Foundation plans first official Milk Day in California
The Harvey B. Milk Foundation, formed by the late political leader’s nephew, is planning events to mark California’s first official Harvey Milk Day on May 22, Milk’s birthday, according to the Bay Area Reporter:
Working with local event producer Audrey Joseph, the foundation plans to host its inaugural awards show May 21 on the eve of California’s first official Harvey Milk Day, which under state law will annually be declared May 22 on Milk’s birthday. In conjunction with local LGBT leaders, the foundation also has plans to hold a diversity breakfast May 22 and a street festival that afternoon in the Castro modeled after the gayborhood’s annual fall street fair, which Milk helped launch in the 1970s.
“Harvey Milk Day is really exciting. It is the first time a gay individual has been honored with a day named after them anywhere in the world,” said Joseph, who likened the awards event to “mimicking the Kennedy Center Honors,” which are named after another assassinated American politician, President John F. Kennedy.
Stuart Milk added that, “We really do think this could eventually be a weeklong focal event that brings people from around the world to San Francisco to celebrate Harvey Milk week.”
Events honoring Milk are planned throughout the state, from Sacramento to San Diego, where a diversity breakfast in honor of Milk, the first openly gay person elected to office in a major American city, drew 1,200 people last year.
Ceremonies are also being planned in New York City and on Long Island, where Milk grew up. An organization in Tallahassee, Florida contacted Stuart Milk about attending an event there the night of May 22.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) encouraged Americans to be mindful of harsh rhetoric, citing the murder of San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and mayor George Moscone as an example of how dangerous language can translate to politically-motivated violence.
Towleroad
While we wait to see if Gov. Schwarzenegger will 

