The WGA picket lines were buzzing with activity today! The day started off with breakfast burritos and Beyoncé tunes outside Netflix headquarters on Sunset Boulevard. One sign in particular caught our eye – it stood out like Spandex at a knitters convention! The picketing continued at Warner Bros in Burbank with an Abbott Elementary/teachers union vibe. Lisa Ann Walter, who plays second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti on the Emmy-winning ABC comedy, showed her support for the teachers, saying “We at Abbott Elementary are on the side of the teachers. I am proud every single day to portray the profession.”
But the support didn’t stop there. Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary writer-creator-star Quinta Brunson even supplied some flaky pastelitos to help feed the throng. United Teachers Los Angeles and the California Nurses Association also showed their solidarity with the striking writers. Even LAUSD Board President Jackie Goldberg and board member Dr. Rocío Rivas spoke out in support of the cause.
Outside Warner Bros Studio, the nurses were on duty and CNA member Holly Conn gave a powerful speech, saying “We know firsthand what it means to confront greedy executives that want to undermine our profession for profits. We know there is no substitute for your minds and voices.”
And the picketers were in for a treat when Pacific Islander Day was celebrated outside Disney headquarters. WGA member and theme-day organizer Dana Ledoux Miller talked about the importance of cultural days on the picket lines, saying “This was a great example of bringing the community in. There’s a lot of Pacific Islanders out here, but also friends and family and people who just like Spam musubi, and that’s great. We were really happy to have people come together. This is a really important cause.”
As the WGA strike hits Day 50 next week, there’s sure to be more action on the picket lines. Stay tuned for updates from FilmmakerFocus. And as Steve McGarrett used to say on Hawaii Five-O, “Be here, aloha.”
