Karen Cadwell and husband Rich Rohde are very passionate about equality. "For me," Cadwell begins, "equality is about respect. It's about feeling a part of community, a family, a group of friends, and the work place." She notes that, "in order to feel human we need to have the sense that we are here to take care of each other."

One could say that Cadwell's hunger for equality is manifested in her life philosophy, which is to go at everything as a matter of faith. As she explains, "this comes from a vision of community. Of people who are children of God, created by God, and loved by God. Work for equality is a work that is in concert with God's work."

In addition to serving as an advocate for children's mental health services, Cadwell has crafted her life's work around orchestrating this concert between equality and faith. She is a church pastor in her local town and uses her influence in the faith community to facilitate and build relationships around issues of equity. As she puts it, "It's not real complicated. God wants us to take care of each other. We are meant to be a community where everyone is included."

Rohde is in agreement when it comes to equality and community-based building. "All people have rights and abilities and strengths and weaknesses," he says. "For me the best way we, as a society, can work together is to recognize that we are all apart of the human family." After a moment he adds, "Equality is this recognition that we all have this dignity and beauty."

Rohde's fight against inequality began early. "As a young person in the mid-sixties, I was involved in, and worked for, civil and human rights." This fueled his lifelong commitment to advocacy. "I was very affected by that and came out of my experience with a strong commitment to do better in in terms of confronting individual human rights. I realized I had a responsibility to make things as good as they can get."

While Rich is a member of his wife's church, he has chosen a different path professionally. Rohdes is a community organizer for Oregon Action. Oregon Action invests in developing outstanding leaders from communities who are traditionally underrepresented, such as people who are low-income, women, people of color, immigrants, and those with felony backgrounds. This organization builds their skills and ability to strengthen their community.

Through this work, Rohdes admits, "I've had the privilege of working with many gays and lesbians. I've had so much respect for what they do. It has been inspiring and has expanded my own work and beliefs."