Comments About Spectrum Institute

Over the years, we have  received many letters praising our work.
Here is a sample of what some people have said about the activities
 of Spectrum Institute, the parent corporation of Unmarried America:

"Your organization is the only one we found that has extensively documented the treatment of nontraditional families under public policy. We found the studies in which Spectrum Institute participated to be well-researched and well-written, and we relied on several of them in our research report. Please keep up the fine work you do to document and advocate for diversity in family and living arrangements."

Deborah Chalfie
Women's Initiative
American Association of Retired Persons

"Your family diversity report and the work are right on target! Congratulations on great work that's really needed."

Hon. Patricia Schroeder
House of Representatives
United States Congress

"The attendees at your session 'Will Domestic Partner Benefits Be In Your Future'  rated your presentation, content and handout material very high. . . We also heard a lot of comments from attendees, that this session was one of the best. . ."

James A. Kinder
Chief Executive Officer
National Employee Benefits & Workers' Compensation Institute

"As we patiently await the Georgia Supreme Court's decision regarding the legality of the City of Atlanta's domestic partnership legislation, let me again thank you for your wonderful amicus brief written on the city's behalf. . . Your legal analysis was excellent . . . I believe your brief will be an invaluable resource for the Court in determining the outcome of the case. . . Your participation in our case greatly enhanced our chances of victory."

Robin Joy Shahar, Esq.
Assistant City Attorney
City of Atlanta

"Just a note to say that I was well pleased with the amicus curiae brief on Braschi v. Stahl Associates, and with your excellent representation of the FSA position. We hope it helps to retain flexibility in family definition."

Robert M. Rice, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President
Family Service America

"Thank you very much for the assistance you have provided the Municipality of Anchorage in its defense of its anti-marital status discrimination ordinance concerning renting of residential housing . . . The materials you have provided and the conversations we have had have been invaluable to the Municipality in this litigation."

Cliff John Groh, Esq.
Assistant Municipal Attorney
City of Anchorage

"Your organization has had extensive experience in all areas of family issues and understands the potential ramifications of legislation of the magnitude of this bill. I would appreciate your expert testimony on ACA 28 and how it will affect California families."

Hon. Marguerite Archie-Hudson
Assemblywoman
California Legislature

"We very much appreciate how helpful you have been in graciously providing the ACLU Foundation of Southern California with copies of public policy studies, articles, and other information about family diversity . . . Your activism that led to these studies and the good work you have done gathering materials will prove invaluable as we evaluate what role the ACLU might play in expanding the concept of 'family.'"

Harold Gunn
Director of Gift Planning
ACLU of Southern California

"I would like to thank you for helping make our Seventh Annual Third Party Administrator Executive Forum and Eighth Annual MGU/Excess Insurer Executive Forum such successes. Our attendees seemed surprised and very interested in the information you presented . . . SIIA strives to meet all of our members educational needs and to bring them conferences and forums that are both informative and interesting. Your presence added greatly to meeting those goals."

Judi Dokter
Director, Continuing Education,
Self-Insurance Institute of America

"My judicial thesis is completed, approved and I have been conferred the Master of Judicial Studies degree. Indeed, without your cooperative effort in submitting research materials and information, it is unlikely that I would have been able to complete this ambitious undertaking. The topic and dissertation represents the cutting edge of family law and an important development under the New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act."

Hon. Mac D. Hunter, J.S.C.
Judge
Superior Court of New Jersey

"Thank you very much for the information on the Alaska case and for explaining to me the intricacies of 'depublishing' opinions of the California Court of Appeal. I have put this very helpful information into a letter to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Hopefully, it will make a difference. Thanks again."

Judith E. Beals
Assistant Attorney General
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

"KCET's 'By the Year 2000' series has had a program on 'Family Diversity' on the burner for some time. . . I couldn't be more grateful that you and your project exist. I hope that the producer and research staff assigned to 'Family Diversity' can mine the wealth of information that you have amassed over the last three years. I can't imagine doing this project without your cooperation and the contacts you have developed among both the political infrastructure and those people who represent the extraordinary number of diverse families affected."

Trace Percy
Coordinating Producer
KCET Public Television

"Enclosed please find three copies of your segment that ran on 'The O'Riley Report.' It was a pleasure working with you. Hopefully you'll come back very soon."

Makeda Wubneh
Fox News Channel

"Thanks very much for the time you spent talking to me about the Family Diversity Project and the future of families in California. The sources you gave me were invaluable."

Lynn Smith
Orange County Edition
Los Angeles Times

"Just a quick letter to let you know how much I appreciated your assistance to the City of Bloomington. We did implement health insurance, bereavement leave, and FMLA coverage to domestic partners. Thanks again."

Keith G. Dayton
Employee Services Director
Bloomington, Indiana

"Let me thank you very much for your part in our recent victory in Tumeo v. University of Alaska. I think it is the first published appellate court victory for domestic partner benefits, without regard to the sex of the partners. As such, it was great that it came out right. All this would not have been possible without the assistance of the amici, and especially Spectrum. . . My clients and I were proud to be sitting at the same table with Spectrum and you."

William B. Schendel, Esq.
Civil Rights Attorney
Fairbanks, Alaska

"After reviewing the proposal from Spectrum Institute, I am pleased to inform you that Kaiser Permanente has decided to contribute $10,000 to launch this innovative study to document extensive changes in family life in Long Beach and to assist the Human Relations Commission in developing public policy recommendations."

Abelardo de la Pena, Jr.
Director of Public Affairs
Kaiser Permanente
Southern California Region

"During my first six months in office I introduced a motion to adopt a policy of extending health and dental care benefits to domestic partners and dependents of all City employees. I am very grateful to Henry Hurd, of the Personnel Department, and Thomas Coleman, Executive Director of the Spectrum Institute, for providing invaluable research material and analysis that enabled me to bring forward the legislation much earlier than I thought possible. Without their assistance, many City employees would still be denied the peace of mind enjoyed by employees whose families have been covered by health benefits all along."

Hon. Jackie Goldberg
City Council Member
City of Los Angeles

"I respectfully request your assistance regarding AB 54 (Domestic Partners). . . Your expert assistance is needed in responding to technical questions from committee members regarding domestic partnerships."

Hon. Kevin Murray
Assemblyman
California Legislature

"I would greatly value your help regarding AB 1059. . . It would be particularly beneficial for you to outline the legal issues surrounding domestic partnership and health insurance and how AB 1059 would greatly benefit California citizens."

Hon. Carole Migden
Assemblywoman
California Legislature

"Thank you for the packet of information you sent on domestic partnership benefits. It was wonderful to receive such in-depth, thorough material."

Anne Guilfoile
Equality Colorado

"Los Angeles County has now extended dental benefits to the domestic partners of county employees and to their dependents. Your assistance to Local 535 was invaluable in achieving this victory."

Phil Ansell
Sr. Field Representative
SEIU, Local 535

"The board of supervisors voted to include medical benefits for domestic partners of county employees as part of the compensation package. The Family Diversity Project of Spectrum Institute worked diligently with Local 535, the Los Angeles County Labor Coalition, and other dedicated groups to achieve this collective goal. Again, we thank you for your commitment to providing consultation and strategic organizational services in our endeavors to win the tremendous victory!"

Karen Vance
SEIU, Local 535

"Local 55 is deeply grateful for the extraordinary efforts that you and the Spectrum Institute put forth for our union member Al Edwards. It was only through those efforts which you made on behalf of Edwards that convinced the City Council to extend health benefits to all domestic partners of employees regardless of gender."

Steve Splendorio, President
International Association
of Fire Fighters, Local 55

"Thank you for mailing me the March 1995 compilation of anti-privacy laws. It was an invaluable resource that saved me untold hours of statutory research in this challenge to the Louisiana Crime Against Nature Statute."

John D. Rawls, Esq.
Civil Rights Attorney
New Orleans, Louisiana

"Thank you for taking time out to speak to me about domestic partner health benefits and for your suggestions as to how I, as an executive in the insurance industry, can help effect change."

William Albinger Jr.
Attorney at Law
South Orange, New Jersey

"Thank you for your help and referrals in connection with my story on health insurance coverage for domestic partners. I will continue to follow the issue and may pester you again in the future."

Kathy Robertson
Reporter
Bureau of National Affairs

"Thank you for all of your assistance in helping me to create The Domestic Partnership Organizing Manual. . . I am particularly appreciative of the perspective you lent with regard to domestic partnership benefits and their importance to unmarried, heterosexual couples. Your advocacy on behalf of these constituents was one of the driving forces behind the manual's strong stance favoring domestic partnership benefits for all, rather than solely GLBT couples."

Sally Kohn
Research Fellow
NGLTF Policy Institute

"Attached is Planning Report #90-077 regarding proposals to limit the number of unrelated persons who may occupy a single-family dwelling. We would appreciate your review of the attached materials."

Joan E. Harper
Senior Planner
Planning Department
City of San Diego

"On behalf of the Senate Fellow Class, I would like to thank you for sharing with us information on the Los Angeles Family Diversity Project and the changing structures of the American family. We enjoyed meeting you and learning about the work with which you are involved."

Joanne Siu
Senate Committee on Health
California Legislature

"I want to thank you so much for responding to my request for information about California and Los Angeles-area family diversity studies. They were excellent and very helpful in putting together our Democratic Party of Illinois progressive caucus meeting."

Brandon Neese
Deputy Clerk of Cook County
Chicago, Illinois

"I write to thank you for the wealth of information you were able to provide concerning the treatment of unmarried couples by the Automobile Club of Southern California. I was very impressed with your familiarity with the issue and appreciated your advice in identifying relevant court decisions . . . and other persons and groups in the community who share my concern. Continue the fine work."

Eric E. Davis
Attorney at Law
Los Angeles, California

"Commission Chairperson, Tom Gill, would like to orient commission members before the first meeting is called. He would like to send each member Spectrum Institute's Special Report of March 1995 [on domestic partnership laws]."

Pamela Martin
Staff Attorney
Hawaii Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law

"I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank you for your contribution to the Spring quarter Real Estate Law course taught through the UCLA School of Business and Management Extension Program. The students of the class to which you lectured found your presentation both stimulating and informative. . . According to the students' observations, your professional involvement in the case of Smith v. Fair Employment and Housing Commission (1996) 12 Cal.4th 1143, and your commitment to combating discrimination resulted in a highly thought-provoking experience for the entire class."

Ralph M. Weiss
Adjunct Professor
UCLA School of Business and Management

"We are extremely honored to present the first Peter Scott Founder's Award to the Family Diversity Project [of Spectrum Institute]. The Family Diversity Project has shaped the national debate about families . . . It provides research and advocacy which powerfully support our choices in the 90's."

Tribute and Award
Municipal Elections
Committee of Los Angeles

"With the conclusion of the work of the Joint Select Task Force on the Changing Family . . . the Senate Rules Committee would like to extend our deepest thanks and appreciation on behalf of the people of California for your dedicated and thoughtful service.

Hon. David Roberti
Senate President Pro Tem
California Legislature