Ready…set…MARCH!
March 24th, 2009 by Kip Williams
This afternoon, we gathered with about 100 folks at SF City Hall for a kick-off rally for the March to Sacto. Several of the marchers shared their stories, elected officials like Supervisor Bevan Dufty offered their blessings, and community leaders like Rafael Mandelman of the Harvey Milk Club and Paulie Schreck of COLAGE offered encouragement as well.
Our four keynote speakers really brought home our core message of connecting the struggle to repeal Prop 8 with the broader movement for peace and for social justice:
-Kate Kendell: Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. They’re the folks who led the charge into the CA Supreme Court to secure our rights last year, and they’re the same folks who charged right back into the Supreme Court in early March to win our rights back.
-Biko Baker: Hip-hop activist and Director of the League of Young Voters. He organizes with black youth in Milwaukee, and he’s a straight ally.
-Andrea Shorter: Director of And Marriage for All, organizing for marriage equality in commmunities of color. She also serves on the SF Commission on the Status of Women. This woman is amazing! She’ll be speaking at all of our key rallies during the March to Sacto.
-Cleve Jones: Does he need an introduction? Cleve is the founder of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and he’s been working for a long time to build bridges between the LGBT Community and the Labor Movement. He was a close friend of Harvey Milk, and Emile Hirsch looked *adorable* playing him in the film last year!
After the rally, the Brass Liberation Orchestra and the Raging Grannies helped us march from City Hall to the CA Supreme Court. And you know what? …
WE TOOK THE STREETS
Ok, it was only half a block, but we stopped traffic and marched (without a permit, of course!) to the steps of the CA Supreme Court, where we chanted and danced and rallied for our rights.
Our Movement is unstoppable, my friends. And whether the Supreme Court restores our rights or not…we will continue fighting until we have achieved full equality under the law, across the country and around the world!
March 25th, 2009 at 6:22 am
what happened to the itinerary - will there be transportation from the end point back to the starting point for those that do not want to spend the nite? THANKS! peace, zanne
March 25th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Fire it up! You all kick ass! Thank u for ur spirit, ur enthusiasm, and ur dedication to this movement. See u in Sac on Monday!
xo Hope
March 25th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Have a great march everyone!! I wish I could’ve joined you, thank you so much for what you are doing!
March 25th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Awesome that you all are marching! Thanks from all of us US citizens living in exile in other countries, where we can legally be with our foreign same-sex partners. We can’t all be with you this week but thank you for standing for our federal rights!
March 26th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Zanne Joi,
Please contact info@onestruggleonefight with your transpo questions.
xoxo melissa
June 9th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I also love Shrek movies, great animation movie.