Address given by City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez at the San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, May 21:
Buenos dias; good morning and welcome to the 7th annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast. Thank you for once again selling out this event with over 1,000 of us gathered here this morning.
Harvey Milk was proud that he served our nation in the United States Navy and we San Diegans are proud that he was once stationed in America’s Finest City in the 1950s.
As our great nation is getting prepared to observe Memorial Day, would our active duty military and veterans with us today please stand so that we can acknowledge your outstanding service to our nation.
Today I stand before you with mixed emotions. Many times those of us who knew and worked with Harvey Milk in the 1970s are asked, “What do you think Harvey Milk would be like or involved with if he were alive today?”
Well only three days ago a 14-year-old trans boy in San Diego County named Kyler committed suicide. Just a few months ago two other local trans teens named Sage and Taylor also committed suicide.
Yes you heard right, three San Diego LGBT teens have committed suicide these past two months.
And Kyler this past Monday; well I know this, if Harvey Milk was alive today his heart would be broken as are the Kyler Family today as well as Kyler’s friends at The LGBT Community Center which he went to. And yes, Harvey Milk would be angry that almost 40 percent of America’s homeless teens are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender youth.
Harvey Milk would be standing up and fighting for our LGBT youth and all youth.
For those who ask what Harvey Milk would be like if he was alive today and what issues he would be involved with – he would be standing up for the undocumented, children and families who have fled their country and are here living with us today.
He would be standing up for the 81-year-old veteran who recently had to resort to calling 911 because and I quote, “I need something to eat.” Yes he would be outraged at the mistreatment of his fellow veterans and the elderly.
And I know Harvey Milk would be standing up front and center when it comes to the issue of some of our nation’s police departments abuse of people of color; of the bias discrimination within our justice system.
For that I say to you today, that the LGBT community should never forget that our civil rights movement began because of police brutality at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969.
But I also know that Harvey Milk would also speak out about the recent shooting of police officer Heather Sutton this past Sunday and would appreciate the service of our good police officers who protect our communities every day.
Harvey Milk would be speaking out about the growing number of HIV/AIDS cases of America’s youth, women and people of color.
And this morning you will see and hear that Harvey Milk lives in one of our honorees: Phill Wilson
If Harvey Milk were alive today he would be in solidarity with the minimum wage fight; standing up for America’s working family, for women’s rights to control their own bodies and equal pay. And Harvey would be outraged at those trying to destroy the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
And yes, Harvey would be so proud of us honoring his friend the Rev. Troy Perry; for Harvey Milk’s legacy lives in Troy Perry. Yes, I think at times if Jesus came down to Earth today he would weep because of what some are doing in his name. I know he is weeping for Sage, Taylor and Kyler.
So in closing, I ask of you today to let Cesar Chavez’s, Martin Luther King’s and Harvey Milk’s legacies continue to live in each of you, and yes get more involved in the serious issues that I have spoken to you about today.
We must do more for our LGBT youth, especially the growing violence against our trans brothers and sisters.
Let as all leave today remembering the lives of Sage, Taylor and Kyler. We dedicate this breakfast to their memory.
Yes, I believe together all of us can change America for the better; for the fight for equality and social justice continues. Si se Puede!
Thank you and God bless you all.
