A Call to UTF Readers: Tell Us Your Stories and Give Input on California's Next Steps for Marriage Equality

Eric Nakano is an officer of OUT West, one of the largest LGBT grassroots coalitions in California. He has a special request for the Unite the Fight readership.

Dear Unite the Fight Readers:

In two weeks, grassroots LGBT rights activists and volunteers from across the state of California will descend on sleepy San Bernardino for an Equality Summit to exchange ideas, plot strategy, and plan for the future.

Last November, the county of San Bernardino, the largest by landmass in the continental United States, voted Democratic for the first time in recent memory when they voted for Barack Obama over John McCain by a mere 26,791 votes. And while the county broke overwhelmingly in favor for Prop 8, residents in the County still donated $68,000 to the No on 8 Campaign and turned out to the tune of 181,280 to vote against the measure. Who were these 181,280 voters and what did they do to keep the faith while outnumbered by a 2-1 margin?

As the grassroots begins to develop a strategy for victory, I want to remind my colleagues that any winning strategy must be one where we contest for votes in each of California’s 58 counties and in all of the state’s 25,423 precincts.

When I head to San Bernardino, I want to take with me your stories of activism and your ideas for the future. I’m especially interested in hearing from people who voted against Prop 8 in cities, towns and counties that overwhelmingly supported it.

ACTION: Email me your stories by answering these questions:

• What did you do to buck the trend?
  
• What ideas do you have to support your work in the next round?
  

You can email me at votenakano@gmail.com. Thank you for your continued involvement in our struggle for full equality.

Sincerely,

Eric Nakano
Officer, OUT West Coalition