by Jeff Newman
GayIndy.Org News

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Indianapolis, October 5, 2004-- A group of approximately 45 California GLBT organizers left Oakland on Monday for a cross-country caravan in support of marriage equality. Events have been planned for several cities along the way, including a Town Hall Forum in Indianapolis on Friday October 8. The trip will culminate with a large rally in Washington DC on National Coming Out Day.

Events along the route include documentary film screenings and forums designed to educate and activate local GLBT communities, along with public rallies, barbecues, weddings and "kiss-ins." About 10,000 people are expected to take part in the Washington rally, which will include Chrissy Gephardt, the lesbian daughter of former presidential candidate Dick Gephardt, as one of the speakers.

"Some of our stops along the way will be large public events with considerable media attention," states Anthony White, of the group Marriage Equality California, the event's main sponsor, "while in other places the political climate is such that we are doing less-publicized events with the local GLBT communities. We think there is plenty we can accomplish on both fronts."

Among the riders on the caravan are a retired Army staff sergeant, parents of a lesbian daughter who have been married for 40 years, and more then a dozen couples who were married in San Francisco this year.

In addition to Indianapolis, stops are planned for Sacramento, Reno, Nev; Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyo.; Denver; St. Louis; Indianapolis; Columbus and Akron, Ohio; and Pittsburgh before their October 11 arrival in Washington.

The Indianapolis event, titled "Get Engaged: a Town Hall Meeting to Educate, Activate, and Engage GLBT Indianapolis” will be held on Friday October 8 at Jesus MCC Church, 2950 East 55th Place in Indianapolis. Admission is free.

Beginning at 7:30 pm, the event will feature a screening of the documentary film "I will, I Do, We Did,” a documentary exploring the same-sex marriages in San Francisco in 2004, along with a panel discussion. In addition to the caravan riders, local activists and same sex marriage advocates will be featured on the panel.

Also on the panel will be Fran Quigley, director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union. The ICLU filed a lawsuit in 2002 on behalf of three local couples seeking marriage recognition. The case is currently in the appeals process, with a decision expected sometime after the November election.

"Our political climate in California has been quite favorable lately," says White, who has been working with Indianapolis GLBT organizations to organize the Friday night event. "But in others places it has been much more difficult. We are excited about taking our message to the heartland of America."