VOL 38 NO 28 | JULY 6 - JULY 12, 2019 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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VOL 38 NO 28 JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

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37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Yang Gang furious

Andrew Yang gets shortest speaking time during Dem. debate

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

MIAMI — Democratic presidential candidate and entrepreneur Andrew Yang claimed that his microphone during the Democratic debate on June 27 was turned off at times. “A few times...where I just started talking, being like, ‘Hey, I’d like to add something there,’ and my mic was like, not on,” Yang said, adding that “I was talking and like, nothing was happening.” He tweeted the following day, “I feel bad for those who tuned in to see and support me that I didn’t get more airtime. Will do better (my mic being off unless called on didn’t help) and glad to have another opportunity in July (and afterwards)!” Supporters of Yang, often referred to as the “Yang Gang,” took to social media with the hashtag “#LetYangSpeak,” which became one of the biggest trends on Twitter on June 28. Andrew Yang (center) speaks during the Democratic primary debate hosted by NBC News at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Art on June 27 in Miami. Yang is flanked by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (left) and South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (right).

UW study: LGBTQ Asian Americans seen as more ‘American’ By Staﬀ NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

■

Campaign to vindicate ﬁrst Japanese American novel appears successful

Reen Renaud (right) and Wanda Maldonado at Seattle Pride Parade on June 30.

gay Asian American man.” They were then asked to rate, using a seven-point scale, how American they considered him through questions, such as “How ﬂuently do you think this person speaks English?” and “How integrated is this person in American culture?” Researchers found see LGBTQ on 11

University of Washington (UW) professor and novelist Shawn Wong last week said his battle with Penguin Random House over the copyright of “No-No Boy,” the ﬁrst Japanese American novel, was coming to a positive close, although he could not provide details. The victory was part of Wong’s life-long mission as a writer and educator to rescue Asian American voices from oblivion. “It just got sorted out,” Wong said in an interview with Northwest Asian Weekly. “We’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop.” “We’re waiting for the good news,” he added. “No-No Boy” was written by Japanese American author John Okada in the late 1950s about a Japanese American man who refuses to serve in the

PICTORIAL  7

Photo from shawnwongwrites.com

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by Anna Maldonado

The fastest-growing racial group in the United States—Asian Americans—is also one that is consistently perceived as “foreign.” But for Asian Americans who are gay or lesbian, their sexual orientation may make them seem more “American” than those who are presumed straight. A new University of Washington (UW) study, the latest in research to examine stereotypes, identity, and ideas about who is “American,” focuses on how sexual orientation and race come together to influence others’ perceptions. “Research on race is often separate from research on sexual orientation. Here we bring the two together to understand how they interact to influence judgments of how American someone is considered,” said Sapna Cheryan, a UW associate professor of psychology. In one study, participants were randomly assigned to read a brief descriptive phrase of a person named John, identified either as “an Asian American man” or “a

see YANG on 13

Shawn Wong

American army during World War II and, despite his convictions, watches his family, friends, and cultural world implode after the war ends. The novel ends after the protagonist’s best friend dies of a war injury, his mother commits suicide,

ED HILL  8

see WONG on 15

THE RIVETER  9

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37 YEARS

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Indian ambassador in Bellevue Photo provided by Debadutta Dash

Chin Legacy Home on June 29. More than 100 people attended the festivities. The event included a ribbon cutting ceremony, lion dance, and tours. There were also speeches by Kin On CEO Nigel Lo, Kin On Board President Dennis Lam, Gary Locke, and Chun Ng. Locke and Ng had relatives that were Kin On residents and raved about it. Ng said knowing his father was in good hands was a comfort for him and his family, especially in the days leading up to his father’s passing. 

Mona Lee Locke wedding From left: Consul General Sanjay Panda, Rep. Vandana Slatter, Redmond City Councilmember Tanika Padhye, Bellevue City Councilmembers Janice Zahn, Ambassador Harsh Shringla, Bellevue Mayor John Chelminiak, Bellevue Deputy Mayor Lynne Robinson, Bellevue City Councilmember Conrad Lee, and State Sen. Mona Das.

It was a day to celebrate the contributions and recent retirement of the long-time journalist. Matsukawa recently retired from KING 5 after 36 years at the station and 40 years in the business. 

Kin On celebrates grand opening

Sharon Pian Chan joining the New York Times

Photo by George Liu

The Ambassador of India to the United States Harsh Shringla visited Bellevue on June 22 for a community reception. Accompanied by Consulate General of India in San Francisco, Sanjay Panda, Shringla spoke to more than 100 members of the community at the Global Innovation Exchange. Prominent members of the local Indian community were among the guests, as well as elected oﬃcials such as U.S. Congressman Pramila Jayapal, state Sen. Mona Das, state Rep. Vandana Slatter, Bellevue City Councilmembers Janice Zahn and Conrad Lee, and Redmond City Councilmember Tanika Padhye. In addition to Shringla’s remarks, guests were treated to a traditional Indian dance and lunch catered by Nirmal’s Restaurant. 

Lori Matsukawa pictured with Dow Constantine, holding her proclamation.

Lori Matsukawa Day

King County Executive Dow Constantine honored Lori Matuskawa recently, proclaiming June 29, 2019 to be Lori Matsukawa Day. The proclamation was presented at an event hosted by the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Washington at Blaine Memorial Methodist Church on June 29.

Former Kin On CEO Sam Wan dangles a red packet wrapped in lettuce for the lion.

Kin On celebrated the grand opening of its new Supportive Housing Project: Kin On Assisted Living and Ark & Winnie

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Washington’s former ﬁrst lady Mona Lee Locke was married in late June in California to Cory Van Arsdale, senior vice president of global licensing at Intellectual Ventures Management, LLC. The couple tied the knot at the Kunde Family Winery in Sonoma Valley. She and former Gov. Gary Mona Locke and Cory Van Arsdale Locke divorced in 2015 after 20 years of marriage. They have three children. The nuptials were disclosed by Facebook pictures, and best wishes from friends who were at the wedding. 

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Sharon Pian Chan of the Seattle Times will join the New York Times (NYT) as vice president of philanthropy. In the newly created role, Chan will spearhead the newsroom initiative to work in partnership with nonproﬁts, foundations, and other organizations to support NYT’s broader mission. Sharon Pian Chan Chan is currently the vice president of Innovation, Product & Development at the Seattle Times. Previously, she served as a deputy managing editor and an opinions editor, but spent most of her career as a reporter, covering beats ranging from city hall to technology. Chan starts her role at the NYT in August. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

Mercy Magnuson Early Learning Center

In the fall of 2019, Denise Louie Education Center (DLEC), in partnership with Mercy Housing Northwest and NeighborCare, will complete the $4.3 million development of their new Mercy Magnuson Early Learning Center. Since the need for support extends beyond early learning, many families they serve experience challenges accessing health care, housing, and transportation, something Mercy Magnuson Early Learning Center will be able to collaboratively address. The 14,217-square-foot, two-story space will serve 300 children and their guardians annually, transforming the community into a space that brings together children and families from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds in a rich and supportive learning environment. Mercy Magnuson Place will bring together early learning, health care, and housing under one roof, as well as make transportation convenient with a bus stop and light rail station nearby, making this site accessible to others. The new space will be located in the Magnuson Park area and features 146 aﬀordable, energy eﬃcient apartment units, a primary care health clinic, three preschool classrooms, two

toddler classrooms, one infant classroom, socialization and gross motor room, conference and training room, office space, and an outdoor playground. “At DLEC, we believe that success starts with us, at the beginning stages of life and we are grateful to funders and community partners who believe in the work that we do and continues to share our vision for the future,” said Nikki Huang, DLEC’s Director of Development. DLEC was founded in 1978 in response to the unmet child care needs of many Asian immigrant workers in Seattle’s International District. Over the past 40 years, they have ensured access to high-quality early learning services, offered at no cost, to thousands of qualifying, low-income, immigrant, and refugee children and their families. DLEC has been recognized for its holistic approach, multicultural curriculum, and spirit of inclusion and equity. Integral to their mission is their commitment to protecting and preserving each child’s individuality, culture, and home language. Over 70 percent of staff members are multilingual, which allows DLEC to work with families in their home

Photos from DLEC

Grand Opening

languages. DLEC is one of the few early learning centers in the area that has a Family and Referral Specialist team that, along with their Home Visitors, builds one-on-one relationships with parents and caregivers. They host monthly parent nights and provide referral services to inform caregivers about wideranging topics, including immigration, food stamps, and money management. They work with families holistically so parents and caregivers are more invested in their children’s long-term success.  For enrollment questions, please contact us at 206-767-8223 or go to deniselouie.org/mercy-magnuson-early-learningcenter.

asianweekly northwest

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Arrest in attack against Asian woman By Melissa Lin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY SEATTLE — Police arrested a man on June 21 suspected of robbing an Asian woman. SWAT detectives caught the suspect after a high-speed chase down I-405. The 24-yearold man damaged a nearby car before crashing into a concrete barrier. He then threw a handgun out of the car window and tried to run before officers apprehended him. Police say he is the same man who, on June 12, attacked 68-year-old Mei Yeung while she was walking down 61st Avenue South in Seattle. He grabbed Mei from behind, ripped off her necklace, stole two rings, and took her purse before fleeing in a black vehicle. Neighbors, who heard Mei screaming for help, called the police. Mei suffered minor bruises and cuts. Police say this was only the latest in a

Mei Yeung attacked and robbed on June 12.

string of robberies targeting Asian women. The suspect in the Mei Yeung incident has been booked

Owner of Ludi’s still looking for a new home By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The owner of Ludi’s Restaurant and Lounge at Seattle’s Pike Place Market is still trying to relocate, rather than close after service on Aug. 31. Gregorio Ross announced the move-or-close-forever plans back in April. He says he’s still trying to find an affordable place downtown to move his restaurant, but so far, the search hasn’t panned out. The business has operated at various locations downtown since the 1930s, serving all-day breakfast

into the King County Jail. According to KOMO News, he had three other warrants out for his arrest. In an interview with Q13 FOX, Mei’s son-in-law Kevin Lo stated that the whole family feels a “[r]eal big sense of relief that this very dangerous individual is oﬀ the street so that this can’t happen to anybody else.” 

with Filipino specialties. Rosas was born in Manila and moved to Seattle in 1978. His ﬁrst job upon relocating was as a dishwasher at Ludi’s, which was then a diner called The Turf. When the owner died, she passed on the restaurant to Rosas. Rosas is working with a broker to relocate, but he has doubts about whether he’ll be successful. 

Melissa can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com. Suspect seen in surveillance images grabbing Mei Yeung.

Inquiry sparked by Sen. Das’ comments about sexism, racism OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Secretary of the Senate has asked the chamber’s human resources oﬃcer to conduct an inquiry into public comments made by a senator who said she experienced “hate, sexism, racism, and misogyny’’ during closed-door Democratic meetings. Secretary Brad Henderson said once he was Sen. Mona Das

see DAS on 6

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Honda to recall 1.6M vehicles, finish Takata recalls early DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S. to replace potentially deadly Takata air bag inflators, completing its required recalls six months ahead of schedule, the automaker said on June 28. When the latest recall is done, Honda says it will have recalled or accounted for 22.6 million inflators in about 12.9 million vehicles. Takata inflators can explode with too much force and blow apart a metal canister, spewing shrapnel. Twentyfour people have been killed and hundreds injured by the inflators worldwide. Honda was Takata’s largest customer. The Japanese company, which was forced into bankruptcy by the troubles, used the volatile chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion and inflate the air bags. But the chemical deteriorates when exposed to high temperatures and humidity and can burn to fast, blowing

apart the canister designed to contain the explosion. The recalls include many Honda and Acura models from 2003 through 2015. All received replacement inflators made by Takata before February of 2017 and were scheduled to be recalled a second time to replace those with inflators made by another company. Affected Honda models include the 2001-2012 Accord, the 2010-2015 Crosstour, the 2001-2011 Civic, 20022011 CR-V, the 2011-2015 CR-Z, the 2003-2011 Element, the 2007-2014 Fit, the 2010-2014 Insight, the 2002-2004 Odyssey, the 2003-2015 Pilot and the 20062014 Ridgeline. Acura models include the 2003 3.2CL, the 2013 ILX, the 2003-2006 MDX, the 2015 RDX, the 2005-2012 RL, the 2002-2003 3.2TL, the 2009-2014 TL, the 2009-2014 TSX, and the 2010-2013 ZDX. Honda said it has completed repairs or accounted for

83 percent of the, among the highest in the auto industry. Some of the inflators have been found in scrap yards or the vehicles are no longer in use. Owners will be notified by letters starting in midAugust, and Honda is urging people to schedule repairs as soon as possible. Nineteen automakers are recalling about 70 million inflators in what has become the largest string of automotive recalls in U.S. history. The recalls are taking place on a schedule set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recalls do not include inflators that have a moistureabsorbing chemical. The government will decide by the end of this year whether those should be recalled. 

Lawsuit claims Utah hotel exploited immigrants By BRADY McCOMBS ASSOCIATED PRESS SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A lawsuit filed on June 25 accuses the luxury Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City of luring workers from the Philippines to a program that promised training and cultural immersion but instead forced them to work long hours doing menial jobs for low pay. The hotel misused a type of visa similar to an internship program and instead treated participants like normal workers to avoid travel costs and other fees, according to the lawsuit filed by four workers represented by Asian Americans Advancing Justice and other organizations. “This conduct is a blatant, greed-driven and illegal perversion of this country’s immigration laws,’’ David Seligman, executive director of Towards Justice, a Denver-based nonprofit law firm helping with the lawsuit, said in a news release. Grand America officials didn’t immediately respond to an email and phone message seeking comment. The Grand America Hotel opened a year before the 2002 Winter Olympics and is considered one of the most lavish in Utah. Past presidents have stayed in the hotel that often hosts major political gatherings and important conferences. The hotel is the flagship of the Grand Hotel and Resorts company, which also owns four Little America hotels in Western states, according to the hotel’s website. The J-1 visa program is intended to give foreign workers who can be scholars, teachers, camp counselors and au pairs training and experience in those fields in the United States. The four plaintiffs—Jann Descanzo, Veronica Bondoc, Glen Segundino and Marianne Ponio—studied tourism in the Philippines and came to learn about the

hospitality industry in the United States. They each paid their travel costs and recruitment fees of more than $3,000 each, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit claims the hotel didn’t make good on promises of providing supervised training about aspects of the American hospitality industry. They were supposed to get experience working in five different parts of the hotel, but were usually stuck in only a few. The hotel forced the Filipino staffers to work up to 60 hours a week and do less desirable jobs than other employees, it alleges. Supervisors called them “slow’’ and “lazy,’’ and threatened with deportation when they complained about the hotel not following the internship plans, the lawsuit alleges. They were promised the chance to go to a Dickens Christmas festival, a winter solstice festival, the zoo, and a dance festival as cultural experiences, but that didn’t happen. Attorneys believe there are at least 100 workers who endured similar treatment in the program, which is why they are seeking to make it a class-action lawsuit. The hotel should have been using a different immigrant work program, the H-2B visa, to bring in the workers, the attorneys argue. In that program, the hotel would have to cover travel costs. They cited a 2011 Homeland Security investigation that found the Grand America Hotel was employing 133 workers without proper documentation to work in the United States. The hotel agreed to pay $2 million for the violations, according to a Department of Justice news release . “Stymied in their attempts to use undocumented labor, defendants turned to non-immigrant visa programs, including the J-1 visa internship program, to import cheap foreign labor to operate the hotel,’’ the lawsuit says. 

PORT OF SEATTLE SEATTLE-TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT announces LEASE GROUP 5 OPPORTUNITIES Pre-Proposal Meeting 10 a.m.—12 p.m. Tuesday July 9, 2019 London Conference Room

Thursday July 18, 2019 Central Auditorium

Meeting will be at Sea-Tac Airport Seattle, WA 98158 (The Conference Center) Parking will be validated. Please park on ﬂoors 5-8. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for both Pre-Proposal meetings. Based on space limitation, you may be asked to attend a diﬀerent date. Walk-in registrations are not permitted on the day of the events.

Interested companies should register via the below email to receive a link to the Lease Group 5 Documents: SEATACSHOPS@PORTSEATTLE.ORG Include your company name, contact person, mailing address, phone number, and email address

asianweekly northwest

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUL 2

HOW CROSS BORDER FAMILIES SHALL PLAN THEIR WEALTH TRANSFER AND INHERITANCE Bellevue City Hall, Room 1E-108, 450 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 7 p.m. seattlechinesechamber.org

4 FILIPINO AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP DAY Doctor Jose P. Rizal Park, 1008 12th Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

6 SAMOA CULTURAL DAY Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. apcc96.org

9 ACLF SUMMER COMMUNITY BUILDING HOURS Jeﬀerson Park Seattle, 3801 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle 6-9 p.m.

44TH ANNUAL PIG ROAST Danny Woo Community Garden, 620 S. Main St., Seattle 4-7 p.m. dannywoogarden.org PING PONG TOURNAMENT Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 2-5:30 p.m. 2 p.m.

ALI WONG: THE MILK & MONEY TOUR Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle 7-10 p.m. stgpresents.org

ENGLISH LUNCHEON, “THE PORT OF SEATTLE MAKING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH” China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. seattlechinesechamber.org

RVC’S FELLOWS GRADUATION New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave. S., Seattle 5-8:30 p.m. rainiervalleycorps.org

26, 27, 28

SEATTLE CHINESE WOMEN’S CLUB’S SUMMER PICNIC Renton Gene Coulon Park 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. seattlechinesewomensclub. com

2019 SEATTLE BON ODORI Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, 1427 S. Main St., Seattle 4-8 p.m.

made aware of a story late last month by the Kent Reporter detailing the remarks by Democratic Sen. Mona Das, he requested the inquiry, which was approved at a June 27 meeting of the Senate Facilities and Operations Committee.

CID BLOCK PARTY 2019 Seattle’s C-ID 3-9 p.m. cidblockparty.com

SEAFAIR CHINATOWN PARADE Seattle’s C-ID 7 p.m.

DAS from 4

JAMFEST 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 5-9 p.m. wingluke.org

FOOD TRUCK FEST 2019 Wright Park, 501 S. I St., Tacoma 12-8 p.m. metroparkstacoma.org BITE OF SEATTLE 2019 Seattle Center 11 a.m.-7 p.m. biteofseattle.com

PING PONG TOURNAMENT Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 2-5:30 p.m. 2 p.m.

RAGIN’ VIET-CAJUN Pho Bac Sup Shop, 1240 S. Jackson St., Seattle 12 p.m.-12 a.m. vietcajunseattle.bpt.me

KIN ON’S TABLE TENNIS TOURNAMENT Crossroads Community Center 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. kinon.org

NATSU MATSURI OUTDOOR SUMMER FESTIVAL Uwajimaya, 5th Ave., Seattle 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

BELLEVUE ART FAIR 2019 Bellevue Square & Bellevue Arts Museum 9:30 a.m. bellevuearts.org

5 19TH ANNUAL KIN ON GOLF TOURNAMENT Washington National Golf Club, 14330 SE Husky Way, Auburn 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. kinon.secure.force.com

AUG

FROM HIROSHIMA TO HOPE Green Lake, Seattle 6-9:30 p.m.

BAMBOO CIRCLE CELEBRATION Seattle Chinese Garden, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle 5 p.m. RSVP to info@ seattlechinesegarden.org 206-934-5219

Das, whose family moved to the United States from India when she was an infant, told a Kent Chamber of Commerce audience that the “hate, sexism, racism, and misogyny I experienced when that caucus room door closed would shock only the white folks in the room because the brown folks know it’s there.’’

SCAC CITY SERVE DAY Dearborn Park International School, 2820 S. Orcas St., Seattle 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Das later clariﬁed her statements, saying that the experiences she detailed were not overt, but instead coded language she hears everywhere, including the caucus room. The inquiry was expected to begin on July 1. 

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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

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

Photo by George Liu

Photo by Connie Au-Yeung Contestants participating in the CIDBIA-hosted noodle eating contest. They competed to see who could ﬁnish their noodles fastest. The noodles were provided by Tai Tung.

Photo by George Liu

Photo by Assunta Ng

competed for the fastest time to ﬁnish delicious noodles, compliments of Tai Tung. The Fest also had amazing performances by various members of the community, ranging from the Northwest Wushu’s martial arts demonstration, a Chinese Traditional Dance by Tanya Woo, and Kokon Taiko’s Japanese Taiko Drums as the closing act. 

Cosplay Contest by Sakura-Con

SPD’s body camera

Photo by George Liu

Dragon Fest 2019

Photo by George Liu

■ PICTORIAL CIDBIA's Annual On Saturday, June 29, the ChinatownInternational District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) hosted its annual Dragon Fest with 10,000 in attendance, and over 80 vendors that range from retail to food, and informational to arts and crafts. Local businesses participated in the $3 food walk and visitors had a blast. The CIDBIA hosted a noodle eating contest, where participants

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

37 YEARS

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hill explores family, relationships in latest comedy album

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Ed Hill

Vancouver, B.C.-based comedian Ed Hill released his latest comedy album, Son of Smiley, in June. The live album, recorded in front of an audience in Vancouver, highlights the comedian’s wit and observational humor on relationships and family. Originally from Taiwan, Ed had been touring Canada and the United States while keeping his job as a mental health therapist. Hill holds a master’s degree from Simon Fraser and an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia. Hill is now a

full-time comedian. “Son of Smiley” is named after Hill’s dad, Smiley. As Hill explains in one of his jokes,

his father is a ﬁrst-generation immigrant. When he immigrated to Canada, he was given the choice of a new name to use. He chose Smiley. Hill also has a podcast of the same name in which he conveys a short story from his childhood. “More often than not, my understanding of the world directly contrasted with his perceptions. Between my dad and I, there was struggle, but there was also magic.” “He’s my pillar, he truly is,” Hill told the audience as he relayed a story about his need to move and hire a moving company. “I know a guy!” his father told him. The next day, Hill said his father showed up to help him move. And at the end of the day, he asked Hill for money. The story emphasized Hill’s father’s cheapness and entrepreneurial, hard-working spirit, even if he was taking money from his own son. His father’s frugality is highlighted

throughout the album and the comedian recognizes how it’s been passed on to him. “I love coupons so much,” said Hill. It’s a trait he relates to Asian dads. “Nothing makes me so happy than go to Starbucks, steal some napkins, and then put them in my car.” Hill’s father is not the only subject of Hill’s jokes. He also makes fun of his mother and her penchant for calling a phone “app,” as if they were actual initials and asking his friends if they would like to see “A.P.P.” which draws quizzed and confused looks from his buddies. Hill uses his ability to engage with the audience during the album. In one snippet, he probes the audience for couples in relationships and asks them questions. From there, he is able to riﬀ on their stories and relate it to his own world and humor. Hill’s comedic career has earned him some awards as he’s constantly touring, appearing in comedy clubs. He has appeared on television as part of “Gotham Comedy Live” on AXS-TV and Season 1 of the short-lived “Up Late Northwest” on KING-TV in Seattle. He’s also been on radio with CBC Radio and Sirius XM’s Satellite Radio. He also gained notoriety for his Twitter feed, as his comedic tweets have been featured on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” “Son of Smiley” was recorded at the Havana Theatre in Vancouver this past February. It was produced by Kevin Maher. Hill has received a Juno Award, a Canadian music award received by musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievement in music.  This is Hill’s third comedy album after, “CanAsian,” in 2013 and “Weirdo Whisperer” in 2016. For more information on Hill, visit kingedhill.com. Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

Riveter panel advocates for women of color

Photos by Kai Curry

There were tears throughout the room as the campaign volunteer on the screen said, “We have a lot of work to do. The primary has ended. The injustice has not.” The event was a special screening of Netflix’s documentary, “Knock Down the House,” at the Riveter in Capitol Hill. The audience were mostly women, young women and women of color. After the showing of the documentary, several panelists representing the state legislature, the Seattle City Council, and advocacy groups IGNITE and VoteRunLead debriefed. There was a lot to talk about. The documentary follows the 2018 campaigns of women who ran against long-standing incumbents. Amy Vilela in Nevada. Cori Bush in Missouri. Paula Jean Swearingin in West Virginia. Only one of them won. Her name is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Together, they were part of the record number of women of color who ran for office last year. The Riveter, a nationwide company that offers office space, event programming, and professional development to women, was an apropos spot to ponder our political landscape, and what it means for basically everyone who is not a white, heterosexual male. “Knock Down the House” succinctly chronicles the particular challenges that women face when attempting to enter politics, as well as the particular strengths that women possess that make them ideal candidates—ordinary, everyday women—not career politicians, not wealthy lawyers. Women who have faced bankruptcy or the loss of children due to healthcare inequities. As Ocasio-Cortez states in the documentary, “People are just asking to get by. For a politician to help them get by. It’s not Democratic versus Republican or left versus right. It’s up versus down.”

State Sen. Joe Nguyen, shown with fellow state Sen. Mona Das, and panel facilitator Caitlin Lombardi, was a big supporter of the Riveter's event.

When Joe Nguyen, one of Washington’s recent entrants into state senate, was asked by panel leader Caitlin Lombardi, the Riveter’s director of advocacy and civic engagement, how people such as

Photos by Kai Curry

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

State Sen. Mona Das and Seattle councilmember Lorena Gonazalez discuss issues relevant to women of color with the Riveter's Caitlin Lombardi.

Lydia Lippold-Gelb iterates VoteRunLead's mission while panel leader Caitlin Lombardi (far right) and the other panelists listen (from left to right, Louie Tan Vital, Lorena Gonzalez, Mona Das, Joe Nguyen)

himself (men and men of color) could assist women in achieving their goals, he said, “Shut our mouths and make space.” Laughter. But the underlying topic was serious, as Nguyen went on to say that no matter how many complaints he might receive over a decision or a comment he makes as a public figure, “nobody’s ever threatened me with sexual harm.” If you don’t know that sexually-violent threats towards female politicians, and females in the public eye in general, are common, then this evening would have been a wakeup call for you. Nightmarish stories were told. While the documentary discusses how expectations for women running for office are different for men (women are under greater scrutiny for how they dress, how they talk, if they act too soft, or if they act too hard), it did not demonstrate any extreme cases of harassment that might or might not have happened to the four candidates. Not so at the Riveter on this night.

Seattle councilmember Lorena Gonzalez, seated by Louie Tan Vital (l) and state Sen. Mona Das (r) speaks of her experiences.

Seattle Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez talked about several weeks of violent and downright horriﬁc threats she received after voting down a new basketball stadium. “There was a huge misogynistic backlash,” she recalled. When the vote happened to go down gender lines, the comments started: Maybe all the ladies were on their period. “That’s not something men have to deal with.” “The world is not built for us,” Mona Das, another of our new state senators, declared vehemently. “Every system is designed for rich, white men.” The point? It’s time to “redeﬁne the political landscape,” as Ocasio-Cortez put it during her campaign. Part of that means that

whether you are a woman, a person of color, trans, or gay, you do not have to buy into the system in the ﬁrst place. An audience member asked, how to get past a seemingly female conviction that you have to “know everything about everything” before you can run for oﬃce? The panel discussed how a male candidate is often

looked upon favorably when he has just one or two qualifications, whereas a female is not looked upon unless she qualifies 100 percent. So obviously, there’s a reason women feel pressured to be that much more prepared. The rebuttal of the documentary and the panel: be who you are. Come as you are. Or, if you are Lydia Lippold-Gelb of VoteRunLead, run as you are. Her organization has trained 33,000 women to run for office in five years. On top of that, their alumni have a 70 percent see THE RIVETER on 14

asianweekly northwest

37 YEARS

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ AT THE MOVIES

‘YESTERDAY’

obvs has an amazing soundtrack and a charismatic lead

and it wasted it all on a love story! By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Hey, I love love as much as any other person who has a heart, but you know what I don’t love? Love getting crammed down my throat when I could be enjoying loads more covers of Beatles music sung by dreamy newcomer Himesh Patel. Patel stars as Jack Malik in “Yesterday,” a film directed by Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire”), about a struggling musician who wakes up one day in a world where the Beatles never existed. He starts ripping off what he remembers of the Beatles’ discography—in a harmless and cute comedic way, not an overtly sinister copyright-infringement, intellectual theft kind of way. Malik becomes a worldwide superstar because duh he does, and then has to grapple with excessive fame, his own lying ass, and also the protracted will-they-won’t-they love between himself and his best friend/former manager, Ellie (Lily James). (Reportedly, the movie-makers of “Yesterday” paid $10 million to get the rights for Beatles’ song to get featured in the movie. And that was money well spent!) There was a couple on a date sitting next to me in the theater as I watched this. They were whispering to each other about an hour and a half into the movie. And I was like, trying not to eavesdrop because that’s rude. But then soon after their quick discussion, they both got up and left the theater, which made me realize they were negotiating when it’s okay to walk away from $40 worth of movie tickets and concessions to go home because the movie just became too much. “Yesterday” starts off really promising. The premise is just inherently interesting—musician wakes up in a world without the Beatles, starts peddling their music as his own, becomes rich and famous, undergoes downward spiral over the guilt maybe. That, in and of itself, would’ve carried the entire movie. But the filmmakers shoved in an entire unrequited love story that was needlessly long and needlessly created conflict where we didn’t need conflict. I didn’t get why Ellie didn’t say anything to Jack about her feelings until it became wildly inconvenient to. I didn’t get why Jack looked like an idiot fish out of water when his best friend said nice things to him, acting like he’s never received a compliment

It’s pretty ludicrous. I hate it when they do that in movies. I mean, Look at him. He is clearly not hideous. He looks like he could legit be a working musician instead of what he actually is, which is a working Hollywood actor. And even though I wish they’d dial down on their love, Patel and James have really good chemistry. I bought that they had a past and context and genuine affection for each other. Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal play Malik’s parents, and they are a riot. They also have super clear English accents, so they have got to be like, at least second gen, making their son at least third gen. They weren’t the stereotypical immigrant parents that tried to crush their artsy kid’s dream. That was a nice breath of fresh air. The entire supporting cast is charming and funny. They made this movie feel warm and comfortable. Lots of white people though—but minor quibble, I guess. Ed Sheeran is in this. He gets like, third billing. He like, talks a lot in this movie. And after watching his guest appearance on freaking “Game of Thrones,” just the thought of Ed Sheeran doing freaking anything besides being a professional musician just incites rage from deep inside of my soul. before in his entire life. I don’t get why they were acting like they came from two entirely different worlds and that the distance between the two cannot ever be bridged. Like, freaking move to Los Angeles, Ellie. Be a math teacher to Latino kids instead of the lily white kids in Suffolk! Like, you can teach algebra in any Englishspeaking country so I don’t understand all of the forlorn looks you are casting at Jack in airports! Toward the end of this movie, I was watching it like it was a horror movie. I was squirming in my seat and alternating between covering my ears and covering my eyes and internally screaming—because I hate watching embarrassing, overly sentimental public declarations play out. There was a fair bit of that toward the end. Okay, beyond the dumb love story, here are highlights. Patel is great. He is charismatic and funny and also just sweet. He imbues the Jack Malik character with charm, which is super necessary because Malik is a freaking plagiarist! But Patel is so good that we, the audience, kind of constantly forgive him for this. Weirdly though, the other characters in the movie keep referring to Malik as some sort of plain Jane uggo (like, they insult the way he looks). At first, my hackles were raised because I thought it was racial. But no, it was actually just the characters in the movie calling him gross to look at in a color-blind kind of way.

Himesh Patel and Ed Sheeran in Yesterday.

But he was actually alright in this. That was a nice surprise. I can’t wait to watch this movie again in 20 years and go, “WHO THE HECK WAS ED SHEERAN?” along with the rest of the world though. (Come at me. I don’t care.)  “Yesterday” is out in theaters all over town. Check local listings for show times. Stacy can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01334C19, SWD FESS Civil & Structural Repair Work Order; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on 07/18/2019. Late bids will not be accepted. Scope of Work: Consists of furnishing all tools, equipment, materials, supplies, and manufactured articles; furnishing all labor, transportation, and services for the fulfillment of civil and structural repair work issued via work order and in strict accordance with the Contract Documents throughout the Solid Waste Division’s (SWD) facilities. Estimated contract price: $999,765.65 There is a 5% 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

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ EDITORIAL

The Census citizenship question On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a muchanticipated decision on the census citizenship question case, that—for now—the citizenship question cannot appear on the 2020 Census. Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion affirmed the lower court’s finding that the Department of Commerce’s stated reason for adding the citizenship question was false. During arguments in the case at the Supreme Court in April, it seemed as though the Trump administration would win because Roberts and other conservatives appointed by Republican presidents did not appear to see anything wrong with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’ decision to add the question. Ultimately, however, Roberts joined the court’s four more liberal members in saying the administration’s current justification for the question “seems to have been contrived.” John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian

Americans Advancing Justice, said, “We believe that the clock is running out and that the Commerce Department should abandon its efforts to include a citizenship question for Census 2020. But if it doesn’t, we will continue to fight to ensure that our communities are counted fully, and that includes robust litigation efforts. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in this country and we need this 2020 Census to count all of us.” While the decision is not final, Rich Stolz, OneAmerica’s executive director, said, “We need to continue to be active on this issue. Even without the citizenship question, communities of color are at risk of being undercounted in the census.” Under the Court’s ruling, the Department of Commerce may try again to add the question, but it must provide a different, well-reasoned explanation for the addition. Now, the Washington Census Alliance, made up of over

70 organizations led by people of color, is gearing up to address fear, separating fact from ﬁction, and making sure their families and neighbors have all the information needed to participate in the census. The 2020 Census could have huge repercussions for Washington state—the count determines the state’s number of seats in the House of Representatives and billions of dollars per year of funding for schools, roads, and hospitals. The citizenship question was designed to rob our communities of the valuable resources and services we deserve. We refuse to be silenced and refuse to be made invisible. We call on all community members to help make sure everyone is counted in the 2020 Census. We get only one chance for the next 10 years to get it right. 

■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Community sounds oﬀ on CCTV proposal FOR

Dear Editor, I take exception to the fear mongering that Mahlon Meyer tried to evoke in his article “Halfway to $300k Goal” in the June 29-July 5, 2019 issue of the Northwest Asian Weekly. The original surveillance system cameras have proven their worth to law enforcement and local businesses. Of the many examples, I cite only my own

Dear Editor, I am writing to clarify the misinformation in the article “Halfway to $300k Goal” in the June 29-July 5, 2019 issue of the Northwest Asian Weekly. I am the project manager and consultant of the proposed project, and has worked on this project since day one. I have not

AGAINST

experience. Last February, a series of break ins and attempted break ins were committed along 7th Avenue South, King Street, and in Canton Alley. The police captured a suspect inside an eatery, and by using the footage from surveillance cameras, were able to charge the suspect with breaking into other establishments as well. see LAU on 13

communicated with the author, Mr. Meyer. These are the facts for the proposed project. 1. The mission of the project is to reduce crime and promote better living and business environment in Chinatown-ID. 2. Avigilon (a Motorola company) does see KWAN on 13

Dear Editor, Electronic surveillance is an unwise and unconstitutional solution to a human problem in the Seattle Chinatown-ID. Electronic surveillance is an invasion of privacy. We must resist. Yes, the C-ID has problems with street crime, loitering, poverty, relentless gentrification, graffiti, safety, and the biggest challenge to the C-ID: the overall lack of respect and care manifested by historic disinterest and indifference from the City, despite the historic significance of this area—Seattle’s only historic and contemporary immigrant community— and the potential for the community’s contributions to this city. We saw this indifference and lack of support under Ed Murray’s administration. I hope Mayor Jenny Durkan’s administration is not willing to endorse surveillance as much as she relied on this

very community for her election. Why doesn’t the downtown Clean Team operate in the C-ID? Why aren’t there bike cop patrols in the C-ID? Are there small business grants and asssistance available to C-ID business owners? What City assistance is available to C-ID seniors for aﬀordable housing? Is there City assistance for combating graﬃti? What City assistance and support is there for this unique and amazing Historic District? The C-ID, and I include Little Saigon which is having its own challenges with high rises swallowing up this area, needs advocacy and support from those in this community and beyond—who obviously have deep pockets and a questionable interest—as well as the City to solve these human problems and become a thriving, prosperous, and outstanding community. The C-ID does not need electronic see FONG on 13

LGBTQ from 1 that the hypothetical “gay Asian American man” was perceived as significantly more American than the hypothetical “Asian American man,” whose sexual orientation wasn’t specified. That doesn’t mean LGBTQ Asian Americans face less discrimination, Cheryan said. While sexual orientation may affect a person’s perceived “foreignness,” it doesn’t protect against other forms of discrimination and harassment, she added. “One possible extension of this work is that gay Asian Americans may be less likely to have their American identities questioned than straight Asian Americans,” said Cheryan. “At the same time, being gay puts people more at risk for other forms of prejudice based on sexual orientation.” Other co-authors of the study were Linda Zou, Mika Semrow, and Shuyang Liu of the UW.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

37 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS Riot police clear away protests from Hong Kong legislature By KEN MORITSUGU HONG KONG (AP) — Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong’s legislature on the night of July 1, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside. The three-hour occupation, which ended early on July 2, came on the 22nd anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China, a city holiday, and reﬂected mounting frustration with Hong Kong’s leader for not responding to protesters’ demands after several weeks of demonstrations. The protests were sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building. Demonstrators stood on lawmakers’ desks and painted over the territory’s emblem on a wall. The crowd also wrote

slogans calling for a democratic election of the city’s leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform. Police then announced that they would soon move in. A spokesman had earlier broadcast a warning that “appropriate force” would be used. Oﬃcers approached shortly after midnight and entered the legislative chambers after protesters had already left. There was no immediate word on any arrests or injuries. The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it oﬀ or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in the Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way. Police estimated 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers estimated the number at 550,000.

Thai cave boys mark year since ordeal with Buddhist rites By PITCHA DANGPRASITH ASSOCIATED PRESS MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) — The 12 young Thai soccer players and their coach who grabbed global attention last year when they were trapped in a ﬂooded cave for more than two weeks marked the anniversary of their ordeal with a religious ceremony on June 24. The boys who became known as the Wild Boars, their soccer club, took part in a Buddhist ceremony in which they gave food to monks to make merit. They then

attended a news conference to talk about their lives over the past year. Chanin Vibulrungruang, 12, the youngest of the group, said he now has tell his parents where he’s going every time he leaves his house. “I already told my mom I was coming to this event,’’ Chanin joked. “My life has changed a lot since then because many people recognize me now.’’ The boys and their coach entered the Tham Luang cave complex in far northern see THAILAND on 15

South Korea’s ‘SongSong’ couple seek divorce, stunning fans SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean superstar couple Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo are seeking a divorce to end their celebrity marriage of less than two years. Dubbed as “Song-Song couple,’’ both have huge followings across Asia and elsewhere. They married in October 2017 after falling in love while co-starring in the mega-hit TV drama, “Descendants of the Sun.’’ They are one of the highestprofile star couples in South Korea’s entertainment world. A law firm representing Song Joong-ki confirmed that he was taking legal steps to divorce actress Song Hye-kyo. The 33-year-old actor offered an apology to his fans because he had to deliver “not good news,’’ according to the Seoul-based Lee & Ko law firm. Song Joong-ki said he won’t disclose details about why he and 37-year-old

Song Hye-kyo want to end their marriage. He said both want to end their divorce proceedings smoothly rather than blame each other. Song Hye-kyo’s management agency, the United Artists Agency, said “a personality difference’’ is the reason for the divorce. “Song Hye-kyo is taking steps for divorce after cautious considerations with her husband,’’ the company said, according to Yonhap news agency. “The reason is a personality difference, and the two sides inevitably made this decision, unable to overcome their differences.’’ The names of the couple were the most searched words on main portal sites in South Korea and China for much of June 27. Many fans issued messages on online sites expressing their sadness over the divorce. 

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in the territory, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Hong Kong’s embattled leader, Carrie Lam, to resign. Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened—one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong’s inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence. “This is something we should seriously condemn,” she said. She disputed protesters’ complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020. For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters see HONG KONG on 15

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019

■ ASTROLOGY

Predictions and advice for the week of July 6–July 12, 2019 By Sun Lee Chang Rat — While some may not agree with your methods, there is no arguing with the results you are able to achieve.

Dragon — Things are lining up for you quite nicely this week. As you move eﬃciently through, you should have some bonus time at the end.

Monkey — Are your actions consistent with what you are saying? If not, it would be worthwhile to bring one or the other back in alignment.

Ox — Once you have seen what is possible, there is no turning back. That said, the climb to the top will take time and determination.

Snake — Are you skeptical of someone’s oﬀer to help? Don’t let your suspicions deprive you of a genuine oﬀer of assistance.

Rooster — An experiment isn’t going as you had expected. Don’t give up yet, as there could be something to be gained from the process itself.

Tiger — Don’t assume everyone is on the same page as you. Open a dialogue with those that you want to bring on board.

Horse — Looking for something other than what you are ﬁnding at the moment? You will know it when you see it, but it could take a while for it to appear.

Dog — Your inclination is to be accommodating, but that should not be a one-way street. There should be some give and take in a healthy relationship.

Goat — No matter how it appears on the outside, it is what is going on inside that really matters. If you have the capacity to focus on only one, work on the latter.

Pig — You are about to disclose something that you have held close for some time. Along with relief, there is a measure of freedom in being able to let go.

Rabbit — There is more than one way to reach your goal. It is important that you focus on the one that you have picked and stick to it.

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.

YANG from 1 “The mic issue is not funny and yes, it did happen,” fellow Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson tweeted. “I tried a couple of times to jump in and my mic was not on. Particularly wanted in on the subject of race.” Yang said that “there were at least a few times where I tried” to contribute to discussions during the debate, “where I quite literally felt somewhat like, sort of mechanically restricted.” NBC News denied any mics were tampered with in response to Yang’s claim. In a statement, it said, “At no point during the debate was any candidate’s microphone turned oﬀ or muted.” According to the New York Times, Yang received the least amount of speaking time of all 20 participants in both debates, clocking in at two minutes and 58 seconds. When he did snag some airtime, Yang promoted what his campaign has become best known for: his Universal Basic Income policy. This “Freedom Dividend,” as the Yang campaign calls it, proposes to give each American adult $1,000 a month, costing an estimated $3.2 trillion a year. Despite his limited speaking time, Yang said he gained 50,000 more followers on his Twitter account after the

LAU from 11 The suspect’s case went to court. She was recently tried, convicted (of breaking and entering, property damage, and theft) and sentenced—all because of alert police and their access to surveillance videos. One of the great features of the new

FONG from 11 surveillance that will record every person innocent or guilty. This is an intrusion into privacy and a threat to our civil rights. I challenge the constitutionality of this proposal. If anything, electronic surveillance and monitoring could frighten tourists and shoppers and new residents from entering the area. It is a horrible mistake to look to mainland China and Singapore, two of the most repressive countries in East Asia, for inspiration. As we see from what is happening in Hong Kong, the people are ﬁghting for freedom for their own jurisprudence, ﬁghting against the extradition law that would yield to

debate. Williamson received the third-least airtime with four minutes and 58 seconds. Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden topped the field with 13 minutes and 19 seconds of speaking time, followed by Sen. Kamala Harris, with 12 minutes and 16 seconds. “I do not believe you are a racist,” Harris said to Biden, though she described his record of working with Democratic segregationist senators on non-race issues as “hurtful.” Biden called Harris’ criticism “a complete mischaracterization of my record.” He declared, “I ran because of civil rights,” and later accused the Trump administration of embracing racism. The debate marked an abrupt turning point in a Democratic primary in which candidates have largely tiptoed around each other, focusing instead on their shared desire to beat Donald Trump. But the debate revealed just how deep the fissures are within the Democratic Party eight months before primary voting begins. The June 27 debate, like the one a night earlier, gave millions of Americans their first peek inside the Democrats’ unruly 2020 season. The showdown featured four of the five strongest candidates—according to early polls, at least. Those are

camera system is that business and property owners will be able to monitor their premises after closing or while away, thus cutting down on response times. That’s why I fully support the updated camera surveillance system.  — Betty Lau

mainland China’s authority. An electronic surveillance system in C-ID is a poor solution to the human challenges in this wonderful community. It is a ‘sleeping policeman,’ a lazy, authoritarian, and unconstitutional solution, that will do more harm than good. Don’t force a police state on C-ID. Resist authoritarianism. Stand up for this community with humane solutions not against it with authoritarian, unconstitutional, and repressive solutions. No to electronic surveillance in the Chinatown-International District.  — Patty Fong

Biden, Sanders, Pete Buttigieg of Indiana, and Harris. Massachusetts’ Sen. Elizabeth Warren is the fifth—she debated on June 26, along with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Inslee was largely sidelined as moderators returned again and again to better-known candidates, including Warren, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Inslee, positioned near the right end of the stage, repeatedly raised his hand and pointed his index finger to try to get called on, only to be passed over. Inslee got the least amount of speaking time on June 26— about five minutes, according to The New York Times. There are so many candidates lining up to take on Trump that they do not all fit on one debate stage, or even two. Twenty Democrats debated on national television in the last week of June in two waves of 10, while a handful more were left out altogether. The level of diversity on display was unprecedented for a major political party in the United States. The field features women, Blacks, Asian Americans, and two men under 40, one of them openly gay. The showdown played out in Florida, a general election battleground that could well determine whether Trump wins a second term next year. 

KWAN from 11 not have any facial-recognition or AI hardware/software technology. We did not propose or say anything about facial recognition during the dinner. Motorola is a U.S. technology company and a contractor to the federal government. 3. The proposed coverage in Chinatown will not be the most monitored neighborhood in the city. Rather, the University of Washington (UW) is the most monitored community if you want to compare. The UW deployed Avigilon’s cameras on its campus, according to Jordan Ramadan, a representative of Avigilon. 4. Law enforcement will ﬁnd it useful in combating crime, just like the body cameras they have been wearing. I stated clearly that video clips will be supplied to law enforcement only during criminal investigations. Law enforcement will not have direct access to the system. 5. During the dinner, I described a few use cases of the proposed system—24/7 real-time surveillance is not one of them. 6. The common/similar technology used in Xinjiang, the UW, the City of Bellevue, the White House, federal government buildings, and everybody’s cell phones is the imaging

technology. 7. The video will be recorded, and used only to help law enforcement in solving crime. 8. One slide showed the proposed coverage area using Google maps, with a hand-drawn square in Microsoft PowerPoint. “Laser” is just an imagination of the author. 9. The Republic of Singapore is a democratic country and one of the safest. It is also an important ally of the United States. 10. Technically speaking, there are special cameras and software for automatic facial and license plate recognition. Neither of the cameras proposed in this project has that capability. 11. Vendors and I have been working hard to ensure the project follows all the local privacy and other laws. I have a graduate degree in electrical and computer engineering. I have worked in the technology ﬁeld for over 25 years and also taught technical courses in college level. In addition, I am a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng) and Certiﬁed Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). I will be happy to share the technology and project details with Mr. Meyer.  Kind Regards, — Donny Kwan, P.Eng, CISSP

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FRIENDLY DRIVERS WANTED “Kitsap Transit has an immediate need for Extra-board drivers. Upon completion of training, extra-board drivers for both Routed and ACCESS will be guaranteed 30-40 hours per week, plus full-time benefits.” Req: HS diploma/GED. Must be at least 18 years old, have a valid WA driver’s license, 12 months of driving experience and an excellent driving record. ROUTED OPERATORS: drive a bus on regularly scheduled routes. You’ll receive paid and professional training which may be up to ten weeks at $17.90/hr and graduate to $19.98/hr after successfully completing your training and receiving your CDL. Post probationary wage is$20.31/hr. ACCESS OPERATORS: drive a bus providing on-demand, doorto-door service for elderly and disabled passengers. You’ll start off receiving paid, professional training which may be up to eight weeks at $16.13/hr and graduate to $17.97/hr after successfully completing your training and receiving your CDL. Post probationary wage is $18.33/hr. Please visit our employment link at http://kitsaptransit.appone.com/ to apply. Applications accepted until positions are filled. EEO/AA

NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID Mechanical and Electrical Work at Meadows on Lea Hill King County Housing Authority (KCHA)’s Weatherization Department is soliciting bids from qualified firms to provide and install the following items at Meadows on Lea Hill, located at 12505 S.E. 312th St., Auburn, WA 98092, a property with 90 units. Sealed bids are due at 2:00 pm, July 23, 2019. A pre-bid meeting will be held at Meadows on Lea Hill, located at 12505 S.E. 312th St., Auburn, WA 98092, on July 16, 2019 at 10:00am. Attendance at the Pre-Bid meeting is strongly encouraged of all potential bidders. Failure to attend the pre-bid meeting will not relieve the firm of any responsibility for information provided during the pre-bid meeting. Bid documents may be downloaded from the KCHA website, (https://www.kcha.org/business/weatherization/), mailed or picked up at KCHA’s office, 700 Andover Park West, Suite D, Seattle, WA. For documents contact Carly Dykes at carlyd@kcha.org. Any questions or requests for further information or clarification must be directed to Jesse Bennett, Multifamily Weatherization Construction Coordinator, at (907) 244-2694 or jesseb@kcha.org no later than July 18, 2019.

THE RIVETER from 9 success rate. These are ordinary women who become extraordinary when they ﬁght for what they believe in. “Life qualiﬁes you for this job,” insisted Gonzalez. “Be the voice for the people who are in your community.” It can be scary, when you look around you and realize that you are still in the minority. Louie Tan Vital, poet and fellow for IGNITE, who spent time in Washington, D.C. working for a congressman, and whose spoken word poem, “Congressional Breakdown,” went viral, said the documentary “makes me so happy thinking I could be like them.” She told of the foul-mouthed phone calls she would receive whenever

constituents were disgruntled. “There’s no HR in Congress.” Vital voiced the unsettling fact that we still have a long way to go if we want to achieve diversity of representation, equitable legislation, and an equitable world. If we continue at the current rate, women in Congress will not meet the 50 percent mark until the year 2135. The common thread throughout the documentary was spoken thus by Vilela. “It’s not just about any one of us, individually.” Or as Gonzalez puts it, “We all have to have each other’s back.” Part of that means standing up for the people you helped to elect. They have a lot to contend with. “I was not trying to become an activist,” said Bush, as she drove

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FIRST PUBLICATION King County Housing Authority Water Closet Replacements at Multiple Locations BID DUE DATE: July 23rd, 2019 at 2:00 PM REQUEST FOR BIDS King County Housing Authority (KCHA) is seeking qualified contractors interested in submitting Bids for the water closet replacement at multiple locations. Work includes, but is not limited to, water closet demolition, removal, and disposal; and the supply and installation of water closets, including seat and hardware, wax ring, and supply line, and other tasks as described in the bid documents. The pre-bid meeting will happen over three days’ time to ensure that all properties included in the project are viewed. The schedule begins July 9, 2019: 10:00 AM – Ballinger Commons Apartments – 2405 N 202nd Pl., Shoreline, WA 98133; 11:30 AM – Heritage Park Apartments, 9834 NE 190th St, Bothell, WA 98011; 2:00 PM – Si View Apartments, 424 Healy Ave S, North Bend, WA 98045. The pre-bid continues on July 10, 2019: 10:00 AM – Aspen Ridge Apartments, 12601 68th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98178; 12:00 PM – Walnut Park Apartments, 24817 112th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030; 1:30 PM – Southwood Square Apartments, 26224 106th Pl SE, Kent, WA 98030; 2:30 PM – Parkwood Apartments, 26435 104th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030. The final day of the pre-bid will July 11, 2019: 9:00 AM – Laurelwood Gardens Apartments, 29505 21st Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003; 11:00 AM – Meadows on Lea Hill Apartments, 12505 104th Ave SE, Auburn, WA 98092; 1:00 PM - Rainier View I Apartments, 2745 Warner Ave, Enumclaw, WA 98022; 2:00 PM – Rainier View II Apartments, 2745 Warner Ave, Enumclaw, WA 98022. Bid packets are available for download on KCHA’s website at http://www.kcha.org/business/construction/open/. This will be a Sealed Bid; all Bids must be received in a Sealed Envelope marked as “Bid Documents: Water Closet Replacement at Multiple Locations”. All Bids must be received and time and date stamped at KCHA no later than the stated due date and time. No Bids will be accepted after that date and time. No Fax or Email Bids will be accepted For questions, please contact Cristy Thompson via email at cristyt@kcha.org. The estimate is $830,586.00. INVITATION FOR BID Mechanical and Electrical Work at Laurelwood Gardens Apartments King County Housing Authority (KCHA)’s Weatherization Department is soliciting bids from qualified firms to provide and install the following items at Laurelwood Gardens Apartments, located at 29505 21st Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003, a property with 91 units. Sealed bids are due at 2:00 pm, July 9, 2019. A pre-bid meeting will be held at Laurelwood Gardens, located at 29505 21 Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003 on June 25, 2019 at 10:00am. Attendance at the Pre-Bid meeting is strongly encouraged of all potential bidders. Failure to attend the pre-bid meeting will not relieve the firm of any responsibility for information provided during the pre-bid meeting. Bid documents may be downloaded from the KCHA website, (https://www.kcha.org/business/weatherization/), mailed or picked up at KCHA’s office, 700 Andover Park West, Suite D, Seattle, WA. For documents contact Carly Dykes at carlyd@kcha.org. Any questions or requests for further information or clarification must be directed to John Ricci, Multifamily Weatherization Construction Coordinator, at (206) 5741134 or johnr@kcha.org no later than June 27, 2019.

through the streets of St. Louis in one of the many moving scenes from “Knock Down the House.” “This is where Mike Brown was murdered. I only live six minutes from Ferguson. I wanted to see justice happen, and it didn’t happen. So I just kept going back.” Keep going back. Until, as Das stated, we achieve institutional change. She broke down the newcomers to the Washington state senate, what they are calling the “ﬁrst year caucus.” “There are three people of color. One is queer, one lesbian, one Jewish…It’s a very diﬀerent makeup. We want to be the rule, not the exception.” 

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WONG from 1 another friend is killed in a bar fight, and he compounds his despair by turning down several job offers believing he can never set right his “mistake.” Okada died of a heart attack in 1971, after failing to get the novel published in the United States (it was printed in Japan with 1,500 copies). Wong, an upcoming Chinese American writer at the time, discovered the novel with several writer friends and joined resources to get it published soon after. Later, he transferred the John Okada rights to UW Press. But in May, Penguin issued its own version, claiming that the copyright was in the public domain. Wong went on a campaign to save it, not realizing how far it would go. He first posted a message on Facebook calling Penguin’s action a “moral outrage.” A colleague forwarded his post to a New York Times writer he knew. “The New York Times story was big trouble for Penguin,” said Wong. According to Wong, Penguin had apparently hoped to use the Penguin Classics version of the best-selling book in university classrooms, undermining the UW Press—and the Okada family, which receives royalties. Penguin, in turn, issued a statement saying it had hoped to “continue important conversations around ‘No-No Boy’ through its inclusion in the Penguin Classics series.” Half a dozen major media outlets followed with articles

HONG KONG from 12 without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law. Lam’s ﬁrst public comments came at the handover anniversary ceremony, where she said the protests had taught her that she needs to listen better to young people and others. She insisted her government has good intentions and pledged that future work would be “closer and more responsive to the aspirations, sentiments and opinions of the community.” Mainland China’s entirely state-controlled media made no mention of the protests. The main evening news broadcast carried video of the ﬂag-raising ceremony, along with parts of Lam’s address and shots of Hong Kong residents praising displays put on by the People’s Liberation Army garrison in the territory. Chinese media outlets have barely reported on the protests since they began last month, other than to blame foreign forces for stirring up unrest. The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under a “one country, two systems” framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates. Jimmy Sham, a leader of the pro-democracy group that organized the march, told the crowd that Lam had not responded to their demands because she is not democratically elected. The leader of Hong Kong is chosen by a committee dominated by pro-China elites. “We know that Carrie Lam can be so arrogant,” Sham said, rallying the crowd under a blazing sun before the

THAILAND from 12 Thailand after soccer practice last June 23, leaving their bicycles and soccer cleats outside the entrance. Rising ﬂoodwater quickly trapped them inside, and when they didn’t return home a massive search was launched. The boys spent nine nights lost in the cave, living on very little food and water, before they were found spotted deep in the twisting cave complex huddled on a patch of dirt above the rising water line. It was a moment captured on video and soon broadcast to the world. It would be another eight days—until July 10—before they were all safe. A team of expert divers guided each of the boys out of the cave on special stretchers. The operation required placing oxygen canisters along the path where the divers maneuvered dark, tight and twisting passageways ﬁlled with muddy water and strong currents. The drama of the ordeal kept the world watching and the boys have since become celebrities.

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JULY 6 – JULY 12, 2019 and interviews of Wong, who shared his original copyright of the novel on his Facebook page. The media attention culminated in a statement on June 25 by the American Studies Association (ASA). “In recent weeks, Penguin Classics’ decision to publish an edition of John Okada’s 1957 novel No-No Boy has been sharply criticized,” said the statement. “In our view, that criticism is warranted. It appears that Penguin Classics proceeded without consultation of the Okada estate or commitments to the distribution of royalties to it.” Wong was not authorized to go into details, but said the UW Press’ lawyer had just concluded negotiations with Penguin and reached a positive outcome. As of press time, both UW Press and Penguin Random House had not responded to inquiries. Wong’s fight against Penguin was part of his life’s mission: to rescue the identities and rights of Asian American voices threatened by mainstream forces. In his breakout novel, “Homebase,” published in 1979, Wong chronicled multiple generations of his family, each displaced in different ways, starting with his grandfather who endured cruelty and hardship while working on the transcontinental railroad. In the novel, he creates imagined lives for his forebears, using historical research, poetic prose, and an almost incandescent trance—like conjuring of experiences he seems to channel from long-dead ghosts. This includes creating imagined lives for his parents, who died when he was young. “I’m always trying to define absence,” he said. “My own absence from other people’s lives, people’s absence from my life.” Championing “No-No Boy” was another act of rescuing an absent voice—that to some extent is still absent. The title of the novel refers to Japanese Americans who checked “No” to two questions on a form they were given

start of the march at Victoria Park. “She is protected by our flawed system.” The protesters are also demanding an independent inquiry into police actions during a June 12 protest, when officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a demonstration that blocked the legislature on the day that debate on the bill had been scheduled to resume. The police say the use of force was justified, but since then have largely adopted softer tactics, even as protesters besieged police headquarters in recent days, pelting it with eggs and spray-painting slogans on its outer walls. The area around Golden Bauhinia Square, where the flagraising ceremony took place, was blocked off from June 29 to prevent protesters from gathering to disrupt it. Before the morning ceremony, protesters trying to force their way to the square were driven back by officers with plastic shields and batons, the retreating protesters pointing open umbrellas to ward off pepper spray. The extradition legislation has also drawn opposition from the legal profession, commercial groups and foreign nations, reflecting Hong Kong’s status as an international business center with a strong independent judiciary and high degree of transparency. During a brief visit to Mongolia on July 1, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said Washington expects “China like every other country to adhere to its international obligations” regarding Hong Kong. China rejects all such statements as foreign interference. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a daily briefing that “Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, and no foreign country has the right to intervene.” 

“I want to say thank you to everyone who took part in saving all of our lives,’’ Ekapol Chantawong, the 26-yearold coach who led the boys into the cave, told reporters. “We promise that we’ll be good role models to society, and we also love everyone.’’ Ekapol said most of the boys—now aged 12-17—still dream of becoming professional soccer players, while some want to become Thai navy SEALs like those who took part in their search and rescue. The June 24 news conference was the second of two days of events held to mark the anniversary. On June 23, several of the boys, their coach and a number of the local and foreign divers took part in a bike ride and run to raise money to improve conditions at the cave. The news conference was held at the Saman Gunan monument center, an art gallery erected near the cave to honor the fallen former Thai Navy SEAL who died while working on the search and rescue. “This place is very important for us,’’ said one of the

after being interned. The first asked if they would serve in the U.S. military. The second asked if they would renounce allegiance to Japan. Those that checked “No” were sent to prison, like the main character in the novel, who checked “No” to both questions, thus earning the disparaging title, “No-No Boy.” In the novel, the main character, Ichiro Yamada, upon emerging from prison and returning to Seattle, is tormented and attacked by Japanese American veterans for his refusal to join up. Until this day, according to Wong, many Japanese American veterans still find that an unpardonable sin. “My own father-in-law was Nisei,” he said, referring to the second-generation of Japanese American immigrants. “He never forgave those that refused.” But the controversy over “No-No Boy” has drawn attention to other histories of displacement. “We are reminded of the histories of removal, confinement, and dispossession of indigenous peoples; we are reminded of the differential citizenship assigned to Black people; we are reminded of the camps proliferating on the U.S. nation’s southwestern border; we are reminded of the separation of family members from each other; we are, in short, reminded of the violence that has always and continues to proceed in the name of national security,” said the ASA statement. Going forward, Wong is finishing another novel that involves an “ivory tower” scholar of dead languages seeking to rescue himself from isolation by becoming a businessman in women’s fashion. Unlike his recent, real-life victory, however, the protagonist of the novel ends up in failure. “He learns that he is more alone than ever,” he said.  Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Photo by Jason Liu

YOUR VOICE

June 12 protest in Hong Kong

boys, Adul Sam-on, who turned 15 three days ago. “Partly because of Lt. Saman, who is like a second father to us. He was the one who helped us, and we need to remind ourselves that every day.’’ Gunan’s widow, Valepon Gunan, said: “I believe that my husband is still looking over all of them.’’ The day’s events were organized by the 13 Tham Luang Co. Ltd., a company that manages business opportunities stemming from the ordeal that was established with help from Thailand’s military government. All 13 survivors hold shares in the company with coach Ekapol acting as chairman. Ekapol was asked about comments on social media that have criticized the group for seeking to proﬁt from the crisis. “Everybody’s entitled to their own opinions,’’ Ekapol said. “All we can do is ﬁnd a way to live with it. In the end, it’s their right to think about us any way they want.’’ 

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JULY 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JULY 12, 2019

37 YEARS