3-22-23

1 Fikayomi Olagbami | Staff Illustrator

Spreading love through sweet treats pg. 2 College Republicans, Democrats face off in debate pg. 4

“Best Of” survey winners pg. 8

The Pitt News

The i nd epe n d e n t s t u de nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | MARCH 22, 2023 ­| Volume 113 | Issue 121

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March 22, 2023

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LOVE MADE EDIBLE:

SPREADING LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP THROUGH SWEET TREATS Gabriella Garvin Staff Writer

From cookie-butter-flavored puddings, to Girl-Scout-cookieflavored cupcakes and 3D cakes, Love Made Edible Bakery aims to spread joy through pastries bursting with flavors.

The bakery won “Best BlackOwned Business” in The Pitt News’ annual “Best Of ” contest. Upon entering the bakery, customers enter a vibrant purple room with the scent of freshly made goods. The bakery opened about a year ago and is located in Brentwood, which is about 20 minutes from Pitt’s campus.

Shamara Ray, the owner of Love Made Edible, said she had the dream of owning her own bakery from a young age after “Cake Boss” inspired her.

Cupcakes at Love Made Edible Bakery in Brentwood.

Image courtesy of Love Made Edible Bakery “I was probably 12 years old when I came up with the idea behind owning a bakery,” Ray said.

“I’ve just always liked baking and when I saw Cake Boss, where they were making really called “heaven on earth.” She said it tastes cool cakes, I thought, ‘Wow, I want to do that.” similar to a strawberry shortcake ice cream Ray said she spent a lot of time trying to bar. figure out the name for the business.

Missy Simmons, 40, resident of Jefferson “I came up with the name in college. I Hills and frequent customer at Love Made didn’t know what to call it, and love is my Edible, said she discovered the bakery out of favorite thing,” Ray said. “[So I thought], if curiosity. something can be or taste as good as love, like “Funny story — I never travel that far up good love, then it’s great. So I named it Love 51. I had to relocate temporarily and ended up Made Edible. traveling past her bakery daily. I happened to Torea Barber, a nighttime baker at Love be driving to work down 51 and saw this cute Made Edible, said her favorite part about the little bakery that had a sign saying ‘open,’” bakery is its openness to creativity and experi- Simmons said. “I was super curious. I had no mentation. idea if they were new.”

“I started working at Love Made Edible on Simmons said Ray was personable from the August 1, 2022. My favorite part about work- start, allowing her to form a strong personal ing here is being able to create unique baked friendship filled with laughter. goods,” Barber said. “There are no limits when “I walked in and let me tell you, Shamara, it comes to baking in the Love Made Edible the owner, was like a breath of fresh air. She kitchen.” made all of your problems disappear,” SimBarber’s favorite treat at the bakery is the mons said. “I think I would have come back to strawberry crunch cheesecake, which she say hi even if her treats were terrible, but the

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Ray said she makes a variety of 3D cakes to order. Depending on the components and intricacy of the cake, it can take anywhere from six to 12 hours.

“The most unique orders are 3D. I’ve made a Tito’s bottle, or like a bag of money, or stacks of money,” Ray said. “It can take a lot of time.”

The bakery makes treats for any occasion, from gatherings to birthday parties. The flexibility in events allows the bakery to experiment with menu items, whether that be combining or creating new ones altogether.

Simmons said Ray used her two favorite flavors, red velvet Shamara Ray, the owner of Love Made Edible Bakery.

Image courtesy of Love Made Edible Bakery and salted pretzel, to make her a special cake with a flavor on each side for her birthday.

“Here she is trying to get her bakery up and best part [was] they were the best cupcakes I running and at the same time thinking of her have ever tasted.” customers that way,” Simmons said. “She is Simmons said finding Love Made Ed- truly one of a kind.” ible helped her deal with the long weeks of Simmons said the warmth and comfort struggling with fertility and the strict dietary Love Made Edible strives to project is what recommendations that came with it. keeps their customers hooked.

“I have been on a fertility journey for a “I always ask Shamara what her secret inlong time, while in the middle of IVF, trying gredient is that makes all of her treats so deto stick to a low carb diet and stay away from licious. She simply says it’s because they are sugar. Well, that was a big problem after hav- made with love. Well, her love of baking has ing those delicious cupcakes,” Simmons said. me hooked,” Simmons said. “I will continue to “I made a deal with myself, I would only stop be one of her biggest fans, watching her hard by on Sundays for a treat. I swear it got me work and dedication make her dreams come through the hard times that year.” true.”

Ray said her favorite thing to make is As winner of “Best Of Black-owned Busithe custom cakes, which vary for different nesses,” Ray said she wants Pitt students to events. She said it makes her feel like she has a know their dreams are possible and to never big role in the events she’s baking for. give up.

“I feel like the cake is the life of the party,” “Even if it seems far away or like it’s never Ray said. “When it’s sitting up and it’s pretty going to happen, it is much closer than you on the table, I feel like a good cake makes the think,” Ray said. “I want students to know that party.” anything is possible.”

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STUDENTS VOTE

in the classroom,” Finkel said.

Naomi Yamashita Sperry, another student at GSPIA looking to get her masters in public health, also emphasized the energy seen in the classroom. Yamashita Sperry is 55 and has a background in emergency room nursing and chose to continue her learning in Finkel’s interactive environment.

“She is extremely intelligent, and the three hour classes fly by because she commands the room in a way that is participatory, not us just sitting there in a lecture,” she said Yamashita Sperry said her classes with Finkel are not “cookie cutter,” as she aims to change students’ ways of thinking.

“For example, when looking in the field of healthcare, so much of data has been based on perception-targeted populations that don’t include everyone,” she said. “Dr. Finkel looks to include ways that we include the entire population and why issues affect minorities, instead of looking through it with a white privilege lens.”

Finkel also co-leads a research project with the United Nations Development Programme, where she focuses on collecting gendered data and analyzing global trends in gender equality See Best Grad Prof on page 10

MÜGE KÖKTEN FINKEL AS “BEST GRAD PROFESSOR” Müge Kökten Finkel, a professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. Image courtesy of Müge Kökten Finkel

Srinidhi Gopalan For The Pitt News

Pitt students voted Müge Kökten Finkel, a professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, as the best grad professor in The Pitt News’ “Best Of ” survey.

Finkel teaches Gender and Development, a Capstone on Project Design and Evaluation and a survey course on Global Poverty and Inequality at GSPIA. Outside of teaching, she also is involved in research projects with the United Nations Development Programme and Gender Inequality Research Lab. Finkel’s teaching style is centered on pushing students to think

outside of the box and experiment, preparing them for professional life.

Finkel said she’s surprised and “exceptionally honored” by her win.

“I only teach smaller and elective classes, so being acknowledged as one who has made a large scale effect has been wonderfully gratifying,” Finkel said.

Finkel’s classes at GSPIA focus on issues such as problems of development and inequalities on both the global and local scale. Finkel said she takes a collaborative approach in her classroom that students seem to enjoy. She strongly emphasizes a more interactive learning environment that is discussion-based rather than lecture-based.

“Interacting takes more effort, courage and commitment, but the end result is always more satisfying,” Finkel said. “In grad classes, I believe we need to prepare our students for a professional life as expediently as possible.”

Anisha Mallik, a junior graduate student at

GSPIA who took Finkel’s Gender and Development and Capstone Project Design and Evaluation class, said Finkel was “super energetic” and described her as an “industry leader” in her sector.

“She has such a zest and passion for life,” Mallik said. “It would be Monday morning at 9 a.m. and she would already be three coffees down, super awake and energetic.”

Mallik said Finkel wants to challenge students to meet her energy and passion level each class.

“Students find the most growth in their careers when being challenged to engage in interactive and energetic discussion,” Mallik said.

Finkel acknowledges that her approach may be initially intimidating, but it ultimately allows her to see her students' active thinking skills.

“My main goal is to make sure everyone in the class feels included, that their points are valued, and that everyone has a rightful place

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COLLEGE DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS DEBATE ABORTION, DRAG BANS AND HEALTH CARE

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economy by killing all those small businesses.”

In response, College Democrats member Thomas One of the most contentious issues at a debate beRoss said raising the minimum wage consistent with tween Pitt’s College Republicans and College Demoinflation rates would not reduce the purchasing power crats on Monday night came when College Republicans of workers. vice president Joshua Minsky and College Democrats “If we're able to raise the wages of minimum-wage president Amanda Thornton debated whether abortion workers … it's going to contribute to more growth in the is a human right. economy, it's going to lead to better outcomes for AmerMinsky said he “[has] absolutely no problem” with icans … it’s going to be better for the abortions in the case of rape, incest economy as a whole,” Ross said. or when the life of the mother is at Begler and College Republicans risk, but condemned abortions remember Heather Wright debated sulting from consensual casual sex. the adequacy of the American “Control yourselves,” Minsky health care system.

Begler argued said, referring to casual sex, sayfor a movement toward single-payer ing that “hookup culture” and the or universal health care, in order to “sexualization of society” have led increase accessibility of health care to increased abortion rates. to low-income Americans.

“Society has become extremely “We are the only industrialized sexualized,” Minsky said. “Everycountry to not guarantee health care one is having sex with everyone, I as a right.

That is unacceptable,” Bemean, it's just true. Look at Tinder gler said. … I'm sorry if there is a problem Wright argued that a move toin society and I'm simply saying it ward publicly funded health care out loud.” would worsen health care outcomes, Thornton called Minsky’s renamely by increasing wait times. She sponses “insensitive” and “disresaid low-income individuals can still spectful to women.”

Two students from the College Democrats and College Republicans go to the emergency room to seek “Everyone has the right to debate in the William Pitt Union Monday night. treatment and can’t be turned away. control their own lives,” Thornton Romita Das | Senior Staff Photographer Wright also argued that these indisaid. “Having reproductive health viduals can “send $1 a month” toward care is a basic human right and we their medical debt without the government taking acneed to make sure we support the right to choose and “Unfortunately, tuition is very expensive for a lot of tion against them — giving her own mother as an exwork towards a world where reproductive autonomy is people, especially marginalized communities, and a lot ample. respected and valued, which clearly you don’t.” of them cannot afford it,” Thornton said.

“My mom's hospital bills equate to over $100,000,” Students filled the William Pitt Union Assembly Minsky argued that colleges should eliminate generWright said. “My mom works at Giant Eagle now beRoom Monday night to hear some of the University’s al education requirements and liberal arts education to cause of her injury, but yet they haven't come after her. most politically active students debate the issues. Two reduce the number of credits students must pay to take.

She has far more medical bills than any person that I panels of speakers representing College Democrats and He also argued against affirmative action. know so far, but they haven’t come after her.”

College Republicans answered questions on abortion, “The highest dropout rates in places like Harvard A rare moment of agreement came when an audihealth care, the Second Amendment, minimum wage, and other elite universities tend to come from marginalence member asked about nuclear energy as a viable immigration and climate change. Audience members ized people because they cannot handle the curriculum solution for climate change.

Both Minsky and College could also ask questions for the final half hour of the because they came from a bad school district,” Minsky Democrats member Henry Cohen said they support event. said, adding that “this has nothing to do with their intelthe use of nuclear energy to reduce reliance on fossil An audience member asked the clubs to speak on ligence.” fuels. recent efforts from Republican politicians to ban drag In response to a moderator question about the min“Nuclear power is the number one tool in our arseperformances. Minsky said drag shows are “objectively imum wage, College Republicans president Dylan nal, and we have to use it,” Cohen said. “It's incredibly … extremely sexual” and drag bans do not target adult- Mitchell said raising the federal minimum wage would powerful, it's safe and, most importantly, we can do it oriented drag shows, but rather drag performances in disproportionately harm small businesses, without reeasily. ” public schools. sulting in any real wage gains for workers after inflation.

According to Jack Ruotolo, the president of Bridge“It's extremely disgusting,” Minsky said. “Children “Whenever you raise that wage, those low income, Pittsburgh, the debate is a tradition that pushes students should not be exposed to that type of stuff.” minimum-wage workers … are going to get laid off,” toward dialogue, transpartisanshipialogue, empathy College Democrats member George Begler argued Mitchell said. “Many of them get laid off completely, and ideological discourse, we are able to … bring poliagainst the bans, and questioned Minsky’s statements and those that don't, their hours are slashed so bad that tics back to the people, where real change can be made,” that he had seen evidence online of drag queens per- they're not actually making any more money, and they Ruotolo said. forming sexually explicit shows in front of children. can no longer find work because you've damaged the “If you don't like drag, don't go to a drag show,” Begler said. “It's that simple. It's really not rocket science … What we are seeing is an attempt to criminalize the existence of LGBT people.”

Another audience question centered on making universities more accessible to marginalized communities. Thornton said reducing testing requirements and tuition rates can make college more accessible.

March 22, 2023

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CMU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FEATURES MOVIES EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF CHANGE

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Senior Staff Writer In the countryside of France is a quiet and residential neighborhood where a single mother, living with her two young children, must deal with a national transit strike in Paris to reach a life-changing job interview on time. These scenes are depicted in the 2021 French drama film, “Full Time.”

About 200 people attended the opening night reception of the CMU International Film Festival last Thursday in McConomy Auditorium to watch the screening of “Full Time.” Afterward, an exclusive Q&A session took place with the film’s director, Eric Gravel, and French bakery La Gourmandine provided guests with pastries, baguettes and refreshments.

The Humanities Center at CMU started the CMU International Film Festival in 2006 to encourage further interest in the humanities.

The festival’s programming booklet describes this year’s theme, “Faces of Change,” as a way to “explore the ways that change manifests.”

The festival will continue through April 2.

Regis Curtis, a programming intern for the festival and a senior at Pitt majoring in German, French and West European studies, said the agenda behind the festival is nonlinear.

“We’re not trying to push any single agenda,” Curtis said. “We’re not saying, ‘Here’s the theme and here’s the lesson.’ At the core

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of what we’re trying to do is really generate discourse and to have a conversation with everyone in the community and everyone else who’s sort of involved in those discourses.

We want people to leave less with an answer and more with thoughts they can continue to think about.”

The festival also featured the Pakistani film “Joyland,” which explores the intersection of queerness, masculinity and family in Desi culture, this past Saturday. “Joyland” is the first Pakistani film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where director Saim Sadiq won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section — which seeks to award directors of non-traditional films.

Before the screening of the film, dancers Naina Roy and Pitt alum Jothika Gorur performed Kathak and Bharatanatyam — two of the eight classical Indian dance forms — respectively. Traditional Desi snacks like samosas, kheer and gulab jamun were provided during the screening. A Q&A session with the director and cast of the film took place after.

During the Q&A session, actor Ali Junejo — who played the main role of Haider — said he spent a lot of time trying to understand his character’s relationships in order to play the role well.

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March 22, 2023

5

RULING OAKLAND’S BAR SCENE WITH GOOD VIBES, TEAMWORK:

PHAT NGUYEN WINS ‘BEST BARTENDER’

Jessica McKenzie Culture Editor

Students love partying at Phat’s Bar for its tasty Moscow mules, Instagrammable setting and crowded dance floor — but it’s largely the passionate staff that complete the atmosphere.

Phat Nguyen, one of the bar’s owners and its namesake, won “Best Bartender” after students voted in The Pitt News’ annual “Best Of” survey. It’s Nguyen’s first time winning since the bar opened in January 2021, but he credits the bar’s success to the skills he learned from his brother, Phung Nguyen, nephew Andy Do and Roman Magolon, who is the general manager of Phat’s Bar. “We’ve always wanted to open a bar,” Nguyen said.

“I’ve only been bartending since we’ve opened this place.

I learned what I know from Andy, and working around here all the time.”

Do and Nguyen’s brother partner with him in owning and operating the bar. Do, who has worked as a bartender in various locations for about five years, moved to Pittsburgh when he discovered the opportunity to open Phat’s Bar. Nicknamed “Mr. Phat” by students and bar patrons, Nguyen also owns Ineffable Cà Phê in Lawrenceville. As an Indiana University of Pennsylvania alum, Nguyen

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said he’s always felt familiar with Pitt's student body.

With a strong social media presence, regular DJ “I feel like we have a great relationship with the stu- nights, greenery covering the walls and a large neon dents, they seem to have pink sign in the back of fun,” Nguyen said. “Our the bar that reads “Be a atmosphere really is badass with a Phat ass,” geared towards students the bar has become exto see what they want ponentially more popuand like.” lar since opening.

Magolon, a senior Do said he took a business information lot of decor inspiration systems major, said as a from the nightlife in AtPitt student, he tries to lanta, which is where he use his position as genresided before moving eral manager to gauge to Pittsburgh. He added what students enjoy. that the team added “We try to cater these details in an effort to the students, make to help the Phat’s brand them feel like they can stand out, but also to come here, have a good make students feel weltime and party. As a come.

Phat Nguyen (left), bartender and owner student myself, I love “We're just setting of Phat’s in South Oakland. coming here with my a vibe to where people Image courtesy of Phat Nguyen friends,” Magolon said. feel they can be com“We also have events with all the frats and stuff. So the fortable here and just have a good time and be safe too,” relationship with the students is pretty good.”

Do said. “Instead of just being like, ‘drink as much as you

March 22, 2023

can,’ that's not what we're here for. We want everyone just to have a good time. At the end of the day, that's how we view this bar.”

One of Phat’s Bar’s signature drinks is Phat’s Bomb, a $6 shot that contains watermelon schnapps, blue curacao and Red Bull. Do said the shot is a specialty at the bar.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s one of the random drinks that we made up,” Do said. “I asked Phat what's his favorite color, since the bar’s named after Phat. He said purple, and I was like, ‘Alright, great.

I'm gonna make a drink that's purple.’”

While most of the bar’s drinks are named after Nguyen, bartenders can create their own cocktail and name it after themselves. Magolon’s $8 specialty drink is called “Roman Holiday” and contains vodka, lime juice, lemon juice, blue curacao and lime soda.

Nguyen said he thinks Phat’s Bar stands out in Oakland because of its personable and positive bartenders.

“Drinks, to be honest, sometimes can't be perfect, but you pay for the experience,” Nguyen said. “You have someone to talk to, it's just fun and by that time it's just about having fun with someone. It's not really the drink that stands out.”

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‘GRE AT ENVIRONMENT’:

PITT CLUB WOMEN’S LACROSSE FORGES FRIENDSHIPS THROUGH SHARED LOVE OF LACROSSE

Gigi Candido

For The Pitt News One club team, 70 women and countless memories. Pitt’s women’s club lacrosse team not only spends Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays practicing in the Pitt Sports Dome, they also go through the college experience together.

With their season starting Feb. 26, the Lady Panthers club lacrosse team is on fire, winning two straight games and planning on winning their third. The team faces tough competition, as the Lady Panthers play against members of the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse League, Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates and other varsity teams across the Division levels.

In addition to their recent success on the field, the team was also voted best club sport team in the The Pitt News’ “Best Of ” survey. Sophomore accounting major Alyssa Perrino — who won best athlete in the survey — is no stranger to competitive athletics. The New York native played three sports in high school — soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Despite mainly joining the team for her love of lacrosse, Perrino came to love the club lacrosse team because of the friends she made.

“It’s not about lacrosse in general, it’s about the girls I play with,” Perrino said. “I wanted to continue playing sports, but didn’t want my scholarship to be on the line,” Joining the club lacrosse team enabled Perrino to meet some of her closest friends in college. She emphasized that the environment of the team encourages her to play her best, as the girls are competitive with opposing teams, but supportive to one another.

“Great environment,” Perrino said. “[Everyone’s] supportive of each other and competitive against the other [team.]”

Some players even met their future roommates through the club. Senior psychology majors Cate Eggers and Ella Benec met through the club during their first year at Pitt. Throughout the years, the pair developed a strong friendship, leading them to become roommates.

“I met everyone in my freshman year. The best thing is that I met my closest friends,” Eggers said.

“You never really know what you’re in for until you get there.”

The team’s great chemistry follows them outside the Pitt Sports Dome. When not perfecting their lacrosse skills, the team likes to have picnics in Schenley Park or find other ways to spend time together.

Many players came into the club with a predeveloped love of lacrosse. Eggers never even went

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Alyssa Perrino, a sophomore accounting major and member of the women’s club lacrosse team. Image courtesy of Alyssa Perino, photo by Castnerphoto

the team won the WCLA national championship and had an undefeated 19-0 season. Before becoming head coach, he was assistant coach to previous head coach Gary Neft.

Despite focusing more on the academic and social aspects of the club, the team is still set on winning games. Eggers and Benec are both finishing out their senior year with high hopes for the season. The team won their games against Penn State and Buffalo in February and hope to continue their momentum.

Perrino, Eggers and Benec are all part of the team's travel roster. The team traveled to Los Angeles last year to play against UCLA, which is a major rival for the team. When not practicing or playing lacrosse, they spent their time on the beach together. The team travels all across the country, also playing notable schools such as West Virginia, Ohio State, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Ultimately, the team wants to continue their success from previous years. The team has not missed a WCLL regional tournament since 2006 and don’t plan on missing out this year.

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Members of Pitt women’s club lacrosse pose for a photo.

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to the club fair — she just knew she wanted to be on the club team.

“I went to the first practice. The girls and the coaches were great,” Eggers said.

But lacrosse isn’t the only thing that unites teammates. In addition to loving lacrosse, the members also have a shared drive to excel academically.

“There’s always a lacrosse person in our classes,” Benec, a defensive player from Pittsburgh,

said. “Everyone is here for academics first, then lacrosse second. Not only do the girls rely on each other for academic support, yet from their head coach as well.”

The academic-minded team is also led by an academic-minded head coach. Kevin Tidgewell, called “Twiggy” by the team, is the head coach of the Lady Panthers. He’s an associate professor at Duquesne, where he also runs a research laboratory. His first season of coaching was in 2019, when

March 22, 2023

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Best Grad Prof, pg. 3 in public administration. Her project has continued since 2015 and is critical to the Gender Inequality Research Lab at Pitt.

Through Finkel’s efforts, every year, six graduate students from Pitt work with UNDP regional hubs as summer researchers.

Her projects outside of the classroom have also had resonating effects on students. For example, when Mallik discussed her post-grad plans, she mentioned her interest in sanitation and waste management.

“I will be attending a UN water conference soon, in which I am hoping to make connections,” Mallik said. “I’m interested in working

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with displaced people through climate crises and political displacement down the road, and Dr. Finkel’s capstone course inspired this as I want to work in South Asia, India or Nepal after graduating.”

Finkel continues to be a leader in her field, according to her students. She even started a new comparative project which focuses on online violence against women in politics in Turkey and Brazil.

“It has allowed me to forge new collaborations with colleagues from different disciplines, which is always inspiring and energizing,” Finkel said. “The downside is now I feel the need to learn Portuguese.”

Finkel said in her limited free time she

enjoys traveling, reading mysteries and watching tennis. She even has a goal to learn how to play pickleball this spring.

If she had one wish for her students, it would be for them to travel to one place that isn’t typically on a “Best Places to Travel List.” She said it is both important and rewarding to pick a place where students will “find themselves lost and challenged to step outside their comfort zones.”

“It is in those rare instances I believe we all get to rediscover our core strengths, our common humanity, and gain empathy and humility, and travel really opens us up to new insights and opportunities,” Finkel said.

March 22, 2023

Film Festival, pg. 5 “I think there were two relationships I was particularly interested in understanding, which were then the foundation that I needed to find, and I think those two relationships were with the father … and the other relationship was with Mumtaz,” Junejo said. “I think these were the two things that kind of gave me a way to Haider … at least a trajectory that I could follow.”

Rasti Farooq, who played Mumtaz, said she spent a lot of time trying to understand the marriage between her and Junejo’s character.

“I think for me, what helped was spending a lot of time on the script and talking extensively with Saim and also Ali, who I spent a lot of time with in the film, and Mumtaz and Haider share a very particular relationship,” Farooq said. “We just spent a lot of time talking about the particularities and peculiarities in their relationship and their marriage … and what happens to them when they kind of fall out of that ‘togetherness.’”

Jolanta Lion, the festival’s director, said after managing the festival for 17 years now, it’s easier to recognize which films to feature.

“I’ll be watching about 20 minutes of the film, or even less, and I just know if that film will be a good feature for the festival,” Lion said. “What’s important is what different elements are at play, like the language, the music, how the story and characters develop, the camera work. After so long, you just know.”

Lion said the festival receives funding from a variety of sources, ranging from educational institutions to national consulates.

“The festival is well known on the national and the international level,” Lion said. “For example, we have two Polish films and we get support from the Slavic Department at the University of Pittsburgh, but also the Polish Consulate of the Republic of Poland in New York. The same thing happened with the Taiwanese film, where an intern secured funding from the Taiwanese Culture Center in New York.”

Curtis said the festival is lucky to have connections within the Pittsburgh community to gain traction and support.

“We have connections with the cultural communities that exist in Pittsburgh,” Curtis said. “Pittsburgh is home to a ton of immigrant communities and a ton of diversity that is often overlooked. Through that, there’s a really strong moral support to show what we’re doing has an impact and people are receiving that very well.”

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THE BEST DINING DEALS FOR STUDENTS AROUND CAMPUS to redeem.

Kelly Xiong It also has the $8 student meal deal on weekdays that Staff Columnist goes until 5 p.m. It includes an entree and a drink.

Eating out can be a tricky situation for many stuWhether you order in person or online, Piada will dents. While the restaurants on Pitt’s campus aren’t su- have some sort of deal or discount. per expensive, the price of going out to eat or for drinks regularly adds up quickly and puts your budget in a Jolina’s 2 deficit.

Located on Fifth Avenue, Jolina’s offers an extensive Some restaurants on and near Pitt’s campus — rang- menu of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food such ing from Asian cuisine to Tex-Mex to American — offer as Baba Ghanoush and a Mazza Platter. It offers 10% deals that students can utilize. Here’s some of the best student discounts to those who present their student ID places to go out for food or drinks without breaking the when ordering. bank.

The Milkshake Factory Viva Los Tacos The Milkshake Factory, located on Forbes Avenue, The deals at Viva are probably the most well known features the Jake Shake — in partnership with Jake among Pitt students and definitely my favorite on this Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Everytime Jake list. Located on Forbes Avenue, Viva offers discounted scores during a Penguins game, the Jake Shake becomes food deals Monday through Thursday, and happy half-off the next day. The Jake Shake is a chocolate milkhour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. shake with hot fudge, crushed cookies and cream and Every night after 9 p.m. the restaurant serves half-off brownie topped with a chocolate #59 — Jake’s number. frozen margaritas, which is probably its most popular From personal experience, this is definitely one of the deal and the reason why it’s always so busy during those best shakes the Milkshake Factory has. Sugar is addicthours — so get there early if you plan to take advantage ing as it is, but this is on a whole different level. It’s a of the offers.

10/10 for sure.

Viva also has a limited time seasonal margarita flavor that changes every few months and it’s also included Primanti Bros in the discount, so it’s a worthwhile trip! It recently addLocated on Forbes Avenue, Primanti’s is known for ed seasonal shot pitchers to its list of drink options — a its “Pittsburgh-style” sandwiches that feature fries in the Hem's dupe, if you will. sandwich. If there’s one thing Pittsburghers enjoy, it’s Viva’s late-night food specials include half-off ap- fries on things that don’t usually go with them. petizers on Monday, $4 walking tacos on Tuesday, $12 Besides its famous sandwiches, Primanti’s also has bottles of wine and half-off wings on Wednesday and great deals on its drinks. It has happy hour everyday half-off all tacos on Thursday. where drinks are half-off. Monday to Thursday, happy hour goes from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Friday, it’s 5 p.m. to Stack’d 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday, it’s 9 p.m. to Located on Forbes Avenue, Stack’d is a place most 11 p.m., so it’s a great pre-night outing spot to hit before known for its burgers. It has happy hour Monday your night on the town. The best part about the drinks through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., which also in- is the little ducks they put in your drink — which you cludes half-off appetizers along with drinks. I personally get to keep! recommend its fried pickles.

Stack’d’s late-night specials run Monday to Thursday K-Town Snack Bar starting at 9 p.m. until close. It serves $7 chicken fingers K-Town is a newer addition to Pitt’s plethora of food on Mondays, half-off burgers on Tuesdays, $6 quesadil- places around campus. It’s on Oakland Avenue, located las on Wednesdays and half-off wings on Thursdays. between Fuel and Fuddle and Stack’d. K-Town is a KoStack’d also sometimes has limited edition deals that rean place that offers food such as Korean corn dogs and it advertises with signs on its doors. It’s a great and fairly bulgogi — my go-to order. cheap place to go after a Pitt game.

Quality Korean food can get pretty pricey, so KTown is really doing everyone a favor by making its Piada dishes affordable. Everything on the menu is under $10, Piada, also located on Forbes Avenue, offers a vari- and if you choose to pay via Venmo, you can get an adety of fresh made pastas and wraps. It offers a 10% stu- ditional 5% off. It may not be a lot, but over time, the dent discount when you order in store and show them savings add up. your student ID. It currently doesn’t have a website up and running, The Piada app also offers some really good deals that so all updates and special deals and discounts are posted won’t really get advertised anywhere else. For example, on its Facebook page. on Valentine’s Day, it had a buy one get one free entree Kelly Xiong writes primarily about personal health deal from 5 p.m. to close, which requires a promo code and wellness. Write to her at jux13@pitt.edu.

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Release Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Thwack 5 Informed (of) 10 Compensation 14 Tuck out of view 15 Wrinkled 16 Many a univ. donor 17 365 days 18 Rub ingredient 19 HBO political satire starring Julia LouisDreyfus 20 Impractical way to get dressed?

23 Barack and Michelle’s eldest daughter 26 Family room 27 Impatient 28 Lives 30 Cookie fruit 31 Planning meeting for the costume department?

35 “Stop filming!”

38 Broody sorts?

39 Sir or sri 40 More than dislike 41 Donkey 42 Disappointing sign on a store selling warm-weather garments?

44 GPS display 45 Small village 46 Food cart snacks in South Asia 49 Texting letters 52 Swerves 53 Really pulls off a jacket?

56 Initial poker bet 57 Japanese noodle dish 58 Carried debt 62 Appear to be 63 “You __ kidding!”

64 Grow tiresome 65 Jekyll’s counterpart 66 Basil-based sauce 67 Yields, as a profit

4 Continues 5 “One more thing ... ” 6 Totally beat 7 Ouzo flavoring 8 Scouting mission, briefly 9 Garden with forbidden fruit 10 Fluttering in the wind 11 Warning signal 12 Ballpark figure 13 Like cans in a recycling bin, hopefully 21 Doth own 22 Fall flat 23 Anime genre featuring giant robots 24 Wheelconnecting rods 25 NFL team whose mascot is named Roary 29 Punchline lead-in 30 __ and blood 32 “Pull up a chair” 33 Corp. computer exec 34 Fuzzy sitcom star of the 1980s

35 “The Grouchy Ladybug” writer/ illustrator 36 Out-and-out 37 Tries, as one’s patience 40 Place of origin 42 Cheerios grains 43 “__ Nagila”: Israeli folk song 44 Defiant retort 46 Cymbal sound 47 Bee product

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

DOWN 1 Bashful 2 Blip on a polygraph, maybe 3 Hugo-nominated By Bonnie Eisenman novelist Palmer ©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

March 22, 2023

48 Performed 49 Open up, in a way 50 Fast-spreading social media posts 51 Fragrance 54 Hip hop genre 55 “I’m __ your tricks!”

59 Pint-size 60 “Mangia!”

61 Many profs

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March 22, 2023

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