ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project
Robert Nakatani has been a tireless advocate for the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgenders, as well as for the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS for more than 25 years. Working largely behind the scenes and seldom recognized for his contributions, Robert has labored to secure legal protections for members of the LGBT community, to raise critical funds and to develop public awareness campaigns to further the cause of gay equality.
In the early eighties Robert and his then partner, Matt Coles, co-founded a law practice at the corner of 18th and Castro Streets in San Francisco. The two were early pioneers in helping to establish legal precedents to protect the rights of LGBT community members including wrongful termination, child custody, civil unions, partnership agreements and wills and trusts.
When the AIDS epidemic struck, Robert and Matt moved quickly to respond to the onslaught of civil rights violations that victims and their partners faced including insurance issues, privacy rights and fair and equitable dispostion of estates.
In the early 1990's Matt and Robert closed their law practice and went to work for the ACLU of Northern California. Robert became the Director of Foundation Support, and in 1998, Robert was hired as the Development Director of the Lesbian and Gay Rights Project of the National ACLU. In this position, which he still holds today, Robert leads a team of talented individuals that not only find the funding necessary to support the ACLU's gay rights work, but also develop public awareness campaigns that help increase public support for gay equality.
Most recently, Robert and his team worked with Rosie O'Donnell to bring public awareness to the unequal treatment of gays and lesbians in the state of Florida's laws regarding adoption. After an O'Donnell interview with Diane Sawyer, the Florida State Assembly is actively reconsidering its position on banning gay adoption.
For more than two decades, Robert has participated in strategic efforts which have yielded remarkable progress and achievement, yet he consistently shies away from recognition for his work, preferring instead to allow the cause and the people he helps to most prominent. His work is not only for the LGBT community, but also for the fair and equal treatment of all people under the law.
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