It’s about time. After ten years of committed resolve from Judy and Dennis Shepard and numerous supporters, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is locked into place, signed today by President Barack Obama. Named after two victims of horrific and brutal crimes, this piece of legislation extends hate crime protection to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.

During a ceremony to commemorate the event, President Obama said, “No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hand of the person they love.”