Dear Dance Artists & Workers,

ACTION ALERT! For the first time in history, a majority of members of both the New York State Assembly and Senate are cosponsoring legislation (The New York Health Act) that would enact guaranteed universal health coverage for all New Yorkers. The New York Health Act will be up for vote in May 2021. We need every representative to get behind the bill!

We are urging you to directly contact your State elected officials about the challenges you and the entire NYC dance field are experiencing as a result of the pandemic, with a special focus on why universal health care is essential for you as a dance artist and the difference it will make in your life.

TAKE ACTION NOW! **Enter your contact info on the right side of this page, hit "start writing," then edit our template letter and make it your own. ** The system will automatically send your letter to your elected state representatives. Your voice and your story matter!

In Dancing and Solidarity,

~The Dance Rising Collective

FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY, THIS IS THE TEMPLATE LETTER YOU CAN COPY/PASTE ON THE NEXT PAGE. PLEASE NOTE THE SPACES LEFT FOR YOUR STORY:

I am writing to introduce myself as a constituent. My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in [Borough], New York. I am a dance [YOUR PROFESSION teacher/performer/choreographer/lighting designer...], I have made my living here in NYC for [NUMBER?] years, and have spent my career contributing to NYC’s vibrancy and economy.

I am a dance artist and worker, and I know dance matters to New York City. Dance is threaded through NYC’s creative economy, from Broadway to concert dance performances, experimental art projects, cultural practices and traditions, education and recreation, community programs, and social services that support the mental and physical health of all New Yorkers, from children to the elderly.

Yet, according to 2020 data from DanceNYC’s Covid survey of dance workers, basic healthcare is a critical need for our sector -- now more than ever, when two-thirds of our field remains out of work: 44% have not been able to access needed medical and mental health resources and 21% do not have any health coverage at all.

[INSERT a few sentences about your personal experiences: how has your life as a dance artist been impacted during covid? How has access to quality, affordable healthcare been an issue during your career? Have you been injured or gotten sick and made difficult decisions about coverage or cost of care? Do you know people who have taken jobs outside of dance specifically for health insurance?]

I'm urging you to co-sponsor the New York Health Act (Assembly Bill 6058/Senate Bill 5474 . A year into the deadly pandemic, lawmakers are supporting the NY Health Act with a historic majority in both Assembly and Senate! I need YOU to co-sponsor the NY Health Act because;

(choose one or two or include your own!)

• As a profession and art form, dance places tremendous physical and mental demands on the body, yet one in five dance workers in NYC are uninsured. Universal healthcare will solve this issue that impacts our entire field, from established companies to independent artists.

• it will provide the most affordable way to offer comprehensive health coverage for all New Yorkers, including undocumented immigrants—$45 billion less than we spend now

• we can't have racial or economic justice or health equity until we have universal guaranteed health coverage for ALL New Yorkers.

• We know that illnesses like Covid 19 do not discriminate based on race, gender, sex or immigration status. So why do we?

The dance industry is one of the key cultural engines of NYC and one that people look to to help heal, connect and revive. Universal healthcare is an essential element of the groundwork needed to help the dance field recover and rebuild in a more sustainable manner.

I call upon you to act now!