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A Philippine resident sits outside of his home in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group supports the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in assisting the Philippine government in Operation Damayan in response to the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in the Republic of the Philippines. Credit: Kennedy, Liam, MCSN Public domain photograph from www.defenseimagery.mil.
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2 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE OPINION
Weapons of mass destruction?
Snapshots in Time Children absorbed in indoor activities at the Denise Louie Education Center. The early childhood education center was founded in the ID in 1978 and named for a young Chinese American activist from Seattle killed by gang gunfire at the Golden Dragon restaurant in San Francisco the year before. • Photo by Ken Shimizu, 1998.
Letter to the editor Surprised at the International Examiner for printing demeaning McDonalds ad I am writing this letter to express my displeasure regarding an ad featured in the [November 6] issue of the International Examiner. I am referring to a McDonalds ad depicting two Asians dressed in “traditional” kung-fu attire posed in a threatening manner subtitled [“A sandwich so good I’m willing to fight for it”] and this [sandwich] depicted is the company’s McRib sandwich. After seeing this ad I was shocked to see how an Asian American newspaper with an emphasis on cultural and social awareness would display such a demeaning ad that reinforces negative Asian American stereotypes. Not all readers of the IE are Asian American, and by publishing this ad depicting Asian “kung fu” masters would continue to preserve White America’s idea of exotic females and small men who only know kung fu. Please have your editing staff be more considerate of what ads are placed in your publication. Robert Ng
YOUR OPINION COUNTS Please share your concerns, your solutions, and your voices. Send a letter to the editor to editor@iexaminer.org with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.”
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Start asking questions about Common Core By Bob Shimabukuro IE Columnist
For-profit companies are already gearing up to make money by producing computerStay Monday: Mom get two cans corned generated tests, which can be graded by beef. One head cabbage. One a bottle computers. I guess thereby saving teachers’ of milk. Fruit from our yard, and some time for better things like being laid off. All of vegetables, tofu, shoyu, spices bought with these rang alarm bells in my head, especially credit from one friendly family store across when I think of all the “self-correcting” the street. We already wen spend advances programs I deal with when I’m “keyboarding” on my Dad’s pay so no mo money till pas’ anything. There will be high stakes testing. payday. How she goin’ feed our family of More of it. Which means that teachers will be forced to do more “teaching to the tests.” nine fo’ rest of da week? The tests will become the curriculum. Oh, and High Stakes Test: Try hard for dis one, by the way, very few K-12 classroom teachers okay Arne? If no can understand, ask your were included in the planning. boss. ‘Tink maybe he can help you, yah? He We should be asking, “Who is making these wen’ grow up Hawai‘i, you know. decisions?” Bruddah wen get bit by scorpian. We The basic three principles of Common Core: wen live wit lotsa animals. Kakaroches.
Common Core Fo’ Real Stories
Lizards. Rats. But scorpian real bad. Was 1. Consistent and raised learning infected. Give Bruddah lockjaw almost. My expectations for all public school students. Faddah and Oncle take him emergency. Da 2. Clear Standards that focus on deeper guy say, “He’s in real serious condition, understanding. but we think we can save him. It’ll be real Building the critical skills students need in expensive. Can you afford it?” My Faddah the job market. have one meltdown.
Because our state Legislatures did not Why faddah have meltdown? What choo ask questions, we need to. Questions such as tink faddah and oncle should do? who and why are Common Core consultants •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• making these decisions behind closed doors? As I related to readers last month, What makes them think their knowledge bank Common Core was quickly adopted by 45 is more important than ours? states as part of U.S. Secretary of Education As I’ve said before, I believe Common Core Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top (RTTP) poses a threat to the cultural creativity and Grades 1–12 education initiative to “reform diversity that are essential to our individual schools.” RTTP, which pits school districts and societal survival. We need to recall our against each other in a competition for big own “knowledge banks,” the knowledge, federal dollars, gave extra points to districts emotions, and culture learned that drives the that accepted Common Core, Charter actions of all of us from the time we’re born Schools, and Test-Based Teacher Evaluation. (some suggest even before we’re born) until the It didn’t guarantee any RTTT grant money, time we die. Given a chance, Common Core but districts received extra points in their will ignore and devalue our knowledge banks. application if they agreed to these “reforms.” And CC will kill any pride we have in our own Most of the states adopted these “reforms.” culture. I’m not just making this stuff up. Common Core is being marketed as a Pidgin English, the “unofficial” language of “set of standards for learning.” One of their Hawai‘i spoken by 80 percent of the population, promotional packages is, ironically, titled was “devalued” by the “one-percenter” “Real Learning for Real Life.” “Virtual controlling interests in Hawai‘i. In order to Learning for a Virtual Life” would have be considered “educated” by the one percent been a more accurate title. Common and the managers who do the hiring for them, Core will employ a lot of new technology one not only needed to speak proper English, supposedly to guide teachers so that they but also speak it without a pidgin accent. This can spend more time teaching, designing curriculum, and lesson plans. Common COMMON CORE: Continued on page 3 . . .
ARTS EDITOR Alan Chong Lau
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Core will also deemphasize longhand writing, with keyboarding taking a stronger role.
Cover Photo Credit: Kennedy, Liam, MCSN. Public domain photograph from www. defenseimagery.mil.
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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 3
IE OPINION . . . COMMON CORE: Continued from page 2
song sung by students at Kahuku High School in 1944 (to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,”) says it all: We need to speak American at school and when we play; We need to help each other hear our errors day by day; We need to join together as we open up the way For American speech to win Glory glory, hallelujah, etc. American speech must win. Let’s all resolve to practice every little bit we know; To make good speech as popular as going to a show; Let’s all resolve to do our best to make pidgin English go Down and out in 1944
Also included in my personal knowledge bank are stories of historical incidents, photographs, and brief conversations with family members, especially my parents. The following two paragraphs are part of my knowledge bank continuing to influence my thoughts and actions today. In 1924, my dad, 17 years old, left Okinawa on the last boat to carry “legal” immigrants from Japan to Hawai‘i because he wanted to learn to read the Bible in English. By the time he died in 1962, he was an atheist, a non-card carrying communist, a community and labor organizer.
My mom, eight years younger than dad, was born on Maui. She passed up an opportunity to go to Normal (teaching) School, to marry dad when she graduated from high school. My mom’s father housed the printing press of a newspaper Shinji Dai (The New Era), which dad and my uncle worked on. Zenwa uncle worked the business end; dad was a columnist who said he often simply “translated articles from the Daily Worker.” If Common Core goes through, we will be throwing one-half of our nation’s children under the bus. All in the name of “reforming” the public school system, while squeezing more bucks out of us 99 percenters. More than half of public school students are low-income (eligible for free or subsidized school meals), yet Common Core does not address poverty. Another question, Why not? So what do the tests for Arne and a few anecdotes about my parents have to do with Common Core, Greedy Capitalists, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and my thoughts on knowledge bank, critical thinking and the so-called “reform movement” assault on our public schools? Let’s do a little exercise, a walk-through for Bob’s Real Life approach to develop critical thinking. Let’s ask the important questions about Common Core: • Who will pay the costs of Common Core and who will benefit financially? • Who will pay the costs of the new technology, and who will benefit financially?
• What programs will Common Core create for those who fail to meet the standards?
• Has there been any testing of Common Core standards and programs? How do we know whether any of this will work?
• Why is it that private college prep schools have not adopted common core? That’s it. Ask these questions to legislators and school officials. Ask teachers too, but don’t bug them too much, because they’ve got much more important business: teaching our kids. Remember, you, too, have your own knowledge bank. What questions do you think we should be asking?
UW dumps Southeast Asian Recruiter
Administrators sending a negative message to Southeast Asian students Jacqueline Wu IE Columnist Last week, University of Washington students and APIs voiced their concerns over the loss of a staff position intended to reach out to Southeast Asians due to what UW officials said was a lack of funding.
Southeast Asians already face disparities within the Asian American community. According to the UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMAD), of the 27 percent of students who enrolled as freshmen in fall 2011 and identify as Asian, only four percent identify as Southeast Asian. Hmong and Laotian students make up 0.1 percent of the student body and Cambodian students make up 0.4 percent. An open meeting of the UW Student Advisory Board on Monday, November 25, addressed OMAD’s elimination of the Southeast Asian Recruitment Coordinator position. Up until November 20, the position had been filled by UW alumna Latana Thaviseth, whose job it was to conduct outreach with Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese, Hmong, Khmer, and other Southeast Asian groups.
A host of UW officials attended the meeting, including Sheila Edwards Lange (Vice Provost for Diversity and Vice President for Minority Affairs); Ana Mari Cauce (UW Provost and Executive Vice President); and Kiana M. Scotta, a member of the UW Board of Regents, the body that creates the University’s budget. For many community members who attended the meeting, UW officials did not adequately address why the Southeast Asian recruiter position was cut or provide any means of restoring it.
people of color. This action that you are taking will marginalize our community.” According to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), a human and civil rights organization, Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese Americans face the biggest obstacles to education among Asian American ethnic groups.
Only 61 percent of Hmong Americans hold a high school diploma, while only 12 percent of Laotian Americans have graduated from college, according to U.S. Census Bureau data compiled from 2007 to 2009. In comparison, 28 percent of the total population of people in the United States possess a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. Problems for Southeast Asian Americans arise even within the interpretations of census data. Data collected on Asian Americans has primarily focused on East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans) and those who were part of the earlier waves of immigrants, including Filipinos and Indians.
The experiences and realities of Southeast Asians are not often reflected. Southeast Asians are not only newer immigrants to the United States, but a majority are refugees due to the United States military presence in Southeast Asia. The conflation of Asian ethnicities into a singular identity erases the different realities within the Asian American community and marginalizes those who do not fit into the mainstream picture of what an Asian is. Not all people are aware of the disparities that Southeast Asians, and UW officials do not appear have an understanding of that.
During the meeting, Vo had commented on the value for Southeast Asian students to see someone who shares their same culture and struggles in the University setting. Cauce responded: “There is something called face validity that we talk about in psychology. And what face validity generally means is that ... [facial recognition] sometimes, not necessarily, relates to the deeper validity. And I agree that there is an immediate [contact] by someone that looks like you. But it’s face validity, it’s only that. It’s sometimes not all that deep. I know people that look more like me and have less in common with them, than people that don’t.”
I’d like to point out to Provost Cauce that face validity is an effect of having on-campus representation and outreach to incoming students. For Southeast Asian students who make up only a fraction of a fraction of the student body, seeing people who come from their own background goes much deeper than for a student who is used to being a part of the majority. Debbora Sary, a member of the Khmer Student Association, said: “I’m Cambodian, and there isn’t a really big population of Southeast Asian on campus. Right now, I don’t really see a lot of Southeast Asians. I came from a predominantly white public school, and I would have loved to have a recruiter come to my school and tell us ‘Come to UW,’ but I didn’t.” UW administrators need to understand the obstacles faced by Southeast Asians and have the courage to show that the university values its least represented students.
Lange diverted most questioning to a future meeting. She also said that there was never long term funding for the Southeast Asian recruiter position.
“Let’s just be clear, it was always a temporary position,” Lange said. “There is no funding for this position.” When asked about the elimination of the Southeast Asian recruiter position, Cauce said that “budget and budget decisions within units [colleges, departments, etc.] are not made by provosts.” However, as provost, Cauce does possess control over what budget OMAD gets in the larger scheme of things through her responsibility over the Office of Planning and Budgeting.
Tony Vo, director of UW’s Asian Student Commission (ASC), had for several years pushed OMAD to create the Southeast Asian recruiter position. Now that the position is the first to fall to budget cuts, Vo said it sends the wrong message to minority students.
“What message are we sending out to students who are Southeast Asian? It’s saying that they are not as important,” Vo said to UW officials. “It devalues their history and struggles. And this is what hurts the most, that there is no attempt at why we need emphasis on this population. And when it comes to racism, education, and history, Asians are never mentioned. Southeast Asians are never mentioned at all. And this erases the position of Asians as part of the conversation of
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4 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE NEWS Snapshots in Time
Share your own snapshots in time with IE readers. Send in a memorable photo that you have taken and a message granting the IE permission to publish the photo to editor@iexaminer.org with the subject line “Snapshots in Time.”
Hing Hay Park, International District, Seattle, Washington. • Photo by Joe Mabel
Shoichiro Katsuno, 105, receives his redress check from the United States government, along with four fellow Japanese American centenarians, October 14, 1990, at the Nisei Veterans Hall in Seattle. Katsuno is flanked by his daughter and son-in-law. The hard fought battle for financial compensation for Japanese Americans interned during World War II came to a conclusion when President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Along with a check for $20,000, each former internee received a letter of apology. Payments were made in stages, with the oldest survivors receiving the first checks. Activists from Seattle were at the forefront of the redress movement. q.v IE, Vol. 17; No. 20. • Photo by Dean Wong
Community discusses Hing Hay Park expansion, expectations By Nathaniel Reeves IE Contributor Members of the public gathered in the International District Community Center in November for a presentation on the upcoming expansion of Hing Hay Park.
The park has sat for decades at Maynard Avenue South and South King Street in the International District, but Seattle Parks and Recreation hopes to expand the park one block to Seventh Avenue South, where a post office currently stands. The project will cost approximately $3 million from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy and will be completed by spring 2015, according to a press release from Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Says
Take your commute
out of S LOW MOTION.
The meeting marked the first of three public meetings that will take place over the next six months to inform the community of the progress of the expansion. For now, the goal is to hear input from the community about what the park should look like. The expansion was first discussed by the International District community in 2000.
“It’s been a long time coming, so I know people are really excited about it,” said Kim Baldwin, who runs community outreach for Seattle Parks and Recreation. “We’re happy to be able to hold these meetings and with the response we have received.”
The meeting focused on what would be done with the post office site rather than any upgrades to the existing park. As the post office is used by many people, the limits of expansion are still under negotiation, and it is unclear if it will close or move to a different location at this time. To help the city of Seattle with the negotiation of the post office site, the community has established Friends of Hing Hay Park, a group that has been pushing for as much expansion as possible. The group established its four goals as outreach, fundraising, making sure the community’s input is heard, and coordination between the city and the public.
LET GO. RIDE THE WAVE.
soundtransit.org
Earlier this year, it decided on a design team comprised of SvR Design from Seattle and Turenscape from Beijing, combining two different worldviews.
“We want people to know we’re bringing local talent and global experience,” said Nate Cormier of SvR.
A massive part of that global experience comes from Kongjiu Yu, lead designer of the project. Yu was a farmer in China during the Cultural Revolution and now runs Turenscape while also teaching at Harvard. Yu has ambitious ideas of changing the idea of what people in his native China consider to be beauty through design. He calls it the Big Feet Revolution, and hopes to convey it through the new Hing Hay Park. “What’s happening in China is really destroying the environment and degrading the culture,” Yu said. “The buildings are no longer beautiful. We need a big revolution to change that thinking. We want to bring that thinking to Hing Hay Park and make it both contemporary and carry traditional meaning.” The two design firms look to do that by gaining an understanding of the International District and the Seattle community as a whole. The next two months will be about interpreting what the public wants and expects. “This park will serve all of South Seattle,” said Cormier. “We want (it) to be complementary and provide different activities from some of the other existing parks. “
The discussion then turned to how Hing Hay could do that. Many advocated for turning the park into a center where special events such as the Night Markets or Lunar New Year celebration could take place. Other topics brought up included what would happen to the veterans memorial statue in the park and whether that memorial would be expanded, and how the funding was working. The next meeting will be January 20, as the architect firms will take some time to design and plan based on community input and bring back its results. For more information, visit http://www.seattle. gov/parks/projects/hing_hay/. Nathaniel Reeves is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 5
IE NEWS
Asian American professionals reunite at 20th EDI graduation By James Tabafunda IE Contributor Seventy-nine people of Asian and Hispanic descent graduated from the Executive Development Institute (EDI) in November. They’re moving on with their careers, but staying close to people who have become much more than just their classmates and trainers.
For 20 years, EDI has been helping multicultural leaders reach higher positions of influence across the public and private sectors. EDI partners with more than 50 Northwest corporations to provide businesses relevant leadership programs to Asians and Hispanic people. The Annual Graduation Ceremony and 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Hilton Bellevue on November 14 celebrated the end of EDI’s Leadership Discovery program and Leadership Navigation program. The Leadership Discovery program is aimed at building culturally diverse leaders over a period of eight months. The Leadership Navigation program, now in its fifth year, is for developing minority middle- and senior-level managers.
“As the year progressed, the EDI gathering soon became a family gathering, the EDI family, where we came together and shared our personal and professional experiences in life,” said Srini Pendikatla, a 2013 graduate and a Puget Sound Energy design engineer. Pendikatla was one of the evening’s class speakers. Pendikatla joined EDI to develop his leadership skills but discovered how important it was to grow and forge bonds with his peers.
“I’ve learned more about myself as an Asian American and what it means to be a leader, a leader in business, a leader in the community, and a leader in life,” Pendikatla said. “I’ve also gained my EDI family to support me on the journey into the future as I pursue my dreams.”
Based in Bellevue, EDI held its graduation just one week after 19 other individuals graduated at the Embassy Suites Portland (Oregon), making the Class of 2013 the largest EDI class in the organization’s 20-year history. A total of over 700 graduates provide what EDI describes as “culturally diverse leadership essential to organizations competing in the global marketplace.” Mistress-of-ceremonies Carmelita Kimball (EDI Class of 2008) and master-of-ceremonies Roy Slack (EDI Class of 2010) welcomed the 280 people who attended the occasion.
The late Ted Yamamura, who passed away three months ago, and Vanna Novak, president of Speak to Persuade, founded EDI in 1994 to develop Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders and help promote them. Under the direction of the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, EDI was originally formed to address the underrepresentation of Japanese Americans “in corporate America’s key leadership positions.”
The line for warm meals at the ACRS Food Bank. • File Photo
Over 500 show up for warm meals at ACRS Food Bank Victor Mizumori (Class of 1995) delivers the keynote speech at the EDI Annual Graduation Ceremony and 20th Anniversary Celebration • Photo by James Tabafunda
directors, introduced Ted Yamamura’s wife Lilly Yamamura and their sons, Brandon and Peter, to the audience. She then introduced Al Sugiyama, who became the organization’s executive director last January.
“We were very fortunate to find Al [Sugiyama] during our community-wide search,” Grinolds said.
Sugiyama spoke about a similarity between the class of 2013 and the characters in the 1939 classic movie The Wizard of Oz.
“Some of them came in, thinking they didn’t have that leadership ability,” Sugiyama said. “What is so nice is that they had that specialness of finding out that they were bright, they were smart, and they were talented. And that is just what we wanted them to do.” Sugiyama also asked the graduates to remember to give back to their respective communities.
Victor Mizumori, alumnus of the EDI class of 1995, is a senior vice president at Washington Federal. He delivered the keynote speech on specific qualities he gained from his EDI training. It was after his first weekend in the program that he said he developed the “confidence to meet folks, speak up, (and) ask questions.”
“You have met individuals that you never knew before, but now, you have a brand new network of folks,” Mizumori told the graduates. “And what I ask is that you continue those networks. Even today, I meet with some of my [fellow] graduates and, actually, graduates from multiple classes. We meet on a regular basis.” Pendikatla already follows that advice, meeting with his classmates once every month.
“During the course of the year, one of my colleagues unexpectedly lost her job,” Pendikatla said. “My EDI family came together, not only to provide her support, but also to offer their own professional networks to Pendikatla told the audience: “Vanna aid in her job search. And I’m happy to say that [Novak] considers each and every one of us as as of just a few weeks ago, she is once again a member of her own personal family, and that gainfully employed.” family continues to grow.” Charlene Grinolds, alumna of the EDI class of 1996 and co-chair of EDI’s board of
For additional information about the Executive Development Institute, visit www.ediorg.org.
By Travis Quezon IE Editor in Chief
People of all ages and backgrounds smiled and chatted in a line that ran for a block in the International District along S. King Street under the freeway overpass on November 22. Throughout the day, over 500 people showed up to the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) Food Bank for a donated meal that included a roasted chicken, rice, tofu, and fresh produce. The effort was led by philanthropists Jerry Lee and Cordell Lui, who wanted to deliver substantial, warm meals to ACRS Food Bank clients. This is the fourth year they have been hosting the chicken donation. Lee said that he was planning to organize only one chicken donation this year, but that he had received such an outpouring of donated money that he had enough for another.
“So I sent an email out [to donors] at dinner time, and by the time I woke up in the morning we had more than enough [people committed to money to buy the chickens] for Thanksgiving,” Lee said. “By the time 24 hours came along, we had enough for two days. I said to myself, ‘I know I said one day but I guess we’ll do Thanksgiving
and Christmas.’ And the way the money is coming in, we’ll have enough for Chinese New Year, too.”
Lee and Lui are planning on distributing another round of roasted chickens on December 20 to help families through the holiday season. “You know that’s everybody here, they just want to help,” Lee said.
About 20 people volunteered to help with getting the food out, Friday, many who had volunteered in previous years. “It’s a time of need,” said Katherine Cheng, who had volunteered at the chicken donations for several years. “It’s sad to see how many people need food. So to be able to do this, it’s just fulling to be able to give people a little something. It’s just a small thing, though, and I wish we could do more.”
Student Jarrid Nakata was also a returning volunteer. “I did this last year, and I just really enjoyed it,” Nakata said. “It’s just really good to be giving back. I still feel like I could be doing a lot more, though.”
For more information on how to volunteer, call ACRS at (206) 695-7600.
AG alleges millions more illegally spent on anti-GMO labeling campaign IE News Services Washington state’s Attorney General’s Office last week said The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) collected even more money than they initially tallied in violation of campaign finance laws. GMA had campaigned hard in their successful stoppage of Initiative 522 (I-522), Washington’s wouldbe GMO labeling bill. On November 22, the Attorney General’s Office amended its lawsuit against GMA. The amended complaint increases the amount the state alleges GMA collected from its members to oppose I-522 without complying with Washington’s campaign finance laws from $7.2 million to $10.6 million. This is the largest amount the state has ever addressed in a campaign finance concealment case.
In all, over $33 million was donated to the campaign against I-522 compared with over $9 million for the campaign in favor of GMO labeling, according to Responsible Choices, a non-partisan nonprofit organization.
GMA is a trade association, based in Washington DC, representing more than 300 food, beverage, and consumer product companies. GMA was the largest single donor to the No on 522 campaign. GMA, as an out-of-state entity, has 60 days to respond to the original lawsuit and 60 days to respond to the amended lawsuit. Unless the case is resolved prior to trial, the state will first have to prove the GMA violated Washington campaign finance laws. After the state proves the violations, the court will determine the appropriate penalties.
6 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE NEWS
Students of color speak out on employment, school obstacles mentioned that a 17-minute drive could take 1 hour and 20 More than 200 people packed Seattle’s minutes on the bus. solutions Jumbo Chinese Restaurant on the evening Possible of November 12 to listen to and discuss offered by research the problems currently facing young participants included students of color. The discussion was part of a low-income bus fare “Environmental Justice, Jobs, and Education: rate and to “bring Seattle’s Young People Speak Out,” the Young college to the people” Workers in the Green Economy (YWIG) in Southeast Seattle. Project community report back. F l o r e n c e By Jessica Davis IE Contributor
The YWIG Project is a place for young adults of color from immigrant families and low-income backgrounds to further the debate about the economy and the environment.The project was launched in January 2013 by Got Green, a Southeast Seattle-based grassroots organization led by people of color that works to ensure the benefits of the green movement and green economy. For 10 months, a YWIG committee of young adults (18-35), held discussions about the impacts of the recession with their peers in south and central Seattle through 146 face-toface surveys and three community roundtables. At the report back event, YWIG members reported the overall results of the surveys to the attendees, which included community leaders, peers, and elected officials (King County Department of Transportation Director Harold Taniguchi and City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, among others).
McCafferty, 23, who performed in the vignette, could relate to a number of these problems firsthand as she lives in lowincome housing and takes a few buses everyday to work a part-time job in the University District. “I just feel like so much time of my life is spent on buses,” said McCafferty. “I feel like I’m wasting my youth away.”
Tr a n s p o r t a t io n to school and work was the third mostoften-cited barrier by Included in the event were a series of young adults (42 percent African-American or theatrical vignettes, based on real-life East African, and 79 percent people of color experiences and problems facing young adults overall) in the report. today concerning transportation, education, “I had to drop out of school because I and employment. A group of young adults couldn’t afford the fare to get there,” said who participated in the report acted out the Oliver Williams, 22, who also participated in various scenarios. The goal was to show the the project and the vignette. obstacles that the young people surveyed (75 In the second vignette, a scenario of a job percent people of color) said held them back interview illustrated the few opportunities from achieving their goals. for paid work experience and access to living “Yet, in the face of economic hardship, wage jobs. the survey found young people of color Khalil Panni, 22, a volunteer with Got Green in Seattle still hold deep environmental and social justice values,” said Mo Avery, (who also serves on the Board of Directors) lead organizer for YWIG. “Our city has an and a member of the steering committee for obligation to make sure this potential does the YWIG, knew college graduates who, when they applied for positions that their major not go to waste.” matched, were turned down because they In the first vignette, two people missed lacked work experience. He said they ended up the bus and discussed their complaints about having to get jobs at places like Home Depot, expensive and ineffective transportation. They Shell, or Guitar Center, if they could find them.
Students at a YWIG event describe the challenges they face. • Photos by Shann Thomas
In the vignette, Panni played the young interviewee, who had an education, volunteer experience, and a dedication to his field, yet he was told he must have two to three years of paid experience and that he should do an unpaid internship (which he cannot afford). “These issues are real. These issues exist,” Panni said.
Thirty-two percent of young people surveyed report being “unemployed, but looking for work”; another 24 percent are working parttime; and, for the wage-earners in the survey, 75 percent earn less than the Washington state living wage for a single adult ($16.13 an hour).
The final vignette illustrated the lack of financial access to college and vocational training. In the vignette, Claira Le, an 18-year-old Vietnamese American woman, reenacted some of her own personal struggles with finding financial aid. When she met with a college admissions counselor about her interest in learning about a university’s application process and cost, she was not given the guidance she needed and was denied a financial aid application in Vietnamese that would be accessible to her and her family.
According to the report, of the 146 young people surveyed, 63 percent described having some college or post-secondary education under their belts. Yet fewer than 30 percent have received a two- or four-year degree, or completed a one-year certificate program, while 14 percent lack a high school diploma or GED. “Our city will have to focus attention and resources on access to higher education if our young people are to reach President Obama’s goal of 60 percent of 25-34-year-olds earning some type of post-secondary degree by 2020,” the report stated. After the vignettes, attendees participated in table discussions about their thoughts on what resonated most from the barriers noted in the survey results, their own personal or professional experience with the barriers, and what issues Got Green should tackle. Topics included unpaid internships, school loan debts, a tight job market, and problems with transportation. To read the report and for more information about Got Green and the YWIG Project, visit gotgreenseattle.org.
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 7
IE NEWS
SEWA empowers women, provides livelihood to communities abroad By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor University of Washington MBA and MPA students are making connections with women in India, sharing skills with the hope of advancement for all. As part of the UW Foster School of Business MBA program, the Global Consulting Project makes it possible for students enrolled in the UW’s International Business 579 course to travel to India to work on strategy projects developed in cooperation with the SelfEmployed Women’s Association (SEWA).
The International Business 579 course is taught by program director Cate Goethals, who serves as lecturer within the Foster School and Academic Director of the Global Business Forum. Goethals has led six previous student trips to India. Goethals began offering the course in 2011 to address both the career interests of students and the proposal by SEWA that UW students contribute their knowledge and efforts to the benefit of women in India. “Several factors converged,” Goethals explained. “The deans wanted to give students more opportunities to get hands-on experience in other countries. Many of the students are looking to use their MBA skills to make the world a better place.”
A meeting between IBUS 579 students Afton Walsh and Joe Tun, and 14 field supervisors, skilled workers, and co-op members of Rachaita, December 2012. • Courtesy Photo
In 2011, 16 students enrolled and worked on four projects. In 2012, the course expanded to 19 students and five projects, and this year, 20 students will tackle six projects. Once the students are enrolled, work begins at a fast pace.
This particular course was developed out “We spend two weeks with SEWA of a sense that student travel overseas lacked each December, during our winter break, reciprocity, which bothered Goethals. madly scoping our projects and gathering “All these women all over India, corporate information,” Goethals said, “with the students and village, rich and poor, were generously learning so much about so many things, meeting with us, sharing their time and their business strategy and consulting to be sure, but insights and effectively changing my students’ also culture and working in limited resource lives,” Goethals said. “But what were we doing settings.” for them?” The variety of projects is wide. Then an idea was presented by SEWA.
“The leader of one group we visited in 2010, the incredible Self-Employed Women’s Association, an organization representing 1.5 million poor female entrepreneurs, asked one of my groups, ‘What can we do together?’” Goethals said. “And so the seed was planted.” After internal approval at UW, Goethals designed the course and began to recruit the first group of students, which wasn’t difficult.
“One group had to design a business plan for a restaurant where they cook with cow dung,” Goethals said. “Another had to develop a cash flow strategy for an all-female construction company (think hard hats over gorgeous saris) that keeps its books in handwritten ledgers.” After the traveling is finished, the hard work starts.
“We come back to Seattle for a class Winter quarter,” Goethals said. “The “It never fails to inspire American students students work with mentors to complete their to see how much a grassroots village leader recommendations, which are delivered via can do with so little,” Goethals said, “and how videoconference to SEWA clients in India in in India, a country where so many girl children March.” are unwanted and brides are still burned in The experience has been a positive one for some areas, women run the banking industry, many of the students involved. unlike anywhere else in the world and certainly “Getting to be on the ground with people unlike the U.S.” who are looking for opportunities to improve Students must present certain qualifications their lives through the SEWA system was to be selected for the course. inspiring and enlightening,” said Peter True, a “Students must be graduate students–MBAs student who completed the course. “To witness or, for the first time this year, MPAs from the the real-world workings of an organization Evans School of Public Affairs,” Goethals like SEWA change lives through providing says. “They must have at least one year of job opportunities beyond day laborer positions coursework completed, which means they have was really amazing.” had at minimum their core business classes, After the students present their ideas to and they must write an essay about why they’re SEWA, next comes implementation and applying and why they will succeed.” documentation. Individual qualities of the students rank “I’ve been told over and over again what highly in Goethals’s selection process. a difference the students’ hard work and “I consider their essays and personal high-level skills make,” Goethals said. “For interviews the most important part of the example, one team in 2011 created a whole process–not everyone takes to this kind of marketing strategy and brand called SABAH challenge in a culture utterly unlike our own,” for collectives of handicrafters throughout Goethals said. “But as you can imagine, the South Asia. Last year I saw the work of those students who apply to participate in this kind handicrafters sold in a store in Ahmedabad with the branding developed by the students.” of program tend to be pretty wonderful.”
Other IBUS student proposals have been successful, as well, Goethals explained.
Goethals said. “There has been an insurance executive, a Starbucks marketer, an Amazon manager, an education director, Microsoft people. There was a pharmaceutical executive from Japan. You name it.”
“I have done four ‘consulting’ projects while at Foster and had an internship in consulting this summer,” says Haid Garrett, another student. “This experience has felt the most real and felt like it had the most consequences. Because there is the chance to affect lives through our recommendations I wanted to work a little harder, make sure my team’s recommendation penciled out and that we were thorough in our research. It was nice to have the feeling that our work had consequence.”
As student Kris Seidell phrased it: “Our work with SEWA was an ideal opportunity to move beyond the level of tourist and gain knowledge that can only come from working with someone in another country on a problem that they have identified and in their working environment.”
“Another group developed a complex financial strategy that was presented to a large Indian bank as part of a successful The students’ goals vary just as widely as loan application—for a major pool of money to be used as a microfinance fund to help their backgrounds. poor villagers without electricity to buy “Some want to challenge their MBA skills, clean-energy cookstoves and solar lanterns,” some want to make a real impact on poverty, Goethals said. others just want to meet locals and have the Because of the potential for real-world kind of experience in India that they could success, students reported taking this course never have on their own,” Goethals said. “Often it’s all of the above.” more seriously.
Documentation, however, has been difficult, because students typically graduate from UW shortly after completing the course.
“I’d like to expand the program, so this year we have a student team that is dedicated to measuring the impact of all the previous projects,” Goethals said. “We want to document the difference we’re making.” Proven successes may also help inspire local Seattle-area businesses and community members to become involved in supporting the students’ efforts.
Others reported that the Global Consulting Project led to a shift in perspective.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for me to just really think on behalf of the client,” said student Kara Gibson. “It will help me remember to put clients first.” According to Goethals, there may be a role for everyone in the wider community.
“In the existing program, students need mentors—a pool of professionals to help them solve complex problems—and sponsors,” Goethals said. “I’d love to find ways for students of more limited means to participate.” Goethals said she also wants to expand the Global Consulting Project beyond just the International Business 579 course.
“The students are paying out of their own “I’m looking for a partner organization pockets to fly to India and work,” Goethals said. “The metrics will help me find funding to develop a similar program for older to open this opportunity to students who can’t professionals,” Goethals said. “I’d like to run a pilot with one or two small groups in the next now find the money to come.” year.” Goethals said she welcomes community Goethals’s inspiration comes from those and individual involvement of all kinds, and suggests that the variety of students enrolled who may benefit most from such partnerships. could make participation a rewarding prospect “SEWA is an organization about for many in the local Puget Sound area. empowering women and providing them with “I’ve had a ship captain, a finance guy with livelihood,” Goethals said. “I’d love to work his nose constantly in the global financial with anyone who shares those goals, and who pages, several people from India who are wants to make the world a better place.” getting their MBA in the U.S. but want to do Program director Cate Goethals can be reached something for their country, and a handful who at categ@uw.edu. have used it to help them find jobs at large local international development organizations,”
8 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE NEWS
In wake of Typhoon Haiyan, relief efforts still slow By Alex Otsu IE Contributor Weeks after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines, killing at least 7,000 people and destroying the livelihoods of as many as 12 million more, relief efforts continue to appear disorganized and ineffective, according to sources from local organizations. Despite billions of dollars in aid and more in pledges, several factors have added to complications in providing the necessary relief. While the country’s infrastructure was designed to withstand most category 5 hurricanes, the record-breaking winds were simply more than could be expected. No amount of preparation could have braced the Philippines for the sheer force of the storm, said Sheila Burrus, executive director for the Filipino Community of Seattle. Organizing relief is logistically difficult because of the multiple islands that were hit along with the limited resources on each one. “When you look at the affected area and where it’s situated and how to get there, it’s impossible,” Burrus said. “When you have all of your ambulances out because they were washed away and you already have a limited supply. … When you have all your fire trucks washed away and you only have a limited supply, you don’t have any fuel flowing into that region. You don’t have any communication from the locals because the Philippines since days after the typhoon, they’re gone. They’re dead. How can you working to restore network capabilities to provide a basic communication infrastructure. coordinate that?” Despite the many challenges, Burrus said the support from the Seattle community encourages her. Hospitals are donating medical supplies, factories are donating cases of bottled water, and she is arranging for a 20-foot relief container. In addition, she is acting as a conduit for those within the Seattle Filipino community to reach out to friends or relatives in the disaster zone. Burrus also emphasized the importance of communication—both within the Philippines and from without—as essential to maximizing effectiveness. Gisli Ollafson, Emergency Response Director at Seattle-based NetHope, has been in
Ollafson said in the immediate wake of the hurricane, they were setting up temporary solutions to connectivity to lay the groundwork for more permanent, robust DSL. Without these basic capabilities, organizations have no means of instantaneous contact, leaving them unable to perform their duties. He said the work that lies ahead will be difficult, but made easier by the citizens’ eagerness to rebuild. “It was also interesting for me to see … the resiliency of the people and seeing how they are not letting any of this stop them,” Ollafson said. “They’re starting their cleanup efforts, the market has started reopening. There were endless amounts of crews working to restore
Debris lines the streets of Tacloban, Leyte island. This region was the worst affected by the typhoon, causing widespread damage and loss of life. • Photo by Eoghan Rice
A Guiuan resident rides his ricksha in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan. • Photo by Liam Kennedy, MCSN
power. But power lines were out for hundreds of kilometers, so it’s a big task.”
colleagues … they just don’t do justice to the enormity of the devastation.”
NetHope has been among the first responders in virtually every large-scale disaster since Haiti, including flooding in Pakistan and the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Compared to these events, he said the response has actually been more organized with a larger scope of organizations offering help. However, he too pointed to the decentralized nature of the typhoon along with its magnitude as unique complications.
Beth Rivin, program director for UW’s Global Health & Justice Project, said because the Philippines lacks many resources that more developed countries such as the United States have, external relief efforts are often considered charity work rather than a human right.
“These kinds of winds, winds in excess of 175 miles per hour, these are the kinds of winds we see in tornadoes. The good thing about tornadoes is they only touch down for a mile or two. This one touched down for over 16 miles,” he said. “The pictures we’ve all seen on TV are bad, but based on what I’m hearing from my
“I wish there was an understanding that the global community has a duty to intervene when there is a disaster, no matter where it is,” Rivin said. “Whether it is in a country that the U.S. is politically allied with or not, I think people do have a right to access emergency services to survive.” Alex Otsu is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
A resident sits outside of his home in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan. • Photo by Liam Kennedy, MCSN
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 9
IE NEWS
A vigil held at Beacon United Methodist Church in November remembered Typhoon victims. • Photo by Christopher Duclos
Community vigil remembers victims of Typhoon Haiyan Mae Jacobson IE Contributor A community vigil held Tuesday, November 19, at Beacon United Methodist Church remembered those affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
Afterward, at a coffee reception, Galag expressed concern that sometimes the global media forget about natural disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan.
“When I’m thinking about rebuilding, I know this will be a long haul,” Galag said. “I don’t want people to forget like in other places Led by Pastor Mark Galag and organized where calamities have happened. There will by Nicole Ramirez of Anakbayan, a Filipino always be support needed.” youth organization, the service featured two Donna Denina, a member of the Filipino musical performances, group prayer, and a women’s group Pin@y, suggested that support candle-lighting ceremony accompanied by and donations go through NAFCON, the hymns sung by participants. National Association of Filipino Concerns, “We wanted the space for people not only because of their commitment to give 100 to donate and think of different ways to percent of resources to those in need. contribute, but also to think about how they “I think first and foremost the relief are also healing through this,” Ramirez said. is definitely needed,” Denina said. “The Ramirez and her fellow Anakbayan response and the outpour of support from the members have spent the last few weeks international community have been great. But organizing a myriad of awareness campaigns. I think secondary to that is to be critical on The vigil gave them a moment of repose. where you’re channeling those resources. For “Members of our organization have been them to actually receive the goods directly going really hard organizing, even doing and immediately is to channel them to guerilla fundraising in Westlake,” Ramirez organizations that already work directly on the said. “We wanted to pause and think about ground.” the people that are impacted and how we will Ramirez echoed this sentiment, saying, find the strength and hope amid sadness and “We’re really pushing for people to donate devastation to continue on our work.” through [NAFCON], because they work Richard Arcelo, also an Anakbayan directly with organizations that are on the member, found strength while performing a ground in the Philippines that are 100 percent song on his acoustic guitar during the program. volunteer run.”
Reminiscent of John Lennon’s lilting, melodic Ramirez noted that NAFCON is part of the “Imagine,” Arcelo’s “Ok To Cry” felt like a affected community, and as a result is most good fit for the program because the natural familiar with the culture and the people it disaster reminded him that “you have to say serves. what you can say before it’s too late.” “They know exactly what the conditions Galag led the 40 or so attendees in group are,” Ramirez said. “It’s important those are prayer and song for those in the Philippines. the people serving the communities impacted Galag implored the congregation to “let us because they will be the most impactful and refuse to be passive and silent, let us offer love the most understanding.” to those who need it most.” Galag added: “We are all in this together. The program closed with an act of solidarity I honestly believe that. Helping those in need through a candle-lighting ceremony. As is the good thing to do, and it’s the right thing everyone sang “We Shall Overcome,” people to do.” were invited to come forward and light a Mae Jacobson is a student in the University candle in remembrance of those who died, and of Washington Department of Communication for those who suffer. News Laboratory.
For info on how to donate, visit nafconusa.org.
10 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE COMMUNITY
6 holiday gift ideas from the International District By Chelsee Yee IE Contributor On a single stroll through Chinatown/International District, there are any number of wonders to be found that belong in your holiday goodie bag. The International Examiner sent intern Chelsee Yee to document some of her finds that make great stocking stuffers, gifts to wow with, or just presents for yourself. Happy shopping!
3. Retro video Pink Gorilla
1. Scarves from Momo Momo is a funky boutique that offers a great deal of assortments, ranging from home décor to vintage jewelry to Japanese adornments, and of course, their notable wool/cashmere scarves—a perfect gift for the winter season. While these scarves can be a bit pricy for some shoppers (many are over $100), Momo also offers one of a kind finds throughout the shop that include a unique variety of charming trinkets and knick knacks that might be in your budget. Momo is located at 600 S Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104.
games
at
Pink Gorilla offers a variety of new and retro video games for any kind of platform, Japanese or American. Right now, there’s a “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” for many PlayStation 2 games and more. But if you don’t have the station to play it with, then maybe what you’re looking for is the timeless, original 2. My Neighbor Totoro plushy at Kinokuniya Bookstore Nintendo Game Boy that’s fun to play at At the corner of Uwajimaya Village, you’ll find everyone’s favorite bookstore in the any age ($30). Pink Gorilla is located at International District. Kinokuniya Bookstore offers shelves and shelves of cool comic 601 S King St., Seattle, WA 98104. books and discounted supplies for the holidays, but if the person you’re buying for is not a reader, then check out this cute plushy of My Neighbor Totoro. (Small- $16.50, Medium- $27.50, Large- $55) It’s great for kids who need a friend to cuddle with at night, and if they behaved extra good this year, be sure to check out the blue Totoro plushies that cost just a little more. Kinokuniya Bookstore is located at 525 S Weller St., Seattle, WA 98104.
6. Ornaments at Kobo 4. Bamboo at Thoi Dai Gift Shop This gift shop is like walking into Chinese New Year. Mini Buddha fountains, jade key chains, shelves of candles and incense, lotus lamps—the gift options are endless, especially if you’re going for a spiritual theme. However, the bamboo plants (ranging from $1 to $40) are the way to go if you want to get an early start on setting that lucky New Year. Thoi Dai Gift Shop is located at 650 S Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104.
5. Socks at Daiso Japan Soft gloves. Knee-high socks. Cover socks. Anklets. Beanies. Scarves. Belly Bands. All the winter gear you need for $1.50 each (unless otherwise marked). These cute, furry accessories bring the fashion to frosty weather that would make any girl smile. Daiso Japan is located at 710 6th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98104.
A neighbor to Momo, Kobo at Higo serves as a division between an Asian Hallmark and art gallery full of beautiful ceramic pieces. On the retail side, you can find an assortment of books, cards, clothes, and décor that are commercially priced. At the back of the shop, you’ll find a cute display of Christmas ornaments that can range from $5 to $20. These ornaments are simple but high in quality. And what tree doesn’t need more decorating? Kobo is located at 602-608 S Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104.
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 11
IE COMMUNITY
EvenStar Shochu is gaining popularity in Seattle. • Courtesy photo
Sodo Spirits Distillery makes America’s only handcrafted shochu In order to make shochu, Sheehan cooks barley grown in Eastern Washington in large rice cookers. He then spreads the barley on a By most accounts fungus is a bad thing. But table in a small warm room called a koji-mura, for KC and Amy Sheehan, owners of Sodo where he seeds the barley with the koji fungus. Spirits Distillery, fungus is friend, not foe. Not The koji eats through the starch of the grains just any fungus, but Aspergillius Oryaze, or for the next day and a half. Sheehan stirs the koji, to be exact. The Sheehans use koji as a barley to ensure full and even inoculation of key ingredient when producing their shochu, a the barley. He then lets the inoculated barley, Japanese spirit made from barley. or koji kin, cool for another half day. A former toolmaker, KC Sheehan started Once it is cool, Sheehan adds more distilling shochu in 2008 as part of what he cooked barley to the koji kin and places it in calls “the Washington distilling movement.” barrels with yeast and water, beginning the While most other distillers were planning fermentation process. After fermenting for 10 to make vodka, gin or whiskey, but he had a days the mixture is hand loaded into the still, different plan. where it is distilled into liquid. This liquid is Mae Jacobson IE Contributor
“I had had Japanese shochu several times,” KC Sheehan said. “I knew a little about it but not tons. A friend of mine who runs a brewery and distillery told me to look into shochu. My friend gave me the basics of it and we just started experimenting.”
collected and blended with distilled water, resulting in the final product.
Sheehan’s shochu is the only handcrafted shochu in America, and a bit different from traditional Japanese spirit because of the addition of flavoring.
“You can make great cocktails and they’re not super high calorie, they’re not loaded with sugar which is hard on your body. That’s another thing I love about shochu, it’s so versatile,” he said. EvenStar Shochu is gaining popularity in Seattle. Sold at Maneki, Seattle’s oldest restaurant, EvenStar is best known by Japanese restaurants and Asian grocery stores such as Uwajimaya. “Most of the bars and restaurants that buy from us are Asian oriented. We’ve done pretty well in the Japanese-American community,” Sheehan said. “We’re trying to move into broader market. But nobody knows about it so that’s the challenging thing.” But, Sodo Spirits Distillery might be in luck. It recently signed on with its first outof-state distributor, a company based in Portland.
Sheehan’s passion for shochu is evident in his hope that this new deal will bring the drink Neither KC nor Amy had any experience “Ours is traditional, the only thing we are distilling shochu. Everything they knew about doing differently is we add whatever flavor to more people. He returns time and again to the process came from knowledgeable friends, you see,” Sheehan said. “We just macerate it the versatile nature of EvenStar, suggesting a myriad of cocktail recipes. The best way to research and trial and error. and put it into our pot still and then distill with drink shochu during the winter? Three-dozen experimental batches and one it. Because ours is distilling with it, it’s the “Warm with a little bit of water,” he said. and a half years later, the Sheehans had their molecular flavors coming up, so it’s very subtle.” “EvenStar was the original name for the North first final product, a rosemary flavored shochu Subtle indeed. The clear liquor is smooth that they named EvenStar. This first flavor and almost tasteless. The taste is reminiscent Star, and both will guide you through the would eventually be joined by three additional of vodka, but with an earthier feel. The unique night!” EvenStar products: mint, ginger, chilies, and a added flavor isn’t immediately apparent; rather, Mae Jacobson is a student in the barrel aged version of the original rosemary. it is a aftertaste that lingers on your tongue. University of Washington Department of The Sheehan’s are wholly focused on the Communication News Laboratory. Because of its subtlety, shochu is a prime production of these five flavors of shochu, they ingredient for mixed drinks, which is Sheehan’s make no other spirits. favorite way to have it.
12 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE COMMUNITY
Showcase lends artistic, political voice to Pacific Islanders media. Events like [Pasifik Voices] remind us that our culture is what keeps us strong and connected.”
By Melanie Eng IE Contributor
“Get up, get up!” rapped 23-year-old Dakota Camacho, on stage at the University of Washington’s Ethnic Cultural Theatre. “Say: ‘All life’s sacred!’”
An audience of young Pacific Islanders whistled, applauded, and echoed back at him: “All life’s sacred—get up, get up!”
A Voice for the Voiceless
Camacho wasn’t the only one promoting social awareness and cultural preservation at Pasifik Voices.
Camacho was one of 13 passionate performance artists featured in last week’s production of “Pasifik Voices.” The multimedia arts and culture showcase, started in 2008 by the UW’s Pacific Islander Student Commission, strives to celebrate indigenous Island artists in the Seattle area and provide a creative outlet for what current PISC President Taylor Pacific Islander youth come together to showcase their culture. Visit iexaminer.org for video footage. • Courtesy Images Ahana calls “the most underrepresented to stand up against one of the gravest and States, spreading awareness about what’s community out there.” lesser-known threats to the Pacific Islands happening back home through my music “We’re almost invisible,” he said. “Most today: U.S. military plans to turn Pagan, and my poetry.” people don’t really know who we are, and a pristine, culturally sacred island in the At last count, there were 2,500 there are a lot of stereotypes that go along Northern Marianas, into a full-spectrum signatures backing the campaign’s petition with that. When people think of Pacific artillery training site. to leave Pagan alone. After Camacho’s call Islanders they just think of big Samoan Camacho organizes stateside for the to action Monday night, there were even football players, they think of the Rock. global movement to save Pagan from more. “The point I was trying to get across becoming “another military waste dump.” “It was a huge, huge success,” he said. with Pasifik Voices is that … we are a The movement gained momentum with very diverse people. We have different last month’s launch of the social media Camacho said he always felt a deep voices and different talents that take many campaign #OurIslandsAreSacred, which spiritual connection to his family’s forms—whether it’s stories or spoken word spreads awareness about the situation in homeland on the island of Guam—a or singing and dancing.” connection that compelled him to make the Marianas via Twitter. indigenous culture, and the militarization For many performers, Pasifik Voices is Using Pagan for weapons testing is part a rare opportunity to share their artistic of a greater plan by the U.S. Department of indigenous land, the focus of his art talent with a rowdily supportive audience, of Defense to dramatically expand its over the past eight years. most of whom are part of the same military presence (including more liveIt also drove him to co-create Arkiology, community. fire training exercises) in the Northern a virtual Pacific Islander artists’ collective, Ahana said Pasifik Voices is especially Marianas and Guam over the next year, during his first trip to the Marianas in crucial to the preservation of traditional according to a recent statement released 2010. island art forms that are ignored elsewhere by the Navy. The Mariana archipelago Camacho said that “part of the goal in American culture. For example, the UW already houses the largest U.S. military of Arkiology is to connect people in the Micronesian Islander Club’s performance range in the world. homeland to the diaspora,” recognizing Monday night told the story of creation Protesters say turning Pagan into a that solidarity is now more important for through traditional Chamorro chanting. weapons testing site will destroy the Pacific Islanders than ever before. island’s thriving yet fragile ecosystem, He said an unprecedented number of Social Change Through Hip-hop which is home to countless rare, endangered Pacific Islanders are now being displaced For Camacho, Monday night was about species not found anywhere else on the due to economic challenges in the Mariana much more than just creative expression. It planet. It will also wipe away nearly 3,000 territories. But when they migrate to was a chance for him to convey a politically years worth of sacred ancestral ruins left the United States, they find mainstream mobilizing message—and to use his talent behind by ancient Chamorro tribes. society ill-equipped to receive them. as a hip-hop artist as a powerful medium “There’s so much more to do to organize “It’s as if there’s no space for us here,” for change. against the military buildup,” Camacho he said. “Not only has our history been When Camacho told his audience to said. “It’s clear to me, though, that my role erased from schoolbooks, but we never “get up, get up!” he was calling on them in the movement is to be here in the United see our culture reflected in the mainstream
What’s your dish? The IE wants to know what your favorite dish is in the International District. 1) Take a pic. 2) Say what it is, where you got it, and how much it costs. 3) Send it in to editor@iexaminer.org with the subject line “ID Dish.”
Filipino Youth Organization Anakbayan Seattle also used the opportunity to successfully raise money for Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts, while PSIC leaders incorporated the event into their informal youth outreach program that helps Pacific Islander high schoolers—who are often underserved in public education systems— plan for college.
The show’s MCs also made a point throughout the evening to talk about the lack of Pacific Islander study programs at UW—an issue affecting many Pacific Islander Huskies in the audience—and what’s being done to address it. “Pasifik Voices is really an important forum to create awareness about important issues in the community,” Ahana said. “And it’s a chance for us to finally have a voice—to speak out to the crowd and to have ourselves be heard.” Melanie Eng is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 13
IE ARTS
Truth of a clown: Local performer rises from Japan tragedy By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor Clowns have long brought humor to sad situations, to help us cope with tragedy and sorrow. Local clown and performer Sachie Mikawa continues in that vein, and has just received a GAP Grant from Artist Trust to support her new work.
“I moved to Seattle from Japan in the spring of 1998,” she said. “It was a Friday the 13th, full moon, and on ‘butsumetsu,’ which is regarded as a ‘not good’ day of the week in Japanese calendar. It was all set for tragedy so I had to pick that date.”
clown act,” Mikawa said. “The show will be somewhat bilingual, so it’d be interesting to try.“
Until then, Mikawa will be developing this new solo piece and continuing her work with LeFrenchword, a local performance troupe Mikawa didn’t regret immigrating to the she cofounded with three other performers. Mikawa and Le Frenchword will perform their United States. newest original show “Fancy Mud” in Seattle “It was one of my dreams to move out of Mikawa began her clowning with a 12-week in July 2014, and then tour the show to nearby Japan, since I was five or so, so it felt fantastic course with George Lewis, who is cofounder of fringe festivals and West Coast cities. and I’ve never felt homesick, not even once, Freehold Theatre Studio and an instructor in the ever since,” Mikawa said. art of the Personal Clown. Lewis then served as “LeFrenchword in Fancy Mud” will run July But the tsunami’s effects changed things: 10-14, 2014, at Theatre Off Jackson, 409 Seventh director for Mikawa’s first original show, a short “Years earlier, I stole many of mom’s photos Avenue South, Seattle. For more information, solo clown act called “Birthday Surprise.” from home,” Mikawa admits. “I think I was visit http://www.theatreoffjackson.org/event/leThis introductory show taught Mikawa a lot just shy to tell her that I wanted my baby frenchword-in-fancy-mud/. about clowning. photos with my dad, since he disappeared Mikawa “I realized pretty quickly that half the work fifteen years ago and has not been in contact. was really done by the audience,” Mikawa But I also took many more.” said. “I would react to how they reacted to This allowed Mikawa and her mother to what happened on stage (or what happened to experience a poignant moment. me), and it was funny to them even though I’d “She [Mikawa’s mother] thought she had be either struggling or crying or doing some lost all her photos in the tsunami until I told other tragic routine.” her I had ‘saved’ some for her,” said Mikawa. This lesson continues to motivate Mikawa’s “It definitely made her day that day.” current work. From these moments, Mikawa plans to “I haven’t seen many clown acts like that create a solo performance set in Sendai City in in Seattle where the clown is aware of the 1959, focusing on her mother at age ten. audience and think it’d be fun thing for me to Filipino Community Center “I like that the clown is true to herself, explore in the new show,” Mikawa said. whatever she believes is the absolute truth to her,” 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Mikawa is still in the early stages of Mikawa said. “But I also think that’s how people Way S. development of her new clown piece, which are. That’s how habit and beliefs are made.” focuses on stories about her mother’s Seattle, WA 98118 Mikawa will explore the Sendai City of hometown and youth. her mother’s childhood, before the area was “The Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011 Thursday, December 5, destroyed. was obviously the main event that put ideas 2013 “One of my clown characteristics is into my head,” Mikawa said. 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. innocence,” she said. “Anyone who knows me Mikawa’s mother’s hometown was knows that I’m far from being innocent, but I destroyed, but her mother and aunt survived. Tickets: feel very playful when I get to be innocent while “My mom and sister lost everything in the clowning. And I like the sense of play and joy.” Full-Table (10 seats) $600 tsunami as they lived right by the sea south of Individual (1 Seat) $60 She is also exploring options for taking this Sendai,” Mikawa said. Student (1 Seat) $35 new performance to Japan and elsewhere. A key inspiration for this new piece is, Sponsorship starts at $1,000 “For the past couple of years, I have been according to Mikawa, “that surreal moment more interested in making shows that I can you find out your mom and sister are alive after take to wherever I wanted to go,” Mikawa said. In August, the International Examiner gave its readers the opportunity being certain for two days that they were dead.” to recognize their local favorites. Readers voted throughout the month of That includes her country of birth. Mikawa said that moment had a strong August and early September. In honor of those reader-chosen businesses, “I went home for the first time in impact on her. organizations, and individuals, a celebratory 4th Annual RCA dinner will be eleven years just last week,” Mikawa “I’ve always had strong connection to that held on Thursday, December 5th. Save the date! said. “I would love to perform in Japan.” place and mom’s side of family,” she said. “It Purchase raffle tickets at the dinner for a chance to win some awesome made me spend less time caring about what’s Mikawa hopes to make connections with her prizes! One raffle ticket for $20 or three tickets for $30. Winners must be not important.” spectators despite any cultural or linguistic present at the time of drawing to win. Prizes include an Acer Netbook donated Instead, Mikawa has been sorting through gaps. by Comcast, Microsoft Office 2013, and a food and vintage wine package. memories and mementos of her past life in “I enjoy the feeling of the audience being For tickets, visit iexaminer.org/rca2013. Sendai City, Japan. my scene partner while performing my solo
International Examiner Readerʼs Choice Awards 2013
14 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
CLASSIFIEDS
IE COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY Arts & Culture
RENT Development Professional & Leadership
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.
WANTED Social HELP & Health Services 601 S King St. Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-682-1668 website www.apicat.org Address tobacco control and other health justice issues in the Asian American/Pacific Islander communities.
CLASSIFIEDS
RENT
1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 Ph: 206-654-3209 Fx: 206-654-3135 SAM connects art to life through special exhibitions, educational programs and installations drawn from its collection of approximately 25,000 objects. Through its three sites, SAM presents global perspectives, making the arts a part of everyday life for people of all ages, interests, backgrounds and cultures.
Education 3327 Beacon Ave S. Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-725-9740 info@deniselouie.org www.deniselouie.org Multicultural preschool ages 3-5 years old. Now enrolling Private Pay full-day ($900/mo) and part-day classes ($500/mo) with locations at ID, Beacon Hill, and Rainier Beach. P.O. Box 16016 Seattle, WA 98116 info@vnsf.org www.vnsf.org VNSF enables underprivileged students in Viet Nam to achieve success and happiness through education. We are looking for volunteers and board members to join the team and make a difference in the lives of kids in Vietnam.
Housing & Neighborhood Planning HomeSight 5117 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-723-4355 fx: 206-760-4210 www.homesightwa.org HomeSight creates homeownership opportunities through real estate development, home buyer education and counseling, and lending.
Executive Development Institute 310 – 120th Ave NE. Suite A102 Bellevue, WA Ph. 425-467-9365 • Fax: 425-467-1244 Email: edi@ediorg.org • Website: www.ediorg.org EDI offers culturally relevant leadership development programs.
HELP WANTED
WE MAKE LEADERS Queen Anne Station, P.O. Box 19888, Seattle, WA 98109 info@naaapseattle.org, www.naaapseattle.org Fostering future leaders through education, networking and community services for Asian American professionals and entrepreneurs. Facebook: NAAAP-Seattle Twitter: twitter.com/naaapseattle
Senior Services Community Care Network of Kin On
815 S Weller St, Suite 212, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-652-2330 fx: 206-652-2344 contact@kinon.org www.kinon.org Provides home care, home health, Alzheimer’s and caregiver support, community education and chronic care management. Coordinates medical supply delivery. Installs Personal emergency Response systems. Serves the Chinese/Asian community in King County.
Kin On Health Care Center
4416 S Brandon St, Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-721-3630 fx: 206-721-3626 contact@kinon.org www.kinon.org A 100-bed, Medicare and Medicaid certified, not-for-profit skilled nursing facility focused on meeting the long term care needs of the Chinese/Asian community members.
Legacy House
803 South Lane Street Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-292-5184 fx: 206-838-3057 info@legacyhouse.org www.scidpda.org/programs/legacyhouse.aspx Description of organization/services offered: Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, meal programs for low-income seniors. Medicaid accepted.
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging InterIm Community Development Association 310 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-624-1802 fx: 206-624-5859 info@interimicda.org www.interimicda.org Affordable housing development, multi-lingual low-income housing outreach, rental information, financial literacy, neighborhood planning and outreach for APAs, immigrants and refugees.
221 18th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 fx: 206-329-3330 connie.devaney@gmail.com We provided affordable housing and support services to people over 62 years of age. Lunch is served 7 days per week to people over 60 years of age for a $3 donation. 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 Community Service Employment Program ph: 206-322-5272 fx: 206-322-5387 www.napca.org Part-time training program for low income Asian Pacific Islanders age 55+ in Seattle/ King & Pierce Counties.
1601 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122 ph: 206-323-7100 fx: 206-325-1502 www.nikkeiconcerns.org Rehabilitation & care center; assisted living community; senior activity program; continuing education.
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 lowincome people in King County.
PO Box 14047, Seattle WA 98114 (206) 325.0325 (Helpline) info@apichaya.org www. apichaya.org API Chaya is dedicated to serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking in the Asian, South Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We offer multi-lingual services that are free and confidential.
EMPLOYMENT
Come join the Washington State Chinese Information and Service Center Convention Center! 611 S Lane St, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-624-5633 fax: 206-624-5634 info@cisc-seattle.org www.cisc-seattle.org
Washington State Convention Center CISC helps Asian immigrants make thein transition to a new life (WSCC), located downtown while keeping later generations on touch with their rich heritage. Seattle, is accepting applications for On-Call Parking Cashier. Duties include monitoring incoming vehicles, collecting parking fees & providing customer service to WSCC guests. Requires HS diploma or GED and one year of cashier experience. International District Medical & Dental ClinicApplicants 720 8th Ave S, Suite 100, Seattle, WA must be available to98104 work flexible ph: 206-788-3700 hours including weekends, evenings Holly Park Medical & Dental Clinic 3815 Snights. Othello St, 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA 98118 and ph: 206-788-3500
Bellevuewww.wscc.com Medical & Dental Clinic for further info Visit Coming in 2013! or to download an app. Apps are Shoreline Medical & Dental also available at Clinic the WSCC Service Coming in 2014! Entrance, 9th and Pike, Mon-Fri, 8:00 We are a–nonprofit offering affordable health care a.m. 5:00 health p.m.center WSCC apps must be services, including primary care, dental, behavioral health, pharcompleted for consideration. Jobline: macy, laboratory, acupuncture, and health education. (206) 694-5039. EOE.
EMPLOYMENT Ultrasound Engineer at Kona Medical, Inc. FT, Bellevue, WA. Ultrasound signal path analysis & improvement, image tracking algorithms & software dvlpmnt, transducer array integration, image optimization, & work w/crossfunction R&D groups to develop ultrasound products. See website for complete job duties & reqs & to apply, http://konamedical.com/contactemployment/careers/.
EMPLOYMENT
logo ($12) - none bold lines ($10.50) - none Need regular lines ($6) a= job? 11 lines X 6 = We can help! If you re66.00 ceive Basic Food or are low income, live in Seattletotal = 66.00 King County and English is your second language. Contact: (206) 774-2478 employmentprogram@acrs.org. ACRS, 3639 MLK Jr. Way S., Seattle 98144. Free services for eligible participants: online job application, resume, interview setup assistances. Bus tickets may be available during job search.
Logo - $12.00 Bold lines = 1 line $10.50 = $10.50 Don’t getXtake-out! Regular lines = 12 X $ 6.00 = 72.00
Have it Delivered!
Total = $94.50
Seattle Rotary Club logo = $12.00 Bill Nagel Every X Thursday 11:30 to 1:00 bold lines = Meets 6 lines 10.50 = a.m. 63.00 regular lines p.m. = 15 lines X $6 = 90.00 New Hong Kong Restaurant Bill.nagel@gmail.com total = 165.00
http://www.seattleidrotary.org/ Improve the local community by engaging activities such as community improvement projects, scholarship opportunities, and undertakings that promote education. 1501 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103 ph: 206-694-6700 fx: 206-694-6777 info@solid-ground.org Washington State www.solid-ground.org
Come join the Convention Center!
Our programs help people meet their immediate needs and gain the skills and resources needed to reach solid ground and Admission achieve their dreams.Attendant: If you enjoy
meeting, greeting and assisting guests in a customer-service ph: 206-624-3426oriented www.merchants-parking-transia. environment, this position is for you! Take tickets, check org guest Parking credentials, Merchants provides provide directions and general facility convenient & affordable community parking. Transia provides cominformation. munity transportation: para-transit van services, shuttle services
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and field trips in & out of Chinatown/International District & South
King County. Transportation Attendant: In this position you will check credentials of exhibitors and monitor vehicle access entering the facility via loading areas, respond to inquiries about daily activities within and around the Convention Center.
Get the plan that fits
Requires HS diploma or GED, excellent customer service skills, prefer hospitality experience. These are on-call positions. Applicants must be available to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings, and nights.
Call Healthy Options at 1-800-562-3022. Visit www.wscc.com for further info Choose Amerigroup. or to download an app. Apps are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. WSCC apps must be completed for consideration. Jobline:
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013 — 15
IE ARTS
Kimsooja: A needle woman piercing the fabric of life By Kazuko Nakane
by the waves of a river of people. During the performance in Tokyo, she said in an interview in the accompanying catalogue that she experienced an incredible tension, which eventually developed into a focused and enlightened mind.
IE Contributor
When the artist Kimsooja sat one day mending her bedding with her mother, she had a revelation. As the needle pierced the silky fabric, she could feel everything from the universe pass through her body to the needlepoint travelling through the fabric. So begins the journey of orchestrating a symphony of rich, vivid colors. She was born in South Korea, and began exhibiting from the late 1980s. By the time I saw the brilliant hues of her textile installation at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in 2008, she was already an international artist, showing on a global scale. Her works have been mostly identified with fabric, the traditional territory of women, rich colors follow specific traditional codes, and indeed Korea has a long history of needle works, inherited from mothers to were found in China, Japan, and to some extent Islamic countries through extensive, daughters. After her initial mesmerizing experience ancient trade. A room filled with the great with her mother, she began wrapping wishes of each mother becomes a shared common objects with pieces and scraps commonality of everyday life consisting of different cloth. A stool, window frame of everybody’s laundry. and ladder are transformed. She also used fabric of different colors as pigments to fill out the diverse shapes of two-dimensional frames. They are full of abundance as if they grew out of the earth yet seem to lack the creative door to expand. For “A Mirror Woman” (2002), she gathered a variety of used ready/made bedcovers, a wedding gift from mother to a bride for good wishes, fertility, and longevity. She then hung them with laundry clips on ropes. The wedding ceremony used to be the one occasion when regular people could share the aesthetic experience of historic nobles. Some of the woven or stitched designs used here are derived from old aristocratic textile, which
The word, bottari means a bundle in Korean. The bottari opens up her work into the world outside. She wraps other pieces of fabric in a square cloth of the same kind as a bedcover, a kind of pojagi. Tied on the top by hands, they create a rotund shape. Spread throughout a room, they weave a pattern across the floor. They are not only beautiful, but each becomes the life of a woman who has carried it from place to place. The exhibition doesn’t intend to express the country of Korea, but more of its connection with other worlds through the journey of textile. At the entrance to the exhibition at the grand staircase of both sides, there are 306 pieces of purple (traditionally called grape color)
Image courtesy of Kimsooja
In contrast, another powerful video installation is “Mumbai: A Laundry Field” (2007-8). Multi-video images with soundtrack are juxtaposed: the left screen is a row of hanging clothes in a narrow alley; the central screen is focused on men, who wash textiles by banging them repeatedly on a hard surface; and on the right is a screen catching a speeding commuter train packed with people profuse with colors of their clothes, flaring in the wind. This series of images conjures up the powerful connections we don’t always acknowledge that take place between clothing and our daily life.
The artist, Kimsooja maintains her lotus lanterns attached to the ceiling, accompanied by Tibetan, Gregorian, and identity as a Korean woman while she explores communication with the outside Islamic chants. world in an effort to break open the For one of her signature pieces, a silent boundaries of social and cultural diversity. video installation, “A Needle Woman” At the end of this retrospective exhibition, produced during the 1999-2001 period, I began to realize that she tells the stories she visited the cities of Cairo, Lagos, in her meditative manner about how we are London, Mexico, New Delhi, New York, all connected in this world of global textile Shanghai, and Tokyo. In each city she trade. While recognizing the inequalities, stood motionless in the middle of a busy she still celebrates the abundance and street with a camera behind her back. power of lives with the vivid hues of our It is fascinating to see how differently humanity through the cloth. the image of her motionless self had The Vancouver Art Gallery is at upon people of each distinct culture. In 750 Hornby St. in Vancouver B.C., Cairo, people are curious and looked at Canada. (604) 662-4700 or visit www. the camera more than her, yet they were vanartgallery.bc.cal. Locally, a portion mostly involved with their own lives with of Kimsooja’s “Needle Woman” video friends in the public place of their street. installation can be seen as an outdoor art In Lagos, people were curious and stopped piece in front of the Bill & Melinda Gates th to stare and touch. While in London, New Foundation located at 440 – 5 Ave. N. York, and Tokyo, the crowds become an near Seattle Center. enormous endless flow. Here she looks Kimsooja: Unfolding like an immobile stone statue, swallowed The Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada October 11, 2013-January 26, 2014
16 — December 4, 2013 – December 17, 2013
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
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