VOL 38 NO 4 | JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

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37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Rally to defend AAPI officials Southeast Asian sworn-in refugees

Contact information Sen. Mona Das (360) 786-7667 Mona.Das@leg.wa.gov

Photo by Truong Nguyen

Sen. Mona Das

Sen. Joe Nguyen

Photo by Bettina Hansen The Seattle Times

Washington’s 2019 Legislative Session kicked off on Jan. 14 in Olympia, with the House and Senate both convening, conducting opening ceremonies, and swearing in new members.

Among the Asian American and Pacific Islander elected officials, the House welcomed My-Linh Thai who came to the United States from Vietnam at age 15. She is the first refugee to hold office in Olympia.

The Senate welcomed Joe Nguyen, the first Vietnamese state senator and Mona Das, born in India, and is one of four women of color now serving in the Washington State Senate.

Photo by Sam Le

Sen. Joe Nguyen (360) 786-7667 Joe.Nguyen@leg.wa.gov

Community members marching to Little Saigon from Seattle’s International District to raise awareness of how deportations affect the community.

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY SEATTLE — Members of the Vietnamese community protested what they say are efforts by the Trump administration to deport certain Vietnamese immigrants.

Community members and elected leaders gathered in Seattle Chinatown-International District on Jan. 11th to rally against the Trump administration’s efforts to renege on a 2008 Repatriation Agreement that supports Vietnamese see RALLY on 16

Bellevue native Katelyn Ohashi earns perfect 10

Rep. My-Linh Thai (360) 786-7926 My-Linh.Thai@leg.wa.gov

Rep. My-Linh Thai, a Democrat from the 41st District, is sworn in to the House of Representatives on the opening day of legislative session.

State Legislature welcomes one of the most diverse cohorts on record, including women of color

Photo from WA Senate Democrats

LOS ANGELES — Katelyn Ohashi did three backflips, landed into a split and got back up to end her floor routine as though it was easy.

Then the crowd went wild as the University of California, Los Angeles, freshman gymnast stood there smiling.

Not only did Ohashi, a Bellevue native, stun the audience with her amazing athleticism, but she also wowed judges enough to earn a perfect 10 for her routine on Jan. 12 at Under Armour’s 2019 see OHASHI on 9

AT THE MOVIES A review of one of the most widelypraised anime features.

■

»7

SHELF

Fantasy adventures and young people making the world a better place.

»8

BLOG New Year’s resolutions 1. Demystif�ing fears 2. Stop wor��ing 3. Clarif� your needs 4. Write down the benefits 5. No r�les 6. Plan of action 7. Build suppor� 8. Forgive yourself

A year of relaxation?

Publisher Ng shares her vision in her weekly blog.

» 10

Photo from Senate Democrats

VOL 38 NO 4 JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

From left (seated): Rep. Debra Entenman, Sen. Emily Randall, Sen. Mona Das, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, Sen. Manka Dhingra, Rep. My-Linh Thai, Rep. Mia Gregerson. From left (standing): Rep. Monica Stonier, Rep. Debra Lekanoff, Rep. Kristine Reeves, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Rep. Cindy Ryu, Rep. Melanie Morgan, Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, Rep. Vandana Slatter

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Legislature welcomed one of its most diverse cohorts of elected officials in state history on Jan. 14. The most recent class includes a female majority in the House Democratic Caucus with women of color serving in both the House and Senate leadership ranks.

Washington currently ranks fourth in the nation in terms of gender parity in the state legislature.

“We doubled the number of women of color in the Senate in 2018, and again in 2019. We now have the see WOC on 9

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37 YEARS

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Photo by Gary Ireland

Photo by Assunta Ng

Hon. Andrea Chin sworn-in

From left: Judge Kondo’s clerk, bailiff Katherine Duell, Judge Kondo, former clerk Daniel O’Brien, and former bailiff Leonard Baquian.

Andrea Chin swear-in

Hon. Andrea Chin was sworn-in on Jan. 14 for her first judicial term on the Seattle Municipal Court bench.

A Seattle native who grew up in the Mount Baker neighborhood, Chin is a graduate of Occidental College and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. After law school, Chin returned to Seattle to serve as an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Seattle. She was elected in November 2018 and brings 26 years of public service to the court.

Chin is a long-time member of the Asian Bar Association of Washington. She was elected to replace Judge C. Kimi Kondo who retired on Jan. 11. 

Judge C. Kimi Kondo retirement

After 28 years of service with the Seattle Municipal Court, Judge C. Kimi Kondo retired on Jan. 11. She was the first Asian American woman appointed to the bench in the State of Washington.

Kondo earned dual degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Idaho and her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Puget Sound.

During law school, she worked with the Puyallup Indian Tribe. After graduation, she was in solo practice in Seattle handling family law, wills and estates, and small business cases.

She is a member of the Crisis Intervention Committee tasked with formulating revised training protocols for the

Seattle Police Department as a result of the Department of Justice reform initiatives.

Kondo was honored by the Asian Bar Association of Washington with the 2005 Judge of the Year award. In 2012, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association honored her with the Trailblazer award and she received a 20-year service award from the Washington State Association of Justice. 

artistic director for nearly 40 seasons, is stepping down after the 2020 Summer Festival.

Shifrin said, “I brought Gloria to Chamber Music Northwest as a Protégé Project artist and Soovin to the Chamber Music Society Two program at Lincoln Center.

Gloria and Soovin have become an amazing force in service of the future of chamber music. I am confident they will bring the greatest music and finest musicians to Portland for years to come.”

Chien began playing the piano at age 5 in her native Taiwan. She made her orchestral solo debut at the age of 16 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. A Korean American, Kim’s international concert career was launched after winning first prize at the Paganini International Competition when he was 20 years old. 

Seattle Kung Fu club wins 18 medals

Chamber Music Northwest’s new artistic directors

Soovin Kim (left) and Gloria Chien

Chamber Music Northwest announced that it has selected Gloria Chien and Soovin Kim as its next artistic directors. A husband and wife team, both are internationally-renowned performers—Chien a pianist, Kim a violinist— and experienced music presenters.

David Shifrin, Chamber Music Northwest’s

Grandmaster John Leong (front right)

Seattle Kung Fu club brought home 18 medals in October 2018, when it participated in China’s Shaolin Kung Fu competition.

Over 80,000 people attended the event, and 240 groups entered.

Forty people from Seattle Kung Fu club participated, including the club’s founder — grandmaster John Leong, and his son, Robert Leong.

Seattle Kung Fu club won several gold and silver medals. 

NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY & NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY FOUNDATION PRESENTS 10TH ANNUAL no age limit!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019

WIN $$$ IN THE YEAR OF THE PIG MAKE A PIG MASK — Size (an adult or child can wear it) — It can cover the entire face — Be creative with all types of colorful materials — It can show happy, sad, or funny emotions — Must be displayed or worn by a model at the contest

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods:

PRIZES First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100) + prizes for honorable mentions

Mail: Northwest Asian Weekly Lunar New Year Costume Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 Name:

Make a Pig Mask or be a part of the Costume Contest or enter both contests!

LUNAR NEW YEAR COSTUME CONTEST — Contestants’ attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration PRIZES First ($100), Second ($75), Third ($50)

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School Name: ___________________________________________Age: ________ Profession: ________________________________________________________ Phone:

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I am entering contest for:

 Pig Mask

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 Both Contests

Please send your photo of entry by February 1, 2019 to rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

FOR MORE INFO, GO TO CIDBIA.ORG, NWASIANWEEKLY.COM/EVENTS

Costume Parade Schedule: • 11 AM — Registration • 12:30 PM — Line up • 1 PM — Parade begins • 1:30 PM — Parade winners announced • Start from Northwest Asian Weekly’s front door, march to main stage • Contestants must be present at the announcement of finalists (1:30 PM).

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• The first 20 registered will get a gift.

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest (Saturday, February 9) beginning at

11 a.m. at the registration table. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave S. • Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 30 minutes prior to parade.

Rules/Guidelines: • You are welcome to participate in both contests: pig mask and costume contest. The costume contest will begin first, followed by the pig mask contest.

• Adults & children are welcome to participate • Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade • All contestants will be given a contestant number for order of Parade lineup • Contestants must be present to win

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

3

Washington governor pushes public health insurance statewide

By SALLY HO ASSOCIATED PRESS SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Gov. and likely presidential candidate Jay Inslee proposed on Jan. 8 a public health insurance option for state residents, the latest action by a Democratic governor to address Trump administration health policies they say are keeping people from getting the care they need.

Inslee said he will ask lawmakers to consider a plan that would direct the Washington State Health Care Authority to offer public health insurance statewide to anyone in the individual market who is not covered by their employers.

Inslee said reimbursement rates would be consistent with federal Medicare plans.

Inslee’s move comes a day after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed state-funded health care coverage for 138,000 young people living in the country illegally and reinstating a mandate for everyone to buy insurance or pay a fine—part of former President Barack Obama’s health care law that congressional Republicans eliminated last year.

Inslee said 14 counties in Washington are at risk of losing any access to individual health insurance options. Rising costs are causing some insurers to abandon the individual market in largely rural counties.

“We are on the knife’s edge,’’ he told reporters.

Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said the Trump administration has put up “real roadblocks’’ to health care access.

The Trump administration said in July that it would freeze payments under an “Obamacare’’ program that protects insurers with sicker patients from financial losses, a move expected to add to premium increases.

Supporters of Inslee’s plan didn’t immediately reveal cost estimates for the proposal, but the governor said, “We need to write another chapter of health care reform.’’

State Sen. David Frockt, a Democrat from Seattle, said he would sponsor legislation for a public option.

“The Trump administration has done everything in its power to undermine the health care coverage advances we’ve made in Washington,’’ Frockt said in a statement. 

Report: Police did not violate policy in removing Black man KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) — The Kirkland Police Department has ruled that their officers did not violate internal policy when they helped the owner of a frozenyogurt shop expel a Black man, Byron Ragland, from the store in November.

The Seattle Times reports the department said on Jan. 11 that officers handled the call in accordance with

“departmental norms’’ and did not act out of racial bias.

However, officers “missed the opportunity to mediate between the employees and Mr. Ragland,’’ the department said.

Ragland was at a Menchie’s overseeing an outing between a mother and son as part of his work as a courtappointed special advocate.

The store owner—who is Filipino—called 911 saying his employees felt “scared.’’ Police arrived, requested his personal information, and told him the owner wanted him to leave. Ragland left.

Police later apologized and said the department has a new protocol of responding to such calls. 

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JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

37 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

California man held for alleged theft of $10M lottery ticket

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a California man they say tried to steal his roommate’s $10 million winning lottery ticket.

Vacaville police arrested Adul Saosongyang on Jan. 7 at a California Lottery office in Sacramento where he’d been told to go to collect his winnings.

Police say the winning Scratchers ticket was bought on Dec. 20 in Vacaville. But when the winner went to collect the next day, he was told he had a losing ticket that had been altered.

The player suspected a roommate had switched tickets while he slept and called police. A day later, Saosongyang

arrived at the lottery office with the real ticket.

The lottery investigated, learned the ticket was believed stolen, and arranged for Saosongyang’s arrest. He remains jailed and it’s unclear if he has an attorney. 

Japanese internment take focus in new college course

Some help, more needed for Florida girl with rare blood type

By MATT HOFFMAN THE BILLINGS GAZETTE

MIAMI (AP) — A New York woman with a rare blood type is donating two units to help save a 2-year-old South Florida girl who is battling cancer.

News outlets report the woman had donated her own blood while pregnant in case she needed a transfusion during her delivery. Luckily, she didn’t need it, and has agreed to give it to Zainab Mughal, who has neuroblastoma.

Susan Forbes of Florida-based

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Heart Mountain looms above the Cody, Wyoming-area landscape, visible from miles around.

Its namesake World War II-era Japanese internment camp is less apparent.

That’s part of why Montana State University-Billings is offering a course dedicated to the Heart Mountain site, an internment camp that held more than 14,000 Japanese-Americans just outside Cody during the war as part of a U.S. government policy that’s often viewed as one of the more shameful periods of American history.

MSUB geography professor Susan Gilbertz spent time in Cody with her mom this summer, and talk turned to the camp.

“She goes ‘oh, is there anything there now?’’’ Gilbertz said.

The camp was swept from the landscape almost as quickly as it was put up, and Japanese Internment is often overlooked in history books.

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, a museum and education site opened in 2011, is also often overlooked in the shadow of Yellowstone National Park and Cody’s popular historical attractions.

It was Gilbertz’s visit with her mom that persuaded her that Heart Mountain’s legacy can be an essential way to understand a landscape of the West. Her mom was struck by a photo in the museum of a woman sitting on the steps of barracks that housed the camp’s internees, with young girls beside her.

“She just kind of stopped dead in her tracks. My mom said, ‘oh, those little girls are the same age I would have been at that time,’’’ Gilbertz told The Billings Gazette.

“Suddenly she connected her life as an 8-year-old girl with the little girls in this photograph.’’

For the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center’s executive director Dakota Russell, partnering with education institutions is a fundamental part of the foundation’s mission.

“It’s really exciting to see some light shed on this,’’ he said. “There’s a whole wealth of scholarship that’s still to be done.’’

The group, backed by the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, does no small amount of outreach — it just finished up a grant that offered free field trips for schools and frequently hosts events.

It’s still off the beaten tourist track, but Russell said the camp has seen renewed interest in the current political climate — especially through the lens of immigration. “(Internment) was something that nobody spoke about for a long time,’’ he said. “These are questions that we never really resolved, in part because we chose not to deal with this legacy. . I think we’re realizing the folly of that now.’’

Gilbertz’s class will include a trip to the museum and site. But the course isn’t just a history class—as a geography professor, Gilbertz said the course will have an emphasis on questions about how place and time interact with cultural identity. see COLLEGE COURSE on 14

OneBlood says that transfer still needs approval from the FDA, and the woman isn’t eligible to donate yet after giving birth.

OneBlood is asking for donors for the girl, whose blood lacks an antigen most people carry. The donor must be Pakistani, Indian or Iranian, and even within these groups, fewer than 4 percent have the genetic variation. 

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KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01298C18, DIVING INSPECTION AND REPAIR WO 2018; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on 01/29/2019. Late bids will not be accepted.

Scope of Work: The Work to be performed under this Contract consists of inspection, maintenance and repair work for underwater sewage conveyance facilities within King County, WA. This on-call contract shall be used in response to emergency and non-emergency situations, some may be short notice and require a response within 48 hours or less. Depending on the scope of work issued associated subcontractors and simultaneous crews may be required.

Not-to-Exceed Contract Price: $300,000 Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/ default.aspx

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ WORLD NEWS

5

China sentences Canadian to death, raises diplomatic tension

By YANAN WANG and CHRISTOPHER BODEEN and ROB GILLIES ASSOCIATED PRESS

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese court sentenced a Canadian man to death on Jan. 14 in a drug smuggling case as tensions heightened between the two countries over Canada’s arrest last month of a top Chinese technology executive.

In a sudden retrial, a Chinese court in northeastern

Liaoning province announced that it had given Robert Lloyd Schellenberg the death penalty, reversing an earlier 2016 ruling that sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

The court gave no indication that the penalty could be commuted, but Schellenberg’s fate is likely to be drawn into diplomatic negotiations over China’s demand for the release of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strongly condemned the proceeding, suggesting that China was using its judicial system to retaliate against Canada. In his strongest comments yet, Trudeau said “all countries around the world’’ should be concerned that Beijing is acting arbitrarily with its justice system.

“It is of extreme concern to us as a government, see SCHELLENBERG on 13

China says it exchanged data with NASA on far side landing

By YANAN WANG ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — China exchanged data with NASA on its recent mission to land a Chinese spacecraft on the far side of the moon, the Chinese space agency said on Jan. 14, in what was reportedly the first such collaboration since an American law banned joint space projects with China that do not have prior congressional approval.

The space agency’s deputy director, Wu Yanhua, said NASA shared information about its lunar orbiter satellite in hopes of monitoring the landing of the Chang’e 4

spacecraft, which made China the first country to land on the far side of the moon earlier this month.

China in turn shared the time and coordinates of Chang’e 4’s scheduled landing, Wu told reporters during a briefing on the lunar mission. He added that while NASA’s satellite did not catch the precise moment of landing, it took photographs of the area afterward.

The state-run China Daily said that was the first such form of cooperation since the 2011 U.S. law was enacted.

NASA has not published any statements on the collaboration and could not immediately be reached for comment.

The lunar mission by Chang’e 4 and its rover, Jade Rabbit 2, was a triumph for China’s growing space program, which has been rapidly catching up with those of Russia and the U.S. President Xi Jinping has placed space exploration among the country’s national development priorities and the far side mission offered a chance for China to do something not done before by any other country.

The far side of the moon — the side which faces away from Earth — posed a challenge for scientists because it is beyond radio signals’ reach. China set up a relay satellite in see NASA on 14

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JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JAN 17 COCKTAILS & KARAOKE FOR THE SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL Kona Kitchen, 8501 5th Ave. N.E., Seattle 7-11 p.m.

CITY OF SEATTLE UNITY DAY CELEBRATING REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave., Seattle 7 p.m.

18 SEATTLE COLLEGES PRESENTS 46TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Mount Zion Baptist Church,

1634 19th Ave., Seattle 12-1:30 p.m.

RSVP at go.seattlecolleges. edu/form/MLK

SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL - A CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION WITH THE CHINA CLUB China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 6:30-9:30 p.m. $15-$32 chinaclubseattle.org

19 MIRAI - SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS Uptown Cinemas, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle 11 a.m.-1 p.m. siff.net TIMELESS TAIWAN: TRAIN TO FORMOSA Husky Union Building, 4001 E. Stevens Way N.E., Seattle 3-8 p.m.

19-21

BOOK TALK, “THE STATE STRIKES BACK: THE END OF ECONOMIC REFORM IN CHINA?” A CONVERSATION WITH DR. NICK LARDY Dorsey & Whitney, 701 5th Ave. Ste. 6100, Seattle 5-6:30 p.m.

“HONU BY THE SEA” PERFORMS AT SEATTLE AQUARIUM’S HAWAII WEEKEND Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle seattleaquarium.org

YEAR OF THE PIG FESTIVITIES Stan Head Cultural Center, Aegis Gardens, 13056 SE 76th St, Newcastle 2-5 p.m.

26 & 27

25

23 THE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COALITION HOSTS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE DAY Washington State Capitol, Olympia 10 a.m.-3 p.m. apicwa@gmail.com 206-695-7582 AWAKE INTO 2019 KICKOFF: WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION Alibi Room, 85 Pike St., Seattle 5:30-8 p.m. $20-$50

TET IN SEATTLE Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

OUTREACH & EDUCATION ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 8:30 a.m.

27

26 CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION Aegis Gardens Newcastle, 13056 SE 76th St., Newcastle 2-5 p.m.

CELEBRATE LIBRARIES RALLY The Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

FUKUOKA KENJINKAI HOSTS 2019 MOCHITSUKI Japanese Cultural & Community Center, 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

CELEBRATE ASIA Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle 4-6 p.m. seattlesymphony.org

■ BRIEFLY

Japanese American nonprofit offers scholarships totaling $20,000 SEATTLE – The Japanese American Citizens League, Seattle Chapter (Seattle JACL) is offering a total of $20,000 in scholarships for six incoming and/or current college students. Interested candidates may apply at seattlejacl.org/ scholarships until March 1.

• The Minoru Tamesa and Bunshiro Tazuma Scholarships – $3,000 each • The Cherry and Mas Kinoshita Scholarship – $3,000 • The Elaine Reiko Akagi Scholarship – $3,000 • Dr. Susumu Shimokon Memorial Scholarship – $5,000

Here are the scholarships available: • Aki Kurose Memorial Scholarship – $3,000

Face-to-face interviews will be held on March 30, and successful candidates will receive their award at a luncheon

on May 4.

“In addition to honoring the legacy of our ancestors and other Asian Pacific American pioneers, JACL aims to continually support the next generation of leaders in all areas,” said Seattle Chapter President Sarah Baker.

“Investing in young people is critical for a future that can sustain social justice for Asian Americans, and for all people.” 

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YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

asianweekly northwest

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

7

Beguiling, blunt power in “A Silent Voice” 

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “A Silent Voice” hits the big screen in and around Seattle as one of the most widely-praised anime features in recent years — and from one of the very few female anime feature directors. It approaches the lives of the handicapped in Japan, what’s going right and wrong, and bullying issues to boot. It’s been supported by the Japanese deaf community. While I found the film uneven in its approach and its overall tone, it deserves attention and support for the following reasons.

Derived from a manga masterminded by another female artist, Yoshitoki Ōima, and written for the screen by another female manga artist, Reiko Yoshida, the story opens in a grade school, with the arrival of a deaf student, a girl named Shōko Nishimiya (voiced in Japanese by Saori Hayami, in English by Lexi Cowden, aka Lexi Marman, who actually is deaf).

Shōko’s shy, understandably, and because her speech is hard to understand, she usually communicates by writing on a notepad. She’s hopeful that she can find friends, but she soon falls into the harsh realities of grade school culture.

The male protagonist’s name sounds almost, but not quite, like Shōko’s: Shōya Ishida (voiced in Japanese as a smaller boy by Miyu Irino, as an older boy by Mayu Matsuoka, and in English by Ryan Shanahan and Robbie Daymond). Shōya’s brash and quick to speak out, and quick to take offense. He loves being the center of attention, but

lacks the self-awareness to see how his behavior conceals anxiety and low self-esteem.

Shōya isn’t the only one who makes fun of Shōko, tossing her notepad around, mocking her attempts to speak, lampooning her behind her back so that she has no idea what’s going on. Some of the bullying in the film is hard to watch. I think it’s important to remember that such things go on every day against people perceived as weak, as different, as unable to fight back. This is something deeply ingrained in the human psyche, and we need to accept that before we can consider what to do about it.

But in an all-too-realistic turn of the cards, the bully ends up being bullied. Shōko grows manifestly unhappy, and her parents feel she’s not safe, so they pull her out of the school. Shōya, for his part, ends up with the blame for everything bad that’s happened. The other kids deny any of their own responsibility. Suddenly he’s on the hook for everything, and the ones he thought had his back, desert him. He’s left miserable, resigned to life as an outcast, mistrustful, and hostile to anyone who tried to get close.

The action switches to high school. Shōya, still sunk in shame and anger, can’t look at any of his peers in the eye, and he shuffles along staring at the floor until a chubby, very excitable fellow named Tomohiro Nagatsuka (voiced

by Kenshō Ono and Graham Halstead) enters his life.

Tomohiro knows he’s small, heavy-set, and unattractive, and he reacts by lashing out and threatening violence, though often in a comic manner. He’s grateful to Shōya see MOVIES on 14

asianweekly northwest

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37 YEARS

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ ON THE SHELF

Book recommendations

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

The Reader

By Traci Chee G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2016 Sefia’s childhood was not like most.

Growing up, she and her parents stayed under the radar and they taught her what to do in case anything ever happened to them.

And when something does happen — a few years after her mother died from illness, her father is brutally murdered — she flees to the wilderness with her aunt Nin. Then Nin is kidnapped and the only way to find out who is behind this, as well as her father’s murderer, is to figure out the odd rectangular object he left behind.

After some time, she figures out it’s a book, possibly the only one in an almost completely illiterate society.

“Reader” contains many staples of the hero story: orphaned protagonist, at least one parent’s death that has more to it than it appears, and a quest to figure out the truth and make the world a better place.

But while this has been done many times, Chee’s take on the fantasy adventure story is unique and will really make the reader think about the written word and the art of reading.

Sefia is a strong character who is resourceful and quick thinking. She has to be to survive the journey she embarks on, which is filled with pirates, assassins,

kidnappers, and more. Chee also does a great job in developing the secondary characters — from Archer, the mute boy Sefia teams up with, to the many pirates aboard the ship they stowaway on — and readers really get to know them.

As the first book in a trilogy, there is also quite a bit of world building throughout “Reader.” It’s a fictional universe filled with a cast of diverse characters. And Chee balances exposition with plot and character development very well, which is not an easy task. The payoff at the end is especially rewarding as readers begin

to understand more about what happened to Sefia’s parents and what she is now up against.

Aru Shah and the End of Time

By Roshani Chokshi Disney Hyperion, 2018

At age 12, Aru Shah has become a pro at stretching the truth in order to fit in at school. But then a few of her classmates catch her in a lie. They find her at home in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, where her mother works as a

curator, instead of in Paris, like she told them. To prove that she’s not a complete liar, they dare Aru to light the supposedly cursed Lamp of Bharata.

But it turns out it actually is cursed and Aru has freed the Sleeper, a demon who is tasked with awakening the God of Destruction. Now, with her classmates and mother frozen in time, it’s up to Aru to save them and the rest of the world. It turns out Aru is the reincarnation of one of the five Pandava brothers, demigods from see SHELF on 13

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YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

asianweekly northwest

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

9

Adults assemble to play Pokemon Go

By TAD VEZNER ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — It’s 17 minutes till the battle at the butterfly house.

Car after car rolls up at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on a chilly weekend. No events are scheduled. Nothing is going on that anybody can see, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

“Five minutes,’’ says Chris Debban, 36, of Roseville.

“I gotta warm up before it starts,’’ replies his mother, Tammie Debban, 55, after a quick cigarette. The area around the butterfly house is getting packed, with barely anywhere to park for two blocks. “Should I change my — ” “No, I’m sticking with these,’’ her son replies, gesturing at his phone.

Everyone’s looking at their phones. People get out of cars, come stand by the butterfly house and look at their phones some more. A few look up to introduce themselves.

“Two minutes,’’ Chris Debban says.

And then it’s time: The dozens of strangers begin furiously punching their screens, in unison.

Across the country, servers have separated the crowd into 20-person teams, each fighting a giant monster with virtual Pokemon. There’s no way they could beat that beast on their own.

Over the past year, the “Pokemon Go’’ craze has dipped, shifted and amped up again. With a major, notable twist: What seemed like a craze for kids, teens and parents has shifted to mostly just parents. Or, simply, adults.

Of the more than 100 random people who assembled to fight a virtual monster on the Fairgrounds recently, two were children. The vast majority stretched from their 20s to their 60s.

And with a new feature—“raiding’’—they’re practically required to gather in large groups.

“Man, it’s addicting. I stopped playing other stuff and started playing this, because there’s people. I’ve never seen so many people actually get out to actually interact,’’ Chris Debban said.

“Sometimes I’ll stop by (the Fairgrounds) on my way home because it’s on my way,’’ said Nell Wirth, 35, Roseville. “I just want to unwind.’’

Over the past year, the game has encouraged group play, in a not-so-subtle way. There are some fights players can’t possibly win on their own—they need others in close physical, not virtual, proximity. On top of that, fights

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According to UCLA, Ohashi is the reigning NCAA co-champion in floor exercises. She was also a 2018 NCAA team champion. 

WOC from 1 most diverse legislative body in Washington state history,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, who serves as the Senate’s Deputy Majority Leader. “We are finally starting to see elected officials reflect the diverse communities that make up our country. Policies developed with input from diverse stakeholders work best to address all of our needs.” Dhingra is the first Sikh elected to any state legislature in the nation. 

are coded to be easier with friends, or at least with other people, standing a few meters away.

“The real mechanic isn’t really the battle. It’s people grouping together in the real world. And that requires work,’’ said Matt Slemon, product manager for San Francisco-based Niantic Inc., the creator of “Pokemon Go.’’ Slemon goes on to describe Niantic’s governing philosophy—one it’s banking on to make its games stand apart, even as it encourages its users not to.

“As digital worlds become more interesting, that shouldn’t make the real world less interesting,’’ he said.

Some city officials have taken notice in recent months— with “raid’’ groups crowding parks and municipal parking lots, often at odd hours.

“We got calls everywhere (about ‘Pokemon Go’), with parks. Officers would pop in and talk to people,’’ said Roseville police Lt. Erika Scheider. “That just became a normal thing.’’

“Once you know what it is, you start noticing it everywhere,’’ said St. Paul City Council President Amy Brendmoen.

When “Pokemon Go’’ was introduced as a smartphone app a couple of years ago, it became an instant phenomenon.

Also, the prime demographic appeared to trend younger.

But the game’s creators pointed out the older users were always there. The initial release in 2016 was timed to coincide with the 20-year anniversary of “Pokemon’’— short for “pocket monsters’’—which was first released for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996 and quickly became a popular anime series.

The same people who were fans then are fans now, the creators believe.

Still, “Over time as kids’ attention kind of wanders off, the grandparents and parents (they were playing with) might find that they were actually enjoying the game,’’ Slemon said. “At this time, rather than kids getting their grandparents to play, it’s adults getting each other to play.’’

The latest iteration really started in 2014, when a couple of developers at Google Maps programmed an April Fools’ Day prank—allowing people to see and easily catch Pokemon monsters while using the service.

The success of the single-day event planted the seed for the eventual creation of the game.

But developers see “Pokemon Go’’ as different from other apps in a big way: what they call the “getting-off-thecouch effect.’’

By dropping virtual “eggs’’—hatchable monsters that players can see only on their phone, with a timer showing when they will hatch and start fighting—in common gathering places, the game’s creators got strangers in the same place. From there, game mechanics encourage them to actually talk to each other.

“They are set up to reward people for having friendships,’’ Slemon said.

For instance, there are gifts in the world that players can’t open themselves—their only purpose is to be given to somebody else.

And there’s an in-game currency called Stardust. It can’t be bought with money, only earned through actions in the game. One of its purposes is to allow players to trade monsters with each other.

“Stardust cost is dramatically reduced if you’re trading with a higher-level friend,’’ Slemon said.

Level? There are “basic’’ friends, who’ve just met, and “best’’ friends, who’ve known each other for at least three months and regularly play together.

The model appears to have paid off. The company says it’s seen a 35 percent increase in active usage since May. “It is a lot more older people (now),’’ Chris Debban said.

“I find it crazy. Como Park’s crazy, too. Rice Park — oh my God. I can’t get in.’’ In the south metro, the Mall of America is big, noted frequent player Wirth.

“In summer, people bring music and hand out food. It can get kicking,’’ Debban said, looking around at the dozens of people standing around him on the chilly day, a few of whom approached and talked to him.

“Even more than this.’’ 

asianweekly northwest

10

37 YEARS

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

Playing around with New Year’s resolutions

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY This year, I have picked one resolution, but it’s an ambitious one— a year of relaxation. It is straightforward, but it is hard for people, living in the digital era, to strive for. The purpose is to focus on loosening up myself mentally and physically, undisturbed by short and longterm stresses, while living fully in the moment.

Studies have found that a relaxed body can lower blood pressure, increase immunity, and reduce inflammation.

Like most people, my record of keeping resolutions is pathetic. Often, several excuses would distract me. Or I’ve made too many resolutions, and none of them would stick by the end of the year.

Procrastination is another hurdle. After watching the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, I swore that I had to visit Berlin the following year. Well, every year, I said, perhaps the next year. It took me 13 years to land there.

New Year’s resolutions 1. Demystif�ing fears 2. Stop wor��ing 3. Clarif� your needs 4. Write down the benefits 5. No r�les 6. Plan of action 7. Build suppor� 8. Forgive yourself

That’s not it. My dream of learning the piano lasted for three decades. Last January, I finally took lessons. I confess that I did something stupid. I enticed my sons to learn the piano when they were little. If they took lessons, I would tag along and learn as well. My son Jason responded, “No mom. Even if you buy us the piano, we won’t learn and we won’t play.” My other son followed his brother’s lead.

My foolish assumption was that if it’s good for me, would be beneficial for others. Now, I can’t describe the amount of bliss I’ve experienced after learning to play the songs and music I love. So stop talking, just do it, without saying “what if,” “but,” or “perhaps.” Here is a checklist for managing my New Year’s resolution.

1. Demystifying fears

Fear can paralyze our thinking, actions, and emotions.

Analyze your fears. What are you afraid of and why? If you want to change your job, the fear of losing security is unbearable. Write down your concerns on one side and your

solutions on the other side. You might discover something new you haven’t thought about.

The best way to confront fears is to face it head on. For instance, people who are afraid of flying should talk about their fears. Understand why they behave the way they do, and then set a date to prepare to fly, with a counselor or supportive friends. If you avoid it completely, you will always be fearful of flying. Each time you fly, you might feel better. Give yourself time.

2. Stop worrying

No one will laugh at you if you can’t complete your resolution. There’s no shame if you fail. The important thing is to try. “99 percent of the things you worry about never happen,” stated Dale Carnegie, author of “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.”

Learn to let go. I am still learning to let go every day. Use see BLOG on 16

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ COMMENTARY

11

Asian coalition opposes I-1000 and calls for legislature to allow measure to be voted on by all citizens

By WA Asian for Equality Asian Americans throughout Washington are alarmed that Gov. Jay Inslee would deny the public a right to vote on Initiative 1000, which qualified earlier this month for the ballot, by pushing for a quick vote on it by the legislature.

I-1000 would repeal Washington State’s Civil Rights Initiative (also known as I-200), which was passed with nearly 59 percent of the vote 20 years ago, and protects all people in Washington from discrimination based on race or ethnicity in college admissions as well as government employment and contracting.

“Governor Inslee and other supporters of I-1000 are

trying to replace equal opportunity for all with different rules for different races,” stated Linda Yang, head of Washington Asians for Equality. In other words, when you apply for an education at state college or university, your race would once again be a factor in whether you get in. This is immoral and has no place in a society where people should be judged as individuals, not by the color of their skin. We view I-1000 as a serious threat to the Asian American everywhere and the principle of equality under the law.

“Proponents of I-1000 consider the Asian American Community as a group who have benefited from I-200 and have said Asians are not ‘people of color’ because they are

doing so well.” Yang further stated that she “immigrated to North America more than 20 years ago, with only $200 in my pocket, and worked hard to prosper and realize the American Dream for myself and my family. I want to be viewed as an American—nothing more and nothing less.”

Not only did I-200 win in 38 of the state’s 39 counties, it passed with bipartisan support. I-200 bans discrimination and preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public hiring and school admission.

Yang added, “The people of Washington deserve the chance to vote on I-1000, just as they did with I-200.” 

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Asian Pacific American Legislative Day

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY With the midterm elections behind us, civic engagement groups are looking forward to the upcoming 2019 legislative session for our state.

Each year, Washington’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities convene in Olympia to voice their concerns to state lawmakers for Asian Pacific American (APA) Legislative Day.

This year, the event will be held on Jan. 23 beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Yakima, and Spokane counties and South Puget Sound and Southwest Washington organize APA Legislative Day. It will include cultural entertainment, an appearance and statement by Gov. Jay Inslee, meetings of constituents with their legislators, and the APIC leadership delegation meeting with the governor and legislative leadership. 

Diane Narasaki (center) (Photo courtesy of Sam Le/Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs)

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12

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

37 YEARS

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Playing a man who lives as a woman most of the time, a man who must convincingly pass as a woman to succeed in life, doesn’t come easy. But Seattle’s Tom Dang, playing Song Liling in ArtsWest’s new production of the play “M. Butterfly,” viewed this chance as a privilege.

“M. Butterfly is one of my favorite plays of all time,” Dang enthused. “Song Liling being one of my top three roles I’ve always wanted to play (the others being King Richard III and Hamlet). I studied it as an undergrad, worked on it in Los Angeles, and even considered producing it with my own theatre company.

“What I like is the attempt at human connection between the two leads and how time, circumstance and how the choice to embrace ideas over reality can get in the way of love.”

Playwright David Henry Hwang based his award-winning play partially on a true story: The strange case of Bernard Boursicot, a French diplomat assigned to China in the 1960s, and Shi Pei Pu, a male Chinese opera singer specializing in female roles. Shi persuaded Boursicot to hand over secret French documents to the Chinese government, all the while convincing his French lover that he was actually dating a Chinese woman, not a man.

Hwang changed details, re-named the protagonists Rene Gallimard and Song Liling. He also included aspects of the classic opera “Madama Butterfly” (music

by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa).

Kathy Hsieh, who plays a female citizen called “Comrade Chin” in the production, allowed that sexual deception forms the backbone of the story, but isn’t the whole story. “On another level, Hwang flips the racial constructs and stereotypes portrayed in the classic opera ‘Madama Butterfly’ by paralleling it with the real-life story,” she elaborated.

“He also uses the real-life incident as a device to explore the socio-political relationship between East and West. And

at its deepest level, he examines toxic masculinity and the relationship between male and female.”

Song Liling goes through several changes of makeup and costume, and performs excerpts from the opera. Tom Dang admitted that getting into character wasn’t easy.

A lot of Song Liling’s transformations will be handled by our costumer, Natalie Shih, who is also designing the makeup,” the actor explained. “On my end, I am working to adjust my body to fit her selection of dresses, while also retaining the athleticism needed to perform Song’s Chinese opera moments. I changed my workout plan to focus mostly on strengthening my core and lower body.

I’ve also adjusted my diet to limit carbs and include (almost exclusively) tuna, chicken, and greens.”

Hsieh says it’s a great pleasure to work with Dang. The two became friends in 2012 and have worked on several projects since. They both also praise their director, Samip Raval.

Tom Dang calls Raval a “very specific” director, focused on unpacking all possible meanings out of a single moment onstage.

Hsieh feels fulfilled at the director’s exploring the psychology of the characters, and his close attention to the culture of China in that period, just before, and then during, the Cultural Revolution of 19661976.

The director “really wants everyone involved to have a strong foundation for their work,” Hsieh concludes. “I think this is so important given the play is about the stereotypes that Westerners often have of the East and we who are Asian, and how they are not true. That we are so much more.”  “M. Butterfly” plays Jan. 24–Feb. 17 at ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W. For prices, showtimes, and other information, visit artswest.org/theatre-plays/m-butterfly.

Photo by Michael Brunk

“M. Butterfly” and the tangled web of deception

From left: Tom Dang as Song Liling, and David Quicksall as Rene Gallimard.

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

■ ASTROLOGY

13

Predictions and advice for the week of January 19–January 25, 2019

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Starting off on the right note is crucial in building a new relationship. If done well, the rest should follow smoothly.

Dragon — You play the game as well as anyone you know, but a worthy opponent may test your skills and resolve.

Monkey — Despite the swirl of activity and commotion around you, maintaining your calm should allow you to rise above it all.

Ox — Stand back and observe before jumping in.

In doing so, you will sidestep some of the pitfalls that others were unable to avoid.

Snake — Although the scenario hasn’t played out quite the way that you had expected, your solid preparations should stand you in good stead.

Rooster — Stop asking yourself what you would do if you fail. Instead, dare to ask yourself what you would do if you knew you would succeed.

Tiger — Is someone asking you to take on more than you think is reasonable? It is up to you to push back if necessary.

Horse — Are you finding it difficult to pick the best one? If most of the factors are about equal, choose the one that has that extra spark.

Dog — Have you thought about your next move?

Whatever direction you go, do so with intention and purpose.

Rabbit — Rather than assuming an all or nothing approach, a willingness to compromise should yield much better results.

Goat — As one chapter ends, another has already begun. Rather than spending too much time looking backward, focus your energy on what is in front of you.

Pig — You are a strong advocate for what you believe in. Once you combine your thoughtfulness with passion, there is no stopping you.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 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

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SHELF from 8 the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata. Fortunately, she won’t be alone. She has the guidance of a curmudgeonly pigeon named Boo and Mini, who is the reincarnation of another Pandava brother. Together, they face demons, meet the four seasons in person, and visit the Otherworld Night Bazaar (which resembles an oversized Costco).

While “End of Time” is an epic adventure, it’s also the story about a girl who learns about true friendship and what it means to be truly accepted for who you are. Neither Aru nor Mini really fit in at school or have friends, but they find true sisterhood with each other. With girls and women often being pitted against each other, it was refreshing to see a strong female relationship portrayed.

While saving the world is serious business, Chokshi injects humor throughout the story (I particularly enjoyed Mini constantly correcting people that they are heroines, not heroes). Because we all need a little levity in our lives.

SCHELLENBERG from 5 as it should be to all our international friends and allies, that China has chosen to begin to arbitrarily apply a death penalty,’’ Trudeau said.

Further escalating the diplomatic crisis between the two countries, a Chinese spokeswoman said that Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat taken into custody in apparent retaliation for Meng’s arrest, was not eligible for diplomatic immunity.

Schellenberg was detained more than four years ago and initially sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2016. But within weeks of Meng’s Dec. 1 arrest an appeals court suddenly reversed that decision, saying the sentence was too lenient, and scheduled the Jan. 14 retrial with just four days’ notice.

The Chinese press began publicizing Schellenberg’s case after Canada detained Meng, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, at the request of the United States, which wants her extradited to face charges that she committed fraud by misleading banks about the company’s business dealings in Iran.

Days after Meng’s arrest, Kovrig and Canadian businessman Michael Spavor were detained on vague national security allegations. Meng is out on bail in Canada awaiting extradition proceedings that will begin next month.

Canada has embarked on a campaign with allies to win the release of Kovrig and Spavor. The United States, Britain, European Union and Australia have issued statements in support. Trudeau called U.S. President Donald Trump about their case last week and the White House called the arrests “unlawful.’’

Schellenberg’s lawyer, Zhang Dongshuo, said his client now has 10 days to appeal.

Zhang said he argued in the one-day trial that there was insufficient evidence to prove his client’s involvement in the drug smuggling operation. He added that prosecutors had not introduced new evidence to justify a heavier sentence.

Momotaro: Xander and the Dream Thief

By Margaret Dilloway Disney Hyperion, 2017

Xander Miyamoto has just learned that the Japanese folktale hero Momotaro is real and that he is actually a descendant. He’s also just finished saving the world, it’s summer vacation, and his mom has returned from a long absence.

But instead of being happy, Xander isn’t sure he’s up for being Momotaro. He’s spending his break studying and training with his dad. It’s just a matter of time before the oni — demons behind many of the bad things in the world — come after him. And instead of being happy about his mother’s return, Xander is resentful. On top of that, the 12-year-old has been plagued with nightmares every night.

To help with the nightmares, Xander’s grandmother gives him a special baku charm. But he ends up using too much of it and it takes away not only his dreams but those of everyone in the house.

“This is a very unique case,’’ Zhang told The Associated Press in a phone interview. He said the swiftness of the proceedings was unusual but declined to comment on whether it was related to Meng’s arrest.

The court said it found that Schellenberg was involved in an international drug-smuggling operation and was recruited to help smuggle more than 488 pounds of methamphetamine from a warehouse in the Chinese city of Dalian to Australia.

A Chinese man convicted of involvement in the same operation was earlier given a suspended death sentence.

Fifty people, including Canadian diplomats and foreign and domestic media, attended the trial, the court said in an online statement.

In 2009, China executed a Briton, Akmal Shaikh, on charges of smuggling heroin despite his supporters’ protest that he was mentally ill.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said authorities had determined Kovrig was not entitled to diplomatic immunity, rejecting a complaint from Trudeau that China was not respecting longstanding practices regarding diplomatic immunity.

Hua told reporters that Kovrig is no longer a diplomat and entered China on an ordinary passport and business visa.

“According to the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations and international law, he is not entitled to diplomatic immunity,’’ Hua said at a daily briefing. “I suggest that the relevant Canadian person carefully study the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and international law before commenting on the cases, or they would only expose themselves to ridicule with such specious remarks.’’

Kovrig, a Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, took a leave of absence from the Canadian government.

A former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy SaintJacques, said he believes the Chinese likely interrogated Kovrig about his time as a diplomat in China.

He said that would violate Vienna Convention protections

So Xander embarks on another quest, this time to find the baku and bring back everyone’s dreams — along with their hope, motivation, and imagination.

Once again joined by his best friend Peyton and new friend Jinx, Xander learns that there are different ways to be a hero. Despite having saved the world once, Xander is still a young boy with self confidence issues that come with that age. In addition, the mixed feelings he has following his mother’s return are realistic. And even after he learns why she left, it takes time for him to come to terms with things — especially as it has to do with her Irish heritage and what sets him apart from the Momotaro of the past.

Not only is Xander a multi-faceted character — a young, impulsive, and occasionally self-centered young boy — Dilloway has also developed the secondary characters, as we see them go through their own struggles as they work together with Xander to once again save the world.  Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

of residual diplomatic immunity that mean a country is not allowed to question someone on the work they did when they were a diplomat.

“It’s difficult not to see a link’’ between the case and Canada’s arrest of Meng, Saint-Jacques said.

However, Hua said the allegation that China arbitrarily detained Canadian citizens is “totally groundless.’’

Earlier this month, Poland arrested a Huawei director and one of its own former cybersecurity experts and charged them with spying for China. The move came amid a U.S. campaign to exert pressure on its allies not to use Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of telecommunications network equipment, over data security concerns.

The arrests raised concerns over the safety of Poland’s nationals in China, although Hua appeared to brush off such worries, emphasizing China’s desire for the “sound and steady’’ development of relations with Poland.

“As long as the foreign citizens in China abide by Chinese laws and regulations, they are welcomed and their safety and freedom are guaranteed,’’ Hua said. 

asianweekly northwest

14

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NASA from 5 May to receive communication from Chang’e 4.

“In the past, we were always rushing to catch up to the advanced global standards’’in space, said Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration

project.

“There were many things to catch up on, and fewer things in which we could surpass others,’’ he said. “With the probe of the far side of the moon this time, Chinese people have done very well.’’

Officials at the briefing declined to give specific figures on the costs of the space program.

MOVIES from 7 for showing him any attention at all. The ups and downs of having his first new friend in years inspires Shōya to reform his life, and to try to reconcile with Shōko, whom he hasn’t seen in years.

The film features many blaring emotional crises and people threatening to destroy themselves. The film devolves

COLLEGE COURSE from 4 “This is a geography of war. Maybe it wasn’t a battle, but it was certainly something that happened because of war,’’ she said of Heart Mountain.

The course will examine questions like “where are these geographies of war that are not in the news or not visible to us?’’

It will also use a somewhat “experimental’’ format; students in other disciplines, like environmental science, can earn two credits through the geography course then earn a credit within their major by working with an adviser to write a term paper about Heart Mountain that pertains to that discipline. The class is also open to the public to

37 YEARS

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 2:00 PM of bid opening date for the following listed bids.

To download a document, go to our web page at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement. King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities.

1298-18-RLR OPENS: January 31, 2019 Sundries, Institutional 1299-18-LSM OPENS: February 12, 2019 King County Employee Mindfulness Training Pre-proposal Conference: January 22, 2019 at 10:00 AM, Chinook Building, 3rd Floor, Room 328, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 1315-18-PCR OPENS: February 12, 2019 Benefit Claims Data Warehouse Pre-proposal Conference: January 22, 2019 at 10:00 AM, Skype Only Conference Call: 206-263-8114 Conference ID: 325616

Wu Yanhua said the Chang’e 4 was originally built as a “backup product’’ for Chang’e 3. He said the spending needed to refit it for its new objective was akin to repairing a short section of subway line.

Around the end of this year, China plans to launch Chang’e 5, which is to collect and bring back samples from the near side of the moon, the first time that has been done

into melodrama at such points. When it concentrates on the dynamics of young people, though, the ways that they scheme and justify themselves, the way they attack what they fear and fear what they don’t understand, it hits spoton. I’ll be interested in what the different members of this creative team bring to us in the future.  “A Silent Voice” plays Jan. 28 (subtitled) and Jan. 31

Find us on our website nwasianweekly. com and social media: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. audit, though there is a trip fee for the museum visit.

Gilbertz also noted the political climate.

“This is a really good thing to do right now—to talk about immigrants to the American society, how important they are, their contributions,’’ she said. “It’s right here in our backyard. I can use this real place to really force us to think about immigration, not in the abstract.’’

The museum, with its restored barracks, memorial, and historical information, provides an indispensable resource for that, she said.

“That place now is marked. It is less likely to become invisible, and it was becoming invisible as a geography of war,’’ Gilbertz said. “This museum makes it visible again.’’ 

since 1976. Scientists are still researching whether to send Chinese astronauts, Wu said.

The country has also said that it will welcome scientists and astronauts from around the world to make use of its space station, which is slated for completion by 2022. 

(dubbed into English) at 7 p.m. both nights, Regal Thornton Place 14, 301 N.E. 103rd Place, in Seattle. There will be additional showings at Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue and Regal Bella Bottega 11 Cinema in Redmond. Consult local listings for more details.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

YOUR VOICE

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15

asianweekly northwest

RALLY from 1

Photo by George Liu

refugees who came to the United States after the Vietnam War. Participants marched from Hing Hay Park up to Little Saigon, and back.

Joe Nguyen (left) and My-Linh Thai (right)

My-Linh Thai, a state representative and a refugee herself, said, “These are the people that experienced trauma beyond our imagination… Here we are once again trying to traumatize them.”

Susan Lieu’s parents are refugees from Vietnam. She said that a lot of people impacted right now are silent and scared.

The goal of the Jan. 11 rally was to defend the more than 8,500 Vietnamese community members at risk of deportation, separating them from their families and loved ones.

According to 2010 Census data,

Washington state has the third largest Vietnamese population, after California and Texas.

The United States can deport people with criminal records back to their country of citizenship. However, the United States and Vietnam have an agreement from 2008 that says, “Vietnamese citizens are not subject to return to Vietnam under this Agreement if they arrived in the United States before July 12, 1995.”

The Trump administration wants to renegotiate the agreement, which could potentially lead to thousands of additional deportations.

Kris Larsen, one of the organizers of the Jan. 11 event, said he came to the United States as a war orphan in 1975. He is also at risk of deportation.

“I’ve been here all my life. I don’t know anything else. I don’t have any memories of Vietnam because I was only 3 or 4 when I was supposedly evacuated,” Larsen said.

Alejandro Sanchez, special assistant to the governor, shared a statement on behalf of Gov. Jay Inslee. It read in part, “I stand firm in my support for a diverse and inclusive society and the thousands of Vietnamese Americans who are the most recent targets of President Trump’s xenophobic attacks.”

Support is coming in from the federal level as well. On. Jan. 4, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) led 13 senators in urging Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen to re-examine her department’s “arbitrary detention and deportation” of many long-term U.S. residents from

BLOG from 10 your time to think about what you can do constructively, rather than wasting time on things you can’t change.

3. Clarify your needs

What exactly are you looking for? Take my goal of “a year of relaxation.” Fuzzy, right? There’s no doubt. That’s crazy, someone reacted. Since when has a newspaper publisher achieved relaxation, struggling with expected and unexpected adversities, dealing with constant deadlines, readers’ complaints, critics’ attacks, and declining revenue?

I can change my mindset. This is exactly what I need even in crises, and I can even smile and not be aroused. Actually, feeling relaxed might only be reserved for retirees. But I am going to take the challenge, while working full-time.

I chose relaxation because it encompasses many meanings and countless positive steps for us to apply in our lives. It sets the tone for my life for the whole year and what I should do or not do in my daily activities. To achieve a state of relaxation, one must balance the mind and body.

When I am relaxed, I am free of anxiety and depression.

I feel joy and my mind is clear. Can you feel joy if you are tense? Can you make your best decision if you are not calm? Can you do daunting tasks if you are mentally and physically weak and fatigued? Can you feel relaxed if you lack sleep?

4. Write down the benefits

To feel relaxed, I nurture my body and mind. Everything I do is for health reasons. It teaches me discipline, helps to maintain a good mood, and provides a healthy lifestyle.

Write down all the benefits. Writing empowers you. It also clarifies your thinking.

There is a difference between desires and needs. Desires exhibit passion, and thus, create deep satisfaction, joy, and perhaps even a sense of urgency to propel you to act.

Needs are not as powerful as desires. Sometimes, our mind doesn’t think rationally, and we might even resist meeting our needs. So if you can master or fool your brain into switching your needs to desires—“I desire it,” as opposed to “I need it”—you might achieve better results.

Writing can serve as an effective tool to help you change your attitude.

5. No rules

37 YEARS

JANUARY 19 – JANUARY 25, 2019

Most people would suggest you narrow down resolutions to three at most, and you can succeed better. Wrong! You can have as many as you want if they are related or have a cause-and-effect.

Secondly, some recommend specific goals, such as losing a pound a month or saving $400 each month. Wrong again.

Photo by Sam Le

16

Southeast Asia.

The senators, both members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, noted with particular concern the Trump administration’s targeting of Vietnamese refugees.

“In Fiscal Year 2018, there was an increase in deportations of Southeast Asian immigrants, with more than 350 Laotian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese immigrants who were ordered to be deported,” the senators wrote. “Those processed for deportation by the Trump administration’s recent, aggressive deportation efforts include legal permanent residents who have lived in the United States for decades after fleeing violence and genocide in their home countries.

There are no rules in setting and achieving your resolutions. You set your own rules. In fact, my relaxation goal is vague, and it allows room for imagination. Third, you can start your resolution in April or June, it’s better late than never. There’s no need to wait until next January.

6. Plan of action

Begin your day with a smile. I remind myself that relaxation can happen more easily with frequent smiles during the day.

If your resolution is to spend more time with family, the first thing you do is to smile at your loved ones when you are with them. The more you smile, the more joyful feelings you can share. It is said that smiling on purpose changes your brain chemistry. When you work on your New Year’s resolution and smile, it makes you feel less burdened and inspires you to build your enthusiasm.

Write down all your strategies to accomplish your goals.

What rewards will you give yourself after you complete each task? (See sidebar on right) You should have fun while achieving your resolutions.

Don’t forget to insert fun activities during your day. I have two to three playtimes in my workday, including watching my favorite taped television programs, playing the piano, and singing.

If your resolution is to quit smoking, treat yourself a favorite snack after you resist picking up a cigarette. Or text your loved ones, telling them you just won a small battle of saying no to smoking.

Every time you are able to resist junk food, save the money or donate it to the homeless.

Put a timeline in your plan. For example, in January, you will do this and that. What would you do to expand your goal?

7. Build support

Put down how to gather feedback. Will you be able to get feedback from your family and friends to tell you how you are doing each month? Allow evaluation at the end of one or two months. Are you working towards the resolution or straying from it? What can you do to get back into focus?

8. Forgive yourself

Try new things, even if you make mistakes. Tell yourself that if you make mistakes, it is no big deal. What is important is the learning and its process. No one is perfect.

We are all human.

If you can’t fulfill your resolutions, there is always a silver lining. You have survived. You know how to do better the next year.  Assunta can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

“We urge you to reexamine policies on the arbitrary detention and deportation of Southeast Asian immigrants who prove no threat to public safety, are interwoven into our communities, and support United States citizen families.”  Supporters are urged to sign the following petition: change.org/p/department-of-homelands e c u r i t y -we - a r e -w a t c h i ng- sig n - o n again st- amendments-to - u s-viet namrepatriation-agreement.

Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

MY PLAN OF RELAXATION



Slow down. In everything I do, I try to take my time to enjoy it, whether it be writing, cooking, eating, making tea, talking to people, something as tedious as cleaning my closet.

 Be selective. Do what you enjoy most. Avoid

people or activities which give you stress.



Do something new. Lately, I like to work on the New York Times mini puzzle. It doesn’t take too much time, but it gives me pleasure to learn new words.

 Walk, especially in nature. I walk two or three

times a day to Uwajimaya, the library, businesses around the International District, and I walk on a treadmill before I go to bed.



Schedule, schedule, schedule. I schedule everything to remind myself not to miss important things, including laughing (watching Saturday Day Night live or short clips on YouTube), morning exercise, reading, piano practice, breaks, stretching, snacks, and lying down lubricating my eyes.



Make laughing part of your day, especially belly laughs. It can fuel serotonin, a happy chemical, in your body.



Don’t stay online at the computer or your phone for more than 40 minutes. Use your Apple watch or have an app on your cell phone to alert you if you sit too long.



Slow, deep breathing enhances relaxation.

Practice whether you are stressed or not. It increases oxygen in your body.

 Music is your friend. I can’t live without music.

Listen to music without doing anything, you will feel relaxed.



Don’t multi-task. Studies have found that multitasking can be a source of stress. Do one thing at a time. Take baby steps everyday to nurture your mind and body. After two weeks, you will feel the difference.