COLAGE News Blog

Ballot Iniative in Arkansas- Take Action Oct 27 08

Do you have friends, family or co-workers in Arkansas? Or are you a COLAGEr or one of our allies living in Arkansas? Please get involved to fight the Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban.

The Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban is a citizen-initiated state statute that would make it illegal for any individual cohabiting outside of a valid marriage to adopt or provide foster care to minors. While the measure was proposed primarily to prohibit same-gender couples from being adoptive or foster parents, this measure would apply to all otherwise qualified couples who are not legally married.

Arkansas Families First, the campaign working to defeat this ban, has been doing great work. Recently they got thirteen retired judges, including three former chief justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court, to come out against this ban and argue that child welfare decisions belong in the hands of qualified experts. And they have produced great TV and radio ads running throughout the state. They need your support to keep these ads on the air.

Please visit the site for the campaign to get involved and help make a difference today!

COLAGE Salt Lake City Halloween Party Oct 27 08

Join COLAGE Salt Lake City for a Fun Halloween Party!

Let’s get spooky!
Carve (or paint) pumpkins!
Eat lots of food and win loads of Halloween prizes!
Fun for any age!

October 28th 6-8pm @ the Utah Pride Center.
355 North 300 West

For more information call Bonnie at 801.539.8800 ex. 22

California Action Alert- Spread the Word and stop the initiative Oct 22 08

Action Alert for COLAGErs and our allies in California- Help us Stop Prop 8

There is a secret weapon in this campaign.

It's you - and the power of your personal network, your friends and family.

We have built a fantastic tool for you to spread the word about how unfair and wrong Prop 8 is.

Email everyone you know and care about and get them to help us defeat Prop 8.

It is easy. It is free. And it is crucial to help stop this initiative.

Choose a message that works for you, if prop 8 would directly take away your rights or the rights of someone you care about, if you want to talk about your experience having LGBTQ parent's and what that has been like, or if you just want to make sure that no Californian loses her or his rights.

Once you've emailed your network and started this important conversation, there is always more you can do. We still need to raise more money so our message can reach undecided voters and we need more volunteers across the state as we approach Election Day and ramp up our get out the vote activities.

To win on November 4, everyone needs to know that Prop 8 is a bad idea. Thank you in advance for helping spread the word. If you want to learn more about COLAGE efforts to promote marriage equality in California and beyond, please email us.

COLAGE Speaks out against Prop 4 (California) Oct 20 08

While you probably know that COLAGE has actively participated with the No on 8 Campaign in California, we also want to make sure our members and allies are educated about Proposition 4. As a member of the Causes in Common Coalition as well as a youth empowerment organization committed to social justice, COLAGE believes that Proposition 4 is dangerous for the young people of California.

Prop 4 threatens teen safety by mandating parental notification prior to a minor terminating a pregnancy. Parents rightfully want to be involved in their teenagers' lives and COLAGE believes that families that have open communication about safe sex and reproductive health are preferable. But in the real world, laws like this don't work. Prop 4 can't force teens to talk to their parents, but it may force them to do something desperate and dangerous.

Prop 4 is not about family involvement. Family notification is no more than a state-scripted form letter sent to another relative who may not live in the same town. Prop 4 contains no requirement for counseling and no requirement that the other adult help her when she is in crisis. We believe that initiatives like these are masked attempts to attack reproductive justice in the United States.

Because no law can mandate family communication and while mandatory laws like these may sound good, in the real world they just put teenagers in harms way. COLAGE joins The American Academy of Pediatrics, the California Medical Association, the California Teachers Association and the American College of OBGYNs to say no to Prop 4. To learn more visit this website.

Marriage Equality in CT- a COLAGE family story Oct 20 08

Last week, COLAGE celebrated the Connecticut Supreme Court's decision to foster marriage equality. The Lazarus family of Windsor, CT are one of our heroes in this case. Becca has been speaking out about marriage equality and her experiences having two dads for years - educating via the media, testifying for legislators, and visiting with her elected officials. Her dads, Jason and Eric were married in June 2007, have tirelessly supported Becca's activism while sharing their own experiences as a couple themselves. COLAGE is pleased to share stories from Becca and Eric about the CT Supreme Court Decision.

From Becca:
Friday was Rainbow Day at school, which is part of LGBTQQI Ally week, so we as allies and LGBTQQI students and faculty were dressed in our rainbow colors. You know that I was totally rainbowed out!!

With my internship at Love Makes A Family this summer, I spent a lot of time on my cell with them, so they had my cell phone number to get in touch with me. I was listening to my Honors Science teacher lecture when I received a text message from LMF stating that the verdict was coming in today, and that I should hurry down to LMF headquarters and help for the Rally that night at the capital...whether it passed or not. I forwarded the message on to my Daddy at work from class (big nono), and he responded right back with the news that it passed. I screamed at the top of my lungs...my teacher asked if I was OK, and I screamed, "My Parents can get married!!!!" She came over, congratulated, and said, "that is great, but now is not the time to scream in class."

We had a great Rally at the Capital - hundreds of people were there dancing and celebrating. I was surrounded by friends and allies from the CT community. After all my hard work- speaking in public, talking to everyone who would listen, and trying to help people understand the importance of this legislation- the Court's decision felt like such a great success.

From Eric:

We were both at work when we found out. It had been 17 months since the legal staff at GLAD had testified in the court case and the legislation had been tabled due to an expected block from the Governor. Therefore, we never expected on that Friday, the day before National Coming Out Day, we would have this amazing decision in Connecticut.

For Jason and I it was extremely emotional. It was beyond excitement... it was absolutely fantastic!!!!!! At the celebration at the Capital we were smiling, tearful, laughing... The feelings there were of joy, compassion and acceptance. For all the negative rhetoric we had been hearing from the opposition, the polls show that the majority of the state is in favor of this. We thanked everyone we knew, and most importantly thanked our daughter for all of her hard work that she has put in to help get this passed.

How YOU can get involved:
Love Makes a Family is asking for all individuals in families in Connecticut to send the Governor and legislature emails showing your support for the Court's decision. You can do this easily online here.


The Lazarus Family at their Wedding

COLAGE Speak OUT member on the Angie Coiro radio show Oct 15 08

COLAGE Speak OUT member, Sarah Gogin, was a featured guest on the Angie Coiro show on Green 960 AM this week. She shares her experiences growing up with two gay dads and giving them away to each other at their August wedding in California. To download a podcast of the show, visit this site. The interview begins about 6 minutes into the radio program.

To become a member of the COLAGE Speak OUT network, visit here.

Marriage Equality Victory in CT! Oct 10 08

COLAGE Applauds Historic Connecticut Marriage Decision
October 10, 2008

We are thrilled to share with you this breaking news. At 11:30am this morning, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued its ruling in Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health, the equal marriage case and the news is great! Citing the equal protection clause of the state constitution, the justices ruled that civil unions were discriminatory and that the state's "understanding of marriage must yield to a more contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection."

COLAGE applauds the efforts of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and Love Makes a Family for their leadership in this case and on marriage equality in Connecticut.

Tonight there will be a rally celebrating this historic occasion at the Connecticut State House at 5:30 pm. For more information click here.
We hope that our members and allies in Connecticut will attend. COLAGE also calls on our community, even in this time of celebration, to continue to fight for marriage equality, particular in California, Florida and Arizona where voters are deciding on ballot initiatives about marriage this November.

For more information about COLAGE and our efforts to promote marriage equality, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director at Meredith@colage.org or 415-861-5437.

California Marriage Equality Update Oct 10 08

There are only 25 days left until the November 4th election and we need all of COLAGE's California members and allies to help us protect marriage equality in California!

We have some sobering news about the campaign--- we are behind in fundraising to the YES side by $15 million. While we are struggling to keep our ads on the air and make sure everyone who wants No on 8 signs has them, the Mormon Church continues to funnel in money to the Yes campaign. Recent polls also indicate that the YES’s new television ad is successfully using scare tactics and misconceptions to their advantage and have gained support. This is why it is SO important that the No on 8 Campaign can continue to air our current and new ads that counter the harmful messages that our opponents are trying to put out to manipulate voters. Please consider making a donation today.

Sign Campaign Though much delayed, the Mormon Church’s plans to distribute a million YES signs is still in the works. Please make sure if you haven’t already gotten a hold of your own window or yard sign for NO on 8 that you do so asap! If you're not able to get a hold of one since materials are scarce right now, make your own! Use catchy simple slogans like "Equality for all Families" or "Love doesn’t Discriminate." If you’re in the LA area the weekend of October 19th COLAGE LA is hosting a Art and Action party which will be hosted at one of our members homes. All are welcome to attend the event, this will be an opportunity to make our own window signs, yard signs and postcards to support the No on 8 efforts and also a chance to come together and talk about how this very emotional campaign is effecting our families. For more information about the event please contact Paulie or Amanda.

Phone Banks For our COLAGErs in the Bay Area, on October 14th from 6-9pm at the COLAGE office in San Francisco, we will be having our final phone bank. We need your help for our final push! Please come and bring your enthusiasm, your cell if you have one and your appetite (we will be providing dinner). Please RSVP to Paulie@colage.org. If you can not attend this phone bank, sign up for one near you. There are phone banks happening at many locations throughout the state every day from now to election day. Find one that you can attend online or sign up to make calls from the comfort of your own home!

Upcoming Events and Actions
COLAGE will be sponsoring and co-hosting many events in the upcoming weeks as a part of our efforts to protect marriage equality. Save the Date for a Marriage Equality Mini Film Fest on Sunday, October 26th in San Francisco. No matter where you live, we also hope you will participate in our Postcards for Marriage Equality Campaign. We are also pleased to be sponsoring (along with the Family Caucus of the Equality for All Campaign) a Family Messaging Training on No on 8 this Monday, October 13th at 5:30 pm. For details and to RSVP email the Family Caucus.

For more information about any of these events or COLAGE’s efforts in California, please contact Paulie Milagros Schreck at paulie@colage.org or 415-861-5437. Together we can win this fight!

COLAGE Marriage Equality Postcard Campaign Oct 3 08

Do you want to help protect marriage equality in California and defeat marriage bills in Arizona and Florida? Do you know any voters in those three states?

Join the COLAGE Marriage Equality Postcard Campaign... Its easy and fun to remind your friends and family that their vote will impact your family.

1. Pick postcards to use. You can cut regular cardstock paper into fourths, pick out family photos that are postcard-sized, buy postcards at a local store, or use pre-made postcard paper that can be found at any office supply store.

2. Create your message. Keep it short and simple. Here is an example: Dear Uncle Ron. On November 4th when you go to vote please remember to think of me and my two moms. Prop 8 would take away our rights as a family. Vote No.

In California the bill is Proposition 8; in Arizona its Proposition 102 and in Florida its Florida Marriage Protection Amendment 05-10.

3. Decorate the front of your card. If you are using cardstock paper or blank postcards, use the front space to express yourself creatively. Use watercolors, crayons, collage or markers to draw a picture of your family, a message about equality or something about love.

4. Address the postcard and add standard postcard postage and put it in the mail. You should mail all postcards no later than October 31st to ensure that they reach the voters in your life before election day.

If you want more information about participating in this campaign or want to share stories about how your efforts go... contact Paulie Milagros Shreck, COLAGE Community Organizing Intern.

COLAGE Celebrates the Anniversary of the Perez vs Sharp Court Case Oct 1 08

October 1, 2008
COLAGE Celebrates the Anniversary of the Perez vs Sharp Court Case

COLAGE marks the anniversary of the Perez vs. Sharp Supreme Court Case in California by recognizing that 60 years ago today, California led the rest of the nation in recognizing that marrying the person you love no matter the race is simply a fundamental right. It was the Perez v Sharp case that brought the matter of race discrimination in marriage to the forefront of civil rights deliberation.

In 1948 Andrea Perez (a Mexican American woman) and Sylvester Davis (an African American man) applied for a marriage license in Los Angeles California. When the county clerk denied them their right based on the California Civil code section 60 which stated "all marriages between a white person with a negroes, Mongolians, members of the Malay race, or mulattoes are illegal and void." Perez petitioned the California Supreme Court by arguing that she and Davis were both devout Catholics, the church was willing to marry them, and that the state's law infringed on their right to participate fully in the sacraments of their religion, including the sacrament of matrimony. In result the California Supreme Court held that marriage is a fundamental right and that laws restricting that right must not be based on prejudice.

The timing and significance of the 60th anniversary of Perez v Sharp couldn’t come at a more pressing time not only for the state of California but the rest of the nation. While it was California that led the nation to stand against discrimination against interracial couples in 1948, we also hope California continues to lead the nation in embracing marriage equality on November 4th 2008. Perez was a landmark in affirming that all loving couples should be treated equally under the law. By recognizing that race was not a category that could limit the rights of a couple to opt for civil marriage, the case opened the door to many families in choosing marriage as a means for protecting and recognizing their relationships.

"My family would not exist without this historic decision, as my mom is Chinese-American and my father is English/Irish-American. One generation later, in May of this year California continued its tradition of fairness and equality by recognizing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Today, my husband and I are overjoyed to be legally married as we celebrate our 21st year together. Having our parents there on our wedding day as a second generation in our family who was able to legally marry was the happiest day or our lives." shared Stuart Gaffney.

Since June 2008, hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples have accessed civil marriage in the state of California following the history California Supreme Court decision last May. Sarah Gogin, a member of the COLAGE Speak OUT program shared these thoughts at the August marriage of her two fathers, "For over 22 years, my parents have been dedicated to each other in mind, body, and spirit. They never needed a fancy cake, they never needed a wedding singer, or some witness to tell them that they were married. We are the witnesses and we see everyday through their actions and words that my parents are married. In my eyes and in my parent's eyes, marriage is not defined by a piece of paper or by a ring. It is defined by the love and commitment two individuals share and it’s amazing to be able to be here celebrating our family's civil marriage."

As we celebrate the Perez Anniversary today, we also turn our eyes toward Election Day when voters throughout California will have the opportunity to protect marriage equality. In the past, California has been a leader in affirming marriage equality and we hope this leadership will continue.

If you would like to find out more about COLAGE’s efforts to protect marriage equality, please contact Paulie Milagros Schreck at COLAGE either via e-mail or 415-861-5437.This month we have phone banks, events, public education forums, and more so get involved and be a part of history!