Get Involved in Marriage Equality!

Below we offer different ways that you can get involved in making marriage equality a reality in Rhode Island. Please also see the Calendar (on the right of the page) for events such as rallies, lobbying, fun fundraisers, and 2005 State House hearings on the marriage equality bills. Please see the Lobbying Tips (on the left) for information on how to talk about marriage equality.

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Action:  Letter Writing Project

We’d like to receive a letter from you describing why you want and need marriage equality in Rhode Island. (We will include any written hearing testimony or you can write an additional letter.) We’ll use these letters to help influence RI legislators. We’ll send one signed original of the letter to your legislator and place the other signed original in a book that will capture how important marriage equality is to Rhode Island. (In the book, we will block out your street address and telephone number – leaving only your name and town.)

Here’s what to do:

• Write a one to two page letter about why marriage equality in RI is important and necessary for you and your family – at the top put the date, at the bottom put your name, address, and telephone number. If you know your legislator, then address the letter to that person – if not, just write Dear _____ at the top of the letter and we will fill in your legislator. Use your own letterhead if you’ve got it.
• Make 3 copies of the letter and sign all three of them.
• Send the 3 signed originals to this address: 99 Bald Bill Road, Cranston, RI 02920. Keep a copy for yourself.

Do you have kids that are old enough to understand the issue? Have them write a letter too. Your parents, siblings, friends, neighbors – anyone who supports marriage equality can write a letter. The letters can be handwritten neatly or typed. Together we can form a powerful and personal story book for marriage equality!

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Action: Get the Word Out About Marriage Equality

We have identified several clubs, coffee shops, etc. where we would like people to pass out post cards and/or take photos for Picture Equality. If you are interested in either, please contact Lauren Nocera at donate@MarriageEqualityRI.org

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Action: Endorse Marriage Equality

Along with having your friends and families contact their legislators, another way to get others involved in the fight for marriage equality is to collect "Endorsements". Any respected local community leaders, clergy, leading businesses, professional and community organizations (such as local bar associations, medical groups, lodges, political clubs, etc.) labor activists, educators, and opinion leaders can make an "Endorsement". Think of the organizations and businesses you and your family belong to and ask for their endorsement for Marriage Equality RI. See below for the current list of 63 endorsing organizations and businesses.

As you approach others to endorse Marriage Equality RI, remember these points:

• The key is using Endorsements to engage potential (especially non-gay) allies in conversation about the freedom to marry. It creates an opportunity to tell people about the life experiences of same-gender couples and their families, and why they need access to the protections of civil marriage.
• People you engage may not agree to sign on right away, but they will have at least learned something. If some say "no", approach them again after they've had time to think about it, and they'll be much more likely to sign on! Many more people and organizations will be willing to offer their support than you may initially think - they just need you to ask!

It is easy and simple to find endorsements. Download the form, make copies, and approach the groups to which you or your families belong.

Individual Endorsement Form

Organizational Endorsement Form

MERI supports bills to create equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. MERI opposes bills to ban civil marriage rights for same-sex couples and opposes the proposed federal Constitutional Amendment against same-sex marriages. In alphabetical order:

1.   ACLU/Rhode Island

2.   AIDS Care Ocean State

3.   AIDS Project RI

4.   Anahata Yoga School

5.   A-Stone, Inc.

6.   Brown University Democrats

7.   Buddha Smiles Consulting

8.   Cellar Stories Bookstore

9.   Civil Rights Roundtable

10.  Compass Entertainment/Lucky

11.  D & L Printing

12.  Embolden

13.  Equity Action

14.  Family Pride

15.  Focus Solutions

16.  Freedom to Marry

17.  GLBT Helpline

18.  GLAD

19.  Green Party of Rhode Island

20.  Health Promotion Solutions of  Southern New England, LLC

21.  Hotel Employee and Restaurant Employees Union, Local 217

22.  Human Rights Campaign

23.  India Point Project

24.  Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence

25.  International Socialist Organization

26.  Marasco & Nesselbush, LLP

27.  National Association of Social Workers (RI)

28.  National Center for Lesbian Rights

29.  New Gate Theatre

30.  National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

 31.  Northeast Action

32.  Ocean State Action

33.  Options

34.  P.A.G.E.  (Promoting Awareness for Gender Equality at URI)

35.  PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians & Gays)

36.  Planned Parenthood of RI

37.  Pro Typing & Mailing Service

38.  Providence Gay Men's Chorus

39.  Providence Youth Student Movement

40.  Psychological Centers, Inc.

41.  Religious Society of Bell Street Chapel, Providence

42.  Rhode Island Alliance for Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights

43.  Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence

44.  Rhode Island Gender Community - Revisited

45.  Rhode Island Parents for Progress

46.  Rhode Island Policy Reporter

47.  Rhode Island Pride

48.  Rhode Island College School of Social Work Faculty

49.  Rhode Island College BSW Student Organization

50.  Rhode Island College MSW Student Organization

51.  Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights

52.  Rhode Island Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice 

53.  Rhode Island’s Feminist Voices

54.  RI NOW (National Organization for Women)

55.  RI Pride

56.  Rue De L’Espoir

57.  SAGE (Senior Action in a Gay Environment)

58.  Same-Sex Marriage Now

59.  Straight But Not Narrow Coalition

60.  Susan Perkins, Esq. – Law Firm

61.  Symposium Books

62.  The Theatre Expansion

63.  Town Hall Lanes

64.  The Training Station, Inc.

65.  Trillium Asset Management Corporation

66.  2 to1: The Coalition to Preserve Choice

67.  URI Senate

     68.  URI Students for Social Change

69.  Women’s Fund of Rhode Island

70.  Youth Pride, Inc.