Dale Watanabe (Photo from seattlenvc.org)

The Japan America Society of the State of Washington (JASSW) appointed Dale Watanabe as its new executive director on May 21. Watanabe has served on the Nisei Veterans Committee (NVC) since 2004. In 2006, he served as commander of the NVC during the start of the organization’s campaign to remodel the NVC Memorial Hall. JASSW, founded in 1923, has been active in fostering Japan-Washington state trade, business, and cultural activities. (end)

VFA Board Member Richard Hultquist with board members Jenny Brown and Jennifer Duong. (Photo provided by Seattle VFA)

The Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA) celebrated its fourth annual benefit dinner on June 8 at Tea Palace Restaurant in Renton. The dinner raised $55,000, meeting the organization’s fundraising goals for the event and exceeding the goals from last year. The dinner drew about 380 guests. VFA Saturday English School and summer youth program volunteer Ky Ly was awarded the Golden Hedgehog Award, recognizing a youth demonstrating leadership and commitment to service. Richard Hultquist was awarded the Golden Banh Mi Award, recognizing a long-standing ally to the Vietnamese community. Helping Link Executive Director Minh-Duc Nguyen was awarded the Golden Spring Roll Award, recognizing him as a life-long advocate of the Vietnamese community. VFA also offered a grand prize drawing for a cruise with Holland America.(end)

Congressman Jim McDermott presents Simon Khin with Spirit of Liberty award. (Photo by Tomo)

Burmese refugee Simon Khin was presented with the Spirit of Liberty Award. The award is given annually to a naturalized citizen who has made outstanding contributions to the United States, while maintaining his or her ethnic heritage. Congressman Jim McDermott presented Khin the award in front of a large crowd at the Fourth of July naturalization ceremony at the Seattle Center, where 525 people from 82 countries became citizens. Khin, a former engineer with Microsoft and Boeing, left his job to start the Coalition for Refugees from Burma, a nonprofit that helps Burmese refugees assimilate to American culture. (end)

Ben Huh (Photo from icanhascheezburger.com)

Newsweek’s July 2 and July 9 issue names local I Can Has Cheezburger site founder Ben Huh in its Digital 100 Power Index. Huh’s Cheezburger Network began with a single blog and expanded to more than 45 meme-based blogs. Other power moguls on the list include Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos; Mehmet Oz, host of the Dr. Oz Show; and Yukihiro Matsumoto, chief architect of programming language, Ruby. (end)

Sharon Lee

Sharon Lee, founding executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) was invited to deliver the commencement address for the 65th annual commencement ceremony at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. Lee also received an honorary degree, the doctor of humane letters, honoris causa, and was honored for her distinguished advocacy for housing justice, housing preservation, and ending homelessness.

At LIHI, Lee oversees a staff of 120 in housing development, property management, advocacy, and supportive services. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in urban studies and earned a master’s degree in city planning and architecture. (end)

By The Associated Press Staff

ROSEMEAD, Calif. (AP) — A slaughterhouse in a small Los Angeles suburb is raising a big stink as the owners fight an order to shut it down, accusing the city of discriminating against Asian culture. Read the full story

By The Associated Press Staff

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Residents in an eastern Iowa town are struggling with a severe language barrier, as they try to comfort two refugee families whose children drowned in the Iowa River this week. Read the full story

Abdus Salam

By Sebastian Abbot
The Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The pioneering work of Abdus Salam, Pakistan’s only Nobel laureate, helped lead to the apparent discovery of the subatomic “God particle” last week. But the late physicist is no hero at home, where his name has been stricken from school textbooks. Read the full story

By The Associated Press Staff

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage in North Korea during a concert for new leader Kim Jong Un in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters. Read the full story

By Elizabeth Wang
Northwest Asian Weekly

(left to right) Richard Conlin, Seattle City Councilmember, Diane Narasaki, ACRS executive director, and Debadutta Dash, president of the ACRS Board of Directors holding the banner at Walk for Rice (Photo provided by ACRS)

Walkers, runners, and dogs of all ages gathered at Seward Park in Seattle to support the 22nd Annual Walk for Rice campaign on June 30. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

Aris Myint San Aung at the fourth of July naturalization ceremony (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

A secret guest was present at the Fourth of July naturalization ceremony at the Seattle Center, where hundreds of immigrants were sworn-in as new citizens. This guest was more prominent than anyone in the audience, including a U.S. Senator, the Secretary of State, the Mayor, and many other elected officials. This visitor, who left immediately after the ceremony, was never introduced. Only a handful of people were aware of his presence.

After all, who would have thought that the guy wrapped with a U.S. flag on his head was Alexander Aris Myint San Aung, the eldest son of Burmese National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi? Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

Attendees of the ceremony, Hoang Yen Thi Dang (right) and Vy Dang Gochanouk (left) (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

I have attended the Fourth of July naturalization ceremony every year for the past 22 years. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

Jill Biden speaking on the SSCC panel
(Photo provided  by Evelyn Yenson)

On July 9, three White House officials visited Seattle. As a member of the media, I was invited to all three meet-and-greet events. Vice President Joe Biden was in town to campaign for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell at the Seattle Westin Hotel. Although I admire Biden, I hesitated to go to his event because I didn’t want to waste two hours just going through security.

Biden’s wife Jill was also in town. She was on the South Seattle Community College panel, held right before a reception for Kiran Ahuja, executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at the Wing. Read the full story

By Assunta Ng

From left: Steve Gonzalez, Jim McDermott, Joan Yoshitomi, and Bob Santos (Photo by George Liu/NWAW)

Congressman Jim McDermott expanded the 7th Congressional district  to include cities like Normandy Park, Burien, Edmonds, and more. Read the full story

By Bettie Luke
For Northwest Asian Weekly

Bettie Luke unveiling the Chinese Remembrance Memorial (Photo by Deston Nokes)

With a shout and quick flip of the whisk, Master E-man, Taoist priest from Los Angeles, Read the full story

This year’s Dragon Fest will include a traditional Japanese beer garden on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. in the parking lot at 5th Avenue and King Street. Read the full story