CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a wealthy Long Island man’s request to delay serving a 40-month prison sentence for virtually enslaving two Indonesian women. Read the full story

Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki, center, shares a laugh with interpreter Ken Barron, left, and agent Tony Attanasio, Friday, July, 13, 2007, at the Mariners headquarters in Seattle. Photo by Andrei Pungovschi. (Provided by The Associated Press)

By Jason Cruz
Northwest Asian Weekly

Imagine your second day on the job being in front of cameras and reporters at a press conference introducing the Seattle Mariners newest player from Japan. This was the situation presented to then 26-year-old Ken Barron on his second day of work as the Mariners’ interpreter.

It was a big press conference introducing catcher Kenji Johjima to Seattle, but Barron, now 28 years old, recalls it as being a great experience.

A Seattle native, Barron learned the language from his Japanese mother and American father. For Barron, Japanese was always spoken at home. More opportunity to learn Japanese culture came in 1987 when his family moved to Japan while he was in grade school for his father’s work. Barron and his family lived in Japan for four years. Read the full story

By Ryan Pangilinan
Northwest Asian Weekly

Democrats versus Republicans is one of those age-old battles, like the Yankees versus the Red Sox or Jedi versus Sith. In the Pacific Northwest, the Dem vs. GOP clash looms ominously over the state, with finger-pointing and lawsuits marring the current gubernatorial race between incumbent Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire and GOP challenger Dino Rossi. Read the full story

By Min Lee
The Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Despite landing roles alongside Tom Cruise and Bruce Willis, Maggie Q says Asian actors still have a hard time getting good roles in Hollywood movies. Read the full story

Photo provided by Heitmann Entertainment and Zen Mountai

By Jane Mee Wong
Northwest Asian Weekly

Diana Lee Inosanto describes herself as a multi-tasker. The Filipino American stuntwoman, martial arts instructor, actress and mother of two is also the writer and director of a new independent movie, “The Sensei.” Screened in packed theatres at numerous film festivals, “The Sensei” will be playing in the upcoming Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Oct. 24.

Lee Inosanto is the daughter of Dan Inosanto, acclaimed martial arts instructor and student of Seattle’s legendary Bruce Lee. Affectionately, she said of her god-uncle, “Uncle Bruce was a role model of diversity for me. He broke down a lot of racial barriers in the ’60s and ’70s. He was a Chinese guy and he hung out with Japanese, Hispanic, Black and Muslim people. He echoed a turn in the time.” Read the full story

Notable individuals posed with Ogletree at the reception. From left: Gary Locke with law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Shomari Jones with Black Achievers Program, professor Charles Ogletree and president of Safeco Insurance Foundation Virginia Anderson.

Notable individuals posed with Ogletree at the reception. From left: Gary Locke with law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Shomari Jones with Black Achievers Program, professor Charles Ogletree and president of Safeco Insurance Foundation Virginia Anderson.

On Sept. 29, Safeco held a reception to honor professor Charles Ogletree, founder of Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. Virginia Anderson, president of Safeco Insurance Foundation, organized the event.

Ogletree is a law professor at Harvard Law School and the author of numerous books on legal topics. He was named one of America’s 100 Most Influential Lawyers by the National Law Journal in 2000 and one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in America by Savoy Magazine in 2003. ♦

Seattle Central Community College student Kimdung Nguyen receiving the Fred G. Birdsall Memorial Scholarship from donors Margaret Birdsall and her husband Steve Bauck. In the background (from left) is college President Dr. Mildred Ollée and the Foundation board’s Vice President of finance and President-elect Antoinette Malveaux.

Seattle Central Community College student Kimdung Nguyen receiving the Fred G. Birdsall Memorial Scholarship from donors Margaret Birdsall and her husband Steve Bauck. In the background (from left) is college President Dr. Mildred Ollée and the Foundation board’s Vice President of finance and President-elect Antoinette Malveaux.

Seattle Central Community College Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Scholarship Awards Ceremony honored more than 150 scholarship recipients from 30 areas of study, Oct. 8.

This year scholarships totaling nearly $394,000 were awarded to 154 new and returning students. A total of 176 awards were granted from 51 different scholarships. Read the full story

Luly Yang’s 2009 20/20 Couture Fashion Show held at the Fremont Studios on Friday, Oct. 10, raised $100,000 for Camp Korey in Carnation, Wash. The five Camp Korey children models wore their custom Luly Yang dress or suit created just for them by Yang as they worked the runway.

Camp Korey is designed for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. It allows campers to safely enjoy the activities of a “traditional” camp. Campers have the chance to be with other kids coping with the same illnesses or conditions so they realize that they are not alone. ♦

Congressman David Wu speaks at the APIAVote reception. He is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Oregon, representing the state’s First Congressional District.

On Sept. 1 APIAVote celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander achievements and participation in the electoral and political process at a reception that jumpstarted the Republican National Convention in Washington, D.C. API leaders were invited to attend and provide welcoming remarks for the guests. Tamlyn Tomita was the emcee for the events’ festivities.

APIAVote is a national nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that envisions a society in which all APIs fully participate in, and have access to, the electoral process. APIAVote is based in Washington, D.C. ♦

By Dikky Sinn
The Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Americans living in this Asian financial capital are getting a head start in the U.S. presidential election. Read the full story

Parwez Kambakhsh, 24, an Afghan journalism student, right, listens as his defense lawyer Mohammad Afzal Nuristani speaks during Kambakkhsh’s trial at a court in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. An Afghan appeals court has overturned a death sentence for a journalism student accused of blasphemy and instead sentenced him to 20 years in prison. A lower court sentenced him to death in a trial critics have called flawed.

By Amir Shah
The Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan appeals court overturned a death sentence Tuesday, Oct. 21, for a journalism student accused of blasphemy for asking questions in class about women’s rights under Islam. But the judges still sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

The case against 24-year-old Parwez Kambakhsh, whose brother has angered Afghan warlords with his own writings, has come to symbolize Afghanistan’s slide toward an ultraconservative view on religious and individual freedoms. Read the full story

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Renowned filmmaker and distributor Satish Anand has been kidnapped in Pakistan’s largest city, police said Tuesday, Oct. 21. Read the full story