From NY State Pride Agenda Executive Director, Alan Van Capelle:



Dear Friends,


Today New York’s highest court decided by a vote of 4 to 2 that the State of New York can discriminate against gays and lesbians and our families by continuing to deny the protections that come with legal marriage. It is now up to our lawmakers to right this wrong and act on the will of the majority of New Yorkers and provide full marriage equality for same sex couples and our families.



Tonight, our community and our friends will gather in rallies across the state to let New York know that the marriage debate is not going away and that Albany needs to act quickly to protect our families from discrimination by passing a marriage equality law. We will send a message to politicians who say they are our friends that this is the moment we need them to demonstrate that their friendship is more than just words. We will call on them to work with us in winning our freedom to marry here in New York State.



Tonight, we also stand alongside religious leaders, union activists and other allies who have been boldly advocating for our community when few people would. Tonight, we will show New York that it’s not just lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who care about marriage, but that it is also our straight family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors.



Those who oppose our right to marriage equality want to push us back into the closet. At best we are an annoyance to them and at worst they wish we would disappear. They will view today’s court ruling as a victory, but our presence tonight at these rallies will let them know in the loudest possible way how wrong they are.



I urge you to come out, bring your friends and family and stand with thousands of other New Yorkers who demand full equality for same-sex couples and our families. Below are the details for the seven rallies. Please make every effort to attend the one nearest you.



With hope,



Alan Van Capelle

Executive Director



P.S.: To read more about today’s decision, visit our website at www.prideagenda.org.





Albany/Capital District
Start time: 6:00pm
Location: Capitol Park (Washington Ave. & Swan St., adjacent to the State Capitol Building)

Rain Location: Emmanuel Baptist Church, 275 State St.



Buffalo/Western NY
Start time: 6:00pm
Location: Bidwell Park (@Elmwood Avenue)

Rain Location: Unitarian Universalist Church, 695 Elmwood Avenue (corner of West Ferry & Elmwood)



Hudson Valley
Start time: 7:00pm
Location: Memorial United Methodist Church (250 Bryant Avenue, White Plains)

Rain Location: same location



Long Island
Start time: 7:30pm
Location: Bay Shore Band Shell (Main Street at Park Avenue)

Rain Location: 34 Park Avenue, Bay Shore



New York City
Start time: 6:00pm
Location: Sheridan Square (West 4th Street and 7th Ave., Manhattan)

Rain Location: LGBT Community Center, 208 West 13th Street



Rochester
Start time: 6:00pm
Location: Washington Square Park

Rain Location: First Unitarian Church of Rochester, 220 Winton Road South (coming from 490 take Exit #20 Winton Rd./University; coming from 590 take Exit #4 Highland Ave.)



Syracuse/Central NY
Start time: 7:00pm
Location: Hanover Square (Downtown Syracuse)

Rain Location: Hendrick’s Chapel, Syracuse University