MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS: 16 Square Blocks

GO TO THE PROJECT WEBSITEThis project is generously funded by 4Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, and supported in part by the Seattle Chinatown International District and Development Authority.
  
Bernardo Flores, a visiting church helper from Pasco, Washington, delivers a sermon to 30 congregants of the Iglesia de Dios (Israelita) church. Etched into a wooden board at the front of the hall are the Ten Commandments written in Spanish, and listed by numbers in Hebrew. Primarily immigrants ffrom El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, the members practice a mixture of Judaism and Christianity though consider themselves Christian.
   
Bernardo Flores, a visiting church helper from Pasco, Washington, delivers a sermon to 30 congregants of the Iglesia de Dios (Israelita) church. Etched into a wooden board at the front of the hall are the Ten Commandments written in Spanish, and listed by numbers in Hebrew. Primarily immigrants ffrom El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, the members practice a mixture of Judaism and Christianity though consider themselves Christian.
     
  
Later in the afternoon, the church members split into groups by gender, during which they may address specific issues in a safe and non-threatening environment. The women wear a veil to maintain reverence and respect for God while at church, while praying, or studying the bible.
  
For 25 years, Bill Lee has dedicated his life to Seattle’s Chinatown community in one form or another, whether it be receiving parking tickets from patrons at the International Community Health Services garage, or volunteering on the International Special Review District board. Today he serves the neighborhood as one of three CIDBIA (Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area) street cleaners.
  
In the early hours of the morning Bill Lee looks for any public safety issues, graffiti, litter, and illegal dumping along back alleys and main streets. Usually as one of the first people on the streets every day, he can get a good sense of the evening’s events, and what’s in store that day.
     
  
With early mornings and strenuous work, Bill Lee finds inspiration to return to the neighborhood day after day in the tiny steps to building a community. He believes that providing clean streets for its residents is a fundamental necessity in creating a community, and attracting outsiders to visit the neighborhood.
   
In response to the growing public safety issues surrounding Seattle's Chinatown neighborhood, Richard Huie spearheaded the Chinatown/International District Neighborhood Block Watch program to reclaim the streets. Empowering the local residents through education on public safety, and the development of a block walk, residents are energized to take back their neighborhood.
   
Composed primarily of elderly and immigrant populations, the Chinatown neighborhood faces unique challenges where residents are hesitant to report safety issues due to language and cultural barriers. As a result, drug use, drug dealing, and petty crime have been allowed to go unchallenged in the streets. Armed only with a bullhorn at his side, Huie makes it a point to be non-confrontational by engaging individuals around the neighborhood, and encouraging them to join the block walk.
     
  
Everday, the Tsue Chong Noodle Company works with 10,000 pounds of dough to produce 17 different noodle products, from dumpling skins, wonton wrappers, steamed noodles and dried noodles. They are now the only manufacturing business in Chinatown.
   
Founded in 1917 by Gar Hip Louie, the Tsue Chong Noodle Company, which means “to gather prosperity,” was born out of an opportunity to start a noodle company to supply one of the primary dietary items to Seattle’s Chinese community. Today, it still remains a family business, now under the direction of Tim Louie.
  
Working on a production line, much of the 35 staff come from Southern China and are what Tim Louie describes as, “Lifers”—once hired, they normally stay on until retirement. Many of the previously manual jobs have now become mechanized. Where fortune cookies were once hand-folded by Tim’s grandmother at a rate of 13 cookies a minute, today are produced at a rate of two cookies per second.
     
  
At age 85, Virgilio “Gil” Besabe is taking it “aisy” (pronounced ai-see). After putting on his sock, he takes a deep breath and a pause to wait for his heart to catch up. Once a soldier of the Commonwealth Army, Gil has slowed down significantly after suffering massive heart failure and subsequently being diagnosed with arthritis and diabetes. However, following his doctor’s orders, Gil always appears to dance, teetering in place from left to right with a cane in his hand, his name taped on its side.
   
As a World War II Filipino veteran, Gil Besabe immigrated to Seattle in 1994 under the strength of the Immigration Act of 1990 with the intention of naturalizing his second wife and family. Today he now wishes to return to “home sweet home.” There he built his retirement, his home where tilapia swim in ponds in the courtyard, and planted the grass that grows to the height of his hip. However, because of his heart condition, he may never be able to fly home, “to the place they call the roots.”
   
Every Sunday Gil Besabe attends church at St. Jame’s Cathedral. Between labored breaths and boisterous laughter, Gil explains his deep spirituality and acceptance of life’s mortality. Sometimes he cries because he’s happy. Though the philosophy Gil believes is, “if you weep, you weep alone. If you laugh, the world laughs with you.” So he laughs. He laughs at the ailments he cannot dispose of, and he waits until he finishes his purpose here on earth and God finally calls him to his house.
     
  
Fook Poy Woo pauses between songs to read over his sheet music. Founded during World War II as a meeting place for musicians, the club now has 50 members—the eldest and founder being Henry Louie.
  
Many of the members are not singers or musicians, but rather come to the club to socialize and meet friends. Often, groups of men and women mingle around tables, sipping on tea, knitting, organizing music, and sharing stories from the weekends.
  
Wendy Chin and Grace Luk practice a duet on stage at the Luck Ngi Musical club. Founded in 1938, it is the only amateur Chinese opera club in Seattle’s Chinatown neighborhood. Every weekend members meet on Saturday and Sunday to sing and practice for their annual performance. The typical Chinese opera performance can last up to 5 hours in duration.
     
  
Nestled under Interstate 5, a line of hundreds, mostly elderly, trickles under the massive junction of viaducts waiting impatiently for their number to be called. Hours will pass under hot sun or falling rain before this moment, when they may enter the Asian Counseling and Referral Service Food Bank to receive bags of rice, loaves of bread, and fresh vegetables.
  
  
Serving more than 5,000 clients per year, the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) Food Bank is unique to Seattle by providing appropriate dietary items for its predominantly Asian client base. Last year, the staff of 3, with the help of 35 dedicated volunteers, distributed 1.6 million pounds of food, and 75,000 bags of rice.