IATSE: At a meeting of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) General Executive Board, the union announced it would donate $25,000 to support urgent humanitarian aid for Ukrainians. The donations, made through the International and European Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), will provide essentials like food, water, medical, and hygiene supplies to now-refugees in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
3 comments:
I think in times of crisis, the true character of institutions becomes apparent through actions. Some companies, universities, or organizations are expected and obligated to contribute to humanitarian crises such as the Red Cross or non-profits for change. That being said, I would argue that morally IATSE and other large artistic organizations with means and capital should consider how they can contribute to add and support. I say this because I believe that as storytellers and artists we need to be invested and engaged in some sort of action with modern culture and existence, especially if we choose to tell the story of those who are oppressed, which many do. I would also urge people who choose to make this choice to consider their motivations, and how that reflects upon their personal character and chosen role in society. I am not surprised, but rather impressed with IATSE. I think they are a strong responsible institution in general and I respect them greatly.
This makes my heart very happy. I know that $25,000 probably isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things but knowing that the money will be used to help many people who are finding themselves in a crisis. I’ve been reading a lot of the stories recently about artists who have been forced to flee Ukraine or the Russian artists who are speaking out against their government. It is all equally heartbreaking and inspiring to see how all of these lives are interacting with one another. One of my biggest takeaways from this article was, “working-class people suffer the effects of war the most” this is an idea that makes sense to me but I hadn’t thought about it yet. Working-class citizens have always been affected a lot by conflict. I also appreciated that IATSE encouraged its members to donate as well. I personally can’t afford to donate much but I hope that bigger sums of money from corporations, unions, the rich, etc are donated. The war has caused so many unnecessary casualties, many of whom are civilians. We say no to war for them.
I was extremely happy to read that IATSE donated $25,000 to Ukraine, as I have numerous friends currently living in Ukraine and specifically Kyiv that are now in the middle and surrounded by war. This whole situation is absolutely heartbreaking and it is surreal for me especially as I was backpacking across Ukraine only last summer. It is good to know that IATSE does not only stand for good and justice in the US but around the world and especially in Ukraine. The blatant attacks on civilians by Russia are absolutely disgusting and Ukraine needs all the help and funds it can get. A friend of mine from Kyiv is currently traveling all the way to Germany to purchase an old ultrasound from a hospital so that she can deliver it to a military hospital there which is severely underfunded, and another friend of mine crossed the Hungarian Ukrainian border to deliver medical supplies. Ukraine is in desperate need of help and any and every act of support whether through money or direct action can make a huge difference, and ISTAE has yet again shown itself to be on the right side of history.
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