VOL 36 NO 43 | OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

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Mayoral candidates appeal to API community

VOL 36 NO 43

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Anyone who’s been in this community for any period of time, knows that Donnie Chin was beloved. And when he was killed, it really put a hole in the heart of this community. If you were mayor, starting at the beginning of your administration, what would you do speciﬁcally to ﬁnd the killer of Donnie Chin, and bring justice to him?” This was the question posed by Seattle mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan to her opponent, Cary Moon, at a Candidates Forum, held the evening of Oct. 12 at the International District (ID)’s Nagomi Tea House. “You’re right,” answered Moon in front of the crowd. “There is a hole in the heart of this community that everybody feels. I’ve been to the forums, listening to the police being nonresponsive, [and] say, ‘We’re making progress, but we can’t tell you what that progress is.’ “So number one, I will make sure the police department is responsive to

From left: Cary Moon, Akemi Matsumoto, and Jenny Durkan. Photo by John Liu/NWAW

your questions, your needs, and listens to you about how to solve the problems for public safety in this community. Number two, I will double down on

the outreach that we’re already doing. We set up three positions in the ID see MAYOR FORUM on 6

CHEFS WITHOUT BORDERS » 8 Bridging cultures and two countries through food.

NWAW wins 13 journalism awards 35TH ANNIVERSARY REFLECTIONS » 9 Ruth Bayang

Stacy Nguyen

Tiﬀany Ran

Samantha Pak

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Seven staff members at the Northwest Asian Weekly (NWAW) won 13 awards at the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA)’s 2017 Better Newspaper Contest. The awards featured entries from 59 newspapers throughout Washington in four circulation groups. The NWAW competed against other newspapers with circulations between 5,001 and 12,500. The NWAW swept the Best News Story, Short category with Ruth Bayang taking first and second place, and Stacy Nguyen taking third. Nguyen also won in four other categories, including first in Best Crime and Court Story and Best Lifestyle

Vivian Nguyen

Jason Cruz

Assunta Ng

Feature Story, second in Best Personality Profile, Long, and Best Business Feature Story. The judges said Nguyen’s Best Lifestyle Feature Story, about poet Troy Osaki, was “terrific storytelling.” “Grabs you in the first two paragraphs and doesn’t let go. Everything from Bruce Lee to Blink 182. Good art, too. Deals with struggle, personal growth, and acceptance.” Tiffany Ran won two awards — second place in the Best Lifestyle Feature Story category, and third in the Best Business Feature Story. Samantha Pak took first place in Best Topical Columns or Blog for her monthly “On the Shelf” column, Vivian Nguyen see WNPA on 17

Why we need an Asian newspaper.

PUBLISHER’S BLOG» 13 Wine and secret weapons. How Assunta Ng survived 35 years in publishing.

Inquest ordered in fatal shooting of Burien man by deputy

SEATTLE (AP) — King County Executive Dow Constantine has ordered an inquest into the fatal shooting by a sheriff ’s deputy of a 20-year-old Burien man in June. King County Sheriff ’s Office deputy Cesar Molina shot Tommy Le in Burien June 13 while responding to reports that

■

Le was threatening people with a knife. Authorities say deputies confronted Le, who refused commands to drop what they thought was a knife. More than a week later, the sheriff ’s office reported Le had a pen, not a knife. Sheriff John Urquhart has said he would ask the FBI to take over the investigation,

as Le’s family requested. Constantine’s oﬃce says the purpose of inquests is to determine the causes and circumstances of any death involving a member of law enforcement while performing her or his duty. ■

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asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS ACRS annual beneﬁt gala

Inauguration, and the Occupy Wall Street movements in Los Angeles and in Boston. Deedee is a graduate from Boston University, double majoring in Broadcast Journalism and Economics. She grew up in Decatur, Ill., was born in Harbin, China, and speaks conversational Mandarin, though she is working to become more ﬂuent. ■

Photo by Sam Le

King County councilmembers celebrate Filipino veterans Four famous excerpts were played, including “Song and Dance for Zhou Yu,” “Story of an Umbrella,” “The Fort of Fan Jiang,” and “A Drunken Beating of the Royal Princess.” The Club also invited Erhu virtuoso Wang Bing Yao and his daughter Yoli Wang on the Yang Qin to play for the audience between the second and third excerpt. Musicians from the Yu Sing Music Club from Portland joined the ensemble. ■

ACRS Director Diane Narasaki (left) with Rep. Pramila Jayapal.

New face at KIRO 7

Deedee Sun recently joined KIRO 7 as a multimedia journalist and reporter. She moved here from Wichita, Kan. in mid-August and is getting to know the Seattle community, and especially the API community. She’s reported on major news events, covering the Deedee Sun Hesston, Kan. mass shooting at Excel Industries in 2016, the manhunt for the Tsarnaev brothers after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, President Obama’s 2013

Surrounded by community members and Filipino veterans, members of the King County Council honored Filipino WWII Veterans who will be recognized by Congress later this month.

KawaiiWeen

As part of the Metropolitan King County Council’s recognition of Filipino History Month, councilmembers on Oct. 16 also celebrated Filipino veterans who are being recognized by Congress for their service during World War II. On Oct. 25th, 1965, the members of the Philippines Commonwealth Army and the Special Philippines Scouts joined the Allied Forces to ﬁght in the Paciﬁc, as part of the U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East. There are still 12 living veterans from this region who will be receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, as well as other family members of deceased veterans who will be traveling to Washington, D.C. at the end of the month for the celebration. ■

79th anniversary of Luck Ngi Musical Club

The Luck Ngi Musical Club celebrated its 79th anniversary on Sept. 16. They held a Cantonese Opera performance at the Grand Hall of the Chong Wa Benevolent Association.

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) raised $322,000 at its annual benefit gala, A Culinary Journey, at the Westin Bellevue on Oct. 7. It was an evening of inspiring stories and culinary delights by local Asian American and Pacific Islander chefs. Rep. Pramila Jayapal was a guest speaker. Money raised from the fundraiser helps to sustain vital services that save and improve lives in the community. ACRS staff, many of whom speak the language of the people they serve, assist more than 26,000 people annually. ■

Mahouto Market and Kawaii in Seattle collaborated and put together a Halloween themed event on Oct. 14. This event featured an Artist Alley, a cosplay contest, coloring contest and a photobooth by Fearless Photoworks. 

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Building the future, one mind at a time Learning starts with curiosity, is fed by discoveries, and continues for a lifetime. Education lays the foundation for the future of our students and communities. Wells Fargo is proud to sponsor NW Asian Weekly’s Foundation Endowment Scholarship. Congratulations on your 35th Anniversary! wellsfargo.com

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YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

Taxes, traﬃc, and guns in 45th district debate By Tim Gruver NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Come November, the 45th state Senate district will be represented by one of two women who will decide the balance of power in the Legislature. On the Republican side is Jinyoung Lee Englund, a Korean American and former Bitcoin activist. On the Democratic side is King County prosecutor Manka Dhingra, an Indian American. Should Dhingra win, the Democrats will gain control of the state Senate, which is currently held by Republicans in coalition with a conservative Democrat. The senate seat was left vacant after Andy Hill died from lung cancer. Two-time gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi (R-Sammamish) was appointed by the King County Republican Party to fill the vacancy until the November election. On Oct. 10, Englund and Dhingra discussed a variety of topics at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond in a debate moderated by KIRO 7’s Essex Porter and Joni Balter. Following the Las Vegas mass shooting, both Englund and Dhingra said that they would support a ban on bump stocks. “I am against a device that could turn any weapon into an automatic weapon,” Englund said. “Violence is not a partisan issue.” When asked whether a Democratic majority would be more likely to support gun control measures, Englund said that she would work with her party to push for stricter gun control. Dhingra has supported banning any modifications that allow semi-automatic firearms to shoot at rates comparable to automatic guns, in addition to closing loopholes allowing people with a history of domestic violence to own weapons. Bump stocks are legal because of their status as an accessory

Manka Dhingra (left) and Jinyoung Englund on stage at the Microsoft Conference Center on Oct. 10.

and not a mechanical gun modification, which are illegal. “Gun violence is preventable,” Dhingra said. “The people have already spoken about it. I am committed to ensuring that we ban bump stocks.” On carbon taxes, Englund said that such a tax would disproportionately hit poor, rural families who drive longer distances. “The people who will be hurt are the ones that live farther away and subject to tax per mile,” Englund said. “Our job is to balance desires of the people of our state with economic opportunities for low-income people.” Promoting more fuel-efficient vehicles and supporting their manufacturers, Englund said, is a better answer to carbon emissions and climate change. She advocated for the electrification of cars. Englund said. “If you impose a carbon tax that doesn’t directly reduce carbon emissions, it’s just another tax. We need to get fuelcombustion engines off the road.” Both candidates oppose a state income tax, though Dhingra

has voiced support for a two-percent capital gains tax and closing corporate tax loopholes as alternatives. “We are closing a lot of the special interest tax loopholes,” Dhingra said. “As a state, we have to make sure we are prioritizing low-income people, small businesses, and children.” Washington voters last approved an income tax during the Great Depression. The state Supreme Court later ruled that an income tax violated the state constitution, which holds that taxes be uniform within the same class of property. Washington is one of seven states in the United States without an income tax. A state income tax has been proposed nine times in the Legislature, most recently in 2010, and has failed to pass. The two candidates agreed that increasing the state sales tax is not an acceptable solution to funding education. Englund said that she opposes a state sales tax because of its potential impact on businesses, but expressed support for more property taxes. “If you decide to create a wall between people and employers and labor, you’ll have a society that falls apart,” Englund said. Unlike sales taxes, Englund said property taxes are not dependent on consumer habits. To circumvent the state’s education funding problems, Englund said she would support expanding the state’s charter schools, rather than relying on public education. Both Englund and Dhingra said that they would work to expand aﬀordable housing in King County. “The issue with big businesses is that the city must have the infrastructure to help that business,” Dhingra said. “If people want to move here to work in these businesses, they have to aﬀord the rent, they have to buy a see DEBATE on 5

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35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ ANNIVERSARY STORY Publisher hires some

L IR G D IE IF L A U Q UN

The University of Washington

to helm her newspaper and it works out

Alumni Association

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY My very ﬁrst interaction with Assunta Ng was when I had to interview her for a Northwest Asian Weekly story on Rainbow Bookfest, a program that she had started. It was in March of 2008, and I am positive Assunta doesn’t even remember this conversation ever taking place. I was a 22-year-old new grad from the University of Washington, I didn’t know how to write a news story to save my life, I was not yet her editor, and I was naively unaware of the legend that surrounded her. I interviewed her over the phone. She sounded really busy, distracted, and a little short — later, I would learn that she pretty much always sounds this way on the phone. Her curt tone was supremely intimidating, and the lackluster interview ended with me thinking that she probably thought I was an idiot. When July rolled around, Northwest Asian Weekly’s then-editor Eleanor Lee

decided to leave the paper for an adventure in Patagonia involving penguins. I learned about the editor job opening from Craigslist. (Like, no one asked me to apply to Northwest Asian Weekly ’cause they thought I’d be a good fit.) In 2008, I hated my job as a content analyst, which is really a fancy title for a job that amounts to data-mining all day, and I spent all of my free time trolling Craigslist for writing jobs. In 2008, all I wanted to do was write stuff and have people voluntarily read the things I wrote — and I had no qualifications whatsoever. The Northwest Asian Weekly job stood out as extremely prestigious and unattainable — just impossible. I still have the email exchange I had with Eleanor. I’m too embarrassed to paste the entire exchange here because I was so earnest and thirsty. But here are highlights that demonstrate what

salutes Northwest Asian Weekly and its 35-year history of making a difference in the community.

see NGUYEN on 18

Caring for our friends and neighbors PSE is a proud sponsor of the 2017 NW Asian Weekly 35th Anniversary Gala.

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YOUR VOICE

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ WORLD NEWS

Property tycoon tops China’s rich list, Wanda boss slides By KELVIN CHAN AP BUSINESS WRITER

HONG KONG (AP) — Property tycoon Xu Jiayin has vaulted to the top of a Chinese rich list after his wealth quadrupled, knocking Wang Jianlin off his longtime position at No. 1. The Hurun Report, China’s bestknown list of its wealthiest people, estimated that wealth held by Xu, Xu Jiayin founder of developer Evergrande, surged to $43 billion, moving him up nine places from last year. Another property mogul, Yang Huiyan of developer Country Garden, rose 18 spots to fourth place as her fortune more than tripled to $24 billion. Wang, head of real estate and leisure conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, fell from first to fifth place as his wealth shrank 28 percent to $23 billion, the report said. He had held the top spot since 2013. The changes reflect how savvy real estate investors have benefited from soaring Chinese property prices that have

DEBATE from 3 house. We have to make business friendly and we have to step up to make that happen.” With the passage of the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) measure last November, car tab taxes increased by 0.8 percent of your vehicle value, to fund rail and bus projects in the Puget Sound region. This accounts for $80 for every $10,000 of a vehicle’s value. Englund argued that the car tax is not only too costly to taxpayers, it funds projects they are not guaranteed to want. Dhingra argued that the car tab tax was necessary to ensuring quality public transportation in King County — including the addition of 62 new miles of light rail. “We want light rail, we should have had it 10 years ago,” Dhingra said. “I would like to have the evaluation system be fair, but that’s how we’re paying for our transportation system. You cannot have pipe dreams.”

driven apartment sales and boosted their companies’ share prices even as Beijing has sought to cool the market, Hurun CEO Rupert Hoogewerf said. “They’ve put a lot of their eggs in that basket and they’re reaping their rewards,” Hoogewerf said. Evergrande, based in the southern city of Guangzhou, is one of China’s biggest property developers. Xu, 59, is known as an avid supporter of Chinese soccer and has invested in the sport domestically. Familiar faces from China’s tech industry rounded out the top five, with Pony Ma of Internet company Tencent moving up one place to second with $37 billion in wealth as his company’s shares rallied 60 percent this year. He overtook Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, who slipped to third with $30 billion after his stake in finance company Ant Financial was reduced. Wang’s slide reflects Beijing’s efforts to tighten up on companies piling up debt to make marquee investments abroad and instead encourage entrepreneurs to focus on domestic growth. Under Wang’s leadership, Dalian Wanda started as a real estate developer and then branched out by acquiring a Hollywood studio, U.S. cinema chains, Spanish soccer teams and a British yacht maker.

Dhingra and Englund stand in opposition to Seattle’s safe injection sites for heroin users, saying that they would not support any similar measures in the 45th district. The sites — which oﬀer addicts clean needles, medical supervision, and access to drugs that reverse the eﬀects of an overdose — were banned in Federal Way, Auburn, and Bellevue earlier this year. “I do not believe that a safe injection site is a good thing for the east side,” Dhingra said. “For me, it’s about early intervention. Where do you get the most bang for your buck? You do early intervention and invest in our youth, and that investment will pay for itself.” Englund said that she would not support it and is open to introducing a bill banning drug injection sites in the 45th district, but only with the cooperation of medical professionals. “We need to ensure that we have a compassionate response that helps [users] overcome that addiction, not enable it,”

TAITUNG

But his global ambitions were thwarted as Beijing clamped down on outbound investment, both to rein in excessive spending on foreign entertainment and sports assets not seen as useful for developing China’s economy and to avoid running down the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Hoogewerf said Wang’s fortunes declined after he delisted Wanda from Hong Kong’s stock exchange last year, missing out on a mini boom for Chinese developers. Wanda’s other woes include being forced to sell oﬀ most of its Chinese theme parks and hotels to rivals and failing to follow through on its proposed acquisition of Dick Clark Productions. Hurun turned up 647 Chinese billionaires in its 19th rich list, accounting for 36 percent of the world total. As recently as 2003 the country had none. The latest report covered 2,130 mainland Chinese individuals worth at least $300 million, but Hoogewerf said his researchers missed others who go to “extraordinary lengths” to hide their wealth. “For every one we have found, we estimate there to be two that we have missed,” he said. The Shanghai ﬁrm publishes a monthly magazine and releases yearly rankings and research about the world’s richest people and their spending habits. ■

Englund said. Both candidates have voiced their opposition to the Trump administration’s new birth control rule, which allows employers to withhold access to birth control from their workers on moral grounds. “I am for a woman’s right to choose and I do believe that women have a right to choose to use contraception,” Englund said. “I would like to see businesses work together with women’s rights advocacy groups to ensure the right to birth control.” Dhingra pledged to sponsor any legislation ensuring access to birth control and end insurers discriminatory practices. “Women’s reproductive rights, women’s access to healthcare, is a no-brainer to every adult in this room,” Dhingra said. Englund, meanwhile, said that state Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s lawsuit against the Trump administration on the birth control rule was overstepping his duties.

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“I would like to see our attorney general focus on matters of the state,” Englund said. “It’s important that elected oﬃcials are doing the job that they were elected to do than positioning themselves for higher oﬃce.” The 45th district, which is currently represented by two Democrats in the state house, has generally leaned Democratic in recent years. It includes Duvall, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, and Woodinville. The district includes 141,000 residents located in King County and is northeast of Seattle. In the 2016 presidential elections, Hillary Clinton carried 64.8 percent of the vote in the 45th district, while President Donald Trump won 28.0 percent of the vote. White residents make up 76.5 percent of the population, Asian residents make up 13.4 percent. ■

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OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

35 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR OCT

THROUGH DECEMBER 15

EXHIBIT ON JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT, “UNSETTLED/ RESETTLED: SEATTLE’S HUNT HOTEL” Highline College Library 2400 S. 240th St., Building 25, 4th Floor, Des Moines

19 THROUGH OCTOBER 21

ARTS GUMBO 2017: CELEBRATING INDIAN AND SOUTH ASIAN ARTS Rainier Arts Center 3515 S. Alaska St., Seattle 6 p.m. rainierartscenter.org THROUGH NOVEMBER 9

“STAYING CONNECTED,” WHERE YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO COPE AND LIVE WITH EARLY MEMORY LOSS Keiro Northwest, Nikkei Manor Free to public Partner and pre-registration is required. jmaher@alz.org 206-529-3872 NAAAP SEATTLE “GET ON BOARD” HAPPY HOUR SOCIAL Amber Seattle, 2214 1st Ave., Seattle 6:30 p.m.

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21 TALK, SIGNING, AND FOOD SAMPLES WITH RACHEL YANG, AUTHOR OF “MY RICE BOWL” Kinokuniya Bookstore 525 S. Weller St., Seattle 2 p.m. 206-587-2477 NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY GALA China Harbor Restaurant 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 6 p.m. Tickets at 35nwawf.bpt.me or nwasianweekly.com/35years 206-223-5559 FREE CITIZENSHIP CLINIC TO HELP WITH CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS Beacon United Methodist Church 7301 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle 10 a.m. 206-386-9090 seattle.gov/NCC DIWALI: LIGHTS OF INDIA Seattle Center 12 p.m.

SEATTLE HISTORIANS CHUIMEI HO AND BEN BRONSON WILL PRESENT A HISTORY OF CHINESE TEMPLES Seattle Paciﬁc University, Ames Library, 2nd Floor, 3226 Sixth Ave. W., Seattle 7 p.m. cinarc.org

NAAAP-SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT CLEAN-UP 915 S. King St., Seattle 10 a.m. RSVP at lily.liao@naaapseattle.org

CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF RACHEL HIDAKA Seattle Central College, One World Dining Room, 1701 Broadway, Seattle 5:30 p.m.

25 AUTHOR AMY TAN SHARES HER MEMOIR ABOUT LIFE AS A WRITER IN “WHERE THE PAST BEGINS” Central Library 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium, Seattle 7 p.m. 206-386-4636

View the solution on page 14

26 STORY TIME AND SIGNING WITH TATSUYA MIYANISHI, AUTHOR OF “DINOSAURS AND LOVE” Kinokuniya Bookstore 525 S. Weller St., Seattle 4 p.m. 206-587-2477

to build communication between the neighborhood and various departments in the city. We need to make sure that we are resourcing those folks, listening to them, and working together with you to solve problems. “Number three, the police precincts are divided in half. We’ve got to have a unified police precinct in this neighborhood, so we can really focus on the solutions you need for safety.” When asked about an answer to the same question by forum moderator Deedee Sun of KIRO 7, Durkan said, “Number one, I would try to raise the reward, and go to the community and the police, to get a larger reward. Second, we need to put the flyers out, asking for information, in multiple languages. The police believe they know where it came from, these particular gangs, we need to get the flyers out, not just in Asian languages, but in East African languages. “Third, I would ask that the chief of police brief me within two weeks of becoming mayor, on where they were, and what they were doing, and what their plan was. And then I would communicate with the community. You can’t say everything in an investigation, but you can tell enough so the community knows you care... And the last thing is, this community lost a lot in public safety, and we have to make that up.” The mayoral candidates introduced themselves by laying out who they were and why there were running. Speaking first, Moon said, “I have worked 20 years in this city, I am an engineer, I am an urban planner, I have been working on solutions for some of Seattle’s deepest challenges, like how do we make sure men and women have a voice in planning their future, tackle the housing affordability crisis, protect and expand our base of locally-owned small businesses.”

Photos by John Liu/NWAW

MAYOR FORUM from 1

Flipping the coins to see who would start the debate.

Tien Ha of Ha Construction Co. donated sandwiches and bottle water.

“I’m running for Seattle [mayor] because I love the city,” Durkan said. “I was lucky enough to be born in Seattle, not too far from here on First Hill. My mother was born and raised here, and as a kid, I grew up coming to Chinatown/International District, a lot. “But we have seen this city change so quickly, the growth that’s happened almost overnight. And with the growth comes, really, challenges we weren’t ready for. We have seen [the] homeless growth on our streets, that is a real problem that the city has not been able to solve, and I’ve got some real solutions, I hope we can talk about that. Affordability is a huge issue, people can’t afford to be in Seattle, or stay in Seattle. It’s particularly hard for seniors, who are having a hard time finding places to stay.” The crowd — with the help of translation provided in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese — also heard from candidates in five other races, although Preeti Shridhar did not show up to debate her opponent, Peter Steinbrueck, in the race for Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position 4. Her campaign manager and Steinbrueck exchanged greetings and short statements. Shridhar did appear at the forum later, greeting people from the floor. Running for Seattle City Council Position 9, incumbent M. Lorena Gonzalez and challenger Pat Murakami traded viewpoints on

immigration, naturalization, and community relations.

Other candidates appearing included Jon Grant and Teresa Mosqueda for Council Position 8, who debated on whether Grant, as a white man, is the proper person for the job; Ahmed Abdi and Stephanie Bowman, for Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position 3; and John Creighton and Ryan Calkins, for Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position 1. ■ Andrew can be reached nwasianweekly.com.

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $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

YOUR VOICE

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

Thank you, Northwest Asian Weekly– for bettering our community, story by story, for 35 years.

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■ FOOD

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

Chefs without Borders By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photos by Amir Yeganeh

In the midst of the political turmoil taking place in the United States right now, one local Iranian group has kicked oﬀ a month-long celebration of their culture through food diplomacy with the help of Tom Douglas.

Cathia Geller and Tom Douglas

The ﬁrst-ever bilateral event, organized by Seattle-Isfahan Sister City Association

(SISCA) featuring two dinners from the United States and Iran, highlights Iranian food in the Seattle area. Over 160 guests attended the community event on Oct. 12 at Palace Kitchen and enjoyed a traditional four-course meal prepared by Douglas and Iranian chef Najmieh Batmanglij. In addition, Douglas created a special Paciﬁc Northwest menu that included salmon, and it was executed by chefs in Isfahan for the sister event. “On this iconic and historic night, we’re all part of the ﬁrst-ever Chefs without Borders and by hosting this dinner, we’re creating awareness of cultures through food and music. [SISCA Board President] Cathia (Geller) and I believe that these events are essential to the vibrancy of our community,” Douglas added. The Seattle Guitar Ensemble also performed “A Piece for Guitar Orchestra,” composed by Isfahani guitarist and composer Ashkan Saberi. SISCA is made up of about 500

Seattle guitar ensemble

volunteers — Iranian Americans and allies who have lived and traveled in Iran — who seek to reverse decades of hostility between the U.S. and Iranian governments. The organization seeks to build a community in the Seattle area that supports and incubates nonpolitical, people-to-people collaborations with Isfahan, Iran. “Under the banner of food diplomacy, we’re trying to use food as a common denominator to bring the cultures of the

U.S. and Iran to increase understanding,” Geller explained. Washington state Solicitor General Noah Purcell was also in attendance. Purcell, Attorney General Bob Ferguson (who was also invited, but couldn’t attend), Judge James Robart, and Gov. Jay Inslee played a major role in litigating President Donald Trump’s travel ban against seven Muslim-majority countries. Purcell’s mother-in-law is an Iranian immigrant, so the ban had personally affected several of their family members. “When the president issued the travel ban and affected a lot of Iranian Americans in Seattle and in the country, I’m just honored to spend time with these folks, I know personally many people who have been affected by the travel ban. I hope more people learn about Iranian culture because there are a lot of wonderful people in Iran,” he said. see CHEFS on 17

CONGRATULATIONS to our friends at the Northwest Asian Weekly for 35 years of reporting excellence. We’re honored to be a partner in service to the International District-Chinatown community.

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YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ ANNIVERSARY STORIES

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

Why we need ethnic newspapers

By Tiﬀany Ran NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

It was about seven years ago when I received an email like many others. We need you to cover a story. It’s timely. The deadline is ASAP. This is nothing new for a writer except what I was assigned to was, at the time, one of the deadliest shooting sprees in recent years. On Sept. 23, 2010, a grandmother walked down the stairs of her family home in White Center and shot and killed two of her granddaughters and son-in-law, also wounding her own daughter. The family, a multi-generational Cambodian family, lived in a small house and faced extreme odds.

They were struggling in a poor economy while caring for a grandmother who in recent years had begun hearing voices and reporting hallucinations of soldiers coming to the house with weapons. By the time I got news of the shooting, many dailies had already reported on the incident, but the details and reasons for the shooting remained inexplicable. Why, in a city with many newspapers and media, do we need an Asian paper? As I rode the bus south towards White Center, I struggled with the idea of how to cover this story in a way that justiﬁed our coverage and provided information that was diﬀerent from what was already out there — to report from an angle that veered from the stoic, newsy nature of an Associated Press wire,

and gave our community a sense of understanding of an incomprehensible act. From the bus stop in White Center, I had still a long uphill walk to the Wat Khemarak Pothiram Buddhist Temple, where the family’s memorial was taking place. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anxiety that I would be intruding, that my goal to cover this story would be insensitive and even foolish. I thought about turning back, sparing the family of my presence, and citing to the Seattle Times in a short blurb and letting the issue lie. A grandmother shot her own family, then shot herself. The question of why remains see RAN on 15

A freshfaced kid...

By Charles Lam I was 22 years old when I saw a Craigslist listing for a newspaper in Seattle looking for an editor. It was a late night in August, and I was living in Orange County, Calif. I waited until the morning to send in a cover letter and resume because I wanted to make a good impression. I had never visited the city, but six months out of college and working a job at an advertising agency, I had bought into the idea that a journalist’s ﬁrst in-industry job should be far from home and in a position where they would have to do a little bit of everything. Little did I know that — unlike my friends who moved to Oregon, New Mexico, and New York — my time as the editor of the Northwest Asian Weekly would introduce me to my favorite city, to some of my favorite people in the world, and teach things (both personal and professional) that I have carried with me to this day. Assunta Ng is an inspiration, and I’m forever in her debt for taking a chance on a kid from California. see LAM on 19

asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ ANNIVERSARY STORIES

By Jason Cruz NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY I admit that I love sports. No matter what it is, I’ll watch it. It’s with this passion that I decided to answer an ad in the Northwest Asian Weekly to become a freelance writer for the newspaper. That was over 10 years ago. Not only have I been able to cover sports for the Northwest Asian Weekly, but I developed a greater understanding of the importance of community news and the need to highlight some great Asian and Asian American sports figures. I started to write for the Northwest Asian Weekly as an escape from practicing law. The good news is that people seem to enjoy reading my articles and I find it fulfilling. Sure, I have received my fair share of criticism, but while there are opinionated responses, the bright side is that people are reading the articles and it has ignited discussion. Through the work with the paper, I’ve been able to cover games, interview sports stars, and write a column featuring Asian Pacific Island (API)

sports figures. I’ve been able to interview Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, whose mother is Filipino, Ed Wang, who became the first full-blooded Chinese player to be drafted and play in the NFL, Benson Henderson, a former UFC lightweight champion, and Olympic figure skating hopefuls Nathan and Karen Chen. Along the way, I’ve written about boxing, mixed martial arts, basketball, football, baseball, hockey, cycling, swimming, running, cricket, rugby, esports, and more. I found out that Asian sports was more than just about Ichiro Suzuki, Manny Pacquiao, and Tiger Woods. There was also Jeremy Lin. It is not a stretch to say that Linsantiy may have been the biggest thing to happen in API sports in years. Woods’ success was in golf, a sport not followed by a majority of younger APIs. Also, Woods’ injuries and behavior outside of golf made him less of a role model. Basketball is very popular and Lin became an overnight sensation. He became the see CRUZ on 18

Living the dream writing about sports

By Deni Luna

Anything is possible. That sums up Assunta Ng’s attitude and the newsroom team I was privileged to work alongside during my two-year stint (1994-1996) as editor of the Northwest Asian Weekly (NWAW). In fact, years before I joined the NWAW, I knew Assunta at the University of Washington School of Communications. Even then, she was gracious, composed — and determined. Through the years, I’ve watched her ascend. Fittingly, the name “Assunta” means “ascension.” She received the apt name during her baptism at the age of 2. I’ve proudly watched Assunta and her publishing ventures ascend. I take great pride in calling the NWAW the nation’s largest pan-Asian English language weekly newspaper. Collectively with a broad-based community, the paper has pioneered so much. In my first day as editor, an international news story landed on my desk, the last stop of a chain of messages and photographs originating in a country where news had to be smuggled out. At great peril, that story came out, a testament to perseverance. Through the years, so many significant stories passed through our quiet offices in the International District (ID). What great times we had! Yes, 18-hour days were the norm, but we loved our work. I came in at an experimental time. Ethnic newspapers were starting to make see LUNA on 17

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KING 5 congratulates Northwest Asian Weekly on 35 years of serving the community! We are proud to be a longtime partner.

LORI MATSUKAWA KING 5 NE W S ANCHOR & NORTHWE ST A SIAN WEEKLY LIFETIME ACHIE VEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ ANNIVERSARY STORIES

Reflecting on 35 years of the Northwest Asian Weekly By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY I started writing for the Northwest Asian Weekly while studying journalism in my junior year of college at the University of Washington. Having grown up in Honolulu and Taipei, being connected to the Asian community was extremely important to me. The Northwest Asian Weekly was a way for me to feel comfortable and at home in a new city. Interviewing people has been one of the most rewarding experiences because of the people that I get to meet and their beautiful stories that I get to share. Some of my favorite stories over the years include some about people’s tattoos and the meaning behind them, commemorating the 40th year of the Khmer Rouge takeover, people who gave up their full-time jobs to pursue their passions, and Asian delicacies. A lot of the inspiration for my stories come from the people in my own network. The proﬁle story I wrote about my friend, Yola Lu, was also a fun one be-

cause the media attention introduced her to fellow Asian American comediennes on the West Coast. Their common interests allowed them to start the ﬁrst-ever female Asian American stand-up comedy tour, Disoriented Comedy. Rebecca Chung Filice, who I met through a mutual friend, went on tour around the world with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. How cool is that!? It was fascinating to hear about her friendship with the musicians and how music has positively impacted her life. In addition, another friend, Doris Jeong, bravely shared with me her struggles and challenges growing up with dwarﬁsm in today’s society. Her connection to the little people community even allowed her to travel to Paris recently for a fashion show! As a fan of cooking shows, it was also a treat to interview Seattle chef Taichi Kitamura on what it was like to beat Bobby Flay on national television. His signature gyoza beat out Flay’s dish. Another fun memory was when I wrote see HUANG on 16

Swedish congratulates

NWAW

on 35 years of outstanding service to our community. For more information about Swedish and our commitment to the Asian community, call 888-800-8991.

Swedish.org

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

A pair of old socks

By Erik Derr During a high school writing workshop a few years ago, a wide-eyed 10th-grader asked me the secret to developing a successful news story. I answered, “A pair of old socks.” Of course, there was a bit more to my explanation. I told the aspiring journalist and her classmates that, to catch and hold the attention of readers, they would have to ﬁrst and most importantly believe in their abilities as storytellers. Throughout the history of the world, stories have been told and written on just about everything, many times over, I said. But, just as individual writers are unique, the stories they write are equally as unique, instructive, and perhaps inspirational. I also noted that if the young group wanted to craft stories folks would want to read, they would have to identify the thing or things about story topics that they, themselves, ﬁnd interesting and then accept the notion that others would be interested in those same narrative points, or story angles, as we say in the

newsroom. I summed up my workshop advice by suggesting the one universal truth that connects all stories together, and makes any tale relevant to readers — literally everything is a component of the ongoing journey pretty much everybody undertakes to improve their lives, individually and as a community. That tie-in, I added, could apply to a dry analysis of business market statistics, as much as to a mundane story idea about, yes, a pair of old socks. Such journalistic insights are far from uncommon among those who call themselves professional storytellers. They are, in fact, a necessity for anyone wishing to establish themselves within the media market and reach even a moderate level of achievement. Those realizations came to me by way of the crash course in cultural diversity I received working for the Northwest Asian Weekly, ﬁrst as editor in 1997, and then a freelance reporter through the see DERR on 16

asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ ANNIVERSARY STORY

A neat paper

By Peggy Chapman

I ﬁrst read the Northwest Asian Weekly (NWAW) in the mid-1990’s, as a visitor to Seattle. I was in love with the International District (ID) — the food, the culture, Uwajimaya, and Viet-Wah. Being half Taiwanese and knowing little about my mother and heritage, visiting the ID was both exciting and comforting. There were a lot of free publications in the 1990s. I was in my mid-20s, working in a world which revolved around print and publishing, so I would pick up and read anything that was printed and free. Among all those papers, I remembered the NWAW and thinking, “What a neat little paper!” It stood out because it published stories about a world I wished to be included in. Every article was Asian-related. It featured snippets and full features, along with blurbs and headshots of faces and an identity I wanted

to connect with. Some 20 years later, after permanently moving and committing to the city, I walked past the NWAW office and was excited to see that the paper was still around. There was also an announcement for a parttime position for editor—it seemed perfect. I sent an impromptu letter and resume, and the publisher, Assunta, responded immediately. We met the next afternoon, and it was a fantastic interview. Our first deadline wasn’t that fantastic. We all survived it, even if we had to stay up until midnight. The NWAW is a small publication, with an in-house staff consisting of the editor, publisher, and layout editor. Han, the layout editor, supplied a crash course in the very specific, unique workings of the NWAW newsroom. She also supplied a necessary camaraderie. We all developed a strong working relationship week after week, despite all the

Congratulations NW Asian Weekly on their 35th Anniversary and to the trailblazer honorees being recognized tonight. We look forward to the next 35 years in supporting NW Asian Weekly as they continue to empower the community and the next generation of journalists.

Learn more at vulcan.com and follow us @VulcanInc

emergencies, frustrations, fights, and triage that come along with the production of the paper. (It also helped to have a sense of humor and one of the best interns ever.) It was clear that covering the community effectively and powerfully was definitely not a part-time job. Assunta was a huge support and an endless resource for community news, when we were not debating issues of journalism. She would provide names to faces and places I would eventually come to know. She was an encyclopedia of anything related to the ID. We would have conflict about certain stories, but there was always an eventual compromise (perhaps with reluctance on both sides). What makes a job great is when you consistently have the opportunity to learn, and I was constantly learning about the community. There were so many stories and so much history… Bob Santos, the Panama

Hotel, the biographies of the many small business owners, and community figures. There were controversies about new development, tent city, and the ID clean-up. Even the small stories in the Names in the News column (a constant source of frustration on deadline day), and new rules about composting, and the changes in post office hours…these details were important. It was not about the perfect article, a beautiful layout, strict journalism guidelines, and Pulitzer-prize-winning stories, but making sure to provide what readers in the community needed and wanted to know. By far, the most pivotal and heart-numbing topic during my period as editor was Donnie Chin’s homicide. The sudden death of the beloved community fixture, first responder, and local superhero absolutely devastated the community. Chin’s tragic death — murder — had all of us in shock. We scrapped everything we had planned for the week and scrambled to put together a dedicated Donnie Chin memorial issue. We were fielding calls and getting requests for reprints and questions from out of the state. It truly felt like the ID had suffered a natural disaster, equivalent to a hurricane or earthquake. His death continued to be a pervasive focus for months later, and his absence still resonates today. It also brought a tide of city-wide issues regarding crime and safety, particularly controversy about hookah lounges, triggered because a hookah lounge was in the vicinity of where Donnie was murdered. My favorite Assunta anecdote, a necessary and welcomed hilarious moment during this terrible time, was when she mistakenly thought “hookah” was “hooker.” She was rightfully horrified by the idea of all these “hooker bars and hooker lounges.” Although it was probably one of the most stressful jobs ever, it was also one of the most rewarding. We won a record amount of first-place awards for commentary, art, business, and comprehensive coverage from the Society of Professional Journalists and WNPA. We also won second place for general excellence for weeklies from the Society of Professional Journalists. But the most rewarding was being allowed to play a role in a community I now truly feel a part of. I think the “part-time job” was a personal gift and education. Happy 35th anniversary, Northwest Asian Weekly! I hope many get the chance to discover and experience the much-morethan-neat little paper, and find a place in the community among its pages. ■

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

crises

The wine

Is wine a good strategy to solve a crisis? If the person you offended loves to drink, it might be. The suspects in the Wah Mee Massacre had names similar to some prominent members of the local Chinese community. Since the occurrence in 1983, we’ve done dozens of Wah Mee stories, and our writers and proofreaders have been particularly alert to ensure that the names were printed correctly. Once, we printed the criminal’s name accurately, but a sensitive community leader chose to read it differently. (His name and the criminal’s name were identical in Chinese characters, except the second and third characters were in a different order.) We had to read it with him, and then he realized his eyesight had created an illusion. However, the proofreader did fail one time. Since she had read it thousands of times, she didn’t feel the need to proof one name. It was the series we did in 2011 on one of the Wah Mee prisoners, Tony Ng (not related to me) who was appealing for parole. The typo of the other killer’s name became a local Kung Fu master’s name. He took it personally. The inflamed master made lots of threats. It didn’t matter that we apologized in a much bigger correction in the paper, and personally many times. My features editor felt terrible. She asked me for money to buy a bottle of wine to appease the master. During a meeting with the master at an International District restaurant, she presented the wine and apologized. Quickly, he took the wine and drank it. After every drop of wine was consumed, he demanded more — a dinner for him and his friends. Did I go for it? Another staff member who was unhappy with the error suggested changing the correction to say it was the features department’s fault, and not the Seattle Chinese Post as a whole. I made the mistake of agreeing, regretted it later. We have to stand together as a team, that means sharing the blame, as well as the credit. No dinner, I said. Fed up with his unreasonable demands, I threw my hands up and decided I just couldn’t care less what he decided to do. People presume that women can be bullied. The noise soon died down.

Only one side

Several years ago, a man walked into our oﬃce, behaving like a mad dog — shouting and accusing us of bias. His brother had committed a murder-suicide, he shot his wife and himself in front of their children. Our story quoted only the wife’s family. We didn’t know who the husband’s friends and family were. “There’s a man acting crazy like he wants to

hit someone,” our nervous receptionist called me. “What should we do?” “I will be there right away,” I replied. That’s the first and last time I saw the man. He complained that we were one-sided. “What’s your side?” I invited him to come into the office. The oldest brother spilled out everything about his younger brother, how good of a man he was. I wrote it down. He never raised his voice during the whole conversation. What he wanted, was simply someone to listen to his story. Listening can dissolve angry emotions. It meant so much to him to release his steam, as well as his grief. Imagine the pressure the older brother experienced after the tragedy, and the shame and guilt it brought to the family — their son or brother had just killed his wife in front of their kids. It was difficult for the family to endure. The following week, we printed the brother’s interview. I guessed he was happy that we gave him a voice. We never saw him again. In hindsight, I should have taken down his phone number, and checked with him afterwards to see how the family was doing. The Asian Weekly welcomes discussions of all perspectives. I was glad he came to us directly. Our job is to provide a platform to exchange views and deepen dialogue.

My weapons

I don’t have special weapons for confronting crises. However, I do have someone to back me up to see the rainbow in every challenge. My son asked, “Did Dad say anything to inspire you?” when I ﬁrst started the Seattle Chinese Post. No. Starting a newspaper frightened my husband because he knew it was going to be a

NG’S SONS AND NEPHEWS HELPING TO MAIL THE NEWSPAPER

JOHN, 3 & JASON, 4, WHEN SEATTLE CHINESE POST WAS STARTED

JOHN & JASON LIU risky and thankless journey. Even with doubt and fears, he never raised any objections or showed negative emotions. He knew I would use our family savings. Immediately, he was supportive. I never needed to convince him. He even gave me ideas on how to recruit friends as writers. The sacriﬁces he made are beyond words, not to mention that he gave up his career for mine. At the beginning, his traditional parents quietly disapproved that he had to follow his wife’s path, since he had a doctorate in physics. Soon, we won them over when they visited us from Hong Kong. People would greet us on the street in the International District, and my in-laws were proud. My late mother-in-law would read the Seattle Chinese Post to ﬁnd out where they should eat through the advertisements. I couldn’t count the number of times people addressed my husband as Mr. George Ng and on invitations. It was only a decade ago that we stopped receiving mail for George Ng. People have deeply-rooted assumptions that women should adopt their husband’s name, and they never cared to ask

about his real name or correct their errors. When the census form came, my oldest son who was in grade school, said, “Mom’s name should be ﬁlled as head of the household.” My husband was never threatened over those petty details. He was always the one to pick up the kids from the day care and never complained because I had to work late. And I was and am grateful for all the support he has given me. Manhood, to him, means embodying partnership and equality for women. With his and my younger son’s support, many of our crises subsided. George took care of all the things I hate to deal with. And my younger son takes care of all the things which both of his parents don’t want to touch. My family has always been my greatest source of comfort. The challenge with running a news machine is, it is labor-intensive and requires countless manpower to take care of the details. Sometimes, those things appear to be minor, but one little incident could become

Re-Elect John Creighton Port of Seattle Commissioner Commissioner Creighton’s record is clear: • He has been a Strong Advocate for Minority Communities • He has been a Strong Advocate for Minority Business

‘‘

I have worked with local businesses and community leaders to ensure that the Port of Seattle is a sustainable operation and the prosperity created by the Port benefits all communities.” I am proud to have worked with our diverse communities so that the small business and employment opportunities offered by the Port are open and fair to all.

‘‘

The crises, which the Northwest Asian Weekly faces, are not only unusual, but comical, compared to other media or businesses. Many of our challenges can’t be solved with conventional wisdom. One time, a bottle of wine seemed to calm the waters.

OPINION

CONQUERING

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

The Small Business Association at Sea-Tac Airport supports John Creighton for re-election as Port of Seattle Commissioner! Paid for by Citizens for John Creighton Email: campaign@johncreighton.org

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see BLOG on 17

asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

CONGRATULATIONS ON 35 YEARS OF SERVICE Surviving 35 years in any industry is a challenge. Doing so while serving, highlighting, and empowering Washington’s Asian community is remarkable. The Northwest Asian Weekly’s gala this year continues that remarkable streak by funding scholarships for students of color at the University of Washington and honoring the lifetime achievements of nearly three dozen Asian/Pacific Islander American leaders. The impacts of the recipients, the Northwest Asian Weekly, and its unstoppable founder Assunta Ng extend beyond the local API community. Their work and legacy inspire and strengthen this entire region. As King County Executive, I celebrate the Northwest Asian Weekly for 35 years of excellence!

Dow Constantine King County Executive

s n o i t a l u t Congra

s r a e y 5 3 on of service!

Thank you for continuously promoting, encouraging and inspiring young people in our communities. We are honored to support the indispensable programs provided by the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation.

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YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

Predictions and advice for the week of October 21–27, 2017 By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Does it feel as though you are going around in circles? The best way to stop is to take a break from what you have been doing.

Dragon — You are disciplined almost to a fault. Building in some ﬂexibility should allow you to react quickly where you need to.

Ox — Why waste a precious and limited resource? Channel your energies toward something you really care about.

Snake — Rather than simply checking things oﬀ a list, opt for choices that have meaning for you on their own merits.

Tiger — Are you reluctant to let anyone else weigh in on a personal decision? To the extent that it aﬀects them too, you may have to at least listen.

Horse — Although you are ruled by your heart, a strong dose of practicality tends to temper ﬂeeting impulses.

Rabbit — The seemingly safe choice is not without its risks. By going the other way, you forfeit the potential beneﬁt of the forgone option.

Goat — Given your recent forays into new areas, there will be new opportunities that are uncovered as a result.

Monkey — There is the standard way and then there is your approach. At the end of the day, use the one that is most appropriate for the situation at hand. Rooster — Are the ﬁgures not adding up? It could be a simple oversight, which can be caught if you go back and review. Dog — Are you going after something just because of its scarcity? That alone is probably not a good reason to keep pursuing it. Pig — In order to operate eﬀectively in the parameters you are given, it is advisable to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the rules.

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.

RAN from 9 with the family, and we’ll never know. Except we are an Asian newspaper with Asian staﬀ. I was an Asian reporter with family who have ﬂed war, dealt with mental illness, and struggled as their family had and the question of why, of how a loving grandmother can murder her own family, could not be chalked up to mere delusions. I was surprised when I arrived to smell food and see a feast spread out on a picnic table. A group of community members formed a community line, scooping rice and dishes onto plates. Without asking or knowing who I was, they ushered me into a line, passed me a plate of food, and welcomed me to the table. Inside the temple, community members and family sat cross legged and bowed in prayer. The mood was somber, but not of the grief expected after such an atrocity. Nearby,

a family friend gathered friends and neighbors around, and recounted fond stories and memories of the revered matriarch. She was so beloved in fact that the temple floor was filled from front to back with people. One could barely find a place to sit or stand. I listened as people prayed for the family, for the young ones that passed too soon, and for the father who left behind a wife and son. Most notably, they prayed for the grandmother, the brave matriarch who fled the Khmer Rouge during her youth, who struggled in a new life in the United States, who battled schizophrenia for years in her older age, and finally found peace. At no point were there any sign of anger, of accusation, or bitterness. The grandmother’s daughter, still bandaged and weak from the shooting and reeling from having lost her own husband and daughters, spoke lovingly of her mother who always did what was best for her family.

It’s not easy for the Cambodian community to say, “My mother is crazy,” a family friend explained. They believe instead that a spirit has become too far removed from the body, causing the person to see and hear things that are not there. I cried on my way home thinking about this, and submitted the story that evening. Saroeun Phan shared happy memories with family and friends before she died. Her family was her everything. She ﬂed the Khmer Rouge in her youth and started a life with her family in Washington while facing many odds. Theirs was a story much like ours, but with a diﬀerent ending. Why do we need an Asian paper? Because we must tell those stories, not just of the endings, but of the lives that were and is much like our own, so we better understand each other and in turn, better understand ourselves. ■

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asianweekly northwest

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

INVITATION TO BID DESC N96 Supportive Housing LLLP 937 N 96th Street, Seattle WA 98103 Bids Requested for all Scopes BID DATE: 4:00 p.m., Monday, November 13, 2017

35 YEARS

PSYCHIC

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Subscribe to the Northwest Asian Weekly $40 for one year.

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DERR from 11 early 2000s. All of us who have worked or still work for the Weekly have been charged with an extraordinary responsibility — to provide a sounding board for the many ethnic and cultural interests of Washington State’s Asian Pacific Islander population, which reaches nearly 675,000, or, a little under 8 percent of Washington’s total population, according to the latest data from the state Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs.

HUANG from 11 a short piece about SPAM (the food, not the unwanted emails), and received a Spam cookbook in the mail afterwards! That was a nice surprise. Over the years, not only have I been able to write about inspirational Asian Americans and their achievements, but

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That represents a lot of stories and a lot of very diﬀerent ways of looking at our planet. And Assunta Ng devoted her news organization 35 years ago to capturing as much of that diversity as possible. Pounding the pavement for the Weekly introduced me to a wide cross-section of people and an array of traditions I know I never would have met or learned about otherwise. I credit those many experiences as a whole with leaving me a far more capable interviewer with a fearless willingness to tackle any story idea that comes my way. That, I believe, is what helped me, at least in part, earn

my current spot as a contributing writer for WardsAuto. com, one of America’s oldest and most trusted automotive industry publications, even though I had never covered the auto industry in any way, shape, or form prior to my ﬁrst submitted — and published — market trend story in 2009. All that said, I’ve never had to cover old socks for the Northwest Asian Weekly or any of the other print and radio media outlets I’ve worked for since. But, if I ever have to, I have no doubt that I could. Thank you, Assunta. ■

I’ve written about the importance of composting, public displays of aﬀection, and even marijuana! I’ve really learned a lot through every interview and every person I’ve met. So thank you to all the strong and inspirational people who took the time to share their beautiful stories with me. And a huge thank you to Assunta and the Northwest

Asian Weekly, for the ﬁnancial support through college and the countless opportunities to write award-winning stories and to meet rad Asians, but most of all, reminding me how proud I am to be an Asian American. Cheers to the next 35 years! ■ Nina can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

LUNA from 10 their case as smart advertising buys. Technology was shifting the news business. Minorities were ﬂexing new muscles with political victories. I was proud of all of this. First, NWAW was second to none in proving that advertising in minority communities pays back. The results were frankly astounding. A Vietnamese marketing manager at the J.C. Penney (JCP) store at Southcenter tracked the ad response with the NWAW. One coupon ad brought in 800 shoppers, spending many times their initial investment. In fact, for each ad dollar JCP spent, they got a whopping $80 in sales back! That’s the power of ethnic advertising done right. I credit Sales Director Mark Shriner, who came in with the goal of doubling sales. Mark actually QUADRUPLED ad sales. Second, graphic designer Jack Huang was instrumental in

CHEFS from 8 SISCA board member Dan Smith looked forward to reuniting with friends who he had traveled to Iran with and seeing how the sister city program has grown and reached more people in the community. “Iran is an incredible two and a half thousand continuous years of culture and they’ve seen a lot and they’ve had their ups and downs. I just hope that the politicians currently running our government don’t start some kind of war. I would hate to see people hurt when they just want to be friends,” he said.

Bridging cultures

“I just think that it’s our responsibility as chefs, as sister cities, as humanoids on this planet that we gather around the dinner table and have a conversation to decide that we’re all very similar to each other, even if we’re born in different countries,” Douglas said. As part of the Food Diplomacy to bridge cultures, Geller explained that several Iranian restaurants in the area will offer discounts and sample platters throughout the month of November. “We want to elevate Persian cuisine so that it becomes another first choice when people want to dine out.” Geller explained that Persian cuisine is a very complete and ancient cuisine that uses a lot of spices. including saffron and cardamom. Each dish is very complete with fresh

giving the paper a sleek look. On the premise that Macintosh computers were the best format for graphics, Assunta did not hesitate to convert the entire newsroom to Macs — a generous move and ultimately, a smart business decision. So much credit goes to Associate Editor Susanne Taylor; writers Fidelius Kuo, John Burge, Gary Huie, Rosalind Mar, Kamile Hruby, Shalin Hai-Jew, Vi Mar, Miyako Nishimura, Jasmine Ee, Takao Kawamata, and many others. After 20 years, certain things still stand out. My favorite story was published in our 50-year commemorative edition of the end of WWII. Reading the story carries with it memories of my own Japanese American father proudly recalling the motto of the famous 442nd Army Regiment, the most highly decorated unit in U.S. history. The 442nd’s motto was “Go for Broke.” Here’s an excerpt from a moving NWAW article by writer Jasmine Ee: “In April 1945, the surviving members of the 442nd were

vegetables, protein, and rice. “We really want people to be familiar with Persian cuisine. We communicate with our food, if people try our food, they’ll learn about us,” she said.

Persian vs. Iranian

“Persia was the old name of Iran. At the height of the empire, it was called Persia, but Persian and Iranian are the same thing. One reason why a lot of Iranians refer to them as Persians is to make themselves more aﬃliated with the proud history, as opposed to the current misinformation and stereotyping of Iran and its government,” Geller said.

SISCA’s impact

SISCA was founded by Fred Noland two years ago. Noland is a retired Seattle lawyer who had been in Iran in the 1960s as a Peace Corps volunteer and also taught at the University of Isfahan. Geller said that he had seen the positive impact of citizen diplomacy in the downfall of the Cold War and Iron Curtain, so he proposed to start a nonproﬁt. “The people who started this are not Iranians and they’ve been really passionate about the culture. We’re all doing this together and it’s been unique to share the facets of culture that you don’t hear about in the news. It’s been an awesome journey to go from a small backyard dinner to events like this. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve done,” said SISCA board member Maryam Hosseini.

WNPA from 1

BLOG from 13

won second place in Best Story on the Arts, Jason Cruz took second for Best Sports Feature, and publisher Assunta Ng took second for Best General Interest Column or Blog. One-hundred people attended the awards ceremony on Oct. 13 during the WNPA’s annual convention in Olympia at the Red Lion Hotel. This year’s entries were judged by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. ■

consequential if you’re not careful. All these years, I have learned there is no one magic formula in dealing with crises. No matter how challenging, I never felt alone. That’s the diﬀerence between my life now and my childhood. I felt so lonely and alone during my family’s breakup when I was a child. And you don’t need to be the sole person to ﬁgure out the whole puzzle. The pressure is too immense for anyone to shoulder all that responsibility. This clarity is crucial to develop mental health and control your worries. Dale

sent to Italy’s “Gothic Line,” a series of hilltop fortresses held by the Germans. For six months, the Allies had been trying to dislodge the enemy from their concrete bunkers. In came the men of the 442nd with a daring plan: they would launch a surprise attack by scaling a cliﬀ so steep, the Germans would never think to defend it. Climbing in utter darkness, the soldiers were warned not to make a sound. During that nighttime ascent, several men did fall – silently. Within 36 hours, the 442nd had broken through the Gothic Line.” I often think of those men who silently fell to their death, careful not to utter a sound. Keeping stories like that alive — in a newsroom dedicated to the principle of ascension over tough obstacles — is a valuable cause worth ﬁghting for, now 35 years and counting. ■

Iranian diaspora

Danyal Lotfi, board member of two years, explained that Iranians and Middle Easterners have been left out of the Asian description, but if they’re asked where they’re from, they’re from the continent of Asia. It was a geopolitical term created by Western cultures to determine that area politically as the Middle East. “Our community hasn’t fully answered the identity question for ourselves yet, we have to deal with the identity within the context of U.S. relations. Historically, racial groups have been defined by politics and history is constantly adjusting, especially with newer generations of Iranians. We’re trying to find our place and show our identity where it doesn’t just get washed down,” Hosseini said. She also added that SISCA’s hope is to reciprocate sharing of culture with other Asian communities to create open borders in literally every sense of the word. “Iranians are thirsty for that, given the political climate, it’s become more important to get to know your neighbors. By embarking on a food diplomacy mission together, we show that we have so much to offer to one another and its diversity that enriches us,” she said. ■ Nina can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Carnegie, author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” said, “99 percent of the things you worry about, never happens.” The worst thing in Asian culture is losing face. I have longed accepted that it’s okay not to be perfect, and that we all need help at some point in our lives. Making mistakes is human. Saying “I don’t know” is a legitimate answer. Mobilize different experts to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you don’t ask, no one knows what’s bothering you. Ego is an obstacle in building relationships. And losing is okay if you can fulfill a more im-

portant cause. Take a longer and broader view for the long haul. My tools for preparing unexpected crises and encountering uncertainties are having a good night’s sleep and a disciplined life. If I can sleep well, I will have enough energy to tackle anything. Nightlife is out for me. Health is my priority. If I can laugh or smile at the end of the day or give myself a hug, I have done my job. Ah, life so far, is pretty good. ■ Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received for C01213C17 King County MRJC Detention Walk-In Refrigeration Equipment Replacement; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on November 16, 2017. Late bids will not be accepted. Scope of Work: This solicitation is for replacing the equipment & piping for the walk-in refrigerators/freezers. Estimated contract price: $680,000.00 1st Mandatory Pre-Bid: 9:00am, November 8, 2017 and 2nd Mandatory Pre-Bid: 9:00am, November 10, 2017, Maleng Regional Justice Center – Detention, 401 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98032. IMPORTANT SECURITY NOTICE: DEADLINE 5:00 p.m. October 24, 2017. All persons attending the non-mandatory Site Tour must pass a criminal background check prior to the Site Tour. A completed AUTHORIZATION FORM FOR CRIMINAL HISTORY REFERENCE CHECK shall be submitted. Any person who is DENIED access by the King County Department

of Adult and Juvenile Detention will not be allowed to attend. Site Tour: A non-mandatory site tour will be conducted immediately following the pre-bid conference. The “Authorization Form for Criminal History Reference Check” and “King County Correctional Facility Access Guidelines for Professional Visitors” must be submitted and approved for each individual who wishes to tour the site (Reference Check not required for pre-bid conference). These forms must be submitted a minimum of 14 days prior to the Site Tour to allow processing by the County. The forms are available at the end of Section 01 35 50. Completed Authorization Forms shall be submitted together with a legible copy of a photo identiﬁcation and cover letter stating the name of the project that the individual will be working on: 1. By e-mail to rosemary.antonius@kingcounty.gov 2. By U.S. Mail to: Attn: Sgt. Antonius

Dept of Adult and Juvenile Detention Maleng Regional Justice Center 620 West James St. Kent WA 98032 By fax to 206-205-2320, attn: Sgt. Antonius. Sensitive Security Information: CD’s containing site speciﬁcation and drawings will be available for pickup by emailing request to Mary Lee, mary.lee@kingcounty. gov and pick up after receiving email conﬁrmation at King County Procurement & Payables, Chinook Building, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104 between 8:00am to 5:00pm. This information is considered “Sensitive Security Information” and shall only be used to perform contract activities for ITB #C01213C17. Bidders will be required to sign an “Agreement for Release of Sensitive Security Information to Bidders” prior to receiving the CD. There is a 5% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement on this contract.

asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

CRUZ from 10 subject of many columns and stories. It was also one of my greatest misses of an interview. While Lin played with the Los Angeles Lakers, I was able to obtain a press pass when the team visited to play the Portland TrailBlazers. I drove down to Portland to attend the game. It was a surreal experience to have the opportunity to track down Lin pre-game and see if he wanted to answer a couple questions. He politely turned me down as he jogged passed me, heading to the court to warm up. He quickly explained that he didn’t give interviews pregame and that the one I just saw him do was for an LAbased sports network set up by the Lakers. Those things happen, but I still had a great time covering the game. To make it up, I had a chance to speak with Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, who is half Filipino, after the game. He was willing to talk a little bit about his family and shared

NGUYEN from 4 favoritism looks like: Stacy to Eleanor: “I have a question! I’d like to know more about the editor position at the paper — the posting on Craigslist was a bit cryptic. Like how much experience are you guys looking for? I am possibly super interested, and I completely love NWAW … [But] I want to see how realistic working with NWAW is, if you’ve got a crazy amount of resumes and cover letters crammed in your mailboxes from super qualified people or something like that?” Eleanor to Stacy: “One caveat: It’s a little crazy here. Like, I’m not sure I would wish it upon someone I liked. If you’re okay with crazy, then apply and I will profusely recommend you to Assunta.” Stacy: “Yeah, Assunta called me and asked me to come in at 3:45 p.m. today. Thanks so much for passing the word on, El. You’re pure awesome.” Eleanor: “Oh, yeah, Assunta just told me she asked you in. That’s great! A tip, but don’t tell her I told you: In the interview, she’ll most likely ask you what you like and dislike about the paper, and what you would add or change about the paper, and about which current Asian American issues you’re concerned with.” Stacy: “She intimidates me. I have many criticisms alongside the love — but I’m Asian. So you know, it’s against my nature to express negativity, and I sort of also want to say the ‘safe’ answers and stick with profuse ass-kissing. But would that totally not fly with her?” Eleanor: “It’s just important that you have an answer, any answer. A lot of people have a hard time finding something they don’t like, so just have something.” I showed up to my interview with Assunta in sweatpants. I cannot even remember why because that was a real dumb thing to do. I think it was because she rushed me and made me come down right away (and later, I would learn that this is very typical Assunta behavior). The job interview was bizarre and stressful. I remember my heart just hammering and feeling like Assunta was messing with my mind and asking all of these coded questions in order to do a psych eval on me.

his favorite Filipino food: lumpia. One of my more memorable interviews was with Q13 Sports Director Aaron Levine. For someone that is always on the go and in the know in the Seattle sports scene, it was great that he returned my email inquiry almost immediately. When I arrived at the station, he came out to the lobby to greet me himself and was refreshingly genuine in answering my questions. Levine, a Stanford grad, showed how prepared he was — he told me he looked up some of my past articles and was interested in the fact that I wrote about mixed martial arts. Writing a sports column was another dream of mine. The paper has given me great ﬂexibility in the subjects that I write about and they trust my judgment. Some months are easier than others, but The Layup Drill (the name of my column) has made me keep a keen eye out for APIs in sports. It makes me feel proud seeing more and more APIs excelling in sports and in a great variety of

She offered up these very specific situations like, “What would you do if I thought headshots should be enclosed in rectangles and put on the right side and the layout editor thought that they should be squares on the left side? Who would be right? How would you decide who is right?” And in my head, I was like, “What the hell?” Out loud, I was like, “You? You are right?” Which was an answer that Assunta found unsatisfying — and later, I would learn it’s because she does not like yespeople. Her confidence is rarely shaken, and she never needs external validation. She needs for her people to be truthful and to fight for their point of view. In the interview, I am pretty sure what turned the tide for me — with her — is that she asked this really inflammatory question about where my loyalties would lie, when it comes to displaying the Vietnamese Communist flag. I am Vietnamese. This is a big deal in our community. I told her it depended on the context. There are some instances where the official flag (the communist one) is the one that should be displayed. She asked me if I would declare this publicly, in front of my mother and father and God. I bombastically was like, “Yes. I would. I would shove it in my parents’ faces, if it was the right thing to do.” And she seemed like, super happy with that answer — like, incredibly happy with that answer. Because she is scary, nuts, and unintentionally hilarious sometimes. After the job interview was over, I baldly asked her what my chances were, of getting the job. I broke all the rules about being stone-faced in job interviews, and I told her I wanted the job so badly, and I was positive I would do a good job, despite not having a cool resume to back up that statement. She frankly told me that I was gonna be the risky candidate for her. She proceeded to tell me how there were two other candidates who were wildly more qualified than I was (shoutout to Jason Cruz!). She told me I had no editing experience whatsoever. I mean, I knew that. But hearing her say

them. Outside of sports, I’ve also had the opportunity to interview politicians, civic leaders, and celebrities like George Takei. Even though my interview time was cut dramatically, he had a gregarious personality and was happy to speak with me. While I do feel he may have provided me his “standard” scripted interview comments, Takei seemed like a very nice man who loved being an actor. In addition to covering sports and interviewing the occasional celebrity, I am sometimes assigned to local stories. I’ve learned that in covering community subjects, every organization, community group, and person has a story to tell and it’s always important to listen to get the story right. ■ Jason can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

that felt dark and sad. I really, really wanted the job and to be a part of the newspaper. This story has a happy ending. Within a day, Assunta called me when I was at home and she told me she was hiring me. I was like, “Oh my God, are you messing me with?” She said she was not. She said there would be a three-month trial period. She also said that she was taking a real risk with me, a recent college grad who has not really demonstrated an ability to write or edit or manage anything ever(!). She said she was doing it because she had a gut feeling — and that there was something in my impassioned, desperate pleas and declarations that moved her. I told the story of the beginning of my time with the newspaper, even though the decade that followed was also really eventful and grueling and meaningful. The beginning is important because it makes me remember all the things I didn’t yet know about the newspaper and about Assunta — and yet, you can see all of these markers that predicted how the next 10 years of my life with the newspaper unfolded. I would be her editor for about four years. (She always rounds down and says three years and nine months or “almost four years.” And I always round up because, oh my God,

it’s basically four years.) I would cry when I told her I was leaving to go and do new, challenging things. I would cry to her again after that, when I went through the end of a relationship. I would cry to her (again) when I lost my job. She would give me money (again and again) to do newspaper work. I spent 10 years getting pretty good at reading her mind, at reading her ridiculously cryptic emails, and at having arguments with her on what stuﬀ people actually like to put their eyeballs on. Assunta is the greatest mentor I’ve ever had. And that’s an important statement I’m making because I’ve actually had like, a billion amazing mentors. I like ranking people — so it means something when I say, she is the most impactful. She is so very human and full of unwavering conviction. I talk to people the way I do because of her. I write emails the way I do (cryptically) because of her. I force myself to go to bed early sometimes, because she is always getting on my ass about that. I don’t write very often these days, and I don’t report often — but when I do, it’s only for her paper. ■ Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

FREE Dental, Vision & Medical Care

SEATTLE/KING COUNTY CLINIC October 26 - 29, 2017 at Seattle Center

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DENTAL: Fillings, extractions, x-rays, deep cleanings

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VISION: Vision screening, complete eye exams, reading glasses and prescription eyeglasses. Bring a current eyeglass prescription (no older than one year) to skip the exam and just get eyeglasses.

• Admission tickets distributed at 5:00 AM in Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (Corner of 2nd Ave N & Thomas St) • No advance registration: FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED

MEDICAL: Physical exams, PAP smears, x-rays, EKGs, mammograms, ultrasounds, foot care, wound care, select lab tests, behavioral health, immunizations, acupuncture, naturopathic and chiropractic care, physical therapy consultation, nutrition and pharmacy counseling

• Highest demand for tickets on Saturday & Sunday • Interpreters available • FREE parking in two locations: - Mercer St. Garage, 650 3rd Ave N - 1st Ave Garage, 220 1st Ave N

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

“The Freedom of the Press is meaningless without having one of our own, such as the Northwest Asian Weekly. This paper promotes and provides a pan Asian perspective in its reporting and editorials, and is unabashed in its community advocacy.” — Frank Irigon, community leader “I have been a regular reader of the Weekly since I moved to Seattle in 1992. In 1996, I moved back to Chicago where I still reside. I have always found your newspaper a valuable source of information on Asian American aﬀairs in Seattle, in particular, and oftentimes beyond Seattle, geographically speaking. In addition, the Weekly provided a valuable journalistic work experience for my son, Scott Watanabe, in the mid-1990s. It was his ﬁrst such experience and he learned a lot from it. I congratulate you on your 35th anniversary and wish you good fortune for the future.” — Don Watanabe, longtime reader

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

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 206223-0623. To sponsor the event, contact Assunta Ng at assunta@nwasianweekly.com. For more info, visit nwasianweekly.com/35years.

LAM from 9 She taught me so much, both about journalism and about life. As a publisher, she taught me the importance of being present and visible and that journalism — at its core — is a community service. As a mentor, she taught me the best way to get around downtown and which Chinese pastries are baked barbecue buns and which are baked coconut cream (I admit, I still have some issues figuring that out). I am especially grateful that she brought me to Seattle at such an exciting time with so many stories to cover, from the legalization of gay marriage, to the 2012 gubernatorial election, to the havoc in the Chinatown-International District during the streetcar construction. I will always remember celebrating the Asian Weekly’s 30th anniversary just a month after I had arrived. I was sitting in the control booth at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel, watching Assunta mildly roast some attendees (including Jay Inslee and Rob McKenna), when someone mentioned that it was her birthday. In a testament to the kind of person she is, she made sure to remind everyone that it was also my birthday. Ultimately, one of the greatest gifts that Assunta and the Asian Weekly gave me was the opportunity to grow up. As Assunta can confirm, when I first made it to Seattle, I was a fresh-faced kid. Well meaning and hard working, maybe, but I barely knew how to cook for myself. I often tell people that I was born in San Jose and became an adult in Orange County. But it wasn’t until Seattle that I came of age. It’s where I learned how to depend on myself, and be strong, and get the job done. Assunta Ng’s newspapers were inspired by a community bulletin board. And in turn, I know it’s inspired much more through its leadership programs, its scholarships, and its community building. I know it’s inspired me to work as hard as I can (which is, ultimately, less hard than Assunta has worked). Without the paper, without ever meeting Assunta and the rest of the staff, I know I would be worse off, and I know many people who would say the same. Here’s to 35 more years of being the voice of the Chinatown-International District. ■

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3/27/17 10:19 AM

asianweekly northwest

35 YEARS

OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2017

ENDORSED Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment (APACE) Former Governor and former Ambassador Gary Locke Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib

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