A Tale of Two Terraces - The International Examiner

Transcription

PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SEATTLE, WA
Permit No. 2393
VOL. 33, NO. 6
JOURNAL OF THE NORTHWEST ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
MARCH 15 - APRIL 4, 2006
Remembrance Garden marks sacred ground at SU
BY KEN MOCHIZUKI
Examiner Staff
As Yoshitada “Yosh” Nakagawa drives
around the Seattle University campus, he
points out what the neighborhood used to
look like before World War II.
The area used to be mostly residential, he
says, and the land the SU campus now sits on
— from about East Madison Street on the
north, East Marion Street to the south, from
Broadway on the west to 12th Avenue to the
east — used to be where 25 to 30 Japanese
American families lived before being forced
out and interned. Where the SU soccer field
now is, Pacific School once stood, the elementary school he attended.
“I could hear the school bell ringing from
my bedroom in the morning,” he remembers.
That’s because he lived across the street
from the school, on top of a small grocery
store his parents operated on 11th Avenue
and James Street.
And where he used to live is now the site
of SU’s Japanese American Remembrance
Garden that will be dedicated on April 6 – the
garden that Nakagawa says he “provided the
seed for.”
“I have to laugh,” he says. “I never thought
the garden would be in my old backyard.”
Yosh Nakagawa at the site of the Japanese American
Rememberance Garden. Photo by Ken Mochizuki.
Three years ago, Nakagawa, 74, pitched the
idea to SU officials, that the school stands on
“sacred ground” and that some type of memorial should recognize the Japanese American
community that once lived there. The Garden,
located near the school’s north entrance on
Madison, will be alongside Hunthausen Hall,
home of SU’s School of Theology and Ministry.
The Garden’s designer is Allan Kubota, son of
legendary local landscaper Fujitaro Kubota,
who designed Kubota Gardens in south Seattle
A Tale of Two Terraces
BY KEN MOCHIZUKI
Examiner Staff
Washington Terrace
It’s hard to miss: the mammoth sevenstory Washington Terrace senior housing
complex and its five-story connection going
up between East Yesler Way and South
Washington Street, bordered by Sixth Avenue
South and the Nippon Kan building.
It has sometimes caused passersby and
those who can see it from the International
Bill Fenner, executive director of the Senior
Housing Assistance Group, in front of Washington Terrace. Photo by Ken Mochizuki.
and nine other gardens on the SU campus.
Kubota says the Garden will consist of
a plaque describing the Japanese American
wartime experience, a 12-foot-high basalt
obelisk as the centerpiece of the garden,
along with a large Japanese maple tree and
big rocks.
“It’s not a very Japanese Japanese garden,
he says, but will serve more as a ‘reflection
space’ that could encourage visitors to pursue the topic of the internment further.
The Garden, Nakagawa says, “will be
significant to all groups. There will always be
the same fear of losing freedoms. The consistency of fear can be raised at any moment
of time. The garden will represent either new
hope, or a graveyard of freedom.”
Nakagawa cannot recall the name of his
parents’ store, or even if it had a name, but
he remembers it as “11th Avenue Grocery.”
His parents, father Tetsuzo, mother Sué and
sister Mary all slept in one big bedroom in
their quarters above the store. Later, when
the family ended up in Idaho’s Minidoka
Relocation Center, they all lived together
again in one room.
“When you don’t know the difference,
you don’t know what other people are subjugated to,” Nakagawa says.
-continued on page 6
Immigrant rights
- page 4
Health Feature
- pages 8 - 9
ReAct Theatre
- page 10
Nihonmachi Terrace
District to scratch their heads: How are
senior citizens going to walk up that hill?
“Tremendous views” was a major reason
to build Washington Terrace on the top of
the hill, said Bill Fenner, executive director
of the Senior Housing Assistance Group
(SHAG), the builder of the Terrace. Also,
“there is literally a bus stop right outside the
door on Yesler,” he said, adding that there
could be a “dedicated van” for use by residents to traverse the steep incline of Sixth
Avenue.
“We’re still trying to figure that one
out,” Fenner said, “and that situation is not
being ignored.”
The 133,000 square-foot, $18 million
Washington Terrace is being advertised as
“a 136 unit, affordable rental apartment
community for seniors.” Unlike an assisted
living facility or low-income housing, the
Terrace is “private senior housing,” or
independent living for seniors, said Don
Foncellino, a SHAG leasing agent working
out of a temporary office in the Nippon
Kan building.
Families have always lived in the
International District, but there has never
been what could be considered “family
housing,” said Ken Katahira, development
director with the Inter*Im Community
Development Association (ICDA).
“Some of the old buildings always had
families,” he said. “There were hardly any
three-bedroom apartments, and a real
shortage of four-bedroom places. In some
of the single-room hotels, a family would
rent two rooms.”
ICDA helped solve the problem by
taking charge of constructing the new
Nihonmachi Terrace on the corner
of Maynard Avenue South and South
Main Street in the International District.
Opening during the end of February, half
the available units of the $13 million, 50unit building “have already been taken,”
Katahira said.
With 75,000 square feet and five stories,
Nihonmachi Terrace contains 10 studios,
six one-bedroom units, 20 two-bedroom
apartments, nine three-bedroom units,
Ken Katahira in Nihonmachi Terrace’s open-air
courtyard. Photo by Ken Mochizuki.
and five four-bedroom apartments. All
but the studios and one-bedroom units
are in the style of two-floor townhouses,
with the studios and one-bedrooms
making up the top floor. Units face an
open-air, paved central courtyard that is
scheduled to become a children’s play
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
[email protected]; 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
[email protected]
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.
Chinese WuShu & Tai Chi Academy
709 1/2 S. King Street, Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-749-9513 www.yijiaowushu.com
Offers Wushu and Tai Chi training in a small class
setting where individualized instruction is key for quality learning.
Instruction in bare hands and weapons style Wushu as well as
Tai chi Sword, Chen style and Yang Style Tai Chi.
Denise Louie Education Center
801 So. Lane St. Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-621-7880
[email protected] 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.
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 Facility
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
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
Aging & Adult Services; Behavioral Health Services; Children,
Youth & Family; Consultation & Education; Domestic Violence
Education and Intervention-Batterers Treatment; International
District Legal Clinic; Naturalization Services; Problem Gambling
Program; Substance Abuse Treatment & Recovery; Vocational &
Employment Services
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.
Legacy House
803 South Lane, Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-292-5184 fx: 206-292-5271
[email protected]
Assisted living, Adult Day services, Independent Senior apartments, Ethnic-specific meal programs for low-income seniors.
International Drop-In Center
7301 Beacon Ave S. Seattle, WA 98108
ph: 206-587-3735 fx: 206-742-0282 email: [email protected]
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.
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
Helping Link
(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.
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.
professional
International Community Health Services
International District Medical & Dental Clinic
720 8th Ave. S. Suite 100 Seattle, WA 98104
ph: 206-788-3700
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
[email protected]; 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
[email protected]; www.interimicda.org
Low-income housing, economic development,
neighborhood planning and advocacy for the APA community.
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
[email protected]; 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.
Merchants Parking/Transia
ph: 206-624-3426 fx: 206-682-4233
Merchants Parking provides convenient & affordable community
parking. Transia provides community transportation: paratransit van services, shuttle services and field trips in & out of
Chinatown/International District & South King County.
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
[email protected]; 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 [email protected]
Housing, property management, and community development.
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.
Join our Community Resource Directory. Email: [email protected]
2
INTERNATIONAL EXAMINER: March 15 - April 4, 2006
VIEWPOINTS
The power of hate and cartoons
ParkingInternational
meters
Examiner
Higo store to reopen
The International Examiner is
a nonprofit newspaper serving
Seattle’s International
District/
Chinatown and Northwest Asian
Pacific American communities
since 1974. Our mission is to
provide accurate, in-depth, timely
and sensitive coverage of local,
regional, national, and international
issues which affect APAs, immigrants, and people of color.
Stress in the holidays
Snacksnack cafe
In addition to producing a free
biweekly newspaper, we also
publish a bi-annual literary supplement, the “Pacific Reader,” devoted
to critical reviews of APA books.
Our small press has published
two books, “The History of the
International District,” and “Hum
Bows Not Hot Dogs.”
EDITOR
NHIEN NGUYEN
ADVERTISING MANAGER
CARMELA LIM
ASSISTANT EDITOR
KEN MOCHIZUKI
ARTS EDITOR
ALAN CHONG LAU
FILM EDITOR
KARYN KUBO LAMBORN
BUSINESS MANAGER
ELLEN SUZUKI
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
KEN HIRAIWA
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
CANH TIEU
INTERNS
BENJAMIN BOSTICK,
JENNIFER HO, AMY LIN,
STEFANUS SANTOSO
ALISON TURNER
CONTRIBUTORS
DORI CAHN, CHERRY CAYABYAB,
JUDITH VAN PRAAG, CHRISTIE
VERDADERO, SIAN WU
TEL: 206.624.3925
FAX: 206.624.3046
[email protected]
[email protected]
622 S. WASHINGTON
SEATTLE, WA 98104
WWW.IEXAMINER.ORG
The International Examiner is
published on the first and third
Wednesdays of every month.
Subscription rates for one-year
home delivery is $20 for individuals, $30 for institutional/nonprofit,
$35 for business/corporation,
and $45 first class/overseas. The
International Examiner is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit; donations above subscription rates are
tax-deductible.
BY SIAN WU
Cartoons are powerful. So powerful, that
they can tear apart the fabric of potential peace
in the Middle East and cause Muslim activists
all around the world to swear death to America,
as we witnessed with the Danish illustrations
of the Prophet Mohammed that caused such
scandal last month. Everyone has the right to
free speech, but when something seemingly so
trivial can have such severe consequences, does
the media have a responsibility to take care not
to offend?
I asked myself this question as I went to
Kinokuniya Bookstore in the International
District to investigate a certain type of Japanese
manga that I learned was being sold there. The
books are among the top-sellers in Japan and
at Kinokuniya. With the popularity has come
increased scrutiny on the books’ messages and
imagery.
“Kan ken-ryu” (published by Shinyusha
and available in Japanese only) is a controversial
series of manga that depicts a “what if” scenario
in which Tokyo residents are massacred by
crazed Korean immigrants. The name itself has
been translated to mean “Hate Korea Craze,”
but others prefer the translation “Attack Korea
Craze.” The book even goes so far saying that
Korea should be grateful for everything Japan
did for the peninsula during colonial rule from
1910-1945.
Another book by Ko Bunyu called
“Introduction to China” depicts Chinese
Communist terrorists spraying Japanese sol-
diers with cyanide gas during World War II, and
claims that cannibalism is widespread in China.
Because it is couched in the safe world of fiction
and cartoons, the book is able to erroneously
dismiss reports that the Japanese conducted
chemical warfare tests on Chinese prisoners of
war and civilian detainees in the 1930s.
When I saw the books in the store, I was
struck by how prominently they were displayed
— out in the open bays and in the #3 position
of top books sold. Somehow I thought that such
overt racism should be tucked away in a corner
somewhere. Kinokuniya made it clear that the
opinions presented in these books are not the
opinions of Kinokuniya, and that the decision
to stock the books was made by their headquarters, not the individual Seattle branch.
Mikio Funaki, general manager of the Seattle
store, said, “Younger generations growing up in
an environment of strong Japanese nationalism
don’t know that much about Japanese history.
I’d encourage them to read some of the history
books on World War II we sell in the store.”
As the granddaughter of Chinese World
War II survivors, inaccurate depictions of the
wartime events between China, Korea and
Japan sting me particularly hard. The losses
my family experienced in wartime are seldom
discussed, despite, or perhaps because of, how
painful these memories are. But I know the
stories and they are horrifying. My feelings
on the right for people to buy these books in
Seattle could be a case study on Asian American
“Kan ken-ryu” 1 and 2
identity issues. The Chinese side of me wants
to say, “This is hateful and dangerous, and it
shouldn’t be sold.” But the American side of me
says, “This is free speech, and a first amendment
right.”
I mulled over these issues as I walked down
the street to The Elliott Bay Book Company,
my favorite independent bookstore in Pioneer
Square. I asked Tracy Taylor, one of the managers, what she would do with racist literature in
her store. She said that since they don’t believe in
censorship, anything could grace the shelves of
this illustrious establishment. She added, “There
probably isn’t a book in here that doesn’t offend
somebody.” If enough people (about six, to
justify an order) requested neo-Nazi literature,
they would stock neo-Nazi literature. She said
it wasn’t her place to tell people what to read,
even though she would question why they were
reading it, personally.
As I left, I was somewhat embarrassed about
my outrage over the manga. After all, people
have a right to buy what they want. Who am
I to say what’s right? But as I walked back into
Kinokuniya to get my parking validated and saw
a man casually leafing through the latest issue of
“Kan ken-ryu,” it triggered something.
I thought, is it wrong to try to assuage the
years of injustice and hate surrounding the horrific events of our past? Is it wrong to attempt
to change the tide of mis-education and misinformation that could continue to grow among
our community? Free speech is, of course, a
fundamental right that I hold dear — it is a
right not offered to my relatives in China. But,
with free speech comes a responsibility to use it
when you see something offensively antithetical
to your beliefs.
The medium of cartoons makes racist
and offensive ideas particularly palatable. The
messages, seemingly innocent, can be easily
brushed aside as mere opinionated fiction. We
are lucky that in the United States we do not
have American racist ideology topping our bestseller lists every month. But if we did, would our
bookstores gladly stock the books, without a
second thought? The answer is yes.
Andrew MacDonald, author of “Turner
Diaries: A Novel” (a book espousing right wing
white supremacist ideology) has written, “If [this
book] had been available to the general public ...
the Oklahoma bombing would not have come as
such a surprise.” Considered to be the bible of
right-wing militia, the FBI believes it provided
the blueprint for the Oklahoma City bombing.
Let’s hope we always live in a world where horrific tragedies like the Oklahoma City bombing
not only come as a surprise, but spur action to
educate and inform to prevent another one.
Sian Wu is a freelance journalist and a regular contributor to the International Examiner.
You can reach her at [email protected].
3
NEWS
From Hate to Hope:
A community briefing on immigrant rights
BY BENJAMIN BOSTICK
Examiner Contributor
On the evening of Wednesday, March
8, the wind was whipping all around the
Puget Sound area. It was fitting, on this
foreboding night, when guest speaker Eric
Ward, a field director for the Center for
New Communities in Chicago, started off
his speech with an analogy drawn from the
poor response to hurricane Katrina.
In the days before Katrina wreaked havoc
on New Orleans, no one was able to comprehend the enormity of the disaster that
could occur. Ward fears the same could be
true for the assault on immigrant rights.
“There is an inability to acknowledge, or
want to accept, what we’re actually seeing
coming to landfall in this society,” he said
to a meeting of From Hate to Hope, a forum
supporting immigrant rights.
Right now, Washington is facing two
anti-immigrant initiatives. The first initiative
is being filed by a group called Grassroots
Washington, a spin-off of the conservative think tank, the Evergreen Freedom
Foundation. In essence, this initiative would
call for every voter in the state to re-register.
Now, the same national
organization that got
Arizona’s Proposition
200 on the ballot.
That initiative, upon
which the Washington
initiative is based,
was approved by voters in 2004 and has
caused great alarm in
the immigrant rights
community. If passed
in Washington, the
initiative will serve to
George Cheung speaks at the immigrant rights forum. Photo by Benjamin restrict access to public
Bostick.
services for immigrants
“It will be people of color and immi- and refugees who cannot provide papergrants who are newly citizens that are dis- work proving their legal status in the United
proportionately impacted by this,” Ward States. Additionally, the initiative will make
said. Presumably, it will be more difficult it a felony for public officials who provide any
to mobilize immigrant voters to re-register type of service to undocumented immigrants
because of language and culture barriers; or refugees.
In Arizona, Proposition 200 has produced
thus, come voting day, thousands of eligible
(and previously registered) voters will be a “climate of fear,” Ward said. Immigrants
and refugees stopped bringing their children
turned away at the polls.
The second initiative is being filed by the to school and using healthcare because they
Washington chapter of Protect Washington believed that the law required those services
A week of de facto martial law alarms and rouses Seattle’s Filipino community
BY CHERRY CAYABYAB
On Feb. 24 — the 20th anniversary of Westlake Center to denounce the proclama- desperation, and an attempt to cling to any
the fall of martial law in the Philippines tion and human rights abuses.
remaining power vested by her position.
— Philippine President Gloria Macapagal
On March 7, a candlelight vigil and comOver half of the 84 million Filipinos
Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017 declar- munity forum took place at the Filipino are living below the poverty line, surviving “emergency rule” in the country and Community Center in Seattle to educate ing on less than one dollar a day. There are
General Order No. 5 relegating the whole the community about the consequences and extremely limited opportunities for work
country to the direct rule of a police state.
impacts of Proclamation 1017.
and labor which, consequently, has resulted
Arroyo found it necessary to put the
The forum presentation revealed that in millions of Filipinos leaving their homePhilippines under a state of national Arroyo’s Proclamation 1017 is actually ver- land and migrating to other countries for
emergency while citizens commemorated batim to Ferdinand Marcos’s Martial Law work. According to immigration statistics,
the 1986 People Power anniversary
more than 3,000 Filipinos leave the
which overthrew President Ferdinand “I feel it a slap in the face to our country every day to find work abroad.
Marcos. After an analysis of the
Thus, approximately 10 percent of the
national situation, Arroyo declared people celebrating the end of mar- Philippine workforce is scattered all
that the left, right and center opposi- tial law 20 years later.”
over the world in diaspora.
tional forces were “in tactical alliance
While President Arroyo lifted the
-Donna Denina,
and engaged in a concerted and sysstate of emergency after a week, many
Gabriela Network Seattle
tematic conspiracy to bring down the
continue to believe that further authorduly constituted government elected.”
itarian and repressive rule awaits the
After the declaration, a ripple effect of Proclamation 1081 – without actually call- near future of the Philippines. However,
repression was felt throughout the country. ing it martial law. Gabriela Network Seattle the immediate action and mobilization
Peaceful protesters were violently dispersed, Coordinator Donna Denina expressed: “I here in Seattle, the United States and the
opposing congressional and political leaders feel it a slap in the face to our people cel- international community in response to
were arrested or had arrest warrants issued, ebrating the end of martial law 20 years later. the de facto martial law declaration reflect
and local newspapers were closed or cen- For Arroyo to resurrect a verbatim procla- the high level of community organizing and
sored.
mation on the very same day of this happy education against human rights abuses that
The abuse of basic democratic and anniversary is insulting to our legacy of advocacy groups are capable of. Pressure
human rights was similar to the days of resistance against repressive governments.” from the international community willed
martial law rule in the Philippines in the
Since Arroyo has been accused of rig- Arroyo to lift the Proclamation.
1970s and ‘80s. Here in Seattle, Filipino ging the 2004 Presidential elections, her
“We will continue to educate and orgaorganizations and solidarity groups includ- authority and validity as president have been nize as many people as possible to defend
ing Gabriela Network, Anakbayan and the questioned by Filipinos in the country and the human rights of the people of the
Philippine U.S Solidarity Organization abroad. Approximately 80 percent of the Philippines and around the world”, said
mobilized quickly to protest the repressive entire Philippine population does not sup- Sincere Shiota, youth leader of Anakbayan
impacts of de facto martial law. A rally was port Arroyo in power. Many consider her Seattle.
coordinated the same day on Feb. 24 at institution of Proclamation 1017 as an act of
4
to turn them over to the Immigration and
Naturalization Service.
The remainder of the briefing focused on
“how to turn this small group of people into
a large mass of action.”
“I’m here to say that there is a hurricane
coming,” Ward said, “and the impact of it
very much rests on our ability to make a
response before it makes landfall.”
-continued from front page
Housing
Residents must be 61 years or older,
55 years or older if disabled, to live in
Washington Terrace, which contains 84
one-bedroom units and 52 two-bedroom
apartments. Residents must also have an
annual income of no more than the rates
mandated by the Washington State Housing
and Finance Commission and determined
by the median income of the area. A person
earning less than 50 percent of the median
income ($27,250 for one person, $31,150
for two) will be able to rent a one-bedroom
unit for $730, $875 for two bedrooms. Those
earning less than 60 percent of the median
income ($32,700 for a single individual,
$37,380 for two) can currently rent a onebedroom apartment for $760, a two-bedroom unit for $950.
Other amenities include a media room
(with plans to include a half-dozen “theater-type seats,” Fenner said), an exercise
area, computer room, communal lounge,
and rooftop deck that will accommodate a
pea-patch or garden. Parking beneath the
complex will be available for an additional
$40 monthly fee.
Built in two phases, the 49-unit half of
Washington Terrace bordering Yesler will
open the beginning of April. The larger 87unit structure on Sixth and Washington is
scheduled to open the end of May. The two
buildings are connected by the lounge area.
Construction of the senior housing facility
has been going on for about a year, Fenner
said. The land Washington Terrace is built
upon, formerly a parking lot, used to be
owned by The Rex Land Co.
Started in 1988 by Earl Price, the purpose
of SHAG is “building affordable housing
for income-qualified seniors and disabled
seniors as well,” Fenner said, reading from
SHAG’s “statement of experience.” SHAG,
a non-profit organization, has constructed
33 senior housing facilities from Bellingham
to Olympia, he said, with 3,450 units in the
SHAG system currently available.
Of those inquiring about residing at
Washington Terrace, around 30 percent
have been of Asian/Pacific Islander descent,
and the rest from outside of the area,
Foncellino said. Many of those are seniors
who used to live and work in the city, or
there have been sons and daughters who
“want their parents closer,” he said.
NEWS
ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS ON ONE PAGE
News Briefs
Congressman Wu receives award was then manager of that program until her
Washington, D.C. - On March 2
Congressman David Wu (D-OR) was
presented with the Joseph Papp Racial
Harmony Award from the Foundation for
Ethnic Understanding. Every year the foundation honors members of Congress who
have shown leadership and commitment to
strengthening relationships among ethnic
communities.
“I am deeply honored by this award and
am grateful for this opportunity to join my
fellow colleagues in celebration of the mutual understanding we have achieved across
ethnic communities,” said Congressman
Wu in a press release. “As we take part in
this event, I urge everyone to participate
more deeply in the civic life of our nation.
By working together we can bridge, and
build upon, our great nation’s diverse communities and move forward with determination and unity.”
Matsuno named acting director
Bernie Agor Matsuno, Community
Building Division Director, has been named
acting director of Seattle’s Department of
Neighborhoods (DON). DON Director
Yvonne Sanchez will leave city government
following the conclusion of her four-year
term, effective April 3.
Matsuno has been with the Department
of Neighborhoods since its inception in 1988,
when it was the Office of Neighborhoods,
according to her biography on the DON
Web site. She was instrumental in developing the Neighborhood Matching Fund
Program, a nationally and internationally
acclaimed program, over 17 years ago. She
Vigil remembers victims of abuse
promotion in 2004 to Community Building
Division Director.
During her tenure as Matching Fund
Manager and Division Director, she has
worked to ensure that the Department of
Neighborhood’s community building efforts
are relevant to the City’s diverse neighborhoods. She is most proud of developing and
piloting a Race Relations and Social Justice
Fund and then making this a permanent
part of the Neighborhood Matching Fund.
She has extensive experience working with
community groups throughout Seattle.
Matt Kelley steps down from
Mavin
Nearly eight years after founding
MAVIN magazine as a 19-year-old student
at Wesleyan University, Matt Kelley stepped
down last month as MAVIN Foundation’s
president, according to a press release.
Kelley created MAVIN to give a voice to the
millions of mixed heritage and transracially
adopted Americans.
After discovering Wesleyan’s mixed race
student group his freshman year in college,
Kelley co-chaired the organization, taught a
class called, “Mixed Race in the USA,” created the National Conference on the Mixed
Race Experience and launched his magazine. That spring, he dropped out of college,
returned to Seattle, and bussed restaurant
tables to keep the magazine afloat.
Under Kelley’s leadership, MAVIN
Foundation invested millions of dollars into
several award-winning projects, including
its life-saving MatchMaker Bone Marrow
Project, Multiracial Child Resource Book
and Education initiatives.
People file in to the King County Courthouse for a reception
including remarks by Maria Batayola, APIWFSC board cochair, Donna Denina of Gabriela Network, Velma Veloria,
former state representative, among other speakers.
The Asian & Pacific
Islander Women &
Family Safety Center
held their 11th annual
Candlelight Vigil to
commemorate victims
of domestic violence on
March 2. The vigil took
place at the King County
Courthouse. Photos by
Nhien Nguyen.
Ellen Abellera, executive director of
Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs,
writes on a commemorative sign for the vigil.
5
NEWS
Garden
Reproductive Justice and NAPAWF
BY JENNIFER BROWER
NAPAWF Seattle Chapter Representative
On March 8, we celebrated International
Women’s Day (IWD). As part of our celebration this year, NAPAWF Seattle co-sponsored events featuring speaker Loretta Ross,
a nationally recognized advocate for reproductive justice. Loretta Ross is the executive
director and national coordinator of Sister
Song: Women of Color Reproductive
Health Collective (www.sistersong.net), the
national co-director of the 2004 March for
Women’s Lives in Washington D.C. and
the co-author of, “Reproductive Justice:
Bridging the Race and Class Divide in the
Women’s Movement.” During her visit,
Ross read from her book at Elliott Bay Book
Company, spoke on reproductive justice at
Langston Hughes Performance Center and
provided a workshop on reproductive justice for community leaders in King County.
Ross defines reproductive justice as “reproductive health married to social justice.”
Reproductive Justice has been an
ongoing campaign for NAPAWF Seattle.
In 2004, we organized a workshop to educate and dialogue with the Seattle community about reproductive justice and to
prepare for our journey to Washington
D.C.’s March for Women’s Lives. Four
NAPAWF sisters from Seattle traveled to
D.C. to march with a million advocates for
reproductive justice.
In 2005, NAPAWF Seattle advocated
for the passage of Healthy Youth Act bill
in the Washington State Legislature by
writing letters to our legislators, writing
International Examiner articles and holding education forums in the community.
Unfortunately, this bill did not make it
out of the Senate. If passed, this bill would
have promoted medically accurate sex
education in Washington State.
Building a movement in the service
of our communities requires a broad
understanding of the multiple layers of
challenges that impact APIA (Asian and
Pacific Islander American) women’s
“choices” about their health care, including lack of access to reproductive health
care, lack of resources for culturally competent service provision, and the current
administration’s public policies which
have been slowly eating away at our civil
rights. Often times, APIA women are so
challenged by every day issues of survival
that civil rights and reproductive justice
are far beyond their reach. (This topic
was discussed by Ross, myself and the
co-director from Communities Against
Rape and Abuse (CARA) Eboni Colbert
on KBCS, Voices of Diversity show on
March 1, which you can listen to on the
streamlined archive: http://kbcs.fm/site/
PageServer?pagename=voicesofdiversity.)
As a member of NAPAWF, I was flown
to Oakland, Calif. last year to meet with
APIA reproductive health and domestic
violence experts from throughout the
United States to brainstorm ideas of what
is most important to Asian and Pacific
Islander women when it comes to mobilizing our efforts towards reproductive justice.
The meeting was the catalyst for NAPAWF
National’s agenda for action, “Reclaiming
Choice, Broadening the Movement: Sexual
and Reproductive Justice and Asian Pacific
American Women,” which documents
the demographic profile of APIA women,
reproductive and sexual health trends
among APIA women, barriers to accessing and receiving reproductive health care
services and a call to action. (Contact
NAPAWF National for a copy through email or phone; contact information is on
our website at www.napawf.org.)
APIA women have the least amount of
published reproductive health data in the
country, so this document is an important
resource for us. NAPAWF National is traveling all over the country conducting community forums about the agenda and will
be in Seattle in May.
Concurrently, NAPAWF National is
doing Southwest Regional Leadership
Training with Choice USA, National
Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
and Third Wave Foundation. They had
their first training of over 40 young leaders between the ages of 18 to 35 attend
from Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico
and Nevada. The training is a 15-month
process where NAPAWF hopes to bring
these leaders together a few more times and
provide them with substantive and technical support so that they can engage in
campaigns around Reproductive Justice in
their communities. The leaders themselves
will determine which issue campaign they
will be involved in. They will be lobbying,
coalition building around some of the antireproductive rights bills that are currently
pending in Congress. NAPAWF National
is in the process of developing a violence
against women policy agenda. Lastly, they
are also conducting a participatory action
research project with young APIA women
in California to gather information, which
will help guide their community organizing
toward reproductive justice.
To learn more about APIA women and
reproductive justice, join us at our meeting
Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and
we can tell you more. You can send us an
e-mail at [email protected].
The Seattle Chapter of NAPAWF is dedicated to forging a grassroots progressive movement for social and economic justice and the political empowerment of Asian and Pacific
Islander women and girls. NAPAWF unites our diverse communities through organizing,
education, and advocacy. Please check our Seattle Chapter website at www.napawf.org
for more information. If you would like to get involved in NAPAWF, send us an email,
[email protected] or sign up for our list serve www.napawfseattle-subscribe@yah
oogroups.com to receive up to date information about meetings, events, and postings. Our
mailing address is NAPAWF Seattle Chapter P.O. Box 14115, Seattle, WA 98104.
6
Along East Yesler Way, South Jackson
Street and Madison, he estimates there could
have been 50 to 100 Japanese American families living there among a diverse ethnic mix,
with the Asians being Chinese, Japanese and
the Filipinos with their “Catholic influence”
as they attended the churches and parochial
schools such as Maryknoll further east on
Capitol Hill. Helping out at his parents’
store would later influence a career choice in
retail sales, recalling that he often knew what
the neighborhood customers came for, even
before they asked.
However, the “hub of the Japanese
American community” close to Seattle
University was the Japanese Baptist Church,
he says, of which he has been a lifetime
member. As a fourth-grader during the
period when war with Japan began and upon
being relocated to Minidoka, Nakagawa
remembers gradually being “disclaimed”
by friends. Some of his friends remained
friends “until parents convinced them I was
the enemy,” he says.
As for the camp experience, he viewed
it through an adolescent’s eye: all he knew
for certain was that he couldn’t be with his
former friends.
Returning to Seattle as a seventhgrader, Nakagawa continued his education at Washington Junior High School,
Garfield High School and the University of
Washington. He began his 45-year career
with Osborn & Ulland in 1951, later becoming president/CEO of the Seattle sporting
goods retail chain. Upon his retirement – he
remembers the exact date: July 1, 1995 –
Nakagawa says he “worked harder in the last
10 years.” Continuing his involvement with
the Baptist Church, he served on seminary
boards and as vice president of American
Baptist Churches USA.
And he found another mission when
he realized “how little we had kept” of
the internment camp experience, and that
he was part of the “last group alive to be
physically interned.” He became active in
the annual pilgrimage to the Minidoka
camp site, helped organize the “Minidoka
Remembered 2003” reunion for former
internees, and assists the National Park
Service with restoration of the Minidoka
Internment National Monument.
“The Minidoka project is great, but
there’s nobody around there,” he says.
Which is why he thinks a memorial at a
university is so important: “All institutions
get old, but a school keeps replenishing with
new minds.”
Dr. Bill Cate, former president/director
of the Church Council of Greater Seattle,
has known Nakagawa since the early ‘90s
through their religious activities. In 2003,
Nakagawa met with Cate and Dr. Bill
Malcomson, former dean of the American
Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley,
Calif. Cate and Malcomson are among the
founders of SU’s School of Theology and
Ministry. Nakagawa discussed with his colleagues the idea of the Garden – that he
wasn’t Catholic, was not associated with the
university, but he had lived on the land that
became its campus, and that he “represented
loss of freedom because of who we were.”
Cate recalls replying back then: “Yeah,
that’s a great idea.”
Seattle University prides itself as a Jesuit
Catholic university founded in 1891 which
promotes the ideals of tolerance, acceptance,
mutual respect and social justice.
The University’s “Asian alumni” ran with
the idea, Cate said, raising over $100,000 in a
year and a half. Sizable donations came from
the Japanese American religious community, Nakagawa said, including the Japanese
Baptist Church.
Other than encouraging the value and
protection of personal freedoms, Nakagawa
says the Japanese American Remembrance
Garden is also a tribute to the immigrant
Japanese Issei generation (first generation)
that he says “took the blame” for why they
and their children ended up in the wartime
camps — the fact that they were Japanese.
“My parents never got the day that I
got,” he says. That “day,” he explains, means
knowing that the Issei “did everything right”
back then.
The International Examiner announces
our newly re-designed website:
www.iexaminer.org
NEWS
Changing of the guard:
Two new directors for ID agencies
Teresita Batayola
International Community Health Services (ICHS), a community health
center with clinic locations in the ID and Holly Park, selected Teresita
Batayola as the successor to long-term director Dorothy Wong. Wong is
now national director of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA)
in Washington, D.C.
Batayola, former Chief of Staff to Seattle City Councilmember David
Della, has served as ICHS interim executive director since July 1, 2005.
“After a thorough national search, input from community leaders and ICHS staff, we believe
Teresita brings the vision, skills and qualities that the position requires,” says Board Chair
Hiroshi Nakano. “ICHS faces strategic issues created by a fluid and complex healthcare and
regulatory environment while meeting a growing community need for our services.”
Batayola describes herself as a strategic, collaborative and results-oriented leader committed to innovation and partnership. “I bring to ICHS a strong vision for excellence and a
long-term commitment to the Asian and Pacific Islander community,” she says.
Elaine Ko
The Interim Community Development Association (ICDA) announced
Elaine Ikoma Ko as its executive director. ICDA, or Inter*Im, is a comprehensive community development corporation responsible for promoting, advocating for, and revitalizing the ID and other Asian Pacific
American communities in the region.
Ko, formerly the Operations Director for ICDA, has worked for ICDA
since 2002. She was director of the City of Seattle’s Office for Women’s
Rights and served as coordinator for the King County Women’s Program.
She was the founding director of the ID Housing Alliance in the late 1970s.
“Our organization is very pleased to have Elaine as our new leader,” stated ICDA Board
President Curtis McGuire. “Elaine has a long history of community leadership and involvement in the ID having worked at Inter*Im in the 1970s and 1980s.
“We look forward to her carrying on the rich legacy of leadership of Bob Santos.”
Ko succeeds Santos, who is retiring after many years of community leadership in the ID
and Asian community.
Nihonmachi
area. There is a communal rooftop deck and
a 40-stall parking garage that is also available
for public parking. The building will also
house the new offices of ICDA and the property managed by the Seattle Chinatown/ID
Preservation and Development Authority.
As affordable housing, half of the present tenants earn around 50 percent of King
County’s 2005 Median Income of $72,250
and about half earn less, Katahira said.
Tenants are of all ages, with “a fair number
non-English-speaking,” he added. Monthly
rent is assessed according to income and
number of tenants in a unit.
“Nihonmachi Terrace is accessible for
larger families,” Katahira said. “It’s familyfriendly — right across the street from the
[Danny Woo Community] Garden.”
Five years in the making, the building of Nihonmachi Terrace began when
ICDA began negotiations to purchase a
vacant half-block along South Main Street
— long covered with tall grass transients
used to hide in or sleep. ICDA was able
to acquire a $1 million loan from Impact
Capital, a local non-profit lender, to buy
the land from the property’s owners,
Lonnie Lee and and Pearl Woo. Woo was
always interested in affordable housing,
Katahira said.
Funds for construction came from
government and private sources such as
the South Downtown Foundation, State
Housing Trust Fund, Seattle Housing
Authority, Federal Loan Bank, Equity
Investors, Muckleshoot Indian Casino,
Ken Katahira on the rooftop deck, with Safeco
Field in the background. Photo by Ken Mochizuki.
Boeing Employees Community Fund, Low
Income Housing Institute, the Paul Allen
Family Foundation and Sound Families, a
program sponsored by the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation to support the homeless.
The architectural firm of Pyatok
Associates and general contractors MarPac
Construction were hired. Construction
began in November 2004.
“There is a big push by the city to end
homelessness,” Katahira said.
The ICDA board named the project
Nihonmachi Terrace in honor of the former nihonmachi or “Japantown” a thriving community clustered around South
Main Street before World War II.
Nihonmachi Terrace Grand Opening
& Tours will be held on April 6 10:30
a.m. at 651 South Main. For information
and to RSVP, contact (206) 624-1802 or
[email protected]. For rental information, contact (206) 838-8241.
7
FEATURE
Health
Special focus: The International
Examiner explores health issues
in the Asian Pacific Islander and
minority communities.
SE-SPAN: Encouraging seniors to exercise
BY DORI CAHN
Special to the Examiner
“The Cherry Blossom Song” plays softly
in the background as two dozen mostly
Asian, mostly senior men and women, do leg
stretches, arm
lifts,
seated
exercises
and balance
poses. They
fill the gym at
the Chinese
B a p t i s t
C h u r c h
on
Beacon
Hill for a
twice-weekly
“Devotions
and Exercise”
class,
part
of
the
Physical activity and comraderie join together in the “Exercise University of
and Devotions” class. Photo by Washington
H e a l t h
Dori Cahn.
Promotion Research Center’s efforts to promote physical activity for seniors.
The class at Chinese Baptist ranges in age
from 52 to 84, though, as one participant says,
“age is a state of mind.” The class is bilingual
English and Cantonese; trilingual if some of
their Japanese participants show up. Many are
members of the church, but they also bring
friends, relatives and neighbors with them.
They come to find a supportive environment
for exercise, or to make friends, or because
they feel better afterwards, or “because Herb
convinced me.”
“Herb” is Herb Tsuchiya, the enthusiastic
organizer of the class who has kept it going for
a year. His recent rotator cuff surgery, however, has allowed other class members to take
over teaching, adding to the cooperative environment as they support each other through
daily exercises and life changes.
They also come because they understand
the well documented benefits of even mod-
Herb Tsuchiya (middle) and Dori Cahn (right) work
with seniors at the Chinese Baptist Church.
Photo from Herb Tsuchiya.
erate amounts of exercise for aging bodies:
lower blood pressure; reduced risk of heart
disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and non-insulin dependent diabetes; enhanced energy and
mental well-being; and greater flexibility,
coordination and balance to reduce the risk
of falls.
Serious ailments that come along with
aging – such as diabetes, heart disease and
high blood pressure – often affect immigrants
and minorities at a higher rate. Asians, for
instance, are more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes. Research has found that most Asians,
especially Chinese, Koreans and Japanese,
develop diabetes at far lower weights than
people of other races, and have a 60 percent
greater chance to develop the disease than
whites at any weight. In fact, some experts
believe that the number of Asian diabetics
is underestimated because they often do not
exhibit the warning signs that whites do, such
as pot bellies on men.
That is why the Health Promotion Research
Center (HPRC), funded by the Centers for
Disease Control, is creating programs in
partnership with organizations and agencies
that work with immigrants to encourage
seniors to exercise. Because statistics showed
that Southeast Seattle has higher rates of heart
disease, diabetes and diabetes-related illness
than the Seattle or King County averages,
HPRC surveyed seniors
from minority communities in Southeast
Seattle to discover if
people exercise, and
what motivates them to
do so. They found that
many limited-English
speaking adults feel
isolated, and that many
are also misinformed
about their own physical health because of
limited health care support from their cultural
backgrounds.
The need for more services for seniors in
Southeast Seattle, especially for immigrant and
ethnic minority elders, led to the development
of the Southeast Seattle Senior Physical Activity
Network (SE-SPAN). An additional challenge,
according to Ruth Egger, research coordinator of
SE-SPAN, is that “immigrants from rural areas
where physical activity was a normal part of their
daily lives have an especially difficult time with
diseases of sedentary lifestyles, such as diabetes
and heart disease.”
Laotians and Somalis, for example, have told
her that their former lives were physically more
strenuous so that they did not need to exercise
as a separate activity. Here, their lives are more
sedentary, and they eat a more Americanized diet
that includes higher fat foods. Some immigrants
also come from places where food was scarce and
may view a fatter body as a show of wealth and
status.
Egger has found that exercise classes and
walking programs that are coupled with existing services such as meal programs tend to have
greater participation. Since the summer of 2004,
SE-SPAN has developed programs in conjunction
with Chinese Baptist, the Filipino Community
Center, the Vietnamese Senior Association, the
Pacific Asian Empowerment Program and the
Southeast Senior Center, among others. Some are
primarily walking programs, while others include
“Enhance Fitness” classes, such as the one at
Chinese Baptist.
Egger also sees the program as a way to get
families working together on health issues as
elders slow down.
“Young people can be an example,” she says.
“A lot of people are afraid to go to a class, but
children can talk to their parents about exercise
and nutrition.” Elders can also provide role
models for their Americanized children and
grandchildren who gravitate to fast food and
other high fat staples of an American diet.
At Chinese Baptist, the music changes to John
Philip Sousa as everyone gets up and marches
around the gym, stretching, big steps, small
steps, arms swinging, knees lifted high, anything
to work muscles and help strength and balance.
At the end of class, they celebrate their one-year
anniversary with cake and barbecue pork-filled
flaky pastry, not normally on their list of healthy
foods.
One participant jokes, “We should have eaten
all this before we exercised!”
On May 13, SE-SPAN is organizing a health
and exercise awareness fair, “Columbia City
Walks,” in conjunction with King County Steps
to Health and with the support and participation
of Columbia City businesses. For more information about SE-SPAN classes, walking programs
and “Columbia City Walks,” contact Ruth Egger
at (206) 760-6236, or [email protected].
Information about HPRC programs can be found at
www.depts.washington.edu/hprc.
8
FEATURE
Special Town Hall meeting:
Disparities in health
BY BENJAMIN BOSTICK
On Monday, Feb. 27, the King County
Council held a special meeting at the First
A.M.E. Church in the Central District to
discuss “the large and persistent disparities
in health status and access to health care
across racial/ethnic groups, income groups,
and areas of the county.”
In a packed auditorium, the meeting
began with a mood of hope and determination as the special panel of public health
luminaries addressed the problems confronting the community’s health. The existence of disparities was confirmed by “The
Health of King County,” a report released
by the county this February. “The real issue
here is action,” stated Dr. James Krieger,
chief of epidemiology for King County.
“What are we going to do about it?”
The panel’s answers to Krieger’s question included a proposal for universal health
insurance, increased ease of access to health
care, and, most prominently, a call to deal
with the social factors that lead to disparities.
For a full four minutes, Dr. Cheza Garvin,
The very first public speaker called the
county council “psychotic” and “withdrawn
from reality.” The next speaker angrily called
for an end to racism in the University of
Washington. Over two hours of public testimony, the speakers repeatedly emphasized
the same point: the public is tired of “lip
service,” as one man put it. “We all know
what the problems are, but the problems are
not being addressed adequately,” said Eddie
Rye of the African American Community
Health Network. “The effort’s not there.
The funding’s not there.”
The people of the community are making
it known that they are ready for some tangible
progress to be made. Well, the people of the
African American community, that is.
So, why did not one single member of the
Asian community step up to the podium to
air his or her grievances? According to Janet
Soohoo of Asian Counseling and Referral
Service (ACRS), language and cultural
barriers may account for the API absence
in the public forum. Also, said Soohoo, in
addition to the distrust of an
unfamiliar medical practice,
there is a “general fear in the
immigrant/refugee community that the healthcare system might turn them in.”
It is this fear, possibly, that
accounts for Asian/Pacific
Islanders good statistical
showing in the King County
report. The report highlights
that Asian/Pacific Islanders
are the only ethnic group
King County Councilmember Larry Gossett speaks about health
besides whites to meet the
disparities at a town hall meeting. Photo by Benjamin Bostick.
Healthy People 2010 Objective
for low infant mortality rates.
program director of chronic disease preven- Moreover, cancer mortality is actually lower
tion for King County, listed social factors among Asian/Pacific Islanders relative to
that contribute to disparities in health. Her whites. But the major sources of data for the
list included economic opportunities, jobs, report are public hospital records and official
income disparities, housing issues, educa- government reports like the U.S. Census, so
tion, discrimination, access to healthy nutri- the immigrant/refugee population is largely
tion, access to physical activity, healthy envi- unrepresented. Fourth and fifth generation
ronment, respect for culture and language, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese citizens inorand trust of the health care system. But it was dinately skew API statistical data towards the
the “trust” issue that hit a collective nerve in positive, Soohoo said, while members of burthe room.
geoning Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander
After Dr. Garvin breached the topic, the communities choose not to go to public hosdialog during the remainder of the meeting pitals for their health care needs and are not
focused on issues of trust in “the system” represented at all in the report.
and allegations of “institutional racism.” It
In an interview after the meeting, council
also became more and more clear that the chair Larry Gossett proved to be well aware
real topic of the meeting was disparities in of the special problems faced by the Asian
health between African Americans and the community.
majority white population. When an audi“ACRS is very concerned about the cuts
ence member unexpectedly had a seizure in in mental health for people that don’t have
the back of the auditorium, adrenaline levels insurance, because they’re dealing with a lot
spiked, and, as the panel tried to speak over of documented workers as well as people
the muffled hubbub of the rubbernecking who are not yet citizens, and now they’re no
congregation, the terms “minority” and longer eligible,” Gossett said. Gossett and
“majority” were replaced by “black” and Soohoo both noted that discrimination in
“white.” Passion, previously hiding behind the health care system is a problem faced by
a facade of propriety and reason, reared its all ethnic minorities. While any disparity in
head and took over the meeting. Accusations health exists in King County, all communiof incompetence and mishandling of funds ties have the responsibility to band together
were hurled at the council — and then the and do their part to eliminate it. There is still
public testimony began.
work to do.
9
“To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday”:
ReAct stages emotional drama with multiracial cast
BY JUDITH VAN PRAAG
Examiner Arts Writer
Repertory Actors Theatre
David and his daughter
(ReAct), Seattle’s only multiethRachel move to the island
nic, philanthropic theater comwhere the family used to
pany, starts the 2006 season with
vacation. The play starts on
Michael Brady’s “To Gillian on
the eve of the second anniverHer 37th Birthday.”
sary of Gillian’s death. Seated
After the show opened in New
on the deck, David quizzes
York in 1983, Brady received the
16-year-old Rachel and her
Oppenheimer Prize for “Best New
friend and neighbor Cindy
American Playwright.” Not withon the names of the stars in
out reason, this is a well wrought
the sky. When the girls retire
play about love, loss and recovfor the night, David remains
ery. Or as ReAct’s director Davis
on the deck to converse with
Hsieh says, “It’s a sweet, little Colleen Parker as Rachel the spirit of his dead wife.
family drama I’ve been wanting and T.J. Langley as David in
The
following
day,
a moment from ReAct’s “To Gillian’s sister Esther and her
to stage for years.”
Gillian on Her 37th Birthday”
Over the years, the casted actors March 2006. Photo: David husband Paul – convinced
— all of whom have been with Hsieh.
that the time has come
the company from the beginning
for David to come out of
— have matured in their craft; they’re ready mourning and start dating — bring along
to fill the demanding roles within a play that surprise guest Kevin.
deals with such deep sentiments as grief over
Kevin (“My parents really wanted a
the death of a loved one who was a spouse, a boy”), a former student of David’s who
mother, a sister and a friend.
already had a crush on him years before, has
After Gillian’s fatal boating accident, not been told beforehand that her visit coin-
cides with the anniversary of Gillian’s death
and birthday.
The story is further complicated by the
subplot – childless Esther and Paul’s wish to
take care of Rachel.
Contemplative T.J. Langley is believable
as the grief-struck David, and convincing
when showing sudden sparks of happiness
as he opens himself up to new possibilities.
Colleen Parker, who played the role of a
woman grieving over her mother’s death in
Todd Redenius’ short movie, “In Memory of
…,” now tenderly portrays teenager Rachel,
who worries about her father’s well-being,
but yearns for a life among the living.
Casey Floresca (Young Waverly in “The
Joy Luck Club”) is the quintessential doting
teenager with a crush on her friends’ father.
Leilani Berinobis (of “Sex in Seattle”
fame) as Gillian’s spirited sister Esther, benefits from her comedic timing even in this
more dramatic role.
Matt Lovell, as good-hearted, joke-cracking Paul, Esther’s spouse, provides the comic
relief and keeps all the characters connected.
“Umaga”: The hope for a coming dawn
BY CHRISTIE VERDADERO
In collaboration with Isangmahal Arts
Kollective, Gabriela Network, a Filipina
women’s solidarity organization, is hosting
a benefit art auction and multimedia theatrical production called “Umaga.” It will
take place on Saturday, March 25 at the
Rainier Valley Cultural Center. Proceeds
will go towards Gabriela Network Seattle
and the Asian Pacific Islander Women and
Family Safety Center.
“Umaga,” meaning “morning” in
Tagalog, is a story about one woman’s
journey in recognizing and coping with
domestic violence. It follows Corina, a
young Filipina college student, as she transitions from mourning due to abuse to
the beginning stages of healing. Through
“Umaga,” Gabriela Network hopes to
increase awareness and education on
issues of domestic violence in the Asian
Pacific Islander community, specifically
for the Filipino community.
“For Filipina women in particular,
Gabriela Network has been the only allwomen organization that connects local
problems to what is happening in the
Philippines,” says Donna Denina, Gabriela
Network Seattle Chapter coordinator.
“The purpose of ‘Umaga’ is to connect
local issues of domestic violence with a
global picture in hopes of creating change
in the world.”
“Umaga” will also highlight communi10
ty resources in Seattle and
hold a panel discussion
following the show to
further explore and process the information that
will be presented. It will
give audience members
a chance to speak about
their experiences, ask
questions and engage in
active involvement.
“Domestic violence
isn’t an easy topic to
digest,” says Claudia
Paras,
co-creative
director of “Umaga.”
“Through our presentation and panel discussion we want to be
able to create a comfortable, safe space
for dialogue to occur around this important issue.”
Gabriela Network, Isangmahal Arts
Kollective and the Asian Pacific Islander
Women and Family Safety Center have
a strong history of partnering on multimedia shows to energize and mobilize
the community. Denina says that the
collaboration has been an integral part
in strengthening the campaign around
social problems affecting API women in
the community.
“Isangmahal really contributes a
strong creative aspect, the Safety Center
contributes knowledge and expertise
around local issues on domestic violence
and Gabriela Network provides the educational aspect to cohesively tie everything
together,” says Denina. “When all of these
components are combined, it really creates
a very powerful and dynamic medium for
women to empower themselves.”
Doors for “Umaga” open at 5:30 p.m.
The art auction begins at 6 p.m. and the
show follows at 7 p.m. For more information
and to order tickets before the show, contact
Gabriela Network at (206) 227-1948 or
[email protected]. Prices are $10 for adults,
$8 for youth and students and $12 at the
door.
Colleen Parker as Rachel with Casey Floresca
as Cindy and T.J. Langley as David in ReAct’s
“To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday.” Photo: David
Hsieh.
Kathy Hsieh (actor, director, writer of
“Sex in Seattle”) embodies the mature,
understanding — and ready for love —
Kevin.
Roberta Furst, representing Gillian’s
spirit on stage, gives a light-hearted, humorous twist to the self-centered career woman
Gillian must have been while alive. In the
end, it is Gillian’s spirit, who (or that) sets
David free, allowing him to care for their
daughter and to find happiness in life.
This play is suitable for all in the family
(except babes in arms), and a must-see for
anybody confronted with grief over the loss
of a loved one.
Since 1993, ReAct has raised thousands
of dollars for area charities and arts organizations, and collected countless cases of
food and supplies for area food banks and
shelters. The company is able to do this by
donating box office proceeds (from a benefit
performance, from one of the ticket outlets,
or perhaps an entire run), and offering
patrons discounted tickets in exchange for a
food donation.
“To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday” is
presented at The Richard Hugo House, 1634
11th Ave. on Capitol Hill, March 23 - April 9.
Off-street parking, and limited free spots
in the Richard Hugo House parking lot.
Upcoming fund-raisers and social events:
The Charity Poker Party Tournament
“POKER POKER POKER,” March 4 &
April 22, 5 p.m-11 p.m. at Springhill Suites,
downtown Seattle.
On May 2, 4 p.m.-10 p.m., ReAct holds
its Eighth Annual “BOWL-O-RAMA,”
“The Hula Bowl” at “The Garage,” on
Capitol Hill. Information and registration at
www.reacttheatre.org.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Ivan Dinh:
Returning to the stage in “The Nerd”
BY JUDITH VAN PRAAG
Examiner Arts Writer
Ivan Dinh has returned to the stage!
After a hiatus of five years during which
he worked on independent movies and
videos such as “Simply FOBulous,” “Black
Sheep of Chinatown,” “Going Straight,” and
“What You’re Leading Me To?”; the actor
who in the past appeared as “Shifty” in the
Repertory Actors Theatre’s “Miss Minidoka
1943”; as Jed in “Fifth of July” at Northwest
Asian American Theatre; as Daniel in “A
Language of Their Own” at The Group;
and as the Prince in “R&H’s Cinderella”
at Valley Community Players, now he will
perform the role of Axel Hammond in “The
Nerd” by Larry Shue.
The play is presented by the Seattle
Performing Arts Fellowship (SPAF), a nonprofit community theatre in Des Moines,
Wash.
Larry Shue, a promising actor and playwright, had his career cut short at age 39
by the crash of a commuter plane on Sept.
23, 1985. He left behind a small number of
published stage plays, among which are two
full-length, crowd-pleasing, goofy comedies
that are a staple
of community
theatre repertory:
“The Foreigner”
and “The Nerd.”
“The Nerd” was
first presented by
the Milwaukee
Repertory
Theatre in April
1981, with Shue
in the role of
the architect. It
was subsequently
Ivan Dinh
produced by the Royal Exchange Theatre
Company in Manchester, England in April
1982, followed by a very successful West
End production. A 1987 Broadway production, directed by Charles Nelson Reilly, is
recorded in the Internet Theatre Database.
In “The Nerd,” Willum Cubbert, an
architect in Terre Haute, Indiana, has often
told his friends – among whom is Alex
Hammond – about Rick Steadman, a fellow
ex-GI whom he never met, but who saved
his life after he was seriously wounded in
Vietnam.
Willum has written to Rick that, as long
as he is alive, “you will have somebody on
earth who will do anything for you.”
When Rick shows up unexpectedly
at Willum’s apartment on the night of
Willum’s 34th birthday party, his delight
soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick
is a hopeless “nerd” who lacks social graces
and tact.
As Rick stays on and on, his presence
leads to one uproarious incident after
another, until he drives even normally placid
Willum to contemplating violence. Luckily,
a surprising “twist” allows for a happy ending of the play.
Dinh is very excited about playing a part
in this hilarious play.
“My dream is to someday play a major
role in a Spielberg or Cameron film, but I
missed acting on stage, and Axel Hammond
is a smart, cynical, and sarcastic jokester,” he
says. “He is also a good friend who’s willing
to go far to do someone a favor. I find the
character very funny and witty. I’m very
happy to play him.”
Dinh also considers himself lucky to be
working under the direction of SPAF’s Lewis
Curtiss, whom he doesn’t just consider a
good director, but also a wonderful human
being.
“I find him very inspiring, and I’m grateful to him for taking a chance on me,” Dinh
says.
SPAF is an outspoken Christian
company, presented on its Web site
(www.spaftheatre.org) as: “the positive
alternative to the average and the unacceptable, to the world of secular theatre, where
cutting edge and shock are often more
welcome than good, clean family entertainment.”
This doesn’t mean that the company
completely banishes good plays from its
repertory such as “The Nerd,” in which the
occasional “Goddamn” is uttered.
“When we did our first read-through, we
made a few adjustments to the script,” Dinh
says. “We don’t use ‘Goddamn’ or ‘Jesus.’
We replaced such references with ‘Oh,
brother,’ or just removed it entirely. We
took that approach with obvious references
and innuendo, too. Basically, SPAF wants
to put on a fun, family-oriented show, and
that’s exactly what we’re going to give to our
audience.”
So, there you go. For a cleaned up, funfilled version of “The Nerd,” get yourself and
the family to Des Moines.
Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship presents “The Nerd” from March 17 - April 11,
Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays 2 and 8 p.m. at
the Victory Baptist Church near Mt. Rainier
High School, 1807 S. 223rd, Des Moines, WA
98198. Tickets available at the door: $12 for
adults, $9 students (5 to 18) and seniors
(55+), $8 for pre-registered groups of 10 or
more.
Pay-What-You-Can performances (no
reservations) are on the first Saturday evening performance and the last Saturday
matinee. For information or to order tickets
visit www.spaftheatre.org or call (206) 7224289.
11
Wing Luke Museum auction grosses $385,000
BY NHIEN NGUYEN
Examiner Staff
Gov. Locke, David Asahara, Barbara Mizoguchi and Mona
Locke enjoy the silent auction portion of the evening. Photo
by Nhien Nguyen.
12
About 700 guests celebrated
the Wing Luke Asian Museum’s
40th anniversary event held at the
Washington State Convention &
Trade Center on Sunday, March
12. This year’s event grossed over
$385,000, a record-breaker for the
museum.
Museum board member and
television reporter/producer Mimi
Gan kicked off the evening’s program with remarks about the new
museum, which has already begun
construction. To date, she said the
capital campaign has reached
$16.2 million, 70 percent of the
total goal of $23.2 million.
“This year’s auction made
us all realize how broad and
deep the support is for the new
museum,” said Ron Chew,
museum director.
Chew said that “it was exciting” to be able to announce
two recent $100,000 pledges:
from the Moriguchi family
and a group of cannery worker
activists who’ve come together
to remember the Filipino pioneers.
The silent auction at the Wing Luke Asian Museum’s 40th
“This is a capital campaign anniversary celebration included art and non-art items. Photo
that is connected to the grass- by Dorothy Ng.
roots — it’s what has sustained
us and kept us moving forward,” said Chew.
New elements were made to the annual the types of items in this year’s auction,” said
event, including the new and larger venue at Casey Bui, auction co-chair and museum
the convention center and auction items that board member. “As we grow as an event, we
have tried to make sure that we provide new
were both art and non-art related.
“We made a conscious effort to diversify items to keep things fresh and exciting.”
During the live auction
bidding, many items surpassed its stated value. The
highlight of the evening was
a bidding war for two tickets
to the Oprah Winfrey Show,
including a travel package
of airline tickets and hotel
accomodations. The winning bid was $23,000.
Chew said: “You could
feel the energy and passion
in the room, and it was
reflected in the active bidding on auction items and
the bottom line financial
success of the event.
“It was the best auction
The live auction portion of the evening included many art pieces
from local artists. Photo by Nhien Nguyen.
ever.”
The work of Kloe Kang and Mary Mitsuda is
included in a group show, “Connect/Disconnect”
on view through April 22 at Patricia Cameron
Gallery. 234 Dexter Ave. N. (206) 343-9647.
By Alan Lau
Jazz pianist Victor Noriega has been making
waves as of late. He nabbed a Jack Straw Artist
Support Program Award that allowed him to go
into the studios and record a new CD of Filipino
folk tunes. He was recently honored by Earshot
Jazz as being one of the best up and coming new
artists of 2005. Now’s your chance to hear him live
with his trio performing compositions from his
new CD. Sunday, March 19, 1 p.m. at Seattle Asian
Art Museum’s Stimson Auditorium in Volunteer
Park. With Willy Blair on bass and Eric Eagle on
drums. Co-sponsored by Philippine Cultural and
Educational Services. Tickets at the door or call
(206) 290-7056.
Tasveer presents “Aaina: South Asian Women
Film Focus” which takes place March 24 – 26.
This series will celebrate the works of South Asian
women in film. Special guest will be Beena Sarwar,
a visiting journalist from Pakistan who will present her short documentaries on March 25 at 4 p.m.
Opening night, March 25 will have local performers, short films and an open mike stage for local
performers. Don’t miss this chance to see films
you won’t see anywhere else. Central Cinema at
1411 21st Ave. For details check Tasveer’s website
or e-mail [email protected].
Seattle Asian Art Museum presents free family
films as part of their “Free First Saturday” events.
April 1 brings Hayao Miyazaki’s wonderful animated feature, “Spirited Away.” Follow the adventures of our plucky young heroine as she tries to
save her parents who have been turned into pigs.
1:30 p.m., Seattle Asian Art Museum’s Stimson
Auditorium in Volunteer Park.
Just a few days left for this one and you’ll have
to journey to Portland. But for those who were
spellbound by the recent book on art made in
Japanese American internment camps, this show
is a must. “Out of the Desert: Art and Craft of
the Internment” features work by prominent
Japanese American artist Matsusaburo “George”
Hibi who taught art lessons at Topaz and many
others. Through March 20. Oregon Nikkei Legacy
Center at 121 N.W. Second Ave. Tues. – Sat. from
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Sun. from noon to 3 p.m.
(503) 224-1458 or visit www.oregonnikkei.org.
Henry Art Gallery with the Aperture West
Collaborative of the Aperture Foundation presents
Vietnamese-born American photographer An-My
Le. Her still images of the complicated spectacle of
war speak volumes about the toll of conflict. She
will show slides and talk about her work. April 1 at
2 p.m. Henry Art Gallery Auditorium. Free. 15th
Ave. N.E. and N.E. 4lst St. (206) 543-2280.
“Introductions 2006” presents artists who are
new to the gallery including the work of Heinrich
Toh. March 16 through April 15. “In Focus
– Seattle Galleries at the RSG” will center on the
artists of Howard House including the work of
Mark Takamichi Miller, Yuki Nakamura, Joseph
Park, Patti Warashina, etc. Through April 1. An
opening reception for both shows is on March 16
from 5 – 7 p.m. Seattle Art Museum Rental/Sales
Gallery. 1220 Third Ave. (206) 343-1101.
The Burke Museum has a touring
exhibit, “Toi Maori: The Eternal
Thread” which runs through May
29. The Museum is at the corner of
N.E. 45th and 17th Ave. N.E. (206)
Prints by Ishikawa Toraji, a strong advocate for 543-5590.
Western-style painting in Japan in the early 20th
century, is on view through March 31. Carolyn The work of Satoru Aoyama and
Staley Fine Japanese Prints. 314 Occidental Ave. Dean Sameshima is included in
S. (206) 621-1888.
“SWALLOW HARDER: Selections
from the Collection of Ben and Aileen
“Rozome Masters of Japan” is a milestone exhi- Krohn.” On view through May 14.
bition of Japanese art featuring the work of 15 of Frye Art Museum. 704 Terry Ave.
that country’s pre-eminent artists working in the (206) 622-9250.
Tasveer presents “Aaina: South Asian Women Film Focus”
ancient technique of wax-resist or batik. Folding
screens, panels and kimonos using this technique The Seattle Asian Art Museum has which takes place March 24 – 26. See Highlights.
will be on view. Organized by Betsy Sterling the following shows: “The Orchid
Benjamin and Ann Wessmann in collaboration Pavilion Gathering – Chinese Painting from the will perform a varied program of music for viola
with Massachusetts College of Art. Accompanying University of Michigan Museum of Art” is on de gamba by Bach, Purcell, Salvatore and works
this show will be “Wrapped in Color: Kimonos view through April 2. “Fragrance of the Past by contemporary Japanese composers Mizuno,
by Tim Harding, Jackets by Jon Eric Riis.” This – Chinese Calligraphy and Painting” by Ch’ung- Sato and Hirose. March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Seattle
show reveals these American artists’ passion for ho Chang Frankel and Friends is on view till April Asian Art Museum Auditorium. Tickets from the
Asian textile. Both shows on view March 16 – June 2. Activities include the following: Try your hand Box Office or at the door. (206) 654-3121.
18. Bellevue Art Museum. 510 Bellevue Way N.E. at calligraphy at a drop-in art station on Sat., April
(425) 519-0770. www.bellevuearts.org.
1 all day. Yukiko Shirahara, associate curator of The Filipino Drill Team is just one of dozens
Asian art, will discuss the development of Buddhist of acts set to perform in the Moisture Festival,
“New Paintings” by Tram Bui opens at Davidson arts as they moved across Asia to Japan, April 7 at a wide-ranging variety and comedy show which
Contemporary on March 2. 6 – 8 p.m. Through 10:30 a.m. in the Stimson Auditorium. 1400 E. runs March 21 – April 9 at Hales Palladium at
April 1. Bui’s colorful look at abstraction, pattern Prospect St. in Volunteer Park. (206) 654 - 3100 4301 Leary Way N.W. www.misturefestival.com.
and construction. 310 S. Washington. Paired with or www.seattleartmuseum.org.
For tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com or call
a group show, “Person.” (206) 624-7684.
(800) 838-3006.
At Ming’s Asian Gallery at both the Seattle (519
“Layers & Legacies: Japanese Influences on Sixth Ave. S.) and Bellevue (10217 Main St.) loca- Live music and Hula performances featuring
Contemporary American Ceramics” features tions is a group show, “Chairman Mao – Chinese Venue and other bands on “Aloha Friday” at
the work of Shimaoka Tatsuzo, Toyoda Mokugen, Propaganda” which features Chinese propagan- Maxi’s Lounge March 24 from 5 p.m. on. 11187
Kanzaki Shiho, Dick Lehman, Petyer Olsen, da, posters, collectibles, kitsch and other objects of International Boulevard in SeaTac. (253) 227-4605
Stephen Sullivan and Ben Waterman. Through art that combine fact and fiction in the persona of or email [email protected].
March 31. Honeychurch Antiques at 411 Westlake China’s late leader. Till April 30. (206) 748 - 7889.
Ave. N. (206) 622-1225 .
The work of Seattle artist Cathy Woo is included Co-editors Erin Younger and Miriam Kahn and
Columbia City Gallery opens a pair of new in a new group show by the Women Painters of various contributors will read from and discuss
shows from March 15 – May 7. “Ravenous” is a Washington entitled “CELEBRATION II” on the new anthology, “Pacific Voices: Keeping Our
show exploring hunger and features gallery artists. view at the Columbia Center Gallery (third floor) Cultures Alive” (UW Press). The book concerns
“Double Vision,” curated by Tracey Fugami, is a at 701 Fifth Ave. in Seattle. Through March 31. the cultures and traditions of API and Native
show examining Asian American identity with (360) 373-7741. Her work is also in another group American communities. Elliott Bay Book Co. at
Diem Chau, Heinrich Toh, Donna Stack, Fujiko show by the same group entitled “The Abstracted 101 S. Main in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. March
Isomura and MalPina Chan. Opening reception Landscape” till March 28 at Bainbridge Island 19 at 2 p.m. Free. (206) 624-6600.
is March 18 from 5 – 8 p.m. 4864 Rainier Ave. S. Gallery, 151 Winslow Way E. (206) 842-3132.
(206) 760-9843.
Toure, a contemporary journalist, reads from
The work of Montana-based artist Beth Lo and “Never Drank Kool-Aid” and Jeff Chang reads
KOBO at Higo Gallery Space presents a new Bay Area ceramics Professor David Kuraoka is from “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” (see related story
show of ceramic sculpture by Tim Foss entitled included in a group show, “CLAY and Related this issue) which is a history of Hip-Hop. Both
“Everything is also Spirit” on view till March 30. Materials” through April 2. Francine Seders books on Picador. Promises to be one of the
604 S. Jackson. (206) 381-3000.
Gallery. 6701 Greenwood Ave. N. (206) 782-0355. best contemporary cultural events of the month.
March 28 at 7 p.m. University Book Store at
“VIETNAM” is a show of photographs by Michael “Sikh Community: Over 100 Years in the Pacific 4326 University Way N.E. (206) 634-3400.
Whitmarsh on view till March 30 at S 60 Gallery Northwest” is one of the first looks at this comlocated at 519 W. Roy. For a private viewing, call munity through photos, oral history collections
(206) 240-4558.
and historic and educational materials. Through
April 16 at Wing Luke Asian Museum (WLAM). Jack Straw recently announced their recent proThe work of Nana Kuo is included in a Juried Also on view is “Home Grown: Asian Pacific gram winners. Pianist Winston Choi, quqin
Invitational Show of the Washington Potters American New Years” on view through April 2, and pipa master Ziying Wu and taiko player/
Association at the Northwest Craft Center Gallery 2006. WLAM Family Saturday presents a celebra- composer Gary Tsujimoto were all recipients
through March 31. Opening night reception is tion of Khmer New Year with the Rajana Society of the 2006 Jack Straw Artist Support Program
March 3 from 6 – 8 p.m. (206) 728-1555.
on March 18 at 10 a.m. Pre-registration required Awards which will allow them to go into the Jack
by calling (206) 623-5124 x114. 407 Seventh Ave. Straw studios to record new music. Bay Area
Koji Kubota’s brightly colored abstract oil paint- S. (206) 623-5124.
composer David Kwan was selected for the New
ings are on view at Jeffrey Moose Gallery through
Media Gallery where he will create a multi-chanMarch 31. 1333 Fifth Ave. (206) 467-6951.
nel sound installation. Marika Pineda and Anne
The Second Annual Sister City Female Vocalist Liu Kellor were winners of the 2006 Jack Straw
Nha Vuu shows her contemporary take on Audition takes place on March 27 from 6 – 9 p.m. Writers Program. For information about Jack
Chinese brush painting at her studio/restaurant. Come and cheer on the finalists. The winners will Straw’s various programs and competitions, call
2211 Fourth Ave. (206) 730-1433.
represent Seattle and perform in our sister city of (206) 634-0919.
Kobe, Japan. $5 at the door. Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
The work of Jeffrey Sarmiento is included in at 2033 Sixth Ave. downtown. (206) 441-9729.
Columbia City Gallery issues a call to local artists
“Words to Live By,” the third annual group
to submit artwork that reflects the theme of their
show at Solomon Fine Art of Work that uses text. Pacific Northwest Viols & Seattle Asian Art 1st Annual Juried Exhibition entitled “Plugged in
Through March 31. Reception on March 2 from 5 Museum present the Yukimi Kambe Viol and Caffeinated.” Deadline is March 24, 2006. Log
– 8 p.m. 1215 First Ave. (206) 297-1400.
Consort, a chamber music group from Japan who onto www.columbiacitygallery.com.
13
DISTRICT NOTES
Calendar
• The Sogetsu Mercer Island branch 16th annual
exhibition is going to be at the Mercer Island
Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island,
Saturday, March 18
• Global Day of Action to say “Stop the War” 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; March 26, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
on the third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Demonstrations will be on both days at 2 p.m.
Iraq. Participants will gather at noon at Westlake Free. For more information: www.misogetsu.org
Park, Fourth and Pine, Seattle. A short rally will or Shirley Hill (425) 558-0889.
be followed by a permitted, non-violent march.
The event is sponsored by ANSWER (Act Now Tuesday, March 27
to Stop War and End Racism). Endorsers include • The National Association of Asian American
the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, Professionals – Seattle Chapter, will hold a Blood
U.S. Committee for Labor and Human Rights in Drive with the goal of reaching out to the Asian
American community at Uwajimaya Village,
the Philippines and Beacon Hill Peace Action.
Sixth Ave. and S. Weller St., 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• TAX-AIDE: Free basic income tax preparation (closed for lunch 3 – 4 p.m.). Log on to http:
will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for senior //www.psbc.org/programs/drive.asp?URL=2919
citizens and low-income taxpayers at the Chinese to sign up.
Baptist Church, 5801 Beacon Ave S., (206) 7256363. Please bring tax documents, Social Security Friday, March 31
cards and last year’s tax return. Chinese-speaking • The China Club of Seattle’s March 2006 dinner
meeting will feature Dr. Hsu Shantung, founder
volunteers will be on-site.
of the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institue in Seatte.
He will discuss the essence of feng shui, talk about
Saturday, March 25
• Gabriela Network, Seattle, in collaboration with feng shui and the world beyond the physical; why
Isangmahal Arts Kollective, present “Umaga, The we feel good or not in a particular office, room or
Hope of a Coming Dawn” art auction and Pinay place; how to design an effective living space with
multimedia show. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., auc- abundant living energy; and how to live in hartion at 6 p.m., and show at 7 p.m. at the Rainier mony with nature and be in tune with our being.
Valley Cultural Center. Tickets are $10 presale, Social begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m.
$8 students, $12 at the door. This is a fund- at the Hunan Garden, 11814 N.E. Eighth Street
raising benefit for GabNet Seattle and the Asian in Bellevue. For reservations, call (206) 447-9599
Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center. ext. 2 or e-mail [email protected]. Cost is $25
per person. RSVP requested.
[email protected].
Monday, April 3
• The Kin On Health Care Center holds its
annual fund-raising dinner at the South China
Restaurant, 5606 119th Ave. S.E. in Bellevue from
4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tickets are $13 for dine-in or takeout. Pre-sold take-out dinners may also be picked
up from the Kin On Van that will be parked near
the Jefferson Park Community Center on Beacon
Avenue from 4:30 – 7p.m. For more information,
call Kin On at (206) 721-3630.
Thursday, April 6
• The Nihonmachi Terrace Grand Opening &
Tours takes place at 10:30 a.m., 651 S. Main
Street (corner of Maynard Ave. S.) There will be
The Queer Network Project of the Asian
a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours and refreshand
Pacific Islander Women and Family
ments. For more information, contact (206) 624Safety Center in Seattle has been working
1802 or [email protected].
•
Seattle University’s Japanese American
Remembrance Garden will be dedicated in a ceremony from 4:30 – 6 p.m. in front of Hunthausen
Hall on the campus. Sponsored by the Alumni
Relations Office, for more information contact
(206) 296-6127 or [email protected].
RSVP is recommended.
Saturday, April 8
• Celebrate the New Year, Cambodian style
at the White Center Street Festival, 10:30 a.m.
– 7 p.m. at S.W. 98th St. between 14th and 16th
S.W. There will be entertainment with traditional
dance, music, games, food, dance, live band
and booths with authentic traditional arts and
crafts. Learn about the New Years tradition of
Cambodia – Bun Choul Chhnam Tmey, which
falls on April 13 to 15. This event is organized by
the Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington.
Contact Kong at (425) 785-0860.
Announcements
on a book project to document the survival
stories of folks in our community who have
had abusive intimate partners. The project
was made possible through a grant from
Asian Women’s Shelter, a partnership with the
International Examiner, and broad community
support.
The launching of the book is April 6 at the
Chinatown/ID Community Center Multipurpose
room from 5-7 p.m. during April, Sexual Assault
Awareness Month. Get the book by sending a
check donation of $5-20/book to: API Safety
Center, Attn: Joanne Alcantara, Queer Network
Project, APIWFSC, PO Box 14047, Seattle, WA
98114.
& Service Center. 900 S. Jackson St., Suite
111 (free parking available). The Community
Justice Center is a project of the Access to Justice
Institute at Seattle University School of Law. For
questions, feel free to call (206) 398-4051.
• Free Real Estate Career workshop. March 28,
April 11 and April 25. 6:30-8:30 pm. Location
Keller Williams Realty, 5825 Tacoma Mall Blvd,
• The Community Justice Center offers free legal Tacoma, WA. Find out more about what it takes
advice and attorney appointments on specific to get started in Real Estate. For info and reservalegal topics every Wednesday through April 12, tion Anna (253) 212-1252.
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Chinese Information
14
EMPLOYMENT
Accounting
The WA State Convention & Trade
Center currently seeks an Accounts
Payable Clerk. Responsible for providing general accounting and clerical
support to the acctng. dept. with an
emphasis in A/P. Req. AA degree &
2-yrs A/P or general accounting exp.
Benefits:
med/dent/vision/life/LTD/
401(k).
For more info, call WSCTC Emp Line:
(206) 694-5039 or visit www.wsctc.com.
Application packets are available at
WSCTC Service Entrance, 9th and
Pike St, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm.
Only
completed WSCTC applications will
be considered. Position is open until
filled. EOE.
ACTIVITY ASSISTANT
(TEMPORARY)
Seattle Keiro, one of the finest Asian
nursing homes in the Pacific Northwest
is seeking an enthusiastic Activity Assistant to plan and organize recreation
programs to meet residents’ therapeutic needs and coordinate facility-wide
events and volunteers. Experience
with the geriatric population, sensitivity
to Asian cultures and degree in Recreation therapy, Music/dance/art therapy
or social work preferred.
Send resume to Nikkei Concerns,
Attn: HR, 1601 E Yesler Way, Seattle,
WA 98122 Or fax to (206) 325-1502 or
email [email protected]
www.nikkeiconcerns.org
Assistant Finance Director
$82,038 - $123,046 DOQ
Plus Excellent Benefits
Oversee community development
and human services issues for the
Seattle Department of Finance. Work
with elected officials and department
heads to assess potential financial and
operational implications of alternative
budget and policy recommendations.
Manage a team of finance professionals, provide leadership on Citywide
projects, and develop long-term strategic financial plans and tools. Requires
a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
and at least five years of experience in
fiscal or policy analysis, with the ability
to positively influence decision-making
and operations. Graduate degree and
supervisory experience in a government agency highly desirable. For
more information and an Online Application Form, visit www.seattle.gov/jobs
by 3/19/06. The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity
in the workforce.
EMPLOYMENT
FEMALE SOCIAL
DRINKERS CAN EARN $$$
Women of ALL ETHNICITIES wanted
for a study on alcohol and social interactions between men and women.
Participants must be unattached female social drinkers, age 18-35. Will
be paid $15/hr up to $30. Call Project
WIN at (206) 54DRINK or (206) 5437465 for more information and to determine eligibility. Part of a project at the
University of Washington Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Institute.
PSYCHIC READING
Advise On All Matters In Life
Has The Ability To Go Deep Into Your Thoughts
Available for Parties
99% Accurate
Nominated by the National Astrological
Association as Seattle’s Top Psychic Advisor
Readings by Adrian
Hours: 9am-9pm
Palm Reading
Tarot Cards
Psychic Readings
Karmic Pattern Release
Entity Clearing
Chakra Repair
35 Years of Experience
Office: 206-371-9897
First Visit $10
Financial Analyst
Analyzes financial information to produce forecasts and financial models
for use in making lending decisions.
Requires MA/MS in Finance or related
field + 2 yrs exp utilizing Excel to create and modify financial models with
net present value output; and using Essbase-interfaced financial databases
to deliver financial forecasts, using linear regression, moving averages, and
seasonality tools. Position in Seattle,
WA includes competitive salary and
outstanding benefits. Please apply online referencing Job Number 396154,
Source type as Newspaper and Source
Name as International Examiner at
wamu.com/careers. Washington Mutual is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Anyone needing accommodation to
complete the interview process should
notify the Recruiter.
Pastor and Executive Director
The Church of Mary Magdalene, a
downtown Seattle congregation serving homeless and formerly homeless
women, is currently seeking to fill the
position of Pastor and Executive Director. For a complete job description and
further information, email search@chur
chofmarymagdalene.org
SERVICES
Better Public Speaking in 4 Weeks
April 4, 11, 18, 25, 2006. 5:15-6:45pm,
505 5th Ave S. $100 includes materials. Experienced Toastmasters present
the fundamentals of public speaking
in a relaxed atmosphere. To register call:206-329-5219 or online http:
//groups.msn.com/bigfootTMclub/
speechcraft.msnw
Graphic Design Services
We design logo, menus and etc.
Free Estimates
www.home.earthing.net~hiraiwa
[email protected]
Have a response to our newspaper?
Check out our new online forum at:
www.iexaminer.org
15

A Tale of Two Terraces - The International Examiner

Transcription

Similar documents

waterfront research center

In the heart of the Pike Pine triangle, Citizen

Haddon Hall - Plymouth Housing Group

JIM PAGE …

KTBW March Manager`s Monthly Report

Offering Group Trips by Bus to Olympia, Tacoma

Joel N. Bodansky Joel N. Bodansky

onesheet - Into The Cold

View PDF - Paul Kasmin Gallery