December 7, 2016 International Examiner

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 1

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Community efforts lead to public safety funding Donnie Chin legacy shines spotlight on decades-long struggle “I think the fact that we are going to provide funding for a community-based organization to house this position is really important because to make sure this person is really accessible and in the community, González said. “We need to make sure they are at an organization that is trusted by the community already and is already a place the community goes to get help. So there’s plenty of those types of organizations in the CID, so it will be a matter of identifying which one has the capacity to take on the public saftey coordinator.”

By Travis Quezon IE Editor in Chief Fifteen months ago, the community’s reaction to the murder of International District Emergency Center director Donnie Chin, who spent his life protecting in the Chinatown International District (CID), lit a beacon for the city on the neighborhood’s decades-long public safety concerns.

That beacon was fueled by an initial effort in September 2015 by community members—including nonprofits, businesses, and property owners in the neighborhood—who put together a public safety packet of 34 letters voicing public safety concerns. They cited a lack of police presence, the need for better emergency response, and problems with drugs and general safety late at night.

Ten copies of the packet of letters were delivered to Mayor Ed Murray and each Seattle City Council member. In response to the packet, the mayor assembled the CID Public Safety Task Force in early 2016 to offer suggestions on how the city can improve public safety. Recommendations by the task force, including a city-funded public safety coordinator in the neighborhood, led to the mayor’s CID Public Safety Action plan in July 2016.

That same month, the results of a public safety survey conducted by the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) and InterIm CDA shed light on a potentially big problem with crime data on the neighborhood. The Seattle Police Department’s strategies were being guided by data that said the biggest rise in crime in the CID was car prowls. The survey, however, found that crimes such as drug dealing, guns being fired in the neighborhood, and violent crimes often go unreported because a majority of CID residents don’t call 911 due to language barriers and an expectation that there would be no follow through by police.

The efforts by the community since Chin’s death to get the city to take action on the neighborhood’s public safety concerns has led to the funding of several key efforts.

The funding comes to the CID as as part of the 2017-2018 biennium budget passed on November 21 by the Seattle City Council.

Public safety survey gets city support

Donnie Chin (right) dedicated his life to protecting the Chinatown International District. Community efforts since his murder have put pressure on the city to act on public safety concerns. • Photo by Dean Wong

the city fund a full-time community-based public safety coordinator. In November, the city council added to the budget $75,000 in 2017 and $75,000 in 2018 to fund a public safety coordinator position at a community organization. The public safety coordinator will act as a community liaison with the city and serve as co-chair of the CID Steering Committee formed in response to the CID Public Safety Task Force recommendations.

Seattle City Councilmember Lorena González, who represents the city at large, led the effort in the council to secure funding for the public safety coordinator position. González said the funding of position and other public safety measures is the result of grassroots efforts from within the community.

“With the loss of Donnie Chin, that left a big gap,” González said. “He effectively was [filling the role of a public safety coordinator] in the CID. He was effectively acting as a public safety leader. And, I think that this is our commitment in the city to fund, to actually put our dollars and invest them in this way, so we are able to support the neighborhood by helping them identify who should be in this position and what the work will be.”

González said the public safety coordinator position is the only position that exists in any neighborhood in Seattle.

CID public safety coordinator expected “This is a new idea,” González said. to be on the job by next year “This is a new position and it’s the first time The CID Public Safety Task Force we are funding a position like this. And, recommended in its report to the mayor that that’s because the community asked us to

do it. … I think this is a new and innovative approach to trying help the city figure out how do we best meet the public safety needs of the community. So I hope it will be successful so we can look to duplicating in other neighborhoods that have similar public safety needs.”

González described the public safety coordinator as a “one-stop shop” for people in the community to talk to about the concerns they are seeing, in terms of livability or public safety in the neighborhood. The coordinator would be able to connect community members with appropriate services and advocate on their behalf. “[The public safety coordinator] will understand who it is they need to contact at the city to be able to address [neighborhood] concerns and to be able to address those concerns quickly,” González said. “And, I think, when you’re talking about immigrant communities and refugee communities, that’s an important function for the community to have, to have one person they are comfortable with, that they can talk to, that they trust knows the system and how to access the system, which is very confusing and hard to access.”

The public safety coordinator position will be housed under a community organization that is yet to be determined. González said the coordinator will start the job sometime next year, with the organization being identified and the money being released in the first quarter of 2017.

Funding for a CID public safety survey was also secured by González and City Council President Bruce Harrell, who represents District 2, which includes the CID, Sodo, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Columbia City, and Seward Park. Conducting an annual community public safety survey was a recommendation of the June 2016 CID Public Safety Task Force report.

The city’s biennium budget provides $20,000 in 2017 and $20,000 in 2018 for a local community-based organization to partner with an academic institution to perform culturally competent public safety surveys in the CID, including Little Saigon.

Public safety surveys in the CID done in the past by nonprofits SCIDpda and InterIm CDA served as a model for these newly funded surveys. SCIDpda and InterIm CDA worked with criminal justice students from Seattle University on the survey that was presented to the city council earlier this year without the help of city funding.

González said the city’s funding will institutionalize the annual survey by “supporting it with city dollars to make sure those community organizations can continue to do that public safety survey work with an academic institution.” She said she hopes the funding will allow future surveys to cast a wider net in terms of the number of people they are serving and answer key questions that arose out of the 2016 survey.

“Why is it that people who live and work in the CID neighborhood see crime and not report it? What is it about this neighborhood and the people who live and work there that results in a very low reporting of crime?

So, we try to figure out how we get to that question so we as a city can respond with policy that will deal with those barriers,” González said.

PUBLIC SAFETY: Continued on page 16 . . .

2 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

Never Again—Eternal Vigilance

By Bob Shimabukuro IE Columnist “The President has unlimited authority to issue an Executive Order to do anything.

The President has to suspend due process.

There has to be a determination that there is a military necessity or it is being done in the interests of national security. … So if you get the wrong President in, if the President decides that everybody born in Moscow, Idaho, should be put in a concentration camp, the President could do it.

What can we do? We sit back and keep our eyes and ears open and I think Thomas Jefferson’s expression, “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” How we remain vigilant is to put our politicians to task. We need to get more involved in the political process, pay attention to people running for significant offices like President of the U.S., attend political rallies, ask the questions, get commitments. ...

I wish I can say that the temper of the times is such that these things would never happen again but I know otherwise. You never can anticipate the nature of human beings, whether they are Presidents of the United States, or members of Congress, mayors or members of city council, you cannot anticipate what they will want to do in the future.

—Justice Charles Z. Smith, 1997 When Trump supporters obliquely recall the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and cite it as a possible precedent for monitoring Muslims in the United States, it’s a profound misreading of history. But it also shows how much language matters.

—Karen Ishizuka, 2016 One day we were free citizens, residents of communities, law abiding, protective of our families, and proud. The next day we were inmates of cramped, crowded American

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style concentration camps, under armed guards, fed like prisoners in mess hall lines, deprived of privacy and dignity, and shorn of all our rights. In the Portland Exposition Center there were 3,600 people under one roof. The horses’ stalls were made into living quarters, and in the exhibition area plywood sheets made up the four walls of family units.

—Emi Somekawa The day after President-elect Trump’s victory, I was angry and wondered, “What are our (Japanese American community and allies) responsibilities now?” In the campaign for Japanese American redress, we had changed the debate about the mass incarceration from a Japanese American civil rights issue to an American issue. No prefixes or qualifiers. All Americans are entitled to, at the very least, “due process.” And partly because of that, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (the Redress bill) passed Congress with bipartisan support. In return, all of us who had worked on redress thought we also made a commitment that we would be, as Justice Smith succinctly said, “eternally vigilant” against any kind of mass incarceration and “Never Again” would we let this happen.

In less than a month, Trump and his AltRight neo-Nazi followers have grabbed the words vigilant/vigilance and made them theirs. They will be “vigilantes” in ensuring that no Muslim will be entering the United States by creating registries; “making deals” with businesses to stay by giving tax cuts and destroying unions; and terrorizing people.

Terrorizing people According to Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), in the 10 days following Trump’s election, 867 hate incidents were reported nationally. SPLC pointed out that because the reporting of hate incidents is

IE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ron Chew, President Gary Iwamoto, Secretary Arlene Oki, At-Large Jordan Wong, At-Large Edgar Batayola, At-Large Heidi Park, At-Large COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER Lexi Potter lexi@iexaminer.org

BUSINESS MANAGER Ellen Suzuki finance@iexaminer.org

DISTRIBUTORS Joshua Kelso Makayla Dorn Maryross Olanday Tiger Song Rachtha Danh

underreported, this total is probably vastly under the total number.

Despite the West Coast decisively beating Trump, the number of incidents seem rather high, Washington at 48, Oregon 33, and California 99.

One of the reported Washington incidents From a teacher: “Build a wall!” was chanted in our cafeteria Wednesday (after the election) at lunch.

“If you aren’t born here, pack your bags!” was shouted in my own classroom.

“Get out, spic!” was said in our halls.

Here’s another which was reported to me: Daughter is in the fourth grade. A few weeks before the election, her teacher tells the class, “If Trump wins, a lot of you will have to go back home.”

When Trump won, the 9-year-old was confused and afraid, even after her dad told her she wouldn’t have to go because she was born in this country. She started crying because a lot of her friends would be deported.

Yeah, terrorizing people, even 9-year-old American citizens. Might be a long fouryear ride. Maybe an impeachment, and firing, but the Vice President-elect ain’t so hot either.

When I came to the mainland from Hawai‘i, I didn’t know much about the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans, but as I worked with the JA community in Portland and later, on a Seattle exhibit (the Wing Luke Asian Museum’s 1992 exhibition Executive Order 9066: 50 Years Before and 50 Years After), I learned how deep the scars of the incarceration were. The exhibit was drawing national attention. There had been

EDITOR IN CHIEF Travis Quezon editor@iexaminer.org

NEWS EDITOR Izumi Hansen news@iexaminer.org

ARTS EDITOR Alan Chong Lau arts@iexaminer.org

CHIEF COPY EDITOR Anna Carriveau ASSISTANT EDITOR Alia Marsha DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Rhea Panela rheapanela@iexaminer.org

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Anakin Fung

STAFF WRITER Chetanya Robinson CONTRIBUTORS Bob Shimabukuro P. Leephan-Williams Yayoi Winfrey Janet Brown Valerie Pang Donna Miscolta Carina A. del Rosario Nalini Iyer Ken Mochizuki Tamiko Nimura Shirley Ancheta

a lot of publicity generated about it, and a Nisei woman who knew I had been working on it began to talk: “You know, Bob, I would like to see the exhibit, but I just can’t. Everyone says it’s a good exhibit, but it brought back the bad memories. I just don’t want to go through that experience again.”

But to my surprise, about two weeks later, I got this report from her: “You remember last Sunday, how beautiful it was. Well, I thought maybe this was a perfect time to go see the exhibit.”

“And?” I asked, a bit wary.

“The beginning was okay. The immigration. The family and community things. But then the pictures, the newspaper articles, started to get me. The stuff about ‘Japs.’ Humiliating. Again. My legs were shaking. I continued and turned the corner, and there was the barrack scene you did. It was too much. I couldn’t go on. I just broke down.”

Tears came to her eyes as she completed her report on the exhibition.

2017 is the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. When you go to the Puyallup Fairgrounds and see the animal stalls, think about living there.

As for our commitment Never Again to let mass incarceration happen?

Catch a deep, deep breath, then keep moving as fast as you can.

An event on February 12 titled, ‘Writing, Redress and Social Justice: 75 years after Executive Order 9066’ will feature conversations with (Dad) Bob & (Daughter) Mira Shimabukuro. Mira Shimabukuro is the author of ‘Relocating Authority: Japanese Americans Writing to Redress Mass Incarceration.’ Bob Shimabukuro is the author of ‘Born in Seattle: The Campaign for Japanese American Redress.’ The event happens Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at Elliott Bay Book Company (1521 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122).

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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 3

IE OPINION

Congressional Gold Medal: Congratulations to our Filipino WWII Veterans From Women & Trans POC Healing Cipher & #our100seattle Action. • Photo by Sharon Chang

#Our100: We won’t run away, we won’t give up The following is a letter from Jill Today, Got Green joins with others around Mangaliman, executive director of the country for #Our100—a call to action Got Green, sent in the week after the coming from 100 national women of color November elections. leaders for 100 hours of action. Together with women and trans people of color in Dear Community, Seattle, we reaffirm our commitment to It’s been a heavy week for many of us. Black Lives Matter, No New Youth Jail, Though the local election results were Not 1 More deportation, Housing Justice, hopeful, we could not ignore how the Standing Rock, and a Just Transition for our presidential results impacted us. So many people and Mother Earth. questions and unknowns, especially concern We won’t run away. We won’t give up and fear about the safety of ourselves, our in creating a world where black and brown neighbors and loved ones. people, queer and trans people, disabled But, all of this is not new. Violence, people, immigrants, Muslims, indigenous misogyny, racism, xenophobia have always people can live with dignity and selfexisted in the United States since its creation. determination.

The presidential election of Donald Trump I want to thank all those who got up this has only exposed what was there all along, morning to face the day, to feel and to hope only now it is more blatant and aggressively with us, to rage, to organize, and to build out there. this movement together.

More than ever we need to organize.

In solidarity and love, More than ever, we need to take care of Jill Mangaliman, each other and support each other. We need Executive Director of Got Green to continue to defend our communities against deportations, militarized police, gentrification, and climate disasters.

UW American Ethnic Studies responds to election results The following is a statement from the University of Washington, Department of American Ethnic Studies, on undocumented students.

As a result of [November’s] presidential election, many of our undocumented students are experiencing a very high level of stress and angst from fear of an uncertain future for themselves and their families.

Coping with personal and familial anxiety has clearly affected the ability of many of our students to concentrate fully on their coursework.

Recognizing that the University has rightfully opened its doors to all qualified students regardless of resident status, faculty and staff in the Department of American Ethnic Studies are committed to addressing the needs of these students at this critical juncture. To this end, AES proposes the following steps: 1. Ask students in AES classes to feel free to confer with AES faculty and staff about any issues or concerns connected with the incoming presidential administration’s

hardened position regarding undocumented immigrants, especially those of Mexican descent.

2. Develop and implement alternative instructional strategies that will allow all affected students to complete class requirements. Structured assistance could be in the form of offering additional time or alternative spaces to complete class work.

3. Announce to each AES class that these resources are available to any student requesting such assistance.

4. Make the College of Arts & Sciences aware of the position taken by AES faculty and staff, and recommend that Deans encourage other departments in the College to adopt similar strategies.

5. Make the University central administration aware of the decision adopted by AES faculty and staff, and urge both President Ana Marie Cauce and Provost Jerry Baldasty to consider urging instructional units across the University to adopt a similar position.

The following is a statement from the Greater Seattle Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society.

It is with great respect and admiration that we congratulate the Filipino Veterans of World War II on receiving House approval for the Congressional Gold Medal on November 30, 2016. President Obama will be receiving the bill for signature soon. Over 70 years were lost waiting for recognition of their military service. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest award the United States can bestow.

This is a partial vindication of history for Filipino Veterans who served the United States and lost their veterans benefits in the Rescission Act of 1946. Over 250,000 soldiers in the United States. Territorial Philippines answered the call to arms serving under American command. Additionally, 16,000 Filipino Americans enlisted in the United States and the 1st & 2nd Filipino American Infantry Regiments were formed in California. This medal is a new historical landmark for WWII Filipino and Filipino American Veterans who answered the call to arms in California, the Philippines, and across the United States.

Greater Seattle FANHS echoes the sentiments made by Congressional sponsors that this honor affirms courage and sacrifice made by Filipinos. Seattle FANHS also recognizes the hard work in realizing this achievement by all the people involved in the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project. We recognize the gallantry of past soldiers who could not witness this award, and we salute the 7,000 remaining veterans who are still with us.

The sacrifice of Filipino WWII Veterans has been an unsung story that will no lon-

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who sponsored the Congressional Gold Medal Award legislation in the House, congratulates Filipino World War II veteran Rudy Panaglima following passage of the Congressional Gold Medal bill. • Photo courtesy of Rep. Gabbard’s Office

ger be overlooked. Their military efforts are a contribution to American history that will be seen with distinction and achievement.

The Seattle chapter would like to recognize a few Filipino American WWII heroes who are still with us in the Pacific Northwest: Florentino Ceniza, Dan Figuracion, Escolastico Galarosa, and Joe Taton. Other heroes will be recognized posthumously with multiple awards being issued in the Seattle area. We look forward to future honors and ceremonies in celebration of them.

The Veteran’s registry for inclusion in the Congressional Gold Medal award will remain open until December 30, 2016.

Submit the name and any supporting documentation of military enlistment to www. filvetrep.org if you do know of an eligible Filipino WWII Veteran.

Sincere thanks and congratulations, Greater Seattle Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society

4 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

Thai Corner In Remembrance of Thailand’s His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 1927-2016

By P.Leephan-Williams IE Columnist Last week, Thailand had officially welcomed a new king, King Maha Vajiralongkor, who accepted to ascend to the throne, according to the Palace Law, while Thais around the world are still mourning and grieving for the passing of late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

King Rama IX, known as revered King Bhumibol, passed away on October 13, 2016, turning the Siam Smile land to the land of tears and grief. Later on December 5, it would be His Majesty’s 89th birthday anniversary. His Majesty is survived by beloved Queen Siritkit and three children and seven grandchildren.

Three years ago, an anonymous Thai couple had initiated an idea of acquiring a billboard presenting HM King Bhumibol’s image, as part of wellwishing for HM’s health and expressing their loyalty. With failed fundraising, the couple was responsible for an unspecified amount of expenses for leasing the spot for the billboard. When news of the billboard broke to Thai mainstream media, donations started coming in to help maintain the billboard presence, including from the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles.

The Seattle-based billboard of HM King Bhumibol, which is located at the block of 212 5th Ave., became ground zero for Thais and HM King Bhumibol admirers in Washington to pay tribute to late King of Thailand after His Majesty’s death. With approaching HM King Bhumibol’s birthday on December 5, which passed the 50th day of his ascending to the eternal abode, the Thai community in Seattle held a memorial observance for late Rama IX on Sunday, December 4, around 10:00 p.m. Earlier on December 3, there was a commemoration

Members of the Thai community pay their respects at the billboard of HM King Bhumibol at located at the block of 212 5th Ave. in Seattle. • Photo by P.Leephan-Williams

for HM in the afternoon at the University of Washington.

King Bhumipol Adulyadej was born in 1927 as the youngest of three of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej’s, and grandson of King Rama V’s. His Majesty became the 9th monarch of Thailand’s Chakra Dynasty, or King Rama IX, when His Majesty ascended to the throne after the tragic death of King Brother, Rama VIII, on June 9, 1946. King Bhumibol was 19 years old.

With political turbulences during HM’s rein, King Bhumibol had maintained a neutral stance in politics and applied the doctrine of righteous as the guidance for ruling. Born to a common mother, Rama IX had accumulated experiences in ordinary life, allowing His Majesty to understand the basic needs of ordinary people, who have limited access to resources.

The billboard sign in Seattle became ground zero for Thais and HM King Bhumibol admirers in Washington to pay tribute to late King of Thailand after His Majesty’s death. . • Photo by P.Leephan-Williams

Having seen hardship and difficulties of those who live in remote and lowinfrastructure provinces, King Bhumibol had initiated programs to sustain their livelihoods, leading to the establishment of at least 4,000 projects and programs, involving mostly agriculture and water management. Those projects, or programs, were launched for both research studies and direct engagement to fulfill those goals. Some of the best known agricultural projects under the patronage were the Royal Rainmaking Program and the Soil Acidity Acceleration Project.

For water management, King Bhumibol had pioneered the Water Treatment by the Chaipattana Aerator, and had introduced the Monkey’s Cheek, or Kaem Ling Project, to help prevent the floods.

Some initial royal projects had helped stop opium plantations and deforestation

in the hill tribes. The royal patronage through royal initiated programs has helped develop ill-fated villages to access natural resources, and to allow disadvantage school children have access to education. There are more royal programs for youth created years later on.

Besides development projects, King Bhumibol Adulyadej had shown great interests in music. HM King Bhumibol was a jazz saxophonist and composed several songs that contribute to the Thai classic music industry. HM’s abilities in literature were revealed via his annual blessings that often were re-quoted by Thai people for personal motivation and encouragement. King Bhumibol spoke at least seven languages. Besides Thai, His Majesty could speak English, French, German, Spanish, Yawi, and Sanskrit.

In the Sanskrit language, the name of Bhumibol refers to “Strength of the Land.”

To dedicate what HM had sacrificed to strengthen the country, Thai mourners plant trees around sacred locations, such as Thai temples in Seattle and nearby cities. For Adulyadej, it means means “Incomparable Power.”

When King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or the Strength of the Land with Incomparable Power, passed, so did the strength of the country, as people are still mourning. But not for long! HIs Majesty King’s “Incomeparable Power” now has proceeded to HM’s only son, who was officially crowned the new King of Thailand, King Maha Vajiralongkor. One of late King Rama IX’s legacy that was left behind is the Doctrine of Self-Sufficiency Economy that has embodied into Thai Society as an alternative direction for sustainable economy.

Farewell, King Rama IX. Long Live King Rama X!

Seattle’s Thai community held an event on December 4, 2016 to remember their king. • Photo by P.LeephanWilliams

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 5

IE NEWS

We are the Ocean: Wing Luke exhibit highlights indigenous Pacific narratives of climate change

By Chetanya Robinson IE Staff Writer

exhibit was almost “self-care time.” Allen, whose mixed heritage includes Mohawk, Alaska Native, Iroquois, Tlingit, and Black, talked about the common history between Pacific peoples, driven by canoe journeys that linked disparate cultures and lands.

The island nations of the Pacific are sinking. As global warming heats up the planet and melts the ice caps, rising seas are putting communities and cultures in physical, and even existential danger.

“This exhibit really gives credit to our oral narratives, our traditions,” she said.

“My family, we knew that we had been here before the Ice Age because it’s in our stories and it’s in our songs.”

Roldy Aguero Ablao, an artist who grew up in Guam and lives in Seattle, is one of many Pacific Islanders personally affected by these changes. “My dad would teach me how to fish in the reef, to snorkel in coral reefs, but now when you go back today all those coral reefs are dying, and so these really rich habitats are disappearing in my lifetime,” he says. “I do wonder, if my island disappears, what would home look like?”

Ablao is the exhibit specialist behind We are the Ocean, a new installation at the Wing Luke Museum that will run until November 2017. The exhibit A presentation at the grand opening of the We are the Ocean exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum on November 3. • Photo by Chetanya Robinson documents Pacific Islander responses to the existential threat of climate change Conservation as practiced by Pacific talked about growing up in Seattle and through stories, poetry and visual art. communities is another theme of the feeling alienated by school, and later also “I like to say it’s such a small room for exhibit, according to curator Ablao. struggling to fit in when she went back to such a big idea,” Ablao says. The exhibit This includes the concept of legacy, and live in Tonga. Eventually, with the help of is Ablao’s first project for the Wing Luke protecting future generations by leaving accepting relatives, she learned to feel at home there, as well as whenever she sets Museum, and was curated with the help something behind for them. and input of the community. It includes, he “In the world today there’s this idea that foot in the ocean. explains, “memories of water, memories we have exploitation and extraction—we Patricia Eaonhawinon Allen, a Seattle of the ocean, how we feel the ocean is take what we want from the earth and poet and community organizer who sacred, looking at Pacific deities, looking we don’t give back,” he says. “But with served on We are the Ocean’s advisory at canoe journeys, as a way to think about a lot of indigenous communities there’s committee and also provided an oral relationships.” this reciprocity—you only take what you history interview, said developing the The exhibit is housed in a small room need, and you give back more than you on the second floor of the museum. The take.” walls are painted a deep blue. A series The exhibit intentionally relies on of vivid charcoal portraits of indigenous poetry and visual arts to talk about Micronesian people by artist Yvonne Neth climate change, Roldy says, because sits next to a screen displaying a spinning “when you think about climate change visualization of the earth’s ocean currents. it’s very scientific, it’s very much in your Created by NASA, it shows spirals and head. But we wanted to make you feel it.” serpentine layers of white water currents Natalie Bruecher, who is of Kanaka disrupting the blue water. Art pieces made Maoli (Native Hawaiian) heritage in the out of plastic trash fished out of the Pacific Polynesian part of the Pacific, agrees that Ocean decorate the walls and ceiling. On stories are an important way to connect one wall, more organic works of art made from woven palm fronds sit alongside people to the topic of climate change. Like poems and stories that touch on the power Tamngin, Bruecher lent her own voice and story to the oral histories showcased of the ocean. in the exhibit.

Rachael Tamngin grew up in the Pacific “I think one of the main points of this Islander diaspora but says she is strongly connected to her ancestral home, the exhibit was taking the narrative of climate island of Yap (Wa‘ab), which lies just to change away from the scientific, Westernthe east of the Philippines in the federated dominated rhetoric about it, which is mostly facts and figures—and of course states of Micronesia. there’s nothing wrong with that, but you “It’s this full circle, the ocean—there’s need to balance it out with the stories,” no end to it, it’s connecting us,” she says. she says. “For Pacific Islanders, the effects “It connects the old generations, the of climate change, it’s in our backyards, ancient generations, and our generation.” it’s in our front yards, it’s on our whole Tamngin, who contributed an oral history island.” recording to the exhibit, recalls her father At the opening celebration for the working the earth back in Yap, planting exhibit at the Wing Luke, several people taro and other crops, and creating something his family could reap the with deep personal connections to the Pacific told their stories at an open mic. bounty of years later.

A young woman of Tongan heritage

Accompanied by a drum, Allen sang a killer whale song that she said can only be properly sung by someone who’s experienced paddling a canoe. Allen regularly goes on canoe journeys, much like her ancestors did as they braved the waters along the North American coast, and perhaps farther out into the ocean.

Some of the stories, poems, and artwork in the exhibit are more about celebrating the ocean than explicitly addressing climate change. But for Pacific Islanders for whom this is a life and death matter, maybe there’s not much difference. If the world doesn’t do something, Pacific cultures may be the first—but not the last—to lose their homelands, which are tied inextricably to their culture, history, and identity.

“A lot of people will sit here and say they don’t think it’s happening,” Tamngin says. “But it’s a matter of where you look and if you’re even willing to look for it, willing to open your eyes to it.”

The We are the Ocean exhibit at Wing Luke documents Pacific Islander responses to the existential threat of climate change through stories, poetry and visual art. • Photo by Chetanya Robinson

6 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE NEWS

Life comes full circle for new API Chaya director, Joanne Alcantara

By Rhea Panela IE Digital Media Editor Joanne Alcantara’s passion for community organizing and advocating for social justice started early in her life. When she was four years old, Alcantara and her family moved to the United States from Davao City, Mindanao, in the Philippines.

Their decision was sparked by the violence both of her parents witnessed in their highly militarized neighborhood during the Marcos dictatorship.

“There was one incident my mom was with a friend of hers and someone they knew was shot in front of them,” Alcantara said. “The violence escalated to a point where they said, ‘This isn’t safe. This isn’t safe for our family. We need to get out of here.’”

Now, Alcantara serves the local API community by providing a safe space and resource center for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Starting after college, Alcantara was an AmeriCorps volunteer for API Chaya, which was then referred to as the Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center. She member of GABRIELA USA, the first became interested in the organization while overseas chapter of the Philippine-based organization, which raises awareness about doing research about human trafficking. gender discrimination, violence against “As immigrants, we don’t want to call the women, and women’s reproductive rights. police,” Alcantara said. “As immigrants, “I was born in the Philippines so I was we are not often interested in accessing the looking for organizations that spoke with same mainstream services as other people my identity and that I could relate to,” are interested in.”

Alcantara said. “GABRIELA was so Things have come full circle for Alcantara powerful because of the connections back as she now serves as the executive director home with political organizers and being of API Chaya. API Chaya is a nonprofit able to relate them to the struggles facing organization that provides resources for immigrant women here.”

Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander As Executive Director of API survivors of domestic violence and sexual Chaya, Alcantara sometimes acts as an assault and their families, as well as human intermediary between people who have trafficking survivors from all communities. committed acts of domestic or sexual API Chaya advocates provide referrals to violence and people who have survived shelters, medical clinics, and counseling domestic or sexual violence.

As a survivor services, as well as to legal and immigration of sexual violence herself, she described resources. this as the most challenging part of her In addition to her volunteer work with job.

API Chaya, Alcantara was also a founding

Joanne Alcantara, API Chaya’s executive director • Photo by Anakin Fung

“I think for me, the most difficult thing has been being in a community with both people who have done harm and who have survived harm, and sometimes it’s the same person in one body,” she said.

When Alcantara’s family moved to Seattle, adapting to another country and culture was difficult. She said despite the prevalence of labor union organizing in Seattle during the 80s, her parents felt very detached from the rest of the community.

They were wary of American culture and prioritized the safety of their family.

population, she experienced a culture shock when she realized that many of her classes lacked the perspectives of women of color.

She helped change the one-on-one curriculum for women’s studies so that it reflected a more global perspective and included voices of women of color. Coming back to Seattle, she wanted to translate her experience from college to improving the lives of women with whom she shares a similar personal experience of sexual assault.

“I’m not a person who carries a lot of “We were just a small immigrant family regrets,” she said. “I believe every failure just trying to survive,” Alcantara said. or every challenge is just an opportunity She decided to explore beyond Seattle to learn. My proudest moment is definitely and moved to Middletown, Connecticut, reconnecting with the founding mothers where her passion for advocating for of the agency. I feel really honored to have women’s rights and social and economic their support as I take on this new role justice evolved. Alcantara graduated from and I’m so grateful for all the hard work Wesleyan University with a degree in that they poured into this agency for our women’s studies. In a city with a low Asian community.”

Donnie Chin murder case still unsolved, SPD unable to make arrests

By Heidi Park IE Contributor On Monday, November 28, Washington State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos hosted a community meeting with Seattle Police Department (SPD) and other city officials at the Nagomi Tea House. Over a year and a half has passed since International District Emergency Center director Donnie Chin was killed during a shootout between rival gangs, but the Seattle Police Department (SPD) reassured the community that they continue to work feverishly to solve Chin’s case.

Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Robert Merner shared that within the past two weeks, detectives questioned a person in custody in the Midwest with possible information on Chin’s slaying. But not enough information was available to issue a warrant for arrest.

SPD Deputy Chief Carmen Best speaks at the November 28 public safety meeting. • Photo by Heidi Park

Monday’s meeting also covered updates on the current public safety efforts the Chinatown-International District (CID). SPD is working on hiring a community engagement and outreach coordinator to help address concerns, including the distrust CID residents and community members have of

SPD. Lieutenant Scott Moss, who staffs bicycle squads that patrol the neighborhood, told the audience that SPD continues to send officers on overtime patrols when the regular bike squads are off duty.

Council President Bruce Harrell, who also co-hosted the meeting, announced that

the City budget improves public safety, including an additional $200,000 for more biweekly garbage pickup and street cleaning, and funding for a CID Public Safety Coordinator for 2017-2018. SPD also mentioned that they continue to discuss the possibility of having Chinatown-International District and Little Saigon consolidated into one police precinct.

However many community members remain skeptical and wore buttons that read, “Justice for Donnie.” In the same vein, Representative Santos told SPD and city officials that “there is no community in Seattle that wishes to see Donnie’s killer brought to justice more than this community.”

The next community meeting has yet to be scheduled, but will likely take place next spring.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 7

IE NEWS

McCleary, Trump a focus at budget and policy conference

By Alia Marsha IE Assistant Editor There were two elephants in the room at this year’s annual budget and policy conference hosted by Washington State Budget & Policy Center on November 16: the Washington state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision and president-elect Donald Trump.

Hundreds of attendees gathered in the Washington State Convention Center in all-day discussions on how state legislators should allocate funding in the upcoming session, which begins in January and ends in April or potentially later. The morning started gloomy, as Washington State Budget & Policy Center director Misha Werschkul kicked off the conference articulating feelings of anxiety for the future of Washington state after the elections the week before.

“At Budget and Policy Center we are proud to be a nonpartisan organization and we don’t comment on candidates,” Werschkul said, “but we can’t ignore the impact of the hateful rhetoric of this election and the harmful policies that have been and are being proposed.

These policies that are proposed on the federal level could have a real impact on our state budget and on the people of Washington state.”

A plenary panel attempted to answer some questions about the future of what is commonly called McCleary—the state Supreme Court ruling reached in 2012, which required the state to fully fund public education and rely less on local district levies, as has been the case for years. McCleary v. State of Washington is a hallmark case for education in the state that was led by main plaintiff Stephanie McCleary and her family, who live in the Chimacum School District. Lawmakers in Washington have until 2018 to figure out how to work with their budget to allocate more funding for schools.

Panelist Nate Gibbs-Bowling, who was named the 2016 Washington State Teacher of the Year, said that the last time he was in the

Panelist Roxana Norouzi, director of education and integration policy at OneAmerica, speaks at the budget and policy conference hosted by Washington State Budget & Policy Center on November 16, 2016.

• Courtesy Photo

Convention Center, vice president Joe Biden was speaking. “[Biden] said, ‘Don’t tell me your values, show me your budget and your budget will show me your values,’” GibbsBowling said.

What it means to “fully fund” education has had politicians, non-profit folks and others define different things. For Gibbs-Bowling, it means “clean, mold-free, well-lit classrooms” and appropriate class sizes, as well as providing students with resources they don’t get at home such as breakfast. For panelist Roxana Norouzi, director of education and integration policy at OneAmerica, it means equal opportunity evidenced by equal outcomes and closing of gaps between those who historically have been privileged and those who have been disenfranchised. Norouzi also said that schools and politicians alike need to address institutional racism now more than ever in anticipation of Trump administration, “or else we’re putting billion of dollars into broken systems.”

If lawmakers couldn’t decide what fully funding education entails, they are not sure how much it will cost or how to cover it either.

When panel moderator and KUOW reporter Ann Dornfeld asked panelists what they thought were best strategies to fund McCleary, answers varied. Norouzi called for progressive tax and revenue.

Norouzi said: “We talked this morning about sales tax and how that taxes the poor and low-income families at a much higher rate. And we actually need to really reform our tax system so the brunt doesn’t fall on people of color and low-income families.

We’re looking at long-term sustainability and we’re actually building the political power in our communities for voters to back up progressive revenue measures.”

Lew Moore, president and CEO of Washington Research Council, said according to the political reality in the state right now, there is no chance of implementing an income tax anytime soon. Moore said that he saw some form of a levy swap, and closing of some tax loopholes as some of possible paths for funding.

Echoing the theme of acknowledging intersecting barriers that keep Washingtonians from being successful, another panel addressed possible strategies to significantly reduce the number of children and families living in poverty.

Lori Pfingst, currently chief of programs and policy for the Economic Services Administration of the state’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), kicked off the morning breakout session by presenting jarring statistics of poverty in Washington state as experienced by people according to race, marital status, place of birth—in or outside of the United States—and disability, to name a few. The data, which was collected in 2014, described poverty as people earning below 200% of the federal poverty level, which translates to $40,000 for a family of three.

The data shows that 57% of Latino families in Washington state fall under this description. The number is slightly better for Native Americans at 52% and way better for Japanese families at 27%. Overall, though, Pfingst said that 30% of people in Washington are struggling to make ends meet.

Mariah Mitchell from Auburn is one of many Washingtonians living in intergenerational poverty. She said that she works for

$10 an hour, is on food stamps, has a disabled child, and a conviction on her record, which led to eviction from her previous home. She said that the judge decided to not charge her, yet it didn’t matter to the property owner who kicked her out. She was demanding for legislation to protect people from evictions be introduced in the upcoming legislative session.

“I’m literally on the battlefield. I have solid grounds working with every agency [such as] Seattle Housing Authority, King County Housing Authority. I’m dealing with everything and you guys are slow. You’re super slow, you’re gonna have chaos before you even get anything passed,” she said to Rep. David Sawyer and Rep. Hans Zieger.

Julie Watts asked panelists to address what could happen with social programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), if they are cut or dramatically changed under a Trump administration, as has been proposed.

Rep. Zieger, from the Republican party, said that there needs to be commitment to work together “to make sure we’re stepping up and the federal government steps down.”

Rep. Sawyer, a Democrat, called for “loud voices” from the Republican party to say the issues of poverty matter a lot to everybody.

Meanwhile, Pfingst said that the fight to help those in need, under any administration, has always been an uphill challenge.

Pfingst said: “Somebody said recently to me, as we all took a kind of collective deep breath in health and human services because we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, ‘The work has always been hard.’ The work has always been hard. And so it might be a little harder now, but it’s always been the case.

We’re in it for good results for kids and families and we hope you are, too.”

Dr. Manuel Pastor, one of the keynote speakers at the conference, stressed the importance of deep analysis of social justice when one is working with policies. “Equity is something that needs to be baked in, not sprinkled on,” Pastor said.

The old and the new meet in Hong Kong action cinema

By Yayoi L. Winfrey IE Contributor

‘Sky On Fire’ began showing at Regal Cinemas Meridian 16 on December 2.

Sky on Fire is a contemporary Hong Kong film featuring scientific advancements, technological breakthroughs, and lots of violent clashes among men in freshlypressed business suits. On the other hand, Sword Master is a wuxia film that takes place in ancient China and features a grieving princess, her loyal page, the celebrated warrior who abandoned her and lots of violent clashes among men (and women) in traditional flowing robes. And, while both films showcase brutal, cruel, and savage fighting scenes, they are more different than they are alike—though both feature a mix of actors from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, too.

In Sky on Fire, much of the action takes place in a towering high-rise called Sky One. It is in this skyscraper, in glittering Hong Kong, that a lab developing “Super Stem Cells” is housed. Here, heroes and villains meet, merge, betray, save, and kill each other. Directed by Ringo Lam, Sky on Fire is both a bloodbath and a whodunit thriller.

Five years prior, Professor Poon died in a fire that also destroyed his research notes containing information about curing cancer. Poon’s assistant Gao Yu (Zhang Jingchu) was saved in that fire by Chong Tin-po

*** From the genre of martial arts comes Sword Master based on the novel

by Gu Long. Shot in stunning 3D, the film takes advantage of it by showing off Mardi Gras-style costumes and garish makeup.

One main antagonist, Yan Shisan (Peter Ho), even has heavy black facial tattoos that make him resemble Brandon Lee in The Crow.

The story unfolds with Xie Xiaofeng (Kenny Lin) as a remorseful fighter. Even though he’s the fiercest sword swinger ever, he’s lost all interest in warfare. Celebrated as the Third Master of the Sword Mansion, he’s traumatized and apathetic about any future combats. Faking his death and renaming himself Chi, Xiaofeng leaves the martial arts world for a low-status janitorial job in a brothel—laboring by day and drowning his sorrows in drink at night.

Determined not to rely on weaponry to fend off his enemies, Chi even endures being stabbed with a knife in order to avoid battling some bad guys bullying a prostitute. After he’s nursed back to health, Chi finds work in a small village, emptying buckets filled with night soil.

Sky on Fire

(Daniel Wu) the lab’s security chief. Now, Yu is working on the “Super Stem Cell” project that Poon left behind while her husband Tong Wing-cheung (Fan Guangyao) runs the facility and grows greedier every day. As Tong’s actions become more ruthless, security chief Tin-po vows to protect Yu and the lab. After all, Tin-po’s wife died of the same disease Yu is seeking to cure.

Meanwhile, truck driver Chia-chia (Joseph Chang) hopes to help his dying sister, Jen (Amber Kuo), an annoying woman who behaves like an adolescent. Then, there’s the matter of Wolf (Li Haitao), Tin-po’s sinister bodyguard, and Poon Chi-man (Zhang Ruoyun), the orphan son of Professor Poon.

When the medicine is stolen, the battle is on. With bullets flying, cars crashing, glass breaking, and CGI effects, Sky on Fire is not for the fainthearted.

Meanwhile Shisan terrorizes the countryside with his savagery. Screaming through his graphics-covered face, he torments his way through town; even slaying a gang leader. A master swordsman, Shisan kills indiscriminately until he learns he’s terminally ill. Upon hearing that Xiaofeng has died, he regrets never having dueled with him to settle who is the better swordsman.

Then, the inevitable happens as Shisan and Xiaofeng meet. But there are others desiring Xiaofeng’s death, too. Murong Qiudi (Yiyan Jiang) is Xiaofeng’s jilted ex-fiancee who’s never gotten over him. Her family of master sword fighters lost face over the betrayal, and she can swing a sword as well as any man can. Qiudi also has the allegiance of her faithful page who murdered an innocent woman he didn’t want to marry just to remain available for Qiudi. Then, there’s Xiao Li (Mengjie Jiang), a hooker with a heart of gold, who has fallen in love with Xiaofeng.

With Tsui Hark—one of China’s “New Wave” filmmakers—producing, and Derek Yee—who performed as Third Young Master in 1977’s Death Duel—directing, there’s never a bloodless moment.

‘Sword Master 3D’ opens at AMC Pacific Place 11 on December 9.

8 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE ARTS

You Can’t Snow Kids!—2016 Pacific Reader Review of Books for Children & Young Adults It’s December again and time for our annual Pacific Reader Review of new books for children and young adults. When we first started out doing this I still remember vividly when I interviewed young adult author Laurence Yep about what he liked about writing for this age group. He told me, “You can’t snow kids!

They know when you are bullshitting. They demand honesty.” His remarks still ring in my ear as we prepare our latest edition of Pacific Reader.

Some of our feature stories include interviews with local and national writers for kids books and teenagers. We gain insight on a Japanese writer who died under tragic circumstances many years ago and yet her poems for children are still revered to this day. Are You An Echo?—The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko (Chin Music Press) shows us how the poetry and the poet are one in the same. Bay Area young adult writer Stacey Lee picks up on the gauntlet that Laurence Yep laid down years ago with his books on Chinese American history with her recent books with strong Chinese American protagonists. We hear about how she writes and researches her stories born out of history. Also included are the usual variety of new books for kids and teenagers reviewed by our writers. This holiday season, take the time to read with your kids or pick up some books that reflect their history, culture, and lives. Hopefully our Pacific Reader will provide some assistance.

Spend time with your family and read together.

—Alan Chong Lau, Pacific Reader Coordinator and IE Arts Editor

Chin Music Press’ Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko a product of elegance and craftsmanship

By Janet Brown IE Contributor “Are you an echo?” is the haunting, provocative question posed by the title of the first children’s book to come from Seattle publisher Chin Music Press: Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko.

It is also the title of a poem that helped to rally and inspire the Japanese people after the tsunami of 2011 claimed many lives, demolished homes, and left wreckage in its wake. Broadcast as a public service announcement, these words moved hundreds of thousands of volunteers to join in rebuilding the devastated regions of their country.

The poem was written by a young woman almost a hundred years earlier, a woman whose brief life lasted for only 26 years but who left a lasting legacy of 512 poems.

Born on Japan’s seacoast, Misuzu Kaneko was the daughter of a single mother, a girl who was brought up within a bookstore, and whose life was filled with words and images. By the time she was 20, Misuzu was a published and popular poet. She continued to write even after she was drawn into an unhappy marriage and became the mother of a cherished daughter. Long after her tragic and untimely death, in 1982 her poetry was published in six volumes and is included in the curriculum taught to students in Japanese primary schools.

Misuzu’s poems are reminiscent of both Basho and Emily Dickinson, while having a vivid and humorous flavor that is distinct and original. Their simplicity captures and celebrates the world of childhood, while their underlying wisdom and precise imagery issues a clear and irresistible call to adult readers. Are You an Echo? provides a generous sampling of these poems, both in English and in Japanese, accompanied by soft and tender illustrations that intertwine seamlessly with Misuzu’s words.

Misuzu’s brief existence of art, fame, unhappiness, debilitating illness, and suicide takes on the beauty of a fable or a fairy tale, a story that children will easily understand and will not forget.

Are You an Echo? Is an unusual achievement, a labor of love that has emerged from four separate talents in three different countries. In the United States, Jacobson, a man fluent in Japanese, first read these poems in their original language when a Japanese friend gave him a volume of Misuzu’s work.

Struck by their clarity and beauty, he wanted to make them available in English, along with a brief story of the poet’s life that would be suitable for children.

Jacobson has had a long association with publisher Bruce Rutledge of Chin Music Press, who agreed to work with him on a picture book that would combine a collection of Misuzu’s poetry with the story of her life and work.

pan, had been working collaboratively on bringing Misuzu’s poems to English for more than a year before they were asked to work with Jacobson and Chin Music Press.

“We felt called, in a way, to be a team in bringing Misuzu’s poetry and spirit to life in English,” Ito explained, adding that it was emotionally wrenching for both women, each of them a mother, “to grapple with the fact of a mother committing suicide to ostensibly ‘save’ her daughter,” as Misuzu had felt compelled to do. Working across continents and time zones, Ito and Tsuboi sent emails back and forth in their commitment to bring Misuzu’s “depth and compassion” to another language and a new audience.

Jacobson’s research for his book was both scholarly and rigorous, leading him to read two Japanese biographies of Misuzu’s life as well as all of her poetry. Despite his competency in the Japanese language, he believed the poems deserved “a literary translator, particularly one adept in poetAuthor David Jacobson was “thoroughly ry.” In his search, he found two translators charmed” when he first encountered Misu- who were already deeply immersed in the Their translations and Jacobson’s story zu’s poems and he has woven them into the life and work of Misuzu Kaneko. have been wonderfully illuminated by the story of her life in a way that is both captiCanadian poet Sally Ito and her aunt, vating and revealing. In his skillful hands, Michiko Tsuboi, a translator living in Ja- paintings of a 35-year-old Japanese artist, Toshikado Hajiri. Working with pencil and

acrylics, Hajiri moves from the delicate pastel shades of a mother and child at sunset to the soft darkness of a star-filled sky, from the flames consuming a tsunami-ravaged village to the weary figure of a woman writing her last words beneath the radiance of one small lamp and a single white butterfly. The loveliness and sensitivity of his illustrations, blending masterfully with the text, put Are You an Echo? on lists of possible Caldecott nominees weeks before the book ever hit bookstore shelves.

“Are you just an echo? No, you are everyone,” Misuzu tells us in the poem that gave the title to Are You an Echo? And everyone is exactly who will love this book, “this unconventional “mash-up’ of biography and poetry,” as Jacobson describes it, served up with the elegance and craftsmanship that is the trademark of any book that comes from Chin Music Press.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 9

IE ARTS

Outrun the Moon protagonist Mercy Wong a powerful Asian American role model

By Valerie Ooka Pang IE Contributor Mercy Wong, living in San Francisco during the beginning of the 20th century, is a strong-willed, resourceful, and spirited 15-year-old who must figure out a way to save her classmates and others during the huge earthquake of 1906. Can she bring people together? As a Chinese American, most people hold severe prejudices against her. How can she do anything when others won’t let her?

Stacey Lee writes Outrun the Moon in the tradition of Laurence Yep and Yoshiko Uchida, two authors who built the early foundations of Asian American Children’s literature.

Lee represents the new generation of children’s writers who are able to convey layered perspectives about racism and classism in their novels.

Mercy Wong, the protagonist of Outrun the Moon, is one of few strong Asian American role models in contemporary children’s literature. Author Lee authentically brings in the social oppression that Chinese American immigrants faced and fought by integrating historical events into her story; events such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and segregation of Chinese children from schools give a strong context.

Often, children’s books present stereotypical views of Asian young people liking Chinese New Year’s or making sushi with their grandmother. These types of books do not represent the deep values of courage, collaboration, and strength that are at the core of many Asian cultures. Outrun the Moon is an exceptional story because Mercy Wong is a determined girl who challenges racial discrimination even the prejudiced Headmistress Crouch, a stern, never-cracks-a-smile principal.

During the earthquake, Mercy led some of her classmates out of their crumbling school where they saw the death of people they knew. How will they endure? Their school, St. Clare’s School for Girls is uninhabitable and San Francisco Chinatown, Mercy’s home, has burned to the ground. Many people have nowhere to go and nothing to eat or drink.

What can Mercy and her friends do? Will arrogant Elodie, who knows Mercy’s secret, go with her to find food? Mercy’s brain is being tossed into the air like popcorn. She starts to feel useless.

This is an excellent book for young adults and older readers too. Lee has created an engaging character, Mercy Wong, whom the reader secretly hopes will succeed. Teachers need well-written novels that integrate U.S. history where the racism towards Chinese Americans is described through Mercy’s life.

Mercy is a powerful Asian American protagonist and all students should learn about her challenges and how even with so much prejudice and distrust in the community, she figures out how to bring people together. This book is exceptional and is recommended for readers from around the fifth grade and older.

I enjoyed it immensely because of the characterization of Mercy and well-developed plot. The next section is an interview with the author. She is an extremely thoughtful and skilled writer.

The International caught up with Lee to talk about the book, Chinese American History, and using Outrun the Moon in the classroom.

International Examiner: You have included a great deal of history about Chi-

Author Stacey Lee. • Courtesy photo

nese immigrants into the book. Why did you think it was important to include historical information about the oppression of Chinese immigrants and Chinese American communities?

Stacey Lee: I like to write about the hidden stories, the ones we never get to read about.

For Asian Americans, an understanding of our history gives us a sense of identity, and shapes our perspective on our present.

IE: Why did you pick the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco for the setting of much of the book?

Lee: When I thought about the time period I wanted to write in, I chose an event that was close to my family history. Though my mom was born in SF Chinatown at the start of World War II, making her an American citizen, Dad was born in China during the 60-year stretch of time in which Chinese laborers were banned from the country. The 1906 Earthquake and fire destroyed birth records, enabling Chinese-born men to claim for the first time that they were American citizens, and explore a loophole for bringing family from China. Dad was one of these “paper sons” who emigrated this way.

I don’t think many people realize that the earthquake had such a silver lining for Chinese Americans.

IE: Mercy is a spirited and confident young woman. Who is Mercy Wong Patterned after? Is it you, if not, how did you develop her portrait?

Lee: Mercy is much braver than me! I have always wanted to write a girl who was opposite of the Chinese heroine we often see

in books—nerdy, quiet, and shy. Mercy is that girl, bossy, large and in charge, fearless.

I developed her by thinking about the strong female characters I admired in my favorite [young adult] books, and packaging those qualities into the wrapper of a young Chinese woman at the turn of the century. There’s a bit of my mom in Mercy, too.

IE: Why do you write for young adults?

I also enjoyed the story so realize it is for adults too.

Lee: [Young adult literature] explores really juicy years, and those years are a significant point of change for most of us. Teens are tackling adult issues for the first time, often without the experience or resources that adults have. It’s a vulnerable, thrilling time. This struggle with change is something everyone can connect with, which is why you never really grow out of [young adult literature].

IE: You have an easy to read writing style. The dialogue throughout the story is easy to read and is genuine. How did you develop your approach to writing?

Lee: Thank you. It sounds cliché, but practice makes perfect; I’ve been writing since I was old enough to hold a pencil! Another thing that improved my writing was law school. We were taught to write very cleanly.

My legal writing professor even threatened to fine us a quarter for every adverb or adjective we used. Obviously in writing fiction, adverbs and adjectives are necessary, but law school taught me to be very deliberate about my word choice.

IE: How can teachers use your book with their students? It is easy to see how Outrun the Moon can be used in a Social Studies classroom or a course on California history. How can teachers use the text in English or Language Arts?

Lee: Teachers can use it to support history lessons, as the earthquake was a watershed moment in American history and in the history of Chinese Americans. As far as social studies, hopefully it sheds light on an interesting social effect of the earthquake.

San Francisco was a racially divided community, but after the earthquake, these race and class divides sort of fell away, at least temporarily while people helped out each other out. Makeshift kitchens were started to feed the hungry, like the one my character Mercy starts. This post-catastrophe altruism is not uncommon, we saw it after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and more recently, after the attacks in Paris.

For a discussion guide and list of activities teachers can use to teach this book, I encourage teachers to download the Outrun the Moon discussion guide, which also provides Common Core Standards.

IE: Outrun the Moon is an excellent text for teachers to use to talk about different types of prejudice. Why did you integrate these issues into the story—racism, sexism, religious bias, classism, others?)

Lee: These are issues we continue to face today, especially after this last presidential election. Not only do books provide an entertaining way to introduce difficult topics, more so than a dry recitation of facts as found in history books, they provide a springboard for discussion. Books can lead to greater empathy when students connect with the characters they read about.

IE: What is your next book about and when will it be available?

Lee: The Secret of a Heart Note debuts Dec. 27, 2016 from Katherine Tegen/Harper Collins Publishers. It’s about a teenage perfumer with an extraordinary nose who accidentally gives a love elixir meant for the school librarian to the mother of the soccer star, and must fix her mistake before her own mother finds out. It’s a small departure from my historical fiction.

A Note for Teachers: Stac ey Lee discussed the curriculum guide for teachers and has identified many common core literacy standards. See her resources at www.staceyhlee. com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Class-Discussion-Guide-OTM-201607.pdf

10 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

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Poetic language and fairy-tale setting lift this story of illicit love

By Donna Miscolta IE Contributor In a story about a 41-year-old married librarian and mother of a five-year-old girl having an affair with a 17-year-old young man, how does an author deal with the cringe factor? How does she avoid slipping into the lurid or cliché?

In Mayumi and the Sea of Happiness, author Jennifer Tseng does it through language and setting. Tseng’s narrator Mayumi Saito is erudite, poetic, and compulsively self-questioning.

Her language is that of a well-read person whose syntax derives from immersion in drawing rooms of 19thcentury British novels. Mayumi’s vocation as a librarian only partly explains her elegant expressions such as this description of a series of small bridges on a forest trail: “… most of them single planks of wood or flat stone, all of which crossed the small river that

traversed, like a black artery, the body of the forest, bringing fresh blood to some remote, unseen heart.”

Or there is this rather overworked pronouncement that might be at home in a Jane Austen novel: “I worked to extinguish the conversation so that I might be released to greet him.”

While the language—replete with lovely, apt, and unforced imagery—does, in fact, lift it above the otherwise indecorous nature of the affair, it’s a little perplexing. Who is this person, where does she live, and why does she talk this way? It is all soon explained. Mayumi was raised in England, the daughter of a Japanese expatriate

economist and a Midlands housekeeper, and educated at the very proper sounding Hatfield School for Girls. She immigrated to America when she was 18 to eventually settle on an island off Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. Existentially, Mayumi observes, “I have lived on a series of islands and I began as an island: I, an obscure piece of earth, floating choiceless within my mother’s sea.”

Islands, seas, and forests are the recurring landscapes of Mayumi’s life. Tseng imparts a fairy-tale quality to the setting. There’s the tunnel-like trail with its various little bridges that leads first to the waterfall where Mayumi “crosses a chasm” and is “stranded in joy,” and

then to the little gray house in the woods where she and the young man conduct their trysts—in the loft. Mayumi says, “The loft was a place of surrender, abandonment, the only struggle there was moral.” The word loft in its adjectival form lofty also suggests noble or sublime.

Somehow Tseng manages to balance on this moral tightrope of forbidden love as it is played out on a verdant island with its storybook houses in forests, quaint shops by a tea-loving librarian schooled in the literature of Nabokov and Duras, and a young man who is never named, lest a spell be broken.

In assessing her romantic actions, Mayumi invokes the oft used Japanese saying her Midlands mother had adopted: “It can’t be helped.” Like the seasons, which mark the divisions in the book, there are things beyond our control. Love is one of them. Another is enjoying this highly readable book whose ending is both surprising and expected in the way of all good stories.

Quackers an excellent picture book by Seattle’s Liz Wong

By Valerie Ooka Pang IE Contributor Do you remember when you weren’t sure who you were and where you belonged?

Quackers by local Seattle author and illustrator Liz Wong is an excellent book that gives the heart-warming message, be proud of you!

Quackers is a story about an animal who tries to figure out who he is and where he belongs. The illustrations are precious. The colors are striking and children will know each animal from the beautiful artwork.

Young readers will also learn to identify things in and around ponds like reeds, algae, snails, and worms. Some children may be able to read words in the story after hearing it read to them several times. This is a great book to teach children basics about reading.

The International Examiner caught up with Wong to talk about her work as an author and illustrator.

International Examiner: Quackers is an adorable picture book. You were both author and illustrator of this book. What was the inspiration for Quackers?

Liz Wong: The idea for Quackers originally came when I drew a picture of a cat and thought it would be funny if the text said that it was a duck. From there I started thinking about what life would be like to be a cat living among ducks, and how Quackers might feel, well, a little different.

The story, though ultimately about cats and ducks, ended up being informed by my own experience of moving from Hawai‘i to the “mainland” and realizing I was different from the people around me, feeling out of place, and finding my own place in the world.

IE: Your drawings are somewhat in the colorful style of Jose Aruego, who drew many animals for his picture books including a goat in Gregory, The Terrible Eater and a snake in The Last Laugh. He was one of the early Asian American children’s book authors/illustrators.

How did you develop your artistic style for Quackers?

Wong: It took me some time to figure out the style for Quackers, since it’s different from my usual style.

Because it’s a book for younger kids, I tried to simplify the shapes of the characters and make them look sweet and friendly. I did a lot of test paintings in watercolor and a combination of watercolor and digital techniques to figure out which combination of mediums I liked the best. I ended up redoing one of the pond scenes five times in order to get it right. It’s really a process of trial and error for me. I have an idea of where I’m going, but there’s a lot of wandering along the way.

IE: Were your parents encouraging about developing a career in art? What did they tell you?

Wong: My parents were incredibly supportive. Despite the fact that my family were all math and science types, they all have an interest in art. My father was always interested in crafts, and my mother is a great art appreciator. My mother often took us to art museums or on sketching trips to the zoo, and she enrolled my sister and I in summer art classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

I participated in poster contests at my elementary school and for the friends of the library. I ended up winning a few ribbons and the first place trophy for my school poster contest, which encouraged me to keep making art. I was raised to believe I could do anything I wanted, and when I decided to major in art in college, my parents didn’t bat an eye. My parents were very enthusiastic when Quackers came out, and my mom shows up at a lot of my book events, so there’s a high possibility that if you come see me in person, you’ll also meet my mom.

IE: What should children/young adults do to prepare for a career as a children’s book author? As an illustrator? It is a difficult market to get into.

Wong: First off, draw a lot and develop your art skills. Read a lot of current children’s books. Develop a writing or drawing habit—that is, try to draw or write on a regular basis with no particular end goal in mind. That habit will help to hone your skills and generate story ideas.

My best story ideas have come from drawing just for fun. Secondly, join SCBWI, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. SCBWI is a professional organization that has both regional chapters and national conferences.

Going to a SCBWI conference is how I made a connection that led to signing with a literary agent. SCBWI is a great source of information about the industry, a place to meet other authors and illustrators, and a place to get your work in front of art directors, agents, and editors. We Need Diverse Books is another organization that provides mentorships and grants to diverse authors and illustrators. Finally, it can be a long road to publication, but the most important thing to remember is to keep drawing, keep writing, keep improving, and don’t give up.

IE: Who has been your inspiration as you develop your career?

Wong: I’ve been looking at a lot of Allen Say’s work recently. His personal stories, from the Caldecott winning Grandfather’s Journey to his recent graphic novels Drawing From Memory and the Inker’s Shadow, are poignant portrayals of his life and the Asian American experience. He tops it off with flawless watercolor technique. As I am working on improving my writing and illustration, I keep returning to his work for inspiration and as an example of how

brilliant, beautiful and moving children’s books can be.

IE: One of the books that you have illustrated for other authors is Camp Secret: Junior Spies. This book is for upper elementary and is a fun read especially for students who might want to train to be a spy! How did you decide on how to draw each of the junior spies in the story?

Wong: For Camp Secret, I read the manuscript and the authors also provided me with character descriptions and some rough ideas of how they might look. I then got to work, filling pages of my sketchbook with character designs. My sketches for the character of Lee Wong kept coming out looking a little too much like a Chinese Harry Potter, and needed a lot of tweaking.

I learned that you not only have to be aware of stereotypes when developing a character, but also have to keep in mind those iconic characters that have permeated our cultural consciousness—such that dark hair and glasses reads instantly as Harry Potter, and I had to actively work against that in designing Lee. The solution lay in the shape of his glasses, as round glasses instantly evokes Harry Potter. This project was one of the rare ones where I worked directly with the authors, and we went through several rounds of sketches to perfect the kids and to develop the cover.

I just recently finished the second Camp Secret book and hope to do more in the series.

Wong is currently working on her second picture book with Knopf Books for Young Readers, titled ‘The Goose Egg.’ She’s deep in revisions, trying to whip the story into shape. Wong has a few more story ideas in the works, and though she really would love to draw some multicultural kids for one of her future books, so far all her picture book story ideas have been about animals.

For more information about Wong and her books, go to Wong’s website at www. lizwongillustration.com/books.html.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 11

IE ARTS

Uprooted: The Japanese Experience During WWII a must read

By Ken Mochizuki IE Contributor Many Americans of Japanese descent— or those assumed to be—will be asked during their lifetimes: “Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?”

That the book, Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II, answers that question separates this work from other books geared for teen readers about the “camps.”

In Uprooted, author Albert Marrin not only thoroughly covers the Japanese American forced confinement ordeal, but also the evolution of racism on both sides—Japan and America—which led to and fueled the war in the Pacific and the treatment of those of Japanese descent in the Western Hemisphere.

Marrin begins with the origin of Japan.

For centuries, with the isolated island nation engulfed in clan wars, its people developed their own stereotypic views from limited contact with Europeans and those from other Asian countries. With the Western powers’ insatiable capitalistic expansion during the nineteenth century, coal was essential for the new steamship technology. Japan provided a good source along trade routes into Asia.

In 1853, The United States sent Commodore Matthew Perry to negotiate—and then at cannon-point—trade with Japan. With the Meiji Restoration—the tumultuous, emperor-mandated social upheaval converting Japan into a Western-style civilization—the European powers and the United States encouraged, armed and advised the growing Westernized Japanese military. From Marrin’s 22 pages of innumerable sources, he quotes an American journalist from the time: “We can only hope that we may not find ourselves among the earliest victims of our overzealous and mistaken benevolence.”

Japan achieved relatively easy military victories in a 1894 war with China (in which China surrendered Taiwan) and the Russo-

Japanese War (1904-1905). After those wars, buoyed by its successes, the Japanese military assumed control of the country, suppressed domestic opposition, and beat the notion of racial superiority into its charges. As Marrin writes: A huge war machine, inspired by a corrupted version of Bushido, would be the instrument of conquest. The traditional “way of the warrior” taught sympathy for the weak, loyalty, self-control, and the dishonor of dying for an unworthy cause. Yet, as genuine samurai officers retired after the war with Russia in 1905, the sons of small landowners and shopkeepers took their places. At the age of 12 or 13, they were enrolled by their parents in military academies, where they were further brainwashed with racism and the concept of war as “the father of creation and the mother of culture.” The Bushido ideal of loyalty morphed into total, unquestioning obedience ...

The military employed what social scientists call the “ladder of oppression,” Marrin notes. A superior officer would slap or whip his subordinate in front of the troops, that subordinate would slap his subordinate, and so on down to the lowest ranking soldiers. That kind of training resulted in the brutality and atrocities committed by the Japanese military during the Pacific War. With Japan’s rapidly expanding population and dwindling natural resources— and to feed its war machine—the country’s military determined it had no choice but to acquire those resources through conquest.

Dutch East Indies (Indonesian) oil and British Malaysian rubber were particularly attractive. The military invaded China in 1937 and Japanese soldiers, taking photos

as souvenirs of their atrocities, had their film developed by Shanghai shopkeepers, who leaked their photos to the rest of the world.

Within Japan’s army was the infamous Unit 731, which conducted medical experiments on Chinese—and later American— prisoners. Marrin quotes a participant/eyewitness: “If we didn’t have a feeling of racial superiority, we couldn’t have done it.”

Nazi victories in Europe left British, French, and Dutch colonies in Asia “orphaned,” as Marrin states, stranding garrisons unable to be reinforced and thus vulnerable to Japanese conquest. With world outrage over Japan’s actions in China, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whom Marrin documents as harboring a lifelong disdain for the Japanese, orders U.S. sanctions on the sale of scrap iron and oil to Japan—essential for Japan’s war effort. The country’s military leaders concluded that, if Japanese forces could cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, the result could buy Japan time—even years—to grab the necessary natural resources.

Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who would lead the Pearl Harbor attack, advised against it, being Harvard Universityeducated and familiar with America. His superiors overruled him.

The rest is history. Marrin also covers how Americans, via stereotypes, did not view the Japanese military as equal adversaries or any kind of threat.

American prejudice and racism against those of Asian descent has been well-documented, although Marrin covers all—and more—bases than previous books on the forced confinement of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Another often-asked question is why weren’t German and Italian Americans expelled from the U.S. East Coast, when residents there on bathing beaches and in highrises could see German submarines sinking Allied ships, and German spies were apprehended by the FBI? The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence even cut a deal with Mafia boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano, reducing his prison sentence in exchange for mob members eliminating German agents. President Roosevelt considered the German and Italian Americans as constituting too sizable of a voting bloc to alienate, and dismissed Italian Americans as a “lot of opera singers.”

No acts of espionage or sabotage committed by Japanese Americans ever occurred.

It has also been documented that the U.S. government abducted those of Japanese descent in Peru, to be used in civilian prisoner exchanges with Japan. However, most of the Latin American countries bowed to U.S. pressure to cooperate. When arriving in the United States, “Immigration officials also took away their passports,” Marrin notes.

“So, technically, they entered the country illegally, providing an excuse for the U.S. government to detain them during the war and deport them afterward.”

There are a few errors in the text, such as the statement that the original members of the Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team in 1943 were drafted, when they actually volunteered from within the American camps—drafting them did not begin until January 1944.

However, with its contemporary connections—and lessons from history—and, though this book is geared for younger readers, it should be read by as many Americans as possible—to witness how suspicions and ignorance of others becomes “emotional rocket fuel, energizing long-held hatreds,” as Marrin describes, and “when things go wrong, the outcomes are the fault of the ‘Other.’”

With the looming political climate, will a book such as this be read—or denounced and dismissed?

Umrigar’s The Story Hour explores inter-ethnic relationships

By Nalini Iyer IE Contributor

In some ways, the patient Lakshmi’s sessions, which are story hours in which story treads familiar and tired ground narrative forges the relationship, they disin contemporary South cover common ground.

Asian American fiction: Maggie helps Lakshmi poor oppressed Indian learn to drive, get a caterwoman finds herself in ing business started, and a loveless marriage and find her way toward auforges a new path once she tonomy. Along the way, comes to America where we learn of Maggie’s husall immigrants are alienband and his life and their ated, they miss Indian relationship, her affair food and culture, and they with an adventurous and struggle to maintain conunscrupulous journalist, and the break-up of her nections to their homeland. marriage.

A working class Indian woman immigrant who provides unpaid labor in her abusive husband’s restaurant attempts to take her life. The hospital assigns her a therapist who happens to be a black woman married to an Indian academic.

The therapist, Maggie Bose, is drawn to help this patient with whom she feels a bond perhaps because they are both married to Indian men. A friendship blossoms between the two, one which violates ethical boundaries between patient and therapist. This is the basic plot We learn of Lakshmi’s Where this novel ofline of Thrity Umrigar’s sixth novel, The secret, the root cause of the fers new insights is in this Story Hour. relationship between women across class conflict between her and her husband, and and racial boundaries. In their therapy the slow way in which they begin to build

a different marriage. The therapist-patient relationship breaks up simultaneously with the Bose marriage.

Umrigar is at her best when she writes about Maggie as a woman of color and her sense of alienation from her husband’s academic community as well as his Indian culture. The depictions of rural India and the lives of the poor families seem stereotypical with no semblance of lived realities. Umrigar was more successful in writing about Indian lives when she focused on urban middle class families in her earlier novels. All in all, the novel is worth a read for its portrayal of interethnic relationships in the United States, but it offers very little that is new about Indians either in the United States or in India.

12 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE ARTS

CultureShock Collective Opens ‘High Blood’ art exhibit in Tacoma

By Tamiko Nimura IE Contributor On November 17, over 100 people were milling through the recently opened Spaceworks Gallery in downtown Tacoma.

Considering Tacoma’s vibrant arts scene, this might not be an especially surprising sight.

But this event felt special. Many of the artists and viewers were young people of color—all there to support High Blood, the exhibit which runs through December 15, 2016. High Blood features, and is curated by, Seattle and Tacoma artists of color. It focuses on both the frustration and the knowledge that stem from experiences with the politics of race, gender, culture, and sexuality.

A standout feature of the exhibit is “The Red Chador: Threshold,” a video and mural installation by Tacoma’s Studio Revolt (Anida Yoeu Ali and Masahiro Sugano).

Ali is a performance artist and writer, and Sugano is a filmmaker. Ali, a first-generation Muslim Khmer woman, wears a red chador (body-concealing garment), surrounded by American flags; Sugano and crew document reactions from passersby and audience. A still from a performance at the Smithsonian, “Threshold,” from a performance at the Smithsonian, is featured as a large window mural outside the gallery. It’s an arresting, provocative challenge to Islamophobia that’s sorely needed in our political climate.

Similarly, Alex Schelhammer’s sculpture, “They Can’t Kill Us All,” speaks forcefully to, and with, movements like Black Lives Matter. It features a mannequin torso with a hoodie, hands up, voting ballot in its pocket.

While viewers may, and should, feel challenged by parts of the exhibit, High Blood also encourages a range of emotions. Monica Mendoza-Castrejon’s painted explorations of identity, heritage, and culture welcome the viewer to the exhibit with radiant colors.

Other highlights include Lauren Iida’s vibrant papercutaways with watercolor; Yoona Lee’s sparsely elegant “Self Portrait” “Survival Rate,” and “Elegy,” Satpreet Kahlon’s sculpture made with rice noodles and fishing line. Kenji Stoll and Saiyare

Over 100 people attended the recently opened Spaceworks Gallery in downtown Tacoma on November 17, 2016. • Photo by Tamiko Nimura

Refaei’s spray painted mural, “Chow ‘Fun’” nudges the viewer to consider their place in cultural appropriation. Although written work (including poems by Tacoma poet laureate Cathy Nguyen) are also featured in the show, these are somewhat lost in the space.

I spoke with Clarissa Gines, cocurator of the show and co-founder of The CultureShock Collective with Rose Mathison. The CultureShock Collective is an exciting new venture meant to create exploration, collaboration, and community among artists of color in Tacoma’s arts community. Both Gines and Mathison are of Filipina descent, and bring their expertise from other art institutions (Gines is exhibit manager at Seattle’s ArtXchange Gallery, Mathison is visitor services lead at Tacoma Art Museum).

International Examiner (IE): When and how did the CultureShock collective start?

Clarissa Gines (CG): The CultureShock Collective (CSC) started in September 2015, and arose from conversations Rose and I had, and still have, about the lack of art exhibitions and events that featured artists of color. There is an obvious absence of diverse exhibitions that feature POC [people of color] and their various viewpoints and experiences. We noticed that there are a handful of amazing artists making fantastic work, but they don’t necessarily have the platform or resources to showcase their work. Our goal is to create that

platform for artists to share their work with the community, and to build a bridge between 1) the artists and the community at-large, and 2) the different artists within Tacoma and Seattle. The CSC aims to create continuous visibility for these disenfranchised artists, to cultivate support and outreach for them within the arts community, and to use arts to spark engaging dialogue.

IE: Same question for the show High Blood—what was the starting point, what was your rationale in selecting artists/ pieces?

CG: When we formed The CSC, we knew that we wanted to curate an exhibition that was a culmination of all the frustrations we face as two women of color. This exhibition is a reflection of our identities and our experiences, and ones that we’ve heard through various friends and people from the community—and a show that we hope would resonate with others and spark conversation.

Funny enough, the title came about during a conversation I had with my mother—we were chatting about something and she had said the phrase “High Blood,” and it instantly clicked. The phrase, which is a Filipino slang term meaning “frustrated, stressed, angry,” was the perfect title for this show because it really encapsulates how we feel in this current socio-political climate.

We knew that this show was going to be curated by POC, have works by POC, and meant for the POC community. In selecting artists, we knew immediately that all the artists in the show had to come from a marginalized community (like ourselves).

I’ve been following a few of the artists for some time (like Satpreet Kahlon, Yoona Lee, and Asia Tail), and wanted to find a way to work with them, so this show was a great opportunity to reach out. Initially, we only contacted 5-6 artists, but as word spread about the show, artists started reaching out to us asking to participate, which was amazing.

It really proved to us that this exhibition is one that the community needed. We wanted strong works that made a statement, and resonated with us. The works in the show explore issues of intersectional identity

and socio-political topics from the lens of a person of color. We hope that the inclusivity that we tried to achieve with this show is apparent!

IE: What is the most important thing (or things) that you have learned along the way?

CG: One interesting thing I’ve learned is that it’s really hard to find artists of color in Tacoma and Seattle. There was a lot of searching online and asking various individuals in the community. There seems to be a disconnect between artists and art administrators/curators in Tacoma, and I’d like to see more of a relationship being built between the two. Community is everything— having conversations with one another is so important. We learn how to tolerate and understand our unique experiences through dialogue. Without that interaction with diverse communities, we can’t progress and grow both as individuals and as a society.

IE: How does this show feel now in light of recent events?

CG: We knew this show was an important one to curate, and one that needed to be done. Now, post-election, the show couldn’t have been more timely—we couldn’t have planned it any better. I think it really drives the message home to a lot of folks that disenfranchised communities need to come together in solidarity even more so now, and that we can’t allow our petty differences to rip our communities apart. The show feels like an incubator for persistence, resilience and strength. Curating High Blood was a huge step in creating visibility for these voices to be heard and their works to be seen, but the real work needs to continue even after the show ends in December. Now isn’t the time to be complacent, we need to continue to defend, organize, and mobilize our communities.

‘High Blood’ is located in Tacoma’s Spaceworks Gallery, 950 Pacific Avenue (entrance on 11th Street). Gallery hours are limited (Monday to Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.). The exhibit runs through December 15, 2016.

Poet Tony Robles revives San Francisco, his words are its heart

By Shirley Ancheta IE Contributor “We interrupt your regularly/Scheduled program to bring/ You the Ellis Act….Mom and Pop are missing.” So begins the first poem in Tony Robles’ collection Cool Don’t Live Here No More: A Letter to San Francisco” (Ithuriel’s Spear). Tony Robles—social justice and community activist, anti-eviction advocate, Board President of Manilatown Heritage Foundation—honors the people of his community with his accessible, witty and incisive poetry. He isn’t angry-cool that the people have lost their neighborhoods; he’s pissed off. But rather than just an attack on urban development, gentrification and the complicit position of city lawmakers who claim to look after its people, the poet’s affection for the city’s marginalized communities results in a collection that is an affirmation of possibilities.

The relationship between the activist poet and the people allows Robles to write down conversations and find the cool of the City.

He finds poetry among the sandwich makers in the financial district, in a garbage room, on the bus. We travel with the poet through

his neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Fillmore, The Mission.

In the poem “Blood In Blood Out,” he has a conversation with someone he recognizes from junior high. The chubby boy is now a firefighter, and the two men exchange blood pressure readings in their small talk before exchanging email addresses. Then the poet plays around with the word blood: I was glad I Hadn’t avoided Him Take it easy, blood He said as he walked Out the door He never called me Blood when we were Growing up It Thickens.

Robles is a fourth-generation San Franciscan. His father is Filipino American, a Fillmore Flip; his mother is African American and Irish. And while it’s difficult to disregard the fact that Tony

Robles is the nephew of the legendary poet unsolvable riddles—a face that just is.

Al Robles, he is not his late uncle’s acolyte. (“The City of Searching”) If Cool can’t stay, will Cool be cool Many years back, Tony would somewhere else? The City is in crisis. accompany Al to our group readings and get-togethers, taking in our varied voices With its dubious city government, it’s and styles. The result: Robles creates his not the flawed-but-progressive city we own direction, his own narrative, his own were once charmed by. Tony Robles is commanding stage presence. He’s a natural fighting for the people whose voices talker. In the same breath that he delivers and hard work made the city cool. Each homeless statistics and the name of another vanishing neighborhood breathes with his soon-to-be evicted person, he will breathe remembrance of a grandmother buying fish, a bus driver, a janitor, a Filipino Cab you a poem: Calloway. His strength is in his purpose I search the streets for a face, a face that to name the workers of this city and cities knows me, a face that sees me not only in to come, and he leans into his purpose the present but a face with eyes that look with verve. Cool Don’t Live Here No into my face and say, with unsaid words: More: A Letter to San Francisco is for I remember you. Didn’t you go to George street consumption. Here’s to the cool and Washington High? ... It is beautiful to the street poet. Tony Robles revives San experience the spontaneous beauty of Francisco: his words are its heart. memories that come out of hibernation Shirley Ancheta co-edited the poetry and see light and breathe; and when you anthology Without Names (Kearny come across someone whose face you Street Workshop).

She is a former know in a city that no longer knows you or acknowledges you, it’s one of those rare resident of San Francisco who now lives and writes in Santa Cruz, California. moments when life is once again lived.

She is the widow of the poet Jeff Tagami.

I search for an un-evicted face, an unbeaten face, a face un-riddled by

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 13

IE NEWS

NAPCA program educates community about heart disease, the leading cause of death of AAPIs

By Travis Quezon IE Editor in Chief Seattle-based nonprofit National Asian Pacific Center on Aging’s (NAPCA) newly funded program, “Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging,” aims to improve heart health in communities across the country.

NAPCA was recently awarded a $484,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to improve healthy eating and nutrition with the ultimate goal of reducing heart disease―the leading cause of death for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).

The Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging program will serve nine states covering 17 metropolitan areas through 19 communitybased partner organizations that are serving older AAPI adults. In Seattle, the Chinese Information Service Center and the Korean Women’s Association are among the re-grantees. The goal of the program will be to reach out to at least 50,000 AAPI residents in the local markets, and about 3,000 seniors will attend the healthy eating training in eight languages, including Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), Korean, English, Japanese, Khmer, Samoan, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Dr. Hoa Appel is providing the workshop “Healthy Eating Healthy Aging” to Vietnamese speaking older adults in Lynnwood, WA. • Courtesy Photo

Lee: There are many healthy eating education materials and workshops in the U.S., but there are not enough nutrition and health related programs tailored for AAPI languages and cultures. Healthy Eating Healthy Aging is a unique program developed to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate nutrition education focused on heart health, to be delivered by AAPI focused community based organizations and trainers who are culturally and linguistically competent.

Support from the Walmart Foundation will enable us to continue delivering on our ongoing commitment to expand nutrition education programming and implement in the AAPI community, as well as to increase our capacity to serve more ethnic AAPI groups.

Eun Jeong Lee is the Senior Community Through the Walmart Foundation, we were eating behaviors to improve their heart Service Employment Program (SCSEP) National Director at National Asian selected as one of nine nonprofits—as part health. We have five objectives: Pacific Center on Aging. of $5 million in grant funding—to help • Increase vegetable consumption strengthen local communities through • Increase fruit consumption increased access to nutrition education and emergency meals programs. Since June, • Increase cook and prepare meals at we have been implementing the “Healthy home Eating Healthy Aging” program to provide • Increase of awareness of sodium intakes culturally competent and linguistically • Increase of reading nutrition fact labels appropriate healthy eating and nutrition education training to prevent and reduce IE: Are AAPI seniors a focus in this The International Examiner spoke with heart disease among older AAPI adults. effort or does this effort require reaching NAPCA’s Senior Community Service IE: The AAPI community is very everyone across the board?

Employment Program (SCSEP) National Director Eun Jeong Lee to learn more diverse. What is NAPCA’s strategy in Lee: At this point, our Healthy Eating about these efforts to address heart disease reaching out to these communities?

Healthy Aging project focuses on seven in the AAPI community.

Lee: The AAPI community is very ethnic-based AAPI senior groups, but we International Examiner: What are diverse in terms of languages and cultures. are anticipating to expand it to other ethnic the reasons for heart disease being the AAPI diets consumed by different ethnic groups and other geographic areas in the leading cause of death for AAPIs? In groups may seem similar, but are actually future. terms of diet or smoking, are there different from each other. NAPCA’s IE: In what ways will NAPCA be specific cultural and language barriers strategy is to develop culturally and partnering with community organizalinguistically acceptable materials. We tions? in play here? translated the training materials into Eun Jeong Lee: Heart disease is the Lee: NAPCA is currently operating seven targeted AAPI languages including second leading cause of death for AAPIs Chinese, Korean, Khmer, Japanese, five direct offices and partnering with between the ages 65-84 and the first Samoan, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, and seven subcontractor organizations in leading cause of death among AAPI ages incorporated culturally competent photos seven states through our federally funded 85 and older. According to the American subsidized training and employment and contents into our training materials.

Heart Association (AHA), 21 percent of all program, Senior Community Service Therefore, AAPI older adults with Employment Program (SCSEP). Through deaths among Asians are due to high blood limited English proficiency could easily SCSEP, NAPCA collaborates with more pressure related deaths. understand the nutrition education. than 400 community based organizations We recognize that health disparities Our second strategy is to develop nationwide to provide meaningful of heart disease remain prevalent among partnerships with community based subsidized employment training to low the AAPI older adult population as this organizations that are serving AAPI income older AAPI adults. As a result, group faces disparities in accessing quality older adults in our target areas. In the NAPCA has established its infrastructure care. AAPIs experience poor access and AAPI community, the role of community to reach out to an increased number of quality of care compared to mainstream based organizations are very unique to AAPI ethnic community members. populations. There is also a lack of AAPI older adults’ lives. We are working culturally competent prevention and For the Healthy Eating Healthy Aging with 19 community based organizations treatment programs and services that are project, we identified partner organizations nationwide, and each organization has in linguistically tailored, to help reduce high according to target areas and ethnic language facilitators who are trained to blood pressure for AAPIs. Socioeconomic educate AAPI older adults with limited groups. The number of participants served factors including education, income, health were determined based on each partner English proficiency. insurance and limited English proficiency organization’s capacity, as well as the project IE: What is the message that needs budget. As a result, NAPCA identified status contribute to barriers of fully accessing quality health care among the to get out and what needs to happen in 19 organizations in 16 cities in nine states order to reduce heart disease among to serve 3,000 participants who will be AAPI older adult population.

AAPIs? completing six hours of nutrition training.

In addition, most available health and Lee: Our message through Healthy nutrition training programs are not tailored IE: What else would you like our to address issues, such as smoking or high Eating Healthy Aging project is to educate readers to know? sodium intakes among the AAPI population. AAPI program participants to change their

14 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

Arts & Culture Asia Pacific Cultural Center 4851 So. Tacoma Way Tacoma, WA 98409 Ph: 253-383-3900 Fx: 253-292-1551 faalua@comcast.net www.asiapacificculturalcenter.org Bridging communities and generations through arts, culture, education and business.

Civil Rights & Advocacy Organization of Chinese Americans Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Seattle Chapter P.O. Box 14141 Seattle, WA 98114

Housing Services

Education Denise Louie Education Center 206-767-8223 info@deniselouie.org www.deniselouie.org

Offering home visiting services for children birth to 3 and full & part-day multicultural preschool education for ages 3 to 5 in the International District, Beacon Hill and Rainier Beach.

Homelessness Services

Professional & Leadership Development

Senior Services Legacy House

InterIm Community Development Association 310 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 Ph: 206-624-1802 Services: 601 S King St, Ph: 206-623-5132 Interimicda.org Multilingual community building: housing & parking, housing/asset counseling, projects, teen leadership and gardening programs.

Kawabe Memorial House 221 18th Ave S Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 connie.devaney@gmail.com We provide affordable, safe, culturally sensitive housing and support services to people aged 62 and older.

www.ocaseattle.org

OCA—Greater Seattle Chapter was formed in 1995 and since that time it has been serving the Greater Seattle Chinese and Asian Pacific American community as well as other communities in the Pacific Northwest.

It is recognized in the local community for its advocacy of civil and voting rights as well as its sponsorship of community activities and events.

COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

Seattle Chinatown/International District Preservation and Development Authority ph: 206-624-8929 fx: 206-467-6376 info@scidpda.org Housing, property management and community development.

Immigration Services Fearless Asians for Immigration Reforms (FAIR!) 206-578-1255 Info@ItShouldBeFair.com www.ItShouldBeFair.com

Free and confidential support for undocumented Asians and Pacific Islanders. DACA screenings, financial assistance, legal help, scholarships, DACA renewals, and consultations for service providers.

Benefits include: work permit, $$ for school, protection from deportation, driver’s license.

YouthCare 2500 NE 54th Street Seattle, WA 98105 206-694-4500

803 South Lane Street Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-292-5184 fx: 206-838-3057 info@legacyhouse.org www.scidpda.org/programs/legacyhouse. aspx Services offered: Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, meal programs for low-income seniors.

Executive Development Institute 310 – 120th Ave NE. Suite A102 Bellevue, WA Ph: 425-467-9365 edi@ediorg.org • www.ediorg.org EDI offers culturally relevant leadership development programs.

WE MAKE LEADERS Fostering future leaders through education, networking and community NAAAP Seattle services for Asian American Queen Anne Station professionals and entreP.O. Box 19888 preneurs.

Seattle, WA 98109 Facebook: NAAAP-Seattle info@naaapseattle.org Twitter: twitter.com/naaapwww.naaapseattle.org seattle

Senior Services Horizon House 900 University St Seattle, WA 98101 ph: 206-382-3100 fx: 206-382-3213 marketinginfo@horizonhouse.org www.horizonhouse.org A welcoming community in downtown Seattle, offering seniors vibrant activities, independent or assisted living, and memory care.

Southeast Seattle Senior Center 4655 S. Holly St., Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-722-0317 fax: 206-722-2768 kateh@seniorservices.org www.sessc.org Daytime activities center providing activities social services, trips, and community for seniors and South Seattle neighbors. We have weaving, Tai Chi, indoor beach-ball, yoga, dance, senior-oriented computer classes, trips to the casino, and serve scratch cooked lunch. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30-4. Our thrift store next door is open Mon-Fri 10-2, Sat 10-4. This sweet center has services and fun for the health and well-being of boomers and beyond. Check us out on Facebook or our website.

Social & Health Services Asian Counseling & Referral Service 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-695-7600 fx: 206-695-7606 events@acrs.org www.acrs.org ACRS offers multilingual, behavioral health and social services to Asian Pacific Americans and other low-income people in King County.

APICAT 601 S King St. Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-682-1668 www.apicat.org Addressing tobacco, marijuana prevention and control and other health disparities in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.

The Kin On Team is ready to serve YOU! www.kinon.org

info@youthcare.org www.youthcare.org

Working to prevent and end youth homelessness with services including meals, shelter, housing, job training, education, and more.

Homeownership Services HomeSight 5117 Rainier Ave S Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-723-4355 fx: 206-760-4210 www.homesightwa.org NMLS#49289 HomeSight creates homeownership opportunities through first mortgage lending, down payment assistance, real estate development, homebuyer education, and counseling.

Visit iexaminer.org for more announcements

Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs GA Bldg., 210 11th Ave SW, Suite 301A Olympia, WA 98504 ph: (360) 725-5667 www.facebook.com/wacapaa capaa@capaa.wa.gov www.capaa.wa.gov Statewide liaison between government and APA communities. Monitors and informs the public about legislative issues.

Washington New Americans Program OneAmerica 1225 S. Weller St., Suite 430 Seattle, WA 98144 Are you a lawful permanent resident? The Washington New Americans program can help you complete your application for U.S. citizenship. Low-cost and free services available – please call our hotline or visit www.wanewamericans.org.

Phone: 1-877-926-3924 Email: wna@weareoneamerica.org Website: www.wanewamericans.org

Cathay Post #186 of The American Legion Supporting veterans for over 70 years Accepting new members—contact us today to learn more! (206) 355-4422 P.O. Box 3281 Seattle, WA 98144-3281 cathaypost@hotmail.com

Legal Services

Public Interest Law Group, PLLC 705 Second Avenue, Suite 1000, Seattle WA 98104 206-838-1800 info@pilg.org www.pilg.org PILG attorneys Hank Balson, Wendy Chen, and Nancy Chupp provide information, advice, and representation in areas such as employment discrimination, unpaid wages, and other violations of workers’ rights.

Keiro Northwest 1601 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122 ph: 206-323-7100 www.keironorthwest.org rehabilitation care | skilled nursing | assisted living | home care | senior day care | meal delivery | transportation | continuing education | catering services

Chinese Information & Service Center 611 S Lane St, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-624-5633 fax: 206-624-5634 info@cisc-seattle.org www.cisc-seattle.org Creating opportunities for Asian immigrants and their families to succeed by helping them make the transition to a new life while keeping later generations in touch with their rich heritage.

COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

Social & Health Services

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016 — 15

Since 1935

Tai Tung Restaurant International District Medical & Dental Clinic 720 8th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98114 ph: 206-788-3700 email: info@ichs.com website: www.ichs.com

Banquet Facilities - Catering - Delivery

Bellevue Medical & Dental Clinic 1050 140th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005 ph: 425-373-3000 Shoreline Medical & Dental Clinic 16549 Aurora Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133 ph: 206-533-2600 Holly Park Medical & Dental Clinic 3815 S Othello St, Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-788-3500 ICHS is a non-profit medical and dental center that provides health care to low income Asian, Pacific Islanders, immigrants and refugees in Washington State.

7301 Beacon Ave S Seattle, WA 98108 ph: 206-587-3735 fax: 206-748-0282 www.idicseniorcenter.org info@idicseniorcenter.org IDIC is a nonprofit human services organization that offers wellness and social service programs to Filipinos and API communities.

Parking & Transportation Services 206-624-3426 transia@aol.com Merchants Parking provides convenient and affordable community parking. Transia provides community transportation: para-transportation services, shuttle services, and field trips in and out of Chinatown/International District, and King County.

Come Enjoy the Oldest Chinese Restaurant in Town!

655 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 622-7372 Mon-Thurs 11am-10:30pm Fri-Sat 11am-12am Sun 11am-10pm

Visit iexaminer.org!

Announcements Palengke, Filipino pop-up shop now open through December 30

Palengke is located on the mezzanine level inside Alchemy Goods (1528 1st Avenue) and is open every day Monday— A pop-up shop called Palengke is now Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., open through December 30. “Palengke” Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is the Tagalog word for “market.” The Sundays 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. shop features goods from Hood Famous The location previously housed Bakeshop, pop-up restaurant Food & Manila Imports, a Philippine goods store Sh*t, and vinyl decal and design studio established in 1986 and closed in 2014.

Make Look Good, in addition to other artwork and crafts by Filipino artists and Filipino-themed vintage items. Hood International Special Review District Famous Bakeshop will be selling their Board announces election results Filipino-inspired cheesecakes as well as The annual election for the International clothing and mugs. Food & Sh*t will sell Special Review District Board was held on bottled sauces and pickles.

Tuesday, November 15. Two positions were up for election this year, and the results are as follows: • Eliza Chan won Position #3 for a Business owner, Property owner or Employee.

• Tiernan Martin won Position #5 for Atlarge.

Starting in December, Chan will begin her first term, and Martin will begin serving his second term.

The special character of the Chinatown International District is recognized and protected by city ordinance. In 1973, the International Special Review District Board was created to preserve, protect and enhance the cultural, economic and historical qualities of the District. The

Board is composed of seven members— five elected by the Chinatown International District community and two appointed by the Mayor. Board members’ terms are for two years, and members may serve up to two consecutive terms. The current board members are Stephanie Hsie, Carol Leong, Tiernan Martin (Vice-Chair), Miye Moriguchi (Chair), Herman Setijono, Valerie Tran, and Marie Wong. The terms for Mr. Martin and Ms. Wong end November 2016.

The International Special Review District is coordinated by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program which is responsible for the designation and protection of more than 400 historic structures, sites, objects, and vessels, as well as eight historic districts located throughout the city.

Answers to this puzzle are on Wednesday, December 20.

16 — December 7, 2016 – December 20, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE NEWS . . . PUBLIC SAFETY: Continued from page 1

Danny Woo Garden receives funding for park improvements and an education center González also led efforts at the City Council to support the The Danny Woo International District Community Garden.

InterIm CDA will receive $100,000 in 2017 and $200,000 in 2018 for capital improvements at Danny Woo Garden, including an education building.

González said that the council’s decision to fund the improvements was due in large part to the CID Public Safety Task Force’s recommendation to take care of Danny Woo Garden, one of the only green and open spaces in the neighborhood.

“When you take good care of open and green spaces like [Danny Woo Garden] that is part of the built environment and when you invest in the built environment then you increase the livability of a neighborhood,” González said. “When you activate a space, more people come out, more people are engaging in positive behavior and we want to make investments that encourage positive behavior so those spaces are not taken over by negative behavior. So, I see this as this investment as not just a strategy of how do we preserve a cultural icon in the CID, it’s also a part of thinking creatively about how we improve public safety through park improvements like this.” “[Danny Woo Garden] has been primarily built through hundred thousand plus hours of volunteer labor,” said InterIm CDA

executive director Pradeepta Upadhyay.

“Due to the age of the garden, much of the garden’s infrastructure has dilapidated and has been or needs to be replaced.”

InterIm CDA’s request to the city council targeted several capital improvement projects including improving pathways, building a staircase, creating better lighting, and rebuilding two retaining walls. Upadhyay also described other needed improvements to make the garden more inviting such as new garden plots, a new entrance point and gateway that would extend into Main Street, multi-lingual interpretive signage, and new native drought tolerant beds.

“The relocation of the entrance point, a new gateway, the building, and security cameras are all efforts in improving the aesthetics and functions of the garden.

However, we are also trying to create more security for the garden,” Upadhyay said. “Currently, the garden has many challenges due to its location and the existence of several entry points and hiding spaces. We feel that creating a single entry point off of South Main Street, a facility overlooking this entrance point, and security cameras will discourage people from drinking or using drugs in this southern part of the garden, where we see these type of activities currently occur. The garden currently faces some of the largest public safety problems in the community and we are hoping our planned physical improvements will ameliorate this problem.”

InterIm CDA will use the $300,000 from the City Council to complete the capital

improvement projects and is seeking additional funding to support a sustainable educational building at the Danny Woo Garden.

“This building will be a facility that will enable our garden staff to teach our seedto-plate classes not just during our summer months but throughout the year,” Upadhyay said. “The building will also create different educational programming opportunities related to gardening, food justice, and sustainability. We will also use the facility to host meetings for our gardeners who have plots in the garden.”

Equitable Development Initiative projects, garbage pickup in CID also funded Council President Harrell led efforts to authorize funding for projects intended to increase access to opportunities and mitigate further displacement in the CID, Central District, and South Seattle. The passage of C.B. 118864, authorizes $6.5 million for the following Equitable Development Initiative projects: • Rainier Beach Food Innovation District—A strategy to bring in high quality jobs coupled with education and training so that those who are now closed out can fully participate in the region’s economic growth.

• Multicultural Community Center—The goal is to provide a stable future for cultural anchors, providing support, reinforcement and cultural preservation for the immigrants and refugee communities in the area.

• South East Economic Opportunity Center—The goal is to provide an education, training, and services hub.

• William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation—A hub for entrepreneurial resources to support cultural preservation and innovation in the creative economy and provide pathways to the creative industries for those who are excluded • Little Saigon Landmark Project—A gathering place for the regional Vietnamese community in Little Saigon business district.

Harrell also led efforts in the city council to add $192,000 in funding for more frequent garbage pickup and street cleaning in the CID. Sanitation service west of I-5 is currently funded through an annual $70,000 CID Business Improvement Area (BIA) contract. The area in the CID east of I-5 is currently not part of the BIA contract and does not receive public sanitation services. An additional $72,000 for the cleaning west of I-5 and $120,000 for east of the I-5 would provide two extra cleaning days, plus pressure washing one block face a week for one year.

“The budget investments we are adding for the Chinatown-International District continues our work to ensure a vibrant, safe, and thriving neighborhood,” Harrell said. “Action speaks louder than words—the safety of residents, patrons, and the well-being of businesses in the Chinatown-International District is a priority for the city.”