#RedAlertRESTART

On September 1, 2020, #WeMakeEvents, a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions, and live events workers, will light as many as 1,500 venues, and iconic structures in red in over 50 cities across North America to raise public and media awareness in support of the live events sector. Humboldt County entertainment organizations including the local theaters will be joining this initiative. At sundown on September 1, we encourage community members to show their support by checking the social media sites of their closest theater where a map of all participating locations will be posted and visiting the aforementioned locations where they can take photos to post on social media using hashtags: #WeMakeEvents #RedAlertRESTART #ExtendPUA. Community members can also display their support by lighting the outside of their homes red and sharing pictures. Live events have been completely halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because our business is rooted in large group gatherings, the live event industry was one of the first industries to be completely shut down (early March) and will be one of the last to return to any operations (well into 2021), let alone restore former prosperity (likely not until 2022 or beyond). The live event industry in North America directly employs more than 12 million people and includes hundreds of thousands of businesses. Since the pandemic emerged, 77% of the people in our industry have lost 100% of their income, 96% of companies have cut staff, and 97% of 1099 workers have lost their jobs. Businesses are failing under a lack of income and economic pressure. The supply chain has been completely devastated under the weight of cancellations and unknown futures. The international movement asks for your support to help raise awareness in hopes that the government will provide the appropriate support by way of relief funding and necessary legislation. The RESTART Act is a bill that is currently moving through Congress but has stalled. We have also partnered with ExtendPUA.org and are requesting a continuation and expansion of the PUA, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and FPUC, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which supplement earnings per week for those on unemployment and open up unemployment to 1099 workers.