The Kameyas: A Story of Faith and Family

California Faith for Equality volunteers Harold and Ellen Kameya share their story about faith and their family:

Twenty-two years ago, our then 20-year old daughter Valerie told us she was gay. As Sansei from Hawaii, raised in a socially conservative Japanese American culture, Valerie’s announcement devastated us. At that time, we were woefully ignorant on issues of sexual orientation, including that being gay is not a choice. As part of that ignorance, we were saddened that we would never see our daughter get married or have a family.
. . .
In 1990, we were asked to share our experiences with a group of gay Asian Americans. That meeting was a turning point for us. After we spoke, we were moved by the tears on the faces of the audience.

Read more at Asian Pacific Americans for Progress.

Signoff from Maine

From the hospitality of Rev. Stephen Carnahan and his wife Judith to the 15 Bangor clergy who stood together for equality, my experience in Maine was overflowing with examples of hospitality, of kindness, and certainly of justice.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have supported Katy Jayne and the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry. A growing progressive voice of faith, the Coalition looks to California Faith for Equality as a model of faith-centered organizing for LGBTI equality.

As the model, CA Faith for Equality is responsible for supporting the work of the Coalition, and as a an organization of shared values, it is (read: we are) responsible for acting those values. To find out how you or your faith community can support the freedom to marry in Maine, contact Katy at kjayne@mclu.org.