2/14+2/28: We Need You this Valentine's Day

Dear Sonoma Chapter Members and Friends:

Happy Freedom to Marry Day! It was two years ago today that Gavin Newsom opened the
doors to City Hall and over 4,000 of us walked in and got married. Those marriages
were later overturned but our determination to end discrimination is stronger than
ever!

What Are You Doing Valentine's Day?

Our anti-equality opponents hope that you stay at home. As Randy Thomasson travels
around the state on what he is calling his "real marriage tour," he hopes that we
all stay out of sight and out of mind.

First, we are having a marriage counter action at Noon at the Sonoma County Clerks
Office at 2300 County Center Drive, Suite B177 in Santa Rosa (see http://www.mapquest.com
for directions). Last year our county had the biggest turnout in the state to this
event and we'd like to outdo ourselves this year! We are seeking same-sex couples to
request marriage licenses, straight and LGBT supporters to cheer us on while bearing
witness to the discrimination against us, and clergy who are willing to conduct
marriage ceremonies if they were legal (last year four clergy members honored us
this way).

We have spoken with the county in advance and they are supportive of our efforts.
The county clerk is not responsible for this law, and saying "no" to so many of us
can be difficult. Some of us will choose to bring a bouquet of flowers symbolizing a
wedding bouquet, and will give these bouguets to the county clerk. EQCA will also
have long-stemmed roses available that each couple can take one of and add to a
bouguet for the clerk.If you are interested, please contact us at sonoma [at] eqca.org.

Second, we are having a Freedom to Marry Celebration on the campus of SSU on
Tuesday, February 28, from 11am to 2pm. The Sonoma Chapter of EQCA is partnering
with several organizations at SSU to bring you this event which will both celebrate
and educate the public regarding marriage equality. Location on campus and other
details will be forthcoming in a future email, so please stay tuned!

We know that at some point we will be facing a ballot initiative and we need to
educate our community about why marriage matters. We are doing a lot in Sonoma
County and you can keep engaged with our efforts by checking out our website at
http://www.eqca.org/chapters .

Thanks and we hope to see you on Valentine's Day!

Chari Davidson, Sonoma County Chapter Leader

Kathy Anderson, Sonoma County Chapter Co-Leader

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Equality California

Founded in 1998, Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based,
statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure the dignity, safety,
equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
Californians. Equality California is one of the largest and fastest growing
statewide LGBT organizations in the country. For more information, please visit
http://www.eqca.org.