"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.