VOL 39 NO 39 | SEPT 26 – OCT 2, 2020

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VOL 39 NO 39 SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Judge: Recall 2020 AAPI Democracy petition against Summit stresses solidarity Kshama Sawant and future vision can proceed

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant

"The petitioner has shown actual knowledge of facts indicating that the Councilmember intended to commit an unlawful act ..."

— JUDGE JIM ROGERS

SEATTLE (AP) — A King County Superior Court judge ruled on Sept. 16 that a recall petition seeking to remove Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant from office can proceed.

Judge Jim Rogers found four of the six charges leveled against Sawant to be both specific enough and sufficient to permit the process to continue, The Seattle Times reported. It’s the second politically charged recall effort against a Seattle elected official amid mass protests against police violence and systemic racism.

“The petitioner has shown actual knowledge of facts indicating that the Councilmember intended to SEE SAWANT ON 11

Branded as an ACLU People Power event, the 2020 AAPI Democracy Summit, organized by the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) of Washington, was held online on Sept. 15. Keynote speakers included renowned activist Helen Zia and University of Washington infectious disease expert Dr. Helen Chu. Alongside these notable speakers, the co-executive directors of Freedom, Inc. were given space, as well as leaders of local APIC chapters, who took the opportunity

Dr. Helen Chu discussed her team's work tracking the coronavirus in Washington state.

Photos from Freedom, Inc., KXLY TV, and helenzia.com and Kai Curry

Seattle City Council portrait

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Kabzuag Vaj, co-executive director of Freedom, Inc.

M. Adams, co-executive director of Freedom, Inc.

FEATURED

COMMUNITY NEWS

KWA stands against elder abuse

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PUBLISHER'S BLOG

IN MEMORY OF

Yoshiro Philip Hayasaka

After months of closure, a buffet opens

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By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

■

SEE ALCANTARA ON 9

Anchor and Journalist Nia Wong, emcee for the Summit

SEE SUMMIT ON 12

Rest and wholeness, reflections from API Chaya’s outgoing executive director

INSIDE NAMES IN THE NEWS Cool things APIs are doing in the community

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Upcoming virtual events to attend and participate in

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CLASSIFIEDS Photo from Joanne Alcantara

Thirty-five Augusts ago, a 4-yearold girl and her family fled martial law, oppression, and violence in the Philippines and set foot in Seattle to start a new life. That little girl has grown up to be a driving force behind API Chaya, the Seattle-based nonprofit that supports survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking. On Sept. 22, Joanne Alcantara stepped down from her role as executive director (ED) to nurture herself and her family.

“My mom, Floricita Siong, is Chinese and my father, Demetrio

Activist Helen Zia, who spoke about the Model Minority Myth

Joanne Alcantara

Various postings and service directory

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ASTROLOGY Advice and predictions of the week

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Alcantara (bottom left) with her siblings, parents, and great aunt

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

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asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Michelle Wu announces Boston mayoral run

Outgoing Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) President Rajeev Majumdar awarded James Doane the 2020 WSBA President’s Award during a Zoom meeting of the WSBA Board of Governors on Sept. 18.

Majumdar selected Doane for his 40-year legal career in Seattle and Tokyo, his connection to Chinatown-International Dis- James Doane trict (CID), and his involvement in community activities in the CID. Doane is currently the Corporate Counsel at Costco Wholesale. He was previously a partner at Preston Gates Ellis (now K&L Gates) in Seattle in the 1990s. 

Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu officially announced on Sept.

15 that she is mounting a campaign for mayor.

Wu, 35, made the long-rumored announcement in a two-minute campaign video. She is a Chicago native and a graduate of Harvard Michelle Wu Law School who was first elected to the City Council at-large in 2013. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants became the first woman of color to serve as the city council’s president in 2016.

The mayoral election is next year. 

Mid-Autumn Festival mural

Refugee Artisan Initiative VOTE masks

Robert Wilson mural

Robert Wilson painted an mural in the Chinatown International District to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Festival, on Oct. 1. The festival symbolizes full brightest moon during this time of the year.

The mural is next to Jade Garden Restaurant on 7th Avenue South. Wilson not only painted the mural, he did the Chinese calligraphy together with his teacher, Fang. 

Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI), a local nonprofit, is looking to sell 1,500 VOTE masks

by Nov. 3, on Election Day. “Wearing a mask and voting are two of the most important duties of a U.S. citizen today, no RAI volunteers wearing VOTE masks matter your age,” RAI said. “From first time voters finally of age to senior citizens, we can all be advocates for voter turnout. What better way to spread this message than by wearing it on our obligatory face masks while in public?”

To purchase the masks, go to refugeesarts.org. 

Virtual night market

2019 night market

Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) is holding its annual Night Market on Oct. 1—virtually—in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

On its website, CIDBIA said, “We’re planning lots of fun & interactive programming, demos, and activities for you to participate in, of course in a non-traditional format compared to our original Night Market.”

The event will be livestreamed on facebook.com/events/616634355816790. 

TP TEA opens Photo by John Liu/NWAW

James Doane gets WSBA award

The line outside of TP TEA during its grand opening

Taiwan Professional (TP) Tea held its official grand opening on Sept. 17.

The popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain held the event at its store on 679 South King Street.

The Northwest Asian Weekly spotted about 50 people in line. Attendees were treated to a buy one, get one free special. 

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY

asianweekly northwest

3

City of Seattle enrolls thousands in Utility Discount Program SEATTLE — The City of Seattle announced on Sept. 21 that as of the end of August, it has enrolled 11,825 new households into the Utility Discount Program (UDP) in 2020, including 8,173 through the fast-track application process launched in March to more quickly support customers financially impacted

by COVID-19.

UDP provides a 60% discount on Seattle City Light (SCL) electricity bills and a 50% discount on Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) water/sewer/garbage bills for income-eligible customers.

Through August, there were 41,961 households enrolled in the City assistance program.

Additionally, to support customers during these unprecedented times, SCL and SPU will not disconnect service for non-payment, are waiving late and interest fees.

They are also making every effort to proactively provide financial support, such as flexible payment plans and access to

other assistance programs.

Mami Hara, SPU general manager, said, “Expanding enrollment in the City’s Utility Discount Program and creating an easy application process was the right thing to do. We hope that customers who are experiencing financial stress will apply for the Utility Discount Pro-

gram or contact us to arrange a flexible payment arrangement.”

While walk-in counters remain closed, SPU and SCL customer service representatives are available by phone at 206-684-3000 or online at myutilities.seattle.gov. 

New reports show rising racism against Asian American youth Asian Americans are experiencing increased racism during COVID-19, according to two reports released on Sept. 17 by Stop AAPI Hate and the Stop AAPI Hate Youth Campaign. Together, both reports provide a comprehensive look at the impact of racism and xenophobia against Asian American youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide key recommendations to decrease discrimination in schools.

The report, “They Blamed Me Because I Am Asian,” was written and analyzed by the Youth Campaign, a group of 87 high school interns, based on nearly 1,000 interviews that they conducted with AAPI youth this summer to explore how young people are coping with the rise in racism.

Findings show that eight out of 10 Asian American youth (77%) expressed anger over the current anti-Asian hate in this nation, and six out of 10 (60%) are disappointed over the racism. Incidents of harassment focused on blaming China and Chinese people as the

source of the virus and on mocking Chinese dietary habits.

“My classmate said that the pandemic is due to poor decision-making by Chinese people (referring to their eating bats) and aimed this comment at me because I was the only Asian student at that table. They also stated that pandemics and global issues are always the fault of Chinese people,” said a 15-yearold who was interviewed.

“The constant feeling that I must have a heightened awareness of my surroundings whenever my family and I go outside made me feel vulnerable,” said Stop AAPI Hate Youth Campaign intern Cassie Eng. “As a young Asian American, the rise in anti-Asian sentiments are on my mind often.”

The Stop AAPI Hate report, in turn, looked at 341 incidents reported by youth, with 24 involving physical assault.

In 56% of these cases, perpetrators employed anti-Chinese hate speech, including blaming

China and Chinese as the source of the virus and mocking Chinese dietary habits. Even though adults were present 48% of the time, bystanders intervened in only 10% of the cases.

“Some guys from my high school whom I did not know followed me home in their car.

They honked very loudly at me, pulled up next to me, and when I looked up, they threw things at me from their car, pretended to cough on me, and said ‘Ching chong! You have Chinese virus!’

Then they drove away, rolling up their windows,” said a 14-yearold from Dallas, Texas.

The Stop AAPI Hate report offers six recommendations to address anti-Asian racism in schools, informed by “They Blamed Me Because I Am Asian” and by input from community and research experts: 1. Intervene and investigate promptly and equitably all allegations and any form of harassment, particularly

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

that targeting female students.

Provide anti-racism training for teachers and administrators specifically addressing the current rise in anti-Asian hate and stereotypes of AAPI students.

Integrate with social-emotional learning.

Develop school-wide, anti-bullying policies, including a defined online policy, that encourage safe and accessible reporting systems and restorative justice approaches.

Implement Ethnic Studies throughout the curriculum, so students learn the historic roots and impacts of racism, develop agency and empathy, and commit to racial solidarity and justice.

Provide AAPI students with culturally sustaining and responsive wellness services.

Empower AAPI students through affinity groups, student coalitions, and col-

To download a document, go to our web page at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/ procurement. King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

1177-20-TED

The Stop AAPI Hate Youth Campaign was created when students at the Urban School of San Francisco wanted a way to actively engage in the movement for racial justice. Their initiative quickly became a national campaign as 87 high school interns soon signed up to increase youth reporting to Stop AAPI Hate.

The campaign is funded by the Jeremy Lin Foundation.

“One of the things that most concerns me about the rising anti-Asian racism during this pandemic is how it will affect the next generation of Asian Americans and their sense of selfworth,” said Jeremy Lin. “The Jeremy Lin Foundation wanted to support Stop AAPI Hate to help empower more Asian American youth to speak up for themselves and fight against racism. The students’ thoughtfulness and willingness to engage with these issues inspire me.” 

TAITUNG

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section, electronically, at procurement.submittals@ kingcounty.gov, until 2:00 PM of bid opening date for the following listed bids.

lective action toward educational and racial equity.

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

38 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR

■ NATIONAL NEWS

OCT

Judges scrutinize suit’s claims in Harvard racial bias case

2

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7 U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS: GETTING TO KNOW US-CIS 4-5 p.m.

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14 U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS: THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS 4-5:30 p.m.

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20-25 TASVEER’S VIRTUAL LITERATURE FESTIVAL For details of program, check out tasveer.org

By Collin Binkley AP EDUCATION WRITER

Harvard denies any bias and defends

BOSTON (AP) — A panel of appeals court judges repeatedly challenged the legal claims of a group that accuses Harvard University of intentional discrimination against Asian American students who apply to the Ivy League school on Sept. 16.

The three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston appeared skeptical of arguments made by Students for Fair Admissions, which says Harvard imposes a “racial penalty’’ on Asian Americans. When a lawyer for the group accused the school of racial stereotyping against Asian American applicants, a judge interrupted and questioned the basis of the claim.

“Where is the evidence of racial profiling here?’’ Judge Juan Torruella asked.

The panel is expected to make a decision on the case in coming weeks. Either way, legal experts believe the case will probably end up before the Supreme Court.

Students for Fair Admissions is asking the appeals court to overturn a trial-level judge’s 2019 decision finding that Harvard does not intentionally discriminate against Asian Americans.

U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued the decision in October after a three-week trial.

In her ruling, Burroughs said Harvard’s admissions process is “not perfect’’ but concluded that there was “no evidence of any racial animus whatsoever.’’ She ruled that other factors beyond bias could explain why Harvard accepts Asian American students at lower rates than students of other races.

The group’s lawsuit alleges that Harvard admissions officers use a subjec-

cess. The school says race is one of

its use of race in the application promany factors considered and that at most it provides a “tip’’ in favor of underrepresented students. It says the university has a “compelling interest’’ in attracting a diverse student body to its campus.

tive “personal rating’’ assigned to each student to discriminate against Asian Americans. Using six years of admissions data, the group found that Asian American applicants averaged the highest scores in an academic rating but received the lowest personal ratings, and that they were admitted at lower rates.

Harvard denies any bias and defends its use of race in the application process.

The school says race is one of many factors considered and that at most it provides a “tip’’ in favor of underrepresented students. It says the university has a “compelling interest’’ in attracting a diverse student body to its campus.

Presenting the case to judges, a lawyer for the group said Harvard’s practices go beyond the limited consideration of race that has been upheld by the Supreme Court. Attorney William Consovoy said the school’s efforts to keep a similar racial makeup among students from year to year amounts to illegal racial balancing.

“The statistical evidence in this case showed that the personal rating discriminates against Asian Americans in a statistically significant way,’’ Consovoy said.

SEE HARVARD ON 7

View the solution on page 10

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YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

asianweekly northwest

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Korean Women’s Association tackles heartbreak, elder abuse

5

The photo on the woman’s iPhone shows a blackened and swollen face with a feeding tube coming into a mouth just below the mustache. Her husband had taken care of every aspect of her life after she was diagnosed with lung cancer 10 years ago, had a stroke, and became virtually paralyzed.

“He would make me breakfast, he would even put my shoes on for me,” Mrs. Kim (not her real name) said, trying to suppress her wails of anguish.

So when he was attacked on the street outside their apartment, she could hear someone screaming, but she was not sure who, nor could she move.

Later, he died.

“Why is this happening?” she asked, practically screaming with fright and grief.

THE CASEWORKER The caseworker assigned to her by the Korean Women’s Association (KWA), a nonprofit that provides support to people facing a variety of dire situations, could not answer her question.

But she could help her stay alive.

The younger woman, 39, listened to her grieve, and then found her all the resources she would need to survive on her own.

Since Mrs. Kim, at 64, did not speak English, had medical issues, and now no longer had any source of income, the task was enormous. But the caseworker helped her apply for the whole spectrum of social benefits and eventually for low-income housing.

“She couldn’t even speak,” said the caseworker, who has long hollows under her eyes, perhaps from listening to such grief.

THE ORGANIZATION Like Mrs. Kim, KWA, which saved her, faces its own set of challenges.

Founded 50 years ago by a group of Korean women who had married American soldiers, it grew into an organization to help with domestic violence. As years passed, it expanded to over 1,300 employees today. It has its own in-home care service, a shelter for victims of domestic abuse, and six apartment buildings that provide affordable housing.

While providing compassionate care for thousands of women like Mrs. Kim, it is still seeking to reach a more diverse population with its many services and resources.

About 80% of the clientele it serves come from the Asian and Asian American community. Of the remainder, 10% are Ukrainian, Eastern European. Three percent are white. Roughly 1.5% are Latino, and the rest, other people of color.

Jay Kang, 57, a former pastor who is now the organization's communications and special projects officer, said, however, that the organization is defined by its commitment to diversity.

“The Korean Women’s Association was created a half-century ago to give a voice and provide critical services to historically marginalized groups and build

Photos from Korean Women's Association

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

In 1997, KWA board members celebrating the opening of the Pacific Villa Housing Project, affordable housing in Tacoma that opened with 43 tenants

capacity to serve Washington state’s diverse populations,” he said, in an email.

“Diversity is at the very heart of our mission, it is why we exist.”

Still, the diverse communities KWA serves have apparently segregated. In its two affordable housing units in which Blacks live, not a single Asian resident resides. Meanwhile, the apartment spaces filled with Asians do not have a single Black resident.

However, this may be because of the demographics of the neighborhoods in which the apartment buildings were built.

It does not originate from any policy decisions on the part of KWA, said Kang.

“KWA does not discriminate in providing housing...We provide housing that is regulated by the Fair Housing Act and the State of Washington and we follow all applicable laws and regulations.”

From the perspective of the South Korean government, as well, the organization is already so diverse, it is ineligible for financial support.

“We asked the Korean government for a grant, but they rejected us because we are not focusing on only Koreans,” said Kang. According to Kang, the organization has always reached out to multicultural groups. There were even some white women among its founders.

As proof, there are only two agencies receiving a state grant to treat elder abuse, namely, KWA and the City of Seattle’s Aging and Disability Services, he said.

In a news release, KWA classified the case of Mrs. Kim as a form of elder abuse. In news reports, police described the assailant of her husband as a homeless man. The man had initially attacked a younger Korean man in the same parking lot of the apartment complex. Then, after the younger man had escaped, he had come back and attacked Mr. Kim, who was 61. It was not clear if the perpetrator was targeting Asian Americans.

Initially, it appeared that Mr. Kim, who was a cook at a Teriyaki restaurant, might survive. At Harborview, he underwent extensive facial reconstructive surgery. But five months later, he died from brain injuries.

SPREADING THE WORD DURING A PERIOD OF GROWTH Despite the extent and breadth of their services, another potential challenge

facing KWA is their ability to spread the word about their resources, even within the Korean community.

Mrs. Kim, who was now left alone and destitute, would not have known about KWA, if the South Korean embassy had not reached out to her. After the loss of her husband, diplomats from the embassy came to her door and told her about KWA, she said, speaking through an interpreter.

She contacted the organization and that was when her caseworker showed up, who swiftly helped her obtain immediate assistance from the government.

CEO Pete Ansara presenting a Lunar New Year gift during a KWA event in 2020

“She didn’t even know her bank account number or how to access email,” she said.

The caseworker also had to help Kim find her social security number.

“We had to start from scratch.” Last year, the caseworker had around 80 clients. This year so far, she has around 50.

SEE KWA ON 11

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asianweekly

38 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG RENTON BUFFET REOPENS AFTER MONTHS OF SHUTDOWN DUE TO COVID-19

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The coronavirus pandemic hit restaurants hard, especially buffet restaurants. What used to be an advantage for buffet restaurants, has now become a nightmare. Buffet restaurateurs, with thin profit margins, make their money on its appeal to a broad base of customers and big gatherings because of its variety and unlimited amount of food for diners and the venue’s size. The more packed the restaurant and the quicker the turnover, the fresher its food— the better the profits. That is the buffet restaurant’s recipe for success.

However, COVID destroys that formula. To prevent the virus from spreading, social distancing is required at any big public gathering. It restricts the number of diners in one table to no more than five people. Gone are the big parties for birthdays, babies, weddings, graduations, promotions, festivals, holidays, company events, and any other type of celebrations.

Those profitable occasions have vanished.

Without the volume of customers, how can buffet restaurants survive? What can they do? I have been wondering how Renton’s Feast Buffet, one of the best Asian buffet restaurants in the Greater Seattle area, has been doing since COVID. I called the owner two months ago during Gov. Jay Inslee’s order for sheltering-in.

Suki Poon, owner of the 25,000-square-foot restaurant that opened five years ago, was not too distressed.

“There’s nothing we can do. A pandemic occurs once in 100 years. We can’t fight that. We just have to wait for things to get better.” The consolation is, her restaurant has received the federal Payment Protection Program loan and support from her landlord.

Things did get better.

Washington state’s COVID

A Feast A Feast A Feast to behold to behold to behold

Trays of delicious food at Feast Buffet

Meat from a hot grill

infection cases have declined, even though we were the first state to report a case of the virus. We are now one of the few states to have the virus under control and the infection rates and deaths are way lower compared to other states.

Feast reopened on Sept.

10. I was curious how its reopening went after being closed for six months.

But I was unable to visit the restaurant due to hazardous air created by the wildfires in our state and from Oregon, and we had to postpone our visit.

Sometimes, you wonder why misfortune stacks together all at once. Last Friday, the air cleared a little, and my husband and I went to Feast. We were not sure about dining in, so we decided on take-out.

ARRIVING AT FEAST Feast has implemented all the safety precautions, including temperature check upon arrival. Social distancing marks were on seats, floor, and tables.

Plastic gloves, hand sanitizers, spoons, and forks were on every serving counter. All the counters were wiped clean.

The last time I ate there, it was like a circus. There were many parties in its

huge banquet room for 20 to 50 people, and a big screen television. Feast’s capacity is 580. Now, the restaurant is quiet with much fewer customers, not even half full. According to the state guideline, restaurants can serve at only 50% capacity. I don’t know how the state can enforce that. I feel sorry for restaurateurs.

It’s tough to run a restaurant with so many restrictions these days.

Steamed dumplings from Feast Buffet

loved its marshmallow candies. Feast still serves those popular kids’ items.

Oh, the dessert bar is just as beautiful and tempting as the last time I visited.

There must have been over 20 kinds of sweets. I like the dessert servings. Each of

THE FOOD I guess we picked a good day. Friday night offers lobsters. It’s a little bit more expensive. But it’s worth it. Oyster lovers would be delighted to see all the raw oysters with shells displayed on the trays.

The sushi bar is filled with colorful and palatable items. I helped myself to several pieces of raw salmon. And fish eggs of course, they are delicious and have great nutrients.

I would never say “no” to California rolls.

Besides the sushi sections, Feast provides a wide variety of dim sum and a noodle bar. If you like ramen, you can create your own noodle bowl by picking your own ingredients, such as meats, vegetables, mushrooms, and all kinds of goodies. You can do soup noodles or stir-fried.

I enjoy noodles, but decided not to have it this time, as they are filling. That evening, my goal was to eat like a horse.

Feast’s specialty is Asian buffets, and I am amazed so many American cuisines are available, and more. For instance, steak, prime rib, pizza, macaroni and cheese, salads, and jello are still part of the attraction. Last time, I treated my grand niece and nephew at Feast, they just

The exterior of Feast Buffet

SEE FEAST ON 8

KOREAN FOOD WEEK S E P T E M B E R 2 3 - 2 9, 2 0 2 0

Samyang (5 pk)

KOREAN STYLE WINGS

INSTANT NOODLES

From our Deli Cooler

Assorted Variety

7.99 lb

3.99-5.59

HEAD-ON PRAWNS

Fresh!

LOBAK

Korean Radish

40/50 Count. Prev. Frozen

.88 lb

5.99 lb

THINLY SLICED PORK LEG

3.99 lb

New Item!

Kook Soon Dang (750 ml)

Wang (480 g)

Haitai (120 g)

MAKGEOLLI

HONEY BUTTER CHIPS

Korean Rice Wine. Original, Peach or Banana

3.99

2.99

KOREAN BBQ MARINADE

for Kalbi or Bulgogi

2.69

To see all of our weekly specials, visit uwajimaya.com seattle

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bellevue

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renton

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beaverton

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uwajimaya.com

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW and from Feast Buffet

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northwest

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ COVID-19 NEWS

House condemns racism against Asian Americans amid pandemic End

m Racis

By Mary Clare Jalonick ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted on Sept. 17 to condemn racism against Asian Americans tied to the coronavirus outbreak, approving a Democratic resolution on a mostly party-line vote. Republicans called the legislation an election-year effort to criticize President Donald Trump and “woke culture on steroids.’’

The resolution, approved 243-164, calls on all public officials to condemn anti-Asian sentiment and to investigate hate crimes after a rise in aggression and violence from those blaming people of Asian descent for the pandemic. The measure does not name Trump but notes inflammatory terms used by him and other Republicans—including “Chinese Virus,“ “Wuhan Virus,“ and “Kung flu’’—and says they have perpetuated an anti-Asian stigma.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that “at the same time that the coronavirus pandemic is broken out, so too has a disturbing epidemic of hate and discrimination’’ against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, including physical

HARVARD FROM 4

But Judge Sandra L. Lynch challenged that allegation, saying that, presented with competing statistical models from both sides, the trial court judge sided with Harvard’s.

“The district court actually found that Harvard’s statistical model was the more reliable one,“ Lynch said. “So, again, I’m just trying to get your argument.’’

Consovoy argued that both models were deemed credible.

A representative for the U.S. Justice Department spoke in support of Students for Fair Admissions, arguing that race “pervades every aspect“ of Harvard’s admissions process. Eric S. Dreiband, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, said the school’s admissions process “unduly burdens’’ Asian American applicants compared to white applicants.

The Trump administration has opposed the use of race at Harvard and oth-

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Asians

and verbal attacks and vandalized businesses. She blamed Trump for trying to divert attention from Russia’s meddling in elections to demonize China.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., called Republican opposition to the resolution “disgraceful.’’

“The president is fueling racism and inspiring violent attacks on Asian Americans and Asian immigrants,’’ Takano said. Trump has often used the term “kung flu’’ on the campaign trail as he has tried to turn focus to the virus’s origins in China amid criticism of his response to the pandemic.

Republicans said Trump was turning his ire toward China’s government and not Asian Americans. Trump in March insisted that Asian Americans were “amazing people’’ and not at fault for spreading the virus.

Several House Republicans spoke against the resolution. Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan said it was “just another opportunity to attack the president.’’ Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs called it “woke culture on steroids.’’ Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said it was “ridiculous’’ and a “waste of time’’ as the House was about to adjourn for the week

er colleges across the U.S. Last month, the Justice Department found that Yale University discriminates against Asian American and white applicants. The finding, which resulted from a two-year inquiry, was rejected by Yale as “meritless’’ and “hasty.’’

As evidence, the group points to a U.S. Education Department investigation into Harvard’s admissions practices in the 1990s. In that case, the agency also explored whether Harvard discriminates against Asian Americans. The school was ultimately cleared.

Speaking on behalf of the university, attorney Seth Waxman said the school’s personal rating, which was also examined during the federal inquiry, has “assumed a Frankenstein-like significance.’’ But he argued that the 1990s investigation only helps Harvard’s case.

“It reached the exact same conclusion, based on its review of all the evidence, that Judge Burroughs did,” he said. 

and Democrats and the White House have so far failed to agree on additional coronavirus relief.

“At the heart of this resolution is the absurd notion that referring to the virus as a Wuhan virus or the China virus is the same as contributing to violence against Asian Americans, which I will tell you no one on this side of the aisle supports,’’ McCarthy said.

Still, 14 Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the resolution, many of whom are retiring or in competitive races in November including Washington Rep. Jamie Herrera Butler.

Anti-discrimination groups have reported hundreds of actions against Asian Americans, especially in the early days of the outbreak. Even before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma.

Asked in March why he called the coronavirus the “Chinese virus,’’ Trump told reporters at the White House that he doesn’t consider it a racist remark. “It’s not racist at all,’’ Trump said, adding that he calls it the “Chinese virus’’ because he wants to be accurate. 

asianweekly northwest

7

Hawaii to allow travelers to skip quarantine with virus test

By Audrey McAvoy ASSOCIATED PRESS HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced on Sept. 16 that starting Oct. 15, travelers arriving from out of state may bypass a 14-day quarantine requirement if they test negative for COVID-19.

Travelers will have to take the test within 72 hours before their flight arrives in the islands. Ige said drug store operator CVS and healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente will conduct the tests as part of an agreement with the state.

Earlier this year, Ige planned to start a pre-travel testing program on Aug. 1 only to have to postpone it as COVID-19 cases spiked on the U.S. mainland and in Hawaii. A shortage of testing supplies also forced delays. Another start date for Sept. 1 was also canceled. Airlines are expected to help inform travelers of the requirement.

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■ OBITUARY

38 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

In memory of Yoshiro Philip Hayasaka

Yoshiro Philip Hayasaki

Yoshiro Philip Hayasaka, known as Philip, passed away peacefully on Sept. 3. He was 94.

In 1942, his family, like many others, were incarcerated at Camp Minidoka in Idaho. At the end of the war, the family relocated to Philadelphia, where Hayasaka worked as an auto mechanic for two years before returning to Seattle to join his parents. He attended the University of Washington and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in

Economics from the School of Business Administration.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Hayasaka volunteered at the Jackson Street Community Council. In 1959, he became director of the Council, and in 1960, served as president of the Seattle Japanese American Citizens League. In 1963, he was appointed by Mayor Gordon Clinton of Seattle to be the director of the newly created Seattle Human Rights Commission, which

later became a department.

He helped to form the Asian Coalition for Equality around 1968, and in 1972, Hayasaka was appointed by Governor Dan Evans as the first chairperson of the Washington State Asian Advisory Council.

Out of deference to the virus, there will be a small, private burial. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Northwest Harvest,

or a charity of your choice.

Hayasaka is survived by his wife, Lois, his sons David (Terry) Hayasaka and Dean Hayasaka, stepchildren Debbie Flores, Greg Fleming, and Mark Fleming, and grandchildren Jason Flores and Jenni Flores, along with many nieces and nephews.

In his obituary, his family wrote, “We think he is now on a well-deserved golfing vacation with all of his golfing buddies.” 

them is cut or served in a small container. For desserts, sampling many kinds was my goal, rather than eating a big serving of one kind.

Its seafood varieties are the best.

Besides lobsters, you can eat Alaskan crab legs, shrimp, stuffed crab, cooked oysters, stuffed mussels with cream sauce, clams, fish, and more. Over at the poultry section, I picked up two salty chickens and one roast duck drumsticks. What could be better than meat with bones! And those bird legs are not greasy. Dr. Catherine Shanahan, author of Deep Nutrition, wrote that meat with bones is better for your health because you can also eat the fat, bone, marrow, skin, and other connective tissue. The most important factor is, meat with bones taste so much better.

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

FEAST FROM 6

Miniature desserts

DINE IN OR TAKE-OUT I tried to squeeze in as much food

Takeout boxes, very efficiently filled

as I could in my take-out box. Before I finished, my husband asked, “Do you want to eat here instead? I am comfortable here.”

The fact he changed his mind showed that he was at ease with the social distancing changes. The atmosphere was pleasant with little noise. The last time I was there, I couldn’t hear what my friends were saying as it was very crowded and noisy.

“Too late,” I said. “I would like to eat here, too, but I already filled up my box.”

I was quite efficient—taking photos of the restaurant and picking up food from the counter simultaneously.

My mother used to laugh at me for having a sparrow’s stomach. “You small eaters don’t get your money’s worth in a buffet restaurant.” Usually after two servings, I declared, “Done!” Most friends laughed at me for “being ripped-off,” “defeated,” and “useless.” But this time, I did well…The amount of food I put in my take-out box was way more than the amount I was able to consume. Those leftovers from my take-out box carried over for one more lunch and dinner the next day.

My husband did even better with his take-out box. When we paid, we learned that take-out is based on weight. Also, the cashier opened our box and checked what kind of food we picked. His take-out was more expensive than mine because of the many lobsters and Alaskan crab legs he took. And I forgot about the lobsters, since I was working at the same time. I was glad my husband remembered to fill his box with several pieces of lobsters. We met a nonAsian couple and a kid outside Feast. They raved about the food.

“It’s amazing,” said the wife. “Love their sushi.” Yes, I rate the sushi selection high, too. In fact, I would give high marks to Feast for all the adjustments they made to accommodate during the pandemic. And its food was as delicious as my past visits. They were able to keep their standard—not an easy task. We enjoyed our take-out at home with varieties of food, including dessert.

It will take time before restaurants can

Sushi at Feast

get back to normal. People are still hesitant to dine in restaurants. One server shook her head and said business is not good. Another one said, “It gets better every day.”

It is hard to run a restaurant these days, especially for buffet dining when diners cancel their parties for the year. With the pandemic, every business owner has to be more patient and resilient than before. I am so glad Feast has reopened. To draw customers, it now offers free drinks (except alcohol) until the end of September. Also, I was thrilled to see many people working there. A Feast manager said the restaurant tries to employ as many people as possible like before. Jobs are key to keep our community healthy.

If you enjoy all-you-can-eat, varieties of food at a reasonable price, Feast is your kind of place. If you have a big family, just sit at two or three tables for social distancing purposes. If you have not dined in restaurants lately, do take-out like us. Asian restaurants are the backbone of our community’s economy. Now is the time for us to support the restaurants in our community.  Feast Buffet is located at 485 Renton Center Way SW, Renton. It's open 7 days a week.

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

YOUR VOICE ALCANTARA FROM 1

Alcantara, is Filipino. Both were born in the Philippines. As a young family with four children, the rise of violence made them feel unsafe in their homeland,” Alcantara said. “My mom witnessed the horrific murder of someone she cared about and started to have anxiety and PTSD symptoms. She wanted to leave the country,” she said.

Since many of Alcantara’s mother’s siblings were already in the United States, and her father had filed a visa application even before he got married, he was at the top of the list and the family was safely able to immigrate to Seattle.

“The first week, we stayed with my great aunt, who passed away this month at 99 and two days,” Alcantara recalls. Her great aunt took the family in, cared for them, and was the fiercely independent strong female elder that was a touchstone for her.

As with most new immigrant families, Alcantara’s parents were protective of their children and built an intimate network of friends and family.

“They tried to raise us with the cultural values and norms they were raised with, and like most younger generations, we added the American flavor,” she said.

Growing up, Alcantara noticed the gender dynamics that were a part of the cultural values her parents instilled in them. “The girls did more of the household chores and were expected to be home as teenagers,” she said. “As a young woman growing up in the U.S., I noticed these trends in my family, thought about them, and wanted to do something different.”

Alcantara left for the East Coast and studied Women’s Studies at Wesleyan University and also discovered who she wanted to become as an adult.

“Every year I was away, I missed home much more. By the time I graduated, I was ready to come back to Seattle,” Alcantara said.

On returning, Alcantara found an AmeriCorps volunteer year appealing.

“One of the openings was with the API Women and Family Safety Center,” Alcantara said. “I applied for the job, spent some time volunteering with them, and fell in love with it.”

Norma Timbang was the ED when Alcantara joined.

“She has been a career-long mentor and someone I deeply admire and respect,” Alcantara said. She recalls how Timbang brought her into the agency in a way that centered on anti-oppression and not just working to end domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. “It was

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about promoting social change in our communities. Her leadership has touched the agency since its founding,” she said.

In 2003, Alcantara worked with the youth and queer network programs on violence prevention with an anti-oppression lens.

“It was rewarding but after some time, I found the work overwhelming, so I took a break to explore other career paths,” she said. She focused on prioritizing grassroots work within the Filipino communities at GABRIELA Seattle.

Absence seems to make Alcantara’s heart grow fonder, and just as she came back to the West Coast, she returned to the agency in 2016. This time, at the helm.

“Every year, experiencing life changes us, but being a queer woman of color ED has been life changing,” she said.

“It was my dream job. It’s still the only place I would ever want to be an ED I’m leaving it with a lot of love and choosing to take some time to rest.”

It must have been a difficult decision to make, especially because worldwide, domestic violence is seen as a second pandemic. Spring 2020 saw an increase in child sex abuse when, for the first time, the national sexual assault hotline received more calls from minors than from adults. People being isolated in their homes is leading to more family violence, making API Chaya’s work even more relevant.

“We want to make sure people are looking out for one another, checking up on young people and those in difficult relationships, and just providing support and care,” Alcantara said. API Chaya has also been advocating for ‘WiFi for All’ to make it easier for people to access help.

However, Alcantara feels good to be stepping away, because of how API Chaya has transformed over the last four years.

“It has been about centering care for our staff, clients, and extended communities. We talk a lot about what it means to develop a care network for our clients who are isolated and experiencing violence and within

our staff,” Alcantara said, adding that as a leader in that work, she identifies as a survivor, too.

“When I started this job, my goal was to stay for 10 years and I managed four,” Alcantara laughed. She calls to attention the quote by civil and women’s rights’ activist, writer, and poet Audre Lorde, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

During her four-year tenure, Alcantara has helped triple API Chaya’s budget to almost $3.5 million and doubled the team to 33.

“Having that many people depend on you, on top of your network of clients, is a deep joy and a gift, but also brings a heaviness to it,” she said. “The world we are in right now is so divisive with so many deep crises. It’s going to become normal for leaders of my generation to have benchmarks in their career and continue to pass on leadership.” Alcantara continued, “I see this as a time to reflect and practice that and not work myself to dust. It’s just to embody and understand we all deserve rest.” She points out that with so many leaders in the movement, it is possible to rest and trust that other leaders will emerge, take the helm, and do good work to ensure the success of the agency so resources for survivors continue.

“It doesn’t have to depend on one person or one small group of people. We are all in it together,” she said. “I think it is about deeply loving our communities so much that we want to be whole enough to do the work well.”

Looking back on her role at API Chaya, the thing Alcantara is most proud of is developing increased resources for survivor leadership, including advocating for living wages for the staff, a majority of whom are survivors of violence.

“We have clients who experience violence and over time build a relationship with the agency.

They move from the crisis experience to one of deep connection and care, and from there, they enter a place where they want to make a difference for other survivors,” Alcantara said.

asianweekly northwest

She mentions a current intern, who is a human trafficking survivor. “She has gone through our program and our leadership group, and now she is doing this internship because she wants to have advocacy skills to support other trafficking survivors in the future,” Alcantara said. “It is beautiful to have that pathway from surviving to healing and then working to change the community.”

Though she is parting from the organization, Alcantara still nurtures a long-term dream for the agency and the nonprofit community—to be self-sustaining. “We have a lot of amazing government contracts that fund our work, and we want to do the good work being asked of our nonprofit communities,” she said. However, Alcantara also wants to have room and creativity to do the work communities are calling on nonprofits for.

“API Chaya has been able to build a financial model with a mix of government funding, individual donors, and foundational support, but in the future, I hope we can build out enough financial space so we can immediately respond with innovative programming our communities are asking for without having to worry where that funding is going to come from,” Alcantara said.

The way she sees being able to do that in the future is by relying more on API Chaya as a speaker’s bureau. “The agency is 25 years old now. There is so much brilliance and leadership in the past and present staff, board, and folks who have volunteered or interned with the agency,” Alcantara said.

“Being able to gather that strength to give presentations and go out and talk about domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and oppression can create a different revenue stream for the agency and mean more unrestricted dollars,” Alcantara said.

Aside from the power these people will bring, Alcantara feels this move might help corporations, businesses, and government entities that feel the need for more

9

than anti-harassment training.

After Alcantara’s departure, two people will fill her shoes— Sarah Tran as interim executive director and Norma Timbang as interim program director.

The board, alongside them, will work on ensuring long-term successive leadership at the agency with an announcement to the community expected in November or December.

Alcantara will continue to stay connected to API Chaya as a volunteer and will help support the annual gala to be held in April next year. “That is a gift I want to continue to give,” she said.

As for her, Alcantara is all set to live the simple life. Her wife, Boo Torres, and she own and run Tribal Electric LLC, a queer-womenof-color owned and operated electrical contracting company.

“My short-term plan has been to be with my 5-year-old as she transitions to Kindergarten and be able to pick her up on time.

She has been in day care for all the time that I have been ED Her life was going to be changing and I didn’t want to miss that. I wanted to be in that change with her,” Alcantara said.

The pandemic has meant they have had to redirect and are planning to homeschool their kids now. I have a 5-year-old, a 4-yearold, and an infant at home. I also have two older daughters who have young ones of their own.

My grandson will be joining our homeschool, too,” Alcantara said, acknowledging how difficult it is to be a working parent now.

“This year is going to be about weathering this particular storm and providing good care for the kids. We have friends and family that are looking to us for support,” Alcantara said.

“We are going to try to provide support to our network and make sure folks feel well held in this year,” she said.

“Our plan is to lead a simple life, take great care of the kids, and be outside as much as the environment allows us to and see life from their perspective for a while.”  Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

10

asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

38 YEARS

CLASSIFIED NOTiCE

NOTiCE

NOTiCE

NOTiCE

NOTiCE

Superior Court of Washington, County of King Bashir Dahir and and Halima Omar Petitioners, and Habiba Abdi and Bashir Mohamed Respondents No. 20-3-04101-1 KNT Summons By Publication To the Respondent: Bashir Dahir and and Halima Omar, The petitioner has started an action in the above court requesting Non-Parent Custody. Give custody of the child to a non-parent.

You must respond to this summons by serving a copy of your written response on the person signing this summons and by filing the original with the clerk of the court. If you do not serve your written response within 20 days (or 60 days if you served outside of the state of WA) after the first publication of this summons(60 days after September 19, 2020), the court may enter an order of default against you, and the court may, without further notice to you, enter a decree and approve or provide for other relief requested in this summons. In case of a dissolution, the court will not enter the final decree until at least 90 days after service and filing. If you serve a notice of appearance on the undersigned person, you are entitled to notice before an order of default or a decree may be entered.

Your written response to the summons and petition must be FL Non-Parent 415, Response to Non-Parent Custody Petition. Information about how to get this form may be obtained by contacting the clerk of the court, by contacting the Administrative Office of the Courts at (360) 705-5328, or Washington LawHelp: www.washingtonlawhelp.org. If you wish to seek the advice of an attorney in this matter, you should do so promptly so that your written response, if any, may be served on time.

Filipino Community Village Announces the availability of applications for new 95-unit (Studio and 1BR) senior affordable housing community located in Seattle.

One household member must be at least 55 years old at time of application. Annual income can’t exceed $50,160 for one or $57,360 for two-person household. The rents range from $597 to $1309. Must satisfy resident selection criteria and WSHFC admissions requirements. Application will be processed as First Come, First Serve Basis. Application available now by calling 800-635-2558/TDD (800) 545-1833 ext. 478. Application may be returned by US mail at PO Box 428 Lynnwood, WA 98046 but must be received in the PO Box no later than November 16, 2020.

This summons if issued pursuant to RCW 4.28.100 and Superior Court Civil Rule 4.1 of the State of Washington. Dated 9/4/2020. Serve a Copy of Your Response on: Habiba Abdi and Bashir Mohamed, File your Original Response with the Clerk of the Court at: King County Superior Ct 516 3rd Ave Seattle, WA 98104.

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e, at the Seattle Chinese Post and Northwest Asian Weekly, are doing our best to gather news and bring it to you on a weekly basis. Due to the unprecedented situation we all face now, we may not always be

able to distribute our publications to the general public in the future. As always, our content is available online at SeattleChinesePost.com and NWAsianWeekly.com. Thank you for your continued support and readership.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4.

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

11

Predictions and advice for the week of Sept. 26–Oct. 2, 2020

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat—Do you want something different, but continue to get more of the same? Some targeted changes could be in order.

Dragon—Going from one thing to the next in rapid succession? Don’t pile on more than you can realistically handle.

Monkey—While you tend to be open rather than guarded, there is cause to be cautious when your suspicions are aroused.

Ox—Your patience in the early stages should pave the way for a much smoother progress later on.

Snake—Tuning out what you don’t want to hear?

Though not always pleasant, the information could prove useful.

Rooster—Finding it hard to concentrate? A little exercise could help you to clear your thoughts and regain your focus.

Tiger—Are you receiving support from an unexpected source? Think of it as a temporary rather than permanent solution.

Horse—You have a solid network to draw upon, but be selective about when you turn to this resource.

Dog— Are you worried about what you have planned? With a little flexibility, you should be able to prevail.

Rabbit—If you want to move beyond the current stumbling blocks, you have to acknowledge what parts aren’t working.

Goat—A lot of background noise can be very distracting. Isolate what you need to pay attention to.

Pig—Don’t be swayed by instant gratification.

If you are willing to work for it, a much more satisfying reward awaits.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 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, 2019

*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.

SAWANT FROM 1

commit an unlawful act,’’ Rogers wrote in his order.

A group of Seattle residents is pushing for the Sawant recall, alleging violations including when she allowed demonstrators into City Hall during a nighttime protest in June and spoke at a protest in front of Mayor Jenny Durkan’s house. They also say she encouraged protesters to occupy Seattle Police’s East Precinct, “helped create the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest Zone,’’ used city resources to promote a ballot initiative, and delegated employment decisions in her office to her political party.

Rogers dismissed the charges related to the East Precinct and the CHOP. Rogers’ role is to assume the charges against Sawant are true and to determine whether they are specific and serious enough to merit a recall.

Dmitri Iglitzin, Sawant’s attorney, said in arguments that Sawant has been elected

three times, most recently less than a year ago, and said the recall petitioners were trying to redo those elections because they disagree with her politics.

John McKay, an attorney representing recall petitioner Ernest Lou, said Sawant needed to be held accountable for her actions.

If Rogers’ decision survives a possible appeal, petitioners would need to collect more than 10,000 signatures from residents of Sawant’s Capitol Hill-based district in order to send the recall to voters.

The Seattle City Council voted on Sept.

15, at Sawant’s request, to fund Sawant’s legal defense in the matter.

A King County judge earlier this summer allowed a recall effort against the mayor to move forward. The recall alleges that Durkan failed to institute policies after police used tear gas on protesters. Durkan is appealing the judge’s decision to the state Supreme Court, which is scheduled to consider the case in October. 

HAWAII FROM 7

to return to Hawaii in a way that keeps residents safe. Tourism traffic to the state has plunged more than 90% since the pandemic began, forcing hundreds of hotels to close and pushing many people out of work.

“I want to emphasize that this pre-travel testing will allow us to add a greater element of safety for travel into our state,’’ Ige said at a news conference.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who joined the news conference via Zoom because he tested positive for the disease and

KWA FROM 5

“Once the major issues are done, they still don’t want us to close the case, so it’s mostly just monthly calls,” she said.

KWA’s growth spurt is showing up in other ways. It has opened several new facilities to serve its growing base of clients. Last year, it purchased a new 16,000-square-foot property in Lakewood.

“This move will allow for further expansion as the organization now serves all of Western Washington and has plans for continued expansion,” it said.

KWA has ensured that each branch office is staffed with workers that mostly reflect the demographics of the community in which it is located, said Kang.

The office that Kim visited, in Federal Way, for instance, is comprised of 80% staff with a Korean background.

Federal Way, with its proximity to a large military base, has the highest concentration of Korean Americans in the United States, according to Kang.

But its other branches reflect the diversity of other areas it serves, such as Ukrainians.

is isolating at home, said the program will provide economic opportunity at a time when so many people are suffering. Upheaval from the pandemic pushed nearly one-quarter of Hawaii’s workforce into joblessness.

In April, Hawaii had the third-worst unemployment rate in the nation after Nevada and Michigan.

“I worry about the long term impacts of economic distress and that impact this has on our people, when they can’t afford their homes as easily or groceries or health care,’’ Green said. 

MISUNDERSTANDINGS OR CULTURAL DIVERSIONS? A recent contretemps involved the hiring and firing of a CEO, who claimed he was terminated because he was gay. Neither KWA nor former CEO Troy Christensen would comment because a lawsuit is ongoing.

Meanwhile Kang, who was hired

by Christensen, said KWA, despite its roots in Korean churches, is still sometimes misunderstood by even the Korean American community.

Korean American churches, seeing the millions that the organization as a nonprofit shows on its balance sheets, are reluctant to provide financial support, he said. But they are willing to accept its services, which helps further its mission.

In the end, all that matters to Kim is that she can go on living. Asked what her husband was like, she promptly asks to end the interview, then starts to sob more deeply than before.

“He pursued me for eight years, but it wasn’t until he agreed to go with me to church and become a Catholic, that I would agree to marry him,” she said.

“He did everything for me.”  Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Thank you for recycling this newspaper

asianweekly

38 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2020

SUMMIT FROM 1

to announce the first-ever APIC policy agenda.

The second half of the Summit was reserved for a gubernatorial candidate forum, to which Gov. Jay Inslee and his opponent, Loren Culp, were invited but only Inslee showed. Summit organizers stressed that the Summit was non-partisan and both candidates had been vetted equally and would have gone through the same run-down.

“For the past month, organizers of this event have reached out to Republican Police Chief Loren Culp to engage with us in this AAPI Democracy Summit. As of today, we were still giving him that chance and it did not happen,” explained Summit emcee Nia Wong of KLXY-TV Spokane.

While a mélange of topics was covered, the overall emphasis was on solidarity and speaking up for the change our communities want now and in the future.

“We have an opportunity to build the world that we want, and we should take that very seriously,” exhorted Freedom, Inc. co-executive director M. Adams.

“The real question for us isn’t what our opposition is going to do and is prepared to do—they have demonstrated through history, and in this current moment, that our opposition is committed to keeping power…and harming us. The real question is what do we do as Black and Brown people to ensure a transformative future and one that shifts power?”

Adams, fellow co-executive director Kabzuag Vaj, and others expressed solidarity with the Black fight for equality and an end to racism, while rallying Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for their own sakes.

“When we are out in the streets march-

ing and protesting, one of the things that I learned was I cannot be out here to protect anybody. I’m in the streets because it means something to me,” said Vaj. “I’m in the fight for my own people.

I think that’s really important for us to figure out, how we are in liberation together and how we’re fighting together and not so much just showing up as allies because the violence against our bodies is real, and we have no one to blame if anything happens to us because we’re in the fight for ourselves.”

In relation to this, Zia talked about how AAPIs have been set up as a counterpoint to Black Americans, and that AAPIs should not be content with this dynamic. She reminded the audience that the concept of the “model minority” was started in 1966 by two U.S. news publications that “brought up this idea of Asian Americans being the model minority that ‘by dint of their own hard work and not a welfare check’ was better than the bad minority.” Zia warned that this is a one-dimensional and unacceptable stereotype.

“I have run into so many people who have said, ‘Well, what’s wrong with being the good minority? Isn’t that a compliment to us? And shouldn’t we be the good minority?’ When we accept that… and we think that that’s how we’re supposed to behave, we are allowing ourselves to be used and manipulated as that counterpoint to the bad minority whose crime is that they want to be treated as full human beings. When we do that, we are also denying our own humanity.”

The dual pandemic of COVID-19 and racism. Global warming and alarming fires covering our western states. These were the serious subjects covered. APIC leadership also revealed their newly created policy agenda, which Dori Peralta Baker, Yakima Chapter Chair, described

Webinar screenshot by Kai Curry

12

northwest

Governor Inslee responded to questions during the gubernatorial forum portion of the Summit.

“I have run into so many people who have said, ‘Well, what’s wrong with being the good minority? Isn’t that a compliment to us? And shouldn’t we be the good minority?’ When we accept that…and we think that that’s how we’re supposed to behave, we are allowing ourselves to be used and manipulated as that counterpoint to the bad minority whose crime is that they want to be treated as full human beings. When we do that, we are also denying our own humanity.”

HELEN ZIA

as “a platform to launch listening sessions around the state, build political education awareness, and hold decision makers accountable.” The overall takeaway of the Summit was a sense of opportunity. Inslee, who during his question-and-answer period reiterated his commitment to the AAPI community, said, “My message is sort of like Winston Churchill during the London Blitz. Everybody said, ‘How are you getting through these dark days?’… and he said, ‘These are not dark days.

These are great days…because we can rise up together. We can be strong together. We can help each other through this time of crisis.’”

Inslee spoke of what he considered our shared Washingtonian values of education and science. Speaking just a few minutes after Chu, with a team from the University of Washington that discovered the first cases of COVID-19 in the United States, Inslee praised the high number of doctors, scientists, and engineers within the AAPI community and stood behind his dedication to combatting the coronavirus.

“We believe in the power of science.

We’ve put that to work in fighting the COVID pandemic. I’m the candidate in the race, frankly, that believes in science…that science can save our lives, and we’re following that science. That’s why we’re in the top eight states in the United States reducing COVID infection rates, because we have followed the science and we have protected our people.”

Chu, who was optimistic that the United States will see an end to the spread of COVID-19, mirrored Inslee’s sentiment.

“Science is not political. I am not a politician. I’m a scientist. The more poli-

tics are inserted into all of this—whether masks work or not, if vaccine trials are being conducted quickly enough, whether COVID is just going to go away—it just confuses the message for everyone and it distracts all of us from the work that we need to do to move everything forward.”

Chu added that it was important as a community to have “regular, clear, consistent messaging from a trusted public health voice.”

Close to the end of the Summit, a question was posed to Inslee regarding anti-Asian racism. “This is so painful to me,” Inslee responded. “…and what’s so painful is that the flames of xenophobia have been fanned by the current occupant of the White House. To call this the ‘Chinese Virus,’ that opens the door to this attitude that somehow people of Asian heritage and Islander heritage are lesser Americans. We shouldn’t open that door.

We should speak against that.” Inslee added, “We’ve got to get a new leader in the White House. We can’t have somebody to fan the flames of racism. We need people to help unite us and to understand implied bias, and to calm the waters and look for people to look for the best in each other rather than teach people to fear one another based on race. That’ll be a good day in the United States, and I hope to be the next governor to continue that effort.”  A recording of the 2020 AAPI Democracy Summit can be found on the Asian Counseling and Referral Service Facebook Page under “Videos.”

Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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