Openly Lesbian, Illinois State Representative Deborah Mell will marry her fiance (Christin Baker) in Iowa. Mell announced her engagement on Chicago Public television last night. We wish them the absolute best!
We met Deb Mell one day in March 2004, when we all marched for equal marriage rights (photo above left was taken of us in the protest in March of 2004 and right is Deb Mell’s photo taken that same day). Mell, who was little known then, was arrested that day as we all did a sit-ins in Chicago’s city hall and Washington Avenue down the street from city hall and Daley Plaza. It was a small surprise to the police when they realize the woman they arrested is the daughter of a Chicago Alderman, sister of the First Lady of Illinois, at the time, Patricia Mell Blagojevich and of course sister-in-law of the infamous Governor Rod Blagojevich (now impeached).
According to Mell, she said she would use a point of personal privilege Wednesday on the state house floor in Springfield to spark conversation about marriage equality among her colleagues and the public. “I’m going to talk about Christin, and I’m going to talk about how we have built this life together, and how just being with her has made me a better person, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I want to get married in Illinois”
What a weekend! We were very happy to volunteer for Mayor Gavin Newsom for Lt. Governor for the weekend and it was one of the most organized ,volunteer operations we have participated in! Newsom isn’t just a candidate for the Gays and Lesbians of California, but he is for heathcare, teachers, nurses, jobs, environment, and education! Instead of concerning his administration about K-12, he gears his focus to PreK-16, making sure that everyone has the option to not only have a high school diploma, but a college degree as well. For the good of California, Newsom needs to be able to take his leadership from city to statewide.
Throughout the whole weekend, we met many great leaders, and bumping into friends. One of the highlights was being on the convention floor with each other listening to speakers, and then Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured right) came on stage and her words were inspiring. Speaker Pelosi spoke about the recent Obama Administration’s healthcare reform victory!
Parties and mingling followed and it was an honor to speak with all the candidates proudly as husband and husband!
Here is just a short clip from when Marcos was in the Eisenhower Express showchoir. He gets a close up 0:24 seconds in. Hope you enjoy, and enjoy Glee tonight!
Today marks our 7 year anniversary of when we first became a couple. The photo (above left) of the ‘in-process’ demolition of a black box theatre in Chicago is where we first met. I am so glad that we found this photo before it was completely gone…so many memories.
Frank left a note in my dressing room ,prior to my play, wishing me to ‘break a leg.’ We had our first date that night, February 27, 2003, and now here we are married, and working to progress our society so that others in our community can one day live without the protests, rallies, and petty interruptions of hate.
Walking under the awning labeled 1200, many surprises await for you. When we first were looking at places to marry, a recommendation came to us for the Sunset Marquis Hotel. Our jaws dropped at the beauty of this historic place set in the middle of the Sunset Strip.
Escape to this posh location colored with modern tones of browns, bright greens, and glistening tiles of pearlized hues of aqua remind you that you are in a unique and magnificent California Hotel.
We are so happy to be married here and we hope more get the opportunity to do so too.
Name tags: check
