VOL 40 NO 6 | FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

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

VOL 40 NO 6 FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Lunar New Year is one of the biggest international holidays with over 1.5 billion people across the globe celebrating new beginnings.

2021 is a year of the Ox, starting on Feb. 12 and lasting until Jan. 31st, 2022.

It will be a Metal Ox year.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by various Asian countries, regions and cultures with different traditions and customs.

FREE 39 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Celebrations usually take place over multiple days; the length varies for every culture. In China, Lunar New Year is also known as Spring Festival or Chūnjié.

South Korea (Seollal), Vietnam (Tết), Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar) and many other Asian countries and regions celebrate the holiday.

Be sure to pick up our special Lunar New Year issue next week. 

Speedy vaccine deployment threatens to leave behind most vulnerable

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Seattle grocery workers get $4 per hour mandatory hazard pay

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

SEATTLE — Seattle grocery workers just got a raise.

The new temporary, emergency Grocery Employee Hazard Pay Ordinance (GEHP) took effect on Feb. 3.

Grocery store businesses that employ more than 500 employees worldwide are now required to provide a hazard see GROCERY WORKERS on 14

Remembering

Dr. Uyenvy Pham getting her first shot at Swedish Health.

Authorities are encouraging doctors to share such photos with their patients to calm anxiety about the vaccine.

hello in Cantonese or Mandarin at the registration table.”

But in the cramped lobby of the Imperial House, a low-income building where residents live in tiny apartments packed closely together, Fu could barely navigate her walker between all the chairs set up by technicians, medical personnel, and observers.

City leaders are aware of the dilemma. Even as see PHAM on 11

Corky Lee

the unofficial Asian American photographer laureate

By Connie So FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On Jan. 27, the unofficial “Asian American photographer laureate,” Corky Lee, passed away from complications of COVID-19 at the age of 73. For over 50 years, Corky dedicated himself to capturConnie So and Corky Lee, May 28, ing the social and polit2017, Seattle Public Libary. ical lives of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) on camera.

His photographic activism began when he took a photojournalism class as a junior high student and saw the 1869 “Champagne Photo” taken at Promontory Point, Utah. As noted in his

Photo by Felicita Irigon

Courtesy of Dr. Uyenvy Pham

At first, everything seemed to go wrong as Fu Chen Ming-yue, 91, waited for her shot. The Seattle Fire Department, which would administer the vaccine, was over one hour late (they were delayed at another site). She couldn’t readily understand the instructions. And, in the end, the entire process took a half hour, at least.

The problem was that all the accommodations needed to finally get the needle into her white, snowy arm, as she pulled up her sleeve, were a trade-off for the speed that the governor is demanding as he tries to have as many people vaccinated in the shortest amount of time.

Acknowledging this, the fire department coordinator on site, Acting Captain Brian Wallace, said, “If we were just plowing through the population, the eldest to the youngest, that would speed things up, but our goal is to target people that slip through the cracks.”

Indeed, it took a small army to get Fu vaccinated.

Workers from the nonprofit Chinese Information and Services Center (CISC) went door to door yelling in Cantonese for residents to “da zhen” (get vaccinated). As more workers interpreted for her as she moved through the registration line, fire department staff took down a bevy of information, and more interpretation was needed to explain potential side effects.

“Some seniors feel anxious about getting the vaccine,” said Michael Itti, executive director of CISC. “The Seattle Fire Department staff showed great care and warmth with the seniors and even said

Community Health Excellence Award honorees 

4

see LEE on 12

THE INSIDE STORY COMMUNITY NEWS In remembrance of King T. Lee 6 NAMES IN THE NEWS New WWU Trustee Bruce Harrell  3

■

COMMUNITY HEALTH EXCELLENCE AWARD HONOREES  4 & 5

PUBLISHER’S BLOG From wine to food—The stories behind the health award  9

ASTROLOGY Predictions and advice for the week of February 6–12, 2021  13

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

2

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Happy New Year!

2021 Year of the Ox

Find more at www.QFC.com/lunarnewyear

Stem and Leaf Mandarins

1.88

lb

WITH CARD

Pummelo or Melogold Grapefruit

88

¢

Fresh Cut Tulips 10 Stem

lb

7.88

.00

WITH CARD

Lunar New Year Mum

Red or Yellow Dragon Fruit

3.88 WITH CARD

6” Pot

Asian Pears

14.88

2/$5 WITH CARD

Prices good at your local QFC store Thursday, February 4 through Friday, February 12, 2021.

To our staff and the dedicated health care workers everywhere

THANK YOU for your tireless efforts to keep us all healthy and safe!

(206) 788-3700 • ichs.com

YOUR VOICE

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS New WWU Trustee Bruce Harrell

Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed former Seattle City Council member Bruce Harrell to Western Washington University (WWU)’s Board of Trustees. He will serve a six-year term ending on Sept.

30, 2026.

Bruce Harrell WWU President Sabah Randhawa said Harrell “brings a wealth of experience in strategic thinking and advocating for equity and sound governance as a lawyer and public servant, and we look forward to the perspectives and energy he will bring.”

Harrell was also the only Asian American mayor in Seattle and he served two terms as City Council president.

He is a graduate of Garfield High School and the University of Washington (UW)’s law school. Harrell is married to Joanne Harrell, who was appointed by the governor to serve on the Board of Regents for the UW. 

Phillip Chu joins Helsell Fetterman

Phillip Chu

Phillip Chu has joined Helsell Fetterman’s litigation and medical malpractice groups.

A former prosecutor, Chu has a combined seven years of experience as a deputy prosecuting attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and as an Assistant City Prosecutor with the

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

asianweekly northwest

3

Seattle City Attorney’s Office.

Chu graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 2012, where he was a former member and copresident of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association. Prior to attending law school, he graduated from Whitman College with a BA in Philosophy and Economics. 

Bellevue College extends Locke’s contract

The Bellevue College Board of Trustees voted unanimously last month to extend the contract of former Gov. Gary Locke as interim president for up to two additional years.

Greg Dietzel, chair of the Bellevue College Board of Trustees, said, “This Gary Locke allows for stability in leadership and gives us time to launch a thoughtful and thorough national search for a permanent president.”

Locke was originally appointed interim president in May 2020.

“Working with faculty, staff, students, and the community, we still have much work to do—from delivering high quality education despite the pandemic to firmly embedding a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus,” Locke said. 

Asian-owned businesses highlighted

As part of one of the mayor of Renton’s weekly newsletters last month, three Asian-owned businesses

Viet-Wah market

were mentioned—as businesses across Renton that “have been working overtime to keep relationships with their customers healthy.”

Leeching and Duc Tran of Viet-Wah Asian Food Market, Jacqueline Nguyen of Papaya Silk Corporation, and Heng and Lange Woon of Common Ground Coffee & Cupcakes were highlighted in “Get to Know Your Customers Day,” which encouraged readers to patronize their, and other, businesses. 

150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

ENJOYING A NEW SHOWER IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK CALL TODAY newshowerdeal.com/wanews | 844-430-0118

asianweekly northwest

4

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

■ HONORING HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Community Health Excellence Award honorees ing opening the assisted living facility and adult family home, implementing a major building upgrade to Kin On Rehab & Care Center, and maintaining a high quality of care throughout the pandemic.

Kin On

Ray Tong

Kin On was the first nursing home in Washington to implement a “no visitors” allowed policy at the beginning of the pandemic. Despite the challenges, the Kin On team has provided seamless support to the most vulnerable population, upholding the CMS five-star nursing home quality rating, providing uninterrupted in-home care and social services while enduring the devastating office fire in the Chinatown-International District, and keeping elders active and connected through 20 hours of weekly virtual programming.

Nigel Lo

Nigel Lo

Dennis Lam: We are deeply grateful to Nigel (former Kin On CEO) for his leadership, vision, and dedication to Kin On during his tenure. Under his leadership, we have accomplished so much—includ-

Ray Tong is an occupational therapist and rehab director with 13 years of therapy and leadership experience under his belt. He currently serves as the rehab director Ray Tong for Judson Park in Des Moines—helping seniors regain their independence and improving their quality of life through education, teamwork, and therapy. He also volunteers at the Rainier Valley Food Bank and the International District Emergency Center in the International District.

Keith Koga

Keith Koga

demic.

Co-worker

Keith Koga is a clinical assistant nurse manager at Harborview, who helped plan and implement drivethrough and mobile COVID-19 testing clinics in the early phase of the panPamella

Guntrum

said,

“Keith has been instrumental in figuring out staffing, supplies, and logistics as the demand for testing rose from an average of 100 to over 200 tests per day. He does this with a calm demeanor. He is approachable and his team respects and works together with his leadership.”

Imei Hsu

Imei Hsu is a licensed mental health counselor and registered nurse. She maintains a private practice by delivering online counseling, with a subspecialty in helping Imei Hsu those with autoimmune diseases and chronic illnesses.

While volunteering for King County Public Health Medical Reserve Corps during the COVID-19 response, Imei volunteered time in the Isolation and Quarantine centers, COVD-19 testing, debriefing groups, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Dr. Edward Leonard

Dr. Edward Leonard

Dr. Edward Leonard is an infectious disease specialist at Overlake. Leonard graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

and has nearly three decades of diverse experiences. Seattle Metropolitan Magazine named Leonard as one of its “Top Doctors” for 2020.

Dr. Peter Hashisaki

Dr. Peter Hashisaki is an infectious disease specialist at Overlake with over four decades of experience in his field.

He was named one of Seattle Metropolitan Magazine’s “Top Doctors” in Dr. Peter Hashisaki 2020. Hashisaki is a graduate of University of Washington School of Medicine.

Dr. Gayle Robinson

Dr. Gayle Robinson is an assistant professor at Seattle University College of Nursing.

Tiffany Moss, com mu n icat ion s manager at Swedish Medical Center, nominated RobinDr. Gayle Robinson son “because of her continuous commitment to improving health care services to the community, with special emphasis on communities of color with the high see HONOREES on next page

Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Foundation

Community Health Excellence Awa Award rd HONOREES

ORGANIZATIONS

 Kin On

 ICHS

 ACRS Mental Health Department INDIVIDUALS  Nigel Lo, Former Kin On CEO  Keith Koga, Assistant Nursing Manager  B Imei Hsu, Licensed Mental Health Counselor & RN  Dr. Edward Leonard  Dr. Peter Hashisaki  Gayle Robinson, PhD, MN, BSN, RN  Dr. Arooj Simmonds  Kristy Carrington, Chief Nursing Officer  Rachel Wang Martinez, MHA, BSN, RN-BC  Roxanne Garcia, Neighborcare Health Administrator  Ray Tong, Occupational Therapist  Kia Truong, Health Center Manager, Bellevue Clinic  Tram Le, Health Center Manager, Holly Park Clinic  Rattana Chaokhote, Clinical Care Services Director

 Dr. Anthony Chen Director of Health  Winnie Lee Physician Assistant Assistant Medical Director  Scott Sato, Physician Assistant  Vy Pham, Physician  Leovelyn Tamayo Lead Medical Assistant  Missy Cruz Emergency Room Technician  Winona Hauge Radio Host, Health Resource  Rose Kim, Care Counselor

JIM DOANE

Honoree profiles will be featured in a special issue on Feb. 4. Virtual celebration will be on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 4-5 p.m. Zoom link meeting: http://bit. ly/3qwXfqy. For more info, email assunta@nwasianweekly.com

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

HONOREES from previous page prevalence of the coronavirus infecting these communities.”

She has consulted and taught classes on infection control and handwashing to staff and community workers at the Sisters in Common organization and at the Center for Multicultural Health. Moss called her “an outstanding source of continued inspiration to our Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization members and our student scholarship recipients.”

Dr. Arooj Simmonds

Dr. Arooj Simmonds, an anesthesiologist at Swedish, is a “creative problem solver, trusted colleague, and thoughtful collaborator,” according to Dr. Lynn Welling, Chief Medical Dr. Arooj Simmonds Officer of Swedish Health Services.

When Gov. Jay Inslee issued a mandatory shutdown on elective procedures across the state, Simmonds served as co-lead for Swedish’s surgical and procedural review committee.

“She developed a novel algorithm to determine which surgeries could move forward safely based on patient symptoms,” said Welling.

Kristy Carrington

Kristy Carrington

Kristy Carrington is the Chief Nursing Officer at Swedish’s First Hill facility. She leads operations of Women’s Health, which includes overseeing the 10th most baby deliveries in the

country.

During the pandemic, Carrington led efforts for staffing models, alternate sites of care protocols, and clinical operations.

“She is passionate about the highest quality care at the lowest appropriate cost for the community. She cares about her nursing team and she hosts a monthly breakfast with new nurses so she can get to know them,” said Dr. Welling.

Rachel Wang Martínez

Rachel Wang Martínez is Neighborcare Health’s director of nursing who “built a process from the ground up for staff to report COVID symptoms, Rachel Wang potential exposures, or other concerns so that a team could quickly follow up to advise on next steps and answer staff and patient questions,” according to Director of Marketing Communications Mary Schilder.

“Rachel also quickly became the go-to resource for the ever-evolving information on the virus. Because of her efforts, we have also been able to safely remain open to provide essential medical, dental, and behavioral health care our patients need and deserve, especially at a time like this.”

Roxanne Garcia

Roxanne Garcia

Roxanne Garcia joined Neighborcare Health in an administrative role at the peak of the pandemic to support its Housing and Street Outreach

team.

“Her contribution has meant that thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness and/or living in congregate settings were able to get tested and notified of their results so they could isolate and quarantine if positive to protect others, and get the assistance they needed,” said Schilder. “She brightens everyone’s day and maintains such a kind and caring attitude, all while learning a new job during a pandemic.”

Kia Truong

Kia Truong is the health center manager at International Community Health Services’ Bellevue clinic ICHS Marketing CommunicaKia Truong tions Manager Angela Toda said Kia was being recognized for her hard work, agility, optimism, and cheerful can-do attitude.

“In these times, it has been important to have people such as Kia, who serve as a daily source of hope and inspiration.”

Tram Le

Tram Le is the health center manager at ICHS’ Holly Park clinic. Le assumed the role of interim manager for three centralized teams, in addition Tram Le to her role as health center manager, without a front desk supervisor. Additionally, she also took on standardization of all workflows for the front desk and EPIC conversion for a brand-new electronic health care system.

a hand to all. He was the recipient of the Life Saver Award from the residency program for answering every desperate call, serving on interview committees, and helping to shoulder the burdens of program administration.”

Winnie Lee

Winnie Lee is a physician assistant and assistant medical director at ICHS’ Bellevue clinic.

Described as a “thoughtful and committed leader,” Winnie Lee Lee provided astute clinical acumen in identifying the first COVID-19 case at ICHS, which was also the first in the nation among community health centers and linked to the longterm facility that was hit early during the epidemic.

Scott Sato

Scott Sato

Scott Sato is a physician assistant at ICHS’ Holly Park clinic. Toda said, “He embodies a can-do attitude and willingness to lend

5

ACRS Mental Health Department

Dr. Uyenvy Pham

Dr. Uyenvy Pham is a primary care provider with obstetrics at ICHS’ Holly Park clinic. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, her family was brought as refugees to settle in Seattle.

“Probably because I was the first born and Dr. Uyenvy Pham was always the helper in my family, being a doctor always seemed like a natural career choice to me,” Pham said.

She also helps in the development of new providers working for both the ICHS Nurse Practitioner Residency Program and the Family Medicine Residency.

Leovelyn Tamayo

Leovelyn Tamayo is the lead medical assistant at ICHS’ Holly Park clinic.

“She stepped in and functioned as the interim medical assistant supervisor through the pandemic,” said Toda. “She mounted the most sucLeovelyn Tamayo cessful flu vaccine clinic at Holly Park with over 500 vaccines in four days. She is a calm leader with a pleasant demeanor and winning smile.”

All ICHS staff

A group of ACRS mental health program staff in 2015

Yoon Joo Han is the behavioral health director at Asian Counseling and Referral Service. She was recognized for “working quickly, and with innovation, to deliver behavioral health and recovery services” to the vulnerable population that ACRS serves.

Dr. Anthony Chen

Dr. Anthony Chen is the Director of Health at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

His team leads the response to the COVID-19 public health emergency in Tacoma and Pierce Dr. Anthony Chen County.

He promotes a policy, systems, and environmental change approach to advance the Health Department’s vision of healthy people and healthy communities.

A Duke University medical school graduate, Chen developed expertise in access to healthcare, cross-cultural medicine, and cultural competency in healthcare. Chen also serves on state and national public health committees; regional planning bodies; and local, state, and congressional district committees on healthcare access and reform.

Winona Hollins-Hauge

Rattana Chaokhote

Rattana Chaokhote is the clinical care services director at ICHS’ International District clinic. She led the infection preRattana Chaokhote vention and control response to COVID-19 at ICHS, committing many hours to drafting guidelines, training staff, and investigating exposures, along with her other responsibilities of leading nursing and nutrition, and comprehensive care services.

ICHS Marketing Communications Manager Angela Toda called Chaokhote “an agile and goal-directed leader, key to successful organizations.”

asianweekly

Courtesy of ACRS

YOUR VOICE

northwest

ICHS statement: The ICHS clinics cannot run without the combined effort of every individual who works here. This pandemic has presented us with unimaginable challenges in our lives… without the unusual strength and perseverance of our staff, we would not have been able to continuously provide quality care to all our patients while caring for each other.

The dedication, resolve, and adaptability of ICHS staff is the reason why we continue to be at the forefront of community-centered care.

Special mentions: Linh Lam Van, Clinic Support Supervisor, International District Clinic; Phuong To, Lead Medical Receptionist; Grace Wang, Physician, Holly Park Clinic; Alan Chun, Physician; Marily Sta Maria, RN; Diana Toepfer, RN; Thu Nguyen, Medical Assistant; Yen Do, Medical Assistant; Tina Kim, Lead Medical Receptionist; Nguyet Vo, Lead Medical Records Specialist; Phan Truong, Lead Medical Referral Specialist; Qing Weng, Clinic Support Supervisor; Sunny Hwang, Patient Services Supervisor; Faith Flores, Dental Clinical Support Supervisor; Cheryl Dilag, Dental Clinical Support Supervisor; and Viktoria Garkavi, Dental Clinical Support Supervisor.

Missy Cruz

Missy Cruz is an emergency room technician at the University of Washington Medical Center.

She contracted COVID-19 from a patient in the early days of the pandemic and recovered.

She was recognized for Missy Cruz raising public awareness of the virus, encouraging cooperation, and promoting unity during the pandemic.

Winona Hollins-Hauge is a licensed clinical social worker who has brought together corporate, faithbased churches, nonprofits, and community donors during the pandemic.

Hollins-Hauge has Winona HollinsHauge built a solid joint venture to help build a food security outreach partnership with Seattle King County Parks Department and Seattle Public Schools, with the leadership of Together Washington, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Mount Zion Baptist Church Women’s Ministry, Grandmothers against Gun Violence, the National Council of Negro Women, and a large number of community donors from around the Pacific Northwest.

Rose Kim

Rose Kim of Korean Women’s Association is being recognized for “innovative leadership in delivering culturally responsive care coordination and health education for limited English proficiency Korean Americans in Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties.” 

Honorees will be honored at a virtual event on Feb. 9, 4-5 p.m. http://bit.ly/3qwXfqy for more info, please contact assunta@nwasianweekly.com

6

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

In remembrance of King T. Lee

By Christal Lee FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY If you have dined at a variety of restaurants in the Puget Sound area, it is likely you have been indirectly affected by my father’s work (chances are higher if you frequent restaurants featuring Asian cuisines). Since 1983, King T. Lee has been supplying, remodeling, designing, and constructing restaurants and food service establishments in our community and beyond. Our family is heartbroken to announce that he can no longer continue the work he loved so much, as he passed suddenly at age 68 in late 2020.

King’s passing is a great loss to our community. Not only did he have a commitment to helping his customers and vendors, he was also active in supporting the Seattle Chinese community through philanthropic efforts and volunteer work.

If you ever listened to Chinese language programming on KRAB-FM 107.7 in the 1970s, you heard my father’s voice. If you were involved early on at the inception of the Chinese Information and Services Center, you knew him as a volunteer. If you have picked up a free copy of the Chinese Christian Herald Monthly Chinese language newspaper, my father may have been the one who delivered it and you may have read articles he wrote. If you were a member of or attended any events organized by the Seattle Chapter of the National Association of Chinese Americans, you knew my father. If you have been involved with the

King Lee and his children

King Lee

Board of Directors at Kin On Healthcare Center, you may have worked with him to build the new Assisted Living facilities.

King’s volunteer efforts over the decades stemmed from an interest in advancing the Chinese American community, as well as from a deep love for Christ. He had started thinking that after retiring, he might study theology so that he could serve in another capacity.

King Lee was the quintessential immigrant entrepreneur. I will never lose the immense respect that I have developed

for him as I have become an adult, learning about his journey through the big leap that immigrants take in leaving everything they know behind to pursue their American dream. As a university student, he worked multiple jobs, washing dishes in restaurants and as a janitor to put himself through school. He graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After working for the City of Seattle, he started multiple business ventures over the years. I still don’t understand how he set off from Hong Kong in 1971 with $1,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $1,093 USD in 2021) sewn into a secret pocket in his pants and managed to build a successful life including Monarch Trading Corporation which, with a partner and investment from his family, he worked to build from a single paper product

King Lee

company into a full-service restaurant design and construction company, which operated for 36 years. He dedicated his life to his work, helping many others grow their businesses along the way. Anyone who has worked with a parent understands it can be challenging, but I know how lucky I am that I was able to spend the last two and a half years helping him work to wind up the company he loved. Despite being criticized by some for working so hard, King’s work ethic was a major source of the see LEE on 12

NYC mayoral hopeful Andrew Yang tests positive for COVID-19 NEW YORK (AP) — New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Feb. 2.

“After testing negative as recently as this weekend, I have taken a positive COVID rapid test,” Yang said on Twitter.

“I’m experiencing mild symptoms, but am otherwise feeling well & in good spirits.”

The 46-year-old entrepreneur said he is quarantining and following public health guidelines.

Yang, who campaigned unsuccessfully for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, announced last month that he is running for mayor. He is one of more than two dozen candidates who have filed papers to run in the June 22 Democratic primary to succeed the term-limited

Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Yang was born in upstate Schenectady and has lived in New York City since attending law school at Columbia University in the 1990s.

He was forced to quarantine earlier after a campaign aide tested positive for the coronavirus. 

View the solution on page 14

Assunta Ng

Account Executives

John Liu

rebecca@nwasianweekly.com

Ruth Bayang

kelly@nwasianweekly.com

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

Han Bui Layout & Web Editor han@nwasianweekly.com

Rebecca Ip Kelly Liao John Liu

john@nwasianweekly.com

George Hira

ghira@nwasianweekly.com

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

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

asianweekly northwest

7

LILLY FOR BETTER At Lilly, we are constantly evolving the way we discover, develop and manufacture medicines to bring new treatments to the people who need them even faster – and expand access to these medicines for even more people around the world. lilly.com 2019 CA Approved for External Use PRINTED IN USA ©2019, Eli Lilly and Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Lilly-Northwest-Asian-Weekly-Ad-1.indd 1

2/13/19 11:56 AM

8

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Happy Lunar

N E W

R A E Y

Rod Dembowski

King County Councilmember District 1 www.kingcounty.gov/dembowski

For more information on the King County Council, the legislative branch of our county government, visit: www.kingcounty.gov/council. For more information about county programs and services, please visit: www.kingcounty.gov.

NWAsianWeekly_HealthCareWorker_Ad_02022021_fnl.pdf

1

2/2/21

11:08 AM

Thank You! Chan Liu Sui-Ching, our beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully at the age of 102 on January 15, 2021.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

We thank the four generations of family members and guests who attended her viewing and memorial service on January 27th and 28th at Sunset Hills Funeral Home in Bellevue. Your kindness and support have given us much comfort in this difficult time.

The donations and flowers from our friends and relatives are much appreciated. Your contributions will be donated in memory of Chan Liu Sui-Ching to Kin On Nursing Home and Swedish Hospital.

Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and condolences.

YOUR VOICE

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

asianweekly northwest

From wine to food The stories behind the health award Sponsors of Community Health Excellence Award

Tim Otani External Affairs Manager Corporate Social Responsibility MUFG Union Bank “MUFG Union Bank is proud to recognize those frontline workers who are helping us, individually and collectively, to be safe.

Taking care of your personal health has always been important. But perhaps now, more than ever, it is a critical need.

In this time of crisis, we can clearly see how individual health care is really a community-wide concern. We applaud all of those working in the community to meet our health care needs.”

Brad Goode Director of Marketing Communications Washington Federal Bank “At WaFd Bank, we’re reminded of the vital work our health care responders perform every day during this pandemic. We are honored to shine a spotlight of gratitude and appreciation on their dedication and selfless efforts to keep us all safe. Thank you.”

health care heroes within the community whenever we have the opportunity. Their selfless act and dedicated passion for serving those in need are the primary force that positively impact and tackle the COVID-19 pandemic challenges we’re facing every day.”

Jim Doane Attorney “I support the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Community Health Excellence Award Program because the honorees

Rocky Fong Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility U.S. Bank “I think it is important to recognize our

are role models fighting for us on the frontlines of this pandemic. We need to tell their stories.”

Leeching Tran Vice President Viet-Wah Group “We owe so much to our community health care workers who have been vital not only during this pandemic, but day-to-day as well.

They have gone above and beyond their call of duty and Viet-Wah is grateful and honored to be able to recognize them in this way.”

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY More than 2,900 U.S. health care workers have died due to COVID-19 since last March, and 65% of them are people of color, according to The Guardian.

There are 387,901 cases of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Health care workers have paid a steep price to fight COVID on the front lines. Many are exhausted, working double shifts each day. Everywhere, there is a shortage of COVID doctors and nurses. How are these workers going to endure this long, challenging battle against the relentless COVID in the ICU for days, weeks, and months ahead?

With different COVID variants from England, South Africa, and Brazil, the pandemic is not going to end soon, and likely to drag on late into the year. Many individuals and groups have done their share to support health care workers by donating meals. I love that artists have painted portraits or took photos of them, capturing their emotions and courage, exhibiting their work as heroes in different indoor and outdoor spaces. But is it enough? What can we do as individuals and organizations to show our appreciation and boost morale for those who have saved lives?

“If no one else is doing it, I will,” said the late community leader Al Sugiyama.

His point is, don’t just talk about it, do something for those who need your love, support, and help.

We took Al’s words to heart. Besides raising awareness of the health care workers’ plight and dedication, the Asian Weekly would like to say ‘thank you’ in a memorable way.

I confess that I had numerous doubts and fears before I organized it. The negatives were overwhelming. I used to be confident in organizing all our events. But regarding the health event, I was filled with conflicting emotions. I guess I am human, too.

The difficulty is we didn’t know where to begin, even though we hatched the idea last September. How to find them— from hospitals, clinics, or private health care professionals? There are so many of them. We needed an outsider to help us move forward. However, we did know see BLOG on 15

PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE Seattle Service Resumes from March 2021*

We are pleased to announce the return of Seattle — Tokyo (Narita) service from March 2021* with connections to select cities beyond.

Travelers with essential needs can plan with confidence with our flexible change policy and enhanced JAL FLYSAFE measures.

For terms & conditions and the latest schedules, visit www.jal.com.

Flight Schedule Flight No.

Departure

Arrival

JL067/AA8445

Seattle 12:30

JL068/AA8446

Narita

18:30

LIMITED-TIME OFFER JAL COVID-19 COVER

Operation

Aircraft

Narita 16:00 (Next Day)

Wed/Fri/Sun

JAL SKY SUITE 787

Seattle 10:30

Tue/Thu/Sat

JAL SKY SUITE 787

* Above schedules for 3/3 ~ 3/27/21 (NRT departure from 3/2), and subject to gov’t approval. SEA departures/arrivals will be 1 hour later between 3/14 and 3/27/21. Schedule and equipment subject to change. Flights operated by JAL and marketed by JAL and American Airlines (AA).

www.jal.com

9

10

asianweekly northwest

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

39 YEARS

YOUR VOICE

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

they continue to push for more equitable distribution of the vaccine, which requires numerous supports and more time, they face pressure to distribute their doses as quickly as possible. Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that those providers that did not use up all their vaccines within seven days could lose additional allotments, and paired up with Starbucks and Amazon to begin mass deployment.

“It's a tension that folks have been discussing at various levels of government, between speed and scale up relative to equity,” said Seattle Deputy Mayor Mike Fong. “If you want to achieve and accomplish an equitable frame, it will require some of these supports, it will take some coordination with providers that have relationships with those communities, it will take interpretation and translation services, it will take us going to community rather than community coming to us.”

In some cases, the city has had to go to bat for local agencies that serve the most vulnerable populations.

While the Virginia Mason Medical Center, teaming up with Amazon, administered 2,000 shots last month, the only clinic in the Chinatown-International District (ID) capable of giving vaccines did not get a single dose allotted to it by the state for the past two weeks.

After countless calls to various government contacts, Teresita Batayola, president and CEO of International Community Health Services (ICHS), finally contacted the mayor’s office, which pressured the public health department for Seattle and King County. ICHS then obtained 500 doses.

“That call was the key fulcrum,” said Batayola.

But in deploying them, she and her partners in the CID sometimes faced even worse bottlenecks than the fire department did.

Aware that elderly, vulnerable people were spread out around the area, community leaders even as early as March made the decision they would have to organize them for testing or treatment in existing groups, by building or employer, said Maiko WinklerChin, executive director of Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), which receives funding from the city and manages low-income public housing in the neighborhood.

But reaching out to privatelyowned buildings, particularly when they only had a few days to use their vaccine allotment (SCIDpda partnered with ICHS), was practically impossible, although Winkler-Chin achieved some success.

Oftentimes, despite working through multiple agencies and people, it took days just to contact the management of a building.

Some, for instance, were owned by family associations or Tongs, with complicated ownership structures and opaque managerial systems involving family members and many others.

For one building, she was first told there were 15 people ready to be vaccinated. Later, however,

Courtesy of Dr. Uyenvy Pham

PHAM from 1

Dr. Uyenvy Pham, standing, at her 4th birthday in a refugee camp in Thailand with her family. Her experiences help her connect with her patients, 80% of whom speak Vietnamese

someone else simply said there was “some interest.” ICHS, which was distributing the vaccines, had only days to use them up or lose their chance for more in the future. So Winkler-Chin, not wanting to jeopardize ICHS’ supply, asked for only 50 doses. In retrospect, she would have asked for more, she said.

With the help of ICHS, she and her staff quickly held shot clinics in the basement of one of their low-income buildings, the Bush Hotel, for residents and others. They also worked with the fire department at other locations.

But for those who don’t live in the ID or are not on the ICHS list of patients, there’s no immediate hope of even getting in the line for a shot. Many of the smaller, familyowned clinics in the ID have patients they’ve been seeing for decades who are scattered all over the area, from Rainier Valley to Renton.

Dr. Sing Lam has over 9,000 patients spread out around the region who come to him due to the trust they’ve built up with him over long relationships, he said. But Lam, who does not even receive doses of the flu shot until two months after the big pharmacies do, is unable to vaccinate his patients.

The sole pharmacy in the ID where shots could be distributed cannot handle the Pfizer vaccine, which requires ultra cold temperatures. Nor is there any plan to apportion it the Moderna vaccine, Lam said.

As a result, only a handful of his patients

have been vaccinated.

Like other marginalized populations, many of them are wary of the vaccine and rely on doctors they know, like Lam, to assuage their fears.

Still, it may take larger community organizations to step in.

“A doctor’s wife just emailed me while I’m on the phone, and she said most of her clients don’t live in the neighborhood, but I’m going to have to tell her that we’re really focusing on Chinatown and I will have to get back to her, that I’ll contact ICHS and the Asian Counseling and Referral Service for the organizations that they work with,” said Winkler-Chin.

Complicating the process, refugees and some immigrants often need a familiar face to overcome hesitation about getting a vaccine.

“I’m afraid to get a shot, but the virus is horrible. I’m even more afraid to get it, so I have no choice, I have to come,” said Huang Hui-lan, 73, standing outside the Imperial House waiting for the vaccine. Huang came to the U.S. from southern China in 1986 and worked as a seamstress until recently. CISC called her and in Cantonese urged her to get a shot.

And for those fleeing war and other catastrophes, the fear can be greater.

“Most of the refugees are kind of wary, they don’t know the system and have so many barriers, most need a friendly face to ask, ‘What’s going to happen to me, what are you going to do to me?’” said

asianweekly northwest

11

Dr. Uyenvy Pham, a family medicine and obstetrics doctor at ICHS. Like 80% of her clients, Pham speaks Vietnamese, and she shares a background that allows her to reach refugees who’ve come through even the most horrific experiences. As a child, Pham fled Vietnam in a small boat that was regularly swamped with hammerhead sharks and attacked by pirates.

Another challenge is defining where the most vulnerable population resides.

“The CID has the highest concentration of seniors, the highest rate of poverty, and the highest concentration of those who do not speak English as a first language,” said Winkler-Chin. Moreover, the limitations of low-income housing in the area could also contribute to outbreaks.

“Many seniors live in congregate housing where they share kitchen space and laundry facilities. These risk factors, plus the use of online eligibility and appointment systems that require English and technology skills, mean seniors in the ID face many challenges and need assistance to improve their wellbeing,” said Itti.

King County, as a whole, however, gained 200,000 people, growing by 11% according to the 2010 census. Half of those were foreign-born. And yet online registration for a vaccine in South King County, which is the most diverse, is in English only.

Although the state changed its allocation formula last week, with the stated goal of giving weight to community health centers that serve low-income populations, the effects seem lagging.

This week, again, ICHS got zero shots (although it did get 100 booster shots for its Shoreline clinic).

“The State Department of Health has to start giving us guaranteed numbers so we can work on our elderly frail population,” said Batayola.

Earlier last month, the governor also broadened the criteria for vaccinations to include people over 65 years old along with those over 50 in multigenerational households, “but they left out equity in the distribution,” she said. “Unless they tie action to policy, it’s so easy to miss equity.”  Dr. Pham will be honored at a virtual event on Feb. 9 from 4-5 p.m., http://bit.ly/3qwXfqy.

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

12

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Photo by Rebecca Ip

LEE from 1

Corky Lee and his partner, Karen Zhou made an unannounced visit to the Northwest Asian Weekly office.

profile at New York University’s Asian/Pacific/American Institute, this photograph “commemorated the completion of the transcontinental railroad and showed workers posing with two trains, one from the Central Pacific and one from the Union Pacific. But something was wrong with this picture. No Chinese workers.” Realizing the injustice of their exclusion, Corky dedicated himself from that point forward to making APIAs visible. Many of Corky’s photographs are of everyday APIA communities like Chinatowns, to preserve history and restore pride.

The son of Chinese immigrants, Corky became the first in his family to graduate from college (City College of New York). He then followed his passion to become a self-taught freelance photographer. His photographs have appeared in The New York Times, Time Magazine, the Associated Press, and various Asian American media outlets. Among his earliest well-known photos are those of the protests against the Vietnam War and police brutality, including one after a Chinese American was beaten by New York police in 1976. Corky also documented the national protest against the no-jail-sentence that the murderers of Vincent Chin received in 1982, an event that arguably led to the pan-Asian movement. In 2014, Corky famously recreated the “Champagne Photo,” but this time, with the Chinese American descendants of the original railroad workers as the focus.

While I did not know Corky well, I had the pleasure of working with him in 2017. In February of that year, he and I were part of a group of concerned APIAs who wanted to ensure that the Chinese, and other BIPOCs, will be honored on the anniversary of Golden Spike Day (May 10, 1869), particularly because Chinese contributions to the building of the transcontinental railroad were diminished and ignored during the 100th anniversary celebration. Many of us wanted to generate excitement and express righteous indignation about having to wait 50 years for proper recognition. We collectively acknowledged that another lecture might be boring and that we would probably be “preaching to the choir.”

Corky offered that if any group wanted, he would help generate enthusiasm for the 150th anniversary of Golden

LEE from 6 great respect my family and I have for him.

My admiration for my father grew even more as I got to see how highly respected he was by his customers, the machine shop fabricators that stayed with him for almost 20 years, the vendors that he worked with, and the inspectors who knew the quality of his work. Those that I met over the past couple years had only praise to share with me and so many told me how funny he was and what a good guy he was. One vendor salesman, who my dad had known for over 20 years, recently told him that my dad’s extra efforts helped him to put food on his family’s table. A Thai restaurant owner told me that he specifically sent all the other Thai restaurant owners he knew to King Lee. All his hard work was invested with

Spike Day by exhibiting for free his photographs showcasing the APIA experience. As an academic and an officer in OCA Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater Seattle, I immediately told Corky that I would be willing to help organize such an event in Seattle, albeit a low-cost event since there was little time to fundraise or apply for grants. Corky said he was serious about helping and volunteered to travel to Seattle for free. In two months, working collaboratively with the Department of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle Public Library, Northwest Asian Weekly, and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, we debuted a popup exhibit, “Chinese Americans: Inclusion/Exclusion,” on Memorial Day, during APIA Heritage Month.

We had a great turnout and people enjoyed meeting Corky and viewing his work. But the most important part of this story is not the actual exhibit nor the event.

Even though Corky said not to pay him, I planned to give him an honorarium in a lisee (a red envelope representing luck/blessings). But he refused to accept it because he wanted the money to go to students instead.

He told me he had money coming and would be fine. We went back and forth and joked that we were acting like our parents fighting to pay a restaurant bill. By the end, I prevailed. But not entirely. Corky then autographed and donated his 2014 photograph of Chinese Americans at Promontory Point, Utah, and told me to use it to raise funds to sponsor OCA-GS interns. That was the only way he would accept the lisee. The photo was already carefully wrapped and prepped for framing, so he had obviously planned to give it to me as a gift for OCA-GS. I was truly touched by his selflessness and generosity.

Corky is a legendary photographer and well-known for capturing the APIA experience. But the reason his photographs resonated so much with those who saw them was the way they also reflected his “heart”—his love, generosity, and concern for others, especially those in the APIA community. He, in fact, stayed true to his life’s mission to the very end, photographing recent hate crimes against APIAs over the past year then, once he was hospitalized, the abundance of flowers he received from friends and community members who wanted to honor our unofficial APIA photographer laureate. Rest in peace, Corky Lee. 

the goal of benefiting the company as it provided livelihoods for others, helping others if he could, and providing for his family, building a life for us that was better than his own. Witnessing so many people in the community approach him for a friendly chat when he was out and about and knowing how proud of his kids he was, I would say he succeeded. He taught my brothers and I more than he realized. With his quiet manner, he led by example. Sometimes he did try to teach us various lessons when we were young, but to his great frustration, we often didn’t take those efforts seriously, even going so far as to hide the books he wanted to share. My father wanted to supplement the teachings we learned in Sunday school, but I don’t think he fully realized how much we absorbed just from being around him and observing how well he treated others.

“When I think of Corky, what I remember the most was when he was trying to take this photo at Promontory Point in 2019 during the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike Ceremony, marking the completion of the Transcontinental railroad. He wanted to correct history by showing who the real railroad workers were, not the people depicted in an iconic photograph taken 150 years ago. He was instrumental in getting descendants of the original Central Pacific railroad workers to come to the ceremony on May 10, 2019 to celebrate… and then set up a new iconic photograph featuring those Chinese descendants.”

— Al Young “Corky was an astute and passionate photo artist, dedicated to the social justice of recording, preserving, promoting, and informing about Chinese and Chinese A merican culture and contributions, and dedicated to exposing discrimination and exclusion of Chinese American roles and accomplishments in American history. While being a bold advocate, Corky never called attention to his role. He was very approachable.

Corky Lee's contributions and powerful photo images are legendary. He will be tremendously missed.”

— Bettie Luke

He almost always took the short end of the stick and even though he had been burned many times, he always maintained a generous spirit. He was endlessly goodnatured. What other Chinese father would allow his children to address him by his first and last names? Deeply disrespectful to probably any other father out there, our exclamations of “King Lee!” were always met with a smile, as this had become a term of endearment in our family.

I regret that he couldn’t enjoy his retirement in the last year since we shut down the physical company location.

King loved to travel and he planned to see so many more places, even discussing just days before his passing the cruises he planned to take with my mom. I am so glad that despite spending most of his time working long hours at the company, he did occasionally take time to vacation with his

family, taking us to karate tournaments around the country, and to travel around the world with my mom and their friends.

The greatest honor was having King Lee for a father and the greatest gifts are the positive qualities of altruism, integrity, dedication, generosity, and the multitude of others he cultivated and inspired in his surviving relatives. King Lee’s gentle, helpful, and unassuming ways touched the lives of countless people and his legacy of working hard with a good heart lives on through the rest of us who were lucky enough to be enriched by his influence.

We look forward to celebrating his life at a future date when it is safe and sensible to do so.  Christal can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of February 6–12, 2021

By Sun Lee Chang Rat—Skepticism looms large from where you stand. For once, you will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Dragon—Without warning, something has caught your fancy. If it is fun, give your permission to delve deeper.

Monkey—To streamline the process, jettison some of your usual practices. Embrace the change rather than resisting it.

Ox—One by one, everything seems to be falling into place, further proof that you have made the right choice.

Snake—While small annoyances don’t seem to amount to much, they add up. Likewise, the same is true of many good things.

Rooster—Once the excuses disappear, you are left with nothing to hide behind. Step forward and take charge of what comes next.

Tiger—The brightest star doesn’t necessarily last the longest. Make your choice based on more than just one factor.

Horse—Wisdom is a byproduct of time and experience. It should give you an advantage over those who are not as well versed.

Dog—Though you might lag behind initially, your persistence will allow you to make up much ground.

Rabbit —Is there someone that you really want to see? Instead of leaving it to chance, make it a point to schedule a meeting.

Goat—Striking out more than you care to admit? Focus on a game that is better suited to your strengths.

Pig—Any lingering doubts should soon be swept away, as you begin to realize what a great opportunity you have in your hands.

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, 2021 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.

ADVERTISE STATEWIDE with a $325 classified listing or $1,575 for a display ad. Call this newspaper or 360344-2938 for details.

DO YOU OWE OVER $10,000 to the IRS in back taxes?

Our firm works to reduce the tax bill or zero it out completely FAST. Let us help! Call 888-994-1405. (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST).

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details, 855635-4229.

LIFE ALERT. One press of a button sends help FAST, 24/7! At home & on the go. Mobile pendant with GPS. FREE First Aid Kit (with subscription.) CALL 855-8681518 FREE Brochure.

GENERAC Standby Generators. The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages.

FREE 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Schedule your FREE in-home assessment today. Call 1-888-6747053. Special financing for qualified customers.

STILL PAYING TOO much for your MEDICATION? Save up to 90% on RX refill! Order today and receive free shipping on 1st order, prescription required. Call 1-844369-9317.

Join the region’s college of choice, known for diversity and innovation. job opportunities, great employee an inclusive work environment.

We are hiring Assistant Professors (Tenure-Track) for the following disciplines:

• Open Educational Resource Librarian • English • Cultural and Ethnic Studies • Digital Media Arts • Political Science • Health Promotion and Management APPLY AT:

https://apptrkr.com/2124288 Bellevue College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, language, ethnicity, religion, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, disability, or age in its programs and activities.

Please see policy 4150 at bellevuecollege.edu/policies/ . The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator, 425-564-2641, Office C227, and EEOC/504 Compliance Officer, 425-564-2178, Office R130.

Year of the Ox

celebration NWAW’s LNY Costume Contest 2020’s winners, from left: Laurie Yaokum, Vivian Zhao, and Natalie Lo.

WE WANT TO SEE PHOTOS

of your Lunar New Year costume

Attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration and photos must be your own.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Winner gets a stuffed ox from one of our sponsors and a highlighted photo in the Northwest Asian Weekly newspaper on Feb. 28.

Adults & children are welcome to participate. Please submit photos to info@nwasianweekly.com or online at http://nwasianweekly.com/post-image

by Feb. 20. No virtual celebration.

14

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

CLASSIFIED EMPLOyMENT

NOTICE

Part-time Cook in Everett between 25-30 hours a week.

This person must speak English.

425-218-6478

KCHA will accept Bids from Qualified General Contractors for the Evergreen Court Water Line project located in Federal Way, WA. See website for details Mechanic at www.kcha.org/business/conFull-time. $32.51/hr - $35.84/hr. struction/open/ Performs journey-level diagnostic repair & maint on buses, vans & Find NWAW on trucks. Exp: 4 yrs journey-level social media on diesel mech OR recognized mech training + 2 yrs journey-level diesel Facebook, Twitter mech exp. Visit Instagram! kitsaptransit.appone.com to apply.

Kitsap Transit is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Advertize in our Service Directory below. Just $10 a week! Minimum: 12 weeks for $120.

Call John at 206223-0623 for more info.

Subscribe to the Northwest Asian Weekly $40 for one year.

Mail to: NW Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 or call 206-223-0623

Get your Classified Ad here now!

Place a 6 line classified ad for just $30! $5 per line and ad runs for a week.

Deadline Tuesday.

Circulation: Over 9000!

Call 206-223-0623 and ask for John.

Subscribe to the Northwest Asian Weekly $40 Name______________________ Address ____________________ City _________________State__ Zip Code ___________________ Phone _____________________ Mail to: NW Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 or call 206-223-0623 The American Legion Cathay Post 186

SERVICE DIRECTORY PSYCHIC READINGS BY DIANA

206-487-8236

(917) 344-9249

I can help you in all matters of life Love. Career. Luck. Family. Etc. Have you found your potential soulmate/twin Flame? Do you feel unlucky? I am gifted psychic 27 yrs exp. I will help where others have failed.

Immediate results.

$1,000/DAY

HONG LAW FIRM, PLLC

(737) 200-1055

Bankruptcy Chapter 7  Personal Injury Landlord-Tenant  Simple Wills

POSSIBLE ONLINE!

www.retirenow2018.com

pay of $4 per hour to their employees during the COVID-19 emergency. “We absolutely understand the rationale behind hazard pay and agree that grocery store employees deserve to be compensated for the risk they take by facing hundreds of customers daily,” said Leeching Tran, owner of Viet-Wah Asian Food Market.

In an 8-0 vote on Jan. 25, the City Council passed the legislation which does not apply to convenience stores or food marts primarily selling a limited line of goods, or farmers markets.

Denise Moriguchi is the CEO of Uwajimaya—which has fewer than 500 employees—so the store doesn’t meet the threshold for this new requirement.

Still, Moriguchi told the Northwest Asian Weekly that the company has been paying its frontline workers who engage with customers face-to-face a pay bonus of $1.50 per hour on top of regular wages since March 2020. As of Jan. 30, that increased to $2 over regular wages.

“Uwajiyama has prioritized the safety of our customers and our employees,” said Moriguchi. “In that regard, I am 100% aligned with the bill,” though she wondered if the bill gives the message that other essential workers are not important.

“Why this group and not another group?” she said.

Another Asian-owned grocery store, Lam’s Seafood Market, also does not meet the 500-employee requirement.

“However, I could see how this will have a greater indirect impact on our businesses,” said David Tran, general manager.

One of the negative effects of this bill is the immediate increase of grocery prices, he said. And that’s not all.

“Knowing how progressive Seattle is, I would bet that the 500-employee requirement is just a test at the beginning… they will use the same arguments to lower the requirements for future proposals.”

Tran would have prefered a tax break for grocery stores “so that we can better compensate our employees... and help us

cathaypost@hotmail.com

DONE RITE

CARPET CLEANING

GROCERY WORKERS from 1

Serving the community since 1946

206-856-8291  honglegal@gmail.com

Frank S. Hong, Attorney at Law avvo.com

lower the prices of groceries and that will directly benefit everyone.”

Leeching Tran said, “Although the $4/hour hazard pay requirement doesn’t directly affect small businesses, we once again find ourselves competing with the large companies and their vast resources.

We have been paying our employees bonuses since the beginning of the pandemic as appreciation for the risk they take coming to work each day and have done our best to adapt our stores to ever-changing safety standards to keep our staff and customers safe, without any government assistance. It has already been a challenge to keep our stores adequately staffed, but with other grocery employers paying significantly higher wages, we are worried about employees leaving to work for bigger companies

» PERSONAL INJURY

» WRONGFUL DEATH

» AIRLINE DISASTERS

» DOG BITES

» BICYCLE ACCIDENTS

» PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS

Mandarin, Cantonese & Korean Interpreter available

206-625-9104

WEBSITE: HLG.LAWYER

that pay more.”

Moriguchi also wondered about the long-term impacts of this bill.

“Could this potentially cause a food desert in some areas that may really need access to food?”

She said prioritizing more essential workers for the vaccine would increase the safety for all.

Seattle joins a national effort to require hazard pay for grocery store workers in cities, including Berkeley, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, West Hollywood, Berkeley, Oakland, Montebello, and Los Angeles County.  Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

YOUR VOICE BLOG from 9 that we wanted to inspire others to support health care workers. And if we honored them, we want to give more than just a plaque.

The inspiration

In the midst of wondering what to do, an unexpected email came in November.

“As we come up to the end of the year, I found a couple of dollars and wanted to run an idea past you,” said Tim Otani, vice president of community relations at MUFG Union Bank. “Do you have any upcoming ‘events’ that I might contribute towards?”

Otani had no clue that his words were like a vaccine shot in my arm, propelling me to cloud nine. I screamed with exhilaration. In any event we do, it is not easy to get support. But Otani volunteered to sponsor anything meaningful we come up with. And this is the second time he initiated sponsorship in less than a year. He wanted to see honorees getting restaurants’ certificates, too. How exciting to know that our supporters and us think alike!

Instantly, I responded with the proposal of honoring health care workers. He couldn’t agree more. It’s a win-win for the bank, workers, restaurants, and us. It drove us from being passive to firing up and moving.

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

asianweekly northwest

Last week, more good news. Jenny Chang, who owns a wine business, wanted to give John Liu, our associate publisher, a few bottles for his help in her community work.

Liu told me, “I don’t drink.” “Me neither,” I said, “But don’t say no. We can give wine to our honorees not connected to the above-mentioned health organizations.”

Specifically, it has to be red wine as it provides antioxidants and other health benefits. Each of the individual honorees will receive a restaurant certificate and a bottle of red wine. It’s the first time we have ever done this in our events. We cannot believe our fortune in making this event a reality.

And every honoree will get a short write-up in the Asian Weekly. Also, thanks to ICHS Interim Foundation Director Angela Toda, who gave me important advice so we can keep the ball rolling.

See you on Feb. 9, from 4-6 p.m., for Asian Weekly’s Community Health Excellence Award online. Here is the Zoom link: http://bit.ly/3qwXfqy. You may have a chance to interact with our honorees, in addition to saying thank you.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Wine and grocery

Viet-Wah’s owners have been generous, giving me several times more than I requested. Owners Duc Tran and his daughter Leeching offered gift certificates valued over thousands of dollars to organization honorees, ICHS, the ACRS mental health department, and Kin On Nursing Home. Wow! Duc Tran and his daughter Leeching

Public Health - Seattle & King County congratulates

Imei Hsu

on her Community Health Excellence Award!

Thank you, Imei Hsu, for supporting our community as a member of Public Health - Seattle & King County's Public Health Reserve Corps!

Imei has provided invaluable support to King County's Community Well-being Initiative, which supports our communities in navigating the emotional challenges of COVID-19. Since August, Imei has been providing debriefing support for first responders, and volunteered her time at Isolation & Quarantine Centers and COVID-19 testing sites. She also provided supervisory hours for a mental health provider to acquire licensure and support work in the Black community, in partnership with NAACP Seattle King County, Federal Way Black Collective, Rooted in Rights, and others.

About Imei B. Imei Hsu is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Nurse in the State of Washington. She maintains a private practice by delivering online counseling, with a subspecialty in helping those with Autoimmune Disease and chronic illness. She is an ultrarunner and Ironman, an avid hiker, and loves to travel. She lives with her husband and cat in Redmond, Washington.

About Public Health Reserve Corps The Public Health Reserve Corps (PHRC) is a nationally-recognized Medical Reserve Corps donating thousands of hours of services each year to promote the health and wellbeing of King County residents. Learn more & sign up to volunteer at www.kingcounty.gov/phrc

15

16

asianweekly northwest

FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 12, 2021

39 YEARS

Visit our website uwajimaya.com to see all of our Lunar New Year Specials!

Lunar New Year SALE February 3-16, 2021

HAPPY

HAPPY

URN A R LU NYELAAR NE!W YE NEW

AR!

Peel to Reveal Peel to Reveal Your Prize!

Your Prize!

2021

of Peel Year the toOx Peel to

W! IN! WIN

Redeem Your Prize Feb. 17 to Mar. 2, 2021

2021

Year of the Ox Redeem Your Prize Feb. 17 to Mar. 2, 2021

Lucky Red Envelope Card Spend $30 or more during our Lunar New Year Sale and receive a lucky red envelope card in honor of Lunar New Year. Peel to reveal your special prize!

While Supplies Last. Limit One Per Customer, Per Day. Not Valid on Curbside or Instacart Orders

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THE BELLE VUE COLLEC TION WELCOMES THE YE AR OF THE OX TH E B E L L E V U E CO L L EC TI O N is celebrating Lunar New Year with Virtual Presentations and Exhibitions. Go to our website to see traditional dances, crafts and more!

THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY Visit bellevuecollection.com/lunarnewyear for more ways The Bellevue Collection is celebrating the Year of the Ox.

Bellevue Square • Bellevue Place • Lincoln Square

FOLLOW US @bellevuecollection

LNY-2021_TBC_SeaChinesePost-NWAsianWkly_Ad_final.indd 1

1/25/21 9:36 AM