PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 35 NO 9
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
NEA head Jane Chu lauds arts curriculum for language-learners
FREE
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Seattleites rallying for Liang clash with counter-protesters
Inside
The ‘homeless problem’
Photo by Ruth Bayang/NWAW
Photo by John Liu/NWAW
Seattle experiments with new solutions to ease homelessness. » see 7
Jane Chu, at the Letter Cloud in the West lightwell of The Wing
Supporters of Akai Gurley start chanting, “Manslaughter is a crime,” during a rally organized by Peter Liang supporters.
Pop culture figures expand on the trials of life with humor. » see 8
By John Liu Northwest Asian Weekly
Building cultural bridges
On Feb. 20, a rally protesting the recent conviction of 28-year-old New York Police Department (NYPD) officer Peter Liang, who shot and killed an unarmed Black man, Akai Gurley, also 28, started peacefully at the Westlake Downtown Park. More
By Ruth Bayang Northwest Asian Weekly Jane Chu, the head of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), got a first-hand look at diversity through the arts at Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum on Feb. 17. Chu’s Chinese name is Ji Jen, which means virtue and integrity. She was born in Shawnee, Okla., to {see CHU on 15}
Finalists for Seattle Colleges chancellor diverse
than 500 people showed up to the rally at 1:00 p.m. At the start of the rally, there was one counterrally supporter of Liang’s conviction who was vocal in the audience. This person foreshadowed what was about to happen. The counter-rallier aligned herself with the Black {see RALLY on 16}
By Chris Kenji Beer Northwest Asian Weekly In the last piece from this series, you read how entrepreneur
Naveen Jain came from a humble upbringing in India to become one of the captains of the tech industry in the region. Weihua “Wayne” Zhang’s career takes a
{see ZHANG on 13}
■
Weihua “Wayne” Zhang
Seattle Youth Symphony teaches students skills other than music, honors Suzuki legacy By Gabriella Neal Northwest Asian Weekly
The Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees announced the finalists for a new chancellor on Feb. 23. The new chancellor is going to take over for Jill Wakefield, who is retiring in June 2016, after seven years.
• Gale Gibson Gayle, president of Essex County College, N.J. {see SC on 6}
Publisher Ng on sharing food at restaurants, not just for Asians! » see 10
different path from Jain’s. Zhang is Northwest Asian Weekly’s second nominee for
The finalists are:
Shouan Pan
Family-style eating is OK!
Weihua Zhang builds bridges across Pacific with largest tech companies in East Asia
Photo by Gabriella Neal/UW News Lab
Mark Mitsui
Women of color speak on emotional tolls of philanthropic work. » see 9
NWAW’s Tech and Innovation Awardee
By Emiri Aoki Northwest Asian Weekly
Gale Gibson Gayle
Memoirs of funny people
Cindy Kim (left), 13 years-old, practices the violin during Seattle Youth Symphony rehearsals at Shorecrest High in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 20. Their upcoming concert is Feb. 28.
Cindy Kim, 13, said she likes the Seattle Youth Symphony because she gets to play alongside others. “You learn cool new pieces and you get to hear it with all the instruments,” said Kim. Student members of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (SYSO) not only learn about the great tradition of symphony music, but also are exposed to experiences that prepare them for the world beyond music. Spanning four academic years, the SYSO accepts approximately 120 of the most talented and promising musical students in each orchestra cohort. Founded in 1942, SYSO is the largest youth symphony organization in the country — {see SYMPHONY on 7}
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asianweekly northwest
■ names in the news
Washington state’s first Indian American legislator, Sen. Pramila Jayapal, (D–Seattle), offered a resolution in the Senate on Jan. 26 to celebrate Republic Day of India. Although India achieved its independence from British control in 1947, Republic Day marks the adoption of the country’s democratic constitution and is celebrated annually on Jan. 26. This year marks the 67th Republic Day. With more than 60,000 Indian American residents, Washington ranks among the top 15 states in terms of Indian American population. This is the second year Jayapal has offered a resolution honoring Republic Day.
Sen. Cyrus Habib to serve on DNC 2016 Platform Committee Washington state Sen. Cyrus Habib (D–Bellevue) was selected end of January to serve on the Platform Committee for the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Photo from ACIT Seattle
ACIT Seattle awarded $10,000 by NEA
Sen. Pramila Jayapal addresses a crowd of Indian Americans and allies and supporters
Students from ACIT Seattle’s Tabla camp
Last month, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently announced a $10,000 Art Works award to the Anindo Chatterjee Institute of Tabla Seattle (ACIT Seattle), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting tabla drumming and Hindustani music through educational programs, concerts and classes. The funding will help to support ACIT’s 2016 Access to Ustads Project, an effort to bring four Indian maestros to western Washington for public performances and to provide accompanying educational workshops and lectures.
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ACIT Seattle is one of a 64 recipients nationwide who were awarded $1.3 million in art works grants in the folk and traditional category by the NEA.
Lucky Envelope Brewing releases bottle for new year
Tuan joins Alliance for Education board On Jan. 27, The Alliance for Education Board of Directors added five community to its board, including Mia Tuan. Tuan is dean of the University of Mia Tuan Washington (UW) College of Education. Prior to her arrival at the UW, Tuan was a professor of sociology and education studies at the University of Oregon (UO), where she also served as the interim dean of UO’s College of Education from 2013–14. Tuan’s research focuses on racial and ethnic identity development, Asian transracial adoption, and majority/minority relations. Other new board members include Jaime Drozd Allen, Andrea Foster, Steven Gottlieb, and Bridget Perry.
FOCS holds fourth community dialogue
Photo from Lucky Envelope Brewing
Appointed by DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and ratified by the DNC Executive Committee, Habib is one of 25 party leaders and elected officials slated for the platform comSen. Cyrus Habib mittee. This summer, he will join fellow democratic leaders from across the country to develop the party’s national platform.
Lucky Envelope Brewing co-owners Barry Chan (left) and Raymond Kwan
Lucky Envelope Brewing, which opened its Ballard tasting-room doors in spring 2015, released its first-ever bottle offering, the Year of the Monkey Ale, an Asian-flavored take on the traditional porter, infused with vanilla and spices. Lucky Envelope Brewing is co-founded and owned by two Chinese American Seattleites, Barry Chan and Raymond Kwan. They founded Lucky Envelope in 2014 after working locally for years in engineering and finance, respectively. The brewery has earned a bronze medal at the prestigious 2015 Great American Beer Festival.
Google celebrates Lunar New Year with food and festivities Photo from FOCS
Republic Day of India celebrated in the Wash. state senate
Breakout sessions sharing experiences, resilience, birthing questions, and bridging birth workers to families
Last month, Families of Color Seattle (FOCS) held its Community Dialogue 4: Anti-Racist Birthing and Reproductive Justice, which brought together 70 attendees to build community and connect families of color to birthing professionals from King County and to share birthing options and resources. Birth workers facilitated small group discussions on topics including: how to become a birth worker of color, midwifery and doula services, LGBTQ families, learning about fertility options and healing and resilience through loss and trauma. The event keynote speaker was Tara Mudaliar. Panelists were Emi Yamasaki McLaughlin, Camie Jae Goldhammer, Grace Uomoto, Marquita Straus, Rafael/a Luna-Pizano, and Penny Simkin.
Photo provided by C+C
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
Zhanyong Wan, a Googler, singing and playing guitar
On Feb. 10, Google’s Kirkland campus celebrated its Third Annual Lunar New Year Celebration with an afternoon of food and festivities. Performances and family friendly activities also took place for more than 500 Googlers and their guests. Among the performers were dancers from the Dongfang Dance Academy.
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
■ community NEWS
3
Local districts make gains in graduation rates, new report shows 73%
75%
77%
2013
2014
2015
The Road Map Project’s “2015 Results Report,” an annual report card with data on indicators of student success, shows progress being made on education milestones in the South Seattle and South King County region, but also illustrates that more work must be done to help all students succeed. The Road Map Project is a region-wide collective impact effort aiming to improve education results in South Seattle On-time (four-year) high school graduation rate and South King County, the county’s areas of greatest need. South Seattle and South King County schools Seven school districts — Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Seattle (south-end schools only) and Tukwila — are among the hundreds of partners working together as Percent of students taking part of the Road Map Project. advanced courses “If you didn’t think equity was an issue, you will after South Seattle and South King County you read the report,” said University of Washington class of 2015 President Ana Mari Cauce. “But no one is hiding from the challenges. A steadfast commitment is the only way to change the status quo that is abandoning so many of our Only 18 percent of eligible young people. The road to justice and opportunity is long; 18% it’s difficult. But with this project, we know our destination low-income children are and we have a map.” being served by formal
65%
South King County
60%
Percent of students enrolling in college within a year of high school graduation
South Seattle and South King County schools
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS • Gains in high school graduation rates: The region’s on-time (four-year) high school graduation rate has been increasing for the past three years to 77 percent for the class of 2015. That’s up from 73 percent in 2013 and 75 percent in 2014. For the first time, all Road Map region districts have rates of 70 percent or above. Highline Public Schools and Tukwila School District in particular have shown great improvement in the last two years.
Kent City Council votes to ban fireworks starting 2017 On Feb. 16, the Kent City Council passed an ordinance that would ban the possession, sale or use of consumer fireworks year-round within the city, starting February 2017. Due to the way state law is written, any local ordinance that is stricter than state law has a one-year waiting period before it becomes effective. The law is intended to protect nonprofit and business organizations that purchase fireworks for fundraising activities from having the figurative rug pulled out from under them at the last minute. Public fireworks displays like those at Lake Meridian Park on July 4 would still be allowed as long as they obtain the proper permits. Last November, an advisory measure asking voters whether the council should ban fireworks passed 66.47 percent to 33.53 percent. Numerous complaints from residents to the council over the last few years about fireworks going off in their neighborhoods before, during, and after the Fourth of July caused the council to consider a ban and ask for the advisory vote. Many people testified about their neighborhoods becoming war zones several days in advance of and following July 4, even though the current city code restricts fireworks to Independence Day. The Lunar New Year is also a popular time for lighting firecrackers.
While the report documents progress, it also highlights challenges, including: • Lack of early learning opportunities: Only 18 percent of eligible low-income children are being served by formal early learning programs in South King County. • No progress on college enrollment: The percent of Road Map region students enrolling in college within a year of high school graduation remains stagnant at 60 percent, and many racial/ethnic student groups have much lower results. For more information or to view the entire report, visit roadmapproject.org.
Designer Luly Yang to design new uniforms for Alaska Airline employees
Kent demographics (2010 U.S. Census) 55.5%
15.2%
11.3%
8.5%
6.6% 1.0%
1.9% 16.6%
66.47%
White
Two or more races
YES
Asian
Pacific Islander
NO
Black/African American
American Indian/ Native American
Other races
Hispanic or Latino of any race
33.53%
In lieu of paying fines, community service may also be available to those who commit an infraction, including children under age 16. According to the 2010 census, the racial makeup of Kent is 55.5 percent white, 11.3 percent Black, 1.0 percent Native American, 15.2 percent Asian, 1.9 percent Pacific Islander, 8.5 percent from other races, and 6.6 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race are 16.6 percent of the population.
Image by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW
Image by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW
early learning programs
• Continued decline in out-of-school suspensions and expulsions: The region has met its 2020 goal for reducing the number of 9th graders with a suspension or expulsion. However, significant racial/ethnic disparities, especially for our Black/African American students exist. • Improved preparation for postsecondary: The percent of students taking advanced courses (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge courses) has risen steadily to 65 percent for the class of 2015. Also, the opportunity gap is closing for students meeting the minimum requirements to apply to a four-year Washington college. • Insight into English language learner (ELL) student performance: New data show that once ELL students master English, they outperform all other non-ELL students in reading and math assessments, showing the great educational value of bilingualism.
Luly Yang
Seattle fashion designer Luly Yang was tapped in February 2016 to redesign uniforms for Alaska’s 12,000 uniformed employees. The uniform project is the next visual step in Alaska’s biggest brand update in 25 years. Yang and her team and a project team from Alaska are spending the next few months conducting focus groups with employees from all of Alaska’s uniformed work groups: pilots, flight attendants, airport staff (including customer service, ground service, ramp, and lounge employees) aircraft technicians, and stores agents (responsible for airplane parts), to better understand the specialized needs of airline employees. Yang’s team is planning to have an initial design direction by summer 2016. From there, they will look at sourcing materials, manufacturing, and distributing the uniforms to 12,000 employees. The entire process is expected to take 2 to 3 years, with the new uniform line debuting in 2018.
asianweekly northwest
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Erickson, an American aircraft manufacturing and operating company based in Oregon, is gearing up for its first project in India, where they’ve signed a deal to install nearly 160 power transmission towers. In typical Erickson fashion, the project is in a remote region fraught with challenges unique to the company whose signature S64 Aircrane will negotiate the mountainous terrain of the Pir Panjal range, a short hop from India’s borders with China and Pakistan. Erickson is working with a unit of Sterlite Technologies, India’s largest private utility firm. Sterlite Grid Ltd. builds, maintains, and operates power transmission lines and substations. The 280-mile project, delivering 1,000 MW of electricity from Punjab to Jammu and the Kashmir Valley, is Sterlite Grid’s sixth ultra-mega transmission project awarded by India’s Ministry of Power. Kashmir, wedged against some of the world’s most impressive peaks, attracts both tourists and pilgrims. The Pir Panjal range in Kashmir, part of the Middle Himalayas, extends from the Jhelum River to the upper Beas River for more than 200 miles, separated from the Zaskar Range by the valley of Kashmir. Its peaks often rise to more than 16,400 feet. “The ancient Silk Road goes through there and a lot of people transit that area in the summer months going to shrines in the mountains,” said Andy Mills, Erickson’s commercial aviation vice president. It is also disputed territory with longstanding tensions between India and Pakistan, where gunfire is exchanged from time to time along the line of control. “The Kashmir and Jammu area is sort of contested, but the Indian military is very strong up there,” Mills said. “Roughly
speaking, we’re working on the west side of Kashmir. The area where we will be working though is significantly different than the line of control.” Erickson is no stranger to high-risk locations — both of natural and human origins. Three Erickson employees were among 10 people kidnapped in October 2000 in the Ecuadoran jungle and held captive for six months. “We’re in the process of a full security analysis, looking at our safety and security needs,” Mills said. Erickson is assigning a 12-man specialty construction crew, larger than usual, to the Pir Panjal project, flying its equipment and staff into Srinagar in May or June, followed by training of Indian crews. “Setting towers is a high-precision work involving especially trained pilots and ground crew,” Mills said. “When you’re working in a mountainous area, you always have to watch for violent weather, updrafts, and downdrafts, especially when you have a load under the aircraft.” Erickson, whose aircranes have a service ceiling of 14,500 feet, will transport materials to sites ranging from 9,000 to 12,500 feet. “When we pick the tower pieces from the yard, we’re never more than a few hundred feet off the ground,” Mills said. “But we are flying with lighter loads than at sea level.” Up to now, generators have been the primary source of electricity in northern India, while many people have no access to power. Sterlite, headquartered in Pune, estimates Erickson’s anticipated three-month contribution will reduce the project’s completion time by 10 months. “You can only truck equipment to a certain point,” Mills said. “If they had to do it the way they’ve done it in the past, thousands of cubic yards of concrete and metal sections would have to be carried on people’s backs.” Sterlite has more areas to bring on the grid, so Erickson CEO Jeff Roberts says he believes there are more opportunities
Photo by cent9
■ national news Oregon aviation firm tackling its first project in India
Transmission tower
down the road. “We believe we can offer a competitive advantage in the construction of infrastructure projects in the country,” Roberts said.
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ WAYNE’S WORLDS
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
5
The Lunar holiday, for those who love time travel By Wayne Chan Northwest Asian Weekly
The Lunar New Year is a big deal. It has the ability to bend time and space. Believe me — I’d know. Here’s the evidence: I’ve never known my dad’s birthday. You might ask, what does that have to do with the Lunar New Year and time travel? Good question. Growing up, we would celebrate my dad’s birthday. The only thing was, we’d always celebrate it on a different day. Not just a different day of the week. We celebrated it on a different day every year. My dad was my hero, and I always felt bad because every year, I usually didn’t have a present or a birthday card ready for him since I never knew when his birthday was.
When I asked him when his actual birthday was every year, he would calmly say, “My birthday is based on the lunar calendar, so we have to look it up to know when it is this year.” This was during a time before there was any internet, so “looking it up” was no easy task. I never actually saw my dad “look it up,” but somehow, he always figured it out. My guess is that either a compass or an abacus was involved. Now that everything is online, they actually have lunar calendar calculators that can accurately determine your birthday every year and how old you are. Wait a minute — you need a calculator to figure out how old you are? Yes, you do. You see, there are fewer days (354.37) in a lunar year, therefore using a lunar calendar means that you are actually older than if you used a Gregorian/solar
■ world news
calendar. This is why the actual Lunar New Year day changes from year to year. Therefore, based on a Gregorian calendar year, I’m 51 years old. Based on a lunar calendar, I’m 53 years old. So let’s get this straight — with a Gregorian calendar, I know exactly how old I am, and the day I celebrate my birthday stays the same year after year because nearly everyone else on the planet uses this calendar system. When a lunar year is applied to the standardized solar year, not only do I not know when my birthday is every year, but the day changes annually and it turns out I’m two years older than I really am. And the reason this is a good thing is … Actually, I can think of a number of reasons why using a lunar calendar makes a lot of sense. • I’ll be able to collect social security two years early. {see WAYNE on 13}
Japanese lawmaker criticized for linking Obama to slaves
Philippine bishops back pope’s remarks on Zika contraception
TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese lawmaker is being criticized for saying President Barack Obama was a descendant of Black slaves and so would have been an unthinkable presidential choice in America’s early history. Kazuya Maruyama, a lawyer-turnedlawmaker in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party, apologized hours after making the remark at a parliamentary constitutional panel, saying it was misleading.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Despite their staunch opposition to contraceptives, Philippine Roman Catholic bishops expressed their full support Feb. 20 to Pope Francis’ remarks suggesting artificial contraception can be used by women threatened by the Zika virus. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines also backed the pope’s uncompromising position against abortion, even in cases when a pregnant woman carries an unborn child afflicted with a deformity. “We, your bishops, reiterate church teaching: No matter that the child in the womb may be afflicted with some infirmity or deformity, it can never be moral to bring a deliberate end to human life,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the bishops conference, said in a statement. “It is never for us to judge who should live or die!” he said. Francis, however, raised the view “that the evil of contraception was not of the same magnitude as the evil of abortion,” Villegas said. “Clearly, this was sound moral reasoning. The evil of stealing a few pesos cannot be compared with the evil of plunder.” Francis, he said, was in no way backing away from the church’s stand against artificial contraception. “There may be circumstances that invite a re-evaluation of the judgment on artificial means of contraception,” Villegas said, adding that once more “the pope has shown his sensitivity to complex human situations” and “allowed the world see the merciful face of the church.” The Philippine Catholic church’s opposition to contraceptives is a touchy issue in the country, where it waged a high-profile battle a few years ago against a bill allowing the government to finance and distribute contraceptives in the Philippines, the population of which is predominately Catholic. The bill, which was backed by President
By Mari Yamaguchi Associated Press
President Barack Obama
Kazuya Maruyama
“Today, America has a Black person as president. A person who inherits Black {see OBAMA on 11}
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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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Benigno Aquino III, was enacted into law in 2012, and then survived a separate constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court. The Philippines has Pope Francis struggled to ease a high population growth rate, which some attribute to many impoverished families’ lack of access to artificial contraceptives. Asked whether abortion or birth control could be considered a “lesser evil” when confronting the Zika crisis in Brazil, Francis unequivocally rejected abortion as a response to the crisis. But he drew a parallel to a decision by Pope Paul VI in the 1960s to approve giving nuns in Belgian Congo artificial contraception to prevent pregnancies because they were being systematically raped. “On the other hand, avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil. In certain cases, as in this one (Zika), such as the one I mentioned of Blessed Paul VI, it was clear,” Francis told reporters Feb. 17, on his way home from a visit to Mexico. Francis’ remarks drew praise from legislators who had pushed the pro-contraceptives bill in Congress. “I said ‘Wow!’ I immediately re-tweeted it,” said Risa Hontiveros, a former congresswoman who co-authored the widely debated legislation. “It’s a great recognition by a pope in the modern times of a life-saving health intervention in the face of this new animal called the Zika virus,” she said. “It’s very refreshing.” Rep. Edcel Lagman, another author of the bill, said he saw the pope’s comment as a “mellowing of the position of the church.” “Abortion is illegal under Philippine law, but avoiding pregnancy through contraceptives is not,” he said.
asianweekly northwest
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
■ COMMUNITY calendar THU 2/25 WHAT: Networking event featuring SeaTac City Councilmember Peter Kwon WHERE: Mixto, 521 Third Ave., Seattle WHEN: 6 p.m. RSVP: info@kacwashington.org
FRI 2/26 WHAT: GLITTER (Get Launched in Technology through Education), workshops for female high school students WHERE: Seattle Central College, Information Technology Department, 1701 Broadway, Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. INFO: seattlecentral.edu
SAT 2/27 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 WHAT: College Financial Aid Help for students WHERE: Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way, Seattle WHEN: 2–3:30 p.m. INFO: 206-684-4704 WHAT: Video Game Chamber Performance WHERE: Uwajimaya, 600 5th
Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 6–8 p.m. COST: free INFO: seattlevgoc.com
SAT 2/27 & SAT 3/5 WHAT: Performances of “Paper Angels,” a play by Genny Lim WHERE: Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle WHEN: 5 p.m. COST: $10
SUN 2/28 WHAT: Tiny House Volunteer Work Party for LIHI WHERE: Othello Tiny House Village, 7544 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle WHEN: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. INFO: 206-443-9935, lihi.org 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 WHAT: All-ages Anime Marathon, movie screenings WHERE: Seattle Public Library, 6801 35th Ave. N.E., Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m.–5:45 p.m. INFO: 206-684-7539
MON 2/29 WHAT: Party to thank Lloyd
{SC from 1} • Mark Mitsui, deputy assistant secretary for community colleges for the U.S. Department of Education • Shouan Pan, president of Mesa Community College, Ariz. Gibson Gayle is president of Essex County College. Since she was named to the position in 2011, she has increased the school’s graduation rate from 5 percent to 10.3 percent and its fall-to-fall retention rate from 46 percent to 58 percent. After participating in several White House initiatives, Gibson Gayle works to assist low-income students, providing opportunities for their higher education. Mitsui is deputy assistant secretary for community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education. Before his current role, Mitsui was president of North Seattle College. Also, he was vice president of student services at South Seattle College (SSC). There he led SSC to become one of the six colleges in the country to receive the designation of an Asian American, Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution. Pan is president of Mesa Community College. His other executive positions include Florida State College at Jacksonville, Community College of Philadelphia, Broward College–South Campus in Florida, and Green River Community College in Washington state. He is also on the Arizona Commission of Postsecondary Education. Jeremy Jordan, a student at Seattle Central College, is hoping for the new leader to be an optimist. He commented, “The college should offer more classes” when it comes to how the school can be improved.
Hara for many years of service WHERE: Nagomi Tea House, 519 Sixth Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5:30–7:30 p.m. RSVP: 206-412-3209, j_ yosh@comcast.net
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. COST: $26 INFO: seattlesymphony.org
WED 3/2–SAT 4/30
WHAT: Japanese literature public reading, “Sons” 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
WHAT: Alan Lau’s art exhibit, “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 WHAT: “Massive Monkees: The Beacon,” Seattle Channel documentary profiles Seattlegrown, world-champion hip hop crew WHERE: MOHAI, 860 Terry Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. INFO: seattlechannel.org WHAT: Aleksey Igudesman and Phyung-ki Joo, a onenight-only performance WHERE: Seattle Symphony Orchestra, 200 University St., Seattle
“What I look for in a leader is someone who’s strong, caring, but smart,” said Seattle Central student Jonathan Yao. “They need to know when to be aggressive or hold back. Personally, I think Seattle Central needs tighter security and better resources for international students.” The chancellor is the chief executive for the Seattle Colleges System. The position is responsible for multiple, district-wide administrative services, such as education, safety, workforce environment, business
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
FRI 3/4, SAT 3/5, AND SUN 3/6
SAT 3/5 WHAT: Poetry reading from “Adoptionland: From Orphans to Activists,” with Janine Myung Ja WHERE: Highwood Ridge Condos Clubhouse, 15026 40th Ave. W., Lynnwood WHEN: 5–6:30 p.m. COST: free INFO: bit.ly/1oIp6o8 WHAT: Author Sharon H. Chang’s first book signing, “Raising Mixed Race” WHERE: Kinokuniya Bookstore, 525 S. Weller St., Seattle WHEN: 2 p.m. INFO: on.fb.me/1XNEZFf
湖景墓園 Lake View Cemetery ☆西雅圖首創墓園☆ 自1872年起服務西北岸社區 非營利獨立協會
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WHAT: Women of Color Speak Out – Climate and Patriarchy WHERE: Southside Commons, 3518 S. Edmunds St., Seattle WHEN: 2-4 p.m. INFO: tammy@gotgreen.org, 206-290-5136
SAT 3/5 & SAT 3/12
WHAT: Asia Pacific Cultural Center Presents Tea Experience: Korea WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 South Tacoma
and finance, and web operations. It also has responsibility as the district’s representative to other local and national organizations. The Seattle Colleges District is the largest college district in Washington state. The district consists of North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, South Seattle College, Seattle Vocational Institute, and four specialty centers. Asian and Pacific Islanders consists of about 20 percent of the student body, and Black students are about 15 percent among the district’s student population.
WHAT: Join the Food Access Team for “What’s Your Feminism Like?” WHERE: Southside Commons, 3518 S. Edmunds St., Seattle WHEN: 12:30-3 p.m. INFO: tammy@gotgreen.org, 206-290-5136
WHAT: Free Tax Help WHERE: Chinese Baptist Church, 5801 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m. –3 p.m. INFO: 206-725-6363
The chancellor finalists are going to participate in open forums held at North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, South Seattle College, and Arthur Siegal Administrative Center in the coming weeks. They then have interviews with the board of trustees. The trustees are going to evaluate the candidates based on the forums and interviews. Emiri Aoki can be reached at info@nw asianweekly.com.
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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
■ COMMUNITY NEWS
7
Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW
Photo by Sandra Whittington/slwhittington.com
Seattle experiments with new solutions to ease homelessness
The homeless encampment at Dearborn and 10th in Seattle
By Phuong Le Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — As homeless deaths mounted last fall in Seattle, elected officials declared an emergency, resorting to a tool often reserved for natural disasters to confront the burgeoning population of people living on the streets. The mayor opened a new city-sanctioned homeless encampment and committed millions more dollars to expand shelter
A group of tents belonging to homeless people, underneath the Seattle freeway
beds and social services. Then the crisis hit new heights. Three homeless boys, James and Jerome Taafulisia, ages 16 and 17, and their 13-year-old brother, were charged this month with killing two people, James Quoc Tran and Jeannie L. Zapata, at a longstanding homeless camp known as The Jungle. And a one-night census of homeless revealed a 19 percent spike, the third annual increase in as many years. Now the mayor and the Seattle City Council are under pressure to do more, and
they are taking steps to offer the homeless cleaner, safer places to stay. This week, the city plans to open two parking lots where people living in RVs and cars can park overnight with access to toilets, garbage, and social services. Officials are also planning a third tent community. Seattle’s struggle to respond illustrates how challenging the homeless problem is, particularly in one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities. The area is simultaneously dealing with skyrocketing rents, a heroin
epidemic, and declining federal housing support. Like many other population centers, it also has a lack of mental health services and drug-treatment programs. “We present a perfect storm,” said Sara Rankin, a professor who directs the Homeless Rights Advocacy Project at the Seattle University School of Law. “We have all the pressures that are likely to cause the circumstances where poverty and {see HOMELESS on 12}
and one of the oldest — according to the Seattle Foundation. The youth symphony has public school partnership programs that work with about 25 middle schools and elementary schools throughout the Pacific Northwest. “In total, we serve about 1,700 students each year,” said Stephen Radcliffe, music director of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras. Radcliffe explained the youth symphony is a melting pot of youth, representing different ethnic backgrounds from all across the state and as far as Vancouver, B.C.
The Suzuki method Born right before the turn of the century in 1898, Shinichi Suzuki was one of 12 children and grew up working in his father’s violin factory in Japan. Moved by violin music, but prevented from being instructed on it, Suzuki diligently taught himself the instrument as a young adult through music recordings. Through the experience, Suzuki developed a life philosophy on the nature of talent, that it can be cultivated in any child. This was the basis of the Suzuki movement, also referred to as the Suzuki method. With a large percentage of Asian American students attracted to the SYSO program, Radcliffe speculates that it came from Suzuki. “The Suzuki method is a very popular way to teach violin,” said Yoshi Minegishi, symphony board
Photos by Gabriella Neal/UW News Lab
{SYMPHONY from 1}
Metta Mayes (left) and Ben Yu (right) focus intently on their music during a rehearsal on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Shorecrest High School. Mayes and Yu are students in the Seattle Youth Symphony.
Sejon Ashby, a student in the Seattle Youth Symphony, plays the violin during rehearsals in the Shorecrest High School Student Center on Saturday, Feb. 20. Ashby is a member of the Symphonette Orchestra.
member. As his teaching method became more and more popular, Suzuki toured the United States with his students. The Suzuki method eventually became a standard for teaching lessons to children. There is a strong Suzuki presence in Seattle, said Radcliffe. “The program is nationally recognized for the quality of its educational curriculum, the quality of its music making, and for the remarkable graduates that not only perform in every major symphony program in the country, but are also leaders in areas of the arts and sciences,” said Radcliffe.
vidually and as a group. Every parent, regardless of being Asian, recognizes that the youth symphony provides kids the opportunity to learn how to be independent — a necessary component of growing up and a part of personal development, said Joo. Joo believes the experience of being a part of the youth symphony has allowed her daughter to understand the value of doing what you love and working in a group with similar interests. Overall, Joo hopes the music instruction and youth symphony will give her daughter a better quality of life in the long run.
Prep for the future Radcliffe explained that graduates of the program are now in various professions, many outside of music, and recognized the value
of a rigorous music program that helped develop the necessary skills for any field of work. “The skills that one learns in a high quality ensemble are intellectual focus, teamwork, creativity, problem solving, and self-esteem. These are what we call the habits of mind and contribute to one’s success in their personal and professional lives,” said Radcliffe. Minegishi said the Seattle Youth Symphony Program trains students and teaches them the importance of being disciplined and the value of hard work and practice. Youngsoon Joo’s daughter, Cindy Kim, has been playing the violin in the Symphonette Orchestra for two years. Joo observed that her daughter and the other students in the program work together and help each other become better at their discipline. Everyone works hard indi-
Life skills Kim also said that playing an instrument has other benefits in her academic pursuit. She thinks music helps her focus in school and
makes learning easier. In addition, the Symphonette Orchestra taught her the importance of time management, so that she is able to practice the violin and balance other responsibilities, said Kim. Minegishi said he thinks the students learn more than just about music in the Seattle Youth Symphony program. He believes the organization teaches students leadership skills and how to be worldly, creative people and to be contributing members of society. The Seattle Youth Symphony has an upcoming performance at Benaroya Hall at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28. The top orchestra in the program will be performing and the top winner of the concerto competition will be playing a solo piece. Gabriella Neal can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
■ on the shelf
Memoirs of funny API ads APIs from pop culture e r must By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly
“Yes, My Accent Is Real: And Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You” By Kunal Nayyar Atria Books, 2015
“Why Not Me?”
“The Family Law”
If Mindy Kaling’s first book was about how she got her start in comedy, her latest book, “Why Not Me?” is about what she’s been up to since. In this collection of essays chronicling her adventures in show business and beyond, we see more of what it is like to work in an industry where almost nobody looks like you. Kaling, an Indian American who grew up in the Boston area, shares industry insider information, such as tips on how to look as “spectacular” as a starlet, as well as the ups and downs she went through with her show, “The Mindy Project.” She also shares experiences many of us can relate to, such as what it’s like to be dumped by a platonic friend and what it’s like to have a complicated relationship with an ex who is still a close friend. One of the things I enjoy about Kaling’s book was how I could really hear her voice. Her writing style is very conversational, making readers feel like they’re just hanging out and talking with a friend. Many times while reading the book, I found myself wishing Kaling and I were buds — though not best friends since she clearly states that she already has one (as do I, for that matter). Kaling is not perfect and not afraid to share her flaws. She gives examples of when she has failed and how she overcame those perceived failures. And while Kaling’s Indian heritage plays a significant role in her life and career, she makes it clear that there is more to her than her ethnicity. In doing this, Kaling asks readers the question posed in her book’s title. Why not her? Why can’t she be successful in her industry, even if she is not a white man or a stick-thin, white woman? And once readers begin to see that there is no reason for Kaling to be held back in her industry, they will start asking, why not me? Why not us?
For some people, the idea of family brings up memories of happiness and joy. For others, the idea of family brings up less-than-positive memories. For Benjamin Law, it’s a mix of both. As the third of five children, Law introduces readers to his eccentric and dysfunctional (but still functioning) Chinese Australian family — from his mother, who has no qualms of recounting the traumatic experiences she went through when giving birth to all of her children, to his workaholic father, who refuses to wear underwear made in China and gives his grown children red envelopes of cash on his own birthday. Law also captures the kind of brutal honesty that can only come from your family members — from people who know you so well, who know which buttons to push, and who proceed to push them just for fun. His family is not perfect. His parents divorced when he was still young and the siblings didn’t always get along with each other. But it’s clear in his writing that they love each other and that he loves them dearly. As much of a hard time they give each other, it is clear that they are there for each other and support each other, such as when Law comes out as gay. It turns out that his father was more disappointed to be the last in the family to know than about his son’s sexual orientation. In addition to being a story about family, this is also a book about the immigrant experience, as Law shares how much of his extended family was deported from Australia back to China. It was interesting to read about an Asian family’s experience in a different Westernized part of the world. Law also gave us a glimpse of what everyday life in Australia life is like, from surviving the school system to celebrating Christmas in 100-plus degree weather.
By Mindy Kaling Crown Archetype, 2015
By Benjamin Law Black Inc., 2015
As a young boy growing up in New Delhi, acting was never a career Kunal Nayyar considered pursuing. But then he travels to Portland, Ore. to go to college — to study business — and he auditions for a play in the mere hope of meeting and making new friends. This simple choice led Nayyar on a journey that takes him from theater performances in Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, D.C. to the role of Raj Koothrappali on CBS’s hit show, “The Big Bang Theory.” Along this journey, we learn about other significant moments in Nayyar’s life, such as his first kiss, the years he dominated the local New Delhi badminton circuit, meeting his 6-foot-8-inch gentle giant of a roommate in college, working for his college’s housekeeping department, meeting and marrying his wife, and more. Throughout the book, readers get to know the real
man behind the lovable Indian American astrophysicist character who has trouble speaking with woman. We see the thought and research he puts into Raj’s selective mutism, which is a real condition. And while his character’s struggle is an ongoing joke on the show, one of my favorite moments in the book is when Nayyar shares words from parents who write to him, thanking him for being a “voice” for their children with the same condition. In addition to the road he took to become an actor, Nayyar shares memories of what life in New Delhi was like. From his favorite Hindu holidays to the week that was his wedding, readers will have no doubt how much he loves his family and home country. His pride in being Indian shines through, reminding readers how important it is to remember where you come from and that being different is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s what might make you stand out and get noticed. Samantha Pak can be reached at info@nwasian weekly.com.
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ community news
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
9
Women of color band together at luncheon, speak on emotional challenges of bridge-building
By Stacy Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly Hilary Stern walked onto the raised stage at China Harbor Restaurant to address a packed audience on Feb. 4 at Northwest Asian Weekly’s Women of Color Empowered awards luncheon. Stern was one of 14 honorees, lauded for her work in bridgebuilding — the event’s theme — as executive director of Casa Latina, an organization founded in the early 1990s to organize day laborers and activists. “I started to think of the metaphor of a bridge and building them and what they are and what it’s like to cross one,” Stern said. “A bridge is scary. It’s a very narrow place over an abyss that brings you to unfamiliar territory. The familiar territory is what you are leaving — everything you’ve ever known, your family, your language, your history.” Stern went on to say, “Most people don’t want to cross bridges. They usually prefer to stay on their island, their own territory. But when we do that, we stay isolated. And — if you’re like most of us — those who are marginalized by society — you also stay really powerless.”
Upper row, from left: Margo Myers, Tonya Knox, Christina Fong, and Maha Jahshan Lower row, from left: Wendy Zheng, Mahnaz Eshetu, Maria Durham, Anne Nguyen, Leslie Harper-Miles, Paula Houston, Rita Zawaideh, and Hilary Stern
Christian female, and that’s a mouthful, I always found myself on the margins. I realized bridge-building required creating a collective space where one doesn’t exist.” Years ago, on March 2, a day after her birthday, Tonya Knox was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, Knox was a single mother to her teenage son, Stedman. She described him as six-foot-three and always smiling. “He is my pride and joy,” said Knox. “The day that I had to tell him I had cancer is a memory etched in my memory bank forever. I heard a cry from my son that I had never heard before. To this day, it still moves me to tears.” When Rita Zawaideh walked onto the stage to accept her award and to give her speech, she was in tears. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I should probably not be looking at my phone, but when you’re dealing with refugee work, and stuff in Greece right now. …I just got this message that we just lost 20 people today — children — they drowned in the Aegean. I’m sorry I’m crying.” Hundreds of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Myanmar have died fleeing in recent months, trying to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. Hailing from Jordan, Zawaideh arrived in Pocatello, Ida., in 1956 before moving to Seattle with her family. Among many endeavors, she is the owner and founder of Caravan-Sera Tours, formerly a travel agency to the Middle East and North Africa, now a tour company-turned-relief organization. As violence and war in the areas increased, Zawaideh used her tour resources to aid in humanitarian efforts. Paula Houston is chief executive officer of Senior Services — though she was quick to point out that her organization is rebranding and is now called Sound Generations. Houston pointed out that diversity should not just be ethnic-based, but also generation- and age-based. “We needed to change the way our community and society thinks about us as we
Photos by Tina Lu
Maria Durham was born in a field in Galicia, Spain. The Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931 and Spanish general and caudillo (authoritarian leader) of Spain Francisco Franco was in power from 1936 until his death in 1975. Durham’s family fled Spain when she was still a baby and settled in Argentina. Durham described the early period of her life as “wanting.” She started working at 9 years old. After 10 years of saving her tips from delivering hats, she saved up enough money to own and learn how to play a piano. Evelyn Yenson was born in South Africa where her family owned and operated a grocery store. “We lived under apartheid,” said Yenson. “By law, we lived in separate areas.” Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa that developed postWorld War II, in which white minority rule was enforced — though forms of racial segregation in South Africa had roots in the late 18th century, with Dutch colonialism. Yenson earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the United States and was an urban planner for years, finding success as an executive at various companies and organizations. Known as a bridge builder, particular for the local Chinese American community, Yenson recalls the lessons of her early childhood, of those who reached out to her and her family with their kindness. “We became bridge builders because of the example of others,” said Yenson. After raising her children, Durham fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse and educator. She graduated with degrees from Harvard University and developed a ground-breaking medical interpreter services program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center before retiring in Seattle in 1997 — which began the period she calls her “third life.” “Music is the thing that lifts everyone’s spirits,” said Durham. She cofounded the Viva la Musica Club in 2003, which connects Spanish speakers to relevant orchestral performing groups. Maha Jahshan, policy and program specialist for the office of immigrants and refugees at the City of Seattle, immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s. She spoke of her childhood during her time on stage. “Being an Egyptian, Palestinian, American
Emcee Margo Myers hugs Rita Zawaideh
Tonya Knox embraces supporter
age. … We’re a very youth-oriented society,” she said. “Always talking about investing in the future and in youth. But [the conversation changes] when we talk about adults, aging issues — and we need to change that message. … We want to bridge that gap between the youth and elders. So people know our community is made up of all ages.” Anne Nguyen left a job on Wall Street to return to Seattle and work with low-income youth at Hamilton Scholars, a nonprofit that she is executive director of. “We’ve had students who were first in their family to go to college, students who grew up on less than $25,000 year [for their entire families]. … These students don’t have the same opportunities as their peers, don’t have the same connections and resources.” “And they overcome unfathomable obstacles,” said Nguyen. “They go out and inspire. I am inspired by them.” “One of the big challenge that a group like us have, women of color, is really thinking about how we see ourselves,” said Christina Fong, principal lecturer at the University of Washington’s management department. “What inspires me is reaching those students who think of themselves as not a leader because they haven’t seen a role model that looks like them, because they have a ‘traditional’ view of leadership. What keeps me going on a day-to-day basis is reaching those students.” Knox credits her Christian faith with get-
ting her through cancer. Today, Stedman is a pre-med student at Western Washington University and Knox is an agency recruiter with State Farm Insurance. “Let me tell you,” said Knox. “I wouldn’t trade one moment of the journey. I would walk through it again. … When your world is changed so dramatically, it’s amazing what faith will do.” “I was born to be a bridge builder,” added Knox. Each one of you were born to be bridge builders. Because we are more similar than we are different. And in sharing our stories we bless others. And in hearing stories, we received a blessing.” “This country is a beautiful country,” said Mahnaz Esetu, executive director of the Refugee Women’s Alliance. “The philanthropy in this country is huge, and we’re counting on everybody to work together to make this society and community stronger.” “I challenge each and every one of you in this room to continue to be who you are,” said Wendy Zheng, multicultural engagement director at Swedish Medical Center. “To live every day empowering those around you.” “I’ve learned that you have to nurture and sustain the things that you do,” said Leslie Harper-Miles, senior executive project manager for King County. “Fostering respect and relationships are key.” Stacy Nguyen can be reached at editor@ nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG
OPINION
Attention:
Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW
Mainstream restaurants
Don’t shame us. We just like family style By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly It’s funny, but nobody ever asks, “What’s your favorite ‘American’ restaurant?” Yet, many are dying to know my favorite Chinese or Asian restaurant. I am a foodie. I frequent both Asian and mainstream American restaurants regularly. For a change of scenery, a yearning for a conversation without being disrupted, or a quiet atmosphere, I would venture to an American restaurant. Let’s face the facts, Chinese restaurants are known to be noisy. What prompted me to write on this topic? I have an immigrant friend who enjoys steaks occasionally, but he hesitates to go to a steak restaurant with his family because of an interesting dilemma. “What is it?” I probed when he first told me of this. Living in America for decades, he speaks English — so it’s not language barrier issues. He can afford pricey steaks — so it’s not a financial issue. Of course, it has nothing to do with how the steak gets cooked — he’s a foodie, too. The dilemma has to do with his perceptions of what the restaurant would think of him if he doesn’t follow certain conventions. Would the waiter say that Chinese people are cheap? “We didn’t know how to order,” my friend finally {see BLOG on 15}
Lobster entree split at Ivar’s
National Beauty
Chinese Oriental Performing Arts Group
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
11
OPINION
■ commentary The roots of Chinese American silence on political events can’t be overlooked By Li Jin For Northwest Asian Weekly
New York police officer Peter Liang was patrolling a dark staircase in a Brooklyn housing complex when his gun discharged accidentally, and the bullet struck Li Jin and killed a man walking down the stairs with his girlfriend. This was terrible enough, but what made it worse was that it happened during a time of intense scrutiny of use of excessive force among police officers. Liang was convicted of second-degree manslaughter for this accident, and the Chinese population immediately erupted in sympathy for Liang and outrage over what they considered a vengeful and unfair verdict. The problem was that most of this unhappiness was never heard until this past weekend’s nation-wide protests. Despite the rampant anguish inside the Chinese
American community and plans for a march and protest, very few U.S. mainstream media covered the a story. Most information and opinions were circulated only on Chineselanguage newspapers and social media. Keeping opinions tightly within the community has a cultural root. There are a variety of reasons for this, such as lack of security on a culturally distinct land, lack of language proficiency, and a tendency to cluster internally. Many who have been in the United States for decades still choose to reside inside the various big-city Chinatowns across the nation and still cannot converse in English. In 2013, 62 percent of Chinese immigrants (ages 5 and above) were identified with limited English proficiency. In addition, 50 percent of the total foreign-born population of Chinese Americans have a cultural indifference to politics. Governed by feudal emperors for millenniums, the Chinese, as a people, are prone to avoid political activism as much as possible. Wisdom tells them politics involve conflicts, confrontations, and even killings, which is much less desirable than economic prosperity and social harmony.
{OBAMA from 5} people’s blood. Frankly speaking, they were slaves,” he said Feb. 17, then went on to explain how civil rights improved in the United States. “Back at the beginning of U.S. history, it would have been unthinkable that a Black person, a slave, would become president. That’s how dynamic a transformation this country makes.” Opposition lawmakers demanded Maruyama resign over the comment, but it wasn’t clear what they considered insulting, except it could have sounded racist and seemed mistaken about his ancestry. Obama’s father was from Kenya. The president has spoken often about America’s racial history and what it means for him to be the first Black U.S. president. Japanese often exercise self-restraint or overreact to certain words and actions to avoid controversy. A zoo last year was accused of insulting British royals by naming a baby monkey Charlotte for the British princess, but it kept the name as the public’s choice. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment. “It was outrageous. The remark could have been interpreted as an insult to the U.S. president. It’s an extremely serious problem that could even hurt Japan’s diplomatic relations,” said Yosuke
These Confucian values were brought to the United States by millions of Chinese immigrants during the 19th century and more or less inherited by their descendants who are more likely to shun the rowdiness of American democracy than other ethnic groups. According to Pew Research Center, 31 percent of eligible Asian Americans voted in the 2010 midterm elections, compared with 44 percent of [Black] Americans and 49 percent of [white] Americans. This is the conundrum: If the Chinese American community does not know how to use their political voice to seek fairer treatments of their community, how will the rest of society know what’s on our minds? The United States is blessed with people with diverse racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds, which makes this country full of life and changes. The Liang case is one milestone in a long and difficult conversation about the proper role of policing, especially in [Black] American neighborhoods. Progressive social changes demand active
Kamiyama, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, during a parliamentary session Feb. 18. Maruyama denied any racist intent. The remarks were made as he questioned experts about a revision to Japan’s constitution, which has never been amended since it was drafted by the United States during its post-World War II occupation. He noted there would be no problem if Japan becomes America’s “51st state” and that would allow people from “the state of Japan” to become U.S. president. Then he mentioned Obama. He quit the constitutional panel Feb. 18, but refused to resign as lawmaker. Several lawmakers in Abe’s party have recently been hit by scandal. A communications minister was criticized for warning television networks their licenses could be stripped if they aired “biased” political news. A parliamentarian who admitted to adultery resigned. The economy minister quit over a bribery allegation. The remark comes amid concerns Abe’s party may be pressuring Japanese media for self-censorship against negative coverage before this summer’s elections. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, “Any lawmaker is responsible for [his/her] own remark and is obliged to fulfil accountability,” urging Maruyama to explain further.
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
{HOMELESS from 7} homelessness can thrive.” Even as homelessness declined slightly nationwide in 2015, it increased in urban areas, including Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles. In King County, there were 91 presumed homeless deaths last year, compared with 64 in 2014, according to authorities. Meanwhile, median household income and rents have soared. The median rent in Seattle in December was $1,931 a month, compared with a national average of $1,381, according to Zillow. The city of about 670,000 is expected to gain more residents and 115,000 new jobs over the next 20 years as Amazon, Facebook, Google, and other tech giants open offices. The Seattle area now ranks third in the nation in the number of housing units for the homeless. But it also has the third-highest number of homeless people. After the Jan. 26 shooting, Mayor Ed Murray again pleaded with the state and federal government to help the city ease the homeless crisis. “The causes of homeless are complex. There is no simple answer,” he said. The brothers have pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Over the last three decades, homelessness has been costly to taxpayers. Seattle voters have agreed to tax themselves four separate times since 1986 to pay for affordable housing. The mayor recently proposed raising another $290 million
with another housing levy on the November ballot. Ten years ago, a coalition of leaders came up with a plan to end homelessness by 2015. In that time, the city and county built more than 6,300 housing units and helped nearly 40,000 people find homes. Yet the number of homeless people has continued to climb.“Despite being able to serve more people each year, we’re seeing more people come behind them,” said Mark Putnam, executive director of All Home, a communitywide partnership in King County, formerly known as the Committee to End Homelessness. Previous efforts failed to address underlying problems that are making people homeless, including income inequality, said homeless advocate Timothy Harris. “The last 10-year plan focused on housing first to the exclusion of interim survival solutions, such as tent encampments and emergency shelter,” said Harris, founding director of Real Change, the homeless-advocacy group and newspaper. Murray acknowledges that city-sanctioned parking lots are not long-term solutions. But, he said, they can “provide a safer environment” and reduce the effect on neighborhoods. Some advocates reject that thinking. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness says encampments distract from the key goal of getting people to permanent housing. “There’s nothing good about people living outdoors,” said Steve Berg, vice president of policy and programs at
the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Some Seattle residents complain the city isn’t acting fast enough to address the crime, drug use, garbage, and other problems associated with unauthorized encampments. “We need some action,” Cindy Pierce told council members this month. She said the city has “a major health and safety problem,” including needles and human waste on the streets. While he waits for the city’s parking lot to open, Richard Swope, a former motel manager, is parked along with about two dozen RVs, buses, and cars in temporary zone. “They told me we had to move because the neighbors were complaining, which I don’t blame them,” said Swope, 65, who is working with several local nonprofits to find housing. He lost part of one leg to peripheral arterial disease, he said, and lives on Social Security benefits. “I can’t live in this thing,” he said, pointing to the small RV that his friend left him. “On $733 a month, there aren’t too many places you can go.” Nearby, Danny Fletcher, 32, who lives in his car, prefers the quiet of the parking zone to the harassment he faced in other parts of the city. “We just want a safe place. Give us a safe place to park where neighbors won’t harass us,” he said. “We’re homeless. We’re not diseased.” Minors charged with crimes are not named by the Northwest Asian Weekly unless they are charged as adults.
KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for #C01014C16, Elliott West CSO Facility HVAC Improvements and Corrosion Repair by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on March 8, 2016. Late bids will not be accepted. Scope: HVAC improvements and repair of corrosion, including modifying the ductwork and controls for the dry well HVAC system; modifying HVAC ductwork in one chemical storage room; replacing louver screens; installing a new ventilation system for the CSO treatment (screening) room including supply fan, ductwork, and unit heaters; installing air flaps over
two openings, including related modifications to walkway gratings and supports; replacement of corroded electrical and controls systems, including conduits, wiring, equipment and fixtures; replacement or repair of corroded mechanical, piping, and architectural items; and installing new coatings on piping and surfaces. Engineer’s Estimate: $730,000 to $890,000. 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
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
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Predictions and advice for the week of Feb. 27–Mar. 4 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — Are you experiencing choppy waters when you were actually expecting smooth sailing? It pays to be prepared for both.
Dragon — Does this week seem like a variation on a theme to you? If you are trying for something different, check to see that it is an improvement as well.
Monkey — There is probably no shortage of things to worry about, which is a good reason to think of the many blessings you have instead.
Ox — Not all trends are created equal. Before you jump on the bandwagon, ask yourself if it is really appropriate for you.
Snake — Why not take a moment to brighten somebody’s day? Even a small act of kindness can leave a lasting impression.
Rooster — Having a hard time keeping your train of thought this week? If so, then it is advisable to save a complicated task for another time.
Tiger — A minor misunderstanding can grow into something much bigger. It is your job to make sure that it doesn’t.
Horse — You are slowly ramping up your efforts for a grand celebration. Make it an event to remember.
Dog — Divulging too much information could leave you somewhat vulnerable. Save the details for those who truly need to know.
Rabbit — While you enjoy being able to say what you are thinking, there are times when it makes sense to hold back.
Goat — Ironing out the creases for a smooth finish? The extra care you take now will show later on, so it is best not to cut any corners.
Pig — Word travels fast in a small circle. Don’t assume that you are privy to all the ins and outs of everyone in the group.
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.
{ZHANG from 1} the 2016 Technology and Innovation Award. While Jain and Zhang sat around Pacific Software Publishing’s conference room in Bellevue, I observed contrasting opinions and perspectives between them. Most every question I posed to them evoked diametrically opposite answers and perspectives. If Jain would be considered an “out of the box” thinker, Zhang would be the model of an “in the box” thinker. He would say, “Work within the system, work within your means, work with what you have, and persevere.” But angles to doing business are never mutually exclusive — success in life as a young entrepreneur or aspiring professional will always contain both “out of the box” and “in the box” thinking — and then a lot of thinking entrepreneur’s can call their own. “When I was young, I had no idea what I was going to do,” said Zhang. “I wanted to create products and work on my own.”
Beginnings
Born and raised in China, Zhang came to the United States to achieve the high level of education that the University of Washington offers. He taught at Princeton University before returning to the Seattle area to work for Nextel International and the late Keith Grinstein, its chair at the time. Grinstein handed over to Zhang the responsibility of expanding Nextel International into Asia (not to be confused with Nextel U.S.A, founded here by Craig McCaw, which merged with Sprint). Zhang built a substantial presence for Nextel International in East Asia, which also led him to facilitate the first-ever foreign board membership in China, held by Seattle’s Craig McCaw. McCaw remains on the board of China Unicom today. “This validated my professional life [at the time] and my role” as a bridge builder across the Pacific, added Zhang. Career entrepreneurs “are visionaries who can see into the future and what the markets bear,” said Zhang. “What drives
{WAYNE from 5} • If you hate surprise birthday parties, no one will ever be able to throw one in your honor since no one will ever know when your birthday is. • If you do like birthday parties, use both calendars and guess what? Double the presents! • At the county fair, you can go up to the
me is to create products that benefit people and create markets for them. I like the strategic development behind this process.” Clearly, Zhang’s strategy works, having co-founded China’s largest mobile games and applications company, China Mobile Games Enterprise, Inc. (CMGE). Just after the merger that created CMGE, the company generated what approaches $300 million in 2015 revenue, based on early Securities and Exchange Commission-available numbers and projections. CMGE now employs 1,500–2,000 people. “I love starting new companies, bringing in young people, and seeing them get excited about what [they] are doing,” said Zhang. “But I also like to see 100 of my staff leave the company and succeed in their own ventures after they leave. Their success tells me I did something right. This is success to me.”
Bridge-building
If you are an aspiring young professional, you may consider becoming a bridge builder across the Pacific. There are numerous examples of Northwest region bridge-builders. To name a few: Chris Lee, Steven Woo, Rich Tong, Valerie Kusuda-Schmick, Jin-Long Wang, Gary Locke, and Scott Oki. There are hundreds of small businesses in the export-import businesses here. There is no shortage of companies aiming to expand to markets across the Pacific, and you don’t necessarily need to be completely fluent or immersed in the culture. Take Chris Lee, for example. He grew up and was educated in the Seattle area, and is now CEO of America’s largest independently owned video games company, EnMasse Entertainment, located in downtown Seattle. As an American of Korean descent, “I don’t speak Korean but I have a sense of Korean culture from my family upbringing, and I bring American business know-how” to his Korean company. Few models for bridge building across the Pacific are better represented than the career path of Zhang. Zhang is fluent in both Chinese and American business practices and languages, which means he is uniquely able
booth where they guess your age and you’ll be able to clean up on the joint. It is the Year of the Monkey. Have fun and here’s hoping the next year is full of fortune and prosperity! Wayne Chan’s musings on Asian American life is our longest still-running column. He can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
to navigate the nuances of both business cultures. Among the most unassuming and humble CEOs/business persons, Zhang followed the hard-working ethic of Americans of Asian descent. He started his professional career in Seattle. He also has the confidence and initiative to make things happen. Since he was young, “I believed that if others can do it, I can do it too,” he said. Zhang has built himself a niche as a bridge builder across the Pacific going the other direction as well, such as representing U.S. phone manufacturer, Motorola, in China. Following a brief stint at Nextlink, another McCaw company, Zhang was invited to join a young Motorola team in Beijing where he ran its applications division as managing director. He helped lead a group which eventually captured 25 percent of the total market share in China, one of the largest ever market shares achieved by an American or foreign-owned company in China. He then founded Vogins, which evolved into the applications company of Taiwan’s Mediatek. Mediatek is the world’s largest chipset manufacturer, the piece that runs all cell phones. “In some ways, I consider myself to be lucky. You do need luck,” said Zhang. That said, you can’t only be lucky at doing business with the likes of Mediatek, Motorola, and China Unicom. Facilitating strategic
partnerships like these are quite involved and detailed. Large market access can be achieved with the above partners, agreed Zhang. “I look at the big market trends and pursue an early entry to hot markets, but you don’t have to be first to the market.” This contrasts with Jain belief in pursuing uncharted areas, what he calls “disruptive innovation.” As much as the two are different business leaders, a key take-away from the Jain– Zhang meeting is their similar views. They believe that as a young aspiring entrepreneur, you have to find your own comfort zone, your passion, and the style that works for you. Find joy in the work you do. All entrepreneurs seem to agree on this point. “Find something that gets you excited,” said Zhang. Both are constant and deep thinkers, both are hardworking, neither take anything or anyone for granted, both believe in having fun, and having fun within their careers. Zhang aligns with Jain and so many other entrepreneurs in his parting advice to young aspiring entrepreneurs to “keep your mind open; create yourself in the most efficient way.” Have fun doing your job. Chris Kenji Beer can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
admitted. He has a family of seven. “Oh!” I was amazed. It’s a burden to many of us, people of color. We are often scrutinized without good reason just because of our skin color. What we do reflects our community, whether we like it or not. “Are we supposed to order a steak for each family member? Or …” he said, trailing off. “Share?” I said. The key phrase in American restaurants is “splitting an entree.” The phrase in Chinese restaurants is “eating family-style.” “It’s too much red meat if we order everyone a steak!” he said. “It’s crazy, isn’t it!” It’s ridiculous that restaurants expect every customer to order a main course or to eat so much beef in one sitting. “Would it be embarrassing if we do not order everyone a dish? Wouldn’t they look down on us and think we Chinese are trying to save money?” he said. My friend’s assumptions surprised me. In this competitive world, restaurants should worry more about not having enough business than resenting the fact that some customers have certain preferences. Doesn’t it make the restaurant look good to pack the place? Doesn’t it make the venue look desirable if the crowd is diverse and the staff welcoming? The days of me devouring an entire steak are long gone. My digestive system just can’t handle so much meat. No doctor would recommend for just anyone to increase red meat in their diet. It’s also that many of us, my Asian friends, can’t finish the big portions of many American restaurants. We were at Seastar, a seafood restaurant in Bellevue, the other day. None of my female guests, who each ordered a salmon entree, could eat everything on their plate. I also didn’t care for any of the main courses, but preferred side dishes, such as Brussels sprouts. Besides, is there anything wrong with saving money by not over-ordering? Being excessive
Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW
{BLOG from 10}
Look at all the entrees that I have asked to be split and all the small plates I’ve asked for!
and wasteful isn’t exactly cool either. Just think of Syrian refugees dying of hunger. Throwing away food habitually is as disgusting as someone showing off how filthy rich they are. Some argue that if I prefer lighter meals, why not go for salad entrées? Frankly, I hate having salad as my main course. Variety has always been my aim in dining. Chinese-style, with bits of everything, including veggies, seafood, and meats, has always been my way of life. America is a country without a lot of rules when comes to dining. Splitting food is fairly common. But some countries like England are
totally different. When I was in Wimbledon, my former classmate who took us to lunch at an Italian restaurant, warned me not to ask for small plates for fear the waitress would shun customers for splitting food. So I told her that we would ask for small plates after the food arrived. It worked out fine even though I ordered only appetizers for myself. Here is what diners should do when going for family-style in American restaurants. Tell the wait staff when you order the food that you want to share everything. A smart server usually asks, “Do you want me to split it?”
A musical start
Chu herself is an accomplished artist and musician. Her parents enrolled her in piano lessons as a young girl. Chu majored in music in college, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance, music education, and piano pedagogy from Ouachita Baptist University and Southern Methodist University. That is in addition to a master’s degree in business administration from Rockhurst University and a doctorate in philanthropic studies from Indiana University.
Arts touching science
As a daughter of immigrants, Chu understands the challenges other immigrants face. Her parents spoke to each other in Mandarin but wanted Chu to speak only English at home, so she would fit in at school. Chu shared that she met a fifth-grader from China on her flight to Seattle. Chu started a conversation with the girl in Chinese, and the girl replied back in English, “For an American, that’s pretty good.” Many immigrants enter the American school system without speaking a word of English. Chu recounted a visit to an elementary
Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@ nwasianweekly.com.
Photo credit by Ruth Bayang/NWAW
Chinese immigrants and was raised in rural Arkansas. Chu’s childhood was an exercise in appreciating opposite perspectives. She remembers that her parents liked to eat bok choy and noodles, while she preferred corn dogs and pizza. “I appreciate my own Asian heritage and honor all the different types of ethnicities,” said Chu. “That’s what we want to honor — the different perspectives of people coming from different points of view, countries, cultures — without force-fitting everybody to be exactly alike.” Chu participated in a town hall meeting at the Wing where she announced and launched the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. The competition, for high school students, will be held in three different locations across the nation, including Dallas, Minneapolis, and Seattle. Finalists will travel to New York for an intensive songwriting workshop with professional singers, songwriters, and producers. The national winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship award, and each national runner-up will receive $2,500. The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is part of the NEA’s 50th anniversary celebration. “The heart of the original words that created the NEA 50 years ago were nurture, elevate, and sustain creativity in America,” Chu said. The songwriting competition is about celebrating and honoring future generations and looking forward to the next 50 years.
With good service, a server will even bring you smaller plates so you can share, without being asked to. Ask the server to place all the entrees in the center of the table if you don’t want the kitchen to split the food. Once at the Metropolitan Grill, we ordered two steaks, a 20-ounce bone-in and a Porterhouse to be shared among five of us. Also, we split a scallop appetizer, a soup, two salads, two side dishes of mushrooms and veggies. I don’t think the restaurant would accuse us of being cheap. The Met Grill charges an extra $6 to split food on extra plates. Some restaurants like Capital Grille don’t charge for splitting food. The “perfect-split” restaurant we attended recently was Ivar’s Acres of Clam on Pier 54. The server offered to divide the clam chowder with two sets of spoons and bowls. The lobster we split was plated like two separate entrees. It was a beautiful presentation! And there was no additional charge. Unfriendly servers don’t bring us small plates to share unless we ask for them. Or some give us extra spoons, but no extra bowls for soup. So far, I’ve only had one bad experience. A rude server once said to me, “You should have ordered two bowls of soup instead of one.” I should have complained to his manager. Now that more and more Asians are dining in downtown, I wonder how many realize that they can do family-style ordering. (Not very many, based on what I’ve seen when I peep at other tables.) Perhaps, we can all do our share in educating restaurants, so they know to be openminded when customers ask for family-style. The point is, family-style makes our meal more balanced, fun, and varied. Restaurants should remember the golden rule: “Customers are always right!”
{JIN from 11}
{CHU from 1}
Songwriting challenge
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Photo by John Liu/NWAW
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
From left: Ellen Ferguson, museum co-president; Jane Chu, National Endowment for the Arts chair, Beth Takekawa, museum executive director. Signage protesting Peter Liang’s conviction, hung up in Seattle
A staffer demonstrates the technology that is crucial to the “Brush the Sky” gallery
school where, in one class, only two of 25 students spoke English. One teacher used the arts curriculum to teach science —and test scores for those non-English speakers skyrocketed. “Arts touching science,” Chu said. “You see the power of the arts as adding a dimension to people’s ability to learn.” Chu said teaching subjects like math and science through an arts curriculum evens the playing field for all. Karen Hanan, director of the Washington State Arts Commission, who was there for Chu’s visit, agrees. She said removing the arts curriculum means children will not get a complete education, which is a disservice to them and takes away opportunities to develop their creative side. Hanan said 40 percent of NEA’s funding goes to states, and in Washington, those funds are matched by a state appropriation. As the NEA heads into the next 50 years, Chu speculates that perhaps America could learn a lesson from the past to move forward into the future. “America became America through creativity and innovation — and solving old, tired problems in new ways,” Chu said. “The arts help us think a different way. It allows us to express ourselves, make our lives better.” Ruth Bayang can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
participation of all citizens. Being a socalled “model minority” does not mean Chinese Americans should be tolerant of the status quo. Joining the national conversation on various issues and helping this country become a more equal and fair land for each and every citizen should be the responsibility of any majority or minority group. The Chinese American community should be a more active participant by voicing out and offering constructive solutions in this process. Some people criticized the past weekend’s nation-wide protests as being “offensive.” But on the other hand, it is the first time in decades the Chinese American community stepped out and shared their voices to the society. It epitomizes what it means to live in a democratic society where a requirement of being heard means firstly a willingness to speak up in the face of injustice. It should not be the last one the Chinese American community come out and support the national movements. Li Jin is a professor of Chinese Studies at DePaul University and a 2016 Public Voices Fellow of The Oped Project. She can be reached at @DrLiJin or info@ nwasianweekly.com.
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FEBRUARY 27 – MARCH 4, 2016
Photos by John Liu/NWAW
{RALLY from 1}
Protestors look on at Westlake Downtown Park
The March heads down 4th Ave. to KOMO Plaza.
Lives Matter movement — though that’s not to say that Black Lives Matter allies and Peter Liang conviction protesters are mutually exclusive.
The conviction On Feb. 12, Liang was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Gurley. Liang’s sentence is expected to be up to 15 years. He will be sentenced April 14. Across the nation, Gurley and Liang supporters both want justice. Gurley supporters, many of whom are Black, have invoked images of slavery and racism for hundreds of years. Liang supporters, many of whom are Chinese, have spoke of similar history of racism. In a general sense, while on different sides of this particular issue, both groups do agree that the U.S. criminal justice system has failed people of color. Many have pointed out that white police officers have rarely been convicted in similar cases.
The Seattle rally Local Chinese American community representatives spoke during the rally,
which included community representatives, Ethnic Chamber of Commerce President Martha Lee, Bellevue Councilmember Conrad Lee, and Washington state lieutenant governor candidate Phillip Yin. During one of the Seattle Chinese Alliances for Equality speaker’s remarks, a group of about 10 Gurley supporters pushed their way through the crowd and onto the stage. A struggle to gain control of the microphone quickly ensued. Each group used loud voices and tried to drown out the other side. Eventually there was a compromise and the counter-ralliers spoke for five minutes. Both groups shouted, “We want justice.” Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers stood next to the stage in case violence broke out. There were no arrests and the counterralliers left peacefully. The rest of the program finished without incident. At 2 p.m., the protesters marched down 4th Ave S. to Komo Plaza snarling traffic for about 20 minutes.
A city divided The Westlake Downtown Park rally was one of two rallies in Seattle planned in which thousands rallied nationwide to pro-
The honorees’ table
The crowd at Women of Color Empowered
test Liang’s manslaughter conviction. Richard Chen and Winston Lee, Seattle Chinese Alliances for Equality (SCAE) members, helped organize the rallies in Seattle. The counter-protest was organized by local activist Palca Shibale. Before the demonstrations, Shibale’s group had initiated dialogue with the Seattle Chinese Alliances for Equality for time to deliver their own message at the rally. Shibale stated, “After hours of dialogue and debate, no one was moved. So with 24 hours to go before the [Westlake Park] rally, Seattle Black Book Club and Parisol partnered up for a counter-rally that we intended to structure for cross dialogue. However, when we got there, organizers would not even allow us to speak without censoring the message. We were not allowed to say, ‘Peter Liang is a killer,’ or any sort of words that might humanize Akai too much that he overshadows Liang.” Earlier in the day, around 200 people showed up to the first rally at Hing Hay park at noon. The audience was filled with mostly Chinese community members and seniors supporting Liang. They held signs like “Equal justice for all. No scapegoat. No silence.”
Many supporters said they believed it was a good turnout for a rally in Chinatown. Peter Liang supporter and rally speaker Martha Lee stated, “The Chinese American community rose to the occasion and successfully organized a nationwide rally in over 40 cities to support a Chinese American NYPD officer convicted of a felony for an accident during the performance of his duties. The Seattle rally was a peaceful and respectful rally which demonstrated the growing and vocal presence of the Asian American community. … I think this is the beginning of a journey for Asian Americans to voice their opinion over matters that affect their lives.” And there are those who thought the outcome was fair, like Nate Miles, a member of Seattle’s NAACP chapter. He said, “Most police officers are doing a good job. Every now and then, there’s a police officer that does bad things just as there are citizens who occasionally break the law also. Everyone gets their day in court, and you hope the system works the way it should.” John Liu can be reached at john@nwasian weekly.com.
Christina Fong with family
Paula Houston
Thank you to our exceptional honorees and sponsors! honorees Camilla Mejia, Evelyn Yenson, Maha Jahshan, Tonya Knox, Hilary Stern, Christina Fong, Deborah CanoLee, Maria Durham, Paula Houston, Mahnaz Eshetu, Wendy Zheng, Rita Zawaideh, Anne Nguyen, and Leslie Harper-Miles
sponsors
co-chairs Bonnie Miller & Rosario Carroll
emcee
UPCOMING EVENT!
Margo Myers
Friday 9/16 — Women of Color Legacy Celebration: The Final Chapter
planning committee Elizabeth Younger, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Lourdes Sampera Tsukada, Sonia Doughty, Sylvia Cavazos, Kiku Hayashi, Winona Hollins Hauge, and Charlene Grinolds
Women as Bridge Builders
If you like to nominate, sponsor or volunteer, please email assunta@ nwasianweekly.com.
Feb. 4, 2016 ● China Harbor Restaurant
Making a Difference