Equality Maryland

Media Advisory

Use through November 2, 2005

Contact:
Elena Cabatu, (202) 256-3630
Anh Phan, (202) 257-8325
Contact: Meredith Moise, Field Organizer,
Equality Maryland (301) 587-7500

How Do You Say 'I Do' in Punjabi?

A town hall on marriage equality and the Asian Pacific American communities

WHAT: Town hall on marriage equality to inform and involve the Asian Pacific American (APA) communities and their allies in light of the recent ACLU marriage equality lawsuit, Deane and Polyak v. Conaway, challenging Maryland's refusal to issue marriage licenses to lesbian and gay couples.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 2, 2005 at 7:30 pm

WHERE: University of Maryland at College Park, Adele H. Stamp Student Union Building, Prince George's Room

WHY: According to the 2000 census, the DC metropolitan area has one of the highest populations of Asian Pacific Americans in the country, ranking fifth after traditionally large communities in California and New York. A significant number of that population self-identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). As more and more couples seek legal recognition of their relationships, the right to marry is an issue faced by LGBT APAs. As APA communities across the nation begin to address issues of diversity within their own communities and, subsequently, of issues of civil rights, conversations about marriage equality are essential.

WHO:
Welcome: Phil Nash, Professor at the University of Maryland at College Park, CEO of CampaignAdvantage.com

Moderator: Ben de Guzman, AQUA Advisory Committee Member

Panel:

Gita Deane, Chief plaintiff in Deane and Polyak v. Conaway
Ken Choe, ACLU staff attorney in Deane and Polyak v. Conaway
Dan Furmansky, Executive Director of Equality Maryland
Susan Lee, Maryland Delegate (invited)
Jon Melegrito, National Federation of Filipino American Associations
Adam (Gus) Collins, Student and President of Pride Alliance at the University of Maryland at College Park

Organizers: Equality Maryland in partnership with a coalition of Asian Pacific American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups, Asian Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project and their allies in the DC metro area.

For more information, please visit:
Equality Maryland: http://www.equalitymaryland.org/
ACLU of Maryland: http://www.aclu-md.org/

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.

Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org