Iowa has some phenomenal initiatives focused on policy change, civil rights, education, and social support—all for the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality. Yet there was a gap: no organization was devoted to providing direct, specialized services to people in the LGBTQ+ community. For example, trans youth who needed a name that conformed to their gender identity and LGBTQ+ couples who needed help in adopting a child had nowhere to turn that was both accessible and outwardly safe. Executive Director, Attorney, and Founder, Kendra Weston, had already been reflecting on this concept for a couple of years, but the turbulence and proceeding pain of 2020 became the impetus to begin this new endeavor. Upon seeing there was no specialized legal assistance for the community, they founded Lavender Legal Center in October 2020.