Equality California Launches Historic Win Marriage Back: Make it Real! Campaign

Posted on May 7, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized

Grassroots mobilization and statewide ad buy announced

Los Angeles –Equality California (EQCA) today is launching the largest grassroots mobilization campaign of its kind in state history: Win Marriage Back: Make it Real! The new campaign features TV commercials, faith outreach, on-the-ground organizers, door-to-door canvassing and online activism. Over the next 100 days, the campaign will reach more than 300,000 Californians in person and millions online and over the airwaves.
“This is exactly the kind of person-to-person, peer-to-peer outreach we need to be doing to change minds and win support for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom.
EQCA is a plaintiff in the current legal challenge against Prop. 8. The Court is scheduled to issue its ruling between now and June 3rd.

“While we remain hopeful that the court could invalidate Prop. 8, we cannot wait another day to take action. We are launching the most extensive campaign of its kind to talk openly and honestly with Californians on their front porches, online and over the airwaves in order to achieve full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community members,” said EQCA Marriage Director Marc Solomon.

As part of today’s launch, EQCA released the first two in a series of television ads that feature same-sex couples and Californians hurt by the marriage ban. The first ads are scheduled to air statewide starting Monday.

Over the next hundred days, volunteer canvassers will knock on 40,000 doors in targeted communities as well as enlist 100,000 activists to serve as Equality Ambassadors, who will pledge to have conversations about marriage with at least 300,000 California residents.

To help meet the campaign’s ambitious goals, EQCA is currently hiring and placing 25 full-time field organizers throughout the state, including the Central Valley, the Inland Empire, San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Six organizers have already been hired.

“This campaign is for every person in every community in every part of our state, and it will empower our diverse community and allies to win marriage back together,” said Andrea Shorter, EQCA coalition coordinator. “We will also enlist 1,000 clergy in the next 100 days to help spread the word that marriage equality is a spiritual value as well as a civil right.”

EQCA will also organize major outreach events with faith, grassroots and community leaders as part of the campaign specifically working with African American and Latino communities.

To view the television ads, click here: www.eqca.org/realstories