On Saturday, February 25 the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Appleton, Wisconsin will host a day-long conference called Start Now: Building Marriage Equality. The conference will encourage participants to start now in working toward two key goals. First, the day will offer financial and legal planning guidance for gay and lesbian families to help them arrange the limited protections that are currently available, including living wills for end-of-life decisions. Second, the conference will provide information and training about advocating for full marriage equality, so that gay and lesbian families may someday secure the hundreds of rights and protections that are conferred with civil marriage. The conference will be informative and relevant for LGBT individual as well as LGBT allies who want to learn more about advocating for marriage equality.

Mike is Campaign Manager of “No on the Amendment,” the state-wide effort to defeat the proposed constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage for gay couples in Wisconsin. He is committed to mobilizing a majority of citizens to vote against the harmful, far-reaching amendment in November 2006. He oversaw one of the largest grassroots voter mobilization efforts in America Coming Together in 2004.  Tate was also the state director for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign. Tate will give the latest update on the campaign to defeat the amendment, and Action Wisconsin staff will lead trainings during the day to teach people how to speak effectively with friends, family and groups about the amendment.  For more information about Action Wisconsin and “No on the Amendment,” visit:  www.actionwisconsin.org.

The conference is organized by Interweave, a group of more than thirty gay and lesbian members of the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, which supports full marriage equality for gay and lesbian unions.  The conference is generously supported by Positive Voice, Northeast Wisconsin’s largest gay and lesbian organization, and PFLAG Fox Cities, a regional group of parents and friends of lesbians and gays. The conference is also sponsored by Angels of Hope MCC, a Christian denomination primarily serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans- gendered community, with congregations in Appleton and Green Bay. Additional sponsors include the GLBT Partnership, Etcetera, Harmony Cafe, Rainbow Alliance for HOPE, and Welcoming Congregation Committee of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau.

REGISTRATION

The conference is $20 per person for registrations received by February 17. Registration at the door is $25, and a special rate of $10 is offered for students and individuals with limited income (advanced registration encouraged). The registration fee includes lunch. Childcare will be provided for a fee of $10 per child, which includes lunch. To register, send your fee (check payable to FVUUF) along with your name, mailing address, phone number and email address to:
Building Marriage Equality Conference
Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
P.O. Box 1791
Appleton, WI 54912-1791

INFORMATION