PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 35 NO 41
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
FREE
34 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Former Philadelphia Asian Art Museum utility executive becomes expansion plans new SPU director
Seattle Art Museum
Photo credit: City of Seattle
By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
From left: Mayor Ed Murray, Mami Hara, and Councilmember Lisa Herbold.
By James Tabafunda Northwest Asian Weekly After Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) Director Ray Hoffman announced his decision last June to step down from his seven-and-a-half-year tenure, Mayor Ed Murray thanked him for his 26-year public utilities career in the city.
About a month later, Murray announced his selection of Philadelphia’s utility executive and planner as Hoffman’s successor. Mami Hara, 53, took the oath to lead SPU at her Sept. 27 swearing-in ceremony at Seattle City Hall. She “brings an incredible personal story to Seattle.
National spotlight on Elaine Quijano
see HARA on 12
Gentlemen, please!
Feds accuse Silicon Valley firm of bias against Asians
By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY People can’t stop talking about the news anchor who moderated the vice presidential debate on Oct. 4. Elaine Quijano, 42, is the first Filipino and Asian American to moderate a national debate in a general election campaign, and the youngest since Judy Woodruff in 1988. Quijano is a correspondent for CBS News and the anchor for CBSN, CBS News’ relatively new streaming service. Twitter users mostly praised her during the debate, for being poised, asking great questions, and for the most part, keeping the debate on track. One Twitter user said Quijano was “100 times better than the last moderator,” referring to NBC anchor Lester Holt moderating the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. In that debate, observers pointed out that Trump was “manterrupting” Clinton. On Oct. 4, free of the
■
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) presented initial design renderings on Sept. 29 for the upcoming renovation and expansion of the Asian Art Museum, set to begin fall 2017. This would be the first substantial renovation to the historic building since 1933. It will bring the museum up to 21st-century standards and preserve the museum’s historic Art Deco façade through climate control, fire safety, and seismic system upgrades. “The museum’s exhibitions and programming connects to the many cultural traditions and contemporary issues of Asia, helping us better understand our region and our rapidly evolving world. Our goal is to ensure that we can continue to serve our community and visitors for years to come,” said Kimerly Rorschach, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom director
and CEO. The museum’s landmark building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in July 2016, joining Volunteer Park, which was previously listed in 1976. A modest expansion will improve the museum’s connection to Volunteer Park, adding a new gallery and a meeting/event space, while enhancing the beauty of the park beyond. The Asian Art Museum is the original home of SAM. In recent years, the museum has seen its largest attendance numbers since becoming the Asian Art Museum in 1994. A significant cultural resource, the museum houses one of the most important Asian art collections outside of Asia and offers a wide range of installations featuring the permanent collection, as well as special exhibitions and programming, including popular public programs presented by the Gardner Center see SAM on 6
“Mail Order Family” BACKLASH Uproar over Asian stereotypes ended a TV comedy before it started. » see 5
Visionary Award honoree Andy Liu on entrepreneurial qualities he looks for, in future investments. » see 7
Carbon-free fight male-female dynamic, Gov. Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Kaine held no punches and interrupted each other at every exchange. The over-talking exasperated Quijano. “Gentlemen, the people at home cannot understand you when you speak over each other!” she asserted firmly, yet respectfully. Quijano’s attempts to assert con-
trol were not always successful, drawing criticism from some media colleagues. Others in the media praised Quijano for trying, under difficult circumstances, to keep the conversation moving and sticking to her script. Yet others said Quijano crammed see QUIJANO on 11
By Brandon Bailey AP Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit accusing a fastgrowing Silicon Valley software company of systematically see SILICON VALLEY on 14
Should you vote yes or no on I-732? Both sides state their case.» see 11
Community » 3, 15 Calendar » 6 Sudoku » 6 Astrology » 13
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
asianweekly northwest
2
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
34 YEARS
YOUR VOICE
■ community NEWS
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
Photo credit: City of Seattle
Seattle to clear out homeless camp ‘The Jungle’ in October
The Jungle
SEATTLE (AP) — Officials are notifying people living in the longtime Seattle homeless encampment known as ‘The Jungle’ that the city plans to start clearing the area Oct. 11. The Seattle Times reports officials began posting notices around the encampment along Interstate 5 on Sept. 30. Over 200 tents were counted in the encampment earlier this year. The city estimates 42 people remain after efforts to
move residents out. Once the area is clear of people, trash and other items, the state Department of Transportation will upgrade and pave a dirt road to the area so emergency responders and bridge inspectors will have better access. Two people were shot to death and three others in The Jungle were wounded by gunfire earlier this year.
asianweekly northwest
3
asianweekly northwest
4
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
■ WORLD news
34 YEARS
Philippine president apologizes to Jews for Hitler remark By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologized to Jews worldwide Oct. 2 after his remarks drawing comparisons between his bloody anti-drug war and Hitler and the Holocaust sparked shock and outrage. The tough-talking Duterte said his apology was President Rodrigo Duterte intended only for the Jewish community. He lashed out again at Western critics and human rights advocates who have raised concerns over his brutal crackdown, which is estimated to have left more than 3,000 suspected drug dealers and users dead in just three months. Duterte said in a speech in the central city of Bacolod that he never had any intention “to derogate the memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Germans.” Historians say 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis under Hitler before and during World War II. “I apologize profoundly and deeply to the Jewish community,” Duterte said. On Sept. 30, Duterte raised the rhetoric over his antidrug campaign to a new level by comparing it to Hitler and the Holocaust and saying he would be “happy to slaughter” an estimated 3 million addicts in the Philippines. In that speech, the brash president said without elaborating that he has been “portrayed or pictured to be a cousin of Hitler” by his critics.
Moments later, he said, “Hitler massacred 3 million Jews ... there’s 3 million drug addicts. There are. I’d be happy to slaughter them.” While Hitler’s victims were innocent people, Duterte said his targets are “all criminals” and that getting rid of them would “finish the (drug) problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition.” Germany’s government slammed Duterte’s comments as unacceptable, and called in the Philippine ambassador to the Foreign Ministry over the matter. “It is impossible to make any comparison to the unique atrocities of the Shoah and Holocaust,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said in Berlin. World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder said Duterte’s remarks were “revolting” and demanded that he retract them and apologize. “Drug abuse is a serious issue. But what President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life that is truly heartbreaking for the democratically elected leader of a great country,” Lauder said in a statement issued from Jerusalem, where he was attending the funeral of former Israeli leader Shimon Peres. The U.S. State Department, which is looking to sustain its long-standing alliance with the Philippines, called the comments “troubling.” Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said it was baffling why anyone would want to compare themselves to “one of the largest mass murderers in human history.” Robertson said that in today’s context, Hitler would be accused of crimes against humanity. “Is that what Duterte wants? Does he want to be sent to the International Criminal Court? Because he’s working his
way there,” Robertson said. Amid the criticisms, presidential spokesman Ernie Abella defended Duterte, saying his “reference to the slaughter was an oblique deflection of the way he has been pictured as a mass murderer.” Duterte has asked for a six-month extension of his drug crackdown, saying he underestimated the magnitude of the problem. His supporters and many Filipinos exasperated with widespread crime have welcomed his tough approach, but a growing number of critics, including U.N. officials, the European Union and the United States, have voiced concerns over the widespread killings and human rights violations. Turning to the United States, his country’s treaty ally but which has criticized his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, Duterte warned on Oct. 2 without elaborating: “Better think twice now because I would be asking you to leave the Philippines altogether.” Despite a constitutional ban on foreign forces in the Philippines, U.S. troops have been conducting multiple joint combat exercises with Filipino troops each year under a 1999 agreement. The allies forged a 2014 defense pact which gives American forces greater access to designated Philippine military camps, but Duterte said that pact was only signed then by a Philippine defense secretary, suggesting he could push the accord back. He repeated his desire to expand relations with China and Russia because of his unease with U.S. officials, adding both countries have pledged to back his administration. “I’m going to China to make friends with them and also Russia,” he said.
YOUR VOICE
■ NATIONAL NEWS
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
asianweekly northwest
5
NBC drops plans for mail-order bride sitcom amid protests LOS ANGELES (AP) — NBC says it has dropped plans for a sitcom about a widower who orders a mail-order bride from the Philippines. Protests had greeted the network’s decision last week to develop “Mail Order Family,” with an online petition drawing more than 12,000 signers as of Oct. 1. In a statement, NBCUniversal said it bought the comedy pitch with the understanding it would tell creator Jackie Clarke’s real-life experience of being raised by a “strong Filipina
George Takei gives personal collection to Los Angeles museum
George Takei
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor and activist George Takei is donating a trove of art and artifacts from his life and career to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The museum announced the gift Sept. 28 and said the collection will be featured in an exhibition next year. “New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei” is set to open March 12, 2017. Takei’s collection includes photos, sculptures, scripts and other memorabilia from his “Star Trek” days, as well as his run for Los Angeles City Council in 1973 and the Olympic torch he carried ahead of the 1984 games in Los Angeles. Takei’s most recent acting credit was in the animated “Kubo and the Two Strings.” The 79-year-old entertainer is an activist for gay rights and spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.
Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly? We want to know about it. Send it to us at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
stepmother.” The writers and producers have “taken the sensitivity to the initial concept to heart” and won’t move forward with the project, the network said. Gabriela USA, a women’s rights group, circulated the anti-show petition on Moveon.org. The group said the mail-order bride industry exploits and traffics in poor women and condemns NBC for “making light” of the issue.
asianweekly northwest
6
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
34 YEARS
■ COMMUNITY calendar OCT. 6
Jose Antonio Vargas: My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant UW, Kane Hall, Room 130 7:30–9 p.m. goo.gl/VohXPu NAAAP Networking Mixer Kushibar Japanese Restaurant, 2319 2nd Ave, Seattle 5:30–9 p.m. edward.ham@naaapseattle. org
6–26 Chinese Meditation Class International District Community Center, 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle 1:30–2:30 p.m. $25/4-week session 206-233-0042
China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 6 p.m. $35–$90 visionary.bpt.me, 206-2230623 Private FA3 Kyoto Arts & Antique Tour & Talk Georgetown 7–9 p.m. friendsofasianart.org Celebrate Your Freedom ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 3–7 p.m.
7&8 Joby Glass Studio Opening 313 5th Ave. S.E. #A, Olympia October 7, 5–10 p.m. October 8, 12–5 p.m. 206-390-1659
8
7
CIRCC Candidates Forum Eritrean Association, 1528 S. Massachusetts, Seattle 3–7:30 p.m. wearecircc.org
NWAW’s Visionary Award Gala, “Asian Americans: Technology & Innovation”
Bridging the Gap: A Community Conversation The Hillman City Collaboratory,
SAM from 1 for Asian Art and Ideas. Community meetings to discuss the project began earlier this summer and will continue. Upcoming Saturday meetings, all to be held at the Asian Art Museum, are scheduled for Oct. 15, Nov. 19, and Dec. 10. The $49 million project will be financed by a mixture of public funding from the City of Seattle and King County. The museum has also received a sig-
5623 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Sef Dandia 2016 Microsoft Building 92, 15010 N.E. 36th St., Redmond 8 p.m.–12 a.m. $5–$15 giftofvision.org NAMI Seattle’s 4th Annual Depressed Cake Shop Optimism Brewery, 1158 Broadway, Seattle 12–4 p.m. namiseattle.org Hood Famous Bakeshop Grand Opening 2325 1/2 NW Market St., Seattle 11 a.m.–6:30 p.m. hoodfamousbakeshop.com
10
Commerce, 12531 28th Ave. N.E., Seattle 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m.
13 API Candidates & Issues Forum – King County ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 5–8 p.m. ECCC Community Engagement with the Port of Seattle Port of Seattle, 2711 Alaskan Way, Pier 69, Seattle 5–7:30 p.m.
15 Aloha ‘O Na Kupuna 2016 Hawaiian Family Festival
Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church, 3001 24th Ave. S., Seattle 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. $10 manuikifoundation.com Grand Opening of Kin On’s New Community Center Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 12–3 p.m. RSVP to 206-556-2237 or healthyliving@kinon.org by October 7 Asian Art Museum Renovation & Proposed Expansion Community Meeting Asian Art Museum, Alvord Board Room 1–2:30 p.m. visitsam.org/inspire
Tuna Filleting Event – Ten Qoo Maguro Ten Sushi, 500 Mercer St., Unit C-2, Ste. 2B, Seattle 6–7 p.m.
12 Mayor Murray on Homelessness in Seattle North Seattle Chamber of
nificant number of gifts and pledges from individuals and foundations. The majority of the funds for the project are being raised privately, and the fundraising campaign continues with an active campaign committee and dedicated team. For more information on the Asian Art Museum renovation and expansion campaign, visit seattleartmuseum.org/inspire. Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
View the solution on page 14
Assunta Ng
Account Executives
John Liu
rebecca@nwasianweekly.com
Ruth Bayang
kelly@nwasianweekly.com
Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Associate Publisher john@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com
Han Bui
Rebecca Ip Kelly Liao John Liu
john@nwasianweekly.com
Layout & Web Editor han@nwasianweekly.com
The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $40 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $30 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
YOUR VOICE
■ technology
asianweekly northwest
7
Do angels have wings or money? By Arlene Kiyomi Dennistoun NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Angels may have wings and be able to fly, but angel investors don’t. Instead, angel investors like Andy Liu breathe life into small startup companies by injecting cash when they need it. Liu is an “angel” to about 90 businesses right now. He gets about a dozen ideas from entrepreneurs and has a meeting with one each week. Liu ends up having about 50 meetings a year. The result? Liu ultimately becomes an “angel” to about eight startups a year. Liu continues angel investing, as well as growing BuddyTV, the company he co-founded in 2005. Liu is the CEO of BuddyTV, located in lower Queen Anne. The company, with 20 employees, provides users with a free service that’s an online TV guide and more. BuddyTV feeds its consumers information on shows, sporting events, and entertainment news through articles and user forums. Last year, Liu partnered with Vizio, a new generation of smart TVs, and now BuddyTV’s mobile application is bundled in all Vizio smart televisions. BuddyTV’s users can find and control all their must-see TV content from their smartphones or tablets, and can find out how and where to watch what they want, whether it’s on Netflix, Amazon, etc. Examples of companies Liu has invested in that especially excite him today include a company called Rover, which provides an online listing of dog sitters. Liu doesn’t own a dog, but he likes the Rover team and sees their potential. Another company, Glowforge, which makes 3D printers, is the most successful Kickstarter in history, said Liu. Glowforge’s website includes a video explaining how its 3D printer makes copies using organic materials, from cardboard to chocolate! Remitly is another startup that captivates Liu. The company does remittances, enabling customers to send money internationally to their families with far fewer fees, using desktops, tablets, or mobile devices. Liu has invested in non-technology related companies
Andy Liu
in the past — a rice field in Guyana, a restaurant, and medical practices, but he remains focused on technologydriven companies because it’s his niche — his “skill set.” Liu realizes the potential technology has to reach a broader community. After seeing extreme poverty traveling through developing communities around the world, Liu found a way to satisfy his hunger to address and lift people out of poverty. That’s how FutureHope was born. Liu founded and is the president and director of FutureHope, an organization dedicated to providing training and opportunities through technology. Training in the Regalo De Dios community of El Salvador began in 2005 and has expanded every year, with leadership skills added to the curriculum. Technology and leadership
programs are also ongoing in Puerto de la Libertad, El Salvador. Liu decided to start projects in El Salvador because he liked what he saw there. Many people in El Salvador make two dollars a day, but the community didn’t have “a culture of deflated poor.” Despite the poverty, Liu saw active partners on the ground and how people embraced hard work and looked forward to cultivating a better life by taking advantage of training programs. Liu has a similar approach when choosing the startups he invests in. He examines the people leading the startups — the idea is secondary — to see whether the entrepreneurs have the “grit, integrity, and work ethic” to make it. During previous interviews and presentations, Liu’s message to startups has been consistent over the years. He believes entrepreneurs should spend more of their time building a great company, rather than raising money. Great startups should have sufficient cash to survive downturns because they’ll be stronger when they make it to the other side. “No matter how smart I think I am, it’s impossible to predict the economy,” said Liu. If cash flow becomes dire, CEOs need to raise money and cut costs. “One piece I’ve been more disciplined about is the business model. Even if you can execute well, if you have a bad model, you’ll run yourself off the cliff. I’m more thoughtful about that.” That wasn’t always the case in the past, said Liu. Geekwire, a technology news website that relies heavily on Seattle for information, just held its fifth annual summit in Seattle. Liu attended again, along with hundreds of other technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovative business executives. Liu doesn’t get tired of going — there are always new trends in angel investing and technology that interest him. For one thing, he loves the “speed dating” — the startup pitch competition where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas in a few minutes to a panel of “angels” and investors. Liu’s parents were born in China. They moved to Taiwan, came to the United States to get an education, and later met see LIU on 15
asianweekly northwest
8
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
■ WORLD NEWS
Beijing’s latest answer to pollution: the Smog Free Tower
By NOMAAN MERCHANT Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — In a city where smog routinely blankets the streets, a Dutch artist has offered an eccentric solution: a 23-foot metal structure that takes in smog and expels cleaner air.
Daan Roosegaarde’s Smog Free Tower opened Sept. 29 on a small, grassy lot in Beijing’s famed 798 arts district. Comprised of 45 silver plates resembling partially open window blinds, the tower contains an air-purifying machine that see SMOG FREE on 12
34 YEARS
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
YOUR VOICE
asianweekly northwest
9
2017 Ethnic Media Candidates Meet n Greet
C
andidates from all over the state gathered on Sept. 22 for the 7th Annual Ethnic Media Candidates Meet n Greet at the Nagomi Tea House. In addition to the candidates, over 100 people attended the event, which was emceed by Joaquin Uy of the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Special thanks to Sound Publishing, Sea Beez members, Northwest Vietnamese News, Dim Sum King, Tai Tung Restaurant, King’s BBQ, and Joyale Restaurant.
Candidates lining up to speak.
Cathy Moore Candidate for Superior Court, Judge Position 44
BOB HASEGAWA Candidate for Legislative District 11, State Senator
PATRICE MCCARTHY Candidate for State Auditor
BOB FERGUSON Candidate for Attorney General
ERIC NEWMAN Candidate for Superior Court, Judge Position 44
DAVID KEENAN Candidate for Superior Court, Judge Position 26
PRAMILA JAYAPAL Candidate for 7th Congressional District, US Representative
STEVE MCLAUGHLIN Candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands
NICOLE GAINES PHELPS Candidate for Superior Court, Judge Position 14
TINA PODLODOWSKI Candidate for Secretary of State
From left: Felicita Irigon, Frank Irigon, Chris Reykdal, candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jessyn Farrell, candidate for Legislative District 46, State Representative Position 2. MARTY MCCLENDON Candidate for Lieutenant Governor and Julie Pham, Event Founder
Ethnic Media members
barbara madsen Candidate for State Supreme Court, Justice Position 5
This pictorial is sponsored by members of our community.
Gustavo Montoya of El Mundo’s and BILL BRYANT, Candidate for Governor
asianweekly northwest
10
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
I never dreamt that I could have traveled to over 40 countries, as my demanding career allows only short vacations. I credit that to cruises. My stepfather was the one who encouraged me to take a cruise to relax. But I didn’t take his advice until decades later. I took my first cruise with my kids to the Caribbean in 1990. It wasn’t until 2000, during our second cruise to west Mediterranean, that I got hooked on cruises. It took us to nine exciting cities, including Rome, Pisa, Florence, Nice, Cannes, Morocco, Monaco, Lisbon, and Seville in 10 days. Traveling by plane to six countries in 10 days would be impossible and exhausting. The cruise itinerary made us feel satisfied because we were able to see a lot more, while feeling relaxed at the end of the voyage. While we sleep, the ship is moving at night to get us to new destinations when we wake up the next day. It does not waste my time at all. “It is so nice not to have to pack, move, and unpack every day,” said my friend Bill Franklin. Plus, we actually save money in transportation and hotels.
Why I dislike land tours
The land tour in Europe that we joined in 1998 was the opposite of cruise travel. I was so exhausted, I thought about canceling the tour af-
34 YEARS
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
ter a few days. We spent more time on the bus than actual sightseeing. One time, we had to leave at 6 a.m. to take a bus from London to Amsterdam. It meant we had to wake up at 5 a.m. This wasn’t the worst part. By the time we arrived in Amsterdam, it was 5:30 p.m. I lamented that we wasted the sunny part of the day on the bus. After checking into the hotel, we ventured outside. “Where is the Anne Frank Museum?” I asked a tall stranger. His answer surprised me. “It’s nearby, you can get there in 10 minutes,” he replied. “But it will be closed at 6 p.m.” My watch said it was 5:45 p.m. My husband and I practically ran to the museum and we got there in 5 minutes. The museum staff told us to come back the next day. Unfortunately, the bus would leave for Paris in the morning. We didn’t mind paying the entrance fee even though we knew we didn’t have time to see everything. The museum staff let us in. In elation, we got the chance to imagine Anne’s terror under Hitler in 12 minutes. Yes, we saw the hidden door to the hidden attic and all the other details. The tour guide told us nothing about Amsterdam because it was not a part of the itinerary. In fact, he encouraged us to join an Indonesian Chinese dinner on a canal, which cost an additional $50 U.S. per person. We were the only two quitting the group that night.
OPINION
That’s a rip-off. Why would I pay $100 for two, traveling thousands of miles to Amsterdam for a Chinese dinner? Instead, we ventured into a French restaurant and had one of the most exquisite meals. Later, we joined a canal boat tour. The dinner, taxi, and canal tour cost us less than $100. From then on, land tours became our least desirable choice of travel. Our group members told us how average the Chinese dinner was, and regretted that they didn’t know that they could go out on their own.
Cruise or no cruise
Cruising is not for everyone. Some people feel too confined on a boat. For singles, the verdict is mixed. One friend told me that she was so miserable that she was counting the days to get off the boat. Another friend said he enjoyed traveling on his own because he met so many people. Every night, new acquaintances would invite him to join their dinner table. Had he gone with someone, people might not feel that they need to keep him
company. For my husband and me, working seven days a week during the year, a cruise gives us our reward — no work, no cooking and washing dishes (all meals included), no cleaning (the maid cleans the room twice a day), and all the pampering I want whenever I want. So far, the longest cruise we’ve been on was 12 days. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed a longer cruise. Cruises are ideal for family and class reunions, and for big groups of people traveling together. The cruise will take care of all the meals and lodging. “I took my 15 family members on a Norwegian cruise to Alaska,” said Franklin. “The experience was very interesting, family togetherness, and seeing the beauty of Alaska.”
Did we pick the wrong cruise?
My definition of a good cruise is as many cities ports of call as possible and waking up every day in a new place. Of the 13 cruises
we took, the worst was going from New Orleans to Mexico and Central America in 2006. There was not much to see in the ports where we stopped, such as Belize. Even Mexico’s ruins were not impressive. The best part was before the cruise, when we spent three days in New Orleans. It was wonderful to see New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the city, and we learned about how the Vietnamese community survived Katrina. The best cruises included the Yangtze River cruise, Hong Kong to Vietnam to China, Eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Baltics, Hawaii’s four islands, England, and Japan.
My ideal ship
Some of my friends who love to dance pick ships with a nice ballroom. If that’s your criteria, you should find out which ones feature ballroom dancing performances and lessons, and provide partners see BLOG on 13
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
YOUR VOICE
■ commentary
asianweekly northwest
11
OPINION
Washington’s fight for a carbon-free future Yes on I-732
No on I-732
By Chrisha Bali For Northwest Asian Weekly
By Judy Wu, Anne Shields, and Aaron Tam For Northwest Asian Weekly Climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet, and unlike most issues, it requires global cooperation and has a time limit on solving it. Climate change especially requires that the two biggest polluting countries, the United States and China, both work to reduce emissions and shift to clean energy. If we want to hold the earth’s temperature rise to a safe threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (the goal set at the Paris Climate Summit), we only have five years left to drastically reduce emissions and accomplish that goal. That’s why China has declared a war on air pollution, invested more in clean energy than any other country in the world (more than the United States, the U.K, and Japan combined), and will implement a nationwide cap and trade next year. It’s up to voters to make sure that the second biggest polluter in the world, the United States, also takes aggressive measures to reduce emissions and protect the future for our children and grandchildren. Asian countries face the greatest threats from air pollution and rising sea levels from climate change. Air pollution kills an estimated 1.6 million people in China every year and 1.4 million people in India. Over 50 million people in China alone will be at risk from coastal flooding by the end of the century if greenhouse gas emissions remain high. Although the impacts of climate change and air pollution may affect Asian countries far greater than the United States, we are not safe from the impacts here either. According to Zillow, 1.9 million homes in the United States and more than 31,000 homes in Washington state are at risk of being underwater by 2100. As the Antarctic ice shelf melts, parts of Seattle will be underwater by 2050, according to projections by Seattle Public Utilities. As things now stand, low-income working communities of color will pay the highest price for air pollution and the effects of climate change. At the same time, they’re also the least able to pay that price for it — especially here in Washington, which has the most unfair tax system in the nation. The heavy burden on the poor will only worsen as fossil fuel emissions continue to rise. An initiative on Washington’s November ballot, I-732, is a carbon tax swap aimed at helping us reduce air pollution, avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and give a boost to clean energy.
Here’s how it works: I-732 makes polluters pay for air pollution and climate change by putting a price on carbon pollution from fossil fuels. I-732 returns the money from the carbon tax to taxpayers, businesses, and working families by lowering the sales tax by 1 percent and lowering the B&O tax for manufacturing businesses that are energy intensive and trade exposed. The average household in Seattle will spend a couple hundred dollars more each year on gasoline, heating oil, natural gas, and other carbon-emitting fossil fuels. And they’ll save a couple hundred dollars each year when they shop, buy clothes, and make major purchases. You can see how I-732 will affect you personally by using this “tax swap calculator,” created by the University of Washington and available online at carbon.cs.washington.edu. I-732 also funds and expands the Working Family Tax Rebate (WFTR), giving 460,000 low-income working families across the state up to $1,500 a year in tax relief as a 25 percent match of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. I-732 would be the most progressive change to Washington state’s tax code since the sales tax was removed from groceries nearly 40 years ago. The Washington Department of Ecology estimates that if no action is taken, climate change will cost Washington state nearly $10 billion per year by 2020 from increased health costs, storm damage, coastal destruction, rising energy costs, increased wildfires, and other impacts. We have the opportunity this November election to pass the nation’s first carbon tax, fight poverty, and build momentum for strong, bi-partisan climate action throughout the United States before it is too late. We have a moral responsibility to protect our children and grandchildren, leaving them a world that’s cleaner, healthier, and safer. Vote Yes on I-732, so we can take an important first step towards reducing air pollution, promoting clean energy, encouraging economic growth, and moving towards a fairer tax system for middle- and low-income families. Learn more at YesOn732.org. Judy Wu is a first-generation college student at the University of Washington. Anne Shields is a registered nurse and mother who lives in south Seattle. Aaron Tam is a campaign coordinator for Carbon Washington’s Yes On 732 campaign and climate impact researcher.
It’s all over the news — increasing incidents of typhoons, tropical storms, and droughts throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. Many of us have family and friends who are directly impacted by these events. These events are not random but an effect of climate change. You don’t have to go far to see the effects of climate change. As residents of Washington state, we have experienced dramatic increases in heat waves, wildfires, and droughts. We have noticed shortages in our water and food supplies. We have also seen an increase in rates of asthma and chronic diseases in our children and the elderly. Unfortunately, our low-income communities and communities of color, including our Asian Pacific Islander communities, are disproportionately affected by these climate change impacts. Our communities must be front and center when developing and implementing solutions. With that said, not all climate solutions and policies are equal. Doing something right away can actually do more harm than doing nothing at all. Yes, we all want to stop climate change and decrease carbon pollution now, but what good does that do if the policy is not simultaneously improving the health and wellbeing of communities who experience the worst impacts of pollution? In some cases, implementing a policy without including the voices of communities of color and low-income communities can backfire. A recent assessment of California’s climate change bill (AB32), a bill that seemingly decreases greenhouse gas pollution, has found that the state’s worst polluters have increased their emissions of localized toxic air pollutants. These polluters are located in communities where there are higher proportions of residents of color and residents living in poverty. As such, the health of those communities remains at risk. The same thing is happening to people in the International District, South Seattle, and Eastern Washington. We cannot stand for such injustices. In Washington state, we must decide if we want to face the same fate when we vote on I-732 in November. I-732’s claims about being “revenue neutral” have been shown to be false. A Department of Revenue analysis found that I-732 will cut funding for education, health care, and other vital services by $797 million over the next six years. Our state faces a $5 billion deficit and court orders to meet education and mental health needs. I-732 makes this situation worse. I-732 further squanders opportunities for equity and economic opportunity. There is nothing in the language of the policy to create sustainable, well-paying jobs to
QUIJANO from 1 too many topics and questions, jumped around too much, didn’t give candidates more time to respond, and didn’t provide any room to breathe. This divide highlights the seemingly impossible task of pleasing everyone as a debate moderator. Unlike other moderators, Quijano has never moderated a debate before. She does have a long and impressive ré-
support this new clean-energy economy. There are no provisions for compliance flexibility or energy-efficiency incentives on businesses that are taxed. Some businesses may simply leave Washington, leaving many people without jobs, while polluting another community in a different state. A more effective climate policy will be able to reduce carbon emissions and reverse climate change, while also creating family-wage jobs, rebuilding crumbling infrastructure, investing in areas hardest hit by pollution, and providing a “Just Transition” for workers and communities. While I-732’s “Working Families Tax Exemption” attempts to address the impacts that climate change and the green-economy has on communities of color and lowincome communities, it is imperfect. The tax exemption provides less than half of vulnerable communities with relief from increased energy costs during the transition to a green-economy. People who are already struggling to make ends meet with our current energy system can hardly be expected to cope with the expensive price of using lowcarbon alternatives. Our communities need investments and jobs to make an equitable transition to a clean-energy economy. Yes, we need to act on climate, but it is going to take a solution that works for everyone. We don’t have the time for “passit-now, fix it later” experiments. We owe it to our communities and ourselves to get it right the first time. Front and Centered, a leading racial and economic justice organization dedicated to climate justice, developed the Principles for Climate Justice. These principles state that a good climate policy should: • be responsive to the communities most harmed. • be accountable to the most impacted communities. • charge major polluters carbon fees that drive down greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. • cover its own costs, including workforce transition and support for people with lower incomes. These priorities are reflected in the Climate Action Policy of the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy. Visit jobscleanenergywa.com to learn more. Chrisha Bali is a Filipino American graduate student and community organizer who resides in Renton, Washington. She is studying health policy at the UW School of Public Health. She is currently an Environmental Policy Intern at ACRS where she advocates for environmental justice among low-income communities and communities of color.
sumé as a TV journalist. Quijano started her career in Champaign, Ill., in 1994 as an intern. She worked for CNN as the network’s White House correspondent, then switched over to CBS in 2009. Over the course of her career, Quijano covered the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Boston Marathon bombings, Superstorm Sandy, and the World Cup in Brazil. Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
12
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
HARA from 1 Her parents immigrated to the United States from Japan after the second World War and through a presidential arts commission. She is the first of her family to be born in the United States,” Murray said. Hara led Philadelphia Water as its chief of staff until March of this year. The utility serves over 2 million customers with a $700 million a year budget and $6 billion in capital improvements. Murray said, “Her experience and her commitment to equitable sustainable cities will serve SPU and the 1.3 million customers that it serves.” “Thank you, mayor, for this opportunity and for placing your trust in me. It’s a huge honor,” Hara said. “I look forward to partnering and collaborating with all the sister agencies, council, mayor’s office, all of the communities of Seattle, tribal leaders, all comers, to serve the city and our customers.” Born in Pennsylvania, she grew up in Massachusetts and Warrenton, Va., just one hour from Washington, D.C., where her father, Teruo Hara, taught at then-Corcoran School of Art (now Corcoran School of the Arts and Design) in the mid-1960s. An internationally known ceramic artist, he was born in Chiba, near Tokyo, Japan. Her mother, Tomoko, is from the Kansai area, southwest of Tokyo. She and her two sisters lived in a Warrenton house with a south-facing wall of handmade windows visible from the outside and a special environment of creativity on the inside. “There was always something being made. They were both craftspeople and designers,” Hara said. “They built the whole home, and they made everything that we used in the home. My mom designed and made all of our clothes.” Her parents’ “very strong respect for the processes of the natural world” rubbed off on her, creating her desire to learn about designing with nature.
SMOG FREE from 4 runs continuously with a low hum. “That is not noise!” Roosegaarde told a visitor standing next to the tower. “That is the beautiful sound of clean air moving toward you!” There’s hardly a more scarce resource than clean air in Beijing on a high-pollution day, particularly in wintertime when the region’s coal-fired electrical plants are running at full capacity. The levels of dust and harmful particles in Beijing’s air are among the highest in the world. Government researchers have linked the pollution to higher rates of lung cancer and on particularly bad days, schools keep children inside during playtimes and many pedestrians don masks designed for hospitals or construction zones. Roosegaarde, whose projects focus on connecting people with nature and energy,
34 YEARS
Under her father’s guidance and the help of Japanese and Korean craftsmen, she learned how to design and construct a residential stormwater management system using traditional Japanese techniques. “That was a completely transformative experience for me. It really set me on the Mami Hara path in terms of my professional interest for the rest of my life,” Hara said. “After those experiences with my internship that started at (age) 13, by the time that I was applying for college, I knew that I wanted to make my life in environmental design and environmental protection.” In 1982, she attended the University of Pennsylvania and later received her bachelor’s degree in design of the environment. While still an undergrad, she was recruited by Philadelphia-based environmental planning and design firm Wallace Roberts and Todd, and worked there for 24 years. She said, “It gave me both the framework for understanding the issues that are facing cities and the country, but also a very tangible, real human sense of the concerns that people have.” She earned her master’s degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University in 1997 and worked as an instructor at the University of Pennsylvania for 13 years. Hara began working at Philadelphia Water in 2011, providing overall leadership and direction for the utility’s many functions. Through collaboration with others and team-building, many awards soon followed.
came up with the idea for the tower after a visit to Beijing three years ago during which he saw the view outside his window blocked by the thick gray haze. “I couldn’t even see the next street,” he said. “That image changed me.” At his studio in the Netherlands, Roosegaarde and a team of designers began working on a project that would respond to Beijing’s pollution and highlight the benefits of fighting it, in however limited a way. They raised more than $120,000 online to help pay for the tower by selling metal rings with a clear cube that includes a bit of black carbon from smog. The tower began running in Beijing one week ahead of its formal unveiling. The tower will also be shown in other Chinese cities, including the central city of Hebei and the southern commercial center of Shenzhen. Roosegaarde wants to eventually build
City Councilmember Rob Johnson said after his first meeting with Hara, “She is an incredibly effective administrator with a strong streak of creativity.” “I was in Philadelphia for 34 years, and I thought that I would spend my whole life there. My family, friends, my whole community has always been in Philadelphia as an adult,” she said. One familiar theme that became the deciding factor for her move to the Pacific Northwest: Seattle’s very strong respect for its own natural world. “I realized what an enormous opportunity it was to work in an environment with that kind of support (for environmental protection and equity) and that means everything in terms of making positive investments and positive change,” Hara said. While other cities try to work on environmental protection and equity, she said, “I don’t know of so many that are committed to both and are trying to advance them together, and to see what that means in municipal programs.” On the job for about a month, she says the new billing system for SPU and Seattle City Light has launched, one originally scheduled to start last October and is over budget. There’s one message she received from the SPU staff. “They see the people they serve as partners, and they see my job and their job is to be the best partners possible in terms of being responsive and designing our work to meet the needs of the people we serve,” she said. For more information about Seattle Public Utilities, go to seattle.gov/util. James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
more towers, perhaps with funding from the Chinese government, which has publicly made reducing pollution a priority. He also said he hopes the tower will inspire creative thinking and innovation among people in China and other countries that are grappling with heavy pollution. He’s planning to meet with inventors of projects like a bicycle that purifies air as it is pedaled. “We shouldn’t wait for the government to tell us what to do,” he said. “I want to start a movement, a community, which does not accept pollution anymore. We should use the energy of creative thinking to create cities where ultimately in 10-15 years, these beauties are not necessary anymore.” The tower was unveiled on a relatively good day by Beijing standards, with a bright sky and a cool early fall breeze. Standing next to dignitaries with red roses pinned to their lapels, Roosegaarde used a remote
Thank you for recycling 湖景墓園 this newspaper!
Lake View Cemetery
☆西雅圖首創墓園☆
An Independent, NonProfit Association
Cleaning Fillings Extractions
傳統式紀念碑
Dr. Tom P. Mar, D.D.S.
•陵墓地下室 •骨灰靈位 318 6th Avenue South, Suite 108 •墓碑、紀念碑 •土葬福地 Seattle, WA 98104
206-322-1582
1554 15th Ave East (North Capitol Hill)
Lake View Cemetery Seattle’s Pioneer Cemetery Est. 1872
自1872年起服務西北岸社區 非營利獨立協會
Most insurances accepted Root canals Crowns & bridges
control to raise part of the tower’s panels into the air to show the machine inside. Whether the air was actually cleaner was hard to say. An unscientific test using a handheld monitoring device throughout the day showed the air next to the tower was slightly cleaner than further away. The tower did draw visitors walking through the district who stopped to stare at it and take pictures. Ma Zhongqing, an information technology worker, said she was reminded of a larger version of the air purifiers many Beijing residents keep running in their homes during winter. Ma and others were cautiously optimistic that it would make a difference, albeit a small one. “It being exhibited here makes people feel that they need to pay attention to this kind of thing,” Ma said. “But a lot of problems need to be solved while it’s being put into use.”
Featuring
Traditional SidebySide Monument Properties
206-322-1582
1554 15th Ave East (North Capitol Hill)
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
asianweekly northwest
13
Predictions and advice for the week of October 8–October 14 By Sun Lee Chang Rat — While there are definitely incentives available and gains to be had, any major move is not without its inherent risks.
Dragon — Timing is quite crucial at this juncture. You will want to avoid waiting too long or jumping in too early.
Monkey — Keeping an eye on conditions is important, but far more so is your ability to operate within or outside of them.
Ox — As the plot thickens around you, things could get a little uncomfortable. Keeping a low profile for the short term is advisable.
Snake — Feeling nervous about an upcoming meeting? Bolster your confidence by dressing appropriately and preparing adequately for it.
Rooster — If you are stuck, then a little shake up might do wonders. It doesn’t have to be jarring to be effective.
Tiger — Although there is pressure mounting on all sides, you must take care to prevent that from taking you off your game.
Horse — Ready access to information can be helpful, but there is a point where too much of it might become a hindrance.
Dog — Further delay could cause more anxiety than relief. Better to deal with it so that it is no longer an issue.
Rabbit — You are eager to make significant progress, but don’t let that push you into jeopardizing what you have already accomplished.
Goat — Something done for the wellbeing of another could bring you an unexpected benefit as well.
Pig — What was once confusing is starting to become clear. Pay close attention as a course of action emerges.
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 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.
BLOG from 10 as well. You can dance your heart out every night. For me, I prefer big ships over river cruise ships. I like to walk from one end of the ship to another several times a day for exercise. That’s why I never gain weight on cruises. A small river cruise makes me feel locked up. A big ship provides opportunities to meet lots of people from all cultures and different parts of the world. I meet and share meals with Europeans, South Americans, Asians,
and Australians on big ships. A small boat usually doesn’t have much entertainment at night. I like to go to shows every night, even though some of them are not of high quality. People often ask me which cruise company is my favorite. I don’t really have one. If the ship schedule fits mine, and the ports of call interest me, that’s my criteria. It’s time for you to try cruising if you have not done it. Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
LIU from 7 at the University of Washington. Liu was born and raised in Seattle and learned Mandarin from his parents. He speaks well enough to have a conversation, but “I wouldn’t conduct business,” he laughed. Liu became an angel investor after selling NetConversions, a company he co-founded in 1999 that developed web technology to track website users’ behavior for businesses. Although Liu made millions from the sale in 2004, he is notoriously frugal. In a 2009 Mixergy interview, Liu said he was “so cheap that sometimes I’m tripping over pennies and tripping over dollars to pick up pennies.” Liu looks for that frugal quality in the entrepreneurs he funds because it shows
him a business spirit he admires. Seattle has some of the best technology and innovators in the country, said Liu. He would love to support more talented Asian Americans willing to take the plunge and start new ventures. Liu thinks this could have a profound impact on the community. Liu is passionate about entrepreneurs achieving their dreams — “it gives me energy.” Liu’s already invested in many Asian Americanowned companies and would love to do more. Andy Liu is an honoree at the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Technology and Innovation Awards on Oct. 7. Arlene can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for E00448E16, 2016 Work Order Airport Planning, General Consulting, and Environmental Engineering Services for King County International Airport; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on November 1, 2016. Estimated Total Price $750,000 King County intends to award two contracts from
the RFP. King County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to
TAITUNG
this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. All solicitation documents are published at: https://procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ ovr/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement _ ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Tina Davis, 206-263-2939, tina.davis@ kingcounty.gov
www.buckleylaw.net
R E S TA U R A N T
Established in 1935
• Catering • Cocktails • Valet parking • Banquet facilities Hours Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
655 S. King St. Seattle 206-622-7714 or 622-7372
Seattle Office 675 S. Lane St. Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98104 Office: (206) 622-1100 Toll free: (800) 404-6200 Fax: (206) 622-0688
Our law firm has recovered over $200 million for clients
Tacoma Office Wells Fargo Plaza Suite 1400 Tacoma, WA 98402 (appointment only)
Our Attorneys & Staff Proudly Serving the Community
Auto accidents Back & neck injuries Brain damage Wrongful Death Permanent Disability Pedestrian Accidents Quadriplegia/Paraplegia
Slip & fall Product Liability Contingent fees (no recovery, no fee, costs only) Same day appointments Before & after work appointments available Free initial consultation Home & hospital visits available
Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum Selected as Super Lawyer Selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States Member of Several Bar Associations
asianweekly northwest
14
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
SILICON VALLEY from 1 discriminating against Asian job applicants. Palantir Technologies was co-founded by prominent tech financier Peter Thiel, with backing from an investment arm of the CIA, and was recently valued at $20 billion. The privately held company makes powerful data-analytics software used by U.S. military, intelligence and law-enforcement agencies, along with banks, insurance companies and other non-government clients. The unusual lawsuit — which comes as Silicon Valley is grappling with broader criticism for a lack of diversity — claims Palantir “routinely eliminated” Asian job candidates during the resume-screening and telephone-interview stages of the company’s hiring process. The claims are based on a statistical analysis conducted by federal officials responsible for making sure government contractors comply with anti-discrimination rules. Palantir denied the allegations on Sept. 26 and said it will contest the suit. It argued in a statement that the government’s case “relies on a narrow and flawed statistical analysis relating to three job descriptions from 2010 to 2011.” A spokeswoman didn’t respond to questions about the ethnic makeup of Palantir’s workforce. But the statement added: “The results of our hiring prac-
tices speak for themselves.” Palantir is based in Palo Alto, Calif., and employs more than 1,800 people. The federal lawsuit comes as leading Silicon Valley tech companies are struggling to answer criticism about a lack of diversity in staffing. One legal expert said the federal lawsuit may reflect a broader aim by the government “to shed more light and get more accountability” from the tech industry. “It’s the new economy, but we still want to make sure there aren’t new forms of discrimination in these industries,” said Orly Lobel, a University of San Diego law professor who’s studied Silicon Valley hiring patterns. Another leading tech company recently agreed to pay $750,000 in back wages to settle discrimination claims brought by the Labor Department, without admitting wrongdoing. Those charges involved African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics who sought inside sales jobs at an Arkansas data-processing facility operated by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, the government announced in September. In a statement, HPE said, “we are confident in our hiring processes and we will continue to promote and build a diverse and inclusive workforce.” In recent years, Apple, Google, Facebook and other prominent Silicon Valley corporations have acknowledged they employ disproportionately low numbers of women, African Americans and La-
34 YEARS
tinos, compared with the general population. Hiring figures released by those larger companies generally show that employees of South and East Asian descent are better represented. The federal lawsuit against Palantir, however, focuses on Asian job candidates because they applied in relatively large numbers. Rose Darling, a senior trial attorney for the Labor Department, said the government’s analysis showed a disproportionate number of Asian applicants were rejected for positions at the company. For example, the suit alleges that Asians made up 77 percent of a pool of more than 730 qualified applicants for the job of quality assurance engineer at Palantir. The company hired one Asian and six non-Asians, according to the Labor Department’s compliance office, which calculated the statistical likelihood of that result is one in 741. For another position, described as an engineering intern, the lawsuit said there’s a “one in a billion” chance that Palantir’s hiring pattern occurred by chance. While the analysis involved hiring statistics for 2010 and 2011, Darling said the company hasn’t shown evidence that it has changed its practices since then. Appellate courts have allowed the use of statistical analyses in discrimination claims because it’s rare to find more explicit evidence, like a memo that says
“Don’t hire” from a certain group, Lobel said. “You used to have `smoking guns,’ but that’s more rare these days,” she said. “So the courts are recognizing that you can prove discrimination by showing that the odds that this would be the result, without discrimination, are just so low.” The lawsuit is the first of its kind brought against a Silicon Valley company in recent years, Darling said. She declined to say if other investigations are pending. The suit was filed with the Labor Department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges, which is a quasi-judicial system within the department. The outcome of the case can be appealed to the regular federal court system.
Solution
Service Directory SUCCESS SECRETS REVEALED!
80’ Seattle lake Front
Build Your Dream Home!
Build Your Dream Home!
quiet fishing lake in city limits
$850,000 $950,000
dkatt88@gmail.com 12,000 sf paddleboard, canoe , f l y f ish from your dock
quiet fishing lake in city limits 12,000 square feet paddleboard, canoe, fly fish from your dock
dkatt88@gmail.com
Selecting ONLY a few pre-qualified people to receive SPECIALIZED success training. For a FREE CD, and to find out if you have what it takes, please call 206-349-2808. English speaking is a must. PS-ask about a FREE CRUISE.
NeoPrime Chinese Mandarin lessons for children and adults in Bellevue, WA
425-533-2897 www.npchinese.com
206-625-9104 www.herrmannscholbe.com
Northwest Community Church ******* Christ Centered *******
11715 N Creek Pkwy S # 110, Bothell, WA 98011
» Personal Injury» Airline Disasters» Bicycle Accidents
425-402-4445
ncc@northwest.org | northwest.org
Mandarin, Cantonese & Korean Interpreter available
The American Legion Cathay Post 186
HONG LAW FIRM, PLLC
cathaypost@hotmail.com
Frank S. Hong, Attorney at Law avvo.com
Serving the community since 1946
» Wrongful Death» Dog Bites » Pedestrian Accidents
206-856-8291 honglegal@gmail.com
Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Personal Injury Landlord-Tenant Simple Wills
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
Joanne Alcantara is the new executive director at API Chaya. A Chinese and Filipino immigrant, Joanne was born in the Philippines during martial law and moved to Joanne Alcantara Seattle to escape the violence of the Ferdinand E. Marcos dictatorship. She is a Garfield High School graduate and has a degree in Women’s Studies from Wesleyan University. For over a decade, Alcantara worked as a community organizer and advocate for women’s rights, including being a founding member of GABRIELA USA, a progressive Filipino women’s alliance.
Chin farewell
Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW
New API Chaya leadership
From left: Diane Narasaki, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Sen. Bob Hasegawa, Hon. Claudia Kauffman, and King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci.
officials, and ACRS supporters and volunteers came together to raise over $300,000. A long-time ACRS supporter and lifetime friend of the late Bob Santos surprised guests with a generous and successful challenge match in honor of Uncle Bob. ACRS helps to meet the needs of over 26,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, many of whom are immigrants or refugees.
heart (and appetite!) for unique Filipino sweets and tropical treats. The first-ever Hood Famous Bakeshop brickand-mortar and production kitchen will hold its grand opening at 2325 1/2 NW Market Street (entrance on Shilshole Avenue) on Oct. 8. Owners Chera Amlag
Photo by John Liu/NWAW
Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW
Shimomura glass studio
Seattle Fish Guys held its grand opening on Sept. 4, in the heart of the Central District (411 23rd Avenue South), with a mussel eating contest and free samples for people in the neighborhood. Owners Sal Panelo and Desiree Chinn are Seattle natives and former owners of City Fish in the Pike Place Market. They are ready to sell you a salmon filet, slice fresh sashimi, shuck oysters, and pile up a poke bowl for you to enjoy at the bar. Panelo has been in the seafood business practically his whole life, starting out from high school in the early 1980s working at Mutual Fish, then to Pike Place Fish, followed by being the Seafood Manager at Uwajimaya before having the opportunity to purchase City Fish seven years ago.
Hood Famous Bakeshop grand opening
It calls itself a small bakery with a big
Custom made stained glass windows for a music room.
Joby Shimomura is celebrating the opening of a stained glass studio in downtown Olympia on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. Shimomu ra worked in politics for over 25 years, most Joby Shimomura recently as Chief of Staff to Gov. Jay Inslee. She returned to her career as a stained glass artist in January. At her new Olympia studio, Shimomura will be designing contemporary, custom stained glass windows for clients and creating one-of-a-kind pieces.
A Culinary Journey
The Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) held its annual benefit gala, “A Culinary Journey,” on Oct. 1 at the Westin in Bellevue. Over 500 community leaders, elected
and Geo Quibuyen grew Hood Famous Bakeshop from the Filipino popup dinner series Food & Sh*t. It has operated out of a commissary kitchen, providing wholesale cheesecakes for retail at grocery stores, such as Uwajimaya and Seafood City.
15
Chera Amlag (left) Geo Quibuyen (right).
New CD seafood market
A line of customers at the Sept. 4 grand opening.
Over 300 people gathered on Sept. 13 at China Harbor restaurant, to say farewell to Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Director General Andy Chin. Chin spent four years in Seattle on assignment. He returned to his native country of Taiwan. TECO’s purpose is to promote and strengthen economic, cultural, educational, and other ties between the United States and the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan.
northwest
PRODUCE
King Oyster Mushrrom
From left: Linh Thai, Andy Chin, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, Lo-Yu Sun, and guest
asianweekly
Photo from HFB
YOUR VOICE
Sherlihon
Enoki Mushroom 150g
$0.69/LB
$2.99/LB
Nappa
Tung Ho
$0.79/EA
$0.59/LB
$1.29/LB
MEAT
SEAFOOD CRD Assorted Fried Fish Balls 500g
Beef Back Rib
$1.79/LB
$2.99/EA
Beef Round Eye Pork Arm Picnic Boneless Thin Sliced
$5.49/LB
$6.99/LB
Best Fish Tofu 1Lb
$1.99/LB
$4.99/EA
Pork Chop Bone in
$2.29/LB
Fresh Sturgeon Fish
FZ Bono Squid
$3.49/LB
Chicken Drummet
$2.99/LB
White Shrimp HO 20-30
$6.99/LB
GROCERY MT Fz Lemongrass w/ Chili 16oz Jar
$1.69/EA
MT Fz Crushed Cassava 14oz
$0.99/EA
MT Fz CRD Fz Udon MT Fz Japanese LAL Tom Yum Noodles Sweet Potato Sugarcane Paste 16oz Drink 11oz 5pck 14oz /EA /EA /EA /EA
$2.79
$1.19
$1.19
Butane Gas 4pck
$3.99/PACK
3 Crab Fish Sauce 24oz
$2.79
Little Sheep Spicy Hot Pot Mix 8oz
$3.99/EA
$3.19/EA
LAL Mung Bean Vermicelli 10oz
$1.69/EA
Offer only good while supplies last. We reserve the right to correct all printed errors.
All sale lasts from Friday 10/7 to Thursday 10/13 1221 S. King St., Seattle ∙ 206-720-0969 Monday–Sunday: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. • lamsseafood.com
asianweekly northwest
16
OCTOBER 8 – OCTOBER 14, 2016
34 YEARS