VOL 39 NO 40 | OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

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

VOL 39 NO 40 OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Songs and masks, kids returning to Denise Louie

Image from Appily

FEATURED

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY When the Denise Louie Education Center closed on March 13 when Gov. Jay Inslee issued the stay-athome orders, it was uncertain when it would reopen. Certainly, concerns over COVID-19 had many parents worried about returning their children to daycare. But the organization adjusted and while it has helped many kids virtually, it reopened its facilities with the added responsibility of educating the kids on the new rules of staying healthy and safe.

Denise Louie has four education centers serving the city of Seattle: Magnuson, the International District (ID), Beacon

COMMUNITY NEWS

InterIm pivots during COVID

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COMMUNITY NEWS Masks in museum

PUBLISHER'S BLOG Slow your body's clock

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Photo from Denise Louie

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Children from the Denise Louie Education Center

see LOUIE on 4

Letter to Seattle mayor and City Council: No to WeChat in U.S.?

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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 Various postings and service directory

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ASTROLOGY Advice and predictions of the week

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‘The CID is not a dump’

By Patricia Fong As many of us know, there is now an unauthorized tent encampment that has once again sprung up along Jackson Street under the freeway next to the InterIm parking lot. The campers are spreading out onto the sidewalk, obstructing pedestrian egress.

They have accumulated trash and possessions that have spread beyond their tents and tarps, and are blocking the pedestrian right-of-way. I know that the City has paused ‘sweeps’ due to COVID-19 concerns and that the City Navigation team that carried out the ‘sweeps’ has been dismantled.

Nevertheless, it must be understood that containing the camps leaves a potential COVID-19 problem

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY When schools in the state shut down in March, teens across the state filled the vacuum with creativity, social awareness, and raw energy. While some used talents to raise funds, others stitched masks or delivered groceries to high-risk individuals. A rising high school senior from Redmond and her friends embarked on a project to help non-native English speakers access trustworthy pandemic information in their own languages. The result: a youth organization called Appily Day with seven global chapters and 34 ‘COVID-19 in 19 minutes’ videos in different languages made by more than 200 teens across the world. see APPILY on 9

Trump Supreme Court pick met with backlash

Judge Amy Coney Barrett

Grafitti and trash

right on the doorstep of the Chinatown-International District (CID). As far as I know, there has been no testing and there has not been any sanitation stations made available to people here . see ENCAMPMENTS on 12

Photos from Patricia Fong

TECH

Doing away with COVID-19 misinformation Appily ever after

Tents behind a bus stop in the CID

President Trump’s nomination of U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court is being called shameful by the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

In a news release, it said, “Judge Barrett has a track record of harming the Asian see BARRETT on 12

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

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Ken Kurata, 1959-2020 Ken Kurata died on Aug. 30 after a long illness.

A strong supporter of the Japanese American Citizens League, he served on the board as treasurer.

He spent his school years in Bellevue, graduated from Newport High in 1977 and Ken Kurata attended the University of Washington. Kurata worked in banking, finances and real estate.

He is survived by his aunt Anna Kurata, half-brother Kraig Kurata, half-sister Kristi Kurata, nine cousins, six nieces, one nephew, nine great nephews and nieces, and friends of all ages. 

for Fiction for The Sympathizer.

The Pulitzer co-chairs—Stephen Engelberg of ProPublica and Aminda Marqués Gonzalez of the Miami Herald—said in a statement they were “delighted” at Nguyen’s addition to the board.

“His remarkable range of experiences as a novelist, journalist, essayist, and scholar make him a wonderful addition to the board in this time of extraordinary ferment,” they said. 

Mask donation to Chinese seniors

Viet Thanh Nguyen joined the Pulitzer Prize Board in September as its first Asian American and Vietnamese American member.

Nguyen, a professor at the University of Southern California, won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize

Photo by Georige Liu/NWAW

Nguyen is first Asian American member of Pulitzer Board

Julia Douthwaite Viglione

Viet Thanh Nguyen

kung fu school, she made masks “out of gratitude for the and life-giving teachings of tai chi,” and her respect and concern for elderly folks in Seattle. Vigilione was a former professor of literature. 

'When the Red Gates Opened' published Journalist, author, and speaker Dori Jones Yang released her first memoir, “When the Red Gates Opened: A Memoir of China’s Reawakening,” on Sept. 22.

Yang has written seven previous books, including a best-selling business book about Starbucks and two award-winning novels about Chinese children in America.

“Red Gates” is a memoir of Yang’s eight years as a BusinessWeek reporter covering Hong Kong and China.

She shares about meeting and marrying a Chinese man, having a baby overseas, and how China changed during the 1980s when it first opened to the outside world. 

Dori Jones Yang

Julia Douthwaite Viglione made and donated 70 masks for Chinese seniors in the Chinatown-International District. A tai chi student at Master John Leong’s

THANK YOU FOR WEARING A MASK. YOU’RE SAVING LIVES. Mask Up To open up, Washington! coronavirus.wa.gov/masks

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ COMMUNITY King County investing $50,000 in final push of 2020 Census King County announced on Sept. 23 that it is investing $50,000 for a strategic push in the final weeks of the 2020 Census to ensure a fair count of all King County residents, and help boost return rates in SeaTac and Tukwila.

The funds are targeted to ar-

eas of the County where self-response rates have yet to reach their 2010 Census self-response rates. Somali Health Board, Entre Hermanos, Refugee Women’s Alliance, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees & Communities of Color each

received $10,000 to conduct outreach and engagement efforts in order to increase the region’s participation rates.

“Every community must be fairly and fully counted so that all King County residents receive their fair share of funding and political representation based

on the Census,” said Executive Dow Constantine. “I want to thank Councilmember Dave Upthegrove for championing these additional funds and the entire County Council for their support.”

As of Sept. 20, the self-response rates for South King County are promising, with the

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cities of Tukwila, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Burien, and Renton surpassing their 2010 rates.

The community-based strategic investments will help promote participation in SeaTac and throughout south King County to ensure a fair and accurate count of all county residents. 

Second legal clinic for DACA recipients, undocumented immigrants The City of Seattle will host the second in a series of workshops providing undocumented immigrants and DACA-recipients an opportunity to meet with an immigration attorney. This clinic, conducted through phone and online video conferencing, is sponsored by King County Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association Washington Chapter (AI-

LA-WA), in partnership with the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA).

This next virtual legal clinic will take place on Oct. 10, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Since U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is still currently accepting DACA renewal applications, the clinic will offer an opportunity to have an applicant’s renewal packet reviewed by an immigra-

tion attorney.

“As a Welcoming City, Seattle is proud to continue moving forward with programs, events, and policies supporting our neighbors and friends, despite the rhetoric and policies of this federal administration,” said OIRA Director Cuc Vu. “Because of Congress’ refusal to pass comprehensive immigration reform, DACA has been a critical avenue

for people who were brought here as children to live and work in the U.S. without fear of being detained or deported. It has helped break down walls in our communities and made them safer.”

Fee scholarship funds are also now available to individuals who are unable to afford the cost of the DACA renewal application fee and who reside in, or work in, or go to school in Seattle. 

To apply for a DACA renewal fee scholarship fund, visit elcentrodelaraza.org/get-help/ daca.

For more information about the City of Seattle’s ongoing work regarding DACA and information about future clinics, visit seattle.gov/daca.

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asianweekly northwest

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

38 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR OCT 1 C-ID VIRTUAL NIGHT MARKET 6-7 p.m.

Attend: facebook.com/ events/616634355816790 Donate: cidbia.org/chinatown-iddonation

2 SCIDPDA 2020 VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER 6-7 p.m.

Attend: scidpda.giv.ng/e/2020scidpda-annual-fundraiser-virtualevent Donate: bit.ly/SCIDpdaDonate

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

Webex link: rb.gy/51wnhb Meeting number (access code): 199 016 1115 Meeting password: US200!CIS#yes

APDC OCTOBER MEETING 8:30 a.m.

Link: zoom.us/meeting/ register/tJAudqvqzIiHdAiIW1GrPaoldPHI3m1WuRx

U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS: PETITIONING FOR RELATIVES AND PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS 4-5:30 p.m.

Webex link: rb.gy/gsmxh7 Meeting number (access code): 199 555 5174 Meeting password: NYhgHrpD3*32

8 SINEGAL RECEPTION 5-7 p.m.

RSVP: everyoneforveterans.ejoinme. org/Reception2020 $0-$500+

Hill, and Rainier Beach. Since 1978, the organization provides multicultural early learning services to children and families, especially those in need.

The center reopened its Magnuson site in April and then its ID, Beacon Hill, and Rainier Beach sites followed in June.

“Many of the intergenerational families were worried about elders or their kiddos that had asthma and/or themselves having chronic health issues,” said Executive Director Susan Yang, about the return to in-person education.

According to Yang, about half of the families came back in person.

“We set up remote services and many opted to receive [re-

mote services] in lieu of onsite.”

In order to assure parents and staff that a return to the daycare would be safe for all, there were a multitude of health and safety procedures put in place. This included daily screenings of children and parents at drop off to ensure there are no health issues. Parents are allowed to drop their child at the front door only, and cannot go inside to reduce the exposure of risks.

Mask wearing is mandatory for kids five and older and teachers working with the younger kids that are not wearing masks.

Social distancing is practiced within the classrooms and signs are in place as a reminder. The staff have removed any toy that cannot be easily cleaned and

21-24 ENGAGING VIRTUAL MEETINGS CONFERENCE $0-$224 engagingvirtualmeetings.pathable.co

20-25

10 CITY OF SEATTLE VIRTUAL LEGAL CLINIC 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Sign up: bit.ly/free-daca-clinics Learn more: www.seattle.gov/daca

LOUIE from 1

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

Webex link: rb.gy/btlvnz Meeting number (access code): 199 900 5020 Meeting password: DVqvV4kuV6*4

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

those that remain are cleaned after a child has used it once.

In order to educate and remind the children that they have to wash their hands for a certain amount of time, teachers have found unique and entertaining ways to help them remember.

They’ve taught them songs to sing while washing their hands for an appropriate amount of time and they’ve done experiments to show the importance of washing hands. They’ve also explained the importance of wearing masks and keeping distance from their classmates to stop the spread of germs.

With the shutdown of businesses, Denise Louie was one of the many impacted.

“We have been fortunate to

be able to raise some additional funds and take advantage of some of the available funding from public folks, and our private dollars and institutional grantors have been more flexible,” said Yang of the economic impact.

The daycare has received a Paycheck Protection Program Loan, which has helped retain the staff at a time when class sizes have decreased.

One of its big fundraisers for the center is its annual auction.

The funds from the auction usually generate 5% of the annual budget for the organization.

“While we are still providing childcare both in person and virtually for children and families, we are also providing provisional services to help continue to close

the opportunity gap for Seattle’s most vulnerable families,” said Development Director Nikki Huang. Denise Louie will hold a virtual auction and dinner on Oct. 10. It is partnering with a local business which will deliver catered meals and a bottle of wine to households within King County that they can share and “dine with others” online. The virtual dinner, which mimics traditional tables, and auction is a way to work around the pandemic while maintaining certain annual gatherings to raise money for the center.  For more information, visit deniselouie.org.

To reach Jason, contact info@nwasianweekly.com.

View the solution on page 10

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Account Executives

John Liu

rebecca@nwasianweekly.com

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Layout & Web Editor stacy@nwasianweekly.com

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article.

Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission.

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

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

asianweekly northwest

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InterIm CDA pivots due to pandemic, reaching out to those in need InterIm CDA has been a part of Chinatown since 1969, offering housing assistance to those in need. With a vulnerable population to serve during the pandemic, InterIm, moved quickly to ensure that it continued serving low-income, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and immigrant and refugee communities. As with so many other organizations which serve the public, the Chinatown-based organization made an effort in determining what was most needed during a time with not many definitive answers.

The pivot in assistance began in late March when InterIm began a grocery delivery program to help seniors and low-income families that usually sought assistance by coming to its food bank. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mandate by King County to stay at home and shut down businesses except for essential services forced many

Lizzy Baskerville, Danny Woo Community Garden Manager, tending to the chickens in the garden

low-income and elderly to stay at home, which cut off assistance from the likes of InterIm. However, the organization mobilized to go to their community. In the International District, it helped nine apartment buildings of roughly 270 units by providing bags of groceries. It also partnered with the Asian Counseling and Referral Services in these efforts to ensure those in need of food and supplies were taken care of when the stay at home orders were issued in the spring.

Through this touchpoint, In-

terIm was able to contact people and inquired as to other ways they could help in this uncertain time. The concern was how isolation would affect many of the elderly population when they were dependent on the community, including the personal, daily interaction with others.

“We had to determine how to be connected with community members,” said Executive Director Pradeepta Upadhyay of the conversion over to a more online-based outreach.

“We used the WeChat App

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Photo from InterIm

By Jason J. Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

on a weekly basis,” informed Deputy Director Tom Im. The Chinese-made multi-purpose messaging, social media, and mobile payment app was developed by Tencent. InterIm organized weekly physical fitness videos for senior citizens to continue to engage with them. They also conduct physical wellness checks on seniors to ensure that they were fine throughout this time of isolation.

Employment assistance has been a driving issue during the COVID-19 shutdown as many

The pivot in assistance began in late March when InterIm began a grocery delivery program to help seniors and lowincome families that usually sought assistance by coming to its food bank. within the community have been affected by the shutdown and closure of businesses. With many people being laid off, InterIm helped navigate the process of obtaining employment benefits. English is a second-language to many within the see INTERIM on 8

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asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

The art of the mask comes to Seattle’s Museum of Museums On a recent Thursday afternoon at the Museum of Museums, an art enthusiast approaches a flamingo-pink mask clothespinned to a neon-yellow cord.

Though touching is prohibited, he can’t resist—the dangling fringe beckons him forward, like a fortuneteller behind a beaded curtain. He runs his fingers through the pink strands.

“Like Orville Peck,” he says to his wife, referring to the alt-country music crooner famous for anonymizing himself with a series of eye masks featuring extra-long fringe. But this mask, made by Seattle artist Mary Anne Carter, is supposed to cover the nose and mouth.

The fringe here is intended to put a different spin on a piece of cloth that has become near-synonymous with 2020.

The mask is one of several hundred in Mask Parade, a new pop-up art show at the Museum of Museums, the long-awaited contemporary art space set

The new exhibit is taking the safety precaution to creative heights, with 900 masks made to support young artists to open officially this October.

(Consider this exhibit a pandemic proof-of-concept.) The mission: 30 artists each make 30 masks and sell them for $30 a pop. The show runs Sept. 18-20 and all proceeds go to the youth arts nonprofit Coyote Central.

The show’s simple setup belies what is perhaps a milestone for masks: Roughly six months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health started recommending cloth face coverings for the public, the now-ubiquitous accessory is getting upgraded to art object— adding another layer to its function as a safety measure and, to a

Photo by Margo Vansynghel/Crosscut

By Margo Vansynghel CROSSCUT

Roughly six months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health started recommending cloth face coverings for the public, the now-ubiquitous accessories are getting upgraded to art objects at the Museum of Museums, the long-awaited contemporary art space set to open officially this October.

lesser extent, fashion accessory.

“We’re in Phase 3 of masks,” says Seattle fashion designer and multimedia artist Cole Pillitu, “of

what masks can be and exist as and function as and look like.”

Unlike the glamorous, golden “museum worthy” face masks

actress Tilda Swinton recently took for a spin on the Venice see MASKS on 11

John Chen was Northwest Asian Weekly's 2019-2020 Entrepreneur of the Year!

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

“When we are no longer able to change a situation — we are challenged to change ourselves” Viktor E. Frank, holocaust survivor and psychiatrist

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

There is no rule book about how to cope during a pandemic. Surprisingly, many have gotten benefits out of COVID. “We should use the pandemic to our advantage,” said Frank Wu, Queens College’s president in New York. He meant his college can reap benefits from the virus, but what about the rest of us?

Can we? How? How can we see opportunities instead of feeling stuck, isolated, and overwhelmed? How can we live with a peaceful mind during uncertain times? We can’t let the virus defeat us mentally and physically.

I admit that the lockdown did affect me initially. As the Northwest Asian Weekly shortened our office hours, and most of my staff worked from home, I had a hard time sleeping and coping last March and April.

Slowing down was not in my blood.

Rarely did I have any dull moments as a publisher. My calendar used to fill up with adventures, meeting big shots as well as little guys, attending exciting community events, and experiencing exotic food. I used to anticipate Chinatown-International District events, and contemplated how we could promote and support them. I was constantly thinking about what’s next for the Northwest Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post.

Travel has always been on my horizon. By this time of the year, I would have already taken two trips and planned for another trip for Christmas. So did eight of my staff members who took vacations without disrupting our press schedule.

The pandemic has shattered our dreams and normal life. But do I really miss traveling now? Not really. I would not be comfortable flying. For the past few months, I have been reliving all my spectacular travel experiences. That’s soothing and satisfying.

Already, I have been embracing the shutdown, and, actually, appreciating a different pace of life. To my delight, there are folks who have made incred-

Andy and Shiny Cheng raise their young sons while working at home

Making good use of the pandemic P A R T

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asianweekly northwest

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Photo from Ted Chung

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

Curry pastries by Ted Chung

Almond croissants by Tracy Luu

Slow your body’s internal clock during the pandemic

ible use of the pandemic. If you have the freedom to do what you want, now is the time to do the one thing you have been yearning to do.

My friend, who was writing a play, said she got a lot more done during the lockdown. She has saved a lot of time through Zoom meetings, so she could focus on her writing. My nephew Andy Cheng and his wife Shinny, who have a six- Screencap of the Rube Goldberg contest from CBS News month-old baby and a twoyear-old son, are having fun raising their kids while working at home. every week. There are fewer internet problems Imagine if they have to go back to work at in our office, since the majority of our staff work their companies, it would stress them out at home. And I have fewer management responcommuting and finding childcare. It also sibilities. Sometimes, managing people can be saves them money, and they can even get very draining. COVID has inspired more blog topics than ever before. I have never run out of tax benefits by having a home office.

CBS’ Sunday Morning program aired ideas since the pandemic.

A few of my friends have used the work-atthe Rube Goldberg Machine Contest, which inspired contestants to look inside home flexibility to remodel their home. One their homes for resources and creativity to friend was proud of her new bathroom, which she complete a simple task by using complicat- had been putting off remodeling for years. During ed processes. Sounds like an excellent project during COVID. It’s a record-breaking year for entries and the number of countries participating. Parents and kids were thankful for the contest so they could work on the project together. The kids learned about patience during the process. It made learning fun and brought the family together. Because of COVID, all contestants submitted their projects online. I guess nothing can stop you from doing what’s important.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Saving commuting time enables my employees to relax and do more at home.

This is a win-win for family-and-work life balance. What exceeded our expectations is they finish their work before deadlines

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

YOUR VOICE

Mini mooncakes of many flavors, including red bean, green tea, taro and durian by Tracy Luu

the lockdown, she said she bought and picked up all the pieces for the bathroom because there was no delivery service.

When the lockdown was lifted, the workers came in and did the job easily since all the parts were there. Another friend built a new deck all by himself. One friend became a gardener, delighting in eating fresh vegetables. Some college students have revealed that because of flexible online classes, they can now work two jobs instead of one.

If you pass by Goodwill, you will see a long line of cars waiting outside, delivering items to donate. My friend was among them. She had decluttered many closets and shelves. I am proud to say that I too cleaned up quite a few places see BLOG on 12

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asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

■ TECHNOLOGY Justice Department seeks immediate ban on WeChat in U.S.

NOPE!

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department is seeking an immediate ban on downloads of WeChat in Apple and Google app stores, saying the Chinese-owned messaging service is a threat to the security of the United States.

The U.S. Commerce Department moved to ban WeChat from U.S. app stores but on Sept. 26, Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler in California agreed to delay U.S. restrictions, saying they would affect users’ First Amendment rights.

In a filing on Sept. 25, the Justice

Department asked Beeler to allow for an immediate ban while the case works its way through court.

WeChat is a messaging-focused app popular with many Chinese-speaking Americans that serves as a lifeline to friends, family, customers and business contacts in China. It's owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent.

The Justice Department says WeChat allows the Chinese government to collect and use personal data on Americans to advance its own interests. The filing states WeChat has approximately 19 million active daily

users in the U.S. in a range of formats, including text, images, video, and audio.

The Justice Department argues that the U.S. will suffer irreparable harm, both substantive and procedural, if the court does not stay its decision.

The Trump administration has targeted WeChat and another Chinese-owned app, TikTok, for national security and data privacy concerns, in the latest flashpoint amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. 

■ WORLD NEWS

■ A&E

Chinese company says coronavirus vaccine ready by early 2021

J-pop stars ARASHI release English surprise before hiatus

By Sam McNeil ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese pharmaceutical company said on Sept. 24 the coronavirus vaccine it is developing should be ready by early 2021 for distribution worldwide, including the United States.

Yin Weidong, the CEO of

SinoVac, vowed to apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell CoronaVac in the United States if it passes its third and final round of testing in humans. Yin said he personally has been given the experimental vaccine.

“At the very beginning, our strategy was designed for China and for Wuhan. Soon after that

INTERIM from 5 community and InterIm has taken the task of providing interpreting services for those that need it. In certain situations, community members are in need of computers and help with applying for benefits or searching for jobs.

Another component of InterIm’s work during this time is to assist with schoolage children. Due to the pandemic, schools were forced to go to at-home schooling, which created obstacles for a certain section of the community’s population. According to Im, InterIm distributed approximately 200 packets of educational learning for school-age children within the community to ensure that they do not fall behind at a time when education has been compromised.

As the new school year begins, InterIm is making sure its community members have some form of internet access for virtual learning, a laptop, and access to school materials. Slow internet speed is also a concern for many that need to attend school sessions online. As it’s still unknown when children will go back to live learning, ensuring a dedicated internet connection is important so that they

in June and July we adjusted our strategy, that is to face the world,’’ Yin said, referring to the Chinese city where the virus first emerged.

“Our goal is to provide the vaccine to the world including the U.S., EU and others,’’ Yin said. see VACCINE on 10

don’t fall behind.

In addition to food delivery and education assistance, InterIm has facilitated the delivery of masks to the most vulnerable people. It has also used the time to ensure that social isolation has not affected people physically and mentally.

Without in-person interaction, fundraising efforts have been set aside for this year.

“We had to cancel our gala,” said Upadhyay. The annual gala is a source of community celebration and also a driving force for fundraising as the event includes an auction. The event was set for April and InterIm was estimating approximately 400 guests. But, through resilience, the organization has found other ways to remain in contact with its supporters. “In the last four months, we have elevated our publicity work via social media,” said Upadhyay as the organization sends out information via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  For more information, visit interimcda.org.

Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Read NWAW online at nwasianweekly.com

By Juwon Park and Chisato Tanaka ASSOCIATED PRESS SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Japanese pop sensation ARASHI has a big surprise for fans as they near their planned

hiatus at year’s end: a collaboration with Bruno Mars on their first all-English single.

The band told The Associated Press the multi-Grammy Award-winning musician see ARASHI on 11

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for P00273P20, Independent Commissioning Authority (CxA) Services for the South Annex Base; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via email at procurement.submittals@ kingcounty.gov, until 12:00 PM on October 21, 2020.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $320,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $1,900,000 King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

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

YOUR VOICE

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

asianweekly northwest

9

APPILY from 1 “I was born into a medical family, my mother is a healthcare worker in Washington and my dad is a scientist in China. He is currently developing vaccines for COVID-19,” said Haipei Chen. Her father’s job and news from family and friends in China meant Chen was aware of how serious COVID-19 was before it hit the United States.

“My mother was concerned about bringing the virus home and began isolating herself from the family that includes my grandparents. She even took me out of school a week before school officially closed,” Chen said.

Chen’s grandparents are the reason behind the project she started.

“My grandparents were following the COVID crisis on Chinese social media and Chinese quarantine guidelines,” she said. “They told me to wear masks and quarantine, so I had to tell them about state and CDC guidelines asking us to preserve masks and Personal Protection Equipment for healthcare workers,” she said.

Chen discovered policies and quarantine measures differed by country.

“I noticed an information gap between non-native English speakers in the United States,” she said. “I wanted to educate those who were comfortable with languages other than English, especially teens like me who weren’t that concerned about the virus at the time,” Chen said. Topics she wanted to cover were how contagious the virus was, ways we could protect ourselves, and how we could protect those most susceptible to COVID-19 in our households.

In addition, misinformation like drinking alcohol and disinfectant to kill the virus concerned Chen and she began spreading information to friends and others online.

“My friends in China told me how highly competitive national exams were delayed and sent me pictures of how they used toothpicks to press buttons in elevators,” she said.

Chen first reached out to friends from Asian countries who had heard about how serious the situation was from friends and family overseas, and spoke to them about creating a series of videos to educate people.

“I explained my grandparents’ situation and my idea to get teens like us to translate trustworthy content to different languages for non-native English speakers in the U.S., educating them in the process,” she said.

Sanjali Vuriti, Chen’s classmate since 10th grade, was thrilled at the idea. Vuriti is currently the CTO of Appily Day, a play on the phrase ‘An apple a day.’

“I wanted to do something to help and Haipei asked me if I wanted to come on board. I kept hearing many things that I knew weren’t true, so I thought this was a good way to get involved,” Vuriti said. “It was something I could do from the safety of my home to make an impact,” she said.

Vuriti was aware that a lot of Asian community members did not have access to good information and felt the ‘COVID-19 in 19 Minutes’ video was a great idea.

“I helped facilitate the Hindi and Telegu Indian language groups, update the website, and recruit people,” she said.

Screencap from Appilyday.com, of its 'COVID-19 in 19 minutes' campaign, featuring different chapters all over the world

To get people on board, the teens used Instagram and cold messaging to gather momentum. Chen and her friends sourced information from trusted sources, primarily the CDC, and compiled it in PowerPoint.

She reached out to linguistic students from across the U. S. to get the content translated.

“A lot of students my age said ‘yes,’ as they would get to interact with a community of people our age across the world,” Chen said.

“I also reached out to Students for COVID, a medical student association, as we needed someone to check the information after it was translated. We wanted to ensure we got the medical terms right,” she said.

Students for COVID had their own translation team and the organization’s president tapped this resource to help out.

In addition, Chen reached out to nonprofits within the U.S. and abroad. Many of them took the lead on certain language videos.

Based in Maryland, Ellen Zhang is a co-founder of 2am, a student-run organization that sheds light on under-reported issues across the world through weekly articles that break down humanitarian, social, and cultural issues.

“I was the project manager for the Mandarin and Cantonese language translations.

My job entailed assigning tasks, setting deadlines for different steps in the process, and checking on translators to see that they were updated with information and not getting overloaded,” 17-year-old Zhang said.

“COVID-19 in 19 minutes did a good job of providing information for non-native English speakers. In the U.S., there has been a lot of misinformation, especially conspiracies and theories not backed by sufficient research,” Zhang said.

“For a lot of Mandarin and Cantonese speakers, it is very hard to fact check information provided by the media because of the language barrier. Through COVID-19 in 19 minutes, they can access accurate and holistic information in their own languages,” Zhang added.

The combined effort led to over 200 translators across the world and 34 different videos, ranging from Mandarin and Cantonese to Urdu and Finnish.

“We were surprised at how many wanted to help, but it was great,” Vuriti said.

In addition, the Chinese American Civic Association heard about the project and honored the effort with a gold level sponsorship of $900. However, gold and glory weren’t the only prizes the teens took from the experience. Zhang said the experience enriched her.

“It was a challenge to get people in different time zones on a Zoom call. You also had to check up on translators to make sure they were not overwhelmed. It definitely made me more empathetic,” she said.

Vuriti learned how to effectively communicate across big groups and keep up with deadlines.

“It was amazing to see that a small idea could become so big and benefit so many,” she said.

Chen learned from setbacks the team went through, as many had to drop out due to COVID-19’s impact in their countries.

On a personal note, she says the project helped her grow.

“I came to Seattle in my sophomore year of high school. Before that, I lived in Shanghai with my dad, so I had a language barrier,” she said. “This project improved my public speaking skills, helped me overcome the language barrier, and increased my confidence,” she said.

“It also helped me develop leadership skills. I know how to manage projects and it prepared me for the workforce,” Chen said.

Appily Day’s efforts are still ongoing as they continue to spread the word through the videos they created. They are now building a team of researchers and illustrators, planning to start a series of blogs on health and wellbeing, and begin podcasts by experts or those studying medicine.  Check out the organization on appilyday. com and view the videos they created on their YouTube Channel.

Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

10

asianweekly northwest

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

38 YEARS

CLASSIFIED NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

EMPlOyMENT

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.

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.

Chinese Information and Service Center is looking for 2 full time Community liasion for the Child Care Health Consultation Program. Duties include providing home visits and support for the FFN caregivers for the CCHC program to provide a nurturing, healthy and supportive environment and strong early learning foundation for the children in their care. Also assist in planning and facilitating monthly workshops, attend CCHC required meetings, provide developmental screenings and assessments. Fluent in Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and English, valid WA driver license, own car & insurance.

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VACCINE from 8 Stringent regulations in the U.S., European Union, Japan and Australia have historically blocked the sale of Chinese vaccines. But Yin said that could change.

SinoVac is developing one of China’s top four vaccine candidates along with state-owned SinoPharm, which has two in development, and military-affiliated private firm CanSino.

More than 24,000 people are participating in clinical trials of CoronaVac in Brazil, Turkey, and Indonesia, with additional trials scheduled for Bangladesh

and possibly Chile, Yin said.

SinoVac chose those countries because they all had serious outbreaks, large populations and limited research and development capacity, he said.

He spoke to reporters during a tour of a SinoVac plant south of Beijing. Built in a few months from scratch, the plant is designed to enable SinoVac to produce half a million vaccine doses a year. The bio-secure facility was already busy on Sept. 24 filling tiny bottles with the vaccine and boxing them. The company projects it will be able to produce a few hundred million doses of the vaccine by Febru-

Northwest Asian Weekly is accepting applications for freelance writers. Send resume and writing samples to: Ruth Bayang editor@nwasianweekly.com.

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ary or March of next year.

SinoVac is also starting to test small doses of CoronaVac on children and the elderly in China after noticing rising numbers of cases globally among those two groups.

Yin said the company would prioritize distribution of the vaccine to countries hosting human trials of CoronaVac. While the vaccine has not yet passed the phase 3 clinical trials, a globally accepted standard, SinoVac has already injected thousands of people in China under an emergency use provision.

Yin said he was one of the first to receive the experimental

vaccine months ago along with researchers after phase one and two of human trials showed no serious adverse effects. He said that self-injecting showed his support for CoronaVac. “This is kind of a tradition of our company,’’ Yin said, adding that he had done the same with a hepatitis vaccine under development.

Earlier this year, China permitted “emergency use’’ of vaccine candidates for at-risk populations like border personnel and medical workers if companies could show “good safety and good antibodies’’ from tests of about 1,000 people, Yin said.

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SinoVac received that approval in June along with SinoPharm and CanSino, and was able to provide tens of thousands of doses of CoronaVac to Beijing’s municipal government, Yin said.

SinoVac employees qualified for emergency use of the vaccine because an outbreak inside the company would cripple its ability to develop a vaccine, he said. About 90% of the company’s staff have received it.

“We are confident that our research of the COVI-19 vaccines can meet the standards of the U.S. and EU countries,’’ Yin said.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4.

W

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.

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020

asianweekly northwest

11

Predictions and advice for the week of October 3–9, 2020

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat—As seasons change, remember that something that was appropriate in the past could now be considered outdated.

Dragon—Are you worried about your current position? Fear not, for your trajectory looks to be a promising one.

Monkey—Turning a dream into reality requires the will to make it happen. Don’t be afraid to take that first step.

Ox—While clearing away clutter is generally a good idea, there are exceptions. Oft-used items should remain accessible.

Snake—The same old gimmick won’t work in every instance. A new situation may require a different strategy.

Rooster—Live your truth by putting aside what others expect of you in favor of what you expect of yourself.

Tiger—A little pressure could easily cross the line into too much. If so, think about pulling back a bit.

Horse—Rather than believing the hype, see things for what they actually are and not what you want them to be.

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

Rabbit—Given the chance, you enjoy immersing yourself in creative pursuits. During stressful times, it’s even more important to do so.

Goat—Charting your own course isn’t easy, but that makes the successes all the more sweet.

Pig—Keep an open mind as you check out your options. You could eventually warm up to a design you initially rejected.

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.

MASKS from 6 Film Festival red carpet (causing a bit of a stir), the face coverings on display here are both fanciful and functional.

Pillitu started airbrushing and hand-dyeing bed sheets and other fabrics for mask-making purposes early on in the pandemic. With a serious chronic respiratory disease, Pillitu knows how important masks are. But, to an artist, they’re also a literal blank canvas.

“There are infinite formats to explore,” Pillitu says. “I was thinking today, I want to make a puffer coat this winter and make a matching puffer coat ‘face hood’ or puffy mask—like a ski jacket mask.”

If that sounds outlandish, a visit to Mask Parade will surely expand your protective-face-covering horizons. You can acquire a white leather mask shaped like a fanny pack (courtesy of designer Siobhan Teahan). Or a pink silk number (by Gillian Martinez), the perfect accompaniment to an

ARASHI from 8 delved into their back catalogue to understand their unique sound while working on the single that was released in mid-September.

“He took into consideration that we are going on hiatus,’’ said Jun Matsumoto, adding he feels their song, “Whenever You Call,’’ will appeal to both their hardcore fans and “those who do not know about us.’’

“We have been releasing music only in Japanese,’’ Sho Sakurai explained. “In that sense, foreign audiences who can understand Japanese could recognize us. But this time we sang the song in English. Bruno provided us the opportunity to reach out to a foreign audience.’’

The group, which also includes Satoshi Ohno, Masaki Aiba and Kazunari Ninomiya, embodied

evening gown, maybe a negligée.

Others are adorned with dainty fringes and frills, including a few whimsical pastel masks by Martinez and local artist Idalis Madrigal.

“I imagine they would be something straight out of a Sophia Coppola movie set during a pandemic,” Timothy Rysdyke, Museum of Museums manager and co-curator of the show, says of Martinez’s masks.

Madrigal, a local artist who works with fabric and ceramics, patchworked her masks using vintage fabric and beloved ribbons she inherited from her grandmother, who also taught her how to sew. These masks, Madrigal tells me, are somewhat of a tribute. “I feel like she would have wanted me to use them for something as important as this,” Madrigal says.

Some masks at the Parade might look understated in contrast, but are by no means less labor intensive. Local writer Drew Zandonella-Stannard opted for

simpler, one-layer cotton masks, but embroidered them freehand with Insta-worthy quotes, including the pandemic-appropriate “Please scream inside your heart.”

Local artist-designer Janelle Abbott, known for her Wardrobe Therapy project, painstakingly hand-painted horses and cutesy flowers on each of her masks.

But the visitors assembled Thursday at the Museum of Museums (in socially distanced groups of five, that is) are not looking for understated. They reach for colorful parrots and bold patterns, fringes and gold lamé. Now that we’re all doing with less in order to save lives, more, it turns out, is more.

The fringed and stage-jewelry adorned masks are in particular demand. Within an hour of the show's opening, three visitors have snatched up Mary Anne Carter originals. (For those wary of masks fondled by other hands: MoM provides a sanitizing UV lightbox.)

Carter started sharing her

their name—ARASHI means storm—by becoming one of Japan’s boyband legends and maintaining their crown for more than two decades.

Their greatest hits album “5x20 All the BEST!! 19992019? sold 3.3 million copies and was last year’s bestselling album worldwide, surpassing both BTS and Taylor Swift.

The band has released over 400 songs, sold over 41 million records and performed for 14 million people, according to their label, and they’ve also had parts in movies, Japanese dramas and shows, and commercials.

Despite their success, ARASHI shocked fans by announcing their hiatus, halting all band activities at the end of this year.

The Netflix documentary about the band shows it wasn’t an easy decision. In “ARASHI’s

Diary -Voyage-,’’ Sakurai said his hands were “trembling’’ as he wrote down potential options, including disbanding and hiatus.

Naturally, questions about their life after hiatus have been dogging the band, but they said they don’t really know. “I haven’t been exactly thinking about it (the future) nor have time to think about it. (The upcoming) three or four months will be an extremely busy time for us so we are unable to think that far,’’ Aiba told AP. Sakurai hinted the members might not pursue solo music careers after the hiatus.

“There are things that won’t be accomplished if there aren’t these five members. To simply put, it’d be like singing, dancing, connecting through music, et cetera,’’ he said. “I think these things are difficult to pursue individually.’’

eccentric mask designs in a series of Instagram selfies earlier this spring as an art project.

The Cindy Sherman-like effort (wigs and all) was a way to keep making art during the isolated early days of spring lockdown.

Her original outrageous masks were not really made to be worn. In some cases, that would be impossible—for instance, the mask Carter made out of her grandmother’s long white gloves, which she carefully stuffed and manicured with red nails. Another is made out of a clear, glittery vinyl casing filled with pastel pink and baby blue Wellbutrin pills.

But the masks she contributed to MoM, even though highly aesthetic, are, as Carter puts it, “COVID-compliant.” By which she means masks you can actually wear comfortably. “You want people who buy them to actually have a mask that they can use, and not necessarily an object that they can, I don’t know, put on the wall or frame.”

Nonetheless, Carter has been hanging her own creations on sconces in her apartment and encourages everyone to display their masks as art, if they feel so inclined.

Whether you call the cloth creations at Mask Parade art or not, Carter says, “It’s a unique timestamp of what we’re going through—because the subject matter is a very literal representation,” she says.

It’s also one of the first returns to the art world camaraderie since the pandemic took away art walks and other cultural events. “Being part of the art community was interacting in person and that's been removed,” Carter says. “But the idea of having a group show … even just the idea of having a lot of artists together kind of returns to that feeling of collaboration, connectivity. That is the thing I’ve missed most in quarantine.” 

ARASHI in Jakarta in 2019

As for the most memorable moments from their career, Aiba fondly recalled concerts in Japanese National Stadium and Hawaii. Matsumoto described a trip to Los Angeles around two years ago, when they revisited and took identical photos at places they visited 20 years ago.

With about three months left

until their hiatus, the band is keeping busy despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Matsumoto said the band is considering a livestreaming concert.

“I want to deliver our music to as many people as possible, so we are working hard on it,’’ he told the AP. 

12

asianweekly northwest

ENCAMPMENTS from 1 Overall as the photos show, there are concerning sanitation concerns that these unauthorized camps present. This is unacceptable and intolerable. The CID is not a dump for the City’s unsheltered population problem.

Moreover, it is unfair that the City allows this to happen. We all know that there are no constituents who are able to speak for themselves inasmuch as they are immigrants and/or non-English-speaking. This is the other side of the story: a population who is elderly and now at risk of exposure to a possible COVID-19 hot spot.

I am asking the various social service organizations in the CID to urge the Seattle City Council to remove these encampments. If the City is unable to remove these unauthorized campers—and the City must do so immediately—they should at least, in the interim, provide a sanitation station for hand washing, pick up the trash, and enforce the pedestrian right-of-way immediately. The campers must receive notice of removal and be offered another place to camp.

I repeat: what the City does not want to spread is now being confined to the CID without mitigating measures such as sanitation and COVID-19 checks. This represents a serious health risk to the CID community, most of whom are elderly.

I am also including photos of trash and graffiti that has unfortunately become a part of the CID. I am a life-long resident of Seattle and have come to the CID for years. I have never seen the CID become so degraded: homeless encampments left by default by the City, trash, graffiti, the mass proliferation of

38 YEARS

OCTOBER 3 – OCTOBER 9, 2020 BLOG from 7

I am asking the various social service organizations in the CID to urge the Seattle City Council to remove these encampments. ‘massage parlors’ in Little Saigon, and trash and graffiti in Little Saigon.

Another problem is loitering and the proliferation of people selling things on the sidewalk on the corner of Jackson and 12th. A police officer who, for a few days, was parked there doing surveillance told me people were selling stolen meat to the Chinese Noodle House (Hue Ky Mi Gia) and using the money to front heroin right on that corner. Since then, that corner has only gotten worse. Here is another uncontrolled disease hot spot. This corner attracts residents of the failed City Navigation Center up the street.

In summary, the progressive degradation of Seattle’s only continuous immigrant community and historically protected area is intolerable and unacceptable and must be immediately addressed and resolved.

We have public safety, public health, and sanitation concerns that must be addressed. We have an unmitigated COVID-19 hot spot right in the CID. I am calling on the social service organizations that serve the CID to work together and work with the City Council and mayor to resolve these concerns. 

at home. Usually, I empty my pockets with new business cards I got from networking events, on a plate at home. Now, the plate has been turned into a nice accessory at home.

Those people cooking up a storm at home have succeeded in one delicious experiment after another. My daughter-in-law Tracy even made beautiful mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival not just for me, but her family and friends. I have never seen mooncakes so colorful and creative.

And my cousin Ted made Chinese BBQ roast pork and curry pastry from recipes online. Despite their first attempt, their food experiments look perfect and yummy.

Work on your health challenges As my editor wrote in “The Art of Being” during the pandemic on Sept. 3, each of us can practice self-compassion. This is the time to work on your health. One of my staff members lost 20 pounds, and she looks like a different person—beautiful and happy.

My challenge is sleep. During the past decade, my sleep was poor—an average of five to six hours a night. The only time I slept well was when I traveled. The sign is, the less I work, the better I sleep. Last May, I decided to improve my sleep. Now, I sleep an average of 7 hours a day, plus a nap during the day. Before the pandemic, I could never nap. Now, sleep comes to me naturally.

For those who experience frequent insomnia, we all know that better sleep increases your immunity, memory, and fights aging. I know how to develop good sleeping habits, but never have the determination to do it. Designing a customized sleep, exercise, and diet program just for yourself is the key, and you need to stick to it. Ironically, my body feels much better now than it did pre-pandemic.

extra precautions, and not be tempted to do things which will compromise our chance of getting infected. We have to learn to protect our family and friends as well. If optimism is not the attitude during this time, what is the tool we need to fight insanity?

Turn off negativity If neither optimism or pessimism is the answer during the pandemic, the best way to live is to remove your unnecessary worries. Too many worries, about things not really happening, will lower your spirit.

Dwelling on a particular issue for a long time can paralyse you. Overanalyzing situations can make you anxious.

So meditate for a peaceful mind. I was about to sign up for a meditation class last February. Then, I discovered in May that YouTube has hundreds of effective meditation tutorials.

Every day, I just turn on a new lesson.

A psychologist on TED Talk said, positive thinking is useless unless we accompany it with positive action like taking better care of ourselves, our loved ones, and helping the vulnerable.

These days, I don’t plan too much except the newspapers’ content. By the way, the story ideas just flow to us from our writers, readers, and community. We don’t have to work too hard to get them. Just living in the moment is good enough for me.

The best advice I got from an artist is, don’t think too far in advance during the pandemic. “How is your day?” I asked the artist recently.

“Today is a good day,” she replied.

“What about tomorrow?” I continued.

“Don’t go that far. It’s day by day (for me),” she said.

I write down my to-do list the day before to guide me the next day. I have never gone astray. Every day, I make sure I have a good day by creating my own adventures.

How? I will share with you in my next blog.

Is optimism the right way to Replace optimism with fight insanity? gratitude

In the past, we told ourselves to be optimistic during tough times. With the pandemic, that’s lying to ourselves. Just like other small businesses, our financial loss is enormous— losses we likely won’t recuperate. How can we be optimistic when the number of COVID deaths in the United States has climbed over 200,000? And our president has been fooling us that everything will be okay, and COVID will fade away. Don’t kid ourselves.

Being pessimistic doesn’t work either.

You don’t need to make yourself feel awful.

Being practical is the right attitude. Recognize that COVID is a dangerous virus. Take

Gratitude can enlighten you. It is much more effective in fighting negativity. Be grateful that you are safe and your loved ones are safe. Think of all the good things you have done before and during the pandemic for yourself, family, and community. Write them down. Read them out loud.

Post them up on your mirror and wall.

And right before you go to bed, say a prayer. Tell yourself that you are grateful for the day and tomorrow when you get up. 

BARRETT from 1

•

American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, pregnant people, immigrants, and more.”

NAPAWF Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow said Barrett “is opposed to health care access, including abortion, and through her support of sex-selective abortion bans, demonstrated that she supports the racial profiling of AAPI women based on nothing more than disproven stereotypes about our communities.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal said “Any individual nominated to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court must believe in equal justice under law and opportunity for all…

Not only does Amy Coney Barrett fail to meet that standard, but she has spent years consistently and dangerously arguing against it from the federal bench.”

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five independent Asian American civil rights organizations, also condemned the nomination, for the following reasons:

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

•

•

Barrett’s confirmation would threaten the health of millions of people as the Court is considering a challenge to the Affordable Care Act in which she has made clear she will invalidate. The Affordable Care Act provides health care options to millions of Americans, including two million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Barrett consistently rules against immigrants seeking relief from deportation.

She cast the deciding vote permitting the deportation of a lawful resident who resided in the United States for 30 years. As the dissent noted, the law banishing him may violate equal protection under the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process clause.

Barrett favored the “public charge” rule and said it was lawful and should be upheld. It is a rule that denies immigrants permanent residence if they received any form of public assistance, including Medicaid or food stamps, for more than 12 months in a three-year period, even though Congress has made these benefits available to them. 