Advocacy

The journey to this year's Arts Advocacy Day started back at the beginning of this year. I knew I wanted to attend this event and continue to advocate for the arts. I had such an amazing experience two years ago, that had left me wanting to go back to the Capitol and speak to my representatives on the importance of the Arts. This year held much more importance as there was the threat of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) to be cut from the budget. The Arts have done so much for me as well as this organization I knew I had to get back and make my voice heard.

I arrived to Washington DC on Sunday, March 19, where I stayed at my friend's apartment, who happened to be a Thespian Alum and an Ohio Student Thespian Officer Alum. I had met them way back in 2002 at the first Junior Thespian Festival out in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After settling in, I met up with the EdTA members that would also be attending this year's Arts Advocacy Day at a nearby restaurant for dinner. I was able to reconnect with many friends, colleagues and mentors from around the US. EdTA Board Members Frank Pruet and Debbie Corbin were in attendance. It was also nice to see the ITO in attendance too as well as some State Thespian Officers from Colorado, the Democracy Works winner from Missouri, other thespians from Missouri and some Thespian Alumni as well. We were all in good spirits and also making new connections with members. One of my NY STO was a part of the Northeast Thespian Conference and had also been elected as a Regional Thespian Officer (RTO) which the NH Chapter Director Raina Ames had met and who was also in attendance for Arts Advocacy Day. I also met a Michigan Thespian Board Member, Kirk Erickson and to his surprise informed him that I was a Michigan Thespians STO alum and knew many of the board members of Michigan. Special thanks to Executive Director, Julie Cohen Theobald for her inspiring speech to all of us at the dinner. Overall the start of Arts Advocacy Day was a warm welcome with old friends and new coming together to support the cause! 

Monday was a very long but informative day, thanks to the Americans for the Arts organizations. I was fortunate to be able to get a little bit a later start having been my second time around, whereas for many the day started with an orientation after registration. This year's attendance was the biggest yet with over 700 people in registering and attending! The Blue Room was packed in the Omni Shoreham Hotel with many delegates which caused the group to be split between two rooms, but were able to be delivered the same message thanks to a live feed. It was great to be updated on politics and legislations as well as the briefing on the National Endowment for the Arts, Tax Policy, and Arts in Education Programs. Then we were given quick overview of facts and figures to make our case with our representatives; which luckily the past three hours of information was in a binder that was also made available online prior to the event to be looked at. I was thankful to have seen before hand because during my first year, getting all the information said to me the day before speaking with my representatives was a bit daunting. However this time around I was prepared and excited to be speaking to my representatives on the importance of the Arts!

The day continued with Breakout sessions on Policy Issues then getting the views from Legislative and Organizational Leaders as well as Student Leaders. I attended the Arts Education Advocacy Messaging and Visibility, State Trends in Arts Education Policy and Views from Student Leaders: Finding Your Advocacy Voice to all be very helpful. Being the NY STO Coordinator I found the views from Student Leaders really helpful by bringing the messages from the students who spoke back to my students to give examples of advocates whom they could relate to and were doing not only at a local, but at a state and national level. It was also really great to listen to the Democracy Works winner Lance Junck's essay on STEAM education and why it should be part of every student’s well-rounded curriculum being read aloud. After the breakout sessions we had some time to meet with our state delegation to plan our meetings with our representative. New York this year had over 100 people registered and we were split into eight teams that had meetings with all of the state of New York's representatives in congress.

Finally to conclude the night, I attended the The 30th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy at the Concert Hall in The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This year's lecturer was Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation with special introduction by Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City. Before that we were treated to a special performance by Anna Deavere Smith, actress, playwright, and teacher. 

On Tuesday, March 21 at 8am I had arrived at the Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill to start off Arts Advocacy Day 2017! Again with over 700 people registered and in attendance, the room could only fit 250, so it was a packed audience.We had a great opening remarks from Jane Chu, Chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and having several members of Congress, particularly Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and this year's Congressional Arts Leadership Award being given to Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska. The day was just starting put the impact of the Arts was alive and well. 

Living currently in New York, I am fortunate enough to have representatives who support the Arts and know the impact it has on the community, to students as well as the economy. Many of the conversations I had with my group to our representatives were asking their support in keeping the NEA funded as well as being a leader to advocate for the arts to their colleagues in Congress. Many requested statistics as well as testimonies proving the importance of the arts. Which we came prepared with our information that was provided for us thanks to Americans for the Arts as well as our personal stories from our work with our non-profit organization and impact the arts had in us. My team had included Graduate Students from Columbia College majoring in Arts Administration, the Director of Advocacy & Engagement from the Center for Arts Education, a Project Manager from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a Director & Curator for Grants & Exhibitions from the New York Foundation for the Arts and myself proudly representing the Educational Theatre Association as well as New York Thespians! So we all came from many different parts of the Arts and how much of an impact it has on us and to the communities we serve. After our meetings with our representatives we felt empowered, driven and relieved to know our representatives supported the Arts.

I can not thank enough the Educational Theatre Association for this amazing opportunity to be able to attend Arts Advocacy Day. The support from Jim Palmarini, Diane Carr and May Hetzer was greatly appreciated. I'm energized, excited and confident after attending this year's Arts Advocacy Day. I'm looking forward to July for EdTA's Leadership Summit which will also include a Theatre Arts Advocacy Day, which I plan to attend! I highly recommend all Thespians, Educators and Arts Supporters to look into attending Arts Advocacy Day next year!