The life of gay rights activist Harvey Milk was celebrated in San Diego Friday. Nearly a thousand people turned out for an annual breakfast to remember the former San Francisco City Supervisor.
The breakfast started off with an acknowledgment of San Diego’s homosexual elected officials. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, says the vibrant LGBT community in San Diego serves as an example to the rest of the world.
“Although we’re celebrating, certainly, Harvey Milk here in San Diego. Please know, that what you’re doing here in coming together to celebrate Harvey’s message, is a message that resonates throughout the world,” he said. "It brings light to darkness and I can’t thank you enough."
Several of the speakers focused on the importance of overturning Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. The measure prevents homosexuals from openly serving in the military.
Over the objections of some fellow Republicans California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill last year establishing May 22 as an annual holiday of sorts that simply encourages public schools to conduct commemorative activities in Milk's honor.
Only a handful of schools are doing that Friday. But rallies, concerts and fundraisers areamong the Milk Day events planned Saturday in California and 20 other states.
Harvey Milk would have turned 80 Saturday. He was serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1978 when he was assassinated along with the mayor by a former colleague.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
