VOL 41 NO 21 | MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

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

VOL 41 NO 21 MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

FREE 40 YEARS YOUR VOICE

EDI rebounding from existential threat

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY When Ted Yamamura asked Vanna Novak if she wanted to start a nonprofit to train Japanese American professionals, she prayed she would have the strength to refuse.

“Please, please, let me have the strength to say no,” she remembered. “That’s what I was thinking. What I heard me say was, ‘Sure.’ What I didn’t realize was that one word would change the course of my life forever.”

Novak’s words, written in the form of a letter to Yamamura, after he died in 2013, reflected the feelings of generations of alumni who have gone through the intense, life-changing program—as many describe it—called Executive Development Institute (EDI).

Tom Gin

Asians cautiously optimistic as travel plans take off

see EDI on 11

Authorities: Hate against Taiwanese led to church attack

Sheena Kaup with her family at Mumbai Airport ready to board their flight to Seattle

By Janice Nesamani NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY In March 2020, a work opportunity for Sheena Kaup would have meant she and her family would move half a world away from Pune, India to Seattle. It was a prospect that not only excited her and her husband, but their then 4-yearold son, too.

Like millions of people across the

world, Kaup’s travel plans had to remain grounded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and new waves caused by variants. Traveling from India to the United States for work or to attend an emergency meant getting government approvals and going through the hoops of tests and certificates.

“We felt it wasn’t safe for us to travel see KAUP on 16

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Shouan Pan resigning in August

Billy Chang, a 67-year-old Taiwanese pastor who survived the May 15 shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church, gets emotional while speaking at a prayer vigil on May 16.

By Amy Taxin, Ken Ritter and Deepa Bharath ASSOCIATED PRESS Orange County Sheriff’s Dept.

LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (AP) — A gunman motivated by political hatred against Taiwan chained shut the doors of a California church and hid firebombs inside before shooting at a gathering of mostDavid Chou, 68 ly elderly Taiwanese parishioners, killing a man who tackled him and possibly saved dozens of lives,

■

authorities said.

David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas—a U.S. citizen who authorities say grew up in Taiwan—drove to Orange County on May 14. The next day, he attended a lunch held

by Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyterian Church in the community of Laguna Woods. Though he knew no one there, he spent about an hour mingling with about 40 attendees and then executed his plot, authorities said at a news conference.

Authorities said Chou chained the doors and put super glue in the keyholes. He had two 9 mm handguns—legally purchased see CHURCH ATTACK on 14

Seattle Colleges (SC) Chancellor Shouan Pan announced on May 12 that he will leave his post on Aug. 1—two years before his contract is up in 2024.

The college system’s board of trustees voted to terminate the contract early in agreement with Pan, who shared in March that he’d begun seeking jobs elsewhere. He was a see PAN on 5

Shouan Pan

THE INSIDE STORY

ON THE SHELF A life of crime is not for everyone

PICTORIAL Seattle Boba Fest

8

A&E Korean Music Association’s 42nd Annual Concert

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asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Village Gardens ribbon cutting ceremony

Photo provided by Homestead

Courtesy: Vasudha Sharma

WA students are national champions in world’s largest rocket contest

Rangoli art exhibit

Newport High School Team 2 of Bellevue, National Champions of the 2022 American Rocketry Challenge

Newport High School Team 2 of Bellevue were crowned on May 14 as National Champions at the world’s largest student rocketry competition—the American Rocketry Challenge.

In total, 724 teams from 41 states competed in the 2022 American Rocketry Challenge. The students will now represent the United States at the International Rocketry Challenge taking place at the Farnborough Airshow outside London in July.

Team captain Arthur Gwozdz, 17, said, “Our advisors and mentors have supported us every step of the way. I am so proud of the team and what we have been able to accomplish.”

In addition to Gwozdz, members of the winning team include Samuel Chen, Rita Liu, Rose Liu, Brandon Luo, Ethan Luo, Kavin Manivasagam, Vanu Rao, Shreyas Subramanian, and Minghan Sun. First runner up in the National Finals competition was also a Newport High School team. 

Renton Multicultural Festival hosted the first-ever Multicultural Art Exhibition

The sixth annual Renton Multicultural Festival was

held on May 6 and 7 with over two dozen performances, including song, dance, music, and a puppet show. Both days were free and open to the public.

One of the distinct features of the festival was the first-ever Multicultural Art Exhibition and contest hosted by Voice of Planet, a nonprofit that provides community engagement through arts and events.

Vasudha Sharma, the founder and CEO of Voice of Planet, said, “The purpose of organizing the Multicultural Art Exhibition was to invite people from all over the region to enjoy the many traditions of Renton’s diverse community. It is undoubtedly about celebrating arts and culture, learning, and sharing. We had immense support from 4 Culture (cultural funding agency for King County) and the City of Renton to conduct this unique exhibition.”

Overall, 32 artists participated with over 70 art pieces from various cultures.

The winners of the people choice award were Meena Bhujang, Vaishali Bhinde, and Vyshali Thimmappa for their artwork created live at the event titled ‘Floral Rangoli,’ using the art form Rangoli originating in the Indian subcontinent, Pooja Saini for their artwork ‘Meditation’’ using acrylics on canvas, and Rodney H. King for their piece, ‘The Transformation of the Mascot,’ to represent all that they love about African American culture. 

Ribbon-cutting ceremony in April at Village Gardens development

Mayor Bruce Harrell was on hand last month to cut the ribbon in front of the new Village Gardens development, where 10 of the new homes are reserved for income-restricted buyers and six are being sold at market rate in a project built on land provided by the City of Seattle for affordable housing, and funded by a public investment of $2.3 million, including $1.2 million from the Seattle Housing Levy.

The Village Gardens’ partnership included the Homestead Community Land Trust, Edge Developers, and Africatown Community Land Trust.

Village Gardens is located at 1318 Yakima Avenue South.

You can learn more at villagegardenstownhomes.com. 

CACA Seattle 2022 Annual Banquet

Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) Seattle will hold its annual banquet on June 5 at China Harbor Restaurant, in celebration of its 11th anniversary.

This year, the Fred Yee Citizens Award honorees are author Ron Chew and UW Professor of English Shawn Wong. The first Rising Star recipients are Garrett Lee and Olivia Guo, co-founders of the Education Coalition for Asian American Representation.

For tickets, go to cacaseattle.org. 

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

■ BUSINESS Executives explain why Asians fail to rise in corporate America

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Asians in America are the least likely of any ethnic group to be promoted to senior management positions, according to a nonprofit that provides training and education for Asian professionals.

according to the PEW Research Center, Yen said that seeing a statistic like that validated her own observations.

“What you thought might be happening, is happening,” she said. “It was a relief, it made me think I wasn’t crazy.”

Professionally, the understanding of such data, she said, was essential for corporations.

“What you thought might be happening, is happening.

It was a relief, it made me think I wasn’t crazy.”

— Iris Yen “Any company that has Asians in its workforce needs to understand this,” she said.

Beyond outright discrimination and aggressions, Asians are much less likely to be promoted to top positions for two reasons—radically different work cultures and unconscious bias against them, said Rob Ohno, an executive with PGA Tour.

Despite representing 6% of the population and 12% of the professional workforce, when it comes to promotions to the top executive level, only 1.5% of Asians will make it, said Iris Yen, a Nike executive, speaking at a forum sponsored

by Ascend Foundation.

The May 11 virtual forum, the first in a series, brought together Asian corporate leaders who argued that the past two years of overt racism has also brought about an empowerment and understanding among the Asian community about the struggle it faces.

Executives said that while there has been two centuries of racism in this country against Asians, new data and understandings shed a new light on ways to counter it.

Sharing that 76% of Asians had perceived themselves as subject to discrimination,

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THE CULTURE GAP

emphasizes tasks, rather than emotional connection, especially between subordinates and their bosses.

“Be modest and keep the boss happy,” he said regarding the key to success in a paradigmatic Asian company.

In the western, or Anglo, world, however, power comes from “influence.”

While getting results matters, promotion depends, if not more so, on building emotional connections with other employees at all levels—even with those above one’s own boss.

Such an imperative might seem inappropriate to Asians.

“The higher you get, the more this matters,” he said.

In her paper, Chen describes the fallacy of many Asian immigrant families who believe that “Harvard plus hard work” will mean success.

Her father, who was courted from Taiwan on a full scholarship to MIT, shunned Christmas parties at his company because he was “afraid to talk to white people,” and so his advancement was impaired.

She also did a survey of the leaders of top Fortune 500 companies and found that very few went to Ivy League schools.

looking for that first job out of college or graduate school. At that point, it can be a huge plus indeed. Some of the most prestigious law, banking, and managementconsulting firms recruit almost exclusively from the most elite schools,” she wrote.

But, she added, the very traits that many Asian parents foster—coaching kids to work hard on studies and eschew play— prevent their children from developing the skills necessary to build relationships and schmooze, which in the end determine who makes it to the top in American companies.

“Growing up, while the other kids are playing and learning to be a friend and to make friends, we’re isolated, working so hard, to get the perfect test scores, and to win the math competitions... to get into Harvard,” she writes.

She added, “And now we see why the Harvard and Hard Work doctrine is such a dangerous fallacy for our community.

Not only does it seduce families into investing massive amounts of time, money, and energy to try for those Ivy League degrees, but even worse, it prevents us from developing the very connection skills we need to put all that education to use and lead.”

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

“This is something I wish I had known about when I was just starting out.”

— Rob Ohno Acknowledging that he was speaking generally of a diverse group that encompasses different cultures, he cited a paper by Joyce Chen called “The Massive Culture Gap.” “This is something I wish I had known about when I was just starting out,” said Ohno.

Asians value social order and harmony, they don’t want to rock the boat, he said.

Moreover, the Asian workplace

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“In America, an Ivy League degree helps you most before you hit age 30, when you’re

Unconscious bias against Asians is the other factor working against them from riding up the corporate chain.

David Wurm, an executive at Blue Buffalo, only realized he was mostly Filipino five years ago after taking an Ancestry.com test.

It was after his revelation, and his choice to embrace his Asian heritage, that he fully became aware of all the ways Asians were categorized in virtually every conversation about leadership advancement, including in his prior position, as an executive at General Mills.

“I was in the room,” he said.

Such code phrases as, “not a good fit,” or see ASCEND on 13

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asianweekly northwest

■ HEALTH

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

40 YEARS

COVID-19 VACCINES A way to honor heritage, community, and family during AANHPI Heritage Month CDC and the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign emphasize vaccine availability and the need for continued safe practices.

As Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities across the nation honor and celebrate the diverse contributions made in the United States, we are reminded that COVID-19 vaccines and boosters continue to make it possible for us to gather safely in public and private.

As of May 12, CDC reported over 258 million Americans (all eligible ages) have made the choice to be vaccinated.

Currently, over 12.8 million Asians (nonHispanic) and 618,000 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders aged 5 years and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, 95% of older Americans have been vaccinated—that’s 56.5 million adults aged 65 and older—a significant achievement in protecting our community’s elders since last year.

“We’ve got over 90% of seniors that are already vaccinated,” said Dr.

Cameron Webb, White House Senior Policy Advisor for COVID-19 Equity, at an April 22 summit called Conversations on Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccines.

“We’ve got to get those same levels around boosters to really get that protection we need.”

Although AANHPIs are generally more likely to have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine compared to the overall U.S. population, about 39% of eligible Asians and over 52% of eligible Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders are still in need of a booster.

Webb said, “If you have been vaccinated and boosted, you are very well protected against the [COVID-19] variants we are currently seeing. We have the tools to save lives … and we’ve seen [that] boosters are very critical in keeping people safe.”

The nation has come a long way to keep communities safe, but data consistently

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Police investigating shooting at 4th and Main Detectives are investigating after a 21-year-old man was shot near the Chinatown-International District.

Around 11:20 p.m. on May 10, police received reports of gunfire near 4th Avenue South and South Main Street.

Police found a firearm magazine and blood on the sidewalk at the scene, but no victim. A short time later, a 21-year-old

man with a gunshot wound arrived at a First Hill hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Medics then transported the man to Harborview for additional treatment.

Gun Violence Reduction Unit detectives are investigating. If you have any information about this incident, please call 206-233-5000. 

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show how communities of color remain disproportionately impacted by COVID, and health disparities for AANHPIs remain a key issue in achieving health equity.

In fact, some AANHPI subsegments are at higher risk because of higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Experts also shared the importance of getting children vaccinated, encouraging parents to take action for the health and wellbeing of their families. “Almost all children who end up in the ICU are completely unvaccinated,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, Vice Chair from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “This is both tragic and encouraging. Tragic because at this point in the pandemic, those hospitalizations were almost completely preventable, and encouraging because we have such a powerful tool (vaccines) going forward to prevent children from suffering.”

With more relaxed public mandates on COVID safety protocols and increased travel, COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again. What is encouraging is that the death rate from COVID continues to decrease, thanks to widespread vaccinations.

Boosters have provided more people an extra measure of protection from the COVID virus and variants. As AANHPIs, let’s honor our community’s history by helping to protect its future.

Talk to a doctor or your local health care professional if you have questions.

Find vaccines and boosters near you at vaccines.gov.  This health series is made possible by funding from the Washington State Department of Health, which has no editorial input or oversight of this content.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the King County Procurement Services Section through the County’s E-Procurement system for the following listed bids.

Instructions on how to submit a bid electronically, view any current bid opportunities, express interest, communicate with the Buyer via Message app and/or successfully submit a bid through the E-Procurement system prior, and more are provided on the County’s website: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/registration King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

KC000548 OPENS: 05/31/2022 Public Works Budget and Forecast System Pre-Proposal Conference: Wednesday, May 18th at 9:00 AM via MS Teams Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 564 524 856# KC000523 OPENS: 06/06/2022 Cybersecurity Services for Control Systems Pre-Proposal Conference: Monday, May 23rd at 2:00 PM via MS Teams Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 997 780 811# KC000574 OPENS: 06/09/2022 Vehicle Lift Inspection, Maintenance & Repair Services Pre-Proposal Conference: Monday, May 23rd at 9:30 AM via MS Teams Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 722 223 488# KC000573 OPENS: 06/16/2022 RFP-Real Property Acquisition Services Pre-Proposal Conference: Tuesday, May 24th at 2:00 PM via MS Teams Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 685 584 030# KC000551 OPENS: 06/22/2022 Mobile Odor Control Units Pre-Proposal Conference: Thursday, May 26th at 1:00 PM via MS Teams Conference Call: 1.425.653.6586 Conference ID: 217 186 038#

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

asianweekly northwest

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Adoption Trafficking Awareness Symposium A letter from the program director: Hi, I’m Rev. Dr. Janine Vance, the Program Director of Against Child Trafficking in the USA. I’m also the visionary of an upcoming first-ever historical event called the Adoption Trafficking Awareness Symposium, which will take place in the state of Washington on Saturday, June 18th, 2022.

Along with fellow international, transracial, domestic and late-discovery adoptees from around the world, I’m coordinating an all-day educational program to inform the public on an unknown worldwide crisis called adoption trafficking. We will discuss how children are sometimes sourced for intercountry adoption and its lifelong aftermath. The purpose of this educational event will be to protect local and global communities, families, and atrisk parents from being exploited by the commodification

of children.

We have amazing participants who are willing to travel from around the world to present at this event. Team ACT USA is proud to be able to welcome Arun Dohle, the Executive Director and Field Researcher of Against Child Trafficking Europe | India, to the US for this groundbreaking program. Mr. Dohle has been interviewed numerous times on overseas trafficking cases and shared his expertise on child rights in private with fellow intercountry adoptees and publicly, such as on TEDx. His presentation is titled “The Intersection Between Child Trafficking and International Adoption.”

Other profound adoption trafficking experiences include Chilean-born adoptee, Tyler Graf. Devastatingly, his mother was told he had died at childbirth; however, he was processed for international adoption soon after his birth.

He was recently featured on ABC Nightline News and

Dallas police: Shooting at Koreatown salon may be hate crime

By JAMIE STENGLE ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS (AP) — Dallas’ police chief said that a shooting that injured three women in a hair salon in the city’s Koreatown might have been a hate crime as he announced that it could be connected to two other shootings at businesses run Chief Eddie Garcia

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by Asian Americans.

Chief Eddie Garcia had previously said police didn’t have any indication the May 11 shooting at Hair World Salon was motivated by hate, but he said that had changed two days later.

“The possibility that we are dealing with a violent see KOREATOWN on 14

Good Morning America. Other vital panelists include adult adoptees and allies from Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa; they are also sharing much-needed activism in their respective fields of expertise and we’re so fortunate to hear their experiences as a collective.  JOIN US! Please note that there are a limited number of seats available.

To gain access, you must register today at eventbrite.com/e/adoption-trafficking-awarenesssymposium-registration-301210638127 If you cannot attend, consider donating to ACT USA. Education is key when it comes to child trafficking prevention.

Indian couple longing for grandchild sues son, his wife NEW DELHI (AP) — A retired Indian couple is suing their son and daughterin-law, demanding that they produce a grandchild within a year or pay them 50 million rupees ($675,000).

Sanjeev Ranjan Prasad, a 61-year-old retired government officer, said it was an emotional and sensitive issue for him and his wife, Sadhana Prasad, and they cannot wait any longer. His son, a pilot, was married six years ago.

“We want a grandson or a granddaughter within a year or compensation, because I have spent my life’s earnings on my son’s education,'' Prasad told reporters on May 12.

Prasad said he spent 3.5 million rupees

($47,300) for his son’s pilot training in the United States.

“The main issue is that at this age we need a grandchild, but these people (my son and daughter-in-law) have an attitude that they don’t think about us”' Prasad said.

“We got him married in the hope we would have the pleasure of becoming grandparents. It has been six years since their marriage,” Prasad said. “It feels as if despite having everything we have nothing.”

The court accepted their petition and scheduled it for a hearing, media reports said.

The son and daughter-in-law could not be reached for comment.

Prasad said he and his wife love children.

“We are not getting love and affection from where we want it the most,” he said. “I feel very unlucky.” 

PAN from 1 finalist to lead Portland Community College this spring, but was not selected.

“Given his professional goals and the impending close of the academic year, we collectively felt the time was right for the change,” the trustees wrote in an email to Seattle Colleges staff and faculty.

Pan joined SC back in 2016.

Previously, he oversaw Mesa Community College in Arizona for eight years.

Pan wrote to the advisory council via email, “I have assured the Board that I will continue to work hard through my remaining time as chancellor to help Seattle Colleges advance its crucial work to reinforce its stability and sustainability.”

His announced departure comes at a time of major turmoil for the Seattle Colleges system, as the set of three schools faces a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. 

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asianweekly northwest

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

40 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOW THRU JULY 10 EMBODIED CHANGE: SOUTH ASIAN ART ACROSS TIME Seattle Asian Art Museum, South Gallery Fri-Sun, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. seattleartmuseum.org NOW THRU FEB 19, 2023 EXHIBIT, “WE ARE CHANGING THE TIDE: COMMUNITY POWER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE” The Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle Thu-Sun, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. wingluke.org/we-are-changingthe-tide

MAY 6-29

ARTIST AKIO TAKAMORI WITH A GALLERY SHOW Vashon Center for the Arts, 19600 Vashon Hwy. SW, Vashon 5-8 p.m., First Friday Free admission gallery.vashoncenterforthearts. org

20 OUR STORIES ARE YOUR STORIES Wing Luke Museum 4-6 p.m.

21 A GLIMPSE OF CHINA, A VIRTUAL SEATTLE CHINESE CULTURE & ARTS FESTIVAL Online on Facebook and YouTube

12-1:30 p.m. seattlecenter.com CLEAN UP LITTLE SAIGON Meet up at Little Saigon Creative 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Register at eventbrite. com/e/266986743537 VIRTUAL EVENT, “A GLIMPSE OF CHINA-SEATTLE CHINESE CULTURE & ARTS FESTIVAL” Seattle Center 12-1:30 p.m. seattlecenter.com BYSTANDER TRAINING: HATE CRIME RESPONSE International District/ Chinatown Community Center, 719 8th Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

206-233-0042

22 LAKE WASHINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS PHOENIX RISING IN CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE & CULTURES OF ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE Bastyr University Chapel 3 p.m. lwso.org

23 CISC SUNSHINE GARDEN AT SEATTLE OFFICE SUNSHINE GARDEN SENIOR DAY 10 a.m.-1 p.m. cisc-seattle.org

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ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE NIGHT T-Mobile Park 6:40 p.m. $5 of every ticket sold through this special offer will benefit the Wing Luke Museum Tickets: mlb.com/mariners/tickets/ specials/asian-americanpacific-islander

DENISE LOUIE EDUCATION CENTER 2022 DINNER & AUCTION, “THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!” Magnuson Park Hangar 30 Seattle 5:30 p.m.

In person or via Zoom Register at https://bit.ly/371tvOh

CHOW MEIN DINNER AND BAKED GOODS SALE RETURN! NVC Memorial Hall 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

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5 CACA SEATTLE 2022 ANNUAL BANQUET China Harbor Restaurant 5:30 p.m. $48/member, $70/nonmember, $450/table of 10 Register at cacaseattle.org

THE SEATTLE CHAPTER OF JACL IS HOSTING A FILM, “NOT YOUR MODEL MINORITY,” FOLLOWED

BY A Q&A SESSION WITH FILMMAKER JON OSAKI 6:30-7:30 p.m.

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2022 VIRTUAL TOMODACHI GALA 7 p.m. youtube.com/c/JCCCWA jcccw.org/tomodachi-gala

77TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE Lake View Cemetery, 1554 15th Ave. E., Seattle 10-11 a.m.

206-919-1465

KOREAN MUSIC ASSOCIATION IS HOLDING 42ND ANNUAL CONCERT WITH JOO WON KANG, TANYA STAMBUK, MARIA SAMPEN, SOON CHO, YUJIN KIM, KYUNGSIN KIM, AND LISA AN Benaroya Nordstrom Hall 5 p.m.

16 CLUB MEETING WITH MINDY LU ABOUT THE WORK OF SUNRISE NUTRITION 11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m.

For Zoom link, contact rotaryofseattleid@gmail.com

JUN 2

CLUB MEETING WITH ILONA LOHREY AND AHI MARTINMCSWEENEY ABOUT WA STATE LBGTQ+ Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

For Zoom link, contact rotaryofseattleid@gmail.com

View the solution on page 14

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YOUR VOICE

■ ON THE SHELF

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

asianweekly northwest

e m i r c f o e f i l A e n o y r e v e r o f is not

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY QUEEN OF THE TILES

By Hanna Alkaf Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books, 2022 A year after the death of her best friend Trina Low, Najwa Bakri enters her first Scrabble competition in the hopes of healing

and moving on with her life. Choosing the same contest where Trina died may not be the best idea—but maybe, Najwa’s not quite ready to give her up just yet. Too bad the same can’t be said about Najwa’s fellow teen competitors. With Scrabble Queen Trina gone, the crown is up for grabs and the line for the next monarch is long.

What starts out as just a game—albeit an extremely competitive one—soon turns into something more when posts start appearing on Trina’s formerly inactive Instagram account.

The cryptic messages point to Trina’s death being less than straightforward—and that someone at the competition may have had something to do with it. As Najwa works to find out who’s behind the posts, and possibly Trina’s death, secrets are revealed as people start to show their true colors.

“Queen” is a great mystery, filled with red herrings and twists you may not see coming.

Alkaf does a great job of throwing readers off with several characters who are not what they seem and could all be the culprit—which is what you want in a mystery.

Set against the backdrop of Malaysia’s teen Scrabble competition circuit, the story is

filled with clever wordplay and clues in the form of Scrabble words that will boggle the mind. Alkaf’s attention to detail regarding how many points words are worth and the strategy behind the game was nothing short of impressive. I don’t think I’ll ever look at the game the same way.

In addition to the mystery, “Queen” is a story about grief. There is no one way to grieve the loss of a loved one and Alkaf shows this in Najwa and Trina’s friends and family. Everyone who was close to Trina handles her death differently—the same way everyone in real life deals with death differently.

FOUR AUNTIES AND A WEDDING

By Jesse Q. Sutanto Berkley, 2022 Meddy Chan and her family are back and as chaotic as ever. In this sequel to “Dial A for Aunties,” the Chans once again have a wedding in their future. But this time, instead of working it, it’s Meddy’s own.

As she prepares to marry her college sweetheart, Nathan, Meddy just wants her mom and three aunts to

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enjoy the experience, so they hire a ChineseIndonesian family-run business, just like theirs, to take care of things. see SHELF on 13

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asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

■ PICTORIAL

Seattle Boba Fest

UNIVERSITY

DISTRICT Photos by Ananya Mishra

 Annie Heinze pours milk into a cup so that she can make Rose Milk Tea at Don't Yell At Me during Boba Fest in Seattle on April 30.  A woman poses for a picture with the Boba Fest decorations, in front of the UDistrict Station.

Sarah Linton and Atharva Mattam pose with their boba tea. 

 People line up at Bobaup, a self-serve boba tea shop, during Boba Fest. The line went out the door and around the corner.

A Bobaup customer pours rainbow jelly into their cup while at the selfserve topping station. 

 Mason Cone, Michael Patterson, Stephanie Lowry, and Warren Travers show off their boba tea from Mee Sum Pastry and Cafe.

 Jay Putney and Summer Ahmed look through a Boba Fest flyer in the UDistrict.

 A woman uses a kiosk to order a Brown Sugar Pearl with Milk drink, at YiFang Taiwan Fruit Tea.

 From left: Billy Miller, Mason Cone, Michael Patterson, Stephanie Lowry, and Warren Travers enjoy boba tea that they purchased from Mee Sum Pastry and Cafe.

 5 friends show off their drinks from Don't Yell At Me during Boba Fest. Pictured are Rose Milk Teas, Taro Milk, Mango Smoothie, and Lavender Milk Tea.

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ EDUCATION

The high school seniors guide to college apps

By Ashley Chen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Around this time of year, high school seniors have just finished the last step of the college application process— committing to a college. Some will feel that where they go to college is a testament to all the efforts to receive perfect grades and accumulate athletic accolades over the course of their childhood. But getting into college is one of the biggest steps taken in life, wherever you end up going. Here are what some current high school seniors have to say about college apps: START EARLY

Delaynie McMillan

“At least 80% of the work that goes into college apps is already done before your senior year. Writing the college application is about just compiling that work into something that another person can understand.” — Delaynie McMillan, class of 2022

planned out since they were in elementary school, others will still be deciding while they’re in college. Most of the college research is finding a college niche that will fit your identity and not the other way around. Research includes majors, housing, food, study abroad, cost, or other considerations that matter to you.

While some people have their lives

see COLLEGE APPS on 16

asianweekly northwest

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40 YEARS

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Korean Music Association’s 42nd Annual Concert Seattle— On June 12, 2022, the Korean Music Association (KMA) of Washington will present its 42nd Annual Concert at Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall.

Under the executive direction of Yujin Kim, the president of KMA, the concert will feature a variety of classical music from across Korea and the Western hemisphere.

This performance is intended to deliver a message of hope Yujin Kim to communities that have been affected in the pandemic including the economic downturn, sudden separation from loved ones, Black Lives Matter movement, and Asian hate crimes.

The 42nd regular concert, which will comfort the broken and stiff hearts of many and sing a song of unity, is being prepared as a free admission concert inviting “first responders” in the medical field who have worked hard at the forefront.

The performers include Joo Won Kang, South Korean baritone, who made his Metropolitan Opera debut this season as Marcello in La Boheme; lyric mezzo-soprano Soon Cho who has gained recognition for her sensitive artistry and winning execution on the recital, concert, and opera stages in Australia, Belgium, Joo Won Kang Bulgaria, China, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, South Korea, and across the United States; soprano Yujin Kim who was KMA president in 2020 and won first place at the Civic

Kyungsin Kim

Opera Competition, Marie Levine Competition, and Bellini Opera Group Competition; pianist Kyungsin Kim who won the Artist International Young Artist Competition and her subsequent New York debut solo recital was held at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; and violinist Lisa An who has been a winner of various competitions including the Washington State MTNA, State OPUS Music Competition, Evergreen

Philharmonic Concerto, Eastshore Solo and Ensemble Festival, Russian Chamber Music, Korean Music Association Young Artist, and the Seattle Bach Festival.  Admission to the concert is free.

To get invitation tickets in person, go to kmawa.org or email kmawa80@gmail.com.

Lisa An

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMENTARY

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

asianweekly northwest

11

Open letter to Sound Transit

By Larry Matsuda FOR NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Larry Matsuda

I am against both of your proposals and variations you suggest for the ChinatownInternational District (CID) Sound Transit

station.

First, you say there are two major options with variations. Some CID community people have described the choices as bad and bad. This is the usual ploy used by city planners—to say there are ONLY two choices. Limiting choice controls the narrative for the community. The planners

EDI from 1 But now, as COVID-19 dissipates the energies of students in classrooms across the country, EDI is facing the same kind of challenges that other institutions of learning are facing, except more intense.

Baked into its “DNA,” as new board president Tom Gin describes it, is an intense, family-like, face-to-face interactive culture that he hopes can be replicated in a new hybrid version.

Gin, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and grew up in Los Angeles, went through the program in 2019—the last inperson iteration.

“The friendships and connections I made really emphasized the importance of the sense of community and closeness,” he said.

“I am friends with my classmates, some of us still talk regularly. EDI enabled that closeness through the program. It provided us with a safe place to learn, to be ourselves, but also to see ourselves for who we are and how we could be leaders in business and community and do it our way, on our terms.”

Founded in 1994 with the support of the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, EDI was created for that very purpose—to give Japanese Americans at the time more heft in the workplace.

Over the years, it suffered its share of tragedies, with the loss of Yamamura, and the death of Al Sugiyama, from cancer, in 2017.

Sugiyama had served as executive director from 2013-2015.

Along the way, EDI expanded from an institution with a broad connection to Boeing to an even wider playing field with connections to many organizations and companies and education campaigns that included other Asians American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and Latinos.

Over 1,500 alumni have passed through classrooms with close, intense, face-to-face interactions, group sessions and role plays, and, as a sort of glue to hold it all together, plenty of food.

Some of the classrooms, often donated by Boeing, grew thick with the air from intense conversations and laughter. They provided safe spaces for professionals to lead with values from their own cultures.

Leni Phan, who attended EDI in 2018, recently moved from high-level positions at Boeing to a global leadership position at Nike. She wrote in a testimonial that EDI taught her “how to be my authentic self while leading in a culture that is different from my upbringing. EDI was beneficial in educating myself, as well as my teams at work, in those differences.”

And then the pandemic hit.

EDI found itself in the position of many

don’t want authentic community engagement, but instead just want what is cheap and fast.

Nevertheless, there are other choices that are not cheap and fast that should be put on the table: 1. For example, use the existing Union Station for the light rail. If it will not work, demolish it and rebuild it brick by brick on top of the new structure so in the end, it looks the same. Or just demolish it. It must be a historic landmark, but the CID is supposed to be a protected area and is ruled by some advisory committee. I think it is the CID, so what is the difference?

2. Use the north parking lot of Lumen Field and build a station there, and on top of the station, make a 10-story parking garage

other nonprofits—and schools—that depended on in-person interaction as their lifeblood.

But with EDI, it was perhaps more so.

“Early on in the pandemic, EDI did have one virtual cohort, but we recognized that to continue operating in a post-pandemic world, the program needed to be revamped,” said Gin. An older generation of alumni had always handled fundraising and outreach in a traditional way.

But now that its programs were virtually shut down, the very existence of EDI came to be in doubt.

Even alumni who had just graduated were wondering what had happened to that network that provided so much social support and that, during the program itself, had empowered them to trust their own strengths and not have to ape managers from different cultures.

This was what had happened in Gin’s case.

“I hadn’t heard anything from EDI for a while, so I started to get concerned,” he said.

After reaching out to the board, he found that the institute was suffering major challenges. He volunteered to help and became a member of the board.

In Southern California, Gin had built prototypes for car shows. Some went into production.

When he moved to Seattle, he became involved in robotics, and eventually worked at Boeing.

EDI was in a transition moment, he said, like many other institutions, between inperson and online learning.

“I would say that Covid essentially showed the weakness in our organization, and broke our model of how we have relied on outreach,” he said. “We took that opportunity to study how we could improve the program in a way that allowed us to work in either a virtual or hybrid program. That is what we are working on today—to modernize the program.”

Gin was eventually nominated as board president. He accepted.

Meanwhile, virtually the entire board was also changing. Of eight board members, only two of the original board remain. Gin also persuaded a classmate from his 2019 cohort to join the board.

EDI has now fully embraced the idea of a hybrid model, and, at present, a committee is working to adapt its curriculum, he said.

“And now as a brand-new board, we are working to bring EDI back in a way that still maintains its identity, but in an era where inperson learning isn’t always possible. This will expand our reach, but also make it more accessible to others,” he said.

Fundraising and outreach are also changing.

so that Lumen Field gets a parking garage.

Connections can be made from Lumen Field to Union Station and use Union Station since it already exists.

3. Use land in the SODO area where it is industrial and doesn’t impact an existing community.

4. Use the old immigration building and tear it down or retain the facade if it is historic.

To say there are two options with variations is ridiculous.

Where are the Peter Steinbrueks of Seattle now and why haven’t planners and architects been instilled with the same sense of preservation that saved the Pike Place Market to make it world renowned? Instead, it is the same old “make it cheap and make

Whereas in the past, fundraising relied on an older generation of stalwart donors, Gin wants to expand the approach to include all alumni, including recent graduates.

“Take someone like me, with a young family and less disposable income, I may not be able to give much, but I can pick up the phone or email and ask a friend to ask his friend to ask his friend,” he said.

Through such an approach, Gin hopes to expand the outreach of the institute, reaching ever greater numbers. Relying on earlier graduates is still essential, though, he said, and not just for financial support.

“They do know change is needed,” he said.

Gin and the board’s new approach will

it fast” mantra with two options. It was that same limited thinking that laid tracks in the bus tunnels that did not fit any operating system and the same thinking that got “Big Bertha” stuck in the tunnel for months (or was it years)? Make it cheap and make it fast, should be replaced by clear thinking and concern for the community impacted.

Finally, I would say that this project fits the Boeing approach where one lead person said, “We never have time to plan it right, but when it goes bad, we always have time to do it over again.

I urge the planners to listen to the CID community and look for creative solutions that do no harm to the CID. Make it right, not cheap! 

be tested in the coming months. In fact, it already has been.

In March, he had to face the first major crisis of his tenure when a newly-selected executive director resigned abruptly, shortly before a virtual town hall was planned. Gin had hoped to give a “state of the institute” and encourage alumni to get onboard.

“The board had to pause and really hone in on our future direction,” he said.

He is still planning a town hall for all alumni sometime in the near future.  Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Sealed bids will be received for KC000534, Sewer Cleaning & CCTV Services Work Order Contract 2022; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, via the E-Procurement system, until 1:30PM on June 9, 2022. Late bids will not be accepted. The public bid opening will only be conducted online following the Bid Close Date and Time; see Invitation to Bid Section 00 10 00 for details.

There is a 15% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement on this contract.

There is a Voluntary Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Goal: 6% of the Contract Price.

There is a Voluntary Women Business Enterprise (WBE) Goal: 4% of the Contract Price.

Brief Scope The work under this Contract may include but is not limited to, mobilizing and performing sewer cleaning and CCTV work on underground sewer pipelines, appurtenance, and confined spaces. Contractor may perform work in live sewers; as well as other cleaning and CCTV work to include, but not limited to sand catchers, rock boxes, sewer lines, siphons and wet-well cleaning, CCTV of main lines and side-sewers. Work Orders may require the Contractor to be on site in a short notice of 24 hours or less and be prepared to enter a confined space.

Estimated contract price: NTE $2,000,000.00 Prospective bidders can view more details at: https://kingcounty. gov/procurement/solicitations Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/ supplierportal

12

asianweekly northwest

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

40 YEARS

■ EDUCATION For WA students, studying abroad in a pandemic can be complicated

By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug / Crosscut.com REPUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION Kimberly Quiocho knew she was going to study abroad before deciding which university she would attend.

But when deciding whether she would sign up for a program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022, the University of Washington sophomore knew she had to keep in mind the general public safety of the country, particularly amid rising COVID-19 cases, among other considerations, including study abroad costs.

U.S. students, like other international travelers, face restrictions before, during and after their trips, such as requirements to be fully vaccinated, present negative test results and wear masks while flying and in the cities in which they’re staying, For Quiocho, who still plans to pursue studying abroad in South Korea, tracking these changes has meant creating numerous

Kimberly Quiocho

spreadsheets on how to safely travel, quarantine and maintain her health during her program.

And sometimes these notices offer conflicting pictures. For example, in April the State Department recommended exercising “normal precautions” if traveling to South Korea, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flagged the country’s high rates of COVID-19. Upon arrival, she would need to submit a negative PCR test and quarantine for a week, regardless of her vaccination status.

Paying for a government-

approved quarantine facility costs 1.05 million Korean won per person, or about $848. Quiocho also looked at other options, like staying at an AirBnb to quarantine, which is significantly cheaper but required calling a local Korean clinic to confirm it is a legitimate facility.

“I think that it’s important as students to know our limitations,” said Quiocho, who is a columnist with “Huskies Abroad” at The Daily, the student newspaper on UW’s Seattle campus. The column recommends programs, destinations and advice for students looking to go abroad.

“When we study abroad, does that mean you should be clubbing every night and possibly spreading a disease?”

Despite the uncertainties and risks it takes to study abroad, the UW Study Abroad office said it saw the largest winter quarter in years with over 400 students abroad.

The costs of studying abroad

With the increased risks of

studying abroad as the pandemic continues, some universities have taken different approaches to support their students.

Ryan Larsen, executive director of the Institute for Global Engagement at Western Washington University (WWU), said in an email that the university negotiated a student international health insurance plan to include coverage for unplanned quarantine stays and trip delays if a student tests positive before or after their program. WWU’s updated student health insurance plan now covers students studying in countries with do-not-travel advisories because of COVID-19. The plan increased from $1.71 per person per day of their programs to $1.84 in March.

Gina Lopardo, director of education abroad at Seattle University (SU), said the school has not increased program fees as a whole. Instead, costs are managed by individual academic departments.

At the UW, students interested in pursuing faculty-led study abroad programs have seen a 2.5%

increase to its program reserve. The fee, or the Study Abroad Program Assistance Fund, intends to act as an additional insurance fund in case of an emergency, or to refund students if their programs are canceled because of the pandemic.

Wolf Latsch, director of UW Study Abroad, said the increase is $180 per participant for a quarter long program. Students were not told about the fee increase until it was approved, and it was not among individual program fees, but is now listed in the study abroad finances tab. Latsch wrote in an email that the office hopes to reduce or eliminate the increase once it understands more about studying abroad under extraordinary circumstances.

UW, Washington State University (WSU), WWU, and SU have a petition process for their study abroad programs and require their students to be fully vaccinated and boosted before traveling.

Uncertainties abound

While UW’s Study Abroad office

see STUDY ABROAD on 15

■ NATIONAL NEWS The AP Interview: US ‘vulnerable’ to COVID without new shots

By ZEKE MILLER ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha has issued a dire warning that the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t swiftly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments.

In an Associated Press interview on May 12, Jha said Americans’ immune protection from the virus is waning, the virus is adapting to be more contagious and booster doses for most people will be necessary—with the potential for enhanced protection from a new generation of shots.

His warning came as the White House said there could be up to 100 million infections from the virus later this year— and as President Joe Biden somberly ordered flags to halfstaff to mark 1 million deaths.

“As we get to the fall, we are all going to have a lot more vulnerability to a virus that has a lot more immune escape than even it does today and certainly than it did six months ago,” Jha said. “That leaves a lot of us vulnerable.”

Jha predicted that the next generation of vaccines, which are likely to be targeted at the currently prevailing omicron strain, “are going to provide a much, much higher degree of protection against the virus that we will encounter in the fall and winter.” But he warned that the U.S. is at risk of losing its place in line to other countries if Congress doesn’t act in the next several weeks.

Speaking of a need to provide vaccination assistance to other nations, Jha cast the urgency in terms of the benefits to Americans, even if they never travel overseas.

“All of these variants were first identified outside of the United States,“ he said. “If the goal is to protect the American people, we have got to make sure the world is vaccinated. I

mean, there’s just no ‘domestic-only’ approach here.”

His comments came after he and Biden addressed the second global COVID-19 vaccination summit and pressed for the international community not to get complacent in addressing the pandemic.

Here in the U.S., Biden requested $22.5 billion in emergency funding for the virus response in March, but the money has been held up, first by sticker-shock in Congress and now amid wrangling over expiring pandemic-era migrant restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Jha said he’s been making the case to lawmakers for additional funding for weeks, calling it a “very pared down request” and “the bare minimum that we need to get through this fall and winter without large loss of life.”

The Food and Drug Administration is to meet in June to determine the specific strains of the virus that the fall vaccines will target, and Jha said it takes two to three months for manufacturers to develop them. Right now the U.S. has run out of federal COVID-19 response funding to place new orders of vaccines.

“If we had the resources we’d be there having those conversations today,” said Jha. “The window is really closing on us if we want to be in the front of the line.”

“I would say we’re really kind of at that deadline and waiting much longer just puts us further back of the line,” he added. “If we’re willing to be in the back of the line and get our vaccines in the spring, we have plenty of time. But then we’ll have missed the entire fall and winter. That’s not an acceptable outcome, I think, for the American people.”

Jha, who took over the job of coordinating the federal government’s response to the virus a month ago, called the marking of 1 million American pandemic deaths a “somber” day.

“Every one of those deaths is tragic, so many of them

preventable,” he said.

While acknowledging that “getting to zero is going to be a challenge,” Jha said most deaths from the virus now are preventable, with vaccinations and boosters, and with effective therapeutics, The challenge is often making sure that they are available to people when they need them.

“We have so many capabilities and we’ve got to deploy them at full speed and at full capacity to make sure that nobody dies from this disease,” he said.

Jha said there is “no viable alternative path” right now than to have the U.S. government take the lead in securing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, rather than allowing the commercial market to deal with procurement as with other medical treatments. He cited the global mismatch between supply and demand.

“We have to have the US government still playing an active role,” he said. “That role will change over time. But right now that’s still critical.”

“One of the things that we’ve been talking to Congress about is these tools are great—but only if you have them, only if you can use them,” Jha said. “And without support from Congress it can be very hard to continue to protect the American people.”

On an international subject, he addressed China’s “zero COVID” policy, which has led to dramatic lockdowns in some of China’s largest cities, disrupting everyday life and contributing to global supply chain issues.

“I don’t think it makes sense,” Jha said. He emphasized that U.S. strategy is “very different,” with a focus on preventing serious illness and death.

“To me, that is a much more sustainable long-form management strategy,” he said. “I think China’s going to find it hard to continue this for the long haul.” 

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of May 21–May 27, 2022

By Sun Lee Chang Dragon—If your patches simply aren’t working as well as they used to, consider replacing rather than repairing.

Monkey—If you want to do more than just check a box, be mindful and fully present in what you are doing.

Ox—Give yourself a comfortable margin of error.

The extra breathing room may come in handy.

Snake—Although you would like to shield your loved ones, there are some lessons they must learn for themselves.

Rooster—Don’t waste time on too many tangents. Try to keep your attention on the core issue at hand.

Tiger—Has your tolerance for risk changed over time? Even so, you’re not afraid to take chances once in a while.

Horse—You appreciate beauty wherever you find it. Remember that it is not always obvious or on display.

Dog—Use a recent reset to its full advantage. Your newfound perspective will open doors you didn’t think were possible.

Rabbit—Not as organized as you usually are?

You have a lot on your plate, so concentrate on the high priority items.

Goat—Avoid missing the potential opportunities in the future by focusing too much on the past.

Pig—Start with a plan or itinerary, but do give yourself the freedom to explore and deviate from it.

Rat—Need a little extra motivation this week?

Designating a reward for completion could help you keep focused.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 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, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

*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.

SHELF from 7 Meddy is hesitant at first, but once she meets the wedding photographer, Staphanie—who reminds Meddy of herself, right down to the misspelled name—she feels better about her wedding vendors. But the night before her wedding, Meddy overhears Staphanie discussing taking out a target and learns that her vendors are actual mafia and they’re using Meddy’s wedding as a cover to do business.

Enter Meddy’s mom and aunties, who refuse to let anything get in the way of seeing her happily married. And as with this book’s predecessor, hilarity ensues as the five women take on the mafia and try to stop a murder, all while getting Meddy hitched without a hitch. The older women’s illogical antics had me cracking up—from Second Aunt’s obsession with tai chi, to Meddy’s mother’s unwitting drug lord tendencies, to their competitiveness and bickering. But beneath the hilarity is a group of women willing to do whatever it takes to be there for Meddy. And seeing Meddy—who finds herself constantly embarrassed by her relatives—slowly realize this is beautiful.

“Four Aunties” also touches on the Asian diaspora. While Meddy’s and Nathan’s families may share a Chinese background, that’s about all they share. These differences

ASCEND from 3 “quiet,” or “lacking leadership presence to lead a broad diverse team,” all signaled an unconscious bias against Asians.

His current and former employer, like others, now have mandatory leadership training. On the corporate level, there is a growing understanding of the nature of unconscious bias, he said.

HOW TO RISE At the same time, the executives encouraged Asians to draw strength and inspiration from their own background and culture.

From an immigrant family, Yen said she

are particularly highlighted in—not surprisingly—Meddy’s mom and aunties as they sweetly and hilariously try to fit in with the local culture when they go to England, where the wedding is held and where Nathan’s family lives, truly showing that not all Asians are the same.

All around the Western world, museums display the art of cultures from across the globe—the spoils of war, conquest and colonialism, looted from other countries—a fact that really bothers Harvard senior Will Chen. So when a mysterious Chinese benefactor contacts the art history major with an interesting (and highly illegal) job offer— steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures looted from Beijing’s Old Summer Palace centuries ago—he can’t help but be intrigued, especially since the job pays $50 million.

The crew Will puts together has every heist archetype you can think of. His sister Irene is their con artist who can talk her way out of anything. His best friend Daniel Liang, a premed student with steady hands, is their thief. Irene’s roommate Lily Wu, who races cars in her free time, is their getaway driver.

And Will’s friend Alex Huang, MIT dropout-

turned Silicon Valley software engineer, is their hacker.

Inspired by the true story of Chinese art disappearing from Western museums, “Portrait,” on the surface, is a heist novel. We see the crew figure out how to work together to get the job done (including watching the “Ocean’s Eleven” films, which is a hilarious way to prep to rob a museum). As college students, they’re not even close to flawless, but that makes it more relatable— showing readers that we too can potentially, successfully steal priceless artwork.

But beyond the heist, Li does a great job of balancing that part of the story with themes of diaspora, the Chinese American identity and all of its complexities, and the colonization of art. The story is told from all five characters’ perspectives.

They’re all distinct, complex individuals.

They’re messy and come with baggage—like many of us do—and seeing their different backgrounds, their relationships with China and their Chinese American identities, and reasons for taking the job highlights how not every Asian—in this case Chinese—person is the

thinks about the “maverick” immigrant spirit when facing challenges.

“I think about that in what I try to bring to my team every single day and then the enormous responsibility that I have to think about what people before me did for me and my family,” she said.

Facing the increase in violence and antagonism toward Asians in recent years, and encouraged by her participation with Ascend, Yen said she came face to face with the question, “What do we stand for?”

Part of the answer might be surprising to non-Asians.

With over 20 countries of origin accounting for the population, “We embody diversity and all that comes along with diversity,” she said.

Asians also represent the future, she added.

The current population of 22 million is expected to reach 46 million by 2060.

Besides being the consumer group with the fastest-growing buying power, Asians are particularly equipped to navigate an increasingly diverse workplace in which new ideas grow out of the “mishmash of cultures,” she said.

“We as a community really share so much of that cross-cultural, multicultural insight.”

As for educating others, she said, sharing personal stories is highly effective.

The series of virtual forums “is geared toward helping Asian professionals maximize their potential in the workplace,”

PORTRAIT OF A THIEF

By Grace D. Li Tiny Reparations Books, 2022

same.  Samantha can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

wrote Ohno, in an email. “We have a grand vision to help the next generation of Asian leaders, regardless of whether they are beginning their careers or midway through their careers or anywhere in between.

Attendees don’t have to be in a sales or revenue generation role. They can work in any discipline as the subject matter will be relevant to any Asian professionals.”  To join upcoming ASCEND events, go to the RISE SERIES LinkedIn group: linkedin.com/groups/12658770 Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

40 YEARS

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CHURCH ATTACK from 1 years ago in Las Vegas—and three bags, containing among other things four Molotov-cocktail-type incendiary devices and extra ammunition. He opened fire and in the ensuing chaos Dr. John Cheng, 52, tackled him, allowing other parishioners to subdue him and tie him up with extension cords.

Cheng died and five people were wounded, the oldest 92. Sheriff Don Barnes called Cheng’s heroism “a meeting of good versus evil” that probably saved the lives “of upwards of dozens of people.”

Chou, who for years worked as a security guard, was booked on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and jailed on $1 million bail. A federal hate crimes investigation is also ongoing.

There was no immediate word on why Chou chose to target the church in Laguna Woods, a scenic and affluent coastal area whose population mainly consists

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Barnes said the motive for the shooting was Chou’s hatred toward Taiwan that was documented in handwritten notes that authorities found. Chou’s family apparently was among many forcibly removed from mainland China to Taiwan sometime after 1948, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.

The Presbyterian Church is the most prominent of the Christian dominations in Taiwan and was closely identified with the pro-democracy movement during the martial law era and later with the Taiwan independence cause.

Barnes referred to Chou as an immigrant from China but Taiwan’s Central News Agency says it interviewed Louis M. Huang, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, and he confirmed that Chou was born in Taiwan in 1953.

Barnes said Chou acted alone and was “not believed to be asso-

KOREATOWN from 5 gunman who is motivated by hate is chilling and deeply disturbing,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement.

Authorities are still searching for a man dressed all in black who opened fire at the salon, then drove off in a maroon minivan. Garcia said investigators found that a similar vehicle was reported to be involved in two other recent shootings, including an April 2 drive-by in the area where the salon is located. No one was injured in either of those shootings.

“We are turning to every resident of the city of Dallas to keep an eye out and safeguard our city,” Garcia said. “Hate has no place here.”

“We need to get this person in custody,” Garcia said.

He said the vehicle was also linked to

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ciated with any specific church or any religion, and there’s no direct connection to the church or any member of the church that we’re aware of,” Barnes said.

Balmore Orellana, a former neighbor, said Chou’s life unraveled after his wife left him last year. Before, Chou had been a pleasant man who used to own the Las Vegas apartment building where he lived until being evicted in February, Orellana told The Associated Press.

More recently his mental health declined and last summer a gun was fired inside Chou’s apartment and the bullet entered Orellana’s apartment, although nobody was hurt, Orellana said.

Tensions between China and Taiwan are at the highest in decades, with Beijing stepping up its military harassment by flying fighter jets toward the self-governing island. China has not ruled out force to reunify with Taiwan, which split from the mainland during a civil war in 1949.

a drive-by shooting on May 10 about 25 miles southeast of the shopping center where the May 11 shooting happened.

Garcia said police would be increasing patrols, and they were reaching out to other police departments in North Texas to see if there have been any similar incidents in their area. He said Dallas police have also reached out to the FBI to let them know of the possible connection.

The three women who were shot at the salon were taken to a hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening.

The daughter of one of the injured women said her mother told her that the man, whom she didn’t recognize, calmly walked in, opened fire and left.

John Jun, a founding member of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Korean American Coalition, said he’d hoped that the shooting at the salon was

Taiwan’s chief representative in the U.S., Bi-khim Hsiao, offered condolences to the shooting families on Twitter.

“I join the families of the victims and Taiwanese American communities in grief and pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded survivors,” Hsiao wrote.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told the AP via email that the Chinese government has “consistently condemned incidents of violence. We express our condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.”

Those wounded by gunshots included an 86-year-old woman as well as four men, ages 66, 75, 82 and 92, the sheriff’s department said. Authorities on May 16 said two of the wounded were in good condition, two were in stable condition and the status of the fifth patient was undetermined.

Jerry Chen, a longtime member of the church, said a group of about 40 congregants had

an isolated incident.

“Now we’re a little more concerned because it seems like they are targeting for sure Asian Americans and most likely Korean American businesses in the area,” Jun said.

He said the salon is in the heart of Koreatown, which is in a part of the city that was transformed in the 1980s from an industrial area to a thriving district with shopping, dining, markets, medical offices and salons.

“The people are obviously shaken and they are on the edge right now,” Jun said.

Anti-Asian violence has risen sharply in recent years. Last year, six women of Asian descent were among the eight killed in a shooting at massage businesses in and near Atlanta, heightening anger and fear among Asian Americans. 

gathered in the fellowship hall for a luncheon after a morning service to welcome their former Pastor Billy Chang, a beloved and respected community member who had served the church for 20 years. Chang moved back to Taiwan two years ago. This was his first time back stateside, Chen said.

Everyone had just finished lunch and were taking photos with Chang when Chen went into the kitchen. That’s when he heard the gunshots.

Barnes said Cheng, a sports medicine doctor who is survived by a wife and two children, charged at the shooter and attempted to disarm him, allowing others to intervene. Chang hit the gunman on the head with a chair before other parishioners subdued him.

“I will tell you that evil was in that church,” Spitzer said, who added that Chou had “an absolute bias” against Taiwan and its people. 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

YOUR VOICE STUDY ABROAD from 12 handles the petition process for its students, other Washington college students may need to petition their university and present a travel risk assessment of their country of study. After these materials are submitted, they must get a final green light from the university.

WWU and SU require their students to write petitions to their schools only if they’re requesting to be part of programs in countries with high COVID-19 infection rates. Students are not allowed to study abroad in countries facing emergency situations, like war or government instability.

Some programs, including the one at WSU, require students to sign waivers to remain in quarantine if they become sick and to not get sick multiple times or risk failing the course, according to Kaylee Holsten, office assistant at the WSU Global Learning Department.

As of March, WSU allows students who have their COVID booster shot to remain in countries with “reconsider travel” or do-nottravel advisories.

UW students do not need to write petitions for their programs since the Study Abroad office petitions on their behalf, said Latsch. The new process involves creating a country risk analysis and sharing it with the University Travel Risk Committee, which must approve each student and program before applications are passed to the university provost for final approval.

“We made the argument that for many countries that have good health care facilities, and good hospital capacity, that we should be able to safely send students to countries even with those at those high levels,” Latsch said.

At WWU, students’ petitions need to include how they’ve taken steps to be

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022 cautious about COVID-19, including proof of vaccination and how they will observe public health measures in their host country.

WWU students also need to review federal travel recommendations, develop a safety plan and include credible information about their host country’s COVID-19 vaccination and infection rates. Doing so also ensures students understand the risks of their program, according to Larsen of WWU’s Institute for Global Engagement.

Rachel Lewis, a WWU senior majoring in German, planned to study abroad in Lüneburg, Germany, in 2020 but her program was canceled because of the pandemic.

“I think traveling in general right now takes a little bit of extra steps, no matter whether you're studying abroad or if you are looking to drive across the state,” Lewis said.

Gina Lopardo, Seattle University’s education abroad director, said several students who submitted study abroad petitions in the winter quarter of 2021 were ultimately denied program approval when their host country was flagged with a do-nottravel advisory before winter break.

That situation is something SU sophomore Roshni Patel is afraid of in light of her recent acceptance to study in London in the fall later this year.

Patel previously applied for a study abroad program in Ireland in 2021, but it was canceled because of COVID-19. She’s also concerned about applying for housing in Seattle if the program is cut. If she is able to study in London, she would have to break her lease—or keep paying for an apartment she’s not living in.

“At the end of the day, I’ve put my life on hold for the past two years,” Patel said. “I’m going to take my chances and try my best to go and, if it doesn't work out, it is what it is.”

She and other students who have studied abroad agree that the rewards outweigh the risks of a program not working out. 

asianweekly northwest

15

16

asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2022

COLLEGE APPS from 9

THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, more and more colleges are going testoptional. SAT and ACT scores have been deemphasized. Standardized testing was meant to provide a benchmark for colleges, but with the rise of the pandemic closing down testing sites and scandals of rich people buying good test scores for their children, the benefits of standardized testing are no longer as viable.

Although colleges have not decided their stance on standardized testing scores for next year, it’s safe to say that essays are the most important element of the app.

“You should try to make it comfortable for your audience and think about your audience’s perception. Make it interesting to read and not cliché. You should sound genuine and engaging.

Being a boring person is the dead end of college applications because admissions officers don’t want to advocate for someone who made them feel bored.” — Hannah Huang, class of 2022

LET THE ESSAY COME TO YOU

Grace Park

“I think the biggest thing I learned is how to present my narrative to others.

Before college apps, if someone asked me to introduce myself, I would simply say my name, age, and hobbies. But during college apps, I spent so much time and effort trying to tell my narrative in a nuanced way that’s unique to me. So I’ve not only gained a better understanding of myself, but how to present what I’ve learned about myself to other people.” — Grace Park, class of 2022

KAUP from 1 in an enclosed space at that time in the pandemic, especially with a child,” Kaup said.

When flights resumed in November 2021, travelers were still required to wear masks while aboard an aircraft. But now with two children in tow, making the 20+ hour flight with masks was not something that Kaup thought the family could manage.

“I had to wait for almost two years to make the trip here thanks to visa processing times and pandemic restrictions,” Kaup said.

Then in April 2022, a federal judge in Florida overturned a CDC mandate requiring masks on planes and other modes of transport. The news came as a breath of fresh air for millions of travelers like Kaup and her family. The very same month, the Kaup family boarded their flight to Seattle.

She now hopes that her children get a chance to see their grandparents who may be able to come over in the summer.

“Right now, people aren’t really masking up on flights but our parents have been vaccinated and that makes us feel like traveling is safe now,” Kaup said. “I hope they can come visit us.”

Obviously, the travel industry on the whole heaved a sigh of relief, too. A recent Recovery Trend Report from Expedia Group showed that 2022 Q1 global search volume was up 25% quarter-over-quarter.

Travelers in North America led this cohort accounting for 30% of these searches. This signaled a strong recovery for the travel industry.

Despite a slight uptick in COVID infections and hospitalization rates rising to 4.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 at the end of April, it seems like travelers, especially those from North America, are more optimistic about being able to travel in the future. In fact, Expedia Group points out in their report that North American

Ziqi Fang

“If I had to give advice to those who are applying to schools in the future, it would be, don’t be afraid to show your true self! Don’t think a lot about packaging yourself, but I think it’s okay to ‘package’ to some extent. Sometimes authenticity really comes through.” — Ziqi Fang, class of 2022 Most of the best essays are the ones that come straight from the heart. Write about a very influential event that happened in your life that is core to your identity.

However, some people might find probing their memory for a massively impactful event difficult. The greater majority of us live simple and boring lives. Perhaps sitting in bed watching YouTube will inspire a college essay. You never know.

You can also try to read essays from your peers or online. Be sure to vary the types of essays you read, from essays that worked to the ones that didn’t, and ones written by people that may or may not have a similar resume as you. Your essay shouldn’t be an exact copy of other people’s, but drawing inspiration from them can be helpful.

travelers are looking for travel dates further out in the year compared to their counterparts in Asia.

This caution among Asian travelers resonates among those who live in the city, too. Take Christopher M. for instance.

While he lives and works in Bellevue, he loves being by the ocean. Not surprisingly, his family and friends live in Hawaii.

Throughout the pandemic, he had to cut down on trips back home.

“It wasn’t too difficult to do that because I knew it was for the greater good,” Christopher said.

“I didn’t want to inadvertently spread anything on the island, so I avoided all travel. I stayed away from Hawaii through the entire pandemic, until I’d been vaccinated and boosted.” He added, “I also made sure that anyone I was going to visit was also vaccinated.”

It also helped that the people he has been visiting have been wearing masks throughout the pandemic and that he spends most of his time while on the island outdoors and away from crowds.

With travel restrictions relaxed, Christopher feels relatively safe on a plane.

“I’ve only been traveling to Hawaii so far.

I feel relatively safe there knowing that my friends and family have been vaccinated and boosted,” he said. However, he admits that he will continue to wear a mask while on a plane.

Christopher reveals that he would love to continue exploring though Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia next, but he’s holding back for now.

“I’m not necessarily concerned for myself,” he said. “I’ve still got a bit of paranoia that I’ll inadvertently spread something to these island nations that have been more isolated from visitors in the last couple years.”  Janice can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Many interviewers are college alumni who want to write something positive in your favor. Most interviewers will ask the same set of questions, such as, “Why do you want to attend x school?” or “What extracurriculars are you involved in?”

Rehearsing every interview question might not be the most productive use of your time, but having a standard set of answers about what sets you apart from other people can really impress your interviewer.

Interviews are typically casual talks, but it’s not always easy talking with someone older. In the chance that the interviewer throws a curveball, take a pause and thoroughly think about the answer. At the end of the interview, feel free to ask your interviewer questions about anything. It creates this back and forth dialogue between two people, instead of a plain relationship of interviewer and interviewee.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF “When people say don’t compare yourself to others, they mean it, because every step of the journey, from writing to submitting to waiting, is going to look different for everyone. You also shouldn’t expect perfection out of anyone and always remember that people are only

Anita Gao

putting their best selves out there. What you know or see is most likely only half the story. Take your time and breathe.”

— Anita Gao, class of 2022 At the end of the day, your college app is whatever you put on there. You can spend so much time making edits to essays and joining new activities and constructing your best self, but once you press the submit button, it’s out of your hands. Everyone’s different—the way they emphasize their personality, values, and hobbies will always be different from you.

Congrats! You’ve just taken one of the biggest steps of your lifetime. Give yourself a nice pat on the back. You deserve it!  Ashley can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.