PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 38 NO 23 JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
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37 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Kin On adopts new Jeremy Lin in health care model the NBA finals
Inspired by her grandmother, Heidi Wong, Capital Campaign Manager for AiPACE, is on a mission to preserve Asian values of caring for elders in a nation facing a devastating crisis in health care.
people—are now turning to the PACE model. “It’s like day care,” said a prominent health care advocate speaking off the record because of potential repercussions from the community. So far, all four of the PACE centers in the Seattle see KIN ON on 11
Betty Patu resigns from Seattle School Board By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Longtime community leader and educator Betty Patu announced her resignation from the Seattle School Board. Patu, who moved to Seattle from American Samoa as a child, announced her resignation during the May 15
School Board meeting, saying it “was time for someone new to come in.” Had she announced her departure just three days prior, voters would have been able to elect her replacement. Instead, per King County election rules, the board will take applications from the public and determine see PATU on 6
Photo from Jeremy Lin’s Instagram account
Sitting in the lobby, a man with two amputated legs and steel bars where his ankles should be, sits waiting. An hour later, he is still sitting there, perhaps having just finished lunch. His driver, a short Filipino man, saunters up. “Ready to go?” The man grunts. At the PACE center on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in South Seattle, a relatively new model of caring for the elderly has been underway for two decades. Pooling all the resources of patients—participants, they are called—the program provides onsite medical and dental care, activities, food, and a host of spiritual and social guidance. PACE—which stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly and was designed by the federal government—absorbs all Medicare and Medicaid payments owing to an individual and then provides its own team of health practitioners to that individual. The participants, however, do not live onsite, but are shuttled by a fleet of busses to and from the PACE center every day. “Our drivers are actually integral members of the team,” said operations manager Brian Osborn. “They often spend a lot of time with patients so they know them really well.” “And if they notice anything different, they can report it to the doctor,” he added. As a national health crisis looms, operators of health care facilities that have traditionally tried to embody models that are more akin to familial living—with elders living together cared for by a staff of young
Photo courtesy of Kin On
By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Jeremy Lin, 17
By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Jeremy Lin, the first Chinese American to play in the NBA, will appear in the NBA Finals. The guard for the Toronto Raptors will face off with his old team, the Golden State Warriors, beginning on May 30. The appearance in the championship will be the first time for both Lin and the Raptors.
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AT THE MOVIES Long Time No Sea 8
By Carolyn Bick NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Betty Patu
COMMUNITY NEWS Sharon Lee and LIHI 10
see LIN on 13
API CEOs challenge model minority myth
Linda Akutagawa
PROFILE Jake Macapagal 7
Undrafted out of college, Lin reached a partially guaranteed contract deal in 2010 with the Warriors. He seldom played in his rookie season and was waived by the Warriors and the Houston Rockets the following preseason. Lin was later traded to the New York Knicks and went on a dynamic six-week run of high scoring games and dramatic moments, dubbed “Linsanity.”
Whenever Linda Akutagawa would meet someone in a professional setting, she found they almost always assumed she was extremely smart.
“On the one hand, it’s kind of nice to be made to feel that way, but, on the other hand, it’s hard to live up to,” Akutagawa said. But that assumption is part and parcel of a larger stereotype many Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) face in the United States. It’s called the model minority myth, which puts APIs into the box of smart, but quiet, submissive, and unable to lead. Akutagawa is the president and CEO of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP), a national nonprofit that works to overturn that stereotype and whose mission is to achieve full participation and equality for APIs in both society and the workplace. Akutagawa said Western society usually puts the stereotype of the smart, quiet Asian on those of East see MYTH on 16
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37 YEARS
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
CACA banquet
acter, Au Co, who is often honored as the mother of Vietnamese civilization. Le was born and raised in Seattle and graduated from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in 2011. Before setting off as an entrepreneur, she worked for several Fortune 500 companies, including Accenture and Facebook. She is married with a 4-year-old son.
ICHS celebrates 5 years in Bellevue
Photos by Rebecca Ip
Fred Yee Citizens Award honorees
The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Seattle held its annual banquet on May 19 at China Harbor restaurant. Corky Lee was the keynote speaker and the 2019 Fred Yee Citizens Award were given to restauranteur Faye Hong, Kathy Hsieh of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, and the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team. Corky Lee and Karen Zhou The awards are given to made an unannounced visit to the Northwest Asian Weekly people who embody CACA’s office on May 20. mission to develop leadership, serve the community, and promote civil rights.
Washingtonian Jennifer Le is first Vietnamese to win Mrs. World
Jennifer Le was crowned as the new Mrs. World 2019 at Westgate Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. on May 4, making history as the very first Vietnamese woman to win this title. Le also won the Best National Costume Award. Her costume, made with metal, rhinestones, and sequins, weighed 77 pounds. It was inspired by a mythical Vietnamese char-
Jennifer Le
On May 1, International Community Health Services (ICHS) staff celebrated the Bellevue Clinic’s five-year anniversary. ICHS serves more than 5,000 patients at the Bellevue Clinic annually, providing high-quality, affordable medical, dental, and behavioral health care with translation Dr. Sing Hsie, who has been with the services in more than Bellevue Clinic since day one, cuts the cake. 50 languages. The Bellevue clinic marked ICHS’s first Eastside location. This year, the clinic added suboxone treatment for opioid addiction. The ICHS Bellevue Clinic also works in close coordination with other community organizations to remove barriers to patient care and to support safer neighborhoods, nutritious foods, green spaces, jobs, housing, and economic opportunities.
Interim annual gala
InterIm CDA said it raised $223,486 at its 50th
Photo by George Liu
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS
From left: Sharon Tomiko Santos, Pradeepta Upadhyay, and Toshiko Grace Hasegawa
Anniversary Gala held on May 4 at Hilton Embassy Suites. InterIm also presented its Bob Santos Leadership in Sustainability Award to the late Donnie Chin. His sister Connie Chin Magorty accepted on his behalf. Toshiko Grace Hasegawa gave the keynote speech and received a standing ovation.
Carol Nelson retires
Carol Kobuke Nelson will retire in June as KeyBank Pacific region executive and SeattleCascades market president. A retirement celebration to recognize her career was held on May 16. Nelson is credited with raising KeyBank’s profile in the community since joining the bank more than four years ago. Carol Kobuke Nelson (left) A graduate of Seattle and Beth Mooney, KeyCorp Chairman and CEO University, Nelson has received many honors, including being named one of Seattle Business Magazine’s Executives of Excellence. A search is already underway at KeyBank for her replacement.
Access YOUR Opportunity! The Port of Seattle is committed to expanding opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses. Learn more about upcoming events and register to receive information about opportunities in construction, consulting, and goods and services.
LEARN MORE www.portseattle.org/smallbiz
Photo by Assunta Ng
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YOUR VOICE
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
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APDC facilitates discussion with mayor and API leaders Approximately 50 people attended a special meeting of the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition (APDC). The May 16 meeting, attended by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Deputy Mayor Michael Fong, Assistant Police Chief Steve Hirjak, and Office of Economic Development Director Bobby Lee, was a discussion on what the City of Seattle has done for the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. Moderated by Michael Itti and Janice Deguchi, Durkan said her office is tracking several issues impacting the International District (ID), particularly the Sound Transit alignment proposals and public safety. Durkan and Hirjak mentioned a lighting study underway to improve public safety, after the community expressed concerns about the rise in break-ins. They also asked about recruiting more API police officers to support the ID. When asked about displacement in the ID, Durkan and Lee acknowledged the need to ensure the neighborhood is accessible to middle- and low-income families. The new
Memorial Day REMEMBRANCE
Photo by George Liu
By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
From left: Steve Hirjack, Mayor Jenny Durkan, and Mike Fong
Community Preference policy will prioritize community members first, and the City is looking at strategies to promote affordable commercial space. The community urged the mayor and City to utilize the Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) framework and disaggregated data by race and ethnicity when making decisions. Community members questioned if the RSJI was used in siting the Navigation Center and trolley line in
Thirty-nine community-based organizations will receive $950,000 to provide nonpartisan voter outreach in historically underrepresented communities, as part of the 2019-2020 Voter Education Fund. The Voter Education Fund is a government, philanthropic, and community partnership led by King County Elections and Seattle Foundation to remove barriers to voting in underserved and underrepresented communities. “This is our largest cohort ever, and I’m thrilled to see 11 new organizations joining us this cycle,” said Julie Wise, Director of King County Elections. “Their work will be critical to getting out the vote in what promises to be an exciting local election year and an epic 2020 Presidential Election.” Grantees serve a wide array of communities, including communities of color, limited English speaking residents,
APDC meetings are held the second Wednesday of February, April, June, September, October, and December from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at NVC Memorial Hall on 1212 South King Street. Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Cathay Post 186 hosted its annual Memorial Day Observance May 27 at Hing Hay Park. The event honored the Asian Americans from Seattle who gave their lives during World War II, and included a performance by the Seattle Chinese Drill Team.
Voter Education Fund invests nearly $1 million in diverse communities By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
the neighborhood. RSJI is a citywide effort to end institutionalized racism and race-based disparities in City government, and to achieve racial equity. Community members also urged the City to use RSJI when implementing programs, especially those that impacts the elderly and limited English speaking individuals. Seattle Colleges Chancellor Shouan Pan said, “I think [Michael Itti] did a very good job facilitating the exchange between APDC members and the mayor and her staff. It is good to raise those questions, but in order to truly move forward the issues APDC cares about, we need to follow up, perhaps with the Deputy Mayor (Fong).”
Memorial Day service at Hing Hay Park honoring Cathay Post 186 Photo by George Liu
TOWN HALL
MEETING
low-income youth, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and people who have been convicted of a felony. This cycle places an increased emphasis on voter outreach to people with disabilities, Black and Native American voters, and historically marginalized residents in South King County. Among the 2019 grantees serving the Asian Pacific Islander community are: • APACEvotes • Asian Counseling and Referral Service • Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees, and Communities of Color (CIRCC) • India Association of Western Washington • InterIm CDA • International Community Health Services • Korean American Coalition – WA Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8 10–11 A.M. CROSSROADS COMMUNITY CENTER 16000 NE 10TH ST. BELLEVUE, WA 98008 ADAMSMITH.HOUSE.GOV
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JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
By KATHY MCCORMACK and DEEPTI HAJELA
I.M. Pei
NEW YORK (AP) — I.M. Pei (PAY), the versatile, globe-trotting architect who revived the Louvre with a giant glass pyramid and captured the spirit of rebellion at the multi-shaped Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has died at age 102. Pei’s death was conďŹ rmed on May 16 by Marc Diamond, a spokesman for the architect’s New York ďŹ rm, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Pei’s buildings added elegance to landscapes worldwide with their powerful geometric shapes and grand spaces. Among them are the striking steel and glass Bank of China skyscraper in Hong Kong, the Fragrant Hill Hotel near Beijing,
the Luce Memrial Chapel in Taiwan, Suzhou Museum in China, and the Miho Museum in Japan. His work spanned decades, starting in the late 1940s and continuing through the new millennium. Two of his last major projects, the Museum of Islamic Art, located on an artiďŹ cial island just o the waterfront in Doha, Qatar, and the Macau Science Center, in China, opened in 2008 and 2009. Pei painstakingly researched each project, studying its use and relating it to the environment. But he also was interested in architecture as art—and the eect he could create. “At one level my goal is simply to give people pleasure in being in a space and walking around it,â€? he said. “But I also think architecture can reach a level where it inuences people to want to do something more with their lives. That is the challenge that I ďŹ nd most interesting.â€? Pei, who as a schoolboy in Shanghai was inspired by its building boom in the 1930s, immigrated to the United States and studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. He advanced from his early work of designing oďŹƒce
Photo by Daderot
â– NATIONAL NEWS I.M. Pei, architect who designed Louvre Pyramid, dies at 102
An early project by Pei, the Luce Memorial Chapel in Taiwan was completed in 1963
buildings, low-income housing and mixed-used complexes to a worldwide collection of museums, municipal buildings and hotels. He fell into a modernist style blending elegance and technology, creating crisp, precise buildings. Some of his designs were met with much controversy, such as the 71-foot faceted glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre museum in Paris. French President Francois Mitterrand, who personally selected Pei to oversee the decaying, overcrowded museum’s renovation, endured a barrage of criticism when he unveiled the plan in 1984. Many of the French vehemently
opposed such a change to their symbol of their culture, once a medieval fortress and then a national palace. Some resented that Pei, a foreigner, was in charge. But Mitterrand and his supporters prevailed and the pyramid was ďŹ nished in 1989. It serves as the Louvre’s entrance, and a staircase leads visitors down to a vast, lightdrenched lobby featuring ticket windows, shops, restaurants, an auditorium and escalators to other parts of the vast museum. “All through the centuries, the Louvre has undergone violent change,â€? Pei said. “The time had to be right. I was conďŹ dent because
37 YEARS
this was the right time.â€? In 1988, President Reagan honored Pei with a National Medal of Arts. He also won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, 1983, and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, 1979. President George H.W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992. Pei oďŹƒcially retired in 1990 but continued to work on projects. Two of his sons, Li Chung Pei and Chien Chung Pei, former members of their father’s ďŹ rm, formed Pei Partnership Architects in 1992. Their father’s ďŹ rm, previously I.M. Pei and Partners, was renamed Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Pei came to the United States in 1935 with plans to study architecture, then return to practice in China. However, World War II and the revolution in China prevented him from coming back. Pei established his own architectural ďŹ rm in 1955, a year after he became a U.S. citizen. He remained based in New York City. Pei’s wife, Eileen, who he married in 1942, died in 2014. A son, T’ing Chung, died in 2003. Besides sons Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, he is survived by a daughter, Liane. ď Ž
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
■ WORLD NEWS
5
Same-sex couples start registering marriages in Taiwan
By JOHNSON LAI ASSOCIATED PRESS TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Hundreds of same-sex couples in Taiwan rushed to get married on May 24, the first day a landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage took effect. Taiwan became the first place in Asia to allow same-sex marriage last month in a legislative vote on a cause that the island’s LGBT rights activists have championed for two decades. A household registration office in central Taipei was packed as couples seized the earliest opportunity to tie the knot. Jubilant couples held flower bouquets and posed for photos, smiling and kissing. “The legalization of marriage is only the first step,’’ said
a 48-year-old novelist who writes under the pen name Chen Hsue. “In the future, through this legalization, I hope LGBT people could be accepted as ordinary people by Taiwanese society,’’ said Chen, who has lived with her partner for more than 10 years. Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior said 500 same-sex couples registered their marriages across the island. A Taipei resident who identified himself only by a nickname said tearfully that he and his partner feel lucky that they are able to announce in front of everyone that they are gay and have gotten married. The two men wore matching pastel pink suits and stood in front of a rainbow display featuring messages blessing the newlyweds. Several couples requested that their real names not be made public because they fear the stigma that persists
around being gay in Taiwan. Kristin Huan, a YouTube blogger, said she and her partner Amber can strengthen other people’s faith and hope by sharing their story online. “Coming out of the closet is a very difficult process for every gay person,’’ Huan said. Taiwan split from mainland China amid civil war in 1949, though China’s ruling Communist Party claims the island as part of its own territory. Same-sex marriage is not legal in mainland China, and while LGBT rights advocates have made progress over the years in raising awareness and promoting tolerance, depictions of same-sex relationships are still regularly censored on Chinese TV and social media.
Judge tells attacker to study Sikhs as part of sentence By ANDREW SELSKY ASSOCIATED PRESS SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A judge on May 24 ordered an Oregon man to learn about the Sikh religion and submit a report to the court as part of his sentence for an attack on a Sikh shopkeeper in Salem, a civil rights group said. Andrew Ramsey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of intimidation and assault in the Jan. 14 incident targeting Harwinder Singh Dodd, the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the U.S., said in a release. The Intimidation count is considered a hate crime, it said. Witnesses said Ramsey pulled on Dodd’s beard after he refused to sell him cigarettes without an ID, punched him and pulled him to the ground. Bystanders restrained Ramsey until police arrived. Dodd, who came to the U.S. from India and owns the
convenience store, noted in a written statement to the court that hate crimes are on the rise in America. The FBI says hate crimes increased by 40 percent in Oregon from 2016 to 2017. “He didn’t see me as a person,’’ Dodd said of Ramsey. “He attacked me because of how I look. Because of my turban and beard—my religious articles of faith.’’ Police said Ramsey also threw his shoe at Dodd and snatched his turban. Sikh men don’t cut their hair and cover it with a turban for religious reasons. Marion County Judge Lindsay Partridge ordered Ramsey to attend the annual Sikh parade in June in Salem and report to the court what he learned about the Sikh community and culture, the Statesman Journal newspaper of Salem reported. “Bigotry is the result of ignorance,’’ Partridge said. “All of us are able to learn and benefit from cultures in our
community.’’ He also sentenced Ramsey to three years of probation and 180 days in jail, with credit for time served, the newspaper said. Partridge said mandatory drug, alcohol and mental health treatment was the best option for Ramsey, who has convictions for methamphetamine possession, domestic violence assault and theft. Ramsey said he has had mental health problems his whole life and was ready to accept help, the newspaper said. In 2018, members of Salem’s Sikh community joined with other volunteers to aid 124 immigrants—many of them Sikhs—who were sent to a federal prison in nearby Sheridan by the Trump administration. The Sikh temple in Salem offered the asylum-seekers religious and other services and a place to recover after they were released from months of incarceration.
KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for E00605E19, Civil Engineering and Related Services Work Order for Metro Transit Department; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on June 4, 2019. Total Estimated Price: $1,000,000 This contract is funded by the Federal Transit Administration. There is a 15% minimum requirement for Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Certified Federal Small Business Enterprise (SBE) firms on this contract. King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. All solicitation documents are published at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Alice Phoenix, alice.phoenix@kingcounty.gov, 206-263-9311
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JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
37 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THRU
6/30
POP-UP SHOP, “GODZILLA STORE INVASION” Kinokuniya Bookstore, 525 S. Weller St., Seattle
MAY 30
NAWMBA SEATTLE D&I DINNER CRUISE NETWORKING WITH LIVE MUSIC Argosy Cruises, 1 Kirkland Ave., Lake Washington 5:30 p.m. https://bit.ly/2w6sj6w RETURN FROM CHINA, LESSONS LEARNED AND E-COMMERCE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD World Trade Center Tacoma, 1150 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 3rd Floor, US Bank Room 3-5 p.m. Register at bit.ly/WTCMay30
JUN 1
“BRINGING IN THE CHANGE” NIRMAL’s at Pioneer Square, 106 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle 4-6 p.m. ANNUAL AUCTION DINNER, “CELEBRATION OF UNITY: UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY” Ming Palace, 8736 S. Hosmer St., Tacoma $75/person info@tacomachinesepark.org 253-330-8828 SEATTLE CHINESE WOMEN’S CLUB’S WORKSHOP: BOOK CLUB Address will be given to registrants only 2-4 p.m. seattlechinesewomensclub. com SEATTLE READS PRESENTS MITA MAHATO: GRAPHIC MEMOIR WORKSHOPS Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 1-2:30 p.m.
PATU from 1 who will hold the seat. Patu has represented South Seattle schools for almost a decade. Her last day will be June 26, more than two years before the end of her term in November 2021.
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DIWA FILM FESTIVAL 2019 Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle, Seattle Center 12-6 p.m. https://bit.ly/2Ltq5sn
KIN ON’S SUMMER MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:30-9 p.m.
ARTIST RECEPTION FOR ELIAICHI KIMARO Northwest Encaustic, 7143 44th Ave. S.W., Seattle 6-9 p.m.
PAGDIRIWANG PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL Seattle Center 10 a.m.-6p.m.
ARTIST/AUTHOR TALK: WORLDS BEYOND HERE Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 6-8 p.m.
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2 SEATTLE CHINESE WOMEN’S CLUB’S WORKSHOP: GARDENING TOUR Hsien’s office and Lily’s Pea Patch 2-4 p.m. seattlechinesewomensclub. com ROAD-TO-COLLEGE EDUCATION SEMINAR Microsoft Research Hall, Building 99/1919, 14820 N.E. 36th St., Redmond 2-4 p.m. cie-sea.org
7 HOW TWO HOURS IN GUANGZHOU CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER, IMPRESSION OF CHINA THROUGH THE EYES OF AMERICAN JOURNALIST Aegis Garden, 13056 SE 76th St., Newcastle Register at https://conta.cc/2VnD8eq
8 NYMLI 2020 CENSUS AND ELECTIONS TRAINING ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
STARS OF THE EAST Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center, 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S., Federal Way 7-9 p.m. $30-$40 fwpaec.org SWEET & SAVORY BAKE SALE Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
18 A GLIMPSE OF CHINA Seattle Center 11 a.m.-6 p.m. chinaartsandculture.org
Patu told The Seattle Times that she cherishes her time on the board, which gave her the opportunity to push back on the mistreatment of students of color in the school district. Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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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. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
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JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Filipino star Jake Macapagal pirouettes into our fair city Memorizing a 68-page monologue might sound like an impossible mountain to climb. But for Filipino film star Jake Macapagal, that was all in a day’s work. Macapagal, in town from June 7 through June 9 to promote his new film “Watch List (Maria),” cites his memorization of that monologue as only one of the colorful tasks he’s shouldered, acting on film, for television, and in live theater. A 2007 live production of the musical “West Side Story” found him playing Bernardo, one of the Puerto Rican gang members. “The most prominent challenge was to keep up with the young dancers,” the star recalled. “Learning a triple pirouette is no joke, too. Ha!” He grew up in Manila, and realized something early on. “It was important for me to understand that I was part of a whole. And in order for me to grow up and contribute value, I needed to find my own adventure, my own voice. Fortunately, my constant seeking led me to theatre, music, and the arts.” A school play in the third grade set him to acting. He was only watching the play, not onstage, but he wanted to be a part of the show. His movie-loving mother gave him
Photo by FHM MNL
By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Jake Macapagal
a grounding in film. He watched Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” and Franco Zeffirelli’s “The Champ,” amazed at how they transported him to realms he’d never thought of. He watched Akira Kurosawa’s classics, and the suspense films of Alfred Hitchcock.
Asian, Asian American heroes to power Marvel comics By TERRY TANG ASSOCIATED PRESS Asian superheroes—assemble. Marvel Comics is giving ink to an unprecedented team-up of its mightiest Asian and Asian American heroes, also known as the new Agents of Atlas. Established icons like martial arts master Shang-Chi and newbies like Wave, the newest Filipino superhero, will team up in a stand-alone, five-part comic book series starting this summer, the publishing giant told The Associated Press on May 23. The roster of 10 super-powered panAsian champions made their debut as a team earlier last month in “The War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas.’’ That comic book is one piece of an ongoing saga involving several different groups across the Marvel universe, including the Avengers, doing battle with a fire goddess. But the exclusively Asian limited series is set to roll out in August. The man leading the heroic charge is veteran comic book writer Greg Pak. Pak is credited with ushering in a new era of Asian characters in co-creating Amadeus
Cho, a Korean-American genius teen. The character first appeared in 2005. A decade see MARVEL on 13
“I was hooked for life,” he explained. “There was something about the characters that I connected with, and the stories I wanted to experience.” He spent time in Europe, notably Germany, learning the language and broadening his horizons. He drilled himself on English and German, in addition to the Tagalog and Hiligaynon he already knew from home. His first prominent film role was in 2013’s “Metro Manila,” directed by Sean Ellis, which took an Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. He got a call to audition for the project that became “Watch List.” The gritty tail of crime, corruption, and the struggle to live with dignity and honesty, was shot mostly in Caloocan, in the Metropolitan Manila Area. The locals, Macapagal recalls, “welcomed us with hospitality, but also with a watchful eye.” His character, a police inspector named Ventura, starts out believing he’s always on the right side. As the drama unfolds, however, the inspector will learn that the people he dismisses as “collateral damage” have their own worth and their own rights. The actor allows that he’s never visited Seattle before, but he’s eager to visit. “I am looking forward to having a culinary experience, listen to the city with an open heart, observing its pulse and energy. I heard
about rain, but I come from the tropics, so that is welcomed. Always in search of good coffee, too!” Future projects include a turn in the director’s chair, for a project that’s still in pre-production. He’s a certified yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance, so he’ll return to that post as well. Macapagal hopes that the new movie will help celebrate the diversity of Filipino theater arts, and especially Filipino film. “We have 150 million people in the archipelago, and for sure each filmmaker will find their audience somewhere there, whether it is the mainstream or indie [film],” he concluded. “The challenge is always to find a story that is compelling enough to have a universal appeal. Basic truths. Love, sex, and rock and roll.” “Watch List (Maria)” showtimes: June 7, 8:45 p.m., at AMC Pacific Place June 8, 3 p.m., at the SIFF Cinema Uptown *Jake Macapagal is scheduled to attend both screenings. For prices and other information, visit siff.net/festival/watch-list-(maria). Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
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37 YEARS
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
■ AT THE MOVIES
“Long Time No Sea” By Tiffany Ran NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Director Heather Tsui’s debut film “Long Time No Sea” dives into the microcosm of a young Tao boy, Manawei (Chung Chia-chun), and his simple, yet impoverished life as he is raised by his grandmother on Orchid Island. Like many of his other peers, Manawei’s father works in Taiwan and he doesn’t get to see his father often. Manawei’s Taiwanese school teacher (Shang Hehuang) decide to enroll his class in the National Aboriginal Dance Competition in Taiwan, where Manawei will have an opportunity to see his father again. Without father figures, the young Tao boys struggle to embrace the traditional garb and learn the revered dance of their culture. Manawei’s teacher turns to a local radio show host (Zhang Ling) and community leaders in efforts to impart the importance of Tao traditions.
“Long Time No Sea” is based on Tsui’s experience with the Little Flying Fish Cultural Exhibition Dance Troupe and the Tao children on Orchid Island. The largely uplifting film provides much needed visibility to the Tao residents of Orchid Island who have called the island home for many centuries, and without being too grim, touches on the harsh reality of families forced to live apart due to financial constraints. Tsui employed Tao actors for an intimate look into the lives of the residents of Orchid Island. Both their music and language play a strong role in this film that is cinematic and deeply poetic. Showtimes: May 30 at Lincoln Square June 6 at AMC Pacific Place June 8 at AMC Pacific Place Tiffany can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Movie starring Pikachu is just a hokey Pokemon By MARK KENNEDY AP ENTERTAINMENT WRITER It’s got an adorable hero from an iconic media brand who is voiced by a proven box office master at snark. But, somehow, “Pokemon Detective Pikachu’’ never really gets arresting. A neutered Ryan Reynolds tries hard but can’t make this live action-meets-animated movie gel. It’s plodding and listless and really not funny or smart enough. Turns out, you can’t copy “Deadpool’’ tricks for the PG set. “Pokemon Detective Pikachu” borrows lightly from film noir crime dramas to create a mystery in a world where humans and Pokemon co-exist. A young man called Tim Goodman (the terrific Justice Smith) joins with Pikachu (Reynolds’ voice) to search for what happened to the man’s father, a missing detective. The movie’s best moments are those between the scenes, where the Japan-born creatures thrillingly share the same urban space as humans. Smith is very appealing as a son coming to grips with the loss of his estranged father, but Reynolds, as a cute coffee-guzzling detective with a Sherlock Holmes’ deerstalker cap, ping-pongs from heartfelt to caustic uneasily and tries to mimic his best-known, fourth-wall breaking “Deadpool’’ movie character (“That’s a twist. Very twisty,’’ he says of one plot point.) It’s the most mismatched buddy flick since Will Smith teamed up with an Orc for “Bright.’’ The film starts slowly, builds to a sort of plateau and then ends with the final third consisting of nonstop action sequences and an underwhelming conclusion.
Ken Watanabe is underused as a police chief. Equally inexplicably, Suki Waterhouse gets credit for a role in which she never speaks and lasts about 15 seconds onscreen. Speaking of speaking, you’re probably wondering why there’s any dialogue between the adorable pocket monsters and humans since Pokemon traditionally only just say their own names. Enter five screenwriters—Rob Letterman, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Derek Connolly and Nicole Perlman. Their solution is a weird gas that makes everyone crazy but somehow allows Tim to communicate with Pikachu. Sure, gas. The pair are joined by a junior reporter—really an unpaid intern tasked with writing listicles, played by a winning Kathryn Newton—who helps them get to the bottom of the mystery using shoe leather and guile. (This is a film that celebrates the media in a big way—there are newspaper clippings, honorable TV reporting and a respected giant cable network. “It’s not news if it can’t be verified,’’ says one character. Take that, fake news people.) But it’s all a bit of a muddle. We meet some cool Pokemon—Charizard, Psyduck, Snubbull, Ditto, Magikarp, Cubone, and Mewtwo—mixed in with a climate change joke and an attempt to burn a miming Pokemon with mimed gasoline. It’s a film that explores daddy issues and also riffs off “Silence of the Lambs’’ (“Are you gonna make me into a lampshade?’’ Pikachu asks his human minder). Some of it is very scary for younger kids; most of it see PIKACHU on 13
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
■ AT THE MOVIES
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Director Guy Ritchie has been getting criticized since everyone got a glimpse of the CGI Will Smith as a blue genie. Those concerns are definitely warranted, but I’m happy to say the rest of the movie “Aladdin” will have you smiling. If you are not familiar with “Aladdin,” then you have been living in a cave (of Wonders) for 27 years since the 1992 classic was released and became a Disney favorite! In case that is you, the story goes like this: a poor boy named Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and his mischievous monkey, Abu (Frank Welker, who also did Abu’s voice in the 1992 version), steal to survive in Agrabah. One day, he bumps into Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), who is envious of Aladdin’s freedom. Aladdin gets captured by Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) who sends him on a quest to find a lamp in the Cave of Wonders. The genie (Will Smith) pops out and you know the rest. If you don’t, I won’t spoil it for you. A wonderful new addition is Jasmine’s handmaiden, Dalia (Nasim Pedrad), who has some fun scenes. Massoud’s performance as Aladdin felt flat and lacking the charisma of the original voice of Aladdin, voiced by Scott Weinger. However, he did have good chemistry with the genie. When Aladdin and genie first meet up with Jasmine, get ready for the funniest scene in the movie! On the other hand, Jasmine did a fantastic job and blew me away with her singing. This is no longer the Jasmine stuck in a palace awaiting a suitor. She has some big plans for this kingdom, and this is a welcome change to making a more contemporary version of Aladdin. The CGI blue genie felt a little off just like the trailer, but luckily that was only a small part of the movie. The original genie character was made specifically with Robin Williams in mind and it would be impossible to find a substitute for him. I was pleasantly surprised with Smith’s take on the genie. Some of the jokes are hit and miss, but overall, Smith did what he does best. Alan Menken has returned to rewrite and arrange the same songs in the 1992 version where he won the Oscar for Best Original Music Score. A few songs have been changed to reflect contemporary views and complement Smith’s genie. We get to hear a slightly modified Prince Ali rendition with new lines like, “Heard your princess was HOT / Where is she?” Then out of nowhere comes the new song Speechless, and all I can say is, Naomi nailed it! There are parts of Aladdin that did not translate well into live action. While the character Aladdin is running and singing through Agrabah, some parts felt sped up and some slowed down to fit lyrics of the song. That is probably more Guy Ritchie’s style, but seeing it on screen just felt weird. The parrot, Iago (Alan Tudyk), and Rajah, the tiger, have significantly decreased roles in this movie, and that is fine. Perhaps I’m just stuck on Aladdin being a cartoon, but the interactions with Abu and the magic carpet did not feel very immersive. Unfortunately, even Jafar loses some of his stage presence as his trademark moments were all removed, see ALADDIN on 13
CISC hosted its 47th annual Friendship Dinner & Auction on May 18, 2019. Thank you to our supporters and sponsors who made the event a great success. Together, we raised over $190,000 for CISC’s programs that support immigrants and their families by creating opportunities for them to succeed, while honoring their heritage.
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asianweekly northwest
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37 YEARS
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
Photo courtesy of Sharon Lee
By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Sharon Lee was born in New York and spent four years living with her Ah Po (grandmother) in Hong Kong.
One might say that the life and career of Sharon Lee, founding executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), has been a crusade against homelessness. Since its beginning, LIHI staff has provided 4,500 units of affordable housing. By alleviating homelessness, LIHI alleviates a host of other, related, societal ills. These include displacement, low wages, unemployment, and drug and alcohol addiction. LIHI’s apartment buildings house senior citizens, low-income workers, veterans, people living with disabilities, and formerly homeless youth, to name a few. Their tiny house projects give people experiencing homelessness a transitional place to get back on their feet. Both types of facilities come with case managers to assist those that need help navigating the system. And LIHI’s urban rest stops provide a place for people getting on their feet to clean up before work or do laundry. It’s all ingeniously simple and yet wonderfully complex. The concept is to provide safe shelter. The results? Jobs for those that don’t have them. Education for kids kept out of school. Safer and cleaner environments because people can move off the streets. All of this leads to greater security, productivity, and profitability for all of us. And Lee said, it’s been working. The tiny house project alone has had remarkable success, according to Lee, with the current capability of helping 1,000 homeless people a year. “We try really hard to house as many homeless families, homeless individuals, homeless adults, as we can,” said Lee. LIHI seeks to change the way the public thinks about affordable and low-income housing. “We try to find really nice neighborhoods and sometimes we’re competing with forprofit developers for the same piece of real estate because we think, for our families, they should be in good school districts, close to transportation, shopping…We believe strongly that we should hire really good architects and contractors and then the buildings should look better than what’s around them, and definitely better than the market rate.” LIHI has put up attractive buildings in Ballard, Bellevue, and South Lake Union. “We think we’re part of the solution,” says Lee. So what fuels Lee? An innate sense of altruism and empathy. Lee knows what it’s
like to be down on one’s luck, without the security of a guaranteed place to go home for dinner or to sleep at night. When Lee was in high school, she, her siblings, and mother were homeless for a period. Her stepfather refused to let Lee’s mother, an intelligent woman with a master’s degree in chemistry, work outside the home, and worse, he withheld money for food and expenses for the children. “So even though we were middle class, we experienced a version of domestic violence [and] abuse,” says Lee. Lee’s mother and stepfather were both first generation immigrants, yet Lee’s mother was a child of progressive parents, while her stepfather came from a conservative family. Lee, who was 16 when they were kicked out of their home, went on to pursue advocacy almost immediately. As an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, she joined a group called Yellow Seeds, and was a student worker/ intern for Tenant Action Group. A bachelor’s degree in urban studies with honors and two master’s degrees from MIT in city planning and architecture gave Lee a foundation to tackle housing regulations. As part of Lee’s community activism during college, she connected with the AAPI population in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. “Philadelphia had the typical situation where a freeway was being built through the heart of Chinatown. Also, the convention center was built right there. There was a lot of displacement. And in Philadelphia, it’s also bordering the red light district. It’s got the same story of Chinatown’s throughout the country.” Once she moved to Seattle, Lee worked on the zoning for the International District (ID) and Pioneer Square. She also went to Olympia, where she helped set up the state housing trust fund and was involved in a succession of Seattle’s housing levies. “I’ve always been interested in lowincome housing and affordable housing issues,” she says. One of Lee’s first jobs in Seattle was working with Bob Santos at Interim Community Development Association. For two years at the Seattle city council, she worked with Paul Kraabel — “a terrific boss.” While heading up the housing development department for Fremont Public Association (now Solid Ground), Lee worked for another of LIHI’s founders, Frank Chopp, now Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives. Her first low-income housing project was for teen mothers along with Goodwill Baptist Church. “I spoke before the congregation and they took a vote and said, ‘OK, we would love to do this,’ so they put up one of their buildings that was vacant, and I found the funds to renovate it.” From the housing development department grew LIHI. The city and port of Seattle have been important partners to LIHI, and numerous organizations have participated in building tiny houses, such as the time LIHI rented out the CenturyLink Exhibition Center, and with partners Vulcan and Associate General Contractors, and built 30 tiny houses in one day. Even kids can help. Recently, two Asian American girls, Kimberly and Rebecca Yeung, made headlines when they and their families built a tiny house. And of course, see LEE on 15
Photo courtesy of Steve Rowland
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
Sharon Lee with King County Councilmember Larry Gossett at the opening celebration of Gossett Place, 63 low-income apartments in the University District.
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asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
■ EDITORIAL 4th or 5th Avenue light-rail station? It promises to be more disruptive than the construction of the First Hill streetcar. On May 23, elected leaders on the regional transit board voted on May 23 to keep at least four ChinatownInternational District (C-ID) light rail station alternatives alive for environmental study. The first option is to put trains directly under 5th Avenue South. A second alternative would set the boarding platforms 200 feet deep under 5th. Also being considered are shallow and deep versions under 4th Avenue South. A shallow station would mean 10 years of construction and $300 million more, while a deep station would require 9 years of construction and could add as much as $500 million to cost estimates. At this same committee meeting, Seattle Mayor Jenny
KIN ON from 1 area are operated by Providence Health and Services. But recently Kin On, the traditionally Chinese and Asian Pacific Islander (API) nursing home, has announced it will join the International Community Health Services (ICHS) in opening up their own PACE center—called AiPACE (Aging in PACE). The announcement comes at the same time that Keiro Northwest announced its closure due to an inability to uphold its traditions and standards of care in a changing fiscal and social environment. “In American society, we shun and isolate old people, because they remind us that death is coming,” said the national health advocate, who has worked in nursing homes and assisted living communities nationwide, and visited Keiro hundreds of times. “But in Japanese and Chinese culture, they revere life as a process, they revere elders,” the advocate added. “We have lost a piece of that culture, it will now be extinct.”
An attention to detail
At Kin On, the staff and leaders don’t see it that way. “I believe AiPACE can change the world with the right level of community and government support because the model is fundamentally sound and can be replicated quickly,” said Nigel Lo, the CEO of Kin On. Heidi Wong, who is tasked with raising $20 million for the construction of the new AiPACE center, a building that will be surrounded by low-cost housing and backed by the mammoth former Amazon headquarters, sees it as a way to keep a dream alive. Just before she took the job, her grandmother died, and she decided this was a way to provide care for an untold number of grandmothers—called “popo” in Chinese. “My relatives and I, who are not healthcare professionals, did whatever we could the best way we know how to keep popo at home where she wanted to be,” said Wong. “Can you imagine if we were healthcare professionals, how many more popos can live independently and age at home?” Lo, a former manager of the military sector in Boeing, and a longtime board member of Kin On and former board president, came out of retirement to oversee the development of the AiPACE center. As he walks around the new assisted living center at Kin On, another recent expansion, he proudly shows off details that will make life better for the future residents. A staff member slides a window open that abuts the parking lot, but affords a view of a deep canopy of tree leaves moving in the wind. “Show all the different ways the window opens,” he asks the staff member. Lo goes over to help. The two of them turn
Durkan also alluded to historic racism as a reason to keep exploring four options, inside 108-year-old Union Station next to regional and local train tracks. “We cannot look at Chinatown International District without recognizing the irony that we’re sitting in a train station where those train systems were built by Chinese labor, where that Chinese labor was excluded from this country by discriminatory laws, where they carved out a toehold here in Seattle, where the Japanese community landed and then we took them and interned them, and this community has been a vibrant part of our city for a long time,” she said. In general, C-ID residents and business owners oppose a station at 5th Avenue, saying it would be much more disruptive than building a 4th Avenue station.
a lever on the window that opens it from the top so that air can vent into the room without any fear of anyone entering. The rooms are small but comfortable with mini refrigerators. The exterior, among the swaying trees, even has a resort-like feel. They show a mahjong table that rises pneumatically to the proper playing height, solving a problem that has plagued other retirement communities that seek to cater to an Asian crowd. If their attention to detail is any indication of the future, they may find ways to stave off the kind of dissolution of cultural veneration for the elderly that the advocate worried about. “We know our clientele,” said Lo. Kin On currently has the highest rating— five stars—on the government’s Medicare website, considered “much above average.” Such a top rating also includes “quality of resident care.” Poster boards throughout the community show cultural activities. Staff members speak multiple Asian languages and dialects. Meanwhile, Wong, the fundraiser, attests that her grandmother attended daily activities at a community center for Chinese in the International District, while living at the homes of her different daughters. She contends that other “popos” will have the same experience at the AiPACE center they are building.
Challenges of the PACE model
Implementing the PACE model, for Kin On and ICHS, will not be without its challenges.
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No street-level retailers or apartment buildings occupy the superblock between Jackson and Seattle Boulevard South on 4th. The parallel stretch of 5th features several large apartment buildings, street-level retailers and restaurants, and the west side of the Uwajimaya complex. C-ID activists also feel that the 4th Avenue alignment would keep noise, dust, and construction equipment at a distance, on the other side of Union Station. The First Hill streetcar project eroded the community’s trust in city projects. Pile that on top of other disruptive public works projects (viaducts over train tracks, Interstate 5, the former Kingdome), city and state leaders now have an opportunity to restore that trust: choose the option that the major stakeholders are asking for: 4th Avenue.
Scholars that study the PACE model contend that it has many advantages, including an emphasis on preventative care. The longer PACE administrators keep their participants out of the hospital, the more money they save—money that is necessary for them to keep running. PACE programs across the nation survive by enrolling greater number of enrollees, adults over the age of 55 that are eligible for nursing home care, but choose to travel to the center for team care and activities. Down a long hallway at the PACE center on Martin Luther King Jr. Way, a row of offices reveal social workers, nurses, a doctor, and others working over their computers. A spiritual adviser comes in, carrying a takeout bag of lunch. In a physical therapy room, an older woman is monitored and encouraged on a recumbent bicycle by a young trainer with long hair. Given the widespread closing of nursing homes across the country, and the massively low reimbursement rates the remaining homes receive from the government, putting them in constant financial jeopardy, PACE is a “fabulous option,” said the advocate. “We just want to make sure that individuals understand what they are signing up for,” the advocate added. PACE provides an array of medical and even dental services as determined by the doctor in charge. “But if you need to go for neurosurgery and want to see the top specialist, will you be able to? I don’t think so,” said the advocate.
“Or if you do need to go to a skilled nursing facility, you have to choose from the ones that PACE contracts with,” the advocate added. A concern of researchers is that while PACE programs tend to focus on preventative medicine to keep the elderly out of the hospital, they may not necessarily be aimed at preserving longevity. “Researchers suggest that resources and services within the program are more focused on functional status, and less focused on services to limit mortality,” said Jerome A. Dugan, a professor in the University of Washington School of Health. “This may represent one of the most important limitations of PACE—a lack of alignment of the program’s aims to lower mortality risks,” he added. At the Martin Luther King Jr. PACE center, general manager Brian Osborn refutes such allegations. He claims that in their program, 86 percent of participants die at home while only 14 percent die in the hospital or a skilled nursing facility. Such figures represent a shift away from an institutional model in which 60 percent of people (within the Medicare eligible range) die in nursing homes or the hospital, he said. Most of their participants, he said, have filled out end of life plans. “Some people don’t want interventions,” he said. Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
37 YEARS
■ WORLD NEWS
Trump is first head of state to meet Japan’s new emperor By JILL COLVIN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — Under a blazing hot sun at Japan’s Imperial Palace, President Donald Trump on May 26 became the first world leader to meet the new emperor of Japan. The president, who was on a fourday state visit, was the center of attention at a grand outdoor welcome ceremony where he took a solo walk down red carpets, reviewing Japanese troops as the guest of honor. The pomp and pageantry then gave way to meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about trade and other world issues. Crown Prince Trump’s “state call’’ opened with Naruhito handshakes and greetings from Naruhito, who ascended to the throne
on May 1, and his wife, Empress Masako. As he approached the emperor, Trump said, “How are you? Thank you very much.’’ The first lady told the empress, “Nice to meet you.’’ After exchanging pleasantries inside the palace, the couples emerged and walked to a raised platform as the national anthems of both countries were played. Trump showed little emotion, but waved near schoolchildren feverishly waving U.S. and Japanese flags. Some of the children suffered from the heat and were later seen sitting with cups of water and cool compresses on their foreheads. At the White House last month, Trump noted the significance of his meeting with the emperor. Naruhito took the throne after his father stepped down, the first abdication in Japan’s royal family in about two centuries. “It’s a very big thing going on with the emperor. It’s something that hasn’t happened in over 200 years,’’ Trump said. “I am the guest, meaning the United States is the
guest.’’ Trump stressed that Abe “very specifically’’ said Trump is the guest of honor. “With all the countries of the world, I’m the guest of honor at the biggest event that they’ve had in over 200 years,’’ Trump said. It’s not the emperor who chose Trump as his first state guest. It was Abe, who is seen by some as using the invitation to meet Naruhito to curry favor with Trump who is threatening to impose potentially devastating tariffs on Japan’s auto industry, among other tensions in the relationship. After leaving the Imperial Palace, Trump went to the Akasaka Palace, the Japanese state guest house with lush manicured grounds, for meetings, a working lunch and joint news conference with Abe. The president also will be the guest of honor at an imperial banquet at the palace hosted by the emperor.
Chinese tourism to US drops for 1st time in 15 years
Former Thai PM Prem Tinsulanonda dies at 98
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP BUSINESS WRITER
By GRANT PECK ASSOCIATED PRESS
After more than a decade of rapid growth, Chinese travel to the U.S. is falling. And that has cities, malls and other tourist spots scrambling to reverse the trend. Travel from China to the U.S. fell 5.7 percent in 2018 to 2.9 million visitors, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office, which collects data from U.S. Customs forms. It was the first time since 2003 that Chinese travel to the U.S. slipped from the prior year. Friction between the U.S. and China is one reason for the slowdown. The Trump administration first imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels and washing machines in January 2018, and the trade war has escalated from there. The U.S. now has a 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, while China has retaliated with tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. imports. Last summer, China issued a travel warning for the U.S., telling its citizens to beware of shootings, robberies, and high costs for medical care. The U.S. shot back with its own warning about travel to China. Wang Haixia, who works at an international trade company in Beijing, traveled to the U.S. in May for her sister’s graduation. She and her family planned to spend 10 days in Illinois and New York. Wang says she might have stayed longer but doesn’t want to contribute to the U.S. economy amid the trade war. “I cannot cancel this trip because I promised my sister I would go to her commencement,’’ she said. “My relatives will contribute more than 100,000 yuan to America just staying for 10 days, and that’s enough.’’ There are other reasons behind the slowdown. Economic uncertainty in China
has travelers at the lower end of the market vacationing closer to home, says Wolfgang Georg Arlt, director of the Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute, which found that 56 percent of travelers leaving China in the last three months of 2018 went to Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan compared with 50 percent in 2017. Those who do travel farther are seeking out more exotic destinations like Croatia, Morocco, and Nepal. Chinese travel to the U.S. had already been moderating from its breakneck pace earlier this decade. In 2000, 249,000 Chinese visited the U.S. That tripled to 802,000 by 2010, then tripled again by 2015, in part because of higher incomes, better long-haul flight connections and an easing of visa restrictions, according to McKinsey, the consulting firm. The U.S. welcomed more than 3 million Chinese visitors in 2016 and 2017. But year-over-year growth edged up just 4 percent in 2017, the slowest pace in more than a decade. Most industry-watchers agree that any downturn is temporary, since China’s middle class will only continue to expand. The U.S. government forecasts Chinese tourism will grow 2 percent this year to 3.3 million visitors, and will reach 4.1 million visitors in 2023. “Even if the Chinese economy cools, it’s still going to continue to be a very good source of growth for the travel industry,’’ said David Huether, senior vice president of research for the U.S. Travel Association. In general, international travel to the U.S. has been declining. Overall data for 2018 hasn’t been released yet, but international travel fell 2 percent in 2016 and was flat in 2017. But because China commands some of see TOURISM on 14
BANGKOK (AP) — Prem Tinsulanonda, who as an army commander, prime minister and adviser to the royal palace was one of Thailand’s most influential political figures over four decades, died on Prem Tinsulanonda May 26 at age 98. A statement from the palace said Prem died of heart failure at Bangkok’s Phra Mongkutklao hospital, and had served the throne loyally, contributing beneficially to the country. Prem was best known for his longstanding devotion to the monarchy, especially the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who appointed him to his Privy Council immediately after Prem’s eight years as prime minister, and named him head of that powerful advisory body in 1998, a position he held until his death. Prem is credited by scholars with establishing the unspoken primacy of the palace in Thailand’s power structure, cementing a mutually beneficial alliance with the military. “He essentially forged and sustained a partnership between monarchy and military with the latter as junior partner up until today,’’ said Paul Chambers, a political scientist at Naraesuan University in northern Thailand. Prem was prime minister from 1980 to 1988, and helped usher in a period of relative stability after a successful pro-democracy uprising against a military dictatorship in 1973, a counter-revolution and coup in 1976 and another coup in 1977, as well as edginess about communist takeovers in
neighboring Indochina in 1975. While most Thai army commanders came to the position through coups, Prem was elected constitutionally by parliamentary vote, though he never ran for office. As prime minister, he weathered two attempted coups and was reportedly the target of several assassination plots. Critics questioned his devotion to democracy, and accused him of encouraging, if not engineering, the 2006 coup that ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He denied such allegations, but in the months preceding the military takeover, he frequently spoke out about corruption and greed in government—a major accusation against Thaksin by his critics—and strongly advised in public speeches to army and navy cadets that their loyalty was to king and country, not the government. Ironically, Prem’s barely veiled backing of the coup set in motion events that contributed to a decline in the nearuniversal respect for the monarchy, because of the perception among the popular Thaksin’s supporters that the palace was taking sides in politics, something it publicly always denied doing under the system of constitutional monarchy. “That coup was probably Prem’s last major political intervention, and it was one where he misjudged,’’ Kevin Hewison, a professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina and veteran Thai studies scholar, said in an email interview. “He expected elation and praise for his open role in getting rid of Thaksin. Instead, his intervention lit the fuse of a political polarization that continues to haunt Thailand’s elite.’’ The coup set off a sometimes violent battle for power between Thaksin’s see TINSULANONDA on 15
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
■ ASTROLOGY
13
Predictions and advice for the week of June 1–7, 2019 By Sun Lee Chang Rat — All the pieces seem to be fitting together quite nicely. Take advantage of the positive momentum to reach higher.
Dragon — Interruptions can be stressful when you are trying to concentrate. Find a temporary hideaway to finish what you are working on.
Monkey — Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of options? Focus only on the serious contenders.
Ox — Has someone taken you by surprise with their abrupt change in direction? It’s time to join in or get out of the way.
Snake — Does it seem like you are just coming out of a fog? New horizons will open up to you as the air clears.
Rooster — Is someone asking you to let go of something? Remember that it is much easier to forgive than to forget.
Tiger — An attempt at humor didn’t go as expected. Remember that there is a big difference between laughing with someone versus at them.
Horse — In the process of doing basic maintenance, you may be tempted to make more significant changes. Avoid weakening the original structure with too many modifications.
Dog — Is one person doing too much on your team? Offer to step in and it will be repaid with interest in the future.
Rabbit — If you don’t tie up the loose ends, it might cause an even bigger issue. Don’t wait for a problem to occur before you address it.
Goat — Don’t discount the value of experience. From a past failure could come the inspiration for the best solution yet.
Pig — Before you get too excited, confirm that the rumor you heard is actually true. It could turn out to be nothing more than someone else’s wishful thinking.
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.
MARVEL from 7 later, he absorbed the Hulk’s powers and started going by Brawn. “It’s always been my dream to do a team book using a bunch of Asian and Asian American heroes,’’ said Pak, who thinks there’s more appetite for representation with the success of the movie “Crazy Rich Asians.’’ “There’s literally never been a better time in my memory with more opportunities for doing work that specifically includes Asian and Asian American characters.’’ The decades-old character of Agent Jimmy Woo (portrayed by Randall Park in last year’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp’’ movie) leads the pack as head of the revived secret protection society Atlas. Others getting in on the action include Brawn and Cindy Moon, who is the Korean American web-shooter Silk. Other recruits have only previously been seen in Marvel video games or web comics only available in Asian countries. Among them is Korea-born Luna Snow a.k.a. Seol Hee, a K-pop star who can manipulate frozen elements. There’s also Aero and Sword Master, the
products of creatives in China. Besides crime-fighting, the group will spend time doing things like eating dim sum or singing karaoke. “That kind of diversity within diversity is amazing,’’ said Pak, who is half-Korean and half-white. “No one character here has to represent all Asian-ness or Asian Americanness. That’s a ridiculous demand for any character.’’ The rest of the “Atlas’’ creative team includes writer Jeff Parker and artists Nico Leon and Carlo Pagulayan. In the series, the do-gooders find that someone has flipped a switch and created a “cross-Asian portal city’’ called Pan. In Pan, Asian neighborhoods get geographically scrambled and then stitched together into one city. So, the streets of Tokyo could be next to neighborhoods from Honolulu, Manila and some of Marvel’s fictitious Asian countries. Filipino American Loren Javier, 50, discusses Marvel comics on his “Castles, Capes & Clones’’ blog and podcast. There were few Asian characters in the lexicon he could look up to as a child, and many were often stereotypical mystics or man-servants. “I love Marvel but I didn’t necessarily see myself in the comics,’’ said Javier, who recalls being teased by a
ALADDIN from 9
LIN from 1
which I will not go into since those are spoilers. The cinematography was very well done and Agrabah has some very vivid colors. I felt the same kind of magic when “A Whole New World” played as Aladdin and Jasmine soared on the magic carpet. If you watch this movie with an open mind, and without expecting an exact rendition of the original Aladdin, then you will also have an enjoyable magic carpet ride. Be sure to catch the Will Smith and DJ Khaled rap during the credits!
Despite his fame, some people don’t recognize him. Lin said last week that a security guard actually stopped him from boarding the Raptors’ team bus after the second game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. Lin also shared that when he played for the Knicks, he had to convince a security guard to let him into the arena because the guard simply didn’t believe him. 自1872年起服務西北岸社區 In 2012, Lin signed a three-year contract with the Rockets, for 非營利獨立協會 whom he played two seasons. He was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He played one season with the Lakers before signing with the Charlotte Hornets. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets the following season. Limited to playing in only 37 games over two seasons due to injuries, Lin was traded to the Hawks in 2018, and then to the Raptors in 2019.
Aladdin is currently playing at local theaters near you. John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.
PIKACHU from 8 is incomprehensible to adults. Then there’s Rita Ora playing a research scientist. We’re not sure why that is but she also teams up with Kygo to supply the film’s signature song “Carry On’’—a bland, lazy, derivative club banger. It’s perfect for this flat film. Live-action feature film adaptations of video games have proved a dicey proposition in the past. For every “Mortal Kombat’’ there’s a “Prince of Persia.’’ This one just feels like a venal money grab from a mega corporation. You’ve played Pokemon Go, right? Call this one Pokemon Don’t Go.
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classmate who called him “the enemy.’’ “Now, finally, I think about kids who are reading this new generation of comics and heroes and getting to see themselves a little bit more,’’ Javier said. “It’s very powerful.’’ Charlie Kirihara, who is half Japanese and half white, was thrilled by “New Agents of Atlas’’ and tweeted at Pak and Marvel pleading for more content. Kirihara, 26, said it was a welcome change to see characters that represented Asian and American cultures in “The War of the Realms.’’ “I read through the book and realized that was the first time I’ve read a comic book that was all these Asian characters and that wasn’t manga written in Japan,’’ Kirihara said, referring to a genre of comics or graphic novels. “I want to see it have legs beyond this storyline.’’ That’s Pak’s wish as well. But it depends on how Marvel finds the fan response. “If people buy the heck out of it, I’m happy to keep writing them,’’ Pak said.
Lake View Cemetery Seattle’s Pioneer Cemetery Est. 1872 An Independent, NonProfit Association
Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
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JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
TOURISM from 12 the highest tourism traffic to the U.S., any falloff will be felt by destinations that have come to rely on Chinese spending power. In 2017, the country had the fifth highest number of U.S.-bound tourists, behind Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Japan. Ten years earlier, China wasn’t even on the top 10 list, falling behind countries like Germany, France, South Korea, and Australia, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office. China didn’t crack the top 10 list until 2011 and has been climbing ever since. Spending by Chinese visitors—which doesn’t include students—ballooned more than 600 percent between 2008 and 2016, to nearly $18.9 billion. In 2017, that fell by 1 percent to $18.8 billion, or about 12 percent of overall tourism spending. To hold onto those dollars, experts say the tourism industry must do more to keep up with Chinese travelers and their changing needs. Larry Yu, a professor of hospitality
management at George Washington University, notes that Chinese tourists—particularly younger ones— are increasingly planning trips using social media apps like WeChat and are less likely to book through big tour groups. They have also rapidly adopted smartphone-based payment systems. Destinations should invest in those technologies now if they want to continue attracting Chinese tourists, says David Becker, former CEO of Attract China, a New York-based travel consultancy. “A lot of companies looked at the Chinese market as easy money, but we have to be relevant to the Chinese,’’ Becker said. Attract China, for instance, has helped luxury stores in Manhattan incorporate Jeenie, a live translation app, and add Alipay and WeChat Pay for mobile payments. Others have also been stepping up their efforts. The Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles used to cater to busloads of Chinese tourists. Now, it’s focusing on small groups of less than 10 VIP shoppers, says Susan Vance, the mall’s
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marketing and sponsorship director. The mall has also pushed stores to offer China UnionPay, a digital payment service. More than 100 stores now have it, Vance says, up from three in 2014. Tourism officials are also catching onto WeChat. In late 2017, Washington D.C. became the first U.S. city to launch an interactive guide in the app. Chinese travelers can use it to get directions to attractions, access audio tours in Mandarin and find dining and shopping. The city’s marketing office has one staff member dedicated to WeChat. Washington also recently launched a Welcome China program that teaches hotels, restaurants and other venues about Chinese customs and encourages them to offer things like Chinese-language menus or in-room slippers. Forty-four hotels and a handful of restaurants have signed on. Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, the city’s marketing office, said the number of Chinese tourists visiting Washington doubled in the last five years before falling slightly
in 2017. But Ferguson, who traveled to China in April to meet with tourism officials, said there’s still significant interest in travel to the U.S. “We’re beefing up our efforts because we see there’s so much potential for growth,’’ he said.
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the LIHI staff makes a huge difference. “They’re so dedicated,” said Lee. “They believe in the mission. We have a very diverse staff and the majority of the people we house are people of color.” In efforts to combat displacement impacting people of color, LIHI attempts to house people in the neighborhoods they already call home. “We do a lot of affirmative marketing,” she explains. “We know that people are being displaced from the Central area, so when we leased up Abbey Lincoln Court, as an example, we have a large population of African Americans and people of color. When we leased up the Tony Lee, which is 70 units, we made sure that [we marketed to] low-income families and individuals from Lake City.” In Othello and Rainier Beach, LIHI is moving fast to stop displacement due to the new light rail system, with three buildings going up.
opponents and his political allies, who despite electoral victories were forced time and again from office, culminating in another coup in 2014. An election in March this year is set to install a government in the near future, but constitutional changes ensure the military will keep elected politicians on a tight leash. Prem retained his role as a behind-thescenes power broker after the 2006 coup, especially as King Bhumibol was in ill health for much of the decade before his death in 2016. Prem, in apparently vigorous health for his age until recently, looked frail at two recent public appearances: voting in the March general election and the formal coronation of Bhumibol’s son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, last month. Prem was born in the major southern fishing port of Songkhla on Aug. 26, 1920. He attended the prestigious Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in Bangkok and
Sharon Lee (right) at opening celebration of Cheryl Chow Court in Ballard with Cheryl’s brother Mark Chow, Catherine Danigelis of KeyBank, Cheryl and Sarah’s daughter Liliana, and Cheryl’s partner, Sarah Morningstar.
For more information, visit LIHI.org. Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
LIHI is also cognizant of the need to provide services along with housing. In Lake City, LIHI included an early
later U.S. Army schools. He began his military career in 1941 as a second lieutenant in a tank regiment. He first achieved national prominence in 1974-77, when as regional army commander in Thailand’s poor rural northeast he stressed development and civic action instead of military might in a successful campaign against communist insurgents. As prime minister, he continued using policies of amnesty and other political means to prompt defections from the communist guerrilla movement. Junior officers pushed a reluctant Prem into taking the prime minister’s job in 1980, when Thailand was facing an ailing economy and perils on the border with Cambodia, which had been occupied by Vietnamese forces who had driven out the communist Khmer Rouge regime but also sent hundreds of thousands of refugees into Thailand. At the same time, Thailand expanded ties with China and allies in the West, Japan and Southeast Asia. Prem was appointed deputy interior
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for E00607E19, Engineering and Related Services for Trolley Overhead Catenary System (OCS) for Metro Transit Department; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on June 12, 2019. Total Estimated Price: NTE $1,000,000 King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Alice Phoenix, alice.phoenix@kingcounty.gov, 206-263-9311
15
education center in conjunction with the Refugee Women’s Alliance. At the LIHI apartment building in the University District, there is a food bank and a café which offers barista training to the young adults that live there. The same building has won green awards for its rooftop gardens, where volunteers grow vegetables and herbs to sell at the food bank. Soon, LIHI’s new headquarters, together with 69 more units of affordable workforce housing, and retail space, will be coming to 1253 South Jackson in the ID. LIHI has inspired other cities, such as Honolulu, to follow suit with their first urban rest stop.
LEE from 10
TINSULANONDA from 12
asianweekly northwest
YOUR VOICE
minister in 1977 and later army commander and defense minister. He became prime minister in March 1980, after the resignation of Kriangsak Chamanand, another former military leader. The border crisis with Cambodia eased over time, and Prem had the good luck to preside over the birth of Thailand’s economic boom, which ended only with Asia’s devastating 1997 financial crisis. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, credited Prem with keeping the military at arm’s length from politics by warding off the coup attempts in 1981 and 1985, and checking elected politicians from excessive graft by shielding the Finance Ministry and macro-policy agencies, particularly the Central Bank, from domestic politics. But Prem showed little appetite for public political activity, and was dubbed by some academics as suffering from “reluctant ruler syndrome.’’ Critics accused him of indecision and lacking in imagination, and influential businessmen criticized his government’s austere economic policies. His aloof manner, bordering on arrogance, didn’t help his popularity. “Prem disliked the cut-and-thrust of
parliamentary politics, disdained elected politicians as the source of Thailand’s corruption, and he seldom appeared in parliament,’’ said Hewison, the Thai studies scholar. “As prime minister, Prem established a system of government that has been a model for the current military junta.’’ Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the junta leader who seized power in 2014, praised Prem as “a role model for Thais who love the country,’’ according to a statement from deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak. “He was honest and cared for the betterment of society. He also had other characteristics about him that future generations should learn from,’’ the statement cited Prayuth, another former army commander, as saying. A later government statement called Prem a “hero,’’ and said that flags would be lowered to half-staff for seven days in his honor and that civil servants would dress appropriately for mourning for three weeks. Never married, Prem leaves no family survivors. Thailand’s Princess Sirindhorn presided over his initial Buddhist funeral rites on May 27.
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asianweekly northwest
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■ PICTORIAL
37 YEARS
JUNE 1 – JUNE 7, 2019
CISC s 47th Annual Friendship
CISC brought together 300 community leaders at its 47th annual Friendship Dinner & Auction on May 18. CISC raised more than $190,000 for its programs for youth, families, and the elderly such as its Bilingual Preschools, AfterSchool Program, Healthcare Access Services, Naturalization Program, and Sunshine Garden Chinese Senior Community Center.
Photos by George Liu
From left: Gazel Tan, Bellevue Council member Janice Zahn, and Grace Chien
Bob Ferguson and Bettie Luke
Seahawks football signed by Doug Baldwin
Russian Dance "Troikas"
From left: Michael Itti, Bob Ferguson, Nate Caminos, and Janessa Caminos
James Wong and family
Dinner guests eagerly raise their bid cards.
Asian descent, and it harms their career choices and prospects. It doesn’t give them the opportunity to grow or demonstrate their leadership abilities, she said. And it doesn’t just apply to one gender, either. “The stereotype of me as an Asian American woman is that, okay, I am supposed to be quiet. I am supposed to be easygoing. I am going to be somewhat submissive, not assertive. I’m going to never say no, or rarely say no. I’ll always be accommodating,” Akutagawa said. “If you get an Asian man, I think there are similar types of stereotypes that exist for Asian men … not very assertive, also passive … quiet, highly technical, not good social skills, won’t be able to interact with other people.” LEAP has several programs and workshops meant to help combat the myth on both sides of the aisle, programs like Assertiveness Training, Managing the Asian American Career, and Understanding the Asian American Workforce. The organization’s work also involves teaching students how to lead in a way that feels authentic to themselves, how to navigate a diverse workplace, and how their values, as well as others’ values, influence their behavior. In addition to LEAP’s work, Akutagawa belongs to CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, a coalition of more than 650 CEOs and presidents committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, created by PwC, a global accounting firm. She is one of just a handful of Asian Americans in the coalition, a makeup that PwC’s U.S. Minority Initiatives and Talent Management Leader Elena Richards said is reflective of the very problem the coalition is trying to help solve. “When we think about even just the coalition as a whole … we have roughly about 24 of them identifying as being Asian or of Asian descent,” Richards said. “That, in itself, gives you a landscape that is very typical of what corporate America looks like. … The way we can help is, how can we get more Asian leaders in the room to share their stories
Photo from ASCEND
MYTH from 1
Jeff Chin
with their fellow signatories.” One of Akutagawa’s fellow coalition members, Jeff Chin, is a retired Ernst and Young partner, and currently heads the nonprofit Ascend Foundation. Started in 2005, the nonprofit is the largest Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America, and serves 60,000 people, with 40 student chapters and 17 professional chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Though he eventually became partner at Ernst and Young, Chin admits the road there wasn’t easy, at first. “Someone would see that I was very hardworking, a high-level achiever, in terms of grades, but I kept my head down. … The problem was that I did not promote myself, and I also did not speak up, because, from a cultural point of view, I was taught to speak when spoken to,” Chin said. “So, I had mentors, sponsors help me to develop those leadership skills, to work in a team environment, to make sure that my viewpoint, which is valuable, is understood, and that I am a contributor.” And this is part of what Ascend does, Chin said. Though membership in the nonprofit is open to all ethnicities and backgrounds, its work is focused on elevating leadership
and business potential of APIs, and breaking the stereotypes associated with the group. Ascend also created the Pinnacle program, which aims to increase the percentage of Asian Americans on the boards of Fortune 500 companies to reflect the percentage of Asian Americans in the U.S. population. The nonprofit also compiles research on API leadership, which it periodically publishes on its website. Ascend uses the research to inform its programs and sessions, such as the Myths of Asian Leadership session that talks about the disparities between the group’s educational attainment and its career opportunities. For instance, according to Ascend’s latest research of the tech sector in the San Francisco Bay Area, between 2007 and 2015, “there were no major shifts upward for racial minorities in climbing the management ladder to become executives.” Moreover, the report found that though Asians outnumbered white people in entry-level positions by 2015, their white colleagues were twice as likely to become executives and held three times the number of executive jobs. Using the Equity Parity Index it created, Ascend also found that though white women made progress in leadership in the San Francisco Bay Area’s tech field between 2007 and 2015, moving from below 12 percent parity to above 17 percent parity, Asian men and women remained below parity, at 38 percent below and 66 percent below, respectively. But Chin understands that the work is a journey, and said this is why he joined CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion. “I am relatively new to it, but my intention is to share these best practices with those that are part of the network, and help be the voice and get the voice out to more people and organizations,” Chin said. Carolyn can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.