Welcome to our third e-newsletter of 2009. This issue explores the intersection of issues affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and respective communities; race and poverty or low-income status. Each of the three articles references the Williams Institute’s groundbreaking study on poverty in the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities. The study serves to debunk the widely-held assumptions and stereotypes that families headed by same-sex couples have lower rates of poverty than different-sex couple families and concludes that for Latino/a and African-American same-sex couples, income levels are significantly lower than for their respective heterosexual counterparts. We hope the examples of cutting edge and innovative advocacy and practice described in the articles in this issue instruct and inspire our readers.

Legal advocates challenging stereotypes and increasing access to justice for LGBT communities, Lisa Cisneros, California Rural Legal Assistance, and Cathy Sakimura, National Center for Lesbian Rights

Economic realities in the transgender community by Matthew Wood, Transgender Law Center

Blacks and gays: Bridging the cultural divide by Joel A. Brown

Recent posts:

• Cries of “reverse racism” distract from reality of systemic racism
• The dire state of language access in state courts
• Voting Rights Act survives Supreme Court decision
• Critical race studies symposium takes on “colorblindness”
• The use of “frames” in race equity advocacy
• Can America’s urban food deserts bloom?