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VOL 37 NO 24 JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
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36 YEARS YOUR VOICE BUY A HOME
School principal on leave amid harassment complaints Formal complaint spearheaded by VFA
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY A Seattle school principal will not return for the 2018-19 school year. Oksana Britsova, the principal at Seattle World School (SWS),
Asians and home ownership » see 3
APOP Asians are actually good drivers! » see 8
was the focus of a formal letter of complaint written by James Hong, executive director of the Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA). He said Britsova has taken (SEE PRINCIPAL ON 15)
Oksana Britsova
James Hong
Karthik Nemmani, 14, wins National Spelling Bee
Filipino entrepreneurs put on city’s 1st Blockchain conference
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Naysa Modi, 12, fourth from left, covers her face as her video profile is aired during the evening finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 31. From left are the six remaining spellers, Jashun Paluru, 13, Navneeth Murali, 12, Sravanth Malla, 14, Naysa Modi, 12, Karthik Nemmani, 14, and Abhijay Kodali, 11.
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The end of the biggest Scripps National Spelling Bee in history came abruptly, and it wasn’t the
conclusion that many expected. Naysa Modi, a poised and charismatic four-time participant whose long spelling career seemed to be building toward triumph, sat next to a newcomer whom she had al-
ready beaten this year — at the county level. But 12-year-old Naysa blinked immediately, mixing up the single and double “s” in the German-derived word “Bewusstseinslage”
— a state of consciousness or a feeling devoid of sensory components — and 14-year-old Karthik Nemmani seized an opportunity (see SPELLING on 13)
Trump-Kim summit: After initial cancellation, it is back on By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On May 24, President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled the June 12 North Korea and United States summit in Singapore via a letter addressed to His Excellency Kim Jong Un, a move that has been largely condemned by the international community as a continuation of Trump’s bizarre approach to foreign policy. In a letter that praised North
■
Korea’s “time, patience, and effort with respect to our recent negotiations and discussions relative to a summit long sought by both parties,” only to condemn the country’s “tremendous anger and open hostility,” Trump’s letter has been widely critiqued as a confusing, but threatening attempt at establishing the dominance of the United States over North Korea. Trump’s writing alternated between polite nothings and blatherings of sound and fury
“You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.”
Ramzay Staples
Justin Wu
Brian-Timothy Noble Franada
(SEE BLOCKCHAIN ON 16)
Latinos, Asian Americans sue over citizenship question By Denise LaVoie THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
will never have to be used.” In the wake of Trump’s cancellation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in informed reporters
Two dozen Latino and Asian American organizations filed a federal lawsuit on May 31, alleging that the Trump administration’s plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census is racially discriminatory and violates the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit, filed in United
(see TRUMP on 13)
(see SUIT on 6)
— President Donald Trump throughout the letter, but made clear the prowess of the United States’ nuclear weapons. “You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they
On June 5, entrepreneurs Ramzey Staples, BrianTimothy Noble Franada, and Justin Wu produced the first-ever blockchain and cryptocurrency conference in Seattle. The current instability with established cryptocurrency systems including Bitcoin feeds into the growing need for blockchain technology,
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36 YEARS
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS
The person selected for this fellowship will demonstrate their commitment to empowering and advocating for youth from communities that are economically disadvantaged and historically have lacked opportunities to further their education goals and career aspirations. To apply, go to governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/2096846.
Photo by John Liu/NWAW
Photo provided by Eugene Tagawa.
Sugiyama honored by GGGs
UW Golden Graduates Brunch
Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship
Ruth Woo
King County is offering a one year, paid, full-time position as part of its Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship — to carry on Woo’s legacy. A revered community leader, the late Woo was a mentor to many elected officials, and dedicated her life to public service.
FogRose’s website says “Our Boutique offers signature ice cream and sorbet flavors, freshly made with local ingredients using liquid nitrogen. Our ice cream never sits in a tub or on a shelf. From our mixer, it goes straight into your cup or cone.” Vivian Lee
The University of Washington Alumni Association (UWAA) honored alumnus Vivian Lee on June 2, as part of its Golden Graduates Brunch. Celebrating Huskies who graduated 50 or more years ago, the UWAA welcomed the Class of 1968 as the newest members of the Golden Graduates community and honored Lee — a retired nurse who developed and implemented policies that brought more Asian Americans and other people of color into the nursing profession. She was also the first Black student to be admitted to the special accelerated bachelor’s degree program in nursing in 1955, the first Black RN hired at the Seattle Veteran’s Administration Hospital, and the first Black hired by the U.S. Public Health Service, where she became director of the first federal regional office on women’s health in the nation.
FogRose open Liquid nitrogen ice cream boutique FogRose officially opened for business in Bellevue on June 2. Founder Quyen Dang says each ice cream creation is customized to your dietary restrictions.
Spring Artist Alley at Kinokuniya
Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW
An estimated 340 people attended the annual Garfield Golden Grads (GGG) 2018 luncheon at Garfield High School on June 2. The late Alan Sugiyama was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Garfield High School, with 28 of his family members and friends looking on. The longtime community activist died in January 2017 after his battle with cancer. He was the first Asian American elected to the Seattle school board. GGG was founded in order to give scholarships to students at Garfield who are in need.
Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW
From left: Mari Sugiyama with her daughter Kaia, Adam Kong, Alysa Sugiyama holding the Hall of Fame plaque and the picture of her dad, and Dr. Vivian Little Lee.
Customers enjoying FogRose ice cream at the store’s private soft opening.
From left: Silverio Godinez, Athena Tao, and Matthew Chiam.
Space Needle art by Silverio Godinez.
Kinokuniya Seattle held its annual Spring Artist Alley on June 2. Local artists and illustrators showcased their work, while others sold their self-made goods. Jacqueline Taylor
Access YOUR Opportunity! The Port of Seattle is committed to expanding opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses. Learn more about upcoming events and register to receive information about opportunities in construction, consulting, and goods and services.
LEARN MORE www.portseattle.org/smallbiz
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
■ NATIONAL NEWS
George Tsugawa’s challenging life helped him ‘become strong’ By Jackson Hogan THE DAILY NEWS WOODLAND, Wash. (AP) — During his 96 years on Earth, George Tsugawa was jailed in a Japanese internment camp, forced to cope with rampant racism and worked his way out of poverty, to name just a few of his hardships. Today, he owns a thriving nursery in Woodland and is frequently seen supervising his business, cracking jokes with customers and employees. According to Tsugawa, the obstacles in his life helped him become resilient. “The experiences that I’ve gone through, with the internment and this and that, it makes you a stronger person,’’ he said. “That could be something I’d like to pass onto people, to become strong and never give up.’’ IMPRISONED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY Tsugawa was born in Everett, but he spent most of his childhood in Hillsboro, Oregon. His parents, immigrants from Japan, ran a small produce market.
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After his father died when he was about 20, his family moved to Portland. The attack on Pearl George Tsugawa Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 changed their lives. “We, as Japanese, were not trusted at all,’’ he said. “They wanted us rounded up as quick as possible and put behind bars so they could keep an eye on us. We could’ve been a bunch of spies, you know.’’ At first, they faced an 8 p.m. curfew. But from May through September 1942, the Tsugawas and 3,500 other people of Japanese descent were forced into the Portland Expo Center (then called the Pacific International Livestock Association). They were crammed into uncleaned animal pens with no bathrooms. “You began to smell like what (animals) were in there. I can still remember, they had these five-gallon buckets out in the open,’’ he said. “If you had to go, you used those five-
gallon buckets, all up and down the hall. That was the restroom.’’ The imprisoned Japanese Americans had no idea what could happen to them next. “The whole thing was such a mystery,’’ Tsugawa said. IDAHO INTERNMENT In September 1942, the Tusgawa family was taken by train to the Minidoka Relocation Center near Twin Falls, Idaho. Machine gun towers loomed at every corner. “Eventually the (guards) got used to us,’’ he said. “They realized we weren’t going to blow up everything, but we were still behind barbed wires.’’ Tsugawa and a few others were hired to cut up and recycle tin cans for $12 to $15 per month, but they rarely actually worked. “We all knew how to play pinochle, and we’d go into tents put up for the weather,’’ he said. “Three guys would play pinochle, and one guy was out cutting cans. We’d take turns. The fourth one (see INTERNMENT on 16)
Asian Americans post largest gains in homeownership By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Asian Americans have seen the largest gains among any race in homeownership in the United States, new research shows. A recent report by Zillow Research found that the Asian homeownership rate increased 48 percent, from 10.1 percent in 1900 to 58.1 percent in 2016. This marks the largest jump in homeownership, compared to 23.2 percent among whites, 20.5 percent among Blacks, and 5.4 percent among Latinos. Overall, Asians have the second-highest ownership rate in the United States, below white households at 71.3 percent, and above Latino and Black households at 45.6 percent and 41 percent, respectively. The research also found that in 2016, Asian home buyers had the most purchasing power, affording homes worth $155,000 more than the typical U.S. buyer. Stephen Davey, COO of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), pointed to a “desire to limit the amount of borrowed fund” among Asian
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Specifically, the research found that differences in homeownership among Asian Americans could mostly be explained ... However, there was one outlier in the group — Chinese Americans.
communities that often leads to family cooperation and significantly higher down payments when buying a home. Gary Painter, a public policy professor at the University of South California, said these homeownership numbers may be skewed due to a simple math calculation. Homeownership is calculated by dividing the number of homes owned in the numerator with the number of homes owned and not owned (rented) in the denominator. (see HOMES on 13)
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JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
36 YEARS
■ NATIONAL NEWS
Pentagon salutes U.S.–India ties with command name change By Lolita C. Baldor THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AP) — In a bow to America’s growing connection to India and its expanding security role in the region, the Pentagon is changing the name of the U.S. military’s Pacific headquarters to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Under cloudy Pearl Harbor skies, with the USS Arizona Memorial as a backdrop, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis formally announced the name change on May 30. He spoke during a leadership change ceremony as U.S. Navy Adm. Philip Davidson took over the command from Adm. Harry Harris, who has been nominated to be the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea. The change is largely symbolic in nature, and carries no fundamental shifts in troops,
military missions or other Pentagon activities. Instead, Mattis said, it’s a “recognition of the increasing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific oceans.’’ Mattis said the new defense strategy released last year “acknowledges Pacific challenges and signals America’s resolve and lasting commitment to the Indo-Pacific.’’ And he said relationships with Pacific and Indian Ocean allies have been critical to maintaining regional security. The U.S. and India have been forging stronger security ties for the last several years, with defense secretaries making more frequent visits and conducting talks on sharing technology. The two sides also share concerns about maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, including worries about China’s increasingly aggressive build-up and militarization of manmade islands in the region.
Concerns about China were evident during the ceremony, along with the ongoing negotiations over a possible summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to discuss Pyongyang’s nuclear program. “China continues to improve both the size and the capability of its armed forces, in hopes to supplant the U.S. as the security partner of choice not just in the Indo-Pacific region, but across the globe — and on its own terms,’’ Davidson said as he took over the new command. Mattis took a subtle swipe at China’s “Belt and Road’’ initiative, which links Beijing’s economies to the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe through massive loans and investments. “The Indo-Pacific has many belts and many roads,’’ said Mattis. In leaving the command post, Harris laid
The U.S. and India have been forging stronger security ties for the last several years, with defense secretaries making more frequent visits ...
out the threats across the region. He said North Korea “remains our most imminent threat’’ and a nuclear-capable Pyongyang is unacceptable. He added that the U.S. should “cooperate with Beijing where we can’’ but must stand ready to confront China when necessary.
Going it alone: U.S. Portland City Council alienates allies before votes in favor of taller taking on Beijing buildings By Paul Wiseman THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s decision to slap tariffs on its top allies could weaken Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ hand as he landed in Beijing last week to try to fend off a trade war with China. That, at least, is the view of many longtime trade analysts and China watchers. “This is really the U.S. going it alone,’’ said Philip Levy, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs who was a trade adviser in the George W. Bush administration. “By assaulting all our allies, we leave ourselves standing unprotected
and by ourselves in a way we really never have been.’’ “We are alienating all of our friends and partners at a time when we could really use their support,’’ added Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator who is now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. After briefing reporters on the administration’s decision to slap tariffs on imported steel from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, Ross arrived in Beijing for negotiations aimed at resolving a dispute over China’s aggressive attempts to challenge U.S. technological supremacy. (see BEIJING on 11)
Charges filed in 1999 New Jersey nail salon worker slaying ENGLEWOOD, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say DNA evidence has helped identify a suspect in the sexual assault and murder of a nail salon worker found dead in a New Jersey alley nearly two decades ago. Thirty-three-year-old Hyo Lee, a recent immigrant from South Korea, was found dead on July 4th in 1999 in Englewood. State and Bergen County authorities say advances in forensic technology allowed them to create a DNA profile from evidence
left at the scene, and a national database identified 44-year-old Jose Colon. Colon, who served time after an assault conviction in Ohio, was deported to Nicaragua in 2005. New Jersey officials are now seeking his extradition on murder and sexual assault charges. Robert Anzilotti, chief of detectives at the prosecutor’s office, says the charges follow “almost two decades of frustration.”
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland City Council voted to give developers the option of building taller buildings in the city's New Chinatown-Japantown historic district. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the plan includes new height and design guidelines intended to preserve the character of the historic district, which is Oregon's largest Chinatown. The council previously had indicated it would set heights at 160 feet for much of the
neighborhood. But the council voted late last month to break from that standard and allow buildings up to 200 feet in two different places. The vote divided the council, with Mayor Ted Wheeler and others arguing that development would give the neighborhood a much-needed boost, while others argued it would effectively destroy it. The council was set to have a final vote for the plan on June 6.
KING COUNTY WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01268C18, King County Parks 2018 On-Call Paving; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on June 12, 2018. Late bids will not be accepted. Brief Scope: Mobilize and perform asphalt paving repair and improvement work on the KC Parks Regional Trail System and parking lot facilities within the parks system. Not-to-Exceed Contract Price: $1,000,000 Pre-Bid / Site Tour: A pre-bid conference / site tour is not scheduled. There is a 5% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract. Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/ default.aspx
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ WORLD NEWS
Ailing Thai beach made famous by Hollywood closes to tourism
Survey: Japanese female journalists report sexual misconduct
Photo by Mike Clegg/travelanddestinations.com
By Mari Yamaguchi THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Maya Bay beach, Thailand
By Tassanee Vejpongsa THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MAYA BAY, Thailand (AP) — Once a pristine Thai paradise, the
secluded bay made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Beach” has been exhausted by mass tourism. Now it’s getting a break.
The daily influx of dozens of boats and thousands of visitors unsuccessfully scrambling for an (see BEACH on 12)
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TOKYO (AP) — A survey of women working for Japanese newspapers and TV networks has found 150 cases of alleged sexual misconduct reported by 35 women, about one-third of it involving lawmakers, government officials and law enforcers, a researcher said. Osaka International University Professor Mayumi Taniguchi, a gender studies expert, said the survey released last month was prompted by a recent and widely publicized case of alleged sexual mistreatment of a journalist by a senior fi-
The survey found the alleged harassers tended to choose victims who were more vulnerable and likely to be intimidated.
nance ministry official. She said 40 percent of the cases reportedly occurred at the (see SURVEY on 12)
Malaysia regrets having to end hunt for plane KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that Malaysia regretted having to end the search
for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and will consider resuming the hunt if any new information emerges.
The final search effort, focused on the seabed in the distant Indian Ocean, ended last week after more than three months. Malaysia had
Student, housewife are among the 15 terror suspects held in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian police said on June 1, they have detained another 15 suspected militants, including several foreigners, for smuggling firearms and plotting attacks on places of worship. National police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said six Malaysians, six Filipinos, a Bangladeshi restaurant owner and a couple from a north African country were detained between March and May. Among the Malaysians was a 17-year-old student who made six Molotov cocktails he planned to use against entertainment outlets, churches and Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur, Fuzi said. The student, a suspected Islamic State member, tested one of his devices in an open area and was detained in April, an hour after he produced a video on social media warning of the attacks, he said. The police chief said a 51-year-old Malaysian woman was held on May 9 during general elections for planning to ram a car into non-Muslims at a voting center. “In addition, the suspect also planned to drive into non-Muslim worship places using a car filled with gas cylinders as explosives,’’ he said. Fuzi’s statement said a 33-year-old Malaysian was detained after he was deported by Turkey for trying to slip into Syria to join the Islamic State. Two other Malay-
Hundreds of people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State have been detained in Malaysia in the past few years.
sians had planned to kidnap and kill police officers and also attack places of worship, it said. Fuzi said the African couple, both in their early 20s and suspected of having IS ties, were detained in April and since have been deported. Their specific home country wasn’t disclosed. The 41-year-old Bangladeshi was believed to be involved in smuggling weapons for terrorists. Another Malaysian and six Filipinos, aged between 22 and 49, were held in April in Sabah state on Borneo island for being part of a militant cell collecting firearms to wage “jihad’’ in Marawi city in the Philippines, he said. Marawi was the scene of a six-month militant siege last year. Hundreds of people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State have been detained in Malaysia in the past few years.
signed a “no cure, no fee’’ deal with U.S. technology company Ocean Infinity to resume the hunt in January, a year after the official
search by Australia, Malaysia and China was called off. (see PLANE on 12)
Creating Moves to Opportunity Creating Moves to Opportunity (CMTO) is a pilot project led by the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) and King County Housing Authority (KCHA) which aims to help families with Housing Choice Vouchers move to neighborhoods that improve their children’s opportunities for educational and economic success. CMTO provides families with an array of services including tenant education and support, landlord recruitment and expedited leasing services to achieve this goal. Research shows that where people live matters, especially for young children. Children who grow up in higher opportunity neighborhoods are likely to earn more money as adults and are more likely to attend college as compared to their peers who live outside of opportunity neighborhoods. InterIm CDA was selected to provide CMTO services to families referred by SHA and KCHA. A team of four new grant-funded staff were hired to form the CMTO Navigator Team. The CMTO grant period extends through the end of 2019 and will serve an estimated 700 families over the next two years. CMTO expands Interim CDA’s capacity as a community based organization to serve low income families with children in King County and Seattle. Learn more at www.creatingmoves.org InterIm CDA is overjoyed to be selected as the Community partner to provide these services through the CMTO program. We are excited about the possibilities through this project and proud to work together with our partners Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority.
— Pradeepta Upadhyay, InterIm CDA Executive Director
310 MAYNARD AVE. S. SEATTLE, WA 98104 206.624.1802 INFO@INTERIMICDA.ORG
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JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
36 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUN 7
GOODWILL’S LIVELY COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH LOCAL LEADERS ABOUT CHANGING REGION Rainier Arts Center 3515 S. Alaska St., Seattle 6 p.m. SUMMER MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:45 p.m.
8 - 10 NW NEW WORKS FESTIVAL 2018 On the Boards, 100 W. Roy St., Seattle June 8 at 8 p.m. June 9 at 5 p.m. June 10 at 5 p.m. ontheboards.org
(SUIT from 1) States District Court in Maryland by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, claims the decision to add a question asking people if they are U.S. citizens is motivated by racial animus. The groups say the question is intended to severely undercount minorities and immigrants, and to dilute their political representation and federal funding to their communities. The lawsuit cites comments
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THROUGH JULY 1
US-CHINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP FORUM Davis Wright Tremaine, 1201 Third Ave., Ste. 2200, Seattle 4 p.m. wscrc.org
AYAME KAI STEAK DINNER Seattle Buddhist Temple 1427 S. Main St., Seattle 3 p.m.
“GAINING INFLUENCEDEVELOPING LEADERS FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN PRIVATE, PUBLIC AND NON PROFIT SECTORS” WITH NAOMI IWATA SANCHEZ Keiro NW, 1601 E. Yesler, Seattle 6:30 p.m. Free admission Register at jaclsanchez. eventbrite.com
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DINNER AND AUCTION, “ENGAGE AND CHANGE THE WORLD,” WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKER LORI MATSUKAWA Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S. Massachusetts St., Seattle 4:30 p.m. tinyurl.com/engageandchange
VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY Les Gove Park, 910 9th St. SE, Auburn 11 a.m. honorvietnamvets.org
9 MAHOUTO MARKET Yesler Community Center 917 E. Yesler Way, Seattle 12 p.m.
TAIWANESE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL SIFF Cinema Uptown LIVE2DANCE PRESENTS DESI DETOUR Newport High School, Bellevue 6 p.m.
SAMOA CULTURAL WEEK Mt. Tahoma School Stadium, 4634 S. 74th St., Tacoma 10 a.m. apcc96.org
JUL 5-8
21 & 22
MINIDOKA PILGRIMAGE Twin Falls, Idaho minidokapilgrimage.org
86TH BON ODORI Seattle Buddhist Temple, 1427 S. Main St., Seattle 4 p.m.
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FRIENDS OF JAPAN GALA Meydenbauer Center 6 p.m. bit.ly/2sm36TR
TAIWANESE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL UW, Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall
made by Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and since his election, alleging that Trump and administration officials have expressed an intent “to target Latinos, Asian Americans and nonU.S. citizens.’’ The examples cited include a July 2015 interview on Fox News’ “Media Buzz’’ in which Trump said the Mexican government was “forcing their most unwanted people into the United States.’’ “They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.,’’ he said. The Justice Department has
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said reinstating the citizenship question “will allow the department to protect the right to vote and ensure free and fair elections for all Americans.’’ U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced in March that the census distributed to every U.S. household will include a citizenship question for the first time since 1950. Ross said then that the question was needed in part to help the government enforce the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 law that was intended to protect the political representation of minority
groups. Ross said it will provide a more accurate tally of votingeligible residents than is currently available from a smaller sampling survey that includes the citizenship question. But critics say the question will drive down already low census response rates among immigrants, reduce their political representation and rob their communities of federal money. Several other lawsuits have been filed challenging the citizenship question, including in New York and California, but this is the first believed to make a racial dis-
crimination claim, said Thomas Saenz, MALDEF’s president and general counsel. “We think there are good grounds for arguing and concluding that this was motivated specifically to target the Latino community and the Asian American community and to reduce their counts,’’ Saenz said. The U.S. Department of Commerce, named as a defendant in the lawsuit, declined to comment. The U.S. Census Bureau, also named as a defendant, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
View the solution on page 14
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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
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■ ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
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Parent-child relationships, loss, beauty, and forgiveness We spend more time researching food we want to eat, instead of the people who actually treat us. Researching our doctors and their backgrounds is actually in our control.” — Susan Lieu By Vivian Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Susan Lieu was just 11 years old when she saw her mother for the last time. That morning, Lieu and her mother, Phuong Ha, got into a fight — Lieu had been forbidden from trying out for the volleyball team. Distraught, Lieu told Ha she hated her. And with that, Ha set out for the day. On Sept. 27, 1996, Ha entered Dr. Leslie Moglen’s clinic in Santa Rosa, Calif. and planned to get three cosmetic surgeries done: a tummy tuck, nostril reduction, and a chin implant. At 38 years old, Ha was healthy with only one elective surgery done 12 years prior. Two hours into the operation, Ha went into respiratory arrest. The human brain suffers from permanent brain damage if it
goes longer than four minutes without oxygen. It was only after resuscitating Ha for 14 minutes that Moglen decided to call 911. Ha was brought to Mount Zion Medical Center in San Francisco, where she remained in a coma for five days before she died. The medical examiner stated the cause of death as unknown. According to the Washington Advocates for Patient Safety, 440,000 people die each year in the United States from preventable medical errors, such as doctors performing the wrong surgery. It is currently the third leading cause of death in the country. UNCOVERING HER MOTHER’S STORY It wasn’t until Lieu was older that she discovered more about Moglen’s past. Facts like how he’d been on probation at the time of her mother’s surgery, how he didn’t have
Susan Lieu with a photo of her mom.
medical insurance and no American company would ensure him, or that there were 24 lawsuits against him for botched plastic surgery. This research was not done by Ha. Instead, Ha was familiar with Moglen’s status in the Bay Area’s Vietnamese community. As a trained hand surgeon, Moglen volunteered for civilian medical duty during the Vietnam War. Upon his return, Moglen advertised his skills in local Asianlanguage newspapers and offered free reconstructive surgery to those who had fought in the war. This targeted advertising, said Lieu, earned him goodwill and a favored reputation among local Vietnamese. After pursuing degrees at Harvard University and Yale University, Lieu still felt she had unfinished business with her mother’s death. Despite her academic achievements and years separated from the incident, Moglen was still on her mind. “I still felt powerless in that part of my life’s history,” said Lieu. “With all my contacts, maturity, and privilege, I wondered: Could I have changed anything given what I know and who I am now? Would it have been different?” Though Lieu holds a master’s in business administration and currently works as a consultant, she’s always been a natural performer. Lieu has performed stand-up comedy at historic comedy clubs across the country, including the Purple Onion in San Francisco and Caroline’s on Broadway in New York City. But it wasn’t until her time at Jet City Improv in Seattle that her penchant for performing and her family tragedy collided. When asked to give an impromptu speech during an improv class, Lieu instantly knew what she wanted to talk about. She prefaced her turn with, “I don’t want to sound like a Greek tragedy, but I’m here to avenge my mother’s death.” What followed was a 5-minute speech that dissected her feelings about Ha’s death. This experience, coupled with the opportunity to perform a 25-minute solo show
Phuong Ha
at Pocket Theater, encouraged Lieu to dig deeper into what happened to her family. Lieu also discovered that theater was her niche. “I’m in my power of storytelling when I can weave in emotional capital,” she said of the discipline. “I’m not obligated to get laughs the way I am with comedy — I can focus more on the message I want to share. That was big for me.” PATIENT ADVOCACY THROUGH PERFORMANCE Debuting November 2017, Lieu’s first show is referred to informally as Episode 1, which focused on the juxtaposition of young Lieu and her present 32-year-old self. A second show, Episode 2, explored the good and bad in Ha’s life, as well as (see 140LBS on 16)
asianweekly northwest
8
36 YEARS
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
A-POP! ALL THINGS ASIAN-Y IN POP CULTURE
By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
I HATE STAR WARS. I’M SCARED SAYING THAT OUT LOUD. SO I’M GOING TO RUN AWAY AND HIDE NOW.
Hi, guys! This month in pop culture news, we have it all. We have research that flies in the face of decades of racist conventional wisdom. We have an Asian dream team coming together to make what will hopefully be the best romantic comedy there ever has been. We have sex cult stuff. And we also have a Vietnamese American actor who was driven off of social media because — guess why! — people were racist dicks to her. I know, I want to go back to bed and hibernate there for a while, too. ASIAN DRIVERS ARE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD DRIVERS, YOU RACISTS I’m a pretty conservative and cautious driver because I have anxiety about driving — which I think is pretty reasonable because car accidents are the leading cause (see APOP on 15)
KELLY MARIE TRAN
RANDALL PARK
ALI WONG
DANIEL DAE KIM
KEANU REEVES
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ HUMOR
9
e h t d n a f e h c r e t s a m e Th a t s a p g n i s s i m e h t f o e s ca : S D L R O W S ’ E N Y WA MILY A F T U O B A N M A COLU
By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY I am a master chef. That’s the only conclusion I can come to after what happened yesterday, which I’ll get to. It doesn’t matter that I’ve never been a chef in a renowned restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter. It doesn’t matter that instead of taking the time to precisely measure ingredients for a given recipe, I tend to eyeball it and just think, “That’s a good amount of that.” It doesn’t even matter that I’ve come to the conclusion that substituting bacon for any ingredient seems to make the recipe better, regardless of what that missing ingredient is. No parmesan cheese for my vegetarian pasta dish? I’ll just sprinkle a little
bacon on top… No, the reason I know that I am a master chef is because over the last week, someone has literally stolen food I’ve made, three times! And if someone is going to steal food, then I really must be doing something right. Let me count the ways. THEFT #1: THE CASE OF THE MISSING BUNS A few days ago, it was up to me to get our three kids out of bed and ready for school. After waking the kids, the next thing I do is look in the freezer and find that we have a bag of pork and vegetable buns that simply need to be steamed or microwaved to be served. My daughter Savannah is the first to come out, and sits at her place at the table, looking very cute in
an oversized sweatshirt and white pants. I put a steamed bun on three separate plates, and place one in front of Savannah, and the other two at the table to be ready when the boys come out. I then go back into the kitchen to wash the steaming pot I used. A few minutes later, I go back to the dining table and notice that Savannah is nearly done with her bun, but the buns on the other two plates are gone, even though the boys have yet to emerge from their bedrooms. “What the heck happened to the
and see Ally, our golden retriever, wagging her tail, suspiciously licking her lips as I go over to place the buns on the table, as she no doubt views as “round number two.” THEFT #2: THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING PASTA
other two buns?” I asked. My little girl stared back blankly, mouth still stuffed with her bun. I go back to the boy’s room, and see that they’re still busy putting on their clothes. As I finished steaming two more buns, I look over to the side
Yesterday, my wife Maya had a video conference at 5 p.m., so it was up to me to make dinner for the kids. I made chicken and pasta, and as before, I served it on three plates. My son Ethan was in his room and I hadn’t called him out for dinner. I think he was taking a nap. Our other son, Tyler, (see WAYNE on 11)
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asianweekly northwest
10
36 YEARS
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
The Korean community reflects on U.S.-N. Korea Summit WILL GO TO?) E IZ R P L E B O N E H T (AND
By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Screencap from a Telegraph report
On June 12, President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un of People’s Republic of Korea will meet face to face in Singapore. What can you expect happening after such a historic meeting? What’s going on behind the scenes? “Korea has not been in the spotlight much (since the Winter Olympics), but this time, the world will be watching,“ said Michael Park, former mayor of Federal Way and former chair of Seattle‘s chapter of National Unification Advisory Council, consisting of about 60 members. He estimated there are 70,000 to 80,000 Koreans living in Washington state. Korean Americans wonder if the Korean War will end after more than 70 years. Will Trump and Kim both smile after the summit? Will reunification between North and South Korea speed up? Will the people of North Korea get food supplies quickly? Do you think China, Russia, and Japan will support the reunification? And who deserves the Nobel Prize? Trump? Kim? Or President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea? “The Korean community is excited and hopeful about the summit,“ said Korean American Buwon Brown. “We have been
waiting for good news for a long time. No matter what happens, we need to work it out for reunification. I like to see the reunification, just like East and West Germans.” Although Brown‘s husband is Caucasian, he speaks fluent Korean and has taught in South Korea. He said, “It‘s time. At some point, [after many failed attempts,] we have to move on and make it happen.“ Ron and his wife were in South Korea during the inter-Korean summit in April. It‘s interesting that Koreans look at the upcoming summit as part of a development, rather than a new item, Ron said.
Flying over East Asia, the International Space Station took this night image of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea is almost completely dark compared to neighboring South Korea and China.
Seungja Song, another Korean American, said she is concerned with human rights violations in North Korea. She is heartbroken whenever she watches mainstream and Korean television networks showing North Koreans suffer terribly from malnutrition. They were forced to dig up roots to quell their hunger. Park reminded us that not too long ago, North Korea was still hostile to the West, and Kim‘s shift in attitude was due to Moon’s efforts. So he welcomed Kim’s shift in attitude with his willingness to meet with Trump.
Photo from Capella Sentosa Hotel
Security detail around Kim’s limo at the inter-Korean Summit
The hotel where Trump and Kim will meet
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HOW MAJOR POWERS DOMINATE IN KOREA The issue of North Korea can‘t be solved by one country because of Korea’s history, said Buwon. From Japan to China, Russia to United States, they all want to control the Peninsula, said Park. Its history is as complex and messy as the Middle East, with all major powers fighting to have its influence. Because of Korea’s strategic location, Japan invaded and occupied it in 1910 until surrendering in World War II. During the Korean War, China and Russia were involved. Russia had occupied North Korea after World War II just as the Americans did, and now in South Korea. And Russia built North Korea’s nuclear scientific research center in 1963. Presently, Japan, Russia, and China are in conflicts themselves due to territorial rights of some islands. Park said Russia and China are likely to oppose reunification of North and South Korea for fear of one strong Korea nation. “South Korea has the know-how and technology and North Korea has natural resources. If they join together, it will be a threat to all powers concerned,” said Park. Despite South Korea’s relatively small size, it ranks first in the world for fastest internet speed, beating Switzerland (No. 2), the United States, and other Asian countries. Japan might not oppose reunification because it likes to have support from South Korea when fighting with Russia and China for the islands’ territorial claims, according to Park. Before his meeting with the United States, Kim visited China twice to ask for guidance. Russia has invited Kim to visit in September. Also, South Korea sent delegations to Japan, Russia, and China in April to ask for support and advice, and President
Moon personally visited Trump, for communication and coordination of the meeting for Kim and Trump. KIM, MOON, AND TRUMP Park said Trump also wants to do what other U.S. presidents have been unable to achieve, hence the summit with North Korea. I suspect that’s Trump’s key motivation. It will be the first meeting ever between a U.S. president and North Korean leader, and the first between the two countries. Imagine the everlasting spotlight Trump and Kim will receive. America has made the mistake once by giving up North Korea, said Park. General MacArthur wanted to go to North Korea during the Korean War, but President Franklin Roosevelt declined. This time, America won’t make the same mistake, he said. Moon has studied not only Kim, but Trump. He recognizes both leaders are unpredictable, childish at times, and have big egos, said Park. And Moon plays them well to advance his goal. “Trump wants to take credit for everything,” said Brown. Moon gives credit generously to Trump for pushing the summit. Several back channels were used to bring the Koreas and the United States together, said Park, including the CIA. NORTH AND SOUTH The spark which brought North and South Korea together began years ago when the South Korean government invited the North to participate in the Winter Olympics. Kim had invited Moon to meet through his sister during the Olympics, and (SEE BLOG ON 16)
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ EDITORIAL
11
The Best person for the job
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The news release about the announcement of the top three finalists for the Seattle police chief job stated that it would happen on a Friday afternoon before the threeday Memorial Day weekend. That meant three days of government offices being closed, and no one to take calls from the media. It was clear to me then that Carmen Best would not be one of the names. Best is a 26-year veteran and widely respected in the Asian community. Best who’s been interim police chief since the last chief (Kath-
(WAYNE cont’d from 9) and Savannah were seated at the table with Ethan’s plate of food in between them. As I did before, I went back to the kitchen to clean up, and when I went back, I saw that Tyler and Savannah were nearly done, but Ethan’s food was gone, and he was still in his room. Having learned my lesson, I looked for Ally and noticed that she was asleep in the living room. Having narrowed down the culprit to one of Ethan’s siblings, I decided to let it go and put more food on Ethan’s plate.
leen O’Toole) resigned. Best who promised us that “Justice for Donnie (Chin) is justice for the whole community.” Best who has met our community face-to-face and kept us apprised of the investigation since Chin’s murder in 2015. Oh, and she happens to be a woman. And a person of color. When the City announced its three finalists on May 25, all of whom are from out-of-state, search committee co-chair Tim Burgess said he believed the Seattle Police Department (SPD) needed an outsider chief to address ongoing structural issues. It was “less a decision about Carmen Best and more a decision about what the institution needs
Apparently not having learned my lesson, I left the dining room for no more than 30 seconds only to discover that either Tyler or Savannah had done it again! This time, I brought Ethan out, put more food on his plate, and sat there watching him eat it, like a security guard protecting a bank’s daily cash deposits. Which brings me to: THEFT #3: THE CASE OF THE TELEVISED FOOD HEIST During the same meal I had
(BEIJING from 4) Trade analysts say the Trump team should be enlisting its allies to present a united front to China. After all, U.S. friends like Japan and the European Union share many of the same gripes about China. They decry rampant theft of intellectual property and Chinese overproduction, which has flooded world markets with cheap steel and aluminum. And in fact, U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, Japan’s economics minister, Hiroshige Seko, and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom did issue a vague statement from Paris urging unidentified countries to do more to protect intellectual property and to reduce overcapacity. But the U.S. undermined the alliance by slapping key allies and trading partners — Canada, Mexico and the EU — with tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. All vowed to retaliate by penalizing American products. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, noting that Canadians and Americans have been allies for 150 years and fought and died together in World War II and in Afghanistan, took a shot at the Trump team: “Americans remain our partners, friends, and allies,’’ Trudeau said. “This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point their common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the
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going forward,” Burgess said. Is Best to blame for the “ongoing structural issues?” While she’s been with the SPD for 26 years, she’s been in charge since only December. We haven’t given her enough time to turn things around. Best had tremendous support both outside and inside the department. Kevin Stuckey, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said in a letter that Best was the second-highest ranking member of the SPD as the department reached compliance with reforms set forth by the Department of Justice and that she provided the leadership needed to change the culture.
just made for the kids, I made a plate of food for Maya as well and left it on the kitchen counter so that she could eat it after her conference call. But, seeing what Tyler or Savannah was doing with Ethan’s food, I figured leaving the food on the kitchen counter was just asking them to swipe it again. So, I picked up Maya’s plate, and walked over to her office, opened the office door, and placed the plate on the counter behind Maya. Maya was seated at her desk, speaking to a group of people on video conference,
U.S. administration.’’ Now, the U.S. is turning to Beijing and to a standoff that has taken some confusing turns. Last month, the administration proposed tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports to punish China for forcing U.S. companies to hand over technology in exchange for access to its market. President Donald Trump later ordered his top trade negotiator to seek up to an additional $100 billion in Chinese products to tax. China responded by targeting $50 billion in U.S. products, including soybeans — a shot at Trump supporters in America’s heartland. Rising tensions be-
“For former Mayor Burgess to downplay this achievement is an insult to each and every member of the department who has achieved so much in such a short amount of time,” Stuckey wrote. Mayor Jenny Durkan will interview each candidate in the coming weeks, and the candidate she nominates will be confirmed by the Seattle City Council. There is some precedent for the mayor to ignore the recommendations of a search committee. Norm Rice did it in 1994, when he selected Norm Stamper, despite his committee’s choices. Durkan, are you listening to what your community wants? Best is the best person for the job.
and I placed the food behind her on the cabinets. OK. Mission accomplished. Everyone is fed, and I could head off to do whatever I had to do and no one would be swiping any more food. Except... As Maya is making a presentation and undoubtedly saying something truly profound, the folks on the conference call sees some activity behind Maya on the countertop, whereby a certain golden retriever is standing on her hind legs and proceeds to grab an entire chicken quarter off
tween the world’s two biggest economies alarmed investors and business leaders. But they breathed a sigh of relief earlier when the U.S. and China declared a cease-fire after talks in Washington. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said then that the trade war was “on hold.’’ And the tariffs were suspended after China agreed to “substantially reduce’’ its trade surplus with America by buying more U.S. products. The truce didn’t last long. Trump, facing criticism from some in Congress for cozying up to Beijing, renewed his threat to impose the tariffs on China. His hardline trade adviser,
Carmen Best
Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.
the plate and begin devouring it, in front of a live audience. As Maya is attempting to make a serious point, her video conference partners begin cracking up by watching a mini episode of “Wild Kingdom” on their computer screens. If that doesn’t prove that I’m a master chef, I don’t know what does. Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Peter Navarro, charged that Mnuchin’s conciliatory comments about China were “an unfortunate sound bite.’’ Critics say the administration should be picking its trade fights far more judiciously. “This is dumb,’’ said Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska. “Europe, Canada and Mexico are not China, and you don’t treat allies the same way you treat opponents.’’ “There’s still a risk that this escalates into a trade war,’’ Levy said. “Our allies and partners are going to be pressured by China to take their side. In this environment, it’s hard for them for to be very pro-U.S.’’
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asianweekly northwest
12
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
(BEACH from 5) unspoiled view of Maya Bay’s emerald waters and glistening white sand has ended. The attraction is closed for four months to give its coral reefs and sea life a chance to recover. Thailand has promoted unfettered tourism for decades and the onslaught on Maya Bay, which is on Phi Phi Leh Island in the Andaman Sea, has only picked up pace in recent years. Authorities now say they are striving to balance profit and conservation and the closure will happen every year. It is part of a rethink happening globally about unrestricted tourism that brings in big dollars but damages historic sites, harms the environment and often alienates locals. In April, the Philippines began a sixmonth closure of popular Boracay Island, whose waters President Rodrigo Duterte described as a “cesspool.” Venice, the famed Italian lagoon city that lives off tourism, installed gates at two access bridges during a four-day holiday in April so it could turn back visitors if numbers became overwhelming. Many of Thailand’s marine national parks are closed from mid-May to midOctober during the monsoon season but (SURVEY from 5) journalists’ workplaces and the remainder involved their news sources and others. The April 21-30 survey was conducted shortly after the No. 2 finance ministry official resigned after being accused of making sexually suggestive remarks to a reporter, which he denied. Repeated remarks by Finance Minister Taro Aso and other top officials that the reporter might have tried to trap the man infuriated women’s groups. The survey found the alleged harassers
(PLANE from 5) Mahathir said Malaysia has come to a stage “where we cannot keep on searching for something we really cannot find.’’ “If anybody has any information, we will consider resuming the search but at the moment we have to put a stop to the search,’’ he told a news conference. “We regret very much and we understand the feelings of the relatives but we cannot keep on searching for this 370 forever.’’
36 YEARS
because of Maya Bay’s popularity, it hasn’t had a break since a Hollywood crew set foot on its sands in 1999 to film the dark backpacker tale based on a novel by Alex Garland. Its corals have been decimated by the suffocating clouds of sand and sediment churned up by speedboats. “I tried to push this campaign for many, many years, but you know in Thailand we are a tourism industry country and we need a lot of money, so before not so many people listened,” said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine biologist and member of a government committee on development and the environment. “It should have been done 10 years ago but at least it has been done,” he said. Thailand had about 35 million international visitors last year, a five-fold increase in little more than two decades. Shi Pengfei, among the last tourists to visit Maya Bay before its closure, said he had no idea that there would be so many people on the beach. “I feel that there are so many people here,” said Shi, from Henan, China. “The government’s plan to close off the beach for a few months is only natural because the ocean needs a break, a chance to recover, so that the next generation can have a better and even more beautiful destination.”
But locals aren’t entirely happy. The head of the Phi Phi Tourist Business Association, Watrapol Jantharo, said he was surprised when the closure was announced in March by Thailand’s National Parks and Wildlife Department. He said locals were under the impression that Maya Bay would only be closed to boats, while visitors would still walk to the bay from the other side of the island. “We are not against protecting our environment,” he said. “We know full well that Maya Bay is our important resource, like a rice field to a farmer, but we wish there are more communications about the government’s plan before the decision was made.” Thon, however, said the plan was discussed with locals for three years before a decision was made. “In the past, we made some mistake because we think that the money is very important. But now we are trying to change our idea,” he said. Overseas visitors are “very important to our country, but the most important thing is our national resource. We have to preserve and hand it to the next generation.” The government has set a limit of 2,000 tourists a day when the bay reopens — about half the current number. Boats will no longer be allowed to anchor but must
dock on the opposite side of the island. “Now that the government has this plan, we can’t change it. But we could use this opportunity to tell the world that we do not just have Maya Bay. There are 10 other beautiful beaches and islands around here that tourists can enjoy,” said Watrapol. Thailand’s efforts to protect certain islands after decades of unregulated tourism began about three years ago under the current military junta, which has banned the types of protests such moves may have sparked had they been announced by civilian governments. Yoong Island, part of the Phi Phi island chain, and Tachai Island in the Similan Islands National Park, have been off-limits to tourists since mid-2016. Thon, who surveyed both islands recently, said he was amazed by the results. Waters that were devoid of fish are now teeming, he said, and there is about 107,600 square feet of newly recovered coral off one of the islands. At Maya Bay, park rangers have been preparing a coral propagation program, attaching it to rocks that will be placed in the bay once the tourists are gone. “We’re almost certain that something good will happen in Maya Bay,” Thon said.
tended to choose victims who were more vulnerable and likely to be intimidated. In one case, Taniguchi said, a female reporter in her 30s at a national newspaper reported that the police chief at the location where she was assigned repeatedly made lewd remarks to her and that fellow reporters were aware but tolerated them. She said a younger reporter at another newspaper developed depression and quit her job. She said in another case, a national newspaper reporter also in her 30s was forcibly kissed and had her breasts touched by a
source in a local election she was covering who was supposed to give her vote counts. She called a male reporter from another newspaper for help. Taniguchi said the survey shows some women are beginning to speak out in a sign of a growing (hash)MeToo movement in Japan, but that others are hesitant to do so because of pressure from supervisors or fear of losing their sources. Gender equality in Japan has lagged behind most advanced countries and victims of sexual misconduct can be criticized for
speaking out and embarrassing influential men. Many of the women surveyed said they participated in the hope of preventing younger reporters from suffering similar mistreatment. “I believe this is their sisterhood, and this is what the (hash)MeToo movement is about,’’ Taniguchi said, adding that more efforts are still needed. “I hope everyone takes sexual harassment and (hash)MeToo movement more seriously and tackles the problems.’’
The plane vanished with 239 people on board on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Confirmed debris that washed ashore in the western Indian Ocean helped narrow the search area where Ocean Infinity focused. The company said the search covered more than 43,000 square miles of ocean floor — an area more than four times larger than the zone targeted by experts as the most likely crash site — but failed to uncover any evidence in one of the world’s
biggest aviation mysteries. Ocean Infinity stood to be paid $70 million if it had found the wreckage or black boxes. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the international safety investigation team is expected to finalize and release its final report on the case by July. Loke said the government remains “ever hopeful that we will be able to find the answers we seek and new information will come to light and that at some point in the
future, the aircraft will be located.’’ Voice370, a support group for next-ofkin, has said Malaysia’s new government had given the families no information about what would happen next. Its spokeswoman, Grace Nathan, has urged Malaysia not to give up, saying the fact that the current search failed to find any clue meant there was more reason to reinvestigate and reevaluate the case.
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
■ ASTROLOGY
13
Predictions and advice for the week of June 9–15, 2018 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — A sudden illumination allows you to see a better path forward. Start your journey before the light dims.
Dragon — No matter how big the project, adequate preparation is the key to getting it done faster with a higher degree of accuracy.
Monkey — Is someone trying to get a certain reaction from you? If you don’t want to play the game, then think carefully about your response, or lack thereof.
Ox — An unexpected response causes you some concern this week. Try not to read too much into it unless there is a good reason to do so.
Snake — Don’t wait for lack of rest to catch up with you. Carve out time to give yourself a chance to recharge.
Rooster — If your task is to turn a shared space into a place that is more comfortable for all, avoid too much personalization for any one individual.
Tiger — Are you putting in more time into something than you initially intended? Your investment should pay off down the road.
Horse — You are in your element when asked to draw upon your creativity. Whether for work or play, it is important to pay attention to this part of you.
Dog — You may not receive credit for what you did right away, but eventually your actual contributions will be recognized.
Rabbit — A departure from what you are normally accustomed to might be slightly uncomfortable at first, but that should pass very quickly.
Goat — Do you feel as though you are stuck in an all too familiar pattern? Recognizing it is the first step towards breaking free.
Pig — A sense of purpose has set within you, making you a force to be reckoned with. Get those last few projects done now.
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.
(TRUMP from 1) that he was “very perplexed by the situation,” and added that “it is very regrettable that the North Korea-U.S. summit will not be held on June 12,” according to Yonhap News Agency. A statement from South Korean presidential representative Kim Eui-kyeom directly hinted at international confusion in the wake of Trump’s cancellation. “We are attempting to make sense of what, precisely, President Trump means,” said Eui-kyeom. The repercussions of this recent development has undeniably impacted Seattle residents with ties to the three countries involved. “I definitely am disappointed because I think that a successful North Korea and United States summit would be crucial to ensuring peace in the Korean Peninsula, given that this conflict was never really one between North Korea and South Korea,” said Korean Seattle resident Nayon Park. “But some things that we can be hopeful about is that the Moon administration has shown its commitment
(SPELLING from 1) that he wouldn’t have had before this year. “I didn’t really think I’d be able to do it,” the soft-spoken winner said. “I had confidence that I could do it, but I honestly didn’t realistically think it could happen.” Karthik’s victory on May 31 put the spotlight back onto the story of this bee week — the new wild-card program that Scripps launched to give a chance to spellers like him, who have to compete against some of the nation’s best spellers at the local level. Karthik is from McKinney, Texas. His family moved there specifically so he could go to a school that takes part in the Scripps program. Naysa is from Frisco, less than 15 miles to the west. And third-place finisher Abhijay Kodali lives in Flower Mound, another 40 miles west. Naysa knocked off Abhijay in the Dallas regional bee after topping Karthik in their county bee. The region is one of a few that sponsors two spellers for a trip to nationals. The wild cards had to pay their own way — a $750 entry fee, plus the costs of travel to Washington and lodging. “I don’t care,” said Karthik’s father, Krishna Nemmani. “I know his caliber.” Like many top spellers, Karthik was a precocious pre-
to open dialogue and will continue to do so, and Kim Jong Un has also responded to this call to come out to the table, not to mention that he’s a pretty personable character who’s capable of a reasonable discourse.” Tyler Chung, a Korean American Seattleite, had different sentiments. “Two seemingly unstable people who came into power by little talent of their own are playing games with what can potentially destabilize not only the region with the nuclear situation, but the rest of the globe now tying in the trade situation with China. There is no art in this deal, not even good old-fashioned horse trading. The leaders in the region need to get involved. How will we get anything done with these two in a bilateral agreement?” However, as of May 27, Trump appeared to have taken back his cancellation — if not ignoring it outright — informing reporters that “we’re looking at June 12 in Singapore. That hasn’t changed,” in spite of him announcing so in the May 24 letter, according to CNN. The announcement arrived shortly after South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s surprise meeting with His Ex-
cellency Kim Jong Un on May 27, sharing that “what is unclear to Chairman Kim Jong Un is not the will for denuclearization, but the concern that if [North Korea] denuclearizes, whether the U.S. can end hostile relations and guarantee the security of the (Kim) regime,” said Jae-in, according to CNN. Axios reported that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced on June 4 that Trump’s June 12 meeting with Jong Un in Singapore will be at 9 a.m. local time. American viewers can tune in on June 11 at 9 p.m. EST. Sanders acknowledged that the administration’s “policy hasn’t changed” in regards to Pyongyang, and did not use the term “maximum pressure” when referring to North Korea and U.S. relations, after Trump said last week that he wished to avoid it as both countries are "getting along now." The situation is still developing, with concerns from both sides on the over-accelerated approach to negotiations, and tentative hopes for peace.
schooler — he arranged block letters to spell “horse” at age 3 and won his first spelling bee at 4 1/2, his dad said. His winning word was “koinonia,” which means Christian fellowship or communion. He knew that one. He also knew the word Naysa missed. But he didn’t pretend to be infallible, saying there were about eight or nine words in the prime-time finals he didn’t know — a rare admission for a champion. “She’s a really, really good speller. She deserved the trophy as much as I did,” Karthik said of Naysa. “I got lucky.” Karthik is the 14th South Asian champion or co-champion in 11 consecutive years in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. 19 of the past 23 winners have had South Asian heritage. He takes home more than $42,000 in cash and prizes. His win was also a triumph for the burgeoning industry of spelling coaches — high-schoolers who’ve aged out of competition but share their wisdom with younger competitors, for a steep fee. He thanked his coach, 16-year-old Grace Walters, who had her own star-crossed history of never quite getting to the Scripps stage. Karthik also used study materials compiled by two wellregarded former Scripps spellers and fellow Texans, Shobha Dasari and her younger brother, Shourav, who finished fourth last year and won nearly every other bee he compet-
ed in. Six of the 16 top finishers, including Naysa, studied the Dasaris’ hand-picked lists of more than 100,000 words. “It definitely makes us feel great,” 17-year-old Shobha said. Naysa, who does taekwondo and performs stand-up comedy, will have to regroup after a bitter defeat and try again next year. She’ll be in eighth grade, which is the final school year that spellers are eligible. She first competed in the bee as a cherubic 9-year-old. After her defeat, she was swarmed by dozens of current and former spellers who wished her well, smiling throughout. “She was just as graceful as she could be,” bee program manager Corrie Loeffler said. Her close friend, Jashun Paluru of West Lafayette, Indiana, finished fourth, spelling with flair and spending most of his time in between words chatting animatedly with Naysa. Karthik, for his part, took no pleasure in vanquishing a familiar foe. “I wouldn’t say it was revenge,” he said. “We weren’t against each other. We were against the dictionary.”
(HOMES from 3) But the data is not on a per capita basis. Asian American homeownership rates may be high partially because homeownership is measured at the household level. “Many Asian households tend to live in multigenerational households at a higher rate, and it shows up as a higher homeownership rate,” Painter said. Young Asian American adults, he added, were more likely to live in households with their parents before establishing fi nancial independence, skipping the rental stage and jumping straight to homeownership. Specifically, the research found that differences in
Sophia can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
homeownership among Asian Americans could mostly be explained by factors, such as education, income, and head of household numbers. However, there was one outlier in the group — Chinese Americans. “We found that even after controlling for what part of China you came from, or another part of Asia, there still remained a higher homeownership among Chinese than other Asian groups,” Painter said. The explanation for this could again be a higher tendency for nuclear familial living arrangements, as well as cultural influence, community fi nancial lending practices, and investment from immigrant families back home.
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14
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
36 YEARS
The Seattle Fire Department is hiring!
Apply online between April 17th and June 12th at SeattleFireJobs.com The Seattle Fire Department is a national leader in responding to and preventing emergencies with a commitment to excellence and teamwork. We seek a diverse workforce who embrace the following values: integrity, teamwork, compassion, courage and diversity. Entry-level Firefighter Benefits • $72,000+ starting salary • Training provided hire King Countyupon Housing Authority ADVERTISEMENT • Career advancement opportunities • Excellent benefits, including family medical and dental
* 600 ANDOVER PARK WEST * SEATTLE, WA 98188 ( Insertion Order )
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Apartments, 26435 104th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030; and 2:00 PM – Meadows on Lea Hill Apartments, 12505 SE 312th St, Auburn, WA 98092. The Bid packets are available for download on KCHA’s website at http://www.kcha.org/business/construction/open/. This will be a Sealed Bid; all Bids must be received in a Sealed Envelope marked as “Bid Documents: Asphalt Replacement at Multiple Properties”. All Bids must be received and time and date stamped at KCHA no later than the stated due date and time. No Bids will be accepted after that date and time. No Fax or Email Bids will be accepted For questions, please contact Cristy Thompson via email at cristyt@kcha.org or phone at 206.574.1232. The estimate is $1,040,529.00.
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Asphalt Replacement at Multiple Properties
ENTER: PROJECT NAME
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Salary Range: $153,814.75 - $194,969.01 (DOQ) PACKET COST: and: WEB SITE INFO:
The Metropolitan King County Council is seeking a dynamic leader to PROJECT MANAGER and/or PHONE or EMAIL: manage the King County Council’s policy staff team and ensure staffing and policy endeavors are consistent with the Council’s vision for Equity and Social Justice. The Director of Legislative Analysis will develop and administer analytical standards for staff, as well as assign staff to policy and budget topics. Policy staff support the Council in fulfilling its mission to set policies, enacts laws and adopt budgets that guide an array of regional services for the residents of King County. The ideal candidate will be a practiced manager, adept at policy, providing and presenting impartial analysis, politics and relationships. To apply online, go to www.kingcounty.gov/jobs A King County application is required to be considered for this opportunity. Interested applicants must complete the supplemental questions and submit a resume and letter of interest with your application. Senior Planner Snoqualmie Casino Dealer Trainee School PSRC is seeking a Senior Planner Snoqualmie Casino is offering a for the Growth Management Plan- FREE on site Dealer School. The ning Division. Please see our job school is for new first time dealers. announcement at www.psrc.org. Learn to deal, pass the class, audiPSRC is an Equal Opportunity tion, and begin making $27.00/HR Employer. (Base wage + Tips/Tokes)! Apply via our website: http://www. snocasino.com/about/careers/
King County Housing Authority (KCHA) is seeking qualified contractors interested in submitting Bids for the asphalt replacement at multiple properties in King County. Work includes 2-inch grinding and asphalt replacement and curb replacement at locations indicated on the plans and marked at the properties and other work described in project manual. There is an optional pre-bid meeting at the properties beginning on June 19th, 2018; the meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. at Gilman Square Apartments, 360 NW Dogwood St, Issaquah, WA 98027; 12:00 PM – Woodside East Apartments, 16240 NE 14th St, Bellevue, WA 98008; 1:00 PM – Cascadian Apartments, 15517 NE 12th St, Bellevue, WA 98007; and 2:00 PM – Newporter Apartments, 5900 119th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98006. The next five properties will be viewed on June 20th, 2018 at 10:00 AM – Aspen Ridge Apartments, 12601 68th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98178; 11:00 AM – Woodridge Park Apartments, 12400 28th Ave S, Burien, WA 98168; 12:00 PM – Windsor Heights Apartments, 17229 32nd Ave S, SeaTac, WA 98188; 1:00 PM – Carriage House Apartments, 3602 S 180th St, SeaTac, WA 98188; and 2:00 PM – Abbey Ridge Apartments, 3035 S. 204th St, SeaTac, WA 98198. The final four properties will be viewed on June 21st, 2018 at 11:00 AM Fairwood Apartments, 14300 SE 171st Way, Renton, WA 98058; 12:00 PM – Southwood Square Apartments, 26224 106th Place Pl SE, Kent, WA 98030; 1:00 PM – Parkwood
EMPLOYMENT
Outdoor Research is hiring experienced fulltime sewing operators, especially Flatseam, Coverstitch, and Single needle machine operators. This position will be eligible for medical insurance and paid vacation benefits. Please come apply in person at 2203 1st Ave S. Seattle, WA 98134 or fax resume to 206-467-0374 or email jobs@orgear.com
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Service Directory Just $10 a week! Check below for more info. Must run 12 weeks for $120. Call 206-223-0623
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
(APOP cont’d from 8) of death in young people, worldwide. Driving a car is like driving a bomb, so yeah, I am totally that person that waits extra nervously for the entire road to clear out before I make a proper left turn. I have received so much crap over the years from friends and cousins who have been in a car with me. They tell me I’m a “bad driver” for taking the preservation of their lives so freaking seriously. They roll their eyes and tell me I drive slow even though I am driving five miles over the speed limit, and I am like, “Dude, I am already low-key breaking the law. What else do you want from me!” And sometimes, someone will intimate to me that I drive the way I do because I’m Asian. To be clear, about 99 percent of people who have insulted me by calling me an Asian driver have been Asian (the other 1 percent is the random bold white person who is def being racist.). Asians are kind of offended that I’m not repping the race properly because I don’t treat my commute down I-5 like I’m racing for my life and busting criminals like I think I’m Dominic Toretto (that’s a “Fast and Furious” reference, for you nonfans.). I’ve spent years railing against these dumb, misguided jerks, and now I have data to back it up. Last month, Augusta Press ran, “Mythbusting the ‘Bad Asian Driver’ myth: Car insurance rates don’t lie,” which showed that actuarial data — an insane amount of information that analysts pore over — show that “Asians are actually very skillful drivers,” and that our fatality rate is at least three times lower than any other ethnic/racial group. I know what you’re thinking. Yeah, you’re right. I need to get new friends. DREAMBOATS KEANU REEVES AND DANIEL DAE KIM ARE JOINING “ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE,” SUPER ASIAN AMERICAN MOVIE “Always Be My Maybe” is also known as the Ali Wong and Randall Park rom-com that is due out on Netflix sometime in the next year or so. The movie is about childhood sweethearts who have a falling out and don’t speak for 15 years. And then they reconnect and probably fall in love. I am an unashamed and unabashed fan of romantic comedies, so I pretty much want to squeeze a puppy to death waiting for this to come out. It’s unclear what roles Reeves and Kim will play, but I hope that
(PRINCIPAL FROM 1) advantage of the students’ vulnerability and targeted them based on their race, religion, national origin, or immigration status. On June 5, Britsova released a statement: “After much reflection, I have decided not to return to Seattle World School for the 2018-19 school year. My leave begins immediately.” Since May 12, 2018, numerous community members reported to the VFA that Britsova threatened
15
OTHER TIDBITS
Say what you will about rom-coms — but you do not see Nancy Meyers fans threatening to burn down buildings because Ali Wong is playing a woman who falls in love with a dude in super cute but slightly contrived circumstances. Reeves repeats what he did in “Something’s Gotta Give” — he was the other man! Gasp! He was the charming boyfriend that the protagonist, Diane Keaton, leaves in order to be with “the one,” Jack Nicholson. Oh, and just because he’s ambiguous, I should remind you that Reeves is Hapa, of white and also native Hawaiian and Chinese descent. And I hope Kim either plays a cop, a bad guy character, or Park’s bff. BTW, aren’t we totally glad that Kim quit “Hawaii Five-0” in order to do these types of coolass projects? This film is directed by Nahnatchka Khan, the creator of “Fresh Off the Boat.” Park, Wong, and Michael Golamco wrote the script. QUEEN DAENERYS IS ONEEIGHTH INDIAN — AND I’M SUPPOSED TO CARE BECAUSE …? In an interview with Vanity Fair last month, Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen on “Game of Thrones” and Qi’ra in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” told the magazine that her maternal grandmother was half Indian and had to wear light makeup to pass as white. Clarke went on to speculate that because her grandma had to hide her skin color in order to desperately fit in, that must’ve been very difficult for her grandmother. The Vanity Fair piece ended that section with Clarke’s statement of, “So yeah: history of fighters.” I found this bit to be rather selfimportant, and I rolled my eyes. Because you know what else results in a hard life? Not being able to pass for white at all. And I know, I know. Maybe we shouldn’t compare experiences because maybe it’s like comparing apples and oranges — but I find it irritating when white people co-opt the struggles of people of color. I get this subtle PTSD, from all of the times I have heard a white person say that they get immigration — they get immigration because they had ancestors that immigrated to America on the Mayflower. After all, aren’t we all immigrants? Like, no, bro. We are not. Also, I am still not down with and bullied students, creating an unsafe and unwelcome school environment by harassing and intimidating students and violating professional boundaries. Hong said the Seattle School District and the City of Seattle needs to ensure that all refugees and immigrants are welcome, and that “we must end acts of racism, violence, and threats towards all.” 2014 INCIDENT Britsova is no stranger to con-
how Daenerys white-savior’ed up and down Essos. I might be holding what a fictional character did against this actor. Which isn’t really fair, but you know what? Life isn’t fair. That’s kind of what Clarke was trying to teach us in her Vanity Fair interview. GRACE PARK AND KRISTIN KREUK ARE LINKED TO SEX CULT A few months ago, alleged cult leader Keith Raniere was arrested in Mexico because he ran an alleged cult, Nxivm (pronounced nexium, I believe), that trafficked women, branded them, starved them, and used them as personal sex slaves. What is also bewildering are the actors that are linked to this alleged cult. Among those linked are Allison Mack (“Smallville”), who is really high up on the chain of command. She was taken into custody by law enforcement last month. Others associated with this group include Nicki Clyne (“Battlestar Galactica”), Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville,” and Hapa, of Chinese descent), and Grace Park (“Hawaii Five-0” and “Battlestar Galactica,” of Korean descent). Basically, all of these actors have worked together. Most of them are from Canada. And two of them are Asian. Kristin Kreuk has disavowed the alleged cult. She said it was an inspirational women’s empowerment group when she joined. News outlets are claiming that she supposedly fled the group as Mack deepened her own involvement. Grace Park has said nothing publicly about her association with this alleged cult. She probably also joined it back when it apparently was just a women's group. However, there are videos of her from a few years ago, talking with Raniere on the internet, extolling the virtues of the organization. Mack and Raniere will stand trial on Oct. 1. KELLY MARIE TRAN LEAVES INSTAGRAM BECAUSE OF CYBERBULLYING
Tico in “The Last Jedi,” deleted all of her posts on Instagram. While a reason wasn’t given for the deletions by Tran, there’s a lot of speculation that she left the social media platform because she has been cyberbullied for months. A lot of the abuse was based around her Vietnamese ethnicity, her appearance, and her weight. Earlier this year in January, an anonymous fan uploaded a “defeminized fan edit” of “The Last Jedi” that was only 46 minutes. This unauthorized edit of the film cut out all of the women and/or killed them. This is actually why I generally don’t like blockbuster sci-fi or fantasy movies. The heroes tend to be epicly white and epicly male — when a movie dares to deviate from this — a bunch of terrible adults speak out against it in really racist and misogynistic ways, melodramatically whining about how seeing a Black man as the lead or seeing a woman as the lead has ruined their childhood. Say what you will about romcoms — but you do not see Nancy Meyers fans threatening to burn down buildings because Ali Wong is playing a woman who falls in love with a dude in super cute but slightly contrived circumstances.
“Ocean’s 8” opens this week. It stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. Besides Kaling and Awkwafina, other Asiany aspects of this movie involve cameos by Zayn Malik (from One Direction, but come on, he’s more than that now), designer Alexander Wang, and Olivia Munn. There’s a Hapa man of Asian descent, John Graham, on “The Bachelorette.” He works in the Silicon Valley. He got a rose from the Bachelorette, Becca Kufrin, which means he’s still in the running for being her main squeeze. Maybe if he is charismatic enough and gets his heart brutally broken on national TV, we can see him next season as the Bachelor. But I will not hold my breath. Drew Scott married Linda Phan recently. Scott is the twin brother of Jonathan Scott, and they star in HGTV’s “Property Brothers.” Phan is creative director of Scott Brothers Entertainment. My favorite, Sandra Oh, currently stars in BBC America’s “Killing Eve.” The first season consists of eight episodes and is about Eve Polastri (Oh) who is an MI5 officer who tracks down a psychopath killer. This series has universal critical acclaim, proving to us that Oh has been an underrated treasure and was the best part of “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Killing Eve” has been renewed for a second season. Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.
Be sure to pick up next week’s issue of Northwest Asian Weekly to read our review of “Ocean’s 8”!
This week, Star Wars actor Kelly Marie Tran, who plays Rose troversy. In 2014, she was placed on administrative leave while she was principal at Center School. A student brought a Molotov cocktail to class and Britsova was put on paid leave because of questions about whether she followed school safety rules. The students told Britsova about the threat, but it is not clear whether she reported it to police. The district said its review of the incident prompted a review of safety protocols for principals, but no policy changes were made.
Britsova returned to work a week later. IN THE TRUMP ERA Hong said student concerns and fears are especially heightened in a time when refugees and immigrants are actively being targeted, harassed, attacked, and deported. “This fear is particularly poignant in light of the Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ recent testimony before the House Education and Workforce Committee
that it is up to individual schools to decide whether to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they suspect their students are undocumented,” said Hong. The letter goes on to say, “In an era of #metoo, #blacklivesmatter, and #neveragain, it’s clear that our city and nation demand students and families live and learn free from abuse and threats to their safety.” Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
16
36 YEARS
JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2018
(140LBS from 7)
(BLOG FROM 10)
examining Lieu’s relationship with her. Titled “140 LBS,” Lieu’s current and third installment of the show investigates Ha’s final day alive. A one-woman show, “140 LBS” is an experimental performance that includes monologues, video interviews, and projected photos. The show continues to unpack previous themes from past episodes, such as parentchild relationships, grief, and physical perfection. The show is one of 16 performances that will be featured in On the Boards’ NW New Works Festival. Although Lieu’s family pursued legal action against Moglen, it resulted in only a brief suspension and extended probation. Moglen was still permitted to practice thereafter. Referred to as Dr. X in her performances, “140 LBS” also answers whether Lieu can forgive Moglen, who died four years ago. This is a tough issue for Lieu, who regrets the opportunity to have confronted the surgeon before his passing. Lieu, who has three siblings, has received mixed reactions about the shows from her family. Although they’ve since come around, Episode 1 was initially met with disdain. “[My siblings] would say, ‘Don’t air your dirty laundry,’ and insist that I was making this tragedy about me.” But Lieu is quick to clarify this show isn’t about her or self-therapy — it’s about patient advocacy. “We spend more time researching food we want to eat, instead of the people who actually treat
Moon accepted. The Olympics has certainly opened the eyes of North Korean leaders and its people when the small country of South Korea made the Olympics spectacular and a world-class event through its creativity and technology. The country has seen much progress after the war. South Korea’s population is 49 million, almost double that of North Korea. North Korea often has famine and power outages, which would be a strange phenomena in the South. Kim promised a paradise when he took over his country after his father died, and has yet to deliver. It probably prompted him to take a different approach when dealing with South Korea and the United States. Moon’s predecessor, who was arrested and jailed for corruption, advocated a hard line towards North Korea. Park called it a mistake. “It provided opportunities for Moon to deal with North Korea when he became president in 2017.” He made a gesture to Kim that he’s eager to help Kim and North Korea. Park praised Moon’s efforts and strategies to engage Kim. He said Moon had signaled to Kim that he is different from his predecessor, to earn Kim’s trust. That was also
(INTERNMENT from 3) was always on the watch for us.’’ The detained Japanese also danced in the evening to the recorded swing music of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Tsugawa said he “still doesn’t have any hard feelings’’ about the internment experience. ““I should have (anger). I should be really bitter, but we just learned to become better citizens,’’ he said. RACISM AND POVERTY In 1944, when internment camps began closing, the Tsugawa family moved to Boise and rented a small house. While there, George’s mother died from cancer. He worked multiple jobs to feed his two younger siblings because his two older brothers were fighting overseas — one in the Pacific, one in Europe — for the country that had earlier imprisoned their family. Although the war was winding down, prejudice persisted, such as when Tsugawa tried to go out with his visiting high school friends. “All the restaurants had big signs out that said, `No Japs Allowed,’ “ he said of one such encounter. “These (white) friends of mine, they’re in full American uniform, United States Army, and I was more or less their guest, but they wouldn’t serve us.’’ When the war ended, Tsugawa and his returning brothers were broke. After brief residencies in Beaverton and Hillsboro, they moved to Woodland in 1956 in a
Susan Lieu
us,” said Lieu. “Researching our doctors and their backgrounds is actually in our control.” Lieu hopes the show resonates with viewers to expose the growing issue of medical malpractice while educating about patient rights, and to inspire viewers to be courageous and confront their personal pasts. “The amount of processing I need to do to put on this show is big,” Lieu said. “It takes a toll on me.” But when Lieu sees the laughing, crying, and processing the audience does at her shows, she becomes filled with purpose. With past shows, attendees have
truck filled with “junk.’’ On the advice of a friend, they began growing strawberries. Tsugawa and his wife, Mable (the pair married in 1950), struggled with farming at first. To make matters worse, their six kids dealt with racism at Woodland schools. “My kids, as they went to school, they got into more scrapes because they were called Japs. That’s the way that life works,’’ he said. Most adults in Woodland also took a while to adjust to their Japanese American neighbors, Tsugawa said. “I think it was the first time they’d ever seen a stranger that was some other (race) besides white.’’ However, by the time his youngest son, Martin, graduated high school in 1969, Tsugawa said the white students had begun accepting the Tsugawa children. “I thought that was quite a big thing, the turnaround of the kids,’’ he said. “When my kids first went to school, they were called Japs. Before it was all over, (Martin) was student body president.’’ And the Tusgawa family became good friends with their next-door white neighbors, including Erin Thoeny, who said her father was close with George Tsugawa. “He’s hardworking and genuine,’’ she said of Tsugawa. “There’s true gems in this world, and he’s one of them.’’ THE NURSERY BEGINS In 1980, George and Mable Tsugawa noticed an abandoned nursery in Woodland’s north end,
approached Lieu with their own stories of loss. “That’s the point of being human — creating a human connection,” said Lieu. “If I can do that with my show and help remove blocks to let people be more intimate with their emotions … well, that’s the equivalent of going to Harvard and making money. That’s my currency.” “140 LBS” runs from Jun. 8–10 at On the Boards. For more information, visit ontheboards.org/ nw-new-works-festival. Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
and Mable got an idea. “She kept saying, `Gosh, wouldn’t it be nice to have a nursery?’ “ George Tsugawa said. “She thought all we had to do is put on some nice-looking clothes and put a couple of plants out there.’’ Despite their lack of experience, the couple opened Tsugawa Nursery in March 1981. George was already about 60 years old. The store wasn’t a success initially, Tsugawa said. “On the first day, we sold one geranium,’’ he joked. “But that made (Mable) try that much harder. She put her life into this whole place.’’ After years of slowly building a customer base, Tsugawa Nursery has become a Woodland institution and has remained so even after Mable Tsugawa’s death in 2011 at 84. “I am proud, but it didn’t just happen overnight,’’ he said. “It took a lot of work (and) a lot of worries.’’ Although Tsugawa doesn’t do much day-to-day work in the nursery anymore due to his difficulty walking, he still supervises. “They’re not going to get anything past George, he knows exactly what’s going on,’’ Thoeny said. Tsugawa said his favorite aspect of the nursery is meeting customers. “People that love gardening, flowers, they’ve got a different soul,’’ he said. “They have more heart, they have more understanding.’’ And despite the town’s first reactions to his family, Tsugawa said he will always love Woodland. “I love this town, I really do. I love everything about it,’’ he said.
(BLOCKCHAIN FROM 10) which serves as a public digital record of any and all transactions made through those systems and currencies. In an interview with Cryptoslate, Wu shared that the reason why a cryptocurrency conference hadn’t yet happened in the Northwest was because “Seattle is a very engineering-heavy city, so there’s not that many people that have been focusing on community-building, marketing, and growth, and also too, I think everybody has been just focusing on building and most event organizers and other people out there have overlooked Seattle for everything. Seattle is an underdog, underrated city overall.” Cryptoslate reported that over 600 people attended the Blockchain NW Conference, which had over 60 speakers and panelists from all over the country, including representatives from Amazon and Washington Senator Reuven Carlyle. The day consisted of various panels and opportunities to network and learn from emerging and established leaders in both industries. “As a Filipino man of color, it feels rewarding to be able to accomplish anything in both the entertainment industry (where I’m from) and now, a technology conference,” said Franada. “It is empowering to know that as a minority, I am able to be part of a production team of other minorities and produce something this large. The best part about it is that this is just the first of many and we look forward to taking all the mistakes and improving on them to keep refining a better product.” “I wish my dad could be here to experience it with me,” added Franada. “He passed away in 2004 and losing him was one of my main motivators to start my business. Everything I do is to make my parents
Moon’s theme during his presidential campaign, that he wanted peace with North Korea. Currently, Moon is enjoying a 60 percent approval rating from his people. During his meeting with Kim in April at the demilitarized zone, Moon said, “We are one country, we cannot be divided.” The next summit is just the beginning and it will take years to see progress, but Park is optimistic. WHO DESERVES THE NOBEL Who deserves the Nobel Prize? “Trump plays an important role, Kim and Moon all play an important role during the process,” said Park. Does playing an important role mean they are deserving of the Nobel Prize? No, Park responded. Song echoed the same sentiments. “Of course, they all would like to get the Nobel Prize. Trump is awful. Moon has worked hard. Some Koreans have a different opinion towards Moon. But no…” Song would like to visit North Korea someday. “There are some very beautiful scenery in North Korea.” She is dreaming that North Korea will open up soon. Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com. proud.” Franada, Wu, and Staples operate independently, but came together to put on the conference — Franada in entertainment and event production, Wu as a blockchain influencer, growth marketer, and founder of multiple startups, and Staples in media management. “Justin and Ramzey are longtime friends and (Justin) initially reached out to Ramzey regarding this idea,” said Franada. “Ramzey and I have been working together for about 4 to 5 years. He is currently the head of the media department for my company, so he reached out to me and brought me into the group. The three of us individually operate our own businesses, so a lot of time and smart use of technology allowed us to stay on top of tasks and accomplish individual jobs,” Franada’s identity as a Filipino man of color, and the ability to work alongside Wu and Staples, greatly influenced his approach to the conference and his successes in general. “The journey to get to where I am now were some of the hardest years I’ve ever endured,” said Franada. “There are plenty of times I have been pushed and tested to the max, but I knew that not quitting would be worth the pain. When you grow up a minority, you’re already at a disadvantage … I always think about the sacrifice my grandparents had to make in order to move their family out of the Philippines, then I think about the sacrifice my parents had to make so that I could grow up in a safe environment and be able to focus on school. When I think about those things, it makes me proud to be a Filipino and it would be a shame to waste the opportunity of being able to live in a place that allows me to follow my dreams without any persecution.” Sophia can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.