It’s been almost twelve years since four Asian American young women talked at a dinner party about not being able to recognize themselves in roles on TV and the stage.

Actor Kathy Hsieh found herself most often cast as “the other woman” or an outsider. The gals decided to do something about it; they would create their own show, with roles they could develop for themselves.

Inspired by TV shows “Sex in the City” and “Friends,” Serin Ngai turned her friends’ character descriptions and story ideas into plays. In 2001, a largely Asian American Seattle audience was introduced to naïve and inexperienced Elizabeth, her best female friends Jenna and Tess, and her high school sweetheart (Jenna’s older brother) Kenneth and his fiancée Shari. Do you feel the friction? This was only the beginning. Bring in Colin and Nathan who both dated Jenna. Dropped by her for Adam, they each woe Tess, while she lusts only for Nathan, who wants babies, which makes Tess gag.

Over the years there’s been a lot of exciting action; a cancelled wedding, an unconsummated marriage, breaking or holding on to traditions, goodbye to Shari, hello to Chloe, Cyrano-like confusion about a proclaimed love online, and the latest: who’s the father of Jenna’s baby?

Now the time has come for the 20th and last installment of “the country’s longest-running theatrical romantic comedy experience.” Expect slapstick hilarious scenes, song and dance, sensual moments and surprise action by the male cast members. Sharing the questions that are on the mind of fans can’t be considered spoilers, but do give away some of the action. Will Jenna have to raise her baby on her own? Will Tess go for Nathan even though she prefers to be a DINKY (double income no kids), or choose Colin? Will Elizabeth find her true love? Will Chloe and George make it to the altar? Will they live happily ever after?

Fans of “Sex in Seattle” may be sad that #20 is the final episode of the series with characters they’ve grown to love and care about. Still, they can look forward to seeing some of the 78 actors who performed in SiS over the years in other productions very soon. This finale is not “The End” for SiS Productions. The company will continue to produce and stage Asian American plays. Kathy Hsieh for one will appear in “(Asian) Short Stories Live for ACT” at Town Hall on June 3 and 4, 2012. Serin Ngai, the original playwright of Sex in Seattle is an Associate Artist with Azeotrope. Check out the company’s upcoming production, “Jesus Hopped the A Train” at ACT Theater in June.

“Happily Ever After…” runs through May 26, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. at West of Lenin, 203 N 36th St., in Fremont. For tickets, call: (206) 323-9443, email: tickets@sis-productions.org, or visit: www.sexinseattle.org  or www.brownpapertickets.com. At www.sexinseattle.org you can read synopses of the 20 episodes plus diary entries by the four central, not so single, Asian American women characters.

An ensemble cast makes it often difficult to follow the seven characters that accept Sonny’s offer; and, the somewhat ordinary story gets mired in the crowd of some very extraordinary British actors. But, while their stellar acting makes their characters believable, the script, unfortunately, does not.

Judi Dench is Evelyn, a recent widow who’s never worked outside the home. Clueless about her dead husband’s dealings, she discovers that he’s left her both penniless and homeless. The idea of moving in with her grown sons is unappealing; so, when Evelyn spots Sonny’s website while surfing the net, she promptly signs up. Although she’s supposed to be naïve and vulnerable, Evelyn morphs into Superwoman in India, even landing a call center job—her first, ever. From being clueless about how ISP’s work, she becomes a tech savvy blogger, narrating the movie through each blog post.

Graham (Tom Wilkinson) is a retired judge, pining for the lover he left behind in India when he was 18. Having grown up there, he becomes the group’s go-to guy for the low-down on the best places to eat and sightsee. But instead of joining the others on their treks, Graham is on a single-minded mission to find his lost beloved.

Bill Nighy is Douglas, a henpecked husband with the disease-to-please his hypercritical wife, Jean (Penelope Wilton). After losing all their money investing in their daughter’s start-up, and bypassing retirement units equipped with handrails and alarms, the couple inexplicably decides to move to India. Captivated with Jaipur, Douglas eagerly explores his new surroundings. But Jean refuses to participate, rejecting them as foreign and peculiar, leading to the question of why she ever boarded the plane in the first place.

Then, there’s Maggie Smith as Muriel, a former housekeeper, whose racist rants border on cruelty. While still in England, she refuses to allow a black doctor to examine her. Watching him scrub, she remarks that no matter how much he washes, he’ll never get the black off his hands. But payback arrives in the form of a Caucasian aide who pushes her around in a wheelchair. Making denigrating comments about people of color, Muriel’s unprepared for his reaction to her bigotry. She seems as unlikely as Jean to go to India, but the hip replacement surgery she needs is inexpensive there.

Finally, there’s Norman (Ronald Pickup) and Madge (Celia Imrie), both still single and both still looking. Perhaps the reason they can’t sight each other in their periscopes is because Norman refuses to acknowledge his age by dating much younger women while Madge only wants a man with money.

Alas, the expats aren’t the only ones with issues. Besides trying to prove to his mother (Lillete Dubey) that he’s not a failure at business, Sonny also has to convince her that his girlfriend Sunaina (Tena Desae) is marriage material. Ironically, Sunaina works at her brother’s call center, the one that hired Evelyn. Naturally, her brother thinks Sonny is a loser and takes turns with Sonny’s mother to prevent Sonny’s and Sunaina’s relationship.

Colorful saris, gorgeous scenery and exotic animals roaming dusty streets blend harmoniously with the rhythm of tooting horns and noisy masses. But Britain’s long and painful colonization of India is hardly mentioned, nor is India’s caste system deeply delved into. An intimate interaction between an “untouchable” and Muriel, the racist who has an epiphany, doesn’t really explain India’s form of class discrimination.

Although it’s somewhat pedestrian, this feel-good film does have many entertaining moments. More importantly, it addresses the matter of a rapidly aging world. With people living longer than ever before, an elderly population will soon outnumber newborns, making Sonny’s idea of outsourcing the aged not so farfetched after all.

“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful,” opens wide, beginning May 11.

The rioting as an expression of community anger and despair was not a surprise. The videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King was broadcast on news outlets internationally and reinforced distrust of LAPD among local communities of color. Racial profiling and excessive force were common and longstanding accusations levied against the LAPD.

We had hoped for justice: guilty verdicts that would hold accountable the accused LAPD officers, and their department, for beating a defenseless African American man. But, as the verdicts illustrated, justice is often thwarted. Residents in impoverished communities in South Los Angeles, which had suffered from decades of economic despair and racial discrimination, expressed their anger at persistent social and economic inequalities by engaging in looting and violence that some have called an uprising.

Years of tense race relations in Los Angeles played out during those six days of rioting. The anger of some individuals was directed at certain communities, but overall, the violence did not target a specific institution or group. Both Korean American and African American businesses were looted. But existing tensions and cultural misunderstandings between African American residents and Korean small business owners were exacerbated by the LAPD’s ineffectiveness during the rioting and the lack of city human relations resources.

Media outlets also sensationalized coverage of the unrest, showing images of Korean business owners wielding guns outside their stores. In actuality, police left them unprotected and with few other options. Not until several of our community leaders challenged the lack of Asian American journalists in newsrooms did these outlets, such as the Los Angeles Times, hire Asian American staff and improve their coverage.

It was evident that the institutions meant to support our city—­both governmental and community agencies­­—were too weak to quell the anger. Prior to the unrest, as a board member of the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission, I had asked the city to hire more human relations professionals because we feared an “explosion.” Like others, I sensed increased racial tensions in the community, especially after the March 1991 fatal shooting of Latasha Harlins, an African American teenager, by a Korean business owner. However, new commission staff wasn’t hired until two years after the unrest.

Cross-racial collaborations existed but received scant funding or attention. APALC founded Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations, which emphasized intergroup collaboration training. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference/Martin Luther King Dispute Resolution Center and the League of United Latino American Citizens also came on as formal partners.

Collaborations such as LDIR did flourish, but the magnitude of the problems has made it difficult to make major gains. While we have made improvements in the past two decades, that effort is threatened when police engage in racial profiling. And while race relations have improved in communities, given how our neighborhoods have become more multicultural, we continue to see racial tensions among groups.

Economic opportunity remains elusive, as we see continued income inequity and education cuts taking a toll on our communities. The African American unemployment rate in Los Angeles is approximately 20 percent, while small businesses, including those owned by Asian American immigrants, have been especially hard hit by the economic downturn.

Today, nonprofit organizations that serve our communities suffer due to the economic downturn. Foundations need to invest more in the leadership and capacity building of these organizations in order to ensure the well-being of our city.

I hope never again to see Los Angeles fall victim to the violence, anger, and terror that ensued in our communities on April 29, 1992. That is why civic and community leaders need to continue public and private collaborations and work together to revitalize our city’s urban core. Leaders need to seek out new investment capital to boost our neighborhoods. This is happening now. One example is an effort I am involved in, called Chinese Investment and American Jobs, which is exploring how labor and business might benefit from the influx of Chinese investments into the United States. Thinking outside the box is necessary.

Many efforts will help ensure our city is never torn apart by such violence and anger. Today and moving forward, if we continue to work together to make our communities stronger, Los Angeles will be headed to a better future.

On April 29, 1992, the cap on the fizzy drink exploded. Ongoing tensions between the African American majority and Korean business owners in Los Angeles erupted when a Korean immigrant storeowner shot a 15-year old African American customer. For weeks after, riots, looting and widespread shooting ensued between racial groups.

In the aftermath, some Koreans relocated their businesses to Seattle, a city that is 1100 miles away in distance and racial interrelations. Many have settled in the Rainier Valley which according to the 2010 Census Bureau, is located in the most diverse zip code—98118.

Wayne Lau, executive director of Rainier Valley Community Development Fund (RVCDF), said that one premise in Seattle’s hospitality is the sheer amount of diversity.

“You don’t have a ghetto here, in the sense that one neighborhood isn’t dominated by just one race,” said Lau. The RVCDF works to promote and sustain diversity in the face of gentrification.

As a result, businesses from all ethnic backgrounds can be in close proximity to each other and cater to more than just their own ethnic group.

Al Les owns Olympic Express on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Since 1988, he has been serving pan-Asian food from Vietnamese to Chinese to Malaysian and Cambodian. His customer base is a remarkable mix—Somalis, Oromos, Eritreans, Arabs, Pakistanis and all the Asian ethnicities.

Les speaks four to five different languages and also adheres to the Islamic faith, both of which have helped him cater to so many different groups. Olympic Express is 100 percent halal, attracting many Muslims in the area, especially the large African community in the Rainier Valley.

“Our niche is everybody,” said Les, who is of Cham background. “From Indonesians to Malaysians, to all Arabs and Africans.”

“I don’t see any tension here because different kinds of business owners from all over the world get to interact and know each other,” said Les.

There isn’t just one racial group that dominates the market, noted Les. In Los Angeles, this wasn’t the case. Many African Americans believed that Asian shop owners were taking money out of their community without contributing back or that they were being charged high prices.

“It seems to work well here because of diversity—all immigrants want to stay in business,” said Lau. “They don’t feel ethnic jealousies or resentments.”

Between the Boeing Access Road and South McClellan Street on MLK Jr. Way, there are 19 African-American owned businesses, 74 Vietnamese, and 65 Caucasian. East Africans and Hispanics each represent 13 of the businesses on the corridor, according to statistics compiled by the MLK Business Association (MLKBA).

According to Julie Pham, former chair of the MLKBA, business owners have been “very entrepreneurial” in catering to the diverse local market.

For example, “The Chinese-Vietnamese-owned Graham Jewelers has been making teeth grillz for years,” said Pham. “Tony’s Bakery, which is famous for their Vietnamese sandwiches, has introduced new seafood items to serve the increasing need for halal food from the local African community.”

Even though the Rainier Valley is a welcoming place for ethnic-owned businesses, tensions of other sorts still persist. There are concerns over city agencies overlooking the region, said Lau. People believe that county resources, like Sound Transit, are not being distributed equitably. Gentrification and crime are other issues the community faces, but don’t affect interracial relations.

On the 20th anniversary of the LA riots, it is clear now that it was more than a racially-charged protest sprung from cultural differences. At the root was discontent with the job market, a nationwide recession and growing economic disparity in Los Angeles.

Les said business owners in the Rainier Valley are cooperative because they are mostly immigrants. As a result, Seattle has a more accepting mentality because the immigrant business owners prioritize their business’ prosperity over racial prejudices or misunderstandings, he suggested.

“The Rainier Valley is a microcosm of what the whole world is,” said Lau.

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11 Flowers
China/France, 2011 (110 minutes)
Director: Wang Xiaoshuai
Pathway: I Didn’t Know That!
Set during the waning years of China’s Cultural Revolution and based on the director’s own experiences, this absorbing humanist drama follows an 11-year-old boy who comes face-to-face with an accused murderer.
May 18 – Harvard Exit, 4:30 p.m.
May 21 – Harvard Exit, 6 p.m.

Abu, Son of Adam
India, 2011 (101 minutes)
Director: Salim Ahamed
Pathway: Show Me the World
In this contemplative tale of hope,
family, and sacrifice, an aging South Indian Muslim couple struggles to complete a once-in-a-lifetime religious pilgrimage to Mecca. Winner, Best Film, Indian National Film Awards.
May 24 – Harvard Exit, 8:30 p.m.
May 30 – Uptown 2, 9 p.m.

The Blindfold
Indonesia, 2012 (90 minutes)
Director: Garin Nugroho
Pathway: I Didn’t Know That!
Three interlocking stories illustrate the often-tragic consequences of the Indonesian Islamic state’s aggressive recruitment techniques and the powerful pull that religious radicalization has on the country’s disenfranchised youth.
May 31 – Harvard Exit #2, 6 p.m.
June 4 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11, 4 p.m.
June 5 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11, 7 p.m.

Bol
Pakistan, 2011 (165 minutes)
Director: Shoaib Mansoor
Pathway: Show Me the World
A domineering head of a predominately female household finally fathers…
a hermaphrodite. Emotions erupt as the eldest daughter rebels and another daughter engages in a courtship
with an enlightened doctor (pop star Atif Aslam).
May 20 – Harvard Exit #2, 8:30 p.m.
May 22 – Harvard Exit #2, 3 p.m.
May 27 – Uptown 3, 11 a.m.

Bunohan: Return to Murder
Malaysia, 2011 (97 minutes)
Director: Dain Said
Pathway: Thrill Me
In this revenge tale with echoes of “King Lear,” the potentially fatal
sport of kickboxing mixes with family
drama, disquieting bloodlust,
sumptuous natural scenery, and a
feast of haunting archetypes.
June 1 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11,
9:30 p.m.
June 3 – Uptown 3, 11:30 a.m.

Choked
South Korea, 2011 (110 minutes)
Director: Kim Joon-hyun
Pathway: Give Me Drama!
Materialism and status in lower
middle class South Korea are filtered through the experiences of Kwon
Youn-ho, tasked with resolving his
family’s descent into debt hell.
June 3 – Harvard Exit, 5:45 p.m.
June 7 – Harvard Exit, 4 p.m.
June 10 – Uptown 3, 8:30 p.m.

Countdown
South Korea, 2011 (120 minutes)
Director: Huh Jong-ho
Pathway: Thrill Me
A pulse-pounding thriller driven by a plot of twisting allegiances, “Countdown” is the story of a debt
collector with 10 days to live fighting to keep his liver-donor savior safe.
May 19 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 4:30 p.m.
June 2 – Uptown 1, 6 p.m.
June 4 – Uptown 1, 3 p.m.

Dragon
Hong Kong, 2011 (98 minutes)
Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
A detective comes across a paper-maker who may or may not be a renegade mass murderer. This exhilarating revival of the martial arts genre matches the brilliance of “Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon.”
May 19 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 9:30 p.m.
June 2 – Egyptian Theatre, 9 p.m.
June 7 – Egyptian Theatre, 4 p.m.

Golden Slumbers
Cambodia/France, 2011
(96 minutes)
Director: Davy Chou
Cambodia produced 400 films between 1960 and 1975, but only a handful of these artistic works survived the Khmer Rouge’s devastating reign. Filmmaker Davy Chou awakens the once-magnificent industry through archival material and deep insight.
May 30 – Uptown 3, 6 p.m.
May 31 – Uptown 3, 3:30 p.m.

Headshot
Thailand, 2011 (105 minutes)
Director: Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Pathway: Thrill Me
Cop, monk, or assassin? In this riveting cinematic noir spectacle, a cop-turned-hitman is struck in the head by a
bullet and sees the world upside-down with a flashback and forward blur of
drug busts, scheming lawyers and seductive women.
May 24 – Uptown 2, 9 p.m.
May 27 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11, 4 p.m.

I Wish
Japan, 2011 (128 minutes)
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Pathway: Show Me the World
A moving study of two brothers,
divvied up by divorced parents,
who dream of reuniting their family
through a bullet-train line. A
children’s film with a touch of adult supervision that miraculously holds
a lifetime’s range of experience.
June 3 – Egyptian Theatre, 6:30 p.m.
June 6 – Egyptian Theatre, 4 p.m.

Little Toys
China, 1933 (110 minutes)
Director: Sun Yu
Pathway: Give Me Drama!
Yuan Sun Yu’s 1933 silent film, starring silent screen queen Ruan Lingyu as a toymaker in a highly political climate, offers a rare glimpse into the Chinese leftist film movement. Legendary musician Donald Sosin performs a live piano score.
May 26 – Harvard Exit, 2:30 p.m.

Lost in Paradise
Vietnam, 2011 (103 minutes)
Director: Ngoc Dãng Vu
Pathway: Show Me the World
Ngoc Dang Vu’s intimate film follows naïve 20-year-old Khoi from the countryside to a new life in Ho Chi Minh City, where he’s first robbed and then seduced by male prostitute, Lam.
June 2 – Harvard Exit #2, 7 p.m.
June 5 – Uptown 2, 3 p.m.

Mirage
South Korea, 2011 (83 minutes)
Director: Jung-ho Yang
Pathway: Give Me Drama!
After finding himself suddenly penniless, writer Dong-Jo tries to borrow money from old friends and begins reliving high school memories and the dark events that so closely mirror those portrayed in his recent sci-fi novel.
June 1 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11,
1:30 p.m.
June 5 – Harvard Exit #2, 6 p.m.
June 6 – Harvard Exit #2, 4 p.m.

The Mirror Never Lies
Indonesia, 2011 (100 minutes)
Director: Kamila Andini
Pathway: Show Me the World
The Indonesian Wakatobi archipelago and the Bajo tribal community provide the foundation for this coming-of-age tale of 12-year-old Pakis, in this stunningly beautiful debut film that is both global and highly personal.
June 9 – Harvard Exit #2, 9 p.m.
June 10 – Harvard Exit #2, 2:30 p.m.

Old Dog
Tibet/China, 2011 (88 minutes)
Director: Pema Tseden
Pathway: Show Me the World
This emotional allegory about modernization in Tibet revolves around
the destiny of a Tibetan mastiff,
whose elderly owner wants to keep, while his son wants to sell the dog to a wealthy landowner.
May 18 – Harvard Exit #2, 6:30 p.m.
May 19 – Harvard Exit #2, 3 p.m.
May 26 – Uptown 3, 3 p.m.

Only Yesterday
Japan, 1991
(118 minutes)
Director: Isao Takahata
Pathway: Show Me the World
Previously unreleased in the U.S., this gem from Studio Ghibli animator Isao Takahata delves into the emotional experiences of young girls through the touching and meditative story of a 20-something remembering her childhood.
May 19 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 11 a.m.
May 23 – Egyptian Theatre, 6:30 p.m.

Overheard 2
Hong Kong, 2011 (121 minutes)
Director: Alan Mak, Felix Chong
Pathway: Thrill Me
In a delirious blend of “The Boiler Room” and “Speed,” a shifty stockbroker, a surveillance operative, and a police inspector become entangled in a three-man cat-and-mouse that could destroy Hong Kong’s financial markets.
May 21 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 8:30 p.m.
May 25 – Harvard Exit, 9 p.m.
June 4 – Egyptian Theatre, 6:30 p.m.

Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings
Philippines, 2011 (96 minutes)
Director: Jade Castro
Pathway: To the Extreme
Oh no, he didn’t! Remington shouldn’t have insulted that drag queen—now a spell turning him gay comes to fruition as he courts his first (female) love in this satirical sendup of homophobia and zombie horror.
May 20 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 8:30 p.m.
June 1 – Egyptian Theatre, 9:30 p.m.
June 2 – Egyptian Theatre, 2:30 p.m.

Rent-a-Cat
Japan, 2012 (110 minutes)
Director: Naoko Ogigami
Pathway: I Didn’t Know That!
Sayoko, lonely since her grandmother’s death, rents out her cats for companionship until one day, when another stray—a young man from her past—threatens to follow Sayoko home.
June 2 – Kirkland Performance Center, 3:30 p.m.
June 4 – Egyptian Theatre, 9:30 p.m.

Romancing in Thin Air
Hong Kong/China, 2012 (112 minutes)
Director: Johnnie To
Pathway: Love Me, Do!
Acclaimed director Johnnie To ventures beyond action and crime with a film about a Hong Kong mega-moviestar who after being jilted at the altar by his actress bride unexpectedly finds true love with a neurotic fan.
May 28 – Harvard Exit #2, 9 p.m.
June 1 – Uptown 3, 10 p.m.
June 4 – Egyptian Theatre, 4 p.m.

Sacrifice
China, 2011 (130 minutes)
Director: Chen Kaige
Pathway: Thrill Me
In Chen Kaige’s blockbuster reinterpretation of the Chinese opera, “Orphan of Zhou,” war is waged on the Zhao clan, but a single descendant survives to take revenge in this lavishly decorated tale of betrayal and power.
May 18 – Uptown 1, 9:30 p.m.
May 22 – Harvard Exit, 4 p.m.

Starry Starry Night
Taiwan/China/Hong Kong, 2011
(99 minutes)
Director: Tom Shu-Yu Lin
Pathway: Love Me, Do!
A whimsical, visually sumptuous coming-of-age tale surrounding two lonely teens who embark on a fantasy-fuelled journey in the far-off mountains in order to escape their real-world troubles. Ages 13+.
May 19 – Uptown 2, 6:30 p.m.
May 20 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11, 4 p.m.
May 22 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11, 9:30 p.m.

Sunny
South Korea, 2011 (125 minutes)
Director: Kang Hyoung-chul
Pathway: Make Me Laugh
Wickedly funny and wholeheartedly tender, this dramedy about the life-changing reunion of seven 40-something women who were best friends in high school is beaming with totally infectious and zappy ‘80s pop songs.
May 28 – Everett Performing Arts Center, 8:30 p.m.
May 30 – Egyptian Theatre, 6:30 p.m.
June 2 – Egyptian Theatre, 11:30 a.m.

Valley of Saints
India/USA, 2012 (82 minutes)
Director: Musa Syeed
Pathway: Show Me the World
Boatman Gulzar plans to leave his poor Kashmir Valley village until he meets a young woman who’s researching the local lake. Musa Syeed’s luminous intertwining of personal and environmental conflicts won Sundance’s World Cinema Audience Award.
May 18 – Harvard Exit #2, 9 p.m.
May 19 – Harvard Exit, 12 p.m.
June 3 – Kirkland Performance Center, 6 p.m.

The Woman in the Septic Tank
Philippines, 2011 (87 minutes)
Director: Marlon Rivera
Pathway: Creative Streak
In this wry send-up of artistic pretension, two indie filmmakers raise provocative questions about the creative process by constructing the perfect
film festival hit using every cliché in the book.
May 22 – Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, 8:30 p.m.
June 5 – Pacific Place Cinemas 11,
4 p.m.
June 7 – Harvard Exit #2, 8:30 p.m.

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake
Hong Kong, 2011 (115 minutes)
Director: Herman Yau
Pathway: Thrill Me
Part historical biopic, part martial-arts action-adventure, this extraordinary film chronicles the true story of
Qiu Jin, whose revolutionary exploits
hastened the downfall of China’s
Qing Dynasty.
May 24 – Uptown 1, 9:30 p.m.
May 31 – Egyptian Theatre, 9 p.m.
June 3 – Kirkland Performance Center, 8 p.m.

A few of his infamous predecessors are Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech shooter, and Jiverly Linh Phat Wong, the Binghamton killer. Wong in April of 2009 locked the back exit of a civic community center in Binghamton, N.Y., where immigrants had gathered to learn English and shot 13 people before killing himself. Cho, a 23-year-old English major, shot and killed 33 people at Virginia Tech in 2007 before killing himself. Cho since then entered modern history as one of the worst mass murderers in the United States.

What ticked them off? They have no tongue.

The opposite of a cosmopolitan is a kind of aphonic drifter, someone who fails at articulation. While the former can easily move from one culture to the next, the latter feels disconnected and marginalized by both. The successful border crosser is blessed with the power of metamorphosis and the gift of eloquence. His counterpart, alas, finds himself tongue-tied and trapped in a defective chrysalis, unable to, but deeply desiring, change.

What keeps him from that coveted transformation is language, the loose tongue, that shamelessness and a cunning ability to slide between worlds. Cho spoke with a speech impediment that made him a pariah at school. He was an English major who was lousy at expressing himself.

Though he’d passed the U.S. citizenship test, Wong was nevertheless defeated by the English language. He was reportedly frustrated by his inability to speak English despite two decades in America. He was, as his former co-workers described him, “quiet.”

And now there’s Goh. News reports mentioned that Goh felt ridiculed because of his lack of English-speaking skills. Goh was upset at being disrespected. Administrators and several students, according to Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan, “laughed at him. They made fun of his lack of English speaking skills. It made him feel isolated compared to the other students.” And ashamed, which further binds the tongue.

And an inarticulate tongue often leads to rage. And rage has its own language. In America, that language often finds expression through using the gun.

Cho’s video before his killing spree in Virginia was a jumble of words, but what screamed out were the guns he displayed. They were his language.

And they spoke volumes.

Wong went to the firing range every Saturday, newspapers reported. It is there where he was most articulate. There are pictures of him posing with his Beretta guns.

The successful border crosser uses language to overcome shame by refusing silence, finding ways to articulate his shame until he rearranges it and redefines himself. His counterpart, however, remains defeated, finding no articulate way to transform himself in the new world. They remain cultural misfits, unable to move forward.

So many famous Asian immigrants have entered America’s public space through their power of language—be it men or women of letters, like Ha Jin or Salman Rushdie, or musicians like Yo-Yo Ma and Lang Lang.

But there is another way to enter America’s consciousness to become infamous—through acts of violence.

If the Asian shame-based culture is still prominent, keeping its citizens in line and well behaved, it is the gun culture in America that is most conspicuous. It is there on TV and video games and the Internet and the silver screen, and it is the most accessible language for the tongue-tied. For them, the gun—be it in video games or at the shooting range—speaks volumes.

For those who feel powerlessness to transform themselves, the gun can be seductive. It provides power. It speaks in a language everybody understands. It speaks across color lines. It opens doors for the invisible into the public space.

Unfortunately, it is the language of annihilation and not creation. It speaks up once or twice, but often the user succumbs to his curse: that of silence.

This article first appeared on New America Media.

The Lake Research Partners poll is the first to gauge political attitudes among Asian American voters, who are largely aligned with the Democratic Party—by a margin of three to one.

Another 31 percent, however, are also registered independents. And that, says pollster Celinda Lake, could determine the outcome of key races in several swing states.

Lake spoke during a teleconference recently announcing the release of the poll, which surveyed 713 registered voters nationwide. Its release was timed to coincide with the start of Asian American Heritage Month.

“In Virginia,” for example, “the Asian American population has increased 70 percent over the last decade,” said Christine Chen with the non-partisan APIA Vote. Representing close to 7 percent of the state’s population, Chen stressed that in a close race Asian and Pacific Islander (API) voters could be key to determining election results.

The question is whether parties or candidates are able or willing to engage them.

Nationwide, there are an estimated 17.3 million people of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, comprising 5.6 percent of the population. Communities, moreover, are emerging beyond traditional population centers like California and Hawaii, spelling a greater political presence in such states as Pennsylvania and Illinois.

According to Lake, the number of registered API voters has grown 46 percent since 2000. Of them, 83 percent say they are certain to vote come November. Still, fewer than one-in-five said they had been contacted by either of the parties.

“Presidential candidates and political parties ignore Asian American voters at their own peril,” noted Lake.

On the presidential candidates, one third of respondents said they had no firm impression of Mitt Romney. And while 73 percent gave a favorable personal rating for President Obama, in terms of his job performance the numbers were evenly split at 49 percent.

Democrats, however, held an advantage when it came to issues of fairness and social values. They also ranked more favorably on health care, education and immigration.

In terms of where the country is headed, 50 percent said things are moving in a generally positive direction. Though when it comes to the economy, respondents’ views were less positive, with 48 percent describing conditions as “just fair,” and another 31 percent ranking them as “poor.”

The poll, which was conducted in English, as well as Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese, also found that for a large majority—65 percent—television was the surest way of reaching Asian voters. Another 40 percent said they get their news via the Internet and social media, while 30 percent said they use newspapers.

Asked to speculate on why the parties had failed to reach out to API voters, Asian American Justice Center President Mee Moua pointed out that as a former candidate of color, her strategy involved “tailored outreach” to specific communities. It’s an issue, she added, that “most mainstream candidates struggle with.”

This year, at least 19 Asian American candidates will be competing in congressional races, up from 8 in 2010. Another 13 incumbents claim API heritage. Their numbers are further proof of the rising political engagement of the API community.

Still, impediments remain. According to the poll, one-fifth of respondents said they would be more likely to vote if they had in-language assistance. Lake pointed out that a majority of API voters speak a language besides English at home, and that 58 percent were born outside the country.

Speaking on the wave of voter suppressions laws being passed in states like Texas, Georgia and Florida, Chen admitted more needs to be done to educate voters. “These laws,” she said, “could have a chilling effect on people’s commitment to go to the polls … More voter education is needed to ensure the franchise.”

When asked why they vote, a majority answered they did so out of a sense of civic duty. A large percentage also said they voted for the candidates who touched them personally.

“Once we are engaged, we actually do turn out to vote,” said Moua, who added that the regional and political diversity of the API community opens the door to important opportunities for both parties.

When it comes to engagement, however, “neither party is doing a very good job.”

1. Please Look After Mom – By Kyung-Sook Shin

“This worldwide bestseller is finally available in the US. A beautifully constructed tale of familial loss. This book still haunts me,” said Jamie Ford.

2. When She Woke – By Hillary Jordan

“Dystopian riff on ‘The Scarlett Letter,’ but infinitely more readable and relevant to our times. Like the ‘Hunger Games’ for consenting adults,” said Ford.

3. Blankets – By Craig Thompson

“I’m a huge fan of graphic novels and this is one of my all-time favorites. Subtle, yet powerful tale of first love. Book clubs everywhere should read this book.”

4. Queen of America – By Luis Alberto Urrea

“This is the story of the ‘Saint of Cabora,’ Mexico’s spiritual leader during a time of revolution. Lush, literary, and magnificent.”

5. The Coldest Night – By Robert Olmstead

“I’m in an all-guys book club and this was our most recent selection. Absorbing, page-turning tale of love and death, set in 1950 amid the Korean War.”

“When we would take trips to Seattle, I remember seeing so many musicians, but very few women (and especially no Asian women) out busking on the street,” said Carly Calbero. “I figured that it was better than a minimum wage job and I could really use the time to practice.”

Born in Hawaii and raised in Marysville from the age of four, Calbero, 19, performed in choir through grade school, middle school, and high school. She also participated in band in high school and taught herself to play the guitar for the last eight years by watching videos on YouTube. On top of that, Calbero writes her own music and plays some piano and electric bass. She started busking in the Seattle area in August 2010.

“People don’t expect me to sound the way I sound because I’m Asian and I’m short,” said Calbero, who is half-Filipino and half-Japanese. “I try to be very loud and expressive in my music.”

Although she was accepted to Berkeley in the hopes of pursuing a music career, Calbero found it too expensive. Driven to continue her path in music, she bought books, researched online, and built her own recording studio. Calbero strives to break boundaries and succeed at all odds, playing for youth that do not think they can get very far; inspiring and motivating them.

“This is what I want and what I want to do, and no matter what, this is what I’m going to do,” she said emphatically.

Many of her original songs are autobiographical, she noted. She started writing her own songs at the same time she picked up the guitar. At 15 years old, she started feeling confident in her own music. Her wife and drummer, Nika Wascher, is very supportive, she added, noting they have been performing together since high school.

In addition to her own crafted work, Calbero draws inspiration from a wide range of music, from Pat Benatar to techno. She said she tries to mix up her musical repertoire as much as possible. She aptly describes her alternative-indie-rock music as “a powerful and passionate voice paired with driving progressions and experienced lyrics, reminiscent of Brandi Carlile, KT Tunstall and a more upbeat/intense Sarah McLachlan.”

With her passion for music in all its forms, some may be surprised to learn that when she was growing up, Calbero was not allowed to listen to secular music. The turning point was at age 13, when a teacher sent her to a jazz camp at Edmonds Community College. At that point she was hooked. She said the famed jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald’s powerful voice inspired her.

“Jazz started everything,” she said of her musical path.

Last year, Calbero was voted the nation’s fourth best street performer in the “Street to Stage” contest, presented by Rolling Stone magazine and Sprint. Calbero was scouted by Rolling Stone for the contest in April 2011 when she was performing Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” in front of Pacific Place. The contest started in June and ended last September. Since then, she has been contacted about performing at private parties and a number of other venues, including Cellars in Everett, Everett Historic Theater, and Seattle’s EMP.

“I am still busking, but not as much since I’ve had more gig opportunities,” said Calbero, adding that she would love to play for an indie and underground label, like Vapor Records or Onto Entertainment, that would allow her to grow a strong fan base.

Calbero can often be found at Seattle’s Pacific Place or Pike Place Market. She will also be performing with Wascher at the Northwest Folklife Festival in the Ladies First Showcase on the Vera Project Stage at the Seattle Center on May 26 at 11 a.m. Admission is free. For more information about her upcoming performances, visit www.carlycalbero.com.  Videos of her music can also be found at www.youtube.com/user/carlycalbero.

In 2010, both the Chinatown International District and Pioneer Square were looking for creative ways to increase neighborhood exposure and fill vacant retail storefronts. SCIDpda, City of Seattle, Shunpike and other organizations partnered with artists and property owners to create an innovative program, Storefronts Seattle. Designed to breathe new life into the retail core while supporting the need for viable space within the art community, Storefronts Seattle rents vacant storefronts from property owners for $1 and places selected artist, arts organizations and arts businesses temporarily, at no cost, for up to six months.

Patti West from Theatre Off Jackson and I sat on the first selection panel of Storefronts Seattle projects in 2010. I recall that Pioneer Square representatives were disinterested in hosting the Seattle Pinball Museum. Patti and I looked at each other in amazement that somehow they had missed seeing a “diamond in the rough.” Seattle Pinball Museum found their temporary home in a vacant space in the Eastern Hotel Building owned by Gin Holdings, LLC. At that time, leasing decisions for Gin Holdings were primarily made by Ray Chinn. As I have written before, Ray is an amazing man that has played a starring role in the revitalization efforts of our neighborhood.

The Seattle Pinball Museum is a diamond now because Cindy and Charles Martin are passionate owners and neighbors. They have created a following that brings people into the ID who may have not generally come before. The ID also instantly gained two neighbors in Cindy and Charles who genuinely care about what goes on outside their doorway. After their time was completed with Storefronts Seattle, they were invested enough in the ID to start their own lease on the space. Seattle Pinball Museum was one of the first projects to do so, and one of the few that ever have converted to a standard rental agreement with their landlord.

Since the original Storefronts Seattle art project, the ID has seen over twenty six projects activate street level retail spaces. As property owners, Gin Holdings, SCIDpda and Howard Dong have hosted the projects in their buildings. A more recent Storefronts Seattle project, Tuesday Scarves found a permanent home in SCIDpda’s New Central Building. Artist and owner Rian Robison is the creative force behind the design and manufacturing of unique scarves. She has turned one-of-kind designs into wearable art.

If you noticed, the “art” that I have written about has consisted of pinball machines and scarves. Items most people would not consider art. There certainly have been many visual artists that have been a part of Storefronts Seattle projects in the ID. But my Storefronts Seattle experience over the last 2 years has led me to broaden the definition of “art.”

So come May 17, I encourage you to come out and see the Miraculous Mandarin. (Note, the performance is more appropriate for a PG-13 audience.) I will address issues over gentrification in another column, but keep an open mind to the art that will be put forth. The IE and I would like to hear your opinions about it.

To reserve a seat for the Miraculous Mandarin, visit: www.spectrumdance.org/company/miraculous-mandarin. For more information on Storefronts Seattle, visit: www.storefrontsseattle.wordpress.com