RSVP today. Seating is limited!

On August 9th, over 175 people came together in Los Angeles at the "Next Steps Working Meeting" to begin the work of establishing a signature gathering effort to repeal Proposition 8 in 2010. The attendees, from all walks of life, all affinity groups, both gay and straight, agreed that no matter when Proposition 8 gets on the ballot, the campaign to end legal discrimination was beginning that day. Steve Hildebrand, deputy campaign manager during Barack Obama's successful 2008 bid for president, urged the attendees of the August 9th meeting to quickly establish a structure for the campaign. Attendees took this warning seriously, and agreed to meet again, by the end of August, to prepare that structure.

You are invited to join people from all over California at the "Working Together for Equality" Interim Organizational Structure & Signature Gathering Meeting on August 29th, at San Francisco State University. Three key goals have been established for the meeting:

1. Establish an interim administrative body, elected by the attendees, which will form the PAC necessary to raise funds for the upcoming campaign;
2. Develop a statewide leadership and organizational structure for grassroots communication and decision-making, for the purposes of the signature gathering effort;
3. Continue the important work of building bridges across the entire statewide community of LGBT & allied activists who are committed to overturning Proposition 8.

Special guest speaker: Ace Smith, campaign veteran campaign strategist based in San Francisco who led Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary campaign in California, Texas and North Carolina, winning in both California and Texas despite being considerably outspent by the opposition. In 2005, Smith managed Antonio Villaraigosa's underdog campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles. Despite being outspent by over $1 million in the primary campaign, Villaraigosa beat the incumbent mayor, James Hahn by 11%, and went on to rack up a 19-point lead in the general election. He will bring a wealth of knowledge and campaign experience to the event!

We urge you to register your seat now. This critical event will have a huge impact on the future of the campaign to repeal Proposition 8, and to ensure that your voice is heard, you must be there. Everyone who is dedicated to working for marriage equality is is welcome to join us, regardless of your opinion on whether 2010, or 2012, is the best time to return to the ballot to restore our rights.

The decision-making method for this meeting will be to recognize one vote for each organization or local chapter of an organization, but all organizations are welcome (and encouraged!) to send observers to caucus with their chosen delegate and network with the other community organizers who are present. You do not have to be affiliated with a group to attend.

If you would like to propose organizational structure ideas for discussion, please send summaries to Sara Beth Brooks, as she is compiling a list for the agenda. The deadline to submit your idea for proposal is 9am PST Tuesday, August 25.

Your early registration ensures that you will receive related announcements and a copy of the agenda when it is finalized.

It’s time to work together. Juntos podemos. Together we can!

RSVP today. Seating is limited!