PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 34 NO 31
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
FREE
Summer cheers for Asian beers A world of beer—stepping out of the local to find something new
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
BLOG Politics: Avoid or endorse? » P. 10
Hiroyuki Sanada Discusses career and latest movie
By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada plays a key role in the new movie release “Mr. Holmes.” Sanada was in town for the Seattle International Film Festival last month for an early viewing of the movie. In an interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly, he talked about his career, acting alongside Sir Ian McKellen and his role on ABC’s hit television show, “Lost.” “I was surprised that there was a Japanese role in a Sherlock Holmes movie,” Sanada said of his opportunity to be a part of the Sherlock Holmes saga. “I got the offer with the script. I read the script and really enjoyed the story and the character.” A part of Sanada’s role in the movie involves Hiroshima after the {see SANADA cont’d on page 6}
By Greg Young Northwest Asian Weekly I once lived with a roommate who seemed to prefer an obscure little beer that I had never heard of before. That beer was Sapporo, a rice beer from Japan. At the time it seemed peculiar that he’d prefer that over the local, craft IPA that I’d often bring back, but it occurred to me that it was strange only because I was a bit biased; I’d never tried Sapporo before. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least interested in Sapporo; the fact that it was a rice beer alone was appealing, but I also found myself drawn to the can it came in, the sturdiness and thickness of the aluminum, the fact that it practically took a crow bar to open it, and the way the can was shaped like a pint glass, small and narrow at the bottom, and gradually widening toward the top. And the beer is actually pretty good—light, crisp, flavorful. It was as if Sapporo was some kind of crazy, futuristic, space age beer. “Space age” might be a bit of an inappropriate way to describe a beer that began its brewing infancy in the late 19th century. Sapporo came to be when a young Japanese gentleman returned from Germany after finishing studying the art of brewing. After returning to his hometown of Sapporo in 1876, he created a brew in commemoration of his home town; Sapporo Premium Lager. Although it probably wasn’t considered a “premium lager” back in 1876. But over the years, Sapporo has branched out into a few different varieties, such as the Premium Lager, the Reserve, and the Premium Light. Sometime later, I found myself wandering the local grocery store with my newfound appreciation for what turned out to be a love for Asian beer. I came across another high-tech looking Japanese beer, one {see ASIAN BEERS cont’d on page 11}
Hiroyuki Sanada
Seeking resolution for a sad chapter in Seattle’s history By Staff Northwest Asian Weekly
Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata will introduce a resolution July 29 that expresses regret for the anti-Chinese legislation and riots in the 1800s. The resolution acknowledges the contributions of Chinese to Seattle, and reaffirms the City’s commitment to civil rights of all people. “The early Chinese contributed greatly to the development of what was then the town of Seattle and Washington Territory,” said OCA Greater Seattle vice-president Connie So, who also teaches at the University of Washington American Ethnic Studies Program. In Seattle they [Chinese] laid the tracks for the first railroads to the town; graded Pike, Union, Washington and Jackson Streets; worked at local canneries and sawmills; grew produce; worked as domestic servants; dug the earliest portion of
Anti-Chinese poster from 1800’s
the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and established a Chinese quarter in what is now Pioneer Square. At one point, there was 700 Chinese in the town, about 10 percent the Seattle’s total population.
Yet, a number of discriminatory and unfair laws were passed at the federal, territorial and local levels to get rid of all the Chinese because they were seen as “unfair labor,” inferior, deceitful, and heathens based on race. In 1882, the federal government passed the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States. When these laws failed to exclude or get rid of the Chinese here, mobs forcibly and brutally drove them out of Seattle and other towns in the Territory. The 1886 anti-Chinese riot in Seattle led to the removal of some 250 Chinese. Excerpts from the draft of the proposed resolution reveal much of the tragic suffering and harm inflicted: A RESOLUTION expressing regret for the Anti-Chinese {see SEATTLE’S HISTORY cont’d on page 12}
The Inside Story NAMES People in the news » P. 2
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COMMUNITY Time to vote! » P. 3
WORLD Two females in Taiwanese election » P. 5
A&E FILM “The Apu Trilogy” » P. 8
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asianweekly northwest
■ names in the news Liam promoted to Security Specialist at Boeing Michael Liam has recently been promoted to Level 3 Network Security Specialist at The Boeing Company. In his new position, Liam supports Boeing IT’s initiatives to run and protect the business against cyber threats. He also leads the development of security standards, best practices, and governance models for the Michael Liam enterprise, while guiding security risk assessments and mitigation efforts.
Monastrial will supervise at ICHS Sunshine Monastrial was recently promoted to Planning, Development, & Evaluation Supervisor at the International Community Health Services (ICHS), a non-profit community health center that provides culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to improve the health of Sunshine Monastrial Asian Pacific Islanders and the broader community. In this role, she drives the development of ICHS’ community needs assessments; strategic, business, and program plans; policy reviews and analyses; proposal development and grantwriting; program evaluations; and the organization’s various performance measurement tools. She also oversees the management of grants and contracts that support various ICHS programs and services.
Uy appointed Ethnic Media Communications Specialist Joaquin Uy has been appointed as Office of Immigrant
and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) new Ethnic Media and Specialist Communications for the City of Seattle. In this role, Joaquin will work to continue building the Ethnic Media Program, and also serve as OIRA’s Public Information Officer. Joaquin brings years Joaquin Uy of experience both as a radio news director and legislative communications specialist. He will bring to the job an ability to develop effective communications, community engagement and marketing strategies, as well as extensive experience in using communications to advance public policy. In addition to his professional work, Joaquin has been a community leader for many years, serving on the boards of several local nonprofits.
The Washington State Native Taiwanese American Association
Jinyoung Lee Englund receives Maverick award
Jinyoung Lee Englund
Jinyoung Lee Englund received the Future 40 Under 40 award presented by Maverick PAC. Maverick PAC was co-founded by Gov. Jeb Bush’s sons, George P. Bush and Jeb Jr. Every year hundreds of young people are nominated and only 40 are selected as the best in business, politics and identified as future leaders for the country. Englund was the only Asian American and only one from Washington state to receive the award.
Chinatown Seafair parade The Chinatown Seafair parade last Sunday evening attracted crowds and fanfare in the International District
Photos by George Liu/NWAW
2
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
2015 Miss Chinese Seattle Scholarship Pageant contestants
despite record heat levels. The annual parade proceeded from King Street to Fifth Avenue. Highlights included the Miss Chinatown float and representative groups, including the Washington State Native Taiwanese American Association.
Send your exciting news to editor@nwasianweekly.c om.
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ community NEWS
3
Time to vote — August 4! API primary election candidates on your ballot
Bruce Harrell
Kshama Sawant
Pamela Banks
Debadutta Dash
Compiled by Andrew Kim Northwest Asian Weekly Incumbent Bruce Harrell is running for Seattle City Council Position #2 and is opposed by Josh Farris and Tammy Morales. Bruce has been a Seattle councilmember for eight years and is supported by current Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and Congressman Adam Smith. He supports public safety, transportation, jobs/education, and housing issues. While in office, Bruce has sponsored transportation improvements and increased the number of police officers. Kshama Sawant is the current incumbent for Seattle City Council Position #3 and has helped pass the $15/hour minimum wage, prevented rent hikes, and raised funding for a women’s shelter. She continues to be focused on making housing affordable, expanding public transit, and implementing a municipal broadband. She is endorsed by former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, current King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, and numerous community organizations. Pamela Banks is opposing Kshama for Seattle City Council Position #3. Pamela has spent her career uniting people to address complex problems, making progress on racial and economic justice, fair wages for women, and safe, affordable housing for all. She is committed to addressing
John Lee
Hira Singh
Peter Kwon
Mia Su-Ling Gregerson
the affordable housing crisis, is a vocal advocate for police reform, and fights for strong neighborhood schools. Pamela is endorsed by King County Young Democrats, Bruce Harrell, and former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. Debadutta Dash is running for Seattle City Council Position #5. Debadutta immigrated to Seattle in 1996 and since then he has served the community in multiple board positions and as an advisor to the UW Foster School of Business. He has been on the state commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and is running on a platform to improve the infrastructure, increase educational opportunities, and help foster growth by encouraging economic development. John Lee is running for Council Position #6 in Bothell. He grew up in Bothell, is a former UW Husky, and obtained his MBA from Seattle University. According to his campaign website, John is concerned with the issues that come with growth in Bothell and supports building infrastructure to keep up with growing needs. He is currently a general manager at Whelan Security. Hira Singh is running for Council Position #1 in Kent. He is currently a senior software developer at Starbucks and he is running on a platform to support programs and policies that build strong communities such as after-school programs, summer teen job opportunities, apprenticeship
Yoshie Wong
Max Chan
Leonard Luna
programs, and making early education accessible/ affordable. Hira is also a volunteer teacher at the local Punjabi School which helps to teach children computer literacy, music, education, and leadership development. Peter Kwon is a former UW Husky alum and current works as a systems engineer. He is running for SeaTac Council Position #3 and wishes to improve safety, community involvement, and the education system. He has worked in SeaTac to clean up abandoned homes, created yard work parties to help those in need and currently is leading efforts to design a website to resolve neighborhood conflicts. Mia Su-Ling Gregerson graduated from the University of Washington and is currently a State Representative, Mayor of SeaTac, and the incumbent City Council member. Mia has worked to extend the light rail and advocated for healthy, clean, and safe neighborhoods. She has also brought to SeaTac a Smart Growth America grant that provides technical assistance for communities around the light rail stations. Yoshie Wong is running for re-election at Position #4 in the Steilacoom School district. She is the current vice chair and has numerous board positions including treasurer/ {see ELECTION cont’d on page 11}
Endorsed By: OneAmerica Votes The Seattle Times & The Stranger King County Executive Dow Constantine Seattle Mayor Ed Murray Senator Pramila Jayapal Seattle Councilmember John Okamoto Community Leaders Ruth Woo, Joan Yoshitomi, David Della and Mimi Castillo Along with Labor, Environmental, Women’s Groups and Progressive Organizations throughout Seattle...
ElectLorenaGonzalez.com Running Citywide Pos. 9 (At-Large)
Paid for by Elect Lorena | PO Box 23011 | Seattle, WA 98102 (206) 395-5033 | info@electlorenagonzalez.com
asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ national news
Eight brought in workers illegally for Asian eateries
By Joe Mandak Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Eight men recruited immigrants who were in the country illegally to work for low wages at six Asian restaurants the suspects owned or managed in central Pennsylvania, federal prosecutors said. The suspected ringleader — 51-year-old Jing Mei “Jimmy” Jiang of Boalsburg — and the others have agreed to plead guilty, according to documents filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg.
The indictment alleges Jiang and the others conspired to bus in workers from employment agencies in New York City’s Chinatown and paid them less than the $7.25 per hour minimum wage. The workers were immigrants in the country illegally from China, Thailand, Guatemala and Mexico, the indictment said. “Unauthorized alien workers were hired routinely to staff restaurant kitchen operations, thereby cutting costs and maximizing profits,” the Justice Department said in a statement. The New York attorney representing the defendants didn’t
immediately return a call seeking comment Friday. The restaurants are located in State College, about 120 miles east of Pittsburgh. Eight Asian restaurants were raided in June 2014 as part of what’s called an ongoing investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Pennsylvania attorney general. Six of the restaurants were identified as hiring at least 18 of the workers since 2013, though authorities said the conspiracy has been {see ILLEGAL WORKERS cont’d on page 13}
Pao resigns
Controversial CEO leaves Reddit By Marley Jay Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Reddit announced July 3 that interim CEO Ellen Pao resigned from the company, and co-founder Steve Huffman is back as its CEO. The freewheeling online discussion forum and news site, which says it had 164 million unique visitors last month, has been rocked by unrest recently. The firing of a popular staffer earlier this month upset some users, leading to volunteers shutting down parts of the site, and there have been protests over new policies intended to fight harassment. A statement posted on Reddit by Reddit board member Sam Altman said that Pao, who became interim CEO in November, resigned from Reddit by mutual agreement and will continue to advise the board for the rest of 2015.
Altman acknowledged that Reddit moderators should have better tools and communication from the company, but took some users to task for the nature of their comments about Pao. He said Reddit accepts disagreements, but said the site must exercise compassion if it wants to be a great community and said some of the things Reddit users wrote about Pao were “sickening.” “Disagreements are fine. Death threats are not, are not covered under free speech, and will continue to get offending users banned,” Altman wrote. In an email, Pao said she resigned because Reddit’s board was asking for faster user growth than she could deliver while holding on to the site’s core values. She defended Reddit’s policy changes, saying that despite {see PAO cont’d on page 13}
KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE Slide Repair, C00921C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30 p.m., July 30, 2015 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: $315,000 - $370,000. Scope of Work: This project provides for the slide repair of West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE from NE Novelty Hill Rd to approximately 450 feet north in King County by clearing and grubbing, roadway excavation, grading, surfacing, paving with HMA, striping, constructing beam guardrail and anchor, constructing a structural earth wall, and other work, all in accordance with the attached Plans, these Special Provisions, and the 2014 APWA/WSDOT Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge, and Municipal Construction. Contact Information: Mark Hoge, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9325, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or mark.hoge@kingcounty. gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County. All inquiries must be received by the County a minimum of four business days prior to the bid opening date.
Pre-Bid Conference: There is no pre-bid conference or site tour scheduled. The site is open to the public. Training Requirements: No minimum Training Requirement. DBE Participation: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation for this federallyfunded project shall be at least 11% of the contract total. Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price Bid Documents: Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-3821177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review M – F, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg., 3rd Floor 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/ procurement/solicitations
Title VI Compliance: King County in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex in consideration for an award. This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711. Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ WORLD NEWS
5
Two women to vie in Taiwan presidential election By Ralph Jennings Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s top two political parties have each nominated a woman for president in 2016, a historic first signaling acceptance of female leadership and kicking off a campaign highlighted so far by clashing views on ties with rival China. The ruling Nationalist Party on Sunday picked as its candidate Hung Hsiu-chu, a former teacher and the current deputy legislative speaker. Hung, who supports friendly relations with China, will run against Tsai Ing-wen, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman and an advocate of more cautious relations with Beijing. Tsai leads in opinion polls ahead of January’s election.
Ties with Beijing, long icy but cordial since 2008, have shaped up as an early campaign issue. Voters in Taiwan, which has been democratic since the late Hung Hsiu-chu Tsai Ing-wen 1980s, have never elected a woman as president nor had a choice between two female candidates backed by the major parties. Joanna Lei, chief executive officer of the Chunghua 21st Century Think Tank in Taiwan, said that some younger women struggle to advance in Taiwan. However, she said society
accepts the leadership of women over age 50 because they historically ran clans in China, where Taiwan’s culture originates. Women manage 10 government departments and some of Taiwan’s top companies. One third of Taiwanese legislators are female, compared to 13 percent in Japan and 16 percent in South Korea, said Sean King, senior vice president with Park Strategies, a New York-based consultancy firm. Elsewhere in Asia, Park Geun-hye took office two years ago as South Korea’s first female president, and Sheikh Hasina is currently the prime minister of Bangladesh. Women have also been elected to the highest office over the years in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and India. {see PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION cont’d on page 13}
Journalists charged by Thai navy By Thanyarat Doksone Associated Press
Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathien
PHUKET, Thailand (AP) — Testimony began July 14 in a criminal defamation lawsuit filed by Thailand’s navy against a small news website over a report it posted saying naval forces accepted money to assist or turn a blind eye to the trafficking of refugees from Myanmar by sea.
The navy also accused two journalists from the Phuketwan website with violating Thailand’s Computer Crime Act by publishing the article online. If found guilty, Australian editor Alan Morison and his Thai colleague Chutima Sidasathien could each face up to seven years in prison and fines totaling 300,000 baht ($8,815). The case has drawn widespread criticism from human rights and press freedom
groups around the world. The case came to trial following the discovery in May of dozens of bodies buried at several jungle camps on the Thai-Malaysian border where traffickers held migrants as prisoners. Many of the migrants are ethnic Rohingya from
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{see JOURNALISTS cont’d on page 12}
The Internet f looded with tributes to Nintendo chief
By Yuri Kageyama AP Business Writer
Satoru Iwata
TOKYO (AP) — Nintendo Co. President Satoru Iwata’s death from an illness at 55 is being mourned by game fans around the world. They’re sharing Iwata Mii avatars, creating pictures with farewell messages on the Nintendo drawing game Splatoon and sending Tweets with “ThankYouIwata” hashtags. Some of the online tributes: A petition is circulating, amassing thousands of signatures, urging Nintendo to create an “amiibo” figurine in the likeness of Iwata. The small dolls packed with sensors, which already come in Nintendo characters such as Super Mario and Kirby, are used to play games. “Even if the amiibo itself lacks in-game functionality, it serves as a small reminder of Iwata’s legacy and accomplish-
ments,” the petition says. Nintendo had no comment. An illustration showing Nintendo characters weeping around Iwata lying down with his eyes closed on a bed of flowers is going viral on Twitter. People said they found the drawing moving and a reminder that there would have been no Pokemon without him. “Thank you, Mr. Iwata,” the words say above the picture. One of the quotes people were remembering from Iwata was: “On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.” A YouTube clip of his keynote speech, delivered in English, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco 10 years ago, was attracting droves of views. He showed his business card, pointed to his head and then brushed his chest as he opened his speech with that comment. Various Iwata images are circulating in online homage, such as the one of him staring at a bunch of bananas, which had set off parody offshoots when it first popped up in 2012, becoming an Iwata meme. A video tribute by IGN includes that image as well as many others, including most recently Iwata’s appearance as a puppet at the E3 conference earlier this year. Petition site: www.change.org/p/nintendocreate-an-amiibo-of-satoru-iwata.
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ COMMUNITY calendar THRU FRI 7/24
WHEN: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. COST: Free
WHAT: Japanese Summer Camp WHERE: JCCCW, 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle WHEN: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. COST: $200/members, $250/ non-members INFO: admin@jcccw.org
WHAT: Melody from China WHERE: Bellevue High School Auditorium WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: $25 RSVP: by July 18, info@ chineseculturefestival.org
FRI 7/24 WHAT: Garden Party at the Japanese Garden WHERE: Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., Seattle WHEN: 6-8:30 p.m. COST: $75 INFO: 206-684-8020
FRI 7/24 THRU SUN 7/26 WHAT: BAM Arts Fair WHERE: Bellevue Square & Bellevue Arts Museum WHEN: Fri-Sat: 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. INFO: bellevuearts.org
SAT 7/25 WHAT: 4th Annual Living Well Health Fair WHERE: Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church, 3001 24th Ave. S., Seattle
WHAT: Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade WHERE: Seattle Center, 4th Ave. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. COST: Free
SAT 7/25 & SUN 7/26 WHAT: “Natsu Matsuri,” Outdoor Summer Festival WHERE: Uwajimaya, 600 5th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 7/25 at 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 7/26 at 11 a.m.-5 p.m. INFO: www.uwajimaya.com
SAT 8/1 WHAT: Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival WHERE: Seattle Chinese Garden, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle WHEN: 2-6 p.m. COST: Free for kids age of 7 and below, $3/adults INFO: info@ seattlechinesegarden.org, 206934-5219
{SANADA cont’d from page 1} United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city in August 1945. Sanada conducted research about the issue for his character. He asked the director about the story, character’s role, and the delicate theme of Hiroshima. Sanada stars opposite Sir Ian McKellen who plays an aging Sherlock Holmes. Sanada plays a Sherlock fan named Umezaki, who’s surprised to learn the famous detective is different than his public persona. The movie takes a different view of the famous sleuth who is in his 90s and losing his memory. “He [McKellen] is a great actor and a phenomenal person,” Sanada recalls of his work with McKellen on the set of Mr. Holmes, “He never gave me pressure at all.” Sanada recalls when he saw McKellen for the first time on the set, McKellen brought up the fact that they were in a previous movie, “The Wolverine.” Of course, Sanada points out that their paths did not cross on the set. But this time, Sanada and McKellen worked together on Mr. Holmes. “All of my scenes [in Mr. Holmes] were with him [McKellen].” Sanada added, “He’s so smooth.” Sanada revered of McKellen as he was in character whenever he was made up as Mr. Holmes on the set. This helped Sanada conform to his own character. Sanada related his character of Umezaki who saw Holmes as his hero as in real life Sanada sees McKellen as a hero. Born in Tokyo, the 54-year-old Sanada started out as an actor and martial artist at the age of 11. His background in martial arts allows him to do his own action sequences. After making a name for himself in Japan appearing in movies, he expanded to do more films in the United States. Sanada was also a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. He was only the second Japanese person to perform
SUN 8/2 WHAT: Young Musicians’ Concert WHERE: Microsoft Auditorium, Central Library WHEN: 3-4 p.m. INFO: 206-684-0849
FRI 8/7 WHAT: Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce luncheon with Michael Itti, Julien Loh, Phillip Sit, and Theresa Pan Hosley WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St. #203, Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. COST: $20
SAT 8/8 WHAT: 18th Annual Polynesian Luau WHERE: APCC, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 1-4 p.m. INFO: 253-383-3900, asiapacificculturalcenter.org
THRU 8/14 WHAT: Washington Overseas Chinese Artists Association WHERE: The Gallery at TCC WHEN: Mon-Thu, 12-5 p.m. COST: Free
for the esteemed company. “It was my biggest challenge in my life,” said Sanada. He performed Shakespeare twice in Japanese prior to being asked to perform King Lear in English for the Company in 1999 and 2000. “I did not know ‘thou’ and ‘thy,’ what were these words?” Sanada thought of his challenge with the Shakespeare dialogue. Sanada employed the use of five coaches to assist with his King Lear role while shooting two movies in Japan. For his work with the Company he received an honorary MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his contribution to spreading British culture in Japan through his performance in a joint Shakespeare production. Known as the “Japanese Harrison Ford,” Sanada has played opposite the likes of Tom Cruise in “The Last Samurai,” Hugh Jackman in “The Wolverine,” and Anthony Hopkins in “The City of Your Final Destination.” The moniker of “Japanese Harrison Ford” came from co-creator Damon Lindelof of the ABC television series “Lost.” “It was a surprise when I got the offer,” Sanada said of his chance to be on the show. “I felt big pressure because all of the “Lost” fans knew the story.” Sanada recalls his first line on the show was “Who are you?” He thought that “Lost” fans likely said to themselves, “Who are you?” in reference to his role. Sanada joined the cast in the sixth and final season of the cult favorite. Working on “Lost” exposed Sanada to the great influence of American television. He recounted that when he was at a film festival in Uruguay, people called him “Dogen,” the character he played on the show. For more information on Sanada’s role in Mr. Holmes visit http://www.mrholmesfilm. com. Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
INFO: 253-460-4306
SAT 8/29 WHAT: A speed dating program celebration, “Chinese Valentine’s Day” WHERE: Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 3-5 p.m. INFO: spl.org
THRU THU 9/13 WHAT: Pop Art that Packs a Punch: Artist Roger Shimomura Sheds Light on Stereotypes WHERE: Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma WHEN: Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. COST: $12-$35 INFO: 253-272-4258, tacomaartmuseum.org
EVERY TUE WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment Program Orientation WHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle WHEN: 3–4:30 p.m. INFO: 206-695-7527, employmentprogram@ acrs.org, acrs.org/services/ employmentandtraining
■ briefly
Host an international student in Seattle The World Affairs Council of Seattle is seeking hosts for students arriving in Seattle this summer on State Department-sponsored youth programs. Programs and dates include: Mexico July 20 - August 1 1-2 students Iraq July 25 - August 8 Seeking 1 family to host 2 students: 1 Iraqi and 1 American from another part of the country in a unique exchange program South Korea & Japan August 8 - 22 3-5 students Learn more about hosting a student at https://www.world-affairs.org/ programs/international-visitorsprogram/homestay-program.
Have an event to promote? Please send us the details to info@nwasianweekly.com.
33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ TRAVEL
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
7
Not boxed in Ki Chong Tran can take a punch
By Dipika Kohli Northwest Asian Weekly “DON’T BOX,” said Ki Chong Tran’s grandmother, worried what would happen when he moved to his mother’s native Phnom Penh. “Boxing is for peasants.” She needn’t worry. After winning a professional mixed martial arts, or MMA, fight in Phuket in August 2013 against Thailand’s Kritsada “Dream Man” Konsrichai, the Los Angeles native is taking a break. What was it like going into a situation like that, in real life? “It’s five seconds before your heart goes crazy. It’s adrenaline. It’s fear. You want to run away. You also want to fight.” He’d had a bit of practice before Phuket in Phnom Penh. Ignoring his grandmother’s advice, he took on a martial arts challenge— his first. It wasn’t boxing, though. It was kickboxing. Against a Cambodian national hero. “Tuk tuk drivers [from the crowd] recognized me afterwards, because I had fought Noun Sorya. Like they would say something like, ‘Hey you fought Noun Sorya!,’ since he was so famous. Or one of them would recognize me and tell their friend, ‘Hey this guy fought Noun Sorya!’” Sorya was “levels and levels above me, but
Ki Chong Tran (Photo by Dipika Kohli)
In the ring (Photo by Singaporemven)
an Australian fighter backed out of the fight at the last minute,” Tran says. “They needed ‘a foreigner.’” Not knowing at the time who, exactly, he was up against, Tran said he’d do it. “I wanted to see if I could take a punch.” In he went. And stayed. Unsurprisingly, the first-timer got knocked down. Got up. Down again. Up. “I keep going forward. Even if I’m losing, for some reason, I just don’t stop.” No one thought it would go as long as it did. But the favorite was tiring. People noticed. Then they worried. Then Sorya kneed Tran in the stomach. Then someone threw in the towel. Tran had lost, but he had hit his first
personal milestone: to compete. This wasn’t training. This was real.
East and West
Growing up in Los Angeles, Tran was never that interested in sports. But in 1993, he got wind of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which captivated him. A pure kind of competition. Arm locks. Holds. The movie Fight Club made a second dent, and got him started training. With jiu-jitsu, it’s gentle. From the outside it doesn’t seem like much. “It just looks like two guys hugging. But at least nobody’s trying to choke me.” He credits his mother for his tenacity. Her long work hours and six- or seven-day-aweek shifts in LA taught him to push on, no matter what.
Ki Chong and his younger brother, Ki How, were just four and one when their parents brought them to Phnom Penh to live for a year. Things have shifted a lot since those days, the elder brother says, most notably the trash problem—“disgustingness and stench are nothing compared to what it was.” In the years since, their parents have ferried to and from Cambodia from California, setting up a café Le Bon, in Riverside, which is still going. But recently, their mother has returned to California to take care of her father, who has fallen sick. The Tran brothers are part of a wave of young Khmer-origin returnees setting up shops and businesses in Cambodia.
Lessons in martial arts, entrepreneurship
Tran came to Phnom Penh to go into business with his younger brother, Ki How. They started a 3D printing company, ARC Hub PNH, which says it “empowers 3D creators.” The pair are affectionately known among friends like photojournalist Sotheavy Nou as “the 3D boys.” A new hire, mechanical engineer Waseem Girach, calls the elder brother “a very smart dude” who’s open to letting him try new things. {see VILLAGE REPORT cont’d on page 12}
asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ arts & entertainment
From bean to brew “Caffeinated” maps the journey
By Tiffany Ran Northwest Asian Weekly For many, the potential harbored in a single sip of coffee means conquering that morning meeting, finishing work reports, and having that pick-me-up when it seems the work day would never end. Yet “Caffeinated,” a documentary that debuts this week, will cause many to rethink their regular cup of joe. If the life of a cup of specialty coffee were to flash before its eyes, it would be in the form of “Caffeinated” by filmmakers Vishal Solanki and Hanh Nguyen. “The thing about coffee is that every step requires this amazing focus and incredible attention to detail. It’s taken for granted by most people, and that’s the thing that appeals to me most about coffee because it’s this incredibly exotic thing with this incredible backstory going back to Ethiopia and touches Indonesia, Latin America, colonialism, and modern agricultural exchange that’s sitting there on their breakfast table every morning,” said Peter Giuliano, Director of Symposium at Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), in the film. Through one sip of coffee, people are connected, but for a brief moment, to the faraway lands from which the beans were grown and to the many hands that helped to transform the beans to brew. With the help and support of Intelligentsia Coffe’s Geoff Watts, Solanki and Nguyen conducted over 165 interviews to tell the stories of the hands that planted, roast-
ed, and crafted the drink which fuels societies around the world. “Caffeinated” depicts a narrative of the social and cultural landscape behind coffee. Throughout the world, as the film details, coffee experiences range from an everyday morning routine to afternoon gatherings at the souk and social connections made in modern cafes. “The idea of coffee culture is interesting, because it eliminates the extrinsic attractions of coffee, and helps us focus on its intrinsic contributions in our daily lives. It somewhat makes it more complex and helps us understand our role in it better, in the coffee chain,” said Solanki. American coffee in the late post-war period was defined by the tepid mud water served
at roadside diners and commercial coffee grounds from grocery stores, but specialty coffee has been making a comeback since then to not only redefine what coffee should taste like, but also revitalizing the social interactions that would center around enjoying coffee. Unlike commodity or commercial-grade coffee, specialty coffee is defined by the hands involved in the processing of coffee from its planting to its picking and careful milling, drying, and roasting; a journey that defines its flavor and one which led Nguyen and Solanki from perceived coffee meccas like Seattle, Portland, and the Bay Area, to the fragrant coffee bean farms in Nicaragua and the mountains of Guatemala. The coffee
Trash to Treasure — Recycling fashion contest at 2015 Dragon Fest
farmers in “Caffeinated” methodically plant and nurture coffee beans paying close attention to climate, ripeness, milling, drying, sorting, and doing most by hand. “[Q]uality is something that can be constantly worked on. It is not accidental or depending solely on natural causes. There is a profound relatedness between growers, barista, roasters, consumers, and so on, and if we all realize our role in the choices we make, we can ensure a sustainable future for specialty coffee,” said Solanki. “When Vishal and I first started, we decided to make coffee culture the focus of the film because we were interested in learning and discovering what the culture is about. I had worked as a barista for three months for research. I knew if we wanted to make a film about coffee then I knew I needed to [immerse] myself in it. Within a short period, I went from drinking coffee occasionally to falling in love with coffee. It opened a whole new world into the specialty coffee culture that I didn’t know existed,” said Nguyen. Nguyen recalls a distinctive cup of coffee grown and nurtured by the women coffee growers in Nicaragua, and brewed gently over firewood by Ana Maria Narbae, a farmer from a Nicaraguan women coffee growers’ co-op Soppexcca. In Seattle, both filmmakers named the macchiato at Espresso Vivace as an unforgettable experience. {see CAFFEINATED cont’d on page 13}
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ arts & entertainment
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
9
“The Apu Trilogy” restored Classic chronicling the lifespan of a Bengali, influenced directors and approach to film
“Pather Panchali”
“Aparajito”
Director Satyajit Ray
By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly
NWAW: What had director Satyajit Ray done before, and what influenced him to make this trilogy? Spence: “Pather Panchali,” the first film in the trilogy, was his first. Prior to this he had worked as a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer, and film critic. His short stories and novels that he authored were primarily aimed at a younger audience. He created a number of popular science fiction characters as part of his fiction stories.
to Jean Luc-Godard, and contemporary filmmakers such as Wes Anderson. You could say it provided an introduction to future cinema, combining the previously established aesthetics of European and Western Cinema styles infusing them with his own unflinching view of his own origins and his culture.
In 1955, a first-time Indian director released a film he had struggled with for nearly three years. Shot whenever Satyajit Ray could marshal up some money, “Pather Panchali” became the first film in the director’s celebrated “Apu Trilogy,” which went on to influence film around the world. Newly restored 4K print of “Pather Panchali” and its two sequels, “Aparajito” (1957) and “Apu Sansar” (1959) play starting July 24th at SIFF Cinema SIFF’s Artistic Director Carl Spence took some questions over email. NWAW: What are your earliest experiences with the trilogy? Where did you see it first, and what were your first impressions of the films overall? Spence: I first saw Satyajit Ray’s films on VHS and despite not seeing it on the big screen, the films opened my eyes to the possibilities of cinema.
NWAW: How does the trilogy tie together as a whole? Spence: They are based on two Bengali novels written by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay: “Pather Panchali” (1929) and “Aparajito” (1932). The original music for the films was composed by Ravi Shankar. The three films comprise a “coming of age” narrative in the vein of a bildungsroman; they describe the childhood, education, and early maturity of a young Bengali named Apu (Apurba Kumar Roy) in the early part of the 20th century. The “Apu Trilogy” influenced countless filmmakers across the world from Akira Kurosawa
NWAW: How does this film relate to the Parallel Cinema movement in Indian cinema? Spence: Satyajit Ray was part of the Parallel Cinema movement and most responsible for bringing the Indian New Wave to the forefront of cinema to be presented and celebrated at major festivals around the world including Cannes and Venice. Parallel Cinema was the antithesis of major big budget Bollywood films. The Parallel Cinema movement began to form in the late 1940s and continue through the 1960s. This period was considered to be the Golden Age of Indian Cinema. Many of the filmmakers working in this movement borrowed {see APU cont’d on page 14}
asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG
OPINION
Avoid or endorse? Politics can pose challenges for ethnic media
People expect the Northwest Asian Weekly, a relatively small paper, to act like a big media company when it comes to election time. Candidates’ questions cover the myriad, such as: “Do you do endorsements?” “Can you do an interview?” “Why haven’t you contacted me?” . . . These questions keep popping up and candidates seem to be pounding on our small door. You would assume those callers are Asian Americans. Actually, a number of them are non-Asians. Thanks for the attention, but we are actually overwhelmed. The truth is, many community publications avoid politics. In a 2014 study done by Scott Swafford for Donald Reynolds Journalism Institute, small papers with a circulation under 50,000 generally don’t cover elections. As an ethnic media outlet, I understand why some ethnic publications shy away from politics. First, most of them have to deal with survival challenges. That means getting advertisement is the focus. Secondly, many of the city, county, state, and federal issues are hard for Asian immigrant journalists to comprehend. Also, don’t forget many came from lands prohibiting free speech. Yes, they don’t trust the government or the elected officials.
Being political
I wasn’t born to be a political animal in the beginning. What drove us to consider political coverage was in 1982 when former state representative John Eng retired, and Gary Locke (former governor and ambassador) jumped in the legislator race when I started the Seattle Chinese Post and Northwest Asian Weekly. While publishers try to influence the papers’ content,
editors are usually the ones who mold it. And our editor at the time opposed political stories. “It’s toxic to your papers,” he said. “Immigrant readers just skip those pages (on elections).” I didn’t like what I heard. Proving him wrong wasn’t my point. The point is, political participation is vital to the well-being of the Asian community. If you want to get things done, you better have Asian Americans at the table. If you seek equal opportunities, you need non-Asian champions to support you. If you fight injustices, you need tireless fighters like Frank Irigon and Al Sugiyama to be on your fence. Voting is letting your voice be heard. If you want the community to have a voice, you have to help develop that voice. In the process of organizing, you have empowered your community. It doesn’t matter if your candidate wins or loses, political empowerment is the reward of being involved in politics. Our interest in reporting politics reflects our goal of empowering the Asian community. We get our satisfaction when readers use our papers’ endorsements as reference for general elections. (We wish we could do primary election endorsements as well, but couldn’t due to too many candidates and races.)
The consequence of endorsement
A decade ago, I fretted about the Asian community having “double standard.” When The Seattle Times didn’t endorse their favorite candidates, no one in the community made any noise. Yet, they showed their displeasure towards the Asian Weekly when we did so. Now, I understand why. It is because the community feel a deep sense of connection with the Asian Weekly. Sharing their emotions with us, means the readers are closed to us. I consider their responses as “terms
of endearment.” It is comforting to know that the community cares about what we have to say. More important, they feel they are part of the Asian Weekly. Sometimes, it puts us in a difficult position when our community is split between two candidates like the McGinn-Murray mayoral race in 2013, and the Inslee-McKenna gubernatorial race in 2012. The community’s passion towards their preferred candidates touched me. Need we add fire to the divided community? We didn’t want to divide the community, so our decision was not to endorse. Yes, our doors are open, and we welcome candidates to approach us. However, you must do your homework first. Talk to our community leaders. Get their endorsement. Show us your list of Asian supporters when we meet. If you don’t know who they are, you have work to do. It’s never too late to cultivate relationships with the Asian and minority community. We did change our minds after meeting with certain candidates privately in past elections.
Asian American candidates
In the past, few Asian Americans were running for office; we had to cook up our readers’ excitement in elections. Now, not only have the number of Asian Americans candidates increased several times—the race has spread all over the state in four to six cities. We even have Asians running against Asians. Among Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant’s opponents is Urban League CEO Pam Banks, who is of Asian and African descent. Filipino Leonard Luna is challenging Mayor/State Representative Mia Gregerson of Chinese descent, for Sea-Tac city council position. Is that {see BLOG cont’d on page 12}
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.
Seattle City Council | District 5 Growing up in a small town in Eastern India, I never could have imagined I would one day take two congressmen, the Lieutenant Governor and others on trade missions to India.
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ editorial
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
11
OPINION
An easy test
Q: Are our readers concerned about safety in the ID? — A: “YES” We have a lot of questions here at the Weekly, and most come from our readers. We try to give answers whenever we have them, but sometimes it just isn’t possible. So now we inquire. Can anyone help us out here? Public officials, residents, anyone who takes interest in the International District—we would love your input. Here is the accumulation of our strange list of questions: Why is there police commitment primarily
only on game days? So that leads into… Where are the police when it is not a game day? Why are there so many new massage parlors on the Jackson strip? Why are there women being solicited as prostitutes around aforementioned massage parlors? New medical marijuana dispensaries. Are they help or hindrance? (Little Saigon
{ASIAN BEERS cont’d from page 1} that had its own hand in revolutionizing beer. It was called Asahi, and it was being sold in a large, 32-ounce aluminum can, with the word “SUPER” in quotations. It was Asahi Super Dry, another famous Japanese beer. Asahi Super Dry was released in 1987 and sparked a “dry” craze all over the world. Suddenly, everybody wanted a dry beer; or at least, everyone thought everyone wanted dry beer, and in turn everybody tried to make dry beer. Even Budweiser tried to get in on the action by creating the (very) short-lived “Bud Dry.” Dry beer is brewed using longer fermentation methods, and breaking down sugar further than normal so that it eliminates that bitter beer taste. Fun fact: Asahi sold so quickly that the brewery was forced to post notices in newspapers apologizing for not having enough beer to sell. Asahi is one of the four big breweries from Japan, topping Sapporo, but second only behind Kirin Ichiban. Kirin is, by far, Japan’s biggest brewery, and top-selling beer. And while it is uniquely Japan’s beer, Anheuser-Busch had been brewing Kirin since 1996 in Los Angeles to sell in the United States. Asian beers have made numerous efforts over the years to really break out in the United States. Kirin is doing well for itself, seeing a continuous growth for 28 consecutive years, but
{ELECTION cont’d from page 3} secretary of El Jadida-Tacoma Sister Cities and treasurer of the Puget Sound Pet Food Bank. She has twenty years of experience as a therapist and has experience getting people to talk to one another to develop mutual respect. She continues to inspire teachers, motivate students, and engage the community in the public schools. Max Chen is running for Mukilteo Council Position #6.
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residents have made the Asian Weekly aware of many complaints.) Why is there a huge homeless population around the King Street Station? (This is probably a moot question.) And then, of course, is the fact of the recent murder of Benito “Benny” Enriquez—a candlelight vigil was held last week in approximate distance to his murder in Chinatown—(5th Ave. So. and So. Weller St). The 31-year-old father of two girls was
it would be a disservice to look at a few beers from Asia that have made considerate splashes. There are some breweries in Asia that are big; bigger than we in the states would probably realize. Beer of the world Pop quiz: What is the top-selling beer in the world? You’d be forgiven if your most immediate answer just happened to also be the most obvious. After all, the top-selling beer is a crisp, clean, dry lager, and was used to sponsor the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Though, to my pleasant surprise, the top-selling beer was, in fact, not the great American lager. You’d be close, not way off. Give up? It’s called Snow. It’s brewed in China. In fact, the second top-selling beer is also from China. It’s called Tsingtao. It is so famous that there was an effort a number of years ago to make it just as recognizable in the United States as Budweiser or Bud Light. Crown Imports, the United States’ biggest import company, imports more Tsingtsao during Chinese New Year than any other brand. The importer attempted to maintain that momentum throughout the entire year. Unfortunately, due to complicated marketing exclusivity rights centering on the United States involving a similarly
Max is focused on the Japanese Gulch Master Plan, Paine Field commercial expansion, and waterfront development. He wants to bring a fresh perspective to the council and act as a bridge to the Asian American community. He also wants to spend time with the Mukilteo Youth Advisory Committee to help the youth thrive in Mukilteo. Leonard Luna is running for Council Position #7, City of SeaTac. He is advocating for a city code of ethics. He believes senior citizens and younger generations are being
beaten in the neighborhood after attending a game. According to Frank Irigon, community activist, “His death highlights the public safety needs of the Chinatown International District neighborhood.” We are too busy shaking our heads and asking questions that we may or may not know the answers to. Thank you for helping us in search for the answers.
crisp and light lager, Tsingtao remained under the radar. Snow interestingly does not have a century-long legacy behind it the same way Tsingtao does. It was introduced to the public in 1993, and has skyrocketed up the popularity chain. And here’s the cool part (or depressing part, depending on your point of view): Snow is not available for sale in the United States. Despite that, between China’s Snow, Tsingtao, and even Harbin, and Yanjing (Those four beers, all from China, are four out of the top ten best-selling beers in the world), China controls a quarter of the beer market globally. These are all big-selling beers competing on a global scale, but give them a try. They are all very good beers, nothing short of the quality one would expect from Asia. When walking through my grocery store, I keep my eye out for new and unexpected surprises, whether it’s Korea’s OB Blue and Hite, or Philippines’ San Miguel. And we can’t forget the popular Vietnamese beers. It would be hard to miss them when visiting a restaurant in Little Saigon. It is pretty much guaranteed you will see “33 Export” and “Saigon export” on the menu or with a meal at the table. Go international when it comes to testing the waters with beer. There’s always something new to offer. Greg Young can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
impoverished by taxation and and spending. He was a former Monitor/Auditor, San Francisco Supervisors, Federal/Local Programs. Luna has worked with the Filipino Community Center, IDIC, and Senior Services in several Asian Health Senior programs. Andrew Kim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.
asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
{JOURNALISTS cont’d from page 5} Myanmar who face persecution at home. In many cases, the migrants pay to be smuggled by ship, but are then detained by traffickers in Thailand who hold them until their families pay ransoms. Human rights activists and foreign governments have long accused Thai authorities of collusion in the trafficking industry, but police, military and government officials have denied the allegations. However, the recent publicity about the camps prompted a Thai government crackdown on trafficking, and several dozen people were arrested, including a Thai army general and local officials. The U.S. State Department downgraded Thailand in its 2014 Trafficking in Persons report, designating it as a country that has not made sufficient progress in tackling human trafficking. It recommended that Thailand stop bringing criminal defamation cases against researchers or journalists who report on human trafficking. The New York-based literary and rights
advocacy group PEN American Center urged the Thai government to “refocus its energies on curbing collusion in human rights abuses by members of its own navy, rather than frivolous attempts to camouflage them by shackling the press.” The contested report on the Phuketwan website was excerpted from an extensive story published by the international news agency Reuters in July 2013. The Reuters story was one of a series about persecution of the Rohingya that won the agency the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. The trial’s first witness, Capt. Pallop Komalodaka, said the navy also filed a lawsuit against Reuters, but that case remains with the prosecutor’s office pending any further action. Phuketwan earlier said most of the legal costs of the case are being met by the London-based Media Legal Defense Initiative. But the navy’s action threatens to sink the website, it said. “Our reporting on vital matters about Phuket and Thailand will come to an end next week and may never resume,” it said.
{SEATTLE’S HISTORY cont’d from page 1} legislation … WHEREAS the Chinese presence in Seattle dates back to 1860; and WHEREAS many Chinese were engaged in constructing the first railroads to and from Seattle; grading many of the city’s roads in Pike, Union, Jackson and Washington Streets; worked at local canneries and sawmills, dug the earliest portion of the Lake Washington Canal; and worked as “domestic servants”; and WHEREAS a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment swept the United States including Washington Territory which fostered an atmosphere of racial discrimination that deprived Chinese immigrants of civil rights and privileges afforded others; and WHEREAS Washington Territory passed anti-Chinese legislation including: A measure that denied Chinese the right to vote (1853) An “Act to Protect Free White Labor Against Competition with Chinese Coolie Labor and to Discourage the Immigration of Chinese in the Territory,” which lead to the “Chinese Police (poll) Tax (1864) “An Act relating to Witnesses and Evidence,” which prohibited Chinese from giving evidence in the courts in cases involving whites (1864) A law which disallowed Chinese from voting in school elections (1867) Legislation which disallowed Chinese from owning land; and WHEREAS this was followed by legislation passed by the
{VILLAGE REPORT cont’d from page 7} Business and jiu-jitsu have a lot in common. “Sometimes moves don’t work or you try an attack, and it fails miserably,” Tran says. But failure is just a process. Things going wrong means you’re less likely to make the same mistake. “Failure is the cold hard reality that is absolutely indifferent whether your feelings get hurt, but if you don’t take it personally, then failure is also one of your greatest teachers. It’s only bad when it stops you from trying again.”
{BLOG cont’d from page 10} progress or what? One Asian American leader said, “The white guys are running against each other for a long time, shouldn’t we Asian Americans do the same?” Asian Americans are now sophisticated campaigners. When I request interviews, some Asian American candidates would respond, “Schedule with my campaign
“Phuketwan’s future is uncertain because of a highly controversial criminal defamation action.” Morison, 67, a native of Melbourne, Australia, said he believes the case was filed because Phuketwan had been reporting extensively on the Rohingya boat people for seven years, “and a couple of officers within the service have just become annoyed, perhaps a little paranoid and reacted in a strange way.” “More than once we’ve been asked to apologize and we’ve resisted that at every opportunity,” he told The Associated Press, describing the lawsuit as “a vindictive overreaction.” Capt. Pallop said the navy had talked with Phuketwan over the possibility of dropping the defamation charges, but the negotiations failed. “We had asked them to hold a press conference to apologize publicly for the article, but they said they would only express regrets. Therefore, a deal wasn’t struck,” he testified. He said the allegations against the navy had been investigated and “so far we have
United States Congress including the: Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) which prohibited immigration of Chinese laborers and prohibited Chinese from becoming U.S. citizens. This Act was the first time the U.S. restricted immigration based on race and nationality. Other Chinese Exclusion Acts were subsequently passed to extend the1882 Act which was not repealed until 1902. Scott Act (1888) prohibited all Chinese laborers who left the U.S. from reentering. Geary Act (1892) required all Chinese persons in the U.S. –but no other race—to register with the federal government in order to obtain “certificates of residence.”; and WHEREAS There were widespread riots in many areas of Washington Territory to get rid of the Chinese in Tacoma, Olympia, Bellingham, and other towns; and WHEREAS the Seattle City Council, in 1885, passed… discriminatory ordinances which while not mentioning the word “Chinese” were aimed at the living conditions and occupations of the Chinese in Seattle: Ordinance 694 required 512 cubic feet of space for each person in a lodging, room or hotel. Since the Chinese were not allowed to bring their wives or families, and worked long hours, these single men often lived in small, overcrowded living spaces … WHEREAS on February 7, 1886, an anti-Chinese riot ensued and an angry mob of 1500 invaded the Chinese quarters in Seattle and forced some 350 Chinese on wagons, hauled them to the dock and put them on the Queen of Pacific steamer. Nearly all of the Chinese who were removed from Seattle left on that steamer and subsequent boats; and
not found any wrongdoing.” Thai courts rarely rule against the military, which is in an even stronger position than usual since staging a coup in May last year that deposed an elected civilian government. The court is expected to set a date for the verdict after three days of testimony from witnesses this week. “The real message of this trial to Thailand’s journalists is report at your own risk because big brother in Bangkok is watching — but fortunately, when they went after Alan and Chutima, the navy and the ruling military junta came up against two courageous journalists who are not afraid to fight for their principles,” Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday. “They deserve the international community’s unstinting support.” Associated Press writer Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.
WHEREAS, the community despite this anti-Chinese sentiment and discriminatory laws established a Chinese settlement in Seattle known as Chinatown, that has existed since the 1870s, which provides a commercial, residential and cultural base for the Chinese; WHEREAS despite decades of systematic, pervasive, and sustained discrimination, Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans persevered and have continued to contribute and play a significant role in the growth of Seattle; and WHEREAS racial and ethnic diversity are among the Seattle’s most important strengths and goals and Seattle’s Chinese have positively added to the racial and ethnic diversity of the City and WHEREAS, the City of Seattle is committed to equal rights and social justice for all … BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT: Section 1. That the Seattle City Council deeply regrets the anti-Chinese sentiments and passage of discriminatory ordinances directed at the Chinese that led to the 1886 antiChinese riots in the city and the expulsion of the Chinese; Section 2. Acknowledges the contributions the early Chinese made to the development of Seattle and the continuing contributions of Chinese Americans to this city; and Section 3: Reaffirms its commitment to the civil rights of all people and celebrates the contributions that all immigrants have made to Seattle in the past and present. Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Girach had originally approached the brothers because, as a product developer, he had something he wanted to prototype. When he got there, the three found synergy, and Girach asked for a job. Now, the company is growing in ways that build on what the newcomer knows, too, making products part of their mix as they continue to iterate, one move at a time. 自1872年起服務西北岸社區
Thank you for recycling 湖景墓園 this newspaper!
Lake View Cemetery
Lake View Cemetery
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Seattle’s Pioneer Cemetery Est. 1872
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manager.” It’s not just campaign managers, the candidates have their own communication staff, fund-raising chairs and volunteers committees—all structured Dr. Tom P. Mar, D.D.S. and organized. It’s not easy to run for office. •陵墓地下室 •骨灰靈位 We commend those who run. 318 6th Avenue South, Suite 108 •墓碑、紀念碑 •土葬福地 So to all the API candidates listed on page Seattle, WA 98104 three, thank you for your guts, conviction and commitment to serve the public. Win or lose, we are still proud of you. The important 15th Ave East (North Capitol Hill) thing is you try and not give up.1554
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
13
For the week of July 25–July 31, 2015 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — The rewards of victory are sweeter than you think. Hold strong until you are sure you have crossed the finish line.
Dragon — Are you putting undue pressure on yourself? If you have the luxury of taking your time, then by all means use it to your advantage.
Monkey — While you were unsure of whether you wanted to participate beforehand, once you actually show up your competitive side will take over.
Ox — From where you stand, the options are quite clear. It may not be so obvious to someone who is not ready to see them.
Snake — You might feel compelled to try to lighten the mood with a joke. However, before you do so, determine whether it would be appropriate.
Rooster — While your plans may look alright on paper, in practice you are probably going to have to make a few adjustments to get it just right.
Tiger — Not all feedback will be positive. Take what you hear in stride and try to use the insights constructively.
Horse — There are some things that you must seek out to enjoy, but others will come to you in natural course.
Rabbit — A chance to try something different could be quite an eye-opening experience. Follow it up with another, if you are so inclined.
Goat — This is a good day to get your work done early. The sooner you are done, the faster you can get out and play.
Dog — You are very committed to your family, sometimes at the expense of your own needs. Be sure to take care of yourself too, so that you don’t run out of steam. Pig — Listen to all the proposals before you make up your mind. You are likely to go with an early favorite, but a latecomer may be more suitable.
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.
{ILLEGAL WORKERS cont’d from page 4}
{CAFFEINATED cont’d from page 8} “Our respect for the drink has increased manifold. It is like we are in a relationship with coffee. It is a love affair. We know each other better, we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we support each other to keep us happy,” said Solanki. “As consumers we are constantly exploring nuances every day, and it continues to inspire us. At the same time, adhering strict adjectives to it, would be restricting the experience because it is indescribable and complex, although deeply satisfying.” “I hope the audience gain a much more appreciation for coffee and the journey it took to have their morning cup, and I hope this will inspire them to think of other products and foods that they consume daily in a similar way,” said Nguyen. In “Caffeinated,” viewers climb
the mountains of Guatemala with coffee farmers, selectively pick coffee cherries, and meet the coffee farmers with Solanki and Nguyen, and the end result is an eye opening look at a beverage originally thought to keep us caffeinated, but could really be so much more. “Caffeinated” is available on various online providers including iTunes, Amazon, GooglePlay, and more. The documentary will also be made available through major cable providers like Time Warner, Comcast, DirectTV, and more. “Caffeinated,” including a Q&A with the filmmakers, will play at the Varsity Theater July 24 through 28. For more information about “Caffeinated,” visit caffeinated. vhx.tv. Tiffany Ran can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
{PAO cont’d from page 4} criticism, the new rules are making the community stronger. “We’ve taken bold and often controversial stances, but always with the greater good of the community in mind,” she said. “We tackled the thorny issues of harassment on the site, banning harassing behavior without censoring ideas. Though we came under fire on many fronts, we did not waver, working 24/7 to try to keep the site harassment-free.” In a statement posted to Reddit, Pao thanks users who were supportive, saying the positives from the site far outweighed the negatives, and she urged Redditors to “remember the human” behind the keyboard. This month Reddit fired Victoria Taylor, who helped run the site’s popular “Ask Me Anything” feature, where Reddit
going on since 2005. They have not said how many workers might have been illegally employed during that decade. Jiang is the lead defendant because prosecutors contend he handled finances for the restaurants and worked with an unidentified New York accounting firm to provide payroll services for the restaurants. The accounting firm issued fraudulent monthly payroll checks and quarterly wage reports for each employee, and the actual number of employees at each restaurant was underreported, the indictment said. The workers were not only underpaid, but state and federal taxes were not withheld from their wages, the indictment said. According to the 36-page plea agreement, Jiang agreed to plead guilty to a charge of bringing in and harboring aliens, which carries up to 10 years in
{PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION cont’d from page 5} China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan, where Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists based their government in the 1940s after losing the Chinese civil war to the Communists. China insists that the two sides should eventually reunite, though opinion polls on the island say most Taiwanese prefer autonomy. Elected in 2008, President Ma Ying-jeou set aside the political dispute to start dialogue with Beijing and sign economic agreements. He agreed with Beijing to negotiate on the basis that both sides belong to one China, though with different interpretations. Hung supports a similar understanding with China, but Tsai’s party rejects that basis for talks as a slight to Taiwan’s autonomy. Without a framework for dialogue, tensions could rise again, making new agreements difficult. Hung’s Nationalists lost nine mayoral and county magistrate seats in November, with younger voters accusing Ma’s government of getting dangerously
users submit questions to celebrities and other notable people. President Barack Obama, for example, has answered questions on that forum. Some volunteer moderators protested her ouster by shutting down sections of the site, including Ask Me Anything. Reddit also announced anti-harassment guidelines this year and in June it banned a few groups for violating those rules. Reddit is known for an almost-anything goes style, but leadership said in May that it was unhappy with harassment on its site and survey data showed its users were also upset about the behavior. The company apologized and said it would do a better job of communicating with moderators and users. Early this year Reddit said it would remove photos, videos or links that featured explicit content if the person in the image didn’t give permission for it to be posted. That came months
prison, and wire fraud, which carries up to 20 years in prison, for the fraudulent online filing of payroll and federal income tax information relating to the workers. The other seven defendants face up to five years in prison on a lesser charge of bringing in and harboring aliens, and all must plead guilty, too, otherwise the agreement with Jiang is voided, the document said. The government is seeking the forfeiture of four residences in State College and nearly $65,000 seized by investigators. According to the plea agreement, Jiang has agreed to take a polygraph and cooperate with the investigation. Although he can’t face additional criminal charges, the case is being transferred to the Internal Revenue Service, which can pursue unpaid taxes, interest and penalties and will oversee Jiang’s filing of delinquent tax returns.
close to China while ignoring a wealth gap at home. Ma must step down in May due to term limits. Tsai, a 58-year-old lawyer by training and once Taiwan’s top policymaker on mainland China affairs, lost the 2012 presidential race to Ma by six percentage points. Hung, 67, has been dubbed a “little chili pepper” for her biting, humorous style of grilling government officials in parliament. “The usual way to win, of course, is to try to capture the pivotal political middle,” said Denny Roy, senior fellow at the East-West Center think tank in Honolulu. “In this respect, Hung is an unexpected, even odd, choice for nominee. What seems to be most clear is that Taiwan’s voters are ready for a female president.” The Nationalist Party’s best-known figures, including the chairman, did not enter their names as potential nominees. Analysts say those would-be candidates are waiting until the 2020 race, when they stand better odds of winning.
after hackers obtained nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities and posted them to Reddit, among other social media sites. Huffman co-founded Reddit in 2005 with Alexis Ohanian. Conde Nast acquired Reddit the following year, and both Huffman and Ohanian left the company in October 2009. Ohanian returned as San Francisco-based Reddit’s executive chairman in November. Before becoming Reddit’s CEO, Pao had worked for a storied Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. She lost a high-profile gender discrimination lawsuit against Kleiner Perkins in March that brought up issues of the gender imbalance and difficulties faced by women working in Silicon Valley.
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
{APU cont’d from page 9} stories and themes from Indian literature being published during this time. Some other filmmakers working in this movement include Ritwik Ghatak, Bimal Roy, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Chetan Anand, Guru Dutt and V. Shantaram. NWAW: Who were Ray’s collaborators on the trilogy, and how did they influence the work as a whole? Spence: For his first film Ray worked with collaborators who did not have any significant experience. Despite this a number of his crew from his first film went on to achieve great acclaim. including his art director Bansi Chandragupta and his cinematographer Subrata Mitra. “Pather Panchali” was actually shot over the course of three years because they did not have enough money to complete the film sooner and could only go into production while they had funds and then had to wait until they raised additional money. Ray did refuse to take financing from sources that demanded he change the
script,and ignored advice from the government to incorporate a happy ending into the film. Ray did receive encouragement from the legendary filmmaker John Huston, who he met while Huston was in India scouting locations for “The Man Who Would be King.” NWAW: Who masterminded the new restoration of the trilogy? Spence: After Ray’s death at the age of 70 in 1992, there was an effort to preserve his films; the negatives of his films were moved to the Henderson’s Film Laboratories in South London. In 1993 a nitrate explosion sparked a disastrous fire and the negatives of the Apu Trilogy were severely damaged. The burned film was deemed unusable. However, the Academy Film Archive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences preserved every scrap of the burned film. In 2013 in search of materials for new restorations of the films, the Criterion Collection learned of the long-forgotten negatives. Almost half of the surviving film negatives were salvageable and the quality is remarkable. At L’Immagine
Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, the film was rehydrated, repaired, and scanned in at 4k resolution. Technicians spent nearly 1,000 hours reconstructing sprocket holes, and splices and removing glue, tape, and wax. At Criterion’s restoration lab “The Apu Trilogy” was put back together frame by frame and digitally restored. NWAW: What are your overall impressions seeing them anew? Spence: I haven’t seen them again yet but look forward to seeing them at the SIFF Cinema Uptown in the large house on the huge curved screen projected with our Sony 4K Digital Projector. I will definitely be in the audience! The “Apu Trilogy” plays July 24th-30th at SIFF. For details, visit http://www.siff.net/cinema/satyajit-rays-aputrilogy. Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.
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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE
JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015
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asianweekly northwest
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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2015