Equality Walk

The Right to Marry Arizona Equality Walk announces plans for three campaigns to cover all regions of the state next summer.

By Glenn Gullickson

Equality Walkers 2011

Right to Marry Walk makes plans for 2012 with three 100-mile treks

The Right to Marry Arizona Equality Walk is seeking participants for 2012's fifth annual event — three walking campaigns that will each cover 100 miles during the summer.

The walk is meant to bring attention to the issue of marriage equality by covering the number of miles equal to the years Arizona has been a state without offering marriage rights to all its citizens.

During the walk, participants spread their message by speaking with local officials, faith communities and passersby.

For the first time, next year the campaign will conduct three simultaneous walks to bring the message to the entire state as Arizona marks its centennial year. The walks will be conducted Aug. 1-12.

Meg Sneed, who developed the concept for the walk, said she hopes between 20 and 30 walkers participate this year. "We're looking for people with diverse stories from different parts of the state," Sneed said. There are no special requirements for walker's abilities or age, Sneed said.

To encourage new people to participate, Sneed said only 50 percent of those walking this year will be veterans from previous events.

In 2008 and 2009, the walk was conducted in Maricopa County. In 2010, the walk was done in communities northern Arizona and this year the walkers went to southern Arizona. The number of walkers has ranged from seven the first year to 16 in 2011.

The event traditionally lasts about 10 days and ends with a "last mile" in central Phoenix to the state Capitol where there is a rally.

The campaign has named leaders for this year's walks to be conducted in the central, northern and southern parts of the state.

The central route will be led by Sneed, the only person to have walked in all four previous campaigns. Sneed is also co-founder of the Human and Equal Rights Organizers (H.E.R.O.). Route leader will be Mandee Rowley, a counselor at Phoenix Shanti and chair of the board of Aunt Rita's Foundation, the agency that organizes AIDS Walk Phoenix. Rowley has participated in two previous events. Rowley and Sneed met during the 2010 walk and are engaged to be married.
The northern walk will be led by director Jimmy Gruender, with his partner of 18 years, Paul Roark, as route leader. The men have walked in previous events and Gruender served as co-chair of the walk the past two years. Gruender is chair of the board of 1 Voice LGBT Community Center. Roark has served on the board of Phoenix Pride for six years.
The southern walk will be led by director Karon Bohlender, with Sister Marie Elle E'Phant serving as route leader. Bohlender participated in the 2011 walk. She has been on the board of Tucson Pride since 2008 and currently serves as the group's president. She is also treasurer for Consolidated Association of Prides, a group of Pride committees. Sister Marie is a member of the Grand Canyon Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and has worked over the past year with the 1 Voice Community Center.

Deadline to apply for the walk is Feb. 1. For more information, to apply for the walk or to support the event, visit www.righttomarryaz.org.

Echo Magazine is among the sponsors for the Right to Marry: Arizona Walk. -E