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BLOG Steve Ballmer and the Clippers » P. 10

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Nonpermanent residents Indian American boys tie Part 1 of a three-part series on Cambodian men who are in national spelling bee

Photo courtesy of Rithy Yin

Photos by Mark Bowen/Scripps National Spelling Bee

facing deportation for crimes committed when young

Rithy Yin, in front wearing white, and his family. Yin is to be deported to Cambodia, but doesn’t know when.

By Stacy Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly “I burglarized a gas station. I was young, naïve. I just — wasn’t thinking,” said Ram Son, a Cambodian man who lives in South Seattle.

Son’s parents fled Cambodia’s killing fields and the genocidal Khmer Rouge. He was 7 years old when their family arrived in a Thai refugee camp. Through sponsorship, the family first settled in Alabama in 1982 before moving to Minnesota, where Son lived for about 20 years.

Son dropped out of high school during his junior year, partly to take care of his newborn son.

In 1996, when he was 16 years old, he was caught burglarizing a gas station after hours.

Charged as an adult, he subsequently served a prison term totaling about two-and-a-half years

for felony first-degree burglary and possession of a dangerous weapon. After his release, he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nine months and issued a final order of deportation, as he was not an American citizen.

“Ram Son’s immigration status was reviewed by an immigration judge in 1999 … Having been found removable as an aggravated felon, the judge ordered him deported in June 1999,” said ICE Public Affairs Officer Andrew Munoz.

Son’s return to Cambodia is on hold until the Cambodian government issues his final travel documents. Then, he will say goodbye to his family, board a plane, and travel around the world to spend the rest of his life in a country he hasn’t seen since he was a child. {see CAMBODIAN cont’d on page 12}

Ansun Sujoe

Sriram Hathwar

By Ben Nuckols Associated Press

They become the fourth cochampions in the bee’s 89-year history and the first since 1962.

“The competition was against the dictionary, not against each other,” Sriram said, after both were showered with confetti onstage. “I’m happy to share this trophy with him.”

Sriram backed up his status as the favorite by rarely looking flustered on stage, nodding confidently as he outlasted 10 other spellers to set up the one-on-one duel with Ansun. The younger boy was more nervous and demonstrative, no more so than on the word that gave him a share of the title: “feulletion,” the features section of a European newspaper or magazine.

“Ah, whatever!” Ansun said before beginning to spell the word as the stage lights turned red, signaling that he had 30 seconds left.

Although they hoisted a single

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — For the first time in 52 years, two spellers were declared co-champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 29.

Sriram Hathwar of Painted Post, N.Y., and Ansun Sujoe of Fort Worth, Texas, shared the title after a riveting final-round duel in which they nearly exhausted the 25 designated championship words. After they spelled a dozen words correctly in a row, they both were named champions.

Earlier, 14-year-old Sriram opened the door to an upset by 13-yearold Ansun after he misspelled “corpsbruder,” a close comrade. But Ansun was unable to take the title because he got “antegropelos,” which means waterproof leggings, wrong.

Sriram entered the final round as the favorite after finishing in third place last year. Ansun just missed the semifinals last year.

{see SPELLING BEE cont’d on page 6}

New bill would ‘properly recognize’ Bainbridge memorial

The memorial to Japanese Americans forced from their homes on Bainbridge Island may get a new name.

On May 28, Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) introduced a bill to officially recognize a new name for the Bainbridge Island memorial to Japanese Americans forced from their homes during World War II. The legislation ensures the site is properly recognized as the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.

Bainbridge groups — including the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association — and residents pushed for the renaming of the national historic site, previously

referenced in federal law as the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial, to better reflect the history it commemorates, according to Kilmer’s communications director, Jason Phelps. Rep. Kilmer worked closely with stakeholders and the National Park Service to clarify how to appropriately change the name and to ensure that the new name would be fully recognized in federal law, said Phelps.

“Starting in 1942, under the cloak of wartime, thousands of Japanese {see MEMORIAL cont’d on page 15}

The Inside Story NAMES Who did what? » P. 2

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COMMUNITY KORAFF » P. 3

MOVIES Last weekend of SIFF offerings » P. 7

PICTORIAL Seattle’s ‘Women of the Century’ honored » P. 8

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■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Maryknoll sister Fallon to receive peacemaker award

of the aquaculture industry, and minimize impacts of ocean acidification. 

CISC hosts Friendship Dinner

From left, Kathy Yang, Carol Shinn, Yuling Lin, Lisa Lam, Yen Ching, and Debbie Chou sing at the WSCCNA fundraiser.

Maryknoll Sister Jean Fallon, a Seattle native who has worked many decades for justice and peace throughout the world, will receive the Sister Christine Mulready Peacemaker Award from Pax Christi Metro New York at its Peacemaker Awards Reception on June 1, at St. Joseph’s Greenwich Village Church in New York.

A missioner who was first assigned to Japan in August 1951, Sister Jean became intimately acquainted with the personal stories of those who had suffered through the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She then led justice and peace ministry programs in Tokyo, conducted World Awareness seminars at churches in the United States, and served with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns. She is currently a member of Pax Christi Maryknoll, speaks at peace and justice rallies, and has worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams, an interreligious organization dedicated to promoting peace in Palestine through nonviolent means. 

Cancer Network helps Chinese The Washington State Chinese Cancer Network Association held its 10th anniversary fundraising dinner at Seattle Seaview Restaurant on May 31. About 300 people

Hatchery named for Chew

Photo courtesy of NOAA

Sister Jean Fallon began her peace and justice work in Japan.

attended the event, including cancer patients, their family members, and supporters. The network provides support and assistance for cancer patients and survivors, and their families, in the Chinese community. 

From left: Alaric Bien, Dorothy Wong, Janet Ung, and Linda Louie.

The Chinese Information and Service Center held its 42nd Anniversary Friendship Dinner & Auction on May 31 at Westin Bellevue, where 290 attendees were entertained by lion dancers and participated in live and silent auctions.

Nearly $120,000 was raised to fund various programs that help Chinese and other Asian immigrants in the community. 

Spring rolls in at Wing Luke “Celebrating Community Partners” was the theme of the sixth annual Spring Roll auction and celebration at the Wing Luke Museum on May 30. Since the event, $63,000 has been raised for Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority’s community development programs.

More is expected as attendees submit matching fund requests to their employers.

Kenneth Chew

NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Puget Sound Restoration Fund hosted a ceremony for the opening of the new shellfish restoration hatchery at the Manchester Laboratory in Port Orchard on May 22. The event included a dedication ceremony honoring Kenneth K. Chew, professor emeritus at the University of Washington and shellfish expert, whom the facility will be named after. The new hatchery significantly expands the capabilities in the Pacific Northwest to restore native shellfish populations, improve habitat, increase water quality, advance practices

Maiko Winkler-Chin and Bob Hale.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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■ community news Korean adoptees find culture at festival On May 31, more than 100 people gathered at South Bellevue Community Center to celebrate the annual Korean Culture Festival, hosted by the Korean Adoptee Family Foundation (KORAFF).

The event included Tae kwon do performances, traditional Korean games, cooking classes, crafting, and drawings for round-trip airplane tickets to Korea.

The executive director at Korean Adoptee Family Foundation, Susan Chung, founded KORAFF while working as an educational consultant. It started with one adoptee family, and now the organization has 80 families. KORAFF’s goal is to meet the needs of Korean adoptees and their families by sharing cultural resources that they otherwise would not have access to, including information about their Korean heritage and culture, language tutoring, mentoring, and special events.

“We have Korean high school student volunteers, and they manage the whole thing,” said Chung. “Twice a month, first week of the month, we do Korean School,

and third week of each month, we have events. We also have Korean culture events, Korean school, and camping events every year. Forest Ridge High School provides the space for us.”

Brady Kasper, a parent of a Korean adoptee, said his family attends several events throughout the year.

“Our daughter Abigail is Korean-born,” said Kasper.

“We think it’s very important for us to understand Korean culture, and get to know Korean things. Not only to explore for our daughter, but also for our two sons to know the Korean culture.”

Louise Eberhart, a parent of an 8-year-old adoptee, said her family doesn’t have much day-to-day exposure to Korean culture. “This program is great, it helps to expose our daughter, Grace, and all of us to the Korean culture,” she said. “This event can make her comfortable, and seeing other people look like her is nice.”

“Good and fun here,” added Grace.  Jamie Sun can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

Photo by Jamie Sun/NWAW

By Jamie Sun Northwest Asian Weekly

Kids decorated flags at the festival.

New report on language diversity and English proficiency among AAPIs The Center for American Progress, in conjunction with AAPI Data, released a report in May on language diversity and English proficiency among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This release is part of the report series “State of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.”

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the fastest growing racial groups in the United States, and language diversity is an important aspect to understand these communities, states the Center for American Progress. People who encounter language barriers tend to earn less, have limited access to quality health care, and are less likely to participate in civic and political life, according to the Center.

Audition for ‘The United States of China’ Nickolas Vassili, a mental health counselor in Fremont, has written a play and is calling for auditions.

“The United States of China,” depicts a bankrupt America in the year 2018, after the United States has defaulted on its debt to China. At the center of the play is a former U.S. fugitive named Mariam Hopkins, who is on trial for acts of terrorism against the United States of China.

While the play will feature a number of Chinese actors, speaking Chinese is not a requirement, said Vassili, although “it’s useful if they can speak the language,” he added.

Vassili plans to present the play as a series of readings in July, and he hopes to do a fully staged production in September.

The following parts are being cast:  Chinese guards – men in their early 20s  Mariam Hopkins – a woman in her late 30s  Josie Chen, Chinese lawyer – a woman in her early 40s  Charles Lin, Chinese prosecutor – a man in his mid-30s  Chinese court administrator – a man in his 40s  Chinese judge – a man in his late 60s  Three witnesses – A man in his 70s, a man in his 50s, and a woman in her 60s.  For more information, contact Vassili at 206-284-3131 or aardvarknick@yahoo. com.

The report highlights the fact that the Asian American population in the United States has the highest proportion of residents who speak a language other than English at home.

Among Asian languages spoken at home, Chinese is the most prevalent (2.7 million speakers, with about 472,000 and 454,000 specifying Mandarin and Cantonese, respectively), followed by Tagalog (1.6 million), Vietnamese (1.4 million), and Korean (1.1 million). The linguistic diversity of South Asian immigrants is also evident, with about 2.8 million speakers of South Asian languages.

Asian Americans also have the highest rates of limited English proficiency at 35 percent, defined by the Census Bureau as those who do not speak English “very well.”

Asian-language news sources play an important role in how Asian Americans are informed about politics and policy, with a significant proportion that consume both English- and Asian-language media. Language access has important implications to voter access and the turnout of the AAPI community during elections.

Access to ballot language assistance is an important issue for effective civic participation. Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act mandates Asian language assistance in particular counties, but despite these mandates, nearly one in two Asian American voters in 2012 reported inadequate assistance when they voted in person at a polling location covered under Section 203. 

Meet up with fellow artists Artists Up will be hosting a networking and resource night for AAPI artists on Monday, June 9, at Asian Counseling and Referral Service, located at 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way South in Seattle. The free event is from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

All are invited to learn about art resources, and enjoy networking with fellow artists creating in the fields of dance, literature, media, music, theater, visual, and public art.

Some of the artists who will be at the event include artistic director Latha Sambamurti, director/producerMaria Gargiulo,

photographer Carina del Rosario, poet Roberto Ascalon, arts administrator Joshua Heim, artistic director Brian Chin, and actor Eloisa Cardona.

Artists Up is a collaborative series initiated by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, 4Culture, and Artist Trust to better serve underrepresented artists.  For more information, call 206-233-3946 or see www.ArtistsUp. org.

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■ world news

China planning for an extra 2 million babies per year

By Associated Press BEIJING (AP) – China is preparing for 2 million extra babies each year as a result of a loosening of its “one child per family” birth limits that will allow more couples to have two children, Chinese health officials said on May 29.

The ruling Communist Party introduced birth limits in 1980 to curb population growth and demand for water and other resources.

Most urban couples are allowed one child and face fines and other penalties for additional births. Pressure to enforce limits has led local officials to force women to abort fetuses or to be sterilized, even though such measures are illegal. The party announced in November

that couples in which one parent was an only child would be allowed to have a second baby in some areas.

Previously, both parents had to be an only child to qualify

for this exemption.

China already faces a shortage of maternity beds, said Wang Guoqing, a deputy minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Local authorities have been told to build more health facilities for women and children and add maternity beds,

said Zhang Shikun, an official with the commission in charge of women and children’s health.

China had 18.5 million births in 2013, according to the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF. The forecast increase would be the equivalent of about 11 percent of that.

The figure of 2 million additional births is at the top end of forecasts by experts based on the less restrictive policy.

Some say the figure might be lower due to the growing acceptance in China of smaller families.

The looser policy has taken effect in the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing. The policy is also in effect in the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Jiangsu. Recently, the government of the northwestern region of Ningxia announced a similar change. 

25 years on, protests Mourning, tight security at Tiananmen barely on anniversary of known to China youth Tiananmen crackdown

By Gillian Wong Associated Press

By Didi Tang Associated Press BEIJING (AP) – Born in 1989, Steve Wang sometimes wonders what happened in his hometown of Beijing that year. But his curiosity about pro-democracy protests and the crackdown on them passes quickly.

“I was not a part of it,” he said. “I know it could be important, but I cannot feel it.”

A quarter century after the Communist Party’s attack on demonstrations centered on Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, it is little more than a distant tale to most young Chinese. The ruling party prohibits public discussion and 1989 is banned from textbooks and Chinese websites.

Many have managed to learn something about the crackdown, through people they know, by navigating around China’s tight Internet controls, or by traveling abroad. Some are aware of the iconic image of resistance — the lone Chinese man standing in front of a line of tanks moving down the Avenue of Eternal Peace.

But often, they seem not to care. They grew up in an atmosphere of nationalism and pride over two decades of strong economic growth.

The turmoil caused by a student movement 25 years ago seems irrelevant to a generation more worried about finding jobs and buying an apartment.

“They basically don’t bother to try to find out further,” said Fu King-wa, a journalism professor at Hong Kong University. “Even

if they learn about it, they believe in the government’s version.”

Rowena He, author of the book “Tiananmen Exiles,” about the lives of student protesters after the crackdown, said many Chinese students abroad claim they know a lot about it, but in fact know little. “Some others would say, ‘We knew what happened, so what?’

That’s typical,” said He, who teaches at Harvard University.

Young Chinese tend to find it hard to empathize with students of the late 1980s, she said. “The younger generation is more influenced by cynicism and materialism,” said He. “A Chinese student once said to me, ‘I really do not believe they took to the street for ideals.’”

Born in July 1989, in a Beijing hospital not far from the sites of the bloody crackdown, Wang grew up without hearing a word about the student movement from parents or teachers. He first heard about it from friends in college in China.

“I was quite curious and wanted to know about it. But I could not find anything,” Wang said.

In 2010, the young man went to school in England, where he met a Hong Kong student who showed him a video of the crackdown.

“All I could remember was a young man trying to stop a tank from rolling forward,” Wang said. The Hong Kong student “asked me why it has to be like this. I was stupefied.” {see TIANANMEN cont’d on page 12}

BEIJING (AP) – Yin Min held the ashes of her son and wept, she said, as she marked 25 years since he was killed in the crackdown by Chinese tanks and troops on protests at Tiananmen Square. Outside, guards kept a close eye on her home while police blanketed central Beijing to block any public commemoration of one of the darkest chapters in recent Chinese history.

“How has the world become like this?

I don’t even have one bit of power. Why must we be controlled so strictly this year?” Yin said in a telephone interview.

“I looked at his ashes, I looked at his old things, and I cried bitterly.”

China allows no public discussion of the events of June 3–4, 1989, when soldiers backed by tanks and armored personnel carriers fought their way into the heart of Beijing, killing hundreds, possibly thousands, of unarmed protesters and onlookers.

On June 4, scores of police and paramilitary troops patrolled the vast plaza and surrounding streets in Beijing’s heart, stopping vehicles and demanding identification from passers-by. Chinese censors scrubbed domestic blogs and social media websites of comments marking the crackdown.

The silence in the mainland about the anniversary of a pivotal event that shocked the world contrasted with boisterous commemorations in Hong Kong.

Large crowds gathered in the city’s Victoria Park for an annual candlelight vigil to remember the Tiananmen victims, holding candles aloft that turned the vast area into a sea of flickering light.

Activists laid a wreath at a makeshift memorial as the names and biographical details of people killed in the crackdown were read out. Organizers said more than 180,000 people took part, with many overflowing into the streets around the park’s main entrance.

Elsewhere, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged China to release those jailed in connection with the events. “For all people who seek freedom, Tiananmen Square still stirs our conscience,” he said in a statement.

Some relatives of the crackdown’s victims in Beijing were allowed to pay their respects at cemeteries — but only with police escorts. Others did so at home under surveillance, expressing frustration at the restrictions placed on their remembrances.

“I told my son this morning, ‘Your mother is powerless and helpless, after more than 20 years I don’t even have the chance to appeal for support,’” said Yin, whose 19-year-old son, Ye Weihang, was killed in the crackdown. Police have kept a round-the-clock surveillance of her home since April, she said, and the relatives’ hopes of gathering and holding a public commemoration were dashed.

“You’re not only re-opening my scars, you’re spreading salt and chili powder into them,” Yin said she told her minders.

The Chinese government has largely ignored the relatives’ demands for an admission of wrongdoing and for a complete, formal accounting of the crackdown and the number of casualties.

Beijing’s verdict is that the studentled protests aimed to topple the ruling Communist Party and plunge China into chaos. Protest leaders said they were seeking broader democracy and freedom, along with an end to corruption and favoritism within the party.

Near the square in Beijing, reporters were told to leave following the daily crack-of-dawn flag-raising ceremony and there were no signs of demonstrations or public commemorations.

Dozens of dissidents and other critics have already been detained by police, held under house arrest or sent out of the city in what they say is a more restrictive clampdown than usual reflecting the {see MOURNING cont’d on page 11}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ national news

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

5

Shinseki had support of many vet groups until end

By Associated Press

Eric Shinseki

WASHINGTON (AP) – He’s one of them — a disabled veteran who lost part of his right foot to a mine in Vietnam, a soldier who riled his superiors in the Bush years by telling Congress the United States needed more troops in Iraq than the administration wanted.

That bond is why veterans groups had overwhelmingly endorsed Eric Shinseki as

Veterans Affairs secretary in 2009. And it’s part of the reason many continued to support him until his resignation on May 30 in the firestorm surrounding lengthy waits for veterans to get care at VA hospitals and reports that employees had tried to cover them up.

“I extend an apology to the people whom I care most deeply about — that’s the veterans of this great country — to their families and loved ones,” Shinseki told advocates for homeless veterans before giving President Barack Obama his resignation.

President Obama said he accepted the resignation “with considerable regret,” and appointed Sloan Gibson, the agency’s No. 2 official, as temporary secretary. Obama also said that the Justice Department would determine if any illegality had occurred, and that a top White House aide

who has been detailed to the Veterans Affairs Department would remain there for the time being.

Support for Shinseki among vets groups was not universal. The American Legion led the call for his resignation.

“It is not the solution, yet it is a beginning,” National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger said.

As Army chief of staff in 2003, Shinseki bluntly told Congress that it would take a sustained presence of several hundred thousand troops to secure Iraq after the U.S. invasion, an estimate far higher than Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld used to sell the public on American intervention. Rumsfeld and deputy Paul Wolfowitz belittled {see SHINSEKI cont’d on page 13}

Immigrants fueling a U.S. boom in cricket

California city votes to end Sriracha dispute

By Frank Eltman Associated Press

By Associated Press

EAST ISLIP, New York (AP) – Cricket, the international game of bats and balls that isn’t baseball, is enjoying a surge of popularity in America, with the debut of a national league this spring and higher demand to build “pitches” across the country.

Areas such as New York City, California’s Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Chicago have become cricket hotbeds, fueled by an influx of mostly South Asian immigrants, some of whom arrived as part of the high-tech boom.

In the immigrant-rich New York area, cricket has become so popular that lotteries are being held for the chance to play in pitches at some parks. New York City schools still have the only varsity cricket league in the country, but it has doubled in size in just seven years, with 30 teams now competing for the title.

A national traveling league, the American Cricket Champions League, began this spring and has 17 teams from Boston to Los Angeles vying a for a sixteam playoff tournament.

For 17-year-old Akash Chowdhury, who arrived in New York City four years ago from Bangladesh and plays in the city

schools league, cricket has helped smooth the transition to his new home.

His Brooklyn International High School team, outfitted with crisp, white uniforms and batting helmets like the stars they follow on cable television, often play their games in the outfields of idle baseball diamonds.

“Playing cricket in America helps me remember my back country,” Chowdhury said. “But I really don’t miss it like that, because I can play here.”

In the past several years, communities in states from Maryland to Indiana have taken initiatives to organize youth leagues and build cricket facilities. The United States Youth Cricket Association has donated 1,500 sets of cricket equipment — bats, balls and wickets — to community youth programs around the country.

John Aaron, executive secretary of the American Cricket Federation, compares cricket in the United States to where soccer was just a few decades ago.

“When soccer first started here, people said it’s not going to go anywhere — American football is the thing,” Aaron said.

“Soccer has not replaced American football, but it has certainly taken off now, hasn’t it?

Cricket can do the same thing.”  Associated Press video journalist David Martin contributed to this report.

■ world news

S. Korea rescues North Koreans drifting off coast SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – South Korea has rescued three North Koreans who were drifting off the east coast of South Korea on May 31.

Seoul’s Unification Ministry said in a statement that two of the men said they wanted to stay in South Korea and one said he wished to return to the North.

A ministry press official who refused to be identified because of office rules said

it wasn’t clear when the men left North Korea or what they were doing. The official didn’t know if the men were on a boat or drifting on their own.

Seoul says Pyongyang has asked in a telephone call that Seoul immediately return all three crewmembers.

The North Korean crewmember that requested to return was scheduled to be sent back to the North on June 3. 

IRWINDALE, Calif. (AP) – The fiery fight is apparently over between the makers of a popular hot sauce and a small Southern California city that said its factory’s smells were unbearable.

The Irwindale City Council voted May 28 to drop a public nuisance declaration and lawsuit against Huy Fong Foods, makers of Sriracha hot sauce. The dual moves brought an effective end to the spicy-air dispute that had Sriracha devotees worried about future sauce shortages and had suitors, including the state of Texas, offering Huy Fong a friendlier home.

The city of about 1,400 people had been at odds with the company, which recently moved its main operations there, after residents complained last year of spicy odors that burned their throats and eyes.

It wasn’t immediately clear what

prompted the change in position, but the company had been asking the city for more time as it worked with regional air-quality officials on a plan to make the smell go away.

But city officials met behind closed doors May 27 with company CEO David Tran and representatives of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Business and Economic Development Office. Afterward, Mayor Mark Breceda said he would ask the council to end the fight.

“We forged a relationship,” City Councilman Julian Miranda said. “Let’s keep that going.”

Tran, an immigrant from Vietnam whose company produces several chili sauces based on the flavors of his native country, said Tuesday that he installed stronger filters at the plant. He’s confident they will block fumes when the chili-grinding season begins in August. 

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■ COMMUNITY news

Cheers, jeers, and a lawsuit for Seattle’s $15 wage

By Sue Misao Northwest Asian Weekly

The Seattle Restaurant Alliance said in a statement released after the vote, “As an industry, we have been committed to discussions about changes to minimum wage in Seattle. However, this ordinance will The Seattle Restaurant Alliance called it “disappointing,” City cause undue hardship on local restaurants.”

Councilmember Kshama Sawant called it a “historic victory,” the Members of the Ethnic Community Coalition, a group comprising immigrant-rights group OneAmerica said it was “a critical first step,” owners of small ethnic and immigrant businesses, felt the impact of and the International Franchise Association is filing a lawsuit against $15/hour would hurt their livelihoods. the City of Seattle — all because Seattle City Council unanimously “The Ethnic Community Coalition supports employees to have approved the adoption of a $15 per hour minimum wage on June 2. higher wages,” the ECC said in a statement following the City Beginning April 1, 2015, the legislation will phase in a $15 per hour Council’s action. “However, the ECC is extremely disappointed with minimum wage annually over 3 to 7 years, depending on employer our local elected officials for ignoring the ethnic immigrant business size. owner community of Seattle. This legislation will likely result in the “Today, we answer President Obama’s call and the moral call to gentrification of the ethnic businesses community as gentrification has address the plight of low wage workers,” said Councilmember Sally J. occurred in other communities in Seattle. The ECC will continue to Clark. “Seattle’s new law puts low wage workers on a path to $15 and lead the fight for economic equity for all immigrant ethnic businesses does it in a way that respects Seattle’s and are actively working with small “...This legislation will likely result in the business throughout Seattle’s once love for local businesses and worldgentrification of the ethnic businesses leading innovation.” appreciated neighborhood lifestyles.”

Twenty-four percent of Seattle Conversely, some argued that the community as gentrification has occurred workers earn hourly wages of $15 per higher wage would help Seattle’s in other communities in Seattle. ...” hour or less, and approximately 13.6 ethnic and immigrant workers. percent of the Seattle community lives below the federal poverty level, “Not only will higher wages put more income in people’s pockets according to a University of Washington study. Washington state’s and boost our economy,” said Rich Stolz, chief executive officer of minimum wage is currently $9.32 per hour. Effective April 1, 2015, OneAmerica, “but greater income could mean that workers may not the minimum wage in Seattle will be $10 or $11 per hour depending need that third job, parents may have more time to spend with their on employer size. children in schools, families may have a little breathing room as they “Seattle listened and today, we are acting to help workers earn a navigate transportation and housing costs and other basic necessities, living wage,” said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. “This is one of the and workers’ dignity will be valued by employers.” most important race and social justice-related legislation enacted, However, the Washington D.C.-based International Franchise most positively impacting people of color, women, and immigrants.”

Association was not so pleased with the higher wage.

Despite the inclusion of the tip credit, long phase-in, and training “The City Council’s action today is unfair, discriminatory, and a wage, which she opposed, Seattle City Councilmember Kshama deliberate attempt to achieve a political agenda at the expense of small Sawant called the vote a win. franchise business owners,” said IFA President Steve Caldeira. “IFA “This is a victory for our movement — it shows the power of working has no choice but to file a legal challenge against the City of Seattle for people when we organize and fight for our rights,” said Sawant. “It will this action. The suit will seek to overturn the unfair and discriminatory inspire millions of people all over the nation to build on this historic minimum wage plan that was approved by the City Council.” step forward. Fifteen in Seattle is just the beginning.”

The legislation will take effect 30 days after Mayor Ed Murray signs Many local restaurant owners were displeased with the action. the legislation into law. 

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THU 6/5

WHAT: Book Reading, “Topaz, Brian Dempster’s debut poetry collection” WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 4 p.m.

COST: Free

FRI 6/6 WHAT: Little Saigon: Placemaking & Community Economic Development WHERE: Helping Link, 1032 S. Jackson St., Seattle WHEN: 2:30-4:30 p.m.

WHAT: The Healthy King County Coalition is hosting a Policy System and Environmental Change Health Equity Forum COST: Free RSVP: val@healthykingcounty. org INFO: capaa@capaa.wa.gov, 360-725-5667

SAT 6/7

SUN 6/8

exploration of the Japanese American experience of World War II WHERE: Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 3–4 p.m.

COST: $5 (free for members) INFO: 206-623-5124

WHAT: Interfaith Celebration WHERE: Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 1-4 p.m.

WHAT: Performance of Gabrielle Nomura weaves dance, theater, and live music by Seattle Kokon Taiko WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 3 p.m.

COST: $5/general, free to members RSVP: 206-623-5124

WHAT: Artists’ mixer WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle WHEN: 5:30 p.m.

INFO: artistsup.org, marcia. iwasaki@seattle.gov, 206-2333949

SAT 6/7 & SUN 6/8 WHAT: Seattle Center Festál – Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival WHERE: Seattle Center Armory and Mural Amphitheatre COST: Free INFO: festálpagdiriwang.com WHEN: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

MON 6/9

FRI 6/13 WHAT: Q&A Luncheon with Mary Yu, WA State Supreme Court Justice WHERE: House of Hong, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

INFO: 206-552-0818, luncheon@ seattlechinesechamber.org

FRI 6/13 THRU SUN 6/15 WHAT: Sandra Vesterstein and Women-N-Sprit are coming to Seattle WHERE: Marriott Residence Inn, 800 Fairview Ave. N., Seattle COST: $998/individual, $848/ with a friend, $689/with two friends, $598/with three friends REGISTER: women-n-spirit. com, 888-432-1122, extension 4

Hudson Building burgled, vandalized

The burned-out Hudson Building in the International District continues to suffer indignities as it waits for rehabilitation.

Last month, the owner of one of the building’s businesses — closed since the Dec. 24 fire — reported the burglary of $10,000 to $20,000 worth of herbs being stored in the Yuan Sheng Hang herbal shop.

According to a Seattle police report, someone unhinged the gate surrounding the building, broke one of the herbal shop’s windows, crawled into the shop, and stole large glass containers of herbs.

According to police, the burglar also opened a cooler and took out a Red Bull and drank it. Police were able to get fingerprints from the can.

Meanwhile, stabilization plans for the Hudson Building are on hold, pending a bank loan. 

WHAT: Family Fun Day WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 1-3 p.m.

COST: Free WHAT: Book Reading & Performance of Community activist Michelle Myers WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 4 p.m.

WHAT: Jamfest WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 5:30 p.m.

COST: $8/general, $6/students & seniors, $5/members

WHAT: “Relief to Rebuild” Auction Fundraiser for Survivors of Typhoon Haiyan WHERE: Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock St, Tacoma, WA 98402 WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: $40 INFO: 253-921-5788, zencs@ comcast.net

SAT 6/21

SUN 6/22

WHAT: Pride Asia celebration WHERE: Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle INFO: www.prideasia.com

WHAT: Pride Asia WHERE: Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 12-6 p.m.

INFO: prideasiaseattle.com

THU 6/19

WHAT: “Farewell Shikata Ga Nai” dance/theater/music {SPELLING BEE cont’d from page 1} trophy together onstage, each will get one to take home, and each gets the champion’s haul of more than $33,000 in cash and prizes.

Both champions are Indian American. The past eight winners and 13 of the past 17 have been of Indian descent, a run that began in 1999 after Nupur Lala’s victory, which was later featured in the documentary “Spellbound.”

Gokul Venkatachalam of Chesterfield, Mo., finished

third, and Ashwin Veeramani of North Royalton, Ohio, was fourth. Both are also of Indian descent.  Associated Press Writer Joseph White contributed to this report.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

SIFF coming to a close

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly This is the final weekend of the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Here are three preview picks for Asian films showing as the festival winds down.

A lot of people don’t know that George Takei, best known for playing Mr. Sulu on “Star Trek,” was in an episode of “The Twilight Zone” in 1964, two years before “Star Trek” went on the air. That’s because the frank racial language of that “Twilight Zone” episode, called “The Encounter,” caused it to be withheld from syndication.

For several decades, it was almost impossible to see.

In it, Takei played a young Japanese American who goes to a WWII veteran looking for yard work, and ends up killing the older man through a combination of racial hostility, an accident, and a touch of the uncanny. Takei’s character, a Nisei, admits that his father spied for the Japanese government. This drew protests from Japanese American groups, and was one cause of the episode vanishing from the airwaves.

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

■ on the shelf

■ at the movies

‘To Be Takei’

In real life, George Takei has lived a fascinating life of which “Star Trek” and “Twilight Zone” are only portions. His family spent time in two relocation centers during WWII. He joined a Boy Scout troop attached to a Buddhist Temple. He narrated a documentary called “The Japanese Sword as the Soul of the Samurai” (interestingly enough, the fatal weapon in “The Encounter” was a samurai sword brought home by the Anglo soldier).

“To Be Takei,” a documentary about the actor, plays on June 6 and June 7. It should include references to all the above tales, plus Takei’s Anglophilia (inherited from his father, who named his son “George” after England’s George VI), his activism for gay rights, and his marriage to his longtime partner, Brad.

On a side note, Takei will be the Celebrity Grand Marshal at this year’s Seattle Pride Parade on June 29.

Life in a country away from home

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly

Sisters

Written by Amy Laizans, Illustrated by Sophie Scahill Little Steps Publishing, 2013

Jane and her best friend are like most other kids their age living in Australia. They like to play outside in the sun, jump rope together, and read books aloud together.

The two girls even help their mothers in the kitchen from time to time.

In fact, the two girls are so close, they are inseparable and consider themselves sisters.

Hae Seon Roasted Seaweed $1.39 Hami melon $0.99/lb

$0.79 lb Japanese Cucumber $1.29/lb

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Nang Fah Fried Onion 8oz $5.49

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The Chinese film “Black Coal, Thin Ice,” plays on June 7 and June 8. Writer/director Diao Yann spent eight years writing the {see SIFF cont’d on page 15}

$0.59 Asian Taste Brown Sugar Piece 16oz $1.39

New Choice Chicken Broth (No MSG) $0.89

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‘Black Coal, Thin Ice’

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Flying Horse Soya Bean Sauce 20oz $1.69

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Shanghai Bok Choy $0.89/lb

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Wonderfarm Bird’s Nest Drink $0.69

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Hocean Crab Paste with Soya Bean Oil 7oz $2.69

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Green Mango $1.99/lb

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“Canopy,” playing June 8, is a joint production between Australia and Singapore, set in Singapore during WWII. It’s an interesting take on the Battle of Kranji, the invasion of Singapore by Japanese forces, who eventually took the then-still British Island in 1942.

In “Canopy,” up-and-coming Australian actor Khan Chittenden plays a pilot shot down behind enemy lines in Singapore.

He encounters a Chinese soldier played by

{see SHELF cont’d on page 13}

1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday—Sunday: 8:30 a.m.—8 p.m. lamsseafood.com

Coconut Tree Rice Noodle (S) 42oz $3.69

Tzu-yi Mo, who’s fighting a guerrilla action trying to bring down the Japanese. The two men cannot speak each other’s languages, but they spend the rest of the film trying to help each other.

But then one day during lunch at school, a classmate asks Jane if she speaks English.

And while she was born in Australia and her best friend — the narrator of “Sisters,” who remains nameless — emigrated from Germany, it is Jane’s language skills that come into question.

This is because Jane is Filipino.

Although “Sisters” is a book geared toward grade school children and written in simple language that young readers can easily understand, it touches on the very complex and complicated issues of race and immigration. The narrator and Jane’s friendship is tested as the latter’s race is put on the spot and the former — and readers as well — question why it should even matter.

“Sisters” is a story about what it means to be a real friend and how to look beyond what a person looks like before judging them. This is a lesson that people are never too young — or old — to learn. I love how Laizans tackles the issue head-on, while making sure her readers understand the message.

In addition to the story, “Sisters” is beautifully illustrated with fun pictures in bright colors that bring Jane and her best friend’s adventures to life. From blowing giant bubble gum bubbles to exploring in the woods, Scahill’s computer-generated images will have young readers wishing they could join in on the fun with the two girls.

All sale lasts from Friday 6/6 to Thursday 6/12

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7

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$5.99 lb $7.99/lb filet $7.29 lb

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Fresh whole Yellow Eye fish $6.49/lb

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$13.49 Pork Belly (Rib-on) $4.39/lb

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Fresh Goby Fish $2.49/lb

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26-30 India White shrimp Headless

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asianweekly northwest

8

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

■ pictorial

Women of the Century The Women’s University Club of Seattle presented its annual Brava! Awards on May 16, honoring women in the greater Seattle area who have made a positive, enduring difference in the community and beyond. This year, in celebration of the club’s centennial, members nominated “Women of the Century.”

The honorees were Bertha Knight Landes (1868–1943), who was mayor of Seattle from 1926–1928, and the first female mayor of a major American city; Anna Herr Clise (1866–1936), Founder of the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital (now Seattle Children’s Hospital, Research and Foundation); Hazel Wolf (1898– 2000), An environmental and social activist whose causes ranged from the rights of workers, women, and minorities, to the protection of wilderness, wetlands, and wildlife; Frances Penrose Owen (1900–2002), A 22-year member of the Seattle School Board and the first woman on the Board of Regents of Washington State University; Aki Kurose (1925–1998), a Seattle teacher and peace activist who spent her adult life translating the ideals of pacifism and social justice into practice; and The Women of the Stimson-Bullitt Family, including Harriet Overton Stimson, Dorothy Stimson Bullitt, Harriet Overton Bullitt, Priscilla “Patsy” Bullitt Collins, Katharine “Kay” Muller Bullitt, and Dorothy C. Bullitt.

In addition to the honors, the WUC scholarships of up to $8,000 to Simret Emabye Gebrehiwot of Rainier Beach High School, Eva Marcelis of Holy Names Academy, Liana Seglins of Ballard High School, Angelita Garcia of the YWCA, Courtney Thompson of Imagine Housing, and Kevin Fisher, comptroller of the WUC. 

Award Committee member Linda Beecher, WUC President Suzy Lantz, Karen Wong, and Letitia Fong.

Lisa Esztergalyos and Pamela Zytnicki wearing festive hats for the festive occasion.

Simret Emabye Gebrehiwot of Rainier Beach High School is one of six who received scholarships. She is here with her teacher, Lisa Banez-Chin.

The Wishing Tree

Ruthanne Kurose, daughter of the late Aki Kurose, with Dorothy Bullitt and Kay Bullitt. The elder Kurose and the Bullitt women were honored as ‘Women of the Century.’

Bonnie Miller, award committee co-chair, made the plaques.

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Award committee member Rhonda Staton with the WUC Centennial book.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ arts & entertainment

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

9

The Asian Hall of Fame Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP

The Asian Hall of Fame honored four Asian Americans at its annual event at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle on May 31. Since its founding in 2004, the mission of the Asian Hall of Fame is to honor achievement, inspire the next generation, and build the national community of Asian Pacific Americans. The Asian Hall of Fame is the premier initiative of the Robert Chinn Foundation.

Karen Wong is the president of the Robert Chinn Foundation.

This years honorees were Norman Y. Mineta, Grace Park, Nathan Adrian, and Manu Tuiasosopo.

Former Ambassador Gary Locke, standing, introduces Norman Mineta, seated in the center. The other Hall of Fame inductees are, from left, Manu Tuiasosopo, Grace Park, and Nathan Adrian. Hall of Fame President Karen Wong is seated on the right.

and Canada and known for her work as an actress throughout North America.

Park, who grew up in Kerrisdale, received a degree in psychology from the University of British Columbia. After

N

orman Y. Mineta was born and raised in San Jose, Calif., and has made a significant impact through his long career as a politician.

Of Japanese heritage, Mineta and his family were among the thousands interned during World War II at a camp in Wyoming. After the war, the family went back to San Jose, and Mineta went on to attend the University of California, Berkeley. In 1953, Mineta graduated with a degree in business administration and served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army before joining his father at the Mineta Insurance Agency.

Mineta’s political career started in 1967 with an appointment to the San Jose City Council.

He was elected to the same office two years later, then was elected vice mayor. In 1971, Mineta was elected as the 59th mayor of San Jose, defeating 14 other candidates and winning every precinct in the election. He had become the first Asian American mayor of a major U.S. city.

Four years later, Mineta was elected to represent Silicon Valley as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a post he held from 1975 through 1995. He co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and chaired the House Aviation subcommittee, the Surface Transportation subcommittee, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mineta was key in obtaining federal funding for San Jose’s airport and the Santa Clara County public transportation system, as well as in the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which officially apologized for the injustices endured by Japanese Americans during World War II.

G

race Park was born in Los Angeles, Calif., and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Of Korean heritage, Park is a dual citizen of the United States

graduation, Park turned her attention to film and television and, in 2000, she was almost immediately cast in a role in the Jet Li film “Romeo Must Die.” She took on a guest spot in “Secret Agent Man”

before quickly landing a role in the teen drama “Edgemont” the same year.

Park’s role in “Edgemont” gave her a consistent presence throughout the show’s five seasons on CBC, spurring on guest star roles in “Dark Angel,” “Stargate SG1,” and “Jake 2.0,” as well as work on the Canadian show “The Immortal.”

In 2003, Park’s career was catapulted forward when she was cast on the Sci Fi Channel’s “Battlestar Galactica,” in which she played two leading roles.

Her performance in the season one cliffhanger earned her a place in TV Guide’s “100 Most Memorable Moments in TV History.” The series received critical acclaim and a Peabody Award in 2006, as well as a nomination for Park as Outstanding Supporting Actress in {see HALL OF FAME cont’d on page 15}

asianweekly northwest

10

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

■ publisher’s blog

OPINION

Arlington to Oso, witnessing the reopening of 530

Driving past the mudslide.

A small tree survived the mudslide.

Traffic lines up waiting to drive on Highway 530.

A goose family in Arlington.

The food at the Blue Bird Café.

It might not be the best time to visit Oso after the mudslide. But I went anyway on May 31 — the opening day for Highway 530 after it was closed for two months.

I have to confess that my motivation is not just for Oso. Seeing my cousin from California, happening to visit a nearby town of Arlington, was my valid excuse. It took an hour to drive from Seattle’s Chinatown to Arlington, and

then another 20 minutes to Oso. I’d never been to Oso. It was a bit unnerving wandering through a disaster area. There were no good reasons for out-of-town visitors to drive to Oso except to satisfy their curiosity.

The 530 Highway only has one lane open. As about 60 cars drove along on the road, another 50 to 60 cars waited

on the other side before they got their turn. Passing the mudslide area, the speed limit is 10 mph. No car was allowed to stop. No passengers could get out of their car.

It might take just a few minutes to drive through the onemile-stretch road. But a thousand thoughts rolled down my

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Lots in Arlington are big.

{see BLOG cont’d on page 14}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ editorial

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

11

OPINION

Thirteen of the last 17 Scripps National Spelling Bee winners, including eight in the last seven years, have been Indian Americans. This raises many predictable questions and reactions, the first of which is: Why are kids of Indian descent such good spellers?

The answer of course is the same reason why anybody is good at anything — practice. Any Internet research into the topic will yield more and more answers that become less and less interesting with each click. Like other Asian American groups, they study hard. Like other Asian groups, they have a strong work ethic, and consistent family support. Many are the children of high-skilled tech immigrants who instill the importance of education in their children. Etc., etc.

Good for the winners. Kids who work and study hard have earned their well-deserved victories. They reap the benefits of their dedication, and bring joy to their families.

They represent the dream of future success that all Americans have for their children.

Representing the nightmare of future failure are some {MOURNING cont’d from page 4} increasingly conservative political atmosphere under President Xi Jinping.

On normal days, the vast plaza is closely watched by surveillance cameras and plainclothes police and officers riding Segways, but most people are allowed to enter without having their IDs checked. The June 4 measures, including the deployment of hundreds of security and emergency services personnel, were a dramatic tightening.

Authorities allowed about a dozen relatives of four people killed in the crackdown to pay their respects at a cemetery in Beijing, but they were under police escort and were watched by several dozen plainclothes officers, according to Zhang Xianling, a member of a group that campaigns for the crackdown’s victims.

The relatives laid flowers and bowed three times as is customary in Chinese mourning, Zhang said, and one of them read from a prepared text.

“A quarter of a century has passed since the June 4, 1989, massacre. In these endless 25 years, not a moment has

Photo by Mark Bowen/SNSB

Why are Indians the best spellers?

Ansun Sujoe, left, and Sriram Hathwar get a ticker tape celebration after winning the National Spelling Bee.

of the racially tinged responses to these American kids’ achievements, evidenced, as all things are, on Twitter.

“We need an american (sic) to win this spelling bee.”

“The kids in the spelling bee should only be AMERICAN.” gone by that we didn’t miss you,” said the text, provided by Zhang to the AP. “Our tears have run dry, our voices are already hoarse,” it said. “Our temples have grayed, our gaits are already faltering. With the passage of time, we will bury our sorrow deep in our hearts and strengthen our faith and determination to pursue justice.”

Activist lawyer Teng Biao said the government’s repression only betrayed its frailty and fear of dissent.

“Although the government appears stronger, they are more fearful, less confident and have less sense of security,” Teng said from Hong Kong, where he is a visiting scholar at the city’s Chinese University.

Foreign media in Beijing have been warned not to meet with dissidents or report on issues related to the anniversary.

In an unusual burst of activity, the Foreign Ministry and Cabinet office held news conferences and called in Associated Press reporters for meetings on June 4.

In Hong Kong, the Tiananmen protests remain a totem for political expression and Western-style civil liberties in the former British colony that retained its own liberal social

“Shocking that neither of the Spelling bee champs have names that sound American.” This last tweet from a ‘Grant Moore,’ whose Twitter feed also contains such gems as “There’s no way Owen Wilson gets that girl from wedding crashers, he does not pull” and “Anchorman 2 greatly exceeded my expectations” and “Watching the Grinch instead of studying for finals” and “This new south park episode might be the most racist one ever. And I love it.”

Obviously, Mr. Moore should, and mostly does, leave commenting on issues of intelligence to the intelligent.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been going on since 1925. The names of the participants throughout the years have changed just as America has changed over the course of the last century. The spelling bee is open to anyone. The first winner was named Neuhauser. Is that American enough? The most recent non-Indian winner was named O’Dorney. Is that more American? People need to stop fretting over how American Americans are, and go out and get good at something. Win a prize and make your country proud of you and your “American” name.  and legal systems after reverting to Chinese rule in 1997.

“The reason that I’ve come here is that I want to see the sunshine of freedom,” said Rany Cao, a 30-year-old mainland Chinese electronics importer based in Hong Kong who joined the Wednesday night vigil.

“I can feel that there’s something about Hong Kong that is different from China, and that is, people are striving for freedom, striving for democracy,” Cao said. “I expect to learn more about the truth of what happened 25 years ago.”

For the first time, a pro-Beijing group, the Voice of Loving Hong Kong, was planning a counter-rally at the park’s entrance in support of the military crackdown, in a sign of increasing polarization in the former British colony.

Along with concerns about political unrest, China has recently been shaken by violence blamed on separatists from the far northwestern region of Xinjiang, adding to the increased security measures.  Associated Press writers Christopher Bodeen and Didi Tang in Beijing and Kelvin Chan and researcher Theodora Yu in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: King County Facilities Electrical Construction Work Order, C00903C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30 p.m., June 17, 2014 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: NTE $1,000,000.00 Scope of Work: The King County Facilities Management Division (FMD) requires electrical testing, analysis and maintenance repairs necessary to validate the functionality, integrity and reliability of primary electrical switchgear and auxiliary electrical equipment in various detention and non-detention operating facilities of County owned and leased sites.

The work includes furnishing all labor, equipment, materials, incidentals, superintendents, subcontractor coordination and overhead to perform electrical repairs, replacements, electrical testing, cable testing, equipment testing, switchgear testing, electrical replacement work identified in the Major Maintenance and Repair Fund and or Building Repair and Replacement fund, harmonics testing, infrared surveying, power factor testing, protective relay testing, battery testing, visual electrical inspections, minor modifications and safety improvements in King County owned buildings managed by Facilities Management Division (FMD).

The work under this Contract includes all electrical equipment up to 15kV. LEED evaluations may be conducted for individual work orders. The work of this Contract includes electrical work in secured jail facilities, office buildings, courthouses, public health

clinics, King County Sherriff precincts, emergency management facilities, and other County owned facilities as required. Work of this Contract will be located within King County administered areas.

Work site: Various County facilities located throughout King County, Washington.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $1,000,000 and the initial Contract Time shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $1,000,000 during the duration of this Contract.

At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended for one additional year or until the Not to Exceed Contract Price is reached, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County.

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 any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: Not Applicable.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Demolition, Carpentry, Mechanical, Earthwork, and Concrete Sawcutting Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SCS Utilization Requirements. The Contractor

shall ensure that at least 15% of the total price for all executed work orders shall be performed by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract.

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 206-382-1177.

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

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JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

{CAMBODIAN cont’d from page 1} He doesn’t know when this will happen, as the government issues a limited number each year.

He just thinks about it every day, and he knows it’s inevitable.

Defining aggravated felons

“When I got locked up, my family got locked up, too. They did that time with me,” said Rithy Yin, another Seattle-area Cambodian man who faces deportation due to his status as an ‘aggravated felon’ from his 1999 felony convictions.

At 18, Yin was caught robbing a convenience store at gunpoint. He liked to emphasize that no one was hurt during the robbery, not necessarily to absolve himself of wrongdoing, but more in relief. These days, Yin’s a devout Christian and frequently references his gratitude to God. Yin served 10 years of his 11-year prison term before his release in 2008.

Since 1996, as the result of stricter laws, people like Son and Yin, who arrived in the United States as child refugees, have, more or less, automatically been ordered ‘removed’ from the United States, to be returned to Cambodia, due to their aggravated felon designation. “[The process] used to be called deportation,” said Assistant Federal Public Defender Jay Stansell. “It’s now called removal. It amounts to the same thing.”

The aggravated designation is broadly defined.

“In 1996, the definition of aggravation felony was expanded in extraordinary ways, to the point where you can get a misdemeanor assault conviction and a one-year suspended sentence and never spend a day in court and still be characterized as an aggravated felon — whereas murder and rape used to be what it was limited to,” said Stansell.

Today, Yin resides in his sister and brother-in-law’s townhouse. He lives on the lower floor with his new wife — they married last month. He goes to work in Kent in the afternoons. He said he likes the shift.

“When I was incarcerated, my mom — she used to cry when she saw my friends playing outside. It was hard on her … They did all that time with me,” said Yin, quietly, remembering how his family members’ lives were also put on hold while he was incarcerated. “I told them not to come [visit me in prison]. I didn’t want them to see all that stuff, but they came anyway. They wrote letters, and kept my spirits up. And really, that’s what made a really, really difficult time a lot easier for me. They made it bearable.”

Adjusting to new lives

Yin was almost 2 years old when he arrived in the United States. He grew up in South Seattle and was the target of {TIANANMEN cont’d from page 4} Back in Beijing, Wang does not think the student movement would come up in any discussion.

“Who would bring it up? There’s been no reason to talk about it,” Wang said. “Much time has passed since then, and China will not report it anymore. Now, the foreign media want to make a fuss out of it. They are talking up the negative things about China.”

At Peking University, once a center of student protests, Tiananmen seems to have little relevance to today’s students.

“It is not something that concerns us anymore,” said Zhang Yu, a graduate student in sociology.

Although some bold Peking University professors have shared their knowledge with their students, most keep the topic out of the classroom.

Chen Haoyun, a freshman majoring in aeronautics, said he first heard about it when a teaching assistant mentioned it in a history class.

“I do not know much about it. All I know is that it cannot be talked about,” said Chen.

“I am interested, but the school does not talk about it.”

The university’s party secretary, Zhu Shanlu, warns that teachers must be careful when speaking to students about Tiananmen.

“You must take responsibility for the students and their values. It’s like buttoning up the first button, and you cannot get the first button wrong,” he told an Associated Press reporter when asked if the issue is off limits on campus.

Even some young people with connections to the crackdown know little about it, including Wang Jiaying, a Beijing college

bullies, he said, maybe due to his small stature, the fact that his family was poor, or because he looked different from other kids.

“I remember my first Halloween here in Seattle,” said Yin, laughing over the memory. “We were robbed, and everyone took our candy and chased us. And that’s how they welcomed us into the neighborhood.” He paused. “And you had to pretty much fend for yourself or get beat up.”

Language was a significant hurdle for the Cambodian refugees in the 1980s. Notably, there were very few Cambodians in the United States prior to the influx of refugees that fled Cambodia following the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge — the Communist Party of Kampuchea.

The relatively small number of Cambodians in the United States at the time resulted in a lack of community and support for the incoming refugees.

“It was also an unfamiliar population for people in the U.S.,” said Dori Cahn, a mentor and adviser for the Royal University of Phnom Penh, in partnership with the University Of Washington School of Social Work, and Stansell’s wife. “There was a lot of — well, a lot of racism.

All these Southeast Asians were coming into the schools, coming into communities, needing services, needing help, needing jobs — and all of a sudden, there’s thousands of them… For the children going to school, there’s the language challenge, the challenge of being the new kid, and the ‘other,’ and also the family challenge with parents who had a hard time even functioning.”

“It’s pretty clear to me that America has this ironic approach to refugees,” said Stansell. “For one, we take in more refugees than any other country in the world. That’s a great thing. But as any of these young Cambodian men can tell you, many of the refugees who come here are traumatized, by definition, because they’re refugees. The parents are not ready for impoverished life in America.

“They come ready-made to be of the lower classes because they’re not really well-suited to be engaged in employment because of their, Cambodia’s history in particular — the intelligentsia and the professional classes of the Cambodia were basically wiped out by the Khmer Rouge, so we had a lot of working-class peasantry coming here, not college professors.”

School was a struggle for Yin. He was constantly getting into fights and bumping up against authority figures. He said his parents had a hard time understanding why he was getting into so much trouble — they couldn’t grasp the concept that he was being targeted at school. Yin had older brothers who helped get him into some extracurricular activities — and it worked for a while. But his older brothers were coping with the same pains of adjusting to a new country and life.

student whose father participated in the student movement.

“He said he was not sensible at the time,” Wang said of her father. “I think it was a special event at a special time, which cannot be discussed now.”

Her roommate, Lu Qiuxuan, 21, learned about it about from her mother, who was at a Beijing hospital caring for her grandmother

“They left,” said Yin, “to find their own way. They were my role models. They were in high school and I was in middle school. They left the house early, too. I looked up to them, and after they were gone, I had nobody to help me navigate through school.”

“I held up a convenience store at gun point,” said Yin. “I’m not trying to justify what I did. What I did was terrible, taking money from people who worked hard for it. My mom raised me better than that.”

A certain future

Son lives in a house he rents with his fiancée, Aneda Kim, who is also Cambodian. He’s father to four and grandfather to one. He is a father-figure to Kim’s kids, having been in their lives for seven years.

“I tell my kids what the right way is — how to be,” said Son. “I tell them don’t get into trouble, just be smart. Get a good education.”

“We’re on their backs a lot,” he admitted. “We don’t let them out of our sights that much. We always keep them on their toes — I don’t want them to go down the path that I did. You just don’t want that for your kids.”

“I do regret it,” he said, referring to the burglary. “I wish I could take it back.”

For Son and Yin to be returned to Cambodia, there needs to be formal proof that the men will be accepted into the country. To get on a plane, travel documents have to be issued, and those are at the discretion of the government.

“Normal travel documents for someone going abroad is their passport,” said Stansell. “But none of these folks have passports because they came here as refugees. So instead, they require a formal Cambodian document of some sort.”

According to the ICE, when it is able to obtain travel documents for priority aliens, “the agency makes arrangements, considering an individual’s personal circumstances, to detain the individual and remove him or her from the U.S.” “It happens,” Son said, his eyes obscured by sunglasses.

He was speaking of the inevitability of things, of how he copes, and of his eventual deportation. “You know, it — it happens. But I paid my dues.”

“I would say the system has failed these boys,” said Stansell. “Others would say they should’ve figured it out.

But it’s so easy to say that. People who say that — have never fled terror.”  This is part 1 of a three-part series. Part 2 will appear in next week’s issue of Northwest Asian Weekly.

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

at the time. She told Lu about the constant flow of wounded students. Lu said she looked up information when she spent time overseas.

“I didn’t expect that it was this huge, and there were so many people, and so many injuries. I was shocked,” Lu said.

“I don’t know what should be the right conclusion, as long as the Chinese

government does not say anything,” she said. “I regret that people of my generation cannot learn and understand it during our school years, and I think that has changed our outlook about our future lives.”  Videojournalist Helene contributed to the report.

Franchineau

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

13

For the week of June 7–June 13, 2014

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — A longstanding issue threatens to eclipse everything else around it. Don’t wait for something to happen — take control of the reins.

Dragon — Your choices are many, but you are hesitant to move on any of them. Embrace the possibilities as they could lead you to great things.

Monkey — One chapter has thankfully come to a close and another is about to begin. As the pages have not yet been written, you are free to set your own path.

Ox — You are confused by a series of random demands. If you ask enough questions, eventually you will see the light.

Snake — After an initial awkward stage, you are feeling very much in your element lately. Take advantage of this newfound confidence to bring you to the next level.

Rooster — Use your influence to lead others in the right direction. You can show them where they need to go, but they must traverse the distance themselves.

Tiger — Time is a very valuable commodity. If someone is wasting yours, then it is up to you to make them stop sooner than later.

Rabbit — Are you hearing rumbling from a previously quiet sector? A notable change is taking place and it is important for you to take notice.

Horse — Giving up could have been an option before, but not anymore. You are committed to seeing your latest project through to its completion.

Dog — Your usual route is blocked and you are looking for another way to go. Be forewarned that the detour could take longer than just waiting for the obstruction to clear.

Goat — Just as a frown can repel, a smile can do the opposite. You will have no problems drawing people in with your positive attitude.

Pig — Consider whether a proposed solution makes sense for the problem at hand. Applying the wrong fix could cause more problems.

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 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.

{SHELF cont’d from page 7}

Gilded

By Christina Farley Skyscrape, 2014

A few years after her mother dies, 16-yearold Jae Hwa and her father move from their Los Angeles home to Seoul, South Korea.

Having been uprooted from the only home she has ever known, Jae works to fit in with her new classmates and figure out why her

paternal grandfather seems to dislike her so much.

Just as she begins to make friends at her new school, Jae discovers why her grandfather has been so adamant in wanting to send her back to the United States. For centuries, Haemosu, a Korean demi-god, has been stealing the souls of the oldest daughter from each generation in her family.

And as long as she’s in Korea, she’s next.

A black belt in tae kwon do and highly skilled in Korean archery, Jae is confident her skills will be enough to defeat Haemosu.

She quickly finds out how wrong she is and learns the ancient art of metamorphism and uses her growing power in the Spirit World.

While Jae receives help from multiple fronts, she is hesitant to accept it — partly out of a fierce independence streak and partly out of wanting to keep her family and friends safe. Jae is the furthest thing from a wilting wallflower, and her will to fight Haemosu takes both the demi-god and herself by surprise. In addition, Jae’s skills make her a worthy opponent of Haemosu’s powers, as well as a strong figure for young people to look up to.

“Gilded” may be a story filled with magic, action, and adventure, but it is also the story of a family trying to find their way back to each other. From estranged siblings and complicated parent-child relationships, Farley shows that no matter what, in the end, it all comes down to family.

{SHINSEKI cont’d from page 5} Shinseki’s testimony and he soon retired.

But his words proved prophetic — and subsequent military leaders acknowledged as much when President George W. Bush ordered a “surge” of troops to Iraq. In nominating Shinseki to lead the VA, Obama said he’d chosen him in part because he had stood up for the truth — and for overburdened fighting soldiers — in that war.

Like the president himself, Hawaii-born Shinseki also represented a racial milestone, as the first Army four-star general of Japanese American descent.

By all accounts, the VA is difficult to manage. Consider the numbers: 9 million veterans get health care from the VA and nearly 4 million receive compensation for injuries and illnesses incurred from their service.

The department runs 150 hospitals and more than 800 outpatient clinics.

Shinseki, 71, served longer than any other VA secretary since 1989, when the agency became a cabinet-level department. Bush had three VA secretaries and one acting secretary during two terms. Shinseki’s longevity gave him ownership of — and responsibility for — the VA’s myriad of problems, many exacerbated by the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

City of Tranquil Light

By Bo Caldwell Henry Holt and Company, 2010

The year is 1906. At the age of 21, Will Kiehn is living quite the ordinary life, seemingly destined to become a humble farmer in the Midwest like his father and older siblings. But when a family friend pays a visit with stories of his missionary work in the North China Plain, Will feels a call from God to do the same.

While there, he meets Katherine, a nurse

Although Shinseki made some progress in trimming the disability claims backlog and in reducing veterans’ homelessness, he could not overcome findings by his department’s inspector general that “inappropriate scheduling practices are systemic throughout” VA’s health centers. In Phoenix, the inspector found 1,700 veterans were “at risk of being lost or forgotten.”

The reaction has been swift and furious. Nobody has argued that the anger is unjustified, not even Shinseki.

“The breach of integrity is irresponsible, it is indefensible and unacceptable to me,” he said.

Yet, the problem of long waits pre-dated Shinseki’s tenure. In 2003, a presidential task force established by Bush warned that “at least 236,000 veterans were on a waiting list of six months or more for a first appointment or an initial follow-up.”

Shinseki met monthly with the major veteran service organizations, but generally tried to stay out of the public eye. Some wanted Shinseki to be more public and passionate in tackling the VA’s problems.

“I’ve never seen him get angry,” said Homer Townsend, executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “I know he’s angry, but he’s not the kind that bangs the table or yells and screams and shouts at people.”

Over five years, Shinseki had some success reducing

dedicated to service as well. The two marry a couple years later.

“Tranquil Light” alternates between Will and Katherine’s points of view and is the story of an initially young couple as they dedicate themselves to doing God’s work and helping others in a country that neither of the characters knew much about. And it’s not easy — over the decades, they face personal loss, civil war, famine, widespread illness, and more.

Enduring all the fear, pain, dangers, and struggles that come with missionary work in a rural village, readers will be inspired to see how strong Will and Katherine are and how unshakeable their faith in God is. It is nothing less than admirable to see how devoted they are. As someone who is not super religious, I found this to be one of the most touching and inspirational parts of “Tranquil Light.”

I also enjoyed reading a story in which the American characters are the ones traveling to a foreign country and have to learn how to adapt. Will and Katherine’s initial observations and experiences regarding Chinese customs and traditions are entertaining, as they are often thrown into situations in which they have no clue what to do or how to act. They are definitely fish out of water, but their efforts to learn all they can endears them to the Chinese people, as well as readers.  Samantha Pak can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

chronic homelessness among veterans. The government estimates that veterans’ homelessness has dropped by about one-quarter over the past three years. Nearly 58,000 veterans remain on the streets or in temporary shelters on any given night.

The backlog of disability claims pending for longer than 125 days soared under Shinseki’s tenure, reaching 600,000 claims at its peak. The VA had trouble keeping up with the number and complexity of the claims coming from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

At the same time, Shinseki made it easier for veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to get benefits.

The backlog is now down to fewer than 300,000, but the furor cost Shinseki political capital as he entered into the next crisis, which ultimately cost him his job.

Some veterans groups said money for VA has not kept up with the demands and Congress has to bear some responsibility.

Townsend said the jury is still out on whether Shinseki did enough to confront the department’s problems.

“I think anybody who has that job today is going to fail,” Townsend said. “I don’t think everybody realizes the depth of the problems.” 

asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

{BLOG cont’d from page 10} brain like an avalanche. It’s difficult to look at the massive magnitude of the mudslide. You can’t see the whole area, as some parts are filled with high walls of mud. The land, stripped of the trees, looked naked and bare. I could see a red bag or box, a blue container — debris here and there.

I sensed the anguish, fear, and pain of the victims in the last few minutes of their lives. I felt the guilt, sorrow, and helplessness of the victims’ families. I imagined how the rescuers broke down during their rescue and recovery work. That part of town would take a long time to rebuild.

Could it be rebuilt at all?

After we passed the mudslide, we made a U-turn and drove back. This time, our cameras were clicking during the passing. I told the driver, my son, “Slow down, slow down,” so we could snap more shots from my camera.

I didn’t want to see Darrington — the next destination — although the traffic cop told us to. “Buy something there,” he said. “Darrington needs help.”

The green colors and peacefulness of Oso reappeared again after 30 seconds, but I still couldn’t recover from the images I saw 30 seconds earlier. I told myself to shut down that ferocious part of my brain filling with horror. I calmed down, breathed, and enjoyed the sunshine. Soon, I was falling asleep on the road.

You don’t have to go to Darrington or Oso to help the people there. You can donate to United Way or the Red Cross. They are reaching out to residents there. I am proud of the Chinese community, which organized two fundraising events for Oso, raising over $30,000.

Arlington

If you enjoy nature like fishing, hiking through the woods, and living in a big house with a big lot at a reasonable price, Arlington and Oso would be the spots.

Arlington’s population of over 17,000 is much bigger than Oso, which has less than 180 people. It’s quiet with few activities. It’s hard even for retired folks to live there. My retired friends, who claim that Arlington is a boring town, had moved from Arlington a couple years ago.

My cousin and our family had lunch together in downtown Arlington. We passed by a Chinese restaurant, but it was not opened for Saturday lunch. A sign on the door said “Fried Rice for $1.95.” How can a Chinese restaurant survive with that kind of pricing?

It takes a lot of ingredients to prepare a fried rice dish.

We went to the restaurant next door called Blue Bird Café. It was packed. Perhaps that’s what small town people look forward to every Saturday — going out to eat. We were the only Asians in the restaurant. The whole town is 3.3 percent Asian.

We ordered four entrees (including three dinner entrees of grilled oysters, seafood combinations, and breaded veal), even though it was lunchtime. The entrees all come with soup and dessert. I guess none of the other breakfast and lunch items appealed to us. The food was decent and was served in big portions. We had to abandon our ice cream desserts as we were all stuffed, but we were still content with two boxes of leftovers to take home. We gave one to my cousin, so he didn’t have to cook dinner.

Surprisingly, the total bill was only $41.40. 

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Steve Ballmer and the Clippers

When I asked Steve Ballmer a question in public in 2011, it quickly created a storm.

It was at a Seattle Rotary meeting and Ballmer was the keynote speaker. The question was, “I read somewhere … someone suggested, ‘It’s time for Microsoft to change its CEO. Steve Ballmer needs to go.’

What’s your reaction to that?”

Instantly, Geekwire and the Seattle Times, who were both present, covered the event. The story spread wide and far. That was the last time I wrote about Ballmer.

Recently, we talked about Ballmer again because he is buying a basketball team, the L.A. Clippers, for $2 billion, all by himself.

Some Seattleites criticized the guy, as there is no chance the team will be moved to Seattle. Seattle will end up with no basketball team since the Sonics left.

For the first time, I agree with Ballmer completely. Two years ago, he was involved in a partnership with hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and others to buy the Sacramento Kings. It didn’t go far.

Ballmer made the right decision to go solo. If he laid down conditions for the deal, he would end up with no deal at all. Many multi-millionaire celebrities are salivating over the Clippers.

Only with massive wealth, decisiveness, and passion could he close the deal with owner Rochelle Stein, Donald Sterling’s spouse, so soon.

With partners, it would just slow him down.

He has retired from Microsoft as CEO and his sons are grown up, so Ballmer has plenty of time. Just because he’s rich doesn’t mean he has to think for Seattle all the time. He deserves to think for himself sometimes. Of course, he deserves his toys.

Congratulations, Steve, for a job well done. 

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» Personal Injury » Airline Disasters » Bicycle Accidents

» Wrongful Death » Dog Bites » Pedestrian Accidents

Mandarin, Cantonese & Korean Interpreter available

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.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

{HALL OF FAME cont’d from page 9} Television at the AZN Asian Excellence Awards. She also stars in the TV show “Hawaii 5-0.”

JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014

holding three Olympic gold medals. He is now training to be a multiple medal threat at the 2016 Rio Games, where he plans to defend his “fastest man in the pool” title and looks to become the first American to win the 100m freestyle in back-to-back Olympic Games since 1928. Adrian is still at the top of his game, swimming one of the fastest splits in history in the 100m-medley relay at the 2013 Barcelona World Championships.

M

N

athan Adrian grew up in Bremerton, Wash., before moving to Berkeley, Calif., to get a degree in public health and travel the world as one of the top swimmers in the country.

Adrian graduated with honors from UC Berkeley in 2012 and along the way became an 11-time NCAA champion, led UC Berkeley to its first NCAA team title in 31 years, Pac-10 ScholarAthlete of the Year, and a recipient of the Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Award, which is given to the graduating athlete with the highest cumulative GPA. Throughout his collegiate career, Adrian also proved himself as a world-class swimmer, winning a total of 15 medals in major international competitions (12 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze). He holds the American record in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events.

Adrian is a two-time Olympian (Beijing 2008 and London 2012),

anu Tuiasosopo was born and raised in Southern California and made a name for himself as a high school, collegiate, and NFL football player.

A four-year letterman and starter for the UCLA Bruins football team, Tuiasosopo played defensive tackle and nose tackle from 1975-1978 and was a member of the 1976 Rose Bowl Championship Team. He earned numerous accolades during his collegiate career, including three-year All-Pac 8/10 League Honors (1976-1978), two-year 2nd team UPI All-American Honors (1977-1978), two Defensive Player of Year recognitions (1976 & 1978), and being named ABC-TV Chevrolet Player of Game in 1976.

Tuiasosopo was a first-round draft pick (17th overall) of the Seattle Seahawks in 1979, playing five seasons with the team as defensive tackle and nose tackle. He received NFL All-Rookie honors in his first year as a pro, and was a member of the Seahawks’ first ever playoff team in his last year with the team (1983). 

{SIFF cont’d from page 7} screenplay, which is, appropriately enough, a story of obsession.

Liao Fann plays an alcoholic former police investigator who was thrown off the biggest case of his career, and had to take a job as a security guard. As the film begins, he’s decided to re-investigate the case — the work of a serial killer — on his own time and his own terms. But where will this lead him?  For more details, show times, and venues, visit http://www.siff.net/ festival-2014.

Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

{MEMORIAL cont’d from page 1} Americans across the country were forced from their homes,” said Kilmer. “Sites like the Bainbridge memorial remind us of this trying time in our nation’s history and its impact on some of our proudest citizens. Working with folks in Bainbridge, I’m pleased that we can help honor this community and underscore for visitors that this is the first place in the country where Japanese Americans were forcibly excluded from their community.”

The memorial is located at the former Eagledale ferry dock. It is the only national memorial to the internment of Japanese Americans not located at an incarceration site.

“The word exclusion is so vital to completely tell this sad chapter of American history,” said Clarence Moriwaki, president of Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association. “Not only were 120,000 Japanese Americans forcibly removed and placed behind barbed wire in American concentration camps, but anyone with a drop of blood of Japanese ancestry was forbidden to remain in the exclusion zone. We should remember and honor everyone who suffered from this unconstitutional violation of civil liberties, and vow to never let fear, hysteria, and prejudice deprive anyone of life, liberty, and equal protection under the law.”

“While this change may seem minor, it goes to the heart of the experience of the Japanese American community during World War II,” said Val Tollefson, of the Bainbridge Island City Council. “We are grateful for Rep. Kilmer’s efforts and support.

Incorporating the word ‘exclusion’ into the official name has long been a goal of those who have worked hard and long to make this memorial a reality. Finally accomplishing this step will especially honor the work of Dr. Frank Kitamoto, who devoted his life to telling the story of the exclusion, in the hope that through education, we will avoid a repeat of this sorry chapter in our history.” 

Northwest Asian Weekly / Seattle Chinese Post presents

Children’s Recycling Fashion Contest

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Children’s Parade Competition Schedule: • 1 PM — Lining up • 1:20 PM — Judging begins • 1:40 PM — Parade begins • 2 PM — Contestants appear on stage • 2:45 PM — Results announced and presentation of awards • Contestants must be present at the announcement of finalists (1:50 PM).

• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order.

• All contestants will receive a fortune cookie.

• Everyone is welcome to come to Northwest Asian Weekly’s office to pick up old copies of the papers for free.

Registration/Sign-Up: • You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in, or sign up on the day of the contest (Saturday, July 12) before 1:15 PM at the registration table located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/ Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave. S. • Contestants are chosen on a first-come-first-serve basis.

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

Rules/Guidelines: • Children ages 12 and under can participate in the contest.

• Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the parade.

• Children will be given a contestant number for order of parade lineup.

• Recyclable materials must be used in contestants’ outfits. (Materials are listed online.)

Judging: • All contestants will be judged by the provided judging criteria.

• Prizes will be awarded to first ($100), second ($50), and third ($25) place winners, plus there will be many other prizes.

• All decisions made by competition judges are final.

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Sponsors: Cathay Post 186

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

Name: ________________________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________________________

E-mail: ________________________________________________________

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations.

Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at rsvp@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 7 – JUNE 13, 2014