Twin Cities Local President’s Letter

Dear SAG-AFTRA Twin Cities Members,

We begin 2020 on notes of sadness as well as optimism. On New Year’s Day, we lost our dear friend Barry ZeVan. Barry was an integral part of our unions (both SAG and AFTRA) and the Local Board for decades. He was also elected delegate to every AFTRA and SAG-AFTRA convention since the late 1980s. We will miss Barry as a dedicated union activist, a colleague and a friend.

Despite our losses, we also begin 2020 with optimism. The Twin Cities Local has recently repopulated our Organizing and our Education/Outreach committees and added a third standing committee to focus on our work with film festivals. Members of these committees have been meeting and are laying the foundation for a more active local in the coming year.

With apologies to Joe Hill, in 2020, we intend to both mourn and organize.

Elections

Last year was an election year, and that means change. It is with much gratitude that the Local Board bids farewell to two members.

After six years of service, Shelli Place stepped away from her position on the Local Board. During her years of service to the board, Shelli focused on member engagement and outreach initiatives. She will continue with her acting and producing career in the Twin Cities and continues to serve on the Twin Cities Film Festivals Committee.

Susie Jones also decided to step away from the board when her two-year term expired this summer. During her term on the Local Board, Susie brought her invaluable broadcaster’s perspective and objectivity to the board and remains a welcome presence at local events.

Additionally, we welcomed two new faces to the board, Twin Cities actors Paul Cram and Mary Em Burns. Both Paul and Mary share Shelli’s passion for member outreach and have been active in local committees.

Regional Commercials Code

Over the course of several meetings this summer, members of the Local Board drafted changes to the Twin Cities Regional Commercials Code. The goal of the regional code is to help recapture traditional made-in-played-in commercial work throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The changes we made were approved by the National Board and went into effect in September.

Convention 

The biennial SAG-AFTRA convention was held in Los Angeles from October 10–13. Twin Cities Local delegates Randal Berger, Mark Bradley and first-time delegate Jon Collins joined more than 400 of their peers from across the country for four days of elections, resolutions and debate to chart the course of the union for the next two years.

Stay Tuned In for What’s Coming

This year will be a year of deepened commitment to improving our local. Please keep your sights on our Twin Cities Local web page and download the SAG-AFTRA app to get the most current news. We will continue keeping you up to date on issues that impact our local, opportunities to participate in film festivals and other events, and educational opportunities tailored to the needs of Twin Cities Local members 

In solidarity,

Peter Moore