Over 200 people gathered Wednesday night]at the California State Capitol for a rally and march which marked the first anniversary of the passage of Proposition 8. The event, “A Day of Smiles, Tears and Action,” was led by Equality Action NOW, a grassroots civil rights organization, along with several supporting organizations. The event also followed relevant elections in Maine and Washington on Tuesday. In Washington, voters approved Referendum 71, keeping a law that expanded state benefits to same-sex domestic partners. In Maine, voters rejected a law passed by the state's legislature and signed by the governor that would have allowed same-sex marriages. Maine is now the 31st state to r

On the evening of November 4, 2009, members of civil and same-sex marriage rights organizations will stage a rally at the California State Capitol to protest the passing of Prop 8 exactly one year ago. Roughly three thousand miles away in the state of Maine, Question One will have been answered for citizens hoping their state is the next state to legalize same-sex marriage. Maine is the latest battleground for supporters of same-sex marriage. On November 3, they will be the first in any state with the chance to repeal or uphold a law passed by their state Legislature and signed by their governor, legalizing such marriages. The ballot measure, Question One, results from Maine’s provision

A year ago on November 4, 2008, Proposition 8, a California ballot proposition passed in the November general election. The measure added a new section (7.5) to Article I of the California Constitution. The section reads: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” The proposition overturned the California Supreme Court’s ruling saying that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, by restricting the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples. California’s State Constitution put the measure into immediate effect the day after the election. On November 4, 2009, Equality Action Now, along with members of the Sacramento LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Tr

Lisa Gorden and JDD Doran-Jammer, both blind, trailed behind the crowd of people marching around the Capitol, echoing their chants “Hey hey, ho ho, discrimination has got to go.” Although they are not gay and said marching with crowds is difficult given their physical disposition, the two friends joined in Tuesday’s rally against the California Supreme Court’s upholding of Proposition 8. “I’m just real sad and mad about the Prop. 8 decision. It just seemed important to come out in the heat and support this,” Gorden said. “We have plenty of noise to follow.” Gorden and Doran-Jammer were two of an estimated 2,000 who appeared at Tuesday’s rally, organized by Equality Action NOW, which ref

 There was a strange combination of emotions in Headhunters Video Lounge and Grill around 10 a.m. when the California Supreme Court decided to uphold Proposition 8, the state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages. Perhaps it was the nature of the initial announcement, which was shouted by an on scene KOVR 13 reporter while hearing the breaking news through a cellphone. Several people cried, but most didn't have time to react, because stations like KXTV 10, KOVR 13, and KTXL 40 were already on the scene videotaping and interviewing people about their initial reactions outside of Headhunters. After the crowd of nearly 100 calmed down a bit, Laurie McBride and Paul Curtis of the

Monday, May 25 12-1 p.m. Elk Grove Civil War Round Table will be holding a Civil War Memorial walk and rally near the fish pond. Fifty people are expected to participate. 1-2 p.m. A 21-gun salute will be held in memorial of the Mexican-American War near the Mexican-American Veterans Memorial just north of the traffic circle on 10th Street and Capitol Avenue. Seventy-five people are expected to attend. Tuesday, May 26 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Happy Tails, a no-kill facility dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of homeless and abused animals, according to their website, will be holding a bake sale on the north and south entrances of the Capitol. 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Caravan for Justice wi

Sacramento-based Equality Action NOW is coordinating with several other organizations to hold several community events around the imminent Supreme Court decision on Proposition 8, the recently passed measure that banned gay marriage in California. Those other organizations include the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, Sacramento Regional Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Leadership Coalition, Marriage Equality USA and Yes On Equality. The court will announce the decision on whether or to uphold Prop. 8 on either Thursday, May 21, Tuesday, May 26, Thursday, May 28, or Monday, June 1, but no matter what the outcome of the decision, the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center will

Wednesday, May 20 8 a.m.-4 p.m. California Hunger Action Coalition will be holding a Hunger Action Day on the north steps of the Capitol. "Each May, hundreds of anti-hunger advocates from all over the state meet in Sacramento to educate their legislators about hunger and support anti-hunger legislation. Low-income advocates, soup kitchen volunteers, nutritionists, food bank supporters and others concerned about the 3.1 million Californians experiencing hunger travel by bus, car and airplane once each year to participate in this important event," says the event's webpage. 350 people are expected. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. American Heart Association will be holding an educational California Lobby Day

Hundreds of gays, lesbians and supporters lined the south steps of the State Capitol to recommit to the cause of fighting for equality Wednesday at around 5 p.m. Organized by the nonprofit Equality Action NOW (which also helped organized the larger March 16 rally at the State Capitol), the people were there to tell the world that they want equality, and they want it now. On the eve of the California Supreme Court hearing arguments on the validity of Prop. 8, the state amendment to ban same-sex marriages, the hundreds marched from the State Capitol to the steps of the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. The gathered held signs with slogans such as, “We are never going away,” "God d