Privacy Policy
Equality Maryland and the Equality Maryland Foundation (jointly, "Equality Maryland") believe in protecting the integrity and privacy of personal information gathered from our visitors to our website. This privacy statement communicates our practices regarding the collection and dissemination of personal information that can be linked to a specific individual such as a name, address, phone number, e-mail address, or any other information provided by our members and website visitors.
You do not have to share personally identifiable information to use Equality Maryland's website. Equality Maryland does not collect personally identifiable information about individual users except when such individuals provide information on a voluntary basis. However, please be aware that our site links to a limited number of other websites and Equality Maryland cannot be and is not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of those websites.
What information is collected and how we use it:
Equality Maryland gathers contact information when you contribute to Equality Maryland online or via mail, join at Pride or other events, when you sign up to receive Equality Maryland Action Alerts via e-mail or sign up for other listservs associated with our various community advocacy committees. We use this information to send legislative updates, action alerts, press releases, information about Equality Maryland programs and events, local volunteer opportunities, as well as membership and renewal appeals.
From time to time, we feature "Take Action" links which gather information to identify your legislative district for purposes of providing you with a list of your legislative representatives. In addition, this information is used to transmit a letter or fax to your representative relating to a particular legislative issue. The information gathered will not be shared with organizations other than Equality Maryland.
The "Donate" link gathers information when you contribute online. The information gathered is used to process your contribution. Equality Maryland may use the contact information to solicit you in the future for additional contributions. In addition, Equality Maryland may choose to exchange mail lists with other like-minded organizations. These organizations may send you information pertaining to their efforts. If you'd prefer to have your name withheld from these list exchanges you may select this option while you are donating online or contact us via email at info@equalitymaryland.org.
Equality Maryland does not rent or sell personally identifiable information about individuals collected on our website to other individuals, corporations or organizations without the user's express consent. Occasionally, Equality Maryland does exchange mail lists with like-minded organizations to effect a greater dissemination of information and foster greater participation in LGBT activism. E-mail addresses of visitors and members are never exchanged with other organizations.
In some limited circumstances, Equality Maryland may be required to disclose information that is collected on our website. Those circumstances include requests for information from law enforcement agencies or request to produce information in compliance with a subpoena or judicial order.
"Cookies" and how do we use them:
"Cookies" are small text files a website can use to recognize repeat users, facilitate users' ongoing access and use of the site, and allow a site to track usage and behavior and collect aggregate data that will allow Equality Maryland to improve its website. Equality Maryland sets "cookies" to automatically track data and non-personal information about users.
Equality Maryland reserves the right to perform statistical analyses of aggregate user behavior and characteristics in order to measure interest in and use of various areas of our website and to use such information to improve our website's ability to serve you better.
Protecting your information:
Equality Maryland maintains a variety of physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information. We use commercially reasonable tools and techniques to protect against unauthorized access to our systems. All online transaction requesting billing information are processed through a secure window adminstered by Convio, a leading provider of digital trust services and transactions.
How to unsubscribe or opt out:
Equality Maryland provides users the opportunity to opt out of receiving communications from us ("do not contact") or from being included in list exchanges with like-minded organizations ("do not exchange") at the point where personally identifiable information is collected. Users who indicate a desire to be excluded may select either or both options when they join or make a contribution. Individuals may also choose to unsubscribe as part of every email sent by Equality Maryland. Members may also contact us via e-mail atinfo@equalitymaryland.org or by US mail at Member Services, Equality Maryland, 1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910 if they wish to stop receiving communications from us.
How to correct information you have provided:
You may correct and/or change any information regarding your membership by contacting member services at info@equalitymaryland.org or by US mail at Member Services, Equality Maryland, 1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910.
How to contact us about privacy:
If you have any questions about our privacy policy, the information we have collected from you online, the practices of this site or your interaction with this website, send email toinfo@equalitymaryland.org. You can also reach us via U.S. Mail at: Website Management, Equality Maryland, 1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Join us for a special event!
Lessons from the 2012 State Victories for Marriage Equality
Alliance for Justice is co-sponsoring an event with Human Rights Campaign to explore what activists, nonprofits, and funders can learn from last year's successful state campaigns in support of marriage equality. Panelists will discuss how they built coalitions, brought in new allies, and developed successful communication techniques and messages.
Panelists will also highlight key decisions that propelled their campaigns to victory and plans to leverage the relationships they’ve built with supporters and legislators moving forward.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
4:30 p.m.
A networking cocktail reception will follow
Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
RSVP at bit.ly/makingchangehappen
Speakers:
Marissa Brown, Alliance for Justice
Richard Carlbom, Minnesotans United for Marriage
Carrie Evans, Marylanders for Marriage Equality
Marty Rouse, Human Rights Campaign
Betsy Smith, Mainers United for Marriage
Tony Wagner, Human Rights Campaign & Washington United for Marriage
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First Unitarian Church of Baltimore and Free State Legal Project present:
From Stonewall toSecuring Marriage Rights:
What Does It Mean for Us?
Exploring the Legal Implications of Marriage for Gay Couples
A comprehensive overview of legal marriage in the State of Maryland for gay couples. Whether you are already married or just considering, esteemed attorneys Susan Francis and Susan Silber will walk you through everything you need to know before and after you walk down that aisle. Beyond romance, learn what those 1000+ contracts and responsibilities actually mean!
Topics to be discussed include:
DOMA– What is DOMA & Challenges to DOMA; Federal protections outside of DOMA; Considerations when not to marry – (Medicaid, other public benefits, immigration, continuation of prior spousal benefits).
MD Law Overview – 1000+ laws. How protected under MD law? What are protections, benefits, obligations? What is the effect of the federal government not recognizing your marriage? What are the consequences of other states not recognizing your marriage? Strategies to protect your family.
Marriage – Family Law Issues. License – how to marry, what if married elsewhere, what if have a civil union; Pre-nuptial agreements = clarify marital v. nonmarital property, simplify divorce process, collaborative or mediation dispute resolution; Domestic Partnership affidavit– specific benefits.
Protecting our Families. Wills, trusts, health care directive, POA, DP Affidavits, DP or PreNup Agreements
Protecting our Children. Second parent adoption, birth certificate with marriage (full faith & credit issues), problems with de facto/third party parent, donors, surrogacy.
Divorce Issues. Length of marriage, maintaining ties & friendships, DOMA (pension, tax, alimony); dissolution of civil unions/domestic partnerships.
OtherMD Marital Issues. Insurance; Employment – public & private; FMLA; Real Property – Tenants by entirety; Public benefits – Medicaid; Name changes; Taxes – joint – imputed state income; estate; inheritance; alimony & QDROs; transfers between spouses; mortgage interest; tax credit programs; Military & veteran benefits.
Saturday, June 8, 2013, 9am - noon
Enoch Pratt Parish Hall, 514 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
The seminar is free and open to the public. However, space is limited, so please respond to office@firstunitarian.net, or call 410-685-2330 to reserve your seat. Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance via email.
About the presenters:
Susan Francis is the Foreclosure Prevention Project Manager at the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS). She formerly was an Associate at Silber, Perlman, Sigman and Tilev; and theFamily Law Research Specialist at the Administrative Office of the Courts, Department of Family Administration. She graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2011. She was a member of Law Review and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society for Leadership. She has interned at the Public Justice Center, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Susan has a B.S. and M.S. in Journalism from Ohio University. She served as Development and Communications Director for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing for twelve years and was most recently the Development Director forEquality Maryland. She serves on the Board of Directors of Free State LegalProject and the Public Justice Center. She has co-written with Ms. Silber several articles on gay marriage for the Washington Blade, the Maryland Domestic Law Reporter, and the Equality Maryland marriage FAQs on their webpage, and has conducted various workshops on the intersection of family law and LGBT families. Susan and her wife, Sandy, were married in Ontario, Canada in 2004. susanfrancis@gmail.com
Susan Silber has dedicated her legal career of over 30 years to advancing the rights of all families, including a focus on same-sex families. Susan founded the law firm of Silber, Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, PA, which is a full service, community-based law firm located in Takoma Park, Maryland. She is an experienced attorney in family, employment, civil rights, and municipal law, and has served as the City Attorney for Takoma Park for 30 years.
In addition to drafting, counseling, negotiation, and litigation, Susan is an experienced mediator and collaborative attorney. She has assisted hundreds of people incooperatively forming their families (e.g., second parent adoptions, livingtogether contracts, powers of attorney, medical directives, and parenting agreements). Sue has been featured on national television and is a frequent guest speaker. She has spoken extensively on Lesbian and Gay parenting issues, including custody, adoption, alternative fertilization, surrogacy, and documents helpful in protecting unmarried and same-sex families. Susan was named a Super Lawyer by her peers in Super Lawyers Magazine for both Maryland and Washington, DC.
Susan is a member of the National Family Law Advisory Council of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, currently serves on the board of Equality Maryland and the Divorce Roundtable, and is a past president of the LGBT Bar Association of Maryland. She was recently honored for her distinguished service by COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere), GAYLAW (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,Transgender Attorneys of Washington, DC), and her synagogue Bet Mishpachah.Susan’s children have two moms. Her family has been featured in three books and was interviewed by Barbara Walters for ABC’s “20/20”. silber@sp-law.com
Please join us the second sunday of every month for our Board Meeting.
Contact Vanessa, vanessa@equalitymaryland.org, for more information.
