Dolores Huerta Foundation and Coalition of 40 Small 99-Seat Non-Profit Theaters and Freelance Performers Band Together To Support Theater
Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights and Human Rights Icon and founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation , and Josefina Lopez award-winning playwright and screenwriter (Real Women Have Curves), will testify on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. in Sacramento, CA at Senate Labor Committee Hearing for Senate Bill 805 (SB 805), “Save The Performing Arts Act of 2021,” authored by State Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) representing the 22nd District, and co-authored by State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) representing the 26th District.
Dolores Huerta worked closely with Luis Valdez (La Bamba, Zoot Zuit) early on to bring relevant and socially conscious and relavant theater to the fields early with the United Farmworker’s Union. “The history of the performing arts is interwoven with the fight for social justice every step of the way,” she said. “Theater was a significant voice that helped bring about change in public consciousness during slavery, the civil rights movement, women’s suffrage, the organized labor movement, the Chicano movement, and just about every other movement working to bring about equity for those in their group.
Stories like Lopez’ Real Women Have Curves, or Valdez’ Zoot Suit were written and developed in small theaters.
“Save The Performing Arts Act of 2021 or SB 805, is the first bill in the nation that will create a critical funding infrastructure to help assist Small Nonprofit Performing Arts Companies (SNPAC) with average adjusted gross revenues equal to, or less than $1.4 million, to be adjusted every five years based on the California Consumer Price Index.
SB 805 will direct the California Arts Council to establish the California Nonprofit Performing Arts Paymaster, which will provide low-cost payroll and paymaster services to SNPACs. This legislation will establish the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund to ensure that SNPACs can pay all workers minimum wage, particularly workers in marginalized communities.
Small nonprofit theaters are incubators for playwrights, actors, designers, directors and other artists. They have historically provided networking opportunities and mentorship for Black, Indigenous and People of Color artists to facilitate connections necessary for career advancement by providing performance experience that helps to open doors to larger, less accessible companies. Furthermore, SNPACs contribute to the economic growth, social well-being and cultural vitality of the local communities they serve.
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— Latin Heat News Service
— Featured Photo: Dolores Huerta (Heather Hazzan) and Josefina Lopez (Shane Sato)