VOL 35 NO 25 | JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

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Seattle Mariners sign Taiwanese man »2

VOL 35 NO 25

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

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34 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Vulnerable Chinatown PART 2 buildings

UW Society of Women Engineers president recognized as part of the Husky 100

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

“These are called URMs,” said Bernie Kay, a mechanical engineer and a shareholder of the West Kong Yick building, a URM. “Unreinforced masonry buildings. You cannot even build buildings like this anymore.”

The West Kong Yick — one of an estimated 1,164 URM buildings in Seattle, a disproportionate amount of which are located in Pioneer Square and Chinatown — was built at the turn on the century in 1910, by more than 170 Chinese investors who pooled their money, incorporated as the Kong Yick Investment Company. Kay said that at the time, people had no concept of the fragility of these buildings in the event of an earthquake — the financial damage and the potential loss in life.

“The floor joists were kind of — they kind of built a little notch inside the brick and the floor joists kind of fit inside the little notch,”

Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

see URM on 12

By Starla Sampaco Northwest Asian Weekly

West Kong Yick building

Family of Japanese woman files wrongful death suit

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly

Mami Sato

SEATTLE, Wash. – The family of a Japanese woman killed in the Ride the Ducks crash filed a wrongful death lawsuit on June 14 against the Georgia-based company, its driver, the Duck-boat manufacturer, the City of Seattle, and State of Washington.

Mami Sato, 36, was one of five peo-

HORROR, SYMPATHY Vigils held worldwide after gunman kills 50 people at Orlando, Florida nightclub. » see 4

ple killed Sept. 24 of last year when a Ride the Ducks amphibious vehicle crashed and carved open a coach bus travelling in the opposite direction on the Aurora Bridge in Seattle.

Sato was traveling with four dozen fellow students and school staff from North Seattle Community College on a coach bus to Safeco Field as part of a see SATO on 5 See page 8 for Seattle Colleges Chancellor Jill Wakefield’s pictorial.

In early May, University of Washington (UW) Student Life announced the Husky 100, a new award program that recognizes 100 students who embrace innovation, display a capacity for leadership, and understands and engages with diverse communities. One of these students is

22-year-old Amy Wang.

She graduated on June 11 with a bachelor’s degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) and she is the secondterm president of the UW’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

Wang is passionate about creating a community of women pursuing careers in engineering.

“Traditionally, engineering is see WANG on 13

Fulbright scholar reflects on overcoming challenges as an international student

By Starla Sampaco NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On June 10, students at the University of Washington (UW) Tacoma 26th Annual Commence-

ment Ceremony gave a standing ovation following a speech by Daniel Kristiyanto, who graduated with a master’s degree in computer science and systems. see KRISTIYANTO on 14

FATHER’S DAY INTROSPECTIVE A intimate look from Publisher Ng about her fathers and how they impacted her life. » see 10

the (asian) graduate Balancing familial expectations with career aspirations. » see 10

Community » 2 Calendar » 6 Sudoku » 6 Astrology » 15

■

412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com

asianweekly northwest

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34 YEARS

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

■ names in the news Emmy winners

role as Deputy Director, Operations Management in Global Workplace Resources (GWR).

Yoko received a B.A. from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University in Ethnic American Studies. She is widely known and respected as a strong leader and collaborator. 

Photo provided by FOCS

Photo provided by Lawrence Matsuda

Anti-racism award to FOCS

From left: Lawrence Matsuda, Shannon Gee and Randy Eng.

Shannon Gee, Randy Eng, Stephen Thomas Cavit, and Lawrence Matsuda won Emmy Awards from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).

They won for the Seattle Channel feature, “An American Hero: Shiro Kashino,” for excellence in the historic/cultural program category.

The piece, about a World War II veteran who grew up in Seattle’s Central District, was produced and directed by Gee, animated by Eng, with audio engineering and sound design by Thomas Cavit, and written by Matsuda.

The 53rd Annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards ceremony was held on June 4 at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. 

Gates Foundation mover and shaker Yoko Shimomura has been promoted to Chief of Staff of the Chief Operating Officer’s Leadership Team at the Gates Foundation. Shimomura will assume the role effective June 27, transitioning from her current

Asian Marketing Summit

From left: Kayla Huddleston, MSW School of Social Work intern, Amy HyunAh Pak, FOCS founder, and Selena Velasco, Rainier Valley Corps fellow.

Families of Color Seattle (FOCS) received the 2016 Ron Chisom Anti-Racism Award by Seattle Human Services Coalition. King County Councilmember Larry Gossett presented FOCS with a plaque at Seattle City Hall on June 1.

Martha Reyes of the ACLU of Washington said, “FOCS fills a very significant gap for people of color, particularly in early education and parenting communities that allows families to explore racism and build community in a positive way.”

FOCS incorporates art, play, music, food, and community building in their programming, and parent groups and community dialogue series to engage parents, educators, and the broader community in anti-racist work. 

First Taiwanese to be picked up during MLB draft

Yoko Shimomura

pei, Lin chose to attend high school in the U.S. to pursue his baseball dreams.

It paid off — the Seattle Mariners picked up Lin at their 16th round pick on June 11, the third and final day of the 2016 MLB Draft Lin had already agreed to atLyle Lin tend Arizona State University, so he will have to make a decision on whether to continue with his school work or take up professional baseball immediately. 

Lyle Lin has become the first Taiwanese to be picked up by a Major League Baseball (MLB) team.

The 18-year-old is a graduate of JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Originally from Tai-

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) was named 3AF’s 2016 New Marketer of the Year.

The Asian American Advertising Federation’s (3AF) annual Asian Marketing Summit was held June 3 and 4 in Los Angeles.

In the 3AF Creative Campaign of the Year category, the Gold award went to Admerasia for its “New Gen Versus” campaign for Nissan.

The Silver award went to DAE for its “Member Stories That Inspire” campaign for AARP, and Muse was awarded the Bronze award for its “Change the Game” campaign for Honda.

On the client side, AARP was named 3AF’s 2016 Marketer of the Year and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) was named 3AF’s 2016 New Marketer of the Year.

The Summit is the only national marketing and advertising conference focused solely on the Asian American consumer. 

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

Min Yasui centennial celebration

By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly

Japanese American civil rights hero Minoru Yasui will be recognized in two events in Seattle this weekend, as part of a nationwide centennial celebration.

A film screening of “Never Give Up! Minoru Yasui and the Fight for Justice” will take place at the Wing Luke Museum on June 25 at 7 p.m., followed by a panel discussion and audience participation. Seating is limited.

For more information, email minyasuitribute@gmail.com or vchan@wingluke.org.

The following day, on June 26 at 2 p.m. at the Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church on Beacon Hill, there will be a reading of the play “Citizen Min.” The two-hour play will be followed by a brief

question-and-answer session. Both events are free and Holly Yasui, Min’s daughter, is expected to attend.

Yasui is most famous for his legal challenge during the World War II incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry. Along with 120,000 others, Yasui was forcibly removed from his home to the Portland Assembly Center and then imprisoned at the Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho. He then spent nine months in solitary confinement as his case made its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled against him. Upon his release, Yasui continued to fight for the human and civil rights of all people. Some call him the Martin Luther King Jr. of the Japanese American community.

In 2015, Min Yasui was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country. 

Chinese man vanished in Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Qi He

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — Authorities have identified a hiker who vanished over the edge of a waterfall hole while sliding down Aasgard Pass in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office has identified him as 24-yearold Qi He. KOMO-TV reports (http://goo.

gl/mshGYJ) he was a Chinese citizen who was a student and intern in the Seattle area.

Sheriff Brian Burnett says several people were glissading down the snow June 5 when He, who was in front, plunged over the edge and into the rushing water below. The water flows back underneath the snow, and there was no sign of him.

A Navy crew searched by air with thermographic imaging, without success. Ground crews searched the waterfall hole but stopped due to hazardous conditions. Crews believe he was swept downstream. The search has been suspended. 

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14th Annual Minidoka Pilgrimage In 1942, almost 13,000 people of Japanese-ancestry living in Washington and Oregon, many of whom were American citizens, were removed from their homes and sent to a desolate “concentration camp” near Twin Falls, Idaho. The 14th pilgrimage, June 23 – June 26, will take place with former incarcerees, their families, and friends — from Seattle, Portland and across the nation — to the former Minidoka Camp in Idaho.  Registration forms and additional information for the pilgrimage can be found at minidokapilgrimage. org.

For other questions or concerns, contact minidokapilgrimage@ gmail.com.

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JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

34 YEARS

■ national news Across the world, shock and condemnation at Orlando massacre From across the world, officials and public figures are expressing condemnation and shock over the Florida mass shooting at the Pulse Orlando nightclub on June 12, when police say a gunman wielding an assault-type rifle opened fire, killing at least 49 people and wounding dozens.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s former military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf condemned the Orlando shooting, saying ‘this is a sobering reminder that extremism and terrorism are on the rise.’

Musharraf, who is facing court cases at home but left Pakistan in March for treatment abroad, says on his Facebook page the world must “address the root causes of global terrorism to suck the oxygen out of the extremist narrative of hate, intolerance, bigotry and the promotion of obscurantist ideology that is radicalizing vulnerable Muslims around the world.”

IRAN

Iran condemned the attack, but also made no mention of the fact that it happened in a gay nightclub.

State TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari as saying “Iran, based on its main policies of condemning terrorism and its strong determination to confront this ominous phenomenon, condemns the Orlando terrorist attack.”

In Iran, sodomy convictions can carry a death sentence, while lesbians can face 100 lashes, according to Human Rights Watch.

THAILAND

A vigil honoring those killed and wounded in a Florida

nightclub shooting drew at least a dozen people to the front gate of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.

Participants passed around white and yellow candles to light in memory of those killed.

“We are distraught by what happened in Orlando,” said Paisarn Likhitpreechakul, the vigil’s organizer. “We are looking for a way to express our condolences and solidarity with the people and government of the United States to raise awareness of problems of violence against the LGBT community.”

U.S. Ambassador Glyn T. Davis came out to speak with the Thai LGBT activists and lit a candle.

Separately, Thailand’s Royal Palace released a message to President Obama from King Bhumibol Adulyadej expressing sympathy and condolences to him and the bereaved families “for their irreparable loss caused by this shocking incident.”

INDONESIA

Indonesia’s foreign ministry said the government condemns the attack and extends deepest sympathy to the families of victims and the American people.

But Fahri Hamzah, the deputy speaker of Indonesia’s parliament, tweeted that the mass killing happened because LGBT people are too visible. Anti-gay rhetoric by officials has been increasingly common in the world’s most populous Muslim nation over the past year, fueled by army leaders and conservative religious groups who view homosexuality as an import from the West. Hamzah was recently booted out of his party for ethical violations.

CHINA

China’s official Xinhua News Agency issued a statement saying President Xi Jinping had telephoned his American

counterpart Barack Obama to express his condolences over the Orlando shootings.

Xi was quoted as saying that “on behalf of the government and people of China, I convey to President Obama and the American government and people my deepest sympathies, sincere condolences and deep grief for the victims.”

JAPAN

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has condemned the Orlando nightclub attack and expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

Abe told reporters on June 13 in Oita that “Japan stands together with the people of the United States” and that “this despicable act of terror cannot be tolerated.”

SINGAPORE

The mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub happened shortly after a same-sex kiss was removed from a production of the musical “Les Miserables” in Singapore, and after the government said it would look into rules of foreign funding for gay pride parades like Pink Dot. Law Minister K. Shanmugam said on Facebook: “Another senseless shooting. ... It just goes on and on. The madness is not going to stop.”

MALAYSIA

The prime minister of Muslim-majority Malaysia, Najib Razak, said he was “horrified” by the Orlando mass shooting. “Islam abhors killing of innocent people,” he tweeted.

A few Malaysians, using pseudonyms, wrote on social media that they approved of the attack at the gay nightclub because the victims were “sinners,” but they were quickly condemned by many others. 

GGC Members, Dispute is a wrap. Here are the FACTS: • Margaret Ching (Julian’s Mother) has a JUDGEMENT from King County Superior Court for past due rents, liabilities, and penalties. Currently pending collection, $32,664.73.

• Julian Chiu decided NOT to appear for LNI’s deposition and paid Labor and Industry in FULL for ALL owed labor wages.

• Julian Chiu admitted in court deposition that he allowed public parties to take company assets after GGC closed down.

• Pat Yiu admitted in court deposition of selling GGC computers to Seattle Laptops Inc. using Cognitive Gaming as decoy.

• Despite his claims, Julian Chiu did not provide evidence in court to back his claim and accusation towards me.

While two of ex-employees files LNI wage complaints, Pat Yiu decided it was okay to take company assets without majority member’s approval I‘ve also attached additional findings from past discovery.

It’s unfortunate to see GGC ended so quickly, some of the things I’ve learned and discovered from individuals listed above during the past few years are beyond UNETHICAL. I hope these findings will undo any misunderstandings, in no way am I or is GGC are looking for anyone to justify or turn this into a debate.

GGC (Edison) 4.1.16

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

By The Associated Press

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

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Pakistani woman burns daughter alive for eloping

By Zaheer Babar and Asif Shahzad Associated Press

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A woman in Pakistan burned her 17-year-old daughter alive on June 8 to punish her for marrying against the family’s wishes, the latest in a series of so-called “honor killings” that claim the lives of nearly 1,000 women every year in the conservative Muslim country.

Police say Zeenat Rafiq’s mother, Parveen, tied her to a cot and drenched her with kerosene before lighting her on fire. Neighbors in the congested, workingclass neighborhood in the eastern city of Lahore came running when they heard the screams, but family members kept them from entering the house, said Nighat Bibi, who lives nearby.

The police eventually arrived and found the charred body near a staircase.

SATO from 1 new student orientation.

“Mami had just come to Seattle from Japan and was a student at North Seattle Community College to further her English studies. She was only in the country four days before her life was cut short by this preventable tragedy,” said attorney Cheryl Snow of the Law Offices of James S. Rogers in Seattle. “These militarygrade vehicles are dangerous and should not be driven on the streets alongside civilian passenger vehicles.”

Sato was an accomplished athlete in volleyball, skiing, and snowboarding.

arrested They the mother soon thereafter. victim’s The husband, Hassan Khan, told reporters the two had been “in love since our school days” Zeenat Rafiq but the family had rejected several marriage proposals, forcing them to elope last month. He showed an affidavit of consent signed by his wife before a magistrate. He also showed cellphone photos of a smiling Zeenat wearing a red dress.

Sheikh Hammad, a local police official, said Parveen confessed to killing her daughter with the help of her son Ahmar.

He quoted the woman as saying “I don’t have any regrets.” Another police officer, Ibadat Nisar, said the body showed signs

of beating and strangulation.

Hundreds of women are killed every year in Pakistan — often by their own family members — for violating the country’s conservative norms regarding love and marriage. Sex outside of marriage is seen by conservative Pakistanis as a stain on the honor of the woman’s entire family, one that can be removed only by killing her.

Earlier this month, a schoolteacher, Maria Bibi, was set on fire for refusing to marry a man twice her age. The prime suspect in the case — the father of the man she refused to marry — and the other four are in custody.

A month earlier, police arrested 13 members of a local tribal council who allegedly strangled a girl and set her on fire for helping a friend elope. The charred body of 17-year-old Ambreen Riasat was found in a burned van.

Khan, the husband of the woman killed in Lahore, said her mother and uncle had visited her on June 5 to try to persuade her to return home and have a marriage ceremony with the family, so that she wouldn’t be branded as someone who had eloped. He recalled his wife telling him: “Don’t let me go, they will kill me.” 

After graduating from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, she worked for a number of companies in Japan in accounting. She had hoped to become a U.S. certified public accountant and was working to perfect her English.

Ride the Ducks admitted it failed to properly maintain the vehicle, but claimed it missed manufacturer alerts to upgrade its axle to avoid axle fractures on the World War II vehicles. The manufacturer of the boat never issued a recall of its defective product.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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Our law firm has recovered over $200 million for clients

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asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

34 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY calendar JUNE 15 2016 Seafair Summer Kickoff presented by Starbucks Westlake Park, 401 Pine St., Seattle 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Free facebook.com/ events/122936928050117

16 HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK Seattle’s Chinatown-International District 4–7 p.m. $2–$6 facebook.com/ events/1717878521801570

17 IDEA Space’s Jackson Street Connections Alley Party Canton Alley 4–7 p.m.

Free idea-space.info

18 Guided Tour: Pacific Bonsai Museum Oriental Garden Center, 30650 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way 10 a.m. $15 253-839-1639 A COMMUNITY PANEL, “CONNECTING THE LESSONS OF HISTORY” Wing Luke Museum 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Free wingluke.org

23 Community meeting on public safety about the Donnie Chin murder investigation and future plans for the IDEC Nagomi Teahouse, 519 6th Ave. S. #200, Seattle 5:30–7:30 p.m.

25 ACRS Walk for Rice Seward Park 8 a.m.–1 p.m.

Free acrs.walkforrice.org

Seattle Chinese Garden’s Kite Festival Seattle Chinese Garden, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle 2–6 p.m. $3 suggested donation 206-934-5219, seattlechinesegarden. org A film screening, “Never Give Up! Minoru Yasui and the Fight for Justice,” a documentary film directed by Holly Yasui and Will Doolittle Wing Luke Museum 7 p.m. minoruyasuifilm.org

26 THE SEATTLE NISEI VETERANS COMMITTEE’S ANNUAL CHOW MEIN DINNER NVC Memorial Hall, 1212 S. King St., Seattle 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $15/ticket 206-322-1122

27 The Metropolitan King County Council invites you to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Seattle Reception at 12:30 p.m.,12th floor

Proclamation at 1:30 p.m.,10th floor RSVP to shweta.jayawardhan@ kingcounty.gov

28 JUNE 28 – AUGUST 11

Bellevue College’s Free Summer Schedule 2016 for ESL students CLASS: Preparing For Work (Level 5/6) Bellevue College, Main Campus, R101 CLASS: On The Job Communications (Level 6) Bellevue College, Main Campus, R206 CLASS: Working In English (Level 4/5) Bellevue College, Main Campus, R306 Registration and first class is June 28 prep4work@bellevuecollege.edu 425-564-2723

30 TAP-SEA presents, “Is the Next Real Estate Bubble Coming to Seattle Soon?”

Insignia Sky Deck, 588 Bell St., Seattle 6:30 - 9 p.m. tap-seattle.org

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for #C01040C16 OnCall Hazardous Materials Inspection, Testing and Abatement by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on June 21, 2016. Late bids will not be accepted.

Brief Scope: The Elliott Bridge Reach Scour Structure project consists of a setback bank, biorevetment bank protection, in-water scour structure consisting of

a rock deflector made up of large boulders and a wood structure made up of deep piles and horizontal large logs with rootwads, and a temporary access road.

Work to install the project involves excavation, import and placement of rock, piles and biorevetment protection, placement of salvaged and stored on-site large wood with rootwads, and design and installation of a water isolation system to meet water quality requirements outlined in the project permits.

There is a 4% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

Estimated contract price: $100,000.

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

View the solution on page 14

Assunta Ng

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

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

Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission.

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YOUR VOICE

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

asianweekly northwest

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asianweekly northwest

â– pictorial

34 YEARS

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

CONGRATULATIONS

Seattle Colleges Chancellor

Jill Wakefield

on her retirement on June 30 and thank you for all you have done for the colleges and the community

with Maud Daudon, CEO of Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

with Jane Nishita

with Carolyn Kelly

with CEO Goodwill Daryl Campbell

with Sheila Edwards Lange, Seattle Central College President

with Shiao Yen Wu

with Hon. Phyllis G. Kenney

with Dr. Peter and Sophia Ku

with State Rep Brady Walkinshaw

with Theresa and Larry Hosley

with James Dawson

with Nancy Yamamoto

with Winnie Lee

with Evelyn Yenson

with Teresita Batayola

with Carmen and Carver Gayton

with Tay Yoshitani, owner of Hurry Curry Restaurant

This page is sponsored by the men and women in the pictorial. All proceeds go to Jill Wakefield Endowed Scholarship for the Seattle Colleges.

8

YOUR VOICE

■ community news

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

asianweekly northwest

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Local college students come together for Indonesian arts and culture

Most people have heard about the firstclass, resort island of Bali. Few know it’s just one of the 17,508 islands that make up the country of Indonesia. Equally less known is this Southeast Asian nation’s location on a globe — between Malaysia to the north and Australia to the south, and its population of over 250 million people, the fourth most populous in the world.

The Indonesian Student Association at the University of Washington (ISAUW) and Indonesian college students from around western Washington hope to raise the general public’s awareness of not only their country, but also the rich craftsmanship and arts of their culture.

Billed as “the second largest Indonesian festival in the nation,” ISAUW’s “Keraton: Indonesian Festival” took place under gray skies at the UW’s HUB Lawn on May 28. It began in 2013 with just 800 people in attendance. Approximately 3,000 attended last year and this year, initial estimates put attendance at around 8,000.

“When they come here, we just want to make sure they go back with something they will remember,” said ISAUW President Alisson Hartono, a UW senior majoring in early childhood education.

The theme of ISAUW’s fourth annual festival: taking a look back at Indonesia’s history.

Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

By James Tabafunda Northwest Asian Weekly

Parwati Martin (left) and Niluh Porter perform Tari Puspanjali, a traditional Indonesian dance.

UW junior Levana Tirtaguna, ISAUW’s head of marketing and communications, said, “We’re trying to make this event really traditional and going back to our roots.” Majoring in finance, she’s been a member of ISAUW for three years.

Born in the capital city of Jakarta, Tirtaguna said about other Indonesian

immigrants like her, “I really hope that this event will make them remember their culture, not only to relieve their craving for Indonesian food, but also to socialize with more Indonesians, enjoy the performances, and appreciate the culture.”

Free admission and free on-campus parking were offered for the six-hour-long

event, as well as many traditional Indonesian dishes.

YouTube star Jason Chen was this year’s featured performer. Tirtaguna said, “He has a really good voice.”

Dance performers included students see INDONESIA on 13

asianweekly northwest

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34 YEARS

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

OPINION

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG Finding meaning on Father’s Day A letter to my two fathers

So why didn’t you spend Father’s Day with me?

Both of you abandoned me when I was a child. That torturing question has opened up old wounds.

Dad Wai, since you and mom divorced before I turned 6, I did not hear from you or see you until I was in my teens. Dad Eric, you and mom got married, but you didn’t really want me at first, because of the fi-

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

nancial burden. I could tell that you had a change of heart when I was in high school. That’s when we started to have longer conversations, and I didn’t have to avoid you and hide in my room. You were impressed that I passed the Hong Kong public examination (for high school seniors) with flying colors. Since then, you see BLOG on 15

Dad Wai (left) with Jason Liu in 2006.

Dear Fathers,

Photos provided by Assunta Ng/NWAW

On this coming Father’s Day, I suddenly realized I have no memories of Father’s Day even though I had two fathers. How ironic!

Now that you’re both gone from this world, I wonder what it would have been like if I could have just one Father’s Day experience with either my biological dad or stepdad.

From left: Dad Eric, Charles Johnson (associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court) and Assunta Ng in 1992.

■ education

Post-graduation thoughts and familial expectations

“So, when will you be finished with medical school?” asked my grandfather.

“Grandpa, I probably won’t be applying to medical school for a few more years, if I still decide to go. I’m thinking that it may not be the best route for me to address mental health the way I want to,” I replied.

“That is okay, as long as you’re happy,” he said.

This was a conversation I had recently with my grandfather, a radiologist who retired from a 40-year career because of a stroke.

“So, when are you applying to medical school?”

I answered my grandmother essentially the way as I did my grandfather.

“You don’t want to become a doctor anymore?

Brandon Hadi Why do you want to go into mental health? It will be very tough to hear those situations every day. How will you make enough money to support a family? When did you change your mind? Why don’t you want to become a doctor?”

As a second-generation Asian American, I got mixed messages about how to decide the course of my life. While one general source was already outlining a career for me in medicine, others were encouraging autonomy. “Do what you love! Find your passion! Focus on your happiness!”

The latter wasn’t so easy. Not when you’re raised in a tight-knit family, and pleasing everyone becomes the priority (and expectation). So once that path was laid out for me, it was the one I took.

Dr. Brandon Hadi.

The title soon transitioned from goal to identity. Who

Photos provided by Brandon Hadi.

By Brandon Hadi SPECIAL TO THE NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Brandon Hadi (third from left) with brother Daniel, mom Sirima, and dad Asmara.

are you? An aspiring doctor.

My passion came from embodying an identity that was placed upon me, and one I eagerly picked up, believing that “doing what I love” was easy — all I had to do was follow the path set before me by my family. After all, they want to see me succeed. They have the best of intentions.

I began to equate success with becoming a physician.

This identity shaped every decision I made as a teenager, and continues even today. Why hang out with friends when I can get a head start on my essay? After all, I’ll be honing my writing skills, which will come in handy for med school applications. Why go to a football game when I can prepare for a physiology exam? A good doctor comes from having a foundation of good habits, studying, hard work, and time management, to name a few.

I was living my life always connected to the future me — the idea of what I wanted the future me to be.

My identity was inextricably linked to an occupation,

eventually trickling down into the type of lifestyle I would live, the type of house I’d have, the car I’d drive, and the family I’d raise. And this was because I wanted to make my family proud, knowing that their definition of “pride” and “success” was clearly outlined — I had to become a physician.

Out of all the important knowledge, skills, and experiences I’ve gained while pursuing medicine, the one skill I’ve developed particularly well is the ability to say no. “No, I can’t. I’ve got to study. We’ll meet up another time though!” or “I’m going to shadow at the pediatrics hospital that morning, so no, I won’t be able to drive you guys” or “Dance? No, that was a high school thing. I’ve really got to prioritize academics now.”

Every decision had to have some connection to my identity as a physician. It was the reason I joined my fraternity, the reason I picked the specific floor of the dorm I lived in, the reason why I looked for an internship during my first year of college. It was the reason why I turned down see HADI on 15

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

11

OPINION

■ editorial

A milestone and an uphill battle Whether you hate her or love her, Hillary Clinton made history last week by becoming the first woman to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party in the United States.

“Thanks to you, we’ve reached a milestone,” Clinton said to supporters in Brooklyn.

She went on to say the victory was not about just one person, but “belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible.”

Women have come a long way. It wasn’t that long ago that women did not have the right to vote. And despite Clinton’s successes, we still have a long way to go as a nation.

Double standards

Our nation wants a strong commander-in-chief. But what does that mean for a woman?

Men can be tough and warm at the same time — think Ronald Reagan — but for women, it’s not so simple. Come across as too tough and women get called the b-word, one of Clinton’s challenges in the likeability arena.

When Bernie Sanders yells, people perceive it as his passion and dedication to the cause.

When Clinton yells, it’s interpreted as “shrieking” and she gets put in a maternal role. Why is she screaming at me? Am I in trouble?

Clinton’s $12,000 jacket fiasco (now a $7,000 fiasco because it’s on sale), which she wore during a speech on income inequality in April, is just the latest chapter in the history of women in politics being called out for how much they spend on their appearance.

Donald Trump has been open about his favoritism towards Brioni suits, which cost $7,000 a pop, and no one has batted an eye.

Riding coattails?

Aside from Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and Germany’s Angela Merkel, few female politicians have made their way to the top echelon Margaret Thatcher Angela Merkel of a country’s leadership without the help of their family name. Think Hillary and Bill Clinton, Keiko and Alberto Fujimori of Peru, and the world’s first female prime minister, Ceylon’s Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who took over after her husband was assassinated while in office. Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto and India’s Indira Gandhi often invoked their departed fathers’ legacies while campaigning.

Has her marriage to Bill helped Hillary Clinton?

Undoubtedly. But it would be unfair to say that that’s the only thing that has propelled her. Clinton was politically active long before she met Bill, and she established her own legal career. After her time as first lady, she became New York’s first female U.S. senator and later served as secretary of state under President Obama.

Still, some forget that Clinton is her own person. National Review’s Kevin Williamson wrote, “Mrs. Clinton is a lifelong political grifter who poses as a feminist champion while riding on the coattails of her husband…”

■ education

Shadow casted

The Associated Press faced fierce backlash last week for declaring Clinton the winner of the Democratic primary before California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington, D.C. had voted. It triggered a wave of television and online reports that Clinton had won the race. Clinton quickly tweeted to her more than 6 million followers that the race was not yet over and urged them to vote.

While it’s impossible to know what turnout would have been had the AP not called the race, there is some indication of depressed voter turnout.

Poll analyst Nate Silver said that, on the night of June 7, voter turnout in New Jersey and South Dakota was significantly lower than in the states’ last competitive Democratic primary in 2008. California’s turnout as of June 8 was only 24 percent. In comparison, presidential primary turnout was a whopping 55.8 percent in 2008.

When Clinton lost to Obama in 2008, she was hounded to line up like a good little girl and bring her supporters to the fold — or else. She gave a rousing speech at the Democratic Convention, released her nearly 2,000 delegates, and asked that Obama be nominated. She then made campaign appearances for Obama to help ensure his election, all the while being insulted as being “ego driven and power hungry.”

Today, Clinton leads Sanders by more than 3 million votes, almost 300 pledged delegates and more than 500 Super Delegates. Now, some say Clinton must unite the Democratic party and appease Sanders and his supporters.

Once again, the woman is called upon to make nice with everyone. What man is asked to do this? 

Family, friends, fellow classmates, teachers, staff, and guest. Welcome.

We are here today to celebrate a milestone of achievement and a bright future of success. Not long ago, we came in as the underdogs of this school, a rowdy group of teenagers that the teachers fear would cause them to have more patches of gray hair… well the ones that still have any hair left. How time flies, now the same group of rowdy teenagers have grown up (hopefully) ready to leave, stronger, smarter, and eager to run out into the world.

High school gave me a lot of time to think and three questions have constantly entered my mind. “What is the meaning of life? Will I ever be successful?” and “What comes after death?” I have spent countless hours pondering about this and I have come up with some of my own answers.

Graduation speech

by Aaron Chu to the Class of 2016 at North Mason High School in Belfair, WA Editor’s note: This speech has been edited for brevity

Life.

It’s subjective, what you want and what you choose to do will determine the way you live it. Do not let others tell you what paths to take. Be the best living, sentient being possible. Do what makes you happy, and bring others with you who will lead this world in a better direction. My ultimate goal is to make this planet the closest thing to heaven possible. I want to be able to help people in need, motivate people to strive for their goals, and bring everyone a little closer.

Success.

In the media and on social networks, success is based on how many likes you can get on a post, how much money someone has accumulated, and the awards and the frenzy of fans looming over an individual. Do not be obscured by materialism or superficial wants, but search for what ignites your minds and pleases your heart. Some of you might be Aaron Chu

scared or worry that you might not reach your goals.

Don’t let that prevent you from doing something, because then you will never achieve greatness.

Death.

Time is our most precious commodity, people can give you riches and power, but they can never give you more time. Everyone here expects to be here tomorrow but that is an assumption, not a reality, and for all I know, I am here now but I might not be here tomorrow. Freshman year, everything was going fine. Then my grandpa passed away, and not long after that, my grandma. I was stricken, not with grief, but with regret. Regret that I will never be able to repay them for taking care of me while my parents worked, regret that I did not appreciate them more, and tell them how much I loved them. My grandparents would probably be sitting right there looking at me today. I don’t know what they would be feeling, but I think it would be pride. Pride that they could see their grandson all grown up ready to accomplish wonders.

Every life will come to an end, but we can live on through our actions and the achievements we leave behind. We choose to live day to day until we perish, or we can choose to live legacy to legacy, leaving behind love, happiness, and meaning.

Take a look at the people around you. You are surrounded by so many family members, friends, people that hold a place in here. Tell them and show them how much you appreciate them.

We are alive at this pinnacle moment of life. Live it with significance and perseverance. Our time here together as students might have ended, but we have a long road ahead of us.

For every path you take, you will reach a destination, and for every destination you make, a new journey begins. And I hope you all take as many paths possible, and I wish everyone unlimited journeys.

Thank you, class of 2016. 

asianweekly northwest

12

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

34 YEARS

URM from 1

Illustrations by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

said Kay. “So in an earthquake, the walls will shake independently of the floor, and it may become loose and pancake down and kill everyone down below.” (See figure 1.)

History of retrofitting in Seattle

Language and cultural barriers

Kay made it a point to say that even though he is an engineer by education and vocation, he and his board still hired another engineer whose speciality is in structural engineering.

According to a not-yet-released report from the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation & Development Authority (SCIDpda), “URM-RRIO Pilot Project Report,” about 62.7 percent of people in Chinatown–International District (CID) speak a language other than English at home — compared to 22.1 percent citywide.

This is reinforced by a 2006 City of Seattle, Department of Planning & Development report (“Little Saigon & Chinatown/International District, Impacts on Local Businesses from Proposed LU/Zoning Changes & Dearborn Street Mixed-Use Shopping Center”), which polled 220 business owners in the area — not residents — and found that about 14 percent of business owners in CID cannot speak English at all. Another 27 percent speak two or more languages — one of which is English — but it’s unclear, the level of proficiency these owners are in English.

Kay, with his family roots tied to the Kong Yick buildings, more than a century ago, is a fluent, native English speaker — he said he only knows a handful of phrases and words in Chinese. He didn’t become involved in the management of the West Kong Yick building until later in life, after his father became sick. As such, he brings with him a Westernized viewpoint that can sometimes be at odds with how things have been done in CID. “Everyone hires people they can talk with, down here,” said Kay, after pointing out some CID remodel projects — which were subject to mandatory seismic retrofitting — that ran over budget because certain things may have been beyond the scope of expertise for the hired architects or engineers — or perhaps there are cultural and language barriers at work, with a certain lack of understanding of what certain upgrades entail, on the part of building owners.

The high cost of safety

“In terms of technical requirements,” said Stevens, “we’re looking at the Bolts-Plus model. It’s really about reconfiguring the connections between walls and floors. … That’s preliminary. At this point, it’s still hard to get into the details.

We’re still getting into the policy level.”

The Bolts-Plus method of seismic retrofit for URMs was adopted by the City of San Francisco in 1992 and was completed in 2006. It is generally regarded as one of the least intrusive programs for property owners, as it simultaneously provides significant reduction of risk of building collapse in an earthquake — by keeping walls from bowing out.

Figure 1: Walls shake independently of the floor, and the floors may come loose and collapse.

Figure 2: Ties installed improperly on the left, versus being connected to the floor joists on the right.

The current ongoing retrofitting at the West Kong Yick building involves pulling up the floor, taking out the old inefficient ties, and replacing them with these stronger metal plates.

Former retrofitting attempt from 1960, using weaker, thinner ties to secure walls to floors. They weren’t fastened to joists, just floorboards.

“The State of California mandated seismic retrofitting at the state level,” said Stevens. “They have more frequent seismic activity, lots of earthquakes in the late 1980s and 1990s. … But [Seattle] doesn’t have this mandated at the state level, but we’re discussing it locally.”

“And this is not just a Seattle issue, but also a state issue.

They are URMs in Tacoma, Olympia. We’re working with Rep. [Eric] Pettigrew (D–37th district) in raising awareness at the state level.”

As the West Kong Yick building aged since its inception, as earthquakes occurred, efforts at strengthening the building were made over the decades — a fairly common practice for CID URM buildings.

In the 1960s, small ties were installed — metal strips that connected the wall to the floors, so the building will move as a whole unit in the event of a quake. “These are the ones we took out,” said Kay, pointing out ragged, thin-looking ties — contrasting them with the ones he is having installed — several inches wide, rigid, and strong. “So this is the typical one,” he said, pointing to the old, small tie. “They drilled a hole in the brick, you stick those through the square plates on the outside of the building, and they bolted them in. You can see there are four or five nail [holes]. In most buildings I look at, they nail these to the floor, not the floor joists. The floor joists are the structural part of the building, the floor boards are not. [These old ties are] undersized, and they were installed improperly.” (See figure 2.)

According to “Seattle Unreinforced Masonry Retrofit Policy: Benefit Cost Analysis,” prepared by Gibson Economics and CollinsWoerman (updated April 2014), the financial burden in retrofitting URMs is significant. The cost can range from $20 to $50 per square foot — and far beyond. Base-level retrofitting only increases the chances that tenants can safely exit a building in the event of a disruptful earthquake — it does not guarantee that the building will be fit to conduct business in, or even fit to stand, post-quake.

The pay-off for this level of retrofitting is measured in human life.

According to the report, an analysis determined that “for every $100 spent by a building owner to retrofit a URM, the long-term benefit in avoided losses (in present value) is $3.30. When death and casualties are monetized using FEMA multipliers, the total benefit more than doubles, but is still only $7.60 for every $100 spent.”

Only a small number of building owners, particularly those who can stand to increase lease rates, can bear this cost. But in general — and particularly for owners in the CID and Pioneer Square, the cost of seismic retrofitting “would be very large and would significantly exceed the expected increase in benefit.”

Thus, retrofitting — particularly mandatory retrofitting — is very unattractive to most owners. The report states that analysis shows that if the City of Seattle were to require retrofits, it’s more likely that these historical URMs will be lost anyway — due to owner demolition.

Race and social justice concerns

Photos by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

The City of Seattle has struggled with retrofitting policies and in the past, had focused on implementing rehabilitation policies for specific districts — namely Pioneer Square, according to “Planning for Seismic Rehabilitation,” a book

by Eugene Zeller. In 1973, ordinances applying only to that district were passed requiring minimum maintenance requirements and rehabilitation for URMs. According to Zeller, notices were sent out and four years later, in 1977, only 18 out of 143 had made efforts toward compliance. At the time, increasing rents in these buildings to offset the high cost of rehabilitation was deemed as unrealistic. There were lengthy hearings, and the rehabilitation requirements were appealed. Beyond a modest requirement involving bracing parapets (terra cotta cornice tile fell from a multistory building onto the sidewalk below in 1975, triggering a motion to identify all hazardous parapets), implementing mandatory URM rehab generally failed at that time.

However, a current policy that has worked applies to existing buildings, according to Zeller. When a building undergoes a substantial remodel, its seismic risks must be mitigated. As a result, rehabilitation is mandatory — when triggered by a proposed remodel.

“It’s the only time these older buildings are [retrofitted, currently],” said Bryan Stevens, spokesperson for the City of Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections.

“If someone comes in and does a substantial remodel of a building — or have plans to change the use of a building — like if they are adding more people to the space — these are the things that would trigger a permit.”

Recently, partly spurred on by the recent earthquakes in Japan, including the devastating April 2011 Fukushima quake, and by California’s own progresses and setbacks revolving around retrofitting ordinances, the City of Seattle is exploring mandatory retrofitting anew. It’s an endeavor that echoes a lot of challenges that the city has encountered in the past, namely cost and return-on-investment.

Based off of 2010 U.S. Census data, a high concentration of URM buildings coincide with areas with below average incomes. The SCIDpda report states that cost of retrofitting Pioneer Square and CID URMs range from $6/square feet to $130/square feet (seismic retrofit alone), “for a per-project total of $120,000 to more than $4 million.”

Additionally, some buildings do not qualify for the BoltsPlus retrofit and will require a number of strategies that may be employed in these instances — such as, but not limited to, seismic bracing, strengthening walls with a reinforced concrete layer, and placing reinforced concrete ribs or structural plating within the walls — all of which will incur substantially higher costs.

“With these residential buildings [in the CID], they are [mostly] single occupancy rooms,” said Cara Bertron, Real Estate Lab Coordinator at IDEA Space, a program of SCIDpda. “So property owners don’t need to charge high rent to make payment. When there’s less money needed to maintain — they go for less and are [comparatively] worth less. This is a naturally affordable type of housing. A lot of property owners here [in the CID] provide affordable housing as a goal.

These family associations — family-owned buildings — this is a service these people provide to the community. Some of these URMs have been in the community for decades. [Some of them] are not looking to turn a profit.”

“That’s the tricky thing,” said Bertron. “There’s this great service being provided — and retrofitting will require a big investment of capital. Some property owners have money to do the retrofit. Some would need to take out a bank loan. For some, it’s possible and for others, it’s not.”

Faye Hong is a representative for the Hop Sing Association (formerly Hop Sing Tong) in Seattle, which owns a building on the 500 block of Maynard, which houses Honey Court Restaurant, and the Gom Hong on the 500 block of Seventh Avenue South (the site of the former China Gate Restaurant).

Hong has been in Seattle’s Chinatown for more than 60 years.

“So my observation is that … over the years, what [property owners] do is they collect rent and don’t do [much] else.

So [these buildings] go into disrepair, they go into violations, none of the work is done to make them safe [to inhabit]. So over the years, they just shut down and aren’t invested into. I think that’s wrong.” “[Maybe] these buildings [should] change hands,” Hong said. “Have somebody that really wants to put money into them. Revitalize this area. Right now, we’ve got all these buildings right in the central part of the city, [upper floors] just sitting vacant, with rats [inside] and pigeons on the roofs.

I really hate seeing that.”  This is part two of a three-part series on retrofitting URM buildings in the CID. Read part three in next week’s issue of Northwest Asian Weekly.

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

JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

YOUR VOICE WANG from 1 a very male-dominated field,” Wang said. “There’s a lot of pressure on women, and having that support network is super important.”

The three pillars of SWE are networking among members, community outreach, and career development. Some of the career-focused activities at SWE include discussions on writing resumes and negotiating salaries.

Keting Cen, the vice president of corporate relations at UW’s SWE chapter, said that Wang played a significant role in growing SWE’s presence on campus. Two years ago, Cen said, roughly 30 people attended SWE meetings. Wang now leads an organization of 462 members, including a team of six executive officers.

Cen, like several of Wang’s peers and instructors at UW, said she was impressed with Wang’s leadership. In addition to inspiring SWE members to “dream big,” Cen said, Wang recognizes the responsibility that comes with her position.

Cen mentioned an instance when miscommunication interfered with plans for a guest speaker to meet with SWE members. According to Cen, Wang later apologized to the speaker and took full responsibility for the mistake.

“If things don’t run as expected, a true leader takes responsibility,” Cen said.

Emily Johanning will take over from Wang as the SWE president for the 2016-17 academic year. Johanning, a UW junior studying civil and environmental engineering and currently the secretary of SWE, described Wang as a mentor

INDONESIA from 9 from Green River Community College and UW associate music professor Christina Sunardi, who performed a traditional dance called Tari Gunung Sari.

Permias Bellingham, an Indonesian student organization from Whatcom Community College, traveled 90 miles south to the festival to perform a traditional dance called Tari Saman.

“We want to have everyone together because we feel that togetherness is very im-

and a positive influence in her life.

Although Wang is only one year older than Johnning, Wang provided guidance as Johanning navigated through college life and encouraged her to pursue her passions.

“It was really nice to hear from someone who was obviously very successful and who had been in the same place,” Johanning said.

Andrew Davidson, a senior lecturer in the HCDE program who taught two of Wang’s classes, added that Wang is a very careful thinker.

“I will remember her for those conversations after class when she would stay for half an hour to discuss her portfolio and plans about internships,” said Davidson, who is also the director of the HCDE Undergraduate Program.

Outside of class, Wang was an active officer in the HCDE Undergraduate Student Association.

“Amy is always willing to volunteer to help out whenever I’m needing student representation for a presentation and has been an amazing ambassador for the department and the college,” wrote Alex Llapitan, HCDE academic counselor, in an email.

Wang has also worked part-time as UX (user experience) design intern for UW Marketing & Communications. Her previous internships also include Liberty Mutual and Cisco.

In addition to her work on and off campus, Wang cites her travels as significant experiences during her time in college.

Last spring, Wang studied abroad in Italy to learn about Italian culture. Although this study abroad program was offered outside of her major, the experience complemented what she

portant for us,” Hartono said. “They were also interested in collaborating with us because of the culture itself.”

In addition to Green River Community College, Indonesian community college students from North Seattle, Shoreline, and Edmonds volunteered as ushers, photographers, and vendor workers at the event.

Hartono said, “They are very, very, very important to us. Because without the volunteers, I wouldn’t say any of the (12) vendors can actually sell their food.”

Regina Rachel Poniman, one of the fes-

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Starla Sampaco can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

tival’s volunteers, enrolled at Shoreline Community College in the fall of 2015 and studies psychology there.

“I have a passion to interact with people, getting to know more people. Just by a simple hello, I want to do that,” she cited as the reason for volunteering at her first Keraton.

She says many Indonesian immigrants are not that aware of their own culture. “So, I think this is a very good event for not only us to gain awareness about it, but for other people, the Americans and the students here.”

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learned in HCDE. Students in the HCDE major, which only had 150 undergraduate students as of spring 2015, learn about and research the role of technology in human life. Wang described HCDE as an interdisciplinary engineering program that empathizes with humans and aims to understand their needs.

“Studying abroad gave me a really global perspective,” Wang said. “It helped me understand what kinds of people are out there in the world and what their needs are.”

Wang first learned she was part of the Husky 100 during spring break while visiting Helsinki, Finland to learn about Scandinavian design.

The first person she told was her dad. Wang’s parents, John Wang and Xiaochun Zhang, immigrated to the United States from China. They raised Amy and her brother, Michael, in Kirkland.

Wang recognizes that she and her brother, a UW sophomore studying computer science, grew up with many privileges because their parents raised them in the United States Her parents hoped that she and Michael, as first-generation Americans, would become successful. Wang’s recognition in the Husky 100 is a reflection of her parents’ efforts, as well as her own.

“It’s been a cool way to show my parents that I’ve come this far because they have worked very hard for us,” Wang said. 

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“I think it’s very important to know more about Indonesia than just Bali and batik (the art of decorating cloth using different colors of dye and wax).”  For more information about Keraton: Indonesian Festival, go to isauw.org/Keraton2016.

James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

KRISTIYANTO from 1 He was also named as one of the inaugural Husky 100.

Since he arrived at the UW in September 2014, Kristiyanto’s list of achievements is impressive. Kristiyanto co-authored research papers, competed in research competitions, and participated in a conference hosted by the International Society for Computational Biology. Since March, he has interned with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

But getting access to these opportunities was never an easy task.

During his commencement speech, Kristiyanto shared snapshots of his life in Salatiga, Indonesia.

“My parents had to work very hard just to get my tuition paid on time,” Kristiyanto said.

Although his parents could not always financially support him, Kristiyanto said they taught him a valuable life lesson: hard work, persistence, and patience can go a long way.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in informatics engineering from Satya Wacana Christian University in Indonesia. Before coming to Seattle, Kristiyanto worked as a full-time network engineer and taught undergraduate classes at his alma mater.

The day that he learned of his candidacy for a Fulbright scholarship, Kristiyanto also learned that his sister was diagnosed

with cancer. She died a few months later at age 23.

“Although broken-hearted, I decided not to give up on my dream,” Kristiyanto said.

Kristiyanto said he chose to go to the UW because the greater Seattle area is one of the best places for computer science due to the presence of companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Looking forward, Kristiyanto hopes to earn a Ph.D. and eventually work in Indonesia.

At the UW, his research focused on data science, bioinformatics, and cloud infrastructure.

Kristiyanto worked with a bioinformatics group led by Dr. Ka Yee Yeung, who is an associate professor at the Institute of Technology at UW Tacoma.

Yeung nominated Kristiyanto for the Husky 100.

“He just went above and beyond what we ask of a student,” Yeung said.

Yeung said she appreciated Kristiyanto’s willingness to help other students in the bioinformatics group.

“Danny is a really good person, and he helped me a lot,” said Sung Lee, who coauthored a paper with Kristiyanto.

Kevin Anderson, a part-time lecturer at UW Tacoma and a friend of Kristiyanto, echoed these sentiments.

As members of the bioinformatics group, Anderson and Kristiyanto worked together on a submission for the DREAM Challenges, which is a collaborative competition for researchers and innovators.

34 YEARS

Their project involved prostate cancer clinical trials.

They, along with Ling-Hong Hung and Yeung, authored a paper on their research, which was accepted for publication by F1000Research. Anderson said that Kristiyanto deserved being listed as the paper’s first author because of the amount of work he contributed.

Anderson said one of Kristiyanto’s best qualities is his “motivation to do good.”

Anderson remembered a time when he and Kristiyanto discussed what they hope to achieve with their bioinformatics research.

“His motivations were not to advance science for the sake of science, but to help developing countries by providing better care and a better life for those less fortunate,” Anderson said.

In the beginning of his time at the UW, Kristiyanto said he struggled with imposter syndrome as a new student. At first, he did not feel like he was good enough to work with his peers.

“I think that it was purely a confidence issue, not a competence issue,” Anderson said. “He didn’t give himself enough credit for how quickly he learns.”

Kristiyanto also felt insecure about his ability to speak English, which is his third language after Javanese and Indonesian.

Although he took English classes in Indonesia, Kristiyanto also learned how to speak the language through movie subtitles and music lyrics. Kristiyanto said U2

and Coldplay were some of his favorite artists.

After facing the daunting challenges of an unfamiliar language and culture, Kristiyanto said he hopes his story will encourage others to realize that international students can be just as successful as students who grew up in the United States.

“Just because we don’t speak English well or did not come from countries as advanced as the U.S. does not mean we are behind in knowledge or, in my case, technology,” Kristiyanto said.  Starla Sampaco can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

asianweekly northwest

15

Predictions and advice for the week of June 18–June 24

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Bold moves are not a thing of the past. A moment of courage takes a hold of you and the results surprise even you.

Dragon — Given the choice between a lofty title or something more substantive, you always prefer the latter.

Monkey — An incident from the past is lingering in your thoughts today. Moving beyond it should be a high priority.

Ox — The last thing you want to do is to stick to the script. While others marvel at your courage, you realize that you must write your own story.

Snake — Are you puzzled by the recent actions of a once close friend? Your questions won’t be answered any time soon.

Rooster — Your greatest strength could also be your weakness. Remember that moderation is the key to derive the most benefit.

Tiger — Absent a truly compelling reason not to do so, you should try your best to keep your promise to the best of your ability.

Horse — There are many directions that you are now able to go. Before locking yourself in, consider what is out there for you.

Dog — What was obvious before is now more of a question mark for you. Your level of proficiency will rise again as you go through the motions.

Rabbit — Fishing around for the best catch is a luxury that goes hand in hand with how much time you have. Sometimes, it is better to hold on to what you get.

Goat — Sort through a messy issue while it is still fresh on your mind. By doing so, you will spend less time reacquainting yourself with the complexities of the situation.

Pig — Although you have met one goal, another still looms large. For you, the work is not done until you have tackled the remaining challenge.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

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

HADI from 10 many nights with friends, stopped pursuing my passion for dance, and why I didn’t join social organizations on campus.

Strip the identity of physician from me and what would I be left with?

I finally woke up from this identity crisis when I lost a close friend to depression and suicide. I realized that my reasons for saying “no” to so many people, passions, and experiences was misconstrued.

I was saying “no” because ultimately, I wanted to make my family proud of me. I wanted to be proud of myself. But I was becoming a person that no one should be proud of. I was becoming self-centered, worrying only about making time for career advancement — not for friends, family, or the very things that made me immensely happy. It took losBLOG from 10 accepted me as your daughter. You traveled for business most of the time, and mom would join you sometimes, in Japan and Thailand for months.

Mom did a great job in playing the dual role of both parents when I was growing up.

I couldn’t imagine what it was like to have a dad loving me, raising me, nurturing me, playing with me, and protecting me like I observed my friends’ fathers.

I am forever grateful that you agreed to support me financially to study in the United States, after much begging.

By the twist of fate, we were never together on any Father’s Day! But I did go back to Hong Kong for your birthdays and paid for the dinners.

Dad Wai, mother wanted us to sever ties by lying to me at one point that you were dead. Mom got upset every time I went to visit you. When I left for college in the United States, you were both in Hong Kong. Although I tried to visit Hong Kong as much as I could, it was never on Father’s Day. But then, if I had visited you on Father’s Day, would you have made time for me?

You both had children in your other marriages. I was just one of the daughters.

I didn’t think I mattered. Years later, I found out that you, Dad Wai, told relatives how proud you were of me and raved that I was your most capable daughter, but lamented that you were unable to get close to me.

Two years before you died, I visited your home. There on your bed, I saw the

ing a friend for me to realize this. And all this time, I had it completely backwards.

I realized that my career path should originate internally, not the other way around.

I also realized that perhaps becoming a physician was so important to my family because of the environment that my grandparents and parents worked so hard to protect me from. Perhaps becoming a physician was their only option, and therefore, their only definition of success. Their expectations of me, therefore, came from a very different context and time. Because of their sacrifices, because of their hard work and determination, I now have the luxury to choose my career path. But with freedom comes uncertainty, and my family wanted to avoid that uncertainty by laying out a familiar and well-known path: medicine.

It’s taken a year of conversations with my family for us

Father’s Day card and envelope with money I sent long ago. Amazingly, you still remembered my birthday at the age of 90.

And you, Dad Eric, thank you for treating me as your real daughter as you grew older. You trusted me more than your own son. I played a big role at your funeral service, which I never expected.

Research has found that boys, more than girls, have a hard time in adjusting to not having their father around, and society has to pay a high price for their rebellious behaviors. I never knew what it would be like to have a father growing up. I can’t describe what I have missed. That void in my childhood can never be filled. Yet, I am not angry or bitter. My unhappy childhood has helped me to develop the ability to cope with adversity without blame. It’s not in my nature to blame. Nor do I give myself excuses for not working hard and giving up. I guess that’s the difference between the attitude of a survivor and victim. Also, I strive for forgiveness rather than hate. I turned out to be a better person in understanding and accepting human flaws. What else can you ask for?

And thanks to you, dads, I watched and gleaned meaningful lessons from the way you lived your lives.

To both of you in heaven, Happy Father’s Day!  Your daughter, — Assunta Assunta Ng can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

all to begin realizing that I can make them proud without becoming a physician, that success is about making a difference in others’ lives, not merely possessing one title in particular. But I am lucky because I have their support. Despite the uncertainty I currently face as a new grad, having my family’s support gives me confidence.

Finally, I feel comfortable enough doing what I’m truly passionate about, addressing the stigma around mental health, knowing that when they see the importance of this invisible issue and the impact this will have on so many people, that they’ll be proud.

I know that when they see me happy — able to make time for the people I love, the hobbies I’ve neglected, and the places I’ve wanted to see — they will be happy, too. That’s family. That’s what we do. 

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JUNE 18 – JUNE 24, 2016

34 YEARS