VOL 33 NO 25 | JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

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JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Lori Matsukawa lauded at NW Emmys

By Sue Misao Northwest Asian Weekly

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Generations of Pacific Northwesterners have grown up with the familiar smile of Lori Matsukawa, who has been informing and enlightening the public for 36 years, 31 of those at KING 5 television.

For all her years, her “excellence in broadcasting,” and her service to the general community, Matsukawa was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle at the 51st Annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards ceremony

Lori Matsukawa, flanked by Dan Kleckner, left, and Steve Pool.

Killer convicted at age 14 can now ask for parole

on June 7 at the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center. The Silver Circle is presented to those who have worked in television media for at least 25 years.

Matsukawa is the Academy’s first Asian American Silver Circle inductee.

“Lori’s leadership has been so important to broadcast journalism and diversity,” said Sharon Chan of the Seattle Times in an e-mail.

Matsukawa was one of nine broadcasters inducted into the Silver Circle, in a region that

TACOM A, Wash. (AP) – Barry Massey was 14 when he became the youngest person in the Paul Wang United States ever sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Massey was convicted of

{see MATSUKAWA cont’d on page 11}

{see WANG cont’d on page 11}

By Adam Lynn/The News Tribune Associated Press

After risking storms & pirates, sea workers find respite on Elliott Bay

By Evangeline Cafe Northwest Asian Weekly After months at sea, walking on land is not a simple thing, but a local nonprofit is helping sea workers adjust and reconnect with loved ones during their stopovers in Seattle.

Beneath the towering cranes along Elliott Bay and Duwamish River are merchant ships carrying cargo containers of electronics,

e Phoning hom

D ow n

G et t

ing s

uppli

time on

{see SEAFARER cont’d on page 15}

land

Asian in africa

es

By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly

Stretch out on the way to Hong Kong

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly Delta Air Lines’ ambitious agenda will put Seattle on the global map.

Delta will be the only airline flying non-stop flight daily from Seattle to Hong

Delta expands Seattle’s international routes Kong beginning June 16.

“We are excited and very pleased with Delta’s non-stop flight to Hong Kong,” said Tay Yoshitani, CEO of the Port of Seattle.

“We have been internally hoping for a {see DELTA cont’d on page 15}

As an Asian American, I did not expect my presence in Ghana to go without attention. This sounds selfcentered. And it is.

In the winter of 2012, an invitation from a school friend led me to the southern coastal city of Cape Coast, Ghana for vacation.

This laid-back beach town has a dark past given its history with “slave castles,” or large commercial forts, found along the coast of Ghana.

Slave castles were initially built by European traders to barter gold, but were eventually used as institutions to run the transatlantic slave trade,

The author meets new cultures

which oversaw the enslavement and transportation of African people from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Most enslaved people were shipped from West and Central Africa and taken to North America and South America.

Cape Coast is home to Cape Coast Castle, one of the biggest and most well known of slave castles on the coast. But there is a lightness that exists in Cape Coast now. {see GHANA cont’d on page 15}

The Inside Story NAMES Who is making news? » P. 2

■

SPORTS The Layup Drill » P. 7

TRAVEL Finding inspiration in Venice » P. 8

BLOG The largest ‘hum bow’ in Washington state? » P. 10

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asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS CPTC Hosts study tour for Japanese students

the agency’s career assistance and job skills program, which provides training and placement services in nine languages to more than 1,500 people each year.

Before coming to ACRS, Olins worked at the Paraprofessional Healthcare. She is a certified bilingual teacher, and holds a BA from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. 

Photo courtesy of CPTC

Sengsi honored as ‘inspiring’ Christine Davidson of the International District Rotary Club (on left) presents a check to Sharon Lee, executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute (center), to help homeless people living at Nickelsville.

Sabrina Pullman, left, shows Yudai Aikawa, a medical laboratory student from Japan, the steps for cutting tissue and mounting it on a slide.

Medical laboratory students from Japan worked with Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) medical histology technician students on hands-on lab activities, toured the Lakewood campus, and visited Seattle as part of a threeday study tour from May 20 to May 22.

The medical laboratory study exchange program is a recurring partnership between Osaka Jikei College and CPTC. The trip is required for the Japanese students as part of a three-year program and is one of the reasons students want to attend OJC. “They were really good teachers,” OJC student Aozora Kanemaru said.

Several exchange students’ favorite part of the lab was working with human organs, and cutting slices of a human brain. So far, students have only practiced techniques on rats at OJC. The exchange students visited Harborview Burn Center and CellNetix in Seattle to see the medical laboratory techniques they are studying in action.

“I like how highly the profession is regarded in the United States,” said OJC student Erika Nakano. 

University Rotaract Club raised $9,400 to help homeless families and individuals living in Seattle’s Nickelsville, a homeless tent city located at 2020 S. Jackson Street. The property is owned by LIHI. Since September of last year, up to 35 homeless men, women, and children sleep in tents and simple wood structures each night because emergency shelters are full and affordable housing is scarce.

Seattle University students in the Rotaract Club organized a Spring Banquet and Auction that brought in $5,000 for Nickelsville. Matching funds of $2,500 were donated by KeyBank Foundation.

Donations of food, flashlight batteries, camping supplies, and large garbage bags are being requested. 

ACRS welcomes new director for Employment & Citizens Asian Counseling and Referral Service has welcomed Alexandra Olins as its new Employment and Citizens director.

Olins will oversee the largest citizenship services program in Washington state, which helped more than 300 people become U.S. citizens in 2013. She will also lead

Money raised for homeless The Seattle International District Rotary and the Seattle

McCoy Khammany Sengsi

Senior Services CEO Paula Houston presented the 2014 “Inspire Positive Aging Award” to McCoy Khammany Sengsi of West Seattle at the agency’s 2014 annual meeting on May 31 at Northshore Senior Center in Bothell.

Sengsi, 64, was a former captain and police officer who escaped from the Communist takeover in Laos, starting a new life in 1980 with his family in the United States. He became a U.S. citizen in 1986. He was recognized for his community involvement, particularly in Seattle’s Laotian community, where he is known as a liaison, community leader, and mentor.

Sengsi helped establish the Lao Veterans Association of Washington State and helps people find resources to learn and establish a new way of living.

Sengsi was nominated by his brother-in-law, Khamphay Muongchanh, who wrote, “He is a great man who offers mentorship and social services without ever expecting anything in return.” 

Alexandra Olins

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

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asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

■ travel

The Village Report

The ins and outs of crossing borders in Southeast Asia

By Dipika Kohli Northwest Asian Weekly Our brown bus got to Phnom Penh right at 4 p.m. as promised.

My son, husband, and I alighted on Monivong Dipika Kohli long before the official depot in the center of town. This was going to be a different kind of arrival, without the swarming of a thousand and one autorickshaw- and tuktuk-wallahs thinking we’d only just arrived in Asia that morning.

We live very close to where we disembarked near a nondescript gas station, and waved to the 20-something couple from France that had shared the ride up from Ho Chi Minh City, where they, in fact, had arrived just that morning. The road was smooth and the bus was mostly empty.

They casually asked what the holdup had been back at Vietnam-Cambodia immigration.

“Oh,” I said, “you know, corruption. The usual. But I got my 10 bucks back.”

Our European travelers were too tired to register the whole of what I was saying. It wasn’t so important to the touring folks — a few dollars here and there weren’t going to matter much. They said they’d only be in Southeast Asia for 10 days, so I decided not to press it. I’d save it for later, when I’d meet with a few new local friends who would be the ones to give me the lowdown on what things cost, and how much extra I’d have to pay — or not pay, depending on who’s been around for how long, and who knows who. No one really knows all the answers, not completely. This is Asia. Things are in flux, always.

That night, over a night of games with friends, I expanded on the exchange on the way in from Vietnam, how we knew from the Internet that there might be some trouble with the crossing, and to bring exact change for the visas. We had done that properly at the other border, from Thailand crossing in. But this time, we only had a $100 bill, which meant change was due, since our two visas together would only be $50.

Children, free.

The man behind the window took our bill and returned two $20 bills.

“Ten more dollars?” we asked, in unison. I had a history of this, during an exchange on the border from India to Nepal, and I didn’t care to repeat it. Neither did my husband, Akira, who had to listen to my complaints during the overnight to Kathmandu.

“Ten,” said the officer, smiling but firm, indicating our son.

“Child, free?” Akira said.

“No. Ten dollar.”

Unless the rules had changed since that morning, we knew this wasn’t true. “Not free?”

“Ten dollar!” Getting amped.

Trusting me to resolve this, Akira went on to make sure we were still in decent lag distance from our bus group. Maybe because I’d been in India at borders clenching my rupees and not giving in, I stood there for a little longer. “Child, no free?”

“No!” He made a waving motion, palm down, and I picked up my 5-year-old.

“Free at Poipet,” I said. The other border.

That seemed to do it. Two fives appeared in the window, along with a new application for my son’s visa. The same one. I filled it out, copying over the answers from the original like I was doing someone else’s homework for them.

I pushed both forms back, and put the blue pen down, flat.

“No picture?” he said.

Of course I had pictures. I have a passport bag stocked with a good supply for just this kind of occasion, or special permits you need for

Sikkim. Laos has a different requirement for size, and I also keep the right square size and background color for the Overseas Citizen of India forms that I’ve got in triplicate, in my bags, in case one day we move to Kolkata. Pictures are great to have in a stash, as they take half a day to procure if you don’t.

I wasn’t going to waste one here. “No picture.”

“Two dollar, no picture.”

The others in the group seemed very far now. But not out of reach.

It was going to be OK, in the end. There were no lines. There was no rush. No problem. I just started making my way towards the next spot, and then, finally, through the gates. On the other side, I joined the French couple, the handful of Vietnamese tourists on their way to Phonm Penh, the city’s returning citizens, and, of course, my family. On the Cambodia side. Our new home, for now.  Dipika Kohli writes Kismuth (http://www.kismuth. com).

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ community news

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

5

NONPERMANENT RESIDENTS (Part 2)

Local Cambodian men are facing deportation for crimes from their youth

By Stacy Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly Rithy Yin, 33, was born in Cambodia in 1980. His memories of the country are foggy at best, though over time, the sequence of events have been repeatedly recounted to him by his family members, so much that he has adopted their memories as his own.

He said his mom fled the Khmer Rouge and the killing fields, leaving everything she knew, risking life and limb to get Yin and his older sister to a refugee camp. He said his father was killed by the Khmer Rouge. Yin does not have a photo of his dad and thus does not know what he looked like. The family was granted refugee status and immigrated to the United States in April 1982.

“I turned 2 over here,” said Yin. “I have a picture of my second birthday, when we reached Springfield, Ohio. They threw me a birthday party. My sister had a party, too.” It was their first introduction to American culture, a gesture that was touching and meaningful, but foreign.

shutting down education, healthcare, and commerce sectors — forcing its urban population into labor camps.

The killing fields refer to mass gravesites where ethnic minorities and those associated with foreigners or former governments — mostly professionals and intellectuals — were executed. Death toll figures vary. UNICEF and the UN estimate between 2 million and 3 million people dead — between 27 and 41 percent of the entire population.

“Sometimes, I sit down at a [Cambodian] wedding and I’m having cake or whatever,” said U.S. Assistant Federal Public Defender Jay Stansell. “And I turn to the person next to me and I say, ‘How are you?’ And then all of a sudden, they launch into this stuff that they don’t get to tell enough about, such as being in the killing fields and literally living under the fear that at any moment, at any hour, on any day, they could get chopped in the back of the head with a shovel and die.

And that was part of the terror. That was a tool of the Khmer rouge, to be horrific monsters.”

Fleeing after war

Changing laws

Modern Cambodia has been subjugated, again and again, by outsiders. France absorbed Cambodia from Thailand in 1867, folding it into French Indochina in 1887. Cambodia gained its independence in 1953, after a stint under Japanese occupation during World War II. However, its independence was uneasily colored by military tensions as the Vietnam War intensified.

King Norodom Sihanouk was ousted in a coup in 1970. By 1975, the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the Khmer Rouge) took power. The Khmer Rouge was known for agricultural and social reforms based on Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward — a movement characterized by agriculture-based self-sufficiency. It systemically erased Western ideals by

Yin is an “aggravated felon” who will eventually be deported back to Cambodia.

When he was 18 years old, he held up a convenience store at gunpoint. He was caught and was sentenced to an 11-year prison term. He was released in 2008, and has since checked in regularly with his parole officer and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Yin is deportable because he was a permanent resident at the time of his arrest and sentencing in 1999, not a U.S. citizen.

“Rithy Yin’s immigration status was reviewed by an immigration judge in [March] 2003,” said ICE Public Affairs Officer Andrew Munoz. “The immigration judge found him removable as an aggravated felon due to his 1999

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article.

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felony convictions and ordered him deported. … Mr. Yin was remanded to ICE custody in June 2008 following his release from prison.”

Deportation back to Cambodia can be a sluggish process that takes years. As ICE cannot hold people for more than 180 days, Yin was released from ICE custody on order of supervision in September 2008, according to Munoz.

While Yin’s case was reviewed by an immigration judge in 2003, Stansell said the current process is an empty exercise — “virtually useless” — due to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) and the

Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA).

Between 1990 and 1995, Stansell did deportation defense. Many of his clients were people who committed crimes, but rehabilitated since the crime. The individuals were sometimes granted waivers of deportation by immigration judges, keeping their green cards and eventually becoming U.S. citizens.

In 1996, with IIRIRA and AEDPA, the definition of aggravated felon was broadened significantly to include Yin’s crime — “a theft or burglary offense for which the term {see CAMBODIAN cont’d on page 12}

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: Concrete Maintenance Work Order 2014-2015, C00908C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30p.m., June 24, 2014 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: NTE $750,000.00 Scope of Work: Concrete maintenance repairs and modifications to King County Transit facilities throughout King County. Repair and modification work may include, but is not limited to: full and partial concrete vehicular road paving panel replacement, concrete curb and gutter repair and replacement; and other concrete maintenance work. Work orders may also include items such as electrical, fencing, asphalt, trenching, drainage, piping, etc. that are associated with a paving project. Work Site: Work sites may include, but are not limited to: Transit Bases, Bus Shelters Transit Centers, and Park-and-Ride lots.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $750,000.00 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 $750,000.00 during the duration of this Contract.

At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended by change order for one additional year and for an additional amount not to exceed $750,000.00. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County. At the end of the first year, any remaining dollar balance within the original not to exceed Contract Price will not be carried over to the second year of the Contract.

Contact Information: Kelly McKeever, Contract Specialist, 206-2639389, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or kelly.mckeever@kingcounty.gov. Submit all Bidders questions in writing via email. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: No pre-bid or site tour is scheduled.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Concrete Sawing, Joint Sealing, Excavating, and Trucking Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SCS Utilization Requirements: The Contractor shall ensure that at least ten percent 10% 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 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THU 6/12

THU 6/19

WHEN: 4 p.m.

WHAT: Neighborhood cookery celebration WHERE: Danny Woo Community Garden, 620 S. Main St., Seattle WHEN: 4 ¬– 7:30 p.m.

INFO: tim@interimicda.org

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

SAT 6/14 WHAT: Guzheng Music in the Seattle Chinese Garden with recital by Shirley Wang and students of Seattle Guzheng Studio WHERE: Seattle Chinese Garden, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle (north entrance to South Seattle College) WHEN: 4:30 p.m.

COST: $5 suggested donation INFO: 206-934-5219, info@ seattlechinesegarden.org

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

■ briefly SPU shooting claims life of Korean American

By Julie Ha and James S. Kim KoreAm The lone fatality in the June 5 Seattle Pacific University shooting has been identified as Paul Lee, a 19-year-old Korean American student, according to the Seattle Times. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray confirmed the news at a press conference on June 6.

Murray said Lee, a freshman at the university, had a “bright future ahead of him.” KOMO news reported that Lee’s parents own the Hot Pot ’n Sushi restaurant in Portland.

Lee was pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center, following the campus shooting, which also wounded two other students. Sarah Williams, 19, was upgraded from critical to stable condition on June 6, according to KING 5 News. She sustained wounds to her abdomen and was recovering from surgery in the Intensive Care Unit. By June 9, the Seattle Times reported her condition upgraded to satisfactory. The news station also reported that the other injured student, 24-year-old Thomas Fowler, who suffered pellet fragments to his neck, chin, and side of his upper extremities, was released from the hospital on June 6.

The King County Medical Examiner officially confirmed on June 7 that Lee died from shotgun wounds to the head and neck.

Authorities said that Aaron Ybarra, 26, entered the foyer at Otto Miller Hall, a science and engineering building, at about 3:30 p.m. on June 5 and began shooting. When he stopped to reload his weapon, a student building monitor, Jon Meis, pepper-sprayed him. Meis and other students managed to subdue Ybarra until police arrived.

Ybarra, who police said is not a student at SPU, was arrested and booked at King County Jail for investigation of homicide. A judge ordered him to be held without bail.

Paul Lee’s brother, Albert Lee, posted a message on Facebook, communicating his family’s deep pain, as well as gratitude for all the support people in the community have show them. “At this moment, all we can ask is to {see SPU cont’d on page 14}

SUN 6/22 WHAT: Pride Asia WHERE: Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 12-6 p.m.

INFO: prideasiaseattle.com

MON 6/23 THRU FRI 7/11 WHAT: Asia Pacific Summer Camp

WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

COST: $100/week INFO: asiapacificculturalcenter. org

money for Asian Counseling and Referral Service food bank WHERE: Seward Park, 5895 Lake Washington Blvd. S., Seattle WHEN: 8 a.m. – noon INFO: 206-695-7551

SAT 6/28

SAT 6/28 & SUN 6/29

WHAT: Join Lead Pencil Studio duo Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo for an exclusive tour of transit in half-light WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 1:30-2:30 p.m.

COST: $10/general, $8/members INFO: 206-623-5124

WHAT: 2nd South Asian International Documentary Film Festival WHERE: Wing Luke, 719 S. King St., Seattle TICKETS: wingluke.org INFO: www.tasveer.org

WHAT: Seattle Iranian Festival WHERE: Seattle Center Armory COST: Free INFO: 206-684-7200 or iacaseattle.org WHAT: Walk for Rice to raise

MON 6/30 WHAT: Book reading and signing by Sarah Bird, author of “Above the East China Sea: WHERE: Elliot Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle INFO: 206-624-6600

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ SPORTS

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

7

The Layup Drill Football, fights, and fore!

Keisuke Honda

Shinji Kagawa

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

scorers and it hopes to continue to do so in Brazil.

Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. In this month’s column, we take a look at the World Cup, Manny Pacquiao, and more.

Pacquiao signs on for 3 years

2 Asian countries in the World Cup

By the time you read this, sports fans across the world will be waking up early, staying up late, or taking extended lunch breaks at work to watch the World Cup. Even if you are not a huge soccer fan, most will take notice of the event, occurring this year in soccer-centric Brazil, which will be extra enthused, as its team is one of the favorites to win it all. The U.S. team is a definitive underdog this year. It will have Sounders forward Clint Dempsey on the team, but there’s not much hope that the team will get past its initial matches. As for the rest of the field, there are only two teams from Asia that qualified for the 32-team field.

Japan: One of the more exciting teams in the field, Japan, is known for its creativity on the field and is a team to watch. Its key players include Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa, and Ryoichi Maeda. Notably, Kagawa plays for famed soccer club Manchester United in Europe. He was named Asian International Footballer of the Year in 2012. Honda has been pegged by The New York Times as possibly the “next [David] Beckham.”

Honda, like Beckham, has the good looks and great play to become a global superstar on and off the field. Honda plays in Milan when not representing his country. The 27-year-old Honda is a stylish dresser, and, according to men’s designer Robert Geller, “He puts a Japanese twist on things, so it’s a little more playful than the typical Italian style.” Perhaps the bleach-blond Honda will give added reason to watch Japan in action.

The team, coached by Italian soccer legend Alberto Zaccheroni, has gained some momentum going into the World Cup. South Korea: According to an ESPN, “You look at this [South Korea] lineup and everybody has the ability to change a game.” The 2012 Asian Player of the Year Lee Keun-Ho has scored five goals in two rounds of qualifying for the World Cup. But the player to look for is Son Heung Min. Son is the only member of the team playing in Champions League Football — the top soccer league (and considered the best league in the world) in Europe. The team tends to spread the wealth with its goal

Lee Keun Ho

Ryoichi Maeda

After his April fight with Timothy Bradley, Jr., which saw Manny Pacquiao avenge a controversial loss, Pacquiao has decided to fight for at least two more years, as he has inked a deal with his boxing promotion, Top Rank. Pacquiao is also selling his Los Angeles home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of the city.

The Filipino boxer primarily uses the home when he is in town training for fights. No word if Pacquiao is in the market for another home or just downsizing. The home is listed at $2.7 million for those with the money who are looking for a place in Southern California.

In addition to his work as a politician in the Philippines, he was named the head coach of the Kia Motors expansion team in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The team, sponsored by the carmaker, will play in October for the 2014-2015 season. Pacquiao, a basketball fanatic, regularly uses basketball as cross-training to keep in shape. But is Pacquiao the next Phil Jackson? Unlikely. We can see that appointing Pacquiao as the head coach may be more of a public relations stunt than a tap into his basketball knowledge. Plus, Pacquiao is slated to fight this November when the team is scheduled to begin play.

We may see the head coach needing to take some time off from his coaching duties to focus on his main job of being a boxer.

Donaire returns to the ring

Once thought of as one of the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and sometimes compared to Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire returned to the ring in Macau, China, this past May. The Filipino American boxer faced South African Simpiwe Vetyeka, whom he defeated to win the World Boxing Association’s Super Featherweight title. Despite the win, the fight ended in controversy as Donaire was severely cut over his eye in the first round due to an unintended head butt between the two fighters. The fighters continued even as Donaire continued to bleed over his eye and into his line of vision. The judges and officials decided not to stop the fight.

Donaire did score a knockdown in the fourth round of an evenly matched fight. At the beginning of the fifth round, the officials decided to stop the fight because of the

severity of Donaire’s cut. According to the rules, when a fight is stopped due to a cut, it goes to the scorecards, which had Donaire ahead — essentially due to the knockdown.

While Donaire won by unanimous technical decision, it was not the most impressive outing for a fighter who was unanimously selected as the 2012 Fighter of the Year.

Son Heung Min

as “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” fought in the main event of an Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) event in Berlin, Germany. Unfortunately for Munoz, he lost in the first round after being submitted by his opponent Gegard Mousasi. Munoz has won just once in his last four UFC fights.

Despite the loss, Munoz has vowed to continue fighting. The loss may not have been the best in terms of timing as the loss

Munoz loses in last fight of contract

On the same day as Donaire’s fight in Macau, MMA fighter Mark Munoz, known

{see SPORTS cont’d on page 12}

All sale lasts from Friday 6/13 to Thursday 6/19

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Offer only good while supplies last. We reserve the right to correct all printed errors.

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asianweekly northwest

8

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

■ TRAVEL

The bad and beautiful of Venice

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly Marco Polo went to China in the 13th century and introduced pizza and noodles to the Europeans. Marco had inspired me to visit Venice last October, but the inspiration I got from Venice turned out to be something else.

Reaching Venice is adventurous

Many unique

nice bridges in Ve Spectacular

Riding the

Another br

gondola

idge

Venice’s beauty produces flaws

Each year, about 20 million tourists pour into tiny Venice, which has only 8,000 residents. You can imagine how jammed the streets are during summer.

The best part for the tourist is that you can walk all day long {see VENICE cont’d on page 13}

The Glass

ldi!

Museum

Tourists fin

d each othe

r

food dishes

WAW

Viva

Photo s by G eorge Liu/N

You cannot fly into Venice because it is a town comprising 118 man-made islands, connected by bridges and canals. Built 600 years ago, Venetians escaped from war to swamp lands.

To ward off foreign attacks, they diverted more water into the lagoons.

We flew Delta non-stop from Seattle to Amsterdam and then transferred to Venice. At the airport, we had to carry our own luggage, walking about five minutes to get a water taxi (boat) to go into the city. It costs 80 Euro ($90 US) for a 20-minute ride. You can ride for much cheaper on a crowded waterbus (about 2€ to 4€), which stops at different islands, but it won’t be in front of your hotel.

Luckily, we learned a long time ago that it’s wise to travel light.

The boat ride gave us a great view of Venice’s unique architecture from island to island. Many of the waterfront buildings were once palaces, now remodeled into hotels, museums, and even regular residences. Most of the islands have at least two to four churches, each with distinct style and color.

Some Italian shop owners greeted us in Mandarin, “Ni Hao!” thinking we are rich Chinese from China. And yes, Chinese tourists were all over Venice. It was a change of scenery compared to the past, when Japanese tourists used to dominate global travel. Now, there are Chinese language signs installed in some Italian shops.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

FROM: Jerry & Charlene Lee Gei & Matt Chan Nate & Leslie Miles Bill Tashima Chris Bentley Elsie Taniguchi Shiao-Yen Wu Jeffery Hattori Nikkei Concerns Jane Nishita Carolyn Kelly

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

Rep. Cindy Ryu Itu & Debadutta Dash Shelton Arakaki Evelyn Yenson Lua Pritchard Frank & Penny Fukui Elaine Kitamura Charlene Grinolds Mike James Mimi Gan & Everrett Billingslea Ellen & Eddie Abellera Susan Han & Gorman Wong

Silver Circle inductees, from left, Dan Kleckner, Lori Matsukawa, Steve Pool, Dee Sarton, and Tom Speer.

9

Mercer Island City Council member Benson Wong Wendy Tokuda Diane Narasaki Rae Hanashiro Rita Brogan John Okamoto Elaine Ikoma Ko Arlene Oki Ken Kurata Judy Yu Asia Pacific Cultural Center

The AAJA congratulated Lori with a full-page program ad.

A beaming Lori Matsukawa with her National Academy Silver Circle plaque.

Susan Han, Lori Matsukawa, and Mimi Gan all used to work together.

Silver Circle inductees Steve Pool, Lori Matsukawa, and Ed White.

KING TV anchor Dennis Bounds and his wife, Debbie, with Lori Matsukawa and her husband, Larry Blackstock, at their table.

Lori shows hubby Larry her award.

Lori’s introduction included a video about her career.

This ad was sponsored by the men and women in our local community.

“...the intelligence of a shaman, the empathy of Mother Teresa...”

asianweekly northwest

10

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

■ publisher’s blog

OPINION

The largest ‘hum bow’ in Washington state?

It’s found in Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market, rated as the most popular farmers market in the United States, has numerous European bakeries, but only one Chinese bakery. Mee Sum Pastry is a success at the market. Its décor, which hasn’t changed much in 31 years, is like a traditional bakery in old Chinatown, yet its pastries are surprisingly different and appealing. Frequently, it has lines of hungry customers waiting to buy what is possibly considered the biggest hum bow in Washington state.

Mee Sum (means beautiful heart) Pastry, located at 1526 Pike Place Market, never claims its hum bow to be the biggest in size.

I say it is because I haven’t seen hum bow in any of Washington’s Chinese restaurants bigger than Mee Sum’s. Many of their customers are local folks, not tourists. They know exactly what they want.

What I discovered about Mee Sum is its efficiency. The tiny bakery, with about 325 sq. ft. of space and six workers making the pastries on site, specializes in a variety of hum bow. You can see them working from the counter. From rolling the dough to laying them on the baking pans, they produce more than 1,000 buns a day. These amazing workers make delicious hum bow, served fresh out of the oven.

When comes to hum bow, I am picky — less dough and plenty of ingredients inside.

The skin should be thin enough to hold the filling — the less starch, the better. I hate eating a big splash of starch and little

Hum bow fresh from the oven to hungry customers.

goodies.

After one bite of Mee Sum’s hum bow skin and dough, I realized its bread is one of a kind. I have never eaten hum bow with that kind of bun. It has a crispy surface, with a slightly chewy texture on its inner layer and mouth-watering shredded barbecue pork with onions inside. Each one is baked just right.

You can have chicken-baked hum bow, with mushrooms, celery, and other kinds of spices, just like the baked Chinese chicken pie. You can also ask for baked curried beef hum bow, which is a bit spicy, with beef cut into small pieces. You can choose a hot dog bun, too.

If you like to have it steamed instead of baked, you have that choice. I prefer the baked ones with chicken and pork.

Sherman Su loves the Mee Sum bun. He said whenever he has a chance to walk to

Jack Fong, owner of Mee Sum Pastries.

the market, the first thing he does is buy the BBQ pork steamed hum bow.

If you go to Yelp, you’ll find that Mee Sum’s hum bow is rated four stars, and also the No. 1 place for hum bow in Seattle.

Some Yelp eaters said one Mee Sum hum bow is enough for lunch, for under $5. For me, a small eater, one Mee Sum hum bow can last me the whole day. My trick is to buy two and share them with my family as

snacks.

As you can see, non-Chinese eaters think that Mee Sum is reasonably priced, whereas Chinese consumers might consider it too pricy for this town. For $2.52, it is three times the size of any Chinatown hum bow, which sell for 60 cents to 80 cents each. I still think Mee Sum’s is worth that much.

Jack Fong and his wife, Melissa, owners of Mee Sum for 31 years in Pike Place Market, said his father-in-law gave him a secret formula for hum bow. It is a fusion of Chinese hum bow and Western bakery methods. No wonder the skin of his hum bow tastes so good. His in-laws used to work for Louie’s and other Chinese restaurants decades ago.

Fong also owns the Pike Place Chinese Restaurant across the street at the market.

Between the restaurant and bakery, Fong runs around between two businesses.

You won’t find a second Mee Sum at the market. Pike Place Market management likes to diversify its shops. All Pike’s bakeries differ in their niches, so they don’t compete with each other.

For Mee Sum’s special place and role in the market, it will remain strong and foster a unique culinary culture in Seattle. 

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

■ commentary

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

11

OPINION

Dad, you’ll be missed!

By James Wong For Northwest Asian Weekly

I didn’t think I would feel this way even six months ago, but I really miss my dad. We’ve had a rocky relationship for most of our lives.

I had never seen my dad in person until I was 8 years old.

He escaped China when he was 22 and almost died twice.

During their escape, they could only walk at night — afraid of being caught — and it was pitch dark in the mountainous wilderness. Once, he said something didn’t feel right, so he stopped. If he had taken one more step, he would have fallen off the side of a steep mountain. He also had to swim across the Hong Kong bay on plastic floating bags.

I always knew I had a dad in America. I saw pictures of him and was proud of that, but I never spoke to him until my mom and I came to America. I remember landing in Hawaii and my mom told me to call him “father.” As I held tight to my mom’s hand, I uttered to him for the first time formally “Baba.” It was a weird moment that I will always remember — first “encountering” my father.

I think because of our big family and my dad sending money to us from America, although there was not a lot to eat, I never felt poor. No one in our neighborhood had much to eat, so we were all OK with it.

However, when we got to America, I felt poor. I was always ashamed of the places I lived in (the crappy shared housing, the government project, and the small studio apartment that the four of us shared in Waikiki).

And I was ashamed of the job my dad had as a janitor at the Outrigger West hotel. When I was 9, we lived two blocks away from it in a tiny studio apartment. One day, as I was walking to buy some milk for my sister, I saw my dad sweeping the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Instead of walking up to say hi to him, I walked across the street so he wouldn’t see me. I thought I had a father who was a “sow day low” (a guy who sweeps the streets). I never told my parents about my shame.

Then we moved to Seattle and I was ashamed of our apartment. It was an old building that had a church on the first floor. We were told not to run around the house so that we wouldn’t bother the people in the church downstairs. It

was across the street from my school. I would go around the block, through the alley and into the house toward the back so no one would see me walking home after school.

And I was ashamed of my dad being unemployed when we first moved to Seattle. When he got a job as a part-time busboy at Elliot’s on the Pier, I was also ashamed that he couldn’t even get a full-time job.

I now realize my dad wasn’t the screwed up one, I was.

I lived with a lot of shame and ungratefulness and it was self-imposed. I just needed to change my perspective. My dad did the best he could. He was a brave man. He cared about his family. His schooling was only up to 6th grade in China, and then he became a product of the Cultural Revolution.

When I visited Hawaii several years ago, I saw the first house we lived in and it didn’t look that bad. I also visited the studio apartment in Waikiki and the building and neighborhood was actually pretty great.

I think back to my dad being a janitor at a hotel and I applaud him for working hard to put food on the table for my new immigrant mom, my infant sister, and messed-up me.

About four weeks ago, we had our last appointment with my dad’s doctor. He said my dad’s body was too weak after almost five years of fighting cancer, so he had to cut off his chemo. It was a death sentence. We knew it was the right decision, as we already obtained a second and third opinion.

{MATSUKAWA cont’d from page 1}

{WANG cont’d from page 1}

includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

She currently co-anchors the nightly news on KING 5 and KONG. Matsukawa came to KING in 1983 to co-anchor “Top Story,” a daily in-depth news program. She has reported from Tokyo in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and from China, Honduras, Hawaii, Washington D.C., and New England.

She covered Gov. Gary Locke’s first official trip to his ancestral home in China.

In 2005, Matsukawa was given the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Asian American Journalists Association for mentoring aspiring journalists, and was inducted into the University of Washington Communication Department’s Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was named a pioneering Asian American broadcast journalist

by UNITY: Journalists of Color. She volunteers with the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington, the Seattle Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association, and has served on the boards of the YWCA of Greater Seattle and Asian Counseling and Referral Service.

“I’ve known Lori since 2008, right out of college, and for as long as I’ve known her, she has always been a champion for young and student journalists,” said Redmond Reporter reporter Samantha Pak. “She is always willing to help and will offer it before you even think to ask. As one of the founders for the Asian American Journalists Association’s Seattle chapter, and a continued active member, it’s obvious that she’s passionate about giving underrepresented groups a voice — both in terms of news coverage as well as in the newsroom.

“When I heard she was being inducted into the Silver Circle, I couldn’t think of anyone who deserved the honor more,” added Pak. Matsukawa was born and raised in Honolulu. She earned her B.A. at Stanford University and her M.A. at the University of Washington. She’s worked in Redding, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Seattle. She also worked at KOMO 4 television.

Other local Silver Circle inductees included Ed White of KING, Steve Pool of KOMO, Walter Farley of KIRO, Tom Speer of the Seattle Channel, and Cleven Ticeson of KCTS. 

killing Steilacoom marina owner Paul Wang in 1987. On June 6, Superior Court Judge Thomas Larkin erased Barry Massey’s original sentence and resentenced him to 25 years to life.

This means Massey, who is now 40, can petition for release. His release date, if he gets one, is up to the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. He has already served more than 25 years.

“There’s no discretion here as far as Mr. Massey is concerned,” said his attorney, David Zuckerman. The judge had to sentence him to a minimum term of 25 years and a maximum term of life, said Zuckerman.

The murder of Paul Wang shocked Pierce County, both for its brutality and the age of his assailants.

Massey was 13 and co-defendant Michael Harris was 15 when they entered his shop, shot him twice, and then stabbed him numerous times before looting the store of candy, cash, and merchandise.

Both were prosecuted as adults and convicted of the state’s

highest crime — aggravated first-degree murder. Both were sentenced to life without parole.

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for juveniles to receive automatic sentences of life without the possibility of parole.

Such sentences constituted cruel and unusual punishment for people whose brains still were developing and who might not have the wisdom or judgment to always know the impact of their actions, the high court ruled.

The Legislature last year passed a law eliminating mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of aggravated first-degree murder. Instead, the law now makes people convicted of the crime before they turn 16 eligible for parole after 25 years.

A judge still could sentence someone who is 16 or 17 to life in prison without parole, but only after holding a hearing to consider possible mitigation.

The law also was made retroactive.

Massey apologized Friday to Wang’s family.

Harris has not petitioned for relief under the new law, which went into effect June 1. 

James Wong, left, and his dad, King Kuen Wong

{see WONG cont’d on page 14}

asianweekly northwest

12

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

{CAMBODIAN cont’d from page 5} of imprisonment is at least one year.”

At the category’s inception in 1988 with the Immigration and Nationality Act, aggravated felonies comprised only murder and drug or firearms trafficking.

Under IIRIRA and AEDPA, aggravated felons are not eligible for deportation waivers.

“They were signed by [President Bill] Clinton, a Democratic president,” said Stansell. “It was a crazy time, and many Congress people have since admitted that they didn’t fully understand the sweep of the acts. … I think a lot of [Congress members] were afraid to run against prohibiting waivers for aggravated felons.

They were afraid to run for re-election and have people say, ‘Oh, you’re lenient on aggravated felons.’”

Since then, there has been a movement called Fix 96 to “correct” or revert the laws.

“To this day, it’s still — to my knowledge — not on the table in Washington, D.C., right now,” said Stansell.

A new hometown

Rainier Vista and Holly Park housing developments were built in the 1940s, on 172 acres of land that was sparsely populated in its earlier history because it wasn’t easily farmable, according to “Neighborhoods Southeast Seattle Community History Project,” by John Hoole, prepared for the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods in 2011. Leading up to World War II, the surrounding area was 98 percent white. That land would eventually house some of Seattle’s poorest residents.

The relative economic isolation of the area intermixed with issues of the 1970s and 1980s — “school desegregation, white flight, and the crack epidemic — unfolded

{SPORTS cont’d from page 7} in Berlin was the last fight on Munoz’s contract. Munoz, who is one of the nicest guys in fighting, must now see if he can renegotiate a new contract. But with the recent losses, he has been removed from fighter rankings and it might be hard for him to return. We wish Munoz, who we have interviewed on a couple of occasions, the best in his future.

Inbee does it again

Inbee Park won another LPGA golf event, winning the Manulife Financial

vividly in the Rainier Valley,” reported Hoole. Unemployment surged in the early 1970s, crime ratcheted up. According to Hoole, the Seattle Police Department estimated that there were 1,400 crack houses operating in the Valley in 1989.

Yin’s family was in Springfield for about six years, as the only Cambodian and only refugee family in the small community.

While Springfield was welcoming, Yin’s mom grew homesick and yearned to be near relatives. When Yin was about 8 or 9, the family moved to the Rainier Vista area of the Valley in Southeast Seattle.

His stepfather worked two menial jobs to keep the family afloat. His mother stayed home to take care of the children, although language and culture were massive obstacles for her. Yin was constantly getting into fights at school — he said he was bullied by peers — and his mother couldn’t understand why he was getting into trouble.

Yin found a bit of solace in others like him — other young Cambodian males whose families were similarly displaced by war.

“Why people commit crime, especially when they were young, is a difficult question to answer,” said Yoon Joo Han, Behavioral Health Program Director at Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle. “I would not be surprised if [Cambodian men who commit crimes] have experienced many more negative life events and circumstances while growing up in the U.S., in addition to the trauma that they experienced in Cambodia and in [the process] of coming to the U.S. When so many negative social determinants factors [are compounded], it is not easy to be a healthy, positive person who will perfectly fit into a mainstream society.”

Yin attributes his crime partly to the

American culture of the area. He stated that when he was young, he didn’t know what he didn’t know and life in the Rainier Valley was all he knew. He certainly did not know that his residency in the United States would be conditional.

“I’ve heard it hypothesized that a lot of these kids born in the 1970s and 1980s, born before the Khmer Rouge or in a refugee camp — their really early childhood was filled with war, with guns, and really unspeakable horrific violence — so being able to discern violence as a tool versus a crime is hard for them,” said Dori Cahn, Stansell’s wife. Cahn was previously a teacher at South Seattle Community College, working with its at-risk student support program, where she met a lot of young and troubled Cambodian students.

Consequences for families

“When we moved away from our country, we didn’t ask to come here,” said Aneda Kim, 42. “We were chased here. And we were lucky enough to have the support of the American system. We are grateful for that and call it home. And now that we’ve made this place our home, and they’ve said they’ve made us permanent residents — but one mistake and now he’s not a permanent resident? The law has changed, and it’s one mistake and that’s it?”

Kim is Ram Son’s fiancée.

Son, 39, was caught burglarizing a gas station after hours in 1996. He was 16 years old. He’s also categorized as an aggravated felon, having served two and a half years in prison for his crime. Son came to the United States in 1982, as a 7-year-old refugee.

Like Yin, Son is due to be deported back to Cambodia at some point.

Son is currently officially unemployed.

Unofficially, he’s a handyman, doing odd jobs and construction work for friends,

family members, and acquaintances to help pay for the house he rents with his family. Son has two obstacles working against him in gaining employment — he’s an aggravated felon and his immigration status. He needs to be authorized to work.

He’s applied for it, but has been stuck waiting for a response.

It’s imperative for Son to keep busy. On weekdays, he wakes up to make his kids’ breakfast. After he drives them to school, he runs errands and goes to his odd jobs. He purposely avoids being in the house.

“Because my mind goes crazy,” he said.

Deportation is always sitting in the back of his mind. “Because I don’t know when,” he said. “And you can’t fight it. Will I get a phone call? Will they come knocking on my door?”

“We have children — my children are young and look up to him as a father,” said Kim. “He raised them. … They have nobody else to call ‘Dad.’ We’ve established that foundation and to know and fear that one of these days, their dad is going to be taken away? It’s devastating.”

“I knew I made a mistake,” said Yin. “I knew my mom raised me better. I was drinking a lot when I was doing stuff, doing drugs. … I didn’t have much hope when I was young, didn’t care about anyone, nothing — not even myself. But — I know it was wrong, because I’d be hurt if some —” he paused. “Something did happen to my mom, actually. Someone robbed my mom when I was incarcerated. And I couldn’t do nothing. I knew it was karma.”  This is the second part of a three-part series.

Part one can be read at nwasianweekly. com. Part three will be in next week’s issue.

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

Classic on June 8. Park turned back China’s Shanshan Feng and Michelle Wie for the win. The victory was needed by Park, as she recently lost her No. 1 women’s golf ranking. It was the 25-year-old’s first win since the U.S. Women’s Open last June.

Park had been in a funk as the win ended a 20-event tour winless streak. Maybe this will begin a streak for Park, who admitted she felt pressure, but used it as motivation.

Her next tournament is the U.S. Open, the same tournament that she won last year.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JUNE 14 – JUNE 20, 2014

13

For the week of June 14–June 20, 2014

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Though you prefer to fly under the radar, there are moments when it feels good to shine in the limelight.

Dragon — If you only have time to do a few things, then take a moment to prioritize, so you can tackle the items at the top.

Monkey — Though you usually prefer to dress for comfort, step it up a notch for a special occasion and aim to dress to impress.

Ox — Have you ever wondered how much one person can actually accomplish? Don’t underestimate the power and force of a truly motivated individual.

Snake — The small effort it takes for you to give someone a compliment could end up making their day.

Rooster — Before you start counting someone else’s shortcomings, ask yourself whether you are above reproach.

Tiger — There are some who will try to take you down a notch for their own purposes. Consider the source before you take their words to heart.

Horse — Once you understand, there is no going back. The knowledge you have acquired will only serve to help you make better choices.

Dog — When you have met your match, whether for love or friendship, you will know instantly that this is someone you should hold on to.

Rabbit — Be gracious in victory and defeat. The respect you earn, depending on how you handle yourself, is far more important.

Goat — You won’t end up where you want to be unless you start moving. Every step forward is one step closer to your goal.

Pig — Are you caught between two clearly different options? At the end of the day, you will likely be happier with the one that offers less regret.

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.

{VENICE cont’d from page 8} without being stopped by traffic. There is not a single car on the streets.

All goods have to be transported by boat. You can understand why things are so expensive in Venice, just like Hawaii. A 200 E hotel room in Venice is just like a $100 room in Seattle. The closer you are to St. Mark’s Square, the more expensive the rooms are. The Square offers lots of free events day and night. It’s fun to watch.

The city is dirty. It has no outlet, so garbage has to be removed by boats. The city doesn’t have a well-designed sewage system. Its water looks very polluted. My friend complained to me about seeing big rats in the city. They were not afraid of people or other animals around them.

The animals have no way to escape if they can’t swim in the lagoons.

The buildings are ancient. Venice’s architecture is distinct and beautiful, but some buildings also stink. You can’t tear them down and build new ones because every part of the city is tinged with history.

Food in Venice

Our meals in Venice were spectacular. From pasta and pizza to chicken and veal, I was impressed by the meticulous care, heart, and pride Italians put in preparing their cuisine. Every restaurant we visited was an adventure for me, including a Chinese restaurant called Ocean City.

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After three or four meals, I craved Chinese food.

I especially enjoyed Venice’s fresh bread, soup, and pasta of all types. I dislike Seattle’s pasta. In Venice, it opened my eyes. Seattle just doesn’t have quality pasta. It isn’t fresh enough and has too many preservatives.

China invented pasta thousands of years ago.

Appreciating pasta simply means I am appreciating what once belonged to my native land.

Now, I not only enjoy pasta, I love cooking it. It is a symbol of unity between Italians and Chinese.

Shopping

So what did I bring back from Venice? Venice has many fun street shops. You can bargain a little, but not too much.

If the item is 40 E, the salesperson will only give you 2 E off.

Glass is famous in Venice. Dale Chihuly studied in Venice.

I brought back different sets of miniature glass animals for my staff. It added very little weight to my luggage.

Music in Venice

There were two concerts that aroused my emotions to tears last year. One was Nobuyuki Tsujii, the blind pianist who performed in “Celebrate Asia” with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and the other was in Venice, performed by a seven-piece orchestra.

We were in Venice for four days. One afternoon, a woman dressed in opera costume handed me a flyer about

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a concert at St. Mark Square. My husband was sick. So I went alone to a concert hall, with grand pillars outside like a Roman courthouse.

I was the fourth guest to arrive 15 minutes before the concert. I felt bad for the orchestra with so few in the audience. Then, people kept walking in.

Inside, the small space only seated about 100 people. The organizers kept adding more chairs in the back. After 20 minutes into the concert, the hall was packed.

Sitting in the fourth row, I could hear every note. For 25 E, the orchestra performed 17th century Antonio Vivaldi’s best-known work, “Four Seasons.” For an hour and 15 minutes, I was in heaven listening to Vivaldi’s music. Even with several people shouting “encore!” and thunderous applause, the violinist refused to perform again. I was disappointed.

Venice was not Antonio Vivaldi’s birthplace, but his death place in 1741. There is a Vivaldi museum inside a church. It’s free. I recommend you see it if you visit Venice.

When my friend heard that I visited Venice, the first thing she asked was, did you go to Vivaldi’s concert? Her eyes were filled with envy when I said yes.

I didn’t even know Vivaldi’s connection with Venice before the trip. Now that violin music is still in my head. I just feel so unexpectedly lucky and blessed.  Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly. com.

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{SPU cont’d from page 6} continue to remember Paul and all that he has left behind for us,” Albert Lee wrote. “Thank you all for blanketing us with your kind words, we will thank you all individually in due time.”

Albert also addressed his brother, “Paul, you handsome shekki, we miss you and love you more than you know.

Keep dancin’ in heaven.” Koreans often use the term shekki, the equivalent of “little sh-t,” as a term of affection.

Paul Lee graduated from Westview High School in Portland in 2013. KATU.com quoted his former Japanese instructor, Brian Bangerter, as saying that Lee was a “ray of light in my classroom for three years. It was impossible be around him and not feel happy. He made class fun for everyone. His laugh and smile were both contagious.

Everyone who knew him felt close to him. He will always be remembered for his infectious positive attitude. I know

{WONG cont’d from page 11} It was a tough morning, so I asked my dad if he wanted to go to Palisades since it’s a nice American restaurant with a nice view. My dad amazingly said yes. As we sat in the lobby, I asked Dad, “Have you been here before?” He answered, “I’ve been here hundreds of times. As a taxi driver, I just dropped people off and have never been inside.” Wow, what a blessing to be able to spend this time with him here.

Our family had a meeting and we knew Dad wanted to go to Hawaii, as our family had never been there together, so we decided that the 12 of us would all go together and fulfill his wish.

When we arrived in Hawaii, Dad wanted to stay at the Outrigger West hotel where he used to work. We said “no problem.” When we got there, it was really late and they assigned us the last two rooms available.

I will never forget him.”

Others who knew Lee took to social media to express their feelings for their lost friend.

“I can’t even believe you’re gone,” wrote Sarrah Rasmussen on Instagram, as reported by KING 5 News.

“Ante up, math class, and just seeing you around campus and dancing with you brightened my life immeasurably. I am blessed and honored to have known you. You will live on through all of us and I expect you to teach us your dance from heaven at 6 p.m. tonight.”

Eugene Cho, a pastor at Quest Church in Seattle, wrote on his blog that he only met Lee once and remembered his “wide grin.”

“I don’t really know much about him, but his friends speak the world about him. They speak of his humor, smile, energy, and his faith in Christ,” said Cho. “I wish I had a longer conversation with him.”

According to an AP report, Meis, a dean’s list electrical

Guess what room my dad got put in — the owner’s/ presidential suite. It was the best room in the hotel. My dad commented, “When I worked here, I heard about the owner’s suite.” Now, he got to sleep in it. That was a big blessing for my dad.

I thank my dad for risking his own life in leaving China, then taking additional risks to leave Hawaii with his young family. Now we get to live in such a wonderful place in Seattle and have all of our friends and family around us. I’m proud that my dad was brave enough to make it happen.

Because of my dad’s humbleness, he requested that we don’t have a big memorial service for him. However, around 50-plus relatives and longtime friends showed up at his graveside service to pay their respects. I asked everyone, “Who came to America because my dad first paved the way?” More than 40 raised their hands.

The last few weeks of my dad’s life were full of God’s

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engineering student, was emotionally anguished after pepper spraying and subduing the gunman, but not injured in the shooting. He was treated at Harborview and released.

The AP also reported that Roman Kukhotskiy, 22, was in the building when the violence broke out. He said Meis is getting married this summer and has accepted a job with Boeing, where he has interned in previous years.

“I was amazed that he was willing to risk all that for us,” Kukhotskiy said. “If Jon didn’t stop him, what’s to say? I could have been the next victim.”

Emil Guillermo, of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, identified Meis as a biracial Asian American.  Associated Press writers Gene Johnson, Phuong Le, Rachel La Corte in Olympia, and Manuel Valdes and Donna Gordon Blankinship in Seattle contributed to this report.

grace, love, and peace in our family’s life. I got to spend a lot of time with him and my mom. I was at his house every night and sometimes we just watched TV, sometimes we talked, and sometimes we just held his hands without saying a word.

My main prayer was that my dad would sense God’s peace and joy in his last days and be grateful for his family. God more than answered that prayer.

During his last days, we always prayed together before I would go home. About a week before he passed away, my dad prayed that he was grateful to God for his great wife, who loves him, and a family that loves him. He said if God was willing, he wanted to live on so that he could tell people about God, but if God chose to take him home, he was ready.

As I heard his prayer, I tried to hold back but couldn’t, so I wept uncontrollably. God answered our family’s prayers. Dad was experiencing God’s peace and love, which, months ago, he was not.

I’m not really sure how it’s supposed to feel to lose your father. For me, I am grieving. However, I also have this unexplainable peace and joy in me. And it’s not just with me, but it seems to be within our entire family. I think the main reason for this is because there are a lot of people praying for our family, and the peace of God — which transcends human understanding — is on us, and also because there were no words left unspoken between our dad and our family members.

If I could go back to any moment in my life, it would be this: When I saw my dad sweeping the streets, I would run to the store to go buy the milk and pick up an extra soda. I would walk up to him proudly and say, “Hi dad. How are you doing?” Hand him the soda, maybe pick up his broom and sweep the street for him, and just hang out with him.

And be proud of who he was and what he was doing for our family.

My parents’ story can be told as a typical immigrant story, in which he worked in a restaurant and my mom worked as a seamstress. But they also lived an extraordinary life that had a huge a ripple effect on dozens of lives, and perhaps thousands.

I am proud of my dad, both as the first immigrant in our family and for all he did to pave the way for our family and relatives.

My dad is a great and brave man! And I wish I could be like him when it’s my time to go. 

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE {SEAFARER cont’d from page 1} clothing, and other goods that fill store shelves and drive industries.

Aboard each ship are also dozens of hardworking men and women, known as seafarers, who operate the vessel, maintain its deck, or work as engineers and chefs while at sea. Seafarers are key players in facilitating international trade and helping the local economy thrive.

While a job at sea may sound alluring, seafaring is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

Workers are exposed to harsh maritime conditions and the increasing risk of piracy in the open ocean. Seafarers also face the bittersweet reality of being apart from loved ones for months at a time, often missing out on holidays, birthdays, and other life events.

“Every day, I meet a seafarer who has a baby at home that he’s never met because he’s been away for months to a year. That’s how long their [employment] contracts are,” said Ken Hawkins, executive director of the Seattle chapter of the Mission to Seafarers.

But a nonprofit organization is helping seafarers feel at home while their ships are in port. The Mission to Seafarers operates the Seattle Seafarers’ Center, a modest wooden building below the West Seattle Bridge, where seafarers can enjoy free amenities like high-speed Internet, phones, a full kitchen, a pool table, and a small chapel. It’s a place for seafarers to rest, touch base with loved ones back home, and simply hang out before going back to work on the high seas.

“All seafarers are welcomed, regardless of rank, ethnicity, or religion,” said Hawkins.

The organization serves seafarers from about 90 different countries, and Hawkins said that most of them come from Asia.

“More than half of the merchant seafarers that we serve are natives of countries like China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia,” said Hawkins. He wants to give all seafarers a warm welcome.

“Seafaring is one of the oldest professions, and seas are the oldest international highway. There’s a wonderful sense of community and tremendous opportunity to get involved in the lives of people from all over the world,” said Hawkins.

“That ability to serve and interact with people who are just like us — dads, moms, husbands, wives — creating that sense of community and sharing has been an important part of my life,” he said.

Throughout the year, workers and volunteers for the Mission to Seafarers greet every merchant vessel that docks at the Port of Seattle. Ship visitors walk onto the vessels and bring on board WiFi routers, cell phone SIM cards, phone cards, and other supplies to help seafarers reconnect with family and friends. Drivers also provide shuttle rides to the Seattle Seafarers’ Center for those who are allowed off the ship, and offer to run errands for those who must stay on board.

“There are a lot of crews who cannot step on shore because the shipping company does not get a visa for them,” said driver and ship

visitor Thomas Kuk. “For those who can’t get off board, I go on board and try to help them. They will make a shopping list for what they need, usually groceries, and I shop for them and bring [the items] back to the ship,” said Kuk. Kuk has worked for the Mission to Seafarers for 10 years, and his job takes on personal meaning. His father was seafarer for six years, and his father-in-law was a seafarer for 50 years.

“My late father-in-law was a chief cook, traveling around Asia,” said Kuk. “He was on board from the age of 20 until he was 70 years old. So far, I haven’t met anybody who has broken his record.”

Kuk said he is happy to repay the favor of his fathers to today’s seafaring community.

“I wanted to contribute a little bit of my life,” he said. “I am really proud of taking care of the seafarers,” he said.

In addition to merchant ship workers, the Mission to Seafarers assists thousands of cruise ship employees who arrive at Pier 91 each summer. The employees only have a few hours in port each week, and the organization shuttles them around town to shop, sightsee, and run errands.

“Most of the seafarers support their extended families,” said Hawkins. “They’re constantly mailing stuff and wiring money home. Access to a city center like ours where they can shop is pretty important for them.”

Although many seafarers feel relieved to arrive into port, many have a hard time adjusting to American culture. Workers like Kuk, who is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, help bridge language and cultural gaps.

“I think speaking to them in their language makes them feel welcome,” said Kuk. There was a recent experience that will forever stick in Kuk’s mind. A young Filipino father who worked on a container ship stopped by the Seattle Seafarers’ Center after spending six months at sea.

The seafarer logged onto Skype and was able to meet his baby for the very first time.

“He was calling home,” recalled Kuk. “The baby cannot talk, so the seafarer was just saying, ‘Ah, ah, ah!’ I asked, ‘Who are you talking to?’ And he said, ‘Oh, my baby son!’ He was so happy to hear his voice.”

Kuk said the seafarer felt recharged after meeting his baby.

“He told me, ‘Oh, I’m all charged up! Good, good, good!’”

The Seattle Seafarers’ Center is one of more than 200 centers operated by the Mission to Seafarers around the world. The organization is always looking for volunteers, especially those who speak other languages.

“We’ve touched tens of thousands of seafarers, each with their own individual stories,” said Hawkins.

“We’re trying to help the port community to see the humanity of seafarers.”

“It feels really good to look at their faces and see that they’re very happy,” said Kuk. “I think they really need to be cared for and looked after.”  To learn more about the Mission to Seafarers, visit http://mts-seattle. org.

{DELTA cont’d from page 1} non-stop flight to Hong Kong many years.”

Hong Kong is a major city, and with Delta’s connecting flights domestic and international, it will better serve passengers with many options, said Yoshitani.

In addition, Delta is also flying non-stop from Seattle to Beijing, Shanghai-Pudong, Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, Hong Kong, Seoul, Amsterdam, Paris, and London.

“Delta is committed to building Seattle as their hub,” said Kazue Ishiwata, senior manager of Air Service Development for Port of Seattle expert.

“With Hong Kong, they will have 9 wide-body flights daily this summer to Asia and Europe.”

Why Hong Kong?

“Delta has selected Seattle in America as the ‘Gateway to Asia’, ” said Yoshitani.

Seattle has the shortest distance to Hong Kong and Narita-Tokyo, compared to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“Delta is the only carrier providing non-stop service to multiple countries throughout Asia from Seattle,” said Mike Medeiros, Delta’s vice president, “and we intend to grow that presence with the addition of Seoul on June 2 and Hong Kong on June 16.

“Both countries have growing economies that lend themselves well to the need for additional air service from Seattle. However Hong Kong provides a unique opportunity for Delta as we will be the only carrier in the world to serve Hong Kong directly from Seattle, and we look forward to providing our award-winning service and on-board products to those who want and expect more from an airline.”

According to Medeiros, its Seattle office would mean a significant investment from the company.

Five years ago, the operation employed fewer than 100 people. Last year, it increased to 1,500 people.

Delta has increased its Seattle staff to 2,060, which include customer service, sales, pilots, mechanics, and flight attendants.

As America’s largest international carrier, Delta will have 86 airplanes’ peak departures daily from Sea-Tac International Airport.

Airbus, not Boeing

By using Airbus A330-200 to fly to Hong Kong, Delta offers 234 seats — 34 business class, 32 economy comfort, and 168 economy seats. Medeiros said the plane is redesigned to fit a much more {GHANA cont’d from page 1} You see this reflected in the town’s chill atmosphere. It’s found in the ebb and flow of the ocean to the perpetually sunny disposition of locals.

A place so warm and welcoming that the phrase, “It’s nice to be nice” is a common mantra to hear around town.

We stayed in a hostel-cum-restaurant on the beach. During the day, the joint served as a dining spot for guests and beach bums. At dusk, the space became a popular drinking hole that drew foreigners and locals together over several rounds of beer.

Ghanaians are friendly people and it was easy to start conversations at the bar. My day excursions around Cape Coast quickly revealed that I was one of few Asians in town, and this gave way to some inquisitive questions from locals while drinking.

When prodded about my ethnic origin, many had never heard of Vietnam. My identity was lost on them. The only way they could make sense of my background was connecting Vietnam to one of only two Asian countries they knew — China and Japan.

One night at the bar, I found my friend in the company of a Ghanaian man who, by the looks of it, was trying to charm her with unsuccessful results. I walked over to join their conversation, and the guy turned to acknowledge me.

“Ching chong ching chong,” he said. It was a greeting said without any trace of irony or flippancy.

He was serious.

I paused, but my friend glared at him.

“That’s an incredibly rude thing to say. You shouldn’t say that to people,” she said. I had similar thoughts, but I was too stunned to say anything.

The guy blinked in response. It was clear that he didn’t understand the ramifications of his greeting.

In the United States, if someone makes a pejorative statement like that to your face, it’s considered racist. You’re offended by their audacity. You call

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spacious section in the business class.

Both United and Northwest had flown Seattle nonstop to Hong Kong, but discontinued. United ended in the 1980s. Northwest picked up the route in 1994, but ended after three years. In those days, the Boeing 747 was the only aircraft they could use, which was a very expensive aircraft to operate and which had nearly 400 seats to fill — too large for Seattle.

According to Ishiwata, neither United nor Northwest had the sufficient connections in Seattle needed to support the route at the time. Delta’s new Seattle-Hong Kong service is expected to have almost 60 percent connecting passengers at Seattle, she said.

What’s new

The selection of in-flight entertainment is huge, said Delta’s Medeiros. Through satellite request, flyers can enjoy a variety to choose from. Even passengers in the economy class can take advantage of the wide range of entertainment.

Award-winning chef Michael Chiarello will head the food department for its international flights.

In February, Delta launched a double-miles promotion for Seattle-based SkyMiles members.

Customers who book and fly Delta, or Delta Connection marketed and operated flights, from Seattle by Dec. 31, 2014, will be awarded double miles and double Medallion Qualification Miles on the nonstop segment departing from or arriving into Seattle. Increased mileage means you can get Delta’s upgrades and free travel faster.

Those who had to transfer planes in the past to get to Hong Kong from Seattle can now save at least three hours and 23 minutes flying time. With Delta’s nonstop flights to Hong Kong there’s no need to worry about delays while changing planes. Non-English speakers won’t have to deal with security screens during transfer, either.

Delta’s Seattle-Hong Kong flight will depart daily from Seattle at 2:24 p.m., and arrive in Hong Kong at 7:35 p.m. the next day. It will depart from Hong Kong at 10:25 a.m. and arrive in Seattle 8:18 a.m. on the same day.

This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and was named to Fortune magazine’s top 50 Most Admired Companies. Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 333 destinations in 64 countries on six continents.  Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@ nwasianweekly.com. them out. You rage. Similar situations had happened to me back home and in other Western countries, and the racist implication is never lost on the perpetrator.

But I’m not so convinced that was the case with my Ghanaian friend here.

I think, as a person of color, the immediate response is to be up in arms whenever a racial slur is made. There is hypersensitivity. We’re brought up with the idea that, if anyone ever says anything derogatory about our race or ethnicity, they’re racist. And this is true back home.

But here, at this beach bar in Ghana, this guy didn’t know better. He meant no offense in the “greeting.” He didn’t have any awareness about my cultures or experiences, nor did he understand the social cues that come with such offenses.

This interaction revealed context to me — understanding your surroundings and readjusting your expectations. I realized that I expected people to understand my experiences and to be sensitive to it — that people would adjust to me. The reality is that they cannot even begin to understand my history and experiences, just as I cannot truly understand theirs.

Back home, racial slurs will always be made.

There will always be someone in the media mocking Asian eyes and accents, or another offender ready to get his or her best yellowface on. But when you move about in this world, away from the cultures and experiences that have shaped you, there will always be people who do not understand your story.

And that forces you to confront your own perception of identity and sense of place in the world, and the people you encounter within it.

Did I get attention for my skin color in Ghana?

Yes. But self-centered expectations were challenged. I learned to adapt.  Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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