Thank You Creators for Getting Us Through Difficult Times
Just like many of you, Copyright Alliance team members are working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, my family has been self-isolating for two weeks to help flatten the curve. We are nervous and anxious as the world battles this global pandemic. Every day, I get to work with creators across the United States to help educate them on copyright, hear their stories, and learn about their projects. While I feel honored to work with creators every day, this past weekend I realized how truly lucky we all are to have creators in the world.
If ever there was a time for up-to-date, reliable and accurate information, it is now during the biggest public health crisis this country has ever faced. Reporters, publishers, journalists and photojournalists, broadcasters and so many other talented and courageous people who work in the news and information sector are working around the clock to provide us with the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well as information on what our state and federal governments are doing to control the spread of the virus and keep the economy afloat. As many of us are being told to shelter in place, those who work to get us the news are considered essential so that they can continue to keep us informed. I want to thank the anchors, the cameramen, the writers, the producers, the graphics teams and so many others for continuing to work in a time where we are all worried about the health and safety of ourselves and our families. In a time where our news anchors are reporting from their own homes, thank you for not deserting us.
When the news gets to be too much and my anxiety starts to rise, watching shows and movies, reading books, and listening to music puts my mind at ease. Many companies like Disney and NBC Universal are releasing movies early to stream at home. Even Hulu has released episodes of its new TV show Little Fires Everywhere early. I introduced my daughter to one of my favorite childhood movies, Space Jam. We laughed and cheered together as the Looney Tunes defeated the Monstars. Frozen 2 has been on a steady repeat in my household, and as we face what waits for us into the unknown with the novel coronavirus, I can at least look forward to watching the films Emma and Onward as an early release from my own couch. Thank you to the thousands of creators it takes to make TV shows and movies; the writers, the directors, the actors, the grips, the best boys, the lighting techs, the costume designers and so many others that help bring these wonderfully entertaining and distracting shows and movies to me to watch from the comfort and safety of my couch.
A small victory of my self-isolation is I am finally making time to dig in to my TBR (to be read) pile of books. I love books, I buy them often and then I don’t always make time to read them. First two books up are Educated by Tara Westover and Originals by Adam Grant. There is no feeling in the world like the feeling of not wanting a good book to end while also reading as fast as you can to get to the ending because the story is so riveting. Thank you authors and publishers for gifting me that.
Yesterday, I listened to music and danced in my kitchen like no one was watching. Truth be told, my dogs were watching and they weren’t fans. Of my dancing that is, not the music. The song was Tear in my Heart by Twenty One Pilots and this lyric woke something up inside me, “Sometimes you’ve got to bleed to know that you’re alive and have a soul but it takes someone to come around to show you how.” I was feeling like I was bleeding inside for the past two weeks. Bleeding for all who are suffering, and going through the motions each day, but not really feeling alive. This song, this band came around at the right time to show me how to live again, to wake up and be grateful. So thank you to the thousands of creators it takes to make the music we all love; the singers, the songwriters, the musicians, and producers. Your abilities to transport me from reality is true magic and is just what we need right now.
Looking through photographs of my family and friends also gives me great comfort. I cherish the family portraits we got done a few years ago with a wonderful photographer. Hearing stories of professional photographers bringing joy to their neighbors by offering front door photo sessions blows me away! Photographers, thank you for capturing our special moments and the smiles of our families and creating something we will value forever, especially amidst today’s challenges.
I know that I am likely forgetting so many creators and small business that are making a difference in my life right now. In an effort to share all the wonderful resources that creators and the creative community are sharing to lessen the impact of the coronavirus, we have created a compilation page here. Scholastics is offering free classes for students and the Grammy Museum is offering a music at home education program, just to name a few. A special thanks needs to go to Author/Illustrator Mo Willems for entertaining my elementary-aged daughter every day at 1 PM ET and teaching her how to draw her beloved Piggie and Gerald characters. The creative community is united together and it shows. Thank you for being there for us when the world needs you most. I know many of you may also be struggling during this time, so I just needed to say “thank you, creators,” for getting us through the difficult times.