VOL 41 NO 33 | AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

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VOL 41 NO 33 AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

Jasmine development clears hurdle

Image by Otak

NHS England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network

UW Medicine infectious diseases physician monkeypox overview

FREE 40 YEARS YOUR VOICE

Revamped design of Jasmine featuring a moon gate, a circular opening.

By Mahlon Meyer NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Paving the way for the construction of a 17-story apartment building on the site of the former Bush Gardens, the International Special Review

Examples of Monkeypox rashes

As of Aug. 8, 155 local cases of monkeypox have been reported by Public Health – Seattle & King County, with the number of cases doubling approximately every week during the current outbreak.

Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy

Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, a professor of medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine, says people who believe they’ve been exposed to, or have symptoms of monkeypox should contact their healthcare provider immediately for an evaluation.

“If there is a concern or a need for treatment, we do have options for referrals for treatment,” said Dhanireddy.

“Call your provider, message your clinic, let them know you’re concerned about monkeypox so that they can let you know about the proper precautions to take before

■

coming into the clinic.”

When asked how the current monkeypox outbreak compares to the surges of COVID-19, Dhanireddy said there are some key, important differences.

“COVID is highly transmissible in a way that monkeypox is not. And not to say that monkeypox isn’t transmissible—the type of contact and the type of exposure is quite different. For COVID, you go to a public event, chatting at a restaurant, eating at a restaurant—those are exposures. That’s not the type of exposure we’re talking about here with monkeypox, we’re talking about much more intimate exposures, definitive contact exposures. So, it’s very different.”

Results for monkeypox tests performed at UW Medicine are typically available within 24 hours.

District (ISRD) board on Aug. 9 said it had enough information to both support demolition of the old structure and come to a decision about the design of the new building.

Fight Asian Hate rally SAN FRANCISCO — More than 100 people attended a rally in San Francisco’s Washington Square Park on Aug. 7 to raise awareness and demand change.

Chanting “Fight Asian Hate,” demonstrators marched to Portsmouth Square in Chinatown.

Justin Zhu told KTVU-TV that he decided to help organize the rally in light of recent attacks.

“We called this rally because in the span of a week, two Asian elders in their 70s were brutally attacked, one inside her home in a senior center, another just blocks away from his home,” said Zhu, who helped start Stand With Asian Americans.

Organizers of the rally say they see ASIAN HATE RALLY on 14

THE INSIDE STORY

How is monkeypox transmitted?

Dhanireddy: We think it’s transmitted by close contact, intimate contact—so sexual contact, skin-on-skin contact, kissing, open mouth kissing in particular. So those types of exposures are what we’re seeing when we’ve talked to people who have monkeypox that talk about their risk. see MONKEYPOX on 14

see ISRD on 16

BUSINESS Demand and enthusiasm for Asian fruits and vegetables grows  9

AT THE MOVIES Easter Sunday & Bullet Train  8&9

PUBLISHER’S BLOG Cultural differences cause U.S.-China-Taiwan conflicts  10

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

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40 YEARS

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Bamboo Circle celebration

LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) rival.

Okumoto will be returning to that role in season 5 of Cobra Kai, premiering Sept. 9 on Netflix. 

Photo by Kai Curry

Yang elected president of film academy

From left: Seattle Deputy Mayor Greg Wong, former Seattle Deputy Mayor Bill Stafford, and Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell.

Seattle Chinese Garden held its annual Bamboo Circle celebration on Aug. 4 to thank supporters and raise funds for its upcoming teahouse, as well as for ongoing projects and garden maintenance.

Guests included Seattle Deputy Mayors Monisha Harrell and Greg Wong.

A reception was held at the Garden’s courtyard, followed by a dinner buffet and a program with entertainment. 

Okumoto first pitch

Photo by Jerry Lee

Actor Yuji Okumoto threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Aug. 8 at the San Diego Padres game against the Giants on Japanese Heritage Celebration night.

Okumoto is best known as Chozen Toguchi in The Karate Kid—who played Daniel Angie & Yuji Okumoto

Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group’s board of governors announced on Aug. 2— making her the first Asian American to lead the film academy.

Yang, the 66-year-old producer of “The Joy Luck Club,” becomes the fourth woman to lead the organization behind the Oscars.

Janet Yang Yang succeeds outgoing president David Rubin, the veteran casting director, who is stepping down after three years due to term limits.

Yang will be tasked with shepherding the academy through continued evolution in the film industry and with stabilizing the Academy Awards, which in recent years have been beset by scandal and declining ratings.

A daughter of Chinese immigrants, Yang has served on the academy’s board of governors since 2019 as one of three governors-at-large who were added following the (hashtag)OscarsSoWhite scandal to help boost inclusion in the film academy. 

Johnson book release

Local business owner Beth Johnson released a book late last month titled, “Lend to Live: Earn Hassle-Free Passive Income in Real Estate with Private Money Lending.”

Co-authored with Alexandria Breshears, the book details how to create financial freedom and passive income in real estate as a private money lender.

Beth Johnson

Johnson, who is Vietnamese American and a 2019 recipient of the Northwest Asian Weekly’s Entrepreneurs Award, is the co-founder of Flynn Family Lending. 

Susan Li named a next CFO of Meta

Susan Li will become CFO of Meta—the parent company of Facebook—on Nov. 1.

Li, 36, has served as the VP of finance at Meta since 2008.

“I joined Meta 14 years ago, back when we were a handful of Facebook employees scattered across a few buildings in downtown Palo Alto,” Li wrote in a July 27 LinkedIn. “I’ve been Susan Li lucky to work at a company that has grown tremendously during my career.”

The average age of a Fortune 500 CFO is 53. However, there’s a portion of finance chiefs who work at some of America’s largest companies that haven’t yet reached age 40.

Li will become the latest addition to the list. 

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

YOUR VOICE

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■ BUSINESS BINW, SBA, and Amazon announce effort to help local small businesses Sponsored content SEATTLE — Business Impact Northwest (BINW), and Amazon are joining forces to help small businesses prosper as they recover from the challenges of COVID-19.

Leveraging SBA, Business Forward's National Small Business Digital Alliance and Amazon's digital business tools, BINW will provide growth-enabled business resources and educational workshops as part of a Small Business Digital Accelerator Program to help advance equitable and inclusive growth in Washington State.

The program will support small businesses and entrepreneurs across Washington who are interested in becoming online sellers or looking to optimize e-commerce. The program is targeting 50 small businesses to participate.

“Small businesses need assistance to recover after the pandemic, and Amazon is happy to provide resources to help them grow,” said Taylor Hoang, head of community engagement, Amazon in Seattle. “We are excited to help Washington entrepreneurs thrive through this partnership.”

“Our mission is to grow businesses that create jobs in underserved communities,” said Joe Sky-Tucker, president and CEO of BINW. “This partnership will help give

and Amazon and other members of the National Small Business Digital Alliance to help businesses succeed, especially after facing the challenges of the pandemic.”

Businesses who have an established product and are ready to engage will get the most out of the training.

Live weekly sessions will be held virtually starting on Aug. 18. A live virtual session recap will be available on Wednesdays starting Aug. 24 from 1011:30 a.m.

Businesses that attend all six weeks of virtual training will be eligible to apply for the Holiday Shopping Opportunities Program.

In partnership with Amazon, BINW will select five to 15 businesses to sell at live pop-up vending events throughout Puget Sound during the 2022 Holiday Shopping Season. In addition to selling products in-person, selected businesses will be promoted through Amazon, BINW, and other partners' digital channels in anticipation of Small Business Saturday. 

business owners a better opportunity to succeed and promote long-term positive economic change in our communities.”

“SBA is committed to supporting

the development and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Mike Fong, Region X SBA administrator.

“We are pleased to work with BINW

■ COMMUNITY NEWS Pink Gorilla struck again Security has been stepped up at a video game store in the Chinatown-International District, after another break-in.

We first reported that Pink Gorilla Games was targeted by a thief who stole several items over a span of three hours on July 5.

On July 21, Pink Gorilla was hit again.

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Owner Cody Spencer posted on Twitter, “I literally haven’t even had time to fix the windows from the last one. Already another break in.”

No details on the extent of the damage or how much was stolen. 

Visit businessimpactnw.org/smallbusiness-digital-accelerator-program to register and learn more.

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AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

40 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS Thao, Keung sentenced for violating Floyd’s right

By AMY FORLITI ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The last two former Minneapolis police officers who were convicted of violating George Floyd’s civil rights during his May 2020 killing were sentenced on July 27 in federal court to three and 3 1/2 years—penalties that a judge said reflected their level of culpability in a case that sparked worldwide protests as part of a reckoning over racial injustice.

J. Alexander Kueng was sentenced to three years and Tao Thao got 3 1/2 years.

They were convicted in February of two counts of violating Floyd’s civil rights. The jury found they deprived the 46-year-old Black man of medical care and failed to stop Derek Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes.

As Chauvin pinned Floyd’s neck, Kueng held Floyd’s back, Officer Thomas Lane held his feet and Thao kept bystanders back during the killing, which was recorded by bystanders.

The federal government brought the civil rights charges against all four officers in May 2021, a month after Chauvin was con-

Tao Thao

J. Alexander Kueng

victed of murder and manslaughter in state court. They were seen as an affirmation of the Justice Department’s priorities to address racial inequities in policing, a promise made by President Joe Biden before his election. And they came just a week after federal prosecutors brought hate crimes charges in the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and announced two sweeping probes into policing in two states.

Kueng and Thao were convicted in February of two counts of violating Floyd’s civil rights. The jury found they deprived

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids/proposals will be received by the King County Procurement and Payables Section through the County’s E-Procurement Supplier Portal system for the following listed contract opportunities.

E-Procurement Resources on how to submit a bid/proposal electronically, view any current bid opportunities, express interest, communicate with the Contract Specialist via Message app, successfully submit a bid/proposal, and more are provided on the County’s website: https://kingcounty.gov/procurement/registration.

King County encourages minority business enterprise participation. King County does not discriminate based on disability in its programs, services, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

KC000661 OPENS: 8/25/2022 ITB – Truck Mounted Crane & Boom Maintenance, Inspections, and Repair Pre-Bid Conference: Monday, August 15th at 11:00 AM via MS Teams Video Conference: kcsc@m.webex.com Video Conference ID: 112 616 574 1 Audio Conference: 425.653.6586 Conference ID: 712 850 280# KC000634 OPENS: 9/23/2022 RFP-Best Starts for Kids Community-Led Data Collection KC000655 OPENS: 8/26/2022 RFP-Juvenile Detention Safety and Security Analysis KC000648 OPENS: 8/25/2022 ITB- Heavy Duty Steel Ballot Drop Boxes

the 46-year-old Black man of medical care and failed to stop Chauvin. The lower sentence for Kueng and Thao raise questions about whether he would consider a plea deal or risk a state court trial on Oct. 24, when they face counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Chauvin, who pleaded guilty last year to violating Floyd’s civil rights and the civil rights of a teenager in an unrelated case, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison. Lane, who twice asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side so he could breathe, was convicted of one count and was sentenced to 2 1/2—a sentence Floyd’s brother Philonise called “insulting.”

Kueng and Thao got a victory when Magnuson issued rulings that affected how their federal sentences would be calculated.

The rulings—particularly one that crossreferences their crimes with involuntary manslaughter instead of murder—meant the men headed into the July 27 hearings with a recommended range of 4 1/4 years to 5 1/4 years. They might have faced a life sentence.

Mark Osler, a professor at the University

of St. Thomas School of Law and former federal prosecutor, said ahead of the hearings that Kueng and Thao would likely seek a plea deal on the state charges that won’t exceed the federal sentence and will let them serve the sentences concurrently.

Kueng and Thao can still appeal their federal convictions. If they plead guilty in state court, any federal appeal would be moot, said Mike Brandt, a criminal defense attorney who has been following the case.

But it’s also hard to win a federal appeal, he said.

“Those are some of the calculations they are going to have to make in terms of, ‘Do I go to trial and risk something worse? Do I think I have a good shot at appeal on the federal case?’” Brandt said.

Lane, who is white, pleaded guilty to a state charge of aiding and abetting seconddegree manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing in that case. He was allowed to remain free on bond after his federal sentencing.

Chauvin, who is white, was sentenced to a 22 1/2-year state sentence in addition to his federal sentence. Those sentences are being served simultaneously. 

YOUR VOICE

■ NATIONAL NEWS

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

asianweekly northwest

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China cuts off vital US contacts over Pelosi Taiwan visit

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, ZEKE MILLER and DAVID RISING ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nancy Pelosi

WASHINGTON (AP) — China cut off contacts with the United States on vital issues on Aug. 5— including military matters and crucial climate cooperation — as concerns rose that the

Communist government’s hostile reaction to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit could signal a lasting, more aggressive approach toward its U.S. rival and the selfruled island.

China’s move to freeze key lines of communication compounded the worsening of relations from Pelosi’s visit and from the Chinese response with military exercises off Taiwan, including firing missiles that splashed down in surrounding waters.

After the White House summoned China’s ambassador, Qin Gang, to protest the military exercises, White House spokesman John Kirby condemned the

decision to end important dialogue with the United States as “irresponsible.”

The White House spokesman blasted China’s “provocative” actions since Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory. But Kirby noted that some channels of communication remain open between military officials in the two countries. He repeated daily assurances that the U.S. had not changed its policy toward the Communist mainland and the self-ruled island.

“Bottom line is we’re going to continue our efforts to keep opening lines of communication that are protecting our

interests and our values,” Kirby said. He declined to speak about any damage to long-term relations between China and the United States, calling that a discussion for later.

Taiwan has put its military on alert and staged civil defense drills, but the overall mood remained calm on Aug. 5.

Flights have been canceled or diverted and fishermen have remained in port to avoid the Chinese drills.

On the Chinese coast across from Taiwan, tourists gathered to try to catch a see PELOSI on 12

■ WORLD NEWS Hiroshima vows nuke ban at 77th memorial amid Russia threat

Friends of Japanese journalist demand his release in Myanmar

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ASSOCIATED PRESS

By YURI KAGEYAMA ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres

TOKYO (AP) — Hiroshima on Aug. 6 remembered the atomic bombing 77 years ago as officials, including the head of the United Nations, warned against nuclear weapons buildup and as fears grow of another such attack amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“Nuclear weapons are nonsense. They guarantee no safety—only death and destruction,“ said U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who joined the prayer at the Hiroshima Peace Park.

“Three quarters of a century later, we must ask what we’ve learned from the mushroom cloud that swelled above this city in 1945,“ he said.

The United States dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroying the city and killing 140,000 people. It dropped a second bomb

three days later on Nagasaki, killing another 70,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and Japan’s nearly half-century of aggression in Asia.

Fears of a third atomic bombing have grown amid Russia’s threats of nuclear attack since its war on Ukraine began in February.

“Crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast” in the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, Guterres said. “We are one mistake, one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from Armageddon.”

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, in his peace declaration, accused Putin of “using his own people as instruments of war and stealing the lives and livelihoods of innocent civilians in another country.“ Russia’s war on Ukraine is helping build support for nuclear deterrence, Matsui said, urging the world not to repeat the mistakes that destroyed his city nearly eight decades ago.

Attendees including government leaders and diplomats observed a moment of silence with the sound of a peace bell at 8:15 a.m., the time when the U.S. B-29 dropped the bomb on the city. About 400 doves, considered symbols of peace, were released.

Guterres met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after the ceremony and raised alarm over the global retreat in nuclear disarmament, stressing the importance for Japan, the world’s only nation to have suffered nuclear attacks, to take leadership in the effort, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Kishida escorted Guterres in the peace museum, where they each folded an origami crane—a symbol of peace and nuclear weapons abolition. see NUCLEAR BAN on 13

Toru Kubota

TOKYO (AP)— Friends of Toru Kubota, a Japanese journalist detained in militaryruled Myanmar while covering a protest, called for his immediate release and an online petition has collected more than 41,000 signatures.

The documentary filmmaker was arrested on July 30 in Yangon by plainclothes security forces while taking photos of about a dozen protesters, according to his supporters and a witness who spoke with The Associated Press.

The Japanese government, which has condemned human rights violations in Myanmar, confirmed a Japanese in his 20s was detained. It says it’s working for his release.

A report by Japanese public broadcaster NHK quoted a spokesman for the military government as confirming Kubota was in custody and under investigation, while saying his release remains uncertain.

Myanmar’s army seized power in February last year by ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, and has cracked down on dissent, killing and arresting thousands of people. Most of the more than 50 journalists detained in Myanmar face charges of causing fear, spreading false news or agitating against a government employee, which carry see KUBOTA on 13

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40 YEARS

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THRU FEB 19, 2023 EXHIBIT, “WE ARE CHANGING THE TIDE: COMMUNITY POWER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE” The Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., Seattle Thu-Sun, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. wingluke.org/we-are-changingthe-tide

AUG 11-13

FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY CONFERENCE In person and virtual Seattle University, 901 12th Ave., Seattle 8-11 a.m.

Register at fanhs-seattle.org/registration

For zoom link, contact rotaryofseattleid@gmail.com

11 a.m.-4 p.m. flsseattle.org

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25, 26

C-ID SUMMER CINEMA RETURNS, MOVIE “BIG HERO 6” Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle Free

CID FOOD WALK Seattle’s C-ID 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sign up for a booth: https://bit.ly/3O1tE4g

KIKI FUNNY MAMA’S NIGHT OUT LIVE IN SEATTLE Asian American female comedians, headlined by Crazy Woke Asians founder, Kiki Yeung perform

JAPANESE AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY Neely Mansion, 12303 SE Auburn-Black Diamond Rd., Auburn 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

18 EUGENIA WOO OF HISTORIC SEATTLE 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

C-ID SUMMER CINEMA RETURNS, MOVIE “VALE NI YALOYALO” Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle Free CID BLOCK PARTY 900 S. King St., Seattle 3-9 p.m. cidbp.com CELEBRATE LITTLE SAIGON 1025 S. King St., Seattle

Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Unexpected Productions 1428 Post Alley, Seattle Aug. 26, 6:45 p.m.

Rendezvous Jewel Box Theater 2505 1st Ave, Seattle Tickets: crazywokeasians.com/ kikifunnymamasnightout.html

27 C-ID SUMMER CINEMA RETURNS, MOVIE “MAIKA: THE GIRL FROM ANOTHER GALAXY” Hing Hay Park Free

28 KIKI FUNNY MAMA’S NIGHT OUT LIVE IN SEATTLE Asian American female comedians, headlined by Crazy Woke Asians founder, Kiki Yeung perform 6 p.m.

The Crocodile, Here-After Comedy Club 2322 2nd Ave, Seattle Tickets: crazywokeasians.com/ kikifunnymamasnightout.html

■ NATIONAL NEWS Cambodian ambassador: Looted artworks are ‘souls’ of culture

By LARRY NEUMEISTER ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ambassador Keo Chhea

NEW YORK (AP) — Cambodia’s ambassador to the United States said that the transfer of 30 antiquities by U.S. law enforcement authorities to his country was a return of the “souls of our culture.”

Ambassador Keo Chhea spoke at a ceremony where a 10th Century sculpture, “Skanda on a Peacock,” was among several works of art serving as a backdrop as U.S. and Cambodian officials

described the impact the return of 30 antiquities would have on the Southeast Asian nation.

“It’s like a returning of the souls of our culture back to our people,” Chhea said. “We’re very grateful.”

Chhea praised the cooperation between the U.S. and Cambodia to enable the return of the antiquities, but he also said they were battling a “global problem” that continues.

He added that “we need to commit and to continue our fight” to prevent further looting and stop the plundering of precious works of art by

tools used by looters, which sometimes results in pieces of sculptures being chopped off.

Some sculptures, including one from the 10th Century depicting the Hindu elephant god Ganesha that weighs more than 3 tons, were too heavy to be brought to the ceremony, according to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who hosted the event.

The sculptures were looted from archeological sites during a long period of civil war and see ARTWORKS on 14

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AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

■ AT THE MOVIES

Jo Koy’s “Easter Sunday”

movie brings Filipino families together

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY In Jo Koy’s “Easter Sunday,” released in theaters Aug. 5, a family gathers to celebrate this most sacred of Catholic holidays. Most of them have been “guilted” into being there by the moms and would “rather be someplace else,” yet are reminded throughout the course of the day how important family is. In fact, it’s divine. Just like the creepy baby Jesus on the mantelpiece.

(Disclaimer: I don’t find the baby Jesus creepy, but it is hilarious how they demonstrate that the statue’s eyes follow you. Koy does an entire bit at the altar during Easter Sunday mass that could be as controversial as Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” video, depending upon your leanings.)

When I was in high school, I spent every weekend at a friend’s house, where her Filipino mom would make a feast of food, regardless of whether it’s for two or 20 people. Every school excursion, we were packing lumpia.

Food plays a big part in any family that gathers to celebrate a holiday, and the spreads that the moms and aunties come up with in “Easter Sunday” are amazing, but enjoying that food is not all warm and fuzzy. It’s also a subject of contention and competition.

Jo Koy plays Joe Valencia (basically himself). His mom, Tita Susan, played

by Lydia Gaston, and her sister, Tita Teresa, played by Tia Carrere, fight constantly over whose recipe was whose or whose empanadas are better.

Their rivalry is so bitter you’d think somebody killed somebody, but no, it’s “just” the food. I had a sense of this one-upmanship amongst the Filipino community when I was in high school.

At kids’ birthday gatherings, the competition was almost palpable.

While the constant in-fighting in

“Easter Sunday” threatens to ruin their holiday, it is also viewed as mostly an acceptable and even endearing part of a “mad complicated Filipino family.” According to Joe’s son Junior’s (Brandon Wardell) new love interest, Tala (Eva Noblezada), they are as “extra” as an order of halo. As in many close families, there’s always something brewing. There’s always at least one kooky uncle—in this case, Arthur (Rodney To), a postman who wears a utility belt of weapons under his suit—and at least one cousin up to no good.

The cousin is Eugene (Eugene Cordero), who owes money to north Cali gangster, “Dev Deluxe” (Asif Ali), for a truck full of luxury goods.

I could have done without the action movie side bit. I get that it took Joe away from the festivities for most of the day, and allowed the family, including Junior, to criticize him even more for being an absent father. Koy plays a comedian hoping to get a TV series, so he’s always on call waiting for the next opportunity. One of the first jokes is when his mom, Teresa, complains, “We are all nurses. There are no clowns.” It’s part of a running joke about the abundance of Filipino nurses in the healthcare community.

As usual, the TV executives want to meet at whatever is the most inconvenient time. And somehow even a car chase ensues, the last thing you would expect from a family holiday movie. The shenanigans also give Tala the opportunity to school Junior—who lives in LA, goes to private school, and carries a fancy “real” camera (not just snapping photos on his iPhone)—on how privileged he is, and how hard his father is working for Junior’s benefit.

I totally got the job part, but the running around trying to foil gangsters’ part is not the usual type of scenario for

most hard-working fathers. I wondered what the movie would have done with itself without this distracting subplot, the coolest parts of which were the street race where Joe kicked butt in a Subaru (the policewoman who catches them, a former girlfriend played by Tiffany Haddish, said she’d expected the car to be driven by “two ladies and a labradoodle”). There is also the Filipino pride involved in a pair of Manny Pacquiao’s boxing gloves (How is the PacMan not the President of the Philippines?).

In general, this is a movie about Filipino pride and the over-long chance for Filipino actors to play their own ethnicity. In an interview sponsored by Gold House, Carrere said with relief that it “feels like I finally can be myself…After 40 years in this business.”

She talked about how when she was on General Hospital, there was an “Asian” cast contingent and “never any differentiation between each Asian background.” To be in “Easter Sunday” and “represent our Asian-ness, our Filipinoness, was not even a thought. Thank you, Jo, for getting us up to bat.”

Another old school actor who has played multiple ethnicities but never Filipino is Lou Diamond Phillips, who shows up as himself in this movie.

“Tia and I have similar experiences. There just weren’t these roles for us…It’s an arrival for the Filipino community,” Phillips said. “As Asians, we finally raised our hand. We’re so used to being so polite and so quiet. But now I think we were in a place…where we can own our own power, we can own our own voice, and we can put it out there…That’s why this film is more important…that’s what makes it a cultural touchstone.”

There’s a running joke in the movie that Filipinos are usually mistaken for Mexicans.

Teresa’s neighbor tells her to watch out what she says in Tagalog because he can understand “40%.” Mistaken identity is painfully funny

when you think about how rare it has been in U.S. cinema history for a Filipino actor to actually play a Filipino, or for us to even know if a celebrity is Filipino at all. Koy’s character encounters a great deal of stereotyping and racism in his struggles to earn a living on the stage and in television. Throughout “Easter Sunday,” he is fighting with his agent and the TV producers to get a job without having to do an accent.

Koy talked to Gold House about how important representation was to him growing up, and how much he cherished the chance to see Carrere or Phillips on the screen. As a kid, he was “just trying to find something that represents me, that looks like me…and every time something kind of looked like it, I was like, ‘That’s a Filipino!’ …It was me being able to hold my flag up, [and say], ‘That’s me on the screen.’”

He also spoke of the experience his mother had when she came to the United States, and how thrilled he is to have had this chance to make “Easter Sunday” with a “dream team” of Filipino actors.

“You never think that something like this is going to happen…My mom, she came in 1969 when there was just no representation, no identity…When my mom looked for other Filipinos, she would literally have to look for other Filipinos. She didn’t go to IG. There was no Facebook…She was just by herself looking for people that looked like her and walking up to them, ‘Filipino?’ ‘Mexican.’ ‘Oh sorry.’

As funny as that is, that was our reality. For her and me to see this happen now? That’s our family. This is our people.”  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

YOUR VOICE

■ AT THE MOVIES

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

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“BULLET TRAIN” is the action movie we’ve been waiting for all year

By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY FYI, there are no staff on Tokyo’s bullet trains. So in case you need to kill, maim, yell really loud, walk around covered in blood, or the like, I highly recommend this as a location. Of course, there is that one conductor (Masi Oka) who always shows up right when you don’t have a ticket. And a single, kawaii server (Karen Fukuhara) who is too polite to say anything when she interrupts your fist fight.

Here we are on the rollicking ride that is “Bullet Train,” the action movie we’ve been waiting for, it seems like forever, that is such a perfect blend of humor, gore, music, and stunts that it makes you forget it’s two hours long. Thank goodness. I almost included “story” in the list, but really, do we care?

It’s convoluted, there are a ton of hitmen, all aimed at each other,

there’s the ultimate baddie, or “Mr. Death” as Brad Pitt’s character, code name “Ladybug,” politely calls him. There’s family drama, a code of thieves, and dead wives of gangsters who never seem to take it into consideration that perhaps their nontraditional jobs are to blame.

Pitt plays “Ladybug,” a semireformed crook who only does nonkilling jobs now (he hates guns), who is seeing a therapist, and who constantly quotes zen-ish platitudes.

Yes, there is enough material there to last an entire movie, or even a series, and it’s 100% enjoyable.

“You see,” Ladybug says as he sits across from a killer, holding only a pretend invisible gun, “There’s a wall between us. But it’s an illusion.

There’s really a window there—a window of opportunity.” Or is it a door? He forgets. I’ve always loved Pitt best in comedic roles, see BULLET TRAIN on 15

Demand and enthusiasm for Asian fruits and vegetables grows

By Rizanino “Riz” Reyes NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The availability of unusual Asian fruits and vegetables has grown considerably over the years and the demand for them appears to be at an all-time high.

All along the West Coast, more and more people are expanding their palettes as uncommon selections are popping up and becoming more accessible due to a growing demand for alternative food options brought upon by an increasing trend towards healthier eating and overall wellness—and for the Asian communities, a renewed enthusiasm to enjoy ingredients and prepare dishes from their homeland as authentic as they can make it.

While most of these increasingly popular items originated and are commercially produced in warmer climates, the heavy demand for local, organically grown fruits and vegetables has boosted interest from local farmers here in Western Washington to grow them during the warmest months.

Tropical fruits have long been limited to a handful of regular favorites, such as bananas, pineapples, and the occasional papaya and mango at your local grocery store. But during the summer months, a diverse range of uncommon fruits can often be spotted.

Three closely related tropical fruits you might encounter and have probably been curious about are members of a very complex plant family that actually includes the Japanese Maple. At an Asian grocery store, you might find clusters of fruits wrapped in a net-like bag. These are usually the tan-colored longan, the golf-ball sized lychee,

Credit: Rizanino “Riz” Reyes

■ BUSINESS

and the bizarrely hairy rambutan.

The luscious lychee is similar in construction, but with a mild flavor Dragon fruit at a local Asian grocery store. reminiscent of a grape with floral notes. It urchins with their exaggerated pubescence are imported appears in the warm summer months often coming in from Central America. The rambutan fruit from Asia during the winter months and outrageously is structured the same way, but with a very distinct skin expensive. Now that they’re being grown in parts of Central with prominent hairs. Once opened, it almost resembles a America, fresher shipments of this intriguing fruit can be roll-on lip-balm. It has a firmer pulp consistency than its found in mid-late summer.

Just a few years ago, jackfruit entered the mainstream, relatives, but a sweet, mild, grape-like flavor with maybe a most likely due to its use as a meat substitute when prepared hint of strawberry and rose.

Almost year round, we can find longan. Coined the name at its unripe stage. Surprising to see unusual fruits such as long-yen in Chinese meaning “dragon’s eye.” The shell-like fresh jackfruit (a close relative to the more well-known, but skin is pierced open revealing a very sweet, translucent very strong-smelling delicacy durian) has sometimes been spotted in Costco. The very sweet pulp is a bit of work to fruit, and a hard black seed.

Speaking of dragons, one of the most intriguing tropical extract and often requires a YouTube tutorial to prepare fruits is the Pitaya, more commonly known as dragon fruit. those who have not taken on what appears to be a surgical Brightly colored, almost neon-pink skin with green/yellow procedure trying to remove the edible portions.

It’s not just the fruits causing the stir, but Asian vegetables “scales,” it is farmed extensively in many tropical regions and has become a popular ingredient in trendy fruit bowls are also becoming plentiful and the vast variety available and energy shakes. There are three main varieties you may can be overwhelming to those not familiar. However, the encounter: two look almost identical on the outside, but one satisfaction of many customers from various cultures is white fleshed while the other a vibrant almost iridescent having access to certain leafy greens is always a sight to pink. A smaller yellow variant is more uncommon and see as it reminds so many people of their homeland. While typically much smaller in size, but has white flesh and the nothing compares to being in the hustle and bustle of an best flavor of all three selections as dragon fruit is typically open market with loud, boisterous vendors promoting their bunches and the many customers haggling for the best mild and almost bland in flavor, according to some.

Rambutan is a staple in tropical regions and beloved price, you can still hear the excitement and the names of by many Asian cultures especially in Vietnam, where it’s dishes they can prepare with them. called “chôm chôm.” Before, a small handful one would see ASIAN FRUITS on 13 encounter at the grocery store looked rotted, dead sea-

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asianweekly northwest

40 YEARS

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

Cultural differences cau

se

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY The confrontation between China and Taiwan was partly due to the recent visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis to Taiwan, which infuriated China.

The messy U.S.-China-Taiwan relationship is my least favorite topic to blog about. The Northwest Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post have remained neutral in their past frictions in our 41 years of publishing.

Our stand is America’s position.

All these years, we have followed America’s one-China policy. China-Taiwan relations is a taboo topic in the Chinese community. No matter which angle I take, I will offend someone. So why do I want to risk it even though it will be an unpopular column?

Only one motivation. This international conflict has presented many lessons which we can emulate to better ourselves in real life.

BEWARE OF DOUBLE STANDARDS

Pelosi hinted her visit to Taiwan caused China’s wrath because she’s a woman.

“They made a big fuss because I’m the speaker, I guess. I don’t know if that was a reason or an excuse.”

She added, “Because they didn’t say anything when the men came.”

Remember the story of the couple that walked into a room and one was a medical doctor. Everyone looked at the man, and thought he was the doctor. It was the woman who was the doctor.

Another time, I was introduced to a protest organizer. I saw a kid and his father standing together. I assumed the father was the organizer, only to be embarrassed that the kid was the brainchild of the protest who invited his schoolmates to join.

Our double standards toward men and women, kids and adults, and all kinds of issues can be fatal when we act on them irrationally without examining our own biases.

PELOSI IS NOT JUST ANOTHER WOMAN For 45 years of Pelosi’s career, she has gone head to head with many powerful men. Most of the time, she

Craighead Photo credit: Shealah

s t c i l f n o c n a w U.S.-China-Tai

with former president use meeting on Syria

White Ho

Trump in Washington,

has emerged as a victor not because she’s a woman, but because she is an experienced warrior. Her fearlessness is unparalleled and inspiring. Just look at the way she stood up to former President Trump.

Fearlessness is her trait. The last thing she would do is to let people see her back down out of fear.

9.

D.C. on October 16, 201

THE RIGHT TO GET ANGRY If Pelosi only visited Taiwan and no other Asian countries, that would be an obvious slap in China’s face, and a direct challenge to China. But Pelosi’s see BLOG on 15

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

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■ WORLD NEWS Construction begins at Fukushima plant for water release

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ASSOCIATED PRESS TOKYO (AP) — The construction of facilities needed for a planned release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea next year from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant began on Aug. 4 despite opposition from the local fishing community.

Plant workers started construction of a pipeline to transport the wastewater from hillside storage tanks to a coastal facility before its planned release next year, according to the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.

The digging of an undersea tunnel was also to begin on Aug. 4.

Construction at the Fukushima Daiichi plant follows the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s formal approval last month of a detailed wastewater discharge plan that

TEPCO submitted in December.

The government announced last year a decision to release the wastewater as a necessary step for the plant’s ongoing decommissioning.

A massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi plant’s cooling systems, causing triple meltdowns and the release of large amounts of radiation. Water that was used to cool the three damaged and highly radioactive reactor cores has since leaked into basements of the reactor buildings but was collected and stored in tanks.

TEPCO and government officials say the water will be further treated to levels far below releasable standards and that the environmental and health impacts will be negligible. Of more than 60 isotopes selected for treatment, all but one—tritium—will be reduced to meet safety standards,

they say.

Local fishing communities and neighboring countries have raised concerns about potential health hazards from the radioactive wastewater and the reputation damage to local produce, and oppose the release.

Scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to not only tritium but also other isotopes on the environment and humans are still unknown and that a release is premature.

The contaminated water is being stored in about 1,000 tanks that require much space in the plant complex. Officials say they must be removed so that facilities can be built for its decommissioning. The tanks are expected to reach their capacity of 1.37 million tons in autumn of 2023.

TEPCO said it plans to transport treated and releasable water through a pipeline from the tanks

to a coastal pool, where it will be diluted with seawater and then sent through an undersea tunnel with an outlet about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) away to minimize the impact on local fishing and the environment.

TEPCO and the government have obtained approval from the heads of the plant’s host towns, Futaba and Okuma, for the construction, but local residents and the fishing community remain opposed and could still delay the process. The current plan calls for a gradual release of treated water to begin next spring in a process that will take decades.

On Aug. 3, Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori and the two mayors visited Tokyo and asked Economy and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda to ensure safety and prevent further damage to the reputation of Fukushima fishing products.

Akira Ono, TEPCO chief

decommissioning officer at the plant, promised the highest efforts to ensure safety and understanding.

“We are aware of various views on reputational impact and safety concerns (of the release) and we’ll keep explaining thoroughly to stakeholders,” he said.

TEPCO said that weather and sea conditions could delay completion of the facility until summer 2023.

Japan has sought help from the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the water release meets international safety standards and reassure local fishing and other communities and neighboring countries, including China and South Korea, that have opposed the plan.

IAEA experts who visited the plant earlier this year said Japan was taking appropriate steps for the planned discharge. 

S. Korean garlic video ad roasted over purported obscenity

By HYUNG-JIN KIM ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A rural South Korean town is getting roasted over its video ad on garlic that some farmers say stinks of obscenity and has even sexually objectified the agricultural product.

The controversy surrounds a 30-second video that had been posted on a YouTube channel for Hongseong County, a small central-west South Korean town of about 100,000 people known for its local “Hongsan” garlic, for about two years.

The video shows a woman touching the thigh of a man named “Hongsan” with a full garlic head mask and saying words like “very thick” and “hard” to apparently describe the quality of

the local garlic. It’s also a parody of a famous scene from a 2004 hit Korean

movie titled “Once Upon a Time in High School.”

The spicy ad, which reportedly generated about 190,000 views, had been largely kept underground, but began to take root in the larger public when it was aired on electronic billboards at a Seoul express bus terminal and a downtown street in the central city of Daejeon in July ahead of the garlic’s release.

One farmer who saw the video notified some farmers’ groups, while South Korean media also began reporting about it, leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths.

“We can’t repress our astonishment,” said a joint statement issued by the local branches of two major farmers’ organizations—the Korean Peasants

League and the Korean Women Peasants Association. “The video offended the people who watched it and dealt a big blow to the image of the agricultural product that farmers have laboriously grown.”

Calling the video “suggestive” and “inappropriate,” the statement said it “sexually objectified” garlic.

The farmers’ groups asked Hongseong to apologize, punish those responsible for the video production and formulate steps on how to prevent similar incidents. Shin Ji Youn, an official at the Korean Women Peasants Association, said the farmers’ groups asked Hongseong to respond to their requests by Aug. 10.

Hongseong officials said they’ve withdrawn the video from their YouTube channel and had stopped airing it on the billboards. The county hasn’t issued any official statement on the issue, and officials said they are discussing how to respond to the farmers’ requests.

County officials said they formally changed the name of their local garlic to “Hongseong” after their county name in January.

Many South Koreans believe garlic, one of the essential ingredients in Korean cuisine, boosts stamina. Some think it

can improve men’s sexual functions as well.

During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the country’s women’s curling team earned the nickname of “Garlic Girls”—four of the team’s five members came from another rural town known for its own famed garlic—as they had a fairy-tale run to win the silver medal. 

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12

asianweekly northwest

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

40 YEARS

■ WORLD NEWS Ex-Philippine leader and democracy defender Ramos is buried MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos was laid to rest in a state funeral on Aug. 9, hailed as an ex-general who backed and then helped oust a dictatorship and became a defender of democracy and a can-do reformist in his poverty-wracked Asian country.

Ramos died July 31 at age 94 from COVID-19 complications at the Makati Medical Center in the capital region, his family said.

He also suffered from a heart condition and dementia and had been in and out of hospital in recent years, former aides said.

An urn containing the ashes of the U.S.-trained general, who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, was placed in a flag-draped coffin, which was carried by six pallbearers amid somber music.

His cremated remains were placed in his grave after a funeral procession led by honor guards and his family, which was showered with flower petals from two helicopters. The ceremony, which was broadcast live nationwide by state-run and

Lisa Marie David/Pool Photo via AP

By JIM GOMEZ

Soldiers transport the casket carrying the urn of the late Philippine President Fidel Ramos during his state funeral at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Taguig City, Philippines, on Aug. 9.

major TV networks, was attended by newly elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and was capped by a 21-gun salute.

Marcos Jr. visited Ramos’ wake last week and condoled with the

PELOSI from 5 glimpse of military aircraft.

A minister at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Jing Quan, told reporters that Pelosi’s mission of support for the democratic government of Taiwan has had “a severe impact on the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, seriously infringed upon China’s sovereignty and (territorial) integrity and ... undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.”

Long term, a significantly more confrontational relationship between China and the U.S. threatens an equilibrium under which Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping’s governments have sparred on human rights, trade, competition and countless other issues but avoided direct conflict and maintained occasional top-level contacts toward other matters, including cutting climate-damaging emissions.

A joint U.S.-China deal to fight climate change struck by Xi and then-President Barack Obama in November of 2014 is credited as a turning point that led to the landmark 2015 Paris agreement in which nearly every nation in the world pledged to try to curb emissions of heat-trapping gases. Seven years later during climate talks in Glasgow, another U.S.-China deal helped smooth over bumps to another international climate deal.s China and the United States are the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 climate polluters, together producing nearly 40% of all fossilfuel emissions.

Ominously, experts in China-U.S. relations warned that China’s diplomatic and military moves appeared to go beyond retaliatory measures for the visit and could open a new, more openly hostile era,

family of Ramos, who, he said, “was a symbol of stability after all the tumultuous events of 1986.”

Marcos Jr. is the namesake son of the former Philippine dictator, whose 1986 ouster came after

and a more uncertain time for Taiwan’s democratic government.

China-U.S. relations are “in a downward spiral,“ said Bonnie Glaser, head of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund.

“And I think that China is likely to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait in ways that are going to be harmful to Taiwan and are going to be disadvantageous to the United States,“ Glaser said.

In recent years, other rounds of tensions between China and its neighbors over the India border, regional islands and the South China Sea have ended with China asserting new territorial claims and enforcing them, noted John Culver, a former East Asia national intelligence officer, now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. The same could happen now over Taiwan, Culver said.

“So I don’t know how this ends. We’ve seen how it begins.”

China’s measures are the latest steps intended to punish the U.S. for allowing the visit to the island it claims as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. China launched threatening military exercises just off Taiwan’s coasts from Aug. 4 to Aug. 7.

Some missiles were sent flying over Taiwan itself, Chinese officials told state media—a significant increase in China’s menacing of the island.

China routinely complains when Taiwan has direct contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit—she was the highest-ranking American official in 25 years—has been unusually strong.

It appears to derail a rare encouraging note — high-level in-person meetings

Ramos—then a top official of the Philippine Constabulary— and defense chief Juan Ponce Enrile withdrew their support in defections that sparked massive army-backed protests.

between top officials in recent months including the defense chiefs at an Asia security conference in Singapore and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia.

Those talks were viewed as steps in a positive direction in an otherwise poisoned relationship. Now, talks have been suspended even on climate, where the two countries’ envoys had met multiple times.

China stopped short of interrupting economic and trade talks, where it is looking to Biden to lift tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on imports from China.

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Aug. 5 that dialogue between U.S. and Chinese regional commanders and defense department heads would be canceled, along with talks on military maritime safety. Cooperation on returning illegal immigrants, criminal investigations, transnational crime, illegal drugs and climate change will be suspended, the ministry said.

China’s actions come ahead of a key congress of the ruling Communist Party later this year at which President Xi is expected to obtain a third five-year term as party leader. With the economy stumbling, the party has stoked nationalism and issued near-daily attacks on the government of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, which refuses to recognize Taiwan as part of China.

China said that more than 100 warplanes and 10 warships have taken part in live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan over the past two days. Also, mainly symbolic sanctions against Pelosi and her family were announced.

Ramos was the late dictator’s second cousin and had helped the elder Marcos enforce martial law starting in 1972 in an era when thousands of people were incarcerated, tortured and became victims of extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

Ramos was laid to rest near the grave of the dictator, who was buried at the Heroes’ Cemetery with military honors in 2016 in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony after then-President Rodrigo Duterte gave his approval and the Supreme Court dismissed objections from human rights activists.

The Department of National Defense, which was once led by Ramos, said he was a decorated soldier who spearheaded the modernization of the military, one of Asia’s most underfunded.

He organized the elite special forces of the army and the national police.

The cigar-chomping Ramos, known for his “we can do this” rallying call to Filipinos, thumbsup sign, attention to detail and firm handshakes, served as see RAMOS on 14

On the China coast, fighter jets could be heard flying overhead, and tourists taking photos chanted, “Let’s take Taiwan back,“ looking out into the blue waters of the Taiwan Strait from Pingtan island, a popular scenic spot in China’s Fujian province.

Pelosi’s visit has stirred emotions among the Chinese public, and the government’s response “makes us feel our motherland is very powerful and gives us confidence that the return of Taiwan is the irresistible trend,” said Wang Lu, a tourist from neighboring Zhejiang province.

China is a “powerful country and it will not allow anyone to offend its own territory,” said Liu Bolin, a high school student visiting the island.

China’s insistence that Taiwan is its territory and its threat to use force to reclaim control have featured in Communist Party statements, the education system and the state-controlled media for more than seven decades since the sides were divided amid civil war in 1949.

Taiwan residents overwhelmingly favor maintaining the status quo of de facto independence and reject China’s demands that the island unify with the mainland under Communist control.

Beyond Taiwan, five of the missiles fired by China landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone off Hateruma, an island far south of Japan’s main islands, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. He said Japan protested the missiles to China as “serious threats to Japan’s national security and the safety of the Japanese people.”

In Tokyo, where Pelosi is winding up her Asia trip, she said China cannot stop U.S. officials from visiting Taiwan. 

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

YOUR VOICE

■ ASTROLOGY

asianweekly northwest

13

Predictions and advice for the week of August 13–19, 2022

By Sun Lee Chang Rat—In response to an unusual situation, allow yourself the flexibility to relax the rules a little bit.

Dragon—Despite your enthusiasm, pace yourself and be mindful of the steps you are taking towards your goal.

Monkey—Even if you are able to do two things at once, minimize mistakes by doing them one at a time.

Ox—Want to get the most out of your current position? Use the leverage that you hold, carefully and judiciously.

Snake—The question isn’t if you can do it, but whether you want to. The answer will dictate your next move.

Rooster—Some arguments just aren’t important enough. It is up to you whether you want to engage.

Tiger—Did you get a preview of things to come?

If you are not satisfied, don’t wait to voice your concerns.

Horse—Get some rest while you can, as it looks like things are about to swing into full gear soon.

Dog—Navigating a new environment can be somewhat daunting. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions.

Rabbit—Not seeing eye to eye with someone you care about? Take the time to talk through the main sticking point.

Goat—Are you on track to finish earlier than expected? Don’t get complacent as you aren’t done quite yet.

Pig—Avoid diluting your message with too many issues. You’ll be more effective if you focus on the primary one.

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, 2022 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.

ASIAN FRUITS from 9 While many of these vegetables are still imported, the majority usually coming from California, specialty vegetables are beginning to pop up in local farmer’s markets and grocery stores as local farmers are looking to fill a unique niche.

Filipino and Hmong farmers in the Northwest, more often associated with the extravagant flowers they offer, are exploring the possibilities of crops they’ve often just grown for themselves and their communities, but even home gardeners are discovering these more unusual selections and are wanting them in their gardens and kitchens.

Asian eggplants have been selected to be longer, skinnier, and firmer compared to the Italian selections that are more commonly offered. In fact, many gardeners are discovering that these are easier to grow because they don’t have to get

NUCLEAR BAN from 5 Russia and its ally Belarus were not invited to this year’s peace memorial.

Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin offered flowers at a memorial epitaph in the park and told reporters his country would never use nuclear weapons.

The world continues to face threats from nuclear weapons, Kishida said at the memorial.

“I must raise my voice to appeal to the people around the world that the tragedy of nuclear weapons use should never be repeated,“ he said. “Japan will walk its path toward a world without nuclear weapons, no matter how narrow, steep or difficult that may be.”

Kishida, who will host a Group of Seven summit meeting next May in Hiroshima, said he hoped to share his pledge with other G7 leaders “before the peace monument” to unite them to protect peace and international order based on the universal values of freedom and democracy.

Matsui criticized nuclear weapon states, including Russia, for not taking steps despite their pledge to abide by obligations under the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty.

“Rather than treating a world without nuclear weapons like a distant dream, they should be taking concrete steps toward its realization,” he said.

Critics say Kishida’s call for a nuclear-

so large. The firmer texture lends itself to being cooked in higher heat, such as stir-fry, and also being used in soups and stews without it falling apart.

A bundle of long strands of beans is a must for a stew or stirfry. The Chinese long beans, or “sitaw” as it’s called in the Philippines, requires a long growing season, a sturdy trellis in which to climb so the 24-inch pods can fully develop. It is very labor intensive to grow and harvest, but it is so highly sought after. Seedlings are started indoors and get a head start before planting out in June when the weather has warmed.

At the same time, the seeds are sown for the beans, the bitter melon is also started indoors and has proven productive in the short Northwest summers. Despised by just about every Asian child who was forced to eat and now adults who occasionally will crave it, the bitter melon, or “Ku Gua” in Chinese, is similar in appearance to a cucumber, but it is quite

free world is hollow because Japan remains under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and continues to boycott the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Kishida said the treaty, which lacks the U.S. and other nuclear powers, is not realistic at the moment and that Japan needs to bridge the divide between nonnuclear and nuclear powers.

Many survivors of the bombings have lasting injuries and illnesses resulting from the explosions and radiation exposure and face discrimination in Japan.

The government began to provide medical support to certified survivors in 1968 after more than 20 years of effort by them.

As of March, 118,935 survivors, whose average age now exceeds 84, are certified as eligible for government medical support, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. But many others, including those who say they were victims of the “black rain” that fell outside of the initially designated areas, are still without support.

Aging survivors, known in Japan as hibakusha, continue to push for a nuclear ban and hope to convince younger generations to join the movement.

Guterres had a message for younger people: “Finish the work that the hibakusha have begun. Carry their message forward. In their names, in their honor, in their memory—we must act.” 

bitter, but supposedly good for blood circulation, regulating diabetes, and reducing cholesterol.

While many of these fruits and vegetables can surface at grocery stores, by far the best selection can be found at larger Asian Markets such as Asian Family Center in North Seattle and Bellevue, Ranch 99 in Edmonds, Seafood City in Southcenter, Uwajimaya locations, Seattle’s ChinatownInternational District (where there are several produce vendors scattered around the neighborhood), and Fou Lee Market in Seattle’s Beacon Hill. While many of these fruits can be found year round, summer always yields the best selection.

Whether you grew up with these fruits and vegetables or simply want to explore the potential of your evolving palette, now is a great time to see what’s available to pick up and add on to your next grocery list. 

KUBOTA from 5 penalties of up to three years in prison.

Kubota’s films focused on giving a voice to the downtrodden, such as the plight of Rohingya refugees and the poor in Tokyo amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A graduate of the prestigious Keio University with a master’s from the University of the Arts London, Kubota, 26, also did work for Yahoo! News Japan, Vice Japan and Al Jazeera English.

“I want to be as free as possible, and that’s why I make documentary films,” he says on his Twitter profile.

In his last tweet, sent late last month from Myanmar, he says: “How insensitive and ignorant I am not to really know that person on the other side of my camera until the tears start to flow. And the tears keep coming.”

His friends said he had gone alone and was working on a documentary film about that individual. Other details were not disclosed for safety concerns.

Nikki Tsukamoto Kininmouth, who worked with Kubota on a film, said he had tried to document everyday people’s lives.

“He’s simply really a nice guy,” she told

reporters at the Japan Press Club in Tokyo.

“He is loved by so many people.”

Last week, PEN International and the Japan PEN Club called for Kubota’s immediate and unconditional release, along with others unjustly detained.

“We call for freedom of expression and the protection of journalists in Myanmar and abroad. And we urge the Japanese government and the international community to take immediate action to ensure the safety of Mr. Kubota,” Japan PEN President Natsuo Kirino said in a statement.

Kubota is the fifth foreign journalist detained in Myanmar, after U.S. citizens Nathan Maung and Danny Fenster, who worked for local publications, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan. They were eventually expelled.

Kitazumi, who was among those calling for Kubota’s release, said he was worried about his safety because he felt the situation in Myanmar had worsened. Kitazumi was set free after a month.

“He knew about the risks. But he decided to go,” Kitazumi said. 

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RAMOS from 12 president from 1992 to 1998, succeeding democracy icon Corazon Aquino.

She was swept into the presidency in 1986 after the largely peaceful “People Power” revolt that toppled the dictator and became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Marcos, his family and cronies were driven into U.S. exile, where he died in 1989.

After Aquino rose to the presidency, Ramos became the military chief of staff and later defense secretary, successfully

defending her from several violent coup attempts. In 1992, Ramos won the presidential elections and became the largely Roman Catholic nation’s first Protestant president.

His six-year term was marked by major reforms and attempts to dismantle telecommunications and other business monopolies that triggered a rare economic boom, bolstered the image of the impoverished Southeast Asian country and drew praise from business leaders and the international community.

In his last State of the Nation address before a joint session of Congress in 1997,

ASIAN HATE RALLY from 1 are also calling for a crackdown that includes greater police protection, especially for the elderly.

“We’re here to demand that Chief (William) Scott,

ARTWORKS from 6 instability in Cambodia.

Williams said organized looting network —including looters affiliated with the Khmer Rouge—sent the statues to Douglas Latchford, a well-known antiquities dealer, who then sold them to western dealers,

Who is at the greatest risk of contracting monkeypox?

Dhanireddy: Right now, it appears to be that people who have had close contact with someone with confirmed monkeypox or lesions: skin-on-skin or sexual contact. And so, if you are in a venue where there’s a lot more potential exposure, where there’s a lot of skin-on-skin contact—some of the initial outbreaks in the U.K. were at a rave dance parties where people were shirtless, not fully dressed, that had skin-on-skin contact with multiple individuals, or sexual contact with multiple individuals, that increased their risk of exposure and acquisition.

Are there other individuals who should be concerned?

Dhanireddy: There are certain individuals who may be at higher risk if they have immune-compromising conditions.

Ramos said only sustained development, a modernized agriculture, industrialization and adequate infrastructure would allow the country to wipe out poverty. But he stressed it was crucial for Filipinos to safeguard democracy.

“We cannot allow our democracy to wither—because Philippine democracy is our unique comparative advantage in the new global order,” Ramos said then.

“Without freedom, economic growth is meaningless. And so, freedom, markets, and progress go together.”

One of his legacies was the 1996 signing of a peace pact between his government

within ten days of this rally, host a public town hall so we can come and ask questions to figure out what we’re going to do about Asian violence against our elders,” said Zhu. The crowd vowed to continue raising their voices until they are heard and changes are made.

collectors and institutions.

Latchford died before he could be extradited to the United States to face charges of wire fraud conspiracy and other crimes in Manhattan federal court, the prosecutor noted. The indictment eventually was dismissed due to his death.

Williams said some of the sandstone and

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Speaking on behalf of Asian elders, Zhu said, “They cannot go outside. They can’t enjoy the sunshine in the parks because they’re being targeted for who they are.” 

bronze sculptures and artifacts were given up by their owners when U.S. authorities told them they were stolen. Others were claimed through court actions. They ranged from the Bronze Age to the 12th Century.

“We commend individuals and institutions who decided to do the right thing, and after learning about the origin

So, if their immune system is not as strong for whatever reason related to underlying diseases, or medications they’re on. And pregnancy is also a relatively immunocompromised state, so those individuals may be at higher risk for getting more severe disease. That said, this type of monkeypox virus, this clade, is associated with less mortality—which is good, and most individuals have self-limited disease.

When should I seek out testing/treatment for monkeypox?

Dhanireddy: Many individuals have self-limited disease, but if you have painful lesions or if you have multiple lesions throughout your body and are experiencing systemic symptoms, it is worthwhile to discuss with your provider about getting tested for monkeypox first; and then, if that’s positive, to get a referral for treatments if you meet one of those conditions like pain or numerous lesions.  Visit uwmedicine.org/monkeypox for more information.

and the Moro National Liberation Front, the largest Muslim separatist group at the time in the volatile southern Philippines, homeland of minority Muslims.

Ramos’ calm bearing in times of crises, including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, earned him the moniker “Steady Eddie.”

A son of a longtime legislator and foreign secretary, Ramos graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950.

He was a part of the Philippine combat contingent that fought in the Korean War and was also involved in the Vietnam War as a non-combat civil military engineer. 

of the antiquities in their possession, decided to voluntarily return those pieces to their homeland,” Williams said. “We want to encourage anyone out there, who believes that they have illegally obtained Cambodian or other antiquities in their possession, to come forward.” 

SOLUTION from SUDOKU on page 6.

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

YOUR VOICE

asianweekly northwest

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BULLET TRAIN from 9 and this is no exception. I never tire of him telling everyone they need to “process” their emotions, and trying to wiggle out of a huge mess by any non-violent means possible, meanwhile, of course being a bada$$.

Everybody is worried about their luck, and fate.

Ladybug is convinced he has bad luck. His handler, who talks in his earpiece most of the time, thinks it’s all in the way you see it. Could be your bad luck is actually good luck, or that you’re just too prone to see the negative and not notice that you just got your life saved by some seemingly random incident. The Japanese master gangster/samurai in the film, “The Elder,” many of the characters don’t have actual names, Mortal Kombat’s own Hiroyuki Sanada, tells Ladybug that it’s all fate. Fate will provide. Just sit back. It’s all coming full circle. (I actually teared up at this part, I’m not sure why; maybe I related so much to Ladybug’s frustration and the balm provided by The Elder.)

Which points to the fact that these are all bad guys, but we love them anyway. Yes, the violence, the lifestyle of a gangster, is glamorized, and it’s an incredible amount of fun. It’s like all the good action movies we’ve had over the years, starting with “Pulp Fiction,” adding a dose of “Deadpool,” maybe something starring the Rock and Kevin Hart, and we’ve got this fantastic conglomeration of what’s just right for us right now. You will like almost everyone by the end, or at least have some sympathy for each of them—I mean one guy bases his life on “Thomas the Tank Engine,” how is that not loveable?— even as they commit unspeakable atrocities.

(BTW I waited the entire movie on tenterhooks to see Sanada fight and boy, did it deliver.)

There’s a code of thieves in “Bullet Train” where criminals band together, a pecking order, a ‘who is the worst’ of them, and who you can maybe team

BLOG from 10 trip included Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan.

With China’s wrath towards Pelosi, the other Asian countries got little attention with the Speaker’s visit, even though those countries are also U.S. allies. Now only Taiwan has become the center of attention. Many of the stories in the media are positive towards the island’s resilience and strive towards democracy. There are much fewer positive stories about China in American media recently.

Some say Xi’s destructive response to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a strategy to distract from the real issue at home, China’s weak economy after several lockdowns because of Covid. Whatever Xi’s real motive, China can’t pretend that Taiwan doesn’t exist just because it hates its existence.

DON’T BACK YOURSELF INTO A CORNER Humiliation can be created by oneself if one is not careful.

China is doing well financially and economically, and President Xi Jinping deserves a lot of credit. Chinese people can

up with in order to get out alive. I loved the diversity of the film. You’ve got Japanese gangsters, Russian gangsters, American gangsters (or so I assume that’s Ladybug’s origination), Mexican gangsters, and British gangsters. You’ve got a huge variety of “types”—the smoothies in the so-retro-it’s-contemporary suits, the perfectly made up “innocent girl,” and the bearded “homeless” aesthetic sported by Pitt and Andrew Koji’s character, “The Father.” It’s all the different sorts of people we find in real life (I mean, if they weren’t in the Triad or had nicknames like “The Wolf”), but on steroids.

P.S. Koji is wonderful in this movie.

He’s all gruff and embattled and every time he’s in a scene, he pulls you right into his scruffy, blood-spattered, messed up hair-covered face. Even when you know what’s up with his character, you’re still like, WTH is up with this dude? LOL. The action, editing, and choreography are on point, and inseparable from an intensely absorbing soundtrack. Music and slow-mo’s accompany all the fight scenes, and you want it that way. I asked myself towards the end, what would these fight scenes be like without the music? Let’s just say the movie would have still been great, but you would

be proud and show their appreciation to Xi. As a Communist Party leader, he can run China according to his will.

China tested its own power and influence by daring Pelosi not to step foot on Taiwan.

But Pelosi did regardless. Yet, Xi doesn’t understand that he can’t tell Americans what to do. The more you demand Americans to comply with your wishes, the more they would do the opposite. It’s not that Americans are rebellious, they never like to be told what to do. Valuing personal liberty is an American attribute.

The American president’s power is much smaller compared to the Chinese president’s. Biden has no control over Pelosi, even though he is the president, and he did suggest Pelosi not to take the trip.

But he cannot control Pelosi’s words and behavior. That would be a violation of an individual’s freedom of speech and actions.

It’s just like when President Joe Biden asked Americans to get the Covid vaccines, not everyone listened. Instead, those anti-vaxxers fought like hell to resist the vaccines, some even sued the government.

So when Xi gave an ultimatum to show his might that Pelosi shouldn’t visit Taiwan, he simply locked himself into a corner without much room to emerge as the winner. And it gave Pelosi no choice but to

have felt that two hours.

Oh and just to clarify, they do try to explain away the fact that all this mayhem takes place on the train and NO ONE notices or says a word. They tell us that “Mr. Death” (it’s actually “White Death,” you know like “White Russian,” white and Russian, the drink, whatever) bought up all the seats so that he could orchestrate this reunion of bad guys, all for his own revenge—because it’s okay if he kills hundreds of people, but kill his wife and the world stops, right?

So…there are some holes. That bit about the seats seemed like an afterthought, like, oh maybe people will notice that this is a bit odd. It didn’t come until well into the film, and there were, in fact, passengers on the train— including a hilarious cameo by Channing Tatum—as well as three totally unrealistically unobservant staff.

And there’s one more gangster (another cameo I won’t reveal) who is sort of MIA, and maybe should have gotten one more appearance on screen.

Without giving anything away, I can tell you that at the end, there’s a great scene where Ladybug’s handler’s car gets crushed, but they come out of it alive. Ladybug, now fully on board with the whole fate thing—no, you can’t control it but you can trust it—says to the handler mourning her flattened car, “How do we know that’s a bad thing?” Words to live by.  Kai can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

visit Taiwan. A Chinese proverb says, “It’s hard to ride a tiger.”

That implies that once you ride it, it’s hard to get off, and it’s impossible to stop halfway.

THE FACE ISSUE This brings me to my next point. Chinese and Asian culture emphasizes too much on ‘face.’ It can be our downfall especially when we have to make critical decisions.

It’s one of the worst aspects of Asian culture. If you don’t worry about losing face and what other people think, you can achieve big things.

Every time you fail or make mistakes, it’s no big deal. Don’t let the face element destroy you. If you need help, just say so to your friends and loved ones. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. Asking for understanding and advice is a sound measure for gaining wisdom and getting things done.

Losing face is embarrassing to Chinese elderly and families. I hope the younger generation will not be burdened by this.

Never be afraid of criticism. If you rely only on praise and shun unfavorable comments, you will never be able to thrive. You would never be the superb leader you can be as

people around you will never tell you the truth and guide you to innovate, excel, and make a difference in other people’s lives.

TURN YOUR MISTAKE INTO AN ADVANTAGE To turn others away from realizing Xi’s miscalculation, the Chinese army conducted a series of exercises including firing missiles at the sea border between Taiwan and China, aimed at sending a warning to Taiwan.

Most Sino experts have already predicted China’s typical reaction. Are there avenues that China can explore besides sending military threats?

Is there a way China can turn their miscalculation into an advantage without just being an aggressor? Is there a way for Xi to turn this situation around positively and not feel threatened and slighted?

Not right now. As China is so consumed with retaliation and saving face, it just cannot think strategically in the long-term, and it might even escalate into a war. That would be a lose-lose not only for China and Taiwan, but the whole world.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 19, 2022

40 YEARS

Images by Otak

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New renderings of the Jasmine building

ISRD from 1 The proposed structure, called Jasmine, was radically redesigned to have more of what architect Gary Reddick called an Asian appearance rather than a sleek modern style, which would have been out of place in the neighborhood, according to Reddick’s interpretation of the board’s earlier feedback.

Gary Reddick Added James Wong, CEO of the developer, Vibrant Cities, “This is my neighborhood, too. I have to feel it belongs.”

Still, board member Adrian Lam said the new design was a hodgepodge of Asian styles that inauthentically represented either the Chinatown-International District (CID) or any Asian culture.

“What you end up with is two different buildings,” he said.

“You can see the struggle.”

The building could be either Japanese or Chinese, he said.

“The inconsistent architectural language may not do this community a favor,” said Lam. Wong responded that the building’s style was aimed at the layman who would just be passing by on the street of Chinatown.

“We wanted to take what is traditional and make it modern,” he said, adding that the mix of styles was purposeful.

“We want ‘in your face’ design. A lot of laymen when they come by don’t see the subtlety,” he said.

Board member Ryan Gilbert said the building appealed to him in that sense. He also said the structure appears to honor the past as well as celebrating the next century, a theme the design team had championed.

THE END OF A LONG PROCESS Such fracas over design appeared to be the final discord over a development that has stretched, just in the application phase, through multiple years and six meetings of the review board.

Critics have argued that the destruction of the former Bush Gardens, also called the Elgin Hotel, along with an adjacent structure, would represent the first time a truly historic building was demolished for a luxury high rise.

They contend that the Bush Gardens building, where activist Bob Santos gathered with supporters to preserve the CID in the face of development, should not be lost for an apartment complex that they say will further the displacement of low-income residents. They say the site should be devoted entirely to affordable housing.

Supporters argue that the CID, and particularly abandoned areas adjacent to the defunct property, are festering with crime, making it dangerous for older residents who live nearby to even walk the streets.

In addition, they contend an influx of wealthier people to the neighborhood will infuse businesses with cash and foot traffic.

In the end, though, such competing contentions are largely symbolic since considerations of affordability and economic impact are outside the purview of the review board.

Still, during public comments before the board’s consideration of Reddick’s slideshow, the impact of the project on the future of the CID took center stage, with critics decrying it as hastening the demise of the neighborhood and a betrayal of the spirit of Santos. Supporters, meanwhile, argued that it would help rejuvenate the district into a safe space for people to visit.

A SITE OF RESISTANCE Describing the CID as her “community and cultural home,”

Jacqueline Wu appealed to the mandate of the review board, which is to preserve, protect, and enhance the historic and architectural character of the CID. “I am asking the board to live up to its duties and goals by preserving and protecting the Bush Gardens building.”

She said according to reports submitted by the developer and an independent study, the structure is similar to other buildings, such as the Louisa Hotel, which have been refurbished.

Nina Wallace, an activist, also appealed to the board to preserve the existing structures as a “unique and irreplaceable” part of the district’s history.

Sue Kay, who said her grandfather “was run out of the first Chinatown,” opposed demolition and the construction of a “luxury high rise.”

“Displacement and gentrification are real for our community. Not only do mom and pop stores disappear, but we have lost 350 Asian American and Pacific Islander families,” she said. “This is not a project that the ISRD review board should rubber stamp. The community has offered other solutions.”

Commenting on the vaunting of large areas of retail space as a benefit to the community, Meilani Mandery, of the Wing Luke Museum, said, “Retail space means nothing when it’s occupied by chain businesses instead of locally-owned mom and pop stores.”

A homeowner from Little Saigon, naming herself as “Yin,” said the former Bush Gardens building embodied “resistance and struggle” against the Kingdome, the former sports stadium.

“Uncle Bob and his crew met there often. This building holds so much meaning. As one of the only historical legacy sites left in the city and the CID, the call is to continue this legacy of serving the CID with affordable housing for the CID median income of 30,000,” she said.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Some who supported the project cast themselves as looking, rather, toward the future.

“We’re creating a mixed-use building with community space for people of all incomes,” said Jay Ho, who said he grew up in the area and every week went to the CID with his family before it fell on hard times. Ho lamented that the vacancy of these two buildings, referring to the former Bush Gardens building and the adjacent structure, adds to the increasing danger of walking the streets at night.

Chris Robinson, who moved into the neighborhood from New York with his family in June, said the addition of Jasmine “should mitigate” rising crime.

Another supporter who gave her name as Jessica said she moved into the area a year ago as a software developer and enjoys playing volleyball and ping pong in the area, as well as participating in activities at the Japanese Cultural Center.

“Jasmine project is a beautiful proposed condo with homeowners who want to live, work, and play in the neighborhood,” she said.

Lele Tian said she moved to Seattle from China 20 years ago and said the CID was no longer safe, so she supports the project.

A pastor said he could hold services in the new proposed project.

“Jasmine will house a large community space for community gatherings, not just for faith groups like ours, but for wedding celebrations and other cultural events and activities,” said Royce Yuen, who stated he is a Seattle native.

UNRESOLVED ISSUES? Adding to the tension was the last-minute decision of board president Andy Yip and ISRD coordinator Rebecca Frestedt to limit individual public comment to one minute, rather than the pre-agreed upon two minutes. Yip and Frestedt said the number of those wishing to express opinions made such a decision necessary.

Still, some critics in attendance expressed outrage that they had not been told in advance.

As for the destruction of the former Bush Gardens building, it was not clear why a major point of contention during the last meeting—whether it was necessary for the board to see a third-party structural engineer’s evaluation of the feasibility of salvaging the original building—was seemingly absent.

Board member Elizabeth Baskerville, who along with board member Ming Zhang was not present for the meeting, raised this question in an email read on her behalf by Frestedt.

“I am interested in learning more about 614 Maynard in regards to [municipal code] 23.66.318 B—If demolition is essential to safety, public health, and welfare then it may be approved. However, last time we discussed this, two structural engineers differed in their opinions regarding the feasibility of rehabilitation and the threat to public safety,” she said in the email.

Yip said the design team was not obliged to respond to the issue.

In the previous meeting, in February, an outside expert found that the old building could be refurbished, a point which the design team for Jasmine strongly contested, saying the bricks were “like powder,” although one of their designs involved using the original bricks to create a facade.

Moreover, supporters of the new project said the study was unreliable because it had been commissioned by Eugenia Woo, director of preservation services at Historic Seattle, who was biased against the Jasmine project. They also said the expert had not done a thorough study while opponents of Jasmine said he had not been allowed by the owner to thoroughly study the property.

In her email, Baskerville referred to this controversy, saying, “I had requested that there be more information provided, like giving the third party engineer full access into the building so that we can have a fuller understanding of the existing structure and if all alternatives to demolition have been investigated.”

STYLE AND SAFETY As Reddick began his presentation, he said that “something really unexpected and remarkable happened following our last briefing.” Through multiple long meetings and considering feedback from Wong and others, he had entirely revamped the design.

He talked about drawing on thousands of years of history from Japan and China and his own experience in Asia, particularly China. For instance, his team had found commonalities in a reverence for brick, although in Japan the color white represents purity while in China red was a sacred color.

During the presentation, he gradually added components to a white rendering, such as red pillars, awnings, a white tower, a balcony overlooking the street, and a “moon gate,” which he referenced repeatedly.

A moon gate in traditional Chinese architecture is a circular opening to an elite garden. Here, in the rendering, it was facsimiled by a round design surrounding the front entrance, like an open mouth with two front teeth visible as doors.

Of a ballroom on the second floor with projected hundreds in seating, Reddick said, describing special windows, “light will come through and cascade against the wall.”

Board member Nella Kwan asked if exterior lighting would extend to illuminate the alley behind the new building.

Reddick said the team could “tuck in a limited amount of down lighting so that the [alley] wall becomes an asset to the overall composition.”

Wong said his company had illuminated alleyways in other buildings, such as on Capitol Hill.

He described it as an “easy fix.”

Frestedt said the issue of lighting comes up frequently in discussions before the neighborhood.  Mahlon can be contacted at info@nwasianweekly.com.