The Power of Stories (Part I) – My First APA Legislative Day

On February 17 at 8 a.m., I hopped on the International Community Health Services (ICHS) bus bound for the Asian Pacific American (APA) Legislative Day in Olympia. There, I heard many stories, and these stories touched my heart as I realized the power I have in my hands to be able to tell these stories through my videos. I was never more inspired, it was an enlightening moment. Right there and then, I said to myself: “This is what I want to do, and this is why I’m doing it.” I wrote an article featured on the cover of the International Examiner on this, if you want to read the full article please go here.

The day serves as an annual rallying call for the APAs of Washington to ensure their voices are heard at the state capital through organized unity. Community leaders, non-profits, activists, stakeholders and community members call on the Governor and the state legislature to recognize the impacts of their decisions on the greater APA community. This year, the Governor and the legislature proposed a $5 billion dollar budget cut for the state, eliminating many services that the APA community heavily relies on.

Pouring through our paper lunch bag provided by ICHS, with IE intern, Jintana Lityouvong, we’re expecting a long, cold, and boring day with politicians and older people. I was only right about the cold part. The young and veteran activists had tremendous amounts of energy during the rally. They were cheering, holding up their signs, and getting all fired up to march into the legislative building. To many of the seniors, this wasn’t just some political event. This was a day for the state’s leaders to listen to them and see the faces of the APA community. (Click here to read the full article)

What Will You Remember? [Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project]

The past two months has kept me busy. Somehow, I don’t know how, I became part of the Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project steering committee. I was never a big history person, I actually purposely avoided history classes throughout high school. But this project made me look at history with a new perspective. I never knew that Seattle was built by Chinese, I never knew that the Chinese in Seattle area dates back to the 1800′s, and I especially never knew that the Chinese were forcefully expelled from Seattle. Even though this happened 125 years ago, I’m still pretty shocked that such history was NEVER brought to my attention throughout my years at school…

This is coming from a kid who’s always hated history classes, this is important history to KNOW. As the immigration debates go on today ( I don’t follow it very much…), there’s a lot of parallels with what happened 125 years ago. Literally, history is in repeat mode. Unless we actually keep these lost lessons upfront, we will continue to see marginalized populations being demonized by media, by intolerance, and by ignorance. 125 years from now, what do you think people will remember? I know for sure I don’t want this history to be lost,  so why don’t you see for yourself?

Children of Golden Grill [The VIDEO]

Here it is!! The video that’s been haunting me ever since last spring! I am FINALLY DONE! BWAHAHAHA

There’s still some need for adjustments, but it’s hot off the press, literally! So check it out, and I’ll upload a fixed up version later… when I’m not feeling lazy. Hahaha. Either way, go check it out!

My next project is to move all these vids to Youtube! Wish me luck m’loves! <3

http://www.iexaminer.org/editorial/its-growing-working-chinese-restaurant/

 

Children of Golden Grill – [The Inspiration]

“Hello! Welcome to Golden Grill Mongolian BBQ!”

These were the most painfully familiar words imprinted into my adolescent mind and still resonate till this day. I was ten when my family moved from Taiwan to Silverdale, Washington, a remote town on the opposite end of Puget Sound from Seattle. The Chou’s family (that’s my family, of course) had a longer history here, my dad’s sisters were the pioneers of our family trade. I think they started in California, chasing after the American Dream of streets paved with gold and all that. To avoid competition, they chose remote areas to have their businesses. Eventually the three Chou’s sisters plus one brother (not my dad, we’re not here yet) decided to settle in Silverdale, and thus Golden Grill was born.

Golden Grill is now 23 years old, same age as my older brother. My family moved here in 2000, about a decade later than the rest of the gang. But nevertheless, we all took part in this experience of growing up in Golden Grill. We ate here, we played here, we fought here (and saw BIG bar fights), and we worked here. The Grill (this is what the kids call the restaurant, because it sounds cooler) was a way of life for us.

Whether it’s positive or negative, our childhood at the Grill gave all of us something to take with us. This unique experience as restaurant children resonates with many generations of Asian Americans. It doesn’t even be about restaurants, it’s this experience of being tied closely to our families and growing up in this family-owned business environment that makes it unique. As children, we saw how hard our parents had to work in order for us to fit into the American society. Our parents had no choice but to choose a trade that worked for them, from restaurants, convenient stores, to salons, and dry cleaners. This was a way of life not just for my family, but also for the majority of Asian Americans.

So as you watch this film about my cousins as “Children of Golden Grill”, try to think about how hard our parents had to work to get us to where we are today. In the eyes of outsiders, the “restaurant life” might be something strange, but it’s the struggles, the laughs, the ups and downs that honors this unique and yet collective experience of the American Dream.

Hopefully in the near future, when I’m able to convince the adults to get over their camera-shyness, I’ll make a sequel to this called the “Parents of Golden Grill”. So we get to hear what they had to say about their vision of coming to America as oppose to us children whining about growing up in a restaurant.

Pookii Production’s First Entertainment Video

I thought I’d add some fun elements to my videos! So here’s a promo video for a New Year’s Eve party at a Asian American bar in Seattle called TIG. Yes, partying is part of the process of humanizing Asian Americans! (Just like on K-Town the reality show!)