Karla Mosley on campaigning for change
CBS News asked noted figures in the arts, business and politics about their experience in today's civil rights movement, or about figures who inspired them in their activism.
Karla Mosley, actress ("The Bold and the Beautiful")
Is there something that you'd like to share about your personal connection to civil rights issues?
Several years ago I was living in Astoria, Queens, with my husband, and we were very involved in the community, loved the people that lived there. And we became very involved in the marriage equality movement to institute gay marriage -- both on a federal level, but also first on a state level in New York State.
We learned that the senator in our region was one of three Democratic senators who voted against marriage equality. And so my husband and I -- he's a lawyer very involved in civil rights law -- decided that he would be a good candidate (along with some prodding from community members) to take on this senator.
So we worked with the community and stood up against Sen. Onorato, who eventually stepped down from office and was replaced with a candidate [Michael Gianaris] who was pro-gay marriage.
And just two years later marriage equality was passed in New York State.
There's something about being of service and fighting for something that you know is right that connects people on a really primal level. It's something that my parents have instilled in me from a young age, and that I hope to instill in my own children.
For more info:
- karlamosley.com
- Follow Karla Mosley on Twitter
- "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS.com)