“What exactly is Equality for All and how is it related to The Center Advocacy Project? Who’s involved in the campaign? What’s happening locally? Where should I go if I want to get involved? How can I help?” These are the questions I’ve been hearing lately.

Equality for All is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals who have formed one of California’s’ most strategic and effective collaborations and is devoted to defeating the marriage amendment. The executive committee leading Equality for All is comprised of California’s leading GLBT organizations and involves their highest levels of leadership.

The coalition is dedicated to working to defeat any ballot measure that would allow discrimination against GLBT Californians and deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. Additionally, Equality for All has hired a team of consultants to help defeat the proposed amendment. Dale Kelly Bankhead is the campaign manager, Steve Smith of the Dewey Square Group is the lead campaign consultant and Ogilvy Public Relations, Worldwide will lead the media effort.

The Center Advocacy Project Issues PAC is a member of the Equality for All coalition and is the San Diego clearinghouse for the fight to defeat the proposed anti-marriage amendment. It is part of a separate, nonpartisan 501(C) 4 formed by The San Diego LGBT Community Center to allow us to more fully engage the fight.

San Diego is a key area in the fight against the marriage ban – in fact, many believe the statewide fight will be won or lost in San Diego County. Because of this simple fact, it is essential that we mobilize here in San Diego. Read on for a few ideas about how you can help.

This campaign will require that we match the extremists dollar for dollar and they have already begun! It is vital that we collect every $5, $50, $500 or $5,000 donation that we can, as quickly as we can. Visit www.centeradvocacy.org to donate today (donations are not tax deductible). One hundred percent of donations are put toward fighting the marriage ban.

From helping on the street to office database entry, we have a role for you. If you are interested in helping please visit www.centeradvocacy.org and sign up to volunteer. This week the first San Diego Vow to Vote No campaign committee met to begin the local work. Sponsored by The Center Advocacy Project Social Issues PAC and under the leadership of Tom Felkner, Andrea Villa, and Sid Voorakkara, scores of community members met to volunteer to help. Interested in joining? Please e-mail Caroline Dessert at cdessert@thecentersd.org to volunteer. We need your time, creativity, and talent!

Vow to Vote No on the Marriage Ban at www.equalityforall.com and then forward it to at least five friends and family members.

Get the latest information on the marriage equality campaign at www.centeradvocacy.org or www.equalityforall.com. Also, link your Facebook page to one million strong for marriage equality. Visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14430389076.

Instead of yet another toaster, many long-term couples who are marrying before November are asking their guests, friends and families to help them protect their marriage by defeating the Marriage Amendment. In lieu of gifts, they are requesting that guests make donations to www.centeradvocacy.org. To accomplish this, they simply add a line to their invitations that says: “In lieu of gifts, please consider making a donation to fight the California marriage amendment. Go to www.centeradvocacy.org and select the wedding gift option.”