Cries for immigration reform echo throughout country

Supporters of immigration reform from Washington state flew to D.C. to have their voices heard among 250,000 demonstrators at a rally at the National Mall. Pictured, from the left, are Hilda Magana, Maria D. Rico, Pramila Jayapal, Carlos Padilla, and Alonso Chehade. (Photo by Naomi Ishisaka/OneAmerica)

By Vivian Luu
Northwest Asian Weekly

About 250,000 demonstrators rallied at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., last weekend. They were all calling for immigration reform. Read the full story

By Jason Cruz
Northwest Asian Weekly

George Malauulu (left) and Ink Aleaga

Three to Look For:
These Pacific Islanders are predicted to be drafted in this April’s National Football League Draft
Mike Iupati — Offensive Guard — University of Idaho
Tyson Alualu — Defensive Lineman — University of California
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim — Defensive Lineman — University of Washington

“It’s in our blood.”

This is how Ink Aleaga, an ex-NFL football player and University of Washington Husky, explains the success of Polynesian football players. Read the full story

By Tiffany Ran
Northwest Asian Weekly

Photo by Han Bui/NWAW

Six months ago, BMW Seattle opened its doors in the International District after moving from their Capitol Hill location, where they have been for 25 years.  After years of successful business, BMW felt a need to expand but was unable to do so at their Capitol Hill location because they were landlocked. BMW had faced the problem of trying to find a space downtown that was big enough to accommodate their needs. Read the full story

Students and families on spring break crowd around Panda Express at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood on March 30. (Photo by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW)

By Sarah Yee and Stacy Nguyen
Northwest Asian Weekly

Tangy Orange Chicken, steaming Beijing Beef, Kung Pao shrimp, topped off with a crisp, warm, savory chicken egg roll — and it may be coming to your neighborhood. Read the full story

From left to right, top to bottom: Michelle Tran, Myphuong Tong, Natalia Varela, Aman Vasdev, Janice Vong, Samantha Wallace, Virginia Wanjiku, Melissa Wong, Jordan Wu, Sara Yohannes, Anne Yoon, Marian Yu, Ana Maria Zeek, and Alan Zeng

Northwest Asian Weekly’s Diversity Makes a Difference scholarship program celebrates young people who are committed to reaching out across cultural lines. Students are nominated by their school as being champions of diversity. From among those students, a judging panel will choose five winners who will receive $1,000 scholarships and eight finalists who will receive $200 scholarships. Read the full story

By Min Lee
The Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — In the 114-year history of the Olympic movement, Fiji and Samoa have never so much as won a medal. Read the full story

By Lily Gordon
For The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) — Jason Robertson doesn’t know his birth date or possess a single memory of his mother or father. Read the full story

Wayne Chan

By Wayne Chan
Northwest Asian Weekly

There’s something about fishing, or in my case, crabbing, that brings out the worst in people. We live in California, but every year, we head up north to the Pacific Northwest, and every year, I go on a fishing or crabbing expedition.

And every year, I come up empty-handed. Read the full story

By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly

Kristin Hayden

For years, Kristin Hayden lived abroad in several countries.

She returned at age 30 and soon became frustrated with the United States’ public education system and foreign policy, and the lack of understanding in Americans concerning international issues — particularly after September 11, 2001.

Eventually, Hayden decided to stop complaining and took action.

In 2002, she founded One World Now!, a Seattle-based global leadership program that combines language classes, leadership workshops, and study abroad opportunities for underserved youth in Seattle Public Schools. Read the full story

Leah Li

 For years, a community watched a young girl grow up on stage. Seventeen-year-old classical Chinese dancer Leah Li often leaves her audiences in awe with her graceful movements and captivating smile. Now, she has decided to try her hand at producing. 

“I have participated in countless performances but have never produced one on my own,” said Li. “I have always wanted to produce a culminating performance that displays the skills and techniques I have learned over the years, including dance, singing, flute, and piano.” 

As a senior at Mercer Island High School, Li is required to complete a culminating project in order to graduate. She believes that this is her chance to finally fulfill a childhood dream of creating and producing a performance for the community. At the same time, she hopes to present a unique side of Chinese arts and culture. She titled her show, “Dreams From My Childhood.” Read the full story

By Andrew Hamlin
Northwest Asian Weekly

“Formosa Betrayed” begins with a huge flurry of action. The film is set in 1983 at Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, and soldiers surround a trio of running men. Shots go off and one Chinese man falls to the ground. Armed officers pull a second Chinese man, Ming (played by Will Tiao), out of sight. The third man, American FBI agent Jake Kelly (played by James Van Der Beek), ends up in an office with Susan Kane (Wendy Crewson), the American Liaison to Taiwan. Before the soldiers rush in, he must explain his actions to her.

Unfortunately, the film, which attempts to explain Taiwan’s history using composite characters and events, obscures a far more compelling true story. Jake Kelly never existed, and the story he tells, revealed in oddly layered flashbacks, never happened either. This unwillingness to tell the true story, even though the film bills itself as “inspired by actual events,” ends up hurting “Formosa Betrayed.” An audience can’t be expected to care about fictional characters if the compelling true story’s been negated. Read the full story

Famous Samoans, from left to right, top to bottom: New York Jets defensive end and Washington State University grad Ropati Pitoitua, actor Dwayne Johnson, R&B artist Selau, Mariners third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo, Seahawks middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, actor Nathaniel Lees, and rapper Scribe

Each week, Northwest Asian Weekly strives to be an inclusive newspaper. We take care to make sure that the pages of the paper are not heavily oriented toward one ethnicity or gender. Read the full story

Photo by Rebecca Ip/NWAW

Nancy Leson of The Seattle Times wrote about the closing of New China Gate Restaurant under the management of Alan Woo recently.

In the article, Faye Hong, spokesperson of Hop Sing Tong, which owns the property, said the recession has hurt Chinatown restaurants.

Even before the recession, the old China Gate was in trouble.

When New China Gate was opened, everyone expected it to be new and different if not better. Instead, the menu was more of the same.

The reason why New China Gate didn’t make it has more to do with competition than the recession. There are simply too many dim sum restaurants in the International District. Within a short walking distance, from 6th Avenue South to 12th Avenue South, you will pass 11 dim sum eateries. Read the full story

Teresa Takai

President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Teresa Takai as assistant secretary (Networks and Information Integration) for the Department of Defense. Read the full story

George Alabi, Amy Hartlmueller-Torres, Nitza Agrait Vila, and Ador Yano

Bellevue-based Executive Development Institute (EDI) elected four new members to its board of directors. Read the full story

Participants in ReWA’s International Women’s Day Celebrate enjoy the live performances. (Photos by Gregory Schaffer/ReWA)

Henna hand painting during ReWA’s International Women’s Day Celebration (Photos by Gregory Schaffer/ReWA)

Refugee Women’s Alliance held its 14th annual International Women’s Day Celebration at its main office in Seattle. The event featured ethnic foods and multicultural entertainment and activities, including an Ethiopian coffee demonstration, Vietnamese dance, and Henna hand painting. Read the full story