When We Rise - Season 1, Episode 07: Part VII

Trailer

2010. 'Words have meaning' is stated by a few characters which will play specifically into Cleve, Diane, Roma and Annie's lives. With David Boies and Ted Olson at the legal helm, the fight to bring the results of Prop 8 to the US Supreme Court first has to be fought in a front of a judge at a California District Court. If that fight is lost, their journey ends in failure. If that fight is won and is successful in the US Supreme Court, it would mean civil liberties for the LGBT community in all fifty states, and not just California. As the pro Prop 8 side has hired a powerful and astute lawyer in Charles Cooper, Cleve is concerned that he has only called one marriage expert to testify, Cleve who cannot help but believe there being a surprise twist in their argument. Boies has his more knowledgeable theory on Cooper's reasons for having only one expert witness, which may be confirmed or refuted with the testimony of that expert, Dr. David Blankenhorn. David, Ted, Cleve and Chad's fight takes an unexpected turn when Roberta Kaplan enters the fray, she representing Edie Windsor, who was presented with a $363,000 estate tax bill upon the death of her female spouse. Windsor's case aims to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act itself. In the fight, David, Ted, Cleve, Chad and now Roberta know that they have to win the hearts of Americans, most specifically the one occupying the White House, he who they hope will make a public statement in support, which may be their most difficult challenge. Meanwhile Roma seems to be in a funk despite she having won the fight for universal health care in San Francisco. Annie is the one who can see what Roma needs. That result leads to Roma and Diane being even more invested in the fight at the Supreme Court. And Ken is dismayed that many of what he would like to accomplish at the City of Refuge Church, such as the provision of food and shelter, cannot happen within their limited funds. He turns to some old friends for help in that matter, and hopes to bring his new and old churches together in that fight for more comprehensive supports for the marginalized in the name of Christian love and acceptance.

Genre: Drama, Documentary