Watch the show at www.seattlechannel.org/CityInsideOut

Premieres Fri., Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

Dr. Ruby was the rare woman and Japanese-American to attend medical school just a few months after Executive Order 9066 was enacted, the order that evacuated Japanese Americans from the West Coast and imprisoned them in internment camps during World War II. Under these circumstances, Dr. Ruby trained to become a physician who then opened her first clinic in Seattle’s Nihonmachi, or Japantown.

Dr. Ruby cared for the Japanese American community for decades, and she delivered more than 1,000 babies during her career. After retirement, Dr. Ruby continued to serve the community by helping establish Nikkei Concerns, an organization that provides elder care and related services. Even now in her nineties, Dr. Ruby still volunteers by making quilts and her specialty rice sack apron to sell at auction and craft fairs to benefit non-profits. “She’s probably gonna get mad at me for saying all these things about her,” says Nikkei Concerns CEO Jeffery Hattori, “but there are very few people that can…hit the strata that she does in terms of contributions to the community.”

 Meet Dr. Ruby on Community Stories on Monday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21 and watch it online right now at:

http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3171105.

As a mother of three, Sarju was drawn to midwifery after she had her first out-of-hospital birth with her third child. A midwife for over 300 births, Sarju explains midwifery appeals to her because “the philosophy of care is such an empowering model.” In her additional role as Open Arms’ Clinical Director, Sarju’s expertise adds to the non-profit’s mission.

Open Arms also has Outreach Doulas who work with immigrant communities. Libin Egal began her work with mothers in the Somali community after her own birth with a doula who “speak(s) my language, who knows my culture and who empowered me.”  Says Open Arms’ Capenstany, “What we know is that women are treated differently depending on what their racial and cultural background is. And we try to figure out where are places that we can advocate for women so that they can have the best possible birth experiences.”

Meet the support network of Open Arms and find out how they serve women and their families on Community Stories now at this link: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3171101.

Or tune in on Monday, March 14, 7:00 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21. You can watch past Community Stories by visiting http://www.seattlechannel.org/CommunityStories/.

 Bhangra dance originated in the Punjab as a celebration of the harvest. Many members of the Apna Bhangra Crew had no dance experience previous to forming the team, but their love of and desire to share Bhangra propelled them into the spotlight. Their fabulous costumes with fan-topped iridescent turbans; their dynamic, fast-paced movement; their lush rhythmic music and their enthusiastic delight in performance make the Crew’s shows irresistible. “At the same time we are entertaining everybody [and] promoting our culture,” says team captain Ranvir Sahota. “It’s just a good feeling.”

 Get a shot of visual caffeine by watching Community Stories now at this link: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3170907

 Or tune in on Monday, September 20, 8:00 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21. You can watch past Community Stories by visiting http://www.seattlechannel.org/CommunityStories/.

In one of our stories, Seattle resident Lisa Katsman opens up her family’s home to share the stories and traditions behind her collection of Hanukah menorahs. Katsman tells touching family stories while sharing some of the history behind the Jewish festival of light.

You’ll also get a look behind the scenes of Santa Baby with the Seattle Men’s Chorus. And the magic and beauty of the Nutcracker isn’t just reserved for the ballerinas on stage. Join hosts Lowell Deo and Penny LeGate from the Fireside Room at the Sorrento Hotel for the festive fun. All of that and more are coming up, Thursday night at 7 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21 or watch it online at www.seattlechannel.org/citystream/.

 And thus was born the name for the Kong’s restaurant—Perché No?, which means “why not?” in Italian. First opened on Queen Anne in 1992, now located near Green Lake in Wallingford, the Kongs have been sharing their love of Italian food with Seattleites for nearly two decades. It has earned them a loyal clientele that is more like an extended family. Their two sons, Christopher and Alex, work in the restaurant too.

 The Kongs built the Wallingford restaurant from the ground up. They brought over tile from Venice and paint from Bologna. Tragedy struck in February 2009 when a fire ruined their building. Community support helped them to reopen, however. This summer, they had a grand celebration of their third year at this new location. Lily says, “We are the happiest people in this town.”

 This week on Community Stories meet people who have come to the United States fleeing war and  political persecution and are now dedicating their lives to helping members of their community communicate with doctors and nurses at local hospitals. Harborview Medical Center can provide interpreters for 72 languages. Harborview’s Jasbeer Rattey, by herself, can interpret for speakers of Punjabi, Hindi, Cantonese and Indonesian. “Throughout the development of our nation, we have always had groups of individuals coming from different countries,” says Ira SenGupta, Executive Director of the Cross Cultural Health Care Program. “We are a democratic country.  We have to make sure that there is equal access [to health care] and for equal access having an interpreter is critical.”

Ben Jacobsen fled political and religious persecution in the Soviet Union’s Ukraine. He now interprets at UWMC. “It’s a very hard job emotionally,” Jacobsen says. Patients that he sees over many years become like family to him. “To see [their] evolution from being healthy to becoming disabled, sick and old, it really gets in your soul.” Yet Jacobsen persists because his work is so meaningful. He says, “My profession…eliminates discrimination and provides access to medicine for those who don’t speak English.”