Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your current role:
As the Founder of Giampolo Law Group, a law firm serving the LGBTQ+ community and the Founder of The Caravan of Hope, I’m committed to standing for every human’s birthright to be able to be seen as who they are and safe in that self-expression.
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
I definitely tried to! My initial plan was to play basketball overseas in the European league and then coach when I was too old to play. I blew my knee out in Tallinn, Estonia and that was the beginning of the end of that plan.
My second attempt at a career plan was to be an international human rights lawyer and I achieved that after living abroad in both China and Tanzania working in human trafficking and genocide. I quickly realized that living that work day-to-day was soul-crushing and that put an end to that plan.
Unbeknownst to me, 7 months later, I would have a knowing moment of clarity that I would dedicate my career to a human rights issue right here in the United States – the discrimination and mistreatment of the LGBTQ+ community. In that moment, in 2008, Philly Gay Lawyer was born, and I formed my law firm, Giampolo Law Group.
How did you persevere through the tough times?
I have the word “perseverance” in Mandarin tattooed on the top of my foot. I promise, it truly says “perseverance” because I had a Chinese friend of mine write out the characters! It is on the top of my left foot because I’m left-handed and I believe that perseverance must be at the base and foundation of your character to succeed.
When faced with tough times, I have always maintained a strong sense of determination and never given up. When I have a goal, I have an unwavering focus and am always ready and willing to find creative solutions to overcome obstacles. Most importantly, I steadfastly stay positive and keep pushing forward. Lastly, I am resilient in the face of adversity and have an un unwavering belief that I am co-creating a life that I love with the universe so ultimately, there is nothing I cannot overcome or achieve.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
I started to realize that all my accomplishments have been “big”. I used to suffer from the common curse of ignoring my accomplishments and upon achieving a goal, I was immediately off to the next “bigger and better” goal.
I learned the life is a series of accomplishments aimed at wholehearted living and not a list of achievements. I am co-creating a life that I love with the universe so ultimately, everything I achieve is “big” and there is no limit to what I can achieve.
With that said, if I had to prioritize my accomplishments, I would say my work at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda along with the formation and implementation of the Caravan of Hope (happening now!) are my biggest accomplishments. They were long-held dreams that I was determined to achieve and I am grateful for both.
What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?
Probably the most influential factor in my achieving success was that I was an athlete from an early age so I grew up “coachable” and I continued to be willing to learn from others outside of the sports arena. I have invested in personal development, education and training which has allowed me to grow exponentially – saving time by skipping over mistakes I would have otherwise made but for the support and guidance from mentors.
Finally, the ability to continuously learn, grow, and adapt to changing circumstances has been and will continue to be, essential to my achieving long-term success in life.
How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?
Mentoring is essential to success.
I have been lucky enough to be mentored by many loving and supportive individuals. From my first basketball coach on the sports front to the first female CEO of a large accounting firm in Philadelphia in my professional life to Mary Morrissey in the personal development realm. There have been others and without each one of them, I would not be who I am today.
I have also had the privilege and honour of mentoring three young women who are now all successful in their careers and personal lives. What I love most about mentoring is that while you enter the mentee’s life at a certain stage and for a particular reason, and then there is a cross-over into other aspects of their life; you are there for them holistically.
If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Parity, what would it be?
One thing that could accelerate the pace of change for gender parity is a commitment from governments to address the root causes of gender inequality. This includes policies that promote women’s economic empowerment, increased access to education and healthcare, and systems to address gender-based violence and discrimination. Additionally, it requires a shift in societal attitudes and norms, challenging harmful gender stereotypes and striving for more gender-inclusive cultures.
TRUE collaboration and a concerted effort across all governmental levels and agencies will be necessary for real and lasting progress towards gender equality.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
I would advise myself to embrace my unique strengths and passions and not compromise who I am to make others happy or to meet others’ perceptions of success.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
As for challenges, I think my next, and honestly life-long challenge, is challenging myself to live into the person that I AM. I constantly seek growth and put myself in challenging experiences for that result. I live by the quote, “Successful people are willing to be uncomfortable in the pursuit of growth”.
In the near future, I am hoping to achieve the publication of my first book.
I am presently on the maiden voyage of the Caravan of Hope, which will be annually every June during Pride month. I hope to help many people throughout our 14-city tour providing pro bono legal services to LGBTQ+ folks around the United States. In addition to that, I am learning so much from meeting folks that are sharing their stories of truth and impact seeking to liberate themselves of pain as well as receiving love and support from straight, cisgender folks that we’re meeting in hotels, RV parks and wherever they spot our 32ft caravan! It is an honour and a privilege to be on this journey and have the opportunity to both serve and inspire.
