00:00Why is it important for you to be here at this summit and be a part of this?
00:03You know, I think art is extremely powerful to our humanity, to our connectivity,
00:08and the only way art stays alive is if we stay engaged.
00:11So getting together with a group of people who are passionate about keeping art engaged,
00:15keeping art alive, keeping art funded, keeping art available for our communities,
00:20the least I could do is to show up right now.
00:22You know, I often say, I can talk a long time.
00:26I often say, if I do all I can and you do all you can and we do all we can,
00:30then we can accomplish a lot.
00:32So it's not a big ask for me to come here and be together with some people
00:34who are trying to keep art moving forward.
00:37I love that.
00:38Why do you think it is so important to advocate for the arts right now?
00:41I feel that art is something that builds bridges.
00:43I think art can reach people in ways that words necessarily can't.
00:48I think art allows us to tap into our humanity.
00:50And I think we're at a crossroads.
00:52We are losing our humanity.
00:54Art gives us the ability to see the life of you in the life of me and vice versa.
01:00You know, I turn and I look at you and I see somebody who doesn't deserve my respect.
01:04But art is a way that can build that,
01:06that can make people realize that we're all in this together.
01:09It seems like, especially right now, we do really need it.
01:12There's been so much division and even an attack on the arts,
01:15it kind of feels like, with this current administration
01:17and what's been going on with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
01:20What's your take on that?
01:21And how do you hope that this event helps move the arts forward?
01:25What I hope with this event is that we can formulate some ideas that can make a difference.
01:31You know, if we come here and we hang out and we spend time
01:34but nothing happens outside of it, then what's the point?
01:39That's my hope.
01:41And even beyond what is going on at the Kennedy Center or anywhere else,
01:44the main thing is that what we do here will have a domino effect to keeping art alive,
01:48to keeping art funded.
01:50You know, for myself, I'm an actor, I'm a tap dancer.
01:53I started dancing at the age of three.
01:55Art has been a journey of a lifetime for me.
01:57I'm approaching 50 in May.
02:00If there can be some children that can be exposed to art now,
02:03that can send them on the journey of a lifetime,
02:05that hopefully their journey can affect the world in a positive way,
02:09then that's what we need to do.
02:11We need to support that.
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