Volunteering

The L.A. Local Military Committee invites you to join them at Operation Gratitude held by The Grateful Hearts Fundraiser for LAPD and LAFD on Saturday, April 6, to assemble care packages for deployed troops, veterans and first responders.  

This year Operation Gratitude will assemble its 4 millionth care package, so wear your SAG-AFTRA gear* (no strike shirts) and join us in helping Operation Gratitude reach their milestone!

When: Saturday, April 6, 2024 
          9.a.m. - 1p.m. PT

Where: Warner Center Park 
           5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd. 
           Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Parking: Parking is free in the structure at the northwest corner of Owensmouth Avenue and Califa Street. Additional free parking is also available at the mall next to PF Changs, off Oxnard Street, which is only a short walk away from the event. 

Please read the signage for restrictions. SAG-AFTRA is not responsible for parked vehicles.

*A limited number of shirts will be available at the event.

This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement by the union nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Below is the information for the SAG-AFTRA/IFA table read. We are pleased to announce that we are reading “I Don’t Dream in Spanish Anymore” from filmmaker Missy Hernandez. Her script was part of the Chicago Independent Producers Lab.  The table read is a volunteer opportunity for SAG-AFTRA members to meet local filmmakers and participate in their pre-production development process. If you are interested in putting yourself on tape (audio or video), for consideration to read one of these roles, please email Kathy.Byrne@sagaftra.org to request the sides for the specific role(s) you are interested in.  Sides will be provided for the main characters not the “also reading for” roles.

The Table Read is on Monday, April 1, 2024 at 6 pm at the KRC at 1 E. Erie, Chicago, IL with a rehearsal on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 5:30 pm. If you are able to commit to these 2 days - please feel free to submit. Deadline for submissions is March 15 at 5 pm.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Logline: A scientist must return to her roots to escape the horrors of an ancestral curse that threatens to kill her and her unborn child. The closer she gets to the truth of why her grandmother fled her homeland, the more danger she puts on herself and her pregnancy.   

Project Synopsis: ISABEL (30s) is a Chicago-born Puerto Rican and a scientist who researches how trauma changes the genetic expression in the DNA of both the individuals who experienced it and the generations that follow. Conducting a study on migrant women and their families, she is focused on the trauma of displacement and assimilation. Upon entering the third trimester of her high-risk pregnancy, she is struck with visions. Terrible images of a witch, a fire, and bloodied hands haunt her dreams and intrude upon her daily life. After chasing an apparition into oncoming traffic and lands her in the hospital, Isabel's abuela, AMALIA (70s) warns Isabel that the curse will kill her in childbirth unless she finds a way to break it. Furious, Isabel dismisses this idea until the strength and frequency of her nightmares put a strain on her research and her marriage. Frightened about being labeled “crazy” and certain her husband will blame the stress of her work, Isabel seeks Amalia's help. The old woman offers little help, unable or unwilling to revisit the trauma that forced her to flee her homeland. Amalia retreats into her memories of the friend she loved and lost, LUISA, the only daughter of a dangerous BRUJA. Luisa, whose spirit Isabel chased into traffic, infiltrates Isabel’s dreams. After she learns that her husband sabotaged her career for “the sake of her health” Isabel runs away to Puerto Rico to discover the origins of the curse on her own. Against her better judgment, she uses her nightmares to guide her to the scene of the mysterious tragedy that caused the curse and the women who can help her break it. 

Project Information: This project is a drama that mixes magical realism and horror. As scripted, it will be filmed in Chicago and Puerto Rico in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. 

Casting Notes: For the production, characters listed with specific race, ethnicity, and language fluency will be cast as described. Though the reading will be held in English, some words, phrases, or moments translate better in Spanish. We would love to see as many bilingual actors (in roles that require it) as possible. Spanish utilized during the reading will be minimal and dependent on the comfort levels of the actors cast. The fluency levels listed are for character reference and are not a determining factor in the casting of this table read. 

NARRATOR A charismatic and expressive voice to capture the spirit and pacing of this story and its elements of magical realism, thriller, and horror. Female. Spanish Proficiency: Fluent/Native speaker. Bilingual actors are a plus.

ISABEL (Lead – Late 30s) Isabel is a professor and scientific researcher in her late 30s. She is 7 months pregnant after a series of fertility issues and a miscarriage. Raised by her abuela, Amalia, after Isabel’s mother died in childbirth. A Native Chicagoan of Puerto Rican descent. Intelligent, intuitive, bold, and unyielding.  Spanish Proficiency: Competent but clunky. Bilingual actors are a plus.

AMALIA (Lead – 70+) Amalia is a stern and secretive woman in her 70s who fled Puerto Rico as a young woman. She carries a lot of pain and guilt over the loss of loved ones and terrible events that were not her fault. Spanish Proficiency: Fluent/Native Spanish speaker. Speaks English with a Puerto Rican accent. Bilingual actors are a plus.

DANIEL (Lead – 50s) Daniel, Isabel’s husband, is a Latino man in his 50s, a professor, and a writer. Seemingly protective of his wife, their unborn child, and the life he has built for himself, he is a charming man with a jealous streak and the need to be seen as the one in control of the relationship.

CARLOS (Supporting – 30s) Carlos is a dance instructor with a sixth sense running away from their “gift” and destiny of becoming a healer. A reluctant ally to Isabel on her journey. An ambiguous, androgynous character of Latinx descent in their 30s. Spanish Proficiency: Competent to fluent. Bilingual actors are a plus. ALSO READS FOR: YOUNG AMALIA’S HUSBAND 

LUISA (Supporting – Late teens) Luisa, the only child of the Bruja, was Young Amalia’s best friend. A magical person with child-like innocence and an otherworldly understanding of how things are and should be. Haunts Isabel and pulls her toward breaking the curse. Spanish Proficiency: Fluent/Native speaker. Bilingual actors are a plus. ALSO READS FOR: JULIA, LITTLE LUISA

YOUNG AMALIA (Supporting – Late teens) Amalia was a young woman in her teens and early 20s before being hardened by life’s traumas. A brave and generous person willing to risk her life and go against her family’s wishes to do what is right and help a friend in need. Spanish Proficiency: Fluent/Native Spanish speaker. Bilingual actors are a plus. ALSO READS FOR: LITTLE AMALIA, AMALIA LUISA, 

THE BRUJA (Supporting – 50s) A fearsome and scarred woman (physically and emotionally), the Bruja was driven to witchcraft in desperation after a terrible crime that was committed against her. She raised her only daughter, Luisa, in the seclusion of the forest. Her daughter is her everything in life. She curses Amalia and her descendants. Spanish Proficiency: Fluent/Native speaker. Bilingual actors are a plus. ALSO READS FOR: OLD DOÑA BEATRICE, INDIGENOUS LATINA

JOHN/MIDDLE-AGED WHITE MAN (50s) A friend and fellow faculty member at the university where Isabel and Daniel teach. Male. ALSO READS FOR: BRANDON, KEVIN, SHOPPER, LOCAL MAN, PRIEST, WAITER, YOUNGER FARMER

PROF. PETERSON (60s – 70s) A stuffy and condescending fellow faculty member at the university where Isabel and Daniel teach. Open race/ethnicity. ALSO READS FOR: STEVE, NEIGHBOR, MEDITATION GUIDE, SHOP OWNER, OLDER FARMER

OLIVIA (50s) Isabel’s friend and fellow faculty member at the university. Supportive and sisterly – a genuine friend and confidant to Isabel. Female. Open race/ethnicity. ALSO READS FOR: MARTINA, THE ULTRASOUND TECHNICIAN, BUS DRIVER, LOCAL WOMAN

VERONICA (60s) A friend and fellow faculty member at the university where Isabel and Daniel teach. Female. Asian-American. ALSO READS FOR: YOUNG DOÑA BEATRICE/AMALIA’S MOTHER, FEMALE PASSENGER, ASHLEY, DOCTOR PRASAD, SECRETARY, JESSICA. 

This is an unpaid table read. This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA Chicago members in good standing (paid thru April 30, 2024 or in compliance with the November 2023 dues extension program). Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 72 business hours before the start of the event. 

Unfortunately, volunteer shifts at the Oregon Food Bank, including ours, have been canceled for tomorrow, Saturday Jan. 13, due to inclement weather.

The Portland Local Board will work with the Oregon Food Bank to reschedule this volunteer event in the near future.

Thank you to all who volunteered, and we hope to see you on the date to be determined. Stay tuned for that announcement!

ARE YOU READY TO GIVE BACK?

Start your new year right and join PORTLAND LOCAL SAG-AFTRA in a morning of volunteer work at the OREGON FOOD BANK.

This is our chance to do what unions do best -- support those who need it. Join the fun for an hour or two, or for the whole darn thing. 

So come along for a fun and meaningful way to let Portlanders know that SAG-AFTRA cares.

We hope to see you there!

Reservations are requested but not required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP. 

Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 72 business hours before the start of the event. 

SAG-AFTRA Chicago will be participating in a Food Distribution Day on 9/25 at Chicago Studio City 5660 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60644. We are excited to be partnering with IATSE Local 476, the Chicago Federation of Labor, United Way of Metro Chicago, Beyond Chicago Dream, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide essential assistance to IATSE members.  

The event will be prepped  in the morning between 9-11am. The food distribution will be open from 11am-5pm.  Vendors will be on site to assist in longer-term assistance set up and Local 476 will also provide a food truck so members can engage with each other.  

Chicago Studio City is generously providing its front lot for the event and stage facilities for bathrooms and inclement weather. 

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP.

SAG-AFTRA New England is holding a food drive to support our brothers and sisters affected by the recent floods in Vermont. Please donate non-perishable food items or hygiene products to one of the collection sites below and wear your SAG-AFTRA shirt for a photo op! If you don't have a shirt yet, limited quantities will be available as will signs. Donations will be delivered to Vermont AFL-CIO on August 22.

Donation suggestions:

• peanut butter
• canned fish and meat
• pasta and rice
• sports drinks
• canned vegetables, soups
• fruit juice
• shelf stable milk
• cereal, oatmeal
• healthy snacks: granola bars, protein bars, pretzels, nuts
• diapers
• laundry detergent
• soap
• toothpaste
• feminine hygiene products

Stop by one of three drop off locations wearing your SAG-AFTRA shirt for a photo op! (Limited amount of t-shirts will be available.)

Drop off locations:

August 15

3:30-6:30 p.m.

Mack Park

31 Grove St.

Salem, MA

Aug. 16

3-5:30 p.m.

Upper Falls Greenway Trail

Across from 1242 Chestnut St.

Newton Upper Falls, MA

August 17

10 a.m.-1 p.m.

O'Rourke Field

Corner of Quarry & Joyce Rd

Quincy, MA 

Join fellow SAG-AFTRA members, staff, friends and family for a day of service at the Chicago Food Depository. We will repack donated and purchased food. The food we receive at our warehouse comes in bulk quantities, and volunteers break it down into manageable sizes. Together, we can properly and efficiently distribute quality food to participating food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in Cook County.  We may sort produce, inspect and box shipments of bread, or repack bulk dry goods (pasta, rice, beans) into smaller quantities.

Some jobs may require lifting. Ages 11+

Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early so we can begin right on time with a brief orientation. Long pants, shirts that cover shoulders, and fully enclosed shoes are required.

We should be done by 11:30 am, and then we will convene for lunch at a local establishment.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

ADA requests may be included on your RSVP form below. Please note that ADA requests must be received 48 business hours before start of event. 

The At the Table table read series is returning virtually with the script “Go to the Body” written by SAG-AFTRA member Kyra Jones.  After Sanaa, a rising racial justice organizer, is sexually assaulted by a fellow activist, she tries to bury her trauma and return to her normal life. But when her boxer fiancé, Kendrick, pushes her to fight back, the couple must grapple with their conflicting definitions of justice, healing, and protection.

The table read will take place on Monday, September 19, 2022 at 6:30 pm via Zoom.  If you would like to attend, please RSVP below, and the ZOOM link will be sent to you the morning of the 19th.

At the Table is a table read series which began in 2019 in partnership with IFA Chicago.  SAG-AFTRA Chicago members read scripts for a local filmmakers upcoming production.  Past scripts have included Kris Rey's "I Used to go Here" and Alex Heller's "The Year Between". 

Kyra Jones (she/her) is a Chicago-based Black feminist screenwriter, filmmaker, and actor whose work focuses on Black women experiences with intimate relationships, sex, and liberation. She received her degree in Theatre and Gender Studies from Northwestern University. Kyra is a script reader for Janelle Monae's production company, Wondaland Pictures. Most recently, she was staffed as a writer on Woke (Hulu) and Queens (ABC).

As a creator, she's known for her award-winning web series The Right Swipe (OTV) which she co-wrote, executive produced, and starred in. The Right Swipe was an official selection at Austin Film Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival, and several others. Her comedy script, Good Vibes Only, won Best Pilot at the 2020 Nashville Film Festival and was a finalist for Shore Scripts. Her upcoming feature, Go to the Body, won The Pitch at the 2020 Chicago International Film Festival and Screencraft's virtual pitch competition. As an actor, she’s appeared on the series finale of Empire (Fox), Chicago Justice (NBC), Kappa Force (Revry), and Seeds (OTV).

In addition to being an artist, Kyra is a professional sex educator and survivor advocate. She served as the assistant director of Northwestern University's sexual health and violence resource center, CARE. She has given lectures and workshops around the United States on consent, healthy relationships, transformative justice, sexual violence in the Black community, prison abolition, intimacy coordination, and more. She has worked with Tarana Burke of 'me too.', Mariama Kaba, A Long Walk Home, and other Black women anti-sexual violence organizers.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing (paid thru Oct. 31, 2022, or in compliance with the May 2022 Dues Relief Extension). No guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome.