Beyond Prop 8 – The Fight Continues
API Equality-LA started more than three years ago when a coalition came together - of men and women, LGBT and straight, people of many different ethnic backgrounds, walks of life, of different ages – to advance within the Asian Pacific American community the simple notion that loving LGBT couples and families deserve nothing less than complete equality under the law. For the past three years plus, we have worked tirelessly to realize that goal.
On November 4th, 2008, Proposition 8, an initiative that eliminated the right to marry for same-sex couples, passed in California with 52% of voters voting Yes and 47% of voters voting No. Although the California Supreme Court ruled in May to protect the right of same-sex couples to marry, a small majority of California voters decided to overturn that decision and take away the fundamental right to marry from same-sex couples. Despite this tragedy, API Equality-LA intends to move forward, joining organizations such as the ACLU, NCLR, and Lambda Legal in a legal fight to invalidate Proposition 8.
Protests are occurring in cities throughout California and the nation. People, regardless of race, gender, and sexual orientation, are standing up for the right to marry for same-sex couples, refusing to allow the proponents of Proposition 8, of discrimination and homophobia, to prevail.
API Equality-LA encourages its members and supporters to take part in these actions of support both peacefully and respectfully, keeping in mind that we need to remain positive and forward thinking as we make our voices heard. Borrowing a tip from Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), try to convey a message of acceptance for everyone, we encourage you to be creative, and inspirational, with your signage at the protests without negatively targeting any particular community.
In addition to these actions, we encourage everyone to also become involved with activities that make a long term, personal impact in our communities. API Equality-LA will continue to work within Asian and Pacific Islander communities to educate the people around us about the harmful effects of Proposition 8. One of the ways that folks can do that is to join one of our committees:
Public Education
Train speakers, sometimes in multiple languages, to address the media, API organizations, conferences, classes, and churches; Empower our supporters with information to build support for marriage equality among their friends and families.
Media/Messaging
Educate Asian journalists; Plant stories, op-ed pieces, and letters to the editor; Maintain the website and adding stories of married couples and statements of support; Produce educational pieces for youtube and other web-based media.
Fundraising
With support from the Veatch Foundation, plan and execute joint POC activities with our African American and Latino coalition counterparts; Seek new funding sources for APIELA activities; Organize fundraising events.
Outreach & Recruitment
Plan our participation in the annual Lunar New Year Parade and other parades; Reach out to seek the endorsements of new community leaders, organizations and celebrities; Possibly organize API Equality-LA presence at upcoming street protests and other events; Plan outreach at community events and festivals through one-on-one conversations that still need to happen to broaden understanding and acceptance of LGBT families.
Amidst the flurry of activity fueled by the urge to repeal Proposition 8, API Equality-LA would like to thank its amazing volunteers for all the great work that you did during and before the campaign season. From the hundreds of volunteers who worked phone banks, including more than 75 college students, to those who passed out No on 8 materials to Chinese supermarket shoppers in the San Gabriel Valley, to the wonderful organizations that stood up for civil rights and against Proposition 8, even at the risk of vilification from other community members.
These are the signs of courage and commitment that lift our spirits even after election day and make us confident that it is only a matter of time before victory is ours. In the coming period, API Equality-LA will announce new initiatives for 2009 and beyond and I hope that all of you will continue to walk with us on this long march to freedom.