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A.C.E. July 3, 2023 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 15 Lin-Manuel Miranda launches R.I.S.E. Network to improve diversity on Broadway By Glenn Gamboa AP Business Writer EW YORK — Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda hopes to increase diversity on Broadway and in theaters across the country with a new initiative announced last month. The Representation, Inclusion, and Support for Employment Theater Network — or R.I.S.E. Network, for short — is launching a directory of diverse offstage theater professionals to make it easier for them to get hired for jobs ranging from stagehands to producers and general managers. “There has been a lot of talk since 2020 about diversity and change,” Miranda told The Associated Press, adding that the directory is coming at a “really wonderful time because theater, as a system, has learned to say the right things.” “Now,” Miranda said, “it’s about backing that up.” According to a 2021 report from the Asian American Performers Action Coalition, which studied Broadway shows in the 2018-2019 season, 100% of general managers and 94% of the producers were white. White actors were cast in 80% of the lead roles in musicals and 90% of the lead roles in plays. Steps have been taken to improve diversity in the theater since then — most notably “A New Deal for Broadway” in 2021, negotiated between Black Theatre United and Broadway shows and their touring productions. With R.I.S.E. Network, Miranda wants to make it easier for those hiring for offstage jobs to find diverse applicants. “R.I.S.E. is really about making sure that the beautiful mosaic of people you see — if you see a production of Hamilton or you see a production of MJ (The Musical) or Fat Ham on Broadway — is also reflected backstage, that it’s not just the folks in front of the footlights,” Miranda said, “Because there are incredibly talented practitioners and carpenters and makeup designers and wardrobe folks who also deserve that shot.” Wilson Chin, the New York-based set and production designer behind Broadway shows Cost of Living and Pass Over, said he hopes R.I.S.E. becomes widely used by those hiring in the theater. “People keep saying, ‘We can’t find anyone,’ but we’re out there,” said Chin, who is currently working on several projects, including Turandot for the Washington National Opera and the new Hunter S. Thompson musical for La Jolla Playhouse. “We just have to be found. Having us all in one place is great for us to be seen.” Miranda said he got the idea for R.I.S.E. Network from director Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY initiative, which features a database of women and people of color working in the film and television industries in offscreen jobs. He began working with his friend, composer Georgia Stitt, who developed Maestra, a directory for female composers, conductors, arrangers, and other musical jobs. N Department of Consumer & Business Services Workers’ Compensation Division Who we are and what we do: BACKSTAGE DIVERSITY. Lin-Manuel Miranda is seen last month presenting a lifetime achievement award at the 76th annual Tony Awards at the United Palace theater in New York. Miranda hopes to increase diversity on Broadway and in the- aters across the country with a new initiative called the Representation, Inclusion, and Support for Employment Theater Network. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) The Miranda Family Fund provided the seed money to build R.I.S.E. Theater Network and will help support the directory, which is free for those looking to work and looking to hire. Adam Hyndman, R.I.S.E. Network’s project director, said it launched with nearly 1,000 theater professionals in the directory and will look to expand soon. “Theater-making exists everywhere,” Hyndman said. “There is diversity in all corners of the United States and in stories that can be told. We see the sky as the limit for the user base.” Robb Nanus, executive director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, a nonprofit that fights racism through storytelling, said his group supports R.I.S.E. Network’s efforts because it provides the connections needed to create change in theater hiring practices. “They understand the complexities of pipeline issues, that it’s not just about putting names in a database,” Nanus said. “It’s about understanding how to support people holistically and how to make connections between people who want to work and people looking for team members.” Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, the trade association representing commercial theater, said she loved the idea for R.I.S.E. Network as soon as she heard it. “There’s a sincere interest by the theater community all over the United States to ensure that we diversify not only on stage, but backstage and in the audience,” she said. “So this will help us do that.” St. Martin said increasing diversity in the theater not only creates more vibrant productions, but also more robust interest from audiences. “This is good for business and the right thing to do,” she said. Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through The AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. In rural India, summer’s heat can be deadly Continued from page 20 sweating before his work day begins. The ambulance has air conditioning, but it is “no match for the temperature outside,” Kumar said. He and Naik skip lunches most days. When they find time, they eat under whatever shade they can find. They earn a little more than $150 a month, hardly enough to support their families given rising costs. Naik has three young children and Kumar sends most of his income to his wife and parents, who live 350 kilometers away. Despite the hardships, they make the best of what they say is a difficult job. “I feel proud of my work,” Kumar said. “The more critical the patient, the more challenging it becomes for us to save their life. I feel happy that I can save lives and help people.” Arasu reported from Bengaluru, India. Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. In Oregon, all employers must have workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation insurance coverage provides injured workers with medical treatment, lost wages, and, in some cases, workplace accommodations. It also protects employers against legal claims that may result from work-related injuries or illnesses. The Workers’ Compensation Division enforces laws and regulations and provides services and resources to assist those in the workers’ compensation system. To learn more about how workers’ compensation coverage can help you or if you are injured on the job and have questions about filing a claim and your rights, visit us at wcd.oregon.gov or call us at 1-800-452-0288 (toll free) or (503) 947-7810 . We offer free interpretation services dcbs.oregon.gov Tell us what you think about the future of greater Portland’s transportaƟŽŶƐLJƐƚĞŵ ϰϱͲĚĂLJƉƵďůŝĐĐŽŵŵĞŶƚƉĞƌŝŽĚͮ:ƵůLJϭϬƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƵŐ͘Ϯϱ͕ϮϬϮϯ ŽƌĞŐŽŶŵĞƚƌŽ͘ŐŽǀͬƌƚƉ Give your thoughts on the 2023 RegionaůdƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶWůĂŶʹƚŚĞďůƵĞƉƌŝŶƚĨŽƌŝŶǀĞƐƟŶŐ ĨĞĚĞƌĂů͕ƐƚĂƚĞĂŶĚůŽĐĂůƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶĨƵŶĚƐŝŶƚŚĞŐƌĞĂƚĞƌWŽƌƚůĂŶĚƌĞŐŝŽŶƚŚƌŽƵŐŚϮϬϰϱ͘ dŚĞƉůĂŶŝĚĞŶƟĮĞƐŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶΨϳϯďŝůůŝŽŶŝŶŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚƐĂŶĚŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐĂŶƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƐƚƌĂƚĞŐLJ ĨŽƌŚŝŐŚĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJƚƌĂŶƐŝƚ͘ ^ƵďŵŝƚĐŽŵŵĞŶƚƐŽŶůŝŶĞĂƚŽƌĞŐŽŶŵĞƚƌŽ͘ŐŽǀͬƌƚƉͮ ďLJŵĂŝůƚŽDĞƚƌŽWůĂŶŶŝŶŐ͕ϲϬϬE'ƌĂŶĚǀĞ͕͘WŽƌƚůĂŶĚ͕KZϵϳϮϯϮͮďLJĞŵĂŝůƚŽ ƚƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶΛŽƌĞŐŽŶŵĞƚƌŽ͘ŐŽǀͮďLJƉŚŽŶĞĂƚϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬŽƌdϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϴϬϰ͘ dŚĞDĞƚƌŽŽƵŶĐŝůŝƐƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞĚƚŽŚŽůĚƉƵďůŝĐŚĞĂƌŝŶŐƐĂƚϭϬ͗ϯϬĂ͘ŵ͘ŽŶdŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕:ƵůLJϮϳand at ϭϬ͗ϯϬĂ͘ŵ͘ŽŶdŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕^ĞƉƚ͘ϮϴĂŶĚŝƐƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞĚƚŽŚŽůĚĂƉƵďůŝĐŚĞĂƌŝŶŐĂŶĚƚĂŬĞůĞŐŝƐůĂƟǀĞ ĂĐƟŽŶĂƚϭϬ͗ϯϬĂ͘ŵ͘ŽŶdŚƵƌƐĚĂLJ͕EŽǀ͘ϯϬ͘DĞĞƟŶŐƐƚĂŬĞƉůĂĐĞŝŶƉĞƌƐŽŶĂƚDĞƚƌŽZĞŐŝŽŶĂůĞŶƚĞƌ͕ ϲϬϬE'ƌĂŶĚǀĞ͕͘WŽƌƚůĂŶĚĂŶĚŽŶůŝŶĞǀŝĂŽŽŵ͘sŝƐŝƚǁǁǁ͘ŽƌĞŐŽŶŵĞƚƌŽ͘ŐŽǀͬĐŽƵŶĐŝů͘ ƐƚĂĞƐƵŶĂŶŽƟĮĐĂĐŝſŶ de su oportunidad para comentar sobre las prioridades de transporte en la región. Para ƌĞĐŝďŝƌƵŶĂƚƌĂĚƵĐĐŝſŶĚĞůĂŶŽƟĮĐĂĐŝſŶƉƷďůŝĐĂĐŽŵƉůĞƚĂĞŶĞƐƉĂŹŽů͕ůůĂŵĞĂůϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬ͘ ąLJůăƚŚƀŶŐ漏ǀҲĐҿŚҾŝĐӆĂƋƵljǀҷĜӇӄĐƚƌŞŶŚďăLJljŬŝұŶĜҺŝǀӀŝĐĄĐӇƵƟġŶǀҲĐŚƵLJġŶĐŚӂƚƌŽŶŐǀƶŶŐ͘DƵҺŶŶŚҨŶ ĜӇӄĐďңŶĚҷĐŚĜҥLJĜӆĐӆĂƚŚƀŶŐ漏ďҪŶŐdŝұŶŐsŝҵƚ͕džŝŶŐҸŝƐҺϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬ͘ 㗪⌈ 㗏✏态䟌わ∐䔏怀ῲ㩆㛪娼字✏わ㈧✏䤥⌧䵺䇆⍘暑⻉㢫䉐娔㖤䙫䔚媲˛奨䍙⎽⭳㕛䙫丨檻Ḕ㕮俢孖 䈯⅓Ə媲㒌㈺ϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬ˛ ʻ̸̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̛̛̛̛̛̭̯̺̥̱̖̥̣̖̥͕̯̱̭̖̭̯̥̙̦̭̯̭̯̯̭̜̯̼̯̦̭̯̖̣̦̪̬̬̯̖̯̌́̏̔́̏̌̽̏̽̌̏̽̏̏̽̏̚̚ ̨̨̨̨̛̛̛̯̬̦̭̪̬̯̦̬̯̹̖̥̬̖̦̖̌̐̌̏́̏̏̌̐̚͘ˀ̡̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̨̛̛̛̱̭̭̱̖̬̭̦̭̯̺̖̪̖̺̖̦̥̙̦̪̬̭̯̪̀̏̀̌́̐̏́̌̽̚ ̨̦̥̖̬̱ ϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬ . ؿऌ۰Еएࠇΰˬ˗ࡉ۴یତ߾оଥ̆ଜࢂࢂʺࡶࢿݤଟܹЕ̛ୣձߊԮҖչ̛ࡢଞ ʨТЬଞ˲߭Իءࠇѹए۰ࢷחࡶ؇߅ؿݤԮִϱϬϯͲϳϵϳͲϭϳϱϬԻחࢂଜݫݤࠝ