The Marriage Equality Caravan, or Marriage Equality Express was an educational bus tour organized by the California chapter of Marriage Equality USA organized in response to the invalidation of 4,000 same-sex marriages that had taken place between February 12 and March 11, 2004 by the California State Supreme Court on August 11, 2004. The tour was led by Davina Kotulski

Davina Kotulski

Davina Kotulski, Ph.D., born on January 22, 1970, is a well-known, long-time marriage equality activist and leader in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equal Rights movement. Kotulski began publicly advocating for marriage equality in 1999...

, Molly McKay

Molly McKay

Molly B. McKay, born September 9, 1970, is an attorney and a civil rights activist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals. McKay was the former Co-Executive Director of Marriage Equality California and the former Media Director for Marriage Equality USA...

, Belinda Ryan, Wendy Daw, Jacqueline Frank, and Bev Senkowski.

On October 4, 2004, 44 activists including Davina Kotulski, Molly McKay, California marriage case plaintiffs Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, Roland Torres Q TV, Karen Ocamb, Out Word, Mike Kepka photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle

thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...

, and Rona Marech, reporter for the same paper loaded a bus and traveled across the country stopping in thirteen states and hosting marriage equality forums and panels at universities and churches. The "Marriage Equality Express," an educational bus tour across the United States that culminated in the first national marriage equality rally in Washington, DC on October 11, 2004, National Coming Out Day

National Coming Out Day

National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed civil awareness day celebrating individuals who publicly identify as bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender—coming out regarding one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity being akin to a cultural rite of passage for LGBT people...

. The rally featured the Hawaii Marriage Case Plaintiff Genora Dancel; Beth Robinson, attorney in the Vermont Freedom to Marry case; Reverend Jimmy Creech

Jimmy Creech

Jimmy Creech is a lifelong pioneer in LGBT equality issues. Creech is a former United Methodist minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples....

, a Methodist minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples and leader of Soulforce

Soulforce

Soulforce may refer to:* Soulforce is an American LGBT-issue-focused social justice and civil rights organization.* Soulforce Revolution is the 1989 release of the punk band 7 Seconds....

; Dr. Sylvia Rhue of the National Black Justice Coalition; Robin Tyler, organizer for gay rights marches in Washington, DC and founder of StopDr.Laura.com; Kathy Kelly, Marriage Equality Georgia; Musicians Tuck and Patti, who sang what Davina, Molly and the husband and wife duo agree is the theme song to the Marriage Equality Movement--“Love Warriors”; and politicians Mark Leno

Mark Leno

Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...

 and Eleanor Holmes Norton

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Eleanor Holmes Norton is a Delegate to Congress representing the District of Columbia. In her position she is able to serve on and vote with committees, as well as speak from the House floor...

. Marriage Equality Caravaners also told their stories.

Time and Parade magazines included the rally when citing the importance of marriage equality activism as one of the top 10 issues of 2004.