With the highest education rate, why are Asian Americans still relatively behind in their careers?

By Irfan Shariff
Northwest Asian Weekly

Image by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) indicates that a gender wage gap still exists. The median income of women is still 77.9 percent that of men. Read the full story

By Jason Cruz
Northwest Asian Weekly

Image by Stacy Nguyen/NWAW

This past May, the Seattle City Attorney’s office instituted a policy intended to protect noncitizen immigrants from deportation for misdemeanor offenses. Read the full story

By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly

Rachel Solemsaas

When Rachel Solemsaas’s late grandmother went to college, she was the first person in her family to do so.

Since then, higher education has become an expectation. And when it was her turn, Solemsaas not only met those expectations but surpassed them.

Solemsaas earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from De La Salle University in Manila. She moved to the Seattle area in 1986 at age 20 and went on to get her master’s in public administration from the University of Washington. She is currently working toward a doctorate in higher education, community college leadership, from Washington State University. Read the full story

Ted Choi Tam

Ted Choi Tam died on Oct. 1 at the age of 74 after a year-long fight with cancer.

Tam majored in business at the University of Washington and served in the U.S. Army. He was a manufacturing engineer before starting Choi Investment Realty.

Tam devoted his life to making a difference in the Chinese American community. He was a co-founder of Kin On Health Care Center, involved in the Chinese Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, president of the Eastlake Community Council,  co-chair of the Washington Asian Pacific American Republicans, and heavily involved in King County Republican Party politics. Read the full story

By Staff
ASSOCIATED PRESS and NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Federal authorities and Seattle police have arrested three people and raided two grocery stores as part of what they describe as an undercover investigation into food stamp trafficking. Read the full story

By Dr. Julie Pham
New America Media/Northwest Vietnamese News

When nearly six in 10 voters in Washington state approved Initiative 1000, the 2008 Death with Dignity Act, Seattle resident Tam Hue (last name not given), 73, was one of the few Vietnamese elders who was not only aware of the ballot measure but also voted for the controversial law. Read the full story

President Benigno Aquino III

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Just a few months into his tenure, President Benigno Aquino III has angered the powerful Catholic Church by expressing support for the right to contraception in a televised interview.

The issue of contraception — which is opposed by the Vatican — is a traditional third rail in Philippine politics. Elected officials tend to avoid it, even though Philippine law is generally considered to protect a couple’s right to use birth control.

Philippine church officials have argued that contraception is a type of abortion, which is banned by the constitution. Read the full story

By Cara Anna
The Associated Press

Liu Xiaobo

BEIJING (AP) — When the police came for Liu Xiaobo on a December night nearly two years ago, they didn’t tell the dissident author why he was being taken away. The line in the detention order for his “suspected crime” was left blank.

But Liu and the dozen officers who crowded into his dark Beijing apartment knew the reason. He was hours from releasing Charter 08, the China democracy movement’s most comprehensive call yet for peaceful reform. The document would be viewed by the ruling Communist Party as a direct challenge to its 60-year monopoly on political power. Read the full story

By Kwang-tae Kim
The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Red Cross officials from the two Koreas tried to narrow differences on Friday, Sept. 25. They discussed how they can restart a stalled program to hold reunions for families separated by the civil war 60 years ago, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said. Read the full story

By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly

From left to right: Patricia Whitefoot, Lillian Ortiz-Self, Erin Jones, Trise Moore, Shirley Hune, Frieda Takamura, Amalia Cudeiro, Ethelda Burke, Kathi Hiyane-Brown, Mary Lindquist, Rachel Solemsaas, and Christine Katayama (Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP)

Twelve individuals were honored at the Women of Power in Education luncheon held on Sept. 24 at China Harbor Restaurant. Read the full story

By Vivian Miezianko
Northwest Asian Weekly

Recession, mortgage crisis, unemployment. These words have been thrown around a lot since 2008. The economic downtown has affected many aspects of our society, from individuals who have lost their jobs to businesses with dwindling revenues. But what about new college graduates who have recently entered the job market? Read the full story

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

By Ninette Cheng
Northwest Asian Weekly

» Margaret Cho with her dancing partner Louis Van Amstel on this season's second episode of "Dancing with the Stars" (Photo by Adam Larkey/ABC) » Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim photos from CBS » Maggie Q as Nikita (Photo from CW) » Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina and Harry Shum Jr. as Mike on "Glee" (Photos from FOX) » Brenda Song as Christy Lee in "The Social Network" (Photo from Columbia Pictures) » Frieda Pinto as Dia in "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" (Photo from Sony Pictures Classics) » apl.de.ap, or Allan Pineda Lindo Jr., is a member of Black Eyed Peas (Photo from CW)

Welcome back to another month of Asian American entertainment news! This fall, a number of Asian Americans embark on new projects. Margaret Cho followed last season’s Asian contestant (and winner), Nicole Scherzinger, on “Dancing with the Stars,” and the Black Eyed Peas may be performing at next year’s Super Bowl. In scripted television, Asian actors were winners across the board, and a few star on the big screen. Read the full story

By Samantha Pak
Northwest Asian Weekly

“Kept: A Comedy of Sex and Manners”
By Y. Euny Hong
Simon & Schuster, 2006

As a direct descendent of Korean royalty and a member of the country’s aristocracy, Judith Lee is used to the finer things in life. As a result, the 26-year-old is not prepared for the real world when her parents cut her off and she is left to fend for herself in the Big Apple.

With her source of income unexpectedly drying up, Judith quickly finds herself in debt to the tune of $55,000. Despite a degree from Yale, Jude is ill-equipped to land a job. Having been born with a sense of entitlement, she deems herself exempt from working.

She eventually finds work as a courtesan for Madame Tartakov, a Russian woman who runs a high-end brothel employing young women with debt like Jude’s.

Jude believes that she’s found the perfect job until she falls in love with Joshua, a man outside of her clientele and her class. She is soon questioning her place in the world as an “aristo.” Her desire to step out from Madame Tartakov’s grasp grows, as she curses the impracticality of her upbringing. Read the full story

On Sept. 13, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn attended a community celebration held by the Vietnamese Community Leadership Institute at Jumbo Restaurant. Read the full story

At the renaming ceremony, back: School Board Director Steve Sundquist (left), School Board Director Harium Martin–Morris. Front, from left: Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson, Seattle School Board Director Betty Patu, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, real estate investor Ken Alhadeff, and Seattle Public Schools Facilities Communications Director Tom Redman

Brighton Elementary School was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School at a renaming ceremony held at the school. The ceremony was attended by 400 people, including students. Read the full story

From left: Kin On board member Helen Kay, Charlene Lee, her husband, MulvannyG2 Architecture Chairman Jerry Lee, who was honored for his support of Kin On, and Kin On CEO Sam Wan

The Kin On Health Care Center and Community Care Network raised nearly $100,000 at their “Celebrating the Silver Striving for Gold” Auction Dinner. Read the full story