VOL 34 NO 11 | MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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VOL 34 NO 11

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

The Last Word

WORLD Prince William in Japan » P. 5

Mission to Mars

Vietnamese Refugees and Veterans Record Oral Histories with StoryCorps

Maggie Lieu wants to parent on Mars

By Laura Ohata Northwest Asian Weekly “We took off on a journey without planning, without preparation, and without destination” says Son Michael Pham. Pham was still a student when he had to evacuate his home and leave everything behind. “It was kind of chaos on that last day, on April 29th. We tried several failed attempts, as the day got later and later, in the late afternoon, we ended up on a container ship, the next to last container ship that left Saigon at the end of the war.” Pham is one of 200 Vietnamese Americans and Vietnam War Veterans interviewed for the First Days Story Project to record and preserve the oral histories of the evacuation of Saigon 40 years ago. Part of a six-city tour of the United States conducted by WGBH American Experience and StoryCorps, the Wing Luke Museum hosted the event in Seattle on February 26-28. These oral histories will follow the StoryCorps format, which {see PHAM cont’d on page 15}

Maggie Lieu

By Minal Singh Northwest Asian Weekly “To get from Earth to Mars takes approximately nine months, and I want to be a part of that journey,” says Maggie Lieu, who is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Astrophysics at the University of Birmingham,

Son Michael Pham

Petition for police officer Asian American community rallies for Officer Peter Liang

UK. She researches galaxy clusters and dark matter, which is on the leading edge of space science. “If I were given the opportunity to go to Mars, I would definitely make it a priority of mine to {see LIEU cont’d on page 15}

Nurse who survived Ebola sues Dallas hospital system

Photo by Reuters

By Jamie Stengle Associated Press

Peter Liang controversy

Peter Liang, a New York City police officer, was charged with manslaughter in the second degree and five other offenses last month for the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley, 28, in a Brooklyn housing project. The shooting occurred Nov. 20. Liang, on patrol with a partner, shot Akai Gurley, 28, who was in a stairwell about 11:15 p.m. A single

bullet was discharged, killing Gurley who was in the stairwell a flight below where his girlfriend resided. The controversy was whether Liang’s gun went off by mistake or was fired deliberately. Liang pleaded not guilty to all {see LIANG cont’d on page 15}

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas hospital that treated the first patient to be diagnosed in the U.S. with Ebola lied to Congress when it said its staff was trained to handle the deadly virus, a nurse who contracted the disease contends in a lawsuit filed Monday. Nina Pham, who was an intensive care unit nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, says after being told last fall that she would be treating a patient suspected of having Ebola, “the sum total” of information she was given to protect herself was “what her manager `Googled’ and printed out from the Internet.” She says in her lawsuit that the day after getting that information, the patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, tested positive for the disease. Duncan, who contracted Ebola in his native Liberia but started

Nina Pham speaks

showing symptoms during a trip to the U.S., died at the hospital. Pham, 26, and another nurse who treated Duncan, Amber Vinson, contracted the disease but recovered. In a statement released through her lawyers, Pham said she felt she had no choice but to sue the hospital’s parent company, Texas Health Resources. “I was hoping

that THR would be more open and honest about everything that happened at the hospital, and the things they didn’t do that led to me getting infected with Ebola,” she said. Wendell Watson, a company {see PHAM cont’d on page 11}

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

■

WORLD Panda population increases! » P. 5

A&E FASHION Urban Outfitting » P. 9

BLOG Harmony... (2 symphonies) » P. 10

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MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ names in the news Photo by David Yu Photography

Miss Chinatown USA

Lunar New Year at the White House

minority businesses.” The proposal has outlined ways and strategies to help market ethnic businesses in the International District, Little Saigon, West Seattle, and Rainier Valley. Other committee members of EBC are: Susanna Tran, an agent for West Coast Commercial Realty; Jamie Lee, director of Idea Space for the Seattle Chinatown/ International District Preservation Development Authority, and several other board members. 

The White House hosted the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration at the White House on February 19, 2015. Members of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community from across the country joined together to ring in the first day of the Lunar New Year with keynotes from Administration officials, a discussion with diverse AAPI leaders, and three lively cultural performances. President Obama also sent his greetings by video message. 

Conquering boulders Mohammad Jafari Mahmodabadi from Iran became 1st in the ABS16 Open US National Championship in Bouldering February 7. At 31 years old, he was one of the oldest male Eva Chow (on the far right) from Bellevue, WA wins the competitors. He beat out all the US title of 4th princess at the Miss Chinatown USA pageant competitors. Iran does not have a at the in Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco on March 1. Mohammad Jafari reputation for climbing, but Mohammad Rose Li, of Houston, TX, was crowned the new Miss Mahmodabadi certainly “rocked” when he placed first Chinatown USA. Houston has now won Miss Chinatown in the US Championship.  USA for the second consecutive year. 

■ in memory of...

Eva Chow (far right)

AAJA rings in Lunar New Year

Navigating the gap

Susanna Tran

Taylor Hoang

Community leader “Paul” Patu passes

Activist Von Tresckow “Paul” Patu passed last week. Patu was respected as a Asian American community member, and was especially committed to supporting youth, particularly encouraging API youth to continue their education, along with focusing on helping the API community with healthcare and job services. He suffered from a stroke and a brain aneurysm. His memorial will be held in Tukwila, at the Church By the Side of the Road, March 9. Patu was 70. He was born in Tonga in 1944. He is survived by his wife, Betty Patu, and family. 

Jamie Lee

The City of Seattle has awarded a grant of $200,000 to the Ethnic Business Coalition (EBC) for funding for Entrepreneur Training and Support to mitigate the impact of the $15 minimum wage law on minority businesses this year. “Mayor Ed Murray is working hard to bridge the gap between the City’s policy and continued support for Minority businesses,” said Taylor Hoang, grant writer and owner of Pho Cyclo Cafe. “We hope this is a trend that will continue into the future in order to promote and sustain

AAJA boardmembers

The Asian American Journalist Association of Seattle board celebrated a successful lunar new year banquet at the China Harbor restaurant. 

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ national news

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

Loophole in immigration law

By Jenn Fang Northwest Asian Weekly

By his own admission, Adam Thomas Crapser has had a difficult journey; but through it all, he has worked hard to create what he calls a “a semblance of a ‘normal’ life”. In 1979, Adam arrived in the United States with his older sister as a transnational and transracial Korean American adoptee. Through most of his childhood — and through two placements — Adam was forced to endure unspeakable physical and emotional abuse. In 1991, Adam’s adoptive parents, Thomas Francis Crapser and Dolly-Jean Crapser, were arrested, charged and ultimately plead guilty to multiple counts of child rape, child sex abuse, and child abuse. Adam is a survivor of the Crapsers’ violence. Adam’s life bears the scars of that torture and what it took to survive; but, Adam has emerged today as a married father of three, with a fourth child due in May. He is, by all accounts, living that “normal” American life. Yet, that’s not how the federal government sees it. In January of this year, the Department of Homeland Security served Adam with deportation papers. In just one month, Adam will face a hearing regarding deportation to a country he has never known. In an interview with Gazillion Voices Radio, Adam Crapser recounts his story. Adam arrived in the United States with the name Shin Song Hyuk in 1979 at the age of four and was adopted with his biological sister by a Michigan family headed by Stephen and Judith Wright. Adam lived with the Wrights for five years, where he faced multiple acts of physical and sexual abuse. Adam says, “this would be my earliest memories of violence and social/sexual dysfunction.” In 1986, Adam and his sister were relinquished by the Wrights to Child Services, where they were separated from one another. Adam lived in a group home in Oregon for a year before being formally adopted by the Crapsers, who along with one of their biological sons, subjected Adam and seven other foster children — all aged 6-13 – to years of abuse and torture. Adam says in an interview with Gazillion Strong: During the five years that I lived there with them, every day it was pretty common to be choked from [the elder Crapser]

Adam Crapser as a child

or beat or hit or burned or some form of heinous, heinous, sadistic abuse. Specifically, I mean, I could go into very memorable experiences I have that stand out for various reasons. For instance, he broke my nose at age 14 because he couldn’t find his car keys, and to this day I have a crooked nose for it. In 1991, the Crapsers were arrested and convicted of sexual and physical abuse; both accepted plea deals to serve 90 days in jail and pay fines for their crimes. Meanwhile, Adam grew up a troubled teenager, and ran afoul of the law a few times related to misdemeanor crimes (most petty theft), and all associated with maintaining his own survival. By his own admission, Adam has made “bad choices”, but most stem from being forced to endure a string of terrible situations. Adam describes the circumstances surrounding one theft charge (edited for grammar and clarity): I was homeless and learned many things about myself and life at this age. At this time I broke into the Crapser’s home in Keizer, Oregon. I did this to retrieve my Korean bible and rubber shoes that came with me from Korea. The Crapsers had refused to return anything that belonged to me or help with my naturalization. This happened when I was 17. I was charged after I turned 18 with Burglary in the 1st degree. I was convinced by the Crapsers — as well as by the State’s public attorney — to take the plea bargain and get 18 months probation. I agreed. It turns out that both the Crapsers and the Wrights

committed one final act of neglect against Adam: they never completed his naturalization paperwork. For those of us who are not transnational adoptees, it may come as a surprise to learn that until recently, American citizenship was not automatically granted to transnational adoptees upon arrival in America. Until 2000 — and unlike the biological children of American citizens born overseas (who receive American citizenship by birth) — adoptees were forced to undergo the same lengthy immigration process that adult immigrants face. But what happens to adoptees whose parents don’t complete the naturalization paperwork for their foster children? Adam says of his own experience: On more than one occasion I have asked the Crapsers over the years why they never naturalized me, I was always told, it was not their responsibility. For adoptees who were placed with abusive (or just ignorant) foster families who fail (or refuse) to sponsor the naturalization of adoptees, this legislative loophole could lead to the predicament now facing Adam: living as an undocumented American for most of his adult life, Adam struggled to attend school or find work without his documented status. Now, he now faces deportation to a country he doesn’t know. Kevin Vollmers — who works with Gazillion Strong, an advocacy group for marginalized people — is part of a group of activists seeking to pass an amendment to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which was Congress’ first attempt to address this issue. The 2000 Child Citizenship Act removed the requirement for parents of transnational adoptees to complete a lengthy naturalization process for adoptees: instead the Act established automatic citizenship for all children under the age of 18 born or legally adopted outside of the United States, and who are under the legal custody of a parent with US citizenship for two years within the U.S. Unfortunately, the CCA applied an age restriction and didn’t include a grandfather clause. This means that adult adoptees like Adam — i.e. those who were born before 1983 — remain unprotected and undocumented. For the last three years, Vollmers and his colleagues have worked to try and amend the CCA to remove the age restrictions so that adoptees like {see IMMIGRATION LAW cont’d on page 12}

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ national news

Lawmakers feast, dance with Juneau’s Filipino community

By Katie Moritz Juneau Empire AP Wire Service

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Juneau’s Filipino community rolled out the proverbial red carpet for local and visiting lawmakers at its fifth annual legislative reception, and Filipino Community Inc. did not disappoint with the food nor the entertainment. Pounds and pounds of house-made pancit, lumpia, chicken and beef were served at the FCI Hall and the floor was cleared for performances by local talents — including one of Juneau’s own Assemblymen. Senators and representatives — including Juneau’s delegation; Sen. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage; Sen. John

George Takei on Leonard Nimoy: “A great man and a great friend”

Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on ‘Star Trek,’ dies By Lynn Elber AP Television Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 1975, Leonard Nimoy published an autobiography with the defiant title, “I Am Not Spock” — an attempt to show the world he had many more facets than the pointy-eared character that had come to define him. Yet two decades later, after proving that with a career that George Takei and Leonard Nimoy became a rich blend of roles beyond “Star Trek” along with directing, writing and photography, he bowed to fate with “I Am Spock,” a revisionist sequel. Nimoy had come to appreciate Mr. Spock’s enduring legacy and the inspiration the man of logic provided the actor and his fans alike. Nimoy had skillfully turned what could have been a caricature into a dignified, inspiringly intellectual and even touching figure, a half-human, half-Vulcan who was a multicultural and multiethnic touchstone, well before it was hip. Nimoy died Friday of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his Los Angeles home, with family at his side, said his son, Adam Nimoy. He was 83. His final public statement, last Sunday on Twitter, was thoughtful and bittersweet. “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory,” he wrote, followed by his customary “LLAP” signoff — shorthand for “Live long and prosper,” Spock’s catch phrase. The reaction to his death was swift, on Earth and in space. “I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love,” said William Shatner, whose often-emotional Captain Kirk was balanced by the composed Nimoy. President Barack Obama said, “I loved Spock.” “Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy,” Obama said in a statement. “Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek’s optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity’s future.” George Takei, Mr. Sulu of “Star Trek,” called Nimoy a great man and friend. “We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to `Live Long and Prosper,’ and you indeed did, friend,” Takei {see TAKEI cont’d on page 13}

Coghill, R-North Pole; and Rep. Adam Wool, D-Fairbanks — gathered with their families and staffs for a night away from the Capitol and a shared meal away from the Legislative Lounge. But first, there was serious business to attend to. FCI’s board and new president, Josielind Ferrer, were inaugurated and sworn in by Judge Richard Siangco. Ferrer said her goal as president for the coming year is to preserve the downtown FCI Hall and work toward future expansion. “But that takes time and planning, and money,” she said. “One step at a time, and we’re moving forward.” She added during her brief speech that the FCI leaders before her have set the organization up for success. “If it ain’t broke, don’t mess with it,” she said to applause.

She gave a shout-out to FCI’s first female president, Jenny Strickler, now an honorary consul general of the Philippines to Alaska. The celebration featured a traditional Tinikling bamboo dance performance by Raymond Bernaldo-Lujan, Andrea Nguyen, Aaron Abella and Nicole Rodriguez. Reps. Sam Kito, D-Juneau, and Cathy Muñoz, R-Juneau, and Wool all tried their hands, or feet, at the tricky dance, but decided to leave it to the professionals. Local talent Abella was the standout of the night, opening the evening with a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He went on to star in the Broadway song-anddance number “Brotherhood of Man” with a troupe of local {see JUNEAU cont’d on page 14}

■ WORLD NEWS

Hong Kong arrests 33 in protest against Chinese shoppers By Kelvin Chan Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police arrested nearly three dozen people Sunday after scuffles broke out at a protest in a border town, in the latest example of heightened tensions over the growing influx of mainland Chinese shoppers in the city. Police officers wielded batons and used pepper spray on the crowds after the demonstration turned unruly, as demonstrators clashed with crowds of village residents opposed to the event who taunted them along the route. Police said 33 people were arrested, including a 13-yearold boy.

Hundreds turned out for the latest protest to target the mainland shoppers, who have been blamed for voracious buying habits that distort the local economy. The protesters marched in the suburban district of Yuen Long, near the border with mainland China, in a neighborhood where there are dozens of pharmacies selling baby formula to cater to mainland shoppers. Numerous food safety scares in China have made baby formula a hot commodity for mainland visitors to Hong Kong, which has a reputation for authentic and high-quality goods. The protesters complain that the mainlanders’ shopping sprees drive up retail rents and force out ordinary shopkeepers.

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing multidisciplinary engineering and other professional services for the Road Services Division. The Request for Proposals, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available on the internet at http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement. The County will not mail, ship or fax RFPs and addenda. Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address. Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the proposal. The County may award up to one (1) contract with a maximum price of $300,000. The contract will have an initial period of performance of one (1) year. The County reserves the right to amend the contract duration in one (1) year increments up to a maximum of three (3) years, if funds remain. Contract Title: Work Order Maintenance Facilities Design Services for King County Road Services Division Number: E00354E15 Proposals due: April 2, 2015 Time: 5 p.m. Pre-proposal Meeting: March 12, 2015 Time: 9:00 a.m. Location: 155 Monroe Ave NE Building C Renton WA 98056 Conference Room SUMMARY OF WORK: Work order engineering services for maintenance facilities may include, but not be limited to, project management and contract

administration, full range of multi-disciplinary engineering design services (pre-design to final design); mechanical and electrical engineering design; structural design; design services during construction; and other related services. SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: Architecture, Hydraulic/Hydrologic and Drainage Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Surveying and Building Commissioning, SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The Consultant shall ensure that at least 10% of the Total Price for all executed Work Orders, as amended, shall be performed by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract. Evaluation points for meeting and/or exceeding the SCS utilization requirements will be provided to each Proposer responding to this requirement. King County will not evaluate the proposal and will not execute a contract with a Proposer who does not commit to meet at least the SCS utilization requirement as stated above. QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Mary Lee, Contract Specialist at 206-263-9381, TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County. This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

China’s latest survey finds increase in wild giant pandas AP Wire Service

BEIJING (AP) — Wild giant pandas in China are doing well. The latest census by China’s State Forestry Administration shows the panda population has grown by 268 to a total of 1,864 since the last survey ending in 2003. Nearly three quarters of the pandas live in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The remaining pandas have been found in the neighboring Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. “The rise in the population of wild giant pandas is a victory for conservation and definitely one to celebrate,” said Ginette

Hemley, senior vice president of wildlife conservation for World Wildlife Fund. Hemley credited efforts by the Chinese government for the increase. The survey shows 1,246 wild giant pandas live within nature reserves. There are 67 panda reserves in China, an increase of 27 since the last survey. “The survey result demonstrates the effectiveness of nature reserves in boosting wild giant panda numbers,” said Xiaohai Liu, executive program director for WWFChina. But the survey also points to economic development as a main threat to the rare

animal. It says 319 hydropower stations and 1,339 kilometers (832 miles) of roads have been built in the giant panda’s habitat. WWF said it is the first time that largescale infrastructure projects such as mining and railroads get referenced in the survey. Traditional threats such as poaching are on the decline, WWF noted. China began surveying its giant pandas in the 1970s. The latest census began in 2011 and took three years to complete. The number of giant pandas in captivity grew by 211, more than double the previous survey figure, according to the census released Saturday. 

China’s famed Shaolin Prince William gets temple plans big project close look at tsunami in Australia disaster in Japan By Didi Tang Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Shaolin Temple, historically known for its martial arts traditions but which recently has gained a reputation for aggressive commercialization, is planning to build a $297 million complex in Australia that would include a temple, a hotel, a kung fu academy and a golf course. The Shoalhaven City Council in New South Wales state said earlier this month that Shaolin Temple Foundation Australia, the developer, had finalized a land purchase at Comberton Grange for what will be known as Shaolin Village. Mayor Joanna Gash said Saturday that the city council and the state government

had both approved the concept plan for the project, which is to include a temple sanctuary with resident monks, a live-in kung fu academy, a 500-bed four-star hotel and a 27-hole golf course. Planning officials have rejected a residential component, but the developer hopes to restore it, according to media reports. “We would like to see it happen as soon as possible,” Gash said in a phone interview Saturday. “Shaolin Temple is well regarded. It will be phenomenal for us. There’s a lot of interest in it.” “It’s more than a temple,” she said. “It’s a spiritual thing. It’s also tourism. And it’s employment.” {see SHAOLIN TEMPLE cont’d on page 14}

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By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press

ISHINOMAKI, Japan (AP) — Britain’s Prince William stood atop a hill in northeastern Japan on Sunday, and stretched below him was barren land known as the “Bay of Destruction,” which was swept by a tsunami four years ago. On the last leg of his four-day visit to Japan, William laid a bouquet near a shrine gate that overlooks the bay, to commemorate the victims. Of the nearly 19,000 people who died in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, nearly 3,300 were residents of the coastal town of Ishinomaki. About 22,000 lost their homes. The tragedy of Ishinomaki has been repeated across the shoreline, where communities are still trying to rebuild, mourning lost lives and worried about the future, as the younger generation leaves in droves. Thousands of people are still living in temporary housing, and many are dependent on aid for food and clothing. William, who earlier visited more lively and modern spots in Tokyo, had insisted that his first-ever trip to Japan include the tsunami-stricken region. Teruko Sekiguchi, a 42-year-old housewife and Ishinomaki resident, waited for the prince’s arrival on top of the hill in the cold rain for more than an hour. She said she was touched that he would come all the way out to the disaster region. “He is gorgeous. You can feel his kindness,” she said. When the tsunami hit, Sekiguchi fled to a nearby junior high school and waited for a week, feeling miserable, not even knowing whether her husband, a schoolteacher, had survived. When he finally came to find her, she was so overjoyed she just cried and couldn’t even walk toward him, she recalled. Although the area below the hill, previously filled with small homes, has been cleaned of debris, no one will live there again. Plans are still being studied to turn it into a park. “It’s like the area has been finally cleaned up enough into a white canvas so we can start painting on it,” said Kimio Abe, 76, who

heads a company that installs heating and air conditioning units. Abe was also among the crowd of about 80 people waiting on the hilltop for the prince. Abe’s home, near the hill, was half destroyed by the tsunami, but he fixed it and still lives in one room with his wife. Earlier in the day, William visited a local newspaper that had produced handwritten newsletters right after the tsunami to keep communication going. William wanted to know what the journalists had done, what the rescue operation was like, as well as the personal background of Hiroyuki Takeuchi, a journalist, now retired, at the Ishinomaki Hibi newspaper, who gave him a guide of the newsroom. “It remains with you forever,” William told Takeuchi. “You remember where you were. It must have been unbelievably terrifying for you and all the others.” After the visit, Takeuchi said he was moved by the intense interest William had shown in the region’s plight. “I am happy and I am honored,” he said. William also met Shinichi and Ryoko Endo, who lost their three children, Hana, Kana and Kanta, all of them under 12. Endo, a carpenter working on the reconstruction of the area, gave William a wooden charm made of tsunami rubble. William later went to another tsunami-hit coastal town, Onagawa, where he was welcomed by a traditional lion dance. At a shopping area that sold goods by storekeepers trying to turn their lives around, he rang a bell that had survived the tsunami, called the “Chime of Hope.” 

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ COMMUNITY news

■ world news

North Korea lifts Ebola API Chaya 20th Annual Vigil Program travel restrictions Kapwa 2: Continuing a Legacy of Survivorship

North Korea’s borders now open for travel after 4-month Ebola travel ban

The public is invited to join API Chaya’s 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil programs. As an organization that provides domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking services to Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander communities, API Chaya offers spaces of healing to honor lives lost to domestic and sexual violence. This year, the vigil will be organized into two programs: A candlelight vigil and a community healing gathering. These services are held to remember the lives of Susanna Remerata Blackwell, her unborn child, baby Kristine, Phoebe Dizon, and Veronica Laureta, who were shot and killed at the King County Courthouse in 1995 by Susanna’s estranged and abusive husband. While this tragedy occurred 20 years ago, the epidemic of domestic and sexual violence still continues. Studies indicate that about half of Asian women have reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetime by an intimate or domestic partner. In a recent 2011 study, 56% of Filipinas and 64% of Indian and Pakistani women reported experiencing sexual violence by an intimate partner. In King County alone, over the past 10 years, there have been 141

domestic violence related fatalities. API Chaya has committed to holding an annual candlelight vigil to remember these women, along with all lives devastated by violence, and to create a space for us to truly come together around these lived experiences to heal, honor, and remember. For our 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil, we have chosen to continue last year’s theme of “Kapwa”. The vigil theme “Kapwa”, is a Tagalog term meaning the shared interconnectedness among and between beings. “By seeing the self in others, we are able to wholeheartedly support our communities while taking accountability for the violence existing in our world.” Kapwa seeks to provide the vigil as a transformative and healing space of understanding through celebrating our communities’ legacy of resilience and survivorship.  Community Healing Gathering March 14th 2015 2:00-6:00pm Artspace Hiawatha Lofts. FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/ events/627728763999952.

By Eric Talmadge Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — North Korea has lifted severe restrictions on foreign travel it imposed last year to keep the Ebola virus from crossing its borders. The already isolated country virtually closed its borders to foreigners last October, halting all non-essential visas and requiring those few foreigners allowed in to undergo three weeks of quarantine. The rules applied to diplomats, NGO workers and even senior North Korean officials returning from overseas trips. One tour company that takes tourists into North Korea, Uri Tours, said on its website Tuesday that it had been told by the country’s national airline that the ban had been lifted. “We have been informed by Air Koryo that North Korea’s borders are now open for travel and the 4-month-long Ebola travel ban was lifted as of Monday,” Uri Tours said. Hong Sun Gwang, vice director of North Korea’s State Hygiene Inspection Authority, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that all people arriving from

Ebola-hit Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and their neighboring countries would still be placed in the three-week quarantine. “People arriving from other countries will be able to go about their business normally while being under routine medical supervision from the Pyongyang Friendship Hospital,” Hong said. North Korean media had suggested the Ebola virus was created by the U.S. military for use as a biological weapon. North Korea’s decision to set the restrictions despite the lack of any real threat — there have been no Ebola cases in Asia and North Korea has very little exchange with the African countries that have been most impacted — has been a disaster for foreign travel agencies that specialize in bringing tourists to the North. North Korea had been pushing tourism in hopes of gaining much-needed foreign currency and has over the past few years tried to improve its tourism infrastructure. Last year, it opened its first luxury ski resort and it has announced the establishment of a number of special tourism zones across the country. It is mainly targeting tourists {see EBOLA cont’d on page 15}

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR FRI 3/6 WHAT: Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation’s annual dinner WHERE: Bates Technical College, 1101 S. Yakima Ave., Yakima WHEN: 5:30-9 p.m. COST: $60/person TICKETS: tacomachinesepark. org/annual-crpf-dinner-auction WHAT: Children’s storytelling circle with Frank Chin, “Knowing Our Heroes – Fa Mulan and Guan Gong WHERE: Panama Hotel, 605 S. Main St., Seattle RSVP: emilya@tcg.org, 917-8179772

FRI 3/6 THRU WED 3/11 WHAT: Meet and Tweet, “Conversations with Frank Chin” WHERE: Panama Hotel, 605 S.

Main St., Seattle WHEN: 9-11 a.m., 1-5 p.m.

TUE 3/10 WHAT: Empowering Women in the U.S. and Japan WHERE: Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave., Bellevue WHEN: 5-8:30 p.m. RSVP: jassw.info/event-1814752 COST: $25/members, $35/nonmembers, $15/student members, $20/non-member students WHAT: A staged reading of Cafe Du Ma, a new play by Julie Hoang WHERE: West of Lenin, 203 N. 36th St., Fremont WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: Free INFO: parleyproductions.com

SAT 3/14 WHAT: A night at the market WHERE: Garfield Community

Center, 2323 E. Cherry St., Seattle WHEN: 5-7 p.m. INFO: marketshare.ticketleap. com/anightatthemarket

ENTRY FEE: 0-5 free, 6-12: $5, 13-18: $25, 19-54: $30, 55+: $25 REGISTER: whitecenter5k. brownpapertickets.com INFO: 206-692-1082

WHAT: Beijing Meets Seattle (Finding Mr. Right) WHERE: Microsoft Auditorium, Central Library WHEN: 2-4 p.m. INFO: 206-684-0849

2 nd & 4th TUES OF MONTH

WHAT: 70th Annual NVC/ NVCF Installation Banquet WHERE: Rainier Golf & Country Club, 11133 Des Moines Memorial Drive S., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. COST: $45/person

SAT 3/28 WHAT: Annual White Center 5K Walk & Run WHERE: White Center, Heights Park WHEN: 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. race time

WHAT: International District Special Review Board meeting WHERE: Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 4:30 p.m. INFO: 206-684-0226

EVERY TUE WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment Program Orientation WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 3–4:30 p.m. INFO: 206-695-7527, employmentprogram@ acrs.org, acrs.org/services/ employmentandtraining

EVERY WED WHAT: Seattle University School of Law Citizenship Project WHERE: Yesler Community Center Computer Lab, 917 E. Yesler Way, Seattle WHEN: 5–6:30 p.m. COST: Free INFO: 206-386-1245

EVERY TUE, WED & THU WHAT: After School tutoring for Vietnamese students 6-14, conversational ESL classes, and computer classes. WHERE: Helping Link, 1032 S. Jackson St. #C, Seattle WHEN: 3-6 p.m. INFO: 206-568-5160, helpinglinkadmin@gmail.com

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ on the shelf

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

Hold on Series that keep you reading

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly

Infiltrator

By Peter Stone Amazon Digital Services, Inc., 2014 Ethan Jones and the remaining members of his ragtag team of foragers are back in the second installment of Stone’s Dystopian trilogy. The group is on their way back to Newhome, the post-apocalyptic Australian town where Ethan and his friends — with the exception of his Japanese wife, Nanako — grew up. It is Nanako’s dream for her and Ethan to return to a relatively normal life, especially after they leave her hometown of Hamamachi under the less-than-ideal circumstances of being accused of being terrorists. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse almost the moment they pass through the gates into Newhome. First, there’s a senior custodian officer (Newhome’s law enforcement) who has it out for the teenaged couple. Then there’s Ethans jilted, ex-fiancee, who has made it her mission to make Nanako’s life a living hell. And to top it all off, there is a sniper among the Skels — wandering scavengers, attacking anyone who comes in their way — terrorizing and killing custodians and civilians of Newhome alike. In addition, memories from Ethan’s lost year — thanks to a bout of amnesia after he was shot in the head a few years earlier — begin to return. But not all of the returning memories are good as he begins to realize he spent that year as a Hamamachi Ranger — that community’s elite law enforcement group that is not all what it seems. “Infiltrator” begins right where “Forager” ended and does not lose any of the momentum gained from the trilogy’s first installment. There is a little something for everyone. From action-packed fight shootout sequences between Custodians and Skels, to tension-filled moments as Ethan and his friends are brought in by law enforcement for questioning, to sweeter scenes between Ethan and Nanako as they learn how to be a couple again. And just as “Forager” ended on a cliffhanger, “Infiltrator” will have readers chomping at the bit to get to the trilogy’s final installment to see what happens to Ethan, Nanako, their friends and the two communities of Newhome and Hamamachi.

Fairest

By Marissa Meyer Rampion Books, 2015 Before New Beijing’s best mechanic, Cinder, loses her mechanical foot at a ball; or a young French girl named Scarlet teams up with a street fighter named Wolf; or an isolated young woman named Cress escapes her satellite tower, there was a girl named Levana. Known as the Lunar Queen Levana in Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, “Fairest” gives us a glimpse of the lonely young princess who just wanted to love and be loved before she became hellbent on world domination. The story begins with the death of Levana’s parents, the king and queen of Luna. Levana is just 15 and her sister Channary has become queen. As she watches her sees how little her frivolous sister cares about the kingdom she rules, Levana can’t help but feel she would

do a much better job of taking are of Luna and its citizens. In “Fairest,” we see the circumstances that have led Queen Levana to become the unsympathetic and power-hungry leader we have grown to know so well in Meyer’s series. We learn why she relies so heavily on her glamour — a supernatural method disguise commonly used by Lunars — and her fears about being seen without it. For those who have followed the Lunar Chronicles from the beginning, “Fairest” is the prequel we’ve all been waiting for to learn why things have grown so volatile and hostile between Earth and Luna — or the moon. We see how deep-seated the animosity between the two planets is as some of the acts of war against Earth precede not just Cinder, Scarlet and Cress, but even Levana’s rule. We are also introduced to younger versions of the series’ various characters, including its heroines, in “Fairest” — long before they discover their true identities and become heroines. This was particularly fun for me to read as we see how these girls became the people they are in the later years of the story.

Killed on the Whim of a Hat By Colin Cotterill Minotaur Books, 2011

Jimm Juree was on her way to being the top crime reporter for the Chiang Mai Daily Mail. Her reporting skills had helped her solve a number of cases that had previously been closed by the police and her stories had gained national attention in Thailand. With so much going for her professionally, it comes to no surprise that when her mother sells their home and relocates the family to a small rural village in the south of the country, Jimm does not take it well. Stuck in the middle of nowhere where the most action is fighting old ladies for a spot in line at the post office, Jimm is positive her career — if not her life — is over as she knows it. But then, a van containing the skeletal remains of two hippies is discovered in a local farmer’s field. And within 24 hours, an abbot at a local Buddhist temple is violently murdered and the only suspects are the temple’s monk and nun. Suddenly, Jimm’s quiet country life isn’t anymore. “Killed” is a fun whodunit mystery with an array of great characters — most of whom

are members of Jimm’s family. From her mother Mair, the gentle but firm matriarch of the family who seems to be slowly declining into dementia, to her ex-cop grandfather who barely speaks, to Jimm’s transgendered older brother who is now her older sister and a former beauty pageant queen and her younger, bodybuilding-obsessed brother, Jimm’s family may all be vastly different, but it there is no question that they love each other deeply and would do anything for each other. And then there’s Jimm herself. After

having her career interrupted so abruptly by her mother’s whim, Jimm’s excitement at having a few juicy stories to write — not to mention mysteries to solve — is almost contagious and readers can’t help but cheer her on along the way. “Killed” is the first in Cotterill’s Jimm Juree mysteries and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for her next.  Samantha Pak can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ wayne’s worlds

The three-headed monster with six arms & six legs By Wayne Chan Northwest Asian Weekly We have a problem. In our home, there’s an incredibly destructive force we’ve been up against for quite a while. It’s a physical menace, wreaking havoc on anything of value that we hold dear. We’ve tried our level best to protect ourselves and our belongings, but to no avail. No matter what we do, no matter what we try, something in our house is going to be destroyed. The worst part of it is, we brought this on ourselves. We willingly brought this burden into our homes. As hard as it is to believe, this is something we actually wanted. What is this nuisance that affects the very fabric of our lives? One word – children. You may have heard of them. We’ve got three of them, as if one child destroying the home wasn’t enough. I know what you’re going to say – “Children, the magic of life, so pure and innocent, they spring from our protective arms to take with them all the love and curiosity they have and make the

world a better place.” Really? Well, our first magic of life knocked down an expensive sculpture in our hallway while playing ball in the house, despite the fact that we’ve told him not to play ball in the house over a million times. What’s even more

galling is that this magic of life had the nerve to actually look surprised when we started yelling at him for knocking down an expensive piece of artwork after playing ball in the house even though we’ve told him not to play ball in the house a million times. Our second magic of life

decided to reheat a burrito in the microwave, and despite the fact that I showed him that the proper way to open this microwave oven was to first lift up on the handle and pull the door open, he ends up yanking the handle so hard that the microwave comes out of the cabinet and smashes on the floor. But hey, at least he managed to heat up his burrito. Our third magic of life, our beautiful daughter, managed to top both her brothers in the amount of damage she could inflict while simultaneously leaving no options for us to punish her or even admonish her. Being the helpful child that she is, she volunteered to put away all the clean dishes that were drying after having dinner. In the process of putting away an expensive piece of china, she accidently drops it on our expensive glass stovetop and smashes the stovetop to a million pieces thereby breaking both the expensive stovetop and the expensive china. Despite the fact that I’m filled with rage and must now replace a brand new stovetop and throw away valuable china, I don’t even get the satisfaction of chewing out

my child for breaking it in the first place. What am I supposed to say – “How many times have I told you not to help out around the house?” Before you start in with me on the beauty of children, listen, I get it. Sure, they were cute when they were young. And yes, I’m sure I’ll be a proud dad when I see my kids graduate, get married and start their own careers, out on their own. But one is in the past and the rest is all in the future. As Janet Jackson once sang, “What have you done for me lately?” I can let you in on one secret that I’m really looking forward to – grandchildren. Grandchildren are what I call – payback time. You’ll see me in my rocking chair, a gregarious, cheerful grandpa looking over the magic of life that are my grandchildren. I’ll be bouncing them on my knee, giving them hugs, and handing out baseballs by the crate.  Wayne Chan can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

■ arts & entertainment

Beauty and soul (and atheism) A Krishna Das retrospective

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly I am an atheist and happy, most of the time, being so. I am rational and scientific, I hope, in most things, and happy, most of the time being so. I remain susceptible to mysticism, though, and thirsty for transcendence. I find these, ironically, in some types of religious music, including American gospel, and the Hindu kirtan music of Krishna Das, who’s just released this greatest-hits collection “Laughing At The Moon” and reminded me of my contradictions. Not incidentally, he’s again infused me with beauty. Punk rock guitarist Pat Smear, reflecting on his religious background, remarked that he’d gone so far in the other direction, he wasn’t sure he believed in the concept of a soul. I want to believe in a soul. I define a soul as something within, not reducible to numbers and/or chemicals. I accept the strong possibility that everything is ultimately reducible to numbers and/or chemicals. I accept that wishing against that goes against rationality and scientific procedure, scientific inquiry. It remains something I can’t shake and I am not sure I want to shake. I hold it to me, a metaphysical stuffed animal to treasure and love. It may well be weakness. I ignore my rationality to keep it close. Singer Tim Quirk once remarked that you didn’t have to believe in God, to believe in transcendence. Good news for me. When those lighting the path to transcendence believe in God, though—when they believe in the divinity (a concept I reject, rationally) of a living or dead human—I once again ignore a side of myself. The tradeoff for this specific ignorance: Great feelings of peace, deeps satisfaction, connection (however nonspecific) with others,

and comfort. Krishna Das, originally Jeffrey Kagel, a native of Long Island, New York state, sings in a Hindu style called “kirtan,” meaning, generally, devotional music concerned with call-and-response singing of the names of, and praise to, the divine. He takes his inspiration from his guru, the late Neem Karoli Baba, often called “Maharaj-ji.” The guru supplicated himself to the Hindu god Hanuman, so much of Krishna Das’ music devotes itself to Hanuman as well. I hope you won’t need to know all of this to come to Krishna Das’ work, but I felt I should provide some

background. “Laughing At The Moon”’s leadoff track, “Hara Hara Mahaadeva,” from his debut album “One Track Heart” (1996) comes on uptempo, practically a jitterbug, with multi-tracked, caffeinated vocals. Soon after he’d arrive at his trademark sound: Slow to mid-tempo, riding on drone-y chords from the singer’s harmonium, KD calling out with his baritone, inflections borrowed from American gospel, soul music (conceptually, gospel music with secular lyrics), and even, at times, from the rock music the singer grew up on (a much-younger Jeffrey Kagel once almost joined Blue Oyster Cult). Lyrical devotion can grow quite complex, as with “Shri Hanuman Chaleese/Gate Of Sweet Nectar,” from 2003’s “Door Of Faith” album (produced by Rick Rubin, an enthusiastic fan of the singer who’s worked with everyone from Johnny Cash to the Beastie Boys). On the other hand, though, “Rock In A Heart Space,” from 2005’s “All One,” runs fourteen minutes and contains little more than that Hindu known to many Americans. “Hare Krishna/Hare Krishna/Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama/Hare Rama/Rama Rama Hare Hare,” The Maha Mantra. The singer adds an extra syllable to “Krish-a-na,” and sends the Maha Mantra out; his backup singers respond. They complete a circuit, and the cycling energy heats up. In concert, Krishna Das makes this circuit with the entire audience. I missed a chance to see him, once; I hope I’ll have another. I may never be spiritually complete; I have doubts. I have certain wounds. But for one night, at least, I’d like to chance being that kind of complete.  Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ fashion

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

Glamorous!

Last flight out from Vietnam to first-class designer for Urban Outfitters By Peggy Chapman Northwest Asian Weekly Actually, Quoc Nguyen doesn’t think his job is that glamorous, even though his designs are popular and featured throughout the Urban Outfitters line. (You can refer to the photo of the beautiful dress!) Quoc, (also known as “Larry”) described his history and his design process with the Northwest Asian Weekly. NWAW: What does your role entail? It seems as if it would be glamorous. Quoc: It’s not that glamorous except for traveling to Asia and India, which I love. I am the Creative Technical Design Director. My role is less hands on with the product these days, which I miss, but I can still can have an effect through my teams. What we do is work with the design team to create the designer’s fit and silhouette vision. On top of this, I work more closely with the design team in the pre-development stage as they are first designing the styles and helping them on new techniques that make our clothes more special. They call them “Quoc mocks” and currently one of them is a top-10 seller for the Urban Outfitters (UO) brand. I’m involved in all of the company brands: (Anthropologie, Free People, UO) and specifically to the soft wovens and knit categories. NWAW: How long have you been working for Urban Outfitters and how did you start out? Quoc: I’ve been with UO INC for 11 years now...I can’t believe I’ve been in one place for this long. The product we create kept me here and I can’t see myself anywhere else. Sure, there are rough days that make me want to run, but there is a super-creative

Nguyen with fiance

environment and entrepreneurial sense at this company that keeps me from leaving. I started out as a Tech Designer for Free People dresses, blouses, and skirts. NWAW: What is your typical day like now at work? Quoc: there is never a typical day at work! Our clothes are very trend-driven and these change constantly, so I never know what the day holds for me...I guess that’s good since I hate complacency. This is an ever-evolving company and I think that is the reason for its success. NWAW: Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where were you raised, what was your childhood like? Quoc: I’m an immigrant of Vietnam in 1975. My family was actually on the last flight out when the airport was bombed. We went to Kansas City, MO when we arrived & with nothing. We were sponsored by a church that helped get us on our feet without the need for welfare. I really admire and appreciate my parents for their bravery to leave everything they knew to come here in hopes of a better life for them and their children. Their gamble paid off - every single one of my siblings (all six) each became successful in their chosen careers. I would say I am too! I studied fashion design at the University of North Texas and spent much of those years as a club kid. This really allowed me to experiment with my fashion ideas since that scene was all about outrageous outfits and that was what I loved. I loved all things weird and avant garde...still do. However, my world is much more about commerciality these days. {see NGUYEN cont’d on page 15}

Sponsors

BONNIE MILLER for designing the beautiful plaques!

UPCOMING EVENTS! Friday, May 15 — Theme: Rising Stars (No age limit), making a difference Friday, Sept. 18 — Theme: Women & Money

Planning Committee Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Winona Holins-Hauge, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Lourdes Sampera Tsukada, Sonia Doughty, and Carol Cheung

If you like to nominate, sponsor or volunteer, please email assunta@ nwasianweekly.com.

Women in Male-Dominated Careers

Making a Difference

Friday, February 6, 2015 • China Harbor Restaurant

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

OPINION

Harmony

Competition and coincidence between two Asian symphonies… Seattle Symphony Orchestra

Simon Wood, SSO President, Chiaki Endo, Leslie Chihuly, Naomi Minegishi

Zhao Cong, pipa soloist

Mayor Ed Murray and sponsors receive plaques

Photos by Evelyn Hou

Photos by George Liu/NWAW

Yugo Kanno, composer, at the Japan Consul General’s reception

Shenzhen Symphony

How different were the two?

If you asked guests who attended both programs, no one would be willing to speak on the record as many are friends with both groups of organizers. “They are different,” some would say. Still, there were signs of competitiveness. Both sides invited Seattle Mayor Ed Murray to speak before the program. Both had several event sponsors. Both programs shared similar program designs. Both held receptions for sponsors and guests. One concert focused on Chinese music, while the other one focused on music from China, Japan, and India. Both programs took an immense amount of investment. The Shenzhen Symphony

Not that different

Despite what some folks said, I think the Shenzhen and CA of Seattle Symphony program were actually similar. Both the CA and Shenzhen symphonies are all about showcasing talents who are well-known in their native lands, but literally unknowns outside their country. A case in point is

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

Shenzhen pianist, Yin chengzong. He is a prominent musician in China and everyone from China respects him. But it’s the first time I heard of him. And Zhao Cong, the pipa virtuoso, is one of the most popular pipa soloist of the China national Tradition Orchestra. Her performance was so amazing that it enhanced my appreciation about pipa. I wasn’t a pipa fan before.

Another example is CA’s 37-year-old Yugo Kanno, who produces about 300 songs a year for movies, network shows, commercials and games. But I have never heard of him. He wrote Revive, a symphony to honor Japan’s effort to build after its tsunami especially for the SSO and Japan {see BLOG cont’d on page 14}

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delegation has 100 members including 80 musicians and family members. The piano rental fee was $10,000. Just the airfare and hotel accommodation would carry a hefty price tag. And consider—there were also 74 musicians for the CA performance. There were no voluntary musicians at CA. The Shenzhen, which ran three and a half hours, focused on popular traditional and modern Chinese music, including the Yellow River Piano Concerto and Butterfly Lovers. Although fatigue was natural for the musicians and the audience too, as the concert was held on a weekday, the music nonetheless, were familiar pieces for a Chinese audience. There was comfort, familiarity, and enjoyment not trying to understand meaning or what would be next. CA performed a much shorter and demanding program on Sunday, lasting barely two hours, highlighting Yugo Kanno’s Revive (Tohoku Tsunami Disaster Relief, with three parts, Sunrise, Pray and Future); A.R. Rahman’s Slumdog Millionaire; and Tan Dun’s selections from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I couldn’t say enough about Tan Dun, the author orchestrating the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon soundtrack. He is brilliant. While I listened, I correlated the music with the movie I remember--its drama, sword and fist fights, traps set up by the kung fu characters--those memories just came alive.. Conducted by Carolyn Kuan, the inaugural conductor for CA, many in the audience were happy to have her back. Kuan’s presence instantly inspired confidence in the crowd. SSO only had two rehearsals with Kuan and yet everything flowed so beautifully and magically together. It was so much better than last year. The music was carefully selected this year.

Yin Chengzung

Chen Chuan Song, Jindong Cai, Austin Huang, Zhao Cong

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When the Seattle Symphony Orchestra (SSO) was planning to perform in China and South Korea in 2016 last year, it didn’t know that a Chinese symphony orchestra, hosted by Dr. Austin Huang, had already booked a concert in its own backyard in Benaroya Hall, here in Seattle on Feb. 25. Not only that, it would have to compete with its own 7th Celebrate Asia (CA) program on March 1 for audience. Every year, the CA program features music from different Asian countries. A Bellingham engineer and a self-taught music composer, Huang, who brought the Shenzhen Symphony to Seattle, had no idea his show would be so close to the CA’s program. Shenzhen Symphony requested the date and he simply did what it was told. Benaroya Hall was open that day. So it was booked. The Shenzhen Symphony was also booked to perform in San Francisco and San Diego afterwards. Apparently, Benaroya Hall management didn’t communicate with SSO even though SSO is its resident. But Simon Woods, SSO’s president said, even if they knew, there was not much they could do. So within five days, over 3,000 attendants enjoyed fabulous Chinese and exquisite Asian concerts, all at Benaroya. It’s a decent record. Both parties achieved their goal. Lovely music for all parties.

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Ye Yanchen interviewed by Carolyn Kuan

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

OPINION

■ editorial

Questionable origin?

Recently there was a neighborhood posting on Nextdoor. com about the homeless population downtown, in both the International District and in Pioneer Square. There was a discussion of people of “questionable origin.” The original post was titled “Homeless and Vagrant population” and in part read: “In the actual Occidental Park, there was yet another well-meaning church handing out food to those who congregated in the area, and there were still more people of questionable origin pouring into the park to

{PHAM cont’d from page 1} spokesman, said Texas Health Resources is optimistic that the matter can be resolved. He would not address allegations in the lawsuit about statements a hospital official made to Congress. The lawsuit describes a chaotic situation at the hospital, where nurses scrambled to decide what kind of personal protective equipment to wear “without any formal guidance or training” from their supervisors. The lawsuit says Texas Health Resources “wholly failed to ensure that appropriate policies, procedures, and equipment were in place.” Clear drop cloths were taped to the ceiling and walls of the hallway to create a makeshift containment facility, nurses had to dispose of hazardous waste — a job they weren’t trained for — and hazardous material placed in the room next to Duncan’s was allowed to pile up, the lawsuit alleges.

get food or just hang around. There were also two bike cops just hanging out as well, but left the area within minutes of me coming into the park. As I drive around, I see numerous tents set up in any available grassy area. So, when the Mayor calls for more tent cities and I am almost accosted by homeless in my own neighborhood, I become quite jaded and skeptical of the whole situation.” Obviously a complaint, and one that received a lot of negative reaction. Complaints, complaints: some understood, and many that

On the first day Pham treated Duncan, when Ebola was suspected but not yet diagnosed, she wore a regular isolation gown, double gloves, a surgical mask with a plastic shield and double booties. She says her hair and neck were exposed and that she wasn’t given a change of clothes to wear home, so she went home in the scrubs she wore while treating Duncan. After his diagnosis, nurses put on hazmat suits with double gloves and added “chemo gloves” and taped them to the suit. They also added a personal respirator they covered with a gown. These decisions, the lawsuit said, were made without any guidance or training by supervisors. Pham says that after Duncan died, she was told that what she had worn was safe and that she had no risk of contracting Ebola. Confident in what hospital officials told her, she spent time with friends and family. Pham also accuses Dr. Daniel Varga, the

have obviously been expressed before. But what crosses the line? Specifying issues regarding to “questionable origin.” It also coincides with not grasping the idea that origin cannot be isolated: it should never be judged. There is much we can do. We can support the homeless population, recognize our “tent cities,” and pay respect to the marginalized in the community. And we should do that without questioning “origin.” 

chief clinical officer and a senior executive vice president for Texas Health Resources, of making “numerous patently false statements” in testimony he gave to a congressional subcommittee. She says he falsely claimed that the hospital was trained to manage Ebola and that he misrepresented the type of protective equipment that nurses wore while caring for Duncan. Varga testified that as the Ebola epidemic worsened over the summer, the hospital system began educating doctors, nurses and other staff on symptoms and risk factors. He said that included directing all hospitals to have a plan on how to care for patients with Ebola-like symptoms. A hospital statement from Oct. 1, 2014, the day after Duncan tested positive, stated it had “a robust infection control system and our staff is trained and prepared to take care of patients with a variety of infectious diseases,” including Ebola.

Pham’s allegations echo those of other nurses. Nurse Briana Aguirre told NBC’s “Today” show in the fall that when their infectious disease department was asked about protocol, the response was that they didn’t know and would get back to them. National Nurses United, the nation’s largest nurse’s union, said in the fall that staff treated Duncan for days without the correct protective gear, that hazardous waste piled up and that protocols constantly changed. In her lawsuit, Pham says she is worried about her long-term health and that she doubts she’ll ever return to being a critical care nurse again because of the stress and anxiety of the trauma she experienced and the “fear and stigma” that follow her. Vinson’s attorney, Steve Malouf, said he had no comment on whether or not Vinson also planned to sue the hospital system. 

Thank you for recycling this newspaper! KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID ADVERTISEMENT Project: Construction of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Facility at King County International Airport - Rebid, C00971C15 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30PM, April 2, 2015 Location Due: King County Procurement and Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: Base Bid $4,467,638, Alternate 1 = $20,762, Alternate 2 = $23,472, Alternate 3 = $72,755, Alternate 4 = $31,466 Scope of Work: The project involves the demolition and construction of a new Airport Rescue and Firefighting Facility at King County International Airport at Boeing Field. Work site: 8190 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle WA 98108. Contact Information: Gib Myers, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9323, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or gib.myers@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County. Pre-Bid Conference: March 16, 2015 at 9:00AM, Room 201, Terminal Building, 7277 Perimeter Rd. S. Seattle, WA, 98108-0245. Subcontracting Opportunities: Roofing, Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Fire Protection Apprenticeship Requirements: 15% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement. SBE Requirement: 15% minimum Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Requirement. DBE Goal: The County has determined that no DBE goal will be established for this Contract. However, the County will require that the selected

Contractor report any actual DBE participation on this Contract to enable the County to accurately monitor DBE program compliance. Please see §00120 for further information. Applicable Federal Provisions: Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, Federal Labor Provisions and Davis Bacon (Federal) Wage Rates Permits: King County has applied for, but as of the date of advertisement, has not received the King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review - Building Permit. If this permit is received during the bidding period, it will be issued by Addendum. If the County has not received the King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review - Building Permit by the bid opening date, the County will evaluate whether to extend the bid opening, cancel the procurement or open bids. Award and execution of this Contract is conditional upon the County receiving the King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review - Building Permit. Federal Funding: This contract is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and is subject to the requirements set forth in Grant 3-53-0058-051-2014 and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The federal participation is estimated at 90% of the total contract value. In accordance with the requirements of the Grant and with USDOT’s policy on the utilization of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals

and disadvantaged business enterprises in procurement under assistance programs, the Contractor shall comply with 49 CFR PART 26. Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-3821177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/ procurement/solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711. Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

■ health

Battling kidney disease

By Cynthia Flash Northwest Asian Weekly

Lincoln Louie grew up surrounded by chronic kidney disease. The youngest of three children, he saw his brother Danny and sister Lily battle it. For Lincoln, who lives in the Beacon Hill home where he grew up, the sometimes lifethreatening disease was just a regular part of life. “To me it’s like normal, not anything out of the ordinary,” Lincoln said. “When I was a kid, since I knew at 12, I thought my kidneys would stop working completely and I would go on dialysis, probably get a transplant. Mentally, I thought it would happen one day. Mentally, I wasn’t scared. I was ready.” Lincoln and his siblings inherited kidney disease from their mother. They are among the 1 in 7 American adults who have the condition. Asian Americans are three to five times as likely as Caucasians to have the disease because they’re also more likely to have diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, which are common causes of kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease often gets worse over time. If it progresses to irreversible kidney failure, the person will die without regular dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant. However, kidney damage can be slowed down or stopped if people get diagnosed early and change their lifestyles to incorporate healthier habits. With March being National Kidney Month, Lincoln Louie and his family hope that they can educate others about kidney disease and persuade them to talk to their doctors about it. “Life, as you probably know, has its struggles. And, as I say to everyone, every person has his

{IMMIGRATION LAW cont’d from page 3} Adam can receive protection. It is currently estimated that over 300,000 transnational adoptees currently live in the United States; approximately one-third of those are Korean American adoptees. It is unknown how many adult Asian American adoptees are currently living without finalized naturalization paperwork; however, Asian American advocacy groups working on the broader issue of immigration reform note that over 1.3 million Asian Americans are undocumented in this country. In 2013, the CCA amendment was applied to the Senate’s broad immigration bill and received overwhelming support from both the House and Senate. But, because the larger immigration bill failed to pass, the proposed CCA amendment is now an “orphan” amendment that has languished on the

or her own story to tell,” said Lincoln’s wife, Ann Marie Louie. “We can all find something from those stories that helps us.” By the time Lincoln’s siblings were in their 20s, both were going to a Northwest Kidney Centers dialysis clinic at least three times a week to spend a half day getting their bodies flushed of waste. Dialysis treatments use a machine to remove body waste and extra fluid when the kidneys can no longer do that job. Eventually Danny and Lily received kidney transplants, as did Danny’s son Dustin. Danny, who lives on Mercer Island, and Dustin, who lives in California, are living well with their transplants. Lily died in 2006 from complications of kidney disease. When Lincoln first was tested for kidney disease at age 12, doctors checked a blood sample and found high levels of creatinine, a waste product normally removed in urine. In blood, it can be an indicator of kidney disease. Other warning signs are high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Lincoln’s doctors decided to monitor him. When he was 19, with creatinine levels still rising, Lincoln’s parents found a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine who prescribed an herbal tea that Lincoln drank every day. It tasted bad, but Lincoln’s kidney disease stayed in check for more than 20 years. Around age 40, Lincoln’s health was declining and he joined the national kidney transplant waitlist. On Oct. 5, 2012, at age 43, he received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Meanwhile, Lincoln and Ann Marie had another family member to worry about. Their son, Alan, was born prematurely with small kidneys. Eventually Alan’s kidneys also deteriorated and stopped

working. He received a transplant Oct. 31, 2013, about a year after his father. Wanting another child but knowing their family’s history, Lincoln and Ann Marie decided to adopt their daughter, Ana-Christine, who came to them from China. The Louie family wants the community to know about kidney disease. Ann Marie volunteers for Northwest Kidney Centers, the family has participated in a walk to raise money for polycystic kidney disease, and they attend health fairs to help educate others. Despite living with a chronic health condition, Lincoln and Ann Marie don’t let kidney disease define them or their children. “Even the day of transplant he didn’t have any fear in him,” added Lincoln. Ann Marie said that she has learned to speak up and not to be embarrassed by the disease. “The one thing about the Asian community is they’re not very vocal. Depression can be a huge part of dealing with things like this. You don’t want to share. But if you do, it’s healthier.” 

Hill without a new legislative sponsor. Vollmers writes: Honestly, it’s a travesty that we’re still having a conversation about adoptee citizenship and deportation. It’s an injustice that should have been addressed decades ago. Individuals like Adam were brought into the US by their adoptive parents. They were promised a better life here. However, because adoptive parents forgot to finalize naturalization paperwork, people like Adam are at the risk of being deported, can’t get their drivers license, open bank accounts, etc. Adoptees have been deported back to countries for misdemeanor crimes, back to countries where they don’t know the language or have any support systems available to them. It’s not just the adoptive parents who are at fault here, though. It’s the adoption agencies and the adoption lobby in

DC who bear responsibility for turning a blind eye all of these years. And the adoption system itself bears responsibility for allowing this injustice to happen to the very individuals it supposedly helps. Adam faces an April 2nd deportation hearing that will determine whether or not he will be able to stay in the only country he has ever known. Poignantly, a commenter identifying as Adam writes in a comment to a blog post about transnational adoption: “all i know is american way of life.” When did an American way of life come to mean deportation for survivors of childhood abuse like Adam, or survivors of domestic abuse like Nan-Hui Jo? 

Northwest Kidney Centers’ website offers information about kidney disease, diagnosis, treatment, classes and recipes for easy and delicious dishes. Visit www.nwkidney. org. Cynthia Flash owns Flash Media Services. Northwest Kidney Centers is the chosen provider of dialysis for 80 percent of the people in King County who need the treatment.

Jenn Fang writes about issues affecting Asian Americans. Visit her website Reappropriate.co. (not com)

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

For the week of March 7–March 13, 2015 By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — You are practical, almost to a fault. There is more consider in the equation than what you see at first glance.

Dragon — Be careful about jumping too fast for the other side – for you may be trading one problem for another.

Monkey — Whether or not you have anything to contribute, you will learn something by just showing up to the meeting.

Ox — While a little skepticism is healthy, too much of it could cause you to suspect conspiracies where there are none.

Snake — There are times when even the steadiest amongst us can stumble. The best thing to do is just brush those incidents off and keep going.

Rooster — A stressful situation at work has been taking its toll on you lately. Thankfully, resolution is just around the corner.

Tiger — It is no secret that you have no reservations about speaking your mind; however, there are some things that are better left unspoken.

Horse — The shortest obstacle is the easiest, clear and first. Use what you have learned from that endeavor to tackle the next highest peak.

Dog — Though you have many champions in your corner, none of it will matter unless you believe in yourself.

Rabbit — Make the best of a less than desirable set of circumstances. The tide of good fortune will be turning in your favor soon.

Goat — If you have the means to pick yourself up when you are down, then consider yourself quite lucky indeed.

Pig — As your involvement deepens, the harder it will be to extricate yourself. You must decide at the beginning whether this is a worthwhile venture.

What’s your animal sign? Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

{TAKEI cont’d from page 4} said. In a 2009 interview with The Associated Press, Nimoy recalled how an early stage role left him “obsessed” with pursuing work that had a social impact. “I’ve fulfilled that dream, including `Star Trek,’ for that matter,” he said. “If that’s part of the legacy, then I’m very pleased with that. I would hope the work I chose to do had some reason for being done other than just simply being a job.” After “Star Trek” ended, the actor immediately joined the hit adventure series “Mission Impossible” as Paris, the mission team’s master of disguises. He also hosted the syndicated TV series “In Search of ... ,” which attempted to probe such mysteries as the legend of the Loch Ness Monster. Other notable roles included Israeli leader Golda Meir’s husband opposite Ingrid Bergman in the TV drama “A Woman Called Golda; he continued to work well into his twilight years, playing wealthy genius William Bell in the Fox series “Fringe.” He also directed several films, including the hit comedy “Three Men and a Baby,” and appeared in plays and published books of poems, children’s stories and his own photographs. But that work was always eclipsed by the role of the greenblooded space traveler that took him overnight from bit-part actor to TV star. “Star Trek,” created by Gene Roddenberry and set in the 23rd century, had an unimpressive debut on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966, and it struggled during its three seasons to find an audience beyond youngsters and teenagers, according to “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable

Shows” by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh. A recently published history of the show, the three-volume “These Are the Voyages” by Marc Kushman, paints a different, far more positive picture of the show’s ratings and its audience. The space adventure seemed headed for oblivion after it was canceled in 1969, but its dedicated legion of fans, who called themselves Trekkies, kept its memory alive with conventions and clubs and constant demands that the cast be reassembled for a movie or another TV show. Trekkies were particularly fond of Spock, often greeting one another with the Vulcan salute and “Live long” motto that Nimoy was credited with bringing to the character. He pointed out, however, that the hand gesture was actually derived from one used by rabbis during Hebraic benedictions. People identified with Spock because they “recognize in themselves this wish that they could be logical and avoid the pain of anger and confrontation,” Nimoy concluded in a 1995 interview. When the cast was reassembled for “Star Trek — The Motion Picture,” in 1979, the film was a huge hit, and five sequels followed. Nimoy appeared in all of them and directed two. “I know where I’m going, and I know where I’ve been,” he said. He reprised the role in the 2013 sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness.” Born in Boston to Jewish immigrants from Izyaslav, in what is now Ukraine, Nimoy was raised in an Italian section of the city where he said he felt the sting of anti-Semitism growing up. At age 17, he was cast in a local production of Clifford

TAITUNG

Odets’ “Awake and Sing” as the son in a Jewish family. “This role, the young man surrounded by a hostile and repressive environment, so touched a responsive chord that I decided to make a career of acting,” he said later. He won a drama scholarship to Boston College but eventually dropped out, moved to California and took acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse. Soon he lost his “Boston dead-end” accent, hired an agent and began getting small TV and film roles. After service in the Army, Nimoy returned to Hollywood, working as taxi driver, vacuum cleaner salesman, movie theater usher and other jobs while looking for acting work. In 1954, he married Sandra Zober, whom he met at a Los Angeles theater in the Hollywood area, and they had two children, Julie and Adam. They divorced, and in 1988 he married Susan Bay, a film production executive. Last year, Nimoy used Twitter to announce he had pulmonary disease. He linked it to smoking, a habit he said he quit 30 years before. In January, he tweeted: “Don’t smoke. I did. Wish I never had.” Besides his wife, son and daughter, Nimoy is survived by his stepson, Aaron Bay Schuck. Services will be private, Adam Nimoy said.  AP Television writer Frazier Moore in New York and AP Aerospace writer Marcia Dunn in Cape Canaveral, Florida, contributed to this report. This story contains biographical material compiled by late AP Entertainment Writer Bob Thomas.

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asianweekly northwest

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

{BLOG cont’d from page 10}

Northwest Asian Weekly is always looking for Asian American community news. If you are the host or an attendee of an API fundraiser, e-mail us a big photo, event highlights, and the amount of money raised. We are also looking for news about APIs in new jobs and APIs getting public recognition and awards. Please send materials to info@nwasianweekly.com with “names in the news” as the subject line.

{SHAOLIN TEMPLE cont’d from page 5} The temple, built in the late fifth century and located in central China’s Henan province, has rapidly commercialized itself under Abbot Shi Yongxin over the past decade. Shi has defended it as a means to preserve the temple and its Buddhist cultures. Shi made a personal trip to Shoalhaven earlier this month to present a check of more than $3 million to finalize the land acquisition, and the gesture was seen as a

commitment to the project, according to a Feb. 23 public notice by the city council. The proposal was first filed with the state government in 2008, but the lengthy planning process has had Shaolin Temple considering walking away from the project, according to a report by Fairfax Regional Media. Shi, however, told local media that it was “destiny” that Shaolin would come to Australia. Calls to Shaolin Temple were unanswered Saturday. 

Philharmonic Orchestra. I was in awe of his first-ever concerto--full of suspense, emotions and color-the richness of East (with koto and shakuhachi) and West instruments intermingling to optimize their effects on the music. When Chiaki Endo played the koto and Dozen Fujiwara with shakuhachi at the end, I was so mesmerized that nothing could stop me from rising and joining others to give them a standing ovation. Thanks to Yoshi and Naomi Minegishi who supported an open score contest, this year’s winner is Ye Yanchen who wrote Xizi (World Premiere). Ye is only 22 years old. But the maturity is obvious. He took risks and created the most fun interludes during the performance. Both conductors were trained in the U.S. Shenzhen conductor Jindong Cai joined the Stanford faculty in 2004. Currently a professor at Stanford University, he was assistant conductor with the Cincinnati Symphony and has taught music at Louisiana State University and the University of California at Berkeley. Although Kuan was born in Taiwan, her parents were originally from Guangdong, China. She came to the U.S. for high school at the age of 14. Kuan is now music

{JUNEAU cont’d from page 4} dancers, including Assemblyman Jesse Kiehl, much to the surprise and delight of the locals in the room. Former FCI President Dante Reyes recognized former Juneau mayor Bruce Botelho and former Gov. Sean Parnell special counsel Randy Ruaro for their support of FCI while the organization was raising money for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The devastating natural disaster claimed the lives of at least 6,300 people in the Philippines.

director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Her conducting experience also includes directing for Butterfly Lovers Concerto. Both groups’ musicians were also diverse. The Shenzhen group hires musicians outside China, while SSO has several Asian performers in the orchestra. Both performances showcased some of the best talents in China, and CA has extended its sphere to include Japan with the koto (zither) and shakuhachi (flute-like) instruments. We Seattleites were lucky to see such superb concerts. The Shenzhen concert even attracted many Chinatown members to go, who have seldom displayed such interest for a concert before. Austin and Nina Huang were gutsy. Many would back down from bringing the Shenzhen group due to the amount of work and the expenses involved. For friends who know Huang, he would do anything for his love of music. The Huangs deserve a bow from the Chinese community. My suggestions are to have symphony concerts on different weekends. Make it two hours and not over. And an encore with Carolyn Kuan. We want her back! Don’t try to do everything, just give us something special. And they were both special. 

Ruaro was also responsible for facilitating a large donation of Alaska salmon to Typhoon Haiyan victims and getting the first-ever Alaska seafood booth into a Manila seafood festival in September, longtime FCI member Rafael Castaños said. Castaños said the Filipino community welcomes the Legislature each year because while they’re at the Capitol “the telephone is ringing and they have to meet with lots of people.” The reception is a good time to get their ears. “While they’re eating, the telephone is not ringing,” he said. 

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

{NGUYEN cont’d from page 9}

{LIEU cont’d from page 1}

Zooey Deschanel in a “Quoc Mock” design

NWAW: Did you always want to be in the fashion world? Did you know this would be your future career? What was the trigger to start you on your career? Quoc: Yes, I have always wanted to be in the fashion world. I loved fashion as a kid & once I reached high school that’s all I could think about. I watched “Style with Elsa Klensh” & Fashion TV religiously. When Jean Paul Gaultier came onto the scene at that time, he completely ignited my burning desire further. His creations was humorous, irreverent & sculptural - it was unlike anything I had seen. I was also taking lots of art classes in high school & my favorites were my sculpture classes & since fashion is essentially wearable sculptures, I found my calling. NWAW: What is the most rewarding aspect about your job? What are you the most proud of? What is the most annoying/disappointing aspect? Quoc: The product that I work on is the most rewarding part about my job. Seeing how much people love our clothes or even aspire to be like gives me a lot of pride. I worked for various brands in Dallas and was never proud to say I had a hand in developing the clothes. I remember when I first started working with UO I constantly saw the things I worked on used for the photo shoots of America’s Next Top Model. It’s also great when you see cool celebrities like Zooey Deschanel wearing our things. NWAW: Any favorite work-related anecdotes? Quoc: One of the things that always makes me laugh is when a number of us HATE a style and it ends up being a best-seller. Even more funny is when that said hated style gets reincarnated into a different style for several seasons.  Peggy Chapman can nwasianweekly.com.

reached

editor@

Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly? We want to know about it. Send it to us at newstips@nwasianweekly.com. {PHAM cont’d from page 1} records two people who know each other well, having a conversation. The idea for the First Days Story Project emerged during the production and promotion of the documentary film, Last Days in Vietnam, directed by Rory Kennedy and produced by PBS and WGBH American Experience. Although the film garnered an Academy Award nomination for best documentary, the American Experienceteam faced a dilemma—if they wanted to preserve the memories of Vietnamese refugees and Vietnam War veterans, they were running out of time. “After the film we were approached by two groups of people, one was people who were unfamiliar with the story of the evacuation…as well as young Vietnamese-Americans…talking about this for the first time with their families,” says Sara Giustini, who worked as a project coordinator on Last Days in Vietnam as well as First Days Story Project. “We are talking about a generation that won’t be with us too much longer. So, American Experiencesaw it as a call-to-action. How can we collect and preserve these stories for future generations,” says Giustini. “The natural partner for the project was StoryCorps, which has a proven track record in collecting amazing oral histories, as well as preserving them at The National Archive.” “My family came to the United States in the 1990s,” says Ngoc-Tran Vu, who also worked as a project coordinator alongside Giustini on the documentary film Last Days in Vietnam, as well as the First Days Story Project. “My dad was a South Vietnamese veteran who was in an internment camps for eight years.” Vu is quick to support the film, “It is a 98-minute documentary that highlights the 48-hours of the

communicate science,” she said. Lieu, is a 24-year old graduate student in the U.K. playing an active role in her field. Currently, she is an applicant for the Mars One mission, a project that is planning to gradually colonize Mars starting in 2018 with four chosen astronauts. After this, more and more astronauts will be selected to travel to the new Martian colony. “It has always been my dream to explore space and advance space science. So being given the opportunity to be one of the first people to land on that space rock would be just a dream come true,” she said. “I did my undergrad in astronomy, space science, and astrophysics, so I’ve got the educational background to know what to expect when I get on Mars. It’s going to be a long, long ride,” she said. Recently The Huffington Post featured Lieu’s bid to go to Mars. According to journalist David Moye, “If all goes according to plan for Mars One, unmanned vehicles are scheduled to shoot off to the planet starting in 2018. In 2024, the first four humans will be sent, with four more every two

{EBOLA cont’d from page 6} from China, but an increasing number of tourists are coming from the West as well. “They have confirmed to me that the borders are now open and everything is back to normal,” Andrea Lee, New Jersey-based Uri Tours’ CEO, said in an email. “As we need about two weeks to process visas, we’re planning to start tours again from the middle of March.” But the lifting of the restrictions appears to come too late for one of the year’s biggest tourist events. Officials have already announced that foreigners will

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2015

years after that. Lieu will spend nearly a decade learning a wide array of new skills including medicine, agriculture, plumbing and electronics if she makes it to Mars.” Lieu knows that having a child would be an important aspect of settling in and populating Mars. “To start a colony we would have to have children on Mars, eventually it would happen,” she said, according to the Mirror. “It would be challenging, nobody has done any research on giving birth in a low-gravity environment. I think it would be a funny thing because the first child born on Mars would be the first Martian!” she said. “I really want to go to Mars because it’s a huge opportunity to explore new worlds that no one has ever been before, only rovers, and they malfunction all the time,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed communicating science because in my mind I’ve been thinking I’m inspiring a future Einstein or future Newton or Galileo, who knows?” she said.  Minal Singh can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

not be able to participate in the Pyongyang marathon next month, although they might have time to reverse that decision. The marathon was opened to foreign recreational runners for the first time last year and was a big success. Travel agents said they expected hundreds of runners from abroad to join this year, but had to cancel their bookings at the last minute. Uri Tours said it is waiting for more information to see what the lifting of the ban means for the marathon. North Korea has also indicated that it will not hold its popular Arirang mass games extravaganza this year. The mass games are another big tourist attraction. 

{LIANG cont’d from page 1}

against Asian minority Officer Peter Liang!” 

charges, which included manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, and two counts of official misconduct. There is currently a petition demanding “Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson to withdraw indictment

For more information, visit https://petitions.whitehouse. gov/petition/demand-brooklyn-district-attorney-kennethp-thompson-withdraw-indictment-against-asian-minority/ G26sxfMP.

Fall of Saigon and the evacuations, so it is a very narrow window,” says Vu. “The film definitely leaves the viewer thinking about that and reflecting on the larger grand scheme of the human costs of war, but it is still told from a largely American perspective.” Vu adds. “There are so many people who have some amazing and powerful and painful experiences, so I think this film highlights that. That is why so many Vietnamese communities are behind it, and do support it. But, I think one thing that has come up is that we have to tell our stories, and get them out there so that people know and understand it.” “This will give voice and, I think, agency to people who lived through so many powerful experiences to tell their own stories and to share them with each other and to have more dialogs,” says Vu. “In every city there has been a waiting list, some really long ones…but it just goes to show that there are so many stories out there. And, the few that get highlighted in documentaries and books, who gets to tell them and who gets the agency to share them is the essential question.” “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Vu. “There are so many oral history projects out there for stories of immigrant refugees from war-torn countries.” Vu adds, “In highlighting the story of why certain conflicts happen; I think even seeing the type of conflicts that our country is currently in…I think the film alludes to the fact that what happens during the last days of war… Whose responsibility is it? How do we end the conflict of war responsibly? What is our responsibility to the people that are in it?” The First Days Project will eventually find a home in the U.S. Library of Congress and on The Internet. “We are creating a multimedia website that allows people to listen to fulllength uninterrupted interviews, as well as approximately

20 edited interviews of the StoryCorps or [NPR] “Morning Edition” length,” says Giustini. The video documentary, Last Days in Vietnam, produced and directed by Rory Kennedy, premieres on American Experienceon April 28, 2015 on KCTS 9 Public Television. “People have been so generous with us, from the Vietnamese-American community and the veteran community,” says Giustini. “A lot of people are very brave in deciding to come and tell their story to us, but I think that a lot of people feel that it is time—that while the telling of the story can be painful, it can also be healing. We hear that word a lot when we are working on this project, whether it is screening Last Days in Vietnam, or we are recording an oral history, I think people feel that this can be a healing process for them,” says Giustini. While it is tempting to view The Fall of Saigon as the end of the Vietnam War story, for roughly 125,000 refugees who evacuated Vietnam it was just the beginning. Son Michael Pham traveled by container ship to the U.S. Naval Base in Subic Bay, where he was transferred to Clark Air Base, then to Guam, and eventually held in a refugee camp in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. In order to leave the camp, he had to get a sponsor, which was eventually provided by Catholic Charities. Once Pham was out, he moved to Chicago. “It slowly hit me. When we first saw snow, it was in 1975. It looked like in the movies. It wasn’t that cold. January 1976 was the first time I really experienced a minus-something-degree wind chill. But, one thing about Vietnamese people is we adapt very well.”  Laura Ohata can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

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