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Though he has not formally announced his intention to run for the 37th district seat in the Washington State Senate, Eric Liu shares a few of his thoughts on what he thinks local government should do.

Eric Liu is a writer, mentor, and former Clinton speech writer. So what’s to come next for this educator? (Photo by Alan Alabastro)

By Vivian Luu
Northwest Asian Weekly

It’s no secret that Eric Liu was former President Bill Clinton’s speech writer and political adviser, but word on the street is that he might run for the 37th district seat in the Washington State Senate.

The 37th district stretches from Madison Valley to Rainier Valley, inching into Renton. Known as Washington’s “rainbow district,” its population is about a third Black, a third Asian, and a third white. In addition to job security, health care, and education, the district’s legislators have a long history of promoting culture and diversity policy.

“We can use a new kind of energy,” Liu said. “My way of moving in the community is trying to bring different kinds of people together around common goals. We can use more of that in our political leaders. I can help bring that.”

Liu brings to the table experience as deputy domestic adviser in the Clinton administration and with that, policy expertise in culture and entrepreneurship.

Education is Liu’s primary focus, and justifiably so. The 37th district consists of many families that can’t provide children with help on their homework because little English is spoken at home. It is where unemployment is taking a toll on families — like everywhere else — but support is limited for children as parents go through the daily grind. Read the full story

Part 2 of Northwest Asian Weekly’s local banks coverage

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Washington First International Bank’s president and CEO, Elizabeth Huang (Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

By Ryan Pangilinan
Northwest Asian Weekly

As the world recovers from the global economic crisis, many people have looked to banks and financial service centers as the source for blame, questions, and answers. Along with the public unease, many banks have come under fire from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). It released a list of financial institutions that were under investigation. Read the full story

Part 4 of Northwest Asian Weekly’s Wah Mee exclusive

{read part 1} | {read part 2} | {read part 3}

MICC counselor Donald Walston (left, foreground) and inmate Tony Ng (middle) listen as Ng’s attorney, Michael Kahrs (right), testifies before the ISRB about Ng’s parole eligibility. (Photo by Amy Phan/NWAW)

By Amy Phan
Northwest Asian Weekly

Throughout his hour-long parole hearing, Wai-Chu “Tony” Ng gave reasons for the members of the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) to consider as they decide whether to grant him parole on his last five-year count at McNeil Island Corrections Center (MICC) in southern Puget Sound. Read the full story

Cindy Chen

By Sarah Yee
Northwest Asian Weekly

In her cozy office in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, Dr. Cindy Chen has shared countless conversations with clients. She is willing to talk about many issues in life — interpersonal relationships, gambling addiction, low self-esteem — as long as clients are willing to open up. Read the full story

By Audrey McAvoy
The Associated Press

WAIPAHU, Hawaii (AP) — Gaudencio Sotio injured his left leg fighting to expel the Japanese military from the Philippines during World War II. Though Filipino, he was fighting under the command of the United States, which had colonized his homeland in the early 1900s. Read the full story

By Kristin M. Hall
The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — A Marine’s widow who has been fighting immigration law to remain in the United States to raise their 1-year-old child has returned to Japan with no clear resolution in sight. Read the full story

By Cara Anna and Annie Huang
The Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — One of the world’s trickiest relationships is being tested in devastated Haiti, where China and Taiwan are rushing aid to one of Taipei’s few remaining diplomatic allies. Taiwan even announced that its president would personally deliver earthquake aid later this month. Read the full story

By Anita Chang
The Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Police shut down what would have been China’s first gay pageant on Jan. 15 an hour before it was set to begin. This highlights the enduring sensitivity surrounding homosexuality and the struggle by gays to find mainstream acceptance. Read the full story

By Steven Cong
Northwest Asian Weekly

The Tacoma Youth Symphony rehearses at the Broadway Plaza in Tacoma on Jan. 9. Conducting the orchestra, composed of many Asian Americans, is Dale Johnson. (Photo by Steven Cong/NWAW)

“Asians are extremely hard workers in school and in orchestra,” said Jonathan Wu, a Chinese American co-concertmaster at the Tacoma Youth Symphony. Read the full story

A-pop! is a monthly column of all things Asian in popular culture

Ninette Cheng

By Ninette Cheng
Northwest Asian Weekly

Happy new year to you and to our favorite Asian American celebrities! Some of our favorites had a pretty rough ending to the year, while others had reasons to celebrate. Here’s what went down last month: Tiger Woods — need I say more? Jon Gosselin is detached from Kate once and for all, Jackie Chan’s “Karate Kid” trailer is released, and Jay Sean makes music history. Read the full story

By Stacy Nguyen
Northwest Asian Weekly

The CIDBIA isn’t pulling any punches. For its annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Feb. 13, it has teamed up with Northwest Asian Weekly to create an entirely new event: a children’s parade and contest. (Shown above: Children at 2009’s Lunar New Year Celebration.) (Photos by George Liu/NWAW)

For Maribeth Ellis, executive director of the Chinatown/International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), watching the never-before-seen throngs of families who packed themselves into the International District (ID) for last year’s Lunar New Year Celebration, which CIDBIA organized, was a moment of triumph. Last year was the first year the celebration was held outside of King Street Station and into the ID. Read the full story