International Examiner March 18, 2015

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FREE EST. 1974 —SEATTLE VOLUME 42, NUMBER 6 — MARCH 18, 2015 – MARCH 31, 2015

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2 — March 18, 2015 – March 31, 2015 INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER

IE OPINION

IESTAFF

Established in 1974, the International Examiner is the only non-profit pan-Asian American media organization in the country. Named after the International District in Seattle, the “IE” strives to create awareness within and for our APA communities. 409 Maynard Ave. S. #203, Seattle, WA 98104. (206) 624-3925. [email protected].

IE BOARD OF DIRECTORSRon Chew, President

Steve Kipp, Vice President Gary Iwamoto, Secretary Maria Batayola, Treasurer

Arlene Oki, At-Large

ADVERTISING MANAGER Kathy Ho

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BUSINESS MANAGEREllen Suzuki

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CREATIVE DIRECTORRyan [email protected]

EDITOR IN CHIEFTravis Quezon

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ARTS EDITORAlan Chong Lau

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HERITAGE EDITORJacqueline Wu

OPERATIONS MANAGERJacob Chin

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Third Andresen

VIDEOGRAPHERTuyen Kim Than

PROOFREADERAnna Carriveau

CALENDAR EDITOR Nina Huang

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Keoke Silvano

CONTRIBUTORS David Vo

Alexa Rio Osaki Maureen Francisco

Atia Musazay Ana Sofia Knauf Susan Kunimatsu

Roxanne Ray

$35 a year, $60 for two years—24 in-depth issues a year! Go to www.iexaminer.org and click on the “Subscribe” button or mail a check to: 409 Maynard Ave. S. #203, Seattle, WA 98104.

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By David VoGuest Columnist

The University of Washington is often viewed as an institution where Asian students rule the campus. People turn left and right and can see Asians everywhere. Asians are not seen as the minority at UW Seattle and the prevalence of Asians on this campus masks the struggles and oppressions of the people who make up this demographic. At this school, realizing the discrimination and hardships that the Asian community faces is difficult. Asian Coalition for Equality (ACE) is a unique organization on this campus that strives to dismantle the stigmas and preconceived notions that people at UW and Seattle have about Asians. ACE breaks down the barriers of ignorance and racism in order to increase awareness of marginalization within our communities, advocacy for equal representation and resources, and collaboration within the Asian community and across color lines. Asians and Asian Americans do have problems and are not the “model minority.”

ACE resides in a unique niche at the University of Washington and Seattle. We consist of a generation of youth that have a desire to learn and advocate for our communities. We want to form relationships with other students and community organizations to collaborate around issues of social justice. ACE is not just a social venue or a mere forum to express anger and frustration. ACE is focused on using action to resist oppression.

ACE was one of the first organizations in Seattle that organized Asians to build solidarity with other races and fight for civil rights. In 1969, ACE demanded for the inclusion of Asian Americans into the University of Washington’s Special Education Program and the affirmative action recruiting. That same year, ACE protested for job equality and police repression. Individuals of ACE united with the community and other races to protect and secure civil rights.

In 2015, the passion for Asian and Asian American advocacy is still present. ACE continues to work with other organizations at the University of Washington and community members. We have fought for the creation of a permanent Southeast Asian Recruiter position at the University of Washington, facilitated the remembrance and conversation regarding Vincent Chin, created space for the discussion of the sexualization of Asian women, and brought leaders, activists, and students together to connect. We serve as a bridge to bring the community onto the campus of UW and UW into the community. Through collaboration, ideas, and aspirations, the beginnings of change and movements can transpire.

Our signature marquee event is the annual Asians Collaborating Together (ACT) Conference. The ACT Conference is an opportunity and space for students and community members to engage in and learn about their own identities and to use that knowledge to act and contribute to society. This conference is different than other events that are hosted at the University of Washington because

of the ACT Conference’s emphasis on leadership and power through education. ACT is more than a leadership conference and is greater than just a social gathering; it is a space wholly for our community.

The 2015 ACT Conference takes place on April 4 at the Samuel E.

Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. Our overarching themes this year are identity and unity. By cultivating a deep awareness and appreciation of Asian identities, participants will learn to be able to identify and comprehend the discrimination that our communities face. Unity encompasses the collaboration across ethnic and racial lines in the fight for equality.

To facilitate the learning, discussion, and action, ACE has selected excellent individuals to host interactive workshops, panelists, and performances. Our keynote speakers consist of Judge Dean Lum and former Washington State Gov. Gary Locke.

With Locke, Lum, and a gamut of other community leaders, the Asians Collaborating Together Conference is a unique opportunity for everyone to congregate, build relationships, and take action. Come and learn about Black and Asian relations, historical collaborations, rights, and much more. Events like the ACT Conference do not come around often, so please attend.

Tickets for the conference can be purchased at: http://bit.ly/act-2015

The following is an open letter by activist Alan Sugiyama to Seattle Police Department Chief Kathleen O’Toole regarding her March 11 announcement of four new appointments to the SPD command staff:

I had the pleasure to meet you on your first day on the job when you were meeting with small groups of community members. I was impressed when you said you believed in diversity from top to bottom. I pointed out that the last four police chiefs also said that but none had APIs on their command staff. You went on to say your staff would look like the people you serve. Based on the picture in the Seattle Times, no one on your new team looks like me. As far as I’m concerned when it comes to hiring APIs at the command or cabinet level, it’s business as usual. APIs represent the largest minority group in Seattle, so not to be included on your new team is not acceptable.

Alan Sugiyama

Asian Coalition for Equality: ACT within the community

Attendees at the first ACT Conference shared insights about their identities on signs on February 8, 2014 at the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. • Courtesy Photo

SPD command doesn’t look like me

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER March 18, 2015 – March 31, 2015 — 3

IE OPINION

Letter to the Editor

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Seattle Chapter is disheartened by the recent comments made by Washington State Senator Jim Honeyford of the 15th Legislative District, who said:

“The poor are more likely to commit crimes and colored more likely to be poor. I didn’t say anything other than that. And I believe that’s an accepted fact.” Honeyford followed this by stating he was not only referring to “the Negro or the Hispanic.”

JACL Seattle is disappointed with Sen. Honeyford’s use of these outdated terms, particularly when they are used during formal legislative proceedings. Honeyford’s remarks show a true need for more education for many in our state, elected and not, on how to speak about race and communities of color.

Sen. Honeyford’s remarks, while offensive and outdated, give us all an opportunity to engage in a discussion about race in our state. This discussion can be furthered by passage of SB 5752, regarding the creation of Racial Impact Statements. SB 5752 will allow broad-scale cooperation between agencies, experts, and communities of color to ensure our elected officials can engage in open, honest, and informed discussions on race in Washington.

JACL Seattle commends Sen. Honeyford for making a public apology, and the organization commends him for committing to better understand communities of color in his district and our state. Washington is an increasingly diverse place, making it even more important that our public servants work to understand the issues and values of all communities of color. The Japanese American Citizens League, aware of our responsibilities as the nation’s oldest and largest Asian-American civil rights organization, is committed to facilitating a greater understanding of communities of color, and promoting a world that honors diversity by respecting values of fairness, equality, and social justice.

Paul TashimaJACL Seattle Chapter President

By Alexa Rio OsakiIE Columnist

Asian Pacific Islander labor has never been a recent phenomenon within United States history. Yet, within mainstream education, we are time and time again left out of American labor history. Since the “discovery” age and settlers, people of color have been the sole backbone to modern civilization. From chattel slavery, Chinese railroad workers, Japanese plantation workers, Mexican Braceros (just to name a few out of many), the United States has always been dependent on our incomparable work ethic. Yet, we are still continuously subjected as foreign commodities, despite our contributions. Instead, mainstream society defines the start of the U.S. American labor era as the boom of the 1930 auto and textile industry. Even as a student within the University of Washington’s Labor Studies department, the majority definition of American labor has always been defined by an era where white males of the Midwest mobilized in response to exploitative work environments. Coming together with common experiences of institutionalized oppression, these individuals ultimately created unions that held enough bargaining power to sway the course of major political campaigns. Yes, these moments in U.S. history are essential to the American identity, but why aren’t the rest of our histories allowed to be equally represented as well?

As Asian Pacific Islander Americans, not only did we endure harsh working conditions and exploitation, but we have had to fight the consequences of repetitive Asian exclusion acts and racial discrimination. Our fights and revolutions have always been on multiple fronts, yet our experiences are only a little well known. As an individual of the “millennial era,” I urge my generation to continue learning about our histories. Not just as a series of events, but as lessons to study. Because despite all our advancements, history still repeats itself today.

Since the beginning of January 2015, I have had the opportunity to serve as a student volunteer with UNITE HERE! Local 8, a labor union located in the historic Belltown Labor Temple. Although I was raised in the world of community organizing, labor and labor unions were waters unknown to me. It wasn’t until I met my supervisor, Eunice How, that I realized I had overlooked one of the most common, yet substantial communities of our city. Even as a service industry employee myself, I was amazed by how much I took the efforts of the labor community for granted. Ergo, thanks to Eunice and a large dose of humility, I quickly learned about the various disputes and injustices happening within Seattle.

Currently in Seattle, there has been an ongoing labor dispute by workers at the Grand Hyatt and at the Hyatt at Olive 8 hotels; both owned by developer Richard Hadreen. In July 2013, UNITE HERE! and the Hyatt Hotels reached a national agreement. Within this resolution, workers were allowed a fair

Boycott: Speak up for those who are forced to be silent

process to vote whether or not they want to be a union. This applied to all U.S. Hyatt hotels. However, in Seattle, this process has not yet been granted to its workers of both the Grand Hyatt and Olive 8. In response, workers of the hotels called for a boycott in August 2013—a movement that has since gained momentum and citywide support by state representatives, senators, community organizations, and non-profits.

Initially, it was challenging to see how a student volunteer could make any impact in a fight against a multimillion-dollar corporation. The union was David and Goliath had manifested himself into luxurious skyscrapers. They had power, money, and SPD on speed dial. And for many of the general public, it would seem like a lost cause. But I was swiftly proven wrong. Within seconds of my first day, myself and other students watched videos and stories of Hyatt workers. Many people of color, some first generation, but all with experiences commonly shared within our community. It was 2015 and workers still had to fight for the basic rights of dignity and respect. The thought of who would win was no longer relevant. Instead I was reminded that fighting for the sake of equality, wherever it be, is what mattered most. As a Japanese Filipina American, I had come from a line of workers that had to fight bigotry and adversity, just for the sake of fair and equal treatment of their and my generation. Thus we as union activists had an obligation to continue that fight.

Tactically, we used weekly phone banking and leafleting as a way to call attention to the actions of the Hyatt hotels. Many national organizations hold annual conferences at the downtown Convention Center and in turn book rooms at the Hyatt hotels, which are in close proximity. Through each phone call and leaflet, our hope was to educate these organizations and the general public on the labor disputes within the hotels they were investing thousands of dollars in. Some were sincerely concerned, a number were annoyed by our committed persistence, but most were simply and disappointingly indifferent.

For the majority, it’s easy to disengage our feelings from situations that don’t directly affect our livelihood. It’s simple to look the other way, when we aren’t the victims. But as members of the APIA community, it is vital we continue to recognize our unique history that is heavily tied with our community today. Especially for my Generation Y/Millennial population. As youth, many of us have the privilege of greater economic and educational opportunity than our parents. But that is solely because of the fights against adversity, they have had to face. Without their efforts, we undoubtedly would not have the social power we currently hold. Labor unions may not have the same political bargaining

power as we once did during the New Deal era, but the power of community solidarity has never changed.

Currently, the workers of the Hyatt hotels are still on boycott demanding the basic rights of dignity and respect. This past February, UNITE HERE! successfully held their third picket line outside the entrance of the Grand Hyatt. Using bullhorns, gongs, and party noisemakers, we marched up and down the block chanting at the top of our lungs. People of different ethnic, class, gender, and age backgrounds showed their support and even attracted curious bystanders on the streets of downtown. I made it onto at least 20 different Snapchats. It was an event to be proud of. Regardless of what side you were on, you recognized there are still agencies that exist, dedicated to helping others obtain their basic rights. But despite its success, with every day that passes, the workers of the Hyatt hotels are still selflessly risking their livelihood for the sake of their families and others—sentiment reminiscent of every APIA generation before us. Therefore, as a form of solidarity, I ask those of the community to offer their support and help speak up for those that are forced to be silenced. Help continue this boycott of the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt at Olive 8 hotels until these workers are met with the respect and dignity they have always deserved. We must continue to learn about the history of the APIA labor movement, so moments like this aren’t shoved into the shadows of American history.

Workers and community supporters get behind Hyatt workers in a rally and picket line in front of the Grand Hyatt Seattle on February 13. Workers at the Grand Hyatt at the Hyatt at Olive 8 called for a boycott in August 2013 and are demanding better working conditions and the right to vote on unionization. • Photo by Isaac Liu

Honeyford’s remarks show need for education, discussion about race


IE OPINION

By Maria BatayolaIE Columnist

Alaska and Seattle have a long-standing complex relationship with many of Alaska’s workforce coming through and/or coming from Seattle, and representing labor unions and parent companies located here.

At Dutch Harbor Alaska, eight employees of Delta Western Incorporated, including Manolito “Mo” Reyes and Leo Dacio, filed a discrimination complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. The complaint alleges 1) substandard working conditions for Filipinos and Asian Pacific Islander employees living and working locally, 2) the ban on the use of Tagalog at the work place, 3) harassment, 4) retaliation, and 5) the termination of Reyes. Delta Western Incorporated is an oil distribution company.

Reyes and Dacio had previously filed with the National Labor Relations Board. The employees have been informed that Delta Western Incorporated will be prosecuted. This lends some credence to the discrimination complaint.

Four local civil rights organizations, the Filipino American Political Action Group of Washington, the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King County, the Japanese American Citizens League Seattle Chapter, and OCA—Asian Pacific Advocates Greater Seattle sent a joint letter to Delta Western Incorporated’s parent company Saltchuk Family of Companies’ president Timothy Engle. They are asking him to intervene to mitigate the harm and prevent further discrimination and retaliation during the course of the EEOC investigation. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance’s Rick Polintan participated in an initial dialogue with Mr. Engle.

“Didn’t we take care of this in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s?” OCA president Jacqueline Wu wryly commented. Apparently not as American amnesia continues. It all does sound so very familiar.

For more information, contact Rich Guirtiza, IBU, at [email protected]; Adam Dalton, ILWU Marine Division, at [email protected]; and Jon Brier, ILWU, at [email protected].

Discrimination déjà vu at Delta Western, Inc.

By Maria BatayolaIE Columnist

Standing on Maynard Street across Hing Hay Park, one only has to look across the street to appreciate the grand bay windows on the second floor of the Bush Hotel. Historically, the space has been the home of a fancy Korean high-end restaurant and more recently, the site for fantastic art installations under the Storefront program. Soon, it will be the location of Hing Hay Coworks.

Hing Hay Coworks is an economic development project of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). Conceptualized as a shared productive workspace with amenities, the hope is that entrepreneurs would benefit from each other through collaboration, partnership(s) and spark creativity in bringing ideas to market.

Space manager, Quang Nguyen said, “There has been a lot of interest in what’s going in that space these past few months. Our aim is to foster a diverse, vibrant, and sustainable community of entrepreneurs. We’re creating a supportive environment for dreamer-doers at our workspace by programing events and workshops that

Hing Hay Coworks to inject entrepreneurial spirit into ID

allow our members to make meaningful connections to people and resources.”

Hing Hay Coworks has four main membership levels catering to freelancers, independents, boutique agencies, and startups:

• Level I: 7 days per month at $165 per month

• Level II: 3 days per week at $255 per month

• Level III: 5 days per week at $375 per month

• Level IV: Full Time with fixed desk at $475/mo.

Starting this April, Hing Hay Coworks will be accepting membership applications.

The interesting challenge for Hing Hay Coworks is how to both preserve and revitalize the unique cultural flavors of Chinatown-ID. “The key is to attract a diverse set of innovative entrepreneurs who have an affinity to the different Asia Pacific Island cultures of the neighborhood,” Nguyen said. “We’re looking for people who can honor the past while creatively reimagine it for the 21st century.”

For more information, contact Hing Hay Coworks manager Quang Nguyen at [email protected]. Like on Facebook at facebook.com/hhcoworks.

Announcement

IE News Services

On Friday, the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC) recognized several executives, companies, and leaders in the field of minority supplier development. The MSDC presented the awards at its annual Business Conference & Opportunity Fair on March 12, and at its Awards Dinner & Silent Auction on March 13. More than 300 business leaders representing more than 60 companies attended the two events.

The MSDC honored the following advocates for supplier diversity:

• Frank Lemos, president of LDC, Inc. civil engineering group, won the John A. Gilmore Award for being a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) advocate for fellow MBEs. Lemos currently serves on the MSDC’s Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee.

• Diane Lin, director of global sourcing at Starbucks Corporation, won the Robert L. Ryan Award for being a corporate employee who creates business opportunities and advances

Minority Supplier Development Council honors local businessesthe development of MBEs. Lin has won several awards in diversity and is the Chair of the MSDC’s Board.

• Alexis Oliver, director of the Washington State Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises, won the Champion Award for being a public employee who creates business opportunities and advances the development of MBEs.

The MSDC honored the following suppliers and leaders in supplier diversity for their overall performance in 2014:

• El Mundo Communications, Inc., Class I Supplier of the Year (annual sales of up to $1M).

• ELYON International, Inc., Class II Supplier of the Year (annual sales of $1M-$10M).

• Dynamic Language, Class III Supplier of the Year (annual sales of $10M-$50M).

• Zones, Inc., Class IV Supplier of the Year (annual sales of more than $50M).

• University of Washington, Public Agency of the Year.

• AT&T, Regional Corporation of the Year.

• Microsoft, National Corporation of the Year.

The evening’s program included a silent auction that benefited the Northwest Mountain MSDC’s Scholarship Fund, which provides funding for MBEs to participate in educational programs and MSDC training opportunities. The auction netted $13,000 last year.

Fernando Martinez, MSDC president and CEO, said of the event, “This evening’s event is the epitome of creating

value through supplier diversity. It is the epitome of our region’s successes last year. I truly enjoy the passion that everyone in the room brings to this event as we recognize our regional leaders.”

For more than 37 years, the Northwest Mountain MSDC has been linking major corporations and public agencies to minority-owned businesses, a multi-billion dollar sector representing and impacting today’s global economy. The MSDC serves the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, and Washington. For more information, visit www.nwmtnmsdc.org.

Please share your concerns, your solutions, and your voices. Send a letter to the editor to [email protected] with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.”

YOUR OPINION COUNTS


IE COMMUNITY

Announcements

By Daniele MeñezIE Contributor

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Susan Yang in a busy coffee shop at the University District. As college students chatted around us, Yang and I discussed a field that many don’t often think about: the early learning system.

Yang is the new Executive Director of the Denise Louie Education Center, which provides comprehensive support to children and families to ensure their readiness in entering the K-12 system. The Center offers numerous programs for family support, child development, and mental health services. Although Yang was appointed just a few months ago, she has extensive experience in the early learning education field and has been a community leader for many years. She and I talked about the central issues in API education, her new role, and how she’ll address the Center’s challenges.

Daniele Meñez: What past experiences or positions have prepared you for this role as the new executive director of the Denise Louie Education Center?

Susan Yang: I was in the learning field for 15 years. My first job in college was working for a Head Start program in Boston. I learned a lot of aspects regarding organizations, non-profits, and foundations. So I wasn’t 100 percent sure that this [working at the Center] was the right move for me. But reflecting on my career, one thing I hadn’t done was a

New Denise Louie director Susan Yang: We must invest in early eddirect service organization that worked with intermediaries. I like being much closer to the families in that I’m helping others help the families. Now I can just walk in to a classroom and see how they’re doing. I can really see the kids that I’ve been working with more directly, policy-wise.

Meñez: What challenges does the Center face?

Yang: Well, in terms of early childhood education, there are a few things that we face. First of all, there’s an increased focus on preschool—especially with Obama’s proposal for universal pre-school. The City of Seattle also added a preschool plan with more funding, and Washington State is also interested in increasing preschool spots for lower-income children. So because of all of that, we have to learn how to navigate through all the different opportunities, because there are so many different structures within them.

We’re trying to offer the best quality service to children and families, and quality costs money. We have a set amount of money that we receive, and it’s a struggle to retain teachers because we can’t pay them a lot. And for 80 percent of the kids, English isn’t their first language. So the teachers do a lot to ensure a multicultural environment with support of the home language. They do their best to

ensure they’re supporting the kids in the best possible way. Our biggest restriction is financial. Most of the teachers are almost full-time, and we want to pay them what we can for the hours that they’re working.

Meñez: What are your plans for your new role and how do you propose to address the previously mentioned challenges?

Yang: The reality is that all children deserve an equal opportunity. We as an organization feel that it’s our responsibility to give the children the best possible education. With so much focus on preschool, we’re concerned that there’s not enough focus on children who are younger than that age group. So we’re trying to think more about how we can grow our Early Head Start program as a feeder to our Head Start and preschool programs.

We’re always on the lookout for facilities in Seattle—it’s very hard to find due to cost. A lot of research also suggests that children should be in full-day care, but we’re a largely half-day program, so we have to figure out how to meet the changing climate and desire to have full-day preschool slots. We also have to ensure that we’re able to meet our budget every year, so we’re thinking of creative ways to retain the teachers we have and pay them what they’re worth.

Meñez: What are the main issues in education that affect API families today?

Yang: The minimum wage. If it goes up, then there’s concern about how you’re going to pay people across the board,

and whether the families will still be eligible for the services—because families who are being paid $15 an hour (for forty hours a week) could likely be considered “overqualified” for our services (according to the Federal Poverty Guidelines). There are also immigration policy challenges that we have to think about. There are families who aren’t trying to access the Center because they don’t want to be found. State money is also an issue because most of the money will be invested towards the K-12 system.

So the Center’s challenge is that we have enough funding to do a good job, but not enough to do a great one. The difference between good and great is largely what funds we have to raise every year.

Meñez: Do you have anything else that you would like to say?

Yang: Early learning is fundamentally one of the most important things in society today. We have to educate the public that it’s a good investment if invested in correctly. It’s cliché, but it really does take a village to raise a kid. We all have to ensure that children today are doing well because they’re the ones who will be doing our roles and helping us in the future. We have to do our job now so that we can prepare them to be those leaders. We can be really shortsighted in the decisions we make, but the kids are where it’s at. The younger we start, the better off we are as a community.

Yang

Call to community: API Blood Drive honors Edwin Wong

IE News Services

To date, over 1,000 pints of blood have been collected through the The API Blood Drive & Bone Marrow Registration Event, saving over 3,000 lives. The event was started by Edwin Wong, who passed away last Spring.

The initial idea was started after the passing of Edwin’s son, Kirby Wong, in 2001. Edwin and his wife Anna started the Kirby Wong Memorial Blood Drive (now known as the API Blood Drive & Bone Marrow Registration Event) to encourage more people of Asian descent to contribute to the community blood supply.

Most patients requiring more than one blood transfusion require what we call a “Perfect Match” or else the body will reject it. A “Perfect Match” goes beyond the ABO/RH blood typing. Certain blood types are unique, through the existence or

lack of different proteins and antibodies, to specific racial and ethnic groups.

In partnership with Kin On, the blood and bone marrow drive continued far beyond the original five-year commitment.

This upcoming blood drive will be held in honor of founder Edwin Wong, or “Uncle Ed.” The drive will be held at Chinese Baptist Church, 5801 Beacon Ave. South, Seattle, 98118 on Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, you may contact Bloodworks NW at (800) 398-7888 or visit www.bloodworksnw.org/drives.

Kin On together with Bloodworks Northwest (Puget Sound Blood Center), National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Seattle Chapter, Chinese Baptist Church, and Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church co-sponsor this event.

Helping Link seeks board applicants

Helping Link is currently seeking applicants to be part of its board of directors who seek to make a difference in the lives of Vietnamese immigrants and refugees and in the community.

Serving on Helping Link’s board of directors allows board members the opportunity to network with other community leaders and non-profit agencies, while developing and demonstrating your own leadership abilities.

Applications are being accepted through April with service to begin in May. The application form can be downloaded online at http://www.helpinglink.org/board-of-directors.

For more information, email [email protected].

The International Examiner office has moved to the heart of the International District in the Bush Hotel. Our new address is:

International Examiner409 Maynard Ave. S. #203

Seattle, WA 98104


IE COMMUNITY

By Maureen FranciscoIE Contributor

With a career that spans more than three decades in the banking and business world, Jesse Tam is passing his knowledge to future entrepreneurs. The International Examiner caught up with Tam to talk about his service as a volunteer for Seattle University’s Albers Mentor Program.

Maureen Francisco: You started your career working in the mailroom of a bank back in 1975. What lessons did you learn from that experience?

Jesse Tam: My first job was in the mailroom in the basement of First Security Bank in Boise, Idaho. It was a lesson of life from the ground up. The value of understanding the true meaning of communication and connection with real people via the distribution of each individual’s mail was priceless. It is no different than in today’s world through social media. There is a real person behind each piece of mail, with each email address, and for each fact of life. We are all connected in one form or another.

Francisco: Walk us through your career.Tam: It has been a great ride with almost

35 years of banking career from all levels and jobs in branch banking to management of commercial, international, private,

corporate, and investment banking. With such a foundation, it led me to become a founder of three independent community banks in the State of Washington with offices among the Western States.

With my passion and personal background of being a true international individual, I also enjoy the establishment of my international consulting firm focusing in the Asia Pacific Region. Mega Pacific Investments was formed in 1991 providing a full range of financial strategic and investment guidance for companies and individuals in managing their financial affairs and business across national boundaries.

Francisco: On March 18, 2015, you will be celebrating 25 years as a mentor with Seattle University’s Albers School of Business. I understand you started with the mentorship program from the very beginning.

Tam: I am also very glad to [have stayed] on the program for the past 25 years and become the longest remaining mentor with the program. Since the begin-ning of the program, hundreds of mentors have been named and participated in the program, and thousands of students have also enjoyed the experiences and wonder-ful relationship with their mentors. Intern-ship and job opportunities were developed

from many of those mentor/mentee relation-ships.

Francisco: What do you gain from being a mentor?

Tam: [The students] keep me young with fresh thinking and knowledge. They also remind me of many fundamental principles of life that have never change.

Francisco: Why is having a mentor so critical? In the Pan Asian community, do you find that students are seeking mentors?

Tam: Mentors are important to all of us individually. It helps us to find our path through conversation and meaningful dialogue with others who have more experiences and expertise in certain areas of interest. Oftentimes, ideas are bounced around through open and honest discussion on issues. It is the same for all cultures with no boundaries. Seattle University’s program is a great example in establishing a secure and trustworthy environment to establish the mentor-mentee relationship, thereby eliminating the mismatch or misunderstanding in

a relationship. I have learned that most young people are eager to receive honest guidance from people who have more experience than they do.

Francisco: You’ve mentored a lot of people. Describe your ideal person to coach.

Tam: General characteristics are mentees who are committed to finding the answer. They are not afraid to ask questions and are not willing to accept the barrier of time when everyone is really busy. They just don’t give up easily.

Francisco: How do you find a mentor?

Tam: Mentors have little to do with age and stature. They are individuals who are willing to share and to discuss the meaning of life and experiences to those who seek knowledge that’s lacking in their individual lives. Seattle University’s Albers School of Business is another resource. (Also visit http://www.seattleu.edu/albers/programs/mentor.)

An event entitled “25 Years of Inspired Lives Albers Mentor Program Celebrating Jesse Tam’s Community Service as a Mentor” happens March 18, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Seattle University Campus—Casey Hall. By invitation only.

From mailroom to boardroom, Jesse Tam serves as the longest running volunteer for Seattle University’s Albers Mentor Program

Tam

Announcements

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Inspired by the unique legacy of a community that welcomed their Japanese American friends and neighbors home after World War II, volunteers will gather on March 30 for “Service and Community” at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, offering landscaping maintenance and improvements to the National Historic Site, located at Pritchard Park, 4192 Eagle Harbor Drive, Bainbridge Island.

Bainbridge Island commemorates the 73rd Anniversary of the first forced removal of Japanese Americans in World War II on from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Also marking the 73rd Anniversary of the first Japanese Americans placed

Bainbridge Island commemorates

73rd Anniversary of forced removal of Japanese Americans

in concentration camps, at 11:00 a.m. work will pause for a brief, informal commemoration featuring a special presentation by U.S. Rep, Derek Kilmer and the unveiling of a sculpture designed just for the memorial.

Everyone is welcome to drop by anytime and, if you wish, pitch in and help (please wear appropriate work clothing, gloves and bring your own gardening tools) and/or enjoy guided tours of the memorial site—some hosted by actual incarceration survivors.

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency reaches out to community

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) works in King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties to protect public health, improve neighborhood air quality and reduce the region’s contribution to climate change.

PSCAA is inviting community members to its Community Meet and

Greet to learn more about community organizations’ health/equity goals and projects. PSCAA will also share how its work impacts the health of your community.

The goals of the event are to:

• Share how air quality affects the health of your community.

• Learn about the tools PSCAA uses to monitor air quality and set equity priorities.

• Explore how PSCAA might work together in the future to improve air quality for everyone.

Networking and light refreshments from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Presentations from community groups and PSCAA from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Networking and informal information sharing from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Community Meet and Greet happens Thursday, March 26 from 6:00 p.m. For the exact location, contact Caleb Feldman at [email protected] or (206) 689-4086.

Aspiring journalist?The International Examiner needs

news interns to assist with editorial duties, production, and reporting. Here’s your chance to learn practical and hands-on skills in newswriting, editing, proofreading, web design, social media, layout, and breaking news reporting. We’re looking for dedicated people with their hearts set on learning and putting what they learn to practice. Flexible hours.

Please send a letter of interest and your resume to [email protected] with the subject “IE News Intern.”


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IE NEWS

Sat. March 28th 7pmat Kane Hall RM 120, UNIV. of WA Campus

Admission and Parking Freepnhpwesternwashington.org

By Atia MusazayIE Contributor

When people are first oriented to the city of Seattle, it’s often Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, maybe the University District, that are marketed to newcomers. Hardly are the central and southern districts of Seattle associated with the image of the city. For many, half of Seattle doesn’t even exist.

This trend, for example, happens at Seattle University when administrators are advertising to new students, said Tyrone Brown, a panel member who spoke at #BlackBlueBrown on February 25 in observance of Black History Month. The symposium featured a discussion about structural racism and injustice.

Sponsored by the Filipino American National Historical Society and Seattle University’s United Filipino Club, the symposium panelists talked about the ways that racism takes on subtle forms that are often difficult to recognize. These subtle forms of racism, for example, take shape in the way that the Central District is often presented as “the bad part of town” and the International District as a “novelty.”

“Institutionalized racism is being aware that although we have a lot of pride in freedoms and civil liberties that our country represents, it has also institutionalized a system of discrimination that is embedded in some legislation in history,” said Annie Galarosa, a retired Seattle Community Colleges teacher.

The panelists dived into topics ranging from police brutality to the exclusion of certain histories in the education system to prisons and discriminatory policies. Gentrification was also a major concern presented.

Galarosa, who was raised in the Central District but now lives in Skyway, said she would like to see her children and grandchildren return to the Central District, a neighborhood that has seen its demographics dramatically shift in the

#BlackBlueBrown: Panel explores Seattle’s institutionalized racism

past decade due to exorbitant housing costs. As developers have constructed condominiums and townhouses to appeal to affluent white populations, real estate prices have skyrocketed, forcing what used to be an estimated 85 percent African American population into cities as far south as Tacoma.

Ironically, in those same neighborhoods where Black youth used be incarcerated for marijuana dealing, “white folks” are now lined up at legalized pot shops doing the same thing, Galarosa said.

While the complexion of the central neighborhoods is gradually changing, the image of the southern portions of Seattle as a dangerous part of town persists, and this weighs heavily on the relationship the police department has with those communities.

The cases of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner were

also referred to at the symposium, raising questions about police brutality and racial profiling on a national level.

According to Tyrone Brown, the “training” of officers starts even before police academy, when it is implicit that Black equates to darkness and evil. When it is implicit that anywhere “south of Jefferson” is a place you don’t go to, Brown said, “how does an officer act in those places, especially if they’ve never been there before? ... [The officers] relationship with those Black and Brown communities is skewed. Then we find ourselves in situations where we ask ourselves, ‘how did this happen?’”

Officer Kevin Stuckey, who has worked for the Seattle Police Department for 20 years, also spoke on the panel about the relationship between police officers and the community and about the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

“When I see ‘Black Lives Matter,’ I think ‘which Black lives?’” Stuckey said. “Is it [that] the sensationalized stories of a white cop shooting an unarmed black kid [are] taking up headlines over stories of intercity black kids shooting other black kids? ... We are police officers and a direct reflection of our community. When people ask me why the police are violent, I say, ‘have you forgotten we live in a violent society?’”

Created by Ador Yano, the #BlackBlueBrown event’s logo shows three of the same “hands up don’t shoot” overlap which is incomplete because of racism. The black and blue represents the battered and beaten and pain caused by racism and police brutality. One of the goals of the event was to connect the black and Filipino community in their history of facing racism, represented by the brown color.

Religious-based prejudice emergesGalarosa said that as a practicing

Muslim, she was upset when she saw her friends on Facebook posting about the Je Suis Charlie events in France and unknowingly jumping on a bandwagon without educating themselves. She said she saw people relying strictly on emotional reactions and using stereotypes propagated by the U.S. media, and noticed this was connected to the larger theme of institutionalized racism in this country.

Though she was raised Catholic, Galarosa said she was inspired to convert to Islam after studying the life of Malcolm X, who converted to Islam after completing his pilgrimage to Mecca and seeing millions of Muslims from all over the world—of different colors, languages, and social strata—worshipping together in harmony. She said it helped him “let go of the anger he had toward the racism he experienced in his life and that really hit home with me.”

Galarosa emphasized how important it was to educate one’s self about history and understand that the Eurocentric perspective tends to dismiss at least 600 years of history in which the institution of Christianity was seen as terrorizing by many groups.

“The pendulum has swung back and forth and here we are seeing Muslims challenged by stereotyping, anger, and hatred,” Galarosa said.

Both Galarosa and Cabanilla agreed that it is important to educate and share multicultural histories.

“I do this because I don’t want people to forget racism is still a problem,” Cabanilla said. “Civil rights as a movement is incomplete and we’re pushing forward in incomplete history.”

Dajeanne Washington (right) returns the microphone to Devin Cabanilla (left) after a thoughtful observation on gentrification in the Central District at the February 25 #BlackBlueBrown forum. • Photo by Isaac Liu

INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER March 18, 2015 – March 31, 2015 — 9ADVERTISEMENT


IE NEWS

By Ana Sofia KnaufIE Contributor

According to the latest finding from the annual One Night Count, homelessness is up 21 percent in Seattle. The survey, released in late January, reported that there are were 3,772 people facing homelessness during the count, up 649 from the count in 2014.

But are those numbers entirely accurate?

Probably not, said Michael McKee, operations and health services director at the International Community Health Clinic (ICHS).

The group’s International District-based clinic focuses on improving the livelihoods of people in the Asian Pacific Islander communities. According to McKee, many of the people using its services are part of the Seattle’s “hidden homeless” population in the city, many of whom are new immigrants, he said.

McKee describes them as “hidden” because homelessness does not only apply to those out on the streets or sleeping in cars. In fact, many people slip through the cracks in surveys such as the One Night Count. Instead, McKee used the term “housing unstable,” which encompasses everything from couchsurfing to doubled-up housing to support newly-immigrated family members.

“Refugees and immigrants have experienced significant disruption, political turmoil … and might have undiagnosed post-traumatic

Seattle’s Asian American homeless need visibility

stress disorder, which can lead to challenges [with securing housing],” said McKee.

Thus, struggling with mental health issues and housing instability becomes a stigma and people become less likely to seek help. It’s a matter of pride, he said, and it’s an attitude especially prevalent in Asian communities. “If you ask someone if they are homeless, 99 percent of those people will say ‘no.’”

To help combat this, ICHS works with its clients and partners with community organizations to offer mental health services, renters rights clinics, and job workshops to help empower struggling clients.

While services offer much needed support, homelessness is still on the rise. So, what other factors are contributing towards the greater problem?

Sharon Lee, executive director at the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), is blunt about the situation: There simply isn’t enough housing or shelter services available for Seattle’s homeless and city leaders aren’t doing enough to address the problem.

“The irony with service agencies and 211 [a phone hotline] is that they shut down. There’s no one on weekends or on evenings. It’s convenient for people during the day, but not after work hours,” Lee said. “Even though the City Council said they don’t want

any homeless families sleeping outside, it still continues today.”

To help needy families, LIHI, which is located in the International District, seeks to connect people with permanent housing and to shelters when there aren’t other available options. Lee said the group’s clientele also includes many women and children suffering domestic abuse.

“[This year], there were so many families with children. ... It was shocking how many destitute and needy families would show up to sleep in a tent in the middle of winter,” said Lee, referring to Nickelsville, a tent city in the Central District, which LIHI sponsors.

However, even when stable housing options open up, they’re not always ideal, said McKee of ICHS.

“If your family is in Burien, but the housing you’re being offered is in Ballard, there’s a disconnect there, even if [you’re coming from] an unstable housing situation. You’re taking away what’s familiar: how to go grocery shopping ... how to get to work,” he said.

As a result, homelessness, particularly in Asian and immigrant communities, can feel incredibly isolating.

“People of color are being forced out of their neighborhoods ... [and] there’s unaffordable rent and a high cost of housing. If you can’t even afford a microunit, how can you afford two- or three-bedroom housing?” Lee said. “If the battleground [in Seattle] is affordable housing, that’s where you need to put city resources.”

Dorcia Duenas (second from right), her husband, and two daughters were homeless and lived at Nickelsville for many months. They stayed in a tent in the middle of winter and the children attended school. They have since moved into LIHI housing and are doing very well. Also pictured, LIHI executive director Sharon Lee (right). • Courtesy Photo

Herman Kahaloa at Nickelsville tent city with Alfie Avarado-Ramos, director of the Washington State Department Of Veteran Affairs. Kahaloa is a veteran. He has since moved into LIHI housing and has a job. • Courtesy Photo

Dorcia Duenas and her family were once homeless but have since moved into LIHI housing. Dorcia was a feature speaker at the LIHI Gala on October 24 at the Four Seasons Hotel. • Courtesy Photo


IE ARTS

Chinglish a witty, energetic production not to miss

By Jacqueline WuIE Heritage Editor

ArtsWest’s production of Chinglish is the Seattle premiere of David Henry Hwang’s most recent play. Hwang, most known for M. Butterfly, continues to tackle American and western perceptions of Asia through culture and politics. Chinglish, follows Daniel Cavanaugh, an American businessman, aiming to strike a deal with Minister Cai of Guiyang. However, as Daniel will find out, doing business in China is not as simple as signing a contract.

Hilarity ensues through Hwang’s wit and satire as Daniel attempts to navigate China’s social and cultural norms. In particular, Daniel’s immersion in the social etiquette of guanxi, or as many Chinese Americans will know as saving face, has the main character misinterpreting the signs. Guanxi describes the social relationship between peoples. Rather than an individual being a representative of oneself, the individual is a representative of a greater collective such as family and nation. In developing guanxi with the other characters, Daniel begins to change by seeing the connection between honesty and credibility. Through language, Hwang’s characters scramble to find the proper translations to communicate their needs and desires to one another. The multiple meanings of words in English and Mandarin has this bilingual cast blurting out all the wrong words.

More particularly, Hwang’s Chinglish hits on an important note about U.S. and China relations. There is a huge misinterpretation between China and the U.S. that Hwang conveys through his characters, many of whom carry their own baggage and ideas of what it means to be Chinese or American. However, Daniel’s

attempt to strike a deal with minister Cai speaks larger to U.S. globalization entering China through big companies. Daniel symbolizes the white foreigner entering China, which is reminiscent of western colonization of Asia. Hwang is hitting at a contemporary issue about western neocolonialism through the control of markets and economies in Asia and around the world. Although China has undergone rapid modernization and emerged as an economic and political force in the past few years, Hwang comments that it still yields to the United States and the West.

Although Evan Whitfield did an excellent job in portraying the naive Daniel Cavanaugh, Kathy Hsieh’s performance of Vice Minister Xi Yan stole the show. Hsieh captured the complexity of Xi Yan, a political official caught in a loveless marriage who still reminisces when love once existed. Hsieh’s Xi Yan plays multiple personas of friend, foe, and comrade that is difficult to disentangle her loyalties. Other notable cast members include Audrey Fan and Serin Ngai of Sex in Seattle. Also Hsieh, Ngai, and Moses Yim were all in the Book-It Repertory Theatre’s production of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Overall, ArtsWest’s production of Chinglish is not one to miss. Not often are there productions with Asian American actors or a bilingual cast that can speak both English and Mandarin. The energy of the actors, director, and artistic staff was able to bring this production to life.

Chinglish. Written by David Henry Hwang. Directed by Annie Lareau. Duration: 2 hours with 10 minute intermission. Showing at ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W. March 5 to March 29, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

Chinglish, written by David Henry Hwang and directed by Annie Lareau is showing at ArtsWest through March 29, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m. • Photo by Michael Brunk

By Susan KunimatsuIE Contributor

Zenkichi Kikuchi emigrated from Japan to the United States early in the 20th century. A job laying track for the Northern Pacific railroad took him to eastern Washington, where he settled near Wapato. A hard-working pioneer and ingenious agricultural scientist, he made it his mission to encourage other Issei (Japanese immigrants) to come and cultivate the Yakima valley. He lived out his life there, farming and raising a family, until his death in 1965.

Over 40 years later, composer Paul Kikuchi went in search of the great grandfather he had never met. Fortunately, Zenkichi left a map: a memoir, handwritten in English, of his life in America; and a handful of vinyl records of Japanese popular music of his era. The memoir provided the inspirational seed, the recordings the root stock on which Kikuchi based his song cycle, “Bat of No Bird Island.” Four of the six songs are “re-imagined” from songs on Zenkichi’s records. In the process of “re-imagining” a song, Kikuchi begins by transcribing the melody by ear from the recording, then builds on and around it.

“Sections of the music that I really love, that I want to keep the integrity of completely, I just arranged that for my ensemble ... for the instruments that I have,” Kikuchi says. “But that will flow into ... something [new] that I’ve written that’s inspired by ... one of the pieces.”

For Kikuchi, re-imagining these com-positions is intertwined with the process of getting to know his great grandfather.

“I can read what he wrote, but I’ll never know him, I’ll never be in the same room with him,” he says. “So musically, it’s… similar to reading his memoir and [asking] ‘Who was this guy?’”

Paul Kikuchi’s music spans genres from chamber music to jazz; combining formally scored melodies, improvisation, and sounds captured from the environment. His work occupies a border zone where composers of conventional music and artists working with “found” sound seldom meet. He writes for eastern and western instruments, as well as a few new ones of his own invention. He likes to play with sound quality, performing in unusual acoustical environments such as abandoned train tunnels and a nuclear reactor cooling tower.

In “Bat of No Bird Island,” he blends contemporary western instrumentation with traditional Japanese performance technique, incorporating excerpts from the records. For “Ko Ni Mayou (Lost in the Fragrance),” the original recording of singer/composer Ichimaru is played

through a walkie talkie, giving her voice the slightly scratchy quality of an old radio broadcast, imparting a sense of distance in space and time.

“There’s a level of mystery with this project,” Kikuchi notes. “It’s me exploring this person who I’m related to but I never knew ... that’s one of the things I wanted to try to translate was that sense of mystery.”

The “Bat of No Bird Island” song cycle was first performed in 2013. In late March, the recording will be released in three formats: a CD of the entire song cycle; a 10-inch vinyl disc, sort of a created artifact, of two songs from Zenkichi’s 78 rpm vinyl records and two of Paul Kikuchi’s compositions inspired by those songs; and a website containing photographs and excerpts of the memoir, connected by musical clips, that will offer deeper insight into the history of Japanese immigrants in Washington.

Kikuchi feels there is still more to learn about his great grandfather. The next phase of his research will take him to Japan, to Zenkichi’s birthplace and the sources of the music in his record collection. Those recordings from the 1930s and 40s are in a style known as enka, a form of east-west fusion that was popular in Japan and in Japanese communities in the United States. Kikuchi will seek out recordings from this period for an installation that he is creating for the Panama Hotel. Scheduled to open in November, “Songs of Nihonmachi” will revive the sounds of Seattle’s historic Japanese neighborhood prior to World War II in an interactive listening station equipped with vinyl discs and a record player. Kikuchi will also compose new music based on the historic recordings.

“It feels great to take something that’s so personal and so connected to my familial history and heritage ... and then have it branch out to connect with more people in the broader community,” says Kikuchi. “It’s such a rich time in history: these Japanese coming over and living these crazy pioneer lives.”

There will be a free event celebrating the album release on March 28 from noon to 3:00 p.m. at the Jack Straw Cultural Center, 4261 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle. Visit www.BatofNoBirdIsland.com for more information.

Paul Kikuchi connects music to rich familial history, heritage

Paul Kikuchi


IE ARTS

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Typhoon Relief Program

For info on how to donate,

visit nafconusa.org.

By Roxanne RayIE Contributor

Women are at the forefront at Seattle Repertory Theatre in March, and actor Keiko Green reports that her role in the Rep’s current show The Comparables continues to be part of a long process of artistic and personal growth for her.

“Any chance to work at Seattle Repertory Theatre is of course a dream come true,” Green said, “and it was my first audition for them, so it was already exciting for me.”

Green plays the role of Iris in this three-woman play about the tough business climate for real estate agents. “As soon as I read the script, I knew I really wanted to play Iris,” Green said.

Green appreciates the commonali-ties between her character and herself. “Iris is ambitious, and she has no sym-pathy for self-victimizing women,” Green said. “Of course there are ex-ceptions in the world (when it comes to victimized women), but as a woman of color, I have encountered different obstacles than many of my peers, and my tenacity and drive refuse to give up.”

Green has had numerous chances to practice her tenacity throughout her career. “Being a half-Japanese actor, I often get called in for Asian roles—but I’m 5’9,” and I have freckles,” Green said. “I just don’t have the right look most of the time. Too white or too Asian.”

Following training in the nurturing environment of NYU’s Experimental Theatre Wing, Seattle has been a challenging place for Green to launch her career. “Many companies and directors assume a character is white unless specifically marked otherwise,”

Green said. “That’s something that needs to change.”

Although she feels that Seattle theatres have work to do in terms of engaging in more multi-ethnic casting, Green appreciates some recent opportunities she’s had. “My favorite roles are both from last year: Frannie in Chaos Theory at Annex Theatre, and Viola in Twelfth Night at Island Stage Left on San Juan Island,” she said. “I played racially unspecified humans.”

It was in the latter show that Green felt the enchantment of theatre come alive. “In Twelfth Night, my character’s twin brother was played by a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man, and the magic of theatre made the audiences forget,” she said. “It was one of the most hopeful and inspiring experiences I’ve had in a long time.”

Green believes that theatres need to trust their audiences and their actors more. “I find it offensive if a company only calls me in for their roles written as Asian or Asian-American,” she said. “I think theatres don’t give their audiences enough credit sometimes.”

Because of these challenges in being cast by theatres, Green has taken it upon herself to develop more direct relationships with her potential audiences, by embarking upon playwriting. “When I first moved to Seattle, I was having a hard time getting cast in anything, but I strongly believe in creating your own opportunity.”

Watching the example of her peers helped Green pursue a solution. “Right before I left New York, I saw Jesse Eisenberg’s original play Asuncion, which he had written in between big projects when he wasn’t getting the roles he wanted,” she said. “I thought, if Jesse Eisenberg is writing plays because he’s not getting the work he wants, why wouldn’t I at least try?”

After self-producing two original plays, Green is finding that her plate is suddenly

full. “I’m finally working as an actor now, but I can’t stop writing,” she said.

Next up, Green has an original musical, Bunnies, with music by Jesse Smith, premiering at Annex Theatre, and numerous writing projects in the works. “I’m working on four plays right now, all prompted by other groups, and I plan to move more into screenplays this year.”

Green’s ultimate career would combine the best of both performing and writing. But for now, she’s enjoying the lessons that have arisen from her role in The Comparables.

One of those lessons: “Stop apologizing.” Green found herself doing just that after a grueling week of rehearsals, script changes, and preview performances—all of which brought her to tears on two occasions.

As Green recounts, “Our playwright was in Chicago for most of the process, and came back into town just as we were starting previews,” she said. “At 12:00 p.m., we would come in and get new pages, rehearse various things for five hours, and perform (with our new lines) that night at 7:30. It was a lot to deal with.”

But when Green apologized to her fellow actor Cheyenne Casebier for feeling overwhelmed, Casebier advised her to accept her feelings rather than regret them. “I realized that’s one thing that made her different from me,” Green said. “She knew that her feelings were hers to have and to own, and I thought they were something to be ashamed of. I’ll never forget it.”

With that realization, Green has embraced the essence of her character Iris. “I love playing a woman who creates the world she wants for herself.”

The Comparables runs from March 6 to 29 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer Street, Seattle.

Keiko Green (center), Cheyenne Casebier, and Linda Gehringer in Seattle Repertory Theatre’s The Comparables. Green says the role is a dream come true. • Photo by Alabastro Photography

Actor Keiko Green: Seattle theatres need to grow, engage in more multi-ethnic casting


IE COMMUNITY

Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) will open a lottery for 2,500 places on a new waitlist for the Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 Program, rental assistance for people with low incomes to rent from landlords in the private market.

Registration for the lottery will be available online only, from 8 a.m. on March 23 to 5 p.m. April 10, 2015. Registration is free.To register or learn more, please visit seattlehousing.org/waitlist or call (206) 239-1674.

Section 8 waitlist lottery opens March 23

2015 Community Voice Awards23rd Annual Community Voice Awards

International Examiner 41st Anniversary Benefit Gala & AuctionThursday, May 21, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets: $100New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104

We, at the International Examiner, invite you our exciting 2015 Community Voice Awards celebrating the exceptional achievements of our Asian Pacific American leaders. The annual benefit dinner and fundraiser will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the New Hong Kong Restaurant in the Seattle Chinatown International District.

Each year, as the only nonprofit pan-Asian Pacific American newspaper in the U.S., we publicly honor exceptional leaders who have inspired and greatly impacted our communities at the local and/or global level. We are proud to present our 2015 Community Voice Awardees for:

• Arts: Kathy Hsieh. As the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Community Partners Manager, she continues to increase access to City funding for under-represented communities. In particular, her leadership in convening the dialogue on the Mikado production enlightened mainstream theatre communities and our broader community to be an active partner in creating solutions.

• Community Service: Connie So. As faculty at the University of Washington American Ethnic studies, Dr. So touched a multitude of lives, helping shape young people in learning and understanding themselves, their Asian Pacific American history, and their role and responsibility in undoing the racism and sexism that is our American society.

• Entrepreneur of the Year: Debadutta Dash. He is a shining example of a successful businessman who continu-ously leads and serves in APIA community as former Presi-dent of the India Association of Western Association, Presi-dent of Asian and Counseling Referral Services, founder of South Asian Music and Performing Art Center and mem-ber of the Washington State Commission on Asian and Pa-cific American Affairs.

• Posthumous Lifetime Achievement: Ticiang Di-angson. For 31-years with the City, she focused on ad-dressing environmental and racial and social justice is-sues. In her early years with City Light, she served as a home energy auditor and took notice of service dis-parities in different parts of the city. She became the first outreach staff member and a major force behind the City’s recycling program with Seattle Public Utilities. Ms. Diangson served as editor of the Utilities’ award-winning newsletter and a leader of the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative. She served as the inaugural di-rector of the Utilities Environmental Justice and Service Equity Division. She was the first person in the nation to hold such a position.

• Organization: Vulcan Incorporated. Vulcan con-sistently demonstrated leadership as a corporate citizen. Their strong and consistent track record of supporting the non-profit, community-based organizations and small businesses in the ID has positive lasting impacts. Vulcan has been a caring and thoughtful partner in the International District/ Chinatown neighborhood.

• Tatsuo Nakata Youth: Tony Vo. Tony Vo is an incred-ible emerging leader. He has given voice to Asian Pacific Islander students as Director of the UW Asian Student Commission. He helped unite students and the API com-munity to successfully reinstate the UW Southeast Asian Recruiter position and as a community builder, he started the White Center Super Hero 5K Walk and Run to engage the White Center residents and donate the proceeds to the White Center Food Bank, the White Center CDA and YES Foundation of White Center.

For questions or more information, contact event coordinator Third Andresen at [email protected] or visit iexaminer.org/cva2015.


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IE COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY

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VNSF enables underprivileged students in Viet Nam to achieve success and happiness through education. We are looking for volunteers and board members to join the team and make a differ-ence in the lives of kids in Vietnam.

P.O. Box 16016 Seattle, WA [email protected] www.vnsf.org

1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101Ph: 206-654-3209 Fx: 206-654-3135SAM connects art to life through special exhibitions, educational programs and installations drawn from its collection of approximately 25,000 objects. Through its three sites, SAM presents global perspectives, making the arts a part of everyday life for people of all ages, interests, backgrounds and cultures.

Arts & Culture

[email protected] www.deniselouie.orgMulticultural preschool ages 3-5 years old. Now enrolling Private Pay full-day ($900/mo) and part-day classes ($500/mo) with locations at ID, Beacon Hill, and Rainier Beach.

3327 Beacon Ave S.Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-725-9740

Education

Housing & Neighborhood Planning

HomeSight5117 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118ph: 206-723-4355 fx: 206-760-4210www.homesightwa.org

HomeSight creates homeownership opportunities through real estate development, home buyer education and counseling, and lending.

InterIm Community Development Association310 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104Ph: 206.624-1802 Services: 601 S King St, Ph: 206. 623-5132Interimicda.orgMultilingual community building: housing & parking, housing/asset counseling, projects, teen leadership and gardening programs.

Asia Pacific Cultural Center4851 So. Tacoma WayTacoma, WA 98409Ph: 253-383-3900Fx: 253-292-1551faalua@comcast.netwww.asiapacificculturalcenter.orgBridging communities and generations through arts, culture, education and business.

Kawabe Memorial House221 18th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-322-4550 fx: [email protected] provide affordable, safe, culturally sensitive housing and support services to people aged 62 and older.

Address tobacco control and other health justice issues in the Asian American/Pacific Islander communities.

601 S King St.Seattle, WA 98104ph: 206-682-1668 website www.apicat.org

Asian Counseling & Referral Service3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S, Seattle, WA 98144 ph: 206-695-7600 fx: [email protected] www.acrs.orgACRS offers multilingual, behavioral health and social services to Asian Pacific Americans and other low-income people in King County.

National Asian Pacific Center on Aging Senior Community Service Employment Programph: 206-322-5272 fx: 206-322-5387www.napca.orgPart-time training program for low income Asian Pacific Islanders age 55+ in Seattle/King & Pierce Counties.

1601 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122ph: 206-323-7100 fx: 206-325-1502 www.nikkeiconcerns.orgRehabilitation & care center; assisted living community; senior activity program; continuing education.

Legacy House803 South Lane Street Seattle, WA 98104ph: 206-292-5184 fx: [email protected] www.scidpda.org/programs/legacyhouse.aspx

Description of organization/services offered: Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, meal programs for low-income seniors. Medicaid accepted.

Community Care Network of Kin On815 S Weller St, Suite 212, Seattle, WA 98104ph: 206-652-2330 fx: [email protected] www.kinon.orgProvides home care, Alzheimer’s and caregiver support, com-munity education and chronic care management; coordinates medical supply delivery for Asian/Chinese seniors and families in King County.

Kin On Health Care Center 4416 S Brandon St, Seattle, WA 98118ph: 206-721-3630 fx: [email protected] www.kinon.orgA 100-bed, Medicare and Medicaid certified, not-for-profit skilled nursing facility offering long-term skilled nursing and short-term rehab care for Asian/Chinese seniors.

Senior Services

WE MAKE LEADERS

Queen Anne Station, P.O. Box 19888, Seattle, WA [email protected], www.naaapseattle.orgFostering future leaders through education, networking and community services for Asian American professionals and entrepreneurs.Facebook: NAAAP-Seattle Twitter: twitter.com/naaapseattle

Social & Health Services

Chinese Information & Service Center611 S Lane St, Seattle, WA 98104 ph: 206-624-5633 fax: [email protected] www.cisc-seattle.org

Creating opportunities for Asian immigrants and their families to succeed by helping them make the transition to a new life while keeping later generations in touch with their rich heritage.

International District Medical & Dental Clinic720 8th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98114 ph: 206-788-3700email: [email protected] website: www.ichs.com

Bellevue Medical & Dental Clinic1050 140th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98005ph: 425-373-3000

Shoreline Medical & Dental Clinic16549 Aurora Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133ph: 206-533-2600

Holly Park Medical & Dental Clinic3815 S Othello St, Seattle, WA 98118ph: 206-788-3500

ICHS is a non-profit medical and dental center that provides health care to low income Asian, Pacific Islanders, immigrants and refugees in Washington State.

Our programs help people meet their immediate needs and gain the skills and resources needed to reach solid ground and achieve their dreams.

1501 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103ph: 206-694-6700 fx: [email protected] www.solid-ground.org

Seattle Rotary ClubMeets every Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.New Hong Kong Restaurant 900 S Jackson St.seattleidrotary.orgShannon [email protected] the local community by engaging

activities such as community improvement projects, scholarship opportunities, and undertakings that promote education.

PO Box 14047, Seattle WA 98114(206) 325.0325 (Helpline)[email protected]. apichaya.orgAPI Chaya is dedicated to serving survivors

of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking in the Asian, South Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We offer multi-lingual services that are free and confidential.

Seattle Chinatown/International District Preservation and Development Authorityph: 206-624-8929 fx: 206-467-6376 [email protected]

Housing, property management and community development.

Executive Development Institute310 – 120th Ave NE. Suite A102 Bellevue, WA Ph. 425-467-9365 • Fax: 425-467-1244Email: [email protected] • Website: www.ediorg.orgEDI offers culturally relevant leadership development programs.

Professional & Leadership Development

Please mail a check for $35 to the International Examiner or donate to: 409 Maynard Ave. S. #203, Seattle, WA 98104.Thank you for your contribution.

ph: 206-624-3426 www.merchants-parking-transia.org

Merchants Parking provides convenient & affordable community parking. Transia provides community transportation: para-transit van services, shuttle services and field trips in & out of Chinatown/International District & South King County.

Social & Health Services

Agape Senior Group Activity Center36405 Cedar St, Suite UTacoma, WA 98409ph: 253-212-3957 [email protected]

SUBSCRIBE TO THE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER FOR

$35/YEAR FOR 24 ISSUES!

Senior ServicesHorizon House900 University St Seattle, WA 98101 ph: 206-382-3100 fx: [email protected]

www.horizonhouse.orgA welcoming community in downtown Seattle, offering seniors vibrant activities, independent or assisted living, and memory care.


Check back for Sudoku in the IE every issue! Answers to this puzzle are in the next issue on Wednesday, March 4.

Information Services Director

The Washington State Convention Center is accepting applications for Information Services Director. The Director will serve as a hands-on manager and leader for IT infrastructure and applications, aligning IT’s vision, roadmap and execution with strategic business objectives.

Required Qualifications: BA degree and six years increasingly responsible Information Technology management and contract administration experience, including three years supervising technology professionals and project management.

Visit www.wscc.com for further info or to download an application. Applications are also available at the WSCC Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, Mon-Fri, 8:00am – 5:00pm. Jobline: (206) 694-5039. EOE.

The International Examiner website is now updated daily.

Visit iexaminer.org everyday for unique, breaking, and evolving online content!

Onlookers watch the festivities on 7th Avenue during the Lunar New Year celebrations on February 21, 2015 in the International District. The sunny Saturday, which had a high of 55 degrees featured cultural performances like taiko drumming, lion dancing and martial art demonstrations. • Photo by Keoke Silvano


Limited time offer. Price and participation may vary. ©2015 McDonald’s.

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International Examiner March 18, 2015