HRC’S RISE GALA: MAKING STRIDES AND RECOGNIZING
community SENATOR TONI ATKINS
by tim parks During her political career, Senator
Toni Atkins has made significant strides towards breaking down barriers. She has offered a powerful voice for the LGBT community, whether during her time in the San Diego City Council, or in her position as a member of the California State Senate. She is the third woman and first out lesbian to be elected as Speaker of the Assembly and the first lawmaker from San Diego to be elected as such. She has shattered other barriers as well—albeit in a temporary capac- ity—First during her term as Acting Mayor until Jerry Sanders could be sworn in circa 2005. Second, when she served as Acting Governor for nine hours in 2014, making her the first lesbian Governor of California. Atkins will be recognized in August
by the Human Rights Campaign with their Leader For Equality Award at the upcoming 6th Annual HRC San Diego Gala Dinner & Auction, to be held at the Hotel Del Coronado. The Rage Monthly spoke with
Atkins about her political career, the rewards and challenges of what she does and how it feels to be receiving the HRC Leader For Equality Award. Atkins feels that ending up in politics was a natural progression for her, as she “always had an opinion on things and I always felt that it was important to vote,” as she explained. “I was a political science major in college, but I didn’t want to go to law school. So, I thought I’d be a community organizer. I followed issues I cared about from a personal perspective: Housing, health care, women’s rights, LGBT rights,” Atkins said. “When I came to San Diego in 1985, I joined the San Diego
Democratic Club and that I could join a gay Democratic Club as a recent transplant from Virginia, was such a wonderful thing.” From this springboard, Atkins
joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Ser- vices and then began her time in the political spotlight when she worked as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe. “I got involved in her campaign and she asked me to come work for her,”Atkins said. “Thatwas an incredible seven years of learning and it was such a steep learning curve.” Atkins who represents the 39th
Senate District that includes the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach, loves “the work” and really enjoys “when you can get something done.” She relishes her ability to overcome and make a difference. “This thing that I have, comes from Southwest Virginia, rural poverty, believing that I wasn’t part of society. I grew up thinking that society was not about me,” Atkins explained. “But for me, the fact that I could actually be an elected official, a public servant and represent people, is something that I really hold dear. “I mean it’s hokey, but it really
means something to me. It means that I mean it’s hokey,
but it really means something to
me. It means that America can be true to a promise
that America can be about everyone.”
10 RAGE monthly | AUGUST 2017
America can be true to a promise that America can be about everyone,” she stated. “Now I don’t think that means that the playing field is level. As woman and a member of the LGBT community, I think we learned, those of us in a marginalized community have to work twice as hard to accomplish.” Given the current political climate,
Atkins is more than ready to keep up the good fight and does not see what’s happening in Washington, D.C. as a deterrent. “You know in some ways
senator toni atkins
yes and in other ways it’s given us opportunities to move further than we thought we’d be able to,” Atkins commented. “I guess there’s always challenges, but sometimes challenges give you opportunities you might not have had before.” She is very “humbled” as the recipi-
ent of the HRC Leader For Equality Award, but she explained that she realizes it’s a symbiotic relationship where we are all working towards a common goal of true equality. “I’ve got to say how proud I am in San Diego of the chapter of HRC and the work that they have done,” Atkins said. “I’m an elected official, I get recognized a lot; but when you get recognized by your own, it’s really meaningful because this is work we do together.”
San Diego’sHRC Rise Gala takes place onSaturday, August 12 at the Hotel del Coronado. For tickets and more go
tohrc.org/ events/6th-annual-gala-dinner-auction.
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