"Cookie Activism: Using Sugar as a Platform for Social Justice with Jasmine Cho," April 21 (online) at Pittsburgh Humanities Festival.

The Pittsburgh Humanities Festival will present an online conversation with Jasmine Cho, "Cookie Activism: Using Sugar as a Platform for Social Justice with Jasmine Cho," on April 21.

Jasmine Cho will discuss her work as a baker based in Pittsburgh and how she uses the art of cookie making and decorating as a therapy and to promote Asian American representation. She creates intricate, hand-drawn cookie portraits of Asian American figures as a way to increase representation and raise awareness of Asian American history and identity. Her work has been featured internationally on various media outlets and she is currently working toward developing a research-based bake therapy program rooted in the field of art therapy.

Jasmine will be interviewed by Sarah Tang. She was originally scheduled to participate in last year's festival that was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19. This year's event starts at 7:00 pm, and the talks will be streamed on the Cultural Trust's Facebook and Youtube pages.

2006 Jet Li movie Fearless (霍元甲) at Carrie Carpool Cinema, May 22.

Carrie Carpool Cinema, an outdoor drive-in movie series at Carrie Furnaces, will present the 2006 Jet Li movie Fearless (霍元甲) on May 22. Wikipedia provides a synopsis:

It is loosely based on the life of Huo Yuanjia, a Chinese martial artist who challenged foreign fighters in highly publicized events, restoring pride and nationalism to China at a time when Western imperialism and Japanese manipulation were eroding the country in the final years of the Qing Dynasty before the birth of the Republic of China.

Doors open at 7:45 and the movie starts at 9:15 pm; tickets are available online. Carrie Blast Furnaces is a designated National Historic Landmark in Rankin (map).

2020 Korean-American film Minari remains in Pittsburgh through (at least) April 7.

The 2020 Korean-American film Minari, which opened in Pittsburgh on February 11, will remain here through at least April 7. A synopsis, from the distributor:

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

It will continue at several local theaters, including (on certain days) the AMC Loews Waterfront and AMC Mt. Lebanon. Tickets are available online.

Pitt hiring program assistant for Japan Studies program.

The University of Pittsburgh is hiring a program assistant for its Japan Studies program.

The Program Assistant will be primarily responsible for providing administrative and programmatic support for developing community engagement programming in the field of Japan Studies. The Program Assistant will promote Japan Studies across a broad range of disciplines and languages, in engagement activities coordinated with the Asian Studies Center, other units of the University, K-16 teachers and students, local internationally engaged organizations, other major universities, community colleges and Title III/Title V- eligible institutions. The Program Assistant will work with faculty, staff, students, K-16 educators, pre-service and in-service teachers to develop outreach materials about Japan Studies. Primary duties include: 1) Cultivate connections with local community groups 2) Develop and conduct virtual Japan-related outreach programs designed for regional populations of Southwestern Pennsylvania. 3) Support Japan Studies Faculty activities 4) Organize and implement online seminars and workshops that support dialog and networking to foster a deeper understanding of Japan 5) Assist with all aspects of virtual programming including registration, video conferencing, technical troubleshooting and recording of online events. The Program Assistant will manage the scheduling, logistics, publicity, and information for a range of Japan Studies activities. The Program Assistant may also be asked to assist the Asian Studies Center with other events and programs as needed.

One year of relevant program experience Interest and some knowledge of East Asia desired and background in Japan Studies required. Proficiency in written and oral Japanese. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets

The position is categorized as Staff Administrator I.

Eddie Huang film Boogie continues in Pittsburgh, through (at least) April 8.

The Eddie Huang film Boogie, which opened in Pittsburgh on March 5, will continue here through at least April 8. From the distributor:

From acclaimed writer, producer and restaurateur Eddie Huang comes his directorial debut Boogie, the coming-of-age story of Alfred “Boogie” Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

It will continue locally at Waterworks Cinema, and tickets are available online.

"Hatsune Miku, DTM, and Niconico: Exploring Media Ecosystems in Contemporary Japan and Beyond," March 31 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Keisuke Yamada and "Hatsune Miku, DTM, and Niconico: Exploring Media Ecosystems in Contemporary Japan and Beyond" on March 31.

In the virtual presentation, Dr. Yamada discusses the Vocaloid and DTM (desktop music) phenomena through the lenses of media and fan studies, looking at online social media platforms, the new technology for composing, and fans of the Vocaloid character. He provides a sense of how interactive new media and an empowered fan base combine to engage in the creation processes and enhance the circulation of Vocaloid works. The question of how today’s DTM culture expands in scale hinges upon such lively collaborations and interconnections, not just between individuals, but also among individuals, technologies, and distribution infrastructures.

The talk starts at 6:30 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Fairmont Pittsburgh hiring Mandarin-speaking Food and Beverage Manager (餐饮部经理).

The Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Food and Beverage Manager (餐饮部经理).

您是一个拥有大胆想法且热情的美食家吗？若您是，我们有份合适的工作正等着您！作为餐饮部经理，您将有策略性地带领团队将客户满意度提升到新的水平。

2019 Singaporean film Revenge of the Pontianak online at Pitt, April 7.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 2019 film Revenge of the Pontianak on April 7 as the next installment in its Malaysian Horror Series. A synopsis, from Netflix:

A wedding in a Malaysian village leaves out one guest: a scorned vampire ghost bent on settling a secret score with the groom and anyone in her way.

The onilne presentation starts at 7:00 pm.

"Finding Home: Elizabeth Miki Brina & Nadia Owusu Live," April 5 with City of Asylum.

City of Asylum presents "Finding Home: Elizabeth Miki Brina & Nadia Owusu Live" on April 5.

Tonight two debut novelists read and discuss their newest memoirs: Elizabeth Miki Brina’s debut novel Speak, Okinawa beautifully combs a lifetime of memory, love, loss, the connections that bind us to one another, and is one of the most anticipated memoirs of 2021. A searing, deeply candid story about a young woman’s journey to understand her complicated parents and her own, fraught cultural heritage. Aftershocks is a deeply felt memoir from Whiting Award–winner Nadia Owusu about the push and pull of belonging, the seismic emotional toll of family secrets, and the heart it takes to pull through. Both novelists will discuss their works exploring their common themes of migrations, identity, and feeling out of place, in a live discussion and audience Q&A.

Elizabeth Miki Brina grew up with the trappings of a typical American childhood and adolescence. Yet even though she felt almost no connection to her mother’s distant home, she also felt out of place among her peers. Elizabeth comes to recognize the shame and self-loathing that haunt both her and her mother, and attempts a form of reconciliation, not only to come to terms with the embattled dynamics of her family but also to reckon with the injustices that reverberate throughout the history of Okinawa and its people. Clear-eyed and profoundly humane, Speak, Okinawa is a startling accomplishment–a heartfelt exploration of identity, inheritance, forgiveness, and what it means to be an American. Elizabeth Miki Brina is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Bread Loaf Scholarship and a New York State Summer Writers Institute Scholarship. She currently lives and teaches in New Orleans.

The event begins at 7:00 pm and registration is required.

2020 Japanese film Violet Evergarden: The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデ) in Pittsburgh, from March 30.

The 2020 Japanese film Violet Evergarden: The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデ) will play in Pittsburgh on, so far, March 30, March 31, April 3, and April 4. A synopsis, from the distributor:

While writing other people’s emotions, she may have neglected her own. Violet Evergarden, the child soldier turned Auto Memory Doll, writes letters that evoke the words her clients can’t. But when a terminally ill boy requests her services for his family, her own feelings about love and loss resurface. Now she must confront her past and the death of the Major.

At this point it is scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in North Hills and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

"Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing!," March 27 in Squirrel Hill.

The Answer Coalition is organizing a "Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing!" rally in Squirrel Hill on Saturday, March 27, to coincide with a National Day of Action.

The ANSWER Coalition stands in solidarity with the Asian community in the midst of the horrific, racist and misogynist massacre that took place in Atlanta on March 16th. Six Asian women were among the eight shot to death at point blank range.
The alarming rise in hate crimes over the past year correlates to an increasingly hostile U.S. foreign policy towards China. The opportunistic scapegoating of China during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the intensity by which China is deemed the enemy and adversary of the United States, has driven a widespread Sinophobic sentiment nationally. The Asian American community suffers the brunt of the hatred fomented as a weapon of war. To date, there have been 3,800 self-reported hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The mainstream media’s failure to label the Atlanta shooting as a hate crime demonstrates the gross disregard and injustice that our communities are facing. Racism is a sick symptom of a system that profits from war and violence. And to put insult to injury, the cop handling the case was found to be promoting anti-China paraphernalia.
Join us on March 27th for a national day of action demanding an end to anti-Asian racist violence, an end to violence against women and and end to white supremacy now!

It begins at 2:00 pm at the intersection of Forbes and Murray Avenues (map).

"Let the CAT out of the bag" with Pitt's Department of East Asian Languages & Litetaratures, March 26.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Langauges & Literatures will present Chinese instructor Yiting Cheng and her colloquium "Let the CAT out of the bag" on March 26.

Dr. Cheng, a Chinese language instructor at UPitt and a NYS certified court interpreter, will introduce you to a translation tool that is required by most language service providers. This took is non-language specific so long as you are interested in translation. You are invited to see how this tool works.

The event starts at 2:00 pm on Zoom.

Pitt's ASA, Crisis Relief Club, and SASA present "Discussion on East / Southeast Asian Violence" on March 25.

The Asian Student Association, Crisis Relief Club, and South Asian Student Association invite students to a Discussion on East / Southeast Asian Violence" on March 25.

ASA x CRC X SASA present a virtual healing space for students to come and discuss the prevalent and ongoing anti-Asian hate crime and violence in the United States. We will be having a round table discussion and will also provide a resource toolkit on how to support the Asian American community and be an ally.

The event runs from 9:00 to 10:00 pm on Zoom (977 7619 2019) and is open to the student community.

"Japanese Culture through Video Games," March 31 with Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host Dr. Rachael Hutchinson and her talk "Japanese Culture through Video Games" on March 31, a talk that was scheduled last April at Pitt but ultimately postponed.

Japanese video games have had a significant impact on the medium worldwide. Dr. Rachael Hutchinson considers how ‘Japan’ has been packaged for domestic and overseas consumers, and how Japanese designers have used the medium to express ideas about home and nation, nuclear energy, war and historical memory, social breakdown and bioethics. She explores how ideology and critique are conveyed through game narrative and character design as well as user interface, cabinet art, and peripherals. Ultimately, she argues that Japanese artists have expressed similar ideas in the video game medium as in older narrative forms such as literature and film.

The online talk is free though seating is limited and registration is required.

PublicSource shares perspective on anti-Asianism in Pittsburgh and "how media, government and academia fail Asian women."

photo by Jay Manning for Public Source.

Alexis Lai in PublicSource shares perspectives on anti-Asianism in Pittsburgh: "As a Han Chinese woman in Pittsburgh, I see the Atlanta massacre exposing how media, government and academia fail Asian women."

The massacre has been infuriating on many levels, but not at all surprising to anyone who has been genuinely listening to Asians in America. In fact, a year ago, when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Pittsburgh, I wrote that it wasn’t paranoid to wonder if there would be another Vincent Chin. An American of Chinese ancestry, he was beaten brain dead in Detroit in 1982 by two white men furious about the growing Japanese dominance of the auto industry. His murder, for which his attackers were merely fined $3,000, galvanized the Asian American civil rights movement.

What is perhaps even more outrageous than the Atlanta attack itself is the tepid overall response from the federal government, local law enforcement, the mainstream news media and the general public – all who still refuse to acknowledge the violence for what it is. Asian Americans are having to continually justify why the killing spree was unambiguously a hate crime against working-class Asian women – enraging, exhausting emotional labor that only compounds the indignity and injustice they are facing in a time of exquisite crisis.

As a Han Chinese woman of Hong Kong ancestry, as a journalist with a decade of professional experience, as an international graduate student in America, and as a journalism and creative nonfiction instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, I have been numb with fury by the culture of complicit complacence toward anti-Asianism.

More at PublicSource.org.

2020 Korean-American film Minari remains in Pittsburgh through (at least) March 30.

The 2020 Korean-American film Minari, which opened in Pittsburgh on February 11, will remain here through at least March 30. A synopsis, from the distributor:

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

It will continue at numerous local theaters, including (on certain days) the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Mt. Lebanon, Waterworks Cinemas, Cranberry Cinemas, and the Cinemark in Monroeville. Tickets are available online.

Eddie Huang film Boogie continues in Pittsburgh, through March 30.

The Eddie Huang film Boogie, which opened in Pittsburgh on March 5, will continue here through at least March 25. From the distributor:

From acclaimed writer, producer and restaurateur Eddie Huang comes his directorial debut Boogie, the coming-of-age story of Alfred “Boogie” Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

It plays locally at many theaters, including (on certain days) the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC South Hills, Waterworks Cinema, and Cinemark Monroeville. Tickets are available online.

"Hatsune Miku, DTM, and Niconico: Exploring Media Ecosystems in Contemporary Japan and Beyond," March 31 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Keisuke Yamada and "Hatsune Miku, DTM, and Niconico: Exploring Media Ecosystems in Contemporary Japan and Beyond" on March 31.

In the virtual presentation, Dr. Yamada discusses the Vocaloid and DTM (desktop music) phenomena through the lenses of media and fan studies, looking at online social media platforms, the new technology for composing, and fans of the Vocaloid character. He provides a sense of how interactive new media and an empowered fan base combine to engage in the creation processes and enhance the circulation of Vocaloid works. The question of how today’s DTM culture expands in scale hinges upon such lively collaborations and interconnections, not just between individuals, but also among individuals, technologies, and distribution infrastructures.

The talk starts at 6:30 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

"Salon Conversation with Cathy Park Hong," March 24 at Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon University's Miller Institute for Creative Art will present "Salon Conversation with Cathy Park Hong" on March 24.

Questions for Cathy Park Hong can be emailed in advance of the event at miller-ica@andrew.cmu.edu

This conversation between facilitator Dana Bishop-Root and writer Cathy Park Hong, will continue the Miller ICA salon series of conversations with individuals who imagine and actualize possibility on the other side of the pandemic portal.

Cathy Park Hong’s book of creative nonfiction, Minor Feelings, was published in Spring 2020 by One World/Random House (US) and Profile Books (UK). Minor Feelings is a ruthlessly honest, emotionally charged, and utterly original exploration of Asian American consciousness and the struggle to be human. The book has garnered praise from literary legends such as Claudia Rankine who said, “Cathy Park Hong’s brilliant, penetrating and unforgettable Minor Feelings is what was missing on our shelf of classics....To read this book is to become more human.”

Cathy Park Hong is also the author of poetry collections Engine Empire, published in 2012 by W.W. Norton, Dance Dance Revolution, chosen by Adrienne Rich for the Barnard Women Poets Prize, and Translating Mo'um. Hong is the recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Her prose and poetry have been published in the New York Times, New Republic, the Guardian, Paris Review, Poetry, and elsewhere. She is the poetry editor of the New Republic and is a full professor at Rutgers-Newark University.

Dana Bishop-Root lives in gratitude, is guided by relationships, listening deep and expansive possibilities with an ever present commitment to justice. She is the Director of Education and Public Programs at the Carnegie Museum of Art, a founding member of General Sisters, Transformazium and a huge advocate for the Braddock Carnegie Library Association.

The online event runs from 7:30 to 8:30 pm and registration is required.

UPPDA Coffee Hour: Addressing Anti-Asian Racism at Pitt, March 26.

The University of Pittsburgh Post Doctoral Association (UPPDA) will host "UPPDA Coffee Hour: Addressing Anti-Asian Racism at Pitt" on March 26.

At the University of Pittsburgh, we are dedicated towards supporting Asian postdocs and faculty during this difficult time. UPPDA will be hosting a Coffee Hour this Friday, March 26th at 5PM, dedicated to addressing anti-Asian racism at Pittsburgh and in our society. Daniel Jacobson López, Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, will be available to respond to any inquiries and communications regarding this imperative matter. Daniel is a trained anti-bias facilitator with the Anti-Defamation League and Licensed Social Worker.

The onilne event runs from 5:00 to 6:00 pm and advance registration is required.

"Pittsburgh Rally for Solidarity," March 24 on Flagstaff Hill.

"Pittsburgh Rally for Solidarity" is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24, starting at Flagstaff Hill and moving to Schenley Plaza in Oakland.

Meet at Flagstaff Hill (Across from Phipps Conservatory) 3:00pm
3:00pm Sign Making
4:00pm Rally Begins
4:15pm Speakers
4:45pm March to Schenley Plaza
(8 mins of silence for the 8 victims)
5:30pm Closing Remarks

Community members in Allegheny County: join us in solidarity with organizers from marginalized communities as we continue their legacies and uphold their work. Violence against Asian/Asian Americans is not new, and it is rooted in the same state-sanctioned sources of harm that impact all of our communities, including racism, xenophobia, sexism, police, white supremacy, cisheteropatriarchy.

"Between Poetry and Performance: Turning Emotion into Visual Metaphor with Danny Cho," March 29.

Looking ahead to next March, the City of Asylum presents "Turning Emotion into Visual Metaphor with Danny Cho" as part of its Between Poetry and Performance series on March 29.

Participants will bring a poem and we’ll reflect on what emotion each part of the poem emits. Then, according to the emotions, animator Danny Cho will lead participants in creating a series of illustrations that represent these emotions and help ideate how to animate them.

This interactive workshop is open to all. The workshop will be held on Zoom, and space is limited. Participants should have a poem to work with, writing utensils, headphones, and an internet connection. Participants will receive the meeting link in a reminder email in the days preceding this workshop. There is no cost to attend.

Danny Cho is a designer who wants to create wholesome giggles and awe. 2D and 3D motion graphics are his main medium of choice. He has created motion works for branded experiences, explaining concepts for a machine learning algorithm, and is currently leading the motion team for Lunar Gala, a student-led annual fashion show held at CMU. Graduating from CMU as a Bachelor of Design with a minor in Human Computer Interaction in May 2021.

Between Poetry and Performance is a virtual workshop series curated by Paloma Sierra, Emerging Poet Laureate of Allegheny County. The series invites writers of all experience levels to reimagine poetry through theater and film. How can these two mediums help us reclaim our voices, speak our minds, and connect with others? How do we push our words into motion, and thrust poetry towards action?

THe event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Food delivery service Hungry Panda hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area.

Hungry Panda is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for the Pittsburgh area. As PennsylvAsia noted last summer, more Chinese delivery options, like Fantuan and Chowbus, are making their way to Pittsburgh.

About us

HungryPanda is a Chinese food delivery platform established in the UK, which has covered the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. It aims to build the most professional Chinese food delivery platform overseas for international students and overseas Chinese. The company has 60+ offices and branches around the world, with more than 600 employees.

"'Authors and Anecdotes' Book Club: Featuring Adrienne Su," April 8 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh will host Adrienne Su in an upcoming installment of its "Authors and Anecdotes" series on April 8.

Join this week's featured author, Adrienne Su, in our virtual book club series, “Authors and Anecdotes”, as she discusses her book, Peach State.

Peach State has its origins in Atlanta, Georgia, the author’s hometown and an emblematic city of the New South, a name that reflects the American region’s invigoration in recent decades by immigration and a spirit of reinvention. Focused mainly on food and cooking, these poems explore the city’s transformation from the mid-twentieth century to today, as seen and shaped by Chinese Americans. Often employing forms—sonnet, villanelle, sestina, palindrome, ghazal, rhymed stanzas—they also mirror the constant negotiation with tradition that marks both immigrant and Southern experience.

Click HERE to be directed to the University of Pittsburgh Press website to learn more about Peach State. Purchasing options for the book is available on this site, and it can also be purchased at any independent bookstore of your choice. (While we encourage you to read the books ahead of time it is not a requirement to participate in the series.)

Join us as we not only discuss her book, but also dive into Su's personal literature collection, her favorite readings, and participate in a live Q&A!

The free event starts at 12:00 pm and registration is required.

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) organizing COVID vaccine sign-ups for local seniors, offers Korean-language support.

The local branch of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is organizing COVID vaccine sign-ups for local Korean speakers 65 and older, as well as those 16 to 64 who qualify, in addition to providing support for Chinese-speakers.

Candlelight Vigil Remembering Atlanta Victims, March 21 downtown.

Welcoming Pittsburgh, Governor Wolf's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and Casa San José will host a Candlelight Vigil Remembering Atlanta Victims on March 21. It will start at 6:30 pm at the City County Building, 414 Grant Street (map).

Join us for a candlelight vigil in honor of the 8 victims of the shooting in Atlanta GA on March 16.
Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33
Paul Andre Michels, 54
Xiaojie Tan, 49
Daoyou Feng, 44
Soon Chung Park, 74
Hyun Jung Grant, 51
Suncha Kim, 69
Yong Ae Yue, 63
Stand together against hate, and condemn violence against Asian Americans.
When: Sunday, March 21. Gather at 6:30, speakers will begin at 7.
Where: steps of the City County Building (at portico) 414 Grant St.
Masks required. Bring your own posters. Please practice social distancing.
This event is co-hosted by the Pittsburgh UCA, local AAPI leaders, and Welcoming Pittsburgh. Welcoming Pittsburgh is an immigrant and refugee inclusion initiative for the City of Pittsburgh

2020 Korean-American film Minari remains in Pittsburgh through (at least) March 25.

The 2020 Korean-American film Minari, which opened in Pittsburgh on February 11, will remain here through at least March 25. A synopsis, from the distributor:

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

It will continue at numerous local theaters, including the AMC Loews Waterfront, Waterworks Cinemas, Cranberry Cinemas, and the Cinemark in Robison. Tickets are available online.

"Stop Asian Hate" gathering in Oakland, March 20.

"Thrash the State" is organizing a Stop Asian Hate gathering in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighorhood tomorrow. It will start from 2:00 pm at the corner of Forbes and Oakland Avenues (map).

Oishii Donburi to soft open, March 19.

After nearly three years of work, Oishii Donburi in Lawrenceville will hold a soft open on March 19 from 12:00 to 8:00 pm. The new restaurant is from the ownership behind Oakland's Oishii Bento. The restaurant is located at at 5227 Butler St. (map), and the menu consists of a variety of donburi and udon bowls, bibimbap, and other Japanese and Korean sides. The ownership team purchased the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot in May 2018, with work beginning in earnest in Summer 2019.

Shady Side Academy hiring Chinese teacher for 2021-2022 school year.

Shady Side Academy is hiring a Chinese teacher.

Shady Side Academy’s Senior School World Languages Department is seeking a full-time Chinese teacher for the 2021-22 academic year. Responsibilities include teaching four sections of Chinese, from introductory through advanced level courses in accordance with the Department’s needs, coaching two seasons or the equivalent, and advising six-eight students. There may be the possibility of residing in a dormitory or living on campus and serving as residential faculty in the boarding program. Other duties, such as but not limited to proctoring exams, chaperoning dances, or serving on committees, may be assigned as needed by the Academy.

Fluency in oral and written Chinese and experience teaching Chinese is required. Native fluency is strongly preferred. A bachelor’s degree in Chinese, or another modern language of a native speaker, is required and a master’s degree in that language is strongly preferred. Ideal candidates will have at least five to seven years of secondary school experience as a teacher, a demonstrated commitment to a high level of academic rigor, a growth mindset, cultural competency, a passion for working with and teaching adolescents, a flexible, proactive, and team-oriented approach, excellent written and oral communication skills, exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, an ability to multitask and prioritize workload, superior interpersonal skills, and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Smartboards, and/or other technology directly linked to working and teaching at Shady Side Academy. We encourage candidates to apply who are able to teach multiple languages.

Eddie Huang film Boogie continues in Pittsburgh, through March 25.

The Eddie Huang film Boogie, which opened in Pittsburgh on March 5, will continue here through at least March 25. From the distributor:

From acclaimed writer, producer and restaurateur Eddie Huang comes his directorial debut Boogie, the coming-of-age story of Alfred “Boogie” Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

It plays locally at many theaters, including: Cinemarks in North Hills and Robinson; Waterworks Cinemas; AMC Loews Waterfront; Cranberry Cinemas. Tickets are available online.

2020 American-Chinese film Over the Moon online with Pitt, April 7.

The University of Pittsburgh's Office of International Services will present the 2020 American-Chinese film Over the Moon on April 7, part of the Watch Party Wednesday series. A synopsis from Netflix:

Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess.

The free online watch party starts at 7:00 pm and registration is required.

2020 Japanese film Violet Evergarden: The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデ) in Pittsburgh, from March 30.

The 2020 Japanese film Violet Evergarden: The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデ) will play in Pittsburgh from March 30 through, tentatively, early-May. A synopsis, from the distributor:

While writing other people’s emotions, she may have neglected her own. Violet Evergarden, the child soldier turned Auto Memory Doll, writes letters that evoke the words her clients can’t. But when a terminally ill boy requests her services for his family, her own feelings about love and loss resurface. Now she must confront her past and the death of the Major.

At this point it is scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in North Hills and Robinson, though tickets are not yet available.

Kawa Hibachi Sushi opening March 18 in Allison Park.

After several years of construction, Kawa Hibachi Sushi will open March 18 in Allison Park. It will be located at 1701 Duncan Ave. (map), in the Duncan Manor plaza next to the Driver's License Center.

Oriental Market to open at new location on March 16.

Oriental Market, an Asian grocery in the North Hills, will open at its new location on Tuesday, March 16. The new store will be at 7300 Old McKnight Road (map), which used to house David's Bridal and is slightly up the street from its current location.

Pittsburgh's Chinatown granted State Historical Marker.

Pittsburgh's Chinatown neighborhood was recently granted a state historical marker by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. From the March 10 press release:

Pittsburgh Chinatown, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County
Established as early as the 1870s, Chinatown was the cultural and economic center of the Chinese community in western Pennsylvania that served Chinese populations in New York, Ohio and West Virginia. The growth of the community was suppressed by political and labor efforts leading to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The community was destroyed by the construction of the Boulevard of the Allies in the 1920s and its residents and businesses were displaced. Remnants remained until 1959.

Also among the 23 newest markers is recognition of the region's first Chinese immigrants:

The first substantial workforce of Chinese immigrants in Pennsylvania came to Beaver Falls in 1872. The workers were recruited to the Beaver Falls Cutlery Factory to replace white laborers on strike. They remained for several years learning specialized skills and assuring profitability for the company because of their reduced wages. Across the nation, other American labor unions and politicians felt these Chinese workers were a threat and advocated for the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which remained in effect until 1943.

Local communities had been working for many years to have the site recognized, as detailed in a 2019 Pittsburgh Magazine article:

On three occasions, the OCA has attempted to earn a state historical marker for Pittsburgh’s Chinatown. But the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has denied each request, citing a lack of statewide historical significance, Lien says. After the third denial, applicants must wait three years before applying again; those three years are up. “We’ve been waiting patiently,” she says.

In re-applying, the OCA will emphasize Chinatown’s enterprise. “It became so significant a spot that it wasn’t just for the Chinese in Pittsburgh,” Lien says. Chinese Americans traveled from other parts of Pennsylvania and even from West Virginia and Ohio to access the commercial space.

From a July 27, 1959 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

"The Affective Alliance: TV Drama Fandom and Internet Communities in contemporary China," March 10 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present "The Affective Alliance: TV Drama Fandom and Internet Communities in contemporary China" on March 10 as the next installment of its Asia Pop series.

Dr. Shuyu Kong will discuss "participatory culture" and "affective communication" through a case study of internet media fandom of TV spy drama Undercover. She argues that Chinese media fandom demonstrates a new form of creative energy and interpretive practice among the younger generation of Chinese, and indicates a new social bonding through cultural consumption in post-socialist China.

The event starts at 6:30 pm and registration is required.

"Combatting Anti-Asian Violence Amidst COVID-19: Perspectives from Local and National APIA Organizers," March 15 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh will present "Combatting Anti-Asian Violence Amidst COVID-19: Perspectives from Local and National APIA Organizers" on March 15.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Asians and Asian Americans have been scapegoated as bringing and carrying disease across the country. This rhetoric is not new. In this timely and critical panel, hear from local and national Asian American activists about how Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities are combatting targeted hate violence, how to be in solidarity with victims of racism & xenophobia, and what forms of justice our communities are fighting for. This event is co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology, the Global Hub, and the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. We thank our panelists, Sam Huynh (AQUARIUS), Judy Suh (APALA Pittsburgh), Tiffany Diane Tso (AAFC), and Randy Duque (PCHR) for their time and expertise in contributing to such an important conversation.

The online event starts at 4:00 pm and registration is required.

2019 Chinese film So Long, My Son (地久天长) at Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival (online), March 6 - 12.

Thethe 2019 Chinese film So Long, My Son (地久天长) will play as part of the Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival, March 6 to 12. It was originally scheduled to play in person last March, but COVID-19 shifted the festival to online screenings in 2020 and 2021. A synopsis:

In the mid-1980s, two families work together in a factory in northern China. They are very close. So are their sons, who were born on the same day. But then a tragic accident pulls the families apart and, as China’s dramatic social transformation generates increasing inequalities, they follow very different paths both geographically and in economic terms. Will they ever be able to reconcile with one another and their shared but separating pasts? Moving backwards and forwards from the accident through four decades of Chinese history, acclaimed director Wang Xiaoshuai carefully constructs an epic, deeply moving drama of ordinary lives and severed connections in the midst of extraordinary social change.

Tickets are available online, as is a link to a free live discussion with the director on March 11.

Work progresses on Oishii Donburi in Lawrenceville.

via @oishiidonburi1

Work progresses on Oishii Donburi in Lawrenceville as they approach an opening date. From the owners of Oakland's Oishii Bento, the team with the self-titled company name purchased the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot at 5227 Butler St. (map) in May 2018.

Ocean Vuong with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, March 22.

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures will host Ocean Vuong on March 22.

Ocean Vuong is an award-winning poet and the author of the critically acclaimed bestselling novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a brilliant, heartbreaking family portrait – a testament to the redemptive power of storytelling.

Framed as a letter from a son to his mother who cannot read, this shattering portrait of a Vietnamese family and first love, asks how to survive, how to find joy in darkness, and the meaning of American identity. With stunning urgency and grace, Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are.

Tickets for the online event are $15 for general admission and $10 for students. The University of Pittsburgh community is also invited to register for a pre-lecture online book discussion on March 18 from 6:00 pm.

"Bento" coming soon to Shadyside.

Work progresses on Bento, a new restaurant coming to Shadyside. It will be located at 5811 Ellsworth Ave. (map) in what was most recently Daphne Cafe. Chen's Realty, LLC, purchased the spot in December 2019.

Eddie Huang film Boogie in Pittsburgh, from March 5.

The upcoming Eddie Huang film Boogie will play in Pittsburgh from March 5. From the distributor:

From acclaimed writer, producer and restaurateur Eddie Huang comes his directorial debut Boogie, the coming-of-age story of Alfred “Boogie” Chin, a basketball phenom living in Queens, New York, who dreams of one day playing in the NBA. While his parents pressure him to focus on earning a scholarship to an elite college, Boogie must find a way to navigate a new girlfriend, high school, on-court rivals and the burden of expectation.

It will play locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, the Cranberry Cinemas, and the Waterworks Cinemas.