National Board Member’s Report

Engage, educate and empower: These are the words and direction of our leaders and initiatives for 2015. President Ken Howard announced the organizing of a new President’s Task Force with the mission to engage SAG-AFTRA members throughout the country through outreach with members to build our ranks for solidarity, unity and activism. It will include on-site local membership meetings, coordinated local events, academic outreach, film and television set visits, broadcast station visits and more communication through both digital and print materials.

As our jobs continue to be threatened in our Arizona-Utah market with increased non-union production and growth in a more skilled non-union pool, it is more important than ever to be more engaged with our local community of professionals.

Your Local Board has been very busy the last few months researching job opportunities and room for growth, and meeting with casting directors, talent agents and other industry professionals to get input to come up with ideas. We are creating plans for action to promote and accomplish the goals of increasing job opportunities, educating potential members, servicing existing membership and becoming a strong community essential to the economic wellbeing of the public in both Arizona and Utah.

In my view, the best way is through conversation. We need to share with each other our ideas, challenges, accomplishments and why we chose this industry in the first place. We need to support each other. When our agents, casting directors, industry partners have events, we need to show up. When our fellow performers and broadcasters are featured, we need to show up. Attending events, meetings, writing blogs and participating in social media are all ways we can show up.

That is what we do: entertain, educate and inform. We do that as a community. The recent SAG Awards event in Arizona was attended by over 75 members, producers, agents, etc., and was fun, entertaining and a great networking event. We will be organizing other events for the future and look forward to meeting and seeing new and old friends. You can help us get you the news of what is happening by opting-in on the national SAG-AFTRA site with your email address so you don’t miss the opportunities and information.

Please let us know what you want to see more of, how we can help you in furthering your career goals and what things are most important to you as part of our union family.

I’m looking forward to the more engaged, educated and empowered community in Arizona and Utah. We may work in “right-to-work” states, but that does not define us. We are relevant contributing members of our industry. We are relevant. My experience has shown how rewarding it is to contribute to our members’ success. Hope that is your experience as well. To a great 2015!

Margie Ghigo
National Board Member, Arizona-Utah

This item was originally featured in the March 2015 local newsletter.