VOL 36 NO 39 | SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

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VOL 36 NO 39 SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 FREE 35 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Seattle’s first Asian mayor

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

SEATTLE — Seattle’s temporary mayor, appointed after Ed Murray resigned amid sex abuse allegations, spent just 48 hours on the job before announcing on Sept. 15 he didn’t want to keep it.

But Bruce Harrell, the city’s first Asian mayor and second Black, made the most of his brief tenure, signing four executive orders — including one that seeks to land Amazon’s planned second headquarters back in its hometown.

“Now is the time to explore all alternatives to keep those jobs here,” Harrell said.

Harrell said the city would submit a bid to Amazon after the tech giant announced it will spend more than $5 billion to build another headquarters in North America to house as many as 50,000 employees.

Seattle, already home to the company’s sprawling urban campus headquarters, will join dozens of cities seeking the new Amazon facility. see HARRELL on 15

Bruce Harrell taking the Oath of Office on Sept. 14, 2017.

Four Seas owners partner in ID affordable housing project Who’s doing what in the Asian community. »2

COMMUNITY NEWS Ruth Woo may be gone but not forgotten. The new program to groom future leaders. »3

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY InterIm Community Development Association (InterImCDA) is working to develop an affordable workforce housing mixed-use project at 714 South King Street — where the Four Seas restaurant and parking lot currently occupy.

The restaurant, owned and operated by the Chan family, will have to close in order for the development to happen. The family is partnering with InterIm on this project. The partnership came about a couple of years ago when King County had a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking funding see INTERIM on 15

Photo by Ruth Bayang/NWAW

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Four Seas restaurant at 8th and King.

Changing teams through technology John Chen calls himself a big kid with an old soul. The founder and CEO of Geoteaming left a successful career at Microsoft to use technology to help teams work together effectively.

The Chinatown bank that paid a high price. »9

CALENDAR » 6 EDITORIAL » 11 ASTROLOGY » 13

■

Being an entrepreneur isn’t a big deal for John Chen when he recalls his grandfather’s journey to the United States. “My grandfather on my mother’s side was a ‘Paper Son,’” he said, giving a brief history of the first Chinese Exclusion Act in 1888 that allowed only 106 Chinese immigrants into the country per year to limit the number of low-income workers. When a fire in San Francisco destroyed the birth records of these immigrants, enterprising Chinese businessmen used the refiling of documents to help other Chinese immigrants enter the country, for a price. Chen’s see CHEN on 16

Riz Ahmed

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Riz Ahmed has become the first man of Asian descent, and the first Muslim actor, to win an acting award at the Emmys.

The British actor of Pakistani descent won in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie category for his role in ‘The Night Of.’ He plays Nasir “Naz” Khan, a Pakistani/Iranian American college student accused of murdering a young woman, in a show which partly examines the brutal effects of racism within the criminal justice system.

Only one actor of Asian descent

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

MOVIES

2017 Emmys: A welcome change for people of color

John Chen at 2017 Inclusion Fusion fundraising.

see AHMED on 14

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2

35 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

The Publix Street Side Mural

Born in Vietnam, Tran moved to the United States in 1975 at age 9. Less than a decade later, she was admitted to Harvard, where she took a job as a janitor to put herself through school. She got a job on Wall Street, went to medical school, and is now a pediatrician.

If she wins, Tran would be only the second Vietnamese woman elected to Congress.

Stephanie Murphy, representing Florida’s 7th Congressional District, was the first. 

An evening celebration of Xinh

Laura Brodax Tile Studio hosted the opening of the Publix Street Side Mural on Sept. 7. The mural, by artist Laura Brodax, is an homage to the historic Publix Hotel in Seattle’s Chinatown International District. The Japanese-inspired plant arrangements were influenced by the grandmother of the postwar managing family of the hotel, who kept a rooftop garden for many years. And in the background are signatures from the original registry pages of the hotel from 1928–1945.

Uwajimaya provided light refreshments and drinks at the event. 

Mai Khanh Tran reception

Photo credit to Karin Leaf

The Publix Street Side Mural

Community members of Shelton, Wash. gathered on Sept. 9 in support of Xinh Dwelley, who once ran the restaurant named after her, Xinh’s Clam and Oyster House.

Dwelley, whose talent for food and cooking developed as a young woman in Vietnam, was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago.

Due to medical bills, she has been unable to return home Dwelley thanked supporters after to Vietnam in three years. receiving her check.

Her cancer is now in remission. The community presented Dwelley with a $15,000 check, which she tearfully accepted, to help with expenses. 

Seattle native serves aboard Navy warship in Japan

Tran addressed guests at a reception for her on Sept. 7.

Mimi Gan hosted a reception at her home on Sept. 7 for Dr. Mai Khanh Tran, who is running for Congress in California’s 39th District.

Joshua Apostol

Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Apostol is one of 300 men and women serving aboard the USS Curtis Wilbur.

The Seattle native and 2010 Renton High School graduate is an operations specialist responsible for operating the communications, radar, and navigation equipment

that tracks ships, aircraft, and enemy missiles. “Being forward deployed in Japan can get stressful because we are always under way, but it also provides the opportunity to experience a new culture,” said Apostol. “I received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for assisting with Exercise Talisman Saber. It is good to know that your hard work pays off in the end.”

Apostol, of Filipino descent, said his grandfather always wanted to serve, but never had the chance to, “so I want to serve for him.” 

UW alum to be honored

My Tam H. Nguyen

The University of Washington (UW) Department of Communication is giving out the Outstanding Early Career Award to My Tam H. Nguyen. Every year, the UW honors outstanding alumni who are making a difference in their careers.

Nguyen graduated with a B.A. in 2006, and she got a Master’s in Urban Planning from Harvard University’s

Graduate School of Design.

She is currently vice president of business development at Blokable Inc., a modular housing technology company made in Washington state — with the mission to make housing accessible for everyone. Prior to Blokable, Nguyen was the deputy campaign manager for the 7th Congressional District race in 2016, and the first social media manager for Gov. Jay Inslee.

The awards presentation will be held on Oct. 4. 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

3

Ruth Woo’s legacy of creating leaders lives on

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Friends of Ruth Woo

From left: Dolores Sibonga, Kristina Logsdon, Joan Yoshitomi, and Rod Dembowski.

Ruth Woo’s family

From left: Hon. Phyllis G. Kenney, Speaker Frank Chopp, and Hon. Velma Veloria.

future life and career,” added Joan Yoshitomi, who worked with Gary Locke during his time as County Executive and Governor.

Former City Councilmember Dolores Sibonga told the Northwest Asian Weekly she wants to push for a similar program through the city and state.

Woo, who passed away in 2016, was committed to public service. The approved legislation establishes a new fellowship program called “The Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program.”

Each year, the program would award one full-time

position with the recipient being assigned to work in various County agencies for three to four months. The program would give priority to economically disadvantaged college graduates.

The fellow’s responsibilities may include following a piece of legislation through the legislative process, preparing briefings, communicating with constituents and County departments, and assisting in outreach and Executive branch policy administration. ■

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

The Metropolitan King County Council recognized the career and legacy of Ruth Woo on Sept. 18 by unanimously approving the creation of a fellowship program to help groom future leaders.

It’s the first such program named after an Asian American.

“For decades, Ruth Woo opened opportunities to young people in our region,” Ruth Woo said Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski, the prime sponsor of the legislation. “I am thrilled that with this fellowship, we can continue Mrs. Woo’s legacy and important work to open doors in public service to a new generation of leaders, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.”

Woo, born in Montana and raised in Washington and Oregon, was incarcerated as a child during World War II, earning her high school degree while incarcerated at Camp Minidoka. In the 1950s, Woo worked for Seattle Mayor Gordon Clinton and moved to Olympia to work for Gov. Dan Evans. Starting as a secretary, Woo would advance to helping Evans in his third campaign for Governor. Woo then managed the campaigns for state Supreme Court candidate James Dolliver and Douglas Jewett’s run for City of Seattle City Attorney.

Woo worked for a number of elected officials while continuing to be an active advocate for the region’s Asian community. She also found time to mentor two people who would become King County Executive, Gary Locke and Ron Sims.

“This fellowship will provide exceptional opportunities for young people to understand and work in government, as well as honor a beloved member of our community,” said Dolores Sibonga, a friend of Woo’s and a former member of the Seattle City Council.

“The Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program will offer young people an opportunity that Ruth Woo would have been delighted to provide them, as they take steps into their

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Sealed proposals will be received for C01168C17, Tolt Barn Roof Replacement; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on October 3, 2017. Late proposals will not be accepted.

Brief Scope: The work under this contract includes, but is not limited to, roof replacement on the Tolt Barn as related to the ITB. Work includes all necessary and incidental items to complete the scope.

Estimated contract price: $346,800.

Information Pre-Proposal Meeting: September 20, 2017, 10:30 a.m. Location at Tolt Barn, Tolt MacDonald Park, 31020 NE 40th Street, Carnation, Washington 98014.

There is a 5% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) on this contract.

There is a 5% Apprenticeship Utilization Requirement.

Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ ovr/default.aspx

Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Be proud of where you work.

CUSTODIAN JOB FAIR Saturday, Sept. 30, 9 a.m.–noon

UW Tower, 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195 Learn more at: http://bit.ly/2wTb3nB

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4

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

35 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

Reports: China orders bitcoin exchanges to shut down BEIJING (AP) — Regulators have ordered Chinese bitcoin exchanges to close, two business newspapers reported on Sept. 14, after uncertainty about the digital currency’s future in China caused its price to plunge.

Regulators in Shanghai, the country’s financial center, gave verbal instructions to exchange operators to shut down, China Business News and 21st Century Economic Report said on their websites. They gave no other details.

The central bank has yet to respond to questions about bitcoin’s future in China but earlier warned it was traded without regulatory oversight and might be linked to fraud. The bank banned initial offerings of new digital currencies last week.

Bitcoin is created and exchanged without the involvement of banks or governments. Transactions allow anonymity, which has made bitcoin popular with people who want to conceal their activity.

Bitcoin can be converted to cash when deposited

into accounts at prices set in online trading.

Rumors that China planned to ban bitcoin has caused its market price to tumble 20 percent since Sept. 8.

Interest in China in bitcoin surged last year after the price rose. A Chinese business news magazine, Caixin, said at one point up to 90 percent of global trading took place in China.

Trading volume has fallen as regulators tightened controls. ■

China mourns death of oldest panda BEIJING (AP) — China is mourning the death of the world’s oldest panda, Basi, who attracted millions of visitors during a visit to the United States 30 years ago.

Caretakers in the eastern city of Fuzhou said Basi was suffering from a number of ailments, including liver and kidney problems, when she died on Sept. 13 at age 37.

Her body is to be preserved and placed in a museum dedicated to her life, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

“She was very talented and liked weight-lifting, riding a bicycle and playing basketball,” Xinhua said.

Born in the wild in 1980, Basi was discovered by villagers after falling into an icy river in the western province of Sichuan at age 4 and sent to the breeding center in Fuzhou.

She lived out her life there without giving birth to cubs.

She made a then-rare visit to San Diego in the United States in 1987, where she drew more than 2 million visitors

during a 200-day stay accompanied by fellow panda Yuan Yuan, and was the model for the mascot of the 11th Asian Games, held in Beijing in 1990.

The rare giant pandas are China’s unofficial national

mascot and live mainly in Sichuan’s bamboo-covered mountains.

An estimated 1,864 exist in the wild, where they are threatened chiefly with habitat loss, and around 420 others live in captivity in zoos and reserves, the majority within China.

Giant pandas are generally considered old after reaching 20 but can live for many more years in captivity, where they can be treated for diseases and shielded from accidents.

That has led to a growing number of geriatric captive pandas who suffer from failing eyesight, poor digestion, bad teeth and arthritic limbs, along with fluctuating emotions. A special home for the old timers has been set up in Sichuan to provide customized diets, exercise and other care aimed at improving their quality of life. ■

Cambodia selects Angelina Jolie film as Oscar submission

Sareum Srey Moch

NEW YORK (AP) — Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father” has been named Cambodia’s foreign-language submission to the Academy Awards.

The Cambodia Oscar Selection Committee announced the choice on Sept. 18, calling Jolie’s Cambodian genocide drama “cathartic” and

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hailing it for bringing back memories “often best forgotten.”

Jolie directed the adaptation of Loung Ung’s memoir about her childhood during the Khmer Rouge’s bloody reign. She shot it in Cambodia with a local cast.

Jolie, whose eldest son, Maddox, was born in

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Jolie’s 2011 Bosnian War drama, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” was also nominated for best foreign-language film by the Golden Globes. ■

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YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ NATIONAL NEWS

5

Colleges offering legal tips, hotlines amid DACA uncertainty

By JOCELYN GECKER and SOPHIA TAREEN ASSOCIATED PRESS BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Mixed signals from Washington over a possible agreement to preserve protections for young immigrants are increasing anxiety and confusion on college campuses, where the stakes are high.

Amid the uncertainty, colleges and universities are stepping up efforts to protect students enrolled in the

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, telling them to be hopeful but plan for the worst.

Harvard University has opened a round-the-clock emergency hotline for immigrants in the program. The University of Illinois at Chicago has posted advice on what to do if federal agents show up on campus. UC Berkeley, the University of San Francisco and many other campuses are offering free legal advice to immigrant students now facing fears of deportation.

Nearly sixty college and university presidents sent a letter urging congressional leaders to make the program permanent out of “moral imperative and a national necessity.”

An estimated 350,000 of the country’s nearly 800,000 DACA recipients are enrolled in school, most at colleges or universities, according to a 46-state survey this year by see DACA on 13

Lawsuit: Macy’s profiles Gin D. Wong, architect Asian customers who helped shape look of LA, has died Four former employees of Macy’s filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month— alleging that at the company’s flagship store in Herald Square, N.Y. — managers in the cosmetics and fragrance department “repeatedly directed … sales associates to racially profile customers of Asian descent.”

Attorney Douglas Wigdor, who filed the lawsuit, said, “This racial profiling of customers of Asian descent is based on the discriminatory stereotype that all Asian customers are resellers — that is, Asian customers buy goods in markets like the U.S. and resell them on the grey market at

a markup in Asia.”

According to the complaint, one manager told employees, “Don’t sell to Chinese.”

“Why are you selling to these people?” another sales person said she was told.

“We are confident that the allegations in this matter will ultimately be found to be without merit,” Macy’s spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

In 2014, Macy’s agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a racial profiling probe with the New York attorney general’s office following complaints that it unlawfully detained Black customers shopping in the Herald Square store. ■

By JOHN ROGERS ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gin D. Wong, a visionary architect whose iconic works have helped shaped the look of Los Angeles for more than half a century, has died at age 94.

Wong died Sept. 1 at his Beverly Hills, California, home, according to a statement from the University of Southern California, see WONG on 13

Gin D. Wong

Sriracha sues chili pepper provider

The California-based company that has gained a cult-like following due to the popularity based around its Sriracha sauce has filed a lawsuit against chili pepper producer, Underwood Ranches.

On Sept. 5, Huy Fong moved forward with a lawsuit against Underwood Ranches, alleging they are refusing to pay over $1.4 million in overpayments, in addition to alleging Underwood Ranches is refusing to return over $7 million of Huy Fong’s equipment.

Underwood Ranches has provided Huy Fong Foods with

its chili peppers for the past 30 years.

The suit says that from 2008 to 2016, the Sriracha makers paid over $190 million and made pre-payments to Underwood Ranches. Until 2016, the chili pepper providers always returned any overpayments to Huy Fong. However, that year, Huy Fong says Underwood Ranches withheld $1.4 million. They have also held on to $7 million worth of equipment, provided to them by Huy Fong. “Underwood is holding Huy Fong’s equipment hostage, severely impacting Huy Fong’s ability to complete the 2017 harvest and greatly

Daniel Dae Kim to take ‘Hellboy’ role left vacant after ‘whitewashing’ criticism

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Actor Daniel Dae Kim confirmed last week that he’s joined the cast of the new “Hellboy” reboot by Lionsgate and Millennium.

“I’m excited to confirm that I’ve officially joined the Daniel Dae Kim cast of Hellboy,” said Kim in a Facebook post. “We start shooting [on Sept. 13] and I’ll be playing Ben Daimio, alongside our very talented cast, headed by David Harbour, and director, Neil Marshall.”

Daimio is Japanese American in Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy” comics and his heritage is central to his backstory. Daimio’s grandmother was a Japanese Imperial assassin in World War II.

Ed Skrein, who played the villain in “Deadpool,” claimed he wasn’t aware of the character’s ethnicity when he took the role. He gave it up after complaints of “whitewashing.”

“It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people,” Skrein said in a statement.

Kim applauded the film producers and, in particular, Skrein for championing the notion that Asian characters should be played by Asian or Asian American actors.

“He could not have addressed the issue more elegantly and I remain indebted to him for his strength of character,” said Kim. Hellboy is set to hit theaters in January 2019.

Kim, along with fellow actor Grace Park, left CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” this summer after failing to agree on salaries in new contracts. ■

increasing the expense associated with the harvest,” the suit says. Underwood has also refused previous requests to return the $1.4 million overpayment.

This isn’t the first time Huy Fong Foods has faced legal trouble. In 2014, it was on the opposite end of a lawsuit after residents of the city of Irwindale, Calf., where the Sriracha factory is located, complained of burning eyes, irritated throats, and headaches caused by hot sauce production.

But, fears that this would lead to a Sriracha shortage were overblown, and the suit was dropped. ■

asianweekly northwest

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SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR SEPT 21 COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETING ON 8TH AVE HOTEL Chinatown Community Center 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle 2 p.m.

HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK Seattle’s Chinatown-International District 4 p.m.

22 CHILDREN’S MID-AUTUMN MOON FESTIVAL Donnie Chin International Children’s Park 700 S Lane St., Seattle 4–6 p.m.

LUZVISMINDA: A FILIPINO NIGHT MARKET Palace Ballroom, Seattle 9 p.m.–12 a.m.

RENTON MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL Carco Theatre 1717 SE Maple Valley Highway, Renton 7–10 p.m.

Free admission rentonwa.gov/rentonfestival

23 RENTON MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL Renton Pavilion Event Center and Piazza Park 233 Burnett Ave. S., Renton 3–7 p.m.

Free admission rentonwa.gov/rentonfestival

KOREAN CHUSEOK FESTIVAL 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Free admission apcc96.org

24 CASTING SO WHITE: RACIAL BIAS IN FILM, TV, AND THEATER DISCUSSION Northwest Film Forum 1515 12th Ave, Seattle 1–3:30 p.m.

26 NAVIGATION CENTER PUBLIC MEETING Summit Sierra School 1025 S. King St., Seattle 6 p.m. friendsoflittlesaigon.org TAP-SEA PRESENTS VICTORY POINT GAME NIGHT 900 Lenora St., Seattle 6:30 p.m.

28 2017 EDI INCLUSION FUSION The Foundry 4130 1st Ave. S., Seattle 5 p.m. ediorg.ejoinme.org

29 & 30 MABUHAY MAJESTY, A NEW FULLLENGTH PLAY BY ROBERT FRANCIS FLOR Rainier Arts Center 3515 S. Alaska St., Seattle 7 p.m. $10 eventbrite.com

35 YEARS

30

JACL IS HOLDING A SEMINAR, “GAINING INFLUENCE – DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN PRIVATE, PUBLIC, AND NONPROFIT SECTORS” Keiro Northwest Free admission Registration is required at jaclleadershipsept30.eventbrite.com “OCEAN OF OPPORTUNITY,” 17TH ANNUAL DINNER & AUCTION Seattle Aquarium 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle 6:30 p.m. bit.ly/dlec2017

OCT 6

DIANA MORITA COLE WILL READ FROM HER BOOK, “SIDEWAYS: MEMOIR OF A MISFIT” The Panama Hotel 605 S. Main St., Seattle 3 p.m.

206-223-9242 TET TRUNG THU LANTERN FESTIVAL 2600 S.W. Thistle St., Seattle 4:30 p.m.

6 – 15 TASVEER SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL Films will be shown in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, and Bothell sumathi@tasveer.org tasveer.org

7 JAPAN WEEK AT BELLEVUE COLLEGE

Bellevue College 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Free admission japanweek@bellevuecollege.edu

12 API CANDIDATES FORUM Nagomi Tea House International District, Seattle 5:30–7:30 p.m.

13 THROUGH NOVEMBER 5

SEATTLE PUBLIC THEATER’S 2017-2018 SEASON OPENS WITH FRANCES YA-CHU COWHIG’S, “THE WORLD OF EXTREME HAPPINESS” 7312 West Green Lake Dr. N., Seattle $17–$34 seattlepublictheater.org

14 TASTE OF ASIA WITH TEA, COOKING CLASS — TAIWAN Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Tacoma 11 a.m.–12 p.m. $20 RSVP 253-383-3900 asiapacificculturalcenter.org/tasteofasia UNITY IN COMMUNITY FALL CONCERT WITH NIKKITA OLIVER Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave., Seattle 5:30 p.m. apichaya.org

26 US-CHINA TRADE RELATIONS: VIEW FROM BEIJING Davis Wright Tremaine 201 Third Ave. Ste. 2200, Seattle 4 p.m. wscrc.org

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asianweekly northwest

■ ON THE SHELF

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

UNDERDOGS

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

7

prevail

Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters Written by Margaret Dilloway, illustrated by Choong Yoon Disney Hyperion, 2016

Xander Miyamoto is not exactly what you’d call hero material. Athletics are not his strength and at 12, all the sixth-grader wants to do is draw comics and create computer programs. The last thing he wants to do is listen to his social studies teacher, Mr. Stedman, drone on about weather disasters around the world. One thing he does really want though, is for his classmate Lovey to stop harassing him for being half Asian.

Then spring break arrives and Xander is looking forward to a week of playing computer games with his best friend, Peyton. But then his father distracts him with a comic book about Momotaro, a samurai warrior born out of a peach pit.

Xander dismisses it, but Peyton finds it interesting.

The comic is a catalyst that leads to Xander’s father being taken by oni, demons, and monsters from Japanese folklore that turn out to be real, and the boys being thrust into a journey to a mysterious island to get Xander’s father back.

I love a good underdog story and “Lost Island” is exactly that. On the surface, Xander isn’t the first person you would

pick to lead a hero’s journey — a fact that is constantly brought up by Jinx, a girl they rescue along the way and who joins them.

In fact Peyton, with his golden boy looks and natural athleticism, would probably be your first choice. Even when Xander learns he is descended from Momotaro and is destined to become a great warrior, he still has his doubts. The fact that he is the first Momotaro to be of a mixed-race heritage doesn’t help because nobody knows how his white side will affect things.

In addition to being a story about

finding your strength in what could be seen as weaknesses, “Lost Island” is a fun adventure story filled with action and heart as, the youths work together to fight the oni and get to Xander’s father.

Her Nightly Embrace: The Ravi PI Series

By Adi Tantimedh Atria/Leopoldo & Co., 2016

Ravi Chandra Singh’s career as a private detective came about by accident. As a

failed religious scholar whose first career as a high school teacher ended horribly, he joined the Golden Sentinels private investigations agency in London after an old college friend brought him into the firm.

Made up of eccentric individuals — ranging from two ex-cops who are also a gay couple and a cheerful former American publicist, to a burned-out stoner with a brilliant mind and a financial analyst who is actually one of the best hackers in the world see SHELF on 12

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35 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Looking for Luke

Film sparks hope for Asian American mental health crisis

“Everyone has a story. Everyone has a reason for their behavior, whether you know it or not.”

— Luke Tang

By Brandon Hadi NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Everyone has a story. Everyone has a reason for their behavior, whether you know it or not.” — Luke Tang You’re seated in a small noodle shop in a college town. It seats 30. The noodle shop quickly fills up, but you were lucky to have been seated already. As you peer at the growing line near the door, you wonder what’s running through the minds of these young people. What are their dreams and aspirations? Where do they call home?

What’s their story?

For nearly 15 of these soon-to-be changemakers, nonprofit founders, and community leaders, their story includes a psychiatric disorder. Did you expect 15? This is the reality of today’s youth — nearly half of college-aged students had a psychiatric disorder last year.

Similar statistics underscore the mental health crisis happening not only on college campuses, but across various communities and age groups in the United States. There is a growing concern, and with such, a growing movement which aims to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health.

Within this movement, another, lesser known cause is also gaining traction.

Asian and Pacific Islander (API) mental health has become a topic for discussion, as startling statistics illuminate the scale of mental health issues within our communities. Although these statistics shed light on an invisible issue, personal narratives and storytelling pull us into experiences familiar to us all.

This includes highly demanding family expectations to achieve and perform with perfection. Overwhelming stress, anxiety, feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and helplessness. Stigma. No one to turn to.

One young Asian American man who takes matters into his own hands. Suicide. A bright light, extinguished too soon.

Looking for Luke shares the story of Luke Tang, a 19-year-old Asian American who committed suicide in 2015, through the lens of those left behind. In the short film, Luke’s parents, Wendell and Christina, seek to understand what Luke was feeling.

As they discuss with his close friends and explore his journals, Luke’s parents confront a truth that few Asian and Asian American parents in the United States ever acknowledge — depression is real, it is an illness, and it can be deadly.

The stigma in Asian and Asian American communities around mental health is wellknown, stemming heavily from the culture

we find incredible strength and unity in.

Valuing group harmony and relationships, we shun individual weaknesses that reflect poorly upon our parents, our families.

Coupled with expectations to be perfect or at least extremely accomplished, and perpetuated by the myth of being the “model minority,” it comes as little surprise that today’s Asian American youth hide their stress, develop insomnia, and turn to substances, instead of vocalizing what’s really going on.

Asian American youth are not alone in these feelings, however. Active Minds reports that over 80 percent of college students feel overwhelmed. What’s more, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 34.

Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Juliana Chen, psychiatrists at Massachusetts General Hospital and executive producers of Looking for Luke, believe the film will go a long way in raising awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health, specifically in Asian and Asian American communities. They have already hosted screenings of the film on various college campuses on the East Coast, receiving feedback that the film has changed parents’ ideas about youth mental health. At the end of the screenings, the psychiatrists joined other panelists to host frank discussions.

“These screenings give us the opportunity to interact with parents and families in ways that we aren’t always available to do otherwise. These conversations provide education on youth mental health, how to identify symptoms of overwhelming stress and depression, so that parents can feel equipped and prepared,” shares Chen.

Honest conversations that force both parents and youth to be vulnerable are important for youth to understand, that not feeling okay is, in fact, okay. After all, one in four adults lives with a diagnosable mental health disorder, despite the culture of shaming vulnerability and the stigma around mental health that plagues our society.

Yet these conversations alone will not prevent future tragedies from happening again. Colleges and universities are also responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of their students, and Beresin outlines steps that can be taken to make positive changes on campus.

First, everyone needs to know where to go and what to do if you are worried about someone. This means a centralized resource for students to reference in times of need, whether that involves building a website or an app. College administrations should also consider educational programs

that raise awareness around stress and coping, expand the capacity of university counselling centers, and actively promote student wellbeing. This includes increased funding for mental health resources, adopting culturally competent mental health programs, and endorsing programs that promote self-expression, such as the arts, yoga, and meditation.

Beresin also maintains that while college administrators need to take action, so can students. Peer groups hold high promise for students to share mutual experiences of stress and trauma, coming to solutions on their own. These peer groups combat a common feeling found among college students — that they are alone in feeling

overwhelmed and isolated. Creating peer groups and hosting honest conversations eases these feelings of isolation.

There is hope. Students at the University of Washington have formed a peer group called API Cares, dedicated to raising awareness and reducing the stigma around API mental health, particularly during this political era and the inevitable stress that accompanies minority college students.

Organizations such as Active Minds and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) are changing the conversation by empowering youth to confront the pressures that challenge their daily lives. see LUKE on 11

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ AT THE MOVIES

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Director Steve James, the mastermind of award-winning documentary films such as “Hoop Dreams” and “Stevie,” knows that his new film works on a verbal level, at least as much as its visual level. Indeed, knock out the images from “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” and the voices would tell the story quite well. You’d need the introductions to each character that the screen provides, but those could come through audio.

And in a peculiar way, the names aren’t important. They matter to the historical record, certainly. But the story of the Manhattan (New York City) District Attorney’s Office, versus Abacus Federal Savings Bank, makes sense to anyone who’s ever heard of Goliath versus David. Only,

in this case, David is a family. A very determined Chinese American family.

We meet Thomas Sung, who came to America as a teenager, worked very hard, and helped found Abacus in 1984 to make life easier for folks in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and anyone else who wanted to tune in. In the documentary’s only major failing, James throws in plenty of footage from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” featuring James Stewart as a banker in roughly Sung’s position. Stewart’s character in that classic dramatic film was too good to be true.

Sung doesn’t need to be too good to be true, to be compelling. The film covers what he meant to do, what he in fact did, how the community benefitted, and how the authorities decided to make an example of Abacus, because somebody had to pay for the financial crisis of 2008. The

Sungs tried to explain how they discovered the employee responsible for the wrongdoing, fired him, and reported him. That wasn’t enough.

But we also meet Sung’s family, notably his daughters Jill, Chanterelle, and Vera, who ended up at Abacus, even though their father tried to talk them out of the family business. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office made a serious mistake in picking on a family saturated with lawyers, the patriarch included.

But even with a mighty offense and family dedication, you can’t guarantee ‘not guilty’ verdicts in the more than 200 charges generated in this case. James’ camera follows the Sungs through family dinners that stretch out into strategy sessions, through nervous waiting in offices. The see ABACUS on 15

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asianweekly northwest

10

35 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

OPINION

A trip down memory lane

the pain of losing allies

TED YAMAMURA

RUTH WOO

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY It takes a village to raise two newspapers.

The village of Northwest Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post consists of amazing leaders and remarkable people. And we lost many of them during the past 35 years of publishing.

Since 2015, we lost four giants (Ruth Woo, Donnie Chin, Bob Santos, and Al Sugiyama), who have made a difference in the community.

Their phenomenal contributions touched the lives of many, including ours. We are merely just one of hundreds of beneficiaries.

And there were others we wished were still alive. To show our gratitude, I’d like to pay tributes to them here.

Our leaders’ passion for the community propelled them to view ethnic media as a community asset. A strong community needs a strong voice and presence — their own media. The welfare of the community and its media are interlinked — they rely on one another. A community wouldn’t function effectively without its powerful voice.

It was heartbreaking to see our leaders pass away in our three decades of publishing.

However, it is gratifying to see that their work has remained influential and consequential to this day.

Ted Yamamura

A Boeing engineer, Ted Yamamura had experienced the challenge of breaking the glass ceiling himself. And he had seen it happen with many fellow Asian Americans in white corporations.

Just because he wasn’t able to get into upper management didn’t mean he would give up.

Instead, he set his sights on the next generation of leaders by founding the Executive Development Institute (EDI). It would train and prepare young Asian Americans to be leaders and managers in the corporate world.

And he made Boeing pay for his Asian employees to go through the program. Today, EDI has witnessed success among its alumni, with many moving to management.

“Change the name,” Yamamura advised us, to reflect the reality of the Seattle Chinese Post’s English edition. We had been covering the Asian community for years, but it gave the impression we weren’t because of our masthead.

On our 10th anniversary celebration, we changed our name to Northwest Asian Weekly through a name contest.

Changing our name was both evolutionary and strategic for survival. The Chinese market was simply too small to support an English edition.

Yamamura and many supporters helped us to navigate that name change. After 9/11, we quickly expanded our coverage to include other Asian ethnic groups, such as Indians, Pakistanis, and Arabs in our content.

AL SUGIYAMA

TICH-QIU HUA BOB SANTOS

Ruth Woo

Known as the Asian community’s political guru, Ruth Woo had always advised Asian and non-Asian candidates running for office.

Political empowerment was her goal. She also encouraged them to advertise in the Asian Weekly. Sometimes, if the candidates couldn’t raise enough funds, Woo would find donors to pay for the ad. I suspected she paid for many of those ads herself.

When the Asian Weekly organized dinners and events, Woo was often one of the first to call me and say, “Put me down for a table.”

She was generous to a fault. She was the only one who bought tables at multiple community events in a year. When she called — the voice of affirmation was like an adrenalin shot, and motivated me to keep going. It’s challenging to sell tables, especially when we were honoring unsung heroes who were unknown to many.

She would invite candidates and elected officials to be her guests. When Gary Locke was in the state legislature, she asked me to put down Locke’s name for her table to increase his visibility, even though she paid for it.

As she aged, she still bought tables, inviting many politicians and candidates, but she herself never showed at those events.

King County Council Chair Joe McDermott said whenever he was invited to Ruth Woo’s table, he hoped to spend time with her, only to learn that she wouldn’t be present.

Woo would often suggest we feature upcoming Asian Americans in the Asian Weekly. Her input enabled us to profile many promising leaders, especially politicians’ aides, whom we might have missed.

Tich-Qiu Hua

As a Vietnamese Chinese refugee, TichQiu Hua fought hard on behalf of ethnic Chinese from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos to be included in many traditional Chinatown organizations.

Many had a history of accepting only members from their own native villages or who shared the same last names. It’s sad that the Chinese had forgotten being on the receiving end of discrimination when they first arrived in this country. When they made it, they discriminated against their own kin.

Hua was the workhorse for all the community causes, including raising money for Kin On Health Services and the late Donnie Chin’s International District Emergency Center (IDEC). He took on the most thankless tasks, and seemed to enjoy it.

In any fundraising efforts for disasters, such as earthquake, floods, and hurricanes, Hua was always the first to act and he inspired others to give. He understood money was essential for great causes. Despising empty talk and promises, he held community leaders accountable. From good news (businesses’ grand openings) to bad news, he would find sponsors to buy a full page advertisement in

DONNIE CHIN JUNE CHEN

the Chinese Post. He would list all the donors, even those who contributed small amounts of $10 and $20. Getting the whole community involved was his goal.

Then came the hard part — collecting the money. Yes, he was the lone collector going after the donors, especially at events. He would carry a copy of the printed ad in his hand, crossing out names of those who had paid.

He’s a one-of-a-kind leader who got things done, and inspired even the stingy ones to give.

He contributed to our survival immensely.

Bob Santos

People called him Uncle Bob. Daringly great, funny, and above all, he was wise.

Bob’s contributions to the Asian Weekly were his words and music. If we needed a quote on any story, he never once said, “Let

me get back to you,” or “I have to think about it,” or “Off the record.”

His sharp wit and being a straight shooter only made our stories better. A talented storyteller, Bob charmed the audience at our events. His courage was vast like an ocean. He knew that he didn’t need permission for doing or saying the right thing.

Once in a while, he would give us a surprise — a thoughtful commentary. “This is just for you,” meaning it was exclusively for the Asian Weekly.

Al Sugiyama

A passionate leader, Al Sugiyama had served as the eyes and ears for the Asian Weekly for years. Before he was sick, he would email and even call me about sosee BLOG next page

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

OPINION

■ EDITORIAL

11

■ LETTERS

Response to “Tax to Target Asians?” article

Stop repeating history

On Sept. 18, the children of Gordon Hirabayashi, Minoru Yasui, and Fred Korematsu filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court opposing Executive Order 13780, the Trump administration’s travel ban on nationals from six Muslim-majority nations, pointing to the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as an urgent warning against presidential powers run amok.

The national president of Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Gary Mayeda said, “Those next victims are today’s Muslim community and today we share our story so that it does not become their story.” In a statement, JACL also said, “This serves as an opportunity for the court to learn from its past error in judgment to ensure the preservation of the civil rights of a minority group in the face of infringement from the executive branch.”

“Rather than repeat the injustices of the past,” states the brief, the Court “should heed the lessons of Korematsu, Hirabayashi, and Yasui: Blind deference to the Executive Branch ... is incompatible with the protection of fundamental freedoms.”

BLOG from previous page and-so, a local boy doing great things, and getting leadership positions. Or this and that happened.

Sometimes, he proposed young Asian Americans to be emcees or honorees at our events. Constantly, he was plugging friends and people he mentored — to make sure they got the experience and exposure to be better prepared as future leaders. Stories from his valuable news tips often graced our front pages.

Sugiyama would tell me things about the community which no one else would know, and even the connections among families and people. Sometimes, he would tell me about new Asian restaurants opening in the neighborhood and even who made the best cupcakes.

It’s fascinating to see the number of networks he had plugged into. Losing him not only meant we lost a great ally, but his essential resources and connections.

June Chen

She was the beloved Auntie June to many and a champion of the Asian Weekly. June would do anything for the Asian Weekly from the time she entered our office door in 1983, introducing herself saying she wanted us to be her friend. She turned out to be more than just a friend.

She was the only reader who would renew her subscription 10 years before the due date, and she volunteered to sell subscriptions for the newspapers. She helped us found the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation and believed that our work should focus on youth.

Both Chen and Woo had one thing in common — they LUKE from 8 Local organizations like Asian Counseling and Referral Services (ACRS) and International Community Health Services (ICHS) provide culturally competent care, specifically for communities of color.

If you are interested in watching Looking for Luke, contact the filmmakers at lookingforlukefilm.com and lookingforlukefilm@gmail.com to arrange a screening in your community. The producers sad the film will eventually be available online sometime in 2018. ■

Hirabayashi, Yasui, and Korematsu were among the 120,000 people forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated during World War II. The brief states that the men were vindicated four decades later when it was found that the government deceived the Court by withholding evidence that would have exonerated not only the three men, but all persons of Japanese ancestry who were imprisoned.

The brief, filed on behalf of Jay Hirabayashi, Holly Yasui, and Karen Korematsu by the Fred. T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law is not enough.

Let us join them in holding the government accountable, and reach across the country to say: stop repeating history.

We must stand together and embrace the different paths toward justice given the numerous and persistent threats and dangers before us.  You can add your name to this Call to Action at repeatinghistory.wufoo.com/forms/i-support-the-call-toaction.

would do anything for our former governor Gary Locke.

Together, they organized fundraising events for Locke when he ran for King County Executive and governor.

Donnie Chin

Whenever we had an emergency, who did we call? Donnie was the first name that came to mind. He was unique because he knew the good, bad, and ugly in the International District (ID). Yes, the crooks, he told me all about them.

As founder of the IDEC, Donnie was the unofficial and volunteer patrol of the ID. Twice, he saved my life when I swallowed a big piece of meat while dining. I guess my throat is too small and narrow!

Or I was too hungry and swallowed too quickly, without paying attention.

One time, our storefront and our neighboring businesses’ storefront glasses were shattered. We called Donnie because he knew about mischievous deeds The first thing he asked was, “Did you piss off someone?”

Funny the way he accused me!

Later, Donnie found out who did it. A kid was playing with a slingshot. Donnie often knew about things before the police did, and he knew much more.

Donnie not only made the ID safe, he made us feel safe.

I miss Donnie and all the wonderful men and women I mentioned in this blog.

Thank you pals, may you rest in peace.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly. com.

Resources: If you or someone you know requires immediate help, please call 911.

National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255 King County Crisis Line: 206-461-3222 Teen Hotline: 866-833-6546 ACRS: 206-695-7511 acrs.org ICHS: 206-788-3700 ichs.com Brandon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

What a provocative title! It certainly demands the attention of all fair minded people of Asian descent or not. But the article (without byline and therefore free of accountability to an individual) fails to note a significant fact: developers love price inflation. Could it be that Jenny Durkan, in her voiced opposition to Cary Moon’s tax proposal, is actually campaigning on behalf of Seattle real estate developers? Price inflation is certainly a problem for home buyers in Seattle. It has been so bad that some properties have been flipped even before being occupied by the purchasers! Developers laugh all the way to the bank!

There are only two ways to combat price inflation in properties. 1. Socialize property and lease it out to “worthy causes” 2. Remove the inflation by taxing away the profits. 1. Ain’t gonna happen. 2. Is a practical method of addressing Seattle’s runaway property prices which are, it has been shown, aggravated by foreign speculators.

I don’t consider it racist to gather data on foreign speculation in our real estate market. Nor is it racist to tax those foreign speculators to reduce the price inflation resulting from their activity. It does not matter if they are Chinese, Russian, Colombian, or Australian. Foreign speculators should be monitored to determine the impact of their money and a tax implemented to discourage it.

That would reduce their influence, at least, on Seattle’s real estate price inflation. Race, in this case, is not the relevant issue. The behavior is.

These points, especially the interest of Seattle real estate developers, should have been discussed in your article.

There is a faction in Seattle City government that reacts allergically to any issue that may, in some minds, have a “racial” component. Now that would be a great investigative reporting topic.  — Edward Lowe SE Seattle

Asian Weekly an easy read for English language learners I read recently [Assunta Ng’s] article “Want to visit Buckingham Palace?” in the Northwest Asian Weekly. I found it very interesting for two reasons. Its content gives an important glimpse of the customs and traditions of one of the oldest monarchies in the world, and it is so beautifully and smoothly written that when I was reading it, it seems to me I was touching silk. I think that the articles you write and many others in this newspaper could be shown as examples in ESL classes of how to write very well in English. My mother language is Spanish. I speak, write, and understand German well, but I am struggling with the English language. That is the reason why I usually read the Northwest Asian Weekly, it is easy to read.

I salute you, — Faustino M Marroquin

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asianweekly northwest

12

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

35 YEARS

■ FOOD Have a dosa, and 55 recipes for them

By HARMONY BIRCH THE BRATTLEBORO REFORMER BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) — The almost crepe-like fermented dough is a staple food all across South India, but it remains largely unknown throughout the West. Leda Scheintaub and Nash Patel are hoping to change that. Patel, whose family originates from south India, makes dosas in Brattleboro for the couple’s food truck, Dosa Kitchen. He and Scheintaub are attempting to bring dosas to the nation’s cultural consciousness with a Dosa Kitchen cookbook.

Most American Indian food focuses on northern India, but south Indian food is spicier and lighter.

Scheintaub admitted that people will come to the food truck and ask for items like chicken Masala, a north Indian dish, mainly, she said, because that’s what they know to order.

“When they actually eat the food they’re happy in the end,” she said.

Traditionally, dosas are served with Chutney, but Patel and Scheintaub add variations. They serve sweets dosas, savory dosas and everything in between.

They often use jaggery, an unrefined sugar. In the cookbook, there’s an entire chapter on dessert dosas, “just for fun,” Scheintaub said.

“Dosas already have that sour kind of tangy taste,” she said. “So it actually paired really well with a bold flavor like chocolate.”

The cookbook gives direction for a blueberry cardamom syrup and a raspberry rosewater syrup.

“It’s really good,” she said.

Patel is Anglo-Indian, he eats both pork and beef, which is uncommon in south India. This helps with the variation in recipes the food truck serves and that the cookbook catalogues.

At the food truck, Scheintaub said, chicken is their specialty.

“Everyone loves chicken,” she said. But sometimes, she said, Patel’s mother, Marion, will create a beef specialty dosa.

Patel’s mom has a chili beef dish in the book that has her name on it. Scheintaub also has a recipe inspired by her mom.

“I grew up a New York Jew,” she said.

Blintzes were a part of her childhood. Blintzes are

SHELF from 7 — the group investigates cases that nobody knows about.

Ravi quickly finds himself in over his head and questioning if this is the right path for him.After some of the shenanigans he and his colleagues get into, he begins to worry about his karma.

He also begins having visions of gods — mostly Hindu, with a few other religions thrown in — on a regular basis (mostly observing him, though sometimes possibly tweeting about him) and has to pay off his mother’s gambling debt with the neighborhood loan shark, who is part of what he calls the “Asian Housewife Mafia.”

While “Her Nightly Embrace” is made up of multiple cases that Ravi and his coworkers investigate, the book as a whole reads as one story filled with dark humor.

In addition to complex cases that will have readers wondering how Ravi and the gang will solve them, this book is filled with complex characters who all have more to them than meets the eye. On the surface, readers may wonder how a team with almost no investigative training would work to solve cases, but Tantimedh shows us that their eccentricities and various qualities are exactly what makes them such a strong team.

Flame in the Mist

By Renée Ahdieh G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017 As the daughter of a samurai, Mariko’s life is planned out for her. She may be clever and more cunning than her brother Kenshin, but that doesn’t matter because she was born

crepes stuffed with sweet farmer’s cheese with blueberry syrup drizzled on top, Scheintaub said. “We made the dosa version of them with blueberry syrup and Paneer, which is Indian cheese,” she said. “It combined both worlds of my background.”

A cream cheese and lox dosa is also in the cookbook. It’s called the Second Avenue Delhi Dosa.

Multiculturalism is a theme that runs throughout the book.

Patel and Scheintaub both love Mexican food. One of the Chutneys in the book is a tomatillo ginger chutney. Tomatillos, a green tomato, are popular in Mexican cooking. There is also a Kinpira (a popular Japanese cooking style) dosa, and a barbecue pulled pork dosa. There are 55 recipes overall.

Patel and Scheintaub met at a South Indian restaurant that serves dosas. Patel was a waiter, and it was one of Scheintaub’s favorite restaurants.

“Nash always came by and would tell me how to eat the food,” she said. “Then, one day I asked him out and we’ve been together ever since.”

During a trip to south India, the couple stayed with what Patel calls, “master chefs.”

“But they’re very unassuming,” Scheintaub said. “They run B&b’s.”

Scheintaub’s favorite recipe was the Tomato and Coconut Shrimp Fried Dosa that she learned while staying in south India.

Patel’s favorite recipe in the book is a basic plain dosa with

a girl.

At the age of 17, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor’s favorite consort — all to improve her family’s status. But while en route to meet her future husband, Mariko’s convoy is ambushed and she is the only one left standing. All she knows is that the perpetrators were a gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who were hired to kill her, specifically.

Stranded and alone in the middle of a forest, Mariko decides not to return home, as her father would just send her back to Raiden. Instead, she uses her smarts to disguise herself as a boy, track down the Black Clan, and infiltrate their ranks to learn who hired them to kill her.

Although she fears being discovered and killed, Mariko finds herself fitting in with others for the first time in her life, as the clan appreciates her intellect and abilities.

While Mariko is the main protagonist in “Flame,” the story is told from various points of view, giving readers the bigger picture of what’s at stake and the risks and sacrifices the characters must make. The characters are complex and multifaceted, and Ahdieh constantly challenges them in ways that will have them questioning everything they once believed was true.

One of the things about “Flame” that I really appreciated was how Ahdieh showed the different ways girls and women challenged the social constraints and requirements put on their gender during this time period — Feudal Japan. She shows that there are many different ways to be strong and none is more or less right than the others. ■ Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

peanut chutney. “That’s what I grew up eating,” he said.

The book already seems to be well received among its crew.

“Usually when I do a book I keep a manuscript and try to cook from it,” Catrina Kelty, the food stylist, said. “So I’m gonna do that, gonna try to squeeze a dosa to my husband who doesn’t like sour dough breads so we’ll see what he’s gonna say.”

Kristin Teig, the book’s photographer, said she enjoyed the many different recipes in the book. Her favorites are the Sunshine Squash Masala and the Flambay Dosa.

“I like all the crispy edging and all the filling,” she said.

Neither Tieg nor Kelty had worked on an entire cookbook dedicated to Indian cuisine before.

Janice Baldwin, who operated as sous-chef during the photo shoot, said it was interesting to her to see all the work that goes into cookbooks behind the scenes.

“It’s great to see how much work goes into the photos and then how the light makes such a difference,” she said, noting that sometimes a dish can look flat but then the light just “puffs” it.

“I’m just excited the world is going to get to see Nash and Leda’s wonderful cooking,” she said. “They put so much love into it and you can taste it in every bite.”

The two enjoyed working on recipes for the cookbook.

“Coming up with ideas together was really fun,” Scheintaub said. “Sometimes we would clash.”

“It’s very healthy, it’s healthy food,” Marion said.

In her household, she said, it was common for the family to eat dosas two to three times a week.

Her favorite part of working on the cookbook was going through all the ingredients that Patel and Scheintaub used.

Dosas come in a variety of sizes from small “set” dosas to huge dosas spanning several feet.

It takes 12 hours to create dosas. Four hours are spent soaking and grinding dosas, then eight hours are spent fermenting them.

If you live in a city and there’s an Indian grocery store nearby you can buy the batter. “Otherwise there are no shortcuts,” Scheintaub said. ■

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YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

■ ASTROLOGY

13

Predictions and advice for the week of September 23–29, 2017

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Avoid making the same mistake twice. If the scenario seems uncomfortably familiar, then it is not too late to change the outcome.

Dragon — Though many will seek your counsel this week, there is no need to devote your attention to all who come to your door.

Monkey — Why throw away something that can still be useful? A second look could reveal a surprising find.

Ox — Your opinion carries more weight than you realize. Speak up early when you first notice something amiss.

Snake — Don’t let a minor incident cast a shadow on your whole day. Leave it behind you where it belongs.

Rooster — Although you are proud of what you have done thus far, it is not time yet to celebrate or take your eye off the ball.

Tiger — Does it feel as though you are off on a tangent? It might be helpful to trace back how you came to be where you are now.

Horse — Sometimes you are known to be a little too hasty for your own good. Slow down once in awhile for a better result.

Dog — You have quite a lot to show for your efforts. Don’t be afraid to receive and take credit where it is due.

Rabbit — No matter how close the union, there are times when your interests won’t align exactly with your partner’s.

Goat — You are working hard to prove your point, but in doing so, try not to lose sight of the main argument at hand.

Pig — Be careful what you ask for, as you may actually get more than you care to have. That said, it’s probably better to have a little too much, instead of not enough.

What’s your animal sign?

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

WONG from 5 where he had served on the Board of Trustees for more than 30 years.

Wong’s most notable projects include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles International Airport and the often-photographed Union 76 Gas Station in Beverly Hills.

The latter, with its sweeping canopy, more resembles an alien space ship than a refueling stop. The Los Angeles Conservancy described it “a true icon of Mid-Century Modernism, recognized everywhere as one of the highest examples of Googie architecture in the world.”

It was one of the first major projects Wong took on upon earning his degree in architecture from USC in 1950.

He had originally planned to put it at Los Angeles International Airport, for which he was design director when it was converted to use by jets in the 1950s. Years

DACA from 5 the advocacy group Center for American Progress. Under the program, they were protected from deportation and allowed to legally work in the United States with twoyear permits.

The top congressional Democrats, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, emerged from a White House dinner on Sept. 13 to say they had reached a deal with President Donald Trump to save DACA. But amid backlash from conservative Republicans, Trump said that they were “fairly close” but nothing had been agreed to.

It was the latest in a confusing back-andforth on the subject that started earlier this month when the Trump administration announced it was rescinding the program, but gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix.

“I don’t think anybody can put much faith in the statement that there is a deal, because so much can change,” said John Trasvina, dean of the University of San Francisco School of Law and an immigration expert who worked in Washington under the Clinton and Obama administrations. “I’ve seen tons of times when people think they have an immigration deal, and then it goes away.”

Under the Trump administration plan, those already enrolled in DACA remain covered until their two-year permits expire.

If their permits expire before March, 5,

later he designed the airport’s two-level roadway as part of a major expansion that included upgrades to all terminals.

Other projects included CBS’s Television City complex and such high-rises as the USC Tower at South Park Center and the 33-story downtown building formerly known as the ARCO Tower.

Wong helped found William L. Pereira & Associates, the architectural firm responsible for the 1961 master plan for the USC University Park Campus and USC’s Olin Hall of Engineering and Stauffer Hall of Science. He was president of the firm during the design of San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid.

“Gin Wong was a visionary architect who left an indelible mark on our beloved alma mater and our vibrant Southern California landscape,” USC President C. L. Max Nikias said in a statement.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Wong moved to Los Angeles with his family as a child. Upon graduation from John H.

2018, they can renew them for another two years as long as they apply by Oct. 5. But the program isn’t accepting new applications.

The University of San Francisco, which has about 80 DACA recipients, is advising students to adhere to that deadline and is raising money to help pay the $495 renewal fee.

Despite reassurances from schools that they’ll be able to continue attending classes, many students are anxious. They’re worried about how they’ll pay for school if they can’t work.

Ana Maciel, a 23-year-old who works full time to put herself through a University of San Francisco education Master’s program, says she’s been on “an emotional roller coaster.” She fears being deported to Mexico, the country she left at age 3, and wonders if it’s smart to keep investing in school if she can’t work afterward.

“Is this what I should spend my money on?” Maciel says about her $8,000 tuition.

“Everything is up in the air.”

Trump’s DACA announcement on Sept. 5 came after 10 Republican attorneys general threatened to sue in an attempt to halt the program. They were led by Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas, which has the second-highest number of DACA recipients after California.

Three days after Trump announced the administration was phasing out the program, the Arizona attorney general brought a separate lawsuit that claims the state’s universities cannot provide in-state tuition rates for DACA recipients. Attorney

Francis Polytechnic High School, he served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, participating in major air battles over Japan in 1945 as a lead crew navigator-radar bombardier.

After the war, he enrolled at USC, where one of his professors was the prolific architect William L. Pereira, who would later become his colleague.

Wong founded his own company, Gin Wong Associates, in 1973. Its recent projects have included Korean Air’s Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, South Korea, and a state-of-the-art university research library for Inha University in Incheon, South Korea.

Once asked which of his many works he was partial to, Wong replied, “The most interesting project would be my next one.”

He is survived by his wife, Louise, and children Terrina, Janna and Kimberlee. ■

General Mark Brnovich says the schools are violating Arizona law which makes it clear in-state tuition is eligible only to those with legal immigration status. The schools are vowing to fight back.

And critics of the program were swift to denounce the possibility of a deal in Congress. Numbers USA denounced the prospect of making a deal on border security to provide “amnesty for the so called ‘dreamers’ to compete and take jobs from Americans and those here legally.”

Meanwhile, immigrants are fearful of being sent back to countries they don’t consider home.

Andrea Aguilera, a Dominican University junior in suburban Chicago, worries about being deported and separated from family members, some of whom are citizens. She was illegally brought across the Mexican border at age 4.

“You never know what can happen under this administration. We do want to feel relief. We’ve been fighting for something more permanent for a really long time,” she said. “It seems like it’s a game (to political leaders). They don’t realize how many peoples’ lives are being affected by this.”

At UC Berkeley, Burmese Taiwanese national Amy Lin, a 23-year-old doctoral student in the university’s ethnic studies department, has set up an emergency phone tree for DACA students. She fears Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials might come knocking.

“The university says it doesn’t allow ICE agents on campus, but that doesn’t mean

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they won’t come in,” said Lin, who was brought to the U.S. illegally at age 12.

University of California President Janet Napolitano filed a lawsuit earlier this month that’s one of several high-profile legal challenges to Trump’s decision.

Napolitano helped create the program in 2012 as Homeland Security secretary under President Barack Obama. The 10 schools in the UC system have about 4,000 students without legal permission to stay in the U.S. UC schools are among those offering student loans to DACA students, and they’ve directed campus police not to question or detain individuals based on their immigration status.

The University of Illinois at Chicago, which has hundreds of DACA students, has posted online instructions for students and security staff to call campus police immediately if anyone, including federal agents, comes on campus and starts asking questions.

“We have to follow the law, obviously,” said UIC Provost Susan Poser, but “we’re going to do everything we can to support (students).”

At Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, president Elizabeth Kiss plans to invite DACA students to her home to meet with an attorney. Georgia bars instate tuition rates for students without legal immigration status.

“I have no intention of picking a fight with the Georgia Legislature,” said Kiss. “I also have to keep students safe and support their well-being.” ■

asianweekly northwest

14

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

35 YEARS

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

AHMED from 1 had ever won an acting Emmy prior to the 69th Emmy Awards on Sept. 17, and that was Archie Panjabi in 2010.

She won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Kalinda Sharma on CBS’ ‘The Good Wife.’

“I want to say it is always strange reaping the rewards of a story based on real world suffering,” Ahmed said in his acceptance speech. But if this show has shown a light on some of the prejudice in our societies, xenophobia, some of the injustice in our justice system, then maybe that is something.”

Commenting on diversity in the entertainment industry, Riz said during a backstage interaction, “I don’t know if

any one person’s win of an award, or one person snagging one role, or one person doing very well changes something, that’s a systemic issue… I think that’s something that happens slowly over time.”

“People are streaming shows or watching them all around the world. Hopefully, we’ll see a globalization of our storytelling.”

Other highlights for people of color: Donald Glover became the first Black winner of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in ‘Atlanta,’ ‘Master of None’ star Lena Waithe became the first Black woman to win the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Sterling K. Brown of ‘This Is Us’ became the first Black man to win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 19 years. ■

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YOUR VOICE

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

15

“At a time when mainstream print media are struggling to maintain readership and relevancy, the Northwest Asian Weekly continues to deliver timely and informative news articles — mixed with fun and entertaining feature stories — that educate, edify, and engage the pan-Asian Pacific American community of the great Northwest. A local mainstay for the past 35 years, this publication provides an essential public service to and on behalf of our richly diverse Asian and Pacific Islander communities whose voices and visages are not present elsewhere. Thank you, Northwest Asian Weekly, for faithfully chronicling our community through the years!”

— Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, 37th Legislative District “I read the Seattle Chinese Post every week. My crew reads it, too. I have been in business for 17 years and I have gone through many hardships. To see the Chinese Post and Asian Weekly celebrating their 35th anniversaries is inspiring. I have advertised for ever a decade in the Chinese Post, because of the results I get, even though there are other free Chinese newspapers around. My restaurant is located in the north, but I have customers from different parts of the city, even south Seattle, because they’ve seen my restaurant ad over the years.”

— Andy Man, owner of T & T Chinese Seafood Restaurant Send in your thoughts to editor@nwasianweekly.com.

Join us for our 35th Anniversary Celebration dinner on Oct. 21 at China Harbor restaurant. For tickets, please go to http://35nwawf.bpt.me, or email rsvp@nwasianweekly.com, or call 206-2230623. To sponsor the event, contact Assunta Ng at assunta@nwasianweekly.com. For more info, visit nwasianweekly.com/35years.

The only weekly English-edition newspaper serving the Asian community in the state of Washington for 35 years.

HARRELL from 1

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Harrell became mayor last week when Murray resigned because of sex abuse allegations, which he has denied.

After making the announcement about the Amazon bid, Harrell said he will not serve as mayor until voters decide later this year between former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan and urban planner Cary Moon, both Democrats.

Tim Burgess became the 55th mayor of Seattle on Sept.

18 when his City Council colleagues elected him to fill Murray’s remaining term.

Before he took the Oath of Office, Burgess said, “We are

united in our desire for Seattle and our region to be a place where you can go to work and return safely to your home, where you can raise a family, where your children can receive the best possible education, where you can start a business and watch it soar, where our employers—from the smallest to the very largest—can thrive and expand our economy for everyone.”

Burgess has served as a Seattle City Councilmember since 2008. ■ Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Bruce Harrell signed an executive order, after taking the Oath of Office and becoming Seattle mayor.

INTERIM from 1

ABACUS from 9

for transit-oriented developments that provided affordable housing.

Evan Chan told the Northwest Asian Weekly, “We ended up partnering with InterIm, who has a long history of providing successful affordable housing in the International District. Our family has been in the neighborhood since 1935 and thought this would be a great opportunity to provide affordable housing and to remain in the neighborhood for many years to come.”

The project is planned to be seven stories high, and include approximately 104 units, ranging from studios to three bedrooms. To be eligible, residents must make no more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).

InterIm’s associate housing developer, Rie Shintani, said the ground level will include commercial space. It will be approximately 6,500 square feet and be operated by the Chan family.

Evan Chan said it’s too early to tell if the Four Seas restaurant will reopen in that space. He did say, “The intent is to design the commercial space to be able to accommodate a restaurant and lounge.”

Shintani said InterIm and the Chans agreed to an 80-year lease. The assessed value of the property, according to King County records, is $2.6 million. Real estate developer Ryan Gibson told the Northwest Asian Weekly it’s worth roughly double that.

The name of the building hasn’t been decided yet, but it will likely be an homage to the late Bob Santos.

InterIm anticipates construction to begin in the fall of 2019 with occupancy scheduled for spring 2021. They will hold public meetings in the months leading up to the actual groundbreaking. ■

family apparently gave the director carte blanche for this footage, and from it a deeper portrait emerges.

How do they cope with the possibility of prison for some of them, at least? With ruin, the dissolution of Abacus, a lifetime’s dreams dashed?

They keep calm. Cutting, sometimes,

Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

towards their enemies. But calm. And here, James’ visuals become important, for what isn’t happening. No hysterics, no Martin Shkreli boasting. No weeping. They want the best outcome, but they’re prepared for the worst.

I’ll save the outcome for you to discover.

By the end, though, we’ve seen the true mettle of the Sung family, and the people standing with them in Chinatown. That’s

more important, in the end, than the fall of the final gavel. ■ “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” plus some video supplements to the documentary, are available for viewing at pbs.org/wgbh/ frontline/film/abacus.

Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

16

grandfather was adopted by an uncle, who sold a third of his farm in 1912 for $2,000 and gambled on his grandfather to come to America.

“At 20, my grandfather bought a thirdclass ticket and travelled with the animals in steerage. He had nothing but the book that contained facts about his ‘family.’

This year, we celebrate the 100th year anniversary of my grandfather passing through Angel Island, where he had to wait three months to get through immigration.”

Chen, who recently embarked on a ‘roots’ trip with his kids, said, “There were all these questions you had to answer. Where does the cat like to sleep? How many windows does your house have? What we didn’t know was that about 10,000 people failed the immigration test. They were to be deported.

Many didn’t want to face the shame of going back to their villages and chose to commit suicide instead. It turned out to be a life and death game.”

Chen’s grandfather knew only two English words, Suisun City, the place he was supposed to go to in California. When he got there, he worked for the Army and earned a dollar a week, of which he had to pay 75 cents in room and board. Over five years, he saved enough for 40 gold nuggets, sewed them into his coat and went back to his village in China. There, he married Chen’s grandmother and came back to America, had five kids, and put them through college.

“I hope my kids carry this lesson with them to remind them of where they come from,” he said.

Chen’s grandparents on his dad’s side were pioneers in their own right, making a career of taking eastern medicine, figuring out what works and turning it into Western medicine.

“My family has a couple of entrepreneurs.

My brother left Hewlett Packard and now sells hi-tech audio-visual gear. He has his own place in San Francisco and has Journey and the Skywalker Ranch in his rolodex.

My sister left Sony PlayStation and started turning houses in Portland. She has her own skin care business now. We’re not all doctors and lawyers,” Chen added.

Chen went to University of California at Santa Barbara, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He developed unique skills at the university, where he was voted outstanding Computer Science student and was president of the Association for Computing Machinery and Engineering Student Council. One of his highlights was being mentored by Brian Fox, a programmer for the Free Software Foundation founded

by Richard Stallman.

“Brian played jazz and chess with no college education. Brian helped me develop a script that took a command-line based SUN Workstation and turned it into a multiwindowed environment. We used that script to quadruple membership in The Association For Computing Machinery.”

A career at Microsoft was what Chen wanted though. “It was a no-brainer for me to work with Microsoft. You got 1,000 points in the college interview system and I felt there was no one other than Microsoft I wanted to work with. I bet it all on them and got through the interview.”

At Microsoft, Chen was one of the few people who worked all the three critical jobs that are involved in a product lifecycle — test, development, and program management.

“I wrote code to break code and was one of the first to create a program to run on six different operating systems from the same code base,” he said.

Chen isn’t one to sit around and that’s how he was noticed at Microsoft. “It was very frustrating in the beginning because I was on a project that was late in signing the contract with the outside partner. I went to my General Manager and said, ‘I’m happy

Photo by Alabastro Photography

CHEN from 1

Tech career

35 YEARS

SEPTEMBER 23 – SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

John Chen 50th Birthday "Share Your Talent" Party.

to sit around my office and do nothing, but I came here to work. Tell me what else to do.’ So, he put me on a project called LAN Manager. He lent me out until a contract was signed.”

At Microsoft, Chen discovered that one of the systems wasn’t testing effectively and he traced every line of code and presented it to the team saying how he could replicate an 8-hour process within two minutes.

“I said I think we should go this direction and do it this way. That was the first leadership step at Microsoft. I was a tester who knew what I was doing and was willing to teach other people.”

Chen then moved to development and later became a people manager. He was part of the team that helped ship Microsoft Exchange 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5, which became the fastest selling client server application with almost 200 Million Client licenses today. He recalls how the system fell over completely the first time the team sent an email to 10 people. He was one of 14 leads that helped make the project a success.

A new direction

Chen knew he had an unfulfilled purpose.

Trouble was, he didn’t know what it was yet.

“I was in this personal development training program. I was one of the coaches and my mentor was the trainer. He said, ‘Give me a weekend and I’ll tell you exactly what your life’s purpose is.’ At this point, I had enough time and money, and didn’t have much to lose,” he said. Chen flew to Huntington Beach and in two days wrote the entire business plan for his company.

“It was a Jerry Maguire moment, where I mailed 70 people saying, ‘This is the idea that I’m going to do. I really want your help and support.’ I went so far as to say that even if you don’t support it, don’t shoot it down.

The outpouring of support he received from friends and family was amazing.

“It took two and a half years. I did it parttime. I still had my job at Microsoft, but I arranged my life in such a way that I could do this at least 12 hours a week. I was holding seminars on the weekends to prove to myself that I could actually do it. It was 1997 and I left Microsoft in 1999,” Chen said.

Today, Chen’s company Geoteaming works with Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, REI, Boeing, Booz Allen, Wired Magazine, Prudential, Piper Jaffray, among others.

After seeing over 1,600 teams interact with each other during team building events, Chen has identified tells for successful teams.

Energy: Winning teams have incredible energy. However, a team with only high energy can lose because they don’t know how to focus.

Collaboration: A team that works well together has a high chance of winning. We once had a team with a very complicated team cheer. It was more than three lines, and so they texted it to each other and were completely in sync.

Decision making: I used to think that a team that made decisions the fastest would win, but that’s not true. If a team spends the entire time forming a team name and listening to each other, I will peg them to win.

Creativity: A team from Amazon that I had recently was great! We gave them a gray bandana and they named themselves ‘Touch of Gray’. Their slogan was: ‘Get off my lawn!’ This creativity shows they are willing to do things differently to win.

The ‘IT’ Factor: When a team is in sync, they are engaged and divide roles instantly.

You can see teams that have IT. I would peg them to win.

Chen’s company works on several types of events. They do large community events, an occasional birthday celebration (they recently organized a ‘Life is Good’ pub crawl at Pioneer Square for a 45th birthday), work with nonprofits especially within the Asian community and corporate events. However, things weren’t always this easy. Geoteaming started out as Playtime Inc. “I wanted work to be fun, but the Inc. said this was serious. I didn’t want it to be only fun and games because there were too many companies doing that. I thought it would be funny to say, “I had a bad day at Playtime Inc.” Chen has had to say that only four times in 20 years. One was when he had to fire a salesperson. “Building a team in the team building business is as challenging as building a team in a company,” he said.

Another was during the dotcom bust, when he had to adapt his business from a 9-month training program he called ‘The Journey’ during which the team would summit Mount Rainier.

“I got an email from my mentor. It was about geocaching and he said, ‘Wouldn’t this make a great team building event?’

So, I went out, found a geocache near Magnuson Park where I lived, and thought it was just like The Journey, but took 10

minutes and anybody could do it. I called the geocaching founders who were in their parents’ basement on the waterfront here in Seattle. They thought it was a fantastic idea and helped me get over 100 leads per month.

That’s what helped me grow my company and they are still part of it.”

Watching teams and different companies work and play together has helped Chen identify problem areas in the workforce today.

“There is a leadership gap coming through. The Boomer generation was so big, they were all the managers. Now, they are leaving this gigantic leadership gap that has to be filled with diversity. That’s going to be interesting to watch,” Chen said.

Managing different cultures in the workforce is something he thinks about too. “The easiest way is traveling to other countries and making friends with people there. Any time you go somewhere, people want to teach you their culture.”

Looking forward, Chen continues to change teams with the latest technology.

Chen is excited about drone technology and is a pioneer in using it for team building events.

“The visual impact is a huge tools for companies to remind their teams of their investment in them. Soon, I’ll release a team building event where every team learns how to fly a drone.”

In the future, Chen is looking into Live Streaming to improve team performance.

With an update to his Geoteaming app, every team can be live streaming their performance during the event and coaches give immediate feedback to improve team performance. With every new technology, Chen can get one step closer to the Jerry Maguire vision he wrote of “Life-Changing Adventure, Breakthrough Results.” ■ Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.