Garden State Equality
 The Garden State Equality logo | |
 U.S. State of New Jersey | |
| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | |
| Key people | Troy Stevenson, executive director |
| Area served | New Jersey |
| Website | gardenstateequality.org |
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Garden State Equality is a statewide political advocacy organization in New Jersey that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, including same-sex marriage.[1]
History
Garden State Equality was founded in 2004.[2]
Garden State Equality v. Paula Dow
In 2011, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of Garden State Equality and six same-sex families against New Jersey, arguing that the state's civil union system failed to provide those same benefits and violated New Jersey’s guarantee of equal protection.[3] On September 27, 2013, Judge Mary Jacobson ruled that same sex marriage should be legal and ordered the state to begin allowing same sex marriages on October 21, 2013.[4] The state quickly appealed the decision and asked for a stay to delay the implementation of the court order. On October 18, 2013, the Supreme Court of New Jersey unanimously affirmed Judge Jacobson's denial of the stay and ruled that state should begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as ordered. Hours after the first marriages were officiated on October 21, 2013, the state dropped its legal challenge and New Jersey became the 14th state with the freedom to marry for all loving and committed couples.[5][6][7]
Programs
Garden State Equality programming focuses primarily on public policy advocacy and grassroots organizing.[8]
Activist Institutes
Garden State Equality’s Activist Institutes train volunteers in organizing skills.[8]
Anti-bullying hotline
Garden State Equality’s hotline that receives reports from parents, students and others about incidents of bullying against students.[8]
Anti-bullying training
The organization visits schools to train administrators, teachers and other staff about New Jersey's anti-bullying law, and how to comply with it. The organization also conducts a different training for students of varying ages.[8]
Canvassing
Garden State Equality volunteers to New Jersey’s communities to collect letters and postcards in support of marriage equality.[8]
Caucuses
The organization has developed thirteen caucuses to help to diversify New Jersey’s LGBT rights movement. Each caucus serves a different demographic community such as African-Americans, clergy, labor, women, and youth.[8]
Equality Express
Garden State Equality’s “Equality Express” motor home travels the state to large audience events to educate people on LGBT issues.[8]
Equality Walk
Each year, Garden State Equality holds an Equality Walk where volunteers get sponsored by friends, and do a two to three mile walk on a Sunday. The walk ends at a pub, with a celebration of the walk's completion.[8]
Legends Dinner
Garden State Equality’s Legends Dinner is the organization's annual gala attended by 700 to 1,000 guests. Speakers and entertainers have included Governor Mario Cuomo, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Fran Drescher, Cynthia Nixon, Judy Gold, Anthony Rapp, and Jennifer Holliday.[8]
Legislative dinners
Assembly members and state Senators meet Garden State Equality members at the members’ homes. Much of the New Jersey legislature has attended at least one town meeting or legislative dinner.[8]
Lobbying days
Garden State Equality volunteers meet with legislators and their staff on LGBT issues.[9]
Skill building seminars
In the organization's “Helping You Personally” seminars, experts in legal and finance speak on issues of particular importance to LGBT people.[8]
Speaker’s bureau
Garden State Equality visits organizations to speak on various LGBT civil rights issues.[8]
Strategy summits
Gatherings at members’s homes where participants call their legislators, call other potential volunteers in that area, write letters and postcards, and strategize on other ways to influence the local legislator.[8]
Town meetings
Garden State Equality has held numerous town meetings on marriage equality across the state. The organization also holds telephone town meetings with public official on a conference call with as many as 200 people. Their Neighborhood Summits and Regional Ramp-Ups are smaller versions of the town meetings geared to educating particular legislators about marriage equality.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Garden State Equality Director Happy With Marriage Ruling, Will Continue Fight". NJTV News. 2013-09-27. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ↑ "About". Garden State Equality. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ↑ "Notice of Appeal". Garden State Equity v. Dow, N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div., Docket A-0521-13 (Sep. 30, 2013).
- ↑ David Voreacos and Terrence Dopp (September 27, 2013). "New Jersey Same-Sex Weddings Must Be Allowed, Judge Rules". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ↑ "Garden State Equality v. Paula Dow". ACLU of New Jersey. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ↑ Zernike, Kate; Santora, Marc (October 21, 2013). "As Gays Wed in New Jersey, Christie Ends Court Fight". New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
- ↑ Ax, Joseph (2013-10-18). "New Jersey top court rules gay marriages can begin on Monday". Reuters. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 "Our Grassroots Programs". Garden State Equality. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ↑ Bach, Karl (June 25, 2013). "HRC Joins Garden State Equality to Lobby NJ Legislators". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
External links
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