Dance/NYC in collaboration with Dance/USA is urging members of the New York City metropolitan dance community to stay informed on anti-racist resources, federal and state legislation, reopening plans, and to complete the 2020 Census. Specifically:

Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed as a nation and city the palpable impacts that systemic racism has on the lives of Black and Indigenous people, peoples of color, immigrants, disabled and immunosuppressed people, LGBTQ+ people, and people living in low-income communities and poverty impacted by COVID-19. White supremacy continuously manifests itself in violence at the hands of law enforcement and in interpersonal interactions, our government’s response to COVID-19, and our cultural institutions.  

 

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS

Open Letter from Arts and Cultural Workers of NYC, Demanding the Defunding of the Police and Investment in BIPOC Communities.

SIGN ON | ARTSWORKERSFORBLACKLIVES

 

Sign on to the Nonprofits' Open Letter to the City to Center Black and People of Color Led Organizations in Reallocating Policing Funds.

SIGN ON | Nonprofit’s Open Letter

 

 

ANTI-RACIST RESOURCES

• Dance/NYC’s has a full glossary and resource directory: Dance.NYC/JEIdirectory.
• Dismantling Racism Works Web Workbook.
• White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun.
• AWAKE to WOKE to WORK: Building a Race Equity Culture by Equity in the Center
• People's Institute for Survival and Beyond.
• A List of Anti-Racist Resources by Katie Couric.

 

FEDERAL UPDATES

• On June 5, 2020 the President signed H.R. 7010 The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act of 2020 which outlined the following changes to:

1. extend the PPP through 12/31/2020,
2. extend the rehire deadline until 12/31/2020,
3. expand the covered period for loan use from eight weeks to 24 weeks,
4. expand maturity from 2 years to 5 years for new loans and permit borrower and lender to mutually agree to later maturity.
5. Loan forgiveness provisions:
   a. Eases rehire requirement based on inability to rehire former or similarly qualified employees, or inability to return to operations levels.
   b. Revises the 75%/25% rule to 60%/40%.

On June 12, 2020, the Small Business Administration released new rules implementing the provisions of the Act. With $130 billion remaining in the Paycheck Protection Program, any potential applicant should note that the deadline to apply for a loan is June 30, 2020.
 

• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released an updated publication on: What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws. The publication provides approaches employers may adopt as they plan for employees returning to the workplace.

• Advocate to get H.R. 40: Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act passed. The bill was introduced to the House in January 2019 and needs to be considered by committee before it can be sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.

WRITE OR CALL CONGRESS

STATE ACTION

• This week, the State legislature passed a number of policing and criminal justice reform bills yesterday, including:

• A6411B/S6670B: The Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act. 
• A10360A/S3253A: The Right to Monitor Act.
• A1531B/S8492: Civil Penalty for Biased Misuse of Emergency Services.
• A10609/S1830C: STAT Act, requiring court and police data collection.
• A2513/S3695: Repealing Section 50-a.
• A8674/S8493: State Troopers Required To Wear Body Cameras starting next April. 

• Further, the legislature is expeced to pass: 

• A3056/S4076B: Duty To Provide Medical Attention - requiring law enforcement officers to provide medical and mental health attention to a person under arrest or in custody.

• A4615/S1137A: Racial Profiling - prohibiting police officers from using racial and ethnic profiling and require a procedure to review complaints against police for profiling. This bill passed the Assembly on Monday, and could possibly pass the Senate on Tuesday. 
   

• Rent Relief: In late May, the State legislature passed:

• A10552/S8419: The Emergency Rent Relief Act which sets aside $100 million for rental assistance for rent burdened tenants.
• A10290/ S8192: The Tenant Safe Harbor Act which extends evictions protections for residential tenants that have suffered financial hardship during the COVID-19 covered period.

 

CITY ACTION

• New York City began Phase I of reopening on June 8, 2020. The City has created a reopening resource guide for businesses. 
• City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations hearing Friday June 19, 2020.

SIGN UP TO TESTIFY OR SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY

 

REQUEST YOUR NYC ABSENTEE  BALLOT

• The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is June 16th. 

ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION

COMPLETE THE 2020 CENSUS

• Complete the 2020 Census: Stand strong with your fellow New Yorkers at this time: Billions are at stake. 

FILL OUT THE CENSUS TODAY

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Dance/NYC Coronavirus Preparedness Resources.
• Join the movement: #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers.

Visit dance.nyc/news for more information.