42 minute read
PUBLISHER’S BLOG Mistakes to avoid in college
Advice to college freshmen, then and now
By Assunta Ng
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NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
A welcome banner hangs in the Red Square of the University of Washington
My grand nephew just enrolled as a freshman at the University of Washington (UW). Son, you picked the right place! However, you still have a million decisions to make, which can impact your life.
I was a Husky decades ago. In retrospect, I could have
University of Washington history wall is displayed at the Suzzallo Library
done the opposite thing in some of my college experiences. Like you, I wanted to graduate as soon as possible once I arrived at UW.
“Tuition is expensive,” you said, “I want to graduate in three years.”
Common sense says it’s wise to hurry up, graduate, and save money. As an international student, paying three times more than local students, I thought it was smart to get my degree quickly and to not be a financial burden to my family.
Each quarter, I took a heavy load, 18 credits. My daily routine was to go to the library after class and after meals, with no exceptions. (Taking 12 credits was considered being a full-time student.) A former classmate took 12 credits every quarter. I called him a “lazy bum.” Another classmate took 20 credits (even though her family was one of the richest folks in Hong Kong), and our peers perceived her overload as “diligent.” She spent all her time studying and not playing! Did she enjoy her college days? You know the answer. I considered her a fool.
No hurry
My advice to you, dear nephew: Take your time, enjoy your education. Your college journey is some of the most precious times. I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. I took 18 credits each quarter, but at what expense? By the end of my junior year, I had enough credits to graduate. Suddenly, I felt I was not ready to face the real world. I needed time to think about the next stage of my life. Fortunately, I already got a two-year scholarship, so I had the freedom to take classes that I enjoyed, including journalism, drama, and bowling. Yes, bowling. And I reduced the number of classes I took. Although I took seven credits for my last quarter at UW, I still had 18 credits more than the graduation requirement of 180 credits. The last two years of my college days were colorful, fun, and exciting.
You take 15 credits—smart decision—which is about the right load.
Starbucks vs. library
Students wait in line at a Starbucks store inside the Suzzallo Library
While it’s commendable for students who work and
see BLOG on 14
those facing the region’s so-far halting attempts to deal with homelessness. There were 11,751 persons experiencing homelessness in Seattle/King County as of January 2020. And the issue has caused ongoing problems in the Chinatown-International District (ID).
What makes the new shelter, to be run by Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT), even more controversial is a massive sense of betrayal on one side—Japanese American community leaders who built or contributed to the establishment of Keiro decades ago to care for their aging first-generation.
On the other is a grasping for community support and understanding by a young generation of Black activists who are grappling to put together a team to run a shelter to focus on caring for their community, which as in almost every other social determinant, is vastly overrepresented in the homeless population.
Adding to the challenge is a plan by the city that seems to be running on two separate tracks that could ultimately bring about a complication, if not a collision.
On one hand, the city has allocated up to $2,239,497 to fund the ACLT Community Home at Keiro through the end of this year. Next year, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority will fund the shelter until the end of 2022. But by the middle of next year, Africatown will have to reapply for funding for all its programs as part of a competitive process against other bidders.
But at the same time, according to Kevin Mundt, of the city’s department of human services, Africatown is also “in negotiations regarding the purchase of the property” from Shelter Holdings, the current owner. In an email, Mundt said Africatown was providing funding which could be bolstered by additional “proposed fund sources,” including the state’s Housing Trust Fund, Housing Finance Commission, and the City of Seattle’s Office of Housing. He implied financing will be closed in the coming weeks.
Asked if Africatown could acquire the property but then lose funding in a little over a year to run the project, Mundt said he “didn’t have anything new to add” other than the details he had already provided about funding and acquisition.
Community feedback
Comments made by community members reflected not only feelings of outrage and betrayal but pointed to practical challenges the Africatown team is potentially facing.
Tomio Moriguchi, one of the founders of Keiro, in an email to the city and government officials, said he could not understand why the city had chosen to fund a shelter “tailored to meet the specific cultural needs of the Black community, even though the proposed shelter is to be located in the midst of a traditional Asian and Japanese community.”
Moriguchi mentioned that 30% of residents in the area were incarcerated without due process in 1942, referring to the concentration camps created for Japanese Americans during World War II. He also pointed to the many older Asians that live immediately adjacent to Keiro that could be impacted by a shelter.
“Why is the City pitting one community of color against another rather than promoting unity, cooperation and joint governance, programs, and property ownership?”
Moreover, Moriguchi’s dismay about the loss of Keiro, which closed in 2019, is widely reflected in the community. He added that hundreds of people had volunteered through decades and donated millions of dollars to keep it going.
Shelter Holdings, which acquired the property for $11 million, was previously offering the building for sale at $13.8 million after community opposition emerged to its proposed development of market-rate housing.
Africatown leaders said repeatedly they were hoping to create a community where all ethnic groups would thrive. At the same time, they and their supporters said that the shelter would be part of a project to fight against the broken systems and white supremacist institutions that had banished Blacks from the area and largely disenfranchised, if not destroyed, them.
K. Wyking Garrett, CEO of Africatown, said that while 25% of people experiencing homelessness are Black, Blacks make up only 7% of the area’s population. He said the ACLT Community Home at Keiro “would be the first Black homeless shelter of scale.” The shelter is for men only.
Other speakers organized by Africatown said such a change was necessary, not only to reverse generations of white supremacy ensconced in the shelter system, but to contribute to changing perceptions about Black men that prevented them from returning to the community.
“You see a Black man coming and all you see is danger—and that can’t be the thought,” said Zaneta Reid, of the Lived Experience Coalition, in a distraught manner.
She said Black men trying to return home would feel: “I’m back in my community and now I’m not wanted.”
Shelter operator concerns
For the city’s part, the crisis of homeless people along with the pandemic has created an acute urgency. In response to criticism that the Japanese American and Asian community, along with other local residents, had been excluded from the earlier planning process, and that there had been no competitive bidding, Mundt said that the city and Africatown had to move “quicker than normal in community engagement timelines.”
Yet Africatown leaders said they had reached out to the neighborhood and referred to the three community engagement sessions, on Sep. 16, 23, and 30.
Mundt said that the new shelter would supply up to 150 non-congregating spaces, to add to the hundreds of hotel rooms and other spaces where homeless people can shelter without an increased risk of infection from COVID-19.
Some community members expressed consternation at Africatown’s seeming lack of experience in running a homeless shelter.
“Why isn’t the city contracting to Low Income Housing Institute?” asked former Keiro board member Fred Kiga at the first meeting. “These are experienced providers. You’re going to stand up on your own—that is a recipe for disaster.”
Moriguchi, in an email, said, “I’m dismayed to learn that the City of Seattle, waving honest democratic budget practices and under the guise of COVID-19 restrictions, has decided to fund an organization to operate a homeless shelter that has no experience operating a homeless shelter.”
He added that even those organizations that had experience were having trouble running shelters, and cited “the failed Navigation Center.”
Garrett emphasized that Africatown would be partnering with experienced providers, including the Salvation Army, Catholic Community Services, and the City of Seattle. But he also said that his organization would avoid some of the pitfalls troubling agencies that served those experiencing homelessness in traditional ways.
While Africatown is still assembling a team, he said the residents would be viewed as “assets” rather than “liabilities.” He also seemed to imply that the fact that it would be a Black-led team working with primarily Black residents would make a difference, although he did not elaborate in an email request.
In response to another email, Garrett said that despite the fact that Black people are significantly overrepresented in the homeless population, there is “an extreme deficit of effective culturally responsive services and resources.”
After giving a presentation about best practices and culturally responsive care during the first meeting, Janice Lee, the project manager, came back during the second meeting and said she had an MBA in health care management.
Most of the community comments, however, involved worries about the potential for increased danger to the community, drug use, trash, and the spread of the coronavirus.
Emiko Mizuki said there is heightened criminal activity in the area already.
“What measures will be taken to reduce this?” she asked.
“What assurances do we have about residents so they won’t exacerbate drug use?” asked Patty Fong, a community activist, who said there was an enormous amount of drugrelated activity in the neighborhood already. Fong, along with others, also lamented about the trash problem and worried there would be an increase.
Others asked if people living in cars across the street from the property would be eligible to move in.
The format of the meeting involved Africatown recording questions and concerns then responding to them either during the first session or the second. A third session, scheduled for Sep. 30, is slated to offer specific solutions.
Africatown leaders and partners offered some preliminary responses.
Garrett said that traditional measures, such as security cameras and patrols, were under discussion. But he said that community safety is based on mutual trust and building strong relationships, and he referenced block parties that the organization had been putting on for years.
One supporter said that drug use emerged from homelessness and was not its cause.
Lee, the project manager, said Africatown would be following CDC guidelines to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
The ACLT Community Home is slated to open midOctober.
The final community engagement session will be on Thursday, Sep. 30, 6-8 p.m. To register, go to: https://bit. ly/3E5j7B5.
An open house will be held on Oct. 14 from 1-4 pm.
Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwaweekly.com.
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bids will be received for KC000333, Press Brake and Mill Equipment Replacement; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via the E-Procurement system, until 1:30 PM on October 12, 2021. Late bids will not be accepted. The public bid opening will only be conducted on-line following the Bid Close Date and Time; see Invitation to Bid Section 00 10 00 for details.
The Work under this Contract includes the removal and replacement of an antiquated press brake and mill which are located within King County Metro’s Component Supply Center.
Estimated contract price: $415,000
Five prominent leaders in the fight for AAPI-Black solidarity—Darrell Powell, treasurer of the Seattle King County NAACP; Jesse Wineberry of the Washington EQUITY NOW Alliance; Lua Pritchard, executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center; Toshiko Hasegawa, executive director of Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs; and Jonathan Sposato, chairman and co-founder of GeekWire—spoke on a panel organized by the Northwest Asian Weekly on Sept. 23. Community leader Nate Miles and KIRO 7 anchor Monique Ming Laven facilitated the panel, “Unity in Voices: Where do we go from here?” discussing necessary steps to bridge the gap between these two communities.
Official crime statistics and other studies have revealed that three-quarters of offenders of anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, from both before and during the pandemic, have been white. But viral videos circulated recently of AAPI being attacked have overwhelmingly featured Black perpetrators—severely obscuring the power of Black-AAPI solidarity in the fight for racial justice, and reigniting distrust between the two communities.
Powell said, “[The Black community knows] those [perpetrators of AAPI hate crimes] are bullies. They’re bullies, and they’re taking advantage of someone weaker.”
Powell also noted that, although police brutality against Black Americans and AAPI stem from a similar place of hate, the two groups experience traumas that are not of racial equivalence, possibly contributing to Black-AAPI strife.
“The African American community has every expectation that, if the police found [the Black Americans responsible for AAPI hate crimes], they would be prosecuted. But when we watched a police officer put his knee on the neck of a man for nine minutes, the [African American community] waited across the world, with bated breath, wondering if the officer would be let off free.”
Hasegawa spoke of another incident that contributed to distrust and misunderstanding.
“Business owners [in the CID] suffering from the first wave of COVID didn’t have insurance when the wave of so-called Black Lives Matter protesters came vandalizing their shops and “... white firms that funded those startups didn’t care that there weren’t any Black or Asian people around, and these companies became seeded in this racist and misogynistic environment ...” — Darrell Powell
hurting their businesses [last summer],” said Hasegawa. “They did not have the information to recognize that these were anarchists, and now blame has been associated with a civil rights movement, pitting [Black and AAPI] communities against each other.”
This fundamental misunderstanding between the Black and AAPI communities is reflective of white supremacy, Powell noted.
“White supremacy is a perfected art. It impacts us differently, but until we understand we all are in the same boat, we have tensions that arise between groups that are perceived to suffer more or less.” He pointed to housing segregation through redlining, unjust policing, and the creation of the “model minority” myth to justify denial of resources to Black and AAPI communities as particular examples of white supremacy marginalizing these groups.
“We suffer from the same things,” added Pritchard. “We share the same values. Working together is the only way we can survive in America.”
And despite recent divisions between the two communities, Black-AAPI solidarity has flourished in the United States. The tragedies of the past two years—from the gruesome murder of George Floyd to the many elderly AAPI men and women assaulted on city streets—have served as a means of bringing people of color together in America. Black and AAPI marched sideby-side in the fight for Black lives, and Black activist organizations such as the NAACP were prominent voices against the rising trend in AAPI hate crimes. Younger generations, especially, stand at the forefront of advocacy through their use of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
“We need to look to the youth, who are much more organized now in activism than just two decades ago,” said Hasegawa. “They are leading thoughtful discussion about these complex race relations through translating their parents’ feelings and promoting open discussion amongst their peers.”
The past year has seen a proliferation of activism accounts such as @soyouwanttotalkabout or @ dearasianyouth on Instagram, both of which regularly post short, widely circulated infographical slides about topical social issues to inform social media users. Although this has led to an increase in awareness about sociopolitical issues amongst younger generations, tech veteran Sposato has reservations about the impact of social media advocacy.
“On social media, there is so little room, so little time for complexity, for nuance, and a fuller spectrum of understanding any single issue,” he argued. “People are either canonized or villainized very quickly based on little information, and with social media so heavily used by younger generations, misinformation can be an issue.”
Using social media, though, can also serve as a starting point of conversation between Black and AAPI communities.
“Being visual about the successes we have achieved together is a great place to begin the journey in understanding,” said Wineberry.
Powell also points to larger organizations, such as the technological industry, to make inclusiveness a priority at all points possible.
“The startup industry in tech is the most racist and misogynistic industry that I know. I know what it’s like to come out [of education] and have hope and possibility, only to see mediocre white folks succeed just because their buddies bring them in,” Powell said. “The reason why there aren’t any African Americans on boards is because there were no African Americans in the seed startup, and the white firms that funded those startups didn’t care that there weren’t any Black or Asian people around, and these companies became seeded in this racist and misogynistic environment.”
“Now, these companies have grown and people are urging them to have more [diversity] on their boards. But it’s not in their DNA.”
Indeed, Black people account for approximately 12% of the United States population, but hold only 3.2% of senior leadership roles at large companies, according to an analysis by the Center for Talent Innovation, despite the millions spent on corporate diversity efforts.
Sposato agreed that larger firms have a lot of work to do. He also points to the tech industry in particular as crucial in curbing social polarization in the fight for equal rights.
“We have a responsibility to come up with solutions to address the possible misinformation and demonization of different racial groups that can happen online. It’s incredibly important.”
All the panelists agree—only from a place of understanding and common ground can Black-AAPI communities move towards working together in solidarity.
When asked what actionable steps individuals can take to better encourage understanding between not only Black and AAPI communities, but BIPOC groups in general, the panelists offered up their recommendations.
“It’s not about blaming each other,” Pritchard said. “This is something bigger than any one of us. It’s all of us, and it takes two to tango.”
“Listen louder. Be kind,” said Sposato.
“Go to waequitynow.com,” said Wineberry. “Log on, sign your name, and it will urge Governor Jay Inslee to sign an executive order to unleash economic opportunity in education, jobs, and business in Washington state.”
“Don’t get your news off of social media,” Hasegawa recommended. “There is proactive misinformation intended to steer people in the wrong direction… We all have a role to play in safeguarding the fair treatment of all people.”
“Help facilitate change,” Powell concluded. “Help other folks who may not be as blessed as you... Go out and find a place to serve.”
Juliet can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bids will be received for Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Trail NE 8th Street Crossing, KC000346, by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via the E-Procurement system until 1:30:59 PM on 11/2/2021. Late bids will not be accepted. The public bid opening will only be conducted on-line following the Bid Close Date and Time; see Invitation to Bid for details.
This project provides for the improvement of Pedestrian traffic across NE 8th Street adjacent to the Sound Transit Wilburton Station along the former Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad line between approximately the extension of NE 6th Street and the extension of NE 10th Street in King County by constructing a pedestrian overcrossing, and other work.
Estimated contract price: $13,272,028
MANDATORY Pre-Bid Conferences On-line: 10/6/2021, 11:00 AM. Bidders may attend by calling: +1 425-653-6586 Phone Conf ID: 663 479 554# Or via Microsoft Teams: Click here to join the meeting 10/8/2021, 9:00 AM. Bidders may attend by calling +1 425-653-6586 Phone Conf ID: 286 932 989 # Or via Microsoft Teams, join meeting at https://bit.ly/3mepwlr. Prospective bidders can view more details at: https://kingcounty. gov/procurement/solicitations
■ASTROLOGY
Predictions and advice for the week of October 2–8, 2021
By Sun Lee Chang
Rat—In a special situation, it would be advisable to follow a nuanced approach rather than strictly adhering to the rules.
Ox—The sky’s the limit when you put your mind to something and follow through with the steps to achieve it.
Tiger—Were you expecting one thing only to receive another? Luckily, it should all work out for the best.
Rabbit—If you don’t choose, then the choice will be made for you. Cast your vote while it still counts. Dragon—Take heed of the missteps of your predecessor, so as to avoid making the same mistakes yourself.
Snake—You are well aware of the high stakes involved. Do more than just show up—be actively involved.
Horse—Worried about the increased scrutiny of your work? The quality of what you do will speak for itself.
Goat—Is something not making as much sense as it should? Leave it for now and come back to it later. Monkey—Feeling more tired than usual this week? Instead of your regular routine, try going to bed a little earlier.
Rooster—If you see an extra effort being made, then by all means, call out what is being done well.
Dog—Do you spend a lot of time doing things for others? It’s important to allow yourself to recharge as well.
Pig—To the extent that you can, prepare in advance. That way, you can hit the ground running.
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.
AFGHAN REFUGEES from 8
Andrew Do, who fled Saigon with his family a day before it fell to communism and today chairs the county’s board of supervisors, said during a recent press conference in the area known as “Little Saigon.”
The U.S. had long announced plans to withdraw from Afghanistan after a 20year war. But the final exit was much more frantic, with more than 180 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members killed in an attack on the Kabul airport.
In the last two weeks of August, the U.S. evacuated 31,000 people from Afghanistan, three-quarters of them Afghans who supported American military efforts during the extensive operations. But many Afghan allies were left behind with no clear way out of the landlocked nation under strict Taliban control.
Similarly, many Vietnamese Americans recall how they couldn’t get out before the impending fall of Saigon to communism. They stayed behind and faced long spells in re-education camps in retaliation for their allegiance to the Americans who had fought in their country. Once they were allowed to return to their families, many Vietnamese left and took small boats onto the seas, hoping to escape and survive.
For some families, the journey took years and many failed attempts, which is why many Vietnamese Americans view the departure of the U.S. military from Afghanistan not as the end of the crisis, but the beginning.
“We have to remember now is the time to lay a foundation for a humanitarian crisis that may last long past the moment the last U.S. help leaves the Afghan Thanh Tan space,” said Thanh Tan, a Seattle filmmaker who started a group for Vietnamese Americans willing to house arriving Afghans. Her own family, she said, made the trip four years after the U.S. left Vietnam. “We have to be prepared because people will do whatever it takes to survive.”
Afghans arriving in the United States may have a special status for those who supported U.S. military operations, or may have been sponsored to come by relatives already here. Others are expected to arrive as refugees or seek permission to travel to the United States under a process known as humanitarian parole and apply for asylum or other legal protection once they are here.
For parole, Afghans need the support of a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and some Vietnamese Americans have signed up to sponsor people they have never met, said Tuấn ĐinhJanelle, director of field at the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center. He said a coalition of legal and community groups has secured sponsors for 2,000 Afghans seeking parole. His sister, Vy Dinh, said she’s sponsoring a family of 10, including women in danger for working in medicine and teaching. “As soon as he called, I said, ‘Yes, I am in,”’ she said.
Other efforts have focused on fundraising for refugee resettlement groups. Vietnamese and Afghan American artists held a benefit concert last month in Southern California to raise money to assist Afghan refugees. The event titled “United for Love” was broadcast on Vietnamese language television and raised more than $160,000, according to Saigon Broadcasting Television Network.
It also aired on Afghan American satellite television, said Bilal Askaryar, an Afghan American advocate and spokesperson for the #WelcomeWithDignity campaign aimed at supporting asylum seekers. “They saw the need. They saw the parallels,” Askaryar said. “It’s really powerful to see that they saw that link of common humanity between the Afghan community and the Vietnamese community. We’ve been really touched and inspired.”
Thi Do, an immigration attorney in Sacramento, California, said he is also doing what he can to help. He was a boy when Saigon fell and his father, who served in the South Vietnamese army, was sent to a reeducation camp. When he returned, the family set out by boat into the ocean, hoping to reach a country that would take them.
Do remembers how the boat bumped up against dead bodies floating on the water and how his father apologized for putting him and his siblings in danger before throwing overboard his ID and keys from Vietnam. “He said, ‘I would rather die here than go back there,”’ Do said. They eventually reached Thailand and Malaysia, both countries that forced them back out to sea until they got to Indonesia and were processed at a refugee camp.
Decades later, Do said he has helped people fleeing persecution in his work as a lawyer, but until now, nothing that has reminded him so much of Vietnam. He’s working with Afghan families who are filing petitions to bring their relatives here, but what happens next is complicated with no U.S. embassy in Kabul to process the papers and no guarantee the relatives will make it to a third country to get them.
“I see a lot of myself in those children who were running on the tarmac at the airport,” he said.
BLUSH from 7
“Mulan,” and “Tangled.”
“Disney was pretty open and the animation [industry] in general was pretty diverse.”
In addition to his Emmy for the Disney short, “Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa,” Mateo has been nominated for an Emmy for “Bolt” and the follow-up to the first “Prep & Landing” called “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice.” He has been there with us, kind of like Disney, all this time. Just like many Filipino animators that a lot of viewers are unaware of—and Mateo was himself.
“I remember back then thinking that there were a lot of unknown Filipino animators that I’d never heard their names before. When I got into animation, it was like, ‘Oh, there are these talented Filipinos that I didn’t know about….that have worked on all of the movies that I grew up watching.’”
Mateo added that the pandemic lockdowns and increased work from home have actually opened up the possibilities for working with more talent from around the world.
You may recognize a certain signature look of the human characters in “Blush” from the “Prep & Landing” franchise. Their cheeks are pink and round. The adults are almost more childlike than the children. In “Blush,” they inhabit a space world not unlike that of “The Little Prince”—a tiny planet that’s really just a rock (and when you throw a rock, it comes back and hits you in the face). On this planet, after a crash landing, our hero meets a mysterious female with glorious pink hair who has the ability to create and sustain life.
Enter Mary Ann. The metaphor that is Mateo’s life with his wife and daughters is not hard to identify. There is no spoiler in acknowledging that the short describes the family’s tragic encounter with cancer and its aftermath. This highly personal and moving material is treated with dignity and infused with love. Love radiates like the life-giving light that the female mother figure gives to the people and the world around her. Mateo has said many times in interviews that the loss of his wife, who he knew since college, was like losing his breath. But that he, like the man in “Blush,” and the two children they engendered, discovered life goes on.
Tiny cultural touches in “Blush” give us a glimpse into Mateo’s upbringing, when his grandmother used to cut and serve mangoes precisely the way that the father does in the short, like an ice cream cone.
“It’s the Philippines’ national fruit. We grew up eating that,” Mateo told the Weekly. “The way he opens it from the top, I remember my grandma doing that so that there was a spot where we could hold and not get messy. But still, you can’t not be messy!”
We asked if there needed to be more tidbits such as this in movies, in art, today.
“I think so…There are so many different, colorful cultures and discovering all these new things—for me, it’s amazing…With Apple and Skydance, I think they’re very good at supporting diversity and the vision of the filmmakers and staying true to who they are, too.”
“Blush” debuts on Oct. 1 on Apple TV+, coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Filipino American History Month.
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT
LOOKING FOR 2 WOK CHEF - - ok English - Great work ethic! -Team work. Good Pay. -Both jobs with good benefits. Call 206-227-8000
Full time Cook/Deep Fryer
position. Chinese Restaurant in South Everett. If interested, Call 206-503-8232 Email chinn@chinniescatering.com.
Fabric Cutter
Experienced fabric cutter for Seattle apparel manufacturer. Full time. Contact Lanny at (206) 299-2667
Sewing Machine Operator
Entry level and/or experienced sewing machine operator for Seattle apparel manufacturer. Full time. Contact Lanny at (206) 299-2667
Kitsap Transit Marine Mechanic Helper
Req: HS/GED & 3 mths exp in upkeep, servicing & repair of marine vessels & equipment. $30.89 $41.53 /hr + generous benefits. Job details, appl. & benefits info at http://kitsaptransit.appone.com/. Deadline: 4:00 PM, 10/08/21
KITSAP TRANSIT IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Misty Mountain Mfg looking for 2
people full-time sewing bags.
Good benefits. Call Elaine (206) 763-6762
Misty Mountain Mfg looking for experienced Fabric Cutter. Both lightweight and heavy fabric. Able to lift 50/+ lbs. Speaks some English would be preferred. Good benefits. Call Peter (206) 763-6762
Find NWAW on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram! EMPLOYMENT
United Way of King County is Seeking a Business Data Analyst
Job Summary: The Business Data Analyst will help improve business processes by developing appropriate standard analysis documents and solutions leveraging centralized data. The position will also provide data and reports, data research, and quality assurance, and will support online workplace giving campaigns via site production and volunteer outreach.
Annual salary range: $64,500 - $68,500 DOE. The position is open until filled.
Application Procedure: Please apply online at the UWKC Career Center via the following link. https:// phf.tbe.taleo.net/phf04/ats/careers/ v2/viewRequisition?org=UWOKC& cws=37&rid=187
United Way of King County works to build a community where all people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable.
EMPLOYMENT
United Way of King County is Seeking a Community Impact Coordinator
Job Summary: This position is responsible for providing support to Impact Managers and other UWKC Community Services Team staff in areas of grant making and contract development, as well as event, volunteer, and data management support. The position will also provide additional administrative support to CST’s Operations Team as needed.
Annual salary range: $62,500 - $65,000 DOE. The position is open until filled.
Application Procedure: Please apply online at the UWKC Career Center via the following link. https:// phf.tbe.taleo.net/phf04/ats/careers/ v2/viewRequisition?org=UWOKC& cws=37&rid=197
United Way of King County works to build a community where all people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable.
NOTICE
The 4Culture Recovery Fund is now open to support cultural
organizations in King County
who have suffered losses due to the pandemic. Apply by November 5. Visit 4Culture.org for more information.
Advertize in our Service Directory below.
Just $10 a week! Minimum: 12 weeks for $120. Call John at 206223-0623 for more info.
Subscribe to the Northwest Asian Weekly for just $40 a year! Name_____________________________________ Address ___________________________________ City _______________________State___________ Zip Code __________________________________ Phone ____________________________________ Mail to: NW Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 or call 206-223-0623
DONE RITE
CARPET CLEANING 206-487-8236
BLOG from 10
study simultaneously, it is not for every student. If you choose to work, what types of jobs should you work?
On your own, you have found a part-time job as a south Seattle Starbucks barista. Some of your family members are not thrilled even though you are excited about your new job.
Why not apply for a campus job, like at the UW library? It’s convenient and saves time, my relatives said.
My relatives in Hong Kong guessed that I would probably suggest you pick the library job.
I am pro-library. But what can you learn from shelving books, checking out books for others, and getting to read more books? We have enough book reading from our classes. The advantage of working in the library is, it is a steady job. When no one shows up during the night shift, you have downtime to study.
What my relatives don’t understand is, you love drinking coffee. If you can get free coffee, good pay and tips, and learn to be a barista, it satisfies your needs immensely. The job would be a mental break from your classes. It’s not a job when you love your job. It’s also a means to see the real world and meet interesting people. You could always transfer to another Starbucks after working at one, perhaps one closer to UW. There’s a lot of potential. Rather than following in your uncle’s footsteps (also a Husky) who used to work at the UW library, you venture out on your own to see the world and find a job you enjoy. It’s proof of your independence and adventurous spirit. Thumbs up for thinking outside the box.
Seeking attention might not be a bad thing
volunteering for a few stories, I got a job as a UW Daily reporter during my senior year. A reporter’s byline creates visibility. My reporter job led to another job—as a research assistant for the East Asia library. The job requires knowledge of the Chinese language. I was hired after my first interview. The head librarian, the late Karl Lo, called me up after seeing my byline and offered me a third-level student pay rate, instead of the first-level. I finished the research way ahead of time. Lo and I became friends after I graduated. You see, anything you do can shore you with other opportunities. So whatever you do, try to not just do a good job, but a great job.
Being a UW Daily reporter, you never know how readers respond to your stories. One time, I wrote an unfavorable story on the now defunct KRAB radio station. Its supporters wrote letters to condemn me and even protested in-person at the Daily’s office. I was scared.
“Wow, why do people take it so personally?” I thought. It’s just a student publication. I felt lucky that I barely missed the protesters. What I didn’t understand was when a journalist is able to arouse passionate readers with their writing, it is considered a success. When hate mail comes, some reporters perceive it as an honor—a rose and not a thorn!
Nephew, you might not be working for the Daily. But I recommend students to get involved in activities out of your comfort zone. Learn to be curious and care about UW, a remarkable institution. Get to know the president and as many distinguished professors as possible. Why and how are they outstanding? They are our role models.
A few years ago, I was appalled when one immigrant student couldn’t name UW President Ana Maria Cauce after studying there for one year. It’s embarrassing she didn’t
Photo by Assunta Ng
know or didn’t care! What’s awful is, she may not be the only one!
Think about running for student office. I remember UW had elected more than one student body president of Asian descent. It may be fun to work for the Associate Students of the University of Washington. Many of the student body jobs are paid positions. It has 60 employees. Those can be dream jobs with good goals—having the desire to better the school and students’ welfare. You can learn more about the campus and its system, and meet many friends who share the same values.
Studying abroad
UW has great partnerships and exchange programs with overseas universities. Some of my young friends had studied in Italy, Germany, and many other countries for a quarter or even a year in their junior year. All their living expenses and airfare are paid. It would be a wonderful education and travel experience. In my days, participating in exchange programs was not that easy. Now, there are so many available, and not enough students to take advantage of them. Just go to your department and check out those opportunities. UW is a big school and has much to offer. You never know unless you discover what is out there for you.
No drugs or alcohol
Even in my younger days, I understood the dangers of drugs and alcohol. I would agree totally with your family that drugs should never be a part of your college life. As for alcohol, it’s a bad idea, too. I know it’s hard to resist under peer pressure. I never inhaled while I was in college, even though I was offered a few times. The smell of weed irritates me and alcohol irks my stomach. I made the right decision then, no drinking or smoking, and it served me well. When your mind is being distorted by drugs or alcohol, you do foolish things, which you might regret later. Just Google the number of tragedies caused by excessive smoking and drinking for college students, and you will understand. Now it’s time to practice saying “no” to alcohol and drugs.
Are grades the most important thing?
In my younger days, I thought so. I would say, grades are important in college, but not the most important. It depends where you are at, what stage in college. I had friends who took certain classes just because they knew they could get a sure A, and not how much they could get out of the class.
I did not get an A from some of my classes, but I learned a lot and had deep satisfaction. Some of the eye-opening classes were Native American history and history of India.
Having good grades is important because it got me into UW. It also helped me to get my scholarships for my junior and senior years. I don’t worry about you at all. So far, you seem to make the right choices.
Develop diverse friendships
The first day you landed in Seattle, we took you along for lunch with my Black friend. Later, we went to dinner at a restaurant and I accidentally bumped into another Black friend.
My circle of friends are my sounding board for critical issues. I couldn’t run the Northwest Asian Weekly without diverse viewpoints and support. I have set an example for you and hope you appreciate diversity as much as I do. Recently, I saw a photo of you with many UW friends of different ethnic groups. I like what I saw. Young man, another thumbs up for you.
Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.
restaurant her key to a new beginning in America.
“The Edmonds Chamber Foundation is saddened to see so many great local businesses hurt by this tragic fire,” said Lillyan Hendershot, president of the Edmonds Chamber Foundation board. “We hope this $1,000 grant will assist Qin Xi’an Noodles in starting to rebuild and recover from this tragedy.”
“The Edmonds Chamber Foundation has the capacity to provide three WISH Fund grants immediately, but our hope is to provide grants to all 14 businesses,” said Greg Urban, president & CEO of the Edmonds Chamber. WISH stands for “When Inconvenient Stuff Happens.” It’s a community relief program to help small businesses recover after a disaster.
Someone set the plaza on fire on the morning of Sept. 11. Witnesses reported smoke and flames around 5:35 a.m. at the L-shaped strip mall. Crews battled for about 40 minutes before getting the fire under control. Nobody was injured.
Many of the businesses in the strip mall were owned by Asian Americans. It was home to five restaurants, including Qin Xi’an Noodles, a tutoring center, a dentist’s office, a beauty school, a salon, and an antique store, and one of the area’s only Indonesian grocery stores, Waroeng Jajanan. They shared an attic space, and each one sustained either flame, smoke, or water damage.
Investigators determined the fire to be arson and police are seeking tips to identify the arsonist. Anybody with information is asked to call Edmonds police at 425-771-0212 or email policetips@edmondswa.gov.
Donations to the WISH Fund are tax-deductible. If you are interested in donating, go to edmondschamberfoundation.org/wishfund. The owners of Qin and Waroeng Jajanan also have GoFundMe pages. Go to: https://bit.ly/3m6WiVd and gofundme.com/f/help-waroeng-jajanan.
The Plum Tree Plaza
THINK TANK from 9
going to be. I’m getting old and my batteries need recharging, but I am getting involved in ways that surprise me,” Oki said.
For example, former congressman Mike Honda asked Oki to get involved in a committee that will sponsor a new bill on education.
“I have always cared about reforming public education,” Oki said.
In 2009, Oki wrote a book called “Outrageous Learning: An Education Manifesto.”
“If you read my thoughts in that book, you will realize that nothing has changed in the public education system since and that is unfortunate.”
A reason for his involvement with the AAPI Victory Alliance Think Tank is to ensure the same doesn’t happen with AAPI issues.
“We need a unified vision and that is not going to happen by itself,” Oki said. “It’s going to take an organization, hopefully the AAPI Victory Alliance Think Tank, that not only provides a unified vision but a well-articulated strategy.”
As someone who predicted and grew Microsoft’s international business, Oki said, “In my business days, I always said that without a good strategy, achieving goals will be elusive. This Think Tank can provide the vision, strategy, and the goals.”
One of the ways the Think Tank plans to do this is through promoting innovative, data-driven policies that focus on topics that AAPI communities care about.
While claiming his knowledge of technology is ancient, Oki thinks today we have tools at our disposal that will help in promoting innovative data-driven policies.
“First, we have all these high-tech platforms, whether it’s WiFi, cellular, or the internet, improving and increasing throughput which makes data transfers much faster.”
“My son Nicholas works as a computer programmer for Tableau, which is a part of Salesforce. Tableau captures data and presents it in an easy-to-see fashion,” Oki said. “Tools like these certainly help present and develop policies that are data driven,” he added.
Speaking about the fundraiser, Oki noticed it was attended by the broader AAPI community, which included Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian ethnicities, among others.
“I invited these people knowing not everyone was from the left or right of the political aisle. Yet, they all cared about issues facing the AAPI community and concluded that we need a think tank to address things like hate,” Oki said. “That alone shows this is not a left or a right issue, it affects both sides of the aisle.”
Oki observes anti-Asian sentiment is based on a four-letter word: hate.
“It is a very visceral word and is unacceptable in any context,” Oki said. “It doesn’t matter which minority you are dealing with, not only within the Asian community but more broadly the Hispanic or Black community. There simply is no room for this four-letter word.”
Oki hopes vision, strategy, and putting data behind the issues to help achieve well-articulated goals will help Asian individuals run for office.
“I would like to see more diversity in public office. They are the ones who have the ability to shape policy that impacts the broader community.”
Nikore feels that a core embodiment of leadership is really knowing who your community is, understanding how to speak to various members whether they are Pacific Islanders, native Hawaiians, Iranian Americans, or Chinese Americans, to know who they are, how they think and their drivers for civic engagement.
“Today, we are interested in four areas of research—misinformation or disinformation, voting rights to learn continued impediments to further voting and how voting rights restrictions will impact our community, climate change and gun violence prevention,” Nikore said.
“The last two and to an extent voting rights—are not typically viewed as core AAPI issues but they are starting to change,” Nikore said. “We’d like to have a seat at the table and provide more input on how climate and guns affect our community members.”
Oki feels a great education plays an important role and he offered an opinion on the education system in the U.S.
“It’s unfortunate we still have to import so many H1B1 people to fill many high-tech jobs. If you don’t have a math background, you’re not going to get very far in the high-tech sector.”
He feels that if someone wanted to tackle our public education system, it is a huge undertaking, but the rewards would also be huge.
“It’s a big if. If we can do things, that will result in an insanely great public education system.”
He points out that today, among the 25 largest education systems in the world, the U.S. ranks dead last, and we should be ashamed of that, but people are unaware of so much.
“How many people know that about half of the teachers that teach math and science in our schools don’t have degrees in math and science?” Oki asked. “While Costco operates on a 10% overhead, our public school system operates on a 30-40% overhead. We have plenty of money in the system—it’s just ill spent.”
He opines that quality education is a cornerstone for long-term positive effects.
“If we don’t change public education, the future in my opinion is very bleak.”
As for helping the AAPI Victory Alliance Think Tank gain momentum, Oki feels the easy thing to do to get involved is to simply donate. you can make a donation on the organization’s website at aapivictoryalliance.com/think-tank.
The AAPI Victory Alliance Think Tank hopes to raise a million dollars by hosting fundraisers across the U.S.
Oki said, “It’s going to take money. It is the organization’s hope to raise a million dollars to begin the process of hiring the people who can think through some of the issues that need to be addressed.”
Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Weekly Specials
Prices Valid September 29-October 5, 2021
Fresh! Chinese Eggplant 1.58 lb
House Foods Premium Tofu
Kinogushi Soft, Medium Firm or Firm. 19 oz 1.69
Black Bean Tofu
Tofu Cooked with Black Bean Garlic Sauce. A Delicious Vegetarian Entree! From our Deli Cooler 6.99 lb
Wang Corn Dog
Frozen. Mozzarella Cheese & Fish Sausage or Mozzarella Cheese & Rice Cake. 5 pk 6.99
Pork Loin Roast 3.99 lb
Kikkoman Sriracha Mayonnaise
8.5 oz 2.49
Ahi Tuna Block
Cut from the Loins of the Highest Grade Yellowfin Tuna. Ready to Slice and Eat 23.99 lb
Lee Kum Kee Mabo Tofu Sauce
Medium Hot or Hot. 2.5 oz .99
