The Fairy Princess has been quite upset the last few days.

Not because of property damage.

If you are upset over property damage – you need to come to grips that you value Target over people’s lives, and how that shakes down and the steps you take to learn or not learn from it will decide whether or not you are, in fact, a racist.

There are not ‘very fine people’ on both sides of this – you are either a racist, or you are not one.

There is no gray area. There is no “but, what about’ – it is what it is.

It takes active work, and an active mind set to not be a racist. Racism makes people uncomfortable, and they would prefer – always prefer – to NOT talk about it.

Not helpful.

There are people out there who are minorities who are not Black, and they may engage in troubling behavior. It is by our ‘silence’ that we are complicit. It is by our not stopping people, mid-sentence, mid-punch, mid-action – that we fail our American Persons of Color Community.

Our POC Community is Black, is Asian, is Pacific Islander, is South Asian, is Southeast Asian, is Latinx, is Middle Eastern, is Native American and Indigenous Peoples and any mixes within and without that – those people make up, collectively, America’s People of Color. Within that very large collective are religious differences, People with Disabilities, and Women.

Look at how very vast that group seems when listed- imagine what we could do together?

That is what the ‘fear’ is, that we will all realize how powerful we are.

We are all discriminated against – either by erasure, by design, or by error – and we have to know that in no instance is it right.

Furthermore in NO instance do we get to turn away.

It is too late – if you consider yourself ‘liberal’ or ‘inclusive’ to suffer from “The Bystander Effect”. You have to train yourself out of that – and you have to do it – whoever you are, whatever your heritage – no one can do it for you.

If your first instinct is to pull out a phone and film when you see an individual being harassed on the subway or elsewhere, instead of intervening – you are doing it wrong.

Because TFP guarantees you that someone else is filming it – in fact, yell, really loud “SOMEONE FILM THIS“, and then you go in. Pull someone else in the crowd in with you so you have numbers on your side, or you pull two someone else’s in and you GO HELP THAT PERSON.

Go HELP THAT PERSON!

If you go in, someone else will join you – because that is part of the bystander effect too – no one wants to be first, but if they see a leader, they will help.

Be a leader.

Did we learn nothing from Larry Kramer? He would be livid at all of us right now in the Theater and TV/Film community for their silence.

For our inability, as an industry that has Black Americans as our Trade Union Members, as our Creatives, as our Teamsters, as our Producers and Writers and Performers,  to reach out and try and speak on how we support one another –  he would be appalled at our collective silence on the murders of  Ahmaud Abery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and George Floyd.

You cannot expound at how moved you have been when seeing The Normal Heart on the stage, and not realize what Mr. Kramer was saying – that it is the indifference that average Americans have towards people that are NOT themselves that wind up doing the most harm.

Because if no one is watching and no one cares – people die.

Right now, Black Americans are hurting because of the relationship between Police in this country and the way they have been systematically slaughtering Black People without consequences. In their cars. Asking for help after a traffic accident. Serving as a caregiver for an Autistic male. Having a party. Getting into an argument with a teacher. Walking in their driveway.

On and on.

There is nothing in this country that you cannot be shot at for trying to do it while being a Black person.

Nothing.

They are also hurting from all the “Help” the Police get to enact these crimes from the “Karen’s” and “Brad’s” out there who call the police on someone, for example, bird watching, or exercising, selling lemonade, or being a Professor – again, the list is endless.

Christian Cooper – TFP is glad you are ok.

Yes, other minority groups have their own issues, yes there is minority on minority violence and bigotry – those individuals who perpetuate that – they are the ones responsible, no one else.

Not the whole group.

There is a difference.

A Hmong officer stood there while a Black Man was choked to death – you think TFP is not sick about it? You think she does not think he should go to jail as an accessory to murder?

He should. Throw him in jail and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.

 TFP is saying it. She is tweeting it. She is social media-ing it. She is reaching out to friends and acknowledging it. She has been challenging people and biases and her own biases and doing the work. She is being silent when she needs to listen, and she is amplifying the voices who are most needed, who she is learning from every day.

TFP is exhausted  – but it is not the same. It is not the same as what her Friends are going through – and it never will be.

AMERICA needs leaders, and right now, we need vociferously to release statements supporting people’s right to protest, statements for our members, and for our theatrical community – they need to hear from their elected leaders and community leaders.

Condemn the racial violence with a statement – then email it to your members, publish it on your websites, Tweet it, Istagram it – show that we are better as a whole than we are in pieces – because that is where we are now – shattered and in pieces.

It is an epidemic. It is an epidemic and we are not talking about it.

Let’s talk about it.

Actors Equity and SAG/AFTRA need to release a statement.

The Teamsters should release a statement.

The Actors Fund

The Producers Guild.

The Off Broadway Producers.

We want to hear from The Tony Awards, The Drama Desk Awards, The Obies.

From The Public Theater – and don’t act like Joe Papp would not have done it. Cuz he would have.

From Playbill and BroadwayWorld and Backstage.

From The Vineyard Theater, Lincoln Center, The New Group, Signature Theater…

We have news on COVID-19 every day. Every day we get an email and an address from The Governor, because COVID-19 is an epidemic.

If ‘we’ are going to dismantle systemic racism, statements on violence and CLEAR LINE as to where your organization stands, is vital.

One organization that is not waiting to comment is the Parent Artist Advocacy League – aka PAAL.

This is a group that is run by Rachel Spencer Hewitt, and other Parents in Show Business and they have written the:  PAAL STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO RACIAL JUSTICE.

They have issued a statement – which was the right thing to do.

The above link is the PDF on their letterhead, but here is the screenshots:

TFP wants you to see how they are leading – run by women, run by Mothers, run by Mothers who do not want to see this violent epidemic continue. TFP is a Mother, and all those who have been killed have Mothers.

It is up to Caregivers to lead the way. Lead the way with education, caring, and forethought.

Oscar Hammerstein wrote “You Have To Be Carefully Taught” – and this should be blasted in every school right after the National Anthem, in TFP’s opinion. Because it is on the Parents of this Nation to change this situation.

Do not teach hate, you pass the legacy down and more violence ensues.

Do not turn a blind eye – you have power when you acknowledge what is going on and name it.

Be a helper. Mold festers in the dark – shine a light on it.

To TFP’s leading Arts Organizations – which are in EVERY city, and yes, which are operating under an already strenuous time – it not enough to have buried in our by-laws a statement on hate speech or what will/will not be tolerated, you have to SHOW the members that it is not tolerated. You have to SHOW them that anti- bias training is an option for them and is readily available. You have to SHOW them that this is an issue that you are working on so that they can go to work safe, so that they can get home safe.

Because most of show business is not People of Color, and you all know it.

You know what it is – DISMANTLE IT.

TFP out.

 

The Fairy Princess has been closely watching election coverage – and who has not?

She is firmly Team Biden, and she does not believe   the charges launched by Tara Reade. There are many, many holes in the story and, it keeps changing daily. Having been the victim of sexual assault herself, which thank goodness, did not extend to rape, but was assault, and having known, very sadly, many women and men who have been raped and who have shared with TFP, she does not find Tara Reade credible.

TFP does not blanket #BelieveEveryone – that is just not feasible.

People lie.

The current resident of the White House lies. People lie – and those of us who need to make a judgment call, need to do just that – sift though the information and come to a decision they can live with.

You are free to believe what you like – although we have a guy in charge of the country that only believes what he likes, and guess what? We also have over 90K dead in the United States.

Again, you are free to believe as you like, but TFP is a huge fan of learning and science and doctors and nurses – so she will be over here with the experts in the field, and you can be over THERE, possibly on a ventilator, choosing to not believe science.

It is a relatively free country – if only in thought.

Next up, she looked across the pond, as it were, and she noticed her now “Brother from Another Mother“, Daniel F. York Loh is running for Actors Equity UK.

While she has no ‘vested interest’ in Equity UK, let TFP remind the British East Asians and others, that the concept of British East Asians has broadened under Daniel’s watch. In point of fact – the reason the Royal Shakespeare Company was so notably trounced by yours truly is because of Daniel F. York Loh.

If Daniel had not contacted TFP asking for help from the States, TFP would likely not have heard in time to help. That she was able to write something that sparked some movement, and then some more – is due to Daniel F. York Loh, Playwright, Actor, Activist.

He has been a leader in so many ways, and also, a coalition builder. He is always first into the fight, and he brings pragmatism as well as knowledge.

If TFP were in Equity UK, she would vote for Daniel F. York Loh.

He has integrity, and follow through – and that is what is called for when change needs to happen.

Speaking of change needing to happen, Actors Equity Association USA, has mailed out the ballots for their Council Elections and TFP is staring at it right now, next to her.

This is not a post to tell you how TO vote – this is a post to tell you WHY TFP is voting for the people she is voting for. She has gotten text messages and emails that have been private queries, and she sees no reason to not share the whys and wherefores of her voting.

First up, she is going to vote for Kate Shindle to continue as President of AEA.

Ms. Shindle, for full disclosure, is someone TFP personally knows, however, that is not enough to get TFP‘s vote.

Ms. Shindle has been an active and vocal advocate for Actor’s Equity and it’s members pre-dating her Presidency. She served for three years as the Eastern VP of AEA, and has worked a variety of contracts – as well as having served as a negotiating member for the Production Contract three different times, in addition to being a Board Member for The Actors Fund and BC/EFA.

More to the point – Ms. Shindle has thrown the full weight of her office behind things that matter to Actors and Stage Managers – safety, job security, wage increase, more minority representation, caregiver support systems, and has worked for the implementation of those factors when dealing with contract re-negotiation with The Broadway League and the Off Broadway League.

TFP has watched her since she was the Eastern VP, constantly advocating for all of us within the Union – even as she was, for example, on the road in a National Tour.

As the Pandemic continues to decimate Broadway, Ms. Shindle has shown no fear and a cool head reassuring members, as well as taking Governor Cuomo to task for not including Broadway and the Arts when coming up with a plan to re-open the City.

She is fearless, and we need that – because the truth of the matter is – we do not know what we are coming back to.

Social distancing does not a theater experience make.

Drones to clean the theater are one way to do it, the other is – make sure that the woman who was in charge when the Union hired a health advocate to advise AEA Members and Theater Producers as to a post-Covid 19 existence because that is what Leaders do, gets to follow through on initiatives started on her watch.

Women who Lead have handled this pandemic the best across the world, we have one right here, running our Union, we need to support her and let her do her job – a job she has performed excellently at thus far.

Futhermore, the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), agrees with TFP as to the need to see Ms. Shindle re-elected, as does the #FairWageOnCouncil candidates – these are all people actively working towards equality and representation for all AEA members.

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Remember if you in any way feel ‘betrayed’ by this, or push back against it – talking to you, “Robe” folks who protested the name change – just remember – if you have always had privilege, then equality feels like oppression.

If Women being in charge and People of Color having representation ‘scare you’ or make you feel like, “Just there is something I don’t trust….” or “but her emails…”

It is happening.

In Addition, TFP wants you to note, she is not blindly voting for someone else’s created platform, she is a firm believer in  the need for Rashaan James II to be re-elected to his seat on the Council repping the Eastern division.

For Kim Huber in the Western Division and Wydetta Carter in the Central to be in their Councilor Seats.

TFP is hoping to see more POC and more Women run this Union.

TFP is being honest.

TFP is also going to support the #FairWageOnCouncil group because –

1. They helped get AEA Off Broadway Members a raise! A living wage!

2. They worked to get a broader sense of what America looks like and what the Acting/SM World looks like, and make sure to advocate for those voices to be represented and present.

3. They are always available when TFP has a question about their platform or their ongoing plan, and they hold weekly Friday zoom hang outs so they can hear from members and come up, Elizabeth Warren style, with ‘a plan for that’.

The Union is changing.

The World is Changing.

TFP wants people who do not fear change, but embrace it and make it their own.

If we want to see this Creative World where Actors and Stage Managers get to speak their truths without fear of Producer wrath, and where contract negotiations are of paramount importance, where annual wage increases are accepted, a place where more tours do not go Non-Union, which serves only the Producers, and not at all the Performers – then TFP really feels she has no other alternative, than to vote with the #FairWageOnCouncil.

This is the way TFP is voting.

This is not the way you have to vote.

It IS the way Spider-Man’s Aunt is voting…

Just sayin’…

Ok, ok, TFP actually apologies to this Oscar Winner, Marisa Tomei is brilliant on the stage and on the big screen.

If you want to know why TFP is a Union Person as well as a Union Member, well – she is a third generation Union Family.

Her Cousin, Mike Quill, founded the Transit Workers Union.

Her father, Kevin P. Quill, was a Labor Lawyer,

and finally…she is an… Actor with a Blog…

(her ancestors are particularly thrilled at this she imagines) 

However, in the Unions she is a member of, she has served.

 TFP has served as an AEA Deputy repeatedly, she was Vice Chair of the SAG AAPI SubCommittee and a member of the SAG EEOC Board for a number of years, and she helped renegotiate the Foreign Language Contract with SAG to be more inclusive of Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Pacific Islander languages.

But…again, what does she know?

You vote your way, just letting you know mine.

TFP out.