A Farewell Message from President Gabrielle Carteris

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As SAG-AFTRA transitions to a new leadership team, I wanted to thank each of you for allowing me the honor of serving as your president for more than five years. It has been a time of great change for our profession. We challenged an in-the-shadows culture of sexual harassment head-on and navigated the rapid expansion of streaming services, changes in media ownership, and the scores of new content platforms that employ us. We have journeyed through some very challenging times together, from holding the longest strike in our union’s history and gaining secondary payments in video games to organizing Telemundo — our first television network in 50 years. 

We fought to end sexual assault and the abuses of hyper-exposed work, and reached new milestones in our ongoing effort to end the systemic biases within our industry and the union itself. While organizing, enforcing and protecting, we have been faced with perhaps the biggest challenge of all: a pandemic. Despite all of this, we continue to prevail and move forward. That is due to you. 

Twelve years ago, when I began service in both our legacy unions, I did not aspire to be president. During the 2016 Commercials Contracts negotiations, when my friend and mentor, SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard, unexpectedly passed away, the door to the office opened, and you brought me in. It has been an incredible, life-changing journey. I thank you for your support and inspiration. 

New technologies are dramatically changing our work; that is inevitable. I urge us all to continue to find ways to adapt and grow, even when it is frightening. We must always stand together, raise each other up, learn from each other and refuse to let those who would degrade what we build tear us down and dishearten us. If we continue being strategic, thoughtful and collaborative, I believe we will continue to grow stronger and further expand our protection of SAG-AFTRA members. As Rachel Lambert Mellon said, “Part of creating is understanding there is more to do; nothing is ever completely finished.”  

Though I am stepping down from the office of the president, I am always standing by your side.

Strength in unity,

Gabrielle Carteris
President