Melissa Ross
Just as Jacksonville’s battle over its human rights ordinance heats up (again), North Florida same-sex couples are preparing to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversaries in a public downtown event.
On January 10, 2015, Jacksonville attorney Carrington Mead married more than 60 same-sex couples in a mass ceremony in Hemming Park following the Supreme Court ruling for Brenner v. Scott which legally recognized marriage equality in Florida just four days before.
Mead will host those couples, along with their families, friends and the public as Hemming Park is once again the site of a public party. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 10, guests can enjoy a champagne toast, food truck fare, music and more.
“We were happy to publicly and legally celebrate these couples last year and are excited to see and celebrate them once again,” said Mead in an email.
Mead is a VA accredited Veterans Benefits attorney and is actively vetted into the Family Law Institute for the LGBT National Bar. She has served as prominent legal advocate for the local LGBT community for years and has been a vocal spokesperson for expanding the HRO to protect this group from discrimination in jobs, housing, and public accommodations. The one-year anniversary of marriage equality will be a joyful milestone for advocates, and one opponents of HRO expansion may cite to buttress their argument that more legal protections in Jacksonville aren’t necessary.
Jacksonville remains the largest metro in America without a fully inclusive HRO covering LGBT residents.
