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A New Year Awaits Us
by Paul Petersen
Rather than taking a look backwards through the chaotic events of 2001, I have decided to focus on the opportunities that 2002 affords the members and supporters of A Minor Consideration. Like many non-profits who have been affected by the events of "9-1-1" we will begin the New Year in a hole financially. That will resolve itself in its own good time. To those of you who contributed to our labors I extend a sincere "Thank You." Most of all I want to thank the activist members of A Minor Consideration who really put their collective shoulders to the wheel this past year and set the stage for what promises to be a stupendous year of accomplishments. Here's what's on tap:
Politically we could not be in better shape. The recent election of Melissa Gilbert to the Presidency of Screen Actors Guild and subsequent appointment to the AFL-CIO Executive Council is welcome news. My own election to the National and Local Boards of AFTRA will compliment President Gilbert's increased visibility. A Minor Consideration is a member of the respected Child Labor Coalition and has considerable leverage on the International stage with my assignment as the Delegate to the United Nations for the World Safety Organization. Additionally, I serve the large umbrella organization called the Hollywood Entertainment Labor Council (representing 275,000 union workers in the entertainment industry) as 2nd Vice President. In this political climate with elections coming up in eleven short months our advice is certainly going to be sought…and offered. We will be offering up legislation in both New York and California, and we are already at work on Federal legislation.
Fund-raising will become a permanent feature of AMC as our needs increase. We have a substantial workload staring at us and we must compete for scarce charitable resources. Naturally we will undertake this fund-raising by utilizing our greatest strength, which is the continuing celebrity of our members. "Kid Actors on Canvas" will be our first foray into this field. Blank canvases have been supplied to more than twenty of our members and as soon as we have some examples to share we will show them off. We expect to have the first group on display at the Ray Courts "Hollywood Collectors Show" in Studio City, California on January 19th and 20th, 2002. We were going to try for an on-line auction for Valentine's Day but the events of September pushed back the schedule. Look for samples on minorcon.org
Child Labor issues cut across all social and political boundaries and are not unique to the entertainment industry. 250 Million children are working around the world. We happen to believe that the basic values we are attempting to put in place throughout America makes sense for working kids everywhere. They are as follows:
- The workplace must above all be Safe for working kids.
- A child who works on a school day must have an employer-supplied teacher.
- Work hours must be established that are age-appropriate and strictly enforced.
- The person who does the work must own the money they earn, and if that person is a child then a certain percentage must be set-aside for the benefit of that child.
These four principles form the basis for our work in the coming year. We will, of course, continue our intervention and support services for all the kected social services ranging from financial aid to psychiatric assistance and everything in-between. No organization can be all things to all people and we look to solidify our relationships with outside organizations that provide so much help for our members and friends.
Above all we will maintain our promise to never give up and never abandon those young people who came to national prominence through the entertainment industry. In the twelve years we've been in existence that promise we made on the morning Rusty Hamer's suicide was announced has never been broken.
If there's a kid actor in trouble…anywhere…someone from A Minor Consideration will show up.
Faithfully yours,
Paul Petersen
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