Ten years after the landmark Obergefell decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel takes us behind the scenes of the historic legal battle she personally led. As the attorney who argued Michigan's DeBoer v. Snyder case (later consolidated with Obergefell), Nessel provides a remarkably candid account of what it took to secure marriage equality against overwhelming odds.

Nessel shares deeply personal reflections about what the victory meant, calling the day Obergefell was decided ”the best day of my life.” Local clerks set up impromptu wedding services for couples who had waited decades to marry legally. Beyond the emotional impact, marriage equality brought economic benefits, increased adoption rates for foster children, and crucial family stability. Nessel's own experience as a parent illustrates how marriage rights transformed everyday life – enabling her wife to legally adopt their children and make medical decisions when their son needed surgery.

This Pride Month conversation also comes with a warning. With Justice Thomas explicitly calling for Obergefell to be reconsidered and unconstitutional marriage bans still on the books in many states, the rights secured in 2015 remain vulnerable. Subscribe to hear part two of this special series featuring an interview with April and Jane themselves – the couple whose fight to protect their family changed America.

Credit: This episode includes excerpts from news segments from the Associated Press, MSNBC, NBC News, WPTV News, WSBT-TV, WXYZ-TV Detroit, KHON2 News, and other clips from Youtube.