Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/754215
6 SAG-AFTRA | Fall 2016 | SAGAFTRA.org EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Pamela Greenwalt Managing Editor Damon Romine Art Director Yvette Youssefia Senior Writer Tom Leupold Magazine Staff Geordan Baker, Aaron Goddard, Tiffany Massey, Michael McNulty, Kamalei Pitoy, Alexandra Tashman, Ron Thomas, Gwen Walker, Valerie Yaros Editorial Subcommittee Liz Zazzi (chair) Assaf Cohen (vice chair) Joe Krebs (vice chair) Jeff Austin Mike Hodge Mary McDonald-Lewis Jenny O'Hara Mike Sakellarides Woody Schultz Jane Daly (alternate) Rik Deskin (alternate) John Carroll Lynch (alternate) Jeff Spurgeon (alternate) Contributors Colleen Aho, Richard Baldwin, Julie Crane, Becky Curran, Stacy Davies, Shelley Figures, Marcia Fishman, Jody Frisch, Melissa Goodman, Deeann Hoff, Sarah Howes, Serena Kung, Brian Lysell, Chris Marlowe, Sean Miller, Maureen O'Brien, Jennifer Peterson, Bernadine Robbins, Ellen Stoolmacher, Herta Suarez, Toni-Ann Syncon, Eric Williamson, Shayna Young Advertising Sales Ron Thomas (323) 634-8144 2016 ILCA Award Winner for General Excellence and Best Publication Design LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must be signed with your full name and local affiliation. Selected letters are limited to 150 words and may be edited for accuracy, space and clarity. Every effort will be made to preserve the author's intended substance. This section is intended for the general membership and with the exception of convention delegates, is not available to SAG-AFTRA's elected officials. Letters are published at the discretion of the National Editorial Subcommittee. SEND LETTERS TO: Letters to the Editor SAG-AFTRA Magazine 5757 Wilshire Boulevard, 7th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90036 Letters may also be faxed to (323) 549-6500 or emailed to magazine.editor@sagaftra.org Letters to the Editor UNION PRESIDENTS I am sorry that longtime president Ken Howard passed away. He did a good job as the leader of our union. I will always remember when I joined Screen Actors Guild in 1981. I had a few lines in an action-comedy movie. The happiest two days of my life at that time was getting a few lines in a union film and the day I became a member of Screen Actors Guild. William Schallert was the president when I became a member. However, I am thrilled to see a woman president in office again after so many years have gone by. The last time I recall a woman president of SAG was Kathleen Nolan, Anna Patty Duke Pearce and Melissa Gilbert. I give Gabby two thumbs up way up high. Nathaniel K. Dorsey Los Angeles Local JUST A WOMAN I have been a SAG and AFTRA member since 1983. I am a PWD [person with a disability], specifically a dwarf. October is Dwarfism Awareness Month. My colleagues and I wonder where the diversity is of using us as regular characters, since we are a part of the fabric of life? I have been a high school teacher (yes, at 4-feet-3-inches, that is right), a secretary, a legal assistant, I am someone's neighbor, aunt and friend, and have had several good guest star and co-star roles — but they called for a little woman. Why not just a "woman"? Why can't I, or my little-person actor friends, be cast in these roles? Unless a role calls specifically for a little woman, I am not considered. What do we do? Other minorities have made some headway. We have amazing talent in our community. Let us use it, show biz! Marcia DeRousse Los Angeles Local HEALTH & PENSION I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who helped to finally merge the two health plans. However, my belief in SAG-AFTRA and my enthusiasm for these self-praising magazine articles is overshadowed by the union's continued disregard of all members who will one day retire. The SAG Pension and AFTRA Retirement plans continue to remain separate four and a half years after the merger, and the gap between union wages and minimum wage continues to narrow. Young Kaegan Baron said on p. 19 of the Summer 2016 issue that SAG-AFTRA helps actors like her to look forward to a lifetime of membership. But without achievable annual pension/retirement credits under one pension plan and without a living wage, what really does she have to look forward to? Merger led us to empowerment; now let's own it when negotiating. It's time to prioritize. Trevor Brunsink Los Angeles Local Correction: Regarding Summer 2016 SAG-AFTRA magazine's Snapshot reference to Ma Perkins as the first radio soap opera, there were several serialized dramas which predated it that could be considered soap operas as well. 80 70 70 100 10.2 7.4 7.4 100 100 100 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 70 70 40 70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 20 70 70 3.1 2.2 2.2 70 40 40 75 66 66 50 40 40 25 19 19 B 0 0 0 0 100 70 30 100 10 25 50 75 90 100 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 40 70 40 70 30 100 40 40 100 40 100 40 70 40 70 40 40 3 40 70 40 70 40 40 100 60 A 3% ISO 12647-7 Digital Control Strip 2009 - 9