Video: Eva Paterson, Tobias Wolff Talk on Prop. 8 at Hammer Forum
Eva Paterson and EJS board member Tobias Barrington Wolff appeared at the Hammer Forum on Sept. 10 to discuss the uncertain future of marriage equality in California. While more states move to legalize same-sex marriage, California has instead eliminated this right with the passage of Proposition 8.
Tanene Allison: Follow the Artists to Our New Democracy
EJS has been fortunate to work with Tanene Allison on the past, especially when she worked for the National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights. The topic of dissent and the role of artists in helping us more towards a new and improved American democracy is something that resonates with our work. This was originally published Apr. 1 on The Huffington Post.
“Why am I compelled to write?… Because the world I create in the writing compensates for what the real world does not give me. By writing I put order in the world, give it a handle so I can grasp it.” – Gloria Anzaldua
I have been thinking a lot about the role of artists and writers in this new era of our American democracy. As we emerge from an eight year period where any form of dissent was inherently labeled “un-American,” you can feel our country struggle to regain its footing around how best to move forward. Newspapers are shutting down at a rate previously unseen and everything about how we think and get our information is shifting in ways that requires creative thinking and a visionary ability to see things that have never yet be.
O, let America be America again — The land that never has been yet –
And yet must be — the land where every man is free.
- Langston Hughes
Eva Paterson, Other Leaders Join Lawyers for Press Conference on Prop 8 Legal Challenge
EJS President Eva Paterson will participate in a press conference with other leaders and attorneys to be held immediately prior to Thursday’s California Supreme Court oral arguments in the Prop 8 legal challenge. Attorneys will argue that by taking away a right only from one group, Proposition 8 violates the most basic principle of our government: that all people are entitled to equal treatment under the law.
Eva Paterson at Equality Summit in LA
Eva Paterson spoke this past weekend on Jan. 24 in L.A. at the Equality Summit, an Equality California-sponsored gathering of community leaders committed to winning back marriage equality in California to network, share information and resources, and plan next steps.
In addition to the videos of Eva’s presentation above, you can see other videos and recaps on the EQ blog.
Some other blog posts on the summit at queerty.com, calitics.com and rootsofequality.org.
EJS, Civil Rights Groups File Brief Asking Calif. Supreme Court to Invalidate Prop. 8
The Equal Justice Society joined other civil rights groups today in filing an amicus brief (PDF) with the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8 because it would mandate discrimination against a minority group and did not follow the process required for fundamental revisions to the California Constitution.
In the amicus brief, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Equal Justice Society, California NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. argue that minority communities cannot be stripped of their fundamental rights by a simple majority vote.
“We would be making a grave mistake to view Proposition 8 as just affecting the LGBT community,” said Eva Paterson, president of the Equal Justice Society. “If the Supreme Court allows Proposition 8 to take effect, it would represent a threat to the rights of people of color and all minorities.”
On Nov. 14, the same groups filed a writ petition with the California Supreme Court to stop the enactment of Proposition 8, but the California Supreme Court on Nov. 20 deferred action on that petition, and invited the petitioners to file an amicus curiae brief.
Download a copy of the amicus brief filed today.
Day Without A Gay: Protesting Prop. 8 by Donating to Causes
Conceived by Sean Hetherington of West Hollywood, the day of protest is modeled after A Day Without Immigrants, which took place on May 1, 2006.
Individuals participating can call in sick and donate their time to a cause and buy nothing that day to show again how important the LGBT community is to this country. The organizers have FAQs here. And their Facebook event listing is here.
Read more about how EJS has been involved in the ongoing fight for equality.
