The NCLR and the Tennessee attorneys advancing our state's marriage case are doing a great job.  They have petitioned the Supreme Court and now we wait.  But waiting around with nothing to do is definitely NOT how we spent 2014. 

We prepared for three outcomes.  1.  We prepared for a generally positive ruling, which would require an additional legal challenge to bring marriage equality specifically to Tennessee. We worked with attorneys to identify plaintiffs across the state in case they were needed.  2.  We prepared for a sweepingly positive ruling that would have directly brought marriage equality to Tennessee through our Tennessee Ready for Marriage on DAY ONE program.  In August and September we held trainings in Knoxville, Johnson City, Cookeville, Collegedale, Nashville, Memphis, and Murfreesboro engaging hundreds of people.  The only program of its kind in the country, our preparations were profiled by the Equality Federation at this link.  3.  Finally, we prepared for the temporary loss in the 6th Circuit with rallies in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville that ended up engaging more than 300 people across the state and received extensive media coverage, which you can find at this link. 

It is not easy with a full-time staff of one person to prepare for every possible outcome, but with your support and the support of volunteer leaders around the state, like the group from Memphis pictured below, we did it.  When you pledge today to support the TEP Foundation on December 2 for Giving Tuesday, you make sure we are ready to advance equality no matter what the courts or the Legislature throws at us.  You can schedule your Giving Tuesday contribution to the TEP Foundation at this link today and it will count on December 2!