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
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“We are pleased that the
Court of Appeal did the right thing for Ms. Somers and recognized her right to change her
birth certificate,” said Ms. Wertz. “No one who is born in California should be denied the opportunity to change their
birth certificate simply because they are
transgender and have moved out of state. Ms. Somers can now rest assured that her birth record will always reflect who she truly is, a right that all
people born in California enjoy. This is a
landmark victory for
transgender people all over the country.”
“I brought this
petition because I did not feel that my transition would be complete until my
birth certificate showed who I am. Everybody in my life accepts me for who I am, and I wanted to make sure my officials records did too,” said Ms. Somers. “I am extremely happy about this
victory and grateful for all the work that TLC has done on my behalf.”
The decision also represents a
victory for older
transgender people. “It is courageous for a person at any age to fight for their identity. But to have a
woman at the age of 67 seek recognition in
two states to have her
gender identity acknowledged takes remarkable
bravery,” said Karen Taylor, Director of Advocacy &
amp; Training at Services &
amp; Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE). “SAGE has many
constituents who spent
decades hiding who they were, living under terrible oppression and
fear. We understand and celebrate the
courage of all older
adults who dare to step forward and demand to be acknowledged for who they are. Ms. Somers is an
inspiration to all who seek justice and
equal treatment, at any age.”
The decision, Somers v.
Superior Court, is currently available on the court’s website
www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/A123445.pdf.
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Equality California (
EQCA) is the largest statewide
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual,
transgender-rights advocacy
organization in California. In the past
decade,
EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited
legal protections for
LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation.
EQCA has passed over 50 pieces of
legislation and continues to advance
equality through legislative advocacy, public
education and community empowerment.
www.eqca.org The
Transgender Law Center (TLC) is a
civil rights organization advocating for
transgender communities. TLC uses direct legal services,
education, community organizing, and advocacy to transform California into a state that recognizes and supports the needs of
transgender people and their families.
www.transgenderlawcenter.org
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