VOL 39 NO 12 | MARCH 21 - MARCH 27, 2020

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

VOL 39 NO 12 MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Senior living residents worried after ID case of COVID

By NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Restaurants, bars closed till March 31 Inslee signs emergency aid bill

On March 16, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a two-week closure of restaurants, bars via streaming and telephone to practice social distancing measures.

By MARTHA BELLISLE and RACHEL LA CORTE SEATTLE (AP) — As the death toll from COVID-19 in Washington state reached 54, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure drawing $200 million from the state’s emergency “rainy day” fund for the state’s coronavirus response this week.

Inslee said the funding bill “is really about protecting see RESTAURANT CLOSURES on 12

■

The exterior of International House on Maynard Avenue South.

School’s out, parents scramble for resources for their kids Photo from Bellevue School District’s Facebook page.

see INTERNATIONAL HOUSE on 11

Photo by Assunta Ng

Residents at International House Senior Living in the Chinatown-International District are nervous.

Pinnacle, which manages International House, sent a letter to residents on March 10 that one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

“I and other seniors are very worried,” a resident told the Northwest Asian Weekly. The woman in her 80’s asked to remain anonymous. “I don’t know what to do.

My children have offered me to go live in their homes.

But I don’t know if [the employee] has spread the virus to me or not. If I am affected, I will hurt my children if I go to live with them.”

The employee is “currently under quarantine at the direction of the King County Health Department,” the letter stated. Two other employees who were in close contact with the employee who tested positive have been instructed to self-quarantine and to not return to work for a period of 14 days.

The resident said that all of the crew and manager have left the building.

Donation by Trader Joe’s to families in the Bellevue School District.

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Once the decision was made, it happened quickly. On March 10, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced that Cleveland STEM High School would be closed for one day after the identification of a staff member who may have been exposed to coronavirus, or COVID-19. On March 11, SPS Superintendent Denise Juneau and the Seattle School Board decided to close SPS for at least 14 days to “disrupt widespread

infection.” On March 12, Gov. Jay Inslee mandated that all K-12 schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties would close until April 24. Then, on March 13, after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Inslee ordered all public and private K–12 schools in Washington state to close through April 24.

It was not an easy decision.

“Closing schools is the last thing we ever want to see SCHOOL CLOSURES on 15

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

2

asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Shum is adjunct professor in Beijing

KUOW interviewed Tai Tung owner Harry Chan earlier this month, just as the COVID cases were starting to ramp up and businesses in Chinatown were seeing a decline.

Initially hurt by fear about the viral outbreak, and xenophobia of the Asian community, businesses are now starting to close and lay off workers after Gov. Jay Inslee ordered restaurants, bars, and entertainment and recreational facilities to shut down statewide. 

Challenges for The Stranger

Harry Shum, a former Microsoft executive, has been appointed as adjunct professor by Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“We believe that having world-class experts like Dr. Harry Shum … will not only have a positive impact on Tsinghua University, but also contribute to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in China and in the world,” said Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University.

An online ceremony to appoint Shum was held on March 5, moderated by vice president and provost of Tsinghua University, Yang Bin. This is also the first time that Tsinghua University has held such a ceremony online. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tsinghua University commenced large-scale online classes in mid-February.

After the ceremony, Shum delivered an online lecture entitled “Engineering Responsible AI.” He also shared insights on what Microsoft AI and Research have been practicing. 

Novel by Joan Seko

“Casha,” a historical fiction book about a Jewish

“Casha” bookcover

Joan Seko

Polish girl during World War II and the Holocaust has just been released. Author Joan T. Seko told the Northwest Asian Weekly that the novel is about Casha and her family, and other people going through the atrocities of the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler.

The book is available to purchase on Amazon. 

KUOW examines COVID impact on ID

Photo by George Liu

Harry Shum

KUOW team interview Tai Tung owners Harry Chan and Tommy Quan

Alt-weekly newspaper The Stranger, which announced last month that it was moving from Capitol Hill to the International District, has suspended its print edition and announced 18 temporary layoffs.

The 28-year-old independent newspaper made a plea recently, tweeting that 90% of its revenue — “advertising, ticketing fees, and our own events — was directly tied to people getting together in groups,” and that the coronavirus situation has virtually eliminated this income all at once.

The Stranger is accepting donations at thestranger. com. 

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMENTARIES

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

asianweekly northwest

3

Letter urging you to advocate for bipartisan efforts to address the economic impacts of COVID-19

Dear Members of the Washington State Congressional Delegation, The rapid spread of COVID-19 is having dramatic effects on the citizens and institutions in Washington state, particularly in the Puget Sound region, which has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.

We appreciate your fast action to approve $8.3 billion to respond the COVID-19 public health crisis. However, it is already apparent in our region that the economic impacts of COVID-19 are more far-reaching and devastating than anyone had anticipated, and we expect that these impacts will spread across the state.

Our members fully agree that the health and safety of their employees,customers, and communities is paramount.

At the same time, the policies and precautions now in place have tremendously affected our whole economic ecosystem.

With large employers heeding social distancing recommendations and encouraging employees to work from home if possible, economic centers like downtown Seattle have cleared out. The decrease in foot traffic,coupled with groups following public health guidance, means restaurants have seen their businesses dwindle. This has forced layoffs as well as temporary and permanent closures throughout the restaurant industry. Hotel occupancy has already dropped below 40%, and Washington state is projected to lose $20 million in revenue from conferences that have been canceled in March alone.

Governor Jay lnslee’s declaration, which banned social gatherings of over 50 people, is a wise and pragmatic approach to stem the spread of the virus, but is the latest blow to our state’s economy, creating a cascade of canceled sporting events, concerts, and plays. Bans on travelling from China and Europe will devastate the already struggling tourism industry, and our next two cruise sailings—each with an estimated $4 million in economic activity—have already been cancelled.

We are very concerned that these economic impacts will continue to disproportionately fall on the most vulnerable businesses and workers in our region. The smaller businesses bearing the brunt of reduced demand are vital to a diverse and vibrant local economy, and their ability to weather this storm is uncertain. Workers in the most severely affected industries, especially those who are hourly, part-time,and/or low-income, are now in very precarious financial circumstances.

In the face of all these challenges, we urge you to advocate for bipartisan efforts to address the economic crisis we are facing.

First, we urge you to creatively appropriate existing funding to address current challenges.

We expect that additional revenues are needed in the coming weeks and months, but in the more immediate term, many businesses only have enough reserves to weather a few weeks without income. If it takes a few weeks for Congress to appropriate new funds and a few

more to distribute resources to the hardest-hit areas, more businesses will be forced to close and lay off staff.

1. Housing and Urban Development funding or Community Development Block Grants could be used creatively to provide funding now for business recovery grants or job creation and retention grants.

2. Give Washington and heavily impacted areas priority access to existing funding, like Economic Development Administration’s grants and loans.

3. Approve any disaster or emergency declarations necessary to qualify for additional federal funds to address current challenges.

Significant and immediate direct business stabilization and recovery fundinis critical to stem the tide of this economic downturn.

While we are all working to preserve jobs through creative solutions, inevitably additional federal recovery grants are necessary to stabilize struggling businesses, especially in sectors with thin margins that cannot take on more debt during this crisis.

1. Appropriate additional flexible money for the Small Business Administration to provide recovery grants and forgivable loans to struggling businesses. Loosen restrictions on the sizes of business that can qualify to allow more access to desperately needed capital.

2. Provide money to states with large COVID-19 outbreaks for the administration of Unemployment Insurance.

3. Provide zero interest loans to states to address spiking Unemployment Insurance claims.

4. Reimplement Extended Unemployment Compensation and provide federal funds for the program.

5. Fully fund the National Dislocated Worker Reserve Fund and give Washington and heavily impacted areas priority access.

6. Provide technical assistance grants to local governments to administer assistance to businesses trying to navigate city/state/federal economic support during this crisis.

7. Provide additional tax incentives to struggling businesses. In addition to deferring tax and business payments, consider offering tax relief and forgiving payments.

Finally, we urge you to pass legislation and appropriate funds to help protect Washington’s employees and employers.

Low-income, hourly employees are being disproportionately impacted by this crisis, and we want to ensure these individuals are able to stay home when they are sick. However, with the current reality of diminishing or no business income, struggling employers cannot afford to pay for additional benefits. Please ensure that employers receive the funding necessary to implement the social distancing programs we all need and avoid unfunded mandates.

1. Provide reimbursement grants for small and lowmargin employers who are providing new sick and paid

leave benefits for individuals and families impacted by COVlD-19.

2. Create other cost-sharing mechanisms for additional costs that employers will be shouldering.

We also know that sectors like tourism and trade will be especially devastated and will need long-term plans to restore their economic strength after the public health crisis has been addressed.

This significant economic downturn is more abrupt and severe than anything we have seen in a generation. We call on your leadership and stand ready to work with you in the coming days and weeks to stabilize our economy and take care of the citizens of Washington.  Sincerely, — Kris Johnson President & CEO, Association of Washington Business — Joe Fain President & CEO, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce — Jon Scholes President & CEO, Downtown Seattle Association — Taylor Hoang Executive Director, Ethnic Business Coalition — Brian McGowan President & CEO, Greater Seattle Partners — Louise Chernin President & CEO, GSBA: Washington’s LBGTQ and Allied Chamber — John Lane Director of Local Government Affairs, Seattle Hotel Association, Seattle Restaurant Alliance — Markham Mel ntyre Acting President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce — Erin Goodman Executive Director, SODO BlA — Julia Gorton Director of State Government Affairs, Washington Hospitality Association — Michael Schutzler CEO, Washington Technology Industry Association — Tom Norwalk President & CEO, Visit Seattle

Support the ID – Communities unite

By Sarah E. Baker On March 8, I felt panicked. The stories in my news feed were overwhelming: AAPIs and businesses facing discrimination because of COVID-19, restaurant sales in the Chinatown-International District (ID) plummeting, people being outright avoided in public. Racism is alive and well, my friends.

As an organizer, I wanted to do SOMETHING, but what?

When I’m at work, I don’t have the ability to go to the ID to physically support a business, but I can send other people there. So I took to social media. I started posting about the different small Black, Indigenous, and people of color-owned businesses that I like, in the hopes that my friends would feel inspired to check them out, or maybe go to their own favorite places to give them financial support.

Later that day, my friend (and fellow board member of the Seattle Chapter of Japanese American Citizens League) Bill Tashima messaged me about starting a Facebook page to support businesses in the ID, similar to what I and some other folks had started doing. We looped in our amazing friend and avid community supporter, Mary Ann Midoro Goto, and the page went public later that evening.

Our description: “Support the ID – Communities Unite” is an informal grassroots effort to help support our community businesses and restaurants during the current coronavirus trauma. We urge friends, co-workers, and families to patronize the ID (Chinatown, Nihonmachi, Filipino Town, and Little Saigon). Small family businesses are the heart and backbone of the ID. We wanted to provide a space for people to share resources and their love of the ID, and to be totally honest, the response has been a little overwhelming. At 500 people,

we were so excited that folks were on board and wanted to share about their favorite spots. To date, we have been gaining an average of 1,000 people a day! That number is absolutely staggering. The overwhelming love and support that the community has shown for businesses in the ID and beyond has been unprecedented. On a daily basis, Bill, Mary Ann, and I are blown away by what we have seen in this group. People have shown up for the community in a way that was never asked for or expected.

As things with COVID-19 develop, we have had to change our tact, from “get out there and support small businesses” to “stay in as much as possible and support small businesses!” We are at a critical juncture with the virus right now where social distancing is vitally important. But there are still ways to continue the kindness see SUPPORT THE ID on 15

4

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

38 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle City Light will keep the lights on SEATTLE — Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Seattle City Light (SCL) will keep utility services on during the COVID-19 Civil Emergency in Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on March 10. Effective immediately, all SPU and SCL customers can set up deferred payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19. Utility service will stay on as their deferred payment plans are developed and implemented.

SPU and SCL have also created a Utility Discount Program self-certification form for income-eligible customers, allowing them access to heavily discounted utilities by signing a short form that attests to their household income, rather than having to provide income documentation.

“City utilities are prepared to make payment arrangements based upon individual customer needs,” said

Mami Hara, SPU general manager and CEO. “Whether you are a residential customer, a nonprofit, or a business, our staff is ready to help find a solution.”  To set up payment plans with either SCL or SPU, call 206-684-3000 or email seattle.gov/utilities/about-us/email-question.

$5 M in grocery vouchers for families impacted by COVID-19 SEATTLE — Seattle’s mayor announced on March 16 that the City of Seattle will provide $5 million in grocery vouchers to help families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know that working families in Seattle are already struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools and child care facilities close, we need to do

everything we can to support families and ensure they can put food on the table,” said Jenny Durkan.

The new grocery voucher program will help 6,250 eligible families who are currently enrolled in citysupported child care programs and food assistance programs. The Office of Sustainability and Environment will mail out the vouchers in two $400 installments. The

vouchers can be used immediately at any Washington state Safeway store to buy food and household goods, not including tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets, and fuel.

Voucher use requires a free Safeway membership, which residents can immediately access at any Safeway location. 

Donors urged to help others in the pandemic SEATTLE — As high school, college, business, and event closures unfold across the Pacific Northwest, Bloodworks Northwest officials issued a stark warning about the impact on blood drives in the community.

Approximately 60% of the blood supply is collected at mobile drives, of which schools make up 25%. School closures add new stress to a community blood supply already in peril.

“Inventories are holding steady now thanks to the faithful donors—and an important record number of firsttime donors—who recognized the urgent community need for donations,” said Curt Bailey, president and CEO of Bloodworks Northwest. “Unfortunately, donations

will likely fall in the days ahead.

Bloodworks Northwest is joined by the CDC, FDA, Washington State Department of Public Health, Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health, and King County Public Health, among others, in urging the community to make an appointment to donate.

Bloodworks Northwest is also directing local business and community leaders to include blood donation in their organizations’ emergency preparedness.

Vicki Finson, executive vice president of blood services, said, “To date, cancelled blood drives already translate into 2,500 lost donations. Widespread school closures mean an additional 3,200 missed donations

loom ahead. That means the equivalent of almost six days of community blood supply needed for cancer patients, trauma victims, premature babies, or to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients, among others.”  Bloodworks has posted information addressing questions and concerns for blood donors at bloodworksnw.org/coronavirus.

Appointments and information can be found at BloodworksNW.org or by phone at 800-398-7888, or text bloodapp to 91985 to receive a link on your phone.

Have you been financially impacted by COVID-19?

Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light Are Offering Customer Assistance Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Seattle City Light (SCL) will keep utility services on during the COVID-19 Civil Emergency in Seattle. This will provide immediate utility relief for customers, both residential and commercial, financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

heavily discounted utilities by simply completing and signing a short form on household income, rather than having to provide proof of income at this time.

* Flexible Payment Plans for COVID-19 Emergency

During March, the self-certification form will be available online, on the City's UDP website:

Effective immediately, all SPU and SCL customers (residential and commercial) can set up payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19.

http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/services-and-prgrams/affordability-and-livability/utility-discount-program

http://www.seattle.gov/light/paymybill/arrangements.asp - Seattle City Light (electric) http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/services/my-account/payments-and-bills - Seattle Public Utilities (garbage, water, sewer)

** Utility Discount Program (UDP) Self-Certification for COVID-19 Emergency During the month of March, income-eligible residential customers can self-certify to enroll in the Utility Discount Program (UDP). This allows qualified customers to access

Summary of Utility Relief for COVID-19 Impacted Customers Utility Relief Policies for Customer Assistance in response to COVID-19 Suspending utility disconnections for non-payment Allowing for more flexible payment plans, including on the amount of down payment and the length of repayment* Allowing eligible residential customers to self-certify for the Utility Discount Program enrollment** Reaching out proactively to small businesses with delinquent accounts to offer to set up flexible payment plans Waiving interest charges on delinquent balances (pending emergency legislation)*

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

asianweekly northwest

5

Holi festival subdued in India over coronavirus concerns NEW DELHI (AP) — Hindus threw colored powder and sprayed water in massive celebrations of the festival of Holi in India on March 10, but the enthusiasm was subdued compared to previous years because of fears of the new virus.

Brightly colored powder filled the air in most parts of North India. But in the capital, New Delhi, many events were canceled as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country rose to 47.

Holi, which marks the advent of spring, is widely celebrated in India, Nepal, and other South Asian countries.

Most years, millions of people from toddlers to the elderly throw powder at each other and play with water balloons and squirt guns.

But this year Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he would not participate in public Holi celebrations

because of the virus outbreak.

“Yes, it’s coronavirus that made us cancel our programs,’’ said Anshuman Ghulati, festival director of Holi Moo, one of the biggest Holi events in New Delhi which last year drew some 7,000 people from around the world.

“People are scared this year, we have canceled our event,’’ he said.

Other groups in New Delhi also canceled their plans.

Atul Goyal, president of United Residents Joint Action, said there would be no gala lunches or water dance events.

“Considering the coronavirus outbreak, you are advised to cancel Holi gatherings, in particular playing with water and touching of nose, eyes and lips and shaking hands,” the group said in an advisory.

But many defied the recommendations in other parts

For Chinese, US visa halt puts jobs, citizen hopes at risk

By DAKE KANG ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — Courtney Huang fell in love with the U.S. as a nursing student in Texas. She ended up staying 13 years and wants to become a U.S. citizen.

But Huang now finds her job, future, and dreams of citizenship on the line since the Trump administration barred entry last month to non-U.S. citizens and residents flying in from China over the coronavirus outbreak.

With crucial deadlines looming, her plans look increasingly at risk.

“I’m really scared,’’ Huang said. “I have a lot there. If I don’t go back, it’s just going to be very difficult.’’

The U.S. suspended visa processing in China on Feb. 3, citing limited staffing during the virus outbreak. No deadline extensions have been announced and it’s not known when the suspension will be lifted. That’s put hundreds of Chinese citizens applying for U.S. work visas in limbo, fretting as their jobs look increasingly at risk.

Huang had returned to China to see her parents over the Lunar New Year holiday in late January.

She had recently landed a new job in California and her work visa was on the verge of approval when the American Consulate in Shanghai announced it was returning everyone’s passports.

After weeks of fretting and weighing her options at her parent’s home in eastern China, Huang flew to Thailand. She now plans to wait out a mandated 14-

of the country.

People danced and smeared each other with colors in the northern state of Uttarakhand. Still, “there has been some effect from the coronavirus on celebrations,” said Neeraj Kumar, a resident of the state.

Sellers of colored powder and water guns said their sales had plunged.

“The fear that customers have over the coronavirus and the large number of people that are getting sick has made them slightly disinterested in celebrating Holi.

So our sales have become very less this Holi,’’ vendor Jitender Pandey said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. 

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

day self-quarantine before seeing if she can get her visa from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

Though Huang was born and raised in China, her whole life is now in Oakland, California, where she has an apartment, car, friends and job. With her Christian faith and gregarious, outspoken manner, the U.S. feels like home.

“I feel like I fit in better there. Free speech, free religion,’’ Huang said. Clean air, better career opportunities for women and a liberal social environment were also draws, she added.

Huang obtained a nursing degree in Texas, then a master’s degree in bioengineering from U.C. Berkeley. She’s on the verge of completing

Proposals will be received for E00653E20, Work Order Multidisciplinary Engineering Services for Airport Division; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on April 3rd, 2020.

There is a 15% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractor and Supplier (SCS) firms on this contract.

Total Estimated Price: $750,000 (each) King County intends to award two contracts from this RFP. All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Taylor Lee, talee@kingcounty.gov, 206-263-3173

see VISA HALT on 15

www.buckleylaw.net d

Seattle Office 675 S. Lane St. Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98104 Office: (206) 622-1100 Toll free: (800) 404-6200 Fax: (206) 622-0688

Our law firm has recovered over $200 million for clients

Tacoma Office Wells Fargo Plaza Suite 1400 Tacoma, WA 98402 (appointment only)

Our Attorneys & Staff Proudly Serving the Community

 Auto accidents  Back & neck injuries  Brain damage  Wrongful Death  Permanent Disability  Pedestrian Accidents  Quadriplegia/Paraplegia

 Slip & fall  Product Liability  Contingent fees (no recovery, no fee, costs only)  Same day appointments  Before & after work appointments available  Free initial consultation  Home & hospital visits available

Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum Selected as Super Lawyer Selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States Member of Several Bar Associations

6

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

38 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

A group of young Asian Americans face the screen. A tall, willowy woman talks about the LGBTQ movement in Taiwan.

The screen flashes a picture of her wedding with her partner. Another woman with long shoulder-length hair talks about the goal of their campaign.

“I know that Chinese culture is a lot more prominent here,” she says, in English, “But it’s also important for Taiwanese culture to be represented.”

A Taiwanese group of mostly young working professionals has launched a campaign to encourage Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans to promote a distinct ethnic identity in the 2020 census.

The Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) and its chapters in major cities, the Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP), have mounted a media campaign to

ask all Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to fill out the census, and Taiwanese in particular to check the box, “other Asian,” and then write in “Taiwanese.”

Organizers played down any geopolitical goal, such as trying to influence recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign or independent country, which has been the goal of other write-in campaigns, most notably by the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) in the 1990s.

FAPA is, however, one of the sponsors of this campaign, according to one of the videos produced by TACL. Still, national and local leaders of the campaign insisted their goal was to increase awareness of the needs of the Taiwanese community in the U.S. Census data is crucial not only to government decisions about funding for education and other programs, but is also widely used by businesses and local communities, they said.

“This is why campaigns are important because it is about the future. The count in 2020 will impact representation, policy, and funding decisions for the next 10 years!” wrote Christina Hu, TACL director of civic engagement.

This is the fourth time the

Photo by Ruth Bayang

Battleground for Taiwanese identity shifts to US census

organizations have promoted the campaign, which kicked off in 1990.

By way of showing its importance, organizers said that although 215,000 people wrote in “Taiwanese” on the last census, the figure reflected only a small portion of the actual number of people from Taiwan or Taiwanese Americans actually living in the U.S. “It’s the same type of thing for a lot of minorities,” said Angel Hsu, president of TAP-Seattle. “They are undercounted because they don’t fill it in.”

The census form has distinct categories for “Asian Indian,” “Chinese,” “Filipino,” “Korean, “Japanese,” “Vietnamese,” and

“Other Asian.”

After “Other Asian” there is a box to write in any other distinct category.

As of press time, the Census Bureau had not responded to an inquiry as to how many writeins it would take to create a new category.

Taiwanese identity

The word, “Taiwanese,” has its own distinct history, laden with political associations, that have changed over time.

Until recent decades, it was used to distinguish those families whose ancestors had been born in Taiwan [benshengren] from those who had migrated to the island in 1949 at the end of the Chinese

Civil War [waishengren].

In the half-century following, any nativist sentiment, such as speaking the local dialect— also called “Taiwanese”—or advocating Taiwan independence, was forbidden and heavily punished by the ruling party, which had also transferred over from China.

But an opposition party has spurred democratic changes that have ultimately lessened affiliations based on family origins.

And ancestral distinctions have become further blurred as children intermarried.

So today “Taiwanese” is often used to refer simply to anyone with roots in the island.

A survey, given to residents of the island by the government’s Mainland Affairs Council, has shown a massive increase in those who identify as “Taiwanese”— rather than “Chinese” or “both”— over the past 30 years.

In 1992, over 25% of islanders represented themselves as “Chinese,” 46% as “both,” and roughly 17% as “Taiwanese.”

But in 2019, only 3% identified as “Chinese” and about 34% as “both.” Those characterizing themselves as only “Taiwanese” see CENSUS on 12

Our community calendar page has been suspended due to the uncertainty surrounding events over COVID-19 concerns. We apologize for any inconvenience.

View the solution on page 14

Assunta Ng

Account Executives

John Liu

rebecca@nwasianweekly.com

Ruth Bayang

kelly@nwasianweekly.com

Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Associate Publisher john@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com

Han Bui Layout & Web Editor han@nwasianweekly.com

Rebecca Ip Kelly Liao John Liu

john@nwasianweekly.com

George Hira

ghira@nwasianweekly.com

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

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article.

Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission.

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

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

asianweekly northwest

7

Scandals and pop news in the time of Corona A-pop! API things in popular culture!

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY It’s really weird and tough times out there, and we are hoping you are all staying healthy, comfortable, and safe.

Here’s some frivolous pop culture news so that you can take a break from other kinds of news.

Restaurateur David Chang is threatening to run for office, slams Trump’s diet Celebrity chef and global restaurateur David Chang is worried about what this COVID-19 outbreak is going to do to small businesses — such as mom and pop restaurants and retail shops.

Due to the social distancing, selfisolation, and quarantine deployed to slow the spread of COVID-19, small businesses have had to shut Restaurateur David Chang their doors, lay off employees, and maybe even close for good if they continue not to have customers. Chang is calling for a federal stimulus bill to help small businesses.

“We are so f*cked if the federal government doesn’t immediately pass a massive stimulus bill for the hospitality sector and small business in general,” Chang tweeted in a rant. “Too many livelihoods at stake for partisan politics and ego to interfere with doing the right thing. If they think

restaurants are ‘non-essential business’ … big mistake. If they only help airlines and cruise ships but pass over hard working cooks, servers, and mom and pops shops … I swear to f*cking god I’m gonna run for public office.”

He also added, ““I can almost see...(Trump) granting aid only to giant fast food corporations. The greasy shit he stuffs his face with daily. Why would he want to help any immigrant restaurants? Or god forbid a Chinese or Mexican restaurant. We need other leadership to step up!”

I know Chang is just ranting, and he’s way too busy to run for public office, but if this hot-head really did and made it to public office, I would totally watch the movie adaptation of that.

Li Shang character removed from “Mulan” live-action remake because of #MeToo, as explained by white dudes For all of you who love and grew up with Disney’s “Mulan” as I have and hold a lot of sentimentality with it, it could be a bit of a letdown to learn that the character of Li Shang, Mulan’s love interest, was eliminated from the upcoming live-action remake.

Li Shang Li Shang was Mulan’s love interest. He meets her in her Ping persona, a

diminutive male. (Mulan has to be male in order to join the army.) Shang is her commanding officer and is initially so freaking annoyed at her/Ping because she kind of sucks at soldiering for a while. And then she gets real good at it. Shang is really impressed. They develop this friendship — and then she starts crushing, and then Li Shang goes through some serious inner tension and turmoil of identity as he grapples with his growing attraction to someone that he thinks is his male best friend.

Mulan then saves all of China. People are freaked out and probably initially repulsed to learn she’s actually a woman. Shang is originally pissed at all of her lying, but then after he processes and sees it from her perspective, he gets over it and is the first person to bow in gratitude at her womanly feet.

And then after he’s no longer her boss, he goes to her house to be awkward and return a helmet. She asks him to stay for dinner — like, she’s the one who asked him out on the first date! The end. They didn’t even kiss in the movie! They were burgeoning friends with weird feelings sometimes for 99.99 percent of it!

Live-action “Mulan” producer Jason Reed told Collider they erased Shang from the live-action movie because of #MeToo. “I think in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable and we didn’t think it was appropriate,” Reed said.

Shut up, Jason!

It should also be noted that Shang has become a bit of a see A-POP on 14

8

asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

■ FOOD

Put down that takeout menu: Stir-fry basics for home cooks

By KATIE WORKMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicken and broccoli stir fry over noodles

For every home cook happily tossing together a stir fry at home, there are a dozen would-be stir fryers wanting to make chicken-broccoli-sugar-snap-pea stir fry, and then sheepishly reaching for the takeout menu.

Stir-fry technique has many people intimidated. But if you can slice and stir, you can stir fry.

So, let’s break it down, review the basics, and get everyone on their way to stir-fry success.

DIRECTIONS: 1. Read the recipe all the way through. The ingredients, the steps, everything. Getting a sense of the order of events so you know what’s coming will make you more confident as you cook.

2. Prep ALL the ingredients before you start cooking.

Stir-frying goes quickly, so make sure your ingredients are all cut and ready to roll. You don’t want to realize suddenly that you still need to mince the garlic that’s supposed to be

sauteeing along with the broccoli.

3. Make sure your ingredients are of similar size.

Most stir fries involve fairly small-cut ingredients added in stages, sometimes in batches, so everything ends up properly cooked at the same time. When chopping broccoli for instance, or cubing chicken, try and make all the pieces roughly the same size.

4. Feel free to swap or substitute ingredients. If you want broccoli instead of sugar snap peas, great! Again, just make sure the vegetables you sub in are cut comparably and have a similar density, therefore a similar cooking time. Or adjust the time as needed: Sliced carrots will need more cooking time than spinach, for instance, so add a few minutes to the cooking time, or add them earlier in the recipe. Cubed pork can be used in place of chicken, tofu can be swapped in for shrimp — most stir fries are flexible.

5. A skillet may be better than a small wok. The bowlshaped pans sold as woks are not always the best answer for a home cook. Because there is a lot of sloped side area to a wok, there isn’t much flat bottom sitting directly on the heat. I like using a very large skillet, so the food in the pan is less crowded and gets a better distribution of heat. If you do want a wok, get a big one!

6. Make sure the pan is hot. You need high heat to get the best flavor from the ingredients in a stir fry. And you need the pan to be hot before the ingredients hit it, so they have a chance to sear a bit, locking in color and flavor.

7. Cook in layers and batches. The secret to great stirfries (and lots of other cooking methods, like frying and sauteing) is to not crowd the pan, and to leave the food alone between stirs. Giving individual pieces of food a chance to come in direct contact with the hot pan on a continuous basis is the difference between nicely browned pieces and a pile of steamed food. That’s why many stir-fry recipes call for cooking ingredients separately or in batches. And because stir-fry food is cut small, cooking goes quickly. So doing it in stages and batches and then combining it all at

the end adds only a handful of extra minutes.

8. Add the sauce at the end. Only once your ingredients are cooked do you want to add any liquid. Otherwise, you wouldn’t really be stir frying, but braising or poaching.

A bit of cornstarch mixed into the sauce will allow it to thicken as it simmers.

9. Make some rice. It’s nice to have something to soak up that sauce. Choose any kind of rice you like: white, brown, jasmine, basmati, whichever. Noodles, especially Asian noodles, are another nice base for stir fries.

INGREDIENTS: Here are a handful of condiments called for in many Asian recipes. Once you get to know them, you can play with them like mad.

• Soy Sauce. Indispensable in Asian cooking (and interesting in non-Asian recipes as well). It packs a rich, salty taste, and is brewed from soybeans and wheat. You can choose regular or less-sodium soy sauce, and if there are gluten intolerances in your family, go for tamari, which is similar but without wheat.

• Sesame Oil. Made from toasted sesame seeds, this oil has a nutlike and aromatic flavor. It’s often added at the end of cooking to preserve its wonderful flavor. It’s strong, so use in small amounts. Chili sesame oil is a nice way to add that sesame flavor and some heat at the same time. Keep it in the fridge to keep it from getting rancid.

• Hoisin Sauce. A thick, somewhat intense sauce made from ground soybeans and some kind of starch, seasoned with red chilies and garlic. Vinegar, Chinese five-spice and sugar are also commonly added.

• Chili Garlic Sauce. Versatile, spicy and garlicky, as the name suggests. It’s got a slightly rough texture, and a dose of tanginess from vinegar. see FOOD on 14

FOR HEALTHCARE WE NEED, BE COUNTED. CENSUS

We’re here. We count. Complete the Census.

2020 2020census.gov

YOUR VOICE

■ ON THE SHELF

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

asianweekly northwest

9

Book recommendations

Finding your true self

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

The Faker

By Sarah Smith Berkley, 2019

Emmie Echavarre is a faker. She has to be as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, the power company where she works. During business hours, she works to be tough — the opposite of her easy-going self — in order to survive in her male-dominated workplace.

But the one thing Emmie, who is half Filipino, doesn’t have to fake is how much she dislikes her coworker, Tate Rasmussen.

Tate has been hostile to her since they first met, despite Emmie’s repeated attempts to be friendly.

If only he weren’t so good looking.

Then the two of them are forced to work together on a charity construction project for their company. The more time they spend together, the more Emmie begins to see another side to Tate. She learns that Tate has a soft heart and is kinder than she thought — and that there has been a reason why he has been so antagonistic with her.

“Faker” is the story about two people who struggle with being themselves and they come to realize that one of the few places they can be, is with each other.

Both Emmie and Tate are complex and complicated characters. Although the story is told through Emmie’s point of view, readers learn a lot about Tate just through their interactions. Smith shows readers why the two are the way they are.

Emmie is a strong woman trying to make her mark in an industry where she is a minority, both in terms of gender as well as race. We see how difficult it can be, but Emmie doesn’t let the obstacles get in her way.

Another thing I appreciated was Tate’s introversion. So many times in male/female romances, the male lead is portrayed as more of a ladies man and outgoing. Smith shows that just because Tate is different from what’s expected, doesn’t mean he’s not someone worth loving — something we all should remember.

The Best at It

By Maulik Pancholy Balzer + Bray, 2019

Rahul Kapoor is about to start seventh grade in his small Indiana town. With middle school just around the corner, Rahul is growing increasingly anxious.

Sensing his anxiety, Rahul’s grandfather, Bhai, gives him some advice: Find one thing you’re really good at and excel at it.

This leads Rahul, who is Indian American, and his best friend, Chelsea, on a quest to figure out what he’s really good at. What follows are hilarious and heartbreaking attempts at football and acting, things Rahul has never tried before.

He thinks that once he finds it, school bully Brent Mason will finally leave him alone.

And he’ll stop worrying about staring at his classmate Justin Emery for too long.

“Best” is the story about a boy trying to figure out who he is and finding the courage to actually be that person. Rahul is smart and initially cares a lot about

what other people think (as most middle schoolers tend to). But as the story unfolds, he slowly learns about the power that comes with just being himself.

Pancholy’s portrayal of Rahul’s desperate need to be the best at something, specifically the stress it causes him, will have readers (especially younger readers) questioning whether the effort is really worth it. Rahul struggles with stress and pressure (mostly self-inflicted), bouts of obsessive compulsive disorder, and his sexuality. One of the things I really enjoyed about “Best” was the relationships. We see how close Rahul is with his grandfather, how supportive Rahul’s parents are of him and his brother, and how loyal of a friend Chelsea is. Pancholy shows readers the importance of these relationships and what (and who) should really matter to us.

these bit roles.

I’ll admit that “Interior” was initially confusing for me to read, as it goes from being written as a narrative to more like a TV or movie script. But that is how Yu differentiates from Willis living his own life, and when he is playing a role.

“Interior” is also told from a second person point of view. This was another creative

technique, especially when Willis or “you,” the reader, begins to think about how there could be more to life than playing bit roles in someone else’s story.  Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Interior Chinatown

By Charles Yu Pantheon, 2020

When it comes to thinking about himself and his place in the world, Willis Wu does not see himself in a starring role — not even in his own life story.

Instead, he just sees himself as Generic Asian Man. Sometimes he gets to play other roles, such as Disgraced Son, but he’s always a secondary character, never the protagonist. And every day when he leaves his small room in a Chinatown SRO (single room occupancy hotel) and enters Golden Palace, the restaurant where his parents work, “Black and White,” a procedural cop show, is constantly in production. Even there, Willis is just a bit player. But his dream is to be Kung Fu Guy, the pinnacle role for an Asian man.

Everyone in the community believes this.

Except Willis’ mother, who tells him, “be more.”

“Interior” is a fun satirical novel about Hollywood tropes and Asian stereotypes.

The story is filled with stereotypical Asian roles we have seen on TV and in films, from Generic Asian Man and Sifu, to Dragon Lady (of varying ages) and Oriental Flower. And even though the roles are not meant for us to differentiate the characters from each other or to humanize them when compared to Black and white characters, Yu does a great job of showing readers the individuals behind

COLD SMOKED SALMON

HOT SMOKED SALMON

SALMON JERKY

Sea Native USA Inc. A local company serving the community since 2008 Our products are natural organic: • Smoked salmon • Hot smoked salmon • Cold smoked salmon • Portion smoked • Salmon jerky • Salmon Indian candy • Salmon dog treats and more

SEANATIVEUSA.COM 206-419-5222

10

asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG How Chinatown copes with coronavirus

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

March 2), Wing Luke Museum, and Ghan Sen Herbs.

Every day, I pray that Chinatown will be spared from the coronavirus. That’s wishful thinking since it has now become a pandemic. No one expected the wife of Canada’s Prime Minister to get the virus.

Yet, she has it, along with Academyaward winner Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson. The virus has killed several seniors at Life Care Center in Kirkland, and Washington state has the highest number of COVID deaths in the United States as of press time.

When rumors broke last week that the International District (ID) had cases, we checked out all of them. One rumor was that a staff member at Luke’s Pharmacy was infected. Owner Sam Chen said that wasn’t true. We later learned that it was someone who works at International House next door. International House management sent out a letter informing its residents on March 10. Community members were concerned as the letter was not translated to Chinese. The seniors who live in the building didn’t know what was going on at first. The news hit me like a ton of bricks.

It is hard to break the news, especially when the community has already been deeply impacted. But it’s our job to inform the community and everyone so they can decide how to best protect themselves.

On the night of March 15, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that he intended to shut down restaurants and bars until March 31, allowing takeout and delivery only.

President Trump stated that everyone should self-quarantine for 15 days.

Whoa, I felt incapacitated! This could destroy immigrant businesses (over 160 and restaurants being the majority) in the ID! It is one of the most vibrant business districts in the City of Seattle. Even Black leader Charlie James called our district an economic powerhouse, and the envy of the Black community.

The oldest bank adjusts to the virus

Photos by Assunta Ng

Washington Federal Savings Bank (WFSB), with 104 branches in the state, closed their lobby on March 16 until further notice. WFSB’s Chinatown branch is the oldest bank in the ID. This is in response to Inslee’s act of declaring a State of Emergency and schools closing for six weeks. Customers can still use the ATM, Drive-Thru (if applicable), and Night Drop.

A quiet street on S. King St.

Bank of America, Cathay Bank, East West Bank, Key Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank remain open for now.

Dim Sum King storefront

temporarily until things stabilize.”

What about employees wearing masks to protect themselves during business hours?

Eng’s employees told her that “when they wore masks, customers were afraid to come into the restaurant, and they were afraid to eat their food. When they wore masks to come to work on the bus, people called my employees monkeys.”

Eng has not decided when to reopen the restaurant. The last thing she did, was pay her employees, and she told them to apply for unemployment benefits.

Another restaurant that closed on March 16 was Mike’s Noodle House.

Other restaurants like Ho Ho Restaurant, Harbor City, Honey Court, and Sizzling Pot King have posted “Order to go is welcome” signs. But does that help?

Lots of unemployed

With all the restaurants closing temporarily, many workers are unemployed. Just in one day, CISC, a nonprofit agency helping immigrants from all over the world, had more than 20 people visiting its office to get information about unemployment benefits. ID restaurants employ more than a thousand people — mostly immigrants working as dishwashers, chefs, waitpersons, busboys, cashiers, receptionists, janitors, and more. Usually, they live from paycheck to paycheck. They are at a loss

Washington Federal Savings Bank back entrance

For withdrawals, customers can do only a small amount so that bank employees can slide the money envelope through the door gap. Customers have to call outside with their cell phone. For a bigger amount, customers have to use the drive-through service at the Rainier Beach and Beacon Hill branches.

see BLOG on 13

Weekly Specials

MARCH 18-24, 2020

Restaurants closing WHITE PRAWNS

S&B (7.8 oz)

GOLDEN CURRY

26/30 Count. Farm raised. Ideal for hot pot or stir fry. Previously frozen

Mild, Medium Hot, Hot or Extra Hot

6.99 lb “It doesn’t,” said Honey Court’s owner.

“There were very few takeouts on March 16.” He already asked some of his 40 employees to take vacation.

“This has never happened before in my decades of being in the restaurant business. It has affected my sleep. I guess if the government can help us with some relief program, I would feel less pressure.”

When Dim Sum King announced that it would temporarily close on March 16, many customers went to buy food from the popular restaurant.

“But it’s not good enough,” said owner Amy Eng. “It’s a difficult decision.

Three weeks ago, business was down 50%, now 70%. And things have been getting worse. It’s not worth taking the risk from the virus spread. Safety should be the priority. So I closed the restaurant

2.99

INARI SUSHI

Bone-In

CHICKEN THIGHS 1.19 lb

Sushi Rice Wrapped with Seasoned Fried Beancurd.

6 pc

6.49

Unif (4.23 oz) S&B (3.9 oz)

RAYU CHILI OIL

with Crunch Garlic

Other businesses that have closed include Seattle Pinball Museum (on

PREMIUM ENVY APPLES 1.99 lb

INSTANT NOODLE BOWL

Maeda-En (12 oz)

1.49

3.99

Assorted Flavors

3.99

Large & Sweet!

MOCHI ICE CREAM

To see all of our weekly specials, visit uwajimaya.com seattle

•

bellevue

•

renton

•

beaverton

•

uwajimaya.com

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ LETTER

asianweekly northwest

11

To the Japanese American community and artist Erin Shigaki: On behalf of Bellevue College, we would like to publicly acknowledge and apologize for the defacing of Erin Shigaki’s art installation entitled “Never Again is Now,” commemorating the issuance of Executive Order 9066 by President Roosevelt which removed 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast and incarcerated them in concentration camps during World War II. Covering up part of the artist’s description, “After decades of anti-Japanese agitation, led by Eastside businessman Miller Freeman and others, the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans included 60 families (300 individuals) who farmed Bellevue,” was an insensitive and hurtful act. It was fundamentally wrong, and for that we are deeply apologetic.

The college recognizes the defacement of the art installation inflicted trauma and profound hurt in the Japanese American community and more broadly.

The destruction and the response to this deplorable act deeply impacted students, staff, and faculty. Many on the Bellevue campus, led by our student and employee affinity groups, have come together to support Japanese Americans, and stand by them.

As stated in our press conference, we know an

apology is not enough, but that decisive action was and is needed. The college accepted the resignations of the former president and the vice president of Advancement on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Concurrently, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Kristen Jones as acting president of the college. The Board of Trustees will conduct an accelerated search over the next 30-60 days for a leader to fill the interim president role. This role will last between 12–18 months and will provide the college and community with leadership to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and programs.

And while a change in leadership is appropriate and important, the last few weeks highlight the need for recommitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at Bellevue College.

We promise to do a better job of listening and, more importantly, acting on what we’ve heard in order to honor the diversity of our community. We are committed to expanding opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to learn about the history of marginalized peoples, and in particular, the local history of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. Moving forward, we will also actively

support activities to raise awareness like observing the Day of Remembrance.

This episode is a painful and important learning moment for all, especially for those of us in leadership positions at Bellevue College. While we understand our public apology to Ms. Shigaki and the many people negatively affected doesn’t bring the healing deserved, we will work hard to restore trust and move forward with the actions mentioned here and more to ensure that the culture of our campus won’t allow something like this to happen again at Bellevue College.

Our office will be in contact with Ms. Shigaki and leaders in the Japanese American community to dedicate time at a future board meeting or other gathering for ongoing listening and dialogue. Please know our doors are always open.  Sincerely, — Dr. Kristen Jones Acting President — Mr. Richard G. Fukutaki Chair, Board of Trustees

■ COMMENTARY As the number of COVID-19 cases increase, we all need to do our part to prevent it from spreading and flatten out the curve. The governor recently issued a statewide shutdown, showing us that this pandemic isn’t to be taken lightly.

As a person in the Public Health field, I recognize that we wouldn’t need to take these drastic measures if it wasn’t absolutely necessary for the health and safety of our citizens.

Looking at a graph that has now gone viral, the high peak in a short amount of time represents what happened in Wuhan, China and now Italy. What the United States is trying to accomplish now is to “flatten the curve” — meaning a small peak over a longer course of time, so our healthcare system is not overwhelmed. In order to mitigate this pandemic, we all need to be proactive and implement drastic measures, and implement them early before it gets out of control. This would allow hospitals and healthcare workers to address the issues better since they won’t be at over

Do your part

Illustration by Sam Whitney, CDC

capacity. It is paramount that these measures get implemented sooner rather than later because with each passing day, the number of cases may increase exponentially.

Although it may be uncomfortable and inconvenient at first, everyone

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE from 1 “There is no one to take care of the building. It’s dirty.

No one takes out the garbage or cleans the elevator. We need cleaning service in the building. Meantime, I dare not go out for the fear that I might carry the virus.”

Pinnacle stated in its letter that it has hired a biohazard company to perform a special decontamination cleaning of affected areas. It also said that its leasing office is

should do their part to prevent the virus from spreading and flatten the curve.

Wash your hands, stay home if sick, and practice social distancing. Social distancing decreases opportunities for transmission since people are interacting with each other less, and the virus has

temporarily closed.

The Northwest Asian Weekly has called and left voicemails at International House, but those calls have gone unanswered. A reporter called Pinnacle’s regional manager and got an outgoing message that stated, “The person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time.”

When asked if the seniors have enough food, the woman said, “We do because many seniors’ kids have delivered

fewer opportunities to spread.

Though COVID-19 is so new and health experts are still learning about it, it appears that individuals may still be carriers even if they aren’t showing any symptoms. This makes it a bigger risk since others may potentially be exposed, particularly those who are more vulnerable and may not be able to recover.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to be educated and do what we can to prevent this virus from spreading. The faster we implement these measures, the faster we can mitigate this pandemic and go back to our normal lives.

With every day, every hour, every minute, it is crucial to reduce the number of cases. Remember, it takes an entire community to manage this and without your efforts, we won’t have a fighting chance. Stay safe, for you, for your loved ones, and for others.  — Frances Nguyen Public Health professional Sammamish, WA

food to us. None of them enters the building... they just leave food at the entrance and we go downstairs to pick up the food.”

Kin On, International Community Health Services, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Chinese Information and Service Center, International District Emergency Center, and Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority are organizing to support the remaining seniors at International House. 

12

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

RESTAURANT CLOSURES from 1 what we hold most dear, our lives and the lives of our loved ones.” The measure has $175 million going to the public health system and the remainder to a dedicated unemployment fund for coronavirus impacts. The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Washington has the highest number of deaths in the U.S., with most being associated with a nursing home in Kirkland. By March 17, the number of positive cases topped 1,000.

Inslee imposed strict new rules this week to help slow the spread of COVID-19. He mandated an immediate two-week closure of all restaurants, bars, and recreational facilities. The governor also revised his ban on events to prohibit gatherings of 50 or more people.

Previously the size limit was more than 250.

The new orders went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 17 and will be in place through March 31.

“If we are living a normal life, we are not doing our jobs as Washingtonians,” Inslee said. “We cannot do that anymore.

We need to make changes, regardless of size. All of us need to do more. We must limit the number of people we come in contact with. This is the new normal.”

The state Employment Security Department did not immediately have data on the number of unemployment compensation applications since the state was hit by the pandemic, but Inslee said

38 YEARS

“We feel really good about where we are in unemployment compensation. We’re going to remain committed one way or another to get people unemployment compensation through this crisis. We know how critical this is. We know how many people that are going to experience, we hope, short-term unemployment. We want to be there for them.”

— Gov. Jay Inslee

that the state’s $4.7 billion unemployment trust fund was “very, very robust.”

“We feel really good about where we are in unemployment compensation,” he said. “We’re going to remain committed one way or another to get people unemployment compensation through this crisis. We know how critical this is. We know how many people that are going to experience, we hope, short-term unemployment. We want to be there for them.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people

CENSUS from 6 skyrocketed to almost 60%.

Some of these changes are due to the dying off of the first generation of arrivals from China, who mostly characterized themselves as “Chinese.”

But the trend culminated in the reelection of Tsai Ingwen as president earlier this year.

In the wake of the Hong Kong protests and threats from Beijing to forcibly take control of the island, voters soundly rejected an opposing candidate that had promised closer ties with China.

Taiwanese identity in the U.S.

Such resolve is reflected in the current campaign, said scholars.

“The word ‘Taiwanese’ is more akin to a nationality, a protest, and a symbolic yet important gesture in the U.S.,” said Zhou Yu, associate professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Studies at the University of Utah.

“It was juxtapositioned with the waishengren and benshengren debate and with the use of the Taiwanese dialect in Taiwan before, while it is much less so today,” he wrote in an email.

In a paper on the write-in campaign, “Assimilation and Rising Taiwanese Identity: Taiwan-born Immigrants in the United States, 1990-2000,” Yu suggested that globalization may also allow Taiwan-born immigrants “to maintain a closer tie with their country of origin than before, especially in times of crisis.”

Yu and others, however, said that not all Taiwanese simply wanted to distinguish themselves from Chinese.

While emphasizing that his current research has been informal, he said in the course of many interviews, he found that a number of Taiwan-born immigrants in the U.S. said that “most Americans do not know the differences between Chinese and Taiwanese, nor do they care.”

Rather, a greater factor in promoting participation in the

PETS/DOGS (NEW THIS WEEK) Goldendoodles & Bernedoodles. Puppies & professionally trained pets, Service, Therapy, PTSD, Autism, & ESA dogs.

From the country's premier Dog Training Academy. DogologyNW.com 509-7107998.

recover from the new virus.

A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine began on March 16. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.

Inslee said it was possible the Legislature, which just adjourned its 60-day session last week, might have to be called back into a special session if additional money is needed for the crisis.

“We can call a special session at any time that becomes necessary, and I would not be reluctant to do so,” he said. He said he has told legislative leaders to be prepared to do their work even if needs to

be done remotely due to social distancing requirements.

At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, it is not business as usual right now, Port of Seattle officials said. This time last year, 50,000 passengers would be headed through airport security checkpoints at the beginning of spring break travel season, officials said.

The airport, which remains open and operating, is currently averaging 16,000 passengers through its checkpoints.

On March 17, Secretary of State Kim Wyman and county election officials called on the governor to cancel a special election set for April 28 across 18 counties. Wyman said in a news release that none of the elections is to elect anyone to office, but are levy and bond elections.

“While public contact in an election is greatly reduced because Washington is a vote-by-mail state, the staffing requirements to conduct an election remain,” Wyman and county officials said in a letter to the governor. “From courthouse closures, to workforce reductions of election staff, postal staff ... circumstances outside of our control could make it impossible for counties to meet statutory election requirements.

These include mail processing, voter registration, canvassing results, and certifying an election,” the letter said.

Wyman and others to find alternative options, including holding the elections during the August primary or November general. 

write-in campaign has been the huge growth in the number of immigrants from China in the U.S. “Some of the Taiwan-born have felt that many mainland Chinese, especially new arrivals, often toe the line of the Chinese government and disrespect Taiwanese,” said Yu. “Feeling threatened, many Taiwan-born immigrants have chosen to write in "Taiwanese" on the census form,” he said.

By contrast, many Taiwan-born immigrants living outside Los Angeles—where there are fewer Chinese— might characterize themselves as “Chinese” on the census, added Yu. Yet it is the freedoms offered by the U.S. government that have encouraged Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans to want to express themselves, others said.

“A lot of people feel, ‘I’m not Chinese, why do you want to categorize me as Chinese? And we have a free society, and we want the government to respect us,’” said Alex Fan, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Seattle.

TECO is an informal office as the island does not have formal diplomatic ties with the U.S. Fan said his government was not materially supporting the campaign, but he had heard many community members talking about it.

“I understand why the TAP or others want to promote this campaign. The greater number of people you have answering as ‘Taiwanese,’ the more attention you will get from the government,” he said.

Younger Taiwanese Americans, however, are generally less politically active on issues relating to Taiwan, said one scholar of Taiwan studies, who asked to remain anonymous because of political sensitivities surrounding the subject.

“If they feel general anxiety with the current socioeconomic situation, they would probably express it in other ways that are more in line with current day progressive movements, such as expressing support for Bernie Sanders or Andrew Yang,” said the scholar, who works closely with Taiwanese American student groups.

TAP members range in age between 25 to 40, said Hsu, the president of the Seattle chapter.

TAP holds happy hours for young professionals and recently sponsored a film festival.

The group has some interaction with other Taiwanese organizations around Seattle, representing different age groups, such as speaking with Taiwanese student groups at the University of Washington or asking friends to pass on information about the campaign to church groups on Mercer Island.

TAP also invites other communities to its events.

And it has shared its media kit for the census campaign with other ethnic organizations wanting to imitate their efforts.

“The first step is to get all Asian Americans to just take the census,” said Hsu. Asian Americans are the least likely to participate in the census, according to aapidata.com, which summarized a recent report by the U.S. census. They are also the group that is the most likely to fear that information they share would be used against them, aapidata.com also reported.

According to the 2010 census, there were 17.3 million Asian Americans in the U.S., accounting for 5.6 % of the population. Of that total, according to official numbers, roughly 3% were Taiwanese.

“But we feel pretty sure we are being undercounted,” said Hsu. For proof of that, look no further than the only Asian American to run for president, Andrew Yang.

Both his parents are from Taiwan, noted Yu. But he identifies himself as “Chinese American.”

“This shows the limit of the Taiwanese identity in the U.S.,” he said. 

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details, 855-635-4229.

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-888-360-1582

For information about the write-in campaign, go to tacl.org/census-2020/ Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of March 21–27, 2020

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Despite the current conditions, there will soon be reason for optimism. Be patient as the trend shifts.

Dragon — A sudden change of course could benefit you in an unexpected way. From where you stand, it is quite welcome.

Monkey — Your understanding could be different from that of your partner. Rather than assuming, make it a priority to discuss.

Ox — It’s easy to make promises, but your credibility relies on whether you actually follow through.

Snake — If things are on hold in one area, shift your focus to something that you can actually work on now.

Rooster — Are you wondering how to approach a complicated project? Consider splitting it up and tackling it in parts.

Tiger — You have waited a long time for the right moment. Take advantage of it before you lose your chance.

Horse — With a knack for being at the right place at the right time, you are positioned well for a prime opportunity.

Dog — A notable difference in the past has faded into insignificance. Let it stay there instead of rehashing it.

Rabbit — A prospect that eluded you previously could soon be yours, but it may no longer hold the same allure.

Goat — If what you need is not available, take the steps necessary to make sure you have a viable alternative.

Pig — Are you feeling reenergized by the chance to make an impact? That should translate into positive results.

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

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

■ NATIONAL NEWS 2 Chinese men plead guilty to photographing US Navy base KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Two Chinese men pleaded guilty on March 3 to illegally taking photographs at a Florida Navy base.

Court records show Jielun Zhang and Yuhao Wang, both 24, pleaded guilty in federal court in Key West to a single count of illegally photographing a U.S. defense installation.

They could get up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Sentencing is set for May 11.

An FBI affidavit says Wang and Zhang drove up to a Key West Naval Air Station annex entrance on Jan. 4 and were told by a security officer they could not enter the property without military identification. But the FBI says the two drove onto the base anyway and started taking pictures before they were stopped and arrested.

Since 2018, four Chinese nationals have been caught taking pictures of portions of Key West military bases.

One of them, Lyuyou Liao, 27, pleaded guilty in February to taking photos of the Navy’s Truman Annex in downtown Key West on Dec. 26. He also faces up to a year in prison and fines when sentenced in May. 

BLOG from 10

their way into Asian grocery stores. And their business is booming. Usually, Asian markets are slow on weekdays, and busy on weekends. Now, their traffic has increased on weekdays. And their instant noodles shelves are cleaned out since people have been stocking up.

The only thing that bothers me is that shoppers seldom wear masks. But cashiers do.

I know most Americans don’t believe in wearing masks to prevent the spreading of diseases.

According to Time.com, Joseph Tsang, an infectious disease specialist who also worked as a consultant for the Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, says the purpose of wearing a mask is two-fold. “Wearing a mask is not just for protecting yourself from getting infected, but also minimizing the chance of potential infection harboring in your body from spreading to people around you.”

Tsang said the three layers of a mask filter helps to reduce the risk of contact with droplets, through which the virus is transmitted.

In the March 18 issue of the New York Times, an article

by Apoorva Mandavilli, said, “For weeks, experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for that period of about a half-hour.”

Think of it this way: If there is a one percent chance

you can protect yourself and the people around you by wearing a mask, would you do it? The stakes might be too high this time not to wear one.

I would gladly.

My only complaint is, that damn mask is for big-faced people. I have to tighten the strings on both sides to fit my face, nose, and mouth. 

on how to survive during this pandemic.

When restaurants are closed, the supply chain suffers.

The chain includes produce and noodle companies, and other grocery wholesalers. The impact is massive.

Chinatown library closed

When the city announced on March 13 that all Seattle Public libraries would be closed, it was too late for the Northwest Asian Weekly to share the information with the community. Sorry that we couldn’t give our readers a heads up to check out materials.

You need not worry about returning overdue books because you can return them when libraries reopen on April 13.

The lesson is, in uncertain times, follow the news every day to keep up with the most current information.

If you are non-English speaking, you can turn to the Seattle Chinese Post.

One librarian said that the city will be cleaning all the libraries.

One piece of good news

With all the self-quarantines, more people are making

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

14

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

38 YEARS

PROMOTE YOUR REGIONAL EVENT statewide with a $325 classified listing or $1,575 for a display ad. Call this newspaper or 360-344-2938 for details.

EMPLOYMENT

NOTICE KCHA will accept Bids from Qualified General Contractors for the Houghton – Envelope and Roof Project located in Kirkland, WaA. See website for details at www.kcha.org/business/ construction/open/

A-POP from 7 bisexual icon over the years, and his removal from the liveaction is straightwashing. That’s what this really is about.

RIP, Shang.

Vanessa Hudgens is an empathetic truth-teller: “People are gonna die.

Which is terrible. But inevitable?”

I know, most of you are like, “Who’s Vanessa Hudgens?

I’ve never heard of her.” Well, guys, she was part of the Disney Channel “High School Musical” movies back in the day and since has starred in a few one-season shows as well as a number of Christmas-themed made-for-TV movies.

Hudgens, 31 (so old enough to know better), took to Instagram to vent about how annoyed she was that COVID-19 protection measures may stretch out for as long as July. In a video, she said, “Yeah, till July sounds like a bunch of bullshit. I’m sorry. It’s a virus, I get it. I respect

Snoqualmie Casino Dealer Trainee School. Snoqualmie Casino is offering a FREE on site Dealer School. The school is for new first time dealers.

Learn to deal, pass the class, audition, and begin making $27/hr (Base wage + Tips/Tokes)! Apply via our website: http://www.snocasino.com/about/ careers

Goldendoodles & Bernedoodles. Puppies & professionally trained pets, Service, Therapy, PTSD, Autism, & ESA dogs. From the country's premier Dog Training Academy. DogologyNW.com 509-710-7998.

ATTENTION SENIORS 62+! Get a REVERSE MORTGAGE to access tax free cash & make no payments for life. No credit or employment is required. FHA insured. Call 877-578-2370.

it. But at the same time, like, even if everyone gets it — like, yeah, people are gonna die. Which is terrible. But inevitable?”

As you can imagine, she amassed so many new fans for her humanitarianism, enough that she had to delete the video and then send out a follow-up apology to save her sinking career. I’m not going to bother pasting the apology here because you already know what it says. “My comments were taken out of context …” blah blah blah whatever, Vanessa.

Bruno Mars to star in unnamed Disney musical movie Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars will star and produce an upcoming Disney musical. And that’s basically all we know about that.

Mars is Filipino on his mother’s side and is so famous that there’s not much else to say about him. Am I looking forward to this movie? Hard to say because sometimes

when pop musicians cross over into movies, the result is not very good. Are Bruno’s acting chops going to match his vocal prowess? Hard to say, but I’m kind of doubtful because for every Mandy Moore, we have a dozen Jessica Simpsons.

‘M*A*S*H’ actor Kellye Nakahara dies at 72 Hawaii-born Kellye Nakahara played Nurse Kellye Yamato on “M*A*S*H” and died last month after a short battle with cancer. She passed at home with friends and family and was 72 years old.

According to USA Today, she was not only an actor, but also an accomplished watercolor artist.  Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

FOOD from 8 • Oyster Sauce. Made from oyster extracts combined with sugar, soy sauce, salt and thickeners. This thick, dark brown sauce is a staple in Chinese family-style cooking.

Another way to add saltiness and umami (savoriness) to stir fries.

• Fish Sauce, or nam pla in Thai. A basic ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly Thai and Vietnamese.

It has a pungent odor, but when used in cooking, the flavor is much milder. The aroma comes from the liquid given off by anchovies that have been salted or fermented. This is the

kind of thing you might want to keep to yourself until your kids have eaten and enjoyed fish sauce in a recipe.

Two items to keep in the fridge: • Ginger. Fresh ginger is one of the greatest ingredients in stir fries. Spicy, bracing, uplifting. It’s an easy way to add bang-for-your-buck flavor.

• Garlic. Usually finely minced, sometimes thinly sliced.

The base of garlic and ginger heated together in oil is a sign of a terrific stir fry in the making. 

The American Legion Cathay Post 186

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Serving the community since 1946

cathaypost@hotmail.com

DONE RITE

PSYCHIC PALM & TAROT CARD READINGS MASTER HEALER & FENG SHUI SPECIALIST

206-487-8236

$10 off reading when you mention this ad

CARPET CLEANING

Tell past present, future, helps in love, marriage, business. Break your bad luck and troubles.

Re-store good luck.

(425) 789-1974

$1,000/DAY

HONG LAW FIRM, PLLC

(737) 200-1055

Bankruptcy Chapter 7  Personal Injury Landlord-Tenant  Simple Wills

POSSIBLE ONLINE!

www.retirenow2018.com

206-856-8291  honglegal@gmail.com

Frank S. Hong, Attorney at Law avvo.com

» PERSONAL INJURY

» WRONGFUL DEATH

» AIRLINE DISASTERS

» DOG BITES

» BICYCLE ACCIDENTS

» PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS

Mandarin, Cantonese & Korean Interpreter available

206-625-9104

WEBSITE: HLG.LAWYER

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

YOUR VOICE VISA HALT from 5 an M.B.A., with an eye toward settling permanently.

Now, Huang is concerned those plans could fall apart.

Though her new employers, a company that provides clinical support for physicians, are understanding, Huang worries that as the months go by, there’s a possibility she may lose her job— and with it, her right to work in the U.S. Like Huang, Kevin Yang, a Chinese doctoral student researching immunology at an American university, is also reconsidering his options. After moving to the U.S. eight years ago, Yang has returned home each winter holiday and had his student visa renewed without a hitch.

This year, though, Yang became one of many Chinese citizens caught up in the brutal tussle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology.

When Yang applied for a visa in December, the State Department told him it was being delayed while they investigated his background for ties to the Chinese government. American officials have in recent years grown alarmed over the alleged theft of U.S. technology by China, casting a cloud of suspicion on Chinese citizens like Yang who work in the sciences.

Told the check would take four weeks, Yang changed his flights and prepared to stay longer.

Then in late January, the Chinese government began locking down whole cities to contain the virus. Soon after, Trump announced the U.S. travel ban. Yang got his passport back in the mail with no visa.

American officials told Yang’s academic adviser that since Yang no longer had a visa, they could no longer pay his stipend or fund his research with federal grant money.

SCHOOL CLOSURES from 1 do, but, obviously, this is an unprecedented situation for SPS, the city, and the world,” said Juneau in a news release issued on March 11. “The health and wellbeing of our students and staff is one of our top priorities and that’s a primary reason for the decision...”

Prior to the closures, heated debate took place amongst the public as to the efficacy of such a move. Because statistically, so far, the virus does not appear to have a large impact on children, many felt that closing the schools was unnecessary, and would cause too much of a burden on parents, who would then have to find child care, food, and learning options for their children, while also juggling work obligations. In particular, the community worried about consequences to parents in healthcare professions, who are the most needed on the frontlines to fight this virus.

An SPS letter to parents on March 11 stated, “While children appear to be more protected from extreme symptoms, adults, including our educators and employees, need support and protection as well.” SPS and all school districts wished to minimize the duration and impact of closures as much as possible, but the situation quickly stampeded to a state and national level. The Bellevue School District (BSD) issued its own statement on March 12 in response to Inslee’s mandate. “This closure is longer than we originally anticipated, but we fully support protecting the health and safety of our students,

Hospital surveys that Yang said he spent “thousands of dollars and thousands of hours’’ over two years to set up were now in peril, something he described as a crushing blow.

“Maybe it’s time for me to start thinking about an alternative career,’’ Yang said, mulling the possibility he won’t be able to finish his Ph.D. “It’s like restarting my life.’’

Discouraging high-skilled foreigners from immigrating could undermine the U.S. economy and its global prominence, said Anastasia Tonello, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Nearly 2.5 million Chinese were in the U.S. as of 2018, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, and most are significantly better educated than the average American. China is also the main source of foreign students enrolled in U.S. higher education.

While health and safety are legitimate concerns, blanket travel bans aren’t the answer, Tonello said.

“I just don’t think this was thought through,’’ she said.

“These are just such broad strokes and can cause so much damage.’’

The U.S. isn’t the only country currently restricting entry from China. Travelers face restrictions across the globe, from neighboring North Korea to far-flung New Zealand, Somalia, and Guatemala. Australia, a major destination for Chinese students and immigrants, also has banned arrivals and stopped issuing visas.

Such restrictions have been loudly criticized by China’s Foreign Ministry, though Beijing frequently singles out the United States.

Yang and Huang both say they understand why a travel

staff, and families.”

While many questioned the decision beforehand, once it was made, parents switched into whatto-do-next mode. Will there be any type of learning during the closure? What food resources will be available to low-income families that depend on school lunches? What about child care?

“I knew this day would come, but how does anyone prepare for this?” wondered BSD parent, Angelie Chong. “We’re all reactionary to the crisis. I give huge props to the schools and everyone in the community trying to figure this out. I think our local government has been very responsive.” Chong was aware of the concerns surrounding COVID-19.

“I know the school district got a lot of heat from parents...

It’s a tough situation. At first, I was in the camp of we don’t have any positive cases, children are not as vulnerable…and I also thought about those healthcare workers who have children who would then be forced to figure out childcare…it seemed to make sense to not close right away… then I realized that this virus is in our community and the goal is to slow the spread and children can be carriers without being symptomatic…It became clear that this was the only way to try to slow down the spread of the virus…”

Stacy Taketa, a parent whose students attend SPS schools north of Seattle, felt the closures were abrupt, yet she understood the rationale behind the decision.

“Obviously, it’s at a local and global level. It’s something that’s very serious, so I understand

SUPPORT THE ID from 3 and generosity. Keep buying gift cards, order to-go, order for delivery. If you aren’t sure what would be most helpful for a business that is closing for an unknown period, give them a call and ask them directly what they need.

closing the schools.” Taketa knew of parents who had been calling schools in advance of the official mandate, wanting to pull their kids, and asking how to procure learning materials.

Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), which oversees all school districts in the state, in a March 6 bulletin dictated that schools should not offer online learning during this crisis unless a consistent experience could be guaranteed to all students. OSPI requirements for transitioning to online learning include: “Ensuring all students in the school or district will have equal access to the learning and required materials, including technology,” and “The ability to provide school meals.” OSPI concluded, “Taking a traditional school environment online is not a simple task.”

The decision to close schools came quickly, but the parents, the schools, and the community have rallied just as quickly to come up with solutions. Low-income families rely upon school lunches to feed their children during the week. Cognizant of this, SPS and BSD, among others, immediately assured parents that a free lunch program would be put in place to cover the coming days when children will not be in school.

Both districts have posted on their websites locations where free school lunches will be available.

Other non-school organizations have also come forward. For Rainier Beach schools, for instance, Washington-Building Leaders of Change will be providing lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

northwest

15

ban could help contain the virus. But they say the U.S. halt on new visas—with no deadline extensions or other accommodations—is frustrating and unreasonable.

Even more frustrating for Huang is the sense that the U.S. is trying to bar her from coming back.

“I’m not being respected. I work in the states as a talent; I pay my taxes diligently,’’ Huang said. “This just makes me feel like, ‘Oh, maybe I’m just not welcome in the states.’’’

Even for Chinese with visas, the clock is ticking. Tom, a programmer from the epicenter of the outbreak, the city of Wuhan, had just obtained a master’s degree in computer science from Emory University in Georgia. He has a U.S. visa but got stuck in Wuhan after the city was quarantined.

Under American law, foreign students have 90 days after graduation to start new jobs if they want to stay and work in the U.S. If Tom is still trapped in Wuhan by May, he’ll lose both his new job at Amazon and his chance to work in America altogether.

“I’d have to start all over again,’’ Tom said, declining to provide his last name for fear it could affect his visa and career prospects. “I just worry every day about whether I can go back to America.’’

Tom says his family spent around $70,000 to send him to Emory for a shot at a better life in the U.S. He didn’t want to work in China, deterred by the Chinese tech industry’s notoriously-long hours, popularly known as “996’’ -9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

U.S. officials told him there was nothing he could do.

“We just want some help or advice,’’ Tom said. “Please don’t ignore us, it’s something completely out of our control. That’s the worst thing.’’ 

In another act of caring, Jeff Lew, SPS parent, co-founder of lunchdebt.org and former participant in the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation’s Summer Youth Leadership Program, started a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Seattle Foundation to raise funds to alleviate the difficulties families might encounter.

“During this crisis, those with the least suffer the most,” said Lew. “Some folks can’t go to the doctor because they don’t have healthcare. Public schools are closed…and some people can’t afford to take off work because they don’t have paid sick leave.

Some parents have to choose between paying the rent and feeding their kids.”

According to Lew, the Foundation will use the funds for “residents without health insurance and/or access to sick days, people with limited English language proficiency, healthcare and gig economy workers, and communities of color, among others.” Nearly $45,000 has been raised as of press time.

It seems evident that our community rises to the challenge of supporting each other during a crisis, and that once the crisis is identified, we can find solutions.

Taketa mentioned that, in her circle, parents were already texting each other to find out who would be able to babysit.

Chong said, “We’ll just have to navigate this somehow. We’ll look to other parents and the community to work together.”

Parent Jennifer Augustin, whose children attend BSD, said, “We’ve also got a close network of friends and family here on

In a time when people are feeling scared and hopeless, this is the type of action that is going to remind us of why community is so important. This resilience is what will keep us going. Hope is not lost, because we are the hope.

We have to be strong for each other.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed.

asianweekly

which we can rely…just over the past few days, people have proactively asked me if I need help watching the kids, or even if I need something from Costco. It’s always nice to see people come together at a time like this.”

Alternative learning plans are also taking shape. SPS has announced that, starting March 23, they will be providing “educational activities” through “SPS TV, social media channels, and our website. KOMO-TV will also be sharing our content to help us reach more students…For students who do not have regular access to internet or local TV, we will also be providing aligned, printed activities...”

Taketa knew that some, if not yet all, of her daughter’s teachers had already begun to offer materials online. While Augustin stressed the importance of finding other ways to keep our kids’ minds active during the closures, “I think we’ll also need to discover new ways to incorporate different types of learning into the day, whether that’s spending an hour reading a new book, or observing the things we find during a walk outside.”

In terms of child care, organizations such as Bellevue Boys and Girls Clubs have made the public aware of their availability, and even local Scout troops have discussed the possibilities of activities to keep kids occupied and parents free to go to work.  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Whether you bought food, shared a story, or simply showed up to show you care, it all counts.

Keep the community together. Know that what we have done and continue to do has made a difference.

In solidarity. 

16

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020

38 YEARS

LILLY FOR BETTER We don’t know who is going to discover the next great medical breakthrough. But we do know we need the best minds possible to help find solutions to complex diseases. That’s why we focus so intently on attracting diverse talent and cultivating an environment that fosters innovation, encourages lifelong learning and prioritizes inclusion of diverse experiences and perspectives. lilly.com 2020 CA Approved for External Use PRINTED IN USA ©2020, Eli Lilly and Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Lilly-2020-Northwest-Asian-Weekly-Ad1.indd 1

1/22/20 3:12 PM