Ever since the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage in May, Geoff Kors and Equality California Institute are two names that have appeared in the news almost daily. Kors, and the ten-year-old organization he directs, have been credited with playing an instrumental role in the landmark decision.

“It’s a momentous time for the community,” he says. “And a joyful time, with all the weddings taking place!”

Equality California Institute, which advocates politically and socially for equal rights for the LGBT community, even has a wedding registry set up on its website. “The more weddings that are recognized in public, shown in the media,” he says, “the more acceptable it becomes.”

Chief among Equality California Institute’s goals is raising public awareness about the issue of marriage quality. One message in particular, says Kors, has resonated very well. “It’s not as much about the right to marry as it is about the dignity, respect and compassion that marriage offers, and how that should be available to everyone. The court picked up on that, and it is now being echoed in the public.”

Kors, a graduate of Stanford Law School, has a long and distinguished record of service to the LGBT community. Prior to taking the helm of Equality California, he was a partner in a California civil rights law firm and originated San Francisco's landmark Equal Benefits Ordinance. He also served as director of both the Gay and Lesbian Rights Project and the AIDS and Civil Liberties Projects of the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois.

Working for a variety of organizations over the decades impressed upon Kors the necessity of forming coalitions. “Several groups were part of the Supreme Court case, and Equality California Institute was the organizational plaintiff. It took all of these organizations pulling together as one – to both fight the case legally and educate the public.” He credits the Haas, Jr. Fund with “helping foster that cooperation. Their help has been critical in bringing people together from all these organizations to make sure they’re working well as a unified group.”

One of the most effective ways Equality California Institute put out the word was through Let California Ring – a public education campaign intended to “open hearts and minds about the freedom to marry and the respect, support, protections, and responsibilities that come with marriage.”

He sighs. “This has been an incredible time, and even though there is a tough road ahead, we have so much to be grateful for.”