Marriage Equality Rhode Island

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History of Success

MERI was formed in 2003 to assist in the efforts of Rhode Island Alliance for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. In 2004 MERI became the lead organization in the fight for equal marriage in Rhode Island.

Since Our Founding in 2003, MERI has

• Moved more than 30 members of the General Assembly to support marriage equality.
• Helped re-elect all of our sponsors, and elected seven new pro-equality legislators.
• Secured House and Senate hearings on marriage legislation each year.
• Blocked legislation, i.e. Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that precludes same-sex couples from pursuing the freedom to marry, including DOMA clauses connected to other bills.
• Built a membership of more than 5,000 Rhode Islanders.
• Aired Rhode Island's first ever pro-LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex) rights radio ads.
• Formed "Picture Equality," a photo petition showing the faces of more than 1,000 Rhode Islanders who support equal marriage.
• Held weekly lobby days and annual Valentine's Day rallies, bringing more than 4,000 people to the State House.
• Raised more than $450,000.