One Year Prior: 3 Ways to Celebrate Election 2012
This weekend marks what is one year from what will be a momentous, celebratory affair: Election 2012. No, defeating the anti-marriage amendment will not mean that our community will have equal marriage rights as the rest of the population, but it does mean that we’ll keep something out of the Constitution that doesn’t belong in the Constitution–and will get us one step closer to equal marriage rights. And that is something to celebrate. Now.
Lavender wants you to know about three big events this weekend that can help you get in the mood to tirelessly fight this Amendment for the next year–and for equal rights beyond Election 2012:
1.) Minnesotans United for All Families (MUFAF), the official umbrella organization formed to defeat the anti-marriage amendment, has coordinated One Day United For All Families – One Year to Victory. This Sunday, November 6, 2011, marks one year from the day when Minnesota voters will go to the polls and vote down the proposed anti-marriage amendment. MUFAF began organizing these consciousness-raising house parties 5 weeks ago and now has more than 100 events on the calendar. According to Richard Carlbom, Campaign Manager for MUFAF, “Each event has three goals:
1. To make sure those in attendance know this question is on the ballot
2. To ask all guests to sign the pledge to vote no card
3. For guests to make a small contribution to our massive grassroots campaign
The events are happening all over Minnesota, with some hosts agreeing to make their events public so others might attend.” Click here to see a list of the public events.
2.) Blue Moon Coffee Cafe in Minneapolis will host singer-songwriter Ann Reed for an anti-marriage amendment fundraising party from 6-8pm on Sunday, November 6, as part of the One Day United For All Families – One Year to Victory celebration. Join Senator Patricia Torres Ray and co-hosts to “raise money, raise awareness, and raise hopes for a victory in 2012!” More details can be found on Blue Moon’s website on or the Facebook event listing here.
3.) Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays will be performed one night only on Monday, November 7, at the Hennepin Theatre Trust’s New Century Theatre as part of a nationwide “simultaneous performance” in which over 40 theatres and universities will participate.
“Responding to one of the defining issues of our day, the on-going battle for marriage equality throughout the United States, has inspired works from some of America’s most illustrious and award-winning playwrights–including Heideman Award winner Jordan Harrison, Edgar Award winner Jeffrey Hatcher, Tony Award nominee Moisés Kaufman, Mo Gaffney, Tony Award nominee Neil LaBute, Sundance Jury Prize winner Wendy MacLeod, Obie Award winner José Rivera, Obie and Outer Critics Circle Award winner Paul Rudnick and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Doug Wright, who have contributed works that combine for a heartfelt, funny and altogether illuminating evening that celebrates the courage to be in a relationship–any relationship.”
Producers Joan Stein and Richard Frankel will present the new theatrical event for one night only at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. Wendy Knox of Frank Theatre will direct a stellar cast of six of the Twin Cities’ most talented actors: Sally Wingert, Harry Waters, Jim Lichtscheidl, Phyllis Wright, Patrick Bailey and Christiana Clark.
Tickets are $20 for the performance. Read more about it here–purchase tickets or see where you can view a livestream of a Q&A following the simultaneous performance of the production at Minnetta Lane Theatre in New York.
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE PERFORMANCE, please answer the following question below in a comment: What is one thing you plan to do to help defeat the anti-marriage amendment? A winner will be chosen Saturday afternoon (November 5) at 4:00pm.
