What did Northwest Asian Weekly website readers find the most intriguing to click on this year? Here is the list of the top 15 in 2015, based on Google Analytics.
1. Manny Pacquiao fights back at Mayweather’s “reckless” jabs
By Greg Beacham
Pacquiao has rarely skimped on excitement during his remarkable career as an eight-division champion, but the Philippines congressman realizes he is facing the greatest defensive fighter of their era.
Mayweather has been nearly unhittable for most of his opponents during his career.
2. Trash to treasure — Contests and crowds at 2015 Dragon Fest
Visitors to the 2015 Dragon Fest in Chinatown were treated to an unusual runway fashion show and contest. What made it unusual? All materials used to create the designs were required to be recycled.
3. Astrological Predictions for 2015 — The Year of the Goat
By Sun Lee Chang
The Goat has a special strength as one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac – it has the power to make something from nothing.
4. Luchang Wang, Yale student, commits suicide — AAPI community and depression
By Jenn Fang
Luchang Wang, a mathematics major and member of Yale’s Silliman College — had died of an apparent suicide. She was 20 years old.
5. Tokyo ward is first in Japan to recognize same sex marriage
By Yuri Kageyama
With a landmark vote by the assembly of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, the district famous as a mecca for trendy youngsters became the first locale in Japan to recognize same sex partnerships as the “equivalent of a marriage.”
6. Japan’s leader says he will express remorse for World War II
By Ken Moritsugu
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government would draft a new statement “that includes Japan’s remorse for the war,” though he stopped short of saying it would again apologize.
7. BLOG: Farewell to Imperial Lanes — Finishing with a strike
By John Liu
Imperial Lanes and Lounge opened in Seattle’s Rainier Valley in 1959 and was run by Fred Takagi for 30 years.
Many young Japanese Americans chose Imperial Lanes as their hangout. It closed May 31.
8.Miss India Washington pageant 2015 — Celebrating beauty, spirit, and heritage
By Menka Soni
The 2015 Ravishing Women show was home to the Miss/Mrs/Teen India WA pageantry, along with motivating segments that honor women. The event was a grand celebration of the rich heritage and oneness as part of the larger Indian Diaspora.
9. Eddie Huang: “Perfectly imperfect” — Fresh Off the Boat author talks about race, life, food and why he doesn’t watch the show
By Jason Cruz
Eddie Huang spoke to a filled room in the student union building of the University of Washington on a rainy Tuesday night in April. The lawyer/chef/writer/creator talked about race, life, food and a little bit about the ABC network show that he states he no longer watches.
10. Donnie Chin shot — Community stunned
By Staff
Donnie Chin, executive director of the International District Emergency Center and community died July 23, after being shot in the Chinatown International District.
Chin’s service in the I.D. was usually a one-man show, patrolling in the ID. For the past decade, he was able to organize a board and recruit volunteers to assist him in his patrol and provide security service for community events.
11. BLOG: Superstitions and traditions — Examining our strange Lunar New Year customs
By Assunta Ng
“Reminiscing about Lunar New Year during my childhood, I could count as many as hundreds of traditions my family followed. Some were fun, while some were silly and reflective of cultural defects.
As a child, I wasn’t smart enough to say, ‘Hey, just because it was done thousands of years ago in China doesn’t mean we have to do the same today!’
Nor was it my place to ask, ‘Why are we doing this?’”
12. Recognized! — White House introduces Filipino American History Month
By Ador Pereda Yano
The White House marked the presidential recognition of the month of October as Filipino American History Month. On October 2nd, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders sponsored an event in Washington DC to celebrate the history of Filipino Americans and their various contributions to the country’s development.
13. Seattle sushi chef Taichi Kitamura beats Bobby Flay on national TV
By Nina Huang
Local chef Taichi Kitamura, owner and chef of Sushi Kappo Tamura appeared on the Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” TV show on March 5.
It was a packed house at Tini Bigs Lounge for the viewing party of “Beat Bobby Flay” where folks gathered to watch and support Kitamura as he went head to head against Flay.
14. Yours Mallika: Exploring dance and story
By Charuta Fadnis
Inspired by two disparate, divergent literary and musical masterpieces, “Yours Mallika” took the audience on a voyage through the centuries using various dance forms – from Bharatnatyam to Flamenco and Kathak to Waltz. Involving a cast and crew of over 120 volunteers, the show was over four months in the making and involved intricate period costumes and elaborate historical sets.
15. Doris Jeong raises awareness of little people in our community
By Nina Huang
Height aside, Jeong is a regular young professional who has friends who are average height. She goes to work, comes home to eat, watches Netflix and on the weekends, she’ll go out to parties and hang out with her friends.
But despite her seemingly normal life, over the years, she has experienced social challenges. Jeong said that people sometimes unintentionally and subconsciously discount her as being a normal 26-year-old. (end)