All Hands Lifting Together

As we go to press on this newsletter, two weeks have passed since Los Angeles experienced one of the worst natural disasters in its history-impacting lives and livelihoods, the toll of which continues to be tallied, but is certain to be massive. Kari Grubin, who began her tenure as president this month, believes that HPA will continue to be a constant and guiding light for members during this unprecedented time, with wildfires arriving as the industry grapples with colossal business change and seismic technological transition.

Navigating the aftermath of the fires, said Grubin, will take every bit of strength, brain power, generosity and imagination that we can muster. Our industry is built on those very characteristics. HPA is gathering information and outlining pragmatic ways that our organization and members can help. I personally encourage you to reach out to us to let us know if you need assistance. HPA will continue to share information about the recovery efforts in our communications, on our website, in the media and on our social channels. In the coming weeks, HPA will outline plans for its support of wildfire recovery.

In the coming year, HPA will continue to dig deep into our core values: keeping people ready to embrace and master innovation in our industry and careers, and fostering our community with opportunities to connect and engage.

As we are mindful of our members and the industry as a whole after the fires, we are also focused on how we help prepare them for a changing and advancing industry. HPA's identity and responsibility is to enable our community to navigate the changing landscape and find positive pathways to be ready for the future of content. I firmly believe that HPA remains ready to play a leading role, Grubin asserts.

The media and entertainment community has historically embraced change; whether from silent films to talking pictures, black and white to color film, the advent of television, or analog to digital cinema. The flexibility, intellect and creativity required to stay vital, is in the DNA of the industry.

The proven capacity of those working in media and entertainment to adapt and thrive should give hope that the outcomes of current technological upheaval will be no different.

I recognize that one can feel daunted by the uncertainty gripping the industry. With changes in technology, and economic and cultural changes, it can be a conundrum to know where to go or what to do, Grubin says. It's HPA's goal to provide our community with ways to see what the future holds and prepare. That could be reskilling or sharing insightful information and experiences. It could be networking or exploring different opportunities to create content. It really is a greenfield.

By and for the Community

Grubin's mission as incoming president is to augment and enhance the work that the organization has successfully established over decades. To that end, she will not only call upon the HPA leadership team but on HPA members to offer feedback on ways that the organization can continue to move forward and stay relevant.

HPA has always been this amazing place where you can give back to your community and where you can connect. That's what it's meant for me and one of the tasks I've set myself is to provide greater clarity about how more people can get involved. I want to make sure it's clear and easy about ways to be involved and make sure everyone knows there is an open door for involvement at HPA. There is a wealth of resources here for people to learn from and huge opportunities to get involved. We are going to make sure that our members have all the information available to take advantage of that and jump in.

As a non-profit volunteer-run organization, HPA relies on the time and efforts of its members to sustain the community. HPA is honestly powered by the efforts and expertise of its volunteers, and it takes everybody lifting together for HPA to continue to deliver for everyone. What does it mean if you want to give your time for an hour or one hundred hours? How do we share information across our entire membership? What processes will enhance support for all of our great volunteer efforts? How do we talk with other industry organizations and work together with them so that our work is not duplicated and that therefore we deliver more value to our community? And, how can we efficiently share information, incoming and outgoing?

We're exploring these important topics but I encourage people to raise their hands and tell us what works for them and how they would like to participate.

Inclusivity never stops

Grubin vows to continue HPA's absolute dedication to building an inclusive organization that includes the ongoing expansion of HPA ALL initiatives.

At the foundation of HPA's ALL initiatives is to create a space where people feel like they belong. I want to ensure we provide more visibility into what HPA is, what the programs are, and have an on-ramp for anybody who wants to participate.

Grubin established HPA Women in Post (with former HPA Board member Loren Nielsen) to drive a more gender-balanced structure in the tech world. Subsequently, Grubin, Nielsen along with WIP committee members Belinda Merritt and Laura Thommen, created the Young Entertainment Professionals Program (YEP). She is the original co-chair of HPA ALL (launched with co-chair Renard Jenkins) which is driven to create an inclusive environment for all members of the M&E industry, especially those from under-represented groups.

Some change happens quickly and some change takes longer. At HPA we're all about embracing that by reaching out and listening to our members to hear what it is that they need. With the appointment of the Executive Board, (Jenkins, Craig German, Graylind Wherry and Grubin) late last year and the ongoi

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