The UCLA Art | Global Health Center along with the Jordan Rustin Coalition and West Adams/Los Angeles South neighborhood marriage equality team (RENWL), presents an important and timely photography and video project entitled 13 Love Stories, directed by Gideon Mendel.

We're also thrilled to announce that Rev. Eric Lee of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference will host a curated conversation at the event. Lee will talk about his life as an activist, why he became involved in the struggle for same-sex marriage, and what the community can do to support marriage equality. He will also be signing copies of his powerful book, Marriage Equality: Proposition 8, The California Divide, which looks carefully at the thoughts and views of both sides of the ballot. Discover what really happened with this controversial ballot initiative.

THE HISTORY OF 13 LOVE STORIES

In the media campaign leading up to the hotly contested November 2008 vote, something essential was missing: images of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer couples (particularly couples of color) whose relationships hung in the balance. 13LoveStories.com presents a series of short films that redress the absence of such images. Featuring real voices and personal photographs, the films provide direct access to a diverse cross-section of committed couples in and around Los Angeles.

The project began in late January 2009. London-based photographer Gideon Mendel made portraits of each couple along with still life pictures from their homes. UCLA students worked with the couples to unearth an array of snapshots from their personal archives. Creative editor Derrick Shore interviewed the couples and created short videos from the plethora of assembled materials. The videos were completed in mid-February, just in time to go live on Valentine?s Day. An outdoor exhibition version of 13LoveStories.com was launched at Bruin Plaza on the UCLA campus, March 5, 2009, the day that oral arguments in the case were presented to the California Supreme Court.

For the Lucy Florence exhibition the images of the couples have been framed and will hang in the main room at the Lucy Florence Cultural Center throughout the month of November. We invite you to join us and celebrate the opening of the 13 Love Stories exhibition in the heart of the African American community in Los Angeles.

And by the way....what's your love story?!

For more information on 13 Love Stories go to their Web site at http://www.13lovestories.com/