It is always exciting when a new media organization starts up and provides readers and listeners with news you are truly interested in and entertainment to lighten your day. The new Sac Pride Media Group led by Tyler Edwards will launch the first ever live LGBTQ weekly radio show, “Sac Pride Live” on local Talk 650 KSTE Radio as well as worldwide on iHeartRadio, by app on your Smartphone or online at www.iheart.com/live/Talk-650-KSTE-229. The first show will air live Saturday, April 27 after the River Cats game between 10:00 PM and 12 midnight. On-air hosts for Sacramento’s newest source for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community, will be realtor Tyler Edwards and we

Creating a large, cheaper workforce by moving operations to states with lower business costs and a low cost of living is far from new for American businesses. It has caused endless strife in the lives of their employees, including long-term separation of parents from families, long weekend commutes and often divorce. It is now nearly a universal trend among global corporations, especially ones such as Verizon Corp., which has had a long history of labor strife, stemming back to the days of Nynex, Bell Atlantic and before (NY Times on the subject), moving to union-unfriendly, so called, right-to-work states. Alas, universally, right-to-work states are universally right-to-hate states. Thi

A group of dedicated marriage equality activists waited out the morning at Badlands in the heart of Lavender Heights Monday only to learn that once again, the Supreme Court issued no word on the status of Proposition 8 along with several other federal cases involving same-sex couples. It was mid-morning when finally it was learned that the justices announced that it “redistributed the Prop 8 and DOMA cases for consideration during its morning conference this Friday, December 7, 2012”. According to the web site of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), “This means we could get word from the Court on Friday, or the morning of Monday, December 10. It is important to remember that

To most Northern Californians, the torrential rain may have dampened interest in what is going on behind closed doors in Washington at the Supreme Court, but for hundreds of same-sex couples here in Sacramento, there is but one thing on their minds. Will they be planning a December wedding? Today the U.S. Supreme Court justices were in conference to decide if they will take on the case of Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry). When the clerk of the court handed out outcome of the conference today to the press, none of the marriage equality cases were on the list. In other words they did not make a decision ether way. The next time we have a chance to find out anything is Monday mornin

Sacramento organizations plan events around Prop 8 Supreme Court decision It has been a long road for Sacramento’s same-sex couples, their families, friends, and supporters, and that road may or may not end this week. The Supreme Court justices will go behind closed doors Friday morning to decide if they will take on the case of Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry), if the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the State of California from defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. At the same conference session Friday, the court will work their way through several appeals to decide whether legally married gay couples have the right to equal benefits u

Kate Sullivan Gibbens, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, is proud to announce a one-night-only reading of “8,” Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the downtown Crest Theater. “8” is a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black. Black, who pinned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk and the film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families of the unprecedente

Tuesday, shortly after the ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denying an en banc hearing, upholding an earlier ruling that Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, LGBT leaders and community members gathered at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center for a press conference. Shara Murphy, Executive Director of the Center hosted members of the Board of Directors of Equality Action NOW, same-sex couples who are waiting to be married, representatives of organizations such as the Sacramento Stonewall Democrats, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento City Councilman elect, Steve Hansen,  as well as allies and members of the community. While most are happy that

Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center Hosts Community Gathering An announcement was made today that the Ninth Circuit will issue an order tomorrow around 10:00am on the court’s web site, concerning marriage equality here in California. To date, in a decision by a three-judge panel after a fiery hearing, affirmed Judge Walker’s decision striking down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional. Those who supported Prop 8 were frustrated. So in a “play to slow down the process of marriage equality”, they asked the ninth Circuit for an en banc rehearing. They were basically saying “we do not like the decision from those three judges so we want an 11 judge panel to re-hear the case”, hoping to perhaps put

“It is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married.” It was short and sweet. History was made Wednesday as the first sitting president to ever come out for full marriage equality, not civil unions, but marriage equality across the board. President Obama has come to the decision that it is in the best interest for our country to accept committed same-sex couples and afford them the same rights and privileges straight couples have. Members of the board of directors of Equality Action NOW, a Sacramento local grassroots civil rights organization were elated with the news but as their middle name implies, they look forward to walkin

On Friday morning, March 2, 2012, after a meeting with leadership of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community concerning gay rights issues, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson joined a growing list of over 175 other mayors and municipal leaders, including West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon who signed early in the campaign, representing 32 states across the country, standing up publicly for marriage equality. “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” are a broad-based and nonpartisan group of mayors who believe “all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage”. Though it took a while for Mayor Johnson to agree to sign the statement, in the end the mayo

Marriage rights activists will deliver a petition asking Mayor Kevin Johnson to join other mayors in support of same-sex marriage Tuesday morning at City Hall in a move they said they hope will cause him to consider endorsing Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. “We’re not trying to force anybody’s hand or be aggressive in any way,” said Neil Pople, communications director for the Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento and author of the petition. It has more than 300 signatures and is posted here. “We want to positively encourage the mayor and let him know that there are people who want this to happen.” Last week’s ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against Proposition 8 –

  Equality Action Now, a local grassroots civil rights organization based in Sacramento along with Marriage Equality USA is encouraging same-sex couples to go to their City or County Clerk’s Office on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 and request a marriage license. Here in Sacramento representatives of Equality Action NOW will be at the Downtown County Clerk’s (600 8th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 – 916-874-6334) at noon to cheer on same-sex couples. Tina Reynolds, EAN’s Executive Director is asking participants to, “bring lots of candy and flowers and bring a bunch of “LOVE” signs!” The annual event has never been more important or appropriate given the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appea

Thousands of same-sex couples in Sacramento and throughout California are eagerly waiting on a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that will ether uphold, or not, the California Supreme Court’s decision that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. This issue has already been dealt with in several other states with some accepting marriage equality but for California it has proven to be a highly emotional and complicated one for same-sex couples that are hoping to soon have the same rights as other legally married couples. The decision is expected any day now. “Question One,” a newly released documentary on Maine’s 2009 referendum battle over same-sex marriage, will

In the next few months look for progress in the fight to uphold Judge Walker’s decision to strike down Proposition 8 due to the fact that it is unconstitutional. On Thursday, December 8, a three-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on the efforts to release video of the Prop. 8 trial as well as ProtectMarriage’s motion to throw out the case. The hearing is expected to take two hours, beginning at 2:30pm. The hearing will be delayed broadcast and will have remote viewing locations in Pasadena, Portland and Seattle. Thousands of other interested parties on both sides of the issue, including the LGBT community here is Sacramento will follow the hearing’s

The California Supreme Court announced it will issue a written opinion today at 10 a.m. on whether conservatives who sponsored Proposition 8 are entitled to defend the measure that overturned a 2008 ruling recognizing the right to same-sex marriage. The leadership of Equality Action NOW, a local Sacramento civil rights organization is inviting the community to gather at Headhunters/Cornerstone Restaurant on the corner of 10th and K Streets beginning at 9:30 a.m. to await the decision. For many members of the organization it is a personal issue and today will mark a pivotal moment in their fight for marriage equality. The Court in San Francisco will decide whether California law allows P

On Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. PT, The California Channel will carry LIVE coverage of the California State Supreme Court oral arguments in Perry v. Brown. California residents can watch the arguments online at www.calchannel.com or on their local Cal Channel cable station. The arguments will center on whether state law gives sponsors of the gay marriage ban the right to defend the measure in a case now pending before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in San Francisco. Proposition 8, enacted by California voters in 2008, prohibits same-sex marriage by providing that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." L

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2011, from Noon to 2:00pm Marriage Equality USA, Equality Action Now, GetEQUAL, and members of the Faith Community will request marriage licenses for local same-sex couples at the Downtown Sacramento County Clerk’s Office at 720 F Street (Cross-street 8th), Sacramento, CA 95814. At local marriage counters in cities nationwide, same-sex couples will request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s Offices to raise awareness of the harms and impact the inability to marry causes on their families. Since 2001, Marriage Equality USA chapters have engaged in these annual marriage counter actions to render visible the discrimination that is enforced every

Monday the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit placed their own stay in the Federal Prop 8 Case, which doesn’t allow the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Once again disappointment, and for some, anger has invaded the lives of many same-sex couples who were set to take their vows on the West Steps of the California State Capitol Building today. In place of the planned Wedding Ceremonies, leaders of the LGBT Community are calling for a Protest Rally and March around the State Capitol. This will begin on the West Steps at 6:00pm, Wednesday August 18 (when hundreds of same-sex marriages would have taken place). Equality Action Now as well as organizations thro

The judicial clock is ticking down towards Judge Vaughn Walker’s Wednesday, August 18th, 5:00pm lift of the stay in the Federal Prop 8 Trial. In the event that the temporary stay is lifted and once again, same-sex couples are allowed to apply for a marriage license, the leadership of Equality Action Now and the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center will host Wedding Ceremonies on the West Steps of the California State Capitol Building beginning as soon as the first couples arrive from the Sacramento County Clerks Office. Same-sex couples and their supporters all across the state have been on an emotional roller coaster; first in anticipation of the initial ruling in the case then jubilation w

Today, Judge Vaughn Walker will released his decision in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger Federal Prop 8 Trial. The leadership of Equality Action NOW and the staff of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center announce today's events. The ruling will be first, sent out by email to all who are directly connected to the case between 1:00pm and 3:00pm then it will immediately be posted to the web site (www.cand.uscourts.gov). If Judge Walker rules in favor of striking down Prop 8 and restoring same-sex marriages in California, the leadership of Equality Action Now and the staff of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center are planning a party to be held at K Street and 21st in Midtown, in the parking lot