VOL 37 NO 48 | NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

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VOL 37 NO 48 NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018 FREE 36 YEARS YOUR VOICE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

be thankful , always

COMMUNITY

NEWS 3

NAMES

IN THE

NEWS

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TOP

7 & 8

CONTRIBUTORS

roasted butt e

Cindy Runger Da-Hyang Kwon

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PUBLISHER’S

BLOG 10

What should you be thankful for this year?

Creative ways to express gratitude

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Photo by Han Bui of her home-cooked 2017 Thanksgiving dinner.

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36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS National Philanthropy Day awards

Ray Li received the 2018 Professional Achievement Award for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Advancement Northwest Forum on Nov. 1 at The Westin Seattle.

Li built the development team at Neighborhood House and the international fundraising department Ray Li at the University of Washington. He also serves for the American Red Cross.

The Ung family

Phnom Penh Noodle House was named this year’s Outstanding Small Business.

Started by Sam and Kim Ung, the family-run small business became known for great food and a generosity. Their daughters, Darlene Ung, Dawn Ung, and Diane Le took over ownership until the restaurant had to close in May due to a family tragedy. 

Kato gets nationwide honor

Cindi Kato was recently recognized as one of 10 “Women in Design” nationwide.

Kato, the vice president of architecture and design firm CallisonRTKL, is a third-generation Japanese American and was born and raised in Seattle. She attended Cleve-

land High School, then went on to graduate from the University of Washington with a BA in Textile Design.

Kato serves on the Board of Directors for Planning and Visual Education Partnership, and she’s also part of the Washington State University Interior Design Advisory Board. 

Cindi Kato

Filipino-Korean American wins Miss Washington Teen USA

Lily Lloyd won the title of Miss Washington Teen USA 2019 on Nov. 4. The pageant was held at Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, with 18 contestants in her division.

Lloyd, 17, is the CEO of Smize Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that connects high school students with local food banks to provide donations, volunteer opportunities, and awareness of community outreach. Her ambition is to become a neonatologist.

Lily Lloyd In addition, she is the Associated Student Body executive president, an official Science Scholar, a Tri-M Music Honor Society member, and a varsity cheerleader.

Lloyd will go on to compete at Miss Teen USA in 2019. 

Cambodian refugee Saovra Ear named interim VP at Highline College

Dr. Saovra “Sy” Ear has been named interim vice president at Highline College. He will oversee the college’s Student Services division beginning Nov. 26.

Ear arrived in the United States when he was 2 years old, when he and his family left Cambodia. After a stint on the

East Coast, the family settled in South King County, where they’ve spent the past 31 years.

Ear traces his passion for equity and social justice from his experience as a refugee, first-generation student, and student of color.

Ear earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Washington, Tacoma and Dr. Saovra “Sy” Ear his master’s degree in student development administration from Seattle University. 

UW Nikkei Alumni Association scholarship winners

Scholarship receipients

The UW Nikkei Alumni Association announced its scholarship recipients earlier this month.

Aoi Anne Hunsaker, Kaito Durkee, Taylor Ishida, and Emily Ko will each receive approximately $3,000 towards their tuition.

The Association offers scholarships to students of Japanese ancestry who attend the University of Washington based on their financial need, academic achievement, and community service, especially to the Asian American community. It has given out 357 awards since 1965. 

Starting Jan. 1, 2019 A new way to take care of the people who take care of your business.

Phuong Tran, Lava Java

Employers of all sizes must start collecting premiums for Paid Family & Medical Leave on January 1. This statewide insurance program will give every eligible employee access to up to 12 weeks of paid leave starting in 2020. It’s easy to get started, and there are special grants available for small businesses.

Get your business ready at paidleave.wa.gov

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

3

Still Martin Pang

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Martin Pang did not show up for a Nov. 14 court hearing to hear his request to change his name to “Mark Sun Lee.” We reported earlier this month that the convicted arsonist wanted to change his name for “cultural, religious, and protective reasons.”

By missing the hearing, Pang avoided a face-off with Kim Shoemaker Anderson, the sister of one of the victims. She traveled from Enumclaw to Kennewick and told the Tri-City Herald that she planned to confront Pang.

Anderson’s brother, Seattle Fire Lt. Greg Shoemaker, along with Lt. Walter Kilgore and firefighters Randall Terlicker and James Brown, died

in the fire that Pang set in 1995, at a warehouse his parents owned in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.

Anderson said she was disappointed that Pang skipped the hearing, but she vowed to attend any future name-change hearing. Pang will have to resubmit his petition if he wishes to legally change his name.

Pang, 63, moved to Prosser in September after his release from the Walla Walla State Penitentiary, where he served 23 years of a 35-year sentence. He owes $3 million in restitution, court costs, and interest. A name change would not relieve him of that obligation.  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Martin Pang

Police arrest Chinatown drug dealers

Police seized piles of cash, crack, and heroin on Nov. 9 and arrested two 50-yearold men suspected of dealing drugs out of their cars in the Chinatown-International District (ID).

The Seattle Police Department’s Major

Crimes Taskforce had been investigating drug dealing in the ID and identified the suspects, who they believe are also connected to organized retail theft and other crimes. Detectives say the men would drive from their SeaTac hotel to Seattle, and

use their vehicles as rolling storefronts to sell and trade heroin and crack cocaine in Chinatown.

The suspects were found to be in possession of meth, heroin, and crack cocaine. Officers also recovered $10,000 in

cash.

Both suspects were booked into King County Jail for investigation of narcotics possession with the intent to deliver.

Detectives estimate the street value for the drugs is over $100,000. 

Attention, Korean IT job seekers in Seattle area Changbal Society can help you

By Yuna Kim NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Changbal has two meanings in Korean: an abbreviation of “creativity and invention” and a literal translation of “emergence.” In Seattle, Changbal Society is a nonprofit organization, established in 2014 for Korean information technology professionals, looking to enact all three values through support and networking.

“Koreans do not have many opportunities to network outside of the companies they are working for. I thought it would be good for like-minded people with similar interests from similar backgrounds to gather and help each other,” said Chanhee Lee, the president of Changbal Society and a senior product manager at Amazon.

Changbal Society will hold a networking workshop on Dec. 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Kane Hall 225 on the University of Washington (UW) Seattle campus.

The event will bring together professionals and students for mock interviews, to meet mentors for career advice one-on-one, and to get feedback on resumes.

Changbal Society held an information session on Nov. 3 at Kane Hall in conjunction with the UW Korean Student Union to inform the students about the benefits of pursuing

IT-related majors. Students also learned how to plan for internships, graduation and employment, what to prepare for while in college, which IT careers have been recently spotlighted, and more.

The president and the members of Changbal Society and the consul general of the Republic of Korea attended the event, along with more than 30 undergraduate and graduate students.

“It was a good opportunity to learn directly from professionals about what is happening currently in the industry and what different roles each career plays specifically in the field,” said Jay Jung, a UW undergraduate student majoring in mathematics and minoring in informatics and statistics.

Jenny Lee, a member of the society and a program manager at Microsoft who graduated from the UW in June with a bachelor’s degree in informatics, was a guest speaker.

She told attendees to start networking with professionals and to complete a side project to enhance their portfolios.

“Be enthusiastic about networking. People do not try to find people in need and reach out to them first. Actively seek mentors who can really give the practical advice,” said Jaehee Song, a member of the society.

Song published a book this summer called “This Is How

We Came,” about 25 people who came to the United States from South Korea after getting hired by IT companies. He said he was able to find several authors through Changbal Society.

The consulate general of the Republic of Korea purchased books and provided them to attendees for free.

Changbal Society was established by Jinyoung Kim, who was then a data scientist at Microsoft and now works at Snapchat. Kim wanted to share his interests with people from different companies.

The society started with around 10 of Kim’s acquaintances and as IT started booming in the Seattle area, the number of Koreans in IT fields here increased.

Changbal Society is divided into four groups: developers, Kickstarters, women, and designers. The society holds a monthly seminar for the entire group and each group has casual, individual meetings so members have opportunities to discuss topics of specific interest in depth.

To attend the next workshop, RSVP at changbal_interview2018.eventbrite.com.

Yuna can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

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NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

36 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

Nissan chairman arrested in probe of financial misconduct

By YURI KAGEYAMA YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who became one of the auto industry’s most powerful executives by engineering a turnaround at the Japanese manufacturer, was arrested on Nov. 19 and will be fired for allegedly underreporting his Nissan Chairman Carlos income and misusing company Ghosn funds, the automaker said.

The scandal reverberated across the globe and abruptly threw into question Ghosn’s future as leader of the RenaultNissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which sold 10.6 million cars last year, more than any other manufacturer.

Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa said Ghosn was taken into custody after being questioned by prosecutors upon arriving in Japan earlier in the day. Ghosn is of French,

Brazilian and Lebanese background and lives in both France and Japan.

Nissan said Ghosn, 64, and another senior executive, Greg Kelly, were accused of offenses involving millions of dollars that were discovered during a months-long investigation set off by a whistleblower. Kelly was also arrested.

“Beyond being sorry I feel great disappointment, frustration, despair, indignation and resentment,” Saikawa said, apologizing for a full seven minutes at the outset of a news conference.

Yokohama-based Nissan Motor said it is cooperating with prosecutors in their investigation.

“This is an act that cannot be tolerated by the company,” Saikawa said. “This is serious misconduct.”

Saikawa said three major types of misconduct were found: underreporting income to financial authorities, using investment funds for personal gain and illicit use of company expenses.

He said that because of the continuing investigation, he

could not disclose many details. But he promised to tighten internal controls, saying the problems may have happened because too much power was concentrated in one person.

“We need to really look back at what happened, take it seriously and take fundamental countermeasures,” he said.

Ghosn officially still leads the Renault-NissanMitsubishi alliance as CEO and chairman. But experts said it is unlikely he will be able to stay on there or at Renault, where he is also CEO. Renault said its board will hold an emergency meeting soon.

“The last thing one of the world’s biggest automakers needs is the disruption caused by an investigation into the behavior of a man who has towered over the global auto sector,” said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in London.

The companies in the alliance own parts of each other and share investments in new technologies, among other things. Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan, which owns 15 see GHOSN on 11

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Army specialist Kim naturalized “I am so happy and honored to become a citizen of the United States. This means so much to me and my family,” said Army Specialist Do Hoon Kim. He was naturalized at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Tukwila on Nov. 9.

“I look forward to serving next my unit and my country as a citizen, wherever we are needed around the world.”

The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) filed a lawsuit last month on behalf of Kim, a decorated active-duty service member stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The suit said the government failed to process Kim’s naturalization application “within a reasonable time.”

Kim was brought to this country from South Korea by his parents in 2006 and grew up in the Los Angeles area. He enlisted in the Army in 2014 under the Military Accessions Vital to the National

Interest (MAVNI) program. The MAVNI program was established to recruit non-citizens with skills critical to the needs of the U.S. military, and the government is required to expedite the processing of naturalization applications for enlistees.

“Specialist Kim has suffered through uncertainty about his immigration status, while serving our country with honor and integrity for nearly four years,” said ACLU-WA Legal Fellow Michael Youhana.

“We are pleased that he will be able to continue his life in and service to the U.S. without additional burdens imposed by the government delaying his naturalization application.”

“Through the MAVNI recruitment program, the government makes a promise to soldiers like Specialist Kim, who are willing to share their critically important skills with the military,” said ACLU-WA Staff Attorney Eunice Cho. “It should not require the filing of a lawsuit for the government to keep its promise.”  Staff can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Divers find body of hiker at waterfall STEVENS PASS, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say divers found the body of a missing Chinese businessman, who disappeared while hiking near a waterfall in the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle.

King County Sheriff 's Sgt. Ryan Abbott says investigators believe the 50-yearold man fell on Nov. 13, while visiting the Deception Falls area. Divers found the body in a pool of water below the falls the

following day.

Abbott says the man, who is from China but on a work visa and living in the region, was with a church group of Chinese tourists.

He says the man went to take photos as he waited for members of his group. When they went to look for him, they found his coat and hat but no sign of him.

Deception Falls is about 75 miles west of Seattle off Highway 2. 

Photo provided by ACLU-WA

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Kim holding his Certificate of Citizenship

Chinese restaurant owners sue Philadelphia over ordinance PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A group of Chinese restaurant owners have sued Philadelphia, alleging the city used a latenight ordinance to discriminate against them.

Philly.com reports the federal lawsuit filed by 23 owners claims police selectively enforced the ordinance by only fining Chinese restaurants for serving food past 11 p.m. The owners say other, non-Chinese establishments that stayed open, like pizza

parlors and fast-food joints, were left alone.

Some owners in the suit say the fines have forced them to close their restaurants.

According to a 2017 report submitted

by City Councilman David Oh, 562 of 583 ordinance notices issued in a yearlong period were given to Chinese restaurants.

City officials have said the ordinance was implemented to curb criminal activity at night and that they reviewed complaints. 

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ WORLD NEWS

5

Child kickboxing debated in Thailand after 13-year-old dies

By KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA and TASSANEE VEJPONGSA ASSOCIATED PRESS BANGKOK (AP) — The death of a 13-year-old boy who was knocked out during a kickboxing match in Thailand has sparked debate over whether to ban matches involving children.

The death of Anucha Tasako came after a Muay Thai — Thai boxing — match on Nov. 10 in the Bangkok suburb of Samut Prakarn. The Facebook page Muaythai Krobwongjorn, which covers the sport, said he died from a brain hemorrhage.

Protective gear is normally not worn in the

Anucha Tasako

sport, and video circulated on social media said to be of the fight shows Anucha not wearing any.

Child boxing is widespread in Thailand, especially in rural areas, where it offers a way for children to help provide for their families and a path to lift them out of poverty, according to its advocates.

Opponents say the sport is dangerous, citing studies such as one published last month by Thailand’s Mahidol University saying that allowing children under 15 to box could result in various types of brain damage.

Thai lawmakers are considering legislation proposed last month banning children under 12 from competitive boxing.

The legislation has been forwarded to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, which

has already drafted a revised version, said Gen. Aduldej Intapong, a member of the National Legislative Assembly.

Kickboxing is one of the most popular sports in Thailand and its boosters oppose regulating it.

“This would have a major impact on the industry,’’ Sukrit Parekrithawet, a lawyer who represents several boxing training camps, said of the proposed legislation.

“Those who drafted the law do not know anything about the sport of Thai boxing, and this would make Muay Thai become extinct.’’ see TASAKO on 13

Bishop reported missing amid Beijing-Vatican reconciliation

Major hotels in China inspected after room cleaning expose

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are inspecting several major international hotels after hidden camera video showed room cleaning workers using soiled towels to clean cups and glasses and other questionable practices.

The Chinese tourism ministry said it had asked authorities in Beijing, Shanghai and three provinces to investigate 14 hotels that appear in the video. Several of the hotels including a Sheraton and Waldorf Astoria have apologized.

BEIJING (AP) — A bishop who has resisted demands to join China’s Communist Party-controlled church body has been taken into custody, a Catholic news service reported, despite recent moves by Beijing and the Holy See toward reconciliation.

Asia News reported that Peter Shao Zhumin dropped out of sight last week, but gave no details other than saying he had been subjected to Peter Shao Zhumin “dozens of days of indoctrination as in the times of the Cultural Revolution,’’ a reference to Mao Zedong’s radical 196676 attack on traditional Chinese culture, religion and the intelligentsia.

Shao was appointed by the pope in 2016 and was posted to the southeastern city of Wenzhou, which has a large Christian

community. Officials reached by phone at the local religious affairs bureau, its department regulating the Catholic church and police headquarters said they had no knowledge of Shao’s situation and refused to give their names.

When asked about the matter, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying offered no information on Shao’s disappearance but reiterated Beijing’s hopes for better ties with the Holy See. “We would like to improve our mutual understanding and enhance our mutual trust so as to advance our relations with the Vatican,’’ Hua said at a daily briefing.

Shao’s disappearance follows a breakthrough agreement to give China some say over the appointment of bishops that critics called a cave-in to the ruling Communist Party just as it is waging a sweeping crackdown on religion. Others characterized it as an imperfect but muchneeded step toward uniting Catholics in the world’s most populous country.

The Vatican has long hoped to bring see ZHUMIN on 13

The nearly 12-minute video, posted online last week, shows workers cleaning bathrooms. In several clips, they can be seen wiping down sinks, coffee cups and glasses with the same used towel. One wipes a glass with the bottom edge of her cleaning uniform.

An activist blogger who uses the pseudonym “Huazong’’ posted the video on Nov. 14 on his verified account on see HOTELS IN CHINA on 11

KING COUNTY NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Sealed bids will be received for C01186C17, King County Sheriff’s Office Buoy Maintenance & Repair Work Order 2018; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 1:30 PM on DECEMBER 4, 2018. Late bids will not be accepted.

The Work to be performed under this Contract consists of buoy repair, replacement and/or maintenance on Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and in unincorporated King County, including eight (8) municipalities that currently contract marine services with the County.

Estimated contract price: NTE $150,000 Complete Invitation to Bid Documents, including all project details, specifications, and contact information are available on our web page at: https://procurement. kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/default.aspx

asianweekly northwest

6

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

36 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOV

24

HOLIDAY AAPI ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR Hing Hay Coworks, 409B Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

THROUGH DECEMBER 15

SHOP-O-RAMA Wing Luke Museum, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

23 ENCHANT, THE WORLD’S LARGEST CHRISTMAS LIGHT MAZE Safeco Field, 1250 1st Ave. S., Seattle 4-10 p.m.

MACY’S HOLIDAY PARADE Downtown Seattle 9-10 a.m.

MACY’S DOWNTOWN SEATTLE STARLIGHTING & FIREWORKS SHOW Downtown Seattle 5-5:30 p.m.

DIWALI BASH WITH DJ PAROMA, INDIA’S #1 BOLLYWOOD FEMALE DJ Hard Rock Cafe, 116 Pike St., Seattle 9 p.m.-2 a.m. diwalibash.eventbrite.com 206-355-1191 HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK AND HOLIDAY CHEER Seattle’s C-ID 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

26 CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSFUL RE-ELECTION OF REP. SHARON TOMIKO SANTOS

Home of Nicole Bachaud & Co., 2817 29th Ave. S., Seattle 5:30-7:30 p.m.

RSVP to friendsofsts@aol.com, 602-820-1805

28 FILM SCREENING, “FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH FILMS” Wing Luke Museum 1:30-3:30 p.m.

29 CELEBRATING DIANE NARASAKI ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., Seattle 5:30-7:30 p.m.

RSVP at https://goo.gl/forms/ Sfx91LPiIkzUcOto2

DEC

6 EXHIBIT RECEPTION, PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Wing Luke Museum, 6-8 p.m.

1

ASIAN AMERICAN SANTA DAY AND LOCAL ARTIST CRAFT FAIR Wing Luke Museum, 12-3 p.m.

MULTICULTURAL HOLIDAY ARTS & CRAFT FAIR St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King St., Seattle 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

206-323-5250 stpeterseattle.org KINOKUNIYA ARTIST ALLEY AND SEATTLE VIDEO GAME ORCHESTRA & CHOIR Kinokuniya, 525 S. Weller St., Seattle 6-8 p.m.

KIN ON’S HOLIDAY MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:45-9 p.m.

7 NWAW’S TOP CONTRIBUTORS AWARDS GALA House of Hong, 409 8th Ave. S., Seattle 6 p.m. topcontributors. brownpapertickets.com

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Newcomer Andy Kim beats GOP Rep. MacArthur in New Jersey

By MIKE CATALINI ASSOCIATED PRESS TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Democrat Andy Kim, a political newcomer and former national security aide in the Obama administration, defeated Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur in a tight race in which the incumbent’s vote to roll back the Affordable Care Act was a hot

issue.

Kim upset MacArthur in the hotly contested southern New Jersey district, widening the Democrats’ edge in the House.

The U.S. House historian’s database shows he is the first Asian American elected from New Jersey. Kim has never run for or served in elected office before.

“This from the very beginning was always about the people,’’ Kim told supporters at his office in Mount Laurel when he declared victory. “I will be part of that new generation of leaders that will step up and do what’s best for the American people. That’s what we need right now.’’

MacArthur said in a statement on Nov. 14 that he called Kim to congratulate him on the victory and said he would work on a smooth transition.

“We must all work together to ensure that America remains the shining city on a hill that President Ronald Reagan described so many years ago,’’ MacArthur said.

The district last elected a Democrat in 2008.

MacArthur was an ally of President Donald Trump but stressed his independence, as well.

Kim largely stayed away from invoking the president, despite his unpopularity in New Jersey. 

Andy Kim

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ TOP CONTRIBUTOR

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

7

cindy runger Wheels of change spin at Rotary Club of Seattle

By Joshua Holland NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY As Seattle continues to pulse with dynamic growth and change, keeping pace for long standing organizations and clubs has been a challenge. Many have found themselves under siege from the shiny newness of the Emerald City, with many of the newcomers finding themselves out of sync with these long standing institutions who don’t always reflect current values or demographics of the Seattle region.

In this storm of change, the Rotary Club of Seattle, one of the oldest in the nation, isn’t shying away. Instead, this distinguished club of community and business leaders is embracing it and recently elected Cindy Runger, the club’s Seattle’s first Asian American woman president, to lead the charge.

“If I can be a role model or an example for other people and signal, it’s okay to have diversity at the top,” said Runger. “We’re not going to break things and actually through our experiences, we can bring our own experiences into the discussion and make things a little better for everyone.”

Runger was selected to succeed Sue Nixon as president. The Rotary Club of Seattle nominating committee decided its leader needed to be someone who was familiar with the club and could bring fresh ideas and connections to new communities. Runger, a

Rotarian for over a decade who’s held several leadership positions ranging from chair of various committees to vice president of the club’s service foundation, brings a strong resume and personal experience to the role.

Professionally, Runger comes to the role following years of experience in the Washington State Legislature and as Gov. Gary Locke’s legislative liaison, and most recently the world of finance, where she’s worked since moving to Seattle in 2000.

She also brings a strong connection to the Asian American community as a board member of the UniBank, a Lynnwood-based bank focused on serving the needs of Asian American business owners and is an ongoing

of her agenda, making sure people of color aren’t looked over when opportunity presents itself.

Born to a Black father and Vietnamese mother in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, Runger was raised by her adoptive Caucasian father in Idaho. She is no stranger to having candid discussions about race.

Growing up in Idaho and working in law and finance, Runger has developed a roadmap for successfully navigating different circles and bringing diversity to the table for serious conversations.

In exchange for her efforts to court new and diverse Rotarians, the community has begun to notice. Over the last year, a number of nontraditional Rotarians have been attracted to the club because of the energy Runger and her team have created.

“I have women, people of color, and white male allies that understand if we want to continue to do good now and into the future, the Rotary must adapt and embrace diversity,” said Runger.

“It’s been great to have this vision with what I want for the organization to be more inclusive and break down barriers, and have a team of silver haired women embrace the idea and push it forward with the mission of the club.”

Runger has enlisted the help of younger members to bolster the club’s presence in

fundraiser for the Asian American Bar Association. She credits her fearless approach to change to her industrial spirit which she developed as a kid.

“Growing up, I was taught you can pretty much do anything,” said Runger. “If you fail, then pick yourself back up and try again or do something else.”

A few months into her presidency, Runger is excited to lead the Rotary Club of Seattle and has begun to engage directly with the changing demographics of the region. She has sought out younger members for the club and helped nurture their growth by providing them with visibility opportunities. She’s also consciously made diversity a central part

see RUNGER on 13

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asianweekly northwest

8

36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ TOP CONTRIBUTOR

Da-Hyang Kwon A National Treasure

By Carolyn Bick NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Da-Hyang Kwon was just 12 years old when she discovered what she wanted to do with her life.

“She went to the theatre with her friend to see this traditional performance, and she became really interested in it,” Kwon’s daughter Hye Jing Yang said, translating for her mother. “She decided to go into traditional music and dance. But her parents were really opposed to it.”

They were so opposed, Yang said, that every time Kwon’s father saw her, he would beat her in an effort to dissuade her from a path considered scandalous and low-class. But Kwon was stubborn. At 20 years old, Kwon moved out of her parents’ home to South Korea’s capital city of Seoul to find the famous dance instructor Lee Eun Kwan, designated as South Korea’s National Treasure Number 29.

“She doesn’t know why she loves it so much, but she gave up everything to follow that path,” Yang said.

Within a year, Kwon became one of his top students.

Kwon’s teacher said her name was fitting: ‘Da-Hyang’ means ‘variety,’ and she could do everything — dance, sing, and play instruments.

That was in 1968. Today, the 70-year-old Kwon teaches 15 students traditional Korean performing arts at Gook Ak HanMaDang in Tacoma, Wash. Of those, 12 are singers, and three are instrumentalists. Though she doesn’t exclusively teach any of them dance, she does teach dance as a complement to singing.

Kwon has had a long and storied career as a traditional performance artist. Not only did she accompany her teacher and another student around the globe, performing in places

like Osaka, New York, and Los Angeles, she also recorded musical albums with him. In 1968, and then again in 1969, she traveled to Vietnam to provide relief for the Korean soldiers on the frontlines of the Vietnam War. Even though Kwon’s husband was supportive of her career path, Yang said her mother almost gave up her career after Yang and her brother were born. Between raising children and keeping a household, performance took a backseat, and Kwon didn’t perform for several years, while Yang and her

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brother were growing up. But her heart constantly ached for the stage, and, after a few years, she got back into it.

“She said it was her destiny to follow this path,” Yang said, translating her mother’s firm, confident response.

Though Yang and her brother had been living in the United States since they were in middle school, Kwon and her husband didn’t move to the United States until 2008.

Kwon isn’t sorry she did, because it allowed her to be closer to her family. Still, she kept in touch with her teacher, Lee Eun Kwan, who had bestowed the title of National Treasure on her in 2000, in recognition of her mastery in the field.

In 2013, the year before her teacher passed away, Kwon invited Kwan to perform with her students. Given their history, Yang said her mother was touched that he gave his last performance with her and her students.

Though she had larger classes in South Korea, Yang said, her mother is still excited to be able to pass on traditional Korean performance arts to young Asian Americans.

“They are eager to learn from her, and follow her instructions, and she feels really happy. She feels really confident in her area, and it makes her really proud,” Yang said. “She really loves what she is doing. … She did it for over 50 years, and she is so happy that she fell in love with it.”  Kwon will be honored at the Top Contributors award dinner on Dec. 7 at House of Hong Restaurant in Seattle, from 6–9 p.m.

Carolyn can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ HEALTH

9

Tai chi helping Parkinson’s patients regain balance

By MELANIE RUBERTI THE NEWNAN TIMESHERALD NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) — Tai chi is becoming a new favorite exercise among Parkinson’s patients like Larry Bergeson of Newnan.

“I’ve had two trial lessons,’’ he said. “Tai chi is great for learning movement and balance. As a person affected by Parkinson’s disease, both movement and balance become more difficult as the disease progresses.’’

Bergeson also heads up the local Parkinson’s support group. He invited Trish Gurney, a therapist with the First Hands organization of Peachtree City and tai chi teacher, to lead an exercise class during one of the support group’s meetings.

“The great thing about tai chi is it can be done standing, holding onto a chair or sitting,’’ Gurney explained. “A lot of people with Parkinson’s disease lose control of balance in their lower extremities.

Tai chi teaches them to move from their center of gravity which is three fingers below the belly button.

It brings their focus down, helps them align their bodies in a straight

line and gives them good posture.

According to Gurney, Parkinson’s patients who take tai chi classes for at least a year have less tendency to fall.

Falling to the ground can be just one outcome for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation website, the disease is

a neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects dopamineproducing neurons in a specific area of the brain.

Around 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, according to www. parkinsonassociation.org.

It is estimated between 7-10 million people worldwide are

currently living with the disease.

Unfortunately, researchers do not know what causes Parkinson’s disease, and there is no cure.

Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The disease affects everyone differently, but indicators include tremors, slowness of movements, rigid limbs and balance issues, according to the

Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation

Top Contributors Award Gala Community Celebrations

FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 2018 • 6 – 9 P.M. • HOUSE OF HONG RESTAURANT • 409 8TH AVE. S., SEATTLE • 206-622-7997

HONOREES

Parkinson’s Foundation.

Parkinson’s disease affects a person’s cognition, or mental abilities used to process information and apply knowledge, according to www.apdaparkinson. org. This includes functions that allow people to estimate distance and depth perception, which is why Parkinson’s patients may have trouble walking, turning around, reaching for objects and even walking backwards.

The lack of coordination, vertigo, loss of muscle tone, and issues with depth perception are another set of potential problems for patients living with Parkinson’s disease, said Dr. Amy Morse, a physical therapist with Neuro Rehab Clinic at the Emory Brain Health Center.

According to Gurney, tai chi can help with those health issues as well.

“Tai chi teaches Parkinson’s patients to keep their joints loose,’’ she explained. “There are exercises we can do that create a long ‘form,’ or segue into more choreographed movements, which is great for the patients’ mental state as they see TAI CHI on 13

There won’t be any fund-raising program during the dinner. $80 per seat/$1,000 or corporate table (with logo) of 10. Students with I.D. $40.

A�er Nov. 30, $90 per seat. Online �cket at topcontributors.brownpaper�ckets.com Space is limited. To reserve seats, call us at 206/223-0623 or send a check by Nov. 30 to Northwest Asian Weekly Founda�on, A�n: Dinner, P O Box. 3468, Sea�le, WA 98114. Proceeds go to support University of Washington Scholarship endowment.  I won’t be able to go but I’d like to donate, please charge my card below.

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asianweekly northwest

10

36 YEARS

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

What should you be thankful for this year?

Creative ways to express gratitude

Have you ever thought about thanking those who wished that you would fail?

Maybe, you should.

In my high school senior year, my history teacher called me to her desk and said, “You will never get credit (meaning A or B in the Hong Kong public exam system for seniors), you probably will just get a passing grade.”

She said it loud enough that most classmates could hear her.

Suddenly, my respect for her turned into hate. I admit that I did not give 100 percent effort. However, her shaming strategy hit me so hard that I wanted her to eat her own words. I ended up being in the top .05 percent of students receiving an A, with a Distinction in European history, out of 25,000 students in Hong Kong who took the exam that year. Also, I received another Distinction in Chinese History. The two As changed my mentality and fortune: College was right for me.

In retrospect, my teacher was the real winner. She knew how to push her students to succeed. God bless you, Mrs. Ou, wherever you are. Thanks a million.

NWAW PHOTOS

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Assunta Ng and staff shopping at Uwajimaya

Those who stay with you through thick and thin

Recently, Uwajimaya celebrated its 90th anniversary, and I wanted show my appreciation. The store has advertised in the Asian Weekly non-stop for 36 years.

Saying thank you was not good enough, so I copied Oprah, who took her production team shopping before Christmas to show her gratitude.

I don’t have as much money as Oprah. I gave each of my staff members $25 to shop at Uwajimaya. It was interesting to see what they bought — from shampoo and conditioner, to cosmetics at Uwajimaya’s gift department, not just food. Ho, ho, ho, I enjoyed being Santa Claus.

Photo by Assunta Ng

Those you might have forgotten

Angela Domingo holds up an article we published written by her brother, Judge Dean Lum.

When I first started the newspapers, many said, “Give her a year or two, the Northwest Asian Weekly will fold.” We are still publishing after 36 years. In those days, I never took those words personally.

I understood their logic. I was a nobody, a newcomer to the community. I wasn’t trying to prove anyone wrong like I did to my high school teacher. What motivates me, now and then, is my determination to serve the community through information and news. Thank you to those who doubted me. I am grateful that many naysayers have become my friends, advertisers, readers, and supporters. You are the ones who have inspired me to persevere. My story has served as an inspiration to those who want to emulate me in overcoming adversities.

Noah Purcell (Photo by Assunta Ng) holding a card designed by Michelle Kumata.

Washington State Solicitor General Noah Purcell became a star when he represented our state, suing President Trump on his travel ban against Muslims last January. Our state was the first to sue and win. Although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned it later, the ban was modified with exemptions.

Imagine the recognition Purcell received from awards, thousands of news clips, and tons of well-wishing cards after his victory.

He could have brought along those impressive accolades when he spoke to the Seattle Rotary Club at the Seattle Westin Hotel recently.

Instead, he brought along a small congratu-

latory card from his former Kimball Elementary school teacher. His Japanese American teacher wrote, “Dear Noah, Just wanted to thank you and expressing my appreciation for your accomplishment. You probably don’t remember me, but I was an ELL teacher at Kimball when you attended. I am writing to you from the perspective of someone whose family was greatly affected by another Executive Order, EO 9066. Seventy-five years ago, my family was uprooted and sent to the horse stalls in Puyallup Fairgrounds, then to Minidoka, Idaho, where I was born in this internment camp. You can see why I am greatly concerned see BLOG on 15

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ EDITORIAL

11

Why representation matters in those institutions and might even inspire some to see political leadership as a possibility for themselves where they had seen no path before.

Senator-elect Nguyen told the Northwest Asian Weekly in May, “Systems of power tend to be a reflection of those who created them.” He said that whoever is in power decides where the money goes.

Nguyen told the Asian Weekly he was tired of waiting for somebody else to run— “Somebody transformative that represents our values, that cares, that is from the community … and there’s never been a person of color from the 34th.”

We are thankful that Nguyen, and all other AAPI candidates, decided to run, even if they didn’t win.

The growth of AAPI influence and power extends beyond the political sphere, into all aspects of American society.

Census data shows that the AAPI community contributes nearly $1.1 trillion to the economy every year, and AAPI owned businesses employ 3.6 million Americans across the country. AAPIs as business owners, consumers, and active members of America’s economy have an important role in shaping the future of our collective communities. 

Joe Nguyen and his supporters

GHOSN from 4

is still getting over a scandal in which it admitted altering the results of emission and fuel economy tests on vehicles sold in Japan.

Ghosn is credited with helping bring about a remarkable turnaround at Nissan, resuscitating it from near bankruptcy by cutting thousands of jobs and shutting plants. His triumph made him something of a national hero in a country where foreign CEOs of major Japanese companies are relatively rare.

He also looms large in France, where he previously turned Renault around and made it into a global player, notably in electric vehicles. He led the French carmaker through major job cuts and an expensive and contentious bailout, earning the nickname “Le Cost Cutter.”

Ghosn became a nemesis of French unions and left-

wing politicians, who saw him as a symbol of capitalism’s excesses, particularly its rich executive pay packages.

Renault shareholders in 2016 voted against Ghosn’s pay package as too generous, but the board ignored the move.

That angered then-President Francois Hollande.

Hollande’s socialist government imposed limits on executive pay at state-run companies and tried to do the same in the private sector but backed down amid concerns such action would scare away foreign investment.

Ghosn served as Nissan’s chief executive from 2001 until last April. He became chief executive of Renault in 2005, leading the two major automakers simultaneously. In 2016, he became Mitsubishi Motors’ chairman.

Saikawa said the scandal was a “negative outcome of the long regime of Mr. Ghosn.” 

and holding a drinking glass up to the light to inspect it.

The Peninsula hotel in Beijing said that city food and drug administration officials had conducted an on-site examination of cups the previous day and found them cleaner than standards required. The cups were sent for further tests, the hotel said in a statement on its Weibo account.

“The hotel will still take measures to strengthen the

implementation of the standard procedures for room service staff to ensure all aspects meet the established standards of the Peninsula,’’ the statement said.

The Shangri-La Hotel in Fuzhou said the actions in the video violate its hygiene standards, while the Park Hyatt in Beijing called it an isolated occurrence. 

percent of Renault and 34 percent of Mitsubishi.

Renault SA stock plunged more than 8 percent in France.

Japanese markets had already closed when the scandal broke.

Ghosn was at Nissan for 19 years and signed a contract this year that would have run through 2022. His compensation, high by Japanese standards, has been a source of controversy over the years.

According to NHK and the Kyodo News Service, Nissan paid Ghosn nearly $89 million over five years through March 2015, including salary and other income, but he reported receiving only about half that amount.

The allegations are a serious blow at a time when Nissan

HOTELS IN CHINA from 5 Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter. He calls the problem long-standing and widespread, and writes that he spent 2,000 nights at 147 hotels over six years. The video has been viewed more than 30 million times.

State broadcaster CCTV aired video of uniformed inspectors at an unidentified hotel flashing their ID cards

WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR TEAM?

Photo by Sam Le

As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) made up 7.7 percent of the population of Washington state.

We previously had only three AAPI state senators—Bob Hasegawa, Steve Hobbs, and Manka Dhingra, making up 6 percent of the state senate.

After the recent election, and thanks to the victories of Joe Nguyen and Mona Das, we now have five AAPI senators… a better than 10 percent representation in our state senate.

But will the presence of more AAPI elected officials make a difference in politics and policymaking? We think the answer is yes.

The decisions made by policymakers and our representatives impacts our day-to-day lives. Now that we have the appropriate number of seats at the table, we are now in a better position to influence policy decisions— making sure that our needs and voices, ignored or forgotten in the past, are heard.

For populations historically marginalized from formal political power, seeing themselves in our state’s most powerful political institutions can induce greater trust

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Northwest Asian Weekly is accepting applications for freelance writers. Arts, entertainment and food features are great, but you must also be able to write about government, courts, crime, business, education, health, and social justice issues affecting the Asian-Pacific Islander (API) community. Even better if you can cover breaking news under tight deadlines (same-day turns), with minimal supervision. Flexible hours.

Journalism degree preferred but not required.

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asianweekly northwest

12

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

36 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Harvard bias suit now in judge’s hands

By COLLIN BINKLEY BOSTON (AP) — A trial alleging racial bias in Harvard University’s admissions system has presented two starkly different images of the elite Ivy League school.

One side depicts a Harvard that plays racial favorites, lowering the admission bar for certain races and raising it for others, to the detriment of Asian Americans. The other side paints a Harvard that gives a slight edge to some minorities in the pursuit of diversity, but only those who would likely be admitted anyway.

Now it’s up to a judge to decide which is closer to the truth. Both sides clashed earlier this month in the closing arguments of a trial that has been four years in the making and sits at the center of a reignited debate over affirmative action. Its outcome carries weighty implications for other colleges that also consider race when selecting students.

The group behind the suit, Students for Fair Admissions, says Harvard’s gatekeepers hold Asian American applicants

to a higher standard and discriminate against them using a subjective “personal rating” that measures traits such as courage and likability.

Using six years of school admissions data, the group found that Harvard officials consistently gave Asian Americans the lowest scores in the personal rating, while scoring black and Hispanic students the highest. Asians fared well in other categories including academics, yet they were admitted at the lowest rate.

“We think this is strong evidence that race is being used in the personal score for all of these ethnicities, and it is evidence of an Asian penalty,” John Hughes, a lawyer for the group, said in his closing argument.

Harvard insists that the group’s statistical analysis, done by a Duke University economist, is flawed, and presented a dueling analysis from a University of California, Berkeley, economist who found no evidence of bias. see HARVARD on 15

Professor sues University of California to expose anti-Asian preferences

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY A law professor has filed a lawsuit against the University of California (UC) system for withholding records he believes could show it’s illegally using race in admissions.

Richard Sander believes UC is discriminating against Asian American applicants based on a 2014 report commissioned by UCLA. On Nov. 15, Sander and former California state senate candidate George Shen requested that the UC system provide admissions data on socioeconomic and academic metrics.

The Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE), which has filed federal discrimination complaints against Yale University, Brown University, and Dartmouth College, is supporting the lawsuit.

In a statement, AACE said, “The petitioners’ allegation that race has been

unlawfully considered in UC’s holistic admissions to the detriments of Asian American applicants is empirically rooted in an internal UC report conducted by UCLA sociologist Dr. Robert Mare in 2014, which examines how different groups of applicants fare throughout UCLA’s admissions process between 2007 and 2011.

Buried away previously, the Mare report uncovers the practice of “supplemental review” of applicants from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, through which applicants of East Asian origins received less favorable scores, ceteris paribus. As a result, the study finds that nearly 1,400 Asian American applicants were denied admissions because of race during the five-year period.”

AACE president Yukong Zhao said, “University of California is a taxpayerfunded institution. If UC has not discriminated Asian Americans as it claims, it should have the courage to make its admissions data accessible for public to examine and monitor.” 

■ WORLD NEWS

China building boom uncovers buried dinosaurs, makes a star

By CHRISTINA LARSON AP SCIENCE WRITER YANJI, China (AP) — At the end of a street of newly built high-rises in the northern Chinese city of Yanji stands an exposed cliff face, where paleontologists scrape away 100 million-year-old rock in search of prehistoric bones.

Like many fossil excavation sites in China, this one was discovered by accident.

China’s rapid city building has churned up a motherlode of dinosaur fossils. While bulldozers have unearthed prehistoric sites in many countries, the scale and speed of China’s urbanization is unprecedented, according to the United Nations Development Program.

Perhaps no one has seized the scientific opportunity more than Xu Xing, a diligent and unassuming standardbearer for China’s new prominence in paleontology. The energetic researcher has named more dinosaur species than any living paleontologist, racing between dig sites to collect specimens and further scientists’ understanding of how birds evolved from dinosaurs.

Matthew Lamanna, a curator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, said Xu is “widely regarded as one of the foremost, if not the foremost, dinosaur paleontologist working in China today.’’

“Xu Xing is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G,’’ Kristina Curry Rogers, a paleontologist at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, wrote in an email.

Two years ago, Xu’s colleague at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, Jin Changzhu, was visiting family in Yanji when he heard talk of fossils uncovered at a construction site. A preliminary inspection yielded what appeared to be a dinosaur shoulder bone.

Less than an hour’s drive from the North Korean border, the midsize city has been erecting residential blocks quickly. Seen from a plane, Yanji looks like a Legoland of new pink- and blue-roofed buildings, but there’s one long empty lot of exposed rocky hillside — the excavation site.

When Xu arrived at Yanji, he recognized the site could fill gaps in the fossil record, noting the relative paucity of bones recovered from the late Cretaceous period, which was around 100 million years ago. An analysis of the layers of volcanic ash revealed the site’s age. Xu is now overseeing a team of scientists using picks, chisels and steel needles to study the exposed hillside, where geologic layers resemble a red and gray layer-cake.

The site has yielded partial skeletons of three ancient crocodiles and one sauropod, the giant plant-eating dinosaurs that included some of the world’s largest land animals.

“This is a major feature of paleontology here in China — lots of construction really helps the scientists to find new fossils,’’ said Xu as he used a needle to remove debris from a partially exposed crocodile skull.

Born in 1969 in China’s western Xinjiang region, Xu did not choose to study dinosaurs. Like most university students of his era, he was assigned a major. His love for the field grew in graduate school in the 1990s, as feathered dinosaurs recovered from ancient Chinese lakebeds drew global attention.

When Xu and Jin discovered fossils in Yanji in 2016, city authorities halted construction on adjacent high-rise buildings, in accordance with a national law.

“The developer was really not happy with me,’’ said Xu, but the local government has since embraced its newfound claim to fame.

The city is now facilitating Xu’s work, and even built an on-site police station to guard the fossils from theft. Once the excavation is complete, a museum is planned, to display recovered fossils and photos of Xu’s team at work.

It’s not the first museum to commemorate Xu, whose prodigious fieldwork has taken him across China and resulted in a flurry of articles in top scientific journals.

Toru Sekiyu, a paleontologist from the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Japan who assisted on the Yanji dig, called his Chinese colleague “a superstar paleontologist.’’

But Xu is quick to point out the role that good fortune has played in his career.

“To publish papers and discover new species, you need new data — you need new fossils,’’ he said, adding that finding new species isn’t something a scientist can plan.

“My experience tells me that you really need luck, besides your hard work. Then you can make some important discoveries.’’

With digs in Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Yunnan and other Chinese provinces, Xu patiently oversees excavations, sometimes chiseling for years before he knows their ultimate significance.

While his finds are wide-ranging, much of his career has focused on understanding how dinosaurs evolved into modern birds.

China is an ideal location for that study. Two decades ago, rare dinosaur fossils that preserved traces of feathers were found in ancient lakebeds of northeastern China.

This discovery, which helped scientists demonstrate that birds descended from dinosaurs, was possible because the mixture of volcanic ash and fine-grained shale in see DINOSAURS on 14

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

■ ASTROLOGY

13

Predictions and advice for the week of November 24–30, 2018

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Although you were expecting a dramatic change, the difference is actually negligible.

Something to consider as you ponder whether to alter your course.

Ox — An idea that you had previously dismissed could actually prove useful. If the conditions call for it, then by all means revisit it.

Tiger — Are you hesitant to ask the question because you are afraid of the answer? The better information you have, the more informed your decision will be.

Rabbit — While you do enjoy a battle of wits, it is important to remember that not everyone takes as much pleasure in debating as you do.

Dragon — Even though you prefer to surround yourself with like-minded souls, there is value in listening to dissenting opinions.

Monkey — Don’t show all your cards at the beginning. Rather, wait to see how things play out before you reveal where you stand.

Snake — The unknown can be intimidating, but there is much to be gained if you are willing to take a chance.

Rooster — A dip in energy could be a sign that you are trying to do too many things at once. Pare down your list by removing unnecessary items.

Horse — Does it seem as though you keep falling into the same pattern? Make a conscious choice to do things differently this time around.

Dog — Instead of waiting for someone else to react, take control by acting as soon as you can, provided that it feels appropriate for you.

Goat — As eager as you are to move forward, there is no benefit in getting ahead of yourself. In fact, to do so could cause more work later on.

Pig — Within a new group, there could be jostling of position early on until some order is achieved.

Don’t let that turn you off from why you joined in the first place.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 RABBIT 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 DRAGON 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 SNAKE 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 HORSE 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 GOAT 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 MONKEY 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 ROOSTER 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 DOG 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

RUNGER from 7 Seattle via social media and other online tools. It’s her hope that this will lead to increased diversity for the club.

Runger said, “We have a strong network of great speakers that come and talk to us every week about different topics. Our members also have access to all these world class speakers and business leaders.”

At its core, the Rotary is focused on connecting its members through fellowship and supporting the community.

Whether it’s through its Mariners Club focused on boating, or

TAI CHI from 9 memorize the movements.

“I teach them ways to refine the movements and still keep the integrity of it,’’ Gurney added.

Gurney has taught tai chi classes for people with all ranges of abilities for 21 years, she said.

Gurney is also a master of Emei Qigong, she said.

Similar to tai chi, Emei Qigong is a Chinese martial arts aimed at promoting good health, emotional balance and spiritual awareness through practices that strengthen the body’s vital energy. The meditative exercise also reportedly deepens people’s healing ability, according to the emeiqigong. us website.

“People with Parkinson’s disease have to envision a move

ZHUMIN from 5 together China’s 12 million Catholics who are divided between those worshipping in state-sanctioned churches and the underground priests and parishioners loyal to the pope, who are frequently detained and harassed.

Details of the September agreement haven’t been released, although analysts say the Vatican will retain the

TASAKO from 5 “If you don’t allow younger players to learn their way up, how can they be strong and experienced enough to fight?’’ he said. “We call it ‘boxing bones.’ You need to have boxing bones built from a very young age.’’

Sukrit said the death of the 13-year-old, who fought under the name Petchmongkol S. Wilaitong, was a oneoff incident and the result of a poorly organized event.

“This has never happened before and it’s unprecedented,’’ he said. “There are several factors involved which have nothing to do with age. The referee wasn’t quick enough to stop the fight and the

helping pack food with the Rotary First Harvest, the Rotary is committed to building and solidifying community for longtime and new residents alike.

“Every day, I live with an attitude of gratitude. My life could have been completely different if I hadn’t immigrated to the United States. I am blessed with the fortune I’ve had, people, and my community,” said Runger. “At the same time, I also realize there are a lot of people out there because of their circumstances, maybe born in the wrong zip code, that could use a helping hand.” 

Runger will be honored at the Top Contributors award dinner on Dec. 7 at House of Hong Restaurant in Seattle, from 6–9 p.m.

before they do it, such as getting up from a chair,’’ she explained. “It can be done if their foot is positioned in the right place and they are sitting up correctly.

“Tai chi also teaches patients to keep their knees bent, which strengthens their quad muscles,’’ Gurney added. “Having strong quad muscles is what gets you out of a chair or off of a toilet.’’

But most importantly, patients need to have an open mind, Gurney said.

Tai chi and other martial arts are a form of eastern holistic medicine that Gurney believes has not been fully embraced by the “western civilization’’ as a means of healing.

But Gurney said so far, she’s had a good response among people she’s taught.

“Tai chi is still a foreign idea, but more people are becoming

enthusiastic about the class,’’ she said. “I have seen Parkinson’s patients more eager to move. That alone is good. If they don’t move, their muscles and joints will seize up.

“I believe tai chi is utilizing everything they’ve got,’’ Gurney added. “It’s keeping them alert, focused and happy.

It’s keeping them flexible to learning and to always keep moving. But the exercise is also very meditative for them too.’’

Gurney’s tai chi classes have made a believer out of Bergeson.

“It’s a well-known fact the way to slow Parkinson’s disease is to keep moving, which includes exercises,’’ he said. “Tai chi helps to meet that need, and Trish is an excellent teacher. She is patient and caring. She was so well-received, we invited her to come back.’’ 

power to put forward candidates while Beijing will likely have the right to refuse them.

Such moves are seen as a concession on the Vatican’s part in the face of Beijing’s assertion that it would not allow “foreign forces’’ to govern the country’s faith groups. Under President and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, the authorities have in recent months cracked down heavily on Protestants, Catholics, Muslims and Buddhists in the name

of national security and the “Sinosization’’ of religion.

China broke off relations with the Holy See in 1951, after the officially atheist Communist Party took power and established its own church. All religions were harshly persecuted during the rule of ex-leader Mao Zedong, but underwent a revival following his death in 1976 and have continued to grow in recent years despite the party’s efforts to rein them in. 

venue didn’t have a doctor on standby, which shouldn’t happen.’’

Public television station Thai PBS reported that Anucha had fought more than 170 matches since he began boxing at the age of 8, and was currently fighting in the under 90 pound weight division. It said he was raised by his uncle, who is a boxing trainer, after his parents separated.

The uncle, Damrong Tasako, told Thai PBS that Anucha’s death was an accident but he would like to see regulations for children under 15 to wear protective gear to soften blows to the head and body. 

The Rotary Club of Seattle meets every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in Downtown Seattle at different hotels. To learn more, visit seattlerotary.org.

Joshua can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

14

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Northwest Asian Weekly is accepting applications for freelance writers. Government, courts, crime, business, education, health, and social justice issues affecting the Asian-Pacific Islander (API) community. Flexible hours. Journalism degree preferred but not required.

Send resume and writing samples to: Ruth Bayang editor@nwasianweekly.com.

DINOSAURS from 12 the lakebeds had preserved bits of soft tissue, including feathers — unlike the majority of dinosaur fossils, which contain only bone.

Since then, a flood of new dinosaur bones unearthed in China has helped scientists rewrite their understanding of the tree of life in various ways.

Xu has been at the forefront of research into how dinosaurs evolved feathers and flight. In 2000, he described a curious pigeon-sized dinosaur with four feathered limbs, apparently early wings that allowed the animal to either fly or glide. In 2012, he detailed a carnivorous tyrannosaur , which also had plumage — raising questions about feathers’ original purpose.

Xu now believes that early dinosaur plumage may have played a role in insulation and in mating displays, even

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before flight feathers evolved. He coauthored a 2010 paper that examined fossilized melanosomes — pigment packets that give rise to color in modern bird feathers — to deduce the likely colors of dinosaur feathers. Some species likely sported rings of white and brown tail feathers; others had bright red plumage on their heads.

Embracing new technology, his team also uses CT scanners to study the interior of fossils and builds 3-D computer simulations to make inferences about what range of motions a dinosaur may have had.

One of the fossils Xu is now examining, found at a construction site in Jiangxi province, will shed light on how modern birds’ reproductive systems evolved from dinosaurs, he says.

In addition to professional accolades, Xu’s work has attracted attention from schoolchildren in multiple countries,

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who mail him handwritten notes and crayon drawings of dinosaurs, several of which hang in his Beijing office.

Xu replies to every letter, email and text message with a question about dinosaurs. “I feel it would be weird or impolite not to,’’ he said. But in an era of social media, Xu has refrained from signing up for WeChat, the dominant messaging platform in China, because “I don’t think I could find time for all the new messages.’’

Back at the site in Yanji, a colleague brings him a large rock with an exposed sauropod vertebrae to examine.

The bone has a spongey texture, which Xu says is a result of the animal’s respiratory system. Like modern birds, he believes sauropods breathed using both lungs and distributed air sacs, which can leave an impression in the bones.

Xu uses a brush to flick away dirt to inspect the fossil more closely.

“Basically we are reconstructing the evolutionary tree of life,’’ he said. “If you have more species to study, you have more branches on that tree, more information about the history of life on Earth.’’ 

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

NOVEMBER 24 – NOVEMBER 30, 2018

15

BLOG from 10

Photos by George Liu

with what’s happening in our country and why I felt such pride when I saw you in the news. Please keep up the fight…

Saki Shimizu.”

Ms. Shimizu, Purcell remembers you fondly.

Now, the card is on his desk as a reminder for him to fight hard for social justices. What a tribute to his former teacher!

The audience’s reaction: A thunderous standing ovation at the end of Purcell’s speech. You can see his speech online at youtu.be/479X0yuprFI.

Those who have died

This year began with sadness and loss for me when my mother died. One by one, my parents have left me, father and step-father. I was grateful that my mother kissed my hand and held it tight when I last saw her in January. Those moments of sweetness and intimacy will remain in my heart forever! I regret that I couldn’t pay my respects, as her ashes are buried in Thailand, next to my stepfather’s. Thank you Mom and Dads for all you did for me.

One of my friends came to the Seattle Chinese Post’s 35th anniversary dinner in October 2017. I was so glad I thanked him at a holiday party in December. Less than two weeks ago, he died of a heart attack. Deaths happen so suddenly, you never know when it will be the last time you see your loved ones or friends.

Be thankful for what you have

Purcell said that’s what his parents taught him. Focus on what you have and you will be a much happier person. A meaningful life means helping others to have a better life, he said.

Former NFL player Tim Green who was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig disease) said on 60 Minutes, “Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.”

Be grateful for unexpected blessings

Our biggest challenge is to not only bring you great stories every week, but strong stories worthy of the front page. We can’t manufacture news. It has to be something happening, that’s relevant to the Asian community.

Last week’s story on the Seattle City Council vote on the police contract was an incredible opportunity for the Asian Weekly. But we didn’t know how the issue would play out until the last minute. What makes the story interesting is the split in the Asian community — Asian organizations were against the contract and the Chinatown residents were for it.

On Wednesday morning, I emailed my editor to place the story above the fold. The Council’s 8-1 vote was held on Tuesday afternoon. But the story didn’t end until Wednesday afternoon, right before we went to press at 3 p.m. Why? Mayor Jenny Durkan decided to sign the contract with Police Chief Carmen Best in the Chinatown-International District that afternoon, as a gesture to thank Chinatown residents for their support. From start to finish, five staff persons were involved, from doing interviews, to writing, proofreading, doing the layout, and taking photos. With hard work and luck, everything fell into place. The Asian Weekly was the first to report from our community perspective. That’s our reward.

If you have received blessings unexpectedly, be grateful.

Know who the players are, who help you directly and indirectly, and thank them accordingly.

Thank unsung heroes

I am grateful to the 60-plus Chinese immigrants who attended the Seattle City Council meeting. If they hadn’t shown up, the Asian Weekly would have had nothing unique to report about, as the mainstream media had already reported on the Asian organizations joining other people of color organizations, protesting the police contract.

This was the first time these immigrants have felt so passionate towards the police raise. Chinatown residents usually feel intimidated, or are too busy, or inconvenienced to

HARVARD from 12 The school’s lawyers emphasized that race is only one of many factors considered in its “holistic” review of applicants, and that race can only help, never hurt, a student’s chances of getting in.

“Harvard has worked over the years tirelessly to create a vibrant educational environment that includes students from all walks of life. We do not admit simply GPAs and board scores, we admit people,” said William Lee, a lawyer for Harvard.

The trial lasted three weeks and featured testimony from more than a dozen current and former Harvard employees, along with scholars and policy experts. Yet no student ever took the stand claiming discrimination.

Students for Fair Admissions, a nonprofit based in Arlington, Virginia, says its 20,000 members include some Asian Americans who were unfairly rejected from Harvard,

Seniors holding signs at the Cicy Council meeting

attend meetings outside the International District (ID).

At the meeting, a couple of seniors who carried “support contract” signs needed to go to the restroom badly, but decided not to as they felt their presence was too important. I hate to say, in the past, some seniors attended meetings for the free food, and not really knowing what the issue was about.

This time, the issue was straightforward, “Are you for the police raise or not?” Everyone was so happy after the Council vote, as they said to each other, “We won. We won.” For some, it was their first taste of American politics, a triumph of democracy at work. As Eric Liu, author and founder of Citizen University, said, “Democracy is up to us.” These immigrants finally experienced the true meaning of democracy. Bravo!

Auntie Pang, who testified on behalf of Chinatown seniors, was amazing. Speaking fearlessly through a translator, she was passionate about the police raise. Earlier this year, Auntie Pang was sick and limping in pain. Yet, when she spoke in Chinese, everyone listened. Now, all the cops know who she is.

We thanked Chinatown residents for their courage at City Hall by publishing a pictorial of the Council meeting in the Seattle Chinese Post.

Thank those for sharing

Jeff Folger, a retired veteran, found his passion though oranges, yellows, greens, and reds. According to CBS, Folger pursues the changing color of fall through trees. And he shares all those New England photos on Facebook, telling people how to find them. He and his wife drove all over Jeff Folger New England, looking for the best fall colors, so others can enjoy. When you benefit from another’s sharing of food or information, remember to thank them. You can also create your own ways of sharing your expertise and stuff.

Angela Domingo, sister of King County Superior Court Judge Dean Lum, wanted to surprise her brother with a gift on Father’s Day. What better gift than Lum’s published article so beautifully written about their own father Abe and his business, for the Asian Weekly’s Father’s Day issue!

She reached out to us for help. We redid the layout and framed the article. And she ordered three frames for all her siblings.

Why gratitude?

Studies have found that developing habits of gratitude can enhance your happiness. But it takes frequent practice and creativity.

One speaker at TED Talk suggested saying “thank you” when we wake up and before we go to bed, for the next 30 days. It will change your life.

but it did not call on any to testify.

Harvard’s lawyers jumped on that omission while noting the “powerful” testimony from several students who testified in support of the school.

“If there was an application filed after all of this that showed discrimination, wouldn’t we have seen it?” Lee said.

The trial has revealed new and sometimes uncomfortable details about the process Harvard uses to pick about 2,000 students a year out of more than 40,000 applicants.

During testimony, William Fitzsimmons, the longtime admission dean, explained how each student is given a rating in four areas: academics, extracurriculars, athletics and the personal rating, along with an overall score.

Students can choose to provide their race, which may offer a “tip” toward admission, as can other factors like family income or geography. Final decisions are made by a panel of 40 Harvard officials.

Yet there are other ways into Harvard, too. Students for

Auntie Pang (right) and Kam Tai Chun with a Seattle police officer

Jeff Folger’s few work samples

I followed his advice. For five consecutive days, I haven’t missed a beat. What I notice is that, though only a short time, I enjoy getting up even if the day is going to be challenging.

If it sounds absurd to say thank you when we get up, consider that some people don’t. My mom died in her sleep.

Two of my friends’ husbands suffered a heart attack while sleeping at night.

Why someone can’t really experience grateful emotions

If your life is so smooth that everything just lands on a silver platter, you won’t know what gratitude is. If you haven’t done much in life, you wouldn’t be able to experience the real joy of gratitude. When you are hit with setback after setback, and you are able to persevere, you cherish not only the results, but yourself and the people around you. Yes, that’s the taste of gratitude.

Edison Wong, Asian Weekly’s intern, asked high schoolers how they practice gratitude. Most said, they just say thank you or they are present when friends or loved ones need them. Two said, they buy gifts to show appreciation.

I don’t blame them. When I was their age, I confess I didn’t know how to show gratitude properly. Mostly, I took things for granted. Only now being older and wiser, I think about gratitude often and on a deeper level. Our success in raising over $170,000 last year for two University of Washington scholarship endowments was my approach to showing appreciation, having received my degrees from my alma mater. My UW education and scholarship opened doors for me and I hope the endowments will do the same for other young people.

Everyone can think of creative and practical ways to thank your own circle of friends and supporters. You just have to commit to doing it.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Fair Admissions revealed email exchanges in which Harvard officials openly discussed the family ties or wealth of certain applicants as they decided whether to admit them. It also cast light on a “dean’s list” used to track students of special interest, including the children of donors.

The group says such preferences work against racial minorities, while Harvard says it admits the children of donors only if they are otherwise qualified.

The case is being weighed by U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who may take weeks or months to issue a ruling. Either way, it is likely to be appealed.

The founder of Students for Fair Admissions, Edward Blum, previously orchestrated a similar lawsuit alleging that the University of Texas discriminated against white applicants. That case was appealed and eventually heard by the Supreme Court, which narrowly ruled in favor of Texas in 2016. 

asianweekly northwest

16

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