July 20, 2016 International Examiner

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

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July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 1

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CIRCC forum provides some post-July 4th fireworks ahead of state primary

By Jeanie Lindsay IE Contributor Candidates and communities came together Saturday, July 9 for a lively forum where hotly debated questions surrounding immigration, housing affordability, and safety challenged potential office holders.

The Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees, and Communities of Color (CIRCC) hosted their 5th Annual Candidate Forum that brought candidates from statewide and local district elections to the table to answer questions from community members. The day kicked off with a Q&A session for two of the three candidates for Secretary of State.

Followed by a packed table of candidates for the 43rd Legislative District, the morning of the event moved smoothly, and was predictably dominated by Democrats.

During the first session, former Seattle City Council member Tina Podlodowski answered questions about her background. Her opponent Tim Turner responded to questions by asking for the audience and community to guide and inform him of where their most pressing needs lie. He promised to work with them throughout his campaign and potential term in office.

Although their responses differed in baseline knowledge, both Podlodowski and Turner made a point to note the lack of understanding for communities of color and inaction from the current officeholder, Secretary of State Kim Wyman—as well as her absence from the event altogether.

Once the audience settled into their seats after lunch, candidates for the 9th Congressional District’s seat (Doug Balser, Rep. Adam Smith, and Jesse Wineberry) took their turn answering the set of questions formed by the CIRCC community, and, as moderator Dominique Stephens put it, “fireworks” flew.

Questions regarding gentrification revealed that all three candidates present

. . . CIRCC: Continued on page 15

Inside

SPD clearing encampments

SPD began clearing out encampments in the CID under the I-5 on July 18. • Photo by Anakin Fung

IE News Services The Seattle Police Department began clearing the tents and encampments under the I-5 freeway starting Monday, July 18. The clean-up will continue through the week, with the goal of keeping the sidewalks and public areas clear for pedestrian traffic and tackling the drug dealing and other crimes that had taken root in the area. Homeless residents living in the tents will be referred to shelters and appropriate services. The sidewalks will be washed and kept clean for at least the next full month, according to City officials.

This move has been long-awaited by Chinatown-ID advocates, who had been complaining of problems for months.

This action comes as a response to the Mayor’s task force on public safety, which

recently issued a written report following six months of meetings. The task force recommendations included a call for direct action to remove the unauthorized encampment of tents and temporary shelters that had proliferated on King and Jackson Streets under the I-5 freeway.

Seattle police say they have made at least a dozen earlier attempts to remove the tents from this area of the CID, each time without success. City officials say they are working with InterIm CDA, which manages the parking lot under the freeway, and the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Seattle Department of Transportation on a long-term strategy of altering the physical space to deter the return of the encampment and establishing positive community activities.

Memories of Donnie Chin | Page 8

The Legacy of Ruth Woo | Page 10

Candidates debate for 7th congressional district seat

By Taylor McAvoy IE Contributor Community members gathered in the Seattle Central Public Library auditorium on July 14 to hear Pramila Jayapal, Joe McDermott, and Brady Walkinshaw debate their candidacy for Congress.

Jayapal is in her first term as state senator from the 37th Legislative District representing Southeast Seattle.

McDermott is the King County Council Chair and has represented Vashon Island and West Seattle for six years.

And Walkinshaw is in his first full term as a state representative from the 43rd Legislative District representing Capitol Hill and parts of Downtown Seattle.

Seattle City Club and the Downtown Seattle Association hosted the debate

with moderators C.R. Douglas, a Q13 Joe McDermott called attention to his Fox News political analyst, and Essex 10-year experience in the Legislature Porter, a KIRO 7 News reporter. and 5-year experience serving on the Amid a largely undecided audience, King County Council. In the Legislature, the three candidates tried to differentiate he helped pass campaign finance reform, themselves from each other despite their extended the light rail, and fought for marriage equality. He also noted his similar policies. leadership on the council to support In her opening statement, Jayapal anti-gun violence policies and programs. expressed her passion for immigration Brady Walkinshaw started off with his reform and racial justice, calling on experience coming from a working class her experience as an activist helping family and his dedication to providing to create One America, formerly the Hate Free Zone, the largest immigrant the country with a more sustainable and rights advocacy organization after the nutritious food source. He drew on his track record in passing legislation on September 11 attacks. criminal justice, combating addiction, “I realize we need more of us in and addressing homelessness. government representing regular working The first question of the night was people across this country, across this not on the agenda until moments before district, across this state and that’s why I ran for Congress,” Jayapal said. . . . CONGRESSIONAL: Continued on page 7

2 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

Lake Washington Apartments renovation puts focus on quality

By Nicholas Nolin IE Columnist On June 16, residents of the Lake Washington Apartments welcomed city officials, non-profit leaders, and philanthropic supporters in order to showcase the recent completion of the property’s extensive restoration project.

The Southeast Effective Development (SEED)-sponsored initiative resulted in nearly $50 million worth of renovations for the Rainier Valley community.

Located between the Rainier Beach light rail station and Beer Sheva Park, the multi-building residential estate is comprised of 379 units and is home to nearly 1,100 people.

Having originally been built in the late 1940s, Lake Washington Apartments have undergone a series of restoration acts over the previous decades. SEED first became involved with the property when it purchased and renovated the campus in 1998. The series of upgrades and improvements that took place over the next 15 years were supported by a combination of tax credits and public spending, according to SEED’s executive director Lance Matteson. These upgrades were much needed at the time as Matteson said the area “had been quite rundown and a bit of a crime hot spot” during the late ’90s.

While the aim of SEED’s first project was to bring the apartments out of a state of disrepair, Matteson said the more recent initiative was undertaken “with the intent of keeping it affordable for decades to come.”

The most recent renovations have not only made a significant impact on the financial value of the property but have also been demonstrably beneficial for the residents as well, Matteson said. The scope of the project saw a virtual overhaul of the living accommodations. Elas Kolonja, Lake Washington Apartments’ community director, said that the tenants “rave about the new cabinets, flooring, new appliances, and the convenience of being able to do laundry in their own

IE STAFF

Established in 1974, the International Examiner is the only non-profit pan-Asian American and Pacific Islander media organization in the country. Named after the International District in Seattle, the “IE” strives to create awareness within and for our APA communities. 409 Maynard Ave. S. #203, Seattle, WA 98104. (206) 624-3925. iexaminer@iexaminer.org.

are not only prevented from sliding further down the socio-economic ladder but are given a legitimate opportunity to climb higher. The concerted message amongst SEED, the City of Seattle, business leaders, and the various other actors involved in the Lake Washington Apartments project reinforced this sentiment and in turn gives way for a cautious optimism regarding the future of affordable housing in Seattle.

The Lake Washington Apartments received nearly $50 million worth of renovations. • Photo by Nicholas Nolin

That same afternoon marked the grand unveiling of a mosaic bench designed and created by some of Lake Washington’s youngest residents. In what will become the most sought after seat for an untold number of impromptu soccer matches over the coming years, the group of more than a dozen artists gathered in front of the bench and spoke about how enjoyable it was to be involved in the creation of the bench. Impressive in its own right, the true value in this mosaic bench is its immense symbolic importance as a physical reminder of our ability to contribute to and help shape the communities around us. The fact that this bench lays at the geographic heart of the Lake Washington Apartments is, perhaps, rather fitting.

home.” The inclusion of in-suite washers and dryers have also allowed for the space-consuming commons center to be repurposed into 13 new living units.

In addition to these more superficial features, funds were also used to examine the structural integrity of the buildings, replace the rapidly-aging plumbing system and install eco-friendly sidings and windows.

both need to be taken into consideration, especially as Steve Walker, Director of the Office of Housing for the City of Seattle, has said that “getting to the [Mayor’s goal of 20,000 affordable housing-units] requires a tripling of our current pace of unit production.” However, while there is an immediate and dire need for more affordable housing, it is important to ensure that those at risk of displacement

This clear emphasis on quality is a welcome sight when it is often the matter of quantity that dominates the headlines when it comes to affordable housing throughout King County. It is obvious that

Children sit on a mosaic bench designed by more than a dozen young artists. • Photo by Nicholas Nolin

A new technology program cosponsored by CenturyLink is also set to take effect, which will see Internet services and laptops offered to residents.

Some of the other social services that will be available include daycare, cooking classes, and ESL programs.

While these projects are invaluable in contributing to a higher quality of life for the residents, Matteson said that Lake Washington Apartments “also preserve all the [traditional] amenities that make up quality of life such as pedestrian access to recreational parks along Lake Washington, shopping, health care services, schools, the library and the community center.”

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 ENGAGEMENT MANAGER Lexi Potter lexi@iexaminer.org

BUSINESS MANAGER Ellen Suzuki finance@iexaminer.org

DISTRIBUTORS Joshua Kelso Makayla Dorn Maryross Olanday Tiger Song

editor@iexaminer.org

STAFF WRITERS Chetanya Robinson Alia Marsha

NEWS EDITOR Izumi Hansen

INTERN Anakin Fung

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CONTRIBUTORS Jeanie Lindsay Nick Nolin Sokha Danh John Eklof Leilani Leach Michael Schmeltzer Roxanne Ray Yayoi Winfrey

EDITOR IN CHIEF Travis Quezon

ARTS EDITOR Alan Chong Lau

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DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Rhea Panela rheapanela@iexaminer.org

CHIEF COPY EDITOR Anna Carriveau STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Isaac Liu

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INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 3

IE OPINION

‘Yes’ on Proposition 1: The need for renewed housing levy is great Proposition 1, the Seattle Housing Levy, will appear on the August 2 Primary Ballot.

The primary focus of the housing levy is to fund affordable rental housing for low-income Seattle residents. The housing serves people with disabilities, seniors, families with children, formerly homeless individuals and families, and people working in low-wage jobs who might otherwise live far from the city. Levy funds can be used throughout the city for new construction of affordable housing or for preservation and improvements to existing buildings.

Proposition 1 calls for $290 million spanning 7 years. The median cost to Seattle homeowners, according to the city, is $122/year or $10.17/ month (based on assessed value of $480,000).

Seattle’s current housing levy was established in 2009 for $145 million over 7 years through 2016.

For more information on the housing levy, visit http://www. seattle.gov/housing/levy.

The following is a speech by InterIm CDA executive director Pradeepta Upadhyay that was delivered on July 14 at a press conference at Hirabayashi Place about Proposition 1.

By Pradeepta Upadhyay Special to IE We are delighted that this historical building, Hirabayashi Place, and the Donnie Chin Community room, was selected as the venue for the press conference this morning. This building and the neighborhood carries a deep significance related to social justice and stories of the API and immigrant refugee communities.

We are a nonprofit affordable housing and community development organization based here in the International District. We provide multi-lingual, culturally competent housing and community building services to the API and immigrant refugee communities in WA State.

InterIm CDA has been serving the API/ refugee immigrant community in the ID Chinatown area for over 47 years. Our organization was born out of the civil rights movement and was established in 1969.

The International District for generations has been and continues to be the gateway for most API immigrants coming to the Pacific Northwest. Our organization was created to protect and preserve the rights of our community members and we are guided by our core values and principles which are embedded in social justice and equality for our communities.

One of our main focuses is on building low-income housing, like this building.

The project is complete; we are hoping to complete the public art work in the next few months.

It is a mixed-use, transit oriented, workforce housing development that includes 96 apartments and, soon, a child

InterIm CDA executive director Pradeepta Upadhyay delivered a speech on July 14 at a press conference at Hirabayashi Place about Proposition 1. • Photo by Travis Quezon

care center, which will be operated by El Centro de la Raza.

Affordable housing has and continues to be very important and core to our work and mission. We exist because the neighborhood exists.

Funding a development like this is not easy. The financing gets cobbled together from multiple sources. But the housing levy is a key piece for financing and obtaining matching funds to build affordable homes, particularly for those below 60 percent of Area Median Income.

Hirabayashi Place would not have been built without funding from Seattle’s current housing levy. We need more buildings like this. Many more. The need is great.

Upwards of 20 percent of all Seattle households are identified as “severely cost burdened,” defined as households spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent and basic utilities like water, sewer, garbage, and electricity. For families living at or below 30 percent of area median income, 62%—roughly 21,500 households—are severely cost burdened.

Why people want to live here

This neighborhood is the cultural heart and soul for the API community; it is steeped in rich history and carries the heritage, legacy of struggles, challenges and success stories of the API immigrant/ refugees pioneers that came here before us and built the neighborhood.

As we begin to see the rapid development, we are concerned about displacement, which is already happening and will increase over the years. High cost of living and lack of affordable housing has forced many community members to live outside the neighborhood. This neighborhood is under a huge threat due to its proximity to the city and transportation services.

Rising rents, a surge in market rate development replacing older affordable housing have made it difficult for the most vulnerable and low-income populations to find housing here.

If we are hoping to ensure that Seattle does not become a city where only the

wealthy can afford to live here, we need to a pass Proposition 1.

This public investment consistently meets, often exceeds, targets for construction and preservation of affordable housing units providing

homes for families and school children and ensuring affordable housing options remain available for our seniors, and others living on fixed incomes. Voting “yes” on Proposition 1, continuing this tradition of public investment in affordable housing, is a smart decision.

This levy is the next step in Seattle’s long commitment to public investment in affordable housing. Beginning with 1981 Senior Housing Bond, Seattle has demonstrated a 35-year track record of strong success.

This is why it is important that we pass this renewed and expanded housing levy on the August primary ballot.

So, I ask everyone to join me, the mayor, all nine Seattle City Council members, the Housing Development Consortium, multiple Democratic Party organizations, the Martin Luther County King Labor Council, the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Seattle Association, the Sierra Club, transit advocates, social justice organizations and many more in supporting Proposition 1 on the August 2 primary ballot.

SEIU Executive Vice President Luisa Blue and SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. • Courtesy Photo

APALA honors Luisa Blue IE News Services

On July 11, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) held an event to honor Luisa Blue’s election as the first ever Asian American Pacific Islander to serve as an international officer of the Service Employee International Union (SEIU). Blue was elected on May 22.

The event also celebrated the decades of Blue’s accomplishments as an activist in the Filipino community, an organizer and founding member of SEIU’s Nurse Alliance, founding member of APALA, Chief Elected Officer of SEIU Local 521, and currently as the highest ranking AAPI at SEIU.

As civil rights activism swept across the United States and the world, Blue joined the anti-martial law coalition against the Marcos dictatorship and regime. She was always active in the Filipino-American community, and worked on immigrant rights and discrimination issues, APALA said.

In 1977, while working as an RN at San Francisco General Hospital, she joined the union where she became more active and helped organize other nurses to become advocates for better patient care and working conditions.

“All communities need to work together for immigrant and racial justice this November,” Blue said at the event.

“Together, we know our diversity is the key heading towards November.”

4 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

I believe in justice for Donnie Chin because I believe in justice for the Chinatown-International District

By Sokha Danh Guest Columnist About a month before Donnie Chin’s murder, I met with the owner of King’s Hookah Lounge to discuss neighborhood concerns about the late night activities occurring right outside the business. I had been receiving reports from residents and employees witnessing street racing and other disturbances that were thought to be caused by their customers. I remember leaving the meeting feeling somewhat accomplished. The owner had agreed to work on his security protocols and continue to work with us to troubleshoot problems. However, there was also a shared sense of frustration with the already distressed state of public safety in the community. Donnie and I talked after this meeting. He honestly didn’t think that anything would come out of it.

It was obvious that Donnie didn’t believe in the system. I think that’s why, in large part, Donnie did what he did.

Shortly after Donnie’s murder, elders in the community organized a protest against King’s Hookah Lounge. Young activists banded together to create their own space and discuss the implications for not only the Chinatown-International

believe in justice for Donnie because I believe in justice for the ChinatownInternational District. The Mayor’s action plan is obviously not the only step needed for community reconciliation, but it helps move us in the right direction. It is illogical to think that the task force recommendations will solve all of Chinatown-International District’s public safety and neighborhood vitality issues. No task force from the city ever will, so our work continues.

On July 24, 2015, a day after Donnie Chin’s murder, elders in the community organized a protest against King’s Hookah Lounge. • Photo by Isaac Liu

District, but other communities of color.

A series of dialogues occurred between hookah club owners and some API leaders to discuss race-relations. Community organizations and individuals developed separate agendas in the same pursuit of

keeping the city accountable to Donnie’s investigation. And in between all of this, there was mourning.

There is no guarantee that the killer or killers will ever be found, but I still

It has been almost a year since Donnie’s murder. The neighborhood is the same, but changing too. You can hear the buzz of Hing Hay Park as the children of nearby restaurant workers play and also see some its future, as the redevelopment of the Publix Hotel is nearing completion. The last time that I saw Donnie was close to this time in the summer. We were sitting in front of his store, the Sun May Company in Canton Alley. I was talking to him about Benito Enriquez, a young man beaten to death in the neighborhood on the way home from a concert at Century Link Field. Donnie also wanted justice for Benito. To honor Donnie’s legacy, we are obligated now to work together and make this system work for all of us.

Letter to the Editor

Donnie Chin’s legacy — Is anyone listening?

The following is a letter to the editor from Karen Yoshitomi, executive director of the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington: In June, I attended a ceremony for the renaming of a park in the Seattle Chinatown International District (SCID) to the Donnie Chin International Children’s Park. I made the effort to attend because I was hoping that Mayor Murray would acknowledge why the renaming of the park was so important. If it’s possible to feel hope leave your body, then that was surely what I felt after the mayor’s brief speech on that day. One sentence about how Donnie died. Worse, not one word about his life’s work, what Donnie Chin dedicated his entire life to, and ultimately died for: public safety in the SCID. What is it going to take, if not the deaths of innocent people, for our city leaders to “wake up!” The SCID is a community that cannot be compared to any other precinct or city in the state or nation. The SCID is a densely populated historic district,

update on the status of the investigation into Donnie’s death. Though the process for answers and justice has been painfully slow and meaningful communication woefully lacking, there is a glimmer of hope again that Donnie’s voice and that of the people who gathered at the meeting, is finally being heard. I think there was a commitment and acknowledgement from Chief Kathleen O’Toole that there is an urgent need to build better relationships between the Seattle Police Department and the SCID. Perhaps if the murmuring were turned into a roar, then the mayor might finally say what we’ve all been waiting to hear: that he believes that public safety in the SCID has breached crisis level, and is therefore of paramount Al Sugiyama speaks from the audience at a June 23, 2016 meeting hosted by Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos and importance to the City of Seattle. But the International District Emergency Center (IDEC). The meeting on public safety in the Chinatown International District also updated the community on the latest information about the Donnie Chin murder investigation and the more importantly, that he will join future plans for IDEC. • Photo by Isaac Liu with other city and comunity members to back those words up with the located adjacent to two professional drug dealers. The public safety issues sports arenas, and hosts thousands facing the SCID are multi-faceted and resources to honor that belief. of tourists and visitors each year. complex. That’s what Donnie had been Karen Yoshitomi There are large numbers of senior trying to get across to anyone who Executive Director citizens, immigrants, low income and would listen. Is anyone listening?

Japanese Cultural & Community homeless; mixed in with workers, Center of Washington Last night [on June 23, 2016], there visitors, gangsters, prostitutes, and was a community meeting to get an

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 5

IE OPINION

How Asian American millennials can contribute to social justice

By John Eklof IE Columnist At this point, you’d have to be dwelling underneath some limestone to have not seen Jesse Williams’ speech at the BET awards.

It was powerful. It was concise. It called out the dominant white culture in society. What more could you ask for in an acceptance speech? This was certainly his moment to use his platform and speak his truth and instead of faltering or shying away from the responsibility (as so many celebrities have done in the past), he bravely stepped up to the challenge and let everyone know what time it was. Afterwards, the Internet blew up, everyone was tweeting about it, reposting it, and basically going cashews over this speech from Jackson Avery.

After further reflecting on the speech, I began to think about how different groups of people responded and related to it. Of course, for many Black people, I could only imagine how this experience must have felt. To have someone essentially say everything that you’ve been thinking and feeling, all the while reaffirming your worth within a society that does its best to devalue you, I’m sure was impactful.

Additionally, I’m willing to wager there were some white folks that either felt some type of way about it or felt some inspiration akin to Justin Timberlake (which is a completely a different discussion in its own right). Then I began to ruminate on my own positionality and many people just like myself. What does Jesse Williams’ speech mean to non-Black people of color—specifically Asian Americans?

How do we connect? How do we relate? Is it even our place to do so?

In a country where the discourse about all things racial orbits around the black and white binary, Asian Americans often times find ourselves in a precarious position. We’re not really included in the conversation about race and if we are, it usually falls along the line of serving as a metaphorical wedge between our Latinx, Native, and Black family. (Cue the montage for the Model Minority Myth). Unless it’s intended to put down and divide other melanted people, Asian Americans have been draped with the cape of invisibility. We’re not mentioned. We are not included. We are relegated as an afterthought even before the idea comes to mind. Furthermore, when you factor in the amount of media representation, or better yet, the lack thereof for Asian Americans, our position gets compounded with even more nuance.

This positionality can be both confusing and difficult to navigate. There is not much to base our identity off of. Sure we have our family and our community. But let’s keep it 100 now, although the aforementioned components play a significant role in our socialization, it could be easily argued the media has just as much—if not more—of an influential role on how we formulate our concept of self. I wish this wasn’t so, but nonetheless, it’s the reality for many in this country. So being that there is a dearth of Asian American representation in the media, many of us default to African Americans as our role models.

Now simply put, this becomes complicated on a multitude of levels.

For starters, it’s great that we can revere, idolize, and look up to people from different ethnic groups—however, that should not be a substitute for having our own representation. I believe this is vital for the development of our mental health.

We need this more than some people care to realize. Having more Asian American representation in media benefits everyone, not just Asian Americans.

We all grow learning more about our neighbors around us. Only the closeminded would argue against it. Now, I must add, when I say having Eklof our own representation, I do not mean just begging the mainstream media to include us anyway they deem fit. I think shows like Fresh Off the Boat and Master of None are definite victories, however, that cannot be the end all be all. Having Asian American representation cannot stop at a TV show.

We need our own TV networks, our own publishing companies, and certainly our own film studios. That’s representation!

Second of all, Asian Americans must be honest with ourselves about how on one hand, we appreciate aspects of Black culture, but on the other hand, we contribute to anti-Blackness within our own communities. This is a reality that must be addressed. It’s not something to be ashamed of. Don’t deny it. Don’t ignore its existence. And certainly, don’t pretend like you haven’t been influenced by this pernicious notion at one point or another in your life. The quicker we accept this fact, the sooner we can begin to deconstruct it. Not only is anti-Blackness harmful to all parties involved, it is absolutely hypocritical at its fundamental core. You can’t be angry at being labeled the Model Minority, while at the same time hold onto anti-Black attitudes and behavior. The very same system that has mistreated you and your relatives has also brutalized the Black community. When you continue to practice anti-Blackness, you are indirectly supporting the racist system that has rendered you invisible and dehumanized your family. If you want to get out of a hole, what would be the more effective approach? Would you use a shovel or would you utilize a ladder? AntiBlackness is the shovel, can you dig it?

I believe Jesse Williams’ speech will go down as a watershed moment for our generation as a whole. The impact of it will be more fully understood as time goes on.

For Asian American millenials, it served as another opportunity for us to realize our own position in the conversation of race in the United States. I believe it is imperative for us to remember, that although celebrating in solidarity with the Black community over this speech is an overall positive, we must keep in mind producing our own representation will benefit all communities in the long run. Also, it is incumbent upon us to take the necessary steps of eradicating anti-Blackness within Asian American communities. By being action oriented around these two subjects, we as Asian Americans, can make our own unique contribution to actualizing social justice in this country.

Q&A: Karen Wong, president of Robert Chinn Foundation, talks about new grant program

By Rhea Panela IE Staff The Robert Chinn Foundation (RCF) established a grant program to award funds for specific projects in the areas of art, culture, health, and youth development.

The program considers requests for program funding in the following areas: art, culture and performing arts, health, and youth development.

Karen Wong, president of the Robert Chinn Foundation and Asian Hall of Fame, is a retired bank attorney and community leader who has served on boards including United Way of King County, Washington Women’s Lawyer, and Museum of History and Industry.

She currently serves on the board of the Washington State Convention Center and Virginia Mason Medical Center’s Board of Governors. The International Examiner spoke with Wong to learn more about the grant program.

International Examiner: How did the idea of the new grant program come to fruition?

Wong: When the Asian Resource Center was functioning, the Robert Chinn Foundation raised funds to support the center. With the sale of the center in 2014, the foundation began a transition to a private foundation and the foundation board decided to begin a philanthropic grant program to continue the work that Robert Chinn started in strengthening the community and support worthy nonprofits.

IE: This new grant program aims to support programs and nonprofits that serve diverse families and children, especially programs in the areas of art and culture, health, and youth development. Why did the Robert Chinn Foundation choose these specific areas to consider for their grant?

Wong: These are interests that Robert Chinn had during his lifetime and the foundation’s mission is to continue to support these areas. He was interested in the arts, culture, and history and wanted to support those programs. As a banker, he supported families and the community by improving the civic, educational, and cultural quality of life and access to health services and youth development would contribute to this goal.

Karen Wong

IE: Where does the money come from for grants and what does the RCF hope recipients will do?

Wong: The grant program is funded by sale proceeds, investment income, and community donations. RCF hopes that recipients will use the money to make a difference and make all communities a better place in which to live.

IE: How many programs will the RCF support each year?

Wong: Since this a new program, we are not sure how many programs will be supported by RCF. Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Grant applications are due on July 29, 2016. Organizations can apply every two years. Applications will be available at the Robert Chinn Foundation website at robertchinnfoundation.org and questions can be directed to info@ robertchinnfoundation.org.

6 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

Letters for Black Lives.

IE News Services The group Letters for Black Lives issued the following statement regarding a viral letter campaign about Asian American support for the Black Lives Matters movement. The viral letter can also be read below.

The deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have spurred dozens of thinkpieces, history lessons and lectures across America.

But for some Asian Americans, the strongest urge has been to utter these 4 words to their parents: “We need to talk.”

Within the span of a few hours, what started as one Asian-American millennial’s draft letter to her parents transformed into a crowdsourced open letter edited by hundreds of contributors in over a dozen languages.

The authors of this first letter are united around one common goal: speaking plainly, kindly and earnestly to their elders about why Black lives matter to them.

“Talking about race and police violence in Asian communities has always been difficult,” said Christina Xu, one of the letter’s lead organizers. “There are language and cultural barriers, media access issues and unresolved distrust between communities.”

Letters for Black Lives intends to be a multilingual resource for Asian-Americans who want to talk to their immigrant parents about antiBlackness in their own communities and families. While the first letter is by no means comprehensive, it’s a first step towards what its authors hope will be greater inter-generational dialogue and understanding about race and police violence.

Hundreds of contributors edited, translated, and transliterated the letter into over a dozen languages—and more are in progress. (Simplified Chinese, Telugu, Arabic, Tamil, Traditional Chinese, Indonesian, Farsi, Thai, Tagalog, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Bengali, Hindi, Korean, Khmer) There are also versions specific to different countries (French, Canadian, German) and communities (Latinx, African immigrants).

Here is the viral letter (in English): Dear Mom, Dad, Uncle, Auntie: Black Lives Matter to Us, Too Mom, Dad, Uncle, Auntie, Grandfather, Grandmother: We need to talk.

You may not have grown up around people who are Black, but I have. Black people are a fundamental part of my life: they are my friends, my classmates and teammates, my roommates, my family. Today, I’m scared for them.

This year, the American police have already killed more than 500 people. Of those, 25% have been Black, even though Black people make up only 13% of the population. Earlier this week in Louisiana, two White police officers killed a Black man named Alton Sterling while he sold CDs on the street. The very next day in Minnesota, a police officer shot and killed a Black man named Philando Castile in his car during a traffic stop while his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter looked on.

Overwhelmingly, the police do not face any consequences for ending these lives.

This is a terrifying reality that some of my closest friends live with every day.

Even as we hear about the dangers Black Americans face, our instinct is sometimes to point at all the ways we are different from them. To shield ourselves from their reality instead of empathizing. When a policeman shoots a Black person, you might think it’s the victim’s fault because you see so many images of them in the media as thugs and criminals. After all, you might say, we managed to come to America with nothing and build good lives for ourselves despite discrimination, so why can’t they?

I want to share with you how I see things.

It’s true that we face discrimination for being Asian in this country. Sometimes people are rude to us about our accents, or withhold promotions because they don’t think of us as “leadership material.” Some of us are told we’re terrorists. But for the most part, nobody thinks “dangerous criminal” when we are walking down the street. The police do not gun down our children and parents for simply existing.

This is not the case for our Black friends.

Many Black people were brought to America as slaves against their will. For centuries, their communities, families, and bodies were ripped apart for profit. Even after slavery, they had to build back their lives by themselves, with no institutional support—not allowed to vote or own homes, and constantly under threat of violence that continues to this day.

In fighting for their own rights, Black activists have led the movement for opportunities not just for themselves, but for us as well. Black people have been beaten, jailed, even killed fighting for many of the rights that Asian Americans enjoy today. We owe them so much in return. We are all fighting against the same unfair system that prefers we compete against each other.

When someone is walking home and gets shot by a sworn protector of the peace—even if that officer’s last name is Liang—that is an assault on all of us, and on all of our hopes for equality and fairness under the law.

For all of these reasons, I support the Black Lives Matter movement. Part of that support means speaking up when I see people in my community—or even my own family—say or do things that diminish the humanity of Black Americans in this country. I am telling you this out of love, because I don’t want this issue to divide us. I’m asking that you try to empathize with the anger and grief of the fathers, mothers, and children who have lost their loved ones to police violence. To empathize with my anger and grief, and support me if I choose to be vocal, to protest. To share this letter with your friends, and encourage them to be empathetic, too.

As your child, I am proud and eternally grateful that you made the long, hard journey to this country, that you’ve lived decades in a place that has not always been kind to you. You’ve never wished your struggles upon me. Instead, you’ve suffered through a prejudiced America, to bring me closer to the American Dream.

But I hope you can consider this: the American Dream cannot exist for only your children. We are all in this together, and we cannot feel safe until ALL our friends, loved ones, and neighbors are safe. The American Dream that we seek is a place where all Americans can live without fear of police violence. This is the future that I want—and one that I hope you want, too.

With love and hope, Your children

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 7

IE COMMUNITY

Helping Link a source of pride, skills for Vietnamese community

By Leilani Leach IE Contributor It’s a typical weeknight at Helping Link. There are volunteers in the office printing homework assignments for ESL students. People from multiple generations are talking and laughing around a small round table sharing chicken pho. An older Vietnamese woman waters flowers and cleans whiteboards after a class. She reminds Helping Link executive director Minh-Duc Nguyen to eat lunch.

Nguyen, often asked to be in two or three places at once, hustles between meetings and welcoming new classes throughout the day, and is the only full-time staff member.

Helping Link runs on “volunteer sweat,” she said.

“Our volunteers turned a storage space into a home,” Nguyen said.

About to celebrate its 23rd year, Helping Link is a nonprofit organization in Little Saigon with the mission of assisting the Vietnamese-American community with English, computer, and citizenship classes.

They also provide after-school tutoring, and help those with limited English skills connect with other community resources.

Helping Link provided services to more than 1,300 Vietnamese-Americans in 2015.

On an average day, Nguyen said, at least five people will come by or call to ask for anything from help finding employment to support with mental health issues.

Helping Link began in 1993 with a small group of young professionals offering to help read documents and translate communication between parents and their children’s schools.

Nguyen, who came to the United States in her early teens, began the organization after returning to Vietnam to visit family and seeing how destitute people were. She hadn’t realized she had “a hundred times more than what people in Vietnam had.”

Volunteers help students at an iPad class at Helping Link. • Photo by Anakin Fung

“I felt a lot of guilt because I got so much coming to America,” Nguyen said.

No longer content simply hanging out with friends and watching movies, she looked for a way to help.

She and that first small group of volunteers surveyed Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, and those around MLK Way to find what the community’s needs were. The Rainier Beach library welcomed the group, and they began teaching English.

They had prepared for about 20 attendees that first session. More than 100 showed up.

The fire department and police showed up, too, concerned about the crowd.

The group eventually added youth tutoring when the library asked for a way to keep the ESL students’ children occupied during the classes.

Fifteen years ago, Helping Link moved to its current location in the Asian Plaza after the Rainier Beach library closed for remodeling. The building that now houses a computer lab, main classroom, and office had been used as a storage space. Tables and other furnishings came from Boeing surplus.

Hoa Thuy Tran has been in the United States just over a year and began attending the ESL class at Helping Link last quarter.

Speaking through an interpreter, Tran said she likes the small classes and the location near where she lives. Her instructor created a comfortable and relaxed environment.

The people of Helping Link are kind, happy, and dedicated, she said.

“The teachers are really understanding and willing to help,” Tran said.

At the end of every quarter, there’s a celebration with food and activities.

Volunteers and students alike receive recognition for their hard work.

“When [students] get that piece of paper they’re so proud,” Nguyen said. “Some have never got a certificate in their life.”

Nguyen said it’s important to give people options and multiple opportunities to learn English.

ESL instructor Cassie Achzenick, who also assisted with the after-school program, said not many organizations serve very beginning students like Helping Link does.

Getting their skills to the “ground level”

will enable them to then take advantage of other programs in the area, she said.

“We do need to have these resources for people when they come to the U.S., so someplace they can go and meet people and gain the skills to be productive members of society,” Achzenick said.

Nguyen described how meaningful it was to see students’ lives changed. Children with no one at home who can read to them encounter a welcoming and encouraging environment at Helping Link’s youth tutoring sessions. One boy used to throw a tantrum when asked to read, she recalled, but a year and a half later he’s enjoying the Harry Potter books.

Nguyen said she’s “ever, forever grateful” for the volunteers who make it all possible, especially the ones who stay year after year.

There are currently about 50, donating time for everything from washing the deck to maintaining the website to teaching seniors to use Facebook and iPads.

In the volunteer-run organization, Nguyen said, if you have ideas you can run with them.

Achzenick, who now has a Fulbright scholarship to teach English in Germany, said she appreciated the freedom. She was able to plan lessons, tailor them to the students, and find what works.

Volunteers come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, and range in age from high-schoolers to retirees.

“Everyone counts, you don’t have to be rich, you don’t have to speak the language, you just have to care,” Nguyen said.

Helping Link is preparing for its annual fall gala, and needs volunteers for both the planning stage and the day of the event. They’re also filling other volunteer positions, including members of the board of directors. A list of current openings and the application can be found at http://www. helpinglink.org.

Jayapal, McDermott, Walkinshaw attempt to differentiate themselves . . . CONGRESSIONAL: Continued from page 1

when news broke of the terrorist attack in Nice, France. Porter said the reports at the hour of the debate were that 75 people had been killed when a large truck drove into a crowd of Bastille Day celebrators (later reports would confirm that 84 were killed).

“Each of our candidates came to this race with priorities on their minds, but the news can change those priorities and the priorities of voters,” Porter said.

In response, Walkinshaw called for an end to long-term military intervention abroad. He said, “We need to continue to acknowledge that ISIS is an incredible threat and at the same time be aware that a lot of actions we take abroad can have really negative implications over the long term.”

Jayapal called for building international coalitions along with investing in health, human services, jobs, and infrastructure in those countries where people are being recruited into terrorism so that they have other options.

McDermott held a similar view, calling to take the values of human rights we hold in the United States and to promote them abroad to reduce terrorist recruitment.

While on the subject of gun violence, all candidates stated that they would support a federal law that would require the FBI and Department of Justice to conduct investigations after every police shooting. All supported a ban of open carry and assault rifles across the state.

McDermott called these policies an “appropriate response” in the short term but also said that society needs to address institutional racism in the long term. He cited his commitment to gun control from the beginning with his work as the chair of the King County Board of Health.

Walkinshaw stated that criminal justice reform is one of his top priorities and is working now on legislation for this year’s ballot that will allow prosecution of officers in police shootings.

Jayapal drew on her “A-Plus” rating from the Washington Association for

Gun Responsibility for her work with a child safety bill and called for action to lower the standard of proof to prosecute police officers.

All three candidates agreed with a $15 minimum wage. All candidates also expressed their concern about the housing crisis in Seattle as an immediate issue.

They agreed on low barrier shelters

and funding for the McKinney-Vento Act, which supports homeless students through their K-12 education, as part of the solution.

Both McDermott and Walkinshaw are running to serve on the transportation and infrastructure committees while Jayapal is running to serve on health care, transportation, and foreign policy.

8 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

One year later

The International Examiner asked the community to share their memories of Donnie Chin. What follows are some of the responses.

Please visit iexaminer.org and see future issues of the IE for more memories. And please continue to share your memories of Donnie by emailing editor@iexaminer.org.

Dean Wong:

Donnie had this small cannon. It was made of heavy metal and would fit in a shoebox with room to spare.

I would watch as Donnie put gun powder in tube form into a chamber. He set up the cannon on King Street in front of Sun May Company, his parent’s store.

When he fired the cannon, there was a huge “boom,” made louder as the sound bounced off the buildings around us. It was a sound that made our firecrackers sound tiny in comparison. All of Chinatown would know who was making that noise.

Donnie and his sister Connie had a corner of Sun May to themselves to sell whatever. It was usually candy. In the back of the store was a black and white television. Donnie and I would sit in green vinyl chairs and twist the rabbit ears around to get the best reception.

There was a tiny office at Sun May. You went up a small set of stairs and had to duck to enter the room. There was a small window overlooking the store. There was a desk as I recall. Most likely a roll up desk in old Chinatown fashion.

It was in this office where the “Eagles” club was born. It was Donnie’s idea.

I suppose the eagle idea came from Donnie’s patriotism.

I was the only member, along with Connie. I can’t remember us actually doing anything civic-related as “Eagles” club members.

Then Donnie got me involved in the Moon Festival on 7th Avenue. That was back when the large red plastic lanterns hung from the light poles. I helped Donnie run a booth. I don’t remember what we sold. Probably gift items from Sun May. I recall selling something. Then I had problems giving change. I was not good at math.

At Bailey Gatzert, they divided the sixth grade class into two levels. Smart and dumb. Guess which class Donnie and I were in.

It was the same way in Chinese school.

Donnie would get in trouble and had to stand in the corner. Sometimes I would be sent to stand in an opposite corner.

Donnie was always a rebel. His vision was creating a grassroots organization that would help the community at the street level. Not in an office. But wherever anyone needed help in the Chinatown International District.

When his grandfather’s #5 Canton Alley storefront became available back around 1968, we found it was filled with boxes from floor to ceiling. We slowly moved

Memories of

Donnie Chin Donnie Chin, left, and volunteers provide a watchful eye at a Jackson Street parking lot during “Las Vegas Night” on November 24, 1999. Chin, director of the International District Emergency Center, had given assistance to neighborhood residents since 1968. • Photo by John Lok

everything to the Sun May Company’s basement. Carrying everything by hand a block away.

We started using the basement of #5 Canton Alley for meetings. By this time Donnie had changed the name from “Eagles” club to “Asians for Unity.” He had some patches made. The design featured an orange and yellow sun with “Peace” above it.

The membership was a rag tag collection of Chinatown boys, too young and impatient for actual meetings.

Donnie renamed the group the “International District Emergency Center.”

The rag tag collection of Chinatown boys were mostly gone.

In forming IDEC, Donnie developed the love of community that he was known for. I mean the kind of love and dedication that he gave his life for. Devoted himself to this one area and the people in it.

We took first aid and CPR classes.

Eventually teaching classes to other Asian youth.

In a cabinet, we filled the shelves with canned food. Stuff like canned spaghetti, chili, and corn. If we saw someone looking through a dumpster for food, IDEC gave them food to eat.

We had signs printed in bright neon colors. “Call for emergencies.

IDEC.” These were posted all over the neighborhood.

Donnie and I had real long hair. Way past our shoulders. For uniforms, Donnie

chose bright red or yellow jumpsuits. Like the idiot that I was, I wore those uniforms.

At first we looked like escaped prisoners who needed haircuts. Then with clipboards in hand, the community got used to us.

These two young Chinamen, idealistic activists, slightly radical, not even old enough to drink. Donnie came onto the scene, with me tagging along and people quickly learned IDEC was there to serve and help them.

Arnold Mukai:

I met Donnie Chin when we were kids at Bailey Gatzert elementary school. Back then, Donnie was small and a target for bullies. He had an easy smile, and made friends easily.

We were probably 10 or 11 years old when Donnie said to me, “I just opened my own candy store, wanna help me run it?” He explained to me that his mother ran a store in Chinatown, and she gave him a corner of the store to display and sell candy bars. I said, “Sure!” What 11-yearold would turn down an offer like that!

We agreed to meet up after school, and begin our entrepreneurial careers. When we got to the store, Donnie showed me his corner display and introduced me to his mother. She was kind and had the same smile as Donnie. She offered me some candy from China. Donnie told his mother, “Arnold’s here to help me with the store.” Donnie’s mother explained the store was having a “door prize drawing.” I

didn’t know what a “door prize” was, but Donnie insisted I should fill out an entry.

“You might win candy,” said Donnie.

“Gimme a pen, I’m in,” I said. After all, if the door prize were money, I would’ve bought candy.

Donnie prepared for customers as I watched him work. He was getting organized, taking inventory and just looked like he knew what he was doing.

At 11 years old, I never thought of being organized or prepared unless I was reminded countless times by an adult.

Donnie’s mother was teaching him to be organized and responsible, though we were both oblivious to the lessons at that time. The wholesaler who provided the candy arrived and Donnie had prepared a list of candy bars he wanted. When the delivery man came back from his truck, Mrs. Chin smiled at the delivery man, and he winked back, as Donnie signed his name for the delivery. He knew she was preparing her son, teaching life lessons as he sold candy bars.

After the candy man was finished with his delivery, we were ready for business.

We waited for customers to storm in.

Then we waited ... and waited ... then boredom became a factor. But we waited and waited. It was hard work to wait for customers, especially for me, since I had the attention span and patience of a bumblebee. I realize now that I was being taught patience. Eventually, I noticed 20 minutes had passed. That was the longest 20 minutes in my life! Coincidentally, that was the first 20 minutes that I ever worked.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

When you’re 11 years old, 20 minutes of waiting was equivalent to 6 months in jail.

I tried to endure the best I could, but made an excuse to leave after almost an hour.

That was the end of my career as co-owner of a candy store.

The following week, after returning home from school, my mother told me someone called and said I won a door prize.

I couldn’t wait to see Donnie and ask what I won. If I remember correctly, there were 10 door prize winners—I won door prize #10. Donnie informed me I had won some “coasters” and some candy from China. I did not know what a “coaster” was—nor did I ever use one. Mrs. Chin was happy to see me when I arrived later that day to collect my prize. The next time I saw her, 35 years had passed. I was living in Reno, walking through the Peppermill Casino.

Donnie was pushing the wheelchair she sat in. Donnie tried to refresh her memory and asked her if she remembered me.

She shook her head, “no,” but I told her I remember her, and how kind she was to me when I was a kid. That was the last time I saw Mrs. Chin. Although those are precious memories, the moments in your life once shared with people fade away and become your thoughts, for you alone. ... Unless you make a conscious effort to write them down and share them. I’m doing that right now.

As adults, I ran into Donnie several times, mostly in the International District.

One time, as I prepared for a show at Hing Hay Park, I was standing on stage, reading introductions to myself. Donnie was patrolling the area. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Donnie snapped.

When I looked to see who it was, his posture commanded attention and respect.

We talked for a few minutes. His language was colorful, and his patience was thin.

His aura told me that this neighborhood belonged to him. His presence gave me a sense of calmness. I felt he was there to serve and protect. The elderly leaned on him for his assistance and strength.

Accident victims received first aid from him, as it was not uncommon for him to arrive before the medics. The crime rate decreased when Donnie was present. No longer a target for bullies, Donnie had transformed into a real life superhero for the residents of the ID! After chatting with Donnie, and saying our “goodbyes,” I watched him as he walked away. As he walked, his head turned from right to left and back again.

He was scanning the streets, anticipating where he would be needed next. His mission that day, like any other day, was to make sure all was good in his neighborhood. He looked prepared and responsible for any emergency that might occur. ... Mrs. Chin had taught him well.

Elaine Ikoma Ko:

Many of us grew up with and aged alongside Donnie, although he’s the only one that never aged. Such that he seemed immortal. Someone who you knew would be part of your life forever. The week of his death, I had emailed him apologizing for not coming by the store lately. I think about him daily and when the fire trucks race through the district, or an elderly person needs help on the street, I still look for him.

The district and a huge army of family and friends will forever grieve the loss of

Donnie. I have a growing collection of “Donnie” items in my home that he made or sold in his store so I will never forget the many memories of him. Donnie always had someone he would be ragging on or cussing about, and that kept us in stitches, in between his life-saving runs. A true hero with a bottomless heart. A best friend to many, and perhaps more significantly, the only friend to some.

Thank you Donnie for all you have given to me.

and successes. He introduced us to several of the leaders in the community.

There wasn’t a person in the ID who did not welcome Donnie into their place of business. We were privileged to have gotten the opportunity to learn about our community through Donnie’s eyes. I don’t know if I had ever felt so much a part of this community until Donnie so lovingly brought us into it. He brought so many of us together and protected us at the same time. Thanks Donnie.

Elaine Shoji Ishihara:

A gift from Donnie Chin. • Photo by Doan Nguyen

Doan Nguyen:

I met Donnie when I first started working at The Wing. I always loved hearing him tell me stories because he used 4-letter words in the best ways that made stories really come to life. Donnie always stopped by the museum to hang out in the Welcome Hall and check up on us.

He would always leave chocolates or other expired goodies for us to eat or enjoy.

One day, he stopped by the front desk looking for me when I wasn’t there. He couldn’t remember my name at the time, but he specified to the folks working that day that the gift he was dropping off was a present for “the new cute girl at the front desk,” and eventually the gift made its way to me. A little embarrassing, but it made me feel pretty special. It was a Japanese style pillow that I now keep at my desk at work to this day.

After a while, Donnie came to know what I personally liked. Hello Kitty things he would save for me to let me have first dibs, and he also would save the Ugly Dolls for me too.

Chris Yee:

I wanted to share this picture of Donnie with you. This was taken at JamFest on July 16, 2015 in Canton Alley, just in front of Donnie’s shop. He was making food and giving it away to everyone enjoying the music. Just one of the amazing things Donnie did for his community. I will miss him. The ID will miss him.

Donnie was a great historian and educator. He took our new nurse practitioner residents on a tour of the ID to learn about our community’s past and present. For the next 4 hours he took us through the streets of the ID painting a picture that dated back to Seattle’s early beginnings to the ID’s current struggles

Donnie was an amazing craftsman. I remember telling Donnie that I hadn’t finished sewing up the corner of the beautiful hand-sewn pillow that he had given me and he just shook his head saying, “Didn’t I give you that pillow over 15 years ago?” ... “Yes, and it traveled with me to L.A., New York, and back to Seattle.” ...

I told him I finally removed the stuffing and kept the material. Shortly after that Donnie showed up at my office and in his Donnie Chin manner said, “Here,” and handed me a new hand sewn pillow (with an open corner for the stuffing) along with an IDEC badge with “Alumni” printed on the front. Both are cherished gifts from a very special friend.

Susie Chin:

We are now approaching the 1-year mark of Donnie Chin’s murder on July 23, 2015. Many thanks to the International Examiner for giving our community the opportunity to share our personal stories of Donnie.

My story goes back to 1977-78 at the Milwaukee Hotel. I was signed up for the 10:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m. fire watch shift relieving Donnie Chin, who was finishing his 8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. shift. I remember climbing the old stairs—my dad walked these same stairs when he returned from France after serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. At the top of the stairs there was a room on the left with bare wood floors and windows that overlooked King Street.

After exchanging some greetings with Donnie, I sat in the old wood rocking chair. Donnie went to walk his last fire watch round of the floors before my shift.

Meanwhile I began to feel quite nauseous because an hour before I had a drink on a near empty dinnerless stomach. When Donnie returned he found me hung over the arm of the rocking chair looking pretty bad, I could barely speak. He looked around to find some container, but too late ... my stomach could not wait to upchuck its content. I could hear Donnie laughing and swearing at the same time.

He continued to swear as he was cleaning up my mess. Lucky for Donnie after my initial heave, it was all dry heaves because my stomach was mostly empty. When I felt a little better, Donnie said, “You owe me, girl,” and left me to finish my shift.

The next morning he showed up at the ID health clinic reception area where I worked and repeated, “You owe me, girl,” and enjoyed telling the awful story in the packed patient waiting area. Donnie died way too soon and I still owe him.

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 9

Theressa Irigon-Rachetto:

Almost 30 years ago I would sometimes accompany my mother, Felicita Irigon, to her office in the ID. To pass the time, her co-worker’s daughter and I would explore the ID on our own. We always stopped by Donnie’s store. I remember him always smiling and being patient with us as we wandered around the store.

Lexi Potter:

Donnie used to keep a box of toys in the alley for kids that came by his shop.

Somebody stole it last year in May, so he went to Goodwill to buy more toys and start a new box. He found this singing hamster with nunchucks. Donnie had the best eye for random things.

Sunshine Monastrial:

Donnie Chin was like a Batman for the Chinatown-ID—always there to help someone in need. Although Donnie didn’t know who I was, I definitely knew who he was. I first met him as a newer staff member here at ICHS when I attended his ID Safety Training. After that first training, I made sure to attend each subsequent annual training he provided.

Donnie had a very unorthodox style of teaching, but it was very effective—and very entertaining! His engaging trainings aside, what I admired most about Donnie was his commitment to serving others. He was a community leader with a servant’s heart. I never saw him without his khaki uniform, utility vest/tool belt, and walkietalkie. I always felt safer knowing he was around watching over the C/ID and its residents. We miss you. Rest in peace, Donnie.

John Hom:

Donnie Chin was always known to help anyone in the community if he had the time, regardless of if the request was small or large, simple, or complex. One morning when I was on the third floor of the Wing Luke Museum in the historic hotel space, I noticed a pigeon had made its way into the mah jong room through an open window. As you all know, pigeons can easily be one of the stupidest birds on this planet. I opened the windows wide open and tried to shoo the bird out to no avail. It would either fly into the upper closed portion of the window over and over or just fly around the room. This bird definitely did not have the instincts of a carrier pigeon. I called Donnie to help out. We assessed the situation and worked in tandem to try to get it out the open window with our arms. This was useless so we devised a scheme where we would use brooms. As the pigeon flew high, I would use a downward motion with the broom to shoo it in front of the open window and Donnie gave his best Ken Griffey swing and the pigeon flew straight out the window. I did my best Dave Niehaus imitation and yelled, “This one will fly, fly, fly away.” Donnie turned around and had one of the biggest grins as if he had won the lottery.

10 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE COMMUNITY

Remembering the effervescent, empathetic Ruth Woo IE News Services

Community leader and organizer Ruth Woo passed away on Wednesday, July 13 at the age of 89. Politically savvy and intuned, empathetic and effervescent, Woo’s legacy is highlighted by her gift of getting people of color—and particularly Asian Americans—involved in mainstream politics.

The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs said in a statement: “Ruth Woo was a trailblazer who shaped our communities and state in more ways than anyone could ever know. Auntie Ruth did not seek recognition or the spotlight, but worked tirelessly behind the scenes mentoring and opening doors for aspiring civic leaders from school board directors to county executives and to governors, particularly among the Asian American community.

“Auntie Ruth fought to achieve racial equality and justice in her own unique way, and reliably asked those who sought her advice about their commitment to diversity at the top and passion for serving the public. The Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs would not have been a reality without her counsel to Governor Dan Evans as a member of his staff in the 1970s. The Commission broke new ground as our nation’s first state commission dedicated to improving the well-being of Asian Pacific Americans within the office of the governor. Auntie Ruth’s impact will continue to be a positive force in our state for generations to come. We will miss her dearly.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement: “Ruth Woo was a legend in the community, and I’ll always remember our many breakfasts together at AJs over the years. Her legacy will be the dozens, no hundreds of us, whom she mentored as we embarked on our careers. Look around, from Olympia, to DC, to the City and nonprofits, every part of our region’s public life have people who leaned on her for advice and support. To all of us, today and forever, she will always be ‘Auntie Ruth.’”

King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement: “Ruth Woo helped shape the leaders who shaped our region, pushing our city, county and state toward justice and inclusion. For generations of local elected officials, she was a mentor, a trusted leader of the Asian Pacific Islander community, and a driving force for social change.

“She was motivated not by fame or access to power, but by a contagious belief that we could always do more to make this a better place to live. She had a remarkable ability to create and connect communities, a talent that helped advance the cause of civil rights.

“Ruth was a warm, generous and inspiring figure in Washington politics, one who will be missed by generations of politicians, myself included, who appreciated her wry smile and her wise counsel.”

Ruth Woo. • Photo by Jon Honda

The following is an excerpt by Gary Iwamoto from the International Examiner’s 1997 Community Voice Awards event program, which honored Ruth Woo and Ben Woo: Ruth Oya was born in White Fish, Montana, where her father worked in the railroads. When Ruth was still a child, her father died. Mrs. Oya moved the family to Seattle, where she supported her children by working as a seamstress. As a young girl, Ruth, like most Japanese Americans on the West Coast, was incarcerated at Tule Lake and Minidoka.

From the camps, Ruth went to Chicago.

In 1948, Ruth married Hiro Yoneyama.

Ruth had known Hiro from before the war, when their families lived across the street from each other. Hiro had been a decorated member of the 442nd “Go For Broke” Regiment. After marriage, the couple moved to Washington, D.C. But their stay was brief. Hiro’s father became very sick, so the couple moved back to Seattle to care for him.

In the 1950s, Hiro found work with the Boeing Company. Ruth found work at the Veteran’s Hospital as a receptionist. Two children were born: Teresa, who today works in the Human Resources Division of the Boeing Company, and Janice Leonard, who today works for the Longview School District.

In 1960, Hiro died at the relatively young age of 35 from kidney failure. Ruth was now a single mother raising two very young daughters. At about the same time, Ruth had her first taste of political life when she went to work for the Mayor’s Office in the early ’60s for both Gordon S. Clinton and Dorm Braman. In 1964, then-City Councilman Lud Kramer won the election for Secretary of State in Olympia and asked Ruth to work for him there. But Esther Seering, a good friend on the Governor’s staff, commented that if Ruth was going to work in Olympia,

why not work for the Governor? So Ruth packed up her two kids and moved to Olympia to work for Dan Evans.

In 1971, when Dan Evans ran for a third term, Ruth offered to campaign for him. She was a real political rookie. As Ruth recalled, “I didn’t even know what ‘doorbelling’ was.

Ruth was hooked. She loved being involved in political campaigns because “It was a way to meet people. It was exciting.”

In 1975, Ruth managed her first political campaign for Jim Dolliver, whom she had met while working at the Governor’s Office, while he was running for State Supreme Court Justice. Shortly thereafter, Ruth managed Doug Jewett’s campaign for City Attorney. As Ben recalled, “She used my office and my copy machine.”

What explains her interest in politics? Ruth said, “It’s often said that people who run for public office are crazy. Well, the people who don’t run but work long hours to get their candidates elected are even crazier.” But it occurred to her that she was only helping white males get elected. Ruth believed in the politics of “inclusion.” Said Ruth, “It was important to get Asian candidates, women and people of color to run for office and be elected. I felt that I could play a role.”

Since then, she has played a role either as a campaign manager or advisor/mentor for State Commissioner for Public Lands Jennifer Belcher, State Representative Kip Tokuda, State Representative Velma Veloria, Superior Court Judge Eileen Kato, King County Executive Ron Sims and Washington State Governor Gary Locke.

Her litmus test for being involved? “How they stand on diversity issues.”

When Ruth manages a campaign, she becomes that candidate’s “surrogate mother.” Ruth is a “Yoda” to the political Luke Skywalkers and Princess Leias running for office. She coaxes, cajoes, keeps spirits up, and inspires confidence.

Ruth served as political advisor for State Representative Kip Tokuda. He said, “Ruth has great intuitive skills. When I ran for the State Legislature, Ruth was instrumental in crafting strategy, particularly when it comes to reaching the voters you need. She has a great understanding of people. Ruth knows how to target different kinds of people for their support. She knows the demographics of the voting public and could cite how, for me, the voters in my District voted in the last five or six elections. She knew who was most likely to vote for me and how to reach those people. And, she’s a great fundraiser.”

Another old friend, former Seattle City Councilwoman Dolores Sibonga, said,”When Ruth goes to work for a political candidate, she really believes in that person, wants the best for that person. She’ll go out of her way, paying for banquets and other events for her candidate so that they can go out and meet the public. A lot of the political work Ruth does is not glamorous; in fact, she does the grunt work: scheduling, strategizing, doorbelling, mailing out brochures, soliciting donations, getting the yard signs made and distributed.”

When her candidate wins in the limelight of flash bulbs and election-night news coverage, you won’t find Ruth. She prefers to stay behind the scenes and is very reluctant to step forward when the spotlight shines on her. But today, we have Asian American

judges, City Councilpersons, State legislators, School Board members and a State Governor—and that has happened in no small part because of Ruth Woo. She has played a huge role in opening that door of political inclusion.

Ruth Woo and her husband Ben Woo, who passed away in 2008. • Photo by Jon Honda

Ruth and Ben Woo first met in 1966 at a New Year’s Eve dinner party at the Hyatt House, introduced to each other by Nobi Chan. Both were single and available. They quickly hit it off and went together for nine years before Ben popped the question and Ruth accepted in 1975. Old friend Mako Nakagawa said, “They’re really perfect together. Ben operates at a really slow speed while Ruth is chatter, chatter, chatter.” Ben can be measured and reserved; Ruth can be impulsive and gregarious. Ben has a dry wit and Ruth can be downright earthy. But both are generous with their time, committed to the cause and conscientious in their approach. As Mako says, “They really good people. We need more people like them.”

Children (oldest to youngest) Teresa Yoneyama (Stan Kitashima) Seattle, Washington Teresa Woo (George Murray) Glendale, California Janice Leonard (Wayne) Long Beach, Washington John Woo New York, New York Jeff Woo (Beverly) Alameda, California Roger Woo (Irvi) Long Beach, New York Philip Woo (Emiko) Tokyo, Japan

Grandchilden Aaron and Brett Byers (sons of Teresa Yoneyama) Nicholas and Emily Leonard (children of Janice and Wayne Leonard) Paloma and Esther Woo (children of John Woo) Jarrett and Aretha Woo (children of Philip Woo) Marcus Murray (son of Teresa Woo and George Murray) Willi Woo (daughter of Roger and Irvi Woo) BJ Woo (daughter of Jeff and Beverly Woo)

Great Grandchildren Emilio Gojio, Emjay, Hailey and Haiden Byers (children of Aaron and Liza Byers) Denixto and Jasminia Bulness (children of Willi Woo)

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 11

IE NEWS

Cohesive artistic team behind ReACT Theatre’s The Aliens

By Roxanne Ray IE Contributor Summer is a time for barbecues, outdoor activities, and friends. And that combination motivated ReACT Theatre’s artistic director David Hsieh to select Annie Baker’s 2010 play, The Aliens, which is set in July, for production in ReACT’s summer slot. “Doing indoor theatre is hard during the summer, but it seemed like the perfect time,” Hsieh said.

In The Aliens, two angry young men meet a high-schooler, and decide to share with him everything they know.

And that ends up being quite a lot.

Hsieh believes the play will, like summer’s heat, envelope those who see it. “I love this play the more and more I experience it,” he said. “Its themes of friendship, loss, fitting in, the simple joys of life and the genius that can be found within all of us resonate deeper the more I think about it.”

First, Hsieh began to explore taking the script from the page to the stage.

“Annie Baker has a great ear for dialogue and the way people really speak, and her meticulous stage directions, particularly about the silent times on stage are genius,” Hsieh said.

“The Aliens performs so much richer than it reads on paper because so much happens between the characters when they’re not speaking yet still have to communicate to the others and the audience.”

As director of the production, Hsieh has enjoyed the rehearsal process. “It is always such a joy when you get to work with actors who are willing to explore and take direction, and trust that you as a director are guiding them in the way that best suits the production,” he said.

The actors agree that the artistic team is cohesive. “What initially interested me in participating in this production was the fact that when I mentioned it to people—that ReAct was putting on an Annie Baker show and that I was thinking about auditioning—so many people around me were instantly excited for me,” said actor Alan Garcia, who plays the character of Evan, the 17-year-old barista. “Everyone had something wonderful to say about David’s attention to detail and his directorial vision, so the opportunity to work on an Annie Baker piece alongside David and his company was a very exciting prospect.”

Fellow actor Curtis Gehlhausen shared this excitement. “A good friend of mine from WWU directed a production of The Aliens about a year ago and I instantly fell in love with the story,” said Gehlhausen, who plays Jasper, a brooding novelist experiencing a tough break-up. “It was humorous and depressing, and kind of a call to action for me. So when I found out that ReACT was holding auditions for it, I jumped on it right away. I saw characters that I could relate to and play honestly. I felt like I could breathe life into them, and hopefully impact someone in the same way that The Aliens did for me.”

Likewise, actor Cooper HarrisTurner, who is making his ReACT debut playing KJ, a 30-year-old college dropout and recovering alcoholic, has found personal connections to the play. “I have a couple of friends who I believe are pretty genius people each in their own very different ways, yet very similar to KJ,” Harris-Turner said. “I spent a lot of time picking their brains while also running lines and

ReACT Theatre’s The Aliens runs through July 24 at West of Lenin. •Courtesy Photo

just talking about the show in general.

I think KJ is a combination of me and those two friends.”

Despite the strong artistic foundations of this project, one of the biggest challenges in mounting this production, or any ReACT Theatre production, has been financial. “Theatre rentals are expensive and we’ve struggled in recent years to continue paying our artists more equitable rates than other companies at our level,” Hsieh said.

A significant portion of ReACT’s expenses are covered by ticket sales, but other funding is still required. “We also get invaluable support from the city and county,” Hsieh said.

Even with some government support, ReACT must still close the funding gap.

“This past year we also participated in Give BIG instead of struggling to do our own annual capital campaign, and that really helped us,” Hsieh said.

And plain old volunteer labor keeps the shows running, as well. “I might have to wear multiple hats in order to save money or use the limited resources have in other areas where try are contribution to the conversation about all ‘Sharon Chang & Friends’ on July 20 of these topics. Joining her after her initial we needed more,” Hsieh said. “In a perfect The Elliot Bay Book Company’s remarks are poet Brandy Lien Worrall- world we would have hired others to

Announcement

program “Sharon Chang & Friends” is a celebration of talented Asian American/ multiracial women in our community. The program begins with a short performance

by Brenda Xu, who’ll be followed by some equally inspiring writers. Sharon H. Chang, author of Raising Mixed Race: Multiracial Asian Children in a PostRacial World (Routledge) speaks about her research on one of the least studied (yet fastest growing) populations of young people. She is both multiracial and a parent herself and her work on racism, social justice, feminism and the Asian American diaspora makes an important

Soriano, editor of Completely Mixed Up: Mixed Heritage Asian North American Writing and Art (Rabbit Fool Press) and Minelle Mahtani, author of Mixed Race Amnesia: Resisting the Romanticization of Multiraciality (UBC Press). This evening also features treats donated by local Asian American restaurateurs Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Bakeshop and Kamala Saxton & Roz Edison of Marination Station. It all happens Wednesday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m. at The Elliot Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122.

take on each of these positions, but our budget was tight, and I’m free.”

Also freely available has been much of what these artists have discovered during the rehearsal process. “As a result of this production, I’ve learned that we, at our core, are all aliens in some shape or form,” said actor Alan Garcia. “The feeling of not belonging, of not fitting in quite right, is nearly universal, and oftentimes, it takes us venturing outside of our comfort zones, out of our familiarity, to find where and how we ‘fit.’”

There have been artistic lessons, as well. “I’ve also learned that, as a performer, silence sometimes has more weight than anything you could ever say or sing,” Garcia said. “We live in a world where we have to constantly fill the void with sound and noise and commotion, but it’s in the space between that I’ve found an emotional depth I didn’t know existed before, and that’s something I hope to take with me from this point on.”

‘The Aliens’ runs from July 1 to 24, at West of Lenin, 203 North 36th Street, Seattle. For more information, visit www.reacttheatre.org.

Answers to this puzzle are on Wednesday, August 3.

12 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE ARTS

The stories of the ‘War Brides’ of Japan need to be told

By Yayoi L. Winfrey IE Contributor One day in the early 1980s, my Japanese mother took my sister and me to an International District gift shop. A middleaged Japanese American man working there glanced briefly towards us, before turning away apathetically. His body language seemed to indicate a reluctance to wait on us. I looked at my mother and, without the necessity of my uttering a single word, she said, “He not like me.”

Then, pointing at us, her two half-black daughters, she declared in her broken English, “He see I have you two. He know I am war bride.”

Even though I’d heard her use that phrase before, I knew it was not something she was proud to be called. As I stood there reflecting, I realized my mother meant that the Japanese American man didn’t like the fact that she had obviously married someone outside of her race, likely an American G.I. But the irony was he wasn’t living in Japan. Might not the Japanese in that country have considered him as much a traitor for living in America as he thought my mother was for marrying a nonJapanese? Or maybe it wasn’t the same if you left your home country, but married someone of the same ethnicity. I’ve often wrestled with those thoughts in the decades following that 1980s incident.

In the case of Japanese “war brides” like my mother, women who wedded American military men, they were guilty of both marrying an outsider and leaving their country. Considered disloyal by some Japanese nationals for wedding their former enemies, they were also considered disloyal by some Japanese Americans for marrying Americans that were not Japanese. It’s a complicated issue that my documentary War Brides of Japan will address. I also want to eradicate the stigma attached to the term “war bride,” often fallaciously interchangeable with “prostitute.”

During the Allied occupation of Japan following World War II, the U.S. military became the largest employer in the country.

The devastating bombing raids that destroyed the infrastructure created food, housing, and transportation shortages. But more overwhelming was the loss of over two million Japanese men. Like a lot of women, my mother had to go to work. Hired at an Army base, she was taught to make and sell sandwiches to American soldiers. The bonus was that her boss, a sergeant, allowed her to take home leftovers to feed her hungry family and neighbors. That ambiance of respect towards Japanese by Americans had been ordered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and implemented by General MacArthur. As some Japanese interacted with their friendly

occupiers, relationships began developing.

And, as the primary wage earners, Japanese women must have felt liberated—tossing their geta for the high heels and nylon stockings that Americans brought. Like some feminist prototype, they traded their kimono for wide poodle skirts, took up smoking cigarettes and began dating their former enemies.

More importantly, Japanese “war brides” inadvertently helped new laws into legislation.

Military husbands wanted to bring their wives back home to the United States, so the War Brides Act of 1945 was enacted and overturned the Immigration Act of 1924, a law that barred Asians from entering the United States. Without realizing it, Japanese “war brides” helped usher in a new mandate that allowed some 12 million Asians to immigrate to America over time.

By forgiving and marrying their former enemies, Japanese “war brides” also proved that love has the power to transcend war and hate. What’s truly remarkable is that most married either a black or white man. The rare exception was when a “war bride” wed a Japanese American intelligence officer stationed in Japan for his bilingual skills.

Nonetheless, most “war brides” entered into interracial marriages and gave birth to mixedrace babies. Never having been in the United States before, they were unprepared for the overt racism, Jim Crow, and xenophobia prevalent at the time. In fact, most were clueless about Executive Order 9066 and how Americans of Japanese ancestry had been forced into incarceration camps. Without intending to, “war brides” even helped

Teruko Nishina and Roland Franklin Stead, Jr. • Courtesy Photo

perpetuate Japanese culture by continuing to embrace it when interred Japanese Americans were forced to destroy aspects of it.

Until 1967’s Loving v. Virginia, it was illegal in 16 states for any white person to marry anyone except another white person.

With anti-Japanese hysteria permeating the country, “war brides” living in civilian neighborhoods were vulnerable, often verbally accosted and even accused of starting the war despite having had no say in it. Those living on military bases fared better as they enjoyed the camaraderie of other “war brides” residing nearby.

What is particularly noteworthy is how much hardship most “war brides” endured.

Some were disowned by their Japanese families for marrying a foreigner, and then

rejected by their American in-laws for being a foreigner. Sailing on ships for weeks, then arriving in a strange country without the support of their immediate families, they had to overcome cultural and language barriers while raising biracial children they hoped would assimilate and be accepted.

The first “war bride” was recorded in 1947. While the bulk arrived in 1952, anyone marrying an American G.I. through 1965 was included in that category. During those days, air travel was uncommon, long distance telephone calls were expensive, and “war brides” communicated with their families in Japan through writing letters.

In August, a cameraperson and I plan to visit six cities in three states to interview eight participants, including a historian, a couple of war brides and their adult children. We’re currently fundraising for equipment and travel expenses. As “war brides” head into their mid-80s, it’s imperative that we record their stories now. The world needs to recognize their important contributions to the Asian American landscape that we see today so that no one will ever look at them with the kind of apathy my mother tolerated that day in the gift shop in the early 1980s.

Please help us make the War Brides of Japan documentary by donating cash or in-kind services and supplies at: https:// fromtheheartproductions.networkforgood. com/projects/15778-documentaries-warbrides-of-japan.

For more information, visit www. warbridesofjapan.com.

From Hiroshima to Hope returns August 6 IE News Services On Saturday, August 6, the annual From Hiroshima to Hope lantern-floating ceremony will honor the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all victims of war and violence. One of the largest commemorations held outside of Japan, From Hiroshima to Hope takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, on Green Lake’s northwest shore. This year marks the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombings.

Pre-program activities begin at 6:00 p.m. and include lantern calligraphy and folding of peace cranes. A family program with music and speakers begins at 7:00 p.m. with a welcome by Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre students. The program features keynote speaker Imam Jamal Rah-

man, co-founder and Muslim Sufi minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary, and a popular speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, and interfaith relations. Since 9/11, Rahman has been collaborating with a rabbi and pastor in a trio affectionately known as the Interfaith Amigos. Together, they tour the country to share the message of spiritual inclusivity.

Musical performers include the popular Japanese-American drum performance group, Seattle Kokon Taiko; Sound Singers; and folksinger Gen Obata. The program also features performances on traditional Japanese instruments with Marcia Takamura on koto, and James Jennings on shakuhachi.

In addition, Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim will read a proclamation from the Mayor’s Office, proclaiming August 6 as Hiroshima and Nagasaki Day. Stan Shikuma, a Seattle Kokon Taiko member and a founding participant in

From Hiroshima to Hope, will emcee the event.

This year’s ceremony again includes the exhibition of artist Yukiyo Kawano’s fabric sculpture, “Little Boy (folded),” a haunting depiction of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The candlelit lantern floating begins at approximately 8:30 p.m. with a Toro Nagashi lantern ceremony. Those wishing to assemble and float a lantern are encouraged to arrive by 6:30 p.m. to ensure lantern availability.

From Hiroshima to Hope is created annually by local peace, faith and community organizations. The event is free and open to the public, and is held just south of the Bathhouse Theater on Green Lake’s northwest shore, West Green Lake Drive North and Stone Avenue North. For more information, call (206) 453-4471 or visit www. fromhiroshimatohope.org.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 13

14 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY Arts & Culture

Professional & Leadership Development

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.

Education 3327 Beacon Ave S. Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-725-9740 info@deniselouie.org www.deniselouie.org Multicultural preschool ages 3-5 years old. Now enrolling Private Pay full-day ($900/mo) and part-day classes ($500/mo) with locations at ID, Beacon Hill, and Rainier Beach.

Housing & Neighborhood Planning HomeSight 5117 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 ph: 206-723-4355 fx: 206-760-4210 www.homesightwa.org HomeSight creates homeownership opportunities through real estate development, home buyer education and counseling, and lending.

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.

Executive Development Institute 310 – 120th Ave NE. Suite A102 Bellevue, WA Ph. 425-467-9365 • Fax: 425-467-1244 Email: edi@ediorg.org • Website: www.ediorg.org EDI offers culturally relevant leadership development programs.

Senior Services

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

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.

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

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, seniororiented 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 lowincome people in King County.

601 S King St. Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-682-1668 website www.apicat.org Address tobacco control and other health justice issues in the Asian American/Pacific Islander communities.

Kawabe Memorial House 221 18th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 fx: 206-329-3330 connie.devaney@gmail.com We provide affordable, safe, culturally sensitive housing and support services to people aged 62 and older.

Cathay Post #186 of The American Legion Supporting veterans for over 70 years Accepting new members - contact us today to learn more!

P.O. Box 3281 Seattle, WA 98144-3281 Email: cathaypost@hotmail.com Phone: (206) 762-4058

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

We make leadeRS Queen Anne Station, P.O. Box 19888, Seattle, WA 98109 info@naaapseattle.org, www.naaapseattle.org Fostering future leaders through education, networking and community services for Asian American professionals and entrepreneurs.

Facebook: NAAAP-Seattle Twitter: twitter.com/naaapseattle

Social & Health Services

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.

Fearless Asians for Immigration Reforms (FAIR!) ph: 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.

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. ph: 206-624-3426 transia@aol.com

Merchants Parking provides 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.

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.

Legal Services

Organization of Chinese Americans Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Seattle Chapter P.O. Box 14141 Seattle, WA 98114 www.ocaseattle.org

Legacy House

Public Interest Law Group, PLLC 705 Second Avenue, Suite 1000, Seattle WA 98104 Ph: 206-838-1800 Email: 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.

convenient and affordable community parking. Transia provides community transportation: para-transit services, shuttle services, and field trips in and out of Chinatown/International District, and South King County.

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

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.

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.

2500 NE 54th Street Seattle, WA 98105 ph: 206-694-4500 info@youthcare.org www.youthcare.org

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

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Call Washington Apple Health at 1-855-WAFINDER (1-855-923-4633). Choose Amerigroup.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016 — 15

IE NEWS . . . CIRCC: Continued from page 1

support affordable housing measures, though Basler hopes to incentivize business rather than go after improving education like his fellow candidates. Later, when asked about obstacles facing immigrants, each of the candidates highlighted different keys to solving the issue.

Smith, the current 9th Congressional District congressman, said that improving enforcement of immigration laws is vital, whereas Basler supports improving legal pathways to citizenship, and Wineberry, a former Washington state Legislator, emphasized the need for humane laws to be put in place that cannot be struck down by any court.

Though much of the conversation consisted of the candidates agreeing on things like the importance of affirmative action to increase access for marginalized communities in education, the candidates dissented when it came to how the current congressman interacts with constituents and would still “hear” these issues if re-elected.

While answering a question directly from the audience about how the candidates might represent the community, Smith punctuated his responses with what he later referred to as realistic expectations. A congressman isn’t god, he told the audience, and while many candidates who run make promises out of their range of legitimate influence, he asserted that his values align with CIRCC. Balser and Wineberry were unimpressed with Smith’s answer. Wineberry grilled Smith about the ethnic and racial makeup of Smith’s staff in D.C. to reiterate the importance of

Candidates at CIRCC’s 5th Annual Candidate Forum got up close and personal in roundtable discussions. • Photo

by Jeanie Lindsay

representation, while Basler criticized the congressman’s response to constituents.

“I send [Smith] emails all the time, and I get back stock standard emails telling me, ‘Thanks for emailing me’ and then telling me how stupid I am,” Basler said.

In the midst of the criticism, Smith interrupted Basler to say that he was just telling lies, calling his attempt to discredit Smith’s office “ridiculous” and asking for proof.

Once the excitement of the 9th District’s forum drew to a close, the day concluded with a full table of candidates for the 7th Congressional District race. Currently occupied by Rep. Jim McDermott, who has

held the position for nearly 30 years, the open seat has drawn several candidates—including a McDermott with no relation to the current congressman.

Although many of the candidates’ opinions mirrored one another for a majority of the session, Craig Keller stood out from the rest, repeating his disapproval for “illegal aliens,” as well as the name of his campaign’s website in his responses.

After CIRCC representatives posed a question asking how candidates might address the increasing incidents of racism, xenophobia, and homophobia in a political landscape, Keller rejected the notion that institutionalized racism existed in the first place, and called it a “cheap analysis” of the nation’s problems at hand.

Don Rivers, in stark contrast to Keller’s statements, told the crowd that opportunities for Black Americans are not accessible enough, and that the key to job creation starts with a deeper understanding and a fair playing field for communities of color.

Many of the candidates agreed that the issues at hand were not being dealt with through a number of broken systems and institutions.

To make significant changes, King County Council Chair Joe McDermott said that we

Help Wanted – Parking

start by coming to an understanding through one-on-one conversations and providing more educational and political opportunities.

“We also do this by making sure there is justice in our society,” McDermott said.

Current state Sen. Pramila Jayapal echoed McDermott’s thoughts, and presented the importance of culturally relevant housing in a discussion about the displacement of families and immigrants. She also went on to discuss the vitality of education when it comes to improving the state of our nation and opening a dialogue about the injustices that come with the school to prison pipeline.

“We’ve got to address education,” Jayapal said. “We’re building prisons based on third grade test scores of our children, and that’s what it means to have institutionalized racism.”

Brady Walkinshaw, state representative for the 43rd legislative district, expressed similar concerns for the current state of our justice system, in addition to keeping families together despite their individual citizenship status. He expressed support for increasing population density within Seattle.

The remaining two candidates who attended the forum, Leslie Regier and former Burien Mayor Arun Jhaveri, agreed with a majority of the points made by their counterparts, and both advocated the importance of uniting communities to make meaningful shifts in policy and enforcement of those policies.

In closing, moderator Stephens asked each candidate whether they would meet with CIRCC representatives within 60 days if they were elected into office, and all candidates answered with a resounding yes—some even offering to meet within 30, or the day after the election.

Primary elections for Washington state will be held August 2, and the top two candidates from each race will then be on the ballot in November. To find your voting or district’s information, visit the King County Voter Guide at http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/ elections.

Help Wanted – Hospitality

Washington State Convention Center (WSCC), located in downtown Seattle, is accepting applications for Parking Cashier Part-Time (20 - 35 hours per week). Duties include monitoring incoming vehicles, collecting parking fees & providing customer service to WSCC guests.

Requires HS diploma or GED and one year of cashier experience.

Applicants must be available to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings and nights.

Washington State Convention Center (WSCC), located in downtown Seattle, is accepting applications for On-Call Transportation Attendants.

Responsibilities include checking credentials of exhibitors entering the facility via loading areas, monitoring/ controlling traffic flow and the usage of passenger loading zones, responding to inquiries about daily move-in/move out activities within and around the Convention Center.

Requires HS diploma or GED and experience in a service or hospitality environment. Applicants must be available to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings and nights.

Visit www.wscc.com for further info or to download an application.

Apps are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, MonFri, 8am – 5pm. WSCC application must be completed for consideration.

Jobline: (206) 694-5039. EOE.

Visit www.wscc.com for further info or to download an application.

Apps are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, MonFri, 8am – 5pm. WSCC application must be completed for consideration.

Jobline: (206) 694-5039. EOE.

16 — July 20, 2016 – August 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE COMMUNITY

Announcements Community input sought for CAPAA encourages API Educator Working Conditions Survey communities to talk about Washington State Commission on Asian mental health

Pacific American Affairs and the Office The Washington State Commisof Superintendent of Public Instruction is sion on Asian Pacific American collecting data to better serve our teachers Affairs (CAPAA) is encouraging and students. efforts to promote mental health The community is encouraged to take awareness in Asian and Pacific Isthe Educator Working Conditions Survey at lander (API) communities. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2762256/ The hope is that community conEducator-Working-Conditions. versations will promote dialogue The purpose of the Educator Working and raise awareness about mental Conditions Survey is to gather input health issues among APIs in obserfrom educators, administrators, parents, vance of Mental Health Awareness and community members on the various in Communities of Color Month. factors that affect working conditions The Commission said it believes in schools. This includes parent and that reducing the stigma around community involvement, leadership, mental health issues is key in inprofessional learning, classroom support, creasing the numbers of APIs who seek treatment. and safety.

Earlier this year, student leaders Data from this survey will be used to inform the Office of Superintendent at the University of Washington of Public Instruction. If you have any organized an API Mental Health & questions, contact Maria Flores, Director Wellness summit. More than 150 of Title II, Part A and Special Programs at students and community members maria.flores@k12.wa.us or Aubry Deaver shared stories and attended workshops about how historical at aubry.deaver@k12.wa.us.

trauma, cultural attitudes, and identity relate to API mental health.

To improve mental well-being in API communities, a National Alliance on Mental Illness report recommended mental health services that provide linguistically and culturally responsive care and the recruitment of bilingual and bicultural API staff. Communitybased organizations such as ACRS are striving to provide culturally relevant services for diverse API communities, including immigrant, refugee or American-born.

For resources and information about Mental Health Awareness in Communities of Color Month, visit www.capaa.wa.gov.

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