VOL 36 NO 13 | MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

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VOL 36 NO 13

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

FREE 35 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Man arrested for trying GAIL NOMURA to smuggle Chinese A scholar and activist nationals inside car trunk

By Jenn Doane NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested a 24-year-old man with U.S. citizenship after they discovered four Chinese immigrants stuffed in the trunk of his car.

“Concealing persons in vehicles is dangerous and

COMMUNITY » 2

could have severe consequences,” said Pete Flores, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego, in a March 16 news release.

The suspect entered the San Ysidro border crossing driving a 2014 Chrysler 200 on March 14.

While his car was at the booth for inspection, a dog see IMMIGRANTS on 15

COOK LIKE AN ASIAN GRANDMA

A WIN FOR DIVERSITY IN FILM

A new book with simple vegetarian recipes you can create in any kitchen. » see 8

The new Power Rangers movie, with an Asian male sex symbol! » see 9

CALENDAR » 6

SUDOKU » 6

ASTROLOGY » 13

Gail Nomura is more than a pioneer in her field of study and an accomplished professor — she is an advocate for what is right.

Earning her Ph.D. in History from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1978, Nomura spent a number of years teaching at Washington State University and University of Michigan, where she also served as the director of their respective Asian/Pacific American Studies Programs.

Nomura went on to serve 18 years as a professor in the Department of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington (UW), teaching courses examining subjects such as Asian American Oral Histories, Asian American and Pacific Islander Women, and Asian Americans in the Pacific Northwest.

When asked about her

Gail Nomura

inspiration for becoming a historian (with a particular focus on American Ethnic and Women’s Studies), Nomura expressed her interest in learning about the history of people, places, events, and movements from a young age, pointing out the mostly male and Eurocentric history that was see NOMURA on 15

Amidst chaos and opposition: a new charter school option in Rainier Valley

After making racist remarks about Mexicans, two fire commissioners face angry public

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

■

see RACIST REMARKS on 11

Walter Chen with his wife Huoy Chen and daughter, Eleanor.

Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

“I feel very scared when people who are supposed to protect our community are thinking like — discriminat[ing thoughts],” said Jaime Rivera at a March 21 fire district meeting in Everett. “And all people say political stuff, and nobody says anything about discrimination — discrimination against Mexicans. I don’t understand that. I feel scared for me, my family.”

“Before, when people laughed to me, I thought to myself, they laugh because they like me,” added Rivera. “Now I can tell — they laugh at me because they make fun of me. I can see a lot of people here laughing. I’m not sure why they are laughing. …

My concern is when they laugh and they use the word Mexico.”

On Tuesday night, two fire commissioners from Snohomish County Fire District 1 — David Chan,

Erin Stewart, a Snohomish County resident who describes herself as an ally of the Latino community, angrily called on Commissioners Chan and Meador to step down from their posts on March 21.

By Arlene Dennistoun NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Seattle’s first Green Dot Public School is set to open to sixth graders in Rainier Valley this fall, with Walter Chen at its helm as founding principal. “We believe in making sure every child, no matter what community or zip code they’re from, has access to really amazing schools with great teachers,” said Chen.

Charter schools’ legal standing

Initiative 1240, passed by voters in a tight race (51 to 49 percent) paved the way for state charter schools in 2012. By 2015, about 1,200 students attended charter schools throughout the state.

But in November of the same year, the Washington Supreme Court held the charter school law unconstitutional. see CHEN on 12

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35 YEARS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS The late Edward Chow, Jr., the son of Seattle civic activist and Chinese community pioneer Ruby Chow, was inurned on the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery on March 21, according to his family.

Chow died at his home from pancreatic cancer on July 22, 2016.

His career in public service Edward Chow, Jr. began in the U.S. Army, where he received a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam. After leaving the military, he served as a governmental appointee in Washington state, the federal government, and the state of Maryland, where he served as Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the State of Maryland. Chow was a tireless advocate for veterans, diversity in all levels of public service, and all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. ■

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Din Tai Fung opened at first downtown Seattle location

Tai Fung’s Pacific Place opening is the restaurant’s first downtown Seattle location.

Founded in 1958 in Taiwan, Din Tai Fung is one of Taiwan’s most celebrated restaurants and is famous for its delicately steamed dumplings. The restaurant currently operates more than 100 locations worldwide.

“We are so thankful for the overwhelming support we’ve received since we opened our first store in Bellevue six years ago,” said David Wasielewski, Managing Partner of Din Tai Fung. “We believe this downtown Seattle destination … will be a great market for us and we look forward to servicing the local clientele, as well as the area’s out of town visitors.” ■

Yang seeks to become the first Hmong woman judge in U.S.

Kashoua “Kristy” Yang, an attorney in Wisconsin, is currently campaigning to be a Milwaukee County circuit court judge ahead of the April 4 election.

If elected, Yang would become the first female Hmong judge in the country and only the second judge of Hmong descent after Judge Paul Lo in Kashoua “Kristy” Yang Merced County, Calif.

“I went to law school with the intention of helping people and then I realized the role I needed to be in is that of a judge,” said Yang, who grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand after the Vietnam War. Yang obtained her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. ■

Nelson Yong on NBC’s First Dates Interior of the new Din Tai Fung at Pacific Place in downtown Seattle.

Pacific Place held a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 9 to celebrate the opening of its newest restaurant, Din Tai Fung. With only six restaurants in the United States, Din

Kirkland resident Nelson Young will be featured in an upcoming episode of First Dates on NBC. The series premiere is on April 7.

Yong posted on social media, “You’ll basically get to see me on a real blind date!”

The Chinese American digital brand strategist is a board member of the Seattle Chinatown Development Council (SCIDpda) and he has held former board positions

for the Asian Hall of Fame and the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce.

Yong described his ideal future Mrs. Yong as strong, confident, and beautiful. “She’s somewhere out there,” he said. ■

Nelson Yong

35th anniversary planning committee meeting

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Edward Chow, Jr. inurned at Arlington

Back row (from left): Stacy Nguyen, Ador Pereda Yano, Bonnie Miller, Ken Colling, John Liu, Assunta Ng, and John Chen. Front row (from left): Gary Tang, Marci Nakano, Charlene Grinolds, Sherwin Tsao, and Steve Crane.

The planning committee for the Northwest Asian Weekly’s 35th anniversary celebration met on March 10.

Part of the celebration includes a gala dinner planned on Oct. 21 at China Harbor restaurant — and a campaign to raise $200,000 for two University of Washington scholarship endowments, for undergraduate students in the Communication and Education departments. Planning committee members include Ken Colling, Bonnie Miller, Gary Tang, Sherwin Tsao, Marci Nakano, Charlene Grinolds, Ador Pereda Yano, Steve Crane, Stacy Nguyen, and John Liu. For tickets, please email rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com or call 206-223-0623. ■

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

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Customs agents seize LCD TVs from China at Port of Tacoma TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say there’s been an upswing in seizures at the Port of Tacoma of merchandise that violates U.S trade laws.

KOMO-TV reports that last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized an ocean cargo container of 2,100 LCD televisions from China with counterfeit trademarks and four containers of ceiling fans with improper safety labels.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says in February, 120 pieces of furniture with a retail value of $720,000 were found

Oriental Garden Center closing

to be in violation of trademark laws.

A shipment of 950 microphones and cables was also seized because the merchandise was labeled as being made and manufactured in the U.S.A., but the boxes they came in said made in China.

Border protection Assistant Area Port Director Jim Sullivan says most of the containers searched involve companies that operate legally. ■

Signature-gathering starts for Seattle homeless levy SEATTLE (AP) — Backers of a proposed $275 million property-tax levy to fund efforts to curb homelessness in Seattle have begun collecting signatures.

The Seattle Times reports the Yes on I-126 campaign began gathering signatures on March 17.

Venture capitalist Nick Hanauer brought the idea for the ballot initiative to Mayor Ed Murray.

The campaign will use volunteers and paid staff to gather the 30,000 signatures needed to qualify for the Aug. 1 Seattle

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Oriental Garden Center of Federal Way, Wash. will be closing its store and garden center for good, according to a March 20 news release.

Owners Dave Asahara and Joan Bloedel will retire upon selling their business after nearly six decades.

Founded in 1960, Oriental Garden Center sells a broad line of power equipment,

tools, plants, gardening supplies, and general home improvement products.

Asahara said, “We feel privileged to have served Federal Way and the surrounding communities for over 57 years. On behalf of my family, I want to thank all of our loyal customers and friends for their support and patronage.”

Oriental Garden Center is promoting a “Going Out of Business Sale” to liquidate all its inventory, along with its furniture, fixtures, and equipment. ■

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01141C17, WASTEWATER CORROSION REPAIRS 2017 WORK ORDER; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 11:00 AM on March 30, 2017. Late bids will not be accepted.

Brief Scope: Perform corrosion repairs in the Wastewater Treatment Division, East and West Sections, including industrial abrasive blasting; other surface preparation; application of coating systems and linings to metal and concrete structures; and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) repairs to wastewater odor control ducts and equipment on a work order basis.

Estimated contract price: $500,000 Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/ procurement_ovr/default.aspx

ballot. The deadline to turn in signatures to the city clerk’s office is April 5.

Announced by Murray in February, the proposed levy would raise $275 million over five years. The money would be used to pay for long-term and short-term rent subsidies, the expansion of local shelters and several other programs to provide mental-health and substance-abuse treatment for homeless people.

The new revenue would allow service see HOMELESS on 15

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MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

35 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Travel ban fight personal for Hawaii’s ‘scholarly gentleman’

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER ASSOCIATED PRESS HONOLULU (AP) — Growing up in Washington state, Douglas Chin says he was the stereotypical “smart Chinese kid that got straight As.” His parents taught him not to stick out too much and used to say “don’t poke the lion.”

So when Chin, now the Hawaii attorney general, was deciding on whether to challenge the Trump administration’s latest travel ban, he understood those who said that it wasn’t the state’s fight.

But the Stanford University-educated lawyer stepped into the spotlight, making Hawaii the first state to

challenge President Trump’s revised travel ban — and convince a federal judge to temporarily block it before it took effect.

His motivation was personal, he said.

Chin said he felt as if he was invisible during his time in an overwhelmingly white suburban Seattle high school, and Hawaii attorney wanted to fight for an invisible minority in general Douglas Chin Hawaii: Muslims.

“It really hits home with me,” he said.

“It worries me about this society and what’s happening.”

Before his appointment as attorney general, Chin, 50, was Honolulu’s managing director (who would serve

as acting mayor when the mayor was out of town) and a prosecutor. People who know and worked with him say he is nice, smart and a fast walker.

Some, however, criticized him for challenging the travel ban.

“Let’s allow the big states with more resources to fight this issue,” Republican state Rep. Gene Ward said in a statement. “My sense is that the people of Hawaii would rather see potholes fixed rather than trying to lead the nation against an executive order.”

Those who have worked with Chin say the reason he is see TRAVEL BAN on 14

Hate crime charge in hammer attack against woman

Craze for lobsters in China sends US exports soaring

By MICHAEL BALSAMO ASSOCIATED PRESS

By PATRICK WHITTLE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Korean national is facing a hate crime charge after he approached a woman in a Los Angeles shopping center, asked her if she was Korean and then repeatedly struck her in the head with a hammer, police said.

Jae Yang, 22, was charged with attempted murder as a hate crime in connection with the March 10 incident in the Koreatown neighborhood, Los Angeles police Capt.

David Kowalski said.

Police said the victim, a 24-year-old woman, had been standing alone in a shopping center when Yang approached and asked if she was Korean. When the woman told him that she was, they say he walked away but returned moments later wielding a hammer. Surveillance video shows a man holding the hammer in his

ROCKPORT, Maine (AP) — The expanding market for lobsters in China is continuing to grow, with the country setting a new record for the value of its imports of the crustaceans from the United States.

American lobster was almost unheard of in most of China until 2010, when the value of imports grew 250 percent to about $7.4 million. Last year, China imported more than $108 million in lobsters from America, surpassing the previous high of about $90.2 million in 2014.

“We’ve opened new markets in Asia, which is booming,” said Dave Cousens, president of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “Everything is clicking now.”

Chinese importers took in more than 14 million pounds of U.S. lobsters last year, which was also a record. The previous high

hand before coming up behind the woman and striking her repeatedly in the head, knocking her to the ground.

The man appears to continue hitting the victim while she’s lying on the ground until a security guard approaches and orders him to drop the hammer. The man, see HATE CRIME on 13

Dog deformed by Thai butcher is now thriving in NJ SEWELL, N.J. (AP) — A dog rescued from the dinner table but left with half a face in Thailand has found a new home in New Jersey and is thriving.

Karen Quigley and Michelle Weirich raised more than $11,000 through a fundraising website to adopt and care for the 2-year-old mixed breed dog, named Teresa. A man unsuccessfully tried to butcher the animal for food.

“Unfortunately in Thailand people do eat dog meat, and a person had a machete and he was trying to cut her head off,” Quigley said.

In Thailand, catching, selling and killing dogs for meat is not illegal, but exporting them without an official certificate is. Dog meat is not popular in Thailand but is

considered a delicacy in Vietnam.

Teresa was left without a nose and parts of her top jaw. The money paid for her travel and surgery to remove teeth and mend her tongue.

Teresa is doing well at Quigley’s home in Sewell. She does everything a normal dog would do, Quigley told WPVI-TV in Philadelphia.

“She can do everything and that’s what’s so remarkable about Teresa,” Quigley said.

“She’s so amazing because she’s really so happy. She wakes up happy. She loves to run in the yard.”

The animal’s Robbinsville surgeon, Dr. John Lewis, said the animal is doing well see DOG on 15

was about 13.1 million pounds the previous year.

Interest in American lobster has grown in other countries in Asia as well, such as South Korea, which grew from less than $5 million in 2010 to nearly $28 million last year. Vietnam’s imports grew from $142,940 to more than $31 million in that time.

One of the factors spurring the growth of lobsters in China appears to be the growth of the country’s middle class, said Stephanie Nadeau, owner of The Lobster Company, in Arundel, Maine, which is a key player in the export business. American lobsters tend to be less expensive in China than other live seafood, such as spiny lobsters and geoduck clams, she said.

“It’s kind of an affordable luxury,” Nadeau said. “One of my customers said see LOBSTER on 13

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

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China’s trading partners alarmed by food import controls “It could bring down food imports quite dramatically. It often seems it is more about protecting Chinese producers than about food safety.”

— Michael Clauss German ambassador

By JOE McDONALD and GILLIAN WONG THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — China’s trading partners are bringing the top U.N. food standards official to Beijing in a lastditch attempt to persuade regulators to scale back plans to require intensive inspections of food imports — including such low-risk items as wine and chocolate — that Washington and Europe say could disrupt billions of dollars in commerce.

The rule could inflame tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has promised to raise tariffs on imports from China, and the European Union.

Under the rule, due to take effect as early as October, each consignment of food would require a certificate from a foreign inspector confirming it meets Chinese quality standards. Other countries require such inspections only for meat, dairy and other perishable items.

That alarms suppliers that see China as a growing market for American fruit juice and snack foods, French wine, German chocolate, Italian pasta, and Australian orange juice. They complain Beijing already uses safety rules in ways that hamper access for beef and other goods in violation of its market-opening commitments.

“It could bring down food imports quite dramatically,” said the German ambassador to Beijing, Michael Clauss. “It often seems it is more about protecting Chinese producers than about food safety.”

The requirement would add “unnecessary regulatory complexity” at a time when Beijing has promised to reduce regulation, Jake Parker, vice president of China operations for the U.S.-China Business Council, said in an email.

Chinese regulators say closer scrutiny is needed as food imports increase. They say they are willing to consider suggestions about alternatives, but foreign officials say they have yet to make any changes.

China contends the inspections requirement is supported by the Codex Alimentarius, the “Food Code” of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The Codex sets quality standards but other nations say it recommends certificates only for risky products.

The president of the Codex council, Awilo Ochieng Pernet, a Swiss lawyer, will attend an April 6 seminar with Chinese officials in Beijing to explain its standards, according to that person, who asked not to be identified further. Participants plan to propose alternatives such as giving Beijing access to electronic records to track

sources of shipments.

Ambassadors from the United States and another government expressed concern in a letter in January to Wang Yang, a deputy premier who oversees farming and commerce.

Officials of the United States, the EU, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile and other governments sent a similar letter to the Chinese product quality agency, the General Administration for Quality Inspection, Supervision and Quarantine, known as AQSIQ. EU officials believe requiring health certificates for all products “is not scientifically justified,” the EU mission in Beijing said in a statement.

The rules would be a burden on foreign suppliers and “a waste of the precious control resources” that should focus on risky products, it said.

The rules follow an avalanche of scandals over Chinese suppliers caught selling tainted milk and other shoddy or counterfeit food products.

Western officials say the proposed food rules appear meant to shift responsibility away from AQSIQ, which Chinese consumers often blame for safety failures .

In a written statement, AQSIQ told The Associated Press it is talking with more than 30 exporting countries and regions including the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The agency said it welcomes suggestions of “alternative solutions.”

The measures are aimed at “promoting the international co-governance of food safety,” the agency said. It said that would improve regulators’ ability to trace imported food and block counterfeits.

“We have to assess the food management of areas abroad that export food to China to ensure the food safety of our country,” the minister in charge of AQSIQ, Zhi Shuping, said at a March 14 news conference.

Zhi did not refer directly to the inspection requirement but said his agency’s activities are “in line with international practice.”

TAITUNG

Beijing already is at odds with the U.S. and Europe over low-priced exports of steel and aluminum they say are hurting foreign competitors.

In the Trump administration’s first trade complaint, a group for American aluminum producers asked March 9 for higher import duties on Chinese-made aluminum foil to counter what it said were improper subsidies.

Clauss, the German ambassador, said the rules should be submitted for WTO review — a step that AQSIQ said in its written statement it will take.

“We don’t see that they really are trying to compromise on this so far,” said Clauss. “To our knowledge, this doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.” ■

“We have to assess the food management of areas abroad that export food to China to ensure the food safety of our country.”

— Zhi Shuping Minister in charge of AQSIQ

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MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR MARCH 22 GUEST CHEF LUNCHEON Keiro Northwest, 1601 E. Yesler Way, Seattle 12:30–2 p.m. $30/person RSVP by March 17 206-726-6501, lasami@keironw.org

23–26 SEATTLE-VIET WAKE UP TOUR 2017 Fort Flagsler State Park, 10541 Flagler Rd., Nordland, WA $95/person (lodging & meals included) vietwakeup.org

24 18TH ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET AND SILENT AUCTION, “ONE IN THE STRUGGLE: BUILDING UNITY ACROSS COMMUNITIES” Jerry Brockey Center, South Seattle College 5:30–8 p.m. $45-$75 RSVP to tinyurl.com/apalagala by March 18 gabbyid94@gmail.com

25 KUSAMONO LECTURE & DEMO Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S. 336th St., Federal Way 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.

Admission by donation pacificbonsaimuseum.org ACLF’S 6TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY BREAKFAST Blaine Memorial UMC, 3001 24th

Ave. S., Seattle 9 a.m.–12 p.m. communitybreakfast2017.eventbrite. com 2017 WHITE CENTER 5K WALK & RUN White Center Heights Park, 701 S.W. 102nd St., Seattle 8–11 a.m. whitecenter5k.brownpapertickets.com 3RD ANNUAL WOMEN’S HEALTH & HAPPINESS EVENT Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma 1–3 p.m.

Free admission PACIFIC BONSAI TOUR Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S. 336th St., Federal Way 10 a.m.–12 p.m. $10/members, $15/non-members

26 THE FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART ASSOCIATION PRESENTS CONFUCIUS, COMMUNISM, AND CHINA Skyline Retirement Community, 725 Ninth Ave., Seattle 2–4 p.m. $15/members, $20/non-members friendsofasianart.org NEW ADDITION TO HISTORIC HOTEL TOUR: APARTMENT 507 Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

27–29 UNDER THE SAKURA PHOTO FUNDRAISER The Quad at UW 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

35 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY

28 SEATTLE SBA TO CO-HOST BUSINESS CLASS IN CHINESE LANGUAGE, “GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS” Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 3–4:30 p.m. hinghaygrowbusiness.eventbrite.com

29 CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL HOSTED BY ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE The Quad at UW If it rains, the event will be held in the East Asia Library 2m Seminar Room 12:30–1:20 p.m.

30 GSCCC’S REAL ESTATE SEMINAR #9 Bellevue City Hall, Room 1E-113, 450 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue 7-9 p.m. $10/non-members, free to members

31 9TH ANNUAL TOMODACHI LUNCHEON FUNDRAISING EVENT Seattle Center, Fisher Pavilion 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. $75/person jcccw.org

APRIL 1

SEATTLE JAPANESE GARDEN 1075 Lake Washington Blvd., Seattle 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Free–$6 seattlejapanesegarden.org

Author and civil rights advocate Philip Choy dies

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Renowned Chinese American historian Philip P. Choy died at his San Francisco home on March 16, at age 90.

“I regarded Phil as a hero, and gained deeper admiration every time I heard or read about his Philip P. Choy advocacy,” said Bettie Luke.

During the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, Choy became president of the Chinese Historical Society of America and in 1969, he teamed up with the late Him Mark Lai to teach the first-ever Chinese American history course at San Francisco State University.

Choy had been invited to the centennial celebration of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1969, but was incensed by the lack of recognition to the Chinese laborers’ role in the project, and he challenged organizers to recognize them.

Luke told the Northwest Asian Weekly she met Choy and his wife in the 1970s, when she was just learning about Chinese American history and advocacy.

She said, “I was immediately impressed to see a Chinese community leader - older than me, be so forceful in speaking out for Chinese American recognition and justice.”

Choy received many honors, including a president’s medal from San Francisco State in 2005.

He also had a major role in the restoration of the Angel Island Immigration Center, and taught and lectured widely. His last book, “San Francisco’s Chinatown,” was published in 2012.

Choy had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. His wife, Sarah, died in 2015. He is survived by his daughter, two sons, and six grandchildren. ■

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YOUR VOICE

■ ON THE SHELF

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS Solving mysteries and rebuilding new worlds ... the magic of teamwork

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Elementary: Blood and Ink

By Adam Christopher Titan Books, 2016

Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson are back in this second installment of Adam Christopher’s novelization of CBS’s TV series “Elementary.”

This time, they are investigating the death of a CFO of a secretive hedge fund who had been stabbed through an eye with an expensive fountain pen. Holmes and Watson discover a link between the victim and a touring management guru with a lessthan-stellar past. While things may initially point to the charismatic guru, a closer look

reveals that someone could be framing him.

The question Holmes and Watson have to answer is, who?

As this is a Sherlock Holmes mystery, the story is filled with enough twists and turns to be worthy of the famed detective.

Readers will be trying to guess “whodunit” until the killer is revealed.

In this rendition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s popular deducing detective, Holmes has made his way across the pond and consults for the New York Police Department (NYPD) and Watson is a Chinese American surgeon-turned-sobercompanion-turned-detective. And just as in other versions — both on screen and on the page — one of the highlights of this story is the partnership between the two main characters.

But unlike other takes, the Holmes and Watson of “Elementary” are on more equal footing. The two work together and complement each other in their crime solving. This is one of the reasons why this is my favorite version of Doyle’s mystery-solving duo. Watson is seen as an equal and just as competent and capable as Holmes — sometimes discovering that one clue or piece of evidence to solve their case.

And for someone who has spent most of her years growing up seeing people who look like her relegated to secondary and often stereotypical roles, reading about a strong Asian American woman who can hold her own is refreshing — not to mention, empowering.

Wires and Nerve

By Marissa Meyer Feiwel & Friends, 2017 Just as life constantly moves forward in the real world, so does it in the fairy tale world — and it doesn’t always mean a happy ending.

And so it goes in Marissa Meyer’s first graphic novel, which takes place in the Lunar Chronicles universe. While our favorite ragtag bunch may have defeated the Lunar Queen Levana, there is still work to do to rebuild and strengthen the peace alliance between Earth and Luna (the moon). And everyone is doing their part, from Cinder finding her way as queen of Luna, to Kai, the emperor of New Beijing, working with other world leaders to convince them that not all Lunars are bad.

And then there’s Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold, who has volunteered to take down rogue packs of wolf-hybrid that were set loose on Earth during Levana’s reign. Initially working on her own, Iko soon finds herself teaming up with other members of the Rampion crew, as well as a certain royal Lunar guard who causes the android to question what she thinks she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity.

Throughout Meyer’s series, Iko has been one of my favorite characters. She may be nonhuman, but you would never know it. From her love of net dramas, to

her obsession with all things girly, Iko could easily be mistaken for a boy-crazy teenaged girl. But as frivolous as she can be at times, she is fiercely loyal and will do anything for her friends — showing readers that just because someone likes pretty dresses doesn’t mean they can’t kick butt as well.

In addition to the written story, “Wires and Nerve,” as a graphic novel, features illustrations that also tell Iko’s adventures, as she works to take down the wolf soldiers. It’s a new and different way to tell Meyer’s stories and I can’t wait to read more volumes in the graphic novel series.

Rush Jobs (Hobson & Choi Book 2)

By Nick Bryan Amazon Digital Services LLC, 2015 After solving the mystery of the wolfhound that was set loose to kill people, John Hobson, his detective agency, and his work experience student Angelina Choi have become local celebrities in London.

And now the unlikely pair — a middleaged technophobe and Internet-savvy, teenaged Korean adoptee — are in high demand. They’ve been tasked with finding a woman who has disappeared, which leads to taking on corporate crime, beating back gentrification, and saving a dog from drug dealers. Then there’s the violent backlash from their previous case and revelations from Hobson’s past that may threaten their still-budding partnership.

All this in just the second week of Angelina’s work experience, which is similar to a job shadow or internship.

In this second installment of Bryan’s Hobson & Choi series, we see the pair’s partnership grow, as they work together to solve the cases presented to them. And while Hobson may be the older of the pair — and occasionally act as a third parent to her — it is clear that he values Angelina and her contributions to his business. He gives her real responsibilities beyond just making coffee and other grunt work often relegated to work experience students and interns (although, there is some of that).

He doesn’t hesitate to defer to her for her thoughts and opinions as they work to solve the cases.

And Angelina, while still young, shows even more progress and potential as a budding detective — even as she tries to figure out if she wants to continue on this career path and how to persuade Hobson to keep her on after her work experience is done.

Through Angelina’s portrayal, Bryan shows young people have more to offer than they may realize. But he also reminds us that as independent as she is, Angelina is still a teenager, as demonstrated in the interactions she has with her mother — who would like nothing more than for Angelina to work in a shop or something equally ordinary. ■ Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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■ FOOD

35 YEARS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

Indonesian writer shares secrets of farm-to-table Asian cooking

STIR-FRIED CELLOPHANE NOODLES

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY While promoting her first cookbook, “The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens,” Patricia Tanumihardja met a lot of people at events who expressed difficulties finding Asian ingredients.

“Living in the Seattle metro area, with its larger Asian population, it was so easy to get Asian ingredients,” said Tanumihardja. “But if you live in a small town in the Midwest, it’s next to impossible to find some of the ingredients [listed in my previous cookbook].”

Tanumihardja had been putting in hours managing a farmer’s market in Pacific Grove, Calif. at that point. At the market every week, Tanumihardja discovered the sheer variety and tastes of local, seasonal produce — many vegetables she had never even seen before.

This is how the seed of her second cookbook, “Farm to Table Asian Secrets: Vegan & Vegetarian Full-Flavored Recipes for Every Season,” was planted.

“I wanted this [new] cookbook to be all vegetable focused,” said Tanumihardja. “A lot of vegetarian cookbooks that are Asian tend to have a lot of tofu [in the recipes].

I wanted to create a cookbook that is just vegetables-focused. With all of my recipes — the veggies are the stars.”

Family

Tanumihardja’s great-great-grandfather was a Chinese merchant who traveled to Indonesia to trade. Tanumihardja said see FOOD on 16

Pancit, the universal Filipino crowd-pleaser, is usually made with egg noodles or rice noodles. This version, pancit sotanghon, uses bean thread noodles, commonly known as cellophane noodles or glass noodles. Cellophane noodles sometimes end up being too bland or too chewy, but I’ve circumvented this by soaking the noodles in vegetable stock first to both soften them and amp up their flavor. Enlivened by the tang of lemons, this dish is sure to be a hit at your next potluck or party.

Prep time: 20 minutes + 20 minutes soaking time Cook time: 20 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients: • 4 cups (1 liter) low-sodium vegetable stock • One 8-oz (250-g) package cellophane noodles (bean thread noodles) • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 tablespoons minced garlic • 1 cup (150 g) sliced yellow onion • 2 cups (200 g) chopped broccoli (cut to a similar size as the other vegetables) • 4 cups (400 g) shredded cabbage • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided • 2 large carrots with their green tops, peeled and cut into matchsticks (remove tops and reserve) • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced • 2 stalks celery, chopped • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar • 3 green onions (scallions), cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces • ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving • Washed, chopped carrot tops for garnish • Chili paste such as sambal oelek Directions: 1. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil over high heat in a medium pot. Remove from the stove and add the cellophane noodles in batches, allowing the noodles to soften before adding more to the pot. Let the noodles soak until they are soft and the stock has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

2. Swirl the oil into a large wok or skillet and set over high heat until shimmering hot. Fry the garlic and onions until aromatic and the onions turn translucent, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli, followed by the cabbage and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Next, add the carrots, then the bell pepper, then the celery, stirring for about 30 seconds between each addition.

3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and sugar. Keep stirring and cooking until the vegetables are cooked to your liking, 3 to 4 minutes more.

4. Fluff the noodles to loosen the strands and toss them into the wok with the green onions. Stir to combine, then add the soy sauce and lemon juice and stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. When the noodles are heated through, dish onto a large serving platter. Garnish with the reserved carrot tops; serve with lemon wedges and chili paste in small dishes on the side.

YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

asianweekly northwest

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Tai chi class offers homeless population taste of stability

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Bernie Hart’s first piece of advice is “Don’t worry.” The second, “Don’t think.”

“Just follow,” he tells the 31 homeless people standing behind him.

And so Nancy Freeman did.

Rows back from Hart, a tai chi instructor, she focused only on mimicking his movements — pushing her palms above her head, stretching her sore muscles, sweeping her arms across her torso to release an invisible arrow.

When the 34-minute class ended, Freeman gathered her belongings: a clear ziplock bag holding a bar of soap, loose papers, a spiral notebook, and a couple of wilted flowers. The others who joined in the exercise also picked up their things — among them a tan sleeping bag and a pillowcase stuffed with clothes — and left.

The small group of homeless people will return again to the small space in the basement of the downtown library next week. They meet there each Monday, Wednes-

(Lennie Mahler/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

By COURTNEY TANNER THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Bernie Hart leads a group of homeless people in tai chi at the Salt Lake City Public Library.

day and Thursday to do tai chi at 9 a.m. as a stream of sunlight filters down from the windows upstairs.

The hope, Hart says, is that through the exercise, a slow-paced practice of balance and movement, these individuals will find stability in their lives. The activist started the informal program with his

wife, Marita, in September.

For their first attempt at holding the class, the couple walked around the library, encouraging members of the homeless community who sleep on the perimeter under tarps and near shopping carts to join them for tai chi. Just one person did.

“I’m not qualified to do this,” Hart recalled thinking at the time.

They continued though, and each week more folks joined in.

Now there are about 28 “regulars” who often bring friends with them from The Road Home and Salt Lake Mission shelters.

Fred Davis has been attending

the tai chi lessons for five months.

He arrives for the classes with a hug for Marita Hart and an update on his progress.

“It improves here,” he said, pointing to his forehead. “I have short-term memory loss.”

Davis was a dancer for some 35 years before he developed tremors that left him constantly shaking without medicine. He became homeless two years ago, bouncing between shelters and camping on the streets.

The tai chi, Davis says, gets his blood flowing and sharpens his focus.

“I need to keep moving as long as I can,” he says with a deep laugh that sends his salt-and-pepper beard shaking.

Freeman heard about the program from Davis, initially teasing him that it was “just for old people.” After trying it for the first time four months ago, she hasn’t missed a session.

And when the class is done, Freeman heads upstairs to fill out job applications on the library’s computers. see TAI CHI on 13

■ AT THE MOVIES

Superhero diversity

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

The new Power Rangers movie finally arrives in theaters this weekend and it features Ludi Lin (Black Ranger) — the first Asian superhero in a major film.

The Chinese-born Canadian is one of two Asian actors in the main cast. The mother of Naomi Scott (Pink Ranger) is of Gujarati Indian descent. Scott summed up the theme of the movie in a recent tweet: “Diversity only makes us stronger, so embrace it.”

The movie does indeed boast a diverse cast. Its heroes are a gay woman and an autistic man who speaks of “being on the spectrum.”

Of the five, only two are white. It shines a light on how poorly DC and Marvel are doing with featuring superheroes of Asian or Latino descent (they painted Zoe Saldana green!), openly LGBTQ superheroes, or superheroes with ASD or other disorders. Lin said he was a fan of Marvel movies, but it was hard to relate to the Iron Man character-types, and Power Rangers wanted to fix that problem.

The original American made

RJ Cyler (Blue Ranger), Naomi Scott (Pink Ranger), Ludi Lin (Black Ranger), Dacre Montgomery (Red Ranger), and Becky Gomez (Yellow Ranger)

Power Ranger television series from the 1990s had a diverse cast but failed to step away from obvious stereotypes. Their only Asian character played by the late Thuy Trang was the Yellow Ranger.

Their only Black character, played

by Walter Jones, was the Black Ranger. Jones’ character also became known for breaking out into a hip hop dances during fight sequences and speaking in “urban” vernacular.

In the new movie, Lin has been described as a sex symbol. “I feel

that Asian men in film have been really emasculated,” Lin told the Angry Asian Man blog. With recent criticism about the lack of diversity in Hollywood films and “whitewashing” controversies, Lin said “I’m hoping my work in this film can augment that wave [of Asian representation on screen] and push it forward, and give it more momentum.”

Lin shared how his personal life experience helped shape his see POWER RANGERS on 15

asianweekly northwest

10

35 YEARS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

■ EDITORIAL

OPINION

When will it stop?

You’ve heard by now that Seattle’s mayor wants to add a twocent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks — soda, energy and sports drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened teas, ready-to-drink coffee drinks like Starbucks bottled Frappuccinos, and many more.

Someone from a massive beverage corporation said in an email to the Northwest Asian Mayor Ed Murray Weekly, “This punitive tax will not make people thinner, only poorer.”

Not a surprising comment coming from a massive beverage corporation.

But it’s not about that. Or even the fact that while controlled experiments have shown that too much added sugar leads to obesity, the evidence is not as founded when it comes to sugary drinks causing diabetes or heart disease.

The money is meant for education and to eliminate the opportunity gap between white and Black students, and other historically underrepresented students of color, according to Ed Murray.

But it’s not about that either.

The point of this commentary is — it’s yet another tax.

When is it going to stop?

According to the Tax Foundation, Seattle’s sales-tax rate

is 9.6 percent, among the highest of any city in the nation.

Additionally, the city has passed seven higher taxes in the mayor’s first three years in office. And during the kickoff for his re-election bid last month, Murray announced the soda tax and a $275 million property tax to help deal with the homeless epidemic.

“I was kind of blown away. It’s his re-election year, and he’s running on ‘I’m going to raise your taxes again.

And again,’” said Eugene Wasserman of the North Seattle

Industrial Association, a group of old-line maritime businesses that has butted heads with the city on taxes in the past.

According to Murray, Seattle citizens want to be taxed more, not less! His comments came in during an interview in February on The Seattle Times’ politics podcast The Overcast. “What I hear is, ‘Why don’t you do that Eugene Wasserman again?’” Murray said, referring to the city’s special tax for Metro bus service. “On affordable housing, what I hear is, ‘Why didn’t you triple that?’”

If our voting history is any measure, Seattle seems happy to tax itself.

Voters last November turned out in full support of Sound Transit 3, a light rail-heavy plan that will cost taxpayers $54 billion through several tax hikes, including a significant increase in the cost of car tabs. Could it be possible that the ever-increasing taxes are pricing people out? City leaders talk about how much they care about middle-class families and working people — then make it harder on them to stay in Seattle.

When will it stop? ■

JOIN US FOR OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DINNER ON OCT. 21 AT CHINA HARBOR RESTAURANT. FOR MORE INFO, VISIT NWASIANWEEKLY.COM/35YEARS.

YOUR VOICE

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

asianweekly northwest

11

RACIST REMARKS from 1

Chan: Can we hire Mexican paramedics?

Meader: I don’t know.

Chan: It’s cheaper.

Meador: I don’t want those immigrants. They can’t do the job, you know.

Chan: It’s cheaper.

Meader: Yeah, but that’s what I’m saying, some solutions are …

At the time, Chan and Meador were unaware that their private conversation was being taped. After the comments came to light, an effort to impose disciplinary action was proposed on March 17. The resolution regarding the written reprimand had four parts. Chan and Meador had to, “1) make a written apology to the residents and employees of the district, 2) refrain from similar communications in future, 3) attend a diversity and intercultural communication training at Everett Community College or other similar training, and 4) consider resignation as a commissioner.”

Chan, Meador, Commissioner Jim Kenny, and Commission Chair Jim McGaughey voted on this resolution on March 17 (Commissioner Richard Schrock was absent). This resolution failed to pass, on a 2–2 vote. Chan and Meader were the two who voted against the resolution. “[Chan and Meador] had the option to approve written reprimand and diversity training [for themselves] — [but] they voted against it,” said Nina Martinez, Latino Civic Alliance (LCA) chair. “That was a tipping point for us. They are not taking accountability.” LCA is a statewide nonpartisan organization that promotes advocacy and civic engagement in Washington state by encouraging social responsibility and public service.

Chan: I was blindsided

In a separate interview with Northwest Asian Weekly, Chan said that his remarks about Mexicans were taken out of context. He stated that there is currently a paramedic shortage, not just for Fire District 1, but nationwide.

“In my mind, I was thinking, similar to high tech — right now, we have shortage of engineers, so we go to other countries, the H-1B visa,” said Chan. “I thought about Mexico automatically — because of its proximity to the U.S.” The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, which is defined as a job that require theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field.

Chan said that he suggested hiring Mexican paramedics, that is, going down to Mexico to recruit paramedics as an alternative to using a private company, which, he said, would be more expensive. He said that is why he stated that Mexican paramedics would be cheaper.

“A lot of people interpreted [my statements] like I’m mocking the hiring of cheap labor, but that was not my intention.”

Chan also stated that his colleague, Meador, has a dry sense of humor. Chan said that Meader’s comments were said in a joking manner and that Meador was adopting the persona of a right-wing conservative. That was why Meador made the comments he did.

“I knew he was kidding,” said Chan. Chan pointed out that Meador’s son-in-law is Mexican American, as are Meador’s grandchildren.

Chan stated that since the taped recording was publicized, a lot of due process was not followed. He said that he was not allowed to explain before punishment was doled out at the March 17 meeting, which was why he opted not to vote to pass the resolution regarding a written reprimand.

“They didn’t listen to one word we said [at the March 17 meeting]. … I think, wait a minute. In a court, you get to have a hearing. But here, the court makes the decision without a hearing. All of this happened in one day [for me]. Basically, they had already made up their minds.”

Chan said that he voted “no” to the reprimand because he felt blindsided and rushed, and he did not think he had enough information.

“As a courtesy, they should’ve called me and said, ‘David, we have this video.’ They should’ve said, ‘David, can you come in and explain.’ [But they didn’t.] So that is a problem.”

Chan points out that he is socially liberal, a registered Democrat, and was a precinct committee officer for Bernie Sanders (he wrote a blog series about becoming a Sanders

Photos by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

who is Chinese, and Bob Meador, who is white — faced about 40 community members, firefighters, and the Latino Civic Alliance, many of whom angrily called for Chan and Meador to resign from their positions in light of racist comments they had made about Mexicans at a previous March 7 meeting.

This was the second time Chan and Meador faced an angry public. The first time was the week prior, on March 17.

According to a partial transcript provided by the fire district, the exchange between Meador and Chan at the March 7 meeting went thusly:

Snohomish County Fire District 1 commissioners, from left: David Chan, Bob Meador, Jim McGaughey (also chair). Not shown: Richard Schrock and Jim Kenny (who was absent from the March 21 meeting).

About 40 members of the local community, firefighters and other fire department personnel, press, and the Latino Civic Alliance gathered in the Snohomish County Fire District 1 office on March 21.

Moi Castellon, a Snohomish County firefighter, veteran, and Mexican American addresses Chan and Meador, telling them that their comments about Mexicans were extremely inappropriate and hurtful to the Latino community.

delegate that ran in the Northwest Asian Weekly in the spring and summer of 2016.).

He said that since news of the video broke, he has been inundated with angry emails, many of which contain racist remarks on account of him being Asian. He said that he hasn’t been able to sleep in days. He stated that an email that particularly stung was one from another Asian person.

“It said, ‘You are the shame of the Asian community.’”

Notably, Chan is one of the few persons of color who serve on the fire commission. He said he has not run into another Chinese American in a similar position in Washington state yet.

very incomplete — but at this point, I take full responsibility for the words that have been recorded.”

The majority of comments from the public were heated and many speakers called on Chan and Meador to resign.

“The time for sorry excuses is gone,” said Erin Stewart, of Snohomish County. “Discrimination in hiring and wages is illegal and immoral but it persists, not because of brute force, but because of classism and racism of the most insidious kind — the kind whispered and the kind joked about when we think the door is closed and the mic is not on. … No man is above the law and no man is beneath it. You need to step aside now and allow more awakened people to serve in your stead.”

Robert Chao is a 13-year firefighter and a Chinese American. When he stepped up to the microphone, he stated that he was not at the meeting on behalf of any group — just himself. He said, “Your comments … have been hurtful, disgraceful, and really bring down the fire service as a whole.

When we’re out on the street, we treat everyone with the utmost respect, care, and compassion. All we see is a problem and someone having a bad day. We’re there to help. We’re held to a higher standard as public servants. You guys are held to a higher standard as the public officials leading us.

I’d like to say that my understanding is that if a firefighter or paramedic or anyone else in our organization makes similar comments … that’d be grounds for termination.”

“Commissioner Meador, you said, ‘I don’t want those Mexicans. They can’t do the job.’ I’m here to tell you that I’m here. I’m a first generation Mexican American immigrant.

I’m here to tell you that I can do this job,” said Moi Castellon, a firefighter. “My Spanish-speaking ability has helped our department countless times when dealing with Spanishspeaking citizens who need our help in emergencies.”

Castellon has been with the fire district for nine years. Prior to that, he was in the military and served two deployments.

Castellon immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 8 years old.

“Commissioner Chan, you said, ‘Yeah, but they are cheaper,’ and you laughed. … Are you implying that I should get paid less [than my counterparts]? You should know better than to talk down to me.”

After public comment and additional discussion, the commission came back after a five-minute break and voted to pass the written reprimand (Chan and Meador voted in favor of it this time), with no changes, 4–0. 

Leadership and accountability

When asked about the layer of complexity involved when one ethnic group publicly disparages another ethnic group, Martinez voiced her disappointment that the situation is what it is.

“For us, we value the relationships that we have with Asian community leaders,” she said. “It is disappointing that an immigrant (Chan) would make such a comment and would be so disconnected from the Latino community. … And [Meador] having Latino family members — both are responsible for poor judgment, which shows a lack of leadership skill that we believe this commission needs.”

“I think it’s very critical that Latinos partner with Asian leaders,” Martinez added. “We need, now more than ever, to work with one another instead of bringing each other down. … The same [request for resignation] would be applied if a Latino turned around and said something negative about Asian culture. We would expect the same response from the Asian community — to hold that person accountable.”

The decision

On March 21 at 6 p.m., the fire commission comprising Chan, Meador, McGaughey, and Schrock first worked through their scheduled agenda items in front of a room full of press and community members. At 7 p.m., Chan made some comparatively lengthy remarks, first explaining the sequence of events as they unfolded for him, then explaining the context of his remarks about Mexicans before he apologized.

“When I looked at the video [for the first time], I thought, ‘Oh my God, that is terrible.’ If I didn’t know the person in the video, I would be angry, too. I made a terrible mistake. I deserve it. … Hopefully you come to the conclusion that this guy made a stupid mistake. … I misspoke.”

Chan stated that he did not intend to resign as commissioner.

He said he promised himself to finish out his six years on the commission, and then submit himself up for reelection, after which, the voters will decide whether or not to keep him.

During his turn, Meador said, “I’ve been in public service since 1972. Since this moment, I’ve had an unblemished record. There’s a model that I’ve lived by that the only excuse is that there’s no excuse. There are words that have been recorded that are inappropriate and out of context. They are

Snohomish County Fire District 1 is actively seeking qualified paramedics and firefighters, particularly women, veterans, and people of color. For more information, visit firedistrict1. org. (Employment is under the Divisions tab.)

Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

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MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

CHEN from 1 The charter school disagreement escalated at the state legislature in 2016. Opponents claimed that charter schools siphon off funds from traditional public schools and its board members are not elected and thus, not directly accountable to the public. Supporters argued that charter schools follow the same requirements and assessments, are subject to the same laws, and offer alternative and innovative teaching programs for traditionally underserved communities.

After lengthy debate, a new charter school law passed in 2016, granting students a reprieve from the prospect of closing its doors.

Chen isn’t worried about future lawsuits — he’s focused on community outreach, and getting personal referrals from counselors and others to reach kids who may be falling through the cracks and who may do well in smaller schools. Green Dot Middle School is one of four charter schools operating or set to open this fall in Seattle. Green Dot Destiny Middle School began in Tacoma in 2015.

Options for diverse families

“We want to make sure we’re attracting students who are representative of the diverse population in Rainier Valley, and that means reaching out to families and students who may have felt the traditional school hasn’t worked for them,” said Chen.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount of support from families with school-age children. They’re genuinely excited about the prospect of more high quality public school options in southeast Seattle. This movement has brought a sense of optimism and hope about public schools in their neighborhood,” said Chen.

On March 22, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released its annual state-by-state ranking of charter public school laws, Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Charter Public School Laws, Eighth Edition.

Washington ranked 4th, Indiana was No. 1.

Chen enthusiastically rattled off reasons to appreciate charter school options. “We are a public school, nonreligious, nonprofit, and we’re free and open to all families.”

He said Green Dot is funded based on student enrollment, just like traditional public schools. If a student transfers from another public school to a charter school, the funding associated with that student follows him or her. There are no admission requirements.

Parents have always had the option of enrolling their children in one district or another through waivers or other exemptions. Barring other options such as charter

schools, some parents send their kids to private schools, and that’s money that will never get into the public school system, said Chen. He hopes for better collaboration and partnership with school districts because “in the end, we’re all serving the children. We believe we can stem the tide of dropouts by keeping more students in school and that will benefit the entire community in the long run.”

As far as being accountable to the public, “I would argue we have an even higher level of oversight than traditional public schools,” said Chen. Charter schools must report all the same data as every other school, plus they have an additional layer of oversight by the Washington State Charter Commission that does regular audits to ensure charter schools meet academic goals and are fiscally responsible.

Charter school board meetings are open to the public, and are subject to the Public Records Act, public oversight, and all the same state regulations about accessibility, special education, common core standards, and end-of-theyear assessments.

With a reputation for innovation and serving the most at-risk students located in districts who are traditionally underserved, Chen said Green Dot starts with early recruiting and hiring of high-quality, highly motivated, mission aligned staff, with a goal towards hiring teachers who reflect the student population. Students have a longer school day and year, with extra time dedicated to literacy and math intervention if they fall behind, or enrichment for students ahead of their grade level.

Green Dot assigns students a teacher who acts as an adviser/mentor to ensure college awareness. Advisers and students visit a college campus every summer. Students receive lessons in emotional and social development and learn solid study habits. Students bond by forming groups that begin and end the day together. It builds a positive relationship with families as well, said Chen.

Green Dot schools attract teachers with its commitment to professional development so that novice or experienced teachers excel rapidly. Teachers get three hours of coaching and professional development weekly, and three weeks of training and development in the summer. Chen said he sometimes got only three days of training in the summer as a teacher.

A “religious experience”

Chen was born in Seattle to parents who emigrated from Taiwan. He grew up in Kent until his family moved to Mercer Island, so Chen and his brother could enroll in a school district with an excellent reputation. Chen went on to college, moving to California. While in college, he

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for P00215P17, King County Metro Transit Facilities Master Plan Development; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on March 27, 2017.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $200,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $600,000 This contract is funded by the Federal Transit Administration.

There is a 15% minimum requirement for Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Certified Federal Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Firms on this contract..

King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement _ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Esther Decker, 206-263-9323, esther.decker@ kingcounty.gov or Ruth Williamson, 206-263-9333, ruth. williamson@kingcounty.gov

35 YEARS was shocked to find out that a child’s income, race, or zip code could determine their educational outcome. That was a “religious experience I couldn’t shake.”

Being exposed to the opportunity gap in the public education system for the first time in his life was the pivotal moment. Chen saw very few Asian American teachers and said, “It’s definitely an issue with parents of color when 90 percent of teachers are white.”

After graduating, Chen taught math in a south-central Los Angeles middle school and remained for six years before returning to Seattle with his wife. Chen taught for two years in the Renton School District, and he saw the tremendous impact that teachers had on the lives of students.

Next, Chen tackled leadership roles as a vice principal and as a principal. He saw few Asian Americans in leadership roles and understood how leadership could influence better teaching practices and empower teachers. “If we don’t have teachers of color, we will never have school leaders of color either.” Chen is the first Asian American to be a school leader at a charter public school in Washington State.

“We need more API education advocates.” The model minority myth hurts students, said Chen, and is one of the most overlooked aspects of the conversation around lowincome schools and communities. There’s a tendency to look at the Asian Pacific Islander community as one large group when in reality, there’s data showing opportunity gaps are huge in the Hmong, Cambodian, and Laotian populations, which in some cases, are equal to the Black and Latino population.

“That’s what happens when you lump Asian Americans into one group,” said Chen. An important part of what we do in education is ask ourselves whether we’re looking at specific groups in the community,” and not leaving any students behind.

Today, Chen, his wife, and two-year-old daughter (and another on the way!) live in Rainier Valley, one of the most diverse cities in the country. He enjoys taking his daughter to the park, cheering on the local sports teams, and exploring Seattle one meal at a time. Both his children will enter public school in Rainier Valley, making Chen’s dedication to the “social, emotional, and academic development of kids and their families that much stronger.

My commitment and connection to the community are very real. I take it as a very special privilege to lead and work in the community I live in.” ■ Arlene can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of March 25–March 31, 2017

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Why take chances with an important upcoming event? Arrive a little early to troubleshoot and ensure all is in order.

Dragon — You like to do more than is expected every once in a while. Finding a meaningful way to do so is part of the fun.

Monkey — Stating the obvious does not really add to the conversation. Wait until you can make a better contribution.

Ox — Is there someone who just won’t take a hint?

If bluntness is not an option, then you may have to be a bit more creative to get your message across.

Snake — A sense of belonging means a lot to you.

To achieve it, you should reach out to strengthen old connections and make new ones, too.

Rooster — This is a good week to start and finish smaller projects, as your attention span is shorter than usual.

Tiger — A special delivery could be delayed longer than you think, but you will eventually receive what you desire.

Horse — There is a place where you are both wanted and needed. All other considerations aside, that is a pretty good reason to be there.

Rabbit — Although your partner has similar goals, the method to achieving them could be significantly different. Align the latter to the extent possible.

Goat — While it is easier to have things handed to you, you would prefer to earn it on your own efforts and merits.

Dog — Does the next thing look better than what you have now? While it may look attractive on the outside, there could be some hidden pitfalls that are yet unseen.

Pig — Are you starting to run out of steam sooner than you thought? Focus on your initial motivation to recharge and get back into the game.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 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.

HATE CRIME from 4 his hands covered in blood, then drops the hammer and lies on the ground until police arrive.

Yang did not know the victim and investigators believe he was specifically looking for a Korean woman to attack, Kowalski said. Police provided no information on why they believe Yang was looking to target a Korean woman.

“Without saying anything, he hit her on the head with the intent to kill or seriously injure her,” Kowalski said at a news conference on March 16.

Yang, who police said was homeless and recently immigrated to the US from Korea, had been carrying the hammer in his backpack, police said.

The victim was seriously injured in the attack but has since been released from the hospital, Kowalski said. ■

TAI CHI from 9 “It gives you momentum that carries throughout your day,” she said.

Freeman, 65, began staying at The Road Home shelter six months ago. The challenge in overcoming her homelessness, she said, is complicated in that she doesn’t have a government-issued ID and hasn’t been able to get a replacement without a birth certificate.

Bernie Hart says many in the group face similar obstacles.

And though he has no conclusive metrics to judge the success of the tai chi program, he believes firmly and passion-

LOBSTER from 4 our lobsters are one of the cheapest things in the live tanks.”

The uptick came in a record year for lobster catch in Maine, where most of America’s lobster catch comes ashore.

Fishermen caught more than 130 million pounds of lobster in Maine last year, an all-time record and more than double the 2007 total. Atlantic Canada also has a large

ately in its power.

“It’s mental and physical, thinking a thought and then putting it into action,” he said. “Tai chi slows down the process so you can start developing confidence.”

For Reese King, who attended the class for the first time last week, the tai chi offered a chance to escape the rampant drug use and dealing that plagues the blocks surrounding the shelter.

“I assumed I’d find some peace,” he said after the class.

As a “couple of enticements” to encourage folks to join, the Harts offer warm coffee, food and $2 to any participants.

The couple is retired and the cash comes out of their pockets.

湖景墓園

Marita Hart said they might try crowdsourcing in the coming months — “hopefully before we run out of money,” she joked.

King shuffles to the table outside the library to collect his share. His dirt-encrusted sneakers lined up next to Bernie Hart’s brown and gray Skechers. While the two chat, a couple of homeless men sleep under umbrellas next to a fountain. It reminds Hart why he started the tai chi program.

“Except for maybe a couple lucky events in my life,” he suggests, “I could’ve been out here with these guys.” ■

THANK YOU FOR RECYCLING THIS NEWSPAPER!

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lobster fishery and sends the same species of lobster to China.

“The Asian market is a key component,” said Patrick Keliher, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

Lobster sales to China do not appear to be slowing down in the new year. America exported more than 1.7 million pounds and $14 million in lobsters to the country in the first month of the year. ■

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MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

TRAVEL BAN from 4 fighting the ban is simple: He’s kind.

Jean Ireton was a fellow Honolulu prosecutor with Chin, who started out in traffic court. He had “some of the toughest, most god-awful trials that we had there,” she said.

Those kinds of cases showed her the worst in humanity, she said, but Chin didn’t see them that way: “He’s just a kinder person than I am. I don’t have as much faith in people as he does.”

Ireton and Chin have differing views on the travel ban. “I do have a problem with the amount of vetting they’re able to do in those countries,” she said. “Doug sees it from a people perspective. He sees it from people who are suffering.”

On March 15, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson blocked the federal government from enforcing its ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries and its suspension of the nation’s refugee program.

The judge agreed with Hawaii that the travel ban amounts to discrimination based on nationality and religion.

Trump called the ruling an example of “unprecedented judicial overreach” and called his new travel ban a watereddown version of the first one. He said the

order was a necessary measure to prevent terrorists from entering the country.

For Chin, the issue of immigration is a personal one. He is named after the Christian missionary doctor who sponsored his Chinese parents’ immigration to Washington state, where Chin was born.

His middle name Shih-Ging means “scholarly gentleman, which is weird,” Chin said.

“I think that’s where you probably can catch a spark of a personal sense of duty about this whole travel ban,” he said, describing his parents emigrating in 1957 at a time when U.S. immigration policy still imposed nation-based quotas.

Chin eventually moved to Honolulu in 1989 as part of a job transfer with IBM, and was exposed to Hawaii’s diversity.

“All of a sudden I wasn’t in this place where I felt invisible anymore so that was really empowering,” he said.

Chin’s career after IBM took him to the University of Hawaii law school and then various stints in the Honolulu prosecutor’s office and private practice.

On a bookshelf in Chin’s office is a newspaper front page from a murder conviction he won in 2010. A 15-yearold boy who was tried as an adult and convicted of murdering his 51-year-

35 YEARS

old neighbor is one of Chin’s most memorable cases.

Near the shelf are portraits of Chin’s children and wife, who is white and from New York. He describes his daughter, 18, and son, 16, as “hapa,” a Hawaiian term that locals use for mixed-race people.

Former Honolulu prosecutor and former mayor Peter Carlisle recalled first meeting him at Chin’s church while Carlisle was campaigning. Carlisle said he was so impressed with Chin’s public speaking, he told him to look him up if he ever needed a job.

Chin attends Oahu Church of Christ, a nondenominational Christian church that meets in rented spaces at the university or an elementary school. At church, Chin arranges music and sings acapella — he has perfect pitch, he notes sheepishly.

He found the time to go to Sunday services the week of the Honolulu hearing. After the hearing, Chin stopped at his office and then to Waikiki where he was hosting a meeting of the Conference of Western Attorneys General because he’s the group’s chairman.

Chin has also spent a lot of time giving interviews to news organizations nationwide about his lawsuit. Part of the reason he does that is to educate — even

those who live in Hawaii.

“It’s a no-brainer why we have to object to this.

I totally know how there’s another segment of the population that to them it just doesn’t connect,” he said. “What does the Middle East have to do with Hawaii?”

The answer, he said, is Hawaii’s some 5,000 Muslims are the invisible minority and Chin knows first-hand what that feels like.

“People in Hawaii don’t know how to process a Muslim other than what they see on TV,” he said. ■

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MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

15

“I’ve enjoyed connecting with the Northwest Asian Weekly through events and interviews about the issues that are important to the community. This publication does a great job of keeping readers informed about how the state government is responding to education, public safety, immigration, and many other vital issues that matter to your readers. We need this important media voice now, more than ever. Congratulations to 35 years!”

— Gov. Jay Inslee “To understand the importance of the Northwest Asian Weekly is to understand hope itself, to feel rescued from doubt once a week when that wonderful paper would hit the stands. There were many a day when I absolutely couldn’t wait to read the reviews, the talk of the town, and the letters, to hear the debates I knew so well, and profiles of people, some strange, some familiar. The Northwest Asian Weekly was part of what made me happier in Chinatown than I ever thought I could be under the circumstances that were my life.”

— Mac Crary, longtime reader

The only weekly English-edition newspaper serving the Asian community in the state of Washington for 35 years.

NOMURA from 1 traditionally taught in the K-12 education system. This lack of literature addressing female and non-Euro perspectives greatly influenced her scholarly endeavors and professorship in the histories of non-Western countries, people of color, and women in the United States.

“We want all our students to see themselves reflected in the history of our nation and all people to recognize the roles of people of color and women in our collective history. Diversity is a word often used without a full understanding and valuing of the people and history behind ‘diversity.’”

She notes that her most memorable moments as a professor were when her students could draw connections between their classroom studies and their own family histories and daily lives.

“They become aware of the importance and relevance of knowing that history and how that history helps them to understand the world we live in and what they can and should do to address inequalities they see.”

Nomura’s most moving moment as a professor came in 2008 when she played a key role in awarding honorary degrees to 449 UW Japanese American students that had been forcibly removed from campus and incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II as a result of Executive Order 9066.

Prior to this, only 11 honorary degrees had ever been issued by the UW. “Watching these students, now in their 80s and 90s, receive their long overdue commencement and degrees gave us a sense of what one speaker told us, ‘It is never too late to do the right thing.’”

She also notes that it’s better to have the courage to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right away.

Despite her retirement from the UW last spring, Nomura continues to be actively engaged in the academic community. She recently served as part of a planning group dedicated to developing a program series addressing the historical connections between the Japanese American community and the Jewish community. The series kicked off with the UW Day of Remembrance on Feb. 18 [Feb. 19 marked the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066], where a lively and meaningful panel discussion was held. The discussions centered on the societal and political conditions leading to the concentration

Send in your thoughts to editor@nwasianweekly.com.

Join us for our 35th Anniversary Celebration dinner on Oct. 21 at China Harbor restaurant. For tickets, please email rsvp@nwasianweekly.com or call 206-223-0623. To sponsor the event, contact Assunta Ng at assunta@nwasianweekly.com. For more info, visit nwasianweekly.com/35years.

camps in Europe and the United States, with a focus on what could be done to combat the rhetoric of hate-provoking and discriminatory treatment. The next two programs in the series are scheduled for April 9 at the Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church and April 30 at the Nisei Veterans Committee Hall.

Nomura also has a few book projects in the works — most notably a new edition of her book Asian/ Pacific Islander American Women: A Historical Anthology (co-edited with Shirley Hune), which was first released over 10 years ago. The original edition was the very first anthology devoted to the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander women in the United States.

Certain parallels can be drawn between Nomura’s work and the current political climate. In the introduction of the first edition, Nomura emphasizes that Asian and Pacific Islander Americans should not be considered a single homogeneous group.

Heterogeneity exists not only between and within Asian American and Pacific Islander American groups, but amongst all women of color. Sometimes these differences can cause contention — a few recent examples being the criticism of the Womxn’s March on Seattle, as well as the ‘Day Without Women’ held on March 8, as some women of color felt the events were just further displays of white privilege.

When asked how different groups of women can coalesce to combat shared issues and inequalities, Nomura responds, “I think we can build a working coalition to address inequities through good listening and openness to learning from each other.

“Women of color must speak out and contribute their particular insights on the issues of race, gender, class, and sexuality that intersect with so many of the social issues facing our country.

“We need to recognize and value the different strengths and gifts that people bring to the movement for social justice.”

Nomura’s advice for aspiring activists?

“Cultivate compassion for others and combine this sense of compassion with action and commitment.

“Work alone if you have to, but it is better to build a coalition of like-minded people of good will who are willing to do the hard work to achieve this goal.” ■ Jenn can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

IMMIGRANTS from 1 alerted officers to something suspicious. Officers examined the vehicle’s trunk and found three women and one man, all Chinese nationals, inside.

A photo taken moments after agents opened the trunk shows one woman in a purple T-shirt lying on her side facing the opening of the trunk,

HOMELESS from 3 providers to “meet the scale of the problem,” said Daniel Malone, Downtown Emergency Service Center director and campaign cochairman.

In King County, more than 10,500 live without shelter, according to a 2016 overnight tally — a 19 percent increase over 2015.

Meanwhile, two local activists who have

DOG from 4 besides some cosmetic issues.

“She can always breathe through her mouth, but the fact she can breathe through her nose just increases her quality of life. She’s able to

while another woman in a gray T-shirt has her left leg draped over her neighbor, with her face pressed against the first woman’s knees.

Officers escorted the four to a secure location for further processing, and seized the Chrysler.

The driver was booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment on federal charges related to human smuggling. ■

been critical of the city’s efforts to manage the homelessness crisis have formed campaigns to oppose the tax initiative.

One-time mayoral candidate Elizabeth Campbell has filed to create the Safe and Affordable Seattle committee. On March 17, Harvey Lever of Safe Seattle filed to form the Homeless Evidence, Transparency and Accountability in Seattle committee. ■

eat and drink, can play with toys, so that’s the important thing,” he said.

Quigley eventually wants to get Teresa certified as a therapy animal so she can comfort disfigured patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. ■

POWER RANGERS from 9 character in Power Rangers. “I was an outsider a lot of the times, and Zack is that way as well. He’s the only kid that doesn’t really go to school because of [his] family situations too.

I didn’t want Zack to relate to the cool kids.

That wasn’t my intention. I wanted the other kids — the kids that are being bullied [to see] that the cool kids have that insecurity inside of them too — why they are acting out, why they’re bullying people.”

Lin and his character also share a bicultural background. “In the script, there was never any mention of [Zack] having to speak Mandarin because Zack — he didn’t have to be Asian,” said Lin. “After I was cast, we actually had a conversation with the director, and we intimately discussed how Zack would act around his mom — his family setting. Definitely for me, it felt important that he speak authentic fluent Mandarin with his mother. It was the only way to go about it.”

Lin told Teen.com, “As a Chinese person, as an Asian person, I grew up watching a lot of American films and they’re just, Americans are always saving the world. We can do it too, man!”

When a fan asked if Zack can help pave the way for more Asian superheroes, Lin tweeted,

“All Asians can pave the way! Let’s all speak out represent ourselves and be Heroes!”  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

16

35 YEARS

MARCH 25 – MARCH 31, 2017

FOOD from 10 that he had a wife in China and also one in Indonesia, which was not an uncommon practice at the time. While Tanumihardja is mostly ethnically Chinese, she was born in Jakarta and describes herself as Indonesian. Her family moved to Singapore when she was young because of her dad’s work.

Her family’s food culture is rich. She has memories of family dinners punctuated by her mom’s vegetarian dishes that displayed vegetables, such as water spinach (morning glory) and loofah squash.

Tanumihardja eventually made her way across the ocean to study at the University of Washington, earning a degree in communications. “[I went to college in the United States because] I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. In Singapore, there’s only one university. You had to pick your major when you enter.

Having gone through the whole Singapore education system, I knew what they emphasized — math and the sciences — was not what I wanted to do. I wanted to do something more creative. I wanted to be a writer, [but] working in the arts was not a preferred profession.”

Tanumihardja landed in Seattle simply because her other brother, Marcel/“Mars,” was already studying in the city.

“My mom was like, ‘If you want to go to the U.S., the only place you can go is Seattle,’” Tanumihardja said, laughing. “[Mars and I] rented an apartment together. We shared a car. We shared long distance phone calls. We saved money together. And it was nice to have someone watching out for me and showing me the way. And I had instant friends. I mean, that was a long way for a 19-year-old girl to travel.”

Tanumihardja’s brother is currently working in IT at Vulcan in Seattle. Her younger sister, Maureen, is a nurse practitioner.

“I’m the middle child,” Tanumihardja said. “It’s kind of expected for me to be different.”

grandmothers and their recipes.

“And I sent him a proposal!” Tanumihardja said.

“The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens” was published in 2010.

“Farm to Table Asian Secrets”

Patricia shopping for seasonal vegetables.

Writing

After earning her degree, Tanumihardja spent some time working at the Henry Art Gallery and with Jack Straw Productions, after which, she went back to Singapore and worked at its national museum doing public relations and marketing. While these positions required her to write, Tanumihardja didn’t start writing about food and travel until she married her husband, Omar Wheatley, who is half Pakistani.

Wheatley was in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in the United Kingdom for two years.

“I couldn’t find a job in the arts because we were living in a really small village,” said Tanumihardja. “I figure I had a computer, an internet connection, and I knew people who were magazine editors. So I started writing.”

In the beginning, Tanumihardja wrote a lot under the travel and home and garden umbrella. That eventually expanded to people and multicultural issues.

“I knew that food was one of my loves,” she said. “I ended up doing a lot of food articles for the Northwest Asian Weekly.

That gave me my start in food writing.”

Tanumihardja actually met her first book publisher through the Northwest Asian Weekly. Around 2007, Tanumihardja was assigned to write a profile on Sasquatch Book’s then-publisher Gary Luke. During that interview, Luke told Tanumihardja that he always wanted to publish a cookbook about Asian

Eating green

While Tanumihardja admits that the conceit of her cookbook may seem like a deterrent to the most “hardcore of carnivores,” she emphasized that the recipes inside are for everyone. They hail from the traditions of bold and diverse flavors of Indonesian cuisine — and they also fall well within the East Asian tradition of having the family meal be relatively light on meat and punctuated by side dishes of rice, noodles, and vegetables.

When Tanumihardja’s mother moved to the United States in 2002, she also brought with her this legacy and knowledge of Indonesian cuisine. The one snag she encountered was the scarcity of certain vegetables that are staples in Indonesian food. So, Tanumihardja’s mother started to creatively substitute. When she couldn’t find sweet potato or yam leaves in the markets, she would buy spinach or kale to use instead in a dish.

“This cookbook is kind of an homage to her and her creativity,” said Tanumihardja.

It’s this spirit of thoughtful substitution and improvisation that Tanumihardja encourages and expects from her readers.

In the introduction of her book, Tanumihardja has charts with substitution suggestions, differentiated by seasonality.

When a recipe calls for spring greens such as fiddlehead

ferns and dandelion greens but the current season is autumn, Tanumihardja suggests a mix of rainbow chard instead.

Cooking and buying seasonally, she said, ensures freshness and peak of flavor.

“Locally grown vegetables are my choice,” she adds, “because — for one thing, you’re supporting the local economy, and you’re supporting the local farmers directly.

You’re reducing the carbon footprint because the vegetables don’t have to be trucked in. You’re not feeding into the pollution that trucking contributes to. Sustainably grown food tends to have a lower impact on the soil and less pollutants go into the water system, the streams, the lake. [Compared to livestock,] veggies take less money and less space to grow.

You also see the fruits of your labor a lot quicker.”

Additionally, a diet high in vegetables tends to be healthier.

Last month, Imperial College London released a report that stated that 10 portions of vegetables a day could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths each year. (A portion is three ounces, about the size of a pear.) Currently, the World Health Organization recommends that five portions of vegetables and fruits are eaten a day. ■ “Farm to Table Asian Secrets: Vegan & Vegetarian FullFlavored Recipes for Every Season” is available for preorder and will be released on March 28. It can be purchased at many bookstores and on Amazon.com.

Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

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