Stepping Forward: Dan Stearns

"At a Mississippi member meetup in the winter of 2019, I became acquainted with some of the folks hoping to reinvigorate the leadership of the New Orleans Local. I also met our outstanding staff member, Lisha Brock. Eighteen months earlier, I had moved from Chicago to accommodate my wife’s career and hoped that getting involved would allow me to meet members in my new local and get to know the scene.

"I agreed to run for delegate because I was — and am — really interested in governance. I wanted to see how the convention worked. I wanted to get into the weeds on policy. I wanted to contribute. 

"I participated in the drafting of a proposed resolution. I read every other proposed resolution, gave each thoughtful consideration, and formed an opinion. At the convention, I voted my conscience on every one of them. I learned a great deal and feel that I served my union. I also caught up with friends in the industry in Los Angeles and even renewed a couple of friendships among delegates with whom I had worked in the past."

By Dan Stearns, 2019 National Convention Delegate for the New Orleans Local 

This item originally appeared in the SAG-AFTRA magazine summer 2020 issue.