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What We Have Accomplished... |
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Equality Hawaii has devoted significant resources in Hawaii to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. This page details our accomplishments since 2008. Mahalo to all the members, investors and stakeholders who have donated time, money, expertise and aloha to help us realize our vision of a Hawaii where all LGBT people and their families have equal treatment in all aspects of life. |
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 Legislative Action: Civil Unions, Gender Identity/Expression & Safe Schools... • Collaborated with House leadership in 2008 to secure support for civil unions, gave input on the content of the bill and coordinated a strategy for its passage all the way through to Gov. Abercrombie's signing in February of 2012. More Details >> • Advocated for HB2227, a bill that will streamline the process for which gender markers are changed on birth certificates. During this process, Equality Hawaii educated numerous legislators on issues important to our transgender members. This bill is now scheduled for conference committee. • Assisted in the drafting of HB2569, a bill that addresses administrative "fixes" to the civil unions bill. This bill is also scheduled for conference committee. • Attended meetings with Senate officials dedicated to crafting the 2012 anti-bullying bill. • Prepared education packets on civil unions that were distributed to all legislators. • Hired professional lobbyists in 2010 and 2011 to represent Equality Hawaii's voice at the Capitol. • Worked with Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and national allies to launch three patch-through phone campaigns resulting in thousands of phone calls to legislators. • Participated in the Governor's Civil Unions Implementation Task Force to ensure a seamless transition for couples entering into a civil union. • Launched more than 200 action alerts asking our members to take action, resulting in more than 300,000 e-mails, phone calls, letters and personal communications with legislators between the civil unions campaign's launch in 2008 and the bill's signage into law in February of 2012. See Action Alerts >> • Provided members and allies the tools to rapidly thank legislators after every key vote, resulting in more than 3,000 e-mails and 800 personal mahalo visits to legislators in 2011 and 2012. One House member even commented "I have never gotten as many 'thank yous' as I did for civil unions.'" See Action Alerts >> • Invested nearly 25,000 hours in volunteer time at the Capitol between 2009 and 2012. • Organized the Light The Night For Equality candlelight vigil after the civil unions bill stalled in the Senate. Attracting 1,000 people, it was the state's first large public display of unity between Native Hawaii, LGBT and faith communities. • Assisted couples entering into civil unions with expediting their paperwork during the New Year holiday. See Action Alert >> • Took steps to ensure a proposed Constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between only a man and a women did not advance. • Partnered with HRC to coordinate a clergy media conference and lobby day in 2009 and 2010 to raise awareness with legislators that civil unions are supported by many in the faith community. |
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Media Coordination: • Worked with Human Rights Campaign to generate earned media to increase awareness and support among legislators and the public. • Generated more the 175 letters to the editor in support of civil unions. • Generated hundreds of positive media reports from television, radio, print and on-line sources. • Commissioned a poll in 2009 to gauge public support of civil unions and marriage equality. The poll reflected a movement in the public's attitudes towards supporting marriage equality. These findings were widely distributed to the media and legislators. • Realized 15 op-eds submitted and printed in support of civil unions. • Witnessed front-page placement of the civil unions issue in state newspapers more than 25 times in 36 months. • Witnessed civil unions endorsed by every major print publication in the state. • Purchased $6,000 in radio advertising in 2009, resulting in $30,000 in radio time. • Purchased more than $20,000 in advertising in both daily and weekly publications in 2009 when the civil unions bill stalled in the Senate. • Launched action alerts to support the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) to allow Americans in bi-national relationships to sponsor their same-sex partner for citizenship. See Action Alert >> • Responded to media inquiries from across the globe, resulting in coverage in the United States, New Zealand, Europe, Japan, China, Canada, Australia and South America. • Developed a Web site that earns more than 40,000 visits with more than 76,000 page views a year. |
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• Grew our membership from 40 to nearly 7,000 members in just four years, making Equality Hawaii the state's largest LGBT advocacy organization. • Submitted testimony and testified in person for all bills affecting the LGBT community, including civil unions, safe schools, employment discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression and fertilization coverage by insurance companies for unmarried couples. • Sparked nearly 500 constituent e-mails to federal officials for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). • Provided technical assistance to other grassroots organizations on implementing on-line constituent management systems. |
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Our Mission, Vision & Purpose