Civil Rights and Marriage Equality

The California State Conference of the NAACP is hosting a Town Hall meeting on “Civil Rights and Marriage Equality: a Forum on Same Gender Marriage” on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008 at the University of Southern California, Davidson Conference Center, Embassy Room, 3415 South Figueroa St. in Los Angeles from 6-8 p.m. Former Speaker of the California Assembly and former Mayor of San Francisco, Attorney Willie Brown, will moderate a lively discussion between panelists and audience regarding this civil rights issue. Actor Doug Spearman (“Noah’s Arc,” “Jumping the Broom”) and Rev. Eric Lee, president of SCLC of Greater Los Angeles will also share their perspectives.
Alice Huffman, president of the California NAACP, stated, ” When the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the same right to benefits of a civil marriage as opposite-sex couples, the NAACP hailed this as a fair ruling that advances the cause of social justice and equality to all citizens of California. The NAACP advocates that equality under the law is the right of all people no matter the racial background, ethnic identity, religious beliefs, and gender of the individual. This philosophy is important to share with our brothers and sisters in the African American community.”
Huffman further stated, “This forum is the first of its kind in the Los Angeles African American community and we look forward to a lively, profound, and intellectual discussion of an issue that affects many African American families.”