VOL 39 NO 50 | DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

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

VOL 39 NO 50 DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

Jenny Durkan not running for second term

Mayor chats with Northwest Asian Weekly about her decision

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “This is an example of her putting the city first.”

Those were remarks from Seattle Senior Deputy Mayor Mike Fong in an interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly, hours after Mayor Jenny Durkan announced she would not run for re-election.

“I admire that and it’s why I joined her administration to begin with,” said Fong. “I knew from day one when I took this job that it’s never been about Jenny Durkan.

It’s about her genuine love and commitment for this city.”

Durkan, Seattle’s first female mayor in 89 years, faced criticism from all sides this past summer, over her handling of policing protests and the “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest,” an area that stretched several blocks that protesters claimed as a police-free “autonomous zone.” Now, she said, she wants to spend the rest of her term dealing with challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“We still have to get through months of covid,” Durkan told the Northwest Asian Weekly. “Our numbers are going in the wrong direction, our hospitals are filling up, and we’ve got to get the virus under control.”

Photo by Sam Le

Sharif Hamza for TIME via AP

Indian American student named Time’s ‘Kid of the Year’

FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE

see DURKAN on 9

Mayor Jenny Durkan

see RAO on 4

Independent, ethnic restaurants in WA “hardest hit” so far

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Putting people out of business and ending dreams.

That’s what Washington Hospitality Association (WHA) President and CEO Anthony Anton said Gov. Jay Inslee is doing.

On Dec. 8, Inslee announced that he is extending current restrictions on businesses and social gatherings through Jan. 4 due to a continued spike in new coronavirus cases.

Anton said the restaurant and hospitality industry is being targeted for a problem they are not causing.

“When you track cases back to where they came from, they’re not see BUSINESS on 12

Photo by Assunta Ng

LONE TREE, Colo. (AP) — A 15-year-old Colorado high school student and young scientist who has used artificial intelligence and created apps to tackle contaminated drinking water, cyberbullying, opioid addiction and other social problems has been named Time Magazine’s first-ever “Kid of the Year.”

Gitanjali Rao, a sophomore at STEM School Highlands Ranch in suburban Denver who lives in the city of Lone Tree, was selected from more than 5,000 nominees in a process that culminated with a finalists’ committee of children, Time for Kids reporters and comedian Trevor Noah.

The Indian American told The Associated Press in a Zoom interview from her home on Dec. 4 that the prize is “nothing that I could have ever imagined.

And I’m so grateful and just so excited that we’re really taking a look at the upcoming generation and our generation, since the future is in our hands.’’

Time said in a statement that, along with Nickelodeon, it wanted to recognize “the rising leaders of America’s youngest generation’’ in making the award. For 92 years, Time has presented a “Person of the Year,’’ and the youngest ever was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was 16 when she graced the magazine’s cover last year.

Time said Rao stood out for creating a global

Customers wait for takeout from Maneki Restaurant

A fire did $300 in damage at Bush Hotel on Dec. 2 in the 400 block of Maynard Avenue South.

Seattle fire investigators determined that it was intentionally set, and building management told the Northwest Asian Weekly that the

■

arsonist was caught on video.

International Examiner newspapers were used as kindling for the fire, which spread to the stairs, causing mostly smoke damage.

No one was hurt. 

Photo by John Liu

Bush Hotel fire intentionally set 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

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS ICHS leading change at home

COVID-19 has led to many changes at ICHS in how providers deliver care and services to keep patients safe and healthy.

The National Association of Community Health Centers has selected International Community Health Services (ICHS) as one of 20 health centers in 16 states to participate in “Leading Change: Transforming AtHome Care,” a cutting-edge pilot project offering tools for self-care and remote monitoring for better patient health.

Twenty high-risk patients from the ICHS Holly Park Clinic will be given a patient home care kit that includes materials for colorectal cancer screening, a home bloodsugar monitor for diabetes, a blood pressure monitor, a thermometer, and a scale. They will also receive educational materials and regular virtual visits from ICHS staff and providers.

The pilot is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and is designed to capture data through June 2021. Among the outcomes, ICHS will provide lessons and best practices that will be shared with health centers nationally. 

Blue Origin names Sue Mashiko to new board

Maj. Gen. Sue Mashiko, USAF (Ret.), has been named to a seven-person board of advisors at Blue Origin, the

space company founded

by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

The announcement on Dec. 1 said the board will “provide strategic counsel on the company’s mission to radically reduce the cost of access to space and the utilization of inspace resources.”

Mashiko is the former deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Maj. Gen. Sue Mashiko Office. She was born in Glendale, California, and entered the Air Force as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering. 

38 YEARS

an organization that provides emergency funds for employees and business owners in the hospitality industry.

The 43-year-old restaurateur used his final lifeline to phone a friend to secure the answer to the million-dollar trivia question: “Who was the first president to have electricity in the White House?”

Chang called ESPN journalist Mina Kimes for help with the correct answer—President Benjamin Harrison. 

Stamps to honor Chinese scientist, Japanese vets

Chef David Chang donates prize money to restaurant industry Three of the Postal Service’s 2021 stamps will honor Lunar New Year, the Chinese American nuclear physicist ChienShiung Wu and Japanese Americans who fought in World War II. (U.S. Postal Service)

On Nov. 29, Chef David Chang, host of the Netflix food series “Ugly Delicious,” became the first celebrity to win ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

Chang is giving his million-dollar prize earnings to the Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation,

The United States Postal Service (USPS) will release a new stamp next year celebrating the Chinese American nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, and another will honor the estimated 33,000 Japanese Americans who served in World War II. Born in China in 1912, Wu was one of the top physicists of the 20th century, at a time when the field was dominated by men. She immigrated to the U.S., received her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, and spent much of her career teaching at Columbia University.

USPS also said it will continue its Lunar New Year series with a Year of the Ox stamp. 

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

asianweekly northwest

3

The University of Washington (UW) Sikh Students Association, Blacklisted Since ‘84, members of the Punjabi Sikh community, and their supporters held a demonstration on Dec. 6 in support of the farmers protesting a series of farmer laws in India that leave the livelihood of farmers throughout India at the mercy of corporations.

Protestors drove from Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Renton to the Bellevue Regional Library, then gathered in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to spread awareness of this issue.

In a statement, the UW Sikh Students Association said, “We are protesting here in the U.S. because it’s OUR people fighting on the long road to Delhi. They are our grandparents, our brothers, and our sisters—literally and figuratively. It is our people pushing over barricades, braving water cannons, and walking through tear gas...

India has committed an ethnic cleansing and economic genocide of the Sikhs, out of which these new farmer ordinances are only an advancement.” 

Photos provided by Harkirat Kaur

Sikh community holds protest

Protesters gathered in Bellevue on Dec. 6

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC 12

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KOLLABORATION’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Livestream on Facebook and YouTube 3-5 p.m.

RSVP at kollaboration.org

SAMA SAMA COOPERATIVE PRESENTS “SAMA SAMA TAYO! SHARING THE GIFTS OF ANCESTRAL FIRE” 2 p.m.

Register at samasamacooperative.org

Caravan of protesters’ vehicles on I-405 between Renton and Bellevue on Dec. 6

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asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

RAO from 1 community of young innovators and inspiring them to pursue their goals. Rao insists that starting out small doesn’t matter, as long as you’re passionate about it.

Rao’s innovating started early. At age 12, she developed a portable device to detect lead in water.

She’s created a device called Epione that diagnoses prescription opioid addiction at an early stage. She’s also devised an app called Kindly that uses artificial intelligence to help prevent cyberbullying. It allows teens to type in a word or phrase to find out if the words they’re using are bullying and lets them decide to edit what they’re sending or to proceed.

“And currently, I’m looking back at water, looking at moving things like parasitic compounds in water and how we can detect for that,’’ Rao said after a day’s

remote schooling.

She told actress, activist and Time contributing editor Angelina Jolie in a Zoom interview that her science pursuits started early as a way to improve social conditions. The drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, inspired her work to develop a way to detect contaminants and send those results to a mobile phone, she said.

“I was like 10 when I told my parents that I wanted to research carbon nanotube sensor technology at the Denver Water quality research lab, and my mom was like, “A what?’’ Rao told Jolie. She said that work “is going to be in our generation’s hands pretty soon. So if no one else is gonna do it, I’m gonna do it.’’

The sensor technology involves molecules of carbon atoms that can detect chemical changes, including chemicals in water.

Rao has partnered with rural schools; museums; science, technology, engineering and mathematics organizations; and other institutions to run innovation workshops for thousands of other students.

In a world where science is increasingly questioned or challenged, Rao insisted that its pursuit is an essential act of kindness, the best way that a younger generation can better the world. Science and technology are being employed as never before to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, global warming and a host of other issues, she noted.

“We have science in everything we’re involved in, and I think that’s the biggest thing to put out there, that science is cool, innovating is cool, and anybody can be an innovator,’’ Rao said. “Anybody can do science.’’ 

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for KC000034, Area 7 Stage 5 Closure and Area 7/8 Liner Tie-in, by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via E-Procurement system until 1:30:59 PM on 1/7/21. 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 Section 00 10 00 for details regarding the public bid opening.

There is a 15% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement on this contract.

There is a 20% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

Synopsis: Area 7 Stage 5 Closure: includes interim and final cover systems for Refuse Area 7. The closure work will consist of interim cover systems on the N, E, and S slopes of Area 7. The W slope and top deck will receive a final cover system. Area 7/8 Liner Tie-in: completing the Area 8 liner system and connection to Area 7 and Area 6 bottom liners, potentially impacted soil removal, and construction of the proposed Area 6/7 LFG Header.

Estimated contract price: $14,076,608 Pre-Bid Conference by Skype: Dec. 9, 2020, 11:00 a.m.

Bidders have the choice of attending: (1) via conference call 1-206-263-8114, then entering Conference ID 119038, or (2) via Skype through your computer, follow this link: https://meet. kingcounty.gov/mark.hoge/4CL4KFRS Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://fa-epvhsaasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/supplierPortal/faces/ FndOverview?fndGlobalItemNodeId=itemNode_supplier_portal_ supplier_portal

View the solution on page 10

Assunta Ng

Account Executives

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Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Associate Publisher john@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com

Han Bui Layout & Web Editor han@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

YOUR VOICE

■ SPORTS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

asianweekly northwest

5

The Layup Drill

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. This month, we take a special look at a glass ceilingbreaking hiring, the Masters in the fall, and the first DI coach of Asian descent making history.

Joseph Guzy/Miami Marlins via AP

Finally…Kim Ng is hired to be an MLB GM

[to a general manager job],” he added, “She was on the slow track, quite frankly, because she was an Asian woman.”

To highlight Darling’s statement, Ng was on the short-list of many job openings for GM positions. The 52-year-old Ng interviewed for the openings of the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, and San Francisco Giants. Ng was one of the finalists for the Mariners position and despite her experience, the Mariners chose Jack Zduriencik. Notably, Zduriencik hired Don Wakamatsu as the Mariners’ manager—the first Asian American manager in the sport. Ng’s name also came up for job openings with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. Yet, all of these openings went to others.

Jeter’s hiring of Ng reflects a change of the old guard in sports front offices.

Jeter also hired Caroline O’Connor as the Marlins’ Chief Operating Officer and the Marlins are the only team with two

women in the Chief Executive positions of a Major League Baseball team.

Ng’s hiring comes after years and years of working in baseball and learning the ins and out of the sport. Her resume is one of the best in the business and her hiring was not a gift by any means. It also shows that diversity matters in hiring as Ng’s appointment was praised by many women and those in the Asian American community because it shows that someone that looks like them can make it in the industry.

“People are looking for hope,” Ng said at her introductory Zoom press conference to announce the hiring, “People are looking for inspiration, and I’m happy that this is a part of it.”

UW golf alum shines at the Masters The Masters, the annual April tradition, that many golf fans await as

a benchmark for the start of golf each spring was postponed until November due to the pandemic. Like everything in 2020, flexibility in the event was key and without any fans, the tournament went on with appropriate social distancing and testing to ensure that everyone remained safe throughout.

Last year’s tournament champion Tiger Woods returned, but could not repeat the spark of 2019. After a very good first day on the course, Woods faded into the pack of players. Woods took 10 shots to complete hole 12 on the final day of the tournament. The par 3 on the 12th hole saw Woods hit his initial drive into the creek. He then hit his third shot back into the water. His fifth shot went into a sand bunker. The next shot went back into the creek. Woods finally righted himself to complete the hole, but not after one of the more disastrous adventures on the golf see SPORTS on 10

Kim Ng

In a 2003 Sports Illustrated article, Kim Ng, then an assistant general manager with the New York Yankees, was tapped as an individual that would one day be hired as a general manager in Major League Baseball. Seventeen years later, Ng was finally hired by a team. The Miami Marlins, run by former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, made Ng the first Asian American and woman to be a general manager in the major leagues.

Ng, a former softball player in college at the University of Chicago, started her baseball front office career with the White Sox as assistant director of baseball operations. She took a brief job with Major League Baseball before she was hired with the Yankees as an assistant general manager, under the current GM Brian Cashman, at the age of 29. She then moved on to work for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001and then returned to work in the office of Major League Baseball in 2011.

Through the years, Ng received praise as a well-prepared, fierce negotiator when it came to salary arbitrations for players. Yet, the fact that she was Asian and a woman, made her ascension to the front office of a major league team difficult. While working with the Dodgers in 2003, a scout approached Ng at a bar during the annual meeting of baseball general managers and asked her what she was doing with the other executives. The scout, a 59-year-old male employed by the New York Mets, then asked her, “Where are you from?” He then proceeded to mock her Chinese heritage with a fake accent. “Kim handled the entire situation in a professional manner, and we addressed the matter with the New York Mets the next day,” said Dodgers General Manager Dan Evans at the time of the incident. He was promptly fired by the Mets after the incident became public.

Notably, he went on to work for two other teams. Ron Darling, a former Mets pitcher, said of Ng’s struggles to find a position, “If you look at her resume, she should be on the fast track

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asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Three Seattle chefs on the challenges of opening a restaurant in 2020 have refused to let the pandemic dash their dream of opening a restaurant— albeit trimmed down to takeout, delivery and outdoor dining for the time being.

Melissa Miranda opened Musang right before the pandemic hit, and has already adapted the restaurant to the new reality (and has big ideas for how the whole industry should shift). This past summer, Preeti Agarwal took the leap from pop-up to permanent with Meesha 127, and it’s still going strong. And after years of anticipation, Chef Kristi Brown of the catering company That Brown Girl Cooks! launch her new restaurant, Communion, in late November. For these three chefs, hanging on means fulfilling a promise to create community around food, even when we’re eating separately.

Dorothy Edwards/Crosscut

first in the nation to completely halt operations during the stay-at-home

Owner Melissa Miranda in her Seattle restaurant, Musang, on Nov. 18, 2020. Musang opened in the beginning of the year. Since the pandemic began, Miranda has been donating 100 meals every Wednesday to the South Park Community Center.

“Well, this is a déjà vu from nine months ago,” says Jesse Tiamson, as he surveys the plant-filled room. Musang, the Beacon Hill restaurant Tiamson manages, is entirely empty, save for the staff. Chairs are stacked on top of tables legs up, flipped upside down like the restaurant industry.

Nearby, a delivery person from a local restaurant supply company responds with a sigh, “Yeah. Can’t catch a break.”

Seattle restaurants were among the

see CHEFS on 12

Seattle soul food at Communion

“I coined a new phrase for myself,” chef Kristi Brown says cheerfully. “The bone collector.” She laughs. She’s talking about the pork and beef bones simmering in broth in a large pot on the open kitchen’s stove. Later, she’ll add Chinese eggplant, rice noodles, oyster mushrooms and either pork belly or rib tips for what will become her “Ode to Pho.” It’s the last recipe Brown is still perfecting ahead of the grand opening of her long-awaited Central District restaurant, Communion, which opened on Nov. 28

order this spring. Since then, multiple Seattle-area restaurants have closed— some permanently—while others are barely treading water. After loosening restrictions this summer (permitting indoor dining at 25% capacity) and fasttracking “streatery” permits to allow for more outdoor dining, on Nov. 15 Gov. Jay Inslee tightened the rules to keep surging coronavirus cases in check.

Despite the restaurant industry’s tectonic upheaval, a few Seattle chefs

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“Ode to Pho,” she says, encapsulates what Communion is about: Seattle soul food. Her version is the product of a Kansas girl who grew up in Seattle’s Central District in a family of home cooks, eating the food from nearby Ethopian

Dorothy Edwards/Crosscut

By Margo Vansynghel / Crosscut.com REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

Kristi Brown in her new restaurant Communion, ahead of its opening November 28. The restaurant is located in the Central District and has been four years in the making.

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YOUR VOICE

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

asianweekly northwest

but NOT in a good way seating and therefore, no reason to invest in heaters that would keep those guests warm.

In fact, the Chinese restaurant we went to doesn’t even really have any outdoor seating set up––we had to ask them to bring out a table and two chairs where we could sit next to a row of parking spots in front of the restaurant. But they gladly obliged.

The only thing missing now was the heat.

So, I pulled out the portable heater and assembled it, screwed in the small butane tank underneath it, turned the gas up and lit it up with my lighter, and voila––we had heat!

As the flame grew, I stretched out my legs under the table, leaned back, and without saying a word, anyone observing could see that I was pretty proud of myself. I could see the headlines: Man conquers the elements.

Independent thinker overcomes barriers during global pandemic. Resourceful man

of action keeps family warm while battling frigid conditions! I’m thinking, “Man––my wife must be so impressed with me right now!”

Except…in my moment of self-congratulations, I notice that a bit of flame is now coming out from behind the control knob.

It gets bigger and bigger. After another minute, the entire heater sitting on our table is engulfed in flames.

The headlines in my mind immediately change: Idiot man burns up entire restaurant from camping stove stunt. Clueless customer starts a literal hot pot at Chinese restaurant. Covid not bad enough threat for one moronic customer.

I manage to get the heater down on the concrete floor beside the table. The waitress comes out and proceeds to pour three glasses of water on the fire to try and put out the

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY As a humor writer, 2020 has been a tough year to write about. How do you make jokes about a global pandemic? How do you say anything original about an election that doesn’t antagonize one side or the other?

Fortunately, I have found something humorous (at least for me) to write about.

Unfortunately, the humor comes at my own expense. My own ineptness to the rescue!

First, a little back story. 2020 was the year that all our kids were supposed to move out of the house. We were supposed to start the “empty nester” phase of our life. Then, along came Covid-19, and all our best laid plans were put on hold.

As a family of five, trying to stay safe means we’re eating at home a lot. But, in an attempt to stay sane and avoid having permanent “dish-pan hands” from washing dishes day in and day out, we have made an effort to find ways to eat out and still maintain social distancing guidelines.

That means we eat only at restaurants that have outdoor seating.

Eating outdoors can be very pleasant… in the summer. In July and August, being seated outside is literally like a breath of fresh air. But now that we’re heading into winter, eating outdoors is a test of endurance. When you start ordering a bowl of soup, not because it’s a terrific soup but because the steam helps to keep you warm, you start to forget why you’re even there.

But, not to worry, never fear––Weather Man is here!

Maybe that’s overstating things a bit.

I didn’t literally change the weather, but I did manage to find a portable butane heater that I could stuff into a backpack and set up for our outdoor dining needs.

And, at $50, it was a relatively inexpensive solution to our cold weather dilemma. It also meant that we could now eat outdoors at restaurants that didn’t already have large, portable propane heaters, which meant that we could start eating at Chinese restaurants again. Side note: your mileage may vary, but in our experience, Chinese restaurants have virtually no outdoor

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flames. No luck. Finally, the owner of the restaurant comes out of the kitchen with his wok, filled with water, and dumps it on the heater and the fire is put out. Disaster averted.

Despite the fire bomb I initiated, the rest of our dinner came out as planned, and we still managed to have a very nice (if very cold) dinner outside. The food, unfortunately, was great.

I say unfortunately because the food is so good that I still want to go back. Fortunately, I think I can still make it happen because I’ll be wearing a mask. It turns out that the mask not only serves to protect you from the virus, but also makes you hard to recognize.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

How to support restaurants during the pandemic

Photo by Assunta Ng

Beyond takeout

38 YEARS

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY If you think you have done enough for restaurants by ordering takeout, here’s how you can do better…

An insensitive customer at a ChinatownInternational District (CID) restaurant made me speak out. I was picking up some dim sum recently. The entrance was crowded. Most Asian restaurants have a small lobby. In fact, I would not even call it a lobby because there are just a couple of chairs for customers. It’s not even a foyer or reception area. It’s merely a small space

situated around the cash register counter.

There is no room for social distancing.

Nor is it good for picking up food because people are staying longer than they should while ordering or paying. Frequently, the owners and staff have to come up front to yell out the name of the customers to get the food and take care of payment. This makes me uncomfortable to go inside a restaurant to order or wait for food.

What upset me lately was a lady holding up the line by challenging the owner. Was she out of her mind when so many people were waiting in that dingy space? Thank God everyone wore masks.

Photo by Assunta Ng

Cars double parked outside Jade Garden

Snappy Dragon storefront

The woman complained about the price increase on many items, and the restaurant staff had to explain to her the prices on the bill. Was the woman crazy?

I was about to go up to her and give her a piece of my mind.

“Hey, ma’am, this is not the time nor place to bargain for 20 or 30 cents. Why are you wasting all the other customers’ time? If you want to buy something cheap, make the dim sum at home yourself.”

I didn’t, though. Why talk to people who are so thoughtless and heartless! Better yet, I am sharing my gripes in this blog.

The pandemic is not the right time to complain about a restaurant’s price increase. While many restaurants have closed their doors during the lockdown, she should be grateful that many Asian restaurants are opening their doors so she could buy delicious food seven days a week. CID restaurants are known for their value, quality, and quantity.

Many of them are struggling to survive.

Doesn’t she understand that?

If the restaurants want to increase their price, they should. More power to them so they can make up for their loss of business and keep their employees working. According to several economic forecasts, as much as 60% of the restaurants might not make it by Dec. 30. Over 110,000 restaurants nationwide have already shut down as press time.

A huge number of restaurant workers have lost their jobs. For those restaurants still open for business, they are barely hanging by a thread.

Ordering takeout is the least you can do to support these businesses and the community. Even if they have increased their prices, you are still getting a deal as CID restaurants are low-priced compared to restaurants outside the district.

The restaurant industry is a key economic framework of the Asian community, feeding many other industries, including noodle companies, groceries, and other supply chains. If every community member plays an active role in supporting restaurants by doing something, most could survive

after COVID. The other day, I had to deliver a wedding gift in the north end. On the way back, I told my husband to pass by our old customer, Snappy Dragon Restaurant, to get some takeout and check on how they are doing. The owners were not present.

We ordered smoked tea duck and mushi pork to go. Though our order was small, we were glad we thought about them and could help.

Some community members have contributed funds to support restaurants by buying restaurant meals for healthcare workers and professionals, and the homeless. Philanthropists Jerry and Charlene Lee even invited friends to dine at some restaurant on their own, and they would pick up their checks later.

What can you do to support our community’s restaurants?

1. BUY RESTAURANT GIFT CARDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS It’s a nice gift for friends and family.

Gift cards are easy to mail and it’s handy for the receivers to carry them around.

Instead of buying gifts, which might not be the right choice for your friends, send a restaurant gift certificate to as many friends as possible. It doesn’t have to be a big amount. Even a $20 gift certificate might help to bring in more business to the restaurants.

2. ORDER IN ADVANCE Order online or call ahead, even the day before, rather than going inside the restaurant to order, especially in small restaurants. This helps the restaurant to do more planning ahead.

3. PAY WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD If you pay cash, ask for the exact amount of the order so you can bring the correct amount. During COVID, it’s best not to get change back.

4. ADD A TIP Some restaurants already add a see BLOG on 11

YOUR VOICE

■ EDITORIAL

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

asianweekly northwest

9

Thank you, Jenny You’ve heard by now that Jenny Durkan is stepping down after serving out the rest of her term as Seattle’s mayor.

This comes just months after Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best announced her resignation.

Two admirable women deciding to give up their jobs in a tumultuous year.

Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority Executive Director Maiko Winkler-Chin thanked Durkan for her service “at possibly the most difficult time this city has ever faced.”

Durkan has been a friend to the ChinatownInternational District (CID) and we are thankful.

It was under her watch that the CID got something it had wished for a decade—a unified police precinct.

Previously, the precinct boundary followed I-5, which runs through the middle of the CID, and divided Chinatown on the west side and Little Saigon on the east side.

In an interview this week, Durkan told the Northwest Asian Weekly, “I have more diversity in my cabinet than

DURKAN from 1 She stressed the importance of opening up the city to restore the vitality of businesses and neighborhoods. “We have to build back better, stronger, and more equitably and it’s going to be hard, really hard. And the only way we get through it is if we do it together.”

Durkan said she could not run a re-election campaign full-time and do the job as mayor.

“So I could either run to keep the job, or actually do the job. And I think the people of Seattle elected me to do the job.” She said she made and finalized the decision after the Thanksgiving break.

Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority Executive Director Maiko Winkler-Chin said she was not surprised by Durkan’s decision “as the job at this particular period of time has been relentless and thankless.”

She said, “I appreciate the mayor focusing on her job instead of running for office, fully expect the Durkan administration to leave the city in a better situation than we are in now, and wonder what crazybrilliant-brave ideas can come from an administration not worried about re-election.”

Tony Au, captain of International Lion Dance team, agreed.

“Mayor Durkan has made the right decision given the pandemic situation.”

Durkan, 62, a longtime lawyer, and former U.S. attorney, was elected in 2017. She said she’s proud of Seattle’s efforts that made COVID-19 testing free citywide, in imposing a moratorium on evictions, and in offering relief and protections to small businesses, immigrants, and workers. Within the CID, Durkan said she is proud of making a unified police precinct a reality, and of committing to building 500 affordable housing units.

Her handling of nightly protests following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis drew condemnation from many.

Officers used tear gas, pepper spray, less-lethal projectiles and flash-bang grenades indiscriminately, and they

any mayor in the history of Seattle.”

All of Durkan’s deputy mayors are people of color including two Asian Americans—Mike Fong, the senior deputy mayor, and Shefali Ranganathan, the deputy mayor for External Relations.

In the first few weeks of the pandemic, it was Durkan who visited the CID multiple times as a huge vote of confidence for businesses and the neighborhood. People were avoiding the CID because of the stigmatization of our origins and fears over coronavirus, even though there were no cases in our community at that time.

Durkan made three tips to the CID in a week: the first was a visit with Chief Best to introduce an Asian neighborhood officer, and Best later dined with her staff at the Hong Kong Bistro.

Durkan also presented a $140,000 grant to Phnom Penh Restaurant, which was in the process of opening its new restaurant at 9th Avenue South and South Jackson Street. Then she brought her cabinet members, as many as 25, to dine with the community in the CID. Durkan paid for the $1,500 lunch.

continued using tear gas even after Durkan imposed a moratorium on it.

Protesters demonstrated at City Hall and outside her home—between 10 to 12 times, she said— calling for her resignation.

“That didn’t influence my decision on whether to run or not, but it has made me appreciate that we need to have a conversation in Seattle about how divisive our politics have been.” Durkan added, “To have the president of the United States tweet and go against me personally, and to have the attorney general threaten to jail political enemies, to have the number of death threats that I received against me and my family… I think that we’re better than that as a city.”

“We need to focus on our common humanity if we ever want to accomplish our common goals,” Durkan stressed.

On defunding police, she said, “[Former Seattle Police] Chief [Carmen] Best and I took a lot of opposition for our position that we should not be defunding the police by 50%... that public safety was complicated and too important and we needed to be thoughtful about it.”

“We agree as a community that our policing needs change...in particular crowd control and how police responded to the protests.” Durkan said the city is working with oversight groups

Durkan set the tone for her administration to support the CID, especially businesses impacted by the pandemic.

During the past three years, she has visited the CID 18 times to visit, dine, walk, hold news conferences, and meet with CID leaders. In total, her leadership team has been to the CID 66 times.

With Durkan as mayor, the CID felt heard and seen, like we matter. And we do. Her commitment to our community was clear from the beginning, when she did one of her swearing-in ceremonies at the Wing Luke Museum.

Thank you, Jenny, for what you have done for our community.

As Gov. Jay Inslee stated, “Jenny has led through tumultuous times and had to make difficult decisions with grace and dignity.” 

and that she has asked them to review policing.

Community activist Sharon Maeda told the Northwest Asian Weekly, “At this very difficult time for all, we need a mayor who will work to build relationships and work together to find solutions. Being a transactional mayor, Jenny Durkan, unfortunately, is the wrong person for these unique times.”

International Community Health Services President Teresita Batayola said, “It is really unfortunate that Jenny Durkan is now the fourth mayor in recent memory to be a onetermer. But we need leadership that can break through the tough issues of police accountability, racism, affordable housing and rapid gentrification while dealing with a pandemic and an economic downturn that is destroying our community businesses, increasing unemployment, hunger and homelessness.”

In a news release, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce thanked Durkan for her service to the city.

“She has remained steadfast during a time of unprecedented challenges and upheaval for our community. We have appreciated her partnership on major issues, from expanding the availability of affordable housing, to city support for education from pre-K through college, to supporting our small business

community,” said Alicia Teel, a spokesperson for the Chamber.

When asked if President-elect Joe Biden had offered her a job in his administration, Durkan said Biden’s campaign has not reached out to her. But she said having Biden as president is going to help everybody in Seattle.

“Immediately, the fights we had to protect our immigrant and refugee communities will stop. Joe Biden has already had a conference call with mayors across the country and he told us, ‘I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican, I’m going to help you.’ [Donald] Trump has never done that once in the time that I’ve been mayor.”

She reiterated the importance of working together.

“There is room to disagree on issues. But how we disagree is important to how we will make progress.”

Durkan’s decision to forgo a second term leaves an open field for next year’s mayoral election.

Her advice to the next mayor?

“Get out of City Hall, listen to the people, and focus on our shared humanity and common goals.”  Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

10

asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

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course. Woods made up for it by making birdie on six of the last seven holes. He finished 39th despite having the worst hole in his pro career.

Notably, former University of Washington golf standout C.T. Pan made his debut at the Masters this year and hung with the leaders. Pan finished -10 for the tourC.T. Pan nament, which was good for a 7th place tie on the leaderboard. The finish ensures that Pan will be back this April for the Masters. His neighbors were happy for him as they hung a banner on his garage door with the

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scores of each of the four rounds he posted. On Instagram, Pan thanked his neighbors, “What a surprise when I get home. Thank you to my neighbors; you are the best!!!!”

Pan was happy with the finish and is looking forward to his return.

Also, PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa tied for 44th overall in his first tournament at the famed Augusta National Course in Georgia.

South Korea’s Sungjae Im tied for 2nd with -15, but was far off the pace of the winner, Dustin Johnson, who shot -20 overall.

for coaching was hard because of the small salary.

Magpayo said that he was making $15,000 a year as an assistant. Yet, betting on himself and enjoying coaching has paid off.

In addition to coaching, he is founder and president of the Asian Coaches Association, an organization that serves to unify, support, and elevate all Asian coaches beyond just the basketball community.

Not only did Magpayo defeat the Huskies for his first win as a head coach, his first child was born right before the season started. 

Making history

Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

The Washington Huskies Men’s Basketball team started their season in Las Vegas with two losses. The second loss was to University of California at Riverside and their first-year head coach Mike Magpayo. Named the coach for the team in July, Magpayo became the first NCAA Division I head coach of full Asian heritage. The 41-yearold Filipino American took over after the previous coach left to take on a coaching position at the University of Arkansas.

Magpayo’s parents were born and raised in the Philippines. Magpayo was born in Los Angeles and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Prior to the head coaching job, he served as assistant coach for UC Riverside. Prior to that, he had assistant coaching positions at Columbia University and Campbell University. His coaching career started at the high school level, while he still ran a real estate company in Southern California after college. The passion for coaching continued and what was a hobby turned into a full-time job. According to Magpayo, dropping his career

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4.

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

11

Predictions and advice for the week of December 12–18, 2020

By Sun Lee Chang Rat—You have worked hard to make things go your way. Don’t hinder your own efforts with a careless move.

Dragon—A bunch of different elements will be much more interesting than a group that just hits one note.

Monkey—Take a break, but don’t sit out of the action for too long or you might find it hard to catch up.

Ox—Instead of letting a setback stop you, simply resolve to redouble your efforts in another direction.

Snake—Did you stumble onto something that you weren’t supposed to? Be cautious about what you do with that information.

Rooster—While you may have previously gone for a more over-the-top display, you now prefer a refined look.

Tiger—Are you ready to see something that you had previously avoided? Once you acknowledge it, there is no going back.

Horse—It is especially important now to surround yourself with those who have your best interests at heart.

Dog—If a simple solution is available, that is far preferable to other complex options that are out there.

Rabbit—With a few minor updates, you can revamp an old classic and turn it into something that shines.

Goat—Want to take your game to the next level?

You will have to commit to putting in the practice needed.

Pig—You know better than most that it’s not as important where you start, but where you finish.

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.

BLOG from 8 percentage to your bill. Ask if this is for the staff or the owner. It’s good to know and support those who are running the restaurants.

5. WHAT TO DO IF THERE ARE LINES? If you want to order last minute and see a line outside, find out if you can order on your phone. Or go to another restaurant without lines so that other restaurants can have some business, too. I know some restaurants are not going to be happy with me about this. But it’s important to spread the wealth during COVID. 6. DON’T ASK UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS WHEN YOU PICK UP. Be considerate to the workers or the owners as they are already under lots of pressure. Thank them for their service, even though you are giving them the business. Why? They deserve your appreciation because they are essential workers, exposing themselves to strangers with unknown risks.

7. ADD A TIP, EVEN FOR DELIVERY SERVICE. Even if the bill has already added a percentage, it’s the least you can do to give everyone more joy during Christmas.

8. DO CURBSIDE TAKE-OUT If you are uncomfortable picking up your takeout order, call the restaurant ahead of time and ask them to bring the food out to your car. You don’t even have to leave or park your car. I have seen some CID restaurants do just that.

9. WEEKDAYS VS. WEEKENDS Several CID restaurants have better business on weekends than weekdays.

Perhaps you can help spread the word about doing takeout on their slow days.

Never underestimate your support, however small, to those who need it in a crisis, as your gesture exhibits compassion and, most importantly, hope.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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Nomination Form Honoring health care workers Outstanding health care individuals including administrators, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, janitors, etc.

Goal: To recognize outstanding Asian and BIPOC healthcare workers who have made significant contributions to his/her field during COVID-19. If any Asian and BIPOC employees in your organization have done an outstanding job exhibiting resilience, compassion, and going beyond her/his job responsibilities, you can nominate her/him. Limit to three nominees in each organization. Nominees will be recognized in a special issue of Northwest Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post on Jan. 21, and Jan. 28, 2021.

Deadline: Dec. 28, 2020 for nomination Winners will be picked based on his/her leadership, innovations, mobilization of resources and manpower, mental health work, etc.

Award Ceremony: Feb. 4, 5-6 p.m. Live Facebook award ceremony.

Plaques and Chinatown International-District restaurant certificates will be mailed, or you may pick up at the Northwest Asian Weekly office, 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104.

For any questions, please contact Assunta Ng at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Name: Organization: Reasons for Nomination: Nominee’s Name: Nominee’s Phone Number: Nominee’s Email: Nominator’s Name: Nominator’s Phone Number: Nominator’s Email:

asianweekly

38 YEARS

DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 18, 2020

CHEFS from 6 restaurants and the vegetable markets of the Chinatown-International District.

Like the soup, Communion is meant to feed your soul—and has been simmering for a long time. Brown started her catering company That Brown Girl Cooks! in 1996, and started selling her now-famous blackeyed pea hummus at farmers markets in 2012. Since then the chef has grown a dedicated following—as has her hummus, which will be on the menu at Communion, too.

Also cooking: Smokey salmon corn chowder, vegetable root cakes and fried chicken wings, and a homemade watermelon hot sauce.

Housed in the Central District’s new Liberty Bank Building, Communion has been four years in the making—but in many ways, Brown has spent decades getting ready for this moment. That’s why, while COVID restrictions have made the already daunting process of opening a restaurant tougher, not opening never really crossed her mind.

“This is not something that could have been halted,” she says. Around her, employees bustle, moving heat lamps and chairs intended for outdoor dining and signing papers for liquor deliveries. She’s not discouraged by having to make COVID adaptations, including a pivot to recipes that are more takeout-friendly.

“I feel like superwoman right now,” she says when I ask her how she’s feeling.

“What else was I going to do at the end of the day? The bills gotta be paid and folks are working, so they gotta be paid,” she says. “This food has got to be out there right now.”

Damon Bomar, Brown’s son and business partner, and also Communion’s restaurant manager and bartender, agrees.

“One of the biggest things is that we’re serving a community that is largely ignored by the restaurant industry,” he chimes in, as he walks through the still-in-progress space, where cardboard boxes of supplies are strewn about the floor. “The excitement that we built and the support within our community gives us the confidence to open,” he says.

“I know it’s a pandemic, but people are still eating,” he adds. “That’s one of our sayings: everybody’s got to eat.”

Plus, Brown adds: “It’s a great time to be a Black business.”

“In a time where there’s been so much upheaval politically—which has been so detrimental to us in so many ways— the sensitivities that people are now forming… actually leads to more focus on us, more publicity, more attention, more compassion, more interest,” she says. But that comes after years of a lack of attention, opportunities, and bank loans, Brown notes.

“That’s the joy of Blackness: We are resilient as f***,” Brown says. “We do not stop. People that have been through

Preeti Agarwal purchased the French fusion restaurant Pomerol last year, and transformed the space into her new restaurant Meesha 127 during the pandemic. (Shaminder Dulai/ Crosscut)

this historically—it just shows you we are resilient. I’m just running with it. ’Cause that’s all I can do.”

Opened in summer: Northern indian food at Meesha

Preeti Agarwal lowers her mask just enough to take a small taste of the beige batter. It takes her less than a split second to know: This needs way more salt. It’s the base for lam radoo, or lentil fritters, she explains. “You need salt to ferment it,” she says, “so that it’s light and fluffy.”

Behind her, three cooks run back and forth in the dimly lit kitchen, sliding plastic takeout containers full of Malwani squash curry and bukhara dal (a slow-cooked lentil and kidney bean dish with fenugreek) across the bar for delivery.

It’s a far cry from what Agarwal was cooking in this very same spot about a year ago: truffle pommes frites, foie gras, bouillabaisse.

But that’s not what Agarwal was really known for. She had built a reputation as one of Seattle’s up-and-coming star chefs, thanks to the Indian dishes she served at her sold-out “Meesha” pop-up dinners hosted by restaurants across the city.

After years of pop-ups, Agarwal wanted her own spot. In June of last year, she purchased the high-end French fusion restaurant Pomerol in Fremont, with the intention of serving its classic French fare until she felt confident she could run her own restaurant.

And then came the pandemic.

Pomerol closed for indoor dining in the spring. Agarwal pivoted in June, offering a few of her Meesha-flavored dishes for takeout with the idea that Indian food just traveled better than fancy French.

“It’s very hard to do Pomerol-style food as takeout,” she says. “A steak and frites at Pomerol were very popular. But how do you do that in different temperatures: rare, medium, well done? I don’t think it will taste the same. If you’re taking it home, the

BUSINESS from 1 coming from restaurants. And when they follow the rules (reduced capacity, wearing masks while mingling, staying 6 feet apart), we’re finding almost no cases coming back to restaurants,” he said.

According to the WHA, the four-week restriction cost the restaurant industry in Washington an estimated $8 million.

Of all the restaurants that have closed permanently for the first six months of the pandemic, approximately 1 in 5 serve Asian cuisine. And 90% of the restaurants closed are independent, not part of a local or national chain.

“Restaurants have extremely high safety standards that keep our guests safe. We could have offered people a safe and responsible means of gathering, but cases have only climbed while we’ve been closed. Nine months in,

fries will get soggy.”

“Indian food is a little more comforting,” Agarwal adds. “The flavors can still stay the same, the experience of the taste when you take it home and heat up.”

Agarwal calls her dishes contemporary cuisine influenced by Uttar Pradesh, the northern Indian state where she grew up, and the ghee favored by her mother — and grandmother, whom she still calls for recipes. Agarwal prides herself on making all her spice blends from scratch, too.

Her pandemic bet paid off. Takeout orders for Meesha dishes started rolling in.

“I got the confidence. OK, this is the perfect time for me to change it completely,” Agarwal remembers, “because people are more excited about Meesha than Pomerol.”

Slowly, Agarwal started renovating the muted, industrial chic interior of Pomerol into the patterned art deco ode to her home country, exemplified by dashes of red and gold found in the paintings on the wall and the vases on the tables. Now, Meesha 127 (so named for its location on N. 36th St.) is open for takeout and outdoor dining on the back patio. She says it’s doing fine—but only considering the circumstances.

“We are still struggling, and hopefully we get people and takeout orders so that we can survive this pandemic,” Agarwal says.

“We keep [seeing] so many good and wonderful restaurants shutting down,” she adds. “The restaurant industry needs all the support it can get right now.”

Opened early 2020: Filipino flavor at Musang

On a recent dreary day, three Filipino aunties sat under a heavy-duty carport tent, preparing to dig into tanghalian (lunch in Tagalog), as cars zoomed on the nearby Beacon Avenue South.

“It’s amazing to see that they’re here,” says Melissa Miranda, walking from the outdoor patio up the stairs to the entrance of her restaurant Musang, where she cooks up the Filipinx dishes inspired by her childhood memories.

Take the short rib kare kare. It’s “the ultimate comfort food,” and a Musang bestseller, Miranda says. “All of us kind of have stories of growing up with it.”

Traditionally made with oxtail, Miranda swapped in short ribs, which she serves with a fermented shrimp paste and peanut butter sauce, bok choy, okra green beans and eggplant. Another example of the nuanced but bold flavors Musang has become known for: adobong pusit pancit, a noodle dish blackened with cuttlefish ink and served with squid hand-caught

by Miranda’s father and stewed with soy, vinegar, tomatoes and onions (plus mackerel and fried calamari on top).

In March, Musang had been open for 2½ months. The restaurant (Miranda prefers to call it a “community space,” which is heightened by the fact that its setting is a former home) was popping. But the chef and her team had been keeping an eye on the rising number of coronavirus

there is no plan to address the harm this has caused to our industry.”

The total loss for 2020 is estimated to be $10 billion.

“Please keep ordering out,” Anton urged Washingtonians.

The current set of restrictions that took effect last month—including limiting restaurants and bars to to-go service and outdoor dining—were set to expire Dec. 14, but will now be extended an additional three weeks.

Inslee also announced spending $50 million in federal funds for additional grants for businesses, on top of the $135 million in grants, loans and other assistance he announced two weeks ago to help businesses and workers impacted by the restrictions.  Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

cases and quickly realized: “We can’t be promoting this kind of social setting. If we are about community, we need to make the decision…. So we shut down,” Miranda recalls.

“And then a couple of days later, Inslee followed with the stay-at-home order.”

Miranda shifted gears and started offering free meals to whoever needed them from Musang’s suddenly empty dining room and, with other like-minded chefs of Seattle’s south end, formed The Seattle Community Kitchen Collective.

It was nourishing, important work. Still, she says, “We’d be done at 6, and we’d just sit here and be like: ’What do we do now?’ ” She and her team missed the rush of the dinner service, the homey atmosphere they had created at Musang. “It was this really weird feeling — we were doing good by the community kitchen, but … it took a lot of time to grieve that loss of what it was supposed to be,” she says.

“Once I acknowledged that, it gave me room to really think outside of the box of what it could be and what we will be,” she says.

Since then, Miranda has reopened Musang for takeout, delivery and outdoor dining (the Community Kitchen is still happening, twice a week) and made some important changes in the way the restaurant operates, offering health insurance and 401(k) benefits with a 2% match for all employees. The “back of house” staff is now salaried and servers make $25 an hour — nearly unheard of in the industry. (She’s also trying to institute a more intangible but equally rare culture shift of self-care, healthier habits and rest.)

“I’ve always wanted to create a more equitable restaurant. I’ve worked in this industry for a really long time, and I’ve never been taken care of,” Miranda says.

“If I can do that now in the dead of winter and make it work, then I know it can be sustainable for us in the future,” she adds.

As for the future: She’ll be closing the restaurant for a month in January (staff will get a paycheck) while investing in a more permanent patio structure to make sure outdoor dining can survive inclement weather in spring and next fall. But, she warns, the worst is yet to come for the industry and its workers.

While takeout and delivery might be a lifeline, it’s not enough.

“We don’t need more loans,” Miranda says. “We don’t need more debt to accrue.

There has to be either another [federal Paycheck Protection Program] or larger grants—or just someone really advocating for us.”

This comes back to the foundational idea of Musang’s, and the changes she’s trying to implement: There has to be a better way to take care of each other.

“This industry…,” she says. “The system isn’t broken; it was built this way.”

Now, as the industry lives through some of its hardest moments, Miranda is working to rebuild it. 

RESTAURANT CLOSURES IN WA Menu Concept Unit2020 Diff from Jan MARCH—SEPTEMBER, American General Cuisine -423 Menu Concept Unit Diff from Jan American/Other -171 American GeneralSpecific Cuisine -423 Coffee & DessertsSpecific -594 American/Other -171 Asian Cuisine -429 Coffee & Desserts -594 Other Cuisine Ethnic Cuisine -96 Asian -429 Pizza -140 Other Ethnic Cuisine -96 Pub & Sports Bars -53 Pizza -140 Burgers -36 Pub & Sports Bars -53 Deli Sandwiches -160 Burgers -36 Mexican Cuisine -178 Deli Sandwiches -160 Italian -47 Mexican Cuisine -178 Total -2327 Italian -47

Total

-2327

Business Concept Local Chain Business Concept National Chain Local Chain Independent National Chain Total Independent

Unit Diff from Jan -72Unit Diff from Jan -143 -72 -1852 -143 -2067 -1852

Total

-2067

Source: Washington Hospitality Association

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