VOL 41 NO 1 | JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

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VOL 41 NO 1 JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

FREE 40 YEARS YOUR VOICE

TOP ASIAN ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2021

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By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Political firsts around the country

POLITICAL FIRSTS AROUND THE COUNTRY Seattle Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell, a second generation Japanese American, became the first Asian American mayor in Seattle. He also announced a nearly 150-member transition team that will make up the most racially and ideologically diverse mayoral

Harrell inauguration

on hold

see TOP 10 on 12

Poetic justice Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell

Achievements in entertainment

Literary achievements

Chinese American vets recognized for their contributions

Shaping future generations on TV

Concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has prompted Seattle Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell’s inauguration to be postponed.

Harrell was set to be sworn-in on Jan. 4.

The public health concerns are coupled with the winter weather emergency the city has been dealing with since Christmas Day. The National Weather Service expects additional snow accumulation, and the City of Seattle will face extremely cold temperatures into the new year.

The City of Seattle expects to keep open the six overnight shelters into January 2022 and continue to open as many warming centers and city facilities as staffing allows with providers and employees.

With the rise of Omicron, the City of Seattle is working to keep as many testing and vaccination sites open. 

Mattel honors frontline worker

Historic Miss America

CHECK OUT SNOW DAY PHOTOS 7

Racing and trailblazing

THE INSIDE STORY NAMES IN THE NEWS Batayola named to Advisory Commission 2

■

AT THE MOVIES Matrix Resurrections 5

WAYNE’S WORLDS Turning the tables on American cuisine  6

COMMUNITY NEWS Elderly man beaten  3

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asianweekly northwest

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Batayola named to Advisory Commission

President Joe Biden named International Community Health Services (ICHS) President and Chief Executive Officer Teresita Batayola as one of 25 leaders who will be appointed to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

The 25-member commission’s focus is on adTeresita Batayola vancing equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. The commission will advise Biden on ways that public, private, and nonprofit organizations can work together to improve outcomes for these populations.

The commission will also monitor hate crimes against members of Asian communities, which have significantly increased since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Trudeau makes history

For the first time in the Washington state Legislature’s history, a Senate committee will be led by two South Asian women.

State Sen. Yasmin Trudeau has been State Sen. State Sen. selected vice chair Yasmin Trudeau Manka Dhingra of the Senate Law & Justice Committee following state Sen. Manka Dhingra’s selection as committee chair.

Trudeau previously served as legislative director for

the office of Attorney General Bob Ferguson and helped to champion legislation that protected victims of assault and domestic violence and improved law enforcement data-collection systems.

“I’ve seen what our communities can do when they raise their voices about the gaps in our system, and now I’m excited to carry that momentum forward as vice chair of the Law & Justice Committee,” said Trudeau.

Her selection will be formalized in a vote of the full Senate on the first day of the 2022 legislative session. 

Judge Sung confirmed

40 YEARS

“As a mother to a Girl Scout Junior, I have seen first-hand the positive impact of Girl Scouts,” she said in the news release. “As Girl Scouts approaches its 110th year of service, the mission to develop and create opportunities for all girls is more critical than ever.”

Chang joins GSUSA after three decades working in the private Sofia Chang sector and 20 years at HBO/Warner Media. She has worked as part of the Time Warner Foundation board, HBO’s AAPI resource group, and was in HBO’s diversity council. 

Asian American women are NYC deputy mayors

The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Jennifer Sung to the Ninth Circuit on Dec. 15, making her the first Asian American to be nominated for the federal bench in Oregon.

Sung was a labor lawyer and former union organizer.

Prior to her confirmation, she served on the Oregon Employment Relations Board as an adjudicator on labor relations disputes and union representation matters. 

Sofia Chang named CEO of Girl Scouts of USA

Girl Scouts of the United States (GSUSA) announced on Dec. 14 that it appointed Sofia Chang as its chief executive officer.

Chang will be GSUSA’s first AAPI CEO, effective Jan. 27.

New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams appointed two Asian American women to be deputy mayors last week.

Maria Torres-Springer and Meera Joshi will be two of six deputy mayors to serve under Adams—the first two people of Asian descent to be appointed to the position. Five of the six deputy mayors are women.

Torres-Springer, who is Filipino, will be the deputy mayor for economic and workforce development, while Joshi, who is South Asian, was appointed deputy mayor for operations. 

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

asianweekly northwest

3

Elderly man beaten Bellevue student Police investigate hate crime

raises awareness of teen dating violence

By Venice Buhain ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED CROSSCUT.COM

The San Diego Police Department is investigating a hate crime after a man assaulted an 81-year-old Asian American man on the morning of Dec. 17 while he was on a walk.

Around 10 a.m. that day, an apparent transient stopped and asked Mark Sonouvong, if he was Chinese or Vietnamese. After refusing to answer, the man knocked Sonouvong to the ground and brutally beat him.

The attack reportedly left Sonouvong with multiple injuries, including a punctured left eye and a forehead laceration.

API Initiative Government and Public Relations Director JoAnn Fields said the attack was the third against an elderly Asian person in San Diego. API Initiative’s team is proposing a “rapid response action plan” to raise awareness, boost data collection, and improve overall safety in the city.

No arrests have been made as of press time.

A family friend has started a GoFundMe to help with Sonouvong’s medical bills. To contribute, go to gofundme.com/f/elderlyasian-man-beat-in-san-diego-please-help. 

BY

Newport High School senior Alex Su wasn’t expecting to become a rallying cry across the region when she told her teachers and administrators that she didn’t feel safe around her ex-boyfriend.

“Nobody thinks about the situation until it happens to them. I never thought anything would come of this,” she said.

But what happened after Su, 17, posted on Instgram her frustrations with how the school dealt with her situation sparked protests at high schools from Bellevue to Seattle to Kenmore about district responses to student reports of sexual assault.

Students across the region—and the nation—are demanding a more robust school response for students who report dating violence and sexual assault.

“Students are fed up,” said Shiwali Patel, director of Justice for Student Survivors and senior counsel at the National Women’s Law Center. “We are seeing that in the walkouts, on college

campuses and high schools, even at middle schools. That’s a rallying cry for students. They need to be protected and they need schools to care."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen dating violence is common. About 1 in 11 female and approximately 1 in 14 male high school students have reported experiencing physical violence by someone they’ve dated. The CDC also points out that dating violence includes “psychological aggression,” stalking and sexual violence.

At a recent protest at Bellevue High School, students demanded changes to the school district’s harassment, intimidation and bullying report form; a sexual assault counselor in each Bellevue district high school and improved education on consent, grooming and partner violence.

‘Not surprised’

When school started in September, Newport senior Su confided in a teacher see VIOLENCE on 9

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Proposals will be received for KC000415, Work Order Multidisciplinary Engineering Services For Solid Waste Landfill Systems And Facilities; by King County Procurement and Payables Section until 12:00 PM on January 19, 2022.

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Total Estimated Price: $1,000,000 (each) King County intends to award two contracts from this RFP. Prospective proposers can view more details at: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/ solicitations Contact: Samol Hefley, shefley@ kingcounty.gov, 206-477-6195

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40 YEARS

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR DEC JAN 31

6

SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM FREE FIRST FRIDAY 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Seattle Asian Art Museum Free admission Advanced registration required volunteerparktrust. org/event/saam-freefridays/all

CLUB MEETING WITH RACHELL WONG, DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HISTORICAL AND MODERN VIOLIN PERFORMANCE 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

For Zoom meeting link, contact at rotaryofseattleid@ gmail.com

16 “UNITED BY CHALLENGES,” U.S.JAPAN FRIENDSHIP COMING OF AGE CELEBRATION Bellevue College and Zoom 1-3 p.m.

RSVP required seijinusa.org/seijinregistration seijinusa.org MINH CARRICO WAS LOST AND NOW HAS BEEN FOUND, “CALL ME BUDDY”

2-3 p.m.

Via Zoom Zoom Meeting ID: 716 4280 1111 Passcode: 23x40X minhcarrico.com

20 CLUB MEETING WITH KING COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE SAMUEL S. CHUNG ON THE WORK OF THE COURT 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

For Zoom meeting link, contact at rotaryofseattleid@ gmail.com

FEB

NOW THROUGH JAN. 30, 2022

WILDLANTERNS Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle 4-8:30 p.m.

Get tickets at zoo.org/wildlanterns

20

NOW THROUGH JAN 31, 2022

PAPER DIALOGUES: THE DRAGON AND OUR STORIES National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St., Seattle For hours, check online nordicmuseum.org

MINH CARRICO WAS LOST AND NOW HAS BEEN FOUND, “KINGS TO KING” 2-3 p.m.

Via Zoom Zoom Meeting ID: 716 4280 1111 Passcode: 23x40X minhcarrico.com

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Oregon fines Da Yang Seafood 105K for discharge into river ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — Da Yang Seafood—based in South Korea—has been fined $105,000 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for improperly discharging wastewater into the Columbia River.

The state says the violations happened 32 times between June 2018 and June 2021 from the seafood processor’s facility at Pier 2 at the Port of Astoria. When the wastewater was dumped, the state said Da Yang failed to comply with the permitting limits for effluent, The Astorian reported last week.

“Pollutant effluent limits in the permit are set at levels necessary to protect human health and the environment,” Kieran O’Donnell, manager for the Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement, said in a letter to Da Yang. “By exceeding these levels, Da Yang created a risk that its effluent would harm water quality and aquatic life.”

According to Lauren Wirtis, a Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson, the violations were determined based on Da Yang’s self-reporting.

The highest exceedance of total suspended solids—a measure of floating particles— reached upward of 1,000 percent over the limit, Wirtis said.

In 2015, the company was fined over $85,000 for improperly discharging wastewater into Youngs Bay over seven years. The seafood processor was also fined $54,600 in 2017 for discharging wastewater into the Columbia River.

Representatives from Da Yang could not immediately be reached for comment, the newspaper said. 

View the solution on page 10

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YOUR VOICE

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■ AT THE MOVIES Newest ‘Matrix’ is fun, nitpickers go away

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

In 1999, my siblings and I rode around in an RV with our parents, going on weekend trips to Ocean Shores and down to Oregon regularly. To pass the long hours driving and also to unwind before bedtime, we would exhaust the hell out of our copy of “The Matrix,” which at the time was a DVD in a plasticky sleeve with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss on the cover.

I was totally obsessed. We must’ve watched that movie like, 50 times in one year alone. We also watched all of the behind-the-scenes featurettes and watched the movie with commentary—which may have been my first introduction to Reeves being a really cool dude. It may have been where my adoration of this man started, which I know is not novel because only monsters don’t love Keanu.

What I loved about the original “Matrix” was not the sick fight scenes or the awe-inspiring-for-the-time special effects. It was the story—this idea that ordinary people can actually do extraordinary things (like dodge bullets and be savior of human species), and also this idea that we are possibly all living in a false world of just-enough comforts to keep us complacent, but really we are robot-food—just cogs in the machine.

That concept is even more resonant these days, right?

That’s why “The Matrix Resurrections” comes at a particularly appropriate time, more than two decades after the first film was released. This fourth installment of the franchise tackles the same themes as the first— staying faithful enough that it almost feels like a retread.

But that’s actually what I really enjoyed about it. It’s been a hot minute since most of us have watched “The Matrix” trilogy probably, so a fourth adaptation that requires deep knowledge of previous films would’ve really flopped. I am also lazy. I didn’t have it in me to

plow through over eight hours of content just to prepare myself for this review.

Turns out I didn’t have to! “The Matrix Resurrection” feels like a really cleverly done remix. It has a lot of flashbacks that serve as glitchy callbacks to the earlier films, kind of purposely hand-holding viewers along the way. You don’t have to watch the other films to enjoy this one (though, of course, it certainly helps).

Just how Asian is Keanu Reeves? I spent some of the movie deliriously wondering this. When I watched him do martial arts, I was like, “Oh, pretty Asian!” But I looked it up. He’s an itty bit Chinese and he’s far more Hawaiian—about a quarter. But you know, this question is kind of splitting hairs at this point. Reeves is so freaking cool, so we should definitely just welcome him into our tribe with openest of arms. We should broaden our definition of ‘Asianness’ for sure. And he’s selfidentified as a person of color in past interviews, so it’s clear that the dude totally wants to be one of us.

What is perhaps more noteworthy is Jessica Henwick, who plays the prominent role of Bugs in this fourth installment. Henwick is Chinese British, and her character is the one who gets things moving in the movie. She’s the one that ‘wakes up’ Morpheus and pulls Neo out of the Matrix (again). She is young and optimistic, serving as this counterpart to world-wearing characters who have been fighting their subjugation and oppression under robots for way too long. She is also this meta counterpart to the audience of this movie. We’ve been fighting a pandemic for way too long. We’re also tired. It is actually kind of soothing to watch a character just freaking believe, so much, that it’s gonna work out. see MATRIX on 10

Unity In Voices—Bridging the Gap A RECEPTION TO HONOR NEWLY ELECTED BLACK AND ASIAN ELECTED OFFICIALS

Join us in celebrating between our communities for a night of sharing and learning

Thursday, January 13, 2022 5–6 P.M. To register for Zoom meeting, please visit: https://bit.ly/3z4524G Meeting ID: 984 1825 8953 Passcode: nwasian Organized by the AAPI and Black community leaders of Seattle: Nate Miles, Regina Glenn, Elaine Ikoma Ko, Tim Otani, Janice Zahn, Henry Yates, David Della, Winona Hollins- Hauge Kristin Ang, George Northcroft, Girmay Zahilay, Abdul Yusuf, Lem Howell, Cindy Wong-Li, and Assunta Ng

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40 YEARS

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS

Turning the tables on American cuisine

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Last week, my wife Maya and I went to a neighbor's house for “Yappy Hour.” Yappy Hour is a twice a month neighborhood get-together where everyone brings their dog over as well as some drinks and treats (for the people, not the dogs) to socialize.

We used to have “Kiddy Hours” where we’d bring our kids instead of dogs, but we found it’s a lot easier to ignore barks than screams.

Anyways, for our treat we decided to bring green onion cakes, or “Cong You Bing.” For those of you who aren’t in the know, Cong You Bing are little flour pancakes with sliced green onions that are pan fried to a crispy perfection. Sometimes, I’ll add a bit of egg to coat it just for a little change of pace.

As I set the plate of Cong You Bing down and had a seat next to one of my neighbors, she asked me what I brought and I explained it to her. She seemed intrigued, picked one up, bit into one and said, “Yum! These are great! So unusual!”

I knew she meant it as a compliment, but it surprised me a little since I’ve lived in

the U.S. all my life and grew up eating these at home and in many Chinese restaurants, usually on a Sunday morning, when they’re often served. I probably should have known better, since we were one of the few Asian (or minority) families in our neighborhood.

Still, I thought it might be fun to turn the tables a bit.

“Well, Mary, I’m glad you

liked them. But you know, even though I grew up in the U.S., there’s a few things you guys eat that if you really think about it, is a little strange."

I don’t know why I’ve always been a little uncomfortable saying someone is white or Caucasian. I guess it's just easier for me to call them “guys.”

Come on—they know what they are.

Intrigued, Mary smiled and said, “Really? Like what?”

“Well, let’s see...,” I said, “Let’s start with meatloaf. What is the purpose of that? It’s not a roast meat and it’s not a loaf of bread, but a loaf of meat that you bake/roast in the oven, and then serve it in slices like it’s a piece of bread. What’s the point of combining them? I mean, if you serve me steak with garlic bread, I suppose it ends up being meatloaf by the time it hits my stomach, but what’s the point of combining the two before you’ve eaten it? Was this designed for lazy chewers? Isn’t it basically a predigested meal?”

I was on a roll now.

“Another thing—what’s up with roast turkey?” I asked. “I mean, I actually like roast turkey and gravy...but what about that cranberry sauce? What’s the point of eating roast turkey with what is basically jam? If it’s perfectly normal eating turkey with cranberry sauce, then why don’t you see that kind of combination anywhere else?

Why don’t you ever see anyone eating a hot dog and smothering orange marmalade on it?”

“And while we’re on the topic, what is the deal with hot dogs? First, it’s a misnomer—

thankfully, it has nothing to do with its namesake. My golden retriever is breathing a sigh of relief. But beyond that, who on earth came up with the idea of taking the lining of a cow’s stomach, then filling it with ground up pieces of various parts from said cow, and then making it in a way where the meat stays red no matter how long you cook it? I’ve never eaten meat that stays completely red inside even when the outside is burnt to a crisp. What is that all about?”

We all had a good laugh at my little diatribe. And truth be told, I actually like meatloaf, turkey, and hot dogs.

In the end, it’s really the blessing and curse of being Asian American. We can adapt to both sides while being repulsed at the same time. I’m an equal opportunity culture critic.

I think the key is to always look for the commonalities that link us together.

At the end of my conversation with Mary, I had one last example.

“When I go over to some of my friends’ in the morning, a see WAYNE on 10

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YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

asianweekly northwest

PHOTOS BY ASSUNTA NG

Tina Thin scrapes snow from her sister's car.

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asianweekly northwest

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

■ COMMENTARY

Getting asked,

“Where are you really from?”

By Jo-Ann Yoo and Curtis S. Chin There are more than 125,000 Asian Americans living in Seattle, and according to the U.S. Census, a record 22 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Yet, when we are inevitably asked the question, “Where are you really from?” “Seattle” or “Portland” or “Houston” or “Alexandria, Virginia” never seems to satisfy.

While a seemingly innocent question, asking where an Asian American person is from can be seen as assuming the answer cannot just be America. It can be interpreted as assuming we are less American than our non-Asian friends and colleagues.

This “othering” has led to today’s crisis of anti-Asian hate crimes.

From March 2020 through September 2021, Stop AAPI Hate recorded 10,370 hate incidents against members of AAPI communities. Seattle is by no means an exception to this wave of hate that has hit the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The Seattle Police Department reported 87 bias/hate crimes from January 2020 through March 2021.

Combating anti-Asian hate requires combating patterns of othering and exoticizing Asian American

communities.

That’s why the Asian American Federation launched the “I’m Really From” campaign. We partnered with AAPI artists, leaders, and storytellers to share their stories of belonging in the American cities they come from. The campaign aims to debunk assumptions that are often wrapped up in the “Where are you really from?” question by showcasing the stories and lives Asian Americans have in the places they call home.

The artist-storyteller partnerships resulted in the creation of unique travel posters depicting American cities through the personal lenses of our AAPI storytellers. One of the posters portrays Seattle through the eyes of our favorite hometown Olympic goldmedalist speed skater, Apolo Ohno.

For Apolo, home is his father’s hair salon that he’s operated in Belltown for over 40 years; home is getting Korean food in Federal Way; home is being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Cascade mountains, the Olympics, and Puget Sound.

With this campaign, we aim to help other Asian Americans embrace pride in where they are from, whatever that means to each member of our community.

We hope it reminds them of the connections they have to the places they’re from and the cultures that shape them.

For our non-Asian friends and neighbors, we hope this

■ WORLD NEWS

More Tiananmen massacre memorials removed in Hong Kong HONG KONG (AP) — Universities in Hong Kong are removing memorials to the bloody suppression of the 1989 Chinese pro-democracy movement centered on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

On Christmas Eve, the Chinese University of Hong Kong took down the “Goddess of Democracy,” a statue based on a figure created by art students and brought to the square shortly before the crackdown in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people were killed.

The removal of the monuments testifies to the ruling Communist Party’s efforts to erase the bloody events from the public consciousness. It also comes as the party snuffs out democratic challenges in Hong Kong to its rule.

On Dec. 23, a monument at the University of Hong Kong was dismantled, wiping out one of the city’s last remaining places of public commemoration of the crackdown.

The government has never provided

a figure on casualties and the prodemocracy movement remains a taboo topic in mainland China. Hong Kong and Macao, the two semi-autonomous territories, were the only places on Chinese soil where commemorations of the crackdown were allowed until authorities banned annual candlelight vigils for two consecutive years.

In a statement, Chinese University confirmed the removal of the statue and said it had never authorized its display and that no organization has claimed responsibility for its maintenance and management.

Separately, Lingnan University also removed a bas relief memorial wall display dedicated to the memory of the June 4 movement.

The university’s decision was predicated on the “overall protection of the university community after a recent assessment,” government-run Hong Kong Radio Television reported. 

40 YEARS

is all too common in the AAPI community.

It’s time to flip the script. campaign changes the narratives and attitudes that cloud the way you see us. Next time you think about asking an Asian American where they are from, we want you to ask yourself three things before you speak.

First, would you ask that same question of a white person?

Second, why do you want to know? Are you just curious? Or are you curious because you assume they are not from here?

And finally, how might you phrase it or contextualize it better?

To stop the wave of anti-Asian violence, we need to build a culture that recognizes the deeply personal and uniquely American experiences of Asian Americans.

Through art, storytelling, and learning about each other’s complex ties to the places where we feel at home, we can change perceptions and build the empathy necessary to disrupt the deep-rooted xenophobia and racism that has harmed our AAPI communities.  Jo-Ann Yoo is the executive director of the Asian American Federation. Curtis S. Chin is a member of the Asian American Federation’s Advisory Board and a former U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank. Follow them at @AAFederation and @ CurtisSChin.

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

asianweekly northwest

9

Predictions and advice for the week of January 1–7, 2022

By Sun Lee Chang Rat—You are fortunate to have many routes available to select from. Some options are better than others, so choose carefully.

Dragon—Are you willing to do what it takes to get what you want? It won’t be easy, but it will be worth the effort.

Monkey—It would be prudent to verify your suspicions, rather than jumping to conclusions that may not be accurate.

Ox—Rather than backing down from a challenge, you have the strength to meet it head on and prevail.

Snake—Managing expectations starts with being honest about where you are in the process. This should help you to plan accordingly.

Rooster—The best gifts take into consideration the interests of the recipient, it’s not about whether you would want it yourself.

Tiger—A good deal doesn’t mean you should buy more than you need, for the extras could just go to waste.

Horse—Too much attention to one thing could take away from another. Consider how to make up the difference.

Dog—A surprising development has given you a moment of pause. If possible, it’s best to wait this one out.

Rabbit—Has your perspective changed recently?

Something that you took for granted will come to mean a great deal to you.

Goat—Have you said more than you should? You can’t take back your words, but be mindful going forward.

Pig—Rather than a hindrance, your skepticism is valuable in that it forces you to see things as they are.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 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.

“There is no tolerance for sexual assault or sexual harassment in the policies or practices of the Bellevue school system. Neither is there any after she had ended a short room for a mentality that skips essential investigations and findings or relationship with a classmate, neglects due process protection deserved by every person.” whom she said was physically — Art Jarvis VIOLENCE from 3

and emotionally abusive.

When the school, located in Bellevue’s Factoria neighborhood, didn’t take her ex-boyfriend out of their shared choir class, as she had requested, she wasn’t surprised.

“The plan was he couldn’t sit next to me on the seating chart,” said Su, but they sometimes got placed next to each other in the choir.

She then spoke with the school’s assistant principal about her frustration before taking her concerns to Instagram.

After Su’s posts, she and other Newport students staged a walkout, demanding a system more responsive to student needs when dealing with cases of dating violence and sexual assault.

She and several other students were expelled following the protest, which caused a school lockdown and which administrators said disrupted the education process.

“I’m not surprised, because stuff like this has happened in the past. I am disappointed because I didn’t think it would happen to me,” Su told Crosscut after her expulsion.

She had concerns about how the school might respond before she went public: “It did make me reconsider a bit before speaking up," she said.

“I did it anyway.”

Without mentioning any specific students, interim Bellevue Superintendent Art Jarvis wrote in a message posted to the school community that the

public response has been “one-sided.” He said many community members have presumed “guilt on the part of other students.”

“There is no tolerance for sexual assault or sexual harassment in the policies or practices of the Bellevue school system. Neither is there any room for a mentality that skips essential investigations and findings or neglects due process protection deserved by every person,” Jarvis wrote.

He said the district continues to investigate the allegations, but that the findings would not be made public because they involve juveniles.

Bellevue School District spokesperson Janine Thorn said the district is working with the school community, including parents, administrators and students, to address issues raised by students.

“We are hearing everyone’s concerns and having listening sessions,” she said.

She also emphasized that the district supports students’ rights to peaceful protest and to make their concerns and criticisms known.

Rights and responsibilities

Patel of the National Women’s Law Center said that under the federal Title IX law, schools and school districts are required to ensure that students retain access to their education when they don’t

feel safe because of sexual harassment.

“Under Title IX, they have a civil rights obligation to preserve and protect her [Su’s] access to education.

That is something that the school should have taken very seriously,” Patel said.

What gets complicated is that the aftermath of these relationships also follows the students to school, even if the alleged abuse happens off campus.

How Su’s situation unfolded could have a detrimental effect on other students in a similar position, Patel said.

She believes what happened to Su could have a chilling effect and discourage other students from coming forward to seek protection from their abusers.

She added that Title IX not only protects the rights of the student who reports the abuse, but also protects the due process rights of the student facing the allegation and does not assume the person’s guilt. And it requires that both students retain equitable access to school.

Feeling unsafe at school can affect a student’s ability to learn and participate in school activities, she said, adding that schools have a role whether or not the alleged abuse happened on campus.

“They are the ones who can change class schedules to ensure the survivor feels safe,” she said. ”They are the ones who can take those actions, and they are required to just like other civil rights

laws.”

In an interview, Su said that despite her personal consequences, she would still choose to speak up.

“I don’t regret making my report, even if I don’t feel it was handled the best it could be, I’m grateful that at least I said something,” she said.

“I think a big issue with the way that things happened for most people is a lack of empathy,” she added. “I’m talking about just plain human empathy [that] I don’t feel that has been shown.”

In early December, after the appeals hearing on her expulsion, Su was allowed to return to Newport High School under certain restrictions. She said the restrictions required her to stay away from her exboyfriend; barred her from participating in after-school activities; kept her expulsion on her school record, which would be seen if she applied to colleges; and required her to drop the choir class.

She said the last one was at the request of her exboyfriend.

“He quote-unquote ’felt threatened,’” she said. She left the class that she had enjoyed since the fourth grade.

She noted the irony that the district granted his request to have her removed, after they had declined her request to remove him from the class.

She said she was upset before, but not as much as when she found out he got his request granted within a day.

Su currently is attending classes at Newport remotely because, she said, the district’s restrictions made attending in person difficult and because she continues to feel unsafe at school.

“I didn’t want to be in a school where the adults—where the people who are supposed to care—have shown consistently that they’re going to protect the abuser,” she said.

In the meantime, she is reappealing the expulsion to get it removed from her record.

Su said that despite not returning to class in person, she still plans to graduate from Newport.

“I’ve always loved Newport. I always thought we were really great,” she said. Although her recent experience diminished her view of the adults and administrators, it has heightened her opinion of her peers and friends.

“There are so many students who supported me, and have called for changes, and that I’m graduating with kids who have supported me would be really nice,” she said. 

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MATRIX from 5 This update was directed by Lana Wachowski, who directed the rest of the franchise with her sister Lilly (who didn’t come back to co-direct this fourth installment). I am so glad Wachowski came back to direct this instead of some rando that the studio hired just to soullessly make big bucks in a market saturated with reboots and sequels. She gave this film a lot of love, and I appreciate that.

“Resurrections” is probably also the funniest or more humorous of all “Matrix” installments, because Wachowski gets what it means to come back to a film franchise after a couple of decades. And I enjoyed this about her. I imagine that some of the more hardcore fans of the original will not like that. But really, these are the same people

who get annoyed that people age, that people aren’t forever 30 years old and unchanging.

I’ll be honest with you, I am probably not going to rewatch “Resurrections” 50 times.

Part of it is that I’m older and different and just don’t have the time to be having that much screen time. Another part of it, though, is that where “The Matrix” felt mind-breakingly new and genre-making, “Resurrections” actually already feels a bit old—nostalgic.

But it’s a fun watch for just one time— maybe two times because sometimes the plot is hella convoluted and it’s kinda hard to completely follow. Watch it for the dose of much needed nostalgia. Watch it for Keanu.  Stacy Nguyen can be reached at stacy@nwasianweekly.com.

GUILTY from 6 tens of thousands of messages in the last two months of their relationship, including many urging him to “go kill yourself.” Urtula died in Boston in May 2019, the day of his Boston College graduation.

The investigation described You and Urtula’s 18-month-long relationship as “tumultuous, dysfunctional, and unhealthy,” and found You, “engaged in deeply disturbing and at times relentless verbally, physically and psychologically abusive behavior toward Mr. Urtula,” according to a statement from the office of Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins.

Those actions intensified in the days and hours before Urtula’s death, the office said.

You, who was born in South Korea and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, sent Urtula more than 47,000 text messages

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from late March 2019 until his death in which she “repeatedly told the victim that he should kill himself or die and waged a campaign of abuse that stripped the victim of his free will,” the office said.

“Words matter,” Rollins said in the statement.

“Demeaning language, ridicule and verbal abuse can deeply impact people.”

The plea deal was reached in consultation with the Urtula family, Rollins said.

The family in a statement read in court described driving to Boston for a day of celebration and instead finding themselves planning a funeral.

“We bear no feelings of anger or reprisal. We believe that time will take us through in the moments we mourn and celebrate his life,” the family said.

Before her arraignment in November 2019 when she originally pleaded not guilty, You, through a public

WAYNE from 6 lot of them will have scrambled eggs and add ketchup to it. That seems so odd—why would you add ketchup to scrambled eggs?”

Mary looked at me and said, “Remember last month you invited us to your home and you made this special dish—it was basically scrambled eggs with sautéed tomatoes and chunks of chicken served over rice. It was delicious! You said your dad made this dish when you were growing up. It was tomato and eggs, Wayne!”

What can I say? When you’re right, you’re right, Mary.

Still, at least you didn’t see me stuff all of it into little tubing and make them into little sausage links.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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relations firm, released some of the text messages suggesting she tried to stop Urtula and alerted Urtula’s brother in the moments before his death.

You was given the opportunity to speak in court, but declined. Her lawyer said she was “very distraught.”

Attorney Steven Kim said You is a “wonderful young woman who has deep, deep remorse.”

The case was compared to that of Michelle Carter, who garnered national headlines and an HBO film.

The young Massachusetts woman was sentenced to 15 months in jail after she was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for using text messages and phone calls to encourage her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to kill himself in 2014. Her attorney argued that her messages were protected free speech. 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 4

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YOUR VOICE

■ WORLD NEWS

asianweekly northwest

11

Japan panel recommends no change to male-only emperor system

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — A government panel has retained Japan’s maleonly imperial succession system despite a sharply shrinking number of men in the royal family.

The panel submitted a report to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Dec. 22 proposing ways to ensure there are enough potential successors, such as adopting single men from some of the 11 now-defunct royal households as potential heirs, and allowing female royals to retain

their status after marrying commoners.

Both options would require a revision of the 1947 Imperial House Law, which largely preserves pre-World War II values.

The panel did not address the issue of whether the continuation of the current male-only succession system is workable.

With the practice of royal concubines now abandoned, the size of the imperial family has declined to 17. Emperor Naruhito has only two possible successors—his younger brother, Akishino, and his teenage son, Hisahito—other than his 86-year-old uncle, Prince Hitachi.

His only child, Aiko, a daughter, is not eligible to inherit the throne. Under current law, she must leave the family if she marries a commoner, like her cousin Mako, who married her college sweetheart in November.

The report said it wasn’t an appropriate time to discuss who would succeed Hisahito, who is still a teenager, NHK

public television reported.

Kishida accepted the panel’s recommendations and thanked it for its “well-balanced discussion of an extremely important and difficult matter that involves the national foundation.’’

He said he will present the report to parliament for further consideration.

Discussion of imperial succession has continued for nearly 20 years.

Faced with a possible succession crisis in 2005, a panel of experts proposed that both male and female royals in the maternal line be allowed to ascend to the throne. But the suggestion met harsh opposition from conservatives.

The proposal was rejected by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s conservative government the following year after the birth of Hisahito in September 2006—the first birth of a male royal in 40 years. 

FAO: Virus hits Asian food security, as millions go hungry

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP BUSINESS WRITER BANGKOK (AP) — The prolonged pandemic and surging prices are undermining food security for millions of people in Asia, with 1.8 billion lacking access to healthy diets, a report by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization said on Dec. 15.

The report says access to food worsened in 2020 and deteriorated further this year as governments struggled to keep outbreaks at bay by restricting travel and other activities.

With progress toward alleviating hunger stalling, the FAO is urging comprehensive measures to improve food security, part of a push toward what experts call a “food systems” approach.

David Dawe, senior economist at the FAO’s regional office for Asia and

the Pacific, said the organization's food price index rose by nearly a third in the past year. The price of vegetable oils, which are critical for health, soared 74%, he said.

Rising global commodity prices affect the costs for consumers, in “another blow to the poor, who spend a large percentage of their income on food and are struggling to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.” Dawe said.

“Food producers have also faced more recent challenges after the initial impact of the pandemic including rising fuel and fertilizer prices,” he said.

A transformation of systems to improve food security needs to revolve around the needs of the many smallscale farmers in the region and other vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples, women and children, the FAO report says.

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It notes that nearly 16% of people in South Asia are undernourished and that for the region as a whole undernourishment is at its highest level in a decade, at 8.7%.

Access to adequate food is worst in North Korea, with more than 40% of its people undernourished. But hunger is an urgent problem also in Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor.

Conditions across the region are still better than they were in 2000, but progress in recent years has slowed and in some cases reversed.

In 10 countries in the region, more than 30% of children under 5 years old suffer from stunting, or low height for age—a common measure for how well fed they are. In another eight countries, between 20%-30% do.

Such deprivation has long-lasting consequences, as children suffer from weaker

health and fail to achieve their full potential.

Millions among those children suffer from wasting, a potentially more dangerous condition due to inadequate food or prolonged illness.

In 2020, more than 31 million children in the Asia-Pacific were affected by wasting, and that number could rise to 40 million by the end of 2022 if current trends continue.

The FAO and others working on hunger are urging that efforts focus on broader issues than just raising the amount of food that is produced—a crucial step but one that does not ensure families can actually afford healthy diets.

The challenge is in devising policies to improve food systems to cope with pandemics, natural disasters, poverty, political instability and other challenges that get in the way of improved access to enough food. 

12

asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2022

TOP 10 from 1 transition team in Seattle history.

Taiwanese American Michelle Wu made history by being the first woman, person of color, and Asian American to be elected as Boston’s mayor. She was also the first Asian American woman to serve on the Boston City Council. Wu recently signed an ordinance to divest $65 million in city investments from companies that derive more than 15% of their revenue from fossil fuels, tobacco products, or prison facilities, as part of the Green New Deal for Boston.

Aftab Pureval made history when he was elected Cincinnati’s mayor, becoming the first Asian American Pacific Islander to ever hold the position. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Pureval is also the only AAPI mayor in the midwest.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENTERTAINMENT American superhero film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” featuring Simu Liu as the main hero, grossed $432 million worldwide, making it the eighthhighest grossing film of 2021. “Shang-Chi” is the first Marvel Studios film with an Asian director and a predominantly Asian cast.

Korean Canadian Celeste Yim was the only writer hired by Saturday Night Live during the pandemic, and they’ve been nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. Celeste was a 2021 Lambda Literary Playwriting Fellow and the 2019 recipient of the New Celeste Yim York Foundation for the Arts Canadian Women Artists’ Award for Playwriting.

SHAPING FUTURE GENERATIONS ON TV The iconic cartoon series, “Arthur,” featured a Sikh character as part of the series’ longstanding mission to ensure that the young audiences watching would see their worlds reflected on screen. The character of Samir made his debut in “Arthur’s First Day,” which premiered on PBS in September.

Korean American JiYoung made history as the first Asian American muppet in the “Sesame Street” series. She’s 7 years old and loves rocking out on her electric guitar and skateboarding.

She was formally introduced on Thanksgiving Day on HBO in “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special,” which also featured Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi, and Naomi Osaka.

POETIC JUSTICE Eighteen-year-old Vietnamese American Alexandra Huynh succeeded Amanda Gorman in holding the national youth poet laureate title. The Stanford University freshman’s experience being raised by her immigrant parents in Sacramento played a significant role in her poetry and her mission to connect cultures and work toward justice.

LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS Earlier this year, Karen Tei Yamashita, author of “I Hotel” and “Sansei and Sensibility,” was awarded the 2021 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters by the National Book Foundation. She is the 34th recipient of the award since it was created in 1988. Yamashita is in great company, as past recipients include Joan Didion, Toni Morrison, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Stephen King. In addition to a bronze medal, Yamashita will also receive $10,000 for the lifetime achievement award.

Malinda Lo’s “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” won the Young People’s Literature category of the 2021 National Book Awards.

Elisa Shua Dusapin’s “Winter in Sokcho” won the Translated Literature category of the 2021 National Book Awards.

Hoa Nguyen’s “A Thousand Times You Lose Your Treasure” was named one of the National Book Awards 2021 finalists.

CHINESE AMERICAN VETS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS This November, Chinese American World War II

veterans and loved ones of the veterans who couldn’t be there were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal at the Crane Building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

The medal is bestowed by the United States Congress and is one of two of the highest civilian awards in the U.S. The medal seeks to honor those who have had an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the field, long after the achievement.

IMPRESSIVE COVID VACCINATION RATES While some countries in Asia, such as Cambodia and Japan, took longer than others to roll out vaccines, both countries now boast vaccination rates that rank among the world’s best. They are two of several nations in the AsiaPacific region that had slow starts to their immunization campaigns, but have since surpassed the rates in the U.S. and many nations in Europe.

RACING AND TRAILBLAZING Canadian Chinese driver Samantha Tan became the first Asian woman to win a major endurance racing championship in November after an almost perfect season in the 24H GT4 Series.

MATTEL HONORS FRONTLINE WORKER Las Vegas physician Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz was among six global frontline workers honored with a unique Barbie doll as part of Mattel Inc.’s #ThankYouHeroes program. Cruz hopes to represent women of color, women in healthcare, and working moms—to let them know that they are seen.

HISTORIC MISS AMERICA Emma Broyles made history as the first Korean American and Miss Alaska to win the title of Miss America. Her mother is of full Korean descent and her grandparents moved to Broyles’ hometown of Anchorage, Alaska 50 years ago. In addition to her title and crown, she will receive a $100,000 scholarship and a six-figure salary as part of her Miss America duties.  Nina can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

from

Lo Yu Sun & Hsiao-Lin Sun Sandy Sun, Nancy Sun, Justin Sun

Manchu Wok