FROM THE HEART

Music:

Member Since: 2/10/2006
Band Website: loveandmarriage.us
Band Members:

Wall of Love... a Global Event!
HELP US BUILD A WALL OF LOVE… Stories from The Wedding Party

I became involved with The Wedding Party in 2004. I gave of my time and energy to put a float on the pride march in New York City as a display of what The Wedding Party stands for and as a continued celebration from the ceremony that was happening in Central Park that day. I had no idea ignorance and hate had presented itself as protesters and religious conservatives surrounded the ceremony. I only found out about it after we had a powerful march with supporters and couples riding the float. This is angering and hurtful and unjust.

What drives a human being to act in such a hateful manner? Why do people obsess with how other people love each other? As Margaret Cho puts it, “…being gay is not contagious… and if you think that it is…then you’re gay.” I struggle with my own family accepting that gay is NOT a sin, gay is NOT a choice. I know I didn’t wake up one day and decide to be gay for a day, c’mon people!

I do know that as I spoke to thousands of people on the march from the top of the wedding cake on our float, I got a strong sense that equality is going to happen.

I got a strong feeling that most people are fed up with this wall of inequality that still rears its hateful head.

We ask that as you visit this site and read our stories to please show your love by creating a global wall of support… a wall of love. Grab a banner and post it, Grab a ribbon and spread the word in your online community, go to ITUNES and buy FROM THE HEART and support The Wedding Party with your purchase of music!

Show that you care, understand and also want our GLBT Community to exist in the United States with full equality. Nothing less.

Mykel
Activist/Entertainer/Producer
From the Heart

In June 2001, The Wedding Party produced its first wedding ceremony kicking off the gay pride march in New York City. The vision for the event was to honor relationship and commitment for all gay and non gay couples. The goal was to shed light on the inequality that existed for gay couples who did not have the right to legally marry. For 4 years The Wedding Party hosted peaceful protests for equality, each one getting larger than the next. Then in 2005, a very small group of very loud anti-gay protesters found us.

Their mission was simple, to disrupt the ceremony and the love that was present shouting negativity, hatred and discrimination.

The event was underway, and I thinking about what we could do, but then heard that something special was already happening. Gary Spino united our friends, loved ones and random supporters to create a wall of love blocking the protestors from interfering with our event. And, that wall of love surrounded all of us not just the couples getting married but everyone who was present. Like the wall of angels that was created to protect Matthew Shepard’s family from protestors this positive action was a very powerful stand for goodness and light.

The "wall of love" was also significant for me on a personal level.
When I saw the power of the wall, I was moved by the beauty of its protection and love, and then in the center of it stood my ex-girlfriend. We had an angry break and she and I had not talked in over a year. And, I feared we would never talk again. And then, there she was, standing tall and proud with her new girlfriend. Tears began to flow down my cheek because it felt like a healing had taken place.
And at that point, my heart filled with love and hope, knowing that this was a powerful healing for us all.

Renee Rotkopf
Founder of The Wedding Party

We are working on some cool Merchandise for you!

Many friends of ours have worked diligently behind the scenes and out in the streets to raise awareness for "From The Heart" and the Right to Marry cause. We’d like to recongize these special people:

Michelle at MBSTIA : Michelle designed and coded this page & designed all the nifty banners and ribbons you see here. Yay Michelle! Find out more about her company here: