PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 39 NO 21 MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE
‘Completely different ballgame’ ID restaurants prepare for return of in-person dining
Photo credit: Dennis Wise
Photo by John Liu
Man endures racist taunts, said SPD was unresponsive
Harry Chan (2nd from right) and his family included roses for customers getting take out on Mother’s Day at Tai Tung.
By Jake Goldstein-Street NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Kert Lin
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Insignificant. Unseen. Ignored. That’s how Kert Lin, 35, of Seattle felt, as he heard someone yell “Chink, open your eyes, go
Social Distancing Life 5
back to China!” when he pulled into the parking lot of Home Depot on 2701 Utah Avenue South, just outside the International District (ID) on May 12.
Publisher’s Blog 6
see RACIST TAUNTS on 12
Book recommendations 8
With COVID-19 forcing restaurants to close down in-person dining, Tai Tung restaurant owner Harry Chan says business has been cut in half. But that doesn’t mean he wants seated customers at his King Street restaurant in the heart of the International District just yet. “I am in no rush to open for dine-in right now,” Chan said. And yet with half capacity in-person dining possible in the next few weeks, the state says restaurants need to build a plan if they’re going to move to this next stage.
“Now is the time to start planning,” said Joe Graham, food safety program supervisor at the Washington State Department of Health. But dining won’t look the same for those who choose to eat out. In order to have diners sit down, restaurants must follow more than a dozen rules outlined by the state, including limiting tables to five guests, ample hand sanitizer for patrons and staff, rearranged seating to ensure tables are 6 feet apart, and single-use condiments and menus. It is also “strongly suggested” customers wear a cloth face mask when they’re not seated. Local health departments see RESTAURANTS on 11
By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Standing in front of a large easel pad, a teacher shows a drawing of a student with a birthday cake. “I pictured Lore at her cake with her family all around singing,” she says. But the classroom is empty. And stuffed animals on the floor are the only spectators.
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The scene is from one of hundreds of videos created by the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) in response to the closure of schools during the novel coronavirus pandemic. It reflects both the ingenuity and desperation of teachers, educators, and administrators as they try to reach the most marginalized students during a crisis unprecedented in modern times. “No matter how school
looks, we are in a different era of public education,” said Denise Juneau, superintendent of SPS, during a video meeting organized by the Asian Pacific Directors’ Coalition (APDC) on May 15. “We are going to have to lean on technology for a while,” she said. That is only one of the challenges facing educators see EDUCATORS on 10
Photo courtesy of Seattle Public Schools
Educators innovate to reach marginalized students A teacher offers a reading lesson in the studio of SPS-TV
Denise Juneau
Mia Tuan
Dr. Shouan Pan
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