SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM JOINS WITH MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM TO MARRY WEEK

San Francisco, CA – On Monday, February 12 from 5:00-7:00 pm, Mayor Gavin Newsom will be hosting a reception to recognize our shared commitment to marriage equality for all Americans as we celebrate the third anniversary for the over 4,000 same-sex couples that married in San Francisco City Hall. As part of that celebration, Marriage Equality USA will present our Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt that was created with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including but not limited to API Equality, API Family Pride, Our Family Coalition, Asian Equality, Collage, Equality California, and PFLAG. The quilt will reflect the diversity of our families and communities, as well as the urgency of this issue.

“We believe that it is touching and appropriate to be able to share our stories, once again, here at San Francisco City Hall on why marriage matters and domestic partnerships are unequal. This location and timing provide an amazing opportunity to educate the public and mobilize our supporters, as this project will highlight the pending marriage equality legislation and State Supreme Court case which will be heard just a block away from this exhibit,” said Molly McKay, MEUSA Media Director.

The story quilt conceived and curated by Maya Scott-Chung, MEUSA Parents Outreach Director, intersperse photos and stories from LGBTI families and allies, including but not limited to Asian Pacific Islander, African American; Bi-National; Differently-abled; Latino/a; Native American; Transgender; LGBTI Youth, Seniors, and Singles; Communities of Faith; and PFLAG. The story quilt will explore the history of marriage equality and previous Freedom to Marry Week actions, the Woo case and current marriage equality legislation, and international marriage equality victories.

The Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt will be on display to the public in the Van Ness lobby at San Francisco City Hall through the remainder of February and after that story quilt will be available for use in other projects and communities.

>> This is an official press release from the National Press Center of Marriage Equality USA, 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.