Post-Gazette: "Pandemic and aggression toward Asian Americans highlights Pittsburgh’s lack of centralized AAPI community."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes on Pittsburgh's figurative and literal AAPI communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and increased hostility toward Asians and Asian-Americans.

Pittsburgh’s Asian American community, which lacks the numbers seen in cities such as New York City and San Francisco, has found the angry sentiments difficult to process.

Without a place to gather or a stable network, the Pittsburgh Asian American community cannot come together and heal the same as other communities, said Caroline Yoo, of Los Angeles, a a master’s degree candidate at Carnegie Mellon University.

“In L.A., even though there’s that type of racism, you have community. Whereas in Pittsburgh, even though there is a community, it feels just a little bit quieter,’’ Ms. Yoo said.

“It’s only my first year here. In my experiences, there isn’t this huge hub of just Asian celebration anywhere, and I think because of that lack of celebration and the lack of visibility, in ways all the little micro-aggressions build. And you end up just swallowing it up and repressing rather than releasing it, crying for help from your other members of the community.”

Fantuan / Just Order Enterprises Corp. (饭团) hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist.

Just Order Enterprises (also known as Fantuan), is a delivery service catering to Asian restaurants and groceries that expanded to Pittsburgh last summer, is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist.

Fantuan was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2014. With a mission of “life made easier,” the company is a one-stop platform providing food delivery (Fantuan Delivery), reviews (Fantuan Reviews), an errand service (Fantuan Rush), e-commerce and marketing services. Fantuan is one of the top Asian life-services platforms in North America, currently operating across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Los Angeles, New York and other metropolitan areas in Canada and the US.

Job Title: Business Development Specialist (Sponsor H1B, OPT or CPT)

Job Responsibility:

1. Facing local merchants, understand the business status and needs of the merchants, combine the needs of consumers, select and design marketing and operation plans that fit for the merchants, negotiate and reach cooperation with the merchants, and promote the increase of merchant transaction volume.

2. Incorporate the company's marketing strategies, policies and marketing activities to independently accomplish performance goals.

3. According to the current market situation and customer response, the corresponding strategic direction is formulated through data analysis, and the value of cooperation with cooperative merchants is continuously improved to achieve a win-win situation between merchants and the platform.

4. Maintain new and old merchants, establish stable and high-value cooperative relations, and maintain long-term repurchases.

5. Cooperate with departments to process and feedback market information in a timely manner, improve operational efficiency, and improve user satisfaction.

New York-based Chinese-owned fastfood chain 98K coming soon to Squirrel Hill.

A reader points out that 98K Hamburger, which just put signage up on a Squirrel Hill storefront, is part of a chain of heretofore New York City-based restaurants. That roster includes 98K Kennedy Halal in Brooklyn, a 98K in Brooklyn and a 98K in Flushing, and 98K Hamburger in Brooklyn. The Pittsburgh signage includes "NO:0006," though it's not quite clear what the fifth location might be. It will open at 5867 Forbes Ave. (map), though construction is still in progress.
Prior to 98K the location had signage up for Chatea, a bubble tea place that had been under construction since July 2020 but never materialized.

Signage up for Chinese-owned fast food place 98K Burger in Squirrel Hill, replacing yet-to-arrive Chatea.

Signage has recently gone up at 5867 Forbes Ave. (map) for 98K Burger.

It replaces the signage for Chatea, a bubble tea place that had yet to open.

The Pittsburgh burger place is Chinese-owned and shares a name with two restaurants in New York---98K Hamburg and 98K---though it's not clear what relation, if any, it shares with them.

Pitt hiring Assistant Instructor in Korean Studies.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor in Korean Studies.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures seeks an Assistant Instructor in Korean Studies to teach/instruct graduate and undergraduate courses. Will also be responsible for: (i) preparing for and teaching all levels of Korean classes as required, (ii) training and observing less experienced instructors, (iii) coordinating teaching and work with the Korean coordinator and other instructors, (iv) evaluating student performances and assign grades, (v) meeting with students as needed to advise study progress, (vi) assessing program performance, (vii) holding office hours, (viii) participating in department service and professional development.

Must have a master’s degree (or foreign equivalent degree) in Korean Languages or a related field plus one (1) year of experience teaching Korean at the college level in a North American institution of higher learning.

Must also have any experience with or knowledge of: (i) Korean and foreign language pedagogy in American higher education setting; (ii) linguistic knowledge of the Korean language; (iii) pedagogical technology; (iv) excellence in teaching as measured through student evaluations; (v) research in the field of Korean as a foreign language; (vi) teaching courses related to the Korean language (e.g., hanja); and (vii) coordination and administrative.

Must also be fluent in Korean (speaking, reading, and writing).

Experience can be concurrent.

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck coming to Ross Park Mall, September 11.

via @HellyKittyCafeTruck

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will return to Ross Park Mall on September 11.

Hello Pittsburgh! The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is returning to Ross Park Mall on Saturday 9/11! Come say hello to us near Cheesecake Factory between 10am-7pm and pick up some supercute treats & merch, while supplies last!

Learn how we are creating a comfortable and safe environment for our guests and staff here: https://www.sanrio.com/pages/message-to-the-sanrio-community-about-covid-19

More information about the truck and its tours available via Sanrio. Ross Park Mall is located in Ross Township in the North Hills, just off McKnight Road (map).

Sushi Kim 2 opening downtown in September.

Sushi Kim, which closed its famed Strip District sushi and Korean restaurant in late-2019, will open its Sushi Kim 2 downtown in September, according to the owner on Facebook. It will be located at 110 Smithfield St. (map). In 2020 it announced Sushi Kim 2 Go for N. Craig St. in Oakland, but the storefront there remains empty. The new restaurant boasts of a sushi bar and "traditional Korean kitchen," and has posted its menu on its new website:

Yanlai Dance Academy performance downtown, September 11.

The Yanlai Dance Academy will have a free performance downtown on September 11, part of Lights On!, a three-day celebration of the Pittsburgh Cultural District.

Yanlai Dance Academy will perform different styles of Chinese folk dance and classical dance. Performances will include colorful costumes and classic Chinese melody. Performers, ranging from kids to adults, will give you a glimpse of ancient China and many other ethnic groups.

The outdoor performance starts at 2:00 pm at the 8th Street Stage (map). Yanlai Dance Academy is located in the North Hills and offers a variety of modern and traditional dance classes.

Mini Trees in Pittsburgh, December 1 at Club Cafe.

Mini Trees will perform in Pittsburgh on December 1 at Club Cafe on the Southside (map). A July Beats Per Minute review describes a recent single "Carrying On":

“Carrying On” comes bounding out of the gates with a buoyant and propulsive bass line and strident drumming, which acts as a brilliant counterpoint to Vega’s more circuitous and uncertain words. It’s as if the instrumentation is the activity of the world rushing on all around, while Vega is stuck in the middle simply striving for a “sense of peace” and trying to keep troublesome ideas at bay, vividly describing her thought patterns in lines like “Colors paint my mistakes, it’s more than I can take.” The push-and-pull continues throughout “Carrying On”, resulting in a finale where one moment she’s quietly musing “I try to convince myself we’ll see it through” and the next she’s yelping “Is it over like that? Was it all a wash?” It’s a simple but effective reflection of our current mental dissonance, all wrapped up in a three-minute indie pop package.

Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu in Pittsburgh, September 17.

Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu will play the Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead on September 17.

In 2019, an NPR story put a spotlight on “a band from Mongolia that blends the screaming guitars of heavy metal and traditional Mongolian guttural singing,” accurately highlighting the cultural importance and unique musical identity of The HU. Founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, The HU, comprised of producer Dashka along with members Gala, Jaya, Temka, and Enkush, are a modern rock group rooted in the tradition of their homeland. The band’s name translates to the Mongolian root word for human being, and their unique approach blends instruments like the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), Tumur Khuur (jaw harp) and throat singing with contemporary sounds, creating a unique sonic profile that they call “Hunnu Rock.”

Tickets for the 8:00 pm show are available online from $32 (plus fees). The Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead is located at 510 E. 10th Ave. in Munhall (map).