VOL 37 NO 47 | NOVEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 23, 2018

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 37 NO 47 NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018 FREE 36 YEARS YOUR VOICE

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is nominating administration official Neomi Rao to fill the appeals court seat previously held

by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Trump’s announcement came on Nov. 13 during the White House’s celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. Rao, who is Indian American, was present at the event.

Trump said he was nominating Rao for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit — sometimes referred to as the nation’s secondhighest court. Rao currently serves as the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), which is part of the Office of Management and Budget.

Rao, 45, previously worked

Photo by George Liu

Trump nominates City Council approves new Indian American to Seattle Police contract Asian community split replace Kavanaugh

Neomi Rao

as a professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. She clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas from 2001 to 2002, and served as an associate counsel at the George W. Bush White House, from 2005 to 2006.

Rao thanked Trump “for the confidence you’ve shown in me.” 

Mayor Jenny Durkan (front) along with police chief Carmen Best, councilmember Rob Johnson and Lorena Gonzalez visited Chinatown on Nov. 14 to thank the community.

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY After weeks of debate, the Seattle City Council approved a new labor contract for Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers on Nov. 13.

Hundreds of people, including dozens from the International District (ID) community, packed City Hall. The public comments period was extended to allow more people to have their voices heard. see POLICE CONTRACT on 15

Sayonara, Nagomi Tea House

Joe Fain concedes Arigato, Tomio Moriguchi race to Mona Das

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by George Liu

The aesthetic Nagomi Tea House inside the old Uwajimaya has been dismantled. Nagomi, once a community gathering space, is gone unexpectedly.

For the past seven years, Nagomi was the natural gathering place for the community to mourn, laugh, rage, engage, lobby, debate, and celebrate. It was a community asset because of its Tea house in the background. Tomio Moriguchi (far left) speaking at an event honoring Asian American leaders.

see NAGOMI on 10

4 victims of Ride the Ducks crash settle Four of the dozens of victims of the 2015 Ride the Ducks crash in Seattle have reached an $8.25 million settlement in the middle of a civil trial ongoing in King County Superior Court.

Attorney Lara Herrmann said on Nov. 8 that $7 million will go to the family of 18-year-

■

old Privando Putradanto, an Indonesian student who was killed in the accident. The other settlements included $600,000 to Jae Won Jang, a college student who suffered permanent injuries to his back, neck, and shoulder; $375,000 to Florencia Irena, another Indonesian student who suffered a fractured collarbone; and $275,000 to Na Ra Yoon, see RIDE THE DUCKS on 11

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Photo from Seattle Fire Department

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Mona Das

Devastation from the fatal Duck bus collision on the Aurora Bridge.

Joe Fain conceded the race for the 47th District State Senate to challenger Mona Das on Nov. 9.

As of the afternoon of Nov. 13, Das’ lead over the two-term incumbent had grown to 667 votes.

“I want to congratulate Senatorelect Das on her new opportunity see DAS on 11

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asianweekly northwest

2

36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Denise Moriguchi elected to AAA Washington’s Board of Trustees

The president and CEO of Uwajimaya, Inc., Denise Moriguchi, was recently elected to AAA Washington’s Board of Trustees.

In a news release, the board said it feels strongly that Moriguchi’s “keen business sense and deep roots to the community will greatly contribute to the organization’s leadership.”

A Seattle native, Moriguchi stepped into the role of CEO Denise Moriguchi at Uwajimaya in 2017 and represents the third generation of leadership, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, father, and aunt. She holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and an undergraduate degree in Economics and Asian Studies from Bowdoin College. 

AAPI appointments by Gov. Inslee

Yoshihara, a graduate of Spokane Falls Community College and Gonzaga University, is the senior vice president for Washington Trust.

Chu is currently a philanthropic adviser for the Seattle Foundation. She earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration and political science, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington. 

Timmer leaving CIDBIA

The executive director of the ChinatownInternational District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), Jessa Timmer, has announced that she will be leaving at the end of December to pursue new endeavors.

Under Timmer’s leadership in the past three years, CI- Jessa Timmer DBIA has increased services to the community, strengthened its financial position, and fostered relationships through her work on various committees and with other neighborhood organizations.

A statement from the Board of Directors said, “While we will be sad to see her go, we know you join us in wishing her all the best in her next endeavor.” 

Elaine Chu

Gov. Jay Inslee recently announced Faith Pettis to the Western Washington University Board of Trustees, Steven Yoshihara to the Spokane Community Colleges Board of Trustees, and Elaine Chu to the Green River College Board of Trustees.

Pettis, of Seattle’s Pacifica Law Group, was one of the 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” recipients.

Photo by Assunta Ng

Steven Yoshihara

2018 Women of Color Achievement Awards

Front row (from left) Claudia Mitchell, Angela Shen, Dr. Marsha Firestone, Phyllis Campbell, and Trena Payton. Back row (from left) Sheryl Willert, Trish Millines-Dziko, and Meredith Everist.

MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast

Faith Pettis

MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast last month.

Founded in 1994, the Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP) is dedicated to promoting diversity at the UW and in the UW alumni community.

The annual breakfast celebration recognizes the recipients of the MAP scholarship and the service of alumni and friends who have made a difference for diversity at the UW. Del Rosario received the Dr. Samuel E. Kelly award, while Dhingra received a Distinguished Alumni Award. 

From left: Manka Dhingra, Cynthia Del Rosario, Vivian Lee, and UW President Ana Mari Cauce

Cynthia Del Rosario and Manka Dhingra were recognized at the University of Washington (UW)’s annual

100 Black Men of Seattle, Inc. and the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) honored 11 women on Nov. 1, in the 2018 Women of Color Achievement Awards at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington.

The women exhibited outstanding professional achievement and demonstrated exemplary customer service, according to a news release.

Phyllis Campbell of JP Morgan Chase along with Angela Shen of Savor Seattle Food Tours were among the honorees.

WPO President and Founder Dr. Marsha Firestone said each of the women “is at the peak of her professional achievement, demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities and running multi million-dollar businesses. They also devote their time and energy to improving the quality of life in our local communities.” 

Starting Jan. 1, 2019 A new way to take care of the people who take care of your business.

Phuong Tran, Lava Java

Employers of all sizes must start collecting premiums for Paid Family & Medical Leave on January 1. This statewide insurance program will give every eligible employee access to up to 12 weeks of paid leave starting in 2020. It’s easy to get started, and there are special grants available for small businesses.

Get your business ready at paidleave.wa.gov

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

■ TOP CONTRIBUTOR

3

From art to tech

Donna Liu on her road to Microsoft VP

By Carolyn Bick NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY What fascinates Donna Liu most about technology is that it is a stepping stone for bigger and better things.

“At the early stage … you cannot envision the full scope of what technology can do yet, but you know it is at the leading edge, and you know it is going to lead somewhere,” the Microsoft corporate vice president in the Artificial Intelligence and Research division said of her interest in technology. “I think that is how technology is drawing people in.”

Liu, 57, recently became one of the company’s corporate vice presidents in artificial intelligence, after serving as director of engineering. Liu started her career at Microsoft in 1989, after graduating from the University of Arizona with a master’s degree in computer science. But she wasn’t always on the technology path.

Her undergraduate degree at National Taiwan University was in liberal arts.

“I actually took a couple classes while still at the National Taiwan University, and they were very interesting to me. At the time, I think it was before all the tech boom,” Liu said, recalling some technology classes she took as an undergraduate. “That was quite interesting, spurred my curiosity.”

Liu started in an entry level position at Microsoft as a software design engineer. She gained a lot of technical knowledge in this first position. In addition to an understanding of what it was like to work in a group on a large scale in an industry setting, she learned that getting small details right the first time is important in order to avoid the expensive process of tracing back problems later on.

Other lessons weren’t as tangible, though. At the time, Liu was just one of two women developers in the group, and as a naturally more reserved person, she found her hard work going unrecognized. She couldn’t count on other people to recognize her accomplishments, and had to learn to step up and advocate for herself.

“I want for my true self to show,

Donna Liu

and not a facade or not a cleverly wrapped gift, in a sense,” Liu said. “I think the struggle is really, how can I let my contribution show, without having to turn into somebody totally foreign to me?”

So, she said, she’s learned a few tricks along the way.

“One is to really focus on how I communicate, and how I present.

One is to use my tones, to use my hand gestures, to emphasize certain points I want to make sure

people really take home,” Liu said. “Another is to really focus on the facts, and let the data speak.”

Her efforts worked. She became a team lead but she also needed to learn to delegate responsibilities. When she first became the team lead, she tried to continue contributing as much as an individual code writer, in addition to leading. She quickly learned she needed to make tradeoffs, she said, even if that meant writing less code herself, in order to continue progressing up the company ladder.

Over the years, Liu has been on panels and taken part in mentoring programs. She has also taken on a number of mentees around the company, most of whom are of Asian heritage. She said she sees in them the same problems she faced as a young career woman, especially when it comes to staying authentic to themselves, while adapting to a culture in which they also must advocate for themselves.

Liu’s life isn’t all about Microsoft, though. Her children attend a Chinese school, and she volunteers at the school, helping

with classroom activities and Chinese New Year festivities. In a nod to her liberal arts past, she also said she enjoys Chinese poetry.

When she was young, she could recite all 300 Tang Dynasty-era poems in the ‘Tang Shi San Bai Shou’ by heart. Though she can no longer remember all of them, she still remembers many of them.

They dive into almost everything, she said, from the changing of the seasons to the different emotions that flow through one’s heart to the joys and downfalls of life.

“Some of those poems, I couldn’t understand very well, as a young child. I just loved the way they sound,” Liu said. “But, as I grew up, I could relate better and better to the poems, especially the ones that are very profound and convey a lot of wisdom.”  Liu will be honored at the Top Contributors award dinner on Dec. 7 at House of Hong Restaurant in Seattle, from 6–9 p.m.

Carolyn can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

36 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

Bill Gates pushes clean-toilet technologies at Beijing expo BEIJING (AP) — With a jar of human feces on a podium next to him, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates kicked off a “Reinvented Toilet’’ Expo in China.

The former CEO of software giant Microsoft said on Nov. 6 that the technologies on display at the three-day expo in Beijing represented the most significant advances

in sanitation in nearly 200 years.

More than 20 companies and academic institutions exhibited new toilet technologies, from self-contained toilets to a small-scale, self-powered waste treatment plant.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent more than $200 million since 2011 to stimulate research and

HIV-infected Thai man accused of raping scores of teenagers BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand have arrested an HIV-infected soldier who allegedly blackmailed and raped more than 70 teenage boys.

Police said in a statement they received a complaint that the suspect was using fake social media profiles on Facebook and the gay dating app Blued to win the trust of his victims so they would send him nude photos before agreeing to meet him. When they found out he was not who he pretended to be online, he would threaten to make their nude photos public if they refused to have sex with him.

Police Lt. Col. Nacharot Kaewpetch said the police discovered medicine for treating HIV when they arrested the 43-year-old suspect, Sgt. Maj. Jakkrit Khomsing, at his home on Nov. 7 in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen.

They said tests confirmed he was infected with HIV. So far police have determined that Jakkrit had more than 70 victims between

the ages of 13 and 18.

“Even though the suspect is a soldier, this behavior — and I’ve consulted with army commanders — is a personal issue, not an organizational one,’’ police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn said.

Police said they are widening their investigation and attempting to contact other victims who have not yet filed charges.

Police have so far charged Jakkrit with six offenses, including sex with a minor under 15 with or without their consent, punishable by 4-20 years in prison; indecent assault of a minor under 15 using threats, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; separating a minor under 15 from their parents without reason, punishable by 3-15 years in prison; blackmail, punishable by up to 3 years in prison; and coercing minors to conduct inappropriate acts, punishable by up to three months in prison. 

Naomi Osaka headed for big money with Japan, global appeal

By YURI KAGEYAMA ASSOCIATED PRESS

see OSAKA on 13

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

TOKYO (AP) — Naomi Osaka used a powerful forehand and a matching serve to win the U.S. Open against Serena Williams. Off the court — on the marketing front — experts say she could have the same potential as Williams, and maybe more.

“It’s very, very rare to find a Japaneseborn female athlete who appeals to Naomi Osaka

development of safe sanitation technology.

UNICEF estimates that 480,000 children under 5 die every year from diarrhea, often caused by sewagecontaminated food or drinking water. 

Imelda Marcos convicted of graft, court orders her arrest

By JIM GOMEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine court found former first lady Imelda Marcos guilty of graft and ordered her arrest in a rare conviction among many corruption cases that she plans to appeal to avoid jail and losing her seat in Congress.

The special anti-graft Sandiganbayan court sentenced Marcos, 89, to serve 6 to 11 years in prison for each of the seven counts of violating an anti-corruption law when she illegally funneled about $200 million to Swiss foundations in the 1970s as Metropolitan Manila governor.

Neither Marcos nor anyone representing her attended the Nov. 9 court hearing.

Marcos said in a statement that the decision was being studied by one of her

Imelda Marcos

lawyers who notified the Marcos family that he intends to appeal the decision. AntiMarcos activists and human rights victims welcomed the conviction as long overdue.

The court disqualified Marcos from holding public office, but she can remain a member of the powerful House of see MARCOS on 14

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

5

Doing it H.E.R. way Singer of Filipino heritage rises as focus remains on music

By MESFIN FEKADU AP MUSIC WRITER NEW YORK (AP) — When Gabi Wilson is H.E.R. — her R&B singer stage name — she is usually rocking big hair and big sunglasses, rarely showing her full face to her fans.

The point is to give the public one simple thing to focus on: the music.

But other days, her hair is pulled into a ponytail or a bun and her face is clear, like the time she was being driven in an Uber with a friend and “Best Part,’’ her Top 5 R&B hit, came on the radio.

“I love that song ‘Best Part,’’’ H.E.R. recalled the driver saying, adding that he was in his late ‘60s.

“It reminds me of my wife.’’

“I wanted to cry,’’ she added. “It was so special.’’

That anonymity proved two things for the singer: Her choice to release music without giving too much detail about her life worked, and her fanbase is not just made up of teenagers who mainly consume music through streaming — R&B purists love her, too.

Since Sony’s RCA Records announced H.E.R. mysteriously in 2016, she has become a rising R&B star, achieving success on the road, on streaming services, the charts and even at awards shows.

Songs like “Best Part,’’ “Focus’’ and “Losing’’ perfectly blend the alternative R&B sound that’s

popular today with the traditional R&B sound that some feel is missing from the contemporary music scene.

Her first two EPs — “H.E.R., Vol. 1’’ and “H.E.R., Vol. 2’’ — gave her an immediate fan base thanks to the songs’ honest lyrics and vibey melodies, as she sang about complicated relationships and love lapses. Most people wouldn’t think she just turned 21 months ago.

“The way that I released the music did exactly what I wanted it to, which was make people just listen to the music,’’ said H.E.R., which stands for “Having Everything Revealed.’’ “(And) just listen to the message for what it is because we tend to listen with our eyes sometimes. Sometimes it’s all about hype, and I didn’t want hype. ...I don’t want people to love my music because of what I look like or who I know or whatever.’’

“I feel like maybe some people wouldn’t have accepted the music if they knew I was 19,’’ said H.E.R., who was that age when her first EP dropped. “Some people, they make these assumptions before they even listen to the music.’’

“Vol. 1,’’ her seven-song set, was named iTunes’ R&B album of 2016. She earned a nomination for best new artist at the 2017 Soul Train Awards. And she opened on tour for Bryson Tiller and completed her first headlining tour.

But this year, she reached the Top 10 of the R&B charts with “Could’ve Been,’’ the gold-selling “Focus’’ and the platinum hit “Best Part,’’ a duet with Daniel Caesar.

She earned a whopping seven nominations at the upcoming Soul Train Awards, making her the most nominated act.

She is Apple Music’s latest “Up Next’’ artist and ranks sixth among R&B acts on the streaming platform. Her success has been so major that a male singer has copied her likeness and released songs under the name H.I.M. “I don’t like to acknowledge it,’’ she said of the copycat.

H.E.R. grew up in the San Francisco Bay area to a Black father and Filipino mother. She was originally introduced to the public as a piano prodigy at age 10, appearing on the “Today’’ show and covering Alicia Keys’ music.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01289C18, Westside Highway SW Roadway Repair; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on December 4, 2018. Late bids will not be accepted.

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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

She was signed to Sony at 14 and said though she wanted to release music at times — she did try with the song “Something to Prove’’ in 2014 under Gabi Wilson — she appreciates the time she had to develop as an artist and work on songwriting and grow as a pianist, drummer and guitar (she plays electric, acoustic and bass guitar).

Keys, who met H.E.R. over a decade ago, had similar beginnings: She was originally signed as a teenager and didn’t release her first song, the No. 1 hit “Fallin’,’’ until she was 20 in 2001.

“I was signed when I was 14 and then had been developing all the way up to the first album and probably a lot like H.E.R.,’’ Keys said. “You feel super anxious because you have all of this music you’ve been working on for years.

You have your dreams and you have your wishes and of course you find yourself hoping that it’s going to all work out. Sometimes you’ve got to sit for a minute and wait for that right moment. That’s hard — that discipline is almost just as hard.’’

“I saw H.E.R. developing as an artist, and she really had this thing about her that was so exciting because it was such serious musicianship,’’ added Keys.

“And then fast forwarding now, X amount years later, to where she is now and seeing that all come together, I think the beauty of that is the fact that she was really able

to take her time and be an artist and develop and be a young girl.

Her eyes and her destiny have always been on this place and needed to land in this world. And it’s only going to get brighter, bigger and better.’’

This year H.E.R. released her second pair of EPs, titled “I Used to Know Her’’ parts 1 and 2, taking on new sounds and moods in comparisons to her earlier projects. A full album is expected next year.

She’s even revealing more of herself: In the music video for “Could’ve Been,’’ released last month, you can even see her face.

“I think everything will be revealed in its proper time and slowly, like the developing of a polaroid — that’s kind of what you see and what her reveal is,’’ said manager Jeff Robinson, who signed both H.E.R. and Keys to his MBK Entertainment company when they were teens (he no longer manages Keys).

“There was never any hiding — just a concentration on the music,’’ he added.

For H.E.R., she’s just happy to have connected with fans of all ages in an organic way.

“I’m so thankful that at this point, even if you see my face or know who I am, it doesn’t matter, because you already love the music,’’ she said. “You’ve already accepted it.’’ 

WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR TEAM? NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS. SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN POLITICS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, HEALTH, ARTS AND/OR FOOD ARTICLES. FLEXIBLE HOURS. SEND RESUME AND WRITING SAMPLES TO: RUTH BAYANG AT EDITOR@NWASIANWEEKLY.COM.

asianweekly northwest

6

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

36 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOV 17

AYAME KAI GUILD ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church, 3001 24th Ave. S., Seattle 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

206-409-3062 ARTIST TALK WITH HENRY LIEN AND FONG-CHI LIEN Wing Luke Museum 10:30-11 a.m.

SHOP-O-RAMA, BOOK-ORAMA Wing Luke Museum 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

RECONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY Joyale Seafood Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St., Seattle 5-8 p.m. $50/person pgupta@interimcda.org 206-624-1802, extension 31

FREE SEATTLE CITIZENSHIP CLINIC ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 10 a.m.

18 NOW THROUGH 11/18

REACT PRESENT MARY ZIMMERMAN’S “THE WHITE SNAKE,” ADAPTED FROM ANCIENT CHINESE LEGEND 12th Avenue Arts, 1620 12th Ave., Seattle

$5-$30 whitesnake.brownpapertickets. com 206-364-3283

19 HOUSE PARTY Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 7-11 p.m.

26

29

CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSFUL RE-ELECTION OF REP. SHARON TOMIKO SANTOS Home of Nicole Bachaud & Co., 2817 29th Ave. S., Seattle 5:30-7:30 p.m.

RSVP to friendsofsts@aol. com, 602-820-1805

CELEBRATING DIANE NARASAKI ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 5:30-7:30 p.m.

RSVP at https://goo.gl/forms/ Sfx91LPiIkzUcOto2

28

CID COMMUNITY MEETING, “SHOW UP. SPEAK UP.” 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle 5:30-7 p.m.

FILM SCREENING, “FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH FILMS” Wing Luke Museum 1:30-3:30 p.m.

24 HOLIDAY AAPI ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

DEC 1

SHOP-O-RAMA AND LOCAL ARTIST CRAFT FAIR Wing Luke Museum 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

ASIAN AMERICAN SANTA DAY Wing Luke Museum 12-3 p.m.

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Updated election results (winners)

Congress District 7 Pramila Jayapal 84%

State House District 32 Cindy Ryu 80%

State House District 33 Mia Su-Ling Gregerson 67%

State House District 37 Position 1

Sharon Tomiko Santos (unchallenged)

State House District 37 Position 2 Eric Pettigrew 88%

State House District 43

State House District 48

State Senate District 44

JUDICIAL

Nicole Macri 91% Steve Hobbs 56%

State Senate District 45 Manka Dhingra 63%

State Senate District 34

State House District 41 Position 1

State Senate District 47

State Senate District 37

State House District 41 Position 2

State House District 47

Joe Nguyen 58%

Rebecca Saldana 88%

Tana Senn 65%

My-Linh Thai 65%

Mona Das 51%

Debra Entenman 53%

Vandana Slatter (unchallenged)

Supreme Court

Justice Position 8. Steve Gonzalez 75%

Northeast Electoral District

Judge Position 1. Marcus Naylor 65%

MEASURES

I-1631 (carbon tax) rejected I-1634 (to block a grocery tax) approved I-1639 (gun control) approved I-940 (police training) approved

View the solution on page 14

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

7

99 TROPES: Asian American drama with

COMEDY character and collaboration

Writer C. Chan (played by EJ Gong, center) describes his new vision for the TV show to fellow writers Mitch Goldman (played by Steve Murphy, left) and Sally Higgins (played by Jen Anderson, right).

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY For Seattle actor E.J. Gong, the two last straws included one show review, and one parent-teacher conference.

Gong, appearing in the new play “99 Tropes,” recalls a production of a play called “Shooting Star,” several years back.

He asked the playwright for a change of

character name, from a Scottish name, to an Asian name. The playwright agreed, and as Gong remembered, “Finally, I got to play a character who was actually Asian American. It was thrilling and new because I always have played white men.

“The show was a huge success. Sold out most nights, great reviews. But one review burns in my mind. One of the reviewers learned that the name of the character was

Mutiny in the writer’s room. Writer C. Chan (played by EJ Gong, left) attempts a writer’s room takeover from Sally Higgins (played by Jen Anderson, right).

changed to sound Asian and she said that by changing the character’s ethnicity, it changed the whole meaning of the role. And that an Asian American man would behave, feel, and act differently than a white man.

It was a crushing example of racism and stereotypical thinking.”

Around that same time, Gong and his wife attended a parent-teacher conference for his son, who attended a small private

■ ON THE SHELF

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asianweekly northwest

8

■ SPORTS

36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

The Layup Drill

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. This month, a UFC fighter helps his home country, Nathan Chen dazzles, and The Filipino Flash wins a bantamweight title.

UFC fighter helps home country of Laos after flood

Ultimate Fighter Championship MMA fighter Andre Soukhamthath recently won his latest fight in the Octagon against Jonathan Martinez. The native of Boston, Mass. is also a Laotian American, aware of the recent events in Laos that has left many in his native country in desperate need of help. Nicknamed “The Asian Sensation,” Soukhamthath sought to find ways to raise money for flood victims of Laos.

“My heart just sank to the floor,” said Soukhamthath. This past July, a hydroelectric dam system under construction in southeast Laos collapsed, leading to the deaths of at least 27 people and destroying the homes of more than 3,000 residents. The destruction of the dam put Laotian villages downriver in peril. The flooding spread to nearby Cambodia, where villages were flooded and required help from the local government to evacuate the area.

While Soukhamthath is not making a lot as a UFC fighter, he decided to earn the money he wanted to donate. He raffled off all of his UFC walkout gear, including hats, workout shorts, and the shorts he fought in and made $1,200. He then offered to train people. As a professional MMA fighter, there were many people who wanted to take advantage of his services. He offered private training sessions of 5 rounds (3 minutes per round) for $25 and 10 rounds for $50. Andre raised another $1,800 to $2,000 with the private training sessions.

Soukhamthath is a second generation Laotian American and the first fighter from Laos to compete in the UFC. He was a competitive soccer player growing up, but started to train in mixed martial arts in 2009. The 30-year-old is 13-6 in his professional MMA career.

Chen dazzles at Skate America event in Everett

19-year-old U.S. skating star Nathan Chen easily won the gold medal at the first ISU Grand Prix event of the season in Everett in October. Chen, who is known for his quadruple jumps, dialed back his final free skate routine, as he performed just three “quads” to secure first place.

The Utah native hit an Olympic record six in his long form routine at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

But those Olympics were not the best for Chen, as he was favored to win a medal in Pyeongchang, North Korea.

However, a disastrous short program landed him in 17th place and out of reach of his gold medal aspirations. His six quads in his free skate performance vaulted him to 5th place, but off of the medal stand. Chen will have to wait until 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China to go after an Olympic gold.

The two-time U.S. and reigning world champion was the favorite at the first stop on the tour.

Donaire wins bantamweight title, advances in tournament

Overshadowed by Manny Pacquiao during his prime, The Filipino Flash, Nonito Donaire has been one of the best pound-forpound boxers you rarely get to hear about. He was named Fighter of the Year in 2012 by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

However, Donaire’s career has slowed over the years. Earlier this year, he lost a decision to Carl Frampton in Ireland, where he was constantly beaten to the punch by the younger boxer. Going into his latest fight, he was an underdog going against British boxer Ryan Burnett on Nov. 3 in Scotland.

Burnett, the defending World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title holder, suffered what looked to be a back injury see SPORTS on 11

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YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS

9

A tycoon’s to-do list

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY It’s not easy being insanely, crazy, filthy rich, but somehow, some way, I’ll manage.

They drew the numbers for the Mega Millions lottery last month. Since no one has won in months, the jackpot was worth over $1 billion.

It just so happens, that in all those months of no one winning, I didn’t even bother playing. When the jackpot was over a billion dollars, I figured, sure, why not? I’m in for $20.

I’ve read that the odds of winning that particular lottery was well over 300 million to one. But since I didn’t even bother to play any of the other drawings, my chances were really more like a trillion to one. Now that I’ve invested (yes, I used the word “invested”) my hard earned $20, I figure my chances were…300 million divided by 20, carry the four…maybe 50/50.

By the time you read this, I will be spending all my money. But, it’s not all fun and games. I have responsibilities to take care of.

First, we have kids. I need to make sure I take care of them. $1 million. That should do it. Now, on to the $999,899,000 I have left.

Next — our home. We live in a nice home in the suburbs with terrific neighbors. The only problem? That mortgage. I’ll have to pay a monthly mortgage until the year 2058 before this house is completely ours. But now, with my newly acquired tycoon status, I can pay off the whole mortgage and do a few renovations to boot. I always get a sore back

after playing tennis every week. How did I ever manage without having a built-in sauna room in my house? What am I, a barbarian?

And then there’s our pool. Nothing really wrong with the pool, but how on earth could I have ever survived having a pool without a swim up bar where I can play poker while sitting in the pool? It doesn’t really matter that I don’t drink or really ever gamble.

I need the bar to make room for the automatic French fry dispensing machine.

Let’s not forget about the car. I usually drive a 2007 Ram truck. That has to go. Let’s go with the stretch SUV-limo with the built-in pinball machine. And while we’re at it, let’s include the automatic French fry dispensing machine option as well.

As a matter of fact, let’s just simplify things. For anything else on my tycoon wish list, just add the words, “include the French fry option.” I’ll know what it means.

But alas, someone else had the winning ticket.

And I thought to myself, what will I regret not having?

Actually, not all that much. I can’t imagine having a more perfect partner in my wife, regardless of how much money I have. Same goes for my son, who seems to be really making his way in college. Even with my two developmentally disabled kids — even with their challenges, they are healthy, happy, and making their way as well.

I’ve got neighbors who lined up to deliver hand cooked meals when I had a minor operation. Friends who call just to say hello, and an extended family who make an effort to stay in touch because well, that’s just what families do.

If you think about it that way, I guess it doesn’t really matter what happens. I’ve already hit the jackpot.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

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asianweekly northwest

10

36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG location, affordability, availability, and size.

When legendary community activist Bob Santos died in 2016, InterIm quickly organized a gathering a few days later. Over 200 people came. People not only hugged each other for comfort, they huddled together crying, sharing grief and what Uncle Bob meant to them. It was reassuring to see Bob’s widow, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, holding it together. Nagomi, which means “harmony,” made community members feel comforted in times of sorrow and crisis.

There were historical moments at Nagomi, such as a series of meetings on the murder of community hero Donnie Chin. There, I witnessed the increasing anger, anxiety, and frustrations of the audience to hold the Seattle Police Department (SPD) accountable. It was empowering to see how community members stood up together for Chin. Big shots from SPD standing on one side of the audience, couldn’t really say much about the unsolved case. After each meeting, community members walked away from the tea house, sighing and moaning, without seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

When I visited the closed tea house recently, I imagined the sign “Justice for Donnie!” still hanging up on the wall during those community meetings. Now, the tea house’s traditional Japanese light fixtures are lying on the floor next to that wall. The place is now cold, lonely, and empty.

If you attended last year’s API Candidates Forum, you would remember 10 Seattle mayoral candidates at the packed Nagomi, some demonstrated or pretended they had deep ties with the Asian community through warm greetings. Whenever those election forums were held at Nagomi, the community’s attendance exploded, compared to other venues. Location matters.

Julie Pham, a key organizer of the Ethnic Media Candidates Meet n Greet, said, “We held the [event] at Nagomi Tea House for years. It was the perfect place — near so many ethnic media offices, a parking lot for the candidates who were hopping from one event to the next.”

Nagomi provided a huge space of over 8,000 square feet. No one had to worry about making room for surprise guests. In addition, several cultural programs were held there, including karaoke contests, lavish tea ceremonies, and festivals for youth and holidays.

Photos by Assunta Ng

NAGOMI from 1

Tea house inside this crate.

Light fixtures getting packed up.

Why I’ll miss Nagomi

reason Nagomi was able to survive is because it didn’t need to pay rent, since the Moriguchi family owns the property. Since the sound system was so bad, Moriguchi said the number of events declined dramatically in recent years. Elaine Ko was one of the staff members to lay the groundwork for Nagomi programs. But she has retired, and was not available for comments.

Uwajimaya is now run by the third generation of the Moriguchi family, and Moriguchi’s daughter, Denise, is Uwajimaya’s CEO and president. Tomio’s nieces and nephews work in different departments of the business.

Uwajimaya has three other stores in King County and one in Oregon, in addition to real estate developments such as the Publix.

Moriguchi said, “It (Nagomi) would need at least $250,000 to fix the lights and the sound system. The new generation (of the Moriguchi family) didn’t want to invest (in the venture). I was disappointed.”

Moriguchi, 82, said his family has other plans. At his age, he “doesn’t want to push it (the project) because if he does, he would have ended up doing it himself. If the family decides to remodel Nagomi, he said they would have to step in and be involved in the project.

To some extent, the community has taken the tea house for granted. I’d like to say thank you to Tomio and the Moriguchi family for allowing us to use the facility for many years.

Nagomi is gone, but not forgotten. And the tea house is now boxed in wooden containers, waiting for a new home. 

The Chinatown-International District lost Asian Resource Center when it was sold in 2015 to make way for Summit Charter School. The ID Community Center is not always available to the community, since it has its own programs and classes, and restricted hours. I have rented the Community Center’s gym before, it’s the most expensive facility in the ID. Nagomi offered its space almost free of charge for emergency meetings and was often low-cost for community events. All we had to do was make a phone call to or email Tomio Moriguchi, Nagomi’s founder and former Uwajimaya chair. It was convenient. There was little paperwork, no deposit requirement or reference checks to rent the site. Never mind the sound system was not perfect. Never mind the restroom was not in the best shape. And oh, there was a kitchen to prepare food, an important element for Asian community events.

Nagomi’s history

Since the new Uwajimaya was built across the street 18 years ago, the old store has been rented to retail antique stores. Later, parts of it were leased to Oasis Bubble Tea, and the Uwajimaya family had plans for the remaining space for new restaurants and a karaoke site. But the deals fell through.

In the meantime, the tea house idea was born. Tomio Moriguchi didn’t own the tea house. It was a gift from Sekisui to Japan Fair Matsuri. Eight years ago, the tea house needed a home, since the original guardian of the tea house retired. And it landed at the old Uwajimaya site.

Nagomi used to host up to 60 events during the year. It never made any profit, according to Moriguchi. The only

From left: Nikkita Oliver, James Norton, Gary Brose, Mike McGinn, Jessyn Farrell, Cary Moon, Tiniell Cato, Jenny Durkan, Bob Hasegawa, and Larry Oberto. (Photo by George Liu)

Joan Yoshitomi and Lloyd Hara at an event honoring Hara’s public service. (Photo by Assunta Ng)

Connie Chin-Magorty (Photo by Assunta Ng)

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Richard Mar of the IDEC (left) and Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (Photo by John Liu)

Tien Ha of Ha Construction Co. donated sandwiches and bottled water (Photo by John Liu)

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

■ EDITORIAL

11

Election aftermath

The 2018 elections featured historic turnout thanks to a president who drove both parties to the polls.

The midterms were massive in both raw vote totals and participation rates. According to the Associated Press, an estimated 113 million Americans went to the polls Nov. 6, the highest total for a non-presidential election in U.S. history and the highest voter participation rate in a midterm election in at least 50 years.

In Washington state, we had several high stakes initiatives on the ballot. One would have brought a carbon tax, which would impose fees for carbon emissions in an effort to curb climate change.

We were surprised that it didn’t pass given how serious people are in this state about environmental issues. Perhaps supporters expended too much energy and money demonizing Big Oil and defending themselves.

We were also pleasantly surprised that voters disregarded the Seattle Times endorsement of Republican Joe Fain in the Legislative District 47 state

Senate race. Mona Das, a Democrat, pulled ahead of the incumbent Fain, a couple of days after the election. Fain has been accused of raping a woman in a Washington, D.C. hotel room in 2007, an accusation he denies.

The Times stood by its endorsement of Fain, even after the rape accusation became public. The Times editorial board wrote on Oct. 10, “We believe Candace Faber’s accusations should be taken seriously and fully investigated. Fain has denied the allegations in two statements. He called for a full investigation. However, an investigation does not appear likely.”

That remains to be seen. Perhaps just the mere accusation was enough to sway voters.

Another race we were closely watching was the Washington State Supreme Court race between incumbent Steve Gonzalez and relative unknown Nathan Choi.

Steve Gonzalez Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu wrote a scathing op-ed against Choi.

She urged voters, especially Asian Americans, to look past the Asian name and vote for her colleague, Gonzalez.

Though Gonzalez won easily with 75 percent of the vote, we were astounded that Choi got 188,019 people to vote for him.

In February, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office sued Choi for a wide range of campaign finance violations during the 2017 election year, and the King County Bar Association found that Choi violated the bar’s Fair Campaign Practices Guidelines.

Choi has refused to be interviewed by the news media. On his campaign website, Choi stated that he is a patriot and that he will be a “Rule of Law Judge. This makes me unpopular Nathan Choi with the Main Stream Media and the Establishment.”

While dismayed that so many people voted for him, we are relieved that Choi did not win. 

would reconsider.

According to her campaign website, Das was born to Indian parents who immigrated to America when she was 8 months old. They had only $6 in their pocket.

Her father was a materials science engineer. Her mother was the foundation of the Das family and over the years taught many fellow immigrants how to get by in America.

Das credits her parents for her determination and strong work ethic.

In an email to supporters, Das wrote, “To the thousands of people who donated, endorsed, volunteered, and helped us win this race — thank you!

We have a full blown affordability crisis in South King County, and I am going to do everything I can to work towards affordable health care and housing and higher

wage jobs.

I am so proud of this campaign. We placed a diverse set of people and ideas at the forefront of our message. Our ad that showcased the people of the 47th is exactly why I ran for office, and the fact that that was a piece of a winning campaign shows that we can run the campaign we want and people will respond.”

Das moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1996. She launched a mortgage business in 2004 focused on educating and empowering first-time homebuyers, and she serves on the board of the Women’s Business Exchange.

Das earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, and an MBA in sustainable business from Pinchot University (now Presidio Graduate School). 

Mona Das

DAS from 1 to serve South King County in the Washington State Senate,” Fain posted on his Facebook page. “I look forward to supporting her during the transition in any way I can.”

In September, Seattle resident Candace Faber tweeted that Fain raped her in 2007 in Washington, D.C. Faber said she was inspired to speak publicly as she watched the televised hearing on allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Fain wasn’t in office at the time of the alleged assault.

A state Senate committee last week approved an outside investigation into the rape allegation. Senate leaders said then that they may re-evaluate their decision if Fain loses his election. It wasn't immediately known if Senate leaders

SPORTS from 8

RIDE THE DUCKS from 1

after throwing a punch in the fourth round. He was unable to continue and Donaire won the fight and the WBA bantamweight title. He also moved on to the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS). The WBSS is an international professional boxing tournament that awards for specific boxing divisions with the winner of each tournament receiving $10 million.

Donaire said he felt sluggish early on, but started to connect against Burnett.

Unfortunately, Burnett suffered the injury and could not continue in the fifth round.

Officially, Donaire won via a technical knockout. The win gives the Bay Areabased fighter some momentum going into the semifinals of the tournament. He may not be the same “flash” at 35 years old, but Donaire is one of the smarter boxers out there who can adapt. 

a Korean student who suffered broken bones in both her hands.

Five people were killed and dozens injured on Sept. 15, 2015, when one of the Ride the Ducks boats careened into oncoming traffic on the Aurora Bridge, slamming into a tour bus full of foreign students. An investigation showed an axle on the Duck boat had broken.

Herrmann said the settlement represented “fair compensation”

Jason can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly?

We want to know about it.

Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.com.

to the victims and, as importantly, showed their families and countrymen from Indonesia and South Korea that justice can be sought and achieved for anyone in the American judicial system.

The settlement involves Ride the Ducks Seattle and Ride The Ducks International only, and that the victims’ claims against the city of Seattle and the state of Washington remain active.

The trial, which is expected to last several more months, is ongoing in superior court. 

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asianweekly northwest

12

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

36 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Asiana Airlines settlement

The Herrmann Law Group announced on Nov. 8 that its clients settled a lawsuit related to a July 2013 crash in San Francisco that killed 304 people.

Attorney Charles Herrmann said, “The (Asiana) flight crew mismanaged the aircraft’s descent in their final approach to landing at San Francisco Airport.”

Herrmann said that his investigation revealed that Boeing had failed to adequately explain the proper operation of the airplane’s auto-throttle.

“As a result, Asiana pilots were

poorly trained on its use,” Herrmann said. “They didn’t realize that the auto-throttle automatically shut off — causing the plane to lose power, speed, and altitude.”

Both Boeing and Asiana were defendants in the lawsuit and both contributed to the settlement.

Asiana Flight 214 broke apart when it approached the runway too low and too slow. The Boeing 777 hit a seawall before skittering across the tarmac and catching fire.

“We’re very proud of the fact that a great many Korean children were able to finish college and get a decent start in life with the compensation we recovered for their widowed mothers from those responsible for these accidents,” Hermann said. 

Photo from the National Transportation Safety Board

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Wreckage of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 on July 6, 2013

SHELF from 7 led by Bob, a power-hungry IT tech.

The group is making its way toward the Midwest to a place Bob calls the Facility, with the promise of safety and shelter.

Part workplace comedy, part coming of adulthood, part post-apocalyptic survival story, Ma weaves several layers into her story that has a little bit of something for everyone. Ma will have readers thinking about their daily routines and whether they may be stuck in a rut, as well as considering what they might do in the case of an apocalyptic event.

In Candace, we have a seemingly unambitious young woman who tends to avoid deep connections and overthinking, choosing to keep her life simple. Even her relationship with her boyfriend Jonathan seems fairly shallow and their breakup after about five years together barely affects her — at least on the surface. But as we get to know her more, and as the story jumps between flashbacks from her past and her current struggles to survive, we see that there is more to Candace than we realize.

And when we learn about the secret she is keeping from Bob and the rest of the survivors, we get a better understanding of her actions and why she does what she does.

Ninefox Gambit

By Yoon Ha Lee Solaris, 2016

After being disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics, hexarchate Captain Kel Cheris is given the chance to redeem herself. This chance comes in the form of retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that had been recently captured by heretics.

And it’s not just Cheris’ career that is on the line. If the fortress falls, the hexarchate might fall as well.

Her best hope in being successful is Shuos Jedao, an undead tactician who has essentially melded himself with Cheris and shares her body. While Jedao has never lost a battle and might be the only one who could figure out how to get the job done, there is also a downside of Cheris (admittedly unwillingly) being tethered to him. In his past life, Jedao went mad and massacred two armies — one of which was his own. So Cheris has to decide how much she can trust Jedao because it’s not just the hexarchate that’s at risk.

“Ninefox” takes place in the far future in a world where technology and weaponry are closely connected to mathematics. Lee also doesn’t scrimp on the action, as there are several battles that will satisfy anyone looking for it. In addition to the science fiction, there is political intrigue to add more layers to the story.

For me, the relationship between Cheris and Jedao is the most interesting part of “Ninefox” as the character-driven story explores how the two come to cohabitate in a way that serves both of them. The fact that Jedao is a known madman and could turn on Cheris at any moment will have readers on their toes.

this is just the tip of the iceberg. He finds himself up against soldiers and scientists alike — each with their own motives to help, or hinder, his quest.

“Ball Lightning” is a story exploring that fine line between scientific discovery and the consequences of such discoveries.

For Chen, ball lightning is the key to his parents’ deaths, but for others, it represents new technology in defense and weaponry.

The character’s pursuit to recreate ball lightning in order to use it in the military raises ethical questions regarding a country’s defense and the cost of pursuing such avenues.

While Liu does a good job of explaining the science behind ball lightning, the part I found most compelling was Chen’s story. Even as a grown man, there is still a large part of him that is just a young boy, looking for answers regarding his parents’ deaths. This very human need to make sense of something — especially following a traumatic experience — is something most readers will be able to relate to. Liu develops his characters, even the secondary ones, so readers will care what happens to

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them and become invested in their lives.  Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

13

Predictions and advice for the week of November 17–23, 2018

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Two important people in your life might not always agree, which makes it a little complicated for you. Avoid taking sides, if at all possible.

Ox — Instead of a single major change, modifying a few minor habits could actually have a greater cumulative effect on your health.

Tiger — The allure of pursuing something new can be tempting, but there is value in finishing what you have already started.

Rabbit — There is a force that is pushing you to do your best right now. The results of your labor could be quite significant.

Dragon — You have earned the opportunity to make your dreams a reality. However, you must be willing to assume some risk if you decide to go all in.

Monkey — Are you worried that all the pieces won’t come together as you envisioned? Focus on the end goal and leave some room for flexibility to get there.

Snake — Are you taking unnecessary chances with a valuable commodity? Rather than putting it in jeopardy, opt to save it for the future.

Rooster — You are not one to just go along for the sake of getting along. Your willingness to stand up for yourself has earned some admirers.

Horse — Care and concern could be misconstrued as interference by some, but there is no need to apologize for respectfully sharing your thoughts.

Dog — Your attention is being sought by many parties, so where do you grant it? The loudest to your ears is not necessarily the most deserving, listen with your heart.

Goat — Someone is reaching out to you for your opinion. If you care about the issue, then make the time to respond.

Pig — Others are encouraging you to choose the easiest route. However, if a challenge is what you seek, then it is definitely not the way to go.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 RABBIT 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 DRAGON 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 SNAKE 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 HORSE 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 GOAT 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 MONKEY 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 ROOSTER 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 DOG 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

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

99 TROPES from 7 “It was the most awful cringe moment you can imagine.

And yet another incident where the words ‘we all look alike’ rang in my ears. [And] there have been many other incidents over the years where someone mistook me for another Asian in the school or work community.”

Gong, who arrived in town in 1995 after growing up in Miami, was fed up. He’d grown up having kids jabber cruel mock-Chinese at him, throwing kung fu kicks while they laughed. He was impressed with the “Crazy Rich Asians” movie because it showed Asian folks as rounded human beings, not shallow stereotypes.

But he felt, passionately, that much more remained to give Asians in America a broader range of roles, not to mention, more respect.

The actor saw his chance when he ran into Hollywood writer Andrew Chapman, who splits his time between

OSAKA from 4 an international audience,’’ said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert and creative director at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco, California.

Serena Williams topped the Forbes list of the highestearning female athletes this year at $18 million, almost all endorsements.

Experts say Osaka could be the right woman in the right sport at the right time with the draw to overtake her.

“What’s more, tennis, especially women’s tennis, is a sport that lends itself to a broad variety of sponsors: sporting goods, health and beauty, fashion, lifestyle, travel, personal care, you name it,’’ Dorfman said. “And the sport’s international following brings with it a large, loyal and affluent fan base. All the more reason why so many companies are lining up to sign her up.’’

The big question is: Can she keep this up?

Much has happened very quickly for her, notes former tennis star Chris Evert.

“You know, it’s going to be life-changing for her and very, very important,’’ Evert said. “From what I see, she is very humble and from what I see, her parents are very humble people. Hopefully they won’t go Hollywood on us.

We don’t want that to happen.’’

Osaka’s multicultural background — Japan-born but raised in the U.S. by a Haitian American father and a Japanese mother — adds to her wide appeal, endearing her to fans in Japan and elsewhere.

Her disarming charm, off and on the court, including how she handled the turmoil surrounding her win over Williams, is also winning people over.

“She appeals to the young and old, men and women, everyone,’’ said Shigeru Tanaka, advertising manager at Citizen, her sponsor since August.

Tokyo-based Citizen Watch Co.’s $700 Naomi Osaka

Seattle and Los Angeles. Chapman listened to Gong’s concerns, and agreed to write a play with Gong in mind for the lead.

Chapman’s final result, called “99 Tropes,” stars Gong as the suspiciously-named “C. Chan,” a writer who breaks into the big time when his show is picked up by network TV. As the show tanks in the ratings, Chan nevertheless succeeds in taking complete control of the writing, and his ideas he’s sending into American living rooms grow ever more bold and outrageous.

In addition to Gong as the lead, the show also features a middle-aged lesbian and a Jewish man as lead characters, plus a Black actor in another lead role. Gong co-founded In The Moment Theater with director Jeff Woodbridge, who oversaw this new production.

“His artistic vision is inspiring, but what’s best about his directing style is that it’s a collaborative process between director and actor,” said Gong. “He’s not mandating orders

from up above. He’s asking you what you believe the character needs and wants.”

Ultimately, said Gong, he wants the audience to get an up-close look at writing in Hollywood, the fascinating, and odd, victories and defeats that happen there. Playwright Chapman, with decades of experience in that world, has the necessary perspective to make it work onstage.

Also, the actor concluded, “I want audiences to see something they usually don’t see, a main character who is Asian American. Not just Asian and not just American, but truly Asian American.” 

watch is selling out at stores in Japan, thanks to the exposure it got on her wrist at the U.S. Open.

Citizen was quick to take advantage of her Grand Slam win, taking out a one-third page ad in the Yomiuri newspaper’s extra edition report of her win.

Companies won’t say how much her contracts are worth, but they tend to be written so that if she keeps winning, her earnings will keep going up. If one company won’t pay, another will just snatch her up, marketing experts say.

Although Japanese baseball players like Ichiro and Shohei Ohtani are superstars, that sport doesn’t have the global appeal of tennis. There are Olympians, but their appeal tends to come and go every four years.

Japan is “just starving for a star,’’ Evert said.

Osaka has been wearing various Citizen watches in matches and in photo ops and has told reporters the first watch she got from her mom was a Citizen. She has also said her father drove a Nissan while she was growing up — another in a growing line of sponsors.

Besides Citizen, Osaka has deals with instant noodlemaker Nissin Foods Group, Japanese badminton and tennis racket maker Yonex Co., and athletic-wear and sneaker giant Adidas.

Nissan Motor Co. signed Osaka as its three-year “brand ambassador’’ in September. The deal was in the works for a while, but the timing couldn’t have been better, coming right after the U.S. Open.

The Yokohama-based automaker is mulling a “Naomi Osaka model’’ car. She is also getting keys to a silver GT-R sports car. Investing in Osaka enhances brand image for the long-term, said Masao Tsutsumi, general manager in charge of Osaka-related marketing at Nissan.

He said her transformation from “every girl’’ to superstar parallels the automaker’s commitment to technological innovation. “She also is such a nice person while being utterly professional,’’ he added.

Yonex has been supplying rackets to Osaka since she was 10, after receiving a letter from her mother. The Osaka effect is evident in the growing popularity of Yonex rackets among younger Americans, the company says.

Appearing before Yonex employees in Tokyo, Osaka drew affectionate laughter by insisting on addressing the crowd in Japanese, though she managed only a few words, including “onaji,’’ or “the same,’’ says Nori Shimojo, the company’s official in charge of tennis player service.

At just 21, Osaka’s got plenty of time to learn the language of her birthplace if she wants to.

As for her sponsorship windfall, she is shrugging it all off.

“I wouldn’t really know because I have never been in this territory,’’ she said during a recent tournament in Singapore. “For me, I just focus on my matches, and, I mean, like I’m a tennis player, so I just play tennis.’’ 

“99 Tropes” runs Nov. 24-Dec. 23, as a presentation of In the Moment Theater. For tickets, prices, and other information, visit 99tropes.com.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

14

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MARCOS from 4 Representatives while appealing the decision. Her congressional term will end next year but she has registered to run to replace her daughter as governor of northern Ilocos Norte province.

“I was jumping up and down in joy in disbelief,’’ said former Commission on Human Rights chairwoman Loretta Ann Rosales, who was among many activists locked up after Imelda’s husband, former President Ferdinand Marcos, declared martial law in the Philippines in 1972.

Rosales said the decision was a huge setback to efforts by the Marcos family to revise history by denying many of the atrocities under the dictatorship, and urged Filipinos to fight all threats against democracy and civil liberties.

Former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who was also jailed during the Marcos dictatorship, said it was up to voters in next year’s May 13 local elections, where Marcos is a candidate, if they want “somebody who has a bad name representing them, that’s your call.’’

Imelda Marcos’ husband was ousted by an army-backed “people power’’ revolt in 1986. He died in self-exile in Hawaii in 1989 but his widow and children returned to the Philippines.

Most have been elected to public offices in an impressive political comeback.

Government prosecutor Ryan Quilala told reporters that Marcos and her husband opened and managed Swiss foundations in violation of the Philippine Constitution, using aliases in a bid to hide stolen funds. The Marcoses have been accused of plundering the government’s coffers amid crushing poverty. They have denied any wrongdoing and have successfully fought many other corruption cases.

Imelda Marcos was acquitted in three other cases, which were filed in 1991 and took nearly three decades of trial by several judges and prosecutors. She was once convicted of a graft case in 1993, but the Supreme Court later cleared her of any wrongdoing.

President Rodrigo Duterte, an ally of the Marcoses, said last year the Marcos

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family had indicated a willingness to return a still-unspecified amount of money and “a few gold bars’’ to help ease budget deficits. He indicated the family still denied that the assets had been stolen as alleged by political opponents.

Ferdinand Marcos had placed the Philippines under martial rule a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked Congress, ordered the arrest of political rivals and left-wing activists and ruled by decree. His family is said to have amassed an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion while he was in power.

A Hawaii court found Marcos liable for human rights violations and awarded $2 billion from his estate to compensate more than 9,000 Filipinos who filed a lawsuit against him for torture, incarceration, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

Duterte has acknowledged that Imee Marcos, the couple’s daughter and a provincial governor, backed his presidential candidacy. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

15

Photos by John Liu

Photo by Assunta Ng

NOVEMBER 17 – NOVEMBER 23, 2018

POLICE CONTRACT from 1 Pang Qiu Fung, 86, known fondly around Chinatown as “Auntie Pang,” spoke through a translator, Doreen Wai. The ID resident gathered 1,000 signatures in support of the contract.She said to rousing applause, “We, the elderly community in Chinatown… every one of us fully supports the new contract, support their (police officers’) raise.”

Officers will receive a collective $65 million in back pay and raises — a 17 percent total bump with retroactive raises of between 3 and 4 percent per year. That makes Seattle officers the best paid in the state and fourth best paid along the Pacific coast.

But a broad coalition of community leaders urged the Seattle City Council to reject the contract between the City and the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) because they said it threatens to undermine the package of improvements put in place by a historic police accountability law the Council approved in May 2017. The ordinance was designed to strengthen community trust in the SPD and solidify reforms arising from a still-open court order against the City.

Diane Narasaki, co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, said she had no issue with police officers getting more money.

“The city should proceed with the immediate pay increases and benefits negotiated with SPOG,” she said during public comments. But she went on to say that civil and human rights must be protected.

“We believe that there can be no true accountability to the community without the Seattle Community Police Commission (CPC), recommendations that were passed in the 2017 ordinance,” said Narasaki.

“Please do not turn back the clock on advances to date made by the CPC and the City on building community trust in the police department.”

Joseph Shoji Lachman echoed Narasaki’s sentiments.

“I have extreme concerns about the way it (the contract) rolls back regulations on secondary employment, as well as using vacation time for suspensions.”

He posted on Facebook after the vote that he is really disappointed.

“Seattle just undermined the police accountability reforms it passed last year.

Why position the city as a nationwide

leader on police accountability reform and then totally ruin its significance by letting the police union rewrite it wherever it’s not convenient to them?”

Yan Ku, an ID resident who heard the testimonials of those who accused cops of killing, said, “Just because there are a few bad cops, doesn’t mean the police force shouldn’t have a raise. It’s just like doctors.

There are bad doctors who accidentally kill patients. Does it mean we write off all doctors?”

City Council President Bruce Harrell called it “an insult” to suggest that the council would roll back reforms.

“I understand where you hearts are,” Harrell said to the crowd. Holding up a binder, he said, “Trust that when we go through this thick binder, we are going through it to make sure we get the reform to protect our community, that’s what we do.”

Tim Lee, who organized Chinatown residents and businesses to attend the City Council meeting in support of the contract, said a councilmember emailed him after the vote. That councilmember was originally going to vote against the contract but was swayed by the arguments by Chinatown residents, and voted in favor of it.

In a news conference following the vote, Mayor Jenny Durkan pointed to her long career working on police accountability. She said she would not sign off on an agreement she felt was a rollback.

“We know that this agreement does not roll back reforms,” Durkan said. “The (police) chief and I are committed to reforms, our police officers are committed to reforms, our city council is committed to reforms.”

The vote was 8-1, with Kshama Sawant being the only “no” vote. Kristina Lee, an ID business owner, was disappointed.

“This is the woman (Sawant) who fought hard for the $15 minimum wage law a few years ago. Many who benefitted from this law are kids. Now, the police who put their lives in danger every day needed a legitimate wage increase, and she rejected it.”

The contract will now go to U.S. District Court Judge James Robart for review. SPD is still being monitored as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to reform its use of force practices. The judge is expected to make sure the new contract does not conflict with those requirements.  Ruth can be reached at editor@ nwasianweekly.com.

Diane Narasaki speaking against the contract

Joseph Lachman speaking against the contract

Photo by George Liu

Auntie Peng (center) and Tim Lee (right) in support of the contract.

Mayor Durkan shaking hands with a 99 year old resident.

asianweekly northwest

16

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