From Kate: An End to Another Great (and Busy) Summer Dear Friend of NCLR, Whoever coined the phrase the “dog days of summer” never worked at NCLR. During the heat of the summer months—except of course in chilly San Francisco—NCLR’s team was as busy as ever. We were filing new lawsuits seeking justice and vindication, helping to move innovative new legislation to protect our community, and answering legions of calls and questions from LGBTQ folks seeking advice, answers, and resources across...
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On the Docket
Dear Friend of NCLR, We’re now only days away from our biggest event of the year, and everyone at NCLR could not be more excited. NCLR’s Anniversary Celebration, set for May 5, 2012 in San Francisco, is even more special because it celebrates our 35th year—a milestone that we couldn’t have achieved without you by our side. You have helped us change the legal landscape for every lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender person in this country, and for that, we are forever thankful. The...
A Time Of Reflection The start of a New Year is a always a time for reflection, and in 2012, all of us at NCLR are looking back on how far we’ve come as the organization celebrates a major milestone—turning 35! Every bit of what NCLR has become over the last 35 years is reflected in you—the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women and men who have stood beside us, challenging injustices by standing up for what’s right, and changing the legal and political landscape for every member of our...
So Much to Celebrate Dear Friend of NCLR, It’s been a busy—and exciting—summer in our movement, which took a significant leap forward last week with the demise of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Last Tuesday’s historic repeal doesn’t just mark the end of the 18-year-old policy, it signals a new era in which government policies that discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity are rightly seen as shameful and outmoded. So much blood, sweat, and tears have gone into the...
From the Desk of Kate Kendell, Esq. Dear Friend of NCLR, There’s always an exciting buzz in our office this time of year, with everyone playing a part to bring you our best Anniversary Celebration. This year, our 34th Anniversary Celebration will be especially exciting, as we not only celebrate the unprecedented milestones achieved for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality over the last year, but look ahead to even more historic possibilities, including consigning the so-called...
From the Desk of Kate Kendell, Esq. Dear Friend of NCLR, The year has just begun and history has already been made for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality, setting a high bar for the rest of the year. Just a few weeks ago, we stood with our clients—high school seniors Desiree “Dez” Shelton and Sarah Lindstrom, who are an out lesbian couple—as they challenged their Minnesota school district so they could walk together as part of the royal court of their school’s winter...
From the Desk of Kate Kendell, Esq. Dear Friend of NCLR, If you live anywhere but in San Francisco, you are in the dog days of summer—you know, those long, hot, sunny, sweltering, shorts-and-short-sleeves sort of days with warm and sweaty evenings? Lucky you. At this time of year in San Francisco, we wake up in fog and come home in fog—chilly, cool, swirling fog. But I am not complaining. This has been a great summer so far. My family is great, the kids are having a blast being out of school,...
From the Desk of Kate Kendell, Esq. Dear Friend of NCLR, I often tell people who ask me about NCLR’s work that “we are never bored.” This statement usually follows with them replying “wow” to my listing of what we have been up to lately. This newsletter illustrates that point perfectly. Here you will read about cases, victories, policy work, and collaborations that give you only a snapshot of what our staff is up to at this moment. The reason for such a breadth of work is not because we cannot...
From the Desk of Kate Kendell, Esq. Dear Friend of NCLR, I’m back at my desk after four days in Dallas at the annual Creating Change conference organized by The Task Force. Every year I return reenergized and inspired. What I love most about Creating Change is the energy and vibe. There were over 2,500 folks this year and the crowd truly represents the full, vibrant, and fierce diversity of our community. Folks from all over the country, young and old, virtually every ethnic and religious...