VOL 40 NO 51 | DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

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VOL 40 NO 51 DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

FREE 39 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Harrell fete highlights voting “blocs” Photo by Rick Wong

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

gon

dra rrell. Joanne holds the Mayor-elect Bruce Ha gon. and e attl Se of ll rre First Lady Joanne Ha dragon‘s neck, holding the power of the dra pearl symbolizing the

It almost seemed like a going away party. At a Dec. 10 celebration of Bruce Harrell’s election as mayor, nearly every speaker seemed to want to remind him of his connection with the

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community that helped elect him.

“We all did it,” said James Wong, Vibrant Cities CEO, and one of the emcees, pointing to the crowd of over 400 people packed into the Joyale Seafood Restaurant in the Chinatown-International District. see HARRELL on 11

2021 holiday gift ideas whistles

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

legos

Looking for the perfect gift for the people in your life this holiday season? Here's the Northwest Asian Weekly gift guide to help you shop for even the pickiest people. see GIFT GUIDE on 13

gift CERTIFICATES

FOOD DELIVERY PLAQUES EXPENSIVE SAKE

GIFT BASKETS

TEAS

BOOKS

THE INSIDE STORY COMMUNITY NEWS Seattle shows power and limits of Jayapal’s progressives 3

■

NATIONAL NEWS US Navy commissions USS Daniel Inouye 5

PICTORIAL Congratulations, Mayor-elect Harrell! 7

COMMUNITY NEWS Living the dream 8

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

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Lucy Koh confirmed to US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

On Dec. 13, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Lucy Koh to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 50-45 vote.

She will be the first Korean American woman to serve on a federal appeals court. Koh spent more than a decade as a district court judge in San Jose, California, where she has Lucy Koh presided over many of Silicon Valley’s biggest cases.

Koh, 53, was previously nominated by President Barack Obama to the 9th Circuit in 2016 but was never confirmed by the Republican-majority Senate.

The 9th Circuit court hears appeals from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

white athlete at the senior level. She was 15 years old when selected to the first of three world championship teams, and at age 16, she finished fourth at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics.

Chin battled growth-related injuries and was forced to take time off the ice, and she turned professional at age 19.

JACL 2022 Scholarship Program

AP names Tripathi, Liu as Entertainers of the Year

Chin elected to Figure Skating Hall of Fame

Two-time world bronze medalist Tiffany Chin has been elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

The induction will take place on Jan. 9 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which serve as the trials for the Beijing Tiffany Chin Olympics.

“Tiffany Chin’s contributions to the sport are many. As the first Asian American ladies U.S. champion, she inspired a new generation of skaters who continue in her footsteps,” said Larry Mondschein, chairperson of the nominating committee.

Chin became an Olympian along with being the 1985 U.S. champion, which was the first victory by a non-

categories (undergraduate, graduate, law, creative/ performing arts, and financial aid) are also to be sent no later than April 1, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (HST).

Applicants must be a youth/student or individual member of the JACL; a couple/family membership held by a parent does NOT meet this requirement. Applicants must be enrolled in school in Fall 2022 in order to be eligible for a scholarship. If a student has received two National scholarship awards previously, they are no longer eligible to apply.

For more information, contact Matthew Weisbly at scholarships@jacl.org. 

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) 2022 National Scholarship and Awards Program is now underway. Guidelines, instructions, and applications are posted at jacl.org, and can be accessed by clicking the “Programs” tab on the menu bar.

The JACL annually offers approximately 30 college scholarships.

Freshman applications must be submitted directly by the applicant to National JACL through the online form no later than March 4, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (HST).

Applications for the non-freshman scholarship

Two AAPI actors are among The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year.

Simu Liu smashed through the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s comfort zone as its first Asianled superhero stand-alone in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” His was a careerSimu Liu making turn as Shang-Chi, who combines Spider-Man’s awshucks sweetness with lethal fists.

The path Anupam Tripathi took was far slower. For more than a decade, the Indian actor who relocated to South Korea more than a decade ago, spent countless hours singing in humble theaters and taking on minor film gigs. Then came “Squid Game,” which led to sudden, massive popularity.  Anupam Tripathi

Your health can ALWAYS use a boost.

COVID-19 booster doses are recommended for everyone regardless of which vaccination you received.

If you have questions or want to schedule a vaccine appointment, call 206-684-CITY (2489), Monday - Saturday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm www.seattle.gov/vaccine

COVID-19 vaccinations are FREE & no identification card is required.

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

asianweekly northwest

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Seattle shows power and limits of Jayapal’s progressives

By SALLY HO ASSOCIATED PRESS SEATTLE (AP) — When U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal returns home to Seattle, the Congressional Progressive Caucus chairwoman always goes for a walk along the U.S. Rep. Pramila Puget Sound.

Jayapal “Ever y t h i ng feels closed in sometimes in D.C., and so when I come home, I just like to ground myself in that spaciousness,” Jayapal told The Associated Press during a trip back to the city she represents.

Jayapal’s ritual is calming at a time her career has rapidly ascended into the top tiers of U.S. politics, showcasing the progressive street cred she amassed in Seattle and a political sensibility she has wielded in the nation’s capital.

“Some might say clever, some might say sensible,“ said Aseem Prakash, a University of Washington political science professor. “She has a greater legislative fitness. Smart people realize the limits to power—you should push when you can but you know when you can push no more.“ The 56-year-old Jayapal’s trajectory began as a teenage immigrant from India who turned into an investment banker with an MBA, and then a new career path from community organizing to elected office at the state and congressional level.

She founded OneAmerica and grew it over a decade into the largest immigration advocacy group in Washington state.

“I am not afraid of numbers. I know how to argue my points. I am used to working in rooms full of people that don’t look like me,” Jayapal said. “I always tell people ... don’t forget the experiences that you don’t like are just as important as the experiences you like.”

As the first Indian American woman in the U.S. House of Representatives when she was elected in 2016, she said she is

grateful to Rep. Barbara Lee of California and feminist icon Gloria Steinem for helping her navigate public office.

She also mentors other women of color in politics, like Seattle City Councilwoman Teresa Mosqueda, to high-profile Congressional colleagues in the so-called six-member “Squad.”

Asked about rumored dissatisfaction with Jayapal’s leadership among these six members of her progressive caucus who voted against the Biden administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill in protest, Jayapal denied there were bad feelings.

“People just always want to try and divide. They always are much more interested in who’s fighting with whom,” Jayapal said. “The Squad has been a fabulous part of the progressive caucus, and there’s really no division there.”

While Jayapal is driving the political agenda of the Democratic Party’s more liberal wing, the latest election results and the work of advocating for the Biden administration’s agenda highlight the challenges of pushing her caucus’ members and policies into the mainstream.

It was a show of force for the 95-member progressive House caucus to hold up Biden’s infrastructure bill while demanding support on a larger now-$1.85 trillion proposal to fund new climate and family support initiatives.

The caucus had initially insisted the two proposals be voted together, or not at all, though Jayapal eventually eased up on that demand to help pass the infrastructure bill following a disappointing Election Night for Democrats and progressives around the country.

“You have to be attuned to the changing circumstances,” Jayapal said. “That felt like the right move because there are certain times when you feel like if you continue to hold, you might actually lose leverage.”

Jayapal said she agreed to the first vote once they successfully negotiated a framework for the latter proposal.

Prakash said such political maneuvering leaves open the question of how sustainable progressives’ power

Recall vote tightens for Kshama Sawant SEATTLE — It appears as if Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant will overcome an attempt to recall her.

As of press time, Sawant was prevailing by a razor thin margin.

Sawant, 48, an economics professor, is the longest-tenured council member.

“Win or lose, we should not forget the ruling class keeps going after us because we have shown how to win for the working class,” Sawant said on Dec. 7 after the initial results were posted.

“Not once, not twice, but repeatedly with unprecedented victories.”

If Sawant survives the recall, it would

be a boost to Seattle's far left—which experienced setbacks in last month's general election when business-friendly candidates won the mayor's office and a council seat.

If Sawant is recalled, the other eight city council members would appoint a replacement until a special election is held next November.

To Sawant's supporters, the charges were a pretext for an effort by big business, developers and commercial real-estate interests to try to oust a legislator who had opposed them. 

is, especially with a Republican takeover of the House widely expected from next year’s midterm elections.

“To what extent, when Republicans are setting the agenda, will the demonstration of clout be (seen as) short-sighted? Because they demonstrated their clout, but they undermined the president,” Prakash said. “It was embarrassing.”

Back in Seattle, progressives are also still reeling from the mayoral and City Council races, notably that Jayapal’s endorsed mayoral candidate lost. It was a shock that the progressive candidate for mayor, Lorena Gonzalez, lost by double-digits to Bruce Harrell, who in the nonpartisan municipal election is sometimes described as the moderate, centrist or even “more conservative” candidate. It also marked the third mayoral election in a row where voters rejected the more left-wing candidate, which casts doubt on the reach of the current progressive brand of politics.

If they can’t win big in a famously liberal city like Seattle, where can they?

Chris Vance, a former Washington state Republican Party chairman turned Independent voter who has worked with Jayapal on local issues, said Jayapal is successful because she is both skillful and hardworking, and that she’s “very aggressive but not completely over the line” in terms of progressive ideology.

“Even in Washington state, socialism is not an attractive political term,” Vance said.

“The really, really far left—I don’t think that

has a political future even in Seattle.“ Jayapal, meanwhile, said the outcome of a municipal election depends largely on an individual candidate’s campaign, and that it’s not unusual for voters to want balance on the local level because, for example, the other Seattle City Council seats are still firmly dominated by progressives.

And there’s the perspective that in a city this left-leaning, every inch counts in terms of how left you are.

“Bruce Harrell would be progressive by most counts—less progressive than Lorena, but more progressive than most Democrats in the country,” Jayapal said.

Philadelphia City Councilmember Helen Gym, who co-chairs a national network of local progressives in office called Local Progress, also said candidates regardless of ideology can go in or out of favor in any given election cycle.

But Gym declares that on balance, the progressive movement’s agenda has over the past two decades gained ground, citing oncepolarizing issues from same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana to a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave that are now all generally well-accepted by much of the public.

“There’s no question that the issues are mainstream, and I think what’s happening right now is that the candidates who are largely the leaders and definers and movers of these issues are working on how to win bigger,” Gym said. “This continues to be an evolving movement.” 

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.

KC000406 OPENS: 01/12/2022 ITB - Live Plant Stakes Pre-Proposal Conference: December 16th at 10:00 AM via Skype or Teleconference only Conference Call: +1 425-653-6586,,102790078# United States, Seattle Phone Conference ID: 102 790 078# KC000405 OPENS: 1/11/2022 Native Plants and Nursery Items Pre-Proposal Conference: December 21st at 10:00 AM via Skype or Teleconference only Conference Call: +1 425-653-6586,,158597668# United States, Seattle Phone Conference ID: 158 597 668# KC000425 OPENS: 1/5/22 ITB - Window Washing Services RFQ KC000416 OPENS: 12/22/2021 Organizational Development Consultant Services on a AsNeeded Basis Supplemental

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

■ WORLD NEWS

Japan’s Nintendo game console pioneer Uemura dies at 78

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — Masayuki Uemura, a Japanese home computer game pioneer whose Nintendo consoles sold millions of units worldwide, has died, according to the university in Kyoto where he taught. He was 78.

Uemura, the lead architect behind Nintendo Co.’s trailblazing Masayuki Uemura home game consoles, died on Dec. 6, Ritsumeikan University said in a statement. The cause

of his death was not released.

Born in Tokyo in 1943, Uemura studied electronic engineering at the Chiba Institute of Technology and joined Nintendo in 1971.

Uemura was tasked by then-president Hiroshi Yamauchi in 1981 with developing a home console for games like Donkey Kong, which was a huge hit in the United States at the time but only available for arcade use.

The so-called Famicom game system hit the Japanese market in 1983 as Nintendo’s first cartridge-based console, allowing users to play popular games that came in cassette formats. The upgraded Super Famicom was released in Japan in 1990.

The Nintendo Entertainment System, as it was known,

hit the United States in 1985 and eventually became a global sensation with more than 60 million consoles sold worldwide, bringing international recognition to a company that previously made traditional Japanese card games, other playing cards and toys.

After retiring from Nintendo, Uemura taught game studies starting in 2004 at Ritsumeikan University in the ancient Japanese capital, which is also home to Nintendo.

“We offer our heartfelt appreciation for Mr. Uemura’s huge contributions to the development of the game industry by introducing a variety of video game consoles including family computers,“ Ritsumeikan University said in a statement. “May he rest in peace.“ 

Miss Universe is Filipino journalist India’s Harnaaz shot dead while Sandhu, 70th winner watching TV in store

By ARIEL SCHALIT ASSOCIATED PRESS

In an interview last month, Meza urged contestants to leave politics out of the pageant, saying the gathering was EILAT, Israel (AP) — meant to bring together Harnaaz Sandhu of women from different India was crowned the backgrounds. “When you 70th Miss Universe on are in there you forget Dec. 12, topping a field about politics, about your of some 80 contestants religion,” she told The in a pageant that was Associated Press at the touched by politics and time. the pandemic.

Sara Salansky, an The previously official with the Israeli reigning Miss Universe, Tourism Ministry, said the Andrea Meza of Mexico, country was selected to crowned her successor, host the contest earlier this a Bollywood actress, in year because of Israel’s the Israeli Red Sea resort successful coronavirus Harnaaz Sandhu town of Eilat. The pageant vaccination program. was held in the middle The contest suffered a of the night, wrapping last-minute hiccup with up at 5 a.m. local time (7 p.m. PST) to the arrival of the omicron variant, accommodate the primetime schedule which forced Israel to close its borders in the U.S. to foreign tourists late last month.

The pageant included traditional Most of the Miss Universe contestants displays of national costumes, were already in the country before the swimwear and a series of interview new regulations came into effect. But questions to test contestants’ public those who came afterward were given speaking skills. The top 10 showed special permission to enter, albeit with off intricately bedazzled full-length a mandatory 72-hour quarantine period. gowns in either gold, silver or bronze.

Throughout the run-up to the contest, The Philippines’ Beatrice Luigi Gomez all contestants were tested for the wore an asymmetrical cut dress with coronavirus every 48 hours and required one sleeve, highlighting a new tattoo to obey strict mask requirements. she said “celebrates her womanhood.’”

Amid all the safeguards, France’s But the contest also drew attention in contestant, Clemence Botino, tested recent weeks for other reasons. positive for COVID-19 shortly after A grassroots Palestinian-led boycott arriving in Israel. After 10 days in had urged contestants to skip the event quarantine, she was declared virus free to protest Israel’s treatment of the and allowed to rejoin the competition.

Palestinians.

Last year’s pageant was delayed In the end, only Malaysia, a due to the pandemic before Meza was predominantly Muslim country crowned in May for her abbreviated with close ties to the Palestinians, tenure. did not send a representative, citing The contest was hosted by U.S. TV the global COVID-19 situation. The personality Steve Harvey. Organizers South African government, which also said the pageant was expected to reach strongly supports the Palestinian cause, an estimated 600 million viewers via withdrew support for the country’s the FOX network in 172 countries.  representative over her participation.

By JIM GOMEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A gunman shot and killed a journalist who was watching TV at a store in a central Philippine city, in a brazen attack in what has long Jesus Malabanan been regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.

Jesus Malabanan, a 58-year-old provincial correspondent for the Manila Standard newspaper, died while being transported

to a hospital after being shot once in the head by one of two motorcycle-riding men on the night of Dec. 8 at a family store he was tending in Calbayog city in Samar province, police and officials said.

The suspects escaped and a police investigation is underway to identify them and a motive for the attack.

Media watchdog groups condemned the killing, including Malabanan’s colleagues in Pampanga, a province north of Manila where he was based and worked for years as a news correspondent and as a stringer for Reuters.

A media protection body created by President Rodrigo Duterte strongly condemned the killing and vowed to arrest the see JESUS on 12

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ NATIONAL NEWS US Navy commissions Pearl Harbor-based USS Daniel Inouye

By AUDREY McAVOY and MARK THIESSEN ASSOCIATED PRESS PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The U.S. Navy on Dec. 8 commissioned the USS Daniel Inouye, named after the long-serving U.S. senator from Hawaii and decorated World War II veteran.

Inouye and other Japanese Americans were initially prevented from enlisting for service after Japan attacked Pearl HarDaniel Inouye bor. After the policy was changed, his unit of Japanese American soldiers became one of the most decorated, with Inouye earning the Medal of Honor and, now, a guided missile destroyer bearing his name.

The military restricted attendance at the event due to COVID-19 mitigation efforts and streamed the ceremony online. Among those in attendance was Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, who gave the keynote address at the

80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

“There is absolutely no more of a fitting name for this ship than Senator Daniel Inouye, who fought the Nazis on the front lines and strengthened our national defense in Congress,“ Del Toro said at the commissioning ceremony. “Senator Inouye will always serve as the North Star for our military and for me personally.“ The Arleigh-Burke class guided missile destroyer will be based at Pearl Harbor in Inouye’s home state.

Inouye was the first Japanese American to serve in Congress when he was elected to the House in 1959, the year Hawaii became a state. He won election to the Senate three years later. When he died at the age of 88 in 2012, he had served nearly 50 years in the Senate, more than anyone in American history except the late Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

Inouye played key roles in congressional investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals and served as chairperson of the powerful Appropriations Committee.

In World War II, Inouye served in the Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit comprised of mostly Japanese Americans that is one of the most decorated in U.S. history.

“After President Roosevelt made the decision to allow Japanese Americans to volunteer, he and thousands of others volunteered for that service and to go into harm’s

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way because they believed in America when America did not believe in them, and for that they were willing to fight in order to fight,” Inouye’s son, Ken, said at the ceremony.

Inouye received the Medal of Honor for his heroism while leading a charge on a machine gun nest in Italy.

He lost his right arm when it was shattered by a German hand grenade.

“Generation upon generation of brave Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made our military and our country stronger, but we cannot fully realize the legacy of Daniel Inouye until all Americans feel welcome and valued in our nation’s military,” Del Toro said, “We must recruit, retain, mentor, educate and promote the best of our nation. That includes all the Daniel Inouyes that our country has to offer.”

The USS Daniel Inouye borrows its motto—“Go For Broke”—from the 442nd.

At more than 9,000 tons, the 510-foot ship can easily top 30 knots and can take on enemy ships, submarines, missiles and aircraft. Its combat system uses powerful computers and a phased-array radar to track more than 100 targets. It’s also equipped with ballistic missile defense capability. 

White University of California, Davis adds House caste to its anti-discrimination policy relaunches AANHPI initiative Asian American organizations are celebrating the Dec. 9 re-launch of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and the appointment of U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as its co-chair. see AANHPI on 12

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DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — The University of California, Davis, has added caste to its antidiscrimination policy after students said they have seen discrimination take place at the university based on the South Asian practice of assigning people their social status at birth.

Under UC Davis’ policy, which was amended in September, students or staff who face discrimination or harassment for their perceived castes can now file complaints that could result in formal investigations, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in November.

The Northern California university may be the first public institution to address caste discrimination, which was largely imported from South Asia.

“The significance of adding caste is it ensures that the communities most impacted and most vulnerable to this type of discrimination or harassment know that the university recognizes the harm caused,” Danesha Nichols, director of UC Davis’ Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program, told the newspaper.

Students started pushing for the change

after receiving insulting memes in their group chats and overhearing South Asian students ask each other what caste they belonged to before picking roommates, the newspaper reported.

Estimated to be thousands of years old, caste is rooted in India’s Hindu scripture.

It long placed Dalits at the bottom of a social hierarchy, once terming them “untouchables.” Inequities and violence against Dalits have persisted even though see DAVIS on 14

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS Five simple rules to find a great Chinese restaurant

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY As a Chinese American, a common question I get among my friends who aren’t Chinese is, “Wayne, what Chinese restaurant would you recommend?” Having lived in the U.S. all my life, as well as spending a lot of time in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, I’m pretty confident of my Chinese culinary critical skills (CCCS, for

short). You can usually count on me to provide a handful of great Chinese restaurants, at least in my area of town.

Having sampled a multitude of Chinese restaurants in my life, I’ve experienced a wide variety of Chinese cuisine across the scale, from the absolutely sublime, to Chinese food that requires you to put quotation marks around the see WAYNE on 14

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC 16

CLUB MEETING WITH WARREN ALLEN ON TOPIC “THE SENTENCING PROJECT” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Free on Zoom For Zoom meeting link, contact at rotaryofseattleid@ gmail.com FILM SCREENING “REVOLUTION OF OUR TIMES” The Beacon, 4405 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 7 p.m.

Tickets at forms.gle/

JhBqKwsddxJinMRk8

17 FILM SCREENING “REVOLUTION OF OUR TIMES” The Beacon, 4405 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 5 p.m.

Tickets at forms.gle/ JhBqKwsddxJinMRk8

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MINH CARRICO WAS LOST AND NOW HAS BEEN FOUND, “LOST & FOUND” 2-3 p.m.

Via Zoom Zoom Meeting ID: 716 4280 1111 Passcode: 23x40X minhcarrico.com

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A BONSAI SOLSTICE Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S. 336th St., Federal Way 4-7 p.m. pacificbonsaimuseum. org

SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM FREE FIRST FRIDAY 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Seattle Asian Art Museum Free admission Advanced registration required

volunteerparktrust. org/event/saam-freefridays/all

JAN 6

CLUB MEETING WITH RACHELL WONG, DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HISTORICAL AND MODERN VIOLIN PERFORMANCE 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

For Zoom meeting link, contact at rotaryofseattleid@ gmail.com

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minhcarrico.com NOW THROUGH JAN. 30, 2022

“UNITED BY CHALLENGES,” U.S.JAPAN FRIENDSHIP COMING OF AGE CELEBRATION Bellevue College and Zoom 1-3 p.m.

RSVP required seijinusa.org/seijinregistration seijinusa.org

WILDLANTERNS Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle 4-8:30 p.m.

Get tickets at zoo.org/wildlanterns NOW THROUGH JAN 31, 2022

MINH CARRICO WAS LOST AND NOW HAS BEEN FOUND, “CALL ME BUDDY” 2-3 p.m.

Via Zoom Zoom Meeting ID: 716 4280 1111 Passcode: 23x40X

PAPER DIALOGUES: THE DRAGON AND OUR STORIES National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St., Seattle For hours, please check online at nordicmuseum.org

View the solution on page 14

Assunta Ng

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.”

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

asianweekly northwest

Congratulations, Mayor-elect Harrell!

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1. Bruce Harrell told dinner guests, “I am inspired.”

2. Bruce and Joanne Harrell dancing on stage to “We are family.”

3. Former Gov. Gary Locke congratulates Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell.

4. Tomio Moriguchi handed a bamboo plant gift to Joanne Harrell.

5. Co-emcee James Wong and Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz on stage. The organizing committee donated the dinner proceeds to the Seattle Police Foundation.

6. Joanne Harrell holding the dragon pearl and Bruce next to the dragon head. Guess who’s the boss?

7. Asian community media presented plaques of Bruce Harrell’s stories in the North American Post, Northwest Asian Weekly, and Seattle Chinese Post.

8. James Wong compliments 9-year-old April Zhong for performing the national anthem.

9. Japanese American leadership team with Bruce Harrell.

10. Bruce Harrell with present and former elected Asian officials.

11. The organizing committee with Bruce Harrell and Adrian Diaz.

12. The dragon, led by International Lion Dance team and Sifu Tony Au, entered Joyale’s dining room

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PHOTOS BY RICK WONG

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Living the dream

Daniel Tran in front of a PA-44.

By Juliet Fang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “In the military, there’s a saying that, for every pilot, there always was a child with a dream. That really rings true for me. When I moved to the United States from Vietnam at the age of 14, I knew that I wanted to be in aviation,” says Daniel Tran, a Seattle native and recent graduate from Officer Candidate School (OCS) of the United States Navy in Newport, Rhode Island.

“At my American public school, there certainly was a culture of going on a traditional path towards college, but I wanted something different,” he said.

“Even growing up in an Asian family, where there’s a lot of pressure to lean toward a certain career, I built my life around becoming a pilot.

“So I applied to lots of military schools in my senior year of high school. My family was very supportive of this decision, too, which may not be reflective of most Asian families. My parents, and now, my wife—they’ve been integral to where I am today. I could not have achieved what I have without their support.”

OCS is a military school that trains civilians and enlisted soldiers to be efficient officers in militaryoriented fields of engineering, finance, mechanics, and communications. The 13-week program includes advanced classroom instruction and on-theground training. Graduates of the school are commissioned as an Ensign and join the ranks of military leadership.

“OCS was definitely the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Tran reflected. “It’s not just physically challenging, but extremely mentally challenging. You had to be very prepared to come here.

“You have to have a very high level of attention to detail and be able to pick up a subject in a short amount of time and execute tasks quickly. It’s very real-life, that sort of way.”

Indeed, graduating OCS is no simple

Daniel Tran with his wife, Tiffany Chau Tran.

task. Besides constant (and grueling) physical training, students must take classes on naval history, seamanship, navigation, and military law. Students at the school must also abide by the strict honor code, and deviation from this honor code results in swift expulsion.

Yet, despite these obstacles, Tran found that the greatest challenge was going back to college to receive a bachelor’s degree.

“I enlisted directly out of high school, joining Electronic Attack Squadron 142 stationed at Whidbey Island. I spent a long time there. When I got out in 2018, I decided to pursue a Bachelor’s of Aviation Science at Utah Valley University.

“By that time, I’d been out of the school environment for seven years,” he said. “I wasn’t used to school anymore, and I had moments of self-doubt where I questioned if getting a bachelor’s was really for me. Regardless, I kept my intentions straight and reiterated to myself that school is the number one most important thing. I had to achieve my ultimate goal of being a pilot, and I needed a Bachelor’s to get me there.”

Though school proved to be a major hurdle on Tran’s path towards becoming a naval aviator, he cites elements of his cultural background growing up in an Asian household as critical for his eventual success.

“Everyone knows how disciplined Asian parents can be. I was raised with that discipline and it instilled in me the need to always keep my goals close to my heart. And, of course, my parents regarded education as really paramount.

I think growing up in an environment where education was greatly valued helped me get through those tougher times in school.”

Soon, Tran will relocate to Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida to participate in the Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation. There, he will officially begin his dream of becoming a Naval Aviator.

“At the end of the day, what I’ve really

learned in life is that it’s completely fine to deviate from traditional routes as long as you don’t deviate from your ultimate goal,” he said. “My ultimate goal was to be a pilot. I didn’t get here the way you

traditionally would, but I persevered and here I am.  Juliet can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

YOUR VOICE

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

asianweekly northwest

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Housing Diversity Corporation welcomes Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell and supports his call for increased safety and security in the Chinatown International District.

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Thank you to everyone who helped to make AAPI Unity Celebration for Mayor-Elect Bruce Harrell a success!

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

39 YEARS

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YOUR VOICE

northwest

From left: Tony Au, Dr. Xiao Ming, and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs

Gary Locke (left) and Jim McDermott

HARRELL from 1

“We congratulate him for keeping the dreams and the legacy of the AAPI community alive,” said Hisao Inagaki, the Japan Consul General.

Locke offered congratulations to all the recently elected Asian American mayors, and seemed to imply that a cohesive identity among the AAPI community was in part at least formed by not only a history of antagonism but by more recent animosity.

“We are in very difficult times,” he said, mentioning the targeting of Asian American scientists who have any connection with China as an example. “We are the perpetual foreigner.”

Still, some political observers argue that the idea of an AAPI voting bloc is tenuous. Historically, different ethnic groups have voted differently and pursued different interests. It is not clear if the coalition of voters that supported Harrell could be divided in the future over some other issue, just as a single issue seemed to unite it this time.

“The recent surge in anti-Asian violence most likely brought the issue close to home for many Asian Americans, but I don’t know if it will translate into a coherent voting bloc,” said Moon-Ho Jung, a history professor at the UW. “The collective identity ‘Asian American’ is always in formation, with different meanings for different peoples. It is a contested process.”

Professor Jung added:,“My hope is that we can use our current moment to learn about the struggles of the most vulnerable in our communities because that is where we’ll find the most innovative and viable answers.”

The topic that seemed foremost on everyone’s mind, at least as registered by the cheers and applause, was public safety. Harrell had made support for the police a key component of his campaign.

He said he had just met with Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, who led the inaugural dragon dance by carrying the dragon’s head on a pole, and vowed to work to bring response times to 911 calls down to seven minutes.

Yet he seemed, if not caught between two imperatives regarding the police, then at the very least seeking to unify two starkly oppositional attitudes toward law enforcement.

“I said I’m not defunding the police, but I understand the need to eradicate racism and unfairness in our police department. I understand the need to make sure people are not murdered at the hands of the police. I understand the need to give people mental counseling and mental illness treatment in a crisis situation because all of that will lead to keeping us all safe,” he said as he closed his remarks. “And that by the way may take more funding, not defunding.”

Yet the challenges besetting a mayor at this juncture as the city reels from public safety problems, homelessness, the pandemic, and other problems were also an undercurrent in the evening.

Black-suited volunteers with black masks standing outside the dining room of the restaurant checked arrivals for vaccination status.

Former Congressman Jim McDermott, who made

The three-hour fete verged on a raucous party at times intended to celebrate Harrell’s victory. But it also underscored the voting blocs that seemed to elect him.

Community leaders such as Tomio Moriguchi reminded Harrell of his family’s origins in the neighborhood. Former Governor Gary Locke jibed about Japanese American elected officials coming later to the scene than their Chinese American counterparts.

Overall, the comments represented an impetus to find and build on the connections that constituted a newlyemerged, but perhaps still fragile, coalition.

Connie So, president of the OCA Asian Pacific Advocates of Greater Seattle and a teaching professor in American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington (UW), said the appearance of Harrell at many events, including those organized against AAPI hate, helped garner him votes—in contrast to his opponent, whose absence was glaring.

“The votes in Seattle show that South Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley voted for him,” areas populated by a large majority of Asian Americans, she said in an email.

“I think this is why most Asian Americans that voted elected him.”

Harrell seemed fully cognizant of his debt to the AAPI community, as well as to the Black community (on his campaign website, Harrell describes himself as “the son of a Black father and a Japanese mother”).

“I am honored to be the right person at the right time,” he said, adding that his election had been helped by the 15% of the city’s residents that identify as AAPI. “We politicians call that a voting bloc,” he said, while repeatedly being interrupted by cheers and catcalls.

“We take that with the 7% of African Americans, and [in addition] you got 10% or 15% of Huskies that like football.”

Harrell played football at the UW (and received the Most Valuable Defensive Player Award during the 1978 Rose Bowl), another aspect of his identity as a native Seattleite to which speakers often referred.

Moriguchi, in introducing Harrell, referred familiarly to cousins of the mayor-elect who repaired cars in the neighborhood and a florist shop run by the sister of Harrell’s mother.

Assunta Ng, publisher of the Northwest Asian Weekly and one of the emcees, recounted when Harrell’s mother, worried about his popularity with female voters when he was running for mayor in 2007, invited a number of Asian American women to meet her son and advise him.

Other speakers said Harrell’s service was part of a long line of AAPI contributions to the city.

“Every road and brick that makes up Seattle” is due to the labor of AAPI immigrants, said Carrie Huie-Pascua, Washington State Commissioner on Asian Pacific American Affairs, reading a statement from Gov. Jay Inslee.

Harrell’s understanding of the needs of the community “comes from lived experience,” she said. “He will listen to the AAPI community.”

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From left: Elaine I. Ko, Tomio Moriguchi, and Joanne Harrell

a brief appearance, said the job of serving as mayor is tough at any time. When asked, he refused to run.

“It’s a tough job he’s taking on,” he said.

Former City Councilmember David Della said, “The city is at a crossroads.”

Perhaps sensing the stakes, Harrell occasionally hectored the crowd in a joking manner.

When one side of the room continually talked in a loud, swirling wave of chatter, he asked them to quiet down.

“Let’s have some real talk, family,” he said when he first came on the stage, which was hung with strings of Christmas lights in the background. “This side of the room—can you keep it down?”

Then, pivoting to the other side, he said, “These are the quiet ones over here.”

Pivoting back, he said, “But these are the party people over here.”

A wild cheer went up from that side of the room.

One reason for the ambient chatter, however, was simply the sheer number of guests in the hall—and the fare. Guests dined on dishes that were constantly being served, such as crab, prawns, Peking Duck, lobster, and free-range chicken, washed down with a long array of Chateau St. Michelle wines.

“Everybody in this room is very supportive of you,” said Moriguchi.

Ng closed by urging Harrell to appoint AAPI staff.

“Don’t take us for granted,” she said. “Representation matters.”

The theme for the dinner was, “AAPI Unity for Harrell.”

What better way to demonstrate that theme than with a room full of past and present AAPI elected officials, and many community, business, and city leaders.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Consul General of Japan Hisao Inagaki and Mrs. Inagaki Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs, Director General Daniel Chen The Hon.Gary Locke The Hon. Jim McDermott Secretary of State Steve Hobbs Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho Seattle City Councilmember-elect Sara Nelson Bellevue City Councilmember Janice Zahn Burien Mayor Jimmy Matta Renton City Councilmember Kim Khanh Van School Board Director for Seattle Public School— Vivian Song Maritz The Hon. Martha Choe The Hon. David Della The Hon. John Okamoto The Hon. Cheryl Lee Leandra Craft, former Federal Way City Councilmember 

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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12

asianweekly northwest

■ EDITORIAL

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

Harrell administration falls short of AAPI representation Seattle Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell announced on Dec. 13 the first significant hires of his administration.

The news release boasted of a “diverse and experienced team of leaders that will support [Harrell’s] efforts to unify, inspire, and address the urgent challenges facing Seattle. Members of the team include civic leaders from inside and outside local government, bringing critical lived and professional experience to the issues the mayor-elect will address.”

If you look at the list provided, AAPIs are not that well represented.

Vinh Tang will be the technology and performance advisor, basically an

Information Technology (IT) position.

Mr. Mayor-elect, IT is unlikely to come up as a “community issue” and this position is not a senior or director level position, nor a direct report position.

We understand that this is just the first round of announcements, but this is underwhelming and disappointing. In contrast, outgoing Mayor Jenny Durkan appointed two deputy mayors of Asian American descent—Mike Fong and Shefali Ranganathan.

Harrell did appoint his niece as one of three deputy mayors. But Monisha Harrell is the only one of AAPI descent who has a direct report position. Tiffany

JESUS from 4 killers. But Duterte himself has long been in the crosshairs of media watchdogs and human rights groups, which have repeatedly condemned him for fostering impunity among the police forces that have enforced his crackdown against illegal drugs and left thousands of mostly petty suspects dead.

Dozens of journalists have been killed or come under attack under Duterte and his predecessors. In 2009, members

AANHPI from 5 “As the first Asian American and woman of color to serve as U.S. Trade Representative, Katherine Tai has a record of breaking barriers and is uniquely

DAVIS from 5 India banned caste discrimination in 1950.

The practice has traveled outside of India to Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and occurs among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Buddhists, said Anjali Arondekar, a professor and co-director of the Center for South Asian Studies at University of California, Santa Cruz told the newspaper.

“Caste is really about labor segmentation and sustained inequality through the years—millennia, really,” she said.

India’s caste system, which assigns people their social statuses at birth, places Dalits, once called “untouchables,” at the bottom of its social hierarchy that can determine where they live, what schools they can attend, what jobs they can get and where they marry.

Last year, California regulators sued

of a powerful political clan and their associates gunned down 58 people, including 32 media workers, in a brazen execution-style attack in southern Maguindanao province that horrified the world.

While the mass killing was later linked to a violent electoral rivalry common in many rural areas, it also showcased the threats faced by journalists in the Philippines. A surfeit of unlicensed guns and private armies controlled by powerful clans and weak law enforcement in rural regions are among the security concerns journalists face in the

qualified to co-lead the White House Initiative on AANHPIs,” said Thu Nguyen, executive director of OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates. “We hope that she, along with WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka'ai, will continue to

Cisco Systems, saying an engineer faced discrimination at the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters because he is a Dalit Indian.

The engineer worked on a team at Cisco’s San Jose headquarters with Indians who all immigrated to the U.S. as adults, and all of whom were of high caste, according to the lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

The “higher caste supervisors and coworkers imported the discriminatory system’s practices into their team and Cisco’s workplace,” the lawsuit said, and that the company did not “substantiate any caste-based or related discrimination or retaliation.“ Cisco Systems Inc., a major supplier of computer networking gear that makes the internet work, has said it would defend against the allegations in the complaint.

Caste is often based on a person’s last names, the village or town a person comes from, and from their religious and

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Washington will fill a newly created position of deputy mayor of housing and homelessness, and the third deputy mayor of external relations will be hired later.

“I want that deputy mayor position to focus on what the residents and small businesses demanded from the City when they elected me,” said Harrell.

“The deputy mayor of external relations will help build the external partnerships needed to deliver results in measurable terms.”

Perhaps that now-open deputy mayor position could go to an AAPI. There are many civic leaders to choose from, some of whom Harrell has already named to

To learn more about Harrell and his transition structure, go to seattle.gov/mayor-elect.

poverty-stricken Southeast Asian country.

Thirty-two of those gunned down in Maguindanao’s Ampatuan town were local reporters and media workers.

It was the deadliest single attack on journalists in recent history, media watchdogs say.

A Philippine court found key members of the Ampatuan family guilty of the mass killings in 2019 but many more suspects remain at large. 

push for the expanded collection and use of disaggregated data at the federal level.”

OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates’ National President Linda Ng said, “The launch of the White House Initiative on AANHPIs is a much-needed

social practices.

Prem Pariyar, a 37-year-old graduate student at California State University, East Bay, said his family would be physically assaulted because of their lower caste in his home country of Nepal. He said the last thing he expected was to face casteism when he moved to the U.S. in 2015.

But he faced it when interacting with other South Asians in the Bay Area—at his restaurant job, at the university, at community events and at dinner parties.

He started organizing with other CSU students around the issue and their efforts led the Cal State Student Association, which represents all 23 CSU campuses, to recognize caste as a protected category this year. But the CSU school system itself has not made any changes to its discrimination policy. Pariyar was also part of the UC Davis campaign.

“It is an issue, it’s here and it’s time to deal with it,” he said. 

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his transition team. This person could transition quite nicely into this new role.

Hundreds of AAPI community members and leaders gathered to celebrate Harrell’s victory last week in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. The party is over now, Mr. Mayor-elect. And the AAPI will hold you accountable.

Perhaps, as you look to fill Cabinet level positions, you will remember the importance of having AAPI representation. 

step that ensures the federal government has a comprehensive strategy to combat anti-Asian bias, address health and economic disparities, and provide aid as AANHPI families recover from the pandemic.” 

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YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of December 18–24, 2021

By Sun Lee Chang Rat— Much to your delight, you will be pleasantly surprised by something that you did not expect to happen.

Dragon—You are about to reach an enviable milestone. There is even more, if you are ready to work for it.

Monkey—Do you want to make a switch, but are uncertain about the timing? If you can, wait for an attractive deal.

Ox—Don’t assume you know what the other person is thinking. Take the time to listen and really find out.

Snake—Are you being kind to yourself? If the answer is no, there are some changes that should be made.

Rooster—You must complete the entirety of the instructions to reap the benefits. This is not about partial credit.

Tiger—Rather than constantly looking backward, focus on how you can do better going forward.

Horse—Weary of someone who appears to be a tad too eager? Their objective could look very different from yours.

Dog—If you are able to chip away at it, something that seemed daunting will be cut down to size.

Rabbit —Is it hard for you to request help? Don’t let fear get in the way of asking for what you need.

Goat—As part of the conversation, this is your opportunity to share what you have been holding back.

Pig—Are there too many conflicting opinions in the room? Luckily, you have what it takes to bring people together.

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.

GIFT GUIDE from 1 WHISTLES DELIGHT KIDS What caught my 3-year-old grand nephew’s eyes when he entered my office were whistles on my computer desk.

Those were leftover whistles I bought for the Chinatown elderly just in case they were attacked in the midst of antiAsian hate crimes.

He and his younger brother wanted them immediately.

Earlier, we gave them red envelopes with lucky money and they quickly abandoned them. But the whistles were like new discoveries. They dashed around whistling in the office like a flying band. Wow, whistles which cost less than $1 each, brought them so much joy and fun. What does it tell you about kids? An expensive gift might not be the most appealing gift for them.

LEGOS For someone who likes to make things from scratch or make things with their own hands, LEGOs are a good choice.

Both kids and adults enjoy LEGOs. Although they are pricey, it develops our patience and enhances our creativity.

RESTAURANT AND GROCERY GIFT CERTIFICATES Restaurant and grocery gift cards are practical gifts. You not only support the restaurant and grocery industries, your gift helps to create jobs. It’s easy to buy and send. Recently, I bought a gift to donate to a nonprofit agency. Mailing is a headache since the post office is slow and packing is another issue.

If you know your loved ones’ favorite store or restaurant, send

them a gift certificate so they can use it at their convenience. If you are a receiver of gift cards, use them as soon as possible.

Otherwise, you might forget to use them. I once forgot a grocery store gift card my friend gave me. When I found the card, it was eight years later, and the store’s computer could not read the code. So I wasted a gift.

DELIVER CHINATOWN FOODS TO FRIENDS During COVID, I have delivered food to friends for whom it may not be convenient to drive to Chinatown restaurants for take-out. Just ask your friends or loved ones who won’t be able to cook Christmas or New Year’s dinner, and you can order from a CID restaurant and have it delivered to them.

It’s a great gift from the heart.

EXPENSIVE GIFT TO IMPRESS Want to impress sake lovers, this gigantic sake bottle (the size of 4-6 regular bottles, see behind the big sake) with its shape like a flower vase, costs $800 at Uwajimaya.

THOUGHTFUL GIFTS It’s meaningful if you can create a gift. The Northwest Asian Weekly has made plaques containing stories of the sources.

ASIAN GIFT BASKETS If you’d like to make gift baskets with an Asian theme, include bowls, chopsticks, sake, Asian snacks, Asian wine, Asian spices (more details to follow), and sauces, Asian drinks, instant ramen noodles, seaweed, Asian restaurant and Asian supermarket gift cards, etc. Just take a trip to an Asian store, you can gather your items in less than 10 minutes.

ASIAN SPICES Do you have an aspiring chef in your life, or simply someone who loves to cook? A gift basket of Asian spices would be a great addition to their culinary repertoire. An informal poll of cooking enthusiasts in my circle stated some of their “must haves”: coriander, turmeric, fivespice powder, ginger powder, star anise powder, curry powder, cumin, and garam masala.

learning to grow together, there are many powerful messages for young hearts. This book makes a wonderful stocking stuffer or holiday present! Kids and adults love the book.

Other book recommendations: “Eyes That Kiss in the Corner,” by Joanna Ho, with illustrations by Dung Ho

TEA

Various teas at Serenity Moon Tea shop (Photo by Ruth Bayang)

Unless you know what type of tea your receiver likes, Mako— who sources her teas from China and sells them at Serenity Moon Tea in Kent—suggests getting a bag of each kind to put in a gift basket: white, green, black, oolong, red, herbal, and decaf, along with a double walled glass tea cup. It’s a great way to introduce someone to tea, or give the tea lover a little bit of everything. Also include Japanese and Ceylon teas for the basket.

BOOKS Just released and available nationwide at Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom online, “Starhug, a Journey of Hope, Healing and Hugs” is Cindy Wong’s first children’s book. A heartwarming story about being caring, brave, supporting each other during tough times, and

This is a children’s picture book that tells a story about learning to love and celebrate Asian-shaped eyes. The book is about a young Asian girl who, upon realizing that her eyes look different from everyone in her class, learns how to embrace her eyes and those of her mother, grandmother, and other family members.

OTHER GENRES: “Chaat,” by Maneet Chauhan and Jody Eddy Chaat in Hindi means “to lick” and the term refers to snacks or small bites. In this cookbook, celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan shares recipes and stories inspired by a journey traveling cross-country by rail, snacking on chaat all the way.

This cookbook was named “one of the best cookbooks of the year” by multiple publications.

“Homicide and Halo-Halo,”

by Mia P. Manansala Death at a beauty pageant turns Tita Rosie’s Kitchen upside down in the latest entry of this witty and humorous, cozy mystery series by Mia P. Manansala—which is steeped in rich Filipino heritage and stuffed with delicious Filipino food.

COVID-INSPIRED GIFTS Face masks are now necessary items.

There are some fashionable masks which you can buy online and you can give them as gifts.

The Asian Weekly was lucky to receive donated masks from International Chinese Christian Church of Tacoma and my friend’s daughter Crystal. Masks belong to the practical gift category. You can’t go wrong with it.

Dried food Winter is here. It’s too cold to go shopping for some folks. You may buy dried foods such as nuts, mushrooms, and fruits for your loved ones so they can have emergency foods without going outside.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

14

asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT

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We are looking for an educational leader who wants to design curricula, mentor other educators, and joyfully teach children.

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Name______________________________________ Address ____________________________________ City _______________________State____________ Zip Code ___________________________________ Phone _____________________________________ Mail to: NW Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 or call 206-223-0623

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WAYNE from 6 word “Chinese.” That is in order to specify that what is being presented as Chinese food is really just an approximation of what someone who doesn’t really know thinks Chinese food is supposed to be.

With my experience and critical eye (and tongue) to know what’s what, I thought it might be helpful to come up with a handy guide anyone could use to help quickly determine whether a Chinese restaurant is, in fact, Chinese, or really “Chinese.”

Before I lay out my guidelines based on my CCCS, I think it’s important that I stipulate that I am not going to focus my attention on really high-end Michelin star rated Chinese restaurants that will ultimately cost you an arm and a leg. My uncle in Hong Kong is the owner of Lei Garden in China and Hong Kong, which is one of the most prestigious and luxurious Chinese restaurant groups in the world. When I go visit him there, I basically camp out at one of his restaurants morning, noon, and night. I admit it—I’m a Lei Garden groupie.

If you intend to spend a lavish amount of money on Chinese food, you don’t need my help to find some place to do it. No, what is more satisfying to me is to find the hidden gem, the hole in the wall in the strip mall joint. Finding that diamond in the rough is the name of the game.

So, without further ado, here is Wayne’s Five Simple Rules to Find a Great Chinese Restaurant: #1 – Once you see a Chinese restaurant, pay attention to its name. If the name makes grammatical sense, be wary. Stay away from restaurants where something is golden. “Golden Palace” or “Golden Dragon” are big, red flags. You can be sure that there’s nothing golden in the establishment, and why a golden dragon would even translate into something tasty is beyond me.

On the other hand, if the restaurant has a name that, in English language terms, seems nonsensical, you may have hit on something good. If a restaurant has a name like “3 Hen Green Pot” or “China Heen,” park the car, this may be a winner. #2 – As you approach the Chinese restaurant, be sure to look for a sign showing the hours of operation. If the sign says that the restaurant should be currently open, but the doors are locked, that’s the first good sign that this place could be worth trying.

Always remember, a good Chinese restaurant uses the hours of operations sign as a suggestion, not something to strictly follow. #3 – If the restaurant name is nonsensical enough and it happens to be open when it’s supposed to be, proceed to the lobby. The first thing to watch out for— how attentive is the

staff as you walk in? If they greet you with a smile, a warm greeting, and quickly have menus ready to seat you, be very wary. Prompt and friendly service is often a warning sign. If you don’t feel inclined to leave immediately, you’ll need to look for other cues before taking a seat at the table.

If, on the other hand, you wait for a good five minutes as harried food servers are walking in and out of the kitchen carrying hot platters of food to patrons, that is a good sign. Add two points if the serving staff actually sees you and still keeps you waiting for another 10 minutes. #4 – As you walk towards your table, pay attention to the flooring. If the floors are vinyl tiles or linoleum, and they are slick with so much grease that you could oil skate to your table, slide over safely and take a seat. More than likely, you’re in for a treat. #5 – After perusing the menu and making some preliminary choices, once the server arrives and is ready to take your order, a good test is to ask if the kitchen can make a substitution, like switching chicken to shrimp in a dish, for example. If the server readily agrees to make the change, it’s still not too late for you to get up and get a quick bite at the McDonald’s across the street.

On the other hand, if the server replies with, “The dish is no good that way,” or even starts arguing with you about your request, you’ve hit nirvana.

We once went to a Chinese restaurant and specifically asked the waitress if they could not put monosodium glutamate (MSG) in any of the food, as it gives my wife a headache. Chinese restaurants often put MSG into the food as a flavor enhancer. Ten minutes after digging into the food we ordered, my wife Maya started to feel a dull ache at the back of her neck.

We immediately checked with our server. I said, “Excuse me. We specifically asked you not to put any MSG in, right?” She said, “Yes, that’s why I told the cook to put in less for your dishes. If we don’t put any in, it won’t taste right.”

I’ve put these guidelines together with tongue planted firmly in cheek, but I do believe there’s a glimmer of truth running through it.

That truth is, there’s a time and place for everything.

An amazing meal with top notch service and a glitzy setting? You bet! But there’s something to be said for a small restaurant to focus on one thing and one thing only—serving great food and nothing but that.

More often than not, that’s just fine with me.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6

YOUR VOICE

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

The Northwest Asian Weekly & Seattle Chinese Post would like to thank the following persons and organizations for advertising their political campaigns before the election.

We appreciate your business and support during these challenging times. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

• Bruce Harrell • Kim-Khanh Van • Dexter Borbe • Vivian Song Maritz • Dow Constantine • Lynn Robinson • Teresa Mosqueda • Stephanie Bowman • Dave Upthegrove • Rod Dembowski • Laura Marie Rivera • Sara Nelson • Will Chen

Organizations: • APACE • ACRS • King County Election • WA Chinese American Pac • 37th LD Democrats • Citizens for Safe Neighborhood • WA Asians 4 Equality

asianweekly northwest

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asianweekly northwest

39 YEARS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2021

Congratulations to Seattle Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell and First Lady Joanne May you have a successful journey and health!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

info@vibrantcities.com 206.659.5750 606 Maynard Ave S, Suite 251 Seattle, WA 98104 vibrantcities.com

We were very honored to have the presence of Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell at our restaurant on Dec. 10 for the AAPI Unity Dinner to celebrate his victory. More than 400 people attended, including former Gov. Gary Locke, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, and former Congressman Jim McDermott.

Thanks to all members of the organizing committee, we are grateful for their hard work in making the event successful and fun.

Tel: (206) 623-1318 900 S Jackson St, #203, Seattle, WA 98104 Business hours: Monday ~ Friday: 11:00 am ~ 9:00 pm Wednesday: Closed Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 am ~ 9:00 pm www.joyaleseattle.com Free Parking

• Dim Sum • Lunch • Dinner