A literary voice revered globally for her poetic command and her commitment to civil rights has fallen silent, reports CNN. Maya Angelou died at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Wednesday, said her literary agent, Helen Brann. Angelou had been “frail” and suffering from heart problems, the agent said. Angelou’s legacy is twofold. She…
Today U.S. District Judge John E. Jones, III ruled that Pennsylvania’s law banning marriage equality is unconstitutional. Pennsylvania becomes the tenth state where a federal judge has struck down a marriage ban since the U.S. Supreme Court issued their two marriage-related rulings last year. Just yesterday a federal judge in Oregon struck down that state’s…
U.S. District Judge Michael McShane has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in two consolidated marriage cases challenging Oregon’s ban on marriage equality, known as Measure 36. Judge McShane’s is the latest in a string of rulings striking down state laws or constitutional amendments that ban marriage for same-sex couples. The cases were both filed…
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Opera’s Board of Directors voted today to rescind the decision to close the Company after nearly two months of careful analysis, deliberation and fundraising. The Company originally announced its closure and the sale of its assets on March 19, 2014. The original closure date was scheduled to occur on April…
Michael Sam became the first openly gay athlete in the NFL. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams. Madison Square Garden was almost empty. Why? No one stays around for the last 50 picks. The spin with ESPN sportscasters began immediately. First, they were saying his numbers did not qualify him for the NFL,…
SAN DIEGO – As San Diego Opera nears its $1 million fundraising goal from the community ahead of the May 19, 2014, deadline, a group of donors have announced a matching gift challenge to invite the community to double the impact of their contribution to San Diego Opera’s 2015 season. Board Members Gloria Rasmussen and…
Today, TIME Magazine unveiled its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Among the notable inclusions was Jason Collins for his brave step decision to come out while still active in a major U.S. sports league. Chelsea Clinton, a friend of Collins’ since their days at Stanford University, wrote the article about…
LOS ANGELES — Equality California, the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization in California, announced today that its executive director, John O’Connor, will step down in July following a successful, 18-month tenure leading EQCA through a period of extensive organizational transition. EQCA also announced that board member Rick Zbur, a senior partner…
Today, U.S. District Judge Timothy Black struck down part of a constitutional amendment in Ohio that denies gay couples the freedom to marry and withholds legal respect for gay couples who have gotten married. He ordered the state to treat couples married elsewhere like any other couples who marry out of state — as married….
The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to decide if a New Mexico wedding photographer was within her rights when she refused to take photographs at a same-sex commitment ceremony. Without giving any reasons , the court said it would not review a decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court that the denial of service violated…
