SEATTLE — This week marks the end of an era. The Northwest Asian Weekly is rolling out its last print issue. Assunta Ng, founder and publisher, said when the paper was started in 1982, they were meeting a need.
“We tried to get the key information for the immigrant community so they didn’t rely on rumors or gossip," Ng said.
Over the years, Northwest Asian Weekly which includes the Seattle Chinese Post, has become a staple in the Seattle area. It highlighted monumental moments for the Asian community.
“It’s important to tell what’s going on in the community. That means you follow the community around, good or bad, yay or nay. That’s what reflects the truth," Ng said.
Over the years, Ng says, Northwest Asian Weekly has allowed Asian voices to shine through with authenticity that is sometimes lacking in other media coverage.
"The mainstream media is very good about coming to the Asian community and say 'oh Lunar Year, this great dish, this great recipe.' Hey! We are not a one-issue community," Ng said. "We are more than restaurants. We’re more than the stereotypes of laundromats and stuff like that. We’re a very diverse community and we’re not just the model minority community. We have problems and issues that need to be addressed and exposed."
While there is sadness surrounding the end of print issues, Ng wants the community to know she and Northwest Asian Weekly aren't going anywhere. They'll be focusing their attention to their online platforms.
“No use to wait for seven days, right? Whatever news is breaking, we’ll just put it online and actually, it’s to the readers' benefit," Ng said. "They'll have the most up-to-date information when we have it."