Marriage equality is coming to New Mexico!

I am delighted to let you know that today we, along with our colleagues at the local and national ACLU, filed a lawsuit seeking the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in New Mexico.

We have been working towards this moment for quite some time in New Mexico, and we’ve spent many months preparing the strongest possible case. And, as you likely have heard, it just so happened that on Tuesday, Santa Fe Mayor David Coss asked county clerks to begin issuing licenses to same-sex couples. We are living in the midst of a huge sea change on marriage and the place of LGBTQ people in our society and culture. It is time to press every advantage and do all we can to accelerate the forward momentum we have been witnessing.

New Mexico is a unique and enchanting place—and part of what makes it so special is that it is the only state in the country whose laws neither recognize nor reject recognition of our relationships. It is also a large and sparsely populated state, with many LGBTQ people living in rural areas. Earlier this year we, the ACLU, and our local colleagues launched a campaign called “All Families Matter” to elevate the voice and visibility of the LGBTQ community in New Mexico. This campaign has been and will continue to be an integral part of the effort to win the freedom to marry in that state. And as we all know by now, winning the freedom to marry requires not just a litigation strategy, but an effort to move hearts and open minds with stories about real people, real lives, and real relationships.

We are making great progress on a range of issues and in countless places across the country. Our commitment at NCLR is to leave no one behind, even as we work tirelessly to win legal equality for all LGBTQ people. We have now taken a huge step to reach these goals in New Mexico. Of course, it is the support of our ever-faithful donors that makes all this possible. We are grateful and honored by your belief and trust in us.

If you would like to read more about the case and the powerful complaint that we filed today, you can do so on our website atwww.NCLRights.org/NewMexicoMarriage.