Sacramento, CA – Today is election day across the nation and members of Equality Action Now, a local volunteer grassroots organization are watching three key areas who’s outcome could impact the struggle of the LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transsexual, Questioning, Intersex) community here in California. While Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action Now, and her army of volunteers are preparing for tomorrow’s “One Year Ago” rally and march at the state capitol to call attention to California’s gay community and their own struggle to overturn Prop 8, they will be paying close attention to elections in the states of Maine, Washington, and the city of Kalamazoo Michigan. The first and mos

Highlighting the one-year anniversary since Prop 8 was passed into law, Equality Action NOW, is co-sponsoring along with Courage Campaign and 20 other organizations and individuals, Camp Courage Sacramento, November 7-8, 2009. Camp Courage is an intensive two-day training designed to teach the principles and skills of community organizing and how to become an effective activist. Drawing on techniques honed for decades by progressive social movements and proven results used by the Obama campaign, Camp Courage teaches empowerment, team building, leadership development, and grassroots organizing skills. It is designed primarily for new activists of all ages or those who have never engaged wi

Camp Courage, a two-day training camp for activists seeking to fight for gay rights, will be receiving a sizable boost in funds thanks to a fundraiser benefit at the Greens Hotel on Thursday. The camp was inspired by the "Camp Obama" program that taught community organizing strategies to supporters of the president's campaign last year. The camp's goal is to prepare for a campaign for gay marriage in 2010, hoping to reverse Proposition 8, which passed in 2008 and declared: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." "This is the first Camp Courage to take place in Sacramento," said Cynthia Dall, the fundraiser for the city's branch of the camp. "We rea

 The AP is reporting that a pair of college students have proposed a ballot measure that will replace the word "marriage" with the term "domestic partnership" in all state laws.   Secretary of State Debra Bowen said today that supporters can begin collecting the 700,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot.  Domestic partnerships will retain all the rights of marriage, and all couples will be eligable for domestic partnership, regardless of sexual orientation.   Is this a good or bad idea?  Please express yourself.

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

Hundreds of supporters of equal rights for all Americans gathered this afternoon on the state Capitol's west steps, waving flags and cheering on gay and lesbian couples who have claimed the right to marry, as spelled out by the California Supreme Court.  Political stars such as Senate President pro Tem Darryl Steinberg and Senator Mark Leno joined entertainers Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes and Star Trek's George Takei and his husband Brad Altman in celebration of equal marriage rights and in anticipation of the upcoming decision by the Supreme Court regarding Proposition 8. The court, located just across the street from the Capitol, will decide the constitutionality of Prop. 8 on March 5. Pr

A crowd of people gathered outside the Sacramento Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon to hear Cleve Jones speak on equality and civil rights. Jones is an activist, lecturer, author and was mentored by Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Jones is portrayed by Emile Hirsch in the film "Milk" with Sean Penn which is currently playing in Sacramento theaters. Cleve Jones is currently leading a boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, whose owner donated $125,000 to the Prop 8 campaign. Some individuals who gathered for Jones's speech were holding signs, one read "More than a word" with the word "love" written in different languages.  One particularly eye-catc