POTUS Honors Harvey Milk’s Legacy-Annual Harvey Milk Champions of Change Awards Today

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Waiyde Palmer

Pres. Obama presents Stuart Milk Harvey Milk’s Medal of Freedom. Photo; Examiner

In August of 2009 President Barack Obama posthumously awarded the Mayor of Castro Street, Harvey Milk, the highest honor any civilian can receive from these United States-the coveted Medal of Freedom.

Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew and head of the international human rights focused, Harvey Milk Foundation, accepted the medal on behalf of his family and Uncle.

Bestowing the award the President said:

“Harvey Bernard Milk dedicated his life to shattering boundaries and challenging assumptions. As one of the first openly gay elected officials in this country, he changed the landscape of opportunity for the nation’s gay community. Throughout his life, he fought discrimination with visionary courage and conviction. Before his tragic death in 1978, he wisely noted, “Hope will never be silent,” and called upon Americans to stay true to the guiding principles of equality and justice for all. Harvey Milk’s voice will forever echo in the hearts of all those who carry forward his timeless message.”

In 2011 the White House announced that they were creating the Harvey Milk Champions of Change Award to be given out annually to deserving LGBT elected or appointed government officials who strive to carry on the legacy of Harvey Milk. Qualified individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to both equality and public service. These awards are presented by the President to individuals on Harvey Milk’s birthday, May 22, at the White House.

Nominations for this honor are derived from people around the country submitting via emailing their suggestions directly to the White House. Final selections of honorees fell to the POTUS and his staff.

This year 10 deserving LGBT Americans will receive this accolade. They come from seven different states and both major political parties. Though none are from San Francisco three are from Harvey’s beloved adopted state of California. They are:

Ricardo Lara

Michael A. Gin

John Laird

State Senator, Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens); In 2012, Lara, a native of East LA, became the first openly gay person of color elected to the CA. State Senate.
Mayor Michael A. Gin (R-Redondo Beach); the first out Chinese-American mayor ever elected to office.
CA. State Sec. of Natural Resources, John Laird (Santa Cruz); He has devoted nearly four decades to service to the State has broken down multiple barriers including in 1983 being the first openly Gay mayor and one of the CA’s first openly Gay elected official.

“The fact that three Californians are being honored is telling of the essential role that California plays in advancing equality,” Lara said.

You can watch the presentation live from the White House today at noon by clicking here.

The Latest Skinny on Past Posts of Neighborhood News

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Waiyde Palmer

We’ve posted a great deal in the past month or so about a myriad of stories in the Castro that have generated quite a bit of interest. This week the follow-up news has been a hot and heavy maelstrom resolving at least one issue that’s been festering since 2009.

Cafe Flore (credit: Eric Nielson)

Cafe Flore restaurant in jeopardy: As our Editor in Chief, Roy, posted last week, Cafe Flore had run afoul of a organzied effort by members of the community and two neighborhood associations over their off site kitchen use.

Sup. Wiener had proposed a targeted code variance which would allow the venerable and much beloved icon of the Castro to continue using the off site, code compliant, food prep site its had functioning for the last two decades. Many of the opposition thought this was unfair and that all businesses should be held to the exact same standards no matter what.

We’re happy to report that the Oversight Committee in charge of the issue via Board of Supervisors approved the change this week and now Cafe Flore is free of threats to its continued operation. The off site kitchen will continue to be used keeping Flore up and running without hiccups.

SF Fitness seeks to expand and remodel building: In October the Biscuit posted that LA based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was hoping to expand into the Castro with a new store opening in the old Vibrant Health Vitamin Center.

This new addition to the Castro was contingent on a couple of issues-the biggest-wether or not SF Fitness could get a zone variance to enlarge the building on the corner of Market and Noe St. Their goal since 2009 has been to add several floors which would include much-needed rental units as well as expanding the gym to accommodate an ever-growing clientel.

Working with the Board of Supes, under the guidance of Supervisor Wiener, the remodel has received the go ahead. Mr. Wiener piggybacked the zone change for SF Fitness onto the same multi-faceted legislation that included Cafe Flore’s off site kitchen issue.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf signed a lease with the owners of SF Fitness, the Jackovics family, following the approval. Coffee Bean will still have to get approval to open which may prove to be a daunting task considering how corporate chain stores are received and disliked in the neighborhood.

Rally for renaming SFO for Harvey Milk: We’ve posted three times about the battle heating up to rename SFO.

Friday saw a huge coalition of supporters rally at City Hall in favor of changing the name of SFO to honor the late, Castro Supervisor and civil rights leader, Harvey Milk.

Led by chief proponents Sup. David Campos who introduced the resolution to the Board, and Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew and Milk Foundation head, about a hundred people took part from a wide swath of San Francisco political organizations and citizenry. Kicking off the rally with chants and speeches of support media from throughout the Bay Area was on hand to cover and help get out the word that the battle is on to make this idea a reality.

Friday Sup. Campos said 80 airports are named after people across the U.S. but there is no representation from the LGBT community.

“Why shouldn’t San Francisco be that City?” Campos asked those gathered at the rally.

Campos isn’t alone in this quest he’s enlisted the support of four other supervisors, including John Avalos, Scott Wiener, Jane Kim and Eric Mar. One more supervisor will be needed to get the issue on a City ballot.

Campos goal is to have this issue on the agenda by Fall of 2013.

PHOTOS: The City & Castro Commemorates the 34th Anniversary of Harvey Milk & George Moscone Assassinations

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Waiyde Palmer

Photo: Daniel Michael Filipkowski

As dusk approached hundreds of San Francisco city elected officials, family, friends, co-workers and citizen’s from every walk of life gathered at the steps of City Hall to pay tribute to the lives of beloved Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone killed 34 years ago on ”that day, that brutal, brutal day.”

The event, co-organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation, SF Gay Men’s Chorus and the progressive Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, amassed SF’s political powerhouses to pay homage to the fallen political icons. Anne Kronenberg, President of the Milk foundation, head of SF Dept. of Emergency Management and Harvey’s campaign manager, kicked things off thanking everyone for coming and then emceed for the remainder of the evening.

SF Mayor, Ed Lee, remarking, “the doors opened by the hard work of both these inspired men made it possible for him to become the City’s first Asian American mayor.”

Former Mayor Willie Brown, SF’s first African American mayor and longest serving California Speaker of the House, served up a heartfelt recount of his time with Mayor Moscone whom he termed, “as close to being his brother as his real brother.”

Tom Ammiano, friend and activist partner of Harvey’s, former SF Supervisor and current Assemblyman, managed to infuse the night with a bit of humor remembering how Harvey loved a good laugh and joked how hot he found Sup. Scott Weiner who holds Harvey’s former district Supervisor seat

Jonathan Moscone, the mayor’s youngest son, gave the sweetest and most touching speech and asked those gathered to, “celebrate his father as he lived not to dwell on how he died.”

Sup. David Campos followed, making no bones that, “As a man who happens to be an immigrant, Latino, Queer he knew how the progressive, political work done by Harvey and George bridging multiple communities was tantamount to serving a diverse electorate in San Francisco then and now.”

Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew, creator of the foundation that bears his uncle’s name, closed out the evening recounting how Harvey has inspired him to help other oppressed Queers around the world.

A potpourri of San Franciscan politicos were among those amassed to remember Milk and Moscone: Dennis Herrera, SF District Attorney, current and former Supes John Alvalos, Christina Olague, Eric Mar and Bevan Duffty, GLBT Historical Society President Paul Boneberg, the ubiquitous Donna Sachet, unofficial Castro ambassador & tireless fundraiser, Glenn Anna Conda Hyde, Pres. of Harvey Milk LGBT Dem. Club plus rank and file members of the National Lawyers Guild, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Faerie Community, ACT UP, Labor and Social Justice Activists from every community.

Post speeches the procession moved down Market Street holding candles led by a police escort. At Castro and Market the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club assembled a beautiful shrine in Harvey’s honor and the crowd swelled significantly.

The Liberation Brass Band played New Orleans styled celebratory songs entertaining the crowd. Marchers took their pilgrimage at last down Castro Street ending the evening Harvey’s former home/camera shop. It is now SF’s first LGBT designated historic landmark and the Human Rights Campaign swag store.

Glendon Anna Conda Hyde closed out the night reminding people that the struggle for liberation and equality isn’t over and we in SF continue to lead the fight for full equality.

(All photos unless otherwise denoted by Waiyde Palmer)