Freedom to Marry Coalition

DAS Marketing™Amanda Diego, Brooke Autry, Brandon Schnars

Authentic Assessment FourInterest Groups/Political Action Committees

American Government

Freedom to Marry Coalition

• Freedom to Marry is a Political Action Committee (PAC) to win marriage nationwide.

• Freedom to Marry is a PAC of individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

Freedom to Marry, Membership

• Made up of a staff of 18 members• Over 750,000 advocates• Founded in New York in 2003 by Evan Wolfson• Secured the freedom to marry in six states and

the District of Columbia

Issues that concern Freedom to Marry

• Forty-four states continue to exclude same-sex couples from marriage.

• Begin as a vision once shared by only a few, and now the marriage movement has rapidly gained traction with the American public.

• Freedom to Marry is leading the campaign to overturn DOMA

Recruiting New Members today• Facebook, Twitter, “Freedom to

Marry” Website• Campaigns• Bus Tours• Support of political groups, the

US President• Videos, Commercials, Signs,

Posters• Benefit Concert• Television, Newspaper Ads,

direct mail, and polling in effort

Ideas to Recruit New Members• Bicycle Marathons• Local Marches, festivals• Booths at Malls• Public speaking's at

Community Colleges and Senior Centers

• Celebrity's support• Pandora Radio

Commercials

Freedom to Marry, Mobilize• Freedom to Marry is

working toward the goals to win freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination.

• “Roadmap to Victory”• Freedom to Marry is

leading the campaign to overturn DOMA.

Freedom to Marry,

Accomplishments

• In the past decade, they secured the freedom to marry in six states and the District of Columbia.

• Freedom to Marry is doing well, having moved from just about a quarter of public support 15 years ago to majority support today – far better than the 70% of Americans who opposed interracial marriage in 1967.

More Accomplishments• The new federal program• Freedom to Marry has

partnered with the Equality Federation to reach statewide LGBT organizations around the nation and successfully advance the cause for marriage on state and local levels

• The Respect for Marriage Coalition

Freedom to Marry, Money

What the PAC does now to raise money

• “Fund the Fight” donation on their website

• In March 2012, Freedom to Marry launched the "Win More States Fund"

• The goal was to raise at least $3 million to funnel into the state campaigns. The organization met this initial goal in early August 2012 and continued working to raise funds on behalf of the states

Suggestions to Raise More Money• Fashion Show• Art Show• Production of

“Freedom to Marry Flags”

• Production of “Freedom to Marry bracelets”

- similar to those of “Boobies” or “Livestrong” bracelets

Data Study

• 54% of Americans surveyed say "marriages between gay and lesbian couples should be recognized as legally valid." Only 42% say they "should not be recognized as valid." (National Polls, June 6, 2012: CNN/ORC International)

• Polling finds growing support for the Freedom to Marry Coalition

• “Public opinion research clearly demonstrates that a growing majority supports the freedom to marry. Likewise, support continues to rise in every state, demographic and community. This resource tracks marriage polling at the federal, national, and state level.”

Data Study• 39% of those surveyed feel "strongly" in favor of the freedom to

marry, compared to 34% who feel "strongly" about opposing marriage for same-sex couples.

• 73% of voters ages 18-34 support the freedom to marry, compared to 24% opposed.

• 70% of Democrats supports the freedom to marry, compared with 28% opposed.

• 60% of Independent voters support the freedom to marry, with 37% opposed.

• 59% of "non-white" respondents support the freedom to marry, with 39% opposed. This margin of support is stronger than the full sample.

• 60% of respondents say they have a close friend or family member who is gay, up from 49% two years ago

Data Study SummaryThe data provided shows the accelerating shift

in support for the freedom to marry, with opponents now clearly in a minority. With new ideas and marketing, Freedom to Marry can continue to champion. (Freedom to Marry “Polling Finds Growing Support for the Freedom to Marry”, http://www.freedomtomarry.org/resources/entry/marriage-polling)

The Freedom to Marry Coalition DAS Marketing™