| Dear Friends,
Bet Tzedek wishes you a Happy Pride Month full of celebration, love, inclusivity, and joy. While pride events can feel like exciting parties, it all started as a protest. The famous Stonewall uprising of 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in Lower Manhattan, New York City, is cited as the watershed event that shaped the gay liberation movement in the U.S. It occurred as a response to police violence against gay communities, sparking a series of protests and activism across the country and then world.
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| Decades later, the fight is far from over. In fact, it’s more dire now than ever that we stand in solidarity and support of our LGBTQ+ friends. As of last week, the Human Rights Campaign has declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people living in the U.S. due to an "unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year.” More than 75 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender youth, have been signed into law just this year. Read more here. At Bet Tzedek, we pursue justice for people of all gender identities and expressions. Our Justice for Transgender Individuals services assist with changes to legal names and gender markers, denials to health insurance and benefits, employment and landlord-tenant disputes, and discrimination at schools. Read our Newsroom post from Transgender Day of Visibility that lists additional ways LGBTQ+ individuals can receive help. Human Rights Campaign provides resources for supporting the community including local actions, events, volunteer opportunities, how to donate, and more.
In addition to shining the light on these heinous attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, we continue to educate about the community this #PrideMonth. Our social media highlights important historical moments, court cases, facts, figures, and more. From the aforementioned Stonewall uprising and Marsha P. Johnson to Obergefell v. Hodges, we will be providing informative content on the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Follow us on our social media platforms at the bottom of the page to learn more and join the conversation.
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Protect Yourself & Loved Ones This World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is coming up on June 15th! This day brings much-needed attention to the harm and exploitation older adults may experience. According to the Department of Justice, at least 10 percent of adults 65 and older will experience some form of abuse in any given year. Bet Tzedek is committed to preventing elder abuse and aiding those who experience it, as well as educating their families and caregivers.
We presented our 7th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Symposium on June 1st. Ahead of the official WEAAD date, Bet Tzedek Elder Law Attorney Dani Kaiserman and Elder Law Advocate Alisa Anderson designed a training event to gather field experts and elder abuse first responders to build expertise, strengthen networks, and highlight trends. At the event, keynote speaker Terrence Franklin, (Partner, Sacks Glazier Franklin & Lodise LLP) opened with his powerful talk, “Bending the Arc of History.” There were then panels and presentations from representatives of the Social Isolation Impact Project, Identity Theft Resource Center, L.A. County Aging & Disabilities Department, and more. The event concluded with Los Angeles City Attorney Susan P. Strick, of the Mental Health Unit, leading the 100-plus attendees in an interactive session designed to simulate a multi-disciplinary team engaging in a case review.
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Tips for Keeping Your Medi-Cal Benefits
According to this Los Angeles Times article, "As the federal government has rolled back rules that helped people hang on to Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic, health providers fear the fallout could be disastrous for patients... Now millions of people are expected to lose their Medicaid coverage — including many who still qualify — as California and other states go back to checking that people meet the requirements."
Bet Tzedek has been participating in State and County advisory boards to raise the problems outlined in the article. BT Policy Specialist Kim Selfon testified at a CA Senate Health and Human Services meeting, suggesting options to prevent Medi-Cal participants from being terminated. Selfon notes that Medi-Cal sends people a Notice of Action at least 10 days before their Medi-Cal is terminated. However, people must actually open and read their mail to discover this. Other times, people find out their coverage is cut off when they try to receive medical services.
If you are at risk of losing your Medi-Cal or have lost coverage, the Department of Healthcare Services has an information page outlining ways to keep your coverage. If you can’t get through to Medi-Cal, try calling your elected official at the Board of Supervisors for assistance: 213 974-1411.
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Exciting Victory in Upholding Permanent Tenant Protection Ordinances from the City
The Los Angeles Superior Court has ruled in support of tenants regarding two critical new City renter protection laws, as an ongoing legal challenge from a local landlords group threatens to stop them from being enforced.
On May 22nd, Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied a motion from the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA) for a preliminary injunction to halt the enforcement of two renter protection ordinances recently adopted by the City of Los Angeles to protect thousands of vulnerable Angelenos from eviction and homelessness. Judge Beckloff also permitted tenant rights groups InnerCity Struggle (ICS) and Community Power Collective (CPC) — organizations which represent thousands of low-income tenants who are still struggling to recover from the financial impacts of the pandemic — to join the City in the defense of the protections.
Public Counsel, Bet Tzedek, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), and Susman Godfrey LLP are the attorneys for ICS and CPC. Read the rest here.
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Pro Bono Opportunity: Help an Older Disabled Widow Plan for Her Future
Ms. V is a 61-year-old widow. She has been legally blind since 2007, and her husband passed away in 2019. She has three adult children, two of whom live with her, and the youngest just turned 18. Ms. V bought her house in 1996, and she hopes to pass it down to her children. Ms. V lives on a fixed income of Social Security Disability and a small pension. She is hoping to get her affairs in order, including appointing her children as agents for health care and financial decisions should she need help in the future, as well as placing her home in a trust. When Ms. V’s mother passed away, the process of handling what she left behind was very hard and caused issues in her family, and Ms. V wants to leave her kids in a better position.
Note: While Ms. V is legally blind, she recently received an OrCam MyEye Pro reader which has given her the ability to read again. She is very easy to communicate with, has clear goals, and is prompt and responsive.
Work Required & Deadlines: Advice and counsel on estate planning matters.
Staffing: This case is best suited for an attorney with prior experience in estate planning.
If interested, contact Director of Pro Bono Programs, Sara Levine, at slevine@bettzedek.org.
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Join the Bet Tzedek Team!
Have a passion for helping underserved residents in the community? Want to work alongside dedicated staff and volunteers who help upwards of 100,000 people per year?
Here are some critical positions we need to fill, plus more (see button below):
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Help Us Improve the Lives of Angelenos
Since 1974, Bet Tzedek has provided free legal services to individuals and families who struggle each day with legal and social injustices. Please join us in our mission to help!
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