The Problem of Gang Violence

Transcription

PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SEATTLE, WA
Permit No. 2393
VOL. 34, NO. 4
JOURNAL OF THE NORTHWEST ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
FEB. 21 - MARCH 6, 2007
Science, Technology & Culture:
Ozeki embraces charged political topics
BY NHIEN NGUYEN
Examiner Editor
Record number of APA senators in WA history
Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens), Sen. Chris Marr (D-Spokane), Ellen
Abellera of Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and Sen. Paull Shin
(D-Edmonds) join Gov. Chris Gregoire at a welcome speech for the 2007 Asian
Pacific American Legislative Day on Feb. 13.
Asian Americans, the second largest ethnic group in Washington, now hold
more Senate seats than at any other time in state history. The three lawmakers
reflect the growing Asian presence in the Senate. Shin is a Korean American; Marr
and Hobbs are both Japanese Americans.
Members of the Asian Pacific American community met with state lawmakers
to address concerns, including access to culturally sensitive medical care and mental health services, job training opportunities and increased translation services for
non-English persons. Photo from Sandra Manwiller.
On Valentine’s Day, Ruth Ozeki blogged
about being in the “throes of a romance,
which has obsessed and inspired” her now
for almost a week. But the obsession is not
over a person, but a writing software called
Scrivener.
It is not unusual for bestselling author
Ozeki to marry the art of the written
expression with technology. In fact, Ozeki
has become a master of exploring the complex implications of science and technology
on everyday life through the simplicity of
elegant prose.
Ozeki visits the area to present a public
talked entitled “HYBRID VIGOR: mixing
science and fiction, splicing politics with
poetics, and crossbreeding points of view”
at Cascadia Community College in Bothell
on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
The program is co-sponsored by the
college’s Teaching and Learning Academy
(TLA), whose goal is to bring speakers that
will spur debate, critical inquiry and intellectual discourse in the area of learning,
social responsibility and global thinking.
As an innovative thinker, Ozeki is a
speaker that is
able to do just
that.
A hybrid herself – her father
is
Caucasian
and her mother
is
Japanese
– Ozeki’s breakthrough work
in literature and
films has inad- Ruth Ozeki
vertently turned her into an organic food
advocate.
Both of Ozeki’s novels have tackled food
issues and farming practices. Her first book,
“My Year of Meats,” delves into the effects
of food science in meat. Her second novel,
“All Over Creation,” addresses the biotech
industry and gene splicing, in particular
the effects of something as mundane as a
potato.
Ozeki has always fascinated by science,
she says, especially its impact on culture.
Science and technology affect who we are
- continued on page 4
Asian American Youth Culture: Part 1 of a 3 part series
The Problem of Gang Violence
BY ARLA SHEPHARD
Examiner Contributor
Imagine this: a typical Asian American
teenager (we’ll call him Joe) explains his
sense of belonging to a larger community. He enjoys the work that he does, he
has many friends, and claims to have no
troubles fitting into American culture,
despite his family’s struggles with immigrating and adjusting in a land where they
can hardly speak the language. Sounds like
a well-adjusted kid, right?
Not exactly. Joe, and many others like
him, is a part of an Asian American gang.
He identifies with his fellow gang members rather than his family, and discovers
the self-esteem that he never seemed to
quite grasp through school and familial
ties.
“This is the only family you know. You
grow in the gangs. You might start out
with five or six friends, then suddenly you
have 20 friends. It’s a happy family,” said
one Vietnamese gang member anonymously in an interview on youth gangs,
published in Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou’s
“Asian American Youth: Culture Identity,
and Ethnicity.” The series of essays sheds
light on a topic that is often ignored — the
vibrant and distinct youth culture that has
shaped the “daily lives and ethnic identities” of an entire generation.
Asian American gangs are not a new
phenomenon, of course, dating back to the
1800s when gangs first began to sprout up in
the Chinatowns of larger cities. A feeling of
alienation is at the root of the issue, as many
immigrants then and now experience difficulty in adjusting to American society.
The children of immigrants have the
additional burden of being caught in the
“The best thing that a community can do to combat
gang behavior is to provide
community and after-school
activities.”
— Jeri White, director
SE Youth & Family Services
middle of the generational gap most youth
experience, although in their case the issue
can be heightened by language barriers and
a cultural difference. At school there is the
desire to fit in, and sometimes the answer
to fitting in is falling into unconventional
methods of affiliation – youth gangs.
Seattle has seen a recent upswing in
gang violence in the past year, as reflected
in the number of juvenile arrests in 2006.
In October, 671 juvenile arrests were made
as compared to the 44 citywide arrests in
January. This includes robberies, theft, rape,
arson, aggravated assault and auto theft,
as reported on the City of Seattle Web site
crime statistics.
The efforts to prevent gang affiliation
among youth in Seattle is an exhaustive
process, one that involves case managers
juggling “as many as 30 individual cases at
one time,” said Terry Hayes, the manager of
Seattle Team For Youth (STY).
Seattle Team For Youth is an organization
that deals with low-income youth development (ages 11-21) primarily in and around
the South Park area. STY is sponsored by the
City of Seattle Human Services Department.
Youth are identified as “at risk” and are
brought to the attention of STY, usually
through the Seattle Police Department or
Seattle Public Schools. Case management is
then dealt with on an ethnic-specific basis.
“Racism plays a huge role in why kids
and families are marginalized in society,”
Hayes said of the almost 8,000 cases STY
sees per year. “It’s hard enough for people
who have money. For those who don’t
Lunar New Year Feast
- pages 8 - 9
“Sexual Practices of the
Japanese”
- page 10
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER
2 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
FEATURE
NEWS
arts
senior services
Northwest Asian American Theatre
NIKKEI CONCERNS
409 Seventh Ave S. Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-340-1445 fx: 206-682-4348
Seattle’s premiere pan-Asian American performing arts center.
Manages Theatre Off Jackson.
Wing Luke Asian Museum
407 7th Ave. S Seattle, WA 98104
ph:206-623-5124 fx: 206-622-4559
folks@wingluke.org; www.wingluke.org
The only pan-Asian Pacific American museum in the country, the Wing
Luke Asian Museum is nationally recognized for its award-winning exhibitions and community-based model of exhibition and program development. WLAM an affiliate of the Smithsonian Instititue, is dedicated to
engaging the APA communities and the public in exploring issues related
to the culture, art and history of Asian Pacific Americans. Offers guided
tours for schools and adult groups, and provides excellent programs for
families and all ages.
business
Chinatown/International District
Business Improvement Area
409 Maynard Ave. S., Suite P1 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-382-1197
www.cidbia.org
Merchants association enhancing business, parking and
public space in the International District. Sponsors Lunar New
Year and Summer Festival events.
Japanese American Chamber of Commerce
14116 S. Jackson Seattle, WA 98144
ph: 206-320-1010 www.jachamber.com
Encourages entrepreneurial & educational activity
among Japanese, Americans and Japanese Americans and promotes increased understanding of Japanese culture & heritage.
Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce
675 S. King St Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-332-1933 fx: 206-650-8337
info@chinesechamber.net
Acts as an advocate for local Chinese businesses and in a public
relations role. Organizes the Seattle Miss Chinatown Pageant.
political & civil rights
Commission of Asian Pacific American Affairs
1210 Eastside St. SE 1st Flr. Olympia, WA 98504
Olympia ph: 360-753-7053 www.capaa.wa.gov
Statewide liason between governmnet and APA communities.
Monitors and informs public about legislative issues.
Japanese American Citizens League - Seattle Chapter
316 Maynard S. Seattle, WA 98104
www.jaclseattle.org
Dedicated to protecting the rights of Japanese Americans and
upholding the civil and human rights of all people.
Organization of Chinese Americans Seattle
Chapter
606 Maynard Ave S., Suite 104 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-682-0665 www.ocaseattle.org
Civil rights and Education, promotes the active participation of chinese
and Asian Americans in civic and community affairs.
schools
Asia Pacific Language School
14040 NE 8th, #302, Bellevue, WA 98007
ph: 425-785-8299 or 425-641-1703
www.apls.org
Multilingual preschool, language classes, adult ESL, “One World Learning School Program”Academic enrichment, prep for WASL and SAT’s.
Denise Louie Education Center
801 So. Lane St. Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-621-7880
info@deniselouie.org www.deniselouie.org
Half day and full day Head Start program located in the International District, Beacon Hill, Mt Baker, and Rainier Beach.
Comprehensive multi-cultural pre-school for children ages 3-5.
church
St. Peter’s Episcopal Parish
1610 S King St. Seattle, WA 98144
ph: 206-323-5250 email: cono@pugetsoundeyecare.com
website: www.stpeterseattle.org
St. Peter’s invite all people to a life of faith through worship education, service, and spiritual development.
Enriching the lives of our elders.
1601 E. Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122
Ph: 206-323-7100 www.nikkeiconcerns.org
Seattle Keiro, Skilled Nursing Facility
24-hour skilled nursing facility offering high quality medical
and rehabilitation programs, activities and social services.
1601 E. Yesler, Seattle, WA 98122
Ph: 206-323-7100
Nikkei Manor, Assisted Living Community
50 private apartments. Service plans tailored to individual
needs. Nurse on staff 8 hrs./day.
700 – 6th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104
Ph: 206-726-6460
Kokoro Kai, Adult Day Program
Provides social opportunities, light exercises, lunch and
activities 3 days a week.
700 – 6th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104
Ph: 206-726-6474
Nikkei Horizons, Continuing Education Program
Offers tours and excursions, courses in arts, computers,
language and more.
700 6th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104
Ph: 206-726-6469
Legacy House
803 South Lane, Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-292-5184 fx: 206-292-5271
info@legacyhouse.org
Assisted living, Adult Day services, Independent Senior apartments, Ethnic-specific meal programs for low-income seniors.
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
(Senior Community Service Employment Program)
1025 S. King St. Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-322-5272 fx: 206-322-5387
www.napca.org
Part-time training program for low income
Asian Pacific Islander age 55+ in Seattle/King County.
professional
Asian American Journalists Association - Seattle Chapter
P.O. Box 9698 Seattle, WA 98109
www.aajaseattle.org
Professional deveopment for journalist, scholarships for
students and community service since 1985.
National Association of Asian American
Professionals - Seattle Chapter
PO Box 14344 Seattle, WA 98104
pr@naaapseattle.org; www.naaapseattle.org
Fostering future leaders through education, networking and community
services for Asian American professionals and entrepreneurs.
housing & neighborhood planning
HomeSight
5117 Rainier Ave S. Seattle, WA 98118
ph: 206-723-4355 fax: 206-760-4210
www.homesightwa.org
First-time home buyer purchase assistance services including low-interest
loans, deferred payment loans, financial coaching, for-sale homes and more!
Inter*Im Community Development Association
308 6th Ave So Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-624-1802 fx: 206-624-5859
info@interimicda.org; www.interimicda.org
Low-income housing, economic development,
neighborhood planning and advocacy for the APA community.
International District Housing Alliance
606 Maynard Ave. S #104/105 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-623-5132 fx: 206-623-3479
Multi-lingual low-income housing outreach,
rental information, homeownership community education.
Low Income Housing Institute
2407 First Ave Suite #200 Seattle, WA 98121
ph: 206-443-9935 fx: 206-443-9851
housinginfo@lihi.org; www.lihi.org
Housing and services for families, individuals,
seniors and the disabled in Seattle and the Puget Sound Region.
Seattle Chinatown/International District
Preservation and Development Authority
ph: 206-624-8929 fax: 206-467-6376 info@scidpda.org
Housing, property management, and community development.
social & health services
Asian Counseling & Referral Service
720 8th Ave S Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-695-7600 fx: 206-695-7606
www.acrs.org
ACRS offers nationally recognized, culturally competent health and
social services.
Food for survival and culture: food bank, specializing in Asian/Pacific
staples; emergency feeding; senior ethnic lunch programs
Healthy mind and body: assistance for elders and adults with disabilities; bilingual, bicultural counseling for children and adults; problem
gambling treatment; substance abuse treatment and recovery services;
domestic violence batterers’ treatment and community education
Building blocks for success: youth leadership development and academic support; vocational and employment services
Stronger communities through civic engagement: naturalization and
immigration assistance; community education, mobilization and advocacy Information for taking action: legal clinic; information and referral;
consultation and education
Asian & Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center
P.O. Box 14047, Seattle, WA 98114
ph: 206-467-9976 email: apiwfsc@apialliance.org
website: www.apiwfsc.org
Provides community organizing, education, outreach, training, technical assistance & comprehensive culturally relevant service on domestic
violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking to API community members, services providers, survivors & thier families.
Center For Career Alternatives
901 Rainier Ave So. Seattle, WA 98144
ph: 206-322-9080 fx: 206-322-9084
www.ccawa.org
Need a Job! Free Training, GED, and job placement service.
Chinese Information and Service Cener
409 Maynard Ave. S. Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-624-5633 www.ciscseattle.org
Helps Asian immigrants achieve success in their new community
by providing information, referral, advocacy, social, and support services. Our bilingual & bicultural staff offer after school
programs, English as a Second Language, citizenship classes,
employment training, computer classes, elderly care services and
additional family support services. Please contact us.
International Drop-In Center
7301 Beacon Ave S. Seattle, WA 98108
ph: 206-587-3735 fx: 206-742-0282 email: idic_seattle@yahoo.com
We are open form 9 till 5 Mon-Fri and do referrals, counseling,
fitness and recreation, social, arts & cultural activities for elderly
member and walk-ins.
Helping Link
ph: 206-781-4246 fx:206-568-5160
www.cityofseattle.net/helpinglink
Vietnamese community-based organization providing social service,
education, social activities and more for the greater Seattle area.
International Community Health Services
International District Medical & Dental Clinic
720 8th Ave. S. Suite 100 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-788-3700
Holly Park Medical & Dental Clinic
3815 S. Othello St. 2nd Floor, Seattle WA 98118
ph: 206-788-3500
www.ichs.com
We are a nonprofit health care center offering affordable medical,
dental, pharmacy, acupuncture and health education services primarily
to Seattle and King County’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
Kin On Community Health Care
815 S. Weller St. Suite 212 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-652-2330 fx:206-652-2344
rtong@kinon.org; www.kinon.org
Provides home care, home health, Alzheimer’s and
caregiver support, community education and chronic care
management. Coordinate medical supply delivery. Install
Personal Emergency Response system. Serves the Chinese/Asian
community in King County.
Refugee Women’s Alliance
4008 Martin Luther King Jr. Seattle, WA 98108
ph: 206-721-0243 • fax: 206-721-0282 www.rewa.org
A multi-ethnic, multilingual, community-based organization
that provides the following programs to refugee and immigrant women and families in the Puget Sound area: Development Disabilities, Domesitc Violence, Early Childhood
Education, Youth Family Support, Mentel Health, Parent
Education and Education and Vocational Training.
Washington Asian Pacific Islander Families Against Substance Abuse
606 Maynard Ave. S, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-223-9578
Alcohol, tobacco & drug prevention; early intervention &
outpatient treatment for APIA youth and their families.
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OPINION
Editor’s
Corner Free trade far too costly
BY SOYA JUNG HARRIS
Guest Columnist
The hardest lessons are often learned too
late. Some would say that in terms of free
trade, the writing is no longer on the wall;
impending disaster is now a reality. Lost
jobs, declining wages and working conditions, displacement of farmers, deepening
class stratification and the erosion of indigenous cultures are all outcomes of failed trade
policies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
But millions of people in these regions are
courageously fighting for alternatives. And
right now, supporters of human rights and
democracy have the chance to stop yet
another misguided trade deal, the US-Korea
Free Trade Agreement.
In Seattle, the timing is right. On Jan.
30, a federal jury found that the City of
Seattle had violated the due-process rights
of protesters demonstrating against the
World Trade Organization in 1999. The
recent U.S. District Court decision makes
the City financially liable for mass arrests
conducted by the Seattle Police Department
in Westlake Park on Dec. 1, 1999. Today,
more than seven years after the WTO protests, the City has already paid more than
$800,000 to settle claims of police misconduct. Based on this latest federal ruling, the
As a precondition to starting FTA talks, the South
Korean government lifted the ban on imported
U.S. beef, causing grave concerns over lax U.S.
regulation of the beef industry. Today, 70 percent
of Korean housewives in their 30s and 40s say
they would not buy U.S. beef for fear of Mad
Cow Disease.
City will likely pay millions more to remedy
the wrongful arrests of some 170 individuals. It is an important vindication for activists, who often face repression and excessive
use of force by the police in the streets, but
it is also a vital lesson for governments that
compromising democratic principles comes
at a cost.
This is an opportunity for Seattleites to
EDITOR
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Seattle,WA98104
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pause and consider the real costs of what the
WTO represents. Free traders argue that tariffs and labor and environmental standards
get in the way of greater prosperity for more
people. But more than 13 years after the passage of NAFTA, the broken promise of free
trade policies to deliver social and economic
progress should be clear to anyone who is
paying attention. In 2003, the Economic
Policy Institute reported that NAFTA had
destroyed nearly 880,000 jobs in the United
States and led to rising income inequality, lower wages and benefits, and weaker
organizing and collective bargaining power
for U.S. workers. Washington state alone
suffered the loss of 14,000 jobs. In Mexico,
NAFTA has decimated 1.5 million farming
jobs, forced previously salaried workers into
informal jobs like street vending and restaurant work, and decreased overall wages and
worker protections.
South Korean workers and farmers
are part of the growing legions of people
resisting neoliberal policies worldwide.
Negotiations for the US-Korea FTA, which
would be the largest FTA since NAFTA,
began in February 2006. Since then, over
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 3
Letters
tothe
Editor
Tribute: “warm and insightful”
Dear Mr. Lau, Arts Editor:
Thank you very much for writing your
warm and insightful article about my
father (“Remembering John Matsudaira,
Northwest Artist,” Feb. 7 - 20, 2007). The
description of the car ride is typical of my
father. I’m happy that you had a chance to
meet him. It would have made him happy
to know of the recognition he has received
after his death because he was too humble to
expect that people would still remember his
art.
By the way, the catalog for the exhibition
of the Northwest Asian American Artists that
you refer to in your article sits on the coffee table in my office at MIT. It often draws
interest from visitors, most often surprise at
the diversity in art that was generated by that
school of artists. The picture of my father as
a little boy in Kanazawa chasing a dragon fly
is the one piece that I will treasure the most.
Regards,
Paul Matsudaira
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4 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
NEWS
Veterans sound off on Lt. Ehren Watada’s stand on the Iraq War
BY KEN MOCHIZUKI
Howard Kim, U.S. Army, demolition
With U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada
attracting international attention, Asian specialist, Vietnam:
“I remember the My
Pacific American veterans were asked for
Lai massacre that haptheir opinion about Watada’s stand on the
pened two years after
Iraq War.
I left Vietnam (1966).
Lt. Watada has been charged by the Army
Vietnamese
civilians
with missing troop deployment when he
– men, women and chilrefused to deploy with the rest of his Ft.
dren – were ordered into
Lewis-based unit to Iraq; and for public
a pit and massacred [by
statements he has made criticizing the U.S.
U.S. Army soldiers]. Lt.
government’s conduct of an “illegal and
Calley took the brunt of
immoral war.”
that, even though orders
Watada’s general court martial in early
February ended in a mistrial. Watada contin- came from superior officers.
“After that incident, the Army instituted
ues to serve at Ft. Lewis in an administrative
a new set of rules – that we were not to folposition.
low illegal orders. If a general ordered me to
murder someone, that would be an illegal
order. All wars from Korea on have been
undeclared wars, and that makes them illegal wars. So, technically, Lt. Watada is right.
I do not understand why he was not sent to
Afghanistan as he requested. I think the government is wrong. Had Congress declared
war against Iraq, then what Lt. Watada did
could’ve been illegal. I was wounded twice in
an illegal war.”
“From what I understand, his uncle
served in Korea and was killed in action. I’m
not sure what his parents did, but, of course,
they have to support him now. He was influenced by groups outside of the base to stand
up for his rights – to take the stand that he is
taking now.
“The members of the 442nd were good
citizens.”
Retired Col. Shokichi “Shox” Tokita, U.S.
Air Force career officer and flight navigator in Vietnam:
“Being a career officer, you know what I’m
going to say. Looking at
it from a business point
of view, he had an obligation, he was paid, he
had a contract. You can
have political thoughts,
but he has to uphold his
end in the military and
should be court martialed if he is not willing
to go.
“He doesn’t have the right to disobey an
order. It’s not like being a civilian, where you
get to refuse and quit.”
Joseph Visaya, U.S. Army, infantryman,
Vietnam:
“It’s cut and dried:
this is wartime, he
missed his troop movement deliberately, so,
for me, that’s desertion.
He [Watada] claims
there’s a moral ground
he’s standing on, but the
Army looks at things differently. When you sign
on, you sign on – whatever happens. When
the orders come down, you’re not given the
option of if you want to go to war. If that
were the case, nobody would be going to war.
You have an obligation in the military – you
honor your orders.
Bill Nishimura, Military Intelligence
“I went to Vietnam against my will Service, World War II (Philippines and
[Visaya was drafted], but I still went there. postwar Japan):
He will be convicted, he will do time, but
“What bothers me is
he will have made his point. And I don’t
the timing. If his conthink that will be the last of officers refusing
viction was that strong,
orders.”
why didn’t it surface
sooner? If he felt that
A Japanese American veteran who declined
strongly, why wait until
to be identified, U.S. Army, infantryman,
the last minute [before
442nd Regimental Combat Team, World
deployment]?
War II; counter intelligence, Korea:
“We Nisei veterans
“He used the school systems, ROTC, would have never taken that position.”
Officer Candidate School – all that the feds
paid for – he became an officer, and he took Kim and Nishimura photos from “A Different
a pledge. He’s setting a bad example. If a lieu- Battle: Stories of Asian Pacific American
tenant can get away with that, then a general Veterans” (Wing Luke Asian Museum). Visaya
should be able to do that. To go out in public and Tokita photos from International Examiner
and speak like that, I don’t think is right.
archives. All photos by Dean Wong.
- continued from front page
Ozeki: Organic food advocate
and what we become, impacting our lungs,
our stomachs, our ability to reproduce, says
Ozeki.
“In the world we live in now, a lot of the
truly dramatic things happening are in the
world of science and technology.”
David Ortiz, founding faculty of Cascadia
Community College and instructor in media
studies and communications, says Ozeki’s
talk will be “refreshing,” because discussions
of science and technology are often dominated by U.S. and male perspectives.
Ozeki believes that addressing important,
political issues of today can be done through
literary and creative work, as it is often an
introduction of such issues for many people.
Ultimately, she says, “My novels are about
people, not just DNA.”
When asked about other Asian Americans
active in the environmental movement, she
cited the work of Canadian David Suzuki, an
award-winning scientist, environmentalist
and broadcaster, as a source of inspiration.
Though she believes it is important
to focus on race and culture, she says,
“Anybody who is alive and politically aware
today has to be aware about environmental
problems.”
Ozeki takes environmental stewardship
seriously not only through her creative
work, but also in her own personal life. She
and her husband raise Chinese chickens
at their home in Cortes Island, an idyllic
and tranquil island north of Vancouver
B.C. Chickens, which eat table scraps, help
maintain and fertilize the grounds. She
also studies Zen Buddhism, after seeing
her grandparents sitting on the living room
floor, which she later realized was meditation
practices.
Ruth Ozeki presents her talk at Cascadia
Communnity College, UWB2-005, at 3:30
p.m. www.cascadia.ctc.edu. Visit Ruth Ozeki’s
Web site and blog at www.ruthozeki.com.
All-women hiphop show takes Seattle
To kick off Women’s History Month
in March, the University of Washington
Women’s Center, in collaboration with
Housing and Food Services, Pinay Sa
Seattle, and KBCS 91.3 Community Radio,
present “Rise! Women Reshaping History
Through Hiphop.”
“Rise!” is an all-women hiphop show,
including performances by emcees, deejays
and b-girls and spoken word artists.
The show celebrates female artists in
the male-dominated hiphop scene. Artists
include Beyond Reality, Cristina Orbe,
Melissa Noelle Green, Vivid Vixens, Fraggle
Rock Crew, El Dia, CanarySing, Rogue
Pinay, DJ Mixxtress, DJ SweetElite, Julie C
and many more.
After the success of INDAYog, a community effort led by Pinay Sa Seattle, the
demand for another all-women hiphop
show has been at an all-time high, states a
press release. “Women, who are often relegated to the sidelines, are pushing forward
in their effort to be heard,” say organizers.
“Many new female artists have joined
long-time veterans at the front lines of the
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 5
In & Around Town
AfricanAmericanLegislativeDayrallies2,000toCapitol
Cristina Orbe, one of the female artists to perform
at “Rise!” www.cristinaorbe.com.
battle for equal access not only in hiphop,
but in other aspects of their lives as well.”
Proceeds of the event will go towards the
UW Women’s Center Making Connections
Program. This program encourages young
women in the fields of math, science and
technology and supports them in their pursuit of higher education.
“Rise!” takes place on Friday, March 2 at
the North Husky Den, UW campus. Doors
open at 7 p.m.; show begins at 8 p.m. The
event is free and open to the public.
WAStateChinaRelationsCouncilre-electsNelsonDongasPresident
The international law firm of Dorsey & group in the Pacific Northwest and the only
Whitney announced that Nelson Dong, a such group established at the state level.
Among Dong’s top priorities for 2007,
partner in the firm’s Seattle office, has been
re-elected president of the Washington State WSCRC is preparing to take a delegation
China Relations Council (WSCRC) for of Washington Business and Government
2007. In his second term as leader of the leaders to China this August, while hostSeattle-based Council, Dong plans to build ing the Chinese for Seattle conferences on
on the momentum generated by Chinese Energy and Finance. WSCRC performs a
President Hu Jintao’s April 2006 visit with critical role in connecting Pacific Northwest
the Seattle business community. WSCRC is companies with their counterparts and the
the largest China-related trade promotion government in China.
While Asian Pacific Americans
gathered for APA Legislative Day
on Feb. 13, the African American
community mobilized for their
advocacy event the day prior on
Feb. 12. Reported attendance for
African American Legislative Day
2007 was 2,000 people.
“African American Legislative
Day exceeded all our hopes,”
says
Washington
State
Commission on African American
Affairs
Executive
Director
Rosalund Jenkins in a press
release. “The program was more (Back row, left to right): Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane;
substantive and the overwhelm- Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle; (middle row): Rep.
ing turn out more inspiring than John McCoy, D-Tulalip; Rep. John Lovick, D-Mill
Creek; Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle; Sen. Paull Shin,
we ever imagined!”
Washington State Commission D-Edmonds; Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent; Rep.
on African American Affairs Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle; and (front row):
sponsors a Post-Legislative Day Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney, D-Seattle.
Budget and Policy Work Session
from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 24 at Allen Renaissance Center, 1321
MLK in Tacoma. Call (360) 725-5663 for information.
ChristineChenlaunchespersonalfinanceseriesonKCTS9
Doug Hoselton of Sandler Sales Institute
(left) and Martin Rincon of Martini Design
(right) join Christine Chen (center) at a KCTS
launch party on Feb. 13 for “About the Money
with Christine Chen.” All three have been
recognized as awardees of Puget Sound
Business Journal 40 Under 40 — young
entrepreneurs and rising stars in the local
business community.
Chen hosts the new finance series on KCTS
9 on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., which repeats on
Sundays at 11:30 a.m. www.KCTS.org.
6 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
- continued from page 3
Korean workers continue to voice dissent over FTA
one million South Koreans have protested
the agreement through hunger and general strikes. In response, the South Korean
government has used secrecy and severe
repression to silence the majority of South
Koreans now opposed to the FTA. The
state-run Korean Advertising Review Board
blocked an ad by farmers and filmmakers
opposing the FTA from being aired, saying it was unfairly biased against the South
Korean government. Meanwhile, President
Roh’s Committee to Support the Conclusion
of the US-Korea FTA freely broadcast a $3.8
million propaganda ad.
The South Korean government has
deployed thousands of riot police to use
physical violence, including water cannons,
against anti-FTA protesters. On Aug. 1, 2006,
worker Ha Joong Keun died as a result of
severe beating by riot police. In December,
following a massive general strike, the South
Korean police banned all future protests
against the FTA. Authorities raided local
offices of civic organizations, detained 19
leaders of farmers’ and workers’ organizations, and issued arrest warrants for 170
movement leaders.
Despite such repression, Korean workers
and farmers continue to voice their dissent. They understand that the FTA would
exacerbate the hardships they already face.
Structural adjustments following the Asian
financial crisis of the 1990s have led to
increased poverty for farmers, the depths of
which was illustrated by the public protest
suicide of farmer Lee Kyung-hae during the
2003 WTO ministerial in Cancun, Mexico.
Since then, two more farmers have committed suicide in response to President Roh’s
Workers, farmers, and students gather for a general strike in downtown Seoul, South Korea Nov.
22, 2006. More than 200,000 people demonstrated against the FTA in 13 cities nationwide. Days
later, the South Korean government banned all
future FTA protests.
FTA would be a death knell for up to 140,000
Korean farmers.
South Korea is Washington state’s sixthlargest export market, with purchases of
nearly $1.8 billion in Washington products
in 2005. Trade with South Korea is good
for our state. But it must be fair. We have a
responsibility to understand what the FTA
would mean for Korean farmers, workers
and their families. Even if it would benefit
certain growers and corporations, we must
ask ourselves if we are willing to accept those
benefits, whatever the moral cost.
It is not too late to stop the US-Korea
FTA. Under President Bush’s fast-track
authority, Congress must have 90 days to
review a proposed trade deal before voting
it up or down. Fast track expires on July 1,
giving both countries only a few more weeks
to come to agreement. Last November, voters
neoliberal reforms. Worker repression has
also intensified. Today, more than 56 percent
of workers in South Korea are “irregular,”
hired under temporary employment status.
Close to 100 trade unionists are in prison for
exercising their rights to organize, to collec- - continued from front page
tively bargain, and to strike. In March 2006,
the government declared the KGEU, a government employees’ union, to be an illegal have the money or resources [to fit in], it’s
organization, conducting violent raids and extremely difficult.”
arrests at union offices.
Hayes also cites language skills and newKorean farmers are not about to wait ness to the country as other issues for why
for U.S. rice, the most subsidized crop in youth might turn to gangs.
the world, to flood the Korean market.
STY emphasizes academic success as a
From 1995 to 2005, the U.S. rice industry tool for dealing with “at-risk” youth, providreceived over $10.5 billion in government ing mentoring and leadership programs that
subsidies, with 25 percent going to the top stress the importance of youth contributing
one percent of rice growers. The average to their community.
U.S. rice farm is 397 acres, compared with
“Education is a good starting point for
South Korea’s average rice farm of 3.5 acres. youth to become productive in their comAccording to Dr. Ki-woong Lee, chairman munity; it opens up so many more options,”
of the Agriculture Economic Department at Hayes said, also underlining the “earlier
Sunchon National University, the US-Korea the better” mentality. The longer “at-risk”
behavior continues, the more difficult it is
to change, making it more “cost-effective”
to focus on elementary and middle-school
children, Hayes said.
“As youth grow older, there are a number
of other peer pressure factors that come into
play,” he said.
Jeri White, executive director of Southeast
Youth and Family Services (SEYFS), agrees
that “pro-social” activities that engage
the youth in their community is the best
approach for gang violence prevention.
“The best thing that a community can do
to combat gang behavior is to provide community and after-school activities,” White
said. “Cultural events, sports, jobs – really
any opportunity that will tie kids to their
community is beneficial,” she said.
SEYFS deals mainly with youth in the
Rainer Valley area. They receive referrals
mostly from schools, and occasionally parents or medical advisors who have heard of
the program. SEYFS deals with cases on a
cultural-specific basis, sometimes helping
elected 37 Congress members on a fair-trade
platform. This is a chance for us to hold our
elected officials accountable for their promises, to demand a rejection of the free trade
myth and insist on human rights for all
people.
Soya Jung Harris is a member of Sahngnok-soo, a Seattle-based group of Koreans
and Korean Americans dedicated to the global struggle for social and economic justice.
She is also a member of Korean Americans
against War and Neoliberalism (KAWAN),
a national coalition of organizations united
to fight militarism and free trade policies.
Sahng-nok-soo will hold a community briefing on free trade and militarism in South
Korea at 6 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Nihonmachi
Terrace at South Main Street and Maynard
Avenue South. Email jungharris@gmail.com
for more information.
Education is key to productive youth
immigrants to find housing or providing
parenting and substance abuse education.
At-risk youth behavior often stems from
“problems within the family, school or
peers,” White said. “We provide counseling
because [kids] don’t feel connected to their
community or their family.”
It may also simply be an issue of the
“haves versus the have-nots,” White said.
“Kids feel like they need to make money for
the latest fashions or CDs or what not, so
they may turn to crime. Sometimes getting a
job is all it takes to prevent at-risk behavior.”
Home invasion robberies and auto theft
are typical ways that gang members make
money. In the case of Asian youth gangs,
there is an inherent awareness of the impoverished backgrounds that many youth come
from.
“I never asked my family for money, but I
got out and f__k around, and I need money,
but I would never go to my mom for money,
‘cause the money is for me,” said one gang
member in “Asian American Youth.”
The process of preventing gang behavior
in youth is multifaceted and ongoing. The
importance of understanding the mechanisms behind gang affiliation is crucial to
avoiding it. Services provided by the city and
schools should be taken advantage of.
“We see improvement among youth
sometimes in baby steps and sometimes in
quantum leaps,” White said. “Everyone has
their own story, and we try to tailor specifically to the needs of each youth.”
For
more
information,
go
to
www.seattle.gov/humanservices/fys/Youth/
STFY-MOP.htm, www.scn.org/seyouth/ or
www.seattle.gov/police/crime/stats.htm.
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 7
The International Examiner seeks your input! Return this survey by March 1 and you will
be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to Oasis Tea Zone in the International District! Send
form with contact information to 622 S. Washington St., Seattle WA 98104; fax: (206)
624-3046; or e-mail: iexaminer@iexaminer.org. Visit our Web site for the online survey:
www.iexaminer.org.
1. Where do you get your copy of the IE:
a. Restaurants
b. Community Centers
c. Libraries
d. Colleges
e. I subscribe to the IE
f. Other ________________
2. How often do you read the IE?
a. Never
b. Only if I see an interesting topic
c. Almost every edition
d. I don’t recall
e. Downtown
f. South King County
g. West Seattle
h. Other ________________________
6. What is your marital status?
a. Married
b. Single
c. Domestic partnership
d. Other ___________________________
7. What ethnic group do you belong to?
a. Asian Indian
b. Cambodian
3. What is your age?
c. Chinese
a. Under 18
d. Filipino
b. 18-24
e. Japanese
c. 25-34
f. Korean
d. 35-44
g. Laotian
e. 45-54
h. Pacific Islander
f. 55 & up
i. Vietnamese
j. Other Asian _____________________
4. What is your annual household income? k. Mixed race _______________________
a. Under $20, 000
l. Other ____________________________
b. $20,000-$29,999
c. $30,000 - $39,999
8. What is your political affiliation?
d. $40,000 - $49,999
a. Republican
e. $50,000 - $59,999
b. Democrat
f. $60,000 - $69,999
c. Other _________________________
g. Above $70,000
9. How many people are in your household?
5. Where do you reside?
____________
a. South Seattle
b. North King County
10. I am: Male or Female
c. International District
d. Eastside
11. Rank the level of importance that each
section is to you on a scale of 1-5 (1 is not
important; 5 is very important):
Opinion _____________________
Community______________________
Politics _______________________
News _____________________
Food _____________________
Film______________________
Arts ______________________
Calendar___________________
Classifieds___________________
Culture ___________________
Pacific Reader (books)________
14. How often do you visit our Web site:
www.iexaminer.org?
a. Never
b. Twice a month or more
c. Occasionally
15. What level of education do you have?
a. High School
b. Technical/Training Program
c. Some College
d. Bachelor Degree
e. Masters Degree
f. Doctorate Degree
g. None
16. What is your career field?
a. Professional
b. Technical
c. Executive
d. Labor
e. Managerial
f. Secretarial
g. Administrative
h. Clerical
i. Sales
13. What other publications listed below j. Non-Profit/Social work
k. Other: _________________________
do you read regularly?
a. Seattle Times/Seattle PI
**Thank you for filling out this survey.
b. The Stranger/Seattle Weekly
Please feel free to send us any further comc. King County News Journal
ments. We appreciate the feedback on how
d. Colors NW Magazine
to make our newspaper serve you better.**
e. Northwest Asian Weekly
Your address or e-mail:
f. North American Post
g. In-language ethnic newspaper _______
_________________________________
h. Other community/ethnic publications
_________________________________
_________________________________
12. What topics would you like to see more
of in the IE? Rate from 1 to 5:
Dating/relationships_______________
Fashion_____________________
Lifestyle_____________________
Family Issues_____________________
Civic/Activism_____________________
International Issues_______________
Popular culture_____________________
8 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
FEATURE
Welcoming a new year and memories of the kitchen at home
Furiya wraps up her childhood
experience in “Bento Box”
BY CONNIE HAYASHI-SMITH
Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese
Girlhood in Whitebread America
By Linda Furiya
Seal Press © 2007
Good Japanese food was the common
interest of Linda Furiya’s parents. Often,
family communications was not by “direct
words, but through actions and food.”
Linda’s mom, Teruko, was an excellent
cook. Linda’s father, James, was the Asian
vegetable gardener extraordinaire. When
the Japanese pantry supplies got too low,
the green Coleman cooler was brought out;
it was time for the long six-hour car trip
to Chicago to restock. This is a bittersweet
story of the author’s childhood punctuated by simple, everyday Japanese recipes
common to those of us who grew up with
Japanese-speaking parents. These 14 or so
recipes are often found at the core psyche of
homesick Japanese foreign students as well.
This book was a quick but fun read for me.
“Be proud of your name. Remember
Furiya means ‘falling arrow’ in Japanese.
Someday you will shoot and follow your
arrow … My arrow, it landed here,”
explained James. “Here” was Versailles, Ind.,
where there was no other Asian families in
town.
Linda’s father held two full-time jobs, one
of which was sexing chickens at a hatchery in
order to support his family. He was a Kibei,
born in the United States, sent to Japan as
a child after the death of his mother to be
adopted and
exploited
as
child
labor by a
Japanese
family.
More than
15 years
later, after a stint
in the Japanese Army, several years as a
Russian POW and 10 years waiting for repatriation, he returned to the United States.
Teruko is a shin-Issei, born in Japan,
immigrating to the United States after the
war to marry James in an arranged marriage. Although Teruko had a difficult and
sad childhood in Japan after her mother’s
early death, she eventually grew up to be a
happy, independent Japanese woman with
a good job in a bank in Tokyo. After
she married Linda’s dad in America,
she became a stay-at-home mother.
Because she was unable to write or
speak English, Teruko relied on
Linda from an early age to do all
the family correspondence.
Linda’s childhood was
one where she had to eat
her mom’s lovingly handformed onigiri (rice balls)
Food is more than something we put into our mouth. It’s a vessel for culture and memories. It
gives us sustenance no matter where we live by choice, necessity or even exile. The beginning
of a new year always brings on thoughts of food and home (Happy New Year of the Boar!)
so for this issue our writers delve into this subject with enthusiasm. We hear from a Chinese
American food writer’s memories of cooking side by side with her grandmother in a village
in China and lessons she learned. We also peek at a new book that looks back on how memories of eating around a table kept a Japanese American family together while isolated in the
Midwest. Join us as we celebrate the New Year and our memories of food at home.
- Alan Chong Lau - IE Arts Editor
in bathroom stalls during lunch, lest her
elementary school girlfriends see that her
meal was not like theirs. It was bad enough
that her friends told her that her parent’s
speech sounded “sing-songy.” She got teased
at school for having “chinky, chinky Chinese
eyes” and she was not even Chinese.
It was the author’s mother who believed
that an infant’s first test of survival was based
on whether it was able to dislodge a mistakenly swallowed fish bone. Growing up Asian
in Versailles, Linda would soon learn that she
had many “fish bones” to survive.
Later, in high school, hanging out at the
mall with her girlfriends, Linda was shocked
to see her own reflection in a store window.
She realized that no matter how she dressed,
styled her hair or wore make-up, she would
never be like her white friends. The arrival
of a Vietnamese family in town temporarily
eases the “onlyAsian-in-town”
feeling, but she
soon sensed a
growing unease
at being around
Tam, one of the
daughters of the
new family and
also her school-
BY BAO DAT
Linda Furiya
mate. How mortifying to be mistaken for her
when they don’t even look like each other.
Not unlike her hardworking parents, a
young Linda showed initiative by teaching
herself hiragana and katakana (Japanese
written characters) and she was rewarded by
being allowed to accompany her mom on an
exciting trip back to Tokyo. She got to know
the stories of her mother’s rice merchant
family. For the first time in her life, she felt
like she belonged.
A few years later, she visited her father’s
side of the family in New York City. Her
Uncle George encouraged Linda to have
opinions for the first time in her life. She
was disappointed when her parents refused
to support her in going to college at NYU.
Another “fishbone” moment was when
she was forced to deal with the drunken,
lecherous GI husband of a war-bride at a
JACL (Japanese American Citizens League)
potluck while everyone there, including her
mom, acted as if nothing was happening.
The uncomfortable situation was laughed
off. “Sometimes it is best to let history be
forgotten,” says James. The author is left to
ponder the big questions of her eventual
destiny.
Would the author eventually come to a
place of humility and appreciation for her
parents’ values? What would be the guiding
force that would bring the Furiya “arrow”
back to herself after seeing the world outside
of Indiana?
On March 3 at 7:30 p.m., Linda Furiya
will read from her book at Elliott Bay Book
Company at 101 S. Main in Pioneer Square.
Call (206) 624-6600 for information.
She will also be doing a cooking demo and
a book signing at the Uwajimaya’s Seattle
store demo counter from noon – 2 p.m. on
March 4 presented by Kinokuniya. Call (206)
587-2477 for information.
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 9
Grandmother Ah Paw passes down recipes and other life lessons in unique cookbook
Review by Dawn-Thanh Nguyen
My Grandmother’s Chinese Kitchen:
100 Family Recipes and Life Lessons
By Eileen Yin-Fei Lo
The Penguin Group, © 2006
As the cookbook title suggests, the 100
recipes are centered on Eileen Yin-Fei Lo’s
grandmother Ah Paw’s culinary teachings.
“My Grandmother’s Chinese Kitchen,”
however, is more than a cookbook; it is
an autobiographical memoir of an historical moment in time for impressionable Lo
from ages 4 to 12, a period that covers the
Chinese-Japanese war, followed by the rise
of The Cultural Revolution and communist
People’s Republic of China.
In 1950, at age 12, Lo made the decision not to return to school and left the
town outside of Canton, China for Hong
Kong. Sadly, it was at the expense of never
being able to see her Ah Paw again. The
decision may have saved Lo’s life since her
older brother was executed several years
later after false accusations that he was an
agent of the old government. In addition to
the love for cooking, Lo attributes her independent thinking and cultural education to
the many lessons she learned from her Ah
Paw – all of which she has generously passed
along to readers and future generations.
The inspiration for the cookbook came
from Lo’s close relationship with her granddaughter, Siu Siu, and Lo’s realization of
the need in keeping her culinary heritage
alive. At Siu Siu’s age, Lo’s culinary knowhow began as well with her daily trips to
and time spent with Ah Paw in her kitchen
and garden. In the book and during the
interview, Lo speaks lovingly about her
two-year-old granddaughter’s assistance in
her own kitchen. “You’re never too young to
start!” Lo comments after sharing how Siu
Siu helps her stir grandpa’s version of pasta
sauce. Already, she knows the names of the
spices and utensils, and to stay away from
the hot oven.
Feb. 17, 2007 marks the eve of Lunar New
Year, with this year being the special Golden
Pig/Boar year, an occurrence happening
only every 600 years. Eileen Yin-Fei Lo,
along with many others of Chinese descent,
will celebrate New Year’s Eve with Gau Dai
Guai, a nine-course Chinese culinary meal
honoring ancestors, family and friends. This
banquet includes traditional dishes and
sweets – with dishes varying depending on
the attendees’ favorites – many of which can
be found in “My Grandmother’s Chinese
Kitchen.”
Chapter Five “Into the Lunar New Year”
starts on page 106 and includes the following
festive cakes: Turnip Cake, Pan-Fried Turnip
Cake, Taro Root Cake, Water Chestnut Cake
and Scallion Pancakes. Appetizers and main
dishes start on page 122 and include the following: Shrimp Balls, Taro Root Pancakes,
White Cut Chicken, Salted Pork with Silken
Bean Curd, Lotus Root Soup, Buddha’s
Delight, Steamed Fish, Fried Rice Yangzhou
Style, Pan-Fried Noodles with Shredded
Pork, Sprint Rolls, Fried Oysters, Spinach
Stir-Fried with Garlic, Lima Bean Soup with
Sour Mustard Pickle, Mussels with Ginger
and Scallions, Fish Alive. If none of these
recipes shout out to fill the gastronomy, 80
other recipes are left.
The cookbook is also a collection of
Buddhist folklore and Chinese cultural traditions that have helped to shape Ah Paw’s
and Lo’s strong character and determined
outlook on life. Collections of stories are
carefully dispersed intermittently between
the recipes, each story revealing an aspect of
Ah Paw’s life that Ah Paw herself would only
verbally share with a few.
For those who are not in the know (or
too embarrassed to stop someone to ask)
or just curious about the meaning behind
Chinese traditions such as granting newborn babies their “milk name” and “ginger
name,” or what the Kitchen God symbolizes
and appropriate placing in the kitchen, the
cookbook’s many extras will satisfy these
folks and other inquisitive-like minded
individuals.
“My Grandmother’s Chinese Kitchen”
cookbook is written for cooks of all levels,
great and small, novice and expert. The
“Ingredient Notes” section toward the back
of the cookbook includes an English glossary with the Chinese character, so that
readers can copy and bring along to show to
store owners and butcher shop workers for
translation assistance. Help is also provided
in the essential techniques of stir-frying,
steaming and braising.
While I have yet to try any of the
“simple, easy to follow” recipes (due to time
constraints, I should add), my conversa- succeed in my culinary efforts using her
tion with Lo has given me the confidence cookbook. If I can do it, I am sure you will
that, even as a beginner, chances are I will succeed, too.
10 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
ARTS
“Sexual Practices of the Japanese”:
Exploring and exploiting stereotypes of Japanese culture
BY ANNA MARIA HONG
“Sexual Practices of the Japanese” delivers on its titillating title by honing in on stereotypes about Japanese men and women
and making the most of those misconceptions. The play, which has its U.S. debut at
On the Boards from Feb. 22 - 24, works in
the way Bernard Shaw’s great “Irish play”
“John Bull’s Other Island” does – by fully
enacting racial stereotypes to expose their
absurdity.
Written, produced and performed by
the Vancouver, B.C.-based group, Theatre
Replacement, “Sexual Practices” lampoons
a range of stock characters from giggly, provocative schoolgirls to horny, sexist salarymen, while intertwining two storylines. One
narrative traces the competing ambitions of
a male executive and two female engineers at
Matsukawa Corporation, an electrical company devoted to achieving global economic
domination by producing the world’s first
virtual wireless intercourse enabler.
This witty storyline includes the salaryman’s funny, metaconscious monologues
about exploiting American and European
preconceptions about Japanese culture,
as well as his ramblings about the sexual
tourism of Japanese businessmen, geishas,
Japanese superiority complexes, and the
subtle aesthetic genius of Japanese artists.
This satirical narrative is intercut with
the more disturbing
tale of a high school
girl who is molested
by a businessman on
a Tokyo commuter
train. Both storylines
offer feminist twists
on the old plots, as
well as deftly executed scenes by the
three fluid actors:
Manami Hara, Raugi
Yu and Maiko Bae
Yamamoto, who is
also one of Theatre
Replacement’s artistic directors.
The fine, movement-based acting and
smart script are enhanced by the minimalist
set, which features rows of suspended gray
suits conveying a sense of ghostly corporate
disembodiment. Sometimes animated by
the actors, the headless suits hang throughout the play, with scenes taking place in an
office, a commuter train and a love hotel
replete with a small, heart-shaped couch
and an invisible TV beaming Mariner’s star
Ichiro Suzuki to an obsessively attentive
viewer. Barbara Clayden’s dead-on costume
design, Jonathon Ryder’s distinct lighting,
and Veda Hille and Lee Hutzulak’s textural
“Sexual Practices of the
Japanese” at On the Boards
from Feb. 22-24.
sound design also greatly add to the play’s
fresh effects.
Dedicated to collective theater-making and ensemble training, Theatre
Replacement has created six critically
acclaimed pieces in the last two years including “Empty Orchestra” and “Box Theatre.”
On the Boards slotted the U.S. engagement
of “Sexual Practices” upon the fervent recommendation of Cornish College of the
Arts Theater Professor Richard E.T. White,
who had seen the play at Vancouver’s PuSh
Festival last year.
For more information about “Sexual
Practices of the Japanese,” contact On
the Boards at (206) 217-9886 or go to
www.ontheboards.org.
“Stories of Us”
Hanoi-born dancer, choreographer and film
actor Le Vu Long appears with Together
Higher, a company of hearing-impaired
dancers in a new dance piece entitled “Stories
of Us” at On The Boards March 8 – 11 at
8 p.m. The piece reflects on stereotypes
concerning sexual orientation and lifethreatening illnesses. There will be a pre-show
talk by Kanta Kochlar-Lindgren on March 8
at 6:45 p.m. in the OtB Studio Theater. Le Vu
Long also conducts a master class set from
March 10 at noon at OtB – 100 W. Roy St.,
(206) 217-9888. www.ontheboards.org.
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 11
Lester Miles Iwana: An Asian American jazz pioneer
BY DEAN WONG
Lester Miles Iwana is one of pioneers of
the Asian American jazz scene of the 1970s,
growing up on Beacon Hill and graduating
from Franklin High School where he played
with saxophonist Kenny G.
Iwana attended the old Beacon Hill
Elementary school in what is now El Centro
de la Raza. His mother played the koto and
Japanese flute. The school offered music and
his parents encouraged Iwana to take lessons. His first instrument was the ukulele.
In the fourth grade, he began taking
private coronet lessons. The instrument was
smaller than a trumpet and was easier to play
for Iwana’s size at the time.
At Asa Mercer Junior High School, Iwana
enrolled in the jazz lab. From there he went
to Franklin High School, which was known
for its cutting-edge jazz program.
“At Franklin, I became very interested in
jazz,” said Iwana.
It was at Franklin that Iwana became
friends with a musician named Kenny
Gorelick, who went on to become one of the
top smooth-jazz artists in the country when
he changed his name to Kenny G. Gorelick
would come over to Iwana’s home to practice. Iwana played in Gorelick’s high school
band called “Energy.”
“I grew up with him. We hung out a lot,”
said Iwana.
At the University of Washington, Iwana
took advantage of the School of Music’s
huge album collection to listen to classic jazz
recordings.
Iwana has also played with jazz pianist
Deems Tsutakawa, who is an institution in
the local Asian American community. He
released his first CD in 1992 under Olympia
Jazz Records. Guitarist Michael Powers coproduced the CD with Iwana. The title was
simply “Lester Iwana.”
The first CD included a song titled
“Minidoka,” named after the internment
camp his parents were sent to during World
War II. He included the song in part because
he used half of his parents $25,000 redress
money to help pay for the recording.
“So I dedicated one of the songs to
the memory of where it came from,” said
Iwana.
In 1996, Iwana recorded “Northwest
Passage.” Now, he is self-producing his latest
CD project and says it will take several years
to complete. He describes the CD as melodic
in concept with slower ballads.
The roots of Iwana’s music are influenced by rhythm and blues, like many Asian
Americans raised within the ethnically
diverse Beacon Hill.
“Most people write the kind of music
they listen to,” said Iwana.
While his middle name is “Miles,” it’s just
coincidental that it’s the same name as the
jazz icon, the late Miles Davis. Iwana lists
Miles, Doc Severinsen, Dizzie Gillespie and
Freddie Hubbard as influences on the trumpet. When Iwana worked at the Paramount
Theatre, he met Miles, the moody, temperamental genius of jazz.
“I tried to talk to him. He was a scary
kind of guy. He ignored me,” said Iwana.
Asian American jazz pioneer Lester Iwana. Photo by Dean Wong.
Later, Miles came up to him and simply
said, “I’m Miles.”
“He was one of my idols,” said Iwana,
who lists Miles’ albums “Kind of Blue” and
“Sketches of Spain” as his favorites. “He was
innovative and played a laid-back style that
was very intense. I was intrigued with the
way he played, his scales and licks.”
Dizzy was famous for his bent trumpet
and songs like “Salt Peanuts” and “Night In
Tunesia.” He was playing at a nightclub in
Pioneer Square, when a young Iwana met
the bebop legend.
“He thought I was Chinese. I came in
and said I really like the way you play. I
asked him for pointers,” said Iwana. Dizzy’s
advice was to learn how to play the piano,
practice and listen to other players.
Iwana studied with Seattle Symphony
trumpet section leader Charles Decker for
seven years. Local soul bands he worked
with included Onyx, Tammaraw, Nine Lives,
Bold Express and others. He has played
with jazz pianist Jessica Williams and the
Berkeley Big Band. Iwana has opened for
Tower of Power, Heart, blues great Albert
Collins, and Stanley Turrentiine.
Iwana has also appeared at the Earshot
World Jazz Festival and at Seattle’s Jazz
Alley. In 1986, he played with guitarist Larry
Coryell at the Statue of Liberty Refurbishing
held at Madison Square Garden in New York
City.
Visit www.jazzypop.com.
Mi Wu’s installation asks viewers to consider space and location
BY TRACEY FUGAMI
SNOW WHITE / STERLING SILVER
An exhibition featuring contemporary
sculpture by Haley Reneé Bates, Teresa Ilene
Redden and an installation by Mi Wu.
Feb. 9 - March 10
Catherine Person Gallery
319 Third Ave. S., Seattle
(206) 763-5565
www.catherinepersongallery.com
Imagine stumbling upon a gallery in
Vancouver, Canada’s East Hastings district.
The artist and the gallery are unfamiliar,
but from outside, the objects within draw
you to the entrance. When you step through
the front door, you are greeted by various
shaped and colored glass bottles, which have
been emptied of their contents and placed
on the floor. The arrangement appears random at first, but the small open areas make
it apparent that the artist has constructed
a path to follow. As you weave through
the space, you tower over the hundreds of
bottles like small villages seen from above,
or a large shimmering pool of water.
The gallery is not unlike Seattle’s Suyama
Space, a cavernous room with high ceilings.
You learn that the bottles have been collected by the artist Germaine Koh, from a
nearby processing plant and the installation
was conceptualized specifically for the gallery, Center A. Just outside the doorway, an
older man with worn clothes is passed out
on the sidewalk and similar bottles liter the
Mi Wu’s installation at Catherine Person Gallery.
nearby alleyway.
This may not sound like a typical art
viewing experience and may lead a person to
determine that they are not viewing artwork
at all. However, some of the most interesting
art made today plays with this border and
presents non-traditional viewing methods.
For example, experiencing installation art
may seem different then admiring a painting or sculpture; however, similar questions
arise relating to materials, ideas and aesthetics. Also, installations are unique in that they
often ask the viewer to consider the space
and location.
A stunning installation can be found this
month at Catherine Person Gallery by artist Mi Wu. The group show, “Snow White,
Sterling Silver” features three symmetrical
circles each roughly 6
feet in diameter that Wu
laboriously created from
flour. Placed on the floor,
Wu is interested in the
space that surrounds the
circles. She parallels her
installation to sumi ink
paintings and the importance of negative space.
However, the expansiveness of space is also
achieved when starring
directly into the white
circles, which becomes
empty and vast.
Wu started as a musician when she lived in
Taiwan. She studied
traditional and classical
music. Her training in this field intersects
with her ideas with this particular installation. “The idea of coming up and disappearing has a lot to do with sound,” Wu
explains. “When you hear something then
the sound is activated. Doing installation
is like performing music or performing on
stage. When I studied Chinese music, we
learned that when you play an actual sound
the emptiness is as important as the actual
sound. I think existence and non-existence
has a lot to do with this piece.”
Throughout the exhibition, Wu expects
the installation to evolve. The idea of impermanence is an important element to the
installation. The breeze from the gallery
door opening and the subtle movements in
the building are unpredictable, but aspects
of the environment she counts upon. Wu
has orchestrated a meditative experience on
the idea of change and transformation.
12 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
FILM
“Tears of the Black Tiger”: A Thai twist on the spaghetti western
BY RAY TAKEUCHI
Tears of the Black Tiger
Writer/Director: Wisit Sasanatieng
Cast: Chartchai Ngamsan, Stella Malucchi,
Supakorn Kitsuwon, Arawat Ruangvuth,
Sombati Medhanee
In June 2001, “Tears of the Black
Tiger” had its U.S. premiere at the Seattle
International Film Festival where it received
many accolades. It continued to make the
festival circuit for the next year or so, where
it continued to gain a cult reputation and
then it disappeared. Miramax had bought
the distribution rights for the movie at
the 2001 Cannes Festival, where the film
production company was rumored to have
changed the ending and then shelved the
movie. The DVD was only available in Asia.
After six years, Magnolia Pictures acquired
the distribution rights and is now promoting a limited release of this gem of Thai
cinema in its original conception.
Thai filmmakers have had a fascination
with American and spaghetti westerns.
Several Thai westerns were filmed in the
‘50s and ‘60s using familiar elements of
the cowboy, bandits, six-shooter revolvers
and horses, though the locale was clearly in
Thailand.
Wisit Sasanatieng, the writer/director,
has created a parody and loving homage to
this Thai cinema genre. The main protagonist, Dum, later to be known by the outlaw
name Black Tiger (Chartchai Ngamsan), is
a poor farmer boy in love with Rumpoey
(Stella Malucchi), a daughter of a rich government official. But Dum knows that his
background is unworthy of her and so he
is consigned to his fate. Circumstances continue to bring them together and he does his
best to avoid her. One day, when he returns
home and finds his father killed by bandits,
he teams up with a rival bandit gang headed
by the notorious Fai (Sombati Medhanee),
who has a visage reminiscent of a pencilmustached Charles Bronson. The dramatic
elements are set as Rumpoey’s father offers
his daughter in marriage to a young police
officer (Arawat Ruangvuth) who is bent on
cleaning the countryside of all bandits.
As you can gather
from this juxtaposition of bandits and
police, there is a bit
of an anachronistic
element to the story.
We see Dum laying
back playing a lone
harmonica with a
bandana around his
neck against a painted backdrop, and
later we see scenes of
Bangkok with 1950s
automobiles being
driven about. A
sense of surrealism
permeates this film (LEFT): Arawat Ruangvuth in “TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER,” a Magnolia
as incongruous ele- Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
ments are brought in (RIGHT): Stella Malucchi in TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER, a Magnolia
to create a fantastical Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
atmosphere. There
are also uniquely Thai elements involved and when a blood oath is sworn in front of
as one of the bandits chews and spits out a statue of Buddha. This entire brew bodes
a betel nut rather than chewing tobacco, well for the creation of a cult film classic.
Sasanatieng deliberately uses lurid and
over-saturated colors which creates a comic
book, old-style feel to the scenes. Classic
western film quotes pepper the movie, with
the perspiration slowly moving down the
close-up of a face and the stare of defiance
as two men face off in a showdown. Quick
draws, fancy pistol handling and unbelievable sharp shooting are all here. As escapist
as much of this may seem, there is a dramatic
poignancy and morality play at work – like
all good westerns that progresses on to a bitter end.
“Tears of the Black Tiger” screens at the
Varsity from March 2 - 8. 4329 University
way N.E., (206) 781-5755.
BY ALAN LAU
Rainer Valley Youth Theatre in collaboration with
ACT presents their 2007 Playwrights Festival in
which some of the best plays by local high schoolers are workshoped, rehearsed and performed in
public for the first time. A wonderful tradition
that encourages a love of theatre as early as high
school should be supported. There are two venues
to catch these fresh new plays: March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
and March 3 at noon – plays will be performed at
ACT’s Allen Theatre, 700 Union St. downtown,
(206) 292-7676. March 9 at 7:30 p.m. & March
10 at 1:30 p.m., more plays will be performed at
Rainier Valley Cultural Center at 3515 S. Alaska,
(206) 725-7169. Festival passes that cover attendance at both venues can be purchased at the ACT
box office downtown. Congratulations to Franklin
High’s Sandy Nguyen whose play, “Troubled
Teenagers” was selected to be performed at the RV
Cultural Center site.
Over the years, the Seattle Chamber Players
have developed a reputation for adventurous
programming, often premiering work by
contemporary composers from around the
world. Their new series entitled “In Depth: Three
Continents, Three Composers” proves that they
are in no danger of slowing down. First up is a
concert entitled “The Singing Garden of Toshio
Hosokawa” on Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. at the Nordstrom
Recital Hall at Benaroya. Hosokawa evokes the
textures, forms and colors of both East and West.
Well known in Europe and Japan, this will be the
first retrospective of his music presented in the
United States and the composer is expected to
attend. A post-concert talk with the musicians will
follow. Tickets at Benaroya Hall Box Office or at
ticketmaster.com, (206) 286-5052.
Linda Furiya’s (see review this issue) “Bento
Box in the Heartland” (Seal Press) will have
you simultaneously running to the kitchen and
marveling at the pivotal role that food plays
in any culture. She reads from her book about
growing up Japanese American in the mid-west
on March 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Elliott Bay Book
Company, 101 S. Main, (206) 624-6600 or log
on to www.elliottbaybook.com. On March 4,
she appears at the downtown Uwajimaya at
the cooking and demo counter from noon to
2 p.m. where she will do a book signing and
cooking demonstration. Presented by Kinokuniya
Bookstore, (206) 587-2477.
Hanoi-born dancer, choreographer and film
actor Le Vu Long appears with Together Higher,
a company of hearing-impaired dancers in a new
dance piece entitled “Stories of Us” at On The
Boards March 8 – 11 at 8 p.m. The piece reflects
on stereotypes concerning sexual orientation and
life-threatening illnesses. There will be a pre-show
talk by Kanta Kochlar-Lindgren on March 8 at 6:
45 p.m. in the OtB Studio Theater. Le Vu Long
also conducts a master class set from March 10
at noon at OtB – 100 W. Roy St., (206) 217-9888.
www.ontheboards.org.
Don’t miss “A Taste of Green Tea,” a whacky
comedy of an eccentric Japanese family held
together by dreams, hypnosis and manga. Coming
late February to the Grand Illusion Cinema, 1403
N.E. 50th. (206) 523-3935.
Bay Area artist David Kwan shows his multimedia channel video/audio installation, “Terminus,”
which includes numerous Puget Sound locations
at the Jack Straw Media Gallery through April 20
– 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., (206) 634-0919 or log
on to jsp@jackstraw.org.
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 13
David Ho’s digital painting
is included in a three-person
show at “Roq La Rue Gallery
through March 3 – 2312
Second Ave., (206) 374-8977.
An installation of sculptures created entirely from
white flour on the floor is Mi Wu’s (see related
article in this issue) contribution to a group show
entitled “Snow White, Sterling Silver.” Other work
by Haley Renee Bates and Teresa Illene Redden.
Through March 10 at Catherine Person Gallery at
319 Third Ave. S. at Jackson, (206) 763-5565.
Gallery 110 has a group show
entitled “Blackfish Gallery
Exchange” which is a group
show of works by members
of a Portland cooperative art
gallery. The work of Robert
Dozono is included. Through David Ho: “Candace Unleashes Her Demons,” digital print, at
Hiroshi Oe shows his basketwork at The February – 110 S. Washington, Roq La Ru Gallery. See Visual Arts.
Fountainhead Gallery at 625 W. McGraw St. (206) 624-9336.
684-7518 on Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m. The calligraphy
through February, (206) 285-4467.
workshops are at Beacon Hill on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
Karin Yamagiwa Madan and Suzanne Kaufman and again on March 4 at Lake City at 1:30 p.m. Call
Work by Hiroki Morinoue, Setsuko Watanabe, explore the stories of highly stylized characters (206) 386-4636. www.spl.org.
Miho Morinoue, Jeer Rattanagkoon and others in a mixed-media format in “Wookin’ Pa Nub”
now on view at Mikijio Arts at 114 1⁄2 First Ave. S. at Bluebottle Gallery at 415 E. Pine St. through
in studio #4. Call (206) 624-2588 for hours.
February, (206) 325-1952.
Award-winning writer, filmmaker and organic
“Stereotyping the “Asian Feminine” is a new
show by Gazelle Samizay. On view through March
10. Using 20th century films of Asian stereotypes
as a source book, these photos are an intricate collage of sex, love and politics. Retail Therapy at 905
E. Pike, (206) 324-4092.
The work of Mark Takamichi Miller is in a group
show of recently purchased art (Seattle Public
Utilities Portable Works Collection) entitled
“People + Place – Works Inspired by People, Their
Environment or How the Two Interact” – 48 different works of art created by 35 artists in various
media – on view now at the Seattle Municipal
SAM Gallery has two new shows. First up is “Here Tower Gallery on the Level 3 Concourse, 700 Fifth
And Now,” a group show that focuses on the recent Ave. By the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, (206)
work of eight Seattle artists. Elizabeth Jameson and 684-7171 or log on to www.seattle.gov/arts.
Junko Yamamoto are included in this show. The
gallery’s series, “In Focus – Seattle Galleries at SAM The work of the sixth-generation of potters from
Gallery” features a group show of artists from the Hida Takayama in Japan can be seen through Feb.
collective, SOIL. Included in this show which runs 23 at Kobo located at 814 E. Roy, (206) 726-0704.
through Feb. 28 is the work of Etsuko Ichikawa,
Saya Moriyasu and Yuki Nakamura – 1220 Third “MasterMinds” is a group show of abstract
Ave., (206) 434-1101.
works from the University of Washington
Ceramics Program. Akio Takamori, Susie Lee,
“Made In China” is a group show of 10 Chinese Yuki Nakamura and Timea Tihanyi all have work
artists whose work reflects the diversity of influ- in this show. On view through March 3. Kirkland
ences sculpting today’s China. Through Feb. 23. Arts Center at 620 Market St., (425) 822-7161.
ARTXCHANGE at 512 First Ave. S., (206) 8390377.
The work of Yuki Nakamura and Mark Takamichi
Miller is included in a group show entitled
“How the Soy Sauce Was Bottled” is a special “Building Tradition: Contemporary Northwest
exhibition featuring the artwork of Heinrich Toh, Art” through April 29 at the Whatcom Museum at
James Lawrence Ardena, June Sekiguchi, Saya 121 Prospect in Bellingham, (360) 676-6981 or log
Moriyasu and Susie Jungune Lee who created new on to www.whatcommuseum.org.
works based on the Wing Luke Asian Museum’s
permanent collection. This will be the last show
at the Museum’s present site before it moves. On On The Boards presents the U.S. debut of Theatre
view through Nov. 20. Also on view is “New Years Replacement’s “Sexual Practices of the Japanese”
All Year Around,” a family-friendly exhibition (see preview this issue) Feb. 22 – 24 at 8 p.m. The
highlighting the New Years traditions of local group looks at the sexual stereotypes surrounding
Chinese, Korean, Hmong, and the Diwali: The Japanese culture with a trilogy of one-acts that
Festival of Lights. Through June 10 – 409 Seventh move from crowded commuter train to a Tokyo
Ave. S., (206) 623-5124.
love hotel. Along the way they touch on office politics, work parties and Ichiro – 100 W. Roy, (206)
The Seattle Asian Art Museum: As part of the 217-9888 or log on to www.ontheboards.org.
Free First Saturdays program for family activities,
bring your kids to celebrate Hina-matsuri or Girl’s Seattle Symphony Assistant Conductor Carolyn
Day, a popular holiday in Japan. Learn how to Kuan leads the “Discover Music!/Arts in
make an origami kimono and hear Japanese folk- Education” series for children with a program
tales with music: March 3 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. entitled “Ballroom Blast” featuring the Latin band,
A new exhibit entitled “Of Nature & Friendship Bochinche. March 6 at 10:30 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.,
– Modern Chinese Paintings from the Khoan and March 9 at 10:30 a.m. &
Michael Sullivan Collection is on view through 12:15 p.m., and March 17
July 29. It features over 60 Chinese paintings from at 11 a.m. At Benaroya
the 20th century, collected by respected Chinese downtown, (206) 215art historian/writer Michael Sullivan and his wife, 4747 for tickets or log on to
Khoan. Public tours are offered through July 29 on www.seattlesymphony.org.
Sundays at 1 p.m. with some exceptions. Besides
“Of Nature & Friendship,” another new show is Celebrate Vietnamese New
“Pattern Richness in Modern Japanese Textiles.” Year with Seattle Public
This exhibit features the distinctive design work Library branches. “Food in
created with tie-dyeing and paper stencil tech- Vietnamese Culture” is at
niques as seen on kimonos from ancient to pres- Beacon Hill (206) 684-4711
ent – 1400 E. Prospect in Volunteer Park, (206) on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. and at
654-3100.
the Lake City branch (206)
food advocate Ruth Ozeki (“All Over Creation,”
“My Year of Meats”) will give a talk at Cascadia
College in Bothell entitled “Hybrid Vigor: Mixing
science and fiction, splicing politics with poetics,
and crossbreeding points of view,” Feb. 28 from 3:
30 – 5:30 p.m. in Room OO5 of UWZ, (425) 3528000. (See article on front page.)
To mark the 65th anniversary of Executive Order
9066, author Mary Matsuda Gruenewald will talk
about her memoir, “Looking Like the Enemy” on
Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m., Panama Hotel Tea & Coffee
at Sixth Ave. S. & S. Main. Free. Presented by
Kinokuniya Bookstore, (206) 587-2477.
Author Mira Kamdar will talk about her new
book, “Planet India: How The Fastest Growing
Democracy is Transforming America And The
World” (Scribners) at the World Affairs Council
of Seattle on March 1, (206) 441-5910 and again
March 2 at Elliott Bay Book Company – 101 S.
Main in Pioneer Square, (206) 624-6600.
The Thai “spaghetti western,” “Tears of The Black
Tiger” (see review this issue) by Wisit Sasanatieng
finally sees American general release and will play
March 2 – 8 at the Varsity. Done in lurid colors that
mix the western genre with Thai cultural history
traveling back from the Old West to contemporary
times, this film will reward those viewers looking
for something off-beat that doesn’t easily fit into
neat categories – 4329 University Way N.E., (206)
781-5755.
As part of their “Remarkable People” documentary series, KCTS will air a half-hour program
on the late Northwest sculptor and artist George
Tsutakawa. Feb. 22 at 9:30 p.m., (206) 728-6463.
“Satyajit Ray’s India” is the title of a mini-retrospective of some of the major films of the late
Indian director. The last film in the series is “The
Middleman” on Feb. 25. All films screen at 1:30
p.m. Stimson Auditorium at the Seattle Asian Art
Museum in Volunteer Park, (206) 654-3121.
14 —— Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007
Thursday,Feb.22
• Seattle Japanese Garden has an opening ceremony with music and refreshments at noon,
(206) 684-4725.
Saturday,Feb.24
• Hong Kong Club of Washington and Seattle
Chinese Chamber of Commerce New Year Gala:
Enjoy dinner, dancing, entertainment, a fashion
show by Luly Design, a silent auction and raffle
at the Sheraton Hotel, 1400 6th Ave., Seattle,
with cocktails beginning at 5:30 p.m. $75 per
person, all net proceeds to benefit Children’s
Hospital. Contact Andy Yip, (206) 351-5957 or
fan.yip@prudential.com for more information.
Sunday,Feb.25
• Pancake Breakfast - And Rice, Too!: Join
the Seattle First Hill Lions Club for pancakes,
Portuguese sausage, ham, eggs and rice as well
as a bake sale with home-made Japanese and
American desserts. Tickets are $8 or $6 for
seniors and children, with all breakfast proceeds
donated to Kawabe Memorial house, Keiro
Nursing Home and Kin On Nursing Home.
Wednesday,Feb.28
• Celebrate nearly three decades of service
in the community at the Center for Career
Alternatives’ (CCA) 27th Anniversary Dinner.
The reception and silent auction begin at 5 p.m.,
with a dinner and a program to follow at 6:30.
Event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel Grand
Ballroom, 1400 Sixth Ave., Seattle and tickets are
$85. Contact David Spates, (206) 322-9080 or
dspates@CCAWA.org for more information.
• David Della’ campaign kick-off takes place at
Seattle Center, Fisher Pavilion from 7:30 a.m. - 8:
30 a.m., registration starts at 7 a.m. Cost: $50
per person.
Thursday,March1
• In the last decade, India emerged from developing to global source of power is bringing the mirror closer to the United States and the world to a
Lunar New Year Calendar
centerpiece. With its major exportes in software
services and Bollywood films; it is also a place
to which we should focus our concentration.
Should the mounting of India continue to affect
the world’s politics? How will its globalization
change and shape the future of India, and how
it would matter for its politics, economics, and
culture shape the future of the world? “Shaping
Globalization:Planet India–How the Fastest
Growing Democracy is Transforming America
and the World” program takes place at 7 p.m.,
Women’s University Club, 1105- 6th Ave., Seattle.
(206) 441-5910.
Saturday,March3
• Free English Homeownership Education Class
from 10:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. at Boulevard Park
Library, 12015 Rosenberg Ave. S., Seattle, (206)
957-1316, e-mail peter@apialliance.org.
Thursday,March8
• Twelve years ago, Susana Remerata Blackwell,
Phoebe Dizon, Veronic Laureta and Ms.
Blackwell’s unborn child were shot and murdered by Susana’s husband in the King County
Courthouse. To remember Blackwell and all the
lives taken by domestic violence, The Asian &
Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center
will hold their 12th Annual Candlelight Vigil
at 4:30 p.m. on the King County Courthouse
Lawn. The vigil will be followed by a reception.
Contact: (206)467-9976.
• The WA State API Hepatitis B Task Force is
again hosting its Annual Community Forum.
Enjoy a Vietnamese dinner, hear Task Force
volunteers recap last year’s hepatitis B events
and activities, and get energized by our keynote
speaker, Chari Cohen, from the Hepatitis B
Foundation. 6 - 8:30 p.m. (dinner is provided at 6
p.m.). Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,
Arnold/Public Health Sciences building,1100
Fairview Ave. N.,Seattle. RSVPs are required (to
ensure adequate food and materials) by Friday,
March 2. Contact: Kim Nguyen at fax: (206)
270-8891, e-mail kimn@withinreachwa.org, or
call (206) 830-5156.
Announcements
• Free volunteer tutoring program as
a community service for women.
Offered year round by an experienced tutor. Covers basic English
skills such as pronunciation,
conversation, reading
and
spelling. For more information,
please call the tutor at (206)
323-3625.
• Immigrant Parent
Support Group, Family
Services is offering
a 10-week series for
immigrant parents raising
their children in the United
States. The group, created by the
MultiCultural Counseling branch
of Family Services, will run Fridays
from March 2 - May 4 from 11:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. Cost is $200, with weekly payments
available. Please contact Maria Minkova at (206)
524-9055 or mminkova@family-services.org for
more information and registration.
• The International District/Chinatown
Community Center is offering an exciting series
of special Sunday events sure to interest hobbyists
from all over Seattle. Video Game Swap Meet: Are
you a video game fan? If you have any old games,
consoles, controls, or magazines you want to sell
or buy, then buy a vendor’s table at our video
game swap meet. Sunday, Feb. 25. Table Tennis
Equipment Swap Meet: Are you looking for new
or gently used equipment to buy? Do you have
equipment you want to sell? Come buy a vendor’s
table at our Table Tennis Swap Meet. Sunday,
March 4. Both events: noon- 4 p.m. There are
spaces for 15 tables, so sign up now! $15/table;
spectators free. The center is located at 719 8th
Ave. S, (206) 233-0042.
• Do you speak English and another language,
have computer skills, and are you committed to
helping others find access to health care? Make a
difference today by becoming a Statewide Health
Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine
volunteer. A free public service, offered by the
Office of the Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA
HelpLine volunteers provide free, informed, and
impartial health insurance counseling and education to people in their local communities. For
more information, call 1 (800) 562-6900, or visit
www.insurance.wa.gov.
• Unemployed? Frustrated with dead end jobs?
Goodwill can help. Goodwill’s free training programs can help you get the skills you need to get
a job and keep a job. Goodwill can help with job
placement and other support services too. Their
central Seattle location is easy to get to by bus
and all services are free. For more information
please call (206) 860-5791. And tell a friend
about Goodwill Works too, because jobs change
lives. The next session begins Feb. 26 in Seattle,
so call today!
• Free Tax Help with the Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA) program at the University
of Washington. The program operates through
Beta Alpha Psi, an accounting student organization. They will be providing free tax assistance
to the International District community at the
International District Community Center (719
- 8th Ave. S.) every Saturday between February
17 and April 14 from 1:30
- 3:30 pm.
Get empowered to undo
the racist structures that
hinder effective social
change. Be a part of undoing racism, an intensive
2-day workshop on March
12 - 13, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Edmonds
Community
College, Triton Union 202.
Cost: $300. Contact Chris
Hudyma: (425) 640-1029.
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT
Civil Engineer
$24.38 - $34.90/hr DOQ
Plus Excellent Benefits
The
Seattle
Department
of
Transportation needs an Assistant or an
Associate Civil Engineer to investigate
concerns identified by citizens and
other agencies and develop solutions
for safety and mobility issues. Prepare
base maps and design traffic circles,
curb bulbs, median islands, and traffic
control devices. Make presentations to
community groups on technical design
standards, assist with concept development for improvements, and set up
speed watch trailers on arterial streets.
Requires the equivalent of a bachelor’s
degree in Civil Engineering. Three
years of professional civil engineering
experience, with an emphasis on traffic engineering, will also be required for
the Associate level. AutoCAD skills are
highly desirable. For more information
and an Online Application Form, visit
www.seattle.gov/jobs by 3/4/07. The
City is an Equal Opportunity Employer
that values diversity in the workforce.
Community Garden Coordinator
Starts @ $22.01/hour
30 hrs/week + Benefits
Manage P-Patch gardens for the
City of Seattle. Organize community groups and volunteers, oversee
garden development, and prepare
outreach materials.
Requires two
years of related experience, including
volunteer management and community organizing, and the equivalent of
a bachelor’s degree in a related field,
plus the ability to work with low income
and limited English speaking populations. Fluency in Southeast Asian,
East African, or Eastern European languages is highly desirable. For more
information and an Online Application
Form, visit www.seattle.gov/jobs by
3/4/07, or contact Rich Macdonald at
206-386-0088 or rich.macdonald@seat
tle.gov The City of Seattle is an Equal
Opportunity Employer that values
diversity in the workforce.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Chinatown-International District
Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA)
is looking to hire an Executive Director.
Duties include: overseeing and administering all programs and services,
supervising staff, managing office
operations, monitoring organizational
budget, maintaining and developing
stakeholder relations, providing direction and staff support to the Board and
representing the District on standing
committees and appointed task forces.
Please mail resume to: CIDBIA, Attn:
Board Chair, 409 Maynard Ave S, #P-1,
Seattle, WA 98104.
Product Marketing Manager
Committee for Children is searching for an experienced marketer who
can develop and execute marketing
plans including catalog, direct mail,
web, e-marketing, lead generation
and product launch strategies. Strong
leadership skills and ability to collaborate with various groups including sales, client support and product
development a must. See our web site:
www.cfchildren.org.
FREELANCERS WANTED
International Examiner seeks freelance writers. Submit resume/bio and writing samples to
editor@iexaminer.org or fax (206) 624-3046.
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
Recuriting Candidates
University Prep, an independent
SCIDPDA is recruiting candidates for school serving grades six through
several positions within our housing twelve, seeks the following:
and safety programs. Candidates
• Upper/Middle School Mandarin
with previous community developChinese Teacher
ment experience and bilingual in
• Language Training Teacher
an Asian language encouraged to
• Director of Intercultural Affairs
apply. For full job descriptions and
• Assistant Director of Athletics
information on how to apply, please
• Associate Director of College and
visit http://www.scidpda.org/aboutus/
Career Services
employment.aspx
Please go to www.universityprep.org
Social Services:
for details.
DV Childrenʼs Advocate
Provides advocacy, individual support,
and therapeutic groups to children
affected by domestic violence. 40
hours per week w/benefits. BA plus
experience. Valid WA driver’s license.
EOE. People of color encouraged to
apply. Email resume and cover letter
to denise_missak@usw.sarmy.org or
Be a Part of the
mail to Denise Missak c/o Hickman
Convention
Center!
House , P.O. Box 20128, Seattle WA,
98102. No phone calls please.
The WA State Convention & Trade
Center is accepting applications
Social Services:
for an Office Services Assistant.
DV Prevention Outreach Educator
Responsible for word processing,
Provides domestic violence educa- website content management systion for teens. 20 hours per week PT. tems, mail and various office support
EOE People of color encouraged to duties. Requires: HS Diploma or GED
apply. Email resume and cover letter to and 2 years word processing expeclara_emerson_mcgowen@usw.sarmy. rience in a Windows environment.
org. No phone calls please.
WSCTC offers a competitive salary
and excellent benefit package.
Transportation Projects
$32.14 - $39.36/hr DOQ
Visit our website at www.wsctc.com
Plus Excellent Benefits
for further info or to download an app.
The
Seattle
Department
of Apps are also available at the WSCTC
Transportation
needs
a
Senior Service Entrance, 9th and Pike, MonCivil Engineer or Capital Projects Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Apps must
Coordinator to lead the planning, be completed for consideration.
design, and construction of highly Jobline: (206) 694-5039. EOE.
visible capital improvement projects.
Develop scope, schedule, and budget,
FAST APPROVALS!
lead design teams, and make recommendations for process improvements.
All types of loans!
Review consultant work, coordinate
technical issues with other agencies, Bad credit & Bankruptcy welcome!
and make presentations to community
Toll free 800-886-9897
groups and elected officials. Requires
a bachelor’s degree in Engineering,
Business, or a related field, and four
years of construction management
experience. Additional experience and
Registration as a Professional Engineer
will be required for the Senior Civil
Engineer level. Experience coordinating transportation projects during construction is highly desirable. For more
information and an Online Application
Form, visit www.seattle.gov/jobs by 3/
4/07. The City is an Equal Opportunity
Employer that values diversity in the
workforce.
Asian Counseling and Referral
Service is expanding services to
better serve the APA community and
seeks:
VOCATIONAL CASE MGRS
FT positions provide training & job
placement help for limited and native
English speaking clients seeking
jobs. Bilingual in Asian language
preferred. BA + 3 yrs. employment
exper.
Competitive compensation/ benefits package & fulfilling work environment. To apply sends resumes
to Asian Counseling & Referral
Service, Attn: HR, 720 8th Ave S, Ste
200, Seattle, WA 98104. EOEF
Feb. 21 - March 6, 2007 —— 15
EMPLOYMENT
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICE
RFP NO. 07RIA-LEP
Title: Limited English Proficient
(LEP) Pathway Services
The State of Washington, Department
of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
has issued a Request for Proposals
(RFP) to provide employment and
language services for the DSHS LEP
Pathway.
The RFP was issued on Feb 12, 2007
and responses will be due on or
about March 30, 2007.
This RFP is available at the DSHS
Procurements
website:
http://
www1.dshs.wa.gov/msa/ccs .
If you cannot access the DSHS website, you may request a hard copy by
submitting a written request to:
DSHS
ESA Contracts Unit
PO Box 45445
Olympia, WA 98504-5445
Attn: Charles Barron, RFP
Coordinator
RE: RFP # 07RIA-LEP

The Problem of Gang Violence

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