By Saraphena Wong
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Sitting at her kitchen counter, fourth-year international student Hanqiu Zhong recalled her decision to come to the University of Washington with a smile. 
“Frankly speaking, it was because of the cherry blossoms,” she said.  “I thought, ‘If I don’t come here, I’ll regret it.’” 
Zhong graduates this spring. Originally from China, she moved to the U.S. to complete high school and college. Now that her time at UW is done, she’s stepping into a new, more unc...

In the wake of Donald Trump’s second term as president, the elections held across the country in November of 2025 seemed paramount to young voters dissatisfied with Trump’s policies. To swathes of people unhappy with the new presidency, local gubernatorial, legislative, and mayoral elections seemed like the first, most viable way to challenge an administration that would be in office for the next three years.Seattle and New York City, in particular, had high-profile mayoral races featuring young...

In front of a rapt audience of old and young people alike, Manang Nelia Diaz recounted herexperience emigrating to the United States after graduating as a registered pharmacist in thePhilippines.


“I thought after the application, I can go immediately to the United States. But they told me,‘Wait for your visa number’,” Diaz said. “I spent 19 years waiting for that visa number— 19 years.”


A marriage and three children later, the U.S. embassy finally sent an approval letter for her visa.She i...

In the past three years alone, the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) has skyrocketed. We now live in a world where it is nearly impossible to live a life untouched by AI. It’s embedded in our social media feeds, running our photo editing software, transcribing our meetings, and summarizing our Google searches.

As a result, we now live in a world where, at the touch of a button, an AI model can coach you through a breakup. With AI therapists and companions multiplying, it’s difficult to...

"Bear" discusses his experience of fighting in Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion during the From Washington to Ukraine Talk in Smith Hall on May 27, 2025, in Seattle.

Editor’s note: Owain Waszak, who organized this event, was formerly a photographer for The Daily.

In the last of a series of three lectures on the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, two guest speakers gathered in Smith Hall on May 27 to discuss their experiences volunteering and fighting for The International Legion for...

“Hello, motherf---ers,” Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt said, walking out onto the stage to a fanfare of screams and raised devil-horn hands.

An unfortunate bus breakdown left opening band Katatonia stranded in Eugene, leaving Opeth as the only entertainment for the night. I had hoped that would mean a longer set, but we had no such luck. Regardless, the Paramount Theater was packed wall-to-wall with eager fans Feb. 24.

The setlist at this Opeth concert felt like a voyage through 28 years of their di...

Editor’s note: “Chronically Online” is a biweekly column focused on internet culture, social media, and technology addiction. In this edition, columnist Saraphena Wong explores the virtues of piracy in the face of an impermanent modern media landscape.

When was the last time you bought a piece of physical media?

Maybe it was a CD of your favorite album, or a Blu-ray copy of a movie you really wanted to watch. It occupies space on a bookshelf or in a cabinet. You can lend it to a friend, watch...