San Francisco, CA: On Sunday, September 14, 2008, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and Marriage Equality New York (MENY) are partnering together for their fifth annual simultaneous walks across the Golden Gate Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge in support of marriage equality.
“This year has seen incredible progress for marriage equality coast to coast,” said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. “Last year at this time, neither California or New York recognized the marriages of same-sex couples. Now, one year later, California is enjoying its fourth month of same-sex couples getting legally married in all 58 counties and New York is recognizing marriages of same-sex couples. We are well on our way to fulfilling this quest for basic fairness for all families and we want to recognize and celebrate how far we have come and ensure that this basic civil right is protected and extended to all Americans.”
In New York City, marchers will gather at 11am (EST) at City Hall Park proceeding across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn, ending with a picnic and festival in Cadman Plaza and in Albany, marchers will also gather in 11am (EST) at Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Preserve.
In San Francisco, marchers will gather at 9:30am (PST) at the west end of Crissy Field to march across the Golden Gate Bridge and then return to Crissy Field for wedding cake and entertainment. Prior to the march in San Francisco, at 10am (PST), a press conference will be held that shall include San Francisco County Assessor Phil Ting who has been a long time advocate for same-sex couples and now houses the office that has recorded thousands of marriage licenses for same-sex and different-sex couples since marriage equality has been the law of the land in California.
At the press conference, MEUSA will remember Del Martin, a LGBT civil rights hero, who passed away last month and honor her life by redoubling our efforts to ensure that all loving, committed couples like Del and Phyllis Lyons (her wife) have the freedom to marry. The press conference will conclude with a cross-country call to marriage equality marchers in New York City who will be finishing their march across the Brooklyn Bridge and we start our walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
“This is a terrific event for the whole family and a great way for supporters to find out the latest information about how to ensure we sustain marriage equality in California,” said Brown. “Come use your voice for equality and get your t-shirts, bumper stickers and posters to show your support for marriage equality.”
Additional information on both events can be found on the web at http://www.marriageequality.org.
>> 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.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Community Celebrates 60th Anniversary of California Supreme Court Decision Perez v Sharp Ending California’s Interracial Marriage Ban
Oakland, CA: On Friday, September 26, 2008 from 7pm to 9pm at the EastSide Cultural Center at 2277 International Blvd in Oakland, the Final Friday Films of Resistance and Solidarity and several community organizations will co-host a series of short films and a panel discussion on the historic struggle for marriage equality for interracial couples 60 years ago and the parallels to same-sex couples today.
“It was 60 years ago this month, in 1948, that the California Supreme Court became the first state to declare that the right to marry the person you love is a „fundamental right of citizenship‟ and struck down the law banning couples of different races from marrying,” said Stuart Gaffney, Asian Pacific Islander Outreach Director of Marriage Equality USA, “My family would not exist without this historic decision, as my mom is Chinese-American and my father is Irish-American. One generation later , in June of this year, the California Supreme Court has continued its tradition of extending fairness and equality by striking down the law banning couples of the same-sex from marrying. My husband, John, and I are overjoyed to be legally married as we celebrate our 21st year together this month.”
“Thanks to the Perez decision, my parents were able to marry in California,” said Gaffney. “However, when they moved to Missouri and started looking for a home, they learned that their marriage was null and void under Missouri law. My husband John and I are now living that same experience today. The Perez decision, so controversial at the time it was decided, is now just an accepted part of the civil rights movement that is too often forgotten and its linkages to the similar struggles of same-sex couples today are important to recognize.”
Also featured at this event is the Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt, a project of Marriage Equality USA that intersperses photos and stories from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) families and allies. “The quilt reflects the diversity of our families and communities, as well as the urgency of this marriage equality issue,” said Maya Scott Chung, MEUSA Parents Outreach Director and Story Quilt Curator.
>> 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.
“It was 60 years ago this month, in 1948, that the California Supreme Court became the first state to declare that the right to marry the person you love is a „fundamental right of citizenship‟ and struck down the law banning couples of different races from marrying,” said Stuart Gaffney, Asian Pacific Islander Outreach Director of Marriage Equality USA, “My family would not exist without this historic decision, as my mom is Chinese-American and my father is Irish-American. One generation later , in June of this year, the California Supreme Court has continued its tradition of extending fairness and equality by striking down the law banning couples of the same-sex from marrying. My husband, John, and I are overjoyed to be legally married as we celebrate our 21st year together this month.”
“Thanks to the Perez decision, my parents were able to marry in California,” said Gaffney. “However, when they moved to Missouri and started looking for a home, they learned that their marriage was null and void under Missouri law. My husband John and I are now living that same experience today. The Perez decision, so controversial at the time it was decided, is now just an accepted part of the civil rights movement that is too often forgotten and its linkages to the similar struggles of same-sex couples today are important to recognize.”
Also featured at this event is the Marriage Equality Movement Family Story Quilt, a project of Marriage Equality USA that intersperses photos and stories from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) families and allies. “The quilt reflects the diversity of our families and communities, as well as the urgency of this marriage equality issue,” said Maya Scott Chung, MEUSA Parents Outreach Director and Story Quilt Curator.
>> 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.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
