These events are listed in date order with most recent first…
Sunday, September 2, 2012
7:00 p.m.
San Francisco Metropolitan Community Church, 150 Eureka Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
I spoke on: For Love or Country?
Find out more about this MCC church at: www.mccsf.org
That was a great time with a great group, great energy and great music.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Panel Presentation – Immigration: Beyond the Borders, UNITY 12 Conference, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Floyd E. Vasquez Jr., Assignment Manager, KOB Eyewitness News 4/HBI
- Wendy Feliz Sefsaf, Communications Director, American Immigration Council
- Judy Rickard, author of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law
- Eric K. Ward, Programme Executive, U.S. Reconciliation and Human Rights The Atlantic Philanthropies
I am a member of NLGJA, National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Karin is too. This year the conference is as part of UNITY 12, the umbrella group of minority journalists groups. We were very excited to be there and met many more media people. Last year I went to my first NLGJA conference and had a great time at sessions and talking to people about my book and our issue. This year was the same – with a much bigger crowd!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Second Sunday, Openhouse, San Francisco, 12 – 2 p.m. (men’s group) and 3 – 5 p.m. (women’s group – a women-only space), 145 Guerrero St., San Francisco
I shared our story and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law with Openhouse, a San Francisco LGBT elders organization. Karin was sick that day. We were glad we were invited after the program director heard about us on a radio show. The event was a fundraiser for Out4Immigration, the all-volunteer grass-roots activism group that works on our issue. Members were invited to share their stories too. Books were available for sale and proceeds that day went to Out4Immigration.
Find out more about Open house at
Find out more about Out4Immigration at
http://www.out4immigration.org
Remember too you can follow me and what I am doing and thinking on twitter @tornapartbook
Fighting for My Wife, Fighting for My Life
BUTCH Voices 2011 national annual conference, Oakland Marriott, Oakland, California, August 19, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
I presented with Karin Bogliolo, my wife, and Martha and Lin McDevitt-Pugh, love exiles in The Netherlands and founders of Love Exiles, one of the groups that benefits from the sale of my book Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law.
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American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 25, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
I signed 100 copies of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, donated by Findhorn Press, to get into 100 libraries and spread the word about our issue.
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California State Legislature LGBT Caucus Award Ceremony
Monday, June 20, 2011, Assembly Chambers, Sacramento, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.
I was honored by State Assemblymember Richard Gordon as part of the annual event for those who have done work for the LGBT community in California.
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Classroom Discussion at De Anza College
Thursday, May 26, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
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San Francisco Book Festival Award Presentation
Saturday, May 21, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Rex Hotel, San Francisco
I received my award as winner of the Gay Category best book for the 2011 San Francisco Book Festival.
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Unitarian Universalist Conference Event Panel, Fremont, California
May 15, 2011 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Hilton Hotel
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Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law Book Launch Event
Saturday, May 14, Siren Studios, Hollywood
Included Lavi Soloway, Out4Immigration, I Do movie, DeVote Campaign and United by Love, Divided by Law Portrait Project as well as a documentary on a gay binational couple being filmed while attending this event. We were interviewed for IMRU radio that day there too. Whew! Added 11 new portraits to the project. Watch for it to be released online soon.
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Saturday, April 9 · 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Asian Americans for Community Involvement
2400 Moorpark Avenue
San Jose, CA
Created By
NQAPIA Alliance
Discussion about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) immigrants’ rights. Panelists will provide an update on developments from both the federal level in Washington, D.C. as well as in San Jose; how immigration reform may affect LGBTQ individuals, and how the audience can get involved.
Invited Panelists:
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) (confirmed)
Ben de Guzman, NQAPIA Co-Director (confirmed)
Chris Punongbayan, Asian Law Caucus
Marta Donayre, Love Without Borders
Amos Lim, Out4Immigration
I talked about my book, Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law.
Co-Sponsors:
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
Asian American Justice Center (AAJC)
Asian Law Caucus (ALC)
South Bay Queer and Asian (SBQA)
Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)
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February 14, 2011 Valentine’s Day Marriage License Action, San Francisco
I was at City Hall in San Francisco while others from Out4Immigration and Get Equal asked for marriage licenses – and were denied. I was there mostly to meet with leaders afterwards to schedule book events. I couldn’t ask for a license because we can’t get married – it would mean Karin would be an overstay risk and more trouble for us with immigration…that’s just one more part of our Torn Apart lives.
On Valentine’s Day, February 14, same-sex couples once again requested marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s offices in cities all over the country. These actions not only drew attention to the lack of marriage equality between heterosexual and LGBTIQ Americans, but also raised awareness about the harms and the impact that the inability to marry causes LGBTIQ families.
San Francisco (11am-1pm), City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place): We met at noon on the Steps of City Hall and heard from elected officials, community leaders, straight allies and couples seeking to marry. People participated or supported couples asking for marriage licenses at the clerk’s office. Musical performances followed and clergy were available to offer a blessing for the couples as we supported their right to marry. Contact Molly McKay at 510-332-0872.
San Jose (2 – 3 pm), Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office (70 West Hedding): Demonstrators supported couples as they applied for marriage licenses just like their fellow citizens. Contact Lisa Liu and Ray Hixson at ca-santaclara@marriagequality.org, or phone Ray Hixson at (650) 346-7557.
More information at:
http://www.marriageequality.org/
http://equalityevents.ning.com/
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SIREN LGBT/Immigration Dialogue Events
February 11 and 25, 2011 9 a.m. – 12 noon, San Jose, California
I participated and will participate one more time in a dialogue event to help the LGBT community and the immigrant community see each other’s issues and understand them so we can work together on comprehensive immigration reform. Created by SIREN in San Jose.
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Outlook Video Taping
February 10, 2011 7:45 p.m.
I taped a show about the book.
Information on events completed in date order, with the most recent first…
Thursday, August 2, 2012
2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Panel Presentation – Immigration: Beyond the Borders, UNITY 12 Conference, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Floyd E. Vasquez Jr., Assignment Manager, KOB Eyewitness News 4/HBI
- Wendy Feliz Sefsaf, Communications Director, American Immigration Council
- Judy Rickard, author of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law
- Eric K. Ward, Programme Executive, U.S. Reconciliation and Human Rights The Atlantic Philanthropies
I am a member of NLGJA, National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Karin is too. This year the conference is as part of UNITY 12, the umbrella group of minority journalists groups. We are very excited to be there and meet many more media people. Last year I went to my first NLGJA conference and had a great time at sessions and talking to people about my book and our issue. This year will be the same – with a much bigger crowd!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Second Sunday, Openhouse, San Francisco, 12 – 2 p.m. (men’s group) and 3 – 5 p.m. (women’s group – a women-only space), 145 Guerrero St., San Francisco
We will share our story and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law with Openhouse, a San Francisco LGBT elders organization. We are glad we were invited after the program director heard about us on a radio show. If you are in the San Francisco area, please come, or if you know someone who would want to attend, please pass on the information. The event will be a fundraiser for Out4Immigration, the all-volunteer grass-roots activism group that works on our issue. Members have been invited to share their stories too, so we may have more than one LGBT binational family sharing. Books will be available for sale and proceeds that day go to Out4Immigration.
Find out more about Open house at
Find out more about Out4Immigration at
http://www.out4immigration.org
Remember too you can follow me and what I am doing and thinking on twitter @tornapartbook
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Second Sunday, Openhouse, San Francisco, 12 – 2 p.m. (men’s group) and 3 – 5 p.m. (women’s group – a women-only space), 145 Guerrero St., San Francisco
I had two events on the same day with this LGBT senior organization. Karin was sick with a bad cold so they didn’t get to meet her. I sold several books and and proceeds that day went to Out4Immigration. Find out more about Open house at openhouse-sf.org/
Find out more about Out4Immigration at http://www.out4immigration.org
Sunday, November 27, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Book Talk, Sale, Signing, In Other Words Feminist Book Store and Resource Center, 14 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland, Oregon.
There was a big storm that day, so I guess that’s why we had a small – but enthusiastic – audience.
Thursday, November 17, 2011, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San Jose, corner of South Fourth and East San Fernando Streets, 12 noon – 1 p.m.
We were there as San Jose State University celebrated the annual International Week. I talked about my aspect of an international life at the place where I earned my degrees and worked – and had to retire early from in order to be with my wife because of our constant immigration problem.
November 5, 2011, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. PFLAG 2011 annual national conference, Alexandria, VA, “Help Keep LGBT Binational Families Together in the U.S.”
Karin and I participated in a panel on our issue – not a book reading, but information was there about how books could be purchased. We also displayed the first portraits of LGBT binational couples from the United by Love, Divided by Law Portrait Project. There were four parents of sons or daughters with the same struggle as LGBT binational couples. Gina Caprio, John Beddingfield and Erwin de Leon also shared their stories. Connie Utada from Immigration Equality and Frances Marquez from Rep. Mike Honda’s office also spoke.
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November 4, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 2226 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law Congressional briefing
We joined Rep. Mike Honda (Reuniting Families Act) at a briefing sponsored by him and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (Uniting American Families Act). LGBT binational couples shared their stories of immigration discrimination due to Defense of Marriage Act and U.S. immigration law. Julie Kruse, Policy Director from Immigration Equality, kicked off the session. Rep. Mike Honda spoke about his legislation. Panel speakers were Judy Rickard, Karin Bogliolo, Erwin de Leon, John Beddingfield, Carmen Gilotte, Aster Fonseca and Gina Caprio.
Connie Utada from Immigration Equality and Frances Marquez from Rep. Honda’s office also shared information. We also displayed the first LGBT binational families’ portraits from the United by Love, Divide by Law Portrait Project. Twenty-five Congressional staffers attended. We ended with a powerful video from Inger and Philippa, which outlined their struggle to be together. Very powerful!
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Thursday, October 20, 2011, Bo0ks Inc., San Francisco, 7:30 p.m.
Located at 2275 Market Street (at 16th), San Francisco. Proceeds from books sold benefit Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration and Love Exiles Foundation, three groups that work on a solution for our problem…
Marlo McKenzie filmed us at the event for the documentary she and a co-producer are making on binational couples and their immigration struggles – LGBT and heterosexual. Karin and I have agreed to help Marlo make her film and be part of the project to help us all with our immigration issues. Bonus! We met her husband Michael and her dog Murphy! Great crowd there, including several who are interviewed in my book.
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Saturday, October 8, 2011, Billy De Frank LGBT Center, 938 The Alameda, San Jose, California 95126 (408) 293-2429, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Wonderful event at the De Frank Center library! Had a book reading and selling and signing session to benefit the Billy De Frank Center library. That’s right – book sales that day made possible a donation of $4 each for the library right where we met. Great audience. Wonderful decorations and refreshments. Met another lesbian binational couple. Sold 9 books so earned $36 for the library. Felt good!
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Friday, August 19, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
BUTCH Voices annual national conference 2011
Fighting for My Wife, Fighting for My Life
Lead a panel discussing how we fight to be together when U.S. immigration and marriage laws make it hard or impossible.
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
PFLAG – Parents, Friends and Family of Gays and Lesbians San Jose Monthly Meeting
First Congregational Church, 1980 Hamilton Avenue (at Leigh Avenue), San Jose, CA 95125
Hear our story and help PFLAG raise funds for its work! Book reading and signing. Each copy of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law sold gives PFLAG Peninsula Chapter $4. Buy a book – or more – and help PFLAG. If you already have Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, bring it to the meeting and I’ll sign it for you. No worries!
If you can’t make this event and you want to help PFLAG, go online to buy my book from the publisher, Findhorn Press:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Use code PFLAGsj when you check out. The donation will be given to the Peninsula PFLAG Chapter when the publisher pays me what would have been my royalties – all proceeds from the book go to the causes I work for! Thanks!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Smart Women South Bay, Moorpark Hotel, 4241 Moorpark Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129.
Hi all! I was asked to talk about my book Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law and my immigration issue at the Smart Women South Bay event at the Moorpark Hotel, San Jose, Tuesday, August 9 from 6 – 8 p.m.
The hotel is located at 4241 Moorpark Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129.
Find out why I had to take early retirement. Find out how I chose between country and career, between country and spouse. Learn about the alphabet soup that affects my life and my wife and thousands of other LGBT binational couples. You may have heard of them, but I will share what they mean to me and so many others:
DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), INA (Immigration and Nationality Act), RFA (Reuniting Families Act), UAFA (Uniting American Families Act, CIR 2011 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform), and the new kid on the block, Respect for Marriage Act.
Find out who is helping us. Find out how you can help. And find out why you should buy and read my book!
For more information about the organization, go to
http://www.smartwomenbayarea.com/
This group is an organization through Betty’s List – check it out!
And remember, you can keep up with me and what I am doing on twitter @tornapartbook
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Monday, August 8, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
PFLAG – Parents, Friends and Family of Gays and Lesbians San Mateo Monthly Meeting
Sequoia Union High School District Offices, 480 James Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062
Hear our story and help PFLAG raise funds for its work! Book reading and signing. Each copy of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law sold gives PFLAG Peninsula Chapter $4. Buy a book – or more – and help PFLAG. If you already have Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, bring it to the meeting and I’ll sign it for you. No worries!
If you can’t make this event and you want to help PFLAG, go online to buy my book from the publisher, Findhorn Press:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Use code PFLAGsj when you check out. The donation will be given to the Peninsula PFLAG Chapter when the publisher pays me what would have been my royalties – all proceeds from the book go to the causes I work for! Thanks!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Billy De Frank LGBT Center, 938 The Alameda, San Jose, California 95126
Help San Jose’s LGBT Center raise funds! Book reading and signing fundraiser for Billy De Frank Center; each copy of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law sold gives Billy De Frank Center $4. Buy a book – or more – and help the center. If you already have Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, bring it to the center and I’ll sign it for you. No worries!
If you can’t make this event and you want to help Billy De Frank Center, go online to buy my book from the publisher, Findhorn Press:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Use code BDFC12 when you check out. The donation will be given to Billy DeFrank Center when the publisher pays me what would have been my royalties – all proceeds from the book go to the causes I work for! Thanks!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Saturday, July 23, 2011, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble, Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 South Bascom Avenue, Campbell, California 95008
Meet and Greet Book Signing – Buy One or Bring Yours to Have Me Sign It.
I’ll be waiting and watching for you at the table by the front door! Stop by and say Hi and buy a book. If you already have it, bring it for me to sign. Just be sure Barnes & Noble knows you already paid for it!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Friday, July 15, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Hobee’s Restaurant, Pruneyard Shopping Center, Campbell, California 95008
Support the three groups that work on our issue, Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration and Love Exiles Foundation, by buying Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law at Hobee’s Pruneyard.
Book Reading and Signing Fundraiser for Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration and Love Exiles – Buy One or Bring Yours to Have Me Sign It. Hobee’s has generously donated the food, the room, the beverages, so come and find out about the struggle LGBT binational families have and buy my book to help the groups that work for our solution. You’ll enjoy the food and drinks, you’ll meet great people and you will support great people! Win-win-win!
If you can’t make this event and want to support the work of these three groups, order my book online from publisher Findhorn Press at:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
If you want the donation your book purchase brings shared among the three groups, don’t add a code at check out. If you want to specify your donation for a specific group, use one of these codes at check out – Immigration Equality Action Fund, IEAF15; Out4Immigration OUT416; Love Exiles Foundation LOEX17. It’s that easy! Thanks!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
San Francisco Main Branch Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco
Panel on LGBT Binational Families’ Struggles with experts and book signing fundraiser for Out4Immigration; Each copy of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law Sold Gives O4I $4
Room location update: no longer in James Hormel Room, Third Floor – now in the Latino Community Room on the lower level of the Library. I should have updated that sooner (thanks Amos!)
Join me and Karin and several others at an Out4Immigration panel and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law book event at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch,in the Latino Community Room on the lower level, at 100 Larkin Street, Tuesday, July 12, 2011 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. (Nearest BART/Muni station is Civic Center).
I’ll be on the panel, which will include attorney Lavi Soloway (Stop the Deportations), Erik Schnabel (Out4Immigration), Amos Lim (Out4Immigration), attorney Ilona Turner (National Center for Lesbian Rights). Each of us will briefly share how LGBT binational couples are affected by current U.S. laws, which do not allow us to sponsor our wives or husbands for immigration and may bring families to separation, deportation or breakup.
If you can’t make this event and want to support the work of Out4Immigration, order Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law online from publisher Findhorn Press at:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Use order code OUT416 at check out and $4 will be donated to Out4Immigration. It’s that easy! Thanks!
And remember, you can follow me and Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law on twitter @tornapartbook
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Saturday, June 25, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
American Library Association Conference, New Orleans, IPG Distributors Booth
Meet and Greet Book Signing – Findhorn Press Donated 100 Copies of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law to Librarians. If you’re a librarian, come by and see me! If not, please tell your librarian and your librarian friends. Better yet, go to your library and request that they buy a copy of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, by Judy Rickard, published by Findhorn Press. You’ll help us all with that simple request and we thank you! LGBT families need your support to avoid deportation, breakup, living apart in separate countries and unimaginable stress and loneliness and even terror…
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Sunday, May 1, 2011, 1 – 3 p.m.
Barnes & Noble, Westgate Shopping Center, San Jose, California
Meet and Greet Book Signing – Sold some books and visited with some customers. Was invited back to do it again another time. Thanks Barnes & Noble!
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Thursday, April 28, 2011, Pisco Latin Lounge, 1817 Market Street at Guerrero, San Francisco, California
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Meet and Greet with Rachel Tiven, Immigration Equality Executive Director
Buy a book and help support the work of Immigration Equality!
If you could not attend, you can support the work of Immigration Equality by going online to order a copy of Judy’s book from Findhorn Press at
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Use code IEAF15 at checkout and $4 of the sale goes to Immigration Equality Action Fund. Thanks!
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BAYMEC Torn Apart Book Event Fundraiser, Campbell, California
April 12, 2011, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
912 Campisi Drive, Campbell
Judy Rickard talked about her book and story and signed copies of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law.
BAYMEC (Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee) will receive $4 for each book sold (24 copies!).
If you could not attend, you can support the work of BAYMEC by going online to order a copy of Judy’s book from Findhorn Press at
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
use code BAYMEC10 when you place your order and $4 will be donated to BAYMEC by Findhorn Press.
For information, email judy@findhornpress.com
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Love Exiles Torn Apart Book Event Fundraiser, Redwood City, California,
March 26, 2011, Caffe Sportivo, 965 Brewster Avenue Redwood City, CA 94063
4 – 6 p.m.
Attendees heard about the work of Love Exiles Foundation from co-founder Martha McDevitt-Pugh, here for a short visit from The Netherlands.
Judy Rickard read from her book and signed copies of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law.
Love Exiles Foundation received $4 for each book sold.
If you could not attend, you can support the work of Love Exiles Foundation by going online to order a copy of Judy’s book from Findhorn Press at
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
use code LOEX17 when you place your order and $4 will be donated to Love Exiles Foundation by Findhorn Press.
For information, email judy@findhornpress.com
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Out4Immigration Torn Apart Book Event Fundraiser in San Francisco, California
invitation-only event in a private home in San Francisco on March 17 was terrific! Sold 26 books and earned $104 for Out4Immigration that night.
Judy Rickard read from her book and signed copies of Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law.
If you couldn’t attend, you can support the work of Out4Immigration by going online to order a copy of Judy’s book from Findhorn Press at
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
use code OUT16 when you place your order and $4 will be donated to Out4Immigration by Findhorn Press.
For information, email judy@findhornpress.com
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WOF (Women Over Fifty) monthly meeting, Sunday, February 20, 2011, 3 – 5 p.m., Los Gatos, California
Great event! Joan and Cathy and Mary Jo went with me and I sold 10 books at my first event. Woo hoo!
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Vintage Lunch Group, weekly luncheon, Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 12 noon – 1 p.m., San Jose, California
My first reading was with my senior lunch group pals in San Jose at the Billy De Frank Center. I read from the galley copy of the book and had a good time!
