VOL 38 NO 16 | APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

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VOL 38 NO 16 APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

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37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Andrew who?

Photo from yang2020.com

The only Asian presidential candidate is coming to Seattle

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Want to meet the only Asian American among the more than 20 Democratic presidential candidates?

You can. He’s coming to Seattle.

Born in New York, Andrew Yang, a venture capitalist, plans to hold a rally on May 3 at the Gasworks Park at 6 p.m. The Chinese community is organizing a reception for Yang at the China Harbor Restaurant at 7:30 p.m.

Some Chinese immigrants said Yang, 44, is the first Asian American to run for president. Not true. Yang is the first Democrat to seek that office. The first was Hiram Fong, a Republican and U.S. Senator from Hawaii. He ran for president in 1964.

Yang might be an unknown, but he has already attracted over 80,000 donors from at least 20 states, and fans in the Seattle Chinese community. He proposes a universal basic income, in which every citizen over the age of 18 is entitled to $1,000 per month. The idea is to protect those losing their jobs from the impact of automation and artificial intelligence. Some said it would create trillions of dollars in debt for the country. However, Yang has said during network interviews see YANG on 15

Andrew Yang

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Federal prosecutors accused two Oregon college students of scamming Apple out of $900,000 by allegedly importing counterfeit see SCAM on 3

Lawsuit alleges Issaquah officers’ use of excessive force led to elderly man’s death Immigrant’s death was ruled a homicide by King County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to lawsuit.

By Ashley Hiruko This article first appeared in the Issaquah Reporter REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

Photo courtesy of Loevy & Loevy Attorneys at Law

Oregon students from China accused of scamming Apple out of $900K

A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that a 66-year-old Chinese immigrant man was killed in August 2018 as a result of two Issaquah police officers using excessive force when none was justified.

The legal action was filed April 3 in U.S. District Court in Seattle on behalf of Wangshen Leng by his widow and wife of 30 years, Liping Yang. The

A photo of Wangshen Leng taken in downtown Issaquah.

lawsuit lists the city of Issaquah and two Issaquah police officers as defendants.

Leng’s death was ruled a homicide by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the lawsuit. William Barbour with the examiner’s office confirmed this on April 4. He further elaborated that it was a result of “aspiration pneumonia due to post-traumatic syringomyelia cervical spinal cord that was due to blunt force injury of the neck.” see LENG on 4

MOVIES REVIEWS  7

Photo by Becky Chan/NWAW

Training days with SPD on bias free policing

By Becky Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Personal responsibility is the key to individual success” flashed on the screen. It’s early Friday morning, the 13 students fidgeted as they stood in a line across the back of the classroom.

■

see SPD on 11

Officer Martin Welte conducts training for new SPD officers.

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37 YEARS

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Sterling named top performing community bank

Vakharia, 29, has a 3.84 GPA. Born in India, she is the first in her family to go beyond 10th grade. A mother of a 6-month-old son, Vakharia dreams of becoming a CPA. 

Sharon Jang selected as New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Fukuis get Supplier of the Year Award

Sharon Jang

Sterling Bank & Trust’s grand opening in Bellevue, which has a sizable Asian community

For the second year in a row, Sterling Bank & Trust was named the top performing community bank in the United States with total assets between $3 billion and $10 billion by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Sterling has 13 neighborhood branches in San Francisco and an additional seven in the Bay area. They have expanded along the West Coast into Los Angeles and Seattle, where they have a loan production office. 

Vakharia named All-Washington Scholar

Highline College student Vaishali Vakharia earned statewide recognition for her accomplishments.

The Kent resident was honored as a member of the 2019 AllWashington Academic Team.

She and other top scholars from the state’s 34 community and technical colleges attended a March 21 awards ceremony in Olympia.

Vaishali Vakharia By being named to the AllWashington team, Vakharia earned $500 in scholarships — $250 given by KeyBank and $250 by the Highline College Foundation.

Tacoma Community College announced on March 21 that one of its students, Sharon Jang, was recognized as Washington’s New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar.

Jang is working towards a career in dentistry. To support her continuing education, Jang will receive a total of $9,250 in scholarships — including $5,000 from Follett Higher

Education.

The scholarships will be presented at the American Association of Community Colleges Convention (AACC) in Orlando, Fla. this month.

Jang, who was also honored as a member of the 2019 All-Washington Academic Team, will attend the AACC event.  Frank Fukui (second from left) and Penny Fukui (second from right).

Woodburn Company, owned by Frank and Penny Fukui, was honored as Supplier of the Year 2018 by the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council at their celebratory awards ceremony on March 20.

The award recognized outstanding business performance, honored community involvement, and emphasized the use of entrepreneurial skills and creativity.

Woodburn Company has a long history in the managed print services, print security, and office products industry.

In their acceptance speech, Frank Fukui thanked his business partner, Ben Johnson.

Three-hundred business and government leaders attended the awards banquet held at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport - Southcenter. 

Keiro NW’s new interim administrator

Esther Densmore began her new position with Keiro NW last month as its new interim administrator.

Densmore is a graduate of Texas A&M and she has an MHA from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. She also began her internship (doing her administratorin-training program) in Esther Densmore a skilled nursing facility during her master’s program. Densmore now has three years of long-term care field experience. She is a former yoga and group fitness instructor. 

47th Annual Friendship Dinner & Auction

Saturday, May 18, 2019, 5:30pm The Westin Bellevue

Guest Speaker: Attorney General Bob Ferguson | Emcee: Robert Mak Tickets & Event Info

www.cisc-seattle.org

RSVP by May 4 ● $150 per person Sponsors To Date:

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

asianweekly northwest

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Searching for Chinese American WWII veterans

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) of Seattle is working to identify and locate local Chinese American World War II veterans, or their next of kin.

On Dec. 20, 2018, the Chinese American WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act was signed into law. CACA, in collaboration with Cathay Post

#186, Dorrienne Chinn, Sue Mar, June Wong, and Tina Young, hope to register as many veterans as possible to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

If any local veterans want to travel to Washington, D.C. for the first medal ceremony, CACA Seattle will fundraise for their travel. The national CACA is also fundraising so that no veteran will have to pay for their medal. see CACA on 12

Eastside Chinese turn to service, to change perceptions

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The house on the corner has rotting, moss-soaked shingles.

It has chipped paint on the door. And toilet paper accumulates on its ill-tended lawn. Amidst the other neat, tidy, and immaculate houses and lawns in a suburb east of Seattle, it is an anomaly.

And for many residents of the Eastside — who according to community leaders and school officials have similar eyesores in similarly immaculate neighborhoods — it is a sign of a new immigrant Chinese investor.

“This is not a perception,” said one community leader who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the subject. “They buy homes and don’t live in them, newspapers pile up, people are concerned, they look like sh**. It not only brings down the property value, it’s not safe for kids with squatters and drug users moving in.”

Media coverage of “absentee landlords” from China who have parked money in Eastside homes is not new.

But now an increasing number of new Chinese immigrants, aware of such issues, are taking social action to give back to

the community, not only to change perceptions but also to foster pride among their children.

Little Masters Club, an organization of new Chinese immigrants, with a membership of almost 2,000 families, for the last five years has been fundraising at Microsoft to contribute to local PTSAs, visiting Children’s Hospital and Mary’s Place to lead activities, and educating local Chinese about the importance of giving blood.

“We have two principles,” said Amanda Han, the group’s founder. “We believe that kids gain pride by sharing their skills with the community at large, and we believe that the kids should do it themselves.”

Little Masters was originally focused on activities within the Chinese community, such as a radio station for kids or fundraising to allow students to take mission trips to poor communities in China and offer financial and technical support.

“In the past, the Chinese were thinking only of taking care of themselves,” added Han. The club was meant as a way for teenagers to act as teachers, and she believes peer-to-peer coaching was more motivational than traditional education.

“We were in survival mode.”

Mich Matsudaira memorial The memorial for Martin “Mich” Matsudaira is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at Seattle’s Immaculate Conception Church on 820 18th Avenue. The service will begin at 11 a.m.

Matsudaira, who grew up in Seattle’s International District, passed away on March 24.

He was the first executive director of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (formerly called the Washington State Commission on Asian American Affairs during his tenure) and prior to that, he was the executive director of the Governor’s Asian American Advisory Council.

Matsudaira is survived by four children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. 

SCAM from 1 iPhones and exchanging them for legitimate ones.

According to court documents, Yangyang Zhou and Quan Jiang sent fake iPhones back to Apple claiming they did not work. When the tech giant sent a new, legitimate replacement phone, the pair would sell them to a broker — usually overseas, according to a federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Oregon in March. Both students would get a cut of the profit, federal prosecutors allege. All of the sales were done online.

Zhou was a student at Oregon State

Martin “Mich” Matsudaira

in Corvallis, while Jiang attended Linn Benton Community College in Albany.

Both were attending on legal foreign student visas.

The two men — both engineering students — said in an interview with investigators that they would pay friends and relatives to accept the replacement phones at addresses in China. Even Jiang’s mother was involved in the fraudulent scheme, according to investigators.

Jiang could face as much as 30 years in prison and $2 million in fines, if convicted. Zhou faces a $10,000 fine and a maximum of five years in prison. 

But the club grew and more families joined. Little Masters now has three WeChat groups of 500 members each and a fourth one is almost to the limit of 500. The community has extended its practice of encouraging kids to share resources with the larger society.

Along the way, club leaders had to adapt to a new society.

While in China, it is common for students to sell artwork for charities, such as schools for the children of migrant farmers.

Here, an attempt to do so was a failure.

“The kids felt they weren’t any good at fundraising,” said Han. “So instead of giving money, they decided to put on activities.”

At Mary’s Place, a homeless shelter for women and children, and at Children’s Hospital, they volunteered their time and shared Chinese cooking and games.

Learning from that experience, the club created a program to train its young members in fundraising.

Starting in 2015, they began a program of skits for children to learn how to talk to strangers.

“We taught them that you must look people in the eyes and see EASTSIDE on 12

asianweekly northwest

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMENTARY Now is the time to stand in solidarity on affirmative action

By Sam Cho BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS FOR CIVIC EMPOWERMENT COMMISSIONER WITH THE COMMISSION ON ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN AFFAIRS History is repeating itself on affirmative action. Except this time, it feels different. Perhaps it’s because of the national attention around the lawsuit against Harvard. Or maybe it’s because Washington state is wrestling with its own version of the debate around the repeal of I-200. But once again, the discourse around affirmative action has been hijacked to be about how race-conscious policies are hurting Asian Americans.

One thing is for certain: If the debate on affirmative action is going to be centered around Asian Americans, it is incumbent upon us to take control of that discourse.

The tokenization of Asian Americans to serve as a talking

LENG from 1 The documents state that the injury occurred “during encounter between law enforcement and individual with previous undiagnosed severe age-related cervical spine degenerative changes.”

The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) has an open investigation into the circumstances related to the incident.

The request for the examination was put in on Sept. 7, 2018. Due to the investigation being open and an ongoing lawsuit, the sheriff’s office could not further elaborate, said KCSO spokesperson Ryan Abbott.

The lawsuit names the two officers, and the Reporter is still trying to confirm whether they have been charged or disciplined.

On Aug. 5, 2018, two Issaquah officers responded to the couple’s apartment after receiving a 911 call about yelling taking place somewhere in the apartment building. The lawsuit states the pair was enjoying a quiet day at home when the two officers knocked on their door.

Communication was difficult between the parties. The couple moved to Issaquah from China in 2010, and spoke little English. The lawsuit alleges that the officers seized Leng instead of making an effort to communicate or obtain help.

“Doing so was unjustified,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Leng had not committed any crime or done anything unlawful; he had merely walked around his apartment while speaking his native language, which the officers did not understand.”

However, the city of Issaquah wrote in a statement

point for conservatives in their case against affirmative action has many problems. For one, our community is not monolithic. We are a diverse group of over 50 ethnicities and 300 languages. So who are they really referring to when they say affirmative action hurts Asian Americans?

To paint Asian Americans with such a broad brush is an injustice in itself, especially to the Southeast Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who are often forgotten in these debates.

In reality, the debate around affirmative action is far more nuanced, and for an informed opinion on the issue, we must remember why these policies were created in the first place — to bring balance to a system that perpetuates institutionalized inequality, to even the playing field for disadvantaged people of color, and to promote diversity in our institutions.

The fact is, affirmative action goes far beyond college admissions. It has implications for small businesses,

government contracts, and even access to social and healthcare programs. As a community that has a large group of first generation immigrant small business owners and faces disproportionate health risks for diseases like hepatitis B, diabetes, and stomach cancer, it would be a mistake to be against race-conscious policies. So instead of fighting over whether or not we should have race-conscious policies at all, we should be talking about how these policies can be tailored to better serve our communities. Defending these policies while looking out for the interest of our own community is not mutually exclusive.

In truth, this insidious debate sheds light on a more fundamental problem of how Asian Americans are perceived in today’s America. The model minority myth is dangerous precisely because the perceived success of a few seem to outweigh the struggles of the many. In

that “Mr. Leng’s wife answered the door and officers observed that Mr. Leng was holding his wife from behind.

The door began to close, potentially keeping the officers from investigating further. The officers then entered the residence to further investigate the possible domestic violence situation, and separate the parties.”

There was no arrest warrant, search warrant or other lawful basis for entering the home or grabbing the man, the plaintiffs assert. The lawsuit also alleges that no crime was observed, and that the officers forcibly grabbed Leng by the arms and stormed into the apartment.

The lawsuit alleges that the officers threw Leng on the couch and began to bend his arms behind his back, applying pressure to his spinal cord.

In its statement, the city said officers attempted to detain Leng to continue their investigation.

“Due to Mr. Leng’s resistance, the officers held him by the arms and moved him to a couch to safely handcuff him,” the statement reads.

Handcuffs were placed on Leng and he went limp, according to the lawsuit. Medical testing would later confirm that the officers’ use of force broke Leng’s neck, compressed his spine and broke his cervical spine, causing irretrievable damage, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states that Leng’s injuries were so severe that an emergency surgery was required, and the outlook during this time was bleak.

Attorney David Owens, who represents the plaintiffs, said following the incident, the police department conducted an investigation into the officers’ use of force. And to Owens’ understanding, the department ruled the amount of force

that was used was appropriate.

“At best Mr. Leng could expect to be confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his life, owing to the debilitating spinal fracture and permanent orthostatic hypotension,” the lawsuit states. Leng was in pain for 31 days after the encounter before he succumbed to his injuries on Sept. 5, 2018.

“I think it’s really important to understand not only that this tragedy happened, but that the Issaquah Police Department had no problem with this incident…the true tragedy that lies under the heart of this is why would two officers think this was okay to do?” Owens said. “To go and use this kind of force and cause harm to elderly people should be shocking. It’s shocking to me and the city should do something about it.”

The lawsuit also alleges a coverup. In their police reports, the two officers allegedly minimized their actions and in one report, they claimed there were no injuries as a result of the incident, even though the officers called for medical aid. The lawsuit continues that the city of Issaquah “found no problems” with the officers’ use of force and that the officers were not disciplined.

“The actions of the Defendant Officers were obviously unconstitutional and unlawful. They killed an elderly man who had not done anything wrong,” the lawsuit states.

“In the aftermath, however, the city did not repudiate the officers; it ratified their conduct. Among other things, the city’s supervisors approved of the Defendant Officers’ conduct and did not scrutinize their actions whatsoever.” 

KING COUNTY, WA NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for E00595E19, West Point Treatment Plant Raw Sewage Pump Replacement Project; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on April 22, 2019.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $5,000,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $10,500,000 There is a 15% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractor and Supplier (SCS) firms on this contract.

Contact: Lourdes Bonifacio, lbonifacio@kingcounty.gov, 206263-3259

see COMMENTARY on 12

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ WORLD NEWS More Indonesians join cases against Boeing after CEO apology

By NINIEK KARMINI ASSOCIATED PRESS JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — More families of victims of the Lion Air crash in Indonesia are suing Boeing Co. after its chief executive apologized and said a software update for the MAX 8 jet would prevent further disasters.

Family members and lawyers said on April 8 that CEO Dennis Muilenburg’s comment related to an automated flight system was an admission that helps their cases.

The anti-stall system is suspected as a cause of the Lion Air crash in October and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March that also involved a MAX 8 jet. The two crashes killed a total of 346 people.

Preliminary reports into both crashes found that faulty sensor readings erroneously triggered the antistall system that pushed the plane’s nose down. Pilots of each plane struggled in vain to regain control.

Families of 11 Lion Air victims said at a news conference organized

by Jakarta law firm Kailimang & Ponto that they are joining dozens of other Indonesian families in filing lawsuits against Boeing.

“Boeing’s CEO explicitly apologized to 346 passenger families,’’

said Merdian Agustin, whose husband died in the crash. “We hope this is good momentum to have compensation rights.’’

Agustin, the mother of three children, said that she and dozens of other families have not received 1.2 billion rupiah ($85,000) compensation they are entitled to in Indonesia because they refused to sign a “release and discharge’’ document that extinguishes their right to sue Lion Air, Boeing or their subsidiaries.

“We refused to sign such a document containing statements that are treating our loved ones like lost baggage,’’ Agustin said. “It’s ridiculous and hurts us.’’

Boeing acknowledged that the sensor malfunctioned and Muilenburg said earlier this month that a new software update would prevent future incidents. “It’s our responsibility to eliminate this risk,’’ Muilenburg said in a video statement. “We own it, and we know how to do it.’’

Lawyer Michael Indrajana said that since the crash, families in Indonesia have faced a complicated and painful process against Boeing and Lion Air in their battle to get compensation.

He said the Boeing CEO’s statement shows the airline is now acknowledging responsibility.

“No amount of money can bring their loved ones back,’’ he said.

“We want to fight for the orphans, so they have the opportunity to get a better future.’’

Boeing said that it will cut production of its troubled 737 Max airliner starting in mid-April, underscoring the growing financial risk it faces the longer that its bestselling plane remains grounded.

The company said the production cut will allow it to focus on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in the crashes.

The move was not a complete surprise. Boeing had already suspended deliveries of the Max in March after regulators around the world grounded the jet.

Boeing also announced it is creating a special board committee to

5

review airplane design and development.

The announcement to cut production comes after Boeing acknowledged that a second software issue has emerged that needs fixing on the Max — a discovery that explained why the aircraft maker had pushed back its ambitious schedule for getting the planes back in the air. 

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR APR 12

GARCHEN RINPOCHE’S GURU YOGA North Seattle Community College, Old Cafeteria in College Center Bldg, 9800 College Way N., Seattle 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

12-14

CAPAA’S SAPPHIRE CELEBRATION: OBSERVING 45 YEARS OF SERVICE Eden Seattle, 1950 1st Ave. S., Seattle 5–9:30 p.m. capaa45.brownpapertickets. com AAINA: SOUTH ASIAN PROFESSIONAL WOMEN PRESENTS “DREAM BIG” Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave., Seattle 4-6 p.m. https://bit.ly/2WYz8CA

14TH YONI KI BAAT SEATTLE Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave., Seattle April 12 at 7 p.m.

April 13 at 7 p.m.

April 14 at 2 p.m. https://bit.ly/2YXGAPX

DOWNTOWN RENTON ROOFTOP DRAGON UNVEILING The Old Western Hotel building, corner of S. Third St. and Wells Ave. 4-9 p.m.; artwork unveiling at 8 p.m. rentonwa.gov

13

13 & 14

10TH ANNUAL AHA MELE HAWAIIAN FESTIVAL Chief Leschi Schools, 5625 52nd St. E., Puyallup 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

CAPITOL HILL ANIME COSPLAY PUB CRAWL Capitol Hill 4 p.m.

KING COUNTY, WA NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01344C19, Taylor Creek Mitigation Project; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on 5/2/19. Late bids will not be accepted.

Scope of Work: The project consists of creating wetland areas east of Taylor Creek, placement of wood throughout the project area, removal of two existing bridges, and replacement

14

18

TAIKO CONCERT-YUICHI KIMURA & DAICHI NO KAI Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle 2-4 p.m.

Tickets at https://bit.ly/2KplDu0

HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK Seattle’s ChinatownInternational District 4-7 p.m.

16 A FISTFUL OF INCENSE: BASARA AND THE MEDIEVAL ORIGINS OF JAPANESE MAXIMALISM UW, Kane Hall Room 210 7–8:30 p.m. washinkai.info

17 CONGRESSMAN ADAM SMITH’S ANNUAL TASTE OF THE 9TH DISTRICT Renton Community Center, 1715 Maple Valley Hwy., Renton 6-8 p.m.

Seattle 3-8 p.m.

DORJE SEMPA (VAJRASATTVA) VISUALIZATION North Seattle Community College, Old Cafeteria in College Center Bldg., 9800 College Way N., Seattle 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

18-20 VIR DAS IN BELLEVUE, “THE LOVED TOUR” Parlor Billiards, 700 Bellevue Way NE Ste. 300, Bellevue 10–11 p.m. tickets.vendini.com

19 MIRAI - SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS Uptown Cinemas, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle 11 a.m.–1 p.m. siff.net

19-21 SAKURA-CON 2019 Washington State Convention Center, Seattle $70–$80 sakuracon.org

20 JCCCW’S TOMODACHI GALA Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, Renton 5 p.m. info8sea2fuk@yahoo.com

TIMELESS TAIWAN: TRAIN TO FORMOSA Husky Union Building, 4001 E. Stevens Way N.E.,

of one pedestrian bridge. Work includes erosion and sediment control, salvage and re-use of trees with rootwads, excavation, fill, haul and stockpiling onsite, grading, and placement of wood as habitat features, temporary dewatering, and temporary water isolation system. The Contractor will be required to design and install a temporary water isolation system along Taylor Creek as well as a temporary dewatering system during wetland creation to the east of Taylor Creek to meet water quality requirements provided in the project permits.

Estimated contract price: $1,251,000

Pre-Bid(s): 04/16/2019, 10:00 a.m.¸ 20916 Maxwell Road Southeast, Maple Valley, WA 98038 There is a 10% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement on this contract.

There is a 10% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

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

View the solution on page 14

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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.”

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

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

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES “MASTER Z: IP MAN LEGACY” offers action as slice-of-life

asianweekly northwest

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“ASH IS PUREST WHITE” A gangster film unlike any other

 

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The “Ip Man” film series, so far, kept fairly close to the legend (and to a certain extent, the life) of Ip Man himself, a real-life Cantonese master of Wing Chun. Ip Man dominated Chinese martial arts during the early half of the 20th century, and taught, among others, a young Bruce Lee. However, this latest film in the franchise

takes off in a different direction. “Master Z: Ip Man Legacy” starts where such films would often end — a wild duel between masters — leaving Ip Man victorious and his rival, Cheung Tin Chi (played by Max Zhang), in the dust.

But the story then follows the vanquished man as he tries to disappear into civilian life.

He’s ashamed and disgusted with his failure, see MASTER Z on 12

By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Ash is Purest White” director Jia Zhangke is an internationally recognized film director and screenwriter from China. I started experiencing deja vu while watching the film. The similarities between Zhangke’s 2015 film, “Mountains May Depart,” are numerous — movie split into three time periods, the crazy third act, and the same lead actress, Zhao Tao. After watching the movie, I did a little research and discovered Zhao Tao is Jia Zhangke’s wife and has been in five of his films.

While watching the film, you will notice one word that is translated into pinyin rather than English: “jianghu.”

This briefly translates into code of honor.

I am lucky that my wife, Tracy, was with me to help interpret some of the scenes.

The title, “Ash is Purest White,” is derived from our two leading actors chatting about a volcano. Their conversation will serve as a foreshadow for what lies ahead in their relationship.

The movie begins in 2001 as we follow Bin (Fan Liao), the leader of a gang, and see ASH on 14

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37 YEARS

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

■ BUSINESS

Naan-N-Curry

Dishing up delicious food on the Eastside

Photos from Naan -N- Curry

By Vivian Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Shan Janjua at the Issaquah location.

Through serving up flavorful naans, curries, and biryanis, Naan -N- Curry has long gained a reputation for serving up some of the best Pakistani and Indian food on the Eastside.

The original Naan -N- Curry location, which opened

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sitting in the back of a van with the catering leftovers when the food suddenly fell on him after Majid made a sharp turn.

“That was life for me at the time,” said Shan. “It was normal to see all that food and the accidents that happened in the food industry. Being around food all the time was normal, and I was always fascinated when [my dad] was cooking in the kitchen, and all these yummy foods would just come out of it.”

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Shan Janjua, who is Majid’s oldest child of three, grew up working in the kitchen next to his father. Shan regularly supported the family’s first restaurant in Fremont, and washed dishes, bussed tables, and took orders in addition to accompanying Majid to catering events. Shan recalled a time when he and his father were returning from a catering job around midnight. A young child at the time, Shan was

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

asianweekly northwest

9

‘A.P. Bio’ star Mary Sohn on her Korean parents and holding it down for the regular Asian ladies

Last spring, actor and comedian Mary Sohn landed on a network TV show after years of hard work performing on cruise ships and waiting tables. Sohn was talking to her mom who, at that point, was finally much more on board with her daughter’s unconventional career path.

Sohn’s mom was so excited for her daughter’s big break that she told all of her church friends to tune in on March 1, 2018, to watch the premiere of her daughter’s show.

“I remember saying to her, ‘I know you told all your friends to watch, but it’s pretty dark,’” Sohn said. “‘Just know that — we’re not talking about Jesus that much.’”

Sohn’s mom and her friends ended up receiving the show well and were impressed!

“I think it was because the comprehension level was not — very high,” Sohn said.

“I was like, ‘Yeah! Yeah! Talk about the clothes some more!’”

Sohn’s show is NBC’s “A.P. Bio,” a halfhour comedy series centered about a selfloathing and disgraced former Harvard philosophy professor (played by Glenn Howerton) who reluctantly returns to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio where he pretty much scams his way into teaching Advanced Placement Biology at the local high school. He actually doesn’t teach biology to his students at all — he actually spends all of class time making plans to ruin the life of his arch-nemesis.

“A.P. Bio” is now in its second season, and Sohn plays Mary Wagner, an art teacher at Whitlock High School. She is part of a rich ensemble class that includes other teachers (played by Patton Oswalt, Paula Pell, Jean Villepique, and Lyric Lewis) and students (Aparna Brielle, Nick Peine, Allisyn Ashley Arm, Eddie Leavy, and more).

Early life

Sohn is from Champaign, Illinois area, which is two hours south of Chicago by car.

She describes the place where she grew up as a farm town. She is the third and youngest girl of two Korean American immigrants.

The South Korea that Sohn’s parents grew up in was one of the poorest countries in the world following the end of the Korean War in 1953. They immigrated to the United States for a better life, following the lead of a Sohn’s maternal uncle, who settled in Iowa.

Sohn’s dad had gone to college in Seoul before he completed pharmacy school in Iowa. He realized his dream of becoming a pharmacist in his adopted home country.

Sohn’s mother became a grade school ESL teacher. Two of the couple’s daughters followed in their footsteps — today, their oldest daughter is a pharmacist, and their middle daughter is a teacher.

“My parents were pretty strict,” Sohn said. “But I’m the third out of three girls, so by the time they got to me, they were like, ‘Meh. We’ve already got a smartie. We’ve already got a good kid.’ … I truly am the black sheep.”

Growing up, Sohn watched her dad act as the unofficial mayor of their church.

He emceed events and, she said, was very funny and perhaps modeled a sense of humor that she’d later take inspiration from and develop into a career. Like her father, Sohn really gravitated to the stage at church.

Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Mary Sohn

As a kid, she’d pretend to be an interviewer and would host a talk show.

Sohn’s father passed away six years ago.

“My mom filled those shoes after that, and I realized how insanely funny she is,” Sohn said. “She really stepped into who she was.”

Being a performer

Before she was bitten by the bug, Sohn was actually on track to follow in her dad and older sister’s footsteps. She planned on studying medicine when she entered college.

But then she caught a Second City live performance during her first semester. The Second City is a famous improv comedy troupe based out of Chicago, that has churned out a high number of well-known comedians, actors, directors, and more.

“I was really blown away,” said Sohn. “It like, moved my soul.”

So she started taking classes, changed her plans, changed her major, changed her projection of her future, and never looked back.

“I remember telling my grandmother that I was going to be theater major,” said Sohn.

“And her words over the phone was, ‘That’s a thing? You can get a degree in theater?’”

Sohn also remembers her dad coming to one of her shows with Second City, though.

She remembers feeling like he understood what she was doing.

Over the course of her career, Sohn has written and performed a number of shows with Second City, done voice overs, commercials, and industrial films for companies like Bayer Aspirin and Toyota, and Eli Lilly, and has acted in film and television, notably in “Hello Ladies,” “Love,” and “The Boss.”

The road to her current state has involved a lot of hard work and also just sheer belief in herself and love of what she is doing. For a long time, she looked around and saw the lack of roles and lack of representation of Asians in television and film and — going to what she described as “Midwestern insecurity” — really bought into the belief that she was lucky to even get jobs. She worried about whether or not Asian Americans were even going to want her to represent them.

“We are still pretty far behind,” said Sohn.

“We are not really there yet, when it comes to real representation. We have ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ these aspirational characters, but we haven’t infiltrated the system enough to just be ourselves, to just tell our own stories

EPIC VIEW CONDOS IN EDMONDS

that aren’t filled with money and glamor. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, Crazy Rich Asians!

This is great!’ But what about regular-ass Asians?”

Sohn said that Asian American actors contend with a lot of subtle microaggressions in the industry — sometimes it’s as simple as not having a stylist or makeup artist on set that understands Asian skin tones and how makeup should be applied because there is an assumption or a lack of concern, that makeup techniques and products for white skin tones is fine enough for use on someone non-white.

Sohn said that there are also not many parts for Asian American women. And then within the parts that are available, many of which are what she describes as “mousy IT secretaries,” roles, ones that lean on tired tropes of Asian Americans.

“I know, for me — I know that there will be less. I won’t be going out for as many roles — because now I choose to let those go,” she said. “And I can say, ‘That’s not me. That’s not the stereotype I’d like to portray.’ It’s not a challenging role for me. Yeah, the pool starts to get smaller, but I think that’s the fight — to push back against that and to believe there’s [going to be] enough for all of us.”

‘A.P. Bio’

Sohn’s character’s name on “A.P. Bio” is also named Mary, and that’s probably because show creator Mike O’Brien, is a friend of Sohn’s and wrote the part based on an amalgamation of her, his sister, and his sister’s friends.

The Mary character on the show is sassy, brassy, loud, and joyful. She loves giving unsolicited advice, and she is also sometimes more immature than her students. “Plus, she has terrible taste in men, and she says sorry too much,” said Sohn. “She is a whole person.”

And she has been well-received by the Asian Americans that Sohn has talked to.

“The response I’ve gotten goes against my fear, of people saying, ‘Oh no, you’re not the Asian person we want representing us,’” see SOHN on 12

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asianweekly northwest

10

37 YEARS

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Music to my ears Rehearsal

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Music is a powerful tool to develop a child’s cognitive skills, and help with memory for the elderly, according to scientific studies.

So, when someone invited me to visit the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO) rehearsal, I said yes. SYSO is the largest and oldest youth orchestra in America since 1942.

There are three things I noticed about the youth orchestra.

First, the majority of its members are Asians. The members come from all over the state. And the youth’s punctuality is amazing. On a Saturday morning when I was there, only one out of 117 students was a few minutes late.

While thousands of people packed the University of Washington quad enjoying cherry blossoms in bloom on Mar. 29, SYSO teenagers ignored the flowers’ charm and the bustling crowd, and headed towards the first building, the Music Hall.

Down three levels, on the basement level, with their musical instruments, they prepared for an important milestone. SYSO will have its big performance at the Benaroya Hall on May 5.

Traditionally, it is a sold-out performance.

I was in awe to see SYSO members so dedicated. Don’t kids like to sleep in on a Saturday morning? Or go to sports practice? Or do something else for fun?

Shintaro Taneda said the rehearsal is “truly a highlight” of her week.

“I’m able to learn a variety of different orchestral repertoire to prepare me for the future, and able to talk to my friends and make new connections. It’s fun to talk to others with similar interests, since that is not always possible at public schools.”

Music is a universal language, bonding human relationships.

It exceeds the capability of languages.

“A huge part of SYSO is about community,” said Alice Ikeda, SYSO board president and former alum. “Once you are in the most advanced orchestra, the kids are coming from all over the region — as far away as Vancouver .B.C to Vancouver, Wash. to participate. These are kids wanting to perform at the highest level possible with other kids who love music the way they do.”

Can you imagine some parents having to drive as many as 100 miles to Seattle for their children’s rehearsals?

Recalling her SYSO days, Ikeda, a former Roosevelt High School student, said one of her bandmates was from Bellingham.

“I met amazing kids that I would never had the opportunity to meet otherwise. And we were all different. We represented many cultures, many personalities, different socio-economic circumstances, and different regions... but we all bonded over playing music and we learned that a diverse community

coming together could create beautiful things together.”

Yoshi Minegishi, one of the SYSO board members, said these students are “very disciplined. They started on time, and [it’s] fast paced (in the rehearsal).”

Once the students were inside the room, they immediately settled down, tuned their instruments, and were ready to play.

There was little talking in the room. The only noise was the instruments and the sheet music being placed on the music stand.

The group of 14- to 19-year-olds might be young, but their passion and commitment are as strong as adult members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. If you don’t look at them and just listen to their performance, you can’t really tell they are kids.

Some of the students might be in both the school orchestra, as well as SYSO. Ikeda said the difference between the two is that SYSO is much tougher.

“People pay tickets to watch SYSO and are considered to be professional artists,” said Ikeda.

Minegishi said some SYSO alumni are now musicians of major orchestras across the country. When asked about SYSO’s track record, SYSO instantly emailed me an impressive list of people who are now playing for the Seattle Symphony see BLOG on 15

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ EDITORIAL

asianweekly northwest

11

Citizen of the world

Japan may lose its first tennis superstar — Naomi Osaka. The 21-year-old currently holds U.S. and Japanese citizenship. However, by Japanese law, anyone with dual citizenship must choose whether they want to retain or give up their Japanese passport when they turn 22.

For Osaka, that moment-of-truth is coming up in six months — Oct. 16. Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father is Haitian, was born in Japan but spent most of her life in the United States. Although Osaka lives and trains in the United States, her father decided when she was young that she would represent Japan athletically because the family has “always felt Japanese.”

After her wins at the U.S. Open and Australian Open,

she was celebrated in Japan. The country has never had a No. 1-ranked tennis player. If Osaka chooses to renounce her Japanese citizenship, it would renew the debate over the archaic law. Osaka’s success has also advanced the discussion in Japan over what being Japanese means, in a society where many mixed-race Japanese still face discrimination.

Other Asian nations that don’t allow dual citizenship include China, Laos, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, and India.

While the United States does not favor dual citizenship (Rogers v. Bellei, 1971), it is not prohibited. And U.S. law does not require a dual national to elect one nationality

over another.

It’s about time that all nations allow for dual citizenship.

The diaspora has a lot to offer, but the worry of losing the citizenship of their country of birth can be an obstacle for people to actually contribute. The diverse and collective knowledge would be a huge resource.

Why not embrace and appreciate those who went away to improve their lives and are willing to return and share their skills they have learned overseas?

Officially allowing dual citizenship is a step toward acknowledging a more diverse and inclusive world. 

SPD from 1

documentary “Race: The Power of an Illusion.”

Although the provocative three-episode series was produced in 2004, Welte said it is still relevant. “History often repeats itself,” he surmised. The entire police department went through the same training and saw the documentary, which explored the meaning of race, the origin of the idea, and its consequences.

there’s no crisis afoot, and not wait around until there’s a problem.

“Appreciate the importance of procedural justice and police legitimacy” was another fundamental. Officers have little input in creating the laws but still are expected to enforce them. “There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law,” Welte said. The police uniform implies authority but doesn’t always legitimize action. He described “peacocking” as a human dynamic to strut superiority.

Officers are constantly modeling for the department, for the city, and for their own race. Fairness and due process in treatment of others promote legitimacy, which in turn promote safety, respect, and support from the community.

The last fundamental Welte shared with his students was “learn and assess the impact of individual and institutional explicit and implicit bias.” Welte brought up the term “schema,” a psychological term that describes the brain’s ability to quickly categorize information and relationship.

It is based on personal experience. It is automatic.

One may prefer Pepsi over Coke or vice versa. The brain schematically processes information, whether it’s a soda, or a person. Welte gave examples of Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, who was considered too short to be a quarterback, and singer Susan Boyle who appeared frumpy and inarticulate to the judges for a talent show. Both became successful despite what others initially perceived.

The tool-kit Welte utilizes to mitigate bias include “time and space.” Giving oneself time and space, when feasible, allows the subconscious and reflexive to become conscious and intentional. Time also allows more facts to develop to reduce error.

Welte urged the officers to think about being able to articulate their reasons for action, and ask, “Why I am doing this?”

Another tool is “education and training” to build awareness. A clear and better understanding of the community the officers serve require learning about the surroundings. Get to know their “out” groups.

Welte stressed the importance of the last tool, LEED-Listen, Explain with Equity, and Dignity.

Will the training better prepare the officers? It is impossible to collect data to measure one’s emotion. The young officers appeared to be receptive to the training and ready to make a difference. Welte noted the millennials might be more open-minded. He also saw changes in his department. He is able to discuss “white privilege” with anyone in the department, while 8-10 years ago, the conversation might be different.

Welte is under the new Collaborative Policing Bureau, headed by Assistant Chief Adrian Diaz, who advocates relational policing, a collaboration between the community and the police. Welte takes it one step further, using a mantra, “relational policing for transformational change.”

“Transactional training such as firearms and defense tactics are important, but training that transform people are even more so,” Welte said.

Whether the new officers were transformed or not, they left the class with a new awareness. They can let their uniform set themselves apart, or be a part of the community.

Their action matters. 

Seattle Police Department (SPD) Officer Martin Welte, the instructor, asked the students to move to a spot relative to their belief in the statement, ranging from “complete agreement” on one end to “disagreement” on the other end.

The students, new SPD officers and lateral transfers from other city police departments, had been on the job for three weeks. Although all wore the same navy-blue uniforms, each brought different life experiences to the classroom.

The rookie officers were about to learn about institutional racism, implicit bias, and bias mitigation from Welte, a 28year veteran and the department’s Race and Social Justice coordinator.

Seattle is the first city in the nation to have a Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), established in 2005 under former mayor Greg Nickels, who wanted to learn about equity within the city government and with the communities it served. Per Nickels, the Office for Civil Rights created the initiative in a citywide effort to end institutionalized racism, mandating training for all city departments. Each succeeding mayor has renewed the commitment to the RSJI, addressing education, community development, health, environment, jobs, housing, and criminal justice.

SPD falls within the criminal justice component and participated in areas such as human resource and contract work, but did not actively involve its sworn officers until later.

Welte, already an SPD trainer, became the RSJI coordinator in 2007. He and his fellow trainers attended a program, Perspectives on Profiling, run by the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance. After customizing the program to fit SPD’s needs, Welte and his colleagues conducted the first training for the entire department. The interactive training was to raise SPD employees’ awareness on personal bias.

In 2012, after a series of high-profile confrontations between officers and minority citizens, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a formal investigation into the SPD on the use of excess force. A visit by DOJ and negotiation on police reform ensued.

Welte said that DOJ gave an “attaboy” to the department on the training done under the initiative, which became so popular that other cities began to visit Seattle to learn from the city, especially on policing.

“We are better for it regardless of the reason for DOJ’s visit,” said Welte. He recalled prior police trainings were often conducted by expensive, outside consulting firms. In one such training, the instructors claimed they could “cure the officers of their racism.” The training was not well received. The SPD decided the message on this sensitive and serious topic is better delivered by one of its own.

Welte teaches monthly post-academy training to new officers on institutional and implicit bias over two days. On this Friday, the focus was on institutional racism.

Back in the classroom, the new officers considered the “personal responsibility” statement; some moved decisively, some hesitantly, to a spot along the line reflecting their feelings. Most congregated in the middle.

All seemed a little unsure as if it were a trick question.

Welte asked his students to explain their stands and led them in a discussion. The exercise, repeated for two more similar statements, was the prelude to showing the PBS

Summaries of the episodes: Episode 1 — “The Difference Between Us” examined an experiment conducted with a group of diverse high school students. The students sequenced and compared their own DNA. The surprising result was that the students were just as likely to match genetically with people from other races as their own. Race was invented, a social construct to further economic and political goals. Black, brown, or white are just skin colors. There is only one race — the human race.

Episode 2 — “The Story We Tell” exposed how bogus science was used historically to legitimize race, which was used to exclude for the benefit of American expansion.

Race justified the forced relocation of Native Americans, the repatriation of Mexican Americans, the internment of Japanese Americans, and the exclusion of Chinese Americans in the Chinese Exclusion Act. Race justified fear.

Episode 3 — “The House We Live In” looked at how our laws define and create race in our politics, economy, and culture to favor the “white race.” One need not to be a racist to benefit from a racist system. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun said, “To get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way.”

Color blindness won’t end racial inequality.

After each episode, Welte facilitated discussions. The diverse class spoke openly and shared thoughts about the film. Welte compared racism to a crack in the wall of a home with a faulty foundation. Cosmetic quick fixes wouldn’t alleviate the real issue, but it looked pretty. He said, “Equity meant having the same starting line for everyone, not further back for some, nor 30 yards ahead for others.”

He pointed out that people, consciously or unconsciously, sort themselves and others into groups by family, religion, or skin colors; the “in” and “out” groups. Personal biases toward groups outside of one’s comfort zone does not mean one is a racist. But how one handles these biases matters.

He added, “Individual action matters. How one’s treated is more important than the outcome.”

The class met again the following week to learn about implicit bias and ways to mitigate it. Welte reminded everyone that bias is a function of a normal brain, a human condition to have preferences. Navigating through the biases takes effort and determination.

Welte discussed three fundamentals to mitigate bias. The first was “being aware of what the city of Seattle wants from the SPD.” He asked the class, “What is the job of a police officer?”

There were many answers. In 2019, police work is no longer just responding to 911 calls. It is law enforcement, leadership, community service, and more. It is interacting with people. Welte urged the young officers to get out of their patrol cars to interact with the community when

Becky can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly?

We want to know about it. Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

12

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

MASTER Z from 7 and convinced he’ll never practice martial arts again. He settles into running a tiny grocery store.

Of course, it’s a mainstream martial arts film, and it can’t ignore the generally agreed-upon plot features in that genre.

A cute kid appears, and is sometimes put in jeopardy, so the audiences’ hearts will jump into their throats. Women must end up in jeopardy for much the same reason. A huge, hulking enemy, seemingly unbeatable, must appear — in this case, that’s drug-smuggler Owen Davidson, played by the half Filipino wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, best-known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” film series.

And most importantly, the hero must be dragged kicking and screaming back into the world of martial arts. The hero cannot escape his own essential heroic nature, no matter how hard he tries.

SOHN from 9 said Sohn. “Asian Americans have been very kind. They have said, ‘We’re so excited to see a three-dimensional Asian person on TV. Also, I think when we see Asian people on shows, we see these tiny, tiny stick-figure women. I like that, on this show, I simply am what I am. I feel valued for who I am. It’s a thrill that they connect.”

Beyond “A.P. Bio,” Sohn has a few irons in the fire, creatively. She’s doing some writing projects, trying to capture the voice of a regular Asian woman.

“One that is sometimes lazy,” she jokes.

She’s writing a pilot, trying to write a show. She describes

EASTSIDE from 3 if people are talking on the phone, not to bother them,” said Lily Yin, a member of the club.

Last year alone, the teenagers from Little Masters raised $8,400 from Microsoft for educational programs conducted by their PTSAs, said Yin. New immigrant Chinese have also taken the lead in some school auctions on the Eastside.

At Somerset Elementary in 2015, there were less than 20 Chinese parents at the PTSA auction. By 2017, the figure jumped to over 90. This year, 150 Chinese parents bought tickets for the auction and bought prizes.

And at Somerset, as at other schools on the Eastside, the auction is now led and managed by a new Chinese immigrant.

As the demographics of the school shifted from Chinese being in the minority to now comprising roughly half of the student population, Dong Hu, who chairs the auction, said he felt compelled to continue a “good tradition.”

His decision was also practical. He was worried that donors from the past might decamp when the white parents that had been running the auction stepped down after years of hard work.

COMMENTARY from 4 other words, affirmative action in itself isn’t the problem.

America’s perception of Asian Americans is.

It’s important to note that we want our community to succeed. Our hard work should be rewarded. But at the same time, we cannot be disillusioned and we must come to terms with the harsh reality that no matter how much we

CACA from 3 If our region registers a sufficient number of veterans (living or next of kin), CACA says it may schedule a local/regional ceremony in early 2020.

The U.S. Mint and the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project are working together to design the final medal. The estimated completion is around Veterans Day 2019.

If you or your relative was a WWII veteran, please register at caww2.org. Once you submit your information, it will take 4 to 6 weeks for the committee to review. You will receive notification via email as to the status.  For more information or questions, contact CACA Seattle President Cathy Lee at info@cacaseattle.org.

37 YEARS

So Max Zhang’s character hides and resolves never to fight.

But fate, in the form of gangsters, drug-runners, corrupt cops, and new friends with their own vulnerabilities, has other plans.

Zhang, who studied Chinese wushu fighting before becoming a star, seems plausible at every phase of his journey.

His resolve to change his life shows in the tight lines on his face. But when he lashes out, he convinces utterly.

Michelle Yeoh, a fine film fighter and even better dramatic actress, shines here as the leader of a criminal cabal who’s determined to take her business legit. And that, too, is a common thread in many action films, going at least as far back as the original “Godfather” films from the 1970s. But Yeoh is that extremely rare case of a performer who can fight if the script calls for it, but hardly needs such material to make her case. She isn’t given as much to work with as, say, her crowning performance (without throwing a single punch or kick) in “The Lady,” from 2011. But she can pull you in with her posture, her eyes, and the slightest shift in her lips.

The press kit makes much of guest performances from Tony Jaa, the long-running Thai martial arts master best-known for his “Ong-Bak” saga, and Hong Kong action star Yuen Wah. I was also impressed, though, with Liu Yan and Chrissie Chau as two important female figures, who struggle, in the midst of all the chaos and crime, to find themselves and fit in.

In the end, not surprisingly, action overrules all else. Fists, feet, and furniture go flying in epic battles with twists and turns, some predictable, some less so. The film promises action satisfaction and it delivers. But I was pleasantly surprised by the slices of real-looking lives. 

her projects as still being puzzle pieces, but hopefully containing stories that will be of interest and value.

She sometimes remembers the discouraging days she used to have, waiting tables and taking a lot of crap at her day job, which supported her passions for years. She remembers that, on the discouraging days, what kept her going was the joy of being an improviser. She loved doing it. It gave her joy. It filled her up in a way where, there was a reserve ready when she had to go work a shift at a restaurant.

“I remember someone saying, ‘No one has to live your life except you.’ I remember being so impacted by that. It was kind of a eureka moment. Even with my parents — as Asian people — we have this need to please and to do the things

that our parents have told us is of value. But in the end, your parents are not living your life. You are living your life. I think, as artists, we’re born that way. We like to create — and that never goes away.” 

“In this kind of situation, we have to rely on the mainstream people,” he said, meaning the Chinese.

But Chinese activists insist they are motivated by a source of pride in being a part of the larger community.

Yin said, “For those of us who have lived over here longer, we’ve witnessed the contributions of others and we’ve been inspired by the spirit of public service of these people.” Yin trained kids in fundraising for Little Masters and arrived from Shanghai 20 years ago.

Still, despite the outreach of groups like Little Masters and new immigrant volunteer leaders in schools like Somerset, tensions still remain — and not only on the side of white community leaders.

One small business owner from China, when asked to share stories from her friends about the hardships that led people to move out of China, responded with an email full of outrage and frustration.

“Thank you for trusting me,” she wrote. “But whether it’s the English or the Chinese media, the reporting about Chinese immigrants recently has been distorted, has taken things out of context, has in some cases just layered on the writer’s delusions, and has totally misrepresented our true feelings.”

“This is especially true of the foreigners who have absolutely

no understanding of our position,” she added. “I feel a great sense of harm and totally disrespected.”

Experts that study immigration say individuals are often overwhelmed when they encounter broader perceptions that marginalize whole groups of people.

“A newcomer does not always realize the blanket of blame or perception applies to them, whether they fit the idea or not,” said Bettie Luke, a prominent educator, activist, and diversity trainer. “The personal self is not known until that individual shares information, usually after trust is built.”

And in Bellevue, where Asians comprise over 34 percent of the population, separating individual identity from perceptions about a group might be particularly difficult.

On top of this, a reigning atmosphere of xenophobia in the United States makes tensions even more severe.

The community leader who portrayed the Eastside as filled with widespread anxiety over Chinese absentee landlords concluded that the current political atmosphere exacerbates such worries.

“We’re in a horrific time of intolerance,” he said. “The climate is ripe for assuming bad intentions.” 

“succeed,” we cannot become white or adopt the privileges of being white. Therefore, we must resist the urge to become the mascots of a conservative movement aimed at preserving white privilege by way of dismantling raceconscious policies.

More importantly, our success as a community should not come at the expense of other communities of color. We should not be willing to step over our Black and Latinx

brothers and sisters to get ahead. Instead, we should be locking arms to make sure we all move forward together.

History is repeating itself on affirmative action.

At a time when we have a president in the Oval Office who refuses to stand up for communities of color, the vulnerable, or the disadvantaged, we cannot become the wedge that divides communities of color. Now more than ever, we must stand in solidarity. 

“Master Z: Ip Man Legacy” opens April 12 in Seattle at the Regal Meridian Cinemas, 1501 7th Avenue in downtown Seattle; and the Cinemark in Federal Way. Check local listings for prices, showtimes, and other information.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

NBC’s “A.P. Bio” airs on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. “A.P. Bio” can also been streamed on NBC.com or Hulu. Sohn’s podcast, “The Real Housewives Kiki Show!” can be streamed on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of April 13–19, 2019

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — If you anticipate a need in the future, it makes sense to prepare as soon as you can. You don’t want to be left scrambling at the last minute.

Ox — Even if there is a lot of drama swirling around you, that does not mean you have to be a part of it. Engage only if it makes sense.

Tiger — While adding embellishments can be enjoyable, there comes a point where too much will detract from the overall effect.

Rabbit — It is easy to take what you have for granted. Sometimes, you need to get away in order to fully appreciate all that you have.

Dragon — Do you wish you were farther along than you currently are? With some diligence and persistence, there will be ample gain to come down the road.

Monkey — Some focus on how fast they do things, but you are more concerned with quality. Those around you will come to appreciate the high standard you have set.

Snake — Don’t let others determine what success means for you. What is fulfilling for one person, doesn’t necessarily mean the same for another.

Rooster — Are you embarrassed by a recent mistake? Use it as an opportunity to grow and improve on what you are doing now.

Horse — You may be tempted to take a shortcut, but that could impact the final product. To ensure a good result, don’t skip any steps.

Dog — The act of sharing will not only benefit the recipient, but also the donor. In a sense, it could eventually come full circle.

Goat — Have you been gravitating towards a certain color recently? If it makes you feel good, then the more the better.

Pig — Is there someone with whom you are so in sync with that you don’t have to talk to understand each other? While not an obvious match, it is one that works.

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, 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.

NAAN -N- CURRY from 8

Opening a restaurant in Renton

Shan’s parents first came to the United States in the early 1980s. The family first settled in San Francisco, but when a job opportunity led them to Seattle in 1995, Majid worked in hospitality and nonprofit before focusing on his passion for cooking full-time. In 2005, he opened the first Naan -NCurry in Washington right as Shan was about to start his undergrad education at the University of Washington.

Shan balanced his studies with the same duties he had as a kid working at the family’s California restaurant. And since Shan was older, he took on increased responsibilities as a manager and chef, learning how to manage the kitchen and testing his own cooking skills, like making kebabs, naans in the tandoori oven, and curries.

Naan -N- Curry’s menu comprises recipes that Majid came up with, and they’re a combination of what he’s learned over the years from his mother and friends, as well as from his time managing and cooking at restaurants in California.

Although Naan -N- Curry offers both Pakistani and Indian dishes — and there are noted overlaps between the two cuisines — the restaurant specializes in Pakistani fare.

The menu includes Pakistani staples like haleem, a lamb dish with slow-cooked lentils and barley, and nihari, a beef shank stew slow-cooked in a curry sauce. The restaurant’s most popular dish is biryani, a seasoned rice dish simmered

with saffron, meat, and homemade allspice powder.

“Pakistani food is not just about heat, especially in Lahore,” said Shan. Lahore is a city in northeastern Pakistan. Pakistani dishes can differ from Northern Indian cuisine. “Lahori food relies on a variety of spices to make the dish flavorful. This means there will be a mixture of green chilies, allspice, ginger, and whole roasted spices.”

A new business venture

Shan, who eventually earned a Masters in Business Administration from Seattle University, initially got a job in healthcare. But like his father, he also felt the entrepreneurial pangs of wanting to run his own business.

“I wanted the action — the everyday challenges we had at the restaurant, and this feeling brought me back to my days in Renton,” said Shan. “Even at my healthcare job, I was still helping out at the Renton restaurant all the time.”

With the success of Naan -N- Curry in Renton, Shan opened a second outpost in Issaquah in 2016. Because Renton had become a destination point for their food, the Janjua family knew they wanted to stay on the Eastside, and Issaquah was an accessible yet different destination for the restaurant’s existing clientele. The Issaquah location currently brings in about 90 percent of the business that the Renton one pulls in, just two and a half years after the Issaquah restaurant’s opening.

“My love of food and my parents’ cooking kept drawing

TAITUNG

me back to the restaurant industry,” said Shan.

“There’s a lack of Pakistani food in our area,” he added.

“And a lot of the food we’d cook at the restaurant was the same as what we’d eat at home. And whenever people visit my parents, I’d still see them cook up 10 different things — they just wanted to make sure their guests remembered what they ate. I’d see their satisfaction … and that plays out now in what we do every day at the restaurant. We try to make sure everyone enjoys their food.”

While Shan acknowledged that opening a third location in either Redmond or Seattle would be a dream, the family is currently focused on maintaining the consistency of the food between the two locations.

“The restaurant business is very tough,” said Shan.

Between balancing family duties and running a restaurant, Shan admitted that it was challenging to juggle the launch of the second location.

“All my families, sisters, mother, and father — we all played our own role to get the [Issaquah] restaurant running and off the ground,” said Shan. “It was always our dream to have more than one location, and we did it. We hope to run one more, one day.”  For more information, visit naanncurry.com.

Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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EMPLOYMENT

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

EMPLOYMENT

King County Project/Program Manager II

Salary $35.45 - $44.94 Hourly Location Seattle, WA Job Type Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT) Department DNRP - Natural Resources & Parks Job Number 2019QL09540 Closing 4/18/2019 11:59 PM Pacific The Special Duty Assignment/ Term-Limited Temporary Project/Program Manager II will join LHWMP’s Research Services Team, which provides scientific resources to support the needs of the entire program. The team also conducts scientifically rigorous studies to identify emerging issues for future program activities and ensures that program services are grounded in scientific evidence. This position plays a key role in database development and management in addition to identifying, collecting, and applying scientific data to program services and policy initiatives. This position has a special emphasis on safer alternatives assessment and implementation and hazard mitigation in workplaces and homes in King County. This position is anticipated to last up to 1 year.

If you have questions about the position or wish to learn more about LHWMP, contact Steve Whittaker at steve.whittaker@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-8499. https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/2382130/ project-program-manager-ii Wok Chef Upscale Asian restaurant looking right away for one best wok chef, little English ok, good work ethnic, team work, willing to pay BEST, full healthcare, vacation and bonus, call 206-227-8000 Kitsap Transit Maintenance Director Req: BA in transportation management, business or public admin., 5 yrs increasingly responsible exp in vehicle, facilities and equipment maintenance in a public transit environment including 3 yrs program mgt and 3 yrs supervisory exp; equivalent combo of educ. & exp. Sal: $9,216 - $12,389/mo, DOE. Appl. packet avail. at http:// kitsaptransit.appone.com/ Deadline: 4PM, 4/12/19 EEO/AA

4 star hotel in downtown Seattle is looking to hire housekeepers, stewards and laundry attendants. Competitive pay with benefits such as 401k, holiday and birthday pays, medical, and employee meals are offered. Call Michael on (435) 631-0922 if interested. Self-motivated individuals are preferred Asian Counseling & Referral Service seeks Case Manager – Aging and Adult. Provides culturally competent social work case management services to elderly persons living with disabilities within the Asian Pacific American community. See https://www. worksourcewa.com & Job ID # 206779172 for details. FT, Seattle, WA. Apply to: ACRS, Attn: Donna Springer, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S, Seattle, WA 98144 or hr@acrs.org

ASH from 7 his girlfriend, Qiao (Zhao Tao). They run a mahjong parlor together in Datong and abide by jianghu, which is demonstrated by swearing to a god and a drinking ritual.

The local coal-mining industry is disappearing quickly, and Qiao’s father has just lost his job. One day, while dancing to the Village People’s YMCA at a nightclub, the gang’s boss asks Bin to help him solve some problems. The next day, the boss is murdered. It soon becomes apparent that a new group of thugs wants a piece of the pie.

While Bin and Qiao are traveling by car, they are suddenly surrounded by bikers. Bin is forced out of the car and beat up. Eventually, Qiao saves Bin by firing off a gun to scare off his attackers. Next, we see Qiao stuck in an interrogation room with the police trying to figure out who owns the gun.

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Qiao does not give up Bin’s name and claims the gun as her own. As a result, Qiao goes to prison for 5 years for an unregistered firearm.

In 2006, Qiao is finally released, but Bin is not there to greet her, so she decides to track him down to find out what happened in that time she was locked up. We notice the social and economic landscape is changing at a rapid pace, as the film focuses on the Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze River.

Through a series of unfortunate events, Qiao loses all her valuable possessions, and we get to see a mischievous Qiao conjure up schemes to survive.

When Qiao finally finds Bin, she begins to learn the truth of why Bin has been so distant and discover which of them still believe in jianghu.

There is an extended amount of time where you see characters on screen stare at each other while they are contemplating what to say— sometimes,

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they say nothing at all. As you can imagine, the pacing is rather slow for the 2 hour and 20 minute movie. While watching, try to spot the small details that signify time has passed, like the evolution of cellphones. In case you forget, there will be distinct iPhone text tones throughout the movie to remind you. Like “Mountains May Depart,” the film gets very crazy in the third act, like a driving crescendo in a musical score then leaving the audience contemplating Jia Zhangke’s message at the end.

“Ash is Purest White” won the Asian Film Award for Best Screenplay. I recommend checking this movie out if you’re interested in a melodrama that changes direction multiple times with some thought provoking scenes. 

John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

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APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

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Photos by George Liu/NWAW

YOUR VOICE

Student rehearsal for May 5 performance at Benaroya Hall

BLOG from 10 Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Pacific Ballet, and other prominent music festivals. Paul Chihara, one of the prominent graduates, who now resides in New York, will perform on May 5 with SYSO. He is a composer for films, television, and ballets.

Paul Kim, who plays the first violin, is now with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra.

“SYSO carries the weight Music adviser Anna Edwards in developing (the team),” said Minegishi. “They learn to respect everyone, especially other ethnic groups, Asians or Caucasians or any others. They know what it takes to play in the orchestra, and I am very sure that old stereotypes disappear. To me, respect is fundamental to creating a better world.”

Currently, there are 518 students in the SYSO academic year. Some students learned to play as young as 3 years old.

About 65-70 percent of the musicians are Asian Americans, according to Anna Edwards, SYSO interim music adviser. I didn’t see any Black students in the orchestra. Minegishi is aware of the lack of diversity in the SYSO. To get in the SYSO, students are required to go through auditions. It is “an ambitious” program, said Ikeda. SYSO performs three to four times a year. Minegishi said students who have financial needs can apply for scholarship. The tuition fee could be a hurdle. It costs $880 to $1,980 a year, depending on the orchestra. SYSO provides over $200,000 in scholarships annually. If we want to recruit Black students, we can’t just have one because s/he might be lonely and might quit. To recruit Black students, Minegishi said SYSO would need to provide at least two scholarships.

SYSO has organized a fundraising gala on May 4 at the Hyatt on Olive 8, and the following day, the orchestra will perform at the Benaroya Hall. For tickets, go to seattlesymphony.org/ concerttickets/calendar/2018-2019/benaroyahall/syso3.

Credit to parents

I am proud to say that my younger son played the violin for his high school orchestra. I confess that it wasn’t pleasant to listen to him practice in the beginning. Yet, I never complained.

Despite my busy work schedule, I never missed his performances. There were moving occasions, including his orchestra’s performance for his and his brother’s graduation ceremonies. I understand what the parents go through when they have young musicians at home. Parents often are the chauffeurs for their kids’ rehearsals. Their support and patience play a huge part in these young musicians’ success.

My request to the young musicians: give your parents a hug before and after your performance and thank them for supporting you. Remember to thank your music teachers, conductor, and SYSO board members for raising money for scholarships. Have fun on May 5.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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YANG from 1 that this law has been implemented in the conservative state of Alaska for over four decades.

Despite his slim chance of becoming the presidential nominee, that’s beside the point for the Seattle Chinese community.

Winston Lee, the first volunteer for Yang’s China Harbor event, called the Northwest Asian Weekly recently to share the news about his visit.

An immigrant from China, Lee said, “Yang’s parents are from Taiwan, and I want to support him. He might not have a chance, but he is our role model for our children.”

Community leader Tony Au shared the same view, reminding many skeptics that nobody believed Trump could win in 2016.

“Who knows?” said Au and Lee. “It doesn’t matter if he has little chance, it’s part of the American Dream,” said Au. Both expressed ethnic pride in Yang’s run for U.S. president.

Lo-Yu Sun, owner of China Harbor Restaurant, said, “It doesn’t matter where we were from originally, Democrat or Republican, we should support Yang because he is part of our community. It’s hard to have a Chinese American willing to run for president. We have to do our best not letting our community lose face.”

A Republican, Sun said his Republican friends might tease him for supporting a Democrat.

Lee, who previously met Yang at a Los Angeles conference, said when he first organized the planning committee, there were 10 people. That number has now doubled.  Call Winston Lee about the China Harbor event at 425-522-2668 or buy tickets at bit.ly/Yang-seattle-0503.

ANDREW YANG Born: January 13, 1975 in Schenectady, New York Parents: Immigrated from Taiwan in the 1960s and met in grad school. Father was a researcher at IBM, and mother was the systems administrator at a New York university Residence: Manhattan, New York City Education: Phillips Exeter Academy Alma mater: Brown University (BA), Columbia University (JD) Occupation: Entrepreneur and 2020 presidential candidate Previous jobs: Corporate lawyer, healthcare startup entrepreneur, CEO of Manhattan Test Prep, Founder and CEO of Venture for America Political party: Democratic Spouse(s): Evelyn Yang Children: 2 sons (6 and 3 years old) Awards: White House Champion of Change (2012), Presidential Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship (2015)

To learn more about Andrew Yang, go to Assunta can be reached at yang2020.com. assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

16

37 YEARS

APRIL 13 – APRIL 19, 2019

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