VOL 34 NO 26 | JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 34 NO 26

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

FREE

BLOG Thank you Dad(s) » P. 10

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

“A world without refugees” Remembering Luke T. Lee, father, and a fighter for human rights

Happy Father’s Day! Major golf comes to Seattle U.S. Open starts June 18 at Chambers Bay

By Sharon Lee SPECIAL FOR Northwest Asian Weekly This is the first time I will not be calling my dad and sending him a card on Father’s Day. It is hard to express this sad and empty feeling from losing a parent. Luke T. Lee passed away suddenly in January at age 91 from Parkinson’s disease. He was born in 1923 in Fuzhou, China.

He and my stepmother Denise had lived in Bethesda, Maryland for many years.

Even when my dad was in frail health, he always acted like he was going to live forever. For me and my siblings, we were so used to thinking about dad always being around.

Luke T. Lee with daughters

Asian Community airs concerns with new Seattle Police Chief

By Mark Okazaki SPECIAL FOR Northwest Asian Weekly

“We were totally left out.”

That is how long-time community activist Alan Sugiyama characterized the recent appointment of four Assistant Police Chiefs, none of whom were Asian Pacific Islanders, under the relatively new command of Seattle’s top cop, Kathleen O’Toole. Sugiyama went on to say that there is no one on her command staff who reflects the largest minority group in the city and that he was tired of the “constant bulls***t.”

Sugiyama was joined by about 25 members of the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition (APDC) at their general membership meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2015. The main topic was a dialogue with Chief O’Toole about issues affecting the Asian Pacific Islander community.

Flanked by other police officers, the Chief defended her actions saying there was only one Asian Pacific Islander applicant in the pool and that candidate

Tiger Woods practicing

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

Other coalition members chimed in about their on-going grievances.

Speaking from his experience living in Beacon Hill, Ron Chew expressed

The U.S. Open Golf Tournament comes to University Place, Washington June 18 through the 21st. It is a much-anticipated event that the region has been waiting on for years. The event will bring some of the top men’s golfers in the world.

Past U.S. Open Champions for the last 10 years automatically qualify for the event. This list includes Tiger Woods. The former number 1 player in the world played a round of golf earlier this month to prepare for the event. “It is a different kind of course,” Woods said. Chambers Bay is known as a “links” course, which is the oldest form of course originally developed in Britain. Links courses are typically near coastlines and are characterized by sand dunes and sparse vegetation. Chambers Bay, like other links golf courses, have undulating and sloping greens which will make the course difficult for those not familiar with its nuances.

Woods played a practice round bright and early on Monday morning before the start of the tournament Thursday. It was the first time that spectators could come and watch players prepare for the tournament.

{see O’TOOLE cont’d on page 12}

{see WOODS cont’d on page 12}

Kathleen O’Toole addresses the API community

did not meet with minimum qualifications for Assistant Chief. Chief O’Toole cited the number of captains and lieutenants of API descent (two and three respectively), and that APIs are represented throughout her department.

Photo by Jason Cruz/NWAW

{see LEE cont’d on page 15}

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

■

SPORTS More U.S. Open contenders » P. 3

A&E Eye-raising issues about eyelid surgery » P. 9

COMMENTARY Shell drilling is killing us » P. 11

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

2

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ names in the news Puyallup Valley JACL Scholarship

■ BRIEFLY Jason Cruz: Arts & Lifestyles Reporting — 2nd place, “It’s all about Bruce” Laura Ohata: Arts & Lifestyles Reporting — 3rd place, “Rising star on the flying trapeze” Laura Ohata: Social Issues Reporting — 3rd place, “Meet the new neighbors: Nickelsville homeless camp” Zachariah Bryan: Personalities Reporting — 3rd place, “Dealing with death and harassment” Zachariah Bryan: Arts & Lifestyles Reporting — 1st place, “Yellowface controversy over the The Mikado” Tiffany Ran: Commentary — 1st place, “Ask, don’t tell us who we are” 

Rotary Club awards scholarships The Seattle International District Rotary Club awarded Victoria Vong and Shen Yao, high school seniors, $2,000 educational scholarships.

The Seattle International District Rotary Club is committed to higher education and since 1988 has supported local graduating seniors.

Britney Spencer Freer, Shannon Kane Russ, and Bryce Taishi Ikeda

The winners of the Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizens League Scholarship were Britney Spencer Freer, Shannon Kane Russ, and Bryce Taishi Ikeda. They received their scholarship awards on June 6 at the Tacoma Buddhist Church A social hall was followed by a program about their “Camp Harmony Committee” project and a Japanese buffet. 

SPJ awards Northwest Asian Weekly

Jason Cruz

Laura Ohata

Zachariah Bryan

Tiffany Ran

The Society of Professional Journalists awarded the Northwest Asian Weekly second place for “General Excellence” in the Society of Professional Journalists Awards for the weeklies category.

The winning stories included: Jason Cruz: Crime and Justice Reporting — 2nd place, “Former child prodigy attempts suicide after first-degree murder verdict”

Victoria Vong Victoria will graduate from Garfield High School in June, where she has carried a 3.95 GPA. She plans to attend Seattle University and major in policy. Her goal is to have a career in a non-profit organization focusing on pathways to change.

Besides her academic achievements, Victoria has volunteered at Jefferson Community Center and Vietnamese organizations.

Shen Yao Shen will graduate from Cleveland High School in June, where he has carried a 4.0 GPA. He plans to attend the University of Washington where he will pursue a degree in the field of engineering. His ultimate goal is to work in aerospace or computer engineering.

In addition to his classroom achievements, Shen volunteers as a tutor for Team Read and at his high school. 

Recognizing Vietnamese heritage and freedom

On Wednesday, 6/17, 2:00 pm, Councilmember Bruce Harrell will introduce a resolution recognizing the Vie t n a m e s e Heritage and Freedom Flag as the symbol for Seattle’s Vietnamese community. The Full Council will vote on the legislation on Monday, 6/22, 2:00 pm. Members from the Vietnamese community were invited to be at the committee table to discuss the resolution.

Presenters at the committee include: My-Linh Ngo, President of the Vietnamese Community of King and Snohomish; Kim-Long Nguyen, President of the Vietnamese Mutual Assistance Association; Giap Dat - President of the Vietnamese Community Activity Center of Washington State; Trong Tang - Former President of the Vietnamese Community of Washington State; Linh Thai, Director of the Vietnamese Community Leadership Institute of Seattle; Tam Nguyen, The Vietnamese community is invited for the full council vote on Monday, June 22, 2 pm. 

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ sports More U.S. Open contenders to watch

By Andrew Kim Northwest Asian Weekly

3

most career victories. He was the runner up at the 2015 NCAA Championships where he lost by one stroke. Pan is originally from Taiwan who didn’t speak English when he first moved to the United States when he was 15 years old.

He is now graduating with a degree in communications.

Pan will be making his professional debut at the U.S. Open and will look to earn his PGA Tour card.

Thongchai Jaidee

Wen-Chong Liang

and attended the University of Washington where he was a medalist as a senior at the NCAA regionals in 2010. Since then, he has competed in the PGA Tour. Last November, Lee had surgery on his hand and could not practice or play for several months. In his first competitive tournament since the injury, Lee qualified at the sectional qualifier to advance to the U.S. Open.

Cheng-Tsung Pan

Thongchai Jaidee is a professional Thai golfer who holds the record for most career earnings on the Asian Tour. He did not turn professional until he was 30 years old, which is unusual (the current number one ranked golfer, Rory McIlroy, is 26 years old and the number two ranked golfer, Jordan Spieth, is 21 years old). Jaidee is the first Thai golfer to play in all four major championships and is also the first Thai golfer to win a tournament on the European Tour.

Richard Lee Richard Lee is a local product – he grew up in Bellevue

Wen-Chong Liang is a Chinese professional golfer who has 19 worldwide victories to his name. He is the second ever Chinese golfer to qualify for the U.S. Open and is the only Chinese golfer to have reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings. He is competing in his second consecutive U.S. Open and holds the course record with an 8 under 64 at the PGA Championship. 

Cheng-Tsung Pan just recently graduated from the University of Washington where he set the record for

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

asianweekly northwest

4

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ world news

Thousands rally as Hong Kong braces for democracy

By Kelvin Chan Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of people, many holding yellow umbrellas, marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to urge lawmakers to vote down Beijing-backed election reforms that sparked huge street protests last year, although the turnout was lower than organizers had expected.

With a crucial vote on the southern Chinese financial hub’s political future days away, pro-democracy supporters marched to city government headquarters to rally support for a veto of the government’s electoral reform package.

At issue is how Hong Kongers will choose their top leader, who’s currently hand-picked by a panel of Beijing-friendly

Drone is latest weapon against cheating on school exam

BEIJING (AP) — The latest weapon in the fight against cheating on China’s all-important college entrance exam is a six-propeller drone.

The contraption flew over two testing centers in Luoyang city in central China’s Henan province to scan for any unusual signals being sent to devices smuggled by students taking the annual test. No such signals were detected June 7, the first day of the exam, a Henan province news website said.

The drone cost hundreds of thousands of yuan (tens of thousands of dollars) and is as big as a gas station pump when extended, said Lan Zhigang, from Luoyang’s Radio Supervision and Regulation Bureau.

“A drone has its advantages. In an urban area full of tall buildings, various barriers limit the operating range of devices on ground, while the drone can rise up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) and detect signals over the whole city,” Lan said.

Almost all Chinese high school graduates must take the test — more than 9 million students started it Sunday — and the scores are the key criterion for which tier of university they can enter.

Pressure is immense and many students spend months cramming. Parents travel to the cities where the tests are given to stay with their children during the exam, which can last two or three days.

Those who fail can repeat a year or try to find a low-paying, blue-collar job.

Cheating is common given the high stakes, and methods include selling supposed answers, hiring surrogate test-takers and using wireless equipment to communicate during the test.

The Education Ministry said June 6 that it had arrested 23 people since late May over attempts to arrange cheating. Students caught cheating can be barred from taking the test for up to three years. 

elites. Under the reforms to be put before lawmakers starting Wednesday, the government proposal would allow direct elections for the first time but also require screening of candidates by the panel.

Pro-democracy activists — who caught the world’s attention last autumn by occupying parts of the city for 11 weeks to demand greater electoral freedom, turning umbrellas and the color yellow into symbols of their movement — have blasted the proposals as “sham democracy” and called for genuine universal suffrage.

The organizers of the protest, including the Civil Human Rights Front, student groups and pro-democracy political parties, estimated that 3,500 people took part, far less than the 50,000 expected. Police said 3,140 joined.

People marching in the blazing afternoon heat chanted “I want genuine democracy” and “Veto fake universal suffrage.” A large yellow banner mounted on a truck read “The citizens against pseudo-universal suffrage campaign.”

“I hope that they will bring out another proposal that can be accepted by Hong Kong people,” said Louis Cheung, a 54-year-old writer. “It’s impossible to have an election without the Hong Kong public’s opinion and say Hong Kong has universal suffrage. This is impossible to accept.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Friday that the proposal was “in line with Hong Kong’s current circumstances, taking into account the interests {see HONG KONG cont’d on page 13}

China punishes local officials over deaths of 4 siblings AP Wire Service

BEIJING (AP) — Several local Chinese officials were fired or suspended following the deaths of four siblings, aged 5 to 13, who were abandoned by their parents and neglected by government workers in one of China’s poorest regions, the district government said.

Two village heads were fired and three other officials — including the district education chief — were suspended from their work and were being investigated, according to a statement by the Qixingguan district government in the southwestern city of Bijie.

The district government promised to take proper disciplinary action after the investigation.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also demanded that local governments be more careful in providing aid services. He asked

that such tragedies not occur again.

The deaths have renewed concerns over the wellbeing of tens of millions of rural Chinese children who are left behind in their villages while their parents seek work in factories in faraway industrial cities.

In the latest incident, the siblings — a 13-year-old boy and his three younger sisters — died Wednesday after drinking liquid pesticide at home in their village of Tiankan.

State broadcaster CCTV said the boy left behind a suicidal note in which he wrote, “‘This matter has been planned for a long time, and today is the day to go.”

The children’s father left the village for work in March, and their mother has been away for a while, state media reported.

The father had sent the children money, and police recovered a bank card with a balance of nearly $600, state media reported. Yet, the children could not

properly look after themselves and may have had psychological problems because of the long absence of their parents, fellow villagers told state media.

Authorities have described the deaths as a group suicide, but local media accounts also describe the boy as influential over his sisters.

After the children left school, one of the girls told teachers their older brother did not want them to return. State media said the children did not open the door when village cadres and teachers visited, and local residents said the children kept to themselves.

Bijie, in impoverished Guizhou province, was the location of another childhood tragedy about three years ago when five runaway boys became asphyxiated after lighting a fire in a garbage bin where they were sheltering from the cold. 

Nestle India decides China to simplify to remove popular entry rules for noodles from stores Taiwan visitors AP Wire Service

NEW DELHI (AP) — Nestle India said Friday it had decided to take its popular brand of instant noodles off the shelves in the country after several Indian states banned it for allegedly containing unsafe levels of lead.

The company said in a statement that the trust of its consumers and the safety of products was its first priority, but added “Maggi

BEIJING (AP) — China will make it easier for Taiwanese to visit, state media reported Monday, in the latest appeal to voters ahead of crucial presidential elections on the island in January.

Rule changes will remove the need for Taiwanese visitors to apply for entry permits, the reports said, citing comments by top government adviser Yu Zhengsheng at a weekend ChinaTaiwan forum.

Travel passes issued by Beijing to Taiwanese will be converted from passport-like documents to a basic computer readable card, the reports said.

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and doesn’t recognize passports issued by the self-governing island democracy, which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949.

Over the past decade, China has sought to court the

{see NESTLE INDIA cont’d on page 14}

{see TAIWAN cont’d on page 11}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ WORLD NEWS

5

Economy hit as MERS Palau burns keeps Koreans indoors, Vietnamese boats deters tourists caught fishing illegally

By Youkyung Lee AP Business Writer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — For a South Korean tour agency, the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome feels like a bigger threat to business than a North Korean attack or nuclear reactor meltdown.

Kim Chun Choo’s company, which has provided tour services for the last quarter century, is going through its worst year ever.

Following the outbreak last month, most tourists from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, who account for about half of Kim Travel’s clients, cancelled tours to Seoul.

Almost all international conferences, which were set to bring in participants who would use his company’s tour services, were cancelled or postponed.

“Even after the Yeonpyeong Island shelling and Japan’s Fukushima crisis, it wasn’t this bad,” said Kim, referring to the North Korea’s shelling of a South Korean island in 2010 and Japan’s nuclear accident in 2011.

Kim said revenue in June is expected to plunge to less than 30 percent of what it was a year earlier. The massive cancellations are dealing a blow to business for July and August as well, which are usually highdemand months.

“It’s a step backward for South Korea

which has built a good image,” he said. “I just hope that the outbreak ends quickly so that business in the fall wouldn’t be hurt.”

Efforts to foster stronger growth in Asia’s fourth-largest economy have been set back by the MERS outbreak, which is denting tourism and spending by locals.

Eleven people have died and more than 120 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with the disease since the country reported its first case on May 20.

The outbreak, the largest outside Saudi Arabia, has been contained to hospitals but it has caused widespread fear. Nearly 3,000 schools and kindergartens remained closed on Friday despite calls from the World Health Organization for them to reopen.

Lee Ju-yeol, Bank of Korea governor, said spending by South Koreans has been shrinking since last week. The central bank on Thursday slashed its key interest rate for the second time this year by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low.

Since the first reported case and especially during the first few weeks when the government withheld the names of the hospitals with MERS patients, South Koreans have avoided crowded spaces such as public transport, movie theaters and shopping malls. New movies have pushed back their release dates. {see KOREA cont’d on page 12}

By Elaine Kurtenbach Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The tiny Pacific nation of Palau, fighting a rising tide of illegal fishing in its waters, has set fire to four boats belonging to Vietnamese caught poaching sea cucumbers and other marine life in its waters.

Palau’s president, Tommy Remengesau Jr., said the boats were burned Friday morning. He hopes to turn most of the island nation’s territorial waters into a national marine sanctuary, banning commercial fishing and exports apart from limited areas to be used by domestic fishermen and tourists.

“We wanted to send a very strong message. We will not tolerate any more these pirates who come and steal our resources,” Remengesau said in a phone interview with The Associated Press from Washington, D.C., where he was visiting.

The country created the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009, but until recently had only one patrol boat to help protect its great hammerheads, leopard sharks and more than 130 other species of shark and rays fighting extinction.

The four boats destroyed Friday were among 15 Palau authorities have caught fishing illegally in their waters since last year with loads of sharks and shark fins,

lobsters, sea cucumbers and reef fish.

Several of the boats that it seized, stripped of their fishing gear, are due to carry 77 crew members of the boats back to Vietnam.

Remengesau said that the stream of poachers showed that just stripping the rogue boats of their nets and confiscating their catches was not enough “I think it’s necessary to burn the boats,” he said.

Palau, about 600 miles (970 kilometers) miles east of the Philippines, is one of the world’s smallest countries, its 20,000 people scattered across a tropical archipelago of 250 islands that is considered a biodiversity hotspot. In 2012, its Rock Islands Southern Lagoon was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Driven by rising demand from China and elsewhere in Asia, overfishing threatens many species of fish. With 621,600 square kilometers (240,000 square miles) of territorial waters, including its exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, extending 200 miles (320 kilometers) from its coastline, Palau is battling to prevent poaching of its sea life by fishermen from across southeast Asia.

Despite progress in tracing sources of fish sold to consumers, about a fifth of the {see PALAU cont’d on page 13}

Assunta Ng

Account Executives

John Liu

rebecca@nwasianweekly.com

Peggy Chapman

kelly@nwasianweekly.com

Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Associate Publisher john@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com

Han Bui

Layout Editor/Webmaster han@nwasianweekly.com

Rebecca Ip Kelly Liao John Liu

john@nwasianweekly.com

Stacy Nguyen Editorial Consultant

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 $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 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.

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

asianweekly northwest

6

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ COMMUNITY calendar SAT 6/20 THRU THU 9/13 WHAT: Pop Art that Packs a Punch: Artist Roger Shimomura Sheds Light on Stereotypes WHERE: Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma WHEN: Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

COST: $12-$35 INFO: 253-272-4258, tacomaartmuseum.org

SUN 6/21 WHAT: Bonsai Rising WHERE: Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S. 336th St., Federal Way WHEN: 1 p.m.

INFO: 253-353-7345, pacificbonsaimuseum.org WHAT: Japanese Urushi Lacquerware Demonstration & Gallery Talk & Maki-e Workshop WHERE: Kobo at Higo, 604 S. Jackson St., Seattle WHEN: 1 p.m.

INFO: 206-381-3000

THU 6/25 WHAT: Asian American & Pacific Islander Community Roundtable WHERE: APCC, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma

WHEN: 6-7 p.m.

COST: Free

THRU SAT 6/27 WHAT: Seattle International Dance Festival WHERE: South Lake Union COST: $17-$55 INFO: seattleidf.org

SAT 6/27 WHAT: 2015 Beacon Art Walkabout WHERE: Beacon Hill, Seattle WHEN: 1-8 p.m.

INFO: 206-323-7733 WHAT: NVC Chow Mein Dinner WHERE: NVC Hall, 1212 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

COST: $15 INFO: seattlenvc.org WHAT: Beacon Art Walkabout “Chinese Culture Through Arts” WHERE: Lee Family Association, 3217 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 1-4 p.m.

INFO: 206-227-8587

MON 6/29 WHAT: Elect Pamela Banks, Seattle City Council

District 3 WHERE: Nagomi Tea House, 519 6th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m.

COST: $25-$700 RSVP: michael@ bluewavepolitics.com, 206682-7328

TUE 6/30 WHAT: Ricky Yip Chinese Painting Exhibition WHERE: Bellevue Regional Library, 1111 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue WHEN: 2 p.m.

INFO: 425-450-1765

FRI 7/3 WHAT: Public Talk: “Living a meaningful life” WHERE: Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m.

COST: $20

SAT 7/4 WHAT: 31st Annual Naturalization Ceremony WHERE: Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center WHEN: 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

INFO: seattlecenter.org

■ briefly FRI 7/10 & SAT 7/11 WHAT: “Asian Collection” Premier Auction WHERE: Pacific Galleries WHEN: 7/10 at 12-5 p.m., 4/11 at 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

BID ONLINE: www. invaluable.com INFO: www.pacgal.com

Campaign to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month

EVERY TUE WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment Program Orientation WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 3–4:30 p.m.

INFO: 206-695-7527, employmentprogram@ acrs.org, acrs.org/services/ employmentandtraining

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

COST: Free INFO: 206-386-1245

To celebrate June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Pride month, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is launching a multilingual outreach campaign to promote acceptance of Asian American LGBTQ individuals. The campaign features a series of public service announcements (PSAs) that hope to diversify the faces and languages of those who support the LGBTQ community and promote acceptance of LGBTQ individuals coming out in Asian American communities. 

Have an event to promote?

Please send us the details to info@nwasianweekly.com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ wayne’s worlds

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

7

“Do as I say, not as I do” Advice for my son

By Wayne Chan Northwest Asian Weekly I’ve heard that as parents, we live vicariously through our kids. While that may very well be true, I think I’ve taken it a step further.

Apparently, as my son comes of age, I’ve managed to perfect time travel.

A few weeks ago, I went to my son Tyler’s high school open house to meet with his teachers and see how he was doing.

Before I get to the open house though, I should tell you a little about Tyler. He’s 17, he’s on the varsity tennis team, he watches what he eats, works out a lot, and has grown to be a very good-looking young man.

To give you a better idea, I can tell you what some lifelong friends said when they saw Tyler recently.

Tyler – you are so handsome! You look like a young version of your dad!

Now, you might think that along with Tyler, that I could also take that line as a compliment, but it’s hard to do that when they were referring to a specific version of me and makes no mention of their thoughts of the current one. But anyways, let’s get back to the open house.

So as we walk onto the campus, Tyler sprints a few steps ahead of us and within a few seconds, is surrounded by three or four classmates, all girls, chatting him up, all smiles as they walk toward their classrooms.

My first reaction was to wonder why Tyler felt like he needed to spring ahead of his mother and I in the first place, but I figured that whatever the reason was, it would probably make me feel completely inadequate so I decided to leave it alone.

As their little group reached the class hallway, the girls dispersed and my wife and I were allowed to walk with him the rest of the way.

Still curious, I decided to ask Tyler about his friends and get

some insight as to who they were.

Tyler’s answer was succinct and was very familiar to me based on any important question I’ve ever asked of him.

I dunno.

After the open house, and after seeing throughout the evening that Tyler was friendly with a number of girls at the school, I thought that it might be a good time to sit down with him and have a heart to heart.

Not the “birds and the bees” talk, mind you, because at 17 years of age, he knows what goes where. It also wasn’t the talk about him needing to “be a gentleman” now that he was of dating age. That wasn’t my concern.

No, I felt it was time to have the “Here’s what you’ve got to do” talk.

This is the talk where a father gleefully coaches his son on how to be wildly popular with the girls at school, and it always begins with the line, “Here’s what you’ve got to do.”

For those of you who might not be aware, fathers who start off their talk with the line, “Here’s what you’ve got to do” are almost always ignoring the fact that: The lack of success in meeting girls in your youth almost

■ health Minimizing the risks of colon cancer New study finds colon cancer on rise

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and is the third most common cancer in men and women. Over 50,000 people in the U.S. die from the disease each year. Still, if colon cancer can be caught early, the chance of recovery is high.

What is colon cancer?

Colon cancer starts in the colon or the rectum. Thus, it is sometimes referred to

as colorectal cancer. Other times they are referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer dependent on where the cancer starts. Most colorectal cancers occur over several years developing as a growth of tissue or tumor as a non-cancerous polyp on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Some can change into cancer but not all do.

African American men and women have a higher risk of colorectal cancer than Caucasians, Asians or Hispanics. Cancer {see COLON CANCER cont’d on page 12}

certainly doesn’t make you qualified to provide advice now.

Any actual success you might have had in the past must now be amplified with wild exaggerations in order for your advice to have any plausibility now.

That’s why time travel is so helpful.

With time travel, you can conveniently erase memories like: The time I took a date out on a small sailboat on a neighborhood lake and got the boat stuck on a shallow part of the lake requiring me to jump in with all my clothes on to push the boat free.

The time I went to the county fair with a date for an entire day and then completely not recognize her when she said hello to me at school the next day. In my defense, she was wearing her hair differently.

The time I drew a big valentines card and left it in my girlfriend’s class just before she took an important exam for everyone to see and realized later that I had put it in the wrong classroom.

The time I went out on a few dates with one girl and then completely not recognize her when we both showed up at a holiday party a couple of months later. I imagine you’re starting to sense a pattern here but in my defense, she was wearing her hair differently.

Yet, despite these unfortunate memories in my past, I must be qualified to impart some wisdom on the topic of dating because I ended up marrying a beautiful and amazing woman.

If I hadn’t done that, there would be no son for me to coach now.

If you ask me, I’m a smooth operator and have every right to give the “Here’s what you’ve got to do” speech to my son.

If you ask my wife, she’ll probably say she decided to marry me after I promised not to take her out on any more boats.  Wayne Chan can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

8

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

9

Eye-raising issues about eyelid surgery Seattle filmmaker working on a documentary about the controversy

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

girlfriends and I were walking through a playground and this local boy remarked loudly and disapprovingly to his friends, “Ew, why are there so many Chinese people?” I was the only Asian in the group so I guess one was too many for him!

I remember that moment because I felt shocked, but I knew I had been humiliated.

I cried behind a school bus with my friend and I remember that one of our chaperones, someone’s father, heard what happened and just shrugged it off. I felt very alone.

I started to internalize those kinds of comments and it made me wonder if I wanted to be all white. That is definitely a theme in “Creased.”

Local filmmaker Jade Justad is a hapa Korean-American, based in Seattle. Her new project is a short film, “Creased,” exploring the ever-more-popular phenomenon of double eyelid plastic surgery amongst young Asians, especially, but not exclusively, young women.

NWAW: Did you grow up in Seattle?

Tell us about your background.

Justad: I was born and raised in Seattle.

I am of Korean Caucasian descent. I grew up in North Seattle and while there were some API kids in my schools, I was by and large removed from any identifiable Asian American community.

This trend continued even more steeply when I went to study at Boston University’s acting conservatory. There were no APIs in my class and very few other minorities.

One of the joys of making “Creased” so far is that it has opened new doors for me into the local API community. Myself and my project has been met with a lot of support. Gabrielle Nomura-Gainor, “Creased”s amazing PR hero, made a lot of introductions and through her, I have found a community partner in the Seattle chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). It has been a wonderful

Jade Justad

opportunity to create new ties with my API community.

NWAW: What were your experiences as a biracial child? Did the two sides of your family get along? How did you become aware of your distinctive racial identity?

Justad: You know, I feel very lucky, I come from a very loving home. Maybe

too loving--I was raised to believe I could achieve whatever silly dream I had! I knew my father was white and my mother was Korean (I was eating fistfuls of kimchee straight out of the jar as a toddler) and I knew I was biracial, but it was not an issue for my family.

I didn’t see any conflict until late in elementary school when I went on a class overnight trip in southern Oregon. Some

NWAW: How did you settle on filmmaking as a career path? What about your personality, and your education, inclined you towards this?

Which are your favorite films and directors, and why?

Justad: I was a shy child and acting really brought me out of my shell. I decided as a young teenager that I wanted to be an actress and I went on to major in acting at Boston University. After graduation I found that the business of acting s super tough and tougher yet if you are a woman of color. There just aren’t as many roles for us {see JUSTAD cont’d on page 15}

Trash to Treasures

Design an outfit, win $250 and more

Northwest Asian Weekly is inviting you to design an outfit that incorporates recycling materials or NWAW/ Seattle Chinese Post newspapers in the design.

Deadline: June 29, 2015

All contestants will be invited to the Northwest Asian Weekly’s recycling contest show on July 11 at the Chinatown/International District Dragon Fest at 1:30 p.m. If you are a finalist, please wear your design or find a model to wear your design. Arrive at the Asian Weekly’s office at 412 Maynard Avenue South to check in, from 11 a.m. to noon. Models will line up at 1:20 p.m. and parade to the stage (approximately one block). Judging will begin during the line-up. Contest results will be announced immediately after the competition.

Who can participate: 1. Everyone, and there is no age limit!

2. You must design a wearable garment with recycling materials or Asian Weekly/Chinese Post newspapers (or both).

Prizes for winners:

$250+goodies+plaque+photos in the Asian Weekly/Chinese Post, print and online  2nd Prize- $150+goodies+plaque+photos in the Asian Weekly/Chinese Post, print and online  3rd Prize- $100+goodies+plaque+photos in the Asian Weekly/Chinese Post, print and online  1st Prize-

Please fill out all the fields below:

Name: ________________________________________________________

There will also be prizes for honorable mentions. They will receive plaques and their photo will be printed in the Asian Weekly and Chinese Post, and online.

Address: _______________________________________________________

If you need newsprint for your design, please come to the Asian Weekly’s office, at 412 Maynard Avenue South, to pick up back issues.

Phone: ________________________________________________________

GOLD SPONSOR

E-mail: ________________________________________________________

SILVER SPONSOR

PEARL SPONSOR

Brief description of your design: _____________________________________

COMMUNITY SPONSORS PLANNING COMMITTEE

CHINA HARBOR RESTAURANT GLOBAL TRAVEL

Gary Tang, Gei Chan, Belinda Louie, Karen Tsuo, John Liu, Buwon Brown and Ellen Abellera

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Designed by Gary Tang

To enter: Design a wearable garment or accessory incorporating recycling materials or NWAW/Seattle Chinese Post newspapers in some aspect of the visual appearance. We welcome any wearable garment or accessory of choice like shirts, pants, jackets, jewelry, skirts, vests, ties, shoes, hats, purses, and more. Let your creativity run wild!

Please submit a photograph or photographs of the design to rsvp@nwasianweekly.com by June 29.You are welcome to submit more than one design.

Please also include a brief description of your design and the inspiration for your design (optional). Your entry must include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. You can also mail a photograph or photographs to 412 Maynard South, Seattle, 98104. All entries are the property of the Northwest Asian Weekly and will not be returned. Finalists’ photos will be announced on the Asian Weekly’s July 9 issue.

asianweekly northwest

10

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

■ sports

The Layup Drill

Local favorites Lee, Pan make US Open Field, FIFA Women’s World Cup Opens

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

tended Bellevue College where he was on its golf team. He transferred to the University of Washington to play golf for the Huskies.

Lee, who is Korean American, lived in Korea from ages three to 10.

The U.S. Open will be Lee’s first tournament in nine months as he is coming back from a thumb injury.

We wish low scores for both Pan and Lee.

Pan, Lee set to compete at U.S. Open

There’s a lot of pressure in your last quarter of college. It’s filled with anxiety and pressure. University of Washington senior, and men’s golfer, Cheng-Tsung Pan had a lot of both as he tried to qualify for the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. Like cramming for a final and pulling it off, Pan made the field at Chambers Bay in University Place by making key shots down the stretch of his qualifying round.

Making it in is a great accomplishment and serves as consolation for falling one shot short in the NCAA Championships last month.

Pan holds the UW men’s golf record with seven career victories and was the No. 1 Amateur in the World for eight weeks. It’s been a big couple of months for Pan as he graduated this month with a degree in communications from the University of Washington. The degree is a grand achievement for Pan considering he did not know how to speak English when he came to the United States from Taiwan to learn golf as a 15-year-old.

In addition to Pan, former UW Husky Richard Lee will be among the 156 competitors at Chambers Bay. A native of Bellevue, Lee’s

Japan seeking to defend World Cup title

Cheng-Tsung Pan

ascension to the PGA tour is an interesting one. Unlike Tiger Woods, who was a child prodigy having been introduced to the sport of golf before the age of two, Lee first picked up golf when he took lessons at Willow’s Run Golf Course in Redmond at the age of 14. Lee immediately fell in love with the sport and played at municipal golf courses around the Seattle area.

Lee, who attended Newport High School in Bellevue, met a professional golfer on the Asian tour while his family was on vacation in the Philippines. He decided to move to the Philippines to learn the sport. Lee came back home and at-

Although not as advertised as the men’s version, FIFA’s Women’s World Cup began play this month at multiple sites throughout Canada. Of course, FIFA, the governing body for the World Cup is going through a scandal as the U.S. Department of Justice arrested seven officials from FIFA on bribery and corruption charges.

As you recall, the Japan women’s team won the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in an upset of the United States. Team Japan is back and this time they are considered favorites to return as reigning champions. So far, Japan is easily into the second round of the tournament having won its grouping, and will advance to the second round.

Japan boasts the oldest player in the World Cup, Homare Sawa.

She was the captain of the 2011 national team and scored a goal

in the championship game against the United States. The 36-yearold Sawa is appearing in a record sixth World Cup. She initially retired from the Japanese national team at the London Olympics in 2012 (where Japan won the silver medal) but returned to play in the 2014 Asian Games. In addition to Sawa, Japan’s roster also includes Nahomi Kawasumi. The 29-yearold played for the Seattle Reign FC last year.

There are four Asian countries competing in the women’s world cup. China, South Korea and Thailand are also in the tournament.

Technically, Australia is considered an Asian country for purposes of grouping but we do not preview the Aussies here.

Notably, Chinese manager Hao Wei was ejected in a World Cup soccer match against New Zealand. Hao attempted to interfere with a throw-in from the sidelines by a New Zealand player. China needed just a tie to advance in the tournament. It was tied 2-2 at the time Hao was sent off the field with just a couple minutes left in extra play. Hao attempted to either appeal to the crowd that he was sorry or that he did nothing wrong. After the match, which ended in a tie, the coach for New Zealand refused to shake Hao’s hand for the alleged attempt to stall the game.

South Korea is an up-and-com-

ing team that will probably not be a contender to win the World Cup this year but should be soon. The team is defensive minded and are led on the offense by Park Eun-Sun and Ji So-yun. South Korea must win its last group game against Spain to advance to the next round.

Thailand is playing it their firstever World Cup. The bid came after FIFA expanded the number of Asian teams to play in the World Cup from three to five. In 2011, FIFA banned North Korea from World Cup play after five of its players tested positive for steroids. North Korea will be able to return to World Cup play in 2019.

Thus, the pool of qualified Asian teams dwindled. Thailand earned the spot to play in Canada after defeating Vietnam 2-1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Ominously, the “War Elephants,” the team’s nickname, were defeated by China (7-0) and South Korea (4-0). Although Thailand may not make it past group play in the World Cup, its appearance should aid the popularity of the sport in the country.

Aside from Japan, favorites to win the Womens’ World Cup include Germany, Brazil and the United States.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

OPINION

■ publisher’s blog Blessed with two fathers Thank you, Dads!

By Assunta Ng Northwest Asian Weekly I have very few fond memories about my father from my childhood. What do you expect when you come from a broken home?

Strange, but I have wonderful thoughts about my father now that I am an older woman who has experienced the world — after being a parent juggling having a family and career —struggling to find my passions while making a difference in the community.

My anger toward my father’s abandonment over me had dissolved in my 20s, when I found out that my mother had created many of the lies to drive me away from him. It has now changed to a horizon of empathy and forgiveness. And I have learned to love him more and more each day and accept who he was. I am grateful for his generosity, easygoing manner and wise advice. He died a few years ago at the age of 93.

This blog is dedicated to children who harbor bitterness and hostilities toward divorced parents, and would like to move on with their lives.

Tough childhood What is it like to have a father? I never really knew.

Sadly, in my childhood dreams I had yearned for my father to hold my hands, walk with me in a park, read bedtime stories, share ice cream, watch movies, or play games together.

I applaud parents who sit down with their children and explain why they decide to go separate ways. In my experience, that process was non-existent. There was no information about why they split, about living arrangements after their divorce, how they were going to divide the kids among them, or what schools we should attend.

There was no discussion with us kids, period.

It was one big mess filled with uncertainties, secrecy, and anxieties.

When I was five in China, a friend took

me to the train station and we were in a Hong Kong hotel shortly, reuniting with my mother. Later, I found out that my father was living with another woman and family. Actually, he had a family before he met my mom. Suddenly, my young brother turned into a rebellious monster and mom had to send him away to live with my dad.

Meanwhile, mom met my stepfather who had let me stay because I was often perceived as the most obedient child in the family. That was my lesson then, stay quiet, fit in. I was so afraid that mom would say, “Go to your dad. I don’t want you.” Only years later, my aunt told me that initially, my step dad had tried to persuade mom to give me up like my brother. Instead, mom said decisively, “Absolutely no!”

What really happened in my family history became “she says” and “he says.”

The remaining bits and pieces were halftruths, disbeliefs, and scandals as I only heard them from my relatives whispering among themselves, pretending that I wasn’t

really listening. In reality, I heard everything.

The adults wanted to hide from us because they feared that we kids couldn’t handle relationships and conflicts. Believe me, I was much more determined to stay with my mom even though many issues were beyond our grasp and maturity. More confusing, my mother’s family wanted us to believe that my dad was at fault and he was the enemy.

Changing attitude Once, I realized that my dad was not evil, and everyone makes mistakes, it opened doors for healing. It’s not just the healing for me, but closure for my parents.

How I brought my parents together took courage. I was scared to confront my mother until I was in my 30s. It needed to be done, though.

“Why are you upset with dad still after all these years?” I asked.

My mother told me the truth finally. I was {see BLOG cont’d on page 13}

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

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ editorial

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

OPINION

Changing race Gauging our barriers

Before

After

The scenario is somewhat impossible to fathom.

But it happened. And it has been discussed throughout regional and even national news outlets.

11

We will address it briefly because… we are still shaking our heads and there is always the need to discuss how we identify…well…identity.

Rachel Dolezal, 37 years old, from Spokane served as NAACP President for the Spokane Washington chapter, presenting herself as an African American. She was proclaimed “one of the Inland Northwest’s most prominent civil rights activists,” according to the Spokesman-Review.

But she was in fact, white. Her parents attested to that in the rash of news about the controversy.

“She’s clearly our birth daughter, and

we’re clearly Caucasian — that’s just a fact,” Lawrence A. Dolezal said in an interview from his home in Montana on Friday. “She is a very talented woman, doing work she believes in. Why can’t she do that as a Caucasian woman, which is what she is?”

Ms. Dolezal did not respond to numerous phone calls, emails or knocks on her door in Spokane, Wash., on Friday And you can also take a look at the photographs and then stop shaking your head in disbelief.

We’ve discussed issues of “Westernizing” our physical appearance (see our article on eyelid surgery on page 9), but what do you call it when you “minoritize” yourself?

But there is something to be considered when you want to label yourself as other than white.

And when you get to the point where you have to label yourself as “other.”

There is a difference in taking advantage of checking the minority box on application forms for financial or personal gain. Was there that intention?

What we need to evaluate is what was the real motivation.

Did Rachel Dolezal truly identify with the race she wanted to portray?

That is probably what should be addressed. 

■ commentary

“Shell drilling is killing us”

By Katrina Pestano For Northwest Asian Weekly

We are Filipino youth, women, workers, queers and artists living in Seattle.

We are here in opposition to Shell, its long history of corporate plunder and human rights abuses and its plans to drill in the Arctic. We are in solidarity with the resistance of Iñupiaq people of Alaska and the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta, and all indigenous people of this continent defending their land.

The Philippines has consistently ranked in the top 5 in the Global Climate Risk Index since 1994, and became number 1 in 2013. This means that it is one of the most vulnerable to climate change in

Protesting

the form of floods, droughts, and worsening typhoons.

In 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest storm to make

{TAIWAN cont’d from page 4} Taiwanese electorate with economic incentives such as market access for the island’s agricultural goods and visits by free-spending Chinese tourists.

However, many Taiwanese voters have balked at closer ties, fearing for the island’s political independence and worried that the benefits go mainly to the rich and major corporations instead of the struggling middle class.

Dissatisfaction with the ruling Nationalist Party’s pro-China policies resulted in massive wins for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in last year’s local elections.

That has raised expectations for a strong showing in next year’s elections in which DPP candidate Tsai Ying-wen is the early front runner. The DPP is also expected to perform strongly in polls for the national legislature being held the same day.

Unlike the Nationalists, the DPP has refused to endorse Beijing’s insistence that it recognize China and Taiwan as part of a single country. 

landfall in recorded history.

Killed over 6,300 people Over 1,000 still missing Displaced 4.1 million people

$14 billion in damages Over 1 million homes destroyed Under the pretense of Haiyan relief work, the United States sent thousands of troops to the Philippines, and signed an executive agreement in 2014 which allows U.S. military forces to conduct operations out of the Philippines indefinitely, further eroding Philippine sovereignty.

We commemorate the lives lost due to climate disasters. We honor the resistance of Haiyan survivors demanding justice. We call attention to the connection between increased U.S. militarization and neo-liberal economic policies that perpetuate resource extraction on a massive scale, which will result in many more lives lost.

The Port of Seattle is complicit

in this genocidal act against our home and our people, and many others across the world. They must be accountable to the people, not to corporations like Shell.

We will not wait for another Haiyan to happen. We will not stand by as corporations like Shell enact genocide upon people of the Global South. We commit to taking action when our elected leadership fail to protect us. We join all communities in resistance to the fossil fuel economy that will destroy this planet! We join with YOU in mobilizing our communities to defend our land, our livelihood, our lives and our future! 

asianweekly northwest

12

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

{COLON CANCER cont’d from page 7} screenings such as a colonoscopy can help detect polyps that may form into potential cancerous cells. If caught early, the chance of recovery is very good.

How can it be prevented?

Getting screened for colon cancer is important. In addition, physicians advise the following: » Eating a healthy, fiber-rich diet » Exercise regularly » Don’t smoke » See about obtaining a colon cancer screening.

A study published by researchers from the University of Vermont, University of Texas among other institutions indicated that middle-aged men that exercised regularly were less likely to develop colorectal cancer.

Of course, those that were into fitness likely had other habits which attributed to their well-being (i.e, healthy diet, no smoking, etc.).

Study finds more younger adults with colon cancer While colorectal cancer had been considered a disease that affects those over 50, a concerning study recently coming out in the Journal of the American Medical Association is that researchers and physicians are seeing more cases of colorectal cancers in young adults ages 20 to 49. In contrast, the cases of colorectal cancers in those over 50 years older are decreasing.

The study reflects the need for colon cancer screening. The study’s authors advise that there is need to “investigate potential causes and external influences” for the rise in the cancers.

The new study sheds light on the need for early education to get screened and report any issues that might be attributed to potential issues.

March was Colon Cancer Awareness month and one of its key tenets was to educate people about the disease. Many believe that fear and anxiety are deterrents to taking action when it comes to detection.

Also, the preparation process to take a colonoscopy is another deterrent to take the test. Yet, early screening can potentially save many lives.  Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

{O’TOOLE cont’d from page 1} concerns about neighborhood crime and the need for police officers who “know the community and can relate to the community including the large number of immigrants and refugees.” Andrea Akita, Executive Director for InterIm Community Development said that she was discouraged by the attitude of the police toward violent crime in the International District/Chinatown area and that there was more concern about downtown Seattle.

In response, Chief O’Toole said that overall property and people crime in Seattle was down 12 percent and that was significant when you consider her last position in Boston where she commanded more police officers for a city that was smaller in geography and population. She went on to describe all of the steps she is taking to comply with the Department of Justice Consent Degree including bias-free police training and new policies and procedures. She said {WOODS cont’d from page 1} Many golf fans gravitated to Woods, who wore a white Nike hat, teal shirt, and black slacks. Woods played just holes 10 through 18 and then finished off his day at the practice range. Much of the time he spent out on the course was studying the greens as he putted multiple balls at each hole to gauge the speed of the greens.

In addition to Woods, the U.S. Open field will have several Asian golfers that will have an opportunity to win the four-day tournament.

Current U.S. Amateur Champion Gunn Yang qualified for the field. This will be Yang’s second big PGA event as he competed in the Master’s earlier this year. The Korean American Yang attended San Diego State University.

Former University of Washington men’s golfer Richard Lee qualified for the U.S. Open at a sectional qualifier earlier this month at the Tumble Creek Club at Suncadia in Cle Elum. Since graduating from the UW in 2010, Lee has been playing professional golf and earned his PGA Tour card in 2012 enabling him to play in PGA tournaments.

Also making the tournament is Former UW Husky Cheng-Tsung Pan. The senior standout needed clutch play at the end of his U.S. Open qualifying round to make it into the tournament. It will be Pan’s third U.S. Open having qualified for the tournament in 2011 and 2013. Pan has played on a similar “links”-style course when he played in 2014’s British Open. {KOREA cont’d from page 5} IKEA Korea postponed a sale that was set to start on Thursday citing the local government’s recommendations. A resident of a southwestern village which is quarantined after a patient was released before getting a positive test result told a South Korean television network that some people cancelled their online food orders out of panic.

South Korea’s government is providing emergency loans to small and medium-

she is “genuinely committed to have a police force that represents the community.”

When asked about the outcome of the meeting, Dorothy Wong, Executive Director for the Chinese Information and Service Center and Chair of APDC said “It was an important coming together of the API community and SPD to address some long-standing issues and the recent wave of incidents against the API communities. The APDC members were quite thorough in bringing up their issues and offered recommendations. To her credit, Chief O’Toole showed an openness to hearing concerns and that she brought her team to this meeting signaled that she was taking this meeting quite seriously.”

These sentiments were echoed by other members of the Coalition.

Frank Irigon, another long time activist chimed in. “We want to be treated fairly and equally.”  Mark Okazaki can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Kevin Na, Hideki Matsuyama, Byeong Hun An, Wenchong Liang, Masahiro Kawamura, Seuk Hyun Baek, Hiroyuki Fujita, and Alex Kim are other notable Asians that will compete for the 115th U.S. Open Championships.

All of the participants will be trying to dethrone reigning 2014 U.S. Open Champion Martin Kaymer who will be defending his title this year in University Place.

It is the first major event in the area since the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond hosted the 1998 PGA Championship.

Much scrutiny has been placed on the logistics of getting in and out of Chambers Bay. Thus, organizers have devised two main lots for spectators to park. One is at the Puyallup Fairgrounds and the other is at Fort Steilacoom. Both of these areas have ample volunteers to lead golf fans through security and onto buses which lead to Chambers Bay. Once at Chambers Bay, there is a “U.S. Open Spectator Square” where fans can shop for merchandise and get food and beverages. Areas are clearly marked so you will not be easily confused. It is a picturesque, yet sprawling course so bring your walking shoes if you plan to visit each hole.  For more information, visit www.usopen.com.

For profiles of some of the Asian American contenders, see page 3.

Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

sized companies that are the hardest hit by the MERS outbreak. The loans will be distributed next week to small hospitals that had contact with MERS patients, hotels and concert organizers.

Markets have also reacted to the outbreak.

Cosmetics companies and airlines that count Chinese consumers as their key customers have suffered share price slumps in the past month. Shares of Korean Air Lines are down 14 percent since May 20 while Asiana Airlines lost nearly 20 percent of its market value during the same period.

Shares of Amorepacific, South Korea’s largest cosmetics maker, are down nearly 10 percent.

For Kim, the head of Kim’s Travel, it is time for his staff to recharge and prepare for the future.

“We decided that this is time to do preparation for the next busy season, from September to November,” he said. “We are doing the things that we were too busy to do, like developing new tour products and having employees get some time off.” 

WRITERS WANTED! Are you interested in writing about our vibrant Asian American community?

The Northwest Asian Weekly is seeking enthusiastic and talented freelance writers. Send writing samples to editor@nwasianweeklycom.

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing corrosion engineering and related services on a work order basis for various King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) facilities, including underwater pipelines and structures.

The Request for Proposals, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement.

The County will not mail, ship or fax RFPs and addenda.

Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address.

Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the proposal.

The County may award up to one (1) contract with a maximum price of $350,000. The contract will have an initial period of performance of one (1) year. The County reserves the right to amend the contract duration in one (1) year increments up to a maximum of three (3) years, if funds

remain.

Contract Title: Corrosion Engineering Services for the Wastewater Treatment Division on a Work Order Basis Number: E00365E15 Proposals due: July 13, 2015 Time: 12:00 p.m.

Pre-proposal Meeting: June 24, 2015 Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: King Street Center, 5th Floor, Harappa Conference Room, 201 South Jackson, Seattle, WA SUMMARY OF WORK: The work may include, but is not limited to, corrosion engineering studies and design, deep water cathodic protection system inspection and testing, coating system design, failure analysis, materials testing, and reporting.

SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: underwater inspection and diving and laboratory services.

SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The

Consultant shall ensure that at least 14% of the Total Price for all executed Work Orders, as amended, shall be performed by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract.

Evaluation points for meeting and/or exceeding the SCS utilization requirements will be provided to each Proposer responding to this requirement.

King County will not evaluate the proposal and will not execute a contract with a Proposer who does not commit to meet at least the SCS utilization requirement as stated above.

QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Ken Curl, Contract Specialist via email at ken.curl@ kingcounty.gov or via telephone at 206-2639322, TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

13

For the week of June 20–June 26, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — It is important that you see for yourself as opposed to just trusting what is going around the rumor mill.

Dragon — A desire to do more than the minimum for a cause you care about could inspire you to volunteer for a project.

Monkey — Don’t assume that you know exactly what the dynamics are. There could be an undercurrent that you are not aware of.

Ox — There is no better time than the present to start what you have been putting off for a while. Once you begin, there is no turning back.

Snake — Although you tend to prefer to stick to the rules whenever possible, there are instances where it makes sense to allow for exceptions.

Rooster — There are details that need to be shared with the group. Staying silent is not advisable for it will cause more work later.

Tiger — Are you trying to recapture what you once had? Instead of trying to turn back the clock, focus on creating something new and better.

Horse — What you once took for granted is now very special to you. Give it the priority that it deserves in your life.

Dog — Where only weeds grew before, a beautiful garden will emerge. However, it will need a little help from you to get there.

Rabbit — Does it feel like you are getting pressure from all sides today? Remember at the end of the day, you must decide what is right for you.

Goat — Although something needs to be said, that doesn’t mean people necessarily want to hear it. The truth may not be as welcome as you think.

Pig — Have you been chasing a vision that has eluded you recently? You are closer to reaching it than you think.

What’s your animal sign?

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

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

{PALAU cont’d from page 5} global market for marine products caught and sold, or about $23.5 billion, is caught illegally.

Advances in telecommunications and vessel tracking technology have improved surveillance, but enforcing restrictions on unauthorized fishing is costly and difficult, especially given the many “pockets” of high seas in the area.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for illegal fishing and other transnational crime.

It’s a challenge,” said Seth Horstmeyer, campaigns director for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Global Ocean Legacy program.

High seas pockets, beyond the jurisdiction of any government, account for nearly twothirds of all ocean areas.

From Palau to Japan is a vast expanse of seas that nobody controls and nobody owns, areas that serve as refuges for illegal fishing vessels.

The Vietnamese fishermen tend to prowl shallows seas and reefs in search of sea cucumbers and reef fish and then flee back into those deeper waters to evade capture, Horstmeyer said.

One way to counter that tactic is to create a “geofence” using vessel identification systems that could trigger alerts when vessels cross into national waters.

Nearby Indonesia also is taking harsher action, recently blowing up and sinking 41 foreign fishing vessels from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, as a warning against poaching in the country’s waters.

In Hanoi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh recently told reporters the government was seeking to protect the rights of the fishermen. He urged other governments to “render humanitarian treatment toward the Vietnamese fishing trawlers and fishermen on the basis of international law as well as humanitarian

treatment toward fishermen who were in trouble at sea.”

While burning and sinking such ships seems drastic, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has backed such moves, ruling that countries can be held liable for not taking necessary measures to prevent illegal, unreported or unregulated, so-called IUU, fishing operations by their vessels in the waters of other countries.

In a report on IUU fishing last year, the Indonesia government outlined a slew of tactics used by poachers, including fake use of Indonesian flags on foreign vessels, forgery of documents and use of bogus fishing vessels using duplicate names and registration numbers of legitimate ships.

Poachers “go where the risk of being discovered is lowest, said Johanne Fischer, New Zealand-based executive secretary at the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization, which works on conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in the South Pacific Ocean.

“Part of the problem is the mafia type of the thinking of the industry of just trying to make money. It’s human nature, whenever you have possibility to make money with illegal activities. It’s the same in the ocean.”

Last year, the U.S. government announced it was expanding protected areas in three areas — Johnston Atoll, Wake Atoll, and Jarvis Island —of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to encompass about 1.05 million square kilometers (405,000 square miles) of non-contiguous sanctuaries.

As it gears up for stricter enforcement, Palau is consulting with Pew, Japan’s Sasakawa Peace Foundation and some foreign navies on ways to better police its waters using land-based radar, aerial surveillance and satellite identification systems. 

{HONG KONG cont’d from page 4} of and appeals from different social groups and sectors in Hong Kong.”

Authorities had been bracing for renewed tensions, fearing that protesters would again try to occupy roads, though organizers have ruled out such action. On Saturday, police removed objects such as bricks and metal bars from protesters’ tents outside the government complex. {BLOG cont’d from page 10} surprised what it was that was troubling her all these years. It’s something that could be fixed.

Mom said after the breakup, dad had borrowed money from her as both were broke, and promised to pay back.

“I didn’t have any money either,” she said.

“I gave him my only valuable diamond ring to take it to the pawn shop. Now, he pretends nothing happened.”

I told Dad. “I can fix it,” he said. I was elated. And he did with a great deal of fanfare.

He treated my mother’s relatives to a sharkfin restaurant for dinner in Hong Kong.

“I am sorry,” dad said to mom before the dinner. Then, he put $5000 U.S. currency on the table. How he derived the number puzzled me. While mom was satisfied, I was so relieved as if all the thorns in my heart had disappeared.

We then toasted. Dad also ordered brandy and mom drank quite a bit. He was direct and sincere.

And 30 years of hate was wiped away through a clear communication process and my dad’s desire to make amends! Was it worth it for my mother to bury her rage intact for such a long time?

From then on, my parents had become friends again. We had many happy gatherings together whenever I was in Hong Kong. I was delighted to see them talking and joking, and allowed me to take photos of them together.

Those were some of the happy memories of my father.

Waking me up “It’s their (parents’) fault, not yours.” If someone had told me that when I was a kid, it would have enlightened me immensely.

Was it fair for kids to be burdened with adults’ grudges after the divorce? I wish I had a friend, relative, counselor, or psychiatrist to help me sort through, lay on the table my dilemmas and tell me those were adults’ problems which had nothing to do with me.

Last year’s student-led protest movement caught the world’s attention with its mostly peaceful street demonstrations. Protesters said China was reneging on a promise that the city’s top leader would be chosen through “universal suffrage” agreed when Communist leaders negotiated the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from Britain.  Associated Press writer Louise Watt in Beijing contributed to this report.

Many of their issues belonged in gray areas and I didn’t really have to take sides. I felt confused and torn as a child. I wish someone reassured me that things would be okay no matter how bad the day was, encouraged me to stand up for myself, or taught me how to release my pain.

Despite the fact I had none of those “angels” in my life, I have become resilient and survived numerous childhood nightmares. It has made me a better, stronger, and helpful person.

The key for my survival is, I don’t dwell on what I don’t have. The “blame game” is definitely not for me either. People like to blame and not take responsibilities for their fate, and they don’t thrive very far either. I work hard for what I have, and earn what I need to have. As I age, I learn the importance of letting go and seeing the merits of human beings rather than their faults. Apparently, we can all learn something from our least favorable people.

Still lucky If I view a glass as close to being full instead of being half empty, I am really blessed to have two fathers —biological and step. Both were proud of my accomplishments. What I am really proud of, is that I have succeeded in changing their traditional attitude towards women. My stepfather once said, “Women are very capable human beings too.” Amen!

On Father’s Day, I congratulate those of you who have fathers and are close to your dads—you don’t know what you have. Give a big hug to your dad and thank him for giving you life. I thank my biological dad for giving me life; and my stepfather for giving me a new life —coming to America for my university education. America has transformed my life!

My new friend Tak Lam said, “I like my sons to think of me as a spare tire. You can put the spare in your car trunk. When you need me, I’ll be there for you.”

And yes, my two dads were my spares for my life, and I cherish those lessons they gave before they passed away. Fathers, I love you both. 

asianweekly northwest

14

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing construction management services for the installation of the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN), which will replace the existing Emergency Radio System (ERS).

The Request for Proposals, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available at http:// www.kingcounty.gov/procurement.

The County will not mail, ship or fax RFPs and addenda.

Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address. Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the proposal.

The County may award up to one (1) contract with a maximum price of $600,000. The contract will have an initial period of performance of one (1) year. The County reserves the right to amend the contract duration in one (1) year increments up to a maximum of three (3) years, if funds remain.

Contract Title: Construction Management Services for the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network Number: P00171P15 Proposals due: July 9, 2015 Time: 12:00 p.m.

Pre-proposal Meeting: June 26, 2015 Time: 2:30 p.m.

Location: Room 233 (Rhododendron), Chinook Building, 401 5th Avenue, Seattle WA) Summary of Work: Services will include project management,

{NESTLE INDIA cont’d from page 4} noodles are completely safe and have been trusted in India for over 30 years.”

Several Indian states, including Uttrakhand, New Delhi, Gujarat and Jammu-Kashmir, have either ordered the withdrawal of Maggi noodles from shops or are carrying out further tests on samples before taking action in conjunction

with the federal government.

The statement said the Maggi noodles would be back in the Indian market as soon as the current situation is clarified.

Maggi sales have plunged in India since laboratory tests ordered by some state governments showed the noodles contained lead at levels far higher than legally allowed. The tests also detected the chemical flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate, or MSG, which is not mentioned in the product’s

scheduling services, cost control services, review site design packages for construction contractor, construction contract administration and claims analysis, inspection services, erosion and sediment control monitoring and inspection, and post construction closeout documentation.

SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: none SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The Consultant shall ensure that at least 10% of the Total Price for all executed Work Orders, as amended, shall be performed by King County Certified SCS Firms over the life of the Contract. Evaluation points for meeting and/or exceeding the SCS utilization requirements will be provided to each Proposer responding to this requirement. King County will not evaluate the proposal and will not execute a contract with a Proposer who does not commit to meet at least the SCS utilization requirement as stated above.

QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Mary Lee, Contract Specialist via email at mary.lee@kingcounty.gov or by telephone at 206-263-9381, TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN ALTERNATE FORMATS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES UPON ADVANCE REQUEST BY CALLING 206-2639400, TTY RELAY: 711.

list of ingredients.

Maggi noodles are a hot favorite with school and college students and Nestle’s “two-minute” advertising campaign stressing the ease of making the snack have made it a household name in India. The noodles are Nestle’s fastestselling food item in India, clocking about 15 billion rupees ($240 million) in sales annually. 

Service Directory The American Legion Cathay Post 186

Law Office of Kim-Khanh T. Van, PLLC Immigration, Personal Injury, Family, Contracts, Business, & Criminal/Traffic Laws

Serving the community since 1946

607 SW Grady Way, Suite #260, Renton, WA 98057

cathaypost@hotmail.com

Cell: 206-304-0642  Office: 425-793-4357

FREE CONSULTATION! FREE PASSPORT PHOTOS!

SUCCESS SECRETS REVEALED! Selecting ONLY a few pre-qualified people to receive SPECIALIZED success training. For a FREE CD, and to find out if you have what it takes, please call 206-349-2808. English speaking is a must.

PS-ask about a FREE CRUISE.

English, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and other Asian Languages

206-625-9104

www.herrmannscholbe.com

» Personal Injury» Airline Disasters» Bicycle Accidents

» Wrongful Death» Dog Bites » Pedestrian Accidents

Mandarin, Cantonese & Korean Interpreter available

Want to become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter?

Visit www.nwasianweekly.com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

gees. While estimates vary, it is certain that no continent has been spared the human suffering that is the hallmark of the refugee.”

My dad developed groundbreaking work on the right to comLuke T. Lee pensation of individual victims of war. He used the example of the atrocities that were committed against innocent Chinese civilians during Japan’s invasion, typified by the tragedies surrounding the “comfort women” and the “Rape of Nanking.”

In 2012 he initiated and helped develop the Declaration of International Law Principles on Reparation for Victims of Armed Conflict adopted by the International Law Association.

He completed many projects that have worldwide impact. He established the Rights of the Child Project in cooperation with UNICEF and the National Commissions for the International Year of the Child (IYC) in sixty countries. He published many books and articles on consular law, population and family planning, China relations, and the international rights of women and children.

I am so proud of my dad. I never took the time to look at what he accomplished until he passed away. It has been wonderful for the family, Denise, sister Hsueh-tze, and brothers Bertrand and Erik, to come together not only in grief but to celebrate the courage of a man who fought for the rights of refugees, women and children. 

{LEE cont’d from page 1} So on this Father’s Day, instead of talking to him, we take this special time to remember him.

Many first-generation Chinese Americans were pioneers and had to struggle to find their way when they came to this country. My dad came as a student and was very poor. He was unconventional in many ways. Instead of pursuing a career in science, math, or business like many of his peers, he obtained a law degree, a PhD, and became an international human rights lawyer. He used his legal and academic skills to champion the rights of refugees and immigrants around the world.

My dad envisioned “a world without refugees.” I remember him flying to refugee camps and international conventions around the world to not just report on, but to seek solutions to the dire plight of families and individuals in war-torn countries.

He focused his work on the human rights of refugees, in particular where there are mass expulsions of people across national boundaries. He defined “coerced expulsion” to mean “use of coercion, direct or indirect, with the intention and effect of securing departure of people against their will from their homeland.” He stated that the “expulsion of nationals by their governments is a gross violation of human rights and international law.”

In 1977 my dad was recruited by Patsy Mink, former Assistant Secretary of State, to work for President Jimmy Carter. At the time, he became the highest-ranking Asian American in the Senior Executive Service at the State Department and worked there for 20 years. Prior to this, he was Professor of International Law at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

At an international human rights conference in 1984, my dad remarked: “Refugees have existed from time immemorial. Indeed we are all descendants of refugees, from the time Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden...there are approximately 10 million refugees today, not counting Palestinian refu-

Luke T. Lee received his A.B. from St. John’s University, Shanghai in 1944, a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1947, a PhD. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1954, and a J.D. from University of Michigan Law School in 1959.

Sharon Lee is founding Executive Director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), a nonprofit housing organization. www.LIHI. org.

All sale lasts from Friday 6/19 to Thursday 6/25 1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday—Sunday: 8:30 a.m.—8 p.m. www.lamsseafood.com

Fresh Lychee $2.99 lb

PRODUCE

Thai Banana $1.29 lb $

0.99 lb

$

Shanghai Bok Choy Miu $1.49 lb $

0.99 lb

$

SEAFOOD

Black Tiger Headless 26/30 $7.99/lb $

2.49 lb

6.49 lb

Roma Tomato $0.99 lb

1.49 lb

$

$

5.99 ea

Live Geoduck

5.99 lb

$

5.99 lb

22.99 4lbs box

$

Seafood Ave Cooked Clam Meat 12oz $2.99 ea

227.99 cs 10boxes

$

$

Fresh Catfish $2.99 lb

MEAT

$

Live Dungeness Crab $6.99 lb

$229.99/cs 10boxes

154.99 cs 6boxes

$

4.49 lb

0.69 lb

Nescafe Instant Coffee with Creamer & Sugar 1+2 42 Packets 630g $6.99 ea

9.99 lb

$23.99/4lbs box $

$164.99/cs 6boxes

$

1.29 lb

Ong Choy $1.99 lb

$

25.99 4lbs box

Premium Quality Beef Short Rib $5.99 lb

$

White Shrimp Headless 26/30 $6.99/lb

$28.99/4lbs box $

Green Mango $1.49 lb

FEATURE ITEMS

2.49 lb

2.49 ea

Fresh Norway Mackeral $2.49 lb $

1.99 lb

Pork Chop $2.89 lb

Pork Spareribs $3.29 lb

2.69 lb

$

$

2.99 lb

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

Chicken Leg Quarter $1.19 lb $

0.89 lb

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

{JUSTAD cont’d from page 9} and certainly not many mainstream leading roles. There was only one hapa role I have heard of in recent years in a Hollywood film and it went to Emma Stone.

I started writing and directing short films to create roles for myself and my friends, but I quickly discovered that I prefer life behind the camera. I enjoy having greater control over my work and I love being in charge of the larger picture. I do believe that my acting training is invaluable as a director. I love working with actors, full stop.

I think Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” will always be one of my most favorite films. My parents showed me that when I was fairly young and at first I was doubtful because it was in black and white and subtitled--I probably wanted to watch a Jim Carrey film or something - but after the first few scenes I was completely drawn in. I watched it again the next day - it was just so thrilling to me on every level. And Toshiro Mifune is always the man.

NWAW: What was the first film you shot, and what do you wish you that you’ would have known then, that you know now?

Justad: I started making films when I was 25.

I wrote, directed, produced and acted in a short comedy called “Three Actresses Walk Into A Bathroom...” The film played at over a dozen festivals and picked up eight awards. Making that film felt like coming home--I knew where I belonged.

To me the beauty of that experience was that because I knew so little about the medium, I was kind of fearless. I think if anything I’m always trying to sum up that boldness I first felt.

NWAW: What inspired you to make a film about double eyelid surgery?

Justad: When I decided to write the script I spent a lot of time researching the topic and quickly discovered how broad of a subject matter it really was and it stretches continents.

I had to pick a single storyline so I went with what was most personal. I do not have monolids (though my crease was less pronounced as a child,) but to me, double-eyelid surgery is an interesting point of convergence for issues affecting Asian Americans. I grew up without a large API community and especially because I wanted to be an actress, I wanted to be white and it caused me a lot of shame and anger.

This surgery is a hot-button issue for a lot of Asian-Americans and there are many people that will say that the surgery has nothing to do with wanting to look white, but if we are looking at an Asian American girl that feels marooned in a white suburb and is interested in this surgery, how can she not at least in some way be influenced by the overwhelming presence of white beauty standards? That is the story I am examining.

I was inspired in part by Julie Chen of “The Talk.” During one episode she revealed that she had had this surgery as a young reporter at the insistence of her superiors. She was told that she would never achieve success without it - her monolids made her look “disinterested” and less relatable to a wider audience.

After much debate she got the surgery and coincidence or not, she is now on national television.

What was equally fascinating to me was that after she shared her story, she presented before and after photos.

Almost all of her (non-Asian) co-anchors commented that she did look better in her after photo. This is troubling to me

15

because it reaffirmed for Ms. Chen and possibly young Asian American women watching the show, that she looked “better” when she got rid of a very distinctly Asian feature. This idea that ethnic minorities may need to “whiten” their features is something worth examining especially as our country becomes more diverse.

NWAW: How common is double eyelid surgery, and does its popularity vary by area? Do you think its popularity is increasing?

Justad: There has been a steady rise in Asian American plastic surgery and double-eyelid surgery is the third most popular form of plastic surgery for Asian Americans.

NWAW: What did you know about double eyelid surgery before going into the film, and what did you learn as you shot?

Justad: I knew very little about the surgery until a couple of years ago. I was in a Korean-American run nail salon and at the end of my manicure, young woman doing my nails complimented me on my double-eyelids while expressing disappointment in her monolids.

I was shocked. My mother had monolids and she was very beautiful so I thought every feature of hers was desirable.

It was upsetting to hear this young woman say she thought monolids were “ugly.” I was immediately curious as to how she had come to form this opinion because few preferences are made in a vacuum. I didn’t get to talk to her more because the salon was busy, so in a way this script is a continuation of that conversation.

NWAW: How long will the finished film run, and how will its story run?

Justad: My goal is for the film to be about 15 minutes in length. There’s an old adage about short films “The problem with short films is that they are too long.”

Shorter is always sweeter (and more programmable at film festivals) so I’ll be looking to keep the edit lean.

NWAW: How are you going about raising funds for the film?

Justad: I received a grant from 4Culture to help fund the film and I also have received some support from JACL. We are in the middle of our Kickstarter to raise the second half of the budget.

Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/ projects/1912645969/creased-a-short-film NWAW: How do you plan to market the film once it’s completed?

Justad: Part of the funds we are raising through Kickstarter will go towards promoting the film because I really want to get this film in front of as many audiences as possible. We will be hosting a couple of free local screenings that will have a talk-back session afterwards where I hope to have some dialogue, especially with the local API community about the issues the film raises. Funds raised by Kickstarter will also go towards festival fees (festivals both local and national including Asian American festivals) press materials, duplication, etc.

NWAW: What are your plans for after this film?

Justad: Go camping with my boyfriend and cook spam, eggs and kimchee over an open fire. That’s the dream right now! Then get back in the saddle and start working on a feature film script.  Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

16

JUNE 20 – JUNE 26, 2015

Lilly joins the Northwest Asian Weekly in saluting Father’s Day.

CA30101 06/14 PRINTED IN USA ©2015, Eli Lilly and Company. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

www.lilly.com