Local Board Member Shares Important Info with Students

On Nov. 15, Local Board member Stan Kansas spoke at Glendale Community College to students in the Digital Cinema Arts Program about SAG-AFTRA, as part of ongoing union outreach in Arizona. He handed out and discussed the Theatrical Contracts Digest and Arizona-Utah Local support contact information.

“I was honored to be a guest speaker. I have spoken in front of groups as big as a thousand, on a variety of subjects, and enjoy public speaking, but had never spoken to a group about acting, and more specifically, SAG-AFTRA. I was nervous, but didn’t need to be. The instructor, Dallas Teat, could not have been more welcoming and it drove home the significance of outreach to students. What we do matters.” Stan said.

A large part of the conversation was spent talking about sexual harassment. The class was quite engaged on the subject, and was up on most of the news and names involved. It was a lively discussion. Stan received a thank-you for the frank and refreshing conversation, and was told the women in the room really appreciated it. 

It appears his presentation was well received, because he has been invited back for the spring session, to which Stan responded, “I look forward to sharing information about SAG-AFTRA with new students in the new year. I am grateful for the opportunity.” 

Ongoing outreach is vital for organizing and it’s critical that budding filmmakers and performers know what SAG-AFTRA does and how we can help them grow and protect their careers. We commend Stan for taking a leadership role in this outreach and serving his union well.