VOL 41 NO 23 | JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

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VOL 41 NO 23 JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

FREE 40 YEARS YOUR VOICE

DNA testing kit reunites daughter and father

Photo provided by Kalena Johnson

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

BTS visits White House to discuss combating hate crime surge

BTS, the K-pop band from South Korea, and Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, address the media before the group met with President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination on May 31.

By WILL WEISSERT WASHINGTON (AP) — K-Pop sensation BTS visited the White House on May 31 to talk with President Joe Biden about combating the rise in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans—bringing superstar sizzle to an otherwise sad and scary topic.

Band members J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin joined White House press secretary Karine

Jean-Pierre at her briefing with reporters on the final day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Jimin said the band had been “devastated by the recent surge” of crime and intolerance against Asian Americans that has persisted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s not wrong to be different,” Suga said through see BTS on 16

d l i h c r o f k o o b c i m Co to s e m o c n o i t a n i c c a v

save the day

Thien Hong, Kalena’s father, and Kalena

By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “A part of me still can’t really wrap my head around the fact that I have a sibling,” My Hong shared after finding out he had a half-sister, Kalena Johnson, through DNA testing.

Last October, Kalena Johnson reunited in person with

her first cousin Annie Nguyen.

Through some digging of old photos, Johnson and Nguyen were able to successfully find Johnson’s birth father and halfbrother, Hong.

For Hong and Johnson, this revelation was like a fairytale.

“When Annie initially reached out, to the moment we see 23ANDME on 12

THE INSIDE STORY

Image from “Handbook for Health Heroes”

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Remember when your parents told you to stop reading comic books and do your homework? Well, now there’s a comic book that is your homework. It could literally save your life.

The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) has released a comic book, titled “Handbook for Health Heroes,” that depicts children

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Dr. Dwane Chappelle, director of the Department of Education and Early Learning

facing down fears about the COVID-19 vaccine.

The subtitle is: “Answers to your family’s questions about COVID-19 vaccines for kids.”

The comic is available online and will be distributed in paper copies to all schools in the Seattle School District with vaccination rates below 60%.

On its cover is a child wearing a mask with a Band-Aid on his arm, where he has apparently see COMIC BOOK on 16

COMMUNITY NEWS Getting to know Phyllis Campbell

NATIONAL NEWS Chinatowns more vibrant after pandemic, anti-Asian violence

WAYNE’S WORLDS A time to laugh, but no, not today

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Massive Monkees Day

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40 YEARS

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

Alan Nakamoto and Frank Kiuchi place a wreath in honor of Gold Star families

The Nisei Veterans Committee (NVC) and NVC Foundation held its 77th Annual Memorial Day Service at Lake View Cemetery.

Attendees gathered by the Nisei War Memorial, a 22foot tall granite obelisk inscribed with names of those killed in action from the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, and Granada.

The service started with a presentation of colors by the Seattle Buddhist Temple Boy Scout Troop 252, Christian and Buddhist prayers and meditations, a keynote speech from Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, and ended with a Presentation of Floral Wreaths.

Over the years, this service has become one of the oldest and largest Memorial Day services in the Pacific Northwest. 

Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival Seattle Center Festál continues with Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, a virtual two-day program on June 4 from 1-4:30 p.m. and June 5 from 1-3:30 p.m. It will be

Photo by John Liu

Dancers at Pagdiriwang 2021

Surviving Chinese veterans were given coins for their distinguished service during World War II

available to watch on facebook.com/SeattleCenter and youtube.com/seattlecenter.

The annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival is a rich, educational, interactive, and colorful event that highlights the commonality of all ethnic groups through various forms of art—performing, visual, photography, literary, musical, and culinary—while displaying events specific to Filipino culture like photo exhibit “Snapshots: Life in Rural Philippines,” Filipino tribal dances and folklore.

Performances and presentations include dance by the Filipinas Performing Arts of Washington State, an artifacts presentation by John Paredes, photos by Leia Maminta Smith, and many more. 

This Memorial Day marked the first time veterans and their families celebrated the holiday with a Congressional Gold Medal. 

Memorial Day Ceremony at Hing Hay Park Cathay Post 186 of the American Legion held its annual Memorial Day service to honor the Chinese service members from Seattle who gave their lives during World War II. The event, at Hing Hay Park on May 30, also featured comments from Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos who spoke of the veterans’ love, loyalty, and legacy.

Kimitomo Muromoto receives French Legion of Honour Kimitomo Muromoto received the French Legion of Honour at the NVC Memorial Hall from the Consul General of France in San Francisco.

Muromoto was inducted into the U.S. Army from Tule Lake Segregation Center on April 27, 1944.

Almost 78 years later, his extended family were witness to Consul General Frédéric Jung’s presentation in April of the highest distinction awarded by France. 

Credit: NVC Foundation

Credit: NVC

Credit: John Philip Paredes

NVC Memorial Day Service

Kimitomo Muromoto

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

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Getting to know Phyllis Campbell

Chairman of JP Morgan Chase & Co., Pacific Northwest

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ASIAN FOODS AND SNACKS? My favorite Asian food is Tonkotsu Ramen—I frequently order out and take it home, add spinach and a few other spices—a perfect meal!

I am also a fan of senbei and other snacks to power me through the endless “Zoom” calls!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? My “happy place” to relax is Maui, where my mother and grandmother were born. My husband and I like to golf, so Maui is the perfect place to do that—warm and dry.

WHAT DOES AAPI HERITAGE MEAN TO YOU? HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE YOUR HERITAGE? I am proud that my mother’s side (Japanese American from Hawaii) gives me the perfect combination of the aloha spirit, combined with her role modeling as a medical professional. My father’s side (Japanese American) of the family were interned in WWII. Though this was a terrible tragedy, they modeled a spirit

of resilience and fortitude.

One celebration is to honor my past by going back to my roots, visiting my mother and grandparents’ columbarium on Maui, lighting a stick of incense in their honor.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT AND WANT TO BE LEADERS? Especially to people of color: take risks! Don’t be afraid to step up to a challenge in your career, as that is where you will find the most growth. Be ready!

Always leave a place (workplace, community) better than you found it. Have a contributor mindset.

Mentors and sponsors make a difference—endeavor to be mentored, but also mentor others.

WHAT DOES LEADERSHIP MEAN TO YOU? Leadership is about showing the way and about giving others credit. At the end of the day, leadership is the legacy you leave in other’s successes.  This content sponsored by Chase.

Phyllis Campbell

Biden administration pays tribute to AANHPI month

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Screenshots from livestream

The Biden-Harris administration, in a festive ceremony, celebrated the closing of the first-ever Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. A panel that was part of the event advised young people to seek to develop their voices.

The hybrid event, held at the Department of the Interior on May 26, was hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Endowment Indian performers model traditional outfits from different regions

Korean performers model wedding accoutrements from the Choson Dynasty

see AANHPI on 13

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40 YEARS

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS

A time to laugh, but no, not today

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY To be honest, I’d rather be writing about how the laundry detergent pods keep disappearing from our laundry room.

I’ve been staring, off and on, at a blank computer screen, trying to think of something funny to say. The objective, at least of my writing, is to try and lighten someone’s day, usually by retelling something embarrassing that happened, more often than not, about me.

But the latest wave of mass shootings has left me at a loss of words. All the normal topics I can come up with, just ring hollow.

So instead of trying to fight the inclination, I’m going to just follow my heart.

I have an auntie. She’s my Aunt Lucy.

Since I lost my mom a few years ago, I see my Aunt Lucy as my second mom. She does all the “Mom things” a mom would do. She calls me to see how I’m doing. She introduces me to people she thinks I should know. Every time we meet, she tells me I need to lose weight. And then, throughout the day, she reminds me that I need to lose weight.

She lives in the Laguna Hills area, around Orange County. She lives with my Uncle Tom, in a modest home and has lots of friends. She takes long, slow walks, sometimes with a cane, and sometimes does water aerobics at a local pool.

About 10 days ago, David Wenwei Chou (aged 68), who lived in Las Vegas and worked as a security guard, drove down from Vegas and allegedly started a shooting rampage at Laguna Wood’s Geneva Presbyterian Church, which houses a predominantly Taiwanese congregation. In the process of the attack, Dr. John Cheng was killed while trying to subdue the attacker. Dr. Cheng

was 52 years old. The other 5 victims shot, ranged in age between 66 and 92.

From all accounts, Mr. Chou was motivated by a deep-seated, politically motivated hate of Taiwan and its people.

I’m hesitant to even mention a motive.

You typically ask about someone’s motivation for doing something to better understand why something happened.

There’s no reasonable explanation that can help anyone understand this.

My first reaction when I heard the news was, “Where is Aunt Lucy?” She lives in Laguna Woods. She goes to a Taiwanese Church in the area. Sometimes she goes to volunteer or to pick up some fresh groceries they provide for the seniors in the area.

My first thought was, “Please tell me she

didn’t need any groceries this week.”

We talked to Aunt Lucy. She was fine.

She typically goes to a different church in the area.

Because of Dr. Cheng’s sacrifice, the other members of the congregation were able to subdue the attacker until the police showed up.

In the last month, along with this attack, I’m sure we’re all aware of what happened in the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, and of course, the shooting in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The reality is, we are now living in a time where you have to be aware of the potential dangers of going to a grocery store, to your classroom, or to your local church.

I don’t claim to have all the answers to this. It’s a politically fraught topic. But I tend to boil it down to a simple analogy.

When we became new parents, we made sure to take away anything that could be dangerous to them and to the family. We locked sharp knives away in the pantry.

We put locks on cabinets to make sure the kids couldn’t access things that could be dangerous—dangerous things like lighters, lighter fluid, and matches.

To me, it seems like the more sound strategy to keep everyone safe is to keep a fire from happening, instead of ignoring that and making sure everything else in the house is fireproof.

I know that this column may not add anything new to the conversation, and doesn’t even really try to entertain. But when you write a humor column, the first order of business is that people need to feel safe before they can laugh.

Thank you for taking the time to listen.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

■ WORLD NEWS

Distress in Singapore as Malaysia bans chicken export KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Diners in Singapore are bracing for prices of their national chicken-and-rice dish to soar as neighboring Malaysia prepares to block exports to increase supplies in its own markets and hold down surging prices.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that, beginning June 1, Malaysia will ban exports of 3.6 million chickens a month until domestic prices and production

stabilize. The move is felt most in Singapore, which sources a third of its poultry from Malaysia.

Almost all the chickens are imported live to Singapore, where they are slaughtered and chilled. Singapore consumers have been rushing to stock up on fresh chicken ahead of the ban, with local media reporting that shelves in some wet markets and supermarkets have been cleared of poultry.

The Singapore Straits Times said chicken sellers predicted the cost of chilled chicken could rise by up to 30%, sending chicken dish prices soaring. The Singapore government has urged consumers to switch to frozen chicken and other alternative meats, and is exploring new markets for fresh chicken. see CHICKEN EXPORT on 13

YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

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Chinatowns more vibrant after pandemic, anti-Asian violence The last week of April was a whirlwind for San Francisco’s Chinatown.

The storied neighborhood debuted the “AAPI Community Heroes Mural,“ a mostly black and white depiction of 12 mostly unsung Asian American and Pacific Islander figures on the wall of a bank. Three days later “Neon Was Never Brighter,” the first ever Chinatown contemporary arts festival, took over the streets throughout the night. Traditional lion and dragon dances, a couture fashion show and other public “art activations“ were featured in the block party-like event.

Cultural and arts organizations in Chinatowns across North America have worked for decades on bringing greater appreciation and visibility to these communities. But they faced an unprecedented one-two punch when the pandemic caused shutdowns and racist anti-Asian attacks increased— and continue. As painful as those events are, they also indelibly influenced the reemergence of various Chinatowns as close-knit hubs of vibrancy and culture.

Cynthia Choi, co-founder of the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center, is still “blown away” to be one of the heroes painted in the San Francisco mural. But being at the festival was equally touching for her.

“I got really emotional because it’s been so long since I’d seen so many people come out to Chinatown, especially at night. I had heard so many of my friends or family saying, `I don’t want to go to Chinatown,“ she said. “I knew it was going to be fun and exciting, but I was really moved.”

There has been renewed attention from cities, companies and younger Asian Americans from outside these historic Chinatowns. Wells Fargo partnered with the Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative on the “heroes” mural. Everyone wanted to “really address anti-Asian hate and to uplift Asian American voices,” said Jenny Leung, executive director of the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, which is part of the Collaborative. Youths voted on who to put on the mural.

“Frequently the way that Chinatown looks is imported as a tourist kind of attraction and fantasy for visitors to see,” Leung said. “It’s never really about celebrating the community’s perspective and voice.”

The idea for the “Neon” festival was briefly discussed prepandemic. But the events of the last two years lent urgency to it.

“We wanted to kind of push that deadline a little bit earlier in order to be able to address the 20, 30, 40, empty storefronts

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By TERRY TANG ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two women walk along Jackson Street in Chinatown past the new “AAPI Community Heroes” mural in San Francisco on May 23, 2022.

that are increasingly rising in the community,” said Leung, who characterizes Chinatown as a “museum without walls.”

Josh Chuck, a local filmmaker behind the documentary “Chinatown Rising,” has noticed younger generations dining or participating in events in Chinatowns. A friend who works in tech began last year picking up orders for friends who wanted to support Chinatown restaurants. Soon he was making spreadsheets to track 400 deliveries.

“Honestly, there’s no way I could have imagined something that would galvanize these people that I know. Even myself, like, I feel much more connected and committed,” Chuck said. “It’s a silver lining.”

In New York, the first of five summer night markets start in June in the city’s Chinatown. It will be the biggest event to date for Think!Chinatown. The 5-year-old nonprofit has done numerous projects like artists-in-residency programs and oral histories. But last year after a series of verbal and physical assaults against Asians, they partnered with Neighborhoods Now, a local pandemic relief initiative, on Chinatown Nights.

It was a small-scale gathering of less than 10 artist booths and food trucks in Forsyth Plaza park. Despite a “crazy” twomonth prep window, there was a collective feeling of “we just need to be together,” said Yin Kong, Think!Chinatown cofounder and director. And there was a “tectonic shift” with philanthropy focusing on equity.

“It reprioritized these other organizations that traditionally would have funded other things to focus on how to support communities of color in a different way,” Kong said.

The expanded event will have 20 booths and sponsorships, and will be scheduled when most Chinatown restaurants are closed so owners can participate.

“The mechanisms that got us there would not have happened without the pandemic,“ said Kong, who feels Think!Chinatown is now seen as more “legit” with better funding, full-time staff and the possibility of an office space instead of her dining table. see CHINATOWNS on 14

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JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

40 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR 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 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

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

FUJIMATSU VILLAGE OPEN HOUSE Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle 4-6:30 p.m.

3-19 VIRTUAL DIWA FILIPINO FILM FESTIVAL Free Register at facebook.com/ diwafilmfest

4 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

4&5

CID COMMUNITY WATCH INVITES YOU TO JOIN SELFDEFENSE WORKSHOP Chong Wa Benevolent Association, 522 7th Ave. S., Seattle 3-4:30 p.m.

VIRTUAL TWO-DAY PROGRAM, “PAGDIRIWANG PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL” Seattle Center June 4, 1-4:30 p.m.

June 5, 1-3:30 p.m. facebook.com/SeattleCenter youtube.com/seattlecenter

9 2022 VIRTUAL TOMODACHI GALA 7 p.m. youtube.com/c/JCCCWA jcccw.org/tomodachi-gala

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

12

CID COMMUNITY WATCH SELF-DEFENSE WORKSHOP FOR EVERYONE Chong Wa Benevolent Association 522 7th Ave S, Seattle 3-4:30 p.m.

Free

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

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

JUL

9 & 28 SEATTLE ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN/ PACIFIC ISLANDER WOMEN ARTISTS UNITED IS A VISUAL CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT THE TIDE OF ANTIASIAN VIOLENCE AND XENOPHOBIA Posters will be free to public July 9, pick up posters at SCIDpda Bash Canton Alley, Seattle’s C-ID July 28, pick up posters at Wing Luke Museum JamFest, Maynard Alley, Seattle’s C-ID

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS King County Architectural and Engineering Roster and Small Works Roster Suppliers interested in working with King County need to register at King County E-Procurement Supplier Portal. While registering you will be asked if you want to participate in either the Consultant Roster

for architectural and engineering projects estimated to cost less than $500,000 or the Small Works Roster for construction projects valued at $350,000 or less. All that is required to join either of these rosters is to indicate “Yes” on your registration.

Register online at: https://kingcounty.gov/

procurement/registration If you have any questions about the Consultant Roster or Small Works Roster programs, please contact Christy Trautman at Christy.Trautman@kingcounty.gov or 206-2639332.

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YOUR VOICE

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

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40 YEARS

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Massive Monkees Day

An international community event

One of the judges announces Rock Blood. | Photo by Samantha Pak

hree battle, against Native

Force Crew’s win in the three-on-t

By Samantha Pak NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

B-boys Hocine (to skills during the p) and Seansteady of Massive hosts and judges Mo showcase. | Photo nkees show off their

by Samantha Pak

CREATING SAFE SPACES

While breakdancing may be a male-dominated On Sunday, May 29, the Neptune Theatre art form and culture, b-girls and female dancers— in the University District came alive with the from competitors, to judges, to the Malicious sounds of breakbeats as the venue played host Vixens’ showcase performance—were also in to dancers from all over the world for Massive attendance.

Monkees Day. The culture’s lopsided demographics were The international breakdancing competition, addressed at the beginning of the show as Massive hosted by the Seattle-based breakdancing crew Monkees’ b-girl Anna Banana Freeze shared her Massive Monkees, brought b-boys and b-girls story of how she fell in love and found a home from all over, not just the country, but the with breakdancing and hip-hop, but over the years, world—from Canada and Mexico, to Singapore began distancing herself from it as she began and Kazakhstan. feeling unsafe in such spaces—only to realize she “They make their names at our events,” Hocine wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Jouini, Massive Monkees member and event To address this issue, a representative from producer, said.

The Good Foot Arts Collective, a Seattle-based Dancers battled in four categories for prizes, organization focused on youth violence prevention including cash ranging from $300-$4,500 through arts education, shared resources for the Massive Monkees take the stage at Massive Monkees Day as longtime and custom four-finger rings. For the three-on- members welcome the newest members to the crew. | Photo by Samantha Pak crowd on how they could build spaces where not three battle, Rock Force Crew out of California just b-girls, but everyone, could exist and feel safe. came away with the win against Mexico’s Native fame, community has always been part of the crew’s ethos Blood, while Canada’s Megabots beat out Seattle’s SCC and Massive Monkees Day fell right in line with this.

BEYOND BREAKIN’ in two-on-two open styles. In the footwork competition, Preliminary battles were held on May 28—with top Arizona’s b-boy Conrad of The Mayaboys won against dancers advancing to the finals the following day—at Pratt b-boy Nabil from France. And in the students of the game Park. Originally set for Hing Hay Park in the ChinatownFor the main event on May 29, Massive Monkees battle (youth 16 and younger), Hawaii’s The 808 Breakers International District (CID), the event was moved to the partnered with Seattle Theatre Group (STG). Although Crew won against I Dunno from Canada. park’s covered basketball courts due to the rain. The idea Massive Monkees’ collaborations with STG date back to The judges also hailed from all over the world, including was to bring it back to the neighborhood where the crew’s 2010—with crew members performing at and working Sacramento, Los Angeles, New York, and Kansas City, dance studio, The Beacon, had been located for almost with various STG shows and programs over the years— Mo. in the United States, and Canada, France, and Finland eight years. this event was only the second time the two groups internationally. Massive Monkees co-founder Jeromeskee “It was a great experience,” Jouini said about having the co-produced a full event together. Last year’s Massive was also one of the judges. studio in the CID. The studio closed in November 2020 as Monkees Day event was the first.

Jouini said one of the reasons their partnership with a result of the pandemic and he said theyre in the process STG works so well is because of their shared focus on BRINGING IT BACK TO THE of looking for a new studio space—ideally located in the community.

CID, Beacon Hill, or Georgetown.

COMMUNITY Rex Kinney, associate director of education for STG, The May 28 event also included public dance workshops, agreed, describing the crew as an amazing group of graffiti artists, and a car show. Massive Monkees received Before it became an international event showcasing individuals who put Seattle on the map when it comes to a grant from the city’s Office of Economic Development breakdancing and hip-hop culture, the first Massive breakdancing.

But it goes beyond that. to help with funding for the weekend’s activities.

Monkees Day was April 26, 2004. It was proclaimed a “They are also just amazing mentors,” Kinney said, Massive Monkees Day also included a community holiday in Seattle by then-Mayor Greg Nickels, in honor pointing out Massive Monkees’ efforts to teach and barbecue on Memorial Day at Jefferson Park and a kids’ of the crew’s victory at the World B-Boy Championships. educate the younger generation about their art form and exhibition at Seattle Center.

While this was their first world championship, Massive making it accessible to as many people as possible— And going beyond holding activities in local community Monkees had been making a name for themselves in the which was on full display as Massive Monkees welcomed spaces, the beginning of Sunday’s event included a land breaking world since getting their start in the mid-1990s five new b-boys to their crew with a special performance. acknowledgement that was more than just recognizing at the Jefferson Community Center on Beacon Hill. Their “They do such amazing work in the community.”  the Duwamish Tribe—the first peoples of Seattle. Host first major victory was the B-Boy Summit in 2000. The Tracey Wong of the Asian American dance collective, crew also placed third on “America’s Best Dance Crew” Malicious Vixens, shared information for how attendees Samantha can be reached at in 2009. could sign a petition to get the tribe federally recognized info@nwasianweekly.com.

The first Massive Monkees Day event was held in 2005. and financial help.

Despite the Massive Monkees’ widespread success and

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ TRAVEL

asianweekly northwest

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TRAVEL DIARY

Puerto Rico

Photos by Ruth Bayang

ABOVE: COBBLESTONED STREETS IN OLD SAN JUAN RIGHT: CASTILLO SAN CRISTÓBAL, A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

By Debadutta Dash NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Visiting Puerto Rico would never have come to my mind had we not been graciously invited to the Miss World Final by Ekta Saini, the mother of Shree Saini, the reigning Miss World America 2021. I didn’t know much about Puerto Rico besides it being a U.S. territory.

I vividly remember the video clip repeatedly playing on cable news showing President Trump casually tossing rolls of paper towels into a cheering crowd at a church in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. So, by visiting Puerto Rico, we thought we could at least support their tourism economy.

We booked our hotel and rental car through Expedia for a five-day stay in San Juan at the Condado Palm Inn, located in an upscale neighborhood next to the most popular Condado Beach. There was no direct flight from Seattle, so we got a connecting United Airlines flight via Houston while going and returning via Newark.

I was pretty disappointed with the hotel’s breakfast buffet with some solid mass of scrambled egg, bacon, and sausage. So, I stepped out to explore the neighborhood for a breakfast place. La Voila. Senor Baguette was a nice, cute breakfast spot within a few hundred yards of the hotel, known for excellent Puerto Rican coffee. My eggs benedict with avocado on the side were a perfect 10.

The server, Abner, was kind enough to recommend a few local eating spots and beaches to visit. After breakfast, we just walked down to Condado Beach for a short walk before heading to Old San Juan, as suggested by Abner.

Fish is popular. Traditional breakfast foods include criollo-style beans (frijoles) with rice, grilled meats such as steak or chorizo, fried plantain chips called “tostones,” and many others. Mangu and Fufu de Platoon Verde are traditional Puerto Rican dishes. Fufu de Platoon Verde is a savory dish made from plantains, ground pork, and spices like mofongo, whereas Mangu does not include fried green plantain or fried pork and is usually served as an appetizer or as a side dish to fish or meat dishes.

We tried some grilled red snapper, seafood paella, beans, rice, and Pique, the Puerto Rican hot sauce.

Fruits like papaya, pineapple, banana, and coconut are abundant. We bought some and had a nice lunch at the beach. Avocados are enormous; I got one which was almost 3 pounds. Caution: you can’t bring any agricultural products into the mainland U.S. I found Juquilas, the most savory and sweet pastry made of flour, sugar, butter, and guava paste. These ingredients are kneaded together, flattened into disks, and wrapped around the guava filling before being fried in oil. Some were baked and looked like croissant rolls. I tried both, and they were simply out of this world!

Once you are in Puerto Rico, you can’t simply miss the great mix of cultures in this paradisiacal island that includes Spanish, African, U.S., and Taino ethnicity. The Mandarin House on Ashford near our hotel in San Juan,

the Treasure Island Chinatown Tea House in Ponce, and Bangkok & Bombay Restaurant were buzzing spots reflecting a great cultural integration in the island. Right across the Chinatown Tea House, I could see the Centro Islamico de Ponce, one of the six Islamic Centers in Puerto Rico. I later read about the large-scale Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico during the 19th Century, and there are about 2,000 people of Chinese descent in Puerto Rico as per the latest census. The Muslim population will be around 5,000, largely consisting of Palestinian and Jordanian immigrants who arrived between 1958-1962. There are more than 3,000 people of Indian descent. We had an unplanned visit to the International Society of Krishna Consciousness temple after about a 60-minute picturesque drive to the top of the New Govardhan Hill in Gurabo. We were amazed by the view of the valley from the hilltop with the natural surroundings of many fruits-laden trees of papaya, banana, guanabana, passion fruit, and many more.

Once an impassable fortified city, San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico and its beating heart. Old San Juan, also known as the Old City, transports you back in time as you walk through the cobblestoned streets and amidst the centuries-old buildings, so expertly restored, brightly colored, and transformed into everything. From theaters to hotels, cafes, restaurants, intriguing museums while reflecting a vibrant culture, Old San Juan has it all.

Don’t miss a visit to San Juan National Historic Site and don’t forget to bring your camera.

Here are a few things I have summed up for your planned or unplanned future trip to Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico is a tropical island, which means that it is usually hot, it rains frequently, and the humidity is incredibly high. It is hard to keep things dry. For a more extended stay, having access to a laundry dryer helps.

Taxes and roads are tough and rough. The Puerto Rico government recently passed the IVU—a Value-Added Tax (basically a sales tax) which adds about 10.5% to the retail price for most goods (fuel, food, and hotel rooms are exempt). Even with this, though, lots of essential government services are struggling. This is especially true of the roads, which will give your car a royal beating, even if you’re a cautious driver. There are potholes everywhere.

A rental car is a must. Mass transit doesn’t exist in Puerto Rico outside of San Juan’s capital. As a result, pretty much everyone uses personal cars to get around.

Uber and Lyft are only in and around San Juan. The parking spots are tiny, so don’t rent big cars or SUVs even if you are used to them.

Traffic is a mess. Taxis are only shared in San Juan, around the airport, hotels, and very touristy areas, and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have no presence on the island. As a result, everyone in Puerto Rico commutes to work in their cars, which, combined with the abysmal road maintenance, means that traffic is an absolute nightmare to deal with—especially during rush

hour.

Rum—Puerto Rico distills the finest rums globally, including Bacardi, Don Q, and their greatest secret, Barrilito (you can’t get it on the mainland).

Puerto Rico’s weather is perfect for growing the Arabica bean, which has a more exquisite, smoother flavor than the common robusta bean from Latin and South America. They have the only coffee the Pope drinks (AltoGrande).

Old San Juan. Five-hundred years of history make Old San Juan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a unique city.

Charming cobblestone streets and colorful old Spanish architecture make it one of the most beautiful cities. I heard that if you visit while the “Sanse” fiestas are taking place, you will be seeing the largest block party in the world!

Beaches. Puerto Rico has warm weather year-round, making for an eternal summer, perfect for the beach.

And beaches they have, from fine white sand in Culebra to coarse yellow sand in Maunabo, ferrous black sand in Mayaguez, and calcareous sand in Cabo Rojo. There are numerous beaches where you will find just yourself and a few seagulls. Many have picnic tables. My personal favorite was Playa Punta Borinquen.

El Yunque—the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. Forest System, El Yunque covers 28,000 acres and receives more than 200 inches of rain per year. Several trails lead to beautiful waterfalls amidst lush greenery.

El Coqui and Gallina De Palo (Eleutherodactylus coqui) is a tiny frog endemic to Puerto Rico, whose male makes a loud call at night. This tiny amphibian has become a national symbol of identity for Puerto Ricans.

Gallina De Palo, or green iguanas, are sighted everywhere. Just stay away from them.

Honestly, five days were not enough to visit and experience Puerto Rico. When you visit Puerto Rico, please assume that you’re going to try to see as much as you can of ALL of Puerto Rico and if it is for the first time, I suggest being at least open to visiting again. I would say that at least a week would be fine. One day, walk through Old San Juan, drink, and dine at night. One day for a trip to El Yunque (the rainforest). One day to visit Ponce, very much like Spokane, dry. The Art Museum is gorgeous; King Cream Helados, La Guancha Boardwalk, and the trio of Castillo—Serrallés, Cruceta del Vigia, and the Japanese Gardens are natural treasures. One or two days to soak up the sun and maybe chill or meditate at the Playa Punta Borinquen Beach at Aguadilla. If you’re in the Old San Juan/Condado/ Escambrón Beach/Miramar area, plan to walk around, and have a nice meal.

Puerto Rico as a destination is a complete package— beaches, nature, the food, coffee, the music, culture, and history. I will go back again, for sure.  Debadutta can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Gallery 110 competition spotlights emerging BIPOC artists artist JoEllen Wang said. The program specifically seeks artists of color. This year, around 30 applied, which was whittled down by jurors to 10 finalists, of which up to seven will be chosen as winners of a gallery membership, career mentoring, and a guaranteed show. “We wanted Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). We got BIPOC…all of

Courtesy: Gallery 110

“We had always had in our mission… that we want to invite people who didn’t have as many opportunities,” said David Haughton, artist member of Gallery 110, where local artists have come together as a cooperative to support each other and show their art.

“There was a core group of mostly old white guys,” Haughton admitted of the gallery’s origins. Enter the Emerging Artists Program, a scholarship competition in its second iteration, which gives artists a chance to benefit from gallery membership—and the gallery a chance to expand its roster.

“We had an Gina Ariko’s art, such as “Teapot, 2021, deals partly with family meopportunity to mentos bring in several new people at once, new to being them are good. All of them are talented,” artists as well as new to the gallery, said Haughton. new perspectives for a group that had been together for a while,” member see BIPOC ARTISTS on 15

Poster featuring work from each finalist

Even on sunny “F ire Island,”

there’s too much shade

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “I’m so glad that you’ve found a way to feel good in spite of all the fucked up sh** we deal with. But you think that if you’re vulnerable for just one second, that it’s all going to come crashing down; and maybe that’s true for you, but it’s not true for me.

I want to be vulnerable.”

So says Howie (Bowen Yang) to Noah (Joel Kim Booster) during a trip to Fire Island, New York, the “Gay Disneyland” where every day might not necessarily be your happiest day ever.

Based on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film “Fire Island” deals with five gay friends that have a tradition of periodically meeting on the island to cut loose. They stay with Erin (Margaret Cho), a lesbian whom Cho describes as the “mom of the group” and also “the unintentional creeper. The weird third wheel—or [sixth] wheel.”

The story goes that Booster once read Austen’s seminal novel while on Fire Island and declared he would write a gay

version—and so he did. In the movie, instead of five daughters, there are five friends. And instead of striving to get them all married, the goal is to get laid. In particular, Noah, the “hot” one, vows he will help bestie Howie, the “mousy” one, lose his virginity, even if it means that Noah will not have any sexual adventures himself. Of course, both end up falling in love, Noah gets heartily chastised for being a busybody, and we all find out that, even among our inner circles, or our “safe spaces,” we can be dang mean to each other.

Booster has observed to the media that while reading “Pride and Prejudice,” he realized that Austen’s way of showing people being “awful to each other without being awful to each other” is another version of what gays call “shade.”

“People will say things that are coded insults,” director Andrew Ahn explained.

“It’s something we feel a lot as queer people, as people of color in this world.”

The movie is full of microaggressions based on body image, race, and income that the gays in the movie direct at each

“Fire Island” at its best is a place to feel safe and left loose, like Howie (Bowen Yang), center, does here. | Courtesy of Hulu and Disney+.

other, which highlights how even “Fire Island” is not an entirely inclusive place for the gay community.

According to Cho, “…within the queer community…we can have bias and we don’t acknowledge it because we’re already oppressed in other areas…

This film is really about the complicated relationship of being queer and being Asian and what that means within the community at large and in some place like Fire Island, which is steeped in a lot of privilege, even though everyone is gay there.”

In the movie, Howie, Noah, and their friends come upon Will (Conrad Ricamora), the Mr. Darcy of the film,

a wealthy doctor, who in Noah’s view is the “token Asian in a sea of white friends.” While Noah begins a love-hate relationship with Will, Howie falls for Charlie (James Scully), rich and white, whose friends take exception to his hanging out with those they consider trash. Howie, shy, retiring, and not body-obsessed, opens his heart, only to be hurt by the shallow machinations of Charlie’s tribe.

“It’s not just about Charlie. It’s a lifetime of Charlie’s,” moans Howie.

The shade is brutal, and familiar.

“Can I help you?” irritatingly posed see FIRE ISLAND on 15

Courtesy: Gina Ariko

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

11

■ WORLD NEWS Popular Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead at 28 NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police are investigating the murder of a popular Punjabi rapper, who blended hiphop, rap and folk music, a day after he was fatally shot, officials said.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also known around the world by his stage name Sidhu Moose Wala, was killed on the evening of May 29 while driving his Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu car in Mansa, a district in northern India’s Punjab state. Moose Wala, 28, was rushed

to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Punjab state’s top police official VK Bhawra said the initial investigation has revealed the killing to be an intergang rivalry.

A day before the attack, the Punjab government had pulled security cover for over 400 individuals, including Moose Wala, in a bid to clamp down on VIP culture, local media reports said.

Moose Wala started off as a songwriter before a hit song in 2017 catapulted his singing career, making him well known among the Indian and Punjabi diaspora in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada.

Most of his singles have an English title even though the songs were mainly sung in Punjabi. His glossy music videos were most famous for his rap lyrics and often focused on macho culture. His debut album in 2018 made

it to Canada’s Billboard Albums chart.

Moose Wala was a controversial figure, in part due to his lyrical style. In 2020, police charged him under India’s Arms Act for allegedly promoting gun culture in one of his songs.

His latest track, “The Last Ride,“ was released last month.

The rapper joined India’s Congress Party last year and unsuccessfully ran in the state’s assembly elections.

Punjab’s chief minister Bhagwant Mann said “no culprit will be spared” and that he was deeply shocked and saddened by the murder.

Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, took to Twitter to express his condolences over the killing.

“Deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of promising Congress leader and talented artist,” he said. 

Song Kang Ho wins award at Cannes Film Festival

By JAKE COYLE AP FILM WRITER CANNES, France (AP) — The 75th Cannes Film Festival named Korean star Song Kang Ho best actor for his performance in Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film “Broker,” about a Korean family seeking a home for an abandoned baby.

“I’d like to thank all those who appreciate Korean cinema,” said

Song, who also starred in Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winning film “Parasite” in Cannes three years ago.

Best actress went to Zar Amir Ebrahimi for her performance as a journalist in Ali Abbasi’s “Holy Spider,” a true-crime thriller about a serial killer targeting sex workers in the Iranian religious city of Mashhad. Violent and graphic, “Holy Spider” wasn’t permitted to shoot in Iran and instead was made

in Jordan. Accepting the award, Ebrahimi said the film depicts “everything that’s impossible to show in Iran.”

The closing ceremony on May 28 brings to a close a Cannes that has attempted to fully resuscitate the annual France extravaganza which was canceled in 2020 by the pandemic and saw modest crowds last year. This year’s festival also unspooled against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, which sparked

red-carpet protests and a dialogue about the purpose of cinema in wartime.

This year, the biggest Hollywood films at Cannes—“Elvis,”“Top Gun: Maverick,”“Three Thousand Years of Longing” — played outside Cannes’ competition lineup of 21 films. But their presence helped restore some of Cannes’. 

Song Kang Ho

U.S. senator visits Taiwan as China ups military threat TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth reiterated America’s support for Taiwan on her second visit in a year to the self-governing island claimed by China.

Duckworth, meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on May 31, emphasized the close economic, political and security relations between Taipei and Washington.

China sent 30 military aircraft toward the island on May 30 in an ongoing campaign of regular flights. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it responded by scrambling jets, putting air defense missile systems on alert and issuing radio warnings.

Duckworth said she wanted to “emphasize our support for Taiwan security.” The former Army helicopter pilot and lieutenant colonel in the National Guard cited strong bipartisan

backing for a bill she has put forward promoting cooperation between Taiwan’s armed forces and the National Guard.

“I do want to say that it is more than just about the military. It’s also about the economy,” the Illinois Democrat told Tsai.

Tsai thanked the U.S. government and Congress “for the importance they place on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” as well as Duckworth herself for “keeping a close watch on Taiwan related security issues.”

China said it strongly deplores Duckworth’s visit.

“Taiwan is a province of China, and there is no so-called president,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

He urged the U.S. to end all official contacts with Taiwan.

“The U.S. government has recently sent a series of erroneous

Sen. Tammy Duckworth

signals on the Taiwan issue,” he said. “What the U.S. government should do is to put into practice President Biden’s remarks that

the U.S. does not seek a new Cold War with China, does not aim to change China’s system, and does not support Taiwan independence.“ President Joe Biden said on a recent trip to Japan and South Korea that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put China’s threats against Taiwan under new focus, prompting increased backing for arms sales and political support from Democrats and Republicans.

China upped the ante further in May, reaching out to the Solomon Islands and nine other island nations with a sweeping security proposal that, even if only partially realized, could give it a presence in the Pacific much nearer Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and on the doorstep of the strategic American territory

of Guam.

That is seen as a potential route to blocking access to Taiwan by the U.S. and its allies in the event China makes good on its threat to invade the island.

In a speech on May 26, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said President Joe Biden’s administration aims to lead the international bloc opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter what it sees as a more serious, long-term threat to global order from China. He did say that the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence.

While relations with Taiwan are informal in deference to Beijing, the U.S. remains its main supplier of defensive arms and source of political support in international organizations where China blocks Taiwan’s participation. 

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asianweekly northwest

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

40 YEARS

found out Kalena was in fact my dad’s daughter, was pure amazement. One, to how far technology and advancements have come that we can provide answers for people looking for their relatives via some spit in a test tube. Another was the situation as a whole. Hearing stories of long-lost children finding their biological parents after so long, due to what was either fate or a coincidence between two individuals who decided to use the DNA test for different reasons. That sounds almost like a fairytale, something you’d see in movies or TV shows, or something that happens to other families besides your own. It’s crazy having it happen in the present moment,” My added.

Through the DNA testing kits, not only did Johnson discover her real ethnic background of being Vietnamese, but she also found her birth father and learned that she also has two half brothers.

FAMILY REUNION When Johnson met up with her family in person, she found it overwhelming but everything went really well despite having a lot of catching up to cram into a couple of days.

Johnson had planned a trip to Seattle in May before she had heard back about the DNA results. The timing worked out perfectly because she was able to meet up with her birth father, Thien Hong, and half brother, My Hong, in addition to seeing Nguyen again.

“I was really nervous at first because I had all these feelings of him not accepting me fully, but that was totally squashed in the conversations prior to meeting up,” Johnson said.

Over the phone prior to meeting in person, they caught up on Thien’s time at the refugee camp in Vietnam, his first years living in Washington, where he used to work, and Johnson shared about her childhood growing up in White Center.

They learned that Thien and My actually lived within five miles of Johnson back in the day, and it’s likely they could’ve passed each other on the streets without even knowing.

Photo provided by Kalena Johnson

23ANDME from 1

My Hong, Kalena’s brother, Thien, and Kalena

THE DISCOVERY Nguyen dug through old family photos and showed Johnson photos of her uncles.

Johnson then proceeded to show the photos to her mom and aunts who were her mom’s age to ask if anyone looked familiar.

The one piece of key information that Johnson’s mom had provided was that her birth father had an older son in Vietnam.

Through the photos, Johnson and her mom identified her birth father who was the overlapping person in the photos that her mom recognized. Johnson let Nguyen know, and Nguyen confirmed that it was the uncle who had a son in Vietnam.

Nguyen hadn’t been in touch with this uncle for almost two decades, so Johnson wasn’t sure if a reunion would be possible.

However, when Nguyen reached out to her uncle, he was really excited about the thought of having a daughter, and was more than happy to take a DNA test to find out. In addition, he let Nguyen know that if the results came back and he wasn’t the father, he was happy to help reach out to his brothers to continue Johnson’s search.

Johnson ordered another DNA test for Nguyen’s uncle who lives in Kent. She had expected the results to take up to two months but they came back two weeks later.

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On April 6, Johnson found her birth father through the DNA test results. Immediately after, she received a long email from her half brother on their father’s behalf saying that he was super excited about the news and looked forward to connecting at some point. Johnson replied, and the three of them ended up FaceTiming that evening.

They chatted for an hour and were all dumbfounded, but were also very excited and planned to stay in touch.

NEW FOUND FAMILY MEMBERS My, who is 12 years younger than Johnson, actually went to the same schools as her growing up. Johnson and My’s older half brother, who’s in his mid-40s, now lives in Australia. There were complications at the refugee camp and he and his mother couldn’t go to the United States. His mom ended up meeting someone and they went to Australia instead. At first, Thien had kept in touch with him, but the relationship got complicated so they’re not in touch anymore.

“I grew up as an only child so my childhood was lonely, and we didn’t have many family gatherings either, so I was disconnected from all my cousins throughout my early years. Though the age difference between my sister and I could

be considered a generational gap, it’s nice knowing that I wasn’t truly alone all this time,” My added.

“For me, growing up, my maternal family was pretty multicultural but I was the only Asian in my family. I never had a connection to my community where I grew up even though most of my friends and neighbors were Vietnamese. For me, this has been even more rewarding than I could’ve anticipated. I was already connected to the culture as it was, but not as my own, so now to be formally a part of the culture, has been so gratifying,” Johnson said.

“I hope by forging this new relationship with Kalena, we can all spend more time with each other as a family. Between my dad and his siblings, a lot of them don’t speak to each other anymore. In turn, that meant as I grew up, I spent less and less time with anyone from my extended family. When Annie reached out to us, it was the first time we had spoken in nearly two decades. I’m excited for what the future holds for all of us,” My shared over text.

GOING BACK TO CULTURAL ROOTS During Johnson’s stay in Seattle, they had a lot of time to talk and catch up despite there being a language barrier. She even stayed at Thien’s house for a few nights and they looked at family photos. Thien invited her to visit Vietnam for Tet next year.

Johnson is motivated to learn some Vietnamese before visiting Vietnam next year.

“Hopefully learning some Vietnamese will help me when I’m there. But it also is a way to deepen the connection I have culturally. It’s a space that’s gone unfilled for so long and visiting during Tet will be huge. As a kid, I lived down the street from a monastery growing up, and felt sad that I couldn’t take part or didn’t have that to celebrate. Having the opportunity to visit Vietnam during Tet, visit my grandparents’ grave sites, and meet other relatives, is this tsunami of cultural moments that I’ve waited my whole life to experience,” Johnson said.  Nina can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of June 4–June 10, 2022

By Sun Lee Chang Dragon—Not sure how to interpret a new development? Try not to read too much into it without finding out more.

Monkey—Anticipating a future request can put you ahead of the game. A step ahead is much better than being behind.

Ox—Make the most of your current situation.

It may not be perfect, but there is plenty to be grateful for.

Snake—A quick turnaround isn’t always the highest priority. It is of greater importance that it is done right.

Rooster—Instead of aiming to keep up, consider trying to take the lead. You have much to offer in this situation.

Tiger—Although you are good at remembering things, it would still be prudent to write things down.

Horse—An exciting chapter is beginning, but there is uncertainty associated with it.

Accept that this is part of the fun.

Dog—It might be more comfortable to go back to what you know, but there is something better waiting for you.

Rabbit—Are you in a role you didn’t expect?

Taking the lead can have some surprising benefits.

Goat—While the amount might be intimidating, you should be able to make quick work of it in no time.

Pig—Has a recent search turned up some startling information? If you keep going, be prepared for what you find.

Rat—Your slow and steady approach will eventually rule the day. The trick is to stay patient in the meantime.

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.

AANHPI from 3 for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

It celebrated the passage of an anti-hate crime bill in Congress, along with bills to create a national museum for AAPI history and culture and to enhance education about AAPI history, as well as the appointment of AANHPI officials by the Biden administration.

Speakers included Ambassador Katherine Tai, the first AAPI U.S. trade representative, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, and Rep. Judy Chu of California, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

President Biden and Vice President Harris appeared in a video address at a ceremony praising the late transportation secretary, Norman Mineta.

The theme of the celebration, according to host, Howard Ou, associate director of White House Office of Public Engagement, was “building legacy together.”

A panel of high-level officials seemed to stress that the way for AANHPI youngsters to succeed was to find their voices as a way out of introversion.

Nani Coloretti, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, said her grandfather had organized unions in Hawaii after emigrating from the Philippines. She said young people needed to learn to be curious, for instance about the people they were working with.

The deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, John Tien, said his father, an immigrant from Nationalist China, had asked him about his future while the two were lifting weights.

“He was a college football player, and I was a high school football player. He had a barbell over my neck, and he said, ‘What do you think of going to college?’” said Tien, who later went to West Point at his father’s recommendations.

But he said his decision to go was all about service.

“I did go to West Point out of an obligation to the nation, an obligation to the country that really put our family into the United States of America that made me an American,” he said.

When asked about advice for young people, he said there

CHICKEN EXPORT from 4 But there is concern over the fate of the ubiquitous chicken rice that is sold everywhere from hawker stalls to top hotels. Popular eatery Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which gets its poultry entirely from Malaysia, reportedly said it will introduce pork and seafood dishes instead of using frozen chicken if it fails to find new suppliers.

was an “unconscious bias applied to introverts.”

But, he added, the most important thing is to “show up.”

Another panelist, Gautam Raghavan, assistant to the president and director of the Office of Presidential Personnel, said he had come out as gay in 2003 in the midst of a national debate on same-sex marriage.

“For me, coming out, I would like to say it was my first political act,” he said.

He gave a slightly different note, saying that young people mainly needed to put their heads down and do good work.

The final panelist, Rohini Kosoglu, domestic policy advisor to the vice president, said that young people needed to find their voices even when confronted with discrimination that might seem trivial.

“For those of you that have been in classrooms or you get nervous like they are about to say my name, and I know the teacher does not know how to say it, and you are holding your breath, I think all of those things lead you—led me to this public service piece,” she said.

While diversity was a major theme of the Biden campaign, critics say the administration fares poorly compared to earlier administrations in its commitment to elevating AAPI appointees to the highest levels.

Though Tai holds a Cabinet-level position, the Biden administration is the first in 20 years without an AAPI cabinet secretary.

As if aware of such criticism, Raghavan said that 15% of overall appointees in the Biden administration were AAPI. Thai said she had traveled around the country listening to concerns of the community.

“While these discussions involve trade policy, we find ourselves talking about our shared priorities and challenges. I worked to incorporate this into the work and make sure these perspectives are reflected in the policies we develop together,” she said.

Krystal Ka’ai, executive director of the WHIAANHPI, which was formed by an executive order in May 2021, mentioned a project to disaggregate federal data to more precisely understand the needs of the AANHPI community.

“We have been working hard to address long-standing issues that have long plagued our communities, including

Malaysia’s ban comes as countries worldwide grapple with soaring food prices, fueled partly by the Ukraine war.

Ukraine is a major exporter of corn and grains that are key components of chicken feed.

India also moved to protect its markets, restricting sugar and wheat exports, while Indonesia temporarily halted—and then lifted—palm oil sales abroad.

Apart from the export ban, Malaysia

the need for greater data—we are rebuilding trust in the communities and between the federal government through our outreach and engagement,” she said.

Still, conspicuous progress had perhaps come even more from Congress. Hirono introduced the anti-hate bill that Biden signed in May of last year. The legislation directs the Department of Justice to designate one person to make it easier for non-English speakers to report hate crimes.

Hirono said the next steps, however, were enshrined in other bills—one to build a new museum for AAPI history and culture, and another to ensure that forgotten parts of history, such as the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII, were more widely known.

The celebration was interspersed with music and fashion exhibitions that showed the diversity of cultures that constitute the AANHPI community.

However, perhaps because of the attempt to encompass as many different cultures as possible, and fit them in alongside multiple speakers, two panels, and numerous video presentations, the exhibitions at times seemed slightly rushed.

A dancer wearing a traditional Korean outfit, struggled to remove her hat as part of a performance, before twirling it as she spun.

A Chinese woman modeling a qipao trod on the train of a woman in front of her.

Panelists, as well, seemed to become suddenly aware they were running out of time.

“I just saw I’m at the two-minute mark,” said Coloretti.

Kosoglu, following her, said she was aware she had one minute left to conclude.

Still, the organizers were faced at the last minute with figuring out how to effectively honor the dead students and teachers in the most recent school shooting as part of the ceremony.

Ou, in fact, began the ceremony by repeating several recent statements by Biden about the massacre.

Although the heritage month was established in 1977, this was the first time it had formally included native Hawaiians.  Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

also abolished import permits for chicken and other foods to boost food supply and curb prices amid public anger. It has earlier capped chicken prices and allocated subsidies for farmers squeezed by rising cost of chicken feed, partly caused by a weakening Malaysian currency.

The move came as a surprise by Ismail’s government, which took power in August and faces a general election next year. The government is also investigating claims

that cartels are controlling the price and supply of chicken.

The ban not only caused alarm in Singapore but also troubled smaller Malaysian poultry farmers who supply to Singapore to help keep their operations afloat. The government didn’t say how long the export ban will last, but officials expect supply and prices to normalize within a month. 

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JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

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CHINATOWNS from 5 In Vancouver’s Chinatown, the pandemic only exacerbated ongoing issues of vandalism, graffiti and other crimes. But within the last year, the Canadian city managed to launch cultural projects planned before COVID-19.

In April, the Chinatown Mural Project showed off a series of pastoral murals painted by a local artist on six roller shutters of a tea shop. In November, the interactive Chinatown Storytelling Centre with relics and recorded oral histories opened.

“We would have done this anyway (regardless of the pandemic),” said Carol Lee, chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, which oversees the Centre.

“But you know, in some ways, it makes you feel like you have more purpose because it’s more necessary.”

Jordan Eng, president of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association, agreed that there’s more

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collaboration and “a lot more youth interest than there was five, 10 years ago.”

There are fewer than 50 Chinatowns across the U.S. with some more active than others.

Many Chinatowns took shape in the 19th century as Chinese laborers arrived to mine for gold out West or work on the railroad. They lived there because of blatant discrimination or self-preservation. Their housing was single-room-occupancy units, or SROs, with communal kitchens and bathrooms, said Harvey Dong, a lecturer in ethnic studies and Asian American studies at University of California, Berkeley.

Many older Chinese Americans and immigrants in Chinatown reside in these units still.

Another constant in Chinatowns: development_from the sales of no longer affordable SROs in San Francisco to a light rail expansion in Seattle to a proposed new jail in New York City. Chinatowns elsewhere

have shrunk to a block or disappeared altogether because of gentrification. It’s a tricky juxtaposition for a city to tout Chinatowns to tourists yet offer few resources to its residents.

“So you have these huge festivals to bring in businesses. You have these parades and all this stuff. But definitely, it’s important that the needs of the community, especially the working class and the poor, are addressed,” Dong said.

Meanwhile, excited arts and culture advocates are moving forward to put their own stamp on Chinatown.

Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative in San Francisco is designing Edge on the Square, a $26.5 million media and arts center set to open in 2025. In New York, Think!Chinatown plans to lease a space with a kitchen for art exhibitions and cooking classes. The hope is to keep engaging with Asian Americans inside and outside of Chinatown.

“What draws them to Chinatown is

that cultural connection,“ Kong said. “It’s something you can’t really put your finger on. ... But it’s really the soul of Chinatown. And we need to keep protecting it and make sure it can grow.” 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

YOUR VOICE

Brian Vu’s art combines repetition and improvisation.

asianweekly northwest

15

Sophia Fang displays some of her postcards.

This year’s finalists include several of Asian heritage.

Gina Ariko spent every other summer visiting her jichan (grandfather) and bachan (grandmother) in Fukuoka, Japan. Since both were artists, “their house would be full of art…That had a really big influence on me.” Ariko knew she wanted to be an artist, too, but thought she should wait until she felt secure. But it was the opposite. The pandemic hit, and Gina had extra time, but she also lost her jichan, with whom she had hoped to share her art, and whom she couldn’t visit due to travel restrictions.

“Losing that opportunity really lit something inside of me…It pushed me to go for it.” The works Ariko submitted to the competition, which can be viewed at www.ginaariko. com, express her desire to connect with her family and heritage during the isolation of the pandemic.

Julian Peña also knew art was his passion from an early age. Born in Japan, he was 12 when his mom moved to Tacoma.

“That’s when my interest in art blossomed.” A video game, anime, and Japanese woodblock print fan, Peña immersed himself in stories and visuals that would influence his art, but at first, he was too shy to show it.

“I live in fantasy worlds often, even as an adult.” UW School of Art, and a supportive high school teacher, boosted his confidence. “I was convinced that’s what I wanted to do with my life.” Peña had a gallery, but it took away from creating new art. The competition provided a chance to get back into it. Some of the works Peña prepared for the jurors are at www.jpenastudio.com.

“I love the expressions and emotions they convey. It’s very unique and it’s steeped in Japanese history.”

Sophia Fang was born and raised in Washington. In her day job, she meets small business owners and celebrates their stories through marketing, but also watercolor postcards of store fronts. After the Atlanta shootings, she used her art to fundraise for nonprofits in Asian women’s issues. Merging art and work enables Fang to direct her passion “as a catalyst to drive social change and create action.” It has helped her realize that “art is a form of self-expression, but it’s also an aspect of community building and collaboration.” Fang showed the jurors two

Credit: Julian Peña

BIPOC ARTISTS from 10

A recent work by Julian Peña, “Indulge the Tycoon.”

Marie Okuma Johnston in front of one of her projects.

works from her series “Nourir” (to nurture), which focuses on “places of nourishment” around Seattle, physical, mental, or emotional, and one that “pays homage to the hyper-locality” of Pioneer Square and the ChinatownInternational District. You can learn more about Fang at www.sophiafang.com.

Marie Okuma Johnston also has a history of service.

Although she had dual U.S.-Japan citizenship, she lost touch with her Japan side until age 7, when she spent summers there. As her interest in her identity grew, so did her penchant for visual art. A serendipitous work connection led her to making merchandise for the Minidoka pilgrimage committee and Minidoka itself.

Along the way, she became fascinated with hanafuda, small playing cards “born out of resistance,” popular

every time Noah and gang enter the rich kids’ sanctum, means, “You should not be here.”

“We don’t play games,” uttered by stuffy Will means, “You are all children.”

“One of his parents is white,” tossed off by Will’s snobby white friend, means, “That’s why he’s good looking,” and “That’s why it’s okay for me to like him.”

The relief is Noah (even though he also causes a lot of the stress) because he blithely— and correctly—calls out every offensive comment and action made. And the relief is Howie, whose willingness to be real provides a balm to all of the artificiality. The relief is the entire gang of impoverished friends, who rejoice that if one of them dates a doctor, “it will be just like having health insurance again” and who learn that the only permanent thing in life is

Courtesy of Hulu and Disney+.

FIRE ISLAND from 10

Family is what you make of it on “Fire Island.”

change.

“The queer community is living in an age where we are out at some points, closeted in others, because we don’t feel safe,” Ahn shared. “We are open about our sexuality to some people but not to others. It’s a really difficult thing to navigate…that’s reflected in how our films are made.”

“Bros,” a predominantly white film, is coming out in the fall and has touted itself as “the first all-LGBTQ-casted” film for a “major studio.” “Fire Island,” put out in collaboration with Hulu and Disney+, seems to fit this category already, and casts multiple people of color. Ahn strove diligently to make it so.

during Japanese prohibition and in U.S. incarceration camps. Johnston made a set related to the camps where inserted into a traditional Japanese scene she would put, say, a guard tower. Johnston included several works in her application dealing with Japanese folklore, some of which can be viewed at www.okumajohnston.com.

As a minimalist in art and life, Brian Vu realizes his works are difficult to interpret compared to others.

“I don’t feel represented in fine arts or craft in general, so I feel like I’m constantly emerging.” He grew up surrounded by his dad’s art books, which contained “a lot of eastern art…with some renaissance and impressionism mixed in.” He worried he couldn’t live off art but decided to see if he could “do the starving artist thing.” Vu’s ceramics incorporate his sense of self as a Vietnamese American, and his views on capitalism and colonialism, porcelain being a product appropriated by the Europeans. His pieces, found at www.bottegabv.com, reference everyday activities—the repetition of daily placing a coffee cup in the same spot— yet explore the improvisation or spontaneity people still retain when “getting from point A to point B.” “I’m interested in correcting the current mix,” said Wang. “I assume/know there are good artists out there who are Black and Indigenous and Chinese and whatever.

The issue is that they’re not being represented. I don’t think there’s any group that hasn’t benefited from more diversity.”

Winners will be made public June 2 and finalists’ works shown at Gallery 110 through July 2.  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

“I love giving queer actors opportunities that we haven’t always gotten.” Ahn told the Weekly that when they were searching for Mr. Darcy, people told him to just give up and find a straight actor. “I was like, ‘No, I think we can find the person.’…

The more we can cast and give opportunities to queer actors, the happier and healthier this industry is going to be.”

“We’re doing really well in terms of telling stories that haven’t been told and going past identity into a place of allowing time to share who we are,” said Cho. I wish everyone would watch this movie, though I know that won’t happen. It’s so funny and charming and clever, so heartfelt, and so revealing. I know, especially, that there will be heterosexuals who cannot stand to watch two gay men kiss (or more). As the Weekly discussed with Ahn, gay people have been

watching straight movies for generations, like it or not, so why can’t straight people get onboard with considering gay cinema just one more genre? Ahn has said that he made “Fire Island” for himself and his gay friends, and he’s okay with that, for now.

“I would love it for a general audience to watch this film and be super excited about it and find something that moves them, but…I’d love for queer Asian American people to see this, to see themselves in some way onscreen and feel excited and inspired to tell their own stories.”  “Fire Island” world premieres June 2 at New York City’s NewFest Pride, and streams on Hulu and Disney+ from June 3.

Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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JUNE 4 – JUNE 10, 2022

COMIC BOOK from 1 just been vaccinated. The child wears a red cape and is surrounded by floating balls with prongs on them—depictions of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

As the child adopts a pose with one arm flung up into the air, and another gripped at his side, vaguely reminiscent of a karate stance, a force field represented by a squiggly line cascades out around him.

It is from this shield that the viruses appear Olymar Gallagher, to be in full flight.

MPA, BSN, RN Still, the comic book is actually meant for families, despite its obvious appeal for kids.

“It’s meant to allow parents to start the conversation with their kids,” said Dr. Dwane Chappelle, executive Image from “Handbook for Health Heroes” director of DEEL. The questions that are raised throughout the 12-page saga, in fact, touch upon many of the questions that Seattle public schools, it is over 65%. For 12-17 years, the researchers have found to be among the most pressing, national average increases to 58%. But for the district, many of them fueled by misinformation or lies spread on 85% of that age group is vaccinated. some television networks or social media.

Still, Gallagher expects a lot from the heroes in the For instance, a survey taken by the Kaiser Family comic book. She expects they will help communicate with Foundation last year found that 24% of Americans had parents and their kids that otherwise might have language heard that the vaccine can actually cause COVID-19. Of barriers. those, 10% believed the falsehood, while 14% were unsure.

The comic is intended for an audience of families with In the comic book, this is the only one of nine questions kids who are between 5 through 11. And experts say that is depicted as being asked by an adult, and not a child. elementary school kids are enamored of superheroes.

A gray-haired woman with a Band-Aid on her arm and So Gallagher expects it to help with families whose first a little girl in a red cape (also with a Band-Aid) holding language is not English. onto her back, asks in a bubble that fills up nearly half the DEEL is translating it into multiple languages, including picture, “CAN I GET COVID-19 FROM THE VACCINE?” Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, with one other yet to be The answer is: “A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HEARD determined.

THIS AND THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Still, that’s not the only time when superheroes are The heroes depicted in the comic book include mostly needed—to leap in a single-bound tall buildings of children, bravely asking questions or enduring the slight linguistic and cultural differences. pain of a shot. But there are also researchers, holding test The brave avengers of the “Handbook for Health tubes, and families sorting out answers together.

Heroes” comic book will also do duty in more complex And, of course, all these heroes depend on heroes in real cases, according to Gallagher. life, such as Olymar Gallagher, a certified school nurse and An immunocompromised child in her school contracted former high school teacher, who has a master’s in public COVID-19 multiple times and grew “very, very upset,” she administration in emergency and disaster management. said. The parents were working full-time and had multiple Her superpower, she reveals in an interview, and later children and it took months to convince them for the confirms in an email, is “caring.” family to get vaccinated.

As she speaks on a video conference call, she is Her experience is not unique. Several surveys found frequently called to give care to students. that logistical problems are major factors preventing “Excuse me,” she says at one point, “I have to give vaccination. Gallagher said the comic would help in such asthma medication.” situations.

She disappears from the screen for a few moments and “I look forward to the comic distribution and to then is back. using it as another tool for having conversations about The comic book, she says, will be part of the school’s immunizations,” she said. and the district’s ongoing efforts to get kids vaccinated.

Chappelle is planning to use it to talk with his daughter.

These have included vaccine and booster clinics held at For Bailey Gatzert, where most kids are of color, it helps her school, Bailey Gatzert. Another clinic is approaching. that almost all the heroes in the comic are people of color.

“The Seattle School District has been lucky to work with Nationally, vaccine hesitancy is increasingly common medical providers like Othello Station Pharmacy, Seattle among white Republicans. And national statistics show Visiting Nurses, and Safeway Pharmacy who are excellent vaccine hesitancy is now almost equal among Latinos, at working with children. They are warm and comforting. Blacks, and whites, according to the African American They also speak many languages,” said Gallagher.

Research Collaborative.

As a result, the vaccination rates of students in the But in our region, according to Public Health— school district are much higher than national averages. Seattle & King County, “In King County, COVID-19 is Nationally, only 28% of 5-11 years are vaccinated. In disproportionately impacting communities of color.”

BTS from 1 an interpreter. “Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences.” V said that “everyone has their own history.”

“We hope today is one step forward to understanding and respecting each and everyone as a valuable person,” V added.

The band members wore black suits and ties and took turns briefly stepping to the podium. They got a tour of the White House before the briefing, and held a closed-door meeting with the president in the Oval Office afterward. Biden administration officials have spent recent weeks holding roundtable discussions and other meetings with Asian American leaders to discuss the violence.

Since its debut in 2013, BTS has garnered global recognition for the members’ selfproduced music and activism, including an appearance at the United Nations. The band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart

three times in 2020, and was nominated for prominent music awards like the Grammys, Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.

The normally cramped White House briefing room was even more jammed than usual, as journalists on-hand to cover BTS packed the aisles alongside the rows of seats assigned to outlets who regularly attend. The White House livestream—not known for large, middle-of-the-afternoon audience—attracted more than 230,000 viewers before the event even began.

After the band members spoke and had their comments translated, reporters began to ask them questions, but Jean-Pierre— who had said previously that members wouldn’t take questions—intervened, saying, “We’re gonna go.” That prompted BTS members to offer, “We’re sorry” as they filed away from the podium.

Following the band was Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, who was there to

Chappelle was previously principal of Rainier Beach High School, where the graduation rate increased by 25% under his leadership.

He said, “Representation is important. Historically, culturally-specific information about vaccines has not been widely available. We know that communities of color continue to be more impacted by COVID-19 but also have been the most hesitant to get vaccinated. When it comes down to the ethnicity of the different characters in the comic, we wanted to create a resource that our families of color could relate to and see themselves in as they consider their decisions about the COVID-19 vaccination for their families.”

A goal for “Handbook for Health Heroes” is not only to save lives, but to allow kids to continue to remain at school.

“For us at the DEEL, we want to support our families with the culturally and linguistically acceptable information about the COVID-19 vaccine to help our kids stay safe and healthy and make sure they’re able to learn in person with their peers,” said Chappelle.

For Gallagher, the comic is part of what she calls a “monumental” amount of support she’s gotten.

DEEL has provided or facilitated take-home activity kits, nearly $3 million to childcare workers for their work during the pandemic, $100,000 in grants to students for projects to address hate and discrimination, as well as vaccine education and clinics at many schools.

Gallagher is also grateful for logistical support from the Seattle School District during the pandemic.

“I’ve never worked so hard in my life. And there are definitely days when I want to throw in the towel, but the people have been massively supportive, and the team—I’ll go to Mars with this team, and I have no idea how to get there.”

As she leaves the screen again to attend to another child, the background shows a plain nurse’s office. When she returns, she addresses some of the criticism that inevitably appears on social media.

“So there’s lots of work to be done, but I think it’s easy to criticize and it’s much harder to do. I mean you can criticize all day long, but we’re on a train that sometimes feels like it’s falling apart and we’re trying to repair it as it’s moving and it’s unprecedented,” she said.

Time for some more heroes.  To view the comic book online, go to: education.seattle.gov/handbook-for-health-heroes.

Mahlon can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

address reporters after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s meeting with Biden earlier in the day.

“I get to go home and tell my kids that BTS opened for me,” Deese joked, adding that he was sure the room was “as excited” to talk about inflation’s impact on the U.S. economy as they’d been for the band.

The scene was fun but the issue that brought the group to the White House was not. The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination since 2020 has included the March 2021 killing of eight people at Atlanta-area massage businesses, including six women of Asian descent.

Following those shootings, Asian American organizations across the U.S. staged unity events and took to social media to call for an end to racist attacks.

Within days, BTS tweeted, “We stand against racial discrimination” and included the hashtags #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate.

“We condemn violence. You, I and we all

have the right to be respected,” BTS wrote then. “We will stand together.”

The band thanked its fans, with Jungkook saying, “We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending language and cultural barriers.”

“We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things,” he added.

Jean-Pierre said BTS is hoping “to combat racism, xenophobia, intolerance” that Asian communities have faced.

She noted that Biden signed legislation combating COVID-19 hate crimes and issued an executive order reestablishing the White House initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific islanders, while helping to promote research to prevent racism against such communities. 