Photos by SYLP volunteers and Amy Lu

What is this issue about?
Each year, we run 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 Foundation’s annual Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP), a three-week program that teaches diversity, leadership skills, and community building.

Why is this important?
In order for the Asian American community to continue flourishing, it’s crucial for us to bridge the gap between generations. We run this issue in the hopes that, after finding a commonality with teens that they didn’t think existed, adults will help young people become lifelong leaders.

(The stories in this issue are written by SYLP students, not Northwest Asian Weekly staff.  Opinions herein do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the newspaper.)

Dean-Austin Mayor

By Dean-Austin Mayor
SYLP student

On July 26, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued an executive order to integrate the various Philippine armed groups into the U.S. military. More than 200,000 Filipino soldiers who served under the United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) were promised American citizenship and equal protection under Title 8 of the Second War Powers Act and the 14th Amendment. Read the full story

Wei Jiang

By Wei Jiang
SYLP student

As an immigrant from China, I work at a retirement home in Bothell
About a month ago, I went to work as I normally did. When I walked into the building, I felt like there was something different. The floor leader, who usually smiled at everyone and said hi, was really quiet, and I couldn’t spot a smile on her face. Read the full story

Aleyna Yamaguchi

Aleyna Yamaguchi
SYLP student

One summer, I was walking with my two siblings to the annual Bon Odori festival in Seattle. As we walked side by side, our faces may have looked similar, but our personalities and clothes were completely different.

To my right, my older sister was chatting on her phone, while fixing her Abercrombie shirt. To my left, my younger brother set his iPod headphones to his ears and cranked up the volume. I wore the traditional Japanese happi coat that my grandmother bought for me when she traveled to Japan. Read the full story

Jacky Lee

By Jacky Lee
SYLP student

To my friends, I am just a person. To my family, I am only the second son. To myself, I am a dreamer. I believe I can do anything. I have confidence in myself to fulfill my dreams and complete my goals. Life is full of challenges.

Four years ago, I first started playing basketball. I wasn’t very good at it, but the sport drew me in so easily that I came to love it as time went by. Playing basketball every day helped shape a dream for me, the dream of becoming an NBA player. Read the full story

Eric Saetern

By Eric Saetern
SYLP student

Music is something that we depend on to help us get through rough times, something to sooth our minds, but where has it all gone?

I grew up with a love for music from different types of genres. My dad introduced me to classic rock. My uncles got me into hip-hop, R&B, and pop. Read the full story

Brandon Lee

By Brandon Lee
SYLP student

When I finally got my driver’s license, I loved the freedom of being able to go anywhere I wanted to. However, when I signed up for the Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP), my parents did not think that it would be efficient for me to drive all the way down to Seattle from Everett during rush hour. They told me that I would have to take the bus.

My first thought was, “OMG!” Read the full story

Greg Louie

By Greg Louie
SYLP student

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a great opportunity for kids, ranging from first- to fifth-grade, to have a lot of fun and learn about God.

At VBS, kids are involved in a variety of activities including singing, eating snacks, arts and crafts, participating in plays, and coming up with group games. They have the opportunity to meet new friends and be socially active. Read the full story

Henry Yu

By Henry Yu
SYLP student

What was started in Japan but has been slowly incorporating itself into U.S. culture? Manga. Manga books are similar to American comics, but they have a unique artistic style that makes them distinguishable.

Manga covers a broad range of subjects so that people can find the right one for them. Read the full story

Austin Dawn

By Austin Dawn
SYLP student

When addressing the media, then-U.S. Representative Dan Quayle said, “Congress should definitely consider decriminalizing possession of marijuana. We should concentrate on prosecuting the rapists and burglars who are a menace to society.” Read the full story

By Xiaomeng  (Aaron) Liu
SYLP student

At this time, some employees who are earning minimum wage expect the government to raise their wages to further improve their quality of life.

However, some people don’t know that raising the minimum wage may not help anyone at all. In my opinion, the U.S. government shouldn’t raise the federal minimum wage. Read the full story

James Hwang

By James Hwang
SYLP student

About three years ago, North Korea acquired nuclear weapon capabilities. Their attempts to create missiles put the world on edge, but their ability to deliver the weapons is still unknown.

Over the past decade, North Korea has made two attempts to launch long-range ballistic missiles. Although both attempts failed, the tests scared neighboring countries such as Japan and South Korea. Read the full story

The International District branch of Seattle Public Library (Photo by George Liu)

As part of a citywide budget-cutting plan, all Seattle Public Library branches will be closed for one week. They will reopen Sept. 8. Read the full story

Jennifer Yu

By Jennifer Yu
SYLP student

In April 2007, Atlanta Falcons superstar quarterback Michael Vick was charged with competitive dog fighting, and owning and conducting a dog fighting ring in his southeastern Virginia home. In December 2007, Vick was convicted. Read the full story

Ashley Ashi

By Ashley Ashi
SYLP student

When I was 13 years old, I had a sudden revelation that eating animals was wrong and cruel. I would hear stories about the unethical treatment of them, and my heart would melt. Thus, I became a vegetarian. Read the full story

Jonathan Lee

By Jonathan Lee
SYLP student

War, money, and power are a few things that countries and people are concerned about. Though I agree that these things are important, I believe that everyone should start focusing more on a growing epidemic — global warming. Read the full story