By Sam Cho
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Seattle raised me.
My parents first immigrated to the United States through the Port of Seattle (on a plane) in the 1980s and owned a small dry cleaner in the Fremont neighborhood. I’m told I was quite popular in the neighborhood as the “toddler in the red Jeep.” Little did they know, that little kid would go on to run for local office and become a Commissioner to the very port they immigrated through. This was full circle for our family—and the epitome of the American Dream.
Our favorite restaurant growing up was Sea Garden Seafood. I recall my dad telling me when my parents first patronized the community staple, he accidentally drank from the finger bowl, not knowing it was for rinsing your hands! Part of our regular routine after dinner was to stop by Uwajimaya for our weekly groceries. On the way out, I’d grab a copy of the Northwest Asian Weekly.
Reflecting back, Gary Locke would frequent the pages of the newspaper as the governor of our state. While I had no political ambitions as a child, I can’t help but think this subconsciously left an impression on me. I may not be here without the validation I received growing up, seeing someone who looks like me reach such heights. Today, I’m grateful to call former Gov. Locke a good friend and mentor.
This is the power of this publication.
For over 40 years, the Northwest Asian Weekly has been a trusted source of local news for the community, but also a platform for advocacy and stories like mine and Gov. Locke’s.
Our goal as the new ownership group is to honor and preserve the legacy that founder and Publisher Emeritus Assunta Ng has built over all these years. But just as the ownership of the paper has transitioned to a new generation, the reach and audience of the Northwest Asian Weekly should also grow into the next generation.
This means expanding coverage to include topics this generation enjoys reading more of—including sports, entertainment, food, and travel. It also means leveraging new media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Perhaps even building a news app of our own?
At a time when anti-Asian hate continues to plague our community, despite the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander demographic being the fastest-growing population in the nation, the need for a publication like the Northwest Asian Weekly is as important as ever—to celebrate our wins, to grieve collectively in our losses, and to highlight our unique stories.
These days, I reflect on my own story and wonder: If my parents immigrated to this country today, would the future me be here? Is the American Dream still as vibrant as it once was in their era?
I don’t know the answer. But I do know the Northwest Asian Weekly will play a part in shaping it—just as it did in shaping me.
My involvement and investment in the publication is not about making money, but rather to empower our community and ensure that stories like mine and Locke’s are no longer extraordinary—but one day considered to be simply ordinary.
Seattle raised me. But now it’s time to raise the next generation and build a future with more full-circle moments.
The future success of the Northwest Asian Weekly is not in the hands of this new ownership group. It is in the hands of the community. The publication has always been, and will remain, of the community, by the community, and for the community.
It will be a long and arduous journey. We will need every bit of support we can get.
I hope you will join us.