On Saturdays in May 2024, the documentary “From The Heart of a Dragon” was screened at the Nisei Veterans’ Committee Memorial Hall in the Chinatown International District (CID), showcasing the perseverance, culture, and community of four pivotal storylines: The Chinese Garden, Tokuda Family Drugs, Dean Wong, and Hello Em.
The Louie, Tokuda, Wong, and Bui stories define the heart of the CID through distinct, common threads of resilience, creativity, dedication, and a profound connection to their heritage.
The community stories in “From the Heart of the Dragon” built on the success of “Through the Eyes of a Tiger,” a photojournalistic documentation of the C-ID post-COVID-19. Directed by Tim Mar, and produced by John Pai, Rick Wong, Peter Do, Oo Yee and Audrey R. Fan, the documentary showcases the diversity and resilience of the CID. The project evolved from a photojournalistic lens documenting the neighborhood’s food businesses into a multimedia film capturing deeply engaging stories of resilience and innovation.
Charles Louie’s legacy of resilience and innovation
Charles Louie’s journey began in the early 20th century when he arrived in the United States amid a backdrop of acute Asian hate and violence. Despite these challenges, Louie carved a place in the community by finding the open windows in policies and laws that shut doors and provided barriers to Asian success in Seattle. Louie defied the racially redlined zoning that the Chinese Exclusion Act laws forced on Seattle by opening his first restaurant at 3rd and Pike St, in what was then zoned as Uptown, before losing that business to spiked leasing.
He then opened a Peking-style Opera House. The opera house evolved into a dance hall and restaurant called The Chinese Garden, once located on South Main Street in the CID. The Chinese Garden was known for playing swing and jazz music, and was one of the most popular restaurants and night clubs in Seattle. During Prohibition, the Louies annexed a speakeasy lounge to their restaurant, navigating the era’s policy challenges and a shutdown by establishing their business as vital to the local economy. They survived two postwar economic turmoils, the Great Depression, language barriers, and the threat of foreclosure, emerging as pillars of many of Seattle’s neighborhoods.
Artistic determination and cultural perseverance
Tamako Inoye and George Tokuda exemplify artistic and entrepreneurial determination. Faced with the prospect of joblessness and prejudice against Japanese nisei, Tokuda pursued higher education and started his own business, opening two pharmacies before being incarcerated at Camp Harmony during World War II. Inoye was a dancer who studied literature at the University of Washington, and worked at the library in the camp.
In a touching twist of fate, Tamako and George met and fell in love in the library, which inspired the children’s book Love in the Library by their granddaughter Maggie Tokuda-Hall. When they returned to Seattle, they rebuilt their lives, and their business. Tokuda Family Drugs became a community hub. Inoye and her mother’s shared love of Japanese opera and dance became acutely realized as a need to share their culture and stories through kimono-making and performance art. This creativity passed down through generations through their daughters Marilyn and Wendy Tokuda, and granddaughter Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Marilyn became a dancer and actor in films, Wendy became a prizewinning journalist and anchor, and Maggie became a beloved author.
Dean Wong: The lens of community
Dean Wong’s family played pivotal roles in the C-ID, with his father co-owning the Little Three Grand restaurant and his mother running Re-New laundry service. Wong’s mother, who spoke only the English she learned from studying it for three days, managed her business while inspiring Wong’s dedication to excelling in English and study of journalism. Wong’s photojournalism and writing work with the International Examiner shared intimate glimpses of the struggles, economics, and joys of the diverse Asian American communities living in the CID.
Wong’s photography, including the notable “Blue Funnel Line” series, captured the essence of Yik Fung, an anchor to the Chinese Community, and the prizewinning “Homecoming,” which exemplified that we are American. He documented intimate moments of love and loss, particularly through his photographs of his wife, Jan, during her battle with cancer. His work and his vision have enriched his life and the lives of others.
Bridging cultures through coffee
Nghia Bui and Yenvy Pham, the co-owners of Hello Em coffee shop, embody the Vietnamese-American identity. Nghia’s journey from Vietnam to Little Saigon, to Alabama, and back to Seattle reflects Nghia’s and Yenvy’s determination to preserve and share their local heritage. Hello Em, a name that combines a Vietnamese greeting, Em ơi and a Western one, symbolizes Nghia’s bicultural experience.
The coffee shop serves as more than just a place to get coffee; it is a cultural hub advocating for the reintroduction of Vietnamese coffee crops and traditions. Nghia and Yenvy are culture workers revitalizing their transnational artisanal methods, teaching younger generations to be proud of their heritage. Their story is a testament to the power of food and culture in bridging gaps and fostering community.
The heart of the documentary
In an interview, director Tim Mar expressed the significance of these stories and the powerful role of women. “Laurence [Charles Louie] represents the first wave of Asian immigrants, Nghi represents the wave from Vietnam. Dean’s perspective is different because he was born and raised in Chinatown. Wendy’s experience is part of the first wave of immigrants to Seattle. We look at this through her mother and the women’s stories.”
Mar’s family also represents the first wave to the United States, with his great-grandfather arriving in Portland in 1866. His grandparents were born in Seattle in 1888.
The documentary underscores the importance of sharing these stories, highlighting the diversity of cultures that coexist and thrive together in Seattle. People are encouraged to submit more stories to the website. The longer term goal is to gain a more diverse audience, emphasizing that everyone’s story matters and contributes to the rich tapestry of the community and Seattle as a whole.
A shared heritage of strength and storytelling
The stories of the Louie, Tokuda, Wong, and Bui families are powerful examples of perseverance, cultural preservation, and community engagement. They reflect the broader Asian American experience in Seattle’s C-ID. Through their struggles and triumphs, these families have shaped a vibrant, diverse community that continues to thrive and inspire future generations.
