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VOL 39 NO 33 AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE
BLM protesters target Deputy Mayor’s house Mike Fong surprised them by waiting outside
By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Photos provided by Tony Au
It wasn’t what “Black Lives Matter” protesters expected when they targeted the home of Seattle Senior Deputy Mayor Mike Fong on Aug. 6. Fong was waiting for them outside his house. The 100-plus protesters, who call themselves Seattle Everyday Marchers, didn’t surprise Fong—it was the other way round. There were also 30 people waiting to meet the protesters. Fong’s supporters came to “stand with him” to engage the activists. Did he know the protesters were coming? Actually, no. In the past few weeks, activists had protested outside elected officials’ homes at night due to their unwillingness to defund Seattle Police by 50%, although they have agreed to cut some funds. These surprise marches have resulted in property damage, physical altercations, denigrating graffiti, and disparaging verbal assaults on
Senior Deputy Mayor Mike Fong and Chinese American supporters
The protesters
Hong Kong media tycoon detained under new law, released on bail
elected officials. Fong knew what happened at Mayor Jenny Durkan’s house. People vandalized her home, writing “die,” “Resign bitch,” “guillotine Jenny,” and “Jenny is a bitch.” Councilmembers Debora Juarez and Alex Pedersen have had similar experiences. Police Chief Carmen Best’s home was also targetted by protesters. “With these events unfolded, I decided to be proactive,“ Fong said. Talking and listening would be his response if they show up, even though he doesn’t agree with the protesters’ approaches in pushing for police defunding, he said.
The encounter
When the protesters were looking for Fong’s house in the neighborhood, a voice shouted, “Right here ... I am Mike Fong. Let’s talk.” During the conversation, an activist chanted, “Whose lives matter?” see BLM on 12
Kamala Harris, first Black, Asian woman, picked as Biden’s running mate Local AAPI leaders thrilled
Media owner Jimmy Lai arrested by Hong Kong police on Aug. 10
Photo provided by Jeffrey Roh
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai on Aug. 10, broadening their enforcement of a new national security law and stoking fears of a crackdown on the semi-autonomous region’s free press. Police were seen carting away boxes of what they said was evidence at Lai’s pro-democracy Next Digital headquarters. He was released on bail in the early hours of Aug. 12. In the evening, police arrested prodemocracy activist Agnes Chow Ting on charges of inciting secession under the same law, according to tweets by fellow activist Nathan Law, who left Hong Kong for Britain soon after the law took effect. An earlier post on
Screencap from AP YouTube
By ZEN SOO
Chow’s official Facebook page said police had arrived at her home and her lawyers were see LAI on 10
From left: Grace Roh, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Jeffrey Roh at a 2019 fundraiser for Harris.
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT How one climber is calling our racism in the outdoor industry
6&7
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
When white people who do and say racist things—and the white friends who love and forgive them!
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EDITORIAL Carmen Best calls it quits
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Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Aug. 11—making history by selecting the first Black and Asian woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket. “Together, with you, we’re going to
beat Trump,” Biden said. Born to a Jamaican father and Tamil Indian mother, the 55-year-old firstterm senator is one of the party’s most prominent figures. Harris quickly became a top contender for the No. 2 spot after her own White House campaign ended. see HARRIS on 12
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■ NAMES IN THE NEWS SAM names Priya Frank Director Of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Priya Frank
decades. He began his career in SPD as a patrol officer, and served with the Bike Unit and as an undercover officer with the Anti-Crime Team before joining the Investigations Bureau. He is also a Master Defensive Tactics instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz Commission. Throughout his career, he has been an architect of several citywide youth violence reduction initiatives.
Seattle Chinese Garden e-Celebration
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) announced on Aug. 10 the appointment of Priya Frank as Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, a new position on the museum’s executive team. Frank has been at SAM since 2016. This new role grows out of Frank’s ongoing work at SAM to integrate racial equity into the museum’s strategic priorities. Frank said, “Undoing the institutional and structural racism upon which spaces like ours are built is a lifelong commitment, and it is a must in order for us to stay relevant, be authentically responsive to cultural communities, and be proactive in the critical role arts and culture play in building and sustaining a healthy community.” Born and raised in Seattle, Frank is chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. She was named one of 2018’s Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine and made the Puget Sound Business Journal’s top 40 under 40 list in 2019.
Mayor Durkan appoints interim SPD chief
Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz will serve as the interim police chief for the City of Seattle beginning Sept. 2. Diaz has served in the department for over two
The Seattle Chinese Garden is forgoing its usual summer gala due to the pandemic, but it is holding a
unique eight-day virtual party starting on Aug. 20 with some videos about Chongqing, Chinese arts, and the garden. Included in the videos is an interview with Seattle Colleges Chancellor Shouan Pan on how the Cultural Revolution changed his life. Stella Chien talks about her autobiographical book, “Poems, Feelings, and Flowers,” and about the experience of being a Chinese immigrant in the United States. The goal is to raise $75,000 for the ongoing operations of the garden. For more information on the e-celebration, go to seattlechinesegarden.org.
Artist Kalina Chung selected for art in new park in Little Saigon
The Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation, has commissioned artist Kalina Chung to develop and install an artwork in a new park in the Little Saigon neighborhood, in the Chinatown-International District. Chung will develop artwork that will honor the history, cultures, and current experience of the communities that live Kalina Chung nearby. Chung is a secondgeneration Asian American woman, of both Chinese and Vietnamese descent. She was a student of the Hengda Dance Academy, where she found a sense of belonging and a deeper understanding of her heritage. Little Saigon shaped her identity and she hopes to connect her family’s story to the stories of other members of the community through her artwork.
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■ COMMUNITY NEWS
AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
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BLAINE, Wash. (AP) — Washington state agriculture workers have trapped their first Asian giant hornet. The hornet was found July 14 in a bottle trap set north of Seattle, near the Canadian border, and state entomologists confirmed its identity on July 29, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The Asian giant hornet, the world’s largest at 2 inches, can decimate entire hives of honeybees and deliver a painful sting to humans. Farmers in the northwest depend on those honey bees to pollinate many crops, such as apples, blueberries, and cherries. The invasive insect was first documented in the state late last year and officials have said it’s not known how it arrived in North America. It normally lives in the forests and low mountains of eastern and southeast Asia.
Woman’s body found Police say it’s a homicide
Photo from WSDA
First Asian giant hornet found in WA state trap
The recently-trapped hornet in Washington is the first found in a trap, rather than in the environment, as the
■ NATIONAL NEWS
Trader Joe’s says no to changing ethnic-sounding label names
Photo from Diana Davis’ Facebook
By JOHN ROGERS ASSOCIATED PRESS
Diana Davis
TACOMA — Police are investigating the death of a Tacoma woman as a homicide. The body of Diana Davis, 50, was found on Aug. 5 near Snoqualmie Pass. She was reported missing from Tacoma on July 27, and her car was found two days later engulfed in flames. Her daughter has started a crowdfunding effort to raise money for Davis’ funeral. Davis also leaves behind a son and three grandchildren. “I want to give her a beautiful funeral, she was such a beautiful soul and deserves a beautiful funeral,” wrote Christina Samasa on the GoFundMe page. Police have not revealed if they have a suspect in the case or a motive.
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state’s five previous confirmed sightings were. “This is encouraging because it means we know that the traps work,” Sven Spichiger, managing entomologist for the department said in a news release. “But it also means we have work to do.” The state now plans to search for nests using infrared cameras and place additional traps that try to capture hornets alive. If they catch live hornets, the agriculture department will try to tag and track them back to their colony so the colony can be eradicated. Officials hope to destroy any nests by mid-September, before the colony would begin creating new reproducing queens.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trader Joe’s, which said in July that it was moving to change the names of some of its products after an online petition denounced them as racist, now says it will stick with labels like Trader Jose’s and Trader Ming’s for Mexican and Asian food. “We want to be clear: we disagree that any of these labels are racist,” the popular grocery chain said in a statement posted on its website. It added, “We do not make decisions based on petitions.’’ The petition posted on change.org by a high school student claims the names create “a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.’’ Other Trader Joe’s names cited include
Trader Giotto’s and Trader Joe San for Italian and Japanese foods. After the petition was launched Trader Joe’s issued a statement saying it has been in the process of updating such product labels. “While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect— one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,’’ company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel said at the time. But in its recent statement the grocery chain said it still believes the names, many created decades ago, represent lighthearted efforts at inclusion, adding that its customers say they still like them.
“We thought then—and still do—that this naming of products could be fun and show appreciation for other cultures,’’ the company added. That was news to Briones Bedell, the San Francisco Bay Area high school senior who launched the petition drive. “It seems to be this complete reversal of their previous commitment to removing names from international foods that the corporation themselves have described as not being conducive to creating a welcoming customer experience,’’ she told The Associated Press. In an email on July 31, Friend-Daniel said the company has indeed dropped some names over the years, including Arabian Joe’s and Armenian Joe’s, and see TRADER JOE’S on 10
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38 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR AUG 15 VIRTUAL EVENT: BIG DAY OF PLAY A CELEBRATION OF SEATTLE’S DIVERSITY 12-3 p.m. RSVP with promo code: BD0P9 bigdayofplay.org
16 THROUGH AUGUST 16
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18 I-5 UNDERPASS PARK COMMUNITY MEETING 4-6 p.m. https://bit.ly/33QBCOM Meeting ID: 839 6362 8153
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WORLD WAR BONSAI: REMEMBRANCE & RESILIENCE VIRTUAL, LIVE EVENT, “BRANCH OUT” 6 p.m. pacificbonsaimuseum.org INTERIM PRESIDENT OF BELLEVUE COLLEGE, GARY LOCKE’S ONLINE PROGRAM 12 p.m. seattlerotary.org
20 ARTIST TALK WITH MICHELLE KUMATA Wing Luke Museum 6 p.m. Register for Zoom program: https://bit.ly/3gz9Qov
20-27 ANNUAL BAMBOO CIRCLE CELEBRATION Free admission online seattlechinesegarden.org
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29 VIRTUAL CELEBRATION TO PRESENT AWARDS AND PLAQUES TO ARTISTS AND SPONSORS, “CID COMMUNITY ART MURAL CONTEST” 2 p.m. facebook.com/NorthwestAsianWeekly
31 FREE ONLINE LEGAL CLINIC FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND DACA RECIPIENTS 4-7 p.m. forms.gle/6AjGXqvZfqbncDHe7
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AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
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■ WORLD NEWS Hong Kong postpones elections by a year, citing coronavirus By ZEN SOO ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced on July 31 that the government will postpone highly anticipated legislative elections by one year, citing a worsening coronavirus outbreak in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. The Hong Kong government is invoking an emergency
ordinance in delaying the elections. Lam said the government has the support of the Chinese government in making the decision to hold the elections on Sept. 5, 2021. “The announcement I have to make today is the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in the past seven months,’’ Lam said at a news conference. “We want to ensure fairness and public safety and health, and need to make sure the election is held in an open, fair and impartial manner. This decision is therefore essential,’’ she said. The postponement is a setback for the pro-democracy opposition, which was hoping to capitalize on disenchantment with the current pro-Beijing majority to make gains. A group of 22 lawmakers issued a statement ahead of the announcement accusing the government of using the outbreak as an excuse to delay the vote. “Incumbent pro-democracy legislators, who represent 60% of the public’s opinion, collectively oppose the postponement and
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“The announcement I have to make today is the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in the past seven months. We want to ensure fairness and public safety and health, and need to make sure the election is held in an open, fair and impartial manner. This decision is therefore essential.” — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam
emphasize the responsibility of the SAR government to make every effort to arrange adequate anti-epidemic measures to hold elections in September as scheduled,’’ the group said, referring to the territory’s official name, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. “Otherwise, it is tantamount to uprooting the foundation of the establishment of the SAR.’’ The city of 7.5 million people has had a surge in coronavirus infections since the beginning of July. The government has tightened social distancing restrictions, limiting public gatherings to two people, and banned dining-in at restaurants after 6 p.m. The lead-up to the elections
had been closely watched after a national security law that took effect in late June stipulated that candidates who violated the law would be barred from running. The new law was seen as Beijing’s attempt to curb dissent in the city after months of prodemocracy and anti-government protests rocked Hong Kong last year over a controversial—but now withdrawn—extradition bill that would allow suspects to be sent to the mainland for trial. Dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong government helped the pro-democracy bloc achieve a landslide victory in district council elections last November, a momentum that the opposition was hoping to ride to gain a majority in the legislature.
On July 30, 12 pro-democracy candidates including prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong were disqualified from running for not complying with the city’s mini-constitution or pledging allegiance to the local and national governments. “Beyond any doubt, this is the most scandalous election ever in Hong Kong history,’’ Wong said at a news conference. “I wish to emphasize that no reasonable man would think that this election ban is not politically driven.’’ “Beijing has staged multiple acts to prevent the opposition bloc from taking the majority in the Hong Kong legislature,’’ he said.
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■ COMMUNITY NEWS
How one climber is calling our racism in the outdoor industry
Photos provided by Ruth Bayang
By Hannah Weinberger / Crosscut.com REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION
From front: Shirllin Ching, Ruth Bayang,and Mey Thir climb down a chain ladder to Mooney Falls in Supai, Ariz.
In December 2019, Boulder, Coloradobased web developer and climber Melissa Utomo approached Seattle’s Recreation Equipment Inc. (REI) with a proposal to change the functionality of its Mountain Project app, a crowdsourced climbing route finder. Utomo read an article about sexist climbing route names, and realized Mountain Project (of the Adventure Projects suite of apps) had been allowing climbers to label routes with racist or violent names without offering an easy way for other users to report them. She felt compelled to create a basic reporting tool REI could easily
An outdoor enthusiast enjoying the view at Lower Lewis River Falls in Cougar, Wash.
integrate into its app. “It’s as simple as a button and a form—it is the two easiest things to code, probably, and it’ll take someone who’s pretty advanced less than an hour to do,” she says. She came to REI with a 13-page proposal and the backing of at least 10 groups, like Brown Girls Climb and BelayALL. When REI responded to her pitch, she felt hopeful. “I didn’t expect for them to respond or
take it too seriously,” Utomo says. “My thought coming into it is like, ‘Well, I’m a nobody.’ And I’ve never done something like this before where I’m reaching out to this big corporation with a specific skill set that aligns with what they are capable of accomplishing.” But Utomo says three subsequent interactions with app representatives throughout 2020 ultimately left her feeling
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betrayed and ignored. Utomo says she felt the fixes weren’t a priority, and REI’s invitation to join a diversity coalition felt like a solicitation for unpaid labor in support of company prerogatives outside her proposal. After more than seven months without movement on her proposal, Utomo woke up to protests against racism and police brutality sweeping the globe. On July 1 she shared her story on Instagram, and Mountain Project implemented a similar technical fix without credit or notice that same day. When Melanin Basecamp shared a detailed chronology of Utomo’s interactions with REI and Mountain Project leadership, many fellow climbers spoke up to share her outrage and offer support. “It was this kind of immediate shift, of feeling like you’re not seen, to being overseen and exploited in that fashion,” Utomo says. “It was this motion sickness.” Crosscut talked with Utomo about the importance of accessible and inclusive web design, being an Asian American woman in tech and in the outdoors, and about the power of names in defining the outdoor spaces we all use. (The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.) see OUTDOOR INDUSTRY on next page
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AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
YOUR VOICE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY from previous page
What inspired you to approach REI?
I had a memorable situation climbing at the Slavery Wall section of Ten Sleep Canyon. There were routes like Happiness in Slavery, and the fact that an entire wall was called Slavery Wall stuck with me. A friend of mine who studied history brought to my attention the appropriation and inappropriate use of the term “40 acres and a mule” [for a route]. That actually catapulted my interest into this proposal, and I used direct examples of very overt [route names] that use the R-word, for example, and “slant eyes,” and the N-word. Another motivation was going to [the climbing diversity festival] Color the Crag. Those spaces and events for affinity groups are really valuable, and I think the more that we protect them and invest in them, the more that we can liberate people who are constantly erased. At the time, no one was talking about this, at least on a larger scale. And it goes to show how young our climbing community is, as far as talking about really important concepts l ike class and race and prejudice. In creating this proposal, I wanted something tangible for people to talk about and just even start that discussion.
How did that notion then transform into a tech solution? I’m passionate about how we can make the web accessible because it is the thing that by its nature should allow people to seek out information without the physical barriers that they typically encounter in real life. But then, whenever you have web developers that are able-bodied and who don’t think about these things and make them intentionally—just like intentionally being anti-racist—then you’re just going to keep reinforcing the norms in a society that keeps people out. I think a lot of us are pretty overwhelmed by the larger picture of how we make an impact within large movements, and I’m definitely more in the details. I’m the builder. What worked well for me is just to continue to look at the skills that I have, and to focus on one thing that I can do really well.
Classically, first ascensionists get to name routes, summits, etc. How does that influence or underscore power in climbing culture? I guess the current norm is that whoever develops the route—who has the resources for it and has the ability to do it and the time and the privilege of time to do it— gets to name it whatever they want, with no guidelines, with no code of conduct of any sort. It’s just whatever inspires them at the time. People who are dominant within climbing culture are often white, male, able-bodied people. The current structure does not encourage change, or other people that are not white, male and might have all these privileges to access these routes. It’s pretty hierarchical. Solutions like mine disrupt that hierarchy and tradition that is set by basically white supremacy. So a feature like mine questions that norm. Even the phrase on the button that says, you know, “flag for inappropriate content.’ When you read it, you’re like, wait, what about this is inappropriate? What about this is worth flagging?
Photo provided by Ruth Bayang
What about the issue of offensive route names really struck a chord with you?
Hiking in the Olympic National Forest
I give a lot of credit to Brown Girls Climb and to the other affinity groups for signing on. Having their backing on it was really the motivation for me to say, okay, I’ll step up against these big corporations. I’ll put myself out there and be in these uncomfortable meetings, to talk about this one little change when they probably have like a billion other things to think about.
Were you nervous? I think what I was nervous about at the time—and still am now, to a large degree—is I’m pretty much a nobody to them. I don’t hold any power over them. They can just kind of look at this document and be like, ‘well, thanks for that.’ There can be a lot of harm in appropriating an idea from somebody to fix an inclusion or diversity issue. You’re at risk of creating more damage than actually fixing things. and for me, like, I feel really bad. I feel like I’ve given someone the tools and then that tool is being twisted into a weapon that doesn’t actually serve the people that it’s meant to serve. The more intentionality that you put into [a tool], the less likely that it will be used against the people that are underserved or marginalized. It’s like looking at a climb. A climb is just a piece of rock. It is neutral in its existence. But once a person [imbues it with a name and] intention or actions, driven by their assumptions or influences or whatever, then it does become opinionated and it does become a tool that you can wield towards someone. Prioritizing accessibility and inclusive design into a build unfortunately isn’t the common culture within web development, which cares about like, how can you make the sexiest thing? But to whose eyes are you making it the sexiest thing and the coolest thing right? It’s usually able-bodied white people. This is an issue that is really complex. We’re dealing with oppressive and violent route names and language. And I recognize that it is not a technical issue, it is a social issue, but technology will get us there. So it was important for me to show up with not just a physical tangible solution, but also the information and intention behind it.
You went into your first meeting with REI hopeful about your fix being adopted, but after your second meeting, you say it felt like the conversations had been turned into opportunities for REI to pitch you on their own diversity initiatives rather than entertaining your concerns. It was just this constant up and down of feeling hopeful that you’re being heard, and then later realizing that you were never part of this actual conversation around change. It’s really, where can they fit you into their puzzle, and into their performative wants? The irony is, I’m coming in with this proposal with a lot of people signing on to it. The community is saying, ’Hey, this is a solution that we think will work.’ But then
REI is like ’no, we’re going to go with this solution that we think looks really nice and looks really cool.’ So it’s like, who do you really serve in that situation?
When did you decide to go public? I was running one day and was like, you know what, I’m so sick and tired of waiting. And I feel like I’ve been keeping this under wraps because I don’t want to be the face of anything and I also want to be respectful to these organizations in the hopes of working with them in the background so they won’t feel like I’m trying to harass them. So I put together some nice Instagram posts with the intent of showing the community what’s possible. There was a lot of talk about route names and people changing route names, especially inspired by Black Lives Matter and George Floyd. I wanted to give this to the community to show them like, hold yourself to a higher standard—as a professional, I’m saying that this is the bare minimum to strive for. When that post was trending, one of my friends reached out to me and said, Hey, did you know Nick [Wilder] did this? The same day that he implemented that button was the same day that I decided—with no connection whatsoever—to make my proposal public. I had to grapple with the weird amount of visibility that I got. Me and the people who signed on, we’re so used to working in the background, and then being pushed aside, being silenced. And then all of a sudden, the only time that this project got visibility, it got appropriated. REI and Adventure Projects didn’t care, no matter how well composed and how much I showed my professionalism, and the amount of experience that I had. And the only time that organizations cared was
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when they panicked, and they felt like they needed to just slap something on. So to me, it’s just really frustrating. It’s like, where can we make change in a way that is not heightened by adrenaline, because we feel like we need to protect ourselves or we feel like we fucked up and we don’t know what else to do? Can we trust the people that have had experience in this and bake them into the process? And just let go of that fear of [losing] control, and just let them lead the way?
How much time and effort have you put into this project? A lot. I feel like I’m working another part time job for this. But when you love to do something and you feel like that you’re able to make change, it doesn’t feel like work. A number of people have reached out to me about conceptualizing and putting together a leveled effort for a competitive product against Mountain Project. We met … and it was amazing. It was like 12 people who are designers, developers, technical project managers, there was only one white guy in this call. And it was so fascinating. I’ve never been in a room of developers that was so diverse and so passionate about the social part of web development, the really important, human impacts. I’ve never been able to connect with the community in the way that I have been able to now. The visibility part is difficult, but at the same time, this is an opportunity for like-minded people to come together and say, ’wow, I thought I was alone. I totally agree with you;’ or to connect with people who just had trouble thinking of the right words, or needed something tangible to start brainstorming. To me that is the part that really has changed my life.
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asianweekly northwest
38 YEARS
AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
When white people who do and say racist things — and the white friends who love and forgive them! A-POP! A COLUMN ABOUT ASIAN-Y STUFF IN POP CULTURE! By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY In this column, there’s a lot of white nonsense. You have been forewarned!
When white-savioring goes wrong: the dark side of being a righteous white hero Y’all, it is hard when you want to be a role model in the eyes of your 700K followers, but then they get all pissed at you when you return a kid that you capitalized financially on for years.
take full responsibility for all of the hurt that I have caused.” She explained that she was unprepared for the adoption and needed more training (Huxley is autistic and has a sensory processing disorder; Myka admitted to having done only a day’s worth of training via online videos, which seems like enough to me, too). Myka described the process of rehoming Huxley as “the hardest thing I have ever been through,” and also said she was “naive, foolish, and arrogant.” (While that sounds kinda selfaware, it should be noted that throughout the documented adoption process, a number
YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer and their children. Huxley is second from the left.
Back at the end of May, popular YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer admitted on their channel that they had rehomed their 4-year-old son, Huxley, who they had adopted from China. This resulted in an explosion of backlash, international news coverage, and even accusations of human trafficking because the couple had documented the entire adoption process of Huxley on their monetized YouTube channel. In response to the backlash, Myka cried a lot of white lady tears and wrote on her Instagram, “I want to first off apologize for the uproar and
of professionals cautioned her about the difficulties of this kind of adoption, but she repeatedly didn’t listen because she felt that adopting an autistic child was a “calling from God.” True story.) In the time since “rehoming” Huxley—which sounds weird to say, right? Because that’s the same term we use when we adopt dogs and then decide that we actually don’t want a dog after all—Myka has since updated her social media bio to say that she is a mother of four (biological) children, instead of a mother of five. She has also lost a bunch of endorsement deals. Ouch.
TV producer called out for past racist, anti-Semitic, ableist (and more!) tweets; her white friends accept her apology
“Good Place” co-executive producer and writer Megan Amran came under fire on Twitter last month because some super offensive past tweets came to light. Back in 2011 and 2013, Megan wrote stuff like, “It’s not politically correct to say ‘retarded’ anymore, you have to call them ‘Asian-Americans,’” and “I can never tell the difference between your/you’re/ Asians,” and “If I had a time machine, I’d go back in time and kill Hitler and all of the Jews and gypsies and gay people.” Really weird and aggressive jokes, right? I guess I can kind of see where she was going with the Hitler joke, but the Asian ones feel like she just hates Asians and wish she didn’t have to put up with any Asians. But also, I’m not a comedian so it’s possible I’m just not getting the fine art of white people comedy. On June 19, Megan wrote a lengthy apology that said, “Also, I specifically would like to apologize to the AsianAmerican community, who I have hurt the most with my tweets. I very much understand why you are hurt.” After that, a bunch of her white fans (and a few Asians— I am not impressed with you!) went ahead and accepted her apology and told her she’s still
a good person. Famous white man actor Dax Shephard, in particular, said on a podcast, “Inviting judgment in 2020 for things you said in 2006 is just a bad idea, because, again, we do lose sight of how different things were. I was a part of storylines in 2004, ’05, ’06, you just wouldn’t be in those storylines now … It’s so funny because I know her. I know how unequivocally she’s on the side of good. So I read her tweet with the most good faith I possibly can.” Y’all, you know what? Dax is right. All white people with power should get a free pass for every dehumanizing thing they said and believed about other people from before like … 2015. Because like, that discounts all of the growth that happened in the span of a few years. Like, at one point, people are a lot racist and then seven years later, they are totally less overtly racist! Like, these people deserve credit for putting in the work!
Veronica Ngô Thanh Vân
for me to see her crossover into English-language movies so that y’all can also see her talents.
Who dat Asian on Netflix? (Asians that piqued my interest! For no special reason! I just like them!) I know, you’re like, “Why are you singling out Netflix, Stace? I want to know who dat Asian on Amazon Prime Video, too!” Sorry. It’s because I watch a lot of Netflix and keep forgetting that Amazon Prime Video is an option I have. I’ll try to do better next column. Who: Veronica Ngô Thanh Vân, Vietnamese film director, action star, music artist What she’s in: “The Old Guard” with Charlize Theron and also Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” Why she caught my attention: Because this lady is a badass, that’s why! Also, she stars in a lot of Vietnameselanguage films that I have seen over the years. It’s extra exciting
Momona Tamada
Who: Momona Tamada, plays Claudia Kishi on “The Baby-Sitter’s Club” reboot; also shoutout to Takayo Fischer, Aya Furukawa, Diana Bang, and Kevan Ohtsji Why these folks caught my attention: Uh, because Claudia is the coolest Baby-Sitter’s Club member and seeing an entire Asian American family on TV is still kind of novel in 2020. Plus, Momona and her clothes in the show are really, really cute. see A-POP on 11
KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01474C20, Judd Creek Bridge No. 3184 Repair; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via email, at procurement.submittals@ kingcounty.gov , until 1:30 PM on August 25, 2020. Late bids will not be accepted. The public bid opening will only be conducted via Skype or telephone following The Bid Due Date and Time. See Invitation to Bid for details regarding the public bid opening. There is a 3% minimum Apprentice Utilization
Requirement on this contract. There is a 10% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract. Brief Scope: This project provides for the repair of Judd Creek Bridge No. 3184 by replacing the north expansion joint and adjacent portion of the deck and ledge beam, detour signing, temporary traffic control, planting, erosion control, and other work, all in accordance with the attached Plans, these
Special Provisions, the Standard Specifications, the KCRDCS, and the APWA/WSDOT Standard Plans for Road, Bridge, and Municipal Construction. Estimated contract price: $190,000 Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/ procurement_ovr/default.aspx
AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
YOUR VOICE
■ EDITORIAL
asianweekly northwest
9
Carmen Best calls it quits
A bombshell in the Seattle political scene—Police Chief Carmen Best has announced her retirement. “The [Seattle City] Council gave us $1.6 million to hire the best, brightest, and most diverse. Now they want me to lay off 100 of those officers. I can’t do that,” Best said during a Aug. 11 news Seattle Police Chief conference. Carmen Best Best’s announcement comes amidst efforts to cut spending on police—a key demand of anti-racism demonstrators across the nation—discussions she said that happened without her input. Seattle’s first Black police chief and only the second woman to hold the position, who enjoyed deep support in its minority communities, announced her retirement just hours after the City Council voted to cut her annual $285,000 salary by $10,000, as well as the salaries of her command staff. Councilmember Alex Pedersen released a statement saying that he, Andrew Lewis, and Debora
Juarez did NOT vote for Best’s salary cut. The rest of the cuts were approved in a 7-1 vote, with Councilmember Kshama Sawant as the only dissenting vote. The vote also trims as many as 100 officers from a force of 1,400 through layoffs and attrition. Best said she was OK with her pay cut, but not with having to lay off young officers, many of them minorities. “It really is about the overarching lack of respect for the officers.” Best also said she herself felt disrespected and humiliated. Many of her supporters—even those who considered the department’s response to the recent protests heavyhanded—saw her retirement as unfortunate. “All these organizations that have been pushing for police reform, we all believe Chief Best is a good chief,” said Linh Thai, managing director of the Vietnamese Community Leadership Institute. “We want her at the helm.” Don’t be fooled by Sawant’s dissenting vote. She took that stance only because the cuts were not drastic enough to her liking. The seven other council members were extremely short-sighted and bowed to political pressure. Two of them—Teresa Mosqueda and M. Lorena González— have
terms that end in 2021. Why haven’t they been supportive of the mayor? Could it be they are gunning for her job or a higher political office? Where’s the vision and leadership that Seattle sorely needs? While some may think it was petulant of Best to step down—she’s not getting her way, therefore she’s retiring— who can blame her? How would you like to be told to do a difficult, almost impossible job, with your hands tied behind your back? This is a major blow for the City of Seattle and probably not what Black Lives Matter supporters wanted. Best is incredibly smart, well-liked, respected among the rank and file, and a friend to the local Asian American community, a class act. In her statement to the police force, Best said, “You truly are the best police department in the country, and please trust me when I say, the vast majority of people in Seattle support you and appreciate you.” We appreciate you, Carmen. Thank you for your support, grace, and integrity.
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience on view now FEDERAL WAY — The Pacific Bonsai Museum is hosting a free, virtual, live event, “Branch Out,” on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. about its newest exhibit, which runs through Oct. 21. “World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience” presents the untold history of bonsai artists working in the World War II-era and how they changed the course of bonsai art, with 32 bonsai, archival documents, and photographs. The exhibition traces the cultural practice of bonsai in the United States and in Japan immediately before, during, and after World War II, amid incarceration, and at peace. Bonsai created by artists from Washington’s South Puget Sound region, Seattle, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Japan are featured. Nancy Ukai, writer, researcher, and
project director of 50objects.org, called the exhibit “a stunning and moving homage to the art of bonsai that heals, and is especially necessary at this moment.” A centerpiece of the exhibition is the Japanese Black Pine bonsai grown from seed in a tin can by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated in the Topaz barbed-wire
detention camp during World War II. This bonsai made headlines in February, when thieves stole it along with another bonsai, and then, less than 72 hours later, mysteriously returned it to the museum, likely due to pressure from the community and the media. Museum Curator Aarin Packard said, “Bonsai is a peacetime activity. It requires a sense of mental peace, as well as time, space, and resources. In short, everything a bonsai artist needs becomes less predictable or impossible to procure in wartime. Yet, that bonsai has been practiced during wartime — sometimes even secretly — is a testament to the art and its artists.” The Aug. 19 virtual event will present behind-the-scenes video and narration about this exhibition, plus commentary on bonsai and the Japanese American
incarceration experience by famed architect George Suyama, FAIA. To register for the virtual event, see the link to Branch Out on pacificbonsaimuseum. org. A post-event recording will be available on Pacific Bonsai Museum’s YouTube channel. The exhibition runs through Oct. 10, 2021. Admission is by donation. There is a $10 suggested donation for those who are able to support the museum. Museum hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For more information, call the museum at (253) 353-7345 or email info@ pacificbonsaimuseum.org.
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AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
38 YEARS
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petition drive, said she always found the names in question offensive. But she didn’t launch her petition drive, she said, until she looked into the history of the company founded by the late Joe Coulombe in 1958. The chain’s website describes how its name and South Pacific decor were inspired by his reading of the book “White Shadows in the South Seas’’ and a ride on the Disneyland Jungle Boat Cruise, a comical attraction that takes people along rivers populated by rhinos, native headhunters and others that threaten to attack them. She saw the book and the ride as being filled with racist stereotypes
rushing to the scene, and a separate post later confirmed that she had been taken away by police. The moves showed China’s determination to enforce the new law and curb dissent after months of massive prodemocracy demonstrations last year. The arrest of Lai, two of his sons and several company officers and the search of Next Digital marked the first time the law was used against news media. Next Digital operates Apple Daily, a feisty pro-democracy tabloid that often condemns China’s Communist Party-led government. “Raiding a news institution is a severe attack on press freedom and should not be tolerated in a civilized society,” Next Digital said in a statement. “Hong Kong’s press freedom is now hanging by a thread, but our staff will remain fully committed to our duty to defend the freedom of the press.” On July 1, it condemned the new national security law on its front page, calling it “the final nail in the coffin” for the “one country, two systems” framework under which the former British colony has been able to enjoy much greater civil liberties than in mainland China since its return to Chinese rule in 1997. Following Lai’s arrest, about 200 police raided Next Digital’s headquarters, cordoning off the area, searching desks and at times getting into heated exchanges with staff. What police were looking for in the building wasn’t clear, although they later said they took away 25 boxes of evidence
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may drop others in the future. But that will be solely on input from its employees and customers and not Bedell’s petition. “Moving forward, we will continue to evaluate those products with name variations that remain in our stores,” Friend-Daniel said. “If we find certain product names andor products are not resonating with customers, we won’t hesitate to make changes.“ Bedell, who described herself and her family as frequent Trader Joe’s shoppers until she launched her
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of native savages and white gods that she says Trader Joe’s appropriated to sell food and beverages. “It’s intended to allow the consumer to build up this perceived sophistication through their knowledge of worldliness through their choice of food,’’ she said. “But it’s not a cultural celebration or representation. This is exoticism. These brands are shells of the cultures they represent.’’ Although her petition had more than 5,000 signatures on July 31, it’s brought Bedell some intense blowblack across social media, where she’s been the frequent target of vile,
for processing. Lai, who was arrested at his mansion in Kowloon in the morning, was also brought to the headquarters of Next Digital, where he remained for about two and a half hours before police took him away in a car. Chris Yeung, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association said, “With the passage of the national security law and the really tough powers given to the police in their operations, we have seen now what we call ‘white terror’ become a reality, which will affect media organizations and journalists’ reporting.” Police allowed journalists from only 15 select media to cover the raid from inside the cordoned-off area. They barred public broadcaster RTHK and foreign outlets including The Associated Press, saying only larger local media that had not obstructed or posed a threat to police in the past could enter. Senior Superintendent Steve Li said the arrests were not politically motivated. The share price of Next Digital soared over 200% in the afternoon after Lai’s, following posts on a popular online forum encouraging investors to support the company by buying its stock. The reasons for the charge against Lai weren’t clear. “I have always thought I might one day be sent to jail for my publications or for my calls for democracy in Hong Kong,” Lai wrote. “But for a few tweets, and because they are said to threaten the national security of mighty China? That’s a new one, even for me.
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sexist insults and other name-calling. Interestingly enough, she said, the criticism has come from across the political spectrum, with conservatives denouncing her for promoting cancel culture while liberals accuse her of wasting time on a trivial issue. Despite that, she wants the debate to continue. “I’ve just been really grateful that this has sparked as much conversation as it has,’’ she said. “I hope in any future endeavors I can act as a facilitator so people can make up own minds about what is right.’’
SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4.
YOUR VOICE
■ ASTROLOGY
AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020
asianweekly northwest
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Predictions and advice for the week of August 15–21, 2020 By Sun Lee Chang Rat—A moment of clarity allows you to see things in a different light. Make the most of this newfound insight.
Dragon—When you are considering whether to go forward, take into account both the time and expense.
Monkey—Your enthusiasm is a boon to those around you. It will inspire action where there was indifference previously.
Ox—Rather than skipping over it for another day, take the time to learn what you don’t understand.
Snake—Are you beginning to connect the dots where there was confusion before? Soon you will see the whole picture.
Rooster—Is it a one-off or a sign of things to come? Pay close attention so that you can respond accordingly.
Tiger—If you see an irregularity, hit the pause button to address it. Better to tackle it early on.
Horse—Keep a low profile if you aren’t ready to stand out. There’s no hiding when you are front and center.
Dog—An uncomfortable topic needs to be discussed. It should be a relief just to start the conversation itself.
Rabbit—Although you are tempted, it is in your best interest not to fight every battle that comes your way.
Goat—Worried about the outcome? Instead of fretting about something outside your control, appreciate the possibilities instead.
Pig—Before you agree to an attractive proposal, it is worth asking how it will benefit the offering party.
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.
A-POP from 8
Justin H. Min
Who: Justin H. Min, plays Ben Hargreeves in “The Umbrella Academy” Why he caught my attention: Because I just binged the entire second season this past weekend! Because Ben is now a series regular, and I’m so happy for Justin because he deserves a starring role! Because I have so much I want to talk to you about but I don’t want to say any spoilers so ugh, maybe we should just meet back here next month after you’ve caught up so we can dish, okay? Yay, Justin!
popcorn-y series was brought to us by Academy Award nominee Smriti Mundhra. The documentary series follows superstar marriage consultant Sima Taparia as she tries to find matches for a number of her clients. Each episode of this series looks at various ways the practice of arranged marriages exhibit in today’s changing world—not at all in a deep or introspective way, and that’s okay! The way it is presented is cheesy at times, irreverent at times, and endearing at times. There’s also the spectre of caste and colorism hanging over the series’ head sometimes, too. There’s just a lot going on! The cast of folks on this show are also entertaining as hell. There’s Aparna from Houston who thinks she’s perfect and flawless and not at all high maintenance (love her!), and there’s also Akshay, whose professed perfect woman is one who is exactly like his mother —these people are good TV!
Allison Brie says sorry for voicing Vietnamese American character
truly sorry.” Diane Nguyen was created by series creator Raphael Matthew Bob-Waksberg, a white dude. About this situation, he has stated, “Even in the small ways we wrote to Diane’s experience as a woman of colour, or more specifically an Asian woman, we rarely got specific enough to think about what it meant to be SPECIFICALLY VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN and that was a huge (racist!) error on my part.” He added, “We should have hired a Vietnamese writer, and a Vietnamese actress to play Diane – or if not that, changed the character to match who we did hire.” Man, I just can’t muster up any energy to get mad at these two. Because the way they responded to this was loads better than how “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening and actor Hank Azaria repeatedly responded over the years when the character of Apu was called out.
Jackson Wang breaks record on U.S. charts
There’s a viral makeup trend — and it might be racist!
Speaking of the best reality TV show of all time … Allison Brie
Did y’all Matchmaking” Surprisingly, melodramatic,
watch “Indian on Netflix yet? this deliciously highly addictive
was driving to Fred Meyer for some plain yogurt yesterday and listening to the radio like a 50-year-old. The DJ announced that the artist of this song was “Jackson Wang,” and I was like, “WHAT! THAT’S AN ASIAN NAME!” So then I looked him up via a website browser on my desktop computer. After watching the music video, I am 100% convinced that I have aged out of being the target demographic for this kind of celebrity and this kind of music, but I keep mining for this type of pop culture news because I want the both of us to stay hip for as long as we can, okay? So here’s what I have learned: While Jackson is ethnically Chinese, he is a South Koreabased artist and part of the boy group Got7. And for those of you wondering —I already Googled that, too. Jackson’s English is so bizarrely American-sounding because he attended the American International School in Hong Kong, where he grew up. There! We’re hip and up to date, now!
Actor Allison Brie, a white woman, apologized in June for voicing the character of Diane Nguyen on the animated show, “BoJack Horseman,” since 2014. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “I now understand that people of color should always voice people of color. We missed a great opportunity to represent the Vietnamese-American community accurately and respectfully, and for that I am
Jackson Wang
A summer jam that you might’ve heard is “100 Ways,” a pop hit by Jackson Wang, 26. “100 Ways” hit the top 30 for U.S. pop radio, making Jackson the first Chinese solo artist to be featured this high. This song was released back in the spring, but I am only learning about it now because I
I know many of us haven’t worn makeup in months, but apparently there’s a viral “fox eye” makeup trend on social media. Um, it looks a lot like Katharine Hepburn’s Yellowface from way back in the day. You know, eyebrows that are drawn slanted up, elongated eyeliner that makes eyes look extra almond-y. I spent an hour combing through photos of white women sporting this look so that I can assess, for you, if this is racist or nah. A lot of the time, the look is kind of subtle on people notKatharine Hepburn, so for a
while, I was kinda doubting its racistness, thinking, “Hey, are Asians just being extra sensitive about this?” But then I noticed that a huge feature of this trend is white women pulling back the skin at their temple, to stretch out their eyes—and then I was like, oh damn. That’s racist as hell!
RIP, Grant Imahara
Grant Imahara
On July 13, Grant Imahara died of a sudden brain aneurysm. He was only 49. Grant was an electrical engineer, roboticist, and general all-around genius. We watched him on “MythBusters” for years. Behind the scenes, he worked on movie franchises like “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park,” “The Matrix,” and more. On Grant’s passing, “MythBusters” co-host Adam Savage wrote, “Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.” I used to binge-watch “MythBusters,” and Grant’s knowledge and creativity was so apparent and so immense. It’s sad that he died so young, but I’m glad that he made such an impact in the time that he was here. Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.
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BLM from 1 “Black lives matter,” Fong’s colleagues and friends responded. Tony Au, with a group of Chinese Americans, was there to support Fong. “Our goal was to talk to one another ... defuse tension,” said Au. “Protest is good, but not violence and destruction.” “Our discussion was heated, but peaceful,” said Fong. At times, the activists yelled at him. “We heard their passion, anger, and deep frustration at the persistence of systemic and institutional racism. They have grabbed the attention of City Hall and we are working to make lasting change by creating a more just and equitable city. “Mayor Durkan and her administration are committed to lifting up these voices and taking meaningful action. While we won’t agree on everything, we do share the same vision of dismantling the structural racism that exists in our institutions.” Au, an immigrant, did his best to find common ground with the protesters—racism. “The Chinese community suffers from racism, I told the Black brothers,” he said. “AntiAsian sentiment due to COVID, had spread in Chinatown since January. We have our hardships. With Trump calling it the ‘Chinese virus,’ it hurts the community even more.” Au told the activists that they should direct their anger towards President Trump. His goal was “to calm the protesters.” He also shared with the protesters that he learned about Black history and slavery when he first came to America, from his junior high school teacher, when he was just 15. Asked not to be identified, one Chinese immigrant, who was there to support Fong, said some protesters asked for eliminating the police completely. “The protesters have the right to express their views. But to say there’s no need to have police in Seattle, that’s impossible. How could a city survive without police? What about our safety? It would be chaos.”
How it happened
38 YEARS
AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2020 At 7 a.m. on Aug. 6, a mayoral staff member learned through social media that the BLM organizers were assembling at Eckstein Middle School at 7 p.m., but without disclosing their actual destination. There were two sides to Fong’s thinking. He could be the protesters’ next target because he lives close to the school, plus the other three elected officials being protested also live in the North end. But then, he is a non-elected official, and he might be spared. By mid-morning, Fong decided that he would meet with the activists face-to-face. He called and texted several senior staff members from Mayor Durkan’s office to join him, along with family, friends, and neighbors before the march in his front yard to participate in a dialogue with the group on systemic racism and policing. The other two deputy mayors also joined him.
No destruction
The protesters were respectful of Fong‘s property and reminded the other members not to step on the property, but on the sidewalk. “They didn’t cross the line,“ said Fong. “They didn’t do anything. They made their point and they went home.” Au said Fong did a good job engaging with the protesters. “He didn’t call the police as it would escalate tension during the protesters’ march. They left without touching his house or disturbing the front part of the house.”
Activists were less kind to council members
The activists had visited Councilmember Pedersen’s house the night before they went to Fong’s house (also in Northeast Seattle). Knowing they were coming, through social media, Pedersen decided to go to where the activists met, and marched two miles with them from the Burke Museum to his house. At the end of the march, he and the activists sat down and talked. He said they were “more forgiving” after they talked. But the first time the protesters came, Pedersen said his family was shaken. ”My daughters and spouse
HARRIS from 1 Former Gov. Gary Locke called Harris a “terrific choice.” Both Locke and Biden served under the Obama administration. “Kamala Harris is a charismatic and energetic campaigner,” Locke told the Northwest Asian Weekly. “She will be a strong complement to Joe Biden’s strength in foreign policy with her strengths in domestic affairs. They will make an awesome and effective team in the White House and bring the needed leadership and healing our country desperately needs.” “As a South Asian woman, I am uplifted by the historic choice of Sen. Kamala Harris as our next VP,” said state Rep. Vandana Slatter. “This is an important moment for the Black & AAPI communities, women of color, and for all Americans. I know she will be a strong and smart collaborator with Vice President Joe Biden in creating a more equitable nation for all.” IntuitiveX CEO Jeffrey Roh echoed Slatter’s sentiments, saying, “We in the AAPI community should be absolutely thrilled...the selection of a progressive woman of color, nominated for a national office by a major party is an historic moment that all AAPIs and people of color in the Pacific Northwest, as well as throughout the U.S., should be
were scared,” he said. For their safety, Pedersen has now relocated his family. The activists visited his house as many as four to five times (at night and in the morning). Councilmember Juarez felt so threatened that she invited several tribal leaders to stand with her when the marchers arrived. It’s what the Seattle Times’ editorial called “bullying” and “intimidation” of the officials and their family last week, on the activists’ protest outside the official’s home.
Protest is not the only way
“There are other ways to make your voice heard besides yelling, and the tactic of going to (people’s) homes in the middle of the night,” Fong said. He said he is accessible. “They know how to get a hold of me.” And he has agreed to meet with the activists again. “People have the right to protest, but it has to be peaceful,” said Pedersen. “The protests, trespassing, and threats are unproductive.” Just how productive was the activists’ march at Fong‘s place? Didn‘t they know that Fong, as deputy mayor, would follow Durkan‘s position on the issue of police defunding? “I work for the mayor, so my work is an extension from her authority and of course, it’s the same,” said Fong. Fong was grateful for the Chinese community’s support and presence, and his friends and colleagues during the protest. “When I got the word Mike needed us, I just went. I have no second thoughts,” said one Chinese supporter. Perhaps, so grateful that the next day, he came to ChinatownInternational District to buy dim sum takeouts for lunch. The storm is far from over. A smaller group of protesters visited Durkan‘s house on Aug. 8, and painted graffiti. Families of police and supporters held a rally at Seattle City Hall to defend the police. On Aug. 10, the Seattle City Council approved proposals that would reduce the police department by as many as 100 officers through layoffs and attrition—re-
Solutions on police reform and funding proposed by Councilmember Pedersen and Mayor Durkan “Stop sniping. Start collaboration,” said Pedersen. What’s more productive is to craft solutions...in allocation of substantial dollars on community safety and wellness” and bring people to make “decisions at the table.” Seattle Police’s budget has practically been allocated and spent for 2020 at this time of the year, in August. Pedersen said two important meetings should be held. One is the mayor meeting with some established and older Black leaders to mentor the younger Black activists. The second meeting would be a smaller collaboration meeting between Durkan and City Council members, budget chair and public safety chair and Council President Lorena Gonzalez, to find solutions on police funding through the Black community’s input. Mayor Durkan‘s solution “Rethinking policing will require three key elements: 1) SPD function by function analysis to identify what bodies of work can be better carried out by civilian personnel and community organizations; 2) broad community engagement, which our office has started, with BIPOC leaders and stakeholders; and 3) a new $100M investment in community programs focused on safety, as well as addressing long standing inequities and disparities in outcomes for communities of color. The mayor supports a thoughtful and comprehensive approach that shifts SPD resources that help reduce unnecessary interactions between police officers and the public. But at the same time, we must maintain enough officers at levels that still meet 911 priority call response times to save lives and address violence and major criminal activity.
ductions far short of the 50% cut that many BLM protesters want. The City Council also cut Police Chief Carmen Best’s roughly $285,000 annual salary and the pay of other top po-
proud of.” Roh and his wife, Grace, co-hosted a fundraiser in Seattle for Harris for her presidential campaign last year. Harris joins Biden in the 2020 race at a moment of unprecedented national crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 160,000 people in the United States, far more than the toll experienced in other countries. Business closures and disruptions resulting from the pandemic have caused severe economic problems. Unrest, meanwhile, has emerged across the country as Americans protest racism and police brutality. Rick Politan, a Filipino community leader, called Harris a “qualitative addition to the Biden team—a woman, person of color, and a well-qualified person to be a heartbeat away from being a president.” “Now let’s all work together and make sure the BidenHarris team is elected and establish another historical landmark in having our first POC woman vice president,” he said. “The selection of Kamala Harris as the vice presidential candidate is a welcome sign of progress,” said State Sen. Manka Dhingra. “Her experience as a daughter of immigrants, as a prosecutor, senator, and a woman of color with a mixed racial background truly reflects America and the issues that we are dealing with as a country. Her intelligence, tenacity and ethics will help lead America out
lice leaders. Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly. com.
of our current crisis and into a brighter future.” Attorney and former Shoreline City Council member Cheryl Lee said the announcement is a huge moment for Asian Americans and for women. “As the first Black Indian American VP, Kamala Harris will complement President (soon-to-be) Joe Biden to help restore our country. I think she will bring a huge boost of energy and enthusiasm to Biden’s Presidential campaign. So exciting!” A woman has never served as president or vice president in the United States. Two women have been nominated as running mates on major party tickets: Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Republican Sarah Palin in 2008. Their parties lost in the general election. The vice presidential pick carries increased significance this year. If elected, Biden would be 78 when he’s inaugurated in January, the oldest man to ever assume the presidency. He’s spoken of himself as a transitional figure and hasn’t fully committed to seeking a second term in 2024. If he declines to do so, his running mate would likely become a front-runner for the nomination that year. Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.