Multicultural Bar Alliance of Southern California's (MCBA) held its immensely popular annual summer reception on Thursday August 14, 2008 in downtown Los Angeles. Present at reception were IALA's President Mitra Chegini, IALA Vice President Vishta Farahani, IALA former president P. Patrick Ashouri and a number of IALA members.

California State Bar by president-elect HOLLY J. FUJIE welcomed everyone warmly and explained her vision about the role of the minority and ethnic bar and lawyers association's roles.

JENNIFER C. PIZER, Senior Counsel with Lambda Legal, discussed the significance of equal marriage rights for all couples in California, including lesbian and gay couples.

LESTER F. APONTE also discussed how bar associations can get involved in the effort to defeat Proposition 8, the anti-marriage/anti-LGBT initiative on the November 2008 ballot.