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Creativity in Policy with Alexis Hill- Circuspreneur Podcast Ep.111
29 Plays3 months ago
#CircuspreneurPodcast #NevadaLeadership #PublicService #NevadaFuture #NevadaCommunities
In this episode of The Circuspreneur Podcast, hosted by Shenea Stiletto, we sit down with Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill — elected in 2020, Sparks native, public policy expert, and current candidate in Nevada’s upcoming governor’s race.
With over a decade of experience in city planning, community development, and nonprofit leadership, Alexis shares her vision for a healthier, more connected Nevada. From conservation and smart growth to strengthening local communities, she brings both expertise and heart to the conversation.
Tune in for a thoughtful, inspiring dialogue about Nevada’s future, leadership grounded in service, and what it means to build communities where people can truly thrive.
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Transcript
Introduction to StageLink.com
00:00:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
This podcast is also available stage link.com, the groundbreaking new platform for live performing arts. Please support the podcast by liking, subscribing, commenting, and tagging the podcast.
00:00:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
It helps us to continue to bring the industry high level content.
Guest Introduction: Alexis Hill
00:00:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
I'm your host, Sinead Stiletto. And my guest on today's Circuspreneur podcast is Chair Alexis Hill, Washoe County Commissioner for District 1 and candidate for governor of Nevada. Welcome to the podcast, Alexis.
00:00:27
Alexis Hill
Thank you for having me. I'm thrilled to chat with you today.
00:00:31
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you so much for taking the time in your very, very, very busy schedule. You are balancing numerous roles at this point in time, and I can only imagine, Alexis, and I wanted to let listeners know a little bit about you.
Political Experience and Goals
00:00:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Elected in 2020, Alexis Hill brings more than a decade of experience in public policy, city planning, and community development. A Sparks native and former nonprofit leader with organizations like the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival,
00:00:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
Chair Hill is known for her focus on conservation, smart growth, and building healthy, connected communities across Nevada. She is also a current candidate in the upcoming Nevada governor's race, continuing her commitment to public service and community-driven leadership.
00:01:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
Fantastic, Alexis. And, you know, I love your really rich history, Alexis, just to start out in the nonprofit space and your connections to the arts. You know, I was dialing into, you know, a bit of your history within that and your connection and work with the NEA and Art Town. and, you know, and dialogue around like Burning Man and, you know, what kind of like arts hub that's been, which, you know, all of those prolifically now support circus, you know, arts and support circus arts industry
Arts Background and Nonprofit Work
00:01:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
workers. And so that's such like a breath of fresh air too with you, I think coming into the governor's race, but then also to like your perspective
00:01:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
as commissioner in terms of how the arts works, our connections to the arts, and you know, with respect to, you know, there was the Nevada Shakespeare Festival that just happened this past year. So I was thinking about that when I was doing your bio and they also just got a really great grant from the Nevada Arts Council you know, just this past week, which again, will just infuse more growth and more, you know, possibility into the local arts community and industry.
00:02:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so could you speak a little bit about, you know, your past and your connections to the arts, Alexis?
00:02:20
Alexis Hill
Absolutely. Well, I actually got into the arts as a child. I play piano, I sing, and I have always been interested in, you know, going to the theater, going to museums, and just a total appreciator of all all of the arts. And I never really thought I could do it for a living because, you know, you're it's pounded into you, you know,
00:02:45
Alexis Hill
that you've got to do something more practical. And I was never even half as talented as you and all of your audience are. So I i got a political science degree from Texas A&M, came back to my hometown, Sparks, and worked as a planner.
00:02:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Okay.
00:03:04
Alexis Hill
And there was a great recession coming and the work was drying up and they were laying off you know in municipal employees, especially municipal employees who had just been hired.
00:03:19
Alexis Hill
And I was one of the earlier hires. And so I needed to find a new career.
00:03:22
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:03:24
Alexis Hill
i left actually before the layoffs started happening. I was really lucky to be hired by the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. and that just being in the arts industry and being connected to artists every day was so amazing and really made me feel like the arts can create community. So yes, the arts are an amazing thing to experience, you know,
00:03:50
Alexis Hill
yourself and to, you know, they they help individuals grow and help us think in a better way and a more in a a different way. But also the arts create community. And that that was just hit home for me. So while I was running the Shakespeare Festival, another opportunity to run a nonprofit in Minden came up for special needs kids.
00:04:16
Alexis Hill
called Kids and Horses, but the city of Reno in the meantime was looking for a arts, culture, and events manager.
00:04:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:04:23
Alexis Hill
And i thought, wow, I can put my city planning into place and also show how the arts can create community in Reno.
00:04:33
Alexis Hill
And that was during the time when we were still climbing out of the Great Recession 2012. I was hired and really used federal funds to support the city in buying public art to be placed throughout the community, which created a lot of community pride and excitement because these pieces of artwork were homegrown.
00:04:53
Circuspreneur Podcast
you
00:04:55
Alexis Hill
They had come from artists from Burning Man or artists locally, and they also supported our new spaces.
Impact of Arts on Community
00:05:04
Alexis Hill
So we had just redeveloped the road for our Midtown community and it really created excitement and community cohesion plus supporting performing arts throughout the community and our visual arts program as well.
00:05:19
Alexis Hill
It just was so important to bringing people together and having people feel pride about being from Reno and getting excited about that Reno renaissance and so the work that you do is essential.
00:05:33
Alexis Hill
It's essential to the economy. We did a study. We found out that the arts were the second largest employer in our county. The first largest employer was the school district, but artists are entrepreneurs. So yes, you don't you're not under one umbrella, but you represent a huge amount of people. And I'm assuming in Las Vegas that you've got to be at the top as well for a major employer.
00:05:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes, absolutely. That's so wonderful. You have such an incredible background and also to an understanding and respecting our industry. And I love how you call it that, Alexis, because most oftentimes we're not even thought of as an industry, you know, as being a part of the arts, the performing arts and circus arts.
00:06:13
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:06:16
Circuspreneur Podcast
And that's been our work, you know, on this podcast and bringing, you know, local officials, you know, to discuss how our industry works. you know, like what makes it tick and also to how important we are to the creative economy, to the local economy in Reno, Northern Nevada, also to now in Southern Nevada and like how that footprint works, how we can expand it, how we can support it.
00:06:37
Circuspreneur Podcast
And it's the work of folks like you, you know, in your past and even now, you know, as County Commissioner. in you know making sure that the arts is represented well and that we have access to adequate funding and all of those things. So could you go you know into some detail too about as commissioner, about how you have you know harnessed that position as well to support the arts and the local arts community?
Arts Funding During COVID and Challenges
00:07:01
Alexis Hill
Absolutely. Well, COVID had many horrible things that came out of it, certainly, and we're all still recovering, but there were some positive things that came out of it. We received as counties and cities, a lot of federal funds that we we got to discuss as a community, how we wanted to spend those federal funds to invest in our small businesses, to invest in our nonprofits, to invest in social services that really needed that support. And so in addition to transforming what we've done for homelessness in the region and that program, which I'll get into later, We also invested in our nonprofit partners and the arts. So we invested in local artists doing murals in our different parks to create, again, that community pride and cohesion. And also we're trying to find sculpture placements. We have an art trail that is an app that when you go to Burning Man, you can check out all the art from
00:08:08
Alexis Hill
the moment that you arrive at the airport to driving to the Black Rock Desert.
00:08:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
Wow.
00:08:13
Alexis Hill
And we want everyone to see the incredible art in our community. And so that was another thing that we invested in to ensure that people can, from the outside, can see what a gem Reno's art scene is.
00:08:27
Alexis Hill
And so that I have been really excited to do those investments, sadly, with federal funds drying up and and our local communities being having financial straits, and I can get into that in more detail, why that's happening.
00:08:45
Alexis Hill
we I think those investments are going to start to slow down, especially with the NEA and
00:08:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:08:51
Alexis Hill
the dismantling of the NEA by the Trump administration, it's heartbreaking because these governmental grants are part of you know what keeps this industry alive and really shows the community how important the arts are as well.
Advocacy for Circus Arts
00:09:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
Well, I'm glad that you brought up the NEA, Alexis, and that speaks to you know one of our bill ask, and that's the Circus Arts Category Recognition Act. And that is something that we've been pushing for for the past few years. And you know that would give circus arts its own category. And it would, you know, essentially protect the circus arts within the NEA so that we have more rights, we have more access to grants and funding.
00:09:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
and again, that predates what's happening currently. But we want to make sure that we continue to push for that bill because that will ensure protection. You know, hopefully, you know, the NEA will continue to, you know, will continue. retain its funding. It seems like it will go in that direction. I'm grateful for all the advocacy that's been around, you know, protecting the grant processes and then alter to also to trying to protect the retroactive grants that maybe have been canceled.
00:09:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
But again, that's why we were pushing for this bill. and We were pushing for it earlier because unfortunately the circus arts continues to be seen as more of like a multidisciplinary art form. And category.
00:10:04
Alexis Hill
no
00:10:05
Circuspreneur Podcast
And we know in Nevada, the strength of the circus arts is so prolific, you know, it doesn't even seem like it should be a question.
00:10:05
Alexis Hill
Oh yeah.
00:10:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
And I feel like there's such state pride for circus. And so we want to extend that to the, you know, the federal level and then also to have those increased protections.
00:10:15
Alexis Hill
Oh yeah.
00:10:20
Circuspreneur Podcast
for funding you know within the Nevada Arts Council. And that's why we've spoken a lot with the Nevada Arts Council. And they've expanded you know funding from the from their folk arts grants into the circus arts as well, so that that can you know add more opportunity and possibility for folks on the state level to access funds that are still there.
00:10:31
Alexis Hill
Great.
00:10:39
Circuspreneur Podcast
And you know again, so you know can you provide a little bit a perspective you know about the importance, Alexis, in policy you know around the arts. I think sometimes the arts gets a little bit lost in policy of you know folks in in entertainment think like, you know what has policy got to do with us?
00:10:48
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:10:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
But as someone who has worn multiple hats, like you have yourself, and you've seen how important those investments are. And then also too, with how things can shift so rapidly. you know, in government and affects certain things. Can you discuss of your perspective on how important it is to have policy to protect things, you know, within the arts and around the arts?
Support Policies for Artists
00:11:17
Alexis Hill
Absolutely. Well, I think the grant program through the Nevada Arts Council is essential to so many of these arts nonprofits, as well as really supporting individual artists and making sure that they're lifted up and given a platform as well. And, you know, given that legitimacy. And so,
00:11:39
Alexis Hill
As governor, that is something that I want to continue to do and invest in because it is an important industry. I'll tell you, too, that the artists that I work with, they're not always affiliated with a nonprofit.
00:11:52
Alexis Hill
They are part of that gig economy.
00:11:53
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:11:55
Alexis Hill
And I think we need to do more to protect artists and and I mean, lift drivers and all the you know many different entrepreneurs who are part of that gig economy and make sure that they are supported, especially in these economic downturns. We need to have.
00:12:13
Alexis Hill
a really strong social safety net in the state of Nevada to support folks on unemployment, on you know training, on ensuring that you know folks get rental assistance as needed, you know keeping people housed, giving them the support that they need.
00:12:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
Okay.
00:12:29
Alexis Hill
the These are all major priorities that I think affect artists and and as well as you know everyday Nevadans. But you know they you know I think that they deserve someone who understands that industry on the ground and how important it is to make sure that they're supported.
00:12:45
Alexis Hill
Because we know that these gig workers had the hardest time getting their unemployment during COVID. We don't want that to happen again. i think that there's a lot of ways to support Dieter.
00:12:57
Alexis Hill
artists can be lifted up and and and can stay in this type of work, you know, between jobs, because I know that talking to you, that's that is pretty much how it works, right?
00:13:09
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes, and thank you so much, you know, Alexis, for giving voice to the circus workers' plight here in Nevada and speaking about our issues, you know, in a political way, in a policy way.
00:13:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
Again, we're not necessarily always included in those conversations. And that brings us to, you know, our Circus Workers Act.
00:13:27
Alexis Hill
Right.
00:13:29
Circuspreneur Podcast
And you were articulating so beautifully the different provisions that we would like supported within the Circus Workers Act, where we would have that safety net. you know, as you were saying, that protects us during, you know, mass layoffs of shows.
00:13:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
When shows, you know, close down in succession, faster than new shows can open up and they can't sustain us.
00:13:42
Alexis Hill
Right. Mm-hmm.
00:13:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
And then we have to leave Nevada. And, you know, those are Nevada dollars.
00:13:49
Alexis Hill
Right.
00:13:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
If we leave and we go and pursue work other ways and we go on tour or we have to go internationally, which is very normal within circus, you know, Nevada loses us, you know, and you know from the economy.
00:13:52
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:14:03
Circuspreneur Podcast
And you know that's something that we want to avoid with gaining more protections than sustainable unemployment and other provisions within this bill that could, you know again, harness us during those very difficult and challenging times so that we can wait for the next opportunity.
00:14:19
Circuspreneur Podcast
And it's not as just waiting around, which some folks might think, you know because the arts and entertainment, sometimes we're seen as, oh, you're just kind of waiting around for a job.
00:14:23
Alexis Hill
Right.
00:14:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
you know We have to work within that time. We're never not working. to get that next job. And we also, you know, think that there could be some protections around how many shows, you know, kind of fold at once. And, you know, again, preventing certain things that are kind of just the norm, they become the norm, I think, in the local, you know, Nevada economy.
00:14:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
with respect to the arts, where people say that's just the way that it is, but looking towards things in a different way.
00:14:51
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:14:53
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:14:53
Circuspreneur Podcast
And you've spoken a lot about looking about looking at things in a different way in your run for governor, Alexis.
00:15:00
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so could you expand on what that different way would look like through your eyes as commissioner currently, as someone who's already an elected official, And then expanding on that approach with you would be expanding your reach, obviously, as governor, you know, of Nevada and what that would look like, including in my eyes, some of the most prolific, you know, representations of Nevada, which is their performers and entertainers, while also to speaking towards working families, which that also includes us as well.
00:15:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
You know, a marker that we're not usually considered as, but we are working families. What would that mean for you in terms of, you know, becoming governor?
00:15:35
Alexis Hill
Absolutely. Well, I think that we really need to expect more Nevadans from our government.
00:15:44
Alexis Hill
We have adjusted to just being a little bit worse every year. And we that is unacceptable. We should ask for more from our leaders. And that is why I'm running, trying to lift up my county, the second largest county in the state, but having fewer and fewer resources to support these vulnerable people. The last time Nevada's revenues, so our our taxes kept up with inflation was 1990. And so was child.
00:16:15
Alexis Hill
and so i was a child during that time. I actually did grow up in Nevada, but it's heartbreaking because we have tripled the population and yet our revenues are staying the same. So no wonder we can't support people when they're having a
Vision for Nevada's Future
00:16:33
Alexis Hill
hard time. and for counties, we are the first line of defense. We get folks who are homeless. We you know we want to support them. We we have folks who are falling into our indigent care at the hospital or may even be jailed and going through our court system because of some bad decisions that were made because of being poor, essentially.
00:16:58
Alexis Hill
And i think that we can do a better job in investing in Nevadans and uplifting Nevadans. And the reason that I've chosen to run is that I'm not seeing anyone talking about investing in Nevadans and how we can make sure that we lift up the people who live here and give them the the tools to be successful, the opportunities to be successful. This is not handouts.
00:17:24
Alexis Hill
These are opportunities to lift up our communities. And speaking to so many small businesses, they need more opportunities and they they need that support as well.
00:17:34
Alexis Hill
And so that is what my plan is all about. I want to get back down to basics in Nevada of fixing our streets.
00:17:38
Circuspreneur Podcast
so
00:17:42
Alexis Hill
We know that how unsafe all of our streets are and highways in the state of Nevada, as well as you know investing in public transportation,
00:17:53
Alexis Hill
supporting folks who are on our streets, our homeless population, and really being a leader and convener on those issues in Southern Nevada and really do pushing the the great work that we've done from Washoe County and seeing how we can support the rest of the state and ensure that we get folks off the street and the help that they need.
00:18:16
Alexis Hill
And i i want to fund our schools. and We are not even in the median of per capita per child funding in the United States.
00:18:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:18:26
Alexis Hill
And we know we need to do better. And so we need to invest in our kids because we we know how important it is that they graduate and they find their next careers.
00:18:37
Alexis Hill
and Right now, we're just we don't have enough money to do a great job. And Nevada continues to rank you know very low and in our schools. And we it's amazing teachers. It's not the teacher's issue.
00:18:52
Alexis Hill
It's that the schools just don't have enough funding. and then i I want to support our families and I want to do that in a myriad of ways, but essentially it's it's quality of life issues, making sure people have access to outdoor outdoor opportunities and cultural opportunities like our libraries and theaters, etc.
00:19:10
Alexis Hill
and then also making sure that families have support when they are having a hard time. and in Nevada, if you have a disabled child, it is a really tough to find services, for example. We want to support families who are suffering through that. so there I want to shift the way that we look at how it is to be a Nevada and also how we should expect that our government supports us because we have decided that it's okay to have worse and worse results. And i want to turn that around. Nevadans deserve better.
00:19:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
area Well, I love what you were saying about education, Alexis, and supporting children.
Integrating Circus Arts in Education
00:19:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
And, you know, we all talk about wanting more kids to have access to, you know, circus outreach and, you know, getting kids away from the phones and helping them to also be on the pathway to have a career.
00:19:58
Alexis Hill
Yeah. Right.
00:20:05
Circuspreneur Podcast
Most oftentimes when I even speak to local kids, they don't even realize that they could end up in a Cirque Soleil show
00:20:09
Alexis Hill
right
00:20:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
or on the Vegas Strip or in Reno working and doing circus there as well. And I think it you know would be a wonderful way to increase the overall health and mental health of children. That's also a part of you know one of the bills that we're pushing as well is to you know have accreditation.
00:20:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
of circus arts in school programs and increase funding so that they can use it as a pathway to a degree, to a a professional job.
00:20:27
Alexis Hill
Right.
00:20:36
Circuspreneur Podcast
You currently cannot get a degree as a circus artist.
00:20:37
Alexis Hill
here
00:20:39
Circuspreneur Podcast
And we would love to change that so that the children you know that have circus in their backyards you know have access to that as you know an adequate future.
00:20:41
Alexis Hill
but
00:20:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
and then can go on to be you know responsible and you know citizens that contribute the way that all of us have. My life is you know benefited so incredibly by this local economy and you know the way that Nevada has been able to support the arts and support the circus arts.
00:21:05
Circuspreneur Podcast
You know you come here to buy a home and to start a family. When you are a circus artist, it's always been that way in Vegas so that you can, you know, lay some roots here and have a plan.
00:21:16
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so we want to see a future for, you know, circus industry workers and performers and entertainers where you have a possibility of a retirement. You have benefits.
00:21:23
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:21:24
Circuspreneur Podcast
You have some type of pension. You have paid leave. You know, you can take a vacation with your family, even though we have very robust schedules, but, you know, maybe even also to having some fluidity for performers too, and how, and having some say in how our schedules are driven.
00:21:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
So those are really important things that are, you know, big topics in our industry in terms of having representation and also to having representatives that will vocalize their support on that and also to innovative and effective ways to support this workforce that just continues to increase. Yesterday, I was at the Nevada Jobs Now event that was discussing the special session for the Summerlin Studios event.
00:22:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
tax incentive bill, which is interesting. You know, as someone who has been doing stunts and is a part of SAG for so many years, working and based in in l LA, and also to someone who's now working here full time, and I've been based in Vegas on and off for so many years, it's a really interesting adaptive thing that they are proposing.
00:22:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
And my biggest goal and the you know as the advocate is how were how would there be adequate representation for local circus artists on the ground with a bill, if that bill passes and to what degree, you know, how will folks be affected if something like that happens?
00:22:31
Alexis Hill
Right. right
00:22:39
Circuspreneur Podcast
And then how can we... speak to you know what our asks are before a bill like that completely formulates and takes shape, especially during a special session, which I'm assuming some kind of provisions will be changed and made you know in potentially cutting some type of deal.
00:22:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
But there is a lot of diversifying of the economy currently, Alexis, and we've discussed this a lot within our industry too, of there's so many things coming and competing with one another. You have so many of the stadiums coming, you have Formula One.
00:23:08
Circuspreneur Podcast
and how that affects local circus industry workers and entertainers. You know, when those things come in how many shows do we lose when other opportunities, you know, kind of take a foothold, not saying that it's necessarily good or bad, but what are the effects on those things in positive positive ways?
00:23:15
Alexis Hill
Right. Right. Mm-hmm.
00:23:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
What are the ways that we experience those things in real time? Do they build jobs for us in a certain capacity? Yes, but then sometimes at the same time, other jobs are lost. So, you know, it's a really... interesting dynamic conversation that we're having in the industry, in the impacts that we're seeing with so many different diverse, you know, environments coming into Nevada. And so what is your perspective on that moving forward, Alexis? You know, also to, again, in your current role, and then also to during this race for governor?
00:23:53
Alexis Hill
Well, when I grew up in Sparks, you could work at the casino, both both parents, and buy a house. And that is just not possible now. And that's fully unacceptable to me.
00:24:04
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:24:06
Alexis Hill
i i think you're right. that Nevada is a great home base for a circus performer, for performing arts person because they can have low cost of living here and then go on travel and come back you know to Nevada and you know keep keep Nevada as their home. and And I think that we need to make sure that we are advocating for working families to be able to buy a single family house. And right now,
00:24:35
Alexis Hill
We have allowed for major corporations to come in and gobble up all of our housing, and we're not properly taxing them for that. And that is something that I am proposing to change as well, because i think if we're you know going to if if that there's property rights are king and people can do that, then we need to just make sure.
00:24:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Okay.
00:24:55
Alexis Hill
we can put those revenues in an affordable housing trust fund and really invest in housing for workers to make sure that workers can stay here and thrive here. On these major tax deals, I've got to tell you honestly, I'm i'm very concerned.
00:25:10
Alexis Hill
they are in the immediate really exciting because you've got Hollywood coming and the stars coming and you are creating jobs to build these studios. So I'm not arguing that jobs are not going to be created as part of this, but In the long term, we there there is no state that has you know adopted these transferable tax credits that they have seen real economic gains. Most states have stripped these back. and They haven't seen the outcomes that they want to see. And it's
00:25:46
Alexis Hill
you know, they're talking potentially close to a billion dollars of your tax revenues that are going to major corporations, billionaire corporations who don't necessarily need, you know, Nevada tax money to support their industry.
00:25:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
So
00:26:04
Alexis Hill
And so I want Nevadans to kind of take a different view on these things. Why are we taking the scraps? when we could be investing in homegrown Nevada industries and supporting the film industry that we could create in Nevada and attract in Nevada, if that is the diversification that we need.
00:26:26
Alexis Hill
And so that that is my major thing, I think, supporting these The oligarchy essentially is actually threatening our democracy.
00:26:34
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:26:37
Alexis Hill
And as a state, we really need to think about that. and We can support Nevadans, but we don't have to give our money away. And so I do have a concern with the program that I'm seeing with the special session, especially as we're seeing people's health care being stripped away or that it's going to be incredibly expensive as well.
00:27:01
Alexis Hill
SNAP benefits to kids and moms, you know, are also at threat.
00:27:05
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:27:06
Alexis Hill
And so I think that those are the priorities that the legislature should be looking at, not how how can we lure the film industry here and take away from you know, potentially, you know, services for Nevadans, our schools, public employees, et cetera. We we've got to do better.
00:27:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
Well, thank you so much, Alexis, for articulating these you know wonderful and interesting initiatives. You are you know a fantastic you know candidate, you know fantastic person. I've you know been you know very fortunate to get to meet you and to speak with you and also to, again, to hear your support of the local entertainment community, of the local performing arts community, especially during such times when folks are really looking for hope, they're looking for a way forward.
00:27:56
Alexis Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:27:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
And they're also looking, I think, for innovative ways to move us forward as Nevadans, as local entertainers and folks that sometimes feel like they're left behind, especially when things get really rough.
00:28:09
Circuspreneur Podcast
you know You spoke so eloquently about you know the difficulties in 2012. Anyone that knows that made it through that in entertainment, it was rough. And then we made it through you know COVID and the pandemic, also rough. So you know again, during another time where it could be a very big challenge, it's like, what are some innovative solutions for us so that we're able to you know be sustainable in the long term, no matter what, no matter what comes our way,
00:28:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
as an arts community, as an arts industry, which is so important for us to be recognized as. So I really appreciate you taking the time to come on to the Circuspreneur podcast.
00:28:43
Alexis Hill
Of course.
00:28:44
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you so much, Alexis.
00:28:46
Alexis Hill
Thank you for all you do. You're highlighting a very important industry and you need leaders who support you and see you and I do.
00:28:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you Thank you so much for taking the time and you know good luck you know on your campaign trail. You are insanely busy and I look forward you know to you know to partnering with you in the future on different circus initiatives as commissioner.
00:29:12
Circuspreneur Podcast
And then also to, again, thank you for highlighting circus industry workers and entertainers throughout your run for governor. And so
00:29:19
Alexis Hill
Absolutely.
00:29:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you, Alexis.
00:29:22
Alexis Hill
Thank you.
00:29:24
Circuspreneur Podcast
And I want to end this episode with this Circuspreneur podcast is also available on Stagelink.com. Stagelink.com, the groundbreaking new platform for live performing arts that provides unmatched access and connection to this vibrant world of shows and entertainment.
00:29:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
If you're a professional in the performing arts, visit stagelink.com slash pro. Stagelink Pro, S-T-A-G-E-L-Y-N-C-P-R-O offers industry professionals higher visibility, networking opportunities, and tools to support and enhance their careers.
00:29:53
Circuspreneur Podcast
Until next time, everyone, I'm your host, Shanae Stiletto. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of the Circuspreneur Podcast with Alexis Hill.