PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Islanders honor heritage MONKEYING with new year celebration AROUND Photo by Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun/NWAW
From barrymasseykiller.com
Steilacoom killer, sentenced at 14 for Paul Wang death, released
FREE
The Steilacoom marina where Paul Wang worked before he was murdered in 1987
MONROE, Wash. (AP) — A man who was 14 years old when he was sentenced to life without parole for a 1987 murder has been released from a Washington state prison. Northwest News Network reports that now-42-year-old Barry Massey walked out of Monroe Corrections Center on Tuesday, Feb. 16. He is the first person to benefit from a 2014 state law that presumes juveniles sentenced to life in prison should be released after 25 years behind bars. His lawyer, Maureen Devlin, {see MASSEY on 11}
Indonesian (East Borneo) dancers strike a powerful pose during the Gantar dance on Feb. 13 at the Tacoma Dome exhibition hall.
By Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun Northwest Asian Weekly On Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Tacoma Dome exhibition hall,
drums thundered. Dancers glided and swayed with power, pride, ease and grace. And the aroma of food wafted enticingly through the air, mingling with the massive sea of people. The
Children celebrate the Lunar New Year with parade in Chinatown.
{see APCC on 15}
{see pictorial on 7}
With humble beginnings, Asian American film fest sets down new roots and looks to the future
Cleared after stabbing, Jarred Ha wants life back
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly
By Sara Jean Green SEATTLE TIMES
Adrian Alarilla, filmmaker liaison at this year’s Seattle Asian American Film Festival (SAAFF), grew up in Manila and spent some time on the Philippine island, Cebu, and Chicago, before moving to Seattle in 2010. “I instantly fell in love with Seattle,” he remembered. “It’s a big change from the heat and pollution of Manila, and I like being so close to nature. I also loved how tight-knit the {see SAAFF on 16}
Homeless campers on Dearborn asked to leave after many code violations
1st prize winner Perry Jones
beaming faces of performers and folks manning booths, representing about 16 different countries, shinned with pride and delight.
{see DEARBORN on 11}
{see HA on 12}
Photo provided by SAAFF
A reason cited for the closure is that campers have not followed the code of the conduct set forth by Nickelsville and the church, the encampment’s religious sponsor. In a statement from Lee and
SEATTLE (AP) — In the weeks before Christmas, Jarred Ha agonized over his decision, filling three pages with charts Jarred Ha outlining the pros and cons of accepting a plea deal or taking his chances at trial. If he took the deal, Ha would still have a felony conviction on his record with no guarantee he wouldn’t also face up to 90 days in jail. But if he went to trial and lost, he was looking at 12 years in prison. The stakes couldn’t have been higher for the 22-year-old aspiring accountant, who got kicked out of the University of Washington and booted from his apartment within a day of his arrest last year for stabbing a member of the Pi Kappa
SAAFF team members grab drinks before checking out their community partners up north, at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival
By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly Campers at the Dearborn Nickelsville, an encampment for those who are homeless, have been asked to clear out of the location by 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 20,
after which it will be closed. On Feb. 13, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Pastor Steve Olson and Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) Executive Director Sharon Lee served official notice of termination in a flyer at the 1010 S. Dearborn location in Seattle.
The Inside Story NAMES IN THE NEWS Movers and shakers in the API community »2
■
COMMUNITY NEWS Tet in Tacoma brings about mixed feelings »4
PUBLISHER’S BLOG Assunta’s 10 Lunar New Year wishes » 10
EDITORIAL Is an Asian headed for the Supreme Court? » 11
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
VOL 35 NO 8
A-POP All things Asian in popular culture! »9
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
■ names in the news
Photo by John Liu/NWAW
Mayor announces resolution to rename park after Donnie Chin
leaders Ron Chew (International Community Health Services Foundation), Gloria Lung Wakayama (The Wing), David Leong (Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce), and Beth Takekawa (The Wing) celebrated the First Hill Streetcar’s start-of-service with a party full of lion dancing, firecrackers, and red envelopes. The party was the first in a series planned for the streetcar line, which connects Pioneer Square, the International District, and Capitol Hill.
NAKA chef teaches sushi rolling and washoku at cultural event
KING 5 moves to new home at Home Plate Center in SoDo Shota Nakajima
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray addresses a crowd of attendees at the grand opening of the Yesler Hill Climb
On Feb. 13, at the grand opening of the Yesler Hill Climb, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced that he has submitted a resolution to Seattle City Council to rename the International Children’s Park in Chinatown in honor of Donnie Chin, the former International District Emergency Center head, who was fatally shot in July 2015. The Yesler Hill Climb is a new pathway that connects Yesler Terrace to First Hill for pedestrians and bicyclists, featuring a staircase and wheelchair-accessible ramp.
Photo by John Liu/NWAW
First Hill Streetcar begins service amid firecrackers and lions
From left: Ron Chew, Gloria Lung Wakayama, Ed Murray, David Leong, and Beth Takekawa
On Feb. 13, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and community
KING 5 News co-anchors Dennis Bounds and Lori Matsukawa
The KING 5 news station has moved to Home Plate Center in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, across from Safeco Field. The new location has more collaborative work spaces, streamlined workflows, and up-to-date and interactive technology. The newsroom at Home Plate Center houses KING 5 News, KING 5 Sports, and Northwest Cable News.
got a tip? editor@nwasianweekly.com
Attendees at the sushi rolling event
On Jan. 24, Shota Nakajima, a chef and owner of NAKA on Capitol Hill, taught Seattle residents how to hand-roll sushi as part of an initiative to make Japanese cuisine a regular staple in local households. The event was held at the Pike Place Market Atrium Loft. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, with the ConsulateGeneral of Japan in Seattle and featured the culinary philosophy of washoku, which involves preparing food to provide both nutritional balance and aesthetic harmony. While this event is the first of its kind in Seattle, it is part of an international series hosted by the Japanese ministry.
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ community NEWS
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
3
H Mart to finally open ICHS seeks nominations downtown after delays to honor health advocates H Mart, a Korean grocery chain store, will finally open its fifth store in downtown Seattle after its opening announcement three years ago. It is going to be at Second Avenue and Pine Street, where a Nordstrom Rack Store was. Three years ago, in order to provide the growing number of residents in downtown with Korean foods, H Mart was planning to open its fifth store in the Puget Sound
area, but the plan was not successful. H Mart started in Queens, New York, in 1982. H stands for “Han Ah Reum,” which means “one arm full of groceries” in Korean. Now, there are four. Now, it also has locations in Lynnwood and Lakewood. In the Lakewood store, there is a pharmacy and a deli, and about 40 percent of the items there are Korean foods.
New online service give Wash. residents an SSN card replacement
The United States Social Security Administration announced the expansion of its online services for Washington state residents. Residents can use the my Social Security (mySS) portal to replace Social Security Number (SSN) card requests. This will allow the residents to replace their SSN card without a need to visit a Social Security office and allow Social Security offices to save time for customers who need extensive services.
Also, mySS offers benefits, including adjusting direct deposit, obtaining a benefit verification letter, managing accounts, and changing addresses online. The services have started in Washington, D.C. and Washington state. The agency stated it will expand the services throughout half of the nation by the end of 2016. For more information or to access the portal, visit ssa.gov/myaccount.
High school essay and scholarship contest open through March 5 The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) is sponsoring an essay contest to provide a forum for expression by youth who aim to be future leaders of the United States. The contest is open to all high school students. To participate, students must register before Feb. 29. The actual essay has to be written on-site at a Seattle Public Library branch on March 5, between 10 and 11:30 a.m. Essays must be 500 words or under and the essay topic will be announce the contest day. An impartial panel of judges
will rate the essays based on originality and clarity of thought. Seattle winners (scholarship prizes between $50–$100) will go on and compete in the national contest ($500–$1,000). Seattle Awards will be announced at the CACA Seattle Annual Awards Banquet on April 30. All student participants will be invited to attend the banquet. To enter by Feb. 29, visit cacaseattle.org/ youth-activities.html. E-mail questions to Cathy Lee at cchenlee1@gmail.com.
KING COUNTY AND YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE ROSTER PROGRAMS ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING ROSTER & SMALL WORKS ROSTER Consultants and Contractors interested in working with King County are encouraged to register on the “Architectural & Engineering Roster” and “Small Works Roster” for projects estimated to cost less than $300,000. If you are already registered on a Roster we recommend verifying that your account information is up to date so you do not miss out on any opportunities with the County. Register online at http:// www.kingcounty.gov/operations/
procurement/FAQ/Roster.aspx If you have any questions about the either roster program please contact Tina Davis at tina.davis@ kingcounty.gov 206-263-2939 OR Darren Chernick at darren.chernick@ kingcounty.gov or 206-263-9321. You can also come see us at the Regional Contracting Forum on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at the Washington State Convention Center, Seattle WA.
Nominations are now being accepted by International Community Health Services (ICHS) and the ICHS Foundation for the 2016 Bamboo Award for Health to recognize the outstanding work of people and organizations in supporting ICHS and its mission. The nominations will be accepted until March 18. Awardees will be contacted by March 28. The award will be presented at the ICHS Bloom Gala on May 21. The Bamboo Award for Health was established to recognize the exceptional work and achievement of people and organizations that support ICHS’s mission of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to improve the health of Asian Pacific Islanders (API) and the broader community. These achievements may have resulted in: • Increasing access to health services for
ICHS patients, clients, or the local Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community and other local underserved communities. • Improving measurable health outcomes for ICHS patients, clients, or the local API community or other local underserved communities. • Increased resources that allow ICHS to serve or expand its patient and client populations. Last year, Tosh Okamoto, a longtime community activist and co-founder of Nikkei Concerns, and Seattle World School, a public school that helps immigrant children fully participate in American society, were named winners of the 2015 Bamboo Award for Health. For more information or to nominate, visit: ichs.com/bloom
Social media series to highlight CID people On Feb. 16, InterIm Community Development Association kicked off a social media series that highlights pictures and short narratives about life in Seattle’s Chinatown–International District (CID). Called “Voices of the CID,” the series can be followed on InterIm CDA’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
Each week through May, InterIm CDA will feature photos and interview excerpts from community members who live and/or work in the CID. For more information or to view the series, visit @interim_cda or view #voicesoftheCID.
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
■ LUNAR NEW YEAR
Lunar New Year for Vietnamese dawns in Tacoma’s Lincoln District By CRAIG SAILOR The News Tribune
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A roast pig rests on a table in the middle of Xuan Phan’s Lincoln District restaurant. It is surrounded by roast chickens, fruit, rice, money, flower buds, and other items. The display in the Tacoma Vietnamese eatery was for the Lunar New Year. It’s an offering to ancestors, a request for a blessed new year. It’s also a connection to the life Phan left behind in Vietnam 40 years ago. Phan’s life now focuses on her restaurant, Pho Dragon, where she turns out soup, barbecued pork, rice dishes and other Vietnamese specialties. She has had the restaurant for three years. Before that, she lived in Stockton, California, for 35 years. “She likes it here more. She has her kids here. Tacoma is easier for her business,” said My Nguyen, who is translating for Phan. Nguyen is the City of Tacoma’s business outreach specialist. Nguyen, fluent in Vietnamese and English, is a human bridge between the city and the mostly Vietnamese business owners who make up the Lincoln District. Phan had been busy for days making food produced only for Lunar New Year. Rolls of rice and meat wrapped in banana leaves piled high in the restaurant, a steal at $2 each. “She gets more American customers than Vietnamese,” Nguyen said. That, many local business owners say, is one of the keys to a revitalized Lincoln District — an area that is attractive and welcoming to locals and visitors. But, they also say, there’s a lot of work to be done first. That is why $7.3 million has been earmarked for the Lincoln District Revitalization Project. More than half of that money — $4.5 million — will go toward streetscape improvements for South 38th Street, with construction to begin when the state Department of Transportation finishes its work on Pacific Avenue this summer.
LOOKING UP On a Saturday in January, the Lincoln District celebrated
Lunar New Year — it’s the Year of the Monkey — with a street festival and lion dance. It marked the return of the festival after a four-year absence. It has been a long road from what is arguably the district’s darkest day, July 5, 1998. That is when gang members committed the city’s worst mass murder — the Trang Dai cafe shooting that killed five people and wounded five. Today, that stretch of Yakima Avenue doesn’t look much better than it did then. A boarded-up and decaying Restoration Christian Ministries takes up a good chunk of the street. Pedestrians make detours around its pigeon-filled awning. But a few doors down is bustling Vien Dong. The restaurant with the reputation of having Tacoma’s best pho noodle soup was started in 1989 by Thuy-Linh Nguyen’s parents. She now runs it with husband Kevin Le. Le grew up in the area. He is a Lincoln High graduate. “We have had a bad rap in this area, but things are getting better. We’re getting there,” Le said. Le worked with My Nguyen and business owners in the area to bring back the Lunar New Year Festival. A lack of interest killed the festival. But enthusiasm has returned. “We hope it gets more people here. We have so much diversity here. I love this area,” Le said.
Le won’t comment on the dilapidated state of some businesses in the area. It’s an Asian thing, he said. “We tend to keep things to ourselves. I concentrate on my business,” he said. But, he acknowledges the streets need beautification. Petty crime is a problem. He would like to see more security cameras in the area. He is thankful for the city’s investment in My Nguyen. Nguyen has organized and energized the community, Le said. “I’m glad he’s here, helping us out,” Le said. The festival featured lion dancers, food specials and entertainment. Le had firecrackers hanging in his restaurant — the electronic kind. A remote control activated them, momentarily startling customers as they pause over their pho to the sounds of recorded popping. Le’s community involvement goes beyond the festival. He was on the 10-person panel that recently chose Portland artist Horatio Hung-Yan Law to create public art for the district.
CLEANING UP The Lincoln District is not all Asian eateries and gift stores. Longtime businesses such as Lincoln Hardware and Lincoln Pharmacy still operate. Tom Pruett’s Big Vac Inc was started in 1972 by his parents. Pruett and his family have been steadily selling and repairing vacuum cleaners for more than five decades on busy 38th Street. “I have seen a lot of changes. Frisbee’s Bakery is gone, but new shops have opened,” Pruett said. “It would be nice if it got back to the way it used to be. There used to be a lot of people coming down here.” That was in the 1980s. In the 1990s, Pruett installed metal bars on the windows. “I used to get calls in the night. They’d break the window closest to the alley all the time.” Things have improved, but he left the bars in place. {see TET on 12}
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
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■ national NEWS Asian American Teens plead not guilty in homeless NYC officer guilty of manslaughter camp shooting SEATTLE (AP) — Teenage brothers, James and Jerome Taafulisia, charged in a drugrelated shooting that left two people dead and three wounded at a Seattle homeless camp have pleaded not guilty to murder charges. The two boys, ages 16 and 17, each entered their pleas on murder and assault charges Feb. 11 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. They have been charged as adults in the killings that took place Jan. 26 at a longstanding encampment known as the Jungle, about a mile from downtown. James Quoc Tran and Jeannine L. Zapata
were shot and died from related injuries. Three others also shot were hospitalized for their injuries. Taafulisias’ 13-year-old brother pleaded innocent to the same charges in juvenile court last week. All three remain in jail. Police said they believe the shooting stemmed from a low-level drug deal and that the suspects and victims knew of each other.
Minors charged with crimes are not named by the Northwest Asian Weekly unless they are charged as adults.
By Colleen Long and Jennifer Peltz Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A rookie police officer who shot an unarmed man dead in a darkened public housing stairwell was convicted Feb. 11 of manslaughter in a case closely watched by advocates for police accountability. The courtroom audience gasped and Officer Peter Liang, who had broken into tears as he testified about the 2014 shooting of Akai Gurley, buried his head in his hands as the verdict came after 17 hours
of jury deliberations. Liang is the first New York City police officer convicted in an on-duty death since 2005. The manslaughter charge, a felony, carries up to 15 years in prison, though no requirement for any prison time. Liang was dismissed from the New York Police Department right after the verdict. His sentencing is April 14. But an uncertainty remains: Brooklyn state Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun has yet to rule on Liang’s lawyers’ {see OFFICER on 13}
Buddhist monk A new prize in Nevada: the Asian faces March trial in embezzlement case American vote By Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cynthia Ameli stopped her car, shocked at what she saw: A group of young Asian Americans waving Obama campaign signs on the side of a Las Vegas thoroughfare. A Chinese American who grew up in Chicago, Ameli was used to Black Americans and Latinos organizing for candidates, but not members of her own ethnic community. Even more astounding to her were how those signs in late 2012 announced the support of a community that had rarely spoken out about its politics — “Asian American Pacific Islanders for Obama.” Now Ameli, a 57-year-old pharmacist,
keeps a collection of Asian American campaign placards and buttons at her house, including new ones from the Hillary Clinton campaign, for which she volunteers. As Clinton and Bernie Sanders scrap for every vote before Nevada caucuses, they are competing for support among members of the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic group, one that both parties are trying to win over. Asian Americans comprise 6 percent of the U.S. population and their numbers have increased 56 percent since 2000. In Nevada, Asian Americans are 9 percent of the population. Asian Americans encompass a diverse range of people, among them recent Chinese immigrants, Muslims from Pakistan, {see NEVADA on 12}
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — A Buddhist monk faces trial in March on charges he embezzled more than $200,000 from his Lafayette temple to feed a casino gambling habit. Khang Nguyen Le was scheduled to plead guilty on Wednesday to wire fraud charges. But The Advocate reports that the plea agreement fell apart when Le told a federal judge that he couldn’t understand how the charges applied to his case. “I can’t accept that,” Le said through a translator. Le defended his actions during the hearing and denied he intended to take cash from the bank accounts for the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Southeast Louisiana Inc.
“My intent was never to steal money from the temple,” Le told U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna. Le served as the temple’s presiding monk from 2010 through October 2014, when he stepped down amid the investigation. His indictment last year said he withdrew money from temple accounts and used it for gambling at casinos in Lake Charles and elsewhere. The indictment says Le lived and worked at the temple and earned a salary of $1,000 per month. In a court filing last year, a federal agent said Le “admitted to having a gambling problem” and told investigators that
Assunta Ng
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Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Associate Publisher john@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com
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{see MONK on 13}
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
■ COMMUNITY calendar THU 2/18 WHAT: History Café: “Queer People of Color Artistry Explored” WHERE: MOHAI, Compass Café, 860 Terry Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 6:30–7:30 p.m.
FRI 2/19 WHAT: “Seattle’s Vibrant Ethnic Media Community,” panel event WHERE: KCTS Studios, 401 Mercer St., Seattle WHEN: 9:30–11:30 a.m. RSVP: bit.ly/1PQAF2l WHAT: Mandarin Luncheon, “2015 Tax Updates and Tips” WHERE: House of Hong, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. INFO: 206-552-0818
FRI 2/19–SUN 2/21 WHAT: Seattle Asian American Film Festival WHERE: Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., Seattle INFO: seattleaaff.org
SAT 2/20
H WHAT: Lunar New Year
WHEN: 11 a.m.–6:30 p.m. INFO: lunarnewyear. bellevuecollection.com WHAT: CulturalFest International Expo WHERE: UW, Husky Union Building WHEN: 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. COST: free INFO: fiuts.org/culturalfest-expo
SUN 2/21
SUN 2/28
WHAT: Minidoka Pilgrimage Day of Remembrance Taiko Concert WHERE: Seattle University, Pigott Hall, 901 12th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHAT: Seattle Lee Family Association Chinese New Year Spring Banquet WHERE: House of Hong Restaurant, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 6 p.m. INFO: sleewoo@yahoo.com
H WHAT: Lunar New Year
Concert WHERE: Microsoft Auditorium, Central Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 3–4 p.m. COST: free INFO: 206-684-0849
WHAT: Omoide (Memories) Program with speaker Elisa Law, “Hunt Hotel Project” WHERE: Japanese Cultural and Community Center, 1414 Weller St., Seattle WHEN: 1–2 p.m. COST: free
MON 2/22
WHAT: Citizenship Information Session WHERE: Lake City Public Library, 12501 28th Ave. N.E., Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m. INFO: seattle.gov
WHAT: Citizenship Information Session WHERE: Highline College, Building 2, 2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines WHEN: 6 p.m. INFO: seattle.gov
WHAT: Citizenship Information Session WHERE: Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 3:30 p.m. INFO: seattle.gov
SAT 2/27
cultural event WHERE: Bellevue Square Center Court
WHAT: Bonsai Class WHERE: Oriental Garden Center, 30650 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way WHEN: 10 a.m.–12 p.m. COST: $75 REGISTRATION: by Feb. 20 INFO: 253-839-1639
WED 3/2 THRU SAT 4/30 WHAT: Alan Lau’s “Beauty in the Decay” WHERE: Art X Change, 512 1st Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: Tue–Sat, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. INFO: artxchange.org
THU 3/3 WHAT: API Chaya 21st Annual Candlelight Vigil WHERE: King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave., Seattle WHEN: 4–6 p.m. DONATION SUGGESTIONS: $25-$500 INFO: priyan@apichaya.org
FRI 3/4, SAT 3/5, AND SUN 3/6
WHERE: UW, Jones Playhouse, Seattle WHEN: Fri–Sat, 7:30 p.m., Sun, 2 p.m. COST: $8–$10 TICKETS: 206-543-4880 INFO: drama.uw.edu/ performances
SAT 3/5 WHAT: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Presents Tea Experience: Korea WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 10 a.m. COST: $10 INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter. org/teaexperience WHAT: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Presents Taste of Asia, cooking lesson: Korea WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 12 p.m. COST: $25 INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter. org/tasteofasia
H = Lunar New Year event
WHAT: Japanese literature public reading, “Sons”
KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C00962C15, East Lake Sammamish Master Plan Trail – South Sammamish Segment A; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 p.m., March 17, 2016. Late bids will not be accepted. This Contract provides for the improvement of former railroad bank between the Issaquah/Sammamish city limit and SE 33rd Street, all in accordance with the Plans and Specifications. This project work includes the removal of existing gravel trail and construction of approximately 1.3 miles of 12 foot-wide paved trail with gravel shoulders, concrete driveway crossings, and stream mitigation planting. Other items of work include
erosion control, site preparation, grading, structural earth wall, fencing, stormwater vault, stormwater conveyance system, signage, traffic control, trail amenity items, and landscaping. Estimated contract price: $3,900,000 to $4,300,000. There is a Mandatory Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal of 19%. There is a Training Goal of 400 hours. King County in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of
Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex in consideration for an award. 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
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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ pictorial
On Saturday, Feb. 13, children of all ages lined up outside the doors of Northwest Asian Weekly (NWAW), anticipating the start of the NWAW Children’s Parade and Costume Contest. Tied first place winners Vivian Zhao and Perry Jones received $100. Second prize winner Caitlin Watanabe got $25. The contest was judged by Hernann Ambion, Kathy Hu, Jim Doane, Simon Wong, Rick Moore, and Judy Lui and was emceed by Toshiko Grace Hasegawa.
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
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Photos by George Liu and Tina Lu
Emcee Toshiko Grace Hasegawa
Hernann Ambion from Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is dedicated to our customers and committed to providing low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electric power.
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
Photo from HBO
Photo by Crispym
Photo by Jeffrey Beall
■ sports A New Year talking Doug B, a new THE L L I R D P U Y A L Mariner, and ... Manny’s last fight?
Doug Baldwin
Travis Ishikawa
Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley poster
Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly
Despite coming up short, Seahawks’ Baldwin has a career year
all know, the Seahawks fell to the Carolina Panthers in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. And we had to watch the Super Bowl (those of us who were still following football) without the Hawks in the big game. Despite falling short of a third straight Super Bowl appearance, Doug Baldwin had a career year with the Seahawks. He tied the league-lead for touchdowns with 14 (and added another in the playoff victory against Minnesota). He also set career highs for touchdowns and yards receiving. It was a big year for Baldwin, who is part Filipino. Yet, he was left off the Pro Bowl roster — a measuring stick to award outstanding play by NFL players this season. Most Seahawks fans don’t pay attention to the Pro Bowl since if you are a Super Bowl team, you do not play in the game. Baldwin’s great play started late in the season, which might account for the omission off of the Pro Bowl team. One should hope for more of the same from Baldwin, as he became the number one receiver for Russell Wilson in the second-half of the season.
Welcome to a new edition of The Layup Drill! This month, we revisit the great year by Doug Baldwin, a return home for a new Seattle Mariner — and is this the last fight for Manny Pacquiao?
The feeling is a little different this year. For some Seahawks fans, the beginning of February is a little weird without the team in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, as we
All sale lasts from Friday 2/19 to Thursday 2/25 1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday–Sunday: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. • lamsseafood.com Offer only good while supplies last. We reserve the right to correct all printed errors.
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Ataulfo Mangos 14ct $
16.99 box
CHAMPMAR 30/40 H/O SHRIMP $
Frozen Peeled Taro
19.99 4lbs box
Beef Back Ribs $
2.19 lb
$
Coconut Juice 11oz
1.19 lb
California Navel Oranges $ 3lbs
$
$
2.99 lb
Pork Chops $
2.29 lb
0.79 ea
$
Green Papaya
0.99
FZ KING WEAK FISH
MT Broiled Banana Cake
$
0.69 lb
FZ KING MACKEREL STEAK $
3.99 lb
Chicken Leg Quarter $
0.99 lb
1.79 ea
Snap Peas $
1.99 lb
SWAI WHOLE CUT 2LBS $
3.99 ea
Stewing Chicken $
1.19 lb
The Seattle Mariners signed former Federal Way High School baseball star Travis Ishikawa to a minor league baseball deal. Ishikawa, 32, played for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates last year, and the Mariners signed him this past December for a potential spot with the Mariners roster this season in the outfield or first base. Ishikawa is an eight-year pro, who won two World Series rings with the Giants in 2010 and 2014. He is best known for hitting a three-run home run, in the 2014 season, to give the Giants their third National League pennant in five years, sending them to the World Series. Since then, Ishikawa has been trying to rekindle his success hitting the ball. With the Mariners seemingly rebuilding each year, one would hope that Ishikawa can bring his World Series experience to the team as it enters another year with hopes of making the playoffs.
Pacquiao picks Bradley for final fight Manny Pacquiao has picked to fight Timothy Bradley on April 9 in Las Vegas,
which, he states, will be his final fight. It will be the third fight between the two, as the fighters split the first two encounters. You may recall that Bradley, in a surprising upset, defeated Pacquiao in June 2012. The loss was his first since 2006. Pacquiao actually lost his next fight later that year when he was violently knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in November. He did make a comeback, as we all know, and faced Bradley in April 2014. Pacquiao dominated the rematch leaving no doubt who won the fight, as he earned a unanimous decision. Pacquiao is coming off an extended time away from the ring after a loss to Floyd Mayweather last May. It was revealed that Pacquiao suffered a torn right rotator cuff in his shoulder prior to the fight. He had surgery on the shoulder after the fight in May and passed on his traditional November fight to heal. Many in the boxing world are not too excited about the third fight between Pacquiao and Bradley. While Bradley is a formidable opponent, many were not thrilled with their first two encounters, so the end of the trilogy is not a must-watch, aside from the storyline that it may be Pacquiao’s last fight. The fight will be another big payday for Pacquiao. According to ESPN, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum wired Pacquiao $2 million to secure his services for the Vegas fight. In total, the Filipino fighter will make $20 million. Pacquiao is a busy man these days, as he will also be running for a senate seat in the Philippines. The popular fighter has stated that he will leave the ring to be a full-time politician to help the people of the Philippines. It remains to be seen if this will be his final fight, as Arum is not promoting the fight as Pacquiao’s last. In the sport of boxing, there are many comebacks after retirement announcements. Whether it is for money, fame, or the need to be back in a place that feels familiar, boxers seem to come out of retirement more than any other athlete in any other sport. This past September, Floyd Mayweather claimed that his fight against Andre Berto would be his last. Still, many are skeptical. While Pacquiao has told everyone that April 9th will be his last fight, many believe that it will not. It’s clear that Pacquiao has lost some of his speed and strength. One can only concede {see SPORTS on 14}
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A-pop!
Photo from ABC
Photo from Netflix
Hollywood wins, then fails, then flails
9
Photo from Pixar
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly The new year has just begun and already so much has happened in Hollywood! Read on to find out the latest on award ceremonies, castings, and more.
Awards season: on winning trophies and being racist It is awards season and celebrities are hitting the red carpet in droves! At this year’s Critics’ Choice Television Awards, the Netflix streaming series “Master of None” won the best comedy series category. The show follows a 30-something actor named Dev, played by comedian/actor Aziz Ansari, as he navigates love, work, and life in New York City. Ansari is also the producer, director, writer, and co-creator of the show, along with co-creator and executive producer Alan Yang.
The duo, along with the rest of the cast, accepted the award on stage. Yang delivered a particularly memorable speech thanking white guys for their role in the show’s win, “I’d like to thank all of the straight white guys who dominated movies and TV so hard, for so long, that stories about anyone else seem kind of fresh and original. Because you guys crushed it for so long, anything else seems kind of different.” Yang’s hilarious words were a great way to shed light on how stories about characters of color are finally starting to break into mainstream television. His speech received much buzz on social media, with many commending Yang. “Fresh Off the Boat” stars Randall Park and Constance Wu also appeared in the awards show, presenting the trophy for best supporting actress in a comedy. Wu, who plays the scenestealing mother, was nominated in the best actress in a comedy category (the award ultimately went to “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star and creator Rachel Bloom). Comedian Ken Jeong and Ansari also presented for different award categories.
Elsewhere in Hollywood, people are upset about how, for the second year in a row, there are no actors of color nominated in the best actor or best actress categories at this year’s Oscars. Black celebrities have opted out of attending the Oscars in protest, while the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite has trended heavily on social media. Political commentator and Ken Jeong comedian Bill Maher recently threw his own thoughts into the ring. During a taping of his talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the host brought up Hollywood’s diversity problem. “The dirty little secret is most movies are made now with an eye to the foreign market, and Asians really are racist,” said Maher. “They don’t want to see Black people {see A-POP on 15}
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
OPINION
My top 10 lunar new year wishes
NO TRUMP and ... UW President Ana Mari Cauce
Justice Mary Yu
Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin
Henry Chan (left), “Fresh off the Boat” director for the 2015 Christmas special episode, “The Real Santa,” is the brother of Seattleite David Chan
By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly
governor. It looks like Brad Owen is not going to run for a fifth term. He is probably going to make an announcement in March. Washington state made history when Gary Locke became the first Asian American governor in the continental U.S. in 1996. Although the first Asian American lieutenant governor in Washington state will not be the first in the nation, it would still be wonderful to have an Asian leading that office. (Both Delaware and Hawaii had elected Asian American lieutenant governors.) It would be wonderful to see more young Asian Americans running for office, not just campaigning for others. For those who are thinking about running in the future, start preparing yourself. If you have a thin resume, it won’t be enough to open doors for you. So help out in a variety of causes. Get involved in issues and volunteer for political campaigns. Experiences and connections are crucial for a political future.
unable to fulfill their dream of wealth, finally achieve their goal. However, during the pursuit, I hope they also discover that richness in love, family, and friends — and lifting others — are just as important and meaningful in their lives. Believing in the joy of living, even in tough times, can actually enhance your ability to conquer adversities. Remember Steve Jobs, Apple founder. What good did wealth do for him when he died at the age of 53 at the height of his success and glory! For Facing East restaurant’s owner, who was accused of tax fraud, greed has created a cheating monster out of her. If you have
achieved wealth, stop at some point and ponder how you can give back to America. As Sue Nixon, president of the Seattle Rotary Club, said, “Money can buy you freedom, but don’t be bound by it.”
In the Year of the Monkey, I raise my glass, celebrating that most of my 2015 wishes for the community came true. Last February, I shared with readers my Lunar New Year wishes — to see Latino American Ana Mari Cauce become the University of Washington president — Black American Leslie Holt get the NBC anchor job — and “Fresh Off the Boat,” a television sitcom about a Chinese American family, would still be on air in 2016. No, I didn’t go to the temple to beg for divine power to intervene. Nor did I go to church to ask for more blessings. And, I never really lobbied anyone, except through my blog. Why I got my wishes is easy to grasp. Simply, I have struck a chord that resonated with many who have the same desire of propelling people of color to rise to the top. Finally, people who wield influence listened to our voices. First, Holt was appointed as NBC news anchor last June, Cauce became University of Washington president last October, and “Fresh Off the Boat” is still on air. Would I be lucky enough to get my monkey wishes? Here is my Top 10 wish list for the Year of the Monkey.
1. President Trump? No, no, no Despite presidential candidate Donald Trump’s victory in New Hampshire, I pray that he will not be the next U.S president. A man who bullies as part of his campaign, muscling through the election with his wealth, does not deserve to be commander-in-chief. The last straw was that he brought along former GOP vice president nominee Sarah Palin, who argues ignorantly, blames irrationally, and creates division. It will be disaster for America if Trump becomes president and Palin the vice president. The two have one thing in common — they are good at inflating, not defusing conflicts. These two egomaniacs will only deliver chaos to this country. I have not made any decisions as to whom I should endorse. However, whoever the presidential hopefuls will be, there will be opportunities for Asian Americans to get involved and get appointments in the new administration.
3. Keep Justice Mary Yu Whomever wants to challenge Washington State Supreme Court Justice Yu, think twice! Close to 1,000 supporters gathered at Yu’s campaign kick-off breakfast at the Seattle Westin Hotel on Jan. 27. If you were not there, you couldn’t have imagined the scope of support Yu has. The crowd was impressively diverse, and many prominent leaders of color were present in the room.
4. Louisa gets a face-lift While Publix Hotel and Hirabayashi Place construction projects will be completed soon, we haven’t heard any news about Louisa Hotel, which was burned down two years ago, and since then, it has been fenced up. It will be a joy to see Louisa getting its life back, filled with tourists, businesses, and residents.
5. Another Super Bowl win Seahawks spread pride, bliss, and fun to our city during its Super Bowl win two years ago. It also brought the ID a lot of business. Every Seahawks game in CenturyLink brings fans to the restaurants and grocery stores. Go Hawks! History does repeat itself!
2. More API politicians
6. Prosperity to all
At least three Asian Americans are eyeing the seat for Washington state lieutenant
In the Year of the Monkey, may those who have worked hard all their lives, but are
7. An Asian buffet restaurant in ID A couple of tourists stopped me last year in the Chinatown/International District and asked where the buffet restaurant was. “We don’t have one,” I apologetically replied. {see BLOG on 15}
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
11
OPINION
■ editorial
The death of Justice Antonin Scalia during a presidential election year has left a hole in the U.S. Supreme Court that President Barack Obama and his legal advisers will scramble to fill before Obama departs office. Will an Asian/Pacific American (APA) be the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice to replace Scalia? That sure is one of our wishes for the new year. Given the demographics of the United States today — Asians were the fastest growing ethnic group in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — some believe it’s high time for APAs to get mentioned as possible candidates for the nation’s highest court — if not outright nominated. Among the many names being thrown about, of note are two with APA heritage: Kamala D. Harris, 51, and Sri Srinivasan, 48. Harris is currently California attorney general and is Black and Indian American, born in California. She is already in a race to succeed Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is retiring this year.
Photo by NWAW
It’s about time for an APA on the United States Supreme Court Srinivasan is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He is Indian American, born in India. Notably, he clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Of course, if we as a community, want an APA justice, it’s not enough to sit back and wait for the nomination to come in. We should take action.
So what can the community do to make sure that APAs are considered for the Supreme Court — if not in this next year, then in the future? Nominees to the Supreme Court almost always come from the federal level, like the Court of Appeals or the U.S. District Court. It’s critical for APAs get into these positions so that they may someday be considered for a Supreme Court position. Community members should contact their congressional representatives if they know of someone who ought to be considered for the Supreme Court. Find out if that attorney or judge has the appropriate qualifications for the job and an interest in constitutional law, as that’s what the person will be doing 24-7. Contact your local U.S. senator or representative and get that information to him or her. Our responsibility also begins from day one, though. It’s important to encourage young APAs interested in law to go to law school and to consider public sector careers — we should encourage them to aspire to be judges.
{MASSEY from 1} described Massey as “appropriately excited and happy.” He was met at the gates by his wife, a former corrections officer whom he met and married while incarcerated. Massey was 13 when he and an older boy, Michael Harris, shot and stabbed Steilacoom marina owner Paul Wang. They were sentenced to life without parole, but the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 outlawed mandatory life sentences for juveniles. Harris is scheduled to be released in August. In 2010, Massey and Harris petitioned the clemency board in Olympia. Massey stated he had rehabilitated and said he was very young at the time of the murder. On Dec. 1, 2010, Shirley Wang, widow of Paul Wang, wrote to the clemency board, “I find it heartbreaking that the person responsible for destroying my family now wants mercy for his actions of 23 years ago. … And the fact that the clemency board is even willing to hear his plea speaks of a greater mercy for him than for my family.” At the time Massey was convicted he was the youngest person in the United States to be tried and convicted as an adult for aggravated first degree murder.
GRAND PRIZE:
2016 YEAR OF THE MONKEY
COLORING
$800 gift certificate to The Bellevue Collection plus membership to The Wing.
CONTEST
12 runners-up will also be chosen.
Kids get FREE admission and accompanying adults at halfprice with entry!
Vote online for your favorite, April 15–26!
Information from a Northwest Asian Weekly story contributed to this report.
{DEARBORN from 1} Olsen, both stated that their respective organizations “are concerned about the drug activities, rule violations, and dysfunction at the existing camp.” The Dearborn Nickelsville encampment has a temporary use permit issued by the City of Seattle, according to the statement. A three-party agreement was signed in 2014 between the property’s private owner (not named), the church, and Nickelsville, establishing the encampment and laying out the code of conduct. In 2015, LIHI, as a nonprofit, entered into the agreement. Sponsorship by the church is required for the encampment to be legal and permitted. The agreement allows seven days notice in advance of termination. The Dearborn property owner has opted to not have another church sponsor the site. The property will be returned to its former condition. Displaced campers who wish to move to another encampment have to apply with Nickelsville or seek out other shelter alternatives created by the City of Seattle.
COLORING CONTEST RULES 1. Contest begins 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, and entry deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 31. All entries MUST be submitted in person at the Wing Luke Museum by the participating child (NO EXCEPTIONS). Limited to one entry per child. Each child who submits an entry will receive free Museum Experience admission upon submission; accompanying adults will receive a 50 percent discount on admission. 2. Only children ages 12 and under are eligible to win prizes. Grand prize is an $800 gift certificate to The Bellevue Collection (good at restaurants and retail stores), plus a year-long Patron-level Membership at The Wing. Twelve runners-up will be chosen for honorable mention — three winners from each of the four age groups: 0–3, 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12. Entries will not be returned. 3. Finalists will be selected by judges using the following criteria: 30 percent originality, 30 percent creativity and 40 percent overall impression. Grand prize winner will be selected through public online voting April 15–26. All winners will be notified within one month after entry deadline. For complete details and rules, visit wingluke.org/2016newyear. Good luck!
Must complete to be eligible. By providing this information, the parent/guardian consents to the child’s participation. Contestant’s name
Age
Address Phone
City/State Email
Contestant’s age:
Parent’s name ZIP Visit date:
To be filled out by Museum staff
asianweekly northwest
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
{HA from 1} Alpha fraternity. “I made the decision the day before Christmas Eve. I was looking at my charts and I felt like I didn’t do anything wrong,” Ha said in an interview. “I had to risk it.” Charged with first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and fourth-degree assault for punching a young woman in the face, Ha claimed self-defense — and was found not guilty by a King County jury on Jan. 15. The same jury also returned a special verdict, rendering a somewhat rare finding that Ha used lawful force to defend himself. That finding means he is eligible to be reimbursed by the state for the roughly $40,000 his family spent on his criminal defense. “What that means is any reasonable person in his shoes would do the same thing,” said defense attorney Zach Wagnild, who represented Ha with co-counsel Michelle Scudder. King County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Mark Larson declined to discuss details of Ha’s case but said his office “always respects the jury’s verdict.” Now that his freedom is no longer in peril, Ha wants to clean the taint from his name, resume his studies at the UW and move on with his life. But Ha and his family are bracing for another legal battle, this time against a civil complaint filed by Graham Harper, a 20-yearold UW student and National Guard reservist who was stabbed by Ha. Harper had been hailed as a hero by his fraternity brothers and the media after the incident, and portrayed as a brave young man who suffered grievous wounds while coming to the defense of female students.
Walked friend home
Just after midnight on Jan. 25, 2015, Ha and a group of friends set out on a “21 Run” to a trio of University District bars to celebrate one woman’s 21st birthday. At the last bar, the young woman fell asleep at the table, so the group walked her home to a U District rental house shared by members of the UW women’s rugby club. Ha said he’d been drinking that night but wasn’t drunk. He and a male friend waited outside the “rugby house,” where a party was under way, as others helped put the woman to bed. Ha was then greeted by one of the rugby
players who had attended the party but lived in the same five-unit apartment building as Ha and his roommates, about a mile south. According to Ha, she routinely took up two parking spots at their apartment building, which had become a sore subject among the other tenants. He suggested she needed “to park straighter.” The woman punched Ha in the head, according to Ha and the defense’s trial brief. She swung again, he blocked the blow, and she ended up on the ground. As he reached to help her up, he said, he was punched in the head from behind as up to four other women joined the fray. “I didn’t know who they were, what gender they were. I’m pushing back, punching back, just trying to get out of there,” he said. At least one of his punches connected, blackening a woman’s eye. As Ha and his friend walked away, the women yelled taunts and one followed the men a short distance, swatting at Ha’s head.
Different version
Harper’s version differs sharply. He said in an interview that he came out of the rugby house, saw a girl crying and inserted himself between Ha and the women. He said he told Ha to leave, and Ha started walking away, but then came back. “I took that as an aggressive gesture because I had seen him do violence before,” Harper said, referring to the fight with the women. He acknowledges slamming Ha into a car: “I slammed him in the car one time — it’s not like I picked him up and repeatedly bashed his head. He had no more than a black eye.” Harper said he never saw Ha’s knife. His left leg, chest and groin were cut and one jab punctured his abdomen, causing a small section of intestine to protrude. But Ha and other witnesses testified that the women attacked Ha. Then, after that altercation was over, Harper ran Ha down and started beating him, they said. Ha, who said he feared he would die from having his head repeatedly slammed into a car, said he showed Harper his knife and told him to back off, then wasn’t sure that he’d actually cut Harper. The jury also heard that Harper, who was 19 at the time, had a blood alcohol content of 0.13, well above the legal limit of 0.02 for
those under 21. Friends Shane Colburn and Elana Helfand, both UW students who were sober and had no connection to anyone involved in the fight, happened upon the scene as Ha tussled with the women. They saw the first woman fall to the ground and watched Ha walk away as “this other girl was punching and slapping him in the head,” said Colburn. “He wasn’t hitting her back, more like blocking her strikes,” said Colburn, 22, who along with Helfand testified at Ha’s trial. That’s when Harper came out of the house and went “full-on sprinting” after Ha, “yelling something to the effect of, ‘You never hit girls,’” Colburn said in an interview. “I remember being concerned this was escalating now — the way he was running was aggressive.” From his vantage, Colburn said, he saw Harper grab Ha and repeatedly ram Ha into parked cars. “I had my phone out and yelled to them I was going to call the cops,” said Colburn. “Graham was definitely bigger than Jarred.” He looked away as he spoke with a 911 dispatcher, and when he looked back, Ha was gone and there was blood pooling at Harper’s feet. Colburn and Helfand tended to Harper and waited with him until the ambulance came. The incident and Ha’s arrest were covered by Seattle media. Harper was hailed as a hero and a protector of women. Jurors heard two versions of the events of that night, from Harper and then from Ha, whose account was corroborated by the witnesses. A Seattle man who sat on the jury said initially he assumed that with Harper’s injuries, Ha “was on a rampage.” “It took a lot of work on our part to realize the exact opposite was true,” said the 52-year-old, who asked not to be named to protect his privacy. “It was unfortunate Graham had so much physical capability and that Jarred had a weapon,” the juror said. “But they were both young, inexperienced, drinking, and got in over their heads . They got lucky that no one died.” After finding Ha not guilty, it didn’t take long for the jury to reach the special verdict in Ha’s favor, finding he acted in selfdefense, the juror said. Harper, who is studying political science and international security, was shocked
{TET from 4}
group — on the same program,” he said.
{NEVADA from 5}
A NEW FAMILY DYNASTY
BEAUTY PARLOR
If Pruett represents the old guard, then Minh Phan and his business and life partner Sina Kong represent the new guard. The couple owns Dragon’s Crawfish, almost directly across the street from Pho Dragon on 38th Street. The name isn’t a coincidence. Xuan Phan, Pho Dragon’s owner, is Minh Phan’s mother. U.S.-born Minh said his generation is typically American in its willingness to adapt to change and want improvements. It’s not quite the case with his mother’s generation. “It’s a slow process. It doesn’t happen overnight,” Minh said. He and Kong moved to Tacoma from Stockton six months ago. “We packed whatever we could in our car and came up to give this restaurant a try,” Minh said. He has no illusions about what he found when he got to Tacoma. “I’m going to be brutally honest,” Minh said. “When we first got up here, the neighborhood looked horrible.” But Minh thinks the revitalization project will be a turning point for the area. He wants more crosswalks, beautification and security. The Lunar New Year Festival is the jumping off point for it all. “It’s promoting us out there. We’re trying to get everyone into a collective
Oanh Lam Lee is one resident who is with the program. She has owned Lorinda’s Hair Care on 38th Street for 30 years. Lee could be the poster child for the Lunar New Year. Paper dragons, lanterns, trees, fruit and electronic firecrackers filled her small beauty parlor. “I put everything up. Whatever I got,” the ever-smiling Lee said. Lee was one of the organizers of past festivals and is solidly behind this year’s event. “I’ve been advising My. How you order fireworks, how you collect the money, how we rent the barricades.” Asked why she has remained for 30 years in the same location, she answers simply: “We have a Vietnamese community here.” She mentions the dark time of Trang Dai, but quickly turns to the future and the revitalization project. “The [artist renderings] are beautiful,” she said. Lee said she hopes Lunar New Year festivals attract people from all over the community. “We need it, not only me, but the whole community,” Lee said.
Filipino American Catholics and U.S. citizens from Hawaii. Campaigns are paying attention. Since the 1990s, exit polls have found Asian Americans voting increasingly Democratic during presidential elections, with 73 percent backing President Barack Obama in 2012. Analysts attributed that to the GOP’s criticism of illegal immigration. “There’s a huge, unaffiliated voting bloc of Asian Americans,” said Jason Chung, the Republican National Committee’s director of Asian Pacific American Initiatives. “We’re working hard to grow our party and include Asian Americans in our political process.” Nevada’s Asian American population shows why it’s so hard to sum up the community’s politics — it ranges from dedicated union activists to anti-abortion rights Filipino American churchgoers, sprinkled with so many who have relocated from Hawaii that Las Vegas is often called “the ninth island.” A Las Vegas financial planner, Derek Uehara underscores that diversity. A registered Republican, he’s sympathetic to Donald Trump and thinks others may warm to the real estate developer’s businesslike approach. “That can appeal to the Asian American community, if the focus is on hard work and getting things done,” Uehara said.
by the verdicts, saying he thought the case against Ha “was a slam dunk.” “I believe there was a lot of legal manipulation. O.J. got off,” Harper said. “I still believe I was right and he was so, so wrong in hitting those girls.”
UW suspension
While still in jail, Ha was notified that he was suspended from the UW and barred from campus. Ha said he has attended academic disciplinary hearings and was ordered to take an alcohol-safety class. He has been told by the UW that he can reapply in the fall, but he hopes to get back in before then. No one else involved in the fight faced disciplinary action, said Ha’s defense team. Ha, who moved back into his parents’ Bellevue home after they bailed him out of jail, hopes to return to school for the spring quarter. Norm Arkans, the UW’s associate vice president for media relations, said federal privacy laws prevent him from commenting on Ha’s status. “My brother got everything taken away from him — his schooling, his friends, his life was just completely put on hold,” said Ha’s older sister, Vanessa, who graduated from the UW in 2012. “It’s just so unfair.” When Vanessa attended the UW, her father, Joe Ha, became alarmed by the frequent safety alerts his daughter received on her cellphone from UW police. He gave her the choice of carrying a Taser, mace or a knife for protection. She chose mace. When it was Jarred’s turn to attend the UW, their dad gave him the same choice. After his son decided on a knife, Joe Ha purchased a Karambit, a knife with a curved, 2 1/4-inch fixed blade. “We talked about it many times,” Joe Ha said, recalling how he lectured his son that the weapon was only to be used “as a last resort.” Before Ha’s trial, father and son went shopping together at Costco and sat talking in their car in the parking lot. Joe Ha, who blamed himself for giving his son the knife that had landed him in legal trouble, broke down in tears: “I said, ‘I ruined your life,’ ” recalled Joe Ha, “and he said, ‘No, Dad. You saved my life.’ ”
Clinton last month kicked off her national outreach to Asian Americans with an event in Los Angeles’ heavily Asian eastern suburbs with Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan. At a recent caucus training for Asian American Democrats in Las Vegas, the Clinton campaign’s national director of Asian American and Pacific Islander outreach, Lisa Changaveja, mentioned that Clinton’s longtime aide Huma Abedin and campaign finance chairman Dennis Cheng are both Asian American. At the caucus training in Las Vegas, the Sanders campaign countered with an organizer who played a song about the Vermont senator on his ukulele, and a casino worker who is saddled with student debt and enthusiastic about the senator’s free college plan. They contend Asian Americans will embrace Sanders. “Asian Americans, as they’re getting to know Sanders, they’re gravitating toward the campaign,” said Zaffar Iqbal, a physician who lives in Las Vegas and was drawn to Sanders by his call for a government-financed health care system. “This community has pretty much the same issues as any other community.” The attention is thrilling for a group often overshadowed by Latino and Black American voters. Normally in Nevada, Asian Americans “are the last to get any benefit,” said longtime activist Rozita Lee, 81. “We matter now, because we have the numbers.”
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
13
Predictions and advice for the week of Feb. 20–26 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — The anticipation is worse than what you are actually waiting for. It would be beneficial to get it out of the way as soon as possible.
Dragon — What is the use of spreading your wings if you don’t use them to fly? This is the moment to take a leap of faith.
Ox — Even though you cannot offer exactly what is being asked of you, an offer of compromise could be all that is necessary.
Snake — Are you playing a game with no clear winners or losers? Perhaps the measure of success is different than what you are used to.
Tiger — Don’t let your fears dictate your response. A more reasoned approach is far preferable to one based on paranoia.
Horse — Draw on what you know to figure out the issue before you. It could just be a matter of applying a solution that has already worked elsewhere.
Rabbit — While you may be tempted to fill in the blanks in the absence of additional information, doing so could lead you in the wrong direction.
Goat — Avoid suggesting anything that you don’t fully intend to follow through with. Backtracking later could have negative ramifications.
Monkey — Someone whom you are unsure about will show his or her true colors soon. No matter the outcome, it should be a relief to finally know where you stand. Rooster — Why delay your progress if you are not the one holding things up? There could be another way around, if only you’d make the effort to look for it. Dog — Tired of hiding behind an old excuse? The sense of relief you feel as you turn over a new leaf may surprise you. Pig — Have you been holding out in hopes of a better deal? Luckily for you, your patience should be rewarded in the near future.
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 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.
{OFFICER from 5} request to dismiss the charges. Liang also was convicted of official misconduct, a misdemeanor. Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said “justice was done” for Gurley. “He was an innocent man who was killed by a police officer who violated his training,” said Thompson, whose mother was a police officer.
own faces charges, few officers appeared during Liang’s trial. Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said he respected the jury’s decision and hoped it would bring Gurley’s family some sense of finality. The last officer convicted in a killing in the line of duty was Brian Conroy. He was found guilty in 2005 of criminally negligent homicide in the shooting of Ousmane Zongo, an African immigrant, during a police raid. Conroy was sentenced
“If that’s not a time to pull out your gun, I don’t know when is.” — Defense lawyer Robert Brown But Liang’s lawyers said they struggled to understand how the jury could find him guilty in a shooting he said happened accidentally in a pitch-dark stairway. “If that’s not a time to pull out your gun, I don’t know when is,” said defense lawyer Robert Brown. He said Liang would appeal. Liang, who remains free on bail, left the courthouse without comment. The shooting happened in a year of debate nationwide about police killings of Black men. Activists have looked to Liang’s trial as a counterweight to cases in which grand juries have declined to indict officers, including the cases of Michael Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York. Like Gurley, Brown and Garner were Black and unarmed. Liang is Chinese American. Thompson cautioned that Liang’s case shouldn’t be commingled with others. But relatives of other New Yorkers killed in police encounters had joined Gurley’s family outside court during the trial to call for police accountability. “I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone,” Gurley’s mother, Sylvia Palmer, said after the officer’s conviction. Meanwhile, Liang’s supporters have said he was scapegoated for past injustices. And the head of Liang’s union, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, said the verdict “will have a chilling effect on police officers across the city because it criminalizes a tragic accident.” Lynch wasn’t in court for the verdict. While New York police officers often fill rows of courtroom seats when one of their
to probation and 500 hours of community service. Liang was patrolling a public housing high-rise with his gun drawn when he fired. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and hit the 28-year-old Gurley on a lower floor. Liang, 28, said he had been holding his weapon safely, with his finger on the side and not the trigger, when a sudden sound jarred him and his body tensed. “I just turned, and the gun went off,” he testified. Prosecutors said Liang handled his gun recklessly, must have realized from the noise that someone was nearby and did almost nothing to help Gurley. Liang said he initially looked with his flashlight, saw no one and didn’t immediately report the shot, instead quarreling with his partner about who would call their sergeant. Liang thought he might get fired. But then, he said, he went to look for the bullet, heard cries and found the wounded Gurley and his distraught girlfriend. Liang then radioed for an ambulance, but he acknowledged not helping Gurley’s girlfriend try to revive him. Liang explained he thought it was wiser to wait for professional medical aid. “I was panicking. I was shocked and in disbelief that someone was hit,” Liang said. Liang’s partner, who was not charged criminally and testified in the case, faces internal disciplinary proceedings. While Liang’s trial unfolded, city Officers Patrick Espeut and Diara Cruz were shot and wounded during a similar stairwell patrol in a different public housing complex. The gunman later killed himself.
{MONK from 5} he would spend up to $10,000 playing blackjack during his frequent trips to L’Auberge Casino in Lake Charles. Le “said the church members would frown upon him even going to the casino if they knew; therefore, Le hid his gambling activity,” the agent wrote. Le told investigators that he always went to the casino alone, and congregation members never asked to see bank account statements.
The agent said bank records showed Le had withdrawn nearly $375,000 from temple and personal bank accounts either at L’Auberge Casino or on days when he traveled to the casino. Le was arrested in September at LaGuardia International Airport in New York after he got off a flight from Dallas, before he could board a flight bound for Toronto, according to court records. Le’s attorney, David Mayeux, has said his client was traveling to Canada to pick up a car for a friend and drive it down to Texas.
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{SPORTS from 8} that this is due to inevitability of getting old. Father Time is undefeated. The shoulder injury suffered by Pacquiao was his first big injury of his career. We shall see if he can bounce back in April and whether it will truly be the last time we see him in the ring. The beloved Filipino fighter may have alienated himself from fans with comments about homosexuality in a recent interview in the Philippines. Pacquiao, a devoted
Catholic, stated that those in gay relationships are “worse than animals.” Since this insensitive remark, Pacquiao has apologized. “I’m sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals.” He added, “I still stand on my belief that I’m against same-sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I’m not condemning LGBT.” After years of wildness as a young fighter, Pacquiao found God and is a staunch Catholic with very conservative views. Obviously, his comments about same-sex relationships is a reflection of what he believes although his description was
very insulting. It’s clear that he went too far with what he said. We will see if these comments and his beliefs hurt his popularity in his last fight and whether that will sway any bit of his previous unwavering dedicated Filipino fan base. Notably, on Feb. 17, Nike terminated its contract with Pacquiao, stating that it found Pacquiao’s statement “abhorrent.” Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.
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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
{A-POP 9} generally in their movies.” Because of this, Maher said, Hollywood executives have to adopt racist practices in the industry to get that sweet capitalist money. Leave it to Maher to whitesplain Hollywood’s rampant diversity issue. This still doesn’t explain why we’re seeing white actors like Emma Stone cast as characters of Asian descent though. Wouldn’t Chinese audiences want to see faces that look like them in the movies? Whitesplain that, Maher. Shortly after the #OscarsSoWhite controversy erupted, Korean actor Lee Byunghun announced that he would be presenting at the Academy Awards this year. Lee will be the first Korean actor to present at the Oscars. Known for his roles in “Red 2” and “Terminator Genisys,” Lee will star in the
celebrity-filled drama “Misconduct,” which was released earlier this month. Lee will be one of two Korean stars expected to appear on the Academy Lee Byung-hun Awards stage. One of this year’s Best Original Song nominees, “Simple Song #3,” was performed by Korean opera singer Sumi Jo. Asian Americans had decent representation among the Oscar nominees this year. “Sanjay’s Super Team,” a Pixar animated short from animation artist Sanjay Patel, was nominated for Best Short Film (Animated) category. “Inside Out,” which features the voice of actor/comedian Mindy Kaling, was nominated for the Best Writing
FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
(Original Screenplay) category.
Asians sing their way through Broadway and television Actor Daniel Dae Kim will make his Broadway debut this summer in the Lincoln Center Theater’s Tony-winning revival of “The King and I.” Known for Daniel Dae Kim his roles on television dramas “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0,” Kim will show off his singing chops for the first time on Broadway. He previously played the role of the titular King of Siam in a concert production of “The King and I” in London. Speaking of Broadway celebrities, Lea Sa-
15
longa is slated to guest star in an upcoming episode of the musical comedy “Crazy ExGirlfriend.” The acclaimed show follows a successful, career-driven woman who impulsively gives up everything to find true love and happiness in suburban California. No word yet on what role Salonga will be playing, but there’s no doubt that she’ll be singing. Filipino American Vincent Rodriguez III also stars on the show in a lead role. I’m look- Lea Salonga ing forward to seeing Salonga on the show — it’s a rare treat to see her grace the small screen! Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
{APCC from 1}
{BLOG from 10}
About 10,000 people came to see hundreds of dancers, performers, martial artists, and displays at the 18th Annual New Year Celebration, presented by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center (APCC). “Ultra fun!” said Alexander Mario, a young man originally from Java, referring to aajojo dance, representing Papua, Indonesia. The young dancers representing Papua may not have had the vivid, flashy, and ornate costumes like some of the other dancers, but they danced with obvious joy, strength, and confidence. The dancers, including Gabriella Widjaja, Diefa Shabirah, and Dennis Mulyadi, wore faces painted white with intricate patterns and decorated their bodies with white, red, and black swirls, stripes, circles, and other symbols. “Knowing there are tons of different dances makes me really proud to be a part of representing an incredible side of Indonesia,” said Shabirah. “We are doing this for Indonesia,” added Shabirah. There were a dizzying variety of dancers and performers representing China, Samoa, Korea, Taiwan, Tahiti, Guam, Cambodia, Laos, Japan, Tonga, and Fiji. Native dance costumes visually stunned with striking colors and splashes of brocade, beads and sashes. Indonesia, the host nation of this year’s New Year celebration is a country of more than 17,000 islands, with about half of its approximately 255 million people residing in Java. The most commonly known islands aside from Java are Sumatra and Bali. There are many different ethnic groups, and according to the CIA World Fact Book, more than 700 languages are spoken. “I want my son to see the different cultures and enjoy the dancers, especially because he’s one-half Filipino,” said 4-year old Paolo’s dad. “That’s why we’re here today.” Paolo happily mugged for the camera with his painted on Spider-Man face. Yunja, wearing a Seattle Seahawks sweatshirt, proudly displayed a pint sized Korean dress newly bought for her granddaughter, nearly asleep in her carriage, despite the din of music, conversation, and laughter. Yunja was babysitting her granddaughter while her daughter performed a Korean dance as part of the Morning Star Cultural Center. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center’s Executive Director Faaluaina “Lua” Pritchard, and President and Founder Patsy Surh O’Connell appeared happy and relaxed amid the chaos of the celebration. Pritchard watched the performers, smiling, and swaying, while O’Connell was resplendent in a native Korean dress, frequently snapping photos with her tablet. Lori Matsukawa, KING 5 News anchor, was on hand to help emcee the New Year celebration. Sen. Patty Murray relayed her support via a recorded video message to the crowd, voicing her continuing support for the Asian American community. Sen. Maria Cantwell addressed the crowd, and readers of the Northwest Asian Weekly. “My office is run by two Asian Americans!” Cantwell said she comes to events like this because “this is such an important part of our state and the celebration of Asian Americans — they are a key part of our state and the cultural diversity that’s represented here.” Cantwell glanced in all directions, at the performers, the audience, the vendors. “Bringing people together…you just can’t find this anywhere.” “I think this is so unique today — 16 different countries, the performances, the speakers,” she added. “This is about bringing people in the community together so that as people come to Washington or the United States of America — they understand what the resources are and how to be integrated into the community.” “We need to understand in the United States of America, the Asian American population is going to double in the next several decades so they are going to become an even more dominant part of our culture, and so I think understanding their unique contribution to our country and also the challenges they face within our country I think is really important,” she continued. “I think people need to understand that the Asian population is going to grow by leaps and bounds!”
The ID might house more than 100 Asian restaurants, but it doesn’t have one Asian buffet where diners can go around for a variety of goodies they want.
Arlene Dennistoun can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
8. Good weather for all ID events I was hoping for a no-rain miracle in spite of the weather forecast for Feb. 13. The Chinatown/International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) held its Lunar New Year Festival last Saturday, and Northwest Asian Weekly’s kids parade and costume contest was a part of it. If it rained, it would ruin the kids’ clothes. Lucky we were! Yes, there was a little rain during our parade, then it poured like a storm, right after our show at 2:30 p.m. I actually had a plan B if it rained, which involved using the Weekly’s office. Thank goodness that we didn’t have to use it. Thank you, parents and kids, for coming.
The Federal Way High School Pacific Island Club dancers show the power of communication through song and dance with their Samoan Village dance.
9. Be a dream builder Was I foolish when I agreed to organize Northwest Asian Weekly’s first Lunar New Year Fashion Show contest and dinner? Although there were skeptics at first, both staff members and guests said after the show, “You should do it again.” I suddenly realize that the Asian Weekly is a dream builder. Many women yearn to model just like a professional, at least once in their lifetimes. The participants got their dreams as Gei Chan, a professional fashion designer, volunteered to train the models to do their walks. Can you imagine non-professional models getting a taste of glamour when walking for an audience of hundreds? The octogenarian Chan sisters, who were models, were thrilled that they were being spotlighted for such a grand event. I was astonished at how creative the Asian community is. Ruby Luke acted as a Golden Monkey in her presentation. Also, Wanxie Ye’s dress could be broken up in four separate looks.
Korean drum dancer never missed a beat, drumming with rhythm and joy.
10. More creative energy
Photos by Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun/NWAW
Indonesian (West Java) dancers wowed the audience doing the Bajidor Kahot dance.
Diefa Shabirah, doing the Sajojo dance from Papua, Indonesia
No community fashion show contest has ever awarded all the contestants with prizes. All 32 models received a memento, thanks to all of our sponsors. It’s a lot of work for us, but it’s gratifying to see everyone get something for his or her efforts. Thank you for inspiring me with creative energy, so I can go out and ask for support for our contestants. For our new endeavors, I ask for your inspiration as well as creativity. The Year of the Monkey is a year of experimentation for the Asian Weekly. Yes, we will embark on new ventures for the community and help to build dreams for others. Assunta Ng can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com
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FEBRUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 26, 2016
Filipino American community and Asian American community are.” Alarilla had a short film in the 2014 festival and liked the experience so much that he volunteered for the festival the year after. Then, for this year, he asked for an even more active role. Festival co-director Martin Tran took a different path to his position. He grew up in Kirkland, watching Bruce Lee movies. “Living in America,” he explained, “where no heroes ever looked like me, made him extra special. He was the hero I could imagine myself being, without feeling like I was putting on a skin that wasn’t mine.” The Seattle Asian American Film Festival, as Tran elaborated, “has been in existence, off and on, for 30 years. It began with King Street Media in the 1980s, and the mantle has been taken up several times since then, including Wes Kim and his team who rebranded it as the Northwest Asian American Film Festival. This current incarnation of SAAFF began in 2013. [Co-director] Vanessa Au and [festival adviser] Kevin Bang, independent of one another, approached Wes Kim and asked him about reviving the festival. Wes introduced them to each other, and here we are today, putting on our 4th festival.” Festival Grants Manager LeLani Nishime’s day job is adjunct professor of gender, women, and sexuality studies at the University of Washington. She grew up in Los Angeles, but also logged time in the San Francisco Bay Area; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Brighton, England; and Tokyo. She remembered growing up “without any Asian cinema, except for the old samurai movies my dad would watch. My fascination with Asian American film came later in life. I was introduced to some great documentaries in college, including ‘Who Killed Vincent
Photo provided by SAAFF
{SAAFF from 1}
The SAAFF 2016 crew enjoy a successful Cocktails & Karaoke fundraiser at Kona Kitchen.
Chin?’ I still love Asian American documentary films.” Nishime’s introduction to the Festival came in 2012, where, as she related, “The original team had been meeting for a few months before I joined. I believe I was the first cold applicant, just someone from the community who heard about SAAFF through Facebook and really wanted to be a part of it.” “I sent in a resume, met the team, and dove right in,” she added. “That first year, we were all still figuring out how to run a festival, so everyone wore so many different hats. My duties included everything from grant writing, shooting a promo trailer, connecting us with community organizations for co-presentations of films, working as a projectionist, and even screening a music video I co-directed.” To select a full program of films shot by Asian Americans, Tran explained, “We assigned our staff members films to review. We had sub-committees review short documentaries, short narrative films, feature-length docs, and feature-length narrative films. The programming team then took all the scores
and comments into consideration as we built the schedule. “This year, we were very lucky in that there were so many submissions, but it also made choosing films so much more difficult. We only have so many available slots, and unfortunately, many deserving films were not selected for this year’s festival. In the long run, it’s a good ‘problem’ to have, and makes us that much more excited for the films we are showing.” When asked about favorites from this year’s programming, the staffers called that a tough question. “My favorite has to be ‘My Life in China,’” concluded Alarilla. “It was a moving portrayal of a son’s attempt to understand his father, as they retraced the steps his father took to escape China. It was very emotional for me, and at the same time, it made me reflect on my own experience in the diaspora, as well as my relationship with my dad, whom I left back in the Philippines.” “I’ve been focusing on the documentaries,” admitted Nishime, “but the narrative film that would be my top pick is ‘Advantageous.’
National Beauty
Chinese Oriental Performing Arts Group
I’m a sci-fi film buff and have done a bunch of writing about science fiction film for my research. This is an amazing addition to the genre. Asian women show up more in sci-fi than in most genre film, but they are usually these disposable sex-bots. This movie, which is written, directed, and starring an Asian American woman, tells its futuristic story by centering on the Asian female star. It’s also beautifully shot and so very smart.” Tran championed “In Football We Trust,” which, as he explained, “is about four Polynesian high school football players who struggle to overcome gang violence, familial expectations, and near poverty to chase their dreams of one day playing in the NFL. I feel the film plays with very familiar themes for any immigrant family with all the pressure and sacrifice to ‘make it.’ But set in a world so American, yet so unfamiliar; high school football in Salt Lake City.” When asked about the Festival’s future, Tran grew excited. “First off, we’ll bring back the Outdoor Summer Series and screen films in the park. Beyond that, we would like to grow our festival and show more films in larger venues. “And lastly, we must look into our past to see our future. When King Street Media first started the SAAFF in the 1980s, they not only screened films, they also created films. We want SAAFF to grow into an organization that is both a media maker, as well as presenter.” The Seattle Asian American Film Festival runs Feb. 19-21 at the Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., between Pike and Pine on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. For schedule, prices, and showtimes, visit seattleaaff.org/2016 . Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.