the origin of this work for me was with the creative coalition that was formed by michael fuchs, the former head of hbo. fuchs, who wanted to bring together a bunch of entertainment industry professionals, producers, writers, directors, and actors to kind of focus their work and their advocacy on public policy. comped for them their office space there at the hbo building across from bryant park back then. hbo is still there, but i don't think tcc is anymore. and fuchs gave them office space and gave them a budget, a modest budget of staff. a person from hbo got them started. then they went out and raised money. and the name of the game back then was for us to learn more about how to effectively advocate for our issue, whether it be in albany or here in washington. and ron silver -- it's sad when i look at the photograph. and nina can confirm this. there's a photograph of us together in one of our early trips. steve collins and i, susan sarandon, chris, michael benehum, and ron silver. half the people in the photograph are gone, they passed away, very tragically. but silver was someon

michael fuchs gave them office space and a budget -- a modest budget from hbo.m started, and then they went out and raised money. the name of the game back then was for us to learn more about how to effectively advocate for our issue, whether it be there or here in washington. ron silver, it's sad when i look at the photograph, and nina can confirm this, steve collins, susan sarandon, and ron silver, half the people, it silver was someone who was a great mentor for me in the advocacy world. i remember him sitting me down on the train coming down, he talked very succinctly and effectively about cover and you're going to save this and anticipating their answer and here's your battery of answers are going to have any facts and statements to help substantiate what we want to do. the issues were gun control, reproductive rights, the environment, federal funding for the arts and so forth. and when we would come down here, and i would come down here intermittently, to speak to members of congress, first to thank our supporters, both republican and democrat, who have wo