Dear Guild members,
We are writing to let you know that the Political Engagement Initiative will be undertaking a major effort to increase access to healthcare for dramatists. We wanted to explain why we’ve made this work a priority, to lay out some of the efforts we are planning to make, and to share information with any members who might be in need.
As dramatists, most of us are members of the “gig economy,” earning our living in a piecemeal fashion rather than working as employees. Even in the best of times, many dramatists live an economically fragile existence. Our work is inconsistent, and the income from that work often falls far short of meeting our basic human needs. Among those needs, of course, is healthcare, and in the United States, access to healthcare is almost inextricably linked to full-time employment. Because most of us don’t enjoy that status, we struggle to get the care we deserve as human beings. In ordinary times, that’s inequitable. During a pandemic, it’s abominable.
In response to the situation in which we find ourselves, the Political Engagement Initiative has kicked off an effort to research already-existing advocacy efforts, particularly those led by arts organizations, that the Guild might be able to join. We are exploring partnership possibilities and investigating which political proposals we think will best serve our membership. We have also begun creating tools that will help individual Guild members advocate for increased access to health care at the local level. In the coming months, you’ll be hearing more from us, and we also hope to hear from you, too. If you have thoughts or resources to share, we would love to hear from you. You can reach out to us by sending your comments and questions to questions@dramatistsguild.com
In the short term, we want to make sure that all Guild members are aware of the healthcare resources that are currently available. Dramatists Guild members can immediately contact the Actors Fund for immediate assistance in applying for available health insurance and available resources. If you are in need of immediate financial assistance for medical or health insurance expenses, you can receive support via the Dramatists Guild Foundation's Emergency Grants.
Thank you so much. We hope you stay healthy and get all the care you need.
Political Engagement Committee