MEUSA and NEAT Canvass for Marriage Equality in New Jersey
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Volunteers and staff from MEUSA pose with New Jersey United for Marriage staff before spending time canvassing[/caption]
Marriage Equality USA Executive Director Brian Silva and eight other volunteers spent October 5th in Summit, New Jersey, canvassing in support of New Jersey United for Marriage (NJUM) - the campaign to win marriage in that state. This action was part of the National Equality Action Team (NEAT), MEUSA's newest initiative to draw together winning coalitions of marriage equality supporters.
As New Jersey moves toward marriage equality, Gov. Chris Christie continues to oppose full equality for all citizens of the state. "Gov. Christie's aggressive style will only strengthen our resolve," says Silva. MEUSA's NYC-ROC will be back in Northern New Jersey on Oct. 16th and 26th. According to Silva, "This was our first time canvassing in New Jersey and we had quite a positive response."
MEUSA also is looking forward to its Philadelphia ROC hosting a similar event November 10th as part of the NEAT initiative. Bob Sullivan, Philadelphia ROC local organizer said, "We expect the same positive reaction in South Jersey. The Philadelphia ROC is getting involved because South Jersey is suburban Philadelphia and most people do as much business down the shore or across the Delaware River as they do here in Philadelphia. We're fighting for marriage equality here in Pennsylvania and it's important to us that our marriages be recognized whether we live, travel do, or do business in Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey. We're going to fight for the support we need to override Gov. Christie's veto."
More information can be found at www.theneat.org.

Help Secure Marriage Equality Nationwide as Part of the National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
Marriage Equality USA has launched a new project – the National Equality Action Team (NEAT). According to MEUSA Program Manager Tracy Hollister, the new project was conceived by the organization’s executive director, Brian Silva. Chaired by Marriage Equality USA, NEAT is envisioned as a vehicle for national, state, local, and grassroots organizations, as well as individual organizers, to mobilize out-of-state marriage equality supporters in states with active marriage campaigns. These actions are done in coordination with, and with the support of, the local state campaigns.
“Thousands of Americans who passionately support the cause of marriage equality find themselves living in a state without an active campaign and their passion lies dormant,” says Holister. NEAT now provides the opportunity for these advocates to connect with and support organizations in states like New Jersey and Illinois that have ongoing campaigns for marriage equality. Silva adds, “NEAT is a continuation of our work in winning campaigns in Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, Washington, Rhode Island, and Delaware.” In 2012, MEUSA mobilized many local, state, and national organizations to support the victorious efforts in those states and paved the way for the formation of NEAT.
NEAT organizations are asked to support ongoing campaigns by recruiting volunteers from their own ranks and beyond via at-home phone banks, in-person phone banks such as those in New York City and Raleigh, and through canvassing – knocking on doors. These volunteers are then enlisted to support any ongoing marriage equality campaign as devised and run by the state-based organization.
NEAT member benefits include e-mail alerts with details on how marriage equality supporters can get involved, resources to participate in campaigns, training for those who want to organize local events, such as phone banks, and the opportunity to be part of the national effort to win marriage equality nationwide.
Christine Allen, MEUSA’s IT director, sums up the NEAT project as follows – “The National Equality Action Team epitomizes MEUSA’s commitment to working in cooperative coalition. Forget struggling in isolation or reinventing the wheel for the four hundredth time! It makes so much more sense for a variety of organizations and individuals to pool our resources, our brains, our experiences, and to enjoy each other’s company while accomplishing needed work. The other thing that is unique about NEAT is that it makes it possible for people to do remote phone banking from home. Do you have any idea how important that is to LGBT/allied folks who may not have a local community? Or, to people who are unable to get out of their homes to events and actions? Or to busy folks who are juggling full-time jobs and parenting? NEAT provides a way for everyone to get involved – people who are often not included can contribute and be a part of creating history.”
The almost 50 NEAT coalition members include faith-based groups like Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, North Carolina, and the United Church of Christ; national and local chapters of LGBTQ organizations such as PFLAG, GLAAD, and HRC; and political groups like the Log Cabin Republicans, the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, and Lambda Independent Democrats – Brooklyn.
“NEAT integrates MEUSA’s whole vision of empowering all advocates of marriage equality with its own mission of recruiting advocates to execute specific actions in ongoing campaigns,” says Hollister. Adds Silva, "This puts us on the path toward winning full marriage equality in all 50 states."
Visit the National Equality Action Team website to learn more and to sign up to help bring marriage equality to all fifty states.
A New Chapter in Marriage Equality Fight from the Liberty City
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Brian Silva, PA Rep. Brian Sims, Bob Sullivan (MEUSA Philly Local Organizer) at the rally after Rep. Sims spoke of the need for marriage equality in PA[/caption]
Saturday afternoon, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and a number of civil rights organizations rallied at Logan Circle in Philadelphia to invigorate the late-blooming advocacy efforts for LGBT rights in Pennsylvania. Apart from raising awareness of LGBT issues, the rally marked the inaugural event for MEUSA’s newly formed Philadelphia Regional Organizing Committee (Philly–ROC) — the first local organization in the Liberty City that focuses on marriage equality issues. With Pennsylvania lagging far behind its neighboring states on LGBT rights issues — being the only Northeastern state without any form of same-sex marriage or civil union recognition — the expansion by MEUSA of the new organization is a welcome addition to LGBT advocacy groups in the Keystone State. Its strategic location in the state would certainly boost marriage equality efforts across the eastern region, with Marriage Equality for Pennsylvania (ME4PA) at present mainly having a larger presence in the western part of the state.
“Because Bill and I were married in Vermont in 2009, and have moved back home to Philadelphia since, it's important for us to work for the continuity among the states; this way when we go from state to state, we don't have to figure out if we're married or not. Now that we have an established Philly–ROC, we can bring the national agenda to our hometown, where American personal liberty were first created. The community of Philadelphia is embarassed about the current state of Pennsylvania, particularly that our neighbors have already come on board, and now it's our time,” said Bob Sullivan, local organizer for Philly–ROC.
The crowd was particularly energized to have two state representatives who amid busy schedules attended and spoke at the event: Rep. Mark Cohen, a long-time ally for the LGBT community, and Rep. Brian Sims, the first openly-gay representative in Pennsylvania. Rep. Brian Sims was honored with Equality Award by ME4PA for his outspoken advocacy on LGBT equality issues, including introducing marriage equality legislation with Rep. Steve McCarter following the Supreme Court’s rulings in June, and a legislation banning anti-gay conversion therapy for minors with Rep. Gerald Mullery. Coinciding with college campus day, the festive event attracted a lively student crowd, who among the hundreds of attendees signed up as new members for the various organizations. With New Jersey’s judge ruling on allowing same-sex marriage just announced the day before, the crowd was optimistic about the possibility of joining the ranks of their suburban neighbor in the fight for equality.
“I could not be more proud of our grassroots leaders who have worked so hard to launch Philly–ROC,” said MEUSA Executive Director Brian Silva. “We know we cannot do it alone and I am looking forward to supporting our partners in Pennsylvania.”
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Brian Silva, Robert Sargent (GetEqual) and Janice Rael (Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State or DVAU)[/caption]
The event was co-sponsored by MEUSA, ME4PA, the Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State (DVAU), and The Summit Coalition of LGBT Activists and Allies. It drew a long list of speakers from local to national organizations such as the Human Resource Campaign (HRC) and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Among the speakers were Brian Silva (Executive director of MEUSA), David Moore (President and founder of ME4PA), Bob Sullivan (local organizer for Philly–ROC), Tom Hall (organizer for the rally), Janice Rael (local leader for DVAU), and John Hanger (Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate).
For more information or to get involved with Philly–ROC, visit http://www.marriageequality.org/philly.


Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) Launches the National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
Media Director Stuart Gaffney (415) 378-3259 [email protected]
Executive Director Brian Silva (347) 913-6369 [email protected]
Program Director Tracy Hollister (919) 610-8477 [email protected]
New York • 3 October 2013 ― Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) is launching the National Equality Action Team (NEAT), a coalition of almost 50 local, state and national organizations and individual organizers mobilizing volunteers to win the freedom to marry in states with active marriage equality campaigns.
Volunteers are able to sign up on the NEAT website to join events near them and also to phone bank from virtually anywhere.
"The National Equality Action Team is unique in that it gives passionate marriage equality advocates across the country -- especially those in marriage equality states who want to pay it forward -- a chance to play an important role in our national movement to win the freedom to marry," said MEUSA Program Director Tracy Hollister.
"NEAT shows what organizations and individuals can do when we come together as a coalition to empower our community to take individual action in support of all 50 states," said Marriage Equality USA Executive Director Brian Silva. "Until everyone can marry the person they love, we all have work to do."
"NEAT is a continuation of our work over the past year in winning campaigns in Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, Washington, Rhode Island and Delaware, where we hosted almost 150 phone banks and made approximately 100,000 calls for marriage equality," said MEUSA Board President Jane Wishon. "Our goal is to continue this work and leverage our communities' collective power to secure marriage equality by working side by side with our NEAT partners."
NEAT Coalition Members - NEAT at http://www.theneat.org
1199 SEIU LGBTQ CAUCUS
ACLU of Southern California
Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation
American Humanist Association
Broadway Impact
Brooklyn Community Pride Center
Campaign for Southern Equality
Center for Inquiry - New York City
Democracy for New York City
Dignity New York
Empire State Pride Agenda
Equality Beyond Gender
Equality California
Equality Maryland
Equality News Network|
Faith In America
Freedom to Marry
Geeks OUT
GetEQUAL
GLAAD
Human Rights Campaign - Greater New York
Human Rights Campaign - Triangle (NC)
Human Rights Campaign (National)
Indiana Equality
Individual Organizer - Jana Clark (RI)
Individual Organizer - Sherry Henderson (NC)
Lambda Independent Democrats –
Brooklyn Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens (LGDCQ)
LGBT Community Center of New York City
Log Cabin Republicans
Marriage Equality USA
Metropolitan Community Churches Public Policy Team
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Organization for Women
People For the American Way
PFLAG - New York City
PFLAG - Triangle North Carolina
Swish
The Center Long Beach
The LOFT LGBT Community Services Center
The Marry Me Movement
United Church of Christ
First-ever MEUSA Los Angeles Awards Reception a Rousing Success
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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (right) and MEUSA Board Chair Jane Wishon[/caption]
With presentations by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and proclamations from California Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) hosted its first-ever Los Angeles Awards Reception on August 10. For pictures, event journal, and videos, go to www.marriageequality.org/la-awards.
"We came together in LA at an historic moment to celebrate the Supreme Court’s marriage rulings and rededicate ourselves to making marriage equality a reality in all 50 states," said Brian Silva, Marriage Equality USA Executive Director. "It was extraordinarily successful."
The event, which raised funds to help MEUSA fight for full marriage equality in all 50 states, brought together over 100 supporters and political, corporate, entertainment and community leaders at Union Station's Traxx Restaurant. Guests were treated to the sounds of legendary performer Irene Soderberg and musical team Sharper Image.
Hosted by The Real L Word actress and advocate Raquel Castaneda, MEUSA presented awards to Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin (Ally Honoree), Robert John Russo Gallery (Corporate Honree) and Latino Equality Alliance (Community Partner Honoree). Each of the honorees have been longtime partners and supporters of both the issue of marriage equality, and MEUSA.
"It is a great honor to receive an award from Marriage Equality USA, which has been integral in the fight to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all," said Controller Ron Galperin. "There is still much work to be done, however, to overcome discrimination and intolerance -- in California, nationally and internationally. I salute Marriage Equality USA for its great achievements and for its ongoing work and resolve."
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Ari Gutierrez of Latino Equality Alliance accepts the Community Partner award surrounded by family, friends and LEA members.[/caption]
"We are honored to be recognized by an organization such as Marriage Equality USA which has been, for almost 20 years, at the forefront of the fight to bring equality and fairness to all loving and committed California couples," commented Ari Gutierrez of the Latino Equality Alliance. “We are also celebrating many years of successful partnership between our organizations to advance LGBT equality.”
Additional special guests included State Senator Ricardo Lara, Proposition 8 plaintiff's Jeff Zarillo & Paul Katami, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land, Long Beach Vice Mayor Robert Garcia, actor and GLAAD National Spokesperson Wilson Cruz, former Los Angeles Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, Los Angeles Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Mitch O'Farell and West Hollywood Councilmember John Heilman.
By MEUSA Executive Director Brian Silva

