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Historic AAPI wins COVID Delta variant at Tokyo Olympics invades region, raises uncertainties

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Credit: Stanford University

The COVID-19 Delta variant likely accounts for most cases in King County, posing a significant threat to the unvaccinated and raising questions about masking policies even for the vaccinated, according to Public Health—Seattle & King County.

Cases have been steadily increasing for the past several months, and for the two weeks ending in June 20, the Delta variant made see DELTA VARIANT on 12

Dr. Grace Lee

Carissa Moore (right) and Lee Kiefer take home gold medals for Team USA.

TOKYO (AP) — Carissa Moore won the first Olympic gold for surfing on July 27—she is the only Native Hawaiian surfer at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 28-year-old Moore, the darling child prodigy who could beat the boys and grew up to be the youngest world champion surfer, persevered after struggling in the early heats.

“It’s been a crazy couple of days,” Moore said. “A little bit of a rollercoaster of emotions just trying to figure out the break, find my rhythm, learning how to trust myself without my family here.”

The relatively modest beach break conditions were so unlike the world class see OLYMPICS on 11

Hate crimes investigations

Seattle FBI holds informational session

By Becky Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

ARAS, SHUI, YANG for Bellevue schools

SPD Chief Adrian Diaz speaking at hate crime information session after Tessa Gorman, Acting U.S. Attorney, Western District of Washington, and Don Voiret, FBI Special Agent in Charge.

Jane Aras

Joyce Shui

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Three Asian women are vying for your vote to two different seats on the School Board of Bellevue School District (BSD), in hopes of helping BSD fulfill its vision to affirm and inspire each and every student to learn and thrive as creators of their future world.

Faye Yang

see SPD on 16

THE INSIDE STORY

Jane Aras, Bellevue School Board District, Position #5 As a long-time Bellevue resident, Jane Aras has engaged in the community’s education sector for the past 19 years as a parent, advocate, and educator. A qualified special education teacher, she see CANDIDATES on 15

■

I stopped in the left-hand turn lane on my bike in Bothell, honks blared behind me. An impatient driver, I thought. I turned when the light turned green and a sedan passed me. Then a dark truck slowed beside me.

“Get off the f#$@% road, you f#$%* chink.” The words startled me, and I stole a glance at the white male driver. Feeling vulnerable and hoping for my safety, I did nothing and pedaled on. According to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), I should’ve reported the incident as a non-violent hate crime.

Law enforcement partnerships and reporting are key elements in hate crime investigations.

AT THE MOVIES HENRY GOLDING AS SNAKE EYES  7

AT THE MOVIES M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN'S OLD 8

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39 YEARS

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

Credit: Philippine Consulate

Philippine Consular outreach in Seattle

Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, from the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, swore in 99-year-old Ricarda Marin for a reacquisition of her Philippine citizenship, better known as dual citizenship, at Marin’s Beacon Hill home.

A consulate outreach mission, formerly called Consulate on Wheels (COW), was held in Seattle on July 21–24 at the Beacon United Methodist Church in Seattle.

The four-day event is a joint community service project of the IDIC Filipino Senior & Family Services and the Fil AM React.

The Honorable Consul General Neil Ferrer of the Philippine Consulate General Office in San Francisco, together with Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, headed a 10-person team of consular officers and staff to render consular services to the Filipino American community in Washington.

Among the services rendered were new application and renewal of Philippine passports, dual citizenship, civil registry, overseas voter registration, and legal documents authentication.

The team of Consul General Ferrer also visited the home of Ricarda Marin, 99, to process her dual citizenship application and was sworn in thereafter to reacquire her Philippine citizenship. 

Sheila Edwards Lange selected as chancellor of UW Tacoma

Sheila Edwards Lange, president of Seattle Central College, was named chancellor of the University of Washington (UW) Tacoma on July 13.

Her appointment, pending approval by the UW Board of Regents, is set to begin Sept. 16.

At Seattle Central, Edwards Lange led the college’s efforts to build partnerships with local industry, government, and organizations to address community needs and help to bridge the opportunity gaps in Seattle and Washington state.

Sheila Edwards Lange She also spearheaded transformative projects such as the Black Male Initiative, which works to remove systemic barriers to academic success for Black male students.

Edwards Lange earned her doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies, as well as her master’s in public administration from the UW, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine. 

Heidi Wong takes the lead at ICHS Foundation

Community leader Heidi Wong has been serving as the executive director of International Community Health Services (ICHS) Foundation since March. The nonprofit raises funds to support the mission of ICHS. Wong has over 15 years experience in fundraising, marketing, communications, Heidi Wong and strategic planning. She is also currently a candidate for the Masters of Nonprofit Leadership at Seattle University.

“I’m excited to connect with the families who’ve benefited from ICHS and learn how we can continue to improve and better serve them,” Wong said.

Space station cargo ship named after Onizuka

The first Asian American to launch into space has been chosen as the namesake for a commercial cargo vehicle set to deliver supplies and science to the International Space Station.

Credit: NASA

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Ellison Onizuka

Northrop Grumman has christened its next Cygnus flying a commercial resupply services mission for NASA (NG-16) after Ellison Onizuka, who on Jan. 28, 1986, died with his six crewmates on the ill-fated final flight of the space shuttle Challenger.

A U.S. Air Force flight test engineer and test pilot with more than 1,700 flight hours, Onizuka was selected to become an astronaut with NASA’s 1978 class of space shuttle astronauts, the agency’s first group to accept minority and women candidates. 

Nisha Ramachandran appointed as CAPAC executive director

Nisha Ramachandran has been appointed as the new executive director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

She assumed the new role on July 22.

Founded in 1994, CAPAC is a congressional caucus of members of Congress of Asian Americans and Nisha Ramachandran Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage.

Ramachandran becomes the first person of South Asian American descent to serve in the role.

Rep. Judy Chu, the caucus chair, in a statement, said, “[Ramachandran’s] breadth of knowledge on the issues important to the community—from civil rights to healthcare—make Nisha the perfect leader to help guide CAPAC in this critical moment as we address the continuing problem of anti-Asian violence and work to rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic in a way that ensures AAPIs are included. 

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YOUR VOICE

■ EDUCATION

asianweekly northwest

3

Summit Sierra’s recipe for continued success

By Nicholas Pasion NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Despite having a full year of virtual learning, the ChinatownInternational District’s Summit Sierra charter school provided the necessary resources for their students to succeed and graduated their third senior class.

After a tumultuous year for secondary school’s around the country, Dr. Ayanna Gore, the principal and executive director of the Summit Sierra charter school, said this year’s students were able to maintain a strong academic proficiency while remaining virtual. She said the local public charter school was able to provide students the resources and

Dr. Ayanna Gore

connections to succeed and that next year the school will move back to in-person learning.

“With virtual school, students kept their same schedules, their

same bell schedule, everything, but teachers within their classes, built in a more asynchronous experience,” Gore said.

She said the staff of Summit Sierra realized the difficulty of an entirely virtual year for students and tried to best accommodate them through mindfulness meditation, time for breaks, and a designated period to check-in with their in-school mentors to update them on how they were doing.

Summit Sierra has also been commended for their mentoring program, which connects students with a ‘mentor’ who they check in with “at the start of the day, everyday,” telling them about their school work, home life, and other emotional stressors—all

to the student’s comfort level.

Gore said this bond is one of the cornerstone’s of Sierra’s success.

“We wanted to make sure everything felt seen and heard.

And the biggest piece was through a mentoring program. And our mentors’ communicating back to administration,” Gore said.

The pandemic also heightened existing inequities, with many families struggling to provide the necessary resources for their students to succeed in a virtual setting. Gore said Summit Sierra was able to largely avoid this issue because the school had already provided laptops to all their students. And if laptops weren’t enough, the students received “school in a box” kits which contained other necessary items

for their learning, like art supplies, jump ropes, and yoga mats.

But students were able to adapt quickly to the virtual learning, Gore said. When the pandemic began, the students already had computers, so the school was able to quickly move its curriculum online. Summit Sierra also maintained the same pre-pandemic bell schedule, with classes starting at 8:20 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m., so the students were more accustomed to the new learning style.

Gore added that cultural and community events were held throughout the year to build community for students. She said there were celebrations for Black see SUMMIT SIERRA on 12

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Sunday morning shootings In a span of three hours on the morning of Sunday, July 25, three people were killed and five were wounded in a series of unrelated shootings in the Chinatown-International District, Belltown, Pioneer Square, and Capitol Hill.

Chinatown-International District A woman with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the stomach arrived at a Bellevue hospital at around 3:29 a.m. She said she had been shot near 12th Avenue South and South Main Street in Seattle. Police later learned this shooting occurred around 1:40 a.m.

Belltown At 1:48 a.m., a bar employee in the 2200 block of 1st Avenue reported a physical fight in their establishment.

The participants spilled out of the bar into the street and parking lot. As police arrived and started breaking up the fight, they heard shots fired nearby.

Officers quickly found an adult male with gunshot wounds and tried to save him. Seattle Fire Department (SFD) medics also responded and tried to treat the victim, but they eventually declared

him deceased.

Pioneer Square At 2:32 a.m., several people called the police about a shooting near Occidental Square. Arriving officers located multiple shooting scenes and two men with gunshot wounds. SFD medics declared one man dead, and the other was taken to Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in critical condition.

Three other people were transported in personal vehicles to nearby hospitals before any first responders arrived. One of the victims that was transported to HMC later died from his injuries.

Capitol Hill At 4:40 a.m., 911 callers reported hearing several shots at Cal Anderson Park. Shortly after, a man with a gunshot wound arrived at HMC in a rideshare vehicle. He told police he had been shot at the park after playing in a basketball game.

Detectives are investigating all these incidents, and they ask anyone with information to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. 

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■ NATIONAL NEWS

State lawmaker won’t seek reelection after anti-Asian slur

By RANDALL CHASE ASSOCIATED PRESS

executive director of the Delaware AFL-CIO and was elected to the House in 2006.

Brady made the racist DOVER, Del. (AP) comments in a June 27 — Democratic House email he inadvertently leaders in Delaware sent to an advocate have indicated that they for decriminalizing have no plans to initiate prostitution. Thinking an ethics investigation he was forwarding an that could lead to the email from an advocate ouster of a fellow to another person from Rep. Gerald Brady Democrat who used a whom he was seeking racist and sexist slur to input, Brady instead refer to sex workers. mistakenly hit “reply” and sent his Amid public backlash and calls for comments to the advocate. his resignation, Rep. Gerald Brady of “Is the dude basically saying, if we Wilmington said in a July 26 statement provide free (sex acts) for Uncle Pervie that he would not seek reelection after there will be few rapes and few (a slur his current term expires. for Chinese women) will be shipped “I cannot in good conscience ask the in CONEX containers to the Port of voters to put their faith in me again after I betrayed theirs,” said Brady, who is see BRADY on 14

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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.

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39 YEARS

Chung wants meeting with Goodell over Asian remark

By BARRY WILNER AP PRO FOOTBALL WRITER

Coach Eugene Chung Commissioner Roger Goodell

Former NFL player and coach Eugene Chung is still waiting to meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding an anti-Asian comment he says a team made about him during a job interview this year.

Chung said on a July 26 conference call that the league never told him why a requested meeting with Goodell was not arranged nor how the NFL’s investigation was conducted.

Chung, who spent time with five teams as a player and coached with the Eagles and Chiefs, has not identified the coach who he says told him that Asian Americans were “not the right minority” in the NFL. The NFL reviewed the matter and said that after “multiple discussions,” including Chung and his representative, the league was “unable to confirm the precise statement that was made, or by whom and under what circumstances any such statement was made.”

But Chung wants more information

about the investigation.

“I know people I have talked to, head coaches and people high up in the executive offices, who knew nothing about it,” he said.

“I’m not interested in outing anybody, it’s irrelevant. The mere fact that statement was made to me raised a lot of questions on my behalf.

“My goal is to find out whether Asians are considered a minority (by the NFL).

There is legitimate confusion and when the statement was made it was shocking.

I want to get clarity and clarification on whether Asians are considered a minority when it comes to the hiring process. I want to get that out there and answered.”

Chung believes a meeting with Goodell would provide clarity.

“NFL security spoke to my representatives and requested a sitdown with Mr. Goodell so we could have a conversation about what I have been talking about,” Chung added. “The request was denied. I don’t know why he won’t have a sit-down with me or a meeting to talk about these issues at hand.”

The NFL said on July 26 it is eager to meet with Chung.

“We embrace the opportunity to work with Eugene to hear his ideas on how we can better advance employment opportunities throughout the league, both for Asian Americans and for all underrepresented groups,” the league said in a statement. “As we have made see CHUNG on 14

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ NATIONAL NEWS Man pleads guilty to 4 Asian spa killings, sentenced to life

By KATE BRUMBACK ASSOCIATED PRESS CANTON, Ga. (AP) — A man accused of killing eight people, most of them women of Asian descent, at Atlanta-area massage businesses pleaded guilty to murder on July 27 in four of the killings and was handed four sentences of life without parole.

Robert Aaron Long, Robert Aaron Long 22, still faces the death penalty in the four other deaths, which are being prosecuted in a different county. The string of shootings at three different businesses in March ignited outrage and fueled fear among Asian Americans, who were already facing increased hostility at the time linked to the coronavirus pandemic. Many were particularly upset when authorities suggested Long’s crimes were not racially motivated but instead born of a sex addiction, which is not recognized as an official disorder.

In comments sure to further frustrate those who believe Long targeted Asian women, a prosecutor reiterated that Cherokee County investigators saw no evidence of racial bias. That’s at odds with the hate crime enhancement that Long, who is white, faces just miles away in the four Atlanta deaths.

“This was not any kind of hate crime,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace said.

On March 16, Long shot and killed four people, three of them women and two of Asian descent, at Youngs Asian Massage in Cherokee County, according to police

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accounts. A fifth person was wounded. Long then drove to Atlanta, where he shot and killed three women at Gold Spa before going across the street to Aromatherapy Spa and fatally shooting another woman, police said. All of the Atlanta victims were of Asian descent.

In Atlanta, Long could be sentenced to death if convicted in the four deaths. There, he also faces charges of aggravated assault and domestic terrorism in addition to murder, and prosecutors have said they will seek to have the deaths classified as a hate crime.

Wallace explained that Cherokee County prosecutors came to a different conclusion. When Long walked through the first spa “shooting anyone and everyone he saw,” Wallace said he told investigators he was motivated by a “sex addiction” and his desire to eliminate sources of temptation at businesses where he engaged in sex acts.

Investigators interviewed people who’d known him for years, including three of Asian descent, who said they’d never heard him say anything derogatory about any racial or ethnic group, Wallace said.

As for gender bias, Wallace said seeking a hate crime enhancement based on hatred of women would not have significantly extended his sentence.

The American Psychiatric Association does not recognize sex addiction in its main reference guide for mental disorders. While some people struggle to control their sexual behaviors, it’s often linked to other recognized disorders or moral views about sexuality, said David Ley, clinical psychologist and author of “The Myth of Sex Addiction.”

Wallace said prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty if Long didn’t plead guilty. All relatives of the victims they’ve been able to contact supported the plea deal in the interest of swift justice, she added.

Reached by phone, Michael Webb, the ex-husband of victim Xiaojie “Emily” Tan, said the family was “very satisfied” with the plea.

Bonnie Michels, whose husband of 24 years, Paul, was the first person killed, told the judge about the hole in her life left by his death.

“A part of me died with him that day,“ she said. “I am shattered.”

The prosecutor said the defendant signed a plea agreement admitting to all charges in Cherokee County, where he was accused of malice murder, felony murder, attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault. Cherokee County Superior Court Chief Judge Ellen McElyea accepted the agreement, handing him four sentences of life without parole plus an additional 35 years.

Those killed at the Cherokee County spa were: Tan, 49; Michels, 54; Daoyou Feng, 44; and Delaina Yaun, 33. The Atlanta victims were: Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; and Yong Ae Yue, 63.

Long said he had planned to kill himself that day and went to the massage businesses thinking that paying for sex—which he considered wrong—would push him to do it. But at some point while sitting in his car outside the first spa, he decided to kill the people inside.

After he was apprehended in south Georgia, Long told detectives of his struggles with pornography and sex. He believed he was an addict, and felt tremendous guilt and shame when he viewed porn or engaged in sexual acts at massage businesses, Wallace said.

Long said he was driven by a desire to “punish” the people who worked there.

Long is scheduled to appear again next month in Fulton County, where District Attorney Fani Willis filed notice that she intends to seek what is called a hate crime sentence enhancement, as well as the death penalty.

Georgia’s new hate crimes law does not provide for a stand-alone hate crime. After a person is convicted of an underlying crime, a jury determines whether it was motivated by bias, which carries an additional penalty. 

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39 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUL

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■ WORLD NEWS

Olympic opening ceremony director fired for Holocaust joke

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee fired the director of the opening ceremony on July 22 because of a Holocaust joke he made during a comedy show in 1998.

Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto said a day ahead of the opening ceremony that director Kentaro Kobayashi has been dismissed. He was accused of using a joke about the Holocaust in his comedy act, including the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust.”

“We found out that Mr. Kobayashi, in his own performance, has used a phrase ridiculing a historical tragedy,” Hashimoto said. “We deeply apologize for causing such a development the day before the opening ceremony and for causing troubles and concerns to many involved parties as well as the people in Tokyo and the rest of the country.”

Tokyo has been plagued with scandals since being awarded the Games in 2013. French investigators are looking into alleged bribes paid

to International Olympic Committee members to influence the vote for Tokyo. The fallout forced the resignation two years ago of Tsunekazu Takeda, who headed the Japanese Olympic Committee and was an IOC member.

Soon after a video clip and script of Kobayashi’s performance were revealed, criticism flooded social media.

“Any person, no matter how creative, does not have the right to mock the victims of the Nazi genocide,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean and global social action director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angelesbased human rights group.

He also noted that the Nazis gassed Germans with disabilities.

“Any association of this person to the Tokyo Olympics would insult the memory of 6 million Jews and make a cruel mockery of the Paralympics,” he said.

Kobayashi is a former member of a popular comedy duo Rahmens and known overseas for comedy series including “The Japanese Tradition.” 

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Man with coronavirus disguises as wife on Indonesian flight

By RANDI BASRI ASSOCIATED PRESS TERNATE, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian man with the coronavirus has boarded a domestic flight disguised as his wife, wearing a niqab covering his face and carrying fake IDs and a negative PCR test result.

But the cover didn’t last long.

Police say a flight attendant aboard a Citilink plane traveling from Jakarta to Ternate in North Maluku province on July 18 noticed the man changing clothes in the lavatory.

“He bought the plane ticket with his wife’s name and brought the identity card, the PCR test result and the vaccination card with his wife’s name. All documents are under his wife's name,” Ternate police chief Aditya Laksimada said after arresting the man upon landing. He was only identified by his initials.

Police took him for a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. see INDONESIA on 11

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YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

asianweekly northwest

7

Credit: Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Skydance.

Snake Eyes proves once and for all that leather makes everyone look better

Henry Golding on the set of “Snake Eyes GI Joe Origins.”

Snake Eyes (Henry Golding) and Tommy Storm Shadow (Andrew Koji).

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

and pals with the men. He can be tough, and he can shed a tear. And he can keep secrets like a pro.

Such is the character of Snake Eyes— an “alternate continuity” version (I had to look that up)—in which the most popular character in the GI Joe franchise plays both sides and gets away with it. This is the part about who the Snake Eyes movie is maybe not for. People who are sticklers for his origins, for one thing. Or who are not fans of newer versions being able to do just whatever they want with the

Okay, so the movie “Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins” is for entertainment. It’s for comic book fans (I guess?), GI Joe fans (maybe!), and definitely for fans of Henry Golding, fans of Asian actors in general, and fans of representation for Asians and

Asian Americans in Hollywood.

And that’s really enough. It is good fun. It’s got a great, driving soundtrack, replete with taiko drumming; it’s got enough Tokyo neon to make any Tokyo neon fan happy (these exist, I think); and everybody looks amazing in their leather outfits. Also, Golding is great. I’m pushing for him as the next #JamesBond.

Can everyone get behind this? Seriously.

He’s got the looks. He’s got the accent (which he lost for this film so he could be ‘Merican). He’s good with the ladies

character and the entire GI Joe universe.

So in the original (yeah, I looked that up, too), Snake Eyes is an Army soldier, Vietnam vet. Let me pause there. That is nowhere in this movie. Okay, moving on.

In the Marvel Comics storyline, Snake Eyes’ parents are killed in a car accident (oh, that familiar trope) and he is invited to study ninja arts with the Arashikage clan. In this movie, kid Snake Eyes’ dad is killed execution style right in front of see SNAKE EYES on 13

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

■ AT THE MOVIES

Shyamalan’s SUN, SAND, SURF, SINISTER

“OLD”

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY M. Night Shyamalan greeted moviegoers in a special introduction to “Old,” his fourteenth film as a director. He spoke directly into the camera, welcoming us back to the big theaters with the big screens, saying how proud and happy he was creating movies for the big screen since 1999 (he tends to ignore his first two films, 1992’s “Praying With Anger” and 1998’s “Wide Awake”). And he spoke of how grateful he was that the moviegoing experience can begin anew in the wake of COVID-19.

Of course, things aren’t likely to return

completely to normal soon, if ever. For one thing, Shyamalan’s completed film lists six or seven names under “Covid compliance.”

That’s post-COVID Hollywood for you. The virus, in retreat but still sickening, still killing, cast an eerie shadow over what’s already a vividly off-putting narrative.

Working from a graphic novel, “Sandcastle,” by Frederick Peeters and Pierre Oscar Lévy, the film begins at a luxurious seaside resort, shot in the Dominican Republic (the first time Shyamalan’s filmed entirely outside his much-beloved Philadelphia metro area). We see wellheeled couples, some with children, check in, sample complimentary

cocktails, bounce on the beds, survey the sports and games options.

From the beginning, the director (who also adapted the graphic novel for the screen) keeps us off balance with clever insidiousness. The camera rarely lingers on any one face, at any one distance. It twists and swirls around human motion, keeping human figures fluid, but lingering, here and there, upon odd details. A boy is shoved aside by an adult with harsh words, as other

children relax in the foreground. A man’s face, his eyes too shiny.

The resort manager, his eyes and his smile a little too eager, suggests a secluded section of the beach far from the resort’s main beach. It’s only for special, select, customers, he grins. Several folks jump into the bus (driven by Shyamalan himself), and at the far end of the bus trip, follows past a trailhead, down to the beach.

The diving, swooping camera follows the folks enjoying summer

fun for a while. Soon, though, we see discordances, then outright horrors.

The beachcombers cannot go back the way they came. They cannot leave the beach through any means they can discover. And they’re growing older. Rapidly older. The children become adults within hours. And the adults discover, to even greater horror, how what little time they’ve got rapidly runs out. see OLD on 12

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YOUR VOICE

■ SPORTS

asianweekly northwest

9

‘A bit much’: Naomi Osaka cites pressure in Olympic loss

By ANDREW DAMPF AP SPORTS WRITER TOKYO (AP) — It wasn’t the ending that Naomi Osaka—nor her multitudes of fans across Japan and worldwide—had expected.

The start of the Tokyo Olympics, however, will forever be a bright memory for the tennis superstar.

Osaka herself said after lighting the Olympic cauldron during last week’s opening ceremony that it was “undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life.”

So maybe—just maybe—that will allow Osaka to cope with her unexpected 6-1, 6-4 loss to former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic in the third round of the Olympic tennis tournament on July 27.

Not immediately, though.

“I’m disappointed in every loss, but I feel like this one sucks more than the others,” Osaka said.

As a four-time Grand Slam champion, the highest-paid female athlete in the world and the host country’s poster girl for the Games, the huge expectations were hard to handle.

“I definitely feel like there was a lot of

Naomi Osaka’s Instagram post from July 23

pressure for this,” Osaka said. “I think it’s maybe because I haven’t played in the Olympics before and for the first year (it) was a bit much.”

Osaka had talked earlier this week about how “happy” she was to be playing again. That came after she announced in May going into the French Open that she wouldn’t speak to reporters at that

tournament, saying those interactions create doubts for her.

Then, after her first-round victory in Paris, she skipped the mandatory news conference.

Osaka was fined $15,000 and— surprisingly—publicly reprimanded by those in charge of Grand Slam tournaments, who said she could be suspended if she kept

avoiding the media.

The next day, Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros entirely to take a mental health break, revealing she has dealt with depression and anxiety.

She sat out Wimbledon, too. So the Tokyo Games marked her return to competition.

“I’ve taken long breaks before and I’ve managed to do well,“ said Osaka, who initially did not comment after her loss, then came back out and met with a small group of reporters. “I’m not saying that I did bad right now, but I do know that my expectations were a lot higher.

“I feel like my attitude wasn’t that great because I don’t really know how to cope with that pressure, so that’s the best that I could have done in this situation.”

Whatever the final results on the court, Osaka already became part of Olympic history last week when she became the first tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron.

She’s also one of the few active athletes to be given the honor. Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron for the 2000 Sydney Games and went on to win gold in the 400 meters.

It was a choice that could be appreciated worldwide: In Japan, of course, the country see OSAKA on 11

■ PROFILE

81-year-old carries on a Filipino martial arts tradition

By ROB HEDELT, The Free Lance-Star SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (AP) — When he was growing up in the Philippines, Amante Marinas was fascinated with watching his great uncle practice martial arts.

At 8 years old, Marinas began to learn the movements and forms of the long-pole martial art of pananandata. Working alongside his uncle, he came to believe that such workouts were important to his mind and body.

Marinas is 81 now, and on a good day, puts in three to four hours working out in his Spotsylvania County backyard.

There, he deliberately practices hand-fighting, as well as martial arts with a long pole and short sticks, throwing knives, an ax, a blow gun and a bow and arrow.

The discipline and work ethic he hewed to as a chemical engineer means he not only works out each day, but keeps a log of every minute spent—and every knife, ax and arrow sent into targets.

“I’ve thrown knives close to

1.5 million times, and shot the blowgun 800,000 times,” he said.

Marinas moved from his native country to New York City in 1973, moving on from the long pole discipline of his great uncle to other fighting styles using different weapons. He taught himself those new disciplines, seeking out whatever sources existed to help him in his instructional journey.

“I learned how to throw knives in my basement in Staten Island,” he said. “There, I had to throw sidearm so it didn’t hit the ceiling.

Before long, he was teaching other people who were drawn to his workouts at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Seven of his books on martial arts have been published since moving to this area in 1997, and they detail styles of Filipino martial arts not fully covered before. They include “The Art of Throwing,” “Blowgun Techniques,” and “Archery for Beginners.”

Marinas continues to give

private lessons in pananandata, which he said is a fighting system from Central Luzon in the Philippines.

He’s had more than 100 articles published in martial arts magazines, some featuring photos of him and his son, Amante Jr., a New York City police detective.

I visited Marinas recently at his home, where he showed me the workout and practice stations he’s created in his backyard. He uses hanging pieces of wood and large soda bottles as targets for

his long pole and short sticks, and there are targets for knives, axes and arrows safely tucked around the yard.

“The notes I kept in learning and practicing each of the disciplines were invaluable in writing the books,” he said. “After the first one or two, I kind of had learned the process.”

Marinas said that once he moved to Spotsylvania County—his sons had attended the University of Mary Washington and he had other relatives in the area—word got out that he taught martial arts and students sought him out.

“I now teach one or two students at a time, here in my backyard,” he said. “Most of my students are retired officers of some type, one a retired police captain, another a U.S. Army vet, still another a retired air marshal.”

He keeps teaching and writing because he likes to pass along what he’s learned, and because he’s been lonely since his wife died of cancer a few years ago. He see MARINAS on 11

10

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

How to build political power What would Ruth Woo say?

Woo’s view on candidates

Woo’s support toward Asian candidates was unwavering, as long as the person was decent—he or she did not need to be outstanding. Woo would be on board without hesitation unless the opponent was a longtime friend who had asked her first for support. Woo would have been delighted to support Asian American candidates like Seattle mayoral candidate Bruce Harrell and Port Commission candidate Toshiko Hasegawa, no questions asked.

But the recent fundraisers organized by small business owners, professionals, and community leaders don’t want to back candidates just because they are Asians or people of color. They look for candidates with a more balanced approach to run the city. Most importantly, these candidates believe listening is crucial, rather than just harboring political ideologies, representing special

Photo by Assunta Ng

Dow Constantine at Buddha Mind Monastery (Tu Vien Phat Tam)

interests and a one-sided view.

Ming Fung of Vibrant Cities, one of the organizers for Harrell’s June 30 event, said, “I have read a lot about Bruce’s political platforms. He was city council president for three years, and knew the rules and boundaries of the city council. He knows when to use the vote count at the council and not when dealing with the issues. If he gets elected, he will know how to run the city better than any other candidate.”

Fung also helped organize an event for City council candidate Sara Nelson, with 90 attendees, raising $8,000.

“She’s not just a business owner, but the only candidate who understands businesses and the workers. She understands the need to support low-income workers,” said Fung. Nelson Sara Nelson, Seattle Council said service workers can’t candidate at a China Harbor survive if their hours are fundraising dinner cut, and is considerate in providing for them, according to Fung.

Another organizer called Harrell the “most normal” among all mayoral candidates, while the others are perceived as “crazy.” The group raised $13,000 from about 200 people. Harrell said that was his biggest campaign event. Other candidates they support include Burien Mayor Jimmy Matta, Port Commission candidate Toshiko Hasegawa, and King County Executive Dow Constantine.

When other candidates, like mayoral candidate Casey Sixkiller, reached out to the group, they were invited to the Chinatown-International District (CID) so they could meet and exchange views.

Like Woo, some organizers don’t want to speak on the record, but have played a key role in pushing the city

Photo by Tony Au

From left: Ben Zhang, Bruce Harrell, and wife Joanne Harrell

Photo by Assunta Ng

If Ruth Woo was alive, what would she say about a small group of Asian immigrants recently breaking records in raising money for political candidates?

Woo was once the most powerful and recognized political guru in the Asian community. A mentor of our former governor Gary Locke, she helped and mentored many younger politicians fresh off the boat. She had lobbied to get Asians appointed and managed campaigns for many Asian elected officials, including the late Kip Tokuda, state Rep. Sharon T. Santos, former King County Executive Ron Sims, and former Seattle City Councilmembers Dolores Sibonga and Martha Choe.

With leaders like Woo, who had played a major role in getting Asian American officials elected, the Asian community was perceived as powerful then.

“Our power comes from the values that our parents and families instilled in us...those are our roots,” said Sibonga. “And our power comes from decades of working together as Asians and Pacific Islanders to benefit our communities. Folks from California would marvel and say, ‘How are you actually getting Asian candidates elected to office?’”

Today’s Asian community has focused less on the glass ceiling. One reason is our community has achieved a remarkable record in politics, but less successful in corporate leadership. We elected Locke, the first Asian American governor in the continental U.S., Cyrus Habib, former lieutenant governor, several Asian state legislators (of Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese descent), and city councilmembers all over our state. Past and current Seattle mayors have appointed Asians as department heads and deputy mayors like Michael Fong.

Another reason is the changes within our community.

Like our country, the community is more complex and divided due to issues such as homelessness, racial injustice, housing cost, the growth of Amazon, police, public safety, and other issues.

Several Asian community members have changed their priorities. What is good for the City? What is good for the community? Although these two issues are interrelated, they can be interpreted differently, depending on who you are talking to. The community has been divided between the entrepreneurs and young activists; moderates and extremists; Chinatown senior residents and the young; immigrants and the Americanborn; and those living in the suburbs and Seattleites.

Woo had a magic touch. Her ability to work with all kinds of people amazed me. If she were still alive, she could fill the leadership void in our community. The late Bob Santos, Al Sugiyama, Tomio Moriguchi, former governor Dan Evans, and former secretary of state Ralph Munro all respected her. e

Photo by Tony Au

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Toshiko Hasegawa (center) and her supporters

to clean up the CID two months ago. This is similar to Woo’s low-key approach.

Soft-spoken, charismatic, and light-hearted, Woo shunned all kinds of publicity. If you gave her an award, she would not show up. A smile and a twinkle in her eyes always lit up her face. Often cheerful, she never talked about herself. She loved gossip though.

“What’s the latest gossip?” she would ask with mischief. And she had the most amazing tales about Asian and non-Asian officials that I had ever heard. It would be juicy material for a book.

“Don’t quote me,” she would say. That’s the most disappointing words to say to a journalist. It’s just as terrible as “no comment.” No matter how much I begged, she would say, “Nope, no, no.”

Even when Woo was furious, she would not say so publicly. When former governor Christine Gregoire picked the non-Asian candidate over Justice Mary Yu in the Washington State Supreme Court, she would never forgive nor forget. A “Letter to the editor” was prepared for the Northwest Asian Weekly, complaining about Gregoire. Yu was later appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee. Of course, Woo didn’t allow her name to be printed in the paper. Instead, she asked Bob Santos to sign the letter, and he gladly agreed.

Woo was inclusive. I never heard her say even once to any Asian American from Seattle to Olympia to Bellevue, “You are not part of the community.” Once her team sent out an email to her network of friends to see BLOG on next page

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

YOUR VOICE

■ EDITORIAL

asianweekly northwest

11

An Olympic-sized mistake?

Staging an Olympics during the worst pandemic in a century? What was Japan thinking?

It is pushed ahead with the Olympics against the advice of most of its medical experts and much of Japan doesn’t want the Games. Also, the nation’s vaccine rollout was late and is only now expanding, and many suspect the Games are being forced on the country because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs the billions in media revenue.

The IOC was estimated to face losses of $3 billion to $4 billion in television rights income if the Games were not held.

The official cost of the Olympics is $15.4 billion, but government audits suggest it’s much more. All but $6.7 billion is public money.

A geopolitical imperative may be another big motivator. Japanese archrival China hosts next year’s Winter Games, and many nationalists here maintain that

an Olympic failure is not an option amid the struggle with Beijing for influence in Asia. Yoshihide Suga, the prime minister, may also be hoping that a face-saving Games, which he can then declare successful, will help him retain power in the fall elections.

Yet, some think that if any country could pull off these Games, it’s Japan.

A vibrant, open democracy with deep pockets, the host nation is known for its diligent execution of detailladen, large-scale projects, its technological advances, its consensus-building, and its world-class infrastructure.

The worry isn’t that Tokyo’s organizers can’t get to the finish line without a major disaster.

The fear is that once the athletes and officials leave town, the nation may see an already bad coronavirus situation become even worse. Olympics visitors have already carried fast-spreading variants of the virus into a nation that is only approaching 25% fully vaccinated.

On the plus side, consider the airport arrivals for the thousands of Olympics participants. They showcased Japan’s ability to harness intensely organized workflow skills and bring them to bear on a specific task—in this case, protection against COVID-19 that might be brought in by a swarm of outsiders.

But there have also been conspicuous failures.

After the opening ceremony ended, for instance, hundreds of people in the stadium were crammed into a corral-like pen, forced to wait cheek by jowl for hours with only a flimsy barricade separating them from curious Japanese onlookers, while dozens of empty buses idled in a line stretching for blocks, barely moving.

Will virus cases and deaths spike? Will political fortunes be reversed?

Only time will tell… we will have to wait until after the Olympic flame is snuffed out and the visitors leave. 

OLYMPICS from 1

Deriglazova of Russia 15-13 in the women’s foil final.

She ripped off her mask after the final point and shouted, “Oh my God!” She placed fifth at the 2012 London Olympics and was 10th at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Kiefer is the first American to win a gold medal in the individual foil, the first Asian American woman to win a fencing gold in general, and only the second woman in U.S. history to win a gold medal in fencing. The first was Mariel Zagunis in 1904.

A four-time NCAA champion at Notre Dame, Kiefer

is now a medical student at the University of Kentucky.

Her husband, Gerek Meinhardt, won bronze with the U.S. team in foil at the 2016 Olympics.

“It’s such an incredible feeling that I share with my coach, I share with my husband, with my family, just everyone that’s been a part of this,” she said, with her gold medal hanging from her neck. “I wish I could chop it up in little pieces and distribute it to everyone I love.”

As of press time, Team USA was dominating the Tokyo Olympics with 31 overall medals—eleven gold, eleven silver, and nine bronze medals. 

waves she’s used to as a veteran of the professional tour and at home in Hawaii. By the end, the methodical and well-loved surfer finally got in rhythm with the ocean in time to deliver the kind of standout performance that has defined her career.

Two days prior to Moore’s win, Filipina American Lee Kiefer won the third gold medal for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics and the third fencing gold in the country’s history by beating defending champion Inna

MARINAS from 9

OSAKA from 9

also enjoys the company.

His students call him “Po,” an honorific for an older person in the Philippines, and he doesn’t just see them as students.

“I treat them as friends, and look forward to them coming to learn,” he said.

He’s taught some students for a long time—one woman has been with him since 2000.

Marinas said he had a group of air marshals come to learn to use extendable batons, and a police captain who wanted to learn disarming techniques—all skills in his martial arts wheelhouse.

“We have fun, as I will challenge them at times, telling them that if they stick four knives in a row, I’ll treat them to coffee,” he said laughing. “Then they come back at me and ask if two hits will get them half a cup.”

He even designed his own style of throwing knife, and said he has several finished manuscripts he still wants to get published on fighting styles and weapons he hasn’t fully covered yet.

“I’d like to get to having 20 books published.

I’m a half dozen or so short of that now,” he said.

“I hope that works out, but if the manuscripts I’ve finished don’t get published, I’ll just leave them to my grandchildren. I enjoy the writing and it keeps me sharp.” 

where Osaka was born and the nation that she played for; in embattled Haiti because that’s where her father is from; and surely in the United States, because that’s where the globe’s highest-earning female athlete lives and where she has been outspoken about racial injustice.

Plus, everywhere in between, because Osaka is a superstar.

But she has often received an uncomfortable welcome in Japan because of her race, with

BLOG from previous page come support her candidates, they would come with their checkbooks.

Woo strived for unity, acceptance, and collaboration in the Asian community, and bridging the gap between Asians and non-Asians. I have been searching for anyone in the Asian community who could fill Woo’s place. Sad to say, Ruth was and is irreplaceable!

One more difference between Woo and the current organizers who had held most of their fundraising dinners at China

INDONESIA from 6 The man is currently selfisolating at home and police said the investigation will continue.

Indonesia is in the grip of a coronavirus surge with a total

Harbor Restaurant—Woo’s favorite was the Four Seas Restaurant. At the time, its owner, Al Quan, always did a superb job for Woo’s fundraising receptions with lots of food, including chicken wings and lots of fruits at a reasonable price. Quan often let her use a big space, almost the whole restaurant, even though there were mostly about 50 people. I suspected she used her own money for many of these receptions. Her generosity was well-known. Most Asian nonprofit organizations would ask her to buy a table at their annual fundraising dinners,

her family having moved to the U.S. when she was 3. Her emergence as a top tennis player has challenged public attitudes about identity in a homogeneous culture that is being pushed to change.

Osaka wrote on Instagram next to a picture of her smiling while holding the flame. “I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now, but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness.” 

number of reported cases at 2.9 million and 77,583 fatalities.

Restrictions on nonessential travel, including a mandatory negative coronavirus test, and public gatherings were toughened over the Eid al-Adha holiday. 

and she would donate many of the seats to elected officials and younger people.

Four Seas is now under construction as the future Bob’s Place affordable housing apartment. It was demolished earlier this year, and had buried lots of Asian American political histories. To her credit, Woo had brought many nonAsians and Asian Americans to the CID over the decades.

Raising money for politicians is vital to spreading the Asian community’s influence. But Sibonga said “building coalitions with other communities of

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color” is also key to building our power.

The Northwest Asian Weekly is following Sibonga’s advice. On Sept. 23, a panel of Asian and Black community leaders will be speaking at “Unity in Voices: Where do we go from here?” which will be held at the Joyale Restaurant in CID, from 5-7 p.m.

More information about the panel will be published later.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

12

asianweekly northwest

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

DELTA VARIANT from 1

Credit: Fred Hutchinson

Given that county data has a threeweek time lag, it’s likely that Delta now represents the majority of cases, said Gabriel Spitzer, communications specialist for the department.

The Delta variant is much more infectious than other strains because it has a powerful protein in the spike that allows it to attach easily to cells.

Dr. Jim Boonyaratanakornkit

“Think of it like an airplane coming in for a landing on your cell. Your cell is the runway. All the other variants have landing gear, too. But the Delta landing gear is really sticky,” said Jim Boonyaratanakornkit, a research associate at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who specializes in infectious diseases.

As a result, said Boonyaratanakornkit, “If you’re unvaccinated and you’re near someone who is infected, you’re more likely to get sick compared with other variants.”

New threats

The invasion of the Delta variant into our region also affects the vaccinated. While experts agree vaccines are highly effective, people must be fully vaccinated to be protected against the new strain.

“One shot of Pfizer or Moderna is not enough.The second shot is important,” said Boonyaratanakornkit.

There is a small chance that fully vaccinated people could be at risk of contracting a mild infection, according to a July 5 tweet by Jeffrey Duchin, a health

officer at Public Health—Seattle & King County. A study out of Israel shows that the Pfizer vaccine has excellent protection against serious infection. But it may have decreased effectiveness for infection overall, he said.

Duchin repeated calls for everyone to be vaccinated. He said that “we may have to rethink our masking guidelines.”

The actual numbers of people stricken appear low, but Delta presents a series of complications and unknowns.

During the two-week period reported by the health department, there were 75 cases of Delta. Among these, there was one hospitalization and no deaths (there were also cases related to other variants).

However, before Delta appeared, if a person had recovered from COVID, there would usually be enough antibodies so that the patient was considered relatively safe from future infection. But studies are now showing that antibodies built up from previous forms of the coronavirus may be less effective against Delta, according to Boonyaratanakornkit.

In other words, if you’ve gotten sick from the coronavirus and recovered, you may not be fully immune to the Delta variant.

Researchers still don’t have enough data about “long-haul” COVID—a term applied to a range of persistent post-viral symptoms—to make firm conclusions about its lingering effects. But since Delta is more contagious and could potentially mildly infect people who are vaccinated, it could bring about more cases of longhaul COVID, said Grace Lee, professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Lee is a member of the COVID-19 Vaccines Workgroup and chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical Subgroup.

Still, vaccines are highly effective against the variant.

“They’ve turned out so much more powerful and efficient than I ever could have imagined. I thought at first they might only block out about 40% to 50% of cases.

But take the mRNA vaccines, they’re effective in the upper levels of 90% in preventing serious infection, death, and in most cases even mild infection,” said Lee. There are a few notable exceptions.

People experiencing immunodeficiency need to be especially careful, said Boonyaratanakornkit.

39 YEARS Cancer patients sometimes have suppressed immune systems. Treatments such as chemotherapy, for instance, can knock down the immune system. And some cancers, like lymphoma, also impair the immune system. Sometimes it’s both.

“About half of patients with blood cancers may not respond to vaccination due to a suppressed immune system,” according to Boonyaratanakornkit.

The immune system is also weakened in those receiving bone marrow transplants. It takes months for the stem cells introduced into the body to learn to become immune cells.

Those who’ve had transplants of organs, such as kidneys, hearts, or lungs, are vulnerable, as are those with some common diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, intestinal disease, and lupus. Some medications may also lower the immune system. So it is important to check with your doctor, said Boonyaratanakornkit.

Many transplant patients need a caretaker. And since Delta is so much more transmissible than other variants, “it amplifies the risk for everyone,” said Boonyaratanakornkit.

The future

Another concern is the reopening of schools. Lee said we may see a surge in the fall due to the increased infectiousness of Delta. But we still don’t know if it will cause a more serious disease.

“So protecting kids is going to have to continue to be an important part of prevention strategy,” she said.

However, as the Delta variant has emerged, advances in distributing vaccines have also given researchers room for optimism.

At the beginning of the pandemic, researchers thought that the mRNA vaccines needed to be kept only at ultracold temperatures, and that there was a very limited time they could survive outside of that range, said Lee. Now, researchers found that the vaccines can survive for up to a month in normal refrigeration. That means the vaccines can get to places that in the past weren’t able to handle all the earlier restrictions.

In addition, Lee added, mRNA technology can be adapted quickly to match new variants. Still, she said we should let our guard down.

“It would be a mistake if everything were simply back to normal. We must remain vigilant. Everyone wants to move on and be done with the pandemic. But COVID-19 is here to stay. We want to make sure we continue to dynamically adapt and sustain attention to it, which requires continued funding. We need to make sure we have the resources to collaborate with others to deliver vaccines,” said Lee. In order to protect our communities, we also need to take new approaches to data, she said.

For instance, it seems Asian Americans have higher vaccination rates. But it is important to disaggregate the data because some communities may have issues and challenges with accessing vaccines, she said.

As for vaccine hesitancy, Lee said the key would be to engage community leaders so that people have the information they need to protect themselves, not only from Delta but from “whatever it is that emerges in the future,” such as another variant.

“I believe everyone should get vaccinated, but you need to meet people where they are at, work together with communities to make sure you can protect them as much as possible,” Lee said.

“All you can do is really just communicate what you know and don’t know, and be transparent.”

Booster shots may be recommended at some point, according to the county department of health. But the data does not currently support the need.

“A third priming dose (not a true booster) may be needed for certain immunocompromised people. This is under active discussion, but there is no recommendation yet,” said Duchin in his July 5 tweet.

Finally, another way to protect yourself is to evaluate your travel plans.

“If you’re traveling to go visit your family, for instance in Asia or anywhere else, do your homework,” said Boonyaratanakornkit. “Check the vaccination rates. Find out how widespread Delta is. Ask yourself: is it really necessary to go?”  Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

This health series is made possible by funding from the Washington Department of Health, which has no editorial input or oversight of this content.

SUMMIT SIERRA from 3 History Month, AAPI Month, and Women’s History Month, as well as virtual talent shows, parties and dances, all held online.

“The biggest thing I heard was that they appreciated the level of continuity we had,” she said. “By keeping the structure—even though there was a lot of flexibility within because everybody has different needs—but keeping a structure at our school for the students, they loved it,” Gore said.

While remaining virtual this year, 99% of this year’s seniors graduated with 94.7% of the seniors being accepted to college, exceeding the national average of 88% of students graduating high school, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Gore added that while Summit Sierra’s graduation rate remained the same, more students this year opted to stay closer to home, by attending in-state schools or through gap years, and pushing back the time before they begin higher education.

Gore said that while there was a class-wide virtual graduation

ceremony held online, there were also smaller in-person graduation ceremonies for students and their mentors. The smaller ceremonies were all held on one day and were limited to groups of about 20 students.

Next year, the school will return to in-person learning, and it will not be mandating the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gore said the school will make other efforts to ensure the safety of the students by maintaining socially distanced desks and mandating that non-vaccinated students wear their masks.

“It’s been an illuminating year.

Doing this virtual schooling got us back to the basics. What is it that’s important? What do we want to hear for kids and just highlighting the importance for us to ensure that students are the focus of everything— that they’re seen and heard. And I think that’s going to continue to translate even when we go back in person,” Gore said.  Nicholas can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

OLD from 8 And everyone reacts a little differently.

Ken Leung, one of the most prominent Chinese American actors in Hollywood, tries to hold everyone together while he plots how to go get help. His selfdetermination and conviction to stay cool while others panic stands in sharp contrast to others, who simply panic. The terrifying crisis intersects with emotional baggage characters had secretly stowed, notably a married couple, Vicky Krieps and Gael García Bernal, who came to the beach, as so many people do to forget about what’s roiling under their surface for awhile, and instead found every last bit of that everything, shoved up past that surface.

The filmmakers did not, of course, intend for their narrative to comment on the real-life terrors of COVID, but their results can be taken that way. Decay.

Loss of physical and mental functions.

People dead long before their times, leaving others to look on helplessly. No escape. No help. We’re sitting in the dark, watching this as entertainment. Vivid,

well-assembled entertainment.

But waning days of the real-life plague persist out there in the streets.

And we must in the end, as our onscreen compatriots do, address our fundamental reaction to disease, decay, helplessness, and inevitable death.

“This is one supreme pain, that of being imprisoned a spectator,” wrote cultural critic Lester Bangs. And added, later in that same essay, “Decay is human,” proclaiming “the absolute possibility of loving human beings at the farthest extreme of wretchedness.”

We must face our fears, and face what makes our fears. We fear decay because society tells us to fear decay, usually, though not exclusively, to sell us alleged panacea to that decay. But we can meet fear with love, extinguish fear with love if we’re brave enough. To love. To accept decay and the death that goes with it. I took some of that from the film as I got ready to face the street again.  Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of July 31–August 6, 2021

By Sun Lee Chang Rat—Shift your focus away from quantity to quality. The latter will prove to be much more valuable.

Dragon—Since your current journey could be a long one, it is crucial that you pace yourself accordingly.

Monkey—Something that started out as a simple request could become a complicated—but only if you let it get that far.

Ox—Were you recently caught off guard? Rather than going back to business as usual, be on alert for additional changes.

Snake—Your hard work is about to pay off as it has prepared you to take advantage of a new opportunity.

Rooster—The change was gradual, but a shift has definitely taken place. Luckily, it looks like you should benefit from it.

Tiger—As eager as you are to add to the conversation, it is important to listen before you give your input.

Horse—Whether you take a supporting or leading role, there is much to be learned from the experience itself.

Dog—Has your bargaining position improved recently? This could be an optimal time to ask for what you want.

Rabbit—A tough call can be made easier with the knowledge that it is a big step in the right direction.

Goat—A chance to sweeten the deal could come with some strings attached. Don’t let your excitement cloud your judgment.

Pig—Before you run interference, ask yourself whether you are actually doing more harm than good.

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.

SNAKE EYES from 7 him (that other familiar trope). He grows into adulthood, apparently, by cage fighting his way through his anger and guilt for not being able to save his father from murderers when he was about knee-high to their murderous knees, and also had no weapons (that other, other familiar trope). He’s not invited by Storm Shadow and the Arashikage right off, but by way of the Yakuza.

That’s where the double agent/spy stuff comes in, which Golding plays to a tee.

The 2021 movie acts more as an addition to the movies that came out in 2009 and 2013, “GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra” and “GI Joe: Retaliation.” In those movies, Snake Eyes was played by Ray Park.

Obviously (was anyone in doubt?) there have been grumblings that Snake Eyes in this movie is not played by a white man. In a trailer preview interview, the Weekly asked Golding his thoughts about “Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins” within the trajectory of his career and AAPI representation in Hollywood.

“It was such a great opportunity because it was a colorblind casting. Snake Eyes’ story is a ‘fish out of water’ story…People are like, ‘But he’s meant to be white’…You can be white American, and do you think if you landed yourself in Iceland, you’d have the same cultural references…? No. Him going to Japan is a complete and utter new world territory for him, so it doesn’t matter what race you are.”

All true, and Golding’s follow up statement sort of summarized what’s going on in this “alternative continuity” version of the GI Joe saga.

“Let’s bring it back to the core essence of the characters and what the actors can play.” This movie does that. It does keep to the core of the spirit of the GI Joe team and the individual team members. And it keeps to the ever-presence in the comic and movies of betrayal and moving back and forth between team GI Joe and team Cobra. In other versions, maybe it was Tommy/Storm Shadow. But this time, it’s Snake Eyes.

Was Golding’s inclusion as the leading man what is being called “performative allyship”? Maybe it was, but first, oh my God, can we revel in this a little bit?

Golding’s face, an Asian actor’s face, is front and center on the poster for the movie. Golding’s face, an Asian actor’s face, is on the poster for Comicon 2021 (with which the movie’s release coincides). Golding, an Asian actor, is the leading man. And not like in “Crazy Rich Asians,” where he sort of tag-teamed with the female lead and was this nice, kind of innocuous guy mostly flaunting his abs and just how nice he was, but a hardhitting action lead with skillz, and the ability to heat it up with a female counterpart. He is the leading man in a franchise whose origins are to pump up American-ness.

GI Joe. Maybe it’s timing—and Golding thinks it could be— but let’s for sure take advantage of that! (Did I say next #JamesBond?)

“The industry really works on…what’s hot right now…

That’s really sad when it comes to diversity because like, ‘What’s the hot race right now that we need to put at the [fore]front of our movies?’ … it shouldn’t even be that decision to make,” Golding said. Similar to the mission statement of the makers of “Crazy Rich Asians.” Golding

urged, “Let’s try to get the industry to a stage where all of that doesn’t matter…Every time a person of color gets cast, it’s like a [win]…but it’s going to be a never-ending cause until…[it] becomes normality.”

Yes, this is a win for representation. And a super fun one! Count the Asian actors in the movie. There are so many! And they are so great! There’s the badass grandma Arashikage, played by Eri Ishada, who starts whipping out ninja fans in the grand finale; there’s a new character, Akiko, played by Haruka Abe, the head of security with a heart of gold; there’s the Yakuza meanie out for avenging his bruised ego, played by Takehiro Hira—they are just all over the place in the movie—and last but not at all least is Tommy/Storm Shadow, played

by Andrew Koji, who almost upstages Golding with pure awesomeness.

This is a fun movie. It’s got swords. It’s got motorcycles.

It’s got neon in the rain. It’s got leather. It’s got themes of loyalty and identity that resonate, even if there are some holes in the way the messages are put across (if swords are the honorable way to fight, Tommy, why do the purportedly dishonorable Yakuza use them?). But if you let yourself get caught up in the action, which is, literally, spinning (be forewarned)—if you let yourself get caught up in the glamor and fascination of the mythical Arashikage clan, their three challenges, their hard master, and their blind master; if you let yourself get caught up in Golding as Snake Eyes with the moves to be whatever and whoever he wants, at this point— you’re gonna love it.  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section through the County’s E-Procurement system for the following listed bids.

Instructions on how to submit a bid electronically, view any current bid opportunities, express interest, communicate with the Buyer via Message app and/or successfully submit a bid through the E-Procurement system prior, and more are provided on the County’s website: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/registration King County encourages minority business enterprise participation.

King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its

programs, services, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

KC000272 OPENS: 08/10/2021 Candlestick Flare and Related Items Pre-Proposal Conference 7/30/2021 at 10:00 a.m. via Microsoft Teams Conference Call: 1-425-653-6586 Conference ID: 224484128# KC000278 OPENS: 08/09/2021 Government Relations Consultant

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CHUNG from 4 him aware, we welcome meeting with him, and have at no time, turned down requests to discuss these important issues with our staff, including the commissioner.”

The NFL added that Asians/Pacific Islanders are a minority under the league’s diversity policy.

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Chung, 52, is eager to return to coaching and wants to shed light on any lack of perceived diversity in his sport.

“I am trying to get back into coaching in the NFL and not letting this comment define who I am as a person or coach,” he said. “I just want to make sure no one else has to go through this or experience what I have been going through.

“The matter at hand is fixing those words

BRADY from 4 Wilmington??” Brady wrote from his official government email address.

Democrat House leaders directed Brady to complete sensitivity training and reach out to members of the Asian American community in an effort to regain their trust. But they indicated in their own statement that they are not interested in initiating disciplinary proceedings that could lead to Brady’s suspension or expulsion from the House.

“We want to be clear about something we have heard from residents: As a duly elected official, only Rep. Brady can make a decision about his political future. House leadership cannot unilaterally take action,” House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst and Majority Whip Larry Mitchell said in a joint statement.

That’s not true, however.

Schwartzkopf, Longhurst and Mitchell are members of the House Ethics Committee, which is chaired by Longhurst and includes Republican Minority Leader Danny Short and minority whip Tim Dukes. House rules authorize the committee to investigate complaints that a lawmaker has violated the rules of legislative conduct.

Among the rules of legislative conduct: “A member shall not engage in conduct which the House determines (i) brings the House into disrepute or (ii) reflects adversely on the member’s fitness to hold legislative office.”

Ethics Committee rules state that any House member, including

HIRING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Board and Management of an established 50-year-old non-profit social and human services organization serving the Filipino American elderly population in Seattle and King County needs an Executive Director.

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and what they mean. Are Asians considered a minority in the hiring process?

“When this came out, I was sharing my experience with other people, and growing up in this country as Asian American ... as an Asian American player and coach in the league. I want to do this in a positive way and help other people. ” A first-round draft pick by New England in 1992, he also played for Jacksonville

any member of the committee, can file a complaint. If a majority of the committee decides that the complaint has been proven, the committee can then, again by majority vote, recommend that the House take “appropriate action,” up to and including expulsion of the offending lawmaker.

Despite describing Brady’s remarks as “reprehensible, racist, sexist and indefensible,” Democratic leaders indicated that, instead of an Ethics

and Indianapolis for a total of 55 games.

Chung also was with Kansas City and Philadelphia, but never suited up in a game for them.

He was an assistant offensive line coach with the Eagles from 2010-12, moved to the Chiefs from 2013-15. Chung was back with Philadelphia from 2016-19, and was part of the team’s Super Bowl victory over New England in February 2018. 

Committee investigation, they would make sensitivity training available to all members of the House.

“While we do not believe our colleagues harbor such views, it would be beneficial for them to learn of any microaggressions or other attitudes or actions that negatively impact the Asian American community, and how we all can take steps to improve our relationships with the community,” they said. 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

YOUR VOICE CANDIDATES from 1 and her husband raised three children in the city.

“I’m an immigrant. At 8, I was adopted from South Korea and came to Washington state. English is my second language,” Aras said.

Having experienced education in Korea, she realized how much the system in the United States could motivate young children to thrive.

“I had a fantastic teacher in third grade who lit that fire in me,” Aras said. “It gave me the momentum to work hard.”

Now, Aras wants to give back.

“I did everything I could in the field of education because I wanted to be the teacher who could address the needs of every student I come in contact with.”

She engaged in Bellevue’s learning community as a volunteer. Armed with her special education background, she even sat at the back of a classroom. Her excitement for the field was fueled when she became a parent.

“You see things from a different perspective.”

Why she is running

Aras’s daughter egged her on especially due to tensions in BSD after January 2021.

She acknowledges the work that incumbent Francine Wiest has done. But Aras feels a lot of trust was lost.

“We need to rebuild that trust. It is fundamental in education to be able to lean on all stakeholders—parents and teachers must come together and work as a unit.

“There was a lot we could have done better,” Aras admits, but adds a lot of bad decisions were taken, from top-down, beginning with the governor.

As a leader, it is important to take ownership of mistakes, Aras said, and to move forward and do what’s best to support students.

“Our primary focus is our kids; we have to ensure they thrive.”

Main issues

Aras feels a year and a half of seclusion and no real peer interaction during the pandemic has traumatized many children.

She wants to address the mental health emergency, prioritize social and emotional development, and foster academic excellence through inspiration and empowerment while guaranteeing equitable access to high quality education for all students.

“We could capture world-class academic content and structure, but if we don’t address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our students, it is worthless.”

Aras said BSD is considered to be one of the best school districts in the nation—attracting people from all over—and that can be a double-edged sword. Over the last 25 years, Aras said she has seen the number of kids with high anxiety and mental health issues increase.

“The public only hears about kids who successfully commit suicide, but for every one of those children, there are many who have attempted suicide or are on anti-depression or anti-anxiety medication.”

Aras will strive to create balance—world-class education without sending kids over the edge.

Equitable education

Aras is thrilled with the equity policy that BSD passed two years ago and aims to look through that lens. Aras wants to hear all the voices, especially the quiet ones that aren’t often heard, and those of immigrants who may not be able to vote.

“I volunteered to speak to some Korean first-generation immigrant parents who don’t understand our system.

They want to do what’s best for their kids, but culturally, Koreans respect educators and don’t challenge them in the way we do here.”

Equity also means having teachers that represent the large percentage of diverse students at BSD. “As a student, having someone who looks like you is huge… When you don’t see people who look like you, it’s hard to feel connected.”

Joyce Shui and Faye Yang, Bellevue School District, Position #3

Both Joyce Shui and Faye Yang are on the ballot for this position.

Shui grew up in an all-white community until the 7th grade. She attended public school and, in the 5th grade,

JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021 a teacher named Mr. Hibbard changed her perspective.

“He asked us to write anything that was on our minds.”

Shui wrote to him in the language of a 10-year-old about feeling like an outsider, who didn’t belong. What followed was a series of letters and discussions.

“Mr. Hibbard told me if you are feeling left out, there are likely other kids feeling left out, too. So, look around and you may notice another child alone on the playground,” Shui said.

Till this day, she looks around to find others who are not included.

Shui, a Harvard and NYU Law graduate, is mother to four who attend public school. She taught English to Southeast Asian refugees as a student at Harvard, and later in Taiwan and Japan. She volunteered to teach Spanish and Japanese in her kids’ grades, too.

As an attorney for over 20 years, Shui has worked for tech companies and big corporations. She currently works for SAP.

Faye Yang

A first-generation Asian immigrant, Yang grew up in China and moved to Minnesota 21 years ago. She has a master's in nutrition, is a registered dietician, and is a director at a healthcare facility.

Six years ago, her family moved to Washington and their daughter began studying in BSD when Yang noticed a concerning problem.

“Students weren’t given enough time to sit down and eat. I later learned this was a district and statewide problem," Yang said.

It took two years of working with the district, leading a campaign ‘Recess Before Lunch,’ which eventually led to the passing of the School Lunch Bill at the Washington state assembly. The achievement earned her the nickname School Lunch Mom.

Why the bid?

What pushed Yang to join the race was the prolonged closure of schools during the pandemic.

“As a healthcare professional, I understand the closure, but it resulted in BSD coming in at the bottom of the state for in-person learning, causing a lot of students to suffer academic drops and emotional trauma.”

While Yang’s older daughter managed to keep up with school, her younger son has special needs.

“I saw him falling behind academically and the social isolation resulted in a lot of behavioral issues. It was very traumatic.”

Then in January 2021, she witnessed parents take to the streets to ask BSD to open schools. She feels it was a chance for the school to be socially responsible and show their commitment to the children. However, that wasn’t the case. “[The students] became a bargaining chip for the leadership of the teacher’s union who said that if they did not like what the school district did, they would switch to asynchronous classes, which meant students would have to learn through a video with no teachers.”

Many things converged to make Shui run, but most poignant was when Ahmaud Arbery was murdered.

“I was deeply impacted by his death as I have faced my share of verbal and physical assaults, too.”

Shui realized the reality of having two Americas. “We need to be attentive to more than one experience. It is very different and individualized depending on race, gender, and economics,” she said.

At BSD, Shui said some parents are struggling with having to work and balancing young children at home.

“They understandably feel their kids should be back in school in person.”

Then, you have teachers who are vulnerable because they have health issues or live with an older family member, and they are understandably frightened about physically going back to school.

Shui feels that a lot of people saw their perspective only.

“I saw many problems and felt if we work together, listen, and don’t demonize each other, we can come to multiple, better solutions.”

Main issues

Shui’s campaign is based on three pillars—excellence, equity, and empathy.

Excellence: Shui feels BSD does a great job in academic excellence, but there is always room for improvement.

asianweekly northwest

15

“For example, CTE is not limited to calculus, math, and sciences, though they are important. Trade classes are important, too, and we can continue to excel in those.”

“We have a 94% graduation rate, but let’s push for 100%, especially when you see disparities that are often demographic, and race based.”

Equity: Shui said that while there are programs available for those with intellectual disabilities, or different genders, there is resistance when it comes to race.

“My presence on the board will ensure we continue to include race in the equity discussion. BSD acknowledges it, but there is some pressure to just work on economics.”

Empathy: At BSD race town halls, despite the will to focus on healing and empathy, Shui saw some demonizing, inflammatory language.

“I urge everybody to take a deep breath and understand the other person,” she said. “I too have different views, but I want to understand... We can come to a solution if we can tone it down and understand that we are all people.”

Yang’s plan, if she is elected, revolves around three main principles—return, recover, and revitalize.

First, Yang wants the BSD kids to return to full-time, in-person school, which will happen in September 2021.

“During the pandemic, we lost about 1,500 BSD students who either moved out of state or to private school.”

Yang claims this loss of about $20-30 million will impact the district’s budget.

“We need to enroll as many BSD students as we can to stabilize our budget.”

Yang herself transferred her son to a private school during the pandemic, but moved him back to BSD so he could receive the attention he needed.

Next, Yang believes BSD needs to work with all stakeholders to bring students back to where they should be.

“Washington ranked 47th in terms of coming back to in-person learning and BSD ranks at the bottom of Washington state. We’re at the bottom of the bottom,” Yang said.

Her solution is to increase teaching hours, have more tutoring, do more for children with special needs and kids who come from poverty as they have suffered the most.

Another priority for her is to appoint a national top superintendent with strong leadership.

"We love our teachers who work really hard, we love our interim superintendent, too. Many of the union decisions that were taken by the union leadership didn’t have all the teachers’ support.”

Despite her opinion, Yang says if elected, she will not fight the teacher's union leadership. "I will sit down and work with them to discuss who we should prioritize.”

Immigrant appeal

While there are two other Asian women running for the school board, Yang believes she is better able to connect with the substantial number of first-generation immigrants whose kids attend BSD and speak for them.

“The other two candidates have studied in the U.S., but English is truly my second language and because I finished my education in China and moved here only for my master’s degree,” Yang said.

“I think I can be the voice of the large immigrant parent population and work with them to give their kids the best education possible,” she added.

Shui’s parents are immigrants.

“I’m the first woman in my family to go to college and my parents didn’t know much about the college application process,” Shui said.

She figured her way around acronyms like the SATs and ACTs on her own.

“I happened to combine hard work with good luck, but there are so many children who don’t have that convergence of luck,” she said. “It shouldn’t be based on luck.”

BSD does a fairly good job at communicating in different languages, but Shui feels there are opportunities to improve the way it receives and responds to feedback by adapting to some of the most-spoken languages in the area.  Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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JULY 31 – AUGUST 6, 2021

SPD from 1 “We can’t do it alone; we can’t do it without the public’s help; and we can’t investigate incidents we don’t know about,” said FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Don Voiret in his opening remarks in a Hate Crime Investigations Information Session for the media.

The July 14 event held at the FBI Seattle Office brought together area law enforcement partners to explain the process in investigation and prosecution of incidents possibly motivated by bias. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), SPD, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) also spoke.

Due to the rise of hate crimes, the FBI began a nationwide campaign in June to bring awareness and to encourage reporting. Since the bureau isn’t a first responder, it often works with local law enforcement entities on investigations and outreach programs. All partners present at the information session are active participants in the King County Hate Crime Working Group.

Hate crimes are investigated as traditional offenses with the added element of bias based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disabilities. Depending on the laws being violated and sentencing potential, investigators and prosecutors decide on the best way to charge either locally or federally.

Hate speech alone is protected by the First Amendment, freedom of speech. No matter how offensive the spoken act, it is not punishable by law. However, SPD encourages reporting of such incidents as non-criminal hate crimes. It can be as simple as someone yelling at a woman wearing a sari, “Go back to your own country.” Or in my case. The data collected is used in research. It can also further investigations.

SPD Safe Place posters in various languages

“The reporting of hate crimes or incidents contribute to a larger conversation and a greater understanding of what these crimes look like, and how close to home they truly are,” said SPD Bias Crime Coordinator Det. Beth Wareing. The pattern of behavior can offer clues to investigations. The incidents may not be actionable at that time, but can later help locate serial offenders.

According to SPD, from 2019 to 2020, overall hate crimes and incidents were up 59%. Hate crimes are up 20%. The greatest increase is non-criminal hate crimes, up 92%. KCPAO filed 59 hate crimes in 2020, the highest ever filed. So far in 2021, 10 cases have been filed.

The state’s statute, RCW 9A.36.080, to prosecute hate crimes was called malicious harassment until the legislature changed it in 2019. At the state level, the three types of hate crimes are physical injury, property damage, and threat. KCPAO is ethically bound to only bring cases they believe can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime is bias based.

In March, KCPAO charged Christopher

Hamner with three counts of malicious harassment after he yelled profanities and used the word “Asian” towards Asian women and children in two separate incidents. Although the victims were not harmed, they were threatened. They reported the incidents independently.

Hamner was later identified as the suspect in both incidents. Hamner pleaded not guilty and is out on a reduction of bail from the proposed $75,000 to $10,000. His next court date is July 28.

Not all hate crime incidents are so straightforward. Perpetrators don’t always verbalize their intentions. Most violent hate crimes are crimes of opportunity, without advance planning.

Noriko Nasu was brutally attacked with a rock-filled sock allegedly by Sean Jeremy Holdip in the Chinatown-International District (CID) in February. Nasu’s boyfriend was also attacked when he tried to help her. Because no words were uttered by the suspect, KCPAO couldn’t prove the crime was racially motivated. Holdip was charged with two counts of felony assault.

KCPAO advised that their office hasn’t declined to file the case as a hate crime. If additional evidence surfaces, KCPAO will modify the charging decision.

In May, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law following a spike in anti-Asian attacks since the start of the pandemic. Tessa Gorman, Acting U.S. Attorney of Western District of Washington, said, “The Act increases grant funding for state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to identify, track, and address unlawful acts of hate. We want to make it easier to report, and we want to make it easier to track.”

While hate crimes continue to increase, resources have not. SPD has lost over 200 officers since last year. SPD Chief Adrian Diaz said the department is actively recruiting officers who speak multiple languages to reflect Seattle’s growing

communities. Outreach to historically marginalized communities is a step forward to ease the mistrust in the criminal system.

Under the SPD’s Collaborative Policing Bureau, the new Community Outreach and Engagement coordinator focuses on increasing relationships between CID and SPD. Language barrier is one of the intimidating factors of hate crime reporting for the marginalized. SPD Officer Dorian Korieo said SPD can handle 140 languages in 911 calls.

“All anybody needs to do when calling into 911 is just start speaking the language when the operator picks up.” A translator will then be patched through to help the call takers. Still, the process is daunting to those whose main language is not English.

Korieo is SPD’s Global Safe Place Coordinator. SPD’s Safe Place program began as a need to address low reporting of anti-LGBTQ+ crimes and school bullying incidents. To gain public trust in law enforcement and to achieve a feeling of safety in the community, the program was expanded in 2018 to include victims of bias crimes. SPD works with businesses and schools to create 7,000 safe havens in Seattle. These are marked with Safe Place decals with QR codes. The stickers and documentation are in multiple languages including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Diaz said, “We are finding other ways to connect. We know we can do better, but only with input from the community we serve.”  Call 911 to report a hate crime to SPD. To file with the FBI, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You may remain anonymous.

Becky can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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