In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Robin McGehee, Lead Organizer of Meet in the Middle 4 Equality, about their first statewide demonstration following the California Supreme Court rulings which upheld the ban on gay marriage. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) advocates & allies gathered in Fresno, California Saturday, May 30th in solidarity to support full federal equality. This all-inclusive event brought supporters of social justice & equality from across California & ask them to renew their dedication to fight for the rights of LGBT individuals who currently struggle to have their rights protected. Progressive leaders & activists set goals for a new movement which will call upon organizers & attendees to continue the fight & call upon the Obama administration & the federal government to provide full equality to LGBT individuals. Meet in the Middle is the beginning of a civil rights movement for today’s generation. In a symbolic sign of respect to the social movements of the past & present, the event began with a 5 hour, 14.5 mile Equality March from Selma, California to downtown Fresno, California. The march & rally are the result of a major grassroots effort, modeled after President Obama’s campaign relying on the Internet & word of mouth. Traditionally, the LGBT rights movement has concentrated efforts in major metropolitan cities, but California voter demographics from November 2008 reflect that this approach did not garner the expected results. Consequently, organizers for Meet in the Middle have created an inward-working-out geographic strategy based upon the belief that the “Selma” or “Montgomery” of the LGBT rights movement will be in smaller communities needing equality education, resources and support – communities like Fresno which are at the epicenter of middle-American values. McGehee was one of the 18, 000 gay couples legally married in California in 2008.
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