Please help us celebrate a tremendous year of victories for LGBTQ New Yorkers this Saturday, July 13 at 1:30pm for Make the Road NY’s 8th Annual Bushwick Pride and Solidarity March! (RSVP and details on Facebook)

With last month’s Supreme Court decisions that invalidated the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop. 8, the Court not only expanded legal protections for LGBTQ families like my own, but also reaffirmed for us that in order to realize equality we must work to defeat legally sanctioned discrimination of all kinds:

One year ago, MRNY’s members joined thousands of families in a powerful silent march to highlight the devastating impact of the NYPD’s discriminatory policing on New York City’s communities of color. And, just last month our diverse coalition celebrated as the City Council voted to pass two unprecedented pieces of legislation that will protect LGBT, homeless, and immigrant New Yorkers from police discrimination and give them a meaningful mechanism to enforce their rights.

This year, MRNY’s members are also marching promote state-level legislation that would end the use of condoms as evidence of prostitution and also protect LGBTQ workers against discrimination in the workplace.

As we continue to fight for LGBTQ civil rights, every day we celebrate the strides of our movement in transforming the consciousness of our own communities. Over the last year we’ve partnered with 15 high schools to launch Gay-Straight Alliances and anti-bullying education. And, we’ve helped hundreds of community members access health care, insurance and HIV testing.

We need your help to continue to elevate the voices of immigrant LGBTQ youth, workers, and parents while strengthening connections between our many different struggles for justice, respect and dignity in America.

Join us at 1:30 on Saturday at 301 Grove Street, Brooklyn, rain or shine! (Google map)

Click here to RSVP on Facebook. (Barbecue and local talent after the march)

-Ana Maria