Non Profit - Community Organization - Educate, Participate and Advocate
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VOLUME 14. NO.3 MAY/JUNE 2016 E DUCATE • P ARTICIPATE • A DVOCATE APA NEWS & REVIEW F REE http://issuu.com/apanewsandreview209 3 East / West 8 8-9 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, now officially proclaimed Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, takes place in May. It celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. ASIAN VOTER OUTREACH 10 By Jim T. Chong, APANR Content Contributor “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt One of the fundamental privileges we have in this country is the ability to vote. ere is a quote that you may have heard growing up...”Every vote counts.” is is true now more than ever. One vote can make a difference, but one voice is even more powerful. We are all a part of that voice. We encourage the Asian community as a whole to take a stand on issues that are relevant not just to our communities, but to future generations as a whole. One of the easiest and most powerful ways to do this is to vote. roughout this year, the Asian Pacific American News & Review (APANR) is dedicated to raising issues that are relevant and also to highlighting the things that matter most when it comes to local APA communities. Decide to take some time to understand the issues we are facing today...for these will either create or reduce opportunities for us in the future. Education is the first step toward taking action. APANR strives to take part in the democratic process by providing the kind of information voters need to make intelligent, informed choices at the polls.
Transcript
V O L U M E 1 4 . N O . 3 M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 6E D U C A T E • P A R T I C I P A T E • A D V O C A T E
A P A N E W S & R E V I E W
FREE
http://issuu.com/apanewsandreview209
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East/West
8 8-9
Asian Pacifi c American Heritage MonthAsian Pacifi c American Heritage Month, now offi cially proclaimed Asian American and Pacifi c Islander Heritage Month, takes place in May. It celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacifi c Islanders in the United States.
ASIAN VOTER OUTREACH
10
By Jim T. Chong, APANR Content Contributor
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
One of the fundamental privileges we have in this country is the ability to vote. Th ere is a quote that you may have heard growing up...”Every vote counts.” Th is is true now more than ever. One vote can make a di� erence, but one voice is even more powerful. We are all a part of that voice.
We encourage the Asian community as a whole to take a stand on issues that are relevant not just to
our communities, but to future generations as a whole. One of the easiest and most powerful ways to do this is to vote.
Th roughout this year, the Asian Pacifi c American News & Review
(APANR) is dedicated to raising issues that are relevant and also to highlighting the things that matter most when it comes to local APA communities.
Decide to take some time to understand
the issues we are facing today...for these will either create or reduce opportunities for us in the future. Education is the fi rst step toward taking action. APANR strives to take part in the democratic process by providing the kind of information voters need to make intelligent, informed choices at the polls.
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Asian Pacifi c American News & ReviewMission StatementThe Asian Pacifi c American News and Review is a bi-monthly newspaper dedicated to providing a single, comprehensive publication, both in print and online, that seeks to raise awareness of issues of interest to Asians and associated ethnic groups in Northern California.
ObjectivesEducate — inform readers about the issues facing Asian Pacifi c Americans. And also to give a voice to the community for sharing and lauding accomplishments and concerns.
Participate — promote and encourage readers to take an active role in raising awareness of the Asian Pacifi c American community and its contributions and concerns.
Advocate — Ask readers to be an advocate for the community as an informed, involved member.While we most directly address the concerns of Asian Pacifi c Americans, our publication is not a racial or ethnic sorting. It is a gathering of all those who wish to gather.
� e opinions expressed by contributing writers are their own and do not re� ect the opinions of the newspaper’s owner, Editor, or sta� .
178 West Adams Street
Stockton, CA 95204
Phone: (209) 327-2407
http://issuu.com/apanewsandreview209
May is here and it is Asian Pacifi c Islander Heritage Month! Th is celebration is, of course, very special to us at APANR, and in this issue, we feature President Obama’s last API Heritage Month Declaration.
Th e Central Valley is Ground Zero for Asian Pacifi c American history and continues to be home to one of the largest API populations in the country, with ethnic roots from all over the Asia-Pacifi c region, from China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, mainland and island Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Th ailand, Laos, etc., as well as Oceania.
API history is closely linked to the
stories of API immigrant families, such as that of Grant Din’s own Angel Island family story in this issue.
Stockton and Sacramento play host to many non-profi ts serving the API community and one of the ongoing initiatives for many of these organizations is to get people to vote during this critical election year. Robert Benedetti and Jim Chong weigh in on why we Asians and Pacifi c Islanders should vote.
And as Baby Boomers transition into retirement and Sandwich Generation status (supporting both their children and their parents in multiple ways), both regular contributors Jodi King and Jim Chong refl ect on what this means to them, their life’s work and what it could mean to us, as well.
Where I come from, the month of May is when Filipino Catholics celebrate the festival called Flores de Mayo (fl owers of May) culminating with the Santa Cruzan (a religious pageant featuring processions of regally dressed queens of all ages commemorating Reyna Elena or Helena of Constantinople, mother of Emperor Constantine. She is said to have found the true cross in Jerusalem.) Here in Stockton, early residents of the Little Manila historic district continued this
practice, and similar to what is done in the Philippines, crowned festival queens based on who raised the most funds for charitable causes.
June, on the other hand, is another important month for Filipino and other Muslims in the API community as Ramadan commences on the evening of Sunday, June fi ft h, and ends on the evening of July 5th. Th is is a solemn time of fasting and rededication for the faithful who fast during daylight hours. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims the world over celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Fast-Breaking.
Whether your traditions involve these May or June festivals, or you observe other kinds of celebrations, we wish you and all the generations in your family blessing, good health and long life!
Fay A. Olympia
Next IssueJuly/August
2016
Senior Living
Asian VoterOutreach
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Asian Americans and Pacifi c Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing racial group in our country, growing over 4 times as rapidly as the population of the United States. As one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse groups in America, the AAPI community reminds us that though we all have distinct backgrounds and origins, we are bound in common purpose by our shared hopes and dreams for ourselves and our children. Our Nation’s story would be incomplete without the voices of countless Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacifi c Islanders who have called the land we all love home. Th is month, we honor the irreplaceable roles they have played in our past, and we recommit to ensuring opportunities exist for generations of AAPIs to come.
Th e AAPI community’s long and deeply rooted legacy in the United States reminds us of both proud and painful chapters of our history. Confronted with grueling and perilous working conditions, thousands of Chinese laborers on the transcontinental railroad pushed the wheels of progress forward in the West. Japanese American troops fought for freedom from tyranny abroad in World War II while their families here at home were interned simply on the basis of their origin. And many South Asian Americans in particular face discrimination, harassment, and senseless violence oft en in the communities in which they live and work.
Today, AAPIs lend their rich heritage to enhancing our communities and our culture. As artists and activists, educators and elected offi cials, service men and women and business owners, AAPIs help drive our country forward. Yet despite hard-won achievements, AAPIs continue
to face obstacles to realizing their full potential. One in three AAPIs does not speak English fl uently, and certain subgroups experience low
levels of educational attainment and high levels of unemployment. AAPIs also oft en experience heightened health risks, and millions of AAPI men, women, and children in the United States live in poverty.
My Administration is committed to supporting and investing in AAPI communities. Th anks to the Aff ordable Care Act, 20 million uninsured adults have gained health insurance coverage, including 2 million AAPIs. Among Asian Americans under the age of 65, the uninsured rate has declined by 55 percent since 2013. Last year, we brought together thousands of AAPI artists; advocates; and business, community, and Federal leaders from across America for the fi rst-ever White House Summit on AAPIs to discuss the key issues facing their communities. Th e Summit was hosted by the White House Initiative on AAPIs, which I reestablished during my fi rst year in offi ce and is housed within the Department of
Education. We are working with Federal agencies to build stronger and more robust regional networks across our country that improve access
to Federal resources and expand opportunities. We have worked to protect civil rights, foster educational equity, and create economic opportunity across our country. Because a lack of detailed data perpetuates the false notion of AAPIs as a model minority, we are working across Government to improve data collection to counter existing stereotypes and to shed light on the realities faced and resources needed by the AAPI community. Th rough the White House Task Force on New Americans, Federal agencies are working with cities and counties around America to build welcoming communities that allow immigrants and refugees to thrive. And we will continue working to allow more high skilled immigrants to stay in our country — too many talented AAPIs are held back from fully realizing our country’s promise, and too many have suff ered the consequences of our Nation’s broken immigration system.
Peoples of diverse backgrounds and
circumstances have long come to our country with the faith that they could build a better life in America, and spanning generations, the story of AAPIs in the United States embodies this promise. During Asian American and Pacifi c Islander Heritage Month, let us celebrate the many contributions our AAPI brothers and sisters have made to the American mosaic, and let us renew our commitment to creating more opportunities for AAPI youth as they grow up and embrace the hard work of active citizenship, adding their unique voices and experiences to our Nation’s narrative.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2016 as Asian American and Pacifi c Islander Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/AAPI to learn more about our eff orts on behalf of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacifi c Islanders, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation of API Heritage Month
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1658 S Airport WayStockton, CA 95206
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Wednesday, June 15 5PM-11PMThursday, June 16 - Sunday, June 19 Noon-11PM
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The Fair is returning to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton!
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• Jackson Michelson• Journey Unauthorized• Salute to Foreigner • Vendetta Wrestling• Petting Zoo• BMX Freestyle Team• Wild About Monkeys• K9 Kings Dog Show & more!
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JUNE 15 -19, 2016
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BINGO * EXHIBITORS * CLASSIC CARS
* ENTERTAINMENT * FOOD * WELLNESS WALK * SENIOR ART SHOW
San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) provides free shuttle service to Senior Awareness Day event at Micke Grove Park. From 8 am to noon, shuttle buses will leave every half hour from eastbound Yokuts Ave, just east of Claremont Ave, in
Stockton. Returning buses will leave the park every half hour until 3 pm.
If you daydream, get so into a movie or book that it seems real, or lose track of time entirely during a relaxing activity, you’re simply giving the conscious part of your mind some time off to take a little side trip, shift ing mental gears from beta brainwaves into alpha; which is a good thing.
People who pray devoutly and people who meditate are in alpha. If prayer is talking to God one can think of meditation as listening to God, although oft en calming music or a sound such as OM or a word such as peace or a phrase such as I am at peace is introduced into the stillness. Eastern religions rely more on meditation, western on prayer. Ideally, the two overlap.
One diff erence between the spiritual practice of meditation and therapeutic self-hypnosis is how the inner voice expresses itself. What during meditation would be stated in fi rst person - “I this or I that”- would during self-hypnosis typically become “You this or you that.” Even without deliberate input, the combination of still body and quiet mind alone allows the subconscious mind to do the deep psychological and spiritual housecleaning that we cannot make happen, but which happens automatically when we provide the opportunity.
Altered states of mind (whether named or unnamed) have existed in every culture as long as mankind has existed. How fortunate that we can all “go there” through a still body and quiet mind, and return better for the travel.
Ginny Lucas has earned a PhD in psychology and a Doctorate Degree (DCH) in clinical hypnosis. She founded Stockton’s Evergreen Professional Hypnotherapy in 1992 and in 2003 was Stockton’s Small Business Person of the Year. She is a certi� ed instructor of Traditional Yoga, with more than 40 years teaching experience. “Traditional,” she explains, “means before Yoga became westernized and commercial.”
Visiting a Different State... of Mind
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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
By Jodi King
Th is is my 15th year in the interior decorating business. My husband is now retired, my parents are aging and now I have the opportunity to give back to them a portion of the caretaking they gave to me. Every time I see them I wonder how they will be the next time.
Even our dogs are in their senior years, and my time with them is more valuable to me than ever before.
I struggle with juggling priorities, and realize that I want to focus on healing, and connectedness in a pure form with all of God’s life force. Th at means being with nature and with the intention of being at peace with my surroundings. Giving myself space to enjoy the
quiet and to renew is at the top of my priorities.
I have contemplated whether I want to continue my career in interior decorating, and then came to the conclusion that creating a place that is in harmony with nature is healing and something that I enjoy. Creating a space that has good vibrations isn’t about how expensive a piece of furniture or art is, or if it’s new or damaged. It’s amusing
that people want to make their old worn tables and cabinets look like new, and the new ones that are in the market are made to look worn.
Creating a space that heals the heart is about surrounding yourself with the furnishings and décor that are balanced with the room. It’s about valuing the space in the room, more than the things used to fi ll it.
Notice how the energy changed in this home by placing furnishings that are balanced in size and neutral in color? Th ere is nothing spectacular about any of the pieces, but they all complement the space, and each piece contributing to the peaceful feeling of the room.
Th at’s how I want to live my life: to have every piece of time, of doing, be a part of creating peace in my heart, and to the heart of all of God’s creations. Every day. Every moment. And all of the pieces fi t together in Love.
Jodi King, OwnerARTISTIC INTERIORS BY JODI
916.837.4159see before and aft er pictures!
www.ArtisticInteriorsbyJodi.comHome is where the ART is!
MARINA POINT DINING AFTERMARINA POINT DINING BEFORE
Brain Health to Beat Stroke “BH to BS”By Danny Nuss
Second Annual Brain Health 5K Run/Walk
On Saturday, June 25th, Healings in Motion and Partners for Stroke Awareness will host the second annual fundraiser Brain Health 5K Run/Walk in Downtown Stockton near McLeod Lake Park at Weber Point. Registration opens at 7:00 am and the run/walk begins at 8:15 am.
“Th is is a great opportunity to support our local community and your participation directly benefi ts stroke survivors and their families in our community” said Mary Nicholson, Founder and Executive Director. “Will you join us in the fi ght against stroke?”
Proceeds from this year will directly support future educational programs and resources for families and medical providers. Healings in Motion is
nine year-old 501(c)(3) non-profi t agency focused on brain health, stroke awareness, community education and supporting the advancement of local medical services. Healings in Motion successfully advocated for area hospitals to become Certifi ed Stroke Centers - improving stroke care and survival rates for countless families!
“We would love your help”, said Danny Nuss, Co-Chair of this year’s 5k walk/run. “Come out and join us this year as a runner, walker, or volunteer.”
For more information about participation, registration, and sponsorship opportunities please visit us online at http://BrainHealth5K.eventbrite.com or at www.healingsinmotion.org. You are also welcome to contact Danny Nuss by phone at (209) 479-4983 for direct assistance.
Survivor-BrainWalk
Dr Jung-Brain Walk
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Phone: (209) 327-2407
“Purple Rain”As my own father starts to lose his memory and I serve as a part-time caregiver, it becomes more important to me that I understand
what gratitude and appreciation is all about. I write this specifi c article to honor my mother, Hing (who had passed away on Oct. 9th, 2007) & my father Wing Chong, with the understanding that the statement “life is too short” is so very true.
With the recent passing of Prince, we have seen some very honorable and notable posts highlighting his achievements. Sometimes, the true appreciation for someone is realized when they are no longer with us. I remember listening to the fi rst song I heard from Prince, “I Want To Be Your Lover,” which had a very upbeat and memorable melodic line. Since then, he topped the charts with such songs as “Little Red Corvette,” “1999,” “When Doves Cry,” and of course… “Purple Rain.”
In researching the life of Prince, I came to understand why he chose to change his name to the unnamed symbol (formerly known as Prince)…and that there was an actual noble cause based on principle that he was fi ghting for. I have also learned to respect his accomplishments and what he has done to help others to achieve their own success.
Hearing about Prince’s death came at a time for me when others I knew had also recently passed away unexpectedly. I had to sit back and take a deep breath every time I became aware of someone else passing away…and it made me refl ect. With refl ection, comes appreciation when we take time to really think about life. My appreciation has grown more deeply for my parents, becoming aware of all the sacrifi ces they had made for my two sisters, my brother, and me. An “Aha” moment came when I realized something important I needed to learn with the passing of time…that we can easily forget the things that we should be thankful for.
Last month when I wrote about “Teach Your Children Well,” I didn’t realize how deeply I felt about what I wrote in the article until I re-read it live on my radio show and felt the surge of emotional gratitude for my parents. I then understood that I had grown to better appreciate the sacrifi ces of the past made for me by my parents so that I could have opportunities in my lifetime that they never had.
I encourage you to do a little research on your own cultural and family heritage…and not to take for granted the more personal things in life like family, lifelong friends, and our freedom. To extend that out a little further…when one truly understands the sacrifi ces made for our freedom, we can take time to also refl ect and think about the people that have gone before us so that we can enjoy the simple “freedoms” we in this country.
You might consider saying “Th ank You” to those that you already know who have served our country so that we can take advantage of the privileges we enjoy…privileges such as voting, opportunities to serve, and the honor of passing on the history and gratitude to the next generation. Th e truth is, we cannot pass on what we don’t know. We serve as the mirror of the past to inspire the youth and to help give them a focused purpose for the future.
Some say that “Purple Rain” was a metaphor for a place to be free from the challenges and storms that occur in life. Many before us have built the foundation for our “Purple Rain.”
Learn more about your past and pass it on to the youth and let it inspire you to do something great. Remember that today will soon become the past and the history of tomorrow.
I encourage and invite you to join me in appreciating caregivers and those that give selfl essly to others. Register for the Inner Safari Caregiver Appreciation Day at http://caregiverappreciation2016.eventbrite.com.
About Th e Author:
Jim T. Chong is an S4L Executive Speaker/Trainer/Writer/Published Author and specializes Navigator for LTC/Senior Benefi ts, Financial, Retirement, Life and Business Strategies, a published author & Executive Speaker/Trainer, and is on the Executive Team/Board of various
Foundations and Organizations. He is also the founder of the upcoming “WokStar Production”. Contact Info: [email protected] (209) 534-8000.
Tune in on Money 105.5 FM on Th urs & Fri 2pm and join us for “Th e Rush Hour For Success” with radio personalities Jim T. Chong “Th e Wok Star” and “Th e Th eatre Queen” Cami Ferry.
By Jim T. Chong
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East/WestChanging Season: On Th e Masumoto Family Farm, an award-winning documentary from the Center for Asian American Media, explores family farming with a twist. Mas is turning 60 and the physical rigors of an artisanal organic peach operation have taken a toll. Th e Masumotos grow some of the healthiest, and tastiest, fruit in the region. Farming in California’s Central Valley has provided Mas with a lifetime of experiences, inspiring seven books about a love of the land and the struggle to succeed. Consumer culture is catching up with the slow food values that prize his heirloom varietals, aff ording Masumoto peaches, nectarines and grapes a level of public adulation and modest fi nancial success.
In the midst of a prolonged drought Mas wonders what the future holds for the family business his grandparents started. It’s possible that the fourth generation to farm the land will be daughter Nikiko, who has returned to become what she calls “an apprentice farmer.” Nikiko’s mother, Marcy, brings in a critical second income working in the city while brother Korio is
still in college studying sociology. Being a multi-generational Japanese American farming family in California’s conservative Central Valley, the Masumotos stand in the shadow of forced wartime dispossession and relocation of Japanese Americans.
For better or worse Nikiko has inherited her father’s passion for justice, and just as her father, she chooses to express it in organic farming. Changes are a way of life as farm seasons pass—without them, including adequate supplies of water, there is no harvest. Th ey watch with concern the falling water table under
their farm and whether they’ll have to change crops—including their beloved peaches—in the future.
Changing Season: On Th e Masumoto Family Farm won the Best Director for a Documentary Award at the Los Angeles Asian Pacifi c Film Festival and Best Feature Documentary at the Sacramento Asian
Pacifi c Film Festival. Jim Choi is director and Chihiro Wimbush is the editor of the documentary. Don Young is the producer for CAAM, and Stephen Gong and David Hosley are co-executive producers. Th e
program will be broadcast on public television stations across the country in May, which is Asian Pacifi c Islander Heritage Month. KVIE Channel 6 broadcast the program on May 2 and May 8.
Mas and Nikiko Masumoto have written a companion volume to the documentary, which is titled Changing Season: A Father, A Daughter, A Family Farm. It addresses the transition to becoming a farmer in a series of essays and what it means to pass something on to a new generation. It will be available in June from Heyday Books.
About the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): A non-profi t organization headquartered in San Francisco, CAAM is dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. CAAM funds, produces, distributes and exhibits works in fi lm, television and digital media. Th e bulk of its support comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and CAAM supplies a number of public television programs annually to PBS and its affi liated stations. Stephen Gong is the executive director of CAAM.
SPECIAL TO THE APA NEWS AND REVIEW
Valley Organic Farming Family Featured In Documentary
Mas Masumoto
Nikiko Masumoto
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By Teresa M. Chen, Pacifi c Complementary Medicine Center
Th e tea plant, Camellia sinensis, is indigenous in Yunnan, in the southwestern region of China, bordering India, Burma, and other Southeast Asian countries.
Map of China highlighting the Yunnan province
From Yunnan, tea drinking spread northward via Sichuan to the Qin and Han capitals (221 BCE-220 CE). From the Tang capital of Chang-an (618-907 CE), the trade of tea turned westward along the Silk Road to Asia Minor. Along the Yangtze River, tea spread eastward downstream to all the southern provinces where the moderate climate was hospitable to the propagation of tea plants. It was also during the Tang dynasty when tea spread to Korea and Japan.
From Yunnan and Qinghai, going westward and negotiating the rough terrains of the Himalayas, is an ancient route known as cha-ma gu-dao (the ancient trail of tea-horses) carrying tea into Tibet.
Tea drinking quickly spread from the courts to the common people. By the middle part of the Han dynasty, at the time of the fi rst century CE, making tea had become a regular chore in a gentleman’s household as demonstrated by a written contract retaining a houseboy. Tea became widely popular during the Tang
dynasty when tea was regarded as one of the Seven Daily Household Necessities along with fi rewood, rice, oil, salt, bean paste, and vinegar, Not only did tea hobbyists devise rules for making tea, games were also designed to compete for titles of the best tea-maker or the best tea connoisseur.
Th ough the medicinal benefi t of tea was recognized early on and documented, it was so outweighed by the economic benefi ts of trade and taxation that tea was placed in a class of its own. Tea was not distributed by regular herb dealers nor sold in ordinary herb shops. Th e tea market was tightly controlled and regulated by the government, bringing in great wealth for the Central Kingdom.
For centuries tea was a Chinese monopoly until it was challenged by the Dutch East Asia Company and Great Britain. Th e Britons, eager to even their trade defi cit with China, did two things: (1) they sold opium to the Chinese and waged the Opium Wars (1839-42; 1856-60) and (2) they cultivated tea in their Indian colony of Assam. Th eir tea plant, endemic to Assam, with bigger leaves than that of Camellia sinensis, is known botanically as Camellia assamica. From fully fermented leaves, they produced black tea favored by Europeans. Soon the consumption of black tea overtook that of green tea and China’s dominance in tea trade was shattered.
Japanese growers who had started growing tea as early as the Tang dynasty and perfected the processing of matcha, green tea in powder form, joined the Europeans in producing black tea for export as well as for internal consumption during the Meiji Restoration when modernization/Westernization began in 1868.
Next to water, tea as a beverage is the most consumed drink in the
world, outdistancing coff ee, soda, and wine combined. Besides quenching thirst, tea off ers a calm alertness. Zen Buddhist monks drink tea during meditation, supposedly to keep them from drowsiness and to clear their mind.
Diff erent tea-drinking cultures prepare their tea diff erently. For example, Tibetans add yak butter to their boiling tea while the people from Pakistan to Turkey add spices. Americans prefer iced tea while boiling water has always been an important part of tea making in China and Japan. Tea can be enjoyed by itself or accompanied by fi nger food or hors d’oeuvres or something more substantial like cakes and sandwiches as with English high tea or with dim sum in a Cantonese teahouse.
On formal occasions, certain rituals and etiquette are observed. For example, in Japanese chanoyu (‘tea ceremony’), the setting, the hanging scroll, the fl ower arrangement, the utensils, as well as hot water and green tea powder, have to be carefully selected while deliberate steps are to be followed. Chinese gongfu tea, an elaborate and unhurried way of serving tea, is being revived among modern-day tea connoisseurs and promoted by proprietors of teashops in Taiwan. Classical purple-clay Yixing ware and modern glassware are used in gongfu tea.
Iron teakettle on charcoal
Yixing teapot with glass tea container
Aft er a lifetime of tea-drinking and over thirty years of Japanese chanoyu practice, I am beginning to realize that it is no big deal to leisurely enjoy a cup of tea, alone or with friends. It is just part of ordinary life.
Pouring tea from a teapot into teacups
Calligraphy by Kogetsu Tani, saying: Ordinary Mind
OUR CUP OF TEA
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APAPA Sacramento Mayoral Candidate Town Hall and Spring MixerAPAPA Greater Sacramento Chapter hosted a Mayoral Candidates Town Hall and Spring Mixer on April 18, 2016. Over 300 people were in attendance along with Sacramento Mayoral candidates: Angelique Ashby, Tony Lopez, Russell Rawlings, and Darrell Steinberg.
Community organizations which came out included: CAIR-SV, CAPITAL, Chinese American Council of Sacramento, East Bay Asian Youth Center, GSVACC, Slavic American Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, SCIFA, and TOFA.
Photos courtesy of Tia Gemmell.
1) Community Panelists2) General Public3) General Public4) Candidates with Panelists5) Candidates with APAPA-GSC Board Members and CC Yin.
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5
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Voting is a civic duty in a democracy; in some, including Australia,
Singapore, and many Latin American countries, citizens are punished if they fail to vote. However, there are other reasons to vote than that it is expected or that you might be fi ned!
First, your vote does make a diff erence. Recently several California elections, including the primary race for Secretary of State and the general election race for state senator in the district that includes Stockton, were decided by a handful of votes. In 2000, the Florida’s Presidential vote, which decided the election, went to George W Bush by only 537 ballots. Moreover, if you vote, you set an example for friends and neighbors, and together your social circle can make a signifi cant impact on the vote counts.
Second, voting is a wake-up call for you to check and to evaluate how government is serving you. We all lead busy lives and need appointments to be sure that we are monitoring the basic social infrastructure of our city, state, and nation. Like we regularly go to the doctor and the dentist, elections are the opportunity to gain information about how the city, state, and nation are running. Getting ready to vote
is as important as voting is. Th at is the reason every Californian receives a voting guide available in several languages.
Th ird, voting is the only viable alternative for the selection of leaders in a representative democracy of our size. Th e other possibility is election by lot, and that leaves so much to chance. If we do not vote or select political leaders by lot, a small minority would designate them and the majority would lose the power to determine its fate. Voting is simply the best way for us to select leaders.
Fourth, voting has gotten a great deal easier. You can do it by mail these days and an increasing number of Californians do. In fact, you can sign up to have the ballot sent to you for every election. Th is way its arrival reminds you to vote and you need never miss an election. If you prefer to vote at a voting station, you can select from many locations. Every precinct location is well marked, is open extended hours and fully staff ed to make voting quick and easy.
Fift h, according to a survey done in 2012 by scholars at UC Riverside, 14.14% of the voters registered in California are Asian Americans. Th is is the highest percentage of Asian American voters in any state in the US. Th e numbers are high enough to be of signifi cance to elected offi cials who want to guarantee they win a majority of votes in every election. However, to preserve politicians’ attention, Asian Americans must be voters. In 2012, the Pew Research Center reported that only about three in ten of the eligible Asian American votes have cast ballots in midterm elections since 1998, a much lower
turnout rate than among whites, or blacks, but virtually the same as Latinos. Even if one’s candidate does not win, the threat and promise of votes for the next election infl uences those elected to take groups like the Asian American community into account. By voting you automatically increase the willingness of representatives to discover which issues are important to the Asian American community and to act accordingly.
Sixth, California is one of a handful of states that allows voters to legislate as well as select leaders. Th e initiative process is alive and well, off ering voters the chance to make law by voting for propositions each election. In the past voters have limited taxes, determined sentencing for crimes, directed funding of education and mental health, and determined term limits for legislators.
Seventh, reform movements in the 20th Century created the primary system to replace the nomination of party candidates by conventions dominated by party regulars. Voters can now set the list of candidates as well as decide between them;
however, this system only works if the voters take part and go the polls for primary as well as general elections.
Eighth and fi nally, voting is one more way to take charge of your life, to decide the ways in which government will structure your obligations. Greek philosophers claimed that participation in government made citizens mature; by seizing control of their environment they could claim to be taking control of the forces that determine their lives.
Register; consider voting by mail, and make marking your ballot a habit. Th is way you help the political system stay healthy, keep the interests of Asian Americans in front of elected offi cials and take charge of your social surroundings.
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By Robert Benedetti, CSU Sacramento and University of the Pacifi c
Why Vote, 2016?
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Andrew K.C. Wong
Sandy Chau Hsing Kung Ken Fong
KENSON VENTURES Johnson & Gina Chiang
4/29/16
Mariko Yamada* State Senate
District 3 Candidate
Mae Torlakson* Assemblymember
District 14 Candidate
APAPA Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association
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APAPA Solano County Chapter VOTERS EDUCATION FORUM
Debora Allen* Assemblymember
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Asm, Bill Dodd* State Senate
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Gabe Griess* State Senate
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Saturday, May 21, 2016 1:00PM Reception | 2:00PM Forum | 4:00 Networking
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Chinese CulturalCamp Photos
Th e Confucius Church of Stockton at 212 E. Lafayette Street is excited to hold its 6th Annual Chinese Culture Camp this summer from June 13-18, 2016! While continuing to off er traditional favorite activities such as lion dancing, folk dancing and hands-on cooking, organizers are also creating brand new classes, including Mah Jongg basics, drumming and badminton. Instructors come from the Stockton Chinese Community. Th e camp is held from 8:30 - 12:30 each day and includes a healthy snack. Registration forms for campers (grades 1-6), counselors (7th grade through college, community service hours granted) and volunteer instructors can be downloaded at www.stocktoncba.org or obtained by calling (209) 462-6442. Camp participants are multicultural. Forms are due May 27th. A program fee of $75 is charged for campers only.
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