When Sean Penn won his best actor Oscar for portraying Harvey Milk one of the very first persons he thanked was Cleve Jones, who was a historical consultant for the movie. Cleve worked with Harvey Milk and they were good friends. But probably, the most famous thing that Cleve Jones is known for is as the founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt which has been displayed around the world. Cleve Jones will be honored at the annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast coming up Thursday, May 22 (Harvey’s birthday) with the Harvey Milk Equality Award.
Cleve has been a prominent gay rights activist for more than 30 years and is an outstanding and moving speaker. The Milk Breakfast is always sold out with 1,000 people attending, so get your tickets/tables today by contacting The LGBT Center.
About our new police chief
My phone began ringing off the hook after the announcement of our new police chief, Shelley Zimmerman. What I found disturbing was many reporters asking me if she was a lesbian, and did I know and would I confirm it. I immediately told them it wasn’t their business and that her personal life was her own and it should be respected.
It seems many in our community also feel the need to know and are questioning, “Is she or isn’t she?”
Who cares, as she is an outstanding and well qualified choice … and that should be the end of it. So, let’s really focus on what is important here: she has an outstanding record in the San Diego Police Department and she is the first woman ever to hold the office of police chief of San Diego … now that’s something all of us should be celebrating!
The Lincoln Club reception
You can imagine my surprise when I received an invitation to attend a reception in La Jolla, hosted by the Lincoln Club of San Diego, honoring our new mayor, Kevin Faulconer. This organization is made up of prominent business people in our city and is thought of as a conservative and Republican club.
I attended the reception this past Tuesday and there were about six other GLBT citizens in attendance. When the president of the Lincoln Club spoke, he talked about building community coalitions and, yes, mentioned our LGBT community. While I do not agree with some of the club’s political stands I do believe that there is common ground that can bring about better dialogue and understanding of our city’s growing diversity of communities and neighborhoods.
By the way, the Lincoln Club did support former LGBT Pride Executive Director Dwayne Crenshaw in his recent City Council campaign.
The choice of giving Cleve Jones the Harvey Milk/Equality Award is excellent! I met Cleve when he first came to San Francisco. I was involved in a new gay newspaper owned by a couple of conservative gentlemen. I felt they should offer Cleve an opportunity to write a column because he was a fine spokesperson of the young gay activist living,working and going to school in San Francisco. Cleve did turn it down the job,however I am glad to say he went on to become the “Voice” of many gays students,workers,seniors and their causes in the past 30 Years. His leadership and contributions to the gay rights movement has never wavered for Equality for all people,gay or straight.