VOL 33 NO 37 | SEPTEMBER 6 - SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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

Front cover by Peggy Chapman/NWAW

VOL 33 NO 37 SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 FREE 32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

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asianweekly northwest

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

The Student Youth Leadership Program was hosted by the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

■ VOICES FROM THE YOUTH Embracing the arts instead of expectations

By Michael Wong SYLP

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rowing up as an Asian American teenager, the expectations of society are always shadowing me. There are always four major pillars which society expects us Asian American adolescents to follow and pursue rigorously, as if it were a religion. One, get good grades. Two, don’t get in trouble. Three, respect and listen to your elders.

Four, make your family proud. The importance of academic success is obviously critical, but why are recreational outlets, such as the arts, not seen as important? Society commonly conjures the common misconception that success in the classroom is the only key to success in life. Although academics are indescribably important to a young person’s development, exposure and interest in the arts is equally important.

To begin, the arts sharpen the creativity and imagination skills of young people. Much of my English coursework requires me to compose unique stories. Surely, the dexterity of using proper grammar and punctuation is taught in school, but how about the creativity aspect? This is where the arts come in. Society simply doesn’t do a substantial job of teaching pupils to be creative. That is why the arts are important. They teach youngsters creativity. I wouldn’t have been able to complete my assignments if it weren’t for my love of hip hop dancing manifesting creativity.

Creativity and imagination are important because they lead to innovation, inspiration, creativity, and ambition. Without these four important aspects, our society, civilization, and culture would not be able to thrive. They would lack the innovation of individuals who are capable of thinking “outside the box” to create. Bill Gates, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, and Sir Isaac Newton were all academically {see WONG cont’d on page 12}

Empowerment through entertainment

By Clarissa Fe O’Francia SYLP

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n movies, Asian Americans are portrayed either as the brainiac nerd or the token kung fu- knowing henchman. Is that who we are in real life? Of course not. Ever since Asian Americans started appearing in Hollywood films, there has been a false and cringe-worthy view of Asians engraved into Western society. We are the soft-spoken side characters. We are the over-achieving students who want to become doctors. We are “fresh off the boat” and don’t speak any English. For decades, Asian Americans have been struggling with these kinds of stereotypes. Many can’t find a way to express themselves for who they really are. Until recently that is, thanks to a growing organization called Kollaboration.

Kollaboration is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 by stand-up comedian Paul ”PK“ Kim, who is Korean American from LA. His mission was to create a platform for Asian/Pacific Islander American youths aspiring to entertain in the mainstream media, advocating for diversity and out-casting stereotypes. Today, Kollaboration has spread to 14 major North American cities, including New York, Toronto, Chicago, and Seattle. An annual talent contest is put on by each city to choose a representative who then competes in LA to be crowned grand winner. Kollaboration has elevated many well-known Asian American entertainers, such as AJ Rafael, Clara Chung, David Choi, and Lion’s Ambition.

As well as participating in projects outside of entertainment, Kollaboration reaches out particularly to other Asian American organizations. Whenever an Asian-based event is taking place, Kollaboration makes it a point to attend it or, at the very least, spread awareness on social media. The Seattle branch has recently contributed to the Asian Music Festival and ACRS’’ Walk for Rice. {see O’FRANCIA cont’d on page 13}

Newbee: The new star of Dota 2

By Jingyu Zhang Northwest Asian Weekly

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he Chinese-based e-sport team “Newbee” snagged the top prize at the International Dota 2 Championships. This summer, the International Dota 2 Championships was held in Seattle and it was the third consecutive year that the tournament has been hosted here. Newbee defeated their fellow countrymen “VICI Gaming” in the grand finals. They won the best-of-five series, winning 3-1, and won an impressive grand-prize haul of $5,028,308 (Yes, over five million dollars!).

Dota 2 is a multi-player online battle arena video game, and it is played in discreet matches involving two five-player teams, each occupying a stronghold at a corner of “the map.”

This year, the tournament was held in Key Arena, which is about 10 times the capacity of Benaroya Hall (where the previous tournaments were hosted). Over $10 million in prize money was given out during this international competition. The tournament started with 16 teams and only eight teams came to the final tournament stage in Seattle. The teams were from different countries—five Chinese teams, two North American teams, and another one from the Ukraine.

The new champion team Newbee is a professional Chinese Dota 2 team, which was formed in February 2014. Termed the “Chinese Dream Team,” its members consisted of the monikers Xiao8, Mu, Hao, KingJ, and JSMJ. Although the team did struggle a bit at the start of the tournament, they slowly caught up and managed to be the first team to advance to the final stage.

Because of the tournament, the game suddenly drew attention from the public, most who didn’t even know about the game. Most people were simply astounded by the size of the prize pool. What’s interesting is that over 70 percent of the prize money was actually crowd-funded from the Dota 2 gamer community. Amateur players can purchase items for gameplay {see ZHANG cont’d on page 14}

Jason Williams needs to be held accountable

By Cindy Hsu SYLP

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hen the name “Jason Williams” is entered into the Internet search engines, it will present a plethora of websites listing the numerous achievements this reputable retired NBA player had acquired throughout his career. Having been picked in the first round of the 1998 NBA draft and decorated with titles such as the” Top 25 Players of All Time” in 2007, Williams is generally a well-known player.

However, many of his adoring

fans are often uninformed of his past racist outbursts.

On February 28, 2001, an Asian American Golden State Warriors’ fan named Michael Ching shouted at Jason (who was playing for the Sacramento Kings) to “get used to sitting on the bench.” However, the thirdyear NBA player lashed back with immensely inappropriate and racist comments, including, “I’ll shoot all you Asian mother-------. Do you remember the Vietnam War? I’ll shoot all ya’ll like that.”

That is after asking Ching if he was a “fag” and calling him

a “slant eyed mother------.”

Eventually, Williams was fined $15,000, which is hardly a dent in these professional basketball players’ $10 million-plus salary.

Many newspapers and other forms of media opted to not cover the unfortunate incident and chose to look the other way.

Little was done to eradicate the racially insensitive comments

by Williams due to the fear that the audiences’ social awareness could mar the NBA’s reputation.

When Ching expressed his concern about Williams’ verbal attack to Robert Rowell, the Warriors’ vice president of

business operations, it was immediately reported to the league. Ching said, “He needs to be held accountable. If he’s not going to apologize, people need to know that, too. That’s more important than any fine or suspension by the NBA.” However, within less than two weeks, the league’s spokesperson Brian McIntyre deemed the incident a closed matter, refusing further questions about the incident.

However, in light of the recent {see HSU cont’d on page 13}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ VOICES FROM THE YOUTH I define who I am

By Mike Guevarra SYLP

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rowing up in America, I always felt as if I was floating, like a drifting ghost, searching to find a place in a foreign world. Even as a naive child, I questioned why I never saw anyone on TV shows who looked like me, or why I couldn’t find a Filipino box on an ethnicity form in kindergarten.

For years, I wanted to know if there was a single voice inside of me. It took growing up a conflicted individual with no bearing on who I was to realize how my identity is intertwined with being a 2nd generation Filipino American.

As I grew from a small boy looking for a box to check, my confusion with race and culture in America proliferated. During 2nd grade, my mother, sister, and I abruptly moved into the suburbs, different from the urban neighborhoods of Kent and South Seattle that I knew. And what was most strikingly different was the white habitus I encountered, a social world where I couldn’t bring my mother’s “nasty” lunches to school, where I was constantly discriminated, where I was the other. Feeling the pressure of Asian stereotypes, as well as being ambiguous as a Filipino, I was compelled to look elsewhere for a way of presenting myself. So I began passing myself off as other races or as mixed.

However, this only led to me experiencing more of the boxes there are for people of color.

By 8th grade, my search for identity and meaning seemed hopeless. In trying to reject the boxes I was put into, I became spiteful {see GUEVARRA cont’d on page 12}

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

An argument for returning to the country of your birth

Cake analogies and human rights

By Julie Tolmie SYLP

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n a hot, smoggy morning last December, I stepped off of a plane and onto Vietnamese soil. My family and I had just arrived in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, after a bumpy flight down from Japan and another one before that from Seattle. In total, we had flown over 7,463 miles and over 16 hours. In 16 hours, we could have made the trip from Seattle to Honolulu, Hawaii three times. However, my family didn’t leave home that December to relax on sandy beaches, attend luaus, or drink fresh coconut juice. We left to reach Vietnam, the country of my mom’s birth.

My mom was born in Saigon, Vietnam on September 11th in the year of the dragon. She was the fifth of eight children born to old-fashioned Chinese parents. At the time of my mom’s birth, violence between the communist Northern Vietnamese and the U.S.-backed Southern Vietnamese had been going on for some time in the form of the Vietnam War. It was a difficult time to be a welleducated Chinese person in Vietnam, so by the time my mom was 10, her family had fled Vietnam for a concentration camp in Malaysia, where they would spend three more years before being admitted to the United States as refugees.

In the more than 30 years that have {see TOLMIE cont’d on page 12}

By Katie Wong SYLP

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qual rights can also be referred to as human rights (rights held by everyone without the restriction of the government.) Only nineteen out of the fifty states in the United States recognize same-sex marriage. Several states have tried to bar federal recognition in United States v. Windsor. United States v. Windsor happened when the Supreme Court struck down Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because it was found unconstitutional.

Section 3 of DOMA restricted that “marriage” and “spouses” should only apply to heterosexual unions.

Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer were married in 2007 in Ontario, Canada, after 40 years of romantic partnership. Spyer had left her estate to Windsor when she died in 2009 at New York; however Windsor was required to pay $363,053 in federal estate taxes because the federal law did not recognize their marriage. Since heterosexual couples were recognized under DOMA, they wouldn’t have to pay any federal estate taxes when their spouses died. Heterosexual couples were also qualified for an unlimited spousal deduction.

Even though DOMA is now found unconstitutional, many states still refuse to recognize same-sex marriages.

Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Asexual, Pansexual, and Intersex (LGBTQAPI) people are still being discriminated every day and being killed, beaten, and jailed for who they love.

Some of the states encourage discrimination upon the LGBTQAPI {see KATIE cont’d on page 12}

Assunta Ng

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THU 9/4

WHAT: Irene Kubota Painting Exhibit Opening WHERE: ID’s Bryan Ohno Gallery, 521 S. Main St., Seattle INFO: bryanohno.com

FRI 9/5 WHAT: Inclusion Fusion WHERE: The Foundry, 4130 1st Ave. S., Seattle WHERE: 5-9 p.m.

COST: $125/person INFO: edi@ediorg.org WHAT: Moon Festival WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

COST: $50/ticket INFO: legacyhouse.org/ moonfestival

MON 9/8 & TUE 9/9

WHERE: Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 2-4:30 p.m.

WHAT: Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium WHERE: Seattle University, 901 12th Ave., Seattle REGISTRATION: marsharivkin. org/events/symposium INFO: wendy.law-rudge@ swedish.org

SAT 9/6 & SUN 9/7 WHAT: Free screenings of a documentary from Japan WHERE: Bellevue College, Room C164, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WHEN: 9/6 at 3 p.m. and 9/7 at 1:30 p.m.

WHAT: Seattle Japanese Garden presents Moon Viewing with light up lanterns, luminaries and floating boats WHERE: Seattle Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., Seattle WHEN: 7-10 p.m.

COST: $15/general admission, $25/admission with tea ceremony TICKETS: brownpapertickets. com/event/822035 INFO: seattlejapanesegarden.org WHAT: Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration

WHAT: The ethnic media candidates meet and greet WHERE: Sun Ya Restaurant, 605 7th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5-7:30 p.m.

WHAT: Shamisen, Koto & Kokyu Concert WHERE: Poncho Concert Hall, Cornish College of the Arts WHEN: 7-9 p.m.

COST: $15-$25 INFO: Cornish.edu/presents

MON 9/22 WHAT: Nickelsville Community Forum WHERE: IDEA Space, 409 Maynard Ave., Seattle WHEN: 5 p.m.

TUE 9/23 WHAT: Preparing for Work (ESL level 5/6 students) WHERE: Bellevue College Main Campus, Room 101, 3000 Landerholm Circle S.E., Bellevue WHEN: 5:30 p.m.

INFO: bellevuecollege.edu/ prepforwork

SAT 9/13

SUN 9/7

SAT 9/6

SUN 9/21

THU 9/11

WHAT: Aki Matsuri WHERE: Bellevue College, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue WHEN: 9/6 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 9/7 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

COST: $35-$50, $350/table SPONSORSHIP: $1,000/table TICKETS: 206-223-0623, rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com INFO: womenofcolorempowered. com

WHAT: Seattle Center Festál – Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival WHERE: Seattle Center Armory, Mural Amphistheatre, & Fisher Roof WHEN: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m COST: Free INFO: www.seattlecenter.com or 206-684-7200

MON 9/8 WHAT: Koto Jazz, piano by “Kenji” WHERE: The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave., Seattle WHEN: 8-9 p.m.

INFO: 206-200-2733, kotojazz. com/events

WHAT: Night Market & Autumn Moon Festival WHERE: Union Station Plaza WHEN: 6 p.m.-12 a.m.

INFO: nightmarketseattle.com

FRI 9/19 WHAT: Ground Breaking Ceremony for Kin On Expansion Project – Phase I WHERE: Kin On Health Care Center, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle WHEN: 10-11:30 a.m.

RSVP: by September 15 at 206721-3630, or at hwong@kinon.org WHAT: WOC luncheon, “Amazing Women Mentors” WHERE: China Harbor

SPONSORS:

Saturday, October 18, 2014  6–9 p.m.

China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle, 206-286-1688

Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation

Diversity at the Top

Honoring Asian Americans who have broken the glass ceiling HONOREES

REGISTRATION: $75 before October 13. $85 after October 13. $90 walk-ins. $35 students with I.D. $40 student walk-ins. $750 for an individual table of 10. $950 for a corporate table of 10, with the corporate logo To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, or email rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com.

Andy Hwang Federal Way Police Chief

Hyeok Kim

Deputy Mayor of Seattle

Mary Yu

WA State Supreme Court Justice

Mary Knell

CEO, WA and Western Canada Wells Fargo Bank

Dr. Vikram Jandhyala

Vice Provost for Innovation, UW

PLANNING COMMITTEE: Joan Yoshitomi, Kiku Hayashi, Buwon Brown, Teri Wong, Karen Tsuo, Seungja Song, John Liu, Assunta Ng, Rebecca Ip, and Carol Cheung

To reserve your space, fax a copy of this form to 206-223-0626 or send a check by October 12 to: Northwest Asian Weekly, Attn: Diversity at the Top, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114 Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________

Brad Miyake Bellevue City Manager

Ketu Shah

First Indian American Judge in WA, King County District Court

Cathy Niu

Founder, Golden Sun Investment & Finance

Aaron Levine Sports Club Director, KCPQ TV

Email: ___________________________________________________ Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________  Mastercard

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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Asian American talent shines at Bumbershoot Tomo Nakayama

Photos by Laura Ohata/NWAW

stars. If you managed to miss Bumbershoot, however, don’t worry. Many of these groups live and perform in Seattle yearround. Here are a few must-hear Asians and Asian Americans on the local and international scene.

Yuna

Yuna

By Laura Ohata Northwest Asian Weekly This was a big year at Bumbershoot. Wu-Tang Clan, Foster the People, Elvis Costello, Lucious Jackson, The Replacements, and Los Lobos are only a few of the performers that took the stage. Alongside these legends, Asian and Asian American musicians and comedians made their mark as rising

Fans arrived early to grab spots near the front and hang over the railing to get the best view of the stage. The Seattle Space Needle towered over the stage, while a swarm of photographers buzzed down below. Yuna, a female singersongwriter from Malaysia, has hit it big-time.

Born in 1986, Yuna Zarai began writing songs at age 14.

She learned guitar in her teens, and began performing sets in public while studying in law school. Since then, she has recorded with indie label Verve Records and appeared on both Conan and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She has recorded tunes for Hollywood soundtracks. She’s been covered on NPR and other national media outlets.

With regard to musical style, Yuna avoids classification.

Playing in the fountain

Her lyrics carry the earthy bite of truth like Bob Dylan, while her melodies conjure Coldplay. Above all, her pieces are danceable and brave. Rather than dwelling on heartbreak, she sings about gathering strength after a breakup, or memories of her first love. Her performances inspire hope and fun at the same time. {see BUMBERSHOOT cont’d on page 15}

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

■ AT THE MOVIES

“A Letter to Momo”

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Hiroyuki Okiura’s anime feature “A Letter to Momo” was seven years in the making, including the story, script, and storyboarding. It’s also the filmmaker’s first turn in the director’s seat since 1999’s “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.”

For all the planning, though, the film begins simply enough, with a medium-sized ferry bringing people and cars to an island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea.The ferry brings a mother and daughter to a small island called Shio. Momo (voiced in Japanese by Karen Miyama, in English by Amanda Pace) and her mother, Ikuko (voiced by Japanese singer Yuka, and English-language voice actress Stephanie Sheh), left Tokyo after the death of Momo’s marine biologist father in a storm at sea.

The breathtaking scenery doesn’t much appeal to Momo, who’s despondent at losing her father. She is ashamed of how she acted right before his death. Her mother wants to help, but she’s busy with her own affairs, trying to provide for their future.

Momo misses her old friends, her old life, and the quietude of the island isn’t much after her Tokyo life.

She soon begins seeing vague shapes and hearing voices, especially when her mother is away. To her initial horror, the reasons behind these odd phenomena soon reveal themselves.

The family is being visited by three other-worldly spirits, sometimes called goblins. Whatever their origins (a topic they don’t care to dwell on), they’re ubiquitous, noisy, constantly gobbling whatever food they can scrounge, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. And since Momo is the only one who can see them clearly (after a while), she gets blamed for their actions.

Kawa (voiced by Koichi Yamadera and Fred Tatasciore) is a thick-bodied, rectangular-headed fellow with a huge bump on his scalp, fangs, and an inability to completely close his mouth. He’s brash and clearly thinks of himself as the leader of the group, although the other two don’t always go along.

Iwa (voiced by Toshiyuki Nishida and Dana Synder), the medium-sized apparition, looks like a chinless reptile with hair. He admires himself in mirrors and seems oblivious to his own silly appearance. He’s also vulgar and uncouth,

Congratulations to the success of the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation Summer Youth Leadership Program and its aspirations to nurture and develop young leaders!

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Mame (voiced by Cho and Bob Bergen) is the smallest of the three and the most goblin-like. His eyes are perfect circles, but his ears point up and his enormous tongue constantly hangs out. Apart from his tongue issues, he’s very much like a mischievous toddler, who talks little and runs around a lot. Everyone else, including Momo, has to keep him from getting hurt, or accidentally hurting others.

The apparitions create a lot of trouble for Momo, as they perpetually steal food. But gradually, they hash out a mutual understanding between themselves and Momo, and they begin working to help each other. This all plays against the beautiful backdrop of the island, with its forests, farms, and surrounding ocean. Director Okiura masterfully melds nature, myth, and the power of caring.  “A Letter to Momo” opens Friday, Sept. 5th, at Seattle’s Varsity Theatre, 4329 University Way N.E. in Seattle’s University District. Matinee screenings will be dubbed into English. Later shows will feature the original Japanese voices, with English subtitles. For prices and showtimes, call 206-781-5755 or check local listings.

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

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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“Patema Inverted”

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly Yasuhiro Yoshiura’s “Patema Inverted,” an anime feature originally formatted as an original net animation in four sections, gives us a plaintive young heroine. It also includes a steadfast young hero, a charismatic villain to boo and hiss, and a lot of head-spinning visuals. Beneath all that pizazz, sterner stuff lurks. It may be entertainment, but it’s an invitation to get out of our own headspace, even if we have to head-spin to those new conclusions.

Patema herself (voiced by Fujii Yukiyo in Japanese, Cassandra Lee Morris in English) lives in a subterranean civilization defined by huge, complex, and seeminglyendless corridors. Her people live and die here, with all the resources they need. But they never see sunlight or feel fresh air. Such things are foreign to them even as concepts—except for a few folks who whisper with another world, to the displeasure of the elders.

Patema eventually takes her pursuit of the forbidden knowledge too far, and she falls down a deep, dark shaft, freaking out all the way down. At the other end of the tunnel, shock awaits her — another world, one that opens to the sky and the elements, but upside-down relative to her own. Only the quick actions of a young boy, Age (pronounced “ah-gay”), prevents her from shooting up into the sky, where, they both presume, certain doom would await her.

Age (voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto and Michael Sinterniklass) is a schoolboy in the open-sky, upsidedown world called Aiga. Like Patema’s subterranean civilization, Aiga tells its people that the world they know is the only world that exists. Unlike Patema’s world, Aiga is a rigid, dystopian society, which programs its young people, through schooling and socializing, to march in step, to avoid questioning anything, and to receive harsh

punishments when one disobeys or ventures an original thought.

Aiga is ruled by Izamura (voiced by Takaya Hashi and Richard Epcar), a snide, superior dictator surrounded by armored soldiers with blazing red lights for eyes. He’s aware of Patema’s people, but dismisses them as “Inverts” when he’s not denying their existence entirely. He blames them for conducting a radical experiment which rendered them upside-down to Aiga. The incident killed many people and upset what he sees as the proper balance of life.

He wants the Inverts exterminated.

Patema and Age spend a fair amount of time trying to keep each other from flying off into the sky, or deep underground, depending on whose point of view we’re considering. And the point of view frequently flips around, between the two characters’ vantage points, so that if one of them seems right-side up, we know that we’ll reconsider

that in a few minutes. This helps us to keep both of their points of view in mind, and we get a swirling eyeful of a lot of beautiful, impeccably-illustrated scenery.

In the end, the struggle of the two young friends (who eventually consider becoming more than friends) proves more important than the social commentary, but not by much. The story and the visuals may be fantastic, but they invite us to consider our own positions. Is our own society a little too much like Aiga? Are we suppressing other points of view, other visions, for the sake of convenience and smooth sailing in society? I urge you to watch and answer for yourself.  “Patema Inverted” opens Friday, Sept. 26th, at SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Avenue North in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne neighborhood, near Seattle Center. For prices, showtimes, call 206-324-9996 or visit www.siffcinema.org.

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

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

OPINION

■ editorial We will be majority in public schools…

Our sister publication, the Seattle Chinese Post, recently published an article about how minorities will be the majority in public schools in the United States. The staff here at NWAW was skeptical.

Questions we asked: Is that true?

Minorities will be the majority in public schools — not just in Seattle, but in totality in the United States?

Really?

Who or what was the source?

After doing some research, believe it or not, IT IS TRUE. According to the U.S. Department of Education, this fall, we will most likely be the majority.

Numbers and data can be extremely boring—so that this is why we have…

Infographics!

Makes it fairly clear, right?

2014 will be the crux, when the percentage of minorities will tip the balance, not by a huge percentage. Perhaps we can call it closer to… equality.

Our big sister publication was not making things up. That minority blue-green-yellow-black bar is beating the smaller, cleared-out bar. It’s not a competition, but the statistics are surprising. Of course, in some states, there is clearly a Caucasian

majority in public schools, but when summing up our country in total, the percentage has shifted. It has been steadily doing so since 1997.

What are the conclusions we can draw from a graph or chart, and the bullet points? What are the reasons behind it? What are the implications?

It’s a rhetorician’s dream assignment. There are several factors.

—Private vs. public schooling (this brings up interesting issues of privilege and class).

The argument seems to be, the majority is moving to private schooling.

—Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans — we are turning into the majority. According to Pew Research, most of the growth is driven by U.S.-born Hispanic and Asian children rather than immigrant children. So whether attending public or private schools, all signs point to we are going to gain a larger and louder voice, or hopefully, an equal one.

Read our student contributors’ articles this week… (smiley face infographic icon with wink infographic). You can decide how majority our minority student writers are.  Access the full research report from the U.S. Department of Education at: http://nces.ed.gov/ pubs2014/2014051.pdf.

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG h nI a Das

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Wu e n i t s Ju

Tony Le

guyen

N David

Tony Le O’Dea High School “I saw the Beyonce and Jay-Z concert (at Safeco). Beyonce looked at me (in the eye). It was love. It’s lifechanging.”

nh

Tyler

h n y u H Krist y

An unforgettable summer!!!

Ina Dash University of Washington “I got to see first-hand how bumblebee pollination affects crop production in Seattle’s P-patches (community gardens) through a University of Washington citizenscience project. Insect pollinators are responsible for every one in three bites of food we take and one of the biggest contributors. Sad to say that bees have been declining in population.”

uy Kevin H

n Nguye

Spotlight on youth

ch i P i l o S Kianna Chang hara i g i h S Lane

ia

ranc F ’ O e F a s s i r a l C

UCLA “It’s exciting to see London, Italy and Paris for the first time. My family and I got to see different parts of the world I have never seen before. I am most impressed with Italy, its art and architecture especially visiting the Pantheon. It’s also meaningful and educational to volunteer in a dentist’s office. I plan to major in dentistry at UCLA. I have always been interested in science. I like using my hands. It’s something I will be good at.”

Kevin Huynh Hazen High School “I went to Nashville for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) national conference this summer. I am the vice president of the FBLA representing the Midwest. There were

over 40,000 people there. I learned how to organize business events for the community.”

David Nguyen Hazen High School “As an intern for Caradigm, a healthcare analytics company, my teammate and I got to present our project to the CEO and CFO. Caradigm is a company formed by Microsoft and GE Healthcare. There were 17 interns altogether and only seven got to present their projects. I don’t know how many people applied for the internship, but I know it’s competitive. I was picked because of my passion for computers and science and my ambition to learn.”

Tyler Nguyen (pictured with Justine Wu, winner of the lucky draw) Seattle University “I spent more than five hours in preparing this art work to be donated as a prize for the Summer Youth Leadership Program reunion’s ‘lucky draw.’ I painted it first, used a computer-printed image, and handcut every shade of different colors. I then sprayed paint on it again.”

Lane Shigihara University of Washington “As president of ZBT fraternity this year, I am proud that I got selected. I am preparing to help my members to balance between academics and their extracurricular activities, and provide a good learning experience. Our {see BLOG cont’d on page 14}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ commenTARIES

“Ceci n’est pas une pipe (This is not a pipe),” a cheeky statement made famous by Rene Magritte’s painting The Treachery of Images came to mind recently. But Magritte’s painting is of a pipe. It is very clearly a pipe, despite it saying otherwise. Mais non, argued Magritte, as the object before in question is a painting of a pipe, which cannot be lit, smoked, or used as one. It is not a pipe, but a visual representation of one. Magritte’s painting made us question our perception, and the painting remains an icon.

So when “Hello Kitty is not a cat” became the headline that blew minds and shattered hearts recently, I couldn’t help but chuckle at what is the best marketing maneuver Sanrio could conjure. The bombshell came on Aug. 26 as this Kitty (a non-cat) prepares for her exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Minds blown out of craniums across the interweb and chatter, debates, and snarky tweets ensued with everyone weighing in from celebrities to The Huffington Post and The New Yorker.

“But what of her button-like nose, her pointy ears and whiskers?” some would ask.

Well, what of her being everything from a rock star to a princess, doctor, airline pilot, and a nurse? Is it more shocking that she accomplished all these feats as a cat or a young girl? Luckily our debate was quickly put to rest as Sanrio followed up with some coy back peddling with the Washington Post.

Hello Kitty is not a cat per se, she is an anthropomorphism, a personification of a cat.

“This is nothing new. We’ve always had this setting since Hello Kitty made its debut 40 years ago,” explained Mr. Tohmatsu to the Washington Post. “It is more of an an-

thropomorphism.”

This would be the biggest “no ****” statement known to man if the hubbub did not suddenly bring attention to the excessively elaborate backstory assigned upon the blankfaced, all-adapting icon.

Her full name is Kitty White. She is British, has Type A blood, is about five apples tall, and is a Scorpio. This fascinated me even as someone who has never cared for Hello Kitty before. This is not an op-ed where I admit to suddenly giving a crap about Hello Kitty; except, it is.

The whole charade called into question about what we know and love about our childhood characters, and so yes, admittedly, I did some digging. Badtz Maru is confirmed a penguin. PomPom Purin is not only a dog, but a male golden retriever. Keroppi is a frog. My Melody is ambiguous still (but so clearly a rabbit). If this isn’t proof of the effectiveness of this bait and switch, I don’t know what is. Hello Kitty’s exhibit may be in Los Angeles, but her mystique has invaded our brains.

We’ve been seduced (duped), folks. Despite not buying a single Sanrio character since the third grade, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m wondering whether Pochacco is legal and likes long walks on the beach.

I’m willing to bet his blood type is O and I’m resisting the strange urge to buy a doggy (or not? But let’s not tease) eraser. While the credit should go to Magritte, it’s safe to conjecture that the effective siren song of Hello Kitty-gate will only lead to more “revelations” to come. Princess Jasmine is not a princess? Ursula is not an octopus? Maleficent is not a villain (Oh wait, that has been done)? Nothing is as it seems in this crazy world but hey, every girl’s (erh…cat) gotta have her secrets. 

I am not a cat!

11

OPINION

The siren song of “Hello Kitty is not a cat”

By Tiffany Ran FOR Northwest Asian Weekly

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Pinnacles of awkwardness and internships

By Daria Kroupoderova FOR Northwest Asian Weekly

When I started interning at the NW Asian Weekly, I knew I would at some point be put in a situation where I felt like an outsider. Being a white female and covering Asian news is really not a big deal, but being a white female who doesn’t speak Chinese, and covering an event that is 90 percent in Chinese, is a big and awkward deal.

My editor asked me to cover a singles event at the public library (a Chinese Valentine’s party). When I looked the event up, the posting was half in Chinese and half in English. I thought that since half of it was English then of course I would be able to cover it. However, when I got to the event, it was clear that it was geared for the Chinese population, with only a few white people attending, me being one of them.

I panicked and called my editor—we both found it hilarious that it didn’t even cross either of our minds that this may happen. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense this would happen. The Chinese librarian coordinated this event and got the

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word out through other events she holds that are largely attended by the Chinese community. Why didn’t that click for me?

I was embarrassed but I stayed and took pictures.

I hunted down the coordinator of the event who was nice enough to translate a few of the introductions for me. People were allowed to stand up for a few minutes and introduce themselves in any language they felt comfortable in. Out of about 60 people that introduced themselves, there was only a handful that did so in English.

I texted my editor telling her this was my “pinnacle of awkwardness” for this internship.

I squeezed myself in the smallest corner and tried to not be noticed. I felt like an outsider when everyone would laugh at something someone said and I didn’t understand. To make matters worse, during the break, a gentleman came up to me and started chatting with me (in English) and I had to tell him that I was there with the media, and not as a participant trying to find a partner. This was the point I wished to turn into a puddle and quickly evaporate into the air.

Even though this was an uncomfortable experience, it was probably the most insightful experience of my internship. I truly knew how it felt to be an outsider, not understanding what the hell is going on, but nodding my head anyway. 

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 education because it educates a young person in a way that subjects, such as math and science, simply cannot.

Lastly, the arts involve developmental skills. Whenever a dance is choreographed, a song is composed, a painting is commissioned, or a book is written, there is always a developing process that involves a beginning, middle, and end. Educating through the arts teaches young people the ability to skillfully complete their work without giving up. Perseverance and

excellent, but what made them capable of implementing change was their ability to be creative and innovative. The catalyst which allowed them to harness their creativity and innovation was the arts. Whether it is music, dance, visual creations, or writing, the entire spectrum of art is undervalued, but vital to a young person’s development.

Secondly, the arts are essential to a young person’s development because they lead to

an exposure of different cultures. Exposing culture to a young person creates cultural and historical understanding of other cultures besides their own. This eliminates ignorance and creates knowledge. Without a doubt, this is important because the arts not only enhances a young person’s ability to be creative, but educates as well. In the end, getting an education is the main acquisition a parent wishes their child to gain. The arts fulfill that requirement as well. The arts must be utilized in a teen’s

{GUEVARRA cont’d from page 5}

{TOLMIE cont’d from page 5}

and cynical. Hostility gripped me outside of school and at home, while underlying resentment proceeded in the classroom.

I indulged in vices that disconnected and numbed me from the world and its difficulties. I fostered animosities, ridiculously disassociating with whatever I saw as whiteness. Ultimately, as a negative reaction, not only was I not growing as an individual, but I was uncaringly detaching myself from any answers to the shared struggles others also faced just like me.

Only through enlightening experiences and deeply connecting with others was I able to climb out of this parasitic way of life. Some were profound, such as reuniting with my family in the Philippines. Some were gradually changing, like spending school lunches in the library to reading stories of other Asian Americans. And lastly, some were fleeting moments I’ve come to internalize, the words of those who believed in me when I didn’t believe in anything. After I first thought I had brushed off the world’s pressures, I realized there were negative paradigms holding me back – so I let go.

Now living in America, I again feel as if I am floating, but it’s not a rootless, ghost-like feeling anymore. It’s the light sensation of freedom. The path to this place of possibilities wasn’t smoothly paved.

I first identified and rejected the boxes society put me in. However, in doing so, I wrongly became a negative reaction, an angry slave still stuck under a dominant culture. I had to completely purge myself of any parasite on my identity in order to properly build a true one, enriched by both my family’s culture and American culture, helping to culminate a world that made sense to me. I’ve come to find my voice and my direction, and the truth that no matter what, I hold the final say in life. We each have the voice and freedom to say who we are and how we live. Nothing can take that away unless we allow it. 

passed since they arrived in the United States, a few members of my mom’s immediate and extended family have returned to Vietnam. When we made the trip in December, my mom was only the third person to go back. Part of this is because before my mom made the trip to Vietnam, those family members who had already gone back to Vietnam discouraged others from making the same mistake. Nearly all of them returned from their trip with the same message, “Don’t go back. There’s nothing left for us there now.”

However, now that I’ve made the trip, I don’t agree with that advice. Do go back to the country of your birth. There’s still much for you to gain from that experience.

The biggest reason for any person to return to the country of his or her birth, and the reason why my mom returned to Vietnam, is to close up a chapter of her life. From talking to family members, listening to immigrants in the Seattle area, and reading the histories and biographies of immigrants around the country, I’ve learned that while many immigrants are glad to be living in the United States and would never ever consider returning to their home country, many others still feel a certain attachment to the country where they were born and/or raised. However, sometimes, it’s even more than a “certain attachment.” How many immigrants, and even children of immigrants, feel like they don’t quite fit in here? How many feel like they wouldn’t fit in their birth country either, because they left so long ago, or on uncertain terms? The fate of many immigrants is to feel both of these, like someone who

{WONG cont’d from page 4}

{KATIE cont’d from page 5} community. For example, the Kansas House Bill 2453 (HB 2453), which was proposed would allow people to refuse any services to the relationships they did not agree with. Kansas has also banned same –sex marriage in 2005 and has prohibited discrimination in only government employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Similarly, a majority of Russians supports laws discriminating against people in the LGBT and opposes same-sex marriage.

Homophobia is also increasing in Russia, Africa, and in parts of Asia countries.

People are trying to deny other people’s rights even though it doesn’t affect them directly. Same- sex couples are not allowed to adopt children in countries, even though the people who put children up for adoption are usually the heterosexual couples. It doesn’t make sense to ban homosexual couples from adopting children because most heterosexual couples would rather have children of their own rather than to adopt. This would be the cause of more homeless children, and they would have to be put in filled orphanages or foster

TAITUNG

diligence is highly developed through the enduring but rewarding process.

Exposing the arts to a young person’s development is necessary because it improves creativity and innovation, educates individuals, and lastly, develops important life-working skills. If our society wishes to make great leaps for significant advancements with the goal of achieving wonder and greatness, then it will have to go beyond the classroom and onto the dance floor. 

half belongs to two different places and can never completely fit in either one. Many people wonder what life might have been like if they had stayed in the country where they were born. In this case, there might be some regret over their departure. There migh be some bitterness over the discrimination they’ve had to face here, the language barrier they have had to overcome, the culture gap between parents and children, and the dispersal of family members across the country.

This is why returning to the country of your birth is so important.

It’s the only way to find out whether everything you’ve dealt with here, including discrimination, language barriers, and the culture gap, has been worth it. You’ll find out where you belong, or at the very least, where you belong most. It might be that the country of your birth is home, or it might be that this is home. Maybe things in your old country have changed too much and not enough, so that it really isn’t home anymore.

The real reason why you should visit is that it’s the only way to close up that chapter of your life. Many immigrants, refugees especially, had to leave their homes in a hurry. They fled war or persecution and they didn’t really get a chance to say goodbye.

Returning to the country of your birth is that chance to say a proper goodbye. So let go of what once was, but don’t forget about it. Pass the story on to the next generation. Meanwhile, don’t forget about your family, your friends, or anyone that might still be in the country of your birth. They exist in the present now, and so should you. 

homes. Some people would rather have children un-adopted, in a foster home, or in an orphanage than have them adopted by a loving same—sex couples who could provide the children with a safe environment.

It is frustrating when heterosexual people deny the rights of LGBTQAPI people because they don’t agree with their “life style choices.” For example, there is a cake analogy around, “Voting against gay marriage is like ordering a piece of cake at a restaurant and having a complete stranger saying ‘waiter, cancel that cake. That cake it’s ruining my cake and I don’t know how to explain it to my children.’”

People should not be allowed to have a say in the laws that would not directly affect them. It is unfair that some people can get married because it is seen as the “norm.” Everyone should have equal rights because no one should have their rights taken away because of someone who doesn’t agree with how they live their lives. The United States of America prides itself on freedom however, many people would agree with a lyric from one of Macklemore’s song, “No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it.” 

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

13

For the week of September 6–September 12, 2014

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — As information travels down the line, it may become less reliable. The source of the news is an important factor to consider.

Dragon — You are in lock-step with your partner and it shows. It is crucial to maintain open communication for this to continue.

Monkey — Have you secured a favorable position for yourself? It may only be the beginning in what could be a great journey.

Ox — Why fight over something that doesn’t mean much to you? Save your energy for when it really counts.

Snake — Is one negative voice bringing you down?

Turn your attention to those around you who are uplifting and supportive.

Rooster — Change for change’s sake isn’t always a good idea. If something works for you, then there is no reason to do things differently.

Tiger — Are you on the verge of reaching a personal goal? You have what it takes to make the final push through to the end.

Horse — A minor blemish is probably only noticeable to you. Avoid drawing attention to it, for it will only make it seem bigger than it actually is.

Dog — Let modern technology save you some valuable time. You might be able to do your errands via the internet instead of in person.

Rabbit — Feeling as though you could do more, but unsure of how to do so? Don’t force the issue; instead wait for a good moment to step in.

Goat — Do you have a small fear that you would like to conquer? There is no time like the present to do what you are undoubtedly ready for.

Pig — Even a small dose of kindness could surprise you later on. You never know when the tables will be turned in the future.

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 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.

{O’FRANCIA cont’d from page 4} ”We’re made of passionate people,” says Kollaboration Seattle’s Marketing Director Aaron Yeung. ”We’re really passionate about the movement.” Kollaboration strides towards a future where Asian Americans won’t be viewed {HSU cont’d from page 4} disturbance in the NBA with Donald Sterling’s also racially insensitive comments regarding African Americans, the Internet offers an array of lavish criticism on Sterling’s character. Even his mental competency is presented as questionable for trial. It is evident through the media, and multiple social networks such as Twitter’s #donaldsterling, that this recent act of racism is clearly not acceptable in society today. The NBA’s decision to fine Sterling 2.5 million dollars, as well as banning him from the NBA for life, is an adequately suited penalty relative to just the $15,000 Jason Williams had to pay. In retrospect, the entire nation is seeking justice, and ultimately denouncing the racist comments Donald Sterling had inflicted against African Americans. The question which remains is why

through a negative paradigm. Who says Asian Americans can’t be the energetic protagonist? Who says Asian Americans can’t be anything but doctors? Let this inspire us to empower each other the way Kollaboration empowers through entertainment. 

the same wasn’t done with Jason Williams, for blatantly committing an act of racism against Asian Americans.

Asian Americans have often been classified as the “model minority,” essentially categorizing its members as of higher success than the average American population. To be of high success financially, economically, socially, etc., it requires dedication and commitment, which ultimately forged the stigma of the Asians’ admirable work ethic.

The hard-working Asian Americans, however, are then standardized as studious or diligent, and eventually the stereotypic image of a nerdy and passive Asian is formed.

Historically labeled as a pushover by societal stereotypes, Asian Americans are often discounted for, consequently making it okay for society to downplay racist events against Asian Americans, such as the Michael Ching incident, when it is a blatant injustice against humanity. 

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: Transit Facility Electrical Maintenance Work Order (FTA), C00913C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:00 p.m., September 16, 2014 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: Not-to-Exceed $500,000.

Scope of Work: This Work Order contract is to perform electrical and lighting modifications, repairs or improvements at King County Transit facilities, which include, but are not limited to, excavation, removal, clearing and disposal of existing site materials; trenching and installing underground concrete encased or direct buried conduit; procuring and installing light pole bases, light poles, interior and exterior lighting and power circuit, all associated electrical controls, boxes and panels; excavation and installation of hand holes, manholes, grounding and wiring; and restoring site as directed including but not limited to placing concrete, asphalt and landscaping material.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $500,000.00 and the initial Contract Time shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $500,000.00 during the duration of this Contract. At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended for one additional year or until the Not to Exceed Contract Price is reached, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater

than two years from the date of Contract execution by the County.

Work site: Various Transit facilities located throughout King County, Washington including, but not limited to, Transit Bases and Park-and-Ride lots.

Contact Information: Ruth Williamson, 206-2639333, or ruth.williamson@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: A pre-bid conference is not scheduled.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Site preparation; trenching; excavation; site restoration.

Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SBE Requirement: 5% minimum Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Requirement. See §00120 for further information.

DBE Goal: The County has determined that no DBE goal will be established for this Contract.

However, the County will require that the selected Contractor report any actual DBE participation on this Contract to enable the County to accurately monitor DBE program compliance. See §00120 for further information.

Applicable Federal Provisions: Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, Federal Labor Provisions and Davis Bacon (Federal) Wage Rates.

Federal Funding: This contract is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) and is subject to

the requirements set forth in applicable FTA grants, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. In accordance with the requirements of the FTA grants and with USDOT’s policy on the utilization of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and disadvantaged business enterprises in procurement under assistance programs, the Contractor shall comply with 49 CFR PART 26.

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 below. Printed documents may be ordered for purchase by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177.

Bid documents are available for review 8 am– 5 pm, Monday through Friday, at King County, Chinook Building, Procurement Office, 3rd Floor; 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA. 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 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.

asianweekly northwest

14

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

{ZHANG cont’d from page 4} and to support players during a specific period before the tournament. Twenty-five percent of the money spent will flow into the prize pool. Many thought that this was a clever campaign played by Valve Corp., the creator of Dota 2.

It provides an easy way for gaming fans to show support to the star players.

Because of my friend Shuo Han, I happened to get a chance to go to Key Arena and watch the live games at the final stage. Although I didn’t know much about the game, I could feel the enthusiasm from all the fans

{BLOG cont’d from page 10} fraternity has 45 members. Of the 32 UW fraternities, there are only four Asian presidents.”

Soli Pich West Seattle High School “I went to the youth career compass camp.

It helped me to focus on finding the right career that fits my personality.”

Clarissa Fe O’Francia West Seattle High School

toward their “dream” teams. Pro players were crowded by fans asking for autographed cards — cards can play a role and affect any particular hero or equipment in the game. The 10,000 general admission tickets were sold out immediately after the tournament was announced.

Because of the incentive of the giant prize pool, all the teams did their best to prepare for the final event. Winning the tournament is not only something that makes your “dream come true,” but it is also the opportunity to actually earn some impressive money by playing games. Since “playing a game” is still not perceived as a financially viable job by most people, not all the pro players were supported and understood

“This summer, I started working at the Wing Luke Museum. It’s been a dream of mine since I was little to work in a museum, so this is a dream come true for me. All the things I’ve learned and all the amazing people I’ve met... Every moment I’ve been here has been a friendly struggle of balancing adolescence and adulthood, and I don’t regret anything.”

Kristy Huynh “Project LiberAsian was an idea developed as a group project during the Northwest Asian Weekly Summer Youth Leadership Program. The idea is to create a

by their families when they decided to choose this “career.”

For the Newbee team members, winning the tournament was more about proving themselves. Pro players spent more than 10 hours a day in average for training, which simply makes gaming not that much of a joy. One of the players of Newbee, Xiao8, actually announced retirement from the competitive gaming world after winning the tournament, saying that he wants to keep away from the pressure.

This year attracted a record amount of professional players in the international tournament’s four-year history. Dota 2 will certainly be recognized because of this year’s tournament. 

non-profit organization that encourages Asian American youth in the Seattle community to express their creativity through performing arts. Our program workshops range from vocal and hip-hop/break dance sessions, to spoken word, rap, and public speaking instruction. Our year round program will be open for all youth between the ages of 12-18, but mainly targets Asian American teens. We believe they need an outlet to creatively express themselves and break the Asian, model minority stereotype that limits them to only pursue careers in STEM or business. We are confident these young Asian Americans will be able to en-

gage with other people who share similar dreams and have more confidence in building their talents in performing arts.” 

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

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Hangin’ Tuff

Locally produced music variety show, Hangin’ Tuff, is the opposite of modest. In each episode, a different Seattle band is interviewed in a hot tub, on a boat floating around Lake Union. The show opens with a brilliant but bizarre animation sequence similar to Monty Python. With regard to atmosphere, Hangin’ Tuff is like the Peewee’s Playhouse version of Gilligan’s Island. At Bumbershoot, we caught up with the show creator, Bobbi Rich, and her co-host Mike Ni. “I call him the ‘Sax Man,’” says Rich, “… because he is so sexy.” Ni frowns and nudges Rich with his elbow. Yet, true to form, Mike Ni played saxophone wearing shiny gold short-shorts and a smile for the Bumbershoot edition of Hangin’ Tuff. When asked what he likes best about the show, Ni says, “It is more about the music… We put the artist in an environment that they like to be in. It’s wacky… We make the experience

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Singer-songwriter Tomo Nakayama performs guitar and keyboards in Seattle.

His compositions send modern, sometimes Asian-influenced melodies cascading over chord progressions that hint at retro Led Zeppelin or AC/DC. At Bumbershoot, Nakayama played with a well-balanced band, featuring Cory Gray on keyboards, Brian Wright on drums, and John Totten on bass.

Born in Shikoku, Tomo Nakayama was raised in a suburb of Tokyo. He moved to Seattle with his family at age 8. Today, Seattle is still lucky to call Nakayama a resident.

When asked about his influences as a composer, Nakayama says that he listens to a lot of Nina Simone, Chet Baker, and The Beatles’ Revolver and White Album.

He also draws inspiration from his wife’s poster art, as well as movie soundtracks by directors Lynn Shelton, Kitano Takeshi (Beat Takeshi), Stanley Kubrick, Miyazaki Hayao, and Kurosawa Kiyoshi.

Nakayama got the help of Yuuki Mathews of The Shins to produce his upcoming album, Fog on the Lens, set for release on Oct. 15th, 2014. The collaboration was successful, and now the two plan to perform together in Japan, traveling the country by train. “I only get to go every two or three years,” says Nakayama. Then his eyes twinkle, “Going on tour is a great opportunity because it gives me a way to visit Tokyo.” Seattle will have to be patient while Nakayama is on tour, but his performances are definitely worth the wait. 

Richin Sardines in Tomato Sauce (regular & spicy) $0.79

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Laura Ohata can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

Amazing Women Mentors Volunteering as a way of life

Friday, September 19, 2014 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle

Honorees

Sponsors

Grace Kim

Architect Schemata Workshop Inc.

Carole Carmichael

Assistant Manager Editor The Seattle Times

Lourdes Salazar

Volunteer Program Coordinator City of Bellevue

Isabelle Gonn

Administrative Manager Nordstrom Technology

Jean Hernandez

President Edmonds Community College

Regina Glenn

Diane Ferguson

Interim Director Central Area Seniors Center

Luz Iniguez

Director of the Migrant Program University of Washington

CO-CHAIRS: Charlene Grinolds and Gladys Romero PLANNING COMMITTEE: Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi, Bonnie Miller, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Winona Holins-Hauge, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Jaime Sun, Sonia Doughty, and Carol Cheung

Emcee

Vice President Seattle Metropolitan

Kirstan Arestad

Director Seattle City Council’s Central Staff

RESERVATIONS FOR LUNCHEON: Discounted price of $35 if purchased by September 15. Full price of $45 after September 15. Walk-ins $50.

Student price of $25 with I.D. before September 15; $30 after September 15; student walk-ins $35. No tickets will be mailed; confirmation is by e-mail only. $350 for a table. To sponsor the event including logo online and print and table is $1,000.

(For details, visit womenofcolorempowered.com).

Men are welcome!

To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, or email rsvp@nwasianweekly.com. For more information, visit womenofcolorempowered.com.

Name: ___________________________________________________ Social Worker Muckleshoot Child & Family Services

Lillian Hayashi

Community Volunteer Elder Care & Service Advocate

Patricia Lally

Director Seattle Office for Civil Rights

Hazel Cameron Executive Director 4C Coalition

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Executive Director El Centro de la Raza

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us out!

Deborah Guerrero

Deborah Lee

Program Director Nisqually Tribe Head Start

Bonnie Glenn Director DSHS

Stephanie Bowman Commissioner Port of Seattle

15

All sale lasts from Friday 9/5 to Thursday 9/11

PRODUCE

Yuna proves that you can observe Islam and be a feminist at the same time. In the West, we are quick to criticize the hijab as holding women back, yet her elegant hijab wraps cover her hair, but extend out and up in a defining fashion statement. Yuna’s modest but stylish clothes prove that you don’t have to be objectified as a sex symbol to succeed as a female musician. The fact that Yuna is beautiful is only an afterthought. In many ways, she turns feminism inside out and upside down, begging us to question our assumptions.

And yet, Yuna’s stage presence is top notch.

Her smile is warm and open, miraculously pulling off confidence, kindness, and humility at the same time. Yuna is every bit the diva, without the diva attitude.

Although Yuna doesn’t live in Seattle, you can see her performances on Youtube. Her international discography includes Decorate, Yuna, Sixth Street, and Nocturnal. Check her out on Myspace or iTunes.

fun, and they open up.” Hangin’ Tuff is a great way to get comic relief and learn about new music in Seattle at the same time. Rich, a DJ, producer, and comic genius, blends skits and humorous characters into the mix.

But parents, be warned. Watch the show after the kids go to bed. The humor is hilarious, but it is definitely adult swim.

SEAFOOD

{BUMBERSHOOT cont’d from page 7}

SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

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To reserve your space, fax this form to 206-223-0626 or email to rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com or mail the form along with check to: Women of Color Empowered, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114.

asianweekly northwest

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SEPTEMBER 6 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Wise words from wise leaders

“You must believe in yourself and know that by following the values of integrity, hard work, and respect for your community, you can overcome anything. Always talk to friends, family, and mentors about adversity, so they can help guide you through struggles. American history is filled with inspiring individuals who had odds stacked against them.”

Congressman Adam Smith Washington State’s 9th District

How do you overcome adversity?

“Believe in yourself and imagine yourself in a position of power and authority. Think about what it takes to get there and then trust that you really do have the capacity to achieve it. You can reach your dreams if you can see yourself (in your mind’s eye) there. Best wishes for a successful school year!”

Justice Mary Yu Washington State Supreme Court

“Welcome back to school.

Be curious.

Question everything.

Serve your community.”

Kenyon S. Chan Chancellor, UW-Tacoma

“In King County, we’re working to ensure all of our students come to school ready to learn and have the opportunity to succeed. This fall, I will continue my school district listening tour, visiting schools across the county to hear your challenges and successes. Have a great start of the school year, and I look forward to seeing you soon!”

King County Executive Dow Constantine

“It’s how we react to the adversity that matters. I encourage all students to make a goal and plan to reach that goal. When adversity strikes, step back and figure out how to remove the roadblock. When you successfully reach your goal, take a moment to celebrate your success. Have an amazing year!”

Sue Anderson Vice President & General Manager, Seattle Markets CenturyLink

“People have unlimited potential. Education is a very positive and powerful means of tapping into that potential. Going to school and earning a degree teaches skills, builds confidence, and nurtures creativity — all of which are necessary in facing and overcoming adversities. I encourage everyone to dream big.”

Dr. Jean Hernandez President, Edmonds Community College

“We all face adversity at some point in our lives.

Our success lies in how we handle it. Many of us allow challenges to defeat us. What I say to you is this: accept your challenge head-on. If you focus on developing into a stronger and wiser individual, you will succeed not in spite of, but because of the very challenges you face.”

Dave Rule President, Bellevue College

“Life is filled with choices. It’s about discovering what your life is meant to be and living that life to its fullest. French writer Marcel Proust said such discovery takes fresh eyes.

Education can give you fresh eyes to discover talents and strengths, so you can make a difference. This requires an openness to learn more, to care more, to achieve more for you and your community.”

Cheryl Roberts President, Shoreline Community College

“Always do what is right and persevere through those challenges. You represent yourself and your family, so always think about helping others and improving your community. Lastly, have patience and curiosity throughout your life. There are wonderful experiences ahead and be curious about those new adventures. Appreciate your path.”

Judge Ketu Shah King County District Court

“Education is the key to success. Develop career and life goals and take advantage of every opportunity to learn and develop new skills that will help you achieve your goals. Always remember that there are many people who want to help you along the way.”

Paula Boyum Associate Dean, Northeastern University – Seattle

The Wise Words series is sponsored by members of our local community

“Face the adversity, evaluate yourself, assess the situation, and allow yourself to ‘grow’ through it and become bigger and better because of it. Don’t allow adversity to keep you sitting on the sidelines. Pursue your greatness.”

Tyrell Edwards UW Bothell (‘13), Fulbright Recipient

“Get a goal for the mind. Stay completely focused. Let nothing deter you. When you succeed, give back to others, reflecting the community.”

Nate Miles Vice President of Government Relations Lilly

“At South Seattle College, we tell our students, ‘Start here, go anywhere!’ As you begin or renew your academic pursuits, don’t forget to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you. Pursue your passions, pursue your dreams, and turn them into your reality!”

Gary Oertli President, South Seattle College

“The challenges we face in life shape who we are and who we become. My own life experiences, even the bad ones, have contributed to who I am today. Focus on the future. Set goals and keep track of progress. You may not always achieve everything, but you will have taken control and created opportunities that may not have existed. Most important - be a nice person.”

Kathleen M. O'Toole Seattle Police Chief