Nathan Fitch’s documentary Island Soldier opens with the homecoming of Sgt. Sapuro Nena, affectionately nicknamed “Sapp” by family and friends. However, the faces and the sober silence of the reunion are unmistakable. This homecoming is a funeral. Island Soldier follows three soldiers and their families. One soldier has just enlisted, one is in the middle of his service, and one is Sgt. Sapp. But first, Fitch sets the stage by introducing us to the Federated States of Micronesia, more specifically Kosrae, an island of lush greens and blues where the Kosrean people have suffered wave after wave of imperialism, first from Europe, then Japan, and now the United States. Although considered an independent country, Micronesia is hamstrung by its relationship to the U.S., which provides aid under the Compact Free Association in exchange for control of the islands and the surrounding waters. What’s more, Micronesia is considered a “recruiters paradise” for the U.S. military, where many young Kosrae who are not American citizens, enlist to fight in our wars. During a morning service, a minister recites a sober prayer. “Our young people are leaving,” he says. “They are going away for us.” And in the same prayer: “Thank you to the Americans for recognizing our people who are serving in the armed forces.” The decision to enlist at first seems counter-intuitive. It should go without saying that Kosraean recruits are not uncritical. At a gathering before his deployment, Kilfrank Sigrah,
discusses among fellow soldiers who they will be fighting. Not Al Qaeda, they conclude, but other recruits – young men who have nothing, who choose to fight because they have been promised something. On Kosrae, the annual salary is $2,000, compared to a year’s salary in the American military, which starts at $18,000. And there is the promise of opportunity, the promise of education for one’s children. Later, while in Afghanistan, Kilfrank notices the number of islanders who manage to find each other. They seek one another out, pledge to look out for one another, and call each other “brother,” in a way that transcends the brotherhood of other soldiers. Another young man, Arthur, and his father Madison catch an iridescent tuna while fishing. It’ll be one of the last they catch together before Arthur begins basic training. From the army base, he indulges in a rare talk with his family over a grainy Skype call. Without Arthur at home, Madison takes over all the duties himself, but it’s difficult work. Kosrae depends on the United States for almost 80percent of its budget, and if everyone leaves for other opportunities, the smaller the economy becomes, the more the islands depend on the United States. And with the Compact Free Association ending in 2023, the U.S. has committed to hanging the islands out to dry, while maintaining control over the region. After completing basic, other soldiers clap Arthur on the back and tell him he’s American now, but is he?
From “Island Soldier • Courtesy of the Seattle Asian American Film Festival
are lined with burger ingredients, including Spam. Once a symbol of U.S. military presence and cheap eats, on Kosrae, a can of Spam is $4. Occasionally, Maryann watches old videos of her son from when he was on deployment, Sapp performing a Kosraean war dance in the middle of the desert, Sapp singing and playing the uke. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” he asks in one video, turning the camera onto a soldier in his company. The other soldier answers, “I’m already grown up.” “Oh, shit!” Sapp jokes. With so many young people who do not make it back from war, the Kosraean people are in a constant state of grieving, and without most of the support offered to American veterans, Back on the island, Sapp’s mother Maryann families like Sapp’s must find other ways to has opened a burger stand called Sgt. Sapp’s stay resilient. Watching the videos, Maryann Corner in memory of her son. The walls
remarks, “It’s like he’s still alive.” Island Soldier does not feel like a debut documentary. It successfully packs a lot of information, and a lot of feeling, in a just over ninety minutes, and it’s a compelling indictment of the United States – a country where most of its citizens would fail to find Micronesia on a map, let alone understand how the tendrils of American imperialism might affect it. Fitch tells a crisp and affecting story that does more than move you. Rather, Island Soldier demands outrage, as well as the recognition of a people who have been made strategically invisible, and whose very existence is threatened in the face of American indifference.
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 13
“Proof of Loyalty” documentary tells the story of Hawaiian Nisei contributions in World War II By Adrian Alarilla IE Contributor
From the complex history of Hawaii, our 50th state, comes this unique story of the struggle to combat prejudice and find one’s rightful place in this nation. “Proof of Loyalty: Kazuo Yamane and the Nisei Soldiers of Hawaii” tells the story of a Japanese American who played a crucial strategic role in World War II. Adrian Alarilla talks with filmmakers Lucy Ostrander and Don Sellers about their very timely and important film. This interview has been edited for space. Please see the full interivew online at www.iexaminer.org. International Examiner: How did you come upon Kazuo Yamane’s story, and why did you feel compelled to make a documentary about him? Our previous film, Honor & Sacrifice, told the story of Roy Matsumoto, a second generation Japanese American born in Los Angeles who joined the Military Intelligence Service in WWII. Kazuo Yamane’s daughter Joyce, who lives in Edmonds, saw Honor & Sacrifice and contacted us to see if we would be interested in her father’s story. Her father had a unique and important service in the war, but it was not until we started to understand the context of his service, and the little known, but extraordinary role that the Nisei from Hawaii played in defending the country during the war, that we realized a film had to be made. We have produced a number of films about the Japanese American experience during World War II, but always from the point of view of those who lived on the west coast of the mainland. The experience of those of Japanese ancestry who comprised nearly 40 percent of the population of the Hawaiian Islands when Pearl Harbor was attacked was completely different from the experience of those here.
ously overlooked document that proved to find than others. Some were more generbe invaluable in understanding the state of ally available and some, like many of the Japanese armament production. family photos, have never been seen pubKazuo Yamane had one of the most un- licly before this film. We began with phousual careers of any Nisei in World War II. tos that Joyce Yamane had of the family. From guarding the Hawaiian beaches after They had kept many photographs starting Pearl Harbor, to training with the 100th with her father who began as a small busibattalion at Camp McCoy, to serving at the nessman in Hawaii. Kazuo kept photoPentagon and Camp Ritchie and then serv- graphic albums during the war. So we had ing under General Eisenhower, no other a wealth of material to start with there. For Nisei had a comparable experience during archival footage, we have done decades of work with the National Archives outside the war. of Washington, DC. We made some early IE: How did you go about making this research trips out there and we hired redocumentary? searchers to look in particular areas. One We felt that this particular story could great source of fairly old footage was taknot be told adequately without understand- en by the Ford Motor Company for early ing and portraying the unusual history of travelogues. We had used some of their the Japanese in Hawaii, and the unique footage before of the Puget Sound mosquicontribution that the Nisei from Hawaii to fleet in a film we did about Thea Foss, made during World War II. The context who started the Foss Tugboat Company. was everything, so we put in almost a Ford Motors had taken a couple of sets of year just doing research on the story. We footage from pretty early in Hawaii, some discovered a tremendous amount of infor- of which included Japanese immigrants. mation that we had no idea about, which But the most invaluable source of footprovided the necessary background to age proved to be from a film that had been understand the significance of the differ- originally suppressed that was produced ent elements of the story. We also realized by John Ford called December 7th. The how language would become an important story of the making of this film is fascitheme throughout the documentary, as the nating and somewhat amazing, and is language skills of the Nisei became a pow- recounted in the book Five Came Back, erful secret weapon. by Mark Harris. Ford, like a number of After the basic research we began to Hollywood directors, worked to produce seek out and identify experts who could informational films for the War Departact as on-camera interviewees in the film. ment. After Pearl Harbor, he sent Gregg At the same time, we began to form a sense Toland, the cinematographer known for of the narrative of the film, how it would his groundbreaking work on Citizen Kane, hang together as a complete and satisfying out to Hawaii to make a film about Hawaii story. Our films provide a lot of historic and its preparedness for the war. The film information, but we try to do it within the Toland created centered on the question of the loyalty of those of Japanese ancestry context of a compelling narrative. and the 82-minute final cut was immediWe used a generous amount of archival ately censored by the War Department footage and images. Some were easier to
down to 32 minutes, and that won the Academy Award. We used the uncut version, which is a very odd film, as a source of much good footage. IE: How relevant is this film today? Our film is about immigrants and their children, and the sacrifice they make to defend and serve their new country. But it is especially about language, and how keeping the traditions and the language of newer arrivals to our country alive actually provides a reservoir of strength in difficult times. We believe that instead of seeing a new immigrant culture as something alien that should be quickly assimilated, the diversity should instead be celebrated, because there is strength in that diversity, and some day the country may need that strength to survive. This is what happened with the Nisei. Just before World War II, when the War Department began to plan for a war with Japan, they sent out a survey team to university language departments to ascertain how many Japanese translators would be available. The answer staggered them: practically none. At that point they realized they had to trust the Nisei, who of course were American citizens, to provide that capability for them. No one will ever know how much shorter the war in the Pacific would be, and how many lives would be saved because of the reliance on the Nisei, but their contribution and sacrifice were enormous there and also in the combat role of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. We need to keep this history in mind when some would turn away people from our shores. If we keep them out, perhaps the biggest loser is not them, but us. “Proof of Loyalty” is at the Northwest Film Forum on Friday, February 23.
IE: What makes Kazuo Yamane’s story unique? Many Nisei who became translators and interrogators with the MIS didn’t join with an extensive knowledge of Japanese. As Americans, they spoke English. The Japanese they picked up at home and in the Japanese language schools many begrudgingly attended had to be augmented by MIS schools before they could be deployed. Most of them eventually worked behind American lines, interrogating prisoners, or monitoring enemy communications. But because of Kazuo Yamane’s exceptional facility with Japanese (due to the unlikely fact that Kazuo was educated at the university level in Japan just before the war), he took a route that was unique in the MIS, and his contribution to the war effort was similarly distinct. He was one of the first four Nisei assigned to the Pentagon as translators. From there, he was moved to a secret facility in northern Maryland, Camp Ritchie, where captured enemy documents were pored over for hidden secrets. It was there that he identified a previ-
Photo courtesy of the Seattle Asian American Film Festival
14 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SAAFF
SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
PROGRAM GUIDE | FEB 22 - 25, 2018 Welcome to SAAFF 2018! This year we are excited as ever to showcase 75 films that represent the latest and greatest in Asian American cinema. We’ll be kicking off the fesHviHes at Broadway Performance Hall with our Opening
Night film, Signature Move, a story of love, family, and Lucha-style wrestling. From there, SAAFF will move back to Northwest Film Forum to showcase films like Resistance at Tule Lake, which tells the story of 12,000 Japanese Americans during World War II and their resistance to unlawful incarceraHon, and our fun shorts program #Good8mes that somehow features two movies with “buJ” in their Htles. And aLer a long absence, we are so excited to return to the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in the historic Chinatown-InternaHonal District, where we held our very first SAAFF six years ago. We couldn’t imagine a beJer place to present our shorts program Long Live Chinatown than in the very neighborhood where so many of us have found community. And community is what we strive to make this fesHval about. CreaHng this space and sharing our stories, we celebrate all the ways we show up in our beauHfully diverse community. It is an honor to feature films from our local Southeast Asian Young Men’s (SEAYM) group and Armed with a Camera Fellows from LA. We look forward to sharing the amazing work of our community partners like Densho and Tasveer. It will be a blast to see the voguing and waacking of Malicious Allure and hear the songs of Lions AmbiHon at our Opening Night Party. And most of all, we can’t wait to introduce all of these amazing films and filmmakers to you.
6th Annual SAAFF Sponsors FISCAL SPONSOR:
SILVER SPONSORS:
Thank you for sharing this space with us. Thank you for supporHng all of these amazing arHsts. And thank you for being a part of our community. In Solidarity,
Vanessa Au & MarBn Tran SAAFF Co-Directors
PARTNER SPONSOR:
GOLD SPONSORS:
BRONZE SPONSORS: University of Washington Center for Global Studies University of Washington East Asia Center
COMMUNITY SPONSORS: Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington Asian Counseling and Referral Service WISHING YOU A HEALTHY NEW YEAR
InterIm CDA OCA – Greater SeaJle SeaJle JACL ZipSprout by CitaHon Labs
MEDIA SPONSORS InternaHonal Examiner C89.5 FM
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SAAFF
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 15
SAAFF Frequently Asked Questions Q: How do I get ,ckets?
Q: How do I get to the fes,val?
A: Tickets can be purchased online at www.sea5leaaff.org. You can print your :ckets at home and bring them with you or show your :cket on your mobile device.
A: Broadway Performance Hall and Northwest Film Forum are in the heart of Sea5le’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Public Transit: Capitol Hill Link Light Rail Sta:on (140
Buy a full fes:val pass at www.sea5leaaff.org/2018/full-fes:val-pass/. This pass gives you priority access to all films as well as access to our VIP Rooms and VIP Party.
Broadway E); First Hill Streetcar (Broadway & E Pine); Metro buses 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 43, 49, 60, 84.
Purchase :ckets in person, during fes:val hours, at guest services in the theater lobby at least 30 minutes before the screening starts. Many sessions will sell out online so :ckets are not guaranteed to be available for purchase on-site. We recommend buying :ckets online in advance.
Wing Luke Museum is located in the Chinatown-ID. Public Transit: ID/Chinatown Link Light Rail Sta:on (5th & Jackson); First Hill Streetcar (Jackson & 8th); Metro buses 1,
Q: How much are ,ckets? A: Opening Night Film and Party (all ages) - $18 (Students & Seniors with ID - $15) Opening Night Party only (all ages) - $12 Single Screening General Admission - $12 (Students & Seniors with ID - $10) Full-Fes:val Pass - $80 There will also be four FREE screenings. Sea:ng will be first come, first served: – FRI, Feb. 23 (5:30 p.m.): WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (Narra6ve Shorts) – SAT, Feb. 24 (5:00 p.m.): HER RESILIENCE (Narra6ve Shorts) – SAT, Feb. 24 (8:00 p.m.): BLOOD, GUTS, AND GHOSTS, OH MY! (Narra6ve Shorts) – SUN, Feb. 25 (11:00 a.m.): LET’S TALK ABOUT IT (Shorts Program)
Q: What if the screening I want to aDend is sold out? A: If advance :ckets are no longer available, you can line up for rush :ckets that will be released at guest services in the theater lobby 15 mins before show :me.
Q: Are the films in English? A: Most films are in English. There will be sub:tles for any non-English segments.
Q: Where is the fes,val?
7, 14, 36, 99, 106, and all bus routes going through the downtown tunnel.
Q: Where can I park? A: Broadway Performance Hall, Northwest Film Forum, Rhein Haus: Free parking is available at Richmark Printers lot (11th & Pine), just E of Cal Anderson. Parking is not guaranteed. An affordable parking lot is available 3 blocks from Northwest Film Forum at the Greek Orthodox Church (13th & Howell). Sea5le Central College's Harvard Garage (1609 Harvard Ave) is available 24/7. Street parking is metered 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., MON - SAT, and free SUN. Wing Luke Museum: An affordable pay parking lot is available underneath the freeway (900 S King St), cash only. There are also many paid lots around the area. Street parking is metered 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., MON - SAT, and free on SUN.
Q: Are there discounts at local businesses for fes,val aDendees? A: Yes, see us at guest services in the lobby of the Northwest Film Forum for a list of businesses offering discounts.
Q: Is there food available at the theaters? A: On Opening Night at Broadway Performance Hall, food and beverages are available. At Northwest Film Forum, concessions and beer will also be available for purchase. And many restaurants are within walking distance of the theaters.
Q: How do I interact with SAAFF and filmmakers?
A: This year’s fes:val will be held across several loca:ons:
A: We will have panel discussions and Q&As with filmmakers aner many screenings. Filmmakers onen make themselves available for discussion in the lobby, and many will be in a5endance at the Closing Night Party.
Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Sea5le Opening Night Film and Party (all ages), Thursday, February 22 Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Sea5le Majority of the film screenings, Friday - Sunday, February 23 - 25 Wing Luke Museum of the APA Experience, 719 King St, Sea5le Sunday, February 25 Rhein Haus, 912 12th Ave S, Sea5le Closing Night Party (all ages), Sunday, February 25
Q: How can I contact SAAFF? A: Find us on social media! Facebook.com/sea5leaaff | Twi5er.com/sea5leaaff Instagram.com/sea5leaaff | Youtube.com/sea5leaaff | Hashtag: #SAAFF2018 Email ques:ons to info@sea5leaaff.org, message us on Facebook, or @ reply us on Twi5er. Also visit us at guest services in the lobby of the theaters during fes:val hours.
Q: Are the theaters ADA accessible? A: Yes, all theaters are ADA (Americans with Disabili:es Act) accessible.
HUGO HOUSE PRESENTS
RUTH OZEKI on the art and craft of writing February 23, 2018 | 7 pm at Washington Hall $6-$15
Tickets at hugohouse.org
16 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SIGNATURE MOVE Thursday, Feb 22, 7:00 p.m., Broadway Performance Hall Co-presented by Tasveer and Three Dollar Bill Cinema
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (FREE SHORTS PROGRAM) Friday, Feb 23, 5:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Tasveer and Rebate Ensemble
THE VISIT Directed by Shane Andries (Narra=ve Shorts / United States / 2015 / 11 mins)
SIGNATURE MOVE Directed by Jennifer Reeder (Narra=ve Features / United States / 2017 / 79 mins)
found passions force her to confront her rela@onship with her recently widowed mother. Zaynab must navigate all of her desires and iden@@es in this heart-warming, hilarious, and painfully familiar coming of age story.
This award-winning film tells the story of Zaynab, a Pakistani M u s l i m wo m a n w h o fi n d s romance with the free-spirited **Tickets to SIGNATURE Mexican American woman Alma, and also inspira@on through MOVE include admission to Lucha Libre wrestling. Her new- the Opening Night Party** ddd
OPENING NIGHT PARTY
A man is abruptly woken up in his room and interrogated about a THE SECOND PROVINCE racist interac@on earlier in the D i r e c t e d b y Z o r i n a h J u a n evening. (Narra=ve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 19 mins) Two estranged Filipino-American siblings are forced to reunite when their o^eat mother chooses death with dignity.
MY GOOD BOY Directed by T.L. Quach (Narra=ve Shorts / United States / 2016 / 3 mins) A single mother tries to calm and THE SHUTTLE understand her son’s troubled mind. Directed by Lu Han (Narra=ve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 15 mins) An infer@le nail salon owner decides to confront her husband, the salon's shuLle driver, whom she suspects of sleeping with one of her employees.
Thursday, Feb 22, 9:00 p.m. Broadway Performance Hall
WITNESS OPENING NIGHT PARTY Kick off the 2018 SeaLle Asian American Film Fes@val with live performances from local ar@sts, a DJ, a photobooth, and, of c o u r s e , d r i n k s a n d h o r s d’oeuvres. We’ll get this party started right aRer the screening of SIGNATURE MOVE. Headlining: Lions Ambi@on. Performances: Groove Clan, Champagne Honeybee, Jyun Jyun, Malicious Allure.
GEETA
Directed by Chen Xu (Narra=ve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 23 D i r e c t e d b y S o h i l Va i d y a (Narra=ve Shorts / United mins) States / 2017 / 16 mins) WITNESS follows an undocumented immigrant, Shen Hao, In this film inspired by true and his struggle to make the right events, Geeta has been brought decision aRer witnessing a to the United states as domes@c murder near the Chinese restau- worker by an Indian couple with rant he works at. Will he remain the promise of giving her the silent to pursue his American American Dream. However it is dream with his pregnant wife or not long un@l Geeta realizes that risk deporta@on by calling the although she is in the land of police to seLle his guilty opportunity, her financial, conscience when he finds out personal, and social freedoms are slowly being taken away. who the vic@m is?
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 17
PORTRAITS OF US (SHORTS PROGRAM)
SPOTLIGHT (SHORTS PROGRAM)
Friday, Feb 23, 6:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by Pride Asia
Friday, Feb 23, 8:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Rajana Society and Northwest Film Forum
A brave young transgender woman sets off on a journey to Directed by Val Wang (Docu- become her true self in the conmentary Shorts / United States / serva/ve Pacific Island Kingdom 2016 / 25 mins) of Tonga – with a liLle inspira/on Daqi, a Chinese circus ar/st, from Tina Turner along the way. leaves home at age 9 to train at an elite state-run circus academy. GETTING LAO’D: Restless a<er ascending to the THE RISE OF MODERN zenith of the Chinese circus LAO MUSIC AND FILMS world, he leaves his stable job to Directed by Steve Arounsack perform with Cirque du Soleil. (Documentary Shorts / Lao People’s DemocraNc Republic / 2017 / 40 mins)
THE FLIP SIDE
GETTING LAO’D follows a new genera/on of young pioneers as they reimagine Lao media in a Communist country. The film, featuring many of the country's LADY EVA most prominent musi-cians and Directed by Dean Hamer, Joe filmmakers, is perhaps the most Wilson & Hinaleimoana Wong- comprehensive exam-ina/on of Kalu (Documentary Shorts / the rise of modern music and United States / 2016 / 11 mins) films in Laos.
PROOF OF LOYALTY: KAZUO YAMANE AND THE NISEI SOLDIERS OF HAWAII Friday, Feb 23, 9:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by JACL–SeaZle Chapter
AN AMERICAN HERO: FRANK NISHIMURA D i r e c t e d b y S h a n n o n G e e (Animated Documentary Shorts / United States / 2016 / 23 mins) This animated short film tells the story of a World War II veteran and is based on the graphic novel "Figh/ng for America: Nisei Soldiers," wriLen by Lawrence Matsuda and illustrated by MaL Sasaki.
PROOF OF LOYALTY: KAZUO YAMANE AND THE NISEI SOLDIERS OF HAWAII Directed by Don Sellers & Lucy Ostrander (Documentary Features / United States / 2017 / 54 mins) Dra<ed just before World War II, J a p a n e s e A m e r i c a n Ka z u o Yamane became part of the renowned 100th Infantry BaLalion, a unit made up en/rely of Nisei from Hawaii. His journey led him to the Pentagon, to a secret facility in northern Maryland, and finally to serving under Eisenhower in Europe. His incredible work was instrumental in shortening the war in the Pacific.
girl growing up first genera/on in Canada. Her brother Tuan, whom she looks up to as her hero, slowly reveals that he is not who he seems when she secretly disobeys his rule to stay home and joins him for a night out.
REAL ARTISTS D i r e c t e d b y C a m e o Wo o d (NarraNve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 12 mins) Sophia Baker just scored her dream interview at a worldfamous anima/on studio. But when she meets the mysterious execu/ve Anne Palladon, she learns all is not as she expects. Based on Nebula, Hugo & World Fantasy Award-winning author Ken Liu’s short story, REAL ARTISTS asks a poignant ques/on: In a dystopian near-future where big data, AI and natural language processing learn and create MONDAY quickly and at massive scale, what role can a single ar/st play? Directed by Dinh Thai (NarraNve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 18 mins) MONDAY is the first place winner of HBO's inaugural APA Visionaries contest. “What can I get to you?” That’s the ques/on driving a conflicted young hustler who MIDNIGHT GIRL sells everything and anything to Directed by ChrisNna Yoon make money. As he code(NarraNve Shorts / United switches through various cliques, he must confront the racism as States / 2017 / 18 mins) well as the immorality of his MIDNIGHT GIRL tells the story of occupa/on. Kate, a Chinese American high school student, dealing with the a<ermath of sexual assault. When she meets a “cam girl” who shows her how to be comfortable with her sexuality, Kate has an unexpected night out that will challenge everything she FLOAT knows. Directed by Tristan Seniuk & Voleak Sip (NarraNve Shorts / ANH HUNG United States / 2016 / 24 mins) Directed by Lelinh Du (NarraNve FLOAT is set in mid-1990s SeaLle, Shorts / Canada / 2017 / 15 and follows the day-to-day trials mins) and tribula/ons of CambodianJenny is a 9-year-old Vietnamese American hustler Rocky Mang. l
18 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 19
20 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
I CAN I WILL I DID
#GOODTIMES (SHORTS PROGRAM)
Saturday, Feb 24, 11:00 a.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by ACLF
Saturday, Feb 24, 11:30 a.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by Pork Filled Produc:ons and Jet City Improv
a result gets into a car accident. His recovery process is slow, un>l he meets Adrienne, a wheelchair bound fellow pa>ent at the hospital who breathes hope into his life and introduces him to her grandfather, Taekwondo Grand Master Kang. Kang not only I CAN I WILL I DID teaches him how to walk and get Directed by Nadine Truong back up on his feet, but also how (Narra:ve Features / United to take charge of his own life and ul>mately to face his inner States / 2016 / 114 mins) demons. Foster youth Ben is bullied and as
FOR THE WIN (SHORTS PROGRAM) Saturday, Feb 24, 2:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Friends of Li2le Saigon
TIDAL WAVES Directed by Kris:na Wong (Narra:ve Shorts / Canada / 2016 / 9 mins) A once triumphant and passionate dancer, Riley must now come to terms with the fact that she can no longer dance a9er undergoing a surgery to correct scoliosis. Now in recovery, her mother tries to steer her in a different direc>on while her doctor enrolls her in water therapy to help relieve her physical and mental pain.
I DON’T MAKE THE RULES
skyrockets to stardom, becoming the first ethnic Vietnamese player to represent the U.S. In a sport defined by winning, his story reminds us that it’s instead how you deal with the unexpected turns of sport and of life that maFer most.
LIONS IN WAITING Directed by Jason Karman (Narra:ve Shorts / Canada / 2017 / 17 mins) The newest member of a minor league hockey team struggles to fit in both on and off the ice. Will he find the courage he needs to accept himself?
Directed by Lawrence Chen (Narra:ve Shorts / United States / 2016 / 16 mins) An ex-pro football player struggles to survive on blue collar odd jobs and willingness to do whatever it takes to land an entry level office job at a law firm.
NGUYENing | THE LEE NGUYEN STORY
OURO
ASIAN MAN, WHITE WOMAN
Directed by Pierre-Jean Le Moel & Eva Jiahui Gao (Animated Directed by Woody Fu (Narra:ve Shorts / France / 2016 / 3 mins) Shorts / United States / 2017 / 2 A woman is sacrificed as a gi9 for mins) the Great Snake. But she will The struggle is real when searchhave her chance at revenge. ing for adult content featuring
QUANTUM
ASIAN MAN, WHITE WOMAN.
Directed by Ryan Willard (Nar- ASWANG NEXT DOOR ra:ve Shorts / United States / Directed by Bernard Badion 2017 / 11 mins) (Narra:ve Shorts / United When a boy baFling a brain States / 2017 / 6 mins)
tumor is ready to give up, his A friendly neighbor has unweLliFle sister helps him discover a come news for an expectant message of hope. mother.
EMMA AND THE BUTT
MARC CHUNG PROTECTS HIS ADDRESS
Directed by Carmen Liang and Steven Liang (Narra:ve Shorts / Directed by Michael Chan (NarUnited States / 2017 / 3 mins) ra:ve Shorts / United States / A 6-year-old girl named Emma 2016 / 10 mins) uses her drawing skills to try to Marc Chung regales his friends help out her father with his monabout the absurd events that led ey problems and at the same up to his purchasing a pellet gun >me gain his love and aFen>on to protect his address. which she craves.
SEWING CIRCLE
SPACE BUTTHOLE
Directed by David Chai (Animated Directed by Jackie Lee (Shorts / Shorts / United States / 2017 / 8 United States / 2017 / 6 mins) mins) Love requires sacrifice, but it In the annals of mankind, we will comes back to you in the end. realize that humans have been
mistrea>ng Mother Nature for far too long. Can humanity Directed by Linnea Ritland (Nar- squeeze out a solu>on before it ra:ve Shorts / Canada / 2017 / 6 goes to pot? mins)
VIOLET AND JUNE
FLIP THE RECORD
VIOLET AND JUNE tells a story of falling love, the terror of being Directed by Marie Jamora (Naralive in a cold heartless universe, ra:ve Shorts / United States / 2016 / 15 mins) and buFs.
RACE: THE AL YOUNG STORY
Directed by Rick Quan (Documentary Shorts / United States / Directed by Alfonso Bui (Docu- 2017 / 20 mins) mentary Shorts / United States / Learn the true tale of the first 2017 / 22 mins) Asian American world champion A teenage soccer phenomenon drag racer. llll
THE HAHNS Directed by Julio Salcedo & Sun Hong (Narra:ve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 9 mins) Meet THE HAHNS, your typical not-so-typical American family, as they face the age-old ques>on, "Where do babies come from?"
Set in the 1980s, this coming-ofage story follows Filipina American Vanessa, who is sick of the constraints of her conserva>ve family and her boring piano lessons. On the sly, she teaches herself how to scratch on her older brother’s turntables, and discovers her talents and place in the local music scene.
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
RESISTANCE AT TULE LAKE Saturday, Feb 24, 2:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by Densho and Sea0le JACL
A MATTER OF TRUTH Directed by Steve Nagano (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2017 / 10 mins)
RESISTANCE AT TULE LAKE tells the long-suppressed story of 12,000 Japanese Americans who dared to resist the U.S. government’s program of mass incarcera0on during World War II. Branded as ‘disloyals’ and reimprisoned, they con0nued to RESISTANCE AT TULE protest. Giving voice to expeLAKE riences that have been marDirected by Konrad Aderer ginalized for over 70 years, this (Documentary Features / United documentary challenges the na0onalist, one-sided ideal of States / 2017 / 78 mins) war0me ‘loyalty.’
ISLAND SOLDIER Saturday, Feb 24, 5:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by ASUW Pacific Islander Student Commission and AAJA–Sea0le Chapter Documentary Features / United States / 2017 / 86 mins)
ISLAND SOLDIER Directed by Nathan Fitch
HER RESILIENCE (FREE SHORTS PROGRAM) Saturday, Feb 24, 5:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Sea0le Women in Film and Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington
TOUGH
The U.S. government’s propaganda film on the evacua0on of Japanese Americans to America’s concentra0on camps is juxtaposed against the tes0monies of incarcerees given at the 1981 Commission on War0me Reloca0on and Internment of Civilians. The film raises the ques0ons “Who do you believe?” and “What is the truth?”
ISLAND SOLDIER follows members of the Nena family from one of the most remote islands in the world to the training grounds of Texas and the baglefields in Afghanistan. The death of Sapuro “Sapp” Nena in Afghanistan makes waves through his 0ny home island of Kosrae – where nearly everyone is connected to the U.S. Military directly or through family members. In an agempt to heal from his own deep wounds, Sapuro’s best friend in the Army, Mario Robles, heads to Kosrae with his family to meet Sapp’s parents for the first 0me and pay his respects on Veteran’s Day. It is an emo0onal gathering of two families, from opposite sides of the world, brought together by loss, love and honor.
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 21
reflect and examine the course of her life.
Directed by Jennifer Zheng (Animated Documentary Shorts / THE SEVEN STEPS United Kingdom / 2016 / 5 mins) Directed by Zac Chia (NarraMve A Chinese mother and her Bri0sh Shorts / United States / 2017 / 15 born daughter speak as adults for mins) the first 0me. On her wedding day, Anika
reflects on the good and bad 0mes she's had with the love of Directed by Ma0hew Kaundart her life. He seems to possess all (Documentary Shorts / United the quali0es of a good husband, States / 2017 / 5 mins) so why doesn't she feel ready to Like thousands of orphans from go through with it? Korea, Kayla Tange was adopted by an American family. Now in THE BRIDGE LA, she works as an exo0c dancer Directed by Disha Patel-Webb and performance ar0st. In 2011, (Shorts / United Kingdon / 2017 / Kayla made arrangements to 7 mins) meet her birth mother. The story of Nima, a Hijabi from east London, who is the vic0m of SANTA CLAUS a horrible hate crime. Directed by Jeff Man (NarraMve Shorts / United States / 2017 / 15 20TH CENTURY WOMAN mins) Directed by Katherine Cuscatlan On Christmas night, two lonely (NarraMve Shorts / United neighbors come together to States / 2017 /3 mins) share a meal. Despite having little in common, they try to make A scene from the Academy a meaningful connec0on. Award-nominated screenplay for the film of the same name, reimagined with a Chinese AmeriDISTANCE can family in San Francisco. Directed by Zulfiya Hamzaki (Documentary Shorts / United KILL GREEN States / 2016 / 7 mins) Directed by Chelsie Pennello Vandana Kumar leY her home in (Shorts / United States / 2017 / 9 search of the American Dream. mins) AYer seZng up a successful beauty store in the heart of Palo A young Chinese woman experiAlto, she seems to have achieved ences the joys, thrills, and heartit. But deep inside, memories of break of a rela0onship through prac0cing her culture's long-held her deceased father haunt her. tradi0on: the art of drinking tea.
DEAR MOTHER
AKASHI
Directed by Mayumi Yoshida EVERY GRAIN OF RICE (NarraMve Shorts / Canada / D i r e c te d by C a r o l N g u y e n 2017 / 10 mins) (Shorts / Canada / 2017 / 6 mins) When Kana returns to Japan to pay respects to her recently deceased grandmother, facing her memories compels her to
EVERY GRAIN OF RICE explores losing one's culture and iden0ty using the metaphor of recipes and food.
22 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
BLOOD, GUTS, AND GHOSTS, OH MY! (FREE SHORTS PROGRAM) Saturday, Feb 24, 8:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Cryp5con SeaHle
BARGAIN
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
mins)
ther party, both harbor secrets and ulterior mo(ves that will have deadly consequences.
LEAVE WITH ME
Directed by Mel Wong (Animated Directed by Clifford Miu (Nar- When a young Bengali bride col- Shorts / United States / 2016 / 4 ra5ve Shorts / United States / lapses in the desert, a cowboy mins) appears out of the sunset and A schoolgirl’s imagina(on has 2017 / 8 mins) rescues her. taken over her world. Mocked by A supers((ous Chinese student classmates and beliHled by locks herself in a lease at a luxteachers, her world becomes urious New York apartment, only FRESH BLOOD to realize that her bedroom was Directed by Richa Rudola (Nar- twisted, and the people in it turn into aliens. Something is amiss in the site of a recent homicide. ra5ve Shorts / Un5ed States / her surroundings, and she must 2017 / 8 mins) find it and confront it. RAKSHA A young South Asian girl forced Directed by Meredith Koch (Nar- into the sex trade searches for SEPPUKU ra5ve Shorts / United States / her path to freedom, even if it Directed by Daryn Ryo Wakasa involves a vampire. 2017 / 20 mins) (Narra5ve Shorts / United Archana is told at a young age States / 2016 / 22 mins) that she is a Manglik, someone HEARTSEEKER cursed due to the posi(oning of Directed by BreH Ryoji Kodama Mari Yoshimori, a record-holding Mars in her horoscope, and her (Narra5ve Shorts / United runner, pushes herself too far. So far the powers of nature thrust family tries to counteract the States / 2017 / 21 mins) her into the depths of a psychocurse in various ways. A single woman with a passion logical purgatory, where she for cooking meets a thriving meets her spiritual sidekick, COWBOY AND INDIAN entrepreneur. The two eventually BeHari. Only Mari can decide Directed by Sujata Day (Narra5ve make their way back to her whether BeHari intends to guide Shorts / United States / 2016 / 8 apartment, but unknown to ei- or destroy.
ALL OUR FATHER’S RELATIONS Saturday, Feb 24, 8:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by Eighth Genera5on and OCA–Greater SeaHle Chapter
MASSACRE AT HELLS CANYON Directed by Kami Horton (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2016 / 28 mins) The U.S.’s worst mass murder of Chinese by whites happened in rural Oregon when a gang of horse thieves killed as many as 34 Chinese gold miners. For over a century, the murders were covered up, and no one was held accountable. Today, the massacre at Hells Canyon is finally being acknowledged.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT (FREE SHORTS PROGRAM) Sunday, Feb 25, 11:00 a.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by ACRS
ODE
FIRST GENERATION
Directed by Camille Chao (Ani- Directed by Jeannie Nguyen & mated Shorts / France / 2017 / 3 Andrew Yuyi Truong (Narra5ve mins) Shorts / United States / 2017 / 9 mins) Some(mes you just need someMy-Linh, a young Vietnamese one who will fight for you. American woman growing up in the 90s, must decide how she fits BICULTURAL into the two worlds she inhabits. Directed by Rachel Leyco (Narra5ve Shorts / United States / WONDERLAND 2016 / 15 mins) Directed by Tiffanie Hsu (NarTorn between the 'perfect' ra5ve Shorts / United States / daughter that her strict tradi- 2016 / 14 mins) (onal family believes her to be and the open-minded free spirit 12-year-old Adeline Tang strugthat she is, a second-genera(on gles to navigate Sin City and keep Filipino-American must make a her mother's gambling under control, all for the promise of a move to declare her iden(ty. perfect family Christmas once
her father arrives. As the days unfold, she realizes growing up might not hold all the excitement she'd been hoping for.
LOOKING FOR LUKE Directed by Eric I. Lu (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2017 / 26 mins) Luke Tang was a well-liked, passionate and brilliant Harvard sophomore who took his family and friends by surprise when he decided to take his own life. Luke’s parents, Wendell and Chris(na, aHempt to understand why he did this by reading through his journals and talkingto his closest friends. As they piece together what happened, and begin to uncover the truth about their son’s death.
ALL OUR FATHER’S RELATIONS Directed by Alejandro Yoshizawa (Documentary Features / Canada / 2016 / 57 mins) In ALL OUR FATHER’S RELATIONS, three siblings – whose mother was the last fluent hən̓ q̓əmin̓ əm̓ speaker from the Musqueam First Na(on – travel to their father’s ancestral village in China for the first (me, in order to beHer understand the challenges their parents faced and how it fractured their lives and rela(onships.
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 23
SPILLED WATER
THE APOLOGY
Sunday, Feb 25, 11:30 a.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by China Club of SeaXle and CACA–SeaXle Lodge
Sunday, Feb 25, 2:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by KD Hall FoundaTon and Sahngnoksoo
THE CONSTRUCT:
FEMALE LABORERS AND THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY
SPILLED WATER Directed by May May Tchao (Documentary Features / United States / 2014 / 53 mins)
Directed by Jalena Keane-Lee (Documentary Shorts / United Decades aVer emigra;ng, May May returns to China and exStates / 2017 / 24 mins) plores the very different lives of Told through the eyes of San Thi four women: a young rural farmDa, a 20-year old laborer working er who, against all odds, became on construc;on sites, and Cheery a teacher; a successful lawyer in Zahao a human rights ac;vist, a male-dominated profession; a THE CONSTRUCT explores the divorced factory worker strugcomplexity of feminism and gling to brighten her daughter’s opportunity within different future; and an ethnic minority s o c i o - e co n o m i c c l a s s e s i n singer torn between her dreams Yangon, Myanmar. and her responsibili;es as a wife.
THE DRAGON PAINTER Sunday, Feb 25, 12:00 p.m., The Wing Luke Museum Co-presented by The Wing Luke Museum
Directed by Tiffany Hsiung ( D o c u m e n t a r y F e a t u r e s / Canada / 2016 / 104 mins) THE APOLOGY follows the personal journeys of three former “comfort women” who were among the 200,000 girls and young women kidnapped and forced into military sexual slavery
by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Some 70 years aVer their imprisonment, the three “grandmothers” face their twilight years in fading health. AVer decades of living in silence and shame about their past, they know that ;me is running out to give a first-hand account of the truth and ensure that this horrific chapter of history is not forgoZen. Their resolve moves them forward as they seize this last chance to set future genera;ons on a course for reconcilia;on, healing, and jus;ce.
LONG LIVE CHINATOWN (SHORTS PROGRAM)
Directed by William Worthington (Silent Features / United States / 1919 / 53 mins)
Sunday, Feb 25, 3:00 p.m., The Wing Luke Museum Co-presented by SCIDpda, InterIm CDA, The Wing Luke Museum
A 1919 silent film starring Sessue Hayakawa, the first actor of Asian descent to achieve Hollywood stardom during the silent era of the 1910s and ‘20s. Based on the novel by the same name, the film tells the story of a wild ar;s;c genius who becomes a master painter’s disciple. But when the young painter finds love, he loses his ar;s;c giV. Features an original score by renowned musician Goh Nakamura.
MY I.D.
WINDOW HORSES Sunday, Feb 25, 2:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 Co-presented by Youth Speaks SeaXle and Iranian American Community Alliance As Canadian poet Rosie Ming travels to a poetry fes;val in Shiraz, Iran, she’d definitely rather go to Paris. But once in Iran, this sheltered young woman finds herself in the company of Directed by Ann Marie Fleming poets and Persians who regale (Animated Features / Canada / her with stories that finally force 2016 / 89 mins) her to confront her past.
In FOREVER, CHINATOWN, ar;st Frank Wong’s exquisitely detailed Directed by Christopher Woon- dioramas of the Chinatown of his Chen (Music Videos / United childhood serve as portals to the States / 2017 / 3 mins) past in a rapidly changing San Francisco. MY I.D. is a karaoke music video honoring the history of resistance within the Interna;onal District, par;cularly the contribu;ons made by the Filipino community in the neighborhood.
PAINT IT RED Directed by Eva Cohen (Documentary Features / Canada / 2017 / 55 mins) In PAINT IT RED, young Chinese Canadian Beverly Ho is dedicated to preserving and con;nuing FOREVER, CHINATOWN Chinese cultural heritage in Directed by James Q. Chan (Docu- Vancouver’s Chinatown. Can her mentary Shorts / United States / e ff o r t s , a l o n g w i t h o t h e r volunteers in the neighborhood, 2016 / 32 mins) succeed in stemming the rapid In FOREVER, CHINATOWN, ar;st prolifera;on of million dollar Frank Wong’s exquisitely detailed condos and pricey cafes?
24 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SAAFF
MAINELAND
BRING IT HOME (SHORTS PROGRAM)
Sunday, Feb 25, 5:00 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 2
Sunday, Feb 25, 5:30 p.m., Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 Co-presented by InternaPonal Examiner, ACRS, AAJA
MAINELAND
HIGHPOINT SUMMER
Directed by Miao Wang (Documentary Features / United States / 2017 / 89 mins)
WHERE ARE YOU FROM Directed by Xizi “Cecilia” Hua (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2017 / 4 mins) This short documentary explores the ocen quiet conflict that a Chinese "Parachute Kid" experiences when asked where she is from, while living in the U.S. It follows her straddling two worlds, including a trip back to China, where she "parachutes" in for a visit and then just as quickly, is back out again.
Over 370,000 students from mainland China are enrolled in American high schools and universi9es, with $11.4 billion contributed to the American economy. MAINELAND follows two teenagers – fun-loving Stella and introspec9ve Harry – who are part of this enormous wave of “parachute students” from China’s wealthy elite seeking Western-style educa9on and the promise of a Hollywood-style U.S. high school experience. Through their personal stories we see China’s place in the contemporary world order.
CLOSING PARTY
Directed by Joseph Mills & Sopheak Sun (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2017 / 33 mins)
THE LEGACY OF LINC’S TACKLE Directed by Lauren Frohne (Documentary Shorts / United States / 2017 / 5 mins) Linc’s Tackle has been the heart and soul of Sea6le’s urban fishing culture for genera9ons. But that legacy almost didn’t exist when the Beppu family, shop owners since the 1930s, were interned during World War II. This policy forever upended the makeup of c o m m u n i 9 e s a n d fa m i l i e s throughout the West.
Sopheak Sun began this video diary, HIGHPOINT SUMMER, early in the summer of 2006. He planned to document his life as a refugee from war-torn Cambodia and to explain the meaning of the term, "thug life." However, his summer is ul9mately defined by tragedy.
Sunday, Feb 25, 8:00 p.m., Rhein Haus
ALICE AT THE STORE
SAM CHOY’S POKE TO
Directed by Christopher WoonChen (Documentary Shorts / THE MAX United States / 2017 / 18 mins) Directed by Terrence Jeffrey Santos (Documentary Shorts / 92-year old Alice Eng goes United States / 2017 / 4 mins) everyday to the pub across the
Celebrate with us at the Bavarian-inspired bierhaus Rhein Haus as we conclude the 2018 SeaSle Asian American Film FesTval with beer, burgers, and bocce ball!
street, which used to be her store. Her family struggles with the reali9es of providing for her care as she ages and her demen9a progresses. All she really wants is to be at home.
See how former Food Network Chef and Godfather of Poké, Chef Sam Choy, was a major factor in Poké's rise in worldwide popularity. Now his new Hawaiian food trucks have arrived in Sea6le.
Check out the International Examiner’s 2018 Guide to Lunar New Year online: iexaminer.org/2018/02/the-ies-2018-northwestguide-to-lunar-new-year
ART BY RAYCHELLE DUAZO
OR goo.gl/LUVQbD
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
SAAFF
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 25
SAAFF continues to push us with its movies in expanding our definition and concept of the Asian American experience By LeiLani Nishime IE Contributor
race Asians on screen means showing its many facets.
Signature Move questions the boundaries of Asian America with its portrayal of a queer romantic relationship and the ethnicity of the primary protagonist. In ways similar to A Lot Like You, Signature Moves shifts us away from an either/or idea of ethnic identity towards a both/and view. Rather than asking if the film is either LGBTQ cinema or Asian American cinema, it helps us see the film and its protagonist as both queer and The theme of fraught mother-daughter Asian American. relations and the gap between immigrants Intersectionality has become a much and their first-generation families used buzzword to describe overlapping appears repeatedly in Asian American and sometimes conflicting identities. film and literature, but beyond this Films like Signature Move raise difficult central relationship the film challenges our notions of what “counts” as Asian questions about how intersectionality American. By showcasing this film, plays out in day-to-day life. Zaynab, the SAAFF asks us to consider how we define film’s main protagonist, tries to locate the Asian American in the Seattle Asian her place in multiple cultures that reject parts of her identity, confronting the American Film Festival. homophobia of both her ethnic community This question has been part of the and that of wider U.S. society. At the same festival from its start. The very first film time, her outsider status is compounded screened for the opening night of the first by an ethnic and religious identity that festival in 2013 was itself a bold choice. is often targeted by dominant white A Lot Like You recounted the journey of Christian U.S. culture, not to mention film maker, Eli Kimaro, in her search her negotiations with the marginalized for her familial roots. The plot, again, ethnic culture of her romantic partner. was one familiar to followers of Asian The seemingly simple notion that we American cinema, but the journey of the accept intersectional identities and that Korean-Tanzanian American filmmaker we acknowledge the multiple ways that a takes her to Tanzania not Korea. The person might be marginalized becomes a film centers the experiences of Kimaro’s complicated dance when we see it enacted female Tanzanian relatives as well as through Zaynab’s romantic and familiar Kimaro’s own family relationships. Why relationships. inaugurate the festival with a movie that Even as we are able to see the does not seem to be about Asia or being intersections of race, sexuality, gender, Asian American at all? and nationality in Signature Moves, In featuring A Lot Like You, the festival Asian American audiences and the pushes us to expand our definition of what festival organizers are also prompted to defines the Asian American experience. respond to the question that permeates Asians have one of the highest rates of so many discussions of Asian American interracial marriage in the U.S., and identity. Who is Asian American? mixed racial and ethnic Asians are a By launching the festival with a film significant part of the Asian American starring a Pakistani women, SAAFF community. Yet, we still grapple with recognizes Pakistani Americans as part what it means to embrace the entirety of a collective Asian American ethnicity. of a mixed-race identity. In this case, it Even so, the boundaries of Asian America includes the search for a connection to are not as clearly drawn as this inclusion the Chaga people. Kimaro’s search for might imply. her Tanzanian roots is as much a part of South Asians, a designation that her identity as her Korean heritage and includes Pakistani Americans, have reflects the experience of many mixedrace Asians. To show the lives of mixed- not always been categorized as Asian American. It wasn’t until 1980 that the Signature Move, the opening night film for the Seattle Asian American Film Festival, is an unconventional choice. In the film, the main character, Zaynab, a Pakistani American woman discovers two loves – a Mexican American woman, Alma, and Lucha Libre wrestling. Much of the emotional work takes place between Zaynab and her widowed mother in classic Asian American fashion.
Courtesy of “Signture Move”
U.S. Census categorized South Asian Americans as Asian. Just 10 years before, they were categorized as “white,” and in earlier decades had their own census category of “Hindu.” Even today, racial categories for the group we currently designate as South Asian continue to change in popular usage. Larger political forces also impact these categories as some South Asians are re-categorized as Middle Eastern.
also be one of the great strengths of Asian American identity. The term Asian American itself has had a short history, becoming widespread only since the 1960’s. The broad diversity of languages, religion, ethnicities, histories and traditions that make up the Asian American community means that the category has never been simple or easy. Continually questioning who counts as Asian American is not a flaw that needs to Questions about the boundaries of Asian be fixed but a fundamental characteristic American as a racial category do not only of Asian American identity. apply to South Asians. Pacific Islanders Our continual return to this question have similarly moved in and out of the means that we can never unconsciously category, sometimes subsumed under accept race as a biological given. We have the name Asian American, sometimes a weapon against a singular, and often understood as a distinct racial group, and stereotypical, definition of a “real” Asian sometime paired by the slash of Asian/ American. Instead, we can be reminded Pacific Islander American. So, too, that race is a political and social invention. have Filipinos occupied an ambiguous While it has often been a tool used to place in the popular imagination with justify the second-class status of an entire some arguing that Filipinos might be group of people, it can also serve to unite categorized as Latinx as well as Asian us toward a common goal. We can play a American. part in shaping Asian American identity, While all this confusion and contention in creating a diverse and inclusive over who is and is not Asian American definition, and in reminding us that we are might be a cause for distress, it can all active participants in determining who and what is Asian American.
26 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
SAAFF
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
In “Maineland,” two Chinese students adjust to student life at a private boarding school in rural Maine By Min Gao IE Contributor
environment. They take classes in art, woodshop, filmmaking and other subjects they may never have encountered in Chinese schools. They are free to choose research topics for projects, even ones that are taboo in China. In the background, the 2012 presidential is underway, largely unnoticed by the Chinese students.
Although I didn’t expect to have much in common with Harry and Stella, the protagonists of the documentary Maineland which follows two Chinese high school students studying at a private boarding school in Maine, there came a moment The 2012 presidential election was the when Harry waved goodbye to his parents in front of the Fryeburg Academy gates, first time I experienced a major campaign. and I found myself suddenly and unex- I was studying political science at Columbia University, and viewed it with a mix pectedly crying. It was as though I saw myself several of intense interest and natural distance. years ago saying goodbye to my family at I came to the United States for college, the airport in Guilin. No parting is easy, although I wasn’t sent by rich parents or especially for Chinese youth who leave hoping to major in business.
For me, America was a way to escape the pressures I felt in China. I had hit a point where life wasn’t moving forward any longer, and I wanted something different. Something radically different. And yet, despite being from a different background, I understood the pressures many Maineland, Miao Wang’s stylish new of these young students faced. When Stella asks her art teacher about documentary, follows Harry, Stella and others as they travel from mainland Chi- her grade for an art project, the teacher na to attend the private boarding school, tells her that grades are not important. Fryeburg Academy, in rural Maine. The Stella’s reaction shows how unimaginadocumentary features two curious young ble these words are for Chinese youth. In souls from ultra-rich backgrounds and America, grades aren’t everything. I had four parents who put the weight of their always been a grade-driven student till I families’ hopes squarely on their chil- came to America, when getting A’s are dren’s shoulders, along with curious class- so hard in college and it is sometimes not mates, awkward teachers, county fairs, worth it to trade off other opportunities in Maine lobster and the refuge of what ap- school by always focusing on study. pears to be the town’s only operating ChiStella takes the teacher’s words to heart, nese restaurant. and eventually joins the cheer squad, maktheir parents’ home for a new land with an unfamiliar culture and language. Like Harry and Stella, I didn’t know what kind of new life was waiting for me. All I knew was the bittersweet taste of hope, uncertainty, and a general sense that I was doing something courageous.
a way that maybe only an adolescent, still can’t imagine what my life would be like forming their own identity, can. today if I had forced myself into a busiOne scene was particularly telling ness or science degree. about the pressures these high school students faced. Stella and Harry meet with their academic advisor to begin preparing college applications. Both immediately mention business at the top of the list of desired majors in college, and only after some prodding do they reluctantly mention education, music and philosophy. This reflects an earlier scene, when admissions officers cajole real interests out from underneath rehearsed scripts they had been taught by tutors and parents.
The hesitancy in their answers when asked about their real interests was palpable. As a Chinese student, I could immediately understand what they were feeling. Chinese parents are infamous for giving heavy-handed advice on the path to the best future for their kids: what they should major in, where they should work, etc. For Stella, who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, inheriting her father’s business seems like a non-negotiable. Harry likes music composition, and is already an accomplished musician but also prioritizes business. Throughout the film, these high school students have money and business top-of-mind, and they discuss it openly. They have been sent for a reason, and the reason is to train in business.
I myself felt a strong desire to pursue political science, a decision my family has never wholly forgiven me for. When I mention it to other Chinese people, I Wang’s camera follows the various ing many American friends. I admired the consistently hear surprise: “Why’d you do challenges the students face in their new way she was able to integrate so fully, in that? There’s no money in it.” Even so, I
Stella finds herself reasoning aloud that she will become a teacher when she is old, after she has satisfied her parents’ dream. This sort of burden seems to follow the students around. Towards the end of the film, Stella and Harry find themselves going down divergent paths with respect to America. Stella seems to be fond of American life, integrating fully and finding herself reluctant to return, while Harry seems to find more value in traditional Chinese culture for having spent time away. Whatever they may have learned in America, their vision of China has become much sharper. It recalls an earlier scene, when the students make a movie, and focus on American impressions of Chinese. “Asians are hard working.” “Shy.” “I’ve seen a few Asian students with American students, but they feel more comfortable with themselves.” The students aren’t offended, but are dissatisfied with the answers they receive. Put into a situation where they are the outsiders, they find themselves more intently wondering what it means to be Asian, and what makes Asians different from Americans. As someone who has lived in America for almost a decade, I can still understand their feelings. “But at the end of the day,” Harry says to his father, “I still grew up in China.” Sometimes nothing makes you examine where you come from so much as being somewhere else.
Photo courtesy of Seattle Asian American Film Festival
NEWS . . . FELLOWS: Continued from page 3
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 27
say, not only Cambodian Americans, but all marginalized communities of color.
As a cohort, we have in common the ex- Introducing John Phoenix Leapai, perience we’ve had as people of color. This interviewed by Nick Turner common ground was the catalyst that led us John Phoenix is a lifelong Seattle native. down this path to meet at this current interHis parents come from the island of Upolu in section in our lives. Now we’re here to give a Independent Samoa, also known as Western voice to marginalized communities. Samoa. He usually goes by his middle name, AK: Tell us more about your involve- Phoenix, or “Phee,” as neighbors call him. ment in theater. As the sixth child of 12 siblings, Phoenix BC: I’m always exploring different ways has a strong rapport with both the youth and to tell the stories of my parents, my broth- the elderly. Because of this, paired with his ers and sisters, and my community. Several deep love of music, Phoenix has been teachyears ago, I showed up to an open call for ing music in schools for five years. He curCambodian Americans that were interested rently works at Summit Sierra, a free, public in acting. Mark Jenkins, a playwright and charter high school founded in 2015. In adUW Drama professor, wrote a play based on dition, he will also begin working Franklin the plight of deportation in the Khmer com- High School. With a heart full of music and a munity called Red Earth, Gold Gate, Shad- voice for storytelling, Phoenix will cover the ow Sky. He decided that it was important to Samoan community. cast as many Cambodian characters as posNick Turner: Why did you apply to the sible. The problem was that there weren’t any fellowship program? Cambodian Americans in theater, at least not John Phoenix: What I think attracted me locally. So he and a colleague, Victor Pappas, most was the opportunity to be a journalist set out to train anyone who wanted to learn. for the community, to be an advocate for the I spent Sundays for the next year and a half Samoan community. Innately I’ve always learning theater in the most unconventional felt that we just needed more exposure…so way. that people can understand us better. I was Mark and Victor brought in experienced always like that. Growing up, just kind of and seasoned actors, and through this, I be- feeling misunderstood, as a Samoan. People gan to immerse myself and network within just don’t know who we are. For me, writing the local theater scene. When it came time music is always part of wanting to tell truthfor the staged reading of this play, I had met ful and authentic stories. Even though much so many great actors and realized that I loved of the stuff that I write was very pop music being on stage. What I’ve also realized is that type of stuff, I was always attracted to the there really aren’t any stories about our com- authentic storytelling. That right there motimunity, so I’m setting out to write some. I’m vates me to write authentic stories. in the very early stages of putting together a NT: What role does music play in the script. Samoan community? Do you think jourAK: What is your history with the lo- nalism will then inform your music? cal Cambodian community? What do you JP: Storytelling. To be able to touch the hope to achieve in the next five months? emotions of people. That’s what pulls peoBC: I grew up in the South Park neighbor- ple in. Storytelling, especially in a lot of hood of Seattle which is near White Center, the music I listen to, it’s almost a lost art. I historically one of the largest enclaves of don’t know what they’re saying anymore. Cambodian Americans in the state. While I Not many lyrics, not too much substance. have had a pulse on things in the community Journalism is all about creating substance, for some time, it wasn’t until a couple years creating content and being able to relay stoago that I focused on transitioning from being ries. Journalism is almost a natural evolution an observer to someone who could help build of what I’ve already been learning. The recapacity and take the community to the next search process, the interview process, natulevel. There are many Cambodian Ameri- rally I love to do this with people. Being incans that have the heart and will to help the troverted, I don’t do big groups very well but community…Through [this program], I hope I love the one-on-ones. I can be myself a little to help give a voice to the many community bit more and hopefully be able to create an members who have always had something to environment where the other person can be
IE Fellow John Phoenix Leapai. Courtesy photo
IE fellow Nick Turner. Courtesy photo
JP: I’m interested in learning about themselves as well, and then just trade stories your journey as a writer. At what point and share back and forth. NT: If you could send a message to did you go, “I actually enjoy this?”
NT: I was a strange kid. Very introvertthe Samoan community in Seattle, what ed…pretty lonely. I didn’t really enjoy high would it be? JP: I say be bold and without fear. Be- school that much. I was like the cliché outcause – in the Samoan community, there are cast, I ate lunch in the library. I love sports, so many things that are taboo that we don’t but I didn’t have very many friends on the want to talk about. We’re very private people. team. It wasn’t even until senior year that I We’re very quiet people. I don’t think that’s realized that the part of the day that I looked a bad thing. It’s just that we open more op- forward to the most was when I got home portunities to be misinterpreted. Part of my from school and could just write in my jourdesire for truth and knowledge and research nal…I never even thought what role [writing] sparks a desire to say, hey, let’s be diligent in played in my life until senior year in high sharing who we are with the world. On the school, when I started thinking about what basis of understanding, and also on the basis I wanted to do in college. It makes me sound of just being a proud people, being proud of crazy, but one of my best friends throughout who we are. To do it in a way that people can junior high, high school was my own jourunderstand, to do it in a way where it’s easier nal... my love of writing was strong from the to digest and do it in a way where we can ac- start.
JP: Tell me a little bit about your mom tually connect, human to human. That’s the message I want to send out to our people, and and how she helped you go from engineerfor them to know that that’s the approach I ing to journalism. hope to come from. NT: It was freshmen year, a few weeks into the first quarter of college. I’d only had Introducing Nick Turner, interviewed three classes at that point, and one of them was an engineering course. I really hated by Phoenix Leapai it. I was taking two other classes, and they Nick is a 21-year-old, Japanese Ameriwere both writing, and I loved them. I was can Oregon native, born and raised on Lake enjoying the hell out of them. I was writing Oswego prior to making his way to Seattle, about social justice and homelessness for one where he is currently a senior at Seattle and about youth education in the other. They University. With graduation drawing closer were service learning classes, so we had to by the day, Nick’s journey as a journalism volunteer at a nearby non-profit while we student has been one with many twists and were taking them. turns, diving into deep introspection of his But, it was just sort of an internal strugidentity as a journalist. Entering into college as a declared engineer major, the journey to- gle, and then half way through the quarter I wards his true passion as a writer was up- went home for a weekend and I told my mom rooted out of the necessity for self-discovery. about that, and that was the first time she told me about [what] happened in Japan when Nick is covering the Pakistani community. she started off as a business major, and then John Phoenix: Where do you want your she realized that everyday what she looked journalism career and experience to take forward to the most was sketching in her you five to ten years from now? notebook. She would, like, drag her knuckNick Turker: I get a lot of joy from lots of les through classes every day, not enjoying different things in life, but more than almost a single second of it. And all she did was anything else I love meeting new people and look forward to getting home and getting her doing new things and seeing new things and notepad and painting. Any kind of design or just exploring. Like through this fellowship, artwork. And then one day she realized that I’ve met a handful of amazing people who it should be the other way around, where I’m super curious about, and we haven’t even she loves what she does during the day. She started making content yet. I applied on a asked me at the end of the day, what do I love whim, like maybe I’ll get this, maybe I won’t. doing, and I told her, “I write in my journal.” And then it turned into this thing that I think That was the answer. It sounds all dramatic, is going to be awesome…If I could make a now, but it was like a *explosion sound efliving working for the North American Post fect* moment for me. Within days, I changed or the [International] Examiner, I’d do that. my major into journalism. I haven’t regretted Yeah, I wouldn’t worry about anything else. it, even a little bit ever since. Every day I feel sure that journalism is the right choice.
28 — February 7 – February 20, 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
ARTS
Vivian Bang’s movie “White Rabbit” addresses bias and racism in the film industry and passes the Bechdel Test By Misa Shikuma IE Contributor
The Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, UT, January 18-28. International Examiner writer Misa Shikuma attended to provide coverage of select films featuring API stories, artists, actors and/or originating from API countries. “No one’s gonna tell your story but you,” said actress Vivian Bang to an enthusiastic crowd following the world premiere of White Rabbit, which she co-wrote and starred in, at Sundance. Centered on a struggling Korean American performance artist in Los Angeles, the film tackles big issues like racism, bias and the interplay between art and commerce. It sounds heavy, but White Rabbit manages to keep a playfully provocative tone, encouraging the audience to ask the questions but without veering into didacticism. The story is also quite personal to Bang, who not only drew upon her own experiences but also those of her friends for inspiration. The impetus for the project, a collaboration between Bang and director Daryl Wein, was her performance art piece titled Can You Hear Me / LA 92. Timed with the 25th anniversary of the L.A. riots last year, Wein was in the audience at REDCAP for Bang’s show and was captivated. “I was always kinda curious about [the riots] when I was young, like why was there so much tension between Koreans
and the black community during the go-to, but my friend’s husband is notorious art. From the get-go it’s all wrong. In the nineties?” recalls Bang. for using TaskRabbit for everything,” performance that he saw, she had a Korean accent; when she shows up with her “When I was researching there were so laughs Bang. many layers…things that really mirrored Indeed, the intimate nature of the natural American accent, he’s confused. our current time.” platform, which matches Sophia to jobs He attempts to explain the character he wants her to play, a corporate something The resulting piece had Bang essentially requiring her to, say, go to a person’s house or other second to the male protagonist. retelling the history of the riots from a and clean out a garage, adds a certain But she should have a Korean accent! The Korean American perspective, elements dimension to both story and character. It exchange is awkward, uncomfortable and of which feature prominently in White also says something about the times we cringe-inducing, yet sadly familiar. Rabbit. The protagonist, Sophia, played live in; that an affluent housewife can “Everyone who’s seen the movie says, by Bang, dons a white jumpsuit and post an ad looking for someone to sort her platinum blonde wig and totes around a toddler’s toys by size, color and function, ‘That scene is so dangerous,’” laughs Bang. portable microphone and speaker for her and someone will show up to do just that. “I think it’s really funny because a lot art, monologuing and making drug stores, In the course of making art and being of actresses of color – any performers of street corners and public parks her stage. a Task Rabbit, Sophia encounters and colors – we deal with this on a daily basis.” The look and feel of it, which is to say that befriends Nana (Nana Ghana), an activist The scene escalates hilariously when Sophia is channeling people’s experiences and photographer. They talk about their the filmmaker checks his privilege, rather than acting them, derive from lives and their art, not men, and they don’t acknowledging that he’s never wanted or Korean shamanism. compete with each other for anything. It had to work for anything. Sophia is aghast Sophia is driven by the need to create may sound banal on paper, but onscreen and mortified. but when one, as the character tells her it’s one of the most accurate, true-to-life Despite being a working actor for many mother, makes “art you can’t sell,” creative portrayals of female companionship in years, White Rabbit marks Bang’s first recent memory. solutions are required. foray into filmmaking and writing. And “A lot of times women are portrayed in this scene, in particular, one senses a “How do you make art now? How do through the male gaze,” agrees Bang. you survive?” asks Bang. release of all the pent-up frustration against Her film, of course, does not, which is ignorance, unconscious bias and racism “I can relate to this because I’m an actor, why – to a female viewer at least – White that have festered in the film industry for and a lot of my actor friends are having to Rabbit feels much more realistic than many too long. take on other jobs to support [themselves].” other contemporary films. It’s a win also for “I’ve been silent for so long,” said Bang Enter TaskRabbit. When Sophia isn’t representation, boasting two leads that are flouncing around L.A. as a shaman or women of color, and possibly not straight at the post-premiere Q&A. uploading videos of herself mashing her (although that’s not the predominant focus Later she would reiterate that, beside face into various types of food to her of the film). Wein’s creative support, White Rabbit YouTube channel, she’s doing odd jobs for came about because she “gave myself By far the most subversive and permission” to make it. With such a solid strangers to make ends meet. memorable scene occurs when a filmmaker “At first we were thinking like a Lyft or (white, male) requests a meeting with debut, hopefully the floodgates will open an Uber driver because that’s the natural Sophia after seeing her performance for the actress and writer to craft even more stories worth sharing.
Photo courtest of Sundance Film Festival
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February 7 – February 20, 2018 — 29
Kin On Assisted Living Coming Soon!
Call 1.888.721.3634 or visit KinOn.org for more info.
Happy Lunar New Year! On behalf of Kin On, we wish you a healthy and prosperous Year of Dog. Nigel Lo, Kin On CEO
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1.888.721.3634 KinOn.org
30 — February 7 – February 20, 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.
Homelessness Services
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.
Organization of Chinese Americans Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Seattle Chapter P.O. Box 14141 Seattle, WA 98114
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 low-income seniors. 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.
Senior Services The Kin On Team is ready to serve YOU! www.KinOn.org 1.888.721.3634
Housing Services 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.
Immigration Services
Keiro Northwest 1601 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122 ph: 206-323-7100 www.keironorthwest.org rehabilitation care | skilled nursing | assisted living | home care | adult day services | meal delivery | transportation | continuing education | catering services
www.ocaseattle.org
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.
Education 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
Happy Lunar New Year 2018! Wishing Community Blessings and Prosperity!
www.circc.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.
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.
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.
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.
Senior Services Legacy House
info@youthcare.org www.youthcare.org
RAJANA Society Seattle, WA 206-979-3206 sameth@rajanasociety.org
Civil Rights & Advocacy
Professional & Leadership Development
YouthCare 2500 NE 54th Street Seattle, WA 98105 206-694-4500
Programs: Japanese Language School | Cultural Events | Library | Resale Store | Internship & Volunteer Opportunities | Historical Exhibitions | Rental Space
RAJANA Society is an Arts & Civics project focusing on civic engagement and bridging cultural divides with the Cambodian Diaspora.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
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.
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
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. International Drop-In Center 7301 Beacon Ave S Seattle, WA 98108 ph: 206-587-3735 fax: 206-748-0282 www.idicseniorcenter.org IDIC is a nonprofit human services organization that offers wellness and social service programs to Filipinos and API communities.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Social & Health Services
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Faith Organizations
International District Medical & Dental Clinic 720 8th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-788-3700 email: info@ichs.com website: www.ichs.com 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.
API Chaya PO Box 14047 Seattle, WA 98114 info@apichaya.org www.apichaya.org API Chaya supports Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander survivors and families impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as human trafficking survivors from all communities.API Chaya engages communities to change societal conditions that enable domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking and all forms of oppression, especially violence against women and the most vulnerable in our society. Helpline: 1-877-922-4292 / 206-325-0325 Helpline Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm
Columbia City Church of Hope 3818 S Angeline St Seattle, WA 98118 (206) 722-5651 columbiacityhope@gmail.com www.columbiacityhope.org A progressive faith community rooted in God’s grace and acceptance where we work together toward justice, love, and wholeness. We are a church for the old, young, gay, straight, doubters, believers, fencesitters, activists, scientists, poets, and slackers. Join us for service on Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Parking & Transportation Services
206-624-3426 transia@aol.com Merchants Parking provides convenient and affordable community parking. Transia provides community transportation: para-transportation services, shuttle services, and field trips in and out of Chinatown/International District, and King County.
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