VOL 39 NO 7 | FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

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

VOL 39 NO 7 FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Coronavirus fears hurt ID businesses

Seattle Asian Art Museum’s ribbon-cutting ceremony

Local reaction far outweighs actual illness

While some Chinese immigrants relentlessly raised money and collected supplies for those afflicted by the coronavirus outbreak, local businesses associated with Asia or Asian Americans faced a dire fall–off in business and even bankruptcy.

Fear of contagion has massively affected business in the Chinatown-International (ID). Usually crowded restaurants are seeing major decreases in clientele.

Chinese family associations that typically hold large Lunar New Year celebrations were canceling left and right. see CORONAVIRUS on 12

Photo provided by SAAM

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Michael Shiosaki (left), State. Rep. My-Linh Thai (4th from left), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (5th from left), and Seattle Art Museum Director Mimi Gardner Gates (6th from left) were at the Feb. 8 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Attendance was not affected at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center Lunar New Year event on Feb. 8.

Photo by Khemarintr Suwanchote.

Stolen bonsai returned

Andrew Yang drops out of presidential race

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Andrew Yang announced in an email to supporters on Feb. 11 that he is suspending his campaign for president.

“This is not an easy decision,” he said. “Endings are hard and I’ve always intended to stay in this race until the very end. But I have been convinced that the

Photo provided by Pacific Bonsai Museum

Thieves left the trees on the driveway

Andrew Yang

message of this campaign will not be strengthened by my staying in this race any longer.”

Thousands of voters came out in support of the entrepreneur in the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 11, but it wasn’t enough.

“It is not the outcome we fought so hard for,” wrote Yang. “It is bitterly disappointing for many of us.” see YANG on 11

Making Oscar history, ‘Parasite’ wins best picture Returned bonsais on the driveway

FEDERAL WAY, WA — Two bonsai, estimated to be worth thousands of dollars, were returned to the Pacific Bonsai Museum. The trees were stolen from the public display at the Federal Way museum on Feb. 9.

At approximately 11 p.m. on Feb. 11, security guards discovered the pair of bonsai sitting on the road leading to the museum.

Museum Curator Aarin

■

Packard has examined the trees and has declared them in fairly good shape.

“The Silverberry suffered some damage. It has some broken branches, probably due to improper transportation and handling, but both bonsai trees and their pots appear to be intact, which means they can return to being on public display.”

The Silverberry has been in training as a bonsai since 1946 and was created by a woman bonsai artist, Kiyoko Hatanaka,

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a milestone win that instantly expanded the Oscars’ horizons, Bong Joon Ho’s masterfully devious class satire “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards.

“Parasite” took Hollywood’s top prize on Feb. 9, along with awards for best director, best international film and

see BONSAI on 3

see PARASITE on 15

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By JAKE COYLE

Bong Joon Ho (right) reacts as he is presented with the award for best picture for "Parasite" from presenter Jane Fonda at the Oscars on Feb. 9. Looking on from left are Kang-Ho Song and Kwak Sin Ae.

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

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38 YEARS

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Tim Lee and wife, Kristine, (3rd and 4th from left) with guests at the Hong Kong Association of Washington gala on Feb. 8.

The University of Washington (UW) announced on Feb. 4 a $6 million gift from the Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation to the East Asia Library. In recognition of this gift, the library will be renamed the Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi East Asia Library.

“The East Asia Library has a long tradition of innovation and excellence supporting East Asia research and scholarship at the University. We are grateful to the Tateuchi Foundation for helping ensure that the legacy continues,” said Lizabeth (Betsy) Wilson, vice provost for Digital Initiatives and dean of University Libraries.

The Tateuchis are both UW alumni and founders of their namesake foundation. This naming gift will create a new endowment for programs, as well as providing space and operating enhancements. The endowment —the second largest endowment in the history of UW Libraries—will provide support for mission-critical initiatives that will help transform and sustain the library as a global destination for research, teaching, and learning in East Asia studies. 

Tim Lee is new HK Club Association president

Tim Lee, owner of Real Home Networks, has been selected as the president of the Hong Kong Club Association. His first official event for the club was an

annual Lunar New Year gala at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel on Feb. 8. Lee is also vice president for the Lee Family Association. 

Nagai is Kinokuniya manager

Yasunobu Nagai is the new manager of Seattle’s Kinokuniya book store at Uwajimaya. Born in Japan, Nagai began working for the store in 2008, selling paperbacks. He moved up the ladder and was promoted to Yasunobu Nagai Seattle recently.

Kinokuniya celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019.

Nagai enjoys Seattle’s outdoors and traveling. He has visited Mt. Rainier and other national parks. His other love is reading fiction. 

Photo by Assunta Ng

The Tateuchi East Asia Library

Rotary Club gives $40k to Plymouth Housing

The Seattle Rotary Club presented a $40,000 check to Plymouth Housing on Jan. 29, to help fund the first year of the nurse’s station at 501 Rainier.

Photo by Plymouth Housing From left: Kim Moore, Lynn Beck, Paul Lambros, Cynthia Chirot, and Trish Bostrom.

The new supportive housing building developed

by Plymouth is opening in April at the intersection of Rainier Avenue and South King Street in the ChinatownInternational District. 

James Wong’s Vibrant Cities breaks ground on Alki condos

Photo by George Liu

Photo by George Liu

Photo courtesy of Dennis Wise/UW

Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi East Asia Library

Vibrant Cities held a groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 28 for its newest project—Infinity Shore Club Residences at Alki Beach.

The six-story building will be a collection of 40 condominium estates in one plus den, two-, and threebedrooms to be offered from below $1.5 million to more than $5 million.

It will also feature an infinity-edge outdoor pool, spa, sun deck, concierge lobby, private club lounge, rooftop deck, watersports gear station, a car wash, a dog wash, and private parking and storage.

Vibrant Cities CEO James Wong said Infinity Shore Club could be completed as soon as Summer 2021. 

YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

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“The Angel in the House” comes with dinner, and demons

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “There will be… liberal use of stage blood, should occasion warrant it,” warns the email invite confirmation to “The Angel in the House,” a new play written and directed by Seattle’s Sara Porkalob. I’m here to reassure the squeamish, though, that the stage blood only comes out at one or two crucial junctures, and isn’t terribly likely to splatter. This is Café Nordo after all, and over a three-part show and a four-course dinner, they intend to maintain decorum.

And sanitary eating conditions.

Porkalob admits she took some inspiration from the poem by Victorian author Coventry Patmore, praising the ideal Victorian wife as an “angel in the house,” a phrase that gained wide popularity. But she only used that poem as a springboard.

“Honestly, I thought it was a bad poem in terms of storytelling, so it was hilarious to find out that the poem inspired the idea of ‘ideal Victorian femininity,’” recalled the playwright.

“I’m an only child, and growing up, I was surrounded by adults who wanted to foster in me a love of reading. I spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in books. Dickens, the Bronte sisters, and old English/Russian/French epics were my reading fare between the ages of 9 to 14 years old. The Victorian era is one I’m very familiar with as a result and one that I love very much. I decided to write plays (and now screenplays) about the time period to reclaim it as one bodied by feminism and populated by people other than white folks.”

Her “Angel” begins on New Year’s Eve, 1899, with a very prim and proper uppercrust English New Year’s celebration hosted by Lady Amelia Brown (Angela DiMarco) and her husband Sir Edmund Brown (David S. Hogan). Lady Amelia has her best friends (played by Ayo Tushinde and Tatiana Pavela), Sir Edmund his own (Robin Ian HallSmith and Ray Tagavilla).

Soon enough, though, eerie undercurrents present themselves as the guests prepare for midnight. The men hide deep secrets: A deep anticipation

BONSAI from 1 a pioneer in her time. The other tree, a Japanese Black Pine, was grown from seed in a tin can by Japanese American Jizaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated during World War II. It will resume its position as the centerpiece of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s upcoming special exhibition, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience, opening on May 8.

Museum Executive Director Kathy

of a prophecy to be fulfilled and an equally deep fear of another prophecy, foreseeing destruction.

“The entire team, from actors to designers to the kitchen to the Nordo staff and administration, every single one of them is making this show incredible,” explained Porkalob. It takes a village to make a play and while you only see the actors on stage every night, there are so many others behind the scenes supporting and creating the show.”

In addition to their acting duties, the cast also serves the four-course dinner created by Nordo chef Erin Brindley.

Porkalob advised Brindley to showcase the tension between nature and industry, chaos and order.

So Brindley came up with a menu that features molded flowers in each dish. The molds are very regular, industrial-made, so the flowers (made of Shan tofu, goat cheese, or duchess potatoes, depending on the dish) look like engineered beauty, while surrounded by really earthy flavors like chrysanthemum leaves, beet and pear soup, or duck.

When asked about the most challenging aspects of writing “Angel,” Porkalob replied that she knew the story she wanted to tell, but the challenges lay in how to divulge information, how to lay out the plot’s twists and turns, keeping the audience on edge without revealing too much.

“Everything I write is bodied by my lived, intersectional experience as a woman of color who is also a feminist,” she concluded. “So, this play is influenced by that. It’s my first foray into the genres of thriller, revenge, and horror and definitely not my last.”

When asked about future plans after this show, she answered simply, “The usual Sara Porkalob plans...world domination.”  “The Angel in the House” plays through March 15 at Café Nordo, the Culinarium at Nordo building, 109 South Main Street, Seattle. For prices, showtimes, and other information, visit cafenordo. com.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

McCabe, who previously promised “no questions asked” if the bonsai were returned, said, “We are deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from the community and from the media who raised awareness of the bonsai’s disappearance.”

No details are known about who returned the bonsai or why the thieves took them.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for E00651E19, South Treatment Plant Influent Pump Station Seismic Upgrades; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on March 2, 2020.

This contract includes development and submittal of an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Innovation Plan. The ESJ Innovation Plan details the approach, strategies, and actionable steps that will be taken to maximize the participation of Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) firms. Both MBE and WBE firms must be certified by the State of Washington Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $320,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $2,100,000 All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Lourdes Bonifacio, lbonifacio@kingcounty. gov, 206-263-3259

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■ SPORTS

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

38 YEARS

The Layup Drill

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. This month, the coronavirus outbreak is impacting the Asian Football Confederation cup matches, the Mariners welcome two new pitchers, and we look back at the Kobe Bryant tragedy.

out who will be on their pitching staff. Chen played with the Baltimore Orioles as a starter from 2012-2015 where he posted good numbers, and then moved on to Miami where he signed a 4-year, $80 million contract. The native of Taiwan struggled in Miami and was released by the team this past November. Chen will be looking to revive a career that had been hampered by injuries and poor pitching the last couple years.

Virus impacts opening round of AFC’s Asian Champions League

Bryant tragedy shocks, stuns sports community

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced after an emergency meeting last week that because of the spread of the coronavirus, the first three games for three Chinese clubs—Shanghai SIPG, Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai Shenhua—will be postponed.

Several countries have imposed travel restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.

The AFC Cup preliminary, play-off, and group-stage matches will now be played on April 7.

Former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, in Calabasas, Calif., along with his 13-yearold daughter Gianna and 7 other people as they were traveling to a game for Bryant’s daughter. The former NBA star coached his daughter’s team. The death shocked the NBA community as many current players actively Kobe Bryant (left) and Jeremy Lin communicated with Bryant and many were close friends. Bryant was revered by teammates and opponents alike for his relentless work ethic and his killer instinct as a competitor.

Former teammate Jeremy Lin sent out an Instagram homage to Bryant reading, “RIP Kobe….From sharing the same bday to opponents to teammates…respect for everything you did for the game and world. Gone too soon, lifes (sic) truly too precious #legend.”

Lin played with Bryant on the Lakers during the 2014-2015 season. While the two worked together, there were times when things got testy. Bryant, a notoriously demanding teammate, would engage in trash talk with Lin during practice to test his mental toughness when facing adversity. Lin would not back down although videos of practice showed Kobe berating him and forcing him to miss shots. Despite the stern treatment, it’s clear that Lin had much admiration and respect for Bryant as he helped Lin grow as a player.

Lin currently plays for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson posted the jersey numbers of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna on his social media. Clarkson, who is part Filipino, also posted a picture of him and Bryant in an embrace. The two were teammates

New Mariners seek to help pitching

Wei-Yin Chen

Yoshihisa Hirano

As we head into spring, the Seattle Mariners will head to Arizona for spring training later this month. In late January, it was announced that they signed Wei-Yin Chen from the Miami Marlins and former Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Yoshihisa Hirano to help bolster its relief pitching.

Hirano played for 11 years in Japan and then signed with the Diamondbacks. The reliever is known for his fastball, which garnered 120 strikeouts last season in 120 innings.

At 35 years old, the Mariners hope to add some experience to the relatively young core of pitchers on the team.

Chen signed a Minor League deal with the Mariners, which means there is no guarantee that he will make the team when the regular season starts. But the 34-year-old has been playing in the majors for 8 years and could be a solid bullpen option for a team that still is trying to find

from 2014-2016.

The heartache of Bryant’s death reached beyond the basketball world as tennis star Naomi Osaka expressed her sadness on social media. The day after his tragic passing, Osaka posted an open letter to Bryant to express her grief.

After his retirement, Bryant turned to the tennis court after Kobe Bryant hugs Jordan Clarkson leaving the basketball court. He quickly became a fan of Osaka. The two kept in touch via text messages.

“Dear, Big bro,” Osaka’s tribute started, “Thank you for being you. Thank you for inspiring people everywhere, you have no idea how many hearts you’ve touched…” In her message, she thanked Kobe for always contacting her and helping her through tough times. Like many in the Naomi Osaka tennis community that Kobe interacted with when he started to play tennis as a hobby, Osaka wanted to publicly pay tribute as he inspired them to be better.

Tiger Woods was finishing a round of golf when his caddie stopped him before meeting with the media to break the news to him. Woods noted that fans were yelling “Do it for Mamba!” on the golf course, but was unsure of what it meant.

“People yell things all the time, so I was just plodding along, doing my own thing. Then when Joey [LaCava, Woods’ caddie] told me that, it’s unbelievable, the reality that he’s no longer here…” Woods grew up as a Lakers fan and befriended Bryant. Woods turned pro the same year that Bryant started in the NBA in 1996. The golfing great commemorated Bryant by talking about his admiration for his competitive spirit and mental toughness even through injury. Woods recalled Bryant gutting out a ruptured Achilles to walk on the court to shoot free throws before going to the locker room for medical attention.

Bryant’s star shined bright among the biggest of stars regardless of sport.  Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

■ NATIONAL NEWS

UC Berkeley Law School strips itself of racist namesake BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — The law school at the University of California, Berkeley has stripped itself of a 19th century namesake who espoused racist views that led to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. John Boalt’s name was removed from a school building on Jan. 30 after a three-year process. University officials say this is the first time UC Berkeley has removed a facility’s name due to the character or actions of its namesake.

The name removal comes as institutions around the country re-assess the people honored with their monuments, streets and buildings. Last year, San Francisco removed a statue long deemed racist by Native Americans.

“It’s incredibly important to confront racist symbols,

like John Boalt’s name on a building, because these symbols act to reinforce the history of white supremacy in our institutions,’’ said Paul Fine, a university professor and co-chair of the Building Name Review Committee.

Oakland attorney John Henry Boalt was never a student or teacher at the law school, but after he died in 1901, his widow Elizabeth Josselyn Boalt put up money to construct a Boalt Memorial Hall of Law. Students and alumni have long referred to themselves as Boalties and the law school was casually referred to as Boalt Hall.

It wasn’t until 2017 that attorney and UC Berkeley law lecturer Charles Reichmann found Boalt’s racist writings and publicized them.

Boalt had moved to California from Nevada in the

1870s, at a time when Chinese immigration was rising to meet labor demands. And as president of the influential boys-only Bohemian Club, he delivered an address in 1877 arguing that the Chinese could never assimilate and so should be removed.

The movement filtered up and in 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act. University officials say this is the second time the University of California system has removed a benefactor’s name. In 2018, UC Irvine removed the Ayala name from two buildings after an internal investigation substantiated sexual harassment claims against Francisco J. Ayala. 

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

YOUR VOICE

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■ WORLD NEWS China’s virus death toll surpasses SARS but new cases fall

By JOE McDONALD ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — China’s virus death toll reached a new high, at least 1,113 as of press time, passing the number of fatalities in the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, but fewer new cases were reported in a possible sign its spread may be slowing as other nations stepped up efforts to block the disease.

Some 2,656 new virus cases were reported in the 24 hours ending at midnight on Feb. 8, most of them in the central province of Hubei, where the first patients fell

sick in December. That was down by about 20% from the 3,399 new cases reported in the previous 24-hour period.

“That means the joint control mechanism of different regions and the strict prevention and control measures have worked,’’ a spokesman for the National Health Commission, Mi Feng, said at a news conference.

Also, new cases were reported in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the U.K. and Spain. More than 360 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China.

“Dramatic reductions’’ in the pace of the disease’s spread should begin this month if containment works,

Universities cancel study-abroad programs amid virus fears

D BROA ED A Y D STU ANCEL C S M OGRA

PR

By MICHAEL MELIA and KANTELE FRANKO ASSOCIATED PRESS As concerns about China’s virus outbreak spread, universities are scrambling to assess the risks to their programs, and some are canceling study-abroad opportunities and prohibiting travel affecting hundreds of thousands of students.

From Europe to Australia and the United States, universities in countries that host Chinese students have reconsidered academic-related travel to and from China. In the U.S., the cancellations add to the tension between two governments whose relations were already sour.

The scare threatens to cause lasting damage to growing academic exchange programs that reached new heights over the last decade and a half, experts say.

The travel restrictions also complicate planning for conferences and campus events in the U.S. that scholars from China might attend.

“That door has been, if not slammed shut, certainly closed for

the immediate future,’’ said Michael Schoenfeld, Duke University’s vice president for public affairs and government relations.

After U.S. officials recommended against nonessential trips to China, many universities limited travel there, including Duke, which also operates a campus in China in a partnership with Wuhan University, which is in the city at the center of the outbreak.

Duke Kunshan University closed its campus in Kunshan to nonessential personnel until Feb. 24. The school also helped students who had recently applied for Chinese residency get their passports from local officials so they could travel home and started developing online learning plans for them.

Two of the 12 confirmed U.S. cases are linked to college campuses. One diagnosis was confirmed at Arizona State University and another at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, which said the infected student had recently traveled to Wuhan. see STUDY ABROAD on 13

said Dr. Ian Lipkin, director of Columbia University’s Center for Infection and Immunity. He assisted the World Health Organization and Chinese authorities during the outbreak of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Warmer weather will reduce the virus’s ability to spread and bring people out of enclosed spaces where it is transmitted more easily, Lipkin said in an online news conference. However, he said, if new cases spike as people return to work after the Lunar New Year holiday, which was extended to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, then “we’ll know we’re in trouble.” 

Thailand mourns victims of country’s deadliest mass shooting

By PREEYAPA T. KHUNSONG and TASSANEE VEJPONGSA ASSOCIATED PRESS NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (AP) — As mourning began for the victims of Thailand’s worst mass shooting, the country counted its losses: a mother shot dead at the wheel of her car as her son sat beside her, a 13-year-old student gunned down as he was riding his motorbike home and more than two dozen other people.

Authorities said the attack was carried out by a single gunman—a disgruntled soldier who opened fire on strangers before he was fatally shot at a shopping mall on Feb. 9.

Another 58 people were wounded.

The dead were mourned in Nakhon Ratchasima, a hub for Thailand’s relatively poor and rural northeastern region. More than 1,000 people turned up for the vigil

led by Buddhist monks. They lit candles and prayed and chanted in the town square featuring a statue of Thao Suranaree, a governor’s wife who is revered for leading troops against invaders from Laos two centuries ago.

Officials said the gunman was angry over a financial dispute with his commanding officer. He made Col. Anantarote Krasae his first victim before stealing guns from an army camp and heading to the mall, shooting wildly along the way at people inside and outside the building.

The attacker was identified as Sgt. Maj. Jakrapanth Thomma, who holed himself up in the Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall filled with colorful Lego sculptures, a merry-go-round and huge replicas of landmarks from around the world. see MASS SHOOTING on 14

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FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

38 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB 13

A RAPID RESPONSE DISCUSSION ON THE CORONAVIRUS AND GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Columbia Center, 701 5th Ave. Floor 61, Seattle 5:30-7 p.m.

RSVP at https://bit.ly/2HhGxH4 THE SPACE BETWEEN - API CHAYA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT OPENING Seattle Asian Art Museum 6-8 p.m. https://bit.ly/2UKpTIj

15 SEATTLE NIGHT MARKET: LUNAR NEW YEAR Magnuson Park Hangar 30, 6310 NE 74th St., Seattle 12-10 p.m.

3 p.m. on 2/16 chopshopdance.org

6-8 p.m. theworksseattle.com

15-21

20

NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE AND SEATTLE CENTER PRESENT MOVIN’ AROUND THE WORLD: WINTER Seattle Center Armory 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

PREVIEW OF THE NEW EXHIBITION FORGOTTEN STORIES: NORTHWEST PUBLIC ART OF THE 1930S Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma 10 a.m.

NOW THRU 2/16 “OVER 140 LBS.” BY SUSAN LIEU ACT Theatre, 700 Union St., Seattle 7:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.

Tickets at https://order. acttheatre.org/140lbs

17 WUHAN, STAY STRONG! HOSTED BY PARISOL Bush Garden Restaurant, 614 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 3 p.m.

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15 & 16

ELEVATE NW SERIES: LEVEL UP YOUR NETWORKING GAME Microsoft Events Center, Seattle Metro Chamber, 1301 5th Ave. Ste. 1500, Seattle 4-6 p.m.

Free admission Registration is required https://bit.ly/39rcA3l

“CHOP SHOP, BODIES OF WORK” Meydenbauer Center Theatre, 11100 NE 6th St., Bellevue 7:30 p.m. on 2/15

MOCHI MADNESS The Works Seattle, 151 12th Ave., Seattle

HANNAKO LAMBERT’S ‘SEVEN YEARS’ BOOK SIGNING Kinokuniya Bookstore, Uwajimaya, Seattle 1 p.m.

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TIMELESS TAIWAN: TASTE OF YOUTH UW, Husky Union Building 3-8 p.m. https://squ.re/37ysWXC

20-23 SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL Broadway Performance Hall & Northwest Film Forum seattleaaff.org

21-29 3RD ANNUAL SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL DIRECTED BY CYRUS KHAMBATTA, JAEWOO JUNG, AND KYOUNG-SHIN KIM Capitol Hill’s Erickson Theatre $18-$30 seattleIDF.org

API CHAYA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: SURVIVE EMPOWER THRIVE The Westin Seattle, 1900 5th Ave., Seattle 5:30-9:30 p.m. apichaya.org

23 LUNAR NEW YEAR 5K WALK AND RUN Shoreline Interurban Trail 8:30-11:30 a.m. runsignup.com

27 ICHS COMMUNITY KITCHEN C-ID Community Center, 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.

TET NEW YEAR: A CELEBRATION OF SPRING Salishan Family Investment Center FIC 2:30-5:30 p.m.

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER, SERVING ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT PANCAKES, EGGS, RICE, AND SAUSAGE Kawabe Memorial House, 221 18th Ave. S., Seattle 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $10/person Tickets available at the door COMMUNITY DISCUSSION WITH SEN. MONA DAS Cascade Hall, Green River Community College, 12401 SE 320th St, Auburn 1-3 p.m.

22 VU’S VEGAN ROAST Seattle Aquarium 6:30 p.m. $125/person rvcseattle.org JAPANESE REMEMBRANCE TRAIL TOUR Wing Luke Museum 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

28 TASVEER FUNDRAISER GALA: CLEAR VISION 2020 Seattle Marriott Redmond, 7401 164th Ave. NE, Redmond 6-10 p.m. one.bidpal.net

29 TIBETAN NEW YEAR LOSAR PARTY Tibetan Association of Washington 5 p.m.

24 HOSPITALITY TRAINING TO SEATTLE-KING COUNTY LIMITED-ENGLISHSPEAKING JOB SEEKERS ACRS, 3639 MLK Jr. Way S., Seattle 3 p.m. acrs.org

DOCUMENTARY FILM BY LANE NISHIKAWA NVC Memorial Hall, 1212 S. King St., Seattle 1:30 p.m.

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

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FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

asianweekly northwest

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Lunar New Year Costume Contest Natalie Lo, Vivian Zhao, and Laurie Yaokum won first ($75), second ($50), and third ($25) place respectively in the 2020 Northwest Asian Weekly Lunar New Year Costume Contest on Feb. 8. In all, two dozen people took part in the contest, emceed

by Nella Kwan.

Each finalist received a mouse plushie.  PHOTOS BY SAM LE

From left: Laurie Yaokum, Vivian Zhao, and Natalie Lo won first ($75), second ($50), and third ($25)

 Event organizer Tracy Luu Emcee Nella Kwan (left)

NAME OUR HOUSING

DEVELOPMENT

WIN $500!*

Homestead Community Land Trust and Edge Developers are building homes in the Leschi neighborhood, of which 10 will be permanently affordable for ownership by low- and moderate-income people (community land trust homes).

Help us find a name for this housing development that celebrates the history and rich traditions that represent this neighborhood.

Deadline for entries is March 6, 2020.

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8

asianweekly northwest

38 YEARS

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

■ AT THE MOVIES

Birds of Prey: A girl power film whether it wants to be or not

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Harley Quinn (née Harleen Quinzel) and the Joker (aka “puddin’”) have broken up.

Now, she is on her own without the Joker to protect her against the wrath of everyone she ever wronged. She is, apparently, not liked.

In “Birds of Prey” (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), we have a sequel of sorts to Suicide Squad.

As the movie starts, Quinn is gorging on spray cheese and tears, and we wonder, will Harley Quinn get her act together? Will she recover from the heartache of breakup and form yet another new identity? Not a psychologist. Not someone (in)famous’s paramour. Just her badass self.

I had no idea what to expect from this film. It seemed it was a “girl power” movie—Harley Quinn and her pals kick butt kind of thing—but I wasn’t sure. I can attest that there were many more males in the theater than females on the day that I attended. I have no idea what that means, but I’m willing to bet they did not get out of the movie what I got out of it.

Director Cathy Yan, the first Asian woman to direct a DC film or a film about any American superhero, has successfully captured that distinctive dark comic feel that we’ve all come to associate with the world of Batman. In press materials

released by the studio, Yan does claim a fondness for that world.

“Growing up, I loved Gotham,” she said. And Yan enjoyed the script written

by Christina Hodson, especially the personalities of the female stars.

“They are these badass fighters, plus Harley is over the top, drops F-bombs, and makes terrible decisions. Her imperfections make her both relatable and also just really fun…”

Hodson, who is part Taiwanese, told MTV in a recent interview, “We wanted it to feel organic and not like a girl power movie. It doesn’t need to be a feminist movie because we’re all women writing and making this movie. It’s just naturally there. It’s a movie that I hope men and women will love.”

I don’t know, but I feel a little betrayed by that. You have this great chance and you instantly downplay it? The movie is fun, yes. The movie can appeal to men and women, to anyone that loves the DC universe. I suspect the filmmakers did not want to alienate male viewers, but maybe give men more credit. Plenty of men like strong women. It’s true the “girl power” aspect is not obvious. Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, is often quite delicate. And, if your impression from the previews is that these girls act united, you are misled (as was I). They hardly know each other and

no one likes Quinn. The crux that brings them together is a diamond, I mean, a girl.

Nah, really a diamond. But it happens that the diamond was stolen by the young Cain, who swallowed it. Now, everyone is out to get it, and several lives are on the line, including Quinn’s, as one of the people who wants to kill her, just generally, is one of the most powerful men in the city—Roman Sionis, the Black Mask.

Ella Jay Basco, in her film debut as Cain, enjoyed working together with Robbie and in that sense, this is a girl power film.

“Margot was like a big sister to me, we had the best time with each other,” Basco has said in interviews released to the press.

“She taught me so much about working with people on- and off-camera. It was amazing.”

Basco, who is of Korean and Filipino descent, does a fantastic job of playing a street-wise kid that still has a heavy dose of childish innocence. She thinks fast, but she’s not beyond crying and is see BIRDS on 13

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FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

asianweekly northwest

The Greater China Hong Kong Business Association of Washington

The Hong Kong Business Association of Washington held its Chinese New Year gala on Feb. 8, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel to benefit the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Mona Lee Locke was one of the emcees, along with former Seahawk Jordan Babineaux.

The event, which included a Luly Yang runway fashion show, raised $800,000.

The gala was planned by Gary Locke, Benjamin Lee, Jerry and Charlene Lee, Elizabeth Huang, Hwa Park, and Andrea Nakata.  PHOTOS BY GEORGE LIU

Tim Lee and Sen. Bob Hasegawa From left: Tim Lee, Michael Christ, Min Christ, and Kristine Lee

From left: Emcees Jordan Babineaux and Mona Locke, Gary Locke, and Sam Cho

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38 YEARS

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

■ ON THE SHELF

Shin Yu Pai’s ENSŌ offers insight into a poet’s journey

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Local poet and visual artist Shin Yu Pai’s upcoming book of poems, ENSŌ, promises to intrigue both seasoned poetry readers and beginners to the art. Due out in March from Entre Ríos Books, ENSŌ stands out amongst Pai’s work in that represents an overview and a culmination of everything she has done so far, while leaving no doubt that the Shin Yu Pai journey continues.

Pai’s ENSŌ is a look back over her artistic life thus far, and an unusually close up look at her artistic process— something not often found in books of poetry. The book starts out with atmospheric images of water and circles.

Many people are familiar with the ensō symbol that is often associated with Zen Buddhism. An unfinished circle, usually done with ink brush, gives a sense of freedom, balance, and coming to a finishing point that still leaves room for openness.

“For me, it is the symbol of completion,” explains Pai. “It’s a symbol of perfection, but embedded in that is a symbol of imperfection. It’s an aspiration, but it’s also a practice. It’s a thing that we do over and over again, so the book, in a lot of ways, is about coming ‘full circle’ with the practice and evolving.”

After a first poem and introductions, the book launches

into the first chapter, 16 Pillars, which revolves around site-specific poems penned over repeated visits to a gallery of Asian works at the Art Institute of Chicago.

These poems, and others within the book, are in the tradition of ekphrastic poetry, which describes a work

of art; yet, in any encounter with art, one invariably includes oneself.

“I asked myself what it would mean to engage with a single place over an extended period of time. How might that place become a part of my experience and live within my memory, just as I might become a part of its physical history and record.”

In ENSŌ, Pai shares her inner life, her relationships with the world around her, and her abiding interest in combining different media. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to revealing her artistic process in not only writing poems for a book, but journaling, adding visual art, perhaps tactile elements, and even crafting the book itself.

“Early on in my career I ended up collaborating with a lot of different people—dancers, theatre companies, photographers, composers—they always gave me a different language that I could borrow, or a set of images that I could let enter my work, or invigorate it in a new way. That was always really exciting to me.”

While she has in no way left behind her love of collaboration, Pai cites activities in an apple orchard, discussed in the section of ENSŌ titled Heirloom, which, along with her pregnancy, provided an impetus to search for that integration within herself.

“I think that was the beginning of thinking about photography, text, place, installation, and what all these things could mean, as well as giving a talk or a tour of the orchard and activating it through a guided tour, not exactly a performance, but this idea of the ways in which see PAI on 15

Congratulations to Tim Lee, being the new president of The Greater China Hong Kong Business Association of Washington.

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YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ EDITORIAL Congratulations “Parasite.”

But what about the cast?

South Koreans reacted with rare collective joy after director Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite’” won the Oscar on Feb. 9 for best picture and three other awards.

The wins made history in both the Hollywood and South Korean film industries. The class satire is the first non-English-language film to win best picture in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards, and is the first South Korean movie to ever win an Oscar.

“Can you believe that ‘Parasite’ won the Academy best picture?” South Korea’s biggest newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, said in a headline. “It rewrote the Academy’s 92-year-old history.”

Asian American film critic Justin Chang of The Los Angeles Times observed, cautiously, that it was “a sign, perhaps, that the academy’s efforts to diversify its ranks and become a truly global institution are having an imperfect but measurable effect.”

But for some, the win is evidence of, if not the beginnings of, a new Yellow Peril.

Even before “Parasite” won best picture, Jon Miller, a host on the conservative outlet BlazeTV, complained to his nearly 60,000 Twitter followers in the following tweet: “A man named Bong Joon Ho wins #Oscar for best original screenplay over Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and 1917.

YANG from 1 The son of immigrants from Taiwan, Yang made two campaign stops in Seattle last year. His push for what became known as the Freedom Dividend—a $1,000-a-month universal basic income to all adult Americans—made him a real contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination. But he suspended his presidential run before the final results came in on New Hampshire primary night.

He said he will support whoever ends up becoming the Democratic nominee, and he urged his fellow Democrats to heed this caution: “Donald Trump is not the cause of all of our problems. He is a symptom. We must cure the disease that got him elected, and in order to do that, we must address the real problems that affect our people and offer solutions to actually solve them.”

Last week, Yang earned a spot at the debate in

Acceptance speech was: “GREAT HONOR. THANK YOU.” Then he proceeds to give the rest of his speech in Korean.

These people are the destruction of America.”

Wow. Racist much?

Amid the excitement about the recognition, Parasite didn’t receive any acting nods. As Chang wrote for the Los Angeles Times, “The oversight feels especially glaring if you come away from ‘Parasite’ convinced, as I was, that it features some of the best individual

performances—and the single most dazzling, nuanced, and sustained feat of collaborative acting—in any movie last year.”

None of the actors were on the Academy’s nomination slate, even though the film earned plenty of acting nods and awards at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Writers Guild Awards, and the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards.

It rarely happens that a movie is up for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, categories where “Parasite” was honored, with no acting nods.

But it’s a disappointing trend: actors in films with predominantly Asian casts nominated for multiple awards, are almost never acknowledged or celebrated.

The last movie to win a Best Picture Oscar with no acting nominations was 2008’s “Slumdog Millionaire.”

As Reuters pointed out, the cast of Slumdog—a movie set in India, starring a nonwhite cast—comprise relative unknowns; the acting nominees that year were instead dominated by mostly white A-Listers.

History has repeated itself 12 years later.

It’s time for history to change.

Thumbs up to the Academy for giving the Oscar nod to “Parasite.” But there’s still room for improvement and its voters can do better. �

New Hampshire—the only candidate of color to do so— mostly on the strength of his rapport with voters there. He arrived from Iowa apparently without any pledged delegates, and in the aftermath of that performance has fired members of his campaign staff.

Though he has no experience holding public office, Yang outlasted political veterans like Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Kamala Harris of California, both of whom are Black, and Harris is of South Asian descent.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is the only Asian American Pacific Islander candidate left.

“Thank you for your incredible support these past months,” Yang said. “You all have uplifted me and inspired me and Evelyn and this campaign at every turn.”  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

CORONAVIRUS from 1 The Soo Yuen Benevolent Association for Fong, Louie, and Kwong canceled its 500–person banquet planned for Feb. 10 at the Joy Palace Seafood Restaurant due to the virus.

The Gee How Oak Tin family association for Chin, Chen, Chan, Woo, and Yuen canceled its over 400-person banquet for April 26 at the House of Hong And the Chew Lun Family association for Hsu, Xu, Tse, Che, Kwan canceled its over–300 person banquet on March 14, also at the House of Hong.

Spokesman Henry Che said that 10 board members discussed the issue over the phone and made the decision to cancel the banquet because 40 Vancouver, B. C. Chew Lun members decided not to come.

At the same time, some organizers are still undecided if they should hold their annual Lunar New Year banquets this year, said House of Hong Owner Po Lee. And it has not just been a loss for the restaurants. Other bookings related to the banquets, such as for DJs and lion dance performers, were also canceled.

Connie Au-Yeung of the ‎ Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area said turnout was not as high as previous years at the annual Lunar New Year celebration in the ID on Feb. 8.

Still she said, “Event turnout was great, despite the news surrounding the virus... the weather and tunnel closure.”

The fall off in business is not unique to Seattle. At the Asia Pacific Cultural Center’s annual Lunar New Year celebration on Feb. 8 in Tacoma, Executive Director Lua Pritchard said, “We had fewer people but it wasn’t noticeable because it was still very crowded. Considering the health situation in China—our event was very successful!”

And the Feb. 1 Lunar New Year celebration at Bellevue Square saw an 8% increase in traffic, according to spokesperson Julie Hamasaki.

Back in the ID, travel agencies that cater to the China market are reeling. Felicity Wang, owner of Asian Pacific Tours and Travel in the ID, said, “If it lasts much longer,” she may not be able to stay in business.

Travel agents depend not only on fees from clients, but also on commissions granted by airlines, said Grace Chen of Holiday China, another travel agency in the ID. So when airlines canceled flights and offered refunds, agents lost their commissions, she said.

“The airlines didn’t think about this,” she said.

Neither United Airlines nor American Airlines responded to requests for comments.

Chen said many of her customers were reluctant to pay fees for agents to handle cancellations of their trips or to arrange flights out of China.

“But if we don’t charge anything, how can we survive?” she said.

Several other travel agencies focused on travel to China didn’t even answer phones after repeated calls.

Fundraising and collecting supplies

Hundreds of Chinese immigrants in Seattle raised over $200,000 for medical supplies for China, as well as collecting surplus supplies from distributors in the Seattle area to help cope with the coronavirus outbreak.

The alumni association that has organized the efforts hails from one of China’s top universities, which is in Wuhan, at the center of the outbreak.

The Huazhong University of Science

Volunteers from multiple groups join at the airport with flight personnel before shipping a first load of medical supplies to China (Photo courtesy of HUST Alumni Association)

and Technology (HUST) Alumni Association of Seattle, mostly made up of engineers, tech workers, and software developers, has joined with half a dozen other groups in a series of relief efforts that started on Jan. 28 and continue as of press time. Their actions came as many immigrants from China are gripped by an overwhelming fear for the future of their country.

“You see the people are suffering, and you want to help,” said Qiong Chen, a leader of the relief efforts.

“We just do a little, and what we can do, we do,” she said. “We can’t let our feelings of sadness overwhelm us.”

Still, when the HUST Alumni Association began their relief campaign, they were met with failure.

Face masks, which are required to be worn in some cities in China, are in short supply there, according to news reports and interviews with travelers returning from multiple cities in China.

Volunteers from the myriad of groups that banded together spent days and nights scouring distributors around Seattle and online trying to find face masks to ship to China. The face masks are so valued that they were the preferred Chinese New Year gift last month, rather than the traditional red envelopes with money, according to one traveler.

Finally, one of the group’s volunteers located some several hours outside of Seattle. The volunteers were overjoyed.

“Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries hard,” wrote Chen on WeChat, a Chinese social media platform.

Over the following week, the volunteers collected 43 crates of medical supplies needed in Hubei Province, where the outbreak is worst. These included more face masks, including 6,000 contributed by Chinese students at the University of Washington (UW), protective medical gear, booties, goggles, and gloves.

Chen also stressed that volunteers specifically stayed away from retail stores so as not to exhaust supplies available to the general public and only approached distributors. At the same time, they asked distributors to offer only what they had on hand so as not to affect the availability to others. Finally, they steered clear of any individuals that hoarded medical supplies to sell at a higher rate.

Volunteers formed caravans to ferry the large crates in their own cars to the airport. All transportation, including handling and flights by Hainan Airlines and by companies in China, were also donated, said Chen.

“We have not spent a penny on transportation,” she said.

Funds raised by the group have been used to purchase CPAP machines, to help the most afflicted patients breathe, and other medical equipment in China. Companies such as Microsoft, which donated by far the most at $20,600, matched the funds donated by individuals. The total raised from company donations exceeded $100,000.

“People said they were moved by our mission, our efficiency and transparency, and they kept donating to us,” Chen said.

Volunteers prepare to load medical supplies (Photo courtesy of HUST Alumni Association).

An outbreak of fear

People returning to the United States from China carried memories of panic they had witnessed. They described supermarkets emptied out first thing in the morning. They said that people who were unable to obtain face masks, either because they were sold out or because they could not afford them, were shunned by others.

One Chinese American woman said she held her breath every time she lifted her face mask to drink water through a straw, on her flight back from Beijing to Taipei then Seattle.

“There was still so much uncertainty about how it spread,” said Fiona Dawn, a songwriter and DJ based in Beijing.

Upon returning to Seattle, people without symptoms were given leaflets at the airport from the CDC suggesting they quarantine themselves at home for two weeks.

But in some cases, others living in the same apartment building worried that central heating could spread the virus, according to a health worker in the Chinatown-International District (ID).

Health authorities, however, said this was not possible.

“There has never been a documented case of coronavirus spreading this way,” said Meredith Li–Vollmer, Risk Communication Specialist at Public Health – Seattle and King County.

“It is not an airborne virus,” she told the Northwest Asian Weekly.

King County’s response

A Feb. 7 news conference, held at Asian Counseling & Referral Services, was prompted by recent cases of stigma and discrimination based on race and national origin. It was led by King County Executive Dow Constantine, health authorities, and community leaders.

To help prevent discrimination, Public Health – Seattle & King County released a poster and related materials that said, “Viruses don’t discriminate, and neither should we.”

Matias Valenzuela, director of the Office of Equity and Social Justice at King County, said there had been over 100 incidents of hostilities.

One man speaking at the news conference said his 5-year-old son had been asked to leave a Costco in Issaquah because he was wearing a face mask. He said he confronted store authorities about it and the CEO and the general manager personally apologized to him.

Lalita Uppala, chair of the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission, said Asians often wore masks even when they weren’t sick, for cultural purposes.

Valenzuela and others urged anyone encountering hostilities to report it to authorities.

“Discrimination is against the law,” he said.

At the same time, some said extra precaution was sometimes necessary.

Tony Au of the International Lion Dance & Martial Arts Team said his troupe recently performed at the Kin On nursing home.

38 YEARS He noted that the performers’ temperatures were checked and asked if they had been to China recently. They were asked to wear face masks before performing for the seniors. But he praised Kin On for its planning to protect its seniors from getting sick.

“They asked us if we didn’t mind wearing masks,” he said.

“Also, we needed to sign a form stating that we were not in China during the past weeks. They asked us not to use lettuce for the dance as it might spread germs, and not to get too close to their clients,” he said.

“I liked their thoughtful approach,“ he added.

Public health authorities are also recommending vigilance.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health – Seattle and King County, said that the “tried and true” methods for combating any contagious illness are the best.

“Don’t go to work or school if you’re sick, this is the same advice we give to people every influenza season,” he said. People should cover their mouths if they have a cough, he said, and everyone should wash their hands frequently, and should not touch their nose, face, mouth, or eyes unless they wash their hands first.

While he said “the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is saying this will be the next pandemic,” there is no outbreak here.

“The people at the greatest risk are those who have traveled to China in the past 14 days or have been exposed to someone who is known to have the virus.” He emphasized there is still only one case in our area. But he expected there would be more before the outbreak ends. He also told people there was no need to wear masks in public.

“We’re not recommending people wear masks in public because there is no novel coronavirus outbreak [here] and they’re not effective in preventing its spread,” said Duchin.  To get complete and updated information on the novel coronavirus, how to stay healthy, and what to do if you get sick, go to kingcounty.gov/depts/ health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/ novel-coronavirus.aspx or call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

To report a case of hostility, discrimination, or aggression against you if you are targeted as a result of your ethnicity, go to kingcounty.gov/ depts/health/communicable-diseases/diseasecontrol/novel-coronavirus/anti-stigma.aspx.

To donate to relief efforts by the HUST Alumni Association, go to sites.google.com/view/hustaasea/fighting-2019-ncov.

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of February 15–21, 2020

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Are you trying to bridge a gap, but are still far apart? Offer to meet at or near the middle.

Dragon — Are you in the proverbial eye of the storm? Despite the chaos, it is still better to be in the calm center.

Monkey — Are you disappointed that not all are on board with your plan? You have enough to get started regardless.

Ox — Good choices add up. Even if you occasionally falter, it’s the final count that matters.

Snake — Take the time to read the fine print.

A little extra effort now will minimize surprises down the road.

Rooster — You don many hats in your current role. By delegating some, you can focus on the important ones.

Tiger — You are used to looking back or ahead, but there is something to be said for just being in the present.

Horse — The preview seemed less than promising, but give it a chance. It could turn out better than you anticipated.

Dog — Is the scene not quite playing out as you had hoped? Be patient, for it could still turn out in your favor.

Rabbit — There is a difference between saying just enough to be understood and overexplaining. Keep it short and sweet.

Goat — Don’t assume others hold the same opinion as you. Tread carefully, especially when you are at work.

Pig — Let success build upon success. Rather than pulling back, redouble your efforts to push yourself to the next level.

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.

STUDY ABROAD from 5 The virus represents an unprecedented disruption for the academic ties between the U.S. and China, said Brad Farnsworth, vice president of global engagement at the American Council on Education.

He recalled the SARS crisis in 2002 and 2003, when the severe acute respiratory syndrome that originated in China killed nearly 800 people.

“The whole higher education relationship was not nearly as complex as it is now,’’ Farnsworth said.

“We have many, many more students going in both directions.’’

Many academic collaborations could be rescheduled if the crisis is resolved quickly, but the longer it lasts, the deeper the damage will be, he added.

China sends far more students to the United States than any other country—more than 369,000 in the last academic year, according to the Institute of International Education. The U.S. typically sends more than 11,000 students to China annually. Lately, the relationship has been strained by visa difficulties, trade conflicts and U.S. concerns about security risks posed by visiting Chinese students.

“This doesn’t help the current situation, which is very tense right now,’’ Farnsworth said. “This is a low point in U.S.-China higher education relations, there’s no question.’’

China’s consul general in New York, Huang Ping, said at a Feb. 4 news conference that students who returned to the U.S. from Hubei province, which includes Wuhan, should report to health officials so they can be monitored.

He urged the international community to work together to combat the illness, saying the “virus is the enemy, not the Chinese.’’

In Germany, the Berlin Free University and Berlin Institute of Technology each said they would not allow

BIRDS from 8 still looking for someone to rely on. This achievement can be said of nearly all of the main characters in the film. They are well-rounded. Yan, who was born in China, and who crashed the movie scene at Sundance in 2018, has done a superb job of giving us multidimensional men and women squeezed into a fast-paced, glitter-filled (sometimes literally) romp, full of Route 66 grunge and glam and pulsating music.

I enjoyed the pace and Quinn’s quirky personality, though I was shocked, a bit, that the heroine is “an asshole.”

Instinctively offended that she is seen by others as “crazy” and “a bitch”—and yes, she takes on this persona herself, while still giving everyone she meets a psychological

visits from China or approve trips to China until further notice. Paderborn University said it was reviewing any China travel plans made by students or doctoral candidates.

A spokesman for Silesian University in the Czech Republic said the school postponed exchange programs for 38 Chinese students. Several other schools issued similar cancellations, but Masaryk University in the Czech city of Brno said it was still ready to accept 24 students from China who are expected in two weeks.

Tens of thousands of Chinese students enrolled in Australian universities are stranded in their home country. Monash University has extended its summer break to give students and staff more time to return.

Classes had been scheduled to begin on March 2.

Most Chinese students studying in the U.S. were already in place for classes when the virus emerged, but worries about the illness have led many schools to cancel plans to send Americans to China for an upcoming semester.

At the University of Arkansas, where China has been a popular study-abroad destination, especially for business students, about 60 students who had been planning to travel there beginning in May saw their programs canceled.

The university made the decision earlier this month, before students had to make financial commitments, and it has been working to arrange opportunities in other parts of the world for the affected students, said Sarah Malloy, the university’s director of study abroad and international exchange.

One Arkansas student, Lancaster Richmond, had been planning to visit Beijing and Shanghai to fulfill a requirement of her MBA program. Now the 24-year-old is planning to visit Chile this summer instead.

“I was obviously disappointed, but I also understand the university is doing whatever they can in our best

interest,’’ she said. “It made my parents a little more comfortable as well. They’d obviously been following the news.“ Worries about the virus have altered some rhythms of campus life, including cancellations of Chinese New Year events at the University of Akron and the University of Arizona. But many universities say they are emphasizing precautions such as frequent handwashing.

Andrew Thomas, chief clinical officer at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, said the university is monitoring the situation but trying not to be “over the top to the point that we’re causing more concern and fear than is warranted in the community.“ The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which enrolls over 5,500 students from China, said some of its students from Wuhan who traveled home during winter break opted to self-quarantine or wear masks while going to class to protect others. Several institutions urged anybody returning from China to isolate themselves for two weeks as a precaution.

At Northeastern University, graduate student Lele Luan said that while some fellow Chinese students have taken to wearing masks around campus in Boston, he does not feel the need.

“They told me it’s very safe here,’’ he said. “So I don’t do anything special to protect myself.’’

At the University of California, Berkeley, the Tang Center for health services tried to share tips on managing anxiety about the virus. But it faced backlash for a list suggesting that “normal reactions’’ might include xenophobia and “fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia.’’

Asian Americans quickly expressed outrage on social media. The center apologized for “any misunderstanding it may have caused“ and changed the wording. 

diagnosis. I watch as Dinah Lance, or the Black Canary, sings “This is a man’s world,” and Renee Montoya’s policewoman has credit for her achievements taken from her by her male colleagues. They are all “fenced in.”

Caged. Like the canary in the cage that suddenly seems ubiquitous as the film roller coasters towards its climax at a fun park (where else?).

They are birds. Then it hits me. When Sionis’ right hand man, Zsasz, kneels next to a tranquilized Harley Quinn and purrs, “Are you a good girl now?”—This is a girl power film. The girls don’t know they are in it. Many people don’t know they are watching it. Those who put the film together don’t seem to want to admit they prioritized women’s rights. Women’s rights to be themselves, to fight and fight back. No matter what its own creators say, I don’t

accept that this is just a “girl gang” movie. When our “band of heroines” does come together, and takes the fight to the throngs of men (and it is all men) led by Sionus, every punch and kick seems to be revenge against every man that ever put them in a cage, told them how to act or how to look, controlled them, hurt them, or convinced them they couldn’t stand on their own. Right before the big battle, our pseudo-psychologist Quinn tells the Huntress that “vengeance rarely brings the catharsis we hope for,” and I agree, but dang, it sure feels good, for a little while, to be a bird of prey.  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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EMPLOYMENT Kitsap Transit

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Auburn warehouse is looking for a part time/full time warehouse manager. Needs to know both English and Chinese, and have appropriate work permit. Experience in warehouse, e-commerce and forklift is preferred. If interested please call 206-963-3395 or albertchen0319@gmail.com.

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

EMPLOYMENT Vehicle Maintenance Worker 2 Full-time. Excellent benefits + $21.70/hr to $24.86/hr. Fuel & perform other servicing duties, clean interior & exterior of buses, etc. Req: Minimum of 6 months experience servicing & cleaning vehicles. Desirable: Experience driving a large vehicle (2 ton truck, 35-40 foot bus, etc.) and knowledge of diesel engines. Must possess and maintain a Class B Washington State commercial driver’s license with a passenger, hazardous materials and tanker endorsements, and with the air brake restriction removed. Visit kitsaptransit.appone.com to apply.

Deadline: 4:00pm on Friday, February 21, 2020. Kitsap Transit is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE

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Request for Proposals for Boardroom Audio/Video System The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is requesting proposals from firms to replace the aging meeting management, audio and video system in its main Boardroom and to provide ongoing maintenance and on-call repair services.

Due: All proposals must be received by 4:00pm, February 28, 2020 More Info: https://www.psrc.org/ about/request-proposals or contact Patty Mosure at 206-971-3291 or pmosure@psrc.org.

Proposals are subject to PSRC’s review/selection process. PSRC promotes equal employment opportunity and complies with applicable laws, regulations, and procedures.

KCHA will accept Bids from Qualified General Contractors Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) for the Wayland Arms Electri1011 Western Ave Ste 500 cal Panels Replacement ProjSeattle, WA 98104 ect located in Auburn, WA. See website for details at www.kcha. Phone: 206-464-7090, Fax: 206587-4825 org/business/construction/open/ www.psrc.org

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MASS SHOOTING from 5 After most mall employees and shoppers were evacuated, a joint police and military team hunted down the gunman and killed him.

“This incident was unprecedented in Thailand,“ Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters as he gave a casualty count after visiting the victims in hospitals. By the end of the day, the toll had risen to 29 people killed.

The death toll surpassed Thailand’s last major attack on civilians, a 2015 bombing at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine that was allegedly carried out by human traffickers who killed 20.

“I hope this is the only one and the last incident and that it never happens again. No one wants this to happen.

It could be because of this person’s mental health in this particular moment,“ Prayuth said.

He said he was worried that people inside the mall could be accidentally hit by bullets fired by police, but added,

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“I have checked, that didn’t happen.“ Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars and others while walking.

Survivors and victims’ families gathered during the day at the city’s hospitals, where they recounted their ordeals.

Cpl. Korakot Ampanngeun was visited by Suwat Liptapanlop, a prominent politician from the area.

“I received an order from my superior to block off the road so that no one could go in the direction’’ of the gunman, the corporal recalled. “So I was signaling to oncoming traffic, when I turned around and saw him. If I had not, I would not have survived.

I tried to run and find somewhere to hide. But I could only take two steps and then I heard the sound—‘bang.’

My leg just went and I couldn’t walk.

A good Samaritan helped carry me away.“ High school student Nachote

38 YEARS

NOTICE

NOTICE

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KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS The King County Procurement Services Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, will receive sealed bids 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 for persons with disabilities.

1019-20-PLR OPENS: 02/25/2020 Recycled Rubber Cutting Edges, Heel Pads and Related Supplies 1023-20-VLN OPENS: 02/18/2020 Consulting Services for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Inclusion Task Force 1024-20-LCP OPENS: 03/05/2020 Weed Control Spraying Services Pre-bid Conference: February 20, 2020 at 11:00 AM, Chinook Building, Room 310, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Conference Call: 206-263-8114 Conference ID: 9926705

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Chotiklang said he was in his mother’s car as she passed the gunman’s vehicle.

The assailant “got out of the car and fired into the window. At that, I ducked down and didn’t do anything until I felt that car hit something. It hit a tree.“ “What happened to your mom?“ Suwat asked.

Nachote shook his head while another man explained that she had died.

Another harrowing tragedy was recalled by Nuttawut Kanchanamethi, father of 13-year-old Rachanon Kanchanamethi, who had the nickname James Bond.

The middle school student was riding his motorbike home when the gunman fired on him from his car on his way to the mall. Rachanon, the family’s only child, was one of the first victims.

The father spoke at the first day of his son’s Buddhist funeral.

“I don’t want to lose him like this,“ Nuttawut said. “This is too sudden. We

had plans for him, growing up. That’s all. We didn’t impose any expectations on him.“ Nuttawut paused for a long moment.

“I want to continue taking care of him, but I no longer have that opportunity,“ he said, breaking into sobs. 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

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YOUR VOICE PARASITE from 1

best screenplay. In a year dominated by period epics—“1917,” “Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood,” “The Irishman” —the film academy instead went overseas, to South Korea, to reward a contemporary and unsettling portrait of social inequality in “Parasite.”

True to its name, “Parasite” simply got under the skin of Oscar voters, attaching itself to the American awards season and, ultimately, to history. The win was a watershed moment for the Academy Awards, which has long been content to relegate international films to their own

PAI from 10 the practice lives together in these complex parts, so it’s not simply about just the writing of the text.”

The transparency which Pai displays throughout ENSŌ is remarkable not only for poets, but also for artists in general, many of whom choose not to reveal the background and buildup to their work. Not so Pai, who with ENSŌ admits to entering a new phase of increased vulnerability. Her inspirations were many, from the encouragement of her publisher, to motherhood, to a desire to make her work approachable, something she grew accustomed to during her tenure as the City of Redmond’s poet laureate.

“I wanted to share about the process to really unpack for readers how I go about making work, but also how rich a poetic practice can be,” Pai says.

“I think another thing that is played out is that I was, for a very long time, a very introverted, private person.

Certainly I would speak in public, or talk to reporters, but I think there was a way in which I was very concerned about image control and what I would share because I didn’t want to be vulnerable. I think that there is this real concrete shift for me now since becoming a mother.”

Part of Pai’s previous reticence was cultural. Coming from a Taiwanese background, she shares that “there was a part of me for a long time that, as an Asian American woman, I felt very much constricted to certain expectations of female behavior.” Her increased willingness to speak out came from necessity and, perhaps, the boldness of age and experience. She describes a group experience when this became evident.

“I was one of the handful of Asians in that cohort, but they all came from such

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020 category. But in recent years, to diversify its membership, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has invited many more overseas voters.

Multiple standing ovations greeted Bong’s several wins. “I am ready to drink tonight,” Bong said, prompting roars from the crowd. Unexpectedly called up again for best director, Bong saluted his fellow nominees, particularly Martin Scorsese, and concluded: “Now I’m ready to drink until tomorrow.”

After the Dolby Theatre had emptied out, the “Parasite” team still remained on the stage, soaking in their win. Backstage, Bong was still gobsmacked. “It’s really f—ing crazy,” he told reporters, clutching his awards.

The victory for “Parasite”—which had echoes of the surprise win by “Moonlight” over “La La Land” three years ago— came in a year when many criticized the lack of diversity in the nominees and the absence of female filmmakers. But the triumph for “Parasite,” the Palme d’Or-winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, enabled Hollywood to flip the script and signal progress, nevertheless.

No Korean film had ever won an Oscar before.

There were milestones beyond “Parasite.” In winning best adapted screenplay for his Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit,” the New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi became the first indigenous director ever to win an Oscar. He dedicated the award to “all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art,

radically different backgrounds…I realized no one was going to represent the Asian American identity and what that is, and so I did something which I’d never done... talking about what the model minority myth is in 10 minutes, and why it’s harmful…I think for a long time I felt like my perspective doesn’t matter, or culturally it’s hard to let myself have that perspective, which is often different than other people of color at a table. I’m finally ...embracing that voice.”

There are many moments in ENSO that are enjoyable exactly because they are openings into deeply felt and considered parts of Pai’s life. Same Cloth, one of the most moving chapters in the book, describes Pai’s encounters with racism, and her responses to it. In this chapter, she tells about a Confederate flag that was raised next door shortly after she and her husband moved into a home in Texas. During that time, Pai also received hateful emails that referenced the fact that she was married to a white man.

ENSŌ shows us a woman doing her best to live her life journey with integrity in every aspect—artistic, spiritual, personal, professional. Pai shares her process so that readers can come to the book and find out, how does one be an artist? How does one be an artist and mother? An artist and a student? An artist and a child? An artist and a lover? ENSŌ proves that people make sense, that we should trust our own processes, and let our own perfect yet imperfect circles develop.  ENSŌ can be found at entreriosbooks. com. Information about Shin Yu Pai and her upcoming appearances and projects can be found at shinyupai.com.

Kai can be reached at info@nwasiasnweekly.com.

dance and write stories.”

“We are the original storytellers,” Waititi said.

“Joker” composer Hildur Guðnadóttir became only the third woman to ever win best original score. ”To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters who hear the music opening within, please speak up,” said Guðnadóttir. “We need to hear your voices.”

Awards were spread around to all of the best picture nominees, with the lone exception being Scorsese’s 10-time nominee “The Irishman.” When Bong mentioned his admiration of Scorsese, an impromptu tribute broke out, with the Dolby Theatre giving Scorsese a standing ovation.

All of the acting winners—Brad Pitt, Renée Zellweger, Joaquin Phoenix and Laura Dern—went as expected. While Pitt, notching his first acting Oscar, had regaled audiences with one-liners in the run-up to the Oscars, he began his comments on a political note.

“They told me I have 45 seconds to speak, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,” Pitt said, alluding to the impeachment hearings before mentioning director Quentin Tarantino. “I’m thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it.”

Pitt said the honor had given him reason to reflect on his fairy-tale journey in the film industry, going back to when he moved to Los Angeles from Missouri.

“Once upon a time in Hollywood,” said Pitt. “Ain’t that the truth.”

asianweekly northwest

15

Zellweger completed a comeback, winning her second Academy Award for her fragile but indomitable Judy Garland in “Judy.” Dern won for her performance as a divorce attorney in Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story.” Accepting her first Oscar, Dern thanked her in-attendance parents, “my legends, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern.”

Phoenix, long one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, took best actor for his limber but morose Joker. In his acceptance speech, Phoenix spoke deliberately about a host of issues, including sexism and racism in the film industry, ecological disaster and vegetarianism.

“I’ve been a scoundrel in my life. I’ve been selfish, I’ve been cruel at times and hard to work with. But so many of you in this room have given me a second chance,” Phoenix said. When people guide each other toward redemption, he added, “that is the best of humanity.”

He concluded quoting a lyric of his deceased brother, River Phoenix: “Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.”

For the 87th time, no women were nominated for best director this year, a subject that was woven into the entire ceremony—and even into some attendees’ clothing. Natalie Portman wore a cape lined with the names of female filmmakers who weren’t nominated for their direction, including Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”), Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Mati Diop (“Atlantics”). 

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38 YEARS

FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21, 2020

WE’RE HERE.

WE COUNT.

CENSUS

Complete the census.

2020 2020census.gov