Patricia A. Gozemba

Peter Hayashida and Michael Olman are two amazingly creative and accomplished guys whom Karen and I had the pleasure of meeting in Hawaii about five years ago–at a traditional Korean Christmas dinner orchestrated in large part by our mutual friend Rochelle. We bonded with these LA guys around our mutual desires to live in Hawaii. Peter grew up in Hawaii and Michael fell in love with Hawaii the first time that he went to the islands.

Yep, that’s Michael, an Emmy Award winning sound artist, in his omnipresent aloha shirt and Peter the development officer in a tie. This shot was actually done for a wonderful radio interview that they did for Pacifica Radio. Listen to what they had to say about marriage and their happiness to be fully recognized by the state of California.

On Friday, June 21, 2008, they married. Here’s what Peter had to say about their marriage that cuts right to the point of equality, love, and support:

“Michael and I got married on June 20, 2008 in a civil ceremony in the City of West Hollywood. Although we recently celebrated our 14th anniversary, earning the right to marry was a significant milestone for us and other same-sex couples in California.

We wanted to share pictures with you thank you for supporting us as a family during the many years before the State of California saw fit to do so.

With much love,
Michael & Peter”

We wish the very best to them and all the couples who through marriage have made it to this next milestone on our road to full civil rights and equality.

Now, may California take care to protect this court given right at the ballot box next November. Having couples like Michael and Peter speak out on the radio and show their pride in moving further into the full circle of equality will make a huge difference in public acceptance. We know. It happened in Massachusetts. Our rights can be protected by our coming out.

Thanks and congratulations.