Brian Brophy’s client was homeless and HIV+, and on top of everything else, his dog had been seized by Animal Care & Control. “His caseworker called me and asked if I could help,” said Brian, ALRP’s HCAP Attorney. “The dog was potentially going to be euthanized because it had allegedly been aggressive. Animal Care & Control wasn’t willing to release it to my client as long as he was homeless, because the dog would be around people constantly…”

Originally from Massachusetts, ALRP Board member Tom Hixson moved to San Francisco in 1998. “At that time,” said Tom, “the AIDS crisis really had changed thanks to the new medications. I had the sense of moving into a city where I was arriving right after the worst part of the crisis had passed. I live in the Castro, and I can still feel the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on the community.”

Amanda joined the ALRP Board when two long-time Board members from Jones Day, where she’s an Associate, were ready to step down. “I’d already expressed an interest in learning more about ALRP,” she said. “It was important for me to do something to support the LGBT community. Coming to the Bay Area it’s been startling for me to see how big an impact HIV/AIDS still has in this community.

Lambda Legal conducted a national survey on LGBT experiences with law enforcement.