PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 37 NO 22 MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
FREE
36 YEARS YOUR VOICE
The key to Summit Sierra’s success By Carolyn Bick NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Photo by Carolyn Bick
One of the things Edgiemeh De La Cruz appreciates most about Summit Sierra High School is the way the faculty make the school feel like a second home. “[The teachers] always greet you at the door, saying hello, or just checking up with you for a couple seconds, before the class starts, and that’s always every single morning with my classes,” De La Cruz said. The 11th grader enrolled in the charter school when it opened in August 2016. The school, based in the International District and founded in 2015, is part of the Summit Public Schools charter system, which currently has schools in both Washington and California. It serves grades
Edgiemeh De La Cruz (left)
Seasoned Olympia lobbyist running for state senate in the 34th
9 through 12, and prides itself on personalized instruction, a diverse student population, and the number of students who go on to higher education. As of the 2017 school year, there are 305 students and 24 teachers at Summit Sierra High School. Because the school is a public school, Executive Director and Principal Malia Burns said it is completely free. Anyone may enroll, she said, as the school is non-selective, in terms of its admissions criteria. The way Summit approaches learning and teaching is a bit different from traditional schools, Burns said. Instead of having a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, each student’s curriculum is personalized. For instance, students in the same grade may see SUMMIT SIERRA on 16
DEADPOOL 2 » 8
TAIGHAN CHEA » 9
RICK YODER » 10
HELP EDUCATE DREAMERS » 11
Scammers impersonate Chinese consulate staff By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
In recent weeks, members of the Seattle Chinese and Chinese American communities have reported receiving scam phone calls from a 253 area code number. According to an email sent by a concerned Northwest Asian Weekly reader, the robocaller speaks in Chinese, claims to be from the Chinese consulate, and states that the recipient’s immigration/visa status is in jeopardy before requesting that
By Jessica Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
see PHONE SCAM on 6
Asian Americans turn angst for Trump into political activism By JANIE HAR ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sofia Aragon
Observe. Plan. Act. These are steps that serve Sofia Aragon well, and led her to where she is today: a hopeful in the state senate race for the 34th district, which comprises West Seattle, Burien, White Center, and Maury and Vashon Islands. The decision to run is the next step for Aragon in a career in healthcare and government. She would not be the first woman to obtain the seat
■
see ARAGON on 15
Members of the country’s fastest growing minority group are running for federal office, dozens of them as Democratic candidates deliberately playing up their Asian roots against a president they say demonizes the immigrants that make America great. The candidates include
former refugees from Vietnam and children of immigrants from South Korea and India. They live in places where Asian Pacific Americans make up a large chunk of the electorate and in places where they do not. Their chances of winning vary. But the candidates’ unabashed celebration of their foreign ties is notable for a group of people who have had to prove their “Amer-
ican-ness,’’ no matter how long their families have been in the country. “I think partly it is a reaction to the current administration which has in its policies and statements sent out a very xenophobic message,’’ says Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., who is campaigning for a third term in the House. see POLITICAL ACTIVISM on 13
Rep. Ted Lieu
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
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2
36 YEARS
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS
Photo by Assunta Ng
SFD Lifetime Achievement award
From left: Deputy Mayor mike Fong, Loi Birge, and Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scroggins.
On May 16, Seattle Fire Department (SFD) employees and members of the community were honored at the Annual Awards Luncheon held at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel, in collaboration with the Seattle Rotary Club.
WSBA changes
Rajeev Majumdar was sworn in as president-elect of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA)’s Board of Governors on May 17, and Jean Kang was elected to serve as the Governor of District 7-South, succeeding James Doane. Majumdar focuses his practice on civil litigation and business-oriented law at the Law Offices of Roger Ellingson, PS in Blaine. Rajeev Majumdar He received his undergraduate degree in biology and philosophy from the Albertson College of Idaho, master’s degrees in international affairs and public administration from the University of Washington, and his law degree from Seattle University School of Law. Kang is a litigator at Smith Freed & Eberhard. Prior to civil work, Jean served as a criminal deputy prosecuting attorney in Cowlitz County and Jean Kang King County. She speaks Korean fluently and volunteers in the Korean American community. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and her law degree from the Seattle University School of Law.
CISC’s Come Together gala
The Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC) celebrated its 46th annual Friendship Dinner and Auction on
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Susheela Jayapal, 55, was elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon on May 15. She is the older sister of U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) — who was the first ever Indian American woman elected to the House of Representatives. In 1983, at the age of 20, Susheela Jayapal earned her undergraduate degree in economSusheela Jayapal ics from Swarthmore College. After working for two years as a financial analyst, Susheela earned her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. She was a litigator at law firms in San Francisco and Portland, and then became the general counsel at Adidas America.
Among the honorees was Loi Birge, who received a Lifetime Achievement award. She was the only Asian American to be honored. Birge, a Vietnamese American, has worked for the SFD for 39 years, spending most of her time entering over one million hard-copy health records into the department system. Coworkers say she brings positive energy to the workplace and will be greatly missed by the department when she retires in the summer. Hueilling Chan (left) received an award for 30 years of service.
Vincent Yao, Seattle’s Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office donated Taiwanese wine for auction.
May 19 at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel, and raised $150,000. The theme of the gala, “Come Together,” reflects CISC’s goal of providing services that help immigrants to overcome barriers, facilitate transitions, and promote integration into the mainstream community. Robert Mak emceed the event and there was a special performance by Rosa Leung.
UW Night Market 2018
Photo by John Liu
First South Asian to be elected in Oregon
The Taiwanese Student Association at the University of Washington (TSAUW) hosted its annual Night Market on May 12. The event — held at the Red Square and Quad — is a celebration of Taiwan’s rich culture through delicious food, activities, and entertainment.
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
3
Charter school conference puts teachers of color in the spotlight Growing up in Tacoma, surrounded by people from all walks of life, Marcella Tomlin can remember the difficulties of being a person of color in a classroom. In the fourth grade, Tomlin said that she was often indistinguishable from her other Black peers to her teacher, many of whom were called on by their correct names. “She would always just treat us in the same way,” Tomlin said. “It made me consider things a little bit more when all the students in her classroom that happened to be from different ethnic groups all just seemed like a jumble to her. And it taught me a lot about what it’s like
to have someone who actually can affirm who you are.” Tomlin can remember how — on Pioneer Day — her teacher brought a curling iron with her to class to style students’ hair. “I remember her face, the way she looked at me and made me feel as if she didn’t want to do my hair, as if it were dirty, as if I was not enough,” Tomlin said. “And I remember how she very begrudgingly curled my bangs and then I turned around and she vigorously wiped (the curling iron) off as if there was something about me that was ruining the experience for other children.” Today, Tomlin is the lead teacher at Soar see CHARTER SCHOOL on 12
Photo by Tim Gruver
By Tim Gruver NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Emily Ezpeleta (far right) leads a panel at the Washington Charter School Association conference on April 28 at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center with Marcella Tomlin (center right), Raedell Cannie (center left), and Joanie Monroy (far left).
US arrest, raids in Seattle pot probe with China ties SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. authorities have arrested a Seattle woman, conducted raids, and seized thousands of marijuana plants in an investigation into what they say is an international black market marijuana operation financed by Chinese money, The Seattle Times reported on May 19. Authorities are still searching for two men who are suspected of leading a crime ring that used hundreds of thousands of dollars wired from China to grow marijuana illegally in 17 homes around Washington state and then shipped it to New York’s black market. Agents arrested Seattle resident Xiamin Huang, 37, and are looking for her husband and his brother, Qifeng Li and Qiwei Li. All three have been charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes said. Agents also raided homes in the cities of Seattle, Burien, Kent, Tacoma, and Renton and seized more than 3,000 marijuana plants, Hayes said. In a news release on May 18, Hayes said investigators recovered business records and special equipment, such as water tanks and lights used for growing marijuana in the raids. They also believe a commercial property in New Jersey was involved in the alleged crimes. “Large wire transfers of funds’’ from the People’s Republic of China paid for some of the homes, and agents are still investigating the money’s source, authorities said. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security are leading the probe. The suspects allegedly made payments of more than $37,000 for electricity in a three-month period at one property alone and used cash to avoid bank reporting, according to a complaint outlining the case against Huang, Qifeng Li, and Qiwei Li. Other people may have had a hand in the alleged crimes, too. Hundreds of federal and local law enforcement agents conducted a similar seizure in April involving about 100 Northern California houses purchased with money wired to the United States by a Chinese-based crime organization. It is unknown whether or not that operation is connected to the Puget Sound investigation.
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asianweekly northwest
4
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
36 YEARS
■ NATIONAL NEWS
Kansas man pleads guilty to hate-crime charges Associated Press
Adam Purinton
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A Kansas man who yelled “Get out of my country!” before killing one Indian immigrant and wounding another in a suburban Kansas City bar pleaded guilty on May 21 to three federal hate-crime charges. Adam Purinton, 53, of Olathe, Kansas, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in state court in the February 2017 death of 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla. The shooting in Olathe, Kansas, also wounded Kuchibhotla’s friend, Alok Madasani, and bar patron Ian Grillot
when he tried to intervene. The attack stirred fears that immigrants were facing more violence after the election of President Donald Trump. It also attracted attention in India, where officials publicly wondered if Indian citizens are safe in the U.S. Purinton faced a possible death sentence for the federal charges. Under the plea, though, Purinton will be sentenced to life in prison on each of the three counts, with the sentences to run consecutively to each other and to the life term ordered earlier this month in Johnson County, Kansas, The Kansas City Star reports. Witnesses said Purinton, who is white, was
asked to leave the bar after uttering racial slurs at Kuchibhotla and Madasani, who were working as engineers at GPS-maker Garmin at the time. Madasani told detectives that Purinton asked the men, who immigrated to the U.S. as students, if their “status was legal,” according to a court affidavit. After the shooting, Purinton drove 70 miles to Clinton, Missouri, where he confessed the shooting to a bartender at a restaurant. Court records say Purinton told the employee that he had shot two “Iranian men.” Sentencing for the federal charges is set July 2.
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ WORLD NEWS
5
Gap apologizes for China map T-shirt that didn’t show Taiwan By KELVIN CHAN AP BUSINESS WRITER HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. clothing retailer Gap apologized on May 15 for selling T-shirts with a map of China that didn’t include selfruled Taiwan, the latest example of corporate kowtowing to Beijing. “Upon the realization that one of our T-shirts sold in some overseas markets mistakenly failed to reflect the correct map of China, we urgently launched an internal investigation across the group and have decided to immediately pull back this T-shirt from all the concerned global markets,’’ the company said in a statement, adding
that the shirts had already been pulled from Chinese shelves and destroyed. The company took action after photos began circulating on Chinese social media of a T-shirt showing a map that didn’t include Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing regards as Chinese territory. The map also appeared to leave out southern Tibet and the disputed South China Sea, the state-owned Global Times said, adding that it drew hundreds of complaints on China’s Weibo microblogging platform. The photos were taken at a Gap shop in Canada’s Niagara region, Global Times said. The shirt could not be found on Gap websites and it wasn’t clear whether it was still being sold in shops in some countries. “We sincerely apologize for this unintentional error,’’ said the company, which issued the statement through its public relations firm APCO after making a similar apology on its Weibo account. Gap promised to carry out “more rigorous reviews’’ to prevent similar incidents and said it respected China’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity’’ and strictly followed the country’s laws and rules.
Malaysia’s attorney general to go on leave pending probe KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — New Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on May 14 that the attorney general has been told Prime Minister to go on leave pending Mahathir Mohamad an investigation of his role in allegedly covering up a massive corruption scandal involving ousted leader Najib Razak. The 1MDB state fund set up by Najib is being investigated in the United States and several other countries. Anger over the scandal helped Mahathir’s alliance score a stunning election victory on May 9, ending the 60-year rule of Najib’s coalition. U.S. investigators say Najib’s associates stole $4.5 billion from the fund, some of which landed in Najib’s bank account. After the scandal emerged, Najib sacked critics in his government, including the previous attorney general and a deputy premier, and muzzled the media. His new attorney general, Mohamed Apandi Ali, cleared Najib of any wrongdoing in 2016, saying the money was a donation from the Saudi royal family and that most of it had been returned. Mahathir, who earlier slammed Apandi’s credibility, said the solicitor general will take over Apandi’s job while he goes on leave. Mahathir said he can’t suspend Apandi until he is investigated. ‘‘There have been a lot of complaints against the AG but no formal reports (lodged against him). On that basis, we give him a holiday ... once investigations are carried out, then we can suspend him and prevent him from leaving the country,’’ he said in a televised news conference. Mahathir, who has returned as prime
minister after his retirement in 2003 following a 22-year rule, has promised to reopen investigations into the 1MDB fiasco, described by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions as ‘‘kleptocracy at its worst.’’ He has warned that Najib will have to ‘‘face the consequences’’ if found guilty of wrongdoing. The weekend immediately following the election, Mahathir barred Najib and his wife from leaving the country. He said that several other top government officials have also been put on a travel blacklist to facilitate graft probes but declined to name them. The head of the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission, who was appointed by Najib in 2016, has resigned but Mahathir said he could also be investigated. Also, the graft agency’s former investigations and intelligence chief lodged complaints alleging that Najib had used his position to block corruption investigations into the 1MDB fund and several other cases. The U.S. Justice Department says stolen 1MDB money was laundered through the U.S., Singapore, Switzerland and other countries, of which some $700 million landed in Najib’s bank account. 1MDB, which is staggering under enormous debt, has sold assets to Chinese interests and is slated to be shuttered. Mahathir said his government hasn’t asked for help from Interpol to find Low Taek Jho, named as a central figure who allegedly orchestrated the ransacking of 1MDB, but added they ‘‘roughly know’’ where Low is. He declined to elaborate on how they plan to bring him back. Low, a friend of Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz, had no official role at 1MDB but U.S. investigators say he had considerable influence over its dealings and was often in contact with Najib.
China noted Gap’s apology and “will follow carefully their actions and remarks later on,’’ Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a daily briefing in Beijing. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told reporters that China pressuring companies like Gap to change how they refer to Taiwan was “rather unfortunate in terms of cross-strait relations’’ and would push its residents “further and further away’’ rather than winning their “hearts and minds.’’ Gap is the latest of several companies that have apologized for perceived slights to China’s sovereignty. Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott and fashion brand Zara are among businesses that have apologized to China for referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet as countries on websites or promotional material. MercedesBenz said sorry for quoting the Dalai Lama on social media. The Tibetan spiritual leader is reviled by Beijing. The U.S. has started pushing back against Beijing, with the White House condemning China’s efforts to control how U.S. airlines refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as “Orwellian nonsense.’’
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asianweekly northwest
6
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
36 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR MAY 24
WHEN NETIZENS MEET PARTY LEADERS: ESCALATING CONTROL OF INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN CHINA SINCE 1987 East Asia Library Room 224, 518 Memorial Way 12 p.m.
28
seattlechinesechamber.org
73RD ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE Lake View Cemetery 1554 15th Ave. E., Seattle 10 a.m.
5019 Keystone Pl. N., Seattle 10 a.m. taiwaneseculture.org
JUN
SPRING ARTIST ALLEY Kinokuniya Bookstore 525 S. Weller St., Seattle 6 p.m.
1
BUSINESS SALES AND SUCCESSION PLANNING WITH DANIEL SHIN China Harbor Restaurant 11:30 a.m. seattlechinesechamber.org
25
30
2
BC TAIWAN YES NIGHT MARKET Bellevue College 3000 Landerholm Cir SE, Bellevue 6 p.m.
EDI OPEN HOUSE Executive Development Institute 500 Yale Ave. N., Seattle 5:30 p.m.
JOINT PERFORMANCE LIVING STREAMS CHORUS & VANCOUVER FORMOSAN SINGERS Newport Presbyterian Church 2 p.m.
27 7TH ANNUAL PRIDE ASIA CELEBRATION Hing Hay Park 12 p.m.
31 GSCCC REAL ESTATE SEMINAR SERIES #19, “PREPARING AND SELLING YOUR HOME FOR TOP DOLLARS” Bellevue City Hall Room 1E-108 7 p.m.
PHONE SCAM from 1 the recipient dial 9 to proceed. Staff members of the Northwest Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post have also received such calls — some as recently as this week. These calls are of particular concern for members of the community who are in the process of obtaining citizenship, are living in the United States on a visa, or are living here while retaining their Chinese citizenship. With current events around President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and stance on undocumented immigrants, these calls can appear to be a compelling threat to vulnerable recipients who receive the scam call. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the United States has an official statement on the scam calls on
7
2&3
PHNOM PENH NOODLE HOUSE CLOSING CELEBRATION Phnom Penh Noodle House, 660 S. King St., Seattle 4 p.m.
GOODWILL’S LIVELY COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH LOCAL LEADERS ABOUT CHANGING REGION Rainier Arts Center 3515 S. Alaska St., Seattle 6 p.m.
SALINLAHI PAGDIRIWANG PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL 2018 Seattle Center Free admission festalpagdiriwang.com
FREE VGOC CHAMBER PERFORMANCE Kinokuniya 525 S. Weller St, Seattle 6 p.m. GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS COOKING CLASS Seattle Taiwanese Christian Church
SUMMER MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:45 p.m.
3 FRIENDSHIP CONCERT FEATURING GRAHAM KAPOWSIN WIND ENSEMBLE Lagerquist Concert Hall of PLU 2 p.m. Free admission takekama@plu.edu
6 “ON A MISSION” WITH PORT OF SEATTLE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE METRUCK
their website, which states that the institutions “would not ask for personal information, deliver parcel pick-up notice, or ask people to answer inquiries from [a] police department by way of phone calls. The Embassy would not ask for bank account information… If you get [a] suspicious phone call of such kind, you could contact the Chinese Embassy or Consulates General to verify it … The Chinese Embassy is working with [the] Federal Trade Commision (FTC) in phone scam prevention.” When asked via email about the situation with the phone calls in the greater Seattle community, Detective Mark Jamieson of the Seattle Police Department said, “This is definitely a scam. There have been other reported incidents throughout the U.S. and Canada over the past year. The best advice if you receive one of these calls is to simply hang up and do not give out any personal information.” If you have received such a phone call, you can report to the
Port of Seattle 2711 Alaskan Way, Seattle 5:30 p.m. tinyurl.com/yak78mxx
9 MAHOUTO MARKET Yesler Community Center 917 E. Yesler Way, Seattle 12 p.m. AYAME KAI STEAK DINNER Seattle Buddhist Temple 1427 S. Main St., Seattle 3 p.m.
following institutions and agencies: • Federal Trade Commission: 1-877-FTC-HELP, 1-877-IDTHEFT, www.ftc.gov. • National Center for Disaster Fraud: (866) 720-5721, by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by email at disaster@leo.gov. • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): (202) 324-3000, or online at www.fbi.gov or tips.fbi.gov. • Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General: 1-800-HHS-TIPS, www.oig.hhs.gov. • Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): www.ic3.gov. • U.S. Postal Inspection Service: 1-800-372-8347, postalinspectors.uspis.gov. • Securities and Exchange Commission: 1-800-SEC-0330, www.sec.gov, www.sec.gov/complaint/select.shtml. Sophia can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
Building Partnerships A. Phillip Randolph Institute Airway Heights Corrections Center-Minimum Security Unit Airway Heights Corrections Ctr-MSC Unit Algona Pacific Church Of God Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church Amara American Ethnic Studies/University Of Washington American Indian Film Institute Asia Pacific Cultural Center Asian Counseling And Referral Service Association Of The United States Army Inc Atlantic Street Center Auburn Mountainview High School Auburn Riverside High School Booster Club Bellevue Community College Bonney Lake High School Panther Parent Pride The Breakfast Group Burned Children Recovery Foundation Businesses Ending Slavery And Trafficking Camp Korey Camp Ten Trees Capitol Hill Housing Foundation Catholic Community Services Of West Ern Washington Cedar Creek Corrections Center The Center for Women and Democracy Central Washington University Chief Seattle Club Children’s Alliance Children’s Home Society Of Washington Children’s Therapy Center Chinese Information And Service Center Chinook Elementary City Gates Ministries City of Auburn Clallam Bay Corrections Center Cleveland STEM High School PTSA Community For Youth Connectwerks Coyote Ridge Corrections Center - Main Unit Coyote Ridge Minimum Security Unit Corrections Center Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Denise Louie Education Center Densho Eastern Washington University Scholarships Edmonds Community College El Centro de la Raza Elizabeth Home Emergency Feeding Program Of Seattle & King County Emergency Food Network Entre Hermanos Enumclaw High School Special Needs Transition Program Enumclaw Plateau Historical Society Etta Projects Evergreen State College Families For Effective Autism Treatment Feat Of Washington Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington Fire District #44 First Nations at University of Washington Food Action (formerly WSFFN) Food Lifeline Free Spirit Elite Friends Of Youth The Food Bank @ St Mary’s GD Association Goodthinking 4 All Our Relations Grays Harbor Youth Works Greater Issaquah Chamber Of Commerce Greater Lakes Mental Health Foundation Inc Green River Community College Hands On Children’s Museum Helping Link Heritage University Highline Community College Homeward Bound In Puyallup Hopelink Hospitality House Housing Development Consortium Of Seattle-King County Huchoosedah Native American Education Services Imagine Children’s Museum Imagine Housing Institute for Community Leadership Institute For Systems Biology International Community Health Services Foundation International Examiner InvestED It Takes A Village Japanese American Citizens League Japanese American Citizens League, Puyallup Valley JBLM Chemical Corps Regimental Association Chapter Julibee Women’s Center Kent Black Action Commission Kent Sister City Association Kin On Community Health Care King County Sheriff Larch Corrections Center Legacy Foundation Inc Lenny Wilkens Foundation Levis House Lifelong Aids Alliance Loren Miller Bar Foundation
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
Strengthening Communities
International Community Health Services
The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe proudly partners with nonprofits, schools, churches and government agencies to share resources with their neighbors and those in need. Today, the importance of supporting the invaluable services of these organizations is more apparent than ever.
American Indian Film Festival
From essential human services that nurture the mind, body and spirit, to the promotion and conservation of our natural splendors and human art and cultural creations, our nonprofit partners help create sustainable, caring and diverse communities.
Rainier Scholars
In 2018, the Muckleshoot Tribe proudly donated $3,213,205.74 to almost 200 organizations to further their essential work. We list each of them in recognition of their dedication to enhancing lives and communities and we reaffirm our commitment to their work and our continued partnerships.
Low Income Housing Institute Lummi Nation Service Organization Lupus Foundation Of America Make-A-Wish Foundation Alaska & Washington Making A Difference Foundation Marine Toys For Tots Foundation Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Committee, Seattle WA c/o Urban League Of Metropolitan Seattle Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Endowment Fund Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women Mom and Me Mobile Medical Clinic Monroe Correctional Complex - Minimum Security Unit Monroe Correctional Complex - Special Offender Unit Monroe Correctional Complex - Twin Rivers Unit Monroe Correctional Complex - WA State Reformatory Unit Mother Nation (formerly Native Women In Need) Multicultural Alumni Partnership UW Municipal League Foundation National Indian Child Welfare National Indian Women’s “Supporting Each Other” NAN Native Action Network Neighborhood House Incorporated Neighborhood House Incorporated New Phoebe House Association Northwest African American Museum Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation Northwest Harvest E M M Northwest Indian Bar Association Foundation Northwest Indian College Northwest Indian College Scholarships Olympic Corrections Center Organization Of Chinese Americans Inc Orting Senior Center Organization Pacific Northwest Ballet Association Parents Against Sexual Abuse Peace For The Streets By Kids From The Streets Pediatric Interim Care Center Inc Pierce County 4 X 4 Search & Rescue Pioneer Human Services Port Of Seattle Firefighters Diversity Association Puentes Advocacy Counseling & Education Puyallup Valley St Francis House Rainier Scholars Rc24 Foundation Inc Real Change Homeless Empowerment Project Renton Technical College Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska The Rose Garden Rotary First Harvest Ryther Seattle Aquarium Society-Seas Seattle Art Museum Seattle Central Community College Seattle Children’s Hospital, Sovren Guild Seattle Counseling Service Seattle Symphony Orchestra Inc Secret Harbor Snohomish Artist Guild Siff Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Somali Community Services Of Seattle Sound Child Care Solutions South Sound Dream Center Special Olympics Washington Stafford Creek Corrections Center State Patrol Sunrise Elementary School - Enumclaw School District Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Puget Sound Affiliate Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska - Washington United Indians of All Tribes Foundation United Negro College Fund University of Washington Foundation Office of Minority Affairs University Of Washington Foundation Ethnic Heritage Center University of Washington Scholarships University of Washington, School of Medicine Urban American Indian Alaska Native Education Alliance Valley Cities Counseling &Consultation Valley Regional Fire Authority Vietnamese Friendship Association Vine Maple Place WA State Penitentiary - Delta/Echo Unit WA State Penitentiary - Fox/Golf Unit WA State Penitentiary - Medium Security Unit V/W Washington Corrections Center Washington Corrections Center for Women Washington DECA (Distributive Education Clubs Of America) Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence Washington State Gambling Commission Washington State Penitentiary - Bar Unit Washington State Penitentiary - Medium Security Unit Washington State University Scholarship West Sound Treatment Center Inc Western Washington University Native American Student Union Western Washington University Scholarships White Center Emergency Food Association Willow’s Place Wing Luke Memorial Foundation World Vision
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asianweekly northwest
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36 YEARS
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ AT THE MOVIES Deadpool 2 – Fun for the whole family. Just kidding. Find a babysitter for the kids! By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Deadpool was the movie sensation that carved a niche for every superhero fan who was old enough to watch it. There were so many Easter Eggs, ranging from comic book references to numerous Ryan Reynold ones, that kept the audience laughing the whole movie. I was worried Deadpool 2 would not be able to work the same magic as its predecessor. I’m happy to report that is not the case, and Deadpool 2 is a welcome sequel. David Leitch did a marvelous job of directing Deadpool 2. Pun intended! Half the fun is just seeing where this movie will go, since it’s so unpredictable and nothing is off limits. This time, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has the role of protecting Firefist (Julian Dennison) from Cable (Josh Brolin), who has travelled back in time to kill him. Deadpool recruits a team known as X-Force to help him stop Cable. That’s pretty much all I can say without going into spoilers. I had seen only one trailer for Deadpool 2, so I was a little surprised to see a press release with the headline, “Deadpool 2 Showcases Up-AndComing Asian and Pacific Islander Actors.” Without further ado, let us run through the API actors starring in Deadpool 2. I honestly did not know Julian Dennison was a Maori actor, even after his breakout role in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. In fact, I did not even make the connection it was Julian until there was a joke about him being in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Julian does a great job of
What’s showing at SIFF
“Ava”
By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
“Ava” Sadaf Foroughi spends some of her time in Canada, but she’s Iranian by birth and brings a fresh, winning perspective to the problems of women in Iranian society. Her new film (and first feature) follows a band of adolescent schoolgirls doing, for the most part, things adolescent schoolgirls do — gossiping, giggling, groaning about their lessons and their parents, stealing looks at boys, then gossiping about boys. But in this culture, men and women are not supposed to have any sexual contact
before marriage. A misunderstanding leads to Ava (played by Mahour Jabbari) standing accused of something shameful. And in a severely regimented society, one misunderstanding is enough to trip the sensors of that regimentation. A forced trip to the gynecologist shows that Ava is still technically a virgin (for all that counts for). But the mere appearance of impropriety sets in and sets in motion, step by painful step, the destruction of Ava’s life, her parents’ lives, and the lives of the friends bold enough to stand by her. One by one, they’re shamed. And one by one, the social heat of shaming brings out see SIFF on 15
playing Firefist, a troubled orphan who goes on a journey of destruction due to being abused in the past. The movie will later reveal why Cable is trying to kill him. Fun fact: Julian is unable to watch Deadpool 2 because he’s only 15, and in New Zealand, you have to be at least 16 to watch R-rated movies.
Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna)
Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna) is a fun loving Japanese character and plays Negasonic Teenage Warhead’s girlfriend. This is the first queer superhero couple to grace the big screen. It’s actually fun seeing the contrast between Warhead’s teenage, indifferent personality juxtaposed with Yukio’s painfully cute personality. I laughed at Yukio’s scenes, but definitely can see how her Japanese portrayal furthers stereotypes. Next on the list is Indian see DEADPOOL 2 on 12
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
9
9-year-old wins national event at Masters
Photo by Jason Cruz
By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Taighan Chea training
On an unusually sunny day in late April, 9-year-old Taighan Chea was at the driving range hitting golf balls with his golf coach, dad, and his dog looking on. Just a few weeks earlier, the Bothell middle-schooler had won the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at the Masters Golf Course in Augusta, Ga. The tournament is a joint initiative by the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association, and the PGA of America. It is a free nationwide event with over 10,000 entrants competing in girls and boys age groups, ranging from 7-15. The National Finals were held the Sunday before the Masters Tournament and broadcast live by the Golf Channel. Taighan won his age group. In fact, he had the highest point total out of all of the winners in each of the age divisions. The slight young man, decked out in a Nike hat, golf shorts, and polo, took time out of his practice shots to pet his dog and dance the “floss.” He exudes being an active kid with extreme focus, work ethic, and competitive spirit.
NEA’s Jane Chu stepping down The National Endowment for the Arts announced earlier this month that its current chair, Jane Chu, will resign from her post effective June 4. In a statement, Chu said “I am so appreciative of having had this opportunity. The National Endowment for the Arts is doing effective and meaningful work to help the arts thrive and connect to individuals and in communities large and small, densely populated, rural, and remote in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and in every Congressional District.” Chu , who visited Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum in 2016, is the eleventh chair of the NEA. She has been responsible for the distribution of more than $409 million dollars in grants to artists and nonprofits throughout all 50 states.
Photo by Ruth Bayang
By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Jane Chu, at the Letter Cloud in the West lightwell of The Wing
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Taighan’s interest in golf began with the Netflix special, “The Short Game.” The documentary featured some of the best 7-year-old golfers in the world. He was so intrigued by the documentary, Taighan wanted to play. Starting at the age of 4 and a half, his interest in golf was more than just a passing fad. Taighan’s father, Dalis Chea, was a good golfer in his own right, but stopped playing regularly once his son was born. “My dad got me a [golf club] set and went on the course one day and hit some balls,” said Taighan. Despite his win at Augusta, Taighan is a regular kid with a lot of interests. “I play a lot of sports.” He named, “indoor soccer, basketball, and baseball.” He also listed recess as his favorite subject at school. Taighan’s favorite basketball players are the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard and Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard. If he doesn’t become a professional golfer, Taighan said he’d like to be a basketball player. Taighan goes to the golf course once a week in the winter, weather permitting. The summer months are the time that he puts in practice,
sometimes three hours a day, at least three days a week. “It’s a hard thing to describe, but Taighan has the ‘it’ factor,” his coach Brian Flugstad said. “He has the ability to focus, the ability to work hard, the ability to struggle through things.” Flugstad added, “He’s willing to go through ups and downs.” “His mental approach to stay focused, to maintain that competitive edge is so much different [than other kids’ his age].” It’s really hard to harness that kind of focus in most kids, said Flugstad. But Taighan is different. In the summer, Flugstad gives Taighan a set of tasks, such as working on putts or taking shots from a bunker. “He’s such a young, respectful young man, it’s pretty cool,” said Flugstad. This was exemplified by Taighan remembering to take off his hat and shaking your hand upon meeting. The Drive, Chip & Putt competition starts local, then a subregional, and then a regional final of 10 with one see CHEA on 12
asianweekly northwest
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36 YEARS
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
Wild Ginger restaurant’s weapon of success lies mysteriously on a number
Rick Yoder
How Wild Ginger began
Grilled shrimp wrapped asparagus
Lobster and prawn wonton soup
By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Those books are also his training tools for his kitchen and for experimentation in many of the recipes. The old recipes work, said Yoder, so we focus on cooking. The Yoders love Asian food. One day, they asked each other, “What if see BLOG on 16 there is a restaurant in Seattle, which serves [traditional] Asian food?” That awakening motivated the couple to open their first restaurant on Westlake Avenue and later expanding at its current location, and also another one in Bellevue. The Yoders were pioneers. In those days, most Asian restaurants either served one or two Asian dishes, rarely four or more under one roof. Asian fusion From left: Brown rice, green curry chicken, seven flavor beef, and fried
What exactly is 250? Wild Ginger’s owner, Rick Yoder, constantly refers to it during an interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly. It’s not the number of staff members who work for him. Wild Ginger has a workforce of 350 in its downtown Seattle location, which is also its headquarters and houses the Triple Door lounge. It’s not the number of Asian ingredients the restaurant uses. It’s not the number of people the restaurant can seat. However, 250 has been the guiding force for Yoder since the restaurant’s opening. Before Yoder started the business, he and his wife Ann, worked and traveled all over Asia. They discovered their love of Asian cuisine, and Yoder loved to cook, so he collected Asian cookbooks. Those 250 Asian cookbooks are like his treasures, prominently displayed in his office.
rice
I still remember the day Yoder, a boyish-looking fellow, walked into the Seattle Chinese Post’s office (Northwest Asian Weekly’s sister paper), and placed a small classified advertisement, looking for a Chinese chef. “A white guy wants to start an Asian restaurant?”
Photos by John Liu
Photo by Assunta Ng
food was not big in the mainstream culinary scene then. The concept of having traditional Asian food, from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Chinese, Singapore, and Cambodia, in one restaurant was unheard of. It was hard to train Asian chefs in cross-cultural cooking techniques.
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ EDITORIAL
11
Help educate Dreamers
For a lot young immigrants known as “Dreamers,” the cost and challenges of juggling jobs and family duties often prove to be insurmountable hurdles to earning a college degree. In 2015, those young immigrants brought to the country by their parents were shielded from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. It also allowed them to take advantage of discounted instate tuition rates. With the fate of DACA— canceled by President Donald Trump in 2017 — still tied up in the courts and Congress seemingly no closer to a fix, renewed debate has cropped up in the states about what to do about the thousands of recipients who want to attend college. Washington is among at least nine states that allows financial aid to eligible students without legal status. But in Arizona, a recent decision by that state’s Supreme Court
makes DACA youth who live in the state pay out-of-state tuition prices. More than ten other states have passed similar laws. Now more than ever, the Dreamers need our support. We must provide more avenues of support to the undocumented
who are living, working, paying into our tax system, and trying to better their lives through education. An educated society is a stronger society. A 2013 study by the Economic Policy Institute showed a strong connection between education and income. A college degree not only increases one’s skills and productivity, but signals to employers that the individual is motivated and completes tasks. A more educated individual is more likely to participate in the job market, to have a job, to work more hours, and to be paid more, and less likely to be unemployed. Higher levels of education also correspond to improved health and lower rates of mortality, and lower rates of crime — a win-win for all, not just Dreamers. It wasn’t their fault that they were brought in illegally by their parents. And those who are trying to better themselves should be applauded, not penalized.
■ LETTERS
A PR stunt against Instead of Cinco de Starbucks? Mayo… Dear Editor, I would like to respond to your editorial in the April 21-27 issue “Being Black at Starbucks.” I believe that race had nothing to do with those men’s arrest. Suppose two men went into Tai Tung and sat there and would never order. When requested to leave, they refused. When police arrived and they continued to refuse
to leave, what are the options? Could any business survive with non-paying persons occupying their seats? Perhaps two clever men saw an opportunity to enrich themselves by creating a public relations scene. Sincerely — Glee Folsom, Edmonds
Dear Editor, Instead of celebrating May 5 as Cinco de Mayo, I believe we’d all seem better informed if taught to celebrate much more important things that occurred on this day. For example, May 5 is set aside as Children’s Day to respect children’s personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It’s observed by a billion people in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
And what about Europe Day, the holiday that celebrates formation of the Council of Europe? This one promotes cooperation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law, and cultural cooperation. It’s celebrated in 47 nations by 800 million people. Most also ignore Liberation Day in see RALNO on 13
KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for E00545E18, Engineering and Design Services for Coal Creek Bridge #3035A Replacement; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on May 31, 2018. Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $245,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $550,000 UDBE PARTICIPATION: Underutilized Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (UDBE) participation for this federally-funded work shall be at least 7% of the contract total. SUMMARY OF WORK: This work is funded, in part, by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and applicable federal requirements apply. The purpose of the contract is to provide engineering and related services to replace the Coal Creek Bridge #3035A. Estimated start date of project is September 2018. Estimated completion date of project is March 2022. King County reserves the right to amend the Agreement to add additional phases. The County also reserves the right to let the Agreement expire at the completion of Phase 1 and to select another consultant to perform the additional phases. AMERICANS WITH DISABILTIES ACT (ADA): King County, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. TITLE VI COMPLIANCE: King County in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all proposers that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26
will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin or sex in consideration for an award. Consultants are advised that federally funded projects will be held to Federal EEO requirements. Consultants will be held to King County’s ADA and Civil Rights provisions. Dates of publication in the Seattle Times: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018. King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. The consultant, subrecipient, or subconsultant shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in the performance of this contract. The consultant shall carry out applicable requirements of 49 CFR Part 26 in the award and administration of USDOT-assisted contracts. Failure by the consultant to carry out these requirements is a material breach of this contract which may result in the termination of this contract or such other remedy as the recipient deems appropriate, which may include, but is not limited to: (1) Withholding monthly progress payments; (2) Assessing sanctions; (3) Liquidated damages, or (4) Disqualifying the consultant from bidding as non-responsible. All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Tina Davis, 206-263-2939, tina.davis@kingcounty.gov
asianweekly northwest
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MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
CHARTER SCHOOL from 3 Academy, a K-8 public charter school in Tacoma, where she has taught third grade math and science, as well as second grade ELA and Social Studies for over a year. On April 28, Tomlin spoke at the Washington State Charter Schools Association’s panel, “Supporting Teachers of Color” at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center — to discuss the benefits and challenges of fostering diversity in the state’s educational system. Joining Tomlin were Joanie Monroy, Associate Professor of Bilingual Education at Heritage University, and Raedell Cannie, Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach for America. The panel was moderated by Emily Ezpeleta, an English Language Learning teacher from the Seattle Public Schools district, who can recall her own relationship with her heritage. Ezpeleta grew up thinking it was normal to eat rice, beans, and flan for Christmas dinner, growing up in Peachtree City, Ga. “For a long time, I felt like I wasn’t a teacher of color,” Ezpeleta said. “I was always seen as white. My father never taught me Spanish because he didn’t want me to have an accent. I realized that there were plenty of students out there who looked like me and who are also like me, and I have to be that for them all day, every day.” In the 2017 school year, 55.2 percent of Washington students were white, 22.8 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 7.5 percent were Asian, 4.4 percent were Black, 1.4 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Native, and 1.1 percent were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, according to a report by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. According to the same report, 89 percent of Washington teachers were white, 3.9 percent were Hispanic or Latino, 2.8 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.2 percent were Black, and 0.7 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
CHEA from 9 getting to go to Augusta. Taighan beat out 10 others to make the final 10 in his age group at Augusta. “It’s pretty cool to get there (Augusta),” said Flugstad. “But a couple hours after [Taighan won a spot] making it there, our mentality was, ‘Let’s go win it.’” Taighan has a special “fist bump” he shares with Flugstad before competition and they did it when his name was called to go out on the national stage, in front of many onlookers and a live television audience. In dealing with the pressure, Flugstad told him to ‘stick to the routine’ which provided a distraction from all that surrounded the 9-year-old. The National Final saw a dramatic finish. With putting as the last part of the competition, Taighan took the lead by sinking a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole. After sinking the putt, Taighan gave a spirited uppercut fist in celebration,
36 YEARS
“If you want to be a student in a program, you want your faculty to look like you and to mirror your concerns,” Monroy said. “That’s what, I think, makes a difference for our students. At least I hope that we can build bridges in our schools by giving kids better experiences and better role models than all-white females.” Monroy discussed how culturally proficient environments are more effective towards combating bias in the classroom than simply recruiting more teachers of color alone. “The fact is we don’t bring cultural proficiency based on the color of our skin or the language we speak,” Monroy said. “We have to learn it. We have to learn it in the context of building those environments for our kids and learning how to build a respectful space for our students so they can learn how to work together and learn together.” Cannie, who was also a fifth grade Teach for America corps teacher, said that reconciling the organization’s national standards with the unique needs of its teachers at the regional level can be a challenge. “There are expectations at the national level that restrict some of the choices that we can make,” Cannie said. “There’s a lot of thought that’s gone into that, but it makes it challenging to then recruit teachers of color because they don’t always meet the criteria for the GPA for a whole bunch of reasons — those same reasons that we are in this room because we know the gaps in opportunity that students of color are on the lesser end of that gap.” Schools need to see their efforts at diversity as a moral obligation to society, rather than just as a public service, Cannie said, when it comes to accommodating “high need” communities in education. “When challenging white supremacy culture, the devil’s in the details, and I think language is an important place to push back on things and the use of high needs is troubling to me,” Cannie said. “A need for what? The many things that a system of oppression has denied them of for years? Our educational system and our society are in debt to these communities that we are serving.”
Retaining teachers is harder than ever before. The University of Washington College of Education Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy found that more entry level teachers move within and out of their districts compared to teachers statewide. Nearly 60 percent of Washington teachers statewide are located in the same school after five years. Fourteen percent move to other schools within their district, while 7 percent relocate to another district within the state, with about 20 percent exiting the workforce. Many of those leaving are of retirement age. Retention and mobility rates have barely changed in the past 15 years. For Teach for America, teachers of color need to be prepared to take on a lifelong commitment to helping lead their school districts, Cannie said. “There are absolutely some challenges with that and it’s not great for a teacher to just come in for two years, but when you think about the story and purpose of Teach for America beyond that, I’m a little bit more okay with it,” Cannie said. “We think that it’s absolutely essential that if you’re pushing for systemic change, that you need to know firsthand what is happening in the classrooms that you’re fighting for. We need people who are on school boards, who are pushing for policy.” For Tomlin, there may always be differences between teachers and students in the classroom, but building the environment in which both can listen and understand one another is key. “I had lots of different teachers in school who didn’t share an ethnicity with me, but one of the things I remember about them were that they were really authentic and they were trying to really develop the whole student,” Tomlin said. “For me, more importantly, if teachers and educators are interested in building the child and affirming who they are, that’s more important than simply being from the same ethnic group.”
reminiscent of Tiger Woods. Despite the crowd erupting and a huge celebration, Taighan had enough poise to remember to take off his hat to shake hands with one of the officials that greeted him. Professional golfer Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters Champion, “interview-bombed” (as Taighan described it) his television interview as he congratulated him. He also met Fred Couples and noted that the two were similar since they both do not wear golfing gloves. “These are some of the best kids in the United States,” said Dalis Chea, Taighan’s father, of the competition. “It was real nerve-racking.” There was not a huge celebration after Taighan’s win. “We sat in the Founders Room at Augusta National for 3 hours,” said Chea of one of the banquet rooms at Augusta. Yet, the experience was memorable for everyone, as Taighan was able to compete on one of the most famous
courses in the world. “It’s all go, no quit,” said Chea, about his son’s activities outside of school. “Every day is something.” Chea stated that Taighan realizes he has talent, but recognizes that he has to work hard since there are hundreds and maybe thousands who are as good. With the win at Augusta, Chea says that it has reinvigorated Taighan’s drive to compete. “He now has a target on his back,” said Chea of others wanting to unseat his son next year. Taighan has a great support system, which includes his family, coach, and trainers. “There’s no pressure from anyone, probably except for his dad,” joked Chea.
Tim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
DEADPOOL 2 from 8 American actor Karan Soni, who plays Deadpool’s taxi driver Dopinder. He has some funny scenes, and hope to see him back for another sequel. Chinese/ British American actor Lewis Tan plays Shatterstar, one of the new recruits on X-Force. I won’t say anything else about thise except, “You’ll see.” I give Marvel credit for a diverse API cast, but once again hope Asians will get a bigger role in the next sequel. Domino (Zazie Beetz) was definitely the best new addition to this series, and I hope to see her return for another movie! In true Marvel tradition, stay for the mid-credits scene after the movie. You will not regret it! Deadpool 2 got the honor of finally dethroning Avengers: Infinity War at the box office last weekend, earning $125 million domestic and $300 million worldwide. John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
■ ASTROLOGY
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Predictions and advice for the week of May 26–Jun 1, 2018 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — If you are concerned about retaining control, then be careful how many more players you add to the game. Ox — Do you feel as though you are getting only part of the story? You will need to be persistent in order to find out the rest. Tiger — Something that is very important to you may not be a priority for someone else. Keep an eye on it to ensure that progress is being made. Rabbit — No matter how much you plan in advance, you cannot completely eliminate surprises. Leave room for some flexibility.
Dragon — An enjoyable pursuit could turn into a profitable venture. Despite your enthusiasm, however, there is no substitute for thoroughly vetting the risks. Snake — Although you are quite close to where you need to be, there is still some distance that remains to be traversed. Horse — The same question can be posed in a variety of ways. Responses will vary greatly depending on how you present it. Goat — Don’t expect to be an expert the first time you try something. Practice should improve your proficiency.
Monkey — Notwithstanding the pressure to succeed, there is some satisfaction from simply trying your hand at a challenging undertaking. Rooster — In your efforts to be frugal, don’t just pay attention to the price. You should also determine whether the value is there as well. Dog — Rather than lament on the lack of a set path, look at it as an opportunity to chart your own course. Pig — You are able to make a big difference with a seemingly small gesture. Don’t underestimate the power of kindness.
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.
POLITICAL ACTIVISM from 1 “It’s also a recognition that what makes America great is immigration and the American dream; it’s what people all over the world come to seek,’’ he said. Christine Chen, executive director of the nonpartisan Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, or APIAVote, says 2018 could be a watershed year for civic participation. Asians, who make up 6 percent of the population, have traditionally lagged in voting due to language and cultural barriers and minimal outreach from political parties, she says. In the 2016 presidential election, for example, about 49 percent of eligible Asian voters cast ballots. That was less than the 65 percent for whites and 60 percent for blacks but slightly higher than the 48 percent figure for Latinos. It’s hard to say definitively how many Asian Pacific Americans are running for Congress, although The Associated Press identified at least 80 candidates of both parties. More than a dozen candidates are Republicans, and the rest are Democrats, including incumbents. There are currently 18 Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders in Congress; three are in the Senate. “What’s fascinating with the congressional candidates is they’re coming from everywhere,’’ Chen said, ticking off races in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, New Jersey and Texas. “What we’re hoping is with all these people running, and if they win, that will continue to change how people perceive the community.’’
Among the candidates are nearly three dozen Asian Pacific Americans seeking to overturn Republican seats in the U.S. House as part of a broader Democratic surge to take control of the chamber. Some of them have already been eliminated, but others have advanced. Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval, for example, won Ohio’s Democratic primary last week. He faces incumbent Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, in November. A National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman, Jesse Hunt, said that the GOP also has compelling and diverse candidates. Republican Young Kim, for example, is a Korean-American who is on the June 5 California primary ballot. “When my family came to this country, we came legally,’’ she says in a 30-second campaign ad. “And not because we wanted handouts, but because we wanted the opportunity America provided to succeed on our own.’’ For former Groupon executive Suneel Gupta, a Democrat, it is precisely because of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies that he’s running for an open seat outside Detroit, Michigan. “It is literally the moment that I realized my daughter’s first president is going to be Donald Trump, and knowing that when he wants to ‘Make America Great Again,’ he wants a few less people that look like us around,’’ Gupta said. Political preferences vary among Asian ethnic groups although overall, more favor Democrats over Republicans, says Karthick Ramakrishnan, public policy professor at the University of California, Riverside and
RALNO from 11 Ethiopia, Denmark, and the Netherlands. This one celebrates the day that German and Italian forces surrendered at the end of World War II. Ethiopia also celebrates Patriots’ Victory Day on May 5. It commemorates Ethiopian patriots who resisted the Italian invasion leading up to WWII. Notably, the WWII victory in Europe is celebrated all over the world on days near May 5. In the United States, it officially is recognized as May 8, but most ignore it, presumably because our leftist education system and big media never promote it. These other days in May are at least as important as the revered Mexican holiday. By comparison, Cinco de Mayo celebrates a one-day gunfight that was not a major strategic win in the war against the French. Instead, this day celebrates a morale boost to the Mexican army and generally is observed only in the Mexican state of Puebla — and of course U.S. media and schools. Besides, the Monroe Doctrine deserves most of the
director of AAPI Data, which provides demographic information on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. About 40 percent of Asian American voters are undecided or unaffiliated. Asians once voted Republican, with 55 percent choosing George H.W. Bush over Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992. But by 2012, Barack Obama had received nearly 75 percent of their vote and in 2016, Asian Pacific Americans overwhelmingly went for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Ramakrishnan says Asian American voters were turned off by the Republican Party and Trump rhetoric over immigration. Indeed, more than 70 percent of Asian adults in the U.S. are born abroad, according to the Pew Research Center. Asian American voters soured further on the GOP after recent proposals to limit family-based immigration, a legal method used heavily by Chinese, Indians and other Asians to come to America. They also expressed horror over Trump’s executive orders limiting travel from Muslim-majority countries, which they said reminded them of the Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II. “As the son of immigrants myself, it felt very personal, it felt very un-American,’’ said David Min, a law professor in Southern California who is among several Democrats challenging Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The stereotype of Asian Americans as “foreigners’’ was recently revived publicly when U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke used the Japanese word “konnichiwa’’ to greet a fourth-generation American of Jap-
credit for that small victory. Ironically, France was our friend during the American Revolution and neutral during the Civil War when the Mexican skirmish occurred. The Monroe Doctrine also was diplomatically responsible for retaining France as an ally through the wars. It makes me wonder why we’d celebrate a victory over an important ally. I’m sure others have holidays for which they wish recognition, but these are the ones I wish big media and our schools would teach our students on May 5. Since none of these things are known by our students, perhaps the goal is to indoctrinate rather than educate. As a minimum, I’d advise everyone to forget about this one. Perhaps Latinos and Mexicans in America should celebrate Ocho de Mayo instead of a relatively insignificant day in one of the world’s most corrupt nations. Sincerely, — Gene Ralno
anese descent. Democratic Rep. Colleen Hanabusa had just relayed the story of her grandfathers, who were incarcerated along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, their loyalty questioned by the American government. “I was stunned,’’ said Hanabusa, who is running for governor of Hawaii, of Zinke’s comment. “The first thought that came to my mind is, this is why Japanese Americans were interned.’’ Pediatrician Mai Khanh Tran, who is seeking an open seat held by retiring Rep. Ed Royce in Southern California’s Orange County, expresses dismay that under Trump, the country that took her in as a 9-year-old refugee from Vietnam is closing its borders. “This is a country that is welcoming and loving and kind and compassionate, and it has to continue for others,’’ she said. In New Jersey, the party is banking on national security expert Andy Kim to beat Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur, a Trump supporter who helped revive the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The district has a tiny Asian population, but Kim says he’s running on his lifelong ties to a district that Obama carried twice. Kim, whose parents emigrated from Korea, is a longtime federal employee who served in Afghanistan under General David Petraeus. “What I want people to be thinking about is that I’m the kid next door who’s doing everything I can to fight for this land that gave my family everything,’’ Kim said.
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MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
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MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
SIFF from 8 the worst in each person, until shouting, ranting, and total dismissals of everyone who doesn’t agree with a certain point of view, become the new norms. Musical performances appear over and over again in “Ava,” and you can hear the young musicians falling short of technical perfection and emotional expression. The female music teacher, tough but fair, always urges them to practice and improve. But her exhortations mark the only positivity from an adult in the whole mess. The young people and the adults who are supposed to know better, just continue keeping up appearances, denying imperfection, until the weight of the situation collapses and smothers everyone of every age. (director Sadaf Foroughi scheduled to attend both screenings) May 23 — Lincoln Square, 6:30 p.m. May 24 — SIFF Cinema Uptown, 3 p.m.
“Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda”
Sakamoto’s been to and done so many things over the decades that the film’s director, Stephen Nomura Schible, can’t possibly cover every aspect over 100 minutes. So the film sometimes seems rushed, and a bit shallow, as it covers everything from Sakamoto’s years in the Yellow Magic Orchestra group, pioneering electronic music, to soundtrack work (his themes from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” remain famous 35 years after the film), to the musician’s infatuation with sound in nature (wind, rain), to anti-nuclear power activism and a growing sense of both awe at nature, and horror at nature’s ruin courtesy of mankind. You won’t learn anything about Sakamoto’s wives, girlfriends, or children (one of whom, Miu Sakamoto, started a professional music career of her own), and you’ll get the impression that he lives only in New York City. So the film proves frustrating for folks who already know the man. But if you don’t know the man, “Coda” furnishes a nifty overview. Leaning over his shoulder, getting close in as he ponders variations and changes to his newest piano piece, proves oddly illuminating. He admits that piano notes died away quickly, but he invites us to listen to a piano note as long as we possibly can. That’s impermanence. But with attention paid all the way down. Then he takes a violin bow to a cymbal, or a gong, and lets loose long drones. Not eternity. Not even close. But an affectionate gesture towards that infinite. May 29 — AMC Pacific Place, 7 p.m. May 30 — SIFF Cinema Uptown, 3:45 p.m. June 8 — SIFF Cinema Uptown, 12:30 p.m.
“Shuttle Life”
Ryuichi Sakamoto, renowned Japanese composer, keyboardist, writer, record producer, and activist (and a few other things), admits he doesn’t know how much time he has left. At age 66, he’s already beaten cancer once, and he tells the camera that treatment, and/or surgery, left dead bone in his skull, underneath his left cheek. He stopped making music for the first time as an adult, to seek treatment for his cancer. He admits that for the first time as an adult, he’s not quite sure where to start again, or how.
“Shuttle Life,” the feature debut from Malaysia’s Tan Seng Kiat, will break your heart. But it will win your heart first. For 20 minutes, we follow a teenage boy and his 6-year-old sister, as they criss-cross Kuala Lumpur on a scooter —the little girl thoughtfully donning a helmet and riding pillion behind her big brother. They go everywhere together and they fend off together, everything that needs fending off. When the brother has to descend into a dangerous space to find water (the film unfolds against the drastic, frightening water shortages in Malaysia over recent years), he stops to appreciate a basso-singing bullfrog that’s somehow
Photo provided by Sophia Aragon
ARAGON from 1 if she wins. She will replace Sharon Nelson, but as a Filipino American, she would be the first person of color to win in the 34th. Aragon said, “It’s a wonderfully progressive district…where leaders can take a stand on the tough issues of the time. The communities are right along with those values. It’s an exciting place to serve.” Aragon’s family immigrated to the United States when she was 3, and her mother was invited to the United States to help ease the nursing shortage. Aragon recalls that her mom and grandmother “did what they had to do to get us to school…their goals were pretty focused and clear. We’ve got to get you educated, so that you can earn and support a family, and that’s the best that we can hope for. I remember thinking about that and…I wasn’t discouraged or anything, but it was sort of this realization like…the odds were against you, but it was just all circumstance.” Observe. Aragon took to heart the importance of preparation, particularly in her situation. “I remember as a very young woman, maybe an adolescent thinking, I’m a minority, I’m a female — that’s a doublewhammy!” Yet Aragon’s father, who also came from a healthcare background, assured her that “as a woman, you can do whatever you want.” Aragon attended Seattle University’s School of Nursing, then landed a job at Swedish Cherry Hill, where she grew frustrated with hospital nursing. “Patients seemed to just rotate through the hospital and there wasn’t a lot you could do to really help their situation.” She wondered, how could she do more to help the community in a lasting way? Plan. “I found this opportunity for a community health clinic back in my neighborhood [at Rainier Park Medical Clinic],” explained Aragon. “I worked there for two years. We served immigrant populations, low income,
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
Sofia Aragon receiving the 2017 WSNA Ethics and Human Rights Award (presented by Heather StephenShelby, Assistant Executive Director of the WA State Nurses Association)
people who are kind of transitioning in life… That was a really meaningful experience.” It was then that Aragon got her first sense of the role of state government in healthcare. “One day, we were told that ‘something happened in Olympia.’” That “something” turned out to be a state health reform that resulted in insurance companies pulling coverage from Aragon’s patients. Again as the role of observer, Aragon thought to herself, what does a person have to do in order to change policy? Plan. Act. Go to law school. Aragon attended Loyola University in Chicago, with an emphasis in Health Law. Living outside the Pacific Northwest heightened Aragon’s ability to not only observe needed changes, but also existing positives. In Chicago, people asked her, “Why are you coming to the Midwest when we’re all trying to head for the West Coast?!” Aragon realized, “Yeah, we are ahead, yet we have to be careful to manage progress. I always hope for new and better
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followed the water. Their cramped apartment, shared with their mentally-ill mother, makes for little privacy, requiring honesty and matter-of-factness about their poverty, their bodily functions, and their struggle to keep Mom out of a hospital from which she’d probably never return. And the siblings survive. They take pleasure in every little thing. Each new street is a new vista. Any object lying around can become a toy, a vehicle for imagination, for fun, for affection. Then something awful happens. And the brother struggles to find release, closure, and justice. He finds none of these things. He finds only bureaucracy, standing in his way, demanding things he doesn’t have and can’t get. Bureaucracy finds him frustrated, sandbagged, and sliding towards the same sort of paranoia that’s consumed his mother. Too many people live only one calamity away from total ruin, says the film. Ruin, not only in the financial sense (this family was broke to begin with), but in the destruction of happiness, transcendence, and in the end, hope. All hope. Then again, even one person, or one family living like this, is too much. The film focuses on three people who go over the edge. But it invites you to ponder the bigger picture, and to ponder what you might do in the fact of that. A broken heart might be an acceptable price to pay, for an opened heart. May 29 — AMC Pacific Place, 9:30 p.m. June 1 — AMC Pacific Place, 1:45 p.m. Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
things, like everybody else, but…we should never take for granted all the achievements we’ve made — like the Affordable Care Act (ACA). People will whittle away at that if we let them.” Change works best if balanced with keeping the good things that the 34th, Seattle, and the state already have. Aragon was involved in establishing the ACA in Washington and describes it as one of her proudest moments to date. After law school, it wasn’t long before Aragon found an internship in Olympia with what is now the Department of Commerce. From there, she gained an understanding of the layout of the capital, and the different departments. Observe. Plan. Act. Soon Aragon was advising the Secretary of Health, but rather than resting on her laurels, Aragon strategized how to do better and more. “The secretary would need somebody who saw the whole picture of how things worked,” she observed, so she took a job as Director of Governmental Affairs for the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA). Said Aragon, “I was shoulder to shoulder with a contract lobbyist that WSNA had at the time and totally learned that system.” When Aragon started in Olympia, Democrats held the majority. She views the experience of working through the changeover to a dominantly Republican legislature as one of her greatest campaign assets. “I saw the tide turn politically, which I think is valuable experience in running in the senate, for this position.” Aragon considers two of her strengths in the race to be her ability to work effectively with both parties, and that she is already an insider in the capital. “To really be effective, you need a broad-based coalition,” she said. Currently, Aragon is executive director at the Washington Center for Nursing, where she enjoys the opportunity to effect change. “This is why you need women in
leadership,” she explains. “You can actually develop policies from where you sit. And really advocate for important things… as well as raise people’s awareness in a productive way as to confront the things that keep us from living life through an equity lens.” Like many of the 34th’s constituents, important issues for Aragon are equitable, affordable healthcare, housing, and education. “I’m concerned that people don’t have the opportunities I had when my parents brought me over,” said Aragon. “They had a pretty simple but clear plan. We get jobs. We get our daughters through school…We buy a home…And that’s all we need…I feel like today, there’s so many barriers to that for everyone.” Aragon and her husband took pains to find a house, where she grew up, in West Seattle, but it wasn’t easy. “You think you have choices where you live, but you actually don’t,” she observes. Aragon understands that these issues impact all of Washington. She notes that King County “gets a lot of attention…but rural communities have the same issues, whether it’s affordability of housing, [or] access to education…I think a statewide outlook is important.” For the 34th, Aragon said, “I want it to continue to progress and be innovative. I think it needs to evolve in a way that its communities are evolving. One of the reasons someone encouraged me to run for office was partly because I’m a relatively new resident of Burien — but she said, ‘You look like the people who are coming in…That’s what I want to see in representation.’” “People know it’s time to look at more diversity in the legislature.” Jessica Kai can be reached at info@northwestasianweekly.com.
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36 YEARS
MAY 26 – JUN 1, 2018
I was surprised. James Lock, his first head chef, responded to the ad. Lock was unique — he’s fluent in both Chinese and English — not many Chinese-speaking chefs, at the time, possessed bilingual skills. The kitchen, staffed with immigrants, was hard to manage. But Lock’s command of the English language, and his Chinese skills to train his Chinese staff, allowed him to communicate and implement Yoder’s vision. His management style also earned his peers’ respect. I call him Jim, but other chefs address him as “Big Brother.” The rest is history. Lock retired more than a decade ago. Today, the Wild Ginger kitchen is diverse with lots of immigrants. So are the staff, with many people of color. And Yoder is proud of the fact that many Asian kitchen staff members have worked for him for decades.
The food
Over the years, we have dined at Wild Ginger off and on. One thing is constant, its ingredients are always fresh. Yoder said the restaurant makes its own egg noodles, Peking duck bun, and hoisin sauce. Yoder said the restaurant can easily sell 2,000 buns a day for all his dining facilities. And the restaurant buys fresh roasted red pepper directly from a source in California. The knowledge of the wait staff is top-notch. They know how to sell the menu, describing each entrée in detail, edging out the competition. This helps customers decide which dishes to order, and they usually order the correct one for themselves. How often have you experienced ordering the wrong thing due to insufficient information?
Photo by John Liu
BLOG from 10
Bruschetta
At Wild Ginger, the menu doesn’t include Japanese food. “That’s a totally subset type of food,” Yoder said.
The dinner
My husband, son, and I decided to dine at Wild Ginger recently. It’s an advantage to include our son so we can eat more variety. Between appetizers and the main course, we picked multiple dishes for family-style dining. It was a Tuesday and the restaurant was pretty full. No MSG, I told the waitress. “We don’t use MSG,” she replied. I liked that answer. Anything to do with lobster sounds good. So we had lobster and prawn wonton soup ($15). One bowl carried a big enough portion for the three of us. I liked the broth, while my husband thought it was a little salty.
For appetizers, the waitress brought us grilled asparagus shrimp ($13), and we requested a larger portion of the tuna bruschetta ($21). The asparagus dish was enough for two servings. Since my husband is a big fan of asparagus, I let him have my share. This dish is a clever fusion of Vietnamese cuisine with shrimp wrapped around sugar cane. As for the tuna dish, we spread the superb ahi mixed with wasabi, sesame oil, and green onion on buttered toast. Bread tends to be over-buttered at other restaurants. At Wild Ginger, it was just right, and we just ate up all the 10 pieces of delight. I thought I wouldn’t have room for more food. But my head overrules my belly when the food is delicious and the presentation is enticing. For our main course, we had market fried rice ($12), sevenflavor beef ($21), stir-fried string beans Sichuan-style ($13), and green curry chicken ($18). The men in our household have an itch for beef, although it had an interesting twist. My husband said, one bite and you would shoot for more. The green curry chicken was nicely cooked. I told the waitress not to make it spicy. But I forgot to ask for dark meat. Surprisingly, the white meat didn’t taste overcooked. And the coconut curry sauce was just perfect for me. The fried rice was wonderful, not greasy, and mixed with ingredients I enjoyed. The leftovers meant we needed doggy boxes, not doggy bags these days. That meant that I didn’t need to cook the next day! Wild Ginger fans, here is the good news — a new restaurant is going to open this summer at South Lake Union. Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
are going to look like for him academically … but I fully support him and his process,” Silvano said. “If he decides to go on and get a drama degree or a music degree, there is nothing wrong with that, I fully support that. If he decides to go [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math], I support that, as well.”
SUMMIT SIERRA from 1
Photos by Carolyn Bick
have different reading levels. One may require a word bank during an exam, while another may not. Students also have multiple opportunities to demonstrate they have grasped a concept. Still, despite some initial “training wheels,” Burns said, students are expected to show progress. “Our goal is that everyone can bike unassisted,” Burns said.
Summit Sierra classroom
Summit Sierra entrance
worked with artists in Chinatown. “I am really attracted to art, and being free and expressing myself a lot,” De La Cruz said. “Within fashion, you get to express how you want to be seen … and with urban artwork, it goes towards murals and sculptures, and you can define yourself within more than one source or more than one outlet.” Since enrolling his son Julius Silvano at Summit Sierra, Keoke Silvano said he
strict athlete. “I don’t know what the next two years
Teacher Erica Baba
Aside from personalized learning, there are other support systems in place for students. Teacher Erica Baba is a veteran of the Summit school system, transferring from California to Summit Sierra when the school opened. Baba said each student is assigned a faculty mentor and a peer mentor group. The mentor and student work closely together, with 10-minute weekly check-ins that focus not only on a student’s academics, but also their personal life. “These are all about sports tournaments, family events that are happening,” Baba said. “It’s just a nice way to make kids feel like they are valued as a person, and not just as a student.” Peer mentor groups meet three days per week, for a longer period of time. Parents are also included in a student’s continuing check-in process, Baba said, during twiceyearly conferences of which the student is also a part. While the school focuses on what the Summit system calls “core classes,” comprised of Social Science, English, Math, Science, and Spanish, it also allows students to stretch their more creative muscles with electives. Students may take these electives during two-week breaks from their main curriculum, which happen every seven to eight weeks, throughout the academic school year, and are taught by community leaders in those fields. De La Cruz recently took fashion design and urban artwork, and
Keoke Silvano and Julius
has seen nothing but positive changes. Silvano said that while Julius has always had excellent social skills, he hasn’t always been the best student, and was more interested in playing basketball than spending time on schoolwork. Before Julius enrolled at Summit Sierra, both the father and son struggled with how to best bring up the 10th grader’s scores. “My son has always had a hard time letting me know where he was at academically, and … he had a lack of follow-through on his assignments, and … communicating that with me, so I couldn’t help him,” Silvano said. “At Summit, he usually sits me down, and says, ‘This is what I am behind in, I need help on this, I need help on that.’ So, it’s really helped strengthen our relationship as a father and son.” And while Julius still wants to play basketball, Silvano said his son now has a vested interest in going to college, playing basketball as a scholar, rather than just a
Carolyn can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.