 | Jay Chen – Governing Board Member; Hacienda-La Puente Unified School District The arguments that are being used to deny equal rights to the LGBT community are at the root of the same arguments that were used to suppress and deny the right of Asian Americans to live and marry freely in the United States generations ago. As an API, I believe it is our duty to fight acts that seek to divide and degrade citizens along prejudiced lines. |
 | John Cho – Actor I’m an Actor. My parents brought me and my brother to this country when I was six years old. We didn’t have a whole lot of prospects – a couple of friends, a church that was willing to help – but really the only thing of substance to greet them here was more of a promise, an idea of equality, that, if not them, their sons would have as clean a shot at happiness as the next guy. |
 | The Honorable Judy Chu – Chair; California State Board of Equalization When I was in the Assembly, I represented a district that had a large Chinese immigrant community. Some of them are quite fundamentalist. One of them ran against me because of my gay foster youth bill. They ask me, why do you support gay equality? And I say back to them, I am Chair of the State Assembly’s Select Committee on Hate Crimes. I held hearings on hate crimes in both the Asian American and the LGBT community. |
 | The Honorable Mike Eng – California Assembly Member Asian Pacific Americans have faced a long history of discrimination with regard to the right to marry. Within our lifetimes we can remember anti-miscegenation laws that prevented people of different races from marrying. No loving couple or family should be excluded from the institution of marriage and all the corresponding rights and responsibilities. Same-sex couples are simply asking for what we all want and deserve. We need to stand with them. |
 | Nisha Ganatra – Director When marriage is reserved for some people and withheld from others, declaring our love is not just a personal act. It is also a political act. And love, which should be boundless, becomes limited. Julie and I will not settle for compromised love. We instead look to the day when others recognize our commitment to one another. And we look to the day when we can freely celebrate our commitment — our love — for what it is: honest and true and limitless. |
 | Amy Hill – Actress Why do I support the freedom to marry? It just makes sense! Plus, I get lots of good feedback whenever I wear the API Equality-LA T-shirt. |
 | Shalini Kantayya – Director and contestant in Fox’s reality TV show “On the Lot” As a society we will look back on the gay marriage issue with the same outrage that we now regard the grave injustices against black people and women. The struggle for civil rights is not over until ALL people possess equal human rights under the law. |
 | Hamid Khan – South Asian community leader Everyone has the fundamental right to celebrate their relationship with a life partner of their choice. |
 | Nancy Kwon – Actress Recently I attended the wedding of a dear friend who married his partner of 30 years. Witnessing their marriage, surrounded by a roomful of family, friends, and their four-year old son made me feel grateful that the freedom to marry is now the law of the land in California. We must do everything we can to defend this fundamental civil right. |
 | Rex Lee – Actor I don’t currently have a desire to get married. However, I believe in equality and liberation for the LGBT community. So, I want ALL rights for my brothers and sisters BECAUSE we deserve no less than the rights afforded to others. |
