SOCOSOCO Sheet

Official quarterly newsletter of the AFM Southern Conference of Locals
Aaron Lack, President -- Jessica Kunttu, VP -- Jeffrey Apana, Secretary-Treasurer and Editor and Publisher

2024Q2


Meeting Updates


Just a reminder that the deadline to book your hotel rooms for the conference is May 30. We would also appreciate if you register and pay your dues by then as well. For links to register and general information, please go to this webpage:


www.afmsoco.org/conference/2024.html


Please also remember to submit your Local reports so that the Conference can be updated on what is happening in your jurisdiction! Please see the above page for instructions. Please also note that the hotel has free parking and a free airport shuttle.


Local-Building Panel

Part of the agenda will include a panel, "Local-Building: mobilizing members, diversifying our Locals, building leadership teams." If you have questions or comments for the panel, please submit them to sectreas@afmsoco.org so the panelists can consider them in advance of our meeting. Thanks!

AFM News/Reminders

990 Reports
Please remember that if your Local has the calendar year as your fiscal year, IRS 990 reports are due today, May 15. If you have not yet filed, file an extension today so you don't miss the deadline!

Local 389 Celebrates 100
 Congratulations to Orlando Local 389, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. April 18 was proclaimed Central Florida Musicians' Association Centennial Celebration Day by several area counties. The Local held a Centennial Celebration Party, launched a new logo, and conducted a successful membership drive as part of the festivities.

 

The President's Dispatch

Dear Siblings, Sisters, and Brothers,
I am so excited to welcome you to my town, the consistently weird Austin Texas, for our annual meeting! Committees are being organized and are beginning to communicate.  Vice President, Jessica Kunttu and The Agenda Committee are endeavoring to make the topics for the conference of the greatest relevance to all of us based on our communications and virtual meetings since last summer’s meeting in Las Vegas.

Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Apana, and The Finance/Audit Committee will be bringing unprecedented clarity to the conference’s financial state and resources this year. Considerable staff and resources from the AFM International Office will also be present for our benefit. By supporting each other and building relationships between our local jurisdictions, we will multiply our capacity to fight exploitation and further the cause of all musicians in all workplaces.    

I will be representing The AFM Southern Conference at the Locals’ Conferences Council and Player Conferences Council meeting (LCC-PCC meeting) the weekend BEFORE our meeting in June. Please relay any concerns or ideas that you have not already imparted at our virtual meetings or otherwise to me before June 14th. This is a chance for us to interact with the other Conferences of Locals, The Players’ Conferences, and the AFM International Executive Board in years when the AFM International Convention is not held.

The Bylaws Committee and Officer Team have been diligently working on some needed updates to our Bylaws. Please come to the conference ready to lend your knowledge and experience to this and all of the discussions.  Together we can make the AFM Southern Conference of Locals into the music business power center that our artistic history demands!

In Solidarity,
Aaron Lack (he/him)
President, AFM Southern Conference of Locals
President, Austin Federation Of Musicians, AFM Local 433

Conference Activities

LCC-PCC Meeting


President Lack will be attending the LCC-PCC meeting in June. These are meetings that take place in each non-convention year with representatives of all of the Local Conferences, Player Conferences, and AFM officers and staff. They are an opportunity for us to ask questions and make requests to the Federation. If you have concerns you would like brought up, please reach out to President Lack before June 15.


Newsletters

Please send copies of your newsletters to newsletter@afmsoco.org. If you would like to receive copies of newsletters from other SOCO Locals, please contact the Secretary-Treasurer to be placed on the distribution list.

Orientations

We are slowly making progress on a regional orientation program. We have had one meeting but still have work to do. If you are interested in participating, or would like to help us beta test our orientation program, please contact the officers of the Conference.