By Jim Smith, DignityUSA Program Manager

Thirty. That's the number of states that put before voters a marriage amendment that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. All 30 states passed the amendment, until November 7, 2012! That day, the citizens of Minnesota voted "No" to enshrining this limit in their constitution. It was a breathtaking moment in the wee hours of November 8 when the final votes were tallied. Joy ensued, lasting days, weeks, even months. This victory was no miracle. It was the result of months of work by thousand of allies committed to justice.

By Chris Kohn, Dignity/San Antonio President

The first few months of 2013 have been very exciting for Dignity/San Antonio. We have continued to seek ways that we can share who we are with like-minded people of faith, and with the wider community.

In January, twelve of us drove together to Houston to join Dignity/Houston for a screening of the film, Pink Smoke Over the Vatican. The welcome we received and the bonds we built (among ourselves and with the Houston group) made the long trip well worth it. 

Spring is finally here, and with it longer and brighter days, and baseball!  Nothing cheers me up more in April than the beginning of baseball season.  I am relentlessly hopeful for the Red Sox and look forward to every game with anticipation of what can happen, knowing that I cannot give up until the last out.  Yes, I am quite a hopeful person and find it difficult to give up on most things or people.

The DignityUSA Board of Directors met the weekend of March 1-3, 2013 in Phoenix, AZ. The meeting began with a welcome and "State of the Chapter" report from Dignity/Arizona members Elinor Crocker and John Orta. It was wonderful for the Board to hear the progress the chapter has made. Dignity/Arizona was one of the first chapters to receive grant money from DignityUSA for chapter strategic planning work. The chapter's vitality has benefited from their hard work.