Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Weekly Advocacy Alert, October 21: Help Combat Race and Sex Stereotyping

By Dance/NYC

Weekly Advocacy Alert, October 21:
Help Combat Race and Sex Stereotyping

Contact the Department of Labor using this hotline and email address to file complaints about the new Executive Order: On Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping (13950) that seeks to limit diversity training within the federal government, and by federal government contractors and federal grant recipients. The order prohibits any training on “divisive concepts.”

FEDERAL

1. Simplified PPP loan forgiveness application for loans of $50,000 or less. The Small Business Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Treasury Department streamlined and simplified the loan forgiveness process for borrowers of loans of $50,000 or less. Use Form 3508S to support your application for forgiveness.

2. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it is raising the fee to request Premium Processing to $2,500 starting October 19. Any petitions without the increased fee will be rejected. Learn more at Artists from Abroad website.

3. The Supreme Court of the United States granted a stay on pending Census litigation, effectively shutting down the Census on October 15th. The Census Bureau issued a statement to conclude data collection.

4. Dance/USA Updates:
a. Use Dance/USA’s advocacy action alert to contact your Congressional delegation to urge immediate action to provide pandemic relief for the arts sector, including the dance community.
b. Download Dance/USA #Dance2Vote tool kit.

NEW YORK STATE

1. The New York Forward Loan Fund is now available to small nonprofits that received PPP loans. Nonprofits of 20 or less employees who received PPP loans of up to $50,000 are eligible to apply. Nonprofits can apply for a 60-month loan at a 2% fixed interest rate to cover expenses like payroll, utilities and property taxes.

2. Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law effective as of September 30, 2020. Governor Cuomo signed into law the State Budget (Senate Bill S7506B), which included a provision that amended the New York State Labor Law to require many employers to provide paid sick leave. The City passed bill Int. 2032A-2020, which aligns the City with the State law, including how time is accrued and which businesses are covered.

3. NY State Rolls Out "Micro-Cluster" Strategy To Contain COVID-19 Outbreaks. The state is employing a strategy on a block-by-block level rather than on a regional or even neighborhood level. Learn more here.
a. Governor Cuomo announced the NYS Department of Health has released a draft COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program that serves as an initial framework for ensuring the safe and effective distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine in New York.
b. Arizona and Maryland added to the mandatory quarantine travel list. Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania meet the criteria for the travel advisory but due to the region's interconnectedness, quarantine is not practically viable. Non-essential travel is discouraged. More info here.
c. The test positivity rate remains below 2 percent in every region of the state, and New York is third lowest positivity rate in the country.
d. Download the COVID Alert NY app today.
e. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms or believe you were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID, get tested. Find a testing site near you.

4. The moratorium on commercial evictions is extended until January 1st. This measure extends protections already in place for commercial tenants and mortgagors in recognition of the financial toll the pandemic has taken on business owners, including retail establishments and restaurants.

5. Enforcement on single-use plastic bags ban back in effect after six month delay. Learn more here.

NEW YORK CITY

1. Take Dance/NYC’s *NEW* Coronavirus Dance Impact Survey today! It should not take more than 10–15 minutes of your time. If you are an individual dance worker and also lead an organization or fiscally sponsored group you are welcome to take both. Spread the word, by sharing the survey through your networks with this social media media tool kit.

2. A federal judge ruled that Cuomo can impose COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, learn more in this Daily News article.

3. Voting in NYC:
a. In person at your assigned poll-site, during the early voting period, October 24th through November 1st, or on Election Day, November 3rd. Or by mailing your absentee ballot (with proper postage paid!) so it is postmarked by November 3rd. Find both your early voting and election day poll sites here.
b. For voting by absentee ballot: Request your absentee ballot, or manage your online mail-in ballot by visiting Vote NYC or calling 1-866-Vote-NYC (6-9-2). Keep in mind, the United States Postal Service issued guidance to voters across the country, “as a common sense measure” to mail your ballot before October 27th in New York.
c. Join the #NYCDANCEUNITES campaign. Launched on October 2nd, five of New York City’s acclaimed dance companies have joined together to create a new online initiative to urge the dance community to do their civic duty and vote. Learn more and download the campaign graphics for social media here.

4. Free Flu Shots with the Actors Fund. Sign up here.

5. The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Project Space is hosting a coalition-building Town Hall. Today 10/21 from 4–6 pm. Details and registration here! It will be a great way to get updates on existing work, plan collectively, and get to know who is doing what in the arts worker organizing now.

6. Engaging in a community action in support of dance workers? Submit to be listed on the #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers Campaign Activations page. Visit the page for events, actions, and platforms that are independently led by the NYC dance community.

7. Dance/NYC hosts weekly dance field-wide calls to address our questions, needs, and plans for the future as a field. Calls occur every Thursday, 4:00 pm. – 5:00 p.m. Register!