This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Richard Noble, a LGBT activist from Los Angeles, is in Salt Lake City today (July 5) as part of his walk across the nation to promote the American Equality Bill. The bill, initiated by eQuality Giving, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing federal laws that protect Americans from discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin and religion.
The bill does not yet have a sponsor in Congress.
Noble will speak at the Utah Pride Center, 361 N. 300 West in Salt Lake City, at 5 p.m. and then walk to the Salt Lake City & County Building at 6 p.m. Supporters are invited to join him on his walk. At 7 p.m. he will address city officials and reporters.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has declared Tuesday as National Civil Rights March Across America Day in Noble's honor.
Noble is a founding member of Connecting Rainbows and the Los Angeles chapter of Queer Nation. He hopes his walk shows that one person can make a difference, according to a statement from the Utah Pride Center. He started his walk on March 12 at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
"I am at my Cairo boiling point with the delays in full citizenship for everyone and want the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General to step in for what is supposed to be civil rights for sexual orientation and gender identity," Noble said in a statement.
Noble, who is toting a rainbow flag, iPhone and camping gear to support his walk, is blogging about the journey at walk.usfreedomring.com.