VOL 40 NO 24 | JUNE 12 - JUNE 18, 2021 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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

VOL 40 NO 24 JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

FREE 39 YEARS YOUR VOICE

“Invisible” course at Bellevue College highlights AAPI advocacy

Photo from Bellevue College website

Photos provided by China Rescue Dogs

Dog rescue welcomes 26 dogs from China

Jill Stewart, China Rescue Dogs founder Crates with rescued dogs from China prepare to fly from Seattle on Alaska Air to their new forever homes around the country.

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY In the early hours of June 6, 26 dogs traveled from China through Vancouver, Canada to Seattle. They are the latest pack to be rescued by

China Rescue Dogs, a nonprofit that conducts international rescues exclusively from China—bringing dogs, destined to be killed, to the United States where they can live out the rest of their days with their forever families.

The organization was founded in July 2019 by Jill Stewart, who is also president, after she adopted a disabled Golden Retriever from China. Meeso was found wandering see DOG RESCUE on 11

Omar Lee turns to nostalgia in new venture

Nan Ma

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY One day in April, Nan Ma, a senior associate professor at Bellevue College (BC), found that the course she usually teaches, Introduction to Asian American Studies, was not listed for next year. Other ethnic studies courses were listed, however. So she and a colleague tried to get in touch with faculty leaders and administrators. Encountering difficulties, she submitted a petition. Eventually, she contacted OCA Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater see INVISIBLE on 9

Photo provided by Omar Lee

THE INSIDE STORY

SPORTS The Layup Drill  5

Ribbon cutting ceremony at The Lodge

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY No one would suspect that inside the massive brick structure, the size of a hospital but with religious statuary and crosses over the entryways, there resides an inner cool and peace. Walking down the long hallways, the thick brick walls muffle out all sound from outside. And the original wooden doors shine like brown mirrors in the soft

■

light. Built a century ago as a Catholic seminary, the building has been transformed into a hotel, but it retains much of its original trappings. “When I stayed there during the opening, it was like I was traveling back in time,” said Omar Lee, one of the investors in the hotel, which is called The Lodge at Saint Edward State Park. Lee has never really wanted to go

back, until now. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he spent his childhood looking at pictures of the Queen that were ubiquitous in the British colony. As the child of a father who had fled China in 1949 and became a newspaper editor, the identity of a colonized Chinese never quite fit. “I never had a sense of belonging,” he said during an interview.

GRAPHIC NOVEL “We Hereby Refuse”: Internment camp’s haunting history and humanity  5

AT THE MOVIES A new film, SEAxSEA: What local filmmaker Long Tran has been up to  8

see THE LODGE on 12

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39 YEARS

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS 58th Northwest Regional Emmy Awards

Norm Ohashi

The City of Seattle’s governmentaccess station Seattle Channel was recognized on June 5, at the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) virtual Emmy Awards ceremony. CityStream’s episode “Healthcare Heroes” won in the Health/Medical Long Form Content category. The show tells stories from the early days of the fight against COVID-19, produced by Norm Ohashi and executive produced by Shannon Gee; hosted by Enrique Cerna; photographed, produced, and edited by

Randy Eng, Ian Devier, and Vincent Pierce; and edited by Christopher Barnes; with segments produced and reported by Linda Byron and Mona Lee Locke. Other AAPI winners in the Seattle market include Mimi Jung of KING 5 in the Morning Newscast category; Jennifer Lee and Bhavisha Patel of Q13 in the Breaking or Spot News category; Monique Ming Laven of KIRO 7 in the Team Coverage category; and Corrine Chin of The Seattle Times in the Historical/Cultural - News category. 

Gina Chua is Reuters’ top editor Gina Chua is the executive editor of Reuters, the world’s largest multimedia news provider. “I’m excited to take on this new role... to continue producing outstanding

journalism, modernize our capabilities, and grow our audience and businesses,” said Chua. “We stand poised at the edge of multiple opportunities to expand the reach of our journalists and journalism.”

Chua transitioned in late 2020, making her one of the most senior transgender journalists in the industry. She was previously the editor-in-chief of Gina Chua the South China Morning Post and The Asian Wall Street Journal/The Wall Street Journal Asia. She was also a senior editor at The Wall Street Journal in New York, a reporter in Singapore, Manila and Hanoi, and a television and radio journalist in Singapore. A native of Singapore, she graduated with a bachelor’s in mathematics from the University of Chicago and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University. 

Japanese American Remembrance Trail earns award

The Japanese American Remembrance Trail earned a 2021 Association of King County Historical Organizations’ “Excellence in Public Programming Award” for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, National Park Service, and its community partners. Cassie Chinn, deputy executive director of the Wing Luke, received the award during a virtual ceremony last month. The Japanese American Remembrance Trail explores Seattle’s original Japantown from Pioneer Square, through the Chinatown-International District,

to the Central District. The trail allows participants to immerse themselves in the personal stories of resiliency of those who make up this community from early pioneers, through World War II, to community life today. 

Teen wins bronze at world championship

Ketki Ketkar

Skyline High School student Ketki Ketkar won a bronze medal at the Junior & Cadet World Fencing Championships in Cairo, Egypt. Ketkar, 16, trains at Kaizen Academy in Redmond, run by Kevin Mar. “No one on the world stage knew about her before her bronze at the World Championships,” said Mar. “All they could say about Ketki, a virtual unknown, was, ‘She had a good day.’ Everyone in the world now knows Ketki. She is a 2024 Olympic hopeful now.” 

Getting your COVID-19 Vaccine is Easier than Ever Available to anyone 12 years and older at no cost Free ride from Uber or Lyft to your vaccine appointment through July 4 Go to VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov or text your zip code to 438-829 (GET VAX) for locations near you Need help? Call 1-833-VAX-HELP (833-829-4357), then press #. Language assistance is available.

Schedule your appointment today. Visit VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov or scan the code.

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY HEALTH

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

asianweekly northwest

WASHINGTON STATE COVID NEWS, UPDATES, RESOURCES AND SERVICES

What’s herd immunity?

Herd or population immunity is a term used to describe when enough people have protection from a virus or bacteria—either from previous infection or vaccination—that it is unlikely the disease can spread. As a result, everyone within the community is protected even if some people don't have any protection themselves. The percentage of people who need to have protection in order to achieve herd immunity varies by disease. Experts do not know what percentage of people would need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19.

SPONSORED CONTENT

COVID-19 vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccine is available to people 12 years and older. Visit vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov to find and schedule an appointment. Call the hotline at 1-833-VAX-HELP (833-8294357), then press #. Language assistance is available. You can also text your zip code to 438-829 (GET VAX) or 822-862 (VACUNA) for vaccine locations near you.

What types of symptoms are normal after receiving the vaccine? Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson – Janssen COVID-19 vaccines

Like other routine vaccines, the most common side effects are a sore arm, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. These symptoms are a sign that the vaccine is working. In the Pfizer and Moderna trials, these side effects occurred most often within two days of getting the vaccine, and lasted about a day. Side effects were more common after the second dose than the first dose. In the Johnson & Johnson clinical trials, side effects lasted an average of one to two days. For all three vaccines, people over 55 were less likely to report side effects than younger people. Clinical trials found that approximately:

Pfizer

80% of people reported pain at the injection site 50% of people reported fatigue and headache 30% of people reported muscle pain

Moderna

90% of people reported pain at the injection site 70% of people reported fatigue and headache 60% of people reported muscle pain

Johnson & Johnson

60% of people reported pain at the injection site 45% of people reported fatigue and headache 40% of people reported muscle pain

You may see some rumors about untrue side effects online or on social media. Make sure any time you see a claim about a side effect that you check the source of that claim. This video can teach you more about how to figure out if a claim online is true or not: youtube. com/watch?v=UIov_crnFt8&feature=youtu.be 

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for KC000191, Engineering Services for CHRLF Permanent Facilities Relocation Project; by King County Procurement and Payables Section until 12:00 PM on July 2, 2021. This contract includes development and submittal of an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Innovation

Plan. The ESJ Innovation Plan details the approach, strategies, and actionable steps that will be taken to maximize the participation of Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) firms. Both MBE and WBE firms must be certified by the State of Washington Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $2,500,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $7,900,000 Prospective proposers can view more details at: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/solicitations Contact: Regina Sparano, rsparano@kingcounty. gov, 206-477-4807

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUN 10

TAP-SEA: ZUMBA, WORKOUT CLASS WITH INSTRUCTOR GRACE WU 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free online event RSVP at https://bit.ly/3co9YXR

12 HAIKU CONTEST IS OPEN TO ANYONE ANYWHERE For details, go to japanfairus.org/haiku-contest Deadline is June 12, 11:59 p.m.

ICHS POP-UP COVID-19 VACCINE CLINIC Viet-Wah Asian Food Market 2825 NE Sunset Blvd., Renton 12-3 p.m. Free

17 VIRTUAL TOMODACHI GALA Online via youtube.com/user/JCCCWA 7-7:45 p.m.

24 2021 SCIDPDA BASH: VIRTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR, HAPPY HOUR, AND Q&A Airmeet

39 YEARS

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DRAGON FESTIVAL FOOD WALK Seattle’s C-ID 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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YOUR VOICE

■ SPORTS

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

asianweekly northwest

The Layup Drill

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill.

Jordan Clarkson wins 6th Man Award

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson capped off a breakthrough year by winning the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year award. Clarkson was surprised when the award was presented by fellow teammate Joe Ingles during an interview on national television. Clarkson’s NBA career changed course once he joined the Utah Jazz last season. He was a vital part of the Jazz’s success this year as he provided instant scoring off the bench. In Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Clarkson came off the bench to spark the team to a win. His 24 points in 21 minutes exemplified his importance as a key reserve coming off the bench. The Jazz defeated the Grizzlies to move on to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Clarkson, whose mother is Filipino, delivered an online clinic to members of the Jr. NBA program in the Philippines. Clarkson, along with Jalen Green who plays in the G-League (the NBA’s developmental league), were the featured guests.

‘Not the right minority’

Former NFL offensive lineman and assistant coach Eugene Chung was told he was “not the right minority” when he interviewed for an NFL coaching job this past offseason. Chung, who is Korean, was told by an NFL executive that he was “really not a minority,” and “not the right minority that [the team] was looking for.” Chung did not identify the team but was stunned to hear such a

comment. The NFL introduced the “Rooney Rule” in 2003 after the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dan Rooney, who was in charge of the league’s diversity committee. The rule requires league teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations jobs. While the policy has seen success, Chung’s story seems to show that some teams do not understand the rule. Chung noted that the statement made to him was not made with malicious intent, but as a ‘matter of fact’ which would indicate that the interviewer did not even realize the irony in saying that a ‘minority’ was the wrong one when hiring. It would also seem to indicate to the interviewer that there was a limit on the number of minorities that a team could hire at one time. A former assistant coach, Chung played in the NFL after he was drafted out of Virginia Tech. He served as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Chung did praise the NFL for its mentorship and stated that there are great coaches that embrace the differences. He added, “It’s just when the Asians don’t fit the narrative, that’s where my stomach churns a little bit.” The experience, which he shared during a webinar put on by the Boston Globe about Asian Americans in sports, reveals the obstacles faced by many in the industry.

Despite ongoing issues, Tokyo Olympics still an issue The Summer Olympics are scheduled to go forward next month. However, the COVID-19 pandemic casts a concerning cloud on how the events will take place. About 10,000 volunteers scheduled to work at the Tokyo Olympics have dropped out for various reasons, although many cite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Japan is battling a fourth wave of COVID-19, yet the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee insist that the event will happen. Tokyo 2020 was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Several prefectures in Japan are still in a state of emergency due to the pandemic. Fortunately, the number of infected people nationwide are starting to decline. Yet, the influx of athletes from all over the world may be of concern for a country that has more than 13,000 deaths related to COVID-19. In comparison, the United States has nearly 600,000 deaths. Caution is the overarching theme with the Olympics almost a month away. Large international mass gatherings are still neither safe nor secure, according to some medical opinions. A public survey showed that 80% of the Japanese people were in favor of another postponement or canceling the Olympics. Kaori Yamaguchi, a former Olympian and a member of the Japanese Olympic Committee, indicated that Tokyo has been “cornered” into holding the Olympics and the IOC, the Japanese government, and local organizers are ignoring widespread opposition to the Olympics by the country. The former bronze medalist in Judo and current

university professor cites the fact that Japan will hold the Olympics because it has already spent $15.4 billion. As a precautionary measure, only athletes, coaches, media, officials, and athletic representatives will be able to travel from overseas, so family and friends of athletes will not be able to attend. Moreover, the Olympic planning committee has yet to make a final call on whether local spectators may attend events. Unlike the U.S., Japan is lagging in its vaccination efforts—only 5% of the

population had been vaccinated by midMay. Vaccine developers have donated doses to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for the Olympics. The IOC hopes to get 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes from over 200 countries and territories to the Olympics and sequester them in a ‘bubble’ at the Olympic Village, and then have them leave the country two days after the completion of their event.  Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

“We Hereby Refuse”

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Frank Abe

The incarceration of Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II is in itself no secret. But as writer Tamiko Nimura asserted about her work on a new graphic novel of the camps, “I’m hoping that people inside and outside the Japanese American community will see that the story of camp is incomplete without the story of resistance.” The new book, “We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration,” features all-local talent—written by Nimura with Frank Abe, and illustrated by Ross Ishikawa and Matt Sasaki. It’s published by the Wing Luke Museum in collaboration with Seattle’s Chin Music Press. Three of the four contributors—Abe, Nimura, and Ishikawa—will join Tom Ikeda from Seattle’s Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project, for an online discussion, at 6 p.m. on June 14. Registration is at eventbrite.com/e/ we -hereby-ref use -book- event-t ickets-152224693155. The narrative weaves together three crucial stories of resistance in the camp communities. Jim Akutsu refused to be drafted out of the Minidoka camp in Idaho, then got classified by the government as an enemy alien—his story inspired John Okada’s classic novel “No-No Boy.” Hiroshi Kawshiwagi, interned at Tule Lake, California, refused to sign a loyalty oath to America and ended up renouncing his citizenship. Mitsuye Endo, interned at Topaz, Utah, became party to a lawsuit

against the internment process, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. “The Wing Luke had the initial vision” for the project, Abe explained. “The mission...is to connect everyone to Asian American history through vivid storytelling. They grasped the power of the graphic novel to bring together art and history in a personally engaging way... The format is accessible to readers of all ages. “They got an NPS (National Park Service) Confinement Sites Grant for a series of three graphic novels, of which this is the second, and the four of us answered the call for proposals.” The book was a collaborative process, but Nimura worked the most on Kashiwagi and Mitsuye Endo’s stories, with a sideline on the Mothers’ Society of Minidoka. In her case, a personal connection was a big help. “Hiroshi Kashiwagi is my uncle, and I edited his first two books, so I naturally felt drawn to working on his story,” she explained. “I wanted to work on women’s stories of resistance, so Endo’s story and the Mothers’ story were compelling for me”” Ishikawa illustrated the Akutsu and Endo stories, plus side stories on the U.S. government, and the machinations of the Japanese American Citizens League. “I think Matt’s style lent itself well to the more visceral situations at Tule Lake,” he explained, “while the stories I worked on depended more on character interplay and emotional dynamics.” Abe, from his writer’s perspective, characterized Ishikawa’s artwork as expressive, and Sasaki’s as expressionistic. But he allowed that they “both did an exceptional job.” The contributors hope that the project will help humanize the story of the camp, and bring readers to the subtlety and emotional nuance of such historical figures. But they acknowledge that the political and cultural urgency of the story remains with us, more than seven decades later. “The same elements of fear and ignorance of the ‘other’ that open the book are present today,” Abe asserted. “This book

Veterans in Maynard Alley in front of old Wah Mee Club. Illustrations by Ross Ishikawa & Matt Sasaki.

Internment camp’s haunting history and humanity

opens with the FBI knocking on the door to arrest Jim Akutsu’s father, and it ends with ICE breaking down the door to deport immigrants. This book opens with government officials gaslighting groundless claims of Fifth Column activity among the Japanese on the West Coast and Hawaii, as a pretext for mass expulsion and incarceration. Just one year ago, we had a president who dog-whistled ‘China virus’

and ‘Kung flu’ and unleashed the random terrorism against Asian Americans on the streets today. “The only way to undo this is to show Asian Americans as real people to those who still don’t get it. It’s books like ours that create empathy.”  Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

■ AT THE MOVIES

A new film, SEAxSEA

What local filmmaker Long Tran has been up to

Long Tran

The short film “With Whom Shall We Live?” by Long Tran combines footage of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sound bites from Hồ Chí Minh relating to the Vietnam War, along with Vietnamese language oration, to broach the subject of Black and Asian Americans working together to fight racism. The title references a protest sign seen behind King in one of the clips, that reads in Vietnamese, “Men are not our enemies. If we kill men, with whom shall we live?” “I wanted to base a short film off of this incredibly powerful notion of being anti-war and pro-peace, not only meaning solidarity between people of color in the United States but beyond.” The last time we spoke to Tran, he was working on his bachelor’s degree and a short film about the incarceration of Japanese Americans and the discrimination that mixed race couples encounter. Ever responsive to the climate of the world around him, Tran felt a need to create a new film dealing with the current atmosphere of racism and violence in our country. “I have to talk about the anger I felt this year waking up every day seeing on social media a new case of hate crimes inflicted on people in the Asian American community in 2021.” He wanted to suggest the tie between “the historical context of racism in America to the contemporary moment where Asian people are being assaulted and killed from the anti-Chinese rhetoric… I’m sad that this theme of death in the Vietnamese and Black family is ever present in the contemporary moment. Going back to the Việt Nam War, I frame it as the great contradiction because of

States.” For Tran, the sign lofted during the Vietnam War protest is evidence of past solidarity that he hopes might be achieved again. “What bothers me…is the antiBlackness that permeates, and the divisions white supremacy has created between us…I believe many of us would not be here if it wasn’t for efforts of Black Americans bettering our society, advocating for all historically marginalized communities, and protesting the imperial war machine of the United States.” Tran’s film was one of several selected for this year’s SEAxSEA (Southeast Asian X Seattle) Film Festival, put on by the University of Washington (UW)’s Southeast Asia Center, from May 10 to June 4. Bunthay Cheam, an organizer and storyteller who partnered with the Center to host the festival’s closing event, spoke to the themes in Tran’s film. “It’s often forgotten how much intersecting and how much in common the struggle is within different BIPOC communities in history, especially American history, and this film helped weave that together…anti-Asian hate is not something that just started happening but is interlinked with state and institutional violence…part of what the film is trying to say is that people should recognize common cause across ethnic and racial identities and realize that what it lacks in institutional or economic power, it has in…the power of the masses mobilizing together.” Festival director Adrian Alarilla talked to the Weekly about the importance of running the festival at this time in our troubled history.

“We ran with it as a way not only to promote the Center, but to also reach out to the larger community in Seattle, which has a considerable diasporic Southeast Asian population. It is important for us to share Southeast Asian stories as a way to shed light in a region that is still very much misunderstood by mainstream American culture.” Cheam added, “Oftentimes, Southeast Asian communities get lost in the mix of racial hierarchies in America…That’s in large part a result of the inaccessibility to the resources these communities need to be able to heal from the harm of trauma of displacement…Because of this disconnect, the genuine stories of these communities get lost…For me, it’s important that academic spaces like the UW Southeast Asia Center get out of the ivory tower and touch the ground that everyday Southeast Asians live and breathe.” Offered online and in-person, closing night festivities included music, refreshment, and spoken word poetry. Three of the films were shown, including Tran’s, and a question and answer session followed. All performers hailed from Southeast Asia and proceeds, according to Cheam and a Facebook announcement, went towards the Khmer Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group to “end the school to

prison to deportation pipeline and support impacted families and organizations.”

Photo by Kai Curry

Black Americans serving their country while being oppressed in the United

Photo provided by Long Tran

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Nikki Châu read her poem “Moving Day” at SEA X SEA’s closing night.

It was a welcome communion after months of separation due to COVID, and things got emotional quickly during the spoken word presentations. Nikki Châu spoke tearfully about helping her mom move out of her nail salon, and of missing Vietnam. “Someday, that umbilical cord will pull my belly button home.” see TRAN on 10

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YOUR VOICE

■ EDITORIAL

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

asianweekly northwest

Make self-care a priority

By now, you’ve heard that tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open after being fined $15,000 for refusing to speak to the media. It marked the first time a major star walked away from a major tournament without an injury—at least one that’s visible. On the last day of Mental Health Month, Osaka stated the press conferences showed “no regard for athlete[’s] mental health.” “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she wrote on Twitter. “I’m gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.” Osaka’s willingness to be fined rather than participate

in news conferences that exacerbate her mental health issues was a request for reasonable accommodation to which tennis’ governing authorities should have agreed. Instead, not only did the president of the French Tennis Federation not agree, he persuaded the heads of the other three Grand Slams—the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open—to publicly release the contents of a letter they wrote to Osaka in which they threatened to disqualify her from all four tournaments. Athletes are human, too and while it may be their job to play, they do not exist solely for our entertainment. In a given year, nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience some type of mental health condition, according to the American Psychiatric Association. And more than half of that population doesn’t get treatment. Kudos to Osaka for taking care of herself. When she defeated Serena Williams in 2018 in her first

Grand Slam tournament, the crowd booed her, and she was forced to cover her head in humiliation. She even apologized during the trophy ceremony while Williams told the crowd to stop booing and give Osaka credit for a game well played, and won fair and square. We are all human beings and it is OK to be vulnerable. Let’s push for a society that prioritizes self-care and mental health, not one that ridicules it. If you or someone you care about is in crisis, seek help immediately. Call 911. Visit a nearby emergency department or your health care provider’s office. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Crisis Text Line also provides confidential text access from anywhere in the U.S. to a trained crisis counselor. Text HOME to 741741. 

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Asian San Francisco officer attacked in possible hate crime SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco police officer responding to a call about a man making threats to people in Chinatown was attacked by the suspect, who was later arrested on assault and hate crime charges, authorities said. Surveillance video shows the female officer, who is

of Asian descent, approach Gerardo Contreras on May 28 and tell him to turn around and put his hands on his head. The 33-year-old turns around, but while the officer puts on plastic gloves before patting him down, he turns back to face her, shoves her, then wrestles with her on

the ground. The video first made public by the San Francisco Police Officers Association shows four men rushing to help, hitting Contreras and trying to pull him off the

INVISIBLE from 1

taken it before, news that it was not listed for next year was a shock. Janet Ha Andrews, 33, the daughter of refugees that fled the Vietnam War, is pursuing a second degree at BC while managing a small online business. She was upset and felt “compelled to speak up” when she heard the class was not listed. Janet Ha Andrews “Anti-Asian violence and hatred has been a part of U.S. history since before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, from the violent expulsion of the Chinese in the 1885 Tacoma riots, the stolen independence of the Philippines in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II,” she wrote in an email. “My outlook is that Asian Americans should not be fearful, instead we must learn and educate others on our history so we can never let these things happen again to anyone.” The course also raised questions about race and identity for students from other backgrounds. Ma and her colleague, Tony Vo, an adjunct faculty member, were concerned that the lack of visibility of the course would lead to fewer students signing up. “We explained that the College has moved to an annual schedule and since registration begins on May 10, students were already looking at the schedules to make their academic plans for the year,” wrote Ma in a letter to the diversity caucus on May 19. “While the intent may be that the class will be scheduled after the new hire comes in, we emphasized that the impact is racial as this class is connected to Asian American identity.” One response she received underlined changes in the structure of academia over the past several decades. Even a quarter century ago, graduate students entering higher education still had a fair chance of achieving a

tenure track position. Today, the majority of teaching positions across the nation are held by part-time faculty who in many cases live below poverty level or have to moonlight at multiple universities. The response in question was from an administrator who told Ma that since she and her colleague were adjunct faculty, the department did not need to consult with them about scheduling decisions. “This sentiment that we are adjunct faculty and therefore are not [cultural and ethnic studies] faculty and do not need to be consulted...and that the chair and the full-time faculty are the decision makers for the department...does not uphold the College’s commitment to inclusion and furthers the disparities between fulltime and adjunct faculty.” Ma and others contacted OCA-GS, and Connie So, the chapter’s president, wrote a letter to Locke on May 28. OCA-GS was “dismayed” that the course seemed to be singled out for exclusion. “We understand that while the offerings of African American Studies, Latinx Studies, and Indigenous Studies are maintained, only Asian American Studies has been eliminated,” she wrote. “We strongly support the maintenance of these important disciplines, but we resent the obvious attempt to employ colonial divide and conquer tactics to weaken us all.” On June 1, Locke called her and assured the situation was being resolved and the course would be offered. So told the Asian Weekly that she encouraged Locke to offer two courses for each area of ethnic studies. “OCA-GS adamantly believes that having more Ethnic Studies offerings is particularly important considering current events,” she said. For his part, Locke said he had a “good conversation” with So. “In fact, she pointed out that there are so many other community colleges in the region that don’t even offer an Asian American Studies course,” he said. “The University of Washington doesn’t even have an Asian American Studies course this coming fall.” 

Seattle, formerly known as Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA-GS). Last week, BC President Gary Locke said the delay in listing the course was based on a misunderstanding—it would be offered in the spring. The holdup, he said, was because the Cultural and Ethnic Studies Department was waiting to hire a new faculty member. “Last year, we had the Asian American Studies course in the fall, but with the new hiring that we’re making, the new addition to the program, we thought that when we offer that course, it should be influenced by the new faculty member,” he told the Asian Weekly. “If that faculty member is an Asian American Pacific Islander, does that person want to teach it in the fall or does that person prefer to teach it in the winter or spring?” Still, the advocacy of Ma and others reveals the unique character that those who teach and support ethnic studies believe their courses should have. It also highlights the challenges colleges and universities face balancing fulltime and adjunct faculty. Ethnic studies began in the late 1960s after the Civil Rights Movement. Supporters stormed academic offices and staged sit-ins and protests for new courses that were not Euro-centric. The courses were not only meant to reflect the experiences of people of color, they were meant to challenge the traditional knowledge shared in classrooms, which advocates said kept in place oppressive structures both in the United States and abroad. “The kinds of stories that are told and shared in an Asian American studies class and in ethnic studies classes in general...tell students, especially those who come from marginalized backgrounds, that their own stories, experiences, and voices matter,” said Ma. “I also want to point out that the stories are not only about suffering and victimization, they also show minority individuals and communities as resilient, creative, innovative, resourceful, abundant actors, and agents of change.” To students enrolled in the course (it is currently being taught by another faculty member) and those who’d

see HATE CRIME on 12

Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

39 YEARS

CLASSIFIED JOB OPPORTUNITY Position: Rapid Rehousing Case Manager Reports to: Housing Services Program Manager Exempt Position: 40 hours/week Starting Salary: $39,520.00-$43,680.00 (DOE), Health and Vacation Benefits If you are compassionate and dedicated in working with our neighbors who are homeless and assisting them in attaining and achieving housing stability- we have a position for you. Individuals interested in joining our team must be committed to social inclusion and social justice, with economic equity for all people. Be empathetic, sensitive to social cues and adept at navigating vary social interactions with a community that is experiencing or has experienced trauma. Have active listening skills and be self-directed. JOB SUMMARY This position coordinates services to homeless families through Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) systems. Providing housing search and stabilization case management services through a holistic, comprehensive, culturally appropriate social justice lens. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES/ACCOUNTABILITIES • Assist families who have been identified through the King County Coordinated Entry for All System with housing search/housing stabilization needs, including mobile- advocacy. • Conduct intakes and client assessments, advocate on clients’ behalf • Develop client driven service plans, goals & objectives and can maintain confidentiality and adhere to boundaries. • Provide housing counseling, agency referrals, resources, and assistance with completing housing application(s) and other related documents. • Provide information, resources and referrals to clients to assist them with being self-sufficient. • Act as a liaison between landlords/service providers and tenants to address communication barriers; Assist to resolve tenant/landlord issues. • Maintain service partnerships with referral agencies. • Support staff of other programs and assist in the compilation of client data, statistics and reports as requested by funders. • Assist clients in becoming rent ready with financial coaching to improve credit, assisting with resumes, interviews, job search, enrolling them in job training programs and school programs for their children when necessary. • Maintain accurate record-keeping of services rendered that are relevant to specific programs and funding requirements. • Evaluate clients’ services upon exit and brainstorm effectively on improving services to meet the needs of clients. • Participate in staff meetings, case conferences, training opportunities for professional development and other meetings as needed. • Perform other duties as assigned by Program Manager COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: • Knowledge of issues pertaining to housing and homelessness, domestic violence, chemical dependency, mental health and Federal Assistance Programs. • Experience in crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy techniques and case management skills. • Ability to communicate and work effectively with people from varied racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identities. • Ability to analyze problems, identify alternative solutions and consequences of proposed actions, articulate possibilities and implement recommendations to support goals; demonstrate critical, creative, and reflective thinking. • Ability to work independently under minimal supervision and guidance. • Able to plan, organize and prioritize work to meet schedules and deadlines • Experience in performing administrative duties pertaining to programs • Experience in entering data into confidential databases, maintaining protocols around sensitive information. • Good oral and written communication and computer skills are required especially Microsoft Office 365 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field with a least 1-year experience or equivalent work with assisting those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness and/or immigrant and refugees • Demonstrated commitment to the empowerment of program participants • Preference to individuals with language fluency in Cantonese, Mandarin, or Toishanese • Washington State Driver’s License -Reliable transportation for mobile advocacy as job does require travel. InterIm CDA is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse perspective and life experiences. Encouraging people of all social and economic backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences Please send your resume and cover letter to Lynette Seigafo lseigafo@interimcda.org.

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KING COUNTY DISTRICT COURT STATE OF WASHINGTON EAST DIVISION, BELLEVUE COURTHOUSE Khaled Youssef Ali, Petitioner Julie Renee Novak, Respondent No. 21CIV22286KCX ORDER ON MOTION Having considered the motion, pleadings, record in this case, and any arguments of the parties, the Court finds: The requirements of RCW 26.50.085 have been met. Law enforcement has been unable to complete service because there is no addresss for the Respondent that is known to law enforcement. Petition has stated valid reason to believe Respondent is hiding to avoid service. There is no known address for Respondent, so the server cannot deposit the summons and order in the post office. It appears, based on Petitioner’s testimony regarding service of process, and on the petition, that reasonable grounds exist to believe Repond is concealing herself to avoid service, and that future attempts at personal service would be futile. Accordingly, it is ORDERED: Petitioner is authorized to serve by publication per RCW 26.50.085 - Judge Michael J Finkle 5/28/21

TRAN from 8 Anger and frustration seemed to be the emotions felt by James Santana in the lines, “Don’t tell me that we’re free…We die regardless of if we follow your commands,” which brought to mind not only recent violence but the deaths of people of color drawn into conflicts they did not condone, such as the Vietnam War. Everyone seemed to feel the need to tell their stories to be more fully understood outside the community and to grow closer to each other as well. JM Wong stated in one of her poems that she was “grateful for the opportunity to redefine what it means to be Southeast Asian.” “Everyone has a different approach,” Tran said. “There truly needs to be more dialogue, more educating, and less yelling… in regard to racism, we have to talk about it…making your voices heard through protests, art, and education are a few ways that I see productive conversations.” “With Whom Shall We Live?” ended up winning the SEA x SEA Best Student Film award. Tran completed his master’s in Cinema and Media Studies at UW this year. He wants to apply for postgraduate study in anthropology and we may eventually see some documentary film work coming from him.

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METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE CLERK, POLICY STAFF Closes: June 23, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. The Metropolitan King County Council is seeking a detail-oriented, customer-focused, flexible, and self-motivated individual who works well with other team members to provide senior-level administrative support functions to the Council Committees. The Legislative Clerk for policy staff ensures accountability throughout the legislative process in compliance with established standards by working with Councilmembers, Council Clerk’s Office and staff. With a focus on superior service, the successful candidate is expected to coordinate and clerk committee meetings, draft and proof documents, maintain legislative records and provide administrative support to the committees, policy staff and the legislative process. The most competitive candidates will have a working knowledge of the rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures associated with public meetings, hearings, and the legislative process. The Legislative Clerk is a full-time, hourly, overtime eligible, at will position. HOW TO APPLY: To apply and view a complete job announcement and apply, go to www.kingcounty.gov/jobs Interested applicants must complete the supplemental questions and submit a resume and letter of interest highlighting your qualifications for this position.

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“I’m shifting course to a field where I could immerse myself in Vietnamese studies and travel to Việt Nam, the homeland of my parents that I have yet

to visit.”  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4.

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

Predictions and advice for the week of June 12–18, 2021 By Sun Lee Chang Rat—Inclined to hold on to an old opinion? With new information, there is good cause to revise your initial assessment.

Dragon—Why settle for making do, when you have what it takes to really shine? Push yourself to the next level.

Monkey—As much as you want to go your own way, don’t discount the value of the wisdom that is offered.

Ox—Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what to do. You’ll have more leverage if you take the initiative.

Snake—Turned off by something you heard recently? There is likely more to the story, if you are willing to listen.

Rooster—Though you tend to learn by doing, there are some lessons that are better learned through other’s mistakes.

Tiger—A slow start can be frustrating, but your persistence should yield a great deal of what you seek.

Horse—Ignoring the weaker points isn’t a wise strategy. Invest the effort to shore those up to strengthen your entire endeavor.

Dog—If you are trying to get noticed, dispense with what you normally go with and opt for something unpredictable.

Rabbit—Although you know what you want to say, you will benefit from working on exactly how to say it.

Goat—Are you skeptical about what you have been told recently? It might be worth confirming your suspicions with another source.

Pig—Tempted by the lure of immediate gains? Your patience could bring a far more attractive return down the line.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 RABBIT 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 DRAGON 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 SNAKE 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 HORSE 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 GOAT 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 MONKEY 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 ROOSTER 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 DOG 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

DOG RESCUE from 1

“It became very clear to me very early on that I had to travel to China because you can’t really understand the brutality as a rescuer unless you actually see it, feel it, and touch it. All of our dogs are saved from slaughterhouses, slaughter trucks, or police pounds. These are dogs destined for slaughter.” — Jill Stewart “It became very clear to me very early on that I had to travel to China because you can’t really understand the brutality as a rescuer unless you actually see it, feel it, and touch it,” Stewart said. “All of our dogs are saved from slaughterhouses, slaughter trucks, or police pounds. These are dogs destined for slaughter.” The organization’s rescue comes just weeks before the controversial lychee and dog-meat festival that usually takes place in June in Yulin. In an announcement on April 8, 2020, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced and Reuters reported that dogs would be reclassified as “companion animals” instead of “livestock,” a part of China’s response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Stewart tells us that a growing population of younger

Photo provided by China Rescue Dogs

the streets of Northern China and taken in by monks to escape what could have been a cruel fate. Instead, his homecoming spurred a movement. “Touching his soul and embracing what he was and what he could have been, made me want to start a GoFundMe page to bring more animals to the U.S.,” Stewart said. The first dog came into the country through China Rescue Dogs on Aug. 30, 2019, and today they have rescued 602 dogs in less than two years.

At a dog-meat market in China, multiple dogs are jammed into crates to be sold, skinned, and butchered for meat.

Chinese finds the slaughter of dogs incredibly offensive. “Our country and other countries know about Yulin, but sadly in China, Yulin is every day,” she said. Stewart is not sure how effective the rules will actually be as dog meat trade is a lucrative industry. “In my humble opinion, things will double,” she said. “Every single day an animal is trucked for hours to a warehouse, tortured, and brutally slaughtered. Animals have no rights and the people who own them have no rights,” Stewart said. “If you believe holistically in the universe, you are ingesting something that has been tortured and that meat cannot be sanitary.” China Rescue Dogs usually used flight volunteers who flew to China and escorted 7-8 animals back on airlines that allowed live animals in the cargo hold. The average cost would be around $1,000 per animal. “When the pandemic hit, the borders closed, and our animals were stuck. We had to figure out how to get the animals,” Stewart said. The answer was freighters, but that raises the cost.

“The average cost for moving 26 dogs to the U.S. is $52,600 and we have to raise all that money.” Stewart’s appeal is simple—sacrifice a coffee or a meal with a friend and send the funds their way. “Donations are my biggest and top need right now. Though we are grateful for well wishes and $5, $10, or $15 donation, if we get 7,000 people to give us $25, it’s pretty amazing what that adds up to,” Stewart said. The money isn’t just to move the animals. “It costs $3,000 to feed my dogs at the shelter per month. We also care for the animals in a shelter with food, medications. Right now, we are working on getting another staff person into our shelter at Wuhan, where we are also trying to get air-conditioning because it’s sweltering,” she said. Speaking about collaborating with her Chinese rescue workers, Stewart said, “They have become my family and just like everyone, it’s been hard for me to be separated from them during the pandemic.” She communicates with her Chinese rescue partners located in Shanghai, north Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Harbin, and Chengdu daily through WeChat. “We buy dogs from the slaughterhouse, off the meat trucks, from the back of restaurants, pay the police to get them out of the police pound and rescue dogs from bad shelters,” Stewart said. Once the dogs are rescued, they are quarantined for 30 days where they are spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Once they are cleared to be adopted by both the Chinese and American law, the dogs are prepared to fly and sent to the U.S. “We have about 16 collaborative partnerships across the country. We work with 11 Golden Retriever Rescues, the Humane Society, SPCA, a small nonprofit called Small Little Dogs in Chicago, and we just partnered with a rescue in Canada,” Stewart said. “A lot of these rescues pay us a small rescue fee, but that doesn’t cover our costs. We also host some of our dogs on our website and do private adoptions, where we have applications, vet references, and have collaborative home visits before we send our dogs to their forever homes,” she said. While her visits to China have resulted in close encounters with the helplessness dogs and their owners can deal with, she feels international pressure and a strong stand by politicians or celebrities may help bring this suffering to an end. Stewart is hopeful. “I hope that someday this brutality will end.”  To donate, go to chinarescuedogs.org. Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly

39 YEARS

JUNE 12 – JUNE 18, 2021

Photos provided by Omar Lee

northwest

Cedar + Elm Restaurant

THE LODGE from 1 But the trappings of colonialism provided a gathering place. He and his friends met for high tea in the lobby of the oldest and proudest symbol of British colonial splendor—the Peninsula Hotel. It was one of his fondest memories. “We’d spend three to four hours there at a time, just talking,” he said. Omar Lee and Kenmore Mayor So when another David Baker real estate developer approached him about the Lodge, he jumped at the opportunity. Lee, who has until now been a solo developer, had also just returned from Peru where he had stayed in a hotel built out of a converted monastery. “There were priests chanting at night, it was quite phenomenal,” he said. The developer, Kevin Daniels, had been intending to refurbish the old seminary using EB5 funds— investment from Chinese nationals that would create job opportunities in exchange for green cards, said Lee. But the Trump administration had changed the rules, making it much harder for foreign investors to get a foothold. So Daniels came to Lee, who had also been involved in EB5 projects. “We had instant chemistry,” said Lee. Daniels, who had restored several buildings already, handled the red tape since the building was entered into the historic registry site, which provided a tax break. Lee went into his personal savings to make an investment. But for both men, the project represented nostalgia. Daniels told Lee he had been married across the street from the old seminary decades ago and had held his wedding reception inside. Lee flashed back to the monastery hotel in Peru, and beyond that to his childhood days in the Peninsula Hotel. So far, they seem to be taking their nostalgia seriously. On a recent visit to the Lodge, the personalities of the investors spilled out into the structure. On the first floor, under low, cathedral-like arches, a long hallway stretches out filled with glass cases and hung with paintings. It turns out the display represents the personal art collection of Daniels. Meanwhile, in the dining room, which has been full

HATE CRIME from 9 officer as he punches her in the head and face. Shortly afterward, other officers arrived and arrested Contreras, who is apparently homeless with mental health issues and a record of prior arrests. It wasn’t immediately known if Contreras has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. The attack comes amid a wave of assaults against Asian Americans in San Francisco and across the country since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the

Guest room

Hallway

(at the limited 50% capacity) since it opened on May 7, the general manager, Jenne Oxford, is working on ways to bring high tea to the hotel. “Talk to me in two weeks,” she said. Like the Peninsula, the hotel is an incongruity. In Hong Kong, amidst the hectic bustle of people thronging the narrow streets and the constant clamor of taxi cabs and mini vans, the Peninsula stretches out like a lion at rest gazing out over the harbor. Here, however, the scene is different. But the incongruity remains. Amidst 326 acres of wilderness, trails, and paths that twist and curve under overhanging boughs of trees, dappled in the sunlight, the edifice sits, alone on a spacious plane of grass. Picnickers and families cavort around it, eyeing it like something out of another time. It rises up, stretched out like a sentinel watching beyond the jungle-like forest, perhaps at the lakeshore a half-mile distant. Oxford, who managed the Alexis Hotel for many years, explains that guests will wander the paths and enjoy the surroundings and the lake. Already, the place has become thronged with mostly local visitors. “We expect it to be a destination resort,” she said. Inside, the past is transformed into the present. The Tonsorium, which Oxford explains was once a barbershop for the seminarians, has been converted into a bar. Another wing of the building is a spa. Each guest room has been created by combining two of the original dormitory rooms. Behind the beds, the walls are painted with large replicas of the original architectural plans. A retro phone sits on the nightstand in one room, its drooping handle hanging over either side of the recreated base. But where the rotary dial once invited fingers into its grooves, square buttons emerge. It is a touchtone after all. “It’s a new old phone,” said Oxford. Much of the building is taken up with meeting space—9,000 square feet. “We have four weddings booked already,” she said. For Lee, the project is a departure in many senses. When he attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied Physics and then Mathematics and Computer Science, he was interested in discovering new things. Even when he switched to real estate, after getting an MBA at UCLA, he branched out into projects that caught his desire to create. He worked at Hewlett Packard long enough to save up enough money. And he began to build custom highrise homes in the eastern part of the Bay Area. He built country clubs and apartments. And eventually he was lured by an acquaintance to come up to Seattle and try his hand here. Always working alone, always seeking the unique opportunity, he eventually built the Great Wall Mall in 1999. An anomaly, it recreated a small Asian world in the space of a single mall. It would contain Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese authentic cuisine. Lee mentioned spicy Chongqing food and Cantonese

restaurants. “We wanted it to be unique, people could come to eat, and even get a haircut at the same time, if they wanted,” he said. The Mall contained Ranch 99, a dedicated Asianfoods shopping store. “Asians have delicate stomachs, so they need specific kinds of ingredients,” said Lee. And then around the mall, in a five-mile radius, another small Asia accumulated. The Vietnamese Catholic Church moved into the area to be closer to the mall. Three to four Pho Noodle shops opened up. Lam’s Seafood Asian Court opened up. Uwajimaya opened up a branch nearby. His vision was complete. He went onward, building a number of hotels, all of them solo. On the day of the interview, he asked a reporter to meet him at the Hotel Interurban. Rising up out of the suburban sprawl, car dealerships and long flat roadways, the modern, white monolithic hotel is visible for miles away. Lee sits outside on a patio where music is playing through speakers. Located in Tukwila, near the airport, the hotel is almost the antithesis to the Lodge—and it is at the other end of Lake Washington. It has a sleek tower of climbing apartments holding onto the side of the hotel box, like a monkey climbing up a tree. The building lobby is fronted with glass. And the rooms jut out at modernistic angles from the building façade. And yet it was not all surprising that he would be open to something new when Daniels approached him. Hit hard by the COVID pandemic, the hospitality industry has been reeling, and hotels have been operating at skeleton capacity. “It’s starting to get a little better,” said Lee. And yet similar challenges related to the pandemic face the Lodge, said Oxford. Hiring staff is a problem. As a result of unemployment benefits guaranteed through the summer, it has been hard to find the 70-80 workers needed to run the giant hotel, she said. Even in one of the model rooms on display, a piece of errant blue tape, left by a laborer, hangs from the ceiling of a bathroom marking where more paint is needed. Outside, laborers sweep slowly at gravel and dust in the parking lot. Down the main hall, Oxford stopped a woman sweeping and asked her to dust several new tables that have apparently been overlooked. Asked what he has learned from the project, Lee mused for a moment then said, “Only do it once.” “I like to make fast decisions,” he added, which has been impossible while working with multiple partners (there are a total of three families involved) and dealing with the red tape of registering the building. “But I have learned to respect old buildings again.” 

U.S. The officer, who has worked for the department for five years, suffered bumps and bruises, Tony Montoya, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, told the San Francisco Chronicle. Police spokesperson Robert Rueca confirmed the assault to the newspaper, saying, “We are not confirming the suspect”s statements toward witnesses or the Asian female officer. Our investigation is looking at aspects of this assault on the officer, which includes a possible hate crime and motive.”

Michael Waldorf had just finished eating dinner with his family when he saw the attack and jumped in with others to help the officer. “He’s a big guy; he was not letting go. He had a death grip on her. And he was not letting go,” Waldorf told KGO-TV. “I saw it as an emergency. She needed our help, and she needed it right away,” he said. 

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.