Causa Aplaude La Decision Federal Que Declara Inconstitucional La Prohibicion Del Matrimonio Entre Parejas Del Mismo Sexo En Oregon

CAUSA APLAUDE LA DECISION FEDERAL QUE DECLARA INCONSTITUCIONAL LA PROHIBICION DEL MATRIMONIO ENTRE PAREJAS DEL MISMO SEXO EN OREGON

SALEM. ORE. (5/20/2014) - Ayer un juez Federal fallo que la enmienda del estado de Oregon, prohibiendo el matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo, es inconstitucional. La prohibicion fue puesta en efecto en el 2004 por una enmienda constitucional pasada por los votantes.

Durante muchos anos, Causa Oregon ha apoyado la igualdad para las parejas gay y lesbianas. Nosotros reconocemos que las personas gay y lesbianas,son una parte integral de la comunidad Latina inmigrante. Como una organizacion que lucha para mantener a las familias juntas por medio de la Reforma Inmigratoria, nosotros vemos el matrimonio como otra herramienta para fortalecer, proveer seguridad y mantener a las familias inmigrantes juntas.

Causa Oregon aplaude el fallo hecho por el Juez Federal Michael Mc Shane haciendo posible ahora que las parejas del mismo sexo de Oregon se casen.

"Estamos euforicos por la noticia de que la Corte Federal de Oregon ha demolido la enmienda que negaba a parejas enamoradas y comprometidas la libertad de casarse", dijo Andrea Miller, Directora Ejecutiva de Causa Oregon.

"Esta es una gran victoria por la igualdad y para las parejas del mismo sexo y sus familias en Oregon. Ayer, el amor triunfo verdaderamente.",

Miller agrego:" Las leyes del matrimonio proveen una red de seguridad legal para las parejas casadas y sus hijos. Y este es ciertamente el caso de muchas parejas bi-nacionales del mismo sexo, donde un integrante es un ciudadano americano y el otro es un inmigrante. Cuando la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos anuló la Ley de Defensa del Matrimonio (DOMA), el derecho a solicitar la residencia permanente permite a las parejas bi-nacionales consecutivos, se hizo extensivo a las parejas del mismo sexo binacionales. Esta fue una gran victoria, ahora las parejas binacionales del mismo sexo sean tratados con igualdad bajo la ley federal de inmigración. La decision de ayer asegura que todas las parejas en una relacion de compromiso, tienen la libertad de casarse y tener acceso igualitario a los beneficios legales que provee el matrimonio."

La decision de la Corte se puso en efecto ayer inmediatamente y cientos de parejas gay y lesbianas alrededor de Oregon estan compartiendo el gozo de la libertad para casarse.

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Causa, la organizacion de Oregon por los derechos de los inmigrantes es miembro de la Coalicion Unida por el matrimonio/ Comunidades de Color Unidas por el Matrimonio, y la mas grande defensora de los derechos civiles y humanos  de los Latinos en el Pacifico Noroeste. Nosotros trabajamos para defender y avanzar los derechos de los inmigrantes a traves de la coordinacion con coaliciones y aliados locales, estatales y nacionales. Para mas informacion visite: www.causaoregon.org

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Causa Applauds Federal Ruling Declaring Oregon's Marriage Ban for Same Sex Couples Unconstitutional

May 20, 2014

Causa Applauds Federal Ruling Declaring Oregon's Marriage Ban for Same Sex Couples Unconstitutional

Salem, Ore. – Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that Oregon's state amendment banning marriage for same-sex couples is unconstitutional. The ban was put in place in 2004 by a Constitutional Amendment passed by voters.

For many years, Causa Oregon has supported equality for gay and lesbian couples. We recognize that gays and lesbians are an integral part of the Latino immigrant community. As an organization that advocates to keep families together through immigration reform, we view marriage as another tool to strengthen, provide security and keep immigrant families together.

 Causa Oregon applauds the ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Michael McShane making it now possible for same-sex couples to get married in Oregon.

 “We are ecstatic at the news that the U.S. District Court of Oregon has struck down the amendment that denied loving and committed same-sex couples from the freedom to marry, said Andrea Miller, Executive Director of Causa Oregon. “This is a great victory for equality and for same-sex couples and their families in Oregon. Yesterday, love truly won” Miller added,

“Marriage laws provide a safety net of legal and economic protections for married couples and their children. And, this is certainly the case for many bi-national same-sex couples, where one spouse is a U.S. Citizen and the other spouse is an immigrant. When the United States Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the right to petition for permanent residency allowed to straight bi-national couples, was extended to same-sex bi-national couples. This was a huge victory, now bi-national same-sex couples are treated equally under federal immigration law. Yesterday's ruling ensures that all committed couples have the freedom to marry in Oregon and gain equal access to the legal benefits that marriage provides.”

 The court's ruling went into effect immediately yesterday and already, hundreds of loving gay and lesbian couples around Oregon are sharing in the joys of the freedom to marry.

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Causa, Oregon's Statewide Immigrant Rights Organization is a member of the Oregon United for Marriage Coalition / Communities of Color United for Marriage and the largest Latina and Latino civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit www.causaoregon.org

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Causa’s LGBT work featured in short film and mentioned in NYT article

June 12, 2012

Salem, Ore. -- We have two great announcements to make about Causa's work with the Latino Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Bisexual (LGBT) Community.

First of all, we are happy to announce that a video created by Lara Media featuring Causa’s LGBT work won the Short Film Competition at the 2012 St. Louis Jewish Film Festival.

The short film, La Causa es Justa (Just Cause) can be view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pn8wJxZBfM&feature=player_embedded

Jeremy Cropf , Megan Garbayo and the team at Lara Media are working on a longer version of the film, which we will send out once it’s complete.

Another great announcement is that the work Basic Rights Oregon has been doing with Causa Oregon around LGBT Equality made it on the front page of the Sunday New York Times.

Here is the segment from the article, "Black Leaders and Gay Advocates March in Step":

"After Oregon voters in 2004 approved an amendment banning same-sex marriage, with the major group supporting the amendment using an African-American talk show host as its spokeswoman, a gay rights organization called Basic Rights Oregon decided to review its own lack of diversity and its failure to form close relationships with minority communities, according to its executive director, Jeana Frazzini.

It deepened a relationship with a Latino immigrant rights group, Causa. Since then, Basic Rights Oregon has fought local anti-immigrant ballot measures and pushed at the state level for illegal immigrants to be able to get driver’s licenses and, for those who came to this country as children, to pay in-state tuition at public universities. Causa and Basic Rights Oregon have also joined forces to run an ad on Spanish-language radio to promote legalizing same-sex marriage.

In the ad, a woman describes how she and her husband struggled to accept their gay son, then says that she does not want him to face discrimination when he finds someone to marry.

“As a Latina, I believe in loving my neighbor, in treating others as we would like to be treated, and in never turning our backs on family,” the woman says. “Marriage has brought so much happiness to my life, and I wouldn’t want any member of anyone’s family — gay or straight — to be denied that chance at happiness.”

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/nyregion/black-leaders-and-gay-advocates-find-ways-to-march-in-step.html?_r=2

We would like to thank Lara Media, Causa LGBT Latin@s and Friends Group in Salem and Portland and would like to recognize and extend a big thank-you to all our allies in our LGBT organizing efforts including Basic Rights Oregon, Gill Foundation, and Western States Center.

Causa staff encuentro with Basic Rights Oregon

Causa LGBT Latin@s & Friends Group at May Day 2012

To continue supporting Causa’s work, please join us at Zocalo Night 2012 happening on Friday, June 22nd in Salem.  Tickets can be purchased by linking here or by visiting http://www.zocalonight.com/

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Radio Show gives Latino LGBT Community a Voice

New Radio Show gives Latino LGBT Community a Voice

Salem, Ore.-- A new radio show has taken to the airwaves giving a voice to Oregon’s Latino Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community. The host of the new show is Christian Baeff, Causa’s LGBT Alliance Building Coordinator.

"La Voz de Todos" is a weekly radio show that gives the Latino LGBT community and their allies a voice to express their opinions on the latest immigration and LGBT related news” said Baeff. “It’s also a space to have fun, share stories, listen to the lastest hits and some oldies”

“La Voz de Todos” airs every Wednesday at 4pm.on 95.9 FM Radio Movimiento in the Woodburn area. The live online steam can also be heard by visiting www.pcun.org/radio/listen

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Equality Assembly to take place on October 5th in Portland

September 20, 2011

Equality Assembly to take place on October 5th in Portland

Portland, Ore. -- On October 5th, in collaboration with Vecinos de Alerta, SOMOS, PPE, and La Iglesia de San Miguel, Causa, Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Organization will hold an Equality Assembly in Portland. This event is part of a campaign to speak to local leaders and raise awareness about issues important to the Latino Community.

What: Portland Equality Assembly
When: Wednesday, October 5th from 6-8 p.m.
Where: Rigler School, 5401 NE Prescott St, Portland Oregon

Local elected leaders will be present to hear testimony from community members in support of:

•  Stopping local law enforcement collaboration with ICE
•  Passing Tuition Equity, so all Oregon students can afford higher education, regardless of immigration status
• Supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members of our community
• Restoring driver’s license access to all Oregonians, regardless of immigration status

For more information about this event, please contact Aeryca Steinbauer at 503-488-0259 or aeryca@causaoregon.org.

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Causa, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Organization, is the largest Hispanic civil and human rights and grassroots advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies.

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Two Groups, One Cause: "Freedom to Marry" Campaign Launches in OR

Two Groups, One Cause: "Freedom to Marry" Campaign Launches in OR

August 30, 2011
Chris Thomas, Public News Service - OR
AUDIO: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/mp3.php?f=rss-21917-1.mp3

PORTLAND, Ore. - The focus is on what unites people, rather than what divides them, in a new campaign in Oregon to promote strong families, no matter what their members' sexual orientations. The immigrants' rights group CAUSA, and Basic Rights Oregon, which advocates for GLBT Oregonians, have launched a new campaign to prompt discussion among Latinos about the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.

Francisco Lopez, executive director of CAUSA, says it's a matter of human rights, already a familiar challenge to immigrants in Oregon.

"We have been struggling for equality for these many years. But we want equality for everybody in the Latino community, regardless of the color of your skin, you know, or your sexual orientation, and that's what we're doing. And this is something that we Latinos understand very very well."

Lopez says the campaign, called "Our Families," includes radio ads, community forums and leadership development in the GLBT community.

In the most recent poll by the Pew Research Center, 41 percent of Hispanics in the United States favor same-sex marriage and 47 percent oppose it, a gap that has narrowed in the past few years.

Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, says the two groups have worked together before, but it's usually been in the face of having to defend their rights against conservative political efforts.

"There have been many years of anti-gay and anti-immigrant ballot measures in Oregon, and so to be doing something that's positive and affirming, and on our own terms, is very fulfilling."

Frazzini says they're still considering whether to put same-sex marriage to a vote on the Oregon ballot in 2012, and that advocates will do so only if they believe there's a reasonable expectation of success. The going could be tough, however, with such groups as the National Organization for Marriage supporting a federal constitutional amendment "defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F21917-1

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May Day Celebration at Oregon State Capitol on Sunday

Join members of the Latino, Immigrant, Faith, Labor and LGBT Communities, Students and others at the Oregon State Capitol in commemoration of May Day, or International Worker's Day on Sunday, May 1st at 10:30am. Read more here

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Family Research Council Wants LGBT Americans Exported

Today, while discussing the Family Research Council’s opposition to the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), Peter Sprigg, vice president of policy at FRC, had this to say:

"I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them into the United States because we believe homosexuality is destructive to society."

Immigration Equality, a national organization that works to end discrimination in U.S. immigration law, to reduce the negative impact of that law on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive people, and helps obtain asylum for those persecuted in their home country based on their sexual orientation, transgender identity or HIV-status responded to FRC’s callous comment by saying:

Unfortunately, the Family Research Council's preference to export lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans prevails. This policy continues to separate people who love each other, but of course Mr. Sprigg's group doesn't care about that.

I hope, however, that the Family Research Council realizes that when we 'export homosexuals' we also export talented men and women who have made incredible contributions to this country and its economy - THAT is 'destructive to society'. LGBT Americans who are forced into exile from this country are researchers for companies like GE and Pfizer, nurses in the Midwest, teachers in our inner cities and sons and daughters of aging parents who depend on them for care.

The Family Research Council might not care about our families but current immigration laws are 'destructive' to America and I hope that is something they do care about."

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