VOL 38 NO 40 | SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 38 NO 40 SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019 FREE 37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

FCS breaks ground on affordable housing complex

Man sues over vapingrelated sickness

Photos by James Tabafunda

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left: Former Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, Simrun Chhabra, state Rep. Javier Valdez, state Rep. Frank Chopp, state Sen. Rebecca Saldana, FCS Pres. Edwin Obras, campaign Co-Chair Alma Kern, and campaign Co-Chair Velma Veloria, take part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Filipino Community Village in Seattle, onSept. 18.

From left: King County Councilmembers Larry Gossett, King County Rod Dembowski, Joe McDermott, and FCS Pres. Edwin Obras, campaign Co-Chair Alma Kern, and campaign Co-Chair Velma Veloria.

By James Tabafunda NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

More than 200 supporters of the Filipino Community Village (FCV) attended a Sept. 18 groundbreaking ceremony. The fivestory, mixed-use complex—adjacent to the Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill neighborhoods—is sponsored by a partnership

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A Pierce County, Wash., man is suing the makers of vape pods and vape pens claiming the products left him

see FCS on 16

see VAPING on 12

Renton is the City of Belonging A success story of inclusion

By Vasudha Sharma NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Denis Law

It has been 12 years since Denis Law was elected as mayor of Renton.

He has guided the city through many growth phases during the past

■

decade. Many say his most significant accomplishment has been to position Renton as a leading example of one of the most diverse cities in the nation. The city has been keeping up with the growth spurt of the population which doubled since 2006, crossing 100,000 in 2019.

The town had tremendous growth in minority populations by 165 percent. The percentage of Asian, Latino, Black, and other non-white groups now account for over 50 percent of the community.

Now, Law is retiring from the position as he is moving to a custom-built home in Skagit Valley with his wife, Patty. He will be replaced by Marcie Maxwell or Armondo Pavone, depending on who wins the November election.

In a recent interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly, Law reflected on his tenure as he candidly counts his remaining days as mayor. He began serving on January 2008 and is currently see LAW on 15

4 Chinese tourists killed in Utah bus accident identified Utah Highway Patrol via AP

The Filipino Community of Seattle (FCS) has broken ground on its latest $30 million expansion project. The organization last celebrated the renovation of its main building in May 2008.

A tour bus carrying Chinese-speaking tourists crashed near Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah, on Sept. 20.

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST and MORGAN SMITH ASSOCIATED PRESS PANGUITCH, Utah (AP) — Authorities identified the four Chinese tourists killed

in a bus crash in southern Utah, and the tour group is dispatching employees from China to help those injured.

Three women and one man perished see BUS CRASH on 15

“Abominable”

Burke Museum

“With All Due Respect”

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8&9

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412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • editor@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

37 YEARS

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Chinese American WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal design

hard work is being recognized,” Runger told the Northwest Asian Weekly. 

The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) held a public meeting on Sept. 18 to review designs for Congressional Gold Medals honoring Chinese American Veterans of World War II. The proposed design on one side depicts several Chinese American servicemen and a nurse, representing all U.S. service branches in WWII and highlighting that they fought in every theater with honor.

The reverse side the CCAC chose to recommend features an Iowa class battleship, an M4 Sherman tank, and a P-40 Warhawk from the Flying Tigers, showcased in front of a WWII-era American flag. 

Runger wins in 2019 PNWA Literary Contest

Cindy Runger

Cindy Runger recently won second place in the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association 2019 Literary Contest for her novel, “Clarissa Seng & the Council of Spirits.”

She claimed her prize in a ceremony on Sept. 14 at SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel.

“I’m so excited because my

Photo by Ally Chen Au

2019 CIE/USA – SEA annual convention

Award recipents Martha Choe, Chang Chio Tien, Dr. Shih-Jong Lee, Dr. Yinhai Wang, Prof. Jihui Yang, Dorothy Nanyan Li, and Wei Gao with Bellevue Councilman Conrad Lee and CIE VP Jenny Chang.

The Chinese Institute of Engineers/USA-Seattle held its annual convention at the Westin Bellevue on Sept. 15. An education seminar and workshops preceded the awards banquet. Eight awards were given to individuals for displaying leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Eleven high school students were given scholarships for their passion in STEM and community work. 

2019 AMOCAT Arts Award winners

The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced this year’s AMOCAT Arts Award winners, and Aya Hashiguchi Clark and Randy Clark won the Community Outreach by an Individual Award.

The Clarks founded Dukesbay Productions in 2011

with the goal of producing more culturally and racially diverse theater in Tacoma.

Presenting plays that are a mixture of original scripts and established and published scripts, Dukesbay casts their productions with a special eye for actors of Aya Hashiguchi Clark and Randy Clark color. In 2013, the Clarks built the Dukesbay Theater, a 40-seat venue in the Merlino Arts Center.

The awardees will be honored at Kaleidoscope, the annual Tacoma Arts Month opening party, on Oct. 2. 

Apolo Ohno to be inducted into US Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame

Apolo Ohno will be inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019.

The former short track speedskater and Federal Way native is an eighttime medalist and the most decorated American Olympian at the Winter Olympics.

Apolo Ohno The inductees will be honored at an awards dinner on Nov. 1 in Colorado Springs. 

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YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

asianweekly northwest

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Kima Hotta, an accomplished dramatic reciter of Japanese literary texts, will perform a modern retelling of the classic tale, “Benkei at the Barrier,” on Oct. 16.

Hosted by Washin Kai (Friends of Classical Japanese) at the University of Washington (UW), Hotta’s performance will be accompanied by English subtitles and introduced by Paul Atkins, UW professor of classical Japanese language, literature, and culture.

A news release from Washin Kai states, “Audiences

Photos provided by Washin Kai

Washin Kai to host dramatic reading at UW

should be prepared to be moved, inspired, and stimulated by this cherished story and the intriguing values it represents.” Washin Kai is a volunteer group dedicated

to promoting classical Japanese studies at UW. Hotta has performed throughout Japan and California.

This will be her second appearance in Seattle. 

Ex-CEO sentenced to 7 years for visa fraud scheme SEATTLE (AP) — The former CEO of two Bellevue tech firms has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for a sophisticated visa fraud scheme that cheated workers out of their wages and cheated the government out of over $1 million in taxes.

KOMO reports that 50-year-old Pradyumna Kumar

Samal, a citizen of India, was sentenced on Sept. 20.

Authorities say he used the illegally obtained cash to enrich himself and fund a luxurious lifestyle.

Samal was arrested in August 2018 when he arrived on an international flight at Sea-Tac Airport and has been in custody since his arrest.

According to records filed in the case, two companies incorporated by Samal engaged in a scheme to exploit foreign national workers, compete unlawfully in the market, and defraud the U.S. government. 

www.seattle.gov/transportation/ccbike (206) 684-8105

SOUTH END CONNECTION MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS Installation of bike facilities, signal upgrades begins as soon as September 28 on 2nd Ave Ext S, S Main St, & 5th Ave S (between the existing 2nd Ave protected bike lanes and the S King St Neighborhood Greenway)

Comi ng SEPT . 28

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ADVERTISEMENT Proposals will be received for P00265P19, Construction Management Services for West Point Treatment Plant Primary Sedimentation Area Roof Structure; by the King County Procurement and Payables Section, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, until 12:00 PM on October 14, 2019.

Total Estimated Price for Phase 1: $1,830,000 Total Estimated Price for all Phases: $2,000,000

There is a 20% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractor and Supplier (SCS) firms on this contract.

All solicitation documents are published at: https:// procurement.kingcounty.gov/procurement_ovr/login. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fprocurement_ovr%2fdefault.aspx Contact: Regina Sparano, rsparano@kingcounty.gov, 206-4774807

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

37 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS Trump brings back 9th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former adviser to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions was nominated for a second time on Sept. 20 to a position on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, an effort that has been criticized by California’s two senators.

The White House announced that President Donald Trump would nominate Patrick J. Bumatay, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of California, to the busy appeals court headquartered in San Francisco.

Patrick J. Bumatay

Bumatay was nominated last year but the Senate never took up his confirmation and it expired.

The Ninth Circuit Court handles cases of high interest to the Trump administration, such as immigration and detention. Trump has accused the court of slanting liberal.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said in a statement when Bumatay was nominated last year that he had “no judicial experience.’’

Feinstein is the senior Democrat on the Senate

Judiciary Committee, which confirms judicial nominees.

Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement that the White House was trying to “advance a political agenda’’ in the federal judiciary by nominating Bumatay.

Bumatay is a member of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association and the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, according to the White House statement. 

Chinese women Oregon man imprisoned for arrested for importing fentanyl from China

John William Schantz

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for importing fentanyl from China.

The Oregonian/Oregon Live reported 28-year-old John William Schantz was sentenced on Sept. 18 in federal court in Portland.

Schantz pleaded guilty to one count of importing a controlled substance.

Authorities say the Portland resident planned to use the fentanyl to make and sell counterfeit prescription pills.

Prosecutors sought a 10-year prison sentence.

Schantz’s defense attorney requested the mandatory minimum sentence of five years, saying he turned to selling drugs “out of desperation’’ to support his heroin addiction.

U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut says she considered aggravating factors in the sentencing, including the discovery at Schantz’s apartment of a firearm, cash and equipment to make counterfeit pills. 

Tsai completes purchase of Nets, arena, hires Levy as CEO

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP BASKETBALL WRITER

Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have a new owner and a new CEO. Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai completed his purchase of the team and Barclays Center, then announced that he had hired former Turner Broadcasting President David Levy to oversee both.

Tsai’s purchase of the Nets was unanimously approved

on Sept. 18 by the NBA’s board of governors. He spent nearly $3.5 billion for the team and the arena, a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise.

The native of Taiwan already had purchased 49 percent of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021, but pushed up that timeline for full ownership of the team.

“In addition to being a passionate basketball fan, Joe is one of China’s pre-eminent internet, media and e-commerce pioneers and his expertise will be invaluable in the league’s efforts to grow the game in China and other global markets,’’ NBA Commissioner see TSAI on 12

Murder trial of Chinese American real estate scion to begin

By DAISY NGUYEN ASSOCIATED PRESS REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) — Opening arguments were scheduled on Sept. 23 in the trial of a Chinese real estate heiress charged with the 2016 murder of her children’s father.

Prosecutors say Tiffany Li orchestrated the killing of Keith Green, 27, when she fell for another man and feared she would lose custody over her children. Li’s boyfriend Kaveh Bayat is also charged in the murder.

Li’s family made a fortune in real estate construction in China and she posted an astonishing $35 million bail that has allowed her to stay in her San Francisco Bay Area mansion pending trial.

Green and Li met around 2009—he was a high school football star from a blue-collar neighborhood while Li was rich and educated.

Green’s body was found along a dirt road north of San Francisco nearly two weeks after he had been last seen meeting with Li to discuss custody of their children. 

theft in $900K gift card scam

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say two California women have been arrested on suspicion of participating in a gift card scam that netted about $900,000 in stolen merchandise.

The San Bernardino Sun reported on Sept.

21 that 25-yearold Ailing Lu was arrested on suspicion of theft Ailing Lu and Ji Hyun Lee by false pretenses and conspiracy and 25-year-old Ji Hyun Lee was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy.

Fontana police say the women were part of a wellknown scam before their Sept. 19 arrest.

Authorities say an investigation began after someone impersonating an IRS employee contacted a man and threatened arrest unless he purchased $2,200 worth of Target gift cards.

Police say officers serving search warrants at two locations recovered about $900,000 worth of electronics, gift cards, and other items purchased with cards supplied by victims.

Both women were released on bail. 

‘Saturday Night Live’ cancels hiring of comedian Shane Gillis over racist remarks

By ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — “Saturday Night Live” has rescinded its invitation to a cast member who posted a video last year in which he used a racial slur for Chinese people and derided Asians trying to learn English.

A show representative said on Sept. 16 that the language Shane Gillis used was “offensive, hurtful and unacceptable,” and the show was not aware of the past remarks that have drawn criticism.

“Saturday Night Live” apologized, saying its vetting process “was not up to our standard.”

In a tweet, Gillis said he respected the show’s decision and is “honestly grateful for the opportunity.”

He said he had hoped to have the chance to prove himself, but “I understand it would be too much of a distraction.” He ended with a slight swipe at the see SNL on 12

YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

asianweekly northwest

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DreamWorks, Shanghai studio hope ‘Abominable’ suits China

By TERRY TANG ASSOCIATED PRESS For the new animated movie “Abominable,’’ bringing a big city in China to life with accuracy means that even the trash has to look right.

Chinese animators collaborating with DreamWorks animators urged them to dump metal trash cans from backdrops because “we don’t have metal trash

cans.’’

“It took nights and weekends to replace all of that, but it was worth it,’’ director Jill Culton said.

It’s understandable to feel some pressure not to offend China’s 1 billion potential moviegoers. It’s been 20 years since a Hollywood cartoon with a plucky Chinese heroine opened in China. The film, Disney’s “Mulan,’’ brought little honor to its box office grosses.

DreamWorks Animation and Shanghaibased Pearl Studio hope “Abominable,’’ which opens Sept. 27 in the U.S., can make the crossover leap.

The movie is their first joint production since a Chinese media conglomerate took over Oriental DreamWorks in 2018 and rebranded it Pearl Studio. Most of the voice cast, which includes Chloe Bennet of Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,’’ is of Asian descent. The film opens in

China on Oct. 1, which is a public holiday celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China.

“Abominable’’ centers on the bond between Yi, a teenage girl grieving the loss of her father, and a Yeti. She and her friends embark on a 2,000-mile trek to bring their big-footed buddy, who they name Everest, back to the Himalayas. see DREAMWORKS on 12

Hong Kong protesters trample Chinese flag, set street fires

Indonesian police arrest hundreds linked to forest fires

By KATIE TAM ASSOCIATED PRESS

By NINIEK KARMINI ASSOCIATED PRESS

HONG KONG (AP) — Protesters in Hong Kong trampled a Chinese flag, vandalized two subway stations and set at least two street fires on Sept. 22, as pro-democracy demonstrations took a violent turn once again.

The day’s action began peacefully, as protesters filled a shopping mall and, in a new twist, folded paper “origami’’ cranes that they tied onto a large rigging they assembled in the mall in the outlying Shatin district.

Some put a Chinese flag on the floor and took turns running over it, before defacing it and putting it in a dumpster outside, which they then pushed into a nearby river.

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, now in their fourth month, have often descended into violence late in the day and at night. A hardcore group

of protesters says the extreme actions are needed to get the government’s attention. On Sept. 21, police used tear gas and rubber rounds against protesters who threw gasoline bombs toward them and set fires in streets.

As protest at Shatin New Town Plaza wound down, some protesters attacked a subway station connected to the mall.

They jumped up to smash overhead surveillance cameras, used hammers to knock ticket sensors off gates and spraypainted and broke the screens of ticket machines, using umbrellas to shield their identities.

Riot police arrived following the attack and guarded the station after it was closed, with a metal grill pulled down to block entry.

Outside, protesters built a barricade across a street near the mall, piled what appeared to be palm fronds on top and see HONG KONG on 12

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police announced on Sept.

19 that they have arrested 230 people suspected of starting some of the fires that are spreading health-damaging haze across a large part of Southeast Asia.

Among those arrested are three men who were caught while trying to clear land to plant crops in Tesso Nilo National Park, which is home to about 140 endangered wild elephants, said Dedi Prasetyo, the national police spokesman.

Those arrested could be prosecuted under an environmental protection law that provides for a maximum 10-year prison sentence for setting fires to clear land.

Indonesia’s fires are an annual problem that strains relations with neighboring

countries. The smoke from the fires has blanketed parts of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and southern Thailand in a noxious haze.

Poor visibility caused by smoke has caused delays of flights at several airports in Indonesia and Malaysia and prompted authorities to shut thousands of schools in some parts of the two countries, affecting more than 1.5 million students in Malaysia alone.

Malaysian authorities have been conducting cloud seeding operations in an attempt to clear the haze and are considering passage of a law that would penalize Malaysian plantation companies that start fires abroad.

Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said that a more lasting regional solution is needed.

“We face the problem every year between July and September, the worst see FOREST FIRES on 12

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

37 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR SEP 26

THROUGH OCT. 6

14TH TASVEER SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL SIFF Cinema Egyptian, 805 East Pine, Seattle 7-10 p.m. $40-$55 tsaff.tasveer.org/2019 PORT OF SEATTLE’S SENIOR DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION BOOKDA GHEISAR El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Ave. S., Seattle 8:30-10 a.m.

RSVP at https://conta. cc/327arpV

28 JAPAN WEEK Bellevue College, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Free admission IT HAPPENED HERE! STORIES IN HING HAY PARK Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 12 p.m.

CISC AND GFCBW SIGNING FUNDRAISING GALA China Harbor Restaurant 6 p.m. events@cisc-seattle.org 206-957-8542

END OF SUMMER BIKE RIDE 15990 NE 85th St., Redmond 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

SOLIDARITY WITH HONG KONG: 9.28 SILENT MARCH TO HUSKY STADIUM Drumheller Fountain, Seattle 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

SINGING COMPETITION, “VOICE OF AEGIS” Aegis Gardens, 13056 SE 76th St., Newcastle 3:30-5 p.m. aegisliving.com

28 & 29 12TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST TEA FESTIVAL Seattle Center 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on 9/28 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on 9/29 $15/two days nwteafestival.com

29 NARAE 2019: A KOREAN FOLKTALE UW, Meany Hall 7-9 p.m. $25-$60 eventbrite.com COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF NEW LEADERS: KIMKHANH VAN & MICHELLE LE New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave. S., Seattle 3:30-6 p.m.

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BUSINESS MATCHMAKING MADE SIMPLE AT SEA-TAC The Conference Center at Sea-Tac Airport, 17801 International Blvd., Seattle 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Register at http://bit.ly/smbizfair

KIN ON’S FALL MAHJONG NIGHT Kin On, 4416 S. Brandon St., Seattle 6:30-9 p.m.

SEATTLE CHINESE WOMEN’S CLUB’S WINE GLASS MARKERS WORKSHOP Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way, Issaquah 2-4 p.m.

Class fee: $10 lilysbellevue@gmail.com seattlechinesewomensclub. com

HELPING LINK’S 2019 FALL PROGRAMS INCLUDES ESL, CITIZENSHIP, INTRODUCTION TO IPAD, CREATE VIDEO WITH IPAD, AND COMPUTER LAB DROP-IN HOUR Helping Link, 1032 S. Jackson St. Ste. C, Seattle Check for hours at 206-568-5160 helpinglink.org

OCT 2

BUNKA NO HI 1414 S. Weller St., Seattle 11 a.m.-4 p.m. jcccw.org

4

ENGLISH LUNCHEON WITH YAHONG SUSAN YI, “HOW TO VALUE A BUSINESS” China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Register at https://conta. cc/2lpAetP

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AREN’T ASIANS ALL ALIKE The Collective Seattle, 400 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle 6:30-8:30 p.m.

A COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH AND SEMINAR WITH DEMENTIA SPECIALIST LAURIE WHITE ON “UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONDING TO BEHAVIOR CHANGES IN DEMENTIA” Aegis Gardens Newcastle 11:30 a.m.

RSVP at 425-970-6708

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2019 SCIDPDA ANNUAL FUNDRAISER Pacific Tower, 1200 12th Ave. S., Seattle 5:30-8:30 p.m. tickettailor.com

ACRS BENEFIT GALA Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue 5-9:30 p.m. acrs.ejoinme.org

7TH ANNUAL ASIAN/ PACIFIC ISLANDER CANDIDATE FORUM C-ID Community Center, Seattle 4:30-7:30 p.m.

12 CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY InterIm Community Development Association, 310 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 5-8 p.m.

DENISE LOUIE EDUCATION CENTER’S 41ST ANNIVERSARY Sodo Park 5:30 p.m. deniselouie.org

15 CID PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM MEETING Bush Hotel Conference Room 3-4 p.m.

View the solution on page 14

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YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

asianweekly northwest

7

“Abominable”

Amenable all-terrain ardent action

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY “Abominable” opens with a monster-eye view shot, fairly long, of the monster’s escape from a high-security detention area. Large, strong, and not verbal but capable of emotive grunts and hums, the huge beast fights its way to freedom, into the city beyond its prison—which, we learn quickly, is Shanghai, China’s most populous urban area.

We never see the film’s action through the monster’s eyes again after that opening, but strictly speaking, we don’t need to. The monster turns out to be a yeti, a long way from its home in the Himalayas. He’s smart enough to hide from those hunting him, but not quite smart enough to get back home. He needs some folks to step inside his world, meet him halfway.

For that, he’ll need a little help from the urban side. The

teenage girl Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennett, best known for her work on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” TV series), keeps herself busy and as remote as possible from her mother (voiced by Michelle Wong) and her grandmother “Nai Nai” (voiced by Tsai Chin, who’s shot everything from James Bond films to “The Joy Luck

Club”). Why Yi keeps herself so occupied isn’t clear at first, but as we spend more time with her, we learn her powerful and sad motivation.

Yi keeps to herself by choice, but she keeps getting mixed up with two kids from her building.

Jin (voiced by Tenzing Norgay Trainor, grandson of Tenzing Norgay, one of the first men

to stand atop Mount Everest), a suave, seriously vain ladies’ man and tiny but unstoppable ball of fire Peng (Albert Tsai, a Chinese American teenager and a veteran of several American TV shows).

Yi stumbles on the fugitive yeti, whom she names “Everest” (voiced by Joseph Izzo with the grunts, grumbles, and laughs,

and bolstered by the movie’s composer, Rupert GregsonWilliams, for the beast’s musical moments). She’s frightened at first, but won over by Everest’s overpowering, sometimes slightly rude charm. Peng and Jin get in on the act and they decide the only thing to do is to guide Everest back home where he belongs.

It’s hardly that simple, of course. The prison Everest burst from belongs to the fabulously rich Mr. Burnish (voiced by idiosyncratic comedian Eddie Izzard), who considers the yeti his essential showpiece, and wants him back at any cost. Burnish retains an ace yeti-lancer, zoologist Dr. Zara (voiced by award-winning actress Sarah Paulson).

As you can imagine, the discovery of a seven-foot tall, five-foot wide white fuzzy critter with bright blue eyes and white square teeth, would be see ABOMINABLE on 14

GET CLOSER.

T H E A LL NE W B UR K E M U S E U M O P E N S O CTO B E R 1 2

Celebrate the living cultures of the Northwest at the New Burke.

Explore working labs you can see into, one-of-a-kind objects all around you, and galleries filled with curiosity and conversation.

It’s a new kind of museum—and a whole new way to experience our world.

Media Sponsor

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

37 YEARS

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

New Burke better represents the museum’s mission

Photo provided by Burke Museum

Photo by Kai Curry

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Burke Executive Director Dr. Julie K. Stein describes the Burke’s journey

Looking out toward the entrance of the new Burke museum.

Photo by Kai Curry

Burke employees, and the many in the community who collaborated on the project.

The Burke represents the state of Washington and those who live in it. This includes not only indigenous communities,

Tom Kundig, owner and principal at Olson Kundig, explains his architectural vision for the new Burke.

but others whose homelands are located along the Pacific Rim. The Burke houses a fairly large Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) collection, about 100,000 pieces in total. What is important to the mission of the Burke is recognizing that cultures do not die— they are ongoing. The Burke works hard to maintain relationships with the people of the state, and throughout Asia and the Pacific, while preserving its collection for posterity and also for right now.

Photo by Kai Curry

What was the oldest museum in the state will now be the newest.

On Oct. 12, after almost a year of being closed for construction, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, located on the University of Washington (UW) campus, will re-open to the public in a new building. While this closure has felt long to the staff at the Burke, who are eager to re-engage with visitors, it is a short period compared to the over 10year long dream of Burke Director Dr. Julie K. Stein, architect Tom Kundig,

The new Burke design will allow visitors to look directly into the museum’s work and storage spaces.

The problem with the old Burke was that it was not capable of fulfilling this mission. The original Burke was never built to be a museum. It had no climate

control (not even air conditioning) and re-assembling exhibits in light of updated material was difficult. Spaces were restrictive and guests had no idea of the many activities taking place inside without working there or being granted a private tour.

Now, the layout is open. Visitors will be able to look through enormous glass panes, directly into the Burke workrooms, labs, and collections storage areas. They will have a better sense of what museums really do. Gallery spaces are flexible, able to adapt to new exhibits or in the case of new information.

There will be an artist’s space, where local artists using pieces in the Burke collection for inspiration can create new pieces in the ongoing artistic cycle of their cultures; and a café, Off the Rez, previously the well-known food truck, now with its first brick-and-mortar.

Even the location of the old Burke was less than ideal, dominated by the parking lot more than the building. The new Burke flips this layout entirely. The old building has been demolished and a new one, with an exterior designed to call to mind the structures of the Coast Salish peoples, and our state’s towering pine trees, stands prominently along 15th Avenue, with its main entrance near 43rd Avenue. Landscaping will be comprised entirely of plants found in Washington. A two-minute walk from the closest bus stop, guests will be inside the soaring walls of the Grand Atrium, where a giant mastodon skeleton, a rare Baird’s beaked whale skeleton, and a Coast Salish piece called “The Weaver’s Welcome” awaits. The new Burke will also be just moments away from a soonto-be-added light rail station. There is really no way you can miss it.

The Burke predicts that in its new space, it will be able to double the number of K-12 students it can accommodate. And that is really what the Burke is all about.

Outreach. Connections. Relationships.

Without these, the Burke would not be where it is today, the caretaker of over 16 million pieces, many of which have been donated by the community. In addition to working closely with the indigenous community, the Burke has formed close ties with AAPIs here and abroad.

As curator of the Asian and Oceanic collection, Dr. Holly Barker explains the Burke relies upon those who know their cultures best to provide leadership when it comes to the items in the collections.

“It is really good for our collections, to open them up to the public because [of] the amount of information and knowledge and stories that come from the vast public when they get to see the pieces,” says Barker. “We are just the stewards that are responsible for caretaking, but there is so much knowledge about the pieces…that is in the greater community.” Once an item enters the collection, Barker contacts related community members for ideas on how to best put the item forward. The Burke is respectful of the meaning held within what we as people create, even more so when those items are part of colonization and the violence therein.

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

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9

Photo by Kai Curry

YOUR VOICE

Photo provided by Burke Museum

A wall in the new Grand Atrium celebrates donors and the Burke's philosophy.

A single object or many together can hold so much meaning. Those who made the object have much to gain by being in its presence—but so too do others that have much to learn.

Sharing is important. In the new Burke, the Culture Is Living gallery will combine pieces from Asia and the Pacific to demonstrate common themes that run through all of our lives, at the same time, as it will showcase the diversity and brilliance of each particular represented culture. In this gallery, there will be a collection of boats (the Burke is famous for its boat collection) that will include a Hmong woven boat.

This boat was chosen by local Hmong as representative of those the Hmong used to flee persecution after the Vietnam War. It will be accompanied by a Hmong jacket upon which the name embroidered on the back is turned inside out — a way that those escaping protected their identities.

Alongside, just on the next wall, will be a Taiwanese flying fish catching boat, rescued by its donor from an Ivar’s where it had been collecting dust, and newly outfitted with missing culturally appropriate elements made

Photo by Kai Curry

Barker speaks, for instance, of a day of mourning, March 1, the day the United States detonated a nuclear weapon in the Marshall Islands.

Today, because of the radiation still present at the site, Marshall Islanders cannot access ancestral lands. But at the Burke, on that day, they can see and touch objects from those lands.

“I think there’s a healing that takes place from being able to touch materials from lands that people can no longer live on, to hold something made by great grandmothers, or ancestors, and to feel their strength,” says Barker. An entire community, or one person, can come to the Burke with a request, and the Burke will do its best to fulfil the request.

Interns, work studies, artists, and traveling researchers all fill the rooms of the Burke alongside permanent staff. As a part of the UW, the Burke supports its students and solicits ideas from them, even about acquisitions.

There is the story of the UW softball team that, while in Australia, picked out a print by a contemporary Torres Strait artist to add to the collection.

The students had to explain why they felt the piece was interesting.

A display of a Tao fishing boat along with fishing and boating implements from the Pacific region.

Photo by Kai Curry

Bio workroom

A 10,000-yr-old mastodon skeleton awaits in the Grand Atrium of the new Burke.

by contemporary Tao artists.

These are just a few of the stories that the new Burke is waiting to tell you.  The new Burke grand opening will be held on Oct. 12–14, with a member and donor

preview on Oct. 11. Tickets are on sale at burkemuseum.org.

Kai can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

37 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS Nikki Haley moves back to South Carolina, fuels political speculation

By MEG KINNARD ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is moving back to her native South Carolina, re-establishing a home base and also fueling speculation that a return to politics is next on her to-do list.

The 47-year-old former South Carolina governor, who left office in 2017 to join the Trump administration, closed on Sept. 20 on a home on Kiawah Island, according to Alex Malloy, a spokeswoman for Kiawah Island Real Estate, which operates on the tony golf community near Charleston.

Haley’s office confirmed the purchase, saying the family would be splitting time between South Carolina and New York until their son graduates from high school next spring.

“South Carolina has always been home for the Haleys, and they couldn’t be more excited to return back to their family and friends in the Palmetto State,’’ said Haley spokeswoman Chaney Denton.

Haley, whose parents are Sikh immigrants, has been living in New York City since resigning her post at the end of 2018 but has maintained high popularity in South Carolina. This year, she joined the Boeing Co. board, founded a nonprofit and will soon embark on a tour to promote a new book, a step commonly taken by many on the road toward the White House.

The median price of a home on the island—known for its golf courses, five-star Sanctuary resort, and as a frequent vacation spot for former Vice President Joe Biden—is around $1 million, according to Zillow.

When she announced her departure from the U.N., public disclosures listed Haley’s debt had been between

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A rookie to international politics, the former South Carolina governor was an unusual pick as envoy to the U.N., where she helped spearhead the administration’s efforts to combat what it alleged to be anti-American and anti-Israel actions by the international body, and address U.S. tension with its European allies and with Iran and North Korea.

During her tenure, the administration also withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. educational and scientific agency for adopting positions it deemed to be hostile to Israel.

Neither Haley nor President Donald Trump gave a specific reason for her late 2018 resignation, although the former governor was quick to tamp down any speculation she would mount a primary challenge to her soon-to-be former boss in 2020.

“I have given everything I’ve got these last eight years,’’ she said, referring to her six years as South Carolina governor as well as her time at the U.N. “And I do think it’s good to rotate in other people who can put that same energy and power into it.’’

“No, I’m not running in 2020’’ for president, she also added.

But the sudden announcement rattled some in the White House, who openly speculated the timing, just ahead of the midterm elections, was meant to preserve see HALEY on 15

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YOUR VOICE

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11

■ WORLD NEWS Canada’s Trudeau comes under fire over brownface photo

A panda is the mascot for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

By ROB GILLIES ASSOCIATED PRESS

By SHANSHAN WANG ASSOCIATED PRESS

TORONTO (AP) — At a time when bigotry seems on the rise around the world and doors are being shut, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has become known as a champion of diversity.

Now, amid his bid for reelection, that reputation Canadian Prime Minister is under attack in a furor Justin Trudeau triggered by a photo of him in brownface at a costume party two decades ago.

On Sept. 19, the 47-year-old Trudeau struggled to contain the uproar, begging forgiveness and confessing he failed to grasp how offensive his actions were.

“I have always acknowledged I came from a place of privilege, but I now need to acknowledge that comes with a massive blind spot,’’ the son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said to applause from a large

crowd at a park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

With Election Day just a month away, his chief opponent in the neck-and-neck race, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, reacted by declaring Trudeau “not fit to govern this country.’’

Others wondered whether the incident would reinforce the belief among Trudeau’s opponents that the boyish-looking sex-symbol politician is a lightweight, lacking in substance and maturity.

Trudeau, though, gave no sign whatsoever that he might resign, and there were no immediate calls from any leading figures in his Liberal Party to step down.

Instead, many Liberals, some of them minorities, rallied around him, even as two more instances of him wearing brown- or blackface decades ago came to light.

“I think the real measure of the man, and I think the thing we need to be talking about, is all the amazing things we have done for diversity,’’ said Greg Fergus, a Liberal member of Parliament who is black.

Fergus said there was a lot of confusion and hurt in the black community, but he noted that Trudeau

BEIJING (AP) — A smiling panda and a walking Chinese lantern will be the mascots for the 2022 Winter

see TRUDEAU on 13

see WINTER OLYMPICS on 13

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SNL from 4 show, mentioning that he was always a “Mad TV” guy anyway.

In the clip of video apparently posted in 2018, Gillis refers to an unidentified city’s Chinatown as being “nuts” and used a derogatory word for Chinese people.

He also complained about “hearing an Asian trying to learn English.”

DREAMWORKS from 5 The group lives in a nameless Chinese metropolis that closely resembles Shanghai down to the bamboo building scaffolding.

The visuals are a product of the open back-and-forth dialogue between animators in the East and West, Culton said. She wanted to make sure they were doing more than throwing “Chinese pieces and parts in just to please the audience.’’

“If you’re trying to design L.A. and you live in Shanghai, you would totally get it wrong,’’ she said. “So, if you’re going to do a movie in China and that’s the goal you want—authentication—I don’t know any way around not working with someone who’s based there who knows the culture.’’

Animators and designers were meticulous in what’s being touted as the first major animated feature about a family in modern China. In designing

The “Saturday Night Live” representative said the show hired Gillis “on the strength of his talent as a comedian and his impressive audition for SNL.” The clip of Gillis re-emerged last week just hours after NBC said that he, and two others, including Bowen Yang—the show’s only Asian American performer, were joining the cast as featured players.

“Saturday Night Live” has taken heat over the years for an overall lack of ethnic diversity, with scant Asian

Yi’s home, the team wanted details about the apartment size of a typical Chinese family and even the inclusion of pork buns on the dinner table, said Peilin Chou, Pearl Studio’s chief creative officer.

Feedback from early test screenings in China has been “a compliment and a relief.’’ “(Viewers) thought the film was locally made in China,’’ said Chou, who worked on “Mulan.’’ “They didn’t feel like it was a foreign film coming into China.’’

“Mulan,’’ the centuries-old Chinese legend of a young woman who disguises herself as a man to fight in the army, got a frosty reception when it opened in China in 1999. While it grossed more than $300 million globally, it earned $30,000 in 22 days in Mulan’s supposed home province of Hunan, according to a story from the South China Morning Post and reports citing the official Xinhua News Agency. The film performed even worse in Shanghai.

One theory on why “Mulan’’ failed is

HONG KONG from 5 set them on fire.

Police fired tear gas as they tried to advance on the protesters, who took positions behind a wall of handheld umbrellas before ending their demonstration.

Earlier, the protesters at the mall chanted slogans and sang a song that has become their anthem, backed by a small group playing on woodwind and brass instruments through their masks. Many lined the balustrades of the three higher floors overlooking where others gathered in the wide space below.

A series of small skirmishes broke out on the night of Sept. 22. Protesters vandalized the Kwai Fong subway station, which was then closed. They also set a street

TSAI from 4 Adam Silver said in a statement.

The Nets will travel to China in October to play two preseason games against the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of a season filled with excitement for the team. They signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in July, adding two superstars to a team that made the playoffs last season.

Silver called the Nets a “thriving team, well-positioned for the future,’’ and Tsai praised general manager Sean Marks and coach Kenny Atkinson for building it.

“They established the culture, developed talent that others couldn’t see, and made Brooklyn the place where the best players want to play,’’ Tsai said.

FOREST FIRES from 5 was in 2015,’’ said Kaneungnit Srisamai of the government’s environment quality monitoring center. “We have seen less smoke in the last four years, but this year we may be facing it again due to a reduction in rainfall.’’

In addition to the arrests, Indonesian authorities have also sealed off land owned by at least 49 plantation companies in the past week for investigation after fires were found there.

The Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency detected 4,319 hotspots across the country on Sept. 19. It said 99 percent of the hotspots were caused by deliberately set fires.

37 YEARS representation among its cast members or hosts.

Former players Fred Armisen and Rob Schneider are each one-quarter Asian, but neither has been widely recognized for Asian ancestry. Among hosts, the long history of “SNL” includes only a short list of Asians or Asian Americans, with Awkwafina, Aziz Ansari and Jackie Chan among them. 

that an individualistic heroine with a love interest veered too far from the original story. Another is that an American studio retelling a Chinese folktale was cringeworthy.

“I think the key point to take away is when Hollywood studios try to create for the Chinese market, they tend to be unsuccessful,’’ said Aynne Kokas, author of “Hollywood Made in China.’’ “They thought ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ would do well in the Chinese market and it didn’t.

Some of it is because of a lack of nuance in a lot of the fare.’’

Even casting Chinese actors in Hollywood live-action movies can misfire. For example, Kokas said, accents can vary from Cantonese to Taiwanese.

So, Chinese audiences find it strange when characters in a movie all speak with different inflections.

Some American kids’ movies, however, have done well — like Disney’s “Zootopia’’ and “Coco.’’ The latter, about a boy in Mexico who wants to

fire in the city’s Mong Kok area that firefighters put out.

Hong Kong’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has agreed to withdraw an extradition bill that sparked the protests in early June. But the anti-government protesters are pressing other demands, including fully democratic elections in the semiautonomous Chinese territory and an independent investigation of complaints about police violence during earlier demonstrations.

Protesters say Beijing and Lam’s government are eroding the “high degree of autonomy’’ and Westernstyle civil liberties promised to the former British colony when it was returned to China in 1997.

The unending protests are an embarrassment for China’s Communist Party ahead of Oct. 1 celebrations of its 70th anniversary in power. Hong Kong’s government

be a musician, has been Pixar’s most successful feature in China to date. It earned more than $182 million after its 2017 release, according to Comscore.

“The expectations of authenticity and representation are much lower about Mexican culture in China than they would be about Chinese culture,’’ Kokas said. “So, it’s possible you’re going to be engaged in the narrative and the beauty and the aspects of the characters without being distracted by the cultural inaccuracies.’’

Authentic visuals can only go so far if the film’s emotional journey fails to resonate with all audiences, Culton said.

“I pitched this movie as a girl who has this drive to get Everest back to his home and family because she subconsciously wants to connect to her own family,’’ Culton said. “I think that disconnect and reconnection is more of a universal thing that everybody can relate to.’’ 

has canceled a fireworks display that day, citing concern for public safety.

Transit authorities closed two stations on Sept. 22 on the airport express train to guard against a possible disruption of transportation to the transportation hub, but none materialized.

Passengers boarding the train were told via onboard announcements that it would make fewer stops than usual, with no mention of the protests. Orange tape blocked the turnstiles at the empty Kowloon station, and police clutching riot helmets greeted arriving passengers at the Hong Kong terminus.

Some airport bus routes were also suspended.

Passengers were advised to leave sufficient time to reach the airport. 

Tsai, the executive vice chairman of the Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant, paid $2.35 billion for the Nets and about $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena. The team price surpassed the $2.2 billion that Tilman Fertitta paid for the NBA’s Houston Rockets and that David Tepper spent for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

Levy will also serve as president of J Tsai Sports, the sports investment and holding vehicle controlled by Tsai whose portfolio includes the WNBA’s New York Liberty, as well as other sports teams and companies in both the U.S and overseas. Levy worked closely with the NBA while at Turner and in his new role will oversee all business, revenue, strategy and operations for the Nets and Barclays Center. 

The agency said 44 helicopters had dropped more than 71.3 million gallons of water and 163 tons of salt for cloud seeding as part of the firefighting efforts.

Indonesian authorities have deployed more than 29,000 people to fight the fires, which have razed more than 812,000 acres of land across the nation, with more than half in the provinces of Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s annual dry season fires were particularly disastrous in 2015, burning 10,000 square miles of land.

The World Bank estimated the fires cost Indonesia $16 billion, and a Harvard and Columbia study estimated the haze hastened 100,000 deaths in the region. 

VAPING from 1 wheezing, breathless, and hospitalized earlier this month.

The Herrmann Law Group, which has an office in Seattle’s Chinatown InternationalDistrict, filed the lawsuit on Sept. 23 in Pierce County Superior Court—alleging defects in the products caused lung injuries to Charles Wilcoxen.

Wilcoxen, a Puyallup tribal police officer, said he started vaping about 18 months ago to ease back pain, stress and to help him sleep.

He said marijuana-laced pods gave him lipoid pneumonia. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital on Sept. 11 when the wheezing became especially severe. After tests, doctors gave him the diagnosis.

Recently, there has been a surge of injuries reported from vaping, including lung issues, seizures, and other serious health problems.

At least seven people have died. The Centers for Disease Control announced more than 500 cases of severe respiratory injuries from vaping marijuana or nicotine.

Prior to his injury from vaping, Wilcoxen was active, fit, and healthy. He served 17 years in the United States Army, including Special Forces.

“My hope is that manufacturers of legal vaping cartridges and devices can be held accountable for their products,” said Wilcoxen. “With proper oversight and more stringent guidelines, I believe their products will be safer.” 

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 4, 2019

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of September 28–October 4, 2019

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — If your first attempt was off the mark, determine what was amiss before trying again.

Dragon — Does a change of direction seem inevitable? If so, prepare in advance so that you are not caught flat-footed.

Monkey — A startling revelation should give you insight into the current situation and also how best to navigate it.

Ox — Since you can’t be at two places at once, decide which event is of more importance.

Snake — A mismatch should be corrected as soon as possible to minimize additional issues further down the line.

Tiger — Although you are missing some pieces, you have enough to be a formidable competitor.

Horse — What you say can have an effect on those around you. If you have something good to say, then don’t be afraid to share it.

Rooster — Even if you think you know what is going on, it is worth listening to the whole story as some of your assumptions might be inaccurate.

Rabbit — Despite a tendency towards frugality, you recognize that gaining time can be more valuable than saving money.

Goat — Don’t let a minor wrinkle upend your plans. You should be able to smooth things over with some quick action on your part.

Dog — To the extent that it is within your control, limit distractions to optimize your performance during a crucial period.

Pig — Do you need to get your message across?

Then stay on topic and avoid unnecessary digressions.

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, 2019

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

TRUDEAU from 11 apologized. And he pointed out that it was Trudeau who put Viola Desmond, a Black woman who refused to leave the whites-only section of a Canadian movie theater in 1944, on the country’s $10 bill.

Trudeau has long championed multiculturalism and immigration, with Canada accepting more refugees than the U.S. under the Trump administration.

Half of Trudeau’s Cabinet is made up of women, four are Sikhs, and his immigration minister is a Somali-born refugee. Canada has over 1.9 million people of South Asian descent out of a population of 37 million.

Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, a Liberal who is Sikh, said that the brownface picture was wrong but that Trudeau has a record of standing up for minorities. Trudeau named Sajjan Canada’s first Sikh defense chief in 2015.

Mitzie Hunter, a Liberal who is running to lead the party in Ontario and is black, tweeted: “I know it is not representative of the man he is. This is a teachable moment for all of us. I accept his apology and I hope Canadians do too.’’

Time magazine published the brownface photo on Sept. 18, saying it was

taken from the yearbook from the West Point Grey Academy, a private school in British Columbia where Trudeau worked as a teacher before going into politics.

It shows the then-29-year-old Trudeau at an “Arabian Nights’’ party in a turban and robe with dark makeup on his hands, face and neck. Trudeau said he was dressed as a character from “Aladdin.’’

“Darkening your face regardless of the context or the circumstances is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface,’’ he said. “I should have understood that then, and I never should have done it.’’

West Point Grey Academy issued a statement saying the event was organized by a culturally diverse group of parent volunteers. “That said, we recognize that cultural sensitivities have evolved over the past 18 years,’’ it said.

Trudeau said he also once darkened his face for a performance of Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)’’ during a talent show when he was in high school.

And Canada’s Global News TV network reported a third instance, broadcasting a brief video of Trudeau in blackface while raising his hands in the air and sticking out his tongue. A Liberal

WINTER OLYMPICS from 11 Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing.

The mascots were revealed on Sept. 17 at a ceremony at the Shougang Ice Hockey Arena in the Chinese capital.

Beijing Mayor Chen Jining described them as adorable, unique, and exquisite.

“In a visually appealing way, they epitomize our aspiration for the Beijing 2022 Games, and extend our warm invitation to friends throughout the world,’’ he said.

The panda, named Bing Dwen Dwen, is the Olympic mascot. Colorful circles around its face symbolize skating tracks and 5G technology, according to the website of the Beijing organizing committee. Bing, the Chinese word for “ice,’’ shows purity and strength, while Dwen Dwen means sincerity, liveliness, and health, the website said.

The choice of the iconic animal, considered the national treasure, was not a surprise to people in China.

While many acclaimed Bing Dwen Dwen for its cuteness on social media, some were not impressed by the lack of

Party spokeswoman said the footage was from the early 1990s.

Scheer said his campaign team received the video from a concerned citizen and passed it on to the media.

Asked how many times he has worn brown- or blackface, Trudeau said: “I am wary of being definitive about this because the recent pictures that came out I had not remembered.’’

He said that he has dedicated himself as a politician to “counter intolerance and racism everywhere I can,’’ and confessed to letting people down. “I stand here today to reflect on that and ask for forgiveness,’’ he said.

Trudeau is the latest in a string of politicians to get in trouble over racially offensive photos and actions from their younger days. Earlier this year, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam withstood intense pressure to resign after a racist picture surfaced from his 1984 medical school yearbook.

But Trudeau was already vulnerable over a political scandal that erupted earlier this year when his former attorney general said he pressured her to halt the prosecution of a Quebec company.

Trudeau has said he was standing up for jobs, but the scandal led to resignations

creativity in choosing a panda.

The giant panda was one of the five mascots for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, and it also was the symbol for the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990.

“Today is an important step on a milestone in Beijing’s journey to make history as the first ever, in Olympic history, to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games,’’ International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said at the ceremony.

Based on a traditional red lantern, Paralympic mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon creates the cheerful atmosphere of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which will fall around the time of the Winter Games, the organizing committee said.

It sports a yellow scarf, a circle of yellow doves around its head, and a traditional Chinese paper cutting.

“Shuey’’ means snow in Chinese and the characters for “Rhon Rhon’’ mean “inclusiveness’’ and “integration,’’ implying the world civilizations communicating among one another and living in harmony, the committee said.

The two mascots were selected from more than 5,800 submissions from 35 countries. 

and a drop in his ratings.

Trudeau was also mocked at home and abroad for repeatedly dressing up in colorful, traditional Indian garb during a visit to India in 2018.

As for the brownface furor, “I am deeply troubled by what this means to Canada. Young kids are not just going to see just one or two but multiple images of the prime minister mocking their lived reality,’’ said Leftist New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh, who is a Sikh. “This is so hurtful to so many Canadians.’’

Political analysts were uncertain what effect it might have on the election, noting that race is not as combustible an issue in Canada as it is in the U.S. Still, Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said he was flabbergasted.

“That’s the kind of thing you do when you are a frat boy,’’ Bothwell said.

“Maybe at 29 he had no idea that he was going to go on to greatness, but his father would have never done that.’’

He added: “The case has never been conclusively made that Justin is a person of substance. I mean, he may well be. But that impression is just not out there.’’ 

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ABOMINABLE from 7 more than enough to galvanize the scientific and biological realms, for decades to come. But that’s not all. The script, credited to co-director Jill Culton (with additional material from several other folks), allows for the forces of magic to intrude.

And here, I fear, lies the film’s essential weakness. Magic gets the yeti and his friends out of all and any tight spots, simply by its evocation. Consequently, we’re left with no real feeling of risk, or possible loss, in any situation. No matter what they face, the summoning of the supernatural will make it all better.

That being said, the film has much to recommend it.

Co-directors Culton and Todd Wilderman keep the pace punchy, with occasional time-outs for the characters to reflect on what they’re doing right and wrong. Its visual palate never disappoints. Shanghai comes to life so

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convincingly you can practically smell the rotting fish, feel the roiling waterways, and taste Nai Nai’s steaming dumplings. As the foursome moves into wilderness, we get desert, sprouting green fields, hills, and our final destination, the frozen Himalayas themselves.

Although I wished for a more convincing plot and fewer stock characters, I found myself won over by “Abominable.” The kids in the audience I saw it with were won over as well, as they cheered and laughed in all the right places, giggled over the occasional bodily-function jokes, and leaned into big applause at the end. The kids are alright, both on and off-the screen. Even the big white fluffy kinds. 

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“Abominable” opens on Sept. 27 in theaters nationwide.

Andrew can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

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YOUR VOICE LAW from 1 in his third term. He served one time on Renton City Council before becoming mayor. Law announced in January this year that he would not seek re-election.

In his last “State of the City” address, Law mentioned, “Politicians from the nation’s capital continue to argue over building walls. In Renton, we’re focusing our efforts on building an inclusive city for all our residents. I feel we have made great progress in making our community more inclusive for everybody.”

Law recalled the initial challenge 12 years ago when the worst national recession coincided with a significant increase in population in Renton, with the annexation of the Cascade/Benson community. Law credits his team of dynamic administrators who dramatically revamped the city’s leadership and management techniques to take on the challenge. Renton continues to be financially healthy today thanks to a well-trained, dedicated workforce that is led by these administrators.

Law’s administration has been a more accurate representation of Renton’s shifting ethnic demographics.

Renton is a nationally awarded city for diversity from the National League of Cities in 2014. The achievement speaks volumes of Law’s significant pursuits in establishing meaningful relationships with leaders from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. The diversity actions of Renton have also influenced organizations such as the Association of Washington Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

From very early on, Law believed that diversity is an action. Therefore he formed the Mayor’s Inclusion Task Force in his initial term, representing nearly every ethnic, religious, LGBTQ, and senior population in Renton. The focus of the task force was to improve communications and services to communities, where English is not their first language. Law made it essential that all city employees receive diversity and implicit bias training. The other important step was to go with a “blind” application process to minimize the risk of cultural biases in the process of hiring. Renton city officials actively recognize and celebrate the diversity of the community by encouraging culturally diverse

HALEY from 10 Haley’s political future. Trump said at the time the departure had been in the works for about six months, a timeline that coincidedáwith a high-profile spat between Haley and the White House, when she drew the president’s ire for previewing in a television appearance the administration’s planned imposition of a new round of sanctions on Russia.

When the sanctions never materialized, White House officials said the plans had changed without Haley being

BUS CRASH from 1 in the crash on a highway running through the red-rock landscape of southern Utah on Sept. 20. The victims have been identified as Ling Geng, 68, Xiuyun Chen, 67, Zhang Caiyu, 62, and Zhongliang Caiyu, 65. They were all from Shanghai, China.

They were part of a tour group made up of 29 tourists and one leader. They come from Shanghai and the nearby provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Heilongjiang, according to a news report on the media website huanqiu.com. The tour leader came from Hebei Province, near Beijing, according to the Zhejiang Online news site.

All 31 people on board were hurt. Twelve to 15 on board were considered to be in critical condition shortly after the crash, but several of them have since improved, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Nick Street said.

Not everyone was wearing a seatbelt, as is common in tour buses, he said.

The Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism urged the travel agency, Shanghai Zhuyuan International Travel Agency, to spare no effort in rescuing the injured and properly handle the follow-up matters.

Phone calls to the travel agency rang unanswered on Sept. 22. Lu Yong, the travel agency’s general manager, told a Chinese TV program that the

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celebrations in festivals and parades, such as Renton River Days, the Multicultural Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival in Renton, the Sikh Parade, Japanese Sakura festival, Cinco de Mayo festival, and the Native American and Black History exhibit at Renton History Museum.

Preeti Shridhar and Benita Horn have led the efforts to become a more inclusive city.

Shridhar is Law’s deputy public affairs administrator and the city’s former com munications director.

Shridhar said inclusion and diversity agendas Preeti Shridhar take time, and they aren’t always linear to create belonging.

Shridhar is credited for rewriting Renton’s mission and business plan. The core value of the 2012 policy adopted by the council was, “Building an inclusive city with opportunities for all.” Renton has gone the extra mile in routinely translating all its public materials into Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Spanish. The public can also use Language Line provided by the city, to request a translation into other languages.

Benita Horn, a Black equity consultant, joined Renton City Hall in 2014. She conducted various regulatory assessments, developed training curriculum, provided training, and provided facilitation and conference presentations, and as a result, Renton has diverse candidate pools in multiple departments.

“Targeting the hiring process may boost diversity numbers, but this won’t be enough to create an inclusive culture. It requires a keen eye toward designing conditions that promote inclusion every day and promote ways to track the change. Cities must adapt their processes to inclusive behaviors. It is important to look at everything that you can do so that everybody gets included in their unique and congenial way and if you find places where

that’s not working, you must have the courage to admit that and work to change it,” Law said.

Empathetic leadership is vital for real change to happen; every individual leader needs to buy into the value of belonging—both intellectually and emotionally.

A recent starting point for uniting communities on principles of equity is the Family First Community Center project. It’s an ambitious public/private partnership between the City of Renton, Doug Baldwin’s Family First Community Center Foundation, Renton School District, and Health Point. The foundation will design and build the center in the Cascade/Benson Hill area, which had the most need for youth enrichment programs as it holds almost a quarter of the city’s diverse population, and 12 percent are below the poverty line. Twenty percent of the population is 14 years old or younger. This community center will meet the needs of underserved populations and offer a wide array of specialty programs, including sports, recreation, health and wellness, technology, music, and English as a second language. The Renton City Council authorized up to $4 million for it. The Renton School District has approved the land to build this center. The Family First Community Center Foundation will be funding it significantly with the support of community donations as well. Cascade Elementary School, the proposed site of the new community center, records more than 60 percent of students in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. The Family First Community Center will offer a variety of programs that will help kids succeed.

Although Law is half Chinese, he prefers not to highlight his ethnicity as he believes it should not appear as a self-serving superficial agenda to be from a particular background for any public reason.

“As mayor, my goal is to be approachable and represent everyone to the best of my ability and not be limited to one social group. Progress is inevitable in Renton being a truly inclusive community. Renton will always be celebrating community diversity through festivals and events as its a special community, and its future is bright!” 

briefed, and top economic adviser Larry Kudlow suggested Haley was confused.

“With all due respect, I don’t get confused,’’ Haley said in a sharply-worded rejoinder to the West Wing.

Part of that widely reported quote is the title of Haley’s forthcoming book, “With All Due Respect,’’ to be published in November .

Rob Godfrey, a longtime Haley adviser, said the Haleys’ return had long been in the family’s plan. While he said Haley will certainly make good on her pledge to work

toward Trump’s re-election, he noted that interest remains high about Haley’s next moves, and whether they include a possible presidential campaign of her own.

“As long as Nikki Haley remains one of the most passionate voices in the Republican Party, I think speculation will always swirl about what’s next for her, as far as 2024 goes,’’ Godfrey said. 

agency’s American partners sent 10 staff members to hospitals to help the victims communicate with doctors and police.

The News Perspective program, part of the Shanghai Media Group, said in an article on its official social media account that seven relatives of the victims were expected to leave for the United States on Sept. 23 or 24 with travel agency staff and officials from the culture and tourism bureau.

The news program’s social media post included photos of parts of the itinerary, indicating the accident occurred on the seventh day of a 16-day trip and also included visits to Yellowstone National Park, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas. They were to fly to the East Coast after the western U.S. stops.

The crash happened near a highway rest stop a few miles from southern Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park, an otherworldly landscape of narrow redrock spires.

Authorities believe the driver swerved on the way to the park. But when he yanked the steering wheel to put the bus back onto the road, the momentum sent the bus into a rollover crash, authorities said.

The driver, an American citizen, survived and was talking with investigators, Street said. He didn’t appear to be intoxicated, but authorities were still

investigating his condition as well as any possible mechanical problems, he said.

There was some wind, but it was not strong enough to cause problems, Street said.

The crash left the top of a white bus smashed in and one side peeling away as the vehicle came to rest mostly off the side of the road against a sign for restrooms.

The National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team to investigate.

The company listed on the bus was America Shengjia Inc. Utah business records indicate it is based in Monterey Park, California. A woman answering the phone there did not have immediate comment.

Millions of people visit Utah’s five national parks every year. Last year, about 87,000 people from China visited the state, making them the fastest-growing group of Utah tourists, according to state data.

More than half of visitors from China travel on tour buses, said Vicki Varela, managing director of Utah Office of Tourism.

The Chinese Embassy tweeted that it was saddened to hear about the crash and that it was sending staff to help the victims.

Bryce Canyon, about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City, draws more than 2 million visitors a year.

“You have a group from China who have worked hard to come to the states,

got the visa and everything they needed, excited about it, and for a tragedy like this to happen it just makes it all the more tragic,’’ Street said. 

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FCS from 1

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between FCS and HumanGood Affordable Housing, a nonprofit developer, owner, and operator of affordable housing communities in Washington and California.

Aleksa Manila and Arnaldo Inocentes served as the ceremony’s emcees.

Among the FCV’s many features include an Innovation Learning Center (4,900 square feet) for youth on the first floor, a multi-purpose community space, and a parking garage. The FCS currently runs a lunch program for seniors and a youth development program that serves over 2,500 youth a year.

The Innovation Learning Center will offer a program specializing in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

The FCV’s exterior will feature a yellow-sun plaza consisting of eight rays representing the Philippines’ first eight provinces to revolt against Spanish rule during the Philippine Revolution. They convey part of the Philippine national flag when viewed from above. The plaza connects the FCV to the existing Filipino Community Center.

“We embarked on this 10 years ago,” said FCS President Edwin Obras.

FCS President Edwin Obras

He said about campaign co-chairs Alma Kern and Velma Veloria, “If it wasn’t for these two women, I don’t think

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we’d be here today. They’ve been the driving force.”

“We’ve had so many barriers, but we’ve persevered and I think this is what the spirit of the Filipino Community Center is all about.”

Kern said about the FCV once it’s built, “When you see it, just remember all of the struggles, the persistence, the perseverance, the courage that our pioneers had to stay here, to come here and thrive Campaign Co-Chair Alma Kern in this great state of ours.”

With tears of joy, co-chair Veloria addressed the audience next and said, “It’s an emotional moment for me.”

She then thanked many FCV supporters in city, county, and state government.

“These relationships that I have built over the years, that the Filipino community has built over the years have really made it happen.”

The main funders for the FCV are the City of Seattle ($8 million), state of Washington, King County ($5 million), Umpqua Bank, and Hudson Campaign Co-Chair Velma Housing Capital.

Veloria “We need to raise $1.6 million for the Innovation Learning Center so you’ll continue to hear about our fundraising efforts,” said Veloria. One FCS goal is to raise that amount by the end of next year.

King County Councilmember Larry Gossett followed

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State Sen. Rebecca Saldana and praised the efforts of several in the Filipino American community.

“You wouldn’t have gotten the money if it weren’t for the fact that you have community leaders that have been out there advocating for you and, more importantly, when they have gotten government money, they made sure the money got out to the people for whom it was meant to serve,” he said.

After giving credit to Veloria for teaching her how to dance the Macarena, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said, “I want to thank all the people from our Office of Housing, from the Department of Neighborhoods, from all the people in the city who worked to make your dream and your vision real because you are what will make our city a great city continue into the next generation.”

Alex Rolluda, principal-in-charge at Seattle-based Rolluda Architects, acknowledged the contributions from many individuals, including lead architect Bob Hale.

“This is being true to our culture, taking care of our elders with 95 senior-housing units. And I wish my dad would have seen this and maybe even lived here,” he said.

Later at the reception, Obras spoke about and encouraged communities to be more proactive on behalf of their children, seniors, and parents. He said, “Be responsive and understand what they need and be able to ask for it and advocate for it.”

The project is expected to be finished in November 2021.  For more information, visit filcommsea.org/fc-village.

James Tabafunda can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

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