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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
MERI is starting a 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:
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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
lsnocera@yahoo.com
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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.
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
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