Author: Marlon Meyer
Northwest Asia Weekly
Seattle First Lady Joanne Harrell and the elected mayor Bruce Harrell. Joanne holds the dragon ball, which symbolizes the dragon’s neck, and holds the power of the dragon. (Photo by Rick Wong)
It’s almost like a parting party. At the celebration of Bruce Harrell’s election as mayor on December 10, almost all speakers seemed to want to remind him of his relationship with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community that helped him get elected.
“We did it all,” said James Huang, CEO and co-host of Vibrant Cities, pointing to more than 400 people at the Joyale seafood restaurant crowded in the international district of Chinatown.
From left: Ou Tony, Dr. Xiao Ming and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (Photo: Assunta Ng)
Sometimes, this three-hour banquet is close to a boisterous party, designed to celebrate Harrell’s victory. But it also highlights the voting group that seemed to elect him.
Community leaders such as Tomio Moriguchi reminded Harrell that his family originated nearby. Former governor Gary Locke mocked the Japanese-American elected officials to be on the scene later than their Chinese-American counterparts. Collectively, these comments represent an impetus to find and establish connections that constitute a newly emerging but possibly still fragile alliance.
Gary Locke (left) and Jim McDermott (photo by George Liu)
Connie So, president of the OCA Asia Pacific Advocates Association in the Greater Seattle Area and professor of American Ethnographic Studies at the University of Washington (UW), said that Harrell’s appearance in many events, including those against AAPI hatred, helped him win votes-with his opponents On the contrary, his absence is obvious.
She said in an email: “The Seattle ballot shows that both South Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley voted for him,” which is the area where most Asian Americans live. “I think this is why the majority of Asian Americans who voted chose him.”
Harrell seems to be fully aware of his debt to the AAPI community and the black community (on his campaign website, Harrell describes himself as the “son of a black father and a Japanese mother”).
From left: Elaine I. Ko, Tomio Moriguchi and Joanne Harrell (Photo: George Liu)
“I am honored to be the right person at the right time,” he said, adding that his election was helped by 15% of the city’s residents who agree with AAPI.
“We politicians call it a voting group,” he said, repeatedly interrupted by cheers and boos. “We took this to 7% of African Americans, and [in addition] 10% or 15% of you huskies like football. “
Harrell played football at the University of Washington (and won the Most Valuable Defensive Player award during the 1978 Rose Bowl), which is another aspect of his identity as a Seattle native that speakers often mention.
When Moriguchi introduced Harrell, he kindly mentioned the mayor’s cousin who was repairing a car nearby, and a flower shop run by Harrell’s mother’s sister.
Wu Asanta, one of the publishers and hosts of Northwest Asia Weekly, described how when Harrell’s mother was worried about his popularity among female voters when she was running for mayor in 2007, she invited some Asian American women to meet. Her son and advise him.
Other speakers stated that Harrell’s services are part of AAPI’s long-term contribution to the city.
In reading a statement from Governor Jay Inslee, Washington State Commissioner for Asian and Pacific American Affairs Carrie Huie-Pascua said that “every road and brick that makes up Seattle” is attributed to the labor of AAPI immigrants. .
She said that Harrell’s understanding of community needs “derives from life experience.” “He will listen to the opinions of the AAPI community.”
“We congratulate him for keeping the dream and legacy of the AAPI community alive,” said Hisao Inagaki, Consul General of Japan.
Locke congratulated all the recently elected Asian American mayors and seemed to imply that the cohesion between the AAPI community was formed not only by hostile history but also by recent hostility, at least to some extent.
“We are in a very difficult time,” he said, targeting Asian American scientists who have any connection with China as an example. “We are foreigners forever.”
Nevertheless, some political observers believe that the idea of the AAPI voting group is fragile. Historically, different ethnic groups have different voting methods and pursue different interests. It is not yet clear whether the voter coalition supporting Harrell will be split by other issues in the future, just as it seems that a single issue will unite it this time.
“The recent surge in anti-Asian violence is likely to have many Asian Americans bring this issue to their doorsteps, but I don’t know if this will turn into a coherent voting group,” Moon-Ho Jung, professor of history at the school Say. Washington University. “The collective identity of’Asian American’ has been forming and has different meanings to different people. This is a controversial process.”
Professor Jung added: “I hope we can use our current moment to understand the struggles of the most vulnerable in our community, because that is where we can find the most innovative and feasible answers.”
At least in the cheers and applause, the most important topic that everyone thought of was public safety. Harrell will support the police as a key part of his campaign.
He said he had just met with Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, who put the dragon’s head on a pole to lead the inaugural dragon dance and vowed to work hard to reduce the response time of 911 calls to 7 minutes.
However, it seems that if he is not caught between the two necessary conditions for the police, then at least he is trying to unify two diametrically opposed attitudes towards law enforcement.
“I said that I will not cancel funding for the police, but I understand the need to eradicate racism and unfairness in our police stations. I understand the need to ensure that people are not killed by the police. I understand that in a crisis situation. We need to provide people with psychological counseling and mental illness treatment, because all of these will ensure the safety of all of us,” he said at the end of his speech. “By the way, this may require more funding instead of canceling funding.”
However, as the city is freed from public safety issues, homelessness, pandemics, and other problems, the challenges that plague the mayor at this moment are also undercurrents that night.
Volunteers in black suits and black masks stood outside the dining room and checked the vaccinations of those who arrived.
Former congressman Jim McDermott, who appeared briefly, said that the job of serving as mayor is difficult at any time. When asked, he refused to escape.
“The work he has undertaken is very difficult,” he said.
Former city councillor David Della said: “The city is at a crossroads.”
Perhaps feeling the stakes, Harrell occasionally joked to dissuade the crowd.
When one side of the room kept talking in loud, rotating chatter, he quieted them down.
“Let’s really talk about it, family,” he said when he first stepped onto the stage, with strings of Christmas lights hanging in the background. “This side of the room-can you put it down?”
Then, turning to the other side, he said, “This is a quiet person.”
He turned around and said, “But the party members here are these people.”
There was a frantic cheer from across the room.
However, one reason for the constant chatter in the surrounding environment is simply the number of guests in the lobby and the ticket price. The guests enjoyed the constantly served dishes such as crabs, prawns, Peking duck, lobster and free-range chicken, paired with a variety of Chateau Saint-Michel wines.
“Everyone in this room is very supportive of you,” Moriguchi said.
Ng finally urged Harrell to appoint AAPI employees.
“Don’t take us for granted,” she said. “Representation is important.”
The theme of the dinner is “AAPI Unity for Harrell”.
What better way to present this theme than a room full of elected AAPI officials and many community, business, and city leaders from the past and present.
- Consul General of Japan Hisao Inagaki and Mrs. Inagaki
- Chen Danning, Director of Taipei City Economic and Cultural Affairs Office
- Lord Locke
- Lord Jim McDermott
- Secretary of State Steve Hobbs
- Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho
- Seattle City Councillor elected Sara Nelson
- Bellevue City Councilor Janice Zahn
- Mayor of Brien Jimmy Matta
- Renton City Councillor Jin Qingwen
- Board of Directors of Seattle Public Schools-Vivian Song Maritz
- Lord Martha Choi
- Lord David Della
- Lord John Okamoto
- Her Excellency Cheryl Lee
- Leandra Craft, former Federal Avenue City Councillor
Mahlon can be reached info@nwasianweekly.com.
