VOL 36 NO 11 | MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

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VOL 36 NO 11

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

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35 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Sikhs respond to shooting near Seattle with fear, disbelief

By PHUONG LE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

KENT, Wash. (AP) — Fear, hurt and disbelief weighed on the minds of those who gathered at a Sikh temple after the shooting of a Sikh man who said a gunman approached him in his suburban Seattle driveway and told him “go back to your own country.”

“Everybody who is part of this community needs to be vigilant,” Satwinder Kaur, a Sikh community leader, said as several hundred people poured into a temple in Renton for worship services about one mile from the shooting the night of March 3.

“It is scary,” she added. “The community has been shaken up.”

Authorities said a gunman approached the 39-year-old Sikh man as he worked on his car in his driveway in the city of Kent, about 20 miles south of Seattle.

The FBI will help investigate the shooting, authorities said.

Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas said that the department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime. As of press time, no arrests have been made. The victim was shot in the arm but Thomas did not believe anyone was in imminent danger.

“This is a top priority investigation, and we are doing everything possible to identify and arrest the suspect,” Thomas see SIKHS on 15

A man bows his head as he attends Sunday services at the Gurudwara Singh Sabha of Washington, a Sikh temple in Renton, Wash., on March 5.

Photo by Dan Jackson/WSAGO

Stopping President Trump’s immigration ban

Little Saigon protests at City Hall, demands to be heard, meets with councilmembers

Marsha Chien and members of the Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit discuss the court order outside the courthouse after hearing they had won the case halting Trump’s immigration ban.

By Arlene Dennistoun NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Marsha Chien, the daughter of parents who emigrated from Taiwan and an Assistant Attorney General in the Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit, had “no qualms about taking the strongest possible stance” in Washington state’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s travel ban.

When news first leaked about Trump’s Executive Order prohibiting people from coming to the United States from seven selected countries, Chien had strong feelings about it because

■

of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 — the first law restricting immigration into the United States. Chien reflected on how America had historically unwelcomed Chinese people and treated them as foreigners. “It felt really raw to me to hear this was going to happen to another population.”

As part of her research for the case against Trump, Chien read court decisions involving the Chinese Exclusion Act, and it was painful. Chien recalled the language in the cases, referring to Chinese people as “strangers see CHIEN on 13

See pictorial on 16.

By Stacy Nguyen NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY On Monday, March 6, Friends of Little Saigon organized a protest at Seattle City Hall. According to its press release, the protest, “is to demand that the mayor (Ed Murray) and city council give the neighborhood and communities the proper respect and recognize their voice as residents, families,

business owners and community stewards. And to stop pitting one marginalized community against another.”

While the protest started outside City Hall, it eventually moved into council chambers, where about 30 people met with councilmembers Lorena González, Rob Johson, and Sally Bagshaw for an hour to discuss concerns.

KARATE GIRLS

MUSIC

NEXT CONNIE CHUNG?

Teenage girls learn to defend themselves against rape. » see 8

Seattle ambient-folk musician’s latest project. » see 9

One-on-one with Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. » see 10

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MARSHA CHIEN

asianweekly northwest

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS

35 YEARS

From left: Yuk Lan Li, honoree Dr. Guozhong Cao, and Doran Yichen Cao.

From left: Honorees David Ku, Joy Chik, Gaurav Sareen, and Harry Shum of Microsoft.

From left: David Lin, Karen Yoshitomi, honoree Tony Sumcad of General Motors, Abdul Bazzi, Julie Xiong, and Sheldon Arakaki.

Eight Puget Sound-area residents were honored on Feb. 25 at the 2017 Asian American Engineer of the Year award ceremonies at the Westin Hotel Bellevue. The awards recognize Asian Americans who have made outstanding contributions as scientists, engineers, and corporate leaders.

This year’s recipients from our region for the Asian

American Engineer of the Year Award included Guozhong Cao, a professor at the University of Washington, and Guijun Wang of Boeing. Two Microsoft corporate vice presidents — Joy Chik (ECM engineering) and Gaurav Sareen (Outlook engineering) — were also honored.

David Ku of Microsoft and Jenette Ramos of Boeing

received the Executive of the Year Award, along with Dr. Benson Shen, the co-founder and CEO of Lightel Technologies, Inc., of Renton.

Xiaoxi Wang of Boeing Research & Technology was named the Most Promising Engineer of the Year. ■

1st Filipino American bishop ordained in U.S. to serve in Utah

Satwinder Kaur to run for Kent City Council

Keiro Northwest celebration

Known for his humor, kindness, and humility, Bishop Oscar Azarcon Solis is the new leader of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. The 63-year-old was born in the Philippines and ordained as a priest in 1979.

He was transferred to the United States in 1984, and in 2004 became the first Filipino American bishop orBishop Oscar Azarcon dained in the United States.

Solis Solis will replace John C. Wester, who was appointed archbishop in Santa Fe, N.M., in 2015, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Solis is a “major ingredient in the glue that has bonded the Filipino priests together,” said the Rev. Alex Aclan, vicar for clergy at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He states Solis was key in establishing the National Association of Filipino Priests-USA. ■

A former city of Kent employee, Satwinder Kaur, announced on March 1 that she will run for the Kent City Council Position No. 2 to replace Jim Berrios starting in 2018.

Kaur worked as an executive assistant with the City Council in 2012 and 2013.

“I would like to be a voice of all Kent residents,” Kaur said in a media release.

Satwinder Kaur “I want to make the government processes more transparent for our residents and make access to public resources easier.”

Kaur said she grew up in a modest home in Kent, where her father instilled Sikh values of selfless service. She graduated from Kentridge High School in 2004, earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Washington University, and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington. ■

Keiro Northwest held its Lunar New Year celebration on Feb. 24 at the Westin Hotel Bellevue. More than 250 guests including Seattle sports legends Kazuhiro Sasaki, “Downtown Freddie Brown,” idol Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle Gus Williams, and Sports Mariners pitcher (2000-2003), shared the Edwin Bailey at- love with Sue Tanaka and Haru Nishimura the 1st Annual Keiro Northwest Lunar tended the event, at New Year Celebration. which raised over $200,000 to support the Keiro rehab experience.

One of the items auctioned off was a private dinner for 12 with Chef Masahiro Morimoto.

The event was emceed by Mimi Gan and Harold Taniguchi. ■

Photo provided by Darcia Tanabe

Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW

Asian American Engineer Award recipients honored in Bellevue

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

Hotline set up to report harassment in Seattle

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

asianweekly northwest

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Yee Fung Toy Family Association-owned building set on fire

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) had set up a new hotline to report harassment in the city.

Officials say the hotline is part of Seattle’s Bias Hurts Campaign. It’s for Seattle residents and business owners who are the targets of discriminatory harassment, including threats, slurs, intimidation and cyberbullying.

“We want to join with the community to develop actions that we can take to protect and support people over the long term. As a community, we need to take care of one another as much as we can,” said SOCR Director Patricia Lally.

The campaign includes three key components. First is a hotline to report harassment. The number is 206-233-7100.

It also includes meetings with community groups and a media campaign.

The civil rights office is working with the Seattle Police Department, which enforces laws against hate crimes.

Anyone who is a victim of violence, threats or property damage should call 911.

People who experience discriminatory harassment in housing, employment or public places can use the hotline. It is illegal in Seattle to harass someone based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other protected groups. SOCR can investigate allegations of discriminatory harassment, issue findings, and mandate remedies. ■

A 45-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia was arrested on March 5 for suspicion of setting his Beacon Hill apartment on fire. The building on the 5300 block of 12th Ave S is owned by the Yee Fung Toy Family Association.

The man had just returned home from being involuntarily committed to a hospital after destroying his apartment with a hammer earlier that morning, according to Seattle police.

The man returned home about 1:30 p.m. that afternoon. And after about 10 minutes alone in his apartment, neighbors told police that flames emanated from his unit. Residents had to evacuate.

The Seattle Fire Department extinguished the fire and no one was injured.

The man denied setting the fire, but the fire investigator determined the blaze was intentionally set on a mattress in his unit and police found two cigarette lighters in his pocket.

The man told police he had been hearing voices in his head for six to seven years and that the voices led him to take a hammer to his apartment earlier that morning. ■

Photo provided by Frederick Yee.

By Staff NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Damage visible to the front and side of the house.

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

35 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS

Lawyers sue Chinese authorities for not getting rid of smog

By LOUISE WATT ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cheng Hai

BEIJING (AP) — Lawyer Cheng Hai has an itemized list of compensation demands from Beijing authorities over the city’s smog: $9 for having to buy face masks, $15 for seeing a doctor for a sore throat, and $1,500 for emotional distress.

Fed up with what they consider halfhearted efforts to fight air pollution, Cheng and like-minded lawyers are putting China’s legal system to the test by suing the governments of the capital and its surrounding regions.

“Some people might think that air pollution is inevitable with economic development, but they are wrong,” said Cheng, 64. “We have laws to protect air quality, and major

pollution can be avoided if they are fully enforced.”

The lawsuits demonstrate the mounting frustration of China’s middle class at the country’s notoriously bad air, a topic that is expected to be discussed at the upcoming annual meeting of the country’s parliament three years after Premier Li Keqiang declared a “war on pollution” at the same event.

The dissatisfaction comes even as authorities in the capital are closing factories, getting rid of coal-fired boilers and taking older, heavier-polluting vehicles off the road.

Official data show those measures are having some effect, with Beijing showing year-on-year improvements see SMOG on 12

Sushi in Pyongyang: Japanese chef opens rare restaurant PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Sushi in Pyongyang? At a restaurant run by a Japanese sushi chef famous for working for North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong Il? Kenji Fujimoto has opened his sushi restaurant in the North Korean capital, according to Canadian Michael Spavor, a consultant with a long record of working in the communist state. He was involved Chef Kenji Fujimoto

with NBA star Dennis Rodman’s trips to North Korea, and the two spent days with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who succeeded his father after his death in 2011.

Spavor said he was introduced to Fujimoto just last year, when he learnt about the chef’s plans to open a restaurant in Pyongyang and tried to track it down early this year.

“I was quite excited, because I’d heard

quite a lot about him,” Spavor said. “So one day, for lunch, we met up, and we got along great, he speaks fluent Korean, so we spoke Korean, and that’s when he mentioned to me he was planning on opening up a ramen restaurant or a sushi restaurant in Pyongyang.” see FUJIMOTO on 15

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

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Photo from Kieu Hoang via Facebook

■ NATIONAL NEWS California billionaire Hoang donates $5 million to San Jose flood relief SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A California billionaire has donated $5 million for flood relief efforts in San Jose.

Kieu Hoang is a one-time refugee from Vietnam who built a fortune in medical products. He presented a check to city officials on March 1. The money will go toward a relief fund that counts the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, and the

Salvation Army among its recipients.

City officials ordered more than 14,000 residents to evacuate part of the city last week as water flooded homes and temporarily shut down a portion of a major freeway.

Assistant City Manager David Sykes said that an initial estimate put the damage costs at $73 million in the city alone. ■

Kieu Hoang makes large donation for San Jose flooding relief (March. 1, 2017)

Push for healthier nail Congressman refers salons in California to ‘Orientals’ in finding success describing town halls

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER ASSOCIATED PRESS OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — It was the swagbags that convinced community health organizer Julia Liou to redraw the battle plan in a fight to reduce the hazardous chemical exposures of nail-salon workers, most of them low-paid Asian immigrant women.

In 2005, Liou watched at the California’s state Capitol as dozens of lobbyists gave away bags of lipsticks and other beauty goodies to excited legislative staffers. It was part of the beauty and chemical industries’ effort to defeat a bill to ban one of the thousands of industrial compounds used to make manicure and pedicures prettier and longer lasting.

Liou and her colleagues lost on that bill.

But the state Capitol cluster-swag emerged as a defining lesson for Liou, underscoring how hard it would always be to go lobbyistfor-lobbyist against the U.S. beauty industry, with its $62 billion in estimated revenue last year.

That episode has given rise to a San Francisco Bay Area grass-roots campaign of salon workers, health workers, and local officials that has taken hold in Julia Liou California and is gaining increasing national support and recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and others.

“I realized we need to bring the voices of the community there ... to really articulate what was really happening, what workers were experiencing on the health side,” said Liou, development director of Asian Health Services, a clinic and outreach program in Oakland’s Chinatown where staffers first took note more than a decade see LIOU on 14

TAITUNG

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois congressman compared town hall meetings, which for many Republicans have turned into raucous affairs, to the practice of “cleansing” by “Orientals.”

Republican Rep. Mike Bost made the assertion during a meeting with the editorial board of the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale.

Bost visited his 12th District two weeks ago, hosting a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one.

“The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that it’s productive,” Bost told the editorial board.

“You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you’d put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them?

That’s not what we need. We need to have meetings with people that are productive.”

In a statement on March 2, Bost said he “used a poor choice of words” in describing “coordinated disruptions” he says are taking place across the country.

Bost spokesman George O’Connor said

Bost’s use of Orientals was a reference to sessions during China’s Cultural Revolution when individuals were publicly humiliated and subjected to verbal Rep. Mike Bost abuse by a crowd.

“While there was no malicious intent, I regret that my words may have distracted from an important point,” Bost said. “When the booing and shouting drowns out the conversation we’re trying to have with our constituents, it becomes that much harder to govern.”

Some Republicans in Congress have participated in rowdy town halls in which crowds have expressed concerns about President Donald Trump’s policies. A few, like Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, see BOST on 13

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR MAR 11

NAAAP ADOPT-A-STREET International District/Chinatown station, 507 S. King St., Seattle 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

RSVP to eam.david@gmail.com HUMBOWS NOT HOTELS COMMUNITY MEETING Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle 3–5 p.m.

“WE ARE HISTORY KEEPERS” Ethiopian Community, 8323 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org 206-443-1410 TOWN HALL MEETING WITH WASHINGTON STATE REPS. SHARON TOMIKO SANTOS AND ERIC PETTIGREW Rainier Beach Community Center, 8825 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

14 HACK DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WORKSHOP WeWork South Lake Union, 500 Yale Ave. N., Seattle 6–9 p.m.

15 2017 WSCRC ANNUAL BANQUET Bell Harbor Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle 5:30–9 p.m.

206-441-4419 council@wscrc.org

SUPPORT THE REELECTION CAMPAIGN OF MAYOR ED MURRAY Nagomi Tea House, 519 6th Ave. S., Seattle 5–6:30 p.m.

RSVP to evan@bluewavepolitics.com 206-682-7328

17 & 18 STG PRESENTS AND LIVE NATION WELCOMES ALI WONG Moore Theatre, 1932 2nd Ave., Seattle 7–10 p.m. stgpresents.org

17–19 12TH AAINA SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S FOCUS FESTIVAL Seattle University, 901 12th Ave., Seattle aaina.tasveer.org

18 VIETNAM, ESSENCE OF YESTERYEAR 9 Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, 15345 25th Ave. N.E., Shoreline 7–9 p.m. $20 425-361-2265, vietmelody.org

22 AN AFTERNOON WITH JORGE CHAM, CREATOR OF PHD COMICS! UW, HUB, Room 145, 4001 E. Stevens Way N.E., Seattle 3:30–5 p.m.

23 SEATTLE-VIET WAKE UP TOUR 2017 Fort Flagsler State Park, 10541 Flagler Rd., Nordland $95/person (lodging & meals included) vietwakeup.org

35 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Juice order at Chinese buffet causes children throat burns

By MARK SCOLFORO ASSOCIATED PRESS Two children suffered burn-type injuries to their mouths and throats after drinking what they believed to be apple juice at a Chinese buffet in Pennsylvania, and authorities said they are investigating the cause.

The children remained hospitalized in fair condition, three days after their visit to the Star Buffet and Grill outside Lancaster, about 70 miles west of Philadelphia.

A 10-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl suffered blistering and were vomiting, said Lt. Robin Weaver with the East Lampeter Township Police. He said a third child, who had stomach discomfort, and an adult who

Star Buffet & Grill storefront

tasted the liquid but did not swallow it, also required hospital treatment.

“There apparently was some unknown caustic substance in the apple juice,” Weaver said.

Star Buffet manager Steve Weng said he see BUFFET on 12

■ WORLD NEWS

Surgeons remove 915 coins swallowed by Thai sea turtle

By JERRY HARMER ASSOCIATED PRESS BANGKOK (AP) — Tossing coins in a fountain for luck is a popular superstition, but a similar belief brought misery to a sea turtle in Thailand from whom doctors have removed 915 coins.

On March 6, veterinarians in Bangkok operated on the 25-year-old female green sea turtle nicknamed “Bank,’’ whose indigestible diet was a result of many tourists seeking good fortune tossing coins into her pool over many years in the eastern town of Sri Racha.

Coins found in the sea turtle

Many Thais believe that throwing coins on turtles will bring longevity.

Typically, a green sea turtle has see COINS on 12

View the solution on page 15.

Assunta Ng

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YOUR VOICE

■ WAYNE’S WORLDS

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

asianweekly northwest

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Blessed are the donuts

By Wayne Chan NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY We are truly blessed.

The other night, my wife Maya and I were sitting across from each other at the dining table when Maya seemed to pause for a moment and seemed lost in thought.

She took a breath and with a gentle smile on her face, looked up at me and said, “You know, I’m just so thankful that we’re all healthy and happy right now.”

I knew what she meant.

Like any other family, we have our challenges. The one most obvious in our family is that two of our three triplets are on the autism spectrum, which requires that they attend a special needs school and need our constant attention. But this is something we’ve dealt with for 17 years now. It’s a part of our lives. It’s a part of our routine. We’ve got this.

What Maya meant was that despite our kids’ challenges, all three of them are happy, well adjusted, and doing just fine.

What she also meant was that after many years of working hard, investing time, effort, and our resources towards our respective work and business, our efforts seems to be paying off.

We’re not ready to build a helipad on top of our home or hire Martha Stewart to cater our next soiree or anything, but things have been looking up. We have a comfortable home, nice cars, and opportunities to travel.

And yet, regardless of how well things are going, some things never change.

A few days ago, Maya and I were invited to our local police foundation fundraiser called “Women in Uniform,” which is basically a luncheon celebrating the work of

women on the police force. It was an amazing and entertaining event honoring some very honorable women.

After we finished our meal, and after a number of awards were presented, dessert was served. Along with the dessert was another treat – an individually packaged gourmet donut. It was a small, but beautifully decorated donut, with decadent frosting and crystal-like sparkles on top. The donuts were provided by one of the sponsors of the event, a local high end donut shop specializing in donuts with exotic flavors and toppings.

Here’s the thing. The donut was served after the meal, and after the actual dessert. So when the event was over, many people in the audience left their donut behind – a pristine, perfectly decorated donut, sitting in the plastic packaging it was served in.

You probably know where I’m going with this.

As people were getting up to leave, Maya and I said our goodbyes to the others at the table, and as we’re heading towards the exits, we see a sea of brightly colored donuts, practically lighting the path out the door.

It didn’t matter that I was full. It didn’t matter that the only donut I could lay claim to was the one I was served. It didn’t matter that if I really wanted a donut, I could buy a dozen from the gourmet shop, which was around the corner. Heck, it didn’t even matter that GROCERY I’m on a diet and the main Your One-Stop Shop to Make parameter of the diet was

rule number one – “No Donuts!”

The only thing that mattered to me was that there was a line of unclaimed donuts with my name on it. I was swiping gourmet donuts in a room teeming with police officers.

And for those of you who know me and my wife, before you assume that Maya was a voice of reason telling me it was ridiculous and embarrassing that I was scooping up all these donuts, let me just dispel that notion. At one point, Maya said, “I think I might be able to squeeze two more of these donuts into my purse.”

OK, maybe she didn’t actually say that, and maybe I was the one stuffing the donuts into her purse, but a donut is a donut in my book.  Wayne can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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35 YEARS

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

■ WORLD NEWS Uprooted by war, fearing troops, Myanmar girls learn karate JE YANG, Myanmar (AP) — Every afternoon, dozens of teenage girls at the school for displaced children line up on the grounds, dressed in white uniforms with belts of various colors: yellow, blue, white.

They kick high and jump with glee before settling into their exercises, shouting in Japanese as they punch into the air.

The reason many of these girls are in this class is sobering: They want protection from their own country’s military.

Mostly between 13 and 16, they have lost their homes, and in some cases their families, to the long-running civil war in Myanmar’s Kachin state — a war in which soldiers have been repeatedly accused of raping girls and women, but rarely prosecuted. This karate class offers some small sense of power to the vulnerable.

“For all the girls, we teach them how to protect themselves when someone tries to sexually assault them and how to fight back,” instructor Hkun Naw said. “Basically teaching the girls to make themselves safe.

“We wanted to make sure all the internally displaced children have the right to do something that gives them joy, and to be confident.”

More than 100,000 people in Kachin state, in Myanmar’s north, have been forced from their homes by fighting between government troops and ethnic Kachin rebels who have sought greater autonomy for decades. A 17-year-long cease-fire ended in 2011.

Je Yang is among the most crowded camps, with more than 8,000 people, including 16-year-old Hkawn Ra. She fled fighting in her village of Man Dung while she was at school five years ago, when she was 11. She has not seen her parents since.

AP Photo/Esther Htusan

By ESTHER HTUSAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this Nov. 29, 2016, photo, internally displaced girls in Jeyang village camp, near the border with China, join the karate training for self-defense in Kachin state, Myanmar.

She once dreamed of becoming a nurse, but no longer. “Because of the political situation and civil war, I cannot become who I want to be, and I am not angry about it anymore,” she said.

Hkawn Ra is, however, learning karate, after hearing about rapes and sexual violence against women in the region. A community-based organization operating under the Kachin Independence Organization has held karate classes in Kachin-controlled areas since the year the cease-fire ended, seeking to teach girls and boys self-defense and self-confidence.

“They (the military) rape women and that’s why I was interested, and decided to learn karate to protect myself at least,” Hkawn Ra said.

Women organizations say the military has been long using rape as weapon of war. The Women’s League of Burma says it has documented more than 100 cases of rape and sexual violence against ethnic

women by the military army since 2010.

The government and the military have remained largely silent on the issue.

This fall, Muslim Rohingya and rights groups have said soldiers and police have repeatedly raped members of the ethnic minority in northwestern Rakhine state.

Authorities have been conducting sweeps of the region since October, when nine border guards were killed by unknown attackers. The government has blocked foreign media from the area, but Rohingya who fled to nearby Bangladesh report rapes and murders by security forces, and satellite images back up their claims of villageburning. At a recent press conference, military spokesman Soe Naing Oo denied that soldiers in Rakhine were committing any human-rights violations or sexual violence.

The Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand and the Legal Aid Network released a report on investigators’ lack of

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progress in the brutal 2015 rape and murder of the two Kachin volunteer teachers.

Dozens of soldiers were housed closed to the rape scene, and several left shortly before the bodies were discovered, but no suspects have been identified.

Prosecutions have been few. In 2014, a soldier was sentenced to 7 years in prison for raping a 7-year-old Kachin girl in northern Shan state. Accused Myanmar soldiers normally face a military tribunal, but in that case, lawyers successfully pressed for a civilian trial.

Ethnic minorities overwhelmingly voted for Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy in 2015, helping it replace an elected but militarydominated government. But many are now disappointed with her government’s efforts to resolve a host of ethnic conflicts and what they see as the military’s impunity.

“Without talking about human-rights violations and ignoring the truth and justice for the victims, there won’t be a real peace and national reconciliation in our country,” said Julia Marip, secretary of the Women’s League of Burma.

With little confidence that soldiers will be held to account for misdeeds, the girls in the karate class hope to at least deter them from committing any to begin with. They compete with each other, and some have dreams of fighting professionally.

“Our instructor said we can go abroad to learn more skills, and I want to go overseas and be a professional fighter,” said 14-yearold Nu Ja. “When they know how to defend themselves,” said Hkun Naw, the instructor, “they will be able to protect their families, their people and their country.” ■

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

YOUR VOICE

■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

asianweekly northwest

9

Seattle singer/songwriter goes all around the world for her art

By Andrew Hamlin NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by Sofar Sounds

Singer-songwriter Brenda Xu (pronounced “shoo”) lived in Torrance, Calif. and San Diego, before making her way to Seattle. But “I always knew I would move away” from California, she commented, “because I’m not a huge fan of sunny weather.”

Xu, who played the Fremont Abbey on Feb. 24 for a record release party for her new album “Overflow,” lives in Wallingford now, not terribly far from the Abbey itself. But she’s logged time in Magnolia, Capitol Hill, and Shoreline.

“Each neighborhood has its charm,” she mused. “One of my favorite things about the city is the gorgeous parks right in the city in every neighborhood. You don’t feel so removed from nature in this city.”

Xu grew up speaking Mandarin at home, and English at school. She also spent a year in college abroad in Germany, where she picked up fairly fluent German.

She uses Chinese, English, German, French, and occasionally other languages in her songs. But she confided, “In my songs, the truth of what I’m trying to

Brenda Xu and the band at Restaurant Zoë

convey is more in the melody than the lyrics.”

“I often improvise a melody and lyrics at the same time,” Xu elaborated, “and sometimes I won’t know exactly what a song means until I’ve been playing it for a while. When I write, what comes out does not go through an analytical language filter. Instead, I try to turn off the analytical side of my brain, and channel pure emotive energy … Some of those sounds end up being parts that other instruments play, or words that have a similar cadence and rhythm as the original sounds which fit with the melody.”

She learned a few different instruments over time, but started out with a cheap guitar. She loved the Smashing Pumpkins (including Japanese American guitarist James Iha) for their combination of rock songs and epic ballads, a vulnerable yet assertive approach.

Tori Amos, especially her song “Silent All These Years,” was another crucial influence. Xu remembers “being completely transfixed” by that song when it came on the radio. “It was a powerful feminine voice that really resonated with how I experienced the world,” she explained. “There was something magical and inexplicable about it that took me out of reality

for a while. I guess you could say it was a spiritual experience.”

She met record producer Don Farwell, who produced “Overflow,” through fellow Seattle musician Julia Massey. He also worked on the song arrangements, and collaborated with Xu on the album mixing. Musicians included Xu’s regular band members — Ben Kent on drums, Timothy Van Buren on electric guitar and bass, and Yun-En Liu on violin — plus violist Andrew Van Kampen, cellist Colin Isler, and Farwell himself on trombone.

Future plans after the album’s release in March include her first European tour in April and May, plus a trip through Alaska in the summer and an East Coast tour in the fall.

“I’m also working to get more of my music in TV, film, and other visual platforms,” she affirmed. “I feel like this is the year to really get my music out there. I’m at a point where I truly believe in what I’m putting forth and feel like I have something different to offer.”  Andrew can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Photo by Jason Tang

BRENDA XU

asianweekly northwest

10

35 YEARS

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

OPINION

Watch out Connie Chung.

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Jia is shooting for the stars

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Nicole Jia has been accepted into nine colleges with scholarships this fall, but she plans to turn all of them down. Instead, she has set her eyes on a small, private college for women in New York, which denied her a scholarship. Jia doesn’t take no for

an answer. Young people can emulate her approach when dealing with rejections.

Jia, Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, was in Seattle last week for an official visit.

She told the Northwest Asian Weekly how she is going to achieve her goal.

Born in Oklahoma, Jia, who just turned 18, wants to be a news anchor for a national network. If she succeeds, Jia could be only

the second Asian American to anchor a major newscast. In 1993, Connie Chung was the first and only Asian American co-anchor for two years at CBS News, with a $6 million contract.

With the help of her school counselor, she found Barnard College (BC) in her research. Being one of the top liberal arts colleges affiliated with Columbia University in New York, BC would be the best to help her reach her dream, Jia said. Columbia is highly ranked in communications and has trained many outstanding journalists. “I can take classes from Columbia,” she said. Not to mention the fact that she gets to live in New York and experience both a small and big university simultaneously.

What about getting a BC scholarship?

Would she write a letter asking them to reconsider? Would she ask Miss America’s Teen president to write a letter on her behalf? Would she ask her high school principal to call on her behalf?

Jia chose none of the above.

“I am going to meet with the president of Barnard College in March,” Jia replied.

“And the president has agreed to meet with you?” the Asian Weekly asked.

“Yes,” she said. Meeting face to face with the president is an advantage — her ability to convince and impress is immense. She is confident, poised, and goal-oriented.

Jia has earned $30,500 in scholarship money from Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. In addition, she has earned more cash as Miss Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teen.

What if the BC president says no?

Jia didn’t answer the question. But her mother Mary wrote in an email, “How many other teens do you know who get to travel the country, improving their communication skills, becoming a leader, and pursuing a higher education? All skills she needs as she pursues a successful career. It is entirely up to the school to find value in encouraging these high caliber young women to further their education with their scholarship offerings. I’m proud that Nicole is determined to work hard and earn her way through college.”

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Jia visited the Northwest Asian Weekly office on March 3.

Jia on stage, moments after being crowned.

When asked about her romantic life, Hia said, “No boyfriend. I am too busy.

Wait till college. I’ve got to focus.”

Her platform for Miss America Teen is kindness. She remembered being bullied when she was a freshman in a new high school. Teenage girls spend as much as five hours to look good for a selfie, according to a study. “Why can’t we be kind to others, which doesn’t take much time?” she said.

Unlike the Miss America pageant, Jia is quick to emphasize that the Miss America’s Teen is not a beauty pageant, but a scholarship contest. It has an “active wear” contest, but no swimwear. All 50 contestants receive a financial scholarship. Jia’s talent at the pageant was performing the piano.

She combined different classical pieces together to reveal drama and her skill.

She also sings. She requested her parents to send her to voice lessons. In school, Jia also does track. see JIA on 16

YOUR VOICE

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

asianweekly northwest

11

OPINION

■ LETTERS

Open letter to Mayor Murray and the City Council

Dear Central Washington University Theatre Department,

The Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA) is very disappointed with the City of Seattle’s lack of communication regarding the Navigation Center. As a leading organization representing the best interest of the Chinatown-International District neighborhood, the CIDBIA should have been informed by the City prior to the decision to place the Navigation Center in the Little Saigon neighborhood, especially since the City has been considering this concept for an extended period.

This project’s location was not disclosed in a timely manner, and there was a significant lack of communication by the City. It is deeply concerning that this represents yet another missed opportunity for the City to engage the ChinatownInternational District residents, businesses, and stakeholders.

As the Navigation Center is a new model that the City is trying out, it is crucial that community organizations, businesses, and residents of C-ID are not only notified, but brought to the decision-making table when changes to our neighborhood take place, prior to a final result.

This neighborhood is home to a large population of immigrant and minority community members and small familyowned businesses, who have contributed decades of hard work to improve the district and give Seattle the unique culture it enjoys. The neighborhood has not always had the support it deserves and in maintaining a thriving, safe, and vibrant area. It is crucial that representatives of this community are engaged in decisions like these as we continually work, in conjunction with the City, at maintaining public safety and improving the livability of the neighborhood.

It is not so much the fact that the Navigation Center will be in our neighborhood that is infuriating, rather it is the lack of communication regarding this decision

In this current cultural and political climate, it is incredibly important to cultivate an inclusive and diverse environment.

Central Washington University (CWU)’s theatre department claims to publicly support inclusivity and diversity. However, the theatre department’s actions still align with the same racist figures they try to separate from. Historically, Western theatre and film profit from the whitewashing of their creative casts, as well as the portrayal of racial stereotypes onstage and onscreen. On Jan. 19, CWU’s theatre department took part in the Ghost Light Project, a national initiative where theatre spaces across the country were promised to be places of diversity and inclusivity.

Although the theatre department took this initial step to be an ally in our racially tense environment, the department is failing to commit themselves to the pledge.

Monkey: His Magic Journey to the West, CWU’s current mainstage production, is the result of a desire to produce a show of non-Western origin. However, the adaptation they chose to produce was the translated work of Bryan Nason, an Australian playwright. The theatre department does not have enough students with cultural ties to Asia who may be able to represent the Chinese figures who appear in Nason’s adapted folklore. This led director George Bellah III to cast white actors as Chinese characters.

Theatre is an intentional art form. Every aspect of the project is discussed and decided. From the actors, costumes, set, and lights, designers had to come together and deliberate how the production will be presented to an audience. Choices, like the use of a Mandarin accent and the act of bowing, had to be approved by the production’s director. Voicing the intention to be as authentic and culturally sensitive can only do so much when multicultural bodies are being represented through white bodies. It is hard to believe that there have not been any talks about racism within the show. The depiction of the real Chinese characters within this production is also intentional. If there hasn’t been a discussion about this issue, that is an act of gross negligence. Monkey: His Magic Journey to the West is only one instance of the theatre department’s continual whitewashing. Why weren’t there more efforts made to contact the Asian community at CWU if they wanted to be more culturally sensitive? The Observer, the university’s school newspaper, wrote that the cast and crew of Monkey were aware of the lack of representation onstage and that the creative team were making an effort to be more sensitive. As a precaution, the production’s director talked about having a diversity specialist assess the show for cultural accuracy. However, according to cast sources, there was no indication that any diversity specialist consulted with any member of the creative team. It is important to note that the impact of the message depicted in this production does not in any way affect the cast or crew, but it does have real consequences for those in Asian communities.

Bellah claims to be an Asian scholar, but a quick search for scholarly articles penned

by Bellah comes up empty. Bellah is a specialist in Japanese theatre. Conventions of Japanese theatre differ greatly from those of Chinese theatre. He has intentionally chosen to stage a Chinese folktale that has been filtered through Nason’s white-centric, Western lens. Bellah, as a white male director, perpetuates a Eurocentric narrative of Chinese culture by casting white actors in ethnic roles.

Intentions of authenticity may be challenged when it is recognized that actors are dressed in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese robes, with little distinction between each style. Monkey: Journey to the West is yet another example of white people profiting from the depiction of racial minorities on stage. This issue highlights the problematic culture within CWU’s theatre department, which has made little effort to cast people of color as actors or directors in major productions. The CWU theatre department’s superficial attempts to be inclusive and diverse is a performance that lacks true engagement with those who they claim to support. They proclaim themselves allies, but refuse to encourage and cultivate necessary changes.

In the future, if CWU attempts to mount another production that features any marginalized communities, I would like the theatre department to look to organizations on campus for guidance. I would encourage the theatre department to collaborate with these organizations both onstage and off. The department should not wait for the marginalized to come to them.

Rather, they should make the effort to be respectful of the stories attempt to stage by making a proactive effort to show the marginalized that their stories are held in high regard. I also strongly encourage the department to diversify their own student bodies, so that they can sustain a production like Monkey: Journey to the West with the appropriate members of their respected communities. Although it may be difficult to comprehend, some stories are not meant to be told by those who are not a part of the community. Minority voices matter.

I hope that these concerns are taken into consideration when future productions are mounted at CWU’s Ellensburg campus. ■ Sincerely, — Hikaru Addison

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Open letter to Central Washington University

and the lack of coordination and outreach to our residents, schools, community organizations, and businesses.

This neighborhood is a compassionate and hardworking immigrant community that cares deeply about the homelessness crisis in our city, about our neighbors who deserve resources and access to housing options. Other neighborhoods in our city do not bear the same heavy burden that the Chinatown-International District neighborhood has faced for decades, and we would like the City to consider the impacts of decisions about our neighborhood fabric when the community is not engaged.

Our community has questions regarding what other neighborhoods in Seattle were considered for the site and how Little Saigon was chosen out of other options, what criteria were used, and how the conclusion was reached. Also, was the Racial Equity Toolkit used in determining this site location and how was it applied?

We request the City make an immediate effort to actively engage in a dialogue and provide answers to these and additional questions from our community.

We look forward to a more productive discussion. ■ Executive Director, — Jessa Timmer Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area

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asianweekly northwest

12

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

SMOG from 4 since 2013.

Yet the city’s average reading of the tiny particulate matter PM2.5 — considered a good gauge of air pollution — is still seven times what the World Health Organization considers safe.

“We are the victims of smog and we are entitled to ask for an apology and compensation from the government,” said Yu Wensheng, 50, from Beijing, another one of the lawyers.

The suits, which accuse authorities of failing to deal effectively with the smog, are important to show that the government is not above the law, said Yu. “If the government is not restricted by law, then what else can restrict it?” said Yu, who has spent time in detention accused of supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2014 and for speaking up in support of detained rights lawyers.

Along with Beijing, the group has attempted to sue the neighboring province of Hebei and the port city of Tianjin. The region generally suffers the worst pollution in China and forms a front line in the central government’s battle against the scourge.

The lawyers say their cases are more about drawing attention to government inaction rather than winning a settlement.

China is grappling with serious pollution resulting from three decades of breakneck growth that vastly improved living standards for many, but took a disastrous toll on the environment.

As people became more aware of the health issues associated with smog, the declaration of a “war on pollution” at the National People’s Congress in 2014 resulted in measures to reduce pollutants in the air, including capping coal consumption. However, a particularly heavy bout of smog at the beginning of this year still triggered pollution “red alerts” in more than 20 cities.

Beijing plans to spend $2.7 billion on fighting air pollution this year, part of which would be used to close or upgrade more than 3,000 polluting factories, replace the use of coal with clean energy on the outskirts of the city and phase out 300,000 high-polluting older vehicles, according to the city’s acting mayor, Cai Qi. Despite efforts to enlist the public in the antipollution struggle, China’s authoritarian Communist government heavily discourages protests and other

forms of independent action, and at least one of the initial five lawyers in the case appears to have withdrawn his lawsuit under pressure from local authorities.

The Beijing press office said the government hadn’t received any notices about the lawsuits and was unable to comment. The governments of Hebei and Tianjin didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has been sending out inspection teams to check on how well local governments are implementing smog control measures. Last week, it announced that the lists of companies that have to halt production during periods of heavy pollution drawn up by three lower-level governments under Beijing and Hebei included companies that were already no longer operating.

A Beijing court has already twice rejected attempts by the lawyers to file cases, while a court in Hebei province’s capital, Shijiazhuang, has yet to respond to a case filed more than two months ago.

Similar attempts to file suits in previous years have also been derailed, and while a change in the law has allowed some environmental NGOs to bring cases against polluters since 2015, they are discouraged to do so by the high costs of investigating and proving environmental damage, and potential threats and harassment from those they’re suing.

Wang Canfa, the director of a center that helps people bring lawsuits relating to pollution, said it would be difficult for the plaintiffs to establish a link between the governments’ actions and the harm they have suffered.

“In this circumstance, the governments are not the ones that inflict harm, rather it is the companies that discharge emissions, and individuals who drive cars, who are the polluters,” said Wang, who teaches at the China University of Political Science and Law. Still, the lawyers appear to feel it’s worth the risks and frustrations to make their point.

Another of them, Lu Tingge, who filed the Hebei case, said his mother suffers respiratory illnesses and the pollution makes it difficult for her to breathe.

He’s asking for $1.50 in compensation for masks, $730 for “spiritual damage” and an official apology for the harm to his life and work.

“I know my chances of winning are small,” said Lu, 47. “But I just want to make people understand that the government bears the main responsibility for dealing with smog and air pollution.” ■

35 YEARS BUFFET from 6 did not know how it happened and regrets that it occurred. He said the juice was poured into disposable cups from a half-gallon bottle bought at a local grocery store.

The apple juice was recovered and was being tested.

A state Agriculture Department inspector sent to the restaurant on March 6 found no imminent risk to public health and safety, and the restaurant remained open, agency spokeswoman Shannon Powers said. She said the department was performing chemical tests as part of a multi-agency investigation.

Weaver said the county COINS from 6 a lifespan of around 80 years, said Roongroje Thanawongnuwech, dean of Chulalongkorn University’s veterinary faculty. It is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The loose change eventually formed a heavy ball in her stomach weighing 11 pounds. The weight cracked the turtle’s ventral shell, causing a life-threatening infection.

Five surgeons from Chulalongkorn University’s veterinary faculty patiently removed the coins over four hours while “Bank’’ was under general anesthesia. The stash was too big to take out through the 4-inch incision they had made, so it had to be removed a few coins at a time. Many of them had corroded or partially dissolved.

“The result is satisfactory. Now it’s up to Bank how much she can recover,’’ said Pasakorn Briksawan, one of the surgical team. While recovering in Chulalongkorn Univer-

prosecutor’s office and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also are investigating. Authorities were obtaining translators to interview restaurant employees who spoke only Spanish or Chinese.

It’s “too early to tell” if foul play was involved, Weaver said.

The 10-year-old boy’s father, Richard Zaragoza Sr., told LNP news in Lancaster they were at the restaurant to celebrate a birthday when the children became sick.

“I had to try to talk to him last night through his fingers,” Zaragoza told LNP. “I told him I loved him ... and he squeezed my hand twice, so he was responsive.” ■

sity’s animal hospital, the turtle will be on a liquid diet for the next two weeks.

Bank was brought in to veterinarians by the navy, which found her ailing in her seaside hometown.

It was only after a detailed 3D scan that veterinarians pinpointed the weighty and unexpected problem. As well as the coins they also found 2 fish hooks, which were also removed.

The surgery team leader said that when she discovered the cause of the turtle’s agony she was furious.

“I felt angry that humans, whether or not they meant to do it or if they did it without thinking, had caused harm to this turtle,’’ said Nantarika Chansue, head of Chulalongkorn University’s veterinary medical aquatic animal research center.

Thai media began publicizing the turtle’s tale last month after she was found, and in response, some 15,000 baht ($428) in donations was raised from the public to pay for her surgery. ■

KING COUNTY REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION ADVERTISEMENT King County is requesting Statements of Qualifications from qualified firms interested in providing engineering, landscape architecture, environmental and permitting services, public outreach, bidding services, services during construction and related services.

The Request for Qualifications, all addenda and current document holder’s list are available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement.

The County will not mail, ship or fax RFQs and addenda.

Interested firms must register with the County at time of download and ensure that a valid contact email address is given. Notification of addenda will be sent to the registered email address.

Failure to register will result in the Proposer not being notified of any addenda, which may result in rejection of the Statement of Qualification.

The estimated price of Phase I of this contract is $3,600,000. The total estimated price of all phases is $6,000,000. The period of performance for Phase I is estimated to be 30 months. The period of performance of all phases is estimated to be 76 months.

Contract Title: Eastside Rail Corridor Wilburton Segment Design Number: E00477E17 SOQs due: March 30, 2017 Time: 12:00 p.m. (no later than) Pre-SOQ Meeting: March 16, 2017 Time: 9:00 a.m.

Location: 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 (Room 124) SUMMARY OF WORK: This work may be funded, in part, by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and applicable federal requirements apply. Estimated start date of project is July 2017. Estimated completion date of project is December 2023. There is a 19% minimum requirement for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms on this contract.

SUBCONSULTANT OPPORTUNITIES: Provided for informational purposes only, following are subconsulting opportunities that may be available on this Contract: Structural Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Geotechnical Engineering, Public Outreach, Environmental, Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation, Stormwater Design, and Surveying.

TITLE VI COMPLIANCE: King County in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all proposers that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will

be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin or sex in consideration for an award. Consultants are advised that federally funded projects will be held to Federal EEO requirements. Consultants will be held to King County’s ADA and Civil Rights provisions.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): King County in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities.

QUESTIONS: Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to Esther Decker, Contract Specialist via email at esther. decker@kingcounty.gov or via telephone at 206-263-9323. Alternate Contract Specialist is Ruth Williamson, available via email at ruth. williamson@kingcounty.gov or via telephone at 206-263-9333. TTY Relay: 711. The Proposer may be requested to submit the question in writing. No verbal answers by County personnel will be binding on the County.

Dates of publication in the Seattle Times: March 6, 2017 and March 13, 2017.

This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of March 11–March 17, 2017

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — If your goal is to streamline your procedures, then the less complicated option is likely the better one.

Dragon — There are many who are seeking your attention today. Take a moment to figure out the priority and how to respond.

Monkey — Is someone sounding the alarm?

Although it might not be immediately pressing, it is prudent to stay tuned for developments.

Ox — Don’t confuse what you want with what actually is. An objective assessment of the situation will be much more useful.

Snake — With a new perspective, you are seeing things quite differently. Use that information to good use.

Rooster — Just going through the motions isn’t enough. Try to understand why you are there in the first place.

Tiger — No matter what your ambition, it is important to stay disciplined as you make your way through the different levels.

Horse — Instead of spreading yourself too thin, focus your efforts on a select few areas that matter most to you.

Dog — Do you want to slow down the pace for now? Trust your intuition and proceed at the speed that feels right for you.

Rabbit — Has someone surprised you with a random act of kindness? By all means, carry it forward to the next person.

Goat — Combining odds and ends isn’t going to be a neat task. Despite the mess, the results should be well worth it.

Pig — A sudden demand for your services is a boon for your business. Staying informed is crucial to keep up with the increase.

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 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

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

CHIEN from 1

to the way our society is segregated.”

in our land,” and the court’s decision that it was okay for the government to fear “an Oriental invasion.”

Chien has pursued civil rights since she became a lawyer, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2012. Chien won a Skadden Fellowship that same year for her dedication to a career in public interest work. As a Skadden Fellow, Chien wrote an op-ed in 2013 for The Hill, a newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C. Proposed amendments to a congressional bill excluding immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens, based on their ability to speak English, were “exclusionary, unprecedented, and unnecessary,” Chien wrote.

As a staff attorney with the San Francisco Legal Aid Society’s Employment Law Center, Chien sued the California Department of Corrections (DOC) for refusing to consider an applicant for a job based on a 10-year-old felony. Chien won that case in federal district court. The applicant had used an invalid social security number while undocumented. The DOC’s policy of barring any applicant with a felony from being employed sounded reasonable, but Chien looked at the particular facts of the case and saw the discriminatory impact on Latinos, which “excluded anyone who was once undocumented.” When someone has become a legal U.S. citizen but can’t get a job because they were undocumented at one time, “that hurts the American dream.”

Chien was also involved in the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Abercrombie & Fitch because of their headscarf ban involving two Muslim women.

Hired in August 2015, it’s no surprise Chien landed in the Civil Rights Unit at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. There was only one other person,

The journey to becoming a civil rights warrior

BOST from 5 have been shouted down and booed.

Bost described the town halls as “out of control, which means you don’t actually get to talk to people and listen, and we’re looking for ways to do that.”

In an editorial, the Southern Illinoisan noted that the people of his district want to have their voices heard, and doing it over the phone or the internet just won’t do.

It went on to say, “It is part of his job

Marsha Chien

the head of the group, Colleen Melody, before Chien became the second attorney appointed.

As a civil rights attorney for the state, Chien works on discrimination cases in housing, employment, and public accommodations. She’s excited to work on cases impacting vulnerable people, but her favorite cases aren’t necessarily ones involving “bad actors — that’s like whack-a-mole. Hitting somebody who’s an obvious bad actor is the kind of case that’s easily remedied.”

Chien’s most intellectually stimulating and personally satisfying work involves cases where a deeper look at a seemingly reasonable and neutral policy exposes a discriminatory impact. “I think that gets to the heart of a lot of discrimination that exists today — institutional discrimination.”

Ordinary people may not see policies as discriminatory, but if you think it through, “we may see that certain policies contribute

description to, from time to time, take the heat. A leader should not be reluctant to meet with his constituents personally.”

In 2012, as a state representative, Bost screamed profanities and referenced the Bible during a tirade directed at powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. The outburst, which created an internet stir, came as House members prepared to vote on a contentious pension bill without a chance for debate or amendment. ■

Before becoming an attorney, Chien joined the Peace Corps after graduating from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with a degree in economics.

Chien went to a Mayan village, Chirrepec, in Guatemala, where she helped a tea cooperative with agricultural marketing and business development.

Chien got the tea cooperative up and running, arranged agricultural tours, and educated women who weren’t able to participate. To the community’s surprise, the fermenting, drying, and packaging machinery were donated by Taiwan, because Guatemala was one of the few countries that recognized Taiwan as a representative of China.

During her stay in Guatemala, Chien learned Spanish and Q’eqchi’ (Kekchi).

The Mayan community’s extreme poverty became a bit “normalized,” after living there for two years, and “became a way for me to respect their lives, regardless of their poverty.”

After the Peace Corps, Chien wanted to practice international human rights law abroad. She spent a summer working at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and found she didn’t like it as much as U.S. law. She began focusing on human rights law in America.

Chien is from Virginia and found it “refreshing” to see politically active Asian American communities in California and Washington state. Because of her prior civil rights work in Spanish-speaking communities, Chien is not as familiar with Chinese American or other Asian American issues, and doesn’t see as many civil rights complaints from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, compared to other communities. Chien

wants to strengthen the partnership with the API community, has attended Asian Pacific Islander Coalition meetings, and feels she’s filling a needed role.

Committed to civil rights advocacy

Although the state won its lawsuit against Trump to stop the travel ban, fear of traveling remains for many. The Attorney General’s Office spoke with numerous people affected by the prohibition, and not all of them were from the seven affected countries. People from India and Pakistan were also afraid to travel and canceled trips given the uncertainty of the ban and the fear of being targeted.

There’s a tremendous amount of discretion left to individual officers or agents in how they treat selected travelers.

Despite the temporary restraining order, it’s difficult, said Chien, to track whether everyone is following the court’s order.

Some officers and agents feel somewhat emboldened to do what they view is right, or what they think the current administration thinks is right. When people operate out of fear, said Chien, “individual discretion is all over the page.”

Some polls show most Americans support a travel ban. It was difficult for Chien to hear her friends supported a travel ban, too.

Chien chocks that up to fear. When you’re fearful, said Chien, “there’s no end to what you might do.” People are operating out of fear, and I get it.” Chien understands fear drives people to lash out or act in ways that are not rational.

Chien is seemingly unwavering in her commitment to civil rights for all. She’s unsure she could even be a lawyer if she weren’t advocating for civil rights. “I’d probably find some other profession.” ■ Arlene can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

LIOU from 5 ago of how many nail-salon workers were dealing with cancer, headaches, miscarriages and other health problems.

Since then, the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative that Liou co-founded has spearheaded a California effort to reduce the toxicants that salon workers touch and breathe.

Cities and counties taking part in the program certify salon owners who voluntarily ban suspect ingredients and nail products and who provide proper ventilation, gloves and masks for workers.

Last year, California lawmakers passed legislation supporting the certification program. The health complaints voiced by the country’s more than 400,000 nail-salon workers, mostly immigrants from Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and other Asian countries and many with limited English or political experience, have gotten more attention over the last decade.

One morning this winter, TV crews, state and federal

35 YEARS

officials, and salon workers crowded inside a storefront nail salon in the San Francisco suburb of Alameda. The gathering celebrated the salon as one of the newest of 143 in the Bay Area and the Southern California city of Santa Monica to win local government certification as a healthy salon.

On the sidewalk outside, the owner of another salon, Van Nguyen, stood and cried. In support of the program, Nguyen had told California policymakers of miscarriages she suffered and the debilitating skin ailments that plagued a son she carried to full term. “I had misfortune, but I did the best I can,” Nguyen said. “I don’t want anyone else to suffer like me.”

Beauty product trade groups and chemical makers deny the ingredients targeted by healthy-salon programs, including formaldehyde and other chemicals known or believed to cause cancer or other harm, are dangerous at the levels used in products.

Regardless, leading manufacturers already have removed many chemicals most cited by critics, said Lisa Powers, spokeswoman for the Personal Care Products Council.

Critics counter that the country’s scientific and medical communities have failed to study any long-term threat from the industrial compounds that salon workers may work with daily for years.

California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control opened hearings this month to examine the safety of some of the most frequently questioned ingredients in nail polishes and other products. Karl Palmer, chief of the department’s branch for safer consumer products, said the hearings could lead to recommendations for safer alternatives or other state action.

The EPA awarded the California program a $120,000 grant in part because it believes the model could expand nationally, said Matthew Tejada, director of the agency’s office of environmental justice.

The involvement of salon-workers was critical to their success, he said.

“They’re not looking to just make a policy critique on some intangible, philosophical point,” Tejada said. “They’re trying to make their lives better.” ■

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

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“Since I can’t attend all the API events or meetings, I love staying involved vicariously through the NWAW coverage. The recognition features of the API community is wonderful, as were the years (and decades) of women’s luncheons. Having grown up in a very homogeneous community of Gate and Centralia, Washington, NWAW supplemented my education of API issues and diverse people of the Puget Sound area.”

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— Michael Itti, Executive Director, Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

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said in an email, adding that residents in the city of about 125,000 should “be vigilant” but also not let the shooting hurt their quality of life.

The FBI’s Seattle office said in a statement that it is “committed to investigating crimes that are potentially hate-motivated.”

The shooting comes after an Indian man was killed and another wounded in a recent shooting at a Kansas bar that federal agencies are investigating as a hate crime after witnesses say the suspect yelled “get out of my country.”

Last Friday night’s shooting was on the minds of many who gathered at a Sikh Temple in nearby Renton on Sunday morning for worship. Women in colorful saris and headscarves and men wearing turbans sat on the floor on opposite sides inside the worship space.

As they entered and left the services, many expressed fear that one of their own was targeted and said they’re scared to go to the store or other public places. Some said they have noticed an uptick in name-calling and other racist incidents in recent months. Still others expressed hurt and disbelief at the lack of understanding and ignorance.

“Sikhism teaches about equality and peace,” said Sandeep Singh, 24. “It’s sad to see that’s what it has come to,” he said of the violence. “This is our country. This is everyone’s country.”

Gurjot Singh, 39, who served in the Marine Corps and is an Iraq war veteran, said he was dismayed that people think others who look different aren’t equal or don’t contribute equally to the community.

“This is equally my country as it is your country,” he said. “It doesn’t anger me. It hurts me.”

Hira Singh, a Sikh community leader, said there have been increasing complaints recently from Sikhs near Seattle who say they have been the target of foul language or other comments.

“This kind of incident shakes up the whole community,” he said, adding that about 50,000 members of the faith live in Washington state.

Kent Councilwoman Brenda Fincher went to the temple to show support for the community. “When a hate crime happens, we have to stand up and make sure everyone knows it’s not acceptable,” she said.

FUJIMOTO from 4 It’s rare to find a Japanese business openly operating in North Korea, because of strained relations between the two countries.

But Fujimoto is a special case. He worked for Kim Jong Il for many years. After Kim’s death, Fujimoto reappeared in Pyongyang meeting with the new leader in images he shared with Japanese media.

Fujimoto’s new restaurant in Pyongyang bears the name “Takahashi” outside its door. The main room with a sushi counter is very

Screenshot from ABC News’ video

SIKHS from 1

Kent police have not identified the man or released other information. But India’s foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, identified the victim on Twitter early on Sunday, saying, “I am sorry to know about the attack on Deep Rai, a U.S. national of Indian origin.”

She said she had spoken to Rai’s father, who told her Rai is out of danger and recovering in a hospital.

Rai told police a man he didn’t know came up to him Friday night and they got into an argument, with the suspect telling Rai to go back to his homeland. He described the shooter as 6 feet tall and white with a stocky build, police said. He said the man was wearing a mask covering the lower half of his face.

“All of the information that I have available at this time suggests that the information provided by the victim is credible,” Thomas, the police chief, wrote.

Sikhs have previously been the target of assaults in the U.S. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the backlash that hit Muslims around the country expanded to include those of the Sikh faith. Men often cover their heads with turbans, which are considered sacred, and refrain from shaving

small, with just a handful of seats.

Raw fish dishes sushi and sashimi have been available in Pyongyang for many years, but usually the fish is frozen before it comes to the table, so the customer can chose either to crunch it frozen, or wait until it defrosts and loses its texture. Neither option meets the usual standards.

According to the latest images, the food at Fujimoto’s is much better.

But prices are high by Pyongyang standards, starting at $50 for a sushi set, and running to more than $100.

There are also cheaper options available from the noodle restaurant

that operates together with Fujimoto’s sushi room.

“I think everyone in the world is aware that North Korea has its challenges and economic difficulties,” Spavor said.

“That being said, there are many Koreans in Pyongyang who are able to afford these kind of high-end restaurants,” he said. “And keep in mind also that Pyongyang has a lot of foreign diplomats, U.N. workers, businessmen from China and other countries who can also dine at this restaurant.” ■

their beards.

In 2012, a man shot and killed six Sikh worshippers and wounded four others at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee before killing himself.

The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights group, on Sunday said everything must be done “to confront this growing epidemic of hate violence.”

“We are all accountable for what happened,” Jasmit Singh, a Seattle-area community leader, said in a statement.

Raj Singh Ajmani, who lives in Bellevue, said he was shocked by the shooting.

“When it happens in your own community, you realize the danger and the times we’re living in,” he said before heading to service. “Some people worry that more such violence will occur because of President Trump.” ■ A Community Unity Rally has been planned for Sat., Mar. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kent Lutheran Church. This rally replaces the two separate rallies in Kent that had previously been planned.

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

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MARCH 11 – MARCH 17, 2017

LITTLE SAIGON from 1

Tam Nguyen (left), owner of Tamarind Tree and Long Provincial Vietnamese restaurants, said that in community engagement, the city needs to realize that most Little Saigon community members are also small business owners working long hours to make ends meet, therefore the City needs to arrange meetings around working hours, which, Nguyen asserts, has not been done consistently in the past. Nguyen also said, “You all know there are impacts on any project. Those impacts need to be studied and looked at closely.” (Ali Lee is shown right of Nguyen.)

Yenvy Pham, Pho Bac coowner, said, “We suffer from two different police precincts in in our neighbor (East and West), and we’re under three different review boards in a six block radius. How can we get anything pushed forward without policy changes and being under one review board? ... We have two councilmembers (Bruce Harrell and Kshama Sawant) for a six-block radius. It’s ridiculous.”

Leeching Tran (left, gray scarf), vice president of Viet-Wah Group, talked about what she’d like community outreach to look like. “[It’s] someone going door to door to all of these business. It’s providing materials in-language. It’s, like we’ve mentioned, having community meetings at different times of day. It’s not just — we’ve heard of outreach before where it’s just [people] handing out flyers. We’d like actual engagement.”

The City’s planning, land use, and zoning committee chair, Councilmember Rob Johnson said, “What I’ve been trying to do is reach out to well-to-do landlords in the city to talk about how we can [convert and] create many shell sites [for individuals transitioning out of homelessness] across the city so that it’s not disparately impacting one community. One thing we know … is that we need to be sharing the benefits and the cost all throughout the city. … I’ve made a lot of phone calls. Not surprisingly, I’m spending a lot of time just educating folks on the model.”

Lam Seafood owner, The Le (left, standing), said, “It seems like this Navigation Center was selected and snuck in. We found about it only after months of planning [by the City]. It’s not that we don’t support the Mayor’s efforts [in combating homelessness], it’s that we weren’t told.”

Responding to a question about whether individuals going through the Navigation Center will end up cycling back on the streets due to lack of housing, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw said, “I can’t tell you where the units are [yet]. But the city has committed and budgeted for 500 units for families.” Bagshaw also mentioned that other plans are going to be in place, including contracting with landlords and offering to subsidize housing. Bagshaw also stated she is a fan of the small village concept.

Patty Fong expressed skepticism over whether a navigation center model is the best way to treat homeless individuals with substance addiction. “We [actually] need a mental health hospital in Seattle,” said Fong, who works in health care. She added, “We (Seattle) can afford a top-notch mental health hospital.

The International District is not the site for a social experiment for getting people off the street who are opiate-addicted.”

Gonzalez (top, left) acknowledged that the engagement from the City with Little Saigon has been poor. “Although I wasn’t responsible for setting up the process, I apologized on behalf of the City for the fact that you weren’t engaged in a way that wasn’t disrespectful. This isn’t the first time that this has happened to this community. … So you’re right to be angry, because of the history of lack of engagement. So I apologize for that.”

She added, “I know you all care about these issues, because that’s what compassionate people do — they care. I think the unfortunate way this was approached was that it sends the message that we don’t really believe you have compassion. … but [moving forward] we need to be partners. There are public safety concerns that we (the City) have to acknowledge exist. …”

Fong’s tone became heated as she spoke.

Bagshaw then asked Fong to not be angry because Bagshaw was trying to listen. Quynh Pham, board chair of Friends of Little Saigon, then said to Bagshaw, “We’re here today because we’re beyond the point of being angry. I hope you’re open to us being upset, because that’s really why we are here. I feel disrespected for Patty, for you to say, ‘Don’t be angry’ and ‘Don’t speak your mind, because I’m trying to speak over you.’ … That’s something we continue to experience speaking with City Council and the Mayor’s office.”

Bagshaw apologized to Fong after that.

PHOTOS BY STACY NGUYEN/NWAW

“What I believe is that the only way we can solve the problem is to bring your voices, your thoughts, your ideas to the table, and what you want in your neighborhood,” said Bagshaw. “Even though there are commonalities, there are still distinctions. You’ve got a very inportant neighborhood, and I want to see it highlighted. And I wish I were your councilmember.”

Bagshaw represents nearby district 7, which covers Queen Anne, Magnolia, Uptown, Belltown, Downtown, South Lake Union, and Pioneer Square.

JIA from 10

From left: Miss Seattle’s Teen, Miss Washington’s Teen, and Miss America’s Teen Nicole Jia.

Nicole Jia in front of the NWAW office.

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

Jia’s parents are originally from Beijing, China — dad is a medical doctor and her mother is a nuclear physicist. She has an older brother. Presently, her mother is her manager who coordinates Jia’s schedule, flights, and wardrobe.

Jia is still finishing high school and flies out on weekends for her official duty and also catching up on her homework during her flight. By the end of her term in August, she would have flown over 70,000 miles, visiting multiple states around the country. On Feb. 25, Jia participated in the Miss Pierce County pageant in Tacoma and the Hong Kong Club’s gala at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel.

Watch out, Connie Chung! ■

From left: Michele Grzegorczyk and Nicole Jia ordered to-go lunches at the NWAW office.