Elli and Viviana: Participants in the WE DO Campaign who will request a license on Thursday, October 13, 2011.
Viviana and I have both lived in or around Asheville since late 2002. We met through a circle of friends sometime in 2004, and maintained a friendship until October 2007 when the timing was right and we began to date.
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In the 4 years since that first date, we’ve enjoyed each other more everyday, celebrated our commitment in a ceremony with 120 of our friends and family, and this year we welcomed a new addition to our family, our first child, Francesca, who was born on October 1, 2011.
Throughout our relationship, the support and love that we have gotten from our family, friends and the community at large has been profound. Our wedding ceremony was attended by 4 generations, including my 92 year-old grandfather and our 3 month old niece and 4 month old nephew. We had friends and relatives travel from Canada, Massachusetts, California, and Sudan to join in the celebration, drinking and dancing the night away in the beautiful Appalachian mountains. In the words of my sister in her simple, yet powerful wedding night toast, “love makes a family.”
This year we began a new journey together in deciding to start a family, and once again have been touched by the genuine love, support and excitement coming in from so many people.
We are also honored to participate in the We Do Campaign with the Campaign for Southern Equality and are thankful to have such a powerful, well-organized group here in Asheville, dedicated to humanism and equality for every individual.
– Elli
