The International Court System celebrates 45 years of service

This Saturday, June 5, the International Court System will celebrate its 45^th anniversary with an Imperial State Dinner in Lexington, Ky.

The Court was founded in 1965 by gay rights pioneer Jose Julio Sarria when she declared herself Empress of San Francisco and formed the Imperial Court de San Francisco. Today the International Court System has over 68 chapters across the United States, Canada and Mexico dedicated to service and philanthropy.

The Court’s recent service projects include running a 2008 voter registration drive, leading the campaign to put Harvey Milk on a U.S. postage stamp, and organizing for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. In addition, the Court system has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for organizations like the Tijuana AIDS Project, the Women’s Breast Cancer Campaign and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

That the International Court System has accomplished so much while maintaining its characteristic pomp and pageantry is a credit to its dedication and grace.

That sense of theatricality will be on full display at Saturday’s dinner, as courtiers from around the continent will gather to celebrate the community they’ve formed during 45 years of hard work.

The Task Force has a partnership accord with the wonderful folks from the International Court System, and we see firsthand the power of their work every day.

To 45 more years!