Once upon a time, there was a peaceful little Chinese village called Peach Blossom (aww!). The villagers were humble and hardworking. They spent their days farming their fields and when they got home, they sat on their couch made out of hay and stared out the window, hoping something interesting would happen among their neighbors. [...]
Chinese New Year celebrations were born out of fear and myth. The legend of the man-devouring predator beast Nian (which is also the word for “year”) told of its frightening appearance at the end of each year, attacking and killing villagers. Loud noises, bright lights, and the color red were used to scare the beast [...]
Tropical Storm Sendong Brings Filipino Community Together On Dec. 17, tropical storm Sendong (a.k.a. Typhoon Washi) struck the Philippines, deeply impacting the southern islands of Mindanao. The cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were amongst the worst hit by flash floods and landslides leaving more than 1,080 people confirmed dead. More fatalities are expected, [...]
In the fall, I was featured on the popular blog, 8Asians (www.8asians.com). Among the interview questions, they asked: “What’s your personal motto?” I had never thought about that so I had none. But, I figured the closest thing to an answer is sharing my life philosophy – what guides who I am, the decisions I [...]
Strolling into a museum, we see old and new art, ancient and contemporary. Juxtapose the two, then singular impressions reveal themselves for an audience. In the “Luminous: The Art of Asia” exhibit, a Seated Guanyin from the Chinese Song Period (960-1279), carefree, one leg raised on the pedestal and the other leg dangling shows off-beat [...]
When Americans came back from defeating the Germans after World War II, there were ticker-tape parades. When the last U.S. helicopter lifted off from Saigon, Vietnam on April 30, 1975, the image seared deep into the American psyche; it spelled an ignominious end. For the first time in its history, America had been defeated. Its [...]
Like a lot of married couples, Locho and Yama both work outside the home while rearing a child. But unlike most married couples, their work is literally outside — in the sprawling grasslands of Dzachukha, 15,000 feet above sea level in eastern Tibet. The area is nicknamed “5 most” by the Chinese because it’s the [...]
The artist, Sopheap Pich, was born in the small rice-farming town of Koh Kralaw in northwestern Cambodia in 1971. His parents and his ancestors were farmers. Through a long turbulent history, agriculture has been the major industry to support the lives of people. Rice is one of the major export items along with timber, garments, [...]
Plans were unveiled in December for the first phase of the North Lot Development, a project with an estimated total cost of $680 million that entails approximately 3.8 acres of undeveloped land currently located at CenturyLink Field’s north parking lot and encompasses two city blocks between Occidental Avenue and Third Ave. The entire project, [...]
It was January 2, 2012 – game day. The Rose Bowl attracted about 65,000 attendees at a stadium in Pasadena, Calif., while millions more watched from home. Watching from a booth high above the field, with a strategic vantage point was Craig Heyamoto and his team. Heyamoto, 59, is a lawyer, football fan, native of [...]
The turnaround in our local economy that we all wished for in 2011 didn’t occur. If you’re like me, you’re apprehensive about 2012. Cuts to federal, state and city government budgets seem to continually loom over us, affecting our lives one way or another. Politicians and elected officials point fingers at each other and at [...]
Tuyet Thi Mai, 69, already receives state public assistance, but still cannot afford rent. She is among the poorest and most vulnerable of the Asian Pacific American (APA) population. The Model Minority Myth often leads to the perception that APAs don’t need public assistance. However, in reality, APAs encompass a wide range of socio-economic and [...]
Rafael Bautista was first diagnosed with gout at the age of 18. According to the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, gout has increased in recent decades and affects nearly 8.3 million Americans or about four percent of the adult population. “Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis among men,” said Dr. Peter Simkin, [...]
If you haven’t been following the web blog, You Offend Me You Offend My Family crew ( www.youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com ), then there’s a small storm of controversy brewing over an article written by Sung Kang over CBS’ travesty of a show, “Two Broke Girls.” We can scream online all day WITH ALL CAPS regarding the racial [...]
Highlights O(PA)PERA is a live music installation co-created by composer/musician/performer Byron Au Yong and director/installation artist Roger Benington. Tackling the big issues of earthquakes and tsunami’s that re-shape the Pacific Rim and its’ inhabitants and the aftershocks of a global economy in crisis, musicians/performers (Au Yong, Jeremiah Cawley, Tiffany Lin & Tari Nelson-Zagar) gather in [...]
Jeremy Lin Joins the Houston Rockets The Rockets claimed guard Jeremy Lin on Dec. 11, adding the former Harvard guard by picking up the second year of his non-guaranteed contract. Lin, 23, who had become a popular reserve with his hometown Golden State Warriors last season, was released recently. Lin, 6-3, averaged 2.6 points on [...]
LOCAL Official Chinese Expulsion Day in Seattle On February 7, King County Council member Bob Ferguson announced February 10 as the official Chinese Expulsion Day in Seattle. To examine the historical racism, hostilities and expulsion against Chinese immigrants in Washington State in the 19th Century, escalating to a violent removal of Chinese in 1886, the [...]
Japan “Momotaro” — Contributed by Steve Sumida, Professor at the UW’s Department of American Ethnic Studies A popular story that appears in Japanese American literature, “Momotaro,” famously appears in John Okada’s novel, “No-No Boy,” set in Seattle from 1946-1947. Ichiro, “No-No’s” title character, remembers (though he denies being able to remember his boyhood before the [...]
2011 will be remembered as a year of voices. The revolutions in Syria, Libya, Tunisia and Egypt had the world riveted. The Occupy Wall Street protests showed corporate powers that people won’t stand for corruption and inequality. Every individual wants their existence validated – to be shown they matter; that they have a voice and [...]
Mississippi, a very anti-abortion driven state, decided to vote on “personhood” — whether life begins at fertilization — last November. Though the measure failed, 58 percent to 42 percent, it could have set a dangerous nationwide precedent. The language of the initiative directly challenged Roe v. Wade which argued that a mother has a right [...]
Quezon City, the Philippines. November 30, 2011 was the day Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes were the first Filipino Americans and the first labor union leaders to be added to the Wall of Martyrs at the Bantayog Center in Quezon City, near Manila. That morning, Silme’s 84-year-old mother, Ade Domingo, seemed a bit distracted. She [...]
Highlights As Arts Editor at the Examiner, I help assign stories on the arts but the wide-ranging coverage of all the arts is made possible by dozens of hard-working knowledgeable volunteer writers who rally behind their passion and love of the arts with well-written stories issue after issue. We couldn’t do it without them. I [...]
The western idiom that “there is no honor among thieves”* crosses cultures to infiltrate this English-subtitled Japanese film about modern-day “yakuza.” Although they’re supposed to live by a code of honor, the professional gangsters in this movie turn out to be as dishonorable as any run of the mill mobster. Director Takeshi Kitano (aka [...]
The opportunity to travel abroad and connect with exceptional colleagues in one’s profession is a dream for most, but two local museum curators experienced this honor first-hand. Zoe Donnell, Curatorial Coordinator for Tacoma Art Museum, and Catherine Roche, Seattle Art Museum’s Interim Assistant Curator for Japanese and Korean Art, both earned a place as participants [...]
On a cold December day in 2009, just weeks before Christmas, 15-year-old Trang Dang was walking home from school with her sister and eight friends, all recent Vietnamese immigrants. Also part of their group: the principal of their school. Dang, who is 5’9″ with a medium build and a dimpled, contagious smile, asked the [...]
Who says companies are not hiring? Not so, says college student Nathan Lam, who has already received 10 job offers. “I honestly didn’t expect so many offers to roll in,” said Lam, a fifth-year senior at the University of Washington (UW) who majors in Finance and Information Systems. He will graduate in March 2012. Companies [...]
The season of giving stuff to other people is upon us. Sure, it’s been upon us since Halloween was over, but if you’re like me, you haven’t done your gift shopping yet. In fact, according to statistics that I made up, 75 percent of people and 100 percent of humor columnists do their shopping on [...]
Highlights The North American Post’s Nagomi Teahouse Space has in a few short months, become an exciting new venue presenting Asian American arts and culture. Famed mystery novelist Naomi Hirahara, known for her unique character, Kibei landscaper/detective Mas Hirai will talk about how she created her protagonist and the inspiration behind her books. Sat. Dec. [...]
The International Examiner readers have spoken! In our 2nd annual Reader’s Choice contest, we highlight our community favorites in over 30 categories from Best Bang-For-Your-Buck Restaurant to Favorite Community Activist and Entrepreneur. And check out who won Best Happy Hour and Mom-and-Pop Business! Congratulations to our winners and thank you to the voters of our [...]
Army Investigates “Racially Charged Bullying” Behind Soldier’s Death The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division is reportedly examining the circumstances surrounding the non-combat-related death of 19-year-old Private Danny Chen, a New York City native who was found dead in Afghanistan on October 3. According to a report in the Sing Tao Daily, Chen was allegedly subjected to [...]
