Happy Women's History Month!

This March, we join Women In Animation in celebrating the "trailblazing women who broke barriers and made critical advances for gender equity in the field of animation."

We're lookin' at you, ladies! Well done.

May Day 2021

Happy May Day

a.k.a.

💪 International Workers' Day 💪

from the FAM Committee!

Read about the history of May Day here.

Read about May Day celebrations in Los Angeles here.

Celebrate all we've accomplished and take a lead

in the work that's yet to be done!

#IATSE #IATSEwomen #StrongUnions #UnionStrong #TheWorkContinues

April is Autism Acceptance Month!

Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month

by supporting IATSE members and families!

 

The IATSE Hollywood Women’s Committees have created a change.org petition in support of expanding MPIPHP insurance to include evidence based therapies for spectrum disorders. This petition was partially inspired by The Animation Guild’s resolution on the same topic, which received unanimous support from the delegates to the 2020 District 2 Convention. Thanks to everyone who has shared their personal and family experiences to help us better understand this need and how to best present it. As of March 2021, the petition has over 800 signatures! 

 

Please read, sign, and share the petition here: http://chng.it/BRh7KbRnfC

March is Women's History Month!

✊ 

HAPPY 

WOMEN'S HISTORY

MONTH!

 

We see you * We appreciate you * We celebrate you

 

Member Monday: Katya Bowser

Congratulations to artist and super mom Katya Bowser who was highlighted on The Animation Guild’s social media pages and in Keyframe Magazine during Women’s History Month! Katya is an active FAM Committee member and Playdate subcommittee chair. Read more about Katya’s career, inspirations, and family experience here: https://keyframemagazine.org/2021/03/15/member-monday-katya-bowser/

#IATSEWomenUp: Kristin Donner

In celebration of Women’s History Month, IATSE highlighted Kristin Donner, FAM Committee chair and TAG delegate to the 2019 and 2020 IATSE District 2 Conventions. Read more about Kristin’s experience helping to write and pass resolutions in support of gender equality and worker wellness here: https://aflcio.org/2021/3/21/womens-history-month-profiles-kristin-donner

 

#IATSEWomenUp

You're invited: Neurodiversity panel discussion

BRAIN WORK: INDUSTRY PARENTS ON RAISING THE NEURODIVERSE CHILD

February 21, 2021 at 12:30pm

RSVP: tinyurl.com/IATSERSVP

The IATSE Hollywood Women's Committees have joined together to host an autism-focused panel discussion about raising neurodiverse children. Specialists will discuss what parents can do to support their children and ways to get the most out of what MPI has to offer. Co-moderated by The Animation Guild's own super mom and animator, Megan Kreiner. BONUS movie watch party: Life, Animated.

Film Screening Wednesday! 9 to 5: The Story of a Movement

YOU'RE INVITED:

January 27, 2020, at 7 - 9 PM ET/ 4 - 6 PM PT Indie Lens Pop-up will show a virtual film screening of 9 to 5: The Story of a Movement. Sponsored by the Coalition of Labor Union Women along with the AFL-CIO, Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, and many worker organizations. 

Based on a true story, a group of secretaries in the early 1970s fought to create changes in their workplaces; those battles led to a nationwide movement that forever changed the American workplace. During this movement, many working women fought for better pay, more advancement opportunities, and an end to sexual harassment for all. We celebrate these pioneering women and continue their work...

The film event will have opening remarks by Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, Liz Shuler, and director Julia Reichert. A post-screening discussion and Q&A will be moderated by Karen Nussbaum, founding director of 9to5!

RSVP here!

Special Events from TAG & WIA

In honor of Mother's Day, we are pleased to present virtual events in celebration of our hard-working moms and in support of all parents. 

The Animation Guild and Women In Animation are joining forces to support working parents with two excellent events:

Thursday, May 7, 2020, 6:00 - 7:00 pm:

Parents Panel: Parents in Animation in a Virtual World - A discussion on the impacts, challenges and opportunities that remote working during COVID-19 presents. Sponsored by Women In Animation, this special parents panel is open to members of TAG and WIA.
WIA members should RSVP directly to WIA.
TAG members RSVP here: 
rsvp@tag839.org (You will receive a Zoom webinar link & password via e-mail.)

THIS Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 7:30 - 8:30 pm:

Parent Coaching: Virtual Coaching for Animation Parents from WRK/360 - Join a free group coaching call designed specifically for animation parents. Topics include: family dynamics, making work 'work', and making time for you while working from home with kids. Sponsored by The Animation Guild, this special coaching session is open to parents in TAG and WIA.
Register here:

https://wrk360.ck.page/58fde80679

Happy Mother's Day & Happy May!

#tag #wia

Celebrate National Women's Health & Fitness!

It's National Women's Health & Fitness Week!

Join the celebration with a light morning stretch session

this SATURDAY at 9:00am

at The Animation Guild

led by fitness specialists

FIT4MOM

😁 Everyone is welcome! 😎

RSVP@tag839.org

Gender Diversity + Experience = Profits

Gender Diversity + Experience = Profits:

Why employers need older workers

Written by Kristin Donner
Edited by Kyle Neswald

The perceived and actual value of experienced (a.k.a. older) workers - and experienced female workers in particular - is receiving increasing press across various industries. Here, we highlight several compelling articles that stoke the fire under this hot topic:

"There’s a strong business case for a workforce that brings different experiences, skills, and ideas as well as mindsets to the table," reports Bonnie Marcus for FAST COMPANY. Recent research backs this up. According to McKinsey & Company's 2018 report, "companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 21 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability." 

Problem: many experienced women are still seeing their roles diminished, while their male counterparts thrive. Cartoon Brew sums up the radiating effects of this discrimination; "when women stay away from [higher-up creative] roles, half of society’s voice remains underrepresented in Hollywood’s (globally influential) productions." 

This week, FAST COMPANY reported on the battle that news outlet NY1's female anchors are waging against age and gender discrimination in their workplace. "I’ve covered thousands of stories and received dozens of awards, including two Emmys, one of which was just awarded this year," states Roma Torre, NY1 news anchor. "At 61 years old, I feel as though I am in the prime of my career. And yet somehow, at the same time, everything is now starting to unravel." After discrimination reports filed with human resources and supervisors were glossed over or outright mocked, Torre and a brave band of female colleagues hired their own lawyers. The wide public support they're now receiving shows how well these experienced anchors are valued outside the tiny, yet powerful, world of workplace politics.

Employers should pay attention to public opinion. Why? Profits make a compelling argument, and the case for senior women is strong.

Women influence more than 85% of all purchasing decisions. In 2016, Visa reported that consumers over 50 account for more than half of U.S. spending.  -Bonnie Marcus, FAST COMPANY

Solutions: The #SeeHer campaign started in 2016 with the goal of representing diversity in advertising, particularly in the portrayal of women of all ages. "It stands to reason," states the Association of National Advertisers, "that more women and girls will be inspired to reach their potential when the ads and programming they see reflects who they really are."  

As animators, we have more influence than we realize. According to H. R. Moody, "[t]he image of old age purveyed by mass media has a profound effect on attitudes toward aging in all industrialized societies." Our choices in character design and storytelling can literally change the world. 

...imagine what aging would be like once we free ourselves from the negative beliefs about it. -M. Cruikshank, Aging with Disney and the Gendering of Evil

Employers, supervisors, and co-workers can benefit by looking at experienced workers as a potential asset, rather than a risk. Experienced workers have mastered the production pipeline, can anticipate questions from overseas partner studios, and often have honed a variety of styles on multiple projects. "If you look at data on older individuals’ job performance and abilities, they get mind-blowingly better with age, especially in areas increasingly key to success, like interpersonal skills and teamwork," says Peter Cappelli, professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania. Life experience can help artists focus and achieve in the workplace. "Most moms in animation – whether they’re just getting into the industry or they’re leaders – they would not be where they are if they didn’t have a good work ethic," says artist Aliki Theofilopoulos. 

"We remember when we were fresh out of school, knew nothing and were given chances to work on something for the first time - and that doesn't often happen to the older worker. So perhaps younger members can give older workers 'a break' just like they would someone starting off in their career," suggests artist Lee Crowe, in the June 2019 issue of Keyframe. A diverse crew is a strong crew. Rich worlds and engaging characters are well-fed by diverse voices. And some of those diverse voices should be experienced.

Together, older and younger members can establish a supportive network that benefits everyone. -Lee Crowe, Keyframe

#seeher #tag #animationisfamily #diversity #ageism #gender #discrimination #solution

International Women's Day - Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion

***

Happy 

International 

Women's Day!

***

#TAG #women #diversity #inclusion #animationisfamily #balanceforbetter #IWD2019

YOU'RE INVITED: Pay Equity Summit September 29th

It's 2018, and our historically female crafts still aren't compensated equally to their male equivalents. What?!

Why this matters to families: 

According to the Center for American Progress, 

42% of mothers are sole or primary breadwinners;

22.4% of mothers are co-breadwinners.

Why this matters to everyone:
Women are significant contributors to our entertainment industry and vital voices in creating diverse and successful content. Women and mothers are our bosses, colleagues, employees, friends, family, and community members.

However...public perceptions aren't keeping up

with our changing workforce:

According to the Pew Research Center, Americans still place a higher value on men's contributions in the workplace.

Let's discuss how to affect positive change at

Pay Equity Summit 2018

At the Summit, you'll enjoy a light breakfast, lunch, a mixer, and insightful discussion from an amazing panel of speakers including:

A special message of support from Lily Ledbetter, read by DGA member Rachel Feldman
Tema L. Staig – Executive Director Women In Media
Leslie Simon – Business Representative Local 871
Melissa Goodman – Director of Advocacy ACLU
Marisa Shipley – Reel Equity Chair, Art Department Coord, Local 871
Lalida Sujjavasin – Production Coordinator, Local 871
Chilly Nathan – Set Decorator Steering Committee, Local 44
Elisa Phillips – Color Stylist Committee, Local 839
Betty Madden – Costume Designer, Local 892
Yolanda Cochran – PGA, National Board of Directors, Production Executive at Disney ABC Television Group

When: 
Sat. September 29th
9:30AM – 3:30PM
Where: 
The Animation Guild
1105 North Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505

Sponsored by Women in Media, IATSE Local 871 (Script Supervisors/Continuity, Coordinators, Accountants, & Allied Production Specialists Guild), IATSE Local 839 (The Animation Guild), Costume Designers Guild, and Reel Equity.

#animationisfamily #payequity #genderequity

National Survey of Working Women

Speak Up Together! The AFL-CIO Women's Committee's National Survey of Working Women provides an opportunity for advocates and the media to understand the challenges working women face, whether it’s on the job, balancing work and family, or leading in our communities. Nearly 25,000 working women told us what stands between women and prosperity, and how we can change the rules together to create a better life for all workers.  

Check it out: The results from the 2016 survey have been published in a snapshot and written report and distributed nationally through media outlets, labor unions, and advocates. 

From equal pay and an increased minimum wage to affordable health care and paid leave, nearly 25,000 working women have made their voices known in this survey and spoken on the issues that can help families succeed.
- U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)

Union workers have an advantage when it comes to health benefits, retirement security and work-family policies. Union members in our survey are more likely to have access to paid family leave, paid sick leave and domestic partner benefits. Access to employer sponsored child care is weak among both union and nonunion respondents, pointing to an area for improvement in how unions negotiate contracts at the local level.

THAT'S WHY we're talking about Family this year. Unions should negotiate better work-family policies at the local level. That's straight from the AFL-CIO. We got this.

#supportpaidleave #genderequity #payequity #respect #animationisfamily

It's World Breastfeeding Week!

The Animation Guild Family Leave Subcommittee supports our nursing moms and their families. We recognize the benefits of dedicated nursing rooms in the workplace and the positive return for studios that invest in the health and wellness of their employees. 

According to the World Health Organization, breastfeeding support in the workplace saves businesses money AND boosts staff morale!

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. 

#animationisfamily #nursingrooms #negotiations2018