EvaPaterson.com

The California Supreme Court ruled today that two people in a committed and loving relationship deserve the dignity and support that come with marriage.

We celebrate today’s decision as a historic triumph for fairness and opportunity in our society.  The Court has said that California is a place where everyone has the chance to realize his or her hopes and dreams.

When I think of this historic moment, I'm reminded of Mildred Loving, whose landmark 1967 case of Loving v. Virginia allowed two people of different races to marry.

She said last year on the 40th anniversary of the decision that she wasn't out to 'make a political statement or start a fight.' They were in love and they wanted to be married.

Mildred Loving was a woman of color and her husband-to-be Richard was white, and at that time people believed it was okay to keep them from marrying because of their ideas of who should marry whom.

The Equal Justice Society is committed to realizing the Constitution's promise for all Americans – which includes LGBT couples receiving fully equal treatment under our state’s marriage laws.

We are proud to be one of many organizations that filed friend of the court briefs supporting the parties in these cases that sought equal status under the law. And we applaud the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, ACLU and Equality California for their incredible efforts in turning a vision of fairness and opportunity into reality.

As a racial justice organization, we joined their efforts not only because it was right, but also because EJS strongly believes in working with others to ensure that the rights of all are expanded, rather than diminished, in our society.