Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1532181
36 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E ALL IN THE FAMILY: Cathy's father Ernie Repola (left) was active in Local 683; Cathy with her mom in an undated photo. " T h e l o c a l f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s i n a position of having to merge into another local because they couldn't really sustain themselves any longer financially," she explained. "They were made up of about a thousand people, and they were reluctant because they didn't want to be swallowed up and forgotten about." During a meeting to introduce the Local 683 members to Local 700, Repola got up on the stage and said her name, and people started shouting her father's name from the audience. "They loved him, he was very highly regarded," she said. "So me being there kind of made people feel like, 'This is going to be OK.'" Since then, when she would attend retir- ees' luncheons, she heard so many stories about his lasting impact — not just on their careers, but on their lives. "I'll hear these stories about, 'Your dad initiated me,' and 'Your dad got me my first job,' and 'Your dad straightened me out when I was going down a bad path, and he saved my life.' It's been one of the big highlights of my career at the Editors Guild — being able to have that kind of circular, familial experience," she added. Although her father Ernie had passed away before her career took off, she said she carries him — and his dedication to the cause — with her all the time. A BEACON FOR WOMEN U p o n K u t a k ' s r e t i r e m e n t i n N o - v e m b e r o f 2 0 1 6, R e p o l a w a s re a d y to take the helm as the national executive d i r e c t o r. N o w o m a n h a d e v e r d o n e that before. For years prior, she had started or- ganizing informal dinners with other IA women to connect, share stories, and in- formally support one another at executive board meetings. What began as a small group of 12 grew to include 25 to 30... 40, then 75 to 80, and still growing today. "I