Right to Serve Campaign: Minneapolis, Minnesota
We are four openly gay young adults. We are four American citizens.
We deserve the right to serve our country.
But one by one, Ezekiel Montgomery, Jacob Reitan, Haven Herrin, and Briget Schwarting have all been denied that right.
The Right to Serve campaign started here in Minneapolis this summer. Of the thirty cities that are a part of The Right to Serve, we were the first to go in and ask for the right to serve our country by actually trying to sign up. Now we will be the first to return to the center for a sustained protest. We are asking you to join us, especially on Day 1: Wednesday, August 16.
If allowed, we will conduct a week-long sit-in to show the people of Minnesota that "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" is a bad compromise and a discriminatory law.
Click on the following links to view the coverage of our actions this summer leading up to our sit-in:
The Twin Cities are home to the Soulforce youth office because we know the citizens of Minnesota support equality, fairness, and inclusion. Join us at our sit-in and show that you support our right to serve.
When: We will begin our sit-in on Wednesday, August 16 at 11am. If allowed, we will remain until the evening of Tuesday, August 22. We encourage you to join us especially during the initial days, but please continue to return and support us as you are able.
Where: Minnesota National Guard, 211 N. McCarron Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55113
Mapquest directions to the sit-in
News crews and a PBS documentary team will be present to record this important moment in the LGBT Rights Movement.
More information: We will be hosting an optional information session the evening of Tuesday, August 15 at 5:45 pm at All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church located at 3100 Park Avenue S. in Minneapolis. Their website is www.agcmcc.org. Please email Katie Higgins at Katie@soulforce.org if you wish to attend.
If you are not able to come to the session, know that you are still welcome at the sit-in. All we ask is that you join us in a nonviolent spirit and, should the police be present, understand that you will not be arrested if you do not wish to submit to civil disobedience. No one is ever arrested by accident.
Register for the Right to Serve campaign in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Donate to the Right to Serve campaign in Minneapolis, Minnesota
If you have questions, comments, or concerns, contact:
Haven Herrin at haven@soulforce.org
Jake Reitan at jake@soulforce.org