VOL 38 NO 7 | FEBRUARY 9 - FEBRUARY 15, 2019

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

VOL 38 NO 7 FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

FREE

37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■

Weather forces a change in ID Lunar New Year celebration

Washington State House adopts Lunar New Year resolution

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

SEATTLE — The Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) announced on Feb. 6 that it is changing the date for its annual Lunar New Year Celebration from Saturday, Feb. 9 to Saturday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to inclement weather in the Seattle

OLYMPIA — For the first time in its history, the Washington State House has adopted a resolution in recognition of the Lunar New Year.

The resolution was brought forward by Rep. My-Linh Thai, who made history last month when she became

see CIDBIA on 15

see RESOLUTION on 15

Photo provided by Washington House Democrats

Image by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

20 19

Rep. My-Linh Thai

412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com

asianweekly northwest

2

37 YEARS

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

3rd annual Keiro Northwest Lunar New Year celebration

ture and design.

A licensed architect, Cheng is a leader in the American Institute of Architects and advocates for equity in the architecture field and practices related to the built environment. ■ Photo from Keiro Northwest

Photos by George/NWAW

SR 99 tunnel opens

Ribbon-cutting ceremony Tomoko Moriguchi-Matsuno (standing) during the live auction

A family joined in the celebration

Photos by Assunta/NWAW

On Feb. 2, more than 100 people gathered at the south entrance to the new 99 tunnel for the opening ceremony.

Commuters opened the threeday festivities with an 8K race that took participants through the new four-lane tunnel and over the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

The celebration marked State Sen. Steve Hobbs the end of three weeks of a commuting nightmare, after transportation officials closed the viaduct to realign the highway into the new tunnel. ■

Keiro Northwest held its annual Lunar New Year dinner on Feb. 2. Six-hundred-fifty people attended the event at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington.

The highlight was when Terry Takeuchi of Terry’s Kitchen let his brother cut off his ponytail on stage, after 100 people each do- Cake for auction by Tracy Luu, comnated $100. $10,000 was missioned by Katie Lai raised from that alone!

According to CEO Bridgette Takeuchi, the event raised close to $450,000. ■

Kirkland and Bellevue students honored On Feb. 5, Kobey Chew, 17, of Kirkland, and Mehr Grewal, 11, of Bellevue, were named Washington’s top two youth volunteers of 2019 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people Kobey Chew for outstanding acts of volunteerism.

As State Honorees, Kobey and Mehr each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expensepaid trip in early May to Washington, D.C. They will join the top two honorees from each of Mehr Grewal the other states and the District of Columbia. During the trip, 10 students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2019. ■

Cheng: a new dean at the UW Renée Cheng joined the University of Washington on Jan. 1 as new dean of the UW College of Built Environments.

She was previously at the University of Minnesota, where she was a professor and associate dean of its school of architec-

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 editor@nwasianweekly.com.

Renée Cheng

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FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY/TECHNOLOGY NEWS

asianweekly northwest

Young computer whiz tackles cybersecurity with unique program

Libby Savage Hopfauf, program manager/audiovisual archivist at MIPoPS

Chumnith Udom

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By Aremi MacDonald NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by Jason Cruz/NWAW

Photo by Aremi MacDonald/NWAW

NW Asian American Theatre comes back to life in digital project

3

Enveloped in a windowless office in City Hall, the history of Asian American Theatre in the 1990s in Seattle is being preserved. In conjunction with the Wing Luke Museum, the Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound (MIPoPS) are digitizing recordings from the Northwest Asian American Theatre (NWAAT).

The Wing Luke Museum received a grant from 4Culture, the cultural funding agency for King County to catalogue the

NWAAT materials, and the Seattle City Archives invited the museum to be part of its MIPoPS’ project. MIPoPS received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to digitize the tapes.

It was identified that the Wing Luke Museum had a unique, rare collection of tapes from the NWAAT. MIPoPS is digitizing the whole collection, in addition to 100 oral histories from the Wing Luke Museum. The collection includes a wide variety of videos. In addition to plays, see NWAAT on 13

“I wasn’t sure if I would know how to do it, but I just did,” explained Chumnith Udom, as he recalled building his first computer. The 21-year-old student from Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh moved from his hometown to the Seattle area a year ago, where he now studies at South Seattle College (SSC).

“In Cambodia, I wanted to be an architect, but I noticed my friends would always ask me to help them fix issues with

their email or Facebook.”

Udom took a liking to IT work and studied computer science in Cambodia, but soon realized his interest was really in cybersecurity. Shortly after, he came to Seattle with his father to pursue just that.

Udom says he wants to study network security administration, but must pass English proficiency courses at SSC before he can begin taking course-related classes. As a first-year student new to the United States, Udom says he’s been receiving see SSC on 12

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FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Ultimate Frisbee combats racism?

Young leader says yes, it does

Photo from Michael Pugal/Rainier Valley Corps

By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Devoted to addressing people’s needs, Michael “Miko” Pugal found a career in nonprofit by following his love for communities and passion for Ultimate Frisbee (UF).

Pugal described his post-high school experience as weird, but being in the nonprofit sector helped him figure out what he wanted to do. He started his nonprofit career in 2013 when he was just 18.

AGE UP

Michael “Miko” Pugal coaches students in Ultimate Frisbee at Asa Mercer Middle School

Now 23, Pugal is the capacity coordinator for All Girl Everything Ultimate Program (AGE UP). His work touches on operations, financials, development, and programming work. He also runs internships and workshops, and coaches UF. Pugal grew up in the south Beacon Hill area with a lot of neighborhood gangs. He experienced getting jumped because he looked

different, but also learned about community organizing by “kicking it with OGs.” He’s proud of the fact that he was able to find a career that he loved, despite being a poor kid from South Seattle and not having a college degree.

“You shouldn’t be scared to pursue the things that make you happy because of fear of not surviving in the world,” he said.

Rainier Valle y Corps fellowship Pugal applied to be a Rainier Valley Corps (RVC) Community Impact Fellow and was placed at AGE UP. “As a young person of color, one that did not graduate college, RVC validated my want to grow

Miko Pugal

as a professional, but also the work that I’ve done already. It allowed me to see the different areas of expertise within the nonprofit industrial complex and help me grow in each area, whether it was grant writing, individual donor stewardship, and data collection and analysis,” Pugal said.

Abesha Shiferaw, RVC program director, said, “This fellowship provides access to opportunities

that communities and people of color traditionally don't have access to — like quality education and hands-on leadership development done through a cultural lens.

It’s so important for us to be responsive to the needs of communities of color in order to help empwower them to do their groundbreaking work. And, on a bigger scale, see RVC on 12

DUE TO THE SNOW FORECAST, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 2! PLEASE STAY SAFE, EVERYONE! NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY & NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY FOUNDATION PRESENTS 10TH ANNUAL

win $$$ in the year of the pig

no age limit!

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 MAKE A PIG MASK — Size (an adult or child can wear it) — It can cover the entire face — Be creative with all types of colorful materials — It can show happy, sad, or funny emotions — Must be displayed or worn by a model at the contest PRIZES First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100) + prizes for honorable mentions

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods: Mail: Northwest Asian Weekly Lunar New Year Costume Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 ________________________________________________________

School Name: ___________________________________________Age: ________ Profession: ________________________________________________________ Phone:

__________________________________________________________

E-mail:

___________________________________________________________

I am entering contest for:

 Pig Mask

 Costume

 Both Contests

Please send your photo of entry by February 1, 2019 to rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

FOR MORE INFO, GO TO CIDBIA.ORG, NWASIANWEEKLY.COM/EVENTS

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest (Saturday, February 9) beginning at

SPONSORS

Name:

Costume Parade Schedule: • 11 AM — Registration • 12:30 PM — Line up • 1 PM — Parade begins • 1:30 PM — Parade winners announced • Start from Northwest Asian Weekly’s front door, march to main stage • Contestants must be present at the announcement of finalists (1:30 PM).

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• The first 20 registered will get a gift.

Make a Pig Mask or be a part of the Costume Contest or enter both contests!

LUNAR NEW YEAR COSTUME CONTEST — Contestants’ attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration PRIZES First ($100), Second ($75), Third ($50)

11 a.m. at the registration table. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave S. • Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 30 minutes prior to parade.

Rules/Guidelines: • You are welcome to participate in both contests: pig mask and costume contest. The costume contest will begin first, followed by the pig mask contest.

• Adults & children are welcome to participate • Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade • All contestants will be given a contestant number for order of Parade lineup • Contestants must be present to win

community SPONSORs JIM DOANE

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

By Jenna Fryer AP AUTO RACING WRITER CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR’s biggest stars have all moved on. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are television analysts while Tony Stewart is racing sprint cars again.

Danica Patrick traded her firesuit for athleisure-wear while Carl Edwards just kind of disappeared.

America’s top motorsports series is in need of a new face. The rapid wave of retirements brought in a crop of fresh-faced young drivers tasked with carrying NASCAR through a tough transition, but no clear superstar to fill empty seats and shape the next generation of racers.

It might be a job best suited for Kyle Larson, considered by many the best hope to bridge the gap be-

tween grassroots racing and NASCAR — and perhaps attract new fans to motorsports in a time of need. He is young at 26, and like childhood idol Gordon he hails from California and made his name racing sprint cars. Larson has the raw talent to take risks that other drivers avoid, and he has built a reputation as a clean racer who won’t wreck a rival to win.

His style has appealed to hardcore fans and his promise has piqued the interest of casual observers. He is half-Japanese, the most successful graduate of NASCAR’s diversity program, and the only Asian-American full-time driver in NASCAR. Larson has all the elements to be the next Gordon or Stewart.

Fair or not, he knows there are expectations to bring attention and

excitement to NASCAR. “I think if I just continue doing what I am doing it takes care of itself, I don’t look at it like I have to work too hard to save motorsports,’’ Larson said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think if I just keep racing all the stuff that I do, it’s good for all of motorsports.’’

The pressure has been on Larson before he ever drove a stock car.

Gordon, Stewart and Kasey Kahne anointed Larson the real deal after following his sprint car career, which exploded one magical night in 2011 at Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Ohio.

Larson that evening became only the second driver in history to win in all three kinds of USAC cars in a single night.

Chip Ganassi hired him before the 2012 season and put him in a stock car for the first time even

though the young driver had been on a path toward IndyCar. Larson was 19 and on a fast track to a Cup ride just two years later. He has won five races in the five seasons since, but he has probably lost a dozen more because he is still learning to close out a victory.

“He’s been at the front, he just has to close out some of these things,’’ Ganassi said. “I think he treats people with a lot more respect than they treat him with, and that’s his attitude, and we’re OK with that. He’s approached NASCAR with his own pace. I don’t want to say he has nothing to learn, we all have things to learn every single day, but I’m perfectly happy with his angle of attack or progression or angle of progression.’’

Larson’s most recent defeat, his last time behind the wheel, is one

Photo by Deafpride/Wikimedia Commons

■ SPORTS NASCAR needs new stars and Kyle Larson may save the sport

5

Kyle Larson

of the most difficult to swallow of his career.

Christopher Bell, like Larson a budding star with a sprint car following, passed Larson on the final lap of the Chili Bowl last month to deny Larson the one victory he see NASCAR on 14

■ NATIONAL NEWS Chef lifts ‘Make America Great Again’ hat ban SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — A San Francisco Bay Area restaurant owner who was criticized after saying he would refuse service to anyone wearing a red “Make America Great Again’’ baseball cap has apologized and reversed course, saying on Feb. 1 that his restaurant will keep serving everyone.

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, a chef-partner at the Wursthall restaurant in San Mateo, said in a statement on the Medium website that his political opinions will not interfere with service.

Lopez-Alt, of Japanese descent, apologized to his staff and busi-

“Unfortunately the way I tried to communicate this ended up only amplifying the anger, and I apologize for that.”

— J. KENJI LOPEZ-ALT ness partners for not considering them before he tweeted: “It hasn’t happened yet, but if you come to my restaurant wearing a MAGA cap, you aren’t getting served, same as if you come in wearing a swastika, white hood, or any other symbol of intolerance and hate.’’

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He said the tweet was his personal perspective, not restaurant policy. The tweet was no longer available.

“After having seen the red hat displayed so prominently in so many moments of anger, hate, and violence, to me —and many oth-

ers — the hat began to symbolize exactly that: anger, hate, and violence,’’ Lopez-Alt wrote.

The red hats, which are sold on President Donald Trump’s campaign website, have become polarizing. The hats were worn by some Kentucky high school

students involved in a Jan. 18 confrontation with a Native American elder near the Lincoln Memorial.

Lopez-Alt, who wrote the 2015 book, “The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science,’’ said Friday that his mother is an immigrant from Japan and his father is from Pennsylvania. He said his family includes people on every side of the political spectrum.

“Unfortunately the way I tried to communicate this ended up only amplifying the anger, and I apologize for that,’’ he said. ■

KING COUNTY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for E00585E19, Engineering, Planning, and Design Services for RapidRide 1027; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on February 11, 2019.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $2,400,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $12,000,000 This contract is funded by the Federal Transit Administration. There is a 15% minimum requirement for Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Certified Federal Small Business Enterprise (SBE) firms on this contract.

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All solicitation documents are published at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Alice Phoenix, alice.phoenix@kingcounty.gov, 206-263-9311

asianweekly northwest

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FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB 7

PIG OUT WITH CSA: LUNAR NEW YEAR FUNDRAISER Red Square at UW 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

GOLDEN PIG AT NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY’S OFFICE 412 Maynard Ave S., Seattle 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

KIN ON’S CHINESE NEW YEAR MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:45-9 p.m.

SEMINAR “HOW TO MANAGE A REAL ESTATE DOWNTURN” Bellevue City Hall, Room 1E-108, 450 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 7-9 p.m. seattlechinesechamber.org FIUTS CULTURALFEST INTERNATIONAL EXPO Husky Union Building, 4001 E. Stevens Way N.E., Seattle 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

THE 2019 CID KICKOFF Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 4-6 p.m.

IRENE KUBOTA’S “MY CORNER OF THE WORLD” ARTIST RECEPTION Bryan Ohno Gallery, Seattle 6-8p.m.

7-17 “140 LBS. — HOW BEAUTY KILLED MY MOTHER” BY SUSAN LIEU Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Ave. S., Seattle 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Tickets at https:// theatreoffjackson.org/ event/4778/140-lbs

8 GOLDEN PIG AT NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY’S OFFICE 412 Maynard Ave S., Seattle 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT AT MUCKLESHOOT CASINO Muckleshoot Casino

9 21ST ANNUAL ASIA PACIFIC NEW YEAR Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

AAJA SEATTLE LUNAR NEW YEAR BANQUET 2019 House of Hong Restaurant, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle 6:30-9:30 p.m.

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION Bellevue Square 11 a.m.-6 p.m. bellevuecollection.com/ lunarnewyear LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION, “YEAR OF THE PIG” Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

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52ND ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA University of Washington 5:30-9:30 p.m.

NWAW & SCP PRESENTS 10TH ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR COSTUME CONTEST Two contests to enter: Pig Mask and Costume Contest Northwest Asian Weekly office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.

Contests for everyone. No age limit.

Register online: nwasianweekly.com/events 206-223-5559

2 p.m. sktaiko1@mac.com, 206-919-1465

THE FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THE CHINESE LANGUAGE DA VINCI CODE Greenlake Public Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N., Seattle 2-4 p.m. $10-$15 friendsofasianart.org

CHIBI CHIBI CON 2019 The Evergreen State College, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia 12 p.m.

ANNUAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TAIKO FUNDRAISER 2019 Seattle University, Pigott Auditorium, 901 12th Ave., Seattle 1-4 p.m. $10-$20 brownpapertickets.com/ event/3905798

13

21

SAMUEL SINYANGWE: USING DATA TO ADVANCE RACIAL JUSTICE UW Graduate School Public Lectures, 4069 Spokane Lane, Seattle 7:30-8:30 p.m.

CELEBRATE 2019 YEAR OF THE BOAR China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 5:30 p.m. $65 seattlechinesechamber.org

14

21-24

ELLA MAI Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave. S., Seattle 9 p.m.-12 a.m.

Tickets at goo.gl/vhn5vz

SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL Broadway Performance Hall and Northwest Film Forum For time, info, and tickets, go to seattleaaff.org

MAR 2

THROUGH MARCH 2

IRENE KUBOTA’S “MY CORNER OF THE WORLD” ARTIST RECEPTION Bryan Ohno Gallery, Seattle 6-8p.m.

14-17 EMERALD CITY COMIC CON 2019 Emerald City Comic Con, 800 Convention Place, Seattle emeraldcitycomiccon.com 10 a.m.-7p.m.

16 THROUGH MARCH 16

FREE CLASS TO HELP PREPARE FOR THE U.S. CITIZENSHIP TEST Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave. Level 4, Seattle 2-4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on Saturdays spl.org

23 “FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN,” FILM SCREENING Nisei Veterans Hall, 1212 South King St., Seattle

View the solution on page 11

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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.

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412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

asianweekly northwest

7

w o h s k l a t , s Two Bestie o t d e s i o p s with API lead ? n w o t l e s n i t r takeove

Crooks

‘140 LBS,’ a play about a daughter’s revenge & the loss of her mom

Photo provided by TBT

YOUR VOICE

Photo by Jenny

Malia Baldovi and Thomas Orlina

‘140 LBS’ playwright and (pink sweater)

performer Susan Lieu

■ By Nina Huang

a Porkalob

sal with director Sar (denim jacket) in rehear

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Susan Lieu, creator, performer, and mastermind of the “140 LBS” live show, was only in grade school when her mother died. Her mother went in for what was supposed to be routine plastic surgery, and did not come out.

Lieu recalls feeling numb at first, and disenchanted with childhood. She watched other kids playing and felt no desire to join them, no kinship.

She got on with her life. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and an MBA from Yale. Her mother would have

NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

been very proud.

“But you see, I didn’t grieve,” added Lieu.

“I channeled it somewhere in a positive way, yes, but I didn’t grieve. It wasn’t until I was in college that I started doing personal growth workshops and silent meditation retreats where I started to grieve. I recognized the feelings of abandonment and lack of nurture. That led me on a spiritual path where I began a search for who I am, what I believe in, and how I needed to structure my life to be the person I wanted to be.”

She always earned top marks in school, but she did not prioritize live theater, at least see 140LBS on 15

Best friends Malia Baldovi and Thomas Orlina hope to reach new audiences and represent the Asian American voice in their new digital talk show, “Two Besties Together” or TBT. The three-segment talk show features relatable topics and content that will entertain audiences of today’s diverse world.

The show is released every Thursday as a play on the hashtag Throwback Thursday.

The first episode premiered on Jan. 17 and was centered around the afterparty of the Netflix show “The American Meme,” starring Paris Hilton.

They hope that by providing both a female and male perspective, they can resonate with all audiences, and be the pioneers for the Asian American community.

January 30 February 12, 2019

Lunar New Year Sale Year of the Boar Those born in the Year of the Boar might not stand out in a crowd, but are very realistic. They are not extravagant, although they let themselves enjoy life, providing motivation for working hard.

They are always energetic in everything they do.

Orlina and Baldovi have been best friends for a decade. They met while working together at a restaurant in Glendale. They became fast friends. “We’ve always wanted to work together and now is the perfect time to collaborate in a world where everybody and every brand have collaborated as besties,” Orlina said.

Their goal for the Two Besties Together series is for it to get picked up and turned into a franchise. “They should watch because the landscape is really changing.

Asian Americans have a lot of interests, and it’s refreshing to see both a male and female perspective. We really see the show going the distance,” Orlina said.

“Not only a talk show, but a TV series that can be on E! or an action movie, there are so many endless possibilities to what see TBT on 14

Lucky Red Envelope Giveaway

Spend $30 or more during our Lunar New Year Sale and receive a lucky red envelope in honor of Lunar New Year.

Open to reveal your special prize! *While Supplies Last. Limit One Per Customer, Per Day.

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asianweekly northwest

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37 YEARS

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

LUNAR NEW YEAR FOOD

NW ASIAN WEEKLY STAFF FAVORITE LNY MUNCHIES STEAMED LOBSTER NOODLES

Loved by Edison

the mixture with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and dried shrimp. Yum!”

PINEAPPLE TARTS

POT CUISINE

“The pineapple in the tarts symbolizes prosperity. The word ‘pineapple’ sounds like ‘prosperity arrives’ in several Chinese dialects.”

“Sea cucumber, scallops, abalone, mushrooms, prawns, chicken, roast pork, duck, turnip, and big bok choy. You can steam or stir fry these items. Layer them in a big clay pot and pour sauce on top.”

Loved by Ruth

Loved by Little Wah

LONG LIFE DISH

Loved by Ingrid

“Noodles for a long life. And who doesn’t love lobster?”

DAIKON RADISH CAKE

“A Hakka dish, it contains bamboo shoots with turnips and mustard greens, stewed.”

Loved by Becky

BANH CHUNG

DUMPLINGS

Loved by Jessica

Loved by Xia

Loved by Stacy

“Supposedly the Chinese word for radish is a homophone for good luck. My mother would steam pans after pans in her wok every Lunar New Year to give luck to our family and friends. She mixed in rice flour, seasoning, and poured the paste into a round pan. Before she put it into the wok, she smothered

“It’s a brick of carbs and fatty pork, wrapped in banana leaves. I love it because it’s very labor intensive to make, so my parents only make a finite number a year. Every brick is precious, so it is special to get more than one.”

BUDDHA’S DELIGHT

“Dumplings are my undisputed favorite food of the season — and all year! For me, and I’m sure for many people, dumplings represent togetherness and fun. I’m guessing there are very few holiday traditions that make so many mouths water.”

“Traditionally a vegetarian dish well-known in Chinese and Buddhist cuisine, with mushroom, fungi, and dried oysters.” ■

Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year!

May your family be filled with prosperity, live in a safe and comfortable home in the Year of the Golden Pig. — From Tim & Kristina Lee

Tim Lee

672 S. Weller St. Seattle, WA 98104 425-633-4254 timlee3388@gmail.com WeChat: timlee2288

2 0 1 9 From King County Councilmember

Claudia Balducci

District 6 claudia.balducci@kingcounty.gov kingcounty.gov/balducci

The year of the pig

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

9

CELEBRITY PIGS

WHO HOGS ALL THE PIG TRAIT S, AND WHO ARE JUST PL AIN BOARS ?

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY In our image-conscious society, it’s actually a little bit weird to go around calling certain people, “Pig people,” but you know what? During this time of year, it’s allowed and even appropriate!

In a number of Asian cultures, the year you are born reveals not only what personality you tend to have, but also your compatibility with other zodiac animals.

So what exemplifies a pig person?

Well, good traits include being goodtempered, kind-hearted, and loyal.

Pig people are positive, patient people and are prone to positivity rather than pragmatism. They are gallant and charming — some might even say they are the life of the party. People born in the year of the pig tend to have better fortune (more lucky with moolah) than other animal signs, but Pig people are also not great at wealth management. By some accounts, Pig people also like to nap.

As for so-called weaknesses, Pig people’s positivity may translate into naivete or being too gullible. Pig

people also may not inspire the same kind of loyalty that they give so freely. Perhaps worst of all, Pig people are known for being hot-tempered, impulsive, and poor communicators.

Here, I picked out some of the most famous Pig people to see if they exemplify or defy their porcine traits!

1935 WOODY A LLEN

Okay, so I started with a creep.

That’s funny. So besides making films that many people of color scratch their heads over (“Annie Hall,” “Manhattan,” and more recently, “Blue Jasmine”), Woody Allen is also known for cheating on former partner of 12 years, Mia Farrow, with Soon-Yi Previn, Farrow’s adopted daughter and Allen’s step-daughter figure.

They are now married. Allen had known Previn since she was a minor, and there is a 35-year age gap between them.

I think that Allen always comes across as affable and chill in interviews — almost like, harmless and hapless. That’s until a reporter

brings up his marriage to Previn or other negative allegations against him, then he actually gets pretty combative. I think he exemplifies the two sides of this personality coin well.

JULIE A NDRE W S

She’s a dame. She used to have the face and voice of an angel. Now she is just a legend. Yes, it’s Julie Andrews, and I think her squeaky clean image lends itself well to the Pig personality.

This is the woman known for being Mary Poppins and for singing in the hills while escaping Nazis.

Andrews has always stated in interviews that she preferred singing songs that were bright and sunny, rather than depressing or sad. Like, she’s so committed to that, she doesn’t really sing stuff written in a minor key. Pretty Pig-like, right?

1947 HILL A RY CLIN T ON

So Pig people are known for being amazingly patient and for having tons of willpower in their career. This fits Hillary Clinton, does it not? Like, before she lost to Barack Obama in the

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Superstore’ actor Nico Santos relishes true-tolife gay Filipino role PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — For Nico Santos, the role he plays on NBC’s sitcom “Superstore’’ is personal.

“I never thought in a million years I’d be involved in a project that celebrated the fullness of my identity of being queer and Asian,’’ Santos told a TV critics’ meeting last month.

He also appreciates the comedy’s focus on what his character, Mateo, has faced after learning that he’s an immigrant in the country illegally.

“I certainly know a lot of members of my community who are undocumented, and that’s so relevant right now. I’ve gotten so many messages from everybody. People stop me wherever I go who are ... just really appreciative of the fact that we’ve tackled the issue, because they themselves are undocumented or a family member or a loved one is undocumented.’’

Santos, who played Oliver in “Crazy Rich Asians,’’ said he’s grateful the comedy is portraying the character with “dignity and respect.’’

Colton Dunn, who plays Garrett in the series set in a big-box store, said Mateo is im-

Nico Santos

portant to the show. Dunn and his castmates, including America Ferrera, took part in a panel promoting the show’s midseason return in March.

“A lot of times, the narrative of undocumented workers and undocumented people is that they are criminals,’’ Dunn said.

“That’s a narrative that’s put out there. And the other side is, ‘No, they are not.’ It’s great to have an actual example of a character who is really just living through this time out here. All he’s trying to do is be a floor supervisor at a superstore.’’ ■

2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries and then waited eight years before going up against Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential election — she was Bill Clinton’s plus-one. She spent eight years as First Lady when she clearly had these massive ambitions.

Say what you will about Clinton, but many other animals in the zodiac would have thrown in the towel — but she kept going.

A RNOLD SCH WA R ZENEGGER

Ah, Arnold Schwarzenegger made some of my favorite childhood movies. No, not “Terminator.” I’m talking about “Junior,” in which he played a pregnant man (fellow Pig Emma Thompson was his love interest in that movie), “Jingle All the Way,” and “Batman & Robin.”

But you know what else Schwarzenegger did? Yes, he threw the state of California into a hole of debt (state budget deficit of $28 billion) that took more than a decade to climb out of. see CELEBS on 11

O T HER FA MOUS PIGS * Elton John (1947) Stephen King (1947) OJ Simpson (1947) Mitt Romney (1947) Fabio (1959) Simon Cowell (1959) Michael Kors (1959) Bryan Adams (1959) Mike Pence (1959) Sade (1959) Tupac Shakur (1971) Jada Pinkett Smith (1971) Selena Quintanilla (1971) Mark Wahlberg (1971) Elon Musk (1971) Ricky Martin (1971) Macklemore (1983) Chris Hemsworth (1983) Carrie Underwood (1983) Mila Kunis (1983) Kendall Jenner (1995) Gigi Hadid (1995) *not a comprehensive list, just people I think you’ve probably heard of

Thank You!

HAP LUNA PY RN Y E A R EW !

On Jan. 31, several Seattle officials, including Deputy Mayor Mike Fong, Police Chief Carmen Best, and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the Golden Pig in the Asian community. We like to thank Pike Place Market for loaning the pig to the Asian community to celebrate the Year of the Pig. We also like to acknowledge artist Deng Zuolie for designing and painting the pig. He completely transformed the whole pig.

We wouldn’t be successful without the support of many other volunteers.

Asian Pacific Tours & Travel 614 S Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104 206-624-9168

asianweekly northwest

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37 YEARS

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

Should you still say Kung Hei Fat Choygrethese ) ? s g n i t e r e t t e b e r e h t e r A days? (

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Have you been hearing the traditional Chinese New Year greeting, “Kung Hei Fat Choy,” lately? Should you say it?

While it is 2019 to us, it is the year 4716 in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Much has changed in the 21st century. Kung Hei Fat Choy, which means “wish-

ing you to make lots of money or a fortune,” is popular for two reasons. It’s mostly said among Cantonese during the New Year. Chinese who emigrated from Guangdong Province to the United States and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, were in search of a better life or fortune as it might be perceived. Naturally, foreigners assume that this is the

only Lunar New Year greeting.

Mandarin speakers who wish their friends and loved ones a Happy New Year, or Hsin Nien Hui (“Wish you well in the New Year”), are less inclined to greet others with Kung Hei Fat Choy.

Secondly, Kung Hei Fat Choy was the name of a 1985 movie, about the Money God, which was produced in Hong Kong.

Since then, many international media have published Kung Hei

800 S. Weller St. ▪ Seattle, WA 98104 tsuechong.com | 206-623-0801 Mon-Fri: 9:30 a.m – 5:30 p.m. ▪ Sat: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Fat Choy as headlines during the festival.

It’s not that I am not interested in having wealth. However, Kung Hei Fat Choy is simply outdated. This phrase creates the impression that Chinese are narrow-minded and greedy, who dream of nothing except making money. Can you imagine saying this to Bill Gates, who works hard to donate his fortune? His ultimate goal in life is to help

ordinary people, and to give back. Having money doesn’t solve all of life’s problems. Nor is this greeting appropriate for someone who is searching for love, happiness, challenges, or courage. If you say Kung Hei Fat Choy to gamblers, stock traders, and business owners, this would be a sure win.

So what are some of my own see BLOG on 16

Our scrumptious fortune cookies can be customized with your own special message. Perfect for birthday parties, weddings, graduations, reunions or any occasion you want to make extra memorable.

Happy Lunar New Year!

May the Year of the Pig bring you blessings, joy and abundance!

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Make your event extra memorable with custom fortune cookies. Made fresh for any occasion.

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

11

■ LETTER TO EDITOR In response to the Chinese language controversy at Duke University The Chinese-speaking controversy at Duke University has revealed a shallow outlook towards Chinese foreign students. The actions of Duke’s biostatistics faculty, while admirably well-intended, were founded on the uninformed assumptions of outsiders.

First off, the Duke faculty assumed the students were speaking Chinese because they didn’t care to learn and improve their English.

This is a ridiculous idea. These Chinese students came to the United States to to study, in English. If they didn’t want to learn English, they would never have come in the first place.

In fact, I believe there isn’t a person in America who wouldn’t want to learn English. One day, I was at an Asian grocery store with my mother.

As we were about to leave, one of the cashiers flagged her down. A customer was trying to communicate something to the cashier, neither knew enough English to understand the other. Through the efforts of the customer’s daughter, who translated from Spanish to English, and my mother, who translated from English to Chinese, the cashier and her customer were able to resolve their situation. I don’t doubt that they would gladly have preferred to handle things on their own without having

CELEBS from 9

1959 S AT ORU I WATA You may not know this name, but Satoru Iwata was the CEO of Nintendo, making him a big freaking deal (and also another huge part of my childhood). Unlike Schwarzenegger, this man seemed lucky and great with money management. Under his leadership, Nintendo achieved record profits in 2009 under his tenure, with the Nintendo DS and Wii. Iwata actually seemed kind of shy (so not Pig-like). He used to forgo media appearances in his early years, until he got used to the limelight — then he was more visible.

EMM A T HOMP SON Emma Thompson is kind of like Julie Andrews, except she swears and isn’t known for singing. I think I just mean that she is an English treasure and also a dame. She is so classy, so un-flashy, and so hard-working that she is kind of boring to write about.

One way that she defies pig traits is that she’s very much a serious dramatic actor, though she can throwdown with some lighthearted fair (see “Junior,” up above).

to bring in a third party.

Duke’s faculty may have believed that their international students were simply too lazy to bother using English, but I believe they were speaking Chinese for a different reason. College, especially for a foreign student with no nearby family relations, is tough. My mother, herself once a Chinese-speaking foreign student, has spoken of this isolation several times, and I have seen its effects with my own eyes at my high school. Students, who have a foreign language for a mother tongue and broken English as a secondary language, usually sit apart from their native Englishspeaking peers. I usually see them

She often takes on meaty, grave roles.

She’s been nominated for an Oscar five times: “Howards End,” “The Remains of the Day,” “In the Name of the Father,” and she was nominated in two categories for “Sense and Sensibility.” (She’s won twice.)

1971 S A NDR A OH Hero! Before she was a professional actor, Sandra Oh studied ballet. She first gained recognition in 1994, in the Canadian film, “Double Happiness,” when she was 23 years old. Oh wasn’t cast in her breakout “Grey’s Anatomy” role until 2005, more than 10 years later. And it was only in the last year that she’s getting some serious props for being a “serious” actor, with award nominations for her work in “Killing Eve,” on BBC America.

Oh is currently 47 years old. She’s had a long and hard-won career in the performing arts. I think she exemplifies the Pig traits of patience and willpower, don’t you think?

1983 DON A LD GL OV ER In May 2018, actor-rapper-comedianwriter-producer Donald Glover released

TAITUNG

understandably more absorbed in their phones than in the obscure conversation around them. Until another foreign student joins them, that is.

All of a sudden, these young men and women who were as quiet as tree stumps suddenly burst into life like the vibrant colors of fall. They begin talking. They crack jokes and smile. Their morale skyrockets, and they begin paying attention in class.

Such is what I believe is happening with the foreign students of Duke and elsewhere. After a long day listening to lectures and taking notes, all in a language foreign to them, Duke’s Chinese students are merely trying to keep their spirits

“This is America,” a song that premiered at the number one spot in the United States.

In the accompanying music video, Glover performs a series of gun shootings before he breaks out into an almost joyful folksy dance. The video was a commentary on gun violence and being Black in America — and we were all very much into it.

And I think that incisive critique of American hypocrisy (and other things) kind of defies the stereotypical pig traits of affability and positivity. This is a dude who sometimes tries to alienate and make people uncomfortable in his work.

1995 L OG A N PAUL

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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.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

You probably don’t know this guy by name, but this is the young YouTuber that went into a Japanese forest, filmed an individual who committed suicide, and then kind of laughed about it until the public got mad at him. He then went on a massive apology tour. He is still on YouTube.

What can I say about this guy? I suppose he exemplifies the financial luck of the Pig sign.

Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

www.buckleylaw.net d

R E S TA U R A N T

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up and enjoy college life. Perhaps they are discussing interesting English phrases heard during the day.

Duke’s faculty meant well, but perhaps they should investigate a perceived problem before proposing a solution. The thought that these students, who study in English and live in an English-speaking country, do not want to learn English is an unfounded, irrational, and insulting belief. This unfortunate misunderstanding has resulted in victims on both sides. A more compassionate approach will lead to more productive conversations in the future. ■

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FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

RVC from 4 our people-focused program has been shifting the way leadership development is happening across the nonprofit sector, locally here in the Seattle area, but also on a national scale.”

Shiferaw also said that RVC partners with grassroots, community-based organizations led by people of color. There isn’t an exact science to who they partner with, but beyond the basic criterion, they also pay attention to underrepresented or marginalized communities and try to partner with those organizations.

“One of our partners is the Somali Health Board. Mohamed Shidane is our fellow placed there, and that organization is doing really amazing work. They created a health coalition in the Somali community and their model has worked so well that they are currently trying to broaden it to help more communities of color. They are building a coalition of Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Congolese health boards. Their belief is that when all of these different community health boards come together, they are more effective,” Shiferaw added.

RVC currently has 10 fellows and typically they have between 10 or 12 at a time.

A few of the fellows, including Pugal, were hired on at the organizations where they were placed, which is exciting because it means RVC’s goals were met.

“Our partner organization grew enough to be able to hire on our fellow full-time, and our fellow displayed the kind of leadership that our partner organization wanted to keep around,” Shiferaw explained.

Te aching social justice through UF Pugal first got involved with AGE UP when they needed a volunteer to help run the boys’ program. Now he spends about 20 hours a week coaching UF and checking in with his students.

According to its website, AGE UP was created by coaches and alumni to invest in the transformative capacity of youth living in South Seattle, especially young women of color. They work to empower future leaders, expand opportunities for growth, and build community around a love for UF. Their ties are strengthened through a commitment to social justice.

Pugal said that girls started playing UF in 2011 and the boys’ UF program started two years later. He explained that boys also play UF so that they can learn about sexism and how to advocate for the women in their lives.

Coaching and anti-racism “Sports isn’t the end all be all of existence, but it’s important for students of color to see the disparity in how our lives are different when they play against the white folks,” Pugal said.

That’s what he focuses on in his coaching.

“How does racism show up in our sport and give them a chance to compete at the highest level? We made state finals and got into the semi-finals this year. It’s more important for the white people to see them playing — we exist and we’re not siloed.

Our goal is to be loud, be Brown, and be good at this sport,” he said.

“Sports has always inherently been about space for Black and Brown people to escape from white supremacy, that’s the baseline.

How much more of this analysis and education do we need to put in to advance the sport? It feels like a grey area as someone who works in social justice and sports. For me, our organization takes it to the next level to define sports as a hobby versus sports as a tool for resistance,” he added.

Intentionalit y versus impac t “When you get fouled, the impact is still the same. As a coach, I can say yes, they fouled you, but what was their intention?

We can solve the impact right away, but it’s a nice lesson for our young folks to think about their intention as it relates to the impact. My intention was to be very kind, how do we solve that disconnect?” he said.

UF is a self-refereed sport. As a coach, Pugal navigates relationships by helping his players determine intentionality versus impact.

“Whatever your intention was, the impact is important, too. This transitions into anti-oppression work — my intention is to be less racist and/or sexist, but is my impact showing that? If not, then I need to think about doing better so that my actions are reflective of my intent and impact,” he added.

Communit y heroes Pugal fell into UF in 2006 because he wanted to try something new and interesting. The sport has impacted him tremendously and allowed him to meet his coach, Henry Fan, and a former coworker, Linda Hong, people he considers his heroes.

Fan taught him to be present while coaching and has set up young boys to be successful in ways that work for them.

Hong taught Pugal to be caring and how to show up for people. She was in the first AGE UP cohort and is the cornerstone of how they continue to do programming at RVC. In addition, Pugal hopes to follow in Bob Santos’ footsteps as a community organizer, who has worked in both nonprofit and government sectors. Pugal has thought about running for city council and eventually Congress after getting more experience.

He also respects and admires Filipino American rapper Bambu DePistola.

“His music is about pushing people to organize and he grew up in the Filipino gang areas. All of his music and values are my values now. I credit his music and leadership,” he said.

Grooming future community leaders “Miko initially never envisioned himself in this kind of leadership role, but now, he is actively working toward it in a really tangible way,” Shiferaw said. “He’s really stepping up, and it's an example of how we push our fellows to think greater than themselves, to think about working for their communities. And because Miko mentors young people, they get to see him go through this growth — and it is huge.

For youth of color who look like Miko and see him model leadership coming from the same place and circumstance that they do — this creates a huge impact that will affect that entire generation.”

The application period for people of color opens up once every two years and RVC is currently accepting applications for future leaders like Pugal.

“We look for people of color with a passion for social justice — of any background or cultural context. We are cognizant of the barriers people of color face when trying to advance up to leadership positions, so our criteria are not traditional criteria — we don’t look for a degree or whether or not you have a ‘fancy’ resume.

We are looking for people who display a lifelong commitment to their community or who can speak to that,” Shiferaw said. ■ For more information, visit rainiervalleycorps.org/ communityimpact.

Nina can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

37 YEARS

SSC from 3 a lot of school-related help and advising to guide him, thanks to the college’s Educational Opportunity Center (EOC).

The center provides guidance and connects students to various resources for those that wish to receive an academic degree or start career training.

The EOC assists in applying for financial aid, finding scholarships, academic and career guidance, completing high school requirements, obtaining GEDs, English proficiency courses, college admissions, transfers to other schools, finding childcare, and other necessary resources to support students.

The center was provided a grant by the U.S. Department of Education. It is one of 140 of its kind that is federally funded within the United States, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Education. The EOC is in its third of five years it was allotted government funding for.

“We have a broad scope and support any educational pathway from academic to technical, to professional degrees or certificates,” said Megan Nord, EOC student development specialist and adviser.

The center focuses on helping students that are 19 years and up and are either lowincome, first-generation college students, or veterans who have not yet earned a college degree.

“We are currently serving a lot of veterans and English language learners,” said Nord.

Udom was referred to the center by a WorkSource program coordinator and family friend within days of arriving in Seattle.

“People find us through our community outreach, but the majority of people that find out about the center have been referred to us. We have so many community connections that help out. Word of mouth has been really helpful,” said Nord.

Nord met Udom on only his third day in the United States.

“Megan has really helped me. Even if I need help and she doesn’t have the answer or it’s not in her position, she’s really good at giving me recommendations,” says Udom.

He says Nord has assisted him with filling out financial aid forms and figuring out what English proficiency classes he needs to take.

The college offers multiple English as a Second Language (ESL) courses to non-

native English speakers who are immigrants, residents, or refugees.

“Our ESL classes typically take a full year to complete. There are five to six courses to go through. Each one takes about a quarter, but it really depends on where the need is and where the student places,” said Nord.

Udom says he got placed in a higher English proficiency class than he expected.

“I never thought I’d get placed in this class so soon. It requires a lot of writing,” he said.

The ESL courses are intensive, said Udom. He dedicates a majority of his time to his studies. Assignments that take some students 30 minutes will often take him a day to complete, he said.

“Sometimes I am afraid that the classes or assignments will be too easy, so I love the challenge.”

Udom enjoys taking on difficult tasks and testing the unknown.

“On Christmas Eve, I went to Fry’s Electronics and bought computer parts to build my own computer.” He wasn’t sure if he would be able to build it, but eventually prevailed, he said.

“I also took apart my laptop just to see if I could put it back together again.”

Udom’s dedication to his studies is reflective in everything he does. He spends over three hours a day on the bus just to commute from home to South Seattle College and back.

Udom thinks he will soon be ready to test into English 101, which means he could start taking prerequisites for his degree at the college. Once he completes his prerequisites, he plans to transfer to Highline College in Des Moines, where he will work toward a bachelor’s degree in network security and administration.

“I love technology and I want to protect people from being hacked,” he said.

The EOC has helped him a lot through the process, said Udom.

The center has two years left of federal funding. However, funding beyond that timeframe has not been secured yet.

“We will be reapplying for another grant once we’ve reached our fifth year so that we can continue serving our students,” said Nord. ■ For more information about the EOC visit southseattle.edu/trio/eoc/Default.aspx Aremi MacDonald can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of February 9–February 15, 2019

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Are you searching for a way to show a loved one just how much you care? The best gift can be as simple as sharing your time with them.

Dragon — No one would ever accuse you of being afraid to speak your mind. That said, some restraint might be beneficial in an upcoming meeting.

Monkey — A moment of clarity has helped you figure out what is truly important. That should help you decide what is worthy of your attention.

Ox — Intimidated by the thought of leaving the familiar for something new? The potential rewards should be well worth the risk.

Snake — Although you are excited to be making substantial headway, don’t get too ahead of yourself.

To win this race, you will need to focus and make steady progress.

Rooster — Rather than following a set recipe, your improvisation could yield an unexpectedly delightful result.

Tiger — You have a tendency to come on quite strong at times. A measured approach may actually be much more effective in certain situations.

Rabbit — A puzzle is as intriguing to you as it is irresistible. As you put it all together, a surprising picture could emerge.

Horse — All the signs point one way, but you want to go in another. Your intuition has guided you well before and should be listened to now.

Goat — Going back to an interest that you had a while ago may be easier said than done. Much has changed in the intervening time.

Dog — If you don’t believe it yourself, then convincing someone else could be a tall order. Perhaps your energy might be better directed elsewhere.

Pig — Have you grown close to an unlikely companion? When you look beyond your differences, you will see that you actually share much in common.

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

NASCAR from 5

NWAAT from 3

wants most. Bell won the $10,000 prize and the “Golden Driller’’ trophy for the third consecutive year, and Larson spent several sleepless nights replaying the final lap in his head.

The break between the Chili Bowl and Speedweeks was the longest stretch of idle time Larson has had this offseason. He spent most of December racing in New Zealand and finds the routine of competing every night in sprint cars helpful in bouncing back after defeat.

“I’m just ready for the next race,’’ Larson said. “It just makes it a lot easier to move on when you can go racing, get back in your back the next day or a couple of days later.

It just is easier to forget about it when you can race again.’’

Larson estimates he will race roughly 75 events this calendar year, only 38 of which are in NASCAR. The Indianapolis 500 remains on the horizon but not a priority; still, he was intrigued when Fernando Alonso won the Rolex 24 at Daytona and said his next big project is “unprecedented in motorsport.’’

The former Formula One champion is likely going to try to race several disciplines in the biggest races in the world, and Larson wouldn’t mind a similar plan. Larson was part of Ganassi’s 2015 Rolex victory.

“I feel like I’m kind of in that same mold a little bit. I obviously don’t have the opportunity to run an F1 race, but I could do the Indy 500 and I’ve won the Rolex and I race in NASCAR and I’m still racing midgets and whatever,’’ Larson said. “I feel like I do a little of everything already and probably even more so than he does. He’s so famous and he’s probably one of the greatest race car drivers of all time, so it is cool to get a little bit of recognition as someone who can do what he’s trying to plan.’’ The audience has an appetite for true racers and Larson has done well in earning new supporters. The married father of two is raising his kids at the race track, the way he and his wife grew up, and he is figuring out how far he can go in motorsports.

Rival team owner Rick Hendrick sees Larson as today’s Stewart, minus the notorious temper. “He’s not quite as ornery as Tony and outspoken, but I think he’s a great little driver,’’ Hendrick said. “That’s what the fans like, somebody who just really can drive a car. He’s one of the most aggressive and has the least amount of baggage. He didn’t wreck anybody and he runs everybody clean, he doesn’t run over people. He’s fast and good, so I think we need him and I think we need him to win.’’ ■

there are dances, conferences about the status of Asian American theatre and musical performances. They range from the traditional, such as a revival of West Side Story, to modern interpretive dance.

According to Ari Lavigne of MIPoPS, there are 198 tapes and around 400 hours of tape time. The Wing Luke Museum had curated the tapes and inventoried the tapes for MIPoPS to convert.

The VHS tape machines and other recording equipment in the small room were a reminder of technology from another time, another century to be precise. Rachel Price, the executive director of MIPoPS, noted that the equipment is outdated and the service of the machines may require an eBay search to discover a product.

Yet the machines, which many born in this century would not recognize, will transfer tapes of plays, oral histories, improv shows, and other theatre projects to this century’s technologies.

The home for these videos is found on the open-source (non-commercial) archive.org. The videos are populating the Wing Luke site and it is anticipated that they will be done with the footage sometime in February.

The process for digitizing one VHS tape to a digital format can be long and tedious, as there is no way to speed up the recording of the VHS to digital. One would have to play the VHS tape in real-time with MIPoPS aiding with the appearance of the video. Over time, the tapes deteriorate, so there is some wear on the tape for which MIPoPS attempts to cure with its video equipment.

“It was really interesting to see this theatre group doing all of these different stories from this Pan-Asian experience,” explained Lavigne.

“NWAAT seemed like it gave Asian American actors an opportunity and community.” She added, “You see the same actors, the same credits.” She indicated that the project will help amplify the Asian American theatre experience.

According to its mission statement, MIPoPS is a nonprofit formed “to help preserve our cultural heritage by assisting archives, libraries, and other organizations with the conversion of

analog video recordings to digital formats according to archival best practices.” Since its inception in 2015, MIPoPS has digitized over 1,078 videotapes amassing over 2,156 hours.

MIPoPS is funded through various grants, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, and 4Culture.

The Wing Luke Museum does not have plans at the moment to exhibit the materials once the videos are transferred over to digital, according to Collections Manager Bob Fisher. However, a portion of the videos will be featured by the Northwest Film Forum on a quarterly basis starting on Feb. 10.

Roger Tang, a NWAAT board member in the 1980s and 1990s, advised of the importance of this project.

“A portion of the culture and history is ‘time bound,’ a lot of the stuff lives in memories right now,” explained Tang. “In talking with younger artists across the country, I constantly am told that it’s too bad that a lot of our early work is not available. If there’s a fighting chance that this can get done, there’ll be a lot of excitement not just in Seattle, but across the country, as NWAAT was, for the longest time, one of just five Asian American theaters keeping the flame alive.” Tang remains active in the Asian American theatre community as a part of Pork Filled Productions Asian American Theatre.

“When we were actually doing the shows, we were documenting all the shows for archival purposes,” said Kathy Hsieh, the managing director of the NWAAT at the time. “Because it is such a live art form, unless it is captured through film or video, no one would ever know it ever happened.” Hsieh also is an actress, writer, and director, and was very active with the theatre. A part of recording the shows during that time was to market the product to benefactors, explained Tang. It was also put on tape for the performers to critique their work and never intended to be seen by the public. The videos include the early works of David Henry Hwang, the playwright most famous for his play M. Butterfly, which premiered on Broadway in 1988.

“We can’t go into the future until you what you’ve done in the past,”

Photo by Jason Cruz/NWAW

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VHS tape deck

stated Tang, about the necessity to view these performances in a historical perspective for the current batch of the Asian American theatre community. “It would be invaluable for development and sense of histories [for Asian American playwrights].”

Hsieh, who has taught a class about Asian American theatre at the University of Washington’s Drama Department, was relieved that the Wing Luke Museum had stored these tapes.

“It made me so happy, because it made me realize that at least a new generation of Asian Americans and the broader community will get to see who Asian Americans are and they are going to get the stories and receive access.” Online access will help individuals all over the country see that they are not alone in their pursuit of the arts.

“I meet young Asian Americans that have dreamed about being in television or film and state how hard it is to find role models,” explained Hsieh.

“The archive will show that there are whole decades of people who came before them.” ■ To find the Wing Luke Museum archive, visit archive.org/details/ winglukemuseum.

Jason can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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TBT from 7 the show could become,” Baldovi said.

The show has received a lot of great buzz so far and people in the entertainment industry have supported the duo.

The besties: Malia Orlina describes Baldovi as “loyal, understanding, and an allaround go-to friend for comforting.”

As a child, Baldovi dreamt of being on the big screen after watching award shows like the Oscars and the Grammys. She’s wanted to work in the entertainment industry since she was young, and has been dabbling in different areas, including film production and music, to see what she likes best.

A family girl at heart, she’s appreciative of all the love and support that she’s received from her family and friends as she works to achieve her dreams. She already has ties to Hollywood as celebrity Nicole Scherzinger is a maternal cousin.

Baldovi hails from Maui, Hawaii and is of Hawaiian and mixed Asian

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descent (including Japanese, Filipino, and Indonesian). “The Hawaii community is very important to me and I’d like to inspire people and be a positive influence to people in Hawaii. I want to encourage them to keep pursuing their dreams and show them that if you follow your dreams and put your heart and soul into it, you can make it big,” Baldovi said.

Baldovi moved to Los Angeles about a decade ago because she wanted new opportunities. She had visited previously for vacation and fell in love with the city.

“I was going out all the time and roaming around LA doing different things. To me, it felt like I belonged here and two months later, I dropped out of school, quit my job, and moved to LA,” she said.

The besties: Malia Baldovi describes Orlina as very passionate about everything he works on, extremely supportive, and a “fun guy to hang out with.”

Recently signed to a talent management company and talent agency in Beverly Hills, Orlina continues to find ways to elevate

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his entertainment career. “Being on TBT has been a transformative experience,” Orlina said.

This is the second YouTube show for Orlina, who also starred in the eight-episode series “Your Time with Thomas.” He’s currently working on season two and was recently on CNN Philippines to talk about his show, diversity topics, and his contributions to the Filipino culture. Proud of his roots, through his artistry, he continues to be the voice for Filipino Americans.

Audience feedback Fans are encouraged to submit their photos with their besties so that they can be shown at the end of each episode.

The goal is for our followers to feel included, Baldovi said.

“People send bestie photos because they feel connected to the idea of people celebrating friendship,” Orlina said.

Despite being best friends, Orlina and Baldovi still have their creative differences. However, the show is a group project and they always try to be respectful of each other’s ideas. “It’s a real friendship and we definitely work things out.

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The TBT brand represents the notion that best friends will work out their differences no matter what,” Baldovi added.

“I just hope the world is ready for two different, unique personalities.

We do want to make a difference and we are already looking into giving back as far as profits from our single to go to a charity,” Orlina said.

What to look forward to in TBT In addition, TBT also introduces new brands to audiences. It’s their modern take of advertising from a direct consumer standpoint. They’re currently working with some brands to be featured in future episodes.

The besties also listen to a lot of audience feedback and sometimes crowdsource and tap into relatable topics — such as dating, social media, and transportation — to be discussed on episodes.

Orlina and Baldovi described their audience base as a wide range and all across the board, but they want to target millennials.“We are really aware of what’s going on right now and we feel good about the direction that things are going in. We’re excited about the podcast, music, choreogra-

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phy, and discussion topics that followers request. We’re trying to put out really great content and we’re going to give 110 percent to show people that we have what it takes,” Orlina said.

Baldovi has taken band and piano lessons to prepare and showcase her new talents in their new upcoming single. They’re also working with a songwriter and choreographer to produce their music video.

“We wear a lot of hats on this project and learning as we go,” Baldovi said.

Orlina is excited for their fans to hear the music because they’ll be able to see both him and Baldovi sing and dance, adding a new flair to their show. They don’t just want to be the hosts, but also performers. Orlina was in his high school choir and has always wanted to have his own single.

They’re also creating a podcast that will extend the conversation beyond the short episodes.

The podcasts will be available on iTunes next month. ■

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not formally. Looking back, she remarked that she’d been doing forms of theater, informally, her whole life. It took performance chops to entertain customers at her mother’s nail salon, hoping and praying they wouldn’t leave for some other salon. She spent several years of middle school doing the public address announcements over the speaker system. Later, she cofounded an artisanal chocolate company, and found herself deeply involved with marketing.

Still, even after moving to Seattle, she had no clear intention of telling her mother’s story. “The story found me,” Lieu avowed. “I took a Solo Performance class at Freehold Theatre in Seattle in summer of 2017. On the first day of class, the assignment was to tell any 5-minute story. When it was my turn, I began, ‘I wanted to avenge my mother’s death. I’m not trying to sound like a Greek tragedy or anything. It’s just the truth.’ I began to recount how I spent the last few years researching my mother’s killer and how I wanted to seek justice for her.”

And she had been, for years, researching her mother’s case, the doctor, and what went wrong. But it took Freehold, and its lessons, to transform that research into drama.

She’s always played all the parts, and the current version of the story finds her playing eight different people.

“They do not wear different physical costumes,” she elaborated about her onstage personas. “They wear different physical gestures, voice, mannerisms, objectives. I’ve had to explore my family members as the three-dimensional beings that they

asianweekly

‘140 LBS’ playwright and performer Susan Lieu (denim jacket) in rehearsal with director Sara Porkalob (pink sweater)

are. This has been an intensive process for me to take myself to their perspective, so I can humanize them onstage. Needless to say, this play has made me feel closer to them!”

She performed the story in three “episodes” at first, then began to work with local director Sara Porkalob to render a full-length version of the tale.

She met Porkalob after seeing the latter’s own one-woman show, “Dragon Lady,” and became fast friends.

Porkalob, said Leiu, “Loves working on her feet… We talk, then we do. We learn, then we iterate. I enjoy this fast-paced prototyping process. I don’t dwell on specific word choices. Rather, I explore and create worlds fully and then start making choices based on intuition and what I’m learning about the story itself through my process. It’s extremely iterative and I love that.

“She’s also been crucial as a mentor. She has paved a path before me and helps me understand the industry, how to produce shows, how to craft characters. She also gets me dim sum before some rehearsals.

This woman knows the way to my heart!”

It wasn’t easy, she concedes, creating her own mother. Her family, for the most part, didn’t want to talk about what happened. Lieu had

hoped to watch her mother on some family VHS tapes, but those were either destroyed by the humid Vietnamese climate, or lost during the family’s many moves.

“Like many Vietnamese families, we did not externally express our grieving or do family counseling,” she mused. “Our way was with death anniversary celebrations, and praying to my mom at her altar…

Some [family] eventually opened up and some may never. Everyone’s process in grieving is their own path and not mine to judge.”

When asked about the future of her performance, Lieu said that she’d like to take it to Portland, San Francisco, Santa Fe, and other towns. “I think this show could tiein to Asian American Studies programs at universities around the country,” she concluded. “I’d like to take it on tour and am starting to plant the seeds to do so. But first, the show!” ■ “140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother” plays Feb. 7-17 at the Theatre Off Jackson. For prices and showtimes, visit theatreoffjackson.org/event/140-lbs.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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Snow was forecasted for Friday, Feb. 8 and all day on Feb. 9, the original event date, with freezing temperatures overnight. In an effort to ensure safety, the event will be postponed to the first weekend in March.

The event is anticipated to keep its programing to the same as the original date.

Starting at 11 a.m., the neighborhood will blossom with families, foodies, and visitors enjoying the tastes and sounds of authentic Asian cuisine and cultural entertainment in the

RESOLUTION from 1 the first refugee serving in the legislature.

“This is about bringing people together,” Thai said. “We now have the most diverse legislative body in our state’s history, and it’s an opportunity to celebrate the things that connect us, and to share our cultures and traditions with all Washingtonians. This state and this country welcomed me warmly, helping me to integrate and realize my potential. With

15

newly expanded Hing Hay Park. There will also be lion dances, rhythmical Japanese Taiko drumming, and Chinese martial arts demonstrations.

Other highlights: •

•

•

10th Annual Lunar New Year $3 Food Walk, featuring over 45 international restaurants.

10th Annual Children and Adult’s Parade & Costume Contest, presented by Northwest Asian Weekly.

Dragonfly Farms will have a parade of mini pigs on the main stage. ■

this resolution, I’m expressing my deep gratitude and giving back by sharing something that is special to me personally, and to the Asian community.”

According to Washington State’s Office of Financial Management, Asians make up the largest minority racial group in the state, with 8.8 percent of Washington’s population as of 2018. Thai said taking the formal step of adopting the Lunar New Year resolution recognizes the many contributions of Asians in Washington. ■

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR! AND THANKS FOR RECYCLING THIS PAPER!

asianweekly northwest

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37 YEARS

FEBRUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 15, 2019

BLOG from 10 Lunar New Year greetings?

In the Year of the Pig, may you have joy, hope, and peace. May you have courage, health, and wisdom to conquer your challenges, and, may you have prosperity, especially in building lasting friendships.

Those are what many of you are looking for in life. If you have all those wishes fulfilled, you have more riches in life than you can ever imagine!

Here are my favorite traditional greetings. (I have included phoenetic pronunciations of two of my favorites.) In the Year of the Pig, I wish all my readers and customers the following: May you have “the spirit and energy of a

dragon and a horse.” (“Long ma jin shen.”)

This one is widely used in the Year of the Horse and Dragon. Yet, it is acceptable for every year of different zodiac animals.

May you “smile all day long.” (“Xiao kou chang kai.”) I wish I would always remember to smile when I work, write, exercise, and chat with people.

May “your heart’s wishes come true.”

May “all your hopes be fulfilled.”

“Everything works out.”

“Healthy body.”

“May you have progress in the New Year,” to those in school and work.

“Peace and prosperity.” ■

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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