whoops, that link didn't get posted, here it is again: www.dailybruin.com/news/2009/mar/09/students-gather-fight-prop-8/

  Discussing the future of this project on the last day of class really made me feel hopeful about the project moving forward.  It seems like it could really be successful being integrated into schools, churches, and other communities, continuing to touch people's lives and getting the project's important message out there.

In terms of making connections and creating networks of support for this project, I think that we should, as many people were saying in class, start small and local with the people in our own communities and lives.  Even just at UCLA, I don't think we could do more outreach--I just came across a Daliy Bruin article the other day about another on campus group protesting Prop. 8.  I was surprised that I had never heard of them before and that they were not somehow involved in our project or our event.

The organization in this article, called Won Together, is a completely student-run group trying to rally outside student support and funding for the No. on 8 campaign.  The link to the article is posted below. 

Anyway,  I know that this project is going to go places in the future, and I hope that I can still be involved in some way as it moves forward!

A Pleasure

It was a pleasure to work with Glenn and Steve on this project. They have a beautiful and loving family. I was mostly impressed by how public their lives were. Steve is a politician and that line of work can put strain on any family. Steve is an openly gay politician which I find interesting because a community is okay with a gay man “molding the minds of their children” (he is on the school board) but don’t think he deserves the right to marry the man he loves and the father of his children. Further, Glenn and Steve have done numerous public appearances including photo spreads of their family. I feel like this is a testament to the bond within their family. This reminds me of the constant awareness of the perception they give off. They are spokes people for their cause; and proudly so. I am so very impressed by the initiative to put their family out in the public eye as an example of the love and compassion this family has. After sharing the lives of these two remarkable men, it is hard for me to understand who would find this kind of relationship and family un-natural.
Thank you,
Mandy

Things I have learned

• Your overall thoughts and experiences about this project
• Things you have learned since you began working on this project

I feel more confident about my ability to interact with people. I am/can be shy; so, I have been attempting, during the past two quarters, to be more outgoing and social. My shyness, however, begins and ends in the classroom/academic settings. I have internships where I have to be social and interact without an issue. I know that in order to work towards my goal to be a lawyer I must continue to interact and communicate with as many people as I can. I feel that this project has helped me to further my social interactions with people from different walks of life. The only issues I feel that arose was communication in certain situations. Also working with a partner and coordinating times between the two of us was challenging but still beneficial to our educational/learning environment.

My only wish is that we had more time to bond and get to know the families before the photo shoot. I felt and feel as if everything is rushed; not because of anything specific, other than UCLA is on the quarter system. [Week 7]

Best,

Shamime

Never a dull moment in the life of a UCLA Bruin!

Hey it’s Shamime, UCLA student!

The Family I was lucky to spend time with wac Raymond and Byron!

I loved visiting the families in their home! Their little girls were adorable! Seeing all of the love their dad’s had for them was amazing! It makes me want to share this experience with everyone I see; informing them that “family” has no limitations. A family can be however an individual(s) decide to make it. Interacting with the toddlers and gaining their trust was something I thoroughly enjoyed. Seeing the little girls come out of their shy shell and begin to interact with us was priceless! My personal interactions are as follows:

I recall the two girls not wanting to be near us when we first arrived. I finally had an idea of taking off my bracelet and letting one of them try it on. Finally about an hour later we were all in the family room with the children when their parents walked out with one twin, leaving the other next to the couch in the corner! I took this moment to see her sitting behind the couch with her bottle looking left/lost/trapped. I decided to take a chance and extend my hand from across the room in hopes that she would respond in some way or form! Luckily she did! She ran at my hand and grabbed it and leaned on my leg like she did with her Dad’s. I was relieved to be received so well!

Personally interacting was the highlight of my visit.

There’s never a dull moment in the life of a UCLA Bruin!

Shamime

What I learned, what I will do.

I am surprised of how much I learned visiting Steven and Glenn’s home. As a gay man, I thought I knew every thing about the joy and despear of a gay family life. As a young open-minded student, I guessed I had ideas about how to live a what life look loke being out. Thus I thought I knew too how to fight scepticism and homophobia. Thanks to the To have and to hold project, I learned that you do not know anything unless you have spoken and shared with other people. To say that others experiences empower your life and give you knowledge is not a cliché, it is a real way to engage with your life in the community and the society.

To see Glenn and Steven speaking about their three kids, their wedding, their families, their relatives and co-workers made me realize how everyday life is a political engagement. Every action we make is a choice, every time we act in the world (our own world or in our public life) we perform a moral choice. To see how much power, love, and cleverness Glenn and Steven are spreading around them gave me the will to speak more often out loud. Every time someone or a group endanger human rights and freedoms, you must stand up. For the families we met and the experiences we had. This is why we will display the 13lovestories every where we can, and anytime we will meet, in our personal or public life, someone speaking with clichés and using stereotypes, we will talk with them keeping in mind the love and the respect that the families shared with us.

Victor - UCLA - WAC

Please Don't Divorce My Dads/Moms

Please Don't Divorce My Dads/Moms


please watch and share....

KK Cressman
Week 6