DGA Monthly

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 I 3 with some of his fellow offi cers and Board Members after being re-elected as President at the the DGA Biennial Convention in 2019 creating a partnership in service to the Guild with National Executive Director Russell Hollander celebrating the work of Director Guillermo del Toro at a joint Special Projects and Latino Committee event at the DGA Awards with Past President Paris Barclay, IATSE President Matt Loeb & SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris moderating a Craft of the Director event with Director Barry Jenkins during the age of online events thanking former DGA National Vice President Vincent Misiano for his long service to the Guild directing his DGA Award-winning program, A West Wing Special to Benefi t When We All Vote visiting the CBS Broadcast Center in New York with Hollander, Asst Sec- Treas Scott Berger, Board Alternate Nora Gerard and other Members George Floyd ignited a powerful racial reckoning, and a clarion call for change not only in our nation but also within our Guild. There was no playbook for what we faced. But with our strong foundation beneath us, we looked deep within ourselves to meet these moments together. First, to get this industry back up and running safely, we worked with our professional staff and sister guilds and unions. So many dedicated members from all areas were a critical part of this process led by Steven Soderbergh and Paris Barclay. And I am proud to say, one year later, the visionary protocols we developed and negotiated for are the singular reason so many of our members are safely back to work. At the same time, we recognized that inclusion was about so much more than our longtime fi ght against employers' biased hiring practices. We heard from many of you about the painful issues endured—in the workplace and beyond—as you spoke out, challenging us to do the hard work. We began to do just that…together. These seemingly overwhelming challenges could never have been met without the enormous commitment of so many. I must thank our National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, Russ Hollander. He has been in the trenches with me for the past four years, always listening, always learning and most importantly, always leading. We are a better Guild because of Russ, and his equally excellent professional staff who work tirelessly for our benefi t. I want to thank my fellow offi cers throughout these past four years—Betty Thomas, Vince Misiano, Mary Rae Thewlis, Lesli Linka Glatter, Ron Howard, Jon Favreau, Brooke Kennedy, Laura Belsey, Bethany Rooney and Lily Olszewski—as well as our entire Board for their counsel that I rely on so much. That same appreciation extends to all the leaders across our six Category Councils and our many Committees. The most invaluable resource a person can give is their time, and I am always moved by the commitment and sacrifi ce made by these leaders. But mostly, I want to thank YOU. As I've refl ected on this journey, I'm reminded of a quote by presidential biographer Jon Meacham from his book "The Soul of America: The Battle for our Better Angels:" "What counts is not just the character of the individual at the top, but the character of the country, its inclinations, its aspirations, its customs, its thoughts, its attachments to the familiar and its openness to the new..." Though Meacham was talking about the country, those words ring just as true for us. We are 18,000 strong—with a collective character so suited to rise to the tremendous obstacles of our time. That is something we need now more than ever as the challenges on the horizon in this moment of transition only intensify. We will need to stand together to continue to embrace the familiar and be open to the new to keep our Guild strong for the future. I don't doubt for a second that we have what it takes. But we need you. Speak up and be part of this diverse family. It is that collective, evolving character of ours to always learn, to always do better, and to always try harder that makes us who we are—unifi ed, bold and unstoppable. The indelible emotions I felt looking at those screens many years ago never go away. They actually get stronger. Much like our Guild. It has been my honor to serve. With gratitude,

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