February 16, 2022 - Pittsburgh City Paper

FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY PITTSBURGH’S ALTERNATIVE FOR NEWS, ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 1991

+EMERALD CITY A SPACE FOR BLACK PROFESSIONALS IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH

+FULL SPECTRUM A NEW EXHIBIT AT PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER

*INTRODUCING ANASTASIA WALKER A DEBUT COLLECTION OF POETRY SHARES ONE WRITER’S JOURNEY WITH COMING OUT MID-LIFE IN PITTSBURGH

PGHCITYPAPER.COM PGHCITYPAPER PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

FEB. 16-23, 2022

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS SERVING PITTSBURGH SINCE NOV. 6, 1991

4 Smithfield Street, Suite 1210 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 GOT A NEWS TIP? E-MAIL info@pghcitypaper.com WANT TO PLACE AN AD? CALL 412.685.9009

pghcitypaper.com PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

FEB. 16-23, 2022 VOLUME 31 + ISSUE 7 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Director of Advertising JASMINE HUGHES Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD A&E Editor AMANDA WALTZ News Reporter JORDANA ROSENFELD Arts & Culture Writer DANI JANAE Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Editorial Designer LUCY CHEN Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Digital Editorial Coordinator HANNAH KINNEY-KOBRE Sales Representatives ZACK DURKIN, OWEN GABBEY Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, MIKE CANTON, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA Interns TIA BAILEY, PAM SMITH National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

FIRSTSHOT

BY JARED WICKERHAM

Nathan Parente (left) of Parry’s Posse, and Sushan Rai (right) of Pittsburgh Youth F.C., compete during a Pittsburgh Soccer In The Community soccer match at Neighborhood Academy on Sat., Feb. 12.

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2022

by Eagle Media Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Eagle Media Corp. LETTER POLICY: Letters, or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Eagle Media Corp. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper.

FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $250 per year (52 issues), $150 per half year (26 issues), or $32 per six weeks. For more information, visit pghcitypaper.com and click on the Subscribe tab.

COVER PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM READ THE STORY ON PAGE 4

2

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

3

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Anastasia Walker poses for a portrait in Frick Park in Regent Square.

LIT

THE POET WHO IS

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

A

NASTASIA WALKER recently saw a poll stating that 80% of people said no when asked if they knew someone who was trans.

“That’s four out of every five people,” says the Pittsburgh by-way-of-Mainebased trans poet. “Now I would guarantee that a sizable portion of that 80% actually have met someone, they just didn’t know it because we don’t all choose to be out or aren’t clockable or readable.”

Why does this matter? Well, as Walker put it, then your preconceptions and prejudices, if you have them, aren’t being challenged. As a result, you’re not given a chance to see that, very simply, underneath the labels and categorizations,

4

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

we’re all humans. Walker’s debut collection of poetry, The Girl Who Wasn’t and Is, which debuted Feb. 4 via bd-studios.com, was written with cisgender readers as its primary audience to help share more about what it is like to be trans.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about us, and a lot are being kind of cynically pushed by politicians and faith leaders so-called on the right,” says Walker. “So we have to back against those misconceptions. One way to do that is to humanize yourself. ‘Look, I have parents. I’ve struggled with my parents.

But we also have a loving relationship. I have a brother, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Here is his story; here are

his struggles. I walk in the world. I take photos. I love nature.’ All those little and big ways in which we’re all members of the same species, and we’re here too.”

ANASTASIA WALKER anastasiaswalker.blogspot.com

The Girl Who Wasn’t and Is tells Walker’s story of coming out mid-life in Pittsburgh and captures the intense reckoning many people face during this process. But the powerful and honest collection also explores the intersections with others in the trans community, calls for racial justice, and finds allyship in

unexpected places. Pittsburgh City Paper spoke with Walker over the phone about her collection and shared experiences.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Girl Who Wasn’t and Is tells your story of coming out in mid-life.

What drove you to write this collection and share your story with others?

The easy answer is I’m a writer. And as far as poetry goes, I’ve been writing poetry since I was in college. So that’s part of it. As far as sharing my story goes, I started exploring my coming-out journey through poetry. I was writing a lot

of poems, and since that was a way I was figuring out what I was going through, at some point, I started finding my voice, and I was writing what I thought were good poems, so I started submitting poems, and they started getting accepted.

To use an old aphorism, “To who much is given much is expected,” I’m articulate, I think, and I think my book is pretty good, and I think there’s a real need to just communicate to the world at large, which is to say, to folks that are cisgender, what it’s like being us. I’m a member of my Indivisible group in my community, so I participate in politics that way, but I thought to serve my trans community, one thing I can do is to share my experiences in a way that might communicate what it’s like to be us.

And I think it’s a really valuable thing that we can do and I think it’s necessary.

In The Girl Who Wasn’t and Is, something that caught my eye was your decision to include your own photography.

What was behind the choice?

Well, one, because I do love photography and I thought I had a lot of good photos — I wanted to include them. That said, I didn’t want them to be just eye candy.

As I was putting the book together, one thing I thought about was, well, if I’m going to include these photos, let me include them in a way where the photos will enrich the poems in some way. For example, the brief poem “What Is a Wall?,” just thinking about how we put walls up, and those who don’t want to know other people, and how ignorance and bigotry come out of that, etc., etc.

Well, I had a photo of a wall, or part of a wall, and so it’s a fairly obvious connection there, but I chose that one to pair with the poem because it has that one brick in the upper center part that’s been chipped away. So it’s kind of a bleak commentary about the walls that we put up between ourselves and other people; those walls are never impermeable.

So you talk about your personal challenges, transphobic microaggressions and how to handle that, and experiences of the trans community at

large, but then you also include “9:29 Is Long Enough,” a poem about the murder of George Floyd. Why did you feel this was important to incorporate?

Well, two things: One, I just really liked how the poem came out, kind of like the photos. I really wanted to include it. But you’re right; it’s a bit of an outlier in terms of the subject matter; it’s not about me or my community. Going back to the earlier goal, talking about me and my community and our experiences to the cisgender folks, one of the things I thought about was, again, tying all of our experiences together and showing the commonality among them. I have those poems about the violence in my community, Muhlaysia Booker, the assault on her, Roxana Hernandez, the Honduran refugee that was jailed and murdered by ICE agents, and then that poem “Remembrance,” which is just a list of murders and atrocities and whatnot. So violence is a reality for my community — and I think anyone who’s trans, when we leave our home, at the very least in the back of our minds, it’s the knowledge of “Hey, is this going to be our last day?”

FOR FULL INTERVIEW VISIT PGHCITYPAPER.COM You just don’t know; you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, something like what happened to Muhlaysia could happen to me. I could be beaten within an inch of my life. But that’s an experience that members and other minority groups have as well. Obviously, the African-American community and people of color, the Jewish community, the Muslim community. Having the poem about George Floyd and his murder, it’s another way that me and my community share things with people at large.

Is there anything else you would want people to know about yourself, the trans community in Pittsburgh, or your book?

Visit my blog to make sure that you know I have a sense of humor. Most of my book is fairly somber, and a lot of it is downright brutal, but there’s a lot of light in the book and a lot of light in our lives.

•

Explore cannabis as a support for what ails you.

Become a medical cannabis patient. We provide low-cost certifications and expert assistance, over the phone. $125 - New Cannabis Card Certification $75 - Card Recertification $75 - New Certification for Veterans/SSI/Disability

www.herbalcarerx.com • 215-554-4044 • HELP@HERBALCARERX.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

5

CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

The Greenwood Plan co-founders Khamil Bailey and Samantha Black in Emerald City in Downtown Pittsburgh

BLACK-LED COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

SEEING GREEN

BY DANI JANAE // DANIJANAE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

F

ROM RESTAURANT owners to hair and nail stylists, people love to work for themselves. And in Pittsburgh, there are hundreds of small, Black-owned businesses. Unfortunately, these businesses are not always equipped with the tools they need to succeed.

This is where Greenwood Week came in. Operating as a conference in 2017, it provided support for Black businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals by utilizing the network and resources in these communities. By providing these businesses with the means to help each other, Greenwood Week — started

6

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

by Samantha Black of the consulting organization SYLA “Support Your Local Artist” PGH and Khamil Bailey of the Black business consulting firm Cocoapreneur — transformed from a conference to a nonprofit called The Greenwood Plan.

“Essentially [we] engaged organizations and said, ‘Hey, will you help us pay these Black professionals to teach classes in their areas of expertise?’” says Black.

“And so we started Greenwood Week on that premise, that we specifically hired Black people to teach other Black people how to navigate spaces that they’ve already been in.”

THE GREENWOOD PLAN greenwoodplan.com/donate

EMERALD CITY 213 Smithfield St., Downtown Pittsburgh. emeraldcitypgh.com

The model of the conference lasted for about five years, and then, according to Black, she and Bailey ran into a problem where organizations with financial means didn’t want to give them money to support their programming. That’s when they decided to switch over to the nonprofit model. They started questioning if

they could do year-round programming and summits about subjects like real estate and medical marijuana.

The nonprofit was officially started in 2021, and the hunt for a physical space began. Then they found Emerald City. Black says they were touring The Americus Club on Smithfield Street in Downtown, and as they were talking about their practices, the owner happened to overhear their conversation and offered space to Black and Bailey.

The result is Emerald City, a coworking office space that Black says “kind of closes the gap for the other two initiatives.”

Inside Emerald City in Downtown Pittsburgh

“So there is the Greenwood Plan: the overarching entity that is a nonprofit.

And then there’s two programs, which are the education-based Greenwood Week, and then the space-based Emerald City,” says Black.

She says that the goal is not to duplicate the efforts of Black people in the region, but to make sure that everyone knows what everyone else is doing in an entrepreneurial sense. So if a local business wants to hire a Black contractor or a tax person, they know where to find one.

Black adds that even though connecting Black people to each other is their main goal, they also want to be sure that they are being inclusive of other identities like LGBTQ people, disabled people, and identities that intersect with Black identities.

“We communicate with people on a cultural level and not on a professional level or anything that mimics white supremacy,” says Black. “Professionalism mimics white supremacy. And so whenever we engage during the classes, we explain to everyone, ‘Everybody here is in a different capacity. Everybody needs certain things.’ So it ranges from providing couches for families to also providing daycare. We also provide dinner because a lot of people have to choose between their education and feeding their families.”

“WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE ON A CULTURAL LEVEL AND NOT ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL OR ANYTHING THAT MIMICS WHITE SUPREMACY.” Black talks about the idea of “building wealth” and what a non-colonial vision of wealth looks like. Many people still define wealth as a strictly monetary concept, she explains. Black says when you strip away conceptions that posit wealth is strictly about money, then it becomes about what people would do with their lives if they had the freedom to. Wealth is about resources, she adds, and just because you don’t have millions of dollars doesn’t mean you aren’t wealthy.

“Maybe I want to be in corporate America or I wanna be an investor. I wanna be an inventor. We kind of articulate the freedom that is required to build wealth, right?” says Black. “We talk about freedom as what it is that you want to do to get to your goals, to get to your personal success, and all of those things.”

•

Follow arts & culture writer Dani Janae on Twitter @figwidow PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

7

ART

GLASS CLUSTERS

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

R

UNNING through Full Spectrum, the latest group exhibition at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, is an odd motif — bananas. Whether or not the fruit appears intentionally or not remains a mystery, but it definitely stands out, whether in the work of CaymanianAmerican artist Davin K. Ebanks, as a noted inspiration of Korean-born artist Eun-Ha Paek (their statement references “a banana peel on the floor”), or in the bright yellow bunch that appears as part of Nikki Lau’s ceramic Chinatowninspired cornucopia.

But there’s more than bananas to this small but eclectically appointed show in the gallery space.

On view through May 22, Full Spectrum gathers artwork incorporating the Glass Center’s main medium, as well as wood, metal, fiber, video, and more. Curated by Corey Pemberton of Crafting the Future, April Felipe of The Color Network, and Nisha Blackwell of Knotzland, the show is described as showcasing 18 “visionary makers of color from around the country who are producing extraordinary craft objects, while illustrating the vast number of pathways to a successful and meaningful career.”

The artists represent a wide range of racial identities and backgrounds. Five of those featured are from Pittsburgh, including Mexican-born artist Ana Armengod, whose signature painted eggs are displayed on small pedestals more suited for decorative pillar candles, and accompanied by a looped black-andwhite video she recorded.

Similar to Armengod, other artists on display demonstrate the show’s loose dedication to glass and ceramics. This is apparent in a selection of vibrant green dresses by Taiwanese-American artist Hai-Wen Lin and a woodburn print by N.E. Brown, as well as in other works where glass takes a back seat to other materials.

Not to imply that glass isn’t still the star of the show, even if it only appears in subtle ways, such as in the colorful beadwork strung onto the cascading, vine-like

CP PHOTO: AMANDA WALTZ

Full Spectrum at the Pittsburgh Glass Center

appendages of Pittsburgh artist LaVerne Kemp’s fiber and wood wall hangings. This style repeats to some degree in “The Cool Kids” and “Stranger,” two pieces by fellow Pittsburgh artist Rell Rushin. Like Kemp’s hangings, glass beads are incorporated, wound into yarn meant to represent Black hairstyles in two acrylic paintings.

FULL SPECTRUM Continues through May 22. Pittsburgh Glass Center. 5472 Penn Ave., Friendship. Free. pittsburghglasscenter.org

When glass does go solo, the results range from the innovative to the spectacular. Among the standouts are two contributions by Brooklyn glass blower Leo Tecosky, who combines industrial elements like metal tubing with glass arrows that twist and turn in ways that seem impossible considering their thick

blockiness. Paired with a suspended arrow piece is a pink, bubbly “B” sculpture adorned with graffitti, another element that Tecosky uses in order to, according to the artist’s bio, juxtapose “the complexity of visual language with the fluidity and transparency of glass.”

Also impressive is the way artists use found objects or material. Pittsburgh artist SaraBeth Post incorporates baby blocks and other items into her work, which is defined by bright, child-like letters and shapes made from cast glass. Bre’Annah Stampley takes an inventive approach with “Fragmented Remembering,” a piece that transforms a broken lamp that once belonged to her late great-grandmother into a loving tribute that the artist describes as a “form of healing,” as it gave her something to do with her grief.

From there, visitors are treated to more traditional glass artforms,

Follow a&e editor Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

8

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

including two tall, masterfully flawless vases by Arthur Wilson and the breathtakingly delicate crystal castles of Eunsuh Choi, as well as vessels, sculptures, and other pieces.

Regardless of how the artists of Full Spectrum choose to express themselves, the inf luence of culture and experiences shine through. For example, Colombian-American artist Natalia Arbelaez draws from her own heritage, producing work that uses pre-Columbian styles and materials like terra-cotta as a way to reclaim traditions lost to European colonization.

Even the bananas, absurd as they seem, address difficult issues or moments that define the artists (for Ebanks, they represent a status symbol in Cayman, as native grown bananas are considered “poor peoples’ food”), and add a more figurative fragility to the many breakable works on display.

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

9

BRAND EX

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

(Top) Forward Back album by Bill Summers (Bottom) Betty Davis album by Betty Davis

MUSIC

ACROSS 1. Fictional nation with 13 Districts 6. Hunter, to Joe 9. Mollusk shell lining 14. Old shopping mall 15. Not straight 16. They’ll put things on your Amazon shopping list 17. Nail polish brand used for fishing?

19. Play with horses 20. Lab work overseers, maybe 21. Chatter’s caveat 22. Desire 23. First-ever nasal decongestant?

29. Adjust the origami 31. One going on a rhyme spree 32. Hertz rival 33. Plus thing 35. Letters before an alter ego 38. Particulate matter that makes cleaning mirrors difficult?

41. Wrestling move named after a pesticide 42. Legal work 43. Football Hall of Famer Greasy 44. Hendrix who strung his guitar upside down 45. Corner pieces?

10

46. Hollywood types who use lip balm?

51. Phantom ___ 52. Last name of the family on Succession 53. Ghosts channel 56. Take back, as one’s words 58. Chef who prepares watches?

61. Spiker Gabrielle 62. So, so fresh 63. In a suitable fashion 64. They’re sometimes drawn in the nude 65. Artful 66. Drink with a creamy leaf on its surface

DOWN 1. Ceasefire agreement 2. Quintana Roo quencher 3. “Pump those brakes” 4. Preposition for 31-Across 5. Top out 6. Indian pundit 7. Hunter near Gemini 8. Newspaper that bought Wordle, for short 9. Called in the past 10. Clear of guilt 11. Make, as butter 12. Cosmetics for the cheeks

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

13. New Jersey county or Massachusetts county 18. Dallas, to sports fans 24. Lopsided victory 25. Not permitted by law 26. Alcoves in abbeys 27. Film pioneer Marcus 28. Embedded under the surface of 29. Comic actor Paul 30. Statesman Barak 33. When some have dinner 34. “___-Hulk” 35. Severance star 36. Some seaweed 37. Reduces the workforce 39. Everybody

has one 40. Close by 44. Goldberg Variations composer 45. Ophthalmologic case 46. Words on a jacket 47. Top section of a form 48. “None for me” 49. The Tempest trickster 50. Like chairs that are hard to get out of 54. Piece of fabric 55. Hebridean isle 57. Positive feedback?

58. Scores in the 59-Down 59. See 58-Down 60. Project MKUltra org.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

SOULSHOWMIKE’S ALBUM PICKS

P

BY MIKE CANTON // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ITTSBURGH LOST one of its own last week when legendary singer Betty Davis — known as “The Queen of Funk,” wife of Miles, and a longtime Homestead resident — passed away at the age of 77.

There’s a 50-year thread between Betty and my album pick for February.

By now, most Pittsburghers know her legacy quite well. Along with her personal accomplishments as a model, major songwriter, cult-level performer, and subject of a critically acclaimed biopic, Betty strategically nudged her husband Miles into a new melding of jazz and rock.

Miles, in turn, employed musicians such as Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, and Herbie Hancock for his new vision. From these disciples came jazz/rock fusion juggernauts Weather Report, Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Headhunters, respectively.

Bill Summers was the percussionist

in Headhunters, and here we are with his latest project in 2022.

Forward Back is a six-track EP that honors a formula I love: hip hop with full instrumental backdrop and layered singing. “Yellow Flowers,” the opener, offers all of that plus beautiful steel and polyrhythm. “Elevate” follows with conscious lyrics of Black kings and Cuban plantain. A little bit later, the ageless and ubiquitous George Clinton guests on “Buttafly.”

Back to Betty Davis …

The Soul Show is honoring her in two episodes. The Feb. 12 show was rapidly assembled in the days after her death. If you missed it, the archive is at soulshowmike.org. A larger effort is planned for the first weekend of Women’s History Month, where I’ll have remarks from the biopic’s director and other key witnesses to Davis’ life. Tune in from 2-5 p.m. on March 5 at wyep.org. •

Mike Canton is the longtime host and producer of The Soul Show on WYEP 91.3FM. He recently launched a syndicated edition of the program, now airing in four markets. Both are produced in his Electric Basement Studios. Canton is also a Pittsburgh-area voice artist.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

11

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH IRL / IN REAL LIFE EVENT VIRTUAL / STREAMING OR ONLINE-ONLY EVENT HYBRID / MIX OF IN REAL LIFE AND ONLINE EVENT

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LEGACY RECORDINGS

^ When Doves Cry: A Prince Tribute Concert

THU., FEB. 17 MUSIC • VIRTUAL Tom Wendt of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s The Vinyl Report series will celebrate late Pittsburgh jazz musician Beaver Harris. A Pittsburgh-born jazz drummer, Harris served as a leader for many bands and as a sideman along with artists like Albert Ayler and Marion Brown. The Center will also welcome Harris’ daughter, Verna Vaughn, to listen to Montreux One, a 1975 live album by Archie Shepp, a longtime collaborator of Harris.

Available to watch at the Center’s YouTube channel and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival website. 7 p.m. Free. aacc-awc.org

FRI., FEB. 18 FEST • IRL Car enthusiasts will have a field day when the Pittsburgh International Auto Show returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Gaze at classic cars and

get a peek at the latest models coming down the assembly line, ranging from rugged SUVs to sporty convertibles. See new technologies and features designed to make cars safer and more efficient, or enjoy any number of live performances, familyfriendly activities, and more. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Continues through Mon., Feb. 21. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $6-12. Free for kids under 6. pittautoshow.com

FEST • IRL After a long pandemic hiatus, the Pittsburgh Tattoo Expo is back to help folks choose a new ink or piercing. Presented by International Body Jewelry, the weekendlong event at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel in Station Square hosts some of the best tattoo artists in the area for a weekend of live tattooing, piercing, and entertainment.

Expect tattoo contests, the Miss Pittsburgh Pin Up Contest, and much more. 10 a.m.10:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Feb. 20.

300 W. Station Square Drive, South Side. $25-50. pittsburghtattooexpo.com

SAT., FEB. 19 EXHIBIT • IRL Explore one of the most ecologically diverse places on Earth when the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens opens its latest show Tropical Forest Hawai‘i.

With lush greenery and flora, Phipps aims to bring to life the Indigenous Hawaiian culture of “Aloha ‘Aina” (“love of land”).

The exhibition will feature a wide variety of native and endemic plant species, many of which are considered threatened or endangered. There will also be interactive displays, models, and more. 9:30 a.m. One Schenley Park, Oakland. Included with regular admission. Tickets must be reserved in advance. phipps.conservatory.org

MUSIC • IRL This is what it sounds like when Kelly Strayhorn Theater honors a late music legend. Pittsburgh composer Dwayne Fulton will present When Doves Cry: A Prince Tribute Concert, a night dedicated to

the many hits of Prince’s illustrious career. A lineup of local vocalists and musicians will perform iconic songs like “Kiss,” “Little Red Corvette,” “1999,” “Purple Rain,” and more. Wear your most fabulous purple gear and get ready for a terrific night. 8 p.m.

5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. $20-35 or “pay what moves you.” kelly-strayhorn.org

SUN., FEB. 20 STAGE • IRL See a new production of a classic play when the Point Park University Conservatory Theatre Company presents The Children’s Hour. Written by Lillian Hellman, the work follows two female instructors at an all-girl boarding school who become the subject of a lie with the potential to destroy their lives. First staged in 1934, the play is an early example of dealing explicitly with LGBTQ themes. Taking place at the Pittsburgh Playhouse Highmark Theatre.

Guests should show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test.

CONTINUES ON PG. 14

12

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

13

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH, CONTINUED FROM PG. 12

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PEN AMERICA

^ Ayad Akhta

Masks are required. 2 p.m. Continues through Sun., Feb. 27. 350 Forbes Ave., Downtown. $5-35. playhouse.pointpark.edu

that took the world by storm. 7:30 p.m.

Continues through March 13. 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $89-399. trustarts.org

MON., FEB. 21

WED., FEB. 23

LIT • HYBRID Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ayad Akhtar will discuss his latest work as part of the Pittsburgh Art and Lectures series. The novelist and playwright will speak on Homeland Elegies, described by publisher Little, Brown & Co. as a “deeply personal work about identity and belonging in a nation coming apart at the seams,” one that “blends fact and fiction to tell an epic story of longing and dispossession in the world that 9/11 made.” The event will take place at the Carnegie Music Hall and over livestream. 7:30 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $10-15. pittsburghlectures.org

TUE., FEB. 22 STAGE • IRL Musical theater and American history collide once again when Hamilton returns to Pittsburgh at the Benedum Center. The touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway hit uses a multicultural cast and heavy elements of hip hop, jazz, and R&B to retell the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Tickets will certainly sell out fast, so don’t miss your chance to see the highly acclaimed musical

14

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

LIT • VIRTUAL Join White Whale Bookstore for a virtual event celebrating A Harp in the Stars: An Anthology of Lyric Essays. Published by the University of Nebraska Press, the work collects essays “written in four different forms — flash, segmented, braided, and hermit crab — from a range of diverse writers,” all compiled by editor Randon Billings Noble. Contributors Ru Freeman, Sarah Minor, and Caitlin Myer will also appear. 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Registration required. whitewhalebookstore.com/events

MUSIC • HYBRID Mostly Other People Do the Killing visits Pittsburgh for a performance at City of Asylum’s Alphabet City venue.

The event will celebrate the release of the jazz trio’s album Disasters Vol. 1.

Led by band member, bassist, and Pennsylvania native Moppa Elliot, the band has a unique swinging sound that brings fun to any venue. Elliot will be joined by pianist Ron Stabinsky and drummer Kevin Shea. See it in person or online. 7-8:30 p.m., 40 W. North Ave., North Side. Free. cityofasylum.org •

MASSAGE M2M Massage by Lee 5’10” 140 wgt, very fit 24/7 • 412-628-1269

PERSONALS Female Companion wanted 30-40 y.o.

Waist length hair and/or cornrows a PLUS PLUS! Permanent Position 724-223-0939 Wash. Co _______________________ To place a Classified ad in Pittsburgh City Paper, call 412-685-9009 to speak to one of our representatives.

MARKETPLACE MARKET PLACE

MISCELLANEOUS Guaranteed Life Insurance!

(Ages 50 to 80). No medical exam. Affordable premiums never increase. Benefits never decrease. Policy will only be cancelled for non-payment. HOURS: M-F 9a-10p & Sat 11a-2p EST 1-888-386-0113 (Void NY) (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL Struggling With Your Private Student Loan Payment?

New relief programs can reduce your payments.

Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 412-685-9009 ext. 106 HELP WANTED WANTED! 36 PEOPLE to Lose Weight. 30-day money back guarantee. Herbal Program. Also opportunity to earn up to $1,000 monthly.

1-800-492-4437 www.myherbalife.com

HELP WANTED TECHNOLOGY

Philips RS North America LLC (formerly Respironics, Inc.) is accepting resumes for the position of Senior Clinical Marketing Manager in Pittsburgh, PA (Ref. #RAYJ). Develop indepth knowledge on clinical application technology.

Telecommuting permitted.

Mail resume to Philips North America LLC, Legal Department, Barbara Bickford, 222 Jacobs Street, Third Floor, Cambridge, MA 02141.

Resume must include Ref. #RAYJ, full name, email address & mailing address. No phone calls. Must be legally authorized to work in U.S. without sponsorship. EOE.

LEGAL Need Help with Family Law? Can’t Afford a $5000 Retainer?

Low Cost Legal Services- Pay As You Go- As low as $750-$1500Get Legal Help Now! Call 1-844-821-8249 Mon-Fri 7am to 4pm PCT (AAN CAN) https://www.familycourtdirect. com/?network=1

SERVICES AT&T TV - The Best of Live & On-Demand On All Your Favorite Screens. CHOICE Package, $84.99/mo for 12months. Stream on 20 devices at once in your home.

HBO Max FREE for 1 yr (w/ CHOICE Package or higher.)

Call for more details today! (some restrictions apply) Call IVS 1-877-350-1003

NAME CHANGE IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-438, In re petition of Imani D Andrews Downing parents and legal guardian of Za’Riyah Faith Andrews Byrd for change of name to Za’Riyah Faith Andrews.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 4th day of March 2022, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH PUPIL TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT 3117 Centre Avenue, Room 366 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR SCHOOL BUS AND VAN TRANSPORTATION

The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the District’s web page at: https://www.pghschools.org/domain/239.

One (1) original and four (4) copies of the proposal shall be prepared and submitted to the School District in such form as is set forth in the RFQ by 4:00 PM on Thursday, February 24, 2022.

The District reserves the right to reject any and all RFQs. Megan Patton Transportation Department (412) 529-5947 Email: mpatton1@pghschools.org FINANCIAL

FINANCIAL

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure?

CALL Homeowners Relief Line NOW for Help 1-855-4395853 Mon-Fri : 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Sat: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm(all times Pacific) (AAN CAN)

SAVE BIG on HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies.

Get a quote within minutes.

Average savings of $444/ year! Call 844-712-6153!

(M-F 8am-8pm Central) (AAN CAN)

DENTAL INSURANCE

CREDIT REPAIR

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait!

Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855-385-3879 www.dental50plus.com/ citypaper #6258

Denied Credit?? Work to Repair Your Credit Report With The Trusted Leader in Credit Repair. Call Lexington Law for a FREE credit report summary & credit repair consultation.

855-620-9426. John C. Heath, Attorney at Law, PLLC, dba Lexington Law Firm. (AAN CAN)

Need Help Getting Social Security Disability Benefits?

We Can Help!

FIGHTING FOR YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR OVER 25 YEARS!

You Could Be Eligible To Receive:

$ Steady monthly income depending on your paid in amount

A lump sum payment of benefits owed from back-pay

Annual cost of living increases

• We simplify the process & strive for quick claim approval • Starting the process is easy and takes only minutes to complete

855-447-5891 Helping thousands get the benefits they deserve

Bill Gordon & Associates, a nationwide practice, represents clients before the Social Security Administration. Member of the TX & NM Bar Associations. Mail: 1420 NW St Washington D.C. Office: Broward County Florida. Services may be provided by associated attorneys licensed in other states.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER FEBRUARY 16 - 23, 2022

15