Equality Rally in Chicago not Washington DC

This picture was taken by Jerry Pritikin in Ohio. Pictured is Mariela, myself, Farrin, Messina and Michael.

Hey everyone,

As some of you may already know one of the buses from JTIC had some drama Saturday night and we were stuck in Ohio for over 5 hours. So we did not make it to the Equality March in Washington DC. Which I have to admit I was devastated and heart-broken when we found out that we could not make it to Washington DC. There was some bitterness in me that I had to fight back toward the other 3 buses that made it to Washington DC, for I knew that it wasn't their fault that they made it to Washington DC and my bus did not.

During my time at the rest area in Genoa, Ohio (which my friend Rachel dubbed he "Devil's Waiting Room". I hung out at a table with Mariela, Farrin, Michael, Jerry, Messina and Rachel. We played a few games of Boggle. During these games we were forming strong friendships that I beleive will last for a life time. We ended the games of Boggle when the words "queer" and "wed" appeared. Later on in the nighta group of people got together in the center of the rest area and played duck, duck, goose.

Later on in the night we were all drained from lack of sleep and we started to find anything to be funny. But my favorite moment in the night was when Mariela bought a candy ring and went to Farrin slipped the ring on her pinkie (would not fit on ring finger)and said, "In Ohio where queer wed first showed up. Will you say yes when it is legal?" Farrin said yes and they kissed over Jerry. Not even five minutes later Farrin slams her hand down on the table and broke the ring into pieces. We all just could not contain the laughter.

When we voted to return back to Chicago, I again was sad and depressed along with other people in the "Devil's Waiting Room". But as we got back to Chicago, I started to feel better. I came to the realization that the March on Washington DC may of been our initial goal but it was also to reach out and make friends and fight for civil rights for all. We did not have to be in Washington DC to do this.

So a group of about 10 of us from Bus 1 stayed around and hung out at Union Station downtown for a while. A wonderful woman by the name of Betsy Johnson pulled out a book and started a e-mail list which is referred to as the "Bus 1 survivors list". The thing about Betsy is she is a proud PFLAG mother who was going to march for her gay son. I am glad that I am able to call her my friend.

After a few hours sitting o the steps of Union Station our group then moved to the Cultural Center to snack on some of the snacks we had for the bus and to put on layers of cloths before we headed over to Daily Plaza for Chicago's Equality Rally.

Some may of thought that the Chicago Solidarity Rally was a consolation prize over Washington DC. And if you would of asked me that yesterday morning I would have to agree with them. Yet being at that rally and listening to people like Democratic Candidate for Governor Dan Hynes, Candidate for Illinois State Senate Jim Madigan, State Rep. Greg Harris and Join the Impact Chicago's very own Matty Z. I was moved by everyone who spoke at the rally.

I am not looking at this weekend as an end of my movement toward equal rights for everyone. NO, I am looking at it as the beginning and I will do everything in my power to make a difference in this movement be it here in Chicago or in Washington DC.

So for those of you who were not able to make it to Washington DC for what ever reason, do NOT give up the fight for equal rights. And for those of you who made it to Washington DC, I look forward to hearing what you have to share with us.

MJ