As we begin the fourth week of the Writers Guild of America strike, it’s heartening to see all the writers picketing in New York, Los Angeles, and anywhere there’s a production going on. It’s a little harder to find a movie or tv show or studio to picket outside of here in Juneau.
So I’m taking advantage of the fact that roughly 1.5 million cruise passengers will be sailing by our home this summer. We’re spreading the message that Alaska supports storytellers, and so should the studios.
As a an Alaska Native writer, I feel like the doors have finally opened just a little bit wider so someone like me can make a living as a screenwriter. And a huge goal of mine – and so many Indigenous creators – is to wedge your foot you got in that door and keep it open for more Indigenous creators to come. But what the Hollywood studios are doing is making that harder.
For me, the writer’s strike is about fighting for living wages, working conditions, but also to be able to bring up writers from groups that have historically been shut out of the conversation.