Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/555596
36 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2015 | SAGAFTRA.org On Location GETTING DOWN TO BIZ Ohio-Pittsburgh SPANISH LANGUAGE MEDIA TAKES THE STAGE BECKY MALTY Scholarship recipients, from left, Killian Spitz-Cohan, Madison Whalen and Cheyenne Shankle T he SAG-AFTRA Ohio-Pittsburgh Local is kicking off new conservatory committees and events in the local's largest cities. This began with the Cleveland Council's inaugural event on May 18 at the DoubleTree in Independence, Ohio. The Business of the Business panel included Doug Snyder of The Talent Group Agency, local actor and workshop instructor Jean Zarzour, Local Board member Mike Kraft, and local actor and teacher Cathy Albers. Attendees enjoyed a great discussion of the movie market in Cleveland and how to best market themselves for that business. The local held its annual membership meeting and mixer on April 27 at Olive or Twist in downtown Pittsburgh. More than 45 members participated in a great meeting and gained valuable information on the local and union. The meeting began with the Dan Mallinger Memorial Scholarship Award Presentation to three out of the five recipients. Local casting director Nancy Mosser also provided some valuable insight during a Q&A session with the performers. S panish-language performers, producers, writers and directors gathered at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center in April to celebrate Spanish language in film. Hector Garcia, Dallas-Fort Worth National Spanish Language Media Committee member, joined Frontera cast member Julio Cedillo to welcome the community of Spanish-language media artists and encourage the support and growth of Spanish-language work in Texas and nationwide. Some 40 media professionals from across the state gathered for the mixer and screening. Following the event, attendees expressed their appreciation and intention to stay connected. "It is people, friends and colleagues such as those gathered here tonight that make things happen in our business of show business, just like the pioneers for our unions did almost 100 years ago," said Carlos Cestero of the Houston- Austin Local. Planning is underway for another successful National Spanish Language Media Committee event in Dallas-Fort Worth for 2016, where the needs of the Latino production community in Texas will be specifically addressed. Dallas-Ft. Worth Members Hector Garcia and Julio Cedillo with entertainment industry professionals at the mixer MEMBERS HELP HUNGRY M embers of SAG-AFTRA Portland Local returned to the Oregon Food Bank June 13, where they blasted last year's total, processing more than eight tons of food for the state's hungry. "It's tragic to think of folks going hungry in a nation as wealthy as ours. But our union members are essentially day laborers and they get it. Imagine how hearts soared at shift's end, when notified that each volunteer had basically produced a meal a day for a hungry person for an entire year," said Portland Local President Duane Hanson. "We've prioritized community service in Portland and plan to make service at OFB a yearly event." Member volunteers at the Oregon Food Bank Portland