March 2022 Newsletter

March 2022 Newsletter

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This is our regular monthly email newsletter. It includes reminders, member news and important announcements from the Executive Board and the office.

News from the Executive Board

President’s Message

Thanks to everyone who joined our Membership meeting on February 24^th. We had a good group and shared great conversations in our breakout rooms. Topics in the breakout rooms included Canadian Issues, a general check in room, CBA’s, and Fair Trade Music. If you missed the meeting, you can view the meeting video here or find the draft minutes here.  

Two trainings will take place this month for our members, a DEI training on March 19 & 20 and a FTM Organizers training that will be announced soon. We will send an email once we know the date for this second event. Contact the office if you would like to attend either of these events. 

Please be sure to check out the specific articles from each of the committees for a more in depth report on the very exciting news from each committee. 

If you have not filled out your profile page on our new website, you can do so by logging at Local1000.org and completing your profile. If you need help knowing how to do it, go to this training video.

Folk Alliance International will be held in Kansas City on May 18-22. Local 1000 will have a booth as well as a Show Case Free room. You can register for the conference here. Hope to see you there.  

Just a reminder, there are lots opportunities to join the ever-growing work of the Local. If you would like to join one of the committees (where all the work happens), please reach out to me or one of the committee chairs.

And remember, Together we are Mighty!

President Fowler

Local 1000 Demographic Survey – Please Fill Out!

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group invites ALL members to fill out our Local 1000 Demographic Survey. The survey will take less than 5 minutes to fill out and is made up of 8 questions. You can fill out the survey here.

As part of working towards being a more inclusive and diverse union, the DEI Working group would like a better picture of who our members are and how they identify. This will be part of assessing our organization and helping us move forward with our work towards diversity and equity. 

Let your voice be heard in our work to make our union better for all members!   

Fair Trade Music Update

The Fair Trade Music Committee is about to launch the most far-reaching and important organizing effort in our Local’s history.  We’ll launch at the Folk Alliance Conference in May, buttonholing participants (musicians, presenters, and fans alike) in an effort to educate them about FTM.  We’ll have swag: T-shirts, picks, stickers, informational flyers, etc.  Please stop by the booth and get yours!  We are firming up plans to hire a part-time organizer in 2022, with a goal of having 100 FTM signatory venues/presenters a year from now.  If you’re interested in being a part of this dynamic and creative adventure determined to help create real collective thinking in our entire community, please join us!

Drop me an email at: appalseed@folkmusic.com and I’ll send you an invite to our next FTM meeting.  Just come by and see what we’re up to.

We are also in the process of arranging some organizing training sessions with both the AFM and with a private consultant.  We’ll keep you posted.  Everyone can gain from such training and it’ll help strengthen our Union.  

John McCutcheon chair, Fair Trade Music Committee

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group is excited to announce some upcoming events and actions in 2022. 

The Local 1000 Demographic survey is now open and collecting responses (see above). 

DEI members John Acosta and Faith Nolan are collaborating on a project to present concerts in 2022 featuring BIPOC artists.  If you are a BIPOC member our union and would like to get involved in this concert project or in the newly-formed BIPOC Caucus of Local 1000, contact John: john_coz@hotmail.com or Faith: nolanfaith@yahoo.com

Save the dates: Our first anti-racism leadership training will take place March 19 & 20. Kasi Perreira, Director of Racial & Gender Justice at the Washington State Labor Council, will be offering a weekend-long training for our Board and committee members. The trainings will be 4 hours each day, beginning at 9:30am PST.

We encourage all members serving in leadership roles in our local to register for the event, but any members in good standing who are interested may attend. Registration info and materials will be announced soon. For more info, contact Aileen Vance: avandlt@cruzio.com

Solidarity Team: Join Us!

The Solidarity Team will be embarking on a round of friendly check-in calls to members and lapsed members from April 4 – 14th. This is a great way to keep in touch with a few fellow union members, find out what successes and challenges they are having, and let them know more about what Local 1000 is up to.

We’ll be holding an online orientation for Solidarity Team Members on Tuesday, Mar 29 at 5 PM AT/4 PM ET/3 PM CT/2 PM MT/1 PM PT

Please contact Solidarity Team chair Eve Goldberg at eve@evegoldberg.com for the Zoom link and details if you would like to be part of this important effort!

Local 1000 Coffee Hours

We’re baaaack! Local 1000’s Zoom Coffee Hour returns in the new year, hosted by Annie Patterson & Aileen Vance.

Bring your own beverage. 
All of us provide the camaraderie, support, check-ins, ideas, laughs, connections.

Wednesdays: March 16, April 20, May 11
12pm Pacific/1pmMTN/2pmCentral/3pmEastern

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86037179426?pwd=bkxSRkI0NlBTY1pSVHBvY2IvMm1RZz09

Meeting ID: 860 3717 9426
Passcode: 863331

New Website: Your Member Profile

A primary feature of our new website is a Member Directory. This directory will be a place for people to find and hire union musicians for their events and for our members to get to know each other a little bit better too. 

To be included in the Member Directory, you must be current on all dues and fees. After you log into your account, navigate to your profile and click on “edit your Local 1000 profile.” Step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial are available here: https://www.local1000.org/how-to-edit-your-profile/ 

After you update your profile, make sure to browse the site— you may learn something new about your union! The website is also a one-stop-shop for you to pay membership dues, work dues, or make a solidarity pledge. Plus, it’s a great place to send your musician friends who are not yet union members.

If you find any problems with the website, please contact us at: office@local1000.org
The new website is built and managed by Local 1000 member Vi Wickam, with guidance from past-US Vice President Erin Mae Lewis, the Executive Board, and the Communications Committee. 

Social Media Handles

Are you connected to Local 1000’s Social Media accounts? If not, make sure you like or follow us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afmlocal1000

Twitter: https://twitter.com/local1000afm

Facebook Public Page: https://www.facebook.com/local1000afm

We also have a private member page, which is to facilitate communication between members of Local 1000 and to promote discussion of Local 1000 issues amongst our members. Please ask to join this page to connect with your fellow members (note: this page is for current Local 1000 members only — friends of the Local are encouraged to like our public page instead.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AFM.Local1000

Show Us Your Card!

As the saying goes, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”. Now that our Instagram and Twitter accounts are active again, we’d like to showcase our members. If you would like to be included, please take a photo of yourself with your Local 1000 union card and we’ll post it on Twitter and Instagram. If you are on either of these platforms, please include both your Instagram and twitter handles so we can tag you. Send your photos to Deb Cowan: dcowan@DebraCowan.com Also be sure to follow us so we can follow you back.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afmlocal1000

Twitter: https://twitter.com/local1000afm

Work Dues Equivalency/Solidarity Pledge

Are you signed up for monthly Estimated Work Dues or Solidarity Pledge payments?

Learn more here. 

MPTF Funds Still Available

The Music Performance Trust Fund has announced that it is offering 100% grants for live-streamed events through December 31, 2021, subject to funding availability. Eligible performances are for five musicians or less, and performances require a co-sponsor. Any larger live stream plan will remain 50/50 at the MPTF’s discretion. All local health protocols must be followed and the MPTF reserves the right to cancel, revoke, or otherwise limit the distribution of these grants due to COVID-19 issues. The MPTF will provide production and tech support of up to a maximum $250 per scheduled performance.  Any production cost above that amount must be covered by a co-sponsor. Applications must be submitted by the local office no later than 30 days before the performance.

For more information about available grants and applying through Local 1000, contact Richard Coombs.

MPTF MusicianFest Grants

In addition to regular grants, the MPTF also runs the MusicianFest program. Member Tim Van Egmond reports,

“I’ve been fortunate to have a couple MusicianFest grants in the past arranged through the Local, paying 100% for gigs at Senior Centers. I recently asked Richard at the office if a new round of grants was available, and he said there are 10 allotted to the Local and I was the first to express interest. I thought I’d spread the word a bit.

The fiscal year for this bunch of grants ends on April 30th. In the past the payment has been about $200 plus pension contribution.”

At this time Local 1000 has 5 slots still available. Applications for the MPTF’s next fiscal year must be submitted after April 30th. If you would like more information on how to apply for one of these grants, please contact Richard in the office.

Emergency Relief Fund

Local 1000’s Emergency Relief Fund still has grants available to help with expenses during the pandemic.  Grants of up to $1000 are available to members in good standing while funds last. Please note, members who have previously received an ERF grant cannot apply for a second one at this time.

To apply for a grant or to donate to keep the fund healthy for members in need, visit our website or contact Richard at the office.

Folk Alliance International Conference 2022

The 2022 Folk Alliance International Conference has changed dates, and will now take place May 18 – 22, 2022. Local 1000 will be there publicizing our Fair Trade Music campaign. The conference will be a hybrid event, with the in-person portion will be held at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.
The conference theme is Living Traditions and will showcase various traditional folk music forms regionally, nationally, and internationally. The theme will be explored through topics of music preservation, migration, evolution, and authenticity, while the Global Summit will highlight the work of folklorists.

Local 1000 will be at the conference hosting our regular Showcase Free Zone room as well as having a booth in the exhibition hall. If you plan to attend please stop by one of our events.

If you are interested in attending and need a discount code please contact Aaron Fowler.

Member News

Tell us your news! Have you released an album, won an award, been involved in an interesting initiative that you’d like to let people know about?

If you have exciting news to share with Local 1000 members, we want to know. Submit Your News Here!

Submissions should relate to significant career events, Please do not submit individual gig or tour announcements. Thank you!

We’ll include your news in an upcoming Local 1000 e-newsletter, and we’ll post it on our public Local 1000 page at https://www.facebook.com/local1000afm

March Birthdays

Finally, we would like to wish the following members Happy Birthday! If your birthday falls in March and you don’t see it listed below, or if the date is incorrect, please send an email to Deborah Van Kleef with your birthdate, current phone number and email address. Thanks to Deborah and fellow Birthday Bunnies Arthur McGregor and Tim Van Egmond.

In Solidarity,

AFM Local 1000