VOL 34 NO 6 | JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

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

VOL 34 NO 6

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Discovering Seattle’s hidden treasures

My Taiwan trip: Food, more food, (and bring bigger luggage)

Chinese Room in the Smith Tower

Taiwanese cuisine!

Delicious, delicious, serendipitous

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Gems to discover without leaving the city

By Jean Godden Special to Northwest Asian Weekly There is no need to take a plane to discover something new. Here’s what you can explore, without a suitcase or a high price tag.

First, there is the Seattle Room, that wonderful depository of history at Seattle’s Central Library.

Among the finds in the Seattle Room are the photos of Edward Curtis, portraits of Seattle’s

early people. There are also plats and maps of the city’s beginnings, if you are interested in all things schematic and historical details.

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly

The Klondike Gold Rush National Park. An unusual national park can be found, located in

Whenever I relive my recent trip to Taiwan, my mouth starts to salivate, I blush to recall my previous silly assumptions, and then I cherish the joyful moments and appreciate all the incredible work of my high school classmates who planned our reunion.

I graduated from Sacred Heart Canossian College, a Catholic high

{see SEATTLE cont’d on page 16}

{see TAIWAN cont’d on page 10}

More of Seattle’s many hidden treasures:

From Bellevue to Bangkok: UW alumni around the world

By Ana Mari Cauce Special to Northwest Asian Weekly

Photo by Ana Mari Cauce/UW

Before my recent trip to Southeast Asia, I knew that the University of Washington (UW) was a global university. We are rated 15th among the world’s universities in Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s much publicized rankings, and 14th in the world in the US News and World Report’s “Best Global Universities.” But what came to my mind when I thought of our global profile was the way our research and

Purple and Gold temple demons outside of Royal Place

scholarship touched all corners of the globe and beyond – our Early Buddhist Manuscript Project providing translations of the earliest known Buddhist texts, the work of our Human Rights Center preserving historical memory of abuses in El Salvador, our global health faculty fighting malaria in Africa. I thought too of the students, undergraduate and graduate, who come to study here, bringing the richness of their many cultures, histories, and ways of understanding the {see UW cont’d on page 12}

The Inside Story NAMES People in the news » P. 2

■

COMMUNITY The immigrant’s journey » P. 6

A&E THEATER “Yellow Face” » P.8

OPINION Finding answers » P. 11

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asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ names in the news Honoring Japan-US relations

Phyllis Campbell

The Consulate General of Japan in Seattle recognized contributions to Japan-US relations Jan. 22. In a ceremony held during the New Year’s Reception at the Official Residence recipients were awarded the Consul General’s Commendation.

The recipients are: Dr. Charles Aanenson: CEO of Peace Winds America. In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Aanenson established a platform facilitating the reconstruction of fishing villages in Tohoku.

Nir Barnea: NOAA Marine Debris Program West Coast Coordinator. Barnea organized agencies in the US, Canada, and Japan to respond to Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris.

Shinji Kokage: Senior Advisor to the Japan Business Association of Seattle.

Yoshiaki Minegishi: Lifetime Director of the Seattle Symphony.

Tom Sasaki: Former President of Japanese Community Service of Seattle. He also served as Chair of the Japan-America Society, a board member of the Japanese Community and Cultural Center of Washington, and President of JCSS. Mark Triplett: Senior Advisor at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

Campbell, Gupta, and Park awarded for Executive Excellence Seattle Business Magazine SMB has selected Sunny Gupta, cofounder and CEO for Appotio Corporation, Jane Park, CEO of Ulep to be its 2015 honorees for Executive Excel-

lence Awards. Phyllis Campbell is winner of SBM Lifetime Achievement Award. These honorees among the 13, have demonstrated exceptional representatives of all that is inspiring and energizing in organizational administration. They were honored at a gala on January 22 in Seattle’s Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

This is the third year for SBM’s Executive Excellence Awards. 

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

3

most likely of Amazon’s recent pilots to become a full series. The pilot can be viewed for free on Amazon.com, and user reviews will be used to help determine its fate. 

Ringing the bell in memoriam of the Kobe earthquake

Sheraton celebrates a new year The Sheraton Seattle Hotel celebrated the holiday season by giving back to the community with its 22nd Annual Gingerbread Village, Providence Hospital O’Christmas Tree, the 30th Annual Senior Holiday Party, and the 62nd Annual Tim & Dan Watts Guild Santa Breakfasts.

Ed Reyes and Elsie Taniguchi at the party Sheraton raised over $57,000 for the Northwest chapter of JDRF, and the 22nd Annual Gingerbread Village was viewed by over 150,000 visitors from November to January.

More than 600 seniors from across Seattle attended the 30th annual party. 

‘Man in the High Castle’ available to stream Amazon Studios released the pilot episode of “The Man In the High Castle.” The pilot, which filmed in Seattle hired hundreds of local cast and crew and over 200 local vendors. Over the course of the production’s 26 filming days in Seattle, various locations were featured, including the Chinatown/International District, Pioneer Square, Georgetown, and SODO. Since its release on January 15, the “The Man In the High Castle” has been tipped by Wired, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications as the

Virginia Anderson, former Director of the Seattle Center at the time of the Kobe Earthquake, rings the Kobe bell

SKSCA and other Japan-related groups have held bell ringing ceremonies since the Kobe earthquake to remember victims and show support to Kobe and its surrounding communities. Seattle residents also gathered at the Kobe Bell after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku, Japan.

The program included remarks from Japanese Consul General Masahiro Omura and other dignitaries, prayers and blessings by Reverend Taijo Imanaka, Head Priest of Seattle Koyasan Buddhist Temple, and Reverend Ekou Murakami, Resident Minister of Seattle Nichiren Buddhist Church, a moment of silence, bell ringing, and a gathering in the nearby Armory Building to view some photos and displays from the earthquake and learn about disaster preparedness.After the speakers, participants lighted candles for a moment of silence and ring the Kobe Bell in memory of those who perished in the 1995 disaster. 

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ world news

Vietnam allows new casino, ban on Vietnamese may be lifted HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A recently announced government decision to allow a casino on Vietnam’s biggest island drew mixed reactions Friday from citizens, who weighed its potential economic benefits against its perceived social vices.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s approval in principle of the casino at Phu Quoc, a resort island in the Gulf of Thailand, was reported this week by local media.

Debate has focused on whether Vietnamese citizens should be allowed inside. Vietnam has several casinos, but they are reserved for foreigners. A draft decree on casino operations under review by government agencies would allow Vietnamese under certain conditions. The decree

also mandates a minimum $4 billion investment in the casino’s development.

Proponents of liberalizing the rules for casino operations say it would help keep money inside the country that Vietnamese gamblers now spend abroad, especially in neighboring Cambodia.

The Finance Ministry has proposed that the new decree allow Vietnamese who are over 21 years of age, financially secure, and without any criminal record to play in selected casinos.

Tran Thi Viet Huong of Viettravel, one of Vietnam’s major tour operators, said the planned casino on Phu Quoc in Kien Giang province would benefit the country if it is

well managed.

“Opening this casino will attract more tourists and infrastructure investment and create more jobs, which will bring more development opportunities,’’ she said.

Economist Pham Chi Lan, however, expressed doubts about the potential benefits.

“The money we may earn from the Vietnamese who spend at casinos in Vietnam instead of the ones in Singapore or Cambodia may not be enough to compensate for the economic and social consequences brought about if gambling is widespread and legalized in Vietnam,’’ she said, expressing skepticism that any rules limiting play by Vietnamese would be strictly enforced. 

■ national news Abe ‘speechless’ after video claims IS hostage Mark Wahlberg’s victim says he shouldn’t be pardoned dead

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prime minister said Sunday he was “speechless’’ after an online video purported to show one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State group had been killed and promised to save the other. Shinzo Abe said on NHK TV that the video was likely authentic and offered condolences to the family and friends of Haruna Yukawa, a 42-year-old adventurer taken hostage last year.

He declined to comment on the message on the latest video demanding a prisoner exchange for journalist Kenji Goto. Abe said in an earlier statement that Japan will not give in to terrorism.

President Barack Obama condemned what he called “the brutal murder” of Yukawa, saying he stood by Japan to get Goto released.

The Associated Press could not verify the contents of the message, which varied greatly from previous videos released by the Islamic State group, which now holds a third of both Syria and Iraq.

The Islamic State group had threatened on Tuesday to behead the men within 72 hours unless it received a $200 million ransom. Kyodo News agency reported that Saturday’s video was e-mailed to Goto’s wife.

Patrick Ventrell, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said U.S. intelligence officials were also working to confirm whether it was authentic.

Abe said after a Cabinet meeting late Saturday that the government of Japan will not succumb to terrorism and will continue to cooperate with the international community in the fight against terrorism. ``I strongly demand that Mr. Kenji Goto not be harmed and be immediately released,’’ he said.

Japanese diplomats left Syria as the civil war there escalated, compounding the difficulty of reaching the militants holding the hostages.

Abe spoke by phone with Jordanian King Abdullah II on Saturday, the state-run Petra news agency reported, without elaborating on what they discussed. He also called the two hostages’ families.

“I’m petrified,’’ Ishido said. “He has children. I’m praying he will return soon, and that’s all I want.’’

But Ishido also was skeptical about the

voice claiming to be Goto. “Kenji’s English is very good. He should sound more fluent,’’ she said.

One militant on the Islamic Stateaffiliated website warned that Saturday’s new message was fake, while another said that the message was intended only to go to the Japanese journalist’s family.

A third militant on the website noted that the video was not issued by al-Furqan, which is one of the media arms of the Islamic State group and has issued past videos involving hostages and beheadings.

Saturday’s message did not bear al-Furqan’s logo.

The militants on the website post comments using pseudonyms, so their identities could not be independently confirmed by the AP. However, their confusion over the video matched that of Japanese officials and outside observers.

Japanese officials have not directly said whether they are considering paying any ransom. Japan has joined other major industrial nations in opposing ransom payments. The United States and British officials said they advised against paying.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida expressed sympathy for what Yukawa’s family was going through after the release of the video.

“Fully aware of the unbearable pain and sorrow that his family must be feeling, I am at a loss for words,’’ Kishida said.

Kishida said he planned to issue a safety warning to all Japanese citizens traveling outside the country through its embassies around the world.

Nobuo Kimoto, a business adviser to Yukawa, told the Japanese broadcaster NHK, “I was hoping he would be released, or at least that his life would not be taken.’’ ``I wish this was some kind of a mistake,’’ he said.

Yukawa was captured last summer, and Goto is thought to have been seized in late October after going to Syria to try to rescue him.  Associated Press writers Maamoun Youssef in Cairo, Kaori Hitomi in Tokyo, and White House Correspondent Julie Pace at Ramstein Air Base, Germany contributed to this report.

By Philip Marcelo and Rodrique Ngowi Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — A victim of one of actor Mark Wahlberg’s racially motivated attacks as a teenage delinquent in racially divided Boston in the 1980s insists he shouldn’t be granted a pardon for his crimes.

Kristyn Atwood was among a group of mostly black fourth-grade students on a field trip to the beach in 1986 when Wahlberg and his white friends began hurling rocks and shouting racial epithets as they chased them down the street.

“I don’t think he should get a pardon,’’ Atwood, now 38 and living in Georgia, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“I don’t really care who he is. It doesn’t

make him an exception. If you’re a racist, you’re always going to be a racist. And for him to want to erase it, I just think it’s wrong,’’ she said.

The 43-year-old former rapper, Calvin Klein model, and “Boogie Nights’’ actor wants official forgiveness for a separate, more severe attack in 1988, in which he assaulted two Vietnamese men while trying to steal beer. That attack sent one of the men to the hospital and landed Wahlberg in prison.

Wahlberg, in a pardon application filed in November and pending before the state parole board, acknowledges he was a teenage delinquent mixed up in drugs, alcohol, and the wrong crowd. He points to his ensuing successful acting career, restaurant ventures, and philanthropic work with inner city youths as evidence {see WAHLBERG cont’d on page 14}

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

5

Making a difference

By Peggy Chapman Northwest Asian Weekly

Honoring women in male-dominated careers

The Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation will be honoring 14 women who have contributed to our community and have made an impact in their male-dominated careers. They will be honored at the China Harbor restaurant, Feb. 6.

County Economic Development Council - PTAC program, and the Seattle Vocational Institute PreApprenticeship Construction Training to help bridge the gap with project-specific community outreach requirements.

Melissa S. Rice

Gita Cheryl Paston

Stephanie Caldwell

Kim Pastega

Gita Bangera

Kathleen O’Toole

Linda Deboldt

Shira Broschat

Kelly Knebel

Tina Soike

The honorees: Dr. Melissa Rice is an Assistant Professor of Planetary Science at Western Washington University, where she teaches in the Geology Department and the Physics & Astronomy Department. Her research focuses on the sedimentology, stratigraphy and mineralogy of planetary surfaces; the current aim of her work is to help constrain the habitability of ancient environments on Mars. She is a collaborator on the active NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity and Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity missions.

Dr. Rice received her Ph.D. in the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University. She was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology.

Cheryl Paston is a licensed Professional Engineer and has worked in Public Works for over 27 years, primarily on drainage and wastewater utilities.

She is currently the Deputy Public Works Director for the City of Sammamish and is responsible for establishing stakeholder partnerships; collaborating with the Department Director and City leadership to establish priorities, policies and strategic direction; leading development and implementation of key department initiatives including Asset

Michelle Mills Clement

Srilakshmi Remala

Management; and oversees the Traffic and Stormwater Program Planning, Administrative and Maintenance and Operations staff.

Cheryl previously worked for Seattle Public Utilities as Combined Sewer Overflow/Wastewater Capital Projects Delivery Manager, and was responsible for the delivery of $500M in projects.

Stephanie Caldwell is the Small Business Program Manager for Absher Construction Company, and has worked in the construction industry

Joyce Yen

Tanya Jimale

for 16 years. She joined Absher as a Project Assistant in 1998 at the $67M New Holly Redevelopment project, where she worked to implement the project’s HUD Section 3 hiring program for community residents.

Stephanie continues to work with organizations in helping them to develop and implement their projectspecific community plans. She works with community-based organizations like the William M. Factory SmallNational Business Incubator, Association of Minority Contractors– Washington Chapter, Snohomish

Kim Pastega was named vice president of Production System Operations for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in October 2013. She leads the team responsible for implementing a comprehensive operations plan for assembling 787s. Additionally, she is focused on stabilizing the 787 design and the global production system to allow the accomplishment of productivity and efficiency goals. She is charged with ensuring the 787 deploys lean principles across the extended global supply chain, improves efficiency, and drives greater profitability. Beginning in 2010, Pastega served in the position of vice president and general manager of the 767 program with responsibility for all aspects of the business including overall operational, engineering and financial performance.

Dr. Gita Bangera is currently Dean of Undergraduate Research at Bellevue College building the new division, RISE Learning Institute, focused on bringing Research, Innovation, Service and Experiential Learning to courses across Bellevue College. She was selected in a national search to be one of 39 Partnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education leadership fellows impacting science education at the national level. She is the director of the ComGen project bringing in over $1M in funding from the National Science Foundation to Bellevue College. She is also Adjunct Professor at Washington State University, {see WOC cont’d on page 13}

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ COMMUNITY news

A Chinaman’s chance: The immigrant’s journey Eric Liu on race, immigration, and citizenship

By Minal Singh Northwest Asian Weekly On Jan. 14, University of Washington School of Law held a question and answer session with Eric Liu, founder of Citizen University, interviewed by Robert Chang, director of the Korematsu Center. The interview between these two law professors engaged on the topic of race, immigration, and citizenship.

Author of “The Accidental Asian” (1999), Liu was asked about his new book, “A Chinaman’s Chance: One Family’s Journey and the Chinese American Dream,” and the story behind the title.

“Chinaman’s chance is one of those phrases that for a long time was an insult or a negative phrase. Its origins are as old as Chinese migration to the United States. Chinese laborers started coming here and were shunted off to often the most dangerous tasks, such as building railroads or mining mountains. The figure of speech simply arose. If you had a low chance of surviving or thriving, you had a Chinaman’s chance. Fast forward a hundred years, when my father arrived to the United States in the 1950s, the phrase was still in usage,” said Liu. “Somewhere along the way, my father picked up this phrase so that when I was a kid growing up in the 1970s, my dad had a mischievous, ironic sense of humor. He would like to kind of take that phrase and essentially re-appropriate it. He would apply it in the most mundane, prosaic situations. If we were driving to the store and it was 10 minutes to closing time, but we were 20 minutes away from the store, he’d just look at me and say, ‘Oh, Eric, we have a Chinaman’s chance of getting there on time,’” said Liu. “When I look back on it, it was a very American act, to take the thing being used against you, grab it, and redirect it so to claim the phrase, the identity for oneself.”

“SHAME ON AMERICA” Asian Americans are the fastest growing immigrant group.

“American life is ever more globalized. Current immigrants can stay connected to their homeland in ways not possible before,” said Liu.

Eric Liu and Robert Chang

Robert Chang wanted to know why Liu chose to tell so many intimate stories about his immigrant experience.

“Stories are markers for representing race,” Liu said. “These books are intensely personal because the personal narrative invites the reader to remember.”

“My father is one of six brothers. All six brothers were born in China, went to Taiwan, when the Nationalists fled the mainland, then came to the United States for higher education.

All of them for a few decades tried to make American lives.

They worked at places like Bell Labs, IBM, or University of Illinois. They lived on streets like Old English Way and French Hill Road. They embodied the great American integration story. Then, in the 1980s, all of them, one by one, felt they were hitting a glass ceiling. Several of my uncles got frustrated to the point where they saw Taiwan was thriving economically and decided to return,” said Liu. “Shame on America,” said Liu, “for having talent such as that of my uncles and not making it possible for them to fully realize their talents in the United States.” Immigrants today are still hitting glass ceilings and Liu warns of the problem of reverse brain drain. As well, many immigrants who earn degrees in the United States cannot remain because a pathway to citizenship is not available.

THE MODEL MINORITY? “The fight that all of us have, whatever our backgrounds

■ COMMUNITY calendar THU 1/29

SUN 2/1

WHAT: Community Roundtable on Immigration WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

RSVP: eesha.bhave@ed.gov

WHAT: Sponge to host Chinese New Year Celebration WHERE: Mt. Baker, 3107 S. Day St., Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m.

RSVP: events@spongeschool. com, 206-227-7138 INFO: www.spongeschool.com

FRI 1/30 WHAT: Frank Chin storytelling for children with on-going filming for documentary WHERE: Panama Hotel, 605 ½ S. Main St., Seattle WHEN: 9 a.m.

RSVP: to emilya@tcg.org, 917817-9772

THRU 2/1 WHAT: Taiko for beginners WHERE: Seattle Kokon Taiko WHEN: 12-2 p.m.

COST: $95/person REGISTRATION: www. seattlekokontaiko.org

THU 2/5 WHAT: Falling Oil Prices – China, Russia and the Gulf WHERE: Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce, 1301 5th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 4-5:30 p.m.

COST: Free for members and students, $10/non-members

FRI 2/6 WHAT: Women of Color Empowered luncheon and networking event, “Women in Male-Dominated Careers” WHERE: China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave.,

Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

INFO: 206-223-0623

WHAT: The 48th CSA Chinese New Year Gala WHERE: UW, Kane Hall, Room 130, Seattle WHEN: 7-9:30 p.m.

FRI 2/6 & SAT 2/7 WHAT: Engaging in Promising Practices WHERE: South Seattle College, Jerry M. Brockey Center WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday INFO: southseattle.edu/ programs/aanapisi

SAT 2/7 WHAT: 2015 Lunar New Year Celebration!

WHERE: Westminster Chapel, 13646 NE 24th St., Bellevue WHEN: 3-8:30 p.m.

INFO: Westminster.org, 425-7471461

may be, is to actually deliver on this American promise of a fair shot and equal opportunity,” said Liu After providing a brief history of Ferguson’s racial integration in the schools, Robert Chang asked Liu about liberty as responsibility. “What is our obligation, not just as Chinese American, but as Asian American, as American, in general … What is our obligation and what are we going to do?”

Dean of University of Washington School of Law, Kellye Y. Tsetse, championed the possibility of hope.

“The idea of Asian Americans being conferred honorary whiteness is very connected to the idea of the model minority. Because so many Asian Americans have achieved in academia or otherwise professionally, they have been deemed a model minority. This is not a label that Asian Americans ever asked for. It was applied to them,” said Liu. Liu rejects the label.

“First, it obscures the fact that Asian American overachievers came already as my family did, as my uncles did, with a great pile of capital. Intellectual, institutional, relationship, capital,” he said.

“Second, when you call a group a model minority, it implies that there are other groups that are not so model,” he said.

AMERICAN RESPONSIBILITY In response to recent race-based police incidents and changes in federal immigration policy, Liu urges the importance of “feeling a sense of ownership” when it comes to issues of civil rights.

“As Asian Americans, as people of color, we are subject to the same kinds of dangers of second-class treatment.

It takes a multicultural coalition to refute the idea that whiteness is the aspirational norm,” Liu said.

As a former Clinton speechwriter, Liu advocates using the rights of one’s citizenship, “For a lot of Asian Americans who are in law or politics—it is important to get yourself in circulation,” he said.

In the next few years, Liu says China’s GDP will surpass

WHAT: APCC’s February Tea Experience WHERE: APCC, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 10 a.m.

INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter. org WHAT: APCC’s Taste of Asia, featuring the foods and culture of the Philippines WHERE: APCC, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 12 p.m.

INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter. org

SAT 2/14 WHAT: 17th Annual Asia Pacific New Year Celebration featuring Pakistan WHERE: Tacoma Dome, 2727 East D St., Tacoma WHEN: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

INFO: 253-383-3900, asiapacificculturalcenter.org

{see LIU cont’d on page 14}

TUE 2/17 WHAT: Increasing U.S. Access for International tourists, students and workers WHERE: Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce, 1301 5th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 3:30-5:30 p.m.

COST: $20/members, $30/nonmembers

SAT 2/21 WHAT: Chinese New Year of the Sheep WHERE: City Centre Mall, 102 St. & 102 Ave., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

COST: Free INFO: ecbea.org, 780-428-4035

SUN 2/22 WHAT: Building Up Our Community One Pancake at a Time WHERE: Kawabe Memorial House, 221 18th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

TICKETS: $10/person, 206-7213630

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

“Worst thing I ever heard in my life” Adam Diegel: From bad auditions to a leading role in ‘Tosca’

By Nina Huang Northwest Asian Weekly Adam Diegel, star of “Tosca,” now playing at the Seattle Opera, was once told to change careers after a bad audition.

But Diegel never gave up and continued to believe in himself and has been performing internationally for the past 10 years.

Diegel was born in Seoul, Korea to a German American father and a Korean mother. Their family moved around a lot while his father was in the military. The family settled in Memphis, Tenn. after living in places like Virginia and Texas.

Diegel spent 18 years there.

Growing up, Diegel’s father was a huge classical and opera fan. But Diegel was not. In fact, he hated it and wondered why a woman would be screaming in a foreign language.

Nevertheless, Diegel started singing in the church choir.“I did a solo one Sunday, and my dad recorded it and played it back to me. It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” Diegel said.

From that point on, Diegel was determined to improve and he looked for a voice teacher. His first teacher in Memphis told him she heard potential, so Diegel decided to go back to school.

The only musical knowledge he had was from playing clarinet and saxophone through junior high and high school.

In college, he studied philosophy and

Adam Diegel

theology at the University of Memphis, and went to work at an investment company when he was 25. But Diegel received his formal musical training at Yale University.

As he started his music career, Diegel always had support from his parents.

Diegel’s mother was a ballet dancer and knew what it took to have the motivation, determination, and discipline to be a performing artist.

“There are so many times in the beginning

when you’re going to fall and fail, but then you really find out what you’re made out of in those times,” Diegel explained.

Diegel’s father was also very encouraging because he loved the art form.

One of the first auditions that Diegel went to was to sing in front of an important person in the industry at the Metropolitan Opera. At this point, he had been singing for a little over a year.

“Everyone encouraged me to sing for this person, and it was horrible. She looked at me when I was done and said, ‘Adam, you might want to consider doing something else,’” he said.

“It takes years for a voice to develop.

Although I’ve been doing it for about 10 years, I’ve learned things even as early as last week,” he said.

Diegel credits the start of his opera career to a former voice teacher, Julie Freeman, whom he met in Memphis. She taught all types of genres, including Broadway, opera, pop, and contemporary.

“Julie heard the potential and encouraged me to go this route. She set the foundation for me, and has been instrumental all these years,” he said.

Other inspirations included Mark Ensley from the University of Memphis opera department.

“He was one of the professionals that I met who had a really good understanding of what the business was about and the art form,” Diegel said.

Diegel and Ensley shared many of the same mantras of the business.

“These people that come to the opera, they want to be entertained, they want to be taken to whatever place that you’re trying to convey, and they want to be transported there, forget about worries, forget about the day, and just be moved and inspired.”

Diegel said Ensley shared that with him 11 years ago, and it has always stuck with him.

Charlie Reicker, who worked at the Metropolitan Opera for over 30 years, was also a big supporter of Diegel. He was one of the first people who hosted Luciano Pavarotti in his apartment the first time Pavarotti visited New York City.

Diegel’s most memorable role was his first leading role in “Carmen” as the understudy for the character of Don José at Indiana University. The role enabled him to prove himself in the opera scene.

“I really like performing this one (Tosca), it’s fun to sing the drama, the story is fun, melodramatic like every drama, and I can connect more to this one,” he said.

Diegel hopes to continue improving himself and has been working with his new teacher, Diana Soviero, in New York.

“More often than not, I am the only Asian American in the cast,” he said.

Diegel’s long-term goals would be to diversify his roles and get into heavier repertory. He is singing a lot of Giacomo {see DIEGEL cont’d on page 12}

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asianweekly northwest

8

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

“Yellow Face” A play builds student community

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

We asked Sharon Pian Chan (the Seattle Times editor who wrote about “Mikado”) to come in and talk about why yellow-facing was still a problem, and organized a cast trip to the Wing Luke Museum to become more culturally aware of Asian traditions and culture.

It was difficult at times finding things to do to help because there’s so many budget and time limitations. It was also sometimes frustrating when things fell through, such as our meeting with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

However, I think the most challenging part was how much time we had to put into the show. Rehearsals ran from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and in the last stretch from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

This was not only straining with school being a priority, but also tiring. However, it was worth all the dedication and hard work to see how beautiful the final picture came out and how much the cast has learned.

Hot on the heels of last year’s “Mikado” controversy comes a University of Washington production of David Henry Hwang’s play “Yellow Face,” a study of racial and cultural issues surrounding Asian American theatre. The show runs from Jan. 27th to Feb. 1st at the Cabaret Theatre in the UW’s Hutchinson Hall. Assistant Director Jasmine Paik took some questions over e-mail.

NWAW: Which department or drama class is putting on “Yellow Face” and how was that title decided on?

Jasmine Paik: Our Undergraduate Theatre Society (UTS) is putting on this production. An undergraduate pitches an idea, complete with who will stage manage, do tech, and how they plan to do the play itself, to the board and they approve or disapprove which shows to do over the year. Elizabeth Wu, a senior undergraduate, stumbled upon the script and decided that she wanted to direct this show.

NWAW: What’s the plot of “Yellow Face” and how does it relate to the rest of the playwright’s work?

Jasmine Paik: “Yellow Face” is about an Asian playwright by the name of David Henry Hwang, who is a strong activist against racism, to be more specific, yellowfacing. (Yellow-facing is much like blackface, only they’re masking to be Asian). The whole show is about this man, who protests “Miss Saigon,” in which a white man was playing the Asian pimp role, accidentally casting a white man in his own play (“Face Value”) as an Asian. He spends a large portion of the show trying to cover up his blunder and paying the price for his mistake. It’s a relevant play about putting up a mask and learning to uncover the truth.

NWAW: What is your role in the production? What

did you find most challenging about your work?

Jasmine Paik: I was the assistant director, as well as the costume crew help. I did the work, along with another assistant director, Megan Brewer.

NWAW: Describe the cast and the roles they play— where they come from, what each one brings to the role.

Jasmine Paik: Mikko Juan plays the lead as David Henry Hwang himself. He is not only flexible in his acting, but he’s also very dedicated to his role. He’s also very optimistic and brings positivity to the group. He brings so much attention from the audience because of his enormous stage presence!

Mickey McDonell plays Marcus Gee. He’s one of the quieter people on our cast, but he works very hard on his lines and is extremely diligent with the way he handles situations given to him.

Season Qiu plays David’s father, Henry Y. Hwang. He is an exchange student from Nanning, China. He’s a new actor, but it doesn’t show at all. He’s done so much in terms of lightening the atmosphere with his humor, to just showing how hard work could make a professional. He’s {see YELLOW FACE cont’d on page 13}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

9

Fresh news off the boat!

New TV series, Margaret Cho, and Ansari fights back

By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly

but until they recognize and destroy their growing jihadist cancer, they must be held responsible.”

Indian American comedian Aziz Ansari, who comes from a Muslim family, saw this tweet and started lampooning the media CEO with a barrage of gleefully vicious responses, mocking Murdoch for his generalization of an entire religion based on a few radical representatives.

Ansari retorted back at Murdoch, asking, “Are you responsible for all the evil [expletive] all Christians do?” He then initiated the hashtag “#RupertsFault” on Twitter to facetiously blame and hold the media mogul and his Christian beliefs responsible for anything evil in the world associated with Christians. The hashtag gained momentum with Ansari’s followers, which quickly saw Twitter users satirizing Murdoch’s original tweet.

What’s the lesson here? Don’t generalize people. A few bad eggs do not represent an entire group.

We’re only a month into the New Year, but things have certainly started off with a bang in pop culture! Read on for the monthly news roundup for all things Asian and entertainment these last few weeks.

From the Golden Globes to TLC: All things Margaret Cho The 2015 Golden Globes was its usual Caucasian celebrity-studded spectacle this year with the exception of one very obvious person, Korean American comedian Margaret Cho. Throughout the Golden Globes, Cho participated in a running gag, which saw her as a pop culture-savvy Army General from North Korea complete with a uniform, powdered face, and a broken English accent. Given the recent news surrounding the irreverent comedy film “The Interview” and the subsequent Sony hack that rocked the entertainment industry, Cho was invited onto the awards show to poke fun at the North Korean government.

Reactions to Cho’s impersonation were split. Many critics called her skits minstrelsy, claiming she played into the hands of an extremely Caucasian audience that historically has little to no Asian representation. Cho remains unfazed by her haters and cited free speech as a motivating

Margaret Cho at the Golden Globes

factor in her decision to participate.

While I wouldn’t call Cho’s Golden Globes stunt racist (or funny for that matter), they were fundamentally racial. Mostly, the gag felt trite and overdone. The North Korean government has long been easy fodder for sitcoms, late night talk shows, and comedy films. Given Cho’s natural charisma and wit, couldn’t the Golden Globes have come up with a provocative skit that was at least more original?

Speaking of Cho, she recently got her first late-night talk show! Cho’s new late night panel-style talk show is titled “All About Sex,” which focuses on observations on the latest and craziest “sex-

related news” to ongoing dialogues about relationships from incoming callers. If there is any comedian who is up to the task of addressing potentially outrageous topics and discussions on sex, it’s Cho. “All About Sex” currently airs on Saturday nights at 11:00pm on TLC.

“Fresh Off the Boat” premiere date nears

Aziz Ansari fights back at Rupert Murdoch

The all-Asian cast of “Fresh Off the Boat” recently participated in an ABC Television Critics Association panel to promote the show’s upcoming premiere. “Fresh Off the Boat” is a sitcom based on celebrity chef

In light of the recent terrorism attacks on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper office in Paris, News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch posted the following tweet, “Maybe most Moslems [sic] peaceful,

{see A-POP cont’d on page 12}

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asianweekly northwest

10

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

■ TRAVEL

My Taiwan trip: Food, more food, (and bring bigger luggage) Delicious, delicious, serendipitous

{TAIWAN cont’d from page 1} school in Hong Kong (HK).

So why did my classmates pick Taiwan as a part of our reunion?

No, they didn’t pick. We voted on it.

Taiwan was the choice, garnering more votes than Malaysia and Europe. Why did we lean toward the island?

No visas are needed for those of us from HK, Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Taiwan is close to HK, only about a one-anda-half hour flight. (Seattle has a direct flight to Taiwan.) Most of my high school friends have been to China, but not all to Taiwan. My husband joined too, as he had never been there before. Besides, this tour was customized and designed for us. The tour guides were instructed not to take us shopping, wasting time so they could earn extra by getting commissions from our purchases. Instead, we each paid a generous tip prior to our trip.

Taiwan now and then Even though I have kept up with news from Taiwan through working with the Seattle Chinese Post, it was different than when I actually experienced it again. I thought I knew more than I actually did.

My past two Taiwan trips were dissatisfactory. But that was more than a quarter-century ago. Taiwan is different now.

It’s not only that Taiwan has changed, I have changed, too. The things that mattered to me at the time are not as important to me now.

To make our trip special, we traveled to see the other side of Taiwan, its famous scenic towns. We bypassed Taipei.

Could I discover Taiwan’s culture in just a matter of five days?

My classmates are typical HK Chinese,

The River Forest Hotel Villa in Yilan

that is, food first, food second—you get the idea. We were treated to some of the most spectacular Taiwanese cuisine and restaurants. I wouldn’t mind going back to Taiwan just for the yummy and adventurous food experiences.

The Taiwan-style lodging in the countryside was eye-opening, with hot springs and innovative boutique hotels, and one of the buildings on the water reminded me of Seattle’s Edge Water Inn, except I prefer the one in Taiwan. The River Forest Hotel Villa located in Yilan is beyond anything I could have imagined.

And what can I say about the people of Taiwan? More about that later.

Our blind-sight for the trip was carrying a small amount of luggage, while all my classmates carried gigantic suitcases and bags for only a five-day tour. Obviously, they knew something we didn’t.

What was there in Taiwan that we couldn’t buy in America and HK? I wondered.

Well, my initial luggage-planning proved to be insufficient…and we suffered the consequences later.

Food in Taiwan I will remember our first priceless meal for the rest of my life. An organic restaurant, literally translated as “Big Mountain is Priceless,” is about an hour away from Taipei’s airport. It doesn’t have an English name.

Big Mountain makes its own wine and grows its own vegetables. I don’t usually drink, but I swallowed every drop of their golden date wine. It’s the first time I have heard of that variety of wine. As I enjoyed its exquisite taste, my tongue savored every drop a little longer than I should.

Everything the restaurant served was an art and a show, where we ate with exhilaration and applause. I felt like a queen expecting the best cooking and cuisine in the world. Most classmates took out their cameras because we witnessed how art and food were elegantly presented to create an adventure for diners. The chefs’ passion for cooking was clearly revealed.

Some of the dishes included tofu and peanuts in wine, king clam in gourmet soup, sashimi composed of salmon, tuna,

and mackerel with salad, salty soy milk with chicken drum legs, ground spinach soup, mullet roe fried rice (Taiwan’s famous dish), and many more. We were most stunned at the end of the meal when the waitress served the soup with a closed lotus flower in the center of the chicken and lotus seed soup. As soon as she placed the soup on the table, the flower just opened one layer at a time, blooming right before our eyes. (See photo on front page) From the beauty of Big Mountain’s presentation to the choice of the ingredients, to its inventive menu and serving utensils for each dish, I was impressed even though I am a foodie and have tried many fabulous dishes around the world during my travels.

Its daily menu is different depending on what’s fresh in the market, and the owners don’t announce their menu in advance.

Despite its top-notch food, the bill was reasonable, only $1200 Taipei currency, about $40 US a person. This was the most expensive meal during the whole trip. I would have been glad to pay more. Thanks to my classmate Pauline who actually made a special trip to Taiwan to test out Big Mountain before our reunion.

The other fun restaurant we visited featured a roast chicken eatery. So what’s the big deal about roast chicken? It is a big deal when it is roasted inside a gigantic urn (which could probably hold two men inside) with special herbs. The flavor was fantastic.

The restaurant also has no English name.

Oh, the buffets at the hotels were fabulous!

Nine out of 10 meals were unforgettable and delightful. I have never experienced anything even close to this in my life. I would highly {see TAIWAN cont’d to page 15}

Rotary Friendship Trip to Taiwan

Mar. 24 - Apr. 3, 2015 11 Days Special Tour “An opportunity for Rotary International Fellowship and Friendship to build a world for all of us.”

Organized by Rotary District 5030 Tour arranged by APAC Royal Vacation

TOUR FARE:  US $2,850 per person, double occupancy  Single supplement is $650

FOR RESERVATION Call or email APAC Royal Vacation Contact person: Felicity Wang 619 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104 Tel: 206-624-9168 Cell: 206-818-7399 Email: felicity@apatours.com

Cal or email PDG Rotary District 5030 fellowship chair Contact person: Jesse Tam Tel: 206-948-9902 Email: jesset28@gmail.com

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ editorial

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

11

OPINION

Finding answers

Adoptees return to homeland to discover heritage

■ LETTER

A recent article in the New York Times (Why a Generation of Adoptees Is Returning to South Korea, Jan. 14) brought to light an interesting topic. Apparently, many South Korean adoptees are returning to their homeland. There is a heavy number of adoptees returning to their native land to find their birth parents and also to experience their home country.

Notes we garnered from the article: --There was an increasing number of adoptions out of South Korea in the 1980s.

The escalation in the number of adoptions was staggering.

--Many of those adopted were adopted by

families in the United States.

--There is now a big increase in the number of adoptees returning to their homeland.

--A lot of the adoptions were apparently because many single mothers were ashamed, and in result, gave up their children for adoption.

Some of the adoptees state that they emigrate back to their home country to get a better understanding of their background, their culture, and perhaps, knowledge about their parents.

Some might be able to actually discover their roots, find their parents. Some may not.

There is always the fear of rejection; perhaps

you discover family, but perhaps you won’t be received. But there is no shame in that.

One of our staff members, with adopted children expressed how they had no interest in contact with their birth mother. Not all adoptees have the need to explore their roots.

Why this huge trend in the adoptees to return to South Korea? A part of the experience is not necessarily finding a conclusive answer, but possibly the discoveries during the journey.

Cliché perhaps, but knowledge is power.

And another cliché: The truth will set you free. 

Turning a wrong into a right

I was reading the blog column in the Northwest Asian Weekly. It upsets me to no end to learn of a real estate broker’s illegal behavior and this crook is getting away with it under broad daylight!

There are two parts to your story. The first part is the falsified letter you received from the court—I am puzzled that the police department didn’t take any action when they were made aware of this letter. The second part is in regard to a real estate broker taking money from consumers, without knowing the details. I wonder whether this person

is a real licensed real estate broker. If the money is related to a real estate transaction, it should be deposited into the company’s trust account and this violation is a very serious matter. There are bad apples in any profession, including the real estate business. However, there are guidelines regarding real estate conduct under the Licensing Department of WA. There is the Real Estate Commission to turn to and a section for consumers to file complaints. You can visit this website for details if you are interested: www. dol.wa.gov/business/realestate/realestatecommission.html.

I understand that it’s a full-time job to try to right the wrong. I appreciate that you have taken the time to tell your story. I do hope that this crook will be exposed and brought to justice soon, before he continues to harm more innocent people. 

— Linda Tsang, CRS, GRI Managing Broker Certified Preview Property Specialist Coldwell Banker Bain Associates

Registration Deadline: March 2, 2015 http://culturalexploration.org Age Divisions:  Grades K-2  Grades 3-5  Grades 6-8  Grades 9-12 Competition Categories:  Group Poetry Recitation  Individual Poetry Recitation  Public Speaking  Storytelling  Talent Show  Chinese Singing  Drawing  Chinese Chess  China Knowledge Bowl  Chinese Language Arts

March 22, 2015 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

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asianweekly northwest

12

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015 {UW cont’d from page 1}

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing construction management and inspection services for the Sunset Heathfield Pump Station and Force Main Upgrade.

The Request for Proposals, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available on the internet at http:// www.kingcounty.gov/procurement. The County will not mail, ship or fax RFPs and addenda.

Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address. Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the proposal.

The estimated price of Phase 1 of this contract is $200,000 to $300,000.

The estimated price of Phase 2 is $1,000,000 to $1,600,000. The period of performance for Phase 1 is estimated to be 19 months. The period of performance for Phase 2 is estimated to be 3 years.

Construction Contract Title: Management Services for the Sunset Heathfield Pump Station and Force Main Upgrade Project Number: P00169P15 Proposals due: February 19, 2015 Time: 5:00 p.m.

Pre-proposal Meeting: February 5, 2015 Time: 2:30 p.m.

Location: Room 233 (Rhododendron), Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA SUMMARY OF WORK: Selected Consultant will provide constructability review during final design, and construction management and inspection services during construction, for the upgrade of the Sunset Heathfield pump station and force main.

SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: construction contract administration and document management; scheduling; cost estimating.

SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The Consultant shall ensure that at least 10% of the Contract Price for all Work, as amended, shall be performed

by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract. Evaluation points for meeting and/or exceeding the SCS utilization requirements will be provided to each proposer responding to this requirement. King County will not evaluate the proposal and will not execute a contract with a Proposer who does not commit to meet at least the SCS utilization requirement as stated above.

QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Gib Myers, Contract Specialist at 206-2639323, TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN ALTERNATE FORMATS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES UPON ADVANCE REQUEST BY CALLING 206-263-9400, TTY RELAY: 711.

world. What I didn’t think about, or imagine, is the community of alumni across the world saying “Go Huskies” in German, Cantonese, or Thai. A few days in Bangkok changed all that.

It was my first trip to Southeast Asia and while the drive from the airport to our hotel was traffic-filled, both the countryside and city were beautiful. Amongst this dense, huge city of skyscrapers, one can still see beautiful ancient temples nestled in between, especially beside the river and canals that crisscross the city. A country proud of never having been conquered by outside forces, billboards with pictures of the King or Queen seemed almost as ubiquitous as the food stands.

On our first day there, we first visited Chulalongkorn University, one of Thailand’s leading higher education institutions. Not only do we have a very close partnership between our dental schools, but many faculty, and even a few deans, have been UW alum. We next went to Mahidol University, where we functioned as a sort of advance party for the visit of our Dean of Nursing, Azita Emami, who will be arriving in February to explore opportunities for joint programs. We were there at lunchtime and it was a feast of too many courses to remember - was it five, six, or seven? Each seemed better than the last, a fusion of spices with just enough spice to sear in the flavor. As we ate, we talked about our common challenges and opportunities, with a focus on innovative teaching techniques, an area in which the UW is rapidly gaining a global reputation. (Next year our president will be at Waseda University in Japan to inaugurate a teaching and learning center we’ve been working on together.)

We went back to the hotel for a quick breather and changed our clothes before the main event – a soiree hosted by the University of Washington Alumni Association-Thailand. I have a t-shirt to prove it! There were mugs, polo shirts, and banners with UW Alum-Thailand prominently displayed.

There were even Hello Kitty cheerleader dolls dressed {DIEGEL cont’d from page 7} Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi now, but would like to sing more of Richard Wagner’s music.

Although Diegel travels about 10 {YELLOW FACE cont’d from page 8} been very good at listening to director notes and turning it into constructive work by the next day.

Cory Lee plays as Wen Ho Lee and others. Being a newer actor as well, he’s really shown improvement over the course of three months. He is very kind and always does his best to better his acting.

Simon Tran is playing the part of B.D. Wong and others. He’s a more experienced actor, which was really helpful for the others. He also tries his best to be a positive person and contributes great ideas for the show.

Anna Saephan plays Leah, Margaret Cho, and others. She’s always a bright patch of light for the crew with a smile and determination to work hard every day at rehearsals.

Peter Sakowicz plays Cameron Macintosh and others. He’s very talented in impressions and keeps the atmosphere light with his humor and bright smile. He’s also very flexible and keeps a very professional demeanor.

Gabi Boettner plays Jane Krakowski and others. Although she’s a first year student at the UW, she acts extremely well. She also had so many ideas of where each of her characters could go that really developed and helped distinguish each of her parts.

NWAW: Describe the director and the other people working behind the scenes.

Jasmine Paik: Elizabeth Wu, Yellow Face’s director, is as bubbly and personable as she is creative.

in purple. It was almost like being in a branch of a UW bookstore!

At dusk, the doors opened to reveal a banquet room trimmed with purple and gold crepe paper and balloons.

There were proud alumni everywhere—those in their 50s, 60s, and even 80s who had attended the UW, mainly for graduate school decades ago. Amongst these were the owner of the Hansar hotel chain Somboon Chayavichitsilp (1978 College of Engineering) who stepped in as the new president of the association. He is, immediately following Direk Lavansiri (1973 College of Engineering), former Dean of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University and now Chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand. Indeed, many of our Thai alumni have gone on to do remarkable things, including Chumpol NaLamlieng (1965 College of Engineering), former president of Siam Cement Group, who we had coffee with earlier. They regaled us with stories of their time at the UW, memories of friendships, and of faculty who had helped them out, memories of the physical beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

There were newer alumni too, the newest a 2013 graduate already thinking about a return to graduate school.

When it came time to play Husky Trivia—“What was the last year the Huskies were in the Rose Bowl?” “What is the name of the fountain sometimes called freshman pond?”

–the younger graduates were at a bit of an advantage, yet it was a table of “old-timers” that won the prize—Husky t-shirts. But, it wasn’t just fun and trivia. Each year, the Thai alumni do a community project, this year focusing their efforts on supporting a local elementary school. Talk about social responsibility! We ate, we laughed, and we shared.

By the end of the evening I had almost forgotten I wasn’t at an alumni event in Seattle. Such is the power of the Purple and Gold—connections that last a lifetime and transcend boundaries and time.

When the University of Washington talks about being “boundless,” this is exactly what we mean.  Ana Mari Cauce is provost of University of Washington.

months of the year, the jet lag is tough.

He always tries to meet up with folks in the industry to explore the outdoors and also play golf, his second passion in life.

Diegel’s next stop is Perth, Australia, Her boundless energy and artistic genius have made this one hell of a production. Jessica Stephens, stage manager, is no exception when it comes to talented crew. She runs the production like a well-oiled machine and is always there to make sure things are in check and as organized as possible.

Kayla Dresse, Rhoya Seldon, Andrew Guy, Andrew Swann, Jillian Johnson, Sandra Bobman, and many more amazing and dedicated people have made this show come to life.

NWAW: What’s in the future for you and the people you’re working with?

Jasmine Paik: Hopefully, I have more business to do with the UTS! It was such an honor to work with such talented people and being a part of something more than just myself. I hope to continually work with actors such as them. whether it be on stage or back stage. I also loved being able to reach out and talk to newspapers and other organizers. It made me realize how much I enjoyed putting things together.

I think we’ve all learned a lot from this show. Not only about how important it is to be culturally aware of our surroundings and the oppression Asians still face, but also about how a group of people putting on a play could help others around us be aware as well. Now, we’re all a small part of each other’s lives and it’s a memory for our future selves to remember with fondness.  Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

where he will be performing in “Madame Butterfly.”  Nina Huang can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

{A-POP cont’d from page 9} Eddie Huang’s experiences growing up in a Taiwanese-Chinese family in Florida during the 1990s.

The panel’s very first question of the day came from an unidentified reporter who said, “I love the Asian culture. And I was just talking about the chopsticks, and I just love all that. Will I get to see that, or will it be more Americanized?”

This question was asked without a trace of irony, folks.

Actress Constance Wu, who stars on the show, along with Huang and Executive Producer Nahnatchka Khan, all quipped that the sitcom indeed would be “all about chopsticks.” Oblivious to their tongue in cheek replies, the gullible reporter continued on with questioning, asking, “Will there be more about the [Asian] culture or is it more about them becoming more American?”

The panel — which included actor Randall Park — continued to answer the reporter’s questions with a series of in-jokes and quips about chopsticks in order to draw attention to the racist and stereotypical implications of the reporter’s questions. Sadly, this attempt at poking fun at racial ignorance still went over the reporter’s head.

Can you believe these asinine questions were actually asked in front of a live audience? Kudos to the cast, executive show staff, and Huang for handling the questions with cheek and quick wit.

“Fresh Off the Boat” premieres on Feb. 10 on ABC. Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

13

For the week of January 31–February 6, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — As you test out a new approach, remember that you will likely have to do some fine tuning until you hit just the right note.

Dragon — It is probably very tempting to spend a sudden windfall, but the better course of action would be to save it for a rainy day.

Monkey — Instead of worrying about doing something perfectly, it is more important that you go out on a limb and just try.

Ox — Despite your misgivings, something is propelling you forward. You may find your doubts fading as you become more involved.

Snake — Don’t let a small wrinkle stop you. It will not take much to iron it out, and then you will be on your way.

Rooster — Feeling a bit down today? Give yourself a little boost by surrounding yourself with some of your favorite things.

Tiger —Spending what you don’t have is a good recipe for problems later. It takes effort to live within your means, but it will be well worth it.

Horse — Although you want to plan far ahead, there are some unknown variables which could drastically alter what you have in mind.

Dog — A plum opportunity is ripe for the picking. You better act fast, however, before someone else sees what is available.

Rabbit — Throwing caution to the wind isn’t exactly your style. If staying out of trouble is the goal, then being prepared is essential.

Goat — Are you suddenly the loudest one in the room? Just because you make the most noise doesn’t guarantee coming out on top.

Pig — An attractive stranger catches your eye this week. Don’t let their looks distract you from what needs to get done.

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 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*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.

{WOC cont’d from page 5} and an inventor and technical consultant for Intellectual Ventures with over 75 patent applications. She is also currently working on opening a high-end Indian restaurant in Pioneer Square in Spring 2015.

Chief Kathleen O’Toole was sworn in as Chief of the Seattle Police Department on June 23rd, 2014. She is a career police officer and lawyer who has earned an international reputation for her principled leadership and reform strategies. In 2012, she completed a six-year term as Chief Inspector of the Gardia Síochána Inspectorate, an oversight body responsible for bringing reform, best practice, and accountability to the 17,000 member Irish national police service. During her police career, she was assigned to numerous patrol, investigative, undercover, supervisory, and management positions.

Linda De Boldt is the Public Works director for the City of Redmond. She served as the deputy director and chief engineer for Seattle Public Utilities in the project delivery branch and has served the City of Seattle for close to 30 years. Her experience includes transportation, utilities, natural resource preservation and restoration, public works management, strategic planning and organization development.

Shira Broschat is a professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and adjunct faculty in the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at Washington State University.

Broschat believes that for the U.S. to remain competitive in the global economy it must have a diverse engineering and computing workforce. For her research, she and her team of computer science undergraduate and graduate students work with microbiologists to explore problems related to antibiotic resistance, infectious diseases, and bacterial pathogens. Broschat is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Institute of Physics, and the Acoustical Society of America.

Kelly Knebel emigrated from South Korea to the United States when she was 17.

“That first flight was long, uncomfortable, turbulent, and unforgettable... and I knew right away I wanted to pursue a career in aviation! Growing up in Korea, the only option in aviation was to be a flight attendant - female pilots were unheard of.”

After learning English she left college to

work for a major airline as a flight attendant.

What she enjoyed most was spending time in the flight deck learning about airplanes during the long international flights. She returned to college, completing flight certificates and ratings and degree while still working as a flight attendant.

After graduating with honors in Aerospace Science, she accumulated flight hours by instructing, and then worked for a small commuter airline becoming a captain and a check airman. In 2006 she landed her dream job when she was hired by Alaska Airlines.

She is a board member for the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and mentoring.

Tina Soike, Director of Engineering Services, has 35 years experience with the Port of Seattle’s capital program. She’s held various positions within Engineering, Project Airport Management, and Operations. Her current responsibilities encompass engineering design services, survey and mapping, construction management and construction safety. Tina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington.

Michelle Mills Clement, a native of Chicago, joined the Commercial Brokers Association (CBA) as their Executive Director and CEO in May 2014 where she oversees the strategic direction of the 3,800 member organization. Headquartered in Kirkland, Washington with a staff of 17, CBA is a member-owned cooperative association providing commercial real estate multiple listing services to its members since 1977.

Srilakshmi Remala launched Remala Consulting LLC to provide technology and management consulting for the education and non-profit sector. Her experience spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and has focused on building systems and capacity for growing organizations, including at Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She specializes in User Experience and Digital Strategy and has designed and launched high-profile online experiences.

Dr. Joyce Yen, Ph.D., is the Program/ Research Manager for the UW ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change. Dr. Yen has been PI or co-investigator on ten successful proposals that have brought

over $4.5 million in funding to advance women faculty in science, engineering, and mathematics; to address faculty professional development more generally; and to diversify science and engineering and create a more inclusive climate in engineering.

Tanya Jimale, also emcee for the event, was the first African American to graduate from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. In 1993 she founded Jimale Technical Services, LLC, which is a project controls and construction management firm, and was recommended by the City of Seattle to be one out of three women-owned businesses to participate in a “Backyard Chat” with President Barack Obama. Other recognitions include being selected as one of the top 25 “Fastest Growing Minority-Owned Businesses.” She is in her second term as a mayorial appointee for the City of Seattle Economic Development as a Commissioner.  There will be a raffle for two tickets from Alaska Airlines, valued at $2500.

For reservations, email RSVP@ nwasianweekly.com, or call 206-223-0623.

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

{WAHLBERG cont’d from page 4} he’s turned his life around. ``I have apologized, many times,’’ he told the AP in December.

Court documents in the 1986 attack identify Wahlberg among a group of white boys who harassed the school group as they were leaving Savin Hill Beach in Dorchester, a mixed but racially divided Boston neighborhood that had seen tensions during the years the city was under court-ordered school integration.

The boys chased the black children down the street, repeatedly shouting ``n-----’’ and hurling rocks until an

ambulance driver intervened. Wahlberg was 15 at the time.

Atwood says she still bears a scar from getting hit by a rock. No one was seriously injured, but the attack left a lasting impression.

In 1988, Wahlberg, then 16, attacked two Vietnamese men while trying to steal beer near his Dorchester home.

According to the sentencing memorandum, he confronted Thanh Lam, a Vietnamese man, as he was getting out of his car with two cases of beer. Wahlberg called Lam a ``Vietnam f------ s---’’ and beat him over the head with a wooden stick until Lam lost consciousness and the rod broke in two.

Documents say Wahlberg ran up to another Vietnamese man, Hoa Trinh, and asked for help hiding. After a police cruiser drove past, he punched Trinh in the eye. Later, he made crude remarks about Asians.

Wahlberg ultimately was convicted as an adult of two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, marijuana possession, and criminal contempt for violating the prior civil rights injunction. He was given a threemonth prison sentence, of which he served about 45 days. ``It was a hate crime and that’s exactly what should be on his record forever,’’ Atwood said. 

{LIU cont’d from page 6} that of the United States. Liu believes, fundamentally, that despite this advantage, America retains a competitive edge because “America makes Chinese Americans. China doesn’t make America Chinese.”

The melting pot idea is unique to the story of America.

“My life has been shaped by a community with strong Asian identity … and it’s made me more in tuned to the importance of building such coalitions,” Liu said.

“Seattle is very unique in the sense that Panethnic cooperation can result in a great deal of political clout,” Liu said.  Minal Singh can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

Service Directory The American Legion Cathay Post 186

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

A cafe with hot springs included

{TAIWAN cont’d from page 10} recommend tourists, especially gourmets, to travel to Taiwan just to experience its food culture.

The only average meal was the Cantonese dinner we ate. When you go to Taiwan, don’t ask for Cantonese food. Be bold and go for local Taiwanese cuisine and you will enjoy it much more.

Hotels in Taiwan In the countryside, there is an interesting variety of hotels. I couldn’t translate the exact definition, except to use the term, “boutique.” It’s called “people’s lodging,” started by people “for the people to live.”

The hotel we stayed at was called River Forest. Its total number of hotel rooms was small, even though the property lot is huge. I referred to them as units, rather than rooms because they were more than just a room.

There are about three or four units in each building. Each unit had two floors, consisting of a bed and amenities, with a stairway connecting to each floor. Our unit was built in the middle of the pond with swans and

koi fish, which we could see through our tall glass windows, as well as the balcony. It was breathtaking, especially when you get up in the morning and look out the window.

The last hotel we stayed at was the fivestar Hotel Royal at Yilan with hot springs and Japanese-style management. I love this hotel, too. Every detail was perfect inside. From its breakfast to dinner buffet, its bedroom installed with a hot springs tub and outdoor hot spring facilities to enjoying sunset on the hill, I could not think of one thing that the hotel was lacking. At night, our classmates played ping pong in the hotel’s recreation room, and even rented its karaoke room to sing.

When I raved about the hotel to my former Taiwanese classmate, a University of Washington alum who now lives in Taiwan, he said, “We have even better ones than the Hotel Royal in Taiwan.”  (More Taiwan love next week!)

Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@ nwasianweekly.com.

Northwest Asian Weekly / Seattle Chinese Post presents

Chinatown-International District Lunar New Year Celebration

Children’s Parade Contest | Saturday, February 21, 2015

Children’s Parade Competition Schedule: • 11:30 AM — Registration • 1 PM — Line up • 1:30 PM — Parade Begins • 2:30 PM — Parade winners announced!!!

• Start from Northwest Asian Weekly’s front door, march to main stage • Contestants must be present at the announcement of finalists (1:50 PM).

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• All contestants will receive a fortune cookie and lucky candies.

TITLE SPONSOR GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

COMMUNITY SPONSORS Tsue Chong Noodles Co.

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest (Saturday, February 21) at 11:30 a.m. at the registration table. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave S. • Contestants are chosen on a first come first serve basis.

• Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 15 minutes prior to parade.

Rules/Guidelines: • Children ages 12 and under can participate in the contest • Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade • Children will be given a contestant number for order of Parade lineup • Children attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration Judging: • All contestants will be judged by the provided judging criteria.

• Prizes will be awarded to First ($100), Second ($50), and Third ($25) Place Winners, plus 15 honorable mentions.

• All decisions made by competition judges are final.

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JIM DOANNE

RON CHOW

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods: Mail: Northwest Asian Weekly Children’s Parade Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104

Name: ________________________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________________________

E-mail: ________________________________________________________ Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

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JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 6, 2015

{SEATTLE cont’d from page 1} a colorful storefront at 117 South Main Street, in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, free to the public. The storefront is half of a park. The other half is in Skagway, Alaska. The Gold Rush came to Seattle thanks to the steamship Portland arriving in Seattle in July 1997, with its rumored “two tons of gold.” Seattle took advantage of its proximity to Alaska through the hucksterism of a Seattle-Post-Intelligencer editor named Erastus Brainerd. He convinced would-be prospectors that they had to come to Seattle for outfitting en route to the Klondike gold fields.

Pike Place Market’s “DownUnder.” The Pike Place Market, the nation’s oldest continually operated farmers market, has many hidden treasures. Among them are the hodge-podge of shops found beneath the main market arcade. Shoppers can find just about anything there, from antique photos and postcards to the tail lights of a 1965 Studebaker. “DownUnder” is said to be haunted by several ghosts, just ask the people in the Bead Shop. And don’t forget to check out the Magic Shop where they’ll perform tricks, but only once.

Kubota Gardens, Renton Avenue and 55th Avenue South. The fairy-tale gardens, a rare jewel in the Seattle Parks system, were founded by a Japanese immigrant. He started a 20-acre garden in 1929 in the midst of a swamp.

It’s now a delight to the eye, not to mention the nose. The gardens were purchased by the City of Seattle in 1987, thanks to the urging of Seattle Councilmember Jeanette Williams. A creek trickles through the lush greenery, feeding five ponds. Among the rare plants are tanysho pines and weeping blue atlas cedars.

The Chinese Room is the handsome teak-ceilinged room that sits astride the Smith Tower, Seattle’s first skyscraper, located at Yesler and Second Avenue. The room was designed specifically for the wedding of the daughter of builder Lyman C. Smith, an armaments entrepreneur who later became known as a typewriter baron. Constructed in 1914, the Smith Tower was the city’s first steel structure.

Weddings are still held in the room which commands a panorama of downtown.

Fishermen’s Terminal at Salmon Bay is home to one of the world’s largest fleets of salmon and halibut trollers.

Here, you can spot signs of the fishing industry, including nets spread to dry on the pavements, boats of all types line the wharves, and marine hardware supplies. Visitors can take in the scene from the benches near the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial Statue, engraved with the names of

Kubota Gardens

Bruce Lee & Brandon Lee’s graves at Lake View Cemetery

local fishermen lost at sea.

Lake View Cemetery at 154 15th Avenue East is the home of many of the city’s pioneers and some of its more recent citizens. Most popular is the hillside gravesites of Bruce Lee, the storied Asian icon and movie personality, and his son Brandon Lee. Some older gravesites belong to settlers who were reburied there (some as many as four times) when forced out of earlier graveyards by the city’s relentless expansion. Chief Seattle’s daughter “Princess Angeline” lies here along with David “Doc” Maynard and his second wife Catherine. Many Asian settlers rest here in photo-enhanced gravesites along the Eastern side of the cemetery.

Tilikum Place at Denny and Cedar features a dramatic full-figured statue of Chief Sealth, the city’s namesake.

The statue was sculpted by James A. Wehn in 1912. The sculptor reportedly cast his bust of Sealth from an original mold, but then destroyed the model to protest the city’s plan to use an inferior foundry. Wehn later reconciled with the city and sculpted a new figure. The triangle and fountain were refurbished in 1975. In the early 1990s, cleaners scraped away decades of peeling paint to discover that the statue had originally been covered in gold leaf, now restored.

The Dome Room is a hidden treasure in the Arctic Hotel at Third and Cherry. The hotel, which dates from 1917, is recognizable for its fanciful Italianate terra-cotta façade and tusked walrus heads. Built to house the prestigious Artic Club, most of its early details were lost to remodeling

for city offices at the turn of the 20th Century, prior to the building being sold to developers. One survivor is the Dome Room, a handsome banquet room topped by a rococo gilt and stained-glass skylight. It seems to exist in an earlier era.

Frye Art Museum at 704 Terry Avenue is open and free to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The museum’s collection features mainly realistic art, enriched by the European salon paintings of donors Charles and Emma Frye. The museum occupies a distinguished international-style building and features works varying from Wyeth to native Alaskan artists.

Traveling exhibits also are featured at the museum, which has a small but delightful cafeteria and a well-stocked gift shop.

Pottery Northwest, a handsome brick structure at 226 First Avenue North, is open Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. While most of this building is dedicated to rental studio space for local artisans, there is a small gallery toward the front that allows you to see what the artists are creating. There are interesting bright pieces, most available at reasonable prices for one-of-a-kind treasures.

If you want to explore, don’t forget how much our city has to offer.  Jean Godden is a former journalist for the Seattle Times and Seattle PI. She is currently a city council member.

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Congratulations to Seahawks for their win in NFC championship.

Best wishes for continued success on Feb. 1, on winning the Big Bowl Game!