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VOL 40 NO 20 MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
FREE 39 YEARS YOUR VOICE
AAPI Heritage Month Coalition calls Local, state, and community leaders share their thoughts on the importance of celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, especially in this time of anti-Asian hate, bias, and violence.
“I am honored to proclaim May 2021 Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate Washington’s diverse communities and the role of the APA community in our state’s success story.Honoring this heritage matters even more in light of the disturbing trend of anti-Asian violence in this country. This month and always, we stand in solidarity as Washingtonians.” — Gov. Jay Inslee
“AAPI history is American history. Let’s reflect on how history lives on today, how we must constantly stay vigilant against racism directly at anyone, and how we have to continue the legacy of activism and organizing to achieve equality, equity, and justice.” — Teresita Batayola, ICHS President and CEO
for hate crime probe in John Huynh murder
John Huynh with his sisters, Binh (left) and Linda
By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Linda’s face is drooping. Binh’s is tight. The two sisters, sitting in the back of a car, looking into the screen of a Zoom call, are grieving in different ways. Linda, 25, tells a story of how her brother, John Huynh, see HUYNH on 12
see QUOTES on 15
Father, son stabbed by Sawant man refusing to wear mask violated TACOMA — Jin Hyun, 33, was released from the hospital on May 11—just a day after a customer stabbed him outside the Tacoma convenience store that he owns. Hyun told Q13 that a man entered The Corner Store on North 6th Street on the night of May 10, without a mask. He escorted the man outside and told him, “Sir, next time you come to the store, just have your mask on. Then he became upset, pulled out his knife, and stabbed me,” Hyun told Q13. Hyun’s father witnessed this and jumped to his son’s defense. “The guy started stabbing my dad multiple times and the crazy thing is he just walked away after that, like nothing happened,” said Hyun.
ethics code
Hyun’s father has also been released from the hospital. A GoFundMe page created by David Kim, Hyun’s friend, exceeded the fundraising goal of $15,000
within hours. “I am still wrapping my head around the fact that this could see HYUN on 13
THE INSIDE STORY
FINANCE How to save enough to buy your first home 3
■
SPORTS The Layup Drill 8
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Wing Luke UPLIFT campaign to support AAPI artists and creatives 9
SEATTLE — In a settlement agreement dated May 7 with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, City of Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant admitted that she violated the Seattle Ethics Code and the Elections Code “when she supported a proposed ballot proposition in her official Kshama Sawant capacity, including by using the City seal, her City website, City funds, and City employees to advance that ballot measure.” “This is the very reason we brought the recall effort against Sawant,” said Henry Bridger II, chair and campaign manager of Recall Sawant. “She’s been lying to the public all this time. Blatantly lied to our faces in public and consistently repeated by her followers.” The agreement—which was approved by commissioners on May 10—means Sawant must pay the city $3,516 within 30 days. The commission could impose a fine of up to $5,000 if she does not. A “Kshama Solidarity Campaign” website states that Sawant “did not break the law or use City resources to promote a ballot initiative. What big business is really see SAWANT on 14
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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39 YEARS
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Photo provided by SSCC
SeaTac International Mall grand opening
June 3 in a pane of 20. The Postal Service describes the stamp’s color scheme as patriotic, and the position of the lettering as suggestive of the vertical style in which Japanese text was traditionally written. The phrase “Go for Broke” is described as the motto of the all-Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team and came to represent all Japanese American units formed during WWII.
Cheng named president of Connecticut college system
SeaTac International Mall owners, supporters, and family gather for a ribbon-cutting on May 4.
The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce hosted a socially-distanced grand opening for SeaTac International Mall on May 4 at 20804 International Boulevard in SeaTac. The event was attended by several community leaders and organizers. The mall is a center for a diverse community of small businesses located in downtown SeaTac.
Go For Broke stamps A new United States forever stamp pays tribute to American soldiers of Japanese heritage who served in the U.S. military during World War II. The U.S. Postal Service has titled the stamp “Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWII.” It will be issued
Terrence Cheng, an only child of Taiwanese immigrants who rose in the academic world to become director of the University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus, was appointed on May 7 as the next president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Cheng will oversee 17 Terrence Cheng schools that serve more than 72,000 students. The 49-year-old, who also is an English professor at UConn, will begin his new job on July 2. Cheng called his new job an “incredible responsibility” and it will be one of his life’s greatest challenges, as well as one of his greatest honors. Cheng earned a bachelor's degree in English from Binghamton University and a master's degree in fiction from the University of Miami.
Ortiz Jones, next undersecretary of U.S. Air Force?
If the Senate confirms her, Gina Ortiz Jones will
become the first woman of color and Filipino American to serve as undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force. President Joe Biden nominated her on April 27. Ortiz Jones, 40, served in the Iraq war from 2003 to 2006 before running as the Democratic nominee for Congressional District 23 in Texas Gina Ortiz Jones in the 2018 and 2020 elections. The openly gay veteran served multiple positions in intelligence work, and performed military operations advisory roles after serving as an Air Force intelligence officer.
Chew receives Anne Focke Arts Leadership Award
The University of Washington School of Art + Art History + Design announced that Ron Chew is the 2021 recipient of the Anne Focke Arts Leadership Award. An online celebratory gathering hosted by the School’s Advisory Board will take place on May 14. Chew is a lifelong Seattleite, a graduate of the Ron Chew University of Washington, and served as executive director of the Wing Luke Asian Museum, as well as executive director of the ICHS Foundation.
Building stronger communities Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
At JPMorgan Chase, we know how important your community is to you and your family. We are taking actions to increase equity, affordability and access to housing for communities of color by: • Creating new home purchase loans and helping people with their closing costs and down payments • Helping thousands of families achieve lower mortgage payments through refinancing loans • Financing affordable rental units through new loans, capital improvements and other efforts To learn more visit, jpmorganchase.com/pathforward
© 2021 JPMorgan Chase & Co.
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
YOUR VOICE
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■ COMMUNITY HEALTH
WA state COVID news, updates, resources, and services
SPONSORED CONTENT
Food resources
If you have a child age 18 or younger they can receive free food from the schools. Adults with disabilities who are enrolled in educational programs can also qualify for school meals. In many cases, these meals are being delivered or dropped at off-school locations such as bus stops. Contact your school district to find out if they offer free meals. For those who are pregnant, new moms and children under the age of five, you may be able to get food through the Department of Health’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. For language assistance, call 1-866-632-9992. Food banks may have changed their hours or may be closed to walk-in traffic because of increased demand in food during Covid-19. Please call before going. Northwest Harvest is a statewide food bank network. Type the name of your city into the box left of the green box on this website.
Information and resources for families
This is a stressful time for the whole family. Here are some tips on how to handle this situation with your children: • Hold family discussions in a comfortable place and encourage family members to ask questions. • Consider having a separate discussion with young children in order to use language they can understand and to address their specific fears or misconceptions. • Stay in touch with family and friends by telephone or online services.
• Although you need to stay informed, minimize exposure to media outlets or social media that might promote fear or panic. • Focus on supporting children by encouraging questions and helping them understand the current situation. • If one person in your household gets exposed or has symptoms, isolate them as best as you can. It is best if they can have their own room and bathroom. Clean shared areas often and make sure everyone in the household wears a mask during the time anyone is sick or potentially contagious.
■ FINANCE
How to save enough to buy your first home Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co. For many people, the first step to buying a home is saving up for their down payment. It can feel like a difficult goal when you first start saving, even if you don't plan on buying for years. But there are a few things you can do to help speed up the process. Here are a few tips to help you start saving for your new home.
Determine your budget
Knowing how much you need to save will help you create a focused plan for reaching your goal. To do this, you need to consider how much you can afford for your new home. Keep in mind that most people can qualify for a bigger mortgage than they can comfortably afford. Use a mortgage affordability calculator to help you determine what you could borrow, then speak with a home lending advisor to better understand what fits your budget. Perhaps the most common down payment amount you’ve heard of is 20%, but there are lower down payment options available. However, a higher down payment can mean lower monthly payments, and you’ll pay less interest over the life of your loan. It can also help you avoid the extra expense of private mortgage insurance (PMI). Don't forget to calculate the other costs of buying a home including closing costs and fees, homeowners insurance and property taxes, and moving costs. By taking all these expenses into account, you'll have a better estimate of how much you'll need to save.
Think about your timeline
Thinking about when you want to buy a home will help you start planning for how to save. Decide on a time frame, then break your savings amount down into monthly amounts. For instance, say you want to buy a home in five years and you need to save $60,000 for the down payment and other costs: * You’d need to save $1,000 a month for five years ($60,000/60 months = $1,000 per month). Having a monthly savings plan can help you focus your efforts and make your down payment goal more achievable. It can also help you make better decisions about what you can afford and a reasonable timeline for doing so.
Pay down your debt
When you are trying to save for a home, it can feel counterintuitive to spend money paying down debt. After all, shouldn’t every extra penny be going into a savings account? Not necessarily. Paying down your debt can help with your home purchase in two main ways. It’s good for your credit score. Credit scores have a big impact when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. The better your credit score, the lower your mortgage interest rate is likely to be. By paying down your debt, you can have a positive impact on your credit score. It shows lenders you’re able to cover your expenses. It can free up savings in the future. By
paying down debt, you can gain some wiggle room in your monthly budget. The money you used to pay bills can now go directly into your savings account rather than paying interest on other debts like credit cards. The bonus is that you won’t notice the difference in your budget because the money was going out, anyway. Paying down your debt can help you once you buy your home, too. The money you were spending can now go toward updating and decorating your new place.
Reduce your expenses
Now’s a great time to take a close look at see FINANCE on 15
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MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
39 YEARS
■ NATIONAL NEWS
Jhene Aiko, Personal ties: Harris’ Saweetie to perform family in India where on AAPI advocacy COVID rages TV special By ALEXANDRA JAFFE ASSOCIATED PRESS
By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Platinum-selling performers of part-Asian descent, including R&B singer Jhene Aiko and rapper Saweetie, will perform on a TV special produced by The Asian American Foundation, the newly formed organization launched to improve AAPI advocacy. TAAF announced on May 6 that English icon Sting will also perform at “See Us Unite for Change—The Asian American Foundation in service of the AAPI Community.” It will air on May 21 on a number of channels, including MTV, BET, VH1, Comedy Central as well as Facebook Watch. TAAF’s launch comes as anti-AAPI hate and violence persist at alarming rates. Actor Ken Jeong will host the special, which will include appearances by Daniel Dae Kim and Lisa Ling and “will feature testimonials from leading Asian American public figures, as well as individuals working to enact change on the ground,” organizers said. The TV special coincides with
Jhene Aiko and Saweetie
TAAF’s See Us Unite campaign, and is designed to expand support for the AAPI community. The Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, The Henry Luce Foundation and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation have partnered with TAAF for the campaign, and funds raised will benefit several grassroot-led efforts, including Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Aiko, who is part-Japanese, is one of R&B’s top stars and has achieved multi-platinum status with songs like “Sativa,” “While We’re Young” and “The Worst.” Saweetie is of Chinese, Filipino and Black descent, and has released hits like “Tap In,” “My Type” and “Best Friend.”
Asian American health workers fight virus and racist attacks By JENNIFER PELTZ ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — Medical student Natty Jumreornvong has a vaccine and protective gear to shield her from the coronavirus. But she couldn’t avoid exposure to the anti-Asian bigotry that pulsed to the surface after the pathogen was first identified in China. Psychiatry patients have called her by a racist slur for the disease, she said. A bystander spat at the Thai-born student to “go back to China” as she left a New York City hospital where she’s training. And as she walked there in scrubs Feb. 15, a man came up to her, snarled “Chinese virus,” took her cellphone and dragged her on a sidewalk, said Jumreornvong, who reported the attack to police. The investigation is ongoing. For health care workers of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent, “it seems like we’re fighting multiple battles at the same time—not just COVID-19, but also racism,” says Jumreornvong, a student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
AAPI have faced a tide of harassment and attacks in many settings during the pandemic. But those in health care are feeling the particular, jarring anguish of being racially targeted because of the virus while toiling to keep people from dying of it. “People in my community have gone from being a health care hero to, somehow, a scapegoat,” said Dr. Michelle Lee, a radiology resident in New York. “We’re not bringing you the virus,” said Lee, who recalls strangers on the street spitting on her twice in the last year. “We are literally trying to help you get rid of the virus.” People of Asian and Pacific Islander descent make up about 6% to 8% of the U.S. population but a greater share of some health care professions, including around 20% of non-surgeon physicians and pharmacists and 12% to 15% of surgeons, physical therapists and physician assistants, according to federal statistics. Before the pandemic, studies found that 31% to 50% of doctors of Asian see RACIST ATTACKS on 12
WASHINGTON (AP) — G. Balachandran turned 80 this spring—a milestone of a birthday in India, where he lives. If not for the coronavirus pandemic, he would have been surrounded by family members who gathered to celebrate with him. But with the virus ravaging his homeland, Balachandran, a retired academic, had to settle for congratulatory phone calls. Including one from his rather famous niece: Vice President Kamala Harris. During a Zoom interview on May 6 from his home in New Delhi, Harris’ uncle said he spoke with the vice president and her husband, Doug Emhoff, for quite a while. To close out the conversation, Harris assured him she’d take care of his daughter—her cousin—who lives in Washington. “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll take care of your daughter. I talk to her quite a lot,” Balachandran recalls Harris telling him in their March conversation. It was the last time they had a chance
to speak. Since then, the coronavirus has raged out of control in India, overwhelming the health care system and killing hundreds of thousands of people. Harris addressed the crisis in taped remarks at a State Department event on May 7 on COVID-19 relief efforts in India. She called the surge in infections and deaths “nothing short of heartbreaking” and said “the welfare of India is critically important to the United States.” She summarized U.S. aid to date to India, along with U.S. support for suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines to help other countries vaccinate their people more quickly. Harris noted that India helped the U.S. at the start of the pandemic when its hospital capacity was stretched. “And today, we are determined to help India in its hour of need,” the vice president said. While the crisis in India has created diplomatic and humanitarian challenges for the Biden administration, for Harris it is also personal: Her mother was born see HARRIS on 16
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MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
YOUR VOICE
asianweekly northwest
Seattle police arrested two felons in a stolen car with drugs and a gun in the Chinatown-International District (ID) on May 3. Officers spotted a stolen car around 11:45 p.m in the 800 block of South King Street. Inside the gold Lexus RX-3 were a 31-year-old man and 33-year-old man. Officers found crack cocaine and methamphetamine upon searching the 31-year-old, as well as a pellet gun. A search of the 33-year-old turned up $1,249 in cash, heroin, methamphetamine, and Oxycodone pills. Officers also found a loaded .380 handgun stuck between the seats of the car. Both men are convicted felons and unable to legally possess firearms. Police booked the men into King County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, drug charges, weapons violations, and a $200,000 felony warrant for assault.
Photo credit: Seattle Police Dept.
■ COMMUNITY NEWS Police arrest two felons in stolen car with drugs, gun in ID
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Police confiscated crack cocaine, meth, and cash
.380 handgun
Remembering FRED SHIOSAKI By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY During summers after the war, when he had stopped having nightmares, Fred Shiosaki would take his two children fishing. He rowed them all over lakes in Eastern Washington, hoping they would pick up his hobby. In the end, however, it was he who picked up something from them. His son, Michael, was a champion Dahlia grower. And after Michael left home, Fred continued to grow Dahlias and other plants. It was this kind of humanity that had coursed through his life, from a young man in Spokane defending himself and his family from racial slurs, to a war hero who helped rescue a lost battalion during World War II against overwhelming odds, to a father who learned from his kids, and to a devoted public servant as a chemist and protector of the environment. Fred Shiosaki died peacefully on April 10 at the age of 96. He is best known, and is one of the subjects of a newlyreleased book, for his participation in the rescue of a lost battalion of American soldiers. During World War II, 120,000 residents of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in concentration camps by the U.S. government. Despite this and other ongoing acts of racist persecution, a number of Japanese Americans formed their own battalion, the 442nd, to fight in Europe. Often mistreated and recklessly sacrificed by superior officers, particularly during a battle in the Vosges Mountains, the 442nd became one of the most highly decorated units in American history. Shiosaki had signed up voluntarily, against his parents’ wishes, leaving Gonzaga University, where he was studying chemistry. When the 442nd arrived in Europe, it fought its way through Italy, defeating some of Hitler’s finest troops, according to an oral history compiled and written by John C. Hughes, chief historian for the Secretary of State’s oral history program in Olympia. Finally, it was ordered to the Vosges Mountains, which constituted the borderland with Germany proper. The mission was to rescue a battalion of Texans that had been hemmed in by Nazi armies with superior numbers and firepower. No invader had ever made it through the Vosges— steep thick mountains dense with trees and snow, according to Hughes. Shiosaki’s company started with 186 men. By the time they reached the top, ordered to charge through oncoming German machine gun fire, there were only 17 survivors left. When he reached the top of the final hill, and the rescue of the lost battalion was imminent, Shiosaki heard someone crying. He looked down and saw a young German teenager wounded in the snow. He had learned through long fighting that the only way to survive was to immediately kill the enemy. If they saw you, they would
Fred Shiosaki
shoot you immediately. “Being shot at in real combat gives you focus, especially the first time, which scares the hell out of you. In the beginning, we were so dumb that we stuck our heads up too much. The Germans had some of the best snipers in the whole world. God, they were good shots! They’d put a bullet right in your forehead. Pow!” he told Hughes. But he let the young German live. “There’s this kid—a German kid, and he’s wounded. Just a teenager...I hope he had a long life. I remember that so vividly. People ask what it’s like to have to kill someone in combat. I had no self-doubts. It was either me or them. There was never any question when I drew a bead on somebody. It had to be one of us. Except that one time.” Shiosaki was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. When he returned to Washington, he completed his degree in chemistry and was urged to go on to graduate studies. But he could not bear to be apart from his future wife, Lily. “I’m in Seattle; she’s in Spokane. It was just an impossible situation. I couldn’t study!” So he married and eventually found work as the city chemist for Spokane’s Health Department. He was a lifelong advocate for the environment. He was the founding director of the Spokane Air Pollution Control Authority. He was recruited to oversee the environmental program of the Washington Water Power Company. In 1990, Shiosaki was appointed to the Washington
State Ecological Commission by Gov. Booth Gardner and chaired it through 1998. In 1999, he was appointed to serve on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission by Gov. Gary Locke. And he was instrumental in securing funds for a new Fish and Wildlife Department regional headquarters in the Spokane Valley, including a $1.9 million laboratory. The facility was renamed to honor him. Fly-fishing was his way of unwinding after work. After long days, Shiosaki would retire down to his basement and tie flies as a way to relax. But despite many summers of rowing his kids around lakes in his wooden row boat, while they sat in the back trolling their lines in the clear water, he was never able to transfer the passion to them. His son, Michael, had learned gardening from his grandmother, Fred’s mother. He started with vegetables, particularly radishes, which sprang up after a week. But it was also common, Michael said, for people to compete in fairs in Spokane with one type of flower. Fred picked up gardening from him and it became a way the two bonded. After Michael moved to Seattle, he would still return home every Memorial Day to help lay out his father’s garden. His father grew tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh corn, and pumpkins, which he would give away as jack o’ lanterns. The book, “Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II,” about Shiosaki and several others, including the intense racism they encountered and their battles against Hitler’s armies, was released on May 11. Michael, who was interviewed for the book and read several drafts and the final version, said he learned details about some of the battles he had not known before. “He was of a generation where they kept everything inside,” he said. “When I read the details of the battles, it allowed me to more fully realize how remarkable it was that my dad survived the war. Was it luck? Was it something else? It also made me wonder how he could witness such atrocities of war—the loss of so many of his friends and fellow soldiers and still be able to move on. Unfortunately we didn’t talk about it in any detail since by the time I’d read all this, my dad’s memory was pretty foggy. It also made me think about what I was doing when I was 18 or 19 or 20...not much in comparison,” he said. “The book is a way my dad lives on… I feel very fortunate.” The book is available on Amazon. Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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39 YEARS
■ NATIONAL NEWS Micronesians feel hatred in Hawaii, decry police shooting By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER ASSOCIATED PRESS HONOLULU (AP) — Comments on social media about a 16-year-old boy shot and killed by Honolulu police have been so hateful that a Catholic priest, who hails from the same small Pacific island as the teen’s family, hesitates to repeat them. “It is really bad and I don’t want to say it as a priest,” said the Rev. Romple Emwalu, parochial vicar at a parish outside Honolulu who was born in Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. “But, like, ‘Micronesians are dirt.”’ Some in the Micronesian community say the April 5 shooting of Iremamber Sykap highlights the racism they face in
Hawaii, a place they expected to be more welcoming to fellow islanders. Police say Sykap was driving a stolen car when he led officers on a chase through oncoming traffic after a series of crimes including an armed robbery and purse-snatching. Sykap’s family is from Chuuk, but he was born in Guam, a U.S. territory, said his mother, Yovita Sykap. “He’s American,” she said. Of Hawaii’s 1.5 million residents, 38% are Asian—mostly Japanese and Filipino—26% are white, 2% are Black, and many people are multiple ethnicities, according to U.S. census figures. Native Hawaiians account for about 20% of the population.
There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Micronesians in Hawaii, who began migrating here in bigger numbers in the 1990s in search of economic and educational opportunities, said Josie Howard of We are Oceania, which advocates for the Micronesian community. The Compact of Free Association allows citizens from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau to live and work freely in the United States in exchange for allowing the U.S. military to control strategic land and water areas in the region. Located about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, the Federated States of
Micronesia consists of 607 islands with a population of about 107,000. The relationship with the U.S. seems to make people in Hawaii incorrectly believe that Micronesians are a drain on social benefits, said Sha Merirei Ongelungel, a Honolulu resident. A Palauan born and raised in Oregon, Ongelungel came to Hawaii “because all I wanted to do was to fit in and be around Pacific Islanders and know what it was like to not stand out like a sore thumb.” When she first got here, a cousin advised her to tell potential employers she was from Oregon. “If you tell them you’re Micronesian, you won’t get a job,” see HATRED on 13
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR MAY MONTH OF MAY
VIRTUAL KODOMO NO HI jcccw.org
14, 15, 16 AAPI AGAINST HATE RALLY FOR JOHN HUYNH May 14, Bothell City Hall, 3 p.m. May 15, Hing Hay Park, 3 p.m. May 16, Four Corners, Maple Valley, 1 p.m.
15 ‘FREE WALK-IN COVID-19 VACCINE (JOHNSON & JOHNSON) Hing Hay Coworks, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Ste. B, Seattle 12-3 p.m.
16 COMMEMORATES JAPANESE AMERICAN DAY OF EXILE Mukai Farm & Garden, 18017 107th SE, Vashon Island 1 p.m. Free event Register is required, https://bit.ly/3dtXxe9
CACA AND SEATTLE UNITE PRESENTS: OUR SHARED STORIES: HISTORY, HATE & HEALING 4 p.m. Free register: https://bit.ly/2SzE3wE
19 ANTI-ASIAN HATE AND BIAS 12-1:30 p.m. Sign up for Zoom information: https://bit.ly/2SMm3Q1
28-31 FROM HOME TO HOME: 50TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL Virtually at nwfolklife.org
JUN 26
VIRTUAL JAPAN FAIR 2021 1-7 p.m. japanfairus.org
View the solution on page 14
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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
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
asianweekly northwest
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Photos by Assunta Ng
Hunger for unhealthy foods during COVID Join the club
By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Recently, I have intentionally broken my rules on healthy food. Readers may drop their jaws to find out my secrets. I have often preached a healthy lifestyle, and yet I have been dreaming about consuming some unhealthy food. If I share with you what they are, you would laugh. Yes, I have been hungry for French toast and strawberry waffles during the whole pandemic year. You would say, those are nothing but calories, white-flour bread filled with sugary syrup and buttery cream, plus other unhealthy but tasty ingredients which restaurants would never disclose to the customers. To keep myself from getting sick during an abnormal year, I have been living a life of discipline, perseverance, and sacrifice. I feed myself and my husband a healthy diet
The best French toast at Elliott’s Oyster House
Great strawberry waffles at The Che
96% of the time. A healthy lunch means an apple salad with avocado and nuts and noodles or bread, and our dinner is usually full of vegetables and seafood or meat. After a while, those foods become too boring and predictable. I want to be bad, not to be good. To hell with keeping myself healthy! Believe me, my husband and I have experimented making French toast at home, but we didn‘t succeed. Although I still would eat it, the truth is, it tasted below average. It didn’t satisfy me at all. It makes me want the “real thing“ more and more. The only option would be to go to a restaurant. However, the lockdown does not allow us to dine in a restaurant as much as we want. We prefer to do take-out. Those two items I missed during COVID have to be served hot and cooked fresh. You can’t do take-out. The toast and waffle would become soggy after three minutes. And
we are not comfortable going to any restaurant without sufficient social distancing, even after inoculation. And I don’t have time to hunt for those yummy treats. One day, without much effort, we found the best French toast in town. It was such a surprise that a seafood restaurant would even serve such an item. We were going there for the pan-fried oyster. Notice that I prefer pan-fried, not deepfried. It’s less greasy and more tasty. It was Easter Sunday, that’s why. The restaurant offered French toast as an additional brunch item on the menu. One bite of the French toast, and I felt like I was in heaven. What a treat! Because I won’t find the item on the menu the next time I visit the restaurant again. I never expected to have such a great lunch. What happened to the pan-fried oysters? It was fine, but the toast
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
CID fires
esecake Factor
see BLOG on 13
FROM HOME TO HOME:
NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL Northwest Folklife in partnership with Seattle Center
May 28-31, 2021
Online at nwfolklife.org Presented by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Powered by YOU for Over 50 Years Donate Today
Seattle fire crews responded to two fires near the I-5 freeway underpass in the Chinatown-International District. The first one broke out at around 11:20 p.m. on May 10, at 8th Avenue South and South Weller Street. An eyewitness captured this image of firefighters using
a water hose to spray down the flames that engulfed a tent. The second fire broke out nearby at South King Street and 10th Avenue South just after midnight on May 11. Both were described as “rubbish fires” and no one was hurt.
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asianweekly northwest
■ SPORTS
39 YEARS
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
THE LAYUP DRILL HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
JORDAN CLARKSON By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. In this edition, we take a look at the first Masters champion from Japan, two NBA stars with Asian backgrounds, and a UFC champion losing her title.
Hideki Matsuyama makes monumental Masters champ
Hideki Matsuyama became the first Masters champion from Japan when he pulled away from the field last month. Matsuyama finished a shot ahead of the field to earn the championship. A notable photo from the final scenes of Matsuyama’s victory was his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, bowing on the 18th green of the Augusta National. “I bowed to the course mainly because I was thankful. I wasn’t thinking about doing it and it just happened—–like an instinct,” Hayafuji told Golf.com. According to reports, Matsuyama did not have time to celebrate as he was heading back home the next day. The next morning, he was seen at the Atlanta Airport with the famed winner’s green jacket in tow. Also last month, Matsuyama received the Prime Minister’s Award in Japan. The award was bestowed on him by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for becoming the country’s first male major champion. “[I]f this win can provide a sliver of hope to people, and inspire more kids, or even just one kid to want to try and play golf in the future, that makes me extremely happy,” said Matsuyama. With the Olympics still set for Tokyo this summer, some have wondered whether Matsuyama will be the one to have the honor of lighting the Olympic Games cauldron during the opening ceremonies. He has committed to playing for his home country in the sport of golf during the Summer Olympics.
YUTA WATANABE the scheduling alterations made due to the pandemic. But the season has seen Jordan Clarkson and Yuta Watanabee make significant contributions to their teams. In his second year in Utah, Clarkson has blossomed into an important asset off of the bench for the Jazz. Clarkson sports a career high in average points per game with 17 and is considered to be the favorite to win the “Sixth Man of the Year” award. A part of his scoring production comes from the three-point line, where he averages another career best three makes per game. The seventh-year pro has made a concerted effort in improving on his defense and is a quality defender for the Jazz. But it’s his explosiveness off of the bench that is valued by Utah, a team that is tied for the top record in the Western Conference in the NBA. Watanabe has been one of the only bright spots for the Toronto Raptors this season. Forced to play in Florida due to the pandemic, fans from afar have been excited for Watanabe’s presence on the team. The 26-year-old forward spent a couple seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies prior to signing on with the Raptors in 2020. Watanabe played his collegiate basketball at George Washington University after a year at a prep school coming to the United States from Japan. His main goal growing up was to play in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 forward is a key bench player for the Raptors this season. While his statistics may not be as large as Clarkson’s, he has been a spark for the Raptors providing energy and effort. His play has also helped with his enormous popularity around the globe. Already popular in Canada, the Raptors are big in Japan due in part to Watanabe’s presence on the roster. Similar to the Washington Wizards’ Rui Hachimura, the team’s status has been elevated in Japan due to a player from the country. This year, jersey sales of Watanabe have become the best-selling jersey in Japan.
Zhang loses UFC Bench players title providing big Unfortunately, the reign of China’s spark: Jordan Weili Zhang as the UFC’s strawweight Clarkson and Yuta champion is over. On April 24, she lost Watanabe her title to the United States’ Rose The NBA is heading into the playoffs a little later than normal due to
see SPORTS on 14
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YOUR VOICE
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
asianweekly northwest
9
Wing Luke UPLIFT campaign to support AAPI artists and creatives By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
creatives. The lack of in-person contact resulting from COVID-19 lockdowns
Tia Ho
Twelve creatives, 12 weeks, 12 giveaways. This is the promise of the UPLIFT fundraising campaign by Wing Luke Museum, taking place now through June. Each week, a different artist or creative contributes to a giveaway that participants enter via money donations or posting the campaign information to an Instagram story. Proceeds will be used to benefit Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists and creatives who are struggling during this time of pandemic, businesses curtailing, and civic unrest. UPLIFT is the brainchild of Tia Ho, social digital manager for KEXP radio and supporter of AAPIs in our region. “When the pandemic hit, I started conceptualizing a year ago, when that first wave of anti-Asian violence hit the state and realizing there was no one who was really doing anything about it.” Ho was disappointed in the lack of response from authorities at large and cognizant that real impact lay within ourselves. “I sat there waiting for other people to lead the charge and it made me realize that if it’s not coming from the community, it’s probably not going to happen.” She paired with Wing Luke because they were “the right partners to embrace an opportunity to celebrate what’s happening in the community and the type of resilience that’s the inheritance of our cultures.” Ho and the Wing Luke have made it their mission to take notice of those often left out in times of need: AAPIs and
has a severe effect. “Artists and creatives influence our everyday,” commented Alexis Silva, Wing Luke’s project lead for UPLIFT. “All of these artists and creatives were impacted so negatively. They didn’t have that preparation to switch to online, to change their practice. This is our way of trying to help folks get back on their feet and adapt to this new world that we’re living in.” With a possible COVID-19 fourth wave on the way, Silva urged, “We can’t stop now.” There are two ways to participate in UPLIFT: as a supporter or applicant. Supporters can donate funds or share the campaign on their Instagram stories—either option will enter you into a weekly giveaway. For creatives in need of financial assistance, they can apply for part of the proceeds from the campaign. Organizers will consider three categories of financial need (severe, medium, mild) and hope to send out $500 each to at least 20 creatives. Participants in the giveaways are compensated for their involvement— unless they want to volunteer the prizes. “We were intentional about curating a group of folks who really walk the walk.” Ho explained. “I really wanted to work with artists who demonstrated the breadth of Asian and Pacifika impact in different disciplines across industries, and make sure that I chose artists telling stories of resilience.” She emphasized that UPLIFT wants to move away from “trauma-centric” pandemic stories.
“For me, when it comes to celebrating the community, it’s celebrating the art that’s coming out of it, not celebrating the trauma.” Silva corroborated an intention to include creatives from many disciplines in the campaign. Anyone from culinary arts to healthcare may apply. The campaign includes restaurants such as Marination and Seattle Poi Company. The month of May will give special attention to Pacific Islander creatives. “There’s a lot of erasure,” Ho said. “The impact of COVID on the Pacifika community is being swept under the rug. Thirteen percent of the Puget Sound Pacifika community is being affected by COVID, which is seven times more than Asian and white demographics.” Roquin-Jon Quichocho Siongco, an artist from Guåhan (Guam), is one of the artists featured by UPLIFT. “My work draws from my CHamoru heritage and queer experiences…Being able to share my art and perspective of the world is something that I find tremendous joy in and great responsibility for. In these turbulent times, it is necessary to be in touch with the conversations we are having...as artists, we all learn to be innovative, resourceful, and thoughtful. So the battle we have is with the world forcing many of us to ‘buckle down’ and be more ‘practical’—a message many of us spent years fighting.” Siongco’s
giveaway consists of “woven pieces such as bracelets, baskets, hats, and earrings,” and a virtual weaving workshop via Zoom. Siongco temporarily moved from Seattle back to Guåhan before “the world shut down” because “my grandmother’s sun was setting. I had prepared to say my goodbyes before, but I was used to them being ritualistic large gatherings full of food, laughter, and hugs and kisses. This pandemic, if anything, has been emotionally challenging. The silver lining I see is that in the time I have had to reflect, I learned how to hold myself, which is something I never had the time for prior.” Stevie Shao, a Chinese American illustrator and muralist, is another participating artist, whose giveaway will be “a throw I designed for Throw & Co, a hand painted wall hanging, and three prints.” Shao also described the situation specific to creatives during this time. “There is a simultaneous upheaval in local and national politics, and a struggle with self in confronting personal issues. While this has encouraged personal introspection and increased intention regarding how we move in our communities, it has led to a sporadic, strained creative process, often with see UPLIFT on 14
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asianweekly northwest
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
■ COMMENTARY
39 YEARS
To fight anti-Asian racism, we need to tell our stories By Andrea Chin THIS OP-ED FIRST APPEARED IN THE SEATTLE TIMES I remember the exact moment I heard the news that the coronavirus had been traced to a city in China. My first thought was that it was just a matter of time before the scapegoating would begin. I knew this immediately—that Asian Andrea Chin Americans would be unfairly blamed for the pandemic. And my prediction came true. In the last year, Asian Americans have been verbally abused, harassed, assaulted, and in extreme cases, lost their lives because of racist hate. The scapegoating of Asian Americans in times of crisis is nothing new. During the late 1800s, Chinese immigrants who worked building the transcontinental railroad were scapegoated by their white counterparts for “stealing” jobs. This led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred further Chinese immigration to the United States and prohibited those already here from obtaining citizenship and owning land. Chinese immigrants were forced to live in crowded slums with no access to adequate medical care. They were hit hard
by infectious diseases such as smallpox and were further scapegoated for the disease. In more recent history, approximately 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were imprisoned in concentration camps during World War II without due process. During the 1930s, Filipino farmworkers faced discrimination and violence from whites who were angry over labor competition and fears about Filipino men dating white women. After the Vietnam War, refugees from Southeast Asia were subjected to discrimination and violence, including attacks by the Ku Klux Klan on shrimpers in Texas. In 1982, during a recession that was partly blamed on the Japanese auto industry, Vincent Chin was bludgeoned to death by two white auto workers who mistook him for Japanese. Following 9/11, South Asian communities in the U.S. experienced a surge in hate crimes. The history of anti-Asian racism is not well known, and its invisibility is complex. The stories of Asians in American history are not accurately or adequately taught in schools. Incidents resulting from anti-Asian racism are often not considered newsworthy enough for media coverage. The Asian community itself has often been, for various reasons, unwilling to talk about it. My 95-yearold father is a WWII veteran who was born and raised in Seattle. I asked him how he dealt with racist behavior throughout his lifetime, and his response was, “I didn’t go looking for trouble.” Many from his generation coped the same way and maintained a low profile when
it came to speaking out. After all, history taught them not to expect change. When Vincent Chin’s attackers were convicted and sentenced on manslaughter charges, neither spent a single day in jail. The judge in the case defended his sentence by stating, “These aren’t the kind of men you send to jail.” Why would my father, or anyone, reasonably believe that speaking out against racism could make a difference? Anti-Asian racism is nothing new. We know it exists, and we know that we do not deserve to be bullied, harassed, and attacked because of it. It is no longer acceptable for Asian communities to remain silent. We need to tell our stories because no one else is going to do it for us. This is the first time I can remember anti-Asian racism receiving so much attention on a national level. The pledge of support from other communities of color and white allies to stand in solidarity with us is encouraging. This is particularly meaningful coming from the African American community, which is already exhausted by its fight against anti-Black racism. It is time for all of us to work across communities to educate each other about our shared struggles and find common ground as we work to create an anti-racist society. Andrea Chin is a judge on the Seattle Municipal Court and a former president of the Asian Bar Association of Washington.
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
YOUR VOICE
■ COMMENTARY
asianweekly northwest
11
The big lie in Volunteer Park
By Christoph Giebel FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Christoph Giebel After George Floyd’s gruesome killing triggered a national reckoning about anti-Black violence, toxic legacies of slavery, and systemic racism, the recent massacre in Asian-operated businesses in Atlanta has broadened the debate to include endemic anti-Asian violence and hate in America. The alarming increase in anti-Asian violence over the past year, however, is far from an aberration. Like violence against Black and Indigenous people, anti-Asian violence has deep historical roots and manifests itself in our institutions and dominant culture. The moment to address the habitual public white-
washing of Indigenous genocide, U.S. colonialism, and racism is long overdue. Seattle, built on Coastal Salish lands, faces its own moment of reckoning. Our introspection about anti-Asian violence must include a stone marker next to Volunteer Park’s water tower telling the city’s most barefaced public lie. There, a plaque on a stone slab explains the name of its pastoral surroundings. “Volunteer Park,” it reads, “Renamed 1901 in tribute to the volunteer services of Spanish-American war veterans who liberated the oppressed peoples of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands, April 1898July 1902.” The marker’s words grotesquely falsify a gruesome past, for the Spanish-American War marked the moment when the United States chose to become an empire lording over “little brown brothers.” In reference to the Philippines—others can speak to colonized Cuba and Puerto Rico—to call America’s violent conquest of Asia’s first constitutional republic a “liberation of oppressed peoples” constitutes an “alternative fact” so shameless as to render the plaque’s continued display scandalous. What had happened? In the 1890s Philippines, a nationalist
movement rose against Spanish colonial rule. Largely successful by early 1898, its forces besieged Spain’s last toe-hold, Manila, and a Provisional Republican Government declared Philippine independence. Meanwhile— the U.S. had declared war on Spain—a U.S. flotilla sailed into Manila Bay. Now besieged from land and sea, the Spanish surrendered in August 1898, but only to the U.S. as fellow whites to “save face.” U.S. troops, having earlier aided the nationalist revolution, occupied Manila, but now refused to recognize Philippine sovereignty. While Filipino and U.S. forces faced each other at Manila, two telling developments happened: in January 1899, a constitutional assembly formally established the Philippine Republic. Yet, half a world away, ignoring Philippine independence and sovereignty and rendering Filipinos invisible, the US-Spanish Treaty of Paris had Spain “sell” the Philippines (and Cuba and Puerto Rico) to America. In February 1899, fighting between Filipino and U.S. troops broke out at Manila, likely USprovoked, and the U.S. Senate ratified the Paris Treaty by one vote. U.S. forces began the conquest of the Philippines. Given
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until 1946. Let this sink in: Between 1899 and 1902, U.S. forces killed 300,000 Filipinos in a brutal war of colonial conquest with racist overtones. Yet, a public marker in Seattle daily mocks these victims of anti-Asian violence as “oppressed peoples” who were “liberated” by American soldiers honored in the naming of Volunteer Park. This blatant public lie has persisted far too long. Horrified by the murders in Atlanta and multiple other instances of antiAsian violence, we are in a renewed national soul-searching over an unbearable past and present injustices. Yet, how can we be serious about all of this while our own public memorials still glorify instances when white supremacist violence became official policy? The little marker on Capitol Hill cruelly denying anti-Asian violence and re-writing it into its polar opposite belongs squarely into that conversation and call to action.
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vast US technological superiority, forces of the Philippine Republic were no match and soon resorted to guerrilla-style resistance. The ensuing years of U.S. conquest were a ruthless, bloody affair. Foreshadowing military tactics in Vietnam some 60 years later, the population in resistance areas was frequently brutalized, villages razed, entire regions forcibly depopulated, fenced-in relocation camps run under inhumane conditions. Conquest was abetted in the U.S. by an unrelenting racist, pro-imperialist propaganda. It portrayed America as the benevolent white civilizer, but caricatured Filipinos as scheming savages incapable of reason or self-governance, called “insurrectionists” rather than rightful defenders of their Philippine Republic. In the unquestioned white supremacist tenor of the times, U.S. forces denigrated Filipinos as “googoos,” “gooks,” or the N-word, justifying their remorseless killings. For massacres, when exposed, U.S. commanders faced laughable, if any, accountability. Estimates of Filipino casualties are pegged around 300,000, maybe higher, with many more traumatized. America would be the Philippines’ colonial ruler
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KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS King County’s Atlantic Base Refurbishment (ABR) Project King County Metro is intending to utilize a General Contractor/ Construction Management (GCCM) Heavy Civil alternative delivery procurement approach, with the approval of CPARB/PRC at the May 27th, 2021 meeting. In order to generate interest in the project, the County is hosting an informational open house for interested firms. The primary purpose of this project is to replace all concrete paving and underground infrastructure (including storm drainage, sanitary sewer, industrial waste, buried power lines, natural gas, domestic and fire watermains, fuel storage tanks, vaults and handholes) in the trolley bus storage yard, while maintaining base operations. Primary uses of the 24-7 facility include bus maintenance, storage for up to 200
electric trolley buses, fueling, and washing operations. King County Metro’s Atlantic Base is located in Seattle, south of Royal Brougham Way, between Airport Way South and 6th Avenue South. The anticipated Construction contract amount is $22,000,000. Open House: May 19, 2021 at 3:00 PM Join Zoom Meeting: By mobile: US: +12532158782,94712554667#,*71185562# or +1669 9009128,94712554667#,*71185562# Online: https://oacsvcs.zoom.us/j/94712554667?pwd=eVJvV3drSVU 1Q0ROWmNEaGZ2bzh4dz09&from=addon Meeting ID: 947 1255 4667 Passcode: 71185562
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asianweekly northwest
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
HUYNH from 1 taught her how to ride a bike. “Just keep pedaling,” he would tell her. Binh, 27, talks about breaking down at the open casket of her dead brother. “How do you prepare for something like that?” she asks. The Asian American community is asking the same question, but on a larger scale. Since the death of Huynh, 29, on April 25, the entire community has been collectively wringing its hands and contracting its brow in a tumult of grief, fear, and unease. Their fears center on the fact that Huynh, a health insurance salesman and Amway entrepreneur, was murdered in an apparently unprovoked attack in the space of a little over a minute outside his apartment in Bothell. They also fear that the crime was motivated by the same kind of hatefulness that has been sweeping the nation and making thousands of Asian Americans (some reports say millions) the target of violent attacks and racial slurs. In response to the murder, a coalition of AAPI groups has formed to demand that the King County Prosecutor investigate the murder as a hate crime. At present, the defendant is being charged with seconddegree murder—which means it was not premeditated. The coalition, organized by AAPI Against Hate, a group of nonprofits and individuals, is demanding the additional investigation after authorities seemed reluctant to investigate that possibility. In fact, the King County Prosecutor’s office seemed to dismiss the designation even before the initial investigation was complete. According to Nathan Duong, a coorganizer of AAPI Against Hate, who sat in on a conference call with King County Prosecutor Stephanie Peterson and the Huynh family, police have seized the defendant’s cell phone and other items to look into any incriminating activity. But at the same time, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office told KOMO News that it was hard to establish the killing as a hate crime because there weren’t any apparent racial slurs involved, according to witnesses. “If we got additional evidence from police that showed there was a racial statement or any type of hate crime beyond a reasonable doubt, we could charge that, but we don’t
have that,” said Casey McNerthney, with the King County Prosecutor’s office. The prosecuting attorney’s case summary, obtained by the Asian Weekly, simply describes the alleged murder in a brief paragraph, but states that “based on the investigation so far, it does not appear that the defendant or victim knew each other or had any prior altercations.” Huynh was with friends who were people of color when he left his apartment, according to Duong. The defendant, Ian Patrick Williams, was described as having “flipped off” Hunyh in the case summary. When Huynh questioned him about the action, Williams allegedly drew a knife, plunged forward, and rammed it once into his heart, according to witnesses cited in news reports. Video surveillance, according to the court documents, captured some of the encounter. Hunyh died at the scene.
A family in grief
Huynh’s father had emigrated from southern China to Vietnam and then immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1991, when he was in his 20s. There he met his wife. He worked in a furniture factory and his wife was a seamstress. Although the family had only one TV and later one dial-up internet connection over which they competed, Huynh was something of a surrogate father to his sisters. Linda, who is now a dental hygienist in Philadelphia, remembers being afraid to ride a bike. She did not learn until she was 16, and it was all due to her brother’s help. He was already a serious mountain biker, but he took an entire day to teach her at a nearby park. “He was like a mentor and role model to Binh and me,” said Linda. Binh, who is in the tech industry in Jersey City, remembers him more as an older brother, teasing her. With his friends, he was devoted to their entire families, sleeping over at their houses and befriending their parents, siblings, and, in some cases, kids. “He was always the person to reach out to others, he knew how to connect with people, even to people on the street,” said Binh. That was why, when his best friend invited him to move out to Seattle to live with him, he jumped at the idea. “He was like that, always ready and open
RACIST ATTACKS from 4 heritage experienced on-the-job discrimination ranging from patients refusing their care to difficulty finding mentors. In a separate 2020 study of medical residents, all those of Asian heritage said patients had quizzed them about their ethnicity. Columbia University medical student Hueyjong “Huey” Shih recalls being confronted with “a lot of assumptions, all boiled into one very inappropriate question” from a colleague in a hospital: Was Shih an only child because of China’s former one-child policy? Shih was born in Maryland and his family hails from Taiwan. Writing in the health news site Stat, he and medical students Jesper Ke and Kate E. Lee implored health institutions to include AAPI experiences in anti-racism training. For generations, Asian Americans have contended with being perceived as “perpetual foreigners” in a country with a history of treating them as threats. Officials wrongly blamed San Francisco’s Chinatown for an 1870s smallpox outbreak, barred many Chinese immigrants under the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and forced Japanese Americans into internment camps even as tens of thousands of their relatives served in the U.S. military during World War II. During the pandemic, former President Donald Trump repeatedly called COVID-19 the “China virus” and by other terms that activists say fanned anger at Asian Americans. Police reports of anti-Asian hate crimes in 26 big U.S. cities and counties shot up 146% last year, while hate
39 YEARS to try something new,” said Linda. In one week, he packed up his stuff and moved out. He soon fell in love with the scenery and the people. He also met his future wife in Washington. “He was actually just trying to meet friends,” said Binh, “but she turned out to be more than a friend.” Huynh and his wife, who prefers to remain anonymous, were married in November—five months before he was killed. On the day of the funeral, Huynh’s parents chose to follow Chinese tradition. They lit incense, offered a spread of food and alcohol to his wandering spirit, and burned paper replicas of money, all meant to ease his transition into the other world. His mother wanted an open casket, said Binh. “She felt she hadn’t gotten to see him enough and wanted one more look at him.” Linda said some private words to him. Following the funeral was a memorial where more than 100 guests showed up. Each one of them came up to the sisters and shared a story of how Huynh had touched their lives.
Questions about the defendant
Questions remain about the defendant, who is now being held on a $2 million bail. Authorities noted that Williams has no prior criminal record, an assertion that AAPI coalition members worry could be used to justify a decision not to investigate the murder as a hate crime. According to a press release from the University of Washington (UW), Williams was a student at the UW Bothell campus. His long, shoulder-length hair and heavy glasses, as shown on local television, made him appear a stark contrast with the tightly cut coiffe and intent gaze of Hyunh, who was also an extreme mountain bike rider, according to his sisters. According to the court documents, Williams ran back into the apartment he shared with his mother after the attack and hid in the bathroom. According to the case summary, he told his mother he had just been attacked by an “anti-masker.” When his mother asked if he was hurt, he allegedly told her no, but he might have hurt the other person, according to news reports. Cathy Lee, president of Chinese Americans Citizens Alliance, one of the groups joining the coalition demanding that the murder be investigated as a hate crime, said that the fact Williams lied suggests
crimes overall rose 2%, according to California State University, San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. The advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate fielded nearly 3,800 reports of assault, harassment and discrimination from mid-March 2020 through the end of February—before a gunman killed eight people, including six of Asian heritage, at Atlanta-area massage businesses in March. The statistics don’t break out health care workers among the victims. The escalation “makes racism seem a lot scarier than the virus” to Dr. Amy Zhang, an anesthesiology resident at the University of Washington’s hospitals. “It’s a constant fear. You never know when you’re going to get targeted,“ she says. Early in the pandemic, she came face-to-face with the risk of COVID-19 while intubating patients. And face-toface with racism when a white man on the street muttered a vulgarity at her about China and “giving us smallpox,” then started following her while yelling racial epithets and sexual threats until she got inside the hospital, she said. “Despite the fact that I clawed myself out of poverty to chase the American dream, despite the fact that I can and have saved lives under stressful conditions, none of this protects me from racist vitriol,” Zhang wrote in Crosscut. These days, New York physician assistant student Ida Chen carries pepper spray all the time, sets her cellphone to let all her friends know her location and doesn’t roam far alone. For a time, she hid the roots of her dark brown hair
there is more to the story. “John Huynh did nothing to provoke Williams. Of all the people there, he chose to kill Williams then lied without any regret,” she said in a press release. “We are here to support the Huynh family and seek justice.”
The coalition
The coalition has rallied around Huynh’s family in issuing statements from prominent AAPI activists and leaders, and planning marches and events. “We are here to show support and solidarity with the Huynh family. We cannot imagine the pain they must be suffering with the unprovoked death of their brother,” said Connie So, president of OCA-Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater Seattle, after attending the meeting with the King County Prosecutor’s office on May 6. The Justice for John Huynh coalition includes OCA- Greater Chapter of Seattle, Seattle CID Nightwatch, Chinese Information and Service Center, Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Engagement, Vietnamese American Community of Seattle, Sno-King Counties, Friends of Little Saigon, PIVOT Washington, OneAmerica, Japanese American Citizens League, Pacific Islander Health Board, and International Community Health Services. The coalition is planning a series of events hoping to use this moment to raise awareness about the unceasing violence against Asian Americans while demanding justice for Huynh. • May 14 Community healing: 3 p.m., Bothell City Hall • May 15 Rally and march: 3 p.m., Hing Hay Park, Seattle. • May 16 Rally: 1 p.m., Four Corners, Maple Valley. • Virtual vigil and AAPI history teach-in by Connie So, Teaching Professor of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington: “The history behind AAPI activism and how it continues today”: 3 p.m. via Zoom. Register at tinyurl.com/aapihistory. Two GoFundMe accounts have been created to assist the Huynh family: https://bit.ly/3uHgq3n and https://bit.ly/3w2AlKA Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwasianweekly.com.
under a hat so only the dyed blonde ends would show. She started taking those precautions after a man biked up to her on a Manhattan street in March 2020 and sneered that he’d be “into you, but I don’t want to get the coronavirus,” then followed her while hollering slurs until she called 911, she said. “I went into medicine thinking: I treat people with the best intention possible,” said Chen, who has Chinese heritage. “It hurts that someone’s not reciprocating that kind of empathy and good intentions.” Chen and some others say the Georgia shootings propelled them to speak out about what they see as longtime minimization of anti-Asian racism. “The whole reason I became a doctor is to help my community,” says Lee, a daughter of South Korean immigrants with no other physicians in the family. “If I don’t speak up for my community, what have they sacrificed—done everything they’ve done—for?” Jumreornvong, who identifies as queer, said she had experienced discrimination before. But it felt different to be targeted because of her race, and in a country where she pictured the American dream as trying “to make it a better place for everyone and yourself.” “For a moment, I was a little pessimistic about whether or not the people want me here,” she said. But she focused on how colleagues rallied around her, how the hospital expressed support, how patients have shown appreciation for her work. “I still do believe in the best of America,” she said.
YOUR VOICE
■ ASTROLOGY
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
asianweekly northwest
13
Predictions and advice for the week of May 15–21, 2021 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat—As much as you value frankness, there are times when you should filter what you say to be more effective.
Dragon—Despite the temptations that are offered, you would do well to look at the long-term consequences of accepting them.
Monkey—Are you ready to emerge after some time to yourself? Reach out to those whose company you genuinely desire.
Ox—Warming to an idea that you had initially written off? Due caution should be exercised as you move ahead.
Snake—A mixture of odds and ends could add up to something significant. The trick is keeping track of it all.
Rooster—A compatible companion could really elevate your next adventure. Consider asking a friend to join you.
Tiger—Even good changes require a period of adjustment. Try to be patient as a new routine is established.
Horse—Your struggles have taught you to be resourceful. It will be one of the pillars on which your success is built.
Dog—Avoid giving away too much early on. Reveal only what is necessary, for doing otherwise could put you at a disadvantage.
Rabbit—If you are not satisfied with where things are headed, act decisively to change the trajectory.
Goat—Do you need something to keep your motivation up? A visual reminder might be a good way to go.
Pig—With a promising start to the day, use the positive momentum to tackle some pressing items on your agenda.
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.
HATRED from 6 she said her cousin told her. She wasn’t prepared for the racism in Hawaii, and so she left after a year. Ongelungel said she felt equipped to deal with the racism on the U.S. mainland against those who are not white. “I didn’t have training to fight people who looked like my actual blood relatives,” she said. She returned to Hawaii nearly 15 years later. What might be difficult for a priest to repeat, Ongelungel doesn’t hesitate to describe: “People talking about killing cockroaches, calling for a purge on Micronesians, calling to have us—even those of us who are U.S. citizens who are born in the United States— calling for us to be deported, calling for the parents of minors to be incarcerated, you name it.” She said that whenever there’s a crime in the news involving someone who is Micronesian, there’s an uptick in hateful comments, but “they never fully go away.“ After the shooting, some local media outlets reported about Sykap’s criminal history as a juvenile. “I want to press people on why his past matters when he’s a child,” Ongelungel said. The police department has offered little information on the shooting. The department won’t release body
camera footage because there were other minors in the car with Sykap. A little more than a week after the shooting, Honolulu police shot and killed a Black man who had entered a home that wasn’t his, sat down and took off his shoes, prompting a frightened occupant to call 911. Chief Susan Ballard said race wasn’t a factor in that incident. In response to protests in other parts of the country decrying police brutality against minorities, Ballard, who is white, has said that in general, that degree of racism doesn’t exist here. “Officers are extensively trained to respond to the individual’s behavior and actions, not race,” said police spokeswoman Michelle Yu. Eric Seitz, an attorney not involved in the Sykap case who represents families of others who have been killed by police, says Honolulu police have similar issues with race as other U.S. cities. “More and more people are coming to realize that Hawaii is not different and that just as they release video footage in all of these other cities for all of these other incidents, it should be obligatory as a matter of public responsibility to release the similar information here,” Seitz said. Nothing in the law prevents police from blurring out faces of the other juveniles in the car with Sykap, he
HYUN from 1
BLOG from 7
happen to two people who are as nice as them or to anyone for that matter,” Kim wrote on the page. “I hope anyone who has gotten to know [Hyun] or his father, who is looking to help them in any way, can give back this one time to help them get back on their feet.” Surveillance cameras captured the attacker on video. Hyun told Q13 the man was someone he had seen before, shopping inside his store. As of press time, Tacoma police had not yet released a description of the suspect.
stole all the glory! The toast was fluffy and creamy and perfect in shape, taste, and size, just melting into my mouth. While I was happy during my French toast experience, I was in disbelief to see the restaurant turning away many people because they didn’t make reservations. It’s sad to see a business with so many empty seats, and not being permitted to fill them. They saw their potential income flushing away helplessly, and they couldn’t do a darn thing. The state allowed only 50% capacity for dine-in at the time. The French toast brunch is just a small, but much needed event in my life. If it delights me, hey, I am grateful that I still “have a kid” in me. Actor Michael Douglas said in an AARP Magazine article that the joy he has been pursuing is not that much different when he was young, now that he’s 76 years old. “I’m looking for
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said. Jacquie Esser, a state deputy public defender, said police will often stop Micronesians for no reason or call them cockroaches. “It’s so blatant,” she said. Esser believes the department leaked Sykap’s sealed records to the media to demonize him and now are relying on juvenile confidentiality to keep the footage from becoming public. The department denies doing so. “Juvenile arrest records are generally confidential, and department policy prohibits the release of a suspect’s prior arrest history,” Yu said. Ann Hansen befriended Sykap’s family in 2008 and became godmother to him and four of his siblings after noticing they walked 3 miles each way to get to the Cathedral of St. Andrew, an Episcopal church in downtown Honolulu. People called him “Baby” because he was the youngest of eight, she said. Hansen said she used to drive him to ukulele lessons. There has also been an outpouring of support for the slain teen, including a memorial for Sykap at a street corner near where the shooting took place. Some people have kept round-the-clock vigil at the site, decorated with floral bouquets, balloons, candles and a stuffed bear.
the joy of a good moment” in work and life. During COVID, finding simple pleasures are the highlights of my day. Sometimes, I create these little joys. They make our life less difficult, and more interesting and invigorating. Sometimes, they just meander my way whether I pay attention or not. Don’t take your small pleasures for granted. Recognize and record them every day. They are the magic, which can sustain us during our terrible, uncertain, and depressing times. They help us to glide through our day more easily, sometimes the whole week and even longer when you savor these precious memories in your journal. I was surprised that even during COVID, I have no difficulty in recording several of those moments. It reminds me, “Life isn’t always wonderful, but it’s still worth living.” Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
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14
asianweekly northwest
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
39 YEARS
CLASSIFIEDS NoTICE
SUMMoNS
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED All Subs SHA Lam Bow Apartments 6935-6955 Delridge Way SW SEATTLE, WA 98106 Owner: Seattle Housing Authority BID DEADLINE: Thursday, May 20th, 2021 by 4:00pm. WALSH CONSTRUCTION CO./WA 315 Fifth Ave. S., Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 547-4008 WMBE / SECTION 3 / APPRENTICESHIP PARTICIPATION: WCC and SHA strongly encourage Women and Minority Business Enterprises (WMBEs) and Section 3 Businesses to submit proposals for this project. The project will also track WMBE, Apprenticeship and Section 3 participation; see bxwa at the link below for more information regarding project goals.
To: Julie Renee Novak: I have started a court case by filing a petition. You must respond in writing if you want the court to consider your side. Deadline! Your Response must be filed and served within 60 days of the date this Summons is published April 11, 2021. If you do not file and serve your Response or a Notice of Appearance by the deadline: No one has to notify you about other hearings in this case, and The court may approve the requests in the Petition without hearing your side (called a default judgment). Follow these steps: 1. Read the Petition and any other documents that were filed at court with this Summons. Those documents explain what the other party is asking for. 2. Fill out a Response on this for FL Divorce 211, Response to Petition about a Marriage. 3. Serve (give) a copy of your Response to the person who filed this Summons at the address below, and to any other parties. You may use certified mail with return receipt requested. For more information on how to serve, read Superior Court Civil Rule 5. 4. File your original Response with the court clerk at this address: Superior Court Clerk, King County 516 3rd Ave Seattle, Washington 98104 5. Lawyer not required: It is a good idea to talk to a lawyer, but you may file and serve your Response without one Person filing this Summons or his/her lawyer fills out below: March 9, 2021 - Khaled Youseff Ali. I agree to accept legal papers for this case at the following address (this does not have to be your home address): 15127 NE 24th Street, Suite 314 Redmond, Washington 98052
PREVAILING WAGES: All subcontractors must comply with Washington State Residential Prevailing Wage AND Davis Bacon Residential Prevailing Wage requirements – see specific information under project posting. Please join Walsh Construction for an information session outlining the SHA Lam Bow Apartments project. In this session we will cover high-level project details, general bidding information and answer any questions bidders may have before bids are due. -Session 1: Thursday, April 29th 2:00-3:00pm: bit.ly/lam-bow1 -Session 2: Friday, April 30th 2:00-3:00pm: bit.ly/lam-bow2 All Bid Documents are available on Builders Exchange, you can also download it from sharefile link here: Bid Documents LOCATION OF CONTRACT DOCUMENTS - Current plans, specifications, bid packages and bid forms can be accessed: Builders Exchange at www.bxwa.com. (Click on: Posted Projects, General Contractor - Project Areas, WA, Walsh Construction Co. Seattle, Projects Bidding. Username: walsh Password: safety). All subcontractors are advised to frequently visit Builders Exchange to check for any Addenda to the Bid Documents. CCO1 WALSHCC990D1
SPORTS from 8 Namajunas, after being knocked out with a head kick in the first round of their five round championship fight. Zhang was out momentarily but once she regained her senses, she protested the stoppage stating that she did not know what happened. After a long layoff due to the quarantines imposed across the world, Zhang returned from a year’s absence. The promotion of the fight with Namajunas, a former champion, was odd as she called out Zhang for being from China. Noting her Lithuanian roots and that her country had been oppressed by communism, she associated Zhang with the leanings of the ideology. “Better dead than red,” Namajunas told an interviewer
EMpLoyMENT
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for a media outlet in Lithuania. The reference was to ‘red’ China and an anti-communist stance toward the country. Zhang did not offer a reply to the statement. Rather, she complimented Namajunas as a fighter and hoped that they could be friends after the fight. Namajunas is entitled to her opinion and there are issues in China that are certainly concerning. But the purpose of Namajunas’ comments and to denounce Zhang was based on a superficial hate for the ideology of Communism. Her comments were not specific about Zhang, the person, but the fact that she was from China. She did not mention if Zhang supported Communism or any-type of issues related to her political affiliation. For her part, Zhang maintained her composure and
SAWANT from 1
UPLIFT from 9
angry about is that the Amazon Tax passed! … “The charges attack Kshama for participating in a community meeting that discussed a possible ballot initiative—this is like a ‘thought crime,’ being accused simply for discussing a grassroots initiative before one even exists.” However, in accordance with the agreement, Sawant or her employees also created posters with the city seal, on which a measure on the “Amazon Tax” was stated, posted hyperlinks on its Council website to websites promoting the proposal, and spent at least $ 1,759 in city dollars on advertising, phone banking, and bulk text services. Bridger is collecting signatures for a recall campaign that needs 10,000 signatures to put Sawant’s removal on the ballot. “The citizens of Seattle and District 3 are tired of her radical Marxist actions, her bullying, and running our city into the ground,” he said. “We are demanding that Councilmember Sawant finally do right for the City of Seattle and her constituents in District 3, and pay back the legal fees she’s bilked from the hard working Seattle taxpayer and resign immediately.” The recall campaign began gathering signatures at the beginning of this month and has until mid-October to collect 10,000 signatures. Only voters from District 3 can weigh in. The recall campaign also accuses Sawant of opening City Hall to Black Lives Matter protesters last June, even though the building was closed, and leading a march at the home of Mayor Jenny Durkan, whose address is protected by a confidentiality program.
diminishing drive to accomplish tasks. There have been challenges for me both to being inspired and finding time or energy to execute...but the silver lining for me is finding motivation in the way the APA community continues to grow through new movements, encouraging one another to show up, and to build a better world with our gifts.” Siongco, Shao, Ho, the Wing Luke, and all of the creatives featured in UPLIFT have chosen to reach out, share, help others in need, and find that “silver lining” in the world as it is today. “So much is rooted in trauma and the art that comes out of trauma, not resilience,” Silva said. “The campaign
EMpLoyMENT
peony Modern Kitchen Chef Looking for an experienced wok chef to work at Peony Modern Kitchen, an upscale Chinese fusion restaurant. Must have at least 3 years experience cooking at a Chinese restaurant as a wok chef.Must have open availability working 50-60 hours per week. Pay is $4,500-$5,000 per month depending on experience. No cash payment. Please contact Chef Yang at 206-819-4838 and leave a message and he will contact you. -1 good WoK CHEF with so so English -1 KITCHEN MANAGER with good English for upscale restaurant. Little English is fine. Good work ethnic. Team work. Good Pay. Both with good benefits. Call 206-502-9942 Find NWAW on social media on Facebook, Twitter Instagram!
EMpLoyMENT
University Congregational UCC church seeks Children’s Ministry Coordinator, 24 hours/week, $26,000 per year salary plus benefits. Email a resume and cover letter to office@unievrsityucc.org Find the full job description at www. universityucc.org/cmc UCUCC is a Christian organization and program employees are expected to support the teachings of the church. We encourage people of color, women, individuals with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community to apply.
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
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did not respond to the prodding. Instead, Zhang focused on trying to gain more fans. At the weigh-ins, one day before the fight, she spoke to the crowd in attendance, saying, “Hey USA, longtime no see!” UFC 261 was the first event in over a year with a capacity crowd in an arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The crowd, who booed many of the other non-American athletes, gave Zhang the same treatment. If it was that many were fans of Rose or hated Zhang, the crowd was squarely behind the challenger. In her official statement after losing her title, she hoped that the UFC would schedule a rematch between the two. She also congratulated Namajunas on the victory. Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
is showing this art that existed prior to the pandemic and it’s still happening today and the importance that the creatives in the community bring—not only to the APA community, but the community as a whole.” Silva suggested that through art, AAPI and non-AAPI neighbors can find common ground and help each other. “Art is a great way to reach anyone, to bring in folks outside of the community. It’s almost like sitting at a dinner table.” To donate, share, or apply through UPLIFT, go to digitalwingluke.org/uplift. Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
YOUR VOICE
asianweekly northwest
15
QUOTES from 1
“Small businesses in the ChinatownInternational District are the cultural cornerstones of the AAPI community. Supporting local restaurants, retailers, and service providers will help preserve this community and celebrate our identity.” — Monisha Singh, Executive Director, Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area
“The term ‘model minority’ is frequently used to describe AAPI—the perception that we embody this description means we are expected to be smart at math, science, and technology, hard-working, obedient, and that we don’t experience discrimination or need help. This myth not only impacts how people perceive us, it influences how we speak out against inequality and injustice. Productive, genuine conversations to understand various perspectives is the best way forward. When we acknowledge what unites and celebrate what makes us different, we demonstrate real progress towards a true appreciation of American diversity and inclusion.” — Nathan Nguyen, Regional Director, JPMorgan Chase
FINANCE from 3 your expenses and decide what you can do without for now so you can save for a home. Saving doesn’t have to mean eliminating all your discretionary spending. But the more you cut back, the faster you’ll reach your financial goal. Here are a few steps to reduce your expenses: Start by listing all of your expenses, then look at where you could cut back. Consider everything, even an expense like rent. Could you move into a less expensive property or split the bills with a roommate? Take a close look at your monthly membership expenses. Do you need cable when you use streaming services most of the time? Or could you ditch the gym membership in favor of running local trails? Maybe brew coffee at home instead of going to the local coffee shop? Only you can decide what you’re willing to live without while you work to save for your down payment. But remember, you won't be saving for a down payment forever. A few years without that subscription will feel worth it when you’re sitting in your new home.
Automate your savings
The more you can automate your savings, the easier it can be to stick to the plan. Create a monthly automatic withdrawal on payday to send money directly to your savings account. That way it moves without you ever seeing it. Make sure you keep your savings separate, too, either by opening a new account with your current bank or even opening a new account with another bank. This sort of automated savings plan is known as “paying yourself first.” You pay your savings account first, then see what’s left to spend for the rest of the month. This
“It is important to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, now more than ever, because we need to show that we are proud of our history, culture, struggle, and ourselves. Despite anti-Asian hate crimes, COVID-19, and so many other issues over the years, our communities have survived, and thrived! So please find time to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month this month, and let’s draw strength from the past, and do our best for a bright future.” — Pradeepta Upadhyay, Executive Director, Interim CDA
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removes the temptation of waiting to see what’s left to save at the end of the month. If you aren’t sure how to set up an automatic transfer to your savings account, talk to your bank. There are also savings apps that can help you automate the process. Just be sure you read the fine print to make sure the money will be available for withdrawal when you need it. Found money is the money you earn that doesn’t come from your monthly income. It’s those unexpected windfalls that you don’t factor into your budget. Things like tax refunds, cash gifts for birthdays or holidays, a bonus at work and rebate offers are all “found” money. Instead of pocketing the money, put it towards paying down your debt or building up your savings. Even small amounts here and there can add up quickly over the years you are saving for your home. Cover yourself with an emergency fund. Plans are great, but life happens. Protect yourself and your savings by creating an emergency fund. Set aside some cash that you can dip into for unexpected expenses like car repairs or a medical emergency. You can use this money instead of paying with a high-interest credit card or pulling from your down payment funds. When the emergency is over, pay back your emergency fund first, then resume your savings plan. When you start saving, it can feel like you have a long way to go to reach your ultimate goal. But as the months go by, your enthusiasm will build as your savings does. While you’re saving, make sure you know all of your mortgage options and keep an eye on interest rates.
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16
asianweekly northwest
39 YEARS
MAY 15 – MAY 21, 2021
HARRIS from 4 there, and she’s spoken emotionally throughout her political career about the influence of her many visits to India as a child. Speaking at a fundraiser for the Indian nongovernmental organization Pratham in 2018, Harris talked about walking hand-in-hand with her grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, and listening to him speak with friends about the importance of a free and equal democracy. “It was those walks on the beach with my grandfather on Besant Nagar that have had a profound impact on who I am today,” she said. She spoke often on the campaign trail about her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a headstrong and resilient woman who bucked tradition and decided to leave India to pursue a career as a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. And during her acceptance speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Harris opened her speech with a shout-out to her “chithis”—a Tamil word for aunt. One of those chithis, Sarala Gopalan, is a retired obstetrician who lives in Chennai. As a child, Harris used to visit India every other year. Now all that remains of her extended family there are her aunt and uncle. Another Indian-born aunt lives in Canada. Balachandran said that while he used to hear about friends of friends getting the virus, now it’s hitting close to home. Those he knows personally or worked with are getting the virus, and some are dying.
Balachandran considers himself one of the lucky ones, as he’s retired and largely stays home alone, leaving only occasionally for groceries, so that “nobody can infect me other than myself.” His sister Sarala is the same, he says, and has largely isolated herself in her apartment in Chennai to avoid exposure. Both are fully vaccinated, something he knows is a luxury in India, which has suffered from a severe vaccine shortage. That shortage is part of what prompted criticism in India of what many saw as an initially lackluster U.S. response to a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the nation over the past month. The U.S. initially refused to lift a ban on exports of vaccine manufacturing supplies, drawing sharp criticism from some Indian leaders. When COVID-19 cases in India started to spin out of control in April, there were calls for other countries—particularly the U.S.—to get involved. While a number of countries, including Germany, Saudi Arabia and even India’s traditional foe Pakistan, offered support and supplies, U.S. leaders were seen as dragging their feet. The White House had previously emphasized the $1.4 billion in health assistance provided to India to help with pandemic preparedness and said when asked that it was in discussions about offering aid. The delay in offering further aid was seen as putting a strain on long-standing close diplomatic relations between the two nations, and on April 25, after receiving scrutiny over the U.S. response, a number of top U.S. officials publicly offered further support and supplies to
India—including a tweet and a call to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from President Joe Biden himself. Harris’ niece in California, Meena Harris, has retweeted a half-dozen accounts calling for more aid to India, including one from climate activist Greta Thunberg admonishing the global community to “step up and immediately offer assistance.” Harris’ office declined to comment for this article. The U.S. announced it would lift the export ban on vaccine manufacturing supplies and began sending personal protective equipment, oxygen supplies, antivirals and other aid to India to help it combat the virus. The administration gets no criticism from S.V. Ramanan, an administrator of the Shri Dharma Sastha Temple in Harris’ grandfather’s hometown Thulasendrapuram in southern Tamil Nadu state, 215 miles from the coastal city of Chennai. “Everyone has their priorities. America also passed through something similar and we helped then. Now they are helping us,” he said. Ramanan added that he didn’t expect that having Harris as vice president fasttracked aid to India or that it somehow meant help should have come earlier, adding: “I think in general all other countries should help, and I’m glad the U.S. has stepped up.” He hopes Harris can make a visit to her ancestral village when things are better. While Harris has embraced her Indian heritage as part of her political profile, in responding to the crisis there she’s been
careful to speak from the perspective of a vice president rather than an Indian American worried about her family’s safety. “We are all part of a world community. And to the extent that any of us, as human beings who have any level of compassion, see suffering anywhere around the world, it impacts all of us. You know, it impacts us all,” she told reporters. A ban on travel to and from India was announced that day. Harris said only that she hadn’t spoken to her family since the ban was announced. And G. Balachandran, Harris’ uncle, doesn’t fault his niece for how the U.S. response has played out. He said that, knowing Kamala, “she would have done all that she can in order to expedite the matter.” For now, he’s content with the occasional phone call from his niece. When the two talk, it’s mostly about family; he doesn’t share much about current affairs in India because, he joked, “she’s got a whole embassy that’s sending her cables every hour on all of India!” But he does hope to visit the vice president’s residence in Washington at the Naval Observatory when he can travel again. Balachandran said he’d like to meet Biden again and remind him that the last time they met was when Biden was vice president and swore in Harris as a U.S. senator. “I wish we could all be together at the same time,” he said of the extended family, “but that’s a big wish to look for at this moment.”
JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER (AANHPI) HERITAGE MONTH I join our local AANHPI communities in honoring the invaluable contributions and leadership of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders across King County during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Asian Pacific Heritage Month celebrates communities that are diverse and distinct in culture, ethnicity, history, language, nationality, racial identity, and religion – which means there is no single story of the AANHPI experience, but many different stories that strengthen our society. Further, I strongly condemn the recent upsurge in anti-Asian words and actions, a clear result of political rhetoric and false blame around the COVID-19 pandemic. This is all the more contemptible as so many members of AANHPI communities are serving on the front lines of fighting the pandemic as healthcare employees, other essential workers, and community leaders. King County will not tolerate hate.
Dow Constantine, King County Executive