asian avenue magazine - march 2013
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Cover: The Hmong American ExperienceTRANSCRIPT
asian avenuemagazine
Connecting CulturesLinking Lives
March 2013Volume 8 Issue 3
Clarence Lowprovides web services for
companies of all shapes and sizes at Byte Technology
Denver Home Showhighlights ikebana
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ASIAN PERFORMING ARTS OF COLORADO25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Saturday, March 16, 20137:30 p.m.
Elaine Wolf Theater350 So. Dahlia St., Denver
TICKETS: www.TICKETBUD.COMFurther information:
25th
Honoring Celeste Fleming and Anna and John J. Sie
Metropolitan Opera bass Hao Jiang Tian; pianist Fugen Wei; Guanqun Yu, young soprano who made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in October to rave reviews; baritone Yunpeng Wang, 2nd place winner and voted audience favorite in Placido Domingo’s prestigious Operalia Competition 2012; Jing Zhang who recently had her debut performing with Hao Jiang Tian and Placido Domingo at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, bass Wu Wei and tenor Yang Bo.
Joining this celebrated cast of Asian artists will be the fi rst-ever Western singers trained in Mandarin through APAC’s pioneering program I SING BEIJING.
DON’T MISS IT! An exciting evening featuring a musical panorama that combines heartwarming show-tune favorites, opera and Chinese contemporary and folk selections. Tickets available by credit card or PayPal on-line at Ticketbud.com.
• $75 General Admission Ticket includes concert and champagne reception following the concert • $250 Patron includes concert, champagne reception following concert and Patron Party (March 15, 2013 at 6 p.m.) at the new McNichols Civic Center Buidling • $500 Benefactor includes concert and champagne reception following concert; Patron Party (March 15, 2013) at the new McNichols Civic Center Building and an intimate gathering with all of the performers accompanied by a famous PEKING DUCK dinner prepared by Martha Liao (Sunday, March 17, 2013)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: www.asianperformingarts.org or email: [email protected]
Our Best Concert
Ever
March 2013
staff & supportPublisher & Founder: Christina Yutai Guo
President: Annie GuoProduction Manager: Anhhai Peter Bui
Designer: CG G YaoStaff Writer: Patricia Kaowthumrong
Photographer: Trang LuongIntern: Akemi Tsutsui and Allison Riley
advisors group
Patty Coutts, Donna LaVigne, Nestor J. Mercado,Sum C. Nguyen, Alok Sarwal, Peter Warren,
John Yee, Nai-Li Yee, George N. Yoshida
contributing writers
Mary Ann Amemiya, Harrison Tu, Pakou Xiong
contributing photographers
Tommy Han, InSync Photography + Design Dave Anderson, Brandon Iwamoto, Kazoua Kong-Thao, Shu Lor, MLE Photography, Joe Nguyen, Sogetsu
Colorado, Chelsey See Xiong, Pakou Xiong
on the coverThe cover story highlights the journey of Hmong
people to the United States. Hmong Americans have celebrated several decades of success in the U.S.
despite arriving as refugees. Learn more about the Hmong-American experience as told in the eyes of
Pakou Xiong, a Hmong-American community activist.
subscriptions To subscribe, e-mail marketing@asianavenuemag azine.com. A one-year subscription is $25 for 12 issues, a two-year subscription is 40 for 24 issues. Please make checks or money orders payable to Asian Avenue magazine. For details about special corporate or group rates, please call during business hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm. Shipping and handling included.
advertisingAsian Avenue magazine offers businesses the most cost-effective way to reach consumers in the Denver/Boulder metro areas and beyond. For more information, call during business hours or e-mail us at [email protected] for our media kit and ad rates.
editorialTo submit story ideas, letters to the editor, or listings for the Events Calendar, e-mail to [email protected].
Asian Avenue magazine (ISSN 1932-1449) reserves all copyrights to this issue. No parts of this edition can be reproduced in any manner without written permission. The views expressed in articles are the authors’ and not necessarily those of Asian Avenue magazine. Authors may have consulting or other business relationships with the companies they discuss.
Published by Asian Avenue Magazine, Inc.P.O. Box 221748 Denver, CO 80222-1748
Tel: 303.937.6888 Fax: 303.750.8488www.asianavenuemagazine.com
Asian Avenue magazine is in association with the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network and www.AsiaXpress.com.
Dearest readers,
I am currently participating in Colorado’s Family Leadership Training Institute, a fam-ily civic program that allows participants to develop skills needed to become effective leaders in their communities. The 20-week curriculum integrates personal and child development, leadership training, civic literacy and civic participation skills. To culmi-nate the program, participants complete a community project, and this is where I am enlisting in your help!
Please participate in my project to support communication, dialogue and understand-ing among the multiple generations of Asian Americans. The goal of Project Generation Connect is to share common barriers and challenges faced by Asian American parents and children in regards to communi-cating true feelings, problems, aspirations, affection, and more. The first step to get involved is to take the survey at www.asianavenuemagazine.com/genconnect. If you would like to share any thoughts on the project, please e-mail me at [email protected]. Learn more on page 26.
This month, I would like to give a huge thank you to a friend of the magazine, Pakou Xiong, for taking on the task of writing our cover story. As an active member of Colorado’s Hmong-American community and now having moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pakou is very knowledgeable of the history of Hmong people and the achievements the Hmong community has made during the past decades. She shares this knowledge after interviewing other members of Hmong communities around the nation—compiling their stories and providing this engaging and educational piece for our cover story. I hope you will enjoy this great read, “Who are the Hmong people?”
As we celebrate the Hmong-American community, the Hmong Student Association of Colorado will be sharing its Hmong Culture Night on Saturday, March 9 at CU-Boulder. This would be a great time to inter-act with members of the Hmong-American community and learn more about the “stories of their roots,” which is the theme of the event. Another upcoming event is the exciting Asian Performing Arts of Colorado 25th anniversary concert on Saturday, March 16 at the Elaine Wolf Theater. The evening will feature some of the world’s best voices and rising stars.
Lastly, thank you to those who attended our sixth annual 2013 Lunar New Year Banquet. With more than 200 people in attendance, we had a wonderful night celebrating the new year with delicious food, lively performances and great conversations. Wishing everyone good fortune in the year of the snake!
Annie Guo, PresidentAsian Avenue magazine
40
asian avenuemagazine
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President’s Note
1028 S. Gaylord StreetDenver, CO 80209
Tel: 303.744.0330Fax: 303.715.0336
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MARCHSPECIAL
March 2013
12 On the CoverWho are the “Hmong” people? Family-oriented. Refugees. Survivors.
Contents March 2013
Upcoming Events8 Don’t miss out! Hmong Culture Night on March 9th and the Asian Performing Arts Colorado 25th Anniversary Concert on March 16th!
Spotlight9 Clarence Low shares his business expertise as the board chair of the Asian Chamber of Commerce
Rising Star10 Andrew Yeh participates in leadership conferences nationwide to bring ideas back to Colorado youth
Inside Story11 Get inspired on how to renew, refresh and restore your home at the Denver Home Show
18 Lunar New Year Banquet February 1, 2013 Event Recap
Restaurant Peeks20 Find Denver’s Sushi Sasa on just about every “Top Ten” and “Best of” list—must try for yourself!
21 V3 Vegetarian Food delivers a 100% vegan eatery that is the first of its kind in Denver
On Scene Mile-high area events22 Nathan Yip Foundation celebrates the Year of the Snake and fundraises at its annual gala
Mudra Dance Studio takes the stage at the Asian Pacific Development Center banquet dinner
OCA Colorado and Mile High JACL partner again at their annual lunar new year event
23 Dick Tanaka is inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame on Valentine’s Day
Survivors of Japanese internment camps speak on a panel at the Day of Remembrance event in memory of the signing of Executive Order 9066
24 In Highlands Ranch, Great Wall Chinese Academy hosts a new year celebration with performances, a cultural fair and Chinese foods
25 National News
26 Feature Project Generation Connect Encouraging dialogue between generations
28 Chinese Idiom
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upcomingevents
March 20136
Blue Dragon PresentationSunday, March 10, 4pm to 7pm
2060 Red Feather Point | LafayetteFor more information on the Foundation, visit
www.streetkidsinvietnam.com. To reserve a seat at the presentation, e-mail Foundation co-founder
Chung Pham at [email protected].
Guests are invited to a special presentation about Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in
Vietnam. Blue Dragon reaches out to kids in crisis throughout Vietnam. Its residential facilities, centers and programs give children and youth a new chance
at life. Blue Dragon breaks the poverty cycle by offering education, training, and job opportunities
to those who need them the most: street kids, child victims of trafficking, and the rural poor.
Speakers will include Foundation co-founder Michael Brosowski, honored in 2010 as a “CNN
Hero,” and John Shors, best-selling novelist. Video footage of the Foundation’s work and interiews with some of the kids will be shared, along with coffee,
tea and dessert!
KASB Culture NightSunday, March 17, Doors open at 6pm
UMC Glenn-Miller BallroomUniversity of Colorado | Boulder
Cost: Free admission and free food
The Korean American Students at Boulder (KASB) presents their annual Korean Culture Night. This event is dedicated to showcasing aspects of the Korean culture from dancing and singing, to Tae
Kwon Do performances! Special guest performers from Los Angeles are dancer Mike Song and singer-songwriter Arden Cho. There is a wide array of acts
and the best part is that there will be free food showcasing Korean cuisine.
This year KASB is fundraising for a non-profit orga-nization known as LiNK (Liberty in North Korea).
The organization’s efforts go towards helping North Korean refugees that have escaped from their coun-try. At the event, guests can support LiNK and help their cause by purchasing merchandise or joining in
raffles. To learn more about LiNK, visit:www.libertyinnorthkorea.org.
Colorado Asian American Leadership ConferenceSaturday, April 6, 9am to 3pm
Aurora Public Schools Professional Conference and Learning Center
15771 E. 1st Avenue | AuroraCost: $15 per student
Visit www.nextgenerationvoices.com, for more information. If you have any questions, please
e-mail [email protected].
The fourth annual Colorado Asian American Lead-ership Conference is themed “Breaking Barriers
Building Bridges,” in order for high school students to come together across the state to discuss how to overcome stereotypes and bullying at school.
The conference, hosted by Next Generation Voices, includes a keynote speaker presentation, work-
shops, entertainment and lunch. Asian American students and friends will not only have the opportu-nity to learn from one another and the presenters,
but will gain valuable networking opportunities.
Happy Lunar New Yearto Asian Avenue magazine
and its readers!
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March 2013 8
Asian Performing Arts 25th Anniversary Concert of a Lifetime – March 16, 2013
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Asian Per-forming Arts of Colorado will present a celebra-tory concert on Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Elaine Wolf Theater at 350 Dahlia Street
The evening event will feature some of the world’s best voices and rising stars. The event will honor founding board member, Celeste Fleming and benefactors Anna and John J. Sie.
SEE THE BEST IN THE WORLD - HAO JIANG TIANFeatured at Asian Performing Arts 25th Anni-
versary concert will be the celebrated bass Hao Jiang Tian. Since his Metropolitan Opera debut during the 1991/92 season, Hao Jiang Tian, a native of Beijing, has earned worldwide recog-nition as one of today’s most talented operatic basses, singing over 1300 performances of 40 operatic roles worldwide. He has appeared at the Metropolitan for 19 years in 26 operas.
Born in Beijing in the mid 1950s to musical parents (his father a conductor and mother a composer) and rebelled against piano lessons as a child, he dreamed of being a painter. But fate had a different plan for him.
He came to America and studied at the Lam-ont School of Music at the University of Denver. It was here that he became associated with Asian Performing Arts of Colorado and Tian became one of the first young artists supported by the or-ganization. Today, Tian is one of the leading bass voices in the world and is the Artistic Director for the pioneering program, I SING BEIJING. This program is the first in the world to introduce Mandarin lyric language to Western singers.
SEE THE RISING STARSJoining Hao Jiang Tian in this “once in a life-
time” concert will be the rising soprano Guan-qun Yu. Ms. Yu studied at the Shanghai Conser-vatory of Music with Fugen Wei, the talented pianist who has accompanied APAC concerts since 1986. Ms. Yu left China at 19 years old and spent time in Parma, Italy working to establish her vocal career. “It was a struggle,” she said, ”Money for opera was tight and even though I was singing, I never knew if I would get paid. I almost quit.” Hao Jiang Tian invited Ms. Yu to join the Western singers in Beijing for the 2011 inaugural summer of I SING BEIJING. Here, Tian and his wife Martha Liao, president and founder of APAC, recognized the special voice of Ms. Yu.
They encouraged her to audition for Placido Domingo’s prestigious Operalia Competition for the following summer.
Fate took hold and Ms. Yu placed 2nd in this competition and was invited, on the spot, by Maestro Domingo, to sing opposite him in Va-lencia, Spain. She was also offered a cover (un-der-study) role at the Metropolitan Opera.
“A miracle happened,” said Ms. Yu, when the lead soprano at the Metropolitan Opera became ill, and Ms. Yu was thrust into the limelight as the lead role in Verdi’s Il Travotore. It was late September of 2012 and she took the stage at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York city and dazzled the audience.
Her reviews were magical. Zachary Wolfe of The New York Times wrote, “... it was rousing, satisfying and truly fun. Most important, even
at this early point in her career, she already uses coloratura not merely to sound pretty but also to express character.”
Ms. Yu will be joined by a young baritone, Yunpeng Wang who also won 2nd place at Operalia (in the men’s division); bass Wu Wei; tenor Yang Bo and soprano Jing Zhang.
SEE THE FIRST WESTERNS TO SING MODERN MANDARIN LYRIC SONG
Completing this evening of a lifetime will be a group of singers from the historic program, I SING BEJING, that launched in China in 2011. The program has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Pub-lic Radio, BBC and more.
“Asian Performing Arts of Colorado has done opera audiences and performers alike a huge favor byinitiating this program. Hopeful-ly I Sing Beijing will foster greater culturalex-changes in the realm of opera in years to come and help break opera out of a Western-centric framework.”
This is a not to be missed evening. Tickets are available at TICKETBUD.com or by e-mail-ing [email protected]. Prices start at $75.
Upcoming Events
Hmong Culture Night, hosted by Hmong Student Association of Colorado (HSAC) and Cultural Events Board, is here! Every year, HSAC dedicates a large part of its time to pres-ent a night of significance and the beauty of the Hmong culture. The theme this year is “Stories of Our Roots”. Join the fun-filled night full of skits, cultural performances, entertainment, door prizes, and best of all, food!
Highlights of the night include guest speak-ers: Dr Chia Youyee Vang and Tou Saiko Lee. Dr. Chia Youyee Vang is a professor at the Univer-sity of Wisconsin who educates students about the historical aspect of the Hmong people. Tou Saiko is a musical artist and rapper who has in-fluenced many people through his astonishing pieces. The night will end with an after-party by Hmong-American DJ Vue who resides in Den-ver. Hmong Culture Night is an annual event that rotates being hosted at the CU-Boulder and CU-Denver campuses.
HSAC acts towards promoting and educating the public about the Hmong culture through events and community services. HSAC also advocates for higher education and leadership development among Hmong youth.
Co-presidents Veronica Vang and Justin Yang say, “HSAC has become a home to many Hmong youths who are striving for higher education.”
“HSAC is important to us because we are in unity in building a community of support for one another and for our younger genera-tions. HSAC is not only a way to give back to the community but also is a great way to connect to our historical roots.”
Vang and Yang continue, “We are looking forward to our group’s hard work and ef-forts in putting on this year’s culture night.”
“As a group, we are highly looking forward to our keynote speaker Dr. Chia Youyee Vang. Not only does she offer her expertise on the construction of the Hmong American expe-rience but also her knowledge and research on Hmong American communities. We also look forward to our guest performer, TouSai-ko Lee, who will be performing his ‘30 Years of War’ and other songs that will reconnect our Hmong community with our roots.”
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
“Stories of Our Roots” Hmong Culture Night
presented by Hmong Student Association of Colorado
on Sat. March 9, 20134pm to 11pm at CU-Boulder’s UMC Glenn-Miller Ballroom
asian avenue magazine 9
Spotlight
Above photo by InSync Photography + Design Dave Anderson
Patricia KaowthumrongAsian Avenue magazine
When Byte Technology president Clarence Low established the company’s Denver of-fice in 2007, he did not hesitate to become involved in Colorado’s Asian American com-munity.
“When I relocated to the Denver area, one of the first things I did was attend the Asian Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. I was invited by a board member and re-ally enjoyed being introduced to fellow Asian American business owners,” Low says.
Co-founded by Low in the Silicon Valley area of California, Byte Technology creates websites and solutions for companies seek-ing to improve their business on the Web. From small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations and academia, Byte Technology works with cli-ents across the United States.
“We enjoy the warm economic and busi-ness climate in the Denver Metro area, forg-ing relationships with strategic marketing partners such as translators, PR/marketing companies and graphic designers” he says.
Low became the board chair for the Asian Chamber of Commerce in January and says the organization looks forward to partnering with local organizations as well as “forging deeper relationships at the local and state government levels.”
“The best part is that I’ve developed friendships and relationships with folks that have crossed from business to personal!” Low says.
Because his two sons, ages 12 and 16, per-form with Denver Taiko, Low also spends quite a bit of time at the Denver Buddhist Temple at their practices and performances. He volunteers at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, selling beef and tofu bowls, and sells tickets at Turkey Bingo Day. Low is also an assistant scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout troop in Evergreen.
Low is always eager to share his experi-ences and business sense. He works with Goodwill Industries to assist local high school students prepare for the labor force and pro-vides guest lectures on his Web industry ex-periences and travels to China.
“A good friend told me that one of the cul-tural challenges facing Asian Americans busi-ness owners is that we’re too humble. While I believe that is a positive trait, it can hurt us when it comes to business opportunities,” Low says. “So be assertive, yet respectful, when asking for business opportunities from your target companies. The result is the same if you ask for the business but don’t succeed, as much as if you don’t ask for the business to begin with.”
A California native, Low enjoys playing table tennis in his spare time. In addition, his family recently got two Pembroke Welsh Cor-gie puppies over the holiday season and likes taking them to the local dog park to play. Low and his family are also planning their first family trip to Tokyo and Kyoto this summer and are excited to take in the sights.
Byte Technology recently worked with Front Range organizations such as the Colorado Youth Corps Association, the National Endow-ment for Financial Education and the Davis Phinney Foundation. If you are interested in improving your company’s web presence, the Byte Technology office is located at 355 Union Blvd., Ste, 325, Lakewood, CO 80228; contact them at 303-679-2773.
“Be assertive, yet respectful, when asking for business opportunities.
Low speaks at a Business After Hours event as Board Chair of the Asian Chamber of Commerce.
Cla
renC
e lo
w
Forging relationshipsfrom personal to business
March 2013 10
Rising Star
Ethnicity: Chinese-AmericanHometown: Denver, ColoradoInvolvements: Colorado Asian Pacific Youth Association (CAPYA), Asian Student Alliance, Heritage Camp for Adoptive Families - Chinese Heritage Camps, OCAQuote Andrew lives by: “Go big or go home.”Three words that describe Andrew: Extroverted, proud, self-assertiveHobbies/interests: Being organized, presenting workshops, exchanging and experiencing new cultures, and eatingDream job: Run his own corporate office
Andrew Yeh:Youth Role Model
Allison RileyAsian Avenue magazine
Yeh, right, emcees the second Lunar NewYear Celebration at Auraria Campus.
Yeh, second from right, addresses AAPI policy and changes for the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center in Washington D.C.
Yeh coordinates CAPYA’s first leadership program summer retreat in 2012.
AAndrew Yeh is a youth leader in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. He is currently Program Director for the high school leadership program Colorado Asian Pacific Youth As-sociation (CAPYA) and has worked with higher education institutions to promote Asian American studies, involvement and activism. On a national level, Yeh has pro-moted civic engagement projects for the Asian American Justice Center Youth Ad-visory Council.
Yeh has been involved with the local AAPI community since the age of 14. His father, a refugee worker involved in the Vietnamese and Chinese communities, along with his older sister, engaged in AAPI political issues—both inspired him to give back to his community.
Yeh believes raising consciousness of AAPI stereotypes in higher education is challenging. “I have tried to raise so much awareness of increasing the diver-sity and population of AAPI,” said Yeh. In addition to asking for desegregated data and increasing student services, Yeh has promoted AAPI advocacy and activism through campus events. As President of the Asian Student Alliance at University
of Colorado Denver, Yeh promoted civic and political engagement through a youth voter campaign, a family immigration story collection, a 20th anniversary town hall of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, and a hate crime toolkit.
“I want students to challenge them-selves, share their experiences, and devel-op leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change,” he said. Yeh has also engaged student organiza-tions outside of the AAPI community to increase understanding as well as foster a sense of inclusion.
Recently, Yeh travels the nation attend-ing AAPI student conferences. He pres-ents workshops on networking or student leadership, but also loves observing how other students coordinate conference lo-gistics. “I travel to learn how to use these different resources so that I can take what I have learned and give it back to the Colo-rado community,” he said.
Yeh studies Communications at Univer-sity of Colorado Denver with a minor in Ethnic Studies and Biology. He wants to continue ensuring the successful develop-ment of CAPYA and one day hopes to be-come a keynote speaker for AAPI students.
asian avenue magazine 11
Inside Story
Spring is the season for home make-over projects, and the 26th annual Denver Home Show has something for everyone. More than 500 experts in home décor, gar-dening, landscaping and remodeling will be on hand to provide visitors with advice and inspiration.
For 25 years, the Show has showcased the art of Ikebana, which has grown in pop-ularity each year. Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging flowers, leaves, branches, grasses and pods, so thoughtfully and skill-fully they rival paintings and sculptures. It is not a competitive activity but a process, a path of practice that transforms both the practitioner and the viewer.
“Ikebana originates from conversations with plants,” says Akane Teshigahara, head of Sogetsu School and founder Kyoko Kito’s granddaughter. “If you become attuned to vibrant flowers, and envision how you can show them to their advantage, your heart will resonate with the flowers making sensa-tional waves. Sogetsu ikebana connects plants with people and people with people, bringing peace of mind and creating happiness.”
Demonstrations will be performed throughout all three days of the Show with narration and question/answer opportuni-ties (see schedule). More than 50 Ikebana arrangements and large group installa-tions with hanging wall exhibits have been added this year.
In two workshops on Saturday, partici-pants will use flowers, branches, contain-ers and pin holders to create their own classic Ikebana arrangement guided by teachers from Sogetsu Colorado.
Finally, attendees can enjoy performanc-es by Denver Taiko as their drums transport viewers back to Japan with their powerful rhythm and musical synchronization.
Other highlights you will not want to miss:
The Truth about LandscapingAhmed Hassan, past host of DIY Net-
work’s Yard Crashers and regular guest contributor for the CBS Early Show and NBC’s Today Show, is an expert in land-scape design, installation and maintenance. Ahmed will be presenting “The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth About Landscaping.” Presentations will be Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Competing for the CupThis year, the Floral Association of the
Rockies will be holding their Rocky Moun-tain Cup contest at the Show. From novice to experienced designer, entrants have a chance to win a monetary prize, the Rocky Mountain Cup, and bragging rights.
Ask-A-Designer!Looking to refresh your home’s inte-
rior? Interior Designer Wynn Waggoner will conduct free 10-minute consultations. Email [email protected] to sign up or stop by booth #1741. Bring any color swatches, design plans or pictures.
Additional highlights include: Gardens of Excellence, showcasing creative design concepts, sustainable landscaping ideas and outdoor entertaining; cooking demon-strations by local celebrity chefs; an exten-sive selection of local Colorado products, the most innovative home improvement gadgets, and more.
On Friday, March 15, the show is offering free admission to anyone currently serving in the military, fire department or police force. See www.homeshowdenver.com for more details.
RELAX MASSAGE1079 S. Federal Blvd.Denver, CO 80219Tel: 720-897-8841
The 26th Annual Denver Home Show Inspires Exciting Ideas for the Home: Both Inside and OutMarch 15-17
SogetSu Schedule Friday, March 1512:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration2:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration4:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration Saturday, March 1611:00 a.m. Ikebana Demonstration 1:00 p.m. Hands-on Workshop 1 2:00 p.m. Hands-on Workshop 23:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration5:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration Sunday, March 17 11:00 a.m. Ikebana Demonstration1:00 p.m. Denver Taiko2:00 p.m. Ikebana Demonstration3:30 p.m. Denver Taiko
Show Hours: March 15-16: 10am to 9 pm | March 17: 10am to 5pm
Location: National Western ComplexPurchase tickets online for $9, or at the door for $11.
Children 12 and under are FREE. For more information, visit www.homeshowdenver.com.
Photos by Sogetsu Colorado
March 201312
Nyob zoo (Nah zhong)! That’s how you say “Hello” in Hmong.
I am Hmong. So, who are the Hmong people? Not a lot
history is known or has been written about the Hmong until recently. The current gener-ation of Hmong people is an ethnic minority group from Southeast Asia. They are a group of people who, as history has discovered, migrated from South China.
They once had their own king in China, but through persecution, migrated to the moun-tains of Southeast Asia where they lived an agricultural lifestyle.
Their religious practice is Shamanism which involves the belief and practice of soul calling and the spiritual world.
They fought and survived many wars and are now rewriting their own history of this generation. They value the closeness of family and the opportunity of getting an education. They are loyal people who are survivors.
A brief history of the Hmong people It wasn’t until the Vietnam War did peo-
ple start to notice the Hmong people. The Vietnam War lasted for 16 years, from 1959-1975. At that time, the Hmong lived in the mountainous highlands of Southeast Asia in countries such as Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia
Pakou XiongFor Asian Avenue magazine
Cover
and China. Their lifestyle was hunting, gathering
and farming. During the Vietnam War, the Hmong were recruited by the United States Army to help the U.S. fight and were known as the “CIA Secret Army.”
The Hmong were recruited because of their great knowledge in the geographic ter-rain, their quick ability to learn and be trained and their loyalty to the U.S. Army. During this time, the Hmong were led by a great general named General Vang Pao (1929-2011). His leadership encouraged the Hmong to fight the Vietnam War alongside the U.S. Army. He is considered to be the Hmong King of this generation. His death in 2011 caused great sadness upon the Hmong people all over the world. His role as a General and as
a leader for the Hmong during the Vietnam War made a significant impact on who the Hmong people are today.
After the War ended, the U.S. retreated, leaving many Hmong targets of genocide. The Hmong lost many lives and families were separated. Many Hmong fled to neighboring countries such as Thailand to seek refuge. From there, the Hmong began their new life through resettlements in many countries throughout the world, more noticeably in the United States.
Resettling in the United StatesMost Hmong in the United States are
refugees from the Vietnam War. As newly resettled refugees, life in the U.S. was dif-ficult. The Hmong struggled with having to
WHO are the
Hmong people?
asian avenue magazine 13
Hmong People
Kazoua Kong-Thao (left) visited an elementary school in the countryside of Laos and met with a Laotian teacher and some Hmong elementary students. “They were so sweet, but I was heartbroken when I saw the condition of the
school and the lack of books and supplies,” Kong-Thao said.
overcome language and education barriers. This impacted their ability to find good jobs and support their growing families.
This struggle was what made education an important part of Hmong American culture.
As a first generation Hmong, we did not know what the future would bring us, but all we knew was that we needed to get an education.
The Hmong did not have a written lan-guage until the 1960s when one was created by the French Missionaries. This is a Roman-ized written language system that is being used today. The Hmong had limited educa-tion opportunities before the War. Only the wealthier Hmong and Hmong males had such privilege. Hmong women had little to no privileges.
Kazoua Kong-Thao, Equity and Diversity Di-rector at Minneapolis Public Schools shares her story of her mother’s encouragement that helped her pursue an education. Her mother was a stay at home mother and did
not have an education, but she expressed the value of education.
Her mother told her, “I don’t know what it means, I don’t know what it looks like, but I just know I want you to have a better life.”
Veronica Vang, Co-President of the Hmong Student Association of Colorado (HSAC) is also a first generation Hmong and the first in her family to pursue higher education. Be-cause her older siblings did not attend higher education she realized that she had to be her own role model.
Her involvement with HSAC has been a great experience because, “HSAC is my backbone support. It has allowed me to be who I am as a Hmong person and it helped me to navigate my Hmong identity.”
What has encouraged Vang to be her own
“I don’t know what it means, I don’t know what it looks like, but I just know I want you to have a
better life.”
Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand was one of the largest refugee camps and home to many Hmong refugees.
March 201314
Cover
Kazoua Kong-Thao visits a Hmong hostel in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She and her husband distributed bags, paper, pens and other supplies to the Hmong students. They also sponsored two young girls at this hostel.
role model is she understands the burden that her parents went through. She says she strives for the better, not only for us but for our parents too.
Fong Vang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in the United States. He is currently a physical education and health teacher and Athletic Director at Hmong Col-lege Prep Academy, a charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota. His passion is education.
He says, “Teaching is not only a career, but it is my calling, this school is my calling. I want to give the things I learned back to the students and help them make a better decision.”
It’s not his responsibility, but as a first gen-eration Hmong, Vang feels what most first generation feel, to give back. Now, success-ful in his career, he wants to help eliminate what he went through by providing guidance to his students. He says, “In my generation, we understand the struggles of what our parents went through.”
Preserving the Hmong culture The Hmong have two dialects, green (nt-
suab) and white (dawb) dialect. The Hmong language has eight different tones and each tone may have a different meaning to it. If pronounced incorrectly, it may mean some-thing different. Our Hmong language is very beautiful, sweet, deep and poetic.
Kong Lor, of the Kong & Shu Project, a brother music duo started their music not so much as a hobby but as a challenge to them-selves to preserve and continue speaking their native Hmong language. Lor says, “We start-ed as a duo with a mission. We said let’s be different.” Staying true to their mission, their music, talent and leadership has evolved and influenced many youths to continue speaking and writing in Hmong through music. Kong Lor also feels that, “It is our responsibility to carry on and influence others to keep their values and traditions.”
Mai Choua Lee, Miss Hmong Colorado 2012, also realized at a young age not a lot
of Hmong kids were learning their roots and so that inspired her to learn more about her Hmong roots.
Lee continues to wear her traditional Hmong clothing during the Hmong New Year celebration. The Hmong New Year is the one annual Hmong celebration where the Hmong celebrate the harvest season and wear their most valued traditional Hmong clothing. It is ten day celebration which involves fam-ily eating gatherings, courtship, ball tossing, poetic singing known as kwv txhiaj (keu-sia), qeej (qheng) music performance, renewal of the alter and ancestor workshop. Lee says, “Knowing my Hmong roots is a part of my identity.”
For the Hmong, there are 18 specific clans. These clans are identifiable through the fam-ily surname. These may be familiar in Chinese family surnames because of the Hmong an-cestry from China. The 18 clan names are Chang, Cheng, Chu, Fang, Hang, Her, Khang, Kong, Kue, Lo/Lor, Lee/Ly, Moua, Pha, Thao/Thor, Vue, Vang, Xiong and Yang.
The 18 clan system is very important to the Hmong. It is an identifier of who you are, your family associations and where you come from. This is especially important during mar-riage. In the Hmong clan system you are al-lowed to marry your first cousin who is of a different surname, but you are not allowed to marry someone with the same surname.
The reasoning is your clan surname iden-tifies which family you belong to. Marrying someone with a different surname as you means you are from two different families regardless of the closeness of relationship. This clan system is what makes family so important to the Hmong culture. Somxai Vue, Hmong community leader in Colorado, expresses, “Our clan system is one of the sources that binds us together as Hmong.”
“It is our responsibility to
carry on and influence others to keep their values and traditions.”
Family structure and gender roles in the Hmong household
Kong Lor emphasizes his father’s leadership in mobilizing the Hmong community to be in-spirational and encourages him to become the leader he is today. The phrase, “sib pab” (she-pah), means “to help each other” and
In Laos, two young Hmong girls holding hands.
Hmong traditional outfitPhoto by Shu Lor
asian avenue magazine 15
Hmong People
strong part of our Hmong culture is how we help each other as a way of life - through good and bad times, thru death and marriage, etc.
Somxai Vue also shares that “peb sib sib hlub” (pay she-she- lou) meaning “we love each other”. Love, not commonly expressed verbal-ly is expressed through actions in showing how we love one another. Regardless of which Hmong clan you are from, you are still greeted, re-spected and loved. Fong Vang states it perfectly, “Family bond is so im-portant in the Hmong community. We respect and honor our elders.”
Traditionally, the Hmong familial structure is patriarchal. Males are considered the leaders and protectors of the family. They are the physical and spiritual welfare for the family. Female roles are to nur-ture children, prepare meals and perform household chores.
For Kong-Thao, even though her parents supported her pursuit of an education, they still limited her full abilities because of her gender, but she used that as motivation to work harder to become the amaz-ing and educated person she is today.
“We are still learning to accept new gender roles. Hmong females are looked down upon more than men, but today there are more emerging women leaders and not a lot of men are used to that yet,” says Mai Choua Lee, who is currently a student at the University of Colorado Denver.
Hmong-American achievement and leadershipOver the span of less than 40 years in the United States, the
Hmong have progressed quite fast. Just as the millennium hit, the Hmong has had leadership at the state and city levels, increases in the number of Hmong attending higher education, Hmong doctorate level, business owners and even Hmong millionaires.
Chelsey See Xiong shared an interesting insight that the Hmong are able to accomplish this much thanks to the Chinese and Japa-nese who had already established some major ground work for the Hmong. “We still need a lot of work, but we have already had the help others established for us.”
Kazoua Kong-Thao shares that, “The Hmong are the fastest refu-gee group to advance in education because we are hard workers.”
Hmong work hard to pursue “self-sufficiency”. She says,” In our home country, self-sufficiency was the ability to farm your plot of land. In
This is a storycloth of China, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. In each country, the story tells about the Hmong life.
Chelsey See Xiong at the age of 4 (left) and now a student at California State University in Fresno (right).
Mai Choua Lee is the 2012 Miss Hmong Colorado and a student at the University of Colorado Denver.
Pakou Xiong (left) and her father, Ja Thao Xiong board a bus, which was one of the forms of transporation that resettled refugees to America.
Ja Thao Xiong watches over his belongings as he prepares to leave the refugee camp for the United States in the 1980s.
March 201316
Cover
America, self-sufficiency is the ability to drive. If you are able to drive, you can go to school, go to work and make an income and that’s an in-vestment that your parents provide for you.”
Tou Ger Xiong is the first Hmong comedian. Through his experiences traveling all over the world, he recognizes that the Hmong are at a cross roads. Before, the Hmong were hunters and farmers. Now, the Hmong are all types, more than just farmers and hunters. He says, “This is the first time in the history of our peo-ple [the Hmong] that we can invent a new identity of being Hmong American.”
He shares that being “Hmong” adds so much more value and draws a much larger picture to what other identities we have. “We are pioneers because we are the “first” of a lot of things. It’s exciting because we have all the resources and power of the pen to rewrite our history now.”
“We are getting there and achieving so
many great things as Hmong people because we stick together, “says Somxai Vue.
Veronica Vang says, “One of the hardest things is that we don’t have our own country and that plays a role in influencing who we are but at the same time our culture is dy-namic because we are always changing.
The most important thing is to at least know your history and where you come from. Never be afraid to look back at our struggles.”
Kong-Thao shares one last point that, “We are survivors. We adapt and do whatever it takes.”
Somxai Vue,CEO of the Vue National Association, speaks about the organization.
Tou Ger Xiong is the first Hmong-American comedian.
Kong Lor (right) participates in the 2004-2005 Mr. Hmong Southeast Puavpheej Inc. Pageant in North Carolina.
Veronica Vang (left) holds a story blanket at the 2012-2013 Hmong New Year Celebration in Colorado.
Pakou Xiong (right) speaks at the 2011-2012 Hmong New Year Celebration with the Miss Hmong Colorado Pageant committee.
Celebrating Hmong America
Pakou Xiong (right) with Hmong-American Minnesota State Senator Mee Moua and her husband, Nha Yee Yang at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
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Event Recap
March 201318
Colorado Asian Culture and Heritage Center (CACHC) welcomes new members to join its dragon and lion dance troupe year round. Visit www.cachcdragonlion.org.
Lobster with ginger and green onion is served at Kings Land Chinese Seafood Restaurant.
CACHC gives a fantasticlion dance performance.
Guests bid on silent auction items which include Chinese Jingdezhen porcelain.
Sponsored by Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, high school students from Kunming, China visit Denver for a one-week American Study Tour staying with host families, taking English classes and touring the sites of Colorado.
asian avenue magazine 19
New Year Banquet
On February 1, 2013, Asian Avenue magazine, Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN) and Health Today Chinese Newspaper hosted its annual lunar new year banquet. With more than 200 guests, Kings Land Chinese Seafood Restaurant filled with the beats of the lion dance drum and energy of the new year.
The Mistress of Ceremonies was 2012 Miss Asian American Colorado Stephanie Vi Nghiem. She welcomed guests and the lion dance performance by Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center Dragon and Lion Dance. Colorado Senator Jessie Ulibarri shared in the festivities and spoke about the importance of diversity in the political sector, encouraging guests to get involved.
The evening’s performances included Chinese folk dances by students Patricia Liu and Jenny Pan from Great Wall Chinese Academy
and a karate demonstration by Colorado Budokan.
Students from Kunming, China performed a dance and spoke about their experience in the U.S. Staying with American host families, the students were visiting on a one-week American study tour in Denver.
The silent auction featured 30 items including Chinese porcelain and local restaurant gift certificates. Guests also participated in a lunar new year game where they searched for new year items such as red envelopes, “chun lian’ (couplets written on red paper) and oranges.
All the while, a delicious Chinese dinner was served including peking duck, walnut shrimp, sizzling beef steak and more. Jason Chen also gave guests their fortunes for the new year at the palm reading table.
The 2013 Year of the Snake began on February 10. Best wishes for a fantastic year to all of our readers!
Year of the Snake Celebration
Members of Colorado Budokan perform a karate and martial arts demonstration at the 2013 lunar new year banquet. Visit www.coloradobudokan.com.
Guests Stephanie Cross, Sydney Cross and Antoinette Underhill arrive at the banquet.
Palm reader Jason Chen photographs with his son, William, and CACEN President Nai-Li Yee.
Long-time supporters of Asian Avenue magazine attend the banquet.
From left: Miss Asian American Colorado (AACO) 2011 Dao Than, Miss AACO 2012 Stephanie Vi Nghiem, Miss Network Savvy 2012 Rebecca Newton and Miss Impact 2012 Sally Peang.
Colorado Senator Jessie Ulibarri, District 21 Adams County welcomed guests and opened the evening.
See more photos on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/asianavemagSpecial thanks to our photographer: Tommy Han - www.tommyhan.com
One look at Sushi Sasa’s menu and you will gather that this is not your traditional Japanese sushi place. Chef Wayne Conwell has made sure of that! Bringing his international mastery of the fine art of raw fish, he has designed an innovative menu that is constantly evolving.
On occasions such as Valentine’s Day, diners enjoy an exclusive menu. Meanwhile, the every-day selection includes cold and warm dishes as well as gluten-free and vegan options.
The standards at Sushi Sasa are very high. The restaurant serves the highest caliber of fish, as proven by the dozens of accolades Sushi Sasa has received during its seven years of operation. Named “Best Sushi Restaurant” multiple times by various media, Sushi Sasa is well-known both locally and nationally recognized on the top of many “best of” lists. Its classic and new style of sushi is impeccable. The rolls and sashimi are excellent—served with notably colorful plating.
For our meal, we began with the Pan Fried Baby Spinach And Fennel Warm Salad. Sesame
salt dusted on pan fried baby spinach were scat-tered over a bed of fennel and romaine. This unique blend left us wanting more after each bite. The French onion style black cod soup was also a wonderful fusion that came together nicely.
The Scottish Salmon roll was served with the thinnest sliver of lemon which jetted a citrus fla-vor straight to the taste buds. Next, we enjoyed the Sasa Trio—a creative blend of tartares, spicy tuna, salmon and yellowtail—which were eaten with the cruchy sushi rice nori crackers. The Grilled Epice Spice Jumbo Shrimp from the “Warm Thoughts” menu were each served on a skewer dipped in the restaurant’s homemade chunky cocktail sauce.
While the restaurant only serves lunch and din-ner, space can be rented out for parties and ca-tering is also available. Reservations are always recommended, as Sushi Sasa has become the #1 recommended sushi spot for Denver visitors and locals alike. Word of mouth travels fast when you’re one of a kind!
COOL INTENTIONS Sunomono $12
Seafood & vegetables with Japanese tamari vinaigrette
Pink Lady $18.95Spicy scallop and white asparagus tempura,
topped with yellowtail belly, avocado, and lemon slices and a side of Macho sauce
DAILY SPECIALS Yellowtail & Salmon New Style Sashimi $16Seared with yuzu soy, herbs, and extra virgin
olive/sesame oil blend
Sasa Trio $18.95Spicy tuna, salmon tartare, yellowtail poki
served with homemade sushi rice nori crackers
WARM THOUGHTSGrilled Chashu Style Duck Breast $18
Thinly sliced and served with tangy ginger garlic granny smith apple dipping sauce
Chilean Sea Bass $20Steamed in black bean and sake sauce or
miso pesto and truffle seaweed vinaigrette
Annie GuoAsian Avenue magazine
March 201320
2401 15th St #80 Denver, CO 80202Tel: 303.433.7272
www.sushisasadenver.com
HOURSLUNCH Mon - Sat: 11:30am to 2:30pmDINNER Sun - Thur: 5pm to 10:30pm Fri - Sat: 5pm to 11:30pm
menu.Photos by Brandon Iwamoto
Restaurant Peek
Sushi Sasa
asian avenue magazine
Vegetarian and vegan only restaurants are generally hard to find, but one that serves a 100% vegan Vietnamese cuisine is unheard of. That’s where V3 has taken notice and has become the first establishment in Denver to fill that void. Located in the Far East Center off Federal Boulevard, V3 sits next to V2 Event Center and across from Viet’s Restaurant or V1. This was the strategic placement of its owner, Hiep Thai, who found the benefit in operating all three restaurants in close proximity.
Most people, given the choice of a vegan meal or one containing meat would choose the latter. In fact, Thai himself is not vegetarian, but being Buddhist, he understands how important vegetarian/vegan options are for others. Opening V3 was an opportunity for him to fulfill his spiritual calling and to help give back to his community. He often uses his restaurant to provide meals to the local Buddhist temples and donates food to raise money for the temples.
With its cafeteria-style service, all of the dishes at V3 are made from family recipes. Thai himself is a chef and helps prepare many of the dishes found on the menu. 100% vegan means there is absolutely zero animal products including dairy. Vegan dishes can sometimes taste like they are missing something, but that is not the case here.
Like the combination sautéed vegetables and tofu dish, it is delicious, served with crisp fresh vegetables and different types of tofu. The clear noodles and tofu stir fried with vegetables is very light, similar to the Korean chap chae dish. The spring rolls filled with imitation pork taste as good as any of its meat-filled versions. All of the dishes tasted fresh but very filling because of the healthy ingredients. These are just a few of the many nutritious and tasty items found on V3’s menu. Other dishes include a variety of vegetables, imitation meat, tofu and salads. The dessert menu features yogurt, steamed yucca, coconut, yams, glutiness rice balls, fried bananas and even a tofu dessert!
On a late Sunday afternoon, only one week after V3’s Lunar New Year grand opening on February 10, a steady stream of patrons flowed through the restaurant—many stopping in for the first time. They expressed their joy that a vegan restaurant had finally opened, and after tasting many of the dishes it was clear to see why. Not everyone can commit to the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, but V3’s delicious and affordable menu presents a persuasive reason to give vegetarian foods a try.
100% Vegetarianeggplant grilled topped with bora $2.95 Vegetarian Spring roll $3.50 tomato topped with imitation pork $3.95Vegetarian Spring roll $4.50 Bamboo shoot and tofu sauteed $4.95gluten stir-fried with lemongrass $5.95rice noodles & imitation seasoned pork $6.50Slices of imitation catfish sauteed $6.95
BeVerageS/deSSertSSoy Milk $2.50Coconut Juice $2.50Boba (avocado, Lichi, Mango, etc.) $3.50Sweet Corn dessert $2.50glutinous rice Balls $2.003 Color dessert $3.50deep Fried Banana $4.50
menu.21
Restaurant Peek
Anhhai Peter BuiAsian Avenue magazine
V3 Vegetarian Food333 S. Federal Blvd. #125
denver, CO 80219tel: 303.922.5775
HOUrSMon - Sat: 8am to 7pmClosed WednesdaySun: 10am to 7pm
Vegetarian Food
March 201322
OCA Colorado and Mile High Japanese American Citizens League hosted yet another vibrant and festive Lunar New Year banquet on Saturday, February 16. At Palace Restaurant, guests filled the round tables prepared for the Chinese feast of seafood tofu soup, steamed whole bass, black pepper steak and more.
OCA President Johnny Poon and Mile High JACL President Harry Budisidharta welcomed guests and thanked the evening’s sponsors. Led by Howie Solow, Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu per-formed a lion dance and kung fu demonstration.
Guests then enjoyed the music of Bali, Indonesia performed by Catur Eka Santi. And to end the evening, Atomic Gracie took the stage with her electrifying tunes played on her electric vio-lin. Many went home as winners of the door prizes and raffle drawings—having great luck to start the new year!
For more information, visit www.ocacolorado.org or www.milehighjacl.org.
Nathan Yip Foundation raises funds at annual lunar new year gala
Photo by MLE Photography
On Scene
On Saturday, February 2, the 11th Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Gala cel-ebrated the start of the year of the snake. At its annual gala, the Nathan Yip Foundation raised $300,000 for the foundation’s world-wide efforts to make life better for children living in poverty.
Linda and Jimmy Yip greeted guests as they arrived at the Denver Marriott Tech Center dressed in formal and elegant attire, as well as cultural outfits. Those attending were encouraged to wear native dress, and many of the colorful ensembles, includ-ing those worn by mistress of ceremonies Anne Trujillo and her husband, videogra-pher Mike Kalush, were purchased on trips to China.
450 people attended the event to sup-port the non-profit organization. The Yips
started the foundation as a living memorial to their only child, Nathan, who was just 19 when his life was taken in a tragic automo-bile accident.
Even as a teenager, Nathan had a strong commitment to bettering the lives of chil-dren living in poverty. So in his memory, his parents set up a foundation that would fund schools in rural areas of China, Mexico and Africa.
The foundation also supports literacy programs in Colorado; offers a four-year scholarship to the University of Denver; and backs established programs like the Heri-tage Camps for Adoptive Families, Escuela de Guadalupe, Summer Scholars and the Asian Pacific Development Center.
For more information, visit www.nath-anyipfoundation.org.
On Saturday, February 2, Asian Pacific Devel-opment Center (APDC) hosted its 17th annual Asian New Year Banquet. It was also a major fundraiser for the organization with over 250 guests in attendance to enjoy the night with a delectable ten-course dinner, live entertain-ment, silent auction, raffle, free henna tattoos and of course, the lively chats and hugs with friends in the community.
The evening also celebrated the next big thing for APDC: the move to its new home at 1537 Alton Street, Aurora, CO 80010. The new building is under construction and is anticipated for completion in April 2013. For more information, visit www.apdc.org.
OCA Colorado and Mile High JACLunite for another year and festivelunar new year banquet
Catur Eka Santi perform music of Bali, Indonesia.
APDC celebrates the Year of the Snake
Guests dance with Mudra Dance Studio.Photos by Brandon Iwamoto
APDC CEO Chris Wanifuchi (middle) with Chris Jose of KWGN (left), the evening’s em-cee and his wife Jaclyn Jose (right).
Hing Ryder (left) and Johnny Poon (right) present a gift of appreciation to Margaret Choi (middle) as a 2013 sponsor.
asian avenue magazine 23
Mary Ann AmemiyaMile High JACL
While Dick D. Tanaka is 80 years old, he continues to farm, which shows the dedication of a born farmer. Along with his brothers, he founded Tana-ka Farms—one of the largest produce farms in Colorado. Tanaka is one of the most respected farmers in the western region.
On February 14, the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame banquet was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Denver, where Tanaka was recognized by the Colorado FFA Foundation for a lifetime of efforts toward the advance-ment of agriculture in Colorado and beyond.
Don Thorn, Executive Director of Colorado FFA Foundation says, “Mr. Tanaka was nominated through a application process and selected by a special committee of foundation board members.”
He continues,” It is obvious that Mr. Tanaka is a great farmer, mentor, and family man. He is an example that anyone who wants to succeed in agricul-ture should follow. I am honored for the privilege of meeting him.”
The FFA Foundation hosts several events and works to secure many sponsorships each year. “Coordination of the Hall of Fame is one of the most rewarding parts of the job,” said Thorn.
“It is enjoyable to see it all come together. Meeting the honorees and their families is a lot of fun. Getting to know them and their story is inspir-ing. So many people contribute to agriculture in Colorado and it is great to honor their accomplishments, many who are very modest about their accomplishments.”
Tanaka says, “It is a great honor to be recognized as a Hall of Fame farmer. It was a total surprise and a very good feeling.”
“It makes me feel proud that I am being honored for something I have always loved doing. The hard work and long hours have been eased by pride that I was selected.”
For more information, visit www.coloradoffafoundation.org.
Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame honors farmer Dick Tanaka
Mile-High Happenings
Day of Remembrance:
Gathering to Remember and
Learn from History
Dick Tanaka’s family attend the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame to support his induction on February 14 at the Renaissaince Hotel.
John Salazar, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, speaks to a room full of the agriculture industry’s leaders at the induction.
Panelists from left to right: Carolyn Takeshita, Rose Tanaka, Bob Fuchigami, Aiko Okubo, Min Mochizuki Photo by Joe Nguyen
A “historical event” is a social construc-tion, something that happens is significant only if society agrees that it is. On February 17, over 210 people gathered at the History Colorado Center to remember the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. In the wake of Pearl Harbor, 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry, seventy percent of them U.S. citizens, were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated in ten American concentration camps.
For this year’s Day of Remembrance, which Mile High JACL hosts each year, five
survivors came to share their memories of camp life, and offer their warning that this could happen again.
Carolyn Takeshita was a University of Den-ver graduate student when National Guards-men set off tear gas to disband protesters, and triggered a delayed PTSD reaction that threw her back in time to Poston concentra-tion camp. Rose Tanaka remembers the “in-tense hatred of the Caucasian community” as she and her family were taken to Manza-nar in 1942.
Bob Fuchigami was 12 when he was sent
to Camp Amache here in Colorado, and 15 when he “got out of there.” Aiko Okubo lived in Block Six at Minidoka, and remembers her joy of “…being allowed on the other side of the [barbed wire] fence” to play. And Min Mochizuki can’t forget a class discussion: “What constitutes loyalty?”—heavy stuff for a high school senior incarcerated at Tule Lake camp.
We gather each year to remember, and to learn, so that it will never happen again. For more information about this historical event visit www.jacl.org/powerofwords.
March 201324
Great Wall Chinese Academy puts on a great show in Highlands Ranch
On Scene
TThe Great Wall Chinese Academy and Highlands Ranch Cultural Affairs Association presented the Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 9 at the Southridge Recreation Center. The culture fair featured Chinese refreshments and treats, as well as a marketplace, origami work-shop and calligraphy demonstration. The highlight of the event was the on-stage performances which included a lion and dragon dance by the National Martial Arts Academy and several folk dances by students of the Great Wall Chinese Academy. Other organizations invited to perform in-clude Junior Denver Taiko and Han Lee’s Taekwondo Academy.
Great Wall Chinese Academy teaches the Mandarin language and cul-ture to students from preschool to high school and even to adults. Students wrote essays about the new year and below are some of the excerpts. For more information, visit www.greatwallchineseacademy.org.
Gong xi fa cai! Xin nian kuai le!By: Michelle Hou, Student, Great Wall Chinese Academy
Gong xi fa cai! Xin nian kuai le! Red envelopes, calligraphy, paper cut-outs, firecrackers, dancing, music—Chinese New Year is here! And to celebrate this major Chinese holiday, the Great Wall Chinese Academy put on its annual performance at the Southridge Recreation Center to celebrate it with everyone else.
Chinese New Year is really a very special holiday. The Great Wall Chi-nese Academy performance is always a hit and we always receive great comments on it. It is special for me because it is always nice to see the young hand of a toddler reaching out to point at a paper cutout plas-tered to the wall, or the warm clapping and cheering of the audience as the Chinese-Yoyoists perform their tricks. Feelings of happiness and pride always rise up inside me while I help clean up the performance at the end of the day. At this moment, I always think about how great this is going to be next year.
Chinese New Year 2013By: Eric Zhao, Student, Great Wall Chinese Academy
As most people know, Chinese New Year is a delightful time of year. At the Chinese New Year event, there is reason to celebrate. You can definitely see how popular and widespread this event is after attending. The amount of people that show up is outstanding. I would have never thought that such a modest festival could attract so many people. The number of newcomers increases incessantly while the people that like
this event keep returning. Why is this? Well, the answer is simple. It’s the environment. Although I help out a lot, I can easily see how upbeat everybody is. There’s no reason not to be delighted, because the area is bursting with excitement. This event contains entertainment, food, and cultural items for sale; what more can you ask for? It’s more than enough to make a person happy and I haven’t seen anyone leave with a sour attitude. I appreciate the Chinese New Year event very much. The way it brings people together is amazing and I hope that I will be able to be there for many years to come.
Chinese New Year 2013By: Amy Zhong, Student, Great Wall Chinese Academy
As I peek my head around the curtain from behind, I see a dark room packed with people whispering to one another and waiting eagerly. See-ing that the performance is about to start, I hurry backstage when the curtains are drawn back, the lights turn on, and colorful lions start to dance to the beat of loud drums. The Chinese New Year event of 2013 has begun! The community joins the Great Wall Chinese Academy as we put on a breathtaking performance of elegant Chinese folk dances, stunning martial arts and kung fu, the incredible styles and tricks of the Chinese yoyo, and traditional Chinese music and singing to celebrate Chinese New Year. Not only does the community get to kick off the New Chinese Year, they are also given the amazing opportunity by the Great Wall Chinese Academy to experience the unique culture and traditions of China, such as tasting traditional Chinese food and looking at different Chinese arti-facts as well as watching the performances. Being a participant for the Chinese New Year event every year is a wonderful opportunity for me.
Junior Denver Taiko performed at this year’s lunar new year celebration at Southridge Recreation Center.
asian avenue magazine 25
10 facts to consider for immigration reform● 65,000 is the number of H-1B visas
granted annually to highly skilled work-ers. On June 11, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reached its cap for applications for fiscal 2013.
● 38% of employers approve to hire H-1B workers in the professional, scien-tific, and technology industries.
● 47% of approved H1-B visa workers between 2000 and 2009 came from India. The next largest share, about 9 percent, were from China.
● 40.4 million immigrants were in the U.S. in 2011. They make up approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population.
● 29% of the U.S. foreign-born are from Mexico. The next largest share, 25 per-cent, are from South and East Asia.
● 36% of U.S. Hispanics are foreign-born. (This means 64 percent are U.S. na-tives.)
● 67% of Asian-Americans are foreign-born. (This means 33 percent are U.S. na-tives.)
● 81% of undocumented immigrants are from Mexico and other Latin Ameri-can countries.
● 11% of undocumented immigrants are from Asia.
● 4.5 million U.S.-born children have undocumented parents.
WWII Veteran Terry Shima Awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal
At a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 15, 2015, Presi-
dent Obama awarded World War II veteran Terry T. Shima the 2012 Presidential Citi-zens Medal, the nation’s second-highest ci-vilian award. Shima was one of 18 recipients of the medal, hand-selected by the President from over 6,000 candidates for “strengthen-ing the sacred trust between America and its veterans.”
In his remarks, President Obama recog-nized recipients “for the shining example that you set every single day and the inspira-tion that you give each of us as fellow citi-zens, including your President.”
Shima, 90, of Gaithersburg, Md., was born and raised in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii and served in the Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit comprised of Japanese Americans, which became one of the most decorated units of its size in American history. Shima “ensured returning heroes received a welcome befitting their service and sacrifice.” Shima’s award cita-tion recognized his work “as the Executive Director of the Japanese American Veterans Association, where he committed himself to preserving the stories of service members who fought and bled overseas, even while
many of their families were relocated to in-ternment camps at home.”
“I accept this medal on behalf of the vol-unteers at the Japanese American Veterans Association and for the men who fought in Europe and the Pacific, including my older brother, Hideichi Shimabukuro, to settle the question of loyalty once and for all and to help level the playing field for minori-ties,” said Shima.
“I also accept this medal for the over 800 men we left on the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific, and for the post-World War II Japanese American men and women who competed with the best-of-the-best to build America’s greatness.”
National News
Article and photo provided by Japanese American Veterans Association
Tsujihara has been president of War-
ner Bros.’ home enter-tainment unit, which is responsible for home video, online distribu-tion and video games. In winning the top spot, he edged out rivals and will become the first Asian
American to run a major Hollywood studio. When he becomes CEO on March 1, Tsuji-hara’s priority will be to determine how the company can continue to profit from feature films and TV shows as people increasingly watch their entertainment on tablets, game consoles and even smartphones.
Tsujihara, the grandson of Japanese immi-grants, will become only the fifth leader in the 90-year history of Warner Bros., home of Bugs Bunny, Batman and “The Big Bang Theory”.
Kevin Tsujihara is named CEO of Warner Bros.
It’s a deal! The Philadelphia Eagles have signed a two-year contract with Chinese
American offensive tackle Ed Wang. Wang, the first Chinese American player ever drafted in the NFL, was a fifth round pick by the Buffalo Bills out of Virginia Tech in 2010. He played in six games for the Bills before he missed 2011 with a thumb injury. He spent the offseason with the Oakland Raiders, but didn’t make the team.
Ed Wang Signs with Philadelphia Eagles
Ang Lee, took home the Best
Director Oscar for “Life of Pi” at this year’s Academy Awards on February 24. Two-time Academy Award win-ner said he “went blank for a little while” when his name was called.
“As I walk up, everybody seems to be very happy that we win this award,” he said. “They all stood up and they cheered. They keep on cheering. And I had to give that big bow before they sit down. The energy of the room was very high. So I was very, very touched. It was genu-inely a very happy moment for me.”
Ang Lee wins Oscar for Best Director - “Life of Pi”
The Congressional Asian Pacific Ameri-can Caucus, the leading voice for the
Asian Pacific American community in Con-gress, recently unveiled five central pri-orities for immigration reform. With Asians making up ten percent of all unauthorized immigrants, the first among these is the need for a roadmap to citizenship. The caucus has endorsed proposals to strengthen the econ-omy and workforce, promote integration for new Americans, and establish smarter, more effective enforcement.
Finally, the Caucus supports family unity. Families should not be divided across con-tinents when society benefits by keeping them together.
The chairman of the Caucus, Representa-tive Judy Chu said,” We are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants, and it is time for us to reconcile these facts with a workable process for people who want to move here. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders bring a unique perspective to this discussion, and without our input, the next stage in this great American experiment will be incomplete.”
Asian American priorities for immigration reform
March 201326
Project Generation Connect ad-dresses an important issue within Asian-American families—the lack of communication, dialogue and under-standing among the multiple genera-tions of Asian Americans.
The goal of Project Generation Connect is to share common barriers and challenges faced by Asian Ameri-can parents and children in regards to communicating true feelings, prob-lems, affection, and more.
The project encourages both parents and children to reach out and seek sup-port and help when needed. Because Asian-American cultural upbringing perpetuates this lack of communica-tion, young Asian Americans often find themselves dealing with depression and isolation, and at times, thoughts of suicide.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, depres-sion is the second leading cause of death for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women between 15 and 24, who consistently have the high-est suicide rates among women in this age group.
Asian countries place a great em-phasis on the family unit rather than the individual, and mental illness and
depression often reflect poorly on the family. The resulting stigma associ-ated with mental illness often prevents these conditions from being addressed within Asian-American communities.
First-generation Asian-Americans are often pressured to remove them-selves from their family’s struggles and become the image of American success. Often parents live through the success of their children causing feelings of tension and guilt.
Asian Americans also face issues in regards to their race, ethnicity, identity, and sexuality. Being able to express oneself within a family as well as in the world is very important.
The first step of Project Generation Connect is to begin the dialogue.
If you are of Asian descent, no matter what generation you are or whether you are a parent or a young person, get involved in the conversation by taking the survey at: www.asianavenuemag-azine.com/genconnect.
Comments will be collected and may be shared anonymously in the next edi-tion of Asian Avenue magazine. If you would like to share any thoughts on the project, please e-mail Annie Guo at [email protected].
‘‘I recently turned 22, and my dad told me he loved me for the first time. I didn’t know what to say. It was awkward.
Feature
Growing up my parents spoke Korean to me at home. Now that I am older, it is hard for me to convey my feelings because my Korean is stuck at an elementary level. My parents’ English never advanced to a point where they could understand the complex problems I am going through.
I am dealing with issues around my sexual identity and have no one to talk to. My parents do not know the first thing about the LGBT community.
I do not want my kids to go through the struggles I did as an immigrant from China. I tell them that school is important but they tell me to stop pressuring them to be successful.
‘‘My son wants to work at our family laundromat instead of going to college. I cannot press higher education upon him when I do not have a degree.
www.asianavenuemagazine.com/genconnect
asian avenue magazine
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If you would like to advertise or announce an event, please contact Health Today.Tel: 720-300-8473 | Fax: 303-750-8488Email: [email protected]
Asian Avenue magazine is pleased to announce that we have extended our services into the Chinese community through the publication of Health Today, a bi-weekly Chinese newspaper for metro Denver.
Health Today provides a channel to reach the Chinese communities throughout the state. The newspaper features valuable articles to Chinese readers in topics such as: health and nutrition, culture, lifestyle, trends, products, businesses, events, and more!
Wielding the Adze at the master carpenter Lu Ban’s front door alludes to displaying one’s inferior skill in front of a great master.
In the Ming Dynasty, a man named Mei Zhihuan trav-eled to Caishi (in today’s Dangtu County, Anhui Province) to pay homage to Li Bai, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty.
At his tomb, Mei saw the tomb was littered with doggerels scribbled by visitors. Indignant at the presumptuousness,
he wrote a poem himself to ridicule the would-be poets. His poem reads:
“A pile of earth by the river at Caishi is Li Bai’s tomb.His name will resound for a thousand years as a great
poet.Passers-by like to write a doggerel to his memory.
Are they not flaunting their skill with the adze before Lu Ban’s door?”
班門弄斧Bān mén nòng fǔ
Wielding the Adze Before Ban’s Door
March 201328
Chinese Idiom
Calligraphy by Harrison X. Tu, Confucius Classroom in Denver
William Schoolcraft, MD • Eric Surrey, MD • Debra Minjarez, MD Robert Gustofson, MD • Jennifer Brown, MD
For more information call 720-873-6243 or visit our website today at: www.ColoEggDonor.com
The “adze” is a tool with a steel cutting blade used for smoothing or carving rough-cut wood.
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