Lambda Legal Midwest Region

10/14/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

08/17/2022

On Sunday, August 28th, at the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Chicago Public Library, Chicago Freedom School, Howard Brown Health, Broadway Youth Center, Brave Space Alliance, and Social Works will be hosting the Fall Q***r Radical Resource Fair.

The fair will offer a public education workshop around LGBTQIA+ identities including vogue dancing, fashion, and ball culture; as well as COVID-19 vaccinations and testing; HIV and STI testing; education and employment opportunities; free food; accessible and culturally affirming mental health resources; and artisanal goods made by local q***r creatives.

The fair will be a celebration of self-expression, and community by and for ***r youth! 🌈

To learn more about the event click the link - https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?q=q***r%20radical%20fair&fbclid=IwAR3kvEqTD37pJQceqSuwR-SyfwIEJTAjlSD8OpMFtqxYmqs_dD4u_g1QWZ4

08/12/2022

The Minnesota People of Color Pride Organization, in collaboration with other LGBTQ+ and supporting-ally organizations, presents the Minnesota POC Pride Festival 2022: A Summer of Soul. This festival will be taking place August 18th through the 21st, with several events throughout the weekend.

This festival celebrates and recognizes the diversity within the MN LGBTQ+ communities and cultural traditions. The MN POC Pride Organization has connected and served the LGBTQ+ POC community state-wide through HIV health advocacy, civic engagement work, and constantly fighting for LGBTQ+ people of color equity and equality.

MN POC Pride Festival will be hosting some amazing events such as Mr. & Miss Twin Cities Black Pride Pageant, Black Magic on-the-River Annual Boat Cruise, Vogue Night, and ultimately finishing off the weekend with Soul-In-The-Park. The festival is sure to be full of fun, love, and soul!

Learn more about the festival by clicking on the link - https://mnpocpride.org/pride-festival/

08/11/2022

Get Loud! with Lambda Legal as we fight for LGBTQ rights.

It is clear that LGBTQ+ civil rights battles that we have fought and won, including our very own victories in Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges, are under threat.

As frightening as this environment is, we have been here before. We have held the line and continued to advance rights for LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV. We know what to do.

Harvey Milk said, “Hope will never be silent.” Today, more than ever, when LGBTQ+ people face attacks in their state legislatures, at their schools, and from our nation’s highest court, his words remind us to keep fighting.

There is too much at stake, and we cannot give up. We must get loud to protect ourselves and each other.

Get Loud to protect LGBTQ+ civil rights.

Join us today: www.lambdalegal.org/signup_getloud

08/10/2022

Survivors Benefits

Until recently, thousands of surviving same-s*x partners and spouses were locked out of accessing social security survivor’s benefits because their marriages had been prevented or delayed by unconstitutional marriage laws.

Thanks to our victories in Ely v. Saul and Thornton v. Commissioner of Social Security, millions of dollars in benefits that belong to our community have now been unlocked. The Social Security Administration is now processing survivor’s benefits claims for ALL surviving same-s*x partners and spouses who were prevented from meeting marriage-related requirements because of unconstitutional marriage laws, regardless of whether they had applied for those benefits at any point in the past.

Lambda Legal has put together FAQ documents about these cases to provide information about what these cases mean and how to demonstrate that you may be eligible for survivor’s benefits. Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3vIB85r

08/03/2022

Victory in West Virginia for Transgender Medicaid Participants Who Were Denied Health Care Coverage

Yesterday, federal District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers ruled that West Virginia’s Medicaid program could no longer discriminate by excluding coverage for gender-confirming surgical care for transgender Medicaid participants in West Virginia.

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal, Nichols Kaster, PLLP, and the Employment Law Center, PLLP challenging West Virginia’s exclusion of coverage for gender-confirming surgical care.

“I am excited to finally have access to the healthcare I deserve. The exclusion negatively affects my health and well-being as well as the health and well-being of other transgender Medicaid participants in our community. Gender-confirming care is healthcare, and it is lifesaving,” said plaintiff Shauntae Anderson, West Virginia Medicaid participant.

Read more online at https://bit.ly/3A3jr3r

08/01/2022

Tomorrow, August 2nd, from 5:30pm to 6:30 pm on behalf of Howard Brown Health, Chicago Department of Public Health, and Chicago Business Affairs & Consumer Protection, Northalsted Business Alliance is hosting a virtual forum to hear the latest updates from Chicago’s health experts and to answer your questions about the symptoms, spread and preventative methods for MPV (Monkeypox).

This will be a great opportunity to get the most up to date information about MPV in Chicago, and ask any questions you may have about MPV.

Please use this link to register: bit.ly/MPVTownhall

07/27/2022

HB 1557, commonly known as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law, censors student speech and expression about LGBTQ+ people.

Lambda Legal, joined by the Southern Legal Counsel, Inc., the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Baker McKenzie, is filing a federal lawsuit against Florida’s attempt to stigmatize and silence LGBTQ+ youth and families.

Join our fight to make Florida schools safe and inclusive ➡️ Call 1-833-I-SAY-GAY or 1-833-SAY-TGNC to report discrimination in Florida.

To Learn more, read below.

HB 1557, commonly known as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law, censors student speech and expression about LGBTQ+ people.

This law has already encouraged school districts to ban LGBTQ+ books from their classrooms and eliminate LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination and anti-harassment trainings.

Lambda Legal, joined by the Southern Legal Counsel, Inc., the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Baker McKenzie, is filing a federal lawsuit against Florida’s attempt to stigmatize and silence LGBTQ+ youth and families.

We are fighting for every student’s right to openly talk about their LGBTQ+ loved ones, access in-school support systems for LGBTQ+ youth, and to be able to read books that recognize LGBTQ+ people’s historical contributions and lived experiences.

Join our fight to make Florida schools safe and inclusive ➡️ Call 1-833-I-SAY-GAY or 1-833-SAY-TGNC to report discrimination in Florida.

For more information read the press release at: https://bit.ly/3vfOpCj

07/26/2022

It is our pleasure to introduce Rick Kissel and Michael Mock as Lambda Legal’s two new Legacy Giving Council members based in the Midwest.

This past spring, the Legacy Giving Council was thrilled to appoint Rick, a skilled Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister with over 35 years of experience, and Michael, an accomplished Financial Planner at Westpoint Financial Group, as the two newest council members.

As you know, the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade proves that we don’t know what the future holds and there is so much more work to be done, which is why we are so grateful to Rick, Michael, and all our supporters who strengthen our ability to fight back and win.

07/22/2022

Lambda Legal and Black & Pink National have launched “Protected & Served?” which is a community survey on LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV and the criminal legal system. We are partnering to produce a report that can support new research, advocacy, litigation, and policy efforts to address unlawful bias, discrimination, and abuse of LGBTQ+ people and PLHIV by the criminal legal system.

The survey only takes around 10 minutes to complete and is available in English and Spanish. Those who participate in the survey will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win $100.
To learn more about “Protected & Served?” Feel free to check out the website (https://www.protectedandserved.org/) or listen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avh9o1gj9CU) to Dominique Morgan, from the The Okra Project talk about the importance of this survey.

Click this link to take the survey:
https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bOQ7SjMWg1n0L0q

07/19/2022

Our LGBTQ+ youth deserve to experience adolescence as carefree as other young adults!

07/18/2022

Discrimination is expensive!

Read more below from Lambda Legal about how we were awarded attorney fees after winning a case against Idaho who was discriminating against trans folks.

🎉 On June 8, 2022, Lambda Legal ​and our co-counsel were awarded attorney’s fees in the amount of $321,529.50 for our victory in our case challenging Idaho's anti-trans birth certificate law, which Idaho enacted in defiance of a prior court order.

Learn more about our 2020 victory: https://bit.ly/3avtxh6

07/18/2022

Pictures of our fabulous ELC Summer Social speaker, staff attorney Nora Huppert. She delivered a powerful speech concerning the future of LGBTQ+ rights post-Roe.

Thank you to everyone who attended! And please remember that you can still make a gift to support our ELC.

Follow the link below:
https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Donation2?df_id=10221&mfc_pref=T&10221.donation=form1

07/16/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

07/15/2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for our inaugural ELC Summer Social!

It was a fabulous event, and we achieved our goal in connecting brilliant young q***r professionals from across Chicago together for an evening centered around justice, community and celebrating our uniqueness.

Photos from the event will be posted in the next few days, so stay tuned. Please be sure to tag yourself and anyone you know.

In the meantime, here's a picture of this year's fabulous Emerging Leaders Council (ELC), our young professional associate board.

07/14/2022

Today is recognized around the world as International Non-Binary People's Day! Legal is proud to uplift Non-Binary people through our work. Join us as we celebrate this day and shine a light on this diverse community.

Non-Binary is a term used to describe gender identities that sit within, outside of, across or between the spectrum of the male and female binary. Non-binary folks may identify as being both a man and a woman or they may feel like they have no gender at all. Non-binary people show us how powerful identity can be and that it is an individual right to decide how to present yourself to the world.

Lambda Legal continues to fight for the rights of non-binary folks. Though the work can be hard and may seem frustrating at times, it is also important to take time to celebrate and support our community.

07/13/2022

Lambda Legal is proud to introduce our co-chairs of the 2022 Indiana Benefit and civil rights celebration, which will return to Indianapolis on September 23rd, following a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic.

This year’s co-chairs will help inspire local, corporate and grassroots support for Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest and most successful legal defense organization working to achieve full recognition for LGBTQ people and everyone living with HIV.

Meet our Co-Chairs: Jae Park, Rick Kissel, and Amber Maynard!

To learn more about our Co-Chairs use this link.
https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/in_20220708_lambda-legal-announces-co-chairs-of-2022-indiana-benefit

Make sure to register for our Indiana Benefit using this link. https://www.lambdalegal.org/indianabenefit

07/11/2022

Last Friday, Lambda Legal secured the safety of trans youth by barring Texas from implementing the agency’s rule expanding the definition of child abuse to presumptively treat the provision of gender affirming care as child abuse.

We are one step closer to ensuring all trans families can safely access gender-affirming medical care. Click the link below to read more about today’s ruling. https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/20220708_texas-court-blocks-state-from_investigating-more-trans-youth?fbclid=IwAR2QJoKjGYsR5MGhtpGGKSRqBZK3zO6YpLGT-1fq7kyZ05OFlE5aFQVhKVk

We encourage all families across the state of Texas impacted by the DFPS Rule to reach out to Lambda Legal’s Help Desk at https://www.lambdalegal.org/helpdesk

🎉 A Texas court has blocked Texas–yet, again–from investigating parents who work with their healthcare providers to provide their trans adolescent children with necessary medical care! Today’s ruling protects the Roe and Voe families, even as the court considers broader relief for ALL Texas families who are members of PFLAG National, a national + support organization.

We are one step closer to ensuring all trans families can safely access gender-affirming medical care. Read more about today’s ruling: https://bit.ly/3InLz3A

07/08/2022

Get Ready!

Next week Detroit’s Black LGBTQ+ Community is hosting their annual Hotter Than July celebration. From July 15th to 17th, come out and join them to experience the world’s second oldest Black LGBTQ+ Pride. There will be a weekend packed full of events with community leaders and supporters offering various safe spaces for educating and showcasing the culture.

Make sure you do not miss out on the highly anticipated Hotter Than July Concert, featuring Da Brat at the Motor City Casino Soundboard on Saturday, July 16.

The poster below showcases all of the events taking place over the weekend and click on the link to learn more about Hotter than July. https://www.lgbtdetroit.org/hotterthanjuly

07/07/2022

Last week a federal district court on Wednesday rescinded a discriminatory Trump-era rule that prohibited the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from requiring that service providers in its $500 billion federal grants program not discriminate based on s*x, s*xual orientation, gender identity, religion, and other characteristics when providing HHS grant-funded services.

Democracy Forward and Lambda Legal along with pro bono co-counsel Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, filed a lawsuit challenging the rule in February 2021 on behalf of Facing Foster Care in Alaska, Family Equality, True Colors United, and SAGE. Wednesday’s order rescinds the rule completely and restores protections in the 2016 Rule.

We’re elated that this Trump-era threat, which disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable members of society, including + children, seniors, and people with low income, who rely on federally funded programs to meet their basic needs, is gone.

To read more click on the link below.

On Wednesday, a federal district court struck down a discriminatory Trump-era rule that prohibited the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from requiring grantees in its $500 billion federal grants program to not discriminate on the basis of s*x, s*xual orientation, gender identity, and religion against individuals accessing services or participating in programs.

We’re elated that this Trump-era threat, which disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable members of society, including + children, seniors, and people with low income, who rely on federally funded programs to meet their basic needs, is gone.

HHS grants fund critical services such as our nation’s foster care system, Meals on Wheels for older adults, services for refugee children, substance abuse treatment, and housing programs for youth experiencing homelessness.

Discrimination on the basis of s*xual orientation, gender identity, and religion remains a pressing problem, and we will keep fighting to ensure the LGBTQI+ community can safely access these critical services.

➡️ Read more: https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/us_20220705_court-removes-trump-era-rule-that-eliminated-discrimination-protections

Democracy Forward

07/06/2022

LGBTQ+ Litigating Organizations Call for Immediate Action to Reform the Supreme Court and Restore Democracy

Last week Lambda Legal released a statement in regard to reforms.

"Building upon prior decisions gutting voting rights protections and other democracy safeguards, the Court’s current majority, deliberately constituted to accomplish radical doctrinal and government-systems change, has eliminated and threatened fundamental personal rights that are at the core of the liberty and equality promised to all by our Constitution."

It’s simple – has destroyed its own legitimacy, losing public confidence in its integrity along the way. This is a Constitutional crisis and it’s far past time for Congress to act. Expand the Court.

To learn more make sure to read below and click on the link to read our full statement.

“The Supreme Court has lost the public’s confidence in its integrity and has eroded its own legitimacy.”

06/28/2022

A few more shots to share of our amazing staff who worked to make this Pride Parade one for the books!

06/28/2022

The 2022 Chicago Pride Parade album is up for your viewing pleasure!

Thank you to everyone who came and showed their support.

06/28/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

06/28/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

06/28/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

06/28/2022

Photos from Lambda Legal Midwest Region's post

06/27/2022

Thank you to everyone who marched with us in the Chicago Pride Parade! It was a beautiful demonstration of solidarity during trying times. With your help, we were able to remind the local community that Lambda Legal is still here – fighting tirelessly for the LGBTQ community and everyone living with HIV.

I want to give a special shoutout to our partners from the ADL - Anti-Defamation League and Northwestern Law for showing their support yesterday. We could not have done it without you!

We will be sharing pictures over the next few days on our FB page. Please be sure to tag yourself and anyone you know.

06/21/2022

Chicago Pride

Join Us!

This upcoming Sunday, June 26th, is the annual Chicago Pride Parade. This year, Lambda Legal will have a float and a walking group. We are looking for our Chicago community to show up and show out! If you are interested in marching with us, please click the link to learn more details about the event and to RSVP. https://www.lambdalegal.org/chicagopride

We cannot wait to see you all there!

Volunteer to Walk with Lambda Legal at the Chicago Pride Parade! The Chicago Pride Parade is set for Sunday, June 26th and Lambda Legal is looking for volunteers to march with us this year! The Parade begins at Broadway and Montrose and starts at 12PM. Please invite your friends – all...

06/16/2022

Young people are the future of the LGBTQ+ movement. It is important to support them as more and more youth at earlier ages recognize and accept their s*xual orientation or gender identity. Lambda Legal works to protect LGBTQ+ youth from harassment and discrimination. https://www.lambdalegal.org/issues/teens

During Pride Month we look to the next generation of the LGBTQ+ community and applaud the work that they are doing to make sure that their voices are being heard. We want to highlight two events coming up in the Midwest region.

Next weekend, on Saturday, June 18th from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm the Minnesota School Outreach Coalition is hosting a Youth Pride for LGBTQ+ school-aged people. Learn more here:
https://tcpride.org/event/mnsoc-youth-pride/

On Friday, June 24th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm: ALMA Chicago is hosting a virtual Arts Showcase and Panel Discussion lead by Chicago Latinx LGBTQ+ Youth. Find out more information here:
https://www.almachicago.org/

06/15/2022

Lambda Legal and Black & Pink National have launched “Protected & Served?” which is a community survey on LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV and the criminal legal system. We are partnering to produce a report that can support new research, advocacy, litigation, and policy efforts to address unlawful bias, discrimination, and abuse of LGBTQ+ people and PLHIV by the criminal legal system,

The survey only takes around 10 minutes to complete and is available in English and Spanish. Those who participate in the survey will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win $100.

To learn more about “Protected & Served?” Feel free to check out the website (https://www.protectedandserved.org/) or listen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avh9o1gj9CU) to Dominique Morgan, from the The Okra Project talk about the importance of this survey.

Click this link to take the survey:
https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bOQ7SjMWg1n0L0q

06/13/2022

This past weekend Lambda Legal attended Indy Pride. Indy’s LGBTQ+ community showed out and we had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people!

Make sure to be on the lookout for several more Pride events this month hosted by https://indypride.org/events/.

Friday June 17th: Indy Pride Drive-In Movie Night
Saturday June 18th: Indiana Pride of Color & Indy Pride present: To Freedom | The Ball
Sunday June 19th: Indiana Pride of Color & Indy Pride present: Le Brunch en Rouge | A Juneteenth Celebration
Friday June 24th: Latinx Pride: 2022 Orgullo Latinx

06/13/2022

A major thank you to our INDY community for coming out to our Indiana Benefit Kick-Off last Thursday! No better way to start off Pride weekend in Indianapolis!! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

It was a wonderful event, and it’s all thanks to Rick Kissel, a long-time Lambda supporter and partner of Taft Law, who generously hosted us in his beautiful home.

Lastly, shoutout to our Damien Center partners and the IU Law students who were in attendance!

06/06/2022

Chicago Pride

Happy Pride month!!

Lambda Legal will have a float in this year’s Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday June 26th. We are seeking volunteers to walk with us, so please invite your friends and family to join too!

If you’re interested in marching alongside us as we celebrate our community, please feel free to RSVP below.

https://www.lambdalegal.org/chicagopride

Volunteer to Walk with Lambda Legal at the Chicago Pride Parade! The Chicago Pride Parade is set for Sunday, June 26th and Lambda Legal is looking for volunteers to march with us this year! The Parade begins at Broadway and Montrose and starts at 12PM. Please invite your friends – all...

05/31/2022

Lambda Legal discusses court decisions granting same-s*x couples fair access to Social Security benefits - Windy City Times News

“In 2021, Lambda Legal won two lawsuits against the Social Security Administration (SSA) — Ely v. Saul and Thornton v. Saul. The organization argued on behalf of people whose same-s*x partners died before they were able to legally marry, saying they should still be able to claim Social Security survivor's benefits, Lambda Legal Midwest Director Brian Richardson explained at the event.”

https://www.windycitytimes.com/m/APPredirect.php?AID=73218

Windy City Times News - Lambda Legal a national organization committed to actualizing the rights of LGBTQ+ people through impact litigation, public policy work and education hosted an event at Sidetrack May 26 discussing its work securing

05/31/2022

Last Thursday, Brian Richardson, Director of Lambda’s Midwest office, and David Freitag from Westpoint Financial Group led a discussion concerning two historic legal victories related to the LGBTQ community’s access to Social Security benefits. Attorneys in attendance received 2 CLE credits.

A big thank you to the Westpoint team and Sidetrack for making this learning opportunity a reality!

05/24/2022

Lambda Legal

I wanted to let you know about an event Lambda Legal is hosting this week that I thought you might be interested in. And attorneys will qualify for 2 CLE credits!

The Fight for Social Security & LGBTQ Equality
4pm | Thursday, May 26
Sidetrack | 3349 N. Halsted
Reception to Follow

It will be a great opportunity to learn about Lambda Legal’s work fighting for same-s*x couples who were wrongly denied their social security benefits because of past marriage discrimination laws. Plus, there’s no cost and there will be yummy treats and drinks courtesy of Westpoint Financial. Space is limited; click now on the link below to RSVP.

https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Calendar?id=110285&view=Detail

We make the case for equality in the nation's courts and in the court of public opinion. The work we do has impact on the way all of us live we change laws, policies and ideas.