VOL 37 NO 20 | MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA This week’s special features on

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VOL 37 NO 20 MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

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36 YEARS YOUR VOICE

FRIENDS OF BOB FERGUSON

Photo by Sam Le

Ichiro Suzuki’s greatest hit was proving he belonged »3

The Amazon and TAPS teams tied in the Alan Sugiyama Hum Bow Eating Contest at the API Heritage Celebration. Team Amazon would later win after receiving louder audience applause. Check out our pictorial inside.

Pictorial of API Heritage Month Celebration taken by Sam Le »7

Beneath the headscarf

A summit on music, activism, and the #MeToo #Times Up movement »9

Local Muslims hope to educate others about Islam

By Carolyn Bick NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Rabail Sajjad

Adam Jamal

Aneelah Afzali

Even when she is surrounded by friends, Rabail Sajjad notices stares from strangers on the street.

Usually, though, she doesn’t say anything, even when she is surrounded by her friends, people she knows will have her back.

“It’s really hard to do that when people in power are so easily

We ask community leaders: “What inspires you to do what you do?”

■

Photo provided by Jay del Rosario

continue on 10 for quotes from Diane Narasaki, Larry Gossett, Pradeepta Upadhyay, and Michelle Merriweather

From left: Marge Young, Ruby Luke, Bettie Luke, and WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson

AntiBlackness & Asians

see HEADSCARF on 15

Hope for longlasting peace

Bob Ferguson, Washington State Attorney General:

“I formed a Civil Rights Unit in the Attorney General’s Office to combat discrimination and fight for fairness and dignity for every Washingtonian.

Inspired by former Assistant Attorney General, civil rights attorney, and Seattle City Councilmember Wing Luke, I named my Civil Rights Unit after him. If you have a civil rights complaint, contact the Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit at www.atg.wa.gov/ have-civil-rights-complaint.”

saying, ‘No, Islam is bad,’” Sajjad said. “I sometimes feel like, what’s the point of even trying? … What’s the point of talking to people about it? I just keep it to myself.”

Sajjad works at the University of Washington’s Diversity Center on campus. The Pakistani American said she was born into Islam, but didn’t start seriously practicing

By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY After the April 20th peace summit between North and South Korean leaders Kim Jong-Un (N) see KOREA on 12

Shamay Thomas

Jay San

By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Black Americans Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson recently settled for $1 each from the city of Philadelphia to avoid taxpayer repercussions, and $200,000 for their charity of choice after their arrests at a Starbucks on April 12.

The conclusion of their case, however, happened to coincide with the ending of another case of racial discrimination against Black people, but further north in Canada. Emile Wickham and three friends, who are all Black, were ordered to pay upfront shortly after ordering their meals at Hong Shing, a popular Chinese restaurant in Toronto. Upon discovering that they were see ANTI-BLACKNESS on 16

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36 YEARS

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS ICHS Bloom Gala

A first-generation Vietnamese American, Vu lives in Capitol Hill and earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from San Jose State University and master’s degree in leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California.

Vu has been recognized as one of 100 Women of Influence, 40 Under 40, and a Woman of Distinction in Banking & Finance by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. 

Photo by Assunta Ng

Cinco de Mayo reception

States at 5 years old when her family fled the fall of Saigon.

A community organizer and mother of six, Nguyen won the council seat that represents New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward. She defeated incumbent James Gray in November.

The first woman to hold the job of New Orleans’ mayor since the city’s founding 300 years ago, LaToya Cantrell was also sworn in, along with Councilmember-At-Large Helena Moreno, the city’s first Hispanic member. 

Fun at Hing Hay Park

B of A promotes Kim Vu

Kim Vu

Bank of America named Kim Vu as its new Market Executive.

The former manager of Enterprise Business and Community Engagement, Vu now works alongside the market president in helping to drive the bank’s responsible growth strategy across Seattle by connecting businesses, families, and individuals to Bank of America’s banking and investment teams.

Photo by Assunta Ng

International Community Health Services (ICHS) raised $250,000 at its 2018 Bloom Gala at the Sheraton Seattle on May 5. The money will support health services for those who cannot afford to pay for them.

Major gifts included $25,000 from the KeyBank Foundation, $20,000 from the Sheng Yen Lu Foundation and $10,000 from the Ark and Winnie Chin Foundation.

This year’s gala celebrated ICHS’ 45th anniversary.

Janyce Ko Fisher, Hiroshi Nakano, Dorothy Wong, Dr. Alan Chun, and Hermes Shahbazian were honored with the Sapphire Leadership Award for their contributions and leadership, and director Ron Chew and CEO Teresita Batayola were recognized for their pivotal impact. 

Photo by Assunta Ng

Sapphire Leadership Award recipients and others.

From left: Sandra Madrid, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Gov. Jay Inslee, and Consul of Mexico Dr. Roberto Dondisch-Glowinski.

Two hundred people attended the 28th annual Cinco de Mayo reception at the Columbia Tower Club. The event, on May 4, was sponsored by Heritage Bank and Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union. Several leaders attended, including Gov. Jay Inslee, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. 

First Vietnamese member of New Orleans City Council

Cyndi Nguyen

Cyndi Nguyen, the first Vietnamese member of the New Orleans City Council, was sworn in on May 7.

Nguyen moved to the United

From left: Laurelyn Miel, Maxene Orejudes, and Anh Thach.

The warmer weather is bringing more people out to enjoy Hing Hay Park.

We saw Laurelyn Miel, Maxene Orejudes, and Anh Thach painting a lantern last week.

Hing Hay Park underwent a renovation that doubled its size recently. The new park design includes a cultural performance space, with custom integrated seating that punctuates the terraces and provides micro-stages, and activity areas for all community members to enjoy, including ping pong tables, seating, exercise machines, a badminton area, and shade trees. 

Fresh Asian Specialty Chicken — locally produced in BC, Canada 新鮮的亞洲特色雞 ̶ 加拿大卑詩省本地養殖 Authentic Silkie & Free Run chicken meat from the Fraser Valley in BC is healthy, flavourful and raised to Canadian standards. 來自卑詩省菲莎河谷的正宗竹絲雞及台灣走地雞，依照加拿大品質標準養殖，健康又美味。

Supported by the Government of BC’s Buy Local Program; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

Look for these Canadian brands at your local Chinese grocery store. 以下優良 加 拿 大 品牌產品於各 大華人 超 市 有售

asianweekly northwest

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Photo by Debbie Chan

International House renovation close to completion

Nora Chan (left) catches up with residents of the International House after checking on the progress of renovations to the building.

By Debbie Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The 30-year-old International House building is undergoing a renovation to turn it into a modern and lively place for people in need.

Located on 607 Maynard Avenue South, the International House houses about 115 residents —

most of whom live alone with little to no financial support from their families. Most are Chinese and non-English speakers. The residents are welcoming these changes to their home, that will make it more accessible for the elderly and disabled.

Nora Chan, a social worker in the Chinese see INTERNATIONAL HOUSE on 13

Ichiro Suzuki’s greatest hit was proving he belonged

By TIM BOOTH AP SPORTS WRITER SEATTLE (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki’s otherworldly talents made an early impression on Dave Niehaus, the Hall of Fame voice of the Seattle Mariners.

During Suzuki’s first month in the majors in 2001, Niehaus narrated a throw by Suzuki from right field that nailed Terrence Long at third base. In a way, Niehaus was also describing what Suzuki was about to bring to the major leagues for 18 seasons.

“I’m here to tell you, Ichiro threw something out of Star Wars down there at third base,’’ Niehaus said.

Suzuki was unlike anything the majors had seen when he left Japan for Seattle, and he’s become one of the most important figures in baseball history — and not just because of his 3,089 hits, 10 Gold Gloves, numerous All-Star Games, single-season hit record and MVP award.

Suzuki carried the burden of an entire country in coming to America, and his success created opportunity for the countless others who have followed.

Ichiro Suzuki

Whether he wants to accept the label or not, Suzuki was a trailblazer.

Suzuki and the Mariners announced on May 3 that his 2018 season was over. He’s shifting to a new role as special assistant to the chairman. He may never play another game in the majors.

Yet his influence and importance shouldn’t be understated.

“When I met Ichiro in Peoria, (Arizona) which is the first time I’d met him face to face, he walked in and had more presence than any other baseball player I’d ever encountered,’’ Seattle see SUZUKI on 14

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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

36 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Ken Jeong uses medical training to help audience member PHOENIX (AP) — Ken Jeong’s medical degree is nothing to laugh at.

The comedian’s training came in handy on May 5 when an audience member began having a seizure while Jeong was performing at a comedy club in Phoenix.

The actor’s representative, Michelle Margolis, confirmed reports that the 48-year-old Jeong and an emergency medical technician in the audience helped the woman until paramedics arrived. She was taken to a hospital. There was no immediate word on the woman’s identity or condition.

Jeong has appeared in “The Hangover” movie franchise and TV’s “Dr. Ken” and “Community.”

Prior to Hollywood, Jeong earned a medical degree from the University of North CarolinaChapel Hill. 

Ken Jeong

Jhoon Rhee, ‘father of California tech American Taekwondo,’ company fined for H1-B visa violations dies at age 86 ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, the man known as the “father of American Taekwondo,’’ died on April 30 after a long illness. He was 86.

His son, Chun Rhee, said his father died in hospice care in Arlington, Virginia, a suburb of the nation’s capital.

Jhoon Rhee was a 10th-degree black belt credited with popularizing taekwondo in the United States, especially around the nation’s capital, after emigrating from Korea in the 1950s. He opened his first taekwondo school in Washington, D.C., in 1962. By the 1980s, Rhee had 11 schools in the Washington area.

Rhee became friends with legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and appeared in a 1973 movie titled “When Taekwondo Strikes.’’

He also befriended boxer Muhammad Ali. Chun Rhee said that during a 1976 sports awards ceremony, his father jokingly challenged Ali and basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain to a fight Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee to settle which one of them was “the greatest’’ athlete.

“Martial arts was a way of life for him,’’ Chun Rhee said. 

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Northern California company that federal officials say violated salary requirements of the country's foreign-worker visa program will pay a total of $173,044 to 12 workers, the U.S. Department of Labor said on May 1.

The Labor Department said information technology provider Cloudwick Technologies Inc. underpaid the employees hired from India who obtained

special highly skilled worker visas. The department says Cloudwick also made illegal payroll deductions.

Messages left by The Associated Press with Cloudwick were not immediately returned.

U.S. employers can temporary hire foreigners to work in jobs that require specialized skills and college educations. see H1-B on 12

“Planned Parenthood creates a space where I can tell my whole story and feel safe.”

– Angel, supporter & patient

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

■ WORLD NEWS

5

Peppa Pig wins street cred, attracts censors in China

By YANAN WANG ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — A cherubic British cartoon character has become an unlikely target of China’s censors as fans use her porcine likeness in rap videos and “gangster’’ tattoos.

The bright pink swine’s subversive alter-ego has made her a viral hit but also an apparent target of government workers who police the internet.

Videos with the hashtag (hash)PeppaPig could not be searched on May 2 on Douyin, a popular video app. The catchphrase, “Get a tattoo of Peppa Pig, give a round of applause to ‘gangsters,’’’ was also not searchable on the Weibo microblogging platform, which posted a message saying it was acting “in accordance with relevant legal regulations.’’

Regulators have been ratcheting up control over Chinese blogs and apps in recent months. A controversial

cybersecurity law was introduced last June as part of President Xi Jinping’s efforts to tighten control over what China’s public can see and say online while still trying to reap the economic benefits of internet use.

It was not clear whether the censorship of Peppa on

Douyin was prompted by a government mandate.

Bytedance saw its social networking app Neihan Duanzi shut down by the State Adminstration of Radio and Television last month. The app was a hub for GIFs, memes and often-vulgar humor which the authorities deemed “unhealthy.’’ The company’s chief executive, Zhang Yiming, said in an apologetic statement at the time that he would increase the size of the content-monitoring team to 10,000 employees.

Chinese media said there had been at least 30,000 clips under Peppa’s hashtag on Douyin. Variations on the name, such as “PigPig’’ or “PeppaPeppa’’ are still searchable.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Douyin denied that it has “banned’’ Peppa Pig. But a source close to the company who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on its behalf said Douyin see PEPPA PIG on 12

New owner of Cambodian newspaper begins by firing editor PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — The new owner of a newspaper considered the sole remaining independent media voice in Cambodia fired its editor on May 7 for publishing a story about the publication’s sale and the purchaser’s alleged links to the government, adding to doubts it will continue to perform the watchdog function of a free press.

The dismissal of Kay Kimsong, editorin-chief of the English and Khmer-language editions of the Phnom Penh Post, was followed by the resignations in protest of at least four senior editorial personnel.

The developments Kay Kimsong inside the newsroom were reported by several remaining staff members in near-real time on Twitter. More than 20 current and former staff members signed a statement expressing their “disgust’’ over the new owner’s ordering that the story be taken down from the newspaper’s website.

The newspaper’s sale by Australian businessman Bill Clough to Sivakumar S. Ganapathy, a public relations executive in Malaysia, was announced on May 5. The value of the sale has not been announced.

The Post reported that his PR company had done business in the past for the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which has curtailed press freedom ahead of a July general election.

It pointed out additional connections, some indirect, which he is alleged to have with Cambodian ruling circles.

Kay Kimsong, who had worked at the Post for 10 years, told The Associated Press that the representative of the newspaper’s new owner had told him he made a big mistake by allowing the publication on the front page of the article saying a PR firm linked to the prime minister see KIMSONG on 13

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asianweekly northwest

6

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR MAY 10

CHINESE ART & CULTURE SERIES, “CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART FROM GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES” Seattle Art Museum Simons Board Room 1300 First Ave., Seattle 4 p.m.

SEATTLE VIDEO GAME ORCHESTRA CONCERT

BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON TEA 4228 Stone Way N., Seattle 7 p.m.

11 “THE 3RD ANNUAL IMAGINE US!” DINNER Washington Hall 6 p.m.

21progress.org DEBUNKING THE TOP 5 MYTHS ABOUT DEPT. OF LABOR & INDUSTRIES WITH ROSE GUNDERSEN China Harbor Restaurant 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 11:30 a.m. seattlechinesechamber.org

12 TAIWANESE NIGHT MARKET UW Red Square & Quad 5:30 p.m. uwnightmarket.com

12 & 13 17 THOUSAND FACES CHINESE OPERA May 12 at Chief Sealth International High School 2600 SW Thistle St., Seattle May 13 at Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma 7:20 p.m.

PEONY & BAMBOO FESTIVAL Seattle Chinese Garden 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle 10 a.m. seattlechinesegarden.org BONSAI FEST Pacific Bonsai Museum 2515 S. 336th St., Federal Way Suggested donation: $5 10 a.m.

13 MIYAVI “DAY2” WORLD TOUR 2018 The Crocodile, 2200 2nd Ave., Seattle 7 p.m. thecrocodile.com

15 SCHOLARSHIP FOR WOMEN Applications due today Event is in August 2018 Download an application at seattlechinesechamber.org

SEATTLE CHANNEL PROGRAM ON API HERITAGE MONTH 7 p.m. on Seattle Channel Online at seattlechannel. org/feature-shows/ citystream HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK Seattle’s Chinatown-ID 4 p.m.

18 FAMILY NIGHT, “NI HAO! TAIWAN” Mercer Island Community & Event Center 6:30 p.m.

19 CISC’S 46TH ANNUAL FRIENDSHIP DINNER & AUCTION, “COME TOGETHER” Seattle Marriott Waterfront, 2100 Alaskan Way, Seattle 5:30 p.m. $150/person cisc-seattle.org TASTE OF KOREA HOSTED BY KOREAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES STAR Center 3873 S. 66th St., Tacoma 4:30 p.m. tasteofkorea_kwa. eventbrite.com

19 & 20 UNIVERSITY DISTRICT STREET FAIR University Way N.E.,

36 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

Seattle 10 a.m.

20 CACA SEATTLE ANNUAL BANQUET CELEBRATING UNITY & FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY China Harbor Restaurant 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 5:30 p.m. $20-$60 cacaseattle.org FILM SCREENING AND PANEL, “ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL” Wing Luke Museum 719 S. King St., Seattle 11:45 a.m.

21 MENTOR’S NIGHT VOL. 5 Haggett Hall 4000 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle 6 p.m.

21 & 22 A DOCUMENTARY, “LOOKING FOR?” BY CHOU TUNG-YEN Seattle International Film Festival

25 – 28 47TH NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL Seattle Center nwfolklife.org

Ex-coal baron takes swipe at "China people" in political ad

By JOHN RABY and JONATHAN MATTISE ASSOCIATED PRESS C H A R L E ST ON, W.Va. (AP) — An ex-coal executive who’s running for U.S. Senate after serving a one-year prison sentence has escalated his barrage on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, taking swipes at “China people’’ and calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell “Co- McConnell caine Mitch’’ in a new ad.

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, a Republican, is seeking the West Virginia seat now held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.

But his ad disparages McConnell, the Republican leader from Kentucky.

Blankenship has already called McConnell “Cocaine Mitch’’ in a previous ad, and has said in a radio interview that McConnell’s father-inlaw is “a wealthy China person and there’s a lot of connections to some of the brass, if you will, in China.’’

Blankenship’s new ad says McConnell has created jobs for “China people’’ and charges that his “China family’’ has given him millions of dollars. McConnell’s wife is U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who was born in Taiwan.

Blankenship says the ad is in response to false, negative ads that McConnell’s “swamp people’’ see EX-COAL on 15

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

The Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month Celebration was held at the Seattle Center Armory on May 6 as part of API Heritage Month.

This event showcased the rich cultural diversity of the API community featuring local groups giving traditional and contemporary performances.

Demonstrations included Wu Shu Martial Arts, performances

by Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team, activities for all ages, traditional and contemporary dishes, and the popular hum bow eating contest.

PHOTOS BY SAM LE Tammy Le and John Chen

Competitors of the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration Hum Bow Eating Contest pose for a picture. Each team competed to see who could finish 5 Hum Bows the fastest.

Morning Star performs a traditional Korean dance.

International YouTube sensation, Luna Lee, plays the Gayageum to a delighted crowd.

Huraiti Mana entertained the crowd with their signature Polynesian dance.

Live2Dance brings a fun Bollywood dance to the stage.

Display of Nations exhibit for people to learn and discover API countries.

The Vietnamese Student Association performed a beautiful fan dance.

A number of local community organizations raised public awareness.

Competitors eat voraciously during the Hum Bow Eating contest.

Malaysian Student Association made a wonderful finale for the celebration.

7

asianweekly northwest

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36 YEARS

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

Why is it important to celebrate your heritage?

Photos by Sam Le Quotes compiled by Sam Le

“I find that celebrating our heritage, especially the API Heritage Month celebration, is really special. I am amazed at how many different cultures and people came together to celebrate.”

— Luna Lee

“It is important to celebrate our heritage because it is a time to share our cultures and for all of us to learn about our own culture and heritage.”

— Howard Wu

“Celebrating our heritage keeps our communities together, passes on values, traditions, and meanings through the different generations. Especially for the Lao American community, the celebration is always the most beautiful and fulfilling to keep our culture and heritage alive.”

— Commissioner Sisavatdy

“It helps us remember who we are and where are families journeyed from. As a refugee and immigrant, it is important to keep our culture, language, and traditions. We need to keep it because it is a part of our history.”

— Linh Thach

“It is important to celebrate our heritage because it breathes life and

“It is important to celebrate our heritage because it is the way our culture will continue and grow.

We have a duty to learn, collect, and nurture the traditions and artifacts, but also to share it with our communities and everyone we meet.”

— Marcy and Noah

meaning into our identities and our knowledge of who we are. It is always important to explore the past and see how our heritage is with us today.”

“It is important to celebrate our heritage because we need it to guide our communities. It gives pride to the community to understand where are roots are from and helps us connect with each other. APDC understands this and will continue to support API Heritage Month.”

— Peter Tsai

— Kalei

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

9

Hey ladies ...

By Peggy Chapman NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), formerly known as the Experience Museum Project, at the Seattle Center hosted a fourday conference (PopCon) in late April, focusing on gender and music. The PopCon, since 2002, has been off handedly recognized as a conference for the musically passionate — regularly attended by a roster of music critics, academics, and hyper-obsessive music lovers. The schedule for this year’s subject, “What Difference Does it Make?

Music and Gender,” included topics as varied

as “Joni Mitchell” to “Country Voices” to “Re-mixing Post-soul Black Masculinity.”

The introductory keynote panel was dedicated to the recent #MeToo and #TimesUp (Time’s Up) movements. #MeToo escalated into an undeniably powerful movement and social media avalanche due to the overwhelming number of accusations and reports of sexual harassment and assault by powerful Hollywood industry heads and celebrities.

The very short-short list of offenders includes producer Harvey Weinstein, and celebrity figureheads like Bill Cosby and Kevin Spacey (among numerous others). The Time’s Up movement, while similar to #MeToo, dif-

Keynote panel at the 2018 Women and Gender Pop Conference at the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture

Photos by Jim Bennett, Museum of Pop Culture

Women in the world of music on #MeToo #TimesUp

From left to right: Megan Jasper, CEO of Sup Pop Records; Paloma McLardy, (aka Palmolive); Madame Gandhi (speaking)

fers, but still works in the same conversation space. Time’s Up was created as an actionbased initiative to empower women in their professional goals — women should be allowed to work without the fear of discrimination or sexual harassment. The key panel’s directive was to address and communicate both initiatives.

The title of 2018’s keynote panel was “The System Must Make Room for All That We Do: A Summit on Music, Activism, and the #MeToo #TimesUp Moment.”

Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music, moderated. The panelists included Jackie Fuchs, Madame Gandhi, Megan Jasper, Paloma McLardy, and Francisca Valenzuela.

Jackie Fuchs (also known as Jackie Fox) was the bassist for the all-female rock band The Runaways, from 1975 to 1977. The Run-

aways were a groundbreaking punk band, which included Joan Jett and Lita Ford, that inspired legions of young girls (and arguably still do). Fuchs has been interviewed several times about being raped by her manager. The response was somewhat nil from associates and even band members (this was the early 1980s). After The Runaways, Fuchs became a records promotion executive and returned to school to earn a B.A. in Linguistics from UCLA and a law degree from Harvard.

“It is easier to stand up for others than to stand up for yourself,” Fuchs said when reflecting. “Now being a lawyer, and looking back at being an artist,” she stated, “I wish I realized how much power I did have.”

Fuchs also commented, “It would be nice one day when we wouldn’t have to see #METOO on 12

AAPI POWER! AAPIs are the fastest growing racial group nationally and locally, and yet are among the least represented in our democracy with historically lower voter turnout.

To help our community build power, volunteer with ACRS to help register voters, overcome barriers to increase voter turn out, and make our voices heard!

CONTACT: josephl@acrs.org

asianweekly northwest

10

36 YEARS

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

We ask community leaders: “What inspires you to do what you do?”

LEADERS from 1

Diane Narasaki, Executive Director, ACRS:

of our numbers and solidarity with others advancing justice, here and around the world.”

Larry Gossett, King County Councilmember:

“As a young Asian American woman, I realized that previous generations had fought for my rights and if I did not fight to keep and expand them, they could be lost for future generations. The courage, compassion, sacrifices, and hard fought victories of all who advanced the social justice movement inspired me to a life of activism.

As our community grows, we must explode the model minority stereotype by continuing to protest unjust policies and legislation, and inspire the change through demonstrating the power

Pradeepta Upadhyay: Executive Director, InterIm Community Development Association

“It was in Harlem in 1966 as a Vista Volunteer that I heard about Malcolm X. I was first inspired to work for revolutionary change because of the ideas I was exposed to.

When I returned to Seattle, I helped form the University of

“I was the youngest of seven daughters in my family in Nepal.

My parents raised us as sons, by giving us the best education.

My mother said, ‘You can be a woman, but there is nothing that a man can do that a woman can’t.’

I left my family business, (running a private school), and started a nonprofit in Nepal, Women’s Inspiration Community, which helps disadvantaged women gain access to information

■ NATIONAL NEWS Elizabeth Warren challenger sues over ‘fake Indian’ sign made about Native American CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) ancestry. It appears with an — A U.S. Senate candidate image of Warren that someis suing the city of Camone manipulated to show her bridge, saying officials vioin a Native American headlated his First Amendment dress. rights by demanding he The federal lawsuit filed remove a sign from a camApril 22 says the Cambridge paign bus that read: “Only a building inspector told the REAL INDIAN Can Defeat campaign it didn’t have perthe Fake Indian.’’ mission to display the banner Shiva Ayyadurai, who was Elizabeth Warren born in India, is running on the bus that is parked at as an independent against a building Ayyadurai owns, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. and warned of daily fines of up to $300.

The slogan refers to claims Warren has The city hasn’t commented on the suit. 

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Washington Black Student Union.

Together with the Black Panther Party, we worked on various community issues. At the time, two Black girls were kicked out of Franklin High School and were told to make their hair more ladylike. So we took over Franklin. Those experiences continue to influence my work. I continue to educate people about racism and implement policies to create more equity in our society.”

and knowledge to be empowered so that they can change their lives.

We emigrated to the U.S. to be with my daughters. For the past 19 years, I have been fighting for justices on equity, disparity and marginalized communities, through different leadership roles.

Then, I got my dream job as Interim’s executive director. I met Bob Santos (Interim’s founder) years ago in Los Angeles. I am an activist. I will continue his work and legacy, and will always speak and fight for immigrants and refugees.”

“What inspires me to do my job is my 32 staff members. They are the front people who help those in low places. Their passion is amazing. They help those who get out of prison and want to change their lives. Hearing their success stories fuel me. I enjoy fighting a good fight, giving voice to the voiceless. We will not rest until everyone gets an education, a roof over their head, and a place for their family. My hope is to get us out of the business, but we can’t and we just have to keep going.” 

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

■ COMMENTARY

11

Implicit bias

By Akemi Matsumoto APACEVOTES AND APACE BOARD MEMBER FACULTY EMERITUS, BELLEVUE COLLEGE

There has been a lot of talk about implicit bias because of the recent incident at Starbucks in Philadelphia, when Dante Akemi Matsumoto Robinson and Rashon Nelson were arrested for merely sitting at a table waiting for a business meeting without purchasing anything.

So what exactly is implicit bias? If our parents have done their job of socializing us, they have taught us several assumptions about groups of people, a shortcut to interacting with others because we do not have the time to meet each person as an individual. They taught us the norms of our society. As we mature, we take that socialization and mold it into our own system of beliefs about others. We accept some of the assumptions our parents and society have taught us, and we reject others. The bad thing is, unless we are aware of our assumptions, we often accept the biases we have been taught and operate unconsciously. The good thing is that these biases can be changed.

Our society is deeply embedded with the bias that

■ LETTER

some races are superior to others. America’s racism is reinforced daily by media images and systems of power that reinforce white culture. For instance, white culture defines “professionalism” in most workplaces and narrowly dictates how people must dress and what vocabulary and volume they use when they speak. White culture is the dominant culture in our society. This systemically benefits white people at the expense of people of color.

In order to change the systemic racism in America, we have to work on many levels. At the individual level, we must be aware of our biases — be motivated to be more equitable and interrupt our automatic assumptions, replacing our stereotypes with more accurate and factual information.

Treating everyone the same sounds fair, but what it does is place those not raised in White American culture at a disadvantage, because what is considered the “right” way is defined by those in power and does not acknowledge that there is more than one culture in America.

At the societal level, we must look at the cultural biases against people of color embedded in our public policies and institutions that create barriers to success. Who created these policies and institutions and what culture is represented by them? We still live in different realities — the different reactions to the O.J. Simpson verdict demonstrated that most vividly.

So, are you motivated to look within yourself at your biases? Harvard University developed a series of tests to

help you see where you might have stereotypes about others you may be unaware of. (Take the test at: implicit.harvard. edu/implicit/takeatest.html.) I took some of them myself, confidently assuming I was not prejudiced about Asians, weight, Arab Muslims, or religion. I was surprised at my results and am working on my automatic assumptions to slow them down and ask myself if my gut reaction is based on evidence or is a product of my socialization.

Starbucks originally announced it would shut down all its stores for a two-hour training session on implicit bias and it fired the manager at the Philadelphia store who called the police. Two hours can never undo centuries of deeply rooted racism that is embedded in American culture and in our upbringing. Since then, Starbucks has listened to the outcry to their one-time training plan and have announced they will have a long-term, multi-phased training effort on anti-bias for their employees. Even this expanded training will merely touch the tip of the iceberg. However, it is one small step in interrupting a systemic, mostly invisible culture of racism and prejudice. Racism stays in place because it is unconscious and invisible. We need to surface the problem and continue the dialogue. Ending racism requires more than just training. It is an ongoing process that requires a commitment from each of us to regularly challenge our assumptions. 

Hope and heroes

Thank you for placing James Tabafunda’s article on the front page of the April 28 issue of the Northwest Asian Weekly.

Giving such prominent placement to a story celebrating the courage and persistence of Vietnamese immigrant JoJo Tran, in his marathon 22-year fight for asylum in the United States, gives hope and inspiration to struggling immigrants everywhere.

As well, JoJo exemplifies a successful role as a ‘way-shower,’ with his instinctive choice to create a new American ‘family’ by connecting himself to many community

organizations with 9,000+ volunteer hours. By building a wide and deep base of friendships through his community service, he unintentionally built a large base of support that even impressed the judge when more than 34 people showed up at this last court deportation hearing, ready and willing to testify to his character and his already valuable contributions to American communities.

JoJo’s success in surmounting improbable odds, as he doggedly pursued his dream to bring his family to America, refusing to

quit despite the loneliness, the absence of family, the legal setbacks and deportation orders, and the years of just plain hardship and poverty while living homeless on the streets, stands as a courageous example of what can be accomplished when one simply persists, despite seemingly impossible odds and the heartbreak of hearing what must sometimes be endured. May we each find that hero within to help America stand tall and remember, at this time especially, that we are a country of immigrants who owe America continued support of our founding

principle of acknowledging basic human rights by opening our hearts and arms to welcome all who wish a better and safer life for their families.

The Tran family’s success was marked with a joyous celebration at University Friends Meeting (Quakers) in the University District on April 28. More than 60 people came to welcome JoJo, his wife Saray, and son TaNo to the United States of America.

Vietnamese and American food all had their place, as did hearts full of immense gratitude for the safety of Tran and his family. Thank you for planting the seeds of hope and heroes with this story.  — Clarena M. Snyder

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#METOO from 9 acknowledge we are an all-female band.”

Paloma McLardy, aka “Palmolive,” reciprocated, “We were four fearless young women who came together and exploded as a cultural bomb, irritating a sensitive societal nerve. We were pretty unconscious of our potency…”

Palmolive was born and raised in Spain and rebelled against her living situation and found her way to England in her teens, and founded another pivotal punk band, The Slits, in the 1970s. Palmolive’s boyfriend John Mellor would eventually rename himself Joe Strummer — of the infamous Clash — and introduced her to Sid Vicious — of the infamous Sex Pistols, who she would collaborate with.

She said Sid Vicious’ aggressiveness made her decide she would prefer to work only with women.

“We were given opportunities by men, white men,” she said.

Megan Jasper, CEO of Sub Pop Records, has worked for Sup Pop for more than 25 years, starting from the position of receptionist. Jasper said that during her growth period at Sub Pop, there wasn’t necessarily a discussion about women — rather there was a disparity with identity with “women” and “musician.”

Jasper referenced prominent Sub Pop female bands L-7 and Sleater Kinney.

She stated there was a difference between

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018 reviews for female and male musicians, but how ultimately punk rock, at the time, was a space she related with, and associated with home.

“Do you just want to work with girls, or do you want to work with me?” asked Madame Gandhi. Gandhi is an electronic music artist and activist, and former drummer for artist M.I.A. She also studied mathematics at Georgetown University and worked as the data analyst at Interscope Records before going on to receive her MBA from Harvard — a strong representative of the Time’s Up voice.

“I think for me, what is really important is existing in spaces as an Asian American woman and coming as I am. … I think many people don’t even think I am Indian.

I lived in Mumbai as a teen for three years, my entire extended family lives in India and I speak some Hindi … I like that my existence challenges people’s stereotypes of what it means to be South Asian American … who I am allows younger brown women to see me and feel they have a role model, especially those who are creative.”

Gandhi told the conference audience, in reference to gender, minority, and identity: “We should all be allowed to create our own spaces.”  Peggy can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

H1-B from 4 The department said companies hiring foreign workers with the special H1-B visas are required to pay minimum salaries. Some employees were allegedly promised salaries up to $8,300 per month, but instead received $800 net per month, the department said.

Companies that hire foreign workers with H1-B visas must show a shortage of U.S. workers with specialized skills.

PEPPA PIG from 5 removed some user-generated videos featuring Peppa Pig that the company deemed inappropriate.

Internet users have aligned Peppa with the culture of “shehuiren’’ — literally “society people’’ — which connotes a gangster attitude and street smarts.

The Global Times, a state-run newspaper, wrote that the moniker “refers to people who run counter to the mainstream value and are usually poorly educated with no stable job. They are unruly slackers roaming around and the antithesis of the young generation the (ruling Communist) Party tries to cultivate.’’

The party newspaper People’s Daily likewise warned last week that Peppa “should not be allowed to destroy children’s childhoods.’’ It noted that Peppa has been used to sell merchandise not connected with the original brand.

Xi, who strives to rally citizens around the idea of a “China Dream,’’ has emphasized in speeches the importance of young people’s contributions to the country’s “rejuvenation’’ following foreign incursions and civil war over the last 150 years.

Despite such entreaties from the Communist Party, a number of internet subcultures fueled largely by young Chinese — from despondent “sang’’ people to lackadaisical “Buddhist youths’’ — have resisted the president’s call to “roll up your sleeves and work harder.’’

Peppa Pig is not the first fictional

36 YEARS KOREA from 1 and President Moon Jae-in, Seattle-area Koreans and Korean Americans are tentatively hopeful for improved sociopolitical relations and potential reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

The promises South Korean President Moon between the two Jae-in leaders included removal of all nuclear weapons in the peninsula, and to approach the United States for peace talks within the year. Both leaders have declared that the decision was not because of influence from President Donald Trump.

“We used to [be] one country, so we are supposed to be one,” said Caroline Ounsam Lee, who identifies as Korean. “I’m expecting the bright future is coming soon.

I know it’s not always [easy to] embrace each other, but we all have to go through it.

I am so grateful that I’m in the center of this historical moment.”

However, other members of the community are more hesitant of the outcomes promised to the Korean people in both countries.

“I’m hesitant to be excited for any talk of [a] peace agreement,” said Kate Kim, a Seattle-based Korean American. “Given the un-

“The intent of the H-1B foreign labor certification program is to help American companies find the highly skilled talent they need when they can prove that a shortage of U.S. workers exists,” Department spokeswoman Susana Blanco said. “The resolution of this case demonstrates our commitment to safeguard American jobs, level the playing field for law-abiding employers, and protect guest workers from being paid less than they are legally owed.”

creature to be targeted by China’s censors for political and sociological reasons.

References to Winnie the Pooh were recently scrubbed from the internet after users began employing the cuddly bear as a proxy for the somewhat corpulent Xi when he engineered a move this year to remove presidential term limits from the constitution. Among the popular postings, Winnie was shown hugging a jar of honey alongside the quote, “find the thing you love and stick with it.’’

On her show, Peppa and her animal friends partake in mundane activities such as bike riding and swimming.

But “society people’’ have co-opted innocuous lines from the program for their own satirical takes, such as playing lewd rap songs after a scene in which Peppa says: “I like this. It’s very grownup.’’

The topic “’Society Person’ Peppa Pig’’ has been viewed nearly 30 million times on Weibo, with fans sharing photos of themselves and Peppa paraphernalia along with the tag “society person.’’

Some users have juxtaposed images of Peppa with racy pop lyrics, or edited Peppa videos to include techno lighting.

Users also encouraged one another to get Peppa tattoos. Tens of thousands have purchased temporary tattoos featuring the pig on e-commerce site Taobao.

In a post reflecting on Peppa’s puzzling popularity, verified Weibo blogger Cao Zhi mused, “Peppa Society People have added a bit of fun and merriment to our dry, tedious lives.’’ 

The Newark, California-based company agreed to hire an outside monitor to ensure future compliance.

Silicon Valley companies and high-tech ventures are among the largest employers of foreign workers with H-1B visas. The number of visas awarded each year is capped at 85,000.

reliability of North Korea’s public relations and the fact that peace talks like this have occurred sporadically over the years with little concrete resolution or change.”The last peace summit in North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un 2007 between South Korean President Ro Moo-Hyun (S) and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il was met with similar hopes and neareuphoric responses from Korean media outlets.

However, they were swiftly dashed with the eventual failure of 2000’s Sunshine Policy, which was drawn at that year’s peace summit between then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, partly due to Dae-jung’s $500 million bribe offered to Jong-il. Now-President Moon Jaein arranged 2000’s peace summit while he was serving as an aide to Dae-jung.

In spite of conflicting media reports, public opinion, and a tense political atmosphere, hopes of reunification remain at the forefront of Korean and Korean American community concerns.

“I think it’s great if the two countries finally get unified,” said Korean American resident Hyuntae Kim. “It’s been too long.”  Sophia can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

President Trump last year signed an executive order he dubbed “Buy American, Hire American,” requiring federal agencies to develop their work visa policies and develop new rules and guidance to prevent fraud and abuse if necessary.

The H-1B visa program is part of that review. 

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YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2018

13

Predictions and advice for the week of May 12–18, 2018

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Are you waiting for the perfect time to proceed with your idea? If most of the pieces are in place, there is no need to stall.

Ox — Feeling somewhat restless this week? While it makes sense to consider your options, avoid making a rash decision.

Tiger — Incorporate some inexpensive trends to freshen up your décor, but don’t overdo it as fads come and go quickly.

Rabbit — A surprising development leaves you wondering what just happened. As you figure it out, a small window of opportunity could open for a short period.

Dragon — It might not always look pretty along the way, but you know what to do to get the job done.

Be patient with others who do not share your vision.

Monkey — Are you hoping that time will clear up something that is confusing? Ask questions to speed up your understanding.

Snake — There are multiple routes to your destination. The important part is that you pick one you can stick with.

Rooster — Where you once were, another is now going through the same thing. Acting as a guide could be beneficial to both of you.

Horse — Does it seem as though you are going in every direction, but a straight line? As you meander, you will likely pick up some useful information along the way.

Dog — Don’t let your mistakes define you. Rather, accept them for what they are and utilize it as a catalyst for positive change.

Goat — Is someone’s close proximity causing some friction lately? A little distance could actually help the situation.

Pig — Your moves have been dictated by caution until now. A sudden boldness has taken root and is not letting go.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE from 3 community, is playing an important role as an intermediary, helping the communication between residents and the apartment management.

“I come here to check on the progress almost every single day,” she said.

The apartment manager arranged some rooms as resting areas for residents. While the construction is underway, Chan helps move residents to the designated areas to rest.

She passes along any requests or complaints to the manager, overcoming the problem of language barriers.

The residents love to see Chan and they greet her with big smiles. Chiufung Pang, 70, has lived at International House for more than 20 years.

“Mrs. Chan is a loving and caring person. She has done a lot of volunteering work for the community,” Pang said.

The renovations are intended to improve the design of

KIMSONG from 5 had bought the Post.

“The owner has complained that I allowed the editorial team to publish the story of the buying and selling of the paper that affected to the interests of the paper as well as the image of the owner,’’ Kay Kimsong said.

“I have done nothing wrong. I acted according to journalistic professionalism, but the company said they cannot keep me in my position.’’

He said he would not challenge his termination in court because the new owner said he would be compensated under the labor law.

The Post was founded in 1992 as Cambodia sought to re-establish stability and democracy after the tumult of genocidal Khmer Rouge rule in the late 1970s and subsequent fighting between its guerrillas and the

the apartments. For example, light switches are set too high for some people to reach. Some residents have to step on a chair, increasing the chances for a fall.

Both furniture and appliances were aging. Pang said that her refrigerator leaked. Pang is now happy with her newly repaired home and upgraded appliances. She said it has become a better and more comfortable place.

“Everything is new after the renovation. The environment is prettier and more comfortable,” Pang said with excitement. She loves inviting friends and neighbors to play Chinese Mahjong. They gather together every Thursday to catch up with one another.

New amenities will be added after the renovation, including a business center and TV room. The business center will provide two computers for residents to use. A new service coordinator was hired recently. She is fluent in Chinese and English, and she will be helping people solve problems with accessing the internet, as well as answering

questions about activities, trip planning, and healthcare issues.

Construction is expected to be finished in June.

Tenants pay only about 30 percent, and the building has a long wait list. Some people have been waiting for years.

International House is owned by GHC Housing Partners — a private company that works with the government for Section 8 projects. Section 8 provides assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income families to rent private housing.

The program works as a rental subsidy.

“There are a total of 12 people in our team to work with the project,” said GHC Housing Partners development coordinator Ian Bates. “Our company takes responsibility for all the expenditures in the construction. Residents do not have to pay a dime for it.” 

communist government that succeeded it. Published fortnightly, it established a high standard of Western-style journalism and employed many early-career Westerners as reporters and editors.

In recent months the Post, which became a daily after Clough bought it in 2008, was reported to also have faced a large bill for back taxes, but Clough’s statement said the matter had been settled, without giving details.

The Post’s main English-language rival, the Cambodia Daily, shut its doors last year after being presented with an onerous tax bill, an action that many believe was politically motivated.

Hun Sen’s government has shuttered virtually all independent media and convinced the courts to dissolve the only credible opposition party ahead of July’s polls.

A third English-language newspaper in Cambodia, Khmer Times, is owned by a Malaysian and is seen as an

uncritical voice that is close to the government.

Sivakumar, in the sale’s announcements issued separately by himself and Clough, was described as having a background as an experienced journalist and representing a strong investment group from Malaysia. However, he appears to be virtually unknown in journalism circles in Cambodia and Malaysia. He is the managing director of ASIA PR, a public relations firm in Malaysia.

The two authors of the Post’s contentious article both announced their resignations on Twitter.

“After being ordered to remove my story regarding the sale of the Phnom Penh Post from the website by new management, I refused and offered my resignation, which was accepted. I wish the fantastic journalists at The Post all the best,’’ wrote business editor Brendan O’Byrne. 

Debbie can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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SUZUKI from 3 general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “And I’ve been doing this my entire adult life, been in the game close to 30 years and met and played with and against every great in my lifetime really and never met one quite like Ichiro.’’

Suzuki preceded Hideki Matsui, who had a stellar career with the New York Yankees, by two years. In the years since, players like Nori Aoki, Kosuke Fukudome and Kaz Matsui followed.

Now, of course, there’s two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani.

All of them got their chance after Suzuki smashed the stereotypes that surrounded Japanese hitters.

Could he handle 162 games?

Could he handle major league pitching?

Could he play every day in the outfield?

He swatted away those stigmas with an AL MVP Award, 242 hits and a Gold Glove Award in his rookie season.

He was a catalyst for a team that won a record-tying 116 games, and he brought a new style to the majors while laying the foundation for others to follow.

“To come over here and pave the way for a lot of Japanese players, what he and (Hideo) Nomo did, that’s not an easy thing to do,’’ said Oakland manager Bob Melvin, who managed Suzuki for two seasons in Seattle. “You just look at the talent and say it’s easy to come over and play like that, but it’s not. So that was a challenge. If there’s another challenge that’s put in front of him, it would not surprise me if he was able to conquer that challenge.’’

By the time Melvin arrived in Seattle in 2003, Suzuki was already established as a star.

“He’s the most committed player that I’ve ever had,’’ Melvin recalled. “His whole day, his whole night, everything he thought about, was about the next day’s game and being prepared for it, from the way he works out to the routine

that he’s on. It’s all about being prepared to play a major league baseball game.

So I’ve often said that he was the easiest guy I’ve ever had to manage because all you had to do was tell him what time the game was and you knew he’d be ready and committed to go.’’

Retirement wasn’t the ‘R’ word used for the how and why of Suzuki moving off the field. But reality was. The reality of being 44 years old, being unable to consistently catch up to 95 mph fastballs, being a step or two slower trying to beat out an infield single.

Yet the idea of playing again is another — maybe final — challenge for Suzuki.

Sitting on the horizon is Seattle’s seasonopening series in Tokyo next season, and the possibility for Suzuki to shine again in his home country.

And would anyone be surprised if he was on the field once more?

“I want to be like a researcher or a student of the game. Or maybe at this age what I can do is prepare myself, train and

see what I can do and the work I put in, see what happens to my body and performance,’’ Suzuki said. “Just see what happens. I want to continue to do that and be able to continue to work and see what I can do.’’ 

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and wearing a hijab until after President Donald Trump took office. Despite the increased climate of Islamophobia, Sajjad said the decision was based on the fact that wearing a hijab “just makes me feel … more like myself.”

“I think, for me, it just helps me feel closer to God. I really love wearing it,” Sajjad said. “I felt really strongly about it in my own beliefs.”

At the same time, though, Sajjad acknowledges wearing a hijab makes life more difficult for her.

“I am very aware of my surroundings now. … I feel like I have to overcompensate, when I meet new people, based on assumptions that they may already have about me,” Sajjad said. “I’ve avoided going to interviews because I hear things about a company, and I am too scared to even go, and so I don’t go. … I feel like I still should have gone, just to see, but sometimes the fear overweighs [that].”

Part of the problem Sajjad sees is that most people don’t understand the teachings of Islam, and how most Muslims practice. “There’s a misconception that we’re secret terrorists.” And as a Muslim woman, Sajjad also sees how people outside the faith have fundamental misunderstandings about what Muslim women are allowed to do.

“Like, we aren’t allowed to go out, and be with our friends. There’s a misconception that women can’t drive, that we aren’t allowed to drive,” Sajjad. “This is one I think of, personally, but no one’s ever said this to me … I think people are afraid of what’s under the hijab. Like, ‘Oh, my gosh, she’s covering her hair. There must be something

are running against him.

Donald Trump Jr. has since echoed a McConnell-linked super PAC in publicly calling for Blankenship’s defeat, saying if he’s victorious, the party can’t win West Virginia in November.

“If he were to be the nominee, we would instantly squander a viable opportunity, and lose a seat — just like Roy Moore did — we might have been able to win,’’ said Steven Law, president of the McConnelllinked super PAC Senate Leadership Fund.

Law was referring to Alabama Republican Roy Moore, a former state Supreme Court judge, who lost a special Senate election last year.

The Blankenship ad also has the potential of turning away potential swing voters to the Republican Party more broadly, Law said.

“I do think there is a segment of the press corps that loves to cover Republicans who spew racist claptrap because it portrays our party in a negative light and turns off educated voters, upper income voters,’’ Law said. “It’s a problem when someone carries on like that.’’

On May 4, Elaine Chao did not respond to a question about Blankenship’s ads as she left an event at an elementary school in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Blankenship filed for the Senate seat after serving prison time for a misdemeanor conviction of violating federal mine safety standards at Upper Big Branch Mine in southern West Virginia, where an explosion in 2010 killed 29 men.

He has vehemently denied responsibility for the deadly blast.

As of mid-April, Blankenship has put $3.5 million of his own money into the campaign, has only received $2,000 in campaign checks and has spent $2.8 million, according to federal campaign finance disclosures.

Blankenship was asked about the “China person’’ comment during a debate last week in Morgantown.

“This idea that I called somebody a China person, I mean I’m an American person,’’ Blankenship said. “I don’t see this insinuation by the press that there’s something racist about saying a China person. Some people are Korean persons and some of them are African persons. It’s not any slander there.’’

Blankenship is at odds with McConnell, who he says is “spending millions to

scary under there.’”

Local imam Adam Jamal believes that much of this misunderstanding comes from “fear-mongering” and the media’s insistence on focusing on “the 0.001 percent” of Muslims who commit violent acts, supposedly in the name of the faith. But, as an imam at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS), the Pakistani American knows differently.

“They are trying to live their lives as American Muslims, enjoying the same opportunities as everyone else, and they want to pursue the same opportunities as everyone else,” Jamal said. “Being a part of the greater American fabric is very important to our community.”

Despite the difficulties the Muslim community is currently facing, though, Jamal fundamentally believes in the goodness of the majority. Recently, anonymous flyers went out in the United Kingdom, declaring April 3 “Punish a Muslim Day.” Though his community was afraid, Jamal said they found support in allies who not only vocalized their support, but attended afternoon prayer services to physically stand with the Muslim community.

Still, despite the strength within and around her community, Aneelah Afzali, Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN), said she has suffered verbal abuse when people see her walking down the street wearing her hijab.

Like Sajjad, the Afghan American started wearing a hijab about two years ago, but her “spiritual transformation” came four years prior, after reading the Quran cover to cover, during Ramadan. The more she studied her religion, the more she fell in love with it, she said. And given the

defeat me.’’

In response, the Senate Leadership Fund has pointed to statements in 2009 in which Blankenship mulled a move to China.

“I’m actually considering moving to China or somewhere and being more like George Washington, you know,’’ Blankenship said in the 2009 recorded phone call, which was used as evidence in his criminal trial. “If I can get citizenship, I can probably get citizenship in India. I’d rather be in China, but the hard work and the effort and the creativity that we put into running businesses in the U.S. would be much more valuable in other places.’’

A spokesman for the Senate GOP’s most powerful super PAC has declined to confirm or deny a connection to Mountain Families PAC, an organization that has invested more than $700,000 attacking Blankenship on television.

Blankenship’s reference to “Cocaine Mitch’’ stems from a 2014 magazine article alleging drugs were found aboard a commercial cargo ship owned by Chao’s family.

Chao was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States as a child with her family. Her father later founded a successful shipping company in New York. Chao worked in the administrations of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. In 1993, she married McConnell and has since served as cabinet secretaries for presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

Blankenship said in a statement that the establishment is doing everything it can to keep Manchin in office.

“I am not just ready to help President Trump drain the swamp — I am the only candidate that is capable of doing so. If I am not the Republican nominee against Joe Manchin in the fall, Manchin will win,’’ he said.

Six Republican candidates are in the primary, including U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who was endorsed on May 3 by Kentucky’s junior U.S. Sen. Rand Paul.

Jenkins and Morrisey aso distanced themselves from McConnell during a recent debate, when no one raised their hands to say they’d support McConnell as majority leader.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted last week that he thinks a Blankenship nomination guarantees another Manchin term. 

Carolyn can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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timing of her religious awakening, she also believes her path in Islam happened by “divine guidance,” so that she could help stand against politically sanctioned hatred she sees happening all around her.

“We are seeing it in hate crimes, we are seeing it in bullying, we are seeing it in policies and proposals, in rhetoric, and all of this,” Afzali said. “I try to counter that narrative of fear and misinformation with a narrative of faith over fear, of love over hate, of fact over fiction.”

Afzali said that even though it can be “an emotional burden” to constantly have to work to prove her own humanity, in the face of ignorance and hatred, it’s a burden she gladly bears, because of what Islam has brought to her own life.

“Islam teaches and preaches peace, and mandates peace, and … the word Islam comes from the word meaning, ‘peace,’” Afzali said.

Jamal also said it’s important to remember that Islam is not new to America. “Muslims have been in this country for centuries. Actually, a great percentage … of slaves that were brought here from Africa, they were actually Muslim, and they were forced to convert from their religion.”

“Thomas Jefferson owned a Quran … which you can find in the Library of Congress,” Jamal said. “And the first country to recognize the United States was Morocco, which was a Muslim-majority country. So, Muslims have been a part of this country’s beginnings, and we are going to continue to be here.” 

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ANTI-BLACKNESS from 1 the only patrons ordered to pay up front, and that they were the only Black patrons in the restaurant, they pursued legal action.

On May 1, a judge ordered a payment of $10,000 to Wickham and his friends for racial discrimination.

In the wake of these high-profile incidents in North America, Black American and Asian American communities in Seattle are experiencing continued tensions on anti-Blackness and pan-African/Asian solidarity.

People from both communities in Seattle came forward to contribute their voices to an uneasy, but necessary conversation.

Shamay Thomas, a nurse practitioner, described an incident where anti-Black attitudes emerged in her professional life.

“What happened was anti-Blackness in the form of microaggression, prejudice, and stereotyping. At a pediatric physician conference in Tacoma, I was the only Black person at [the] event and mentioned this to my colleague and friend who is a second generation Korean American. She said, ‘It’s probably because Asian parents push their kids very hard because they want them to succeed.’”

At a conference where most of the other people of color attendees were lightskinned Asians, the implication of her friend’s comment was immediately obvious to Thomas. She replied, “So you’re going to blame the underrepresented here at this conference… [and blame] Black parents [for] not pushing their kids hard enough to succeed. You’re blaming the victims,” Thomas said.

The friend immediately and profusely apologized, however, Thomas decided to not educate her further.

“I did not waste my time explaining the many, many ways that anti-Blackness is used to oppress and marginalize Blacks in every single aspect of American and Western culture,” said Thomas. “For example, the school-prison pipeline or the Machiavellian blueprint that power structures use to ‘divide and conquer’ [people of color and] poor whites so we do not band together… I figure she can Google that sh*t,” she continued.

The consequences of this interaction left Thomas betrayed and hurt, which she addressed in an email to her friend later that same evening.

“She lost my trust that day,” said Thomas.

However, Thomas’ experience is not uncommon, nor are the attitudes behind them.

“It seems that the majority of anti-Black prejudice stems from white and Asian people,” said Yolanda Yang, who identifies as Taiwanese American. “It is being justified because of background. My family was raised with a distinct intolerance for Black people. They grew up learning slurs and stereotypes about Black people.”

She continued, “I am the first generation to be born in America. The rest of my family comes from China and Taiwan.

My dad, who is Taiwanese, constantly degrades Black people whenever he sees one.

Our old neighborhood had a few families of Black people. Whenever the power went out or a minor inconvenience occurred, he would blame ‘the Blacks’ for it. I have tried to call him out multiple times, but he simply ignores me and continues on.”

Yang’s struggles are not unique, but the responsibility of Asian and Asian American people to educate themselves and combat anti-Blackness is lacking in our communities.

“I would like them (Asian and Asian American people) to educate themselves on how the model minority myth is used

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to build wedges between Asians and Blacks and ‘prove’ that racism isn’t really a thing,” said Thomas. She also noted how the U.S. government had already paid reparations, although poorly distributed, to Japanese Americans, but has yet to do so for the African American and Black American diaspora.

However, there is a collective hesitation in Asian American communities that is preventing such sweeping solidarity.

“To me, I do feel like Asian Americans, [especially] Filipino Americans, are one of the most selfish marginalized groups I’ve ever experienced,” said Jay San, who identifies as “Filipino first, American second.” He continued, “We’ve eaten up the idea [that] when our families migrated from Asia to the U.S., [we think] ‘if we can do it, then why can’t Black or brown people do it, too?’ We’ve eaten up the idea that we are the model minority and that we are the standards to how every other minority should act.

[We have taken our oppression] and use it as an excuse to put away our allyship.”

The intersections of oppression and privilege in Asian American communities and experiences are tenfold, and efforts towards solidarity are complicated by prior generations of Asian and Asian American people and their prejudices of Black people and the Black community at large.

“The comments and microaggressions that continue throughout the Asian community seem to hinder any progress,” said Yang. “To me, it seems that the older generation is mainly prohibiting any allyship since they were raised with the opposite mindset.”

For Asian and Asian American people looking for an example of Black-Asian solidarity, Thomas cited The People’s Assembly, an organization headed by Thy Nguyen, Tacoma’s former 2015-2017 poet laureate. “[This organization] is committed to fighting anti-Blackness and oppressive systems,” said Thomas.

The footsteps of those activists leave large responsibilities to fill for modern-day Asian and Asian American communities. “[They should be] fighting for us to have reparations when the very wealth of this country was built on the enslavement, torture, and rape of Blacks,” said Thomas.

For examples of such solidarity and allyship, all it takes is a look to our past: historical Asian figures who fought for Black liberation and civil rights, including activists Yuri Kochiyama, Grace Lee Boggs, and Richard Masato Aoki, who was an early member of the Black Panther Party.

“In solidarity, let’s work together. Use your proximity to power to help others stop these unfair systems,” said Thomas. “Speak up! Organize!”

Nate Miles, vice president of government relations at the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical corporation, also said he often experiences discrimination as a Black man, and has also witnessed the consequences of anti-Blackness in Asian Nate Miles communities: an Asian friend of his was ostracized from the community when she married a Black man.

“It was frowned upon in the Asian community when you marry outside your race,” said Miles, and observed that the prejudice of older generations in the community carried harsher consequences than today’s generation and culture.

In his travels, Miles experienced linguistic microaggressions as Hawaii-based Asians switched from speaking English to Chinese and Japanese when they saw him.

“Everyone is entitled to equal opportunity, we [Black people] are just as talented,” said Miles.

“Racism is alive and it impacts you economically. But [if you are Black], you don’t get the same opportunity. Other people get loans to buy a house even with little credit, but [Black people] can’t borrow with bad or little credit.”  Sophia can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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