Rumors last week that Geoff Kors’ Equality California would be sending Marc Solomon, its marriage director imported from MassEquality (where he spent $100k a month on … stuff), looking for a new gig has panned out: Freedom To Marry just announced its taking Solomon aboard its nationwide marriage equality campaign as a senior consultant. Depending on who you ask, Solomon exited voluntarily or was pushed out, but either way his exit doesn’t bode well for the other EQCA rumors: that it’s shutting down field offices and laying off staffers. Solomon, who had a hand in EQCA dropping plans for a 2010 ballot repeal, and who officially begins his new gig on Nov. 4, received this prepared statement send-off from Kors: “Marc has led an exceptionally successful effort on the ground in California. I am pleased that he will be able to take what we’ve learned about persuasion and messaging to the national efforts, while continuing to help grow support for marriage equality in our ongoing efforts in California. EQCA and Freedom to Marry have a long-standing partnership which will only grow stronger in the months ahead.”
UPDATE: An email Solomon is sending around:
In the perfect world, Equality California would maintain and grow the field program it has built, both to be ready for a possible court loss and to continue building public support. However, in the present economic climate, where there’s a real sense that Prop 8 could be overturned in the courts in the next two years, the funding is simply not available for EQCA to maintain the program it has put in place.
This means EQCA needs to make some changes, and it is. EQCA is maintaining a solid marriage program, with the Let California Ring public education campaign at the center working to devise and disseminate messaging that will continue to grow support, both across the board and in target communities. […] At the same time, after the November elections, EQCA is significantly reducing its field staff and is closing some of its offices.
Charles Moran
Marc is a class act. I quickly learned that he was one of the only people that one could trust and respect at EQCA. He didn’t ‘drink the kool-aid’ and cared more achieving our shared goals than playing political games. His departure will be sorely missed, and reaffirms that EQCA is headed in the wrong direction with Nero..err…Geoff Kors…playing the fiddle.
True!
“reducing it’s field staff” = closing every field office except the SF and LA office. Just where the help is needed most…. NOT
Dan
Freedom To Marry is a pointless org. Give your donation to your state equality group as well as to GLAD – Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (if you live in New England) or to Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund (if you live anywhere in the USA).
QueerToday.com
This is what happens when organizations are single issue focussed and the community realizes we have other more pressing needs like taking care of our youth, the homeless, and the transgender. All things EQCA has not made a focus of their public campaigns.
Paul Ginandes
I volunteered at Mass Equality under Mark Solomon for years. He was very capable and responsible. It was a pleasure to know him. I am sure he’s doing the best work possible.