Same-Sex Couples, Faith leaders Celebrate First Anniversary of Marriage

Community members to hold anniversary events across the state, honoring historic milestone

Faith leaders, same-sex couples, friends and family will gather across the state to celebrate in honor of the one-year-anniversary of couples who married last year when same-sex couples were able to legally marry. Faith leaders will offer brief remarks, and couples will gather for a group photo at each event.

These events are schedule for:

June 16, Los Angeles: 4 p.m. West Hollywood Park 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard

San Francisco: 6:30 p.m. First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco 1187 Franklin St, Starr King Room

June 17 Fresno: 6 PM Historic Water Tower in Downtown Fresno 2444 Fresno St.

Inland Empire: 6:30 p.m. Redlands UCC Church 168 Bellevue Ave.

Orange County: 6 p.m. Fairview Community Church, Costa Mesa 2525 Fairview Rd.

San Diego: 5:30 p.m. Mission Hills United Church of Christ 4070 Jackdaw St.

Sacramento: 6 p.m. Sacramento County Clerk’s Office 600 8th St.

For more information, please visit: www.eqca.org/anniversary

Event sponsors include, Equality California, California Faith for Equality, Marriage Equality USA, Jordan Rustin Coalition, API Equality – LA, Equality Inland Empire, Redlands United Church of Christ’s Christians for Marriage Equality, Orange County Equality Coalition, Equality Action NOW, PFLAG, Courage Campaign- Fresno Equality Team, Yes! on Equality, and Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry, Spousesforlifeproject.com.
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
California Faith for Equality is a statewide network of clergy and lay leaders from a diversity of faith traditions who are committed to equality. www.cafaithforequality.org
Marriage Equality USA is a national organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. www.marriageequality.org

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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/same-sex-coup…

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

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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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/equality-cali…

Equality California Expands Marriage Fight, hire leaders to strengthen work in communities of color, faith and to ensure the freedom to marry for same-sex couples

SAN FRANCISCO – Equality California is bringing two leaders on board to expand EQCA’s efforts to achieve full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, including the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Marc Solomon will lead EQCA’s efforts to restore and keep the right to marry and increase public support and acceptance of LGBT families as its marriage director. Solomon led the fight to protect marriage equality in Massachusetts as the executive director of MassEquality.
Andrea Shorter will serve as coalition coordinator to strengthen and expand statewide coalition building efforts and to help bring resources and support to LGBT organizations, especially those who concentrate on issues impacting communities of color and faith. Shorter is co-founder and director of And Marriage For All, a public-education campaign that engages communities of color in dialogue about the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.
“We are thrilled to have such extraordinary, accomplished leaders join our team as we continue our efforts to achieve full equality for LGBT people and to keep doing the long-term work of changing hearts and minds,” said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California.

Solomon has worked full-time on efforts to protect marriage equality since February, 2004, just after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the Massachusetts Constitution guaranteed the right of same-sex couples to marry.

“Marc Solomon has been a true leader and tremendous partner in our work to protect the right of same-sex couples to marry in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “His ability to lead a grassroots campaign for social change is second to none.”

Facing an unprecedented attack from Gov. Romney, Pres. Bush and the religious right, Solomon led the largest and most successful grassroots campaign in Massachusetts history to defeat efforts to amend the Massachusetts Constitution to take away the right to marry.

“I am thrilled to join Equality California and lead its efforts to ensure the freedom to marry,” Solomon said. “Our work in Massachusetts centered on engaging hearts and minds around the stories of same-sex couples and their families. As Californians hear more from LGBT families in their own communities, I am sure that many more will come around to support the freedom to marry.”

Shorter has a long track record of success in the fight for LGBT equality and other social justice issues. She is the co-founder and chair of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, the largest African-American LGBT political organization in the Bay Area.

“Andrea Shorter has a proven record of leadership and effectiveness,” said San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty. “She will bring a needed infusion of grassroots organizing and her commitment to working in diverse communities to our cause.”

“I am pleased to join forces with Equality California to direct and expand its coalition building efforts,” Shorter said. “Our work through And Marriage For All to engage people of color and faith in honest, plain talk about the importance of the freedom to marry will complement EQCA’s appreciation that true coalition building must extend beyond the purpose of meeting a singular goal such as marriage equality, but must work to create and support common ground, common cause across communities. I look forward to working with EQCA to grow a statewide broad-based coalition to advance long-term civil and human rights interests for all.”

Shorter has served as deputy executive director of the NAMES Project Foundation/AIDS Memorial Quilt, where she worked with founder Cleve Jones to launch several key HIV/AIDS outreach and education initiatives targeting African-American and South-African communities. Additionally, she was the first African-American elected officer of the LGBT Caucus of the California State Democratic Party. Andrea serves on the Commission on the Status of Women for the City and County of San Francisco since being first appointed by former Mayor Willie Brown, Jr. in 2001. She was recently elected by her colleagues to begin an unprecedented fourth term as President of the Commission.

EQCA is also hiring regional field organizers in locations statewide including the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Orange County to support and expand its volunteer efforts on marriage, legislation and electoral work and to partner with other organizations committed to achieving equality for LGBT people. Job descriptions for open positions at EQCA can be found at www.eqca.org/jobs.

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

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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/equality-cali…

We can’t wait on California’s Supremes to start working for gay marriage

We have a choice.

Do we wait and hope the California Supreme Court overturns Prop 8?

Or do we do start right now and do the hard work needed in every corner of California to ensure that a majority of Californians support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples?

But how much we are able to accomplish depends on your support.

Make a donation right now to fund the groundwork for an aggressive campaign to talk to Californians in areas we lost in the last campaign.

Donate so that we can hire field organizers that will work in key areas of the state, including the Central Valley, Inland Empire, Orange County, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego.

Donate to build relationships in communities of color and faith throughout California.

Donate to support the interactive web community that brings together activists across the state.

Donate to develop the most effective messaging that will move voters.

The No on 8 campaign was faced was limited resources until the very end. We need to avoid that mistake if we are to win this time.

Win or lose in the Supreme Court, we need to be ready for what lies ahead. Will you step up now?

In solidarity,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California
P.S. How do you think we should move Yes on 8 voters? Share your ideas with us at mythoughts@eqca.org