In conjunction with a national campaign Join the Impact the grassroots San Diego Equality Campaign and San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality organized a march and rally protesting the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) downtown yesterday beginning with a pre-rally at the County Admin. Building followed by a march and then a post-rally. (Here are perspectives from Mike Tidmus and Rex Wockner.) Similar actions were organized in over 100 cities across the United States. More than 650 people marched through 
the streets of downtown before returning to the County Administration Building. The march stopped briefly in front of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel to meet up with an organized protest against the owner of the hotel, Doug Manchester, who made a large donation to the campaign to get Proposition 8 on California’s November’s ballot.
The rally included a number of community leaders who spoke including Congresswoman Susan Davis, State Senator Chris Kehoe, City Councilman Todd Gloria, Enrique Morones of Border Angels, The Reverend Madison Shockley and others. Over a dozen performance groups entertained and inspired the crowd throughout the day.
