The first Virtual TAG Drink & Draw hosted by engaged TAG members including Erica Smith was held on October 28th at 7 p.m. Here Erica, who is also a WB Shop Steward and Co-Chair of the Testing Committee, shares her experience at the event.
We had about 25 members show up for the event and it was lovely. We were spread out over three virtual rooms on the TAG Discord and members were popping in and out, chatting and drawing, playing games, cracking jokes, and talking about their lives. As someone who got involved with TAG during quarantine, it was so refreshing to finally be able to actually speak with some of the members that I’ve grown familiar with over the past year, along with new folks that I’ve never spoken to before.
There have been very few times during quarantine where I got to meet someone new, not with just formal greetings and polite conversations in work meetings, but actually get to talk with someone and learn about them. I’m not saying that this little Drink & Draw event had any kind of resounding impact on anyone else who attended, but for me it really was a healthy spoonful of humanity that quenched a part of me that I’ve been forced to ignore during this difficult time. And, ultimately, that’s something that I really want to bring back to TAG.
I want to help create safe events where people can connect, listen, share, and engage with no strings attached. I want to meet people where they are at, find out what their interests are, listen to their troubles, and help them if I can. As a young member, I feel out of place in certain situations because I am still learning how a union runs and works, but one thing I know I can do is find out what people are interested in and foster opportunities where we can all come together and just be people.
Erica hopes to host both regularly scheduled and one-off Discord events that cover a range of interests. If you have suggestions for casual get-togethers, (recent requests include a virtual Dungeons & Dragons campaign and a virtual game night), you can connect with Member Programs Coordinator Jackie Huang at jackie.huang@tag839.org.