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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS
FREE EST. 1974 —SEATTLE VOLUME 41, NUMBER 6 — MARCH 19, 2014 – APRIL 1, 2014
THE NEWSPAPER OF NORTHWEST ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. FIND YOUR INSPIRASIAN.
INSIDE: S O T O PH L ATIONA INTERN ’S DAY WOMEN 16 | MARCH
Cambodian Singer
SAREY SAVY Steps into adulthood with new EP
UNDERSTANDING AFGHANISTAN | 10 ‘JOURNEY TO THE WEST’ ON THE BIG SCREEN | 12
2 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE OPINION
DACA: Spread the word, protect our undocumented children By Maria Batayola IE Guest Columnist Every Filipino I know, including myself, has someone in our extended family who is a “TNT,” a “tago ng tago” (translated as hide and hide), or an undocumented fellow immigrant. I am also hoping that this is true with other Asian Pacific Islander communities. Why? Because we need to let them know that their kids can stay legally in the United States, be able to work legally, and perhaps, even get college tuition assistance.
more misdemeanors; or otherwise pose a threat to public safety or national security.
“We have a program that will help the undocumented children apply for DACA by loaning them, interest-free, the $465 application fee and help them with college and job readiness,” said Sharon Maeda, executive director of 21 Progress, a non-profit that works for equity and justice. “To date, we have served 150 DACA applicants. There’s an estimated 3,000 API undocumented youth in our state. There must be a way to get the word out to our Asian Pacific Frustrated with the lack of congres- Islander community.” sional immigration reform, President What a shame if our family memBarack Obama instructed the Homeland bers and fellow countrymen can’t acSecurity Department to delay deporting cess DACA because they did not know, undocumented children as a humanitarparticularly since the Democratic maian act. The Migration Policy Institute jority Washington House and Repubestimated that there are 1.76 million lican majority Senate just passed the undocumented children in the United Dream Act and the Real Hope Act States, with 40,000 living in Washingrespectively to give college tuition aston State, including 3,000 Asian Pacific sistance to our undocumented youth. Islanders. And, HB 1079 has already granted This initiative is called DACA undocumented students in Washington (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). in-state college tuition rates which are It would offer a two year reprieve from about one-third the out-of-state coldeportation, which is renewable, and lege tuition rate. work authorization for those who: To get DACA financial assistance 1) entered the United States illegally and training, email daca@21progress. or overstayed their visa and were under org or call (206) 829-8482. Tagalog the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, or have interpreters can be available upon turned 15 since that date, request. DACA applicants should also 2) entered the United States before the get free legal consultation by contacting age of 16, 21 PROGRESS’ partner organization, 3) lived continuously in the United the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) at: 206-587-4009 or 206States since June 15, 2007, 957-8618. 4) is in school, graduated from high school, or earned a GED, or are Maria Batayola is a long time honorably discharged veterans of the community activist and civil rights leader. U.S. armed forces, including the Coast She currently serves as President of FAPAGOW (Filipino American Political Guard, and 5) have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or
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Established in 1974, the International Examiner is the only non-profit pan-Asian American media organization in the country. Named after the International District in Seattle, the “IE” strives to create awareness within and for our APA communities. 622 South Washington Street, Seattle, WA 98104. (206) 6243925. iexaminer@iexaminer.org.
Action Group of Washington).
A Hmong family in Carnation prepares to go out and pick raspberries. From left: Yia Cha, Ma Lee, Jim Cha, and Anna Cha, circa 1985. • Photo by Kamol Sudthayakron For more photos, visit flickr.com/examinerarchives.
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INTERN Chelsee Yee EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Vowel Chu PROOFREADER Anna Carriveau CONTRIBUTORS Amy Van Jintana Lityouvong Maria Batayola Atoosa Moinzadeh Atia Musazay Yayoi Winfrey Jessica Davis Vivian Huang Jill Mangaliman
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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 3
IE OPINION
40 Years with CAPAA: Commissioners respond to unique challenges By Amy Van and Jintana Lityouvong IE Guest Columnists Since 1974, more than 100 community volunteers have made a pledge to serve as a commissioner for the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA).
That pledge is to work toward one mission—to improve the lives of Asian Pacific Americans. Individuals ranging from school teachers to doctors, business owners to retired professionals, have all served on the Commission. These individuals bring to the table an understanding of the unique needs of their communities and a desire to apply their knowledge and experiences to give APAs a voice in government. Commissioner Cynthia Rekdal served in the 1980s and reflected on her growth in her role as a community leader. “You can’t change things if you stay in the same circle,” Rekdal said.
While many APAs focused on influencing and diversifying political leadership, Rekdal was hard at work introducing diversity into another institution: education. In 1984, the same year she was appointed as a CAPAA commissioner, Rekdal was leading the Renton school district as the Director of Multicultural Education for their Learning Assistant Program.
With a passion for education, Rekdal helped lead CAPAA’s education and affirmative action committees during her term.
“Multicultural education was almost nonexistent [in the ’70s and into the ’80s],” Rekdal said. “It became very strong that there was something wrong with a system that was teaching about white America and leaving everyone else [out]. We were really pushing at that time to look at the curriculum in a deeper and broader sense of the word.” Rekdal and many others responded to the need for multicultural education at a critical juncture for Washington’s APA population, which has increased from 110,000 in 1980 to 675,000 in 2010 and is one of the fastest growing in the country.
Van Dinh Kuno emphasizes the importance of inclusion when speaking
Commissioner Vang Xiong (third row center) and Cynthia Rekdal (first row center) at a community meeting. • Courtesy Photo (undated)
set aside funding to specifically focus on APA mental health issues. “Even though you’re Asian, you think you know the Asian culture, and we have a lot of things similar, but we have a lot of things different from each other, and “During the time I was searching for that opportunity to do outreach was work, I saw a lot of Southeast Asians rewarding,” Kuno said. Like Kuno, it was Vang Xiong’s newly arrived in Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom areas, without [access] to any unique experience as a first generation services.” With no formal experience in Hmong refugee that allowed him to social work, aside from assisting her own witness these social challenges first family, she nonetheless took on the role hand, and subsequently become involved to help struggling community members. in shaping the quality of life for his That was when she befriended community.
to become educated and adjust more easily to life in the United States.
“We did not have positive media coverage,” Xiong said of the Hmong community. “A lot of the media coverage made Hmong people look primitive. The ‘mountain people’ misperception led to the discrimination of Hmong people from entry into places like the workforce.”
Whether multigenerational or newly arrived, CAPAA’s commissioners serve under the same vision of giving voice for APAs in government and society. With more than 47 distinct APA ethnic groups, commissioners strive to respond to the unique challenges and transformations that each community has endured throughout generations. This led to Kuno, Xiong, and others becoming part of the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, which formed in the 1990s to counter anti-immigrant policies.
of her own experience as a CAPAA commissioner beginning in the late 1980s. After settling in Minnesota as a refugee from Vietnam, Kuno earned her degree in biochemistry and worked in research before moving to Seattle.
Maxine Chan, one of CAPAA’s original commissioners, who assisted Kuno in her efforts and later encouraged her to apply as a commissioner. Kuno then became a member on CAPAA’s outreach committee, where her mission was to bring awareness to community members about the resources that existed. Her outreach efforts allowed her to hear the concerns of members from various ethnic communities. In one instance, Kuno heard the concerns of community members regarding the lack of mental health services directed towards the APA community. This prompted her to work with the area’s mental health provider to
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.”
When he arrived in Hawai‘i as a teenager from Laos, Xiong went from top of his class in Laos to having no familiarity of the English language, the American culture, and the societal systems in the states. These challenges made him see the difficulties that other Hmong dealt with to greater extent.
Realizing this, Xiong became involved as a community leader to bridge communication between APAs and the mainstream to dispute the negative misrepresentation of Hmong people. Along with other community members, one of Xiong’s first endeavors was to equip Hmong refugees with the skills to read and write in not only the Hmong language, but in English as well. By utilizing Hmong youth as volunteers, a self-sustaining model was created in which community members were able
Xiong continued his advocacy for the Hmong community in Spokane and first became a commissioner in 1983. While he was a commissioner, he spoke up about federal cuts to social programs that supported newly arrived immigrants and refugees. Xiong also provided assistance to the National Office of Refugee and Immigrants to strategize the relocation of Hmong refugees that was overwhelming California and Wisconsin at the time. There’s an urgency that reverberates in each individuals’ voices when speaking on the future of the APA community. “You can’t do it alone,” Rekdal said of her most valuable lesson in her years of community service. It is the same reason why Kuno and Xiong stress the need to cultivate future leaders of our community.
This series of op-eds are written to celebrate, reminisce, and highlight the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs 40th Anniversary. The anniversary celebration will take place on May 15, 2014. Please visit http://www.capaa. wa.gov/about/40.shtml for longer articles and for more information.
4 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE OPINION
Analysis: How Missing Flight MH370 Exposes Human Helplessness By Sandip Roy New America Media
hurtling at 31,000 feet, despite serving up the illusion of normalcy on plastic food trays and piped movies and television shows, it remains utterly vulnerable, a bubble that is far away from real meaningful assistance if anything goes wrong. That’s what makes airplanes such a prime target for terror attacks whether it’s a hijacker commandeering it or a bomb in a luggage compartment. It is like taking over a self-contained miniworld that has unmoored itself from its natural element.
What has been most astonishing about the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 are the images that have come out of that tragedy. Or rather the images that have not come out of it.
In an age when mobile phones with cameras get to disaster zones even before television crews rush in, we have come to expect graphic images of tragedy to fill our TV screens long before the narrative behind the tragedy is fully pieced together. In a world where image is supreme, where television cameras fiercely jostle with each other for that prized shot, where ordinary people with mobile phones become citizen journalists, we expect tragedy, whether its man-made or natural, to come fully illustrated - collapsed buildings, mangled limbs, charred bogies of trains, airplanes crashing into skyscrapers in front of our horrified eyes. Flight MH370 has none of that. Days after the tragedy we hear about a “yellow object” floating in the sea. Perhaps an oil slick. But all we have seen on 24hour television is the footage of anxious families huddled in Beijing airport, glued to cellphones. We have watched poker-faced bureaucrats and airline officials addressing press conferences, and seen the deceptively calm waters of the South China Sea and stock footage of some other more fortunate Malaysia Airlines aircraft whizzing into the sky.
We can accept that airplanes crash. It is much harder to accept that at a time when Google Earth wants to map every square foot of our planet, airplanes carrying 239 people can just vanish without a trace. At a time when we rebuke the media for its almost ghoulish overzealousness in covering a disaster, this is a disaster that has left the media scrambling for images to make it real. That leaves us with something far more terrifying - we can only speculate about the disappearance of MH370, imagine the panic on board as everything slipped horribly out of control. This seems more terrifying even than 9/11 which horrifying as it was, happened in real time, in front of our shocked eyes, images that could be replayed over and over again. That had the solidity of fact at least. This only has the nightmare of imagination. My uncle was a pilot for Indian Airlines. It was all he ever wanted to be. As a child that seemed very glamorous to us, his nephews and nieces. He would fly in with cured meat from Andamans, black grapes from Hyderabad, once even a little hill-breed puppy from Kathmandu tucked into his pocket. But every time he flew and there was a thunderstorm or even monsoon clouds my mother would
If this flight did crash into the South China Sea, perhaps the images of its end will surface sooner or later as they did with Air India’s Kanishka on the Atlantic Ocean, the first bombing of a 747 jumbo jet. 132 of those bodies were recovered, some showing signs of lack of oxygen, some showing signs of “explosive decompression”, many with little or no clothing. That disaster shook us because it was the first jumbo jet downed by sabotage, the horror of that realization compounded by the poignancy of its debris - a drowned teddy bear bobbing forlornly in the sea. Route of Malaysia-Airlines-MH370 with search area inserted. Small circles are claimed seighting of debris.
scan the skies with growing anxiety. In those days there were no mobile phones, no internet. My mother would call his house anxiously a dozen times until he made it back home. He was lucky. Others were not. One of his cousins in the Air Force crashed into the hills of the North East. At least that was what was believed. Nothing was ever found. No wing tip. No mangled seats. His widow refused to give up hope. She lived and dressed as a married woman until she died decades later. Other family members thought of it as a little strange, even unnatural. But perhaps what is truly unnatural is the fact that we fly. We were not meant to
fly. But we do, in defiance not of physics but of our nature.
Over the years we have become more stringent about checks to prevent those acts of sabotage. We have become used to taking off our shoes and carrying our toiletries in see-through plastic. This latest tragedy, whatever its cause, will probably not make us fly less. We are now too dependent on flying, our families scattered all over the globe. But it reminds us brutally that in a world where we think we are more in control of our lives and destinies than ever before, that control can disappear in an instant.
Every time we fly it is an act of utter surrender. Perhaps that is why few of us bother to pay attention to those safety drill demonstrations at the beginning of each flight or read that card in our seat pocket telling us about inflatable jackets and oxygen masks. It’s not just that we expect our plane will not be the one to fall out of the sky. It’s that if we truly And even if we are buckled to our seats thought about it, and how little we can and our tray tables latched as instructed, do if it does happen, none of us would when that happens, we are as helpless be able to fly. as the mythological Icarus whose wings A jumbo jet parked on the tarmac melted as he flew too close to the sun. looks massive, impregnably solid. But
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 5
IE NEWS
AWP Conference brings renowned Filipino writers to Seattle By Maria Batayola IE Guest Contributor
Center. That reading featured Aimee Suzara (Souvenir) and Kristin Naka (Bird Eating Bird, selected by Yusef The Association of Writers and Komunyakaa for the mtvU National Writing Program (AWP) Conference, Poetry Series) with publisher Reni which was held in Seattle in February, Roxas. brought together more than thirty Of particular interest was Roxas, the renowned Filipino American writers lone publisher at the readings. Residing from across the nation. in the Pacific Northwest, Roxas has been Pinoy Words Expressed Kultura publishing books for 22 years as editor-in Arts (PWEKA) co-chair Robert Flor chief and publisher of Tahanan Books. A produced two readings to connect gracious single mom of two, she runs her writers with our communities and transnational company from Edmonds, college students. Washington, traveling to the Philippines A reading on February 28 was co- twice a year and communicating with sponsored with the Seattle University her Manila-based staff through the night United Filipino Club, SU Filipino to accommodate the Philippine business Alumni Chapter, Seattle FANHS, and day. Filipino Community of Seattle. The Roxas’ company has garnered nine reading featured Barbara Jane Reyes Philippine National Book Awards, (Diwata), Jon Pineda (Birthmark/The including The Best of Lola Basyang and Translators’ Diary), Aimee Suzara Why the Pina Has a Hundred Eyes, and (Souvenir), Oscar Penaranda (Full Deck most recently the 2012 award for Roxas’s and Seasons by the Bay), and Rachelle picture book Ay Naku! With 9.5 million Cruz (Self-Portrait as Rumor and Filipinos living or working abroad, Blood). Roxas is passionate about making sure A reading on February 26 was that children and adults have bilingual co-sponsored by the University of Filipino-English books. Case in point. Washington Filipino American Student This year, Tahanan introduces Association at the UW Ethnic Cultural Alpabetong Filipino, a gorgeously
Wednesday | March 26 | 7:30 pm $17, $22 & $27, $15 youth/student
illustrated showcase of Philippine icons by writer Nicanor G. Tiongson and artist Crispin Dayao, Jr. For the curious, the back of the book reveals the evolution of the Philippine alphabet. Starting with “Baybayin,” the indigenous Philippine alphabet had 17 letters. In 1565, the Spanish colonizers introduced the Roman alphabet. In 1940, during the U.S. Commonwealth era, the “Abakada” alphabet, which has 20 Roman letters, was adopted. In 1976, Spanish sounds were added, such as ll, n~, and rr, resulting in an enriched alphabet of 31 letters. The current list of 28 letters affirmed in 2013 contains 20 letters from native Filipino and eight letters from the Spanish alphabet. The letters C, F, J, N, Q, V, X, and Z are used in proper nouns, scientific terms, and non-native words.
This past year, Roxas’s company has ventured into regional translations of selected titles, such as Blaan, Tagakaulo, and T’Boli for preliterate ethnic Filipino groups in Mindanao. To view and purchase her books, visit tahananbooks. com. Maria Batayola is a long time community activist and arts/culture advocate.
Ching Ming Celebration
ALPIN HONG
The staff at Evergreen-Washelli thank you for entrusting us with the care of your loved ones. In honor of Ching Ming 2014, we are proud to announce a special offer to our friends in Seattle’s Asian American Community.
with the EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT “ALL-STAR ORCHESTRA” Sponsored by Drs. Peter H. and Susan M. Knutson, Sharon & Jim Wilson, and Kari & Walter Thompson
Acclaimed pianist Alpin Hong is returning to Edmonds for a 3-day residency with local schools! Approximately 60 middle and high school students from across the Edmonds School District will be mentored by Mr. Hong in rehearsals and will have the opportunity to take part in the “All-Star Orchestra” which will perform with the artist in his public performance at ECA on Wednesday, March 26.
Any individual presenting or mentioning this AD will receive a 10% discount on all new pre-arranged cemetery and/or funeral goods and services—on top any other discount offers that may exist on items selected.
Performances across the globe have earned Alpin Hong the reputation as a modern-day Pied Piper. His combination of technique and humor continues to bring audiences young and old to their feet. Rooted in extensive classical training and a background in skateboarding, snowboarding, and martial arts, Alpin Hong is a creative force unmatched in his boundless energy. ECA is a proud member of TeenTix, and offers $5 tickets to teens at the Box Office on the day of the performance, pending availability. To become a TeenTix member, register at www.teentix.org. With ID, Seniors 62+ & Military are eligible for a 10% discount on events presented by ECA!
ec4arts.org | 425.275.9595 410FOURTHAVENUENORTH EDMONDSWA98020 2013–2014 SEASON presented by
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For more information or to schedule an appointment
206-834-1984 Cantonese 206-834-1990 Mandarin 206-362-5200 ext. 225 English
6 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE COMMUNITY
Community voices: Filipina trafficked teachers speak out, spark international actions against human trafficking By Jill Mangaliman IE Guest Contributor
ington, D.C., formed in October 2013. GABRIELA is a women’s organization that works for the human rights of Filipino women globally; there are GABRIELA chapters in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle. The new Washington DC chapter has 50 members, majority of who are trafficked teachers.
“When I came here what I thought I was going to teach in North Carolina, but I ended up jobless. I arrived in Washington DC, and I wondered why,” recalled Fen Ecelo, a professional teacher back in the Philippines, recruited by Philippines-based recruitment agencies The trafficked women sought help associated with Isidro Rodriguez. Upon from GABRIELA in 2012, and since arrival to the United States, she learned community organizers have been her job did not exist. working with the women and their Over 300 teachers from the Philip- families back in the Philippines, letting pines were lured to the United States by them of know the immigration laws and recruiter Rodriguez with promised H-1B their rights. Several teachers obtained specialty occupation U.S. visas and teach- T-Visas and began a campaign against ing jobs paying USD$27-30 per hour and Rodriguez, pursuing a human trafficking housing provided. The teachers, majority case through the U.S. Citizenship women, found themselves in Washington, and Immigration Services and U.S. D.C., in substantial housing with up to Department of Justice. 12 women cramped in a bedroom. Some of them were placed in day care centers, Fraud, Coercion, and Force where they experienced low wages, overWhen the trafficked teachers began work, and discrimination. to speak out, movement back home Ecelo is now the Co-Chair of the new- also started to happen. Coordinating est GABRIELA-USA chapter in Wash- with MIGRANTE International, an
GABRIELA teachers united together in Washington, D.C. • Courtesy Photo
organization that advocates for Overseas Filipino Workers—and together with the families of the trafficked teachers who had filed petitions, GABRIELA filed a human trafficking case against Isidro Rodriguez through the Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking in the Philippines.
What was learned from the case was that the teachers were made to pay recruitment fees which included “surprise fees” (an estimated USD$20,000) and forced to take out loans from finance agencies associated with Rodriguez. Additionally, the teachers reported that he had threatened them with deportation or killing their family back in the Philippines if they spoke out. He sexually harassed several of the women, while their mobility was also monitored and restricted.
Teachers campaign by hosting a press conference in Washington, D.C., calling for fair and just reparations, the cancellation of any debts owed from lenders conspiring with Rodriguez’s operation, as well as immigration relief.
GABRIELA USA chose March 17 as their national day of action because it is also Flor Contemplacion Day, a day of remembrance for Flor Contemplacion, a domestic worker framed for murder by her employer and hung by the Singaporean government.
In New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, GABRIELA Chapters put on actions at their local Philippine Embassy and Consulate on March 17 to support the trafficked teachers in DC. In Seattle, there was an online selfie campaign, including a photo booth set up for supporters at local Filipino restaurant, According to GABRIELA and Inay’s Kitchen, during the monthly popMIGRANTE, the use of coercion, fraud, up restaurant, Food & Sh*t. and force has made this a clear case of After the traumatic experiences human trafficking by Isidro Rodriguez, at the hands of Rodriguez, leaving and they are calling for full reparations and them without work, in high debt and compensation for the trafficked teachers, in vulnerable immigration situations, as well as Rodriguez to be prosecuted. the trafficked teachers remain strong. The Rodriguez case has also allowed a platform for vocal criticism of Labor Export Policy, created under the Marcos regime in 1970s that opened the floodgates of Filipinos to leave the Philippines for work and send home remittance, rather than develop the local economy and conditions to allow Filipinos to thrive in their homeland.
The International Examiner website is now updated daily. Visit iexaminer.org every day!
Touted as “Modern-Day Heros,” Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are not afforded protections by the Philippine government and are often victims of human trafficking, exploitation, and sexual harassment and violence. Almost 5,000 Filipino migrants leave the Philippines every day for work, 75 PERCENT of whom are women.
Surrounded by an international network and the People’s movement in the Philippines, they are speaking out and seeking justice on behalf of all trafficked victims, bringing to light the corruption in recruitment schemes like Rodriguez and the Philippine government which has allowed these exploitive conditions to happen.
“It’s really hard for me to recall what happened to us 3 years here,” Ecelo said. “We’ve struggled with the relationships of our families, we miss a lot milestones of our children. We want to gain justice for what happened to us. Human Trafficking is the modern day slavery. We want to get back what we had lost our dignity.” Learn more about GABRIELA GABRIELA Launches Campaign USA at gabusa.org. Learn more Against Human Trafficking about and the Rodriguez Case at On March 17, GABRIELA USA migranteinternational.org. launched their Justice for Filipino
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 7
IE COMMUNITY API PERSPECTIVE
Legislative recap takeaways IE News Services On March 14, lawmakers in Olympia gaveled “sine die” to end the regular 2014 legislative session on time. Here are some important takeaways compiled by the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) from the short session:
• Lawmakers pass Supplemental Budget: The budget adds $155 million to the two-year state operating budget. Legislators were unable to come to an agreement on a capital budget or transportation package.
Maly Xiong and family. • Courtesy Photo
‘HealthCare.gov Answered My Prayers’ The following perspective by Maly Receiving health insurance has been Xiong, 47, Oakdale, MN, was provided a blessing. As a mother without health by the White House Initiative on Asian insurance, my own health had taken a Americans and Pacific Islanders: backseat. About two months before I I am a Hmong-American woman, an enrolled for health insurance, I started to entrepreneur and a medical interpreter. experience unusual bleeding. My blood I’m a single mom of six children, ages level was so low, I would get extremely 12 through 25. For the past eight years, tired and have fainting episodes. my children and I were uninsured However, I couldn’t go to a doctor because we could not afford health because I couldn’t afford the expensive medical bills. But, just a week after my insurance. family was approved for health insurance, Living in the one of the richest I made an appointment to see a doctor, countries in the world without health who ordered an ultrasound exam. When coverage can be very stressful. Every the results came back, my doctor told me night I prayed that my children wouldn’t I had abnormal cells. I needed a biopsy get sick because we did not have health to determine if the cells were cancerous, insurance. I would tell my children and my doctor recommended immediate not to run around too much to avoid surgery to stop the abnormal bleeding. getting injured because we did not have A few weeks after my surgery, I learned health insurance. When my children participated in school sports, I told them that my biopsy results were negative for not to play too hard for fear that they cancer. My abnormal bleeding stopped might get injured and I wouldn’t have completely. If I had gone without health the money to pay for the medical bills. insurance, the bleeding would have Can you imagine, as a mother, telling continued and could have caused anemia. your children not to play? Now, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’m healthy and my children can But when President Obama’s play just as children should. Affordable Care Act went into effect on October 1, 2013, my fear vanished. I hesitated to apply for health insurance, but one of my daughters urged me to enroll for the health of our family. So, on December 27, 2013, I went to HealthCare.gov and located the Health Insurance Marketplace program for my state, Minnesota. I was impressed that the application process was so easy and fast—I was approved right away. And I was so excited that I called everyone I knew who did not have health insurance and encouraged them to apply.
If you or someone you care about is uninsured, it’s not too late to sign up for quality, affordable coverage – but you’ll want to act today and before March 31. If you don’t enroll by March 31, you can’t enroll again until November 2014.
Sign up today online at HealthCare. gov; over the phone with help available in 150 languages at the 24/7 call center at 1-800-318-2596; or directly through an issuer, agent, or broker. You can also find in-person assistance in your community at localhelp.healthcare.gov.
• Small steps for K-12 education: Despite a state Supreme Court message that lawmakers were not moving fast enough to adequately fund public education, legislators added only $58 million for schools. This was far short of the $200 million Gov. Jay Inslee urged lawmakers to invest through the closure of tax loopholes. It is estimated that between $4 billion and $6 billion more is needed to comply with the court decision by 2018. How the new funding will be invested is crucial in closing the educational opportunity gaps.
of the Washington State DREAM Act into law. In addition, more low- and middle-income students will be able to earn a college degree in a high-demand field with the addition of $25 million for the Opportunity Scholarship program. About half the students who applied last year were students of color.
• Better health outcomes: The budget adds $20 million for community mental health, including funding for home and community-based services for youth. The Legislature passed SB 6312, which will better integrate primary care, mental health, and chemical dependency services. In addition, the Department of Health will receive $1.5 million for tobacco, marijuana, and e-cigarette prevention activities for youth and atrisk populations. Data from the 2012 Healthy Youth Survey shows more than 20 percent of Pacific Islanders and 10 percent of Asian Americans in 10th grade reported using marijuana. The next regular session of the Washington State Legislature is scheduled to begin in January 2015. Lawmakers will have 105 days to pass laws and write a new two-year state budget for 2015-17.
• More access to higher education: For more information, contact CAPAA A big win this session was the signing at 360.725.5667 or capaa@capaa.wa.gov.
8 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE ARTS
Sarey Savy • Courtesy Photos
Cambodian singer Sarey Savy steps into adulthood with new EP R&B artist grew up in White Center, Washington
By Atoosa Moinzadeh IE Contributor Up-and-coming queer R&B artist Sarey Savy is defying the odds to make a name for himself in the music business.
Savy has spent the majority of his young adult life writing songs, performing gigs in his community, and auditioning for several talentbased reality shows. He began singing in his school’s choir at the age of 8, and by the age of 12, Savy was recording his own music with the help of his sister’s boyfriend, who worked with an indie music label.
Savy released his first EP, titled “18,” last weekend, just a day before his 18th birthday. He says the new release is an effort towards expanding his audience and transitioning into “In middle school it became adulthood. clear that I wanted to take singing “I was born into a musical family, seriously,” Savy said. “Sometimes I so there wasn’t one time where would not go to school and make up there wasn’t someone singing in an excuse just so I could stay home the house,” says Savy who grew up and work on music. It was about in a Cambodian immigrant family finding my singing voice and finding in White Center. “I remember the musical genres that I could fit watching my family members sing into, and Hip-Hop and R&B are my at restaurants, pageants, and casinos. genres.” I knew that one day I would inherit Savy draws influence from that trait to possibly become a Cambodian arts and culture, and says professional performer.”
he has experienced overwhelming work on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ support from his community as a hit “Same Love”). young, gay musician. “I started finally getting media “I am currently trying to incorporate attention,” Savy said. “It was a really [Cambodian musical influence] into good summer, people were calling my future work,” Savy said. “But, me and I was getting gigs.” only time will tell what will be the Savy brushes off any mention of outcome.” challenges he’s faced being out as
a young performer. But he says one of the biggest emotional inspirations for material on his new album was a recent personal tragedy that led Savy scored his “big gig” in him to write the single “Run Out Of June of 2013, as a headliner at the Time.” “I think the song is a fan favorite NW Global Fest, a four-day long cultural festival hosted by the because it’s relatable,” Savy said. Fiji Multicultural Association of “The song was inspired by a man I Washington, which attracted an dated for about 3 months, who passed estimated 25,000 attendees. Shortly away after we broke up. It’s a sad after, Savy headlined the Capitol Hill experience, and I’m still getting over Pride Festival, alongside artists like it. A lot of the songs I’ve written since Mary Lambert (best known for her his passing are inspired by him.” Savy’s current songs have a mainstream R & B sound, and he can often be heard covering the latest Top 40 hits on YouTube.
SAVY: Continued on page 9 . . .
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March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 9
IE ARTS into a more general audience because the public who already know of me, Savy’s 5-track EP deals with a know that I’m gay,” Savy said. “I’m number of mature topics. He believes thankful for those who do already that the EP marks his transition to see past me affiliating with LGBTQ.” adulthood. With talk about exploring new “A lot of the songs seem like they’re management, an upcoming video, about being young and having fun, but and another headlining gig for a lot of it is really about everything Capitol Hill Pride Festival 2014, Savy that’s been going on after his death,” is stepping out of his teen years with Savy said. “I feel like because of the big goals and a good foot forward. nature and the topics of the songs in “I’m still very young,” Savy said. this EP, I feel like it would connect to “I’m officially an adult, but I am still a more mature audience.” finding what music best describes me Savy encourages other aspiring — I’m still finding who I am as an queer entertainers to continue artist.” reaching for their dreams. . . . SAVY: Continued from page 8
“A lot of people know me as a queer artist, but I’ve never been bullied about it and I’ve been surrounded by a good support system,” Savy said. “The Cambodian communities all over the U.S. accept who I am, there’s more to me than just my sexuality.” Savy says he’s currently focused on trying to reach out to an audience beyond the LGBTQ community.
“It is kind of complex and difficult to break out of my niche and branching
This story originally appeared on the Seattle Globalist at www. seattleglobalist.com.
Atoosa Moinzadeh is a UW student studying Economics and Journalism and a columnist at The Daily. She loves contributing to conversations about social, POC, and economic activism. When she’s not writing, she enjoys collecting zines, reading up on pop culture critique, and brushing up on her Farsi.
ANH THUY NGUYEN TH
MARCH 21
ASIA
NGO TRA MY
AT BENAROYA HALL JULIA TAI
Presenting Sponsor:
JULIA TAI, conductor // HAOCHEN ZHANG, piano NGUYEN THANH THUY, dan tranh // NGO TRA MY, dan bau STEFAN ÖSTERSJÖ, ti ba, banjo & guitar
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6:30PM PRE-CONCERT PERFORMANCES: East meets West in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby, featuring the talents of Chaopraya Ensemble, Kalahi Philippine Dance Company, Northwest King Fu and Fitness and more!
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10 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
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Women from another world
DONATE to NAFCON’S Typhoon Relief Program For info on how to donate, visit nafconusa.org.
It seems like in every generation in American history, we find ourselves in armed conflict in some place half-way across the world. We always come away knowing so little about the country we’re in. While we become more global in terms of the impact we have on each other, America somehow manages to stay so insular. If global warming and the shape of the economy has taught us anything, it should be that we are all deeply interconnected on this planet and that it pays to know your neighbor. Take Afghanistan for example. Though we have been mired in a war there for 13 years, how many of us have some real knowledge of that country and culture that goes beyond words like “Taliban,” or “Muslim extremists”? Recently American writer/photographer Peggy Kelsey came to town to talk about the women in today’s Afghanistan and the stories they tell. Her book entitled, Gathering Strength: Conversations with Afghan Women, sheds much needed light on a culture and a people we know little about. The International Examiner’s Atia Musazay interviewed Kelsey and also took the time to cover a couple other books on the same subject. Do Muslim Women Need Saving? by Lila Abu-Lughod looks at some of the misconceptions we may have about Islam and how it affects women. Songs of Love and War, compiled by the late poet Sayd Bahodine Majrouh, translates the rich oral tradition of song. Hopefully, this feature will inform our readers about the complexity of issues that surround the women of Afghanistan in today’s world. —Alan Chong Lau, IE Arts Editor
Songs of Love and War runs raw with emotion By Atia Musazay IE Contributor The landay—literally translated as “the short one”—is a form of oral poetry that consists of two verses of lines of nine and 13 syllables respectively. Sayd Bahodine Majrouh, a recognized poet from Afghanistan, shares in his book, Songs of Love and War, a set of landays from anonymous women in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. The tone is often somber, pensive and raw in emotion. They are coined when village girls get water from a spring, at wedding celebrations, or while caring for children. With a rhythm easy to commit to memory, the landays, as Majrouh argues, speak of love, honor, and death.
The women draw inspiration from the physical earth around them. Many landays in the book are about patriotic combat and lament of being an exile during wartime:
“My beloved, my sun, rise above the into French and into English by The poems are her expression of horizon and obliterate my nights of Marjolijn de Jager, Songs of Love and longing, courage, and resistance to exile. War seeks to highlight the poetry of tyranny. A large portion of poems in the book is on the topic of love. The darkness of solitude cloaks me Pashtun women. from all sides.”
Afghanistan is composed of as many as 14 ethnic groups, with Pashtuns comprising about 40 percent of the total population. Each ethnic group differs in language, appearance, and even literary tradition. Translated by Sayd Bahodine Majrouh from Pashto
Pashtuns are a strongly patriarchal tribal society in which women are traditionally under strict control by male members of the family based on a Pashtun honor code. Majrouh writes: “In her innermost self the Pashtun woman is indignant and skeptical, feeding her rebellion.”
“Love is a grave mistake, punishable by death,” writes Majrouh, making it clear that landays are a cry of separation from the lover due to social restrictions. “My beloved, come and sit a moment close to me/Life quickly turns into the dusk of a fleeting winter evening.”
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March 19 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 11
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Gathering Strength highlights a new generation of Afghanistan By Atia Musazay IE Contributor As U.S. involvement in Afghanistan’s war draws to a close, it’s a good time to revisit the goals behind involvement in the complicated country that has been the site of centuries-old conflicts.
In November 2001, First Lady Laura Bush stated that the fight against terrorism was “also a fight for the rights and dignity of women” in Afghanistan. Nearly 13 years of liberating women from the “brutal oppression of women in Afghanistan,” as President Bush put it, what is the status of women today?
Peggy Kelsey, in her groundbreaking book, Gathering Strength: Conversations with Afghan Women, attempts to answer this difficult question. Kelsey, who is also a professional photographer, traveled to Afghanistan in 2003 and 2010 to meet with dozens of women who eagerly wanted, and needed, to share their stories of struggle and resilience with the world. Kelsey reaches out to a vastly diverse array of women, succeeding in her goal of debunking the often-homogenous portrayal of Afghan women by the media. Short biographies and interviews with the women are complemented with beautiful black and white candid portraits taken by Kelsey. Their experiences, not surprisingly, run counter to simplistic stereotypes that are common. Kelsey gives not only a voice, but a face to the struggles and successes of Afghan women that are often overlooked and over-generalized.
A group of school children play in front of their school in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan.
of refugees and migrants spread throughout the world. In fact, Afghanistan has produced the highest number of refugees of any country. As the diaspora return to their country, particularly from Iran where 3 million once resided, they also bring an educated and more progressive view of the world with them. The young women featured in Gathering Strength are a savvy generation that ranges from artists to businesswomen to athletes. They aren’t rebelling against norms so much as reforming it from within. Using the very religion that the Taliban and like-minded extremists use to deprive women of education, this generation is able to argue for their rights.
Their stories are nuanced and poignant: A mother who set a family member on fire for raping her. A woman who stood in front of an assembly full of threatening, bearded, men reciting verses of the Quran, claiming they give her rights the men were denying her. A woman who supported her family in a Pakistan refugee camp by launching a jam business. A woman who set up 80 “We Westerners should support underground schools for girls during the Afghans in how they want to rebuild Taliban-era when education for girls was their country. We need to listen to them prohibited. and support their efforts,” Kelsey said. And this is just a small number of the Do Muslim Women Need Saving? women highlighted in Kelly’s book. The consensus among analysts is that civil war in Afghanistan is inevitable and the longer our occupation draws on—the worse the war. But Kelsey has another message: “Don’t give up on the women.” “One cycle of violence that is stopped will come to affect the entire extended family down the road,” Kelsey said. “One educated mother who instills courage and self confidence in her daughters will affect many. A direct result of nearly four decades of war is the large amount
In the aftermath of 9/11, media airways were filled with rhetoric on the oppression of women in Afghanistan by the Taliban. With a complete disregard for security, unemployment, poverty, and lack of educational services, the dialogue was based on things such as the forced burqa and the ban on music. In effect, the west painted itself as a savior in the War on Terror because Afghan women, like their Muslim counterparts around the world, must be in need of “rescuing.” Lila Abu-Lughod fiercely challenges this idea in her book Do Muslim Women Need Saving?
Abu-Lughod rebukes the oversimplification of the plight of women, claiming the history of the development of repressive regimes in the region and the U.S. role in this history was more important to understanding the situation than the shallow culture and religion critiques that occurred.
For example, Shakila, a nurse and a former manager for a woman’s business training program at the American University of Afghanistan, helped organize a protest against a law passed in parliament that would allow marital rape. In 2009, an unprecedented group of 250 women protested the controversial issue, resulting in the elimination in many of the laws’ provisions. Unfortunately since then, several laws restricting women’s rights, including a recent law that bans family members from testifying against alleged domestic abusers, have been passed by parliament.
“Instead of questions that might lead to the exploration of global interconnections,” Abu-Lughod wrote, “we were offered ones that worked to artificially divide the world into separate spheres—recreating an imaginative geography of West versus East, us versus Kelsey’s book is necessary reading Muslims, cultures in which First Ladies give speeches versus others where women for anyone who wants a comprehensive view of Afghanistan in the past decade. shuffle around silently in burqas …” This division is why Gathering The women’s stories make it clear Strength is imperative in understanding that they each face a different set the current complexity of the situation of of challenges—some of them are in abusive relationships (that don’t look any women. different from abusive relationships in “Don’t pity us Afghan women. We the rest of the world), others are denied don’t need your pity,” said one of Kelsey’s jobs based on their genders, and others subjects, Dr. Sakeeena Yacoobi, who still aren’t able to have their voices heard directs an NGO dedicated to teacher in the political arena. But the common training for women. theme found in the interviews with all “With security, women could do the women is the strong hope in a better so much for Afghanistan. We are future for the country based on access to intelligent and powerful. Don’t leave us education. alone, support us and help us to build our Malalai Joya, an outspoken former support,” she said. member of the parliament, summed In describing how to support Afghan up the struggle in speaking against the women, Kelsey added: “Opportunities warlords and others who deny women for peace and for women’s rights will and human rights: “They may destroy be found in places that aren’t always a thousand flowers, but they can never obvious without looking deeply into the stop the spring.” different local situations.”
12 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
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‘Journey to the West’: Fish, Pig, and Monkey Chow By Yayoi L. Winfrey IE Contributor Hong Kong director Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle) is known for mixing bloody fight scenes with outrageous laughter in his action comedy films. Although his martial arts movies are violent, they’re also funny and create a unique genre of irony that he does better than most. In his latest offering, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, Chow shares his philosophical side. Unlike some of his earlier over-the-top films, this one (based on Wu Cheng’en’s 16th century novel) is perfectly believable as the fairy tale that it is. Boasting eight credited screenwriters—the film also features a co-director (Derek Kwok)— all of who contribute to a diverse team telling a solid story.
Aspiring demon hunter Xuanzang (Zhang Wen) doesn’t seem to be cut out for the job. That’s because he’s also studying for the Buddhist priesthood and is unable to bring himself to kill anything. Instead, he believes the way to conquer demons is to entice them into becoming good again by reciting nursery rhymes from the book of “300 Fairytales.” Wide-eyed and flaunting a bushy fright wig, Xuanzang practically quakes in his own skin whenever he confronts one of the wayward fiends. The film opens with a tense scene unraveling in a village built over gloriously green water. A monstrous, Jaws-like creature has already killed a man and is using its massive tentacles to snatch villagers and pull them into its gigantic mouth. Water Demon is not only brutish, but is crafty as it swims with stealth. When Xuanzang attempts to capture it with a lullaby, he fails miserably until female demon hunter, Miss Duan (Qi Shu), arrives to rescue him and the entire village. His introduction to her as a fellow demon hunter is met with guffaws. “With skills like yours, you must have a death wish,” she chortles. Yet for some unfathomable reason, she’s also instantly smitten.
Soon, their paths cross again as more monsters materialize. First, there’s K.L. Hog (Bingqiang Chen), or Pig Demon, whose roasted pork contains a secret ingredient. Then comes Sun Wukong, the human Monkey King (played by a mesmerizing Bo Huang). After disagreeing with Buddha, he was banished to Five Fingers Mountain where he’s been imprisoned the past 500 years. At times gentle and coaxing, Monkey King even flirts with Miss Duan
Journey to the West
in a battle of wits. But after turning into But Chow is impartial. His male his alter ego, Killer Wu (Hangyu Ge), characters aren’t exactly flawless either. the diminutive Monkey King dressed The weak-kneed Xuanzang whines to in military regalia, he’s challenged by a his thieving Buddhist mentor that Miss trio of demon hunters. Duan would be a “Lesser Love” and “Is that a Peking Opera costume?” has no place in his search for a “Greater they tease him. “It’s cute.” Love.” Fist of the North Star (Yu Xing) shiftsshapes into growling animals while Almighty Foot (Chaoli Zhang) has a miniscule foot that grows to a gargantuan proportion for stomping on enemies. Prince Important, who arrives with a quartet of flower-tossing middle-aged ladies, is a pale, coughing, effeminate killer who launches miniature swords that turn into hefty lethal weapons. Played by flamboyant Taiwanese singer Show Luo, he lacks no confidence. “It’s such a burden being handsome,” he sneers at the other hunters. “You ugly people couldn’t understand.”
At first glance, some of the women’s roles seem somewhat deferential. Even though Miss Duan can single-handedly take down the most vicious demons, she has a meltdown over not winning Xuanzang as her lover. Further, her best female friend is also a capable fighter, but ends up teaching her to be more seductive. Another woman snivels about losing her husband to Water Demon, while the villager who emerged heroic does so only because she’s obese. A young girl victimized by Pig Demon incessantly begs her boyfriend for a gaze at his handsome face even as he responds maliciously.
charming song makes his grievance ludicrous.
A blend of brutality, fantasy, gore, laughs, love, and spectacular CGI, this film ends on a religious note with a serene Buddha sitting in a psychedelic sky—an irony not lost on the master of “You’re blocking my way to Buddha- irony, Stephen Chow. Journey to the West: Conquering the hood,” he complains to her. Demons opens March 27 at Grand But a beautifully lit scene of her dancing Illusion Cinema, 1403 NE 50th Street. under a full moon to an exquisitely
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March 19 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 13
IE ARTS
Bassist Linda Oh crosses boundaries, takes the lead in Seattle return
By Vivian Huang IE Contributor
By Jessica Davis IE Contributor As a Malaysian-Chinese musician who grew up in Australia and plays American jazz music, bassist Linda Oh crosses many cultural boundaries in her music. After recently performing at the Earshot Jazz Festival with the Dave Douglas Quintet, Oh returns to Seattle on March 30 as the leader of her own quartet.
“I’m super excited to be able to play my own music and this band is great,” Oh said.
In her upcoming concert at the Seattle Art Museum, Oh plans to perform selections from her newest album, Sun Pictures, which is comprised entirely of original music. The album was recorded live with a quartet at WKCR in New York City. It is named after the oldest working cinema in Broome, Australia, where one of her sisters lives. She noted that a lot of the tunes on the album were written while she was on the road for the last few years.
Oh “I started exploring jazz in high school,” Oh said. “My main focus at the time was bassoon, though it was lucky enough to be involved in the school jazz band as well as jazz programs outside of school. … I also played bassoon in the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra and had lots of opportunities “Some [songs] kind of reflect that,” to see the local jazz musicians play.” Oh said. She also plans to perform Listening to the music of Miles a few new songs that she has been Davis, Ray Brown, and Jaco Pastorius working on. initially inspired her, Oh said. In 2002, The songs on her second album, she started taking lessons on the double Initial Here, were inspired by her bass at the Western Australia Academy heritage, including one song written in of the Performing Arts. half Mandarin and half English. “I enjoy the sound. I enjoy the role of it,” Oh said of the bass, adding that it is Oh recently visited her grandmother in Shanghai, connecting with her roots a very versatile instrument that elevates for the first time since she was a child. the music in a different way. “There’s Oh, who is 29 now, was three years old a lot you can do dynamically, and in terms of tambour and feel.” when she moved to Perth, Australia. Local artist Samantha Boshnack and “There were several reasons why her band will perform as the opening my family moved to Perth,” Oh said. act at the upcoming concert at the “At the time, there was a mandatory Seattle Art Museum. retirement age. So, for my parents, it enabled them to keep working. Other “There are so many great musicians reasons included better education and in Seattle,” Oh said. less discrimination. At the time there Oh currently makes her home in the were some tensions against Chinese in Harlem neighborhood of New York Malaysia.” City, where she’s lived since completing
At the age of four, soon after her move to Perth, Oh began taking classical piano lessons. Then, she gradually moved onto various wind instruments, including the clarinet at age 11 and the bassoon at age 13 (which she studied seriously through high school). It was at age 15, during high school, that Oh dabbled with the electric bass and started playing it in high school and community big bands.
Circus performer Joselynn Engstrom follows her dreams up to the rafters, spotlight no one will turn down a volunteer,” Engstrom revealed. However to focus on her circus career, she soon left Peace Dangling from the rafters, circus Trees. performer Joselynn Engstrom never In order to feel at home in the open air, thought she would be living her Engstrom took aerial lessons with Coach childhood in her thirties. Though born Kari Hunter at SANCA, the largest in Seattle, Engstrom spent half of circus school in the United States, her time living with her mom in the located in Georgetown south of Seattle. city and the other half in Snohomish The School of Acrobatics and New County with her dad. After graduating Circus Arts or SANCA, emphasizes Evergreen State College in ’99 with an emphasis in the sciences, she pursued recreational circus where anyone from her interest in humanitarian aid and a two-year-old to an adult can sign up relocated to Bellingham. While juggling for several weeks of courses designed to the management of a nightclub and work introduce the circus environment. with the YWCA, she stumbled across “It’s not too late for anybody to do the homegrown circus, Dream Science circus,” Engstrom said, “if they can allow Circus. themselves to let go of that preconceived “I wanted to challenge myself and notion that ‘I’m too old,’ ‘I’m too start doing things that made me a little unhealthy,’ or ‘I’m not fit enough for bit uncomfortable like pushing my own this.’ Because I don’t believe it. I’ve seen personal boundaries, and performance it. I’ve personally lived it.” has always been really scary,” admitted Engstrom. Charmed by the high-flying acts and costume design, she eventually quit her day job and tumbled into the circus routine where she learned to stilt walk among many skills.
Shortly after the disbandment of Dream Science Circus, Engstrom began volunteering with Circus Contraption based in Seattle where she worked simultaneously as a house manager and costume stitcher. Her desire for volunteering remained strong as she worked for a Vietnam non-profit organization, Peace Trees, while continuing to do circus.
“For me, it was definitely crazy,” Engstrom recalled. Running across stage and working behind the scenes, she managed to balance her duties as business manager and circus performer. The show was a huge success, and “I found in my life that the best way to the company met other performers learn something is to volunteer doing it from across the country, she said. As with people that need the help because for the vision behind the Acrobatic Conundrum, it is open to interpretation by the audience. “[We’re] interested in telling a story through our show that people can relate to. Like the struggles of being a human being,” Engstrom said. “At times, life is not easy, but it should be fun.”
Her advice for aspiring circus performers is this: “Take a class. Try to stick with it to the point when you can look back on it and say, ‘Okay I’ve gotten past the initial nervousness and the fear and the pain, is this something I want to continue to do? If you don’t, then fine. But if you do, keep doing it.”
her Masters at the Manhattan School of Music. She has also performed with such artists as Steve Wilson, Kenny Barron, Dave Douglas, Kevin Hayes and Cyrus Chestnut.
Linda Oh performs on March 30 at 7:30 pm at the Seattle Art Museum, Plestcheeff Auditorium, 1300 First Ave. Tickets are $18. All ages welcome. For tickets, call 206-547-6763 or visit earshot.org.
In November 2012, Engstrom and her creative partner, Terry Crane, founded the Acrobatic Conundrum. In a year, the company managed to headline the first Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival in the United States. In preparation, the company spent a week on Vashon Island working sixteen-hour days for the Chicago show, which lasted ten days last month.
Engstrom
Check out Engstrom’s role in a noncircus related show, Seattle Vice, about the seedier side of the city involving gambling and crime, playing at ACT Theatre from March 28 to April 19. Ages 21 and up are welcome. For more information, visit http://goo.gl/iET9E2.
14 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
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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.
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.
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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.
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
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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.
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Address tobacco control and other health justice issues in the Asian American/Pacific Islander communities.
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.
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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, Alzheimer’s and caregiver support, community education and chronic care management; coordinates medical supply delivery for Asian/Chinese seniors and families 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 offering long-term skilled nursing and short-term rehab care for Asian/Chinese seniors.
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 Kawabe Memorial House 221 18th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 fx: 206-329-3330 connie.devaney@gmail.com We provide affordable, safe, culturally sensitive housing and support services to people aged 62 and older.
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CISC helps Asian immigrants make the transition to a new life while keeping later generations on touch with their rich heritage.
Legacy House 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: housing & parking, housing/ asset counseling, projects, teen leadership and gardening programs.
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.
International District Medical & Dental Clinic 720 8th Ave S, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-788-3650 fax: 206-490-4011 email: info@ichs.com website: www.ichs.com Shoreline Medical & Dental Clinic Coming in 2014! ICHS is a non-profit medical and dental center that provides health care to low income Asian, Pacific Islanders, immigrants and refugees in Washington State.
Seattle Rotary Club Bill Nagel Meets Every Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. New Hong Kong Restaurant Bill.nagel@gmail.com http://www.seattleidrotary.org/ Improve the local community by engaging activities such as community improvement projects, scholarship opportunities, and undertakings that promote education.
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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014 — 15
IE ARTS
6th Annual ‘Celebrate Asia’ one-of-a-kind event for Asian musicians By Alan Chong Lau IE Arts Editor “Celebrate Asia,” an annual classical concert at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle, will be celebrating its sixth anniversary when performers take the stage Friday, March 21. Celebrate Asia was started by Yoshi Minegishi when he was a Seattle Symphony board member. Minegishi felt there wasn’t enough Asian community involvement in the arts and sought to create a way to get the community more connected. The concert now stands as the only event of its kind where eight Asian communities cooperate to bring together outstanding Asian and Asian American musicians from the classical and ethnic music worlds. Julia Tai will be this year’s guest conductor. Tai earned her doctorate from the University of Washington. She is music director of Philharmonia Northwest and co-founder and coartistic director of Seattle Modern Orchestra. Tai guest conducts around the country and serves as music director of a church in Magnolia. This will mark her Seattle Symphony debut. Guest musicians include Haochen Zhang, Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Ngo Tra My, and Stefan Ostersjo.
Zhang, of Shanghai, will be making his Seattle debut. He won the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at age 19. Nguyen Thanh Thuy plays the dan tranh, the 17-stringed Vietnamese zither. She is active in both traditional and experimental fields of music. She currently teaches at Vietnam National Academy of Music. Ngo plays the dan bau or one-string guitar. It is one of only two traditional instruments of purely Vietnamese origin and is a central component to Vietnamese folk music. Ngo studied and graduated from Hanoi Conservatory of Music. She is a board member of the Asian/Korean Orchestra and performs all over the world. Ostersjo is one of the prominent soloists within the new music scene in Sweden. He studied at the Malmo Academy of Music and Peder Riis and Magnus Andersson in Stockholm and Darmstadt. He has numerous recordings in the classical and experimental categories. This year’s concert celebrates the cultures of China, Vietnam, and Japan. The program includes several world premieres. Pieces include Toru Takemitsu’s “Three Film Scores for String Orchestra,” Richard Karpen’s “Nam Mai,” a piece for Vietnamese and Western plucked instruments
and string orchestra, Shuying Li’s “Overture to The Siege,” and Edvard Greig’s “Piano Concerto in A Minor, op 16.” Takemitsu was the most prominent Japanese modern composer of the 20th century. His “Three Film Scores for String Orchestra” includes music from a documentary film on boxer Jose Torres, a film score for Shohei Imamura’s “Black Rain” set in the aftermath of Hiroshima, and a score for the film, “Face of Another,” adapted from the novel by Kobe Abe as directed by the late Hiroshi Teshigahara (“Woman in the Dunes”). Richard Karpen, director of the UW School of Music, composed “Nam Mai” for three soloists, nineteen string instruments, and film. It was originally composed for The Six Tones (Nguyen, Ngo and Ostersjo), a Vietnamese/Swedish Trio. It is based on a traditional Vietnamese tune.
Composer, conductor, and pianist Shuying Li is currently pursuing her MFA at the Hartt School. Prior to that she completed a double major at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. “Overture to The Siege” is her own composition to her opera which was selected by the judges of the Celebrate Asia Composition Competition. It makes its Seattle debut. The great Scandinavian composer Edvard Greig composed his “Piano Concerto in A Minor, op 16” when he was just 24. It is imbued with the folk tunes of his native Norway. There will be a 6:30 p.m. pre-concert in the Grand Lobby by Chaopraya Ensemble, Kalahi Philippine Dance Company, Northwest Kung Fu & Fitness, and more. The official concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start from $19. Benaroya Hall is at 200 University St. in downtown Seattle. For more information, call (206) 215-4747 or visit SeattleSymphony.org.
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16 — March 19, 2014 – April 1, 2014
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
IE NEWS
Musical Brigade brings the noise for International Women’s Day IE News Services On March 8, community members and families from all over Seattle took to the streets for International Women’s Day, a global day of action that brings visibility to women’s work within the home, the streets, unions, and schools by celebrating their resilience with music and art. A march and rally started on S. Jackson Street and ended with a rally at Hing Hay Park in the International District. The march, labeled a “musical brigade,” was filled with noisemakers, musical instruments, shakers, and loud voices. Gender justice organizations spoke out against human trafficking, sexual violence and abuse, the military and prison industrial complex, forced migration, and sexual exploitation. The musical brigade, co-led by Pin@y sa Seattle and Green Bodies, was described as a vision to bring people to create a new culture of protest based on the resilience of communities of color. Event organizers called on the community to “gather around womenidentified people and genderqueer people and center the celebration of what bodies have to endure within the material world and the oppressions they experience due to gender roles, expression, and identity.” Photographer Viviann Nguyen captured the event. Photos by Viviann Nguyen (Fluxhzard, fluxhzard.virb.com)