A-LISTS community by randy hope
Communities worldwide will celebrate the birthday of the slain civil rights activist Harvey Milk on May 22 – Harvey Milk Day. As the only annual state holiday to honor an LGBT person quickly approaches, plans mark- ing its third observance in San Diego are well underway. Locals will pay tribute to Milk while breaking bread at the San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast— observ- ing Harvey Milk Day this year on Friday, May 20. The first openly gay man elected to public office in the United States in 1977, Harvey Milk represented a de- spised minority, his lasting triumph was that he cham- pioned the rights of all people. In his tragically short term as supervisor, Milk authored San Francisco’s Gay Rights Ordinance and fought for the causes of women, the elderly, ethnic minorities, renters, environmental- ists, union members and neighborhood residents. He also worked to establish district elections and improve public transit. When San Diegans come together at the Harvey Milk
Diversity Breakfast, organizers realize that something much bigger will happen at the event. “It is our hope that this event will not only honor the memory of this American hero but also strengthen coalitions among the many diverse social justice groups that work toward equality in San Diego,” stated the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Coalition. “The San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast brings together community leaders and activists who support equality and justice, joining in celebration of Milk’s memory.” The vision of the City of San Diego Human Relations
HARVEY MILK 14 RAGE monthly | MAY 2011 SAN DIEGO DIVERSITY BREAKFAST:
MILK’S INSPIRING MESSAGE OF HOPE CONTINUES TO UNITE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
Commission and a dedicated coalition of diverse com- munity participants led by then Co-Chair of the Human Relations Commission, Nicole Murray-Ramirez and Robert Gleason, made history when it began organizing the breakfast more than three years ago. “We wanted to bring together all San Diegans who support equality and justice to celebrate the memory of our most influ- ential civil rights activist,” Murray-Ramirez explained. “It was the first gathering of its kind to pay tribute to the LGBT leader and we had plans well under way even be- fore then Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation declaring Harvey Milk Day,” he said. Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have officially recognized Harvey Milk Day in 2008, but signed the Harvey Milk bill reintroduced in 2009. “At the time, San Diego already very proudly paid
tribute to two great civil rights leaders—with Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez.” Murray-Ramirez said. “However, there were some naysayers as the planning got underway and some doubted the original Harvey Milk Breakfast would garner the outpouring of support it has.” According to Murray-Ramirez, those people who doubted its success didn’t realize one important thing. ”The fight for LGBT equality is the civil rights movement of today and the event drew in more people than we ever thought would be possible—especially in its first year,” he said, noting that it has continued to grow each
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92