President Obama’s historic announcement of support for marriage equality was thrilling to behold, and his backing gives us more of an opening than ever to render our opposition’s age-old lies about LGBTQ people obsolete, once and for all. But make no mistake, this is an opening, not a guarantee.

The president’s words have thrust our rights onto center stage in November, so this is an opening for our opposition, as well. And as we’ve learned in every election on same-sex marriage, right up through our heartbreaking loss in North Carolina last week, the other side never wastes an opening. They seize control, fool well-meaning people into believing that LGBTQ people are broken or damaged, and scare parents into thinking that we’re a threat to children. So now we each face a question: are we going to learn what it takes to win in the face of fierce TV attacks from our opponents, or will we let them defeat us yet again?

At Vote for Equality we’ve been working hard since Prop 8 to be ready for a moment like this. We’ve pioneered new methods, learned how to reach voters where they live and keep them in our corner, and begun to craft new media messages strong enough to withstand our opposition’s anti-LGBT attacks. But the closer we get to lasting solutions, the more help we need to close the deal, which is why we truly need you.

In November, four states are likely to be voting on marriage equality. Two of our staff just returned from Minnesota, where they shared VFE’s learning to help leaders there prepare for their rapidly-evolving campaign against a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. We’re in a unique position to help these other states in a pivotal way, right here in Los Angeles. But ONLY if we have enough conversations, prep enough turf, and crunch enough data to learn what we need to learn in time. And that time is short.

Will you come do your part? Whether you can come talk to voters, film other canvassers talking to voters, help us prepare materials or enter data, or even help us learn how to have persuasion conversations with people in our own lives, we need you today like never before.

How our society sees us in November is up to us, and whether we speak up for ourselves right now. Please stand with us today. There are all kinds of ways you can get involved, but here are the next big events on the horizon:

Night of Action
Thursday, May 24th – VFE’s Office at The Village – 6:30PM-9:30PM
1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Our fun, social weekly event where we prep for each canvass and crunch data afterwards.

Door-to-Door Voter Persuasion Canvass
Saturday June 2nd – Downey – 9:30AM-4:00PM
Meeting Site TBA

Door-to-Door Voter Persuasion Canvass
Saturday June 30th – South LA – 9:30AM-4:00PM
Meeting at Holy Faith Episcopal Church – 260 N Locust St, Inglewood, 90301

Full trainings are provided at all of our events, no previous experience is necessary.

Come join us and bring friends! Get in touch with Jackson at jdarling@lagaycenter.org to find out more about these events or about volunteering with us in general. Or just to let us know you’re coming!

And if you’re interested having persuasive conversations with people in your own life, contact Pat Mulligan at pmulligan@lagaycenter.org to learn about our new People-You-Know conversation program.

We can’t wait to see you. Let’s get to work.

Between now and November, we can other lie down and allow our opposition to define us, or we can stand up, speak up, and learn how to turn this devastating tide once and for all. We’re poised to make an enormous difference, for all these campaigns, right here in LA, but WE NEED YOU, and there’s NO TIME TO LOSE. Come to our canvass THIS SATURDAY to salute our brethren in North Carolina, and to fight for their future and ours alike.

Vote for Equality Canvass – Saturday May 12th – 9:30AM-4:00PM
Meeting at Bienestar’s East LA Office
5326 E Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022

Get in touch with Steve at sdeline@lagaycenter.org or (323) 405-7563 to let us know you’re coming or to find out more!

In it To Win It on April 14th

We had an outstanding canvass this past Saturday – 34 volunteer canvassers brought all the hard-won lessons of defending the FAIR Education Act back to Prop 8 in our first same-sex marriage canvass of 2012! But if we’re going to unearth the keys that could allow us win on marriage, for the first time ever, in votes in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, and possibly Washington THIS FALL, we need to reach out and learn from many many more voters.

Come to VFE’s NEXT CANVASS to make lasting change a reality:

SATURDAY APRIL 28TH in the San Fernando Valley
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM – Meeting at Cal State Northridge (Room TBA)
An extensive training will be provided – zero prior knowledge or experience necessary!

Want to get the details or find out more? Let us know you’re coming? Get in touch with Steve at sdeline@lagaycenter.org or (323) 405-7563!

And tonight is only the beginning – continuing on in North Carolina in May, and then in at least three more states in November, 2012 holds more challenges to our rights and dignity, to be waged in the hearts and minds of our neighbors, friends, and family, than we’ve experienced in years. And the results will be felt for years to come. As regular citizens, the struggle for equality is now squarely back in our court. We can uncover the strategies and messages that might give us a chance at turning the tide of these elections for the first time ever, but only if we take action NOW. At Vote for Equality, we’ve got a plan, and we’re ready to spread the word.

THIS Thursday night, to kick off this pivotal election season, VFE is presenting an all-are-welcome STATE OF THE STATES BRIEFING – an opportunity for you to see snapshots of what’s in the pipe as these campaigns coalesce across the country. It’s going to be the perfect opportunity to get an inside look at what’s happening around us and how we can actually have an impact far beyond LA. So please join us, bring friends, and come find out about everything 2012 holds, no previous knowledge or experience with VFE necessary!

THIS Thursday Night, April 5th – 6:30-8:30 PM
@The Village – 1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA, 90038

No RSVP needed either, but to find out more, to let us know you’re coming, or if you can’t make it on Thursday but want to know what else is coming up, drop Steve a line at sdeline@lagaycenter.org or (410) 960-2098. We’d love to hear from you.

Stay tuned tonight for news from Alaska, and come out this Thursday to take part. The clock is ticking…

VFE Canvass THIS Saturday, March 24th – 9:30AM-4:00PM
Meeting at Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Eagle Rock (Fowler Hall Room 112)

Or join us for our fun and important weekly NIGHT OF ACTION
This Thursday the 23rd (and every Thursday)
6:30PM-9:30PM at The Village
1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA, 90038

Get in touch with Steve at sdeline@lagaycenter.org to find out more or let us know you’re coming!