northwest asian weekly's sylp issue

VOL 29 NO 34 AUGUST 21 – AUGUST 27, 2010 FREE 28 YEARS YOUR VOICE

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 746Seattle, WA

■ 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

By Drew Beland SYLP STUDENT

In 1990, there were re-portedly more than one million multiracial people in the United States. How-ever, the U.S. Census did not recognize people that belonged to more than one race until 2000.

Throughout history, multiracial people have been discriminated against and have struggled to find their identity. To-day, multiracial people are more easily accepted. Still, it is a hard journey

{see DREW cont’d on 12}

By Michael NguyenSYLP STUDENT

As a second generation Asian American from a family of refugees, I think it’s important to docu-ment my parents’ oral history. When I asked my dad what his experiences were like in fleeing his homeland, Vietnam, he readily opened up.

He first talked about why he thought of leaving in the first place — Com-munism, or North Viet-nam, the eventual victors of the Vietnam War. My dad enlisted in the South Vietnamese Air Force at the age of 17. It was dur-ing this time that he had gained the necessary skills that would help him escape Vietnam.

During his two-and-

{see MIKE cont’d on 13}

By Nina DangSYLP STUDENT

The ability to speak a foreign language at an early age is a custom that most Asian families choose to follow. This skill is exceptionally beneficial in expanding the opportu-nities that a child will have in the future, aiding them in global, personal, and social affairs. But there’s a lot more to it than just that.

Speaking a language is one of the most significant ways to show gratitude toward one’s ethnicity.

{see NINA cont’d on 12}

By Sofia L. WagnerSYLP STUDENT

As a child, I was scared of teenagers, not that I ever had much interaction with them. There were a few at church, a couple in the locker rooms at the pool. But mainly, what I knew about teenagers came from comments made by my parents.

From what I understood, teenagers were a sketchy group of young hooligans, generally with scandal-ously baggy jeans or low-cut blouses. They dyed their hair with strange colors, had Mohawks, had multiple body piercings, and perhaps, the evil of all evils, they had tattoos. Their vehicle of choice was a red convertible.

To parents, teachers,

{see SOFIA cont’d on 15}

I am not bilingual

Nina Dang

My dad’s story

Michael Nguyen

What is hapa?

Drew Beland

Reckless youth

Sofia L. Wagner

The annual back-to-school issueYouth in focus

What is this issue about?

Each year, we publish this special issue to celebrate the community leaders of tomorrow.

All of the editorial content in this issue consists of essays written by teens from Northwest Asian Weekly Foundaton’s annual Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP), a three-week program that teaches high school students about diversity, leadership, and community-building.

Why is this issue important?

In order for the Asian American community to continue growing, it’s important for us to bridge the gap between generations.

We publish this issue in the hopes that, after finding some unexpected commonalities with teens, adults in the community will help the youth become lifelong leaders.

Photos by Jared Chang

2 AUGUST 21 – AUGUST 27, 2010 asianweeklynorthwest

A note from Publisher Ng

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

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Breaking the mould for Asian American youth

What do you do with high-achieving stu-dents who are bad leaders?

I am not blaming parents. We, as parents, lack awareness of the importance of leader-ship because of how we were raised — not to lead, but to be great students so that we can get respectable jobs.

My goal is to break this mould. I believe our young people can be trained.

The Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) was established in 1995 through the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation. To keep an all-expenses-paid program run-ning for 16 continuous years is ambitious for a publishing company.

The three-week training includes learning and networking with community leaders, public speaking workshops, discussing cur-rent affairs, daily lunches in the Internation-al District, and field trips. The students have to do group projects, journal writing, and write an article for this special issue.

At the end of the camp, some students receive a scholarship if they prove that they will apply their newly learned skills to give back to their schools and communities.

What’s our reward?

One former student told me that the pro-gram gave him the confidence he needed to run for class president. Another said the experience gave him the skills to run his fraternity. One had the courage to change her college major from accounting to art. Today, she is a graphic designer. When I

saw the wedding card she designed herself, I was moved to tears.

In 2001, one brave student took a photo of the police officer who stopped and searched half of our students, accusing them of jay-walking. The photo was later used in court, with pro bono attorneys Yvonne Ward and Leo Hamaji representing the students and contesting the citation given.

These are the kind of students that make our hard work worth it.

How did this program start?

In 1995, Vivian Phillips-Scott heard about my dream of developing young lead-ers. As marketing director for the Para-mount Theater, she suggested to Ida Cole, then owner of the newly remodeled theater, to benefit the NWAW Foundation by sell-ing us 600 premium tickets for the Seattle

prduction of Broadway’s Miss Saigon at low cost. There was one catch though.

“You cannot sell the tickets for cheap,” Vivian said. “You have to raise big money.” Having never done it, I was scared, yet excited, when I said yes. We only had three months.

The support was phenomenal. More than $55,000 was raised for the program.

We even had to buy 60 extra tickets at full price from the Paramount because we did not want to turn folks away. Many of our read-ers bought tickets to support the event.

June Chen, who always believes in young people, sold many tickets.

It takes a village

We had to learn to be trim. After 18 months, we eliminated the SYLP staff and executive director, and we hired a teacher to run the program. I volunteered as executive director.

We thank the loyal corporations who spon-sor our foundation’s programs. As a result, we have been able to survive for 16 years.

The biggest burden was to find a place to house 50 high school students from all over Western Washington. So many alums return to mentor the new students that it is impos-sible to use one small room for the program.

I would like to thank former Seattle City Councilman David Della. When he was chair of the Seattle Parks Department, he pushed the city to partner with the program. As a re-sult, we don’t need to pay rent for the three weeks that we use the ID Chinatown Com-munity Center.

The community center is a gem. It offers our kids a chance to get to know the area. Many of our students are the only people of color in their schools. For them to see Asian people ev-ery day changes their perspective overnight.

There are so many inspiring leaders like Thach Nguyen, Bob Santos, Phyllis Wise, Andrew Cho, and Lori Matsukawa. They take time to speak to our kids every year. The kids can’t believe that they exist in our community.

This year’s Summer Youth Leadership Program graduates celebrate the end of the program at a dinner at New Hong Kong Restaurant.

SYLP scholarship winners, from left: Timothy Locke, Melinda Dang, Marvin Eng, Sofia Wagner, and Lane Shigihara

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An immigration nation

By Monique SaeteurnSYLP STUDENT

Is there a difference between a refugee and an immigrant? Yes, there is a difference. Many don’t know or understand the differ-ence between a refu-gee and an immigrant.

A refugee is a per-son who flees to a for-eign country to escape

danger or persecution. An immigrant is a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence. Many people of color in America, es-pecially Asians and Pacific Islanders, are refugees or immigrants.

Your parents, grandparents, and/or great grand-parents came to the United States because they wanted to start a new life or they were forced to come. That’s where being a refugee or immigrant comes into play.

My family from Laos had to flee to the United States because of the dangerous war occuring at the time. My mom was about 7 years old when she came to the new country. She couldn’t remember much of what actually happened, but she later re-searched what happened and why our family had to come to the United States.

The U.N. actually helped my family settle into

{see MONIQUE cont’d on page 15}

By Maggie Huang SYLP STUDENT

I remember when

we first announced that we were emi-grating to the United States. Everyone was congratulating us, and we were considered the lucky ones. They told us that we’ll soon be able to live in a country with high liv-

ing standards and many new opportunities waiting to be explored. But in reality, are we really lucky?

My parents belonged to the middle class back in China. They had stable, well-paying jobs that they enjoyed. They had the training and degrees nec-essary for their occupations. However, when we emigrated to the United States, my parents gave up their jobs and had to start all over.

Their degrees and training are not applicable in the United States. They are no different from people with only a high school diploma. Because of their language deficiency, they have to work extremely hard for long continuous hours because of the lim-ited opportunities that are available to them.

The language deficiency also forced them to be

{see MAGGIE cont’d on page 15}

The struggles of Asian immigrants

Is there a difference between a refugee and an immigrant?

Maggie Huang

Monique Saeteurn

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SYLP students on the first day of this year’s program

From left: Jacky Lee, Kevin Jin, and Josh Kong

A group photo of Summer Youth Leadership Program students

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Women in China: the past and the present

The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community.

The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: ”To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and

$25 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper

may be reprinted without permission.

AssuntA ngPublisher

[email protected]

stAcy nguyenEditor

Layout Editor/Graphic Designer [email protected]

Account Executives

RebeccA [email protected]

Kelly [email protected]

John [email protected]

412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

Architects, Consultants & ContractorsKCLS Library Contract Information Available Online!

Check www.kcls.org/buildings for information about KCLS construction and the latest available

details on current and pending projects.Requests for Proposals•Requests for Qualifications•Current Project Bid Listing•Call for Art Proposals•Site Selection Policy•

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The King County Library System recognizes strength and value within our communities, and we encourage all interested and qualified service providers to review

our public bid construction opportunities.

Contact Kelly Iverson, Facilities [email protected] or 425.369.3308

By Liane LoSYLP STUDENT

There are two very popular Chinese sayings: “The great virtue of a woman is to have no tal-ent” and “It is more beneficial to raise geese than daughters.” These expose the low regard of Chi-nese women in traditional Chinese society.

The women in ancient Chinese culture lived according to Confucius’ analects and the male-driven, patriarchal society. According to Confucius, women were not equal to men and were not worthy of being granted an education within the community. For almost 2,000 years,

the life of the Chinese woman was unbearable and intolerable. In exploring the position of women in traditional Chinese culture, many

focus on the hardships and limitations faced by women, from abuse in child-hood to servitude in adulthood. In traditional Chinese culture, there are

{see LIANE cont’d on page 15}

For parents, what comes first? The present or the future?

By Xiu Wen LiSYLP STUDENT

With the econ-omy as it is to-day, everyone is clinging to their job as if it were their lifeline — and in some cases, it is. How-ever, when my dad lost his job at the start of this

month, his siblings applauded. “Now you can focus more time on your son,” they said.

For first-generation Asian Americans like my parents, who don’t speak a word of English and have few options when it comes to find-

ing work, earning money requires lots of hard physical labor. Many of them left behind com-fortable lives to come here to the United States, where they make up the bottom of the ladder.

Now, some might ask, “Why would anyone do something so stupid?” The reason is simple, they want a better future for their children.

Parents are willing to do anything for the sake of their children, even if it means breaking their backs working long hours for low-paying jobs. They will do whatever they can to provide a certain standard of liv-ing for their families, so that their children would have no worries other than making good grades on their next report card. This is understandable and noble.

However, sometimes, even parents get

{see XIU WEN cont’d on page 13}

Changingtraditions

Xiu Wen Li

Liane Lo

Dancer Douglas Chua (right) teaching SYLP students a dance (photo by Ina Dash)

From left: Forrest Huang, Chris Ho, and Sun-Jia

Cogen-SteinEmmeline Vu (left) and Amie Tabiando

Marvin Eng

‘Uncle’ Bob Santos talks to the

SYLP students about activism.

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By Dalena Luong SYLP STUDENT

Whether you realize it or not, we all have the dream to pursue a career in something that we love. Some may love art, while others love music. However, many obstacles

are placed along the path to achieving your dream. A major obstacle that people face is their parents. I

have seen that most Asian parents want their children to become doctors and lawyers. For example, when I men-tioned to my parents that being a psychiatrist is at the top of my list of careers, they exclaimed, “That isn’t a real job! You won’t be stable and successful. You need to be

{see DALENA cont’d on page 15}

By Branden WangSYLP STUDENT

What is the meaning of success? That is a hard question to answer because everybody has a different definition. Other people think my father is success-ful because he is a great cardiac surgeon and has saved many lives. Other people

think my grandfather is successful because he has a great and loyal son. Other people think my little cousin is successful because she has the best grades in her class.

When I was 13 years old, other people thought that I was success-ful because I went to one of the best middle schools in China and studied with intelligent people.

But my father thinks that he is not successful because he does not have a Ph.D. My grandpa thinks that he wasn’t able to give his

{see BRANDEN cont’d on page 15}

Ryan LiuSYLP STUDENT

Is poetry just all about rhyming? Is it just about words that flow?

Is it just how you express yourself? To me, poetry can have all

these aspects, but it is way more than just these three things.

Poetry usually comes from the heart. It can be about an is-sue or something you feel strongly about because when you read it, you tend to put more feeling into it. It is all about something you think about or something you care about, something you address to the world.

In essence, poetry can rhyme and it can have all that good stuff. But in the end, poetry is about how you are feeling inside

{see RYAN cont’d on page 13}

Thoughts & ponderingsThe meaning of success …

Branden Wang

Pursuing dreams …

Dalena Luong

Ryan Liu

Poetry …Top: Emmeline Vu (right) and Lane Shigihara work on an assignment.Middle: Monique Saeteurn (left) and Amie TabiandoBottom: (from top) Lane Shigihara, Remy Golla, Drew Beland, Timmy Locke, and James To

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By Jared ChangSYLP STUDENT

As the pho-tographer for the Summer Youth Leadership Pro-gram, it was my job to capture the memories to be displayed in our yearbook, and what a fun job it was! The pro-

gram gave me new insight into my future, many new friends, and a great experience that I will never forget. It was a joy to be able to convey the happy times we had through these photos so that we could look back on them fondly. So as my article, I wanted to select a couple of photos from various days to show everyone just how great this program was.

FRI 8/20 thRough SuN 8/22

WHAT: 19th Annual Network of Indian Professionals ConferenceWHERE: Grand Hyatt Hotel, 721 Pine St., SeattleINFO: Tickets at www.netipconference.org

SAt 8/21

WHAT: Meeting of Thai Professionals in WashingtonWHERE: Silver Cloud Hotel (Stadium), 1046 1st. Ave. S., SeattleWHEN: 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.INFO: www.ostc.thaiembdc.org, www.thaiwashington.org, [email protected]

WHAT: EDI’s The Leadership Community Picnic 2010, “Connecting a Community of Leaders”WHERE: Lake Boren Park, S.E. 84th Ave., NewcastleWHEN: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.RSVP: Aug. 14 at www.leadershipcommunity.orgINFO: www.leadershipcommunity.org

WHAT: Washington Asian Pacific Islander Community Services Benefit LuauWHERE: Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin Luther

King Jr. Way S., SeattleWHEN: 6 p.m.COST: $50–$60INFO: 206-223-9578, ext. 11, www.wapiseattle.org/events.html

SAt 8/21 thRough SuN 8/29

WHAT: Jade Buddha for Universal Peace ExhibitionWHERE: Co Lam Pagoda, 3503 S. Graham St., SeattleWHEN: 8 a.m.–10 p.m.INFO: Hieu Tran, 206-650-8600, [email protected]

SuN 8/22

WHAT: 2nd Annual Picnic and Jackets/Blankets Donation Drive with the Thai Association of WashingtonWHERE: Woodland Park, N. 50th St. and Woodland Ave. N., SeattleWHEN: 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m.INFO: 206-399-7869, www.thaiwashington.org

WHAT: Seattle Chinese Garden community showcaseWHERE: Seattle Chinese Garden, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., Seattle WHEN: 1–4 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: www.seattlechinesegarden.org, [email protected]

MoN 8/23

WHAT: Urban Enterprise Center’s Minority Business RoundtableWHERE: Chamber’s office, 25th Floor, 1301 5th Ave., SeattleWHEN: 2:30–4:30 p.m.COST: Free (pre-registration required) INFO: www.seattlechamber.com

WHAT: Multicultural BBQWHERE: Pacific at White River Park, 600 3rd Ave. S.E., PacificWHEN: 5 p.m.INFO: 253-735-5977

WED 8/25

WHAT: USCIS to host Naturalization Information Session that will showcase civic, citizenship, and other servicesWHERE: Chinese Information and Service Center, International Family Center, 611 S. Lane St., SeattleWHEN: 1 p.m.INFO: 415-987-0191

FRI 8/27

WHAT: NVC Foundation Mariners NightWHERE: Safeco Field, SeattleWHEN: 7 p.m.COST: $19

INFO: 206-390-1253, [email protected]

WHAT: Margaret Cho – Cho DependentWHERE: The Paramount TheatreWHEN: 7:30 p.m.COST: $25.50–$42, 877-784-4849INFO: www.margaretcho.com

FRI 8/27 & SAt 8/28 WHAT: Garfield High School Class of 1965 reunionWHERE: Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave. S., Seattle, and Garfield High School INFO: 206-236-2738, [email protected]

thRough 8/28

WHAT: Minh Carrico’s art installation, which addresses the present state of Asian American societyWHERE: Collective Vision Gallery, 331 Pacific Ave., BremertonINFO: 718-636-0909, [email protected]

SAt 8/28

WHAT: Omusubi Lunch EventWHERE: Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington, 1414 S. Weller St.,

SeattleWHEN: 12–3 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: 206-728-0610, [email protected]

WHAT: Filipino Chamber of Commerce 2nd Bi-Annual Installation BanquetWHERE: Holiday Inn SeaTac, 17338 International Blvd., SeattleWHEN: 5:30–8:30 p.m.COST: $50INFO: www.fccpnw.org

WHAT: 8th Annual Seattle Race Conference to Focus on Racism, Health Inequity, and Solutions to Eliminate Barriers WHERE: South Seattle Community College, Brockey Conference Center, 6000 16th Ave. S.W., SeattleWHEN: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.INFO: 206-684-4514, www.seattleraceconference.org, [email protected]

WHAT: 11th annual Lakewood International FestivalWHERE: Clover Park Technical College, McGavick Conference Center #23, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., LakewoodWHEN: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: 800-522-6116, www.lakewoods.org

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR

In pictures

Jared Chang

We got to see many new things and places, all of which were

interesting and amazing in their own way.

Our guest speakers ranged from people in law to entrepreneurs, teachers, and even martial artists!

We traveled all over Seattle for new experiences and listened to different guest speakers.

We were divided into separate groups and put on presentations for each other, ranging from comedy skits to classical Japanese dance.

At the beginning of every day, we

would break the ice by playing

get-to-know-you games.

One of the highlights of the program

was the SYLP talent show. We performed at the Legacy House, and

although some acts were smaller than others, they were all equally

enjoyable.

Photos by Jared Chang


By Francis YuenSYLP STUDENT

From the moment they see you to the moment you open your mouth, it allows another person to form a first impres-sion. When I walk into a room, people see that I am Asian. It is human nature and the first

thing anyone would see. When I open my mouth

and speak, most people would notice a slight accent in my speech, and I would tell them that I am from Hong Kong and I came to America during my freshman year of high school.

Now, the hard part begins. As the conversation carries on, I would try to tell some jokes or try to tell stories about my trip to New York. Unfortu-nately, my punchlines don’t al-ways work. I asked myself, “I tell stories and I pull jokes the same way as I did back in Asia, why didn’t it work?”

After months of hardships

{see FRANCIS cont’d on 11}

Emmeline VuSYLP STUDENT

I am Viet-namese. How-ever, I don’t feel as if I’ve really embraced the V i e t n a m e s e culture.

My parents were born in Vietnam and they immigrat-

ed here. As they struggled to save money, start new lives, and support their kids, my life has been that of an average American kid — an opportunity that my parents had to work hard for.

I was born into my American identity and embraced it, but I often forgot about my Vietnamese identity. My parents always spoke Vietnamese to me, but I never made the effort to learn to speak it fluently, so I always just replied in English. I remember that as a kid, I was never interested in going to my Vietnamese church or participating in traditional Vietnamese activities. I now regret not taking on these opportunities.

But it is never too late. I’ve lived through

15 years of not maintaining my own cul-tural identity. However, it’s never too late to start understanding my heritage better.

Now, I try my best to learn to speak Viet-namese. I make the effort to find out about our family history and how we got to where we are today. I take hold of any opportunity to embrace the Vietnamese culture. I want to be able to pass the stories, cultural as-pects, and the pride of being Vietnamese on to my kids and the next generation.

It is so critical to maintain your cultural identity. Asian Americans may sometimes be so blindsided by American influences that they overlook their own culture. In ad-dition to the importance of putting aside your cultural differences is embracing di-versity and networking with people of all ethnicities. It is so important to embrace who you are and your own ethnicity as well.

Some may feel that because this is Amer-ica, you no longer need to hold on to your other cultures.

I know that I am proud to be a Vietnamese American and that I want my kids and the next generation to have that same pride in their eth-nicity. Therefore, it is important to take hold of your culture, embrace all the opportunities that come your way, and maintain your cultur-al identity as the generations pass.

Nicole ChinSYLP STUDENT

Not long ago, I

was extensively in-volved in the college admissions process. I remember a partic-ular interview with an alumnus, and we had a discussion about the implica-tions of my studies in history — why

was it so important to remember my cultural identity? Wouldn’t it be better to just assimilate

into the American melting pot? What was the point in maintaining a distinct cultural identity outside of my American identity?

As a third-generation Chinese American, I have assimilated into America — I can’t speak Chinese at all. Many teachers and friends have assumed that I am bilingual. One teacher even commented on how unfortunate it is that I have lost that part of my culture. However, I do feel that I have a good sense of my Chinese heritage. I joke around with my mom about su-perstitions, I drink in my dad’s stories about growing up in Chinatown, and I’m involved in the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team.

{see NICOLE cont’d on page 11}

A case of mistaken identity

Calling on the American ambassador

Nicole Chin

When two worlds meet

Francis Yuen

Maintaining cultural identity

Emmeline Vu

Remy Golla (right) does his best to make Ryan Liu laugh. SYLP mentors Josh Kong (left) and Michelle Tran show off their talent.

SYLP students on one of their excursions visiting community leaders

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Congratulations to the success of the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation's Summer Youth Leadership Program and its aspirations to nurture and develop young leaders!

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By Remy GollaSYLP STUDENT

“Asians are bad drivers.” “Asians are pas-sive, timid, and shy.” “Asians ex-cel in the school subjects of math and science.” These are just a few of many oth-er stereotypes

against the Asian ethnicity. It is a serious problem that we are facing today.

A stereotype is a commonly held public belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. In my personal observance, I have noticed that today’s youth have been using stereotypes more and more, either as a joke or a serious racial gesture.

Society needs to understand that using a stereotype as a joke or to generalize other people is both a serious and hurtful action. Through personal experience, people have judged me through stereotypes.

During school, people would say, “Hey, can

{see REMY cont’d on page 15}

By Melinda DangSYLP STUDENT

Asian American students are often labeled as the model minority because of their high rates of success throughout schools in America.

Although admissions offices defend that the review process during admissions is fair, some will admit that bias does still indeed exist. For example, Jon Reider, a counselor at University High School in San Francisco claims that the bias is real. In an interview with HigherEd.com, Reider cited his previous job at Stanford Univer-sity’s office of admissions to be proof that the

bias against Asians persist. He stated that the office did a study some years ago in which they compared

Asian and white applicants with the same overall academic and leadership rankings. Asian students were less likely to be admitted than white students. Many critics may argue that the lack of specifications within the study ques-tion the integrity of the findings themselves.

The Wall Street Journal also published an article highlighting the perception

{see MELINDA cont’d on page 11}

By Kevin JinSYLP STUDENT

Many think that racial pro-filing ended along with rac-ism when all Americans, re-gardless of color, were given equal rights. However, that is not the case. One of the

most recent examples was when Arizona passed a law that allowed officers to stop people that are suspected as illegal immi-grants. Now, considering Arizona is right by Mexico, and Mexico is the source of most of the United States’ illegal immigrants, this law is obviously targeting Mexicans.

There is also racial profiling targeted at Asians. Racial profiling is not something to take lightly, and it shouldn’t be joked about. Racial profiling is also used outside of the world of law enforcement. This fosters stereo-types and suspicions people have of a certain race.

Take 9/11 for example. After this event

{see KEVIN J cont’d on page 11}

STEREOTYPESToo Asian?

Melinda Dang

Racial profiling

Kevin Jin

Asian misconceptions

Remy Golla

THE FREEDMAN BUILDING FOR SALE : 515 Maynard Avenue South • Seattle, Washington

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Remy Golla

SYLP students are “speed dating” as part of their morning icebreaker. (Photo by Ina Dash)

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By Amie TabiandoSYLP STUDENT

As the smiles grew wider and the laugh-ter became louder, I knew that the foster children in front of me have bright

futures ahead. The love and care that many nonprofit organizations provide for foster children is awe-inspiring.

Sadly, not all foster children are for-tunate enough to receive such care. A majority of foster kids have experienced neglect or abuse during and before foster care. Harsh experiences such as abuse of-ten results in mental and physical stress or damage to many children. Though foster care is meant to protect and heal the chil-dren from abuse and neglect, I know that a plethora of foster kids is being abused

{see AMIE cont’d on page 11}

By Jake HwangSYLP STUDENT

Why do water and alcohol look alike, yet have vastly different effects on a person?

No one has been cited for “driving while hydrated.” But what is the chemical cause for the mind-al-tering effects of drugs and alcohol?

I decided to research this, so let’s start with a basic overview. In your brain, there are thousands of cells called neurons constantly communicating with each other using chemicals to send messag-es. This can be compared to the hundreds of mes-sages an avid texter might send every day.

{see JAKE cont’d on page 15}

By James ToSYLP STUDENT

Soccer has been a well-known sport throughout the whole world for many years now. Some say it is the best sport in the world. I personally disagree with that. I can recognize that it is a fascinating sport, but soccer is just not for me.

Due to the World Cup earlier this summer, everyone watched soccer. If you do not know what the World Cup is, I’ll explain it in a simple way. Basically, it is a gathering of the best 32 soccer teams in the world playing against each other for the grand prize of $30 million. This gathering is held every four years, and this year, it was held in South Africa.

{see JAMES cont’d on page 14}

Finding answersThe issues surrounding foster care

Amie Tabiando

What’s the difference between water and alcohol?

Jake Hwang

The importance of the World Cup

James To

By Stacie ChanSYLP STUDENT

The num-

ber of Amer-icans who choose or-ganic prod-ucts for daily use is climb-ing. A survey conducted in 2004 shows that nearly

one in every 10 Americans use organic products regularly. People have turned to organic products because they believe their use is healthier, supports local farm-ers, and is better for the environment.

If you walked through a grocery store 25 years ago, you would find organic products only in the produce aisle. To-day, you are able to find organic prod-ucts in almost every aisle. The success of grocery stores that specialize in organic products, like Trader Joes and Whole Foods, has been surprising. Whole Foods was founded in 1980 and has grown to have 279 locations worldwide.

{see STACIE cont’d on page 15}

Americans look to healthy foods

Stacie Chan

SYLP students read articles from Dr. Andrew Cho. From left: Branden Wang, Chris Ho, Melinda Dang, Amie Tabiando, and Francis Yuen.

Jared Chang

Nicole Chin (left) and Emmeline Vu Phot

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ngF i l e N o . – Skanska/Flatiron - WSDOT – SR 520 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND HOV PROGRAM

Sub Bids Requested for:

A Joint Venture

WSDOT – SR 520 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND HOV PROGRAM

DESIGN BUILD PROJECTMedina to SR 202:

Eastside Transit and HOV ProjectBid Date: September 16, 2010

In order to properly evaluate please submit Subcontractor quotes one week prior to bid date

We anticipate potential DBE Subcontracting Opportunities in: Demolition, Asphalt Paving, Signage, Irrigation, Planing/Grinding, Erosion Control, Structural Steel, Precast Barrier, Rebar, Striping, Surveying, Drainage, Fencing, Land-scape, PCCP, Shotcrete, Plumbing, Clearing and Grubbing, Doors, Acoustical Coating, Trucking, Tiling, Traffic Control, Utilities

Please email Scott Mothershed at [email protected] or

Laurel Schneider at [email protected]

If you have any questions regarding the bid.

Plans and Specifications are available to view at our Seattle Office,

Skanska USA Building Inc.221 Yale Avenue North, Suite 400

Seattle, WA 98109Phone: 253-396-0701 • Fax: 253-272-2883

or at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/biz/contaa/Design-BuildContracts/SR520medinatoSR202/default.htm

All quotes will be received in our California Office:

Phone: (951) 684-5360 • Fax: (951) 788-2449Prior to bid date contact

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is interested in soliciting in Good Faith with DBE’s for this project. Please call if you need assistance in obtaining bonding, lines of credit, insurance, neces-sary equipment, materials and/or supplies. Subcon-tractors may be required to furnish performance and payment bonds in the full amount of their subcon-tract by an admitted surety and subject to approval. A Worker’s Compensation Waiver of Subrogation will be required. Quotations must be valid for the same duration as specified by the Owner for contract award. Conditions or exceptions in Subcontractor’s quote are expressly rejected unless accepted in writ-ing. In order to assist DBE Contractors and sup-pliers, we will divide total requirements into smaller tasks or quantities and establish delivery and con-struction schedules which will permit maximum par-ticipation when feasible.

AEOE


By Kevin LeeSYLP STUDENT

The Haiti earthquake helped people around the world realize that they need to come together in order to help Haiti get through this tragedy. It made millions of families come together to donate things that can help Haiti recover.

Some of the ways in which people are helping is by starting fundraisers. Celebrities performed songs about Haiti’s troubles and how they can bring life and peace back into Haiti.

{see KEVIN L cont’d on page 14}

By Lane ShigiharaSYLP STUDENT

While heart disease is the lead-ing cause of death in the United States, cancer has been the num-ber one killer of Asian American women since 1980. Some stagger-ing statistics show that the Japa-nese have the highest incidences of colorectal cancer, female breast cancer, and uterine cancer among all Asian subgroups. Lung cancer rates among Southeast Asians are

18 percent higher than among whites. And the incidences of liver cancer in Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese populations are 1.7 to 11.3 times higher than in whites.

{see LANE cont’d on page 14}

By Timothy LockeSYLP STUDENT

Over the past two decades, the Seattle Chinese Garden Association has planned to build a 4.6-acre traditional Chinese garden in the arboretum of South Seattle Community College (at 6000 16th Ave. S.W) in West Seattle. This site, upon completion, will become one of the largest Chinese

gardens outside of China. On July 28, 26 artisans from Seattle’s sister city, Chonqing, came to Seattle to work on the first of four courtyards, the Spring Courtyard.

The Spring Courtyard, dubbed “Knowing the Spring,” will be centered around the existing Song Mei Pavilion. The courtyard is estimated to have a grand opening to the public by the end of October. The skilled artisans are supervising the construction of the traditional elements of the garden and are living on site.

The Seattle Chinese Garden will be the first garden in America to authentically depict the Sichuan style. In this style, the four elements of the garden, water, stone, plants, and architecture, will be represented through ponds, stone bridges, a vast array of Chinese plants, and embroidered pavilions. In addition to the four traditional elements, the garden will have a “four seasons” theme. Not only will each section of the garden represent a season, but the appearance of the garden will also change to fit the seasons as flowers bloom in the spring and leaves change color in the fall.

The garden itself is a $30-million project that is estimated to be completed in the next decade. It will feature 12 buildings, including an education center, and an 85-foot Floating Clouds Pavilion that will hover over the garden, placed on an axis with the most famous Seattle landmark, the Space Needle.

With the arrival of the Chonqing artisans, the Seattle Chinese Garden Association sees their plans being developed right before their eyes.

For more information about the Chinese Garden, visit their website at www.seattlechinesegarden.org.

The

facts

Asian American cancer rates explode

Lane Shigihara

How the Haiti tragedy helped the world come together

Kevin Lee

Artisans work on Seattle Chinese Garden

Timothy Locke

{NICOLE cont’d from page 8}

But why does it matter for me to un-derstand my Chinese heritage? I never lived in China. I’m American, so I don’t truly know the Chinese culture. What’s the point in tagging my ethnic back-ground onto my American identity?

Thinking back on the development of the drill team that I am involved with, I re-peatedly hear about how Ruby Chow had formed the team 58 years ago. She hoped not only to allow the girls in the Chinese community to have a safe place to hold fun activities outside of the house, but also to represent the Chinese community.

Past Summer Youth Leadership Pro-gram coordinator Andrew Cho expe-rienced racial discrimination with the program in a jaywalking incident 9 years ago. If the racism that impacted Ruby Chow several decades ago still exists to-day, it is crucial that we take the responsi-bility to learn about our cultural traditions and history. We need to teach others about what we know and to show that we are not much different from everyone else.

Every time I go out in my drill uniform, which is in the style of female warriors in Chinese opera, or perform a Chinese tra-ditional dance, I hear my instructors tell us how we represent the community and that there is nothing to be afraid of. As I have be-come more exposed to the institutionalized racial stereotyping of the world, I see how important it is to know your family’s origins — even though it may appear exclusive to others. I think that there is value in develop-ing a support group that understands what cultural challenges people face.

As a teacher once told me, it takes a significantly uncomfortable event or situation to allow for growth. It is nec-essary to step up and learn to embrace other cultures in a way that one would soak up their own culture.

{FRANCIS cont’d from page 8}

and struggles, I finally reached an answer. It is because of the different cultures. Americans have a different sense of humor than people in Hong Kong. They have a different way of socializing. We even walk differently.

For example, the three major topics I discuss with my friends back in Hong Kong are school work, games, and manga. Instead, people here talk about sports, their weekends, and their after-school activi-ties. In Asia, it is all about going to different tutoring classes and maybe a few piano lessons in between.

After two years of being here, I feel that I have bonded the American and the Chinese culture with-in me. I used to think that the two cultures were like oil and water, but as I progressed to being more open and outgoing, everything worked out perfectly.

{MELINDA cont’d from page 9}

of working against Asian students. White families were reported to be leaving notable public schools because the districts became too Asian. Although 42 percent of Asian Americans have at least a college degree, statistics don’t explain that not all ethnicities within the Asian community are the same.

For every Chinese American or South Asian who has a college degree, the same number of Southeast Asians are still struggling to adapt to their lives in the United States. Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cam-bodian Americans have far lower rates of getting a college diploma than the Chinese population alone.

Many people believe that since Asians as a whole seem to be doing so well, Asian Americans are in less need of services such as bilingual education, bilingual government documents, and public assistance.

It is also ironic that the Asian American label of being the model minority can actually backfire. In the 1980s, many more Asian Americans were ap-plying to colleges than before. As a result, many universities began to reject Asian students. Asian Americans were accusing universities such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, and Brown of imposing a limit on their admission numbers.

{KEVIN J cont’d from page 9}

occurred, everybody became suspicious of Muslims. All Muslims were being judged by the actions of only a few.

Would it be fair to judge all Americans based on a few individuals? One of our guest speakers this year at SYLP, Andrew Cho, presented examples of racial profiling.

One example was of an Asian man who had recently gone through much distress. He moaned about it in his apartment un-til his neighbors complained to the po-lice. When the police arrived, they ended up shooting him to death because they thought that he knew kung fu and was a danger to them. They said that the shooting was in self-defense.

Imagine being shot to death simply be-cause you’re Asian and the shooter thought you knew and would use martial arts.

Another event took place right here in Chinatown. A group of Asian American students were caught “jaywalking” by an officer. The first instance of racial pro-

filing in this case was when the officer asked if they spoke English. He was very condescending to the group of students.

He even had the students line up against the wall and even searched one for weapons. He ended up writing a jay-walking citation to one of the students. When this was taken to court, the offend-ing officer explained that he did indeed find weapons on the student — that he had found keys, a very dangerous object. In the end, the judge ruled that since the officer stated that he did not see any jay-walking, no crime had been committed.

Racial profiling is a very serious matter that should not be taken lightly. Though racism is illegal in the United States, it still exists through stereotypes and racial profiling. The roots of the problem are racism and stereotyping, which are the causes of racial profiling.

As Asians, we need to show the world that we are not all the same. Having fewer stereotypes leads to less racism, and less racism leads to less racial profiling.

{AMIE cont’d from page 10}

and neglected by their foster parents. They are also harmed by their envi-

ronment or living conditions. I believe the state should require criminal back-ground checks and health inspections every month for foster families.

In addition, each foster child should have some sort of resource available to them, whether it’s counseling or a support system. Having these extra security checks can protect or save a foster child’s life.

There is a huge number of foster par-ents out there who are very supportive and want to create a positive experience.

However, there are still conflicts that even good foster parents cannot over-come. When the foster kids are con-stantly moving from house to house,

their school attendance is disrupted and their health care needs are often not met. The instability in their homes is also frequently reflected in their school life, opening up opportunities for them to be bullied by other children.

In addition, life after foster care can be difficult. Once foster children reach the age of 18, they are considered adults. An aver-age 18-year-old has family members, teach-ers, mentors, and a community for support. However, when foster children turn 18, many do not have a support system because of their frequent change in homes.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Olive Crest that provide safe homes, coun-seling, and education to the children and parents. With the help of such organizations, foster children are able to make friends and new connections with people.


For the best Asian cuisine and products, try us!

{DREW cont’d from page 1}

for multiracial children to discover what it means to have a multiracial identity.

I am a multiracial Asian American, and these are some of my experiences.

My father is white and my mother is Japanese. This makes me hapa. Hapa is a Hawaiian term that is used to describe a person of mixed Asian, or Pacific Islander, ethnic heritage. More specifically, I am hapa haole, which means that I’m half white.

Growing up, I spent time with my little sister and three cousins on a regular basis. My two older cousins are both full Japa-nese. My younger cousin is half Japanese and half Chinese. Needless to say, I grew up around a lot of Asian culture.

Even though I’m not racially as Asian as they are, we are all culturally the same because we were raised by the same fami-ly with the same traditions and principles. Personally, I end up putting more domi-nance on my Japanese side. I think this is because I grew up spending more time with that side of my family. I also grew up in Seattle, so I got to experience a lot of Asian culture firsthand.

When I was younger, there were times when I felt like I was left out or didn’t fit in. When my family would go to Asian events, I looked so different than all the other people that were there. When I

was a little kid, I always wanted to have black hair like my cousins, and I would cry when my mom told me that my hair was brown. My mom would often tease me about being half white. Even though she did it with love and had no intention of being mean, it still stung a little because to me, it meant that I wasn’t the same as the rest of my family.

As I got older, I embraced my white side more. I have two main groups of friends, my Asian friends and my white friends. I was able to fit into both of these groups because I had experiences from both sides of my family. My white and Asian friends couldn’t always relate to each other be-cause they grew up differently. I often had to hang out with them separately.

It was also interesting to me how I was viewed by both groups of my friends. My Asian friends would jokingly call me “the white guy,” while my white friends would refer to me as “the Asian.” Getting to see both sides of my heritage definitely helped me to understand what it means to have a multiracial identity.

Even though I can speak only from my own experiences, I’m sure that all people of mixed race have felt similar insecurities about their multiracial identity at one point or another. My advice for people, multira-cial or not, is to learn as much as you can about both sides of your family in order to get the best understanding of yourself.

{NINA cont’d from page 1}

About 2.5 million Asians in the United States speak Chinese. I, however, am not one of them.

Cantonese is the main language my family speaks to communicate with each other. Al-most everybody in my family is fluent.

I used to be fluent. I didn’t realize that losing my ability to fluently speak Chinese would com-pletely change my character, how I felt in soci-ety, and the effect it would have on my family.

My relatives can give me a pretty hard time. Some come up to me in a lighthearted manner and say, “Do you understand me?” in Chinese.

They already know the answer, and that phrase gets a little old. It just hurts when I know they’re talking about me. I might not be able to understand what they’re saying, but I’m human. It’s amazing to see how well you can train yourself to notice the details that people think a language barrier can disguise.

At times, I feel like some people see and treat me differently when they discover that I’m not bilingual. It’s subtle, but I can feel it.

For instance, there are the encounters I have with strangers. It’s the worst when people as-sume I speak Chinese and I can’t respond. I just stand there not knowing what to say, making me look and feel uneducated. After that hor-rible silence comes the absolute worst thing about being non-bilingual — I see their face.

It’s that awful condescending look of pity that churns my stomach and makes me feel like I’m a cultural disappointment. I get that a lot.

Something that really saddens me is when people just give up all effort in talking to me when they discover that I can’t speak Chinese. They really do treat me differently. There may be a language barrier between us, but it doesn’t mean we can’t communicate with each other.

I understand that my situation is probably difficult for the majority of the Asian Ameri-can population to relate to, but it really is a social issue that I wish people were more aware and understanding of.

Losing the ability to speak the language is something I’ll regret for the rest of my life. It’s more painful than one would think, and it re-ally hits you in places where you’d least expect it. And please, never make assumptions about or tease people who can’t speak their own lan-guage — you don’t always know the reasons why they can’t speak it and what they’ve had to go through because of it.

My goal in discussing this issue is not to make people feel bad for non-bilinguals but to stress the importance of never taking lan-guage for granted. It is my hope that people will truly appreciate and cherish the ability to speak their own language, because it’s something you should never let go of.

“It’s that awful condescending look of pity that churns my stomach and makes me feel like I’m a cultural disappointment.”


■ ASTROLOGY

RATLeading by example is nothing new to you. While others waste time with words, you say volumes with your actions.

OXWinning people over with an extra dose of friendliness seems difficult at first. However, you will soon have them on your side.

TIGERYou are able to hold your ground, even when those around you cannot. Though steadfast in your position, there is room to give.

RABBITAre you speaking to be heard or to merely hear yourself talk? If it is the former, then tailor your message so that it is suitable to your audience.

DRAGONIs modern technology making it easy for you to check up on work while you’re on vacation? Make the most of your time off by really being “off the clock.”

SNAKENobody wants to admit that they made a mistake. However, there are instances where you will have to do just that in order to move on.

HORSEAre you getting the cold shoulder by a coworker? Until you figure out what is going on, keep it from interfering with your work.

GOATAt the moment, saving is not nearly as much fun as spending. However, doing so will allow you to have much more fun down the road.

MONKEYYour family knows your strengths as well as your weaknesses. That knowledge can be used either to your advantage or against you.

ROOSTERBending the rules can be a risky proposition. Figure out what you are really getting into before agreeing to take part.

DOGIf you know that you are going to be in it for the long haul, then take pains to make your surroundings a little more comfortable.

PIGA move is in store for you soon. Take the opportunity to shift things around so that they are more suitable for you.

For the week of August 21 – August 27, 2010

What’s your animal sign?Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

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{MIKE cont’d from 1}

a-half-year training, he learned to navigate using nothing but the stars and moon. Before my father could complete his training, the war had ended with Communist North Vietnam taking over. As soon as he heard that South Vietnam had lost, he knew it was time to es-cape. He was afraid of being sent to a POW camp, where he would be tortured.

My dad ran to his brother-in-law’s house be-cause he owned a boat. My dad asked to use it in his escape to freedom. My dad’s brother-in-law quickly agreed, and my dad soon organized a group that would escape with him.

My dad gathered a group of 35 people. He loaded them onto a small 30-foot, rusted boat. As soon as they had left, my dad said the wind began to howl and the rain crashed down on top of the aluminum roof.

He was worried that the storm would capsize the boat and that they would never make it to their destination in Thailand. Fortunately, my dad safely navigated the group out of the storm.

It was my dad’s first time out in the open sea and as a captain. During the journey to Thai-land, which took three days and two nights, he ran into pirates on five different occasions. Each time, he narrowly escaped trouble.

Once they landed in Thailand, everyone took a five-hour break. My dad decided to con-tinue the journey to Malaysia. Although others had not wanted to leave, my dad was adamant

because he felt Malaysia was a safer country. Many people opposed this decision and

fought with my dad during the five-day es-cape from Vietnam. My dad knew he had to be strong to lead. Once my dad gathered ev-eryone back onto the boat, they traveled along the coast of Thailand, starting at 5 a.m. They reached Malaysia at 4 p.m.

It was then that the Malaysian government sent all of the refugees to Pulau Bidong, a small island. My dad and his group were named PB-561 for identification purposes.

After being sent to the refugee camp, Amer-ican delegates interviewed my dad. Since he was in the Air Force, they approved him to resettle in the United States. Before he could immigrate, he learned English in the Philip-pines for six months.

My father arrived in America in 1983. He was offered welfare to live off of, but he be-lieved that it was better to earn his own living instead of depending on the government that had taken him in.

He was sponsored by a farmer and was as-signed to pick strawberries and blueberries.

Eventually, the farmer recognized my dad’s work ethic and asked a friend who owned a con-struction company to hire him. He worked as a laborer for five years before he was promoted to crew foreman. After many years and projects, he eventually made his way into his current position as an inspector for the City of Everett, working as hard as he did in his first job.

{XIU WEN cont’d from page 5}

their priorities mixed up.Most parents work hard at their jobs

with the mindset that their children will work just as hard in school. Parents hope that when their child grows up, their jobs won’t take such a physical toll. Many fall victim to the stereotype that all Asians are studious and assume that their chil-dren will value education first, as they have been taught. Not that it’s entirely their fault — working two full-time jobs can make it difficult for anyone to think about anything else — but parents have to remember that every child is differ-ent. Methods that worked with their firstborn may not necessarily work in the same way with their second (or third, or fourth).

For example, take my brother and me. Anyone who knows anything about us would say that we’re complete opposites,

be it our academic records, positions in basketball, or our tastes in music. The only similarity is our height, but that’s something we can’t help. It took my par-ents a long time to realize that they can’t treat us the same way and expect the same results. Now, they’re pulling their hair out trying to find a way to set my brother “back on track.”

Whenever my cousin gets mad or frustrated with school, my uncle always responds by saying, “A little suffering now, a lifetime of comfort later.” Their willingness to give up whatever they had in their homeland proves that all parents understand this notion.

If parents made this sacrifice for the sake of their children’s futures, then they should invest more time and energy into their children’s daily lives. The same concept still applies. What’s a couple of extra dollars now compared to the rest of their child’s life?

{RYAN cont’d from page 6}

and expressing yourself through lyrical word-ing. Poetry really reached me during my ju-nior year, when we had to write poetry and had a competition with the best poetry.

From every video we had to watch, I learned something about people judging poems. Since it is from the heart and mind, numbers don’t mean anything. It is all about how you feel

inside. I have seen and heard so many good poems from the heart.

Poetry can be anything you want it to be. It can be funny or it can be about heartbreak.

It is how you see certain topics or subjects. It is about going out there and showing the world what you have to say and what you want to say, holding nothing back.

It can show how thoughtful you can be. This is poetry, and it is how you mold it to be.


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{JAMES cont’d from page 10}

South Africa was the first African nation to host the World Cup. Everyone tuned in across the world to watch these matches. It was ex-pected to become the most-watched televi-sion event in history.

FIFA officials expected the cumulative viewership to exceed 26 billion, an aver-age of 400 million viewers per match. There was also an estimation of 700 mil-lion viewers for the World Cup Final.

This event has really brought friends and families together to have fun. A lot of

people have parties to watch the World Cup. The World Cup has really brought peace

to the world and lots of entertainment. It has brought up many of the countries’ national pride. This event even brought out the non-soccer fans to represent their home countries. This includes me!

I am not a big fan of soccer but I always tuned in when the United States was playing. I love our country and will always support it.

Like others, everyone was extremely saddened when their respective country lost. I sure was! As time goes on, we got over it and were happy for Spain.

{LANE cont’d from page 11}

Ever since our predecessors emigrated from their native Asian countries, they began adopting a Western lifestyle. This resulted in the continuous consumption of unhealthy foods and lack of exercise.

Unfortunately, Asian Americans are los-ing their battle against cancer. It is our duty as Asian Americans to spread cancer aware-ness among our local Asian communities in order for people to begin living healthier, longer, and cancer-free lives.

Over the years, the Surveillance, Epidemi-ology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has col-lected and analyzed the statistics for cancer-ous diseases. The SEER team as documented specific populations that are being impacted in the United States. The SEER Program in-forms the public of the level of any type of cancer for all cultures and ethnicities.

The data that the program gathers ev-ery year is like a report card for cancer

— Asian Americans are flunking. At the same time, the number of people taking action to prevent this disease is also rising. Organizations such as the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training are leading this crusade.

With the newly acquired knowledge from SEER, one can understand how seri-ous this problem really is. I am confident that with the public gaining awareness, the number of Asian Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer will drop.

Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. It is crucial that every Asian American should schedule an appointment with their doctor to scan for any symptoms of cancer.

People have the opportunity to change their lives by applying good nutrition, fitness, and stress relief exercises to decrease the likeli-hood of a future cancer diagnosis.

I choose a life without cancer. I chal-lenge you to make a difference in your life and the lives of other Asian Americans.

{KEVIN L cont’d from page 11}

Many people don’t know that by donat-ing a couple of dollars, you can really help the people of Haiti in many ways, such as providing them with clean water, food, and shelter. Donations help them survive long enough so they can get back on their feet.

In my personal opinion, I think that the tragedy helped many people realize that they are not so different from each other and

that they need to help anyone that needs it, even if they are not of the same skin color.

I also think it shows that people who have more should realize that they are the same as the people who lose things. We are all the same inside, even though we don’t look like each other.

The Haiti earthquake triggered a change of heart for many people who used to only care about themselves. They also show that they are willing to give back to the world.

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BUSINESS OP’TY

INVITATION FOR PROPOSAL The King County Housing Author-ity (KCHA) will accept proposals from qualified contractors to fur-nish labor, materials and neces-sary equipment to:Provide new exterior fiber cement board siding on Buildings A, B & C.Newporter Apartments is located at 5900 119th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, WA 98006.Bid packets are available via email by contacting Sarah Anderson at [email protected].

There will be a pre-bid conference held at 10:00am on August 16, 2010 at the property.

Proposals are due at the KCHA Corporate Office, no later than 2:00 PM, August 23, 2010. All bids must be sealed and received, time and date stamped at the KCHA Office, located at 600 Andover Park West, Tukwila, WA 98188 by the above date and time. Proposals received after due date and time will not be accepted. NO FAX BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

NOTICE NOTICE

EMPLOYMENTWe are looking for a nanny for our 10-month old healthy son. We live in Bellevue. Must speak English and have own transporta-tion. Please call us at 425-998-7678 if interested.

For a full job description & instructions on how to

apply visit our website: www.osfashland.org and

click on About Us / Job Opportunities.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival seeks a seasoned,

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Major areas of responsibility include providing strategy,

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fundraising efforts, working with the Board, contributing

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Background requirements include at least ten years

progressively responsible experience in development

and fundraising, exceptional interpersonal skills, ability

to organize, supervise and motivate staff and a

demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.


“Secret Asian Man” comic books are now available at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Seattle.

{SOFIA cont’d from 1}

and other respectable elders, they were generally rude and disobedient. Teenagers were reckless, inconsiderate, and dangerous. As if that wasn’t enough, they listened to rap. In my classical music-loving family, having anything to do with rap was an irredeemable offense.

Needless to say, I was hor-rified when I turned 13. “This is the beginning of the end,” I thought. “I wonder how long it’ll be before I start being mean to my parents or trying to wear teenager clothes. Are all the nice old people I know going to be afraid of me now?”

A funny thing happened. I didn’t change very much. I dressed the way I had always loved to dress. People still smiled at me. No one seemed to view me as a public men-ace. My relationship with my parents survived.

Did these things reassure me? No. “Maybe I’m not a real teenager yet,” I decided.

Now, at 16, I’m pretty sure I’m a teenager. And you know what? I’m an OK kid! I look at all my teen friends and realize that I know a lot of OK kids.

Sure, there are bad kids out there, but a lot of us are really nice people. Yes, we can be crazy and reckless. We’re also likely to try strange, danger-ous, or just plain goofy things. We will try things that most adults would find pointless and silly. But I think these things just have to happen in the process of entering adult-hood and trying to figure out who we are. After we’re tired of testing our boundaries, we’ll wise up.

But in the meantime, I’m happy being a featherbrained, foolhardy teenager.

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

— Socrates (469–399 B.C.)

{MAGGIE cont’d from page 4}

dependent on translators like me because without us, they cannot communicate very well. Moreover, we also faced financial problems when deciding to buy a house. These are struggles we never encountered before. The relaxed life in China was instantly switched to a busy, exhausting life in the United States. Maybe the dream of seeking for better opportunities doesn’t actually exist.

As for young adults like me, we also have to deal with hardships. Because of our strong accents, we are frequently derided by others and sometimes even excluded. We are considered as outsiders because we can’t communicate with others in perfect English.

In school, we have to work extra hard compared to oth-ers, and our hard work is often neglected because society carries the perception that Asians are naturally smart.

What they do not recognize is that we spend twice as much time just to catch up and to meet the basic standards. Failure is never an option for us because we carry the burden of hope, the hope for us to excel and eventually give a better life to our parents, who sacri-ficed so much for us.

Furthermore, we often force ourselves to do things that we don’t enjoy at all or make decisions we com-pletely dislike. We have to give up our dreams because we’re too afraid to pursue them in this unpredict-able world. All we care about is how to eliminate the chance of failing and ultimately please our parents by fulfilling their hopes.

Are we really lucky, or is it just an illusion that was established back in the post-WWII-era? Would my success in China be less significant compared to my success in the United States? These are questions that will never be answered with absolute certainty.

{MONIQUE cont’d from page 4}

the new country and get us out of Laos. During the war, family members of mine were chased down by the Com-munists. That’s why we had to flee out of the country and go to the United States. My family members are consid-ered refugees. I do have the majority of my family living in Washington, and we are very close to one another.

Other families came to the United States because they wanted a better future. That’s when people immigrate. Chinese and Japanese families were the first Asian/Pa-cific Islanders to come to the United States to seek jobs. As the men worked, they tried to get their families to come as well. They are considered to be immigrants.

There is a huge difference between a refugee and an immigrant, especially when it comes to history and the stories behind them.

{LIANE cont’d from page 5}

practices of foot-binding, female infanticide, and selling daughters as slaves.

Though they were expected to be subservi-ent to men and have no legal rights in society, there was a bright side. There were Chinese women who wielded great power and influ-ence throughout the next 1,000 years.

In the old Chinese traditional community, women were expected to make several sac-rifices in order to adhere to cultural notions of feminine respectability. While there is still some remaining discrimination, mod-ern Chinese women have been treated more equally and fairly than in previous centuries.

Modern Chinese men now treat Chinese

women with respect. Opposing Confucius’ analects, Chinese women are now entitled to more occupational, political, economical, and educational opportunities.

As stated at the National People’s Congress, equality between men and women is part of China’s basic state policy, and is seen as essen-tial to healthy social development and expan-sion. Several policy measures and law enforce-ment actions are being carried out to address the troubles and difficulties confronting gender issues and gender equality in China.

I am convinced that as the economy grows stronger in the United States and China and urbanization spreads more rapidly, the condi-tions for women and gender equality will get better and improve with each passing day.

{BRANDEN cont’d from page 6}

family a better life. My little cousin thinks she is weak in math. I think I am not successful because my Eng-lish is not good enough.

Each person’s criteria for success are different.But let us see how the dictionary defines the mean-

ing of success. “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” That definition is really close to mine. I think that if you can reach your dream or goal, you are successful. And this goal changes as you get older.

In school, when you get good grades and enjoy school life, that is success. As adults, when we get a good job, that is success. When you are old and look back and feel proud of your life, that is success.

Maybe you have a lot of money, a big house, and a cool car. But you don’t feel happy and can’t enjoy your life. That is not success. So be clear on what your goals are and try to reach them. Just do it. Be a successful person.

{DALENA cont’d from page 6}

a pharmacist to make lots of money.” During that exact moment, it felt like what I wanted was

being pushed to the side because it wasn’t good enough for my parents. I felt like I had to have a new ambition, one that would please my parents and make them proud of me.

Soon after, I learned that this wasn’t the way to go. Why should I continue to go through the misery of

searching for a new dream if my heart isn’t in it? I made a promise to myself that I would not let another per-son’s words, opinions, or critiques get in the way of my dream. Since then, this promise has been kept.

Going back to success, how is success truly defined? Success shouldn’t be measured by how much money you have, but by how happy you are with your life. It’s the love and passion that keep you motivated. As long as you are pursuing your dream, you will make the people around you happy, including your parents, because you are happy with what you do.

{REMY cont’d from page 9}

you help me at math? I know you must get A’s in this class since you’re Asian.” Actu-ally, I have been struggling in that class.

We, as a community, need to understand that if we let other people generalize us by using these stereotypes, it encourages other people to do it. Not doing anything about the usage of stereotypes gives other people the message that it’s OK to use them, when it is not.

I regret all the times when I did not stand up against the people who have used stereo-types to judge me as a person. We should not let these stereotypes define who we are. We should be defined by our actions.

My opinion is that a stereotype is used be-cause one person fits that stereotype and then it is used to represents the whole race. I think the person using the stereotype is just igno-rant and doesn’t understand the culture.

As a community, we should try to break and contradict these negative stereotypes. The stereotype of Asians being shy or timid can be broken by changing our attitude by being more outspoken and energetic.

Also, if we have more representation in other careers such as politics or business, we can break the stereotype of being timid. We should not use stereotypes to judge and generalize other ethnicities. This will avoid conflicts and being hypocritical.

{JAKE cont’d from page 10}

In the brain, both marijuana and alcohol release chemicals — THC and ethanol — which disrupt the messages in your brain and in some cases, alter the messages altogether.

Now imagine your younger brother or sis-ter who has gotten a hold of your cell phone.

Because THC and ethanol target areas of the brain responsible for memories and per-ception, when you finally do find your phone (sober up), you may discover that messages (memories) have been erased or your friends’ perception of you might have changed.

Whether you do them or not, drugs are ex-tremely prevalent in high school. Being teen-agers, it is in our nature to be curious and

want to try new things. Not only are teens influenced by peers,

but media, parents, and emotional stress can drive a teenager to try drugs. Stress may lead a teen to want to forget their problems over a beer or a joint or a pill. Parents who drink or smoke regularly may see no harm in letting their teen join them.

Media and popular artists can have just as much influence as a parent. If a teenager sees his or her favorite music group doing drugs, he or she may think that doing those drugs can help them connect with their favorite band.

No matter what the reasons are, teens will always be intrigued by the drug culture. Whether their ideas lead them to experimen-tation or to speculation is up to them.

{STACIE cont’d from on page 10}

Across America, businesses that use organic ingredients are booming, and larger stores have been starting to sell more organic products. Just last month, we listened to Molly Moon speak about the all natural, locally grown, and or-ganic produce she uses to make her ice cream. Currently, she operates two ice cream parlors in the Seattle area and is looking to expand.

In early 2006, Safeway launched its own line of organic products, O Organics, which includes everything from frozen treats to fresh pastry.

Even large warehouses like Costco have not been immune to this trend. During a couple of trips to Costco, I spotted organic products around the store. Because a major-ity of our market consists of health conscious Americans, companies that cater to them have been doing well. Red mango, a nonfat

frozen yogurt shop, has found success in re-cent years. With fat-free, gluten-free, and all natural ingredients, Red Mango provides a guilt-free treat for all of us.

The market for healthy products is expect-ed to grow in the near future. It is evident that people in our community are becoming aware of all the negative effects of fast food. Healthy eating habits are important because studies show that eating habits affect the de-velopment of serious health conditions.

Several states, Washington included, have already implemented laws to protect the well-being of citizens, including one that requires restaurants to disclose the calorie count of all food products on their menu. Some fast food joints even offer healthy options, like freshly tossed salad and fresh fruit.

Maybe one day, fast food restaurants will use organic produce in their food.

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