Having come to the United States when he was 12 years old, Panel attorney Bernardo Merino has dedicated his law practice to helping others achieve their immigration goals. “Due to the persecution they may have been subjected to in Latin American countries, people who are HIV+ and gay may actually have a fighting chance at securing political asylum,” he says…”

In 2006, Cathy Blackstone had her hands full at work, but it wasn’t enough to keep her satisfied. She wanted to volunteer in her spare time, and she wanted to make a difference with an organization that served the LGBT community and advanced civil rights. When she went online and started looking for opportunities to serve on a nonprofit board, ALRP became the beneficiary of her boundless energy.

On May 16, ALRP staff and San Francisco Supervisors spoke out against the federal government’s decision to cut $8 million in funding for HIV/AIDS care and prevention services. In response, Mayor Ed Lee pledged to backfill the cuts in his budget proposal.

In response to the recent burial of a transgender woman in men’s clothes, ALRP conducted an outreach presentation on the importance of communicating end-of-life wishes.