PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 37 NO 31 JULY 28 – AUGUST 3, 2018
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36 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Photo from the My-Linh Thai campaign.
Raising the voices of immigrants and refugees
My-Linh, her husband Don, and their children.
By Sam Le NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On the eastside of Lake Washington, My-Linh Thai is running for state representative in the 41st legislative district. As Rep. Judy Clibborn announced her retirement from the state Legislature, Thai not only saw an opportunity to run, but a responsibility to her personal experiences, her family, and her community to elevate the voices of immigrants and refugees at the state level. Arriving in the United States as a refugee at
the age of 15 with her family in 1993, Thai moved to South King County and attended Federal Way High school. After graduation, Thai followed her passion for public health and attended the University of Washington, where she graduated from the undergraduate program and the School of Pharmacy. After serving as a professional health care provider, Thai became invested in her community. She joined her local school’s PTA, which led to her currently serving as president for the Bellevue School District
The Asian American vote By Sophia Stephens NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY With the upcoming elections, Asian Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters have the potential to determine the outcome of several races and major decisions throughout the country. But relative to other racial groups, AAPIs have some of the lowest voter registration rates, with only 56 percent of people who are eligible to register having done so as of 2016, according to Joseph Lachman,
the civic engagement program manager for Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). But he also said, “The good see VOTE on 15
Asian Americans on the ballot for the Aug. 7 primary Pramila Jayapal
Immaculate Ferreria
Kun Wang
Joe Nguyen
Sofia Aragon
Manka Dhingra
Mona Das
Cindy Ryu
Mia Gregerson
Sharon Santos
My-Linh Thai
Vandana Slatter
Nathan Choi
Linda Lee
Tam Bui
David Chan
see THAI on 16
Wanted: Justice for Donnie By Becky Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Photo by George Liu
He died protecting his community. He avoided attention. A park he wanted for Chinatown-International District (CID), where he called home for almost 60 years, is now named after him — Donnie Chin Imarnternational Children’s Park. Police say Chin, founder and former director of the International District Emergency Center (IDEC), was caught in a crossfire between two rival East African gangs. Around 3 a.m. on July 23, 2015, Chin responded to a report of gunshots on 8th Avenue, between Lane and Weller, as he had done many times before. This time, he became the victim. His murder remains unsolved. On the third anniversary of Chin’s death, his friends and family crowded into Canton Alley to remember and mourn him. Chin’s killing stunned the community, leaving a gaping hole in the SPD Assistant Chief Garth Green (left) and Seattle Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan.
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see JUSTICE on 16
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7th Congressional District
Pramila Jayapal (Prefers Democratic Party) Pramila Jayapal was the first Indian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She arrived in the United States when she was 16 and has been a resident of Seattle for nearly 30 years. A Vice Ranking Member of the Budget Committee and Member of the Judiciary Committee, Jayapal held more than a dozen town halls during her first term. see PRIMARY on 15
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