Angela Giampolo, a lawyer and entrepreneur who is dedicated to “serving the LGBTQ+ community and those who love us” at her law firm, Giampolo Law Group (GLG), is taking her act on the road. Giampolo has formed the Caravan of Hope, which seeks to alleviate the burdens and stress experienced by the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community and to ensure that people living in rural communities have access to the resources they need to thrive.
On March 1, after a drag brunch fundraising campaign at Bridget Foy’s in Philadelphia, Giampolo and her posse, three humans, three dogs, and a ladybug who chose to tag along for the ride, set out on a tour throughout the United States in their Caravan of Hope, dispensing legal advice, handing out pamphlets, and notarizing documents. The Caravan of Hope will roll into Pittsburgh on March 28 at the Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation.
According to Giampolo, “Fifty-five percent of the LGBTQ+ population in the United States lives in the Midwest or the South, where they lack legal employment protections, earn less than $24,000 a year on average, and are less capable of affording food or healthcare. City dwellers can sometimes take for granted the privilege of living in a diverse metropolitan area, where their sexual orientation and gender identity are accepted. Rural environments tend to lack resources for LGBTQ+ individuals and foster a sense of isolation. That isolation is sometimes self-inflicted to maintain confidentiality, and, as a result, special care will be taken to ensure that our outreach to identify underserved populations is conducted strategically and, if necessary, covertly to maintain people’s safety after the Caravan of Hope pulls away.”
As a lawyer, Giampolo is licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Arizona, and has partners in 36 states assisting her with her pro bono work. Before starting Giampolo Law Group, Giampolo worked at the Office of General Counsel in Harrisburg, with the Corporations Bureau and the Election Law Division, as well as with the United Nations at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in prosecuting those responsible for the Rwandan Genocide of 1994.
Giampolo said, “Working on human trafficking cases and war crimes takes its toll.” She added, “One day, I was having dinner with a gay couple, and they said, ‘I met with one of YOUR kind today.’ I said, ‘Lesbian?’ My friend replied, ‘No, lawyer.’ I laughed and said, ‘That’s worse!’”
Giampolo explained that the couple needed legal counsel because “It was before Marriage Equality.” The couple paid a lawyer $5,000, but the lawyer treated them unkindly. It was then that Giampolo decided to open her own law firm focusing on LGBTQ+ Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, Civil Rights, and Business Law. She became an advocate, columnist, and radio host, speaking about LGBTQ+ rights on as many social media sites as possible.
While attending Temple University Beasley School of Law, Giampolo pursued her Juris Doctorate and MBA. She was inducted as a Fellow of the Rubin Public Interest Society and earned a Certificate in Chinese Law from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. She went to La Salle University for her undergrad work and earned a double major/minor in Political Science and Psychology, with minors in Women’s Studies and International Relations.
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The lawyer and entrepreneur took out the map and began educating LGBTQ+ individuals about their rights across the country.
Giampolo said, “About 70% of our cases are educating trans individuals. We handle many name-change, employment discrimination, and transgender-rights cases. The other 20% are a variety of issues facing LGBTQ+ individuals, including immigration.”
The lawyer and advocate said, “We educate individuals on the ramifications of their actions, but ultimately, you are the highest authority on you. Only you know how you live your life. There are multifactorial components to each person’s individual needs.”
The Caravan of Hope’s RV will pull into Pittsburgh on March 28, on No Kings Day, a peaceful protest in front of the City-County Building on Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh.
Giampolo offered legal advice about the protest. She said, “I’d suggest that a person write their lawyer’s phone number on their arm in a Sharpie in case they get arrested.” She added, “Stay with a friend, bring a battery pack for your phone, etc.”
The RV holds pamphlets that include instructions for a protest march (Resource Guide & Community Response For No Kings Day — No Kings).
Giampolo is taking a month off from her day job and from running her firm, and the majority of the Caravan’s trip is self-funded. Mostly, Giampolo is looking to bring hope in a time when hope seems unattainable or fragile.
Giampolo said, “If you need legal advice or you’re looking to support a friend, come down to the Caravan of Hope.”