Here’s a sampling of some of the posts he’s filed for RI Future over just the past two years that earned him this award.

• RI General Assembly still voting on marriage equality – July 9, 2015
• SCOTUS marriage equality decision celebrated in RI – June 27, 2015
• RI Pride is radicalized – June 22, 2015
• LGBT community protests Haven Brothers hate crime – May 4, 2015
• Rhode Island needs to repeal its RFRA – March 30, 2015
• Experts agree: Criminalizing HIV transmission a ‘backwards step’ – February 25, 2015
• Black and Pink sends holiday cards to LGBTQ prisoners – December 8, 2014
• Online hookup sites key to combating AIDS in RI – December 4, 2014
• Tobin, Stenhouse backpeddle on ‘thorny cultural issues’ – October 27, 2014
• SF archbishop’s decision to speak at anti-LGBT rally has RI roots – June 19, 2014
• Providence Renaissance Hotel lost its gay-friendly rating – May 19, 2014
• Is anti-gay therapist Dr. Cretella a therapist or not? – February 18, 2014
• Providence College postpones controversial LGBT lecturer – February 17, 2014
• Mass ‘hate groups’ focus attention elsewhere – November 12, 2013
• Hate groups not welcome – August 2, 2013
• Video: Marriage party at Providence City Hall – August 1, 2013
• Marriage equality is here! – July 31, 2013

Thanks for everything you do, Steve, for RI Future and for all the constituencies of Rhode Island and the world that are still fighting for the rights and privileges that you and me were born with. You are both a journalistic superhero, and a hero to me personally.

Monteiro, who has been on the front lines of the fight for gay rights in Rhode Island for decades, will be presented with the prestigious “Pyramid of Pride” award.

“Kate’s tireless advocacy for the state’s LGBT community dates back more than 30 years and while no one individual could ever be said to be the single leading light of the struggle for gay rights in Rhode Island, her name would unquestionably come up for consideration in any such discussion,” RI Pride said in a press release. “In 2015, the year that has seen nationwide legalization of gay marriage, it is only fitting that the Pyramid of Pride award should go to Kate Monteiro.”

Monteiro said of the honor,”It sounds like cliche to say I stand on the shoulders of giants. But the truth is I have been blessed to have been born and raised in this time and place – to be witness to such great changes, and to have worked shoulder to shoulder with so many great RI activists – a great number of the straight allies who took our cause as their own. You can’t ask for a better place to raise some hell than the Greatest Little State!”

Ahlquist, a journalist for RI Future and a well-respected community activist, is being honored with the “Spirit of Pride” award.

“Steve has tirelessly covered any and all LGBT events from marriage equality testimony in the Statehouse to rallies against hate  crimes and efforts to promote transgender health,” said RI Pride of Ahlquist. “His activism is by no means limited to the gay community as he also advocates workers’ rights, efforts against homelessness, and other social justice issues including those that affect women, racial minorities, and any other marginalized groups in the state.  Steve is primarily known as one of the founders of the Humanists of Rhode Island and was honored as their Humanist of the Year in 2014.  Rhode Island Pride takes great pleasure in following the Humanists and designating Steve Ahlquist as the recipient of the Spirit of Pride Award in 2015.”

Ahlquist said, “I am deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by RI PRIDE. I will treasure this award and let it remind me every day that there are countless people without voice seeking liberation and equality. I see it it as my duty, as a journalist, not to provide the voice, but to provide the microphone, the amplifier, through which these voices can be heard. I won’t stop.”

The gala will also feature food and live music. Click on the image for more information:

“In most states, you can get married on Saturday, post your wedding photos to Facebook on Sunday, and then get fired on Monday just because of who you are. This is completely wrong,” Cicilline said in a press conference. “Fairness and equality are core American values. No American citizen should ever have to live their lives in fear of discrimination.”

Currently, there are 31 states where it is legal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation, and deny them services, employment, or housing.

Cicilline, who is one of seven openly gay members of Congress, added that the Equality Act is common sense legislation that will help to resolve the current patchwork of anti-discrimination laws all over the country.

“Partial equality is not acceptable. It’s time for a comprehensive bill that protects LGBT Americans,” he said.

The Human Rights Campaign, a non-partisan LGBT advocacy group, found that 63 percent of LGBT individuals have been the targets of discrimination in their personal lives. LGBT students have also been made to feel unsafe at school- 82 percent have been verbally harassed, while 38 percent have been physically harassed.

Other members of Congress spoke on the bill as well. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D- WI) said that she believes America is ready for such a comprehensive step.

“No American should be at risk of being fired, evicted from their home, or denied services because of who they are, or who they love,” she said. “We also need to make sure that every American has a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families.”

Senator Cory Booker (D- NJ), said the act is based on purely American values, even if the reason for its existence isn’t very American at all.

“This legislation that we are introducing is something that resonates with the best of who we are as a nation,” he said. “But the need for this legislation reflects the worst of who we are.”

Representative John Lewis (D-GA) said the act is long overdue, and provides justice for LGBT Americans. He said it will provide them dignity and respect, without fear of being denied things they need for being who they are. Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) echoed these sentiments, saying that he hopes that Congress will take immediate action to pass the bill.

Many outside of government were invited to come share their stories about how they have been denied services just for being gay or transgender. One couple’s pediatrician would not treat their daughter just because they were lesbians, while a transgender man from Texas was fired from his job after being “outed.” Many advocacy groups showed their support as well, including the Human Rights Campaign, the Center for American Progress, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“This is a national problem that needs a national solution, and the Equality Act is that solution,” said Winnie Satchelberg, the Executive Vice President of the Center for American Progress.

Only 19 states provide employment and housing protections for LGBT Americans. 17 states prohibit public accommodation discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and four prohibit it based solely upon sexual orientation. Prohibitions for education discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity exist in 14 states.

The bill, long in the works, he said, would prevent states like Indiana from using so-called “religious liberty” laws to sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“Many of us started to feel that the time had come to approach LGBT equality in a different way,” Cicilline said. “Why aren’t we putting together a comprehensive bill that prohibits discrimination against the LGBT community, period? We looked at a variety of federal protections that exist in the civil rights area based on race, and gender, and ethnic origin and religious tradition … why don’t we just add sexual orientation and gender identity to those existing categories that are protected from discrimination.”

Cicilline is co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus and, according to a press release, “one of six openly gay Members of the U.S. House of Representatives.” When asked about Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), he said: “The law permits discrimination, which it should not. It should be repealed.”

When I asked Cicilline about Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s attempt to “clarify” the new law, Cicilline said, “It’s very hard to enact a law that discriminates against people or permits discrimination based on sexual orientation and then try to clarify that away.”

I also asked Cicilline if he’s ever been the victim of discrimination based on his sexual orientation. Listen to the full interview to find out what he said:

Too many of us think of AIDS as something that occurred in the past, and see it as a manageable, if unfortunate disease that is well on its way to being eradicated.

The truth is that as of 2012, over 1591 Rhode Islanders has died because of this epidemic. Though the rate of new infections has decreased over the last 30 years, there were 74 new cases of AIDS in RI in 2013. This is an increase of over 17%, according to Dr. Amy Nunn of Brown University who spoke at the State House yesterday for World AIDS Day. She was joined by Governor Linc Chafee and US Rep. David Cicilline and many public health advocates.

“Today, over half of the new infections are among men, in Rhode Island, and we know from Dr. Philip Chan’s study that a lot of these people are meeting on line, on the Internet,” says Dr. Nunn, “The problem is that our preventative response hasn’t been as quick as those websites which are making money hand over fist and helping people hook up online.”

Dr. Nunn would like to avoid stigmatizing high risk lifestyles and instead concentrate on education as a means of protection.

The answer is “to get our preventive response aligned with how people are getting infected.” Dr. Nunn sees the answer as partnering with these online hook up sites like Grindr, “I would posit that they do a much better job of reaching the highest risk people than we have done in the public health community, and it’s time for a revolution.”

“I would like to challenge every one in the room that we really need to think about how we can enhance our prevention strategies by working with these companies online and also shaming them into corporate social responsibility. Why aren’t they doing more?”

Dr. Nunn would also like to implement AIDS screening as part of our regular checkups, as routine as blood pressure and temperature checks.

If we do this, says Dr. Nunn, we have a good chance of getting our AIDS infection rates down to zero.

San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone’s decision to speak at the “March for Marriage” an anti-gay marriage rally organized by NOM (National Organization for Marriage) on June 19 has caused quite a stir in Catholic circles. Many are imploring the Archbishop to reconsider his decision to speak at the event, citing Pope Francis’s “Who am I to judge?” attitude towards homosexuality, though it is doubtful that the Pope’s words marked a new understanding in the Catholic Church on the issue.  Cordileone’s willingness to ignore liberal trends in the church and to partner with more extreme anti-gay groups such as the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) should not come as a surprise to those following the Catholic Church’s involvement in the marriage equality battle here in Rhode Island.

Bishop Thomas Tobin trailblazed these efforts over a year ago.

Back in January 2013 I reported that the Providence Diocese made the unfortunate decision to partner with NOM and MassResistance as part of a group calling itself the Faith Alliance to Preserve the Sanctity of Marriage as Established by God. At the time, I was surprised to see the Catholic Church openly aligning itself with MassResistance, a Southern Poverty Law Center certified hate group.

Mark Potok, a senior fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center told me “In our experience, it is highly unusual for the Catholic Church to work with groups like MassResistance, which has repeatedly, and utterly falsely, linked homosexuality to pedophilia, among other things. This is a group that lumps homosexuality in with criminal behaviors like bestiality, claims gay people are dangerous to children, and says, again falsely, that no gay people were murdered in the Holocaust. I should add, however, that we’ve not seen any real history of the Catholic Church working with hate groups. It may be that in this case they’ve simply failed to look into the background of the group they’re allying themselves with. At least I hope so.”

Whether or not NOM is a hate group on par with MassResistance is an open question to some, (though I am of the opinion that they are just sneakier in broadcasting their hate and intolerance, constantly skirting the line.) The one unifying presence in both the Rhode Island and San Francisco cases is NOM operative Christopher Plante, who led the coalition in a failed bid to prevent marriage equality in Rhode Island, and said to the Christian Post in April, that the March on Marriage event is aimed at showing ‘the world, the media, members of Congress and the Supreme Court that the marriage debate is not over. There is a huge groundswell of popular support, popular belief in traditional marriage. And despite what the polls may say, the reality is the majority of Americans believe marriage is between one man and one woman.”

Cordileone, defending his decision to attend the march in Washington, weakly claims that the event is “not ‘anti-LGBT’ … it is not anti-anyone or anti-anything,” but if the history here in Rhode Island is any indication, NOM operatives like Christopher Plante seek the endorsement of institutions like the Catholic Church to provide cover for their alliances with hate groups like MassResistance and other groups that spread ugly smears and lies about our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. Cordileone should weigh the political consequences of selling his status as a church leader so cheaply.

This weekend, as Rhode Island celebrates Pride, we should continue to encourage tolerance and acceptance rather than bigotry and hate, and we can only hope that in the future the Catholic Church will be on the right side of that equation.

Politics often mimics art.

Soon after Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a bunch of other superheroes got together to form the Super Friends, Lex Luthor, the Joker and Cheetah joined with other super villains to form the Legion of Doom. Where the Super Friends stand for truth and justice, the Legion stands for lies and inequity.

A similar scene played out at the State House last night as the House Judiciary Committee took testimony on marriage equality last night.

In the wake of the formation of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, a coalition in support of marriage rights, Christopher Plante executive director of the anti-marriage equality group NOM-RI announced the formation of a local Legion of Doom: the Faith Alliance to Preserve the Sanctity of Marriage as Established by God, or FAPSMEG.

Watch this video by Sam Valorose, that captures the good, the bad and the ugly that was on display at the State House last night:

To form his dream team of intolerance, Plante dragged Brian Camenker of MassResistance, a genuine Southern Poverty Law Center hate group to Rhode Island, to poison our state with his special kind of venomous bile.

That’s right, bigot, homophobe and Holocaust denier Brian Camenker, who once lied, “One bill in Massachusetts takes away all the penalties for bestiality. This is where this [homosexual] agenda is going”  and another time claimed that “no homosexuals died in the Holocaust and that the pink triangle the Nazis forced imprisoned gays to wear actually signified Catholic priests” has been imported from Massachusetts.

That this coalition of NOM and MassResistance also has the support of the Knights of Columbus and Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Providence Diocese is simply disgraceful. In addition to running Bishop Tobin’s latest anti-equality screed on its new website, at least one representative of the Providence Diocese  spoke at the press conference/rally held in the main rotunda of the State House, a rally so large and boisterous it could be heard on the 3rd floor.

My friend Dave described the scene downstairs. There was…

…speaking in tongues, laying on of hands to protect the children from gays, the ecstatic testimonies, raised arms, singing of hymns, etc. It was like a classic religious revival.

Other speakers included RI Senator Harold Metts, Rev. Luis Rodriguez, Iglesia de la Comunidad; Rev. Luis Suarez, President of the Hispanic Coalition of Pastors and Ministers and Pastor, Iglesia Nueva Generacion Cristiana; Rev. Santos Escobar, Inglesia Vida Abundante UMC;  Ron L’Heureux, Founder of Project Exodus 18; and Darrell Lee, SM, Founder, Building Cities on God Ministries.

One wonders how many of these religious leaders are aware of Camenker’s views and more worrisome, how many of those in attendance hold the same views.

After I gave my testimony and after the rally in the rotunda had mostly dissipated, I found myself downstairs watching some men and women in a prayer circle praying intently until a woman began thrashing uncontrollably, speaking incomprehensibly and being gently guided to the ground so that she could freak out safely. It was vaguely similar to an epileptic seizure as the woman was in the throes of the Holy spirit or something. It was quite dramatic, but ultimately of no real significance to the legal proceedings upstairs.

Kind of like FAPSMEG.

A diverse coalition of progressive, political and religious leaders today announced the formation of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage.

“In the coming months, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage will run a campaign unlike any our state has seen before,” said Ray Sullivan, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island a today’s event.

“Gay and lesbian families, straight allies, faith leaders, union members, business leaders, democrats and Republicans will come together, urging our state legislators to stand with the majority of Rhode Islanders who support same-sex marriage for any and lesbian couples.”

Governor Lincoln Chafee was not shy about bringing up Rhode Island’s history in support of his position:

“Rhode Island, as you all know, has a legacy of tolerance. It is the ideal upon which we were founded by Roger Williams. So it’s time to honor and affirm that legacy by ensuring that same-sex couples can enjoy the same fundamental rights, benefits and privileges as all other citizens of our state.”

Reverend Gene Dyszlewski, chair of the Rhode Island Religious coalition for Marriage Equality, talked of the ways in which the law impacts his ability to perform adequate pastoral care:

“I’m the one who has to discriminate. I’m the one who has to turn to same-sex couples in my congregation and say ‘No, you can’t get married,’ even though they want to marry for the same reason everybody else does. They want to make a loving commitment to each other, and they want to nurture and protect their families. I’m the one who has to say ‘No.’ I hope the legislature will pass and the governor will sign marriage equality, because marriage equality allows me to say ‘yes’ to loving couples within my faith community.”

Reverend Dr. Donald Anderson, who heads the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, took issue with religious conservatives who speak out against marriage equality, saying:

“The current bill under consideration, provides explicit, common sense protections for all clergy regarding their right to follow their conscience. Since the moment Roger Williams stepped across the borders of our beloved state, full freedom of religious conscience has been our heritage. This bill maintains that heritage. No clergy can required to perform a wedding that violates their conscience. Clergy making this choice are protected by this bill. In other words, for those clergy who choose not to perform a same gender marriage, nothing changes.”

RI AFL-CIO President George Nee presented the labor perspective on the issue:

“From a labor perspective, this issue is a human rights issue, it’s a civil rights issue, and it’s also a workers rights issue. It is totally unfair for a group of people in our society in this day and age to be denied these basic human civil and worker rights. The passage of this legislation in no way denies or takes away the rights of anyone else in our community.”

North Kingstown residents Sylvia and Anthony De Luca are staunch advocates for marriage equality. They have been married for over 50 years, and advocate on behalf of their daughter lesbian Luisa and her wife Brenda, who married in Massachusetts. Sylvia talked movingly of her daughter and daughter-in-law, who she loves every bit as much as she loves her two heterosexual sons. Anthony De Luca is a former state representative.

Martha Holt Castle, her wife Patricia and their two-year old son Tobin took the podium next. They are a committed young family raising children who lack, under current state law, the rights that any other family would enjoy.

This is just one of the many families Rhode Island is currently relegating to second class status.

Representative Art Handy, who introduced the Marriage Equality legislation, has done so for the past eleven years. He, and the majority of Rhode Islanders I am sure, would love this to be the last time. Senator Donna Nesselbush took the podium as the only openly gay state senator, she told how she wants this legislation to pass because she has finally found someone she wants to marry and spend her life with, but of course the current law forbids this.

This new coalition, as broad and powerful as it is, has its work cut out for it. An enormous amount of pressure needs to be brought upon the Senate if this bill is to pass, and so MERI was taking names, looking for people to phone bank, knock on doors, call their legislators and otherwise agitate for marriage equality.

This just might be the year it happens.

The Democrat from Providence submitted on Thursday “a joint resolution of the House and Senate on Thursday rejecting the order’s assertion,” according to the Projo.

Marriage Equality Rhode Island responded to the filing with a press release saying:

“Gov. Chafee’s executive order sent a powerful message that all Rhode Island families should be valued, respected and treated equally under the law. It’s a sad day for our state when members of the Senate would introduce a resolution whose ultimate purpose is to strip Rhode Island citizens of their civil rights. Sen. Ciccone’s position is indefensible, and we urge the members of the General Assembly to reject this outrageous assalut on equality, common sense and fundamental decency.”

A bill that would legalize marriage equality has not yet been heard by a Senate committee yet this year, and its chances are looking increasingly grim with some hoping to be done with the session by June 1.

Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Michael McCaffrey does not support the bill, but I haven’t yet asked him if it would at least have a hearing.

Ray Sullivan, of Marriage Equality Rhode Island said he hasn’t heard if there will be a hearing.

We haven’t been told officially or definitively whether or not we’ll receive a hearing on our legislation,” he said in an email. “That being said, we would not be surprised if the Senate did not schedule hearings.”

UPDATE: This training has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date. More information to come…

It’s getting close to crunch time in the General Assembly and we’re about to turn up the heat.

In order to continue being as effective as we can be, we need your help. And so I’m inviting you to take part in MERI’s first ever “Organizing for Equality” training on Saturday, May 5, 2012 where we’ll bring together some top notch politicos to teach you everything you need to know about how to motivate our state representatives and senators in support of the Equality Agenda.

This training is free and open to all equality supporters. No experience is necessary. All you need is an open mind and the willingness to work towards creating change. We’ll show you how to do the rest.

Here’s some of the things we’ll discuss:
Legislative briefings on our Equality Agenda: The Equal Access to Marriage Act,
The Equal Access to Family Court Act, and The Equal Religious Protection Act
Navigating the State House: Talking to your legislator about supporting marriage equality and the entire Equality Agenda
Being an effective online organizer: Using social media and how to write a winning email
The Ground Game: How to run phone bank and door knocking efforts in your neighborhood
The 2012 Elections: What you can do to support pro-equality candidates (of any party) to the General Assembly
Registration is from 8:30 to 9:00 am and we expect to wrap up around 2:00. Light breakfast fare and a box lunch will be provided. The Organizing for Equality Training will be held at the offices of SEIU Local 1199 (294 West Exchange Street, Providence, RI).

It comes down to this: we need an army of equality supporters to step up and help us do what needs to be done to win marriage equality. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by slow progress, or by Smith Hill politicians who are out of touch, and you want to do something about it, then this training is for you.