The nonprofit organization surpassed its original fundraising target by US$105 million, its CEO said
Lambda Legal, a US-based LGBTQ+ rights-focused legal aid group, has raised US$285 million in funds, surpassing its original target by US$105 million according to CEO Kevin Jennings.
The Associated Press reported that the nonprofit organization set up the fundraising campaign in 2022 in response to bills impacting LGBTQ+ rights. The funds will be used to hire attorneys, establish a mechanism to coordinate with large law firms on pro bono representation, and conduct public trainings on LGBTQ+ rights.
The funds greatly bolster the nonprofit organization's resources at a time when more legal issues around such rights are arising under US President Donald Trump's leadership. Since taking office in January, Trump has removed trans people from the military, targeted their fair housing protections, and issued an executive order that only acknowledges two sexes - erasing the existence of trans, nonbinary, and intersex people. He has also attempted to terminate federal funding for gender-affirming care catering to trans children.
Lambda Legal has contested the US administration on many of these initiatives. Jennings said in an interview statement published by AP News that the fundraising outcome represented "a statement by the LGBTQ+ community that we will not go back."
He noted that a number of corporations have already rescinded their sponsorship of Pride events and indicated that individuals seeking to protect their existing rights played a significant role in Lambda Legal's campaign.
"It wasn’t corporations. It wasn’t law firms. It wasn’t foundations," Jennings said in a statement published by AP News. "We’re seeing a lot of cowardice on the part of corporate America right now. A lot of people, who two years ago couldn’t wait to slap a rainbow on their logo, are no longer writing checks. I think Lambda turned to the community and the community responded. And sadly, corporate America, which a lot of groups have relied on, has given up the fight in some cases."
According to AP News, Lambda Legal will spend about US$80 million of the raised funds in the next five years; donors pledged US$205 million in their estates.
"We’re not going to win every battle. We’re not going to win every fight, but we’re going to fight every fight and we will keep fighting and we will be able to keep fighting because of this campaign until we eventually win," Jennings said in a statement published by AP News.
Lambda Legal's court victories include cases that eliminated gay marriage bans in 2015 and abolished laws criminalizing sex between gay adults in 2003. It has spent over US$20 million every year since 2021.
