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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Vaishalee Raja, Communications Director,PHONE: (916) 284-9187,EMAIL:,vaishalee@eqca.org

Equality California Issues Statement on Eve of First-Ever Harvey Milk Day

“As we celebrate his life on this historic day, we will draw strength and inspiration from Harvey’s courage in our ongoing struggle to achieve our collective dream of full equality.” – Geoff Kors, Equality California executive director

SAN FRANCISCO

Tomorrow
marks Harvey Milk Day, the first official State Day of Recognition for
an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person in our nation's
history. Last year Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law the Harvey
Milk Day bill, sponsored by Equality California and authored by Senator
Mark Leno (D-San Francisco).

In honor of the day, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors issued the following statement:

"I
am truly thrilled that after several years of hard work, we have
succeeded in making Harvey Milk's birthday an official State Day of
Recognition, honoring his incredible legacy and invaluable
contributions to our state and to our nation. We are going to celebrate
the way Harvey would, by going door-to-door, sharing our stories across
the state in neighborhoods that don't yet support the freedom to marry
for same-sex couples.

"We
will redouble our efforts to elect only those candidates who will be
champions for complete equality, just as Harvey was. We will continue
standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies fighting for social
justice across the spectrum, just as Harvey taught us to.

"As
we celebrate his life on this historic day, we will draw strength and
inspiration from Harvey's courage in our ongoing struggle to achieve
our collective dream of full equality."

In
honor of Harvey Milk Day, Equality California is hosting a day of
action on Saturday, May 22, with more than 1,000 Californians expected
at rallies across the state followed by door-to-door canvassing to
build support for the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.

Equality California is also hosting events to help elect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates and allies to office.

For a complete list of events, please visit: www.eqca.org/HarveyMilkDay.

Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.