A Message from the Local President

 
Dear SAG-AFTRA Washington-Mid Atlantic Brothers and Sisters,

Last September, my first official act as president of the SAG-AFTRA Washington-Mid-Atlantic local was to attend the inaugural SAG-AFTRA convention in Los Angeles. What an experience! Several people got up and spoke to the assembled group using the term, “we, the mothers and fathers of this organization,” and it was inspiring to hear those words. I found myself imagining the world, as we will leave it to our descendants, and how “historic” we will all be then. It is my sincerest hope that we will leave a legacy that will make the performers who follow in our footsteps proud of the union we shaped — a legacy they will feel honored to be a part of, to protect and nurture.

Many exciting things are just around the corner, and as the excitement and newly focused energy of our new union drives new growth and ingenuity, we can look forward to a strong and more robust industry, not only locally, but on a national scale, as the industry and technology become more and more global in the days, months and years to come.

This year will be a blueprint year for the new union, as we find our feet in a growing and ever-more-challenging economy. A new SAG-AFTRA franchised agency, Triple Threat, is in the works and will launch sometime in the next few months, so keep an eye out for them.

There has been a lot of news lately about our ability to hold on to House of Cards (as Hollywood would very much like them to come there). The Maryland State Senate passed a bill that, if also passed by the House intact, would provide enough funding to insure the return of House of Cards. That said, this is not a “done deal” by a long shot! Member constituents of District 30 in Anne Arundel County are being urged to contact Speaker Busch to urge him to support SB1051.

The hearing in the House (sponsor testimony) was April 2 and the last day of the session was scheduled to be April 7. As one of the new agents at Triple Threat said, “There’s no reason why in the future the Mid-Atlantic can’t become the epicenter of the entertainment industry.” A tall order to be sure, but certainly an admirable goal.

On a very sad note, on Feb. 1 of this year, we lost Kirk Penberthy, an inspirational leader and true friend. A colleague with quiet strength and gentle grace, Kirk seemed to have it all: a beautiful wife and healthy family, acknowledged as one of the very best in his chosen field, a comfortable home, and the respect and admiration of his friends and colleagues. It’s oddly unsettling how very unclear a situation can appear when you aren’t standing in the shoes of the person who’s living it. That’s why this newsletter is dedicated to Kirk’s memory. It is my sincere hope that this tragedy can somehow serve to bring us all a little closer. To allow us to show just a little more sensitivity and compassion for each other on a day-to-day basis … to support each other, not only in practice, but truly in our hearts. There is a great void in our ranks now that we are so suddenly and prematurely without Kirk among us. Our prayers and healing thoughts go out to his family. 

Rest in peace, my friend.

In solidarity,

Lance Lewman
President, SAG-AFTRA Washington-Mid Atlantic Local

This item was originally featured in the March 2014 local newsletter.