Since one of ALLvanza’s primary areas of focus is the protection of intellectual property rights, we continually monitor the progress of the modernization of the copyright process undertaken by the U.S. Copyright Office. A piece to read for background is the Modified U.S. Copyright Office Provisional IT Modernization Plan. Many aspects of the plan are encouraging because ALLvanza advocates for the Copyright Office to modernize and streamline the processes associated with protecting and administering intellectual property rights. Both sides of the aisle can agree that anyone living in the U.S. deserves to have their intellectual property protected and the processes associated with administration of those protections should be efficient.

It should not be forgotten that industries associated with the creation of creative works are major drivers of the U.S. economy, accounting for more than a trillion dollars of the U.S. GDP. These industries also account for millions of jobs and not to mention provide entertainment for billions of people around the world. If the processes associated with protecting ones intellectual property are antiquated, many would-be artists and creators might simply not be able to navigate the process and end up either quitting or having their intellectual and creative properties improperly used. In order to protect and nurture the growth of these industries, especially for Latinxs, underserved and upcoming artists and creators, strong and efficient protections must continue to evolve to meet the needs of a changing, global, and technology-driven economy.

For this reason, ALLvanza is encouraged to see progress being made to embrace modern technology and give the recording and administration of copyrights a modern facelift. Some key changes include incorporating industry best practices such as integrating new software tools, improving requirements and business process reengineering and establishing shared IT services. As ALLvanza advocates for equal access to broadband Internet and associated resources, we would be remiss to not emphasize that creators need this access to be able to not only apply for protections for their works but also engage in the many processes associated with administering those protections.

It is here at this nexus that ALLvanza operates and takes decisive action. We will provide input to this modernization process, where possible, but also make sure that the communities we support understand the importance of the copyright process and how to navigate it. What any creator needs, but especially those from historically underserved communities, is for their work to be protected and for their creativity to be nurtured. ALLvanza understands this need and works to fill this knowledge gap by publishing educational content and working directly with artists and other members of the creative community to educate and advocate.