Mayor Robert Garcia, County Assessor Jeff Prang, 
NBC LA’s Mekahlo Medina and more at Sunday’s 
Marriage Equality USA Garden Party & Awards Event

WHAT: Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) continues 17 years of national celebration events with their annual Los Angeles Garden Party + Awards. The event will celebrate the work of hundreds of grassroots volunteers in the Greater Los Angeles area, while honoring the contributions of Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, RSVP Vacations and the internationally acclaimed She4ME multimedia project. The Los Angeles Garden Party + Awards brings together community, corporate and political leaders, celebrities and grassroots volunteers to celebrate and raise funds to move the issue of marriage equality forward. The event is a celebratory afternoon of cocktails, light food, entertainment and a silent auction. Complete details and tickets at www.marriageequality.org/la-awards

WHO: Founded in 1996, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) is the nation’s oldest organization dedicated to building equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community through civil marriage equality in every state and at the federal level. With over 40,000 members as well as volunteer leaders and partner organizations in all 50 states, it is the largest grassroots organization of its kind engaged in education, training, organizing, advocacy and coalition building to empower individuals and partner organizations to advocate for their own equality and win equal rights and protections for LGBTQ couples and their children.

WHERE: Traxx Restaurant and Courtyard, Union Station, 800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, California 90012

WHEN: Sunday, March 1, 2015 from 1pm to 4pm PT

MEDIA CREDENTIALS: Media credentials for the event can be requested online 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

"Marriage Equality USA has a long and proud history that documents our growth from an idea in 1996 to the vigorous, national grassroots movement it is today," said MEUSA Executive Director Brian Silva. "At this moment of historic change, I look forward to bringing our community together to celebrate and to honor the leaders and stories that are making marriage equality a reality."

Special guests including:

• Jeffrey Prang, Los Angeles County Assessor
• Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach
• Mekahlo Medina, Anchor at NBC L.A.
• Bryan Safi and Erin Gibson, Hosts of Throwing Shade
• Gert Crawford, drag celebrity
• Mike Manning, producer & actor
• Nicole Conn, producer & director
• Jen Foster, singer, songwriter and producer
• Barbara Niven, actor and producer
• More to be announced!

2015 Los Angeles Garden Party + Awards Honorees:

Ally Honoree: Mayor Robert Garcia
As one of the highest ranking out Mayors in the United States, and the first gay or Latino Mayor of Long Beach, Robert Garcia has fought passionately for both marriage and full equality for the LGBTQ community. He is the author of the city's Equal Benefits Ordinance which ensured domestic partner benefits for city vendors, authored the city's first anti-bullying policy and named the first park in America after civil rights leader Harvey Milk. During his tenure, Long Beach was recognized as one of the top ten cities in the country for pro-LGBT municipal law and policy.

Corporate Partner Honoree: RSVP Vacations 
Established in 1985, RSVP Vacations is the originator of the gay and lesbian cruise concept to provide a safe, tailor-made vacation environment for gay men and lesbians. Since then, over 100,000 guests have participated in cruise and land vacations in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Although RSVP primarily focuses on fun, they proudly partner with many organizations, including Marriage Equality USA to offer guests a diverse range of enrichment opportunities on their trips as well. In addition, RSVP has led the way in LGBTQ owned businesses philanthropy to organizations both locally and nationally.

Community Partner Honoree: She4ME (Nicole Conn, Jen Foster, & Sue Melke) 
She4ME is the groundbreaking collaboration between the international award-winning duo of director Nicole Conn and singer-songwriter Jen Foster, as well as the talents of the international PR firm run by Sue Melke. She4ME became a music video and public service announcement using Foster’s award winning song “She” to change hearts and minds in favor of marriage equality. The project was given heavy rotation on LOGO TV, received almost 1 million views online and was screened at a variety of domestic and international film festivals.View the video 

Sponsors:

• Platinum Partners: New York Life
• Gold Partners: Barefoot Wine; Something Blue Events
• Silver Partners: Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Foster Family Foundation
• Bronze Partners: Traxx Restaurant; Ludlow6
• Community Partners: The Abbey; DJ Euro Steve
• National Media Partner: dot429
• Local Media Partners: Santa Monica Daily Press; WEHOville.com; Effie Magazine 

Sue Melke, [email protected], 310-595-4114
Brian Silva, [email protected], 347-913-6369