Twenty years later, Rev. Irene Monroe shared with us the invocation she gave before Cambridge hosted the very first same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
It's been 20 years since Massachusetts became a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ+ community across the nation.
Cities across the commonwealth celebrated the trailblazing moment that changed how same-sex couples are viewed under the law.
"We're here in this place, the Cambridge City Hall, holding onto a vision that, in minutes, will be a promise fulfilled," said Rev. Irene Monroe as she read the same invocation she shared on May 17, 2004; the day same-sex marriage was allowed in the Bay State.
"There was a lot of nervousness and build-up," Monroe said of the monumental occurrence.
Since that day, the reverend has married over 250 same-sex couples, she said. But not before a yearslong struggle.
"We are building on 'Board of Education.' We are building on 'Mildred Loving,' and [now] here we are," she said.
For her, the fight began when it became obvious that she wasn't equal under the law.
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"Nothing becomes sort of cemented in your mind when you realize, 'Oh, I am gay too!' she said. "Then you realize, 'Oh! I don't have the same right as heterosexual couples.'"
Then in 2015, the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage was legal nation-wide.
Despite the progress, Monroe said the fight must continue.
"If you can turn over 'Roe v. Wade,' which, you know, oh my god, a half a century old – this is a baby civil right that only took place in 2015," said Monroe.
Monroe wants to ensure the baton is passed on to generations coming after her.
"This is my first term in office," said State Rep. Samantha Montaño, D-Suffolk. "I was able to run two years ago now as an out, open queer person, and that's all possible because of the work that happened 20 years ago today."
Montaño joined dozens of marriage equality advocates on Friday at the Arlington Church in Boston to celebrate the 20 years of protecting the right to marry.
It was a cherished privilege for Robyn Ochs, who became the first in Brookline to marry another woman.
"It's been wonderful watching my family evolve and come to not only be accepting, but to be able to celebrate our relationship with us," said Ochs.
For the reverend, there's no going back, as long as progress isn't taken for granted.
"It's in my bones that you move forward, and not just for your own rights, but for the rights of everyone," she said.
