VOL 37 NO 27 | JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

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36 YEARS YOUR VOICE

HEALTH

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Chinatown crash

Photo from IAWW’s Facebook Page

Photo by John Liu

South Asians, take heart!

This week’s special features on

One person was injured in the crash

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY IAWW organizes regular yoga workshops for members of the community at its pop-up locations on the Eastside.

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Almost one in three of the 3.5 million South Asians in the United States will die from heart disease before age 65 — that’s a four-fold higher risk than other ethnicities, but no one really knows why.

Most of us inherit certain traits from our parents or grandparents. I inherited a love for literature,

but as an Indian from South Asia, it came with a predisposition for diabetes and heart disease.

Immigrants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka get heart disease earlier, have higher rates of heart disease, and have higher mortalities compared to Caucasians.

With most of my paternal family diagnosed with see HEART DISEASE on 15

A different kind of blood donation » 3

A man trying to park his car caused quite a commotion when he crashed instead into King Noodle restaurant on King Street

near 6th Avenue on June 22.

Eddie Moy, 98, told bystanders that he meant to park his car, but heard a sudden loud noise. The next thing Moy knew, he had crashed his car. see CRASH on 12

Redmond doctor practices culturally competent wellness

First ever Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival » 7 Names in the News » 2

Man wins $260k Judge: Career sabotaged by ex-girlfriend

■

Publisher’s Blog » 10 Photo by Jessica Kai Curry

How local APIs celebrate Independence Day »8

Suicide: Let’s Talk » 11

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Dr. Habib with patient Yasmin Ali.

By Jessica Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

A Canadian judge ruled that Jennifer Jooyeon Lee of Ontario must now fork over $260,000 to her ex-boyfriend for ruining his life.

On June 13, an Ontario Superior Court judge found that Lee impersonated Eric Abramovitz by turning down an acceptance offer that would have landed him under the tutelage of a renowned see ABRAMOVITZ on 13

Eric Abramovitz

Dr. Sadia Habib, of Overlake Medical Clinic in Redmond, places the cultural needs of patients at the forefront of her mission. A practicing Muslim, she grew up in Pakistan, where she went to medical school. At first, she wanted to be an engineer, but when her mother fell ill when Habib was in her mid-teens,

the experience of being “on the other end of the healthcare system” inspired Habib to aim for a medical degree. “I felt that was my calling,” she said. “In order to persevere, you have to have some motivation as to why you’re doing what you’re doing.”

Habib knew that she wanted to help people. Her older sister is also a doctor — a psychiatrist — and contrary to what stereotypes see HABIB on 5

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

36 YEARS

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Krishna Thiagarajan named Seattle Symphony president & CEO

Krishna Thiagarajan will be the Seattle Symphony’s next president & CEO starting Sept. 1, 2018.

Currently chief executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Thiagarajan was recommended after a five-month international Krishna Thiagarajan search. He has previously held positions with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Symphony in C. Board Chair Leslie Jackson Chihuly said of Thiagarajan, “His depth of musical knowledge and business acumen combined with a deep understanding of the nuances of our industry make him an excellent choice, as we keep pushing forward on our mission to unleash the power of music, bring people together, and lift the human spirit.”

Thiagarajan replaces former president & CEO Simon Woods, who became the CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in January. 

Paul Liao passes

Dr. Paul Bao-Ho Liao, civil engineer and former CEO of the engineering firm KCM Inc., passed away on June 14.

Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Liao attended the prestigious National Cheng Kung University. He relocated to the United States, and earned his master’s degree in environmental enDr. Paul Bao-Ho Liao gineering at Oklahoma State University and his Ph.D. at the University of Washington.

Liao joined KCM and quickly gained international recognition for his pioneering research on water treatment for fish hatcheries. Liao helped build the infrastructure of the growing Pacific Northwest from modern wastewater systems and transit facilities to the West Seattle Bridge and the Seattle Aquarium.

Liao also developed the Pacific Rim Center, Jackson

Square building, and the strip mall on 6030 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., along several other developments.

He is survived by his wife, Mei-yea Liao, his daughters Darlene Liao (Angelo Chang) and Dahlia Mak (Robert), and four grandchildren. 

Billings, Mont.

Thai, who first got involved in her local PTA, won an “Outstanding Advocate” award for her efforts, and propelled her to serve as a Bellevue School Board Director and now Board President. 

Doug Baldwin is finalist for humanitarian award

Arts apprenticeship program participants

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin has been named a finalist for ESPN’s Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

A press release from ESPN said Baldwin, the son of a police officer, “feels uniquely positioned to pursue conversations Doug Baldwin about and develop solutions to address the issues facing law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

Baldwin — whose grandmother is Filipino — has continually utilized his platform to raise and donate funds, participate in conversations, advocate for changing of state and federal laws, and pursue systemic change.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on July 17. 

My-Linh Thai running for State House seat

Bellevue School Board President My-Linh Thai is running for State Representative in the 41st legislative district.

Incumbent Rep. Judy Clibborn is retiring.

Thai moved to Washington state at the age 15 as a refugee from Vietnam. A My-Linh Thai graduate from the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Thai and her husband built a successful pediatric neurology practice from the ground up in Casper, Wyo., and she later worked as a practicing pharmacist in

Photo courtesy Deepti Agrawal

2

Deepti Agrawal (right) and Rohini Mathur

The Center for Washington Cultural Traditions announced on June 21 its selections for the Washington State Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program.

The program encourages communities to carry on cultural traditions important to their heritage and identity.

Master artists or other tradition bearers act as mentors.

Both master and apprentice will work on teaching and learning skills related to a tradition in their community.

The participants include: Master Deepti Agrawal and apprentice Rohini Mathur in visual Indian art, Master Preetha Babu and apprentice Lakshmi Priya Sekhar in classical dance of South India, Master Shui Ng and apprentice Tiffany Chan in cooking from Taishan, China to Seattle, and Master Tamding Tsetan and apprentice Courtney Elton in Dramyin and Tibetan folk music. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

3

Football co-captains mourned

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY A fundraising effort is still under way to help a Lynnwood family cover a family member’s funeral costs.

Sayon Savorn, 17, was found dead by his mother on June 9 — a victim of suicide.

Sheri Le Tada said her son first talked to her about depression in middle school. She posted on Facebook, “Sayon was the light, he was my everything, my best friend, a

Sayon Savorn

loving brother and an inspiration to so many.”

The community was shocked when Ryan Truong, also 17 and a teammate of Savorn, was found dead two days later. His obituary states that Truong “passed away unexpectedly in his sleep … only a mere 4 days away from graduating high school, due to cardiomyopathy.”

Ryan Truong Truong was ready to start college in the fall and wanted to study computer science at the University of Washington. He was described as “goofy and silly and made others laugh and smile.”

Hundreds of their classmates gathered at the school wearing yellow on June 12 in honor of the two studentathletes. The football team said Sayon and Ryan's jersey numbers, #11 and #25, will not be worn next season in memory of them.

A GoFundMe account (gofundme.com/fly-high-11-forsayon) has been set up for Sayon’s family to help cover his funeral costs.  See related article, SUICIDE: LET’S TALK on page 11.

Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

■ HEALTH

Why you should be The other kind of blood donation: apheresis a part of All of Us

By Peggy Chapman NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The Asian American population is the largest-growing demographic in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But surprisingly, an Asian American is not typically represented when it comes to participating in health studies and gathering medical information. Traditionally, medical studies have been comprised of samples based on Caucasian/European males. Is the prescription determined by studies on a 45-year-old urban Caucasian male applicable to a 30-year-old Asian American mother living in a completely different environment? Age, race, gender, living situation — shouldn’t these all play important roles in determining medical recommendations?

Enter the need for precision medicine.

With Asian and mixed-race demographics growing in an increasingly diverse nation, precision medicine aims to replace the “one-size-fits-all” model.

Precision medicine is tailored to the individual, which is the focus of the All of Us research program. The program aims to garner data, medical history, background information, and biological samples from at least one million participants. The hope is to get data from a broad spectrum of volunteers that differ among race, age, gender, sexual orientation, location, and lifestyle. Congress authorized funding of $1.45 billion to the National Institute of Health (NIH) over a period of 10 years for the program. The NIH is emphasizing that the participants are not just volunteers, but are “partners” who will contribute and update medical information over the next 10 years.

According to Shenela Lakhani, program manager and lead genetic counselor of the Center for Neurogenetics at Weill Cornell Medicine, “It’s one of the largest longitudinal [long-range] studies ever undertaken. It is ambitious, it is multifaceted, and it is incorporating people from across the nation.”

Along with data collection, the partner-participants might be asked to donate blood and urine samples, share

past medical records, and possibly be provided with a fitness tracker to submit regular reports (if asked, all are optional and volunteers are not required to comply — there is a small compensation if they do). The biological samples will help contribute to a comprehensive DNA database.

“The scope of the program will be a breakthrough in research and contributions to the diverse genetic database,” said Rex Chisholm, a project adviser and cell and molecular biology professor at Northwestern University, since “most of the databases are built on people of European ancestry.”

The information that can change about each individual’s health can vary greatly over 10 years, which is what contributes to the program’s massive scope — childbirth, family loss, new health concerns, medication requirements, geographic relocation, lifestyle changes, income level changes, etc.

The NIH also stresses another goal of the project — to make sure all the volunteers will be able to access their own genomic data when available and share the results with their individual health providers. This would reinforce the importance of “partnership,” in which volunteers contribute to the database, but in return also have the opportunity to learn about their health status, and in effect, how it might affect those who share similar DNA or background.

“It is a big commitment,” said Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. “But if we are not a part Kathy Ko Chin, president [of contributand CEO of the Asian & ing], we are not Pacific Islander American Health Forum relevant,” Chin told the Northwest Asian Weekly. She emphasized how the originating data from past studies does not represent the Asian American see DATABASE on 6

And why it’s so important to local patients

Photo provided by Bloodworks Northwest

A small contribution today can produce a big pay-it-forward tomorrow

Longtime platelet donor John-Paul Europa

By Dr. YanYun Wu CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, BLOODWORKS NORTHWEST When most people think about blood donation, they picture giving whole blood.

You arrive, answer some medical and travel questions, do a quick health check, then relax and donate a pint. Afterwards, enjoy snacks and juice. Comfortable and easy. And in less than an hour, you are on your way!

But there is another kind of blood donation. The process is called apheresis (ay-fer-ee-sis). It takes a little longer, but can have an even bigger impact in your community. Just like giving whole blood, apheresis is safe, comfortable, and virtually painless.

Here’s how it works. Your blood goes through a tube into a special, sterile machine. It passes through a centrifuge that separates it into its different parts: red cells, platelets, and plasma. Just one component is extracted — most often platelets. Then the rest of the blood is returned to the donor’s arm. It is amazing! In all, it takes about two hours. You can watch a movie or TV show, read, listen to music, or just sit back and relax — knowing that you are helping to save a life. And it is a safe, proven donation process.

Here’s what makes platelet donations

so powerful and important. Platelets are especially needed by cancer patients and people having surgery. During one apheresis platelet donation, we can collect between one and three doses of platelets, while a whole blood donation produces only 1/5 of a platelet dose. And your body is super-fast when it comes to replacing all the platelets you give. Your blood is back to normal within one to three days. In fact, your body makes platelets so fast that a person can safely donate platelets once every seven days.

Platelets have a shelf life of only five days, including the one to two days it takes for testing and processing. That means the need never stops. We can’t predict when it will happen, but often a patient’s life depends on receiving platelets. In lifethreatening emergencies, patients often need multiple transfusions. That’s why we need a platelet supply at all times.

While about 40 percent of people in the Pacific Northwest can give blood, today only 10 percent do. An even smaller number are apheresis platelet donors. We urgently need more donors to keep up with the needs of local patients needing cancer treatment and surgery. The need is even more intense, as we start the summer holidays.

It is easier than ever to donate platelets. see BLOODWORKS on 6

asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

36 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Minnesota GOP chair says she faced racism from within party MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan says she has been the target of racist and sexist attacks from fellow Republicans.

Carnahan posted on Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan her personal Facebook page on June 22 that some GOP leaders around the state have called her “a stupid Asian not even born in America’’ and used racial slurs, the

Boston schools chief says student info not shared with ICE BOSTON (AP) — The superintendent of Boston Public Schools denies that the school system shared information about a student with federal immigration authorities.

Superintendent Tommy Chang says on June 24 in a letter responding to a Superintendent Tommy lawsuit filed last week that seeks to Chang force the school system to say how much student information it shares with immigration officials.

Chang says Boston Public Schools would never give student information to immigration authorities, “unless required by law.”

Chang says in the specific case cited in the lawsuit, the school system complied with requests from Boston Police and Massachusetts State Police investigators probing gang-related murders to provide school police reports.

Chang says the reports didn’t contain “any student immigration information.”

Chang has also announced last week that he would step down as superintendent but didn’t say why. 

Star Tribune reported. Carnahan was born in South Korea and adopted by Minnesota parents. The newspaper posted a screenshot of her post .

Carnahan told the newspaper that the remarks are “starting to get to me,’’ but declined to identify who attacked her. She said was merely venting on her personal page and thanking her father for his support after she reached out to him for advice.

Carnahan said on Facebook that she receives hate-filled email and social media messages on a daily basis. She wrote that she was confronted at President Donald Trump’s rally in Duluth last week, where she said she was told she

is “disgusting.’’ She said she has received emails telling her she is “not worth a penny’’ and should “crawl back into a hole and stay there,’’ and that she deserves to make less money than her male predecessors.

Democrats blame Trump for unleashing a new era of racial division. Carnahan, whose term ends next year, rejects that idea.

“I told (Trump) I want to run again to be chair because I want to deliver the state to you in 2020,’’ Carnahan said. “If I thought he was a racist or that anything he did was stoking racial divisions, I wouldn’t want to work on his behalf because I’ve had to deal with racism my entire life.’’ 

Study: Plastic will pile up in wake of China recycling ban

By PATRICK WHITTLE ASSOCIATED PRESS PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — China’s decision to stop accepting plastic waste from other countries is causing plastic to pile up around the globe, and wealthy countries must find a way to slow the accumulation of one of the

most ubiquitous materials on the planet, a group of scientists said.

The ban went into effect Dec. 31, 2017.

A study published in the journal Science Advances found that China has taken more than 116 million

Ichi-who? Suzuki sits on M’s bench in fake mustache disguise

By BEN WALKER AP BASEBALL WRITER

Ichiro Suzuki wears a fake mustache and a hoodie as he sits in the dugout. (Photo: Bill Kostroun, AP)

TAITUNG

NEW YORK (AP) — Just who was that guy sitting on the Seattle Mariners bench, the odd fellow with the bushy mustache, shades and a hoodie?

Wait a second — it was Ichiro!

Now a team executive, Ichiro Suzuki donned a Bobby Valentinestyle disguise and sneaked into the

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Exactly as he hinted, in fact.

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Officially, Suzuki isn’t allowed to be in the dugout during games under Major League Baseball rules. see SUZUKI on 14

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ WORLD NEWS

5

Rival Koreas agree to August reunions of war-split families

By KIM TONG-HYUNG ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North and South Korea agreed on June 22 to hold temporary reunions of families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War as they boost reconciliation efforts amid a diplomatic push to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The reunions will take place at North Korea’s Diamond Mountain resort from Aug. 20 to 26, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said after a nine-hour meeting between Red Cross officials from the two sides.

It said the countries will each send 100 participants to the reunions. People with mobility problems will be allowed to bring a relative to help them.

HABIB from 1 might cause us to expect of a Muslim female, Habib recalled, “Growing up, I never experienced any negative issues that impacted anything I wanted to do.” Habib reminds us of the importance of paying attention to what is, in reality, a wide spectrum of cultural, religious, and individual considerations for those we meet.

Habib attended her residency at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. It was there that she was first exposed to the financial gap in healthcare, and the difference it makes to a person’s wellness. Habib early on became convinced of the importance of closing that gap for less privileged populations, and the importance of cultural sensitivity when caring for patients. She realized that care, or lack of care, has repercussions across society. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Habib witnessed an increase in the number of patients coming to see her that might not otherwise have been able to do so. Habib remembers a former patient who, due to the ACA, was able to get help for mental issues. “He got insurance. He got care. He got a job,” she recounts. In other words, he turned his life around. Habib acknowledges that plans of the current administration, to do away with the ACA, is concerning.

After her residency, Habib returned to the Seattle area with her husband, a plastics engineer also from Pakistan, whom she met in the United States, and who had already been working in Seattle, although he accompanied Habib to Atlanta during her residency. Once settled, Habib worked in Burien at what used to be Seahurst Internal Medicine, before becoming the first doctor to provide care at Overlake Medical Clinic in Redmond, which opened in 2012. The facility now has three on-site providers who deliver nonemergency primary care, rotating specialists in areas, such as pulmonology and cardiology, and a supporting staff. Habib’s own specialty is internal medicine, which means she deals with chronic illness, such as diabetes and heart disease. However, she operates as a primary care facilitator for adult patients (she does not see children). She is currently accepting new patients.

In her efforts to close the gap and provide culturally competent care, Habib also volunteers at the free clinic at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound once a month.

Although this clinic was started by Muslims, it is not just for Muslims. “It is charity care for anyone who needs it,” Habib explained. Doctors and assistants who volunteer at the clinic are not all Muslim. “It is great to see everyone come together to help,” says Habib, who feels that the free clinic “opens doors to understanding people from across the world — of any race, color, or religion.”

Redmond’s Overlake Medical Clinic, too, is a place where patients of all backgrounds can feel safe, knowing that doctors like Habib will be attentive to their individual and cultural needs. There are many ways this might come into play. Particular to Muslim patients might be an increased need for privacy or a wish for the doctor to be of the same gender. A female Muslim patient may prefer to see Habib, rather than a male colleague. However, it may be that a female patient simply prefers a female doctor.

According to Habib, there are many patients in the clinic who see a male doctor for one thing and a female doctor for another. She also divulges that she has conservative male Muslim patients who do not mind coming to her for care.

Habib stresses that a lot of patient concerns are genderbased, or cultural and not religious, so she feels competent to treat patients from various parts of Asia, due to the similar cultural standards of the region in general.

Yasmin Ali has been a patient of Habib’s for a couple of years. Ali appreciates Habib’s focus on wellness and natural health. “She’s very open to discussing treatment options,” said Ali, and Habib is willing to help her find alternatives to taking pills and is also mindful of Ali’s modesty concerns.

The design of Redmond’s Overlake Medical Clinic also encourages confidence. Each exam room has both a door and a curtain — something seen more often in hospitals than clinics — to prevent anyone walking in and surprising a patient, such as a female Muslim patient who does not want to be seen without her headscarf on.

In Habib’s view, all of her patients deserve to have their concerns validated. “It doesn’t take much,” she said, to become enlightened on cultural competence. One thing a doctor might do, for example, is make sure he or she asks more questions when approaching a Muslim patient, or be more explicit in his or her explanations, especially when touching or about to touch a patient. Even something like taking care not to offer a female Muslim patient a handshake if you are a male, and vice versa, can ease a patient’s stress. Something else providers can be mindful of, is the ingredients in medications. Since Muslims do not eat pork, Habib is careful not to prescribe medications that might be made with animal products. Also, doctors should be aware of traditions, such as Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. This could upset a patient’s eating and medication routine, so Habib suggests that doctors find workarounds for those types of scenarios.

Being culturally enlightened applies to colleagues, as well as customers. Habib has found it helpful for her coworkers to witness her own fasting. She laughingly tells of a colleague who decided to fast with her, to find out what it was like, and because it seemed like a good cleansing activity. “It’s helped my colleagues be more aware because I do it,” she says. Redmond’s Overlake Medical Clinic itself is composed of a diverse staff who are trained on cultural competence. The clinic also provides translators and multilingual providers in order to breakdown language barriers. Habib herself speaks Hindi and Urdu, in addition to English.

During her time at Overlake, Habib has seen an increasing number of patients who express symptoms of anxiety or depression. Both males and females tell her of the pressures and unrealistic expectations of their jobs.

“There is a lot of work stress in this community,” she said. Habib does not feel that the anxiety and depression she is encountering in her patients is new, rather she thinks that society is becoming more enlightened about discussing these issues. While men have difficulty opening up about their feelings, Asian or Muslim men often have even more difficulty doing so. “There is no acceptance of mental disorder,” in much of Asia, Habib explained, and the region is male-dominated. Women, “the weaker sex,” might be given more leeway, suggests Habib, and not in a good way. Yet it is all considered “craziness.” For those experiencing these issues, Habib insists that feelings of depression or anxiety “don’t mean you are a lesser person or that you are less functional.” It’s part of life. Mental and emotional health affect overall health. Therefore, Habib is conscientious about screening for all areas of wellness, and

Such temporary reunions are highly emotional as most wishing to take part are elderly people who are eager to see their loved ones before they die. The families were driven apart during the turmoil of the war.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed during a summit in April to hold the family reunions about Aug. 15, the anniversary of the Korean Peninsula’s independence from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II in 1945.

The June 22 talks between Red Cross officials at the Diamond Mountain resort were to arrange details of the reunions.

Kim and Moon met again in May. Their two see REUNION on 12

Overlake Medical Clinic in Redmond has a psychiatrist on staff.

Habib recognizes that the biggest challenge for most people who want to be healthy, including herself, is lack of time. She recommends a proper diet and exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week. “Be aware of what you are putting into your body,” she said. Changes in diet should be lifestyle changes, Habib said, rather than going on and off different fad diets. “Make small changes over time,” she recommended. “Find something that makes you happy and is also healthy.”

Habib admits that her own family doesn’t always follow her health advice, and she doesn’t know if her 15-year-old son, Hassan, will choose a similar career. “He isn’t sure what he wants to do with his life yet. He’s mostly concerned about driving,” Habib noted. “But he’s fascinated with the field of medicine, and realizes there is a lot of hard work involved.” Habib does notice that her son is a healthy eater.

“His Halloween candy lasts him a year,” she said. Perhaps following his mother’s example!  Jessica Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

This article is sponsored by

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asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

36 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUN 29

TAIWANESE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL UW Kane Hall Walker-Ames Room seataff.org

30 THROUGH JULY 1

TAIWANESE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL SIFF Cinema Uptown June 29 at 6 p.m.

June 30 at 11:30 a.m.

July 1 at 12:55 p.m. siff.net LIVE2DANCE PRESENTS DESI DETOUR Newport High School Bellevue 6 p.m.

UP BEAT ON JACKSON PRESENTS THE WORLD FAMOUS TOTAL EXPERIENCE GOSPEL CHOIR FEATURING PASTOR PAT WRIGHT Ernestine Anderson Place 2010 S. Jackson St., Seattle 7 p.m. lihi.org, 206-957-8067 ACRS’ 2018 WALK FOR RICE Seward Park, Seattle 8 a.m. walkforrice.org

JUL THAI SILK KING DOCUMENTARY FILM, “WHO KILLED JIM THOMPSON” Skyline Retirement Center, 725 Ninth Ave., Seattle 2 p.m. $15-$25 friendsofasianart.org

community, and what is needed is education about research breakthroughs and recognizing how this research is necessary in contributing to understanding trends in health among the Asian American community.

Examples of breakthroughs include understanding Hepatitis B and C, which research has shown has significantly affected Asian populations. Due to research, Chin said, we have discovered ways Hepatitis B can be totally preventable, and now there are more effective vaccinations

MINIDOKA PILGRIMAGE Twin Falls, Idaho minidokapilgrimage.org

5-15 SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL BUTOH FESTIVAL 2018: AWAKENINGS Various times and locations Please check the website daipanbutoh.com

BLOODWORKS from 3 We will come to you! You can now give platelets at many of our mobile blood drives. We welcome the chance to do blood drives at your workplace, school, community center, or faith center. You can also

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FRIENDS OF JAPAN GALA Meydenbauer Center 6 p.m. bit.ly/2sm36TR

US-CHINA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP FORUM Davis Wright Tremaine 1201 Third Ave., Ste. 2200, Seattle 4 p.m. wscrc.org

9-12 BON ODORI DANCE PRACTICE Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple 1427 S. Main St., Seattle 7:30 p.m.

PING PONG TOURNAMENTS SUMMER 2018 Hing Hay Park Register onsite at 1 p.m. ‘

for Hepatitis C. Other specific examples include how research has been invaluable in recognizing elevated incidents of cervical cancer among Laotian and Vietnamese women, which has signaled the importance and recommendation of Pap smears for women who fall under the susceptible category.

Chin also mentioned the strong familial bond in Asian cultures and how the genetic research and contributions today can benefit future generations.

So what does the contribution process entail? Many of the reservations about signing up, which the program

7 TALK AND LIVE DRAWING WITH NOLEN LEE, CREATOR OF PUNCHING PANDAS Kinokuniya Bookstore 525 S. Weller St., Seattle 2 p.m. kinokuniya.com 206-587-2477

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DATABASE from 3

5-8

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acknowledges, seem to concern issues of privacy. The online enrollment process is guided by a video tutorial and the participant is allowed to opt out of any questions (for example, specific questions about medical and psychological background, social security number, or contact information for friends and relatives). However, the more comprehensive the contribution, the more potential for the data to be beneficial in the future.

Ready to contribute? Everyone in the United States is encouraged to participate from all races (even if you are not an American citizen). The only exceptions at

donate at any one of our 12 donation centers in the region.  Donation appointments can be made at 800-3987888 or online at BloodworksNW.org.

this time are anyone under 18 or anyone in prison or jail (this might change in the future). If you have online access, you can start the enrollment process by visiting joinallofus.org/en/how-to-join. You can also call 844-842-2855 to schedule an appointment or to request more information on how to participate.

“Participants will be contributing to history,” said Chin.  Peggy can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

These articles are sponsored by

View the solution on page 14

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ AT THE MOVIES

7

Inaugural Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Joyce Jeng, chief film festival organizer for the firstever Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival, grew up watching Pixar features. She grew up in San Jose, Calif., and enjoyed picking out the references in Pixar films to the nearby town of Emeryville, which just happens to be Pixar’s hometown. But her turning point towards world cinema came from a much more obscure title.

In eighth grade, she checked out a VHS cassette tape from her local library, a French film called “La fracture du myocarde” (“Broken Heart”). “It was about a group of 12-year-old schoolchildren who tried to conceal the fact that Martin, one of their friend’s mother, has died, so that Martin would not be sent away,” said Jeng.

“I remember really being moved by the children’s creativity and their bond of friendship displayed in the movie … I can still recall clearly some of the scenes from it because of the intricate plot twists and the genuine friendship portrayed by the young actors.”

Jeng moved to Seattle in 2009. The idea for a Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival came to her a year and a half ago, when she traveled to Taiwan and met an organizer there for the Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival (TWFF), which got started 12 years ago.

Another organization, Taiwanese American Professionals Seattle (TAP-Seattle), had the idea of putting on a festival on American soil to partner up with TWFF. Jeng agreed to be in charge in Seattle, although she clarified that “instead of doing just a Taiwanese Film Festival, we decided on doing a Taiwanese American Film Festival. In addition to

making Taiwan more known to the public through film, we also want to provide Taiwanese American filmmakers an avenue for showcasing their talents, as we are a Taiwanese American group, rather than just a Taiwanese group.”

The organizers for the new festival sorted through some 50-odd titles. They settled on seven feature-length films, bolstered with five short films, some from Taiwan, some made by Taiwanese Americans.

“The qualities we looked to the most,” Jeng explained, “are the quality of the plot (did it tell a good story), the depth of the plot (does the plot reveal new insights or allow the viewer to ponder further), and whether if the film reflects Taiwanese cinema, as we want to bring films that are authentically Taiwanese to the Seattle audience.”

Two of the directors will fly in from Taiwan to appear

alongside their films. Li-chou Yang spent 10 years filming his documentary called “Father,” a study of a son’s struggle to get out from under the shadow of his father, a famous Taiwanese glove puppeteer.

The other guest director, Charlie Chu, survived a seemingly insurmountable health crisis, when he was diagnosed with a fist-sized brain tumor. He survived, though he was left with damage to both his hearing and eyesight.

Chu’s film, “Formosa 3D,” is the only 3D film in the new festival, and like “Father,” it took 10 years to finish, owing both to Chu’s health problems and the complexities of 3D camera work. It studies Taiwan’s main island, known for see TWFF on 14

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8

36 YEARS

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

How local APIs

celebrate Independence Day

PHOTOS & QUOTES COMPILED BY YVETTE TANG

“Every Independence Day, I go to different beaches to watch the fireworks and eat a lot of ice cream with my family and friends. I went to Venice Beach in Los Angeles last year and I may visit Belmar Beach in New Jersey this year.”

— Rithika Korrapolu

“I am going to take part in an event called Yankee Doodle Dash in Everett. It includes a 10K, 5K, and 1-mile race and I will be participating in the 5K run with my boyfriend and his mom.”

— Stephany Angeles

“I will have holiday from July 4 to 8, and I plan to spend two nights at Olympic National Park with my wife and 13-month-old baby girl.”

— Eddy Wu

“Usually, we have a potluck party on July 4 and there are nearly 20 children. All of us are from different cultures, some parents will share their special culture foods with everyone. Also, the children play with fireworks in the yard.”

— Alisa Gill

WEEKLY SPECIALS June 27 - July 3, 2018

“It will be my first year celebrating the American Independence Day and I will hang out with friends. We will spend time at a restaurant in downtown Seattle and go to Gas Works Park to watch fireworks display.”

— Ankur Tomar

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YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

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asianweekly northwest

10

36 YEARS

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY When the World Cup began on June 14, it was a horrible day for my family. My husband’s supposed minor surgery became a major operation, which took more than three hours. To remove his appendix, it involved a technique called laparoscopic appendectomy, mainly three incisions, one umbilical and two suprapubic on the stomach.

But the one-hour surgery soon developed into open surgery, requiring a four-centimeter incision. The surgeon found his appendix not only inflamed, but with much scar tissue. After the operation, George was in deep pain, and wasn’t able to sleep. With pale and sunken cheeks, he could hardly swallow.

Those were physical setbacks. But the mental challenges were hard on him. His once busy life — holding the Northwest Asian Weekly’s operation together — vanished. Without choice, he was confined to our condo. His purpose has been lost. Boredom is torture, especially for diligent folks like my hubby.

During recuperation, people forget that the body needs time to heal. The best thing is to do nothing, not even exercise. That just drives my husband insane. What can take his mind off things? I thought about getting him books and games. Soon, he discovered something better — the World Cup.

David vs. Goliath

If you watch the matches, you witness the passion not only of the players, but the fans. Why is the World Cup so exciting?

The unexpected! When David fought Goliath, everyone thought a tiny nation like Iceland playing

Argentina, and weaker teams like Mexico playing Germany, a World Cup champion numerous times, were going to lose. Suddenly, the tide switched to favor the little guys. The disadvantaged were transformed to be heroes. Most recently, Japan scored 2-1 over Colombia.

The incredible Germany couldn’t beat South Korea.

Germany is now out of the World Cup. That Iceland vs. Argentina match literally brought my husband back to life, three days after his operation. And the Mexico vs. Germany match made him smile. Each game he watches helps him to regain his strength. He tapes many shows, and even shares with me the highlights with an explanation later in the evening, reminiscing much of the magic during the games. Each game, he enthusiastically recreates a beautiful story. I love to see his passion and how the sport has made him come alive again. If this is therapeutic for him, I am more than willing to listen.

Why is soccer a global game?

Soccer is popular because it’s easier to understand than American football and baseball. Over 290 million people in the world play soccer, and over one billion people watch the World Cup. I was in Morocco in 2000. Kids played soccer everywhere, even in narrow streets. All they needed was a soccer ball and no fancy equipment. One cheap ball was enough to entertain 20, 30 kids, and other kids to applaud. It breaks the poverty cycle for many young promising players. The sport transcends barriers and generations.

I have to confess, I don’t have time to watch the matches. (Seldom do I finish watching an entire basketball game, even though it is my favorite sport.)

I live for the “iron” foot kicking the ball into the net, a player’s head bumping the ball past the helpless

Screencaps of the highlighted games

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

goalkeeper, complex teamwork and skills to make things happen, and coaches outsmarting each other. It’s about the hugs, cheers, somersaults, fists, and kisses after the goal. And oh, the wonderful piling of the players on top of one another is fun to watch. I will never forget how two Japanese players saluted each other after scoring. Their joy lifted my spirit.

China, Russia, and the U.S.

We are disappointed that China and the United States didn’t make it to the World Cup. It’s a shame that the two most powerful countries, which can draw a lot more television viewers, didn’t qualify. The organizers lost a lot of revenue consequently.

We have the Seattle Sounders, but it doesn’t do us any good.

Two of the players represented other countries in the World Cup. Despite China having the largest population in the world, it couldn’t groom a team of soccer athletes. Shortsighted! Perhaps, China has spent too much attention over the Olympics. see BLOG on 12

■ EDITORIAL

Border security overkill Cedella Roman, 19, was enjoying a run on the beach near White Rock, British Columbia, when it quickly turned into a nightmare. In late May, Roman ran along the beach before she went down a path to take a photo of the setting sun. It was then that she saw U.S. border patrol officers approaching her.

They told Roman, who is a French citizen and who wasn’t carrying any ID or proof of citizenship, that she had entered the country illegally.

Roman said she had not seen any signs marking the border. “[The border guard] started telling me that I had crossed the border illegally and I told him that I really did not do it on purpose,” she told Radio Canada.

She was threatened with a five-year ban from the United States, as the officers explained that they could not release her because she had been caught on surveillance cameras.

“I thought, maybe I’ve crossed the border, but maybe they’ll just fine me or they’ll say ‘come back to Canada’ or berate me a little bit,” she said.

Instead, Roman was transferred to a detention center in Tacoma — 140 miles south of where she first encountered the officers.

“They put me in the caged vehicles and

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Cedella Roman

brought me into their facility,” she said.

“That’s where I realized it was really serious and I started to cry a little.”

At the detention center, Roman was able to make a phone call to her mother in Canada — who brought her passport and study permits to prove her identity and right to be in Canada. She was released after two weeks of paperwork and processing.

Seems excessive, don’t you think? Yes, Roman crossed the border illegally. But she did it unknowingly. While ignorance of the law excuses no one, this doesn’t exactly fit that bill.

Why couldn’t the border agents simply have held Roman in Blaine and let her call her mother from there, instead of spending taxpayer dollars to drive her to Tacoma and detain her for two weeks?

It would have taken, at most, a couple of hours to clear it up and send Roman off with a stern warning to always carry ID. We are a nation of laws. But we should also be a nation of common sense. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ COMMENTARY

11

Suicide: Let’s talk

By Randon Aea

The deaths of American designer Kate Spade and celebrity gourmand Anthony Bourdain draw attention to suicide as a growing U.S. health issue. At the same time, they open uncomfortable and hard-to-answer questions. Not least is reconciling the dissonance of such finality from two people who appeared to “have it all.” Bourdain and Spade remind us how hard it is to truly know another person’s pain and the tremendous pressure of maintaining appearances.

Last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report indicating suicide is on the rise nationwide, up nearly 30 percent since 1999. While most of the participants were white, results held true across all racial and ethnic groups, for both men and women, in rural and urban areas, and across all ages.

Suicide is currently the leading cause of death in King County. Suicide is a public health crisis.

While mental illness may have played a role for Spade and Bourdain, the CDC’s researchers found that more than half of Americans who died by suicide had not been diagnosed with a mental health condition. More common events — substance abuse, job or financial stress, physical health problems, and relationship problems — were found to increase the risk.

These are not exactly mundane problems, but they are ones that most of us have faced at one time or another. Life

Randon Aea

itself, with its inevitable ups and downs, is the culprit.

Do a Google search for recent data on suicide rates among Asian Americans — you won’t find any. This could be part of a general institutional marginalization of people of color or skewed aggregated data of Asian and Pacific Islanders, but I also blame a self-imposed silence fortified by shame and stigma.

And while there is no one solution, one thing is clear.

We should be taking care of our mental health with the same consistency that we maintain our physical health.

That means, before we’re in crisis. Similar to screening for chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes, good mental health requires preventative care and maintenance. This becomes particularly difficult for the Asian Pacific Islander community, who face mental health stigmas (like everyone else), along with cultural and linguistic barriers that impact their success in addressing their health concerns.

The biggest favor we can do for our community is to continue to destigmatize mental illness and have more conversations about mental health. We would not shame someone for having asthma or high blood pressure, or catching a cold. Mental illness is not a choice, it’s a medical condition. Suicidal thoughts don’t stem from a moral failing or personal weakness. They are a sign that someone needs help. Bringing the topic into the open is necessary if we want people to access information and treatment.

When we encourage people to view their mental health holistically, as part of their overall wellbeing, we give

them permission to connect with others and to have honest conversations that could be lifesaving. We also increase the chance a person might seek help or obtain relief from a situation that could be contributing to suicidal thoughts — joblessness, homelessness, a bad breakup, or drug problem.

We need to focus on one another as part of a supportive community and reserve our judgments. We need to give permission to be more connected to one other, and check in more frequently, regardless of whether someone seems sad or ready to harm themselves. People who are isolated don’t reach out. We don’t know they are in pain. Connecting with people means creating opportunities to talk, face-to-face.

It means being willing to listen.

We need to focus on one another as part of a supportive community and reserve our judgments. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Don’t fear being a burden. Take the time to be present. Sit someone down today and ask, “How are you?”

Don’t wait until the next celebrity tragedy. It could make all the difference.

Randon Aea is the behavioral health services manager at International Community Health Services (ICHS), a nonprofit community health center with clinics in Seattle, Bellevue, and Shoreline.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, contact the Crisis Clinic’s 24-hour crisis line at 866-4-CRISIS (866-427-4747), Teen Link at 866-8336546 in the evenings from 6-10 p.m. (PST), or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. 

■ LETTER

My views on U.S. immigration policy

By Satya Nadella MICROSOFT CEO Below is an e-mail sent to all Microsoft employees last Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO week sharing Nadella’s views on U.S. immigration policy.

Team, Like many of you, I am appalled at the abhorrent policy of separating immigrant children from their families at the southern border of the U.S. As both a parent and an immigrant, this issue touches me personally.

I consider myself a product of two amazing and uniquely American things — American technology reaching me where I was growing up that allowed me to dream the dream and an enlightened immigration policy that then allowed me to live that dream. My story would not have been possible anywhere else.

This new policy implemented on the border is simply cruel and abusive, and we are standing for change. Today Brad detailed our company’s position on this issue, as well as the immigration legislation currently being considered in Congress, and I encourage you to read his blog post (blogs.microsoft.com/onthe-issues/2018/06/19/the-country-needsto-get-immigration-right).

I want to be clear: Microsoft is not working with the U.S. government on any projects related to separating children from their families at the border. Our current cloud engagement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is supporting legacy mail, calendar, messaging and document management workloads.

Microsoft has a long history of taking a principled approach to how we live up to our mission of empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more with technology platforms and tools, while also standing up for our enduring values and ethics.

Any engagement with any government has been and will be guided by our ethics and principles. We will continue to have this dialogue both within our company and with our stakeholders outside.

The immigration policy of this country is one of our greatest competitive advantages, and this is something we must preserve and promote. America is a nation of immigrants, and we’re able to attract people from around the world to contribute to our economy, our communities and our companies. We are also a beacon of hope for those who need it the most. This is what makes America stronger. We will always stand for immigration policies that preserve every person’s dignity and human rights. That means standing with every immigrant who works at Microsoft and standing for change in the inhumane treatment of children at the U.S. border today. 

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asianweekly northwest

12

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

36 YEARS

■ AT THE MOVIES

By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Did you know there is a short film before Incredibles 2? Historically, Pixar has always used its feature films to showcase new technology and stories. The latest short film, Bao, has been on my radar for months because of its Chinese Canadian creator. Needless to say, Incredibles 2 is an incredible sequel and already has the record for highest grossing weekend for an animated film. This is great because Bao will be getting a lot of exposure.

Domee Shi, the first female director of a Pixar short film explains that bao has multiple meanings in Chinese: it means “dumpling,” and another meaning is “something precious.” Pixar’s official statement about Bao, “It explores the ups

and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colorful, rich and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada.” Shi used the film to explore her relationship with her own mother. In fact, Shi’s mother even served as a dumpling consultant for the film. As you can imagine, great care when into this film to make sure it was culturally sensitive and accurate to Chinese immigrants.

Bao is about an elderly Chinese woman who is cooking dumplings when suddenly one of her dumplings springs to life. Next, we get to see this anatomically correct dumpling move through the human life cycle. Whenever the dumpling tries to venture off on his own, his overprotective mother stops him. Then finally there’s a pretty shocking conclusion. I will just leave it that, so as not so spoil it for you.

BLOG from 10 Now, Russia not only has a team qualified to play in the World Cup, it is also the host. What does it say about Vladimir Putin and President Trump as leaders? When Putin is determined to get something, he plays dirty to win. Putin wanted to host the World Cup so badly that Russia spied on England on its bidding proposal, according to the New York Times. The outcome for Russia’s major role is positive as it produces tons of publicity and prestige, since the event spans a month long, with several matches a day. Each match takes more than two hours. Think about the potential business and tourism opportunities. The visibility and impact before and after the World Cup is long lasting globally.

Trump plays dirty, too, in politics and business. But his

It’s actually very intriguing to see Asian Easter Eggs like Shrimp Chips, Gameboy, and an analog phone. Maybe it is telling that the Asian immigrant experience is so rare in an animated film that I consider all these little things Easter eggs. Be sure to keep an eye out for Canadian Easter eggs too.

The feedback for Bao has been overwhelmingly positive. Many Asians immediately felt the connection to their own mothers who treated them the same way when growing up and were in tears or touched at the end of the short film.

However, those who are not familiar with Asian culture may not understand some of the themes of Bao. This is a good reminder of the importance of being exposed to diversity and culture in our lives.

I highly recommend everyone to get

vision towards America is limited — he views what is good for America only in business and profit margins, but lacks interests and depth in many areas, which can also make America stand out. His limited world-view will likely make America less competitive in many fields.

Asia and Seattle

I would never have imagined that the World Cup would have served a key role in George’s recovery. George found a new purpose by updating me with everything he reads, watches, and hears about the sport. The best news is, the World Cup has proposed expanding from 32 teams, to 48 teams in the future.

Out of the 32 countries represented, only Japan and South Korea are really from Asia, although Egypt and Saudi Arabia are listed under the category of Asian nations. We hope to

to theater “on time” so you do not miss this short film. Let’s hope Bao wins the Academy Award for best Animated Short film in February 24, 2019!  John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.

see not just China, but many more Asian countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia included in the next World Cup. Wouldn’t it be cool if the Seattle Sounders’ players get to participate and play for the United States? I am rooting for that. Maybe they will have a chance in the next World Cup when the United States, Canada, and Mexico will co-host in 2026. I wouldn’t be surprised if George would be glued to the television everyday, and would even desire to be at CenturyLink Field to see some games in person.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

CRASH from 1

Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

REUNION from 5 summits have opened various channels of peace talks between the countries. The rivals recently agreed to restore crossborder military hotline communication channels and field joint teams in some events at the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.

“If we sternly separate ourselves from the unfortunate past and acquire a strong mindset for the new times, humanitarian cooperation between the North and South will flourish,’’ North Korea delegate Pak Yong Il said at the start of the meeting. Park Kyung-seo, president of South Korea’s Red Cross, expressed hope for talks that could “resolve the grief of our nation.’’

The Koreas last held family reunions in 2015 before relations worsened because

Photos by John Liu

The restaurant owners said some customers had just walked out, narrowly missing being hit, and most of the other customers were sitting in the back. The Seattle Fire Department said one woman inside the building was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

Moy is a former waiter of Tai Tung restaurant — he’s retired after working there for 50 years. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution, and walked out the following day.

Both Moy and King Noodle Restaurant have insurance coverage. 

Firefighters remove a destroyed doorway from the restaurant.

of North Korea’s accelerated pursuit of nuclear long-range missiles and the hardline response of Seoul’s then-conservative government.

Since the end of the Korean War, both Koreas have banned ordinary citizens from visiting relatives on the other side of the border or contacting them without permission. Nearly 20,000 Koreans have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face temporary reunions held between the countries since 2000.

Aside from setting up a new round of reunions, South Korean officials also proposed a survey to confirm surviving members of war-separated families in North Korea and the possibility of hometown visits, but couldn’t reach an agreement with North Korean officials, Park told reporters after the meeting.

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Eddie Moy, the driver (in baseball cap), surrounded by friends and first responder.

The limited numbers of reunions are vastly insufficient to meet the demands of aging relatives, who are mostly in their 80s and 90s, South Korean officials say. According to Seoul’s Unification Ministry, more than 75,000 of the 132,000 South Koreans who have applied to attend a reunion have died. None of the past participants has had a second reunion.

South Korea uses a computerized lottery to pick participants for the reunions, while North Korea is believed to choose based on loyalty to its authoritarian leadership.

South Korean analysts say North Korea allows only infrequent reunions for fear of wasting what it sees as an important diplomatic bargaining chip. North Korea may also worry that its citizens will become influenced by the much more affluent South, which could loosen the government’s grip

on power.

There had been expectations that the June 22 meeting could get contentious if North Korean officials reiterated the country’s demand for the return of 12 North Korean restaurant workers in return for allowing reunions.

Seoul has said the 12 women, who had worked in a restaurant in China, had defected and willingly settled in South Korea in 2016 but is now reviewing the circumstances following a media report suggesting at least some were brought against their will.

Park was unwilling to provide a clear answer when asked whether North Korea had raised the issue during the meeting.

The North rejected a South Korean proposal for family reunions last year, seeking the workers’ return first. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

■ ASTROLOGY

13

Predictions and advice for the week of June 30–July 6, 2018

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Do you find yourself constantly jumping from one thing to the next? Take the time to savor the special moments.

Dragon — Feeling pressure to finish ahead of schedule? Don’t let the agenda of others push you to rush what should not be hurried.

Ox — Are you getting too far ahead of what you are ready for? Instead of trying to skip ahead, go step by step.

Snake — Avoid waiting until the last minute to let your needs be known. Give enough notice so that it can be taken into account and fulfilled.

Tiger — You are well on your way to rebounding from an unexpected setback. From here, there should be smooth sailing ahead.

Horse — A little distance isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You can choose when you want to get closer or need more space.

Rabbit — While you and your partner agree on the goal, you may differ on how to get there. Focus on what you share in common.

Goat — Rather than moving full speed ahead without a key element, it may be worthwhile to find a viable substitute.

Monkey — Is there a difference between what you had in mind and what actually happened? Instead of lingering on what might have been, focus on the possibilities of the future.

Rooster — Are you considering starting a new project? You may want to finish some other things first.

Dog — Although it is tempting to discard and begin again from scratch, there is value in repurposing what could have been thrown away.

Pig — Don’t let your doubts cloud what could be a potentially promising opportunity. There is no gain without some risk.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 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.

ABRAMOVITZ from 1 clarinet teacher under a full two-year scholarship. She then deleted the emailed acceptance from his inbox.

Abramovitz wasn’t aware of what happened until two years later, and he took legal action. Judge David Corbett called Lee’s actions a “reprehensible betrayal.”

Lee, who grew up in Ontario, and Abramovitz, a Quebec native, met in September 2013, while both were students at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.

Abramovitz applied to study at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles in December 2013, hoping to complete the final two years of his bachelor’s degree there, and study under esteemed clarinet teacher Yehuda Gilad.

PLASTIC from 4 tons of the material since 1992, the equivalent of the weight of more than 300 Empire State Buildings.

The change is forcing countries to rethink how they deal with plastic waste. They need to be more selective about what they choose to recycle, and more fastidious about reusing plastics, said Amy Brooks, first author on the study and a doctoral student in engineering at the University of Georgia. In the meantime, Brooks said, more plastic waste is likely to get incinerated or sent to landfills.

“This is a wake-up call. Historically, we’ve been depending on China to take in this recycled waste and now they are saying no,’’ she said.

Using United Nations data, it found that China has

Gilad accepts only two new students per year from the dozens who apply.

Abramovitz was accepted and offered a full scholarship to study with Gilad. Lee accessed her boyfriend’s email — he had trusted her with his laptop and his passwords — and deleted the acceptance email. But first she responded to it, in Abramovitz’s name, declining the offer.

Judge David Corbett, of Ontario Superior Court, wrote that it appears that Lee was motivated by her fear that Abramovitz would leave Montreal and their relationship.

Abramovitz and Lee broke up at some point, and he remained unaware of Lee’s deception. The truth unraveled when Abramovitz headed to the University of Southern California (USC) for a two-year graduate certificate in

performance at USC, where he did study with Gilad, and paid full tuition.

There, he was questioned about turning down the Colburn offer. Abramovitz also discovered that Lee similarly interfered with his acceptance to the Juilliard School in New York City.

“I accept and find that Mr. Abramovitz lost a unique and prestigious educational opportunity, one that would have advanced his career as a professional clarinetist,” Corbett wrote. He said imagining a different path for Abramovitz is difficult, “(b)ut the law does recognize that the loss of a chance is a very real and compensable loss.” 

dwarfed all other plastics importers, accounting for about 45 percent of the world’s plastic waste since 1992. The ban is part of a larger crackdown on foreign garbage, which is viewed as a threat to health and environment.

Some countries that have seen an increase in plastic waste imports since China’s ban — such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia — are already looking to enforce bans of their own because they are quickly becoming overburdened, Brooks said.

The study illustrates that plastic, which has a wide array of uses and formulations, is more difficult to recycle than other materials, such as glass and aluminum, said Sherri Mason, who was not involved in the study and is the chair of the geology and environmental sciences department at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Many consumers attempt to recycle plastic products that can’t ultimately be recycled, Mason said. One solution could be to simplify the variety of plastics used to make products, she said.

“We have to confront this material and our use of it, because so much of it is single use disposable plastic and this is a material that doesn’t go away,’’ Mason said. “It doesn’t return to the planet the way other materials do.’’

The plastics import ban has attracted the attention of the U.S. recycling industry. The National Recycling Coalition said in a statement in mid-May that it must “fundamentally shift how we speak to the public’’ and “how we collect and process’’ recyclables. 

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Chinoise Café in Issaquah location is currently looking for a part-time Wok Chef. Working 2 full days a week, excellent pay! Must have experience, and able to read and speak English since our order system will be in English. Please call for interview. For English speaking call 206-790-3611. For Chinese speaking 206-483-4624. Chinoise Café 936 NE Park Drive Issaquah wa 98029

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Find us on nwasianweekly.com, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter.

TWFF from 7 centuries as Formosa, emphasizing natural beauty and local crafts at risk of disappearing from the modern world.

Jeng was quick to thank her collaborators and partners for this new festival.

“Eric Chang is executive director and programmer. Angel Hsu is our press relations and marketing director, Carlene Liu is our volunteers coordinator, and

Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 2:00 PM of bid opening date for the following listed bids.

To download a document, go to our web page at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement. King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities.

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KCHA is soliciting bids for civil site work at our various properties in King, Skagit, and Thurston Counties. Contract is estimated at $900,000 worth of work over a three year period. Women and Minority owned companies are strongly encouraged to submit proposals. Proposals are due Friday, July 13th, 2018 at 3pm.

Proposals are available via email June 25th, 2018. Contact is Al Khalaf at KCHA (206) 450-1217 or alk@kcha.org.

SUZUKI from 4 The 44-year-old outfielder with 3,089 career hits came off the Seattle roster in early May and moved into the team’s front office as a special assistant to the chairman.

Suzuki has been taking part in pregame drills and batting practice in a role similar to a coach. But he’s required to leave the bench when games begin, and that’s when he takes his place in the clubhouse — usually, anyway.

This time, in a ballpark where he played for parts of three seasons, Suzuki got a much closer look.

AP photographer Bill Kostroun spotted Suzuki with his face nearly covered by a fake mustache, sunglasses and a gray hoodie drawn tight over his head during in the first inning as the Yankees hit a pair of two-run homers.

Suzuki sat in the middle of the dugout, in the back row, in his shorts and occasionally crouched down while the Yankees swung away. He was gone by the second inning of Seattle’s 4-3 loss that completed a New York sweep.

The 10-time All-Star hasn’t officially retired, and there’s speculation the Japanese great might play when the Mariners

opeNS: July 19, 2018

Subscribe to the Northwest Asian Weekly $40 for one year.

Name__________________________ Address ________________________ City ___________________State____ Zip Code _______________________ Phone _________________________ Mail to: NW Asian Weekly 412 Maynard Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 or call 206-223-0623

KCHA will accept Bids from Qualified General Contractors for the 700 Building – Office Space Renovation Project located in Tukwila, WA. See website for details at www.kcha. org/business/ construction/open/

Jerome Chen is our finance director.

“Charles Liu is our webmaster. We also have Jeff Wei, Andy Chung, Olivia Zen, and Arthur Cheng, who are TAP board members who helped on various film festival-related activities.”

When asked about her hopes for future film festivals, Jeng jokes that the “first” in “First Annual” is factual, and the “Annual” is aspirational.

“We believe,” she concluded, “that these

opeNS: July 12, 2018

films are what the community would be interested in seeing, and [that] having a platform to showcase Taiwanese films and Taiwanese American filmmaking talents will benefit Seattle in enriching its diversity and enhancing Seattleites’ understanding of Taiwan.

“The support we have received so far is evidence that many members of the community share the same belief. Now it’s just a matter of getting an audience to the

open the 2019 season in Tokyo with a two-game series against Oakland.

This was Seattle’s only trip to Yankee Stadium this year, and maybe Suzuki wanted a final look at the ballpark. Or perhaps he was just showing off his playful side.

On the day it was announced Suzuki was moving into his new position, he predicted this might happen.

“During the game I will be doing the same preparations I’ve been doing the entire time. Nothing is going to change for me that I did as a player,’’ Suzuki said at the time. “But I can’t say for certain that maybe I won’t put on a beard and glasses and be like Bobby Valentine and be in the dugout.’’

In 1999, the excitable Valentine was ejected from a game he was managing for the New York Mets. He was tossed in the 12th inning, but soon put on a fake mustache and sunglasses and returned to the dugout in disguise.

Valentine was later suspended for two games and fined $5,000.

The longtime manager liked Suzuki’s creativity.

“One of the biggest honors of my life,’’ Valentine said. “I was going to send him a set, but he didn’t need it.’’ 

festival see the realization of that belief.”  The inaugural Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival plays June 29-July 1 at Seattle’s SIFF Uptown Cinema. For prices, showtimes, and other information, visit sif f.n e t / ye a r - ro u n d - c i n e m a /se a t tle taiwanese-american-film-festival-x21376.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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HEART DISEASE from 1 diabetes and a grandfather who died of cardiac arrest, I had to learn why Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) seems to affect the South Asian community so severely.

Higher risk

Dr. Sandeep Krishnan, a University of Washington (UW) Medicine cardiologist, thinks this is an alarming problem that needs to be publicized. “There’s a lot of data to show that South Asians have a higher risk of heart disease, but we don’t fully understand why that is. The thought that the South Asian genetic make has a higher predilection for insulin resistance and diabetes is a strong causative agent of coronary disease,” Krishnan said. “So, we don’t have any particular effective means of combating that besides typical insulin and diabetic medications on the market.

By then, its typically too late and patients with long-standing diabetes have already developed heart disease,” he said.

Dr. Francis Yuvienco, a cardiologist with CHI Franciscan Health, says they see a fair share of CVD, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, he said, “From a public health perspective, certain ethnicities, South Asians, seem more predisposed.”

Annu Luthra, president of the Indian Association of Western Washington (IAWW), confirms this. “We do have a very high rate of heart disease and it is taking lives of South Asians as young as the early 30s, who are otherwise active and eat wellbalanced diets.”

IAWW’s vice president and community program director, Lalita Uppala, works directly with the community. The organization runs pop-up community centers in different cities throughout the region. “We run a resource desk and cultural navigator program to raise awareness and address insurance, transportation, and legal, business, or estate planning needs,” she said.

Through this endeavor, the organization comes across several people who need help. “We document when people reach out to us and discovered there have been many cardiac arrests among young IndoAmericans in the 30-50 age group. In the last six months, we recognized there have been a lot of fatalities in those instances,” Uppala said.

What makes heart disease difficult to detect in this group is individuals appear skinny. “Their body fat composition is mostly visceral fat coating their organs and leading to insulin resistance. It’s tough to gauge, because when you look at South Asians, they are not fat. They compare themselves to Americans and think they must be healthy,” he said.

Krishnan said, “Obesity cut-offs for South Asians are less than they are for everyone else. You would be considered overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater, but for South Asians, that count is 23. That’s not widely advertised.”

Cultural and dietary factors

“More than one-third of South Asian men and 17 percent of South Asian women have metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels,” Yuvienco said. These conditions increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. If more than one of these conditions occur in combination, the risk is even greater.

“The group is more likely to have high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol. A variant of HDL known as HDL2b, which is thought to mediate the good effects of HDL, is low in as many as 93 percent of South Asian men and 63 percent of women,” Yuvienco added.

There are three main sources of

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018 nutrition — protein, carbohydrates, and fat, Krishnan explained. “Most South Asians are vegetarian due to cultural or religious reasons. When you’re a vegetarian, getting protein is difficult, so that leaves fat and carbohydrates, and together, that is a dangerous combination,” he said.

While lentils may be a good source of protein, they come with a heavy carbohydrate load. Most South Asian cooking is based on legumes, lentils, dals, and carbohydrate-based ingredients.

“It’s not like eating a candy bar, but the overall carbohydrate intake, especially for South Asian vegetarians, is much higher than a neighbor who may have a steak and vegetables or salmon and broccoli,” Krishnan said.

While a vegetarian wouldn’t be able to eat that, Krishnan calls the latter a healthier meal compared to a typical Indian meal of naan, bread, or rice, which are all pure carbohydrate foods, with dal or lentils adding more carbohydrates. “The ratios are all off and when you mix that with ghee or lard, the combination increases adiposity, glycogen, and glucose storage, which lead to an increase in the risk for diabetes,” he said.

“South Asians’ genetics don’t seem to metabolize carbohydrates as well as the rest of the world. This leads to higher incidence of diabetes, inherently linked with CVD,” Krishnan said.

Krishnan recalled a 45-year-old patient who came into his clinic with diabetes. “He was what I attempt to call Uncle Skinny-Fat because he looked skinny, but had visceral fat, predisposing him to diabetes.”

Krishnan talked to him about his weight and diabetes. “He was a typical vegetarian, came from a quintessential Indian household, and thought he was doing the right things.

While the man’s diabetes was moderately well controlled, he was not interested in changing his diet. “He was reluctant to take medications for his cholesterol, even though I strongly encouraged him to make dietary changes necessary and take cholesterol medications,” Krishnan said.

Unfortunately, a few months later, the patient had a fatal heart attack, leaving two children and his wife on their own. “This is all too common, and is repeated in the community,” said Krishnan.

With Indians in the United States as young as 30 having cardiac arrests, Uppala believes stress can also be a factor. “I believe that in this younger group, fatalities occur because of stress and sedentary lifestyles in the tech community, with long work hours, no breaks, and no physical activity,” she said. Uppala cites evolutionary changes and adds, “We are no more a healthy immigrant community. We have to consider what we are doing to ourselves with a sedentary lifestyle.”

Heartening steps

A May 2018 study, led by cardiologist Dr. Annabelle Volgman for the American Heart Association, found that threats to South Asians’ cardiovascular health are obscured as researchers have been looking at Asian Americans as a monolithic group, rather than examining them individually.

“We’ve observed the increased risk, but we are still looking for the smoking gun,” said Dr. Latha Palaniappan, an internist and clinical researcher who focuses on the gap in medical knowledge about Asian subgroups. She co-chaired the new report with Volgman.

“Disproportionate levels of heart disease in the South Asian community are a red flag with a preventable cause,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in introducing H.R. 3592. “By dedicating funding to research and ways to get the word out on the importance of heart health, we will not only save more lives in the South Asian community, we will also open a door to a new and better understanding of heart health that will benefit all Americans.”

Jayapal recently met with heart specialists

at UW Medical Center in Seattle to understand what life-saving and life-alternating therapies are available and to gather support to increase funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to understand why South Asians are more predisposed to CVD with worse outcomes.

“I think getting a better understanding of why it is that there is such a high prevalence of insulin resistance and a better education of the community of what they can do is critical,” Krishnan said. “There are a number of things that can be better understood. The South Asian community has a lot of myths that I think can be clarified in terms of diet and exercise, that definitely are cultural,” he added.

Krishnan and Yuvienco are grateful that Jayapal is bringing this issue to the fore.

“I would like to see funding for early screening and continued support for preventive services, early screening, education, and above all quality of care,” said Yuvienco.

Social awareness

Doing their bit to raise awareness is the IAWW — they organize two talks on diabetes, and two on cardiovascular health each year. “We have a Heart Health campaign in September and are working with Evergreen and Overlake hospitals to bring talks and awareness with screenings and preventives,” Uppala said. It will also take awareness to grocery stores in the area on lean food. As an example, Uppala said, “You get lean steak, but our community prefers goat or lamb, which is fattier than a beef steak.”

IAWW also works with employers to make them cognizant of the issue. “I believe Microsoft is starting CPR classes after advocacy we have done. A lot of their employees have cardiac arrests that are fatal,”

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15

Uppala said.

Reducing risk

Yuvienco suggests that South Asians accept that they are predisposed and at risk for CVD. “It is the number 1 cause of death worldwide.

Certain ethnicities appear to be more at risk at an earlier age, and acceleration to full blown heart disease appears more rapid and aggressive,” he said.

Statistics show almost one in every three South Asians will die from heart disease before age 65 and one study found that South Asians developed heart disease 10 years earlier than other groups. With these odds, Dr. Yuvienco has some tips: 1. Make a concerted effort early with diets and activity levels — Start not only with yourself, but in your homes with your children and in schools to encourage a healthier, more active lifestyle. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, while low in red meat, saturated fats, and sugar is advised.

2. Increase your activities like moderate exercise (e.g. brisk walking). He recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.

3. Continue to educate about the health hazards of smoking (including vaping).

4. Maintain a BMI between 18.5 and 25.

5. Have no more than one 150ml glass of wine a day for women, or two for men.

For more information visit: uwmedicine.org/ locations/cardiology-uwmcchifranciscan. org/health-care-services/heart-and-vascularcare.html iaww.org Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

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JUNE 30 – JULY 6, 2018

36 YEARS