Hello readers,

You have probably noticed a long absence this year from our regular posting. Our founder was laid off from their job and was unable to maintain their internet connection during that time. As a result of that, the stress and hardship that comes with unemployment, and having limited time due to job hunting obligations, Washington Marriage Alliance had to go dark for a time. But now we are back and happy to report that our founder is working again. Moreover, readers, you can expect more posts from us regarding marriage equality and all current LGBT events on our site. Thank you all for your continued patience and loyalty and we look forward to rekindling the conversation.

In solidarity!
Washington Marriage Alliance

Hello all,

Thank you all for your support, encouragement and participation over these last few weeks.  The PRIDE contingent was an amazing success and we are very happy with the results of our work.  WAMA is not done though.  We will be continuing with Washington Marriage Alliance in a three pronged plan.  The plan goes as follows:

1. Work to link all groups and organizations, no matter the size, so that we are all working together for marriage equality and sothat we can achieve the same goals.  We all want to same thing: full marriage equality in Washington and throughout the US.  Let’swork to achieve that goal rather than bicker over small details and non-issues.
2. If you need volunteers for your event and/or group let us know! We are happy to promote any event or group (for free) so that you get the most out of your efforts.  These events and/or groups donot need to be related to marriage equality either!  Are you an environmental protesction group, a women’s group, a veterans group, a queer youth group, a seniors support group? It doesn’t matter. We are happy to help promote you.  We are already getting requests for promotion, like the Skagit County PFLAG.

Skagit County PFLAG is having their 3rd meeting Tuesday, July 7th, at The RainBow Center in Skagit County at 1013 Polte Rd. Central United Methodist Church in Safe Room Sedro Woolley Wa.

Historic movie “Milk” with Sean Penn after the meeting at 7:30pm and a lot of gooey Buttered Pop Corn. We also have the wonderful start of a LGBTQ library with books and articles and DVD-LGBTQ/movies for rent to our community and allies.

RainBow Center phone # for now is 360-826-5187.

Please forward to friends who might be interested. PFLAG is a wonderful national organization who, unlike many national groups,
actually gets things done! Check them out and show them some love.

We need some volunteers man women or children!
Email contact: zool...@aol.com
facebook.com/Ronnie Lidstrom

3. And finally, if you are interested in volunteering but don’t know where to look, we are happy to help you find the volunteer opportunity that is right for you.  It also does not have to be related to marriage equality.  If you are interested in the environment, the women’s movement, the don’t ask don’t tell issue, the creation of safer schools, the protection of benefits for veterans, or whatever your interests might be, let us know and we will help you out.

In Solidarity,
WAMA

The Washington Marriage Alliance contingent will be marching in the Seattle Pride 2009 on Sunday, June 28th as contingent #162.

WHERE: Along Columbia St. Between 4th and 5th Avenues. Look for a big gold ring on top of the contingent’s truck.

WHEN: Line-up by 1:00pm.

[mappress]

For folks interested with planning the details of the march, there will be a meeting tonight, Wednesday, June 3rd at 7:30 PM at Café Vita on Capitol Hill. All are welcome! (Map below)

We have joined forces with the good folks at Join The Impact Seattle and the Queer Ally Coalition in preparation for Seattle Pride on June 28th.

We are looking at a big show of unity here!

We will keep everyone posted on the exact rally point our contingent has been assigned once the Pride organizers let us know.

As we discussed in our previous planning meetings, we are looking for some volunteers to provide a few basics:

1. Provide/Borrow/Drive a pickup for carrying a PA system in the march
2. “Safety Monitors” in the contingent (we need 1 out of every 10 marchers for this)

If you’d like to throw in your support, drop us a line at wash...@hushmail.com or use the contact page for more info!

A question was posed to me during the first planning meeting for the PRIDE contingent and I think it was a good one that needs repeating: what is Washington Marriage Alliance?  The answer is both a simple and complex one.  Washington Marriage Alliance is not a non-profit.  We are not a big or small organization.  We are not a business.  What we are is a unified movement created through the collaboration of caring and concerned citizens who see the needs for equal rights for all LGBT people.  Washington Marriage Alliance will not turn anyone away because anyone, whether affiliated with a non-profit or not can be a part of Washington Marriage Alliance.  We also believe that anyone has something to offer and can be a part of the solution.  Whether you are a good typist, musician, organizer, envelope stuffer, artist, speaker, or have never participated in any kind of activist work before, you can still be a part of this movement; because this movement is not about any one individual or any one minority.  This movement is about the world community as a whole.  When one group has their rights denied to them, then it is entirely possible for any group to have their rights denied to them.  The civil rights movements of world history all centered round this idea – that we are a world community and a part of a much bigger collective.  Furthermore, we are not a series of individuals but rather the same person.  Even if the person to whom you are speaking has views that are radically different from your own, you are still the same person.  You are both human beings, brought up to believe in certain values and have certain priorities in life.  When you really think about it, there is no us versus them.  But it is when we fear the differences between us that we start to divide people into categories and groups and suddenly the word minority is thrown around in our society.  If we started to see the world not as separate groups or cultures or communities or nationalities but as one collective, it becomes far more difficult to hate and discriminate.  Washington Marriage Alliance strives to make this point clear – that when one of us is discriminated against, we are all discriminated against.  It seems like a lofty concept at first.  But really, it’s not so far fetched.

All are welcome at Washington Marriage Alliance.  Even if you do not support marriage equality, we would like to hear from you and talk with you about your viewpoints.  If you want to get involved in the fight to gain and defend marriage equality then please e-mail us at washingtonmarriagealliance@hushmail.com or call 206 339-3796. 

All phone calls and e-mails are private and confidential.

Hello all! I hosted our first planning meeting and it appears that our wonderful friends at Queer Ally Coalition are interested in helping with the contingent. I am extending an invitation to everyone to attend their Gay Bingo fundraiser this Sunday at 8pm at Cafe Metropolitan on Capitol Hill off of Olive Street. If you have never attended a gay bingo you are missing out – they are lots of fun. And there is a follow up meeting on Monday April 27th also at Cafe Vita at 1005 E. Pike Street at 7:30pm for those who could not attend on Wednesday. We still need some volunteers to head up a couple of lead spots including safety, car and sound system wrangling and lots of creative minds for our fundraising and advertising efforts. All are welcome!

Our first informational planning meeting is Wednesday, April 22nd at Cafe Vita on Capitol Hill. It’s near Neumos and next to the new location of The Cha Cha and Bimbos Burritos. There will be a follow up meeting Monday April 27 at the same location also at 7:30pm for those who cannot attend.