Courage Campaign Statement on "Prepare to Prevail" Letter

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2009

LOS ANGELES – Courage Campaign chair and founder Rick Jacobs issued the following statement today regarding an open letter released by API Equality, HONOR PAC and the Jordan Rustin Coalition on Monday, July 13:

“We welcome the ‘Prepare to Prevail’ letter from API Equality, HONOR PAC, the Jordan Rustin Coalition and so many others as an honest, open contribution to the deliberations through which the community is participating.

“The ‘Prepare to Prevail’ letter, along with Love Honor Cherish’s compelling statement on moving forward in 2010, is part of a healthy, vigorous debate that should help to inform the community as we begin the process of choosing the best path to victory.

“We encourage everyone engaged in this movement to put forward their portions of the road map to victory so that together, we can all win.

“Back in May, we asked our members to vote on which year — 2010 or 2012 — the Courage Campaign should support going back to the ballot to restore marriage equality. The response was overwhelming — 82.5% expressed support for a 2010 ballot measure.

“The Courage Campaign is doing its part by helping to build an electoral road map to victory, as are several other organizations that are laying the groundwork necessary to win back marriage equality. It is our responsibility to our members, who overwhelmingly told us that they want to go to the ballot in 2010, and it is our responsibility to the marriage equality community.”

“That’s why the Courage Campaign announced support for a 2010 initiative in May. While we respect other organizations discussing and deliberating this very important question, we have been building the infrastructure to win marriage equality rights at the ballot box sooner, rather than later. Our members are ready to do the hard work needed to win.

“Since January, the Courage Campaign has been training and empowering marriage equality activists across the state at ‘Camp Courage’ training events as well as building 44 “Equality Teams” in 23 counties across California — serving the organizations and individuals that are fueling the movement toward marriage equality.

“The Courage Campaign has been laying the groundwork for a victorious campaign by conducting intensive training, coordinating online, mobilizing volunteers, partnering with progressive organizations and building infrastructure for the long-term.

“We are leading the effort to train volunteers to become field organizers through Camp Courage training events. Modeled after Camp Obama, these intensive one or two-day programs have been instrumental in channeling the enthusiasm of activists into effective action. More than 700 activists have been trained in Los Angeles, Fresno, San Diego and Oakland. Some of the lead co-sponsors of Camp Courage include the Human Rights Campaign, CREDO Mobile, Dr. Bill Resnick, HONOR PAC and the Dolby Family.

“Several more Camp Courage trainings are planned over the next year. The next Camp Courage will take place in East Los Angeles on August 1-2. Several community organizations will be co-hosting Camp Courage East Los Angeles, including API Equality LA, Bienestar, California Faith for Equality, Equal Roots, HONOR PAC, Latino Equality Alliance, Somos Familia, and The Wall Las Memorias Project.

http://www.couragecampaign.org/CampCourage

 “The Courage Campaign is using the same online organizing toolset (Blue State Digital and the Voter Activation Network) that the Obama campaign used to contact, identify, and persuade voters. The project aims to put well-supported voter file technology and voter contact tools directly in the hands of marriage equality activists. The shared database of the VAN, as well as the tools found at the Courage Campaign’s Equality Hub, allow for coordinated field efforts to maximize one-on-one contact with voters.

http://www.couragecampaign.org/EqualityHub

“We are dedicated to building a permanent online and offline progressive political infrastructure. We have full-time field staff located across California supporting the efforts of 44 volunteer Equality Teams.

“Since the first Camp Courage in January, volunteer organizers have been talking with voters one-on-one in 23 counties, including 7 in the Central Valley and Sierra Foothills — counties where Prop 8 passed by significant margins. So far, these Equality Teams have participated in 128 events statewide since March — including canvasses, trainings, and phone banks — with more events taking place every week. These teams will be the backbone of any future campaign effort to repeal Prop 8.

http://www.couragecampaign.org/EqualityTeams

“Courage also has partnered with nearly 100 progressive organizations to promote Meet in the Middle for Equality, a major rally that drew thousands to Fresno in the immediate aftermath of the California Supreme Court’s ruling on Prop 8.

“The Courage Campaign believes that by training community organizers and sharing resources like staff support and access to the voter file, we can win in 2010 — not just in Los Angeles, or San Francisco, but in the heartland of California.”