Harvey Milk Foundation

The Harvey Milk Foundation was founded in 2009 by Harvey Milk's nephew, Stuart Milk, and Harvey’s campaign manager and political aide, Anne Kronenberg, based on discussions held with the family and close Harvey allies[1] after Stuart received the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier that year.[2][3] The organization continues to be headed by Stuart Milk and Anne Kronenberg[4] and operates on a small, mostly private donor based, budget.[3]

Harvey Milk Foundation
Founded2009
FounderStuart Milk & Anne Kronenberg
FocusLGBTQ
Location
  • United States
Area served
Global
MethodPublic Education, Coalition Building, Scholarships, Public Events
Key people
Desmond Tutu, Stuart Milk, Anne Kronenberg, Nancy Brinker, Bruce Cohen
WebsiteMilkFoundation.org

The Foundation's activities focus around encouraging local, regional, national and global organizations to learn and utilize Harvey Milk’s story, style, and coalition building technique; supporting LGBT youth; and promoting education that includes Harvey’s story and the LGBT community’s collective story.[1][3][5]

Harvey Milk Day
Main article: Harvey Milk Day

Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated globally each year on Milk's birthday, May 22.[3]

In California, Harvey Milk Day is recognized as a day of special significance for public schools.[6][7] The day was established by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009,[8] following the success of the award-winning feature film Milk retracing Milk's life.[9][10]

Promoting Harvey Milk's Legacy

Harvey Milk stamp

An effort campaigning the US Postal Service to issue a stamp honoring Harvey Milk is supported by the Foundation and led by Michael Gaffney and Nicole Murray-Ramirez. The campaign has also received assistance from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and community leaders such as David Mixner, John Pérez, and Reverend Troy Perry.[11]

Harvey Milk International Airport

The Foundation supported efforts by San Francisco Supervisor David Campos in early 2013 to rename San Francisco International Airport in honor of Harvey Milk.[4] At the time, about 80 other U.S. airports were named after individuals, none of whom were gay.[12]

Supervisor Campos introduced a proposal on January 15, 2013, to put a ballot initiative renaming the airport "Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport" before voters in November 2013. To send the name change to voters, Campos needed the support of five other supervisors. Supervisor Scott Wiener, who represents the same area that Milk did, was a co-sponsor of the proposal.[12]

The change would cost between $50,000 and $250,000 to implement, and there are plans to solicit private donations to cover the costs.[12]

The proposal has been met with resistance by some community leaders and members of the LGBT media, leaving it without public support from the sixth supervisor necessary to put the proposal on the ballot. Supporters, including the Foundation, have held events and online actions to generate additional public support.[13]

International LGBT advocacy

In 2012, the Foundation brought transgender leaders from five continents together for a panel at a global summit in Milan, Italy. The Foundation helped support the first LGBT pride parade through Taksim Square in Istanbul in 2008. During the parade, Turkish police aimed water cannons and assault rifles on the crowd.[3]

References
  1. "Harvey Milk Foundation - About Us". Harvey Milk Foundation. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  2. "Stuart Milk Headlines Fundraiser, MBA Gala". Watermark Online. 2012-04-11. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  3. Hoff, Victor (2013-05-09). "Harvey Milk – his legacy lives on through the Harvey Milk Foundation". LGBT Weekly. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  4. Palmer, Waiyde (February 21, 2013). "Grassroot Push Underway to Rename SFO Harvey Milk Int'l: Website/Petition Launched, Rally Friday at City Hall". Castro Biscuit. Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  5. Bajko, Matthew (2012-05-17). "Milk foundation pushes LGBT education efforts". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  6. "Equality California: Legislature Approves Harvey Milk Day". Commondreams.org. 2008-08-05. Archived from the original on 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  7. Kristin Weigle, Harvey Milk Day: Chapter 626 Gives a Controversial Figure's Birthday Special Significance for California Public Schools, 41 McGeorge Law Review 558 (2010)
  8. Thompson, Don (October 12, 2009). "Schwarzenegger creates day honoring Harvey Milk". Associated Press.
  9. Tran, Mark (October 13, 2009). "Arnold Schwarzenegger signs law establishing Harvey Milk Day: California governor's move honours Harvey Milk, gay politician shot dead in 1978". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  10. "Gay Rights Activist Milk Honoured". BBC News. United Kingdom: BBC. October 12, 2009.
  11. "Harvey Milk Stamp Promoted". The Advocate. March 29, 2011. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  12. Lagos, Marisa (January 15, 2013). "Campos wants Harvey Milk's name on SFO". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
  13. Palmer, Waiyde (February 10, 2013). "UPDATE: Renaming SFO for Harvey Milk Hitting Serious Turbulence". Castro Biscuit. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
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