BTL Staff
NEW YORK – Five national organizations have announced a new initiative to elevate the representation of communities of color who support marriage equality for same-sex couples.
"The right-wing has perpetuated the idea that people of color are overwhelmingly against marriage for same-sex couples – it is important that people see this for what it is – a half-baked myth that needs correcting," said Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal.
Lambda Legal, the National Black Justice Coalition, Asian Equality, the National Latina/o Coalition for Justice and Freedom to Marry have teamed up launch this initiative in conjunction with Freedom to Marry Week, Feb. 12-18.
The group has kicked off its campaign with a widespread web presence featuring online banner ads which feature a diverse array of people of color wearing a t-shirt that reads "Marriage Equality Matters" on websites such as http://www.essence.com and http://www.AsianAvenue.com. To view the ad visit http://www.lambdalegal.org/mem.
"Same-gender-loving, black families have more to lose if/when we are denied the responsibilities and protections of marriage," said H. Alexander Robinson, CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition. "The black family is a fundamental driver of black advancement, so discriminatory policies that act to further marginalize black gay families put the entire black community at risk."
Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, national convener for the National Latina/o Coalition for Justice, said, "Protecting our familias is core to us. Marriage equality will guarantee security and justice for all Latino families and that is worth fighting for."
"Marriage equality matters to Asian Pacific Americans because it confers important protections for our families, and nothing is more important to our community than making sure our families are safe, healthy and intact," said Andy Shie Kee Wong, coalition manager of Asian Equality.
"The Marriage Equality Matters campaign demonstrates the power of engaging the public and showing them the reality of marriage equality," said Samiya Bashir, communications director of Freedom to Marry. "When it comes to opening hearts and minds to fairness and reaching the diverse communities who make up our American landscape seeing is, in fact, believing."
