About Us
Since 2019 Life Changing Empowerment 4 U, has struggled with the issues of Poverty In the LGBT Community: An Assessment of the Needs of Low-Income LGBT People” depicts an unexpectedly severe—even “heartbreaking”—constellation of discrimination-based disparities that is unique to this population and that immeasurably escalates the challenges posed by poverty, despite Memphis being home to far more LGBT people than anyplace else in Tennessee. In the past year, 90% of survey respondents had difficulty paying for basic needs, and 82% had been verbally harassed in public because they were LGBT. People of color and transgender individuals were shown to be subject to even greater disparities in access to services and more experiences of harassment and violence.
Despite the lack of direct legal services to LGBTQ Memphians living with HIV for more than 20 years, Life Changing Empowerment speaks to a deep injustice, both for LGBT advocates and those committed to the war against poverty.
Our research shows that low-income LGBT people face the same challenges as all poor people. But bias and discrimination create additional obstacles for those who are LGBT and can affect all areas of their lives. Trans people must navigate sometimes hostile bureaucracies to change their names and gender markers on identity documents. Property owners harass or refuse to rent to people simply because they are LGBT. Homophobia and transphobia are widespread among health care providers too…. So, there are many legal issues that converge uniquely at the intersection of LGBT issues and poverty. The burden is on LCE to spread the word that our organization actively welcome low-income LGBT people, that we are striving to create a safe space, and that we are prepared to address the problems they face as complex beings who are many things, including LGBT and poor. We have to believe that they also are entitled to justice.”
The Life Changing Empowerment Project (LCEP) (2) gather
Initiate an assessment of the needs of the LGBTQ community in the Memphis area.
Gather input from the community—and from key leaders from across the mid-south—on processes for planning, establishing, and sustaining the Life Changing Empowerment Center