Feel Good Friday - Lambda Legal

June is Pride Month, and today I'm highlighting Lambda Legal, an organization that has spent more than five decades in courtrooms across the country fighting for LGBTQ+ civil rights.

Founded in 1973 and headquartered in New York City, the mission of Lambda Legal is "to achieve the full recognition of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and all persons living with HIV through impact litigation, public education, and policy work." 

It's easy to forget how recently these rights had to be fought for at all. When founder Bill Thom filed the organization's incorporation paperwork in 1972, a panel of New York judges rejected it. In their view, the mission was 'neither benevolent nor charitable.' Thom appealed their decision, and won.

Lambda Legal has been fighting on three interconnected fronts ever since: pursuing high-impact cases in court, equipping people to understand and exercise their rights through public education, and advocating for stronger legal protections at the local, state, and federal level. Clients pay nothing for Lambda Legal's representation.

Right now, that work has never been more urgent. Since January 2025, Lambda Legal has filed six major cases challenging executive orders targeting transgender people, gender-affirming care, accurate identity documents, and military service for trans people. In 2025 alone, they had active cases in 24 states. One of their recent wins is a court injunction that restored $6.2 million in federal funding to LGBTQ+ and HIV organizations after the Trump administration moved to cut it. You can track their ongoing federal cases with their Trump Tracker.

Lambda Legal also maintains a national Help Desk for people experiencing discrimination, and a network of volunteer Cooperating Attorneys that extends their reach far beyond their staff team. With more than 50 years of landmark wins behind them and some of the most consequential cases of our time ahead, they are exactly the organization this moment calls for.

If you’d like to support Lambda Legal you can do so by making a donation, becoming a volunteer, and amplifying their message on social media. Follow Lambda Legal on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and share their stories of resilience and resistance with your network.

Happy Pride Month!

Feel Good Friday - Latino Outdoors

June is National Great Outdoors Month, and there's no better time to celebrate Latino Outdoors, a Latine-led organization connecting comunidades to the beauty and healing of the natural world.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the mission of Latino Outdoors is "inspiring and connecting comunidades to the outdoors, centering cultura, celebrating familia and heritage, and uplifting our history and leadership as part of the outdoor experience." The Latino community is one of the fastest-growing in the United States, yet remains underrepresented in conservation and outdoor spaces. Latino Outdoors works to change that, rooted in the belief that an ethic of conservation and a deep connection to the natural world have always been part of la cultura Latina.

LO's three programmatic pillars make that vision real. Vamos Outdoors is the heart of the organization, offering free hikes, picnics, bird walks, camping trips, and more through a national network of over 200 volunteer leaders. From first-timers to seasoned trail regulars, everyone is welcome. About 85% of outings include participants who attend together with family members, and nearly 80% include someone experiencing the activity for the first time. Yo Cuento Outdoors amplifies the voices and stories of community members, celebrating real lived experiences in nature through blog posts, films, and photography. And Crecemos Outdoors supports the next generation of outdoor leaders through training, mentorship, and access to a Jobs+ board  that has shared over 8,000 outdoor-related job, internship, fellowship, and scholarship opportunities since 2020.

The impact speaks for itself. Since launching outdoor programming in 2014, LO's volunteer network has delivered over 2,200 outings for more than 44,000 participants across more than 30 locations nationwide, with about half of that growth happening since 2024. One in four participants is a child or youth.

If you like what you learned, you can support Latino Outdoors in many ways. Join a free outing near you, make a donation, and amplify their message on social media. Follow Latino Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of community and connection with your network.

Happy Great Outdoors Month!

 

Feel Good Friday - Bikes Not Bombs

May is National Bike Month, and what better way to wrap up the celebration than spotlighting Boston’s Bikes Not Bombs.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the mission of Bikes Not Bombs (BNB) is "to use the bicycle as a vehicle for social change to achieve economic mobility for Black and other marginalized people in Boston and the Global South."

Each year, BNB collects roughly 5,000 donated bicycles from supporters across Greater Boston and New England, and ships most of them to partner organizations around the world. In fact, BNB is loading a container of bikes and parts headed to their partner Learn, Work, Develop in Rwanda this weekend!

Since 1984, they have shipped over 80,000 bicycles to partners in 14 countries. Current international partners include organizations in Guatemala, El Salvador, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nevis Island, all using bicycles to expand access to economic opportunity, education, and health care in their communities. Bicycles also power pedal-driven machines for grain milling, water pumping, and coffee processing in some of these locations, providing emissions-free technology that improves rural livelihoods. 

Locally, BNB’s Youth Pathways programs have served over 3,000 Boston youth since 1990. Their Earn-A-Bike program gives young people a safe, welcoming environment to learn everything from riding basics to fully refurbishing a bike they can take home. Youth Apprenticeships offer paid, hands-on training in bike mechanics, entrepreneurship, and career development, building skills and resumes that open doors well beyond the bike shop. BNB's Bike Shop and Training Center sells refurbished and new bikes, with profits funding their youth and international work. To hear the origin story of Bikes Not Bombs directly from co-founder Carl Kurz, you can watch this short video about the organization's 40+ years of impact.

There are many ways to support Bikes Not Bombs. You can donate a bike, become a volunteer, make a monetary donation, or shop their online store for gear and accessories. Amplify their message on social media by following BNB on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube, and sharing their stories of hope and community with your network.

Happy National Bike Month!