nwasianweekly.com
Sept. 29, 2007

Asian Weekly turns a new page on our anniversary

Change is good — or so we hope. You’ll be the ultimate judge of that.

After 25 years, the paper has gone through its first major redesign. Practically everything was modified or transformed altogether, from the masthead to the fonts to the column widths — even the color of the logo.

Why did we quit using the red logo that so many people had come to associate with the Northwest Asian Weekly? It was a conscious, deliberate decision on our part. We didn’t want to be known as a Chinese newspaper, which some believe the red implies. Red is a beautiful and dynamic color, but we wanted to emphasize our Pan-Asian viewpoint. We are not just a paper for the Chinese American community; we serve all Asian American communities, including Thai, Korean, South Asian, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Indonesian, Pacific Islanders, Cambodian, Japanese, Laotian, Filipino, Hmong, even Muslim and Middle Eastern.

The logo change away from red is our way of telling the world that we offer a Pan-Asian perspective.

The new look also helps usher in a new era at the Northwest Asian Weekly. We wanted to mark this quarter-century milestone — yes, it is a milestone in an age when newspapers, magazines and other printed publications are shutting down left and right — with a new design that shouts “contemporary” and “modern.” We live, work and play in the 21st century, and our look should reflect that fact.

But we want to hear from our readers about the redesign. What do you think of it? What suggestions do you have to improve the new design? This new look is by no means static. We’ll be fine-tuning it as the weeks go by.

We want readers to feel comfortable picking up the Northwest Asian Weekly. We want you to find our paper exciting, empowering, inspiring, thought provoking, entertaining, informative and reflective of the life you lead. So don’t be shy; tell us how we can do a better job of achieving those goals. Feel free to drop us your comments at info@nwasianweekly.com.

We’re proud of our growth in the last 25 years, and we want to celebrate it with you. Without our readers and supporters, we wouldn’t be here today. You’re invited to join us for our silver anniversary gala on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, where the featured entertainment will be the Asian Talent Show and celebrity roast.

Unlike past anniversary dinners, there will be no fund-raising at this one. Our sole objective is to provide our readers and supporters with a good time. The Asian Talent Show, showcasing salsa dancing, comedy, cultural performances and much more, is sure to knock your socks off. The audience will even play a role in deciding the winner of the $1,000 People’s Choice Award.

And the celebrity roast, whose headliners include Gov. Christine Gregoire and former Gov. Gary Locke, will leave you roaring with laughter. One after another, local notables will poke fun at the Northwest Asian Weekly. We’re looking forward to being the butt of their jokes!

Tickets to this one-of-a-kind event are $75 each if purchased by Oct. 10 (it’s $85 afterwards). That includes dinner, but if you can go without a meal, you can come see just the Asian Talent Show and celebrity roast. These program-only tickets, which cost a mere $25 a person ($35 after Oct. 10), are meant to keep the event as affordable as possible. All guests will take home a gift that night.

The Northwest Asian Weekly’s 25th anniversary gala offers tremendous entertainment value. Come, relax, reconnect with old buddies, start new friendships and reflect on the last quarter of a century. This is a time to celebrate the past as well as all the opportunities that lie ahead for the paper and the Asian American community.

We consider our readers and advertisers the lifeblood of this paper; without you, we would have been long gone. So from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your support of the Northwest Asian Weekly.

Now let’s party!

Send correspondence to:
Northwest Asian Weekly • P.O. Box 3468 • Seattle • WA  98114
Tel: 206.223.5559 •  Fax: 206.223.0626 • Email: info@nwasianweekly.com
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