VOL 34 NO 27 | JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Addressing isolation, shame, and coming out together

Despite criticism, US Open at Chambers delivers

Matsuyama, Pan Impress while Tiger does not

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly It went down to the final hole at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay as Jordan Spieth won his first U.S. Open title after Dustin Johnson was not able to sink his last putt to force a Monday playoff. It was a memorable time for many at the University Place course as the years of waiting for the area’s first major golf championship was worth the wait. The drama of the last nine holes was intriguing even for the casual golf fan as {see US OPEN cont’d on page 12}

Youth suicides take toll on family, community

API organizations aim to start API LGBTQ family support group

By Tiffany Ran Northwest Asian Weekly Marsha Aizumi and her son Aiden spoke about coming out of the closet at a recent conference called “Family: An API LGBTQ Gathering” [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, Queer] held on June 13 at the North Seattle College. It hasn’t always been so easy for Marsha to talk about coming out or the shame she admittedly felt when her transgender son Aiden first came out as a lesbian. Aiden later shared his desire to transition from a lesbian female to male. The shame Aizumi felt was one she attributed to her experience of growing up in an Asian family, where she worried about bringing dishonor to her relatives. Such shame, she described, had effectively pushed her into the closet as her son struggled to come out of it. Once she began attending groups like PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), they provided her with information and directed her to places where she could talk to people one on one. “Asian families tend to not want to make public [those] issues that they’re dealing with. What that does is that not too many Asian families come out, so the ones that are dealing with these issues are very isolated,” said Aizumi.

Photo courtesy JACL

VOL 34 NO 27

EDUCATION Congratulations graduates! » P. 3

Aiden and Marsha Aizumi

Parents are often the ones to guide their children, but in the case of API communities, LGBTQ children must often help their parents navigate this issue because the parents don’t speak language, don’t have the understanding, and lack the proper support. Aizumi {see AIZUMI cont’d on page 15}

“Representing our views” A perspective on how much a flag can have significance

The end of the school year brings joy for many as the weather and time with family and friends Christopher Nguyen Izabel Laxamana brings a much-needed rest from a long school year. Two recent tragedies reflect the concern with youth suicide. As friends, family, and teachers mourn and grieve the losses, one wonders about the reasons for someone to take their own life. Christopher “AnhKhoi” Nguyen passed away on April 27. The senior from Cascade High School in Everett, Wash. was only 18 years old and was to graduate this spring. He was a member of the National Honors Society and took college-level courses at Everett Community College. He was going to attend the University of Washington with enough credits to be a sophomore with the intention of entering the pre-engineering program. He was an avid community volunteer and was a role model to his brothers and friends. In addition, he loved photography, technology, {see SUICIDES cont’d on page 5}

Photo provided by Bruce Harrell’s office

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

Councilmember Bruce Harrell announces the resolution to recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom flag at the Seattle City Council

By Tom Vu Special for Northwest Asian Weekly It was a joyous moment June 22 that the Seattle City council passed the resolution to recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag as the symbol for the Seattle’s Vietnamese community. Kshama Sawant voted against it with two full pages of argument. She had strong arguments though. She probably used the information sent to her from a

Vietnamese PHds from UW. She spent nearly an hour before the council meeting to convince the other councilors to change their minds. Many members of the Vietnamese community and I were surprised by Sawant’s vote. We didn’t expect opposition to come from an Asian American. But she often has her agenda. When we started this movement, we didn’t expect to get even eight votes. We thought if we got five, we would be {see FREEDOM FLAG cont’d on page 15}

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

■

BUSINESS Uber drivers might be employees? » P. 5

MUSIC MONO releases two new albums » P. 8

BLOG Devotion to WSU » P. 11

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■ names in the news Photo by George Liu/NWAW

GIX to be established in Bellevue

Back row: Hon. Gary Locke and Mona Locke, Carmen Gayton Front: Assunta Ng, Henry Chen, Chancellor Jill Wakefield, Michael Chen and Alexa Antalan, student at Seattle Central College

The University of Washington, Tsinghua University in China, and Microsoft Corp. announced June 18 they have selected Bellevue as the future home of the Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), a partnership to educate innovators from around the world. GIX hopes to attract students, faculty, professionals, and entrepreneurs to tackle some of the biggest technology and design challenges around. GIX will be located in the city’s Spring District, a major commercial and residential neighborhood now under construction by developer Wright-Runstad in the Bel-Red area. On hand to unveil the project in downtown Bellevue were Gov. Jay Inslee, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Interim University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce, and Qui Yong, president of Tsinghua University in China. Nadella said that Microsoft will provide $40 million in “foundational funding” for the project and that the company is “deeply committed” to GIX. 

Seattle Colleges to set up a scholarship endowment under the June and Henry Chen Endowment scholarship, $80,000 which is the largest donation from an Asian American. The scholarship will fund the tuition for an Asian woman annually starting next year. it will also be rotated among North, South and Central College every year. A reception was held in honor of the late June and Henry Chen at the Seattle Central College last month. Speakers at the reception included Chancellor Jill Wakefield, Hon. Gary Locke, SCC trustee Carmen Gayton, Henry Chen and Alexa Antalan, student at Seattle Central College and is a member of WISE Women in Science and Engineering. 

Ocean Star opens

Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP

From left: Jay Inslee, Ana Mari Cauce, Qiu Yong, and Satya Nadella

June and Henry Chen Endowment scholarship The late June Chen, a community leader, who passed away more than two years ago, had left funds for the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation in her will to honor the memory of June Chen. The foundation has re-donated the funds for

Ocean Star Restaurant

Sun Ya Restaurant has changed ownership to Ocean Star

Seafood Restaurant. Its grand opening, which included a lion dance, was held recently in May. Sun Ya was one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. The new owners, part of the Hu family, are familiar faces in the community, who have run restaurants for over two decades, and currently own wholesale and retail food businesses. Completely remodeled, Ocean Star is now the newest restaurant in Chinatown, serving dim sum lunches, dinners and midnight snacks. Its dining room can house 42 tables for banquets and also provides free wifi. Parking is available. 

Memorial for Warren Chan Warren Chan, the first elected Chinese American judge in Washington state passed away this month. He was 92 years old. He was initially a radio operator in the army during World War II. After using the G.I. Bill to go to law school at the University of Washington, he ran for Superior Court Judge in 1968. Warren Chan He once remarked “I think that one of the very important things is that the Chinese community has become more politicized. It’s very aware now of political matters, and I like to think that I had a hand in it...encouraging others to run for office.” A memorial service will be held at the Seattle Chinese Garden, July 3, 1 p.m. 

Northwest Asian Weekly is always looking for Asian American community news. If you are the host or an attendee of an API fundraiser, e-mail us a big photo, event highlights, and the amount of money raised. We are also looking for news about APIs in new jobs and APIs getting public recognition and awards. Please send materials to info@nwasianweekly.com with “names in the news” as the subject line.

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.

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.

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-

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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.

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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.

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JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ education

Congratulations graduates! Local star students

By Greg Young Northwest Asian Weekly Years ago, entering high school or college, it was hard to believe it could ever happen. But now it has—graduation. Here are some of our remarkable community graduates. Justina Wu Taking the experiences she’s gained during her time at Forest Ridge High School, Justina Wu is taking those experiences and moving forward to Pomona College in California and push herself even further. Justina is more than ready to take on the challenges of higher education. She spent many hours volunteering at a teen crisis center called “Teen Link,” where she served as a phone operator, assisting teens in crisis, was a member of the board, and was an outreach worker. “I’ve developed a a lifelong interest in social justice and political issues, and that’s what’s been driving me, and shaping my career goals.” MinhThu Nguyen A recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship, affording her a full ride throughout her undergraduate and graduate career, MinhThu already had those plans mapped out. She is graduating from Hazen High School where she’s already had a series of accomplishments, such as co-founding the student paper “Liberasian,” which is still going strong to this day. She’s passionate about social issues, and plans to attend law school so she can continue making a difference in her community.

Mike Guevarra A student of Mount Lake Terrace High School who’s also a running start student at Edmonds Community College, Mike is simultaneously graduating from high school and college this year. But his education certainly doesn’t stop there. This summer, Mike will spend three and a half weeks in Africa with seven other students who will become immersed in community building, and then later this fall Mike will attend University of Washington to take all the skills he’s gained and expand on them in the UW Business School. “This last year I received insight on how important business is on communities,” he said. “One day I’d like to use my knowledge to do some consulting, or start my own business.” Josh Pahang Josh is a bioengineering student at the University of Washington. He interned with UW Sports Medicine and worked with men’s soccer and football. When addressed with the question “What drives you?” Pahang writes, “I can’t really summarize what drives me. Some people say their dream career, their organization, their religion, their duty to their country and family. I know I will run into this question numerous times in my life and I myself will never be able to give the perfect answer. That is because I don’t feel like anything in particular drives me. There is nothing I do that inspires me to keep doing it over and over, like Kobe shooting fadeaways or Michelangelo creating art. What inspires me is the answers that others give {see GRADUATES cont’d on page 6}

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JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

Advice from a graduate We all have dreams. Some want to be actors, doctors, or professional athletes. Me? I wanted to become an international sports agent. I grew up in a very active sports family that participated in baseball, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, etc. My goal since I was young was to carry my love of sports into a career in agency and ultimately bring the next Ichiro over to the states. However, by the time I got into my final weeks at the University of Washington, my career goals took a complete turn. As a planner, all through high school and college I had every single semester, class and grad school goals organized to a tee. I knew I was going to graduate the UW with a major in Law, Societies, and Justice and Political Science, attend law school right after, then begin working as a sports agent. However, the closer I got to my graduation date, the more I began to doubt the path my life was going in. After interning during my senior year at an NFL agency here in Seattle, I found the agency industry to be beyond interesting and always exciting, but began to feel like this was not the right industry for me. On top of that, I could never figure out what field of law I enjoyed. It was then that I began to reflect on what I really enjoyed in life, and that was sports and community service. Throughout my college career, I volunteered both domestically and internationally. I mentored underprivileged high school kids through the University of Washington Dream Project, I traveled to Japan to assist in in relief efforts following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and I even volunteered with the Roma people in Italy and Hungary when I studied abroad in Europe. I realized how fulfilled my life becomes when I give back to communities, and I knew that if I could combine that with my passion for sports, I would never work another day in my life. Currently I am working for the Seattle Seahawks Street Team, working events put on by the organization, and I hope to stay in this sports industry to someday work within a community outreach department for a major sports team. I may have realized this newly found career goal a little late, but this change did teach me one important point; things do not always turn out the way we plan, and that’s okay. This is advice for recent graduates or students still in school, both college and high school: You don’t always need to keep yourself and your plans trapped in a timetable. It’s important to keep an open mind about your career, your goals, and ultimately your life, because who knows? You may be on your way to become a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer, but will find something else that you may love, and there is nothing wrong with changing up the game plan. It took me my entire high school and college career to understand that, but what truly matters is that you should create a life for yourself that you will never want to take a vacation from. — Aleyna Yamaguchi

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

■ world news AP Wire Service

Bank of China indicted

ROME (AP) — Italian prosecutors are seeking to indict 297 people and the Bank of China in connection with a massive money-laundering investigation reported by The Associated Press earlier this month. The suspects, mostly Chinese migrants living in Italy, include four senior managers of the Chinese state bank’s branch in Milan. According to prosecutors, at least some of the suspects used Mafia-like techniques, including intimidation, the ANSA news agency reported Saturday. The case highlights the large underground Chinese economy in Europe and the failure of judicial and legal cooperation to keep pace with the economic ties, both legal and illegal, that bind China with the West. Prosecutors said more than 4.5 billion euros ($5.1 billion) in proceeds from counterfeiting, prostitution, labor exploitation, and tax evasion was sent to China in less than four years using a money-transfer service partly owned by Chinese migrants. Nearly half that money was funneled through the Bank of China, which in turn earned over 758,000 euros in commissions, according to Italian investigative documents. Prosecutors said the money had been fractioned into small

sums to avoid detection and that the bank’s management and audit staff failed to report suspicious transactions, helping conceal the source and destination of the funds. Beijing, which is seeking Western help in hunting its own economic fugitives, did not cooperate with the investigation, Italian officials said. Once the money left Italy, it effectively vanished. Italian police were unable to continue their investigation in China, but the AP was able to track some of the missing money to a large government-controlled importexport company that has been accused of repeatedly shipping counterfeit merchandise, some of it to the United States. In response to AP’s article, China’s state-run Global Times newspaper published a rebuttal, in Chinese, defending the Bank of China and criticizing the AP’s report as “strange.” The article, which was picked up by other Chinese media, quoted a law expert saying that the Bank of China has “no obligation to cooperate with Italian police.” The Bank of China has denied wrongdoing, and lawyers for the money transfer network’s owners have said their clients are not guilty. Judicial cooperation has become crucial for Beijing, which is pressuring Western governments to help hunt corrupt officials who have fled overseas. President Xi Jinping’s far-reaching

Vietnam waives visas for 5 Europe countries to boost tourism AP Wire Service

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam will drop its visa requirements for tourists from five more European countries in a bid to boost its slumping tourism industry. Under a decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung that was posted on the government’s website, visitors from Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain will no longer need a visa to visit Vietnam starting in July for stays up to 15 days. The decision was welcomed by tour operators. “This is very good news,” Hoang Le Quyen of PeaceTours said by telephone from the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City. “It will definitely help bring foreign tourists to Vietnam.” Quyen said it would be better if the visafree period was extended to 30 days, as Vietnam competes in tourism with regional countries, such as Singapore, Thailand and

Malaysia, which do offer the longer period for visitors from many countries. Currently, Vietnam gives reciprocal visa exemptions to nine countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and unilaterally gives visa-free entrance to visitors from four Nordic countries, plus Russia, Belarus, Japan and South Korea. The communist government is considering giving visa exemptions to more countries. Last year, nearly 8 million foreigners visited Vietnam, but arrivals dropped by nearly 13 percent in the first five months of this year to about 3.3 million, according to government figures. Visitors from China saw a big drop of 30 percent after the parking of a giant Chinese oil rig near the Paracel islands last summer sparked widespread anti-China protests in Vietnam. The number of tourists from Russia declined by 16 percent, while arrivals from other European countries dropped by 7 percent. 

World shocked at enduring racism, gun violence in US By Christopher Bodeen Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Often the target of U.S. human rights accusations, China wasted little time returning such charges following the shooting at a historic black church in South Carolina that left nine people dead. Elsewhere around the world, the attack renewed perceptions that Americans have too many guns and have yet to overcome racial tensions. Some said the attack reinforced their reservations about personal security in the U.S. — particularly as a non-white foreigner — while others said they’d still feel safe if they were to visit.

Especially in Australia and northeast Asia, where firearms are strictly controlled and gun violence almost unheard of, many were baffled by the determination among many Americans to own guns despite repeated mass shootings, such as the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. “We don’t understand America’s need for guns,” said Philip Alpers, director of the University of Sydney’s GunPolicy.org project that compares gun laws across the world. “It is very puzzling for non-Americans.” {see GUN VIOLENCE cont’d on page 13}

anti-graft drive is a top priority for the ruling Communist Party as it seeks to shore up its legitimacy. Beijing has already punished over 100,000 officials for corruption. Italy and China signed a memorandum of judicial cooperation in September. So far, the most visible signs of collaboration have been in Beijing’s favor. In February, Italy extradited a Chinese woman accused of stealing more than 1.4 million yuan ($225,515) during her tenure at a securities company in Heibei province. It was the first time anyone had been extradited from Europe for an economic crime, according to China’s Ministry of Public Security. Under Italy’s justice system, a judge will consider the prosecutor’s request and either order a trial or throw out the case. The judge’s evaluation could take months before a decision is made. In Italy, institutions as well as individuals can be ordered to stand trial. The case involves operations carried out during the period from 2007-2010, ANSA said.  Associated Press writer Erika Kinetz in Shanghai contributed to this report.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

■ national NEWS

Uber drivers might be employees? By Barbara Ortutay AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A ruling in the case of a single Uber driver could have much broader implications for the popular ride-hailing service and for companies like it that rely on workers they see as independent contractors for on-demand services. The California Labor Commission has ruled that an Uber driver should be considered a company employee, not an independent contractor. The driver, Barbara Ann Berwick, filed a claim last year saying Uber owed her unpaid wages and other expenses. Uber has long contended that it is a technological platform used by independent drivers and their passengers to arrange and pay for rides. The commission, however, found that Uber acted like an employer, and the driver, like a delivery person for a pizza parlor, was an employee. It awarded Berwick $4,152.20 in {SUICIDES cont’d from page 1} and innovation. According to a memorial page set up for Nguyen, he passed away at his childhood home of an apparent suicide. It is not known why Nguyen decided to end his life. Attempts to contact his school and representatives for the family were not returned. One might assume that the healing process is continuing, and the lack of a response may be due to the fact that no one wants to speak about what happened or have to explain to an outsider the pain they feel from their loss. Izabel Laxamana jumped from a freeway overpass in Tacoma on May 30. The 13-yearold left several suicide notes to her family, according to Tacoma Police Department Public

expenses and interest. For Uber, a privately held company valued at $40 billion, the case is clearly not about the money involved but about what it could mean for its long-term business model and how it is regulated. While Uber holds itself out as “nothing more than a neutral technological platform,” it is in fact “involved in every aspect of the operation,” the commission said in its June 3 ruling, which was filed on Tuesday. San Francisco-based Uber stressed that the ruling is nonbinding and only applies to one driver. It is also appealing the decision. “(It) is contrary to a previous ruling by the same commission, which concluded in 2012 that the driver `performed services as an independent contractor, and not as a bona fide employee.’ Five other states have also come to the same conclusion,” Uber said in a statement. The ruling is among legal challenges facing the company, along with Lyft, another ride-hailing service, from drivers

Information Officer Loretta Cool. In an email reply, Cool stated that the King County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide. Online rumors claimed that Laxamana had committed suicide due to a YouTube video, which her father posted as punishment. In the video, he had her hair cut. More rumors indicated that she was bullied at school. “Though there was a controversial video of her father disciplining her, to date, there is no evidence of abuse, bullying, or prior knowledge of suicide ideations,” stated Cool. According to spokesperson for the Tacoma Public School District, Elle Warmuth, the school district had turned over the investigation to Tacoma Police and Warmuth indicated that the matter was “still under investigation.” Laxmana attended Giaudrone Middle School

seeking benefits and protections afforded to regular workers. But they are not the only regulatory hurdles the companies face. In New York City, the companies are battling efforts to regulate their apps, saying the efforts stall innovation and threaten competition Currently, the companies treat drivers as independent contractors, which means they don’t have to pay benefits. Classifying the workers as employees could raise the companies’ expenses significantly — and would go against the heart of their business model and identity. Their selling points for attracting drivers are couched in ideas like freedom and autonomy. “It’s important to remember that the number one reason drivers choose to use Uber is because they have complete flexibility and control. The majority of them can and do choose to earn their living from multiple sources, including other ride sharing companies,” Uber said. 

in Tacoma. The Laxamana story has been skewed due to online speculation and rumor. According to a further statement from Dan Voelpel, Public Information Director of the Tacoma Public School District, once the middle school Principal for Laxamana became aware of the video, they contacted Child Protective Services. A report was made and Laxamana received counseling support at school. After news of her death, a crisis response team was dispatched to Laxamana’s middle school, as well as other Tacoma schools where students and staff had a connection to Laxamana. On Monday, June 1st, the first school day after Laxamana’s passing that previous Saturday, approximately 150 students at Laxamana’s school met with crisis counselors. The statement denied rumors that Giaudrone staff members may have “shamed” Laxamana centering around her not being allowed to run for an ASB office due to lack of parental permission. They also denied any knowledge that she was harassed, intimidated, or bullied by any student at her school. It’s not clear to investigators, family, or friends why Nguyen or Laxamana decided to commit suicide. The most recent study on Asian Americans and suicide reflect that it is the second leading cause of death for Asian Americans aged 15to 34. While the study may be showing its age as the data was compiled in 2007, the factors for suicide

may still resonate with the Asian American community. Professor Stanley Sue, who is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University, indicated that Asian Americans are less likely to self-disclose their personal problems. They are also less likely to take advantage of mental health services. Instead, they would rely on their cultural traditions of discipline and family order as a way to solve problems. Locally, the Asian Counseling and Referral Services is just one of the outlets that can assist those in need of help. “We see youth 5 years old to those still in high school activities,” stated ACRS Clinical Supervisor Jennifer Kreuger. She indicated that some of those involved in high school may be over the age of 18 due to a variety of reasons. Kreuger stated that it has 320 active cases which there are children in crisis. ACRS provides year-round assistance to the Seattle, Highline, Kent, Renton, and Bellevue school districts. “We encourage people to pay attention and to connect to resources,” Kreuger advised of how people could become aware of youth that might be contemplating suicide. “People end their life not necessarily because they want to die, but because they believe that they do not have other choices.”  For more information, contact www.acrs.org. Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

■ COMMUNITY calendar THU 6/25 WHAT: Asian American & Pacific Islander Community Roundtable WHERE: APCC, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 6-7 p.m. COST: Free

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

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

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

{GRADUATES cont’d from page 3} this question. My unique leadership identity isn’t my ability to inspire others, but the ability to be deeply inspired by others. I’m a listener, collaborator, problem-solver…all different ways of helping others fulfill their dreams. I love nothing more than to hear someone pour their heart out and find their vision, and all I want to do in my life is help those visions come true… I’m just along for the ride, ready to jump out and change a tire if necessary, but just enjoying the company of being a fellow human being.” Benjamin Lee University of Washington senior Benjamin Lee hopes to play a part in finding a peaceful resolution. A finalist this year for the Carnegie Endowment Junior Fellowship, he researches the similarities and differences between inter-Korean and cross-

strait relations. Fluency in Korean, Mandarin and English granted him access to a wider variety of sources during his research, including primary documents and even in-person interviews during his study abroad year in Taipei, Taiwan. With support from the UW Early Identification Program Presidential Scholarship and the Mary Gates Research Scholarship, he presented his Honors thesis on Taiwanese and South Korean diplomacy at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. At the UW he immersed himself in The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies classes to help “contextualize

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RSVP: 206-682-7328, michael@ bluewavepolitics.com

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

THU 7/2 WHAT: Legacy of Justice Preview Party on First Thursday Art Walk WHERE: Impact HUB, 220 2nd Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 6-8 p.m.

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

FRI 7/10 WHAT: Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber luncheon with Charles Magness WHERE: Cafe Ori, 14339 NE 20th St., Bellevue WHEN: 11 a.m. COST: $20

the Korean conflict in a regional and global sense” and to deepen his understanding of international conflicts. He is pursuing departmental honors in international studies and in Chinese, for which he received a FLAS Fellowship in 2012-13. Jessica Wang Jessica Wang was an undergraduate student at the University of Washington, She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. She plans to take a gap year to work, learn, and experience the real world before re-entering the life of a student in medical school. Wang writes, “These past four years went by really fast… college was more than getting grades and doing schoolwork. Looking back, I feel some of the most valuable experiences I have had were the ones where we stuck our nose into something we were curious about.” Varsha Govindaraju Varsha Govindaraju is a senior student majoring in anthropology and law, societies, and justice with minors in human rights and diversity at UW. She was recently selected as a 2015-16 Luce Scholar. A graduate of Federal Way Public Academy, Govindaraju is one of only 18 students nationwide to receive the award this year. The Luce Scholars Program is a major national scholarship designed to raise awareness of Asia among young American

INFO: seattlechinesechamber. org

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

THRU 8/14 WHAT: Washington Overseas Chinese Artists Association WHERE: The Gallery at TCC WHEN: Mon-Thu, 12-5 p.m. COST: Free INFO: 253-460-4306

leaders and funds a stipend and language training, and places scholars in professional worksites in Asia. This year, more than 156 candidates were recommended by 16 nominating institutions. At 18 years old, Govindaraju is this year’s youngest Luce Scholar. Her intellect and curiosity found an outlet in the Honors Program and at the Robinson Center for Young Scholars. Aleyna Yamaguchi Aleyna has had quite the journey during her time at University of Washington. She’s studied abroad in Rome, volunteered for tsunami relief in Japan, and studied Law, Justice, and Societies as her major. She’s been developing her legal background, which she will use to be working towards a Masters in Jurisprudence, and where she will be among the first students to attend this particular program. She hopes this experience and background will provide a strong support for her to pursue her true passion, which lies in sports management. “I’ve always wanted to be a sports agent and represent football players,” she said. She currently works with a street team for Seattle Seahawks, and she would eventually like to work for the Seahawks. She hopes all these experiences will help her build communities through athletic out reach programs.  Greg Young can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

MONO: Two new albums Japanese experimental rock explores the dark and seeing light

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

friends, and fans all over the world we met over the years, over the bridge we created, we can continue to do what we do. We are truly thankful for that.

Japanese band MONO, an instrumental quartet, combines elements of noise, minimalism, space rock, shoe-gazing, and until recently, collaborations with players of orchestral instruments. The band comes to Seattle’s music venue Neumos on June 24th. Guitarist Takaakira “Taka” Goto took some questions over e-mail.

NWAW: How has the rock scene in Japan grown and changed over the years? Goto: We actually don’t know a lot about the Japanese scene. There are actually few really cool scenes and bands. Everybody is doing really DIY (Do It Yourself) though.

NWAW: Has the band ever played in Seattle before? What kind of reaction does the band get in Seattle? Goto: We have played in Seattle more than 10 times. Seattle is actually one of our favorite cities in America.

NWAW: How has the band grown and changed over the years?

Goto: To be honest, the 15 years went by fast. We traveled the world together every year, and we feel like we all grew up together gradually, as children to adults. Everything we saw was fresh, everything we did was an adventure, with a continuation of facing the unknown, excitement, and setbacks. The whole process was like learning all the essentials of life through our music and travels. We think all of these experiences made our sounds. Creating a musical bridge is our job, and because of all the people, colleagues,

NWAW: What led you to release two albums at once as an overarching statement? Goto: The reason for this is because there were two sides of strong emotion crashing inside of me—an absolute darkness and hope. The darkness didn’t have anything to do with sadness, it was more or less about anger and suffering, like an endless disappointment or an uncontrollable despair. From these feelings, I started writing for a new album. But when you actually start writing based on these feelings, your daily life starts to become {see MONO cont’d on page 13}

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NWAW: “Rays of Darkness” is the first album you’ve had in a long time, to feature no orchestral parts. What led to this new direction? Goto: It was the time to find a new direction without an orchestra. Also, we’re making darker, heavier music…we just think trying something we have never done before is very important.

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NWAW: What are the oddest and scariest gigs the band ever played? How did you get through them? Goto: It was in Providence in 2005. Suddenly, the police came into the venue with guns during the show and our show was canceled because another policeman was killed by someone in front of the venue before the show. It was unreal and crazy.

MONO

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NWAW: What are the best cities in America for MONO to play in and why? Goto: Especially New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Basically, we love everywhere in America because we have many great friends and fans in each city.

NWAW: What bands, Japanese and/ or otherwise, were crucial to the band’s inspiration, and why? Goto: Envy and Boris are really good friends. They are releasing and touring like us. We hang out together often when we are in Tokyo.

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

Becoming a diverse leader Wise words for our new graduates

“The late Elson S. Floyd inculcated a culture of openness and diversity at Washington State University that will remain one of our guiding principles. About a third of WSU’s annual freshman class come from ethnically diverse backgrounds. By creating a highquality institution that is accessible and affordable, we are educating the next generation of diverse leaders.”

— Lynne K. Varner Assoc. Vice Pres., Public Affairs, Washington State University

“Embrace your culture, values, strengths and create a leadership style that is your own. It’s important to celebrate and leverage the unique perspectives that each person brings to the table and to respect and listen to one another.”

— Marci Nakano, Executive Director Executive Development Institute

“Diversity drives innovation; the more people we have approaching a problem from different perspectives, the faster and more efficiently that problem is solved. At King County, we are committed to empowering and developing our employees, and ensuring current and future leaders reflect the diversity of our community.”

— Dow Constantine King County Executive

“Today’s leaders must recognize and leverage the value of diversity to effectively address the challenges of a more complex world. Leaders’ curiosity about those from diverse backgrounds enables them to better maximize their respective assets. “Diversity of thought” challenges assumptions and accelerates problem-solving, creating richer workplaces and capable organizations. Value the diversity of your people, while building an atmosphere where everybody belongs.”

— E.M. “Eddie” Pasatiempo Chief / Client Officer, Serengeti Law

“A successful future depends upon how well we prepare our future leaders. It is important to recognize and celebrate each person’s individuality, foster creativity, and encourage people to share their unique gifts. We must be openminded and enthusiastic about creating, maintaining, and modeling a culture of open communication and acceptance.”

— Dr. Jean Hernandez President, Edmonds Community College

“To manifest diversity’s power, a leader must have the unique ability to genuinely see the world through another’s eyes. But this is challenging, because such learning requires that we first confront our own cultural biases. To develop diverse leaders, teach openness and empathy. Model inclusiveness. And celebrate differences. Every day.”

— Daryl J. Campbell President and CEO, Seattle Goodwill

“I strongly believe that we have a duty to ensure that the next generation of leaders reflect the diversity of our community. That is why I secured a $5,000 grant for the API Community Leadership Foundation to help us achieve this essential objective.”

— Rod Dembowski King County Councilmember

“When people from diverse backgrounds, races and cultures are brought together, discussions become so much richer. If everyone looked alike, talked alike and held the same viewpoints, what a boring place this would be! I much prefer the world in in all its vibrant shades and hues – when diversity is allowed to flourish, magic happens.”

“We strongly believe in making sure the leadership and sales force in our organization reflect the multidimensional composition of the communities we serve. Leaders are found in every group of people, and we consciously select a diverse cross-section of associates to attend our leadership training seminars. The better we reflect our customers, the better our business becomes. It’s been our strength for over 103 years.”

— Jon Bridge Co-chair, Ben Bridge Jeweler

“Education provides an opportunity to view life with fresh eyes. You are standing in a new place, seeing from a new perspective. The talents and strengths discovered through your own hard work and persistence are in your hands. Now, use your heart to apply them to your life and community.”

— Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D. President, Shoreline Community College

This ad was sponsored by members of our community.

— Jan Levy Executive Director, Leadership Tomorrow

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

■ arts & entertainment

No silent treatment Classic film receives soundtrack from local ensemble

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

since then, so much of the score we’ll be performing is all new. Back then we didn’t have katsudo-benshi (“moving picture narrator”) in our arsenal and this particular film affords a great opportunity for that. Also, last year in Tokyo, we found a copy of the original script, that will allow us to do a very accurate and detailed narration.

Seattle’s ever-unpredictable Aono Jikken Ensemble brings a special one-night only presentation to the SIFF Cinema Uptown on July 11th: A screening of Yasujiro Ozu’s classic silent film “A Story Of Floating Weeds,” with live music, sound effects, and bilingual narration from a Japanese-style benshi narrator. The Ensemble’s founder, Bill Blauvelt, took some questions over email.

NWAW: How did the Ensemble go about preparing the score and the benshi accompaniment? How many times did you have to go through the film start-to-finish?

NWAW: When and how did the Aono Jikken Ensemble get started, and what were its first projects? Blauvelt: Aono Jikken Ensemble began in 1997 and grew out of a group of musicians and performers who had been collaborating in different configurations for a few years. Much of it was improvisational in nature where music, sound, art, and movement were openly explored. The idea for a group took shape with a performance I put together for a festival at the Northwest Asian American Theatre where we combined traditional Asian, western and world instruments, with toys, found objects, and electronics, along with movement and visual art. At that time I was also programming the Seattle Asian American Film Festival and wanted to bring a Japanese avantgarde silent film called “A Page of Madness” and have it accompanied by live music. The festival didn’t have the budget to hire anyone so I asked the musicians I had been

working with to help me create an original live score. We performed it in a midnight screening at the old Speakeasy cafe in Belltown to an enthusiastic response and the rest is history. NWAW: What were the biggest influences of the Ensemble, and how have its influences changed over time? Blauvelt: The group’s influences are very far ranging and include pretty much all forms of music from around the world. Each member has their own set of influences which would be too many to list but as an example my own influences include modern classical and film composer Toru Takemitsu, jazz musician John Coltrane, composer/musician Teiji Ito, pop producer Brian Wilson, and taiko artist Eitetsu Hayashi. The group’s projects are usually, but

not exclusively, rooted in Japanese music, art and culture. That’s the root of things and the springboard we take off from. Music and sound wise though we are wide open and very ominvorous, always looking for new or different things to incorporate. With our score for “A Story of Floating Weeds” you’ll hear a range of Japanese music, including chindon (street music), minyo (folk), kabuki, and Taisho-era pop tunes alongside, or sometimes intermingled with, Jewish klezmer, African folk, Americana, and experimental soundscapes. NWAW: What led you to select Ozu’s “A Story of Floating Weeds”? Blauvelt: Ozu was such a great filmmaker and this was a pivotal work in his career. It marked the point at which he worked through

the experimentations of his earlier films and introduced what would become trademarks of his now famously rigorous style. The film has a wonderfully bittersweet quality to it and is a deft blend of the comedic goings-on of a traveling theatre troupe and the poignant family drama Ozu would become famous for. We actually first scored “A Story of Floating Weeds” in 1999 and at that time the film was only available in this country in a rather badly damaged print. The film was recently digitally restored for DVD release, which is a rarity for a Japanese silent film. The restoration has the film looking great so it’s been on our list to revisit for a while now. At first we thought it would be easy to just do our old score and maybe tweak it a little. Well, after re-listening we realized that we’ve gotten better and learned a lot more

■ business

Blauvelt: It’s hard to say exactly how many times we’ll go through the film from head to tail as we break it down into sections, but it is quite a few times. Our usual process is that I watch the film and transcribe it into a shot-by-shot script and do research about the film, setting, time period, story and director. Naho Shioya, our benshi, will go through the film and do a literal translation of the Japanese intertitles and figure out what the characters are saying in the sequences where they talk but the dialogue is not titled on screen. Together we’ll work on adapting what was already written and decide what dialogue will be in English or Japanese then write any original material needed for the narration. The whole group will watch the film together and discuss it then everyone will take the script and watch the film on their own. Each member will bring in ideas and examples of existing {see OZU cont'd on page 12}

Columbia Pacific invests in Shanghai hospital Seattle-based Columbia Pacific Management – one of the largest healthcare providers in Asia, with 28 hospitals in India and Southeast Asia and three senior care facilities in China – announced it is officially entering the China hospital market with an investment in a 200-bed orthopedic hospital in Shanghai. The Seattle-based firm last fall announced it was building two 250-bed multi-specialty hospitals through its new China hospital arm, Columbia China, both set to open in 2018. The company also owns three outpatient clinics in Shanghai under the Columbia China name. But the company’s investment in the 200-bed Kaiyuan Orthopedic Hospital in Shanghai’s Pudong District marks the first time that Columbia China will operate a hospital in China. The investment also positions Columbia China as a major player in Shanghai’s orthopedic services market. The hospital, which will eventually operate under the Columbia China brand, will offer orthopedic services, from joint replacement and arthroscopic surgeries to rehabilitation care. Over the next few years, the company will expand the hospital to 300 beds.

The Kaiyuan hospital expands Columbia China’s presence in Shanghai. The company last fall opened a multi-specialty clinic in the central Puxi District and earlier this year opened a plastic and reconstructive surgery clinic in the Changning District. A second

Columbia China plastic and reconstructive surgery clinic will open later this year in Shanghai’s Huangpu District. Columbia Pacific has been operating in Asia for more than 20 years. The company is planning a significant expansion in

China, similar to the network of hospitals the company owns in India and Southeast Asia through another affiliate, Columbia Asia. In China, Columbia Pacific is focusing on large cities – Shanghai is 24 million people; the two greenfield hospitals under construction are in Wuxi (7.5 million) and Changzhou (3.5 million) – with hospitals and clinics designed to serve the wideranging medical needs of the country’s fast-growing middle class. Columbia Pacific has strong ties to China. In 2011 the firm’s China senior care affiliate, Cascade Healthcare, became the first foreign-owned company to receive permission from the Chinese government to build senior care facilities in China and now has three facilities: one in Beijing and two in Shanghai. The first Columbia Asia hospital opened in Malaysia in 1994 and the network has since grown to 28 hospitals in India and Southeast Asia. The hospitals are designed to serve Asia’s rapidly growing middle class with multi-specialty hospitals located close to where patients live and work. 

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

OPINION

■ editorial

Seattle welcomes the CACA Biennial National Convention (And you can help out!)

The Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) will be having its 53rd Biennial Convention this summer, August 6-9, and we are proud to say that Seattle will be hosting. This is a real honor for the city because we are the youngest chapter of the 18 chapters across the country. CACA was founded in 1895 by a group of Chinese Americans in San Francisco. Since its inception the alliance has played a role in many civil rights milestones, including the Magnuson Act, which repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and supporting the Civil Rights Act of 1965. CACA has now grown to 18 chapters across the country

with a national board with representatives. We want to make sure Seattle can express its hospitality. The four-day convention will be host to many exciting activities: tours of our beautiful city (ride the duck!), a visit to the Wing Luke and Chinatown, Spirit of America banquet/gala, business sessions, seminars, education workshops, and special guest speakers. There are volunteer opportunities (and you don’t have to be a member) for all these events, ranging from reception, chaperoning excursions, meal and meeting setup, to helping create printed material. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of an

important cultural event, and a first national CACA event for the city. The convention is fast approaching, so please get involved and help represent Seattle! We would like to ensure the convention will be a memorable experience.  For more information about the convention, visit cacaseattle.org. To volunteer, email president@cacaseattle.org.

■ publisher’s blog Devotion to WSU was more important than his life What we learned from Elson Floyd

The first black president of Washington State University (WSU), Elson Floyd, died of colon cancer on June 20. He was 59 years old. The last six months of his life was critical to the success of WSU establishing its own medical school, thus ending the monopoly of the University of Washington (UW) as the only academic institution running a medical school in the Northwest. President Floyd gave it all to WSU, including sacrificing his life to found the WSU medical school. I don’t think he saw any other options during his fight with UW to get the state’s approval for the medical school. He knew the dire consequences and troubling implications if WSU couldn’t achieve its goal even though it was an impossible dream at the beginning. My guess is that, he cared more about WSU than his life for the following reasons. 1. Dealing with scrutiny as an African American university president While Floyd was a role model for the African academic community, he had very

It was tough to say “no” to Floyd. Elson Floyd

few models himself. There are not that many African American men heading a four-year college, especially a predominantly white university. The mainstream community, which often lacks understanding toward minority communities, judges them through the lens of a few individuals of color. Floyd was determined not to fail. The pressure and stress on him was difficult to imagine. 2. The timing of his illness Floyd kept his colon cancer quiet for fear of distraction in the middle of the battle to attain the medical school for the university. He should have taken a leave much earlier

to take care of his health instead of a few weeks before his death. He couldn’t during the legislature. He needed to earn every vote from the legislators, not to mention that he had worked tirelessly to make WSU a world-class university from day one when he was president in 2007. Studies have found that early detection and immediate treatment can cure a patient’s colon cancer. Cancer is a serious sickness, no one should delay aggressive

treatment. Research suggests that anywhere from 40 percent to 100 percent of people with cancer have fatigue. The much-needed rest for him had taken a back seat. There’s always one more phone call to return, one more visit you are obligated to make, and one more meeting to attend. Perhaps if he would have taken a leave to fight the cancer, it could have been a different story. But he might have thought it was too risky to leave—WSU’s future was in his hands. The foundation for the medical school which he and his staff had worked so hard on, would be jeopardized. From start to finish, he was relentless. His presence was critical to reassure skeptics, lobby legislators, and win the public over. {see FLOYD cont’d on page 14}

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.

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Proposals from qualified firms interested in providing engineering, architectural, and related services for predesign, final design, and services during construction necessary to construct the new Loop® Fleet Repair & Maintenance Facility. 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 estimated price of Phase I of this contract is $400,000. The total estimated price of all remaining phases is $1Million. The period of performance for Phase I is estimated to be six months. The period of performance of all remaining phases is estimated to be two years. Contract Title: Architectural and Engineering

Services for Loop® Fleet Repair & Maintenance Facility Number: E00381E15 Proposals due: July 14, 2015 Time: 12:00 p.m. Pre-proposal Meeting: June 26, 2015 Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Chinook Bldg, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA; Room 121 SUMMARY OF WORK: Services to provide a bid package with fully developed drawings and specifications for all of the required site improvements for the new Loop® Fleet Repair & Maintenance Facility, including building(s), utilities, paving and striping, building foundation, civil site work, site lighting, fencing, and landscaping. SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: structural, mechanical, civil, electrical, and geotechnical engineering; land surveying; LEED expertise; community relations; permitting; and archaeological services. SCS UTILIZATION REQUIREMENTS: The

Consultant shall ensure that at least 16% of the Contract Price for all Work, 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 Ruth Williamson, Contract Specialist via email at ruth.williamson@ kingcounty.gov or via telephone at 206-2639333, 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.

asianweekly northwest

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

{US OPEN cont’d from page 1} the lead seemed to change after each hole as golfers either made incredible shots or unfortunate misses. Despite the constant criticism about the grass and the putting greens, the excitement of the final day of the tournament exceeded expectations. Perhaps someone not fond of the course was Tiger Woods. One of the most popular golfers during the practice rounds, Woods was in trouble from the start of the tournament on Thursday. His rounds saw him scouring the grounds for his ball as his shots were all over the course. In one instance, he slipped and almost fell on his behind while navigating a grassy hill. He even lost his club on the back swing as he tried to dig out his ball from a patch of grass. He was 10 over par for an 80 (which is bad) on Thursday including nine holes where he scored over par. At one point, 15-year-old amateur golfer Cole Hammer was in front of Woods on the leaderboard. On Friday, Woods did a little better scoring 6 over par for a 76, but he did not make the cut of players to make it to play the weekend. In comparison, Jordan Spieth, the eventual winner of the tournament shot a 68 and 67 on Thursday and Friday of the tournament. Tony Finau was in contention on the final day but faded on Sunday. The 25-year-old Finau is the first person of Tongan and American Samoan descent

Jordan Speith

to play on the Professional Golfers Association Tour. The 6’4” Finau was one of the taller golfers at the U.S. Open. In fact, Finau was offered college basketball scholarships but chose to turn professional in golf at the age of 17. In the end, Finau finished 2 over par and tied for 14th place. One of the more popular Asian players on the course was Shigeki Matsuyama. He was followed throughout his golf rounds by Japanese media and fans. Although the course had strict rules against obtaining autographs, Matsuyama obliged his fan

{OZU cont'd from page 10} music for inspiration as well as fully realized pieces or music fragments to work on. Together we’ll refine things into a hopefully seamless whole that’s attuned to the film. NWAW: Does the Ensemble use the same benshi each time, or do folks rotate? Who writes the narration? What are the most formidable challanges of becoming a benshi? Blauvelt: Our one and only benshi is Naho Shioya. The role requires such a unique combination of skills that it’s hard to fulfill, particularly the way we employ it. Naho, a native of Japan, is a professionally trained actor and performer who is fluent in Japanese and English, has musical training and can sing. We use all those elements to create a unique take on the benshi art form. I write the scripts with her and we aim to not only honor the benshi tradition but create a modern, multicultural version that makes the benshi part of the ensemble rather than a separate entity performing over background music. A good benshi has to be able to perform a wide range of character voices, write and impart clear original narration, provide on-the-fly commentary crafted for the audience at

base by signing for fans after finishing up practice at the driving range. Matsuyama tied for 18th as he was 3 over par. Despite the disappointing showing, Matsuyama is the 14th ranked golfer in the world despite just turning pro in 2013. India’s Anirban Lahiri did not make the cut as he was 7 over par. The 27year old Lahiri was the only player from India in the U.S. Open field. Although Lahiri primarily plays on the Asian and European Tours, he made the U.S. Open field. Earlier this year, Lahiri was just the third golfer from India to play in The Masters. Notably, UW alum Cheng-Tsung Pan made the cut of players to play the weekend. With his college golf coach as his caddy, Pan was a home state favorite. During the practice round on Tuesday, he wore a purple Husky shirt in honor of his alma mater. According to Wayne Okimoto, durihng te practice rounds, fans watching Pan cheered and applauded him and some shouted “Go Dawgs” in support. Another Dawg did not fare so well at Chambers Bay as Richard Lee did not make the cut. The Newport High School and UW grad did not make it to the weekend. It was Lee’s first major tournament in several months as he was battling a thumb injury. 

2015 US Open Asian American players tally Championship winner: Jordan Speith (US) 275 score (5 under par), $1,800,000 Other scores & WINNINGS: Tony Finau (US) 282 (tied for 14th), $156,935 Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) 283 (tied for 18th), $113,686 Kevin Na (US) 288 (tied for 46th), $37,090 Cheng-Tsung Pan (Chinese Taipei) 293 (tied for 64th), $23,822 Missed cut after two rounds: Tiger Woods (US) Hiroyuki Fujita (Japan) Masahiro Kawamura (Japan) Wen-Chiong Liang (China) Thongchai Jadee (Thailand) Byeong-Hun An (South Korea) Ryo Ishikawa (Japan) Shiv Kapur (india) Gunn Yang (South Korea) amateur Shunsuki Sonoda (japan) Danny Lee (New Zealand) Rickie Yutaka Fowler (US) Richard H. Lee (US) Seuk-Hyun Baek (South Korea) Alex Kim (US)

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

hand, and when called upon, sing a song or two. Katsudobenshi (literally “moving picture narrator”) have, not surprisingly, become a rare thing. At one time there were around two thousand benshi, some who were wildly popular, that performed for all screenings of silent films, both foreign and domestic. Today, in Japan, there are only about half a dozen people doing it seriously. I’ve also heard of a few people who’ve done benshi in English or another language for special screenings but these are essentially one-offs. NWAW: Who are the Ensemble members, and what does each one contribute? Blauvelt: The ensemble members come from different musical backgrounds--some have formal training, some are self-taught and everyone is a multi-instrumentalist. Esther Sugai plays flutes, accordian and melodica; Michael Shannon plays a variety of western, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern stringed instruments and reeds; Marcia Takamura plays koto and shamisen; David Stanford plays guitar, clarinet, saxophone and does live sound processing. Naho Shioya, besides acting as benshi, is the vocalist and finds period songs for us to use. I play taiko, percussion, prepared string instruments and provide Foley (sound) effects. Everyone also plays various percussion instruments, as well as children’s

sound toys and found objects. NWAW: What’s in the future for the Ensemble, this year and beyond? Blauvelt: We have a slate of projects in the works including a program of early Japanese animation shorts that were the precursor to today’s anime, and the 1928 expressionist masterpiece “”Jujiro (Crossroads)” that was actually the first Japanese film to be celebrated in the west, over 20 years before “Rashomon.” We also have more works by Kenji Mizoguchi, Hiroshi Shimizu and Yasujiro Ozu on the horizon. We’re looking to take some of our recent work on the road and are looking for presenting partners. And we’re always interested in new commissions for unusual projects.  “A Story Of Floating Weeds” plays one night only, Saturday, July 11, at SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Avenue North. For more information visit http://www.siff.net/cinema/ a-story-of-floating-weeds-with-aono-jikken-ensemble. Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

For the week of June 27–July 3, 2015 By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — A couple of new developments could bring some changes in the near future. Whether they are permanent is up to you.

Dragon — You have the edge in an upcoming competition. While you may have an advantage, you will still have to hustle to win.

Monkey — Trying to decide whether to speak up on a controversial issue? An important consideration is whether you will regret doing so later.

Ox — Are you unsure of how much you need to invest in a current project? Whether it’s time or resources, don’t promise more than you can deliver.

Snake — If you want your words to carry greater weight with a certain audience, then be sure to back it up with solid action.

Rooster — While the returns or rewards may not be immediate, there are some things that are done for the long-term gains.

Tiger — It can be hard to let go of a long-held standard, even if it is now outdated. The sooner you move on, the better the outcome.

Horse — Why guess if you don’t have to? Sometimes it is just easier to ask what is needed, so you know what you have to deal with.

Dog — A pressing concern could take you away from your usual routine for a short time. However, it will only be a temporary situation.

Rabbit — Start working on getting the smaller items off your list first, and build momentum as you tackle the bigger ones.

Goat — Check to see if everyone is on board before you go full steam ahead on the plans that you have laid out.

Pig — Though you feel strongly about a specific course of action, it is highly recommended that you give yourself a couple of alternatives as well.

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.

{GUN VIOLENCE cont’d from page 4} A frontier nation like the U.S., Australia had a similar attitude toward firearms prior to a 1996 mass shooting that killed 35. Soon after, tight restrictions on gun ownership were imposed and no such incidents have been reported since. A similar effect has been seen elsewhere. “The USA is completely out of step with the rest of the world. We’ve tightened our gun laws and have seen a reduction,” said Claire Taylor, the director of media and public relations at Gun Free South Africa. Ahmad Syafi’i Maarif, a prominent Indonesian intellectual and former leader of Muhammadiyah, one of the country’s largest Muslim organizations, said the church shooting shocked many. “People all over the world believed that racism had gone from the U.S. when Barack Obama was elected to lead the superpower, twice,” he said. “But the Charleston shooting has reminded us that in fact, the seeds of racism still remain and were embedded in the hearts of small communities there, and can explode at any time, like a terrorist act by an individual.” A 21-year-old white man, Dylann Storm Roof, now faces nine counts of murder for the South Carolina shooting. An acquaintance said Roof had complained that “blacks were taking over the world.” Many places around the world struggle with racism and prejudice against outsiders, but mass shootings in the U.S., where the Constitution’s second amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, often receive widespread global attention. “Guns are in their constitution,” said Joanna Leung, a 34-year-old Toronto resident. “I’m pretty sure no one else has anything similar. I never understand why they think gun violence is going to solve anything.” In Britain, the attack reinforced the view that America has too many guns and too many racists. The front-page headline of The Independent newspaper said simply, “America’s shame.” The newspaper said in an editorial that America seems to have moved backward in racial relations since Obama’s election, and that the “obscene proliferation of guns only magnifies tragedies” like the church shooting. The leftist Mexico City newspaper

La Jornada said the U.S. has become a “structurally violent state” where force is frequently used domestically and internationally to resolve differences. “In this context, the unchecked and even paranoid citizen armament is no coincidence: Such a phenomenon reflects the feeling of extensive sectors about the supposed legitimacy of violent methods,” it said. In China, the official Xinhua News Agency said the violence in South Carolina “mirrors the U.S. government’s inaction on rampant gun violence as well as the growing racial hatred in the country.” “Unless U.S. President Barack Obama’s government really reflects on his country’s deep-rooted issues like racial discrimination and social inequality and takes concrete actions on gun control, such tragedy will hardly be prevented from happening again,” Xinhua said in an editorial. On China’s Twitter-like Weibo microblogging service, some users compared the United States to lawless Somalia and said racial discrimination was fueling violence and high crime rates. Many reflected the official view that gun ownership and violent crime are byproducts of Western-style democratic freedoms that are not only unsuited to China but potentially disastrous. Recalling the recent killings of Chinese and other foreign students in the U.S., office worker Xie Yan said he was still eager to visit the U.S., but would be “extremely careful” there. Xie said he had heard much about racism in the U.S., but was uncertain about the underlying dynamics. “We tend to see the U.S. as a violent place, but I don’t think we understand a lot about racism there. Chinese are free to study, visit and live there so it doesn’t feel like we’re discriminated against,” Xu said while waiting for a train on Beijing’s busy subway line 1. Like Australia, China has had its problems with racial and ethnic discrimination. China is overwhelmingly dominated by one ethnic group, the Han, and activists decry the lack of awareness about discrimination in jobs and housing faced by minorities such as Tibetans and Turkic Muslim Uighurs from the northwest. Chinese police have been accused of heavy-handed tactics against those labeled separatists or terrorists, although such measures appear to be supported by most Chinese.

In Japan, discrimination tends to be based less on skin color than on national origin, resulting in biases against Chinese and Koreans, said Hiroko Takimoto, 41, a patent attorney in Tokyo. Racially motivated killings are “simply something Japanese as a people cannot understand,” she said. Yukari Kato, vice president of the company Ryugaku Journal that assists Japanese students on overseas programs, including about 2,000 in the U.S., said violence there was nothing new and most of the country remained perfectly safe. “It’s no different from Japan. There are places where you can become a victim of crime. You just have to be prepared to defend yourself,” she said. However, Yuka Christine Koshino, 21, a political science student at Tokyo’s Keio University, said she was devastated by the shootings, particularly after having participated in racism awareness campaigns while studying at the University of California, Berkeley. Those interactions had given her hope that the situation was improving. The shootings “shocked me,” said Koshino. Chairman of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates Max de Mesa shared the sentiment of civil rights activists in South Carolina who pointed out that the Confederate battle flag, the symbol of the pro-slavery South during the Civil War, continued to fly over the state even as it mourned. “Some of the (old) structures and some of the attitudes remain and they were even nurtured, at least that is being shown now,” de Mesa said. “That would be no different from a suicide bomber,” he said. “For a jihadist, `I will be with Allah if I do that.’ The other says, `I am proving white supremacy here.”’ Indonesian intellectual Syafi’i Maarif said he hoped the incident would help Americans stop equating terrorism with Islam. “Terrorism and radicalism can appear in every strata of society under various guises and in the name of ethnicity, religion and race,” he said.  Associated Press writers Kristen Gelineau in Sydney, Gregory Katz in London, Robert Gillies in Toronto, Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oliver Teves in Manila, Philippines, John Rice in Mexico City, Courtney Quirin in Johannesburg and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report.

{MONO cont’d from page 8}

much darker and depressing. For example, even when I got out of the studio, my feelings were very rebellious without any thoughts, almost as though I had sold my soul to hell. I started to compose more songs, but in a very different style, not necessarily for MONO, but just for the sake of letting my emotions out. I started to change my lifestyle as well, like I almost always composed songs during late nights, but started writing early in the mornings or in the afternoon instead. Eventually, these new songs started to become like medicine, to live through everyday life. I had no intention of releasing two albums at the same time. But as time went on, I started to be able to accept the songs I wrote when I was in a really bad place, the songs which represented the dark side of me, the songs that I didn’t want to go near to at least for a while. I then had thoughts about making all these songs as one album, but it just did not feel right. “The Last Dawn” is an opposition album to “Rays of Darkness.” It is essentially an album about escaping from the darkness and seeking the light. This is why we decided to release the songs as two albums. NWAW: Do you have any advice for bands starting out in Japan, or anywhere else? Goto: Having new experiences and new adventures is most important in our lives. Life is short, we should try whatever we want. NWAW: What’s in the future for the band after this tour? Goto: We have some shows in Japan in the summer and will tour in Europe in October and November. Also, we will tour in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia in December.  Andrew Hamlin can nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

{FLOYD cont’d from page 11} Every day, WSU’s dream of having its own medical school got closer and closer to becoming a reality. He must have felt as if he just wasn’t allowed to quit. 3. WSU and UW rivalry When WSU made it clear they wanted its own medical school, UW folks were not happy. The competition between Cougars and Huskies has not only been constant, but personal since the universities have existed. Both schools’ alums are fierce loyalists to their own university. Some Seattle elites view WSU as the second-best university in our state. In this medical-school battle with UW, WSU was clearly the underdog. According to Malcolm Gladwell’s book David and

Goliath, underdogs often work much harder and have the audacity to dream big. Floyd led his team with class, and built WSU’s case step by step with conviction and strength. After a well-executed public relations campaign, it was a game-changer for WSU in public opinion in Seattle and other cities. A charismatic speaker, he was well liked and respected. It was tough to say “no” to Floyd. Meantwhile, UW was exposing its weaknesses: President Michael Young’s heart was somewhere else. He was actually planning to leave for another job (we learned afterwards). Now, we understand why he didn’t fight much at all. For self-disclosure purposes, I am a Husky. At first, I too was blinded by the assumption that having another medical school would hurt UW medical school’s funding. Perhaps, being a journalist, I am able to put my emotions

aside and think objectively. Lets get to the facts. Who would gain from having one more medical school? Washington state and our neighboring states including Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Idaho, which don’t have medical school themselves, will be benefited. Consumers and those who aspire to be doctors will have more alternatives. The idea of having two medical schools in our state makes me proud. Who knows? Competition between the two giants may foster innovation and improvement, and perhaps, even collaboration between the two medical schools! The only unexpected and unbearable outcome is that we lost an amazing and irreplaceable leader. President Floyd, may you rest in peace and enjoy the legacy that you have left behind not only for WSU, but the state of Washington. 

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

JUNE 27 – JULY 3, 2015

Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and Asian Pride Project released a series of multilingual PSAs on API parents who love their LGBTQ children in nine different languages that aired on various Asian ethnic TV stations. The PSAs were among the first public outreach efforts to make public the faces of everyday API families with LGBTQ sons and daughters, and inviting other parents to take a stand and share their stories. For Bill Tashima, this progress is just the beginning.

{AIZUMI cont’d from page 1} often describes her journey of accepting and embracing her son’s identity with an image she has in her mind of Aiden reaching into the closet toward her and saying, “Mom, we’re going to do this together.”

{FREEDOM FLAG cont’d from page 1} happy. Last week, we heard we would get four solid votes from the councilmembers. We didn’t expect everyone to go along. And we weren’t prepared to testify—we were emotional during the process in addition to the language barrier. But we won with 8-1 votes. It was a joyous moment for over 100 of those who came to support. “I was honored to work with our great Seattle Vietnamese community to get this legislation passed,” said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, who sponsored the legislation. “It was an awesome demonstration of community organizing with almost 300 people in Council Chambers. The spirit of our Vietnamese culture is one of hope and optimism, overcoming hardship in rebuilding their lives and becoming proud American citizens. Finally, Seattle City hall recognized the importance of the recognition of the Heritage and Freedom Flag.” Below is my testimony to the council about issues of our flag. The American flag is a representation of the unity of 50 diverse states and the ideals

Photo courtesy JACL

Coming out together

Two years ago, Aizumi approached former Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Seattle President Bill Tashima about starting an API LGBTQ family support group. Talks since then helped inspire the Family conference, where Tashima’s own family from Mukilteo and Ohio were in attendance to support him and his nephew, Paul Tashima, the current president of Seattle’s JACL chapter. “Over the last year, we’ve mourned casualties of the silence created within the Asian Pacific Islander community around LGBTQ issues,” said Paul Tashima. “Although isolation, bullying, and shame have always been problems for LGBTQ communities, cultural expectations within communities of color often magnify these issues by avoiding discussion altogether, which only makes it harder for individuals to reach out for support,” he adds. Among the workshop topics covered at the FAMILY conference including Trans 101, Multiracial LGBTQ issues, and immigration. FAMILY also hosted sessions to empower students and allies to start their own gaystraight alliances or reinvigorate current ones. JACL Seattle, in partnership with other local Asian organizations, are also working to create the proper support system for API families of LGBTQ individuals.“When you’re coming out or you’re in a family of someone that is coming out, it is very important to know that there is support out there and there are other people like you. You don’t have to keep everything inside,” said Bill Tashima, who recalls the hardships of growing up gay in the 50s and 60s. “I kept everything inside and it was a struggle. It’s never easy to come out, but it’s really

Attendees at the gathering

important that people know there are others to help you. This not only goes for LGBTQ youth but also to parents of LGBTQ youth, and siblings and children of LGBTQ people because they also have a coming out to do,” said Tashima.

API-specific support groups

FAMILY was a free conference hosted by the JACL in partnership with the Pride Foundation, PFLAG, Tadaima, ACRS, API Chaya and other local organizations. It is one of many conferences at which Aizumi is a featured speaker. Since Aiden’s transition in 2008, Aizumi went from being a reluctant member of PFLAG to becoming an advocate for API LGBTQ issues and co-founding the San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG in Southern California. She, along with Aiden, wrote a book titled, “Two Spirits, One Heart,” about their mutual journey of working through her fear and shame to love and acceptance, which she hopes would help other families struggling to understand their child’s sexual or gender orientation. “I think there are a lot of misconceptions in the API community about individuals bethat bind them all together. Similarly the flag with a yellow field and 3 red bands has been the flag of meaning for South Vietnamese since 1949. It symbolizes the unifying blood running through northern, central, and southern Vietnam. It reminds us of what we stand for: democracy, individual freedom and self-determination. Unfortunately this flag no longer waves in Vietnam. Yet this flag represents these ideals in the minds and hearts of the Vietnamese who were forced out of Vietnam. It not only provides sentimental value for many Vietnamese in the US and abroad but also is a symbol of the values and hopes for all our people. Those ideals are still very much alive with us today. Perhaps one day all Vietnamese will share in the freedoms we now enjoy in democratic states around the world. This flag is our rallying call. We, Vietnamese in the state of Washington urge the city of Seattle to recognize this flag as the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag.  Tony Vu can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

ing LGBTQ. One of the huge issues is that the Asian families think it is a choice, and that it is an American disease. When the children come from countries like China, Korea, or Japan and move to cities that have a larger LGBTQ population, they may think, ‘If I didn’t move to New York or the U.S., they wouldn’t be gay or transgendered.’ I don’t think they understand that this is something the child is born with,” said Aizumi. Correcting misconceptions is a large part of the advocacy work with API LGBTQ families, notes Aizumi. Another vital aspect is finding the proper language to explain heavy terms like ‘queer’ or ‘transgender’, an issue touched on in one of the Family workshops titled, “How to say ‘Queer’ in Mother Tongues.” “If we’re not willing to come out, it means there’s still some shame involved, and then it’s not an unconditional acceptance. I never want parents to feel guilty if it takes some time, because it took me time. It’s a journey for parents. In the end, if the parents can get there, that’s going to be the most important thing for the child to know that their parents accept and love them,” said Aizumi. In 2014, the National Queer Asian Pacific

The start of a greater conversation

“For Japanese Americans, we often wondered why our parents never spoke about incarceration and the struggles that they faced. They only spoke about the happy times, and you really had to delve. It’s only now that we find out a lot of the pain and suffering they endured and it’s only now that we’re talking about it,” said Tashima. “I realized that I was the same way. I didn’t talk about what I went through when I was younger, and now I think well, maybe now it’s time I talk about it too, because it’s important for young people to know that we’ve gone through this too, and we’re here to help you,” he said. Going forward, JACL Seattle chapter President-Elect Sarah Baker and Family conference coordinator and members are discussing the possibility of making Family an annual event, but focus will also be on forming, with the help of local API organizations, an API PFLAG to provide continued support and address the issues that are unique to API LGBTQ individuals and their families.  For more information on the Family conference, visit apifamilyevent.com. For questions about future API LGBTQ family support groups and other resources, contact info@jaclseattle.org. Tiffany Ran can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JULY 3, 2015