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Freedom to Marry Welcomes New Program Director Rodney McKenzie

Rodney McKenzie to strengthen and support nationwide marriage equality efforts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 31, 2005

PRESS CONTACT:
Samiya Bashir
Tel: 212-851-8418 x.6, Mobile: 917-617-8660
Email: samiya@freedomtomarry.org

New York, NY (August 31, 2005): As the debate over ending the exclusion of lesbian and gay couples from marriage continues around the country, Freedom to Marry proudly announced today the appointment of Rodney McKenzie to the position of Program Director.

"Recent polling from both the Pew Research Center and the Public Policy Institute of California highlight the trend toward increased support for equal marriage rights. At this encouraging moment Freedom to Marry is committed to helping our gay and non-gay partners envision and pursue a way to secure marriage equality in every state," said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry.

"Rodney is the perfect candidate for working with Freedom to Marry's growing coalition of gay and non-gay voices, leaders and families," Wolfson continued. "Through his leadership we will continue to engage people in dialogue that explores how ending marriage discrimination helps children, families and communities. Rodney brings the kind of campaign strategy, organizing, and coalition-building experience that will help us win equality state-to-state and across the country. Rodney is highly regarded by both activists and movement leaders and I am excited to have him join our leadership team."

Before coming to Freedom to Marry, McKenzie served as a Project Director for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Organizing and Training Department. At the Task Force, McKenzie was responsible for supervising Senior Field Organizers, and working with state and local partners to train thousands of activists each year in campaign organizing and leadership skills. He played a key role in defeating historic anti-gay ballot measures in Miami, Florida; Tacoma, Washington; and Ypsilanti, Michigan. Most recently, he was the Deputy Field Director for the "No on 36" Campaign, which fought to win marriage equality in Oregon. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, McKenzie earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas. He will start at Freedom to Marry in early September.

"I am honored to join the dedicated, diverse and talented team at Freedom to Marry," said McKenzie. "My life, as an out black gay man, has been devoted to achieving equal rights for all people. Giving the American people the chance to see the real faces, hear the real stories, and understand the real issues at stake in our attempt to achieve fairness for our families is an opportunity that I am eager to embrace. I am excited about continuing to empower voices around the country to speak out in favor of fairness and move America forward in its promise of democracy, freedom and justice for all of our people."

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Freedom to Marry is the gay and non-gay partnership working to win marriage equality nationwide. Launched in 2003, Freedom to Marry is headed by Evan Wolfson, nationally recognized as a central "architect of the marriage equality movement." Freedom to Marry guides and focuses this social justice movement on a nationwide level, serving as a strategy and support center for national, state, and local partners, a catalyst that drives and shapes the national debate on marriage equality, and an alliance-builder fostering support from non-gay allies.