Join The Impact Nationwide Protest

One of these days, I will post a blog that has nothing to do with protesting but today is not that day.

I've had to get up early to catch the bus to downtown Los Angeles many times this month for jury duty. On Saturday morning 11/15/08, I did it again but this time it was for love and civil rights. I got there pretty early so I stopped at Starbucks which began to fill up with fellow protesters. Luckily I got there early enough that I didn't have to wait in the long line that stretched out the door. I brought out the duct tape and assembled my signs then headed to the crowd in front of the stage. I wasn't too far back but I still couldn't see anything because everyone was holding up their signs.


Mayor Villaraigosa came to City Hall from the wildfires to speak to us and did a fantastic job. Marissa Jaret Winokur, Ricki Lake, and Lucy Lawless were also amongst the speakers there that morning. One of the highlights was when a young woman talked to us about her two gay parents and said that her mother was concerned about her attending the rally because protests can often times be dangerous. Whenever I tell my own mother that I am going to a protest she always tells me to be careful and to not get arrested so I can relate. The young woman concluded her speech with "They're trying to take her rights away but she doesn't want her baby to get a black eye. Now that's a mom."


There were several other speakers but the crowd became impatient and started chanting "march march march" and so we marched! I brought a Hot Topic bag full of candy to hand out to nearby marchers. I was happy to see so many parents bring their young children to the rally. I also saw the nice couple that I chatted with at the start of the WeHo protest. We ended up walking on a dirt road with dust rising all over the place which is why I went home covered in dirt. After the morning march we all headed back to where we started from. We stood on overpasses and waved signs to cars honking on the freeway. The L.A.P.D were very good to us and we appreciate their help and protection very much. I gave some of them candy.


Then there was a spur of the moment 7 mile march all the way to Hollywood/Highland. About a quarter of the way there I could barely walk straight and I was falling way behind. Then a guy named Victor passed by and was nice enough to give me water and carry my backpack for me. The blisters on my feet were hurting pretty bad but we caught up to the rest of the marchers and made it all the way to Hollywood/Highland. The crowd walked in a circle, sang the National Anthem, then sat down in the middle of the intersection for 30 minutes. Some people got up to speak to everyone including a little boy named Juan who's mother is a lesbian, a guy with an amazing voice who sang a little bit of "True Colors", and a man who simply asked for a moment of silence for Harvey Milk.

Victor & I

It was an empowering experience. I arrived home and quickly hobbled to the bathroom to soak my blisters and wash the layer of dirt off of me yet still I was and am ever so thankful to have been a part of that day. I am ready for the next one. And the one after that. And after that. I am moving to Hawaii this year on December 10 but even from Hawaii, I will still try to do everything in my power to bring awareness to this heartbreaking injustice until this country can once again be called "the land of the free".

I TOOK SOME VIDEO, WATCH IT HERE!

Gay Straight Black White, Marriage Is A Civil Right!

I was one of the 15,000 + protesters at Sunset Junction in Silverlake on Saturday 11/8 to protest the passing of prop h8. I will attend every protest that I am capable of attending until prop h8 is overturned and EVERYONE has the right to marry.



I arrived by bus at 8pm and was disgusted by the statement of my African American bus driver when we arrived on the scene. "They're still protesting. As if that's going to change anything." Listen, lady! If protest didn't change anything you wouldn't be driving the bus, you'd be sitting in the back! Rosa Parks is turning over in her grave because of your ignorance. If this was 1948 and the man you loved was white, you would not have the right to marry him. So what would you be doing then? You would be fighting for your right to marry the person you love which is exactly what is going on today.



The protest was set to end at 9:00 pm but we still marched on. We sat in the middle of the street and yelled "NO MORE HATE". We marched down block after block and stood screaming and waving signs to honking cars.

I ended up waiting two hours for a bus home since the buses were held up by the protest and I arrived home at about 2:00 am. Tired, cold, and voiceless, I knew it was worth it to be a part of the historical crowd in Silverlake. I am not only protesting for my generation. When I have children I want them to be able to marry the person they love and not be treated as a second class citizen. I want the same for my grandchildren and great grandchildren and so forth. Yes we can erase the hate and discrimination that is currently corrupting our constitution. Yes we can make this a better world for our children and give them the morals and values to do the same for their children. Yes we can love and respect one another as human beings and embrace our differences which make this world of ours so wonderful and interesting.