Introducing The LGBT News

It is just a coincidence but a very appropriate one that this week City Pulse begins publishing the monthly LAHR newsletter, The LGBT News, in our pages.

LAHR is the Lansing Association for Human Rights, which for 40 years has helped lead the effort to expand gay rights in our community. In that time, much has changed for the better for lesbian, gay, transgender and bi people — but as Sunday’s tragedy in Orlando clearly shows, much hasn’t.

The LAHR newsletter was threatened with extinction after Bill Beachler, a longtime leader of the local gay community, died last year. Month after month, year after year, because of Bill, the newsletter arrived via the mail at hundreds of homes in the Lansing area. In a world of media often devoid of information about gay issues, it connected us. It celebrated our victories and reported on our troubles.

As anyone knows who is involved in a small volunteer organization, producing a monthly newsletter is no small undertaking. No one was waiting in the wings to take over its monthly production with all its little headaches. City Pulse volunteered to help lift some of that load. LAHR remains responsible for the content. City Pulse is merely the new means of conveyance.

We decided to undertake this project not just to assist LAHR but also to spread its message to a much bigger audience. As the newspaper tycoon E.W. Scripps said, “Give light and the people will find their own way.” As the massacre in Orlando shows us, such light is still badly needed.

— Berl Schwartz

(If your business or organization would like to help support City Pulse in publishing The LGBT News, please contact Shelly Olson at (517) 999-6705 or shelly@lansingcitypulse.com.)

Have something to say about a local issue or an item that appeared in our pages?

Now you have two ways to sound off:

1.) Write a letter to the editor.

• E-mail: letters@lansingcitypulse.com

• Snail mail: City Pulse, 1905 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912 • Fax: (517) 371-5800

2.) Write a guest column: Contact Berl Schwartz for more information:

publisher@lansingcitypulse.com or (517) 999-5061 (Please include your name, address and telephone number so we can reach you. Keep letters to 250 words or fewer. City Pulse reserves the right to edit letters and columns.)