Milk Day observed

The late Harvey Milk had a big day Tuesday (May 22), as cities across the country and around the world, including Chico, celebrated Harvey Milk Day.

Milk was a San Francisco supervisor and the first openly gay public official in the United States. He was assassinated—along with San Franciso Mayor George Moscone—on Nov. 27, 1978, by Dan White, a former colleague on the Board of Supervisors. President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom in August 2009, and then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger designated May 22 (Milk’s birthday) as Harvey Milk Day statewide.

Locally, the day was observed with a community cleanup/day of service organized by the Stonewall Alliance and the Chico Peace and Justice Center. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., volunteers picked up litter, worked in the Jesus Center garden and otherwise dedicated themselves to public service.

An evening event at The Last Stand Comedy Venue featured addresses by Chico Mayor Ann Schwab, City Councilman and former Mayor Scott Gruendl, Chico State University sociology professor Liahna Gordon, and a screening of the 2008 Oscar-winning biopic Milk, starring Sean Penn.

“What we’re celebrating here is courage,” Mayor Schwab said in a preamble before reading an official proclamation from the city of Chico recognizing Harvey Milk Day. “He had courage to stand for his convictions and stand for his community and do the right thing.”

The proclamation included this request: “We encourage the people of Chico to observe this occasion by educating themselves, their friends and family members about Harvey Milk’s life and legacy.”

Gruendl followed with an emotional speech.

“I can think of no better way to honor Harvey Milk than to stand before you as an openly gay elected official,” he said at the outset of his address. He wept openly at times during his moving half-hour talk that in part focused on his personal experiences and the ongoing battle for civil rights still being fought by the gay community.

Gruendl served as mayor from 2004 to 2006. A native of Oakland, Gruendl said when he was 14 he already knew he was “different” and wanted to be a public servant when Milk was assassinated.

“With Harvey’s election came hope,” Gruendl said. “He used to say he wasn’t an elected official because he was gay, he was just an elected official who happened to be gay.”

Gruendl spoke at length about gay marriage and cited recent moves by state legislatures to ban them. He said such efforts must be fought in the manner that Milk battled Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs initiative, which sought to ban teachers and other school officials who were gay or supported gay rights.

Gruendl is married to Nicholas Goody. He spoke about the frustrations he endured in wanting to marry: “I have served my country, I could be a mayor, I could be a professional executive working in local government, but I did not have what it took to be married.”

He also spoke of the joy he felt when a break in marriage laws allowed him and Goody to seal their commitment, creating what he called a “constitutional anomaly.”

“An openly gay mayor in a Podunk town marries his man of 15 years on a bluff overlooking one of the most conservative parts of California,” he said of the event. “And even with TV cameras and reporters present, nothing could have seemed so right or so normal.”

Gordon began her speech by saying, “I’m a sociology professor on campus, and I’m queer,” and spoke at length about the connotations of gay terminology and the ongoing fight for civil rights.

Community supporters for the event included the Jesus Center, GRUB, Chico Havurah and The Last Stand.

Harvey Milk Day celebrations throughout California included a day of service and address by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the naming of Harvey Milk Street in San Diego. Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew and founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, attended a celebration in Sacramento May 15.